New Life and Hope in Christ

My Brethren and Sisters: This conference has been one of inspiring testimonies of God's work in the earth to redeem his children. With you, I feel to dedicate my life to better service among my fellow men for the cause of the Master. Service may be rendered in our daily activities of life, and though we feel at times how prosaic our duties are, yet with the Spirit of God with us, our words and deeds ¶

may radiate new life and hope to those with whom we come in contact. Life is a way of strenuous duty, but when we have been thrilled with Christ's love, we do not think of self, but the good of all humanity is our aim. You recall that St. Luke tells us in exquisite words how the shepherds returned to their flocks after they had heard the angels' song, and had seen the Christ-child in the manger. Though they had seen the Redeemer and had partaken of his spirit, they returned to their daily duties with hearts full of sweetness and light, and were thankful for their powers to perform their daily work and duties with an eye single to God's glory. ¶

I was very much impressed with the words of Bishop Charles W. Nibley this morning. They contained much food for thought. They suggested to me a very important question for us all to think about: "Is the world to the point of a moral collapse ?" This question, though one of large proportions, should be of interest to every one who has an interest in life. I am an optimist, and know full well that every child of God has more good in him than bad, but I have come to believe that mankind is suffering for the want of spiritual light, and that old standards of morality are fading away. The Christian sects today are teaching many false doctrines in the name of the Master ; and our universities and schools are giving foolish theories in the name of truth. Much of our teaching has become nothing but a suppression of the powers of the individual child to live ; and the planting in his heart of false conceptions of life. Today, our teaching has become mechanized ; and much of our education reminds me of a "Thibetan prayer-wheel, busily turning-, but barren of purpose." Teachers today are following an old time groove; they are traveling in a rut, and their words are barren of spiritual life and inspiration. I have a right to speak thus, for I am a teacher, and I realize something of our faults. It is due largely to the lack of spiritualizing of our children in the schools and churches that the world is lacking in high standards of morals. Our methods of teaching are wrong, because we are wanting in knowledge and spiritual insight into humanity's heart. Our schools and churches must be revolutionized and made to come into the new age in standards and in a knowledge of God's purposes. ¶

Last evening, I had the pleasure of listening to our friend, Dr. Schwartz. He made a plea for Russia and the Russian people. Not only Russia, but all the nations of Europe need help, for their people are starving. They need not only bread ; but they are in sore need of the "bread of life," for they have strayed from the teachings of Christ, the Master. I wish to say to Dr. Schwartz and his people that the gospel of Christ Jesus is again restored to the earth in its purity ; and there is only one way in which his people and all peoples can come into the light, and that is through the Gate of Eternal Life as revealed by our Savior. All people must yet seek the "way, the truth, and the light," and mankind must unselfishly and humbly go to God for divine guidance. The Latter-day Saints declare that the Priesthood of ¶

God is again on the earth, and that the lives of those holding the Priesthood must be clean and pure. ¶

The spirit of man is divine. We are of God, with the same powers in embryo likened unto a God. We believe with all our might and strength that the light within us and the divinity of our own spirits will yet cause us to be truly and greatly educated children ; and we base our testimony of life on the inner light, the power and light of God within us. We Latter-day Saints are not basing our lives on gold and silver and worldly goods. While we know that we are in a life wherein we are to deal with materiality with the world, we do not believe in "pinned-on" religion or frivolous and conventional facts called education, but we take a stand for the real development of the individual and his unity and unification with God almighty and his great work. We are hoping that the time will come when it may be said of us that the Latter-day Saints are not only the most intellectual people in all the world, but they are the most spiritual, and they win souls unto the true and living God by the spiritual life they express in their words, actions and thoughts. "Mormonism," or the gospel of Jesus Christ, teaches us that the Master, Jesus Christ, is the Redeemer of the world. He is the Son of the living God. He is blessing us, and is watching the nations and all his children. We know full well that every individual born of woman is a child of this living God ; and we bear testimony to the fact that the living God has spoken, and therefore it is imperative that we base our lives upon a knowledge of him who created all things. He lives in heaven as our Father, whose kingdom is to be established upon the earth. We must therefore become children of the light. There is too much stuck-on religion in the world. We do hold that that word "religion" has become more or less false throughout the world, but we bear our testimony to you that pure religion, the relationship of God to man, is known through the Spirit of God and in no other way. All the teachings of Jesus might be put into a small brochure and read possibly within a period of thirty minutes. Why has the Master's life influenced the world as it has done? Because he not only knew the truth, but was of the truth, and the greatest man is the man of the truth. His whole spiritual, mental, and moral life is the expression of the power and divinity of Almighty God. ¶

God is watching the nations of the earth. He loves his children, and I believe that Russia, Germany, Austria, Turkey, and all the nations of earth will have great prophets and teachers who will direct those people to a higher and truer life. I do not wish to be understood as saying that the peoples of the different nations are wholly in darkness. Far from that. The world is becoming more civilized, and all nations and peoples have given something of eternal truth to the world. I think, in fact, that the great religions of the world — Buddhism, Brahmanism, and the philosophy of Confucius have with Christianity lifted the human race to a realization of something of the purposes of God. In the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of all goodness and truth, and in it we live and have our greatest hopes for the future. It will be by humble acknowledgement of God that the nations will be kept from a moral collapse. ¶

May God bless the suffering nations of Europe. May he heal up the wounds of the people of that great and noble nation, Great Britain; may he help France— the nation that has stood for the intellectual development of mankind ; may he help Italy, the nation of art and beauty; may he bless Germany whose people are good, and who have had a pride in their industrial and intellectual life ; may Russia be brought to the Gate of Life, for her people have a natural spirit of thrift and intelligence. May God bless all peoples, and may he hasten the day when all shall sing, "Peace on earth, good will toward men." May we as a people go forth from this conference with a stronger testimony of the truthfulness of the word of the Lord ; may we forget self, and live for the good of others. May selfishness go from our lives, and may we live in accordance with the laws of the divine priesthood of God. Then our lives will be sanctified. Amen. ¶