Peace and Goodwill

Causes of the Unity of the Saints — Necessity for Continuous Faithfulness to God — An Admonition to the People

It is about three years since I stood before so large a congregation. During that time I have been abroad, and have always felt that we were greatly favored when we could meet from one hundred to six hundred people. I greatly desire your sympathy, your faith and prayers, and the blessing of the Spirit of the Lord. If the Lord speaks through me, I am sure I shall be edified in speaking and you will be in listening. I greatly enjoyed the measure of the Spirit given to our brethren this morning, and the word of the Lord that we listened to through them. I feel disposed to read to you a few words uttered by the Savior on the occasion of His first visit to the people of Nephi. They are to be found in the eleventh chapter of III Nephi, in the Book of Mormon: ¶

"And the Lord commanded him (Nephi) that he should arise. And he arose and stood before them. ¶

"And the Lord said unto him, I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven. ¶

"And again the Lord called others, and said unto them likewise; and he gave unto them power to baptize. And he said unto them, On this wise shall ye baptize; and there shall be no disputations among you. ¶

"Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins through your words, and desireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them; behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them. ¶

"And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying, "Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. ¶

"And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth again out of the water. ¶

"And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name, for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one. ¶

"And according as I have commanded you thus shall ye baptize. And there shall be no disputations among you, as there hath hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there hath hitherto been; ¶

"For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. ¶

"Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away. ¶

"Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine. ¶

"And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me, and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me; ¶

"And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. ¶

"And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned. ¶

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also, and unto him will the Father bear record of me; for He will visit him with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. ¶

"And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one." ¶

It is a great mystery to the people of the world how the Latter-day Saints hold so unitedly together as a people, why there is such a fraternal, binding feeling existing between them. Quite generally they look upon it as the result of compulsory power, exercised by the leaders of the Church. How incorrect this idea is! What holds this people together so solidly, and what makes them willing to labor for the salvation of the children of men, at the sacrifice of their own worldly affairs and interest, is answered in the text I have just read to you. These words were uttered on the occasion of the visit of the Savior to the Nephites. The Savior's ministry in the flesh commenced when the Father announced: "This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased." That was the introduction of the Son, by the Father, to the people in Judea. That also was the Introduction by the Father to the Nephites, in the land Bountiful, after the Savior had been crucified, resurrected, and had ascended to the Father. With this, as in Judea, He introduced the Gospel among the Nephites. We find also that, in our own day, the Father has deigned to speak again, and introduce His Son, Jesus, to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Savior, as in Judea, and in the land Bountiful, so in our own beloved country, started the work of the Lord, and taught His doctrines to the Prophet Joseph, to Oliver Cowdery, and to others, giving them authority to preach the Gospel, to baptize repentant sinners and to install them as members of His Church. Having done this, the Father bearing record of the Son and the Son bearing record of the Father, He announced the sacred truths of the Gospel, and declared it is eternal life to know God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent; and that it is necessary to receive the Holy Ghost, who is given to all who repent of their sins and are baptized for the remission of them. This is the course that has been taken in the introduction of the Gospel, as recorded in the Jewish and Nephite scriptures, and in the scriptures of the present day. The form of baptism, the words to be used, the declaration of faith and repentance necessary, are the same in all the scriptures. All the doctrines laid down by the Savior for the salvation of the children of men are indispensable; no man in this or any generation can ever enter into and inherit the kingdom of God, except he believes and obeys these doctrines. They who receive and conform to these principles, receive the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, through their faith, repentance, obedience, integrity, and devotion to the work of God while they live in the flesh. The Holy Ghost inspires every faithful heart. It is His power that brings you here today; it is His inspiration that prompted you to leave your homes, to travel hundreds of miles to the headquarters of the Church, for the purpose of worshiping the Lord and listening to the counsels of His servants. The Lord has spoken to us today by the inspiration of His Spirit. He has been present with us by His Spirit. Every Latter-day Saint has been moved upon by that same Spirit, and record has been borne in our hearts that we have listened to the word and the will of the Lord. That is the power, the secret power, that binds our hearts together and makes them respond as one, no matter where we may be. "We may be thousands of miles apart, yet we are in unison, because bound together and inspired by the one Spirit. It is the same Spirit which binds the Father and the Son and makes them one. As the Father and the Son are one, so are we one. This is accomplished through our faith, repenting of our sins, cleansing our hearts, and living lives of purity before Him. We may make a good start, but if we fail to continue in our good works and in our devotion to the Lord, that Spirit will diminish within us, and as His influence grows less within us, we are inclined to divide one against the other and receive the spirit of the world. Then it is that every man is for himself, following the imaginations of his own heart instead of being guided by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. I would like us to understand and realize this. Every Latter-day Saint is an important factor in this great Latter-day work. In a sense, the Lord counts upon you, my brother, my sister, my neighbor, my friend. He depends upon you, He needs you in His work, He needs your service, your faith, your attention; He needs you to stay at home and He needs you to go abroad; He needs you to hold official positions, and He needs you to labor without official positions; He needs your services every day, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Not that His work depends upon you, but only for your salvation, He needs our righteous services that we may be saved; He needs my services that I may be saved and redeemed; He needs my devotion and faithfulness every day of my life. My life will not be too long, neither will yours, and the nearer we come to the end, the shorter will appear to us the time the Lord has allowed us to live on the earth. We may regret hereafter that we have not made better use of the years that have been allowed us, for at most they are not many. A hundred years is not a very lengthy period, and few of us, if any, will live to that age. As we get into the sixties, seventies, and eighties, the time begins to seem remarkably short to us. We may then wish we had worked harder, had been more faithful, and devoted more hours and minutes to the service of the Lord. We realize the fact — which is as true as that we are here today — that every man is rewarded according to the extent and quality of his life's work; just as men are rewarded by earthly employers according to the diligence, devotion, faithfulness, wisdom and judgment they exercise in the labors they perform. The Lord requires of us the choicest efforts we can make — intellectual, physical, moral and spiritual, all that we can accomplish. He desires that we shall be amply rewarded, and the supply of reward and blessing for the children of men is not limited. There is an abundance for every man, woman and child that ever was or ever will be upon the earth. After they have received all they earn through their faithfulness, there will be a boundless store of blessings left. As eternity continues and can never grow less, so the blessings and favor of the Lord are not wasted or diminished by the appropriation of them; hence we need not fear they will become exhausted. Space, matter, truth and righteousness are illimitable and the blessings and favor of the Lord are also limitless. We are confined to the little world we live upon today — a few thousand miles around it — and that is the limit we can traverse in worldly affairs; but it is not the limit of the universe. The numberless worlds like this, and the inexhaustible materials of which they are made, are incomprehensible to our minds. Men are limitless also in number. The few hundred millions who dwell upon this earth today are but as "a drop in the bucket" compared with the posterity of our Father who dwells in heaven. One reason we are here is that we may have posterity, that we may multiply and replenish the earth, and increase in numbers. 'We are here that we may increase also in righteousness, and in all things that are essential to salvation. We are here to lay the foundation for these purposes, and we have not time to waste, we cannot spare one moment; every hour needs to be utilized, and most precious they will appear to us when we come near to the end. When a man who has neglected his duties feels that there are only a few years, or a few weeks, more time allotted to him, how he does want to live; how he wishes he had gone to the temple; how he wishes he had performed a mission abroad, or more missions; how he wishes he had been devoted all his life to the work of the Lord. Perhaps he has a taste of the joy of having done a little; has worked a few years — forty or fifty — but wishes he had done more. He has spent, possibly, too much of his time endeavoring to gather means. He may not have gathered much, because men are not numerous ' who gather a great deal of means; as a rule, we have but little. We may not have been sufficiently devoted to the things of God, to the interests of Zion, to spreading the doctrines of the Lord, and to using an influence with our neighbors and friends at home and abroad, to bring them to repentance and salvation. ¶

Let me exhort you, my brethren and sisters, who are here today in many thousands, oh! be determined from this time to serve the Lord more diligently the rest of your lives. I want to do it myself. Let us all serve the Lord better; let us be more faithful and devoted, let us be more consistent and wise, let us do our duty faithfully and well as Latter-day Saints, as citizens of the cities, counties and states of our nation. Let us see how much we can do that may assist men to be blessed and redeemed, that they may be warned and brought up out of their fallen state into a condition of righteousness, with the favor and blessing of God upon their heads. Let us live so that we may enjoy the knowledge, inspiration, and light that was so beautifully portrayed to the Nephites, as I have read to you. The same doctrines and principles have been laid just as plainly before us, in the restoration of the Gospel to this people, as they were to the Nephites and to ancient Israel. There has been the same carefulness and consideration from our heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, and the same manifestation of powers, gifts and graces unto this people as was extended to Israel in Judea, and unto the Nephites. The Lord has been merciful and kind unto us in this dispensation, and has set His hand for the last time; in other words, has planted His work for the last time upon this earth, and it will remain unto the end. This work will yet be tolerated by the peoples of the world. We will remain among them; we will be friendly and seek to do good to them; we will labor for their salvation, as we have ever done, and still better as we learn how to work more wisely. ¶

It is delightful to meet with such a body of Latter-day Saints. The Spirit which comes upon every man who repents and is baptized for the Remission of his sins, is with this people. We enjoy it every day, possibly not as much as we ought to, but we do possess it nevertheless. We have it in our meetings, in our wards, in our organizations, and in the councils of the Priesthood. We are thus inspired of the Lord, and made one. We enjoy that Spirit until it becomes almost common with us. We do not always realize what a large measure of the Spirit of the Lord is in our homes with our families, enabling us to live for years together without contention. Under its influence a man may live a long lifetime without quarreling with his neighbors. Although the Lord has provided Church courts to adjust difficulties, and officials to correct iniquity in members of the Church, every Latter-day Saint should see to it that he enjoys a measure of inspiration sufficient to take care of himself, to direct and control his own life, to bring out all the good that is in him, and prevent him doing anything that is wrong, or that would make trouble with his neighbor; always living by the rule of right and peace that brings happiness to humanity. Everyone of us should endeavor to act that way. I should walk among the children of men so that no exceptions need be taken to my course of life. I ought to be so modest, reserved, and circumspect in every movement of my life, and in my ministry, that no man or woman will feel offended at me, otherwise I have need to repent and reform. You, my brethren and sisters, should walk in like manner. Let us all so order our lives that we may be able to approach our heavenly Father. When there is sickness in our families, or when we are called to administer to the sick among our neighbors, we should always be prepared with influence and power from the Lord to bestow blessings, impart counsel, or exhort the people, and possibly reprove sometimes, helping all in the path that leads to eternal life. By observance of the laws of the Lord we are led in the straight and narrow way, and the Holy Spirit alone can keep us there. We have power to so live that the Spirit of the Lord may dwell with us. We cannot be Latter-day Saints without the Spirit of the Lord; and should not try to live without it. Do not try to speak without the Spirit of the Lord; do not try to build up the kingdom of God without the direction of His Spirit. If we endeavor to do these things by our own wisdom we will be sure to go astray and make mistakes. It is the office and calling of the Spirit of the Lord to dwell with you always; to be in your homes with your families; in your neighborhoods, and in your business affairs, on the Sabbath day and throughout the week, and every day in the year, if you do right. ¶

The Spirit of the Lord should dwell richly in our hearts, for the redeemed are the temples of that Spirit. We are sent here that the Spirit of God may domicile in our hearts. That was a part of the design in our coming. Without it, joy cannot be obtained, and the object of our being will not be realized. By the inspiration of that Spirit, when President Smith and his brethren stand up here and speak to us, we know that the Lord is with them; we feel it in our bones, and in every fiber of our being, that God is with the President and speaks through him. Our hearts are touched, and the Spirit of God bears record in our souls that he is a man of God. He has done the will of the Lord, and we recognize the spirit and power by which he speaks. That is your privilege, my brethren and sisters, as well as it is mine. You have recognized unquestionably that the Spirit of God has inspired the words spoken. Thus the Lord has spoken, the word of the Lord, the mind of the Lord, and the purposes of the Lord have been announced through his servants to whom we have listened. ¶

The Lord is with this people. He has not forsaken them because the Prophet Joseph was slain. He has not forsaken this work because the Prophet's successors have passed away. He will not forsake this work, though those who preside now may die; and those who lead Israel today will no doubt pass away in due time when their work is accomplished. But this work will go on and endure; it will increase, as it has done; it will spread over the borders into the states and territories that surround us, and our neighbors will love us and bless us, and will seek after us. They will appreciate the people who belong to this Church; for they are a good people, as a rule. They love righteousness, they are honest, upright and virtuous; they are ready and willing to do what God requires; they are His servants and handmaidens, and are not easily shaken in their faith, thank the Lord! Never mind what occurs; never mind what my weaknesses are, nor what anybody's weaknesses are; do not trouble about any mistakes that may be made. Remember that the Lord makes no mistakes. Men make mistakes, but God never does. He knows what is right and proper. He knows what should be done, and how and when it should be done; and He leads His Church and people gently along, and will lead them unto salvation. ¶

This is my testimony to you, my brethren and sisters, after I have been away from you three years. Oh! how I have rejoiced when I have heard and read of the prosperity of Zion, and felt the spirit of Zion. With all the changes that have been made, I have been able to recognize that the Lord is here. It makes no difference what changes may come, the Lord never changes. He is here, and you are His sons and daughters. He has inspired you, and He would inspire you many times more if you would put yourselves in condition to receive more of His Spirit. ¶

I pray the Lord to bless you. It is hard for me to talk so loud and to such a large congregation, and I shall have to cease; I pray the Lord to bless Israel and the leaders of Israel. I pray the Lord to stay with us by His Spirit and never forsake us; for in Him we have strength and power, wisdom and judgment, and He will control and guide us. He will bless these men who are called to stand at the head of stakes; He will bless our sisters who stand at the head of associations; He will pour out His Spirit on them; He will remember the mothers who take care of the households, and who train their children in the way of life and salvation; and He will bless all the families of the Saints. God will be with us and sustain us. I thank Him for the measure of His Spirit that we enjoy today in this splendid Tabernacle. God bless Israel forever, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶