The time allotted for this meeting has almost

The time allotted for this meeting has almost expired. I think there must be a feeling in every heart that we have had a profitable time not only in this meeting, but that we have also had a profitable and a happy time, throughout all the meetings of this general conference. I hope there is a disposition on the part of every person who is present, to believe in the testimonies that have been delivered concerning the divinity of the work to which we have set our hands, and that there is an assurance that divine authority has come to the President of the Church. We all should know, that he is the representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, in directing and managing, in connection with his brethren, the affairs of the Church of Christ. When brethren speak highly of President Smith, or of the presiding authorities in the Church, it is not because there is any disposition in the minds of those members of the Church to worship men. We do not worship men; we rejoice in the noble character of men. But we recognize and honor above all else the authority that has been conferred upon them by our father in heaven, I trust that we all partake of the spirit of godly reverence that, I understand, was made manifest in the days of Joseph Smith by Dr. Bernhisel. The good man, after coming to Utah, was at one time representative in Congress from the Territory of Utah, I have been informed that although Dr. Bernhisel was a college man, a man of superior education, that he invariably rose to his feet when the Prophet came into any room where he was sitting, and he would remain standing upon his feet until the prophet himself would sit down. The prophet was embarrassed because of the very great deference that was shown him by Dr. Bernhisel, and remonstrated with him. The answer made by Dr. Bernhisel when the prophet mentioned the matter to him was, "I delight to honor the man whom God hath honored." I think we all should have this same disposition to honor heavenly authority. We are not making any mistake when we honor the man that God has honored, and in whom he has reposed his authority, and to whom he has given the power of the holy Apostleship, and whom he upholds and sustains as his mouthpiece and seer. ¶

I had the very great privilege and honor to accompany President Smith and his party, on the journey that was recently made through the settlements to the south, as far as St. George. It was wonderful to see how easily President Smith could be approached. Why, it only needed the lifting of the hands of the little children in the roadway as the president traveled along in his auto, to bring forth at once instructions for the auto to stop, that ¶

he might greet and shake hands with the little children. The children swarmed around him by hundreds and thousands. There was no fear on the part of the children that they could not approach the President of the Church. All felt that they were in the presence of one who had great love for them, and they would climb into his auto without hesitation that they might present him bouquets of flowers, and manifest in every way the love and the confidence they had in the President of the Church. Not only did little children give evidence of this spirit of confidence, and this feeling that they were welcome by the President, but the aged had the same feeling, men and women came to him, whose heads were silvered or gray, and they come in the same confidence — no feeling that they must stand back, that he was an austere and severe man, but just the opposite, all coming near with the greatest freedom, and all manifesting respect for and rejoicing in the blessing, and kindly greeting of this great man of God. ¶

I felt in my soul as I listened to the wonderful counsels that were imparted by the President, and witnessed the manifestations of the power of God given through him, that he was indeed all that has been said of him in this conference. You have listened as men have testified concerning his worth, his integrity, his honesty, his love for the truth of the everlasting gospel, his willingness to labor for the salvation of the souls of men. ¶

I will long remember the wonderful experiences of the trip, and how by night and by day the word of the Lord came from the mouth of our dear President and Prophet in ¶

rich abundance. The people of the Church were comforted whenever they had opportunity to greet him, and I believe there was a feeling in the hearts of men and women, the aged and the middle aged, the youth and the little children, that Joseph F. Smith is indeed a prophet of the living God. ¶

I thank God that in my soul there has come a strong love for the work of our Father in heaven. God has made me acquainted with the truth of this wonderful gospel. He has made me sure that power has been revealed in these latter times for the salvation of the human family. It is the greatest thing in the world. It is the power of God unto salvation ; the power that will bring men into communion with their Father in heaven, and will lead them back from the things of this world into the presence of God. The truth given of God for the salvation of men has always been the greatest thing in the world whenever it has been among the children of men. We make no extravagant statement when we bear testimony, and make the declaration that this thing that has come by the revelations of our Father in heaven, is the greatest and most blessed thing that can be found by the human family today. ¶

God help us to believe the truth, to uphold proper authority, to stand for the right in all things, that we may be men and women after the heart of our Father in heaven. I pray his blessings and his peace upon you, and testify to you of the truth of this work to which we have set our hands, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶