Remarks by Roy A. Welker

I think, my brethren and sisters, that this is one of the most wonderful institutions in all the world. I have been impressed, ever since I was a boy, with the fact that the majority of the people of the world have been followers of leaders. I have been impressed, as a young student, with the life and influence of the great Confucius, Socrates, Plato and many of the modern wonderful scholars. I always had a longing desire to understand their marvelous principles and methods and systems of thought. I wanted to be on the inside, so to speak, of all that they knew, and all that they did, and strove to find out their ways. Quite early in life a call to a mission came to me. I saw an opportunity in that to gain experience. I struggled for a testimony. It came; and then the dream that I had of a student's life was very much upset. I was impressed with the character of Joseph Smith, of Brigham Young, and of the other presidents and leaders of this Church. But I immediately noticed a wonderful difference between them and the so-called scholars of the world. It soon dawned upon me that there was a vast difference between them and the other men of the world. The first class had been led and directed, apparently, by their own powers. They had taken credit unto themselves for that which they had unfolded for their followers. I noticed in the life of President Joseph Smith, our Prophet, God's inspired servant in the world, a disposition not to take credit unto himself, but to give credit to that God with whom he said he had conversed— not that indescribable God that so much puzzles the world today. So I began to give my allegiance to him as a leader, and to try to follow the teachings that he had given to the world through revelation from God. My testimony soon grew, and was strengthened, and I learned that we, in this world, my brethren and sisters, are children, not of the men of the earth, but that we are children of God. All that I have, all that I ever hope to be, I trust will be given as service to this great cause of the Latter-day work which I know is the work of God, not that invisible, incomprehensible God, such as is taught in the world, but he who was revealed to Joseph Smith in person, who has been revealed to many of our leaders, and whom we know by testimony, as we have known, if our hearts have been attuned to it. ¶

It was my good privilege while upon my mission to Germany to have President Grant visit us, and also my pleasurable task to translate some of his sermons into the German language. I know with what power and authority he spoke, and how the people were convinced that he was indeed a servant of the living God, and my testimony was wonderfully strengthened upon those occasions. I came to know, not by reason, not by logic, not by the philosophies of man, that President Grant was a servant of God, but by that spirit and that testimony which surpasses all that method of arrival at knowledge. I am happy to be numbered with the Saints of God, to claimi as such men President Grant and his counselors, the quorum of the Twelve Apostles and all the others constituted authorities of the Church as our right leaders, inspired and appointed by God in those wonderful positions. ¶

May the work of our Father progress, may we be inspired with the thought and the knowledge constantly that amongst the Latterday Saints is the power of God, the only authority to speak in the name of God in the earth. The Priesthood of the Almighty is here in our midst, although others may claim it; yet they cannot be true, for the Lord said, when he visited Joesph Smith : "They are all wrong." We have no quarrel with our brethren of the world, but we do differ with (them in their 'opinons as to authority. They can never come to a proper knowledge of God except through the channels of the Priesthood or the authority of his servants whom he has appointed. ¶

May the Spirit of the Lord be upon this conference during its ¶

various sessions. May those who preside have a rich outpouring of God's Spirit with them. May we all know, even those who perhaps are not of our faith, down deep in their hearts, that the prophets of God live, and that they are here in our midst. May our testimonies grow and increase. May we follow the instructions that are given, for in them is safety. May we through our faithful lives, in the end, be saved in God's kingdom, I pray, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶