Elder Charles A. Callis.

(President Southern States Mission.)

Sacred thoughts fill my heart as I face this congregation, because l know that all of you have made great sacrifices for the preaching of the gospel and the establishment of the kingdom of God in the earth, But you have embraced the truth and the faith which connects your souls with God, and you walk in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.

In the Book of Mormon is this prophecy: "And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost." Bearing in mind that among the choicest gifts of the Holy Ghost is the gift of prophecy, let us examine this prophecy for a moment or two and see whether it has been fulfilled. When the Prophet Joseph translated the Book of Mormon he was only 25 years old. The Church had not been organized, but God did fulfill that prophecy by the mouth of His Holy Prophets, who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. The Prophet Joseph Smith, by the gift and power of revelation predicted the great Civil War which raged in ferocity and fearfulness for a number of years. He predicted that the war would terminate in the death and misery of many souls. When war was declared the people of the South thought that the bravery and the valor of their soldiers would end the war in a few months, and that great patriot Abraham Lincoln himself believed that a few months would terminate the struggle. One of our brethren in the South, who was appointed to a command in the Confederate army, in addressing his men before they went to war, said: "Boys, do not delude yourselves; this is going to be a long and a bloody war." They said, "How do you know?" "Because," said be, "I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and he predicted that this war would terminate in the death and the misery of many souls." Did Joseph Smith have the gift of the power of the Holy Ghost? Consult the annals of our great republic. Shakespeare declares there are sermons in stones. The monuments erected in the North and in the South to commemorate the valor and the heroism of the boys in blue and the boys that wore the gray are eloquent sermons in stones that Joseph Smith did speak by the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost.

In that same revelation on war, it is predicted that after this war between the North and the South, then war would be poured out upon all nations. Behold the deadly war in Europe. Listen to the bursting of the bombs, the roar of the cannon, the groans of the dying, the moans from the mothers' anguish-stricken hearts, and then tell me if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. The Latter-day Saints do riot as a people pray for the victory of one wavering nation over another wavering nation. I will tell you what they pray for, they pray that the nations of the earth that are at war may lose their lust for conquest, may stifle their greed for gain; and they also pray that these nations may seek God for that choice gift which cometh from Him, even the gift of repentance.

Isaiah, the prophet, declared: "When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness," and O may God grant that these warring nations may forsake their stubbornness of heart. We pray that they will have a change of heart, that they may pray with David: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit."

Now, my brethren and sisters, the mission of this Church is to preach the gospel, to awaken in the hearts of men and women the spirit of repentance. Indeed, so important is this, that God has said: "Say nothing, but repentance unto this generation." The gospel is "God's last warning" to men, and your sons and your daughters are boldly, bravely and grandly proclaiming the mission to bring to pass the purposes of God.

Recently a minister said, "The description of the Millennium plainly indicates a revival of the pure faith and practice of primitive Christianity." "It is to be remembered," says this minister, "that the protestant reformation did not effect this. During the millennium period these will be brought back to their best estate, and become dominant, and this state of things will continue during the thousand years." It is our testimony, which we are bearing to the nations of the earth, that this primitive gospel hath been restored to the earth, and with it has been restored the holy priesthood, which is the power and authority to minister in the things pertaining to the Almighty. Jesus said: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come." Among many nations are heard the voices of your noble sons and daughters, approved of God, choice voting men and young women, crying "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

May God grant that the nations of the earth may not be compelled much longer to learn righteousness. to learn repentance, but may they turn to their God with repentant hearts and renewed spirits, and accept the everlasting gospel, be baptized without stubbornness of heart, and with you and me rejoice in the blessings of the everlasting gospel, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.