Discourse 1880-05-28
After the opening exer-
cises, the president said we will now hear
from Brother Woodruff. "My sisters and moth-
ers in Zion—I am glad to meet with you to-day.
The Relief Society was organized by Joseph
Smith by revelation, and has for its object the
building up of the Kingdom of God. It does not
all depend upon the Elders of Israel by any
means. You are like ministering angels; you
are aids to the bishops, and a great many worthy
people would suffer were it not for these organ-
izations. The responsibilities of building up this
Kingdom rests alike upon the man and the
woman. While the Elders are among the na-
tions preaching the Gospel, the mothers have the
guidance of the children. When I contemplate
the positions of you mothers in bearing the souls
of men, and your future destiny, it is far beyond
the honors conferred upon the queens of the
earth, who are looked upon with honor. When
they die there is an end of their glory. Your
promise is eternal. You cannot know the result
of your labors until you pass behind the vail.
You have no thrones here, but when you have
faithfully performed the work you were ordained
to do on this earth, your exaltation will be eter-
nal, you will inherit kingdoms forever. It is
only a step to the other side, it is like passing
from one door to another, and what little time
you remain here do all the good you can, train
your children aright, teach them the principles
of life and salvation, try to stem the tide of evil
that is gaining a foothold among our young peo-
ple, teach your children to honor the principles
of marriage as revealed through the Prophet
Joseph, without this order of marriage we cannot
be exalted; instill these eternal principles in the
minds of the rising generation, that they may
control their actions through life. Let me say
to the sisters of Zion, we cannot do without your
assistance in accomplishing this great work, our
sons and daughters are to bear off this kingdom,
and it devolves upon the mothers to prepare
them for the "work before them." The speaker
said he had never been at home but one summer
in his life, of course the training of children was
entirely out of the question. One of his children
was over a year old before he saw him. "Be
faithful my sisters, that when the trump shall
sound, we may come forth and inherit eternal
lives."
