Gems of Reminiscence: Seventeenth Book of the Faith Promoting Series, Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Religion
Gems of Reminiscence: Seventeenth Book of the Faith Promoting Series, Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Missions
From Canada on the north to Mexico on the south there are thousands,
yes, tens of thousands, who can bear witness that this pledge, made
at Dresden, Germany, at midnight, was fulfilled by one of the most
devoted, unselfish, and self-sacrificing mortals who ever embraced the
gospel of Christ. For if any man ever gave his life, his heart, and
his soul for the advancement of this cause, Karl G. Maeser did so.
God heard and answered that prayer. Walking from the river in which
he was baptized, Karl G. Maeser was conversing upon the principles of
the gospel with the late Apostle Franklin D. Richards, and Brother
William Budge was acting as interpreter. Brother Richards talking in
English and Brother Maeser in German. They began their walk of several
miles to return home. After walking a short distance Brother Maeser
announced to Brother Budge that he need not interpret the answers, that
he understood them. Immediately thereafter, Brother Franklin said, "You
need not interpret those questions; I understand them." They walked for
miles, Franklin D. Richards answering questions in English, Karl G.
Maeser asking them in German, neither knowing the other's language, yet
by the inspiration of the Spirit of God, both understanding each other.
Do you tell me that I don't know that we have the gift of tongues in
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? As well tell me that
I do not know that I am standing here before you today. I have this
testimony from the lips of a man, than whom no more honest, no more
upright, no truer man ever drew the breath of life. When these two
men reached the bridge that spans the river Elbe, on their way into
the city of Dresden, they were separated, and when they reached the
other side of the bridge Brother Maeser again began asking questions,
but Brother Richards could not then understand him, nor could Brother
Maeser understand anything further that was said in reply; and they
were obliged to revert to Brother Budge's interpretation. Then Brother
Maeser turned to Brother Richards and said, "What does this mean, we
could understand each other for miles, and now we can't understand?"
"Brother Maeser," said Apostle Richards, "the Lord has given to you
a portion of the fruit of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as restored in
our day. For some wise reason he has allowed you to enjoy one of the
manifestations of the Spirit accompanying the true gospel of Christ."
Brother Maeser told me, with tears rolling down his cheeks, although
it had been nearly 50 years since he had that manifestation, that he
realized that God had heard and answered his prayers. At the close
of the incident I have related, Brother Maeser looked up again into
heaven, and he said: "O God, my Father in heaven, I will fulfil my
promise to give my life to this cause"; and he did it. He became
the grand old man, educationally, of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints--a man without a thought of personal aggrandizement,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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