President Wilford Woodruff addressed the congregation and spoke substatially as follows: For quite a number of months my brain work has been so severe, that I have felt it right to throw off some of this work of speaking on my brethren of the Twelve who are with me, I have been edified and interested. This testi- mony is applicable. What has been said in regard to the absence of Saints from these meetings does not apply to those who are here. Our last conference here was crowded. The tabernacle in the various stakes, during conferences, are generally well filled. The Lord has not gone asleep, He has not gone upon a journey, He has not deserted his cause. The Lord has decreed from the foundation of the world the dispensation of all his dealings with men, all these depensations have been forseen by the Prophets. We are ful- filling the prophecies in regard to this work, there is no greater work than the work in which we are engaged. The church has been organized for 50 years, and there is no reason why we should lose interest in the work. We came here because the Lord was prepared to perform a work. The 200,000 souls now in the church were kep[t] in the spirit world for six thousand years, to come forth in this dispensation. What time have we to spend foolishly? We have none, it will be a loss to us when here, and hereafter. Read the history of the world suicide and sickness, death and desolation are beginning to feel after the nations of the earth, These things will increase after the testimony of the elders has been re- jected, it is our duty to testify to all na- tions, after our testimonies come these testimonies of destruction. Those words have been spoken and will be ful- filled. We will be held on accountabil- ity for our works. The priesthood is given to us and we are held responsible for this work to the extent of our positions and callings. If I fail to do my duty I shall be held responsible and so with the Twelve and every member of the church. We should wake up and realize our condition and responsibilities and labor to save the souls of men and perform all duties devolving upon us Our reward will be commemorated with the course we pursue in the flesh. The hand of God is in all matter tem- peral and spiritual. He will control all things for our good if wee serve Him. Our political experience will be a bles[s]- [i]ng to us. No man need be discouraged or disappointed. The Lord holds the des- tiny of all people in His hands, when we come to the end of our lives we will [s]ee this more clearly. We have receiv- ed great blessings and great promises and should commit no sin. The Lord wil[l] sustain us if we do right. Our young people should attend the various instu- tions in the church organized for their benefit, and become acquainted with the principles of the gospel, and be pre- pared to withstand temptations. It is sad to see our sons lead astray by evil influences. The powers of evil are bring ing to bear all their efforts, and all the influences that can be brought to bear us astray. The Savior was tempted 40 days; if He had yielded, the Devil would have achieved a great victory, but he did not. He gave us an example to fol- low. He prayed to the Father—Pray, pray always, there is where our help lies, even in temporal affairs, we should go before God. He will answer our prayers, and we will have power to over come all evil. No man can lead as- tray the people, and if a president should attempt it he would be removed. The authorities are sustained by the people's prayers and therein lies our strength. Men have apostized from time to time. In Kirtland one half of the Quorum of the Twelve apostatized and went against the prophet, but the Lord sustained him and he filled the position to which he had been called, till the Lord took him away. He performed his work, and will hold the keys of the grea[t] dispensation in the morning of the re- surrection. What is there to pay a man to sin or do wrong. There is nothing to justify a man in doing evil, nothing to make a man happy in disobeying the commandments of God. Let us remem- ber the covenants we have made with the Lord. We should remember the councils we receive from time to time, and train our children in the ways of the Lord; it is a great comfort and con- solation when our sons walk in the ways of righteousness and do not follow in the paths of evil. This is the gospel of Christ and the work will stand in spite of all obstacles, and the saints will remain here till Christ comes and will not be driven from their homes again. The speaker remembered when he was 20 years of age a murder was committed in Con- necticut. That circumstance convulsed all New England. Today murders and suicides are a common occurance. Let us labor to get the children to attend Sabbath schools and meetings that they may become acquainted with the will of God. He had often said when a boy and attended Sabbath school, that he would esteem it a blessing above all blessings to live in a time when apostles and prophets were upon the earth as in the days of the Savior, and had asked why the churches did not enjoy the gifts and blessings given to the early saints. He had been answered, they were not needed now as we live in the light and blaze of the gospel. Now we are blessed with the same blesings and ordinances as were the former day saints He hoped to live many years with the people of God and enjoy the blessings of the gospel as he had done for the last 60 years. He knew the gospel was true, he had received this testimony from the first sermon he ever heard. We have a high destiny before us, and should live pure and temperate lives in order to be worthy. Prayed God to bless the people with strength to do right and keep his commandments.