The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-10-05


they should be there. He said the ques-
ton that should be asked by every MEM
Der Of the church should be. Have set
my house in order?' and this question
neighbour
George F. Richards of the quorum of
apostles said he had been trying to take
a little stock of himself as he had been
listening to the other addresses and,
Searching himself and his faith. he had
decided that his complete harmony with
the others in all that had been said dur
ing the conference was evidence to him
that his heart was about right. He said
he endorsed every sentiment that had
been uttered. He sustained the presi-
dent of the church as prophet, seer and
revelator and as the man authorized and
fitted by God to direct the affairs Of
His church,
He said he thanked the Lord for
Joseph F. Smith and for his integrity ana
love of truth and his administration of
the affairs of the church Like senti-
ments he expressed for the members of
the quorum of apostles, presidents OF
seventies and all of the other officers Of
the church and its boards. Referring to
the Doctrine and Covenants where it was
predicted that marvellous work was
about to come forth, Mr.. Richards Illus
trated this work by the missionary labors
of the church, whereby 1000 men were
kept in the field continually and approx
mately 100000 a year was spent IN
maintaining the mission work on the part
of the church and the missionaries.
Work of Priesthood.
In speaking, of the work of the priest
hood, Mr. Richards said that in one ward
in Fremont stake the ward teachers had
brought twenty adults within the church.
IN one ward in Davis county he said
that within nine months, thirteen out of
twenty-five MOTmOnS in the ward had
been brought to join the church and
others We're investigating. In Bingham
ward within three months. six had been
baptized into the church, and in Morgan
ward within the last year, twenty-one
persons had been brought into the church.
These evidences of the growth of the
church in established territory had come
10 the notice of the apostles in their
regular church work. In connection with
the. work of the priesthood, Mr.. Richards
spoke of the backsliders who could be
TeaWakened to their duty in the church
by the intelligent watchfulness and eff
forts of the leaders in the priesthood.
Neglect OF duty in many cases, he said,
was due to cOwardice, and it was to be
regretted that many returned mission
they returned
Orson f. Whitney, the next member of
the quorum OF apostles TO speak, quoted
from the banner Of welcome TO President
TAFT hanging at the east end of the
tabernacle. Our President" he read.
Seeing these letters, Mr.. Whitney said
he could think of no better text. He
said that during the course of his ad-
Taft but if the president of the church
would permit personalities, he wanted
first TO speak of Joseph F. Smith.
Mr.. Whitney said while Joseph F.
Smith was speaking the preceding day
with such earllestness and power "a
greater power than any of the brethren
could hope to exercise) he was reminded
OF two conversations he had had with
prominent churchmen recently in which
each said in substance that he would
not not know where to look for a man to
Smith, and saying that surveying the
whole church they could not find so good
a man or one so well qualified to fill
the place Of president of the church as
was the present president Mr.. Whitney
said he agreed with them, but the
thought occurred and II came again to
him that II was not his business to find
president of the church. That, he said,
was the Lords business and he had full
confidence that the Lord could find
II an at any time, and that He could
equip and qualify that man to fill the
office so that, as now, the people would
feel that he was the right man in the
Tlght place at the right time
Mr.. Whitney said he supposed that
question arose during the life Of Joseph
Smith, and many asked what the church
would do if the prophet were taken away
At that time, Mr.. Whitney said, joseph
Smith seemed so indispensable to the well
fare and growth of the church, but when
the Lord saw fit to take Joseph Smith
away another man arose to the position
This man, MT, Whitney said was up
10 that time no better known than the
others associated with him as general
OFFICERS of the church, but when the man
tie OF the prophet fell upon him and
when God had appointed Brigham Young
at the head of His church and the people
had sustained him. where was the man
in all Israel that could compare with
brigham Young? He said Brigham
Young had all these gifts before. but il
was not his right to exercise them until
= of a,1,Vr !,
In turn, when Brigham Young drew
near to his end, Mr.. Whitney said that
many asked the question as to who was
qualified TO succeed to the presidency of
the church. He said Brigham Young had
made himself almost indispensable to the
church, and speculatiOns were made
prophesying that when Brigham Young
died Mormonism would also die. Mr.
Whitney said that a Christian gentleman
Of the east, the Rev. T. Dewitt TalmaRe
who was never a friend of Mormonfsm
had said in his Brooklyn tabernacle that
at the time of the death of Brigham
Young the time was ripe for the govern
ment TO strike at the foundations of Nor
monism and to fire the seventh com
mandment into the Mormons with shot
and she'll"
On the contrary Mr. Whitney said
there had been no confusion. When John
Taylor arose and had been designated by
God as the president of His church and
sustained by the people it was apparent
~ TIE 1hOIuIOHS lldI another had arisen.
and from that time John Taylor was the
brightest and strongest man in the church
1t was the same when John Taylor, Will
ford Woodruff and Lorenzo Snow passed
away, and the right man in the right
place at the right time would always be
found at the head of the church.
Mr. Whitney said he remembered when
MILFORD Woodruff, at the time the temple
was dedicated, was afraid through his
native modesty, that he was not a big
enough man to take his place at the
head of the church, but this doubt was
dispelled when the brethren united in sus-
tanning MILFORD Woodruff as president.
and from that time or he was gifted
above all men, standing like mountain
above the hills.
Mr.. Whitney said he did not believe
God ever exalted one man for that mans
sake or for the sake OFF, his family He
did not believe that God played favorites
or that He was interested in increasing
the private fortunes of any man, but
that when God exalted a man it was for
particular reason. He said he believed
there were just as good men in the ranks
as higher up, and that, although all could
not be apostles or other high officers
every one could be a man of God and
such men were needed in the ranks.
Compliments Mr.. Taft.
81 believe, too, that the right man is
now at the head of this great nation"
said Mr.. Whitney. as he referred 20
President Taft. Mr.. Whitney said he
rejoiced that he was one of that great
congre cation of 10000 or more who listened
to the sermon of the President to the
people of Utah-Mormon, Jew and Cen
tile. He said he was glad to see the day
when the President of the United States
could come to Utah and be a guest of
1r ~ls,11 l.