Sayings, Sentiments and Stories

Sayings, Sentiments and Stories Selected from the Sermons of the October General Conference of the Church

The wonderful annual and semi-annual gatherings of the Saints exercise a most remarkable influence upon the religious, social and educational ideas of the community. At the October conference, forty-one speakers delivered forty-six sermons. These sermons, by the general as well as the local authorities, direct from the practical field at home and abroad, were full of wise counsel, rebukes and admonitions, warnings and plead- ings, doctrine, historical references, testimonies of healings, and manifestations of God's goodness and mercy, declarations of loyalty to God and Country, and a full exposition of the cur- rent history of the Church, as well as sound and sensible direc- tions for the temporal and spiritual guidance of the people. The Era presents, in this number, pithy extracts from some of these sermons, and promises more to come in numbers to follow

OUR DUTY IN WARNING AND HELPING TO WARN President Anthon H. Lund

This duty of informing the world concerning our belief and warning them of what is coming, rests upon the Latter-day Saints. If you read the 33rd chapter of Ezekiel, you can see what the Lord says against those who are watchmen and not performing their duties. If the people are warned and do not heed the warning, the Lord says their blood will be upon them- selves, but if they are not warned and the watchman has been careless in failing to give them the warning, the blood will be on his skirts. Now, we elders of Israel do not want to incur any blame or punishment because of neglect of duties in regard to informing the world. We cannot send our young men. ¥e will be obliged therefore to call on our experienced elders, many of whom have performed excellent missions before. When we ask them to go today we find in some cases that their circumstances

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are such that they cannot go. But we have a great many who have not been on missions, and perhaps are not suitable for missionary life, but who could do their duty by helping some of these able and experienced men to go and preach the gospel. It would not cost much; it is a good way of using the mammon of unrighteousness to make friends for us hereafter, as alluded to by Jesus. Why, in early days of the Church when we sent men out as missionaries, they Went without purse or scrip. I remember two elders who were sent to a large city in Norway; one was a good speaker, the other was not much of a speaker, but he was a good tailor. He took work and he supported his fellow missionary, and they laid the foundation of a splendid branch, and so wherever the elders were sent they were willing to work for the furtherance of the cause, they would labor with their hands and give all they made to help in this work. How- ever, we do not go so far as this at home. Many of our brethren who have been blessed temporally would feel more blessed if they would use some of their means to have a good elder go on a mission and labor where we are under the necessity of sending missionaries. MISSION OF THE CHURCH AND DUTY OF THE SEVENTIES President Charles W Penrose .

We should understand that we are called of God to be ser- vants of the Lord Jesus Christ, to follow in his footsteps as far as we are able to do so; that we should embody his character, that we should observe the law of obedience to God as he ob- served it; understand that we came here not to do our own will unless it be like God's will, in conformity therewith, in harmony with him and his purposes; that we came here for this purpose, to learn the ways of God and to walk in the path that he marks out for us. And the Church is organized to that end, to carry and to send forth the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel of salva- tion, to all peoples upon the face of the earth, to every country, to the islands of the sea, the continents, and every part of this globe where there are people dwelling. This is our mission, and those of us who cannot go there should do everything in our power with all our hearts to send the gospel there; and, as President Lund has intimated to us this morning, when able men, men who are able to carry this gospel and to preach it in plainness, by authority and in the power of God, are not able financially to perform this duty, they should be aided by their brethren and sisters at home. We have proven how easy it is comparatively to raise funds for different purposes, worthy pur- poses. Israel has responded to the call of the Nation. This is right, part of our duty, but it just shows to us what we can do when we get the spirit of a work; and there are means enough

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that can be raised from the ranks of Israel to send just as many elders as we are able to send in these times at any rate, abroad in the world and sustain them or sustain their families at home while they are away. I might say that this work ought to, in my opinion, devolve largely upon the different quorums of seventies in the Church. This is a wonderful organization in every respect, and the sev- enties, those elders who are called to compose quorums of sev- enties, elders presided over each one by seven of its number, should have it in their hearts to send this gospel to the ends of the earth. That is what they are for; that is their special calling. Every elder has received authority from God to hold the Mel- chizedek Priesthood and to be a minister of the Most High, whether he be a standing minister in the stakes of Zion or is sent forth by proper authority to different parts in the world; but especially the seventies in the Church are called and ap- pointed and ordained to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth under the direction of the Twelve Apostles. This is part of the system to which we belong. What a beautiful system it is! Provision made in it for carrying the gospel abroad and for preaching to the people at home, and for setting in order the people in all the different parts of Zion; and for the establishment of the purposes of the Almighty, all in perfect order. If you would all keep in the order that is ap- pointed by revelation from on high, there would be no trouble among us, all the powers and authorities vested in different call- ings in the Church, but all would work in perfect harmony, and it does to a very large extent. We only have a little ripple now and then from persons who are either not fully informed or become ambitious, wish to step out of their place and do that for which they have not been appointed.

A REMARKABLE MANIFESTATION President Heber J. Grant

From October, 1882, when I was called to be one of the council of the Twelve, until the following February, I had but littlejoy and happiness in my labors. There was a spirit fol- lowing me that told me that I lacked the experience, that I lacked the inspiration, that I lacked the testimony to be worthy of the position of an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. My dear mother had inspired me with such a love of the gospel and with such a reverence and admiration for the men who stood at the head of this Church, that when I was called to be one of them I was overpowered; I felt my unworthiness and the adversary taking advantage of that feeling in my heart, day and night, the spirit pursued me, suggesting that I resign, and when I testified

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of the divinity of the work we are engaged in, the words would come back, "You haven't seen the Savior; you have no right to bear such a testimony," and I was very unhappy. But in February, 1883, while riding along on the Navajo Indian Reservation with Elder Brigham Young, Jr., and fifteen or twenty other brethren, including the late president, Lot Smith, of one of the Arizona stakes, on our way to visit the Nav- ajos and Moquis — as we were traveling that day, going through a part of the Navajo Reservation to get to the Moqui Reserva- — tion as we were traveling to the southeast, suddenly the road turned and veered almost to the northeast, but there was a path, a trail, leading on in the direction in which we had been trav- eling. There were perhaps eight or ten of us on horseback and the rest in wagons. Brother Smith and I were at the rear of our company. When we came to the trail I said, "Wait a min- ute, Lot; where does this trail lead to?" He said, "Oh, it leads back into the road three or four miles over here, but we have to make a detour of eight or nine miles to avoid a large gully that no wagons can cross." I asked: "Can a horseman get over that gully?" He answered, "Yes." I said, "Any danger from Indians, by being out there alone? He answered, "No." I said, "I want to be alone, so you go on with the company and I will meet you over there where the trail and road join." One reason that I asked if there was any danger was because a few days before our company had visited the spot where George A. Smith, Jr., had been killed by the Navajo Indians, and I had that event in my mind at the time I was speaking. I had perhaps gone one mile when in the kind providences of the Lord it was manifested to me perfectly so far as my intelligence is concerned— I did not see heaven, I did not see a council held there, but like Lehi of old, I seemed to see, and my very being was so saturated with the information that I received, as I stopped my animal and sat there and communed with heaven, that I am as absolutely convinced of the information that came to me upon that occasion as though the voice of God had spoken the words to me. It was manifested to me there and then as I sat there and wept for joy that it was not because of any particular intelli- gence that I possessed, that it was not because of any knowledge that I possessed more than a testimony of the gospel, that it was not because of my wisdom, that I had been called to be one of the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ in this last dispensation, but it was because the prophet of God, the man who was the chosen instrument in the hands of the living God of establishing

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again upon the earth the plan of life and salvation, Joseph Smith, desired that I be called, and that my father, Jedediah M. Grant, who gave his life for the gospel, while one of the presidency of the Church, a counselor to President Brigham Young, and who had been dead for nearly twenty-six years, de- sired that his son should be a member of the Council of the Twelve. It was manifested to me that the prophet and my father were able to bestow upon me the apostleship because of their faithfulness, inasmuch as I had lived a clean life, that now it remained for me to make a success or a failure of that call- ing. I can bear witness to you here today that I do not believe that any man on earth from that day, February, 1883, until now, thirty-five years ago, has had sweeter joy, more perfect and ex- quisite happiness than I have had in lifting up my voice and tes- tifying of the gospel at home and abroad in every land and in every clime where it has fallen to my lot to go.

A HEALING AND A CONVERSION Elder Charles A. Callis, of the Southern States Mission

In the missions the gospel is growing by leaps and by bounds. During the past six months we have witnessed miracu- lous and sudden conversions to the truth. There was an apostle I A the Southern States mission about two years ago; and a woman

^ho was afflicted with the dread malady of pellagra in a state pronounced incurable, asked to be administered to. She was administered to by this servant of the Lord. Eighteen months later this woman came to me. I did not recognize her, there was such a marked improvement in her condition. "Why," she said, "I am the one whom you and Brother administered to, and I am healed. The power of God hath healed me." Again, this same apostle, in bidding adieu to the Saints in one of our branches, when shaking hands with a good, faithful sister, whose husband was not in the Church, and we had well nigh given up hopes of him ever coming into the Church, said: "Sister, I promise you that the desires of your heart shall be realized, and your husband will come into the Church." Imag- ine my deep pleasure, for the poor wife had almost despaired — of seeing this promise realized she kept it sacred, told no one — about it when the day came only a few weeks ago that her hus- band experienced a change of heart. It was miraculous. God's power touched his heart, and he came to me and said "Brother :

Callis, I want to be baptized," and we all joined in shedding tears of joy with that devoted and faithful wife who had ex- perienced the fulfilment of this inspired promise. I know the gospel is true. I bear testimony to it in hu- mility, and in deep gratitude, and with the fervent desire that

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I may ever conduct myself so that I shall be worthy of this tes- timony abiding in me.

THE MISSION OF AMERICA Elder Orson F. Whitney

Whatever men may think or say, this is our position. In the everlasting gospel and in the powers of the eternal Priest- hood, restored to earth through the instrumentality of a Prophet of God, in this the final dispensation of gospel grace, are those "spiritual agencies which prevent corruption and decay ,** "insti- tutions and ideas to expand the mind and elevate the soul," forces and powers which can alone save this nation and "save the world." The Latter-day Saints believe Columbus was inspired to dis- cover this land in order that a free nation, dedicated to the maintenance and preservation of the rights of man, including his right to worship God according to the dictates of his own con- science, might arise here ; a nation founded upon the proposition that all men have equal rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and that governments derive their just powers — from the Consent of the governed a doctrine diametrically op- posed to the old autocratic notions prevalent in European and oriental lands. And we further believe that this nation was established so that the great work of Israel's God might come forth under its protecting aegis, and not be crushed out by the tyranny of man; to the end that the gospel, "the power of God unto salvation," might be preached in all the world as a witness before the end comes; that the House of Israel might be gath- ered in from their long dispersion, that Zion might arise, and the glory of God rest upon her, and the world be prepared for the coming of the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, in his glory. We believe this fervently. It is our message to the world. America has fulfilled or is fulfiling her high and noble mission. True, there have been some abuses, things that were never contemplated by the founders of our nation, by the sign- ers of the immortal Declaration, by the framers of the glorious Constitution. Men have been persecuted under the Stars and Stripes for their religious convictions. But it was not the Con- stitution that did it; it was not the Declaration, not the Flag, that was responsible. These things occurred, not because of the Constitution, but in spite of it, and because the laws were not enforced for the protection of the weak against the strong. Yet we do not hold this against our Government. We are will- ing to let bygones be bygones. America is fulfiling her mission despite such lapses; for she has fostered and in a sense brought

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forth the Church of God, which represents the lifting of the ensign for the gathering of scattered Israel. Under her pro- tecting shield "the little stone" has come forth that is destined to become "a mountain" and fill the whole earth. And we stand by our Cquntry, we are glad and proud to see her continuing the noble work that God has placed upon her. Even as Joseph of old, liberated from prison and exalted to a throne, ministered to his brethren who had hated him and cast him out and sold him into slavery, so this Land of Joseph, lifted up on high, enthroned in beauty and power and glory, is now ministering to the needy nations who come bending to her for food, for succor, for assistance. America, rediscovering herself, forgiving the past and magnanimously returning good for evil, has even crossed the ocean with her armies and navies and is sending her sons to the front to help the nations of Europe, the democracies of the Old World, fight the battle of freedom and equal rights. And I thank God, for one, that our boys have the privilege of participating in this glorious strife. They are pre-eminently the sons of liberty, for the gospel covenant in which .they were begotten and born, is liberty's perfect law, and it is most fitting and appropriate that they should play their

part in the great and mighty drama that is fated to spread the principles of human freedom and clear the way for the carrying of the message of salvation into every nook and corner of the world. God bless our Country! God bless America in her heaven- appointed task of succoring the needy nations, of guarding the ark of liberty, keeping alive the fires of freedom, and maintain- ing the rights of man!

AN APPEAL TO THE YOUTH OF ZION Elder David O. McKay

I desire to say something regarding the significant prophecy in I Nephi 19:13-18, with a view to reaching the young men and the young women of Israel that they might do two things, the first of which is to stop amidst their pleasures, and pause in the midst of the rush of this Twentieth Century and think think of the significance and mission of the Church of Jesus Christ; to try to realize even in a slight degree, the significance of the world changes that are now taking place, and measure them by the standard of righteousness as taught by their parents and the authorities of the Church. Boys, now is the time to think, to pray, and to search, as we have never searched before, for the everlasting truth; to realize while we are young that God's hand is over the destinies of the world, that he is shaping the destinies of nations. Benjamin

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Franklin once said, "The longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of man; and if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, how is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?" I believe that the providence of God is shaping and will shape the destiny of the nations now in the grip of the worst war known to history. Under the storm and the cloud ttday, And today the hard peril and pain, Tomorrow the stone shall be rolled away, For the sunshine shall follow the rain. Merciful Father, I will not complain, I know that the sunshine shall follow the rain. # * * *

God's providence will bring out of this great conflict bless- ings to humanity of which they scarcely dream. But in order that they might have them and acknowledge them, there is a responsibility upon the peoples of the earth. Liberty is offered them; and the perfect law of liberty, the gospel of Jesus Christ, is offered them. In this day, the greatest in the world's history, a day toward which prophets looked with longing hearts, you and I are witnesses of the fulfilment, at least in part, of God's promises. You and I, then, have the responsibility, if there is anything at all in the testimony we bear, of giving to the peo- ple, not only to the Jews, but to the world, the gospel, the per- fect law of liberty. What is our responsibility? I said there were two things I would like to have the boys think of. One I have mentioned; viz., To read the signs of the times and see if they cannot discern the existence and providence of an allwise Creator. As soon as they feel that truth in their hearts, and know it, oh, how distasteful will sin become to them! What was the other? That they might realize that they must set an example of purity and chastity to the world. I mention this because it is the cry- ing need of the world today. In this the boys and girls of Zion must lead or the world will ask you, when you claim that this is the gospel, the perfect law of freedom —"what are the fruits of it? What are the fruits?" Oh, how my heart warmed yesterday, with yours, when we listened to President Smith say: "For seventy years I have de- voted my life to this work." I have heard him say that what he is, he is because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That gospel which can make a man of strength, a man of character, a man of God, such as I bear testimony to you President Smith is, has in it the redeeming power for the salvation of mankind. But the found- ation of growth in this Church is purity, with faith in God. I am glad that our nation is in part fulfiling its mission in send-

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ing out with the boys the message of purity, telling them that though they are soldiers, they cannot violate with impunity the principle of chastity. Illustrative of this, I read in The Nurse and the Knight, a little book sent by Corporal Wendell Whitney to his father, Elder Orson F. Whitney, a letter from a Red Cross nurse, in which, in substance, in one place she said: "First I was in Paris, where the wounded came to have their wounds dressed. I saw them wash their wounds and they were clean. The boys seemed to be happy, and looked with pride and honor upon the wounds they had received in a righteous cause. "Later I was placed in an emergency hospital near the bat- tle line. There some worse cases came, but they too were proud. "Then later I went to the base hospital, part of the trenches, and there I saw men with their bodies mangled; I saw in one case some German prisoners with their legs blown off, but they had their hearts, they had their minds and their souls, and they could still live and love and think. It was not the worst thing I had seen. "Then there came some from Verdun, where the liquid fire had been blown into their faces. They were scarred and blind. Oh, it was worse than death. Death seemed sweet to those oth- ers, and this was worse, but it was not the worst thing I saw. "I saw men who were standing there by the big guns that were placed up by the French to withstand the German great guns that were blowing off the hills of Verdun. When they were brought back they were mad. But that was not the worst thing I saw. "When with a Red Cross nurse, whose name you have seen in the papers, we passed a certain hospital there in Paris, she said, 'I can stand everything else in this war but that.' 'Why, what is it?' 'Don't you know?' 'Why, no.' 'Haven't you nursed in there?' 'No.' 'Then thank God you have not had to nurse there. Those are the boys who could fight for their country, but who could not fight for themselves. The soldiers whom you have nursed with their bodies clean, if they died they died in honor. If they lived they lived in honor; but those boys in there, with the poison of sin in their blood, die in loathsome horror. If they live they live to be a sorrow and a curse to those who trust and love them." Oh, boys of Zion, can't you see what the nations need? Will you set an example? God help us to tell them that the hour of his judgment is come. God has spoken. The day of Israel is here, and the coming of the Son of Man is not far off. How many years it matters not. It is near by. We must do our part and prepare for it.

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SPURIOUS REVELATIONS AND VISIONS Elder Joseph F. SmLh, Jr.

There is a lying spirit abroad in the land. In my travels in the stakes of Zion, my attention has been called, on a number of occasions, to a purported revelation or vision or manifesta- tion, whatever it may be called, supposed to have been received by President Smith some time in the distant past, in regard to events of great importance dealing with the nations of the earth and the Latter-day Saints. Many things in that purported vision, or revelation, are absurd. My attention has been called to this thing, and good brethren and good sisters have inquired of me to know whether or not there was any truth in that which had come to their attention. It is in printed form; and I have been under the necessity of telling them that there was no truth in it. Then, in other places I have discovered that people have copies of a purported vision by the Prophet Joseph Smith, given in Nauvoo, and some people are circulating this supposed vision, or revelation, or conversation which the prophet is re- ported to have held with a number of individuals in the city of Nauvoo. I want to say to you, my brethren and sisters, that if you understand the Church articles and covenants, if you will read the Scriptures and become familiar with those things which are recorded in the revelations from the Lord, it will not be neces- sary for you to ask any questions in regard to the authenticity or otherwise of any purported revelation, vision, or manifesta- tion that proceeds out of darkness, concocted in some corner, surreptitiously presented, and not coming through the proper channels of the Church. Let me add that when a revelation comes for the guidance of this people, you may be sure that it will not be presented in some mysterious manner contrary to the order of the Church. It will go forth in such form that the peo- ple will understand that it comes from those who are in author- ity, for it will be sent either to the presidents of stakes and the bishops of the wards over the signatures of the presiding author- ities, or it will be published in some of the regular papers or magazines under the control and direction of the Church, or it will be presented before such a gathering as this, at a general conference. It will not spring up in some distant part of the Church and be in the hands of some obscure individual without authority, and thus be circulated among the Latter-day Saints. Now, you may remember this. Again, here is another thought I desire to call your atten- tion to. Not very long ago a good sister, I suppose a good sister,

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one who means well, placed into my hands a purported vision, or revelation, which she claims she received, dealing with mat- ters pertaining to the welfare of the people. Now, the Lord is not going to give unto any woman in this Church a revelation for the Church. He is not going to give unto any man in this Church, other than the one who is properly appointed, a reve- lation for the guidance of the Church, for everything will be done in order. When you find good sisters, or otherwise, and brethren, circulating revelations or manifestations which they themselves have received, you put it down that it is contrary to the law and the order of the Church and the doctrine the Lord has revealed. (Read Doc. and Cov. 43:1-9.) Now I maintain that there is no occasion for any member of this Church to have a doubt in his mind regarding matters of revelation as coming for the guidance of the Church, because when such things come they will come in the proper channels and be presented by those who are ordained to this calling, and who are known to the Church. Therefore, when you hear these rumors, you put it down that they are false, and it is absolutely unnecessary for you to ask the question of anyone, because you ought to know by the inspiration you have yourselves whether or not they are true. Now, just one more thought. I realize this, when the breth- ren, the authorities of the Church, the elders of Israel, speak unto the people, and they have the Spirit of the Lord, they speak by inspiration, and, as we read in Section 1 of the Doc- trine and Covenants, when thev so speak, that which they say is scripture, and the Lord will recognize it as such, and it is binding upon the people when they so speak as if he himself spoke unto them; but when they speak unto the people by in- spiration, as they do from time to time, it will be in order and according to the doctrines and the revelations which have been given to the Church, so that all who hear may understand. If we will hearken unto the words of the Lord and search for ourselves and obtain knowledge from the Book of Mormon, the Bible, the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, and from instructions given us from time to time by the author- ities of the Church, and seek to do the will of the Lord, remem- bering our prayers and our covenants before him, we will not go astray.

President Joseph F. Smith

Again I feel that it is an opportunity for me to say a few words. This wonderful, mysterious revelation that I have been said to have received a great many vears ago, was given in French, and I never knew but two or three words in French in

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my life; consequently, I could not have been the originator of that revelation. I want you to understand that. I have denied it, I suppose, a hundred times, when I have been inquired of about it. It was gotten up by some mysterious person who un- dertook to create a sensation and lay the responsibility upon me. I am not guilty. When the Lord reveals something to me, I will consider the matter with my brethren, and when it be- comes proper, I will let it be known to the people, and not oth- erwise. The ridiculous story about the "red horse," and "the black horse," and "the white horse," and a lot of trash that has been circulated about and printed and sent around as a great revela- tion given by the Prophet Joseph Smith, is a matter that was gotten up, I understand, some ten years after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, by two of our brethren who put together some broken sentences from the Prophet that they may have heard from time to time, and formulated this so-called revela- tion out of it, and it was never spoken by the prophet in the manner in which they have put it forth. It is simply false; that is all there is to it. In 1858, I had the privilege of traveling through California with Charles Wesley Wandell, a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and at that time also a mem- ber of the Church. He told me himself, in the presence of wit- nesses, that he wrote the document himself on which the organ- ization of J. J. Strang was founded, and he was never so sur- prised as when he found that J. J. Strang accepted his vagaries for a revelation from God, and he had only laughed at it and repented of it ever since. Now, these stories of revelations that are being circulated around are of no consequence except for rumor and silly talk by persons that have no authority. The fact of the matter is simply here and this. No man can enter into God's rest unless he will absorb the truth in so far that all error, all falsehood, all misunderstandings and mis-statements he will be able to sift thoroughly and dissolve, and know that it is error and not truth. When you know God's truth, when you enter into God's rest, you will not be hunting after revelations from Tom, Dick and Harry all over the world. You will not be following the will- of-the-wisps of the vagaries of men and women who advance nonsense and their own ideas. When you know the truth you will abide in the truth, and the truth will make you free, and it is only the truth that will free you from the errors of men,

and from the falsehood and misrepresentations of the evil one who lies in wait to deceive and to mislead the people of God from the paths of righteousness and truth.