Faithful Service and Testimony

My brethren and sisters, if I did not have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I do not think that I would have the courage to face this audience at this time. But I feel I know that I am in the house of my friends, associated with my brethren and sisters in this great work in which we are engaged, and that their love and faith and sympathy go out to one who is placed in this responsible position. I had not dreamed of being called to address you here today. But I have learned in my experience in the work of the Lord to go where I am sent, and I would rather be where I am at this time than any place on earth, because I have been called to be here. ¶

I remember, more than twenty years ago, I received a letter of inquiry, asking" if I would accept a mission. It came from President Wilford Woodruff, and after I had answered that I would be pleased to accept a mission, if I was thought worthy of it, I remember that I hoped that when the call came it would not be to the Southern States. I had considerable prejudice in my heart against the people of those states, because so many of our elders had been mobbed and mistreated in that section. And so I hoped in my heart that I would be sent to some other part of the world. But when my call came, it read to the Southern States mission. And when I got to the headquarters of that mission, I was assigned to the middle Tennessee conference, and I expected then that I would next be assigned to labor in Lewis county, Tenn., where our brethren, Gibbs and Berry, as you remember, were killed. But I came to know the Southern people and to appreciate their worth, to love the people with whom I had been called to work. And, like all missionaries who enjoy their mission and get the spirit of their office and calling, I felt that I would rather be working in the Southern States than in any other' mission in the world. ¶

I have been imbued with the spirit of this conference. It has been a conference of the foundation of things — getting back to normalcy, and I appreciate it. The instruction that we have received from President Grant, and the other speakers of this conference, have been by the inspiration of the Lord Jesus Christ, and have treated of repentance, of integrity, dependability, thrift — things which go to make up a true life. ¶

I was impressed with a remark that was made by President Rudger Clawson, in the talk he gave upon the Bible, admonishing us to* study it ; for, said he, if we study it and get a good hold of it, it is equal to a college! education, because it treats of every phase of hum^an nature, and it contains some of the most beautiful literature that was ever penned. And I thought of our great President of this nation, Abraham Lincoln, and the books that he had. He had the Bible, and was a close student of it. He also had, we are told, the life of George Washington, and also had access, I believe, to Aesop's Fables, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, and possibly one or two other books. Now Abraham Lincoln undoubtedly was a learned man. These books which he had access to contain the fundamental things, and they were ground into his soul, and made him great. And sometimes I think that is one of the things that is the matter with us in these troublous times, that we do not hold to, and have not had ground into' ouc souls, the fundamental things. ¶

Up at the University the other day, as has been said, we listened? to a very notable address by Dr. Carver, Professor of Political Economy in H-fvard University. And in one of his comparisons, he likened the ho-rs'. hrifty community with one that was dishonest and unthrifty; and the thought came to me there, that if all the bad people — unthrifty, dishonest — were put together in one place where they could not take advantage and deceive the good people, they would have about all the hell that they are entitled to. ¶

My brethren and sisters, I rejoice in the gospel, and in all the principles thereof, and, as President Brown has said, I trust that we will give every loyal support in every way to those who were placed over us to lead and to guide us at this time. In that remarkable address of president Ivins, the other day, he pointed out to us in a very clear manner, the administrations of the respective prophets who have presided over us since the organization of the Church, and that each had his special work to perform. Now it is up to us. President Grant is our Prophet. We have our problems to solve. We love and appreciate the brethren, those in authority who have gone before ; but this is our day, let us make the best of it. Let us give full support to the living prophets, and may we be able to do so with all our might, mind and strength, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶