As we draw near the closing hour of this great inspirational conference, I think we can say in the words of Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration "Lord, it is good for us to be here"  Matt. 17:4

I believe conscientiously nearly every person who has assembled with the vast audiences beginning with the Relief Society last Wednesday to this moment may feel a gratitude in his or her heart for the conferences that have been held.

We can express this feeling in prayer and gratitude. At this moment we have a prayer in our hearts that the Lord will bless those of our number who are ailing. We pray that comfort and healing may attend our beloved brother Albert E. Bowen. What a strength he has been to me personally! Brother Bowen, I want you to know we are not unmindful of your loyalty and your hours and hours of devotion to the special assignment given you during the last two years. Today one heart, throughout the Church, says, "God bless you.

Brother Widtsoe, our prayers go to you, also. Your loyalty and faith we all know. Now, as your body is somewhat weakened, we unitedly pray our Father in heaven to sustain you.

Our hearts go out to those in the Church who are grieving and worried because of sore affliction to their loved ones, and to those who have recently been bereft of loved ones, particularly through polio. As I look over those to whom we should express appreciation, I notice the absence of Brother Roy Darley, one of our organists. He and his wife are at the bedside of their only son, stricken with polio. Our prayers go out to them, and to President Clark and his daughter. President Clark's little granddaughter, Luacine, has been suffering from that same affliction. We are thankful that she is recovering. We want the parents whose little child was stricken last evening, necessitating the father's being called out from the priesthood meeting, to know that our prayers are that that dread disease may not be fatal to your loved one.

That goes to all parents whose hearts are filled with anxiety because of afflicted ones. This is a prayerful Church. We are one body, and when one suffers we all, to a degree, share that suffering.

I wish to express appreciation for the sustaining help of these noble counselors, President Stephen L Richards and President J. Reuben Clark, Jr. No man—I make no exception—has been more blessed with the strength and wisdom, loyalty and devotion, of two counselors than I, and I express in your presence deep gratitude for their loyalty.

Likewise to the members of the Council of the Twelve and to the other General Authorities of the Church—I want them to understand that I am not unmindful of their willingness to minimize my weaknesses which often stand out so glaringly, and of their magnanimity in magnifying any virtue they might see. They are loyal men, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness  Matt. 6:33 Thank you, noble fellow workers!

We thank the members of the Church for their sustaining prayers in behalf of the General Authorities of the Church. You may know, we wish you to know, that these prayers are effective, and I wish to testify to you, to the Church, and to the world that the inspiration and protecting care of a kind Father in heaven are real. He is closer to the Church than anybody outside the Church—and some within the Church—realize.

The Lord is not just an absent, faraway source. He is a kind father, solicitous of the welfare of his children and ready and willing to hear and answer their call. The answer may be negative, as sometimes a wise parent gives a negative answer to the pleadings of a child, but he is ever ready to hear and to answer.

His Beloved Son stands at the head of this Church. It is his Church. Oh, may the world realize that in the very near future, open their minds to study the needs of the war-torn world, and see that those needs may be supplied by obedience to the principles of the revealed word of God!

This is Christ's Church. God help us all that we may be faithful members therein, and so live that others, seeing our good deeds, may be led to glorify our Father in heaven  Matt. 5:16

We wish to express appreciation to the choir. What a glorious work these faithful men and women are doing! We appreciate the effort and ability of the conductors, the organists, the officers of the choir, for their work at the conferences, and for their regular broadcasts.

We are grateful for the excellent weather we have enjoyed, unexcelled in all the world, grateful for the responsiveness of the audience to the messages that have been given, grateful for your co-operation, your ready adherence to any suggestion that will be helpful to the Church or to others.

We appreciate all who assisted in any way during this conference, the cooperation of the city officials, rendering ready and efficient service, the traffic officers who have stood at the crossings who have guarded well the safety, and perhaps the lives, of some who might have otherwise been injured, who might have placed their lives in jeopardy.

We are grateful for the flowers from kind hearts that were prompted to place these silent messengers of love here for your pleasure and your inspiration. We thank the ushers who have been so attentive, careful, who have kept these grounds so clean and neat, and in that respect we thank everyone of you for your assistance and care.

We are grateful to the radio stations for their gratuitous service in enabling thousands and thousands to hear the messages of the General Authorities of the Church.

Now, in conclusion, may I venture a suggestion. Twice, during the conference, reference has been made to the fact that we are approaching a general election, in which tension becomes high; sometimes feelings are engendered; often false reports are made; and innocent people are misjudged.

Recently we heard that in one meeting, for example, it was stated authoritatively by somebody that two members of the General Authorities had said that the General Authorities of the Church had held a meeting and had decided to favor one of the leading political parties over the other, here in this state particularly.

In Utah and surrounding states, contests for victory at the polls are being waged on national party lines. Regarding reports already received that the General Authorities of the Church have held a meeting and decided to wield their influence in favor of the candidates of one of these political parties, we will say:

This report is not true, and I take this opportunity here, publicly, to denounce such a report as without foundation in fact.

In the Church, there are members who favor the Democratic party. There are other members who sincerely believe and advocate the principles and ideals of the Republican party. The First Presidency, the Council of the Twelve, and other officers who constitute the General Authorities of the Church, preside over members of both political parties.

The President is President of the Church, not favoring in this election either political party. The welfare of all members of the Church is equally considered by the President, his Counselors, and the General Authorities. Both political parties will be treated impartially.

The Deseret News is the organ of the Church. It will be equally fair and impartial in the treatment of both political parties. This does not mean however, that error will be condoned. Teachings and ideologies subversive to the fundamental principles of this great Republic, which are contrary to the Constitution of the United States, or which are detrimental to the progress of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will be condemned, whether advocated by Republicans or Democrats.

We are all united in admonishing the members of the Church to register. We confirm the admonition already given from this pulpit regarding that important duty. We advocate the necessity of all members of the Church showing appreciation of your franchise, your citizenship, by voting, exercising your right to say who shall be your leaders. They become our servants. That is the spirit of the Constitution.

You hold the right—I hope we still have it—to say who shall direct this nation and who shall direct our affairs in state, county, and municipality. Everybody in Utah and our surrounding states where our people are influential should exercise this right.

Now in conclusion, my brethren, I should like to say just a word to the priesthood of the Church, eighteen thousand of whom gathered here last evening. Let us all follow the example of our great Leader and Savior, Jesus Christ, when he sat with his Twelve in that upper room and taught them the lesson of humility. He walked to the doorway where a basin of water stood, covered by a palm leaf, according to the custom of the day, girt himself with a towel as a servant, and washed the disciples' feet, and wiped them with the towel  John 13:4-7

You will remember that when he came to Peter, the chief Apostle protested: "Thou shalt never wash my feet."

"If I wash not thy feet thou shalt have neither part nor parcel with me."

"Nay then," said impetuous Peter, "Not my feet only, but my hands and my head" (see  John 13:8-9 and then after the Savior completed that ceremony, he ungirt himself, took his place at the head, and said:

"Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

"If I then, your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

"For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you"  John 13:13-15

In the 121st section of the Doctrine and Covenants, we have one of the greatest lessons in government ever given. I, as you, have studied pedagogy, a little psychology, but in principles of government I think you cannot find anywhere such sublime principles as follows:

"That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.

"That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man"  D&C 121:36-37

"We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.

"Hence many are called, but few are chosen.

"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by longsuffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

"By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—

"Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost"—not when moved upon by selfishness, retaliation, or enmity—"and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;

"That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death"  D&C 121:39-44

And to all, we close with this: "Let thy bowels also be full of charity toward all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God, and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

"The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever"  D&C 121:45-46

O Father, grant that we may magnify these high ideals of government and instill in our hearts and the hearts of those over whom we preside a love and confidence in thee and thy Beloved Son. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.