Former President of the French Mission

Former President of the French Mission ¶

My brethren and sisters and kind friends, I feel honored, and I am indeed happy this morning in being called to the stand to report on my labors during the time that I was in the French mission, and to bear my testimony to the truthfulness of this Gospel. ¶

I am happy to see such a vast congregation this morning, the largest that it has been my privilege to address, I assure you, that I feel my weakness and pray that God will be merciful to me in the few remarks which I may have to make this morning. ¶

I feel that it is an honor to be a member of this Church, and especially so, to be able to go out into the world and preach unto the people, many thousands of whom are seeking after the truth which we have to give unto them. ¶

The French mission today is in a very prosperous condition. We are getting into the hearts of the real French people. I am happy to tell you that we are not only converting the Protestants among the French, but also a great many of the devout Catholic people, many of them very well educated. The First Presidency have been very kind to us in giving us a greater number of missionaries the last three years, which has enabled us to expand into France. Heretofore our efforts have been confined to Belgium and Swiss Roman. There are in France a great many people who have the blood of Israel in their veins. We feel that we are developing a very splendid mission in that country, and that it will be only a few years hence when we will be able to make a very splendid showing and that the French mission will come to the fore, as have all the other European missions. At the time I left the mission field we had about fifty-three missionaries, and all of them are real missionaries, doing a splendid work, learning the language in a remarkable way. That has been one of our tasks, to persuade our missionaries to learn the French language and speak it to the people in an intelligent and pleasing way to them, because in that way we are able to please the people and make friends of them. ¶

France has produced some very splendid people throughout the world in the Protestant field as well as in the Catholic field. The Huguenots came from France largely, went into Switzerland, some into the new world, and thousands of them have accepted the Gospel. The Normans who were in Northern France, went to England, many of them; and it is from that class of people that my family has come. I am therefore very much interested in the French people, because I have French blood in my veins. ¶

During the last three years I believe we have made more progress in the French mission than in many years previous, from the fact that we have had more opportunity to reach out among the French people. We have opened up new ways and means to find them, preaching the Book of Mormon, that wonderful book which was so well explained to you by Doctor Talmage this morning. I was very much interested in his remarks. That is getting into the hearts of the French people. The stereoptican views have attracted thousands of people to our meetings. That is one means we have of showing people the real facts about Salt Lake and Zion. The French people have always had an erroneous opinion of our people, having heard only of the evil, the bad side, the false reports. Only recently we held a mission presidents' conference in Paris, which resulted in a vast amount of good. The newspapers opened up their columns to fair publication of our doctrines, which resulted in a wider investigation, and that publication was spread throughout the world. We received many inquiries through letters and personal inquiries from people asking how they could become members of the Church. We feel that the work is just getting a fair start among the French people. Your missionaries who have been called to that land can consider themselves blessed and honored. There is no greater opportunity for any missionary than can come to him through a call to the French mission. The progress, the advancement, the education, the learning of a modern language, for which he can get credit in his school, and the personal development which comes to him, are wonderful things. The fathers and mothers of the boys in the French mission can consider themselves blessed through having their sons in that mission at the present time. ¶

I wish to bear my testimony to the divinity of this work. I know, my brethren and sisters, that God lives and that he is a remunerator of all those who diligently seek him. I do know that this Gospel is true. God has revealed it to me through his Holy Spirit. I can truthfully say that I have a burning testimony within my bosom of this great work and only hope that I may be able to retain that testimony to the end of my days, when I shall again see my Maker, meet him face to face and talk with him. I bear you my testimony that our present presidency, the prophets of this Church, are indeed inspired to carry on this work, and I stand ready at any time to serve them as best I can, because in serving I know that great blessings come to those who will do it willingly. I desire to continue on in this work the best I know how. May God bless us all in our endeavors to serve him, I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶