Missionary Devotion and Erection of Meeting Houses

I hope that all present will remember the good remarks made by President Smith this morning, and follow his exhortation to us as Latter-day Saints. I rejoice in the testimony he bore, and I thought how thankful we ought to be that the Lord has given us individually a testimony of the truth, that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. I was also pleased to hear President Winder express his gratitude at being in our midst. A short time ago he was taken sick with pneumonia, and, on account of his age, we all felt apprehensive that he might not have strength to overcome it, but the Lord blessed him. He was absent from the temple only one day. Here is a lesson in punctuality for us to follow; President Winder has never been absent from the temple, from the time it was opened till now, with the exception of that one day. We feel thankful that the Lord has strengthened him, and given him so great a degree of health that he has been able to continue his labors, both in the temple and in the office with his brethren. ¶

I am pleased to see this large congregation this morning, at the opening of our conference. It shows that the people are interested in the work of the Lord, that they love to come together on these occasions to receive strength in their faith, and to be instructed in their duties. President Smith said that the work is progressing ; this is true. The reports from all our missions are encouraging. The Elders are doing their best to disseminate the truth among the people where they are called to labor, they are trying to make the most of their time, and their labors are crowned with greater additions to the Church. The Presidents of Missions are studying how the work can be best forwarded in their respective mission fields, and the Elders are sustaining them. We hear good reports, monthly, of the labors of the Elders ; and we are pleased that but very few Elders return before they have honorably filled their missions. Sometimes sickness may compel them to leave their fields of labor, and in that case we consider they have performed an honorable mission as long as they have been away. We do not want the Elders to feel that they must stay in the mission field two years, or any stated length of time, if their health is impaired. We want the Presidents of Missions to watch over the Elders in their charge, and if any of the brethren are attacked with sickness to see that the best care is taken of them; and, if it is deemed wise, to send them home, that they be not kept in the mission and thus endanger their lives. As a general thing, the Elders are determined not to leave their missions until they have been honorably released, and many of them feel, when the time approaches for them to go home, that they can hardly leave the Saints in the world. They have such affection and love for the Saints among whom they labor, and for their fellow missionaries, that it seems almost as hard to leave their fields of labor to go home as it did to leave their dear ones at home to go upon their missions. ¶

We have a letter from President Taylor of the Japan Mission, a young man who has labored there over six years, among a people who do not believe in Christ or in the Gospel as preached by His Apostles. To convert such a people as the Japanese is, of course, a hard task. This young man and the missionaries with him are doing all in their power to reach the hearts of that people, and to convert them to a belief in Christ and in the saving principles of the Gospel. Brother Taylor is translating the Book of Mormon into Japanese, and he is anxious that it shall appear in the best form, that the language shall be such that the people there cannot find fault with its construction. When you consider the difference between a language like that and our own, and the difference between their mode of thinking and expressing themselves and our mode of thought and expression, you can imagine how hard such a labor is. But this young man says in his letter that he does not desire to return until he has finished the work. So devoted does he feel to the labor of the Lord that, though he has been absent so long, and has a splendid home here, where friends would do everything for him, yet he is willing to spend his time and his means in the work of the Lord in that faroff land, even if it should require years longer to accomplish the task set him. That is the spirit that should inspire our Elders. They should seek the kingdom of God and His work first, and then let other things follow. ¶

The past summer has witnessed the erection of many meeting houses. Our brethren feel anxious to improve their houses of worship, that they may have proper places in which to worship the Lord. We commend the Saints for their willingness to do this, but we would say to the presiding men, be careful not to incur too great expense in erecting meeting houses. While we love to see these buildings monuments of honor to the people, yet we do not want the people to be over-burdened. ¶

We hope that the people who are so willing to build meeting houses will also be willing to use them, and not let indifference and carelessness keep them at home on the Sabbath day. This is one of the duties that we must perform ; unless the Saints attend their meetings it will be hard for them to keep alive in the Gospel. "To live our religion is just as hard as to die for it," has been said, and I believe it. When our time and attention are taken up with the every-day affairs and labors of life, we are apt to get a little indifferent to the work of the Lord. While on the battle field, a soldier will rush to his death under the impulses of the moment. Likewise, when one is attacked for his religion, he feels strong to resist the attack, and stands up for his belief at any cost, but when it comes to every-day duties,— and there is something for the Latter-day Saint to do every day — some become lukewarm and indifferent. It requires much zeal and endurance to attend to our duties in the Church under these ordinary conditions. The feeling should be uppermost in our hearts that, under all circumstances, we will faithfully do our duty. It is not he that just begins and then stops who is promised salvation, but he who endures to the end. Let us not forget to ask ourselves every morning, What are the duties before me today? and, when night comes, let the question be, Have I performed my duties today? If we can answer this affirmatively, then with our last waking thoughts our hearts can turn to our heavenly Father with thanks for His aid and assistance during the day, and in prayer for His protection during the night. We have duties that we owe to ourselves, to our fellow men, and to God; let us not neglect any of them. There are also duties that we owe to our children; we must not neglect them, they are of the utmost importance. ¶

This summer we have had some sad exposures of acts of depravity that have taken place here in Salt Lake City, amongst some of the juveniles. We were shocked to hear of these misdoings. Every thinking man and woman should study the matter earnestly and try to find the causes of, and the remedies for, such a state of affairs. One of the causes of the condition that we read about is the freedom we give our children — unrestricted liberty to roam in the streets, especially at night time. Our children ought to be home in the evenings. If we allow them to go to a neighbor's, or any other place, we should know where they are, and not feel satisfied to have them come in at any time during the night. It takes work to watch over our children, but it is something that will reward us, and the children will thank us, by and by, for our watchcare over them. I remember a boy who complainingly said to his mother, "Why are you always on my track ? Why can't I go like our neighbor's children? Their mother never looks after them ; they have perfect freedom ; but I can't be away ten minutes before you are looking for me." This boy thanks his mother now for the care she had over him. The boys I have alluded to have taken a course that must make their mothers very sad indeed. We must look after our children at nights. Where there are curfew laws, they should be enforced. Make the children understand that when the curfew bell rings they must be at home. ¶

We ought to point out to the children the dangers that beset their path; and, as President Smith has told us, warn them against bad company. How dangerous bad companions are. A vicious boy or a vicious girl can do incalculable harm in a community. We should warn our children against such associations, and urge them to seek good company — the company of those good companions with whom they study in school. Let them study their lessons together, and spend their time usefully. Let us warn them against bad company in the streets and other places. Of course we all feel that this ought to be done, but many of us either have so much confidence in our children that we think they will not do wrong, or we are careless about it, but such carelessness will result in much sorrow and regret. As our children grow up, let us have them attend the Sunday Schools, the Primaries, and Religion Classes, and, when they are older, the Mutual Improvement Associations. All these organizations are safe-guards to put around our children. ¶

A word about the Religion Classes. Our outlines for the coming winter present lessons on morality and purity of life, giving the children practical lessons in true living — in fact, teaching them practical religion ; teaching them to pray, to be devoted to godliness and piety — I mean piety of the right kind — and teaching them to walk uprightly before the Lord. We have tried to make the outlines for the coming year conform as nearly as possible to these lines. Brother Maeser, who took such an interest in Religion Classes, was very desirous that teachers should take a special interest in the children, not alone in the schools or in the classes but when they were out of school. The Religion Classes being a part of the Church School system, he felt that the same guardianship should be exercised over the children belonging to these classes as is exercised over the children who attend the Church schools. You know the organizations we have there — how the teachers are trying to look after the children who are sent from distant homes to the Church schools, to see that their time is spent usefully, and that they are not getting into bad company, and bad practices and habits. In some of our stakes, the suggestion has been made that our Religion Class teachers help to look after the young at nights, help the probationary officers of the Juvenile Court to keep the children at home, to know something about them, and lovingly use an influence for good over these children who have been given into their charge in the Religion Classes. We hope this movement will be successful, and that it will extend throughout Zion, for we feel that we cannot take too much care of our children. They are precious charges given unto us, and the Lord will ask us to render an account, by and by, as to how we have taken care of them. I feel deeply concerned about our children, and I know all the Latter-day Saints feel the same. Let us watch over our children in their amusements. Lately, the old custom of the young and the old mingling together in amusement has become obsolete, and we leave the children alone in their dances and sociables. It would be well for the Bishops who can exercise an influence upon the management of amusements in the wards to see that older people be present with the children, so that our children, when they associate together, may not come under improper influences. ¶

In our homes, brethren and sisters, let us be careful of our talk before the children, and be careful to set them such an example as we would like them to follow. The boys and girls look up to their parents with full confidence, and what they see father and mother do they consider must be all right; and, if they are told that certain things are not right, they think it cannot be very wrong for them to follow the examples of their fathers and mothers who do these things. ¶

Let us be careful that our conduct be such that it will not give offense to our conscience, and that it may be a correct pattern to our children and others. A great many people live in our midst who do not belong to our faith, and they watch us. They know well how a Latter-day Saint ought to live, and, if he deviates from the course that they know he ought to follow, they are not slow in pointing it out, and it gives offense. It has been said : "Woe unto them by whom offenses come." We do not want to take upon us the responsibility of giving offense, but we want to use our time and efforts to bring others into the Gospel fold. If we are not called to labor abroad as missionaries, or called upon to preach at home, we can preach by example. Let the world see us as we are. Let them see us not only professing to be Saints, but that we are Saints in very deed. ¶

Let us not forget the poor in our midst. Let the Saints remember their fast offerings that the poor may be provided for, that they shall not suffer want and their cry rise up to our heavenly Father. He has commanded us to minister to them, then let us see to it that the poor in our midst are remembered. ¶

When our brethren and sisters from abroad come here as immigrants, let us try to look after them and help them. The first week or two they are here everything is strange, they have no work, and they feel tried and friendless. That is the time to reach their hearts. ¶

Often we let this opportunity to help them go by, and they become associated with people who are discontented, who, perhaps, have apostatized from the truth, and our immigrant brethren and sisters may be influenced by such people. When the immigrants come to our different wards, let us remember that they have obeyed the Gospel out of love for it. They have been willing to leave friends and relatives for the sake of their faith, and have come here as strangers. Let them not feel that those whom they have looked upon as children of Zion have lost the love they should have for their brethren. I think this is a very important matter for us to consider. ¶

I would also say to our brethren who have been abroad as missionaries, who have labored to bring people into the Church do not lose your interest in them, or in the work for which you have spent so much time and means. You should remember those with whom you become acquainted in your missions. If a letter might do good, send it to them ; and, when they come here, remember how hospitable they were when you came into their homes; remember their kindness to you, and try to do something for them here. I commend those of our brethren who have continued to take an interest in the Saints that they became acquainted with on their missions. I have noticed, when the Saints from abroad come here, such Elders have been willing to take them into their homes, try to get places for them to work, and are interested in their welfare. That is right, and is what the missionary ought to do. He should also feel that there is never coming a time when he is not a missionary. And all of us, my brethren and sisters, should take an interest in those who come here. Remember that we send our Elders — our sons and brothers — abroad to preach the Gospel, to bring the people into the Church of Christ, and to gather them to Zion ; now, When they get here, let us not feel that our duty is ended, but remember that the responsibility for the growth of Zion and the building up of the kingdom of God rests upon us. ¶

May the Lord bless the Latter-day Saints ; may his work continue to spread with greater speed in the earth, that the truth may be known, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶