Testimony that the Lord lives —

I rejoice, my brethren and sisters, in being permitted once more to see this vast throng of people in this place of worship, and I bear testimony that the Spirit of the Lord has been with us in every session of this conference, both with those who have spoken and with those who have sung praises of the Lord, also with those who have offered prayer. The Spirit of the Lord has prompted all the exercises of this conference thus far, and I pray that the Spirit of the Lord will be with me in my brief testimony, that what I may say may be so impressed upon the minds of those who have gathered "here that it may be beneficial. ¶

We have heard much about the mission and characteristics of our Savior and our Redeemer. We have heard the testimonies of his servants in these the last days, and I bear testimony to their truthfulness, and would like to add my testimony thereunto. I know that the Lord lives, that he actually lives, and my faith in my Father in heaven is as firm and clear from doubt as the faith of a little child, knowing that his father and his mother are his actual guardians, protectors and providers here upon the earth. ¶

I have a great deal of sympathy and love for little children, and I bear testimony that the Lord loves little children. The instance related of him, where his disciples would forbid little children to come to him, he rebuked them and said, "Suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:14). ¶

"Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. ¶

Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power ,over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me. ¶

"And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children. ¶

"Behold I say unto you, that this thing shall ye teach, repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children. ¶

"And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfiling the commandments unto the remission ,of sins. ¶

"But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism. ¶

"Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell. ¶

"Behold I say unto you, That he that supposeth that little children need baptism, is in the gall of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity; for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell. ¶

"For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism. ¶

"Wo be unto him that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish, except they repent. Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and ¶

T fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear; ¶

"And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore all children are alike unto me; wherefore I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation. ¶

"For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable Being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity. ¶

"Little children cannot repent; wherefore it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are all alive in him because of his mercy. ¶

"And he that saith, That little children need baptism, denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at nought the atonement .of him and the power of his redemption. ¶

"Wo unto such, for they are in danger of death, hell, and an endless torment. I speak it boldly, God hath commanded me. Listen unto them and give heed, or they stand against you at the judgment seat of Christ. ¶

"For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law. For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent: and unto such baptism availeth nothing" (Moroni 8:8-23). ¶

There are many of our Latterday Saint mothers who have mourned the loss of their litle children, and many mothers have felt that they themselves had committed some great sin, else their little ones would not be taken from them. Now, to such mothers let me say, do not accuse the Lord of taking your little ones from you, nor feel that you have committed any great sin, that those little ones are taken from you, because the Lord loves little children and he will not treat them unkindly, nor without mercy, for through the blood of his atonement they shall come forth in the morning of the resurrection with his Saints, and they shall be glorified according to the works they would have accomplished in the earth had they lived. I have great hope and great consolation in the blessings of our Lord, in the promises of our Redeemer, that through our faithfulness in keeping his commandments we shall meet our loved ones, and especially those who have left this life in the time of infancy and innocence. Now, with the little children, the Lord loves those who keep his commandments, those who obey him and render faith like unto that of little children ; and those who are obedient to his commandments will receive his greatest love, and his greatest blessings. ¶

I am very grateful to my Father in heaven for the testimony that I have of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that my Father in heaven actually lives, and that he will hear and answer our prayers when we seek him in faith and in humility. I have a testimony of the power of faith in the earth, and I know that the Lord will accept our faith when we humble ourselves, and that he will help us to exercise our faith, that his purposes may be accomplished in the earth through our efforts. ¶

Now, there is one thought that comes to me in speaking of the lives of little children, and of the bereavement that is left in the homes on the separation from these little ones. To my mind it is only typical, and perhaps there is some sadness in it, but it will be no comparison to the sadness that our fathers and mothers will partake of when they come forth in the morning of the resurrection with a desire to meet their loved ones, if ¶

they find that they have not obeyed the law of the Lord which is now being administered, in the holy temples, by the servants of the Lord. When these fathers and mothers discover that they have no claim upon their little ones who have left them in this life, because of their own disobedience to the law, having heard and known the law, and never obeyed it, then will there be sorrow and weeping and wailing that will be sorrow indeed. ¶

With the moments that are left me this morning I urge my brethren and sisters, the sons and daughters of the Latterday Saints, that we honor the law of the Lord, that when this glorious day of resurrection shall come, which we know will come, that we may hold claim upon our loved ones in that glorious day, through our obedience to the law of the Lord that is now administered in the houses of the Lord, by the authority which God has placed upon the earth, and the work performed by that power will be acknowledged both in this life and in the life to come, both before the resurrection and after the resurrection. I urge this principle to be taught in your homes, and to be obeyed by the Latter-day Saints both young and old, and I bear you my testimony to the truthfulness of it, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶