page_0001

THE DESERET WEEKLY.

President Woodruff followed. He
dwelt for some time upon the re-
sponsibility of the brethren in carrying
the Gospel to all peoples. In the bestow-
al of the Priesthood upon men, the
Lord had said many were called
but few should be chosen, the
reason for many not being among those
of final selection being that they set
their hearts too much upon the things
of this world to the neglect of their
higher duties. He explained the
importance and power that could be
exercised in prayer, and exhorted those
present to take a wise and progressive
course in matters pertaining to the tem-
poral welfare of the people.

President Wilford Woodruff.

After a few prefatory observations,
said he never wished to address any
body of people upon the Gospel of
Christ unless he could do so by the
Spirit and inspiration of Almighty
God; and that was his feeling this
morning.

Those who were at Conference yes-
terday listened to some very strong
testimonies presented by the Apostles.
There was one discourse in particular
to which he desired now to refer; that
of Brother Abraham H. Cannon, who
alluded to the views of certain per-
sons as to the great mistakes which
had been made in this world, some of
them by people calling themselves
Prophets, Apostles, and Saints of God.
One of these alleged mistakes was in
God permitting Adam and Eve to
partake of the forbidden fruit; another
was the mistake made in the Savior
being born in a stable and cradled in a
manger, instead of his coming
as a conqueror, as the leader
of the inhabitants of the
earth; another was that the Apostles
and Prophets ceased to have revela-
tions when Joseph Smith died. It was
to these principles that he wished to
refer.

When the Prophet Joseph was
called of God to lay the foundation of
this Church and kingdom he was a
mere boy. His first prayer to the God
of heaven was offered when he was
only fourteen or fifteen years of age.
He had read and studied the scriptures
previously and was anxious to know
what religious sect to join. An answer