Zeal of Missionaries and Enemies Foiled

Zeal and faithfulness of missionaries commended. — The Gospel imparts joy and peace to its adherents. — Enemies of God's work foiled and forgotten. — Evidence of Hebrew origin of American Aborigines. — Intellectual advancement among young Latter-day Saints. — Difficulty experienced in refuting lies. ¶

I rejoice exceedingly in having the opportunity of meeting with the Latter-day Saints in this conference, and I have been pleased with the remarks that have been made. Many reflections have passed through my mind while listening to the words that have been uttered in our hearing during this conference. I have but one desire, and it is the desire I have always had, and hope I may always have while standing before the people, it is that I may say that which shall be for their best good. ¶

I have rejoiced, particularly, in the testimonies which have been borne by our brethren who have been out preaching the Gospel. It always seems to me that when men return to us from foreign missions, if they have been faithful and energetic, there is a spirit that attends them in speaking to the people that is rather above the average. I rejoice in the burning testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which every faithful returned missionary possesses. When I think of the five years Brother Baliff has spent in Belgium, and in the Swiss and German mission, and the zeal he has manifested in this work; then, when my mind goes over to Japan and I think of the eight years, next July, since Brother Alma O. Taylor left us, and seven years in June since Brother Fred A. Caine left; when I think of their continued diligence, faithfulness and willingness to serve God my heart goes out in blessing to these young men. When I think of the far off land of Turkey and realize what a very difficult and hard mission it is, and think of Brother Wilford Booth and his companions, who have labored there for five long years, my heart goes out in blessing to them. And when I realize the joy, happiness, and peace that every faithful Latter-day Saint experiences, who has proclaimed this Gospel, my heart goes out in deep gratitude to God for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which you and I have espoused, and for the sweet influence of His Holy Spirit which ever accompanies us, which ever attends and strengthens us when we are in the line of our duty. Surely it does require the Spirit of God to understand, appreciate and feel grateful for the Gospel. The world knows not of the joy, peace and happiness that is experienced by the humble elders who go forth with zeal and energy to proclaim the Gospel. Some of the sweetest moments of my life have been in the priesthood meetings of the elders, when out in the world proclaiming the Gospel, when tears of joy have filled the eyes of every man assembled in those meetings. As I listened today to the report from the Scandinavian mission, I remembered one of the finest, one of the sweetest spirited meetings that I ever attended in my life. It was held in Christiania, where our brother, who has just been speaking, was laboring at the time, this was before he was called to preside over the Scandinavian mission. Also, as I listened to Brother Baliff, I remembered one of the loveliest conferences of the Swiss and German Elders that it was ever my privilege to attend ; it lasted two days, and was held in Zurich. I rejoice, beyond my ability to tell, in having partaken of some of the spiritual blessings that come to every man who is striving to serve God in this Church and kingdom. ¶

I rejoiced exceedingly in the remarks of Brother Nibley, because the test he gave is the one by which the world, as well as our people, will be judged, viz, by their works. The Savior laid down the rule that by your works shall ye know them. From the day that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was re-established upon the earth, through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith, until the present time, the works of the Latter-day Saints have been above reproach. I have often remarked that while the reputation of the Latter-day Saints is bad — because of the lying, the misrepresentations, and the falsehoods of our enemies — I rejoice that the character and works of true Latter-day Saints are above reproach, and that the life of every true Latter-day Saint is a bright and shining light worthy of the imitation of all men. ¶

I find recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants a very short passage which reads: ¶

"I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." ¶

I wish that every Latter-day Saint would remember these few words How I wish that they were engraven upon our memories and upon our hearts, and that we would determine that God shall be bound to fulfill His promises unto us, because we will keep His commandments. There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven — so we are told by the Prophet Joseph — before the foundations of the world, upon which all blessings are predicated, and when we receive any blessing, it is by obedience to the law upon which it is predicated. If you and I desire the blessings of life, of health, of vigor of body and mind; if we desire the destroying angel to pass us by, as he did in the days of the children of Israel, we must obey the Word of Wisdom; then God is bound, and the blessing shall come to us. If you and I desire that the windows of heaven shall be opened, that God shall pour out such a blessing upon us that we will hardly be able to contain the same, then you and I must pay tithing; then God is bound to give us that blessing. If we desire that we shall have influence over our children, so that they shall grow up with a disposition to love God and keep His commandments, so that they shall have the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must remember this commandment: "And again, inasmuch as parents in Zion or in any of her stakes that are organized, teach not their children to walk uprightly before God, the sin shall be upon the heads of the parents." If we desire the Spirit of God, so that we can teach our children and inspire them, we must obey that law. So with all the requirements that are made of us as Latter-day Saints. ¶

I listened with interest to the brief remarks that were made here by Brother Winder. He read to us one of the verses of that beautiful hymn by Sister Eliza R. Snow. As he was reading it, I thought to myself, the third verse impressed Brother Winder, but the fourth verse is the one that impressed me; therefore, I will read it. ¶

'What though our rights have been assailed ? What though by foes we've been despoiled? ¶

Jehovah's promise has not failed, Jehovah's purpose is not foiled." ¶

Our enemies have never done anything that has injured this work of God, and they never will. I look around, I read, I reflect, and I ask the question, Where are the men of influence, of power and prestige, who have worked against the Latter-day Saints? Where is the reputation, for honor and courage, of the governors of Missouri and Illinois, the judges, and all others who have come here to Utah on special missions against the Latter-day Saints? Where are there people to do them honor? They can not be found. Where are the people to do honor to T. B. H. Stenhouse, who wrote a book purporting to tell all about the Mormons, and who did not have the courage to sign his name to the book, but hid behind the petticoats of his wife, by attaching her name to the book. (Laughter.) Where are the men who have assailed this work? Where is their influence? They have faded away like dew before the sun. We need have no fears, we Latter-day Saints. God will continue to sustain this work; He will sustain the right. If we are loyal, if we are true, if we are worthy of this Gospel, of which God has given us a testimony, there is no danger that the world can ever injure us. We can never be injured, my brethren and sisters, by any mortals, except ourselves. If we fail to serve God, if we fail to do right, then we rob ourselves of the ability and power to grow, to increase in faith and knowledge, to have power with God, and with the righteous. ¶

I rejoice in hearing the choir and congregation sing all four verses of the great pioneer song, "Come, Come ye Saints." It has been a source of regret to me that we seldom if ever heard that fourth verse. I remember, on one occasion, while speaking in this hall, I made the request that, whenever the choir or congregation should sing this hymn, that they sing the fourth verse. As I listened to the remarks of our prophet, I was deeply impressed. He asked the question, "Are we as faithful, are we as diligent as our fathers and mothers were?" While that hymn was being sung I remembered his words; and as we were singing it, I asked myself the question, Do I feel as did our parents? — ¶

"And should we die before our journey's through, Happy day ! all is well ! We then are free from toil and sorrow too; With the just we shall dwell." ¶

Do we feel that, if we die, all is well? Are we living so that if the summons should come to us, that we are worthy to go back to our Heavenly Father, when we leave this earth, and be welcomed there? Are we so living that we are worthy of the blessings we have received? I ask myself the question, Am I doing all I possibly can for the uplifting not only of myself but of my fellows, am I in very deed a shining light to the people, by reason of the example I set before them? ¶

In our Sunday School Union conference in this building last Sunday night, we had one of the most glorious meetings I have ever attended. Several of the speakers were given four minutes each, and they were four minutes of gem thoughts, each and every one of them. The great burden of the remarks of all the superintendents who spoke to the subject — "the needs of our Sunday Schools," — was not the need of more system, more of this, that or the other, but the great need is more of the Spirit of the Lord in the hearts of the teachers, to give that spirit to the children. One of the speakers likened this Church, and the people working in it, to an electric monument, with lights all over it; and he asked the question, "Is each one allowing his light to shine?" and it came home to me. It has been said here, by some who have spoken, that we are not doing all we can. I do not believe that any man lives up to his ideals, but if we are striving, if we are working, if we are trying, to the best of our ability, to improve day by day, then we are in the line of our duty. If we are seeking to remedy our own defects, if we are so living that we can ask God for light, for knowledge, for intelligence, and above all for His Spirit, that we may overcome our weaknesses, then, I can tell you, we are in the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal ; then we need have no fear. I am not afraid of any individual ever injuring me, but I am afraid that perchance I may fail to do my duty, that I may fail to be as faithful and diligent as I ought to be; I am afraid I may fail to use all the talents God has given me, in the way I ought to use them. ¶

I rejoice in the work that is being accomplished both at home and abroad. I rejoice in the manifestations of the Spirit of God, that come to each and every one of our elders who faithfully perform the duties devolving upon them. I rejoice in the fact that God opens the way and prepares the hearts of the honest in every land and clime, wherever this Gospel of Jesus Christ has gone. It is also a source of joy and satisfaction to me that, in all my journeys at home and abroad, wherever I go, wherever I mingle with people, I am constantly receiving additional evidence and testimony regarding the divinity of this work in which we are engaged. As I journeyed away from home, and as I mingled with people, I would feel sorrowful if I had constantly been finding objections to the plan of life and salvation, that required exertion on my part to explain away. It would be a source of regret if I were constantly finding obstacles in the path, regarding the divinity of the work of God, which we have espoused. But, I have never found any such obstacles : I have never found anything that needed to be explained away : everything points to the divinity of the work. ¶

While listening to the remarks of Brother Ivins, referring to a book that was written by one of our enemies, in which the statement is made that there is not a particle of evidence to show that there is any trace of the Hebrew among the people who anciently inhabited this country, and that there is no evidence that would go to prove that the Book of Mormon is true. I was reminded of a little item of evidence that came under my observation while I was in the City of London. A gentleman there, to whom a very dear friend of mine, Col. Alex. G. Hawes, had given me a letter, kindly invited a number of newspaper men to his home to meet me. I am very sorry that the newspaper men declined the honor; but I had the privilege of meeting with this man and his family, and a few friends, and conversing with them. One of his friends had been a member of the British legation at Constantinople, and had spent a considerable portion of his life there. He had traveled all over the holy land, and was familiar with the people and their customs. Among other things, he said: "Mr. Grant, I was astonished beyond measure, when I visited Canada, to find there oriental patterns woven in beads, by the American Indians. They were the same patterns that were woven in rugs, in the oriental countries. I have traveled extensively, and I had never seen those oriental patterns in any part of the world except in the holy land, until I found them among the North American Indians. Those patterns have been handed down for hundreds of years, from generation to generation ; they are kept in families, and can be found no where else ; and how under the heavens those Indians, who have no connection with the people of the holy land, should have the same patterns is a mystery to me." "Well, my friend," I said, "if I were to inform you that the forefathers of these American Indians came from the city of Jerusalem, that would explain it, wouldn't it?" He replied, "Well, of course, it would." I asked him if he had ever read the Book of Mormon. He said, "No." "Well, it will be my pleasure to send you a copy, and from it you will learn that the forefathers of the American Indians came from Jerusalem." "Well," he said, "that explains the mystery; I am much obliged for the book." ¶

Now, the one thing for us to do, as Latter-day Saints, is to be loyal, to be true, to be patriotic, to be honest with God; then we need have no fear of what the world may say about us. We have the truth, and we know it, thank God; we know it, though the world may not know it. Let us follow the admonition of the Savior, and let our light so shine that other men seeing our good deeds shall glorify God. ¶

I rejoice in the great work that is being accomplished by the Young Ladies' and Young Men's Mutual Improvement associations. When I realize that there are more than fifteen thousand copies a year of the Young Woman's Journal subscribed for by the young ladies, and read ; and when I think of the many fine articles I have read in that monthly magazine, and know that they are read by thousands of people, I realize that it is doing a great deal of good. It is also a great satisfaction to me to know that twelve thousand copies of the Improvement Era are going into the homes of the people, and being read by perhaps three or four times that number of individuals, because in every home reached by the Era there are an average of three or four people who read part or all of the magazines. I rejoice when I realize that the Manuals that are issued from year to year, are studied by from fifteen to twenty-five thousand young men ; and that the lessons in the Journal are also studied by a great number of young ladies. It is a pleasure to note the advancement that is being made among the people, from an intellectual standpoint. I am glad to note that members are increasing in the Young Men's Associations; and I have no doubt they are increasing in the Young Ladies' Associations ; and a greater interest is being taken in the books recommended from time to time as a reading course. Our young people are taking advantage of these books, and are reading them; I rejoice in this. God has promised many wonderful things regarding this people. We have a marvelous destiny before us, and are gradually fitting and qualifying ourselves for that destiny. When I stop to reflect upon the fact that when chosen as a boy, not twenty-four years of age, to preside over a stake of Zion, I had not spoken in public ten minutes at any one time in my life,— I rejoice to know that today there is hardly a boy or girl in their teens who can not stand up and preach on the principles of the Gospel, from fifteen to twenty minutes. Nearly all our young people can do this, if they have been faithful in attending the Mutual Improvement Associations. ¶

I rejoice in the natural growth of the people of God, and in the benefits that are coming to us. As I listened to the remarks of President Smith, in his opening address, I was reminded of some beautiful words that are contained in one of the little books recommended by the General Board of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations. If any of you want a copy of it, it will cost you only twenty-five cents, and a postage stamp. Write to President Charles W. Penrose, Liverpool, England, and he will mail you a copy. Now, I realize that there is nothing more tiresome to an audience than to listen to a man read. I have often been guilty of that during the past year, because it has happened that men had been writing on the subjects about which I wished to speak, and what they wrote was better than anything I could say myself. For that reason I have been guilty of wearying my audiences by reading on many occasions. But, in the hope that by reading a page or two you may be impressed with a desire to write to Brother Penrose for a copy of the book, I am going to weary you for a little while. Brother N. L. Nelson, of the Brigham Young University, to whom I sent a copy of the book with my compliments, was so impressed with it that he read extracts to a number of the students in his classes, with the result that they sent to Liverpool for one hundred copies. I have given away hundreds of copies of this book, because it has impressed me with its worth. I consider it worth ten — yes twenty times twenty-five cents, or the twenty-seven cents that it will cost to send to England for it. The book is entitled "Great Truths." ¶

"Truth is the rock foundation of every great character. It is loyalty to the right as we see it; it is courageous living of our lives in harmony with our ideals; it is always — power. ¶

"Truth ever defies full definition. Like electricity it can only be explained by noting its manifestation. It is the compass of the soul, the guardian of conscience, the final touchstone of right. Truth is the revelation of the ideal; but it is also an inspiration to realize that ideal, a constant impulse to live it. ¶

"For the individual, there is no such thing as theoretic truth; a great truth that is not absorbed by our whole mind and life, and has not become an inseparable part of our living, is not a real truth to us. If we know the truth and do not live it, our life is — a lie." ¶

"Let us cultivate that sterling honor that holds our word so supreme, so sacred, that to forget it would seem a crime, to deny it would be impossible. * * ■ * " ¶

"With the love of truth, the individual scorns to do a mean thing, no matter what be the gain, even if the whole world would approve. He would not sacrifice the sanction of his own high standard for any gain: he should not willingly deflect the needle of his thought and act from the true North, as he knows it, by the slightest possible variation. He himself would know of the deflection — that would be enough. What matters it what the world thinks if he have his own disapproval." ¶

If you and I know the Gospel is true, if we know that God lives, if we know that this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, what do we care if the world falsely accuse us ? If we are honest, if we are faithful, if we are diligent in keeping the commandments of God, we know our heavenly Father and our consciences will be on our side; and that is worth more than the praise of the world; if we are not worthy of that praise, then we are under condemnation before our heavenly Father. ¶

"Faith in Truth is an essential to perfect companionship with truth. The individual must have perfect confidence and assurance of the final triumph of right, and order, and justice, and believe that all things are evolving toward that divine consummation, no matter how dark and dreary life may seem from day to day. No real success, no lasting happiness, can exist except it be founded on the rock of truth. The prosperity that is based on lying, deception, and intrigue, is only temporary — it cannot last any more than a mushroom can outlive an oak. Like the blind Samson, struggling in the temple, the individual whose life is based on trickery always pulls down the supporting columns of his own edifice, and perishes in the ruins. * * * " ¶

While I was in Japan, articles were published against us. One was an extract from a sermon of the late President Brigham Young, in which he said. "We have in our midst the biggest liars, the meanest devils that ever walked on the face of the earth ;" so on and so forth. That was quoted in the paper. When I sent home and secured a copy of the sermon in full, I went to the editor of that paper and showed him the sequence to those words — "But with God's help we will cast them out;" do you think I could get that paper to publish it? Not a bit of it. Tracts against the Latter-day Saints are circulated all over the world, clear to Japan, with this extract from the sermon of Brigham Young, (and those circulating them know they are misleading,) without the following qualifications: "God knows that we have never sustained them, that I have never sustained them, that I do not approve of them, and that we will cast them out." And yet, this is one of the weapons that is used against us; but it will fail; it will fail as such weapons always do fail. Accusations like this, that are published all over the world, must fail when the truth is known. I called on an editor in London, who had published about ten columns of the vilest kind of matter against the Latter-day Saints, and asked him to take one single column in refutation, and he refused it. I presented letters of introduction from leading influential men in America, stating that I was a gentleman of unquestioned integrity, and that my word was as good as my bond ; but he would not take a word from me. He said, "We have published all we care to publish on the Mormon question." I said, "But all you have published is lies, and I know it, and I now ask you to publish one-tenth as much truth." He declined again. His name was Robinson. I arose and started as if to leave the office— I did not intend to go but I put my hat on and pretended that I was going. I stopped, when I got to the door, turned around, and again took off my two-story hat, and said to him, "My friend, if I remember correctly your name is Robinson?" "Yes," he said, "that is my name." "Did you ever hear tell of Phil Robinson?" "Yes." "Is he an honest and honorable man?" "Yes." "At the time of the first great Boer war, was he the correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph, one of your greatest newspapers?" "Yes." "Anything he would write, would you accept as truth?" "Certainly." Then I said, "Spend a couple of shillings and buy his book, 'Sinners and Saints ;' then you will find that everything you have published in your paper about the Mormons is a lie." He said, "You surprise me." I said, "You are not the first newspaper man who has been surprised, when it comes to the Mormon question." Then he said, "May be you better write us something, Mr. Grant; make it brief; don't make it more than half a column." Think of the liberality of a great newspaper, one of the great newspapers of London, that had published from seven to a dozen columns of lies, and then would give only a half column to answer. I wrote it — or to be frank, I suggested the ideas to Brother Richard Shipp, and he wrote it for me. I sent the communication to them, and I got it back — as has been the case with many things that I have sent the newspapers — with a printed circular stating that the editor was very sorry, but he did not have room for it. Whenever I get one of these circulars I always think of the little saying that, "Polite lying is a gentlemanly accomplishment; it lubricates business, varnishes unpleasant facts, and promotes friendship." ¶

Again quoting from "Great Truths" "No matter what price a man may pay for truth, he is getting it at a bargain. The lying of others can never hurt us long; it always carries with it our exoneration in the end" ¶

"Truth, is not a mere absence of the vices. This is only a moral vacuum. Truth is the living, pulsing breathing of the virtues of life. Mere refraining from wrong-doing is but keeping the weeds out of the garden of one's life. But this must be followed by positive planting of the seeds of right to secure the flowers of true living. To the negatives of the Ten Commandments must be added the positives of the Beatitudes. The one condemns, the other commends; the one forbids, the other inspires; the one emphasizes the act, the other the spirit behind the act. The whole truth rests not in either, but in both. ¶

"A man cannot truly believe in God without believing in the final inevitable triumph of Truth. If you have Truth on your side you can pass through the dark valley of slander, misrepresentation and abuse, undaunted, as though you wore a magic suit of mail that no bullet could enter, no arrow could pierce. You can hold your head high, toss it fearlessly and defiantly, look every man calmly and unflinchingly in the eye, as though you rode, a victorious king, returning at the head of your legions with banners waving and lances glistening, and boughs filling the air with music. You can feel the great expansive wave of moral health surging through you as the quickened blood courses through the body of him who is gladly, gloriously proud of physical health. You will know that all will come right in the end, that it must come, that error must flee before the great white light of truth, as darkness slinks away into nothingness in the presence of the sunburst. Then, with Truth as your guide, your companion, your ally, and inspiration, you tingle with the consciousness of your kinship with the infinite and all the petty trials, sorrows and sufferings of life fade away like temporary, harmless visions seen in a dream." ¶

We have truth on our side; we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God lives ; Jesus is the Christ. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God; and every man who has succeeded Joseph Smith has been God's mouthpiece. Let us be true to God, and God will sustain us. This is my prayer, and I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶