Testimony of the Truth and Support of Authority

I have rejoiced, my brethren and sisters, in the testimony and remarks of Elder Penrose. I wondered, when he bore record that he was in this work with all that he had and was, and that he was in it for "keeps," whether or not there was that same feeling and testimony in the hearts of all present here this morning. We should all be in this work with all that we possess. It is a very great mistake to become associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and be possessed of anything that is not in the work of the Lord that we do not hold in readiness to be used for the establishment of the purposes of our Father. I hope that we have this testimony, and that we feel in our hearts that, with the assistance of God, we will be true and faithful to the covenants we have made, and that we will always be found under the direction of the authority that God has placed upon the earth,, laboring faithfully for the establishment of His holy purposes. ¶

I feel in my heart to bear record to the fulfillment of the scripture referred to by Brother Penrose, concerning the marvelous character of the work that has been established on the earth by the Lord, through the Prophet Joseph Smith. In looking over this congregation, the thought came to me that there were, perhaps, quite a number of men and women here who were born before the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established. Such men and women have, within the span of their own lives, witnessed the wonderful growth of the Church established in 1830 by the Prophet. They are witnesses to the fulfillment of Joseph Smith's predictions, and must know from their own experience and observation, that Joseph Smith was an inspired man. The Prophet Joseph Smith, as has already been announced, in the very inception of this work, before its organization had been effected, made the announcement, more than once — for God had given him revelations, respecting this — that a marvelous work was about to go forth among the children of men. I wonder if it is possible for any one here present, who has f*-^ted of the inspiration of the Holy host, to look upon the condition that now prevails, the great work that has already been accomplished, and not say the words of the Prophet have been fulfilled. ¶

In 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith declared that there was a time coming when the people of the Lord should go up into the Rocky Mountains, and he also made the prediction, at that time, that many of the Saints who were then living should live to see the people gather in this land, which was then a desolate barren waste; and become a great and mighty commonwealth. Who is there in this congregation, or among the people of the Latter-day Saints, who is lit up by the inspiration of heaven, who cannot see, in this wonderful growth and in the development that is still taking place, that the word of the Lord has not failed? Who is so callous in his feelings that he cannot say, with all his heart, that the power and inspiration of the Almighty will not fail? Who can doubt that there will be still greater developments and' still greater things brought to pass, under the direction of the Priesthood of the Almighty, than that which has already been accomplished in the history of the Church? That which has been accomplished is truly marvelous. The future, however, must be full of remarkable events, for it is the decree of God, that this work of the latter days shall forge to the front, and be more marvelous than all preceding dispensations. I beg of you, my brethren and sisters, to bear in mind the solemn fact that the same divine authority, the same inspiration that came from God, our Father, which enabled the Prophet Joseph Smith to speak of the future history of this work, is with the Israel of God today. A Prophet of God stands in the midst of the people now, clothed upon with every gift, key, power, and authority, that was given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that same inspiration, that same power to penetrate the future, to comprehend the purposes of the Almighty, is with the Priesthood that is in our midst today. We should honor that Priesthood; we should be true in our feelings to the authority that God has placed upon the earth, and feel in our hearts that we will sustain it, and that we will stand under the arms of the men who preside over us, and hold up their hands, that all may be accomplished that God has promised. There should be no questioning of the wisdom of the counsel that is imparted by the servants of the Lord; but, rather, we should look back over the history of this people and endeavor to understand what has been accomplished under the direction of this authority, and when we comprehend the marvelous character of that history, we will feel in our hearts to trust the God of heaven, and in trusting our Father in heaven, we honor His Priesthood on earth, and faithfully strive to carry out the counsel of that Priesthood. ¶

I have thought, my brethren and sisters, that I would like to offer a few words upon a matter that I feel is of very great importance in the midst of the Latter-day Saints. I have felt the importance of this subject greatly, and this feeling has been increased within me during our meetings because of the trend of the counsel that has been given by most of the speakers at this conference. Nearly all of the brethren have referred to the great necessity that exists for the Latter-day Saints to give special care to the rising generation. The announcement was made, not long ago, in a convention of ministers held in this city, that nothing could be done with the aged Mormons, and that they were to seek after the children and try to impress upon the minds of the youth of the community that the religion of the Latter-day Saints was false. There are many persons already scattered around among our people, who are not looked upon as ministers or missionaries, who are exerting an influence, as far as they can, over the youth of the Latter-day Saints, to poison their minds, in order to win them from the faith, and, I suppose, many parents have observed it. It is very necessary that there be an influence on the part of parents and officers in the Church to counteract those influences that are at work among the youth. ¶

An organization has been established in the Church known as the Religion class, but, I am sorry to say, there is a lack of interest on the part of many of the people in relation to the Religion classes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sometimes Bishops question it; sometimes Stake presidents question it. Occasionally some of these men and others in authority in the Church, stand up in opposition to that which has been established by the Council of the Apostles and of the Presidency of the Church, and say there is no room for this organization. I want to say to this congregation that it is the duty of fathers and mothers, and of all Church officers to lend an influence in favor of Religion classes. The Bishopric of every ward, with the Sunday school superintendent of the ward, constitute a board of education in each ward, and they should seek to build up and sustain these classes. This Religion, class movement is a part of the Church educational system. It is under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, and one of the First Presidency, Anthon H. Lund, is the general superintendent of the religion classes of the Church, and Apostle Rudger Clawson and J. M. Tanner the superintendent of Church schools, are his assistants, and it is the duty of the stake and ward authorities, as well as the parents, to give their support to this movement in all the wards of the stakes of Zion. The aim and object of the organization is the blessing and salvation of the rising generation. I was sent, a few days ago, to examine a class of missionaries in one of our Church schools. Questions were asked of forty young men, concerning their understanding of the principles of the Gospel, and I made the discovery that, in almost every instance, those young men were graduates of public schools, high schools, colleges and universities; but, in almost every case, they made the announcement that all the study that they had given to the Gospel had been while attending their missionary class. They were graduates in other branches of learning, but were in the primary department, to a considerable extent, so far as a knowledge of the Gospel was concerned. If these young men had attended a religion class during the time they were going to school, instead of being without an understanding of the Gospel, they would have been just as full of knowledge concerning the purposes of the Almighty, as they were of other matters to which they had given attention. Latter-day Saints should guard against stuffing their children with worldly learning, and leaving them without faith in God. Let us educate our children in art, science and literature, but above all else in a knowledge of God. Remembering that to know God and Jesus Christ is life eternal. The religion classes are to be feeders to our Church schools, as well as to our missionary fields, and all the other organizations in the Church, and they are a necessity in the midst of the people. Every father and mother, it seems to me, ought to know this. We should not hesitate to ask the school trustees, those men appointed by the people to manage the educational affairs of the ward, for the use of the public school buildings, which have been erected mainly by the means of the Latter-day Saints, for holding our religion classes. We have a perfect right to ask for the use of these buildings for half an hour or an hour, as the case may be, once or twice a week, or oftener, if necessary, for the purpose of religious instruction, which, of course, is to be in no way connected with the general work of the school. We should also be perfectly willing for the Catholics, Presbyterians, or any other religious denomination, to have the use of these school buildings to instruct their children in their religion, should they desire to do so. The school teachers, those of them who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and who are filled with zeal for the Gospel, should also be pressed into service, to act as teachers in the religion classes, and to instruct the children in the principles of the Gospel after school is dismissed, and before the children leave the schoolroom, as it will be almost impossible to get them back after they have once left the building. ¶

I thought I would like to say these few words in favor of the religion classes of the Church, and if a few men and women go from this meeting to their homes throughout the various stakes of Zion, with a determination to foster and encourage and build up religion classes, I will feel very thankful. God bless you, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶