I am very grateful, my brethren

I am very grateful, my brethren and sisters, for this privilege of again raising my voice in the midst of the Latter-day Saints ; and I can testify that the Lord has blessed us during the last six months. He has blessed both the authorities and the members of the Church, and I for one feel to acknowledge his hand in the blessings that have come to us ; personally, for those that have come to me. I am very grateful to be here today, to hear the testimonies and the instructions that have been given in this conference, and I fully indorse them. My heart goes out in love and gratitude to our President. My heart also goes out to him in prayer and in blessing, that he may live yet a goodly number of years with us, to bless us, and to teach us, and to guide us in the ways of the Lord. I know through my experience in the Church, and visiting among the people, that he has the prayers of the people, both young and old, and I join with them in praying for his life and mission, that he may live to lead and bless us yet a goodly number of years, and enjoy the blessings of God all his days. ¶

When President Penrose was speaking concerning the mothers having to part with their dear boys, who have gone into the army, or who are preparing to go, a little passage of modern scripture, in the Doctrine and Covenants, came to my mind, and if I may have the Spirit of the Lord, as it has dictated what has already been said in this conference, I should like to remind the good mothers of this passage for their comfort. It is found in the 101st section of the Doctrine and Covenants, commencing at the 77th verse. ¶

"According to the laws and constitution of the people which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles, ¶

"That every man may act in doctrine and principles pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto them, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment. ¶

"Therefore it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. ¶

"And for this purpose have I established the constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood." ¶

Now, my object in reading this is by way of comfort to us as a people, and particularly to the fathers and mothers of the boys and men who may engage or who may go to prepare to engage in this great conflict. I look upon it as being a mission to every man who goes in humility and in faith, trusting in the living God— the God who has established this land and this government; that it is our duty to work out the mission given us, that the time may come when no one shall be in bondage one to another, and that liberty and freedom shall come to all flesh. Now, I don't know, when this is going to come, nor how long it is going to take, but it appeals to me, that as a people, and especially those who are called to engage in this conflict, who go out under the influence of the Holy Spirit, many of them bearing the holy Priesthood of which the brethren have spoken, servants of our Father in heaven, and our God, we have a most important mission to perform. God has given us this mission and commissioned us with divine authority to perform it. I say, many of our boys and men are going out with this authority, and it is my testimony, my brethren and sisters, that if these men who go in this cause thus empowered, that if they go in the spirit of faith and in the spirit of humility, and will keep themselves in touch with the promptings of the Holy Spirit, which it is their right to enjoy, that they will be a force and a power for good in the earth, for the working out of the purposes of God, to hasten the time, if not to bring it about, when freedom and liberty shall come to all flesh, -when men shall not be in bondage one to another. It is my testimony that this is one of the purposes for which we as a people are called to engage in this great conflict. So I say to my brethren and sisters, especially to the good mothers of these boys, let us continue to pray for them, to sustain them, that they may be pure and clean before the Lord, and magnify that priesthood which has been given them, that God may be enabled to work about his purposes and to bring them to pass through his honored servants, those whom he has entrusted with his holy priesthood. I believe with all my heart that these men who are entrusted with this great power and authority in the earth will have influence for good wherever they are called to go, whether it be in the training camps or whether it be in the very battles of the world. Among these boys and men are the choice sons of Israel ; many of them — I suppose the majority of them — are clean and pure and virtuous ; and they are the best of those among us, because the Government will not have those who are not the best. They must be physically prepared, perfect if possible, and so they are the very best of our young men who are entering this conflict, and we look to them for something to be done by way of bringing about the purposes of the Lord. We look to them to perform a great mission. Therefore let us pray for them, let us pray that the Lord will be with them and preserve them from the evils and wickedness, the sins, and the vices of the world, that they may return, if it be possible, clean and pure, to go on and magnify their priesthood and further bring about the purposes of the Lord. ¶

My prayers and blessings go with our boys. God bless them and bless their mothers and fathers, and bless us all, that we may each learn our part in life, fulfill our missions and live worthy lives before the Lord. I am quite sure that his blessings have attended us throughout this land. In going through the country from time to time and from year to year I have never seen a more bounteous harvest, better grain, better fruit, or more of it. Let us return our gratitude to the Lord. We do not know how long these good things are going to last, but we hope that we will never lack nor suffer for the blessings of the Lord. ¶

Now, my brethren and sisters, I rejoice in a testimony of the gospel. I know that we have the gospel of Jesus Christ and that it is the true plan of human redemption and exaltation. I know that the Lord lives, and that he will hear and answer our prayers, that he will comfort and sustain us in performing our duties, as long as we are humble and prayerful and will keep ourselves in harmony with his work, and as President Penrose has said, "Follow our leader." ¶

Among the thousands of men who hold the priesthood about which Brother Clawson has been speaking, are about 200 men who hold the office of Patriarch, and I commend the service of these brethren to the Latter-day Saints. ¶

I am very gratified to say to you, my brethren and sisters, that there seems to be, during the last year, a greater desire on the part of the men or brethren to receive their blessings. Before the war the great majority of those who were seeking their blessings from the Lord, at the hands of the patriarchs, were the sisters of the Church; but during the last few months the men have been called to humble themselves and to think more seriously concerning the future and they too are seeking their blessings at the hands of the priesthood. I think there is a providence in this, and I trust that the brethren as well as the sisters will continue to seek and obtain their blessings at the hands of the patriarchs of the Church, and honor the Priesthood in so doing, and they will receive their blessings from the Lord at the hands of his servants. ¶

Now, my brethren and sisters, I bless you all. My heart goes out in blessing to all Israel, to the faithful of the house of Israel wherever they are found, at home or abroad, and I pray that God will be with them all according to their righteous needs, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶

Elder Hyrum M. Smith gave out notice of a public meeting in the Tabernacle this evening at 8:15 o'clock, at which Hon. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, would speak and be the guest of honor, in behalf of the National Council of Defense. ¶

The choir and congregation sang the hymn : "Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah." ¶

Conference adjourned until Saturday morning at 10 o'clock. ¶

Prayer was offered by President Joseph R. Shepherd, of the Bear Lake stake. ¶

SECOND DAY. ¶

In the Tabernacle, Saturday, October 6, 1917, 10 a. m. ¶

The assembly was called to order by President Joseph F. Smith. ¶

The choir and congregation sang : "O ye mountains high." ¶

The opening prayer was offered by President James Wotherspoon, of the North Weber stake of Zion. ¶

The hymn, "Guide us, O thou great Jehovah," was sung by the choir and congregation. ¶