LATTER-DAY SAINTS FOLLOW TEACHINGS OF THE SAVIOR.
ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE SALT LAKE TABERNACLE,
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1910, BY PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH.
(REPORTED BY F. W. OTTERSTROM.)
It is with a feeling of great dependence upon the Giver of all Good that I arise before you, this afternoon, in the hope of saying something by the help of the Spirit of the Lord, that will be encouraging to the Latter-day Saints and also a comfort to them with reference to some of those glorious principles which we have espoused and which, nevertheless, are very much misunderstood and misrepresented by our enemies.
We do not fully realize, it seems to me, the simplicity and naturalness of those great doctrines that are involved in the probation of man, in his mortal state. Many have sought for the origin of man in his development from the lower animals or creatures, and it is very difficult, indeed, to persuade men who are supposed to be scientific, to believe that the works of God are one eternal round, and that man is nothing more and cannot be anything less, we believe, than the offspring of God. No man, however scientific, however learned, however deeply he may search into the secrets of nature, can ever find out more than is revealed already, in the Scriptures of divine truth, with reference to man's origin. Men may speculate, and guess, and suppose many things, and can argue themselves into queer notions and beliefs with reference to man's origin, but after all it will only be their beliefs, or their imaginations or conclusions from human reasoning. It would be superfluous, no doubt, for me to cite my hearers to the Genesis in the Bible, where an account is given of man being placed upon the earth, formed in the image and likeness of God, being made in His likeness not only male but also female, for the Bible plainly implies that in order that man should become like unto God, or be created in His image and likeness, he should be a dual being, that is, he should be not only man but that his complement or other self should be woman, thus he was formed in the likeness of God. Man was placed in the garden that was prepared for him. He was given the liberty to enjoy and partake of all the fruits of the garden except the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and he was told that when he should partake of that fruit, or if he should, then he should surely die.
Yet, it was foreordained, and the first man was predestined to partake of that fruit in order that the greater and real purpose of God might be fulfilled, for if Adam had kept the law of heaven, by refusing or refraining from partaking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he would have remained forever in his innocence, without power of increase. Therefore, the object and purpose of God would fail in his being, for the great commandment that was given to him was that he should multiply and replenish the earth, and have dominion over it and over all living creatures upon the earth, for he was made lord of all and above all things that were created of God, or were placed here on the earth. Man was placed here to be the lord and master of all of them. Why? Because he was God's child; because he was made or formed and created in the image and likeness of his Father and, shall I add here, in the image and likeness of his Mother? If I should say such a thing it would shock the Christian world, and they would ridicule the thought or the idea that the original man had anything but a father, and owed nothing but to his father, for his existence. In the revelations that have come to us through Joseph, the prophet, and also those that are contained within the lids of the Bible, we are told that all things were created spiritually before they were temporally; in other words, they were created in the other world before they were placed here—not only man, the child of God, but all the animals that were placed upon the earth, and the fishes of the sea, and the birds of the air. All things were formed and had their existence spiritually before they were formed temporally on the earth, Even the seeds and herbs of the field had their existence in their spiritual state before they were planted in the earth.
But when man transgressed that heavenly law, which forbade that he should partake of the elements of this earth, whereby he should become of the earth, earthy, then he brought upon himself temporal death, just as God declared he would do, if he should partake of the "forbidden fruit." Not only did he bring upon himself the temporal death, that is, the death of the body, but he also placed himself in subjection to spiritual death, which death is banishment from the presence of God into outer darkness where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Through this condition, brought upon our first parents necessarily—necessarily because it had to be, in order to carry out the great purpose of God to people the earth—man placed himself in the most helpless condition, powerless to relieve himself from the temporal death which he had brought upon himself, and powerless in and of himself, and through his own wisdom, to escape even the consequences of spiritual death—absolutely helpless. But we read, in the new revelation that has come through Joseph, the prophet, in these latest days, that the gospel which was afterwards, in the meridian of time, preached by the Son of God, was also preached unto Adam and to his children in the early stage of man's existence in the earth. The same gospel of faith in God and in a Savior of the world and in remission of sin by repentance, and the gift of the Spirit of God to lighten man in the world, in the path that should lead him back into the presence of God from whence he had fallen; all this was taught to Adam by the angels of God who were sent to minister to him and to reveal to him the plan of life and of redemption. Among other things, there was established, in the days of Adam, to be continued by his posterity, the law of sacrifice. They were required to offer the sacrifice of oxen, and of sheep, and of doves, and of various animals; and in these sacrifices, which were given to them with commandment to follow and to observe, the principle was taught them that in the meridian of time one should be sent, mighty and strong, with power to redeem and save, who should make the great sacrifice for all mankind. He would relieve the children of Adam, and all the human family, from the beginning down to the time of this great Savior, and thenceforth through all generations of time, until the winding up scene, or until every son and daughter of Adam should have the privilege of being redeemed from the fallen and helpless condition into which they had been placed because of the fall of the first parents.
So, from the time of Adam until the Son of God, whose supposed natal day we are here, perhaps most of us, for the purpose of celebrating and of reflecting upon, these sacrifices were offered in anticipation of His coming, in anticipation of the great sacrifice that He was to offer, once for all, thus doing away with the shedding of the blood of animals, of beasts, and of birds, whereby man could be kept in memory of this great principle of sacrifice which was instituted, from before the foundation of the world, for the redemption of man from temporal and also from spiritual death; first, from the temporal death without any responsibility on his part, or act of his own, without any required virtue, honor, or worthiness upon his own part. Inasmuch as death has come upon me—temporal death—not by any act of mine, and I am not in any way responsible for that condition in which I find myself; inasmuch as you and I had no hand, in the beginning, in bringing about the conditions that now exist, we, by the will of God, and by the power of life and of salvation in the Son of God, shall be redeemed, every one, from the temporal death, no matter what we are or who we are. It matters not whether we are learned or illiterate, bond or free, white or black, old or young, ignorant or intelligent, we shall all come forth out of the condition that has come upon us temporally, and we shall have to stand before the bar of the great Judge, at last, to give an account of our deeds done in the flesh. Next to this redemption from the temporal death comes our redemption from the power of the second death, but this redemption will not be brought to pass in our behalf independently of ourselves. We are responsible for our own sins and will be held responsible for our deliverance from them, for they lead to the second death.
I will again tell you what the Scriptures tell us is the second death: It is being cut off from God; the blessing and privilege of His presence; it is indeed banishment from God and from His Kingdom, and from the glory and exaltation, the joy and happiness of eternal life. That is the second death, and that is what will come upon all men who reject the redemption that has been wrought for them in the atonement of the Son of God, whom we call Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. And who was Jesus, the Christ? He was both God and man. Can we accept it? Can we comprehend it? It is very simple to those who will permit themselves to comprehend it. It is very plain if men will comprehend, firstly, the fact, that God is the Father of man, spiritually, and that God is the Father of Jesus Christ, both temporally and spiritually, and that Jesus Christ is nothing more nor less than the Son of God, begotten of His Father, as absolutely, and as truly as any child was begotten of his earthly father. You don't need to mince the matter. How could we be like God if we were not begotten in His image and in His likeness? Then this holy man, Jesus Christ, had God for His Father, and He had for His mother the virgin, Mary, who never knew mortal man until after the time that Christ was born. He had this human mother for His mother, and thus were joined together in Him, forever, God and man, and thus is explained to the human family the connection existing between God and man, his children, his offspring in the earth. Not only is God our Father, but Jesus Christ is our brother; and in the spirit He is the elder brother of the human race, whereas in the flesh Adam was before Him. Many other prophets, men and inspired persons were before Christ in the flesh, and yet He was the first born of God in the flesh; he was God's "only begotten Son" in the flesh. He came into the world in this way, clothed with double power—power to die, which He derived from His mother; and power to resist death, if He had so willed it, which He had inherited from His Father. Thus He had power both to live forever and also power to pass through the ordeal of death, that He might suffer it for all men, and come forth out of the grave to a newness of life—a resurrected being, to be clothed with immortality and eternal life, that all men might come forth out of the grave unto life eternal, if they will obey Him. They will come forth anyhow, either as vessels of honor or as vessels of dishonor. They will come forth from the grave whether they will or not. They can't help themselves. We could not help the curse of mortal death coming upon us, neither shall we be able to avoid or to prevent the resurrection of this body from that grave; for as God raised from the dead, so will all mankind.
Then the Latter-day Saints worship God, the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and we are instructed, and we do follow that instruction, to worship God, the Father, and to call upon His name for the blessings that we need, in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. I do not suppose that there is a Latter-day Saint anywhere who does not believe, who has not absolutely accepted in his soul the literal and absolute resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ, from the dead. We accept that; it is a part of our doctrine; it is a fundamental principle of our religion. On that truth depends our hope of everlasting life, and, therefore, we have cast our lot into the plan of life and of redemption and of salvation inaugurated by the Son of God while He was in the flesh. We depend upon it for our exaltation; upon it rests our hope of happiness and the privilege of entering again into the presence of our Father, the Father of our spirits, and enjoying eternities with Him. Our hope is founded on the great truth that Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death. Now, a great many people will argue that this is, in some degree, only mythical, that it cannot be real or tangible. I shall take the liberty, if you will permit, to look at the Scripture for a moment with reference to this matter. After the resurrection of Christ, abundant evidence was given His disciples and Saints to establish the reality of His resurrection from the dead. Of course, we have the testimony of the ancient disciples of Christ with reference to this matter, but that is not all. We read here the testimony given concerning the resurrection of the Savior, by Luke, one of the disciples of Christ, who wrote a brief history of His doings and life. We read here of two of the disciples who went to Emmaus with the Savior after His resurrection, and knew Him not until they got there, and He broke bread, then they discovered that they had been walking and talking with the Lord:
"And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
"And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
"Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
"And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
"And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
"But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit,"—just as a great many professed teachers of religion, today, claim that He was but a spirit, only a spirit, and that the body itself does not rise, but that the resurrection from death to life is the departure of the spirit from the body, the body to return to dust; and the spirit to return to God, redeemed and resurrected from death unto life eternal. This is the doctrine of some teachers of religion, for I have heard them teach and preach it. We believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ and that the life and mission and works of the Son of God are far more real and far more tangible than this. So the disciples of Jesus, when He appeared unto them, were terrified and affrighted, supposing that they had seen a spirit.
"And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
"Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
"And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet.
"And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
"And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
"And he took it, and did eat before them.
"And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
"Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.
"And said unto them, Thus is it written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
"And ye are witnesses of these things,
"And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endowed with power from on high.
"And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them.
"And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
"And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
"And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God."
We might refer you to many other passages here. We take this Scripture as it reads. We testify to the world that the disciple of Christ, the apostle of the Lord Jesus, the scribe, the writer of this testimony, was inspired of God to write the truth, and that he did write the truth and nothing but the truth. Jesus was no spirit risen out of the body, for the spirit had already departed from the body and returned to it, and taken it up again. While the body lay in the tomb, according to divine truth revealed in the word of God here, he was quickened by the spirit and went and preached to the spirits that were in prison (1 Peter 3: 18-22), thus fulfilling also the prediction of the prophets concerning Him, that He was anointed to proclaim liberty to the captives and to open the prison doors to them that were bound. So, Christ went to the spirit world where darkness reigned, where the spirits of men were shut out from the presence of God, where they could only be ministered to by messengers sent from the Lord, who possessed a higher and a far more exceeding weight of glory. There He went, and with Him went the two malefactors who were crucified with Him, for He said to them that day they should be with Him in "paradise;" and they were there: not in God's glorious Kingdom, but in the spirit world, where Christ went. He had this great mission to perform, of preaching His gospel to the spirits in prison, the same gospel that is preached to the living, for there is but one plan of life, one gospel, one faith, one Lord, one baptism, one Holy Spirit, that cometh from God and that bringeth light and intelligence unto the children of men. There is only one way; it is the straight and narrow path that leads back into the presence of God. That is the way that Christ trod; that is the way that He marked out for His disciples to tread in; and that is the way that you and I must go in order to obtain the reward that has been promised to the faithful. But, says one, what a narrow idea this is. How incompetent is such a plan as this, to reach the millions and millions of the human family who have, necessarily, died without knowing the gospel of Christ, without having heard even the name of Jesus Christ.
How narrow, then, to say that no man can enter into the Kingdom of God but by the door and through the means that Jesus Christ has offered to the children of men. But, no, it is not a narrow view; it is the broadest possible view to take of this matter. Why, how can you, then, meet the necessities of the children of men, all the myriads of spirits that have passed away from this mortal stage without the knowledge of this gospel, without the knowledge of Jesus Christ, without the benefits of the ordinances of the house of God? We will tell you, for it has been revealed in its fullness in this dispensation. As Christ went to preach to the spirits in prison, that were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, in which a few, that is, eight souls were saved by water, the like figure whereunto baptism doth now save us, so this same plan prevails today, and the same principle. The great mission inaugurated by the Son of God is now being prosecuted by ten thousand thousands of those who have held the Melchisedek priesthood which is after the order of the Son of God, men who have been endowed with power from on high to preach the gospel to the spirits in prison. Not a soul that has ever lived and died from off the face of this earth shall escape a chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. If they receive it and obey it, the ordinances of the gospel will be performed for and in their behalf, by their kindred, or their posterity in some generation of time after them, so that every law and every requirement of the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be carried out, and the promises and requirements fulfilled for the salvation of the living and also for the salvation of the dead. Mormonism, as it is called, the gospel of Jesus Christ, as devised by the Son of God, provides that every son and every daughter of God, every child of the Father, every soul that has descended from Adam shall have the privilege of hearing this holy gospel of Christ and shall come to know the truth, that His name, the name of Christ—Jesus of Nazareth, is the only name under heaven by which man can be saved, exalted and restored again to the presence and glory of God the Father.
Through Him, as I have said already, all men that have died shall be raised again from the dead—every one—and not only shall they be raised from the dead, but they shall be restored to their perfect frame. We will go, now, to the doctrines that we have received in the Book of Mormon and in the Doctrine and Covenants, the revelations that have come to us through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and we will find that every soul shall not only be raised from the dead, but shall be restored to their perfect frame. There will be no hunchbacks in heaven; no one-legged or one-armed men there, nor cripples, nor any deformed sons and daughters of the Father in the celestial glory, for they will be restored by the power of God and by the principle of life contained in the gospel of the Son of God. They will all be restored to their "proper frame" and "perfect form" mark you, "both limb and joint." We read that, here in this good book, the Book of Mormon (Alma 11: 43-45). I intended, when I got up, to read you some of the doctrines of Jesus Christ, contained in this book, but let me say, the people of the world generally, seem to want to find out some different way from that which the Lord has designated, in order that they might be saved. Some men want to be saved without any righteousness on their own part, without any forgiveness of sin, without any repentance, without humility of acknowledgment that they are unworthy, except through a remission of their sins, to enjoy the blessings and inherit the glory of the Kingdom of God. They even hold out the idea, the erroneous, wicked, pernicious thought or idea, that the murderer on the scaffold can be ushered into the presence of God and to the highest glory if he will only say, on the scaffold, before the drop is cut, that he "believes in the Lord Jesus Christ." Why, it is infamy; it is abomination; it is the essence of injustice and unrighteousness.
No man can be ushered into the presence of God in his sins, and no man can receive a remission of his sins except he repent and burial with Christ. For God has made us free agents, to choose good or evil, to walk in the light or in the darkness, as we choose, and he has ordained it thus that we might become like Him, that if we prove ourselves worthy of everlasting life and glory in His presence, it will be because we have repented of our sins and have obeyed and kept His commandments. And, if we are doomed, or cursed, or cast out into the second death, into darkness, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, it will be because we have not obeyed the will of God, nor walked in the light, because we have chosen darkness rather than the light, and our thoughts were evil and we did not repent, therefore, we received no forgiveness or remission of our sins. The judgment of God will be just, and His rewards will be just, for He will reward men for their merits, and punish them for their wickedness. That is justice and righteousness; anything short of that, anything more or less than that would come of evil and would brand the Father of all, the God of heaven and earth, the just Judge, as unworthy of such titles and of such glory and greatness and impartiality; for it would not be possible for a just God to reward men for something that they were not worthy of, nor to condemn men for what they had not deserved.
Then, again, Jesus told the people at Jerusalem, His disciples and those who followed Him, that He had other sheep that were not of that fold, and He must go to them, and they must hear His voice. They must be taught His gospel, that there might be one shepherd and one fold. We read His words in this glorious and good book which I hold in my hand, which was given by inspiration from the Lord. The Book of Mormon tells us how the Savior of men, after He had ascended into heaven from among the Jews, descended upon this continent, among the inhabitants that dwelt here, who had been prepared beforehand by prophets and by inspired men who had taught them the gospel as they understood it, and who had foretold them the coming of the Son of man to the earth. He visited them, and He organized His Church here, as He organized it over there. He appointed twelve disciples here to preach the gospel and to lead in matters pertaining to the cause of the Kingdom that was established upon this continent; and He taught them the same doctrines—only they are preserved and revealed in somewhat greater plainness to us—that He taught the disciples and the people among the Jews. I am going to read you some of the things that the Lord taught the disciples and the people that were prepared to receive Him, upon this continent, after His ascension into heaven. Mark you, when He came to the people here He came as the Son of God, risen from the dead. He showed to these people also the evidences of His crucifixion. They had heard of it by the revelations of God; they knew that He had been crucified, that He had risen from the dead, and that He had established His gospel and His Church there. They were expecting Him here because the Lord had promised them that He would come; and He stood upon the earth, in the midst of them, and taught them His gospel; He ordained them to His priesthood, conferring upon them His power and authority to administer for the salvation of the children of men. He sent out those whom He chose to be His mouthpieces and representatives, among all the people of this land, to preach this gospel that Jesus had preached to the Jews and had now preached to the inhabitants of this continent. He came here as Jesus Christ, resurrected from the dead, clothed with flesh and bones as tangible as man's, capable of eating the broiled fish and the honeycomb—which no spirit could partake of, for a spirit would not do that.
It would not be consistent with the law that governs them for a spirit to attempt to partake of the gross elements of this earth; but Jesus could and did do it, for he was both Lord and Christ; both man and God; possessing the power both of God and of man; and in and through Him God and man are linked together as one family in the forms that they always existed, just as they exist now, except at times possessing greater intelligence than at other times—sometimes barbarians, and ignorant, or enlightened and taught by prophets and inspired men that were raised up among them. In this way has God taught the Chinese, the Japanese, and other peoples of the world in their times and seasons, the wisdom possessed by men who have been raised up by the Lord and inspired to instruct the people among whom they dwelt, for their enlightenment and to the leading of them into moral and righteous paths—not always conferring the priesthood upon them, but giving them intelligence. The Lord did not have to confer the priesthood upon Columbus, when He moved upon him to discover this country, but He called him for that purpose and moved upon him to accomplish that work, and the man thus inspired for that work could not help but do it. He could not forsake the mission that was given him; neither could he cease until he had accomplished the work. We read that here in this book. We are told that Columbus was inspired to do the 'work that he did; and so have many men, in many ages of the world, been inspired of God to do certain things and teach certain precepts akin to the gospel of Jesus Christ in order that the people might be brought nearer to the Lord and that they might not be left to become wholly heathenish and wholly ignorant, benighted and barbarous.
Now, I hope you will pardon me for detaining you; but I have chosen a few words that I want to read you, from the Book of Mormon, that were translated by the gift and power of God, through Joseph Smith the prophet. You will find a very great resemblance between some of the words I shall read in this book and those contained in the New Testament of the Bible. The recorder of the circumstance and the utterances here referred to wrote:
"And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi, and to those who had been called (now the number of them who had been called and received power and authority to baptize, were twelve), and behold he stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them saying, Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power, that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me, and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am.
"And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins." Then he continues:
"Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Let me pause just a moment here. Blessed are the poor in spirit—who do what? Are they blessed simply because they are poor in spirit? No; don't forget that. Let this rest upon your minds. "Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me." There is the substance of it. There is the truth: "Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." And thus it is made a little plainer here than you will find it in the New Testament.
"And again, blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be comforted;
"And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
"And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled"—what with? The Lord tells us here, "Blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.
"And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
Of all people under the heavens, the Latter-day Saints should be the most merciful people, the most forgiving, the most charitable, for no man can more easily forgive and show mercy to his fellow creatures than he who has received mercy and forgiveness from God.
"And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
"And blessed are all the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God.
"And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"And blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake,
"For ye shall have great joy and be exceeding glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you."
Now, I cannot pursue this subject longer. I will say this, that these are the doctrines of Jesus Christ. These are some of the words that He uttered to the people upon this continent, and these are the words that He uttered to the people upon the old continent, or over there in Jerusalem. Other words He uttered which we will not have time to refer to; but He taught as never man taught, and the doctrines that He taught are yet—almost at least—as high above the conceptions of mankind and their ability to carry them out, as the heavens are above the earth. Yet, His doctrine is true; His precepts are righteous; His gospel is the power of God unto salvation; and in proportion as man rises to a conception, and an acceptance of and obedience to the principles taught by the Son of God, the nearer he becomes like Him and like the Father of our spirits and the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was God in the flesh; He was Emmanuel or "God with us," the Savior of the world. The Latter-day Saints believe in Him not only because of the testimonies borne of Him in the Bible—in the four gospels and the Epistles of the New Testament, and the predictions of the prophets in the Old Testament of the Bible, concerning His coining and mission; not only because of the evidences we have here in the Book of Mormon, where it is still more plainly given than it is in the Bible, nor because we also have further and stronger evidences of the divinity of His mission in the revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith, but also because we have the testimony of witnesses of these divine things and, especially, of the divine mission of Jesus Christ, by and from men whom we have seen in the flesh, with whom we have conversed, with whom we have associated and whom we know to have been, in their lives, pure, upright, honest and faithful servants of the living God. Beside all this we know the truth by the witness of the spirit to ourselves. Now, may the Lord bless you.
Of course, we understand that this is not, indeed, the natal day of the Savior. He was not born on the 25th day of December; but this is the day that has been accepted by the world, at least by the so-called Christian world, as His natal day, and we have accepted it with them. It would be difficult, indeed, to break away from it and celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the Lord on the day that He was really born. So we meet, today, to celebrate that important event and to praise His name. I thank my Father in heaven for the faith He has given me in the divinity of the mission of Jesus Christ. I thank Him for the blessings of the holy priesthood that He has restored to the world in this dispensation. I thank Him for the organization of His Church. I thank Him for the ordinances of the gospel of Jesus, from baptism for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, all along to the endowment and sealing and higher ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which were designed to prepare men, by ordination, appointment and faithfulness, to dwell with God in the eternal world. May the Lord bless us and help us to be faithful always, to the end, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.