BLESSINGS ENJOYED BY THE SAINTS.
Remarks by Elder WILFORD WOORDRUFF, made in the Tabernacle, Grea[t]
Salt Lake City, May .
REPORTED BY J. V. LONG.
Brethren and sisters, after the
congregation receiving so much in-
structions, I feel that I shall make
my remarks very brief. It is truly
good to sit and hear the word of the
Lord, and it is truly a good thing to
believe in it; but it is still better to
practise it.
I have reflected to-day, as I fre-
quently do, with regard to the mercy
of God and his loving-kindness to the
children of men. The positions that
the children of men occupy with
regard to the difference there is in
the minds of men on the subject of
religion and the character of God is
an important one. I have considered
the responsibility that rests upon men
in regard to these things. There
seems to be very few that really have
faith in the Lord God of our fathers.
If we judge them by their works, we
must certainly come to this conclu-
sion. It is certainly a great blessing
to this people that they have faith in
God and in the promises of our
Heavenly Father.
Truth is one of the attributes of
the Almighty, and what he promises
he will fulfil. Now, if the children
of men believed this, they could save
themselves a great deal of trouble.
If those who embrace the Gospel
could have confidence to abide in the
truth, they would escape many trying
scenes through which the wicked will
have to pass. The trouble that awaits
this nation, and that other nations
have had to pass through in various
ages that are past, has been because
they have had no confidence in the
Lord. They have not obeyed him,
but have turned from him—rejected
the counsel given to them. It will
be precisely so with this nation when
their afflictions begin to come upon
them, for the Lord will be avenged.
We can now see the words of the
Lord and his Prophets fulfilling
before our eyes.
This is a peculiar generation—a
singular time in which we live.
There seems to be a great deal of the
word of the Lord fulfilling in our day
and age of the world. We profess
to acknowledge the hand of the Lord
in what we see around us, and I trust
we do it in our hearts. We have
read, many years ago, the promise
contained in the Book of Doctrine
and Covenants concerning the nation
in which we live. The Lord said, in
the early rise of this Church, in
speaking of this land, that we should
hear of wars abroad; but at the same
time we should not know the hearts
of the children of men in our own
country. And the commandment
was to his people to prepare them-
selves to stand in holy places when
the indignation of the Almighty
should be passing over the earth.
We now see these things coming to
pass. They are plain and clear before
our eyes. We have a part fulfilled;
and as truth is one of the attributes
of the Almighty, everything that he
says he will fulfil. The promise is to
the whole world—"He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved, and he
that believeth not shall be damned." [Doctrine and Covenants 68:9]
This promise is sure; and if the Lord
fulfils in one instance, he will in
another. He will save the people if
they will obey him; and if they do
not he will not save them, but they
will have to reap the reward that is
due them for their works.
I consider that it is a blessing that
I have the opportunity of believing
in the Gospel and in the word of the
Lord. I believe in them, and rejoice
to know that they are true, and that
they will be fulfilled. I bear my
testimony to the truth of this Gospel.
I also testify that Joseph Smith was
a Prophet of the Lord. I know this
as well as I do that I exist. I know
by inspiration and by the revelations
of Jesus Christ and the manifesta-
tions of the Spirit of God from year
to year and from time to time. I
likewise see around me the fulfilment
of prophecy, and this tends to
strengthen me, and also every Latter-
day Saint. The Scriptures tell us
that there is a spirit in man, and that
the inspiration of the Almighty
giveth it understanding. It is upon
this principle that we become ac-
quainted with the truth, and the
power of the Gospel which we have
received. The principles of eternal
life are manifested unto us by the in-
spiration of the Holy Ghost; for that
Spirit rests upon us—it influences our
minds; and if we watch those teachings,
having within us the right feeling,
we shall comprehend things clearly
as they are. We can see the Lord
speaking to the nations and vexing
them in his hot displeasure, and still
many eat, drink, and are satisfied,
and do not appear to be as energetic
and active as they might be. It is
our duty to be alive and wide-awake
to the times, for the things that are
transpiring are joyful, because in them
we see the accomplishment and fulfil-
ment of the predictions of the Pro-
phets of God that have lived in this
generation. The things we are ex-
periencing now are attended with
salvation, and are preparing us to
magnify our callings and fulfilling
the object of our creation upon the
earth.
I always rejoice in seeing my
fellow-men come to a knowledge of
the truth by obedience to the Gospel
as taught by the servants of the Lord.
When men have gone forth in the
waters of baptism, and received the
laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost, they receive the same
truth, the same light as we have re-
ceived; and thus we become of one
heart and one mind, and follow out
the inspiration of the Holy Ghost
which attend his Gospel. In preach-
ing the Gospel and administering the
ordinances of the Lord's house, the
Spirit of inspiration of heaven ac-
companies those who officiate, that it
will remain ever with them, if faith-
ful, in all the duties of life.
When I hear the brethren speak of
the dealings of God with the present
generation, I perceive that their minds
all run together. The record which
they bear is one; they all agree in
their testimony; they are one in
stating that the work of the Lord our
God will prevail over all its enemies.
But it is a calamity, as we look at it
naturally, for the generation in which
we live, that the Gospel is preached
and by them rejected; in consequence
of which the Spirit is taken from
them, because they follow the devices
of their own hearts and their wicked
imaginations. They follow the de-
vices of the Evil One, and they spread
it broadcast, as it were, the cross
which brings death and destruction,
which brings sorrow and mourning;
and this is the case with many in the
present day and age of the world.
There is not a man to-day that has
the Spirit of the Lord, and that is
faithful in his calling, but what can
see the state of things both in and
out of the Church. He can see them
with his eyes, and hear them with his
ears, and they can see the hand of
God thrown over his people to-day.
I rejoice in the blessings that the
Lord gives, and I feel that we ought
to be faithful. If there are anybody
who are blessed of the Lord, it is the
Latter-day Saints; and if there are
anybody upon the earth who are and
should be willing to obey counsel, it
is the Saints of the living God. We
have reaped the benefit of it for years,
and we know that it brings forth joy,
peace, and consolation to the souls of
men; and we would certainly be very
foolish to turn away from the only
source that will bring us joy, salva-
tion, and eternal life. To do this,
we should have to turn our backs
upon the only friends we have, and
shut up the only source from which
we draw the blessings we have in
this life.
The world really do not know
what they are doing; they don't
comprehend what lies before them;
they jndge after the hearing of the
ear, and while calamities will over-
take the wicked, as the Lord has
spoken, we have something to hold
on to and to rely upon. We have
seen the hand dealings of the
Almighty with us; we have learned
his promises. Has he broken his
promises to his people? He has not;
He has been faithful and true. I
firmly believe that we shall partake
of all the blessings of the kingdom
of God by obeying the counsel of
those set over us, for I know that
God has established a government
to control, to guide, and to dictate;
and we shall not find so perfect a
government as this in any part of the
earth, for it is the government of
heaven.
I desire that we may have power
and a disposition to live faithful to-
day, to do right, to obey counsel,
that whatever we are told to do we
may unite together and do with all
our hearts. If there is strength any-
where, it is here. If it does not exist
here, it does not exist anywhere.
There is no spirit of friendship in
the world; it has taken the wings of
the morning and flown away from
many of the nations, and the blessings
of the Lord are being withdrawn in
a great measure from the nations of
the earth. The people have no dis-
position to obey that which is right,
or give the servants of God an op-
portunity of preaching the truth for
the salvation of fallen man. Those
who despise those blessings and pri-
vileges will find that the consequences
and reward will follow.
I feel thankful that we are here in
the valleys of the mountains; and I
rejoice that we are at peace, and not
obliged to fortify Great Salt Lake
City, as the people are obliged to do
in Washington; nor is our President
compelled to flee to Canada to save
his life. We are safe and in quietude.
The enemies of this kingdom do not
understand the spirit and power of
the Gospel. It is a spirit and a
power that they cannot cope with,
and it is so with all the sectarian
world. We have the privilege of
lying down and of rising up in peace;
we have the privilege of bowing in
our families in peace, and getting up
and speaking our sentiments, and
none to make us afraid.
These are great blessings that we as
a people enjoy. I bear my testimony
that these things are true and faith-
ful. You know these things as well
as I do, and every man who lives his
religion knows it. The Lord is with
his people, and this kingdom will
spread abroad. And when the Lord
has destroyed the wicked, there will
be room for Zion to spread herself
abroad, and to rebuild the waste places
thereof. Then all things spoken of
in the Book of Doctrine and Cove-
nants will be fulfilled. It is good to
reflect upon these principles, for the
promises will be fulfilled, whether we
believe them or not.
I pray God to guide us, that we
may be prepared to partake of eternal
life and salvation, and share in all
the benefits of the Gospel of Christ,
and of the Holy Priesthood which
has been revealed to us in our day
and generation, which I ask in the
name of Jesus Christ. Amen.