Discourse

I trust that all who arise here to speak to this large congregation will have the faith and the prayers of those who are assembled; for it is awe-inspiring to see such a vast body of people listening to the words that are spoken; and I would not attempt to speak unless I was sure that I would be assisted by the Spirit of God. ¶

These gatherings of ours in General Conference are filled with interest to the officers and members of the Church, who naturally expect to receive counsel and instruction concerning their duties, and to obtain information respecting the progress of the work. We come together and we receive renewed strength by meeting our friends and our brethren and being inspired with the hopes that the Spirit of God gives. On these accounts these conferences are looked forward to with great interest by all the people, and I am sure that this conference is as full of interest as any that has preceded it, in many respects. ¶

We are living in peculiar times. The work of God is being assailed in various directions. This, however, is not a new thing. It has been our lot from the beginning to have difficulties to contend with, to have obstacles to overcome, and to have scenes to pass through which have tested the faith, the integrity and the fidelity of the Latter-day Saints. The Elders, in preaching the Gospel, have not neglected to tell the people unto whom they preached, and whom they baptized, the character of the difficulties that they would have to meet when they espoused the work of God. They warned them that they might expect the fate of the ancient disciples of Jesus Christ. They quoted to them the scriptures, which told them how they would be opposed, how their names would be cast out as evil, and that men would think they were doing God’s service in killing them; that if they embraced the Gospel they should be prepared to encounter all these things, and perhaps it might be necessary, in the providence of God, for them to lay down their lives for the truth. I do not think there is a faithful Elder that has ever gone forth to preach the Gospel who has not told this to those who manifested an interest in the truth and a desire to espouse it. Many of them knew by experience how much the people would have to contend with, and they felt it to be their duty to prepare them for these things, so that their baptisms, their confirmations and their entrance into the Church would not be useless. The Elders have not desired to draw people into the Church for the sake of numbers; but every time they have baptized a soul they have hoped that he or she would be faithful while life should last; and they wanted all persons, in entering into the Church, to enter into it understandingly, and with as full a realization of all that they would have to meet with as it would be possible for persons in their condition to comprehend. Those warnings have not been in vain. They have not been unnecessary. For notwithstanding the years that have passed since the organization of the Church the trials of the faith of the people have not lessened. There are as many causes to test their faith today as there ever were; not exactly in the same form, perhaps, as those which the Saints had to meet in earlier days; but still they have been of a sufficiently trying character to test the faith of the people. The words of God will be fulfilled concerning us that everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We shall have to pass through the furnace of affliction and be tried as gold that is seven times purified, until all the dross of our natures is cleansed, and nothing but pure gold remains. Why should it not be so? Other people may be content with a certain degree of happiness and glory, and with a certain amount of salvation. But there is no people upon the face of the earth who have higher conceptions and loftier views concerning their future than the Latter-day Saints entertain; in fact, our conceptions and our anticipations are incomparably greater than those of any other people who now live, of whom we know anything. That which would satisfy ordinary people would not, with our views, satisfy us. Indeed, our aspirations, to the ordinary mind, seem almost to be sacrilegious. Our views of the equality of man, our belief concerning his relationship to Deity and respecting our future, are so immeasurably beyond the views of mankind generally that when they attempt to follow us they become lost, they cannot conceive of that which we picture to ourselves, and that which the revelations of God sustain us in entertaining and believing. Therefore, it is quite proper and consistent, having such anticipations as we indulge in, that we should have all these things to contend with that are necessary to test us and to prove us to the very uttermost. We would not possess the qualifications necessary for the career of glory that we have entered upon, if we were not tried to the very uttermost, if our integrity were not completely proved, or if there was anything left in us like doubt or unbelief or a want of courage to meet with and overcome all the persecutions that could be brought to bear upon us. Other men may court ease; other men may seek for worldly profit; other men may constantly be looking out for self-interest. But not so with us. We cannot turn aside from the path that God has marked out for us to pursue, to promote any worldly interest or to gratify any worldly ambition. We must pursue that path undeviatingly, following the example of our Lord and Master. He has pointed out the path that we should walk in; and in asking us to tread in His footsteps, to do as He did, He has given unto us the same promises that He Himself has received. He has promised us that we shall be co-heirs with Him, and joint heirs in whatever glory He receives. Whatever exaltation He attains unto we shall in like manner receive, if we follow His precepts and His example. Can any people on the earth desire more than this? Is there anything that is left out? It comprehends all; it embraces all glory, all exaltation, all power, all dominion. The promises are illimitable—as boundless as eternity itself. And these are made to you who are here today. They are made to everyone who has entered into covenant with the Lord in the way that He has appointed. Shall we not then hear patiently all that we have to contend with? Shall we grow tired and weary, and after going so far, give up and say we cannot proceed any farther? Or shall we, by putting our trust in God and relying upon Him who has always been at our right hand and at our left, pursue uncomplainingly the path that our Savior has trod, bearing with meekness, with humility and with patience and all the trials, the persecutions and the evils that we have to meet? I think I can answer for this congregation this morning. We do not walk in the dark. We do not rely upon that which men tell us. I thank God this morning, as I do all the time, that He has not left His servants without a witness. All who have joined this church and been sincere in their espousal of the truth have a living testimony in their hearts concerning all that the Elders say to them and all the counsel that is given. It is this that constitutes the great strength of the work of God. Every faithful member of the Church is a witness to the truth of the work. If it were not for this, we should be a very weak people and could easily be broken up. It is not the President of the Church, or his Counselors; it is not the Twelve Apostles; it is not the Presidents of Stakes, nor any other officer in the Church, upon whom the people depend, or unto whom they look solely for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. They have the privilege given unto them by the Lord to know for themselves concerning all these matters; and there is no counsel given by the Presidency of the Church, no step taken, nor no policy pursued that they have to depend upon their personal influence to have the people believe, because the people can go to God themselves, if they have doubts upon any point, and call upon Him, in the name of Jesus, to reveal to them whether that which is done or taught is from Him or not. They need not be in doubt. They need not run around asking questions about matters which may appear mysterious to them; but they can go to the Lord in their secret places, and He will remove their doubts and answer their questions, and He will throw light upon their minds respecting the matters about which they may be disturbed. ¶

There have been many things in this Church which have come in contact with the traditions and the pre-conceived ideas of men. There are many things today which, perhaps, come in contact with views which we have entertained. There is scarcely any thinking man or woman in the Church who has not indulged in views and ideas concerning the future of this work—the manner in which it would go forth, etc., and some of these views have been rudely opposed by events. We have been shown that God’s ways are not our ways, and that our thoughts are not God’s thoughts. We have been made to see that He is the author of this work, and that He will conduct it to suit His purposes, and not the purposes of man. I have no doubt that all of us who have had any experience in the Church have seen this. We have seen many of our anticipations disappointed in the manner in which the work has gone forth. It has required the Spirit of God poured out upon us to reconcile us to many things, perhaps, that have been taught and done in this Church from the beginning. But this is our refute, this is our tower of strength, that we can go unto the Lord, without the mediumship or intercession of man, and in secret we can ask Him for, and obtain from Him, the light, the intelligence and the knowledge necessary to enable us to pursue our course as Latter-day Saints. Think of how many doctrines have been taught that have been new to the world, but that God has revealed in our day! How could we understand them unless the Spirit of God bore testimony to them? Who on earth believed them? They were not sanctioned by tradition. They were not upheld by the common belief of man. They were new to this generation. Yet, though they shocked the prejudices of mankind, and perhaps startled us as Latter-day Saints, when we sought God for a testimony concerning them, He never failed to give unto us His Holy Spirit, which witnessed unto our spirits that they were from God, and not of man. So it will be to the end. The Presidency of the Church have to walk just as you walk. They have to take steps just as you take steps. They have to depend upon the revelations of God as they come to them. They cannot see the end from the beginning, as the Lord does. They have their faith tested as you have your faith tested. So with the Twelve Apostles. All that we can do is to seek the mind and will of God, and when that comes to us, though it may come in contact with every feeling that we have previously entertained, we have no option but to take the step that God points out, and to trust to Him, as we were often told by President Young, for the results. That is the way this Church is led. There is no being, save the Lord himself, who knows the end from the beginning. Who of us would be tested if we were in that condition? It is just as necessary that the Presidency and the Apostles should be tried as it is that you should be tried. It is as necessary that our faith should be called into exercise as that your faith should be called into exercise. We can see a certain distance in the light of the Spirit of God as it reveals to us His mind and His will, and we can take these steps with perfect security, knowing that they are the right steps to be taken. But as to what the result will be, that is for the God of Israel to control. That is the way in which the Church of God has always been led, and it will always be led in that way until He comes who is our King, our Lawgiver and our President, even Jesus Christ. ¶

It is your privilege, my brethren and sisters, in all these matters, to know also whether the steps that you take are acceptable unto God; and when you receive this testimony you will know for yourselves; you will know it all over. Though your mortal eyes and your mortal ears may neither have seen nor heard, you will know it by the testimony that comes from God. The convincing power of the Spirit of God is greater than the evidence of the outer senses. ¶

God is with His people, and He will continue to be with them; and if we will do that which He tells us, He will never desert us, nor turn His face from us; He will never close His ears to our cries, but He will be quick to hear our supplications and to respond to them in blessings upon us. ¶

If there are any who have joined this Church with the expectation of having ease, worldly profit and advantage from their espousal of the Gospel, probably they will learn, if they have not already, that this is a wrong motive, and that they have been mistaken in their ideas. Yet I want to say to the Latter-day Saints that I do not believe there is another people upon the face of the earth who are blessed as we are, notwithstanding our trials. I believe—and I do not say this with any disposition to exaggerate—that a happier or a more prosperous people does not live upon the earth than the Latter-day Saints. For God has blessed us in the midst of our trials and has given us prosperity. You look at those who have been faithful and compare the results of their lives with the results of the lives of those who have left the Church, and I am sure that in making the comparison you will be perfectly satisfied that the course of the former class has been the most profitable in every sense of the word. So it will be to the end, notwithstanding our afflictions, our imprisonments, and everything of this character. I said on one occasion, and probably more than once, to the brethren who were in the penitentiary, that I was willing to prophesy that they would be more blessed and prospered in that which they put their hands to do than if they had not gone there; and I am sure it will be so. God does not forget the sacrifices of His people, and I am thankful this day for the integrity of the Latter-day Saints. When I think of the hundreds who have gone to prison willingly, so that the world might know that they were conscientious and not cowards or covenant breakers. I thank God that I live among people who can do such things as these without shaking of the knees or of the arms, and without being afraid to face all the consequences of that which they have done. I am thankful for it, not only because we are Latter-day Saints, but because we belong to humanity. It is a glorious thing, however mistaken men may be in the estimation of others, to see them valorous and courageous and not afraid to meet all the consequences of their conduct. When my children do wrong, I say to them, “Tell me of it; show me that you have courage, and that you are not afraid to meet the consequences of what you have done.” When they do this and are ready to receive whatever the punishment may be, should I be disposed to inflict any, I feel like embracing them. There is that in us which makes us admire courage, even if it be in a mistaken cause. So it is with the Latter-day Saints. However much the world may think we have been mistaken in our views, the time will come when the conduct of the Latter-day Saints during the last five years will stand out as the brightest page in the history of humanity,--in modern times, at least,--and men will dwell upon it and say that such exhibitions of courage and integrity are a credit to our race. I am looking for that—I believe most firmly it will come. We have given the best evidence of our sincerity that it is possible for men and women to give, and whether the world accepts these testimonies and evidences or not, we are sure that God and angels will accept them, and that they will be recorded in our favor. ¶

It may be necessary for us to do other things that come in contact with our feelings. But I believe that this people are capable of any sacrifice that they shall be called upon to make; and they can bow in submission, when it is necessary and right, as easily as they can stand erect and resist that which they esteem to be wrong. We will show mankind—we have shown them, and we will show them more abundantly—that the Latter-day Saints are a people of truth, a people of integrity, a people who are loyal to God, loyal to the country of which they are citizens or of which they ought to be citizens, loyal to the institutions which God has permitted, in His providence, to be established, and loyal in all the relations of life; a people strong in fidelity, and above all things, pure and virtuous. I tell you I would lose all hope myself for humanity if it were not for our people. It has been my lot to travel and mingle with men, and, without prying into affairs, things have come to my knowledge that have filled me with—well, I cannot describe the feelings that I have had. When I see the course that men and women are taking outside of this Church, and witness the fate that is coming upon the people, I feel thankful to God that He has established this Church, and that the standard of purity is raised among the Latter-day Saints, and that all impurity is denounced and dealt with; that there is a people upon the face of the earth who say that the virtue of men and the virtue of women ought to be equal to the angels’. If you were to see the faces of men as I have seen them when they have been told that we look upon the sin of adultery as the greatest crime next to the shedding of blood, it would be a picture to you; for I tell you that virtue among men is almost unknown outside of this Church; and, of course, when men’s virtue has fallen so low, you can depend upon it the virtue of the other six is not beyond question. The testimony that we bear is that the Latter-day Saint who indulges in sexual sin will be damned, if he do not repent. There has been no greater cause of apostacy in the Church than the want of virtue. You can predict the future of a man who is guilty of sins of this kind, unless he repents, as sure as you can predict that darkness will follow the setting of the sun. God will have a virtuous people, and those of you who are not virtuous will go the way that others have gone, unless you repent; you will lose the faith; for the Spirit of God will not dwell in an unholy tabernacle. The man or the woman that is unvirtuous cannot retain the Spirit of God. They may be members of the Church today, in full fellowship, unsuspected by their fellows; but if they do not repent, their wickedness will produce its fruits and the result which God has said would attend it. Think of what the word of God is. In two revelations that He has given to the Church, He has said that “he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her, shall deny the faith...unless he repents.” He that “looketh” upon a woman, remember—not lay his hands upon her—but “he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her, shall deny the faith.” Therefore, we must not only be pure in deed, but be pure in thought, in order to retain the Spirit of God and to have it dwell in our tabernacles. It will not dwell in those who are lustful. ¶

This is the standard that God has raised for His people. He wants us to come up to this standard—be pure as angels are pure. And why should not we be? If we are going to dwell with God and Christ and with the holy angels, why should not we emulate on the earth the purity that they possess, which makes heaven the blest abode that it is? I am thankful that this standard has been raised among us. It gives hope for the future of humanity. Otherwise, the fate of this generation is sure. They are going the downward road, and nothing can save them except thorough repentance. The Elders wonder why it is that they do not gather out more from the nations of the earth than they did formerly. The reason is obvious. The people are corrupt. They are full of lust and abominable evils. Abortion and feoticide and kindred sins are practiced almost universally. An intelligent man with whom I was traveling a few weeks ago told me that when he re-visited his home in Massachusetts about twelve years ago, to see his mother, he went to the school houses where he had gone to school in his boyhood. In the first school that he visited, out of all the scholars that were there he found only four who were of native American families, and two of them were colored boys. The rest of the children were all of foreign extraction. In the other school that he visited there were ten out of the entire school that were of native American families. He went back to his mother’s house, and there was a lot of old maids there. He said to them: “The Yankees are dying out. You women are not having children, you are old maids; and those who are married do not have children. What is to become of us?” That was his comment. And you can mingle among the better class of this nation—I mean those who are in good circumstances, and of old American families—and you will find that very few of the young men marry. Luxury prevails to such an extent that they think they cannot marry. They do not want to marry and take their wives into a lower condition than they have occupied in their parents’ houses; and as young men they have the entree to society, and they go wherever they please and are welcome; therefore, they do not marry. The result is, the best blood in America is not being perpetuated. The old families are not being kept up, and their places are being filled with foreigners. When they do marry, they do not have children; or, if they do, they have only one or two. What will God do with a people of this kind? He will let them be blotted out, if they do not repent. They will bring upon themselves, by their sins, the very condemnation that God has said would follow, because they destroy the life that God gives to them, and they do not perpetuate their race. The result is, an inferior class of people is growing up, because the foreigners, when they come here, are not contaminated with that dreadful sin—the murder of the innocents, the murder of unborn children, as well as those that are born—and they are not likely to be for one generation, at least. These are sad truths, but they are true nevertheless. ¶

I have been told, though it seems incredible to me, that among those who call themselves Latter-day Saints the same evils are growing up. I tell you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that any woman who commits this horrible sin will be damned, just as sure as God lives; and any husband who will suffer his wife to take means to prevent the natural increase of the race as God has designed it, that man will be cursed of God. I want to lift my voice against these dreadful evils that exist in the world; and if they are coming into our midst, I say to you, Woe unto those who practice them; for they will stand before the bar of God as murderers, and they will be damned. Hear it, all ye people! This is the curse that is coming upon our race today upon this continent, especially through the Northern States. It is not so in the South. It will creep in there, however, after awhile, if care be no taken. But the Southern people have not yielded to this crime to the extent that those have in the North. ¶

God has chosen us to institute a new condition of things on the earth, to arrest the tide of evil. He has selected men and women from the world who have the courage to carry out whatever He tells them. And we have tried to do it. But the nation has interposed and said, “Stop,” and we shall bow in submission, leaving the consequences with God. We shall do the best we can; but when it comes in contact with constituted authorities, and the highest tribunals in the land say “Stop,” there is no other course for Latter-day Saints, in accordance with the revelations that God has given to us telling us to respect constituted authority, than to bow in submission thereto and leave the consequences with the Lord. Nevertheless, we can stand as a living protest against the evils of the age, and cry out against them, and by our lives proclaim that we are determined, with the help of God, to do all in our power to redeem the race, if it be possible to do so. God has chosen us expressly for this mission. It required people of courage, of integrity and of virtue, and I believe the great bulk of the Latter-day Saints are a people of this character. Because of this virtue they were prepared to receive the truth when it was proclaimed to them. They were not corrupted, and the Spirit of God had an abiding place in them. It is a remarkable fact that those who are unvirtuous very rarely join the Church. They seem to have become corrupted so that the Spirit of God has left them, and they have lost the strength necessary to enable them to endure. ¶

Brethren and sisters, let us remember the mission that God has given unto us, and let us put our trust in Him. He has been our savior and our deliverer out of the many trials that we have had to pass through. Notwithstanding we have gone through considerable during the past six years, when I look at the condition of the people as I travel through the settlements, I feel to thank God for the prosperity that he has given to us. I go into the houses of the brethren in our settlements, and I see great comfort. I contrast it with the times of old, when we had scarcely any food, no habitations and very little clothing, and I thank God that the trials we now have to contend with have assumed a new form, and that God, in his providences, has permitted us to dwell in the land to which He has led us. I trust he will continue to do so. I hope He will give us patience to bear all things uncomplainingly, and to go to with our faith undisturbed, knowing that He comprehends all things, and that after the trials there cometh the blessing. We have never yet passed through severe afflictions without their being compensated in the shape of great blessings bestowed upon us. And so it will be. Trial will follow trial; but blessing will follow blessing; and the cause of truth will spread, the honest in heart will be gathered out, and the great work of God will go forth, notwithstanding every effort to oppose it and to thwart it. And you may notice this: Those who fight against this cause may be prominent for awhile. Sometimes prominence is give them because of their opposition to this work, and their names being linked with ours is all that gives them prominence frequently. But after a while, when they have ceased to fill the positions occupied by them, and which gave their voices some weight, they will drop out of sight and be forgotten, as hundreds have been who have figured more or less conspicuously in their opposition against us. We need not be disturbed, therefore at the utterance of this man or the other who occupies official position, and who for a while inflates himself with the idea that he is an important personage and that he is going to do some great thing against the Latter-day Saints. I have seen so many of these men pass away and sink into oblivion. They step on the stage and figure for a while but soon they pass away. Therefore, do not let us be worried over them; but let us pursue the course that God has pointed out, and putting our trust in Him, know that all things will be overruled for our good. ¶

Before I sit down there is one subject that I have felt I wanted to speak about. I think it of some importance to us as Latter-day Saints. It was referred to yesterday by two or three of the brethren. It is in relation to the events of 1891, and connected with the coming of the Lord. It was intimated by Brother Roberts that some people thought that such an event might perhaps happen, and he was anxious that the Saints should not be disappointed if nothing did occur during that year that would fulfil expectation, because a great many anticipations have been indulged in connected with that year, and I believe there has been altogether too much agitation upon this subject. I have seen a great many times in our history when sanguine men have attached a great deal of importance to certain dates. I remember when 1883 was coming in, I heard on all sides that there was something remarkable connected with that year. I fully endorse what Elder Thatcher said yesterday upon this point—that 1890 has been as important a year as we have ever witnessed. And I believe it will be so with every year. I do not think it is wise for us to fix our minds too much upon any year as bringing to pass some very wonderful things. Perhaps it will be so. I do not question that; for every year comes to us freighted with great and wonderful changes. It is not one year alone; but all the years between us and the coming of our Lord will be big with events. They will be crowded with stupendous occurrences. God has thus spoken. Judgments will be poured out upon the inhabitants of the earth, and will increase until the Lord Himself shall come. ¶

I took occasion to have the sermon that Brother Joseph preached hunted up, and I will read a little from it to show you what he said upon this very subject, and to show you also that we need not expect that 1891 will bring any such thing as the coming of the Lord. It was said yesterday that no man knoweth the day nor the hour. This is true. But I will tell you what men can know. They can know that such and such a time is not the time. Men can prophesy that 1891 is not the year. Although they cannot tell you the day nor the hour, they can tell you that He will not come this year or next year, according to the words of God already given. There are several revelations which speak plainly upon this point, allusion to some of which was made yesterday by the brethren who spoke. There are a great many events to take place that have not yet occurred; and the Savior will not come until they do take place. Be assured of this, and be not concerned in your minds and agitated on these matters, because it is easy to understand that there are many things yet to be fulfilled before that grand and glorious event will come. Yet, as he has told us, He will come as a thief in the night. He will come when the inhabitants of the earth are unprepared for him. ¶

Joseph said: ¶

“I was once praying earnestly upon this subject [that is, concerning the coming of the Son of Man] and a voice said unto me, ‘My son, if thou livest until thou are 85 years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.’” ¶

This was what the voice said to Joseph. ¶

“If thou livest until thou art 85 years of age thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.” ¶

He continues: ¶

“I was left to draw my own conclusions concerning this, and I took the liberty of concluding that if I did live to that time He would make His appearance. But I do not say whether He will make His appearance, or I shall go where He is. I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written, the Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am 85 years old.” ¶

Now, at the time Joseph made this prophecy, Miller, of the Millerites, was making predictions about the coming of the Son of Man—about the years 1842-3-4. In these years, as you who have been kept informed will doubtless know, there was great excitement throughout the United States about the coming of the Son of Man, and Joseph prophesied that He would not come for the next forty years. ¶

He goes on and says: ¶

“The coming of the Son of Man never will be, never can be, till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out, which judgments are commenced. It is not the design of the Almighty to come upon the earth and crush it and grind it to powder; but He will reveal it to His servants, the Prophets. Judah must return. Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the Temple, and water come out from under the Temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to build the walls of the city and Temple, etc., and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance. There will be wars and rumor of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, and the sun turned into darkness, and the moon to blood; earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving themselves beyond their bounds. Then will appear the grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world say? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come at the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning coming out of the east.” ¶

Now, the Prophet explains this in connection with his statement as to what the voice had said to him. He did not assert that Jesus would come in the clouds of heaven even if he lived to be eighty-five; but he was told that he should see Him, and he qualified it, so that there need be no misapprehension upon this subject. ¶

I might read to you many revelations in this Book of Doctrine and Covenants (having the book in his hand) upon the same subject, in which the Lord plainly says that certain things shall take place. Allusion was made yesterday to some of them. ¶

“And again, verily I say unto you that the Son of Man cometh not in the form of a woman, neither of a man traveling on the earth. Wherefore be not deceived, but continue in steadfastness, looking forth for the heavens to be shaken and the earth to tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man, and for the valleys to be exalted, and for the mountains to be made low, and for the rough places to become smooth; and all this when the angel shall sound his trumpet. But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose; Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled unto the place which I have appointed.” ¶

These are the words of God concerning the coming of the Son of Man. These revelations give unto us with great clearness the signs that shall precede His coming. Therefore, do not let us get unsettled in our minds. I feel it important that this Conference should not separate without having it clearly stated to you that you need not look for the coming of the Son of Man either this year or next. Though we cannot prophesy the day or the hour, we can prophesy some things concerning His coming, that is, that will take place before His coming. God has not left us in doubt upon these points. If you have time, read the 29th section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and the 45th section, and the 88th section. Therefore, Latter-day Saints, go ahead and perform your duties carefully, consistently, and with a determination to do that which God requires at your hands. Do not look for some great cataclysm to occur, which will show all the world that this is the Kingdom of God. Perhaps such a things will occur; but I will tell you what I have observed during my life—that God works in natural ways. His purposes come around seemingly perfectly natural—so natural that the world cannot see the hand of God in them. It requires faith and the Spirit of God to show these things. ¶

I remember my thoughts and ideas when in my boyhood. Being familiar with the revelation which God had given concerning the Civil War, I thought to myself, now when that occurs this nation will be convinced that Joseph is a prophet, because the revelation was so plain. It stated where the war should commence and other particulars concerning it, and at the time the whole nation was congratulating itself upon its peace, and the probability of war was entertained by no one. The idea that there would be a war was ridiculed. How wonderfully that revelation was fulfilled! But how many persons have been converted by the strict fulfilment of that prophecy? I do not know of one. My conclusion is that God works in this way among the children of men, and they will continue to harden their hearts against all the evidences of the divinity of this work, notwithstanding the continued fulfilment of the prophecies of the Elders of this Church. The inhabitants of the earth are not converted by the fulfilment of the prophecies, because they come along so naturally. Here we have cyclones, and all these things that are evidences of the last days, and who trouble themselves about it? Why they tell us that it is by means of the telegraph and the facility with which news travels that we learn more of these things. They always were and always will be, they say, and this is no evidence that these are the last days; for when was there a time when there were no wars, or accidents, or when we did not have whirlwinds, and tempests, and earthquakes? This is the way in which the Elders are met when they speak about these things. Therefore, Latter-day Saints, let us put our trust in God and, waiting the fulfilment of His promises, look forward with the eye of faith to their fulfilment, that we may rejoice in them when they are fulfilled. Amen. ¶