Remarks by James Duckworth

(President of the Blackfoot Stake of Zion) ¶

Those who have had the privilege of occupying this position can appreciate the feelings of one who is unaccustomed to it as I am, and I realize unless I am assisted by the Spirit of the Lord in my remarks that I shall not edify the Latter-day Saints. I have no thought in my heart at this time other than to say what shall be pleasing to the Lord, and tend to strengthen and to edify and to build up his people. I rejoice in the latter-day work, and for the privilege of being a member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has always been a pleasure to me to bear testimony of the divinity of this work, and of the divine mission of the Redeemer of the world and of the Prophet Joseph Smith, as well as all of his successors in the presidency of the Church. One thing I have appreciated very much in my labors, in the Blackfoot stake, and that has been this: During the years that have passed since I was appointed to preside over that stake, I have had the privilege of entertaining nearly all of the general authorities of the Church, at times, and I want to bear testimony to the character of the men who have presided, and those who now preside over the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Savior said: "By their fruits ye shall know them," and I know from my experience with these brethren, coming in contact with them, I know in my heart that they are men of God, and that they have brought into my home the Spirit and blessing of the Almighty. I have regarded their visits to my home as a privilege to be highly esteemed, both by myself and by my ¶

family. I have learned, or ought to have learned, rather, that the only safety for the Latter-day Saints lies in keeping the counsel of those who preside over this Church. Like many of my brethren, I have not always done that which I have been asked to do, but I have never known them to give counsel except that which was right and which would bring the blessings of God the eternal Father. That has been my experience, and I testify of this in regard to the counsels that have been given by these brethren. Every principle which they have advocated, every word of counsel which they have given in the Blackfoot stake, has been good, and calculated to edify and build up the Latterday Saints there, both temporally and spiritually. I have rejoiced in my labors in the stakes. There is nothing that I like in this world better than to labor as a missionary in this Church, in an effort to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth, and I hope that as long as I shall live upon the earth, I may be true to those who preside over this Church, to the principles of life and salvation, and to God the eternal Father. I bear testimony to the divinity of this work, that it is of God, that it is not of men. It has not been organized of men, only as they were directed and inspired by the Almighty, and it has been watched over by the Father from the beginning, and I have faith that it will continue to be the case to the end, that this is God's work, and that he will take care of it ; that no matter what we may hear about the leaders of the Church from time to time, we may have an abiding assurance that the Lord is with them, that he is guiding them and the destiny of this work. May the Lord help us to be true to him and to his work, to do all that may be asked of us, by those who shall preside over us, that we may spend our time in usefulness and therefore in happiness while we labor here in mortality, for there is no happiness aside from doing that which is right and just in the sight of God. Wickedness never was happiness. Righteousness always was, and it always will be. May the Lord give us strength to be true to the end of our days, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶