My Brothers Sisters And Friends Assembled Here...

My brothers, sisters, and friends assembled here in this historic building, and those of you who are sometimes termed the "unseen audience," may I express my gratitude for your taking time to see and listen in to the proceedings of these great conference sessions. I would like to take this opportunity, too, to say hello to my sweetheart who is listening today, and I feel her spirit. ¶

May I repeat the words of President McKay at the opening of this conference read by his son Robert, found in 2 Timothy, the fourth chapter: ¶

"Preach the Word"

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, . . . [to] preach the word; . . ." (Vs. 1-2.) That is what I have in mind at this time, if the Lord will bless me. ¶

"We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Fourth article of faith.) ¶

Jesus Commissioned The Disciples

May I take you back in your mind's eye to almost 2,000 years ago, after the resurrection of Jesus, when he had commissioned his disciples, which means he had given them the authority to go forth and teach. ¶

The day to which I refer is known as the day of Pentecost. Many were assembled, and Peter was the mouthpiece on this occasion. He taught: ¶

"We all are witnesses"

"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. ¶

"Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. . . . ¶

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. ¶

"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? ¶

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ¶

"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. ¶

"And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. ¶

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:32-33, 36-41.) ¶

Illustrations To Inculcate Faith

Those who were pricked in their hearts gave evidence of faith, the first principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. ¶

The scriptures are replete with stories of faith. ¶

"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? ¶

"Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? ¶

"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; "And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ¶

"Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Matt. 6:26-30.) Paul said, ". . . faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1.) "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." (Matt. 17:20.) The next principle is repentance as taught on that great day of Pentecost. ¶

Repentance a Principle for Reformation of Life

Repentance is a principle and not merely an expression of penitent grief. ¶

It involves a reformation of life. The Apostle Paul spoke to the Corinthian Saints: ¶

"Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: . . . ¶

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." (2 Cor. 7:9-10.) Repentance is an eternal truth and principle. The Prophet Isaiah understood this principle when he said: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isa. ¶

55:7.) In conclusion, as a true definition of repentance, let me quote the words of Paul to the Ephesians: ¶

"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: . . . ¶

"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: ¶

"Neither give place to the devil. ¶

"Let him that stole steal no more: . . . ¶

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, . . ." (Eph. ¶

4:25-29.) This is the only repentance taught in Holy Writ and simply means to forsake all sin and accomplish a reformation of life. ¶

Yes, a transition, a transformation, a miracle can come in the lives of individuals today. ¶

I remember being at the baptism not too long ago of a fine businessman who had maintained the standards of the Church but hadn't conformed with the formalities. I listened to his first words as he came up out of the waters of baptism: "Oh, why have I waited so long?" ¶

Another expression, "Why have I waited until the afternoon of my life to see and understand the truths of the gospel?" ¶

Yes, miracles are taking place each day in this Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. What is a miracle? An act of happening in the material or physical world which seems to depart from the laws of nature or to go beyond what is known of these laws; yes, a wonder, a marvel. ¶

Baptism — the First Ordinance

That brings me to the third principle and the first ordinance of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is baptism. ¶

Faith and repentance are principles, and in baptism we come to the first ordinance necessary to enter the kingdom. ¶

Baptism is essential to salvation, and according to the scriptures it must be a specific type of baptism — in other words, performed by immersion. It is for the remission of sins, required by all who reach the age of eight years, for such the Lord has revealed in this day. ¶

"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, "And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. ¶

"Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, "And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. ¶

"But when he saw many of the Pharisees, and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ¶

"Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: ¶

"And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. ¶

"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ¶

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: ¶

"Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. ¶

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. ¶

"But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? ¶

"And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. ¶

Then he suffered him. ¶

"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: ¶

and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: ¶

"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:1-2, 5-17.) So we see how essential baptism is, performed legitimately by one having the authority, first to enter the kingdom and second to enable the individual to fulfil all righteousness. ¶

"One Lord, one faith, one baptism," ¶

(Eph. 4:5.) The Lord to Nicodemus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." ¶

(John 3:5.) ¶

The Gift of the Holy Ghost

Which brings me to the fourth principle and the second ordinance, the reception of the Holy Spirit. ¶

Having shown that faith, repentance, and baptism are essential to the remission of sins, let us now consider the reception of the Holy Spirit. ¶

Man is not prepared for the indwelling of the Holy Ghost unless he repents of his sins and becomes freed from them by obedience to the laws of God. ¶

To show that the laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost by those having divine authority was practised by the ancient Apostles, I refer to Acts 8:14-21: ¶

"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: ¶

"Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: ¶

"(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) "Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. ¶

"And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, "Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. ¶

"But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. ¶

"Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God." ¶

Another experience in the life of the Apostle Paul: ¶

"And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; . . ." (Ibid., 19:6.) ¶

"The Laying on of Hands"

The following references also indicate the laying on of hands as a sacred rite which would not have been adopted by the Apostles unless commanded of God to do so: ¶

"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands. . . ." ¶

(1 Tim. 4:14.) "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands." (2 Tim. 1:6.) The Holy Ghost is a great boon or favor from the Lord, and many blessings are received because of it. ¶

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26.) Now in conclusion on this, may I give you a thought from Paul in Galatians, and then a thought from Parley P. Pratt. ¶

Paul said, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering gentleness, goodness, faith, "Meekness, temperance: . . ." (Gal. ¶

5:22-23.) And Parley P. Pratt, a prophet of the Lord in this dispensation, gave this definition of the Holy Ghost. ¶

"It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It develops beauty of person, form, and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation, and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. ¶

It strengthens, invigorates and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being." ¶

(Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, 1948 edition, p. 100; as quoted in James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, p. 487.) I bear witness that that Spirit is prevalent on the earth today and will come to those who have faith, who repent, who are baptized by the true servants of the Lord, and it will be unto them as a boon and a favor and a guide into further light, truth, and knowledge. I bear witness to these things in the name of Jesus Christ. ¶

Amen. ¶