Rejoicing in the Blessings of the Conference

To look at this vast congregation, and realize the purpose of heart that has brought them together from various parts of the Church and of the world, is an inspiration that fills my soul. It is one of the thrills of this great conference. To sit here and listen to the beautiful musical program that has been rendered, broadcast to the world by this great Tabernacle Choir, and to consider how that man, through the blessing of God, has been able to devise the means to make this possible, is another great thrill, and leads me in my feelings to exclaim, with the poet: ¶

For all thy mercies, O my God, ¶

My rising soul surveys; Transported with the muse I'm lost ¶

In wonderment, love and praise. ¶

REJOICES IN BLESSINGS OF THE CONFERENCE ¶

In the things which I have heard, and felt, with you, inspired of the Lord through his Holy Spirit, in the various sessions of this conference, I have had a great thrill. To listen to the beautiful music — for that which we have had during this conference has been exceptionally good and inspiring— and to hear the fervent prayers that have been offered, the sincere testimonies that have been borne, and the excellent advice and counsel that have been given — all has a tendency to make my soul rejoice. ¶

Not the least of the thrills that have come to me is the fact that our faithful Hawaiian brethren and sisters, ten in number, have come all the way from Hawaii to join with us in worshiping the Lord. in this conference, and to hear them sing in their native tongue and to feel the spirit of it. God bless these people, that their stay with us may be pleasant and that they may have a safe return home. They are of Israel. ¶

UNDER THE CURSE ¶

I have thought how that the results of the curse, through the fall of our first parents, rest upon mankind. These, our brethren and sisters from Hawaii, and the people whom they represent, are under the same curse. My heart goes out in love to that people. Their blood is as red and pure as ours. Their hearts are tender. They are an affectionate people. They are a music-loving people. They have hearts prepared to receive the truth of the everlasting Gospel. We do not have all of the best of everything. They are deserving of all that the Lord has given them. ¶

I love that people. I believe that all that is needed is for me to become better acquainted with them, to labor with them, in order to love them as they were loved by President George Q. Cannon and by President Joseph F. Smith. We all know how they loved the Hawaiian people. They served them faithfully, in the early life of this Church, as missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and their names will never be forgotten by that people. ¶

HAS LOVE FOR THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS ¶

I love the Latter-day Saints. Is that going too far? Am I sure of what I say when I say I love them. I love them because they love what I love. I heard that quoted by Sister Kate C. Jensen this morning. It is beautiful. It expresses my thought. I love the Latter-day Saints because they subscribe to the same principles that I have subscribed to and are trying to live up to those principles. We have the evidence of it in your attendance here today, in the various sessions of this conference. We have the evidence of it in the statistics which were read to us in the opening session by President David O. McKay, showing the accomplishments of this work, of the Lord's people. That means you, brethren and sisters of the Church — evidences of your faithfulness, your love of the truth, and your integrity to the faith. ¶

HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN GOD ¶

The tithes and offerings, as I remember, more than $3,000,000.00 in one year, and that in times of great financial depression, — contributed by a people who are not rich, who are not wealthy! God has chosen the weak things and the poor of the earth, and has prepared their hearts to receive the Gospel, and of such are the Latter-day Saints; Hut with their mite and meager earnings they have not forgotten their God. They have remembered him with their tithes and with their offerings, and those tithes and offerings have been wisely, judiciously and righteously expended, for the advancement of the Lord's work here upon the earth. ¶

EXPRESSES LOVE FOR MANKIND ¶

I love mankind. Oh, I wish I could fulfil the law in that respect. I love them because of what they have done for you and for me, for us, all those who have gone before. I love my parents. They gave me life. I appreciate my existence. I love my grandparents, for they gave my parents life and existence, and made it possible for me to live and enjoy the blessings I enjoy today. And just as well I love all my forebears; no matter how far back they may be traced they belong to me and I to them. I love them. As I become more acquainted with them, by genealogical research and by doing for them the necessary work for their salvation, in the temple of the Lord, I love them more. ¶

I love mankind because they have given to me all the comforts that I have in my home, the modern means of transportation which I enjoy, in common with the people of this world, on the water, on the land, in the air; the modern means of heating and of lighting which we have in our' homes, even the water system, the knowledge to be able to take from these great natural streams of water, rivers, and make them to serve our purpose in power— yes, all the conveniences that we have. ¶

Who gave us these things but our forebears, and not those alone but those who are living contemporary with us; many of them are among the great inventors of these things that afford us such comfort in life. Are we indebted to them ? I think we are. Then should we not love them? Should we not have a desire to do something for them in return, and if so, what can we do? ¶

MUST HEAR THE GOSPEL ¶

For the most part, men and women of this world are in abject poverty pertaining to a knowledge of the things of the kingdom of God. They know not God, the Eternal Father, as we know him to be, an immortal, glorified and exalted Being, of all power and love to perfection; and his Son Jesus Christ. They are in the dark pertaining to these things, and they must be brought to the light in order that God's purposes may be fulfilled in their salvation, for men and women must hear the Gospel and receive it and live by it, if they will be exalted in the kingdom of God. ¶

It is to be taught to those who have gone beyond. It is their right. Justice demands and the scriptures teach that men cannot be judged by a law that has not been given to them. What can we do for those of the .world who are in need but to give unto them that which we have in such great abundance, that in the giving of it we do not impoverish ourselves but rather enrich our own souls, and it makes, too, for our own salvation. ¶

That is what the preaching of this Gospel in the nations of the world means to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. They are in need of it all this wide world. We have the truths of the everlasting Gospel. It is our responsibility to bring it to the attention of mankind in the most kind, impressive and forceful way that we may be able to do, under the impress of the Spirit of the Lord, which it will be our right and privilege to have and enjoy when engaged in this sacred ministry. ¶

IN BEHALF OF THE DEAD ¶

Now those who have gone beyond, is, there anything that we can do to pay the debt of gratitude we owe to them? Just aswe do for our kindred dead, learn of them by genealogical research, build our temples, go into the temples and there receive for them, vicariously, the saving ordinances of the Gospel. Will it reach all those to whom we are indebted?! Yes, if all of us look well to our kindred dead. It is a great responsibility. It is a commandment. The Lord told his servant Abraham that this world was created that we, his children, might come upon it, that we might be proven to see whether we will do all things whatsoever the Lord our God hath commanded us. That means, of course, whether we will keep all of the commandments of the Lord, not a few. ¶

LOVE OF GOD AND FELLOW MEN ¶

You know what the Ten Commandments are, that, the Lord wrote with his finger upon tables of stone, handed down to us. They are recorded in the twentieth chapter of Exodus of the Bible. They are binding upon us, as they were upon the children of Israel; and other laws such as the law of the tithes. ¶

But to one who asked of the Savior, "Which is the greater law?" his answer was: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first great commandment. And the second is like unto it; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." ¶

It doesn't seem to me that it ought to be necessary, brethren and sisters, for us who are so well taught in the Gospel to receive a commandment of this kind. Our knowledge of our indebtedness to God ought to lead us to serve him and keep all his commandments, though we had not been commanded. And our indebtedness to our fellow men, and the knowledge that they are our brothers, sons and daughters of God as we are, born of him in the spirit, in whom we should have common interest — this knowledge ought to lead us to do all that lies in our power, manifesting love of God and love of our fellow men. ¶

I want to say here that every man and woman that is engaged in the ministry of the Lord in this Church, at home or abroad, and faithfully engaged, is manifesting his or her love for him, his or her love for fellow men, and is helping to bring about the salvation of souls, which means the glory of our Father in heaven, and it will make for the individual's salvation, if only we can continue thus faithfully to the end. God grant that we may, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶