Report on the Weber Stake and Support of Home Industries

(President of Weber Stake.) My beloved brothers and sisters, the few moments I shall occupy this morning, I trust that I shall have the Spirit of the Lord to direct me, as it has directed all of the speakers during the Conference. I have attended a great many conferences of the Church, and I feel that this is the best one I have ever had the privilege of attending. I rejoice exceedingly in the truths of the Gospel, and in my association with the people of God in the last days. It has been my good fortune to be associated with the Latter-day Saints all the days of my life. I have been personally acquainted with all of the Presidents of the Church from President Young down, and have served upon missions under all of them, and I thank God this morning that I can bear testimony that they have all been men of God, filled with light and intelligence and the revelations of heaven to guide His people on earth. I am thankful that I live in this glorious republic, that I was born in this nation, that my forefathers fought in the Revolutionary war. I am thankful for the liberty that we have in this great nation; and although my life has been spent with the Latter-day Saints, sometimes in darkness and difficulties, yet there has always been brightness to those that were filled with the love of truth. I am thankful to see this vast assembly come here to worship, and to hear the word of the Lord. We have already heard it, we are hearing it from day to day. ¶

So far as the people are concerned over whom I have the honor to preside, in the Weber Stake of Zion, I will say that we have union, fellowship and love for one another and for those that lead Israel. There may be a few, and they are very few, that feel differently, but I tell you that the Latter-day Saints do support the authorities of the Church. They pray for them and support them in every way, and we are united in this. We have no fear about what shall be done with the tithes and offerings that are placed in the hands of the Trustee-in-trust. I believe that the Latter-day Saints who pay their tithes and offerings are not the ones that are finding fault, but it is those that have done little or nothing in this direction. I trust that we will be loyal to the servants of God. We know that God has inspired them to lead Israel, and we have full confidence in them, it matters not what the world may say concerning them or the people of God. The Church of Christ will go forth in great earnestness in the earth, and there is no power that can stay it. From time to time men may rise up and think they can do something that will retard the progress of the work of God, but they will fail, as they always have. Those that have been long in the Church know how frequently men have come forward and said, "We will show you the way;" but they have utterly failed. ¶

God bless Israel, and especially our leaders. I know that Joseph F. Smith is a prophet of God, I know that his counselors are men of God also, and also the Twelve Apostles, and the others whom we have sustained, and we will continue to sustain them whatever the world may say regarding them. God help us to do so. May Zion rise and shine. May we still feel able to maintain the right and build up and strengthen the weak in all parts of the land. God bless you and all Israel. Amen. ¶