PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF was the first speaker of the afternoon. He said: It is five years ago since I spoke to you here and some of my young brethren are growing old. Though we who address you may be of the presidency of the church we are as dependent on the Lord for his guidance and assistance as any elder or any one in the church holding the priesthood. We all need the spirit of God There never was a man, a prophet or apostle who was not de- pendent on the spirit of God. I have promised the Lord that whatever he gave me I would give to the people. If he does not give me anything you will not get much from me. There are many things concerning the Latter-day Saints which occupy my mind. Next April it will be 60 years since the organization of this church. What a change has come over the world since then. There was no[t] one murder committed where there are now a thousand. Those who will read the newspapers find that it will take them two hours to read of the murders which occur in every twenty-four hours. All these things are open to the eyes of the Lord. The an- gels of God are waiting to go forth and reap down the earth because of its wickedness. What is the destiny of the genera- tion that ripens in iniquity. The Bi- ble tells of it. Whenever the nations turned from the Lord of Heaven and worshipped Baal they were chastised and the judgments of God overtook them. All the ancient cities, Tyre, Thebes, Babylon, Jerusalem and others were in their time destroyed because of their wickedness and that programme has been carried on to the present day and will be to the coming of the Son of Man. It is in- teresting to read the revelations and prophecies in the Bible and Book of Mormon which tell of the future gen- erations. Fifty-six years of my life I have spent in the church and over fifty years in the apostleship. A whole quorum of apostles have been taken to the spirit world and another or- dained since we reached these val- leys. I am the only apostle living of those who came into these valleys as apostles. I am the only man living who received his endowments under the hands of Joseph Smith. The Lord has set his hand to carry out the ancient prophecies and he will do it. He called Joseph Smith and others to the work and gave them the priesthood. This seems blasphemy to many, to talk of the priesthood, but I defy any man in the Christian churches to show that God ever had a people whom He acknowl- edged as His people but that He gave them the powers of the priesthood. The Lord could not set His hand to gather His people and to fill this dis- pensation except by the priesthood. It is by the power of God that you have been gathered from all nations to this land. I wish to say a few things to the Latter-day Saints with regard to your position with the Lord and the gospel you have received I know this is a work of truth, that God is true, that Jesus Christ is true, that the prophecies and revelations are true. As the God has set His hand to per- form this work during the past sixty years will He now stop? No. He will continue and as prophecies have been fulfilled so will every word that has been written. When the work first began we could go into every city and baptize hundreds. I have traveled during my time 150,- 000 miles while preaching the gospel and in every town and village I or- ganized branches and so did my brethren. Now our sons go out and baptize five and six and think they have done a good work. And they have, for the vintage is over. The Gentiles reject the gospel. It is as much as a man's life is worth to preach to-day where in early days we baptized our thousands The Gentiles reject the truth as did the Jews In the primi- tive days all who taught the gospel were destroyed. The Jews fell into darkness and in the fulfillment of the prophecies their city was destroyed and they have now for 1800 years been captives among the Gen- tiles a hiss and a by word. The yoke is yet on Judah, but it is to be broken and they will gather home and meet their Shiloh. In these last days the gospel has come to the Gentiles and will afterwards go to the Jews. When Christ came the Jews received it first, rejected it and it went last to the Gentiles. Thus the prophecies are being fulfilled that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. [Matthew 19:30] To- day hell and wicked men exert all their power against the church carry- ing on a fearful warfare The Chris- tians tell us that apostles and prophets and revelations were necessary only in the dark ages, but the Lord does not say so. He has revealed His mind and will to this people. I will ask you a few questions. You have seen the gathering of the people. You have seen the history of the church Do you find anything in these valleys to try you? You have the water trouble and have a dry season. If there is an elder in Israel who will yield to temptation and be- cause of a dry season will go to law against his brethren let him thus be tempted. He may as well be tempted over the water question as any other. I do not expect one half of those I have baptized to be saved for they will apostatize before they reach the kingdom of God. If we suffer any affliction it will be be- cause of our own actions. What the Lord has said will come to pass. Zion will be redeemed. If she sin the Lord will chastise her but she will be redeemed. If we sin that sin costs much more than it is worth. The water question causes the people to divide, go to law, and injure each other My counselors have felt that if they go to law without arbitration they should be disfellowshipped, and I feel the same way. It is not setting a good example if we quarrel one with another. I would rather have every- thing green on my place dry up than go to law against my brethren. I have a long eternity with them on the other side of the veil. What, quarrel with them while here for a few days! No, I wish not to be responsible for it. Let us not go to war with our neighbors, or ourselves. The Lord will judge for us. He says "judgment is mine." There is no more escape from the judgments of God now than in ages past. Every man and woman who has made sacred covenants, go to the Lord and make your wants known. Let the prayers of 100,000 Saints arise to God and I tell you they will be answered. You are His people, His sons and daughters. Make your wants known and He will bless you. I have no fear concerning Zion. She will be redeemed. All the fear I have is the follies we commit ourselves; from them we will suffer. Watch the signs of the times; the pouring out of the plagues; the judgments will come and they will come as sure as there is a heaven and earth. I have felt to speak of these things for I will not stay here long. I am going beyond the veil to perform another work. Be faithful, watch and pray. Do not neglect your prayers; let all quarrels and divisions among your pass away. Young men attend to your duties and prepare to bear off the kingdom while your fathers go beyond the veil. May God open your hears, your ears and eyes and fill you with wisdom; live your religion and you will be blessed.