(President of the Eastern States

(President of the Eastern States Mission) ¶

To be privileged to attend this conference has been the opportunity of my life, I am so thankful for the spiritual blessings that have been poured out in the instructions that we have received during this conference. When I left New York I thought, Well, I am going to the service station now where my spiritual batteries shall be recharged. I think of all features associated with these gatherings, the most important and essential is the spirit of which we partake, and which we are expected to take, not only to the stakes and wards of Zion, but out to the frontier, in the missions of the Church. ¶

It is not enough to draw inspiration from the congregations who have gathered together; but I sincerely ask an interest in your faith and prayers, that if the Lord has any message to deliver to you through me, his humble servant, that we shall not be disappointed. I feel incompetent to occupy this position by virtue of the innate stability which I may possess, but rather I feel like Joseph, that son of Jacob who, when he was taken from the dungeon to interpret Pharaoh's dream, bowed his head in meekness before his Maker and before King Pharaoh, and said, "It is not in me, yet God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." I find in holy writ accounts of great men whom we regard as having lived very close to their heavenly Father, men who have enjoyed the abundance of inspiration from God our Father. They, too, have felt the weakness which I sense this morning. Jeremiah, that great prophet whose record has been handed down to us in the Old Testament, prayed thus : "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh, to guide his steps aright." I also find Enoch, who was very faithful before the Lord at all times, uttering these words after he had been called to a very important ministry : ¶

"And when Enoch had heard these words he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord, saying, Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech, wherefore am I thy servant? And the Lord said unto Enoch, Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good. Say unto this people, choose ye this day to serve the Lord who made you. My spirit is upon you, wherefore all my words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course, and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you, therefore walk before me. And the Lord spake unto Enoch, and said unto him, Anoint thine eyes with clay, and wash them, and thou shalt see. And he did so. And he beheld spirits that God had created; and he beheld also things which were not visible to the natural eyes; and from thenceforth came the saying abroad in the land, a Seer hath the Lord raised up unto his people." ¶

It was, perhaps, this same feeling which possessed the boy whom we have learned to regard no longer as a "boy prophet," but rather the great American Prophet Joseph Smith, when, before he was fifteen years of age, he felt his incapability to serve God in and of himself. Retiring to a wood not far distant from his father's home, looking around him to make sure that he ¶

was unobserved by curious eyes, he knelt down and for the first time in his life uttered a solemn though simple prayer to God for light. His soul had been stirred by religious sentiment through attending revival meetings which were carried on in his neighborhood. And as he knelt and prayed to God, the power of darkness attacked him. He was thrown violently to the earth until he despaired of his own life. By superhuman, aye, that spiritual, power which was accentuated by the assistance of his heavenly Father, he prayed that the powers of darkness might be dispelled. And so it was, for he saw at noonday, coming through the trees of that sacred grove, a light surpassing the brilliancy of the sun, in which shaft of light he saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Then, with a childlike appeal, he said, "Which of all the churches and denominations shall I join?" The Father of the spirits of all men, pointing to the younger personage, said, "This is my beloved Son ; hear him." Such was the command given by God at the scene of transfiguration when, through spiritual ecstasy, those who accompanied the Master in the mountain, said : "Let us build three temples, one for thee, and one for Moses and one for Elias." The voice of God spoke and said : "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased ; hear ye him." If the world would heed that injunction of God the eternal Father there would be but one Church upon the earth today. They are not hearing Jesus Christ, but they are prating about "believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou and thy house shalt be saved." ¶

Isolated texts have been taken from the scriptures upon which ¶

creedal religions have been based, while the greater part of the scriptures have been brushed aside as being worthless, and only parts of the religion of Jesus Christ retained. We, too, believe and hold that sincere belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is essential, but if that is all that is essential, as many aver, then I ask our Protestant friends, Where is the excuse for your existence as a Church? because I understand it has been an essential teaching of the Catholic church that belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is necessary, and if that is all that is necessary all of the added ceremonies, the pomp and show of the Catholic church which became so heavy that it broke of its own weight, is atoned for in the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ. But something else is needful. Those who claim that belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is all that is necessary, are making a claim which I am prone to believe they do not believe themselves. Martin Luther broke from the rule of the Catholic church because of a difference in something else than belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet we have various sects and denominations claiming that belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is all that is necessary. What would you politicians, if there are any here, you Democrats, what would you think of a member of your persuasion who says, "I believe in the principles of democracy," and yet who refuses to give his support to the party by going to the polls and voting? What would you Republicans think of such a man who has no more faith and devotion to his party than to say, "I believe these principles are the true principles of civil government, but I refuse to vote"? ¶

We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as no other people upon the earth believe in him. He himself proclaimed the utter uselessness of that individual who said, "Lord, Lord," and did not the things which he said. ¶

How shall we apply that principle of belief in the Lord Jesus Christ? How do you say that it is essential? It is the measurement, not the thing measured. It is the schedule, but it is not the train. It is the formula, but it is not the mixture. For example : Questions arise respecting baptism, one saying that sprinkling is baptism, another that pouring is baptism, another, that one must be baptized three times kneeling in the water, and going down face foremost ; and another, that baptism by immersion, both standing in the water, is baptism. Now in this maelstrom of contention which shall we believe? Athenasius, the father of the Athenasian creed, John Wesley, the father of the Methodist church, John Calvin, the organizer of the Presbyterian church, Henry VIII, the founder of the Episcopal church — which are we to believe? ¶

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, what he says of it, and you shall be saved. When Paul and Silas were miraculously delivered from that Philippian jail, and the jailer was about to commit suicide, fearing that he had lost his charge and would be censurable before the king, told what he must do after earnest inquiry, to be saved ; he had his own philosophy, the pagan philosophy. He was worshiping false gods, and when he fell at Paul and Silas' feet, and was about to worship them, he was enjoined to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, not upon Paul or Silas, not upon pagan philosophies. ¶

Let that be the beginning — the rule by which all disputes shall be settled, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and not make it the end of our faith. Make it the rule by which we shall measure our faith and integrity to heaven and heaven's law. When the word came to the Prophet Joseph Smith, "This is my beloved Son, hear him," it spoke volumes as to what should come. God is the God of revelation, and that he speaks by the voice of truth, and that men and women whose lives are ever actuated by that Spirit of God which has been so abundantly poured out in this conference, that they, too, shall have the revelation of the Lord. ¶

The world look upon us Latter-day Saints as being children led by a Pied Piper to destruction, and that we have not minds to think for ourselves. I want to tell you that there is no people upon the face of this earth with whom I have come in contact in all my eight and a half years of missionary work who are as free to think and act for themselves as are the Latter-day Saints. I really believe there is a shiver runs through the nether regions when some of our Christian brethren begin to think for themselves. ¶

Instead of being led astray by creeds and by man-made religions, let them stand upon their dignity and hear what Jesus Christ says. I maintain that the spirit of revelation is to be enjoyed not only by the prophet, seer and revelator of the Church, but by all faithful members also. Inasmuch as revelation comes by the Spirit of God — by the Holy Ghost that was to testify of ¶

Jesus Christ, and that Spirit is in the hearts of all the faithful children of God, if they are faithful, and if actuated by that Spirit of revelation which directs the life of the prophet, seer and revelator of the Church, they, too, will have the authority to give the word of revelation in things pertaining to their charge. ¶

When the President of the Church speaks, revelation comes to us, our souls are surcharged with that Spirit, and we say amen to whatsoever the Lord speaks. ¶

My soul is glad in the opportunity that I have in attending this conference, and of mingling my testimony with such grand, good men as those who stand at the head of this Church. I know, too, that they are men who are upheld and sustained by the power of the true and living God, and that those who criticize them can compare in no measure with the lives of those who stand at the head of this dispensation. I used to think, when a child, what a pleasure it would have been to associate with the Prophet Joseph Smith, with Brigham Young! I had the pleasure when a child of meeting President John Taylor, and have been acquainted with every president of the Church since. To be associated with this great missionary movement and feel that I am willing to give my life for it, if need be, along with such men as President Joseph F. Smith, and President Anthon H. Lund and President Charles W. Penrose with whom I stood shoulder to shoulder and preached the gospel in Great Britain, I assure you is an unspeakable pleasure to me. I wonder if my children will be appreciative of their father's association with these men who have presided over the Church when the greatest advancement of this people have been achieved. ¶

I bear you my testimony that I know as I know who is my father and mother, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I know that they are my father and mother because of the fatherly and motherly love that they have extended toward me in my childhood and all through my life, the wholesome counsel and advice that they have given me, as I also know that the gospel is true because of the application of the laws and the saving promises made through obedience to the gospel, by which I have been brought to know more and more of the transcendent joys brought to my heart, than even those that have come through my earthly father and mother. To prove my love for God's work I am willing to leave father and mother, houses and lands, wife and children for the kingdom of God's sake. ¶

I hope that the youth of Zion may realize the responsibility that rests upon them in carrying the gospel to the nations of the earth, for there are thousands who are praying, Cornelius-like, for the truth. ¶

My experience in the Eastern States mission has led me to believe, and I bring this to you, that there are thousands of men in governmental affairs, as well as men in financial and other prominent positions of trust who are thoroughly converted to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I count them among my dearest friends, and when I have needed friends, they have extended their hands to me and said, Brother, I will help you. ¶

May you carry the spirit of this conference into your homes. May we all rejoice in being permitted to be born in this day and age of the world when the cornucopia of heaven has been poured out and the blessings of heaven both temporal and spiritual, have been showered down upon us all. ¶

May the blessings of the Lord be upon us, and in our hearts. May our greatest sermons be spoken in our daily lives. God bless you all, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶