Conference Address

My brethren and sisters, last July, and within a few days after I had been appointed to the presidency of the Eastern States Mission, I had the privilege of attending a conference held at the Joseph Smith Farm and on the Hill Cumorah, near Palmyra, New York. It was my good fortune, at that time, to meet all of the missionaries laboring in the Eastern States Mission. While I have not had the time since to visit them in the districts in which they are laboring, I feel that I can say that we are carrying on in that part of the Lord's vineyard, as are the missionaries in the other parts of the world. ¶

Nearly a score of newspapers in the immediate neighborhood of Palmyra gave us much publicity, and reported in fairness and in detail the proceedings of our conference, in July. In fact, there were papers in that vicinity that had reporters at all of the sessions. This, you will remember, is in the vicinity of the birthplace of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a joy to me to think of the favorable change that has taken place in the world regarding this great Latter-day work. ¶

A few days ago, in the headquarters of one of the leading candidates who is seeking election as mayor of the great city of New York, I was told by this candidate — and he spoke, by the way, in the presence of fifty or more prominent men of that city — I say he told us at that time that he listened every Sunday morning to the program broadcast by the Tabernacle Choir. And then he added to that group of men : "It is the finest radio program given today," and advised all present to listen, if they were not already doing so. ¶

I was gratified to hear many of those present say they did listen to the program as broadcast by this great choir. I hope it will be some encouragement to Brother Lund and the members of this great musical organization, to know that their efforts are appreciated, and that men of standing in the world appreciate the wonderful music which they furnish from week to week. God bless them in the continuation of their great mission. They are helping us vitally in the preaching of the Gospel. ¶

I passed by one of the large churches in New York, a few days ago, and noticed this sign : "He who neglects the spiritual is living, but he is only half alive." I rejoice to belong to a church that is not neglect- ¶

ing the spiritual. In addition to the great teachings of the Church with respect to the physical, the mental and the moral, we lay great stress upon the spiritual. In my humble judgment, the world needs spiritual food now more than it needs anything else. We can never be wholly right until we get back to first principles, and emphasize again and anew the life taught by Christ and his disciples. If we are looking for heaven we can create it here. The mission of the Church is to proclaim the new light that has come into the world through the revelations of Jesus Christ. ¶

May I say a word to the young people, to the young men and women who may be present in this congregation or who may hear my voice? May I say a word also to the teachers of the young men and young women in this Church : Let us not take the negative side of life. Very little good has been really accomplished by men who took that attitude. It is the men who assume the positive attitude in life that accomplish worthwhile things. ¶

This is not a day for quarrel. We have no time for that. We have little if any time for argument. This is a day of affirmation, of proclamation. This is the message of the hour : God lives ! He has revealed himself anew in our day. ¶

I say to the teachers, and to the young men who may be wandering a little, that if you will spend one-half the time looking for the proof that there is a God, that it will take you to find proof that there is none, you will be converted during the period. Why not do it? You will come back to it some day, and all of the time you are wandering in doubt and questioning the existence of a personal God, or the correctness of this faith or that, will have been lost. ¶

Science is helping us to be better Christians. Science is helping us to discover God. It is teaching us how to cooperate with him. It is teaching us how to live, giving us better homes, better ways of living. It is affirmative. It is only man's interpretation of science that is negative. There is no disagreement between true science and the revealed word of God. "Truth is truth, where'er 'tis found." ¶

In the moment that is left to me may I say further that the great mission of the missionaries, and of the Church, for that matter, is to give a true picture to the world of the greatest revelation ever given, namely, the revelation concerning God and his Son Jesus Christ. Much as we revere the Book of Mormon, much as we love it, it is but a witness, a new witness of Christ, the God of this land. It is around him that all truth centers. It is to preach him and him crucified that we are spending so much time and energy in the world. ¶

Much as we love and revere the name of Joseph Smith, his mission was only to proclaim the Savior of the world — to preach Christ and him crucified. Much as we respect the auxiliary organizations, even the organization of the Church itself, they are all given as helps in government, to bring us to Christ. His is the only name given whereby we must be saved. ¶

Oh, what a wonderful message it is ! 'What joy this sweet sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives." It is the message of the ages". Let us proclaim it, move up and out, so to speak, from any position of defensiveness that we have taken or may have assumed in the past — move out in a great drive for righteousness and for the salvation of the souls of men. There need be given no apology for "Mormonism." It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are not ashamed to proclaim it. ¶

Thank God the world is rapidly growing to know us in our true light. Everywhere there the hand of fellowship and of friendship is extended, when men know of it. ¶

Not long ago, in one of the cities of this country, I spoke on the great philosophy of life as revealed in the Mormon doctrines or the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At the close of the meeting I was delighted to have a man come up and say to me: "I am a graduate of a great university. I was brought up in a religion that said, in effect, that we know not the origin of life, so far as the soul is concerned. It is one of the mysteries of God. I was brought up in a religion that taught me that as soon as we passed from this mortal existence our destiny in the hereafter was determined and we were given our place in the hereafter, and we should remain there forever. It was not until I heard the message of your people, that I learned of a great philosophy that explains in a perfectly reasonable way the origin of the spirit of man and that points the way to eternal progress and growth in development throughout the countless ages of eternity." He continued : "I have never seen or heard of a philosophy that compares with it, anywhere in the wide world, and I have given a great deal of study to religion." ¶

It is that message, that great philosophy, when translated into life, that constitutes the religion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With boldness, but in the language of the great Lincoln, paraphrased : With charity toward all, with malice toward none, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us press, on in the duties that have come to us in the preaching of this Gospel. ¶

I have rejoiced and do rejoice in the spirit of this conference. I pray that there shall come into our lives, into our souls, the true message of the hour, that we shall go out from this conference and consecrate our lives anew to the building up of the church and kingdom of God, and that in our souls we shall sing gladly the hymn: ¶

"I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, Over mountain, or plain, or sea; I'll say what you want me to say, dear Lord, I'll be what you want me to be." ¶

God bless us in the discharge of our great responsibilities and duties, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶

At the request of President Heber J. Grant, the congregation arose and sang the hymn, "O say, What is truth ?" ¶