Behold A Great And Marvelous Work Has Come...

Behold a great and marvelous work has come among the children of men. The spirit of this conference has evidenced that to a very marked degree to the thousands of people that are in attendance at this conference. ¶

I am delighted to bring good news from the Northwestern States Mission. I am thrilled beyond my power to express at the reception which I have received during the past two days from fathers and mothers who have sons and daughters now laboring in the Northwestern States. I have never seen before such a manifestation of faith in God as has been shown by these good parents, not only one, but many. Even today people who have driven hundreds of miles to be present at this conference have said, "President Sloan, my son, my daughter, is at the service of God as long as he desires them to remain in the mission field." ¶

I have a young man laboring with me now who eighteen months ago received a call to the mission field. He is the son of a widowed mother who is working hard to sustain her little family, and he is a twin. When the call came, the mother looked at it with tears in her eyes. She called on the Bishop and said, "Bishop, I pray you, do not separate my twins. Let them both go on a mission." The elder and his sister are laboring in the Northwestern States Mission. ¶

Last February one of the brethren in Montana passed away, leaving a wife and a family of children in almost destitute circumstances. As the spring opened up the good saints and friends of that branch united together, and in one day they plowed, disced, harrowed and seeded this widow's ninety acres of sod. The Relief Society sisters were there playing their part and provided meals for the brethren. A month ago when I was there the crops were almost ready for harvest, all standing in the field to bless and sustain this widow and her family of children. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." ¶

I stood a few weeks ago at the bedside of one of the good sisters in the hospital at Helena. I want to leave her testimony with you, brethren and sisters. Many of you have probably heard it before. She recounted to me early experiences in the little town of Clarkston, Utah. Her sister was the wife of Martin Harris, Jr. One morning as she was a guest at her sister's home, Martin Harris, Jr., went to the bedside of his father and found him failing very fast. Returning home he conveyed this message to his wife and her father, Brother Homer. They all immediately returned to the bedside of Martin Harris. Sister Costly took the hand of her father and walked across the street into the home of Martin Harris. Brother Homer walked to his bedside and said, "How are you, Brother Harris?" He answered, "I feel that I am not long for this world." Brother Homer spoke to him and he said concerning the Book of Mormon, "Brother Homer, the Book of Mormon is as true as the stars that shine in the heavens." Then turning to his son, Martin Harris, Jr., he said, "Martin, proclaim this truth to all the world. Tell them that the Book of Mormon is true." That was the testimony of a dying man to his son. Brethren and sisters, would he desire his son to go and tell a falsehood to the world ? ¶

The Mission in the Northwest is growing. We have recently opened up the district in Alaska. There are Indians there by the hundreds who are educated and are a fine type of manhood. They are seeking for the truth. Two of the elders laboring there have met with considerable success, not only among the white people, but also among the Indians. They seem to be anxious to know the contents of the Book of Mormon, and many copies have been distributed among them. They believe the teachings of that wonderful book. ¶

The work is growing. The missionaries are enjoying splendid health. They are enjoying the spirit of their calling. Do not worry about your sons and daughters. Please do not send them quite so much money, most of them. We prefer that they do not have so much and they will make better missionaries for the Church. ¶

The wonderful organization of this Church, its growth and development stand as a testimony to all the world, and yet there are those who cannot see its truth. Some day God will touch them and then the eyes of their understanding will be opened. They will know, I am sure, that in all the processes that God has instituted, this Church has been on the right side. ¶

One of our modern poets, Edgar A. Guest, has given us the following lines: ¶

"The non-believer is a man ¶

Who lets the morning sunshine in And thinks by chance this world began As men throw dice and lose or win ; He sees the violets bloom and blow, But not the power which makes them grow. ¶

"Chance charted every planet's course! ¶

By chance the summer follows spring! Chance gave to man the faithful horse ¶

And made the swallow fleet of wing! How these things came he doesn't know. He thinks they merely happened so. ¶

"Oh, what a jumble there would be ¶

If chance were shaping beasts and men, ¶

Could blind chance once repeat a tree, Or bring the June rose back again ? ¶

The simplest truth we've learned to know. ¶

Tomorrow chance might overthrow. ¶

"Without confusion or mistake ¶

There is a power which rules us all, ¶

A higher law we cannot break, ¶

An eye that sees the sparrow's fall. ¶

In every twig and leaf and blade ¶

I see God's handiwork displayed. ¶

I pray the blessings of God to be with this people, on its leaders, and in all Israel, through Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶