The Testimony of Joseph Smith

To the man who communed with Jehovah was given a wonderful promise. The Lord said to him: "Thy people shall never be turned against thee by the testimony of traitors." This promise has been enjoyed, is enjoyed, and will be enjoyed by every president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ; and with our leaders we will go on to victory, the victory which will win for us eternal life, growing up in all good things, perfected in doctrine, in Jesus Christ, our head. ¶

It was a soul-thrilling message that our president delivered unto us yesterday morning. He stirred up our minds by way of remembrance to the divine mission of this Church: this mission is — "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." "Where there is no vision, the people perish." In this Church this vision is a broad and glowing light, and whenever we do not sense sufficiently our mission of preaching the gospel, it is a sign that our vision is dimming, and hence the necessity of prophets and apostles to remind us of our duties, and to make more clear this glorious vision which should always be before the eyes of every Latter-day Saint. ¶

The testimony of Jesus Christ abides in this Church. Some of our young men may grow slack, seemingly indifferent; but sooner or later will come in their lives a great awakening. The testimony will flame up in their hearts in time of need. It may be that it will require the winds of opposition to make this flame spring up in their souls, but sooner or later, in their direst need, it will come to them ; and this is a comfort and joy to the hearts of the Latter-day Saints. A young man laboring in the Georgia conference, several years ago, said he believed in the gospel, came on a mission because he felt it was his duty to come, but he could not say in! his heart that he knew the gospel was the power of God unto salvation. After he had labored in the conference a couple of weeks, he and his companion were attacked by a mob. The mobocrats chased these young men for about two miles, and when the young man who said he had not a .testimony, had outdistanced his pursuers, he faced about and, pointing his hand in the direction of the mob, said : "I know this gospel is true." Thus there came into that young man's soul the great awakening light. , ( ¶

The Church is the mother of men grown strong in giving. I believe that affiliation and adversity play an important part in our lives. I am reminded of the words of Alma, the Nephite prophet, in the thirty-second chapter of the book bearing his name. Some poor people came to him and declared that they had been cast out of their ¶

synagogues because of their exceeding poverty. Alma had the courage to give them the counsel they most needed. I believe it takes as much moral courage sometimes to teach the poor as it does to counsel the rich. These people were poor in this "world's goods, and poor in spirit. God said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me." Unto these poor in heart Alma said: ¶

I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom; for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your brethren, because of your exceeding poverty, that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be humble, blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth, shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. And now as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble, ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word." ¶

Brethren and sisters, will future historians write the melancholy story that the Latter-day Saints were compelled to be humble ? I don't think they will. I believe that, aside from afflictions, from prosperity, we should always humble ourselves because of the word, because we know that this gospel is the power of God unto salvation. This personal testimony that comes to our sons and daughters, this testimony that they receive when they are baptized, when eight years of age and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by the servants of God, this testimony is the secret and the reason for the steadfastness of the members of this Church. Against this testimony — which is the heritage of God's sons and daughters — the gates of hell shall never, no never, prevail. Amen. ¶