Cheer Up

I feel more like saying, this morning, "Cheer up, the worst is to come." All I know, brethren and sisters, is what I feel, what I sense, what I hear and what I see. I know of no better way to make this clear to you than to relate an incident that happened in my missionary experience, at the time I was appointed to preside over the Southern States mission. I succeeded Elder William Spry. There was only a few days notice given me. The brethren failed to inquire regarding my financial condition, my wife and children, my physical condition, or whether my teeth were all right, etc. ; they just appointed me ¶

without asking me any questions, and I had faith enough to go. The itinerary was made out by Elder Spry to visit those conferences which occurred only once a year, as the mission covered eleven states. We had the means to go through that mission only once a year. In fact, when Elder Spry turned the mission over to me he handed me thirty-five dollars. I said: "Is that all you've got?" "Yes." ¶

"How do you get your money?" ¶

"Why, we go to the Lord and ask him." ¶

"Well," I said, "I don't think he is very liberal." (Laughter) ¶

The first conference appointed was in West Virginia. I rode all day and all night on the train, and we took no berths in those days. I arrived at Crow's Nest. It is the only place I remember in the South, because it was so lonely and desolate. The Elders who were to meet me had returned because the train was six or seven hours late, so I had to find my way to the conference as best I could. I wasn't very well. I climbed the mountain and stopped with a coal miner. He treated me very kindly. The next morning I started for the conference. I had not then received the spirit of my appointment. As I approached the top of another mountain I went into the woods to pray and I told the Lord all about it. I don't think I have been able to pray like that since. When I got through praying, I did not see anything; I failed to hear anything, but there was something came over me, a happiness, a joy, that it isn't possible for mortal man to express. I suppose it was a heavenly feeling; I was actually so overjoyed and so happy that I whistled. I haven't whistled since. The twenty miles that I walked was the happiest time I have ever had. That is how I felt. I know because I was clothed upon with the Holy Spirit. I have regretted more than I can express that the same sensation has not come to me with the same power since. ¶

I had another experience. It was prior to my going on this mission. We were involved in speculation. If we had had our way we would have owned a large holding in Canada. We got into that mess. After having gone through that experience we were as near hell as a man will ever get if he is honest. An honest man is in hell when he is in debt. I know all about the feeling. I went through the mill of the gods, and it grinds slowly, but it grinds fine. If you have anything left when they get through with you, you have had a happier experience than I have had. s ¶

Well, it was on that occasion that I made a public declaration in the Logan tabernacle — foolish it may have been. We were able to pay all our personal obligations, although it took everything we had in the world — years of hard work, fifteen years in Bear Lake pioneering — and we exchanged it all for a 320 acre farm in Cache valley. We had two hundred acres of grain and one hundred tons of hay, all ready for harvest, and were sold out at the court house door for thirty-eight hundred dollars and a thousand dollar judgment. That farm some years afterwards was sold by David Eccles, who became the owner of ¶

it, for thirty thousand dollars. I speak of this so that you will understand the dream. ¶

After making my declaration in the Logan tabernacle, that I would never doff my hat and be servile to any man because of his money, that night I had a dream. I am not a dreamer ; I believe in dreams when they come true, and I haven't any use for them until they do. It was very vivid. I haven't forgotten it, and it has been nearly forty years since it occurred. I have not repeated it but a few times. The devil appeared to me at the northeast corner of the Temple block. I was not very well acquainted with the devil. Brother Maeser used to tell us he was a great general ; the man that I saw, and I seemed to know he was Satan, was of great personality in appearance, in height and bigness ; he was dark and swarthy and seemed to be a real man. When he looked at me with those black eyes they pierced me to the soul. I trembled as I did in the woods when I was filled with the Holy Spirit of God. I trembled from head to heels with fear. He repeated what I had said at the Logan tabernacle. The Spirit of God came on me and thrilled me from crown to toe. I told him I would not bow to man. I then became frightened and ran like a coward. I was arrested and put in jail for four years. I saw myself come out of jail. My clothes were threadbare. I was thinner than I am now, if such a thing can be possible ; but I was free. In four years from that time our creditors stripped us to the skin", and that dream came true. I do not want any more dreams of that kind. ¶

I am in sympathy with the people. I know we have all been foolish. I am foolish. I don't think there is a bigger fool than an old fool. A man who has had experience ought to know better. One of my brethren said to me — and he is a man so kind and gentle that I had every reason to believe he would extend to me a little sympathy — I told him of one of my last speculations and he said : "If you are as big a sucker as that you ought to take your medicine." I said : "I am taking it, and it is not sugar-coated either." (Laughter) ¶

I met a banker a few weeks ago — we were very friendly. Thank the Lord, I do not owe that bank anything, but I owe another bank. (Laughter) I said: "How are things going?" ¶

"Well, we are taking everything but their suspenders." ¶

I thought afterwards that I should have said to him: If that bank hasn't got any more elasticity than my suspenders, I will throw them in. (Laughter) ¶

My brethren and sisters, in a few words I desire to say to you that I think the things of the world are better advertised than the things of God. When I hear those beautiful voices over the radio, advertising the things of the world, I am wonderstruck. If there is anything under heaven they do not advertise, and give it away at a dollar a week, I do not know what it is. By the time they get through with us — the "Lucky Strike" puts over their wonderful music— no wonder smokers' mouths watet after hearing it. Men, boys, and girls who form the habit and have the appetite, I do not believe it is in our ¶

power to sympathize with them, as foolish as it is to form a habit of that kind and then try to overcome it of themselves. They can not do it. God has to help them. They have to go to the Lord. We are up against those things. I don't feel like it is right when a man is in hell, to stand over him and say: "Well, son, you are in hell. Get out as best you can. Sweat it out ; swim or drown." It does not sound Christ-like to me. ¶

I pray God to soften the hearts of the people. They are doingwonderful things and they are going to do wonderful things. We have the organization. We have the inspiration. We have the knowledge. We know how to take care of people, if the Lord will soften our hearts and help us to give and keep giving. I pray the Lord, while the people are giving, that he will soften the hearts of bankers. As long as you can pay your interest and pay your taxes you are safe, but I want to tell you if you don't pay it they will foreclose to protect the bank and its depositors. As I was once told : "Business is business, believe it or not." I am thankful to the bottom of my heart. At my age, I would be as helpless and dependent as a child if it wasn't for the Church and its protecting care over me. ¶

God bless the Church. God bless his servants and help them to see and understand, and above all, help us, O God, to understand people, that we may be patient, that We may be long-suffering, that we may be gentle, that we may not listen to things that are told us, until they are proven to be true. God bless you. Amen. ¶