PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF.

Before the meeting closes I feel dis-
posed to make a few remarks to my
friends. I had a very pleasant inter-
view with Dr. Reiner at our office, and
I related to him a certain principle
which was presented by Joseph Smith
at a conference in Illinois, before some
fifteen thousand people. In speaking
upon religious liberty, he said: "If I
were the emperor of the world, and I
had control of all the human family,
I would sustain every man, woman and
child on the face of the whole earth,
in the enjoyment of their religion, let
that religion be what it may." I have
told the doctor that those were my
sentiments. They are my sentiments
today. I was much pleased with my
interview with our friend, and I have
been pleased with his address here to-
day. I do not feel to find any fault
with it.

I will say, for his benefit and any
others that may be present, that one
reason why we are strenuous in our
faith and belief with regard to this
being the Church of Christ, is because
the Gospel we have received is the Gos-
pel that Paul taught, and he said:
"Though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than
that which we have preached unto you,
let him be accursed." [Galatians 1:8] Another reason
is that the gifts and graces which were
in the Church in the days of Christ and
the Apostles are with us today and
have been with us since the organiza-
tion of this Church.

Now, I have a favor to ask of this
congregation. This congregation is
composed largely of Elders and mem-
bers of the Church. There are many
Elders here who have traveled abroad
in the vineyard. Now, I say that many
of the gifts and graces and miracles
that were manifest in the days of
Christ and the Apostles I have seen
manifest in the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, and so have you.
Whoever has traveled as an Elder of
Israel throughout the nations, and has
been true and faithful unto God in ad-
ministering in the ordinances of the
house of God, has had the power of
God upon him sufficient to receive those
gifts and graces at the hands of the
Lord. They have been with the Lat-
ter-day Saints. Now, I want every
Elder who has ever preached abroad,
and every man and woman who has
ever been present when any of these
gifts and graces have been manifest—
when the sick have been healed, devils
cast out, the lame made to leap, the
blind to see, the deaf to hear—I want
every man and woman who have seen
manifested any of these gifts and
graces that were in the ancient Church,
to raise their right hand. I do not want
anybody to bear testimony of this ex-
cept those who have seen it. -[In re-
sponse to this request, a large majori-
ty of the congregation raised their
hands.]- I have seen the sick healed, I
have seen devils cast out. The blind
have seen, the deaf have heard; and all
the gifts and graces have been with us.
While I was in Herefordshire I helped
carry a sister into the water who had
not walked for twelve or fifteen years,
and we baptized her. When we con-
firmed her she said she believed she
had faith sufficient to be healed. Presi-
dent Young and Dr. Richards called up-
on me and I told them of this case. I
wanted them to administer to her with
me in confirming her. We laid hands
on her, and President Young was
mouth. That woman rose to her feet,

THE DESERET WEEKLY. 197

PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF.

Before the meeting closes I feel disposed to make a few remarks to my friends. I had a very pleasant interview with Dr. Reiner at our office, and I related to him a certain principle which was presented by Joseph Smith at a conference in Illinois, before some fifteen thousand people. In speaking upon religious liberty, he said: "If I were the emperor of the world, and I had control of all the human family, I would sustain every man, woman and child on the face of the whole earth, in the enjoyment of their religion, let that religion be what it may." I have told the doctor that those were my sentiments. They are my sentiments today. I was much pleased with my interview with our friend, and I have been pleased with his address here today. I do not feel to find any fault with it.

I will say, for his benefit and any others that may be present, that one reason why we are strenuous in our faith and belief with regard to this being the Church of Christ, is because the Gospel we have received is the Gospel that Paul taught, and he said: "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Another reason is that the gifts and graces which were in the Church in the days of Christ and the Apostles are with us today and have been with us since the organization of this Church.

Now, I have a favor to ask of this congregation. This congregation is composed largely of Elders and members of the Church. There are many Elders here who have traveled abroad in the vineyard. Now, I say that many of the gifts and graces and miracles that were manifest in the days of Christ and the Apostles I have seen manifest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and so have you. Whoever has traveled as an Elder of Israel throughout the nations, and has been true and faithful unto God in administering in the ordinances of the house of God, has had the power of God upon him sufficient to receive those gifts and graces at the hands of the Lord. They have been with the Latter-day Saints. Now, I want every Elder who has ever preached abroad, and every man and woman who has ever been present when any of these gifts and graces have been manifest— when the sick have been healed, devils cast out, the lame made to leap, the blind to see, the deaf to hear—I want every man and woman who have seen manifested any of these gifts and graces that were in the ancient Church, to raise their right hand. I do not want anybody to bear testimony of this except those who have seen it. [In response to this request, a large majority of the congregation raised their hands.] I have seen the sick healed. I have seen devils cast out. The blind have seen, the deaf have heard; and all the gifts and graces have been with us. While I was in Herefordshire I helped carry a sister into the water who had not walked for twelve or fifteen years, and we baptized her. When we confirmed her she said she believed she had faith sufficient to be healed. President Young and Dr. Richards called upon me and I told them of this case. I wanted them to administer to her with me in confirming her. We laid hands on her, and President Young was mouth. That woman rose to her feet,