STANDARD EXAMINER 125th Conference Would Surprise Brigham Young; He Directed 1st Conference in 1848 in Makeshift Bowery By FRANK WETZEL SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Brigham Young wouldnt recognize the 125th annual conference of the Latter day Saints Church April 3, 4 and 6. Not that the meetings have changed spiritually. But for contrast, look at the first general conference to be held in Great Salt Lake City, as it then was called, during October of 1848. The first Mormons arrived in Salt Lake Valley in 1847. The broad streets, the Temple and Tabernacle, the hundreds of thousands of people then were only a dream in the head of Brigham Young. The first session of the first semiannual conference, Oct. 8, was held in a bowery in the Old Fort in what now is Pioneer Park. The bowery was constructed of poles set into the ground with tree boughs criss crossed over the top for shelter. The sides were open. It gave fine shade but of course held no warmth. It measured 40 by 28 feet and was built by the Mormon Battalion. Harvest Inadequate The harvests had ben inadequate and food wasnt plentiful. Typically, the conference opened with song and prayer. Then Brigham Young was sustained as first president of the church. After he and other officers, including apostles, were elected, President Young spoke. He touched upon the principles of the priesthood and its keys, talking for an hour and a half. The official account of that meeting quotes Young as saying he wanted to see a community who were without a sheriff, constable, officer or any man to attend to such small business. After conducting other business, Young adjourned the conference until the next Sunday and to continue every Sabbath to give two companies of pioneers making the trek west a chance to be in Great Salt Lake City by the close of the conference. Further sessions of the first conference were held Oct. 15 and 22, with adjournment finally coming Oct. 29. Young said at the final meeting You will not get any preaching until we have a room where we can worship God comfortably. If you want to build up Zion, build that Council House first.They Did Build It The Mormons wanted to build up Zion. And they did. For proof, look at the 125th annual conference. It will be held in a spacious Tabernacle in the heart of a large and prosperous city. The faithful of the LDS Church will gather in the Tabernacle, on the Temple grounds, in Assembly and Barratt Halls, and in eight other states to watch or hear the proceedings. The largest television and radio network in the churchs history will beam the conference to a possible audience of millions. Seventeen television stations will carry Sundays session. KSL TV, the church owned station in Salt Lake City, will carry the entire conference. KID TV in Idaho Falls will carry all sessions but one Sunday afternoon. In addition, closed television circuits will carry the Tabernacle proceedings to Mormons in Barratt and Assembly Halls. And the sound only will be piped to 61 LDS Church halls in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and California. Preach Gospel Basically, the purpose of the conference is to sustain the authorities of the church and to preach the gospel. President David O. McKay, at the 125th semiannual conference last October, put it this way Among the purposes of these general conferences are, in summary, as follows 1. To inform the membership of general conditions whether the Church is progressing or retrogressing, economically, ecclestically or spiritually. 2. To commend true merit 3. To express gratitude for divine guidance. 4. To give instruction In principles, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel. 5. To proclaim the restoration, with divine authority to administer in all the ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to declare, quoting the Apostle Peter, that there is none other name under heaven given among men than Jesus Christ whereby we must be saved. 6. To admonish and inspire to continue in greater activity. The dates of the conference, April 3, 4 and 6, are arranged so the meetings will end on the 6th, the anniversary of the founding of the Latter day Saints Church by Joseph Smith and others in 1830.