these valleys of the mountains, and
they have become parents. I have
seen some, I will not say a great
many, but I have seen some young
men, I say nothing about maidens,
who have met with untimely deaths
and who have gone to the grave dis-
graced, and a dishonor to themselves
and to their parents. Circumstances
of this kind are far more painful to
any parent in the world than it is for
their children to meet with sudden
death by accident or any other way.
I do not make these remarks to apply
to Brother and Sister Wheeler, for
none of us know what course our
children will take. We set good ex-
amples before them, and we strive to
teach them righteous principles, but
when they come to years of accounta-
bility they have their agency and
they act for themselves.

Many things are transpiring in the
earth to-day which we should regard
as great calamities and as grievous to
be borne if we had to pass through
them. Think of these late earth-
quakes in South America, eight thou-
sand people out of ten thousand in
one city sunk in the earth in a few
moments. And then, the tremen-
dous floods that are sweeping over
France and other parts of the earth,
causing the death of hundreds and
thousands of men, women and chil-
dren. All these things are in fulfill-
ment of the revelations of God, and
of the judgments which he has pro-
mised should come upon the earth in
the last days. One of the purposes
which the Lord has in view in gather-
ing his Saints to the valleys of the
mountains is that they may not share
in the sins or partake of the plagues
of Babylon; therefore we have rea-
son to rejoice before the Lord because
of his mercies and blessings unto us.
And with regard to a case like this
before us this morning—the loss of
these children—I want to say a few
words for the consolation of those
who are sorrowing. In the first place
these children are innocent before the
Lord; as to their death and the cause
thereof, that is in the hands of God,
and we should not complain of the
Lord or his dispensations any more
than Job did. These children have
been taken away very suddenly, and
in such a manner as to cause great
sorrow and distress to their parents,
but there is this consolation connected
with the matter—they are innocent,
they are not in transgression. They
have paid the law of death which
God passed on Adam, and all his pos-
terity; but when their spirits left
their bodies and got into the spirit
world their trouble and affliction were
over. Their death was a very pain-
ful one, but their suffering is now
over, and in a few years from now
they will come forth out of their
graves in the morning of the resur-
rection, not marred by fire or any ele-
ment, but clothed with glory, immor-
tality and eternal life, in eternal
beauty and bloom, and they will be
given into the hands of their parents,
and they will receive them in the
family organization of the celestial
world, and their parents will have
them for ever. They will live as
long as their God lives. This, to
Latter-day Saints, who believe in the
resurrection, should be a source of
comfort and consolation.

Why our children are taken from
us it is not for me to say, for God
never revealed it unto me. We are
all burying them. I have buried one-
third of the children that have been
given unto me. I have had some
thirty children born to me, and ten
of them are buried, all of them
young. The question may arise with
me and with you—"Why has the
Lord taken away my children?" But
that is not for me to tell, because I
do not know; it is in the hands of the

LITTLE CHILDREN ARE INNOCENT, ETC.

these valleys of the mountains, and they have become parents. I have seen some, and I will not say a great many, but I have seen some young men, I say nothing about maidens, who have met with untimely deaths and who have gone to the grave disgraced, and a dishonor to themselves and to their parents. Circumstances of this kind are far more painful to any parent in the world than it is for their children to meet with sudden death by accident or any other way. I do not make these remarks to apply to Brother and Sister Wheeler, for none of us know what course our children will take. We set good examples before them, and we strive to teach them righteous principles, but when they come to years of accountability they have their agency and they act for themselves.

Many things are transpiring in the earth to-day which we should regard as great calamities and as grievous to be borne if we had to pass through them. Think of these late earthquakes in South America, eight thousand people out of ten thousand in one city sunk in the earth in a few moments. And then, the tremendous floods that are sweeping over France and other parts of the earth, causing the death of hundreds and thousands of men, women and children. All these things are in fulfillment of the revelations of God, and of the judgments which he has promised should come upon the earth in the last days. One of the purposes which the Lord has in view in gathering his Saints to the valleys of the mountains is that they may not share in the sins or partake of the plagues of Babylon; therefore we have reason to rejoice before the Lord because of his mercies and blessings unto us. And with regard to a case like this before us this morning—the loss of these children—I want to say a few words for the consolation of those who are sorrowing. In the first place these children are innocent before the Lord; as to their death and the cause thereof, that is in the hands of God, and we should not complain of the Lord or his dispensations any more than Job did. These children have been taken away very suddenly, and in such a manner as to cause great sorrow and distress to their parents, but there is this consolation connected with the matter—they are innocent, they are not in transgression. They have paid the law of death which God passed on Adam, and all his posterity; but when their spirits left their bodies and got into the spirit world their trouble and affliction were over. Their death was a very painful one, but their suffering is now over, and in a few years from now they will come forth out of their graves in the morning of the resurrection, not marred by fire or any element, but clothed with glory, immortality and eternal life, in eternal beauty and bloom, and they will be given into the hands of their parents, and they will receive them in the family organization of the celestial world, and their parents will have them for ever. They will live as long as their God lives. This, to Latter-day Saints, who believe in the resurrection, should be a source of comfort and consolation.

Why our children are taken from us it is not for me to say, for God never revealed it unto me. We are all burying them. I have buried onethird of the children that have been given onto me. I have had some thirty children born to me, and ten of them are buried, all of them young. The question may arise with me and with you—"Why has the Lord taken away my children?" But that is not for me to tell, because I do not know; it is in the hands of the