Remarks

addressed the Conference. Following is substantially what he said: I am pleased to meet with the Saints and listen to the remarks of President Woodruff. In looking back on their history the Latter-day Saints have much cause to rejoice. We can see that the Lord has been with His people, notwithstanding the opposition they have had to meet. In the early history, which was marked by great difficulties, if the Lord had not been close to the Saints they would not have been able to stem the opposition which confronted them. We need have no fear of the outcome. The Lord has power to protect His people. But we should look to ourselves. We have received the truth. We should show our gratitude for this boon by our works. You know of the Lord’s parable of the sower. I have no fear that the word has been, in the case of the Saints, sown on stony ground. But with some of us it has, I fear, been sown on soil on which briars have grown and partially choked it. As a rule, however, the loss of this world’s goods and of friends have had no power to draw us away from the truth. Generally speaking the truth was sown on good ground. We have need to beware, lest, in times of peace, riches become the chief object of our lives. We have so much to live for that we cannot afford to do this. We should be honest in our dealings. I have seen more trouble arise among the Saints from temporal matters than any other cause. We should all deal justly and remember the debt we owe to our Heavenly Father and pay our tithing. If we neglect this duty our faith and love for God’s work will decrease. If we attend to this duty, those conditions will increase with us. There is a special debt of honor that not a few have omitted to discharge—the refunding of means supplied by brethren to enable them to come to this country. This is not right, as such an obligation is sacred. We should remember our benefactors and not be guilty of the base sin of ingratitude. ¶

We should not forget the object of gathering. It is to learn more fully the ways of the Lord. We have progressed in this respect, but many have neglected to give their children proper instruction in these matters. Some have imagined that their time has been too much occupied to give their children these beneficent teachings. Those who cannot occupy much of their own time in this labor should be particular to send them where they can get instruction—Church and Sabbath schools. In this way they may become grounded in the faith of the Gospel and be able to give reason for the hope that is in them. Many parents, seeing the result of former negligence in this regard now regret their sins of omission. Some have thought that their children could receive all that was necessary at ordinary meetings. This is an error, as children are only capable of receiving but a little at a time. ¶

The speaker bore testimony to the divine character of the work in which he is engaged, stating it to be preparatory labor for the coming of Christ to govern the world. ¶