Priesthood Responsibility

I feel weighing heavily upon me, my brethren and sisters, the responsibility that comes to me at this time. Nevertheless, I am grateful unto God for this privilege of bearing testimony to you, and I sincerely pray that he will give me strength to speak words of encouragement. It is a wonderful privilege to stand here and look into the faces of those gathered together in this conference, and a great responsibility to endeavor to instruct you in your duties. This truly is a marvelous work and a wonder. ¶

I thought yesterday, when President Grant mentioned the fact that we have nearly eighteen hundred missionaries in the world, preaching the gospel, how many of us here at home fully realize, or in a sense realize, the great missionary work that is being done. Every man holding the Priesthood of this Church, who is magnifying his calling before God, is preaching the gospel, and when I have seen the work that is being done on this block by Brother Goddard and his associates, directed by the Spirit of God, I am sure I am safe in saying that the missionary work being done right here, where the temple of the living God is located, "the mountain of the House of the Lord established in the tops of the mountains, exalted above the hills," is a "marvelous work and a wonder." How many of us realize that hundreds of thousands are coming here to our very doors each year to hear the word of the Lord. I wonder sometimes if the power of the Priesthood, and the manifestations of the power of God through it. are not so common to us that we pass them by, day by day, giving little heed to the warnings and encouragement they bring. ¶

The other day it was my privilege to meet a reverend gentleman on this block. After discussing some of the principles of the gospel with Mm, he expressed a wish to know something more concerning "Mormonism," so called. It was my privilege later to take him to visit one of our Sabbath schools where those holding the Priesthood were meeting as quorums. He passed from one class to another, ending where the High Priests were in session. In going from the classes where he saw young men ranging from twelve to twenty years of age present in goodly numbers, he said, "Bishop Smith, how do you do it? How do you get them here? We can't do it, we can't touch men of this age." I answered : "See what they are studying. These young men hold the Priesthood ; they are deacons, teachers and priests, having been ordained by those who have authority from God to do so. This Priesthood fills them, if they keep themselves clean, with a desire to study the principles of the gospel. There is a place in the Church for them to function.. Their greatest desire is to honor the Priesthood and magnify their calling so that some day they will "be found ready and worthy to go into the world to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ — this gospel which they are studying. That is the desire that actuates them and brings them here Sunday after Sunday". He said, "How do you get these young men here who are acting as instructors ? How much do you pay them for this work ?" I referred this question to the superintendent of the Sunday school, who answered: "There is only one man in this building who receives a salary for his work, and he is paid for doing the janitor work." The gentleman's reply was: "It is marvelous! It is a wonder! I am bewildered with it all. The only thing I can compare it with is, if you will pardon the comparison, a three ring circus. You have given me so much to think about, I am bewildered. I think I am safe in saying that you have here in this house today more people assembled for the ¶

purpose of worshiping- God than we have in the whole county where I live." His home is in another state. ¶

Now, my brethren and sisters, those of us who hold the Priesthood have great responsibility. . You, fathers and mothers, have a great responsibility. My special calling in this Church is to guard and guide the youth of Zion, and to encourage those who have been ordained to the Lesser Priesthood, which Priesthood holds the keys to the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel, which is the gospel of repentance, and of baptism, and the remission of sins. It prepares young men to do the greater work required of them in later life. In that Priesthood, as we are today, the duties of the priest are to preach, teach, expound, exhort, to baptize and administer the Sacrament ; to visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray, vocally and in secret, and to attend to all family duties. The, duty of a teacher is to watch over the Church always, and be with and strengthen them, to see that there is no iniquity in the Church, no backbiting, evil speaking or lying. The duty of the deacon, the little fellow, the beginner, is to assist the teacher, to keep order in the meeting house, and be on hand at all times to labor as directed by the bishop, to perform outward ordinances which help him to grow and become strong in the faith and useful in the hands of God. How many of us realize the blessings that have been promised to us through the Priesthood ? ¶

And the inhabitants of Zion, also, shall remember their labors, inasmuch as they are appointed to labor, in all faithfulness ; for the idler shall be had in remembrance before the Lord. Now, I the Lord, am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them; and their children are also growing up in wickedness; they also seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness. (Doc. & Cov. 68:30-31) ¶

There is work provided for all, and all are expected to work, and are rewarded according to their faithfulness. ¶

For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two Priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies; they become the sons of Moses and of Aaron, and the seed of Abraham, and rue Church and Kingdom and the elect of God; and also all they who receive this Priesthood receiveth me, saith the Lord; for he that receiveth my servants receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth my Father; and he that receiveth my Father, receiveth my Father's kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him"; [not a part, not a portion, but all that my Father hath shall be given unto him], "and this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the Priesthood. Therefore* all those who receive the Priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved; but whoso break- ■eth this covenant, after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come. (Doc. & Cov. 84:33, 41) ¶

Oh, I sincerely pray, my brethren and sisters, that we. will magnify our calling in the Priesthood. Oh, elders of Israel, let us see that there is work for those holding the Lesser Priesthood. See that these young men whose mission is to labor in the Lesser Priesthood have work to do, and as we are commanded here, take them with us : ¶

And if any man among you be strong in the spirit, let him take with him he that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also. Therefore, take with you those who are ordained unto the Lesser Priesthood, and send them before you to make appointments, and to prepare the way, and to fill appointments that you yourselves are not able to fill. Behold, this is the way that mine apostles, in ancient days, built up my Church unto me. Therefore, let every man stand in his own office, and labor in his own calling; and Jet not the head say unto the feet, it hath no need of the feet, for without the feet how shall the body be able to stand? Also the body hath need of every member that ' all may be edified together, that the system may be kept perfect." (Doc. & Cov. 84:106-110) ¶

God help us to do our duty, is my prayer, and I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶