Conference Address

I am grateful, beyond my power to say, for the privilege of laboring in the ministry of God, associating myself with fine young men and women who are doing their utmost to deliver the message that has been vouchsafed to them. ¶

I believe that one of the delightful things of mission life is to see the development and growth that takes place in the minds and hearts of these young men and women. They appreciate beyond measure the help they are receiving from their parents and their friends in maintaining them during their stay in the mission fields. They are meeting with success and are enjoying at the present time health and strength, for which we are very thankful. We have eighty-four missionaries,— sixty elders and twenty-four young women. We have some from the Central States mission, some from California, some from Arizona, some from Alberta, and the rest are from Utah and from Idaho. ¶

I believe that the greatest way in which to present this message of truth is through the power of example. I should like to take this opportunity of saying just exactly what it means to live upright and good lives. You and I very frequently are invited to banquets and balls, not only in the regularly organized stakes of Zion, but also in the mission fields. About six weeks ago arrangements were made by one of our very fine young women to hold one of these banquets and balls, and in making the arrangements with the hotel management in whose hotel this affair was to be held, she said, "It will not be necessary for you to serve tea or coffee. The one hundred and sixty-five young men and women who will gather here tonight do not drink tea or coffee." It was then suggested that he arrange the card tables and cigarette trays in one of the adjacent rooms so that at intervals these young people could go in and spend a little time in recreation, — that kind of recreation. This fine, upstanding young woman said, "These hundred and sixty-five young men and women do not smoke cigarettes nor do they play cards, nor do they drink wine or liquor or beer ; so it will not be necessary to make preparations along this line. However," she said, "It might be well for you to order one hundred and sixty-five bottles of milk" — which was done. ¶

The power of example — I am beginning to feel that the strength of this mighty Church is certainly based upon the power of example. ¶

I clipped out of one of our magazines the other day this fine, brief statement written not so long ago by our beloved President Grant; in its brevity there is such a volume of truth so fine and splendid that I believe it would be good in referring to it to read it. "Let us get faith as a people. Let us so order our lives that we are entitled to an increase of that faith. I am thankful that I know of no man or woman who ever joined this church and attended his or her sacrament meetings, partaking of the sacrament in remembrance of the suffering of our Savior and his death, who was honest in the payment of his or her tithing, who divided with the Lord as perfectly as he would ask the Lord to divide with him if he were making up an account, who has kept the Word of Wisdom, I have never known such a person to lose his or her faith." I believe that the fundamentals of this great Church are based upon those very principles. In order for you and me to carry that power with us in our ministry it seems to me that we must comply with these fundamentals of truth. In order to understand perfectly this work it is necessary that we be clean in habit and in thought, to have the light of truth we must live the truth. ¶

I am glad to report to you that so far as my knowledge is concerned, these young men and women are preaching this Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of example, which I am convinced is the way in which the Spirit of God can operate upon their minds and upon their hearts so that people will naturally gravitate to them because of the quality of truth that they are carrying in their example. ¶

Recently it was said by Brother Stephen L. Richards, "No man can be respectful of Deity and have in his heart an improper attitude towards the creations of Deity. The man who properly understands his relationship to God and the endowments which he has received from the Creator will be filled with reverence and thanksgiving." How true is this philosophy ! ¶

We are told, my dear brethren and sisters, that the power of truth in its highest, purest and most exalted phases stands squarely upon four basic lines of thought : First, the love for truth ; secondly, the search for truth ; thirdly, faith in truth ; and fourthly, the work for truth. ¶

Here is a combination of facts that brings you and me, when we study these truths, into transforming fellowship with God, our eternal Father. They provide for finer interpretations upon the different phases of this great latter-day work. It is said, "The path of truth, higher living, truer development in every phase of life, is never shut from the individual until he closes it himself. Let man feel this, believe it, and make this fact a real and living factor in his life and there are no limits to his progress. He has but to live his best at all times and rest calm and untroubled no matter what results come from his efforts. ¶

"No rule for higher living will help a man in the slightest till he reach out and appropriate it for himself, until 'he make it practical in ¶

his daily life. The man who is seeking ever to do his best is the man who is keen, active, wide awake, and aggressive." ¶

As long as you and I are ever striving to do our best in living the great truths of the Gospel we are entitled always to the light of truth. ¶

In conclusion I wish to leave with you my humble testimony concerning the divinity of this work. I know that God lives. I know that Joseph Smith was the instrumentality through which God operated in bringing to pass the saving graces of the Gospel of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. I pray that He will keep us firm and steadfast in the faith, and that our power of example will be beyond reproach, I humbly ask in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶