An Opportunity for All

I believe that I realize as much as I ever did the responsibility which is upon me in standing here to address this assembly. It is a great honor to have this privilege. It is also a great responsibility, for I realize that those who occupy this position at a General Conference of the Church should have something to say that will be edifying, strengthening and encouraging, that will build up the members of the Church in their faith. ¶

I pray that I may, have the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord, and your faith and prayers, for the few moments that I stand here. ¶

An Opportunity for All

I have rejoiced in the admonition, the testimony, and the presentation of the principles of the Gospel, as they have been declared by our brethren who have spoken. In my heart I feel thankful that I have the opportunity of living in this day, when the Gospel in its fulness, its simplicity and jts power, is on the earth. Today all men have the opportunity of receiving the truth, for the Gospel is being proclaimed among the nations of the earth and the privilege is granted to those who repent and accept the Gospel of receiving the remission of their sins, through the ordirfance of baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, through the laying on of hands of those who have the authority of the holy priesthood. The Lord has made the promise to all who will repent and remain faithful, exercising a spirit of humility and diligence, that they will be entitled to the guidance of the Spirit of God. Tthis Spirit will lead them and direct them throughout their lives. ¶

To Avoid Deception

We are living, as it has already been stated, in a day of trouble, of tribulation, when men's hearts are failing them. The Lord pointed out this day while in his ministry, and admonished by prophecy those living now to watch and pray, that they might not be led astray, that they might not be found unprepared, should they be so fortunate as to be here at the great day of his coming. ¶

Much has been said by way of warning and for the guidance of this people by the previous speakers, so that we may be prepared to discern between truth and falsehood, and that we may detect those who speak falsely and do not love the truth. I would like to present another phase of this matter, because I feel that it is timely. Several times ¶

within the past three months I have been approached by individuals and have received communications through the mails, making inquiryconcerning a certain purported revelation said to have been given many years ago to President Joseph F. Smith, in which he saw the destruction of many great cities and many countries of the world and other very unusual things. Inquiry has also been made regarding a purported vision given to the Prophet Joseph Smith in relation to the same things, and which has been in circulation for many years. It is evident that these things are again being circulated and many of the people are becoming agitated over them wondering if they are true or not, and some of the people have been deceived. ¶

Branded as False by President Joseph F. Smith

At the October Conference of the Church in the year 1918, which was the last General Conference attended by President Joseph F. Smith. I made some remarks in relation to these two so-called visions and pointed out the fact that they were not true. At the close of my remarks President Smith arose and also spoke of them. Let me say that this communication that has come into my hands recently, and about which I have been asked for advice, was being circulated very extensively at that time. It is a purported revelation given to Joseph F. Smith many years ago. ¶

As I have said, at the close of my remarks at that General Conference of the Church, President Smith arose and said : ¶

"Again I feel that it is an opportunity for me to say a few words. This wonderful, mysterious revelation, that I have been said to have received a great many years ago, was given in French, and I never knew but two or three words in French in my life. Consequently I could not have been the originator of that revelation. I want you to understand that I have denied it, I suppose a hundred times, when people have inquired about it. It was gotten up by some mysterious person who undertook to create a sensation, and laid the responsibility upon me. I am not guilty. When the Lord reveals something to me I will consider the matter with my brethren. When it becomes proper I will let it be known to the people, and not otherwise. ¶

"The ridiculous story about the red horse, and the black horse, and the white horse, and a lot of trash, that has been circulated and sent around as a great revelation given by the Prophet Joseph Smith, is a matter that was gotten up, I understand, some ten years after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, by two of our brethren, who put together some broken sentences from the-Prophet that they may have heard him utter from time to time, and formulated this so-called revelation out of it; and it was never spoken by the Prophet in the manner in which they have put it forth. It is simply false, that is all there is to it." ¶

Now, I think we are, fortunate in having President Smith's own expression in regard to these purported revelations. It seems strange to me that now, some twelve years later, we still find them in circulation. But the thing that astonishes me more is the fact that members of the Church seem to be bewildered and in wonderment whether or not these purported revelations were indeed given to the Prophet Joseph and to President Joseph F. Smith. ¶

False Spirits in the Earth

In a revelation given to the Church in May, 1831, when matters of a similar kind were being circulated among the people, the Lord said : ¶

"Hearken, 0 ye elders of my Church, and give ear to the voice of the living God; and attend to the words of wisdom which shall be given unto you, according as ye have asked and are agreed as touching the Church, and the spirits which have gone abroad in the earth. ¶

"Behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many spirits which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world. ¶

"And also Satan hath sought to deceive you, that he might overthrow you." ¶

Then the revelation goes on further to give instructions in regard to the receiving of revelations, and the duty of members of the Church in regard to matters of this kind. ¶

A Key for Our Guidance

I would like to say, for the benefit of the members of the Church, that we have a key given us by revelation, by which false spirits may be known, by which false revelation may be known. There is only one man in this Church, at a time, who has the right to receive revelation for the Church. The Lord has said that his house is a house of order, not a house of confusion, and therefore one is appointed to speak. One has the right to receive the word of the Lord and give it to the Church. We all have the right to receive revelation for our own guidance. A president of a Stake has the right of revelation for the guidance of his Stake. But no man has the right to receive revelation for this Church, except the one whom the Lord has called. If he receives a revelation it will be declared without question, if it is intended for the Church, in a manner by which we may iall know the) source from whence it comes. And when we find people secretly distributing what are said to be revelations, or visions, or manifestations, that have not come from nor received the approval of the Authorities of the Church, we may put it down that such things are not of God. ¶

We do not need to write to ask questions in regard to these things. We do not need to question them for a moment, because the Lord is not going to give a revelation to any high priest, any elder, or seventy, for this Church. It will come through the one who is so appointed. And if the Lord is not going to choose those who have standing in the quorums of the priesthood, you may be certainly assured that he is not going to choose some one who does not hold the priesthood at all. So our minds may be at rest in regard to matters of this kind. ¶

By the Spirit of Truth

Furthermore, in this same revelation to which I have made reference, the Lord also says : , ¶

"Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth, receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth? ¶

"Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together. ¶

"And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness. ¶

"That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." ' ■ ¶

Now, think of that. If we will follow the spirit of light, the spirit of truth, the spirit that is set forth in the revelations of the ,Lord ; if we will, through the spirit cff prayer and humility, seek for the guidance of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will increase our light and our .understanding ; so that we shall have the spirit of discernment, we shall understand the truth, we shall know falsehood when we see it, and we shall . not be deceived, j ¶

Who is it that is deceived in this Church? Not the. man who has been faithful in the discharge pf duty ; not the man who has made himself acquainted with the word of the Lord ; not the man who has practiced the commandments given in these revelations ; but the man who is not acquainted with the truth, the man who is in spiritual darkness, the man who does ^not comprehend and understand the principles of the (Gospel. Such a man will be deceived, and when these false spirits come among us he may not understand br be able to distinguish between light and darkness. ¶

But if we will walk in the light of the revelations of the Lord, if we will hearken to the counsels that are given by those who stand in the councils of the Church, empowered to give the instructions, we will not go astray. ¶

"whoso treasureth up ,my word" ¶

In the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, as the Lord revealed it to the Prophet Joseph Smith, not as you find it in the Bible, but as you find it in the Pearl of Great Price, we find this expression: ¶

"And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." ¶

I repeat : "And whoso treasureth up buy word shall not 'be deceived." Therefore let us go to with our might in the labor of this Church, and ( in the study and understanding of the (principles of the 'Gospel, these principles of light, and as we study them the Lord will reveal to us further light, until we shall receive the fulness, in due time, of the perfect day, and we shall not be under the necessity of being subject to doubt and seeking for advice when confronted by matters of this kind, because the Spirit of the Lord itself will teach us. ¶

The day is coming, so Jeremiah says, when it will not be necessary for one man to teach his neighbor, saying, "Know the Lord," for they all know him, from the greatest to the least. And that will come when we, in all full purpose of heart, are willing to serve the Lord and keep his commandments and hearken to the counsels that come to us from ¶

those who preside ; which I pray we will do, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶