Expansiveness of the Latter-day Saints

At these conferences there are so many subjects discussed that they can not fail to be edifying to all of the people. If only one subject were introduced and all of the speakers dwelt upon it, perhaps it would not be so interesting. I am glad to be associated with my brethren and sisters in this general conference. I have had a good many reflections in listening to the remarks we have already heard. They have brought many things to my mind of a former date and of former times here in this country. While it is the privilege of all Latter-day Saints to have evidence for themselves of the truth of the Gospel and of the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph, we are not only instructed and reminded on these subjects, but are reminded of affairs that pertain to us of a temporal character. The Latter-day Saints are growing and spreading abroad. ¶

I met a gentleman on the train the other day from San Francisco. He was born and raised there; and he hadn't heard anything about our people; and he seemed very anxious to know something about the doctrines of our Church. I said to him: 'We have a mission established in California; we have Elders laboring in the city where you hail from; you can hear our Elders any Sunday if you will inquire after them; and you can become acquainted with the doctrines of our Church.' He remarked that he supposed nearly all of the Latter-day Saints lived in Salt Lake City, and that during the last forty years there had not been much growth among them; that there had not been much expansion. I remarked to him that I was surprised that a man of his intelligence was not better acquainted with this people. ¶

Forty years ago I suppose the majority of the Latter-day Saints were located in this valley— Salt Lake Valley, but today they are spread abroad and I advise the gentleman to get our Church works and read them; and it was a good opportunity to bear my testimony to him of the Gospel. I believe there are many hundreds of thousands of good honest people in the world that have but a very limited knowledge and perhaps no knowledge at all of the existence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We would naturally suppose that everybody had heard of us from what has been said and published concerning us; but there are a great many people that have not time to read those things. It is on a par with our conferences. A great many of our people right here in the city do not have time to come to conference; they are too busy, and they don't know anything of what is being done. Thus it is with the world; a great many of them don't know that such a people exist as the Latter-day Saints in these mountains; and they have no idea of our expansion, our growth, and our development in this country ¶

I said a few moments ago that the Latter-day Saints may satisfy themselves with regard to the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph; and what does it require to become satisfied? It requires time and attention and a prayerful and thoughtful consideration of the doctrines of the Church, and of the scriptures; that which is written in the Bible, in the Book of Mormon, and the Church publications. Entreat the Lord in regard to it and no man will be turned away. It is said: "Knock and it shall be opened unto you; ask and ye shall receive." Do this that as members of the Church you may be able to give a reason for the hope that you have and have a testimony of this work. There are a great many conditions existing among the Latter-day Saints on which we may improve. Apostle Lund referred to home manufacture. But little has been said about it of late years. There was a time when there was quite an excitement raised throughout the country about home production. I presume those things are going forward gradually, as we can find a great many things of home production throughout the country. It is a good thing and we should encourage it, sustain it, think about it, study about it, not only here but in all of the organizations of the Church. It is a grand thing to be self-supporting An individual, a family, or a community that is self-supporting is the best off. They are easiest in their circumstances. ¶

I believe we have made many mistakes in the past as a people and as individuals; and there is no doubt but that we will continue to make mistakes from time to time, because our judgments are not perfect, and we follow the solicitations of our families and of our friends, and indulge in things that we should not indulge in. It is my opinion that we are being led to habits of extravagance and the result will be serious. It militates against us, and it militates against our improvement and advancement. I was thinking while Brother Lund was talking about the poor being employed, that if every man and woman in the Church (because there are sisters that manage things for themselves), that are able would employ some one or two or more as their circumstances would warrant there would be nobody looking for work; everybody would be employed. There are people that have natural endowments enough from the Lord to direct the labors of others to their own profit and to the profit of those whom they employ. This is a matter for consideration by those who have means, to employ some of our poor. In some of the counties they begin to feel like throwing the poor on the county to support. They say: 'We pay our taxes to the county and the State and the poor should receive consideration from our officials in the county capacity or in the State capacity as the case may be. I do not think this is the proper thing. I do not think there should be anybody foisted upon the county for support. If we turn the poor off, peradventure the Lord will turn us off, for He said: 'The poor ye have always, but me ye have not always.' I do not believe we can afford to turn the poor off on the county for support. I believe if the Latter-day Saints would turn their ear to the Lord and listen to the counsel of His servants that there would be means provided in all the settlements of the Saints to provide for the poor. They should not be turned on the Church either for support, but they should be provided for as the Lord has directed. It is my firm conviction, coupled with my experience, that if the poor were properly looked after in every ward and the people were particular to understand the necessities of the poor, every ward (there may be some exceptions) could support its poor without turning them on the county or Church for support. There are places in the Church where comparatively there are no poor. Well, the responsibility rests upon the people to contribute of their offerings for the benefit of the poor just as much as if they had plenty of poor to consume all they gave in. The counties have plenty of use for their means. "We have lived here a good many years and in some places it is difficult to travel because of the conditions of the roads and highways. The counties have plenty of places to put their means for the benefit of the great public. They can make our highways such as they are in the older countries. ¶

I heard day before yesterday from an eminent financier, a remark that struck me with considerable force. He was telling me how to get out of debt. It may be that you would like to know, for I imagine a good many of our people here are in debt. This brother of long experience, who had passed through the mill, told me how to get out of debt and how the people could get out of debt. I listened with a good deal of attention, because I thought it was worth something, and something that all of us ought to know, for a great many of us don't know and have it yet to learn. It was simply this: "Stop immediately from going into debt. Don't go into debt another dollar until you get out and are free." That is a simple way, and it might prove to be an easy way, too, if we would do it. Stop going into debt; don't buy anything you can't pay for from this time henceforth until it can be said, "Israel Is free; there is a free people, untrammeled, not in bondage up there in the mountains; they are lenders, not borrowers; they will lend you money if you will give them good security." This is the situation the Lord will bring us to bye and bye, when He educates us a little further and takes us through the school of experience. We will come to this because the Lord has designed it. It is said that the people of the Lord will be a rich people. I believe this. I have heard promises from our eminent brethren of experience to the effect that the Lord would help us this one time if we would help ourselves in the future and cease our habits of extravagance. Everywhere, in all of our homes, we should cease these habits of extravagance; learn to economize; learn to save; learn to be prudent, wise, and judicious in the administration of our affairs. ¶

And young people that are of a marriageable age should get married. I don't mean to become engaged and then wait two or three years, or one year — to become engaged and think they are just about as good as married. I advise that they get married when they are of a proper age, and when they are married to cease as soon as possible to work for wages. Go out and do something for yourselves. Go somewhere; there are many opportunities in the West and in the South. We receive letters from people all over the country telling of opportunities for young people to commence in life, settle down, and become independent; where they can make themselves homes and rear their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. This idea of people always working for a salary with nothing else to depend upon, I don't believe is a good thing for young people. I believe they ought to become independent, and not depend always upon some one else for a livelihood. It is true it is very pleasant to be in the city; it is very pleasant to have the society there is in the city, and to have the amusement and the natural advantages that accrue to the people; but the question is, can you afford it as young people? I know there is an idea growing up in the midst of the young people that they can not get married until they have as much as their father or their mother; they must have a nice home, well furnished before they can take a life partner. I believe this is wrong. I believe young people of a proper age ought to get married and they ought to depend upon themselves; and a young man should marry a young woman that is willing to put forth her efforts to help. Get a helpmeet; one that will help to make your advances in life; help to make you a home; help to sustain the family; and will do something for the good of the community. This would be my advice and my counsel to our young people. Cease entertaining this idea that you cannot get married until you have a home furnished and everything pertaining to it; nice surroundings, nice lawn and all such. Make the lawn yourself, and make your home just as beautiful as you desire. It is a good thing to have these surroundings; it is proper; but when it comes to putting off the important things in life, the important matters, for a few years, until circumstances are such that they can marry, I don't believe it is a good thing. That is the way of the world. They have grown up with that idea in our large cities. Young people become enamored of city life. It is a good thing to have cities, but it is a good thing for young people to reflect and think over these things; and when they earn a dollar they should know how it comes. People who earn their money know just exactly how it comes, and they know better how to save it. These things should have the consideration of the young people. They should also be considered by the parents, because parents sometimes feel: "O, I don't want my son to go away off out there, and I don't want my daughter to go away from me and go out in the country somewhere;" and young people get discouragement many times from their parents. These things I know to be a fact, and I do not believe they have good results. ¶

Our people are a growing and prosperous people, and we should observe the counsels of the servants of God in regard to these things. This is a matter that is becoming more or less in disuse among the Latter-day Saints — to listen to the whisperings of the Lord through His servants. I repeat, it is becoming more or less in disuse among the people! and the older ones are educating the young people that it is not so very important to listen to the counsels of the servants of God. But I want to say unto you that according to my education and experience in the Church there is no other way whereby we may be saved; there is no other way whereby we may be exalted; there is no other way whereby we may obtain eternal life. We must yield to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit; we must yield to the counsels of the Priesthood, no matter what the world may think in regard to these things. It is a principle that God has established in the earth; God has established it and we can not change it. Those that will listen, and turn their ears to the Lord will be on the right side bye and bye; when the sheep are separated from the goats, those who have listened to the whisperings of the Lord through His servants will be found on the right side; and they will be remembered and they will have said to them: "Come ye blessed of my Father, etc." According to my education and experience in the Church, and according to the teachings I have had and the suggestions through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, there is no man, I don't care what his standing is; he may be a president of a stake, or an apostle, no matter, he can not safely gainsay the counsel of the Priesthood. If he does he will have it to meet some day just as sure as the sun rises and sets. I know this as well as I know that I look upon this congregation. We must observe the will of the Lord; we must observe the counsels of the Priesthood, no matter what the world may think in regard to these things; and we can do this in all humility and maintain our right and manhood, and maintain our fellowship with each other and with the Lord: but when we turn away from these things we are like the sow that was washed and returned to her wallowing in the mire. The Lord has established His work; He is about to establish His kingdom; He has revealed the everlasting Gospel; and He has revealed the principle by which you and I may go back into His presence; but when we turn a deaf ear to these things, through some motive or other that may arise in our minds, we will have to atone for it sooner or later. Write it down in your journals if you please, because these are eternal principles of truth revealed to the Latter-day Saints! We are in advance of the world in regard to these things. The Lord has been merciful to us. He has given us line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little and there a little; not given it to us all at one time. We did not have everything revealed in the days of the Prophet Joseph; but we do not live up to what was revealed in his day. There are a great many things revealed to His servants from time to time that immediately concern the people. Many of the revelations in the Book of Covenants concerning the people at the time they were given, and there are revelations given that concern the people today. The Bible is an excellent record, a good book to study, a good book to become acquainted with. The Book of Mormon is an excellent record, and precious truths are contained in it as well as the Bible, and the Book of Covenants is an excellent book given from the Lord, but the whole of them together are not all that we need, because as circumstances and conditions change with the people, the Lord has His mouthpiece to say what shall be done and how it shall be done and on what occasions it shall be done. That is not written perhaps at all. You may hunt through, and through these books, and you would not find what you want to know. What shall we do? Turn our ear to the Lord and to the counsels of His Prophet and of His servants, and then we will be in harmony with the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and in harmony with the Lord; but when we depart from this and go astray, we are liable to be led into the dark, and when those who have been in the light get in the dark, u, "how great is that darkness!" These are matters for our consideration. In our secret places we should sit in judgment upon ourselves and ask ourselves such questions: How has been my course today; has it been approved of the Lord? We may know by the whisperings of the Holy Spirit whether or not our course has been approved by the Lord; and if we feel condemned, then we may know that there is something wrong with us. We want to be wise and prudent; want to be kind and good to one another; and learn to love one another; to love the Gospel and the work of God above everything else in the world. We get into a certain groove and think we must hang to that groove, and we can not be pulled out of it. It is not a good thing for any of us to get into grooves. Here are the living oracles of the Church that God has placed here to regulate all of the affairs of the people, not only in spiritual things but temporal things as well— in building up the various cities, in opening and developing the country. Who knows better than the Lord? And may not His servants have the whisperings of His Holy Spirit to direct them? Certainly; that is what the Lord has placed them in the Church for; and that is why we vote to sustain them in their position. We sustain the President as President of the Church in all the world. But how do we sustain him? Do we consider our vote? Do we consider the covenants we have made with the Lord when we turn a deaf ear to the counsels of the Priesthood? ¶

Brethren and sisters, let us be just, let us be true, let us be kind, and give to the poor; and let us pay our tithing as well as our offerings. This is the will of the Lord; and who among the Latter-day Saints is any poorer for having paid his or her tithing? Nobody who has done this and contributed to the building up of the kingdom of God and to the spreading of the Gospel in various lands. Let us not forget the Lord in our tithes and our offerings. If we do, peradventure, He will forget us. If we want to be remembered of the Lord we should remember Him in our tithes and our offerings; devote ourselves to the work of the Lord and the Lord will be merciful to us. ¶

God bless you. Amen. ¶