Before we get used up for time, we're going to turn the meeting over to President Johnson. Brethren, my sisters might stay and hear his message and give him plenty of time. Brethren might have the privilege of sustaining his remarks. I want to say that I feel very humble, my brothers and sisters, in occupying this position. I realize that there is a great responsibility upon the shoulders of the body of people.

I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for the privilege of being here today, enjoying help and strength, and to behold this wonderful body. There are 365, 63 people in the room today. This is very pleasing, not only to us, but to the Lord, to see so many people here seeking to be instructed of Him.

And this is the reason that I feel humble this afternoon, because I know that in order to feed you what you have come out to feed, I must be able to be dictated by the Spirit of God. President Barlow in his day was very much pleased when the people turned up. Much more pleased was he when he...

speak to the people and they manifested the spirit of welcome to his words. On many occasions in talking with him I've heard him express this thought that many people have turned out to hear him talk but they only came for curiosity because they would take what he said and make light of it.

justify their own actions in an opposing spirit. Let we feel a spirit here, my brothers and sisters, so welcome to the words of the servants of the Lord. There may be a few opposing spirits, but they're overcome by the majority of the people. In the past few years, we have experienced a feeling of a desire for unity among our people which shows that the spirit of god is working upon the minds of this generation in trying to prepare people who can receive the instructions of heaven and not treat them lightly so we should be very careful my brothers and sisters and Our afterthoughts after hearing the sermons of the servants of the Lord and how we express them to our neighbors because they may be, they can be very damaging to our salvation. On the other hand, they can build us up in our faith in the Lord Jesus. I bear you my testimony, my brothers and sisters, that the body of priesthood that

set on this stand today have nothing in our hearts but to see the kingdom of God advanced in the earth. The will of God promulgated through the people and your presence here denotes a willingness to abide by the counsel that is given you. A man said to me the other day what Oh, what is your occupation? And they remarked that I was an insurance man. He says, what kind of insurance do you sell? I says, I don't sell any. But I go about insuring men of their salvation. I say, do what I tell them to do. Well, what have you got that President McKay hasn't got? Nothing. President McKay has got the same.

opportunity that I have. But he has rejected the saving principles of that gospel. So if men will listen to what I tell them, they can round out their salvation. But I say they've got to. If you're willing to receive the policy that I have, well, I won't give it to you. So if it's further arguments you want, You'll have to go somewhere else because I already knew first. President McKay had the gospel given to him in a pure line from the prophet Joseph Smith. And so did I. Because I take it for sure he's been handled in the church. I say that's right. I have no record in the church. So the argument went no farther. But that's the kind of an insurance policy that we use.

There is no cash premium attached to it. There is no obligation on the part of the insurer or the insured. Only that they will receive the reward in the celestial kingdom of our God if they listen to the teachings that we give. And what further insurance do we need? What greater insurance do we need?

if we can be insured against the evil powers that possess this world today i'll tell you my brothers and sisters there is a great responsibility upon not only the shoulders of the council of the priesthood but upon every member of this audience today that has committed themselves in any way to support and sustain the authority of our Father in heaven. The great responsibility is upon yourself. For much is given, much is expected, says the Lord. So when we express a desire to serve God and keep his commandments, then so far as we keep those commandments, the Lord is bound.

But when we keep them not, we have no promise. And as Brother Jeff said this morning, or President Simpson rather, that wherever there's a blessing offered, there's also a penalty. So the penalty of denying a testimony that you and I have borne of the existence of a creator, is terrible. If I bear testimony that Jesus is the Christ and I do his will, then I am offered a place by his side in the celestial kingdom. If I bear testimony that Jesus is the Christ and I reject his teaching, what is the penalty? The Lord says damnation. And what does it mean to be damned? It means to be cut off.

from all of the blessings that the Lord has offered to the faithful. The greatest desire of my heart, my brothers and sisters, is to see this body of people continue in the faith. If the Lord has blessed you with a testimony that this work is true, it's my greatest desire to see you do everything possible.

To let the Lord know that you know that this is his work. So that he can shower his blessings upon this people. Every blessing that has been pronounced upon this land can be obtained through the faithfulness of those who occupy it. Way back sometime in the history, the Lord pronounced the blessing upon this continent.

And it was something like this. That those who possess this land shall be God-fearing people. And they shall serve me and keep my commandments. Or else they shall be swept off the face of the land. You only have to go back into the history of our church and read and see why this very thing has happened a couple of times.

In one instance, all of the people of the land was wiped off because they would not keep the commandments of God. In the other case, all of those who were once righteous were swept off or the curse of unbelief was heaped upon them. So the whole nation was wiped off. And for many hundreds of years, The children of that people wandered in unbelief, and they still wander in unbelief. There may be a few who have heard and accepted the gospel of Christ, but the great majority of them are drove in the country in a forsaken condition. And the same promises have been made to the people in this day.

That if we would not keep the commandments of God, that this nation would be swept clean. That the Lord in his mercy restored the priesthood never again to be taken away or given to another people. The scripture says that the time will come when there will be two working at the mill. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two.

working in the field, and one will be taken and the other left. I put the question to President Barlow one day, just how will this come about? He says, my boy, you'll be walking along with someone that you think is close to you. But I want you to remember this, that the Lord says that you'll hear of wars and rumors of wars in foreign lands.

But little do you know the hearts of men in your own country. He said, you will be thinking that this man is a servant of the Lord. And you will find yourself raised up while the other man is taken. Now this, he says, is what the Lord meant by the power. The scriptures tell us that the Lord will put means.

ways and means into the hands of Satan to deceive the people. And so keen will be the deception that even the elect will be deceived if it were possible. So we see, my brothers and sisters, the necessity of getting the Spirit of God and keeping it. Now I pray that we will strive continually with, number one, this person.

that you might be able to save at least one soul, that you might have joy and rejoicing in the hereafter with that soul, and how great it will be. But there are many of us who feel that our salvation is sure, and we must save our neighbors. But, my dear brothers and sisters, the best way to preach the gospel to your neighbor is by example. If you can make your home a place where the Spirit of God can be, no one can enter that home without feeling the Spirit. And in this way you will be more convincing than all the eloquent words that you could speak from your mouth. Now let's try.

from this very minute on to save, save it be one soul. That your joy and rejoicing with your neighbors, mind you, in the kingdom of heaven, might be complete. My greatest desire is to see this people blessed with every blessing that they can contain in righteousness. And I believe that the Lord is.

And the time is coming when the Lord will bless you with every blessing that you can contain. For he said again, Try me and see if I won't open the windows of heaven until you turn up. Now may God bless you, each and every one, with a desire to press forward and keep the commandments.

that has been given us for our salvation. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.