Report on the Cassia Stake and Pioneering in Idaho

(President of Cassia Stake.) My brethren and sisters, I feel very thankful this morning for the opportunity I have, in connection with you, in attending this general conference, of the church. I have rejoiced very much in the testimonies of those who have spoken in this meeting, and in the previous sessions of this conference, I have a testimony that our brethren, who have addressed us have spoken the truth, because they are actuated by the spirit of truth. They are men of God, engaged in the work of salvation, and I know that their words are words of eternal life. It is an exceeding great pleasure to us, living as we do in one of the remote stakes of Zion, to have the privilege of coming to conference to hear the words of inspiration that fall from the lips of the servants of the Lord, and listen to the sweet singing that we hear. These things cause my heart to rejoice, and I feel continually to praise the Lord and acknowledge His goodness. I desire with all my heart to be able to serve Him, to keep His commandments and to be instrumental in His hands in seeking to bring to pass righteousness among the children of men. ¶

The Cassia stake over which I have the honor to preside, is one of the small stakes of the church, our population numbering only 3,231 souls. Of this number, we have nine hundred and forty-four children under eight years of age. I felt very pleased yesterday, while President Smith was speaking of the limited number of missionaries now abroad carrying glad tidings of salvation, that it is our good fortune to have about forty brethren from Cassia stake in the mission field, who have gone willingly, yea, gladly, in order that they may assist in accomplishing this part of the work of the Church. The Stake in which I reside is one of the new settlements of the Church. We have within our borders one of the great government projects for bringing water upon the arid lands, and through the efficiency of the servants of the government in this work much is being accomplished. Many thousands of acres of land will be brought under cultivation, and homes can be made by thousands of people. We have, at the present time, coming into that part of the State of Idaho people from nearly all parts of the United States, and I am very pleased to note that they are men and women of good principles, as a rule. They are honest, industrious, and friendly toward their neighbors. They have not come with the predjudices and animosities that our missionaries often find in the east. We are glad to extend the hand of friendship to all such people. The time will come when that part of the state will become important. We hope as citizens of that state to assist by our efforts in helping to bring to pass this change. ¶

Our people are an exceedingly good class. I do not believe it would be possible to go into any of the Stakes of Zion and find Latter-day Saints who are more sincerely endeavoring to live their religion than the people of the Cassia stake. As a rule they are living in peace, and I believe they possess the spirit of forgiveness. They are endeavoring through faith and prayer to continue in possession of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which leads and guides into all truth. In consequence of the newness of our country we are just beginning the erection of commodious meetinghouses in our wards. Wherever we see these houses, we look upon them with the thought that a part of the means used for this purpose has come to us from the Trustee-in-Trust. and when we read the newspaper agitation which is going on over the disposition of the tithes, we look at our ward meetinghouses, our Stake meetinghouse, our beautiful Academy, realizing they are monuments to the credit of the tithe payers, and to the beneficence of the authorities of this Church. I want to say. my brethren and sisters, in behalf of the saints of the Cassia stake of Zion, I believe there is not one among them who is paying tithing that is questioning as to the disposition of that fund. We know full well the men into whose hands it comes, and we know that it is handled as carefully and judiciously as any money in this world can be handled. We have implicit faith and confidence in President Joseph F. Smith, and his counselors, the Twelve Apostles, the Seven Presidents of Seventies, and in all the general authorities of this Church, because we know that they are men of God. We are endeavoring to the best of our ability to uphold their hands. It is our practice to go before the Lord and, in the earnestness of our souls, ask him to bless and preserve and magnify these brethren. I realize, as you do, that the Lord has blest them, that He has sustained them, and that He is assisting them in the very important duties they have to perform. ¶

We are endeavoring to assist in the building up of the Gem State. We see in our state immense possibilities. We are sustaining the officers of the government of our state. We look upon them as being exceptionally good men. We are honoring the laws of the land in which we live, both local and general. This, I may say, is a characteristic of Latter-day Saints. They have been taught from childhood to honor the flag of our country, to obey the laws of the land. This is being done, notwithstanding what may be said to the contrary by the enemies of this work. We love our country. We honor that great and good man, President Roosevelt, who stands at its head. We look upon him as a man of destiny, a man of exceptional power and ability, a man whom we believe God has raised up; and his influence is being felt in the west, in the reclamation of thousands of acres of arid lands that have been bleached in the sunshine of heaven. I say, God bless our country, its laws and its institutions, its officers and its people. I believe that the gospel has inspired within my heart greater love for this country, greater veneration for its laws, than I could possibly have felt had it not been for the influence of the gospel. I believe that the same feeling prevails, as a rule, among the Latter-day Saints. I know that our authorities are patriotic, loyal men. If there is one individual in this church that I have admired more than any other, it is President Joseph F. Smith, because I have looked upon him as a model among men. I have watched his purity of life, I have observed his nobility of character, I have noted his sacrifices in his labor for the benefit of mankind. I know there is a man standing at the head of this church at the present time whose superior cannot be found in this wide world. That is my testimony and my feelings regarding President Joseph F. Smith. These men who stand at the head of this church are men whose lives are exemplary. They are men who are and have been willing to sacrifice for this work and for the salvation of the souls of mankind. It cannot be said of these brethren that they say to the rank and file of the church, go hither and thither into the missionary field, and they themselves remain at home; but as you know, my brethren and sisters, all of these general authorities are practical missionaries. They have been out into the world. They have marked the path and led the way. They have brought home sheaves for their hire. They have in all these respects, and in all other respects, set before the membership of this church an example they expect us to follow, and I hope we will not be unmindful of their counsels. I thought while President Smith was addressing us yesterday, how few of us have attempted in the last three years to extricate ourselves from the bonds of indebtedness: some have been inclined to go further into debt, and have reached out upon the right hand and upon the left, and today it is a question as to whether or not the Latter-day Saints are in any better condition financially than they were when this note was first sounded by the prophet of the Lord. So far as I am concerned as an individual (I do not say it boastingly), I have tried to follow the example of these brethren. I have taken their counsel in relation to debt, and I stand today an example of the benefits of following the counsel of those who are in authority over us. The Lord will bless us if we will do this, we will get out of debt and surround ourselves with the necessaries and comforts of life. I suggest to the Latter-day Saints that one of the best ways to get out of debt, and to keep out, is to pay as we go. If we have not money to pay for anything, let us go without it until we get the money. We have demonstrated that in our stake in the last sixteen months. In one concern where there was a debt of some $23,000 hanging over the institution; today it is practically out of debt, by reason of the fact that the directors adopted the system of requiring the people to pay cash for what they got. It has enabled that institution to get out of trouble, and has lifted it up so that today it is independent. I recommend this to the Latter-day Saints, and suggest that we adopt a cash policy, and pay as we go. While doing this, let us endeavor to live our religion, attend to our prayers, do our duty, attend our meetings, and seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. I testify to you, as a servant of God, that all other things will be added unto us. This gospel is true, there is no doubt about that, and it will save us if we will live according to its precepts. ¶

May the peace and blessings of the Almighty rest upon us. May the inspiration of His Holy Spirit enlighten our minds, quicken our understandings, enable us to comprehend the truth when we hear it, and cause us to be united in all the affairs of life; that we may be forgiving in our lives, and, as we read from the revelation, seek to forgive all men, not only those who are members of the church, but forgive all men, no matter 'who they may be. If we will do this, the Lord will in the end forgive us, and will lift us up to salvation. Peace be unto you, my brethren and sisters. May the blessings of the Almighty rest upon you, and His prosperity attend you in your homes. I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶