When an Elder arrives in this city he is assigned to his field of labor, and remains in the field usually from two to three years; when, in the course of his labors, it is necessary for him to have books, tracts, clothing, and other supplies, he sends here for us to send him these needed articles, while the money to pay for the same, if the Elder is unable to bear the expense himself, is forwarded here by relatives and friends, or in some cases by brothers and sisters in the church at his home. This explains how we dispose of money in this city. Some of our Elders have been shot to death by mobs, some {138} have been cruelly beaten, while others have died in the harness of natural causes. Could you do as these men do for your religion? Could you stand to be held up to the derision of the world, leave a comfortable home and work without a salary, derided by such men as yourself, and your mother charged with being worse than a harlot; all for the love of the Master's cause? Some of our Elders now in the field were with the rough riders in the late war with Spain, others were with the Utah batteries in the Philippines, and some of them returned home about the time the call to arms was sounded, in just enough time to discard their Prince Albert coats and don the uniform of Uncle Sam. Is this disloyalty? Could you do as much for your religion and your country? We try to mind our own business, and if the good people of this city or any other place do not care to come out and hear me or any other Mormon Elder preach, that is their business. All I ask is fair play and nothing more. Giving the people an opportunity to hear the Gospel is a large part of the mission of a servant of God, and when it has been preached in all the world for a witness, then shall the end come, then will it be said, as it was said once before by our Master, "how oft would I have gathered you, but ye would not." I remember, too, that Jesus said: "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat; while straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Christ also said that people would kill His disciples and think they were doing God's service, and that all who would follow Him must needs suffer persecution. Are you persecuted? Is it right to look for the true Church of Christ in popularity? When a church becomes popular and persecution ceases, one of the promises of our Savior ceases to be fulfilled, for persecution is one of the marks by which we are to know the true church, says the Bible. Don't you think it is time to begin to look for the cause of the trouble? What do you really sacrifice for the cause of the Master?