Discourse 1860-04-06
{Wilford Woodruff.
I esteem it a great privilege this morning to have an opportunity of bearing my testimony before the saints [of the] Most High who have assembled here to day[.] this is a privilege I always have
esteemed since I have been made acquainted with the gospel of Jesus Christ[.] we have been taught most of us from our childhood up the Lord's Prayer to say our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name
may thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven etc. how little we have ever considered whether parents or children the importance of these words in the Lord's Prayer[.] it has become a kind
of every day song to us repeated them over without sensing that[.] I will say before I heard the gospel in its fullness preached to me for several years in reading the Bible I saw principles[.]
I saw the gospel as laid down in the Bible and the spirit and power that was manifested by those who embraced [it] saw the principle and power of the old prophets and apostles in its organization the power of God which
attended them that I looked upon as being of vast importance to the children of men[.] I could not find those principles among men[.] as has been remarked this morning the different sects [of the] day enjoyed
the Spirit of God as far as they acted up to their light and privileges before the Lord[.] but the kingdom of God its organization with its gifts and graces the holy priesthood the power of God and faith once [delivered] to the saints
we couldn’t observe receive or understand as it were among any congregations among the nations[.] there was something so God like glorious desirable in those principles that I had a great desire
from time to time my in my heart to have lived in those days and I even prayed before the Lord from time to time that I might live to behold a people who again embraced
those principles and blessings I saw an account of recorded in the Bible[.] I did have a testimony or promise or rather I will say the Spirit of God bore record to me in my
labors from time to time I [will] live to see that day that I should occupy a place in house of God behold a people who again embraced the gospel of Christ[.]
I feel thankful I have not only had privilege in days gone but enjoy the privilege this morning of bearing my testimony [that] I have lived to see that day}
