Lives of faithful Church members consistent with Gospel

I certainly would have been pleased if our brethren had felt disposed to occupy the remaining time. I have rejoiced in their testimonies, in what they have had to say by way of admonition and encouragement to the Latter-day Saints. I feel that we have had a most excellent time so far during this conference. The admonition, the advice, the instruction imparted, have been for our good individually and collectively, and I feel that it should sink deep into our souls. We should feel to rejoice in such teachings as we receive in this dispensation; teachings that are uplifting and will make us better not only as members of the Church but better as citizens in the community. There is nothing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ that is not uplifting. There never was and never will be advice given to the Latter-day Saints from their leaders that will not be for their good, for our leaders have but one desire, and that is the salvation of the people, both temporally and spiritually. ¶

We ought to rejoice in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because it is the truth revealed again. We are not walking in darkness. We are not led by blind leaders who have taken to themselves authority and prerogatives which do not belong to them; but we are led by and directed through the spirit of inspiration, and it behooves each one of us as members of the Church to heed the warning voice and follow the instruction that is given at our conferences. We are, notwithstanding our weaknesses, the best people in the world. I do not say that boastingly, for I believe that this truth is evident to all who are willing to observe for themselves. We are morally clean, in every way equal, and in many ways superior to any other people. The reason is that we have received the truth, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not to us a dead letter, something perhaps to be followed on the Sabbath day and forgotten on the six other days of the week: but our religion is an every-day religion. We are expected to live in accordance with the principles of truth every day of our lives; for these principles are just as true in the middle of the week as they are on the Sabbath day. I believe, further, that the Latter-day Saints are the only people who are consistent in their belief and practice. We accept Jesus as the Redeemer of the world without qualification, and that is not done generally in the world, among those who profess to believe in Him and call themselves Christians. Even among many ministers who affix to their names the title of reverend, He is not accepted as the Redeemer of mankind. They are not consistent, because they do not teach and they do not practice the principles that have been set forth by the Savior, and which are recorded in the scriptures. Men stand up before the people in the congregations of the so-called Christian communities, and declare that they do not accept Christ as the Redeemer of the world. They teach the people that they do not believe in the resurrection from the dead. They do not even accept the eternal resurrection of the Christ. They do not believe that He came into the world to take upon Him the sins of the world and redeem us from our sins. They scoff at the idea that He had power to offer Himself a sacrifice for the sins of others. They deny the miracles that the Savior performed, and say they do not believe in them. ¶

They call themselves progressive, and declare that they have received greater light, greater understanding, greater development through their researches, through their study and their own wisdom, by which they have come to the conclusion that these things recorded in the scriptures are fables, and were written in a day when the people were inclined to believe and accept as miracles things which did not and could not occur. ¶

I am just simple enough in my belief to accept that which is recorded in the scriptures. I believe it with all my heart. I know that Jesus is the Christ, that He did come into the world to redeem the world from sin, and that men through acceptance of the principles of the Gospel — those principles which were taught at the opening of our conference — will receive a reward and an exaltation in the kingdom of our God. I know that salvation does not come through any other name than that of Jesus Christ, and that any man who will not obey the principles of truth as Christ set them forth in His Gospel will not receive the remission of sins, and cannot enter into the kingdom which is prepared for the righteous. ¶

I desire to read a little from one of the revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith: ¶

"Therefore, whosoever belongeth to my Church need not fear, for such shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. But, it is they who do not fear me, neither keep my commandments, but build up churches unto themselves to get gain, yea, and all those that do wickedly and build up the kingdom of the devil; yea, verily, verily I say unto you, that it is they that I will disturb, and cause to tremble and shake to the center. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I came unto my own, and my own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. I am He who said, other sheep have I which are not of this fold, unto my disciples, and many there were of the house of Jacob. And I will show unto this people that I had other sheep, and that they were a branch of the house of Jacob. And I will bring to light their marvelous works, which they did in my name. Yea, and I will also bring to light my Gospel which was ministered unto them, and, behold, they shall not deny that which you have received, but they shall build it up, and shall bring to light the true points of my doctrine, yea, and the only doctrine which is in me. And this I do that I may establish my Gospel, that there may not be so much contention; yea, Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them. Therefore, I will unfold unto them this great mystery. For, behold, I will gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if they will not harden their hearts. Yea, if they will come, they may, and partake of the waters of life freely. Behold, this is my doctrine: whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church. And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against him." ¶

Now, there are those who declare more or less than this. They will not repent of their sins. They will not accept Jesus as the Redeemer of the world. They will not believe that He spoke the truth when He declared unto the people that He was the Son of God, and that He came to fulfill the mission that was given to Him of His Father, to redeem the world from sin. They reject these things. They will not believe them; hence they remain in the bondage of sin, and cannot be redeemed, because they will not receive the principles by which salvation comes. There are many of this class that go around through the country, stirring up the hearts of the people against the truth, declaring that these things are not so, and that it is unnecessary for men to observe these principles, and ordinances that are declared in the scriptures to be essential to salvation. They are destroying the faith of the people wherever it is possible. But we should be strong in the faith; each one of us should be filled with a determination to serve the Lord and to keep His commandments, for we have received the light which shineth in darkness that comes from the Lord. We are not walking in darkness, but in the light of truth as it has been revealed. There is no occasion for the members of the Church to go astray, to disregard the principles of the Gospel, for they are so plain and have been set forth in such clearness, that none need stumble or be in doubt concerning them. It is necessary that we should keep them in mind constantly, living worthily before the Lord, that we may receive His blessings. ¶

Now, at this conference we have heard a great deal concerning the duties of the members of the Church, the responsibilities resting upon those who have been called to hold the priesthood and who hold positions of trust and of presidency among the people, whether it be in the stakes, the wards, the quorums of the priesthood or other organizations. We have been instructed concerning our duties, how there is work enough for all of us to do. There need be no idlers among us. We have heard all of these things, and we should remember them and put them into practice, so far as our duties are concerned as members of the Church. The blessings of the Gospel will not come unto us if we disregard our duties and break the commandments of the Lord, we will not be blessed if we refuse to listen to the priesthood and will not follow the instructions that are given to us from time to time. We have officers in the Church necessarily to take the lead and to instruct the people, and they are inspired men. The bishops, the presidents of stakes, the various officers who are called and appointed to take charge of the many departments in the great work of the Lord are men of inspiration, and they have the right to the Spirit of the Lord, and they receive inspiration for their guidance and for the guidance of the people over whom they preside. We should listen to them, and obey their instructions. When we pray we should ask the Lord to pour out His Spirit upon the leaders in the Church, whether they minister as bishops of the wards, presidents of stakes, or in the presidency of the Church. We should not pray merely with our lips: but in every act, in our conversation, in all that we undertake to do, we should try to carry out the expressions of our prayers, and be in harmony with the thoughts that we declare to the Lord in our daily supplications. ¶

The Lord will bless Zion. He will pour out His Spirit upon the people. He will prosper them if they will remember Him, if they will keep His commandments, if they will observe the covenants that they have made Him and not violate them; if they will hold themselves aloof from the world, and not be partakers of the sins of the world. I do not mean to say that we ought not to associate at any time with those not of our faith, for there are many good people who have not embraced the Gospel. We are not required to avoid them, for our mission in the world is with them, to convert them to the truth if we can. But we need not be partakers of the sins of the world; we need not follow the foolish fashions of the world. We need not corrupt ourselves because many in the world are corrupt. We have received better things. We are walking in the knowledge and the understanding of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and are entitled to that inspiration which will warn us of danger and guide us in the path of duty, and give us power to resist and overcome evil. We have the right to call upon the Lord in prayer and in faith for help, for guidance, for the assistance of His Holy Spirit, and we will receive it. And I pray that we may be true to our covenants, true to each other; that we will cast out of our hearts all that is evil, that we will not speak evil one of another, or be given to backbiting or contention or strife, for the spirit of wickedness destroys faith and tends to divide and separate instead of uniting and strengthening the people. We must stand united as one — our purposes are the same, our aims are the same. We are laboring in the direction of eternal life and progression. There is no variance among the teachers in Israel concerning the principles of the Gospel. We are united concerning these things. There is no division among the authorities, and there need be no division among the people; but unity, peace, brotherly love, kindness and fellowship one to another. These are the blessings that we are entitled to, if we will live in accordance with the Gospel, and the Lord will pour out other and greater blessings, even all that we are able to contain. I pray that we will keep the commandments of the Lord, be diligent in the discharge of our duties, and each one labor, not merely for his personal salvation but in the interests of the entire community and the salvation of the children of men. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶