An Interest in Backsliders

My brethren and sisters and friends, I have been highly edified this morning and interested in the remarks of the brethren, and I trust that the words which I may be led to utter will not detract any from the interest, from the good feeling and the good things which we have already received. ¶

I believe that there are not a great many young men who have sought for a testimony of Jesus Christ who would not, if called upon, leave all which they have and dedicate their time to the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ abroad; but how many of us, after returning home from our missions, still take that active interest in the spreading of the truth and the preaching of the Gospel that we did in the missionary field? How many of us will pass by companions and young brethren who, perhaps, have drifted from the way of truth and will never heed them, never seek to bring them back to the path upon which they should walk, and show them an example. We are negligent, I think, my brethren and sisters, in this regard. We will travel hundreds of thousands of miles, perhaps, to preach the Gospel in foreign lands, but, as Brother Kimball has already intimated, we neglect this duty at home. We do not seek as we should do to set examples to our young brethren and sisters and get them to take an active interest in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no doubt as to the undesirable condition existing among some of the young people with whom we are associated in this Church. Still, at the same time, we are more prone to censure them for the evils which are done than we are to show them a way whereby they may escape them. ¶

In preaching the Gospel here at home, I have met with circumstances which taught me that there are parents in this Church who teach their children to keep the Word of Wisdom, and they will go right ahead drinking their tea and coffee; or the father will go on chewing tobacco, or smoking his pipe. At the same time they will, perhaps, tell their children that they should be exemplary, setting a good example to others. We can preach the Gospel—especially fathers and mothers—more through example than by precept. If we teach our children while they are young to pray, and if all through their lives they are called upon morning and evening to surround the family altar, they will not depart from that custom of prayer, and they will not lose that faith in God which was instilled into their minds at their mother's knee and around the family altar, although they may, perhaps, for a time forget these things. They may, perhaps, be mixed with the different elements that are foreign to the Spirit of God, and become neglectful of their duties. Still, sometime in their lives, the better part of man will crop out, and the teachings they have received by the fireside will come to them as a blessing and a support. We are all here to gain experience, as I understand this life. At the same time, how much evil, and how much suffering could be prevented if greater care were taken in preaching the principles of the Gospel at the fireside, and not depending on mere Sunday religion as much as we do. We should, I believe, make the Gospel of Christ a part of our every day life. How many times I have seen the example where children had been taught to pray, that they would grow up and be men and women of prayer, they would have faith in God. Once, while upon my mission, I had a little experience which pleased me very much, in receiving a letter from a sister of mine who resides in this city. She said that during the time that she was writing the letter, her son, then a little over two years old, came to her knee and asked where his uncle was. She replied, "upon a mission." He said, "a mission is a long time, isn't it?" She replied, "It will be two or three years." He says, "well, write uncle in the letter that I pray for him." This knowledge that I had of the prayer of this little child, and of the prayers of my relatives and dear friends at home, in my behalf, was a greater support to me than almost anything, any knowledge that I had except the knowledge that Jesus was the Christ. I knew that the prayers of those innocent children would be heard. And so it is, the prayers of our relatives and our loved ones, sustain us in any position. But when we return from abroad, perhaps we become negligent, and perhaps those who have been praying for us while abroad forget about us, and think it is not as important to pray for us at home as when we were away. But it is just as important. There are many temptations here in Zion with which we have to battle as well as when we are in the world, because evil will come unto us, but we do not need to give it a resting place in our lives. ¶

I think if the Word of Wisdom were more strictly taught among our people, there would be a good deal less sin; but how can we teach the Word of Wisdom among the people without first teaching them faith in God. You may teach a young man not to smoke tobacco or use stimulants in any way, but if he has not faith in God, you might as well talk to a post as to that young man. He must first have faith in God, and have a hope of a blessing and a reward through obedience to His laws. These are principles which I think at least the young Latter-day Saints should lay to heart. I think we should seek to keep those commandments which have been given to us. We should seek to keep the Word of Wisdom, because it has been revealed of God, and if we do we are made great promises. We are promised that we shall run and not be weary, and that we shall have health and strength given unto us. I believe if this commandment, the Word of Wisdom, were more strictly observed among the people, there would be less use for the physician or surgeon, that there would be less need for calling in a doctor for every trivial affair than there is today. We are willing to trust to God for the minor matters, but when something confronts us, which appears to be impossible with us, then we will call in human aid, and thereby we show our lack of faith. It is true that all the assistance and all the skill that we can produce is necessary, perhaps, at times to remove the obstacles which lie in the way of nature, and I believe that it is the will of God that we should do all we can for ourselves, and then He will add His blessing. But many times we want to do it all ourselves, and do not want God to do anything at all. In other words, we trust in man more than we do in God. We have seen the example, many times, of people who have put their trust in certain men. We find that if those men fall, that if those men get into darkness, that their followers go with them. But God will never fail. God is as eternal as the heavens. All who put their trust in God will never fall, if they continue. And we should trust this power, in great things as well as in minor affairs. So I think we should practice more the exercise of faith. I recollect reading in the closing part of the "Voice of Warning" comparisons which Apostle Parley P. Pratt has made between the doctrine taught by the Church of Christ and those held and practiced by the so-called Christian world. I think today that he could line up a great many of those passages on one side, instead of putting them opposite each other. I think we fail in many ways in following the things of God; and things which we have been in the habit of laying to the Christian world, so-called, I think we are practicing them ourselves; and we all know that there is need to perform in our own lives these things in which we believe. We cannot attempt to reform a body of people, or to promote their welfare, without taking an interest in them, and applying the principles to the individual. We can assist each other in doing right. Two men who pledge themselves to their God and seek unitedly to do right are stronger, I believe, in carrying out such a resolve, and they have less difficulty in overcoming wrong. I have often thought that this, perhaps, was the reason why our Lord and Savior commanded His Apostles and Seventies to go out two by two. We find in the case of the Elders in traveling that way, that where at least one of them has implicit faith in God, he is enabled to do a good missionary work in the interest of his companion, at least. ¶

May the blessings of God attend us. May we be zealous in defending that which we know to be good, and in defending the Zion of God. I testify to you, in the name of Jesus, that I have a testimony that what is called Mormonism is the power of God unto salvation unto all who believe and obey. May God bless you, for Christ's sake. Amen. ¶