Integrity and Devotion to the Truth

It would not be in good taste for me to occupy more than a short time as there are a number of speakers present. As I catch a glimpse of the outside it appears gloomy, as the sun is not shining. Although it might appear that it would not shine again, it will in due time. This idea came to me as I looked into your faces and I fancied you were taking life too seriously. Do not, dear brethren and sisters, take life too seriously, for we are not altogether responsible for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am very serious and solemn at times and worry a great deal. I read somewhere that the man that worries is not well balanced. Let us cease fretting about the Lord's Church and become evenly balanced, so that we are not under the necessity of trusting to the "arm of flesh," but are fixed and fastened to the "rock of revelation." ¶

Some of us are very much exercised about certain things that are transpiring in the Church, and in relation to the actions of others. This has always been the case since the organization of this work. While it may be true that many of this people have been tried over the actions of men, it will continue to be the case as long as men preside over us. I desire to inform you that men and women that are not keeping the commandments of the Lord, but are continually giving way to their weaknesses, justify themselves by pointing out what they consider mistakes in the presiding officers of the Church. They worry very much more about something that does not come under their supervision than they do about their transgressions. ¶

I have noticed in associating among the Latter-day Saints, and it has been my happy privilege to come in close contact with very many of our young people, and older ones for that matter. They explain to me some of the things they are worried about, and quite frequently it is discovered that they are most concerned about matters that they have absolutely no faith in. For example: A person that pays no tithing is continually laying awake for fear it will not be properly used, and this kind of people finally wind up by apostatizing because of fancied and oftentimes imaginary wrongs their brethren have done them. The Lord has said, in the Doctrine & Covenants, page 421, "But those who cry trangression do it because they are the servants of sin and are the children of disobedience themselves." ¶

The question always arises in my mind as to whether we joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or joined ourselves to the presiding officers. I remember hearing related a story of one of our brethren being very severely reproved by President Brigham Young, and he afterwards said: " Now go and apostatize." The reply came back, "I will never do it, this is not your Church but the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." ¶

We must each and every one of us have this lesson indelibly impressed upon us, and cease troubling ourselves outside of those things for which we are responsible. Try and be cheerful, realizing that the sun will shine and "by hearkening to observe all the words which I the Lord their God shall speak unto them, they shall never cease to prevail." There is every reason for us to believe that we will prevail over our enemies if we will sustain and support the Priesthood and "mind our own business." ¶

One of the difficulties that comes to us in laboring among the Priesthood quorums and the young men, is the mistake of reaching out for a season and then to all outward appearances ceasing to climb. It seems as if the Lord has breathed into everything to look up. I am speaking more particularly about intellectual progress, of knowledge gained. I am not converted to the theory of the mother that taught her child "to hang her clothes on a hickory limb and not go near the water," for we must be reaching, climbing, towering and trying to prepare ourselves for the great events of life. There is always some chances to be taken and it is expected that mistakes will be made and that "we will change our opinions and correct our mistakes." ¶

I desire to illustrate the idea I wish to convey, by telling the following story, I once heard: One of our Bishops in early days was accustomed to floating logs down the Missisippi river. Occasionally one would break loose and find its way into a whirlpool, and it would go round and round until it was wasted away. The log was traveling all the time but was left behind and made no progress. ¶

So it is with some of our presiding officers and young men. We frequently meet with men and women, boys and girls, that have a most promising future. These young people oftentimes graduate and through their talent and genius have prospects of becoming most useful men and women. At the expiration of a little time, inquiry is made about some of them and to our sorrow they have fallen into the whirlpool and, like the log, are merely traveling in a circle and are not cultivating the talent which the Lord has given them. This does not apply to all, but is too frequently the case. We are surely aware that the course of the Latter-day Gospel is onward and upward, and if we young men get into ruts, or if we undertake to impede the progress of this work we will be ground to powder. ¶

There is another principle I very much desire to call your attention to, and that is, the eternal progression of the Gospel and what it requires to secure eternal life. ¶

When we Elders go among the children of men in the world, we teach them Faith, Repentance, Baptism and the Laying on of Hands for the Holy Ghost. To receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands is to be greatly favored of the Lord. We readily accept the fact that there's a "light that lighteth every man," that cometh into the world and, as Paul puts it, "But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal." Now, we claim greater light because the Holy Ghost will always remain with us, if we do not violate the commandments of the Lord, "as the Holy Ghost cannot be received by the laying on of hands through the medium of any other principle, than the principle of righteousness.' The Prophet Joseph Smith informs us that the first Comforter or Holy Ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence, and the Prophet continues by saying "The other Comforter spoken of is a subject of great interest and perhaps understood by few of this generation. After receiving the first Comforter then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted, etc. When the Lord has thoroughly proven him and finds that the man will serve Him at all hazards then the man will find his calling and election made sure. Then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter which the Lord has promised the Saints as recorded in the testimony of St. John, 14: 12, 27. "Now what is this other Comforter?" says Joseph: "It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ, and this is the sum and substance of the matter, that when any man obtains this last Comforter he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time and even He will manifest the Father unto him." ¶

The above statement is sufficient proof of what is required to secure eternal life. ¶

Now, my brethren and sisters, let us be serious for a few moments. How many are there amongst us that have advanced far enough to have gained this knowledge? We have had the Holy Ghost conferred upon us for many years. I was baptized and received the laying on of hands when eight years old. I have not made my election sure. I have not attained to that great desire as yet. Are we going to be satisfied and cease to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and the moment we meet with adversity and trouble, lay down and cease our progression and advancement? I have seen new colonies of the Saints built up in some of our little settlements almost like magic. They reached a certain place with their improvements and like the Arkansas traveler became satisfied and made no further improvements. I am sometimes fearful that many of our people "climb their little hill" and then go down again. Young people get married, and oftentimes reach a place where all climbing, towering and reaching out after knowledge ceases and they merely eke out an existence. To see young men with such grand opportunities and prospects stop and wait for something to come to them is most deplorable. I ask you, to consider the changes, advancement and improvement your foreign missionary Elders undergo after a brief mission of two years. Their very being is changed, but note the frequency with which they cease progression and fall back to old habits, and become "mentally lazy." ¶

The Lord is not well pleased with this evil, for it is found in our Priesthood quorums. The Lord made plain to His servant Oliver Cowdery, "Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought. But behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong." ¶

The effects of idleness and mental laziness cause a stupor of thought and will grieve the spirit of the Lord, and if persisted in will result in the withdrawal of the Spirit of the Lord. I am in favor of repenting of this evil and feel that we should dedicate a part at least of our time to attaining wisdom and in preparing ourselves for the great work that is before us. ¶

I am in no wise alarmed that Christian ministers are coming among our people. I wish they would send 500 to visit among them. There is nothing better than opposition, to awaken and arouse us from our seeming security and lethargy. Every one should know that the Gospel is true and be able to vindicate his people. It amuses me to hear our Elders sometimes, almost boastingly, relate how they dumbfounded the Christian ministers. While this is true in many cases, it is also true that we do not always meet the learned, intelligent preachers of the world. These educated men treat our Elders indifferently and will not deign to meet them. They put me in mind of the Pharisees that wrapped their robes around them as they stood on the Temple steps for fear the Apostles' clothing might touch them. We will yet measure arms with the most learned and greatest men of the world, as our Seventies will find their way among the nations and peoples. As Paul stood before King Agrippa so will the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stand before kings and queens and the great men of the world. You can put that down, for it is true. ¶

May the Lord bless and help you to remember these things and enable you to not take life too seriously, I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶