It Is Exceedingly Gratifying to Those Who Have

It is exceedingly gratifying to those who have responsibility for the - conduct of this great latter-day work to witness the large attendance at ' this conference, this large Tabernacle being filled to overflowing, as well as the Assembly Hall, and great crowds of people on the grounds, perhaps thousands. And this, notwithstanding the fact that a great many people in their homes today are hearing the proceedings of the conference through their radio sets. ¶

SALVATION AN IMPORTANT QUESTION ¶

I have been edified and built up by what I have felt and heard during the sessions of this conference. My heart has been made to rejoice exceedingly. Every speaker has spoken upon some one or more phases of the gospel, and the gospel is given us that we might know what salvation is and how we may attain that boon and blessing. There is no other question of such great importance to mankind as that of salvation, of what it consists and how it may be attained. There is no other question that has engaged the attention of so many people as that of salvation, and perhaps there is no other question upon which there has been such a diversion of views and opinions. As I understand it, this is the cause of there being so many religious sects, creeds and denominations upon the earth today, and this fact is strange when we think that all these religionists have based their views and established their creeds and denominations upon a belief in the Bible, and its doctrines. ¶

WHY SO MANY CREEDS? ¶

It seems to call for an answer to the question: Why'is it so? And I am reminded of the sayings of the scripture that prophecy came not in olden time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. The contents of the Old and New testaments, then, are the things of God given to the children of men by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. The trouble with men today, and the cause of this spiritual darkness that is found everywhere throughout Christendom is that men lack that spirit, the power of the Holy Ghost, that was enjoyed by the prophets who wrote and spoke the things contained in that sacred book, the Bible. If we had the same spirit, the same measure of that spirit, we would understand as they understood, and we would all understand alike. ¶

REPENTANCE NECESSARY ¶

Why do we not get the Holy Spirit, the measure necessary to understand these things aright? The answer is that we have not taken the course that is indicated by the gospel, by the scriptures, to obtain it. A man must be born again in order to even see the Kingdom of God. He must be born of water and of the spirit, to receive the Holy Ghost in the measure that it was enjoyed by the prophets who gave us the word of the Lord contained in the holy scriptures. We must be born again, first of the water and then of the spirit, but before we can receive these ordinances and these great blessings, our faith in God must be such as will be approved of him, that will lead us to do the things that he would have us to do, as fast as, they are made known unto us. We must have that faith that will lead us to forsake evil and wrong-doing of every kind, to repent of our sins, to right the wrongs which we have done, as far as it lies in our power, and to forgive our fellowmen who have trespassed against us, even as we desire to be forgiven. Then when we receive the ordinance of baptism by immersion, by one having authority, and have hands laid upon our heads for the bestowal of the Holy Ghost, and confirmation to membership in the Church of Christ, our sins are washed away, the Holy Spirit comes upon' us, even the Holy Ghost, whose office it is, and his mission is to bear witness of the Father and of the Son, and of the truth of all things. ¶

OUR MISSION TO MAKE PLAIN THE WAY OF SALVATION ¶

Our mission as Latter-day Saints is to the world to make plain the way of life and salvation. With us what salvation is and how it may be obtained is no longer a question. That question has been solved. We know the way. God our Father, because of his love for us, desires above all other things that we shall have salvation in his kingdom, exaltation where he and his Son Jesus Christ dwell, and that we might have salvation he has made the provisions of the gospel, including the atonement wrought out by his Son Jesus Christ. He has also given us the organization of the Church. One might ask why all this religious activity in the Church, and all that we see of the auxiliary associations? It is necessary ; the salvation of man depends upon it. These children of Zion are to have their faith established, and they are to become so educated in the work that they in turn may be able to take responsibility and labor for the accomplishment of God's purposes. Why all this effort and this expenditure of means in the preaching of this gospel, as it is done by the Latter-day Saints? The answer is, the salvation of man depends upon it. Why the building of temples and the work that is accomplished therein at such tremendous effort and expense? The salvation of man depends upon it; and the salvation of man is the end in view that our Father in heaven has. All his works of which we have any account are but a means to that end, and it is because he loves us. The sacrifice made by the Savior — for he gave himself willingly as such — is the result of love for us, because we are the children of his father, because we are his brothers and his sisters. What a glorious truth, what a glorious principle, that we are born sons and daughters of God. That is why he loves us with a perfect love, because we are his sons and daughters. We ought to love him with all our hearts, with all our minds, and with all our souls, and serve him and keep his commandments, seeking to know his will concerning us and doing it at all hazards. ¶

TESTIMONY ¶

Brethren and sisters, I know that this is the work, of the Lord. I rejoice in the light that has come to us through the everlasting gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I am not afraid to bear this testimony. I never have been. It is my responsibility, and it gives me the greatest of pleasure to have the opportunity to testify of these great facts. I know just as well that Brigham Young, who succeeded the Prophet Joseph Smith in presiding over this Church, was inspired of God, that he held the place the Lord prepared for him, and that his work was acceptable unto the Lord. And so I know of each of the succeeding presidents of this Church. They were the mouthpieces of God unto this people, inspired of the Lord for their work, and the work has grown and prospered ; and today he who stands at the head is an inspired man of God. We know him because he is mortal, and we see that which is mortal of him perhaps more apparent than that which is divine, but we who have association with him so closely bear witness to you as Latter-day Saints and to all the world, that Heber J. Grant has uppermost in his heart the desire to know what the will of our Father is concerning this great latter-day work and this people, and to do the thing that our Father would have him to do. He is inspired, has been and ever will be, and under his administration this work will go on and prosper. I know that this,work will triumph, that it is our Father's work, that he is at the helm. Men cannot accomplish this. There is nothing that we can do without his help, but with his help, his purposes will be accomplished, and his name will be glorified in the earth. I bear this testimony to you, brethren and sisters and friends, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶