Gifts of the Spirit

The hand of God in past and current events — The missionaries abroad — Mutual improvement work— Peace departing from the earth — Repeniance needed ¶

My brethren and sisters, I desire your kind attention, that I may be able to make you hear—My voice is not very strong, and we are reminded that we must talk loud—I also desire your kind faith and prayers, that the Spirit of the Lord may suggest all that is said ¶

The work of the Lord is so broad and comprehensive that it meets the requirements of the Saints in all conditions of life and in all places, and it is impossible for us to have any measured instructions, or anything prearranged—We are supposed to speak and to counsel by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and every Latter-day Saint that assembles in this Conference is under obligation to take an active part in the proceedings of the Conference, in the way at least of having his mind clear and free from outside influences, and come here with a desire to be instructed and to receive the word of the Lord through His servants who are called upon to address us—I have rejoiced in the instructions of this Conference thus far—I have a testimony in my heart that every word which has been spoken and every suggestion which has been made is appropriate ¶

I recognize the hand of the Lord in the events that are occurring in the midst of the Latter-day Saints, and also abroad among the nations of the earth—It was stated yesterday that the Lord had delivered His people from every kind of oppression, so far as we had gone—To my mind, this is a very striking evidence of the divinity of this work and of the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith; and He will deliver His people from every condition that is not as it should be, provided we do our duty—There is nothing more important to the Latter-day Saints than to understand our individual duty and to perform it every day—It is by compliance with the simple and plain obligations that the Gospel enjoins upon us that we are entitled to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and to establish us against every influence that may be brought to bear to destroy our faith and to turn us aside from the path which leads to eternal life ¶

This is the day of the Lord's preparation, and the work of preaching the Gospel is being accelerated in the nations of the earth—I have enjoyed myself since our last General Conference in traveling among the Elders of the Southern States, principally, and also touching briefly the mission of Colorado, of the Northern States at Chicago and Cincinnati, and of the Eastern States in the city of NewYork—I have witnessed a good interest being exhibited by those young Elders who are abroad preaching the Gospel in those sections of the country—And I may say the same of the Northwestern States mission, comprising the states of Oregon, northern Idaho and Washington, where I visited a few days ago in company with Elder John Henry Smith—In all of these missions we have found a good spirit among the Elders; and I am happy to bring this report to the fathers and mothers of the sons and to the wives of their husbands who are abroad preaching the Gospel in the nations of the earth—The Elders usually are contented in their missionary fields—They labor under the influence of that testimony which gives them to understand that their mission upon the earth is to preach the Gospel, to assist in the gathering of Israel and in the establishment of the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth—But one of the causes which lead Elders at times to be homesick is the letters which they get from their people at home—The Latter-day Saints should not in this way discourage those who do us the honor of representing the work of God among the nations of the earth—The letters that are sent abroad by wives, by fathers, by mothers, by brothers, to the Elders that are preaching the Gospel, should be letters of encouragement, and not discouragement—I labored with one Elder many years ago, in the state of Virginia, who had a large family of children—His wife was a good Latter-day Saint, with a great deal of faith; and whenever she had any sickness at home, she kept it from the knowledge of her husband until the patient was well, and the Lord blessed her in so doing ¶

I have read in the newspapers of late the comments of ten ministers of modern Christianity, published in Portland, Oregon, where Brother William Parkinson and his brother were preaching the Gospel—Their comments were on this wise: that the Latter-day Saint Elders were preaching doctrine that was common to Christianity, but the distinctive features of Mormonism were kept in the background—I want to say that there is not a principle in the Gospel that we have espoused that is not distinctive from the religions of the world—There may be a common acceptance of the mission of Christ as the Redeemer of mankind; but the very principle of faith in God and in His Son Jesus Christ is exemplified in the Elders traveling and preaching the Gospel without money and without price, and the faith which they manifest in doing this in the Southern States is a standing rebuke to those who preach for money and divine for hire—People said to Brother Lyman and myself, in the Southern States and elsewhere, "Why, we could not expect that our ministers would do as your Elders do, travel and preach, going on foot from place to place and from house to house, not missing the humblest and the poorest in the land, without remuneration of a financial character." This is the principle of faith exhibited in these young Elders, and we ought to encourage this principle, and show our faith, when we are called upon to carry the Gospel abroad, by going and performing the duty assigned unto us to the best of the ability with which the Lord shall endow us—The statement was made by the Lord to the Prophet Joseph in the commencement of this Church, and repeated many times in revelations given through him to David Whitmer, to Oliver Cowdery, to Ziba Peterson, and to other men, that the harvest is great and the laborers are few—That statement is true today—Notwithstanding the expansion of the Church, and the thousands of Seventies whose business it is to carry the Gospel and to be especial witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world, and the thousands of Elders from which their ranks can be supplied — notwithstanding that, the cry of the presidents of the different missions is for more Elders—I believe that Brother Kelsch, of the Northern States mission, has about 150 Elders in his mission, and says that he could use 500 as well as not—The president of the Northwestern States mission, Brother Parkinson, desires more Elders in that mission; they only have about 18—Brother Elias Kimball says that he could use in the Southern States 1,000 instead of 500—I suppose that a similar testimony could be borne by the presidents of the various missions in Europe and on the Pacific islands—This should inspire us, my brethren and sisters, with a desire that our sons shall acquire a knowledge of the Gospel ¶

I am glad to see that while this demand exists abroad, there is a corresponding increase of interest at home in the Stakes of Zion, which has been so encouragingly manifest this past winter by the missionary work accomplished by the representatives of the Mutual Improvement Associations, who have been traveling in the various Stakes of Zion, getting right to the hearts of the boys, on the street and elsewhere, and endeavoring to show them the propriety of taking an interest in the Gospel, the necessity of laying aside every evil habit, and of cultivating in their hearts the spirit of purity and of righteousness, that they may enjoy the Spirit and power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—I understand that many of these young men, through their labors, have developed a marked talent for missionary work, in drawing into the fold of Mutual Improvement young men who had hitherto been indifferent and careless in regard to this work—This missionary talent should be cultivated, developed, and encouraged by the Latter-day Saints wherever it exists—I believe, through their labors, they have added to the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations throughout the Stakes of Zion about thirteen thousand members to those that were already enrolled—This is a glorious work—I have heard reports of the excellent labors of Brother Alphonso Snow, who labored in the Oneida Stake and in parts of Cache Valley—Good reports come from him and his associates in that work—I understand that the Elders who have labored in this Stake and in the southern Stakes of Zion have also accomplished a good work in their efforts among the young men—I rejoice in this—I commend the young men for their work in the cause of Mutual Improvement ¶

As I said, the Lord is preparing the people—He is also preparing the nations of the earth—I wish to read a passage that comes to my mind before I sit down: ¶

"And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth, I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh." ¶

That is, the things of the Gospel, the revelations of God to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the introduction of a new dispensation and the authority of God established upon the earth to call men to repentance, and to administer by such authority and power that when men are baptized in water they shall receive the remission of their sins, provided they are honest, and they shall have the gift of the Holy Ghost by the imposition of hands—This is the character of the dispensation committed unto us in these last days—The Lord says, "I am willing to make these things known unto all flesh." He has been making them known for the last sixty-eight years—He has been placing the people under greater obligations by sending the glad tidings of eternal life, and it has been, to a great extent, rejected, although now the barriers that have been established and maintained by the priestcraft of the world and by other influences have, to some extent, been broken down, until the Elders are reaching the honest in heart and bringing many of them to a knowledge of the truth—The revelation continues: ¶

"For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion; ¶

"And also the Lord shall have power over His Saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world." ¶

Now, peace, to some extent, is being taken from the nations of the earth—There are rumors of wars in the land—There is agitation among the nations of the earth—These things have been predicted by the prophets of God, and I testify that every prophecy that has been uttered by the Prophet Joseph Smith, so far as the wheels of time have brought it due, has been verified to the letter, as much so as any prophecy that was ever uttered by Moses, or by Isaiah, or by any of the ancient prophets of the living God. War will be poured out upon the nations of the earth; and it shall come to pass among the wicked that every man that will not take up his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety. There shall be gathered unto Zion out of every nation under heaven, and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another. If there is anyone that doubts the inspiration of the Prophet Joseph, I want them to read that prophecy, and to remember that the day will come when the people on this land of Zion will be the only people that shall not be at war one with another, and that the day will come when those that will not fight against their neighbors will take up their flight to Zion, that they may find a place of safety. This prophecy agrees with the prophecy contained in the 4th chapter of Isaiah and also in the 13th chapter of Isaiah, where he speaks of the judgments of God that shall come upon the wicked, and that there shall be desolation among the children of men, because of their pride, their haughtiness, and their wickedness. ¶

Brethren and sisters, judgments begin at the house of the Lord. Let us, therefore, repent of our sins, repent of our folly, of our pride, of our hypocrisy, our inconsistency and our self-righteousness in sitting in judgment upon others, while in our own hearts there are faults and in our own eyes there are many beams. I rejoice, my brethren and sisters, in this work. I have a testimony of its truth. I am glad to say that we are not idle in our ministry; that we rejoice in our labors; that we are desirous of being a benefit and a blessing to the Latter-day Saints, that they may profit by the ministration of the servants of God. I bear to you my testimony of the truth of this work. I bear to my young brethren a testimony concerning this work and the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith. To the young people especially I say, if you will take interest in this work, if you will seek unto God, in humble prayer, and peruse the Book of Mormon with a prayerful heart and these other revelations of God, you shall receive a testimony of the truth, and you shall know for yourselves that this is the work of God, and that it has come to stay, to extend abroad, and to establish itself throughout the nations of the earth. May God bless you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶