Testimony of Truth

My brethren and sisters, I rejoice in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in the splendid testimonies that have been borne of its divine truth during this conference. I am sure that the Latterday Saints must feel greatly strengthened in their testimonies by having attended the meetings of this conference, for truly there has been an outpouring of the Spirit of God upon His people. As I look before me upon this vast congregation, gathered here upon this Wednesday afternoon, it is almost marvelous to see so many faces, and all intent upon receiving the word of God as it shall be spokenunto them. I have prayed earnestly in my heart that the people might be fed the bread of life, that their testimonies might be strengthened, and that they might come to an absolute knowledge of the truthfulness of this work in which we are engaged. I do not think it possible for us to pay too much attention to the importance of having an individual testimony of the Gospel. Every Latter-day Saint has the utmost need to know for himself that this is the work of the Lord, and to know that God has spoken again in this day and conferred upon men His divine authority. We read in the scriptures, and have been told from time to time, that the Lord will have a tried people. The only thing that will enable the people to withstand the trials that may come upon them will be the knowledge which they have that this is the work of God. When that knowledge has taken root in their hearts, the storms of adversity and great calamities may come, but they will stand firm and immovable because their, faith will be founded upon the rock of revelation. We have just been told that no father or mother can reveal to their children the truthfulness of the Gospel. That is true; but there is a Father, whom we all adore, that can and will reveal it to us, if we will seek after it and do what is necessary to obtain it. God is.uove. He loves the souls of the children of men, and we are His children and have inherited from Him His divine attributes. There should be born in us a love for our heavenly Father. The great commandment, which includes all others, is this: "Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy might, and with all thy soul." And there is another like unto it: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." If the love of God has taken root in our hearts, and if we are demonstrating in our lives that love, it will bear fruit and will cause us to come to a knowledge of God, whom to know is life eternal. There are many people professing to believe in Christ, the Redeemer of the world, who, nevertheless, do not believe in this vital principle of His Gospel — the principle by which Peter knew that Jesus was the Christ. They have rejected that principle, and have said in their hearts and with their lips that God does not reveal Himself from heaven. They do not believe in the principle of revelation; and yet it is the principle which gives life and force, and without it the Church of Christ cannot exist upon the earth. Not only does this principle pertain to the leaders of the people, but it extends to all the sons and daughters of God who will seek to obtain a knowledge of His divine will. We can all have the right to communication with our Father, and the Scriptures are full of promise! that if we will ask we shall receive, if we will knock the door shall be opened unto us, and if we will seek we shall find. This can only be done through the operation of that vital principle of revelation. "For no man knoweth the things of God, but by the Spirit of God, which is in him;" and the Spirit of God is the spirit of revelation, which issues forth from the presence of the Father and the Son and enters into the being of all those who diligently seek them. If we come to the knowledge of the truth it must be through the principle of revelation. We must know that God will listen to our prayers; and then when we have trials we can approach Him and ask of Him wisdom, with the full assurance that He will not upbraid or censure us, but will hearken to our prayers and answer them upon our heads. I know that this principle is true, and it devolves upon us to gain the favor of God. Men and women in the world are seeking more the favor of their fellow creatures, and if they can obtain that to the extent that they can be exalted in the eyes of the people, that seems to be more their ambition than the gaining of the favor of God. They are more ambitious to be well spoken of by their fellow men than they are to be beloved of God their eternal Father. ¶

Hence the importance of learning to keep that great commandment of loving the Lord, with all our hearts. What do we understand by loving the Lord with all our hearts? Is it the function of the heart to love? This may perhaps be only a figure. The heart is an organ of the body, the special office of which is to pump the blood in the body, causing it to circulate and to impart life and vitality to every part thereof. The hands and feet are governed by muscles, and they, with other members of the body, yield implicit obedience to the will of man. We go here and there, from one place to another, at the dictation of the mind, the intelligent part of man, and there is perfect harmony in the operations of the body in obedience to the will of man. But not so with the heart. Although governed by muscles as the hands and feet are, yet it is not subject to the will of man. We labor with our hands, and we may employ the muscles of the body in various activities, and as the night comes on and we lay our bodies down to rest, the muscles relax and the body lies dormant. No so with the heart. It beats on, and on, throughout the night as the day; and when that heart ceases to beat, then life is gone. The mind does not control the heart. It does not say to the heart, 'beat thou on," or 'cease thou now to beat." The heart is governed by a higher intelligence, and when the voice comes from Him, "Cease thou to beat," that son or daughter is called to God. So that when the Lord says, "Son, give me thine heart," He asks for that which belongs to Him; and when He requires us to love Him with all our hearts it means simply this: that we should love Him with all our life. The life-giving power of man should be devoted to the service of God. Whatever may be our occupation, everything must come secondary to our allegiance and devotion to God, who gave us life and being upon earth, and by whom that life is maintained. It seems to me, my brethren and sisters, that if we would keep that great commandment and love the Lord with all our hearts, then would our feet be planted in the paths of safety and then, let come what may, we are founded upon the rock and we will be able to stand., I have a testimony that this is the work of the Lord that we are engaged in, and that the men who stand at the head, and whom we will have the pleasure and privilege this afternoon of sustaining by the raising of our hands, are men of God, called of Him to lead this people. The prayers of the Latterday Saints should be united in asking our Father in heaven to endow them with the revelations of His will, that they. may receive the mind and will of God concerning His people, and that we may be ready and willing at all times to receive their counsels and to be guided in our lives by the will of the Father. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶

Sister Lottie Owen, with excellent ¶