I feel happy this morning that

I feel happy this morning that our President has been able to speak unto us and to give us the key-note for the conference. He has the love of the Saints, and they all pray that his life may be spared and that he may be strengthened to overcome his affliction. We like to hear his voice, we like to be in his company, and we ask the Lord to spare his life yet many years for the good of the Saints. I have listened with interest to the remarks he has made this morning. ¶

The Word of Wisdom

President Smith alluded to certain things that we ought not to import, and I thought of reading to you just a few paragraphs of that blessed Word of Wisdom which the Lord has given unto the Saints, a word of wisdom indeed, and many of those who do not belong to our religion, but understand what is harmful and what is good for the human body, acknowledge that it is wholesome advice to all. The Lord says : ¶

And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly but for the washing of your bodies. ¶

And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill. ¶

And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly. ¶

And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and us.e of man. ¶

Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof, all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. ¶

Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly; ¶

And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine. ¶

All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man. but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth; ¶

And these hath God made for the use of man, only in times of famine and excess of hunger. ¶

Advantages of Prohibition

I believe that we will be both healthier and richer if we follow the advice not to partake of the things forbidden therein. I am glad that our State has prohibition, and I hope that the time will come when all of our neighboring states will follow suit, and pass laws against the manufacture and use of intoxicating drinks. If they do pass such laws as we have here in Utah and Idaho, I believe that the bootleggers' profession will soon be at an end, and I certainly hope that we will be able to cope with that class of men who are in favor of making a living by selling these destructive things. I believe that the people living under prohibition laws will be able to save more means than those who live where the saloon is licensed, with which savings they will be able to make the family comfortable, to build better homes and to help to sustain our Nation in its time of need. I would advise all the Latter-day Saints to make a study of the words I have read to you this morning and to obey them. We call it the Word of Wisdom. It is, and the Lord has given it to us for our good. He is not depriving us of pleasure or of enjoyment in forbidding these things. Those who enjoy them do so by first accustoming themselves to the use of them. Tobacco is not nourishing; in fact, it is opposed to good digestion, and gives pleasure only to such as have created a desire for it, and can hardly be without it, having created so strong a habit that instead of being master of it they become its servant and slave. Latter-day Saints should make themselves free, free from habits that are injurious, and they should have strength enough to abstain from that which is not good for the body, as well as to abstain from doing things that are hurtful to the spirit. ¶

The Care and Education of Children

I would like to allude to another matter. The Lord has blessed us with children, and to most of the parents they are their most precious gifts. We ought to look after our children, brethren and sisters. We hear reports from juvenile courts that cause us sorrow and regret, that is, regret for those who have not watched their children and taken care of them. Children raised in loving homes are not as exposed or as likely to be led astray as are those who have homes where instead of love there is quarreling between their parents who have formed habits of degrading vice. Fathers and mothers, take care of your children, see that they are properly taught, see to it that they do not form vicious habits ; and make home as happy as you possibly can for them, that home may be an attractive place. Do what you can to make your children understand that which is right, instil in their hearts faith in God and see to it that they learn what is the Lord's will for them to do here upon the earth. What a great duty the training of children is, which has been laid upon the Latter-day Saints and upon all people ! ¶

I do not want to shake the confidence of the parents in their children. I know that God has given us that blessed love for our children that we ¶

can hardly see any faults in them, but remember that all are liable to have faults, and hence they must be trained aright. Parents, do not feel too confident that your children are safe wherever they go. We have so many attractions at night ; the moving picture shows are cheap and our young people like to go there. I will not say that moving picture shows are always bad. Many of them teach desirable lessons, and when used to instruct in that which is useful, the picture show may be a power for good in a community, but where pictures represent things just to amuse and even try to make laughable things which are not pure and good, then they do a great deal of harm. ¶

See to it that your children attend their Sunday School. What a blessed place for the children to go on a Sunday morning ! Here we find all ages of children from the little tots of the kindergarten to the young men and ladies and even married people, now that we have parents' classes also in the Sunday School. Children like to be there. They rejoice in the singing. They are graded so that their teachers can reach their little hearts and give them instruction suited to their needs. They are happier for going to the school than to roam in the streets or get into company of boys and girls, who like themselves are truants. ¶

There are also the Primaries. Here our good sisters teach them and endeavor to turn their hearts to love that which is good. We want also our Religion Classes and Church Schools sustained. I am pleased with the good work that is being done in these institutions, also with the introduction of our seminaries. By having a seminary close to the high school, our high school students can go there and in addition to their other studies receive lessons in theology and in Bible history. These studies are for their good, and they help to stave off influences tending to infidelity and loss of faith. ¶

Parents, guard your children, and know where they are and what they are doing, guard them against imbibing the modern ideas of believing the world to be a self-running machine, and that God is not needed in it. That there is a God, used to be considered a truth that needed no demonstration. So sure was David that he writes, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." We want our children to be reared in a firm belief in God and that he is the author of their being, and is their Father. We should teach them that without him they could not even breathe or have life here, for he is the Author of life. ¶

Let us instil reverence and love in their hearts for God, and for our Savior, let them know what the Savior has done for us, and that there is no doubt in our hearts about this, but that we know it is a truth. When they love their parents they will believe what these teach them, and do not let that time pass in which we have their full confidence and let them grow up in ignorance of Godliness, for then we may find that they have learned other things and have come to doubt even the existence of God. There is a great danger before our young people in modern ideas that are being taught them, and we want to be on our guard that they take the word of God, the iron rod, and cling to it, for then they will be safe in their pilgrimage through life ¶

Our Attitude on the Great War

Today we are hearing of the gruesome things that are taking place over in Europe. We are anxious to learn the news from there. It is a year ago now since we entered the war. Many have thought that the United States did not need to go into this war, but our lawmakers, the President and his Cabinet, found it a necessity for the United States to join those with whom they are now allied across the water, to put down the idea that might is right, and that the strong man can enter the house of the weaker one and destroy him and his possessions. Some have said, "Well, why not let them take care of their own affairs and we defend our land when an invasion is made here?" We do not want to wait for this. Our duty is not to ourselves alone but to our neighbors as well. ¶

When we were troubled with the Black Hawk war in Sanpete county, you folks in Salt Lake did not say : "Let them take care of themselves up there." "We are not afraid that the Indians will come to Salt Lake City;" but you sent a large company of young men to try to keep the Indians under control, and we appreciated it. We found what a hardship and loss it was to be at war then, and we certainly were grateful to our brethren from the lower counties who helped us. ¶

Today we are trying to combat a power that wants to dominate, that has already laid plans to divide Europe and go down through Asia to the Persian Gulf or to the Indian Ocean. If this plan succeeds they can turn their power to the right or to the left, and it would be very hard to quell or stop any attack thus made. The United States have gone into this war with the most unselfish motives. I do not know of any other nation that has been so unselfish in offering its means and even sending its young men to help those who are distressed and who are attacked without cause. What had Belgium done that it should be overrun and destroyed? What had France done at that time, and Russia even? Germany, no doubt, thought that with such splendidly disciplined armies as she, together with Austria, had— for we must admit that these armies are well equipped and disciplined — she had power enough to subdue both France and Russia, and then England would have its turn. But she found that by the united effort of these nations that were attacked the victory was not accomplished so easily as she thought. ¶

The Ambitions of Germany

You take the Hohenzollern — I perhaps should not mention a certain family — but they claim and are proud to say that ever since they got Brandenburg by purchase and acquired East Prussia, each successive ruler has been able to add something to the patrimony left him ; and this is perhaps true, but in what way? How have they acquired these great portions of land that they now possess ? They attacked Austria under Maria Theresa and took from her Silesia ; and afterwards together with Russia and Austria they divided Poland and each took a large slice of it, leaving no Poland, only by name : they took three duchies from Denmark in 1864. ¶

Austria and Prussia quarreled about who should have them, which led to war, and then, Austria being defeated, additional land came to the Hohenzollerns ; and then by Bismarck stirring up France and getting Napoleon the Third to go into a snare so that he declared war against Germany, which country in a short time conquered France and made her pay a large indemnity and took two large provinces from her. In such a way Germany has grown, and can we believe that if they come out victorious they will lose this lust of gain and desire to enlarge their kingdom? Today we -do not look upon the Atlantic as being so great a defense or safeguard against Europe as we did in the days of the revolution. Then they had to send soldiers in sail ships and it took them a long time to get across the ocean, but today the Atlantic can be crossed in a few days, and we do not yet know to what extent air transportation will grow. This war has developed aviation to become an important arm in the war, and likewise the submarine. What a danger the latter is to shipping ! We are not so safe today from Europe as we might think, and the wise men of our Nation have decided that we should be prepared — prepared to meet foes not only from the east, but even from the west. A nation like us, unprepared, even with our large numbers of men, could not defend itself against a smaller power with disciplined troops. So, in any case, let us be prepared and help to encourage our boys who go to defend the cause we have adopted. ¶

Our Duty in the Great Struggle

The Nation has already spent a great deal of means, and more means will be needed. The Latter-day Saints whom I address now ought to do their share, and not feel to leave it alone, but do as they have done in the past, meet the demands that are made upon them. War is a costly and a horrible thing, and I believe if this war can be won that peace will be more permanent and stable. If it is not won, it will not be long till the question will have to be tried again. ¶

Toleration for the German Saints

I want to say a few words about our German Saints. They are placed in a difficult position. Their neighbors are so likely to look upon them as being perhaps alien enemies, and in some cases as spies. Now I want to say that the great majority of Germans who have come to this land and have become citizens of the United States, I believe are honest in having taken the oath of allegiance and that they love this country. There are, however, a great many enemy agents who are doing much harm, for instance, destroying the government property, ammunition plants, railroad bridges, and so on, trying to do everything to stop the success of the United States in preparing material for the war. We cannot wonder, therefore, that the feeling of bitterness has arisen against the Germans. In fact, the espionage of Germany extends to a greater length than history has ever known. In nearly every land there are spies in the ¶

pay of the kaiser, and they are keeping his government posted on what is going on both here and in other lands. But this should not make us intolerant to those who have come here and become good, honest citizens. That large, earnest German-American citizenship should not suffer. Our brethren who joined the Church in Germany, who felt the yoke of autocracy there and came to this country to be free to serve God according to the dictates of their conscience — I am sure are not of the kind that would sustain an alien country against ours. I believe that they are true American citizens. They have had enough of the oppression over in Germany. ¶

I remember when I last visited Berlin in company with President Penrose that we met during the day with the elders there. They had been called together and we had a splendid time with them, and in the evening our hall was crowded with Saints and their friends. Good testimonies were borne and all enjoyed the spirit of it. After the meeting was closed the president of the mission, Brother Thomas E. McKay, came to us and said : "Now I can breathe more freely. All day I have feared that the police would come and arrest you brethren." ¶

Well, we did not experience that treatment at that time, but Brother Rudger Clawson afterwards had to go into a Berlin jail because he was found in company with Latter-day Saints. Now, those people have suffered for their religion's sake there and have come here and enjoyed the full freedom to worship God according to their belief, and they are not hankering to go again under the German autocracy. ¶

I shall not take more of your time. I rejoice in being with you, and I hope that you will remember the counsels given us by our President. Let us be tolerant towards our brethren and sisters of German extraction. Let us be careful about our children, that they be raised in a God-fearing manner, and let us ourselves give them such an example as .shall be worthy of following. This is my advice ; and may God bless us all, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶