The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1908-04-09
SIGNIFICANT UTTERANCES
At CONFERENCE Of SAINTS
PRESIDENT Joseph r. Smith Declares
Church is In Sympathy With
Movement for curtaiment Of
Liquor Traffie.--Record Break
ing Attendance of Con-
ference.

Salt Lake City.--At the opening ses.
sion of the seventy-eighth annual con.
ference of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. in this city on
April 4. 1t is estimated that the at
tendance was larger than for any
opening day in the past With few
exceptions all the high authorities of
the church were present.
In addition to President Smith,
there were on the stand the counsel
lors of the first presidency, John r.
Windor and Anthon II. Lund. All of
the apostles were present save two.
The absentees were Reed Smoot, who
is In Washington, and c. w. Penrose,
who is on mission to Europe.
President Smith, in his address at
the opening session, declared that the
church was in sympathy with the
movement that is sweeping the coun.
| try for curtailment of the liquor
traffic. Other speakers, members of
the quorum OF twelve apostles, also
urged the more general observance
of the rules of temperance, saying
that the embargo laid on excesses in
the Word of Wisdom is a command.
ment, not only with regard to strong
drink, but as well in respect to to-
bacco, profanity and tea and coffee
The church was declared to be in a
better condition than ever before The
auxiliary societies were reported to
| be flourishing as never they had in
the past. The testimony of President
Smith and other speakers was that
the favorable conditions were a fact,
in spiritual as well as temporal
way The laws laid down in the gos-
pei are observed with greater fidelity
than they have ever been. it was as
serted.
President Smith, in the beginning
of his remarks, extended a welcome
to the Saints. 1t was extremely graft.
| flying, he said, to see so great an out.
pouring of people I'VE have every
reason" said President Smith, ito
| feel grateful to the Lord for his man
fold blessing showered upon us since
our last conference. The eyes of the
| Almighty are upon his people, and he
| is mindful of their welfare. We do
not claim any honor for the deliver
ance of our people from enemies and
opposition; we thank God for his mer
cies and blessings"
The president said that it was writ
ten that woe is unto them by whom
offenses come, and a day of reckon
ing Is sure TO come. The speaker
said that he did not for an instant
doubt the truth and divinity of the
| gospel that has been restored to man
Feeling reference was made to the
brothers and sisters who had been
called by death since the last confer
ence. saying that they had gone to
await the resurrection.
On the subject of temperance the
| president said: Il believe the time is
near at hand when we shall observe
the laws of temperance in accordance
with the Word of Wisdom We find
that the Lord knew better than we
when he gave that revelation.
When see man protesting to
| be a member of the church befouling
| his mouth with tobacco and liquor it
| pains me greatly and my heart goes
out to him in regret. We believe in
strict temperance. We believe In abb
stinence from all poisonous and per-
nicious things.
Just now there is movement
spreading over this country for the
extension of local option, and hope
| operate with this temperance move
| ment. | and my brethren are in har-
mony with the movement We think
the people ought to have the right to
say whether they win have drunken.
ness, murder, robbery and riot in their
midst, or whether they will have
peace"
The president declared the auxil-
iaries of the church to be in excel
lent condition. He said they were
active and energetic and declared
that the spirit of contention is not
known among the Latter-day Saints,
and is present only among those who
have become apostates and have lost
the spirit of the gospel.
President Smith, In making a par
tial report, said that on December 81.
1907, there were in the field 1910
I missionaries. During the year there
We're sent out 927 elders, and 707 re-
turned, the returning fees of these
being paid by the church. Forty-four
sisters accompanied their husbands
on missions. President Smith said
that the elders who so out into the
field do so at their own expense and
support themselves while in the field.
John K. Winder. of the urst presi-
dency spoke of the work performed
In the temple last year, referring to the
gatification felt at the additional in.
terest taken in the work of redemp.
ton for the dead The work per
formed in the temple, said Mr.. Win.
der, has often been so great that peo-
pie have been turned away not infre-
quently.
President Anthon II. Lund spoke
on the principle of gathering. He
said that Moroni taught it to Joseph
before any one was baptized into
the church. President Lund said that
revelations bearing on the subject of
gathering were given to the church
during the first years of its existence.