Testimony

I have been interested in everything that has been said at this conference. May we all give our faith and prayers to the work of the Church in the missionary field of all the world, for the gospel of Jesus Christ must be taught to the children of God in every nation and clime. We have heard the humble testimony of Elder Serge Ballif who is leaving for Germany and Switzerland to preside over that great mission. Brother Ballif is a man of few words but wonderful spirituality, and he will do a good work in spreading the word of the Lord in Europe. I had the honor and pleasure at one time of presiding over the Swiss and German mission, and I want to add my testimony here that those Germanic peoples will accept the truth, ¶

for they are intelligent and have developed a wonderful civilization. The German people of the Empire of Germany will rise and accept freedom and truth and be saved. They are a good people, those Germans, and we as the Church of Christ as well as the government of the United States must approach them with the spirit of love and not of revenge and hate. No lasting peace can come to this world until a peace is based on the love of God for all peoples. ¶

I remember going once to the home of a German peasant in the little city of Gotha, when a man opened the door and went to strike me with a hammer. I turned to him and said: "Please read this little tract. It is the word of God to his children in these last days." He lowered his hammer, took the tract, and looked at the cover. I said to him: "Come, let us pray to God to help us see the truth as contained in this book." We knelt down together and prayed, and today, that man who received me in anger, is now a member of the Church, and is here in Zion. Love conquered him. Those German people are the children of God, and they must hear us in the Spirit of God's love. ¶

This has been a conference of good and mighty words inspired of the Lord. The subject of thrift and industry; of government and learning; and the divinity of the family life as well as the sanctity of the Church of Christ, all have been spoken about with great power. These are the institutions of civilization, and we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stand for them in all their meaning to life. The great central theme of this conference, however, has been to know God and to keep his commandments. But we cannot know him without the spirit of love; for now abideth faith, hope, love -- these three, but the greatest of these is love. ¶

Let us stand for God and his work. He has spoken to us.; he has made himself known. His prophets are upon the earth today. The great work is being carried on. Let us place our faith in him as never before, and go forth hand in hand, and heart to heart toward the perfect day which God is preparing for his children. Amen. ¶