Discourse

I do not recall a conference which I enjoyed better (as far as we have gone) than this Conference which commenced on Friday last. I have felt the Spirit of God in our midst, and have been exceedingly edified and pleased with the remarks which have been made by the various speakers. It is a cause of thanksgiving to every Latter-day Saint, when we meet in Conference, to know that the Lord meets with us, and that His Spirit is poured out upon His servants. We have heard from the Elders how much we need this Spirit, and how impossible it is for us to please our God, and to accomplish the labors devolving upon us without its presence and assistance. I am thankful every day of my life that I live in an age when God has poured out His Holy Spirit upon man; that we are not left to the guidance of our own minds, to grope in uncertainty, in doubt, in darkness concerning God, concerning the life to come, concerning His purposes towards man and the earth upon which he dwells. When I think of the darkness that has been swept away; when I think of the uncertainty and doubt that have been dispelled; when I think of the flood of light which God has sent forth from His eternal throne to His children upon the earth through the medium of His Prophet, through the revelation of His Gospel, through the bestowal of His Holy Priesthood and the gift of the Holy Ghost, I feel to thank God with all my heart that my lot has been cast in a day like the present. For we are not left to ourselves; we are not left a prey to doubt and to fear and to anxiety. We know that God is with us; we know that He guides this great work, that everything connected with it is known to Him, and that its final destiny has been predicted by Him. If ever there was a people upon the face of the earth that ought to be filled with the most profound gratitude to our God for all that He has done for them, we who are assembled here today, as well as all the members of the Church who are not here, should be that people. We are menaced by our enemies; we are threatened by dire evils; we are told our destruction is right at the threshold, that we shall be inevitably overthrown and our power wrested from us. But this is not the first time is our history that we have heard such statements. Along the pathway we have trod similar threats have been made to us; this pathway has been environed by difficulties, beset with foes, and it has seemed to human vision as though our escape was utterly impossible. How often this has been the case those who have had experience well know. It has seemed at times as though there was an impassable barrier in our pathway, impenetrable to human vision, impenetrable to human progress. But as we have stepped forward the difficulties have vanished, the pathway has been made clear, every obstruction has been moved out of the way, and we have gone joyously forward to accomplish the work that God has committed to us and commanded us to perform. I rejoice exceedingly in this. We are very weak ourselves; and those of us who bear responsibility are very conscious when we live as we should do, of our incapacity, and how very far we are from being what we should be. We shrink from the contemplation of the great weight that rests upon us, of the character of the labors that we have to perform. We would stand appalled at them, if it were not for the consciousness that God is with us, that God sustains this people; that God furnishes the wisdom and gives the strength, and that He has provided the victory; and it is comforting to know that all we have to do, is to do that which is assigned to us to the best of our power and ability, putting our trust in Him. And how strong this makes us! Not in our own strength, but in the strength of our God—He who has delivered us out of so many trials—He who has brought us through so many troubles—He who has never deserted or forsaken us, but has been near at hand when we have called upon Him. He has heard us when affliction has befallen us, extending deliverance to us, filling us with hope, filling us with peace, filling us with joy, no matter how threatening the circumstances that have surrounded us. Can there be found a better people upon the face of the earth than the Latter-day Saints? I cannot speak for all, but I speak for the bulk, the brethren and sisters whom I know. I know by their faces, so radiant with gladness, that there is peace and joy in their hearts. I know by my own feelings—for my life, notwithstanding its vicissitudes, notwithstanding its sorrows, has been to me a complete joy until now. I have rejoiced with joy unspeakable; my language cannot describe it, not in myself but in our God, in the salvation He has assured to us. I know that this people are a favored people. I know that notwithstanding all our trials, notwithstanding all that we have to contend with, there is no enemy of ours, there is no combination of enemies of ours, whose happiness compares in the least degree with the joy and with the happiness that the Latter-day Saints have in their possession. Is not this a cause of great thanksgiving to us? Ought not our souls to swell with gratitude to God our Father for these blessings bestowed upon us? Ought we not to be a humble and obedient people? Ought we not to do His will and have our will swallowed up entirely in His holy will? If this is not the case, then we are the most ungrateful people that ever lived, and our condemnation will be a very heavy one, if we are in this condition. ¶

We have heard remarks fall from our brethren’s lips, during the preceding meetings, concerning the disunion that exists among the Latter-day Saints. Their remarks called to mind a conversation which I had some weeks ago with an old acquaintance whom I knew in Washington. He had attended one of our meetings in company with some lady friends, and they had heard some of the speakers, in their public utterances, dwell upon the importance of union. And he related to me the comments that were made by his lady friends concerning the teaching. They had drawn the inference from the remarks, that the leading Elders were afraid that the Church was tumbling to pieces, that the work of disintegration was going on to such an extent as to cause them great alarm, which accounted for the earnest, solemn tones in which the speakers addressed the Saints concerning union and its importance, and their exhortations to the people to be more united. ¶

I suppose those who are not acquainted with us might draw such conclusions from remarks made during this Conference. But it must be remembered by us at least, whatever other people may think, that we, as President Woodruff has told us, are placed as watchmen upon the walls of Zion, and that we do not speak as hireling ministers speak. It is not our calling to say pleasant things to the people, when they need different instructions and counsels. Besides, the spirit of instruction and counsel is something which every Elder should seek for, as there are times in the history of God’s people when it is just as necessary that words of reproof and warning should be uttered—that reproof be administered when iniquity and wrong exist, and that notes of warning be raised, calling upon the people to give heed to their ways and avoid certain things lest destruction come upon them—as it is to speak comforting words to them. This has been the case always when God has had a people upon the earth. It has been the office and calling of all the Prophets and Apostles to speak as moved upon by the Holy Ghost. It is no sign of disintegration then, no sign of alarm because the Elders thus teach the people and warn them, and perhaps reprove them, and speak in tones of sharpness, and perhaps at times severity, concerning their condition. ¶

There is no feature in our polity so desirable as union. Without it we are an exceedingly weak people; with it we are strong, strong in the Lord, because the Lord acknowledges us as His people, when we are united; He places His seal upon us, and stamps us as His own. Therefore it is not to be wondered at that the Elders are led to talk about the importance of union. It is of the first importance that we should be united; and it is no sign of alarm, it is no evidence that the Elders who thus speak are in fear concerning the result of this work, or the effects of the attacks of our enemies upon this work, because they talk in this manner to the Saints assembled in Conference, or to any other public gathering. In some respects I think we are an exceedingly united people. But owing to circumstances—the absence of many of the leading men, and the great labors which have devolved upon those that are free and able to go about—the people have not been visited for some years, as was formerly the case; and therefore many things have grown up and sprung into existence, which need the attention of the leading Elders, of the Presidents of Stakes and their counselors, the Bishops and their counselors. And it requires a good deal of exertion at the present time to lay these matters before the people as they should be. But we ought to be a united people; and we cannot dwell too much upon the importance of union. When we are divided we are very weak; when we are united we are very strong, for God is with us. ¶

God has given to us an organization which, if we maintain, as we should, will preserve union, will preserve complete harmony and strength in the Church. Therefore, we should do all in our power to maintain that organization, which is complete and perfect. Although others may decry the Priesthood and the influence of the Priesthood, and may oppose it, and censure us because we give heed to the counsels of the Priesthood, it is for us to listen to the voice of our God, to maintain its integrity unto us, to beware of every spirit not of God, that it does not have place within us, but that under all circumstances we will be guided by His Holy Spirit, and the counsels of His servants. That which we witness today throughout this Territory; that which we have witnessed wherever the Latter-day Saints have settled—the deliverances that have been wrought out, the prosperity that God has given unto us, is due to the fact that we have had His servants in our midst, and that the people have listened to their counsels. Shall we turn our backs upon that authority which God has thus blessed, which He has sustained, and shown His approval of by giving His blessings unto those who have obeyed their counsels? We should not do this. We should avoid it; and we should be humble, meek and lowly in our walk and conversation; in all our associations with each other, and do all in our power to maintain in its entirety the organization which has been given unto us. ¶

In conversation some years ago with a gentleman by the name of Haskell, of Kansas, who was a Member of Congress, and who is since deceased, he said to me: Mr. Cannon, I have paid some attention to your organization, and I think it the most magnificent organization that exists on the earth—how did you succeed in getting it? I told him I did not suppose, if I were to tell him all about it that he would be prepared to accept my statement as true; but I told him, of course, that the organization had come from God, and that its perfection was due to divine wisdom. I mention this as the testimony of a man of considerable experience and observation and extensive reading, as a high tribute to the strength, power and surpassing superiority of our organization. It is, my brethren and sisters, strikingly manifest to every one who reflects how God has blessed us in this respect. And we should be proud of it—that is, we should be thankful for it, and not be ashamed of it. ¶

I have felt for some time that some of the Latter-day Saints were beginning to manifest a disposition to feel ashamed of the Priesthood, and ashamed of seeking counsel at the hands of the Priesthood, as though it were a forbidden thing, as though it were something that we did wrong in practicing; that to come and ask counsel of the servants of God was something so contrary to public opinion that some men shrink from doing it, and feel ashamed of asking counsel of God’s servants. If such feelings as these were to prevail among the Latter-day Saints, it would be a most deplorable thing; I think the result would be disastrous to us. If I knew a man who has the counsel of God, and I wished to obtain counsel, I feel as though it would be the greatest blessing I could have given unto me, under the circumstances, to be able to go to him to ask counsel concerning the course I should take. This has been my course throughout life, and I know it has been attended with blessing. Suppose the world deride it; suppose the world attack it; suppose the world accuse us of one-man power, of joining church and state; they will accuse us anyhow, no matter what we do, no matter how correct our lives may be; and shall we deprive ourselves of the benefits that God has given unto us in the hope that we will conciliate the world, and that we will prevent the world from talking about us? If that be our idea we delude ourselves most egregiously. The man who entertains the view, that by taking a certain course that is not exactly in accord with the will of God, he is going to gain the favor of the world, makes a great mistake. I do not think we should be unwise in these matters; wisdom should be exercised in all that we do. But do not, my brethren and sisters, deprive yourselves of that light which God has placed within our reach for our guidance and our safety because of any fear we may entertain concerning public opinion in relation to that method of doing. ¶

The cry has gone forth that we join church and state. A greater libel was never made concerning any people than that concerning us. Owing to our peculiar position all our eligible men bear the holy Priesthood. It was not possible for us to obtain suitable men in our Territory, in by-gone days, who were not members of the Priesthood. There was no other choice left for us but to select the best men we had regardless of their position in the Church. Because we did this it ought not to be thought to follow that we blended church and state, or that we looked upon the Church as an institution to be associated with the civil government; not at all. I do not think it possible to find another people, situated as we were for so many years in these valleys, who would have drawn the lines of distinction so clearly between church and state, as we did. ¶

We have always looked upon civil government as entirely distinct from church government; and our views upon this subject ought to be so well known as not to leave room for accusation even. It has been proclaimed by Joseph Smith; it has been proclaimed by Brigham Young; it has been proclaimed by John Taylor; it has been proclaimed by Wilford Woodruff, and all the leading Elders associated with them, that God intended to organize a Kingdom on the earth that should not be composed of Latter-day Saints alone, but that members of that Kingdom should belong to other religious denominations as well as to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This has been a cardinal doctrine in this Church—that is, with the Elders who have had experience and knowledge concerning that which is to come and that which the Prophet Joseph believed in and taught. In fact, he set the example on one occasion, and those familiar with it know about it. He showed unto the brethren before he died that the Kingdom of God, when established, should throw its protecting aegis around the infidel, around the Methodist, and around the Presbyterian, around the Baptist, around the Catholic and every other man, whatever form of belief he may profess, as well as around the Latter-day Saint; and that each man and each denomination was to receive equal rights, equal favors and protection from the Kingdom of God. This has been our doctrine for the last forty-five or fifty years. Hence it is one of the greatest libels that can be pronounced against a people, to say concerning us, that we believe in the blending of church and state. We believe in no such doctrine; and I will say, never did believe in it. But in consequence of our peculiar position; in consequence of the fact, as I have stated, that every reputable man among us who has attained his majority, holds the Priesthood, our enemies have seized that and made it the foundation for base libels and attacks upon us. ¶

I will return again to the idea I was dwelling upon. Shall we, let me ask, feel ashamed of asking counsel? If a Teacher came to my house, and I were in doubt concerning any matter that I wished to have counsel upon, I would gladly ask that Teacher what his views were, and in this way, if possible, obtain his counsel, looking upon the Teacher as a man of God. If an Elder were to come to my House, or a Bishop, or a High Priest, or a Seventy, or an Apostle, and I were in doubt concerning something I contemplated, and I wished to obtain more light upon it, I would gladly submit my case to him and ask his counsel. And if he did not come to my house, and I could have access to him, I would not engage in any important enterprise without taking such a course. In the primitive days of the Church this was universally the case. We sought counsel at the hands of the servants of God, just as they did in ancient times. Kings did not go to war without seeking counsel. You remember the case of Ahab and Jehoshaphat, when they contemplated warring. Jehoshaphat requested the king of Israel, his ally, to inquire of the Lord how it should be with them; and the king of Israel gathered together his prophets, about four hundred men, all of whom said “Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it [Syria] into the hand of the king.” But it seems that Jehoshaphat was not entirely satisfied with this word, favorable as it was; and he inquired: “Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?" And the King of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man, Micaiah, the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord, but I hate him; for he doth not prophecy good concerning me, but evil.” A messenger was sent to bring Micaiah before King Ahab and Jehoshaphat; and the prophet was informed what the other prophets had said concerning the result of the battle; and he was asked to prophecy in like manner; and he did so, giving the kind of counsel that the king of Israel wanted. But the king suspected there was something wrong about it; and he adjured him to tell him the truth. Then Micaiah prophesied that which God had given him, namely, the utter overthrow of King Ahab and his army—a prophecy which was fulfilled to the very letter. ¶

Now, kings did this in ancient times, and mighty men, and it was not considered improper; and it does not argue because we believe in this principle, that we are theocratic, and that we are trying to found a theocracy. One is not a sequence of the other. Every man has the right to seek unto God in the appointed way; to seek unto Him in prayer, and besides calling upon Him in prayer, to obtain His word through His appointed servants. Members of Wards should teach their children to ask counsel concerning all matters they wish to undertake, all enterprises upon which they desire to enter. When Bishop is living up to his duty he has the word of the Lord for his people; and he cannot give correct counsel to his people if he is not living as he should live. The same with regard to the President of a Stake. And when the High Council come together with the President of the Stake, it is their privilege to know for themselves concerning matters to give counsel pertaining thereunto. So it is with every council in this Church. The light of heaven that comes from God to enlighten the minds of the children of men is not confined to one individual, to one class, or to one council or quorum; on the contrary, that light is diffused through the whole body of the Priesthood, and the whole body of the Church, according to the faithfulness of the members. We should understand this. The light of heaven—that is, the light that enlightens our minds, is as free as the light of the sun, as free as the atmosphere we breathe. We should seek for and enjoy these privileges. I would like to see the Latter-day Saints so impressed with its importance, that whenever we take a serious or grave step, we should seek the counsel of God. We should do this on our knees in our chambers, alone; and it is our privilege to seek for and obtain it elsewhere, so we may walk aright before God and acceptably before Him. In this way the Kingdom of God will be built up. ¶

I want to see the power of the Priesthood strengthened; not the power of the First Presidency alone; not the power of the Twelve Apostles alone; not the power of the Presidents of Stakes, or that of the High Councils, or the Bishops and their Councilors alone. I want to see this strength and power diffused through the entire body of the Priesthood, reaching from the head down to the least and most humble deacon in the Church. Every man should seek for and enjoy the revelations of God, the light of heaven shining in his soul and giving unto him knowledge concerning his duties, concerning that portion of the work of God that devolves upon him in his Priesthood. When we live thus we will be a mighty power, irresistible in our onward march. Though, when we are in this condition we shall provoke more hatred, greater opposition than that which we now have to contend with; because it is that feature in our organization that Satan dreads and hates; and he expects his servants to fight this and endeavor to destroy it; and the efforts of our enemies for years have been to destroy the power and influence of the holy Priesthood, knowing if this could be done we would lose our strength, and become weak as water, so to speak. ¶

I am in favor of everything that will tend to build up Zion, that will strengthen us and make us more compact. We have this opposition to contend with; do what we will we cannot pacify the hostility of Satan. At the same time I do not believe in throwing away wisdom, and acting as though there was no such things as wisdom in the world. That is the other extreme. I believe we can do all this and be wise in our conversation, be wise in our conduct, and in all our associations; not indulging in wild-fire or doing foolish things. But this is God’s work, and He will take care of it no matter what we do. At the same time we, through unwisdom, can provoke wrath and bring it down upon us, and many men do it through their own imprudent acts. In taking this course, we depart from the counsel of God’s servants. You will always find it to be the case, that the men who are getting themselves into trouble bring trouble upon others because of their imprudent action and unwise speeches; and they are the men who disregard counsel. ¶

Before I sit down I wish to mention some doctrine that has been upon my mind, and as this will perhaps be the last opportunity I shall have during the Conference, I will call attention to it now. The doctrine I refer to is in connection with the resurrection. I will read from that revelation known among us as the Vision, which is found in the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. The Lord in speaking about the sons of perdition says: ¶

“They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born. ¶

For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity; ¶

Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come. ¶

Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father—having crucified him unto themselves, and put him to an open shame. ¶

These are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels, ¶

And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power. ¶

Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath; ¶

For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made.” ¶

I was given to understand, while I and others of the brethren were in exile, that because of this passage, contained in this revelation, some of the Elders had conceived the idea, and were teaching it, that the sons of perdition would not be resurrected; and inquiry was made of us concerning it. The doctrine as taught, was, that a certain class of spirits that had received tabernacles upon the earth, would not be resurrected; and to sustain this view the paragraphs just read were quoted: “For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made.” Because of this language some have inferred that all the rest would be resurrected, and the sons of perdition would not be resurrected. If you will read the context carefully you will see this is not the meaning. “And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power, Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, ... For all the rest shall be brought forth,” etc. That is, they will be redeemed and brought forth, but they will not be brought forth in the manner that we will be resurrected; they will not receive that redemption which the rest of the children of men will receive. God in this glorious revelation through His servant, Joseph, taught this to us, that there will be a time when every human being, except the sons of perdition, will partake of the salvation of our God. And even, it is said concerning them of the telestial glory, that they are heirs of salvation. But the sons of perdition are not heirs of salvation; they will not receive redemptions, they having committed the unpardonable sin, from which they never can be redeemed, so far, at least, as God has taught us in His revelations. ¶

Now if you will turn to the 29th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, you will find how plain the Lord has made this matter, so plain as to leave no doubt about it: ¶

“And the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, ¶

For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; ¶

And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand. ¶

But behold, verily I say unto you, before the earth shall pass away, Michael, mine archangel, shall sound his trump, and then shall all the dead awake, for their graves shall be opened, and they shall come forth; yea, even all." ¶

“Then shall all the dead awake,”—mark the words—“for their graves shall be opened, and they shall come forth; yea, even all.” ¶

The Book of Mormon is also very clear upon this doctrine. I will read a few extracts from that book in connection with this subject, which will be found in the 9th chapter of the Second Book of Nephi, the 15th and 16th, 21st and 22nd verses: ¶

“And it shall come to pass, that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God. ¶

And as surely as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is His eternal word, which cannot pass away, that they who are righteous, shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are filthy, are the devil and his angels, and they shall go away into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever, and has no end. ¶

And He cometh into the world that He may save all men, if they will hearken unto his voice: for behold, He suffereth the pains of all men; yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women and children, who belong to the family of Adam. ¶

And He suffereth this, that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before Him at the great and judgment day.” ¶

The Prophet Helaman says: ¶

“For behold, he surely must die, that salvation may come; yea, it behoveth him, and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord.” ¶

You will see there is another prophet who bears testimony as to the character of the redemption wrought out by the Savior. No matter what a man’s sins may be, whatever crimes he may have committed, the resurrection of the mortal body is assured to him by the redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ. But after that comes the second death; and they who are sons of perdition will partake of that. ¶

Amulek, in the 40th verse of the 11th chapter of Alma, says: ¶

“And he shall come into the world to redeem his people: and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else. ¶

“Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made, excepting it be the loosing of the bands of death.” ¶

How plain are the words of the prophet: “The wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made, excepting it be the loosing of the bands of death; for, behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand before God and be judged according to their works. ¶

“The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time, and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.” ¶

I might go on, still quoting from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, in corroboration of the view I have endeavored to set forth, but it is not necessary. All men will come forth from the dead regardless of their condition, regardless of their sins, the just and the unjust; all will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and they will have His judgments passed upon them. Some will receive and have pronounced upon them the blessings of eternal lives, as promised to the faithful, and be exalted; another class will not receive exaltation, but they will nevertheless be redeemed, and there will be degrees in the condition of the children of men there, just as there are degrees in our condition here. There will be this difference, however: the righteous and the wicked will not mingle together, as they now do, but a great separation will take place. Some will become rulers in the Kingdom of God. They are they for whom God holds in reserve crowns and septres, thrones and dominions, principalities and powers. They are the men who have been faithful before God in the midst of every trial, whose knees have never shaken, whose hands have never trembled in the face of the enemy—men of God, who have started out to serve God with all their hearts—men who have been devoted in this life to the cause of God, and who have shown unflinching integrity in every condition of life. God for them has reserved thrones; for them He has reserved principalities and powers and dominion, yea, God has reserved for them the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal lives, and they will be rulers in His Kingdom. Be comforted then; be comforted, ye afflicted ones, whose souls have groaned under the burden of your sorrows; you who have felt that life was almost too hard to bear, be comforted! For as God lives, and as His throne cannot be moved by the efforts of man, so surely will it be that those who are faithful in Christ Jesus will receive this glorious reward. They will receive crowns; they will receive thrones; they will receive principalities and powers, and no power on earth or in hell can deprive them of it. ¶

My brethren and sisters, let us be faithful; let us keep the commandments of God; let us keep our armor bright. Let us listen to the voice of inspired men, the men who have taught us with such power, and with the demonstration of the Holy Ghost, these two days that are past. Let us humble ourselves before our God in this Conference, and say, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Let us set our houses in order; let us be chaste; let us be true to our brethren and sisters; let us be upright in our dealings; let us be willing to suffer wrong rather than do wrong; let us carry out practically in our lives the teachings of our blessed and glorious Redeemer, making His Gospel part of our lives, and exhibiting in our conduct and our associations with the children of men, its precepts. That we may be able to do this, I ask in your and my own behalf, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶