Testimony Through Prayer

My brethren and sisters, my heart is full of thanks to my Heavenly Father for this occasion. "What hath God wrought !" came to my mind as I was sitting here upon the stand, knowing that from this remarkable ¶

building there went to all the world a program that would do honor to any people, for there is no civilized people in the world that could put a more religious, a more fervent program upon the air, praising God the Eternal Father. ¶

The Saints in Washington

First, I want to extend the greetings of the brethren and sisters and your sons and daughters at Washington to the people of this conference. They no doubt are listening in to the program of this day. I can imagine seeing five or six hundred of them in the hall, listening to every word, and enjoying the remarkable musical exercise that was given here this morning. ¶

I want to assure the fathers and mothers of the boys and girls that are in Washington that they are as deeply interested in the welfare of the Church and are studying the principles of the Church, as well as if they were living in any community within the state of Utah. I think that the percentage of our young people and people in general in Washington who attend the services is as great if not greater than in any other place in the United States. ¶

Testimony Through Prayer

I thought this morning that I would refer to the question of prayer, for it is so vital to a man and woman, no matter what position they hold, in order that they may maintain a testimony, if they have one, of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and if they haven't yet that testimony, I know of no better way in all the world to receive it than to plead with our Heavenly Father that it may be granted unto them. I know whereof I speak, because it was only through the humiliation of my soul and the prayers ascending to my God, at the request of the mother who gave me birth, that I received a testimony that this is God's work ; and every prediction made by the servants of God in any age since it was established upon this earth, shall be fulfilled. ¶

I often think, my brethren and sisters, of the hymn that we so often sing: ¶

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, ¶

Uttered or unexpressed ; The motion of a hidden fire ¶

That trembles in the breast. ¶

Prayer is the burden of a sigh, ¶

The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, ¶

When none but God is near. ¶

Prayer is the simplest form of speech ¶

That infant lips can try; Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach ¶

The Majesty on high. ¶

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, ¶

The Christian's native air; His watchword at the gates of death; ¶

He enters heav'n with prayer. ¶

Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice, ¶

Returning from his ways, While angels in their songs rejoice, ¶

And cry, Behold, he prays. ¶

The Saints in prayer appear as one ¶

In word and deed and mind, While with the Father and the Son ¶

Their fellowship they find. ¶

Nor prayer is made on earth alone ; ¶

The Holy Spirit pleads, And Jesus on the Father's throne, ¶

For sinners intercedes. ¶

I think the American people, and perhaps the peoples of the great cities of the countries of the world, do not recognize the full benefit that prayer gives to the man or woman or soul that believes in God. ¶

The Experience of Gandhi

I was rather interested, my brethren and sisters, in what may prove to be the last words uttered by Gandhi. He came from far-off India to London, England, to plead with the English government to give his people, as he called them, more liberty, more assistance, and help the people in that far-off land to reach and learn, if possible, the things of God and what he desires in this world. The Indian leader makes this statement: ¶

"Prayer has saved my life. Without it I should have been a lunatic long ago. I have had my share of the bitterest public and private experiences. They threw me into temporary despair. If I was able to get rid of that despair it was because of prayer. Prayer has been part of my life, as truth has been. Prayer came out of sheer necessity. I found myself in a plight where I could not possibly be happy without prayer. The more my faith in God increased, the more irresistible became the yearnings for prayer. Life seemed to be dull and vacant without it. I had attended the Christian religious services in South Africa, but they failed to grip me. My Christian friends supplicated God, but I could not do so. I failed grievously. I started with a disbelief in God and prayer, and until at a late stage in life I did not feel anything like a boy in life. At that stage I felt that as food was indispensable to the body, so was prayer indispensable for the soul. ! In fact, food for the body is not so necessary as prayer for the soul, for starvation is often necessary in order to keep the body in health ; but there is no such thing as prayer starvation. You cannot possibly have a surfeit of prayer." ¶

Now, my brethren and sisters, from every word of that strange man it seems to me that the people over whom he has so wonderful a power, the peoples of India, are almost ready to receive the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every Latter-day Saint knows that it is impossible for a man or a woman to enjoy the Spirit of the living God without supplication to him, asking him to forgive his shortcomings and to assist him in his every-day walk of life. I want to acknowledge at this time that it was that mother of mine who taught me the lesson that it was necessary, if I ever expected to receive the divine blessings of our Heavenly Father, to learn to supplicate him for them ; and thank God I have followed it out. ¶

The Condition, Religiously

What is the condition of the world today? Let me not say, although I think I know. I mean the condition of the world today as far as religion is concerned, so far as their belief in God is concerned. It is but a few years ago that Brother Widtsoe and I visited Europe. The day that we were in Stockholm a great convention was held of the Christian church. I was very much interested in a statement that was made by Dr. Law of Brooklyn, and I think perhaps it would be proper for me to read it at this time. It may be enlightening to you, and I hope also to the good peoples of America and the world, for I think there is a great deal of truth in what the doctor said : ¶

"The Christian church has no message today for a dying world. As a matter of fact, the Christian church is preaching many gospels, and the result is confusion and failure," said the Rev. Dr. Curtis Lee Law of Brooklyn, in addressing the Baptist World Conference at Stockholm. "Denominations are being rent asunder today," he said, "and those who have long been brethren are in warring camps, contending not over non-essentials but also over the very foundation principles of Christianity. If this theological war is fought to a finish," he said, "at least the present generation will perish for lack of vision. ¶

"Believing in the sincerity and high moral character of these warring theologians," he said, "I beg of them, in the name of Christ and perishing humanity, that they will quietly, lovingly, prayerfully, gather about the table, with God's book before them, and let that settle every disputed question. That book is the ultimate ground for authority." So says the renowned doctor. ¶

The Power of Prayer Recognized

Our government, in its beginning, recognized the power of prayer, for in the first gathering of Congress, the Senate and the House, prayer was offered before a thing was undertaken in the way of legislation. Among those wonderful men who met at Carpenter Hall on September 5th, 1774, were some of the greatest Americans, men who were perfectly willing to give their lives for their country. They bowed in prayer, and more than half of them knelt when the prayer was being offered. ¶

The time was, my brethren and sisters, that you could go from one end of the country to the other and there was prayer in almost every home, no matter what denomination the people belonged to. It is just the reverse today. I plead with you, my brethren and sisters, I plead with you today, and I do it in the name of Jesus Christ, that you shall not forget to appeal to the Father in heaven, through the Master, for guidance every day of your life. America is a Christian nation and the great countries of the world are called Christian nations. Are we so living and are they showing by their acts and by their lives that they believe in the teachings of the Master? ¶

I believe that every prediction that has been made in relation to the destiny of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in this age, shall be fulfilled. I am proud, my brethren and sisters, to be one of those who preach the Gospel at least by their lives, and that is a wonderful way to preach it. I thank the mother that gave me birth that she instilled those principles into my very soul. ¶

May God's blessings ever be with his people. May his choicest blessings be over the nation, and may I also add, over all the civilized nations of the world, and may they humble themselves and live according to the teachings of the Master ; and if it were done — and I might add, it must be done before there shall be peace in the world. ¶

God bless you all, I ask, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶