I rejoice very much, my brethren and sisters

I rejoice very much, my brethren and sisters, in having had the privilege of attending this conference, and listening to the many instructions that we have received; and I earnestly hope that, for one, I shall be able to profit by them. I have learned in the short experience I have had in the mission field, to a small extent at least, what it means to have the Spirit of the Lord with a man to keep him in the path of duty ; and I have had it impressed more firmly in my mind, during this conference, that the only safe way lies in the path of duty, and that there is not and cannot be any real reason for men, from today at any rate, who have been in this conference, going wrong knowingly. ¶

The Lord has revealed the duty of the Latter-day Saints, through His servants the prophets ; as Amos said, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing save He reveal it through His servants the prophets." The Lord, as recorded in section one of the Doctrine and Covenants, has given us to understand that whether He speaks Himself or whether by His servants, it is the same. We have a prophet at the head to guide and instruct, the one whom the Lord speaks through for the good of His people, for the better direction of His Church in the earth ; and the Lord has revealed unto us again what it 'means to be observers of the word of wisdom, how a man can obtain strength and power and salvation through an observance of it, and what it means not to observe it. ¶

I thank the Lord, my brethren and sisters, for good and wise men who stand at the head of this Church. As a member of the Church, I am very thankful for the many long years of life of our presiding brethren ; for the years of experience of President Smith, and of President Lyman, men who have written history, together with their associates here, which the world must acknowledge to be great and glorious. I pray for their success ; ¶

I pray for the lives of these men, the leaders of this Church. I, for one, wish them to know that I love them, and I believe that I can voice the opinion of every man and woman in this congregation when I say that we love the leaders of this Church, the general authorities from President Smith down. It has taken a long time to make them great men of God, they are not made in a day, it takes a lifetime ; and I hope, for one, that I shall be able to profit by what I hear. ¶

That Israel may be strengthened, that the Church may grow stronger, that men and women may be more valiant in the performance of their duties, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶