The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-09
BIC MEETINGS IN
THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Apostle Hyrum N. Smith Has
Charges Of the Services in
the Afternoon.
JOSEPH A. M'RAE TALKS
OF THE NEW DECLARATION
lie Says 1t Means the Dawning
of a New Era for the Saints;
Other Speakers.

The Assembly Hall was crowded at
both morning and evening overflow meet
tngs SUNDAY In the morning Apostle
1Ieber j. Grant had charge OF the service
which like the other meetings i'm the
Assembly Hall was Of n missionary ma
ture. The speakers were W. W. RYDER
Nephi Pratt. Samuel r. Bennion ana J.
Golden KmbaT.
In the afternoon the Assembly Han
was crowded to the doors. The meeting
was in charge OF Apostle Hyrum NJ.
Smith. The speakers We're In every III
stance, with the exception OF Ellar An
drew Jensen. assistant church historian,
or heads of mission fields. These told
OF the fruits OF their lahors and all Joined
in laudation of the declaration ci the
first presidency adopted by the confer
ence as a defense OF Mormon principles,
Joseph A, McRae of the Western States
mission. was the first speaker lie be
gan by stating that he 'eioicel IN the
declaration Of principles which IN him
Indicated the dawning cf another daT
for the church. and The beginning Of
new era In the history of Latter. Day
Saints all over world. He thought the
present great conference showed that the
saints were essentially social people
nnd recognized each their dependence
npon the other and the need of counsel
together.
Telling of his work in the mission field,
aae deplored the lack OF elders 10 preach
the gospel 20 the faithful. Their" were
~ least two stnkes where thoCe was
Ecarcely an elder 10 hold services, and
In one but TWO. This was because here
Iwcre none 10 send, though Denver an0
pther places were calling FOR ministrar
lion. The speaker told Of the methods
Df selling the Book of Mormon, and OF
fhe recent great success In this line. He
paid he was urging this part OF the work
Upon all the elders in the field. The
Book Of Mormon, he believed. was mes
sage or letter 70 this generation. and
every means must be taken 10 put il be
Sore the people.
Speaks in Same Strain.
President John r. Ellsworth spoke
This was tle most important conference
he ever attended. and the declaration one
pf the most important in the history Of
The church. II seemed 10 him that n
WAS taking different position before the
people OF the world and would reach 10
the ends Of the earth. II bore the mes
page Of truth and the stamp OF authority.
The spirit Of the present conference
would be felt for all time. He urged the
paints TO keep their bodies and souls
clean and pure and emphasized the gos-
pei OF work as given by the Lord 10 Jo-
seph F. Smith. President Ellsworth re-
ported from his field that the work was
hourishing. The people in the mission
kvere faithful concerning fittings, Many
more books had been disposed Of than
IN previous years, and the prospect was
encouraging. He praised the work ac
,complished by the bureau OF information
pn the Temple grounds. the results Of
(which ne had observed on his mission.
Joseph T. Robinson told ot his work
on the Pacific coast. He likewise re
5oiced in the declara ton which. he said.
bore the stamp Of truth and OF GOD, and
WAS a needed authoritative statement Of
principles 10 put before the world. The
condition of his mission was heIter than
70 year ago I'm spite OF the destruction
Wrought by the earthquake. During the
year California saints had pad several
hundred more dollars in tithes than in
The previous year, and this in the face
of the fact that many had lost their
homes. Baptisms had increased n hum
hred per cent, and the sale Of hooks sew
been done by his mission in Arizona.
notably In Bisbee. Douglas and Phoenix,
where the brethren had been strength
ened. Nevada had scarcely been touched
though some little work had been done.
When the mad rush for gold was over
jt might he expected that something
could be done In that State
Gentle Government.
He desired 10 allude particularly to the
position OF the church in regard In Cen
tile government of tho land. Latter-Day
Saints cannot fully realize all that the
lord has In hand. In the Book of Nor
mon the Lord speaks OF this land as one
where the tree of liberty is to be planted.
The Lord had inspired the constitution
of this country that the church might
he planted and make It's propaganda from
here. He read from revelations to Jo-
seph the seer To show the relation OF the
church 20 the government and the prayer
of the prophet that the constitution
might be established forever" Glow,
then he asked, 'can they say that we
desire TO cast down the constitutions The
Interests OF the Gentiies are our Inter-
rsts. As the Prophet Joseph has said:
1--WE are identified with them He
quoted from Daniel 7-27. 10 show that
greatness and dominion would be given
10 the people of the Most High. and
tlaimed that the American people were
the people of the Most High. America
Us now taking her place among the Ma
lions OF the earth, and God is enabling
her to do this that His people may
spread the gospel abroad. II was Egypt
that made Joseph great. the kingdom of
Eebuchad9ezzar that ne had made II pos
eible for Daniel TO do his great work to
accomplish what he had.
"Tbe people of the Lord are the neo-
pie OF the United States. Gentiles well
ms saints. and the interests of both are
Identical. II is not 10 be expected that
the saints, numbering only about 400. 900.
ran maintain dominion and control the
temporal affairs Of 50, 100000, The day
country Will recognize that the saints are
not menace, to the government. but are
Hhe conservators OF the word OF Cod and
are striving TO make the world better for
God Ny prayer is that the spirit of
fairness Will go out that the saints will
not set their feet In forbidden paths, but
hthat they will emulate their sres and
'rnothers and lay for themselves a crown
lOf righteousness"
Visits to Mission Fields.
Charles II, Hart. one of the first presl-
dents OF seventies. told Of visits TO varI-