Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-04
President Joseph F. Smith Says
latter-Day Saints Should CO.
operate With Movement.
INTERESTING DATA OF WORK.
tabernacle Packed With Saints
At Opening Session Of
The Conference.
n.r,hcrs of First Presidency Deliver
Addresses This neutrality-suspicious.
i,ics TO be Presented Tomorrow.

Never before in the history Of the
rhurch has the opening session, OF
conference witnessed such an outpour-
Ing Of people as that which assembled
a, The tabernacle this morning. Before
rho hour Of opening arrived all seats
verre occupied and the line of persons
sanding extended around the audi
,o,ium. In fact the limit of the BUILD
ng was almost reached. and outside
tho crowd was sufficiently large to have
furnished another good sized meeting.
II The opening address of President
Joseph +. Smith be taken as keynote,
temperance and local option viii be
the prevailing theme OF the conference.
The subject of working for reform In
the liquor traffic of this state was
strongly dwelt upon by the speaker,
and the people were called upon to live
according to the spirit and letter of
the Word of Wisdom. President Smith
sroke for about 45 minutes and was
followed in turn by Presidents Winder
and Lund.
Besides the first presidency, the gen.
eral authorities upon the stand were
Patriarch John Smith, President
Francis NJ. Lyman, Elders John Henry
smith. Heber j Grant, Rudger Claw
son, Hyrum NJ. Smith. George Albert
Smith, Georg f. Richards. Orson F.
Whitney, David o. Mckay and An
thony w. Wins of the quorum of the
Twelve apostles: of the first seven presf-
dents of seventies, Seymour B. Young
B. H. Roberts, Jonathan G. Kimball,
Rulon $. Wells, Joseph w. McMurrin
and Charles H. Hart; of the presiding
bishopric Charles W. Nibley, Orrln F.
Miller and David A. Smith; Asst. His
iorlans Andrew Jensen and Amos Mil
ion Musser.
Except for the rendition of the an
them. From Afar Gracious Lord" by
the choir, the singing of the forenoon
was congregational. the vast assembly
singing such favorite hymns as Now
let us rejoice" "Guide us, o Thou
Great jehovah" and Our God, we
manner The opening prayer was Of
fered by Elder Joseph i. Taylor and
Patriarch John Smith pronounced the
benedctlon.
PRESIDENT JOSEPH #. SMITH.
In his opening remarks. President
Joseph F. Smith welcomed the saints to
the seventy-eighth annual conference.
II was very gratifying. he said, to SEQ
such an outpouring of the people. 1t
showed that the people We're interested
IN the welfare of the Kingdom OF God.
I'VE have every reason TO feel CRATE
ful to the Lord for His manifold bless
ings showcred upon us since our last
conference" declared the speaker. Tho
eyes Of the Almighty are over His
people and He is mindful of their well
iare. We do not claim any honor for
the delivcrance of this people from enc
mics and opposition. We thank God
for His mercies and blessings. Per-
haps we owe something to those who
have opposed US. For in all that we
nav suffered the Lord has caused good
10 come to Zion. 1t Is written. Woe
INTO them by whom offenses come and
gay Of reckoning is sure TO come"
The speaker said he rejoiced more In
Inc work of the Lord than ever before,
ana was more than ever assured that
Is the work OF God. There Is not
u'e shadow of doubt in my mind as
10 the truth and divinity of the gospel
lhat has been restored to man.
being"
IT Is good to come together from
m,ne TO time in conference capacity
ne elders VIII instruct the people as
ule spirit of God shall give them ut
Wlsnee ! welcome you here today.
au9 pray God TO bless us individually
Smith.
Since last conference many loved
qua hononod brethren and sisters have
peell called into the great beyond, to
await the resurrection" The Lord
sNelh and taketh away, and We feel
say with him OF old. Blessed be
We name OF the Lord
me church OF Jesus Christ OF Lat
"Nuay saints was never in II better
0'Iai'ion than It Is today
Npl only upon general principles, but
~.,ueally they arc becoming more
muaifiul m their observance OF the word
"' NOiu mas spoken, rs the truth.
LAWS or TEMPERANCE
,. believe We are coming to the tlma
49, we Hhall observe the laws of tenn
ps'vun,ee, III accordance with the Word
IoH suon We are finding that the
nv knew better than we IN present
"s mat revelation 20 His people. The
tmoop, tho Church, are coming nearer
~ proper Observance of that law the
'i,,, mas given for our health.
pros,ahNu see man processing" said
~ ',Iuehl smith, TO be Il member OF
ba huron, though not protesting Il
bs tpoa LAtter-day Saint, befoulina
v,i wtath with tobacco and liquor II
IN w, me and my soul goes out 10 him
ov,n ~ why cannot we realize oui
nic.i thy IN Yielding to these per
nuN hAblts3 Why cannot we rls,
wo va degree of Intelligence tina
retl enable as TO say 10 the temptei
M, 9sh'Al NE, satan!' How humliat-
he must be 10 a man TO feel tina
~ slave TO his appetite,
alp believe In strict temperance,
abs,t PRESIDENT Smith, we believe il
no,ahce from an poisonous and per
ns4la things Poison should only b.
eor,,,M a temporary oXpedient; hut
4 angl use OF poison win fasten g.
4 AMI upon US in such n way that h.
h. og we llnd II has power over u
4 ppl destruction.
da, selneefely hope that every Latter
SAINT VIII cooperate with IN
ii M "nve movement spreading owe
II .na lenq said President smith "
Il NY brethren az least, are In har