LATTER-DAY SAINTS' MILLENNIAL STAR.
attended to this work. How would I feel, after living as long as I have,
with the privileges I have had of going into these temples, to go into the
spirit world without having done this work? I meet my house, I
meet my house, I meet my progenitors, and they are shut up in
; I held the keys of their salvation, and yet did nothing for them;
what would be my feelings, or what would be their feelings toward me?
They would not like it. I feel that while the Lord has given us this bless-
ing, every man and woman in this Church that has any faith at all in God
and in the Gospel should attend to this duty. Jesus Christ, while His
body lay in the tomb, went and preached to the spirits in prison, that were
drowned in the days of by the flood, because of their wickedness and
abominations. [1 Peter 3:19-20] They had been in prison for a long time, and He went and
preached to them, "that they might be judged according to men in the
flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." [1 Peter 4:6] , ,
, and the Apostles and Elders who have been true and faith-
ful unto death have also gone to the spirits in prison in their day and time
and preached the Gospel of Christ to their fathers' houses and to those
who are shut up in prison, and they are laboring there for the salvation of
the children of men. These are glorious principles—principles which the
Latter-day Saints should not neglect while they have the privilege and
power. As I said in the beginning, there is no calling a man can be called
to any greater than to have this right and privilege to go forth and save
the souls of men—save them by preaching the Gospel to them, by adminis-
tering the ordinances of the house of God to them, that they may be pre-
pared themselves to go into the kingdom of heaven and into a celestial
glory. There are three glories. in speaking upon that subject said,
"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another
glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So
also is the resurrection of the dead." [1 Corinthians 15:41-42] These glories over-shadow the whole
human family. Now, how much better it is for a man to receive these
ordinances, that he may go where God and Christ dwell, which is the
highest glory! But Jesus said in His day, "Strait is the gate, and
narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it;"
while "broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be
which go in thereat." [Matthew 7:13-14] I think many times that we ourselves do not prize
the blessings that we enjoy and that are within our reach. Our hearts
should be set upon the building up of the kingdom of God, the Zion of
God, and the work of God, while we are here and have power to perform
these things. It is our duty as the Presidency and as Apostles, not only
to labor ourselves, but to send forth the Elders of Israel to the nations of
the earth to proclaim the Gospel. Doors are open to-day among many of
the nations for the spread of the Gospel of Christ, and to bring the people
unto Christ, that they may receive these blessings.
Brethren and sisters, this is the way I feel this morning. Of all people
under heavens we should be the best, the most righteous, and the most true
and faithful to God and to our fellow-men. We should be true and faith-
ful to the Holy Priesthood while we have it resting upon us, and true to
our labors. I rejoice at our condition to-day. I rejoice at the peace that
LATTER-DAY SAINTS' MILLENNIAL STAR. 309
attended to this work. How would I feel, after living as long as I have,
with the privileges I have had of going into these temples, to go into the
spirit world without having done this work? I meet my father's house, I
meet my mother's house, I meet my progenitors, and they are shut up in
prison; I held the keys of their salvation, and yet did nothing for them;
what would be my feelings, or what would be their feelings toward me?
They would not like it. I feel that while the Lord has given us this blessing, every man and woman in this Church that has any faith at all in God
and in the Gospel should attend to this duty. Jesus Christ, while His
body lay in the tomb, went and preached to the spirits in prison, that were
drowned in the days of by the flood, because of their wickedness and
abominations. They had been in prison for a long time, and He went and
preached to them, "that they might be judged according to men in the
flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." , ,
, and the Apostles and Elders who have been true and faithful unto death have also gone to the spirits in prison in their day and time
and preached the Gospel of Christ to their fathers' houses and to those who are shut up in prison, and they are laboring there for the salvation of
the children of men. These are glorious principles -- principles which the
Latter-day Saints should not neglect while they have the privilege and
power. As I said in the beginning, there is no calling a man can be called
to any greater than to have this right and privilege to go forth and save
the souls of men -- save them by preaching the Gospel to them, by administering the ordinances of the house of God to them, that they may be prepared themselves to go into the kingdom of heaven and into a celestial
glory. There are three glories. in speaking upon that subject said,
"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another
glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So
also is the resurrection of the dead." These glories over-shadow the whole
human family. Now, how much better it is for a man to receive these
ordinances, that he may go where God and Christ dwell, which is the
highest glory! But Jesus said in His day, "Strait is the gate, and
narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it;"
while "broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be
which go in thereat." I think many times that we ourselves do not prize
the blessings that we enjoy and that are within our reach. Our hearts
should be set upon the building up of the kingdom of God, the Zion of
God, and the work of God, while we are here and have power to perform
these things. It is our duty as the Presidency and as Apostles, not only
to labor ourselves, but to send forth the Elders of Israel to the nations of
the earth to proclaim the Gospel. Doors are open to-day among many of
the nations for the spread of the Gospel of Christ, and to bring the people
unto Christ, that they may receive these blessings.
Brethren and sisters, this is the way I feel this morning. Of all people
under heavens we should be the best, the most righteous, and the most true
and faithful to God and to our fellow-men. We should be true and faithful to the Holy Priesthood while we have it resting upon us, and true to
our labors. I rejoice at our condition to-day. I rejoice at the peace that
