As Latter-day Saints, we should observe our fast meetings and our fast offerings. We should at least make a donation of that which we save by fasting, and give it to the Bishop for the support of the poor. It was remarked this morning that some people said they could not fast because it made their head ache. Well, I can fast, and so can any other man; and if it makes my head ache by keeping the commandments of God, let it ache.

This is a Stake Conference, and there was a report made this morning of the fast offerings received from the various wards in the Stake and the amounts disbursed for the support of the poor. I think that the report showed that during the last six months this Stake alone received from the general tithing office $14,000 for the support of the poor. I believe I am sa e in saying that fifty per cent of all the tithing collected throughout the mountains of Israel is returned to the various Stakes for local expenses, among which is the support of the poor. I think myself that this is wrong. As Latter-day Saints, we should observe our fast meetings and our fast offerings. We should at least make a donation of that which we save by fasting, and give it to the Bishop for the support of the poor. It was remarked this morning that some people said they could not fast because it made their head ache. Well, I can fast, and so can any other man; and if it makes my head ache by keeping the commandments of God, let it ache. If we did our duty with regard to the poor among us the tithing would not be withheld from the Presiding Bishop- ric for the support of the poor. In this, brethren and sisters, I certainly think we should improve. There is nothing gained by our attempting to shirk any duty that God requires of us. We should be more diligent in attending our fast meetings. We should fast as the Lord requires. The Lord does not ask anything of any man that he can- not perform. Whenever the Lord gives a commandment to the children of men, He provides a way for the fulfilment of that commandment. Tithing is a commandment of God to the people, and should be observed.

Now, with regard to the statement I made in the beginning, "Whatsoever enticeth and leadeth to good and to do good is of God, and whatsoever doth not is of that wicked one." While we as a people accord to every denomina- tion the right to enjoy their religion, we claim the same privilege ourselves. I have often referred to this, because perhaps it has appeared sometimes as though we were encroaching upon others. This, however, is not the case. Let us compare the good with the evil today. Where is there a man, no mat- ter what sect he belongs to, who cannot see a great change in the world today? I remember very well over eighty years of my life, and I certainly have never seen such a time in my life in the United States as I have during the last year. The spirit of murder, of whore- dom, of blasphemy that is going like a flood over the land, and the increase of crime on every hand, is certainly alarm- ing. Is it from God? Does it lead to good? It does not. There is no God in it. When we look at these things we can see that there is a power manifest in our land and among the nations of the earth that is leading men to do evil. There is one thing very promi- nently before my mind, and that is the unpopularity of God himself, and of Jesus Christ, and of the Gospel of the Son of God. In the days of the Savior there were a good many religious sects, and they were all at war with the Savior and His Apostles. They fought against everything they did, and labored for their destruction until the Savior and His Apostles were put to death. Were they led by the Spirit of God? They were not. They were not inspired to do right; they were seeking to do wrong. In this dispensation the Proph- et Joseph was an unpopular man. He was opposed by the world, and by a great many men who professed to be ministers of the Gospel. They labored against him and to overthrow his doctrines. Now, if Joseph Smith was right, his persecutors were not right. Of course, every man must be his own judge with regard to that. If Jesus Christ and the Apostles were right, then those men who fought against them were not right.