Report on the Cache Stake

I have only one desire, my brethren and sisters, in standing before you at this time, and that is that the Spirit of the Lord will direct me in what I shall say, that we may be mutually edified. ¶

I have a testimony of the Gospel, which I bear to you this afternoon. I have always taken pleasure in upholding and sustaining the testimony that God has given me that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, and that he was raised up in these latter days to bring forth the dispensation of the fulness of times, and that he was an instrument in the hands of God in bringing forth those principles that are the power of God unto salvation. What desires I have had so far in life have been swallowed up in the testimony that I have received of the goodness of my Heavenly Father to me. I have been willing, in my weak way, to answer the calls that have been made of me, and therefore am I here this afternoon. ¶

In listening to the testimonies that were borne this morning, I was thinking over the changes that had taken place in the Cache Stake of Zion since I have been connected with it. Our stake used to be about the largest in the Church, extending from Paradise, in the south, to Cardston, Canada, in the north; but, piece by piece it has been divided up, and new stakes formed. To-day our stake is about ten miles long and eight or nine miles wide. But if our stake is small it is pretty thickly settled, and the people are good. They desire to do what they can to assist in building up the kingdom of our Father upon the earth. I can testify to you, my brethren and sisters, that my counselors, and the High Council of the stake, and all the other authorities, are faithful and energetic men. Our stake has contributed some of its best young men to assist in building up other stakes of Zion. Two of the brethren who spoke this morning were reared in our stake. They are now presidents of other stakes of Zion. The land has been taken up and so utilized that, in the past, it has been hard for our young men to get a home in our section of the country, as under the conditions that prevailed then it required quite a large farm to bring in anything. But, through the blessings of the Lord, we now have a sugar factory and the land can be utilized to greater advantage and profit, and, in consequence, we are enabled to keep our boys and girls at home. The girls go out in the field and help with the beets, which I think is a great blessing to them, as they can thus get plenty of fresh air and exercise. They are growing up puny; they are not as strong as their mothers were, who bore the heat and burden of the day. It will be a good thing for them to get out a little instead of sitting so much in the house. ¶

We have no very rich people in our Stake, as the farms are small; but some of the Saints are quite well to do. Since the beginning the land has been divided into small parcels, and there is not much chance for any one to own large tracts of land, as our Stake is so small. The last few years we have taken hold of manufacturing a little, as well as the raising of beets, and we have so divided our interests that if we should fail in one pursuit we would have another to fall back on.We have continually counseled the people to keep out of debt. It has been our experience, in associating among the people, and in our own lives, that if we can get a few dollars ahead, and pay the tithing on it, and thus get the blessings of our heavenly Father to attend our investments, that that money went much farther than the money we borrowed, upon which we had to pay a high rate of interest. It has been truthfully said here this afternoon that money and the accumulation of wealth is not the only blessing that God has in store for us. He has said that if we neglect to pay our tithes and offerings our names will be taken from the records of the Church, and the names of our children as well. I would rather lose every dollar and every piece of property that I possess than to have this calamity come upon me. Christ gave this parable unto His Disciples: ¶

"The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: ¶

"And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? ¶

"And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. ¶

"And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. ¶

"But God said unto him, Thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee: Then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? ¶

"So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." ¶

I feel well, my brethren and sisters. I do not know what I ever did that the Lord should be so kind to me. I have been a weak instrument in His hands and have endeavored to put my trust in Him. I pray that His Spirit may be with us all, that in the end we may be saved in His kingdom. Amen. ¶