It is so seldom that I address my brethren and sisters from this stand, that I find my bow unstrung, figuraratively [figuratively] speaking. (President B. Young: Is your harp upon the willows?) Perhaps I may say that my harp is upon the willows, so far as public speaking is concerned. But, notwithstanding, I sing but little and pray but little, and use the bow but little. I have not altogether lost the power of discernment, or the power to appreciate the sweet sounds of the heavenly music; and I oftentimes feel that it were far better to exercise upon those gifts and callings of God whenever we are called to act; and to use one of brother Kimball's phrases—"It is far better to wear out than to rust out."
If I understand myself correctly, I feel this morning, as I have felt the greater part of my life, to be devoted mentally and physically, as far as duty requires and circumstances permit, and as the Lord and my brethren call, and as the Spirit of the Lord shall dictate, to the happiness of my fellow-men and to the advancement of the kingdom of God upon the earth. I will say further of myself, that it is not a lack of willingness and disposition on my part to labour and to do good; it is not from a lack of desire to magnify the Priesthood—to honour my God—to promote his cause—to build up his kingdom—to increase the happiness of his subjects; but it is ignorance or weakness.
When I reflect upon the past and contrast it with the present so far as I myself am concerned, I can occasionally discover the weakness of my faculties and perceive hindrances to their exercise. I do not know that this is anything peculiar or strange, but I can say that my heart rejoices in the things of God. When I hear the things of the kingdom and the truths of the Gospel—those that are old to you and me—though we have heard those truths sounded in our ears at different times in our lives, they are still precious and cheering to our hearts, refreshing to our intellects, brightening up our hopes, encouraging our spirits, awakening in us charity and love towards our God and towards his creatures, stimulating us to love our religion, and render ourselves worthy of that everlasting Father who has produced us, and who has sent us forth upon this earth to gain an experience and to prove ourselves here in the flesh.
When we contemplate these things that have been revealed, the purposes of our Father in heaven concerning his creatures, his magnanimity, his extensive preparations for the happiness and the exaltation of those intelligent beings, to give unto them all that they are capable of receiving, and to stimulate them by every possible inducement to faithfulnes[s], to glory, and to exaltation,—when we reflect upon these things, they are calculated, if we are able to appreciate that which is sublime, that which is ennobling, that which is Godlike and glorious, they are calculated to inspire in every heart a good degree of affection and love to our Heavenly Father, and also obedience to his will, and at the same time to inspire in us a love for each other, and to all that part of his creatures who are created in the image of our Father, and who are called and destined to inherit eternal life, or, in other words, to preserve their identity for ever and for ever; and the whole subject of the Gospel of salvation and the principles which are revealed for the guidance of mankind here in the flesh are designed and calculated in their nature to cement the hearts of the children of men together, to make them see and feel that they are one family,—that their duties to each other are those of common brotherhood. We must learn to know that in serving each other here in the flesh, we serve our God, promote his glory; and in that we promote the happiness, glory, and exaltation of his children, our brethren and sisters.