Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1907-02-25
MESA
L. D. S. CONFERENCE.
Apostle HYrum M. Smith of Salt Lake,
Discusses Marriage to Large
Audiences.

The Latter Day Saints general con.
ference which convened in this city al
| 10 o'clock Saturday forenoon has been
! largely attended by followers Of the
doctrine from the different wards OF
! the state, the largest congregation being
present yesterday afternoon when the
! large tabernacle was crowded To its ca
pacity.
| President J. T. LesueUr reported the
different organizations of the state in
good condition and was followed by
Bishop J. NJ Herne who spoke for the
Mesa ward and Edgar Hunsaker for
! the Alma ward. Elder +. II. Johnson
who recently returned from his Califor-
MIA mission talked for short time, the
remainder Of the session being given
over 70 Apostles John Henry Smith and
HyIum NJ. Smith Of salt Lake. The
former spoke of America as a land,
choice above all others and said that
We should be thankful that we are liv-
ing under the stars and stripes. The
latter devoted considerable time and
attention TO the Trials of Riches" He
pointed out how the wealthy are apt
70 forget their blessings and that pow
erty is productive Of humanity.
At the Saturday evening meeting
which was given over to the young
people of the church an impromptu
program was was rendered including
songs and addresses appropriate 10 the
occasion. While the evening was de-
cidedly a young peoples affair, Hyrum
NJ. Smith. who is rather a young man
delivered one Of the strongest talks on
marriage ever heard At this place.
While It is well known fact that
the divine command Marry and null
tiply and replenish the earth" is firmly
implanted in the Mormon doctrine, yet
the speaker went farther and pictured
the old bachelor and the old maid in all
their glaring imperfections. Apostle
Smith said in part: ITO begin with
the man who does not marry is a coward
For instance a Young man lives with
his parents. ne helps defray the fam
iIy expenses and ne knows that he has
q home as long as he lives. He be
lieves that his responsibilities are less
tnan those OF the married man and that
consequently mis- trials and vicissitudes
are less. He goes along the lines Of
least resistance until finally he mar
rows down to a fixed channel. He be-
comes set in his ways and fixed in his
ideas until he is one OF the most pitt
able creatures in Gods kingdom Old
maids are Just the same. l have no
more respect for one than the other.
Now on the other hand what do we
see2 Take the young man who mar
ries. he assumes a great responsibility
he encounters trials, he learns the
depth Of a fathers love, he learns the
sadness. perhaps. that comes when q
little one he had learned 10 love is taxi
IN from him. but il all brings out low
able characteristics in mis- nature that
otherwise would have lain dormant
RESPONSIBILITIES make him 4 stronger
man. Responsibilities make him a
more evenly balanced and a better man.
/ would not have YOU believe that you
should fall in love with a dimple or
curl and marry the whole girl. one
thing that We believe in is that young
people should be acquainted with each
other before they marry. If you fall
in love with a dimple or curl try to
know the young lady better before you
take her for wife. Go TO her home
when she Is in the dishpan or on her
knees scrubbing the floor or with her
sleeves rolled up in the wash tub. Go
to her home when she is least expect
ing YOU. Learn how she talks to her
brothers and sisters. Find out about
her family. Know how she talks to