Remarks

My dear brethren and sisters: I humbly pray that during the short time I shall be upon my feet I may be in possession of a portion of the Spirit of our heavenly Father and at the same time have your sustaining faith and prayers. I appreciate fully the great responsibility that rests upon one who is called upon to occupy a place of this kind. This responsibility is being felt by me more deeply as I proclaim the message of truth to the nations of the earth. My testimony is becoming stronger as I meet people and have the opportunity of explaining to them, to the best of my ability, what this great gospel of Jesus Christ means. Indeed, it means the development of the finest and best there is in the human soul. It means, when properly understood, to know God, which is eternal life, and eternal life is the greatest of all gifts of God to man. I am glad to say that in the Canadian mission we have a corps of young men and women who are equipping themselves well in defending, proclaiming, and teaching the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Fathers and mothers who may be present here today will be pleased to know that there is not a single one, either elder or sister missionary, but what is measuring up to the great responsibility that has been vouchsafed to them in carrying this message of truth to those who are honest in heart. Their attitude is splendid and their testimony convincing, and in many instances, penetrating. ¶

Our mission extends from Newfoundland, on the east, to the province of Saskatchewan on the west, a distance of about thirty-four hundred miles, and when one travels over that distance four times a year it requires practically all of his time; however, my joy has come in witnessing the development and growth of our young people, knowing, as they do, that they are dealing with the greatest and most powerful thing in the world, for this gospel of the Christ deals with the souls of men. I believe that there is no thought that is so sacred and great as a thought of God, and when we concentrate upon this thought there must of necessity radiate from us the spirit of inspiration, of truth and love, all of which gives us a bigger realization of the great power which belongs to this organization. ¶

The outstanding feature, 1 may say, of our mission, this year, was the visit of President Heber J. Grant, Elders George Albert Smith, James E. Talmage of the Council of the Twelve, Bishop David A. Smith, Levi Edgar Young, of the First Council of Seventy, and Sisters Robinson and Taylor, of the Relief Society organization. We have been blessed beyond measure in having President Grant and these leaders with us. They left their impress upon the people of that land. I particularly call to mind the impressions that were made upon the people who had gathered together to hear President Grant and his part}'. They are still talking of it. President Grant took for one of his subjects the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon. After his discourse we were unable to supply the number who wanted to receive this sacred volume. I believe that had we had twice the number of Books of Mormon at the meeting we could have easily disposed of them. The visit of these leaders of the Church was an epoch in the history of the Canadian mission. ¶

We are meeting with some success among the people of that country. They are a law-abiding people. If you were there today you would see the absence of moving picture shows, the absence of moving trains (except those that cross the continent) on Sunday — they observe the Sabbath day, they recognize law and the execution of it, they are a fine race of people, and I am glad that I have the opportunity of laboring among them, bearing witness of the divinity of this work as it has come to us through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith. I never tire of hearing this testimony because I believe that to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God is the basis upon which we can build a firm and a substantial testimony that will bring us in close touch with God through his Holy Spirit, that it may continue to grow and develop within us. To have a testimony of the truth of Joseph Smith's vision is to know that God lives, and when that testimony is born under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, there will be a power and a conviction connected with it that will bring souls to Christ, and bringing souls to Christ is our most wonderful privilege. ¶

In reading the statement made by Josiah Quincy concerning the Prophet Joseph Smith, I am impressed with the wonderful spirit in which it is written. It is outstanding and full of power: ¶

"It is by no means improbable that some future text book for the use of generations yet unborn will contain a question something like this, What historical American has exerted the most powerful influence over the destinies of his countrymen? And it is by no means impossible that the answer to that interrogatory may be thus written, Joseph Smith the "Mormon' prophet. And the reply, absurd as it doubtless seems to most men now living, may be an obvious commonplace to their descendants. History deals in surprises and paradoxes quite as startling as this. The man who established a religion in this period of free debate, who was and is today accepted by hundreds of thousands as a direct emissary from the Most High, such a rare human being is not to be disposed of by pelting his memory with unsavory epithets. * * * The most vital questions Americans are asking each other today have to do with this man and what he has left us." ¶

I have wondered as I have studied this statement why it was that Mr. Quincy was so impressed to write this "pen portrait" of the Prophet Joseph Smith, along with those of other great Americans. I have wondered why it was that he was so impressed with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and why it was that he could not be disposed of by pelting his memory with unsavory epithets. One must be in sympathy with the same feelings that Mr. Quincy had in order to appreciate fully the statements that he was inspired to make concerning this prophet of God. I believe that you will with me conclude that this was an unusual statement for him to make, but let us not forget he had been in company with a prophet of God — one who had seen and talked with God and the Christ and. subsequently, other heavenly beings. No doubt when the prophet unfolded to Mr. Quincy these powerful truths he left him with an extraordinary feeling that he had been in the presence of an unusual being, and his judgment was, that in future years this prophet would in all probability be a greater influence on his countrymen than any other American. ¶

This is a significant thing, a wonderful statement when we think of it. But when we know that the origin of this great latter-day work had its beginning with this great manifestation, to say nothing of the many truths that Joseph Smith subsequently introduced into the world, we indeed have something that is worth while — something we can contemplate seriously as Mr. Quincy contemplated seriously years after the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith. ¶

Men who have communed with God in the ages of the world, or at leaist in different periods of the world's history, stand today, and we reverence them, as prophets and are actuated in our lives by their teachings, and so I believe that, as the time comes and goes, the name of this man Joseph Smith, together with the great work that he accomplished under God will influence men throughout the civilizations of the world, and mankind everywhere will be able to' see and feel ¶

this work as it is unfolded to them, because it is the pure gospel plan of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¶

There was another statement made, concerning the Prophet Joseph Smith, by Governor Ford. It will be remembered that when Governor Ford wrote the history of Illinois he devoted considerable space to the history of the "Mormon"people. There is a great contrast in spirit at least between the statement made by Josiah Quincy and that of Governor Ford, respecting the Prophet Joseph Smith. Indeed, they are not comparable. Mr. Quincy wrote his statement because he was actuated by the spirit of admiration, a spirit that caused him to see in the Prophet Joseph Smith an instrument establishing a wonderful truth that had been revealed to him, indeed, he seemed to be overawed. Upon the other hand, Governor Ford wrote his history, that part of it, at least, connected with the Prophet Joseph Smith, with a spirit of fear, contemplating, as he did, what might happen in future generations. Here is Governor Ford's statement: ¶

"It is to be feared that in the course of a century, some gifted man like Paul, some splendid orator, who will be able by his eloquence to attract crowds of the thousands who are ever ready to hear and be carried away by the 'sounding brass and the tinkling cymbal' of sparkling oratory, may command a hearing, may succeed in bringing a new light into this modern Mohamedanism, and make the name of the martyred Joseph ring as loud and stir the souls of men as much as the mighty name of Christ, itself." ¶

I say that the statements of these two men are not comparable. It will be observed that there seemed to have been a spirit of remorse come over Governor Ford in writing this remarkable.statement. He, too, knew that he had been in the presence of an unusual being or he would not have written this seemingly prophetic statement. ¶

It must, inevitably be that this prophet of God will arise out of the mists triumphantly and will be recognized as the great instrument through which God operated in establishing the restored gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the dispensation of the fulness of time. ¶

I know, as I proclaim this gospel message to the nations of the earth with the spirit of humility, that I can feel the divinity of it. It sinks into the hearts of men and women, and as a result, a few of them at least, are accepting this great and mighty work that has come into the world in this dispensation for the salvation of the human race. ¶

I remember most distinctly hearing one of our stalwart converts say, "When I heard the message of Joseph Smith the Prophet it was the most beautiful thing that I had ever heard in all of my life. It appealed to me, and as I investigated, day after day for a number of years, and as this gospel was unfolded to me. I could see that it was necessary for such a personage as Joseph Smith to be chosen of God in this day and time in carrying out God's divine purposes. I felt that the time had come for the fulfilment of that prophecy made by John the Revelator, "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." I really felt that there should be a man to which this message should be delivered, one who would be authorized to establish God's great purposes upon the earth. Truth is mighty. No truth can pass away. No truth can perish; though generations, disappear, it finds its way to the pedestal where it belongs, and sheds its rays throughout all of the world. ¶

I rejoice, my brethren and sisters, beyond my power to say, that I have been counted worthy to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the earth. I rejoice that I have a testimony of this work burning within my soul, that I know that God lives and that Jesus Christ is his Only Begotten Son, the author of our salvation, the institutor of the plan whereby you and I can come back, by yielding obedience to the principles that are in that plan, into the presence of God, our eternal Father, to enjoy immortality and eternal life. ¶

I do humbly pray with all of my soul that God will strengthen us in this land, that he will unite his people in the bonds of love and affection that we may have our lives preserved in order to perpetuate, to the best of our ability, this great and beautiful work. God grant that he will lead and direct us by the light and power of his Spirit, which Spirit is truth and love and which is the thing that brings into our souls eternal joy. May we stand firm and true to the covenants we have made, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶