Acceptance of the Office of First Counselor

My brethren and sisters, in all my experience of between fifty and sixty years in the Church, I never felt my weakness as I do on this occasion. I have scarcely overcome the shock that I received a short time since when President Joseph F. Smith made known to me his wishes, and I feel very much my inability to occupy this exalted position. At the same time, in the past I have many times been compelled to seek the Lord in the hour of need, and I want to say today that I never failed to find Him; consequently I feel encouraged at the present. My dependence is on the Lord, and I propose to seek after His Spirit to guide and direct me. Seeing that I have been placed in this position, I propose, with all my might and power, assisted by the blessings of the Lord, to uphold and sustain President Joseph F. Smith in the position to which you have called him: and while I uphold and sustain him, I am willing to share with him the burden and the responsibilities of his high and holy calling. In my humble efforts I will do all in my power to aid him and my fellow counselor, Brother Lund. ¶

Brethren and sisters, I have had very little experience in preaching the Gospel. I have scarcely ever stood before a congregation of this size to talk to them. My duties have been in another direction ever since I have been a member of the Church. But I am thankful to the Lord today that through all these long years He has been so good, and kind and gracious to me, and has thus far sustained me. I hope and pray that you will sustain us in our calling, that we may be able to discharge the duties devolving upon us acceptably to the Lord and profitably to the people; which is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶