Remarks

Brethren and sisters, I cannot help but feel impressed with the sense of my insignificance, as I stand in the presence of our Church leaders and of Israel, assembled in conference; but I do rejoice with all my heart in this wonderful gospel. As I listened to President Heber J. Grant and to President Charles W. Penrose, I said in my heart: "I will go with these men because God is with them,"and the words of the Apostle Paul came to me. He said: " For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" ¶

Is there any uncertainty in the testimonies and the messages that have been delivered to Israel this morning? No. Doubt is swallowed up in knowledge and certainty. In the world there is doubt, there is uncertainty. One class of so-called religionists is teaching that Jesus is not divine, that he was not born of the Virgin Mary, and that the story of his bodily resurrection is a myth. We, the Latter-day Saints, standing on the sure foundation of revelation, and inspired by the testimony of the Holy Ghost, declare to all the world that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Redeemer of mankind, and in this testimony we are safe, and we shall win eternal life by obeying the commandments of our blessed Lord. Never in the history of the world, when God has sent forth his prophets, has there been uncertainty in their message. ¶

Unto Adam God declared: " If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ¶

• • • For by the water ye keep the commandment, by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified." And thus may all become the sons of God, for this is the plan of salvation unto all men.

In this dispensation, the Lord hath thundered forth the commandment in which these words occur: " Behold, the world is ripening in iniquity; and it must needs be that the children of men are stirred up unto repentance, both the Gentiles and also the house of Israel." The gospel trumpet is sounding clearly and with certainty. The Apostle Paul said that God commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Remission of sins follows sincere repentance, the baptism of water and the gift of the Holy Ghost. ¶

Brethren and sisters, your sons and your daughters in the world are proclaiming the message of life and salvation, and they are proclaiming it in the spirit of the Christ. Recently two elders in the Southern States mission, while delivering their message, were taken from the home in which they were preaching, by a mob of about forty men. Into the woods they were taken, and the mob declared that they had brought them there to punish them. One of the elders said to those hard-hearted and cruel men: " My companion is not well. He is sick. The punishment you are going to give him, give to me. I am willing to bear what you are going to do to him. These noble words and Christ-like spirit softened the fury of the mob to some extent. The elder bore part of his companion's burden. Woe, woe, to those men who persecute the servants of God. They are under the displeasure of him who said: " Vengeance is mine, and I will repay." ¶

I bear my testimony that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, that through him the Almighty delivered a message to the world which is soul-saving, and which will exalt people to be sons and daughters of God. Brethren and sisters, in all earnestness and in all humility, I thank my heavenly Father that the leaders of this Church are not proclaiming mysteries to the people, but they are declaring the saving principles of the gospel; and inspired by their teachings we missionaries look at them and say: " There stand the First Presidency; there we stand, too." ¶

God said to the Prophet Joseph Smith: " And thy people shall never be turned against thee by the testimony of traitors." This is a continuing promise. The people of God will never, so long as they listen to the counsels of their leaders, be turned from those men who have been divinely appointed to counsel Israel, to be shepherds of the people, and to point the way to eternal life. ¶

" He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat; O be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet! Our God is marching on." ¶

I bear testimony that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶