Friendly Manifestations Abroad and a Favorable Time to Preach

My brethren and sisters, it is a matter of pleasure to me to be with you in attendance upon this conference, and to have listened to the words which have been spoken by our brethren who have been in the missionary field, seeking to sow the seeds of the Gospel and to discharge that obligation required at the hands of those that are warned, namely, that they shall warn their neighbors. The brethren have given us in brief some of their experiences in connection with the work that has been assigned unto them. It has been my privilege in the past few weeks to have had some little opportunity of mingling with the people in several states of the Union, and noting conditions under which the Elders are laboring in some of the fields to which they have been appointed by the presiding authority of the Church. My own experience while away from home in the discharge of a duty that had fallen to my lot, was among the pleasurable ones of my life. In an absence from home of something like four weeks, I do not know that in the entire time, although I mingled with a great many, I had one wry face made at me because I happened to be a "Mormon." I do not know that any of our brethren who were with me were subjected to any evidence of disrespect, or that any expressions of animosity were in any way directed against the organization of which we are members. We received the most thoughtful treatment, and in the discharge of the duties that were incumbent upon us were enabled, I believe, to impress upon the minds of some of our fellowmen a higher regard and a better understanding of our purpose than they possibly had before. ¶

Among the most pleasing experiences through which it was my privilege to pass in connection with other brethren, was one such as stated by President Duffin as having occurred in his experience, and that was in the payment of a visit to Hancock county, Illinois, and to receive very kindly consideration from many of the old-time citizens of that county. Their expressions were of the most friendly character, and many of them absolutely and unconditionally declared that Hancock county today was "Jack-Mormon," and not anti-"Mormon," and they expressed a wish that it were possible for the Saints to again establish themselves upon that land and build up again, by their thrift and industry, the towns that had withered after the removal of the Saints. The sentiment that we found among many of these men and women was to me an evidence of a working change in the breasts of the people; and I am of the opinion that the opportunities for extending the Gospel in our own nation are better today than they have ever been since the Saints left their homes in the east and established themselves in the valleys of the mountains. "While there are some men who are given to misrepresenting our character, and the press of the country in many instances take up very readily anything that will reflect upon and in a measure retard the progress of the latter-day work, the constant travel of the better elements of the people of the United States is having the effect to wear away and disprove the false statements that have been heralded broadcast in times that are past and gone, and the possibility of arousing a spirit of hatred and animosity against us is not so marked as formerly. There are large bodies of fair-minded, honorable men and women in all parts of the land, and while they may not be as aggressive in their spirit as the enemies of the Saints are, they are ready to give aid and comfort to the Elders of the Church in the performance of their part, and to defend them if necessary. ¶

I feel that no better time has existed for us to fulfill that great responsibility of preaching the Gospel and warning the world than exists at the present time. Our contact with men in business, our association with them in the variety of congresses and conventions that are held in the various parts of the nation, has awakened in the breasts of many thoughtful and prudent men most serious thoughts in connection with our ministry. The large bodies of men who attend these cattle conventions, irrigation congresses, good roads congresses, Trans-Mississippi congresses and other representative gatherings at which our brethren and other -rieri from our state have been present, have accomplished wonders in changing the spirit of the thoughtful and fairminded of our land. One man who has figured most conspicuously in almost all of these congresses, and who is eminent in one of our territories, in a published expression over his own signature, recently made the statement that if nothing else had been accomplished by these conventions and congresses in this western country than the obtaining of a better understanding of "Mormonism" and its purpose in the world, that alone has amply repaid the people of the Trans-Mississippi country for the establishment of these gatherings. Coming from such a man,' who is equipped, by the education and training of his life, to discharge fully and thoroughly almost any part that might be required at his hands, after an extended acquaintance with the men who have gone from our state to these various gatherings, that statement is a witness to me of an advance in the line of thought and in the opening up to the fairminded and generous American people a way to allay the intense excitement that in the past has been awakened against us because of a lack of understanding with regard to our purpose. ¶

I believe this is true, not only within the confines of our own great government, but also beyond our borders in the great south land and in the lands to the north of us. While many men are not inclined to express themselves upon the question of our religion, yet the justice engendered in their hearts as a result of their mingling with the people has broken in pieces many of the idols of the past, and has destroyed, in a great measure, the work of the illiberal and smallminded, too many of whom are found in the ranks of the clergymen, so lacking in that breadth and understanding of the principles of the government under which we live that their constant clamorings are directed to the hurt of their fellowmen. But even among the ministers there are men of broad minds, of big hearts and generous purposes. While they are not believers with us in the doctrines of the Gospel as restored through the administrations of the prophets in this dispensation, still they recognize the fact that in the exercise of their rights and in the fulfillment of their mission they cannot regard with respect those that would trample upon them in the exercise of their rights, and they concede to their fellowmen the same privileges that they desire for themselves. All such men, whether they be without faith, whether they are acceptors of the doctrines of the Protestant world, or believers in Judaism, or members of that great organization known as the Catholic church, wherever they may be found they are among the protectors and preservers of the liberties of man and those human rights guaranteed unto us by the Constitution of the United States. To these men, whose hearts are big, and whose education is in keeping with the character of the government which the Almighty has permitted to be established in this day, we may turn our faces with a degree of safety. But when it comes to those whose souls are narrowed down to the acceptance of the idea that their prayers can simply ascend in the interest of their own little circle, and that liberty can only be permitted to be enjoyed by the members of that circle, sentiments such as they possess, and which find expression in a desire to interfere with the conscience of their fellowmen will, I trust, gradually decrease in influence and power until beneath the flag of the United States, no human being can be called in question as to the character of his faith, whether he worship Mohammed or whether he accepts the doctrines and views presented to the world by the great Christian organizations that are proclaiming Christ and His ministry in the world. ¶

The promise to us in the introduction of this work was not that it should ever become a popular system in the minds of mankind. The promise made was that it should gather one of a city and two of a family. Up to the present moment, take the statements of the men who are in the mission fields of this great country, and there has been no declaration that the work which the Almighty has established in this day has become popular among the people. A few receive their message; a few have administered unto them the ordinance of baptism: a few aid them in the accomplishment of their work by providing for their wants, or by preserving them from the attacks of mobs or unwise and thoughtless people. The work began with a few; it probably will continue for some time with a few. But its destiny and mission will be accomplished upon the basis designated by our heavenly Father. The one of a city and the two of a family will be gathered, will be nurtured in harmony with our Father's purposes, and in due time the work will be established in its fullness and become indeed the joy of the whole earth. It will not come with a rush; it will not come by great popular demonstrations; it will not come as a result of any great eloquence or skill or power that we may possess; it will come through the operations of the still small voice bearing witness to the hearts of the few, until step by step and stage by stage the children of our God will be assimilated and brought into harmony with the principles of His. truth; for it is destined to accomplish its work and bring about our Father's purpose. "We note the conditions that grew up in the ages past, when the Christian religion became a popular religion; when the Christianity of the Redeemer was lost or buried in the paganism that surrounded it, and when the ordinances of God's house, with the keys, rights, authorities and blessings, were lost in the philosophy and wickedness of that day. ¶

My brothers and my sisters, before us is this entire world. Our Father has given it to us as our field. From its islands and from its continents, from its mountains and from its valleys we are to gather together the children of our Father, indoctrinate them in an understanding of the principle of revelation, write upon their hearts the characteristics of the prophecies of old, and engender in their minds the understanding that as prophecy and revelation were requisite in that former day, so they, in this day, who would be in communion with our heavenly Father must seek to obtain that selfsame spirit and drink in of that revelation and prophecy that shall bring "to the souls of men a complete comprehension of our Father's purposes in connection with His great family. To this end the seeds will have to be sown, gradually but surely, that little by little the lump may be assimilated, the conditions may be shaped, the hearts of God's children may be brought to the proper understanding, and that upon their souls shall be written, by the impress of His Spirit, the truth of His work that shall lead them to obey it and do His bidding. ¶

There are many things we have to do in connection with the development of our Father's work that probably in our experience are very trying to us; but we look back over the past, as we remember the conditions that surrounded us in the state of Illinois, or in the state of Ohio, or in the state of Missouri, and we note the changes that have been wrought in our establishment in this mountain home, we must glorify our Father's name that He utilized means to push us into the valleys of these mountains, and equip us by the education that we have received for the accomplishment of that great work which He has set us to do. There was no escape from this. It has come to us in the accomplishment of His purpose, and His purpose is the gradual regeneration of His children and the establishment in all the world of the truth of that message which God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ made known to the Prophet of this dispensation, and to which our brethren have borne testimony this day and become witnesses of the ministry and mission of the chosen ones designated to scatter this seed and bring to repentance the sons and •daughters of God. At no time in the world's history has there ever been made so wonderful an accomplishment in the sowing of seed and in the dissemination of principle such as was made in the life ministry of the Prophet Joseph Smith. In almost every church we hear sung songs of the latter-day Zion. We hear them clamoring in many sections of our country for information bearing upon many principles in which we believe, and we note that the thoughtful and prudent men of the land, as well as of other parts of this continent upon which we live, desire our association and companionship, that the labors of our organization may be brought to bear to change the conditions in their sections of country and open the door that more of our Father's children may be successful in securing to themselves the blessings and comforts of life. ¶

I recognize the fact, my brethren and sisters, that it is not prudent In me to speak to you longer; but with my associates who have spoken to you this day I desire to bear my testimony to the truth of this Gospel. I desire to say to you practical and thoughtful men among the Latter-day Saints that our Father expects you to utilize the talents that you possess in the creation of industries, in the providing of work, in aiding every child that shall receive of that faith which the Almighty has given unto you, that he may secure for himself a home, that he may be indoctrinated in the principles of eternal truth, and that all our talents may be utilized for the spiritual and temporal blessing of every one of our Father's children to the uttermost limit of our capacity. That which we have embraced came from a divine source. Its mission is a mission of regeneration. It moves forward in the accomplishment of its destiny. Nothing in the world can stay its progress. That declaration that "no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn," will operate in the future as it has in the past. All honor to the honorable, upright and generous men of this world who stand upon the basis of fair-dealing among their fellows, and all dishonor to the narrowminded, illiberal and ungenerous men of the world whose hearts and minds are not broad enough to register aright the rights that they themselves enjoy and that the rights of their fellows should be sacred in every sense of the word! ¶

May the blessings of God attend you. May the faith that was delivered to the prophets of this dispensation find its lodgment in your hearts and homes. May you be stalwarts among men in the defense of human liberty and in the blessing of every creature. May you impress upon the souls of your sons and daughters that sacred regard for human rights that no human being with your consent should be denied the exercise of his conscience, so long as he does not interfere with the rights or liberties of any other human being; and that this principle and spirit may grow and garnish your lives and enable you to fulfill your destiny, under the blessing of our God, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶