Gratitude for a Century of Blessings

PRESIDENT RUDGER CLAWSON ¶

My brethren and sisters: This is an historic occasion. In view of the great celebration of the centenary of the Church now in progress, my thoughts of late have turned to the prophecies of old. Many of the predictions of the ancient prophets have been fulfilled to the letter so far as time has gone, others are in process of fulfilment. ¶

I am reminded of a very remarkable incident that occurred in the very early years of the earth's history. This incident has been briefly referred to by my brethren who have already spoken, but I have been looking at it from a little different angle. ¶

NEBUCHADNEZZAR DREAMS A DREAM ¶

It would seem that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, dreamed a dream which made a profound impression upon his mind, but strange to say, upon awakening, he was unable to recall the dream, and the interpretation thereof. So he called for the wise men of Babylon, the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans, and he commanded them to bring back his dream and give the interpretation thereof. If they would do this he promised them gifts and rewards. But if they failed he warned them that they would be cut to pieces and destroyed. ¶

They said to him, "O king, live forever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew thee the interpretation." ¶

The king said, "The thing is gone from me." ¶

AN UNUSUAL REQUEST ¶

Thereupon the wise men were very much agitated, and they said to him: ¶

"O king, thou hast required of us an unusual thing. There is no man upon the earth who can show the king this matter. It is only the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh, that can bring back your dream." ¶

For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and sent forth a decree that the wise men of Babylon should be destroyed. ¶

This was a very critical time for Daniel, the young Hebrew prophet, and his three brethren who were numbered among the wise men of. Babylon. Daniel sought an interview with the king and plead with him for further time, saying that he would get the interpretation of his dream. His request was granted. ¶

THE KING'S DREAM MADE KNOWN ¶

Now, mark you, by the prayer of faith the king's dream was made known to Daniel of the Lord, and the interpretation was given. Once more Daniel was conducted before the king and he said to him: ¶

"We will bring back your dream, O king, and we will give you the interpretation thereof." ¶

And so he said: ¶

"Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee, and the form thereof was terrible. ¶

"This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, ¶

"His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay." ¶

And then, the prophet said: ¶

"Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. ¶

"Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. ¶

"This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king." ¶

THE INTERPRETATION ¶

He said: ¶

"Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. ¶

"And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the heaven, hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. ¶

"And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. ¶

"And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron." ¶

This fourth kingdom was represented by the feet and toes of iron and of clay. ¶

"Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure." ¶

And he said further: ¶

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." ¶

THE FULFILMENT ¶

The Christian world of today is witness of the fact that the very things which the great image stood for have occurred so far as time has gone. History certifies to the fact that King Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold. The Medes arid Persians, an inferior kingdom to Babylon, were the arms and breast of silver. The Macedonian kingdom, under Alexander the Great, was the belly and thighs of brass; and the Roman kingdom under the Caesars was the legs of iron. For mark you, later on the kingdom, or empire of Rome, was divided. The head of the government in one division was at Rome and the head of the government in the other division was at Constantinople. So these two great divisions represented the legs of iron. Finally, the Roman empire was broken up into smaller kingdoms, represented by the feet and toes of iron and clay, and as there were ten toes on the image we might well conclude that the following ten kingdoms stand to represent the toes: Italy, established in 496 A. D.; France, in 753; England, 853; Germany, 806; Holland, 922; Portugal, 1138; Persia, 1139; Austria-Hungary, 1159; Spain, 1171; Greece, 1829 A. D. ¶

THE STONE CUT OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN ¶

The stone cut out of the mountain without hands, representing the kingdom of God, was established April 6th, 1830, with six members, and is known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thus ¶

the work of the Lord in our own time, designated by revelation as a marvelous work and a wonder, had a very humble beginning, but it has grown apace. Today the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a membership of about 700,000. It cost the best blood of the nineteenth century to establish this work on the earth. Its founder, the Prophet Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum Smith, the Patriarch, were martyred for the cause of truth, in Carthage, Illinois, in 1844. The Latter-day Saints have passed through the fire of persecution and have stood the test of one hundred years. Never was the prospect brighter for our people than it is today. We sincerely believe, and, I may say, have every assurance, that this Church will stand forever. It is indeed the Church of the Son of God, the Redeemer of mankind. ¶

ITS ORGANIZATION ¶

Within its organization will be found a line of general authorities, consisting of a First Presidency of three, a council of Twelve Apostles, a Presiding Patriarch, a First Council of Seventy and a Presiding Bishopric. There are in the Church also numerous quorums of High Priests, Seventies, Elders, Priests, Teachers, and Deacons, by which and through which the affairs of the Church are conducted and the Gospel preached to the saints and to the world and the ordinances of the Gospel administered for the salvation of souls. ¶

For the knowledge I have and of which I humbly testify that Jesus is the Christ, and that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, I am truly thankful and feel to praise the Lord. ¶

God bless you, my brethren and sisters. God bless the people of the Latter-day Saints, and prosper his work, and bless those who preside over and direct the affairs of his Church is my prayer, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶