Gratitude for the Progress of the Work

My beloved brethren and sisters, I can hardly express to you the gratitude I feel for the privilege of attending this great conference, looking over this large congregation of Latter-day Saints, and witnessing the feeling of unity of purpose that has brought you together. The Latter-day Saints are increasing. The work of the Lord is spreading abroad, and we are witnesses that there is remarkable evidence of this fact today. I rejoice when I hear such a report as we listened to this morning from the President of the Church, concerning the union of the Saints and their endeavors to do the will of the Father and keep His commandments. ¶

Seventy-six years ago today the Church was organized, and beside the six persons who were the charter members of the organization, there were very few who belonged to the Church at that time, hence we conclude that the work has greatly increased, and the truth continues to spread abroad over many lands and among many people. The Lord is fulfilling His prediction to the Prophet Joseph, that He would bring to pass "a marvelous work and a wonder." I have a perfect knowledge of the fact that the Church has disseminated among the children of men principles of truth, righteousness and love, and not principles of hate. It is love of the Gospel that has prompted so many people to receive the message which was brought unto them by the followers of the Prophet, who was the means, under our Savior, of introducing this great work in the earth. Soon after the return of Zion's Camp in the fall of 1834 (in the spring of 1835), the first Twelve Apostles in this dispensation were chosen and ordained. Two full quorums of Seventy were also organized, and from those two quorums the number has increased until now we have in the Church upwards of 9,000 Seventies, and 148 quorums organized, with still others in prospect. We have very great occasion to rejoice, my brethren and sisters, because of the prosperity of the Saints in every part of the land, and the prosperity of our missions in the different nations of the earth. We have at this time nearly 2,000 Elders in the field proclaiming the Gospel, devoting their best energies to spreading the truth, offering their time and means, and the best talents they possess, even risking their lives if necessary to fulfill the missions assigned them. ¶

After the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the presidency of the Church devolved upon the quorum of the Apostles, and President Brigham Young stood at their head as captain and file leader, to carry out the plans that had been designated by the Prophet Joseph. There were many hundreds, perhaps thousands, present at the meeting held in the grove near the Temple at Nauvoo, in August, 1844, when President Young was recognized by miraculous manifestation as the leader of the Church, and they have testified it was evident that the mantle of Joseph the Prophet fell upon him. I was looking over the record a few days ago, and tried to ascertain how many of that number are still living who can bear witness to that remarkable event. I had a letter recently from Brothers Horace and John R. Murdoch of Beaver, who testify that they were eyewitnesses to the wonderful transformation and power manifested through President Brigham Young on that occasion. Of the many hundreds who witnessed that event you can almost count upon your 10 fingers the number that are still living. ¶

When we came to this Rocky Mountain region it was practically an unknown land. It was designated on the maps of our country as the Great American Desert, and this valley was almost the central portion of it; a country where no white man lived, and which even Indians shunned. But the Lord's blessing rested upon this land and upon the people. Brigham Young, at a very early date in the settlement of the country, began to devise means to improve the conditions of the people in every way possible, to increase their chances of living and prospering in this desert region. The Lord abundantly blessed the labors of the people, and from that little hand-full in the desert, communities have grown and spread throughout all this region of the Rocky Mountains. This fulfills a prediction of the Prophet Joseph Smith, made in 1842, when he prophesied that the Saints would continue to be driven and persecuted, and that they would finally leave their homes and journey to the west; many would lay down their lives by the wayside, and some would lose faith, but many of the Saints would arrive in the Rocky Mountains and there become a great and mighty people. We are witnesses today of the literal fulfillment of this prophecy. ¶

In the beginning of our history here, President Brigham Young established manufactories of clothing, of leather, of boots and shoes and other articles. Home industry was a frequent theme of his counsel and admonition to the Saints in the hope that they might adopt it, and thereby become an independent people. A woolen factory was established in Boxelder county, one in Weber county, two in Salt Lake county, one in Washington county, near St. George, and finally a larger one in Provo. All of these institutions were, within my memory, prosperous and advancing in usefulness, and making wealth by reason of the patronage given to them by the Latter-day Saints. But by degrees we have displayed less loyalty to these institutions, and the industries have decreased, until the last of these beneficial institutions has become a thing of the past. I refer to the closing down of the factory at Provo, through lack of patronage. I speak of this, my brethren and sisters, in order to refer your minds to past history, and to call your attention to the fact that had these institutions been supported in the spirit in which they were established under the direction of President Young, they would have been sources of wealth and of help to us today and great benefit to all the people in this region. Z. C. M. I. also is an institution that was established under President Young's counsel and management, and it has gone forward to a wonderful degree of prosperity, because it has had the loyal support of the people, and I trust it will continue to have it. We are certainly blessed of the Lord today; we have been blessed every day and every hour since we obeyed the Gospel, and entered into covenant with Him, provided we have kept that covenant. When I look over the statistical reports of our missionaries laboring in every land of the globe where they have been sent I rejoice exceedingly. The missions already established are growing in importance, the Seventies and the Elders are going out and unstintedly giving the best powers of their manhood to develop this cause, to proclaim the truth, and to scatter the seeds of the Gospel for the redemption of the human family far and wide in the nations of the earth. ¶

I testify to you today that Jesus is the Christ, and that Joseph Smith was His Prophet, and will ever be the President and leader of this dispensation. I testify that our President today, and those who are associated with him are the men our Father has chosen to lead us and to guide the destinies of Israel at the present time, to push forward the work with strong hands and mighty power. That the blessing of the Lord and the Spirit of His presence may rest upon this conference throughout, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶