--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 9 number: 1 published: 1905-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Editor’s Table—A Spiritual Feast—Conference," *Improvement Era* 9, no. 1 (November 1905): 54–60.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0901unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0901unse start_page: 54 end_page: 60 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1905-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0901unse publication_year: 1905 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1905, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Editor’s Table—A Spiritual Feast—Conference EDITOR'S TABLE. A SPIRITUAL FEAST. The semi-annual conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which began on Friday, October 6, and closed Sunday evening, 8th, will be remembered as one of the most inter- esting and remarkable gatherings of this most remarkable Church and people. The weather was unusually fine, and the attendance was perhaps greater than at any other conference in the history of the Church. The great tabernacle was crowded on both Friday and Saturday, but on Sunday it was impossible to gain admission even for standing room. An overflow meeting was, therefore, held in the Assembly hall, and also in front of the Bureau of Informa- tion building. At these two meeting places many thousands listened to the instructions of those who had been delegated to conduct the services. The usual reports from the mission fields were exceptionally encouraging; and it was learned that there are more openings and calls for missionaries in various parts of the world where the Gos- pel is being preached than could possibly be filled. Hundreds of elders are needed in addition to the large corps already in the field. Meetinghouses are being erected in many nations, and on the is- lands of the sea. There are unusual demands for books and other Church literature. At home, in the stakes of Zion, the Saints are prosperous in temporal affairs, and active in the cause of God, full of faith, and apparently unshaken by any evil reports directed against the authorities of the Church. They are trustful, and full of confidence in the Lord and their leaders, determined to go on in the good work of the gospel, in spite of opposition, slander and EDITOR'S TABLE. 55 misrepresentation. It was clearly manifest that the people agreed with the speakers at the conference, who expressed themselves as perfectly satisfied with the man who had been chosen as the proph- et of the Lord to lead the destinies of the Latter-day Saints. All the discourses were inspiring, and seemed to be received with pleasure and appreciation. The music was characterized by the spirit of the gospel, being plain and from the heart. Two new songs by Prof. Stephens were presented to gathered Israel; name- ly, "True to the Faith," and ''One Hundred Years." These, with other songs and music, rendered in a most excellent manner, gave additional zest and pleasure to the services. But the crowning speech came as an inspiration from Presi- dent Joseph F. Smith, just after he had announced the notices at the last meeting, on Sunday afternoon, at about 4:15 o'clock. He stated that he desired to say a word or two notwithstanding the late- As he began speaking, the effect was electrical. ness of the hour. As he proceeded one could have heard a whisper, as the great multitude bent to catch every word that he uttered.He turned to Prof. Evan Stephens, whose new song, "One hundred Years," had just been sung by Elders Geo. D. Pyper, Horace S. Ensign, Lottie Owen and Mabel Cooper, and whose "True to the Faith" had also been rendered that afternoon by the choir, and he fervently blessed Elder Stephens, and the members of the choir; then he lifted up his hands and blessed the multitude and all the Saints, their families and substance; turning to the grey veterans of the Church who sat in the wings of the stand, he called on the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ, to give them cheer and blessing. He did the same to the apostles and seventy and patriarchs, bearing testi- mony to their faithfulness, their worth, and virtue. Then, lifting his hands to heaven, he earnestly prayed God to forgive those who sin against the Latter-day Saints, and to grant them light to see the truth, and he prayed that God would have mercy upon those who knowingly and wilfully slander the Saints and the servants of God. While the speech was being delivered, the Spirit of the Lord touched the hearts of the people, and there was intense feeling, so much so that many quivered with emotion, and there was weep ing in all the building. 56 IMPROVEMENT ERA. If there had been any doubt as to whether President Joseph F. Smith had ever been inspired, it was dispelled at this moment from the hearts of those who saw, heard, and experienced this wonderful inspiration and revelation; for it was an inspiration and a revelation, such as many testified they had never before heard, seen, or felt in any of the gatherings of the Latter-day Saints. The apostles and seventy, sitting on the stand, and thousands in the vast congregation, could not restrain their tears, but freely wept, so deeply were they affected by the eloquent and inspiring words from the prophet's lips, as well as by the peaceful and heavenly influence and spirit which accompanied them. The out- pouring of the divine power caused unspeakable peace to the souls of all who heard, and there was a tranquil spirit, overwhelming, yet not agitating, which pervaded the whole congregation. It was, indeed, a testimony to the people that President Joseph F. Smith is the right man in the right place; that the Lord is with him, and that he has the good will, affection, and support of the people over whom he presides by the will of the Lord. It was a further testi- mony that the Lord is pleased to accept the people, and to recog- nize his Church by the unmistakable manifestation of his Holy Spirit. PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH'S CONFERENCE BENEDICTION. I desire, very briefly, as the time is already spent, on behalf of myself and my counselors, and also on behalf of the Quorum of the Apostles, the Presiding Patriarch, the Presiding Bishopric, and others of the general authorities of the Church represented at this conference, to offer to you, ye men and women of Israel, our most sincere thanks and gratitude, both to you and to our Father in heav- en, for your prompt, faithful, and numerous attendance at this conference, for the splendid spirit you have manifested, for the union that has characterized all our assemblies, for the love and goodwill shown by all who have met here in the name of the Lord; and I say, in the name of the Lord, be ye blessed, in your basket EDITOR'S TABLE. 57 and in your store, in your outgoing and in your incoming, in the labor of your hands and in the labor of your minds, and in your prayers and your devotion to the cause of Zion. May the Spirit and power and light of the living God shine upon you, and move you to acts of righteousness, of truth, of union, of strength and of power in the Priesthood of God which you hold, and which bless- ings have been pronounced upon you in sacred places by those who liold the keys and authority to bless on earth and you will be blessed in heaven, to bind on earth and it will be bound in heaven, and to loose on earth and it will be loosed in heaven. God bless you. These mighty men who sit before this stand, clothed with power from Almighty God, they are not self-called. They have not been chosen by man. They have not chosen themselves. But they have been called by the power of the Almighty to stand in high places in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as Presidents, as fathers to the people, as counselors, as judges, and as leaders, walking in the way that the people of God should fol- low them into all truth, and into the possession of greater light, greater power and wisdom and understanding. God bless you, my brethren. And while you stand united, as you have stood iri the past, and as you have manifested your union here during this con- ference, so God will magnify you before your flocks, and in the midst of your people, and will increase your power and your strength to do good and to accomplish his purposes, until you shall be satisfied with your labors and have exceeding great joy therein: and your people will rise up and call you blessed, they will pray for you and sustain you by their faith and good works. Let us go home strengthened, built up, encouraged, and more deter- mined than ever before to serve God and him obey. No matter what the world thinks or anybody says, let us do our duty: and in the language of Joshua let us say, 'as for me and my house, we ' will serve God." Let this be the sentiment of every heart repre- sented at this vast conference. In behalf of you who are assembled here, my brethren and sisters, I desire to express thanks and gratitude to Evan Stephens — a man gifted of God, talented in music, in poetry and in song, and above and beyond all that, a man gifted with humility, and with faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ; who is not only diligent 58 IMPROVEMENT ERA. in his labors here with this great choir, but who is faithful in his soul to the cause of Zion. He bears testimony to the truth in song and praise. want to say in behalf of this vast assembly, Brother I Evan Stephens, God bless you and keep you long in the service in which you are engaged for the people of God and for the cause of Zion, and in behalf of this great choir. And then, in behalf of this congregation, too, I extend our appreciation and our grati- tude to Brother John J. McClellan, and his assistants. We thank God that he has given us boys and girls, born and reared in our midst,that possess talent equal to that possessed by any men or women born in the world. We will not admit that they are second to any. thank God also, in your behalf, for this choir, who have I devoted hours, days, weeks and months, aye, and years, in the service of the people; who have won a name that is enviable, not only among the Latter-day Saints and the people of Utah, but a name that has extended beyond our borders to the uttermost parts of the earth. God bless you [speaking to the choir], you men and boys of Israel and you daughters of Zion. Peace be unto you. May your voices ever ring clear and true in the songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God for his mercies and kindnesses unto his people. The Lord preserve you. Be not discouraged easily. Attend to your duty, follow your file leaders, be united, and seek to make melody in the worship of Almighny God, who has given to you your precious voices, and has put it into your hearts to labor in the capacity of a choir for the benefit of Zion. The Lord bless you, and he will bless you; and in the name of Israel's God, as a servant of the Lord, I bless you. Again, in my own behalf and in behalf of my counselors, President Winder and President Lund, I want to thank these my fellow-servants in the Apostleship. They are true men. They are honest men. They are God's servants, and I know it. I am intimate with them, I live with them, I labor with them, and I know their hearts and works. their Their lives are open unto me and unto the living God. They are true men, and I bless them. God bless these my brethren. They are true to the Father, and I know as long as they are true to him, they will be true to all the interests of his people, and true to his servants, and no power can turn them from God's cause. EDITORS TABLE. 5^ God bless and preserve my brother, the Presiding Patriarch of the Church. May the Lord lend unto him the enlightening in- vigorating power of the Holy Ghost, that in his administrations as a Patriarch to the people he may speak the truth, and only the truth, and that his words may be words of soberness and knowl- edge, words of comfort and consolation to those on whom he lays his hands, that they may go away from his administration blessed in very deed. I want to bless some of my veteran friends who are here. I say, God bless you, brethren. You and I have grown gray in the cause of Zion. You have ever been on the frontiers of dan- ger, as protectors of the rights of the people and as protectors of the servants of the Lord from those who would injure and do them harm. I say, God bless you, and he will bless you, and I bless you in the name of Israel's God. Let the Lord have mercy upon those that seek to hurt the cause of Zion. God, pity the misguided, the erring, the foolish, the unwise. Put thy Spirit in their hearts, turn them from the error of their ways and from their follies, and bring them back into the way of righteousness and into thy favor. I — ask mercy for mine enemies those that lie about me and slander me, and that speak all manner of evil against me falsely. In re- turn, I beseech God my heavenly Father to have mercy upon them, for those who do it not knowing what they are doing are only misguided, and those who are doing it with their eyes open cer- most of all, the mercy, compassion and pity of God. tainly need, May God pity them. May he have mercy upon them. I would not harm a hair of their head, for all I am worth in the world. I would not throw a block in their way to prosperity. No; and I beseech my brethren that they keep hands off the enemies of our people and those who are paving their own road to destmc- who are sinning with their eyes open, tion and will not repent, who know that they are transgressing the laws of God and villi- fying and lying against the servants of the Lord. Have mercy upon them. Do not touch them, for that is just what they would like. Let them alone. Let them go. Give them the liberty of speech they want. Let them tell their own story, and write their own doom. We can afford it. They do not hurt us, and if it 60 IMPROVEMENT ERA. affords them any amusement, I am sure they are welcome to it. I feel like blessing the quorums of the priesthood, every one of them, from the High Priests to the Deacons. I pray God, my heavenly Father, to remember them in their organizations, to help them, that they may magnify the priesthood they hold and do the will of the Father; that the Seventies may be minute men, in- stant in season and out of season, ready and willing to respond to the calls that are made upon them to go and preah the gospel to the world. Gather in from the Elders quorums those who have proved themselves worthy and who have gained experience, and make Seventies of them, so that the quorum of the Seventies may be replenished: and the aged ones, whose physical condition will not permit them any longer to do missionary duty in the world, let them be ordained High Priests and Patriarchs, to bless the people and to minister at home. Gather in the strong, the vigorous, the young, the able-bodied, who have the spirit of the gospel in their hearts, to fill up the ranks of the Seventies, that we may have ministers to preach the gospel to the world. They are needed. We cannot now meet the demand. I feel like blessing the auxiliary organizations, which are so powerful in wielding influences for good among the youth of Zion. May the Lord bless them one and all, and make them to continue may be able to magnify to be useful in their callings, that they them in honor before God in all the world. Peace be unto those that preside in these organizations, that they may be equal to all the duties that devolve upon them. God bless you all. May peace abound with you. Let this assembly of his people come up as a witness unto God and unto the world that "Mormonism" is a living, moving entity; that it is not dead nor sleeping, but that it is alive and awake, growing and advancing in the land; and let the world know it. Amen. VOLUME NINE, ERA. In this number, we begin a continued narrative, including, ii, chronological order scenes and incidents in the life of St. Paul, and