Holding to the Priesthood

I feel honored, my brethren and sisters, to be permitted to bear my testimony in connection with my brethren. I rejoice that I am counted worthy to be numbered among the Latter-day Saints. I desire to thank my Heavenly Father for His protecting care and kindness toward me in casting my lot among this people, so that my stubborn nature has been more or less brought into subjection to His will through my associations with His people. My experience leads me to believe that mankind naturally are prone to do evil, and that it requires constant association with good people and proper influences to keep us in touch with the Spirit of God. I bear my testimony to you this morning' that in all the associations I have had with the Latter-day Saints— which has been from my early boyhood — I have never yet been taught anything but what would make me a better man than I otherwise would be. There is nothing in Mormonism that will make of us undesirable citizens of any nation. I have been taught from my earliest boyhood as you no doubt all have, to obey and honor the laws of the land; in fact, it is said in one of the revelations of the Almighty that if we will keep the laws of God we will have no need to break the laws of the land. I desire to testify to all under the sound of my voice that the Latter-day Saints are a patriotic people, an industrious people, a people who have made the desert wastes blossom as the rose. They have proved to be a desirable community wheresoever their lots have been cast. It is really astounding to see the benefits that the country has derived from the location of the Latter-day Saints in the section where I am called to labor. Twenty-one years ago, when we went in to that country, I remember that from Pocatello northward for hundreds of miles scarcely anything could be found but sagebrush, sandy wastes, cactus, and desert plains. There was very little that was pleasing to the eye. But through the establishment of the Latter-day Saints in that locality, you can find in that country today a continuous stretch of productive fields and gardens from Pocatello almost into the Yellowstone National park. At that time there were perhaps not more than two hundred Latter-day Saints located in that country. Today we have in the neighborhood of twenty thousand, and the workmanship of their hands can be seen on every side. Towns and villages have sprung up, and the history made by our people in that locality is such that the State of Idaho is proud to acknowledge us as citizens. When our brethren have been honored with positions in the representative halls of that State they have been treated with the greatest courtesy, and have been looked upon as men of honor, clean and honest in all their conduct. "We have done a noble work in that part of the country. I am proud to say we have erected a very fine school building, acknowledged by the Governor and other representative men of the State as perhaps the finest school building in the State. It has been built by the Latter-day Saints, and that in small contributions. This stands today as a monument to the credit of our people, and it should stand forever as an evidence that we are an education-loving people. The claim made by some who are not of us that "Mormonism" thrives best where ignorance prevails to the greatest extent, is untrue. Our people have shown by their efforts that they love education, and they believe in the motto, "Intelligence is the glory of God." We are using every endeavor to bring up the young and rising generation in a way that will be pleasing to our heavenly Father, and that will make them good citizens of whatever land they live in. ¶

I indorse most heartily the testimonies that have been given by our brethren during this Conference. In the Fremont Stake of Zion we uphold the authorities of the Church, not only with our faith and prayers, but with our actions. I have in my home the pictures of the Presidency of the Church and the Twelve Apostles, and I point out each one of them to my children as being a man of God. I am sure that not only from Utah and the States on the South, but from the State of Idaho also, will come a host of people who will uphold the Presidency of this Church, who esteem Joseph Smith as a prophet, and those who have succeeded him as his lawful and legal successors. I rejoice, my brethren and sisters, to be associated with you. I bear my testimony to the truthfulness of the latter-day work. If we will be good Latter-day Saints, we will be good American citizens, because the Gospel requires nothing of us but what will make of us better men, and better citizens of any nation where our lots may be cast. May God bless you and inspire us all to remain firm and true to the covenants we have made with Him, and above all things to be united together in the bonds of love and union, having the Spirit of God dwelling in our hearts, that we may in very deed be the children of God. I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶