( President of Western States Mission.) "For God so loved the world that

( President of Western States Mission.) "For God so loved the world that ¶

He gave His only begotten Son that they who believe on Him might not perish, but have everlasting life." ¶

One of the testimonies that I have gained in the church is that we are prepared to sacrifice all ties for the good of God's work. When God gave His only begotten Son it seems that He has demanded, not only since that time but in all ages and dispensations when the gospel has been upon the earth, that those who love Him must be ready to die as He has done, if necessary — sacrifice that which is near and dear to them. In olden times, you will recall, Abraham was called upon to offer up his son. In that time it seemed some outward sacrifice was demanded. People had to burn sacrifice, they had to burn beasts and fowls. But in the meridian of time, when the Savior came and when He re- ¶

deemed mankind by giving His life, the divine command for that kind of sacrifice was fulfilled, they were no longer demanded. However, the kind of sacrifice that we have to give is none the less important. ¶

When the Savior came and the rich man asked him what he should do that he might inherit eternal life, he was told some of the commandments that had been given before. But he said, "All these have I kept from my youth up." Then Jesus said to him, "Sell that thou hast and give to the poor and come and follow me." That was the sacrifice demanded of him, but he could not make that sacrifice, he could not live that life. That was the principle that was taught during the time the Savior was upon the earth, and when He dispensed blessings that have come to us — to every one that came within His radius. ¶

In this day, when the Prophet Joseph Smith was made the instrument to bring forth this latter-day work, he began to make sacrifice from the moment that the vision was opened up to him, and in every move he made and everything he did, not only in his life but in the lives of his people sacrifice was demanded. You may recall that in the year 1835, when Zion's Camp was called together, after they had been out into the West, those men who had been called forth to give their lives, if need be, for this work, they were assembled for the great purpose of choosing the twelve apostles in the church, the first twelve apostles and also the first seventy, upon whom devolved the responsibility of spreading the gospel to the world. And when they were met together, the Prophet said to them, "Some of you are angry with me because I would not ¶

let you fight when you wanted to. God did not want us to fight, but He wanted us to live our lives as He had directed. It is His will that those who are chosen to be the first twelve apostles to the world and the first quorum of seventy should be chosen from Zion's Camp, from among the men who had been ready to give sacrifice, even such as Abraham of old." That is how these men were chosen — by revelation ; they had to be men of that character, men who were ready, not only to give their own lives but the lives of those who were near and dear to them. A man's own life is not dear to him sometimes, if it comes to a question of those he loves. My life would not be much to me, if I could give it for one of my children. When men have been ready to sacrifice all that they had in the world, that is the kind of men God has required since the beginning to take charge of His work. And so men have gone forth, leaving their wives and their families, even in destitute circumstances. What for? To go and preach the gospel to those who were in darkness. So today, my brethren and sisters, you parents who are here today, you young men who have been in the mission field and you who are candidates to go, we have it in our hearts to do the same bidding, to go and do Christ's service, to preach His word, to do His will and follow the direction of those who are placed over us in this church. We cannot know, we cannot appreciate, the blessings that shall come to us, unless we taste some of the bitterness of life. We cannot know how to appreciate the sweet unless the bitter comes into our lives. So it is with us in everything we do. ¶

The lines of a poet come to my mind, which exemplify the position of the Latter-day Saints. We have to suffer in order to be blessed, and when we realize this one thing, it is a wonderful consolation for us in our lives. ¶

"All wondering and eager-eyed, ¶

Within her portico, I made my plea of Hostess Life, ¶

One morning long ago. 'Pray, show me this great house of thine, ¶

Nor close a single door, ¶

For many rooms and curious things And treasures great and small. ¶

Within this spacious mansion lie. And I would see them all.' ¶

Then Hostess Life turned silently Her searching gaze on me, ¶

And with no word she reached her hand, ¶

And offered up the key. ¶

It opened first the Door of Hope. ¶

And long I lingered there, Until I spied the Room of Dreams, ¶

Just higher by a stair, And then a door, whereon the word ¶

'Happiness' was writ, But when I tried the little key, ¶

I could not make it fit. ¶

It unlocked the door of 'Pleasure's Room,' ¶

Where ev'rything seemed so bright, But after I had stayed a while, ¶

It somehow lost its light; And wandering down the little hall, ¶

I came upon a room Marked 'Duty,' and entered it ¶

To find myself in gloom. ¶

Along its shadowy walls I groaned ¶

My weary way about, And found that from dull Duty's Room ¶

The door of toil led out. It led out into another room, ¶

Whereon a crimson stain, Marked sullenly against the dark. ¶

The words, 'The Room of Pain.' ¶

But oh! the light, the light, the light! ¶

That spilled down from above! And upward wound the stairs of Faith, ¶

Right to the Tower of Love. ¶

And when I came forth from that place, ¶

I tried the little key, And lo! the Door of Happiness ¶

Swung open wide and free." ¶

And so with you, my friends, you who are ready to sacrifice and send your sons and daughters into the world to preach the gospel you may rest assured, my brethren and sisters, that when the time of reckoning shall come that the Lord shall count you among His worthy children. He shall account your sons and daughters blessed and when you shall leave this earth, and shall join together with each other in the family circle, God shall call you blessed, because you have seen fit to worship Him in spirit and in truth while you have been upon the earth. ¶

My testimony to you is that this work is true, that God's directing hand is over it, that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and that everything that has been done since the inception of this work has been guided and directed by a supreme hand, a hand that shall continue to guide and direct this work so long as the world shall last. May God bless us all I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶