I am pleased, my brethren and sisters

I am pleased, my brethren and sisters, to have the privilege of bearing my testimony to the Latter-day Saints who have assembled in this conference. I bear witness to you that we have heard the word of the Lord to Israel. It is incumbent upon us, whether we have only heard, or whether we will go home and put it into practice; the one who is a hearer only bringeth condemnation upon himself. I rejoice my brethren and sisters, in the testimony of all our brethren who have addressed us this conference time, not only with what has been said, but with the spirit in which it has been said, for it has come from the Lord. I am happy, indeed, to have this opportunity of fulfilling a covenant once made with the Lord to bear witness of His name and of His Son, and of the Gospel that has been restored for the salvation of the children of men. ¶

I am pleased to have the privilege of representing the Northern States mission. I have spent . a good deal of time with our missionaries after they have come home, and have told them that there is just as much joy and satisfaction and even a greater opportunity here to win souls for Christ if they will only keep the missionary spirit. If they will but keep the love that they had in their hearts for their fellowmen, while out in the field, and use it to bless their friends and neighbors at home, they would bring more souls to a knowledge of the truth, and feel more joy and peace than they did while in the mission field. ¶

I rejoiced, my brethren and sisters, in hearing the word of the Lord concerning our deportment before our fellow men. I believe that if we would live as the missionaries live, after they have been in the field a short time, that we would indeed be a light to the world, a light set upon a hill. It has been said that the Lord, in the last days, would cut a stone from the mountains, which would roll forth and fill the whole earth. The world has recognized this stone and called it a giant that should be crushed. It would indeed be a giant example of righteousness if we fully kept the word of the Lord concerning the Word of Wisdom. If all would refrain from the use of tea, coffee, liquor and tobacco, in the spirit of the word of the Lord, the love of God would reign in our hearts, and we could go forth, under the calling of the holy priesthood, and bear witness of the truth in such power that the world would stop and listen. ¶

I remember, on one occasion, being in the dining car upon a railroad train, on a hot, dusty day, from Canada to Minneapolis. I think every man and woman on the dining' car, with the exception of myself, had a bottle of beer, and, while I had never been addicted to it in my life, I confess that it looked very cooling, but I did not order it. ¶

(You don't know that, but I do, and therein lies the testimony I received.) Before I had finished my meal, the four people sitting opposite to me, were talking about their visit to the Temple block. They began to discuss what a superstitious people we are, and how there was something mysterious connected with the acoustic properties in this building. When I had finished my meal, I handed them my card, and said: "My friends, no matter how far you travel, you never know in whose presence you may be talking. I am a 'Mormon' elder, and what you have been saying about the superstition of my people is not true." After we retired from the dining car I had the privilege of talking to them about an hour, correcting their false impressions. The thing "that has come to my mind, time and time again, has been: Had I indulged in a bottle of beer, knowing the instructions and teachings that I have had from my youth, would I have had the courage to defend my religion? Would I have had the courage to tell them who I was, and what people I represented in the world? It has been a testimony to me, my brethren and sisters, that God is present in us, and we are the greatest witnesses of. our sincerity by our conduct before our fellow-men and before God our Father. ¶

Joseph Smith said that man might just as well put out his puny arm and try to stop the mighty Mississippi river in its onward course to the sea, as to try to stop this work. That is true, my brethren and sisters; but it would progress much faster if the third generation, who have been born without a desire for tea, coffee, tobacco or liquor, would not cultivate the ¶

taste for those deleterious articles. If we would rise in the strength and purity of our birthright we could more effectively aid this work, and it would roll on more rapidly, and the light thereof would become brighter than it has ever been before. The world will yet rise up and bless our names, and the names of our parents and grand-parents who, under the sound of the voice of the prophet of God, repented of their sins, lived a godly life, and gave us such a royal birth. ¶

In the face of the light that we have received, the instructions that have been given to us, and of the pleadings and warnings of the servants of God for us to live righteously, what condemnation will come upon us should we cultivate an appetite for tea, coffee, liquor and tobacco. Some of our fathers and mothers, and particularly our grandfathers and grandmothers, had these habits when the Gospel found them ; but hundreds of them forsook these things and lived a godly life, and by so doing have transmitted to us very little desire for the things the Lord said were not good for man. Light has come in to the world and condemnation will come upon those who reject the light. The word of wisdom is a revelation, and command to the third generation. If they heed it not and turn aside from the instructions and pleadings of the presiding officers of" this Church they will lose their place and station, and the honest young men and women of the world, who hear the voice of God, through His servants, will come in and take their places. ¶

God bless Zion. God bless the rising generation, that we may build upon the foundations that have been so nobly laid by our parents, and that we may follow the instructions of .our God-inspired leaders, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶