Who Are We?

WHO ARE WE? ¶

I am sure if we shall give it a moment's thought it will impress itself upon us that our being here is no ordinary circumstance; and if we shall give attention to what the Lord has said, I am sure we shall be convinced that we are no ordinary race of individuals. We have learned, through the revelations of the Lord in this dispensation, that when "one of a city and two of a family" should be gathered, as we ¶

have been gathered from the nations of the earth, those who would thus be gathered would be the children of Israel; and individually we have received assurances, through the words of the inspired patriarchs, that we are descendants of Joseph who was sold into Egypt, upon whose posterity were placed blessings beyond the blessings of his progenitors, and these blessings are ours, even to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills, where we are now assembled. ¶

We have learned that the Lord has had in training, before they came into this world, tried and tested individuals, even as he revealed to Abraham, to be his leaders in the various dispensations -- men whom he knew, prophets, statesmen, wise men, and leaders for all nations. I am convinced also that when our Father sent these leaders into the world he did not send them alone. He sent, in connection with them, hosts of other tried souls who would be helps to those who were selected of the Lord to be his leaders. I believe, therefore, that when the time came for the birth into the world of the chosen prophet, Joseph Smith, who was selected before he came into the world to be the prophet of this last dispensation, -- he did not come alone, but there came with him men and women like unto himself, tried souls. God knew them. He held them in reserve for ages, until this day should dawn. They were scattered among the nations of the earth. They were born in those houses where the blood of Israel still remained, and inherited the promises made to our ancient fathers. These choice souls were sifted among the nations of the earth, but they heard the call, and they came willingly because they had to, in very many instances; and the Lord gave them no peace in their native lands. Their own homes were closed against them. They were denied admittance to their former circles, and so the way was closed up behind them, and the way was opened up before them. They followed the inspiration of the Spirit as it appealed to their souls, and the circumstances with which they were surrounded made it necessary for them to come. They came here that they may inherit the blessings and promises made unto their fathers. So I bear witness to you that the Lord not only called them but he was sifting them out as they came to these abiding places of the Latter-day Saints, sifting them out by trial, by difficulty, by the hardship of crossing the sea and crossing the plains, and the difficulties of the desert. All these things were as a sieve, parting those who would have been of no great profit in the establishment of this work, from those who had the faith, the quality and the power necessary to contribute to the establishment of Latter-day Zion. So I am impressed, my brethren and sisters, that we are shown whom we are -- chosen sons and daughters of God, sent into the world in this age for a specific purpose, and we are gathered here for the accomplishment of definite things. ¶

THE CHOSEN SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD ¶

I want to read what the Lord said on this subject. You will find ¶

in the eighty-sixth section of the book of Doctrine and Covenants, beginning with the fourth paragraph, these words: ¶

But behold, in the last days, even now while the Lord is beginning to bring forth the word, and the blade is springing up and is yet tender. ¶

Behold, verily I say unto you, the angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields; ¶

But the Lord saith unto them, pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender, (for verily your faith is weak) lest you destroy the wheat also. ¶

Therefore let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe, that ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo! the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned. ¶

Therefore, thus saith the Lord, unto you, with whom the Priesthood hath continued through the lineage of your fathers. ¶

For ye are lawful heirs, according to the flesh, and have been hid from the world with Christ in God; ¶

Therefore your life and the Priesthood hath remained and must needs remain through you and your lineage, until the restoration of all things spoken by the mouths of all the holy prophets since the world began. ¶

Therefore, blessed are ye if ye continue in my goodness, a light unto the Gentiles, and through this Priesthood, a savior unto my people, Israel. The Lord hath said it. • ¶

I am willing to accept this statement. I believe it. I am convinced that the Latter-day Saints are the "wheat," and they have been, and are being gathered out from the midst of the "tares" of the earth. They are the salt of the earth, and the gathering of the wheat from the midst of the tares is almost completed. There remains but the gleaning of the wheat; and when the wheat is gathered the tares shall be bound in bundles, and the burning time remaineth for them. The Lord gathered this people out from the midst of the nations of the earth to preserve them from the desolations that would come. ¶

I bear witness to you that the angels of God, who hold the power delegated to them to pour out his judgments upon the wicked, marvel at God's leniency and patience to this generation. That is why they cried: "Why are we not permitted to go forth?" They are stayed and held back. ¶

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS GENERATION ¶

I believe that great responsibility rests upon this generation, because light has come into the world, and men sin in the presence of light and knowledge, and thereby their condemnation exceeds the condemnation of Sodom and Gomorrah. I believe that the Lord not only called the Latter-day Saints here to escape the judgments of the world, but he called us here to be a light unto the gentiles; the world's hope, the world's inspiration. God has assigned a mission to the Latter-day Saints. Let us not forget it. ¶

' I believe that we are to solve the problems of the world, and when I think of one of the most distressful things that exists in the world today -- the great conflict between capital and labor, that is rending ¶

the nations, that is poisoning the hearts of men, I feel that the Latter-day Saints have a great mission to point the way for the solution of those questions. I believe the Latter-day Saints are one hundred years nearer their solution than anybody else in the world. The Lord gave us the key a long time ago; but we were not prepared to live up to it at that time. So, when he discovered our lack of training and ability to do this work, the Lord gave us another principle, known as the law of tithing; and the law of tithing, he states in these revelations, was to act as a schoolmaster to bring us to the higher law, the order that was established among Enoch and his people, by which there was no rich and no poor among them. I want to bear witness to you that the time of our probation in that school will not be forever.. I beleieve there are hundreds and thousands of Latter-day Saints who have profited under that schoolmaster, so that they are about ready for graduation, and I believe the day of their graduation is coming. When the Lord shall see fit, they shall be called by the leaders of this Church to join in the grand demonstration that shall prove, not "only to the Latter-day Saints but to the world, that the right order of things God ordained from the beginning can and will be established in these latter days. So, if we have not profited under this schoolmaster, if we have been poor attendants, if we have been truants, if we are not ready for graduation, let us repeat, my brethren and sisters, and resolve we are going to be honest with the Lord in the payment of our tithing, that we may be among those who shall be ready for promotion, and the accomplishment of these glorious purposes. For Zion must show the way. We have the key. We know the way, and we are in training to accomplish those things. I want to advise you, my brethren and sisters, there is no solution to those questions, except by and through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. ¶

RESPONSIBILITY OF RICH AND POOR ¶

I will read you a few more words from the fifty-sixth section of the Doctrine and Covenants, sixteenth verse -- an inspired statement that seems to fit exactly our times: ¶

Woe unto you rich men, that will not give your substance to the poor, for your riches will canker your souls; and this shall be your lamentation in the day of visitation, and of judgment, and of indignation.-- The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved. ¶

Do no let us mistake, my brethren and sisters, the meaning of the Lord. He has no purpose to deny the rich the blessings of heaven. He has no enmity in his heart against the rich whose hearts are broken, and who give to the maintenance of his work. I rejoice that in this Church we do have men of wealth and means whose hearts are broken, and who pay their honest tithing, whose example is a shining one for all Latter-day Saints; but there are those who live only for themselves, who hold all they get for themselves, and therein they are in jeopardy. ¶

I am reminded again of the suggestion made by the President in ¶

the opening of this conference, when he read us the letter from Brother and Sister McCune, giving their beautiful home to the Church -- a splendid example for all others in their circumstances to follow. Our safety is in keeping the commandments of the Lord. The solution of the world's troubles will not come by the rich banding together and thinking only of themselves. Then the Lord said: ¶

Woe unto you poor men, whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite, and whose bellies are not satisfied, and whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other men's goods, whose eyes are full of greediness, who will not labor with your own hands. ¶

Do you know anybody like that? The world is full of them! It is a sin of this age, that men of poverty become envious and are in as great condemnation before the Lord as the rich whose hearts are not broken, who are full of envy, who are full of malice toward those who have some of the things of this world. That is the spirit of Bolshevism. It should have no place in the hearts of Latter-day Saints. The poor should love the rich, and the rich should love the poor, otherwise we shall never come into universal brotherhood and reach a solution of these problems, which we hope to be able to solve, by and through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. ¶

But blessed are the poor [yes, and the rich, too], ¶

Blessed are the poor who are pure in heart, whose hearts are broken, and those spirits are contrite, for they shall see the kingdom of God coming in power and great glory unto their deliverance; for the fatness of the earth shall be theirs. ¶

For behold, the Lord shall come, and his recompense shall be with him, and he shall reward every man, and the poor shall rejoice; ¶

And their generations shall inherit the earth from generation to generation, for ever and ever. ¶

I am just simple enough to believe it. There is no solution of these problems outside of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by adherence to these things the rich and the poor shall live together as brothers. We shall not be banded off, one group of laborers into one class, fighting only for themselves and their own against all others. We shall be living together in the spirit of love and co-operation. I believe that it is necessary that we Latter-day Saints should keep our minds upon these things, for this is the goal to which we are destined to come. ¶

SALVATION TO ISRAEL ¶

Then there is one other promise that was made. We were not only to be a light unto the Gentiles; we were to be the means of bringing salvation to Israel; and in conclusion I want to read a few words from the forty-fifth section of the book of Doctrine and Covenants, on that subject. These words are a repetition to Joseph Smith, on the 7th day of March, 1831, of words originally spoken by the Master upon the Mount of Olives, when he was discussing with the disciples the ¶

judgment that would come upon Jerusalem, its destruction, the dispersion of the Jews, and then their gathering again, and the coming of the Lord in the last days. He said, beginning with the twenty-second verse: ¶

Ye say that ye know that the end of the wold cometh; ye say also that ye know that the heavens and the earth shall pass away; ¶

And in this ye say truly, for so it is; but these things which I have told you shall not pass away until all shall be fulfilled, ¶

And this I have told you concerning Jerusalem, and when that day shall come, shall a remnant be scattered among all nations; ¶

But they shall be gathered again, but they shall remain until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. ¶

And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men's hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth. ¶

And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound; ¶

And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, -- [that is, the beginning of this period] -- ¶

And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel; ¶

But they receive it not, for they perceive not the light and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men; ¶

And in that generation [the generation when the light shall break forth] ¶

And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. THE GOSPEL FIRST TO THE GENTILES ¶

Now, my brethren and sisters, plainly as anything that the Lord has ever given us, we understand that the beginning of the times of the Gentiles was when the light broke forth in these latter days, and the gospel was given first to the Gentiles. It was written in olden times that those who were first, the Jews, who received the gosper first in former days, should be last in receiving it in the latter days; and those who were last in receiving the gospel in former days, namely, the Gentiles, shal be first in the latter days. So the gospel dispensation in the latter days was to the Gentiles first; and now our souls thrill when we think of the great labor that has been accomplished among the Gentile nations for nearly a hundred years. For it is a hundred years ago now since that light began to break forth, and finally came in its fulness, ten years later, when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in the earth; and for all these many years, by thousands and tens of thousands, the elders of this Church have preached the gospel among the Gentile nations, and the blood of Israel hath been gathered out from the midst of the Gentiles, until the day of gleaning draweth nigh. There shall come a day when the Gentiles shall reject this gospel, they will close their doors against it. That will be the day when the wheat is gathered and when the salt of the earth is taken from among them. When that day comes they will care no more for the word of God, and they will close their ¶

doors aganist it. When that day comes then cometh the day of the redemption of Israel, and that day is nigh at hand. For, when the Gentiles shall begin to reject this word, Israel shall begin to receive it. We see the evidences of God's preparation for that great work of the redemption of Israel under way. Our souls were thrilled as we saw the armies of the Allies march through the land of Palestine, and break down the power that had held that land under its dominion, in cruelty, for ages. ¶

THE JEWS NOW TURNING TOWARD JERUSALEM ¶

Now our souls are thrilled to see our half brothers, the Jews, turning toward the land of promise; and for the first time since their long dispersion one of their own people, an orthodox Jew, is the ruler of the land of Palestine. The Jews will go there. God knows how to bring them. He did it in our case, and he knows how to bring them. They may say they will not go, but they will. The Lord will hedge up the way behind them, and he will open up the way before them, and unto his appointed place they shall go, in preparation for their conversion at the hands of the Master. For he shall come in the day of their trouble, to their deliverance. He will stand upon the Mount of Olives, which shall cleave in twain, and a valley shall open for their rescue from their oppressors; and when they come to the feet of their Deliverer they shall see the marks of the nails in his feet and in his hands, and shall say: "What are these wounds?" Then he shall say unto them: "I am Jesus Christ, who was crucified. These are the wounds I received in the house of my friends." Then shall a nation be converted in a day, and shall respond and become God's chosen people. ¶

THE LAMANITES TO BE REMEMBERED ¶

Then another part of the House of Israel, the children of Father Lehi shall. not be forgotten, though they have long been in dispersion. A prophet of old, in the Book of Mormon, said that at the hands of the Gentiles they would suffer and be scattered, but again the Gentiles should become their blessing. I bear witness to you that God, through the Gentile nations, is preparing the Indians of this, the American continent, through their allotments of land, through their education, and in divers other ways, for the acceptance and living of his gospel, and the day of their redemption draweth nigh. The Lord said, in the third section of the Doctrine and Covenants, that for this very purpose the Book of Mormon was given to the Latter-day Saints, to bring to pass the redemption of Father Lehi's children, the Lamanites. ¶

THE LOST TRIBES SHALL ALSO HEAR ¶

Not only the Lamanites, but others of Israel shall hear -- the lost tribes, to whom the Master said he would go, and they should hear his voice. My witness and testimony is that they are preparing themselves; that even now their prophets prophecy of their deliverance and ¶

are preparing that people. The mountains of ice shall flow down before them, and a highway shall be cast up, and they shall come forth with songs of everlasting joy, to be crowned at the hands of the children of Ephraim. These are only a few of the glorious things that are before us. It is for that purpose we are assembled here. Let us look upon the means which God has given us as only a means to an end, and not the end itself. ¶

OUR POSITION, STATION AND PRIVILEGE ¶

This is our station; this is our position. These are our privileges; and oh! when we look upon them in all their glory, how mean, how small, and how petty it seems to me for us to get down and quarrel with each other, and backbite, and slander, and fight over the petty little things, and forget the glorious purposes God had in bringing us here. ¶

Now, the Lord keep our hearts upon his purpose and his mission for us, that we may be true unto him, and fail not to come unto the standard of perfection necessary to become the light of the world, the redeemers upon Mount Zion for Israel, the salt of the earth, the city set upon a hill, whose light shall shine forth to all men, and attract the good and the great from all nations, who shall come and say: "Let us go up unto the mountain of the house of the God of Jacob," for the light to the Gentiles is manifest, "and learn of her ways and walk in her paths," and become so perfect that we shall attract the attention of the angels of heaven; and the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again to live upon the earth among men, I humbly pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶

At the close of Elder Ballard's sermon, President Grant proposed that out of love and respect to the prophet Joseph Smith, all the Latter-day Saints would like to arise and sing, "We thank thee, O God, for a prophet." This was done with great spirit. ¶

I had no idea of saying anything more at this conference, but after listening to the very splendid remarks of Elder Ballard, I desire to read a revelation given a year before the Church was organized. ¶

REVELATION TO HYRUM SMITH AND COMMENTS THEREON ¶

This revelation, among other things, says that it is not only for the man to whom it was given -- Hyrum Smith, who was martyred with his brother, the Prophet Joseph Smith -- but that it is to all of us, and therefore I desire to read it: ¶

A great and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. ¶

Behold, I am God, and give heed to my word, which is quick and ¶

powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my words. ¶

Behold the field is white already to harvest, therefore whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God; ¶

Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God; ¶

Therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you. ¶

I will say that Hryum Smith and many other men came to the Prophet Joseph, believing that he was in very deed a prophet, believing that God had chosen him to organize again the Church of Christ upon the earth, they came to him and asked: "What does the Lord desire at our hands?" And many of the revelations in the fore-part of the Doctrine and Covenants were given, before the organization of the Church, to individuals, in answer to this inquiry that they made of the prophet. This section I am reading is one of those revelations: ¶

Therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you. ¶

Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments. ¶

THE KEY-NOTE OF THIS CONFERENCE ¶

Remember, ye Latter-day Saints, that that is the key-note of this conference. ¶

Keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion, ¶

Seek not for riches, but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich. ¶

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me, so it shall be done unto you; and if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation. ¶

TRIBUTE TO HYRUM SMITH ¶

No mortal man who ever lived in this Church desired more to do good than did Hyrum Smith, the patriarch. I have it from the lips of my own sainted mother, that of all the men she was acquainted with in her girlhood days in Nauvoo, she admired Hyrum Smith most for his absolute integrity and devotion to God, and his loyalty to the prophet of God. And God honored that man by allowing to come from his loins the late beloved President Joseph F. Smith. ¶

The devil, through his emissaries, thought to destroy this Church by having them kill the prophet and the patriarch; but the son of the patriarch lived to be the Prophet of the living God, and his greatgrandson sits here today as the Presiding Patriarch of the Church. Nothing can be done by the people of the world to retard the progress of the work of God. Murder and all that has been done against the ¶

Latter-day Saints has had no effect whatever. The work of God has gone steadily on from the day that the Church was organized with only six members. ¶

Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me, so it shall be done unto you; and if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation. ¶

Say nothing but repentance unto this generation: keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed. * * * ¶

Behold thou hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift if thou wilt desire of me in faith, with an honest heart, believing in the power of Jesus Christ, or in my power which speaketh unto thee; ¶

For, behold, it is I that speak; behold, I am the light which shineth in darkness, and by my power I give these words unto thee. ¶

And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good; yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously, and this is my Spirit. ¶

No man in all the Church put his trust in that Spirit more perfectly than did Hyrum Smith, or than did his son, the late prophet, Joseph F. Smith. ¶

Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit; which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy. ¶

And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive. ¶

Behold, I command you, that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called. ¶

Remember, the Church was not yet organized. ¶

Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine; ¶

And then behold, according to your desires, yea, even according to your faith, shall it be done unto you. * * * ¶

Keep my commandments, hold your peace, appeal unto my Spirit. ¶

Yea, cleave unto me with all your heart, that you may assist in bringing to light those things of which have been spoken; yea, the translation of my work; be patient until you shall accomplish it. ¶

The work of the translation of the inspired record, the Book of Mormon, was in progress at the time of the giving of this revelation. "Behold, this is your work," and it is the work of all the Latter-day Saints: ¶

Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind, and strength; ¶

Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea the power of God unto the convincing of men; ¶

But now hold your peace, study my word which hath gone forth among the children of men, and also study my word which shall come forth among the children of men, or that which is now translating, yea, until you have obtained all which I shall grant unto the children of men in this generation, and then shall all things be added thereunto. ¶

Behold, thou art Hyrum, my son, seek the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added according to that which is just. Build upon my rock, which is my gospel; ¶

Deny not the Spirit of revelation, nor the Spirit of prophecy, for woe unto him that denieth these things; ¶

Therefore, treasure up in your heart until the time which is in my wisdom that you shall go forth. ¶

Behold, I speak unto all who have good desires, and have thrust in their sickle to reap. (Doctrine and Covenants Sees. 6 and 11.) ¶

THE SAINTS EXPECTED TO STUDY THIS REVELATION ¶

Read this revelation, ye Latter-day Saints, over and over again, because it applies to you; and time and time again you will find that the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave this revelation, repeats himself in saying: "Keep my commandments." ¶

Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the life and the light of the world. ¶

I am the same who came unto my own and my own received me not; ¶

But verily, verily, I say unto you, that as many as receive me, to them will I give power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on my name. Amen. ¶

We will now ask Brother Joseph W. McMurrin to speak to us briefly. Brother McMurrin has proclaimed this gospel of Jesus Christ on three separate and distinct missions in Europe. He is now proclaiming the gospel as the President of the California mission. ¶