Testimony

My brethren and sisters. It is with a feeling of timidity and weakness that I try to speak to you this afternoon, but with the help of our Father in heaven, I may be able to say something edifying. ¶

I endorse heartily the remarks of the former speaker; they express my feelings exactly. I have felt today a renewal of my testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true; ¶

that this great work, the Church of God, has been established never again to be taken from the earth or given to another people. ¶

I was greatly impressed this morning, as I am this afternoon, with the large attendance at this conference, and with the realization of the power and strength of our Church organization today. I thought of the First Presidency, the Twelve Apostles, and the different officers and organizations of the Church today, with a realization of the power and strength they are in the earth. ¶

I thought, if we could assume that the Church, as we have it, were man-made, it would still be the most powerful organization in the world today. Assuming that the Master were not the organizer or the head, that it were a man-made institution, even then, consider its leadership. President Grant, a wonderful leader, a man of great experience, who has made mistakes in life, perhaps, because he has done things, but he is a man who has profited by his mistakes, and a mighty man in Israel today! Consider his counselors, President Penrose, a man of great experience, a practical man, a man who has shared the joys and the sorrows of the people for many years; and then President Ivins, a practical man, a success in life, both temporally and spiritually -- an agriculturist, a man educated in many of the sciences of life -- when I think of these three great leaders, for my part, under any condition, I would be willing to trust the Church. Then, consider their associates, the members of the Council of Twelve, men who lead in the world of affairs, in science, as statesmen, as agriculturists, as educators -- I have been impressed all day that for my part, I am willing to trust the Church in their care. ¶

When we further consider that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, according to our knowledge and testimony, is at the head, that he is sanctioning and inspiring, with his holy Spirit, their actions, I am again perfectly satisfied and content to trust the affairs of this Church in their hands. To me, a man or a woman who would assume to dictate, who would assume to set them right, would be ridiculous, would appear insignificant. Yet, we have such characters in the Church today, who attempt to do that, and ask God Almighty to inspire them, that they may dictate to the leaders of our Church. I say we have them, but you business men, you men of affairs, will agree with me when I say that no organization can exist and flourish if subordinate officers, lay members, dictate to the ruling authority. I am a man in charge of mines, superintendents and foremen, and I have learned this, that when a shift boss undertakes to pass over the head of his foreman to the management of the mine, he is out of order, the organization is immediately in confusion. I have also learned that when men holding the high positions undertake to dictate over the heads of their superintendents, their subordinate officers, again the organization is in confusion. So I say that the Church is built on natural principles, business principles; and no man should ¶

dictate to those in higher authority, nor pass over the heads of those who are their immediate superiors. ¶

I have said before, we have people in the Church who undertake to do this, and I believe when they do, there is confusion. We get, as people say, our wires crossed; we get the wrong information; we get "in wrong;" we are understood wrong; and there is confusion. I know of people, and have had recent experiences with people, who have thought that they could go into the solitude of the deserts and pray unto God to help them set the Church right; who have thought that, through fasting and prayer, they could set the Church in order, that they could dictate. Much has been said informing us that every member of the Church should have a testimony of his own, every man stand on his own foundation, that every man should receive inspiration to the extent that he will have a living testimony that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Men have misinterpreted that. They have taken unto themselves the thought that they must receive directions, revelations, from the higher authority, even from the Master, as to the dictation of his affairs on earth. And they have done wrong. They have caused confusion, and they have not accomplished what they expected to accomplish. As I say, they have undertaken to do this, and so misinterpreting the advice that has been given to us that we must rest on our own testimony. As I understand it, every man and woman is entitled to inspiration from God Almighty for his own welfare, or the welfare of the thing that he may immediately control -- I would say a father in his home is entitled to inspiration to rear his family, the President of a Mutual Improvement Association is entitled to inspiration to lead his association. But they must follow the standards that have been set up by the General Authorities! ¶

The Prophet Joseph told us that God never reveals anything that is already made plain and revealed. Therefore we have plenty, and we may go to our superior authorities to receive the same. Men have misunderstood things and have taken it that they themselves shall receive revelation from God Almighty to lead the affairs of this Church; and when they do this, when they fast and when they pray, and when they insist on revelations, contrary to that which is already revealed, the Spirit of the Lord forsakes them and the devil crosses them with his wires. I have had recent experience with men who were deceived and who thought they were receiving inspiration from Almighty God, when they were obtaining it from an evil source. These men received "revelations" that they were to sacrifice their dear wives, and take other person's wives -- somebody else was to sacrifice theirs to them! This is the way the devil does things. He puts men upon pedestals, and when he gets them there, he kicks them out from under them, and then they lose the companionship of our Father in heaven and gain the friendship of the devil. ¶

I do not feel to speak any longer; but never before in my life have I had more confidence that God has instituted his Church in the earth, and that we can feel at ease that it is entrusted in good hands, and in a perfect organization. My prayer is that we will live according to the inspiration given to us from the authorities of the Church and to ourselves from the Spirit of God for our own direction, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶