Report on the Northern States Mission and Growth of the Work

( President of Northern States Mission.) I do not believe I ever attended a conference which has appeared to me to be of more importance than the present one, nor at which I received more inspiration and felt more impressed concerning the position of God's people throughout all nations. The reading of the Declaration at the opening of this conference, seems to place us in a different position before the people of the world, and I am confident that the spirit and import of the same will reach to the ends of the earth. All the world will know more clearly our position toward the children of men than ever before. I thank God that our brethren, the First Presidency, have made this declaration to the people of the world, that it was approved by the Quorum of the Twelve, and that it has been sustained in this conference unanimously. I am sure that the spirit of the declaration will be felt throughout the earth, for it is a message of truth, bearing the stamp of authority. It is a mighty testimony to the honest in heart and to those who desire to know the truth; and I rejoice in it. My heart rejoices in the spirit of this conference, and in the powerful teachings that have been given unto God's people during the services. I hope and pray to live to see the day when the Latter-day Saints will feel a pride in keeping the commandments of the Lord. That it will be a joy to keep themselves so clean and pure that through them the light of the Gospel shall be disseminated to all the honest in heart of the earth, that they, too, may see and know the way laid down by the Master for the salvation of His children. There are thousands and tens of thousands of honest hearted people in the world who are praying and worshiping devoutly, but all the light and knowledge they have has come to them from uninspired teachers, and they are not to blame for their state of mind. They have been brought up to look upon these self-styled teachers as men called of God, and to believe the things that have been taught by them. They are taught that a calf to preach Christ comes from the Holy Ghost, and that ordination is a secondary consideration that may be administered by any preacher. The people never stop to examine the abstract of title to a man's authority. If their interests were centered in a few feet of ground they would look well into the title, but they fail to examine it in such an important thing as everlasting life. I think the time is not far distant when the light that shines from the lives of the faithful Latter-day Saints will draw many of the honest in heart into the straight and narrow path. This is the gospel of liberty, restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The world has long worshiped with a gospel of faith only, believing and teaching that faith alone is all that is necessary; but the Gospel of faith and works was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith and, as an evidence of this, wherever this people have established themselves, they have made their faith manifest by their works. They have built towns and cities, and have beautified the earth. They have gone into waste places and have demonstrated to the people of all nations that they have received a gospel of works as well as of faith. We have endeavored during the time we have had the privilege of laboring in the mission field to show to the people that we have come among them to work, to thus show our faith to teach them the better way. For several years we have given three rules to our missionaries, as a means to success ; the first rule is Work, the second Hard work, and the third Persistent, prayerful, honest work. We bear testimony that success has come to every one who has followed these three rules. We have never had an elder go into the field, who has complied therewith, but who has come home with his heart full of joy, with a testimony that God lives, and the messengers of our Father have been sent before his face to guide his footsteps in the way of the honest in heart, and in the way of friends. ¶

I rejoice, my brethren and sisters, in the wonderful interest that is being taken by the people in the Northern States mission, as well as in the other missions. I believe truly that it is the dawning of a new era, or a new opening for presenting the Gospel truths to the thousands and tens of thousands that desire to know the true way. During the past four years the people's attention has been wonderfully turned toward the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints. As evidence of this, we sold about twenty-five Books of Mormon during February from the office alone, in answer to letters coming from individuals who had met some of our elders. That is almost as many as we sold in twelve months some few years back ; not because the elders were less faithful than they are today, but because of the awakening of the people. I rejoice in this, and in the testimony that is given to me by the brethren who are constantly striving to present this great book of scripture to the people. They have related interesting and faith-promoting testimonies concerning the manner in which our heavenly Father has opened up the way for them to bring this book into the homes of the people. ¶

We are meeting hundreds of individuals who speak in very warm terms concerning the work that is done by the Bureau of Information upon this block. I have had several intelligent persons state that it is very strange such a bureau was not established 25 years ago, so that much misrepresentation that has been going on these many years might have been stopped. Many duly appreciate the very kind treatment they have received at the hands of our self-sacrificing brethren and sisters who come here daily to show people around these premises, and to give them a little information concerning the doctrines and history of the Latter-dav Saints.. Some have written to us inquiring for other books to supplement the literature they have received from the Bureau of Information workers. ¶

We also receive many kind words from people who spend their winters on the Pacific Coast. They ask questions that convince us immediately that they have come in contact with some of our elders, for their questions are those referring to matters peculiar to the faith of the Latter-day Saints. ¶

The closing months of 1906, we had a very instructive and beneficial visit from our brethren, Apostle Hyrum M. Smith, and Elder Charles H. Hart of the First Council of Seventy, and I can say that they did us a great deal of good, and strengthened our mission. They gave the people who came to listen to them much valuable instruction. Their visit strengthened the faith of the Saints, assuring them that the Gospel that has been delivered to us is a Gospel of common sense, a Gospel that teaches men and women to be natural, and that true religion is good common sense revealed from our Father to His children. ¶

We do not take any glory to ourselves for the condition that now prevails in the mission. We feel that our Father in heaven is pouring out His spirit upon the people throughout the nation ; the spirit of inquiry concerning this Gospel is being awakened in their hearts. All we have to do is to labor and seek earnestly to be led to those who are prepared to receive it. We feel very much encouraged in that the Book of Mormon, which is scripture to this generation, is being widely circulated in the Northern States mission. We succeeded in distributing over 6,000 Books of Mormon during last year. Besides there was about 20,000 10-cent books and over 400,000 tracts distributed. This is a much better showing than we were able to make the year previous. I do not believe our street meetings, or our Gospel conversations were any fewer on account of the increased labor in disposing of books and tracts. The Saints are faithful concerning their tithing, which has steadily increased during the past five or six years, as also have the offerings of the people. This is evidence that God has implanted in the hearts of the Saints in the mission the love of the Gospel, and has given them faith to keep the commandments, and to impart of their substance to help build up His kingdom on the earth. ¶

May the Lord bless the Latter-day Saints throughout Zion, both gathered and scattered. May He help us keep the commandments that we may reflect the light of the Gospel, that the honest in heart may be gathered together to sing His praises, build up His kingdom, and establish the reign of righteousness in the earth, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶