Teaching Music to Children

Observing this choir of children, it would not appear that Zion is growing less, and it would seem to me, too, that so long as we can preserve with us Brother Stephens and a few others of his associates who are engaged in this glorious work of teaching music, both to the adults and to the children, a desire and love for the musical will also increase in the midst of our people. I feel that the parents of these little children owe much to the effort of Brother Stephens in his labor of love, in teaching them how to sing and developing the talent for music which lies dormant within them and needs but the instruction,the teaching.the guiding hand and voice of Brother Stepnens to develop the talent that they have. ¶

It delights my heart to see our little children learning to sing, and to see thf. people, our neoole everywhere, improving their talenis as gcod singers. Everywhere we go among our people, we find sweet voices and talent for music. I believe that this is a manifestation to us of the purpose of the Lord in this direction toward our people, that they will excel in these things, as they should excel in every other good thing. ¶

I do not arise to make any special remarks. I feel gratified at seeing this vast concourse of people here this evening, interested in this Sunday School work, and I hope, my brethren and sisters, that you and all of us may continue to keep awake our interest in the Sunday School cause. It is a very important branch of our spiritual work, the training of our little ones, the training of our Sunday School children and all parents should take a deep interest in this work, and should not spare any pains in making ready and in giving encouragement to their children to attend the Sunday schools. ¶

God bless you as teachers and as Latter-day Saints, as fathers and as mothers of these precious little children who have been given to us to succeed us, eventually, in the great labor of building up Zion in the latter-day. Bring them up in the way that they should go that they will not depart from that way when th?y g ow old; and if you will only see to it carefully that your children are ta' ght in the ways of righteousness, that they are brought up in the paths of virtue and peace and honor, God will magnify you before the nations of the world, and His work will be hastened in its time. ¶

God bless you and all who are associated in the work of the Sabbath schools, is my prayer, in the name of ¶