The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-06

people and the labor planks in the
Denver platform.
Straight From the Shoulder.
He was unsparing on his attacks on
Speaker Cannon, Mr.. Sherman, the Re-
children it is because we have failed to
keep the law. How can we keep the higher
law II we are remiSS in the observance of
the Word of Wisdom, which deals with
the lesser things. II the heads of the
church keep the law the people will fol-
low their example. 1 rejoice over the rec
ord of the St George stake, where every
church officer, with but two exceptions,
has been living in accordance with the
Word of Wisdom, which those two have
now promised to keep. Some months ago
st. George had a saloon, but by unani-
nous vote the church members have re-
moved 1t from their midst. l take it for
granted that when you endorsed the reSo-
luton of yesterday you knew what you
were doing. You pledged yourselves 10
use your personal efforts, not to turn the
work over to someone else. You are not
removing blessing from anyone when,
by your franchises, you take the saloon
from our midst. You have the power
both by the ballot and by the power OF
dren and you should be diligent day and
night In this cause. Let us evidence by
our lives that Jehovah is at the head OF
this movement and that he is our Father.
Apostle Richards Speaks.
Apostle Smith was followed by Apostle
George F. Richards, who spoke as fol-
lows:
The spirit of this conference is to create
a sentiment among the people toward
obeying the law of God and the Word of
Wisdom. 1t is fitting for all the leading
officers of the church to teach the Word
of Wisdom, to advocate it's practice and
teach those Ilndar rn obs
Let those who have been so taught, teach
others. A few years ago when the church
was in debt, inspiration came to the pres
ident. He saw that if the Latter-day
Saints would pay their tithes the financial
condition of the church would be such
that there would be ample money to pay
the Indebtedness and carry on the work.
A wave of reform passed over the people.
they determined to be faithful and the re-
suits were most gratifying and apparent.
We should put forth equal efforts at the
present time to obtain results in the pres
ent movement. No faithful follower of the
Latter-day Saints objects to the time and
attention which is being given this Word
OF Wisdom. If any object it is because
they themselves have not been keeping
this law. The individual economy and the
national economy demands that this law
be observed The effects of disobedience
should remind US of the advisability of
obedience. Above all things it is the will
of God, expressed in no uncertain terms.
There is no law of the church which
applies so thoroughly to all. In our march
toward perfection. we must take these
principles with us In our profession of
faith we claim to be willing to lay down
our lives at the will of the Lord. How
can we profess TO be willing TO do this
when we are unwilling to obey his behests
in these smaller things. Many of you have
done well in these matters. but many OF
you have not You must comply with the
will of the Lord in these small things in
order that you may school yourselves for
the greater things. II is sufficient that
God has commanded it.
Apostle Whitney's Talk.
Pike. after which Apostle o. F. Whitney
said:
1t is somewhere about 1000 years since
Jesus Christ died on Calvary for our sins,
and appointed twelve apostles and sent
them forth to teach the will of God. 1t
is over 100 years since Joseph Smith was
born who was to restore the gospel of
Christ. 1t is seVenty-eight years since
the organization of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints Has the
world been benefited by what God has
done or has it grown worse? There is only
one answer. l believe in the progress of
the world and that it is 5000 years nearer
perfection than Ii was at the time Adam
was hurled out of Eden. In spite of the
dereliction of the Church of Latter-day
Saints and its members l believe that it
is in better condition than ever before.
Yet 1 realize that there is room for i'm
provement. Present conditions are not so
good as to favor an argument for stagna-
ton. We should work on toward perfec-
ton. But the work of the prophets and
the heads of the church has not been in
vain. The world is growing steadily bet
ter. An outside minister once asked me
why, with our confession of faith. we took
no stock in any of the good works being
done outside of the church If that min
lister could have heard the addresses of
President Joseph F. Smith and his apostles
and councillors yesterday and today he
would realize that the Latter-day Saints
indorse and approve every good word and
work whether inside their own church or
not Mormonsm stands for advancement
and is the fountain of charity and benev-
oleHce.
Apostle Whitney then read a selection
on the subject of the betterment of the
world by DIR. Henry Van Dyke of Prince
ton university which stated that there
were three essential points of goodness
justice, kindness and self control. DR..
Van Dyke states that the world has inn
proved in the first two but is lacking in
self control. 81 agree with this learned
man on this subject. We should practice
self control and by that means tend to
make the world brighter and better. Be
sure that God will triumph in the end
against all his enemies and that his will
will prevail"
Joseph =. Smiths Blessing.
After the usual notices had been read
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