takes planning . . .
Going to BYU is something special. It means a superior education at one of the world's great universities, with a beautiful new campus, outstanding faculty and unusually motivated students, where a bal- anced education combines the finest academic, physical and spiritual training in an ideal social climate. Standards are high and study is not easy at BYU; demand is great, but there is always room for the good scholar. Therefore, students planning to seek a superior BYU education should prepare and plan for it.
Students contemplating a college career at BYU should make sure that they are qualified and that all of the required steps have been taken for entrance. Remember, application for admission must be accompanied by two copies of the transcript of credits and scores of the American College Tests. Deadline for application is July 30. The American College Tests are given in every state. Obtain materials from your high school principal or counselor. One more test remains; it will be given June 25. You have until June 4 to register for it.
If you have any questions or need application materials, write to the BYU Office of Admissions and Records, Provo, Utah.
start planning today for your future at
BRIGHAM
YOUNG
UNIVERSITY
Exploring
the
Universe
By Dr. Franklin S. Harris Jr.
CELL. MEMORY
How can a cell carry within it all the genetic information to produce a complex organism? The original cell contains as many "bits" of in- formation as are contained in some 50 different 24-volume sets similar to the Encyclopedia Britannica. A "bit" is the amount of information in knowing whether an answer is yes or no.
PERSPIRATION RATE
Tests at Indiana University have found that a marked increase in perspiration rate occurs within a second and a half after beginning of muscular activity in a warm room.
CHIMP INVENTIVENESS
Studies by Jane Goodall at the Gombe Stream Game Reserve near Africa's Lake Tanganyika have shown that chimpanzees use a variety of tools and have a 20-word vocabulary. Miss Goodall found that chimps even fashion tools. She saw a chimp use a leaf as a napkin to wipe his sticky hands after eating. Another chimp crum- pled a leaf and used it as a sponge to soak up rainwater from a hollow log.
How to send
money
to missionaries
without
transfer cost
ifOflllMft out*
i! If
M
0
r
/jl
•^
'St Sera-- \ ;^(fiCZZ 3
\
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First Security Bank offers a special service for families or sponsors remitting funds to missionaries in the field. We provide either bank drafts for foreign destinations or cashier's checks free of charge, regardless of the amount -- and they are cashable anywhere. Whether your missionary is in the United States or abroad you may safely send any amount required, and there are no delays because you send the bank draft or cashier's check yourself. Both are readily available at any one of our 98 banking offices in 76 Intermountain communities. There is a First Security Bank near you.
For safe, sure and low cost handling of your own money, First Security provides:
BANK MONEY ORDERS — ideal for people who have an occasional need to send money. They are redeemable anywhere, completely safe and cost considerably less than postal money orders.
CHECKING ACCOUNTS — Choose either our REGULAR or pay-as-you-go CHECKWAY plans. A generous supply of checks comes with your name and address printed FREE with either account. Come in and see which is best lor you.
First Security Banks
Members Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
JUNE 1966
465
The Improvement Era
The Voice of the Church
Official organ of the Priesthood Quorums, Mutual Improvement Associations, Home Teaching, Music Committee, Department of Education, and other agencies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints
Contents for June 1966
Volume 699 Number 6
Church Features
The Editor's Page: Only One Standard of Morality,
President David O. McKay (General Priesthood Meeting Address) .... 476 Statement on Communism 477
General Conference Addresses 490-555
The Reality of the Resurrection, President David O. McKay 491
Response to Duty, President David O. McKay 554
He Lives-All Glory to His Name, President Hugh B. Brown 493
He Is Not Dead, President N. Eldon Tanner 496
The Signs of the Lord's Coming, President Joseph Fielding Smith 499
The Church Moves On, 468; General Conference Index, 474; Melchizedek Priesthood: A Time for Priesthood Scholarship, 572; Presiding Bishopric's Page, 574.
Special Features
Teaching: Teaching for Commitment, Dale T. Tingey ... 478
Testimony and a Liberal Education, Clair L. Wyatt 480
Home Happiness 483
Genealogy: The Ward Record Examination Program 484
James A. Cullimore, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve,
Albeit L. Zobell, Jr - 488
Best of Movies, Howard Pearson 569
The Spoken Word from Temple Square, Richard L. Evans ....473, 560, 580, 584 Since Cumorah, Hugh Nibley 582
Exploring the Universe, Franklin S. Harris, Jr., 465; These Times: Estados Unidos do Brasil, G. Homer Durham, 470; Letters and Reports, 472.
The Era of Youth .. 585
The Last Word 600
Family and Home Features
Today's Family, Florence B. Pinnock, Editor
Cleanliness Is Just Good Sense y 576
Home, Sweet Home 579
Stories, Poetry
Nesting Instinct, Doris S. Feet 486
Poetry 473, 556, 558
ART AND PHOTO CREDITS
Art:
465, 576, 600 -Ed -Maryon
486 - Ted Nagata
478, 573, 575 - Dale Kilboum
579 - Fae Barson Call
588, 592-595 - Jerry Thompson
591 -Travis Winn
598 — Sherry Johnson
Lettering:
470, 476, 486, 572 Scanlon
Maurice
Photos:
569 — Paramount Pictures 490-555 - Robert Perine 585, 596 -Eldon Linschoten
ERA POLICY REGARDING ADVERTISING OF DRINKS CONTAINING CAFFEINE
The Improvement Era does not accept advertising for bever- ages that contain caffeine. A number of inquiries have been received concerning the Tab soft drink ad that appears on page 233 of the March 1966 issue. Before accepting this ad, we had the drink analyzed for caffeine content by the Utah State Chemist's office. The test number is 66-C404, February 10, 1966. Their report reads: "Caffeine: none." DLG
The Improvement Era Offices, 79 South State, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
David O. McKay and Richard L. Evans, Editors; Doyle L. Green, Managing Editor; Albert L. Zobell, Jr., Research Editor; Carter E. Grant, Darold M.
Marlowe, Mabel Jones Gabbott, Jay M. Todd, Eleanor Knowles, Editorial Associates; Florence B. Pinnock, Today's Family Editor; Marion D. Hanks, The
Era of Youth Editor; Elaine Cannon, The Era of Youth Associate Editor; Keitii Montague, The Era of Youth Art Director; Ralph Reynolds, General Art
Director; Norman F. Price, Staff Artist.
G. Homer Durham, Franklin S. Harris, Jr., Hugh Nibley, Sidney B. Sperry. Alma A. Gardiner, Contributing Editors.
G. Carlos Smith, Jr., General Manager; Florence S. Jacobsen, Associate General Manager; Verl F. Scott, Business Manager; A. Glen Snarr, Subscription
Director; Thayer Evans, S. Glenn Smith, Advertising Representatives.
©General Superintendent, Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1966, and published by the Mutual Improvement Associations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved. Subscription price, $3.00 a year, in advance; multiple subscrip- tions, 2 years, $5.75; 3 years, $8.25; each succeeding year, $2.50 a year added to the three-year price.
Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah as second-class matter. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, act of October 1917, authorized July 2, 1918.
The Improvement Era is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts but welcomes contributions. Manuscripts are paid for on acceptance, and must be ac- companied by sufficient postage for delivery and return.
Thirty days' notice is required for change of address. When ordering a change, please include address slip from a recent issue of the magazine. Address changes cannot be made unless the old address as well as the new one is included.
THE cover
This month's cover picture as well as the pictures in the con- ference section beginning on page 490 were taken on Temple Square during April Conference by Robert Perine, bishop of the Laguna Beach (California) Ward. Our cover photograph is usually reproduced in full color, but because of the unusual nature of this photograph taken with the aid of the newly developed fish-eye lens, we thought our readers would enjoy this picture reproduced in black and white.
466
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
FOUR GREAT BOOKS
Suggested reading that will grace your LDS home library - start
filling your shelves with wholesome and inspiring reading now.
Joseph Fielding Smith's Latest!
VOLUME V of ANSWERS TO GOSPEL QUESTIONS
01
'ii ,
«w»
-A
A worthy addition to the four previous volumes in the series. Volume V contains a complete appendix listing alphabetically all the questions answered in this and previous volumes.
Here's why you'll want Volume V of AN SWERS TO GOSPEL QUESTIONS, topics include:
• Use of cola drinks and playing games of chance
• Adam is not the Father of Jesus Christ
• Was the Apostle Paul Married?
• What is the Meaning of First Death?
• Organic Evolution and the Age of Man
• Why Do We Not Observe Good Friday?
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Questions most often asked by individuals are "WHO AM I?" . . . "WHERE DID I COME FROM!" ..."WHAT IS MY DESTINY?" This volume will give answers to these age old questions that have per- plexed men since the beginning of time. Authoritative and well-documented, it explains the meaning of earth-life existence from the concepts revealed from God in this dispensation.
THE LITTLE THINGS $2.50
by Mirla Greenwood Thavne
Here is a book written from the heart of a Mormon mother who understands the joys of little things . . . flowers, small children, violin music, planting seeds, crawling into a bed with clean sheets, Heaven's peace in the presence of death . . . these and many other things of the heart.
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JUNE 1966
467
AMERICAN INCENTIVE TO READ
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The Church
Moves
On
MARCH 1966
ff| Rialto (California) Stake was formed from parts of San Bernardino Stake with Wayne A. Reeves, president of the parent stake, sustained as head of the new stake. His counselors are Joseph W. Cook and R. Eugene Higbee. Rialto, the 415th stake now functioning in the Church, was created by Elder LeGrand Richards of the Council of the Twelve and Elder Franklin D. Richards, assistant to the Twelve.
Shirley H. Bogh was sustained as president of San Bernardino Stake with Donald L. Hansen and Morris C. Whitlock as coun- selors. Presidents Bogh and Hansen had been counselors to Presi- dent Reeves.
Walter F. Ririe was sustained as president of Rexburg ( Idaho ) Stake with Clyde L. Thomas and Warren R. Widdison as counselors. President Ririe succeeds President Delbert G. Taylor, whom he served as first counselor. J. Wendell Stucki was released as second counselor.
The new annex of the Salt Lake Temple was opened for use today.
The appointment of Mrs. Patricia S. Ashton of Salt Lake City to the general board of the Young Women's Mutual Improve- ment Association was announced.
L. Edward Perry was sustained as president of Portland West (Oregon) Stake with Ronald K. Tall and Bryant A. Alder as
counselors. President Perry and Counselor Tall were serving as
counselors to retiring President C. Carlile Carlson.
The Sound of Music received the first annual award as the best family movie of the year at a banquet in Provo, Utah, sponsored by The Improvement Era, Deseret News, KSL Television and Radio, and Brigham Young University. President N. Eldon Tanner of the First Presidency presented a two-foot-high silver trophy, topped by a figure representing high achievement, to Harry K. Sokolov, Twentieth Century-Fox film executive, and Charmian Carr, teen-age star of the movie.
APRIL 1966
Captain Norman K. Bryner, Captain Arnold T. Ellsworth, and Captain Claude D. Newby were three Latter-day Saints among
the 52 chaplains recently graduated from the U. S. Army Chaplain
School, Fort Hamilton, New York.
With President David O. McKay presiding and speaking briefly, the 136th annual conference of the Church opened in the Salt Lake Tabernacle.
Elder James A. Cullimore of Oklahoma City was sustained this morning as an assistant to the Council of the Twelve. (See page 490.) (Continued on page 584)
468
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
1. THOUGHTS FOR ONE HUNDRED DAYS
by Richard L. Evans
Selected from "Thou- ghts for the Day" and "The Spoken Word" as heard on radio.
2. IN THE GOSPEL NET
by Dr. John A. Widtsoe
A moving story of family life in the Church and faith in the Gospel. Gospel.
$2.25
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3. YOU AND THE DESTINY OF THE INDIANS |
||
|
: . : .â– -: |
||
|
i.SP |
Ely. |
by Dean L. Larsen Who is the Indian, and what is your responsi- bilty to him? Docu- mented by the Book of Mormon. $1.00 |
â– m
4. LDSCHILDRENS' STORYBOOK
compiled by Fern Hunter
Delightful and instruc- tive stories especially selected for LDS chil- dren.
$3.00
SUMMER READING
AND GIFT
SUGGESTIONS
FROM
BOOKCRAFT
WHY ANPf HOW
PRINCIPLES AND NATIONAL SURWAL
6. PROPHETS, PRINCIPLES AND NATIONAL SURVIVAL
compiled by Jerreld L. Newquist
Read what the General Authorities of the Church have said about issues now facing our nation. $4 95
7. THE TRAVEL GUIDE TO HISTORIC MORMON AMERICA
Maps, photos and historical facts tracing the Church's movement across America. A must if you're traveling to the East or Mid- west this summer. $1.95
WHEAT FOR MAN, WHY AND HOW
Written and compiled by Vernice G. Rosenvall, Mabel H. Miller and Dora D. Flack
Newly revised and en- larged edition. Hund- reds of tested recipes developed expressly for the use of stone- ground whole wheat flour. $1.50
8. COMPREHEN- SIVE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
byT3. H. Roberts
Volumes I thru IV are now available in Bookcraft's out- standing reduced price edition.
$4.50 per vol.
9. BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE
Deluxe binder in black and dark blue with gold embossed Angel Moroni, Oakland or St. George Temple. Also available in white, light blue and brown without temple or Angel Moroni imprint. $5.50
10. OUR TEMPLE MARRIAGE BOOK
Lovely white cover with gold or silver embossed title. $7.00
11. OUR WEDDING BOOK
Attractive white cover with gold or silver embossed title. $7.00
12. LDS BABY BOOK
Handsome cover in pink, blue or white with gold or silver embossed title. $4.50
13. Handsome black vinyl zipper cover for Bible or Triple.
$1.75
I
ORDER
FROM YOUR
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DEALER OR
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BOOKCRAFT
JUNE !966
BOOKCRAFT
1186 South Main St. Salt Lake City, Utah
BOOKCRAFT: 6-66
Please send the following circled books for which I have enclosed check or money order in the amount of $
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. (Vol.). . .
9. (color) (Imprint) 10. (gold) (silver)
11. (gold) (silver) 12. (color) (gold) (silver)
13. (Bible) (Triple)
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SUGGESTED MUSIC
FOR MIA STAKE
CONFERENCES
The Lord Is a Mighty God 20
Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words To Each Other 25
The Morning Breaks .20
Let the Mountains Shout
For Joy 25
Jesus Name of Wond'rous
Love 25
Still, Still With Thee ..: .25
The Everlasting Arms .25
Sheep May Safely Graze 25
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As this goes to press the first LDS stake is organized in South America at Sao Paulo, Brazil. Seven wards and one branch were created to serve 3,000 members in the area.
OEstados Unidos do Brasil, gener- ally known in the English language as "Brazil," is the largest nation of the South American continent. In- ternational diplomacy became aware of this fact in the days of the League of Nations. As the largest state in size and in popula- tion among all Latin American states, Brazil contended for a place as a permanent member of the Council of that organization. She resigned in 1926 when that place was denied her. Similar feelings exist with respect to the Security Council of the United Nations, suc- cessor organ to the Council of the old League. To understand the sensitive feelings and position of Brazilians is to understand more of the world in these times.
Perhaps the most important fact about Brazil is its Portuguese lan- guage, setting it apart from its
1lniM
(BiM
THESE TIMES
By Dr. G. Homer Durham
President, Arizona State University, Tempe
Spanish-speaking neighbors. Until the passage of the National Defense Education Act by the U.S. Congress in 1958, the study of Portuguese throughout the United States was almost nonexistent. Portuguese ranked with Chinese, Arabic, Rus- sian, and Japanese among the "critical" languages in which short- age of American know-how existed, together with a number of less well-known tongues.
Brazil became Portuguese rather than Spanish by decision of Pope Alexander VI, May 4, 1493, modi- fied by Spanish and Portuguese commissioners. Its status as colony changed in March 1808, when the Emperor Dom Joao established his throne in Rio de Janeiro to escape invasion from Napoleon's army in Lisbon. Dom Joao returned to Lis- bon in 1821 but left his son, Dom Pedro, in Brazil. Brazil became in- dependent, with Dom Pedro as emperor, in 1822. He was suc- ceeded by his son, Dom Pedro II, who reigned personally from July 23, 1840, until November 15, 1889, nearly fifty years. This American monarchy ended with a bloodless coup that deposed the emperor on
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
November 15, 1889. A republic followed, led by a series of military- leaders. The republic today has 22 states, a federal district, and several territories.
The area of Brazil is about 3,286,270 square miles, larger than the USA (3,022,387) if Alaska and Hawaii are excluded. With Alaska and Hawaii the USA is larger with 3,628,150. Whereas the 1960 cen- sus shows 183,285,009 population for the USA, the 1962 Brazilian government's estimate was 75,271,- 000 for the great southern republic. The presence of the heavily wooded basin of the Amazon River, 1,465,- 637 square miles of it in Brazil, explains part of the population dif- ference. The future of this huge domain, with its network of navi- gable streams and potential riches, constitutes one of the earth's great frontiers.
Brazil has thirteen sizable cities. Two of them rank among the world's largest. The World Al- manac lists Sao Paulo as the larger, with 3,850,000 people, followed by Rio de Janeiro's 3,307,163.
Brazil is a world leader in the production of livestock, coffee, cas- tor beans, oranges, cocoa, sugar, rubber, manganese, high-grade quartz crystals, industrial dia- monds, chrome, beryllium, high- grade iron, and gold.
LDS missionary activity in Brazil dates from 1929 as part of a South American Mission under President Reinhold Stoof. Formal establish- ment of a Brazilian mission came February 9, 1935, when President Rulon S. Ho wells was called for that purpose, with headquarters in Sao Paulo. An edition of the Book of Mormon in Portuguese appeared in Brazil in 1940. At first, beginning with President Stoof, missionary work was among German-speaking Brazilians. The shift in Portuguese began systematically in 1938. Fol- lowing World War II the mission came to depend on Portuguese.
President David O. McKay vis- ited Brazil in January 1954. In September 1959 the Brazilian South Mission was organized and sepa- rated from the Brazilian Mission. The establishment of these separate enterprises has produced fruitful and beneficial results. The full consequences for such a large and developing nation and for the world are yet to be appreciated in these times.
JOSEPH E. KJAR Chairman
GEORGE M.
Director
Attorney
CANNON
CLARENCE H. TINGEY President
MARK B. GARFF Senior Vice-President Chairman L.D.S. Church Building Committee
Outstanding
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T. WILLIAM COCKAYNE Director Vice-President, Utah-Idaho Sugar Co.
HUGH B. BROWN
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L.D.S. Church '
EMERSON L. HARDY Vice-President
FRANKLIN J.
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Director
Murdock Travel Bureau
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New 5% savings certificates are available on savings of $500 or more (additional amounts in $100 increments).
Regular 4% passbook savings provide greater availability for your money.
Free checking accounts are available when you maintain a $300 minimum balance.
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Letters
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FROM MID-PACIFIC TO ATLANTIC COAST: GOLD MEDALLIONS
On opposite sides of this broad country, young women are receiving the Gold Medallion award for seven individual awards in MIA work.
In Hawaii: Yvonne Leimomo Kaohu, Honomakau Branch, Hawaii Mission. Yvonne has had opportunity to serve in a multitude of positions in her branch, including in both the counselor positions in the YWMIA, as a Sunday School and Primary teacher, and four years as a seminary officer.
Also in Hawaii: Emylee Mae Belcher. Utahn attending school at the Church College of Hawaii. Emylee's home ward is Union Fifth Ward, East Jordan Stake. She has excelled in sports herself and used them as an effective tool to help other girls become active in the Church. She served as sports director of both Church College wards, was on the college track team, and is vice-president of women's intramurals on campus.
In New Jersey: Marilyn Baldwin, BYU student. Marilyn earned six awards in Blackfoot, Idaho, and (he seventh in Short Hills Ward, New Jersey Stake.
And: Rebecca Cotter, Short Hills Ward, who earned three awards in a "home" Mutual program with her mother as teacher in Italy, where there was no branch for her to attend. At the 1964 New Jersey Stake youth conference, she was selected as an outstanding example of young LDS womanhood.
Rebecca Cotter
Emylee Belcher
Yvonne Kaohu
Marilyn Baldwin
472
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
EVEN AS THE FATHER
BY MABEL JONES GABBOTT
"He that seeth me," he said, "hath seen
The Father. . . ." They recalled his healing hands
Gently touch unseeing eyes, his keen
Ear tune to sparrow's song; and on the sands
Of Galilee his sandaled feet pace mile
On mile, tirelessly; they knew the way
His eyes looked through a heart; they saw him smile.
"He that hath seen me . . ." they heard him say.
Thus day by day he taught them till each word
Had built a bridge of truth to know this Man
He knew, whom they remembered not; they heard,
Believed, and so the miracle began. .
Then Jesus prayed: "Our Father . . ." and men arose
With greater stature, dignity, and grace,
Aware of kinship with a Maker whose
Beloved Son could lift them to his place.
| THE SPOKEN WORD -
THE PATTERN, THE PURPOSE
RICHARD L. EVANS
In the highs and lows of life, the variability of it, unhappiness and happiness, despair and hope, there is much to make us search ourselves, our hearts, our plans, our purposes, and much to make us search the meaning of it all. We read history; we see its cycles; we see men who seemingly have done much to move the world, and men who scarcely seem to make a ripple on the surface. And sometimes we may wonder about the pattern, the purpose. We see a little; we understand a little; we have some insights, but the great immensity of space, the great broad-sweeping purposes, the infinity of all there is to know, the wonder of it all, are overwhelming, yet reassuring, as we search and hope and pray— and learn and do and endure— and come to an awareness that all people have problems, discouragements, yet reasons for faith. Even the Savior of mankind, the divine begotten Son of God, was little under- stood, seldom thanked, yet showed patience and compassion; and yet with all his divine power he submitted himself to die and redeemed us from death. And in all our wondering and searching there is this assur- ance: that the world wasn't begotten by chance, nor was life. There is purpose. There is reason: reason for faith, for truth and decency, for meeting obligations, for living in goodness, for living by law, for keeping the commandments; reason for faithfulness in family love and loyalty, in all the everlasting relationships of life. And so, as Robert Louis Stevenson said, each ". . . day returns and brings us the petty round of irritating concerns and duties. Help us to play the man, help us to perform. . . . Give us to go . . . on our business all this day, bring us to our resting beds weary and content and undishonored, and grant us in the end the gift of sleep." Help us to be patient; to find hope, faith, understanding; to know that there are deeper purposes than all the scuffs and ripples of the surface. God bless all people with problems, which, indeed, is all of us.
"The Spoken Word" from Temple Square, presented over KSL and the Columbia Broadcasting System April 3, 1966. Copyright 1966.
This patented
Hammond feature
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Hammond's patented reverberation unit brings living sound to any church's music. It assures true, rich organ ef- fects, helps overcome any deficiencies in acoustics.
It's so effective even basement chap- els and those with the poorest acousti- cal values "come alive" with vibrant sound. So think of the beauty it could bring to your church.
And it's so unique, it's patented. Hammond Organs have many other superior features, too! Features that can save your church money such as the Hammond tone wheel system which never needs tuning. All but eliminates maintenance cost.
If you are on your church organ committee, make sure that your ap- praisal of organs includes the Hammond Organ, the choice of over 50,000 com- mittees. Your dealer will be glad to arrange a demonstration.
To help you select an organ, Ham- mond offers an informative booklet, "So Now You're on the Organ Com- mittee." Your dealer can give you one free. Or send in the coupon below.
©1966 Hammond Organ Co.
HAMMOND ORGAN COMPANY
box CK66
4200 W. DIVERSEY AVENUE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60639
Please send me free a copy of your new booklet, "So Now You're on the Organ
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JUNE 1966
473
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Conference
Index
SPEAKERS
Benson, Ezra Taft 545
Brockbank, Bernard P 500
Brown, Hugh B 493
Brown, Victor L 503
Burton, Theodore M 508
Christiansen, EIRay L 510
Critchlow, William J., Jr 514
Cullimore, James A 547
Dunn, Paul H 542
Dyer, Alvin R 544
Evans, Richard L 532
Hanks, Marion D 552
Hinckley, Gordon B 530
Hunter, Howard W 515
Kimball, Spencer W 523
Lee, Harold B 521
Longden, John 511
McConkie, Bruce R 527
McKay, David 0 476, 477, 491, 554
Monson, Thomas S 519
Packer, Boyd K 550
Petersen, Mark E 507
Richards, Franklin D. 548
Richards, LeGrand 540
Romney, Marion G 535
Sill, Sterling W 502
Simpson, Robert L 517
Smith, Eldred G 512
Smith, Joseph Fielding 499, 538
Sonne, Alma 526
Stapley, Delbert L 504
Tanner, N. Eldon 496, 538
Taylor, Henry D 529
Tuttle, A. Theodore 549
Vandenberg, John H. 533
SUBJECTS
Atheism 493
Bishops 503
Chastity 491
Church duties 554
Civil rights 493
Communism 477
Constitution, U.S 535
Death 552
Duty 515, 556
Easter 530
Endurance 504, 512, 521
Faith 526, 530, 540, 550
Fear 515
Forgiveness 503
Four Gospels 527
Free agency 535
Genealogy 508
Godhead 514
Golden Rule 507
Holy Ghost 540
Home 491
Jesus Christ 476, 493, 527, 530, 545
Knowledge 543
Love 507, 515, 532
Loyalty 549, 556
Maturity 546
Meaning of life 544
Missionaries 500, 540, 552
Motivation 515
Obedience 529, 533
Prayer 539
Priesthood 538
Procrastination 523
Repentance 499, 503
Resurrection 476, 493, 519, 545
Second coming 499, 502, 510
Service 538, 549
Sins 503, 521
Socialism 535
Temptations 491, 504
Testimony 551
Time 511
Tithing 517, 540, 552
Tribulation 521
United Order 535
Vision of Lehi 504
Word of Wisdom 496, 550
World's Fair 500
Worth 554
Youth 491, 530, 546, 554
NOTE: President Thorpe B. Isaacson of the First Presidency and Presidents Antoine R. Ivins, S. Dilworth Young, and Milton R. Hunter of the First Council of the Seventy did not address the conference.
JUNE 1966
47S
THE EDITOR'S PAGE / BY PRESIDENT DAVID O. McKAY
Because of the importance of President McKay's priesthood meeting address, and with his permission, we present it as his Editor's Page this month.
• It is a joy and a great privilege to meet with this vast audience of priest- hood members gathered in this historic Tabernacle, the Assembly Hall, and more than four hundred other build- ings throughout the United States and Canada. I extend my affectionate greetings and blessings to each of you.
"I charge thee . . .", wrote Paul to Timothy, "before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ. . . ;
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doc- trine." (2 Tim. 4:1-2.)
In the same letter he prophetically declared, ". . . that in the last days perilous times shall come.
"For men shall be lovers of their own selves, . . .
". . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. . . ." (2 Tim. 3:1-2, 4-5.)
It is in the spirit of Paul's charge and prophecy that I call attention to the rising crime wave that is sweeping over the country. Few will question that we are living in perilous times and that many people have lost their moorings and are being "tossed to and fro, . . . with every wind of doc- trine, by the sleight of men, and cun- ning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (Eph. 4:14.)
Crime is costing this nation twenty- seven billion dollars a year and an annual toll of death, injury, suffering and anguish for thousands of Ameri- cans.
Just recently Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, in referring to the decline in moral standards, said, "Most radical social changes come slowly. But not this time. It is almost as if the demonic powers in sex — and make no mistake, sex has its demonic side — had been released in a sudden explosion that has blasted away the restraints and tradi- tions of centuries. The spark that has set off this explosion is a twisted con- cept of freedom, a 'new freedom' that too often leaves its adherents in chains." And then Dr. Peale gives a Newsweek report which states: "Un-
doubtedly the key to the new morality is the widespread belief that a boy and girl who have established what the college calls a meaningful relationship have the moral right to sleep together."
The young people want to know what difference it makes if no one is getting hurt, but Dr. Peale says, "This sounds fine in theory, but multiply this attitude by millions of eager experi- ments and what do you get? You get such statistics as these: 'Between the years 1940 and 1957 the illegiti- macy rate increased: 112 percent in the 15-19 age group; 300 percent in the 20-24 age group; 462 percent in the 25- 29 age group; 478 percent in the 30-34 age group; 456 percent in the 35-39 age group; and 196 percent in the 40-44 age group.
" 'Venereal disease among adoles- cents rose 130 percent between the years 1956 and 1961. The illegitimacy rate has tripled since 1953. By 1970, ten-million Americans will have been born out of wedlock. Forty percent of the unwed mothers are between the ages of 15 and 19.'
"No one is getting hurt?" continues Dr. Peale. "What a laugh! What a hollow, tragic, gruesome laugh! And the hurt is not confined to individuals; it damages and degrades our nation throughout the world. From the begin- ning of recorded history, men have known that the sex drive had to be controlled if civilization was to replace anarchy. Dr. J. D. Unwin, Historian of the Cambridge University, made a study of eighty civilizations ranging over a period of four-thousand years and concluded that a society either chooses sexual promiscuity and decline, or sexual discipline and creative energy. Writes Dr. Unwin: 'Any human society is free to choose either to display great energy, or to enjoy sexual freedom; the evidence is that they cannot do both for more than one generation.' " (Excerpt from Sin, Sex and Self-Control by Dr. Norman Vin- cent Peale, pp. 49, 53-56.)
One important cause of the increase in delinquency, especially in our youth, is a letdown in home ideals. A growing desire for economic indepen- dence or a too eager willingness to improve financial circumstances has influenced a great many mothers to neglect the greatest of all responsibili- ties— the rearing of a family.
J. Edgar Hoover, the national direc- tor of the Federal Bureau of Investiga- tion, makes the definite statement that "in the background of these youthful offenders lies the story of shocking neglect. Boys and girls are being deprived of the care and guidance necessary to the proper foundation of their characters. Their lawlessness had its roots in every instance in broken homes, in homes where mothers and fathers because of their neglect, mis- understanding, or irresponsibility had failed in their primary obligation. More often than not, God was un- known, or, more important, was unwelcome in their homes. On the other hand, in nearly every instance the youthful offender would have been a strong, upright citizen had he been given a chance."
The inspiration of God is seen in requiring the Latter-day Saints to keep their homes intact and to teach their children the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. "And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord." This com- mand from the Lord, given to us in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 68, verse 28, leaves no question as to the responsibility of parents to teach their children — a responsibility too frequently shifted to the shoulders of the Church, public schools, and offi- cers of the law.
I believe that parents in the Church generally are teaching their children the gospel, yet I am convinced that there is still much opportunity for improvement in this regard, especially in light of present-day conditions. I am grateful and pleased that so many are responding to our program for the family home evening, in which par- ents gather their children around them and instruct them in truth and righteousness and in family love and loyalty. A great number of families have testified to the rich blessings that have come to them from these family home evenings.
If you ask me where I first received my unwavering faith in the existence of a God, I would answer you: in the home of my childhood — when Father and Mother invariably called their children around them in the morning and at night and invoked God's blessing upon the household and upon mankind. There was a sincerity in that
476
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
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good patriarch's voice that left an un- dying impression in the souls of his children, and Mother's prayers were equally impressive. I ask tonight that every father in the Church see to it that in all sincerity he impress his children with the reality of the exis- tence of God and with the reality that God will guide and protect his chil- dren. You carry that responsibility. Home is one of the units — the funda- mental unit — of society. Before I heard my father testify that he had heard a divine voice, I knew that he lived near to. his Maker. I also know, through a nearness to that same Eternal Father since, that my father told the truth when he said that when he was on his mission in Scotland, in answer to fervent prayer, he received the follow- ing admonition given in audible tones: "Testify that Joseph Smith is a prophet of the living God." Such is the reality of the true Latter-day Saint's concep- tion of God the Father.
Ever since the organization of the Church, its leaders have raised their voices warning that infidelity and sexual immorality are two principal evils that threaten to weaken and to wreck present-day civilization. Unfor- tunately, the trends of modern life are disintegrating the very foundation of the Christian home. Sexual laxity, in- temperance, and crime are its insidious and vicious enemies.
In the Church there is but one standard of morality. No young man has any more right to sow his wild oats in youth than has a young girl; she is taught that second only to the crime of taking human life is that of losing her virtue, and that should be also the ideal among young men.
I know from experience that the world does not believe us when we tell them that that ideal is followed in the Church, but we know in our hearts it is true. That young man who comes to his bishop and asks for a recommend to take a pure girl to the altar is expected to give just the same purity that he expects to receive.
No one can transgress the laws of chastity and find peace. That is the message that we must give as parents and priesthood members to the young men and women and all others throughout the Church. No matter what the (Continued on page 554)
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Statement concerning the position of the Church on Com- munism, made by President David O. McKay at the general priesthood session of the 136th Annual Conference of the Church, held in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, Saturday, April 9, 1966, at 7:00 p.m., read by Robert R. McKay.
• In order that there may be no misunderstandings by bishops, stake presidents, and others regarding members of the Church participating in nonchurch meetings to study and become informed on the Constitution of the United States, Communism, etc., I wish to make the following statements that I have been sending out from my office for some time and that have come under question by some stake authorities, bishoprics, and others.
Church members are at perfect liberty to act according to their own consciences in the matter of safeguarding our way of life. They are, of course, encouraged to honor the highest standards of the gospel and to work to preserve their own free- doms. They are free to participate in nonchurch meetings that are held to warn people of the threat of Communism or any other theory or principle that will deprive us of our free agency or individual liberties vouchsafed by the Constitution of the United States.
The Church, out of respect for the rights of all its members to have their political views and loyalties, must maintain the strictest possible neutrality. We have no intention of trying to interfere with the fullest and freest exercise of the political franchise of our members under and within our Constitution, which the Lord declared he established "by the hands of wise men whom [he] raised up unto this very purpose" (D&C 101:80) and which, as to the principles thereof, the Prophet Joseph Smith, dedicating the Kirtland Temple, prayed should be "established forever." (D&C 109:54.) The Church does not yield any of its devotion to or convictions about safeguarding the American principles and the establishments of government under federal and state constitutions and the civil rights of men safeguarded by these.
The position of this Church on the subject of Communism has never changed. We consider it the greatest satanical threat to peace, prosperity, and the spread of God's work among men that exists on the face of the earth.
In this connection, we are continually being asked to give our opinion concerning various patriotic groups or individuals who are fighting Communism and speaking up for freedom. Our immediate concern, however, is not with parties, groups, or per- sons, but with principles. We therefore commend and encourage every person and every group who is sincerely seeking to study Constitutional principles and awaken a sleeping and apathetic people to the alarming conditions that are rapidly advancing about us. We wish all of our citizens throughout the land were participating in some type of organized self-education in order that they could better appreciate what is happening and know what they can do about it.
Supporting the FBI, the police, the congressional committees investigating Communism, and various organizations that are attempting to awaken the people through educational means is a policy we warmly endorse for all our people.
The entire concept and philosophy of Communism is dia- metrically opposed to everything for which the Church stands — belief in. Deity, belief in. the dignity and eternal nature of man, and the application of the gospel to efforts for peace in the world. Communism is militantly atheistic and is committed to the destruction of faith wherever it may be found.
The Russian Commissar of Education wrote: "We must hate Christians and Christianity. (Continued on page 580)
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JUNE 1966
477
Teach- mg for Commit
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BY DALE T. TINGEY. PH.D
ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR OF SEMINARIES AND INSTITUTES OF RELIGION
teaching
CONDUCTED BY THE CHURCH SCHOOL SYSTEM
On a visit to the campus of a
large university, the writer
was introduced to twelve
outstanding college
students who had recent-
joined the Church. Each had a fascinating story to relate on how he or she was brought to a knowl- edge of the divinity of the Church. One young lady who had been active in the institute of religion program for over a year and a half related how she enjoyed the teach- ings and the program of the Church but felt that it really did not apply in her. life. Two weeks prior to this visit, a dedicated in- structor had helped her realize that the gospel would have little value in her life until she committed her- self, heart and soul, to make the principles of the restored Church a part of her daily living. She said that once she was committed to do-
ing what the Lord required for en- trance into his kingdom, her whole life was immediately changed; her doubts vanished; she received strength to meet the problems that faced her in joining the Church. But most important, she received a witness of the truthfulness of the gospel.
It is this type of commitment that is needed in the lives of youth if they are to have the strength and vitality to meet the challenge of service and leadership in the Church. Only when they commit themselves to standards, principles, and commandments do these facets of the Church and kingdom of God on earth have value in their lives. Young people who are the most unhappy are those who know cor- rect principles but live by a waver- ing standard, depending on whom they associate with and the cir- cumstances in which they find themselves. A recent nationwide study of youth by a leading maga- zine shows that a majority of the nation's young people live accord- ing to vascillating standards, re- sulting in unhappiness, insecurity, anxiety, and aimlessness.
A values survey by Cornell Uni-
versity found that "the students' beliefs are secular in the sense that religious activities cannot com- pete by comparison with the family-centeredness, the work-cen- teredness, and even the leisure- centeredness of their society." The researchers found little or no evi- dence of "absolute conviction or adherence" and ended by calling student belief "secular religion." (This Week Magazine, March 8, 1964, page 6. ) This type of religious sterility places our young people in a position stated by Paul: ". . . tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind and doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Eph. 4:14.)
If the Church is to continue to produce an ever-increasing num- ber of committed leaders, dedicated missionaries, influential teachers, and worthy parents, the youth of the Church must be brought to a conviction and to a commitment to live the principles of the gospel.
The teachers of youth in the Church must get the gospel "in- side" their students and not have them merely wear it as a badge or feel that they belong to just "an-
other organization" by virtue of their membership in the Church. An effective teacher got the point across to his students when he came to class wearing a large yeast pill on his lapel. When queried by the students as to the reason for the pill, he replied, "Don't you know that yeast is very good for the body?" The class agreed that yeast was good for the body but em- phatically retorted that it would certainly do the body no good hanging on the lapel. The teacher was then able to point out how many wear their religion on the outside with little or no personal benefit— with no appreciable change in their lives for good.
On one occasion the Savior made a succinct statement that should have deep meaning in teaching. He said, "There is nothing from with- out a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man." (Mark 7:15.) It is not what goes into a person that makes him righteous but that which comes out of him— his thoughts, his words, and his deeds. The great teacher Galileo said, (Continued on page 556)
Testimony
and a
BY
CLAIR L. WYATT
• Association with individuals in the academic atmos- phere of a university is a wonderful opportunity. There are many challenges; if they are approached properly, they will be very rewarding. Besides the classroom instruction, the student comes in contact with indi- viduals who represent many philosophies of life. The academic freedom of the universities protects their right to speak out concerning their beliefs. Frequently monographs are published by the university presses on a great variety of subjects. Campus groups meet to discuss the great questions and problems of the time. The scientist, the atheist, the skeptic, and the faithful all express their theories. Sometimes these theories challenge our cherished beliefs, and the way we react to them determines our own spiritual and intellectual growth.
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints we are very much interested in education; we believe in it. We have been taught that "the glory of God is intelligence" (D&C 93:36) and that it is also the glory of man. "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance" (D&C 131:6), and "whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.
"And if a person gains more knowledge and intelli- gence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come." (D&C 130:18-19.) We are further instructed to ". . . seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (D&C 88:118.)
There are some religious groups in the world today that have a canon or catechism; they teach that if you
Liberal Education
learn the contents of the canon and obey its rules and ordinances, you will gain salvation. To go into higher education is secondary to gaining salvation, and to become an intellectual may only cause you to lose your faith. St. Bonaventure was one who held this belief; he said, "Reason is not to be trusted too much. Faith and mysticism are safer guides."1 In a discussion with a fellow scientist from the East, I learned that he had just recently attended a meeting where the group was discussing the question: "Why has not our re- ligion produced its proper share of intellectuals in America?" His answer to them was that in his own case he had been taught all through his youth that the important thing was to gain salvation; the church could provide that; higher education is secondary and therefore not very important.
We can conclude that in the Church of Jesus Christ to develop our intelligence and to acquire knowledge is a fundamental part of our religion. The Christian adventure is a great quest, a quest for truth and knowledge. There is never a time when we can sit back contentedly and say, "I know all that is required of me to gain exaltation in the kingdom of God," for we have set our course upon a great never-ending quest. That is the great Christian adventure. Thomas O'Dea stated that "to be an intellectual means to be engaged in a Quest,"2 and he warned that if to be a Christian means you have all truth in capsule form rather than accepting one's faith as a stimulus to a Christian adventure, then you are hopelessly lost.
In our religion we do not try to sway people with mysticism or ritual; we think it is wrong to believe blindly. Our services are simple, and our sermons tend to appeal to the mind rather than to sway the emotion.
480
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
The philosopher Clifford said, "Belief is desecrated when given to unproved and unquestioned state- ments for the solace and private pleasure of the be- liever. ... It is wrong, always, everywhere, and for everyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evi- dence."3 We are all familiar with many people in history who devoted their lives to the wrong cause. Probably the best-known example is that of Saul of Tarsus who held the coat of those who stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr. (Acts 7:54-60; 8:1.)
When we come under the influence of a university and the concept of a liberal education, we are taught that we must be willing to discard childhood notions and outdated beliefs. A liberal education teaches that we should accept nothing as proven. In fact we are told that "education is uncertainty," and that "certainly cultivated people do not exhibit the same degree of cock-sureness as do the ignorant," and "the more a man learns the more he realizes how little he knows."4 This quest for truth is not without its risks, for we may even come to doubt our faith. Another great intellectual, Blaise Pascal, said there are but three classes of persons: ". . . two kinds of people one can call reasonable; those who serve God with all their heart because they know him, and those who seek him with all their heart because they do not know him. But as for those who live without knowing him and without seeking him, they judge themselves so little worthy of their own care, that they are not worthy of the care of others. ... It is a great evil to be in doubt, but it is at least an indispensable duty to seek when we are in such doubt; and thus the doubter who does not seek is all together completely unhappy and com- pletely wrong."5
This concept of a liberal education to doubt every- thing appears to be in conflict with the concept of testimony which is so important in our lives. One of my associates stated that he could not understand how an educated person could stand up and say he knows that God lives and suggested that we should apply the scientific approach to our beliefs.
Certainly we do not literally believe that education is uncertainty. Freshman and sophomore students in college are taught the basic laws of science and often come to feel that everything is known and little is left to discover. However, as advanced students they go back and question even the most basic laws. It is then the student learns that there are limits and bounds to the operation of these laws and that to apply them universally is treading upon dangerous ground. The advanced student learns the bounds of certainty that apply to these laws, and his task is to investigate those areas of doubt. We could say in this context that the role of education is to define the limits of certainty. This implies that there are some areas of certainty in which a man can say, "I know."
All truth will stand up to the rigorous test of scien- tific investigation whether it comes to us from an experimental or a religious experience. How does a scientist gain confidence in a law or principle? What is the scientific method?
At first a scientist gathers all the known facts about the subject. He classifies and sorts all these facts so that they can be better understood. Then a theory or hypothesis is proposed that will explain these facts. Now, a hypothesis always predicts things; for example, the laws of motion stated by Newton predict that bodies will react to forces in known ways. This theory
JUNE 1966
4B1
can be tested by finding out experimentally if the things predicted are so. To accept a theory as law requires that many people over a long period of time perform experiments that confirm the theory.
Finally we become very confident that the theory is true, and we call it a law. It is important to realize that this is not an easy thing to do. Often it takes years to develop the specialized equipment required to per- form an experiment. Sometimes those performing the experiment may even doubt the result or, because of incompetence, lack of knowledge or improper equipment, fail to verify a theory when others are successful.
It would not be possible for a single individual to test every law of science that his work requires him to accept as true. His life is not long enough, nor his facilities or knowledge great enough. So he must rely on competent authority. Rocket scientists use Newton's laws of motion to compute the path of a rocket or the orbit of a satellite, yet how many of them have per- formed experiments to verify the laws? Very few of them have, because they know other competent sci- entists have done this before them.
Often some of the things predicted by a theory cannot be proved by any experiment we can con- ceive; for example, Einstein's theory of relativity predicts strange things would happen if we were to travel at the speed of light. It is not likely we will be able to travel that fast, yet other things predicted by this theory have been verified and thus scientists have increasing confidence in the theory of relativity.
How about our confidence in the basic laws of religion and the existence of God himself? Many people doubt we can apply the scientific method to religious belief. You have probably heard it said that you cannot put God in a test tube. I am confident we can and should apply this method of investigation to our religious beliefs. It is a good method and is responsible for the many advances we enjoy in this modern day.
May I propose an experiment?
First, we will take the Book of Mormon and learn all the facts about it. Let us sort and categorize all these facts so that we may better understand them. What are some of these facts? The story of its origin, the many doctrines it teaches, the great nation of people it tells of, and many other things. Now let us state a theory or hypothesis to explain these facts in these words: "The Book of Mormon is true." This hypothesis, like any, predicts many things. As with Einstein's theory of relativity, some of the predictions cannot be tested directly; others can. If the Book of Mormon is true, it is logical that we should find evi- dences of the great civilization it tells about; we should also gain great happiness by living its teach- ings, for it promises that the Holy Ghost will reveal its truthfulness as stated by Moroni. (Moroni 10:4.) And among other things, if the Book of Mormon is true, God lives and answers prayers. Many of the things that this theory predicts can be tested in the great laboratory of life; and although we cannot put God in a test tube, yet (Continued on page 557)
482
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
HOME
IN LOO is an uninterrupted lesson.
To avoid interruptions from the telephone, handle the call if it is important or an emergency; otherwise, ask permission to return the call. If a visitor comes, invite him to join with the family for the home evening. Radio and television will, of course, be turned off. Pets, while sometimes considered part of the family, can often be distracting and should not be present
if they would cause disturbance.
HOME
I II IN LuO is making a success of the assignment each week.
At the end of the lesson, make certain that each family member has a clear-cut
understanding of what he is to do about the gospel truth you have been learning together. In making assignments, be sure that the assignment set for
each family member is attainable by him and that he is enthusiastic about trying to fulfill it. These assignments will vary with the age, experience, and personality of each family member. Adults need the applications as much as children do. Children whose parents work on the assignments with them improve faster than those children whose parents
only "teach" them the lesson.
483
JUNE 1966
The Ward Record Examination Program
• The purpose of the ward record examination pro- gram is to help teach the Saints how to prepare acceptable family group records. Errors can be cor- rected quickly on a local level before the records reach the Genealogical Society for processing. By eliminating errors made by the compilers before sheets are sent to the society, records can be processed quickly and efficiently and temple ordinance work can be performed without delay. The ward record examination program has already proved its value: 78 percent of the sheets sent in by the program are accepted as accurate and complete, compared with 22 percent acceptance of sheets that have not been so examined. The value of the program will increase if bishops and high priests group leaders in all wards of the Church will plan, coordinate, and control this record examination work.
In genealogy, there is a need for all members to catch the "spirit" of the genealogical rules and standards.
If the examiners will teach correct procedures and will diligently help members to want to do the things required of them, the Saints will work untiringly to produce acceptable records. Once the Saints know and understand the rules and standards that are ex- pected of them, they will abide by them.
Patience and tact on the part of the examiners, together with a true spirit of helpfulness, will insure that the spirit rather than the letter pervades the records examining program. ". . . for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Cor. 3:6.) The Apostle Paul did not intend to destroy the law in his writings to the Corinthian Saints. The laws of God cannot be
ignored or set aside. In a somewhat similar manner, the record examiners are not to set themselves up as censors to enforce the letter of the genealogical rules and standards, but they are to catch the spirit of the examining program and learn to be teachers and helpers, thus assisting the Saints in a true spirit of love so that correct and acceptable records will be com- piled.
If the examiners will approach their assigned duties with a prayerful spirit, full of love for their fellow ward members and for the genealogical responsibilities placed on the Saints in the latter days, the program of ward record examination will succeed and become one of the greatest aids to speeding temple ordinance work that has been designed.
If the record examiners are occasionally invited into the ward priesthood executive meetings to explain to the priesthood leaders what the examining problems are, the priesthood leaders can help solve these prob- lems with their quorum members. The high priests group leader is officially responsible for the quality of the work of the record examiners and should teach them to be teachers rather than censors.
Ward record examiners should make themselves available in weekly priesthood classes in MIA if requested by priesthood leaders to give special instruc- tion or training. They are not to teach the classes or monopolize the time but are to aid the teachers in any way they can as requested by priesthood leaders.
Pedigree Referral Service ( PRS ) registrations should also pass through the record examination process be- fore being submitted to the Genealogical Society. In such cases only one examiner need check the forms.
484
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
PRS forms ready for examination should be turned in to the ward high priests group leader for checking before being sent to the Genealogical Society.
The Genealogical Instruction Manual was prepared to assist members of the Church in the preparation of family group records to be submitted to the Genealogical Society for processing. This manual is to be considered a guide, for if records are prepared in accordance with these rules and procedures, they can clear through the processing procedure of the Genealogical Society without delay. The society does not reject sheets where only form errors are involved that do not affect the actual identification of the indi- vidual. Form errors, however, do slow down the processing and therefore result in delays in checking. For this reason, family group records submitted for processing should conform to the rules for recording that are contained in the instruction manual. It is the responsibility of the ward record examiners to en- courage and teach ward members to conform to these standards. Where all entries on each family group record have been accurately recorded according to the outlined rules, the sheet can be passed without delay. Where the entries do not conform, the examin- ers should use this opportunity to teach the standards to the compilers and explain the advantages of adher- ing to the standards in future work.
Checklist of MUST Items
Following is a checklist of items that must appear on family group records before they can be approved by the ward record examiners:
1. Identifying information for each individual listed
a) Surname
b ) Given name ( s )
c) Sex
d) Date of birth (or christening)
e ) Place of birth ( or christening )
2. Reference Information
a) Source of information
b) Name and address of compiler
c ) Family representative
d) Relationship
There should be few sheets submitted in which just the minimum amount of identifying information listed
above will be the only information on a family group record. Only where information is not obtainable should it be omitted. However, since ward record examiners are responsible for checking for clerical correctness only and are not to be judges of the research quality of the Saints, the only instance in which ward record examiners should reject sheets because of lack of information is if the above require- ments are not met.
Also, sheets should be either typewritten or printed or written legibly in black or blue-black ink. Blue ink is not acceptable because it does not microfilm well. Only original sheets can be accepted. Carbon copies or sheets duplicated by photo processes interfere with processing procedures.
The examiners function as teachers and counselors as well as examiners. The Saints should be able to consult with them anytime, either in their homes, over the telephone, or at the ward. When examiners teach in a spirit of friendly cooperation, the Saints learn the required genealogical standards and rules for record- ing information. By taking time and effort to make necessary corrections, the Saints learn correct pro- cedures and are not likely to make mistakes on future records.
When errors are discovered, the examiners attach notes to the sheets so that the compilers themselves can make the corrections. Examiners must never alter or mark the record sheets themselves. Sheets with correction markings are acceptable. It is not necessary for compilers to prepare sheets over again after examination unless the number of errors or type of errors is such that the sheets become illegible or difficult to interpret after correction.
The responsibility for preparing acceptable records is the obligation of the individual members of the Church. The Church has provided guidelines for ac- ceptability of records, but the Saints themselves are responsible for following the established rules and standards. When stake, ward, and quorum leaders add their influence and encouragement to the ward record examiners as teachers, this portion of the work will flourish. A gentle word of explanation given to the Saints will encourage them to cooperate in producing a record that will be "worthy of all acceptation" before the Lord.
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1 House. More and more li was becoming awageof my mother, not Is | had always consid- > erecj her but as a woman, as a wrfe. perhaps it was because I /was' beginning to examine >myf3wh potential in these areas,/ " , ' 'g V ^/ ■■$* k / i ;t « ^ yv
The black, iron fingers of the ctoek^i/ited to 4:15. I' removed my mother's apton
with its voluminous pockets crammed wtth.p iris, rubber bands, clippings, and a PTA notice
— all theihings we liati left lying a bout thflt^Mother usually rescued.
A| I went atoijg|he hall to the front door, I, checked .everything. It was in apple-pie i*
Order, f knew Mother would be pleased. Shf kepi her house "picked up." It was much
like tfte clock in the kitchen-/-old and polished af|d cared-for, but^ffrcient and practical. â– â– ' Someday my house would be the same way, attractive but comfortable, and it would be built
around rr|y; hfsbahd^ as Mother'sls built around Daddy\ ?
I stobH at ih^ wide front door my great grandfather had hung, and watched my five- ' yearold brother, Walter, squatting at the far end of. the porch. He was stroking the
leathers- of his#drake ang! waiting for Mother to come home. I was concerned for my I brother.* I, was' 12 when he was born, and I still remember, uneasily, how difficult it is to
have^ to move Qver. the sunlight cut across the porch and caught his coppery hair, falling ;
in a njop across his forehead. He was so small and trusting and precious to me— but it *■;■■v; -■■•:-■■■".'',.-'. i^~ ■■■^'**r *jp f , *' '■■:■'' -./"/.'.v.'*'.'-. ■fe:-Ov\' ./J.
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hadn't been that way in the beginning. What a. (of of -growing had occurred in- side rhe In five years to Change my feelings so completely! *â–
"Here they come," Walter shouted. "Jeannie, here*comes Mama!" He streaked toward the car, his face shining in relief, and it dawned on me that Walter had only half-believed Mama would come back. He scuttled around the car like a beetle and climbed in, trying to touch her, but my father's^ anxious voice intervened. *;;--.
"Wait, Walter," he said. "You'll hurt the baby." * Oi^ ^
Walter drew away, puzzled. I reached in and took the bundle, leaving Mother's arm^ free. My brother fled into them, and she held him tightly, Whis- pering in his ear. c. .
After dinner I washed Walter and had, him put on clean pajamas. Then I took him to Mother's room.fHe walked softly, on tip-toe, his bony little body stiff. But when Mother opened her arms to him, he scampered across the room to her in< oectfrd timet I laughect softly. Often in the two weeks just past, while] Mother was in the hospital, I'd felt as though Walter were my little boy. Tonight, it was the same way, and I fejf a warm flood of ipveMor fiim as I went down $6 tidy up the kitchen. - ,i s /
-â– It 'Was February, but tjie air was soft as spring, (Continued on page 558)
JUHt 1066
James A. Cullimore, new
assistant to the Council of
the Twelve, with his wife,
Grace Gardner Cullimore.
To the right are son, Kelvyn
Henry Cullimore, second
counselor of Oklahoma Stake,
and daughters Luella C. Payne,
wife of a bishop in Canada,
and Nancy, a student at
Brigham Young University.
Elder Cullimore, an Oklahoma
City businessman, is a former
member of the priesthood
general church welfare
committee.
James A. Cullimore
BY ALBERT L. ZOBELL, JR.
RESEARCH EDITOR
• The newest assistant to the Council of the Twelve, who was sustained at the general conference on April 6, is James Alfred Cullimore, a dynamic leader who has spent his adult life as a businessman in the mission areas of the Church. Wherever his business life has taken him, his "Father's business" has also been an important part of his activity.
For nearly thirty years the Cullimore home has been in Oklahoma City. There he served as branch presi- dent for fourteen years, followed by nine years as president of the West Oklahoma District. He was sustained as the first president of Oklahoma Stake October 23, 1960, serving just two and a half months before being called as president of the Central British Mission on December 27, 1960. In January 1964 he was called to the priesthood welfare committee, and since then, during the two quarters of the year that are designated stake welfare conferences, he has left his home nearly every weekend to meet with the Saints in their conferences throughout the Church.
Elder Cullimore was born January 17, 1906, at Lin- don (near Pleasant Grove), Utah, a son of Albert Lorenzo and Luella Keetch Cullimore. His great- grandfather had been an English convert to the Church in 1837, in the time and the area that Wilford Woodruff had phenomenal success in missionary endeavor. The family emigrated to the United States in 1850, and his great-grandfather Cullimore worked as a stone mason in Philadelphia to obtain money to come to Pleasant Grove the following year.
Elder Cullimore served as assistant scoutmaster at Lindon in 1924 before being called that December to the California Mission, where he labored in southern California as a district president. Having never been able to return to San Diego and the many scenes of his mission as a young district president, he was over- joyed to find that he was to be assigned to San Diego Stake welfare conference for April 16-17.
At Brigham Young University, where he was studentbody president, he courted Grace Gardner of
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Spanish Fork, a daughter of Henry A. and Grace Brockbank Gardner. "My wife is the best part of our combination," he says. "She is now the stake Relief Society president in Oklahoma Stake." They were married in the Salt Lake Temple June 3, 1931, and traveled to New York City, where he had a scholarship for graduate studies at the New York University School of Retailing.
He began his long experience as a furniture buyer in 1932 with Gimble Brothers, New York City, and later held the same position with Mandel Brothers of Chicago. After a period in Sioux City, Iowa, he be- came the buyer and home furnishings merchandise manager for Browns in Oklahoma City in 1937. He entered business for himself in 1946.
Always active in the Church, he served as Timpa- nogos Stake Sunday School superintendent while a BYU student, as a district Sunday School board mem- ber in New York, and as branch president at Sioux City, before going to Oklahoma.
Over the years, unnumbered missionaries and servicemen found the Cullimore home always open to them, a place where they could always find a wonder- ful meal and good, strengthening conversation. He told them how he, too, had longed for a home in the stakes of Zion; but just as a stake was being organized in New York, he went to Chicago; and when a stake was considered there, his employment opportunities took him elsewhere. A stake was finally organized in Oklahoma City with him as its first president, but he was soon to be called to be a mission president in the British Isles.
During their early years in Oklahoma, the Culli- mores had wondered if they should return to the West to rear their son and two daughters. World War II prevented such a move. While touring the Central States Mission after the war, Elder Joseph F. Merrill of the Council of the Twelve heard the problem and counseled: "This is where the Lord wants you. Teach your children well and then send them to BYU to school, and they will marry in the Church. Things will work out well for you."
Within days Elder Cullimore had leased a building in Oklahoma City and was on his way to opening his own furniture store. He had learned long ago that the Lord works in very natural ways and circumstances: if one plans well, he will succeed. The business was a great success at once, and he felt the promise of an apostle of the Lord had much to do with it.
Of the call to the Central British Mission in 1960, he says:
"In Oklahoma it was unusual for someone to be called on a mission and to leave a business for three years. People still talk about it; we received a great deal of favorable publicity. My call did much to contribute to the image of the Church in Oklahoma. And it made many strong business friends."
General conference was to open Wednesday, April 6, 1966. He had planned to miss the first day's sessions, but was to come by air on Friday for the weekend sessions. Tuesday afternoon, April 5, he received a long-distance telephone call that President McKay desired to see him immediately. There were no planes out of Oklahoma City that afternoon, but that evening he flew to Denver, where he stayed overnight. At five o'clock the next morning he was on a flight to Salt Lake City. There he heard President McKay say to him: "The Lord has revealed to me that you are to be an assistant to the Council of the Twelve."
To hear such words! Only those who are called to such positions can understand his feelings at that moment.
He was sustained by the general conference at the morning session, April 6. President McKay set him apart April 8. His appointment brought to twelve the number of assistants serving. He is the twenty-second high priest called to serve in this capacity since assistants to the Twelve were first called at the April 1941 general conference.
The previous Sunday, Kelvyn Henry Cullimore, their son, had been sustained as a counselor in the Oklahoma Stake presidency. Their older daughter, Luella, is the wife of Bishop H. Dale Payne of the Calgary 3rd Ward, Calgary North Stake. Their younger daughter, Nancy, will be graduated from BYU this June.
"We have lived away from Utah a long time," states Elder Cullimore, a giant of a man by spiritual and all other measurements. "But it has been a choice experience. It has been a challenge to all of us, all of the time, to live up to our standards."
The Improvement Era joins the Church in welcom- ing Elder Cullimore to his new calling. The church membership will truly be enriched and blessed as he meets with them in their stake conferences and in his other assignments.
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136th Annual GENERAL
Address delivered Saturday Morning, April 9, 1966
The Reality of the Resurrection
President David 0. McKay
". . . Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him." (Mark 16:6.)
• My dear brethren and sisters, I com- mend to all the excellent sermon just delivered by one of the Presiding Bishopric of the Church, Bishop Simp- son. I am grateful and happy to meet with you and worship with you this morning in this historic building in a
general conference of the Church.
I extend greetings and my blessings to you and to our vast audience of members and friends who are tuned in by radio and television. It is a joy and a privilege to be associated with you in this great latter-day work.
As I stand before you to give you a message regarding the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I pray for the blessings of the Lord, that he might uphold me, and that he may
enlighten our minds to see, and touch our hearts to feel more deeply than mere words can denote the significance of this message.
Throughout Christendom we arc celebrating, this Eastertide, the great- est event of all history — the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ. For over four thousand years, man had looked into the grave and had seen only the end of life. Of all the millions who had entered therein, not one person
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CONFERENCE -April 1966
had ever returned as a resurrected, im- mortal being. "There was in all earth's area, not one empty grave. No human heart believed; no human voice declared that there was such a grave — a grave robbed by the power of a Victor stronger than man's great enemy, Death."
It was, therefore, a new and glorious message that the angel gave to the women who fearfully and lovingly had approached the sepulcher in which Jesus had been buried: ". . . Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him." (Mark 16:6.)
If a miracle is a supernatural event whose antecedent forces are beyond man's finite wisdom, then the resur- rection of Jesus Christ is the most
stupendous miracle of all time. In it stand revealed the omnipotence of God and the immortality of man.
The resurrection is a miracle, how- ever, only in the sense that it is beyond man's comprehension and understanding. To all who accept it as fact, it is but a manifestation of a uniform law of life. Because man does not understand the law, he calls it a miracle. There are many people who reject the reality of the resurrection of Jesus. They believe, or profess to be- lieve, in the teachings of Christ, but do not believe in the virgin birth, nor in his literal resurrection from the grave; yet, this latter fact was the very foundation of the early Christian church. Even some of the religious leaders of the present day are claiming that Jesus is dead.
Someday man's enlightenment may bring the momentous event of the resurrection out of the dusk of mystery into the broad day of understanding.
Just recently a scientist, in speaking before a university audience, said, "Man has only begun the search. I cannot stop being amazed and reverent at the wonders of the Universe around me. It is hard to imagine that this just happened without the intervention of a power beyond man's comprehen- sion. Anyone who denies the existence of a power beyond man's specific knowledge, lacks the necessary humil- ity and objectivity which is vital for good scientific work." (Dr. Elie A. Shneour, quoted in Church News, March 12, 1966.)
Establish it as a fact that Christ did take up his body and appeared as a
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glorified, resurrected being, and you answer the question of the ages: "If a man die, shall he live again?" (Job 14:14.)
That the literal resurrection of Christ from the grave was a reality to the disciples who knew him intimately is a certainty. In their minds there was absolutely no doubt. They were witnesses of the fact; they knew be- cause their eyes beheld, their ears heard, their hands felt the corporeal presence of the risen Redeemer.
Peter, the chief apostle, on the occa- sion when the eleven had met to choose one to take the place of Judas Iscariot, said, "Wherefore of these men . . . must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection." (Acts 1:21, 22.)
It always interests me to study about the class of men who surrounded the apostles at that time, from whom the apostles chose this special witness. They were men who had been "wit- nesses" of the resurrection. Only such a one was considered eligible and worthy to be chosen as one of the Twelve Apostles.
On another occasion Peter declared before their enemies, the very men who had put Jesus to death on the cross: "Ye men of Israel, hear these words. . . . This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses." (Acts 2:22, 32.)
Of the value and significance of the nearness and intimacy of the authors of the epistles, the author Beverly Nichols writes:
"[They] were within hailing dis- tance, historically, of Christ; at any rate, when their ideas, which they afterwards transmitted to paper, were formed. The winds had hardly had time to efface the sacred print of his steps in the sands over which He walked. The rain had hardly had time to wash away, with its callous tears, the blood from the rotting wood of the deserted cross.
"Yet these men knew — I can't go on using the word 'believe,' which is far too vapid and colourless — that God had descended to earth in the shape of a certain man, that this man had met an obscene and clownish death, and that the grotesque mode of his dying had redeemed mankind from sin. They knew, moreover, that He had risen from the dead on the third day and ascended into heaven." (Beverly Nichols, The Fool Hath Said [New York: Doubleday, 1936], pp. 56-57.)
Nearness to the event gives increased value to the evidence given by the apostles. A deeper value of their testimony lies in the fact that with Jesus' death the apostles were stricken with discouragement and gloom. For two and one-half years they had been upheld and inspired by Christ's pres- ence. But now he was gone. They were left alone, and they seemed con-
fused and helpless. Not with timidity, not with feelings of doubt, gloom, and discouragement is a skeptical world made to believe. Such wavering, despairing minds as the apostles pos- sessed on the day of the crucifixion could never have stirred people to accept an unpopular belief and to die martyrs to the cause.
What, then, was it that suddenly changed these disciples to confident, fearless, heroic preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ? It was the revelation that Christ had risen from the grave. "His promises had been kept, His Mes- sianic mission fulfilled."
I urge all within the sound of my voice to consider carefully the testi- monies of these eyewitnesses as re- corded in the New Testament, whose honesty is not questioned even by skeptical criticism.
That the spirit of man passes tri- umphantly through the portals of death into everlasting life is one of the glorious messages given by Christ, our Redeemer. To him this earthly career is but a day and its closing but the setting of life's sun. Death, but a sleep, is followed by a glorious awaken- ing in the morning of an eternal realm. When Mary and Martha saw their brother only as a corpse in the dark and silent tomb, Christ saw him still a living being. This fact he ex- pressed in the two words: ". . . Lazarus sleepeth. . . ." (John 11:11.)
If everyone participating in Easter services knew that the crucified Christ actually rose on the third day — that after having greeted others and min- gled with others in the spirit world, his spirit did again reanimate his pierced body, and after sojourning among men for the space of forty days, he ascended a glorified soul to his Father — what benign peace would come to souls now troubled with doubt and uncertainty!
The Church of Jesus Christ of Lat- ter-day Saints stands with Peter, with Paul, with James, and with all the other early apostles who accepted the resurrection not only as being literally true, but as the consummation of Christ's divine mission on earth.
Eighteen hundred years after Jesus died upon the cross, the Prophet Joseph Smith declared that the risen Lord ap- peared to him, saying: "... I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other — This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith 2:17.)
Later, speaking of the reality of this vision, he testifies as follows: "... I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condem-
nation." (Joseph Smith 2:25.)
If Joseph Smith's testimony stood alone, it would be, as Christ said of his testimony when he spoke of him- self, of no avail; but Jesus had God's testimony and that of the apostles. And Joseph Smith had other witnesses whose testimonies cannot be ques- tioned. Three witnesses corroborated Joseph Smith's testimony, the truth of which was made known by the appear- ance to them of the Angel Moroni.
Confirming the irrefutable testimony of Christ's early apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims the glorious vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
"And now, after the many testi- monies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
"For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father —
"That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were cre- ated, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." (D&C 76:22-24.)
In the light of such unimpeachable testimonies as given by the ancient apostles — testimonies dating from a few years subsequent to the event itself — in the light of that most marvelous revelation in this age of the living Christ, it seems difficult indeed to understand how men can still reject him and can doubt the immortality of man.
An unwavering faith in Christ is the most important need of the world today. It is more than a mere feeling. It is power that moves into action, and should be in human life the most basic of all motivating forces.
It was in this sense that an eminent doctor of medicine, who had but recently lost his mother in death, admonished his students to keep their faith. Said he, "Those of you who have discarded faith will live to regret it. There are times such as this when you lose a loved one by death that science is entirely inadequate. I commend you to think seriously about these matters. They give comfort and solace which can be obtained in no other way. Many have discarded religion because it ap- pears unscientific. I believe you will find in the last analysis that Faith is scientific."
There is no cause to fear death; it is but an incident in life. It is as natural as birth. Why should we fear it? Some fear it because they think it is the end of life, and life often is the dearest thing we have. Eternal life is man's greatest blessing.
If only men would "do his will," instead of looking hopelessly at the dark and gloomy tomb, they would turn their eyes heavenward and know that Christ is risen!
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THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
No man can accept the resurrection and be consistent in his belief without accepting also the existence of a per- sonal God. Through the resurrection Christ conquered death and became an immortal soul. "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28) was not merely an idle exclamation of Thomas when he beheld his risen Lord. Once we accept Christ as divine, it is easy to visualize his Father as being just as personal as he; for, said Jesus, ". . . he that hath seen me hath seen the Father. . . ." (John 14:9.)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints declares to all the world that Christ is the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world! No true fol- lower is satisfied to accept him merely as a great reformer, the ideal teacher, or even as the one perfect man. The Man of Galilee is — not figuratively, but literally — the Son of the living God.
Belief in the resurrection connotes also the immortality of man. Jesus passed through all the experiences of mortality just as you and I. He knew happiness, he experienced pain. He rejoiced as well as sorrowed with others. He knew friendship. He ex- perienced, also, the sadness that comes through traitors and false accusers. He died a mortal death even as you will. Since Christ lived after death, so shall you, and so shall I, and so shall your soldier boy who gives his life on the battlefield.
Jesus was the one perfect man who ever lived. In rising from the dead, he conquered death and is now Lord of the earth. How utterly weak, how extremely foolish is he who would willfully reject Christ's way of life, especially in the light of the fact that such rejection leads only to unhappi- ness, misery, and even to death!
No man can sincerely resolve to ap- ply in his daily life the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth without sensing a change in his whole being. The phrase "born again" has a deeper sig- nificance than what many people attach to it. This changed feeling may be indescribable, but it is real. Happy is the person who has truly sensed the uplifting, transforming power that comes from this nearness to the Savior, this kinship to the living Christ. I am thankful that I know that Christ is my Redeemer.
When Christians throughout the world have this faith coursing in their veins, when they feel a loyalty in their hearts to the Resurrected Christ and to the principles connoted thereby, man- kind will have taken the first great step toward the perpetual peace for which we daily are praying. Reject him and the world will be filled with hatred and drenched in blood by re- curring wars.
Members of the Church of Christ are under obligation to make the sinless Son of Man their ideal. He is the one
perfect being who ever walked the earth; the sublimest example of nobil- ity; godlike in nature; perfect in his love; our Redeemer; our Savior; the immaculate Son of our Eternal Father; the Light, the Life, the Way.
As Christ lives after death, so shall all men, each taking that place in the next world for which he is best fitted.
The message of the resurrection, therefore, is the most comforting, the most glorious ever given to man, for when death takes a loved one from us,
our sorrowing hearts are assuaged by the hope and divine assurance ex- pressed in the words: "He is not here; he is risen!"
With all my soul I know that death is conquered by Jesus Christ, and be- cause our Redeemer lives, so shall we. I bear you witness that he does live. I know it, and I hope you know that divine truth.
May all mankind some day have that faith, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sunday Morning Session, April 10, 1966
"He Lives-All Glory to His Name"
President Hugh B. Brown Of the First Presidency
• Many of the speakers during this conference have referred to the cele- bration of Easter and the resurrection of the Lord. Yesterday the President of the Church preached a powerful sermon on the fact of the resurrection of Christ. This morning we join with millions of people throughout the world in celebrating Easter in com- memoration of this miraculous event. This is a time when we should re- examine and reaffirm our faith and rededicate our lives to Christ's service.
His birth into mortality and the de- tails of his death and resurrection are well-attested facts of history. In addi- tion to the New Testament story of these miraculous events, the scriptures, both old and new, abound with in- spired predictions concerning his sec- ond coming.
Let us examine the basis of our faith as it is to be found in the Holy Bible and other sacred records and attempt to evaluate and coordinate the ante- mortal, the mortal, and the postmortal life of this transcendent personage.
The Apostle John tells us that the Word — which he identifies as the Savior — was with God in the begin- ning. This is a precise and unam- biguous declaration, not only that he was with God in the beginning, but that he himself was invested with the powers and rank of godship and that he came into the world and dwelt among men. He was the Creator of 'all that is.
Jesus himself frequently referred to the fact of his preexistence. For ex- ample, he said, "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38.)
And then in that greatest of all prayers, recorded in John 17:5, we find the poignant plea: "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had
with thee before the world was."
At another time he chidingly spoke to his uncomprehending followers and said: "Doth this offend you?
"What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?" (John 6:61-62.)
These and other proofs of Christ's preexistence confirm our faith that all men had a spiritual existence before mortal birth and that the souls of all men are immortal. Obviously, if the spirit had an existence before the body was created, that spirit is capable of independent existence after the body dies.
The fact that he came forth from the tomb with spirit and body reunited was positively stated and demonstrated by the risen Lord when he appeared to his amazed apostles and said, ". . . handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." (Luke 24:39.)
This gives divine assurance that we too, through his atoning sacrifice, shall partake of the blessings of the resur- rection. Hearken to his promise when he said,
"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
"And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. . . ." (John 11:25-26.)
And again, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlast- ing life." (John 3:16.)
In these times of uncertainty, con- flict, chaos, and confusion, where there is unprovoked aggression, attempted subjugation, and enslavement, when people are being denied their freedom and their liberties, and especially when whole nations of men, including some of the clergy, pride themselves on their atheism, deny the existence of
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God, speak of Christ as a myth and of religion as an opiate, when increasing numbers of men are declaring that God is dead and others are asking whether he in fact ever lived — in times like these we must reexamine and re- emphasize our faith in Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, and conform our lives to his teachings and emulate his matchless example.
Indicative of the lack of faith, the confused and muddled thinking, and the dangerous teachings of some re- ligious leaders, I quote from the Feb- ruary 22, 1966, issue of Look magazine (pp. 25-29):
"Last September, the Protestant Episcopal Bishop of California left on sabbatical for Cambridge University in England 'to find out what I really do believe.' . . .
"What he believes is hardly typical of a bishop. 'I've jettisoned the Trinity, the Virgin Birth and the Incarnation,' he told Look in his Cambridge flat recently. . . .
"The inquiry has inevitably led the Bishop to the enigma of Christ Him- self. He sees Him not as Jesus among the lilies in a stained-glass window, but as a country carpenter turned itinerant preacher for three powerful years. . . .
"Cambridge University, where [the] Bishop ... is staying, is the womb of what has been proclaimed — and con- demned— as the 'new theology.' ... Its innovators, mainly Cambridge dons, are reacting to a society throttled by secularism. Only ten percent of the English attend church. . . .
" 'The old theology starts with the divinity of Christ and tries to explain how God became man. The new theology starts with the only indisput- able fact — that Christ was man — and tries to show how God acted through Him uniquely.' "
We reaffirm our faith in the Bible as the word of God. We believe in its
teachings, its doctrines, its definitions, and its revelations of an omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God. The fact that man was created in his image confirms our faith that he is a living and personal God. He is our Eternal Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Jehovah of the Old Testament, and the promised Messiah.
We proclaim the preexistence and divine nature of Jesus the Christ, the purpose of his earth life, the reality of his resurrection and ascension, and the certainty of his second coming as eter- nal and well-attested truths and prophetic promises. They have illu- minating and inspiring significance for our troubled world. They are our heritage from the Judeo-Christian world, clarified and amplified by mod- ern revelation.
They are relevant to our time. This is an age of conflict of ideology, a time of ferment in technology, a period of startling and revolutionary progress in science — an era when at last the means lie at hand to free mankind from the ancient shackles of pain and hunger, fear and war. But the true crisis of our times lies at a deeper level. All this freedom and so-called elbowroom only thrusts upon us with additional force the fundamental issues of our faith.
There must be a reaffirmation of the truths concerning the fatherhood of God, the godhood of Christ, and the brotherhood of man — truths for which the Savior lived and died. Brotherhood —love of God and fellowmen — will make men free and establish peace in a world that is threatened with a devastating and final war.
The truculent and blasphemous at- tempts of the Communists to erase Christ from their literature and to expunge all memory of him from the hearts and minds of men must fail, for as God made man in his own
The fish-eye lens captures the com- plete world of conference — held in the Tabernacle since 1867.
image, so his image is indelibly stamped upon the souls of men, and instinctively they know that they are the immortal sons of God, predestined to be free. This inborn conviction accounts for the courageous and undis- courageable resiliency of many perse- cuted people.
The challenge of evil leading inevitably to chaos, confusion, and defeat tends to make the relevance of Christ's life and message more ap- parent, the application of his divine teachings more urgent, and eventual victory beyond question.
As Paul said, the time would come when "every knee should bow . . .
"And that every tongue should con- fess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:10-11.)
A comprehensive knowledge of prophecy (which is but history fore- told) and of history (which is often prophecy fulfilled) confirms the fact that God lives. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible contains the continuing story of God's dealings with his universal family, his begotten children.
Christ came to earth and glorified the Father, finished the work that was given him to do, and at the end asked only that he be glorified with the Father with the glory that he had with him before the world was. (John 17:3-5.)
Christians everywhere should be- lieve and be guided by the revelations of God given through his prophets, whether on the eastern hemisphere or in the western world. The peoples in the western world are they to whom he referred as "other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (John 10:16.)
The United States of America and her allies have been forced to take up arms in defense of liberty and freedom. The scriptures, both ancient and mod- ern, justify defending the liberties and freedom of ourselves and our weaker neighbors.
The various presidents of the United States, regardless of party, have de- clared that we have no desire for territorial gain or acquisition nor the subjugation of weaker nations. We stand for freedom and liberty for all, together with the right of untrammeled self-determination — all in the interest of permanent world peace.
The President of the United States recently restated and underlined this policy and disclaimed any intent on the part of the United States to gain empire, bases, or dominion. This is in strict harmony with the word of God given to ancient prophets, some of whom were kings, generals, and leaders of armies.
We concur in what was said by
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one of them on the subject of freedom, as recorded in Alma 61:14:
"Therefore, ... let us resist evil, and whatsoever evil we cannot resist with our words, yea, such as rebellions and dissensions, let us resist them with our swords, that we may retain our free- dom, that we may rejoice in . . . the cause of our Redeemer and our God."
The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches the universality of God's concern for men and that obedience is a universal and fundamental law of progress, both temporal and spiritual. The aristoc- racy of righteousness is the only aristocracy that God recognizes. This leaves no room for self-righteous ex- pressions in words or actions of being "holier than thou." There is a real unity in the human race, and all men have a right to equal consideration as human beings, regardless of their race, creed, or color.
For any church, country, nation, or other group to believe that it is the only people in whom God is interested or that it has special merit because of color, race, or belief, that they are in- herently superior and loved by God, without regard to the lives they live, is not only a great and dangerous fallacy but is a continuing barrier to peace. This is demoralizing, whether it is the exploded and presumptuous myth of an Aryan race of supermen or disguised in more subtle forms. Let us steadfastly avoid such demoralizing arrogance.
The most important problem facing us in working out a long-range program for peace is a tolerant and sympathetic understanding between races and creeds. As Thomas Bracken wrote:
"O God, that men would see a little clearer,
Or judge less harshly where they can- not see!
O God, that men would draw a little nearer
To one another! They'd be nearer Thee,
And understood."
("Not Understood. We Move Along Asunder," Latter-day Saint Hymns [1927], No. 352.)
It is regrettable that very few people in the world are free from the idea that they and their people and race are superior. The people on this continent were instructed that they should not hiss nor spurn nor make game of any remnant of the house of Israel, "for behold, the Lord remembereth his covenant unto them, and he will do unto them according to that which he hath sworn." (3 Nephi 29:8.)
We have fought two world wars and numerous other engagements to secure freedom and self-determination for ourselves and others, and yet we
Panoramic view of the Temple, Ensign Peak, Utah State Capitol, Relief Society Building. At right is site of planned Church Administration Building.
know the same old satanic forces are at work to destroy the peace and pros- perity of the human family. We can- not have peace in the world until we have tolerance and understanding. The happiness we seek can only be found in righteousness, for wickedness never was happiness. There is no leger- demain method of getting blessings.
We are reminded by one of the prophets that if men die in their wickedness, they will be cast off as to things that are spiritual and must be brought to stand before God to be judged of their works. If their works have been filthiness, they must be filthy, and if they be filthy, it must be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; there cannot be any unclean thing enter into that king- dom. (1 Ne. 15:33-34.)
Having briefly considered then his preexistence, his mortal birth, his transcendent ministry, his crucifixion and miraculous resurrection and ascen- sion, let us look to the future: is his work finished or is he still active and interested in the affairs of men? will he appear again on this earth?
The scriptures are replete with pre- dictions and warnings concerning this event, but time will permit us to refer to but few of them.
Job said, "For I know that my re- deemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. . . ." (Job 19:25.)
And Isaiah promises, ". . . behold,
your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you." (Isa. 35.4.)
In Malachi we read, "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall pre- pare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple. . . ." (Mai. 3:1.)
We find many references to his sec- ond coming in the New Testament. Near Bethany, at the time of the ascension of the Lord, a prediction was made by the angel: "Ye men of Gal- lilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11.)
In Matthew 25:31 we read, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. . . ."
Luke tells us that great events shall precede his coming: "Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
"Men's hearts [shall fail] them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." (Luke 21:10, 26-27.)
And the Apostle Paul tells us in Thessalonians 4:16, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. . . ."
The Savior himself on many occa- sions predicted his return to earth. In Matthew 16:27 we read, "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
After referring to the signs that would precede his coming, he said, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (Matt. 24:30.)
We humbly, but without any equiv- ocation, add our own witness to the testimonies of the apostles and prophets of old that God is not dead but is gloriously alive, and that Jesus Christ not only did live, but that he still lives, that he is a personal being, that he will triumphantly come again with his resurrected, glorified body still bearing the marks of the crucifixion.
We humbly repeat what we often sing: "I know that my Redeemer lives! He lives, all glory to his name! He lives, my Savior still the same; O sweet the joy this sentence gives: 'I know that my Redeemer lives!' " to which I testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Sunday Afternoon Session, April 10, 1966
//
He Is Not Dead"
President N. Eldon Tanner Of the First Presidency
• President McKay, my beloved col- leagues, brothers and sisters, and all who are listening in, it is with a deep feeling of humility that I stand before you in this great conference today and participate with you as we com- memorate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.
The inspiring talks we have heard and the lovely music to which we have listened and the beautiful spirit that has pervaded this whole conference, I am sure, have touched our hearts and helped us to appreciate the great sig- nificance and sacredness of this occa- sion that we are commemorating today. The most important and most significant of all events that have hap- pened in the history and life of man- kind are the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of God the Eternal Father.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16.)
The scriptures give us an accurate and dramatic account of how Christ went about doing good, healing the sick, making the blind to see and the lame to walk; how he was persecuted, tried, and sentenced to death; how he was betrayed; the agony he suffered before he was actually hanged on the cross. Yet in spite of all persecution and suffering, he said as he was hanged on the cross: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34.)
And his last words before he died were: "Father, into thy hands I com- mend my spirit. . . ." (Luke 23:46.)
As the women, through their love, came seeking Jesus at the tomb, the most glorious of all messages was given to them by the angel who said: "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said." (Matt. 28:6.)
Then we have the irrefutable testi- monies of Peter and John and the other apostles and many others who saw him and talked to him after his resurrection and were instructed by him, both in the Old World and on this the American continent.
I say to the world as the late Presi- dent J. Reuben Clark, Jr., said in his closing words to a large group of busi- ness leaders at a dinner given in his honor in New York City:
"For us Christians he is the Christ, the Only Begotten Son of the Living God, the Creator under God, of the earth, the Redeemer of the world, our Savior, the First Fruits of the Resur- rection, which comes to all born into this earth, believer and unbeliever alike, the only name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Be- hold the Lamb of God, p. viii.)
Today, while we in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to- gether with millions of others through- out the world, believe in God the Eternal Father and in his Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost, there are those who are trying to convince the world that God is dead. Some claim to be Christians, yet atheists, and claim that God died in Christ.
This theory is not new, but it is more serious and probably worthy of our attention because the argument is originating within Christendom and is being argued by intellectuals, theo- logians, teachers of the seminaries in universities, ministers, and bishops who preach it from the pulpit and perpetrate it in books and magazines.
The seriousness of the claim that God is dead is also emphasized by conditions in the colleges in America today. In Cornell .University's Value Study, the researchers found little or no evidence of absolute conviction or adherence, and ended by calling student belief "secular religion."
In the Weekly Religious Review, we read: "It is a serious theological mat- ter, though not without its comical aspects, all of a sudden seminary pro- fessors are popping up in every coun- try, it seems, saying: 'We simply must stop believing in God.' Faith, they say, wagging their heads at their students, is no longer possible." (Weekly Re- ligious Review, No. 266, November 19, 1965, p. 1.)
It is significant to note that many of America's colleges were originally founded by religious groups for re- ligious purposes. During most of the nineteenth century they were centers of religious activity, but in this century there has been a radical shift toward religious neutralism among academic leaders. Thus the student of tradi- tional faith may discover that his cherished convictions are ignored, dis- missed, and silenced or questioned by another standard of belief. Their de- cline in a secular environment, intel-
lectually and morally, is rapid and not infrequently disastrous.
In order to help our students meet this trend, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the policy of establishing seminaries and institutes near every high school and university where there are sufficient of our stu- dents to justify it. I would encourage parents to have their children attend schools where these facilities are avail- able. These people who profess and promote the "God is dead" theory say that it is old-fashioned to believe in God and warn that unless Christians bring their faith into line with modern knowledge, Christian faith itself will be abandoned. Can you think of anything more abhorrent than to claim that we should seek to make God ac- ceptable to man rather than to try to bring man back to God?
The promise given by God to Israel as found in Deuteronomy is worthy of our very careful attention:
"But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
"When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
". . . he will not forsake thee." (Deut. 4:29-31.)
When you read the prayer offered by Jesus Christ in the Garden of Geth- semane, as he left his three apostles, "and he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matt. 26:39), is there any doubt in your mind that he was talking to his Father, that he knew God lived?
Then as he reported to his Father in that beautiful prayer recorded in John 17: "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
"As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
"I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
"And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." (John 17:1-5.)
Can anyone believe in Christ, ac- cept his words, and doubt that God lives, that he stands ready to hear and answer prayers, and that he is the Father of Jesus Christ?
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Let us consider Joseph Smith's own words as he tells of his experience when he went to God in prayer after reading in James: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (Jas. 1:5.)
Joseph says: "At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to ask of God, concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wis- dom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.
"So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt." (Joseph Smith 2:13-14.)
As a result of this earnest and sin- cere prayer, he had a visitation that gave further evidence in this dispensa- tion of the reality of the Father and the Son. He records: "When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, point- ing to the other — This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith 2:17.)
In spite of all these examples of the force of prayer, much doubt seems to exist in the world today; therefore, it is evident that somewhere along the line the churches have lost touch with the twentieth century. Could this be because they have lost touch with God and have been led by blind guides? If so, there is good reason, as all seem to agree, why the old forms must be changed and for us to return to God.
To help us understand how preva- lent this need is and how important it is for all people individually to acknowledge and return to God, I should like to refer to one source of evidence that might be helpful.
During the last decade, an average of about 10,000 young men have been acting full-time in a religious peace corps throughout the world. They are our Mormon missionaries. They spend a good part of every day in person to person contact with all the world's culture — the churched, the un- churched, the high and the low, the Christian and the non-Christian. They meet "millions of people in their homes and in makeshift settings, at which time they discuss God and prayer.
As these missionaries kneel with their new-found friends in prayer and teach them to pray, they pour out their hearts to the Lord in all humility. They find that prayer has become as meaningless to many people as the purpose of life has become meaning- less. They find that few pray in any satisfying or in any effective way. They
find that very few have any form of family prayer. It is appalling to find how few people feel that they are really praying to a living God or have any clear expectation of what the re- sult might be. In fact, if they believe in God, they admit they believe in a kind of God and in a kind of re- ligiousness, but to actually talk to God is foreign to them.
Many say: "Praying is listening to music or responding to nature."
Others say: "I have my own kind of prayer."
And still others say: "Prayer at its best is just silence — seeking nothing, expecting nothing."
The most difficult problem the mis- sionaries have is to get the people whom they are trying to teach to kneel down and actually pray with them. This attitude toward prayer is clearly pointed out in a report of a recent survey of one of the outstanding centers of religion in the United States.
All of the students here are preparing either for teaching or ministerial careers in religion. The survey showed that only 9 percent of them reported having any significant prayer life. The others said "None" or "Almost none," yet all said they were deeply religious and cared to help others be- come so.
If these cases are typical, one must come to the conclusion that the world has reached the point at which they think of God, whatever God is, as a kind of being who makes prayer mean- ingless, or something to which one cannot go for guidance, strength, and comfort.
These Mormon missionaries of whom I spoke have had some very out- standing and encouraging experiences with those who have learned to pray to a living God. They have seen hun- dreds of thousands of them come alive to reality.
One outstanding businessman, when asked how he happened to become in- terested in the Church, said to me personally: "When I knelt with those boys and heard them pray, I knew that they knew to whom they were speaking." He went on to say that as he became interested, he too began to pray to a living God and proved with- out doubt the statement of Moroni wherein he said:
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, hav- ing faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." (Moro. 10:4.)
Nothing can bring a greater feeling of joy and peace and satisfaction and security to us than to know that God is present and interested in us. This changes the outlook and the lives of the people when they have discovered or rediscovered that prayer is a vital, vibrant link. Then their lives be- come meaningful, and the change is evident to all.
As these people who now know through prayer that God lives try to explain their attitude toward prayer before they met the missionaries, it brings us to one conclusion, and that is that men were deadened toward God, and not that God is dead. Until they are conscious of a living God to whom they can go, the gospel means very little to them.
The issue, then, becomes quite clear; that it is not what kind of God man can believe in, but what kind of man does the living God reach. One able theologian makes this profound state- ment:
"It may be that the funeral that is now being held in some churches is not for a God who had died, but for
Popular meeting place of old ac- quaintances is Seagull Monument. This year's weather, despite a few tradi- tional conference showers, allowed much between- session mingling.
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a God who was never alive, whom it was blasphemy to worship, and is now folly to mourn. Before such a God one can pray himself to death — in vain."
For those who have been worshiping an unknown God, or idols of some kind or other, the crumbling of these gods or idols may be a good thing, providing the worshipers can see be- yond the idols. It may be that our cultures in the twentieth century are so sick and tired of false prophets that many are not interested in or capable of listening to true ones and, in fact, not capable of acknowledging that there ever were true prophets. There- fore, they feel no relationship to God and no need of calling on him. This in itself is a most serious situation indeed.
There surely can be no real com- fort in what is called an atheistic re- ligion. Imagine a religion in which one can only think of a God who is formless, faceless, and heartless, who makes no demands, who has no con- sequences, who takes no role in any of the real battles of life except (as some kind of metaphysical Atlas) to provide the ground of battle.
What can a man expect of God, or how can he expect God to reach him, if he is convinced that the only proof of God's reality is his total ab- sence or if he has a hundred reasons why divine revelation, if it came, would not be divine and not be revelation?
In referring to these conditions in the world today, the eloquent Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel says:
"I speak as a person who is often afraid and terribly alarmed lest God has turned away from us in disgust and even deprived us of the power to understand his word. Some of us are like patients in the state of final agony, who scream in delirium: The doctor is dead! The doctor is dead!" (Union Theological Seminary Quarterly, Jan- uary 1966.)
In order for life to have a purpose, and for us to know where we came
from and why we are here and what our future might hold,, it is necessary that we be willing to admit the possi- bility that God does exist, that his absence is not his will, but our lack of will or our unwillingness to reach, to listen, and to respond.
All down through the ages the prophets have borne testimony that they have talked with God, that they have received instructions and been led by him. This applies to prophets in varying conditions, in different countries, and at different times, in- cluding our own. Also, hundreds of thousands of individuals scattered throughout the world today can and do bear testimony that their prayers have been answered in many ways.
What a beautiful sight and experi- ence and what a great privilege and blessing it is for a family to kneel down together in family prayer and talk to God, knowing that he is there, that he will hear and answer their prayers. The value of such a prayer and the influence it has on the indi- viduals who kneel in that prayer, from the father and mother to the youngest child, cannot be measured.
I remember so well as we knelt in family prayer how Father used to talk to the Lord as one man would talk to another, how he expressed his gratitude for his blessings, and how he prayed for the welfare of his family, and how he pled for wisdom and knowledge and courage and strength for all of us to do the right.
He who made us wants us to suc- ceed and stands ready to answer the call. As the Lord said, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. . . ." (Matt. 7:7.)
But as President McKay said at October conference, you must knock, you must ask, and you must seek. The question as to whom can the Lord reach may be answered in the follow- ing description given by a young man of a prayer offered by another man. He said:
"I had heard men and women pray
[before] . . . from the most ignorant, both as to letters and intellect, to the most learned and eloquent, but never until then had I heard a man address his Maker as though He was present listening as a kind father would listen to the sorrows of a dutiful child. [He] was at that time unlearned, but that prayer, ... to my humble mind, par- took of the learning and eloquence of heaven. There was no ostentation, no raising of the voice as by enthusi- asm, but a plain conversational tone, as a man would address a present friend. It appeared to me as though, in case the veil were taken away, I could see the Lord standing facing His humblest of all servants I had ever seen. Whether this was really the case I cannot say; but one thing I can say, it was the crowning, so to speak, of all the prayers I ever heard."
This is a description of Joseph Smith by Daniel Tyler, then in his teens, on hearing Joseph, age 30, in Kirtland, Ohio. (The Juvenile Instructor, Vol. 27, pp. 127-8.)
Prophets, whether in ancient or modern times, prayed to a God who was alive. For them he is alive and present. He acts, he moves, he in- forms, he intervenes. He transmits knowledge and power. He is not just ultimate, he is intimate. He is a person. He is a jealous God.
I should like to bear my personal testimony to everyone under the sound of my voice today that I know as I know I live that God lives, that he does hear and answer prayers. When as members of the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve we meet in the temple and join in prayer, he who is mouth actually speaks to the Lord, expressing our gratitude, our concern, asking for strength and wisdom and in- spiration. And I wish to bear testimony that I have seen these prayers answered many times.
I know of no greater blessing that I enjoy than to know that I can go to God the Eternal Father in humble prayer, knowing that he is there as a living, personal God. I appeal to all of you who have any doubt in your mind that you accept the words of Jesus Christ himself and of the prophets of every dispensation who have said that God lives, that he is the Creator of mankind, in whose image we are made. Through ac- cepting the gospel as given by Jesus Christ and in going to God in all humility, our prayers will be answered, our success will be greater, our lives will be happier; and through the resur- rection of Jesus Christ we may go forward confidently toward immortal- ity and eternal lives into the presence of God the Eternal Father.
May we all prepare ourselves for these blessings, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Wednesday Morning Session, April 6, 1966
The Signs of the Lord's Coming
President Joseph Fielding Smith Of the First Presidency and President of the Council of the Twelve
• My dear brethren and sisters, I am very thankful to be here with you at this, the 136th Annual General Con- ference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I pray that 1 shall say something that will be for the upbuilding of the kingdom of our Father and for the benefit of those who are listening. I would like to speak on "The Signs of the Lord's Coming," and I pray that he will direct me in what I say.
Many things have taken place dur- ing the past one hundred and thirty- six years to impress faithful members of the Church with the fact that the coming of the Lord is near. The gos- pel has been restored. The Church has been fully organized. The priest- hood has been conferred upon man. The various dispensations from the be- ginning have been revealed and their keys and authorities given to the Church. Israel has been and is being gathered to the land of Zion. The Jews are returning to Jerusalem. The gospel is being preached in all the world as a witness to every nation. Temples are being built, and ordinance work for the dead, as well as for the living, is per- formed in them. The hearts of the chil- dren have turned to their fathers, and the children are seeking after their dead. The covenants which the Lord promised to make with Israel in the latter days have been revealed, and thousands of gathered Israel have en- tered into them. Thus the work of the Lord is advancing, and all these things are signs of the near approach of our Lord.
Jesus said the Jews would be scat- tered among all nations and Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gen- tiles until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled. (Luke 21:24.) The prophecy in Section 45, verses 24-29, of the Doctrine and Covenants regard- ing the Jews was literally fulfilled. Jerusalem, which was trodden down by the Gentiles, is no longer trodden down but is made the home for the Jews. They are returning to Palestine, and by this we may know that the times of the Gentiles are near their close.
The words of the prophets are rapid- ly being fulfilled, but it is done on such natural principles that most of us fail to see it. Joel promised that the Lord would pour out his spirit upon all flesh: the sons and daughters
should prophesy, old men should dream dreams, and young men should see visions. Wonders in heaven and in . the earth would be seen, and there would be fire, blood, and pillars of smoke. Eventually the sun is to be turned into darkness and the moon as blood, and then shall come the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Some of these signs have been given; some are yet to come. The sun has not yet been darkened. We are informed that this will be one of the last acts just preceding the coming of the Lord.
One wonders if we are not now see- ing some of the signs in heaven — not all, for undoubtedly some of them will be among the heavenly bodies; such as the moon and the sun, the meteors and comets, but in speaking of the heavens, reference is made to that part which surrounds the earth and which belongs to it. It is in the atmosphere where many of the signs are to be given. Do we not see airships of var- ious kinds traveling through the heav- ens daily? Have we not had signs in the earth and through the earth with the radio, railroad trains, automobiles, submarines, and satellites, and in many other ways? There are yet to be great signs: the heavens are to be shaken, the sign of the Son of Man is to be given, and then shall the tribes of the earth mourn.
Among the signs of the last days was an increase of learning. Daniel was commanded to ". . . shut up the words, and seal the book [of his proph- ecy], even to the time of the end: [and in that day] many shall run to and fro," said he "and knowledge shall be increased." (Dan. 12:4.) Are not the people "running to and fro" today as they never did before in the history of the world? Go to the Bureau of Infor- mation and ask there how many tour- ists visit Temple Square each year. Make inquiry at the various national parks, at the bus, railroad, and steam- ship companies; learn how many are running to Europe, Asia, and all parts of the earth.
Are we not, most of us, running to and fro in our automobiles seeking pleasure? Is not knowledge increased? Was there ever a time in the history of the world when so much knowledge was poured out upon the people? But sad to say, the words of Paul are true — the people are "ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge
of the truth." (2 Tim. 3:7.)
Have you ever tried to associate the outpouring of knowledge, the great dis- coveries and inventions during the past 136 years, with the restoration of the gospel? Do you not think there is some connection? It is not because we are more intelligent than our fathers that we have received this knowledge, but because God has willed it so in our generation! Yet men take the honor unto themselves and fail to rec- ognize the hand of the Almighty in these things.
America was discovered because the Lord willed it. The gospel was re- stored in America, rather than in some other land, because the Lord willed it. This is the land "shadowing with wings" spoken of by Isaiah that today is sending ambassadors by the sea to a nation scattered and peeled, which at one time was terrible in the begin- ning. (Isa. 18:1-2.) Now that nation is being gathered, and once again they shall be in favor with the Lord.
Have we not had numerous rumors of wars? Have we not had wars, such wars as the world never saw before? Is there not today commotion among the nations, and are not their rulers troubled? Have not kingdoms been overturned and great changes been made among nations? The whole earth is in commotion. Earthquakes in divers places are reported every day. I took the liberty to call Dr. Melvin Cook and have him get for me some facts about how many earthquakes we have now. He quotes from a recent book (Earthquakes and Earth Struc- ture) by John H. Hodgson (who is chief, Division of Seismology, Domin- ion Observatory, Ottawa) the follow- ing: "The way the numbers [of earthquakes] go up as the magnitude goes down makes it easy for us to accept the estimate that, if all earth- quakes down to zero magnitude could be detected, the number would be be- tween one and ten million each year." Then he goes on to say that there are about 2,000 earthquakes each year with the magnitude between 5 and 6 and about 20,000 between 4 and 5; therefore it looks as if there are around 20,000 earthquakes a year that could be damaging if they occurred in pop- ulated areas. The other signs given by the Lord have been seen or are at our doors. We know this to be the case both from observation and from the predictions of the prophets. Eli- jah, 130 years ago, told Joseph Smith that the great and dreadful day of the Lord was near, ". . . even at the doors." (D&C 110:16.)
Yet the old world goes on about its business paying very little heed to all the Lord has said and to all the signs and indications that have been given. Men harden their hearts and say ". . . that Christ delayeth his coming until
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the end of the earth." (D&C 45:26.)
They are ". . . eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage . . ." acording to the customs of the world, not of God, without one thought that the end of wickedness is near. Pleasure and the love of the world have cap- tured the hearts of the people. There is no time for such people to worship the Lord or give heed to his warnings; so it will continue until the day of destruction is upon them.
At no time in the history of the world has it been more necessary for the children of men to repent. We boast of our advanced civilization, of the great knowledge and wisdom with which we are possessed; but in and through it all, the love of God is for- gotten! The Lord, as well as Elijah, gave us warning, as did also Joseph Smith. The Lord said: "For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, the time is soon at hand that I shall come in a cloud with power and great glory.
"And it shall be a great day at the time of my coming, for all nations shall tremble.
"But before that great day shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood; and the stars shall refuse their shining, and some shall fall, and great destructions await the wicked." (D&C 34:7-9.)
If the great and dreadful day of the Lord were near at hand when Elijah came 130 years ago, we are just one century nearer it today. But some will say: "But no! Elijah, you are wrong! Surely 130 years have passed, and are we not better off today than ever be- fore? Look at our discoveries, our inventions, our knowledge, and our wisdom! Surely you made a mistake!" So many seem to think and say, and judging by their actions they are sure, that the world is bound to go on in its present condition for millions of years before the end will come. Talk to them; hear what they have to say — these learned men of the world. "We have had worse times," they say. "You are wrong in thinking there are more calamities now than in earlier times. There are not more earthquakes, the earth has always been quaking, but now we have facilities for gathering the news which our fathers did not have. These are not signs of the times; things are not different from former times." And so the people re- fuse to heed the warnings the Lord so kindly gives to them, and thus they fulfill the scriptures. Peter said such sayings would be uttered, and he warned the people. (2 Pet. 3:3-7.) In this warning Peter calls attention to the destruction of the world in the flood and says that at the coming of Christ — which scoffers would postpone or deny — there shall come another cleansing of the earth, but the second
time by fire. Is not the condition among the people today similar to that in the days of Noah? Did the people believe and repent then? Can you make men, save with few exceptions, believe today that there is any dan- ger? Do you believe the Lord when he said almost 135 years ago: "For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own domin- ion." (D&C 1:35.)
"And behold, and lo, I come quickly to judgment, to convince all of their ungodly deeds which they have com- mitted against me, as it is written of me in the volume of the book." (D&C 99:5.)
"Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;
"And the anger of the Lord is kin- dled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the in-
habitants of the earth." (D&C 1:12- 13.)
"Verily, I say unto you, this genera- tion, in which these things shall be shown forth, shall not pass away until all I have told you shall be fulfilled." (Joseph Smith 1:34.)
Shall we slumber on in utter obliv- ion or indifference to all that the Lord has given us as warning? I say unto you, "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
"But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh." (Matt. 24:42-44.)
May we heed this warning given by the Lord and get our houses in order and be prepared for the coming of the Lord, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
Missionary Work— Our Way of Life
Bernard P. Brockbank Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
• Brothers and sisters, it is good to be in this historic Tabernacle in general conference — to be here near the moun- tain of the Lord's house in the tops of the mountains.
The spires of the temple capped with the Angel Moroni are one of the land- marks of the restoration of the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ through heavenly messengers here on this earth. As you know, the facade of the Mor- mon Pavilion at the New York World's Fair was a replica of the front of the Salt Lake Temple. Many visitors commented on its beauty and religious significance. It served as a beacon and a magnet to draw millions of people to the pavilion.
We found after visiting with mil- lions of visitors at the Mormon Pa- vilion that many were sincerely seeking for greater light and knowledge rela- tive to God's plan of life. Many wanted to know more about a living, personal God and about a living, personal Jesus Christ. They seemed hungry and anxious to hear the teachings of the Savior as they were taught and lived by him. They wanted to hear the doc- trines of the holy scriptures as given by the ancient prophets, apostles, and Jesus Christ.
The main exhibit at the pavilion was the missionaries. The priesthood and the Holy Ghost were manifest to tens of thousands through the spirit,
love, and dedication of the mission- aries. Many visitors left their com- ments.
A Catholic said: "There should be more young men like this called all over the world. This is the most in- structive religious pavilion at the fair. I'm impressed with so many young men knowing the truth."
A Baptist said: "Words fail to de- scribe the beauty seen here. I wish every faith had as much conviction and such dedicated young people with the ideals of the spirit. There is hope for the future through your young people."
The Mormon Pavilion with its achievements is one of the greatest, most far-reaching missionary ventures of our time. We learned many lessons from the visitors at the pavilion; and if the lessons are fully used, they will help to bring into reality one of the great requests of our prophet, President David O. McKay. He requested that every member be a missionary and that each member bring one or more persons into the Church each year.
The Lord said in modern-day revela- tion, "Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor." (D&C 88:81.)
I have asked hundreds of members if they would like to bring someone into The Church of Jesus Christ of
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Latter-day Saints, and each said, "Yes"; but year aftei year passes, and they do not accomplish their desire. Only a very small percent of the Saints bring one or more converts into the Church each year. We have more than one million possible members who would like to help in reaching and teaching their friends, who would like to bring someone into the Church each year.
We are in the process of creating and setting up similar exhibits to those used at the Mormon Pavilion in each of the church bureaus of information where space is available. In the areas such as Salt Lake City the local mis- sionaries and the Saints will be able to bring their friends and neighbors to the Salt Lake Temple Square Bureau of Information and there, with the help of visual aids, teach them about the restoration of the gospel and bring their friends to a knowledge of the Church of Jesus Christ. The exhibits will be built around the teachings and doctrines as taught and exemplified by the Savior. It has always been most interesting to me to know that Jesus not only taught his plan of life and salvation, but he also set the example and requested that we follow him. This leaves little room for private interpretation.
Missionary Saints through the help of the exhibits will be able to en- courage their friends and neighbors to turn to the God-inspired scriptures to seek and find the true gospel through the recorded message that our Father in heaven has left here on the earth for us.
The exhibits will start with the creation of man in the image and likeness of God.
The ancient prophets will be shown as God and heavenly messengers ap- peared and directed them in the Lord's program.
The teachings and examples of Jesus Christ will be shown through murals and various visual aids, such as Jesus setting the example for proper water baptism, and all Christians will be encouraged to know and follow his example.
Jesus called, ordained, and built his Church around Twelve Apostles. Through visual aids and the spoken word, we will encourage the people to know that apostles are an essential part of Jesus Christ's Church.
The apostasy from the teachings of Jesus Christ will be shown through visual aids. Men have changed the concept of God and Jesus Christ. Some have even gone so far as to say that God is without body, parts, or passions. Men changed the baptism of Jesus. Men discontinued the Twelve Apostles. The Melchizedek Priesthood was changed. Tithing was discontinued among many. And many other changes
were made that time will not permit to bring to our attention.
We will show through visual aids the First Vision and the restoration of the Church and the teachings and plan of life as given by the Savior.
The same film on eternal life that was shown at the pavilion will be used. I would like to quote a state- ment by Norman Vincent Peale re- garding the film. He said, "The film told the story of where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going." He added, "The film motivated one to want to make the most of earth life, and the last two minutes of the film were the most touching, the most inspirational, and most revealing of any two minutes of a film I have ever seen in my entire life."
He also said, "I don't know the name of the character- actor who was the grandfather, but when he died and entered the eternal existence, bewilder- ment and wonder were written on his face. All of a sudden, he caught a glimpse of his wife from whom he had been parted. She ran to him and threw her arms around him. Then came his brothers, sisters, mother and father, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and all who were near and dear to him on earth. Surrounded by those who loved him, the camera gave us a close- up of his face, whereon was written radiant, exultant joy. I have never seen such a character portrayal, nor such a beautiful scene. Out of this film, I learned two things: (1) an entirely new concept of the purpose of life and its connection with the eternities, and (2) an entirely new concept of the importance of the family in connection with the eternities." (Interview with T. Bowring Woodbury and Norman Vincent Peale, May 20, 1964.) Our
family program is one of our great missionary tools.
We hope that many exhibits will be created to assist the Saints and the missionaries to teach and love their neighbors and friends into the Church. We hope that it will be possible to have similar portable exhibits that can be attractively set up in the cultural halls and stake centers of the Church. They would run for a week or ten days, and the missionaries and Saints can bring their friends and neighbors. The World's Fair film on eternal life could also be shown as part of this exhibit.
With sufficient bureaus and portable units we should be able to have a half million Saints and missionaries par- ticipate. Can you picture a half million Saints with the help of the Lord teaching their friends and neighbors about the restoration of God's program through a prophet of God and teaching them to see the plan of life as taught by the Savior and not the plan that has been changed and corrupted by men?
The religious unrest in the world today is causing the honest in heart to seek and look for the living God. Many of our friends and neighbors are wait- ing to hear and know God's program for man.
Fellow Saints, you who have a testi- mony that God lives, that Jesus Christ lives, and that God's plan of life is essential for entrance into the kingdom of heaven, you have a responsibility to warn your neighbors. In my humble opinion the greatest potential mission- ary power and force of this Church is vested in the Saints. May we follow our Prophet and teach our friends and neighbors, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Television cameras zoom in on the General Authorities, transmitting their messages through- out North America. WRUL radio beamed the ad- dresses worldwide.
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The Second Coming
Sterling W. Sill Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
• My brothers and sisters, I appreciate very much this privilege of having a part with you in this great general conference of the Church. As important ideas are held up before our minds, we are helped to follow more fully that divine instruction that "man shall not live by bread alone." (Matt. 4:4.) It is desirable at all times that we should live by the word of the Lord, but this applies particularly to us, as our age is the most important and the most ex- citing that the world has ever known. Our forefathers lived on a flat station- ary earth and plowed their ground with a wooden stick. But we live on an earth of power steering, jet propul- sion, and atomic power, and we need personality and character qualities to match the times. Great events are now taking place at breathtaking speed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord to Daniel, twenty-five centuries ago. Con- cerning our day, he said, "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, . . . even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." (Dan. 12:4.)
Certainly the knowledge explosion of our day furnishes a literal fulfill- ment of this prophecy before our own eyes. It is interesting to remember that George Washington rode to his inau- guration in a chariot drawn by horses, but two thousand years earlier, Julius Caesar had gone to his Roman capital in exactly the same way. Little or no change had taken place in all of that long period. When I was born, the Wright Brothers had not yet made their famous maiden 60-foot flight at Kill Devil Hill. During the first part of our century we had no guided missiles, no space travel, no automo- biles, no radios, no television, no movies, and no atomic bombs. And most of the world's work was then still being done by the muscle power of men and animals. However, the ancient prophets have known a great deal about our age of miracles for many centuries. -
Moses was permitted to see the his- tory of our earth from its beginning to its end. (Moses 1:8.) Much of the writings of Isaiah concerns our own day, though he seemed a little bit surprised when he looked out of his window into the future and exclaimed: "Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?" (Isa. 60:8.) Foreseeing our day, the prophet Habakkuk said, "Their horses
also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from afar; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat." (Hab. 1:8.) And Nahum gives a clear mental view of one of our night scenes when he said: ". . . the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
"The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings." (Nah. 2:3-4.)
The important world events all seem to have been foretold. The people of Noah's day were warned about the flood, and God made known to Sodom and Gomorrah that their evil would draw a rainstorm of fire and brimstone from heaven. Jesus warned Jerusalem of its impending doom and foretold his own death. He announced the apostasy from God and foretold the dark ages that would follow the Savior's rejec- tion.
But one of the most important events on the divine timetable of the world's future is the glorious second coming of Jesus Christ. This will probably be the most momentous happening ever to take place in the history of the world. The most often mentioned event in the entire Bible is that wonderful, yet awful experience that we will have when Jesus Christ shall come to judge our world. There are many important gospel doctrines mentioned in the Bible only briefly, and some not at all. The new birth is mentioned in the Bible nine times; baptism is mentioned 52 times, repen- tance is mentioned 89, but the second coming of Christ is mentioned over 1,500 times in the Old Testament and 300 times in the New Testament. If God thought this subject that important, he must have wanted us to do something about it. The Holy Bible forecasts events before they happen, and much of our history has actually been written down before it occurred. The Bible accurately pre- dicted Christ's first coming in every detail, hundreds of years in advance. It revealed that he would come from the tribe of Judah (Mic. 5:2; John 7:42), that his birthplace _ would be Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2; John 7:42), that lie would be born of a virgin (Isa.
7:14), that he would flee into Egypt (Hos. 11:1; Matt. 2:15), that he would heal the sick, that his own people would reject him (Isa. 53:3), that he would be betrayed by a friend and sold for 30 pieces of silver, that he would take upon himself the sins of the world and be crucified with sin- ners (Mark 15:27; Isa. 53:3-12; Luke 22:37), that his sides would be pierced (John 19:37; Zech. 12:10), that he would institute a universal resurrection, and that he would personally rise from the dead the third day (Hos. 6:2; Luke 9:22).
This same Bible also foretells that he will come to the earth a second time, though in a different manner. The first time he came as a man of sorrows who was acquainted with grief (Isa. 53:3), but the second time he will come as the mighty God (Isa. 9:6). He came the first time as the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). He will come the second time as King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 17:14). He came the first time to atone for our sins; he will come the second time to judge those sinners who have not repented. The Apostle Paul says, ". . . the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thess. 1:7-8.)
Malachi says, ". . . and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple. . . .
"But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?" (Mai. 3:1-2.) And we might ask ourselves, who indeed?
According to the divine plan, our earth has been allotted a mortal or temporal existence of seven thousand years, patterned after the seven days of creation. The first four thousand years began with the fall of Adam and ended at the birth of Christ. But 1966 more years have come and gone since that time. Therefore, on the divine calendar we are now living in the late Saturday evening of time. This glorious second coming of Christ is scheduled to usher in the earth's Sabbath of a thousand years, known to the prophets as the millennium. During this period Christ will reign personally upon the earth. However, before this can happen, the wicked will be destroyed by fire and Satan will be bound. At Christ's com- ing a great number of very exciting things are going to take place. He is not coming alone; as Paul says, he will come with his mighty angels. (See 2 Thess. 1:7-8.) At his coming a great many of the faithful dead will be resurrected and caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And some of the righteous who are then living upon the earth will be changed from mor- tality to immortality in the twinkling of an eye to join that impressive com-
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pany in the air. Certainly this is some- thing to look forward to. (See 1 Thess. 4:13-17.)
At the time of Adam's fall, a curse was placed upon the earth, and since then it has existed in its fallen or telestial state. For, nearly six thousand years it has brought forth thorns, thistles, and noxious weeds, while crime, corruption, war, and sin have flourished upon its face. But at the second coming of Christ, the earth will be cleansed by fire. It will then be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory as it is raised to the status of a terrestrial sphere.
On the last Tuesday of the Lord's life, his disciples came to him and said, ". . . what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matt. 24:3.) Jesus warned them of the great wickedness that would exist upon the earth and the deception of false teachers. He said, ". . . then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." (Matt. 24:10, 12.)
At that time Jesus said some rather uncomplimentary things about us. He said, ". . . as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (Matt. 24:37.) Apparently Noah's day was quite a day; some of its chief characteristics were the people's lack of preparation and their disbelief in God. As in our own day, the antediluvians thought that the heavens were sealed and that God would never again reveal himself. It must have sounded a little bit ridicu- lous to them when on a warm cloud- less day Noah prophesied that a flood would come and destroy their entire society if they did not repent, but we are in a similar situation. And even though the combined sins of Sodom, Babylon, and ancient Rome all glare at us from our own newspaper head- lines, yet we are far from changing our ways. Instead, many people of our day are contending for a type of behavior that condones alcoholism, immorality, and a wide variety of deviations from God's laws.
As one of the signs that would pre- cede his coming, Jesus said that there would be wars and rumors of wars, and an awful hate would exist among people. He said, "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." (Matt. 24:7.)
Dr. Carl Joachim Hambro, late president of the League of Nations, said that in World War I alone, thirty- five million human beings died of starvation and epidemics. But that is only a drop in the bucket compared to the possible horror and mutilation of present-day war. We can now drop
concentrated fire on a nation and literally roast its population. War doesn't solve a single human problem, and yet the one place where our gen- eration excels most is in its ability to make war. Modern war is undoubtedly the most highly developed of all of our sciences. Even a horrible kind of destructive cold war now seems to have become a fixed part of our unfortunate way of life. But sinful, unstable man now holds in his hands the ability to destroy everything upon the earth in just a few hours. Our failure has been that while we have perfected weapons, we have failed to perfect the men who may be asked to use them. But still there is no letup in our evil. Like the ancients, we can discern the face of the sky, but we . fail in reading the signs of the times. This has always been one of the world's most serious problems.
On the Mount of Olives the Lord also foretold another event that would precede his glorious second coming. He
said: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matt. 24:14.) Angelic messengers with authority from God have been sent to the earth in our day to restore the simple prin- ciples and ordinances of the gospel that fulfill this prophecy. The Church of Jesus Christ has again been estab- lished upon the earth, built upon its necessary foundation of apostles and prophets. (See Eph. 2:19-20.)
In obedience to God's command, the world has also been given three great volumes of new scripture outlining in every detail the simple principles of the gospel of Christ. These modern scriptures add many additional pro- phetic statements to those of the Old and New Testaments, warning us to make ourselves ready for this tremen- dous event that is now at our doors. May God help us so to do, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Repentance— the Blessing of Hope
Bishop Victor L. Brown Of the Presiding Bishopric
• My dear brethren and sisters, I am grateful to be here today and to par- ticipate in this great conference. I pray that what I shall say will in some way be helpful in lifting the heavy burdens carried hy some. . Someone has written:
MY NAME IS LEGION
"Within my earthly temple, there's a
crowd; There's one of us that's humble, one
that's proud, There's one that's broken-hearted for
his sins, There's one that unrepentant sits and
grins; There's one that loves his neighbor as
himself, And one that cares for naught but
fame and pelf. From much corroding care, I should
be free If I could once determine which is
me."
(By Edward Sanford Martin)
Within my earthly temple, there's a crowd. There's one of us that's hum- ble— one that's proud. There's one that's brokenhearted for his sins. It is these to whom I wish to address my remarks today.
It seems that one of the tragedies of sin is that once a mistake has been
made, many feel there is no redemp- tion. Consequently, they continue to live in error. There are others who, once having made a mistake, repent, and yet carry the burden of guilt throughout their lives, burying it deep in their hearts, letting it tear at their secret heartstrings until many times, later in life, they find it impossible to bear any longer. This often results in serious psychological problems. They have failed to realize that the Lord, through the blessing of repentance, does not expect this. He has said:
"Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more." (D&C 58:42.)
The essence and purpose of the Savior's life was salvation — not con- demnation. He died that we might live, opening the way to eternal life and blessing us with the principles of the gospel, the second of which is re- pentance. He recognized that none of us is perfect nor free from sin.
Many times the principle of repen- tance is not fully understood. It is the blessing of hope that offers each of us forgiveness.
The first step in repentance is recog- nition and sorrow for the sin commit- ted. Of course, if we are brokenhearted for our sins, we have recognized them. This sorrow is not simply remorse and
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a fleeting twinge of conscience. The sorrow I refer to has no mental reser- vation, no feeling that perhaps our sins are not so gross or serious after all.
Paul said: "For godly sorrow work- eth repentance to salvation. . . : but the sorrow of the world worketh death." (2 Cor. 7:10.) This kind of sorrow means abandonment of the sin. This means complete cessation from such actions from that point forward.
Another vital step in repentance is confession. The Lord said, ". . . I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who con- fess their sins before me and ask for- giveness, who have not sinned unto death." (D&C 64:7.)
The Lord retains unto himself the right to judge the whole man. How- ever, in the ecclesiastical order of his Church, he has appointed what are known as common judges in Israel, more commonly known as bishops.
The bishop receives the confessions of the members of the Church when a serious sin has been committed, such as one involving the moral law. His authority as a judge has to do with the retention of the individual's full fel- lowship in the Church. He has been given the responsibility to forgive as far as church membership is con- cerned. The Lord is the only one who can truly forgive.
Each bishop recognizes his special role as a servant of the Lord in as- sisting him to accomplish his purpose. He said:
"For behold, this is my work and my glory — to bring to pass the immortal- ity and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39.)
The bishop knows that the confes- sion received from a member of his ward is a sacred trust. He does not divulge it to his wife or any other person. A bishop who violates such a sacred confidence is, himself, guilty of an offense before God, the Church, and the individual.
We sit today with several thousands of these wonderful men who have been called and ordained by proper author- ity to this very special position of bishop. They come from all walks of life. They span many years in age. They are your neighbors and mine. They have grown up with us. Some of them have grown up with our chil- dren, and for these reasons and others, we too often fail to recognize them for what they have become. At the time of their ordination to bishop, they were given the authority to act as a common judge within the boundaries of their wards. They were given the blessing of discernment, wisdom, and understanding. They were counseled to be kind and thoughtful in their dealings with the membership.
Each bishop understands fully the following scripture:
"No power or influence can or
ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, 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; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy. . . ." (D&C 121:41- 43.)
As already stated, the bishop is the spiritual counselor to his people. He is the one to whom we should confess our serious transgressions. He is not a harsh judge but rather he constantly asks himself, "What would the Savior's judgment be in this case?" If we are truly repentant, we should be willing
to place our trust in him and follow his guidance, because, after all, his whole purpose is not to condemn us but to help us.
May the Lord bless those who have transgressed, that they may understand his love for them and the blessings that can be theirs through repentance, never forgetting that the Lord himself has said:
"Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more." (D&C 58:42.)
My brothers and sisters, it is my humble witness that God lives. I know it with all the fiber of my being. I know that he loves us, and I know that he has the same love for the sin- ner as for the Saint. May he bless us, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Vision of Lehi
Delbert L. Stapley
Of the Council of the Twelve
• My brothers and sisters and friends, it is a privilege always to attend the general conferences of the Church.
My message is taken from the Book of Mormon account of the vision God gave to the Prophet Lehi, who, with his family, lived in Jerusalem about 600 years before the birth of Christ. This prophet was warned concerning the destruction of Jerusalem by invad- ing Babylonian armies. God therefore commanded Lehi to take his family and a small select group and to depart from the city. The Lord gave assurance that he would lead them to a promised land — the Americas as we know them today. These families belonged to the house of Israel, and Lehi was a de- scendant of that Joseph who was sold into Egypt.
After their departure from Jerusalem and while in the Valley of Lemuel, near the border of the Red Sea, God blessed the prophet with an inspiring vision. (2 Ne. 8.) In this vision Lehi beheld a dark and dreary wilderness. He was led by a messenger from God, a man clothed in a white robe. It seemed to Lehi they were moving deeper into the wilderness of darkness, and he therefore earnestly petitioned his God for mercy. Following his sup- plication the dream unfolded to his vision important and significant events. Lehi beheld a large and spacious field and a tree, the fruit of which was desirable to make one happy. He went forth and partook of the fruit and in
ecstasy declared it to be the most sweet above all that he had before tasted. When Lehi partook of the fruit, he described it as filling his soul with exceeding joy, and he therefore desired that his family should partake of the fruit also, for he knew it was most desirable above all other fruit. As he cast his eyes about to discover his family, he beheld a river of water that ran along near the tree. As he looked toward the source of the stream, he saw his wife, Sariah, and two of his sons, Nephi and Sam. It seemed to Lehi that this part of his family were un- certain as to the way they should go. Being anxious about the welfare of his family, he beckoned unto them to come and partake of the fruit, which invitation they willingly accepted.
Lehi had two other sons, both of whom were wayward. He was desirous that they also should come and par- take of the fruit. When he located them, they refused his invitation.
As the vision continued, Lehi beheld a rod of iron that extended along the bank of the river and led to the tree by which he stood. He also beheld a straight and narrow path that paral- leled close to the rod of iron and also led to the tree and continued on to the head of the fountain unto a large and spacious field, as if it were a world. Lehi saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward that they might obtain the path that led to the tree laden with
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desirable fruit. Some commenced in the path, but there arose a mist of darkness of exceeding intensity inso- much that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way and wandered off and were lost.
In the vision Lehi beheld others pressing forward, and they caught hold of the rod of iron and continued through the mists of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, and moved along the straight and narrow path until they reached the tree and partook of its fruit. After partaking of the fruit they cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed. This caused Lehi to wonder, so he cast his eyes round about also and beheld on the other side of the river a great and spacious building. It was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female, who were well dressed, and they were in the attitude of mocking and were pointing fingers of scorn toward those who had partaken of the fruit. These wavering souls had made considerable progress toward their goal, but they could not withstand the scoffing of the multitudes and therefore they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.
Lehi saw another concourse of people, and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron until they reached the tree and partook of its fruit. He saw other multitudes feeling their way toward that great and spacious build- ing. Many strayed and were drowned in the depths of the fountain, and others were lost from his view, wander- ing into strange roads. Great were the multitudes that entered the strange building, and after doing so they pointed the finger of scorn and did scoff at Lehi and the others who were partaking of the fruit. ". . . but," said Lehi, "we heeded them not." (1 Ne. 8:33.) So closed the vision of Lehi.
Now, having the details of the vision in mind, let us consider the teachings and the lessons of this unusual vision. We learn that people must pray for light and truth to know the way to eternal life and happiness. Only by humility and prayer, with a heart open to truth, can one escape the dominant influence that Satan is exerting so strongly and effectively today in all areas of the world to destroy the souls of men.
Nephi, the son of Lehi, although fully believing the words of his father regarding his vision, was nevertheless desirous that he might see and hear and know for himself of those things witnessed by his father. He had faith that the vision of his father could be shown him by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost. Nephi was granted his wish after he, too, had humbly and diligently supplicated the Lord in prayer for this privilege.
An angel of God appeared before Nephi and asked if he knew the mean- ing of the tree which his father saw. Nephi answered in the affirmative, stating, ". . . it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; where- fore, it is the most desirable above all things." And the angel added, "Yea, and the most joyous to the soul." (1 Ne. 11:22-23.)
The tree of life was not unknown to the descendants of Lehi, part of whom are the Indian tribes of the Americas, for it is found in the pictorial hieroglyphics that were carved upon rocks in regions of the past civilizations of Lehi's posterity. The tree of life is not something new taught in our day, for there are many references to it in the scriptures. The significance of this representation may not be understood fully, except by few, yet it has real and important spiritual value. In the book of Revelation (2:7) we learn that "the tree of life ... is in the midst of the paradise of God." In Genesis 2:9 we are informed that a tree of life was placed by God in the midst of the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were privileged to partake of the fruit of this tree until they transgressed God's law. Thereafter the fruit of the tree was denied them; if they had par- taken, they would have lived forever in their fallen state. Death was in the great plan of God, and the hope of man became centered in Jesus Christ, who gave his life on Calvary to redeem and save man from the effects of the fall.
Alma, a Nephite prophet, quotes the Christ as saying, "Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life. . . ." (Al. 5:34.)
John the Revelator, speaking of the tree of life in the New Jerusalem that is to come down from heaven, said: "Blessed are they that do his com- mandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Rev. 22:14.)
Lehi taught there must be an oppo- sition in all things. ". . . even the for- bidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the
other bitter." (2 Ne. 2:15.)
Nephi advises, "Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most desir- able above all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God." (1 Ne. 15:36.)
Nephi learned from the angel that the rod of iron seen by his father was the word of God, which word, if ac- cepted and lived, will lead mankind to the tree of life and to the fountain of living waters, which waters are a representation of the love of God. Nephi beheld also that the tree of life is a representation of the love of God.
Man's duty, therefore, is to seek earnestly for the word of the Lord; and when he finds it, if he is sincere in his desires, he will enter into that straight and narrow path that will take him to the tree of life where he can partake of the fruit thereof. Remaining true, he will not fall into the byways of wickedness and sin but continue on to the eternal mansions prepared of God for the faithful and worthy of his children.
The river of water spoken of in the vision represents filthiness. The mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men and lead them away into broad roads, where they perish and become lost. The great and spacious building was the pride of the world which fell and, said the angel, "Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb." (1 Ne. 11:36.) The building was filled with human beings — fools and scoffers — who, with their ribaldry, succeeded in making apostates and transgressors of some of those who had tasted of the fruit of the tree of life. The inmates of the building delighted in mocking and scoffing at those who desired to do right.
Inasmuch as Laman and Lemuel did not partake of the fruit of the tree of life, Lehi feared lest they would be cast off from the presence of the Lord forever. As their father, he had great concern for their eternal welfare, and his love was manifest in his exhorta- tion to them with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken unto his words and not be cast off.
The parable of Jesus dealing with the sower who went forth to sow parallels in teaching the lessons given Lehi in the vision that I have de- scribed. (Matt. 13:1-9.) The Savior, after applying the parable of the sower to those whom he was teaching, in- terpreted it to the understanding of his disciples by saying:
"When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and
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catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside.
"But he that received the seed into the stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
"Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth be- cause of the word, by and by he is offended.
"He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
"But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty." (Matt. 13:19-23.)
The Apostle Paul declared that he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because, said he, "it is the power of God unto salvation. . . ." (Rom. 1:16.)
No man, following the example and dedication of the Christ, should be- come ashamed or afraid of his true Christian status and lack courage and strength, in the face of opposition or the taunting of men, to remain true, firm, and steadfast to his conviction of what is right in the sight of God. This life is a probationary state wherein men and women are tried and proven in the crucible of mortal existence.
The vision of Lehi and the parable of the sower presented by the Christ suggest the weaknesses of men and the many avenues of personal indifference, lack of faith, wickedness, and sin which, if left uncontrolled, will de- stroy their very souls and lead them down to the depths of hell.
Lehi's love and concern for the eternal welfare and happiness of his family is applicable to all parents. They too, feelingly, kindly, and in love, must give children the oppor- tunity of good moral and spiritual teaching and training with righteous and ethical parental example in order to create the desire and the strength within their children's hearts to love God and to serve him and keep his commandments.
The pitfalls of temptation and evil today are many. These evils are dressed up attractively and cunningly to de- ceive the very elect. Unless parents and youth are grounded in the basics of good behavior and the fundamental principles and standards of the gospel, which is the true Christian way of life, they can stumble and fall by the way- side and thus never reach the goal of eternal life.
The teachings of Lehi, his son Nephi, the Apostle Paul, and Jesus, to which I have referred, are guidelines
and directions toward the tree of life. The vision of Lehi blesses all of us with its understanding of God's pur- poses for his children and the respon- sibility of parents to their families. The Church and its families are synonymous: one does not exist without the other, and both serve each other, and all belong to God the Father.
Now in closing I wish to summarize the vision of Lehi with the following brief comments:
Dreams or visions are often used as a teaching principle, unfolding the secrets of heaven to the prepared mind and prayerful heart.
The love of God suggests the good and wholesome things of life.
The tree of life is indicative of eternal life — or celestial life — life in the full enjoyment of God's love.
The fountain of living waters is representative of the love of God. All spiritual graces and refreshment com- municated by the Spirit are compared to a fountain. We learn from Jere- miah, ". . . they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters." (Jer. 17:13.)
God, then, is called the fountain of living waters. The Savior taught that those who drink of it shall never thirst.
The numberless concourses of people seen by Lehi in his vision represent the different races of men on earth.
The river of water, which is repre- sentative of the filthiness of sin, wickedness, and contamination, sepa- rates the wicked from the tree of life and from the Saints of God and is a prototype of the condition called hell.
Notwithstanding the numerous in- stitutions of secular and theological learning, the human family, by and large, are groping in the mists, of moral and spiritual darkness. Sin and vice, prideful exaltation of the human mind, and the pursuit of harmful pleasures blur men's perception, dull their sense
of values, and obscure their vision of the rod of iron, or the word of God, which alone leads to eternal life.
The great and spacious building, in addition to representing the pride and vain imaginations of men, stands for the mockery and ridicule of the world. Our generation should be reminded that scoffers are far from the kingdom of God. Those who allow the ridicule of men to make them embarrassed by the cause, the standards, or the obliga- tions that they have espoused as true followers of Christ, and are turned thereby from the straight' and narrow path of truth and righteousness, are those who form the stony ground in which the seed sown soon withers and dies. Those who are drowned in the depths of the fountain refer to those who are engulfed in the quagmire of evil-mindedness, sin, and corruption; therefore, the wicked sink to destruc- tion in the river of filth, and the depths thereof are the depths of hell.
Passing through the mist and cling- ing steadfastly to the iron rod, the faithful pass triumphantly through the temptations that beset man's mortal pilgrimage to the cherished goal of eternal life with God.
In man's search for happiness and his climb to eternal joy, there can be no relaxation, no deviation from the straight and narrow path; nor can he lose a firm hold upon the iron rod, which is the word of God. He must set aside the things of the world as he travels the path which leads to exalta- tion and glory in the kingdom of God.
I bear witness to you, my brothers and sisters, to the truthfulness of these things. I know the teachings of this vision are important to us and to all the world. May God bless us that we may so live and set the type of example that will incline the hearts of men and women to the restored Church of our Lord, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Famed Tabernacle Choir members, directed by Richard P. Condie and accompanied by Alexander Schreiner, sound their soul- stirring tidings Easter morning.
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Wednesday Afternoon Session, April 6, 1966
Otherwise, Of What Value Is Christianity?
Mark E. Petersen Of the Council of the Twelve
• We Latter-day Saints bear testimony that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. He is the Redeemer and the Messiah. He is the divine Son of God and the Creator of heaven and earth. Amid persecution and great opposition he fulfilled his mortal ministry and brought about the atonement for all mankind. When he died on the cross, the heavens mourned, as did his disciples among the common people who believed in him. And yet, his enemies rejoiced, feeling that in deliv- ering him to the Roman executioners, they had accomplished a great victory.
But Christ was the real victor. On the third day after his crucifixion he came forth from the tomb in a glorious physical resurrection. The same body that was crucified now arose, no more to die, opening the door to a resurrec- tion for us all.
But Christ means more than resur- rection, more than our hopes for immortality. He not only said, "I am the resurrection, . . ." but he also said, "I am . . . the life . . ." (John 11:25.) He spoke of a particular way of life, which he himself represented. It is a way to live, a way by which each of us may pattern our daily habits after his high principles. It is the perfect plan for human relationships. It will do away with man's inhumanity to man, whether in our homes, in our neighbor- hoods, or in the world at large.
It was not his intention that we merely have a mental acceptance of him and then conduct our personal affairs to suit our own selfish purposes. His way of life provides that we shall rearrange our habits and readjust our standards in harmony with his teach- ings. Otherwise, of what value is Christianity?
He taught us to overcome our prejudices and enmities, for all human difficulties can be overcome through the application of Christlike love.
One of the greatest of all Christian principles is given by him in the Ser- mon on the Mount. He said, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy.
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you:
"That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. . . .
"For if ye love them which love you,
what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
"And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?" (Matt. 5:43- 47.)
Again he said: ". . . if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remem- berest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
"Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be recon- ciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." (Matt. 5:23-24.)
He also taught: ". . . if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
"But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matt. 6:14- 15.)
Continuing his outline for good human relationships, he said, "Judge not, that ye be not judged.
"Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"
". . . first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." (Matt. 7:1, 3, 5.)
These and many similar teachings formed his program for goodwill among men. It is the only foundation for a lasting peace.
As Christians we never yet have ac- cepted the true meaning of his title, the Prince of Peace.
Then are we truly Christians? Do we really follow him? Are we willing to adopt his principles and live them? The peace of Christ is attainable in the world. He does not command the impossible.
If it were not within the realm of both possibility and reason to love our neighbors as ourselves, he would not have commanded it.
If it were not possible to love our enemies, he would not have com- manded it.
If it were not possible for us to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile, to give our coat and our cloak also, he would not have commanded it.
If it were not possible for mankind to reconcile their differences in the spirit of brotherhood, mercy, and kind-