Witnesses of the Truth

My brethren and sisters, so far throughout this conference I have been delighted and edified with the most excellent spirit that has prevailed. I endorse heartily all that has been said, and I exhort you to a diligent and faithful consideration of the counsels and instructions we have received. ¶

The testimonies which have been borne by the Apostles in relation to the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith and of the direction by God of all his successors down to the present, are true witnesses and verifications of God's great truth restored to the earth in these last days, which all mankind must sooner or later give ear to. These testimonies will stand as a witness before all these people assembled here, and they will extend out unto all the world; for all men unto whom these testimonies come must receive or reject them, and God will not hold them irresponsible for neglect or indifference in relation thereto. ¶

I was struck by a remark made by one of the brethren with respect to the many people who saw and heard the Prophet Joseph Smith and yet didn't believe that he was a prophet of God, or a man raised up by the Almighty to lay the foundations of this great latter-day work. It was said that the Lord had not revealed it unto them. Now, I do not dispute that statement, or call it in question; but it occurred to me that there are thousands of men who have heard the voices of the inspired servants of God, unto whom the Almighty has borne record of the truth, and yet they have not believed it. It is my opinion that the Lord bears record to the testimonies of His servants unto those who hear those testimonies, and it is left with them whether or not they will harden their hearts against the truth and not listen to it, and abide the consequences. I believe the Spirit of the Almighty God is upon most of the Elders who go out into the world to proclaim the Gospel. I believe their words are accompanied by the testimony of the Spirit of God. But all men are not open to receive the witness and the testimony of the Spirit. And the responsibility will rest with them. Yet it may be possible the Lord withholds His Spirit from some, for a wise purpose in Him, that their eyes are not opened to see and their minds not quickened to comprehend the word of truth. As a rule, however, it is my opinion that all men who are seeking after the truth and are willing to receive it, will also receive the witness or the Spirit which accompanies the words and testimonies of the servants of the Lord; while those whose hearts are hardened against the truth and will not receive it when it is borne record of to them, will remain ignorant and without a comprehension of the Gospel. I believe there are tens of thousands of people who have heard the truth and have been pricked in their hearts, but they are seeking every refuge they possibly can to hide themselves from their convictions of the truth. It is among this class that you will find the enemies to the cause of Zion. They are opposing the truth in order to hide themselves from it. There are men possibly within the sound of my voice — certainly within the limits of this city — who have read our books, who have listened to the discourses of the Elders, and who are familiar with the doctrines of the Church; but they will not acknowledge — openly, at least — the truth of this Gospel and the divinity of this work. Well, the responsibility rests with them. God will judge them and deal with them in His own way and time. Many of them through their efforts to bring reproach upon the cause of Zion, are awakening the attention of people in the world to "Mormonism," and thus unwittingly advancing the cause of Zion, though they know it not. I thank God my Father that He brings good out of the evil designed against His people by their enemies. And He will continue to do this. The clouds may gather over our heads, and, as in the past, it may seem impossible for us to penetrate them; yet there can be no clouds so dark, so gloomy or so heavy, but God will roll them away in His own time and will bring good out of threatening evil. He has done it in the past, He will do it in the future; for it is His work, not the work of man. ¶

Reference was made here by one of the brethren to what is being said and done with a view to bringing reproach upon the Church, because one of its members has aspired to political honors, and has reached the goal of his aspiration by the votes of the people. They are seeking to make the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints responsible for the election of one of its members to an office in the House of Representatives of the United States Congress. Let me say to this congregation— which will be borne out by all my brethren and by the truth — that Brother B. H. Roberts was not (and never was) the candidate of the Church •of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for Representative to Congress. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints nor any of its authorities as such ever had one thing to do with his nomination or election, there are members of the Church who belong to his political party and they voted for him, and by their votes as well as by the votes of the unbelievers he was elected. And now these miserable scoundrels that seek to blacken the character of the Church and try to bring trouble upon it, are endeavoring to make it appear that the Church is in politics, and Brother Roberts' election is due to "Church influence." This is not true. Brother Roberts was the candidate of his own party; and was elected by his party; the Church had no more to do with it than it had to do with the election of some Senator or Representative in New York, only so far, as I said before, as members of his political party voted for him. I felt that I wanted to say this much to the congregation; and I know the facts bear me out in this statement. The Church of Christ is not responsible for the actions of either of the political parties, in any sense, or form. If it were, they would stop their quarreling and contending, and the bitterness and animosity they exhibit towards one another would cease. If we had anything to do with them, we would stop their wrangling, and we would have peace in their ranks. The fact that they quarrel as they do is proof positive we have nothing to do with them. ¶

We have had some excellent remarks here in relation to our home industries and to the labors that are being performed by Z. C. M. I., our great cooperative institution which was established by the Latter-day Saints, and is conducted upon the soundest business principles, and is today one of the most substantial and influential institutions in this western country. It is giving employment to many people, and producing shoes and wearing apparel, thereby saving capital at home. It is an institution of the people. It was established for the benefit of the people of Utah. It should be sustained by the people. They should see that by their patronage it is made strong so that it may never waver during the hard times and the financial wreck and ruin that may come from time to time. If the people will do their duty, there will be one institution belonging to them which will always be upon a firm foundation. And we ought to increase our industries, to give employment to our people. In relation to providing labor for those who come here from foreign lands through obedience to the Gospel, I fear we are not as careful of their welfare now as we were in year* past. Formerly they were assigned to the various wards as they came in, with recommendations to the Bishops and leading men to look after them, to provide them labor, and assist them in their inexperience, that they might obtain whatever was needful for their good, and eventually establish themselves in independency and prosperity by the results of their own labor. This is a very important question. It is also important to provide labor for those who have been accustomed to dwelling in large cities, who, when they come here, feel unable to make a living anywhere else but in the city. We have many of such in Salt Lake City, and it would be well for some of them at least to go into the new settlements, take up land; change their mode of living to some extent, and grow up with the community in which they make their home, and not settle down and depend upon the precarious chances of obtaining' employment in the city, where so many are seeking for employment. ¶

May the Lord bless Israel; may He prosper Zion and all her people; may the way be opened before the poor and the needy, that they may, by their own industry and perseverance, obtain all that is needful for their good. One reason that we are brought so prominently before the world is because we have adhered, in some measure, to the instructions given in the revelations of God through the Prophet Joseph Smith in regard to industry. There should be no idlers in Zion. Even the poor who have to be assisted should be willing to do all in their power to earn their own living. Not one man or woman should be content to sit down and be fed, clothed or housed without any exertion on his or her part to compensate for these privileges. All men and women should feel a degree of independence of character that would stimulate them to do something for a living, and not be idle; for it is written that the idler shall not eat the bread of the laborer in Zion, and he shall not have place among us. Therefore, it is necessary that we should be industrious, that we should intelligently apply our labor to something that is productive and conducive to the welfare of the human family. God help us to do this, is my prayer. Amen. ¶