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October 1933

Anxious for Inspiration

I presume that in the past forty-one years I have trained the Latter-day Saints, in this Tabernacle, so they are always somewhat anxious as to what success I will have. During this time I have always been anxious, having only one desire; and that is, to say something, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, that would be for my good and for your good. The Lord knows my desires, and I pray will give to me His Holy Spirit.

I shall not attempt to preach a lengthy discourse. I realize that time is quite a factor in a general conference, especially as President Grant is noted for wanting as many of the brethren to speak as possible.

Associates in the Council

It might be well to inform you that I was ordained one of the First Council of the Seventy, October 8th, 1892. When I became a member of the council there were such men as Seymour B. Young, Christian D. Fjeldsted, John Morgan, Brigham H. Roberts and George Reynolds, who were among the greatest missionaries of our day. I have associated with them a great many years, and in thinking of them since Brother Roberts passed away, I could not help but feel that they were men of God, that no mistake was made, that they were called by revelation. All of these brethren have gone home. I am the only one living that was associated with them. After the date of my ordination, Rulon S. Wells, Edward Stevenson and Joseph W. McMurrin filled vacancies within about five years.

I think there is no man living in the flesh that knew Elder Roberts any better than I did. There was an affection, a friendship, formed in the missionary field that exceeds any love I have ever known, outside of my own family.

Friendship Between Missionaries

A missionary friend, Charles Welch, called on me yesterday. He is now a patriarch in the Bighorn stake. He was formerly a counselor to the president of the stake. He came to my home yesterday to see me. I traveled with him one year under Elder Roberts' presidency in Virginia. I know of no better man than Brother Charles Welch. He was a young man when I was laboring with him fifty years ago, but he told me yesterday he is now seventy-three years old. Ours is a keen friendship, a brotherhood that will last through life, and will continue in the other world. Why? Because he never forsook me. He was to be trusted. I was sick, and he ministered to me, and was so kind and patient. I had boils-called carbuncles, if you know what a carbuncle is. I don't know what kind of boils Job had, but if he had carbuncles I have full sympathy for him. They started on one of my wrists and they followed me all the way up and down. The last one I had was on my knee. We had reached Burke's Garden at that time, after traveling nearly one thousand miles, without purse and scrip.

I am trying to make clear to you, if I can, the friendship that we Mormon elders have for one another. I may not be gifted in coupling together all of those beautiful sentiments and words, but friendship, of the kind I am talking about, cannot be told in words. Brother Welch said to me: "Golden, I have come six hundred miles to this conference, and one of my big objects is to see you."