Example of Faithful Men and Women

In my travels in the various stakes of Zion, meeting with the people in their conferences, and _m talking and discussing matters with presidents of stakes, I think I have discovered, to a very large degree, the truth of the remarks made at this conference regarding the o-rowth and development of the Church I believe, most sincerely, that we are today better prepared to serve the Lord and keep His commandments in the spirit and understanding thereof, than ever before in the history of the Church. I believe this condition is due to many causes, chief among them the fact that we are led and directed by the Spirit of the Lord. It is due also to the fact that we have the experience of the past to profit by, and the inspiration of those who have gone before, to direct us. It is due largely as we have heard, to the efficiency of those who are called and appointed to stand as presidents of stakes and counselors, members of ¶

high councils, bishops and bishops' counselors,' and in various other callings in the priesthood, and in the various organizations of the Church. These men and women — for we have organizations for our sisters — are presided over by those who have faith, who are true to the gospel principles, who have within them the spirit of the Gospel and a testimony of the truth. They are imparting these principles to the people and encouraging them in keeping the commandments of the Lord. I also feel that the visits that are made by the presiding brethren in the various stakes and wards aid to a large degree in this direction of development and growth among the people. ¶

We are advancing, we are gaining in knowledge, in wisdom, and in power. This is as it should be, and as it will always be in the church and kingdom of our Father; for there must be progression, there must be advancement. Knowledge will be poured down upon this people and the Lord will make known unto us from time to time, through revelation, and the spirit of inspiration, many things that are for our good, when we are prepared and ready to receive them. I speak generally of the Church ; but notwithstanding all our advancement, increase of faith and diligence, there is still great room for improvement. There are many among us who are not living up to their duties, accepting their callings and magnifying them as they should do. There are many among us who fall short and fail in various ways in keeping the commandments of the Lord to that extent of which they are capable. It is of this class that I desire to speak, and to say something this afternoon that will perhaps be helpful to them. ¶

I desire to read a few verses from section fifty-eight of the Doctrine and Covenants, beginning with the twenty-sixth verse : ¶

"For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things, for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. ¶

"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; ¶

"For the power is in them, wherein they are asrents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. ¶

"But he that doeth not anvthing until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned." ¶

I consider this a very important passage of scripture. While we have among us, as we have heard, one hundred thousand teachers who are instructing the people and directing them in the Gospel, nevertheless we should keep in mind this truth, that there is much that we can do individually as members of the Church without the necessity of being taught by our instructors. The Lord expects it of us. Tt ought not be necessary for the teachers to rorae into my home to teach me the law of tithing. It should not be necessary for them to come to me and mv family and teach us the word of wisdom. ' It should not be necessary for them to call upon us to teach us the necessity of prayer, or of fasting, or any other of these simple and fundamental principles of the Gospel. We ought to know enough from what we have constantly been taught and the knowledge we have from our natural understanding of the scriptures as we are guided by the Spirit of the Lord, to ¶

do these things without being taught or commanded more than to follow the general commandment as it is written in the scriptures. While it is necessary, of course, that the teachers visit in the homes of the people, to see that there is no iniquity in the Church, no back-biting, fault finding, no envy, no strife, and that all the members do their duty, yet I say we should so live that when they come to us to teach us, we can tell them with a clear conscience that we are performing these labors and accepting these principles with an eye single to the glory of God. I feel this to be our duty as members in the Church. It should not be necessary that we be continually taught and admonished in these simple truths in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We ought to so prepare ourselves through study and through faith, through observance of the law of the Gospel, through attendance at meetings and the magnifying of our callings generally, to know what the Lord expects at our hands without the necessity of someone telling us. ¶

The Lord has promised that the time shall come when every man shall be his own teacher, that is, he will know because of righteous living what to do. He will be so filled with the Spirit of the Lord that he will be guided and directed in doing right without the necessity of someone coming into his home to set it in order. Now is a good time for us to begin. Let every man set his house in order, and see that his family is taught the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ ; that they keep the word of wisdom ; that they abstain from the use of strong drink, from the use of tea, from the use of coffee, tobacco and other stimulants and narcotics which tend to destroy and to break down rather than to build up the system. Let them teach in their homes faith in God — for we all know it is necessary that faith should be taught among the people. I believe, of course, that in this regard we are far ahead of any other people in the world. We have greater faith because we have a better understanding of the truth, and because we are to a greater extent striving to keep the commandments of the Lord. But I am impressed with an expression of the Savior's. I think it is found in the eighteenth chapter of Luke. Speaking of the latter times, in one of His discourses He said to the people : "When the Son of man cometh shall He find faith on the earth?" I think the proper answer to the question is that if He finds faith on the earth it will not be to any great extent ; and I believe that the condition in the world today proves that this is what He had in mind. But we should be faithful, we should have knowledge, we should have understanding and be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is within us, and walk uprightly and justly before the Lord, and keep the commandments as they have been given to us. This is our duty as it is recorded here in the fifty-ninth section : "Wherefore I give unto them [that is the people] a commandment, saying thus : Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all they might, mind, and strength ; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve Him." This is our duty as Latterday Saints. This is the great com- * mandment and if we will put into practice this commandment which has been reiterated unto us in this dispensation, and love our neighbors ¶

as ourselves, we need have no fear regarding our salvation. ¶

I pray that when we go to our homes we will remember the things we have heard and put into practice the teachings that have been imparted and will yet be imparted here during the conference. I hope we will also carry these instructions to those who are not so fortunate as we are, and are not here to be fed the words of eternal life, and teach them, that faith may abound in the hearts of the people, and truth prevail among them, that we may stand united as one body, worshiping the Lord and keeping His commandments, because we love to do so. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶

At the conclusion of his remarks Elder Smith read the report of the auditing committee, so that those unable to attend the session on Monday, the 6th, at the time of transaction of other business, should have the privilege of hearing it. The report appears in full in statement of proceedings on April 6th. ¶

A soprano solo, from Stephens' "Ode to the Pioneers," was sung by Edna Anderson. ¶