My Dear Brethren And Sisters I Sincerely...

My dear brethren and sisters, I sincerely pray for the Spirit of the Lord to direct me and for your faith to assist to that end. ¶

I have been impressed with the emphasis placed upon the principles of the gospel in this conference. And I have been impressed with the emphasis that has been laid upon the prophecy of Daniel which foretold the setting up of the kingdom of God, the overcoming of all other kingdoms, and that this kingdom was to stand forever. ¶

There is a striking and interesting difference between this dispensation and all other dispensations. All other dispensations have faded away in a comparatively short time into apostasy. ¶

This is the only dispensation from the beginning that is not to follow that pattern. ¶

When the Lord Jesus Christ came to perform his glorious mission in the world and established his Church, he established it among an apostate people who, if they had believed the teachings of their prophets, would have received him as their Messiah. But they crucified him, so it makes a great difference with us in our attitude and in our objectives and in our mission in the world. ¶

The statistics given this morning were interesting. We now number over a million and a half people. Some experts have estimated the future growth of the Church, and they estimate upon recognized principles of such estimations, that in the year 2000, fortyone years from now, the population of the Church will be (I must refer to the figures because I could hardly believe them) six million people, and I see no reason why we should not expect that to be so. ¶

So we see with regard to our mission to the world and with regard to our relation to the world, not a fading out gospel dispensation, but a gospel dispensation that is to build and build until the Lord Jesus Christ shall come. ¶

He shall not come to an apostate group of Israel, but he shall come to the millions and millions of Israel who shall be gathered into his Church and kingdom. This Church and kingdom has already been established in the earth, and this is that kingdom. And testimonies of God's servants have been borne to that fact for one hundred and twenty-nine years and will continue to be borne to that fact to the end. ¶

We say that in love and consideration for our fellow men, but it is our duty to declare that fact, that this is the kingdom of God established by the Lord Jesus Christ and that its mission is to fill the earth until the Lord Jesus Christ shall come. And we must bear that testimony, and we must bear the responsibilities that attach to that testimony. Our lives and all that we have and are should be devoted to the upbuilding of this great kingdom preparatory for our Lord and Savior to come and reign in the earth. ¶

Another striking thing that is different in this dispensation from any other dispensation, is that there is involved the overcoming of the powers of evil in the earth; there is involved the overcoming and the ending of all nations in the earth; and the Lord has declared that the time will soon come when peace will be taken from the earth, and the devil will reign in his dominion and that the Lord Jesus Christ will reign among his Saints. ¶

(D&C 1:35.) So we are living in that great dispensation when the culmination of all the history of the world and the work of God among the children of men, up to the time or the millennium, will be brought to pass. ¶

These great changes in nations cannot be brought to pass without great political upheaval, without wars and calamities that the scriptures make very plain will come. ¶

But bear in mind that the Lord is directing this world. We are frequently reminded that conditions have been so developed in the powers of warfare that an accident or a rash move could set in operation those powers which might destroy our civilization. But let us bear in mind that this world is in the hands of God. All these things will happen only so far as they are in accordance with his plans and his purposes. And let us not waste our time and our energy and get into a nervous condition about what is going to happen to the world. That is not our sphere of responsibility. The Lord will take care of that. It remains for us to be devoted to the upbuilding of his kingdom and facing whatever conditions may come to us. ¶

I should like to read what the Lord has said about that in just a few words, for he has promised that this land that he established in the beginning for a special purpose — that Israel should accomplish its destiny in the world — bringing gospel truth to the world — is a special land, not only a promised land but also a protected land, and the Lord will protect this land against the enemies of righteousness. It is for us to be faithful and for all the people of this land, not just the members of this Church, to be true to its Constitution and to be true to Jesus Christ, the God of this land. (Ether 2:12.) Those are the things that we need to worry about. Those are the things that we need to center our hearts upon. The Lord has said that he planned this land to be choice above all other lands for the blessings to come to Israel. He also said in exact words: "I established the Constitution of this land," saying that it was done to preserve our liberties. ¶

(D&C 101:80.) And the Lord brought about the discovery of this land as a preliminary arrangement for the establishment of his kingdom. This land has been occupied by the blood of Israel from the beginning, hidden by thousands of miles of ocean from any other group and has produced its scriptures and its prophets and has borne witness to the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, this land will be protected, and the cause of God will be protected. It is for us to devote ourselves with all our hearts to the building up of this kingdom and preserve peace in our hearts and not give way to the weakening influences that would come from any other attitude. The Lord says: ¶

"I, the Lord, am angry with the wicked; I am holding my Spirit from the inhabitants of the earth. ¶

"I have sworn in my wrath, and decreed wars upon the face of the earth, and the wicked shall slay the wicked, and fear shall come upon every man; "And the saints also shall hardly escape; nevertheless, I, the Lord, am with them, and will come down in heaven from the presence of my Father and consume the wicked with unquenchable fire." (Ibid., 63:32-34.) The Lord has also declared that any powers and forces that fight against Israel and against Zion shall be destroyed. ¶

"For I, the Lord, have put forth my hand to exert the powers of heaven; ye cannot see it now, yet a little while and ye shall see it, and know that I am, and that I will come and reign with my people." (Ibid., 84:119.) "Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God. ¶

"Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered." (Ibid., 101:16-17.) "For I, the Lord, rule in the heavens above, and among the armies of the earth " (Ibid., 60:4.) Let us with all our hearts build up the kingdom of God, for the time is coming when gross wickedness and corruption will be swept from the earth. God has restored his gospel. It is being preached to all the world, so that as many as possible will forsake wickedness and join the people of God and become the seed of Israel, the sons of Abraham, the followers of and believers in Jesus Christ the Redeemer of the world. After that, those others who will not do that may have to be swept away as they war one with another and fall into the pits that they dig for others. ¶

I bear my humble witness that this Church is the Church of Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of the world, that he has set it up through the Prophet Joseph Smith, a prophet of the Living God, and that it is being conducted by the servant of God, David O. ¶

McKay, our beloved prophet and leader. ¶

And I call the attention of the people of the world and the Saints to the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants which is a formal proclamation to all peoples by the Lord God himself, declaring that he has restored the gospel to the world and set up his kingdom and that his voice calls out to all the world to repent and enter into that kingdom and listen to the voice of his servants and disciples whom he has raised up in these last days. ¶

This work is the work of God. I bear this humble witness in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶