1923-12-13—Millennial Star—President Grants Conference Message

Latest revision as of 02:22, 4 January 2025

[edit] President Grants Conference Message

Millennial Star, December 13, 1923, pp. 787-788

History, Progress and Counsel by President Heber J. Grant. Improvement Era, December 1923, pp. 97-98.

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On the 22nd day of September last we had the privilege — four of the General Authorities from this city and one who was located at Brooklyn as the president of the Eastern States mission, Brother Brigham H. Roberts — of being present at the wonderful conference held at the Joseph Smith farm, in the Sacred Grove, and at the Hill Cumorah, celebrating the one-hundredth anniversary of Joseph Smith's first view of the plates from which the Book of Mormon was later translated. A very remarkable conference for three days was held there. A rich outpouring of the Spirit of the living God was experienced. I am grateful, indeed, to President Brigham H. Roberta for arraugiug bliat conference, for I am free to confess, that in the multitude of duties and responsibilities resting upon me, I might have neglected dial one hundredth anniversary. I feel grateful to Brother Roberts that he did not allow it to pass without a very splendid conference. It was one that each and every person who attended will look back to with that same pleasure and joy and satisfaction with which we look back upon the dedication of our temples, and the passing of other mile-stones, so to speak, in the history of this Church.

I remarked in the first meeting that we were sorry beyond expression that President Roberts' health was snch that he could not be present, that it seemed to me very much like the great play of Hamlet with Hamlet left out. Brother Roberts had prepared a very remarkable program, covering many episodes and historical matters in connection with the rise of the Church through the one hundred years, nearly, of its history ; and there were no words with which we could convey adequately our regret that the man to whom Ave were indebted for all of these labors could not take a more active part than he did because of his poor heath upon that occasion ; and yet Ave rejoice that he was able to lift up his voice on several occasions during that conference, and also to be present during some of the meetings, although his health was such that he had to withdraw from a few of them before their close. I have expressed, and heard others who were present express sincere and heartfelt regret that the prayer delivered hy Brother Roberts in the Sacred Grove on Sunday morning, September 23rd, Avas not taken down in writing. I cannot remember Avhen my heart was more stirred, and when I have had my affection called out to the Lord more perfectly than upon the occasion Avhen Brother Roberts uttered that prayer in the Sacred Grove, where the Lord God Almighty, and where Jesus Christ our Redeemer, had appeared and conversed with the prophet, or more properly speaking, with the boy Joseph Smith, afterward the prophet of the living God.

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