My brethren and sisters, I feel it

My brethren and sisters, I feel it an honor to have been called to this stand today, and like the brethren who have already addressed you, I rejoice in the statements that have been made, and in the counsel and advice that have been given to us at the different sessions of this conference. ¶

I rejoice with the brethren and sisters at all times, when they are enjoying that spirit and influence that comes from our Father in Heaven. He has given to us the Gospel of His Son, He has given to us the plan of life and salvation, which, if followed out in our lives, will lead us back into His holy presence. To me there can be nothing greater come to mankind than to have lived in this dispensation in which God has been so merciful to open up our understanding and give us the light of truth, that we might be able to receive a testimony of this great latter-day work. I testify to you, my brethren and sisters, that I know this is the work of God. ¶

I am thankful that the elders came to Scotland in early days, and that my father and mother had the hardihood to accept the principles which they taught, to accept their testimony, and afterwards to obey the Gospel and receive a testimony for themselves. I thank God for this, because I know not whether I would have had the hardihood of myself to accept it or not, but I do appreciate the fact that they did, and that I have been brought to this goodly land ; and that so far as the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord has been with me, I have tried to follow in the path of truth. To a man full of weakness and imperfections, it is a hard thing to do. But I have tried in my weakness to do that which is right and, whether I have made a success in it or not, the Lord will judge me when the great day shall come. I pray that His blessings mav be with us as Latter-day Saints, that we may realize that we are God's children, and that the blessings of heaven are given us, inasmuch as we will do that which He requires at our hands. ¶

Mention has been made at one of the sessions of this conference in regard to the great principle of uniting families together for time and for all eternity. To me, this is the grandest and most glorious principle that the latter-day work presents to us, the fact that God has given to His servants in this dispensation, authority to bind men and women together as husband and wife eternally. Nothing can be more joyful than to know that after the troubles of this life are over, after we have passed through scenes of adversity, and sometimes prosperity, and have finished this course of life, that we shall arise on the morning of the resurrection and meet those that we loved on earth, and those that loved us. To me, this is one of the greatest and grandest principles that has been revealed in this latter dispensation. We know the troubles there are in life : we know the adversities we have to pass through, we know the struggle there is, and then to think that, after death claims us, those we have loved and who have loved us would not be our associates in the ages that are to come, to me it is impossible, it is not God-like, it can't be true. ¶

God is a lover of His children, just the same as we are lovers of our children, and we want to meet and associate with each other through the countless ages of eternity ; and may God grant it to us all, I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶

A seventeenth ward choir double quartette, under direction of James H. Neilson, rendered Prof. Evan Stephens' new song, "Loyal to the Truth and the Right." ¶