The Aid of Faith and Prayers of the Saints

My dear friends and brethren : I have a very earnest desire that I wish to express, that is that I may have the aid of your faith and prayers, and your kindly attention, to assist me in what I shall say this afternoon. I deem it a high honor, and a great privilege, to stand before you and see the goodly company, the large numbers that have assembled at this meeting of the conference, to hear the word of the Lord, and I trust that the speakers this afternoon will not disappoint you. The beautiful sacred song to which we have just listened is very inspiring, and touches a tender chord in my heart. It is of a character that draws our thoughts and hearts to our Heavenly Father, and leads us to think of him and unite in His praise in song and prayer, and will probably influence the utterances of those who speak unto us. A song of that character is a very good beginning, it opens the mind to sacred thoughts. ¶

I will read a short revelation from the Doctrine and Covenants, found in section No. 4. This revelation was given in Susquehannah County, Pennsylvania, February, 1829, the year before the organization of the Church. The Lord said to the Prophet and Seer, Joseph Smith : ¶

"Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men ; therefore, O ve that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve Him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day; therefore, if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work , for behold the field is white already to harvest, and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perish not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; and faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Amen." ¶

Such was the revelation given to the Prophet in the early history of the Church. Before its organization the Lord proclaimed unto him that He was about to do a marvelous work and a wonder, and that revelation has been emphasized and we are seeing the fulfillment thereof in our day, although the fulfillment began and our fathers saw it in the early days of the Church. The marvel among observing men and women at that time was that a poor farmer's boy, unlettered, unsophisticated, unlearned, could produce any wonderful impression upon the people among whom he dwelt, and upon others farther from his home. Such was the spirit of his message that it drew around him men like Brigham Young, the great Prophet-pioneer of this mountain region, whose inspiration and energy made it possible for the Saints to make homes here where they have been prospered and blessed. Such men also us the brothers of Brigham Young, together with Heber C. Kimball, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, and others of the Twelve who constituted the first organization of that quorum. Those stalwart men who remained true to the Prophet, to the Church, and to their convictions. Those leaders, and the hundreds and thousands of others that have followed in the same belief, under the same inspiration, have testified that the Lord has set His hand to bring to pass a marvelous work and a wonder. When we consider that, notwithstanding the opposition that was arrayed against this little handful of people, the Lord fulfilled this promise through them. In that day, a few years after the organization of the Church, in the early history of Kirtland, where the Church was organized, there was a very small gathering of Latter-day Saints. They were in poverty and in want, compelled constantly to stand in defense of their rights, not only of their rights, but also their lives, to maintain the possibility of living and testifying to the truth. Despite all the adverse circumstances that our pioneer fathers had to meet, the work that the Lord decreed should come to pass, that should be a marvel and a wonder to the world, has indeed been a success; it has been established by the power of the Lord, through His faithful messengers and servants. When the Latter-day Saints, in their poverty and limited numbers, assumed to build a temple in the town of Kirtland, and dedicated that house to the Lord, and when it was declared by revelation that the Temple was accepted by Him, then there was more astonishment among those who were opposed to this work. The bitterness of their hatred increased as the work grew, and as it was demonstrated that the power of the Lord was with His Prophet and with those who stood shoulder to shoulder with him. But the "marvelous work and a wonder" could not be confined to the little town of Kirtland ; it must have greater breadth and greater opportunities for its development, so the immigration or the movement into the State of Missouri was begun. The Lord designated a portion of that land to be the great central stake of Zion, where a Temple should be erected, which will have the glory of His presence resting upon it as a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. But the time was not yet for the fulfillment of this grand purpose and promise, greater scope was still needed for the development of this marvelous work and wonder that the Lord was going to establish, so the Saints began to gather in the State of Illinois. After a while, the prejudices of the people of Illinois became too great. The surroundings there were not propitious for the spread of truth and the gathering of Israel. After the martyrdom of the Prophets Joseph and Hyrum, the Lord inspired Brigham Young, and those who stood faithful with him, to lead the people out from Nauvoo. This exodus was a fulfillment of a prediction made by the Prophet Joseph Smith about two years before his martyrdom, wherein he declared that the Saints would gather in the midst of the Rocky Mountains and become great and mighty there. So Brigham Young led the people into these valleys ; and we have "grown some" since coming here. ¶

I appeal to you today to say if you have not witnessed a growth and development here that has fulfilled in a great degree the prediction and word of the Lord that was given to the Prophet in 1829. The wonderful part of it is, to those who do not see as we do, from a religious standpoint, that the work has prospered, that it has grown and strengthened notwithstanding the opposition that has always been brought to bear upon it, I will not say by our enemies, but by those who have misunderstood us, by those who have not comprehended the mission of the Church, and have not believed in the divine calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith, or of those brethren who have stood at the head of the Church since his martyrdom. Those people who, in their ignorance, have lifted their arms and their voices against the Latter-day Saints have not understood our mission ; nor the purposes of the Lord, for He declared that He would bring to pass this marvelous work and wonder. He also declared to the Prophet Joseph that this Church that He was about to establish should never again be taken from the earth, but that Apostles, Evangelists, and Teachers should continue their pleading with the people in the nations of the earth, asking them to forsake their sinful ways, arrive at a knowledge of 'the truth, and come to the gathering places of the Saints who were appointed to establish this marvelous work and wonder in the land of Zion. Today, my brothers and sisters, we see the grand results of the gathering, the building of homes and the organization of wards and stakes of Zion throughout this inter-mountain region, combining the wealth and spirit and power of a united people to bring to pass the purposes of the Almighty in establishing His work in the latter days. ¶

I am reminded now of the wonderful prosperity that is attending this people, both financially and in other respects. Let me express my views as to their conditions, spiritually as well as temporally. I never have known the people to be so united, so strong, so firm in the faith as they are today. I never have known the membership of the Church numerically so high in unity, power and strength, and the hearts of the people so willing to receive the teachings of their leaders. I know there is a decided advancement over and above other years along the line of faith, diligence and good works. A few years ago, President Lorenzo Snow called a few of his brethren to go on a journey with him to St. George, and there the Lord showed to him, as he afterwards declared in our conferences, the reason for the journey. He said that the mission he was to perform among the people was to call them to repentance, and remind them of the duty that they owed to God in regard to tithes and offerings. These visits were continued throughout all the stakes of Zion, and the spirit of that mission and calling that rested upon the President of the Church was widespread; it had the effect to bring ■ the people to a remembrance of an almost forgotten duty. The promise was made to the Saints that if they would respond to the call, earnestly and sincerely, that the windows of heaven would be opened, as predicted by Malachi, and there would hardly be found room to contain the blessings that the Lord would shower upon His people through their obedience to this commandment. Now we see the effects of that preaching and the inspiration which President Snow had. It has continued from that time to the present, and the people are more faithful in the line of this and other sacred duties than I have ever known them before ; the results are apparent everywhere. The windows of heaven have indeed been opened. From one end of the land to the other the cry comes, We cannot find men to harvest our grain and cereals, to put into our granaries and places of storage the bounties of earth that the Lord has showered upon us ; the blessings of heaven and of earth are indeed ours. I believe we are advancing on spiritual lines, and there is a disposition to serve the Lord more faithfully than ever before. This is gratifying to me. When I see these great gatherings I want to say to my brethren and sisters, let us rejoice in the blessings we have received, in the testimonies that we have in our hearts. Let us not exult; in the very humility of our souls let us rejoice that we have a testimony of the truth. ¶

I feel that we are dependent upon the mercies of our Father, and upon the blessings that the Lord will bestow upon us only through our faithfulness and humility, and our trust in Him. ¶

In the 107th section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, I will read a few words that may impress upon you exactly what I mean : ¶

"Verily I say unto you, concerning your brethren who have been afflicted and persecuted and cast out from the land of their inheritance, I, the Lord, have suffered the affliction to come upon them, wherewith they have been afflicted, in consequence of their transgression." ¶

Now the Lord further declared, in section 119, in regard to the law of tithing, and in regard to other laws, that "If my people will keep my law and keep my commandments, this shall be a land of Zion unto them always ; but if they keep not my law, and disobey my commands," then the other conditions would follow, and it will not be a land of Zion unto His people. Now, let us rejoice in the truth which has made us free, that we have had all doubts dispelled in regard to the truth of the Gospel, and in regard to the divine calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith and of those who preside over us today. Let us realize that through the blessings and mercy of our Father, we are permitted to have a testimony that this is indeed the work of the Lord, and that we are engaged in building up and establishing His Church. ¶

In the year 1887 a great Jubilee was held in old England, the British kingdom, on the 50th anniversary of the crowning of Queen Victoria. In that wonderful gathering history says that the chiefs of all the colonies, and the dukes, and lords, and nobles from every part of the British empire were present, and kings and rulers from other countries were also present, and great was the display of joy, rejoicing, and exultation by the people. The prosperity of that nation, I believe, is in part due to the fact of the British people being, largely descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ; they are of Israel. Heber C. Kimball, in 1840, lifted up his hands on the streets of Manchester, when Queen Victoria was passing, and asked the blessings of heaven upon her, and upon her people. I am satisfied that from that time the spirit of faith in the Gospel began to increase in that nation. We have gathered strong representatives of Israel from Great Britain, equally as strong, and in greater numbers, than from any other nation. They are of Ephraim, and have accepted the Gospel and have been highly favored of the Lord. And so in the Scandinavian nations and missions abroad, where the Elders have gained a foothold, this Gospel is being preached and the leaven of it is being felt among scattered Israel everywhere. Israel is thus being gathered by the efforts of our humble Elders, who go abroad to the nations, taking their lives in their hands, sacrificing their time and giving the ability of their young manhood to disseminate the principles of the Gospel. While this is going on, this, marvelous work and wonder is being established in the land. We humbly rejoice, and honor our Father and God, and the Priesthood, and love those who preside over us, unite in the faith, and assist to spread the Gospel in every way possible. We are indeed a prosperous people, and have become the wonder of the world, because we exist and increase in power and strength, notwithstanding the world is arrayed against us. ¶

Now, my brethren and sisters, I rejoice today. I ask the blessing of the Lord to be upon you, that we may rely upon the promises of the Lord, in the future as in the past. When you go from this conference, may you go in peace, rejoicing, and may no accident befall you on the way. May the choicest blessings of heaven always be with you, is my earnest prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶