Honoring the Prophets, Not Hero Worship

In the summer of 1890 a young missionary in England was about to emigrate to this country, having filled a local mission of two and a half years. He had left the home of a sorrowing mother and his brothers and sisters, whom he might never meet again in this life. He was on his way to the railroad to take the train that would take him to his destination, where he would board the ship to bring him to Zion, As he passed the market place of the little town through which he was passing, there was gathered a congregation similar to the one that is here this afternoon, excepting, doubtless, that they were very much divided in their opinions and religious conviction. The Salvation Army soldiers were preaching upon the streets, and had attracted a large congregation. The young man was attracted to the place, and stopped to listen. He remained for about five minutes, during which time this religious body sang a number of songs, made a collection, and retired without preaching any of their doctrines, but inviting the congregation to accompany them to their place of worship, to the "barracks," as they termed it. The young man left on his way to the railroad station, as he had very little time left to catch the train. But an impression came over him that it was his duty to return, mount the steps of the monument that had been occupied by the leaders of this religious sect, and preach to the congregation that had been gathered. He immediately yielded to the impressions of the Spirit, and returned. He was impressed, first of all, to quote the words of Isaiah the prophet that the Gospel was without money and without price ; and the declaration that he made seemingly attracted the congregation, and they remained. Many others gathered, and for some time the young man, under the influence of the Spirit of the Lord, preached the Gospel of repentance and baptism for the remission of sins. The people were attentive. The Spirit of the Lord was present. The message of truth was carried home to many a heart. Some of the religious body that had been holding the meeting remained behind to listen to the young man, and when he got through with his service, they were anxious to get him into debate, to destroy, if possible, the good effect of the meeting; but many of the people that were present impressed by the good Spirit of the Lord, came to the rescue of the young Elder and declared that he had spoken the truth in plainness, that he had preached,the Gospel as contained in the Bible, and it was not necessary for him to be detained longer, as his train would soon leave. So he was excused. Ten years later that young Elder, after gathering to this country and becoming established, was called on a mission to his fatherland. He returned to proclaim the gospel, as he had done to the people in that country ten years previously. It was his pleasure to visit that little town. For some years no missionary work had been done in that section of the country ; but, about two years before his return, the Elders had been sent there, and many of the people who were present at the open air meeting preached to by that young Elder when he was impressed as I have related, by the Spirit of the Lord, had gathered into the fold, and a very prosperous little branch of the church had been raised up in that part of the Lord's vineyard. When Brother Goddard was telling the experience that he was relating to you, I thought of this little incident that happened in Great Britain. ¶

The Latter-day Saints are often accused by their enemies of hero worship. When they sing that soul-inspiring song that we have sung this afternoon, many who are opposed to the Church that has been restored to the earth, accuse the Latter-day Saints of worshiping the Prophet Joseph Smith. There can be nothing farther from the truth than an accusation of that kind. True it is, that the Latter-day Saints honor and revere the memory of Joseph Smith, and why not? If God, the Eternal Father, should condescend to honor and bless this man, why should his followers hesitate to give honor and praise where honor and praise are thus manifestly due? Do we not reverence the name of Moses? Do we not speak in respect with regard to all the prophets who have so earnestly labored to uplift and save mankind ? Did not Jesus Christ Himself, the Son of the living God, magnify the prophets who had preceded Him? Did He not refer in terms of respect to the ancient prophets? Did He not give God the Father glory and praise for the work that the prophets had accomplished in their day and time? Then why should not the Latter-day Saints speak in honor and praise of the man who lived and died for the principles that our Father revealed for the salvation and glory of the human race? When we are accused of worshiping Joseph Smith we are accused wrongfully. We believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that He was the only begotten Son of the Father. We believe that He was sent into this world to do as He declared, not His own will, but the will of His Father, who had sent Him. He came into the world to restore the truths that had been lost by reason of the fact that the people were unwilling to accept the prophets, and had disregarded their message. ¶

It must be remembered that there was a period of something like four hundred years from the coming of Malachi, from the time of his administration among the people to the coming of John the Baptist, and during that time there had been an absence, so to speak, of communication between God and man. No prophet came forward declaring "Verily verily, this is the way, walk ye in it." Those of you who are familiar with the Scriptures will remember the conditions that obtained in the days of Malachi, the spirit of apostasy that was rife among God's chosen people, and how Malachi verbally chastised them because of their unbelief, and because of their turning away from the truth, and predicted what would befall them as a result of departing from the truth and ignoring the message that the prophets had brought them ; and this was the condition when the Son of God came. This was the condition when John the Baptist made his appearance. Hence he and the doctrine he preached were not popular. John the Baptist and the Savior were just as unpopular in their day as was the Prophet Joseph Smith in the day when he came. The body of believers who came into the fold, who were received into the Church of Christ by baptism were just as unpopular in the land of Judea, among God's own chosen people, as are the Latter-day Saints unpopular in this glorious country today, and in all the countries whithersoever they may be scattered declaring their truths. ¶

Jesus came with this message, that He had been sent of the Father. He complained because of the unbelief of the people. The people professed to believe in Abraham and in the prophets. Jesus told them that if they believed in Abraham they would do the works of Abraham. He simply repeated the truth as the prophets had before declared it and made known the fact that He had been entrusted with a special mission : He had been sent of the Father to preach repentance and to establish righteous laws and principles among the people ; and He declared this truth "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh to the Father but by me." The Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus was the light of the world. They believe that He did teach the truth. They believe that He had the authority and power to give laws to the people, even the law of His Father, which is the law of the Church by which all men come to a knowledge of the truth. ¶

It has never been asserted by Joseph Smith, or any of his followers, that there was any virtue, any power, any authority, in this prophet of God except such as had come down from the heavens. Joseph Smith did not preach his own doctrine, but he taught the people to believe in the law of Jesus Christ, he taught faith in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. He taught that all men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression He declared that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the ordinances of the Gospel. He declared that the laws and ordinances of the Gospel are ; First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ ; Second, Repentance ; Third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins ; and Fourth, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. He proclaimed that men must be called of God by prophecy and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof — and so we might go through all the Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and we would not find one idea expressed that could lead to the conclusion that the Latter-day Saints have any other Savior than the Redeemer of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. ¶

But I believe, my friends, that the trouble with the world today, as it has ever been, is that they want to make excuses, they want to excuse themselves for not obeying the truth, on some premises that never existed. Joseph Smith magnified the Redeemer of the world more than any other individual, I believe, that has ever lived in these last days. How could he do that by the simple truths and principles that he taught? He did it by the unblemished and pure life that he lived. He did it by the testimony that he bore to the world. And he did it by willingly giving his life in evidence of the principles that he had declared he had received from God the Father. ¶

Now, my brethren and sisters, and beloved friends who may not be members of the "Mormon" Church, let me ask you to consider carefully where you stand this afternoon. T think I can read upon the faces of this congregation that we have been gathered from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south, and have come up in obedience to the commands of the living God that we might learn of His ways, and that we might walk in His paths. May I appeal to you this afternoon that you forget not your first love for the Gospel. May I ask that we continue to investigate those principles that were revealed to us in our fatherland. May I plead with you that you contend earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to the Saints. ¶

I was delighted, in the opening session of this Conference, to hear the testimony of President Joseph F. Smith. The truth of his testimony found echo in my heart, when he said that the statement often made by our enemies, and perhaps inadvertently made sometimes by Latter-day Saints who go by outside appearances, that the Church of Christ is losing in spirituality and becoming intrenched in what the world calls "commercialism," was not true. I was delighted with the testimony he bore that the Latter-day Saints are making good in faith in God, in repentance ; that they are not losing in spiritual gifts and in power. I believe that some are losing, but it is they who are not keeping the commandments of God. I can bear testimony in my experience, in my ministry, that faith in God is on the increase. I know that to be the case in the little stake where I live and preside. I know that by the power of God the sick are healed as they ever were in the time of the history of this Church, or in the Church of Christ anciently. I know that sinners who repent and come unto Christ and are baptized, having contrite hearts and a humble spirit, receive the testimony of the Redeemer as they ever did, and they know that Jesus lives. They know that Joseph Smith was His prophet. They know that the Church of Christ is with men, with all its gifts and powers and blessings. I know that when men are humble, and trust in God, that He inspires them by His Spirit when they are called to address the congregations of the people. If they do not have the eloquence of orators, if they do not have the reasoning ability of great men, they have the testimony of Christ, which is the spirit of prophecy, which bears record to those who are honest and sincere, that they speak the truth. That is my individual and personal testimony. ¶

I thank God for the testimony that is within me. I am grateful for what God has revealed to me, and for what he has revealed to you, and for His Spirit that testifies to all the Church when men speak by its influence and power, that they are operating under that influence. ¶

Now, my brothers and sisters, may we be loyal to the faith. May we be true to one another. May we be true to the covenants we have made with God no matter where our lot may be cast, no matter what our occupation may be. Wherever we may be, whatever we are doing, let us be careful that every thought and every act of our lives is an evidence and a testimony to the world that we believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light, and that we have accepted the way, and that we are walking in the light, and have received the testimony of the Spirit. ¶

May the Lord bless us ; and as we return from this Conference, may we go forth with renewed energy and desire to serve the Lord. May we sustain in every thought and every word and every act of our lives those principles for which the prophets, ancient and modern, have lived and died. May we sustain the leader of this Church, whom God has called to direct - in this last dispensation, by our faith and our works, and thus aid in bringing to pass the day when Jesus, the Prince of Glory and Peace, shall come to the earth, and when He shall reign and peace and righteousness shall be established. ¶

"Hail, Savior, Prince of Peace, Thy kingdom shall increase Till all the worl'd thy glory see And righteousness abound As the great deep profound, And fill the earth with purity." ¶