Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-19
An Address to Zze Church BY the FRS Presidency

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follow the instructions given them by the
Elders not to be in hurry to emigrate, but
for the Saints to remain and help strengthen
the branches where they live and they them
selves become more strongly grounded i'll the
gospel.
USE OF THE BOOK OF MORMON IN
MISSION FIELDS.
Many thousands of copies of the Book Of
Mormon have been published in the United
States and have been widely distributed by the
Elders among the people. The result has been
an awakening of lively interest in the doc
trincs of the gospel and in the divine mission
OF Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon has
been placed on sale in some Of the largest
and most reliable publishing and business
houses in the United States, and it has been
listed i'll their catalogues. The use OF the
Book OF Mormon as a means OF spreading the
gospel has proved to be very successful We
feel to commend the Elders for their efforts
in this direction and pray that this work may
be continued by them in the future both at
home and in foreign fields with equal diligence
and good results. The general use Of the Book
of Mormon by the Elders as means of spread
ing knowledge of the gospel and in convert
ing men to the divinity Of the mission of the
Prophet Joseph Smith is certain to be follow
ed with gratifying results. The book con-
tains promise to all honest Investigators that
they shall know of its truth if thew Will study
it with praycrful hearts. Hundreds testify
to the fuhment of this promise This use OF
the Book of Mormon is merely a return to con-
ditions that prevailed in the early days Of the
Church when the Elders went forth with the
Book of Mormon and many believed and were
baptized. Some of the first and staunchest
members were converted through reading the
Book Of Mormon Among these might be men
ton ed Presidents Brigham Young and Heber
c. Kimbal, Willard Richards, Farley P Pratt
and Orson Pratt, George A. Smith and other
members of the Prophets household, and
many others that space will not permit us to
mention
The Elders of the Church are the witnesses
for Christ in the world that He has again es-
tabished His Gospel, and the world will be
judged by their testimonies The Book of
Mormon is witness of the dealings of God
with the ancient inhabitants OF this land, which
is the land Of Zion. 1t contains the gospel of
Jesus Christ and has been translated by the
gift and power of God as a means for the sal
walton and redemption Of His children.
TIE WORK IN THE STAKES OF ZION.
AZ, !.
votion to the cause by those who have been
called to preside in the missions, we can say
with equal force and truth of those who have
been called to preside in the several stakes
Of Zion. They are generally laboring with
power and zeal among the Saints, uniting their
hearts with love unfeigned. The integrity Of
the Saints to the cause of Zion their fidelity
to the principles Of the Gospel their knowledge
of the latter-day work; their fellowship for
one another and for the presiding authorities
of the Church, and the marked unity pervad-
ing all their assemblies, are highly commend
able Their observance of the principle of
tithing which was revealed and established by
our Heavenly Father to provide for the tenn
pora needs OF the Church. and their improve
lnent in the observance OF the Word of Wis
dom and the principles Of temperance and
sobriety, marks their growth and advancement
in the knowledge and love OF the principles of
their religion. Incidents of the recent past
have proved the willingness of the Latter-clay
Saints, who are in full fellowship with tie
Church, to forego tllei. personal desires and
yield their individual preferences on their own
volition for the public good, and mark dis
tinctively their individual growth and broaden
ing in the scale of intelligence as well as their
integrity to the best interests of the whole.
THE. CHURCH SCHOOLS.
Our Church schools throughout Zion, which