Discourse 1894-09-02 [D-24]

REMARKS

Made at the Salt Lake Stake Conference, in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, September 2nd, 1894, by

PREST. WILFORD WOODRUFF.

-[REPORTED BY ARTHUR WINTER.]-

The angel Moroni said to the Prophet Joseph Smith, "Whatsoever enticeth and leadeth to good and to do good is of God, and whatsoever doth not is of that wicked one." That is a true principle. I wish to make some remarks upon this, but before doing so I desire to refer to our meeting this forenoon. There was probably not one half present this morning of those who are here this afternoon, and therefore many may not fully understand what I allude to. This is a Stake Conference, and there was a report made this morning of the fast offerings received from the various wards in the Stake and the amounts disbursed for the support of the poor. I think that the report showed that during the last six months this Stake alone received from the general tithing office $14,000 for the support of the poor. I believe I am sa[f]e in saying that fifty per cent of all the tithing collected throughout the mountains of Israel is returned to the various Stakes for local expenses, among which is the support of the poor. I think myself that this is wrong. As Latter-day Saints, we should observe our fast meetings and our fast offerings. We should at least make a donation of that which we save by fasting, and give it to the Bishop for the support of the poor. It was remarked this morning that some people said they could not fast because it made their head ache. Well, I can fast, and so can any other man; and if it makes my head ache by keeping the commandments of God, let it ache. If we did our duty with regard to the poor among us the tithing would not be withheld from the Presiding Bishopric for the support of the poor. In this, brethren and sisters, I certainly think we should improve. There is nothing gained by our attempting to shirk any duty that God requires of us. We should be more diligent in attending our fast meetings. We should fast as the Lord requires. The Lord does not ask anything of any man that he cannot perform. Whenever the Lord gives a commandment to the children of men, He provides a way for the fulfilment of that commandment. Tithing is a commandment of God to the people, and should be observed. The report of what the Relief Society has done is certainly a great credit to them. The amount of means which they have donated for the support of the poor in this Stake is a large amount, considering the labors that there are upon that Society. I hope we will all reflect upon these things and not forget our duty with regard to the fast offerings and the fast meetings, as well as all other meetings that we are required to attend.

President Angus M. Cannon referred to the officers of the Stake not being present at this Conference. I think if we all felt as we should, if we understood the signs of the times, we would take pleasure in attending meetings as far as possible. The Presidency of the Church and the Twelve Apostles have the conferences of the whole Church to attend, and when they are not here they are performing other duties.

Now, with regard to the statement I made in the beginning, "Whatsoever enticeth and leadeth to good and to do good is of God, and whatsoever doth not is of that wicked one." While we as a people accord to every denomination the right to enjoy their religion, we claim the same privilege ourselves. I have often referred to this, because perhaps it has appeared sometimes as though we were encroaching upon others. This, however, is not the case. Let us compare the good with the evil today. Where is there a man, no matter what sect he belongs to, who cannot see a great change in the world today? I remember very well over eighty years of my life, and I certainly have never seen such a time in my life in the United States as I have during the last year. The spirit of murder, of whoredom, of blasphemy that is going like a flood over the land, and the increase of crime on every hand, is certainly alarming. Is it from God? Does it lead to good? It does not. There is no God in it. When we look at these things we can see that there is a power manifest in our land and among the nations of the earth that is leading men to do evil. There is one thing very prominently before my mind, and that is the unpopularity of God himself, and of Jesus Christ, and of the Gospel of the Son of God. In the days of the Savior there were a good many religious sects, and they were all at war with the Savior and His Apostles. They fought against everything they did, and labored for their destruction until the Savior and His Apostles were put to death. Were they led by the Spirit of God? They were not. They were not inspired to do right; they were seeking to do wrong. In this dispensation the Prophet Joseph was an unpopular man. He was opposed by the world, and by a great many men who professed to be ministers of the Gospel. They labored against him and to overthrow his doctrines. Now, if Joseph Smith was right, his persecutors were not right. Of course, every man must be his own judge with regard to that. If Jesus Christ and the Apostles were right, then those men who fought against them were not right.

We are informed by the revelation of St. John that in the last days there would be something like six hundred three score and six different religious sects and parties in the earth. Of course, there could be but one of them right; for there is but one right way. There is but one Gospel; there never was but one and never will be. That Gospel never deviates from one generation to another. So with the Holy Priesthood. The Priesthood is the same in every generation. Whenever God has had a people on the face of the earth, He has had the Priesthood among them. In fact, no man has the right to administer in one of the ordinances of the Gospel of the Son of God only by and through the power of the Holy Priesthood. The ancient apostles and prophets who administered in the ordinances of the Gospel held that Priesthood. Without that authority they would have had no right to administer in these ordinances. So in this day, this principle is the same.

Now, my friends, it does not pay any man to preach false doctrine or ot practice false principles, because there is no salvation in it. It is for salvation that we labor. For that the Lord called Joseph Smith to organize the Church of Jesus Christ once more for the last time on the earth, so that a body of people would be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man. The Gospel of Christ was with Joseph Smith. The Priesthood was given to Joseph Smith by those who held that Priesthood in the days of Jesus. He never pretended to administer in one ordinance until he received the commandment of God to do it. Those of you who have embraced the Gospel and have lived your religion know for yourselves that the power of God has followed this work from the commencement until today. I know it has, and I know it will if we do our duty. All the ancient patriarchs and prophets labored for salvation, for the glory where God and Christ dwell, that after death, in their immortal bodies, they might occupy that position forever. It paid them to do it, and it will pay all men to do the same. We cannot spend our time foolishly in safety. We have a mission to fulfil. Some portion of the Holy Priesthood has been given to almost every man in the land of

Zion, and to many of them at a very early age. It has been given to us that we may administer in the ordinances of the Gospel and in the things of the kingdom of God. Then let us try to magnify our callings and to do our duty. We know the principles we are practicing are true. The Lord has given us power to rear these temples unto His holy name, that we may enter in as saviors on mount Zion and redeem our dead, that they who have never heard the Gospel may partake of eternal life. Jesus himself went to preach to the spirits in prison, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh. [##1 Peter 4:6##]So do the apostles and elders of Israel as they pass away. We labor this side of the veil, and they labor the other side of the veil. These things are true. God has established this Church. He has raised up prophets and apostles, and has planted a work in these mountains of Israel, where this congregation have been gathered by the power of God. We have a labor to perform, and if we do not do it we will be under condemnation. I know this is the work of God. I know the Priesthood is here, and I know the power of God has followed this Priesthood since the Church was organized. Our Elders have traveled at home and abroad. They have been taken from the various occupations of life and thrust into the vineyard. They have traveled thousands of miles, and that, too, without purse and scrip, preaching without price. I never thought of taking any money with me on my missions. I have traveled in a good many countries, and I always traveled without purse and scrip, and I preached without money and without price. The Lord always raised up friends for me in time of need. I was fed and clothed and had all the necessaries of life. That is the way the ancient Apostles preached. It was the way the Elders of Israel have had to preach in the day and generation in which we live.

Brethren and sisters, I hope we will look at the position we occupy here and the work that lies before us, and as far as we can go into these temples. I thank God we have a temple upon this block, where the Latter-day Saints in this region can enter and redeem their dead—their fathers and mothers and their progenitors who have gone into the spirit world without the Gospel. They never heard the Gospel, and no man, in time or in eternity, will ever be saved in the celestial kingdom of God without the Gospel of Christ. Therefore, let us look upon these things as they are. Let us try to live our religion, that when we get through we may be satisfied with life. I prayed many an hour when a boy that the Lord would let me live to see a prophet or an apostle, or some man who could teach me that Gospel which I read of in the New Testament. I have lived to see that day, and I thank God for it. I have tried to do what good I could in my weak way. I have tried to go into these temples and redeem my father's house. With the assistance of my friends I have been able to do this. When I go to the other side of the veil and meet with them, I think I shall be satisfied, and I think they will. They will find that these principles are true, and so will all denominations when they come in the presence of God. They will learn then, if not before, that this is the work of God. I pray God to bless all who are connected with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. May we magnify our calling and do our duty, that when we get through and go into the presence of God and read our history in that great library in heaven, where the acts of all men are recorded, we may be satisfied. God give us wisdom, and lead and guide us in our duty, that we may overcome the world, the flesh and the devil, and inherit eternal life, for Jesus' sake. Amen.