I am grateful for the opportunity of meeting in Conference once more
with the Latter-day Saints, and for the health and strength given me
to continue my labors among the people, and for this same blessing of
health which is enjoyed by my brethren. I am thankful, too, that the
Lord has raised up young men to bear off the Kingdom and help carry
the burdens of the people. It is also a source of satisfaction that He
has spoken and given instructions through His servant pertaining to
the Seventies, to more fully organize and set in order the quorums of
the Priesthood, the Seventies being more especially called as
assistants to the Twelve Apostles, in the work of the ministry. And it
is desirable that the revelation upon the subject should be fully
carried out, the Priesthood in its various depart ments fully
organized, and everything set in order according to the word and mind
of the Lord; that every quorum of the Priesthood, general and local,
might be in good working order. For it devolves upon the quorums of
the Melchizedek Priesthood to carry the Gospel to the nations, and to
gather those that accept it. This work is great, the field is white,
and the word of the Lord unto us, His servants, is to thrust in our
sickles and reap, and gather the harvest of the earth. And here let me
say, the Lord has sent His angels to superintend the work. The angel
spoken of by John the Revelator, has flown with the everlasting Gospel
to preach to those that dwell upon the earth; and it is given unto us
that we should proclaim it to all nations, to every people under
heaven, the decree having gone forth that this Gospel of the
Kingdom should be preached to all nations, and then the end should come.
Many years have elapsed since this message began to be communicated to
the sons of men; and we have become, comparatively speaking, a great
people. A little one has indeed become a thousand. We, who a few years
ago were only numbered by units and tens, now are numbered by
thousands and tens of thousands, yea hundreds of thousands. And the
Priesthood is correspondingly increasing in numbers and in ability to
labor, and acquiring means to carry on the work of preaching the
Gospel and of gathering Israel. The labor before us is not
diminishing; it is extending on every hand, and the Lord desires to
see the Elders of Israel in their various quorums and organizations
interested, earnest and alive to their calling, anxious to perform
well and faithfully the duties assigned them.
The Spirit of the Lord prompts from time to time the calling and
setting apart of men to the work of the ministry, and sending them to
different portions of the globe. And inasmuch as people feel earnest
and anxious to do good, to use the means that God blesses them with in
doing good, in sending the Gospel to the nations, and in gathering the
elect of God—and as this feeling prevails and increases among the
people generally—the Seventies and Elders, when they feel this spirit
moving upon them, should not wait, supinely rest upon their oars, but
be ready to act. And here permit me to say that that feeling which has
to some extent prevailed with some in time past, that when men are
named, either in Conference, or otherwise called on missions, to
indulge in such remarks as this, "I wonder what he has been doing that
he should be sent upon a mission." Such a spirit should not exist in
the minds of Latter-day Saints, as it is entirely foreign to those who
call men to the ministry. Such a feeling is not worthy a man called to
preach the Gospel of the Son of God. The qualifications of Elders that
are sought after, and that should recommend a minister of the Gospel,
should be an earnest desire to do good, a willingness to serve, a
desire to know what the Lord has for him to do, and a readiness to at
once engage in the undertaking, using himself and his means, if
blessed with means, his talents or gifts bestowed upon him by the
Lord, with an eye single to His honor and glory. And men who are at
home, ought to show forth these qualities in their daily lives and
conduct, by attending their quorum meetings and their ward meetings,
and their general Priesthood meetings, and by improving every
opportunity to learn their duty, and to improve themselves in their
daily lives; by being prompt in paying their tithing and in bringing
forth their offerings for the poor, and their contributions for the
building of Temples. It may not be those who are loudest in their
professions, but those actually pursuing this course of life. These
are the men that will be useful on the earth, and whom the Lord will
delight to own and bless in their labors in the ministry. And it is
desirable, that in the various Stakes of Zion, where quorums are
organized, that the Presidents of Stakes should encourage those
quorums, and the presiding officers of the various quorums should
endeavor to gather together all who have received the Priesthood, and
see that they are enrolled in their respective quorums, and
encourage them to attend their quorum meetings, and there seek for the
counsels of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit that should rest upon the
presiding officers of quorums to teach the members of the quorums all
things pertaining to their duties, and how to become fitted for the
labors whereunto God has called them. For all these quorums and
organizations are so many classes for mutual improvement, edification
and instruction; and the Presidents thereof are appointed and ordained
to instruct the members of their quorums in all things in the line of
their duty. And they should be encouraged by the Presidents of Stakes
in their Quarterly Conferences to report progress and attendance of
members, and the progress they are making in their qualifications. The
Elders should thus be sought after; and according to the spirit they
manifest in attending to their duties and qualifying themselves for
the work of the ministry, they should be called into the field,
whether from the Seventies or the Elders or the High Priests, the High
Priests, however, being more especially expected to take the
responsibility of presiding in Branches, in Stakes, in Wards, as
Presidents of Stakes, as High Councilors, as Bishops, or Bishop's
Counselors, as Presiding Elders in the Conferences of the churches
abroad. And the time is not far distant when the Elders of Israel will
be required to turn their attention and labors among the branches of
the house of Israel; and especially among the remnants of Joseph, upon
this American Continent.
I am pleased to be able to testify, from my travels among the people,
in attending Stake Conferences and Priesthood meetings, and hearing
their reports from time to time, that there is a steady improvement in
the feelings of the people. This was the testimony of Brother David P.
Kimball, this morning, when he said, that he could perceive a decided
improvement in the faith of the Latter-day Saints during the six years
of his absence. I think this is especially visible to all those who
are moving and acting among the people, they being the best able to
judge of their true condition. This is a source of gratitude and
thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father. I will not say of
self-congratulation; for although we have reason for thanksgiving for
the mercies and the blessings we have received, yet there are many
things still to be done, very many improvements to be made, many
weaknesses to be overcome, and very much yet to be done to instruct
the people that they may be sanctified and prepared to endure the
presence of the Lord, when he shall come; and to enable them to
withstand the shocks of the enemy that will be directed against them.
Much remains to be done by the people in putting away evils that still
exist in our midst; and very much needs to be done in the various
Wards and Stakes throughout all the settlements of the Saints by the
local Priesthood. I don't merely mean the Presidents of Stakes, the
Bishops, the High Councilors, and the lesser Priesthood appointed to
assist the Bishops—however important their labors may be and however
necessary it may be that they should be alive and active; but they
should also have the support of all High Priests, Seventies and Elders
in their Wards. And every officer of the Priesthood should be alive
and awake to see what good he might do, wherever and whenever the opportunity exists of doing good—in his own home and family
first, watching over his own children, laboring to unite the hearts
and feelings of his wife or wives and children, that peace may dwell
in his own habitation, and the wisdom and knowledge of God grow and
increase among his own household; and to see that his children do not
grow up idlers, but are trained to be industrious, and taught to reach
out after truth, that their spirits may not be unfruitful, and that
they may be taught in the fear of the Lord, and to worship Him, and to
call upon Him, and to have faith in Him, so that when sickness assails
them that they may not first resort to the doctor, or desire to put
their trust in medical men to heal them, for the Lord has commanded
His people that when any are sick among them, they shall call for the
Elders of the Church, who shall pray over them, and lay their hands
upon them, and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord, and the
prayer of faith shall save the sick. This was the exhortation of the
Apostle James to the former-day Saints, and it has been repeated to
the Latter-day Saints. The revelations given unto us on this subject
are to the effect that "they who have faith to be healed, shall be
healed; the deaf who have faith to hear, shall hear; the lame who have
faith to walk, shall walk, etc. And they who have not faith to do
these things, but believe in me, I will have compassion upon them, and
bear their infirmities, and they shall be nursed with herbs and mild
food, and that not by the hand of an enemy."
These things are for you, my brethren and sisters, and for your
families, and all who are willing to receive the word and counsels of
Almighty God. And if our faith is so weak that we have to resort to
medical aid, let us do it trusting and relying upon God, seeking unto
those who have faith, and who have confidence in God, and who do what
they do unto the Lord, righteously, justly and honorably, seeking for
the light of the Holy Ghost to help them in their profession. These
will be far more likely to succeed and do good; but the other class
are not to be relied upon, for all doctors have not faith any more
than all lawyers or other men. But the sound, intelligent philosopher
or Surgeon has respect for God and His works, which are made manifest
in all nature and in nothing more than the human frame, which is after
the image of God himself—fearfully and wonderfully made—and those who
understand it best, respect, as a rule, the Maker, and acknowledge His
wisdom as being superior to that of man, for there is nothing ever
devised by man that is equal to his own organization in perfection and
beauty, or in strength and durability.
Let us remember and ponder upon these counsels, and cleave to the
Priesthood and have confidence in it; and let the Elders administer to
the sick in faith, and let them rebuke disease when the Spirit prompts
them, and it will be rebuked, and the sick will be healed by the power
of God. Every Elder in Israel should so live before the Lord as to
have confidence in Him to do this. And let the Presidents of Stakes
and the Bishops and the leading influential men encourage faith among
the people, depending upon God and the ordinances of His house rather
than trusting in man. And while they seek for wisdom to nurse the
sick in a manner calculated to do them good, let them learn too, that herb medicine, unless administered in wisdom and
intelligence, is liable to injure the patient instead of benefiting
him. And let the Elders lay aside strong drinks and tobacco, and
discontinue the practice of everything having a tendency to injure the
system, and set examples before our sons and daughters that is worthy
of imitation. If parents will pursue this course they will command the
respect of their children; and when the time comes for them to go down
to their graves, their children will point to them in affection and
pride as being the chief means, under God, of their learning His ways
and walking in His paths, and of eschewing those pernicious habits
which are wasting away the life of our nation, and that are gradually
undermining society and destroying the human race. It is the design of
the Almighty to raise up in these mountains a hardy and a healthy
people, a people who shall live according to the laws of heaven that
govern them, in whom shall be found the elements of faith and power;
and it becomes our duty to shape our lives accordingly. And that God
may help us to do so, and to accomplish all that is required of us, is
my earnest desire and prayer. Amen.