I assure you, my brethren and sisters and

I assure you, my brethren and sisters and friends, that I feel very weak in occupying this position. I desire an interest in your faith and prayers the few moments that I may stand before you, that I may be directed to say something that will be in harmony with the spirit of this conference. ¶

I rejoice in the work of the Lord. I know that the Gospel is true. I rejoice in association with the brethren who are called to preside over the Church ; I love them, I am very much benefited, as you are benefited by the influence that they carry with them. I appreciate the responsibility that is resting upon our brethren who are directing the affairs of the work of the Lord in this day, and it is my desire, in my weak and humble way, to aid and assist them, and to sustain them in the labor which they are called to perform. ¶

I know that the Lord is with us, that the Lord is with His work, that it is divine in its nature, and it has within it the power of salvation for all of those who will render obedience unto its principles. I have a living testimony of its divine truths. I am thankful to the Lord for the knowledge that I have concerning this work. I am thankful to the Lord for my standing and membership in the Church. I pray God that I may prove faithful,' that I may be able, in my weakness, to keep His commandments, to set an example before those with whom I labor, those with whom I am associated that will encourage them in the performance of their duty. ¶

I am from the north; I am living among the people of the Southern part of Idaho, in the Bingham stake of Zion, with Idaho Falls as its headquarters. Idaho Falls is a city of about 7,000 people, with only 600 Latter-day Saints there, so you will readily see that, to all intents and purposes, it is what is termed a "Gentile" town; but I want to bear testimony to you, my brethren and sisters, and friends, that there is perfect harmony there. We are living in peace with our neighbors, there is no contention. The bitterness that used to be has all passed away. Those men who used to fight the "Mormon" people have lost their influence. They carry with them no harmful influence any more. Many of them have passed away, or moved away. We are living in peace with our neighbors; we respect them, and ¶

they respect us; and they are willing to grant unto us all the rights and privileges that belong to us. We work in harmony with them, and conjointly with them in measures of reformation. ¶

We have been very actively engaged in the cause of temperance, for a few years. We have worked together until we have been able to bring about wonderful reformation along that line, wonderful as compared with the old conditions. It is almost unknown now to see a man, in our section of the country, under the influence of liquor. It is becoming very unpopular to foster, or encourage, or defend the use of liquors. Men who used to have some sympathy for it, a little time ago, have changed their views, and they have been convinced that the cause of temperance is for better citizenship, better living, more comforts in our homes, better providing for our families, and eliminating from our midst those evil tendencies that are kindred to the use of liquor. ¶

My brethren and sisters, I thank God that I have been identified with men and women who have labored for the betterment of the human race, and that we have lived to see, in a measure, some of the fruits of our labors. Now, my brethren, there are responsibilities resting upon us as the servants of the Lord, because we are in the service of the Lord. We have been honored with the priesthood, and that priesthood carries with it responsibilities and obligations, and we will be blessed according to the measure that we magnify our calling. ¶

I pray that the Lord may bless the Latter-day Saints, that the work of the Lord may grow, that the Gospel may be carried to the nations of the earth until every honest man and woman shall be convinced of the truth, and be gathered into the fold and be blessed as we are blessed. ¶

Oh, I am so thankful that I can scarcely express my gratitude to my Father in heaven that, in the early days of the Church, before I was born, my father and mother heard the Gospel, and that their hearts were touched with divine inspiration, that they knew it was true, and that their children have been raised and reared under their teachings, and, through our experiences, we have gained a testimony of the divinity of this work. May God grant that we may ever be worthy of His blessings, I pray, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶