And, of course, under that inspiration, not only to translate the Book of Mormon, but also to send it forth into the world. By these same commandments, "which inspired him," he also obtained the restoration of the holy Priesthood; and by the same inspiration he organized the Church, and from time to time received communications and the visitation of angels which fed the inspiration that had come upon him through the commandments of God, until at last he achieved that magnificent work which we now know as the restoration of the gospel, and the establishment in the earth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with its divine mission and commission to proclaim the gospel in all the world, and bring salvation unto the children of men.

. . .

That is regarded as very splendid imagery, poetry. I wish sometimes our congregations in this house would sing it more frequently, in our conferences. While this is regarded as fine imagery, how tame in comparison with that more splendid imagery that stirred and inspired the soul of our Prophet when he contemplated the commandments of God and the facts in which this work had its origin and which I have just read to you. Well, Joseph Smith drew inspiration from that contemplation and from the commandments of God he received. And it is important that from time to time we gather in these conferences and have our minds refreshed with these things, because in these general conferences we do make frequent references to these things — we have frequent recurrence to fundamental facts in which our Church had its origin There is something real in this frequent recurrence to fundamental principles, just as real are they as when we partake of the holy Sacrament, the symbols of our salvation; the broken bread and the water representing the broken body and the shed blood of our Lord. By partaking of these symbols in remembrance of him, though they are material things, this bread and this water, although they are but words that make up that most splendid prayer of consecration, yet they evoke in the soul a spiritual power that is as palpably food to the spirit of man as is the material food that he partakes of to strengthen 'his body from day to day. So it js in contemplating these commandments of God and the great events in which our Church had its origin. They do impart a spiritual uplift, they do give impetus to the spiritual forces, and raise to higher levels the ideals of the Saints. They lift the Saints above the normal, and draw them close into fellowship with God. The volume and quality of faith are renewed, and are made to blaze forth with a clearer light, with greater warmth, that carries the Saints 'through the trying affairs of life, over all the disappointments of it, and makes faith triumphant in their souls.

I rejoice that we may have access to these sources of inspiration.

. . .

I rejoice that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is gradually gathering into its control the sacred places where great historical events happened. I am sure that it will tend to intensify our remembrance of those events. I remember the effect the general conference of the Eastern States mission had upon our young missionaries— the conference that was held at the Hill Cumorah in 1923, celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the revealed existence of the Book of Mormon. I noticed the effect on a group of missionaries only a few days ago of a visit to the Memorial Cottage and the monument that mark the birthplace of our prophet. It seemed to inspire them with confidence and faith in what they had heard of him. I rejoice that we have these places. I rejoice that [we have the Joseph Smith Farm, the farm on which the prophet toiled in his boyhood, and where some of the important revelations of God were given to him. I never visit that place but what I feel that I am living in the atmosphere of the great events that took place there. The most uplifting, sanctifying and glorifying inspiration that I have ever experienced has been in the Sacred Grove where the Lord appeared unto him who was to become the New Witness for God in the dispensation of the fulness of times. I am' happy in the opportunity of visiting that place and of receiving the sacrament of the Lord's Supper there, from time to. time. I rejoice that recently, acting under instructions from the First Presidency, we were able to secure the place where the Church was born, the house in which, as I now believe, the Church was organized. I know that that is disputed, and. that a house is referred to about one hundred feet or more from the house that now stands, that was destroyed, and is said to be the old Whitmer home and occupied by the prosperous Whitmer family during the time that the Prophet Joseph was a guest at their home, and in which he organized the Church. We now have a complete abstract of title with the name of every man and woman through whom the title has passed; and I think we shall be able to patiently investigate the matter until we arrive at the absolute truth as to whether or not the house now standing there is the old Peter Whitmer home. If that is not the house, we don't want to hold forth to the world that it is; but if it is really the home of the Whitmer family, where these revelations in section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants were given at sundry times, and where the Church was organized — if really we have that house, what a treasure it is! And what an inspiration it will be to the Church to be conscious of the fact that we do possess it. It was to this home that the Prophet Joseph, his wife Emma and Oliver Cowdery were brought by David Whitmer from Harmony, Pennsylvania, and were received as guests; and where the Prophet completed the translation of the Book of Mormon. As soon as it was completed, the prophet, by messenger, sent the glad word to his parents living at their home in Manchester township, and they with Martin Harris immediately repaired to the Whitmer home, where the prophet took the step necessary to obtain the testimony of the Three Witnesses. That testimony was received in a grove that then existed either on or near the Whitmer farm. They had prayer in the morning at the Whitmer home, for the Whitmer family were devout Christian people. Old father Peter Whitmer was a member of that strictest of sects, the Presbyterians. He was a sincere and good Presbyterian and followed the practice of prayer at his family altar. The day after the arrival of the prophet's father and mother and Martin Harris, as they completed prayer that morning, the Prophet Joseph walked across the room, and speaking directly to Martin Harris, he said in effect: Martin Harris, you must repent. You must humble yourself before the Lord this day as you have never done before, and get a forgiveness of your sins; and if you will do this you shall, with Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer, obtain a view of the plates from which the Book of Mormon is translated.

. . .

There are those who undertake to say that Joseph Smith was a fallen prophet, and that in the latter years of his life he marred his mission, and that he was a fallen prophet. A fallen prophet! What ? And yet, give a sunburst of inspiration like that which I have read to you here from the Doctrine and Covenants, given in 1842? Out upon it! It could not be true. He who voiced that reverence for God, and had that exalted spirit awakened within him by contemplating the early scenes of his mission — as I have read to you — is no fallen prophet. His life ended en crescendo. It grew richer, it grew greater as it neared its close. His nearness to God was emphasized more in the closing years of his life than ever before. The revelations that he gave increased in power and magnificence. And so, too, in his discourses, they grew in magnificence and power as he proclaimed God's great and mighty truths in the last few months of his life. The Saints of God who witnessed the inspiration of God upon him, come to us with testimonies of his increasing power as a Prophet of God in the latter years of his life. Joseph Smith was no fallen prophet, nor could he be and give such evidence of inspiration both in the revelations he received, and in the great sermons that he delivered near the close of his life, such as the King Follett sermon, and other great discourses. I rejoice in this evidence of the inspiration of our prophet, the grandeur of his work and the evidence that we gather of the truth of it from these things we have considered. Amen.