My brethren and sisters, I sense very keenly the responsibility

My brethren and sisters. I sense very keenly the responsibility that is upon an elder occupying this position, and I desire earnestly that the short time I stand before you that the Spirit of the Lord which has characterized the meetings of this conference shall also prompt in what I may be led to say. ¶

I have rejoiced in the spirit of the conference, and all that has been said and done has received my heartiest approval. The words of admonition and of rebuke, if they may be so termed, have appeared to me to come with the real spirit and inspiration of the Lord, and have applied to people over whom I preside in the Millard stake of Zion, and I believe they apply largely throughout the Church. The words of our leaders have been inspired of the Lord, they have been spoken by ¶

true shepherds of Israel, watchmen upon the towers of Zion, and it becomes the duty of those who have heard, and those who shall hear or read the proceedings of this conference, to reduce to practice in their lives the wise suggestions that have been made. I bear record, as President Ballif has done, that my prayers have been answered, and things that have worried me, and to which I have given thought and attention, have been spoken in this conference and our duties made plain. I am disposed, as far as I may be given ability, to introduce and to spread this spirit and these teachings among the people where I labor, for I love the people over whom I preside. I am anxious for their welfare, temporal and spiritual. I desire earnestly their salvation and good works, and in connection with them I desire the salvation of the human family, the whole household of faith in particular. I feel that the remarks that have been made, the suggestions that have been given for our temporal and spiritual benefit are timely and proper. They appeal to us, and deserve our earnest attention, and advocacy among all of our people when we shall return to our homes. ¶

Our brethren have been impressed, even as was the Apostle Paul in some of his epistles to the ancient saints, with the necessity of calling the people to repentance. Since listening to the remarks of the President, in the opening session of the conference, I have compared his appeal to the people, and his instructions, to some remarks made in an epistle written to the Corinthian Saints by the Apostle Paul. I shall read a few verses in the tenth chapter of the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, . as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, As some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." ¶

These were the exhortations of the Apostle to the Corinthian Saints, and were given as an admonition to them. I rejoice in the fact that we have men with us today, servants of the Lord, His prophets, who see the necessities of the people, and give us words of admonition that we may escape the calamities that have come upon other generations and other people, when they have fallen into sin and failed to keep the commandments of God. Therefore I rejoice in the admonitions we have received in this conference, and I ¶

bear record of their truth, because the Spirit of the Lord has indicated to me that they are true. ¶

I was impressed with the remarks of President Smith, wherein he said that many of the blessings to which the Saints are entitled do not come to them ; many are deprived of these blessings for the reason that they are not in harmony with all of the principles of the gospel, and they are not living their lives as they should do. We should teach the Gospel by our examples as well as by our precepts. I believe that all who hold the priesthood, and who are acting in it and under its authority, realize the truth of the statements of the President. I testify, as did President Ballif, in regard to the inspiration that characterizes the life and the 'labors of the true Latter-day Saint, that the cause is not failing, that inspiration has not ceased, but it is still powerful, and the blessings and the privileges of the Gospel are enjoyed by those who are living the lives of Latter-day Saints. The Spirit bears record today, as it did in ancient days, when the people of the Lord have been keeping His commandments, in regard to the truth of the work. Blessings and inspiration attends the ministrations of the servants of the Lord, and the hearts of the people are made to rejoice when they are keeping His commandments and are entitled to the blessings. ¶

Last week I was called into the home of a good faithful family, where their petitions ascend to the Lord in the season thereof, as recommended by President Lyman this morning, where the Word of Wisdom is kept by the father and mother and children. I was called to administer to one who had met with a serious accident, and who was ¶

lying at the point of death ; and while administering to the young lady who was thus sorely afflicted, I received inspiration of the Lord to promise her restoration to perfect health and strength ; and, after the ministration was over, to comfort the heart of the anxious mother, I assured her that the Lord had revealed to me that her daughter should be restored to perfect condition. I bear testimony to this as evidence that the Spirit of inspiration and revelation is enjoyed by members of the Church who keep the commandments of the Lord. When we come into homes of the character I have described, we feel the influence, and have the power to call down upon the inmates of that home the blessings of the Almighty. ¶

These blessings may be enjoyed more fully by the Saints if they will walk uprightly and keep the commandments of the Lord. I rejoice in this fact, and that our leaders receive inspiration of the Almighty from time to time as is necessary, and give wise counsel unto the people. I feel like taking home with me and give to the people for whose welfare I am more anxious than for any others, because they are most closely associated with me, this message, that if they desire to receive the blessings of the Almighty in their families, in the restoration of the sick, the prevention of disease, and the enjoyment of the Spirit of the Lord, they must live according to the laws upon which these blessings are predicated and promised. ¶

As remarked by one of the speakers this morning, I am proud of the monuments that have been erected commemorating the great achievements of the Pioneers in the settlement of these valleys, proud of the homes that they made, and were able to make possible for succeeding generations. I am proud of my connection with the Church, that I am permitted to work in the service of the Lord, that He has given me the inspiration of His Spirit to the extent that I have been able to see the folly of evil and eschew it to a degree, that I have a disposition to seek and to enjoy His favor and blessings. I call to mind this moment the way in which we may do this, as set forth beautifully in another epistle of the Apostle Paul, written to the Ephesians, wherein he exhorts that people to be fully prepared against every evil that may be brought against them : ¶

"Finally, brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil; for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." ¶

This is the measure of safety that is offered in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the armor with which we should be encased, and being thus equipped we may go forth fearlessly and boldly, without fear, shunning sin, death and destruction. ¶

My brethren and sisters, I bear testimony of the truthfulness of this work, that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and that within it are all that my nature and disposition and character require, for in it I find a solace for every requirement of my soul. To it I look for the alleviation of every suffering, and in it I find the most perfect satisfaction of the higher aspirations of life. ¶

May the Lord help us to live so that eventually we may merit and attain to eternal lives in His kingdom, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶

A quartette was rendered by male members of the choir. ¶