Orson Hyde

“ I have thought that if we were a little more punctual in the discharge of our obligations one with another and to all men, it would be the means of opening wider the door of light and truth to all pursuing that course. It is too often the case that we sometimes contract duties and make promises to discharge them, when our present condition and future prospects are altogether too slim to justify our doing so. ”

“ I have found in my experience that there is a good deal in a man's having confidence in himself. A person having little confidence in God and more in himself is not good; the capital stock should be in the Lord our God, and the smaller portion in the creature operating.
When the Lord created man, I believe he placed in him a portion of himself, that is a portion of every qualification that he himself possessed. And in our sphere we are to act independently ”

“ I would like to live to see myself entirely redeemed from the tradition of our forefathers, which we have inherited through entailment, and completely baptized in the element of life everlasting. These are my heart's desires. I pray that God may continue to bless us and help us to walk day by day in obedience to the requirements of heaven. ”

“ If I had more confidence in myself, and in my own ability, limited though it may be, I could venture farther and do more, and perhaps overcome my natural timidity and become a more efficient agent in the hands of our Father of doing good. ”

“ I can say that what little I possess of this world's goods are subject to the orders of my superiors in the Priesthood, myself and all that I command are at their dictation to be used in the service of our God for the advancement of his kingdom. ”

“ Where these things are neglected, however small they may appear in the estimation of some, there is a want of the vital principle that feeds the soul, that keeps the leaves and branches green, that imparts beauty and loveliness to all nature. ”

“ And it is not often that persons who faithfully attend to this duty walk in darkness, it is seldom that they apostatize and turn away from the faith, especially when we couple our solemn prayers with a short sermon or lecture of comfort and of peace to our wives and children, sanctifying our prayers by words of consolation, and then we have a little heaven on earth. ”

“ Yet we feel we must go in debt to supply our immediate wants. And when the time comes for payment to be made, it is not at all an unfrequent chapter in our lives, that at that particular time we were not so well prepared to meet the obligation as we were the day we made the contract. ”

“ But no; like many others of my age, I am subject to rheumatism and pains in my limbs, which at times disable me; I have commenced to feel the infirmities of increasing age and years; and so many of us now, after these many years of toil, have to struggle with the going down sun of our earthly existence. ”

“ For there should be a disposition on one part to avoid contracting debts, and a disposition on the other to be as lenient as circumstances permit, to move away all the obstruction we can from the path of each other's prosperity. ”

“ And I think, if we all remember our prayers in the season thereof, in sincerity and truth, that our light would shine before us according to our needs and wants. It is too often the case that this important duty is neglected. ”

“ But while we remain let us struggle on, and continue the good fight of faith until we are called home. I calculate, the Lord being my helper, to do the very best I can. How long I may live I know not, neither do I feel much anxiety, feeling as I do that I am in the hands of my Heavenly Father, who will do with me as seemeth him good. ”