Reverencing God's Authority

I feel very happy, my brethren and sisters, to be in attendance at this conference and I appreciate the opportunity of meeting and visiting with the Saints of God at this time. ¶

Yesterday, when President Grant was speaking, the thought came to my mind, What does it profit a person to pray to our Heavenly Father for guidance and for spiritual strength and wisdom if at the same time that person does not reverence God's authority here in the earth? It seems to me that men could not help but recognize that it would be futile to ask God for favors and at the same time disregard the council of the Authority of the Lord Jesus Christ here in the earth. The Authorities of this Church are our Eternal Father's representatives here in the earth and if men will not abide by their instructions, how can they expect to receive instruction from God, our Father ; and, yet, we do find some people who will not recognize the council of the Lord's Authority here in the earth, but, they feel that they can go over the heads of the Authority of God and get what they want direct from the Father. ¶

I have never found in my life where the Lord ever allowed an angel even to overstep God's Authority in the earth. He did not do it himself while he sojourned in the earth and he most certainly has not changed for he is the same yesterday, today and forever. He changes not, neither does he change his principles for they are eternal truths. ¶

These principles have ibeen revealed to us anew in this day for our guidance and for our salvation. ¶

I bring you good tidings from your sons and daughters who are laboring in the mission field of the Central States. A fine lot of young men and women, and they are laboring earnestly, and zealously and in a creditable way for the building up of the (Church and Kingdom of God in the earth. There seems never to have been a time when there was a better opportunity to do missionary work than at the present time. People are paying more attention to the calls made^by missionaries and they are received ibetter. People have more time, and I have concluded it is partly because of the unemployment, a situation that exists almost everywhere at the present time. When people are busy and when their time is employed in the making of a living, and in the acquiring of money they do not have time to listen to the Gospel plan for their soul's salvation, but now, while many of them are not employed they do have time and they are more open to conviction and give better entertainment than they usually do. As a result, more converts are obtained than we ordinarily average in our mission. Environment has much to do with the progress of men generally, and where men are surrounded by Jbusiness activities they are, of course, influenced by that activity, but when they are not surrounded -by business engagements and have time to devote, then they are more inclined to listen, and especially is this true when times of depression exist such as we are now witnessing. ¶

It is the natural intent of most men and women to worship God, and they are generally found to be associated with different organizations or religious sects. Men and women come into this world with a desire to reverence God and that desire continues with them unless they destroy their possibilities through Jiving wickedly and through lack of proper respect for our Father in heaven. ¶

I sincerely hope and pray that the spirit of this conference may continue to abide with us as a people. We have here representative men and women from all over the Church who have come here to get instructions and advice and counsel. We ought to he a good people. We ought to be a better people. (We ought to grow better, and I believe that we are growing better and that we do take advantage, to a great extent, of the opportunities these conferences offer us, as we are able to listen to the advice and counsel of our leaders, who are inspired men of God and men who are appointed to represent the work of God in the earth. President Grant, who stands at the head of this organization, is the representative of God in the earth, and those who are associated with him are also appointed to act under his direction. Men who attempt to reach God and ignore his Authority in the earth are making a mistake. ¶

May the Lord continue to enlighten and bless us with his Spirit, and may we yield obedience to the impressions of that Spirit, I humbly pray. ¶