The Unbounded Love of God for His Children

We certainly have been impressed, in the remarks that have been made, with the unbounded love which our Father in heaven has manifested towards His children. Are we not indebted to the Lord for every blessing that we enjoy? Is it not true that we owe to Him the very existence we have upon the earth, the power to live and have a being, to associate with each other, to communicate our views, our thoughts, and reflections, even the power to think and give expression to thought? Without these precious gifts there would be no joy, we could have no delight, we could have no happiness upon this earth. Our social intercourse would be interrupted; there would be no such thing to be experienced or enjoyed. It seems to me that it is wholesome for us to let our minds go out in contemplation of the wonderful gifts we have received from our Heavenly Father. It seems to me that it is wholesome to meditate upon these things until we can thoroughly and completely convince ourselves that all happiness, that every blessing, flows from Him. We should be full of gratitude to our Father, acknowledge Him as the Giver of all good ; and we should plead with Him to help us to appreciate His blessings even as they flow from His all-bountiful hands. We cannot say too much regarding the love of God to His children. "He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever should believe on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." In this instance, my brethren and sisters, we find the greatest manifestation of the love of God for His children. ¶

In the remarks that were made in the opening meeting of our conference, President Joseph F. Smith told us of his determination to devote his life in the service of God. I felt impressed thereby, and feel now impressed with the fact that there is an object lesson for the Latter-day Saints : while we are recipients of that matchless love which comes from heaven, what are we going to do about it? To use the words of President Smith, "what shall we do" to show that we appreciate the blessings which God is pouring so bounteously upon us, His children? This same sentiment was followed up by his counselors, and it seems to me that it is an appeal to the Latter-day Saints to show gratitude unto their heavenly Father. ¶

We read in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants words like these: "In nothing doth man offend God, and against none is His wrath kindled, save those who will not acknowledge Him in all things." The sin of the world is ingratitude to God. Against none is the wrath of our heavenly Father kindled excepting those who so far forget Him, that they will not acknowledge Him in all things, that He is the Giver of all good, that we are dependent upon Him for all that we receive. It seems to me that there should be a resolution on the part of all Latter-day Saints to express themselves just as President Smith did this morning, and show in their lives that they propose to give the Lord the very, best there is in them; in other words, that we should continuously serve the Lord, devoting our lives, our energies, our talents, whatsoever we have, and whatsoever we are, in the service of God. I wish to call attention to the fact that, if we do not serve God in all things we are liable to serve the adversary; and just exactly where we discontinue our service to God that is where such danger begins. Do what I may, every moment of my time is devoted either in the service of God or in the service of mammon; there is hardly any middle course. We must serve the Lord in everything we do, for the Lord requires constant service to Him. And is not that what is meant when the Lord commanded His children to "pray without ceasing" Is it not the condition of the heart, this ceaseless prayer; and are we not always in the attitude of praying. "Prayer is the soul's sincere desire." What are your desires, my brethren and sisters? Do you desire the triumph of Zion ? Do you desire to see truth prevail? Do you desire to see the kingdom of God established upon the earth? If you do, and do it all the time, it is a prayer of righteousness unto the Lord. But if, for one moment, you lose that desire, then indeed have you ceased to pray to God but you have begun to yield to the adversary. Then ought we not to choose this day whom we will serve, God or mammon? Let it be our determination to serve the Lord with full purpose of heart, and make it a real service unto the Lord. ¶

What does the Lord require of us? Have we ever stopped to read the Scriptures and find out what it is that God requires of His children, in appreciation of the great blessings we receive from Him? "Son, give me thine heart." There is a good deal of meaning in that. The heart is the organ of vitality, the organ of life; and when the Lord said, "Give me thine heart," it meant, Son give me thy life, that it may be devoted in the service of God. That is what it means. It does not necessarily follow that, because we are to serve God continuously, that we are to engage, at all times, in what is commonly known as the Church work. O no; we have our avocations to follow. But in each of these we may serve God, and we ought to see to it that everything we do is in reality a service unto the most high God. He requires it at our hands, and will not approve any divergence from that path. We must not look upon sin with any degree of allowance. We find ourselves in mortality, in possession of weaknesses and imperfections, but let us struggle on, serving the Lord, keeping His commandments, and we will be cleansed from sin. But if we let up for one moment, the adversary is gaining. Then let us fight the good fight and keep the faith, rejecting evil at every turn, and never surrender. Every surrender is a service to the evil one. We cannot obtain permission at any time to serve the evil one; we ought not to have any such desire in our hearts. We can serve God, not only in our houses of worship, but we can serve Him upon the field; at the bench, in the workshop; in every avocation of life, in our amusements, in all that we set our hands to do. If there be work assigned to us that cannot be done in harmony with the will of God, then do not do it. If there be amusements that are contrary to the spirit of righteousness, then do not participate in that kind of amusement; only in those occupations, pleasures and pastimes in which we can carry on our service of God should we engage ourselves. ¶

My brethren and sisters, I have an abiding faith in this work. I know the truth of Mormonism as it has been revealed through the Prophet Joseph, and I hope that every one present is in possession of that testimony, for it is the power of God unto salvation, if we will only be faithful and true. The Lord has done His part by us ; let us see to it that we do our part, that we may be entitled to salvation and exaltation in His presence that is promised to the faithful, I ask it through Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶

I am; I have said some things that I am sorry were said and printed. I never know just how I will begin nor how I will end. ¶

I have been thinking of late, and during my time of thought, I have hunted for scripture and something to convince me that I was thinkthing in the right direction, and that it was approved by those who are in authority. I will read some of it to you ; it is not original ; there is very little that is original : ¶

"I want to come to the hearts of the people. It is a blessed thing that the heart has an instinct which tells it who has a right to teach it. The world cares little for theorists and theories — little for schools and school men, little for anything a man has to utter that has not previously been distilled in the Alembic of his life. I come to you with shoes worn and dusty with the walk upon life's highway, with face bronzed by fierce sun, and muscles knit by conflict with the evils of the age. * * I do not knock at the human heart with gloved hands, and an attire borrowed for the occasion." ¶