Northwestern States Mission Report

I rejoice, my brothers and sisters, in the opportunity of meeting again in conference with the Saints of the Lord. To me there is nothing sweeter than "communion with Saints." I rejoice in the spirit of the great work in which we are engaged, and am reminded that just a little more than two years ago I received a letter over the signature of President Heber J. Grant wherein was contained the information that I had been selected to preside over the Northwestern States Mission; also these inspiring words, the spirit of which is in my soul, and I thank the Lord therefor, and trust that this spirit shall never become dim, but every hour be brighter and brighter, so long as life shall last: ¶

"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; for, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance; and how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth. Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people; and if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father? And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me?" ¶

Another revelation of the Lord, containing the same spirit and sentiment was given to John Whitmer, through Joseph, the Seer, in Fayette, Seneca county, New York, June, 1829: ¶

"Hearken, my servant John, and listen to the words of Jesus Christ, your Lord and your Redeemer, for behold, I speak unto you with sharpness and with power, for mine arm is over all the earth, and I will tell you ¶

that which no man knoweth save me and thee alone, for many times you have desired of me to know that which would be of the most worth unto you. Behold, blessed are you for this thing, and for speaking my words which I have given you according to my commandments. And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you, will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen." ¶

No greater work was ever entrusted to men than to cry repentance, and labor for the salvation of souls in the kingdom of God. Upon me as an individual, a preacher of repentance, lies the responsibility of directing the labors of 180 missionaries, among them the sweetest and most beautiful young men and young women in all the world; and I assure you that keenly do I sense it, and sincerely do I pray that the spirit of this calling -- important above all others that come to men in the world -- shall be mine. My great task has been to know, as I instruct those young men and young women, that which is better than any other thing, to possess; that more than all else which will qualify them to make of them efficient servants and preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Paul's instructions to the Corinthian Saints, declaring his own power and the source thereof, he recognized that it was not in his profound learning (for he sat at the feet of Gamaliel; and among the philosophers and learned men of his day he stood foremost), but from some other Power, the source of which he has indicated most unmistakably in his Epistle to the Corinthians, from which I desire to read a few words. ¶

In II Corinthians, 12, he speaks of the wonderful manifestations of God, the revelation of Jesus Christ, who appeared to him while on the way to Damascus, to bring bound the Saints that he was persecuting. The Lord said, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" and in answer Paul said, "Who art thou, Lord?" and the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest;" and Paul replied, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" In this wonderful revelation he was caught up into the third heaven where he beheld indescribable glories and heard things which he said were not meet for men to utter; yet he affirmed that not upon these did he depend for the strength of his testimony and the power of his ministry, for, said he: ¶

"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." ¶

The Lord would have Paul know that in the humility of his heart, the sincerity of his soul, and in the recognition of God, lay the source of his power, wherein he should find great strength, and not in the wisdom of man. This was also indicated in a previous declaration to the Corinthian Saints, wherein Paul said: ¶

"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." ¶

When I read these words, I think of that most wonderful and successful of all converters of souls in this latter dispensation -- aye, I believe of any dispensation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the humble, unlearned Wilford Woodruff, who taught, converted and baptized by the power of God, nigh unto two thousand souls -- a record, I believe, that is not equalled by any other servant of the Lord in any age of the world. This he accomplished, not with the wisdom of man or the philosophy of the sage, but by the power and Spirit of Almighty God, which possessed his innocent and humble soul. Continuing, Paul declared: ¶

"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." ¶

(And they who crucified the Lord of glory were not the ignorant men of the world; they were those who stood in high places and occupied positions in the courts of kings and royalty; they were the learned men of the world who crucified the Lord of glory.) Paul further says: ¶

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. ¶

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." ¶

And as I read the '12th and 13th verses of this chapter, I think of another illustrious example of the inspiration of the Almighty, manifest in one of his chosen servants: ¶

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." ¶

Of Joseph F. ' Smith, our late revered prophet and leader, it has been said', by one who speaks with understanding and from personal knowledge, that Prest. Smith never prepared in his life a sermon. This man who traveled with him in Europe, on the isles of the sea, and through the stakes of Zion, year after year, thousands upon thousands of miles, and heard him deliver hundreds and thousands of sermons, asserts that he never heard Prest. Smith deliver two sermons of which it could be said, "this sermon reminds me of another one I heard him deliver." To me that is a marvelous testimony to the divinity of the calling and inspiration of the man, for such achievement is not humanly possible. Human intelligence has its limitations. But the intelligence and inspiration of the Almighty are infinite; and the man who is in touch therewith, inspired thereby, has no limits, and can preach sermons day after day, year after year, under the inspiration of the Spirit of the Almighty, and never repeat. But when men prepare their sermons, and by worldly wisdom hope to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and glorify themselves, then they are not possessed of this unlimited, irresistible power which finds lodgment in the souls of honest men. Wherein, then, lies this wonderful power? What is the character of it? That is the question that should concern every mission president, and every teacher of righteousness, and preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You remember what Paul says in the 13th Chapter of First Corinthians: ¶

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing." ¶

In comparison with this wonderful power, charity or love -- these accomplishments here mentioned pale into insignificance. Qualified, and endowed with these rare gifts we naturally conclude, one must of necessity be a most powerful preacher; he can speak with the tongues of men and the eloquence of angels; he understands all mysteries, and has all knowledge and faith so that he could remove mountains. But he lacks one thing, and that is the vitalizing force which is the secret of his power. And what is that? It is that supreme love which the Savior describes in the following words: ¶

"Except a man is willing to leave father and mother, houses and lands, wives and children, and all for my sake and the gospel's, he is unworthy of me." ¶

It is that love of God, which overshadows and transcends the love of everything else in the world whether it be personal glory and honor, wealth or fame. It matters not what it may be, there is no love in his heart equaling his love of God. That is the source of his power; and possessed of that, his words are irresistible, and his power will redound to the honor and glory of God and the salvation of his children ¶

-- which power may God endow us with, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶