Discourse

I trust that the Latter-day Saints will exercise faith in behalf of those who address them. A congregation of people like those present, who have come together to worship the Lord have come doubtless with great desire that they may be fed the bread of life, and one would naturally be appalled at attempting to address a gathering of this size and character, unless he had the assurance that the Lord would help him. This hymn that we have just sung ("O, my Father, thou that dwellest," etc.) is full of meaning and inspires solemn thoughts. It seems to be almost a revelation of itself; (in fact, the grand truths which it contains were revealed through the Prophet Joseph) and while it was being sung, I thought how little mankind know of the truths which are embodied in those four verses of poetry. The Lord has been very kind and merciful unto His children in these latter days in revealing the relationship which exists between Himself and the children of men, and in communicating some of His purposes in placing man here upon the earth. In this respect the Latter-day Saints, or those who have received the Gospel, have the advantage of the rest of mankind. While the scientific world and a large portion of the religious world are groping in dense darkness concerning the origin of man and the purpose of the Creator in placing him here, and while they are striving to arrive at some conclusion that will prove satisfactory, the Latter-day Saints possess knowledge concerning their origin. They do not believe that they have been evolved from some lower order of creation, nor that they have come on the earth by chance. If the Gospel did no more for us than this, what a great boon it would be, dispelling darkness and uncertainty and men's theories concerning the origin of man. And we could go on and touch upon a great many principles in like manner, concerning which the revelations of Jesus have given us knowledge and understanding. ¶

The Latter-day Saints are in a position to progress and to become informed in every direction without having to stop to investigate the theories and views of men. The Lord has revealed with plainness and simplicity, accompanied by the testimony of the Holy Ghost, many things about which the world is in doubt. Books have been written and years of time spent by learned men to establish what is called the Darwinian theory, while others have endeavored to combat that theory. It has disturbed the whole religious world. Many preachers of the Gospel have adopted this theory. The result is, infidelity has spread. Doubt has been thrown upon the Mosaic account of creation, the whole religious world has been agitated, and in many instances faith in the scriptures has been destroyed by this theory of the eminent philosopher, Charles Darwin. I suppose the majority of theologians who have been trained in the universities during the last quarter of a century, are inclined to look upon the Mosaic account of the creation as mythical in character. Men will try to show you—and apparently succeed—that this earth and its inhabitants have existed for a far longer period than the Bible warrants us in believing. Only a week or two ago it was published that some scientific man, in digging in the ruins of one of the ancient cities, found, as he claims, evidences that the city was in existence thousands of years before the biblical time of the creation of man. According to the chronology in the Bible, the Savior came about four thousand years after the placing of Adam on the earth; but this man of science says this city must have been in existence seven or eight thousand years before the birth of the Savior. He produces evidence of this in the form of pottery upon which the records of those days were kept, and which he has succeeded in deciphering. Other scientific men attempt to prove in different ways that the earth has been in existence long periods anterior to the time that those who believe the Bible accept. They talk of the flint age, of the bronze age, of the iron age, etc., and try to prove from these things that the antiquity of man is far greater than the Bible chronology gives evidence of. ¶

Had not the Lord given us revelation, confirmed by the gift of the Holy Ghost what a condition we would have been in as well as the rest of mankind! How we would have been agitated and left a prey to doubt and uncertainty concerning these vital truths! But the Lord has given unto us evidences that are indisputable. He has given unto us the Bible, which has come down from the Jews. He has corroborated that by the revelation of the Book of Mormon. One, though translated by the learning of man, contains many precious truths; and the other has been translated by the power of God. There is no other book that is claimed has been translated by the power of God, but the Book of Mormon. This has come to us pure and authentic, and we can rely upon its testimony. In addition to these books, we have the revelations of the Lord to this Church contained in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. These three witnesses agree. President Woodruff used a very happy and expressive phrase this morning when he said that this dispensation dovetailed into the former dispensations. So with these books. They dovetail into each other, and they form a combination that cannot be broken, because they agree exactly. Every truth harmonizes with every other truth, and there is no conflict between them. ¶

This people are exceedingly happy in having possession of these indisputable evidences concerning such important subjects. Do the Latter-day Saints believe that they have ascended or been evolved from a lower order of creation? No; for God has revealed to this Church that we are His children, made in His image, and possessing the gifts and attributes of God—not in their perfection, not in their developed condition, but possessing them nevertheless. We have these Godlike powers and attributes. We have descended from God, and can claim our parentage from Him, as much as our children can claim their parentage from us. Men may have lived in a low condition. The evidences of this can be produced. It can be proved that men fell from their high estate, and that in many instances they have lived in degradation, just as the Lamanites have descended to their low estate. But we know, from the record that God has given to us, the causes that have produced this. We know that the Lamanites were once a noble race of people. But through centuries of wrong-doing they have become degraded and low. This has been the case with many races. Our own ancestors have been in this condition, if we trace back far enough. Originally, however, man stood in the presence of his Maker, and his Maker recognized him as His son. He bestowed upon man blessings such as One so exalted would naturally bestow upon His offspring. But there was another power at work. Satan, who rebelled against God and sought to destroy the purposes of Jehovah, spread abroad his baneful influences, and these evil influences have had to be contended with through all the generations of men until the present time. ¶

You can see, my brethren and sisters, the advantage that we possess in having the truth revealed to us. It ought to be the aim of our lives to preserve that truth, and to teach it to our children, that they may be the custodians of it and preserve it from the false ideas and vain philosophy that are being so industriously propagated at the present time in the highest institutions of learning in our land. This is one of the reasons why our young men who go away to college incur such risks of losing their faith. Nearly all the text books and the teachings of these institutions of learning, not excepting theological institutions, have a tendency to make the students accept as true the modern ideas concerning the antiquity of man and the age of the earth. ¶

Now, this Church is the repository of the truth. I know of no other organization on the earth that is made the custodian of these grand truths which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds. This is a very important mission that God has entrusted to us. He has communicated to us these truths, and has borne testimony to them unto us by His Holy Spirit. Men may philosophize and say they can prove that man lived on the earth more than four thousand years before the Savior came, and that the earth itself was organized and inhabited long anterior to the time assigned in the Mosaic account. Suppose they entertain this idea and think they can do this, it ought not to disturb our faith. We have seen theory after theory dissipated. Scientific men are continually advancing theories and creating hypothetical conditions, only to be shattered later on. Almost every generation changes its views in regard to these things. That which was believed fifty years ago is overturned today; that which is believed by the scientific world today may be upset, if things don't change, fifty years hence, by new theories as unsound probably as those they displace. But this is not our condition. The Lord has revealed the truth to us, and the records that we have confirm His revelations to us. ¶

We may be called ignorant and fanatical for clinging to these things. But it is like the rod of iron that Lehi saw in his vision; if we cling to it, we have got something firm in our grasp, and though the mists of darkness may surround us, making it difficult to see the path before us, we may rest assured that we will be brought safely through. ¶

Aside from these evidences, however, I would rather believe that I was a literal descendant of the Almighty, and lift my eyes to Him as my Father, and aspire to be like Him, than to entertain any other belief, however well supported it might be by the evidences of men. No, no; we have not ascended from any inferior order of beings. We have, I repeat, descended from the God of heaven, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. The sublime words of this hymn that we have sung this afternoon are true. ¶

My brethren and sisters, we come together on these occasions to be taught of the Lord by the outpouring of His Holy Spirit upon us; and when we come with this feeling, I am sure none of us go away empty. How often we hear the expression, "I have enjoyed this conference better than any conference I ever attended," and there is no reason why this present conference should be an exception. The Lord is willing to bestow His blessings upon us and to fill our souls with light and intelligence. We have heard this morning testimonies that I consider of the greatest importance to us. Too much stress cannot be laid upon the principle of recognizing and acknowledging the counsels and the guidance of the Priesthood of the Son of God. Oh! that our eyes could be open to see and our hearts be made to understand that which God has done for us in placing the Holy Priesthood in His Church. If we could but comprehend it, every heart would swell to its utmost capacity in thanksgiving and praise to the God of heaven for His infinite kindness and mercy in bestowing the Priesthood upon men in this day and age, in giving unto us the organization of the Church and the Gospel, with its glorious principles, and in giving unto us men who have the authority to officiate in all the ordinances of the Gospel. Do the servants of God want to lift themselves up and become objects of adoration among the people? Do they want you to bow to them and to do reverence to them? If there are any among those who occupy official positions in this Church that have this feeling, I have not met them. My observation has been that while these men feel the importance of the Priesthood God has bestowed upon them, and have a desire to magnify and honor it, and to see it honored, yet they recognize that in and of themselves they are very weak, and they feel the lack of that ability and power which they ought to have to magnify their offices to the acceptance of God and the satisfaction of the people. You know the President of the Church. I need not—in his presence, at least—enumerate his qualities, nor speak to you of his humility and his unassuming character. You know him. So it is with the rest. Some may not have so happy a faculty of appearing humble in public as others; but in the hearts of these men there is no desire to exercise any improper authority among this people. I can testify of this, for I know these men and their spirit. What, then, is it that prompts them to talk about the Priesthood and to appeal to the Saints to honor that Priesthood? It is that God our Eternal Father may be honored. He has bestowed this authority, and it is representative of Him, and we should honor it as we desire to honor Him. I know that if this people will listen to the counsel of God's servants they will be prospered and blessed, and the gifts and graces of the Gospel will be enjoyed by them to their fullest extent. I know that those who have this spirit grow in knowledge, in strength, and in the gifts of the Gospel, and are, I might say, better Latter-day Saints than those who do not. ¶

You take the leading men of this Church, not only the Twelve, but the Presidents of Stakes, the High Councilors and the Bishops, and I do not believe you can find in any organization, religious, political or social, a body of men so independent, so desirous of having their own way, so firm, and so determined, as those to whom I allude. Take the First Presidency. Those who know us know what our characteristics are. Take the Twelve, the Seven Presidents of Seventies, the Presidents of Stakes, the High Councilors and the Bishops of wards. Those who know these men know to a great extent what their characteristics are. These men, generally speaking, are men of independent thought, men that will not bow lightly to the behests of others. They are men that would rather die than sacrifice a principle. They would suffer their goods to be destroyed and their bodies to be burned rather than to bow to that which in their estimation was not right. I call attention to this because these men are submissive men. It is not because they are easily influenced. What is the cause of their submission and their obedience? It is because God has revealed the Priesthood and has restored the authority. That is what I bow to. When I respect and honor Wilford Woodruff. I bow to God who has chosen him. My neck does not nor never did bow to man. Those who know me know that I am unbending in that respect. I may get along quietly; I do not like to quarrel; but I never yet bowed to man. I only bow to proper authority. If I listen to Wilford Woodruff; if I look to him to see how the Spirit of God moves upon him; if I ask his counsel and take it, it is because God has commanded me. God has given him the keys of authority. Let anybody else try it, and see what effect their action would have. When Joseph F. Smith obeys Wilford Woodruff, he does it upon the same principle. We reverence him as the prophet of God, and as our leader. We listen to him, and are guided by his slightest wish. It is because we know that he is the servant of God, chosen by the Almighty to fill that place, and that he holds the keys of the Priesthood to this generation on the earth at the present time. I can say truthfully that we strive to consult his slightest wish, and honor him in his position, because we know that God has chosen him. And who are we that we should withstand God? Who are we that we should withstand that which God reveals? Does this sacrifice our independence? Not in the least. And these Twelve Apostles are in precisely the same position. When they accept the counsel of the First Presidency, they do it because they believe the First Presidency to be chosen of God. They may have different views on many things; but when the First Presidency gives counsel, every man that has the Spirit of God accepts that counsel. This does not prevent him from entertaining his views and expressing them, and it does not detract from his influence. ¶

Now, we do not ask this people to be more obedient than we are. We do not ask you to do something that we are not willing to do. We have set you the example. We ask you, as the Lord asks you, to obey the authority of God and to respect it. Does this mean man-worship? Does this mean loss of independence? No, a thousand times no. There is no more independent people on the earth than the Latter-day Saints. They have proved it. They have been willing to leave everything they had on earth, and even to risk their lives, for that which they knew to be true. Men, therefore, who talk about us, as though we were servile, as though we do not have independence of character, as though we blindly follow a few leaders, are guilty of falsehood. We are as independent as human beings can be. But we know that God has restored the Priesthood, and we obey that. When a man takes me down into the water, after believing in Jesus and repenting of my sins, and baptizes me in the water, and I know that I receive the remission of my sins through that act; when a man lays his hands upon me and confirms me a member of the Church of Christ and confers upon me the gift of the Holy Ghost, and I know that I receive that gift through that ordinance, shall I not respect and honor that man unto whom God has given such extraordinary power? Why, I would be the meanest being on the earth if I would not respect authority of that kind. To go farther: when a man administers to me certain ordinances, and he promises unto me that I shall come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, clothed with glory, immortality and eternal life; he seals a wife to me and says she shall be mine for time and for all eternity, and God bears witness to this by the power of the Holy Ghost, so that no doubt exists in my mind concerning the truth of these promises, shall I now honor the man and reverence the authority that that man has who can do such wonderful things as this? This is my condition. I have been baptized—my sins have been remitted; I have had hands laid upon me for the gift of the Holy Ghost—I have received that gift; I have had other ordinances administered to me and promises made to me—I know I have received here in part and will hereafter receive in fullness the fulfillment of those promises. Then what power on earth shall prevent me from honoring those men, from respecting that authority, and from being submissive to it? Shall I say I will accept that authority in one direction, but not in another? If I do, I am unworthy of the blessings God has bestowed upon me. And I have never done it. I honor that authority. I love the men that bear it, because I know they are men of God. Now, why not all of us do this? You who have not had your sins remitted, you who have not had the gift of the Holy Ghost, you who have not received these other blessings, you can rebel and say you will do as you please; but that will not do for those who have received all these blessings and gifts—at least, it will not if they expect to continue in the favor of God. ¶

I love this Church because it is the Church of Christ. I love it because it brought me every earthly blessing. It has made my life a life of great happiness. I have had trials, as the rest have; but my life has been an exceedingly happy one. I have been happy in the great truths which God has revealed, and which I know to be truths; but more especially have I been happy in the blessings that have been brought to me through the Priesthood and the exercise of its power by men like myself whom God has seen fit to endow with it. Sometimes I have felt that I could not stay here on the earth, so happy have I been. I rejoice in this happiness and in these blessings. I would that all mankind could share in them. When I was a missionary it was the great delight of my life to preach this Gospel, and to entreat men to come to the Lord and receive the blessings I had received. I feel now that I would like to live until the Savior comes, if it were the Lord's will, to preach this Gospel of salvation to mankind, and to make them sharers in the joys that I have partaken of. And it is through the Priesthood that all these blessings have come. I have been in poverty; I have been through the persecutions we all endured; I have been short of food; I have been in need of water; I have been destitute of clothing; I have preached the Gospel without purse and scrip; I have been in prosperity; I have mingled with the leading men of the land, and have lived where I had everything I needed; and I bear testimony to you this day that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for every circumstance in life. It will make men happy in poverty and in adversity; it will make them happy in prosperity and in plenty. It will not confined to one condition of life; it extends over every condition in which man can be placed. I take delight this day, in this solemn assembly, in bearing my testimony to this. ¶

Now, what can we say to you to entreat you to honor the Priesthood that God has restored? We do not ask you to honor us (though it is a difficult thing to divest the Priesthood from the man); but we entreat you to honor the Priesthood. Do not allow the falsehoods that are told concerning the Priesthood to enter into your heads. God is with this Priesthood. He is with the Elders of this Church, and with the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles, and He will bear them off triumphantly. He will bear testimony to their being His servants by the fruits that will follow obedience to the counsels which they give. We who love our religion cannot do better than take this course. And what is the use of our religion if we do not love it and carry out its principles? It is of no value to us, but will prove a condemnation rather than a blessing to us. ¶

I feel to rejoice this day in the presence of God, that He has been so good and kind to us as to reveal Himself to us, so that we know the truth; that we need not go groping after the theories of men and the confusion that exists in the world, but that we can cling to the truth and live by it; and when the time comes for us to go hence, go with the assurance that we shall enter into that glorious rest which the Lord has in store for His faithful people. I pray God to grant this unto all of us, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶