Joseph and Hyrum Smith

My brethren and sisters, I feel that I would like to bear my testimony to this congregation of Latter-day Saints. It seems to me that it is our duty, if we have a testimony of the Gospel, to bear that testimony, not only occasionally, but frequently, and if we fail to do this we are "hiding our light under a bushel." ¶

A testimony of the Gospel is very precious. There are millions of people, children of God, on this planet that have no such testimony, and that perhaps have never heard a testimony such as we have, and such as many of our children have received. ¶

Joseph and Hyrum Smith

I have been laboring fifty years in the ministry. I did not know the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, but I am acquainted with the stupendous work that they accomplished under divine help, and to me that is a testimony of the truth of the Gospel, because I do not think it is humanly possible for any individual to accomplish the work that Joseph Smith, the Prophet, accomplished without divine help, and I feel as if I know the Prophet and his brother Hyrum about as well as if I had lived in Nauvoo at the time of their martyrdom. ¶

Brigham Young a Prophet

I was acquainted with President Brigham Young. I rode with him by invitation on a trip through Southern Utah and felt that it was a great distinction to ride with the prophet of God. I was deeply impressed with the importance of myself on that occasion. ¶

He was a great man ; he was a leader of men ; he was a pioneer, but above all he was a prophet of God, a servant of the Almighty, and I am happy to say that I knew him fairly well, and knew of his work and of his life, and that is a testimony to me. ¶

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Five Other Great Leaders

I was acquainted with President John Taylor who is designated as a champion of the truth. He was a valiant man, an able president, a man of great firmness of purpose, and who exerted an influence for good throughout the Church and throughout the world. ¶

President Woodruff won great distinction in the mission field. He was certainly an energetic man and a successful missionary. He found the field white and ready for harvest, and brought many, many souls into the Church, both in the east and in the west, as also in Great Britain. He was a humble man, but that rather added distinction to his greatness. I always admired President Woodruff. His life was a testimony to me. ¶

President Lorenzo Snow, under the inspiration of the Almighty, brought the Church out of financial difficulties and stress. He was a cultured man ; he was a wise counselor, a great leader and prophet. To me his life and labors are a testimony of the truth of the Gospel. ¶

We are all acquainted with the life of President Joseph F. Smith, a man of great strength of character, a man who stood firm and steadfast to the truth. He advocated powerfully the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Though dead he lives in his testimony and his writings. He was much beloved of the Latter-day Saints, and I loved him. ¶

And now we come to our living prophet and leader, President Heber J. Grant. You are as familiar with his life and testimony as I am. He is a very active man and has already accomplished a great work. ¶

Experiences in the Ministry

In my ministry during the past thirty-nine years I have traveled 601,000 miles preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and bearing testimony of its restoration to earth. I speak of this modestly because my experience is simply the experience of the Twelve. They are all just as active, perhaps more so, than I have been. They may not have noted it down, but it is so recorded in their behalf. ¶

Now, you see, my brethren and sisters, by my experience, that the Twelve are a traveling high council. They are so designated in a revelation given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet. They are constantly upon the road, so to speak, and are contacting presidents of stakes and counselors, high councilors, bishoprics of wards and other prominent officials in the various Stakes of Zion and throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. They are contacting to some extent the missions on the isles of the sea, and also have contacted to a greater extent the European missions. That is our life's job, that is the responsibility that is upon us. In addition to all this we have many home duties and many meetings at headquarters. Well, I pause to say we have time to eat a little and sleep a little and then we are on the go again. ¶

My experience among the members of the Church and the officials in the Stakes of Zion has been very happy and my testimony of the ¶

Gospel has been strengthened by having made these contacts and by observing the good works and faith of the Latter-day Saints. ¶

Testimony of the Holy Ghost

Now, brethren and sisters, the greatest testimony that has come to me in all my life time is the testimony of the Holy Ghost, the gift I received at the time of my baptism. That will be an unfailing testimony as long as I am faithful in magnifying my calling and in keeping the commandments of God. I will have that testimony in my very soul, and it is my solemn duty to bear it before the saints of God and before the people of the world. ¶

There may be some young people among us who haven't got the testimony that I speak of. They may say, "I do not know the Gospel is true, but I believe it is true." That is a good testimony. It is a fine thing if they believe it. There are hundreds and thousands and millions of people who do not believe it. So if our children believe it is true we surely should be thankful for that, and if they will hold on to their belief and cultivate the Spirit of the Lord in their hearts the testimony will come later. With some young people in the Church and perhaps with some older ones too, they know the Gospel is true, but they do not know that they know it. They have not yet made the discovery, but they feel it in their hearts. They are almost afraid to testify to that effect, but let them cling to their belief and be faithful, and the Lord will give them a testimony. ¶

Now, I would like to say in conclusion, that what I am and what I may have accomplished in the world is what the Gospel has done for me, and what you are and what you have accomplished the Gospel has done for you. What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ ? It is the power of God unto salvation, and if we persist in that testimony and magnify that power in our callings it will be our salvation. Much more might be said upon this subject of salvation. To obtain salvation in the presence of God is the very aim of our life in mortality. By that I mean we shall triumph over all our enemies and put them under our feet and reign with the Lord Jesus Christ. That is an end much to be desired ; that is a consummation that can be accomplished and will be accomplished by the Latter-day Saints. ¶

Contact With the Adversary

The Lord bless you. I might add a word or two respecting my testimony which has been greatly strengthened by some personal experiences. I have contacted the enemy, I have met the adversary under peculiar circumstances. I realize that he is a very shrewd fellow. He is seeking our destruction. I have met him when he was operating through the spirit of mobocracy, and have been placed in some rather uncertain and dangerous situations. I was, however, preserved and delivered from the power of the evil one, and I attribute this to the mercy of God. I have come to the conclusion that, in life or in death, ¶

I must cleave to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved, and I'm sure that is the conclusion of every faithful Latter-day Saint. "What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and in the end lose his own immortal soul ?" ¶

So the Gospel should be everything to us. It is most precious indeed. I humbly pray, my brethren and sisters, that the Lord will continue to bless me and qualify me for the work that he wishes me to do, and I humbly pray that the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon each one, that you will strive to do His will, that in the end you may have this precious gift of salvation, because, as the Lord says, "there is no greater gift" ¶

May the Lord bless you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶