Fed with the Bread of Life and the World's Fear of Truth

In looking upon this multitude this morning I can assure you, my brethren and sisters, that I feel my weakness in standing before you; but I rely upon the prayers that have been offered during this conference in behalf of those who shall speak, to guide my utterances. I sense the responsibility that rests upon the servants of the Lord as teachers, to give to the people the word of the Lord. I indeed rejoiced yesterday in listening to the testimonies that were given of the growth of this people. Zion is growing, "Zion kept by power divine." I also rejoiced in hearing the Prophet of the Lord speak to the people and say that they were increasing in good works, in the payment of their tithes, and in numerical strength, and that God was blessing them both temporally and spiritually. I noticed in the Deseret News, on Wednesday, a statement from the president of the Mexican mission that 30 members of the Church had come from Mexico to attend this conference, costing them something over $7,000 to make the trip; and I thought to myself, how important it was that every speaker should speak by the power of God, that those faithful Saints should be repaid for so great a financial sacrifice. It is certain every one of them will attend every meeting during this conference, because they came here for no other purpose than to be fed with the word of God. "What a responsibility it is upon those who are called upon to teach people with such faith in God and such devotion to His work, and, as I have said, I feel my weakness in doing so; but I shall claim an interest in the prayers that have been offered, that the spirit of Almighty God may be with me, so that I may by the grace of God feed the people the bread of life. ¶

I also noticed in that same report that in far-off Mexico there were at least 3,000 people who had taken upon them the name of the Lord, who had bowed the knee to the God we worship, who had acknowledged that Jesus is the Christ, and who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When Prest. Joseph F. Smith was speaking of the wonderful progress of this work, it was brought to my mind that the prayers of Saints in asking that Zion's Stakes be strengthened and her cords lengthened, have been answered. Not only are we growing in the Rocky mountains, but we are spreading all over the face of the earth. While I was thinking of these things it called to my mind a revelation that was given to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the year 1829, a short time before the Church was organized. Joseph Smith was only 23 years old then, and I ask you today to see if the words that were revealed to the boy Prophet at that time have not been verified in the history of this people. ¶

"1. Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men; "2. Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day; "3. Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work, "4. Behold the 'field is white already to harvest, and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perish not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; "5. And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. ¶

"6. Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humanity, diligence. ¶

"7. Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Amen." ¶

Even before this revelation was given, the world was worried over the statement made by this same Prophet, that God and His Son Jesus Christ had appeared unto him; and all the Christian denominations were up in arms against him as soon as he made the statement. They have been trying to block the wheels of this work ever since, and have stopped at nothing to bring about its destruction. I tell you God will not allow this Church to be overthrown or given to another people. If it was possible for Satan to destroy this work, he would have accomplished it in its infancy. ¶

When we look at the marvelous growth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and read the prophecies of the Prophet of God who was chosen to open this last dispensation, it seems to me that it leaves no room to doubt that the hand of God has been over this people from the day the Church was organized up to the present time. It is true that we have been tried and tempted; it is true we have been persecuted, and all manner of falsehoods have been circulated against us, and retailed and wholesaled the world over; but let me say to you, be faithful to the God that has watched over this people and to His commandments, and just as sure as we have increased to what we are today, just so sure will the little stone that was cut out of the mountain without hands roll forth and fill the whole earth, as the Prophet of God foretold. The time is not far distant when men and women from among this people will be wanted all over the world. I want to testify to you today that this people, who have been chosen of God, will yet teach the world the way of life, and the only way to get back into the presence of God. The world may not believe it, and they may hold out against it as long as it is possible; but the word has been spoken that this people, governed by the revelations of the Almighty, shall yet be a light unto the world and teach them the way back unto eternal life. Why, today the world look upon us in wonder. It is true, they are trying in various ways to break down the power that this people is wielding in the earth; but I want to say to you, it cannot be done. As we advance and Increase in knowledge, they will fight it harder and harder; but God has said that it would roll on, and it will go on and on. Today we command the respect of the honest and respectable portion of all classes who know us. Whatever we undertake to do, whatever is placed upon us by the authorities of the Church, is fulfilled and accomplished. There is scarcely a colonization scheme proposed but those interested in it ask for the "Mormon" people to become interested in it and carry it on to success. Have you not noticed that wherever the Mormon people have put their hands to accomplish a thing, and the Prophet of the Lord has said it would be a success, no matter how hard or difficult it may have appeared, it has always been successfully accomplished. We are spreading abroad into all the adjacent States and Territories, and our influence is felt for good wherever we go. In Mexico, in Arizona, in Wyoming, in Idaho, in Canada, and in every country where the people are called to go, those interested in that section of country and in its development say, "Let the Mormon people come and teach us how to make a new country." There are always two sides to a question, and while you hear some people claiming that Mormonism is on the wane, there are others who look upon it as a menace, and a growing one at that. I have here a clipping taken from one of the great New York papers, and it states: "The danger of Mormonism is underrated, not overrated. When the public realizes that there are two Mormon Churches in Brooklyn, one in Manhattan, one in Philadelphia, a strong and growing Mormon settlement on the borders of Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and that the strongest Church in a section fifty miles from Jersey City is Mormon, it may be understood that the situation is menacing." ¶

This statement, which startled the women's executive committee of the domestic missions of the reformed church at its eighteenth anniversary in this city, was made by Miss Elizabeth V. Vermilye, a member of the committee, in an address upon Mormonism in the east. She said further: ¶

"It was predicted that in fifty years the Mormons would control a belt of States cutting the country in two from northeast to southwest. The prediction has been verified in twenty years instead of fifty. They own land from the Rocky mountains to the Sierras and are spreading east as I have told you. They control four western states and at the present rate of progress in others will soon have supremacy." ¶

I say to you my brethren and sisters that as God has predicted that this people shall grow and increase the work will go on and on until every word that has been uttered by the Prophets of the Lord shall be fulfilled in every particular. What if we did control four western states? What if we controlled all the western states? I testify that if it were so there would be no man or woman living within the borders of those states but would have absolute liberty. No authority in this Church would ever take one whit from them of their rights. No priesthood that we hold would ever interfere with a man's citizenship. If these states were controlled by the Mormon people, they would be controlled in righteousness, honesty and honor. ¶

A few years ago there was a Congress of religions at Chicago, and every known religious denomination of the world was invited to be represented. The Anglo-Saxon, the Latin, and all other known races, the semi-civilized, and even the uncivilized nations were asked to be present by representation. The Latter-day Saints, desirous of presenting the truths as revealed through Joseph Smith the Prophet, sent a representative and you all know the result, they would not receive him. I was impressed that the reason we were not allowed representation was that they were afraid of the light and truth that would be given to them from the representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His testimony would condemn them all. One thing the matter with the world today is: They do not want the light; they do not want the truth; they want to live as they are living; but just as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow morning, just so sure will the truths of heaven as revealed to Joseph Smith condemn or save the world. It may be slow; truth always moves slowly, but it will be triumphant in the end. So will the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints triumph over all opposition. ¶

In this revelation we are admonished to remember faith. I do not believe that there is a people upon the face of the earth with more faith than the Latter-day Saints. Every act of their lives, every move that has been made by the Authorities of the Church, goes to show that they have had unbounded faith in God. And we will continue to have faith in that same God who directed us to this land, who has watched over us at all times, and will do so as long as we serve and honor Him. ¶

The revelation also says, remember virtue. My brethren and sisters, as far as my travels have extended — and they have been in a great many countries of this world — I testify to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that there is not a people upon the earth that holds so sacred the law of virtue as do the Latter-day Saints. True, it was reported here yesterday that some of the vices of the world were creeping into our midst, and as a result in some instances, there is a loss of virtue among our youth. As long as there is one case of this in the Church it is too many; but for all this I know there is no people on the earth who are as virtuous as a whole as are the Latter-day Saints. ¶

The remarks that were made yesterday about our missionaries and the qualifications required for a missionary, I fully endorse. The other day I had one of the Elders, who had presided over a conference in a mission, tell me that he did not think there was much difference between the missionary that came into the field unprepared and the one that came prepared; for, he said, God makes up to the one unprepared and it was but a short time until the one that came unprepared was just as fully qualified as the one that came prepared. I took issue with him on this, for I know, when I was in the missionary field, the men that came from our Church schools, where they had been taught the principles of the Gospel, were ready to go to work at once, while most of the others were not. But, said I, grant that what you say is true; I want to tell you that there is something more than that. I said to him, and I say to the mothers and fathers here, that missionaries whose associates are bad before going on a mission may go and fulfill a satisfactory mission; and receive an honorable release, with the blessing of the President, but if they have been wayward before they leave, and their companions have been unfit for an Elder of the Church to associate with, in almost every case as soon as they return they go right back into the same company and fall into the same evil habits as they had before they went. It is nothing but natural that they should do so. The result is, in too many cases, they are not home from their mission three months until they are in almost the same condition spiritually as they were before they went. I have thought many a time that if I had a son called upon a mis sion who had had bad associates before going, I would want him on returning to go to some other place to live, and take up with new associates, get away from the influence of his old companions and start anew in life. I believe that the surroundings and associations our young men are taken from have a great influence upon them when they return from their missions, and it is the cause of many of them falling back into the old rut. I want to ask the Bishops to look after the boys who come from missions. Perhaps you ask them to speak on their return, and never think of them again. Keep them in the harness; put them to work in the Priesthood; for if they are kept at work they will enjoy the spirit that they had while in the missionary field. Let them return and do nothing at all, and they soon become cold and lose the testimony they sacrificed so much to obtain. I felt like saying this much upon the missionary question. ¶

In a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith to Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt and Lemon Copley in the year 1831, it says: ¶

"But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose. ¶

"Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall . be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed. ¶

"Behold, I say unto you, go forth as I have commanded you — repent of all your sins, ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you: ¶

"Behold, I will go before you and be your rearward; and I will be in your midst, and you shall not be confounded; "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, and I come quickly. Even so. Amen. ¶

I want to call the attention of the people to the fulfillment of this prediction. Has not Jacob flourished upon the mountain? is not Zion surrounded by hills? As stated in the beautiful hymn that was sung this morning, "For the strength of the hills we bless Thee, Our God our fathers God." ¶

I am most thankful that God my Father allowed me to be born in Zion, surrounded by the grand old hills, and under the everlasting covenant. I am thankful that he gave me such noble parents, and I hope to live so that I may merit the blessings that have been conferred upon me by my heavenly Father. Children are given to us, my brethren and sisters, as a blessing. The world today do not believe in having families, for they seem to think that children are a burden; but the first great law that God gave to man was, multiply and replenish the earth. Thank God that this people practice and believe in this commandment. Our children are a blessing to us, or they bring sorrow and trouble upon us. Let us watch and take care of them. Let us realize that they are placed in our care by the Father; that they should be Jewels in our crown in the world to come. I promise the mothers and fathers here, if they do not watch their children, there will be many of them making the same statement, wrung from the anguish of their souls, as one father made, according to last night's News: "My boy has been the victim of the baneful influence of a depraved moral degenerate and the evil effects of dime novel reading." I hope to God that every mother and father in Israel will watch carefully their sons and daughters. Be a little suspicious of them, if you can do it in a way that they will not realize it. Examine what they read; learn where they go, and who their associates are. There are so many fathers and mothers who think that it is some associate of their children who is the bad one, while perhaps it may be their child that is the bad associate of others. ¶

I ask the fathers and mothers of Israel to not only watch, but pray with your children. Make them your confidants; salute them with a kiss; keep them within your love; make them feel that no soul that lives has such an interest in them as you have; make the home just as happy and comfortable as possible for them, and keep them around home and under home influence as much as you can. There is no greater comfort to you in this life than a worthy son or a pure daughter. There is nothing that brings more comfort to a father or a mother than to have dutiful children; and there is nothing that brings more anguish and distress than a child that is wayward and commits some awful crime. ¶

My brethren and sisters, I feel to ask God's blessings upon you. I leave with you this day my testimony, that Jesus is the Christ, and that God lives. I know that this is the work of God. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know that this work is destined of God to roll on and fill the whole earth. Do not get discouraged, my brethren and sisters, no matter where you live. I remember going down to Millard Stake of Zion some six months ago, and the people were quite discouraged. Many of them felt like moving away and going to some new country. I remember praying while there fervently to my heavenly Father that He would send them rain, and they would be blessed with more water the coming year. Every man I met from Millard Stake for some time after I asked as to the conditions there, and the same reply came: "Dry and dusty." The people as a whole offered their supplications to our heavenly Father for moisture, and I believe their prayers have been answered. The very sections that were parched most in this fair state of ours, today have a good prospect for more water and consequently better crops the coming season. In speaking to some of the brethren from Millard Stake the other morning, they told me that the earthquake that visited the southern portion of our state recently, had increased the streams of water, and the Sevier river had been filled as it had not been for years before at this time of the year. Their little reservoir just east of Deseret, with all the water that reached it during the whole of last season was not filled; but this season it was filled in eight days, and the people have taken heart again. I say to you, my brethren and sisters, even if things look gloomy to you at times, do not get discouraged, but trust in that God who led you to this country. This is a promised land. God will bless it, and do not forget that he can increase the waters and make your lands productive. May the peace of God be with the people as a whole; may His blessings be upon the Church; may it grow and increase until it fills the whole earth, as has been predicted by the Prophets of God, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶