The Purpose of the Gathering

I earnestly pray, my brethren and sisters, that the spirit of the Lord may attend our services here this morning, that the same influence may be here which we know will characterize the meeting in the tabernacle, where that large congregation of Latter-day Saints are met together. We are here to learn the will of the Lord, to be taught in His ways, that we may better learn to walk in His paths. Nearly all, and perhaps all of us who are here are converts to the truth, with faith in God and in the redemption wrought out by His Son Jesus Christ, having yielded obedience to the principles of the gospel, having repented of our sins and been baptized by immersion for the remission of them. We have gathered up here to Zion that we might better learn our duties, that we might better learn the will of the Lord, that we may be better able to serve Him and to keep His commandments, in order that His spirit may continue with us, and that we may be instructed, that we may review ourselves, that we may also review the condition of the Church, and thus be able to reach proper conclusions as to its development, to be better able to judge ourselves, that our faith in the Lord may be increased, that our determination to do His will may be greater. That we may have greater power over the weakness of the flesh, we meet together from Sabbath to Sabbath, and twice during the year the whole Church comes together, that we may be taught, that, in fulfillment of the words of the Prophet, we who have gathered up here to the Mountain of the House of the Lord may learn His ways and be able to walk in His path. ¶

Now, my brethren and sisters, exercise your faith, pray to the Lord that His blessing, that His Spirit may attend the services that we are holding here this morning, and I promise you we shall go out from this building blessed, we shall go out rejoicing in the Lord, and with greater faith in Him and greater determination to serve Him and keep His commandments, that we may magnify the calling to which we have all been called who are members of His Church. You know it is only him who has kept the faith, who has fought the good fight, who has finished his work, remaining true to the covenants made with God the Eternal Father, that shall attain eternal life. ¶

May the Lord bless you, my brethren and sisters. I bear witness to you that we are engaged in the work of the Lord, that we are not in error, that this work is not delusion, but that it has come in the Dispensation of the Fullness of times for the redemption of the world, that Israel may be gathered, that the words of the prophets may be fulfilled, that His covenant people may hear the truth and be gathered into the fold of Christ preparatory to His kingdom and coming. It is all in harmony. I do not desire to take time to enter into any discussion with you, my brethren and sisters, to undertake to show you by the scripture or by any lengthy argument that what I have just said is true ; but I exhort you all to study, I exhort you all to understand better the word of the Lord, that you may know the harmony which exists. It is not enough that we become acquainted somewhat with the cardinal principles of the gospel. It is not enough that we understand only the dispensation in which we live. But we must go back to the beginning we must understand the written word of the Lord as we have it in these sacred books, even from the beginning until the day in which we live. We must understand the harmony that exists between all these gospel dispensations, and then we will begin to understand how admirably our work fits in the time, and the place, and the manner in which the Lord has decreed that it should come about. The work that He has decreed, that He has accomplished is all in harmony with the words of the prophets which have been spoken since the beginning. ¶

Now may the Lord bless you, and bless our brethren who shall address us, with His Spirit, that the truth may be impressed upon our hearts this morning, I ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶