(President of the North Davis Stake

(President of the North Davis Stake of Zion.) ¶

The lateness of the hour and the presence on the stand of other brethren that the people like to hear, and that I feel should be heard by this congregation, admonish me that I should occupy but a very few moments, indeed, this afternoon. I do want to bear testimony, however, as to my feelings. I have never felt more grateful in my life for the knowledge that I have of the gospel than I feel today. ¶

I can scarcely conceive of the feelings of the man who has no faith in God, and no belief in revelation and in prophecy, when he views the calamitous condition of the world today, without that hope that comes to the heart of the believer. ¶

This is a day, my brethren and sisters, when more prophecy is being fulfilled, perhaps, in a given space of time than has ever been known to be fulfilled in the history of the world before. I speak not only of the prophecies that have been uttered and written predicting the establishment of the Church of which we are proud to be members, although these prophecies are among the most important that have ever been uttered by men under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. These prophecies are being fulfilled, and have been fulfilled in the establishment and building up of this Church, all the time, from the first manifestation unto the Prophet Joseph Smith, in the spring of 1820, that marvelous manifestation which made clear unto men again that God lives, and that his Son Jesus Christ lives, and that both are in the likeness of men, or rather that man is in the likeness of the Father. No greater revelation can come to man than that ; for "this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." If I had time I should like to dwell upon that but as it is I shall only say that any man who receives the testimony, that God is a perfected man thereby is inspired, to fashion his life, his being, like unto that of his Father. That great manifestation has taught us the truth about our Father, and has thus pointed the way to our perfection. ¶

The very fact that we are in this building, assembled here upon the tops of the mountains, organized and established here, is proof of the fulfilment of another great prediction that is recorded in the book of Isaiah. The fact that we have been gathered from every nation under heaven and brought here, that we have been taught the ways of the Lord, to walk in his paths, are all in fulfilment of predictions that have been made. ¶

We did not come here to gain ease in life, nor to amass wealth. We came here for the purpose, and so did our parents, of learning the ways of the Lord and training ourselves in righteous living: and if we are failing in that we are failing in everything. It matters not how much we may acquire of this world's goods, we are failures in the eyes of God unless we are living according to his commandments. ¶

Then there are other predictions that have been fulfilled and are being fulfilled. This condition of war and strife in the world that exists today has been predicted, and the world has been warned and forewarned by the Lord of its coming, for it is true that "surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." We have been called out of the world, and the world has been warned that the time was coming when war should be poured out upon all nations, when everybody that was wicked and would not repent should feel the wrath of God upon them. These things are coming to pass and, as I said in the commencement, there has never been a time since the beginning of the world when so many important predictions were being fulfilled except at the time when the Savior came into the world as its Redeemer. ¶

How are we preparing ourselves for the part we are to take in the regeneration that is to come after this great war has passed and has scourged the people? I know this Church has a mission to perform, and I know that it has been established for a wise purpose. The Lord expects us, this people, to assist in regenerating the world and in re-establishing conditions that are better than they have been before. More righteousness must be in the world. Men and women must learn to acknowledge God. They must know him, and they must receive a testimony as to his attributes and being from those who know. Here in the valleys of the mountains a great people, a multitude of men and women, can stand up and testify, in all soberness and solemnity, that they know that God lives, that he is not an essence merely, not merely a spirit, but that he is a being and a personage of body and spirit combined. This knowledge will go out into the world, and will spread among the children of men. There will ultimately be established a brotherhood that will give to the world an everlasting peace. ¶

I pray that a testimony of the truth and value of the gospel may be with us all, that we may be clean and pure and virtuous, observing that closing article of our faith that so beautifully portrays what we should be, wherein it says : "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men ; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul, We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." ¶

If we could only bring ourselves to that ! Self-analysis can prove to us whether we are progressing along these lines. God will be pleased with our effort to improve ourselves ; and when we have set ourselves right, we can go out and teach these principles to others. ¶

God grant that the way may be opened for us to promulgate the gospel of peace, the gospel of brotherly kindness and charity throughout the earth, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶