The Holy Ghost as Witness

My brethren and sisters, I am not accustomed to. standing before a congregation of this magnitude, and I am confident, if you knew just exactly how I feel at this particular time, that in your hearts would be a prayer that the weight of the load might be lifted, and that for the short time that I stand before you I may be blessed with the spirit of this office and calling. I recognize the fact that people are gathered together from all parts of the Church for the purpose of attending the general conference of the Church, and that they are desirous of hearing from the authorities of the Church; and inasmuch as I have been asked along with some other brethren to occupy a portion of the time on this occasion, I hope and trust that the Lord will be merciful and will bless me with the spirit of liberty. ¶

I believe that we have all enjoyed the meetings thus far. We have been particularly taken up with the most splendid singing that we have heard. Many of us, possibly, have never before had the privilege of hearing the Ogden choir. We have heard of it; and we have heard many very fine things from this most splendid musical organization today. ¶

I want to read to you a passage of scripture, and if I say nothing more than to read this passage of scripture I trust that it will be to our value. Recorded in the 8th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles is some history of the ancient Church, that deals with the persecutions that came upon the Saints. It was about or soon after the time when ¶

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Stephen was stoned to death. Evidently, from the reading of the Bible, a great deal of persecution was organized against the Church at that particular time. The people were scattered from one part of the country to the other, out from Jerusalem. The brethren, in whatever direction they went, were preaching Christ and him crucified unto the people with whom they came in contact. And Philip, one of the authorized servants of the Lord, went into Samaria, and preached the gospel unto the people of Samaria. Many of them believed on his words, and the apostles evidently were at Jerusalem or thereabout, and through some means or other they learned of this, and here we read: "Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost, for as yet he was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost." It is the latter part of these verses that I desire to draw attention to at this time, that part which deals with the conferring of the Holy Ghost. There are many beautiful things in these few passages of scripture. The question of authority, with other things, is recorded, but you know I have in mind more than any other one item the question of the reception of the Holy Ghost. As a religious organization, we believe in God, the Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. We believe that there is only one authorized way by which the Holy Ghost can be conferred upon mankind. That is through the ordinance of the laying on of hands. We believe in the laying on of hands as one of the ordinances Of the gospel; and when the Church came into existence, following that great and mighty vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith, about one hundred years ago, when the heavens were opened and the Father and the Son made their appearance unto the Prophet Joseph, and answered the petition of his humble heart; from that start grew the Church. In the Church came the ordinances of the gospel. Among these is the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. ¶

Religious history bears out, it seems to me, the evident fact that, in all of God's dealings with the children of men in the various generations of the world, when one member of the Godhead is upon the earth ministering generally among mankind, another one is taken away from the earth. It was altogether possible, no doubt was true, when Christ was upon the earth that he at times was visited by the Father, and that when he went down into the river Jordan and was baptized by John the Baptist, the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove. We are told also in this sacred writing, that John the Baptist had in his soul the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. Yet we find this rather startling declaration recorded in the Bible, in the 16th chapter of John and 7th verse, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you." Christ, one of the members of the Godhead, was upon ¶

the earth. While he was here, that passage of scripture would rather give us to understand, that the ministry7 of the Holy Ghost was not universal among the members of the Church. It was necessary that Christ should go, and when he went another member of the Godhead would descend and come and minister unto mankind. My brethren and sisters, we are living in that day and age of God's dealings with the children of men when one personage of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost, is ministering among the children of men; and I often wonder in our work in the Church, in our ministrations among the people, if we do not look for really too marvelous things, if, when we kneel down to pray, we do not really expect that the heavens are going to be opened and some divine personage is going to come unto us and deliver unto us the message that our souls are craving. ¶

I desire to read to you a passage or two from the Doctrine and Covenants dealing with the ministry and the mission of the Holy Ghost. These passages of scripture are what came to the Prophet Joseph Smith and in behalf of Oliver Cowdery. They were given one year before the Church was organized, yet they carry with them that wonderful message, that the Holy Ghost is not only for Oliver Cowdery but for every member of the Church. It is recorded in the 6th section, commencing with the 20th verse: ¶

Behold, thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the same that came unto my own, and my own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God? ¶

In the 8th section, second verse, these words were recorded: ¶

Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the Spirit of revelation; behold, this is the Spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. ¶

We might read other passages of scripture, if we bad time, showing the principle, that the Holy Ghost will dwell upon us, be in our hearts, to give us peace, contentment, revelation, and those things that will lead us to Godliness. ¶

I pray, my brethren and sisters, God's blessings upon the people and members of the Church, that we may be true to every covenant that we have made, that the Spirit and the blessings of the Lord may rest upon us, and the blessings and power of the Holy Ghost may be with us as a witness of this work, which I testify to you is true, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶