Witnesses of the Father and the Son

One of our distinguished educators stated that he was frightened. I said to my co-laborers that at this conference I would be ready for almost anything that might happen, because I had a similar experience to this one at the October conference, last year. ¶

I feel very keenly my weakness in occupying this position this morning. However, I rejoice in the privilege of being present with you and listening to the opening address of our President. It was just what we need. Recently in our mission, the Western States, we have been told that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a great commercial institution, engaged in big business enterprises to the exclusion of spiritual matters. You know that is not true. A gentleman in Denver, whom the papers said was an authority on the ¶

"Mormon" question stated recently that all of the tithing of the Church had been hoarded until it controlled four hundred millions of dollars, and that is was able to shake Wall Stret to the very center (laughter). You know how true that is. ¶

I am very glad President Grant made the statement he did with reference to the beet sugar industry, and' the part played by the Church in extending its credit, to assist this worthy enterprise during the recent financial troubles. We hear of it in our neighboring states to the east of us, Wyoming, in Colorado, in Nebraska, and in South Dakota. Some of our good friends are opposed to the Church because of its activity in these enterprises ; but I am grateful to belong to an organization that looks after the temporal as Well as the spiritual interests of its members. ¶

I am very grateful also for the testimony that has been borne by the President of the Church that the Latter-day Saints are worshiping God, and that they have an abiding faith in the divine mission of Jesus Christ ; that they believe him to be the very Son of the living God. We have many in our field of labor who deny these things. Some of them are making the statement that Christ, the Son of God, never claimed divinity for himself, that in everv sense of the word he was man, with a human mind, with human intellect, and with human will ; and when one quotes to them from the gospel of St. John, where he declared Himself to be the Messiah, the Redeemer of the world, thev will tell you it cannot be accepted because it is not well authenticated history, and is not corroborated by the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. I am thankful for the faith that has come into the lives of the Latter-day Saints, who have the witness of the Spirit that these things are true, that the Redeemer of the world did make a supreme sacrifice on Calvary for the salvation of the human family, and that He is, in every sense! of the word, the Son of th« living God ; that He was more than philosopher, more than a teacher of great moral truths, that He was what He professed to be: the Son of the living God, the Redeemer of the world. We know that His is the only name given under heaven by and through which salvation can come to the children of men. ¶

I have often wondered whv these men. these learned men, many of them professed ministers of the gospel, deny the oower there is in the gospel and deny the sonship of the Redeemer. I am convinced it is because they have not the witness of the Holv Spirit. The Savior said. "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me ; and I know that the witness which He witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John and He bare witness of the truth. * * * But I have greater witness than that of John ; for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me." ¶

We know this witness is true, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Remember the words of the Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthian Saints (1 Cor. 12:) "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. * * * Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed : and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." The w,orld is without this witness, they deny the power by which they may know these things. That is what was said to the Prophet Joseph Smith by the Redeemer on the occasion of the first great vision and revelation in this dispensation : the creeds of men have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. The Savior said to his disciples: "If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever ; even the Spirit of truth, whom (he world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him ; but ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." ¶

Who are the world? I answer they who have not put on Christ by baptism. Call to mind the statement that was made by the Apostle Peter when he appeared before the chief priests who had thrown him into prison for speaking unto the people "all the words of this life," healing their sick, and adding multitudes to the Church. In answer to their question: "Did not we straightly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We1 ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. ¶

"And we are his witnesses of these things ; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him." ¶

I thank the Lord that this witness has come into the lives of the Latter-day Saints, and that we are not as the world. We have come out of the world, and the Lord has blessed us with a testimony of the truth ; the greatest gift of God to man. ¶

May God add his blessings, that we may have a time of rejoicing in all the sessions of this conference, that we may go from here with a full determination to more perfectly serve God and keep His commandmen' s, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶