Conferences a Blessing and Importance of Progression

I earnestly ask an interest in your faith and prayers, that the few moments I shall occupy this stand I may be heard by you and be able to say something that will be for our mutual benefit. I was very much interested yesterday in the proceedings of our conference. I enjoyed the remarks made by our brethren, and felt that they were dictated by the Spirit of God. It is pleasant to come together upon these occasions to receive instruction and to be strengthened in our holy faith. ¶

The Lord instituted these gatherings of the Saints, and they have proved a great blessing to the people. The Israelites of old were commanded once a year to go up to Jerusalem, to worship at the temple; and this was a potent means to keep the people united. It cemented them together, and they renewed old acquaintances. "When Jeroboam rebelled, and the ten tribes separated from the government of Rehoboam, he saw the danger in having the people come together at Jerusalem, and so he forbade this, and raised strange altars for his people at Bethel and other places. He did not want the people to go to Jerusalem to worship there, because he felt that his government would not be so stable. The Lord, in ordering these gatherings and likewise the quarterly conferences in the Stakes, has done it for the good of His people. The people come together, mellowed in their feelings, listen to the servants of God, renew old acquaintances, and are strengthened in the brotherhood to which they belong. I know many who make it a point to attend these conferences, and they feel well paid for doing so. They would feel bad if they were not able to come here and drink in the spirit of the conference. ¶

President Smith yesterday gave us warning against many dangers that surround us, and the brethren have alluded to these. They are seasonable topics. We should study ourselves and the high position that we occupy. We profess to be Latter-day Saints, and to be a Latter-day Saint in spirit and in truth means to walk uprightly before the Lord, and to shape our course here below so that we may obtain eternal life. The world knows what is meant by being a Latter-day Saint, and if they see that we act in a way different from what a Latter-day Saint should act, they put us down as hypocrites; and justly so. Professing to be Latter-day Saints does not make us Latter-day Saints. It takes watching and praying, a continual examination of ourselves, to live the lives of Saints. We have hoisted the flag of Zion; we are sailing under it. Let us be true to it. Let us be true to the professions we are making, and show the world that not only in word and profession are we such, but in our works also. Let us study the word of God, and give heed unto it, whether it be written or given orally through His servants. How thankful we are that the Lord has spoken unto men in our day; that we are not dependent on the written word alone, but that we have the living oracles with us. We are thankful that the word of God has come down through the many centuries as pure as it has. Of all people upon the earth, we have the strongest reason to believe in the scriptures. We have not only the evidences of their truth which we obtain from the scriptures themselves— and their internal evidences, such as prophecies and historical truths, appeal strongly to us, but we have also other evidences that the world rejects. We have the Book of Mormon, in which are many extracts from the prophecies that are contained in the Bible. With but little change many of the prophecies of Isaiah, together with those of other prophets, have come down to us in the Book of Mormon and this fact gives us additional evidence of the truth of the Bible. We want to make ourselves familiar with the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and prepare ourselves to receive more of the word of God. Whenever the Lord has had a dispensation upon the earth, He has always favored His people with His word and win. He has not let His people wander in the dark, but has revealed himself unto them. Whenever revelation has not been given, men have perished spiritually. The wise man of old said: "Where there Is no vision the people perish." ¶

Revelation is necessary for the guidance of the people of God. President Woodruff used to say that we could not exist as a Church one day without revelation from God. We are dependent upon it, and we cannot do without it. Our adversary wants us to believe that it is not needed, and I have often thought how strange it was that he could make the people who believe in Christ and the scriptures satisfied with a condition of things wherein the heavens were closed unto men. Professed followers of Christ have been willing to defend that idea, and to declare that those who believed in the necessity of revelation were mistaken and in accepting more revelation from God we are subject to the curse pronounced by John upon all who should add unto his book. I believe as firmly now as he did then that any man who should of himself add to the word of God would be subjected to the curse, that he pronounces, for no man has a right to do that; but John never meant to convey the idea that the Lord had not the right to give further revelation. He showed by his own course that he did not mean that; for after he had written these words which are so often quoted against new revelation, he wrote that beautiful gospel which goes by his name, and which contains so many precious things. The Lord is not limited in any such way. ¶

From the days of Moses until the days of the Apostles, He gave revelations, and inspired His servants to write them. How thankful we are that these records have been kept! Moses has been called God's first pen. The earliest authentic writings we have come from him, and, studying them, we see how consistent is the word of God from beginning to end. Moses gave the same warning unto men as John did, and yet after him there were many writers of scripture. We have many books written since then, which we know were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Many books have been lost, and many books will be brought to light yet by the power of God. The Lord has carefully guarded His word, so that it has come down to us, through its many translations, nearly perfect. We would like our young men and our young women to study these works, and make themselves familiar with the gems of truth that are found on their pages. Winter is coming on, and we would like our people to use the winter evenings in sf lf-improvement. Especially does this apply to the young. We would like them to abstain from too much dancing. Dancing is a pleasant amusement, where it is carried on in a right way; but too much of it makes the mind frivolous, and incapacitates those for study who thus indulge in it. Of course, there are times when it is good to unbend. Relaxation is necessary, but it should not be the chief object in passing our winter evenings. Those belonging to the Mutual Improvement associations, we hope, will learn their lessons and not miss one session. When you take up your Manual to study it, try to take up other books on similar topics. Go to the fountain where things are taken from, and study all you can about the subject, so that you may be fully posted. Then your evenings will be pleasant to you while meeting with your friends belonging to the same society. ¶

Speaking about the Lord having inspired His servants to keep records, I am reminded that we as a people are making history, and this history should also be kept. On the very day that the Church was organized the Prophet received a revelation which said that there should be a record kept in the Church. Afterwards, on several occasions, the Lord instructed Joseph in this matter, telling him to appoint a general historian, who should keep a record of all the events in the Church. A year and a half afterward he is told to keep a record of the Saints and their condition in the Church. This is a matter on which the Prophet laid great stress, but record-keeping has been neglected to quite an extent in our midst. Even before the revelation read by Brother Clawson, where it said that a record should be kept, a revelation had been received commanding the keeping of a genealogical record — the names ot those baptized, and of all ordinations, etc., made in the Church. The Lord instructed His servants that everything should be done in order. Of late, I am pleased to observe, there is a growing tendency in the different Stakes and wards to take care of the records. We hope that this will be uniform throughout the Church, and that in every Stake and ward records will be kept which will give a concise history of the Stake or ward. In every ward there should be two records kept. One, a genealogical record of the births, blessings, baptisms, ordinations, etc. At the Deseret News office can be obtained records all ready printed, with headings that will suggest what should be noted down. ¶

Then there should be a record kept of everything important that happens in the ward. The clerk of the ward can take his record to the meetings, and while the meeting is going on can jot down a few items of what is being said, and who are present, etc. It is not necessary that you write down the sermons or the arguments of the brethren; for no doubt these things can be found in more fulness in other books; but keep a record of events as they happen, of the changes in the ward, in the Bishopric in the Teachers, in the different associations and institutions of the ward. It is true that the different societies keep records, but the ward clerk should at least note the changes that take place, so that his ward records may be a true history of the ward. Today, when you go into some wards and ask who was the first Bishop of the ward, and who the next, there is not a scratch of a pen to show it; and when we send Brother Andrew Jenson, as one of the assistants of the Historian's office, to find out about the histories of the wards, he is often referred to the older members of the ward to get the information he wants. This should not be the case. Our ward records should contain a history of the ward from its organization and the changes that have taken place in the ward, as well as the important events that have happened. In the Stakes there should be two records also. There is no genealogical record needed, but there is a record of the High Council and a record of the history of the Stake required. These records do not call for much writing; a little, written at the time, will keep the history going. If this be attended to, when the history of the different Stakes and wards comes to be written we will have the material with which to do it. ¶

I felt to say this concerning record-keeping. When ward conferences are held and the Stake presidency visit them, it ought to be understood that that day should also be record day in that ward. Let the Bishop have ail his records brought where the presidency of the Stake can inspect them; and the presidency can point out where anything is lacking or commend them GENERAL, CONFERENCE. ¶

where good records are being kept. We have found it necessary to appoint one. day each year for this purpose, and we think that the day on which the ward conference is held is the best time for the presidency of the Stake to inspect the records. It is necessary that these things be kept. The genealogical record is very important. How pleased we are when we go out into the world and find how conscientiously they have kept a record of births, so that we are able to trace our ancestry in some countries for several hundred years. This could not be done if genealogical records were kept in a slovenly manner. Sometimes here they are taken on slips of paper, put away in a drawer, and occasionally lost. This must not be. When we undertake to do a thing, let us do it well. Do not trust to the clerk alone, but let the Bishop feel that it is his business to look after the records in his ward. Statistical records cannot be kept corectly if the records are not correct. Certificates of membership should also be looked after. Bishops should see to it that those who move away receive their certificates to take to the wards where they move to; and the wards that they go to should try to find out their standing, so that they can be received there. There are many that are dropping out because they move away without certificates, and do not join the wards or branches to which they move, while if they were looked after and warmed up, they might be lively members in the Church. ¶

I am pleased, brethren and sisters, with the condtion of the people. When Brother Cowley referred yesterday to a time when so many apostatized from the Church, I thought how good it is that today this is not the case, and that excommunications are very rare. In fact, I believe that the discipline of the Church could be stricter and be a blessing unto the people. But it is a healthy sign to see that there are not so many apostatizing as in years past. I believe the people understand the principles of the Gospel better and live the Gospel more perfectly. They have shown during the last two years how they have received the word of the Prophet in regard to tithing, and I believe the Lord will bless them, both temporally and spiritually, for meeting this requirement. They will be strengthened in their faith and there will not be so much danger of apostasy as when they refused to keep the commandments of God. May the Lord bless you all, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶