Remarks

One of the ancient prophets who had his mind centered upon this great latter-day work used words somewhat like these: ¶

"Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. ¶

"For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and, your rulers, the seers hath he covered. ¶

"And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: ¶

"And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned. ¶

"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: ¶

"Therefore, behold I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people." ¶

Not long ago a letter fell into my hands that was written in this city, in the year 1876. That letter, written by one of our enemies, said: ¶

"Brigham Young is fast trotting toward the grave, and in a short time he will be laid beneath the sod and with him will come the death of 'Mormonism.' " ¶

The following year, 1877, Brigham Young died, but "Mormonism" did not die, and our answer to the world is: "Mormonism" will never die, for it is the work of God, and will be consummated in the coming of Jesus Christ the Lord, who shall come to reign as Lord of lords and King of kings. The young men of Israel are today filled with the same faith that filled the breasts of their fathers, who adopted this work and who have so successfully carried it on; and it will never wane for the lack of faith on the part of the young men and women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ¶

I bear witness to you today that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that he has been followed by men who are his legal successors, endowed with the keys of the Priesthood of God, with the authority to speak today, not a thousands years ago, but now. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, that power is in the earth today, in these valleys of the mountains, in the Church of God, as it was established, and I bear witness to these truths, testifying that I know as I know that I live, that this work is of God, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶