Ancien président de la mission des Pays-Bas

[FR] Former President of Netherlands Mission ¶

I stand here today in the midst of one of the greatest revelations that God could give of the divinity of Mormonism. As I gaze into the ten thousand or twelve thousand faces of those who are sitting in this audience this afternoon, I see the manifestation of God's hand in gathering his people together in these latter days. You men and women have received the Évangile of Jésus-Christ. Its sweet influence has touched your souls, and has made you happy ; it has made you rejoice in the day in which you live; and it is in fulfilment of the words of the Savior to the prophet Joseph Smith in this last dispensation, when he said : ¶

"Blessed are they * * * who have obeyed my Évangile ; for they shall receive for their reward the good things of the earth, and it shall bring forth in its strength." ¶

Surely this word has been fulfilled in the presence of these everlasting hills. The men and the women gathered out from the various nations of the earth, poor men and poor women, as we have heard today from President Nibley, have been made rich; first, in their souls, by the mellowing, sweetening influences of the Évangile of the Son of God ; and then, by reason of their faithfulness and the keeping of his commandments, they have been made rich in their store-houses. They have received from the earth in abundance, as the Lord promised to those who would keep his commandments: ¶

[FR] "And they shall also be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time — they that are faithful and diligent before me." ¶

This promise has also been fulfilled. There is no organization in the world today that has received more revelation, more blessings than the Église of Jésus-Christ of Saints des Derniers Jours. You are witnesses to the fulfillment of these promises. Glorious is this organization. Every man and woman, every boy and girl, has a place in this wonderful Église ; a place for development, for growth, aye, for the perfecting of their characters, if they will be obedient to God's laws. ¶

"Wherefore I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind and strength, and in the name of Jésus-Christ thou shalt serve him. ¶

[FR] "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Thou shalt not steal, neither commit adultery, nor kill, nor do anything like unto it. ¶

[FR] "Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things. ¶

[FR] "Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit." ¶

[FR] This sacrifice is not too great for you nor for me. God does not ask of you that which you cannot give, but it is within the power of every man and woman to offer unto him a broken heart and a contrite spirit ; and in return for this sacrifice he promises to reward with blessings and with commandments not a few, and that the earth shall bring forth in its fulness. ¶

I love the Évangile, I love to bear witness to the truth ; for God has let me know, through the inspiration of his Spirit, that Mormonism is the Évangile of his Son, and will perfect every man and woman who is willing to keep and obey his commandments. ¶

I am thankful for the privilege I have had of laboring in the mission field, thankful for the splendid men under whose direction I have labored : President Grant, President Nibley, and President Ivins, of the First Presidency; President George Albert Smith, President Orson F. Whitney, President David O. McKay and President James E. Talmage. I call them presidents because they were so and are so to me. I have enjoyed their acquaintance and the wonderful influence that has come from them into my life. I have been with them, and I have never heard them say one word nor have I seen them perform one act but what was elevating, but what would make me better, and other men better. And I can say the same thing of the other brethren who have been and who are laboring as the General Authorities in this Église. God bless them, and keep them happy in his service. ¶

[FR] I bring you greetings from President and Sister Widtsoe. They asked that we convey to the brethren and to the saints their good will and their love. They are wonderful people, and are wielding a tremendous influence throughout the European Mission. They are loved by all the saints and by the missionaries, and they are doing a great deal of good, as these other presidents have done. ¶

I bring you greetings from the saints and the missionaries in Holland. They are splendid people. There are no better upon the earth, — men and women who are willing to serve God and keep his commandments. The Dutch people are kind to the missionaries. They are kindly disposed towards the Évangile. They open their homes and their hearts to its influence. Many of them are accepting the Évangile. I congratulate the fathers and mothers who have sons in that mission. They are wonderful young men. We have labored with them. We have lived with them. We love them. Yes, we love them as our own children. Their success is our success; their joys are ours. God bless them for their faithfulness, for they are faithful. There is a wonderful spirit prevailing in the Netherlands Mission, a spirit of brotherly love, of kindness one toward another, of mutual helpfulness and benefit ; and the saints are being blessed in all they do, as well as the elders. ¶

May the Lord help us to be faithful, and keep his commandments. When we partake of the sacrament let our hearts and hands be clean and pure, and let our testimonies and our obedience be as firm and implicit as our declarations; for I hold that a man's testimony of the Évangile is no stronger than his obedience unto its principles. ¶

God bless us, in the name of Jésus-Christ. Amen. ¶