Remarks

Presiding Bishop of the Church ¶

In occupying this important place, my brethren and sisters, I greatly need your faith and sympathy that I may be able to say something that shall be of profit. To that end I desire to enjoy the light of the Holy Ghost. ¶

I would like to read a few words to which President Grant referred in his opening remarks of the conference. The Prophet Micah, in speaking to the people of Israel, and calling their attention to the things which the Lord desired of them, wherein he stated that more than their sacrifices and offerings of rams and oil, the Lord desired their hearts, he made the following statement: ¶

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" ¶

I would like to read also a portion of that which President Grant referred to -- that brief but important revelation given to Joseph Smith, the father of the Prophet: ¶

"For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; ¶

"And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. ¶

"Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence." ¶

In the important responsibility that has come to me I am sensible of the consideration of my brethren. I cannot express to you the appreciation I feel of their confidence and the confidence which I feel the Lord has in me. My only desire is that I may be worthy of that confidence and the confidence of all of you, my brethren and sisters, and of all the members of this Church. In accepting the place that has been assigned to me I realize the high standard which has been set by Bishop Nibley and his counsellors. I am glad to have the privilege of working with his associates, Bishops David A. Smith and John Wells, and all of the members of the department to which I have been assigned. I realize the great work that is there to do. I appreciate what has been done, the care and attention and the accuracy of the work, temporal largely as it is, that is assigned to that important department of the Church. ¶

I desire with all my heart to do my part, to give the very best that is in me to advance this work, and if it were possible to even increase the care and the efficiency in looking after every interest that shall be intrusted to us in that department, to magnify the callings that come to us, and in every way to promote sympathy, kindliness, love and good will among all the members and officers of the Church. That is my only desire. I have never sought any office in this Church. I have always desired, since the years of my maturity, to endeavor to help in the building up of the work of the Lord. Since I have been able to appreciate the responsibilities of life and of the Church I have endeavored to labor and to live constantly with this expression in view contained in this revelation given by the Lord, through the Prophet Joseph, to his father -- to labor "with an eye single to the glory of God." ¶

We were reminded yesterday afternoon by President Ivins and Brother George Albert Smith of the fact that we are created in the image of God, and that when the Lord created man he gave him dominion over all things of the earth. As stated by them, man is the only creature who has within himself the power of reason and of initiative. Men cannot lift themselves off the ground by their own boot-straps, but they can lift themselves out of their condition, mentally, spiritually and physically. ¶

There is an opportunity for every man and every woman upon the face of the earth to grow, to develop, to progress. Every one of us can testify of that because all of us, directly or through our parents or grandparents, have accepted the gospel out in the world -- have accepted that clear call that has come to us of the truth -- and have had the power within ourselves, through the blessing of the Lord, to grow and increase in knowledge and power and understanding and faith in all the things that are true and divine. ¶

We have been enabled to grow and to break away from the influences and the traditions of life which have interfered with the progress of man through the centuries. ¶

The Lord has given man dominion over all things, though we may some of us think that we have not very much dominion, so far as the things of this earth are concerned. Some of us are very grateful when we have the opportunity to enjoy and to call our own a very small portion of God's earth. If we have a home of our own some of us think we are very fortunate, and some even haven't that much. We may think that we are far removed from that condition, when man had dominion over the earth and over all things pertaining thereunto and when he could look to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills and call that dominion his own. But every one of us has a certain portion of the things of life and of this earth which the Lord has given to us. ¶

We may not consider, or man may not always consider, that it comes from the Lord. They may forget that "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,"but if we realize our relation, if we sense our position, we cannot deny the fact that all that we have and all that we are comes from him. If we appreciate our responsibilities we must recognize the fact that we are only stewards here upon the earth, that we cannot take from this earth anything of a material nature; that all we can take from here is that which we have stored up in our minds which has helped to develop us, the qualities which we have acquired and the service that we have rendered. For the material things will remain. They will be of no benefit to us hereafter. Unless wisely used they may prove a curse, not only to us but to our descendants. ¶

What is our responsibility? What is the responsibility of men generally? All men should recognize their stewardship in all that they possess, whether it be little or great, whether it be of a small nature or whether their wealth amounts to millions. Some men in the earth today are recognizing that fact. Some of those who have acquired great fortunes through business transactions and in other ways, have recognized, in a measure at least, their accountability and their stewardship. They have given and are giving large amounts of their fortunes for the welfare of humankind, for research and investigation which shall inure to the benefit of the human family, and for the promotion of greater and better conditions of health and of peace and of general welfare. The obligation is upon every one of us, that we should ourselves have constantly in mind this important injunction, that we labor "with an eye single to the glory of the Lord." The laborer, the farmer, the miner, the clerk, the professional and business people -- all can put their very best thought and effort each day into the work that is before them, with the incentive to better qualify themselves and to achieve all in their power for the promotion of God's work and the welfare of his children. All that we do, all that we have ¶

and all that we are is the Lord's -- not only our means but our time -- as has been expressed here today by Apostle Ballard and has been expressed previously by others of the brethren. We should not be content with one mission, but if we have the means and if we labor "with an eye single to the glory of the God,"diligently and faithfully and wisely, the Lord will bless us and will increase our store and our means, and enable us to give more time, greater talent, greater energy, to the advancement of his purpose. We shall then not be content with preaching the gospel on one mission only, abroad, but we shall be laboring continually here at home, as well as abroad, and by our testimony and our teachings, as well as by our lives and examples, evidence that we realize our responsibility, that we appreciate the opportunity that has come to us, and that we are striving to exemplify these things in our lives. ¶

Let us, every one, endeavor to impress upon our children, boys and girls, the thought that all that we have and all that they have belongs to the Lord and that they should not claim these things selfishly. If we have that spirit in mind constantly and if we strive to impress upon those who come after us, that they should use their means and their time, with the purpose in view to be of the greatest benefit and blessing to the work of God, and to the promotion of the welfare of mankind, then shall we have joy and satisfaction. We shall increase in these qualities which shall make us most nearly the men and women that God would have us be. ¶

May the Lord bless us and help us that we may grow in the knowledge of these things! May we constantly have this in mind, that we shall be willing to serve the Lord and be prepared to give to him not only one-tenth of our means, not only one-tenth of our time, not only one-tenth of all that we possess, but that if it should be the Lord's will we shall be prepared to consecrate our properties, in the assurance that we should receive our stewardship and be dealt with in justice and integrity and in propriety for our welfare and progress and development and for the welfare of all human kind, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶