The Nobility of Our Ancestry and Birth

My heart is filled with gratitude on this occasion, my brethren and sisters, for the blessings of our heavenly Father which I enjoy in common with you. I feel greatly honored in being permitted to sit beside the members of the First Presidency of the Church and members of the Council of the Twelve, in the midst of these General Authorities of the Church, and to have their fellowship and esteem, I would have been pleased to have enjoyed this seat that I have been occupying, all through the conference, if it had pleased the Lord and the brethren that I should have done so ; but inasmuch as I have been asked to make a few remarks, I sincerely hope that I may be inspired of the Lord to say the things which he would have me to say. I realize that there is a greater responsibility resting upon me than upon some of the lay members of the Church, because of the position to which I have been called, and the authority which has (been placed upon me to be a special witness of the Lord Jesus Christ in all the world, whither my lot shall be cast. I feel very happy in, and thankful for, the testimony which our heavenly Father has given me of the truth of this great latter-day work which came forth through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that it is true, that there is in it the power of God unto salvation, both in this life and in the life to come. ¶

The Nobility of Our Ancestry and Birth

I know that God lives, that he, through his Son Jesus Christ, is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the seas and fountains of waters. I know that he is our very eternal Father, the Father of our spirits, and I rejoice in the nobility of our ancestry, and birth. Brethren and sisters, and friends, when we think of the block from which ' we have been hewed, I am led to remark: "What manner of men and women ought we not to be, we who have inherited, through our spiritual birth, the very attributes of Deity which in their perfected state and condition make our eternal Father what he is?" We are required to develop these attributes. ¶

The Purpose of Our Being

We are placed here upon the earth that we may be tried and proved to see whether we will serve God at all hazards, and keep his commandments, and endure the tests which shall be made of our faith and our integrity. The scriptures say: "Let ¶

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this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God." As Christ felt, so we are admonished that we should feel, just as good children here on earth should try to emulate all that is good and noble and great in their earthly parents. When there was a great controversy in heaven it was upon this point, as I understand, that of being obedient or of being disobedient. In other words, there was one great one who came forth and wanted the Father to make him his son and give him the privilege of saving mankind, but in doing so he would take away the agency of man and the honor and glory of God. There was' another, who was our Father's firstborn. The platform of principles upon which he stood was : "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." That took with the Lord and with the hosts. We who are privileged to enjoy the blessings that we enjoy here in this life stood with Christ our Savior upon that platform. It pertained not only to the former existence, but to the existence of man in mortality and beyond the grave. ¶

Jesus' Christ Our Great Captain

Christ, our Lord, was true to the trusts reposed in him-. He was our great captain there and has been our great captain here. He has marked the way, and every path defined. When he came here he said that he came not to do his own will, but the will of him, who sent him — the Father, and he has stated that if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it is of God or of man, whether he spoke of himself or of him who sent him. I thank the Lord that we have so far advanced in doing the will of our Father in heaven, in yielding obedience unto the laws, ordinances and commandments of the Lord, that we have received this witness unto ourselves, as many hundreds of thousands of honest men and women in the Church can testify today. I rejoice not only in the testimony our Father has given to me, but in the testimony he has given to you, my brethren and sisters of the Church. ¶

Willingness of the Saints to Work

While there are some who have been wayward and indifferent, who seem to have forgotten the covenant which they made before they came here, to do the will of our Father — and we are constantly laboring with such — the great mass of the Latter-day Saints. I firmly believe, are trying their utmost to do the will of our Father as pertains to them in. this life, and they have the testimony of the truth and manifest it in their works in the Church, answering every call that comes to them, recognizing the authority which the Lord has placed in the Church, whether it be to go abroad into other lands among strangers, leaving loved ones, leaving professions, business interests, all that they ¶

have, to preach this gospel of the kingdom as a warning unto the world, or whether it be to labor at home in the stakes in the wards, in the quorums, in the auxiliary associations, or in the temple of the Lord, or wherever they are wanted to go. Whatever they are galled upon to do we find that willingness of spirit to answer the call of authority, take up the responsibility, make sacrifice, and work to help the carrying on of this great latter-day work, our Father's work, unselfish service to our fellowmen, whether they be in the Church or not, whether we have known them or not, whether they be dead or alive, this unselfishness is in the hearts of the Latter-day Saints, a desire to help the Father to carry on his work of salvation. ¶

The Wonderful Achievements Made

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A wonderful work is being accomplished in the midst of the people, and we have the evidence in the organization of the Church, in the perfected state it is in at the present time, in the organization of the Sunday schools, the auxiliary associations, the quorums of the Priesthood, and in our temples. In all this work we have the evidence that God has not forsaken his people since the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Those who have come after, who have succeeded him to the presidency, have received the mantle of the Prophet, each in succession, and his administration has been attended with the power of God for the growth and the development and onward progress of his work in the earth. As we see the work today, we have a living evidence of God's power that is in this work, and with his people. We do know that the truth will ultimately triumph, that this Church and kingdom is established never to be thrown down or to be given to another people. Zion's young people are as faithful today as they ever have been, and are willing to carry on the work and bear the responsibility as it comes to them, and they are being better prepared, than were the former generations in this Church, to take this responsibility, and do effective work. I thank the Lord for the efficiency of his ministry at home and abroad, for faithful men and women who are willing to sacrifice and to give and to do for the accomplishment of the Lord's purposes. I trust that I am not jealous or envious of any living man. I do hope that I do so love the Lord, our God, and love his work, and love the brethren, that I desire to see the work succeed, and to see my brethren honored and successful in this work. I have no need to covet what any other person enjoys in the way of ability or power for good. The Lord has blessed me even more than I could deserve, and now I pray you, brethren and sisters, do the will of the Lord, follow the direction of him who stands at the head and be on safe ground, sure of salvation, and I promise you in the name of the Lord you shall obtain it. Amen. ¶