| 62 Joseph Smith and W. W. Blair presiding; H. A. Stebbins, secretary; T. W. Smith and Z. H. Gurley assistants. The conference continued six days, adjourning on the 11th. The attendance was not so large as the year before, but the sessions were pleasant and harmonious. Among other items of business are the following:
President J. Smith offered his congratulations to the conference on the moral aspect of the church at the present. There was a strong feeling now to see righteous dealings among the brethren, and between them and all men. District and branch officers are disposed to call to accountability those who act otherwise; and it is exercising a salutary effect. In the world there is an increasing desire to hear the preaching of the word and the arguments of the elders in our defense. There is also a strong and increasing feeling of infidelity in the world. The preachers of other churches expect to attack us and make us their mark, but when infidelity or spiritualism presents its attacking forces, these other churches look for our elders to meet them. Brethren may feel a strong assurance of their position and a firm reliance of the truth of the latter-day work, and yet not go out of the way to attack any. The work in California is showing far better than ever before, and the efforts there to injure the work and destroy its efficacy failed to destroy the faithful or injure the work.
The efforts of the brethren in England have given them a hold upon those people with whom they have come in contact. In Wales also there are good prospects. The president also rehearsed the movement made in sending missionaries Wandell and Rodger to Australia, and the circumstance of their stop at Tahiti, saying, "It is a happy evidence of the directing watchcare of the Father."
One prominent cause of difficulty in the church in some places has come from an apparent love of office and power, creating personal animosity, and quarrel after quarrel has grown out of these and kindred feelings. In several places such difficulties yet continue, in Iowa, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and California.
Bro. Bays, of Kansas, had been relieved of the difficulties and wrong-doings alleged against him, and was laboring in Texas as appointed by the First Presidency.-The Saints' Herald, vol. 21, p. 257.
Preamble and resolution on death of Elder Isaac Sheen were adopted: 1
1 Whereas, It having pleased our Father in heaven to call from labor and toil on earth to rest and reward in the paradise of God, our faithful brother, and servant of God, High Priest Isaac Sheen, who was also General Church Recorder and Church Librarian therefore be it
Resolved, That while we bow in humble submission to the will of God in this our bereavement yet we can not help but realize a deep and heart-felt sorrow that we have been thus deprived of the faithful and earnest labors of one whose course has always been that of a consistent Christian, and in his death the church has lost a steadfast and valiant
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