Remarks

Elder Marriner W. Merrill, of the Council of the Apostles, addressed the Conference. He had been entertained and blessed in listening to the discourses delivered thus far. He had been reminded, in listening in President Woodruff, this morning, of the difficulties which were encountered in the early settlement of these valleys. These obstacles were most severe in the frontier locations. The Indians were troublesome, and President Young advised the people to feed them and not fight them. ¶

Some instances occurred where the brethren neglected to take the counsels of the leaders. In such cases disaster resulted and numbers lost their lives. But nothing of this kind happened when the advice of the authorities was followed. The advice of the speaker to all was to adhere to the teachings of the servants of God. This was the path of safety. ¶

None should fail to take heed to the instructions of the President of the church in relation to the redemption of the dead. Millions of dollars had been spent in erecting houses to the name of the Lord. These facilities for the blessing of the living and redemption of the dead ought to be economized. ¶

In his early experience the speaker had never entertained the thought that any other than the Salt Lake Temple would be erected in the region. The first intimation he received to the contrary was many years ago, in Logan, when President Woodruff, in delivering a public discourse there, prophesied that the time would come when a temple would be built on the hill overlooking the town, and our young people would go up on the towers and from them view the surrounding country, all of which had been fulfilled. ¶

The Lord was pleased with the Temple, His power was there, and it rested upon the people who entered them with honest hearts to perform work for their dead. It was a great sacred labor and it was now only in its incipient stages. Many things had happened in the temples which, if it were wise to talk about them, would astonish some people. ¶

The speaker thought it would be a good thing if the Elders who went abroad would take an interest in collecting genealogical information. It would be of great use to the Saints. ¶

Elder Merrill declared that he knew this labor to be of God, and that this was the true Church of Christ; also that the Presidency of the Church were chosen of God, and sought the welfare of the people continually. He would not dare make this declaration if he did not have a personal knowledge of its truth. We knew but little of the weight of care and responsibility which rested upon these men, and it became our duty to sustain them and do our part in trying to make their burdens lighter. ¶