A Valiant Testimony of the Work of God

I am delighted, as I stated here this morning, and yesterday in the Tabernacle, to be with you. I have rejoiced, beyond my power to tell, in the rich outpourings of the Holy Spirit upon those who have spoken. ¶

I endorse all that has been said here this afternoon. I also bear my testimony, in connection with that of Apostle Cowley, that if we will study the section of the Doctrine and Covenants, from which he has read to us this afternoon, and get the spirit of the Lord, and teach our children in their youth, that God will bless us with influence, and that our children will grow up with a love for the Gospel. Let us teach our children by example as well as by precept. When we earn a dollar let us pay ten cents as tithing; when so we give the children a dollar tell them to pay ten cents to the Lord. Let us see that they go regularly to their Sunday Schools, their Primaries and their Mutual Improvement associations, and, in this way, they will get Interested and learn to love the work of the Lord; their time and talents will be occupied, and they will have no time to waste with those things that are of no good. I have heard men and women say that they were going to let their sons and daughters grow to maturity before they sought to teach them the principles of the Gospel, that they were not going to cram the Gospel down, them in their childhood, before they were able to comprehend it. When I hear men and women say this, I think they are lacking faith in the principles of the Gospel and do not comprehend it" as they should. The Lord has said it is our duty to teach our children in their youth, and I prefer to take His words for it rather than the words of those who are not obeying His commandments. It is folly to imagine that our children will grow up with a knowledge of the Gospel without teaching. Some men and women argue, "Well, I am a Latter-day Saint, my wife is a Latter-day Saint, and we were married in the temple, and were sealed over the altar by one having the Priesthood of God, according to the new and everlasting covenant, and our children are bound to grow up and be good Latter-day Saints; they cannot help it; it is born in them." I have learned the multiplication table, and so has my wife; but do you think I am big enough fool to believe that our children will be born with a knowledge of the multiplication table? I may know that the Gospel is true, and so may my wife; but I want to tell you that our children will not know that the Gospel is true, unless they study it and gain a testimony for themselves. Parents are deceiving themselves In imagining that their children will be born with a knowledge of the Gospel. Of course, they will have greater claim upon the blessings of God, being born under the new and everlasting covenant, and it will come natural for them to grow up and perform their duties; but the devil realizes this, and is therefore seeking all the harder to lead our children from the truth. ¶

I endorse, with all my heart, the remarks made here by Brother Taylor. In talking to the Latter-day Saints, there is no revelation in all the Doctrine and Covenants that I have quoted from so often as that contained in section 121, from which Elder Taylor has just been reading: That "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the Priesthood, only by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness, and meekness, and by love unfeigned." There is no danger of a Priesthood of this kind — gentleness, and meekness, and love unfeigned. But when we exercise the power of the Priesthood, as Brother Taylor has read, to "Gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control, or dominion.or compulsion, upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the Priesthood, or the authority of that man." These are the words of God. I am reminded of a man that lost the apostleship. Time and time again he quoted the above to the people, but he did not abide by it himself. He failed to sustain the Priesthood and exercised unrighteous dominion over those under him. ¶

My brethren and sisters, if we will study the Scriptures, the plan of life and salvation, keeping the commandments of the Lord, all the promises that have been made will be fulfilled upon our heads, and we will grow and increase in light, knowledge and intelligence. There is no such thing as standing still. The Church is not standing still; we have the evidence today of its growth, of its increased tithes, the increased results of the missionary work all over the world, and the increased efficiency of the work in the colleges, the Latter-day Saints' university and academies. There has also been a wonderful growth in the Sabbath schools. The work of God is progressing, and the power and influence of the adversary and those who are working against us are waning. We find, for instance, that the forces that used to work against us in Washington, seeking to take from us our rights and liberty, have disappeared; and many of the men that were active and full of bitterness toward the Latter-day Saints have learned to respect and honor them, and are willing to speak a good word for them. I want to say to you that I never enjoyed a little speech more in all my life than that of Robert N. Baskin, one of the supreme court judges, at Saltair, on the birthday of our late Prest. Brigham Young, last June. I rejoiced exceedingly to hear Judge Baskin paying a high tribute to the pioneers and to Prest. Brigham Young. He is not the only honest, straight-forward man who was once very much opposed to the Latter-day Saints, who today takes pleasure in bearing testimony as to the honor and integrity of the Mormon people. ¶

I rejoice in the great growth of the Church, in fulfillment of the prophecy of the Prophet Joseph Smith, that the Latter-day Saints should be driven, and many put to death by their persecutors, and others lose their lives in consequence of exposure and disease; and that some should live to go to the Rocky mountains and assist in building settlements and cities, live to see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky mountains. I rejoice that we have become a mighty people. The growth of the Latter-day Saints, in view of all the opposition and persecution against the people, is simply marvelous, and we are being looked upon in wonder and amazement by intelligent people. ¶

Elder Grant referred to the necessity of the Latter-day Saints listening to and following the inspiration of the Lord, as it came through the head of the Church. Gave as an illustration the wonderful success of the Utah Sugar company. Mentioned the fact that the stockholders of this company had recently sold a half interest on a basis of a profit of over a million dollars above the original cost. Spoke of the discouragements at the time the industry was being started, before the factory was built; that he and his associate Apostles felt that the industry would not be successful, and begged President Woodruff to pay the agreed forfeit of $50,000, rather than to build the factory. President Woodruff said that he had followed the light and inspiration of the Spirit all his life, and that there was light ahead in building the factory, but that it appeared dark to him to abandon the enterprise; and, notwithstanding the financial distress of the Church, and many of the leading members of the Church, at that time, he insisted that the enterprise should be carried out. To Wilford Woodruff, because of the inspiration of the Lord to him, more credit is due than to any other man for the success of this enterprise, and the people can thank him that they are now dividing over a million dollars of profit, to say nothing about the wonderful increase in the value of farming lands in the vicinity of the factory, and the benefits derived because of the erection of other factories, which probably would never have been built had it not been for the success attending the Utah sugar factory. After President Woodruff had given his opinion, under the inspiration of the Lord, the Apostles labored with all zeal and energy to promote this industry, many of them borrowing large sums of money to invest, having confidence in the inspiration of the Lord through the Prophet of God. Their example is worthy of the emulation of the Latter-day Saints. ¶

God bless you, my brethren and sisters. God bless all the institutions of Zion, and help us, one and all, to be true and faithful, to be diligent in the performance of our duties, and to set an example worthy of the imitation of the world. May God help us to do this, and to teach our children, that they may be exalted with us in the Celestial kingdom of God, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶