Latter-day Saints Generally a Prayerful People

I presume you were all here this morning, and that you realize how good the Lord was to us in inspiring the brethren who spoke to us, and I trust the same good spirit will be with those who speak to the great multitude of people this afternoon in this and the other gatherings on this square. If you will do your best to hear, I will do my best to make you hear. ¶

It seems to me as though the Lord was smiling upon His people, the Latter-day Saints, and upon all people who are in the land of Zion, on this side of the world,- where we are fairly favored with peace; yet we want a little more of it, so that we will have peace altogether. ¶

On this special day of prayer, it is not very trying on the Latter-day Saints to be asked to appear before the Lord in prayer, because we are a prayerful people. All Latter-day Saints pray. They pray in the morning, they pray in the evening; they pray secretly and they pray in their families. We pray in our meetings of worship in opening and in closing the services-; and on special occasions, such as today, we pray for special blessings, to be in harmony with the people of our nation, and also in harmony with the direction and counsel of our file leaders. But, we pray always for peace, and for every other blessing that we require. When I listened to the brethren this morning preaching upon prayer, and to the prayer by President Penrose, I was reminded of a few words of the Savior that He delivered to the Nephites, after His resurrection, when He came to visit that people in the western part of the world. I want to read to you just a few words from Him in regard to the subject of prayer, in third Nephi, the 18th chapter, commencing at the fourteenth verse. After he had thoroughly taught His disciples and the multitude in regard to the sacrament he said : ¶

"Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments, which the ¶

Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you. ¶

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye are led away captive by him. ¶

"And as I have prayed among you, even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you. ¶

"And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto his disciples, he turned again unto the multitude and sa'd unto them, ¶

"Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you; that he may sift you as wheat; ¶

"Therefore ye must' always pray unto the Father in my name; ¶

"And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is rierht, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you. ¶

"Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed." ¶

These are doctrines that are entertained by the Latter-day Saints. We are trained therein, and as I say, all Latter-day Saints who are . in proper state, as all should be, remember the Lord every morning and every evening, and secretly. Jesus not only set the example of prayer with the multitude and in the congregations of the people, but He prayed secretly, He retired from His brethren, from the people in Jerusalem, and also on this continent He retired from His disciples, leaving them to pray with the multitude, and more than once did He retire and present Himself before the Lord, rejoicing exceedingly in the faith and splendid labor performed by His disciples. He was not content that the disciples should be found attending to this important duty, but it was required of the multitude, and it is required of this multitude today. If I were to express my opinion, which I feel disposed to do, I would claim that there is not another congregation in the world today of ten thousand people so generally devoted to family worship, and appearing before the Lord, as this body of men and women, Latter-day Saints, and some of our neighbors who are with us here today. In this great congregation there are many who are not Latterday Saints, and who have learned the fact that prayer is the rule of our lives; it is required of us, and we observe that requirement fairly well. When the President this morning suggested that he was fearful that we are a little careless, I could quite agree with him that that may be the case, but with all that, and with all our weaknesses, I believe that there is not another people in the world that so uniformly and generally bow the knee before the Lord in family prayer, and that appear before the Lord in_ secret prayer on all occasions. The Lord requires that we shall pray always, and that we should watch always, that we should always be on the watch and always ready to pray. ¶

I suggest to this great body of people, if they have not heard it many times before, I want to suggest it today, that when we meet together in this great Tabernacle, or in any other gathering place of the Latter-day Saints, and our brethren of the Priesthood are required to minister to us, it is the duty of every Latter-day Saint, in his heart and in her heart, to ask the Lord to bless His servant who is speaking to us. That is a prayer that should be offered by this great body , of people, by every individual ¶

soul; it should be the training of our lives. I believe that President Wilson will not find a people in the United States that will give greater care, thought and faith "to his proclamation than have the Latterday Saints on this occasion ; and we will be prepared to pray whenever he wants us to pray, if he will only keep peace in the country so that we don't have to engage in fighting. Prayer is very much better than warfare. I wanted to say that much in regard to the subject of prayer. If Latter-day Saints have a necessity for reformation upon that subject, we should address ourselves to entering into the spirit of prayer, and maintain and enjoy it constantly. We should remember the Lord always, and especially in the season thereof. All Latter-day Saints, thoroughly trained, understand that the season of prayer in the home is in the morning and in the evening, and that secretly we should remember the Lord on all occasions, and our hearts should go out to Him! I do not know that T ever felt more distinctly than I did this morning, when the President spoke upon that subject, the fact of the importance of the Lord to us, for in Him we live and without Him we die. In Him we move, and without Him we will never move. In Him we have our being, without Him we would not be; we would not have been, nor yet would we be in the future. Whatever we have and enjoy comes from the Lord ; we ought to recognize that fact, and I presume no people in the world do so as thoroughly as do the Latterday Saints. ¶

My mind has been occupied just lately upon the subject of our ministry, my brethren and sisters, and I want to say a few words in regard to that subject. I see to the right here the Presidents of Seventies. I find that in the Church there are very many thousands of seventies ; they have become very abundant and they are being multiplied. Discovering that the nations in trouble and in war has made it necessary for us to call many of pur elders home, and release those whose missions were completed, and give those who were just starting out new fields in other nations, I would ask that the brethren who have the direction of their labors, of their ordinations and training and so forth, should give careful attention to the body of seventies in this Church. We are preaching the Gospel as best we can in the world with the elders, quite generally, when in preference to the elders, and the Lesser Priesthood and high priests, the seventies should be found in the field, every seventy. When I was called and ordained a seventy, I was instructed that I had become a minute man. I have been a minute man for over fifty years, ready and willing at any moment. I believe that I have never hesitated when I was wanted in the field, for I have been a seventy from that time, and expect to be as long as I keep the faith. We need the seventies, Bishops and presidents, the general presidency, the" presiding presidency of the seventies, and presidency of quorums of seventies, we want the seventies ; we need them in our business of preaching the Gospel. I hold that no man should be ordained a seventy unless he is prepared to work, that is work in the ministry abroad. It isn't necessary that men should be ordained seventies to work at home, for the elders have ample authority to work at home. In the home mission ¶

fields, so far as that is concerned, the seventies are perfectly competent, but they are expected to labor in the foreign ministry, as those upon whom the Twelve depend, and call upon, in preference to all others. I want to interpret that scripture for the benefit of the seventies in this Church. Bishops and presidents of stakes, and all who are intrusted with recommending elders for the field, should regard it as their duty to recommend the seventies in preference to any other elders in the Church, for foreign ministry. Every seventy should be in condition to go, that is be ready to go ; and his condition should be such that he is able to go. If he is not able to go into the field, he may take a place with the elders and high priests, and he can labor at home, because there is ministry needed at home that will, perhaps, never be quite fully and completely occupied. The field is not filled here, no more than we can fill it abroad. There is work enough in Zion, among the Latter-day Saints, to occupy the labors of the. ten thousand or more seventies that are now at home. The elders and high priests can take care of that labor, as well as to go abroad when necessary. But, we advise that our brethren of the seventies, wdio have had experience and training, and possibly have been in the missionary field at least once, and also had training and experience at home, that they be put into the field. We want at least one of them by the side of every two elders or inexperienced men ; we would rather have more. We would like them to have the opportunity, and it should be the pride of every seventy in this Church to fulfill one mission, and after he has fulfilled that one mission he should be willing to fill another mission to preach the Gospel. These are opportunities that are very precious to the elders in Israel. The Priesthood is given to them and to us to magnify. When the presiding brethren in the Church, in the stakes and quorums, and in every department are called upon, and are set apart and instructed, it is because they are needed, and should be employed. We are willing, the Twelve are willing, to put our hands upon those brethren and bless them and send them forth, if you will send them to us. We don't think it necessary to multiply seventies simply to fill up quorums of seventies and keep them here at home, not at all. We want them prepared and ready to preach the Gospel. We want that to be the pride of their lives, to work while they are in the prime of life, and can stand the hardships that attend upon missionary service ; and those who are unable to go abroad and do that, can take place with the high priests, and work in the home ministry, there is plenty of labor here. ¶

I want to draw your . attention also, my brethren of the Priesthood, that it is not alone the foreign ministry, it is not alone the utilizing of the labors of the seventies, nor yet of the high priests and elders abroad, but the great and most important work of all is to engage the efforts and labors of the Priesthood at home. Every man who bears the Priesthood is a minister, a teacher and preacher, and should teach and preach and magnify his priesthood and calling, which is pleasing unto the Lord. Every member of the Church, not only those who bear the Priesthood but all others, should be suitably considered, suitably labored with, young men and young women, and older ones also, property ¶

trained, instructed and brought into the service of the Lord until they become nearly faultless as mortal men and women can be, working diligently and faithfully every day, accomplishing some good ministerial work. Our sisters have missionary fields at home to fill as well as some that go abroad, but generally their fields of labor are domestic; they belong at home, but there is a ministry for them also, an opportunity for them to teach the truth. They can advocate it, and they can live it and fulfill the purposes of the Lord at home. Cottage meetings and other gatherings should be arranged, so that those who become careless, or that are situated so that it is difficult for them to overcome their conditions, either from physical weakness or otherwise, may be found and known, that the Bishop of the ward can vouch to his stake presidency that every man, woman and child in his ward is being suitably considered and cared for, spiritually fed and instructed. That should be done, and there are plenty of the lesser and higher priesthood that haven't anything of a ministry on their hands to prevent them performing this labor. Thus all the Latter-day Saints may be inspired, and prompted, and reminded of their duties, and stirred up to become alive, like live coals ; and become prayerful, and partake of the sacrament whenever they can do so. Latter-day Saints can't be quite perfect without partaking of the sacrament ; neither can they become perfect without attending to their prayers on suitable occasions, and in due season. Then there is the services that fathers owe to their children, husbands to wives, parents to children, wives to husbands ; those services and helps that strengthen each other's faith can be performed in the homes, even if they can't reach the houses of worship. But it is pleasing to the Lord that we should gather together on the Sabbath day in the houses of worship, all members of the Church. That is what we should do. There is inspiration in a congregation, in a multitude of people listening to the word and will of the Lord. The Lord is willing to inspire His servants in their own families and homes, men who are so strong in the faith that they can attend to all requirements that are necessary in their families, to bless their children, administer to the sick and impart other blessings. They are authorized to do such service, they belong to every household and family in the Church, and those who live for those blessings are entitled to receive them. I wanted to say that much. ¶

I am delighted with the opportunity to speak to such an enormous congregation as we have here today, the brethren representing all the stakes and many of the missions in the United States. I would be de^ lighted if we could have the presidents of other missions with us on such occasions. If they only could reach us as handily as those in the United States it is probable they would be here, to meet with us. Those who can meet with the Twelve twice a year and we look them over, and inquire after them, and after their conditions, and concerning their fields of labor and the missionaries entrusted to them ; and require of them that they shall look carefully to the conditions of the young men that we send to them, that they shall be trained, that they should watch and pray always. We discover that it is very fitting that ¶

presidents of missions should watch and pray always, that they should watch the interests entrusted to them; that presidents of stakes should be watchful, and bishops of wards, and presidents of high priests quorums, and of seventies quorums, and elders quorums, and the bishops at the head of the lesser priesthood, that all these men should be wideawake, and know the individuals that they have to deal with. ¶

The brethren of the Twelve are not a very large body, and the First Council of Seventies added to us makes just a few brethren to look over the missionary work of this Church, the ministry of the Church at home and abroad. You will find, I say, and these presidents of stakes, I think, can bear witness, that we look them over, we inquire after them, and after high councils, and after the bishops and counselors, and prominent men in the quorums, so far as we have opportunity to find them, we look them over, inquire after them, and know their status. It is the duty of the brethren in the stakes and wards, and in the quorums, to know the nature of their assistants in the priesthood, and when they bring them into positions of responsibility, give them employment, much or little, whatever they do, they should know what their conditions are, and if they are fully worthy and qualified for the responsibility that is given them. Especially when we recommend brethren to go into the world, to go abroad into the nations of the earth, they should be prayerful, faithful and humble, they should be altogether worthy, moral, upright and true ; this is very necessary. ¶

I suppose while men are in the flesh they are liable to get into some trouble, some difficulties. We are sometimes high strung, and sin with our lips and tongues; we talk hastily and say things inconsiderately. We ought to have ourselves in good training so that whatever we do is well and properly done. All men who are Latter-day Saints, who have repented, and been baptized for the remission of their sins, and have received the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands, every such man is inspired by the Lord with the understanding that it is quite possible for him to do what is right. And there isn't any excuse for men to do wrong, no justification ; we can't plead any excuse. I care not what my neighbor does, what my brother does and others do, and how much they may be wrong, I have no excuse or justification for doing wrong, for the law is we should do good for evil. That is the standard of Latter-day Saints, that we do good for evil, that we pray for our enemies if we have any, and pray for our friends, and bless them, and appreciate them because we have none to spare, we need them all, and are grateful for them. We want the arrangement of stakes, and wards, and quorums and associations such that these organizations will accomplish the purposes for which they were designed, for the salvation of the people, for their own salvation, and to labor for the salvation of others. That is the ministry that belongs to the Latter-day Saints, and we are laboring in our ministry at home. ¶

I want to say for brethren and sisters who can't go abroad, whatever their conditions and reasons are that they can't go into ministry abroad, that their missions and ministry at home is just as acceptable, just as profitable and pleasing in the sight of God as a missionary service ¶

abroad, just exactly. I have had a little experience abroad as well as at home, and I have learned the lesson that it is just as important and valuable for a man to labor at home as it is abroad, and it is just as easy ; and the Spirit of the Lord is as generous to come to the aid of an elder at home as it would if he were in a mission field abroad. To cure conditions suggested by the President here, I think it was this morning, the brethren should be taken hold of and employed when they return from their missions. Every man who performs a mission and does it in the proper spirit, and is gone two or three years, when he comes home he should have good training, and have stamina enough in him to attend to his duties and to furnish employment for himself, and find something that needs to be done. In the mission field, they find something to do, they are not followed by the president, they are there at liberty among the people in the world, and they find people to labor with, they find something to say and something to do, and they have that kind of field and ministry right here at home in every stake, in every ward, in every quorum, in every family. The Lord has generously bestowed His divine authoriu upon man, so that every man in the Church, almost, bears the priesthood, and the Lord serves notice on you, my brethren, from the high priest to the deacon, that there is a ministry for you to perform. You should engage yourself therein, just as the patriarchs, presidents of stakes, bishops of wards, and the Twelve, the Presidency of the Church, thev are never at a loss to find something to do. The only question is whether they can find time to do what is required of them and do all things that are expected of them. There is a ministry and mission for the Latter-day Saints everywhere. I have thought that if the world should cast us out, and we would have to stay at home, suppose we could only have peace in Zion, that is on our own continent, why there is opportunity here for all Latter-day Saints to lahor. If there should be war in our nation, or anything occur that we would not be permitted to mingle among the people in different parts of this continent, North and South America, and we were confined to our own popuation of the few states that we are interested in here, there is need for ministry here. There are people who haven't received the truth, haven't listened, they have not opened their hearts to receive the message that has been sent to them by the Lord, the message of the restoration of the Gospel and the doctrines of the Gospel, the principle of faith, without which no man can please God. ¶

Men who denounce faith in God can't please Him at all, because they don't believe there is a God. We must believe there is a God, and have faith in Him, and in His power, and in the doctrine of repentance. Without repentance it is not possible for men to please God, and without baptism we can't please God; without receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands it is not' possible for us to please the Lord; that is to please Him entirely. The Lord is pleased with every good thing that we do, and that any of His children do, righteous, proper things. Good things that are done are pleasing in the sight of the Lord so far as they go, the truth told and righteousness accomplished ; but to fulfill the purposes of the Lord, and please and satisfy Him, and for our salvation, compliance with the ordinances of the Gospel is important and necessary, indispensable. I want to testify to you, as your brother, that without these doctrines men cannot be saved, and it takes all of them, it isn't enough for a man to be perfect in any one form. That is good as far as it goes, but he must be good in all points ; he must be faithful and true in all things ; he must be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect, and our Father in heaven is just perfect enough to do just exactly what is right. He does just exactly what is right with us. Jesus did the same, He walked in the footsteps of His Father, and we are expected, when He sets the example for us as He says He did, for He invites us; we should follow in His footsteps, and do as He has done to earn the same right to be heirs of God and joint heirs with Him in all that the Father possesses, that is the promise that is given to us. Those promises, and the Spirit of the Lord that accompanies His service, establishes these strong men in the faith. ¶

You take these men, sixty-six men that stand at the head as presidents of stakes, and twice as many counselors and, then take these seven hundred and thirty-five bishops, and twice as many counselors with them, they constitute a strong body of men, and they are laboring diligently as they are directed, and they listen, they take counsel, and they commune with the Lord, and they are substantial and solid in their calling. They know the doctrines and principles of the Gospel, and they are serving God and keeping His commandments. They are shepherds of the flocks, and saviors among the people, and they are performing works such as I have suggested should be performed, and all Latter-day Saints are thoroughly trained and taken care of, none overlooked. I want to draw your attention to the fact that it is the sick that need the physicians, but often it is the well that receive the chief attention from the physicians. That is the trouble, because those that are well we find easily, they are right in our way all the time, but those that are sick need to be hunted up by the physicians, and receive treatment at their hands. ¶

May God bless us with peace on earth and good will among men. that the prayers offered this day throughout our nation may have the weight that is necessary, and influence the great Christian nations who now have their swords drawn against each other, trying to destroy each other's lives by the tens of thousands, that they may be brought to think, and cease their war and bloodshed. What a shame and humiliation it is; you and I might just as well turn in and fight each other ; there is no sense nor reason to it. If a nation gets to balking, there ought to be influence and power enoucrh in other nations of the earth ¶

• ¶

to box their ears, make them sit down and behave themselves. That's the way the brethren do with me. T tell you they keep me pretty straight, I have got to walk just as straight as can be. I hold that every nation in this world should be held in such control that they would have to behave themselves. The majority should rule, and rule for the right. When the Lord has His way I tell you that peace will reign on earth, and there will be good will among men. ¶

God bless all Tsrael, and God bless oiir friends that need the blessings and favor and help of the Lord to ¶

settle their difficulties, that peace may come presently, and that it will not be necessary to destroy the lives of so many precious and valuable men, leaving two or three or four other Christians broken hearted for every man that dies in the war. •May the Lord come to their rescue, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶