a goodly sight since brother johnson's request of two weeks ago it seems that we've got the most united organization that we've had took a long while everybody's here with one heart and one mind let's hope that it's the spirit of god the mind's god we have another request that we want to make of you folks which is getting to be quite a burden to the family here to have folks coming all the way from 1.30 up to this meeting. And the brethren have requested that we do not come out here to the Fisher home before 5.30. That'll give us an hour and a half or two hours if we need it to get a meeting in order. So don't rush to these seats because they won't be available before 5.30.

Everybody here, both of you here, President Johnson has asked me to conduct these services, and I rejoice in this opportunity of being with you all again, of the presence of our brethren who are here, and we want to request the excuse of Brother Julian Jeff and Carl Holt, and others have put in their request for the excuse.

Our first number will be number 50. God of our fathers, we come unto thee. Our father in heaven, we're grateful for this opportunity to meet together again under the direction of thy priesthood council to hear the words of life and light to us. We ask you to let thy spirit be with us all the rest together.

Inspire those who speak to us that they might deliver to us the things that we stand most in need of. Help us to become united under the priesthood and dedicate ourselves fully and wholly to Thy work, that our lives might be fruitful in the upbuilding of Thy kingdom and the establishment of Thy priesthood and power in the earth. I ask You to bless us with every gift and blessing that we need to carry out this work. Give us health and strength.

make our labors fruitful in whatever calling we're engaged in. Now we ask these blessings dedicating ourselves and this home unto thee. And we ask thee to watch over and protect it while we're here, that we might be kept safe from intrusion, that we might meet in peace and accomplish the purposes for which we are gathered. And we do these things in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Number is found on page 67. How gentle God's command. Righteous is the prayer unto God. I'd like to acknowledge tonight our joint appreciation of the fine work of our musician, Brother Alfred Olszewski Sr., who is asked to be excused tonight. Young Alfred, Mr. Beagley, Brother Steve.

Brother Scott Stater and all those who have taken part in our fine musical programs, we want to acknowledge our appreciation to these folks. We're again fortunate in having some of our senior saints here tonight. I know that it warms your hearts like it does mine to see them in our presence, and that they are still and persistently keeping the faith. These people have entered into the ordinances of the gospel of Christ. Some of them have been through the house of the Lord and received their endowments and made sacred covenants. Those covenants they have kept. They have entered into the celestial law of marriage and taken upon them the law of Sarah.

and have fulfilled the laws, rights, and ordinances pertaining to this holy matrimony. We're grateful to have Sister Johnson here tonight, and we'd like to have her bear her testimony to us. There's something to learn in everything you do. If you do it more than once, you ought to know how. I am grateful, friends, to have this opportunity. We enjoy each other's company.

from week to week that we can associate together. And I know that we get a great list. If it wasn't for these meetings, we'd be almost stranded. We'd feel like there wasn't anything left to live for. We have this opportunity to meet together, to associate with each other, and to let our feelings be known, and to give our...

love to each other and our support. If it weren't for the support that we give to each other, I think we'd have a hard time to get along. I am grateful for my many blessings. I feel like that I am blessed beyond almost everything. I know that the Lord is with us, that he watches over us, that he blesses us.

from day to day. If it weren't for the knowledge that we have of his blessings, we would be again in a bad way. We wouldn't know hardly how to get along. But now that we know that our Father and our God and Jesus Christ are watching over us and helping us and supporting us, we have great strength.

We know that there is great deal to live for. We have each other to appreciate, to associate with, and to be friends. And these are the things that God is grateful to give us. These many great blessings, the friendship of each other, and the love that we can feel for each other. I don't know what I can say more.

where these will benefit to you people. I love you. I appreciate the opportunities that I have and the knowledge that I have of the people who we can associate with. These are great and wonderful gifts to us, our association together, the faith that we have in each other, and the love that we can feel for each other. It would be a great...

system. And I'd like to let people know how much I appreciate the systems of the faith of our little branch. These are the things that I am grateful for from day to day. And I know that the Lord is looking down upon us and watching over us at all times. I pray that he will continue his blessings upon us and that we may go forward.

each day and learn something and apply our learnings to our forward march. I am grateful beyond saying for the friendship that I feel for all of you here. It's part of my life. It's just like a brotherhood that we hardly we can hardly know the value of it. We can feel how great it is, but to think of the wonderful situation that we are in, that we have all these people, we know them when we meet them, and it is a wonderful thing to feel that friendliness and that...

That wonderful gift that we have is very much to me. I pray to the Lord to look down upon us and help us to appreciate the blessings that we have. Help us to realize these wonderful gifts, the things that the gospel gives us from day to day. And when we know what we have, we appreciate with all our hearts the many blessings of the gifts of the gospel.

I'm very grateful for the understanding that I feel and the knowledge that I have of my friends and the many things that God shows us from day to day. These are wonderful people. The things that we know, that we appreciate, that we have to study and think about, they're wonderful things to us.

we can look forward from day to day and understand how much they mean to us. It's the knowledge that we have of the gifts of the gospel that helps us to appreciate what it is to us. I'm thankful for all these things, and I pray that the Lord will look down upon us and help us to live unitedly and with the love of each other in our hearts.

With my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. I'm grateful to have one of our junior members here tonight who has met many requirements and very faithful in the work. I ask that the Lord give much of this to bear her testimony. I'm glad I can't see everybody. I certainly pray for the Spirit of the Lord to be with me while I occupy this minute. I feel that I have so much to do.

grateful for that I couldn't begin to express it. I know the way that I can show it is to start doing and changing my character into the character of my husband and into the character of God, which isn't an easy job. I know that God's commands are gentle and I know that he takes care of his children and they will give him a chance. I know that if we pray for the spirit of obedience, that we'll receive it, and that he'll stay in the path that these brethren are trying so desperately to lead us in, that we'll come out on top. I feel so thankful to think that the Lord has shifted me out, that I might have an opportunity to live this gospel, because I'm sure that there is nothing in this world without it.

And I know that there's no stopping place. I know that we can't get along from day to day without getting down on our knees and asking our Heavenly Father to take us through that day. Sometimes even that hour. I know these things that we've been taught, if we'll put them to practice, we'll carry us through. And before we know it, there'll be a year gone. I'm grateful that we have these meetings also.

More grateful that they're teaching us how to do and what to do with ourselves from day to day, because it's the moments that we're alone sometimes that we can get into more trouble than if we were in a big congregation. I'm grateful for the association that I've had with Sister Bartlett, because I feel that she truly is my sister, and I hope that I'll be worthy someday to be her sister, as well as many others.

and also for the association that I've had with Sister Hammond. I feel that I read a little while ago what Brigham Young said. He said, when you're called upon to say anything, get up and bear your testimony and sit down and leave the instruction and the teaching to those whose right it is to teach. And I feel that that's what I should do. But I'm grateful for the opportunity to bear my testimony and thank our Heavenly Father.

For the understanding that I have and for the desire I have to live this gospel and to make myself over into something that he won't be ashamed of. That when my days are over, that those above me can truthfully say she has kept the faith and kept her covenant. For I think that would be one of the greatest blessings a woman could have. And to know that she had become completely one with her husband.

And those are my desires, and I pray for every one of us that we might have the desires of our hearts in righteousness. And I thank our Heavenly Father for this wonderful blessing and privilege that he's given me of living this gospel, and I do it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Our next speaker will be Fr. Richard Jessup. I'm delighted, my dear brothers and sisters, with the privilege meeting with you once more in the capacity of worship. I think I could quit and go home now, concentrate on the things that I've heard from Aunt Josephine and Aunt Margaret. I feel like that I've been well paid for my efforts to be here this evening. I am also grateful beyond my power to express the blessings the good Lord has extended to me. I'm grateful for the association of each and all of you.

who have and or have contributed and are contributing to my well-being, to my encouragement, to my splendid society in which to live. This dear old gospel question is so broad and covers so much ground, reaches into every angle of our lives and a lot of things that it seems like we seldom think about. I'm grateful tonight for the The association that I've had for the servants of God for several decades now, for the witness that I'm able to bear, that the servants of the Lord have been devoted to keeping His commandments and maintaining their integrity to the faith that was once delivered to the saints, after our blessed church institution has repudiated its responsibility to carry those things on. I am grateful today for the privilege and opportunity that I had.

acquainted in association with such prophetic man as John W. Woolley. For the many hours that I sat in his presence, listening to his counsel and direction, and hearing the answers that he could give to questions that perplexed me in that trying day and hour. Likewise with Lauren, with Brother Broadbent, Brother Barlow, Brother Musser, Brother Gilles, and these others, brethren, now with whom I am immediately associated. I'm grateful for the faith and integrity that I have always seen manifested in the life of my beloved President Leroy S. Johnson. It's about 30 years since I first met his acquaintance, and most of that time I've been very intimately and closely associated with him. And I can say truthfully that I don't know that I ever associated a day in my life with a man.

in whom I could see less inclination to be out of the way and off the beam, and when indeed in whom there is no guile. I've seen him in a lot of trying circumstances, in a lot of various positions, and he's always, it seems to me, been possessed of a spirit of tranquility and peace, never has been given to yield to a feeling of turmoil and strife.

erratic expression or anything out of the way, and these other brethren are very similar in character. We're not all alike, and it is not designed that we should be. I see in some things some very striking contrast in these men, their personality and characteristics, these men whom I have mentioned, but I recognize also in every case that the man has been the man for the place in the day and hour and moment in which he lived. I have had the opportunity of observing enough that I have seen each one of the presidents of the high priesthood in their turn, where other individuals have attempted to put them on the spot, as it were, to test their integrity and their ability to meet the issues of the day and hour. And I've never failed to see one of them.

measure up to the requirements that were made of them. I don't mean by that to infer that any man is perfect in the eyes of their fellow man. I think that man, Jesus of Nazareth, in the eyes of many of those who lived and associated near enough to him that they recognized him personally, they saw what in their eyes was a lot of misconduct. But somehow it seems like after all's said and done, Those who are authorized to speak in the name of the Lord God Almighty are not accountable to the general public for the course that they follow. They are not appointed to those responsibilities by public acclaim, but by the designation of the Lord God Almighty, and he it is who will properly pass judgment upon them, inasmuch as he has called them to be his servants.

and their first and greatest responsibility is to serve him, let other people do what they may. I may say that I have seen particularly in the life and conduct of President Warren C. Woolley, doing and saying things that sometimes just set people aghast. I've seen men turn away in disgust, declaring that that man can't be a man of God and do things like that.

Some of those things I knew at the time he was doing as a test to those individuals, and sometimes I observed later that that was the purpose of some of the things that he did. And whether I recognized it or whether I didn't, I recognize today that he was God's servant. I didn't place him in that position, and I couldn't call him away from it. But I have long since determined in my mind that I will do my utmost to uphold and sustain those men in the positions in which the Almighty has placed them, whether I always understand their motives, nor the reasons for their course of conduct, or whether I don't. And I have sometimes been, shall I say, foolish enough, if that word will serve to express what I mean, to believe and acknowledge that those men who preside over me are entitled to exercise the privilege of testing my mettle.

if they feel so disposed to see what I'm made of. I think if I were fashioning an instrument that I wanted to use for a tough job, I would pretty likely submit that thing to some pretty severe test to know whether or not I could depend on it standing up to the job that I wanted it to be used for. If I wanted an instrument made of steel, I would of course have to submit it to the fire, to the furnace, and then to the hammer, and then to the tempering vat, and then maybe to the fire and the hammer again and again before I got it shaped the way I wanted it, tempered the way I thought I wanted it, and then submit it to the test to see whether or not it could stand the use that I wanted to put it to. And then I have to work it over and over again and again and again before I got it into the shape that I wanted it, and into the temperament that I wanted it.

in order to meet the requirements that I would have to make of it. And I believe our individual personalities are capable. If our minds are made right, and our hearts are in tune with the Spirit of God and with the purpose of our existence in life, and with the objects of our very creation, of being subjected to such and similar tests and trials, whether it's persecution, whether it's illness, whether it's poverty, whether it's wealth, whatever it might be. I think these things are designed by the wisdom of the Almighty to develop within us as individuals the characteristics that will take the temper that's needed, that will take the shape that is needed, that will cut through where it's needed, will stand the battering and the persecution and the hammering and whatever it might be subjected to. And I'm sure that

All these discourses that have been so profoundly delivered to us for our edification and blessing have been designed to get our personal character molded into such a shape and our tempers and temperaments in such a shape that they can be subjected to the kind of test that will prove our worth and will serve the purpose of advancing the kingdom of God in the earth in the midst of this.

celestial hell that we live in so that we can apply the laws of the celestial kingdom to our lives and go on through whatever experience is necessary and be found coming out of the turmoil and strife right side up and the red is not batted off the coin is not chipped and anything else about us gone to pieces so that we're not fit as instruments to be used in the hands of the almighty to take the polish that he wants to put upon us, be his servants and dwell in the realm of his kingdom forever and ever. I asked a certain young lady a question today. Just what is your prime object in life? Or in other words, what do you consider as your most important assignment? And I'm going to leave that question for each and all of you.

objective is in this life. There are some things that it seems must take a precedent over everything else. There are those things that we need to sacrifice, to get rid of, to shed from our character, from our lives, from our inclinations. Our lives are full of traditions and faults and follies. Sometimes we find some graces and qualities and qualifications that are worthy of preservation.

It's our definite responsibility while we sojourn in this mortal sphere of action that we consider seriously and make a determination in our own minds as to which of these characteristics, these informations, these traditions of our lives are worthy to be preserved and to be maintained, and which of those things that determine who and what we are must be sacrificed.

must be shed from our lives and cast out and discarded, lest we fail to meet the requirements that are made of us by him who has sent us here into this life, that we might gain these experiences, that we might be subjected to these tests and trials for our development and to prove our integrity and our worth. We are free agents, and we are capable of making up our minds today.

everyone here, as to what course we are most determined to pursue. And inasmuch as we may fail, it only goes to show our slothfulness for the moment in which we're living. So I would say that we must resolve here and now, when the consciousness of the position that we occupy comes upon us, is the time that we must make our decision as to what our course is to be. And as much as we have rational minds, we have control of our faculties, our senses, our ability to exercise that agency, certainly we be held accountable for the use that we make of it. The grand and glorious opportunities that are extended to us every day by the grace of God through these our brethren who are sent here to teach us, to lead us, to guide us.

to mold and shape us and temper us, if you please. We need to render our devotion to it and to see to it that our first consideration is given to the things that are of the most vital importance to us. May God help us each and all to set these things, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. With your permission, I would like to read this little scripture.

We are all familiar with the great transition that took place in the heart of Elmer, the son of Elmer. When we come to the book of Elmer, when at the death of King Mosiah, he was left as the chief judge, the justice. And this is the reign of the judges. Now it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, from the time forward, King Mosiah having gone the way of all the earth, having warred a good warfare, walking uprightly before God, leaving none to reign in his stead, nevertheless he had established laws, and they were acknowledged by the people, therefore they were obliged to abide by the laws which he had made.

For those who are recording this, they can refer to chapter 1, the book of Alma. And it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of Alma, in the judgment seat, there was a man brought before him to be judged, a man who was large and was noted for his much strength. And he had gone about among the people, preaching to them, that which he termed to be the word of God, bearing down against the church.

declaring unto the people that every priest and teacher ought to become popular, and they ought not to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people. And he also testified unto the people that all mankind should be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice. For the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men.

and in the end all men should have eternal life. The old plan is universalism. Universal salvation has been from the beginning until now. Peacecraft. It came to pass that he did teach these things so much that many did believe on his words, even so many that they began to support him and give him money. And he began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart and to wear very costly apparel.

Yea, and even began to establish a church after the manner of his preaching. And it came to pass that he was going to preach to those who believed on his word. He met a man who belonged to the church of God, yea, even one of their teachers. And he began to contend with him sharply, that he might lead away the people of the church. But the man withstood him, admonishing him with the words of God. Now the name of the man was Gideon.

And it was he who was an instrument in the hands of God in delivering the people of Limhi out of bondage. Now because Gideon withstood him with the words of God, he was wroth with Gideon and drew his sword and began to smite him. Now Gideon being stricken with many years, therefore he was not able to withstand his blows, therefore he was slain by the sword.

And the man who slew him was taken by the people of the church and brought before Alma to be judged according to the crimes which he had committed. But it came to pass that he stood before Alma and pleaded for himself with much boldness. But Alma said unto him, Because this is the first time that priestcraft has been introduced among this people. And Alma said unto him, Behold, this is the first time.

that priestcraft has been introduced among this people. And behold, thou art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to enforce it by the sword. And were priestcraft to be enforced among this people, it would prove their entire destruction. And thou hast shed the blood of a righteous man, yea, a man who has done much good among this people. And were we to spare thee, his blood would come up again.

upon us with vengeance therefore thou art condemned to die according to the law which has been given us by Mosiah our last king and it has been acknowledged by this people therefore this people must abide by the law and it came to pass that they took him and his name was Nehor and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti and there he was carved or rather did acknowledge between the heavens and the earth But what he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God, and there he suffered an ignominious death. By contrast, now I want to read chapter 13 of the same book. This is Alma pleading with his brethren. And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children.

And I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests after his holy order, which was after the order of his son, to teach these things unto the people. And those priests were ordained after the order of his son, in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his son for redemption. And this is the manner after which they were ordained.

being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of god on account of their exceeding faith and good works in the first place being left to choose good or evil therefore they having chosen good and exercising exceeding great faith are called with a holy calling yea with that calling holy calling which was prepared with and according to a preparatory redemption process. And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds, while if it had not been for this, they might have had as great privileges as their brethren.

For in fine, in the first place, they were on the same standing with their brethren, and thus this holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world, for such as would not harden their hearts, being in and through the atonement of the only begotten Son who was prepared, and thus being called by this holy calling and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest. This high priesthood, being after the order of his sons, which order was from the foundation of the world, or in other words, being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of all things. Now they were ordained after this manner, being called with a holy calling and ordained with a holy ordinance.

and taking upon them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling and ordinance and high priesthood is without beginning or end. Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the Son, the only begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth. And thus it is. Amen.

Now as I said concerning the holy order of this priesthood, there were many who were ordained and became high priests of God, and it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish. Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.

Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin, say that were with abhorrence. And there were many, exceeding great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God. And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God and bring forth fruit meet for repentance.

that ye may also enter into that rest. Yea, humble yourselves, even as the people in the days of Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after the same order which I have spoken, who also took upon him the high priesthood forever. And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes. Yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.

Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being a type of his order, or it being his order, and this, that they might look forward to him for remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord. Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem, and his people had lacked strong in iniquity and abomination.

Yea, they had all gone astray. They were full of all manner of wickedness. But Melchizedek, having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the high priesthood, according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did repent, and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his days. Therefore he was called the Prince of Peace.

for he was the king of Salem, and he did reign under his father. Now there were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater. Therefore of him they have more particularly made mention. Now I need not rehearse the matter, what I have said may suffice. Behold, the scriptures are before you. If you will rest them, It shall be to your own destruction. And now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them, and cried with a mighty voice, saying, Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh. Yea, the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of angels, doth declare it unto all nations. Yea, doth declare it, and they may have glad tidings of great joy.

Yea, and he doth sound all these glad tidings among all his people, yea, even to them that are scattered abroad upon the face of the earth. Wherefore, they have come unto us, and they are made known unto us in plain terms, that we may understand, that we cannot err, and this because of our being wanders in a strange land. Therefore, we are thus highly favored.

for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all parts of our vineyard. For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land, and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming and his glory. And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us by the mouth of angels of his coming. For the time cometh, we know not how soon, would to god that it might be in my days but let it be sooner or later in it i will rejoice and it shall be made known unto just and holy men by the mouths of angels at the time of his coming that the words of our fathers may be fulfilled according to that which they have spoken concerning him which was according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them and now my brethren i wish

from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety, even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance, but that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble.

submissive, patient, full of love, and all longsuffering, having faith on the Lord, having a hope that you shall receive eternal life, having the love of God always in your heart, that you may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest. And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that you may not bring down his wrath upon you, that you may not be bound down by the chains of hell, but you may not suffer the second death. And I'll mistake many more words unto the people which are not written in this book. We'll now ask President John Murphy to speak to us. I rejoice, dear brother and sister, at having this privilege of meeting with you tonight and of going over the things of our Father in Heaven. I have always rejoiced in the association of the saints.

And have had the desire to always stand between them and any harm. With this I found that I couldn't do. The Lord has let me know that the saints belong to him. And that he will try them. And might prove them herewith. As to whether they will do all things whatsoever he commands. And it's not possible for a man or a group of men. To hurt the.

flock into the shelter of a cavern and dare keep them safe from the winds and the destructive elements of this world. For this reason, many are led astray and find themselves cut loose from the good ship of life. Yet the way is so simple and true that the most unlearned can walk it with faith and security.

I reflect upon ancient Paul. He stretched out his chained arms to King Agrippa and so inspiring and fervent was his message that the king was moved. And so might the servants of the Lord without stretched arms plead and beg for us to walk straight and return clean into the presence of the Lord.

But we must do the work. After the path is outlined, we must exercise our faith and take the steps. I came not to bring peace, but to bring a thought to divide the saints and the sinners. How wonderful it is, how satisfying, not to have to wield a sword. And yet there's hardly a man and woman, the sword doesn't have to be wielded. How saddening it is to find that children have to be separated from their parents and parents separated from their children. Women separated from husbands and husbands separated from wives. Thus the sword is bloody and eternal in its nature. The saints must be divided from the sinners. The Lord teaches us, blesses us, lives with us, and then finally tries it. As the song says, in the furnace God will put sense to bring thee out more. When we're in the furnace, brethren and sisters, that we're being tested, that's when our salvation is on the block. It's not while we're at this meeting.

best that we have ever felt in the world. It's when Father says, now, after all these teachings, and after all of his or her experience, we'll now place them in the furnace. That furnace can be anything. It can be poverty, it can be wealth, it can be loss of family, it can be any conceivable trial that you can think of. But that the furnace and what condition are you in? You haven't as the president has said taken the heat perfectly enough to be hammered into the exact condition Father wants you. You have to be re-molded, re-heated, re-hammered. We're put in these furnaces nearly every day and these trials are the elements that prove us herewith how much progress we have made. I'd like to draw to your attention a few things tonight in relation to these very important facts because we're living in a great day. We're living in a day when we can live by constant revelation if we want to. But with this day has come greater influence.

From powers of darkness. As God begins to manifest his will and his life and his character. More abundantly to his children. Satan with his forces. Begin to exert greater influence and power. And the war becomes more deadlier. So it's one thing to rejoice in the day that we're living. Because man can walk by constant revelation.

But it's another thing to realize that with the presence of the Spirit of God, Satan will make a concerted effort to strike a deadly blow to every person who dares believe the teachings of Joseph Smith. Now, what do you want? What are you asking the Lord for? Here's a person that...

All he wants to get is a new house or a piece of land or a new car. He wants to get started in business. Or he wants to accumulate information. He wants to know about many of the mysteries of godliness. Now here's an example from President Johnson as to what we should really be interested in. Speaking of a lot of foolish questions that the people came to him to have answered, he said, I have had such questions put to me already. My answer is, I do not know, and I do not care any more about it than I should if my body was dead and in the grave, and my spirit in paradise. Now, I never have cared but for one thing, and that is simply to know that I am now right before my Father in Heaven. If I am this moment, this day, doing the things God requires of my hand, and precisely where my Father in Heaven wants me to be, I care no more.

About tomorrow. And though it never would come. Now there is. A very. Simple. Process of living. To know that I am right. With my father in heaven. That this day. This is just what we have been. Treating with you. To recognize. That this day. This moment. I am doing the thing. God requires at my hand. So in your prayer, when you interview your Father in Heaven in the morning, it's just as simple as that. To ask Him to inspire you as to your position in His eyes. And then when you go up, simply get up, simply go straightway.

And begin to do the things that you have been required to do. That's all you have to do. And you can only do one thing at a time. And just simply begin to do those things. And then you will know from the Lord. Just standing in his eyes. And stop being concerned about his work. Which is a destruction.

of the wicked, and the exaltation of the sin. He'll look after those things, and with those things will become the destruction of all celestial elements in due time. But this is what we've got to do. Now another point that I'd like to draw to your attention, because be not deceived unless you're capable of the application of correct principles.

under every kind condition, something might lead you astray. I want the elders of Israel to reflect upon this subject. I would be glad to teach you something that you may not get into such snarls as heretofore. You make me think of a child that is trying to make rope of a parcel of old slums.

until he gets the whole into snarl. It is so with the elders of Israel as teaching their ideas of priesthood. Now hear me, and I will try to talk so that you can understand. I will presume to go a little further than I did with regard to the president of the church and say to this people, A man might have visions. The angels of God might administer to him. He might have revelations and see as many visions as you could count. He might have the heavens open to him and see the finger of the Lord. And this would not make him the president of the church or an elder or a high priest.

or an apostle, neither would it prove that he was even a saint. Devoutly pray, dear children, that at least 10% of you believe it. That all these gifts and wonderful expressions does not even prove that he is a saint. Something else is wanted to prove it. Why I mention this is because of the frailty, weakness, and short-sightedness of the people. If a man should come and tell you that he had seen a vision and could appear to substantiate it, his testimony that he had had the heavens open to him, you would be ready to bow down and worship him.

and he might be at the same time calculated to destroy the people, one of the biggest devils on earth. He would appear to be one of the finest of men, to be honest and unassuming, and come with all the grace and generalship of the devil, which is so well calculated. to deceive the people. Admit this to be the case. If you ask me what will prove a man or a woman to be a saint, I will answer the question. If you love me, says Jesus, you will keep my faith. That is a touchstone. If you love the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father, you will keep the commandments of the Son. He will do his will. If you neglect to do this, you may have all the visions and revelations that could be bestowed upon a mortal being and yet be nothing but a devil. Why I use this expression is because when a man's mind is enlightened,

and turns from that light to darkness that prepares him to be a devil. A man never knew how to be wicked until light and truth was first made manifest to him. Then is it time for men to make their decision, and if they turn away from the Lord, it prepares them to become devils. 3 and 4 of the journal. Now, brethren and sisters, I draw this to your attention. Because of your frailty and because of your weakness, Jesus said, I came not to bring peace, but to bring a sword, because he knows that it's impossible for the saints to wield a sword. So somebody else has to do it.

There's hardly a saint that I haven't heard when they have heard the truth say he must be a good man or she must be a good woman or they couldn't preach like that. There's nothing that's so foolish and so filled with air as such an expression. The truth is the truth and tastes just as good to the saint.

whether it comes from a saint or a sinner, then that's where the deception lies, is that we don't really know that Satan is capable of telling the truth and of preaching it and of even making it more flowery than the saint. Information is no indication of divinity. I know a man in the church who read the Journal of Discourses, the whole set, years before we published them when they were very scarce. And today he's unable to choose any religion. I have had men come into my office and have received mail from all the nations near the earth.

And some of the individuals are fountains of information with no light. In the mission field, I found saints who had been converted by men who never joined the church, but who had gained from the elders so much information about the Mormonism and the principles of the gospel that they were able to convert others by Satan.

has never forgotten the truth that he was taught before we came here, before he was cast down. He is a perfect orator. It would be foolish for him to even be caught in a lie if he could help it. He knows that much. I know it. So he knows that much. But because to the bosom of the saint, because to the appetite of the saint, the truth tastes good.

and as refreshing as the cool water from the eternal spring, we misjudge and we place goodness and divinity upon the dispenser of the truth rather than upon the truth. And death or minute or two or three, we are led to follow the dispenser rather than the truth. And Satan can dispense the truth. He is filled with information. And so there are men and women who have information, perhaps written information that far exceeds the information that the servants of God have. They do the same thing. And when they get up and speak the truth, it astonishes them. And if we're not careful, We're compelled to follow them and consider that they have a divine right to teach us. Women rise up. Men rise up. Now we have orators over the TV, over the airwaves in California, that if you just tune in in the middle of the sermon, you'll think a member of the priesthood council. They tell so much truth. It's the easiest thing in the world to gain.

and to gain the truth. But the truth is worthless without an administrator. Brethren and sisters, you may not think of this, but let me carry your mind a little further. What if you were to believe that baptism by immersion for the remission of your sins was an absolute necessity to your salvation and was never baptized?

while you lived upon the earth, what benefit would that information be to you? It wouldn't be any more benefit than the information that a normal horse has four legs. Unless the law can be administered, it's useless to you as to your salvation. And our Father has never given the law without the administrator. As the administrator, without the law. But how would it benefit his children for him to have fed, multiplied, and replenished the earth after they were incurred, and had never given his children the wherewithal to accomplish it? And yet you will hear one of your favorite eloquence. Give one of the most beautiful, fervent, and flowery orations on the necessity and divinity of the law of touch. And when you turn to the dispenser of such truth and say, where should I go to pay my tithing? He will childlessly say, well, I don't know. Everything is out of order, as Isaiah said it would be in these last days. So you just have to wait.

until things are set in order. There is a dispenser of divine truth without administrative authority. So what good as to your eternal exaltation is either the dispenser or the truth. And yet you'll go off among them and compliment them and feel close to them and feel that they're getting close to God.

because we're able to dispense this wonderful information that God has revealed and that is recorded in every book. And so you'll find a man who says that we must follow the direction of God, every which we must walk by divine revelation, a truth. But then when we turn and ask, well, who should we submit?

the dispenser will fail and say, well, I don't know. I'm still looking myself for the fountain of all righteousness. Another will rise up and convince you, as Paul convinced Agrippa, that you must gather to rise. And when you ask, when and where shall we gather to? He says, I don't know.

You'd better stay here. God is going to set things and then we'll all know what to do. Thus I could take the time and go down each principle of the gospel that these dispensers of truth are able to teach most fluently and frequently. And because of our love for the truth, it tastes good.

What Brigham Young says sounds just as good coming from a sinner as a saint. When the devil quotes the Lord Jesus Christ, it bears conviction as though it were coming from the saint. So all that a sinner has to do under the direction of the devil is to get a few quotations from Fredrick Smith, Young, Taylor, Woodruff.

or from the Bible and go ahead. They rise in our estimation as good people. Sister, I'm not calling upon you to persecute anyone or to think evil of anyone. If you're not capable of giving the devil his dues and giving your father in heaven his dues, you may as well do up and die. I don't care because you can't do anything.

trying to teach you for years. If you're not capable of battling in this warfare, you may as well give up the goal because you're wasting your time. And we ask the Lord to send you here to give you to seize upon something that you're not capable of accomplishing. If you're not able to let people worship as they please and not let it bother you, something's wrong with you. If you're not able to.

fight this fight and let the devil tell the truth and know who he is and what he is, you're going to be deceived. And that's what I'm trying to get at. He has a right to teach the truth. He has a right to do it and get hold of it. But our problem is to knowing who has a right to officiate in the ordinances of the gospel. And unless you can find a divine administrator, You cannot assume the principles and the ordinances of the gospel. You cannot take them upon yourself. The knowledge of them will only tend to discourage you and to discomfort you. Think of a father who would reveal a commandment to his children that they must obey or be damned and not furnish an administration.

to execute the law what kind of father would he be so if there is a law you may rest assured there is an administrator and if there is an administrator you can rest assured that he has the law although it's perfectly all right for the people to get up and preach all the truth that they have been able to get hold of over the years we know that the truth has come from the pure fountain originally. Joseph Smith once suggested that we should accept all truth whether it comes from friendly or foreign ground. Not in those words, but the same thought. And so, most of the universalist saints will always quote that. I've given you the key to its meaning tonight. That truth must be accepted as truth.

regardless of whence it comes. But the dispenser should be cast aside unless it is authorized to receive the truth but reject the giver. It's easy to do if you accustom yourself to it. In this day and age, Satan is going to be made manifest in such ways. And if we're not careful, one of these crises, one of these furnace experiences, will take us out of the West. And before you know it, you will be avoiding the present. You'll be avoiding your former friends and associates. You'll be doing this, and you'll be doing that. This is a tragedy when you have before you the power to save your soul. It's a wonderful thing to see a man and a woman capable Of letting people serve God the way they want to. Down there in Los Angeles. The Lord has furnished a beautiful sunshine. Cheap living quarters. Fruit and vegetables. For his many, many thousands of children. Who for some reason or other has gone off their base. And they're a little peculiar. Sometimes sadness.

makes a person lose control of their mind. Sometimes the alcoholic trouble, loss of friends, loss of wealth, too much learning, too much concentration along religious lines. And you go down there and you see how well our Father in Heaven looks after those people. He lets them get together, converse freely, and he lets them talk and express themselves. He has so much love for them that he literally looks after them physically. Would we be capable of doing that without being contaminated with it? The Father in Heaven isn't contaminated. Could we listen to a man spout off and see the truth that he teaches and turn our back upon the dispenser?

and never think of them again? Why, the same when we think of becoming Adam and Eve, the great responsibility and capacity that we have to develop. Now, brethren and sisters, I am only interested in your final exaltation. I certainly wouldn't be here if my desire wasn't to see you fully prepared to step through the veil into the presence of our brethren.

on the other side. That's my only desire. But I know that Satan is going to take millions upon millions down with him as he goes to destruction. Among those millions will be many. He came here with the firm determination to return pure into the presence of our Heavenly Father. But because of the frailty of human life and the lack of their desire to surrender to the truth, they lose their way. And once they lose their way, it's nearly impossible for them to regain it. When you go home tonight, all of you that has an apple or an orange in your home, take it and cut it in half.

or cut a quarter out of it, or any part of it, and lift it out, and leave it out for a few minutes, and try to replace it so that it won't leave a mark pertaining to our integrity, our moral integrity. Once we have lost it, sometimes all the desire in the world will not be able to put it back so that we're not marked out, so we don't want to lose it.

The Lord has described the way, and he's the one that we have to report to. As President Kimball said, the great master partner dictates his servant, and it is for them to carry out his purposes. Realizing that, can you see how President Taylor felt when he said, I will not do it.

Do what you want with me, but I will not do it. The master potter dictates his servants, and it is for them to carry out his purposes. I was talking with some brethren once, and they were talking about their wives, and I said, well, I wouldn't dare do that. And they looked at me in a peculiar way and said, what? Are you afraid?

of your wife? So I said, no, I'm not afraid of my wife, but I wouldn't dare transgress a divine principle and take her liberty away. I wouldn't dare do it. She has her agency, and I must stand in the gap. Regardless, I feel for what I desire. I wouldn't dare do anything that my father in heaven wouldn't do the great master potter dictates his servant and it is for them to carry out his purposes and make vessels according to his design isn't this beautiful and when they have done their work they deliver it up to the master for his acceptance And if their works are not good, he does not accept. The only works he accepts are those that are prepared according to the design he did. Now you can see why our president knows that he dare not present us before the Lord. Say, Father, here are the vessels.

They are fully prepared and capable of doing your work. He dare not do it unless he knows that the vessels have been prepared strictly according to the design given, because he knows that his father will turn his back and say, I cannot receive them. So from this, President Young said, I know just as well how to lead you my children back into the presence of your father as I know the way to my father and so it is for the priesthood at the head of the work and at the head of family to form the vessels in strict accordance to the design the last day there will be weeping and mourning among the vessels that's why man That's why a woman will leave the protection of her father's home in the world and gather and plead to the saints of the Most High. Because unless we can prepare the vessels as the Lord has directed, we will not have accomplished our work. And a prophet cannot

take upon himself. Neither can the priest or the elder or the heads of families. They cannot take upon themselves to turn to a different way in the name of God. They cannot do it. They might turn to the left or to the right and say to the flock, because of my weakness, I don't know whether I'm preparing you in righteousness or not.

but they have no right to say this is the design of God. Unless that design is the design of God. Any man or woman who would take such a course is assuming authority that they do not have. Our faith to die for our religion is based upon the unchangeableness of eternal principle. But when we grasp hands, this graceful able, our eyes will meet and we will know that we have both had to apply the same eternal thinking order to have them assimilated into the likeness of our Father. It's not possible for men and women to sneak in unnoticed into the present, into the universe, not into the truth. So, brethren and sisters, let us start tonight.

Let us start tonight to stop wanting every unlawful and illegal thing until first we seek the kingdom of God and then every desirable thing will be added to us. Find out to our satisfaction that we are doing the thing this moment that Father wants us to do. There's not a wife here who can't easily find out this moment what her husband wants her to do. There's not a child who can't find out in the moment, in the morning, what his or her leader wants him to do. See you tomorrow. And that's all that you have to do.

And if you kneel down and have your interview in the morning and get up and you've got pains in your back and your head and you're still mourning over losses and you're still worrying, you've had your interview, you've asked Father to let you know whether your course is pleasing to Him, then begin immediately to do the work that's required of you, regardless of how hard it is. Start doing it.

If a woman has been told to do something that day, do it. If a child has been told to do something, do it. If a man has been told to do something, do it. Begin to do it. And as you begin to do it, the Lord will lift you and lift you up to a place where you feel secure for that moment. And that's all President Young said I want.

I want to feel secure at this moment. And that, that he will secure himself moment after moment, hour after hour, day after day. This is wonderful. God bless you. We're all here for President Johnson. My dear brothers and sisters, it's good to be here and be refreshed by the... remarks of the servants of God, and to once more have a chance to renew our covenants, at least with ourselves, that we are determined to go from this meeting and do as we have been told, get the Spirit of God and keep it. And I trust that the few remarks I make might be dictated by the Spirit of our Heavenly Father.

When President Musser began to speak, I thought of a verse or two that is recorded in the Pearl of Great Price, and I believe I'll read it. You find this in the book of Abraham, about the third chapter. And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him, We will go down, for there is space there.

And we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell. If you'll all remember that these were the words that were spoken when the sons of God gathered together and the Lord spoke to them. And we will prove them wherewith to see if they will do the things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.

The very things that President Musser has been trying all the evening to get before this people. And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon. And they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate. And they who keep thy second estate shall have glory added upon thy head forever and ever. And the Lord said, Whom shall I send? And one answered, Like unto the Son of man, Here am I, send me. And another answered and said, Here am I, send me. And the Lord said, I will send the first. And the second, was angry and kept not his first estate, and at that day many followed after him. And he has kept on from that day unto this, trying to lead away the soul to man. The Lord showed unto our old grandfather Lehi the full story when he gave him that wonderful vision.

He saw concourses of people following after the ways of the world. The few people were clinging to the rod and trying to make their way to the fountain of truth. He was sure that many who looked across the gulf and saw the great concourse of people and the great enticements that were made to Wean away their hearts and their souls were overcome and they too went over. There were only a few who made their way to the fountain of truth. How true it is. You have the picture before you today. We have only a little handful of people compared to the great multitude that are upon the earth today following after the ways.

that Satan has designed to lead away the hearts of people and to lead their souls down to hell. I wish, my brothers and sisters, that there was some way that the servants of God could penetrate the hearts of the people and save them from the great destruction that awaits them. But they will not listen. They wouldn't listen to Christ, they wouldn't listen to Joseph, and they won't listen today.

So broad is the way, and wide is the gate, and it leadeth to destruction. And many there be that go in their act. But narrow is the way, and narrow the gate, that leadeth to life eternal. And few there be that find it. There have been many wonderful things portrayed to us tonight, and I don't want to detract from that spirit. So I'm going to give way.

And let you ponder upon the things that have been told you, the testimonies that have been borne by these faithful sisters as well as the brethren. But I want to say God bless you, each and every one that has come out tonight. And I hope that the Spirit of God will penetrate your souls and foot within your heart.

with firm determination to round out your salvation through sacrifice. May God bless you, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Time for us to go to our homes and digest and re-digest these wonderful truths we've had tonight. We'll cease our meeting by singing page 231, Before the Lord I Bow My Head, after which we'll ask, President Herrmann to offer the benediction. I bow our heads in gratitude now before you at the close of this meeting. We're thankful for the privilege of having met together. We're grateful that you've sustained us these many months in our meetings and that we've had the privilege of meeting together. And we pray that you'll watch over us and sustain us in these gatherings and that we might have as many more as we need to prepare ourselves for the experiences that lie ahead.

We're grateful for the doctrines of the priesthood and for thy spirit that distills them upon our hearts and for those who teach us and instruct us to point the way for the renovation of our lives and our characters that we might prepare ourselves to be acceptable entities. Now we pray our Father that you'll watch over us until we meet again. Guard thy servants and hold them in the hollow of thy hand that they might be preserved in their lives and in their labors, and that we might meet again under the direction and benediction of thy Holy Spirit. We acknowledge thy hand in all our blessings and recognize that through the gift and grace of thy Holy Spirit that we have obtained thee soon. We acknowledge with gratitude the labors of our predecessors. We are thankful unto thee, our Father, that you directed and guided President Taylor.

and setting up this dispensation whereby the fullness of the gospel might be kept alive in the midst of thy people. We are grateful above all of gifts and blessings that we can imagine for having been numbered and sought out and then taught the gospel that we might be able to come back into thy presence. Now continue to bless us and help us to be encouraged and to continue the process of perfection until we're able to lay down our lives and honor and integrity before thee. Now these things we pray for, asking thy blessings to be upon our friends and loved ones in this work who are not with us in far and distant places. With thy spirit and grace that attend them as you bless and sustain us and help us all to sustain thy servant Brother Johnson with our faith and our prayers and our means and our lives.

These things we humbly pray for, dedicating ourselves unto Thee again. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.