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fveTlMTROVBMENT 


■Jim, 


'ftfwmw&jc*. 


By  DR.  FRANKLIN  S.  HARRIS,  JR. 

""Phe  barleycorn  is  an  old  unit  of 
English  measure  of  length  equal 
to  the  average  length  of  a  grain  of 
barley,  with  three  barleycorns  equal 
to  one  inch.  This  unit  is  still  used  in 
measuring  the  length  of  shoes,  thus  a 
number  six  shoe  is  one-third  of  an  inch 
longer  than  a  number  five. 

Tnder  best  conditions  Professor  H. 
^*  N.  Russell  has  found  that  a  star 
of  eight  and  a  half  magnitudes  can 
just  be  seen  by  the  naked  eye.  This  is 
the  same  illumination  as  would  be  pro- 
duced by  a  candle  at  a  distance  of 
twenty-one  miles  if  there  were  no 
atmospheric  absorption.  When  the  size 
of  the  object  becomes  so  small  that 
it  is  smaller  than  the  size  the  eye  can 
resolve,  all  the  energy  entering  the 
eye  falls  on  a  single  rod  or  cone  of 
the  retina. 


A 


new  sensitive  electric  current- 
measuring  instrument  has  been 
adapted  to  detect  and  record  emotion 
and  hence  gives  clues  to  hidden  causes 
for  the  misbehavior  of  problem  chil- 
dren. Electrodes  are  taped  to  the 
fingers,  and  a  photoelectric  recorder 
measures  changes  in  the  electrical  con- 
ductivity of  the  skin  of  the  palm.  Emo- 
tional reactions  change  the  conduc- 
tivity of  the  skin  so  that  the  reaction 
of  a  person  to  pictures  on  a  screen  or 
other  stimuli  can  be  studied.  The 
psychologist  Dr.  B.  R.  Higley  has 
found  that  the  "dead  pan,"  who  shows 
no  reaction  to  the  usual  stimuli,  has, 
in  eighty-five  percent  of  the  cases, 
spent  time  in  disciplinary  and  penal 
institutions. 

"DY  using  a  dielectric  oven  with  high 
JJ  frequency  electricity  of  thirteen 
million  cycles  a  second,  burlap  feed 
bags  can  be  uniformly  heated  through- 
out to  permit  the  reuse  of  bags  by  kill- 
ing organisms  which  produce  disease. 
This  dry  method  of  sanitizing  does  not 
injure  the  fibers.  The  Eastern  States 
Farmers'  Exchange  saves  about  one 
million  dollars  a  year  by  their  reuse. 


Totun  HOUSE 

CHOCOLATE  DROP  COOKIES 

cost  you  only*!  £2/3^  a  dozen* 

You  can't  make  them  at  home  that  cheaply 


TOWN  HOUSE  Cookies  by  Purity 
contain  loads  of  chocolate  drops, 
real  pecan  nuts,  pure  creamery  but- 
ter and  other  choice  ingredients. 
These  expensive  materials,  plus 
your  own  valuable  time,  would 
make  the  cost  of  your  home-made 
chocolate  chip  cookies  far  more 
than  l62Ac  a  dozen. 

Why  Bake  at  Home  ? 

when  you  can  buy  such  delicious 

chocolate  drop  cookies  at  so  low 

a  price? 


MM9m 
mmmm. 


•Town  House  Cookies  by  Purity  are  sold  only  in 
cellophane-wrapped  cartons  which  average  34  cookies 
apiece.  At  the  prevailing  retail  price  of  47c  a  package 
the  cost  would  be  16%e  a  dozen. 


PURITY  BISCUIT  COMPANY    •    Salt  Lake 


DECEMBER  1950 


Phoenix 

937 


Priceless  Lifetime  Sifts  for  the  Whole  Family 

II        n  ^  a  «7  n         II 


BOOKS 


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Dr.  Sidney  B.  Sperry 

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(8)  AMERICAS     BEFORE     COLUMBUS, 

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hundred  years  ago. 

(9)  A  NEW  WITNESS  FOR  CHRIST   IN 
AMERICA,    Dr.   Francis  Kirkham 

$2.50 

Historical  evidence  that  the  Book 
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(10)  GOD'S  COVENANT  RACE, 

James   H.    Anderson  $2.00 

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An  attempt  to  thoroughly  analyze 
all  the  records  mentioned  in  the 
Book  of  Mormon. 

(13)  THE  GOSPEL  THROUGH  THE  AGES, 

Dr.  Milton  R.  Hunter  $3.00 

Written  for  a  course  of  study  of 
the  Melchizedek  Priesthood  and  as 
a  book  for  missionaries. 

(14)  THE  TRUE  SABBATH  -  SATURDAY 
OR  SUNDAY?,  Kenneth  E.  Coombs 

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A  volume  grown  from  the  contro- 
versy concerning  the  true  Sabbath. 

(15)  UTAH    INDIAN  STORIES, 

Dr.  Milton  R.  Hunter $2.25 

Rich  in  Indian  lore  and  stories,  a 
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library. 

(16)  ASSORTED  GEMS  OF  PRICELESS 
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wall $2.75 

A  compilation  of  information  found 
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readers. 

(17)  CUMORAH'S  GOLD  BIBLE, 

E.  Cecil   McGavin  $2.25 

Hundreds  of  questions  concerning 
the  Book  of  Mormon,  fully  dis- 
cussed   in   this  delightful   book. 

(18)  DISCOURSES  OF  WILFORD  WOOD- 
RUFF,   Compiled   by  Dr.    G.    Homer 

Durham     $2.50 

The  words  of  Wilford  Woodruff— 
an  inspiration  to  all  who  read 
them. 

(19)  GEMS  OF  THOUGHT,  Compiled  by 

Dr.  Milton  R.   Hunter  $1.00 

Valuable  extracts  from  sermons  de- 
livered in  past  conferences  by  the 
General   Authorities  of  the  Church. 

(20)  GOLDEN   NUGGETS  OF  THOUGHT, 

Compiled  by  Ezra  Marler  $1.00 

Choice  bits  of  beauty,  truth,  and 
wisdom,  spoken  by  poets,  proph- 
ets,  and   sages. 

(21)  GOSPEL   INTERPRETATIONS, 

Dr.    John    A.    Widtsoe    $2.25 

A  record  of  the  most  perplexing 
problems,  with  the  answers,  re- 
garding the  teachings  of  the 
L.  D.  S.  Church. 


(22)  GOSPEL    THEMES-MAN    AND    THE 
DRAGON,  Dr.  John  A.  Widtsoe 

$1.50 

A  powerful  and  fascinating  col- 
lection of  informal  discussions  by 
Dr.  Widtsoe. 

(23)  HIS  MANY  MANSIONS, 

Rulon   S.   Howells   $2.25 

The  beliefs  of  thirteen  leading 
Christian  churches  —  on  twenty- 
three  of  the  most  important  doc- 
trinal   questions. 

(24)  JACOB  HAMBLIN, 

Paul    Bailey   $3.50 

A  carefully  documented  biography, 
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(25)  LATTER-DAY      PROPHETS      SPEAK, 

Daniel  H.   Ludlow  $4.00 

Selections  from  the  writings  of  the 
Presidents  of  the  Church  —  a  must 
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(26)  IDS.    SCRIPTURES, 

Gilbert  Charles  Orme  $4.50 

319  subjects  available  at  your  fin- 
gertips, with  handy  side  index, 
2,000    references. 

(27)  MORMON  ISM  AND  MASONRY, 

E.   Cecil   McGavin   $2.25 

A  challenging  book,  explaining  the 
origin  of  the  similarities  of  Ma- 
sonry   and   Mormonism. 

(28)  OUR  BOOK  OF  MORMON, 

Dr.    Sidney   B.    Sperry   $2.75 

A  revealing  book  —  a  perfect  gift 
for  one  who  wishes  to  become 
better  acquainted  with  the  Book 
of  Mormon. 

(29)  RESTORATION     OF     ALL     THINGS, 

Joseph   Fielding  Smith  $1.75 

The  popular  Sunday  evening  radio 
addresses  of  Elder  Smith,  compiled 
in  an   appreciated  volume. 

(30)  SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES, 

Joseph   Fielding  Smith  $1.25 

An  important  book,  showing  how 
the  unfolding  of  daily  events  ful- 
fill   the    words   of   the    prophets. 

(31)  STORYTELLER'S    SCRAPBOOK, 

Albert  L.  Zobell,  Jr $1.00 

A  pocket-size  book  with  stories 
and  illustrations  that  will  assist 
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jects. 

(33)  THE  HOUSE  OF  ISRAEL, 

E.    L.    Whitehead    $3.00 

A  treatise  on  the  destiny,  history, 
and  identification  of  Israel  in  all 
the    four    branches. 

(34)  THE   QUEST, 

O.    F.    Ursenbaeh    $2.25 

A  rabbi's  search  for  the  Gospel 
truth,  beautifully  written,  of  spe- 
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pective missionaries. 

(35)  THE  VISION,  N.  B.  Lundwall..$1.50 
Rare  and  invaluable  writings  on 
the  salvation  of  the  living  and 
dead. 


(36)  TO  WHOM  IT  MAY  CONCERN, 
Marvin   O.    Ashton   $3.00 

The  articles  and  stories  of  Bishop 
Ashton,  interwoven  with  much 
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ness.   A  perfect  gift  volume. 

(37)  THESE  AMAZING  MORMONS, 
Joseph    H.   Weston   $1.00 

A  newspaperman's  views  of  the 
Mormons    and    the    L.D.S.    Church. 

(38)  PEARL  OF  GREAT  PRICE  COM- 
MENTARY,  Dr.   Milton   R.    Hunter... 

$3.00 

Comments  on  the  doctrines  and 
history  of  the  Pearl  of  Great 
Price  —  a  welcome  addition  to 
any  home  library. 

(39)  BIRTHRIGHT,  Ezra  J.  Poulson ..$3.00 
The  story  of  a  young  Latter-day 
Saint,  who  found  his  own,  and 
saved  the  birthright  of  his  people. 
An  ideal  gift  book. 

(40)  MEDIATION    AND    ATONEMENT, 

John  Taylor  $3.00 

A  powerfully  written  book,  packed 
with  scriptural  messages  to  help 
you  get  a  truer  conception  of  the 
life   and    mission   of  Jesus   Christ. 

(41)  BOOK  OF  MORMON  GUIDE  BOOK, 

Verla    Birrell    $5.00 

The  content  of  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, presented  in  a  systematized, 
simple,  direct  form,  and  arranged 
for  the  benefit  of  the  casual  read- 
er   interested    in    religion. 

(42)  TREASURES  TO   SHARE, 

Melvin    Westenskow    $2.00 

In  straight  forward  and  simple 
language  and  style,  the  concepts 
of  the  Restored  Gospel  are  set 
down  in  logical  and  concise  man- 
ner.    A  valuable   and   useful   book. 

(43)  STORY  OF  THE  BOOK  OF  MOR- 
MON,   Florence   Pierce   $3.00 

The  complete  text  of  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  written  in  story  form  and 
in  proper  sequence.  Seventy-five 
full  page  pictures  and  attached 
descriptions  add  color  to  this  beau- 
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# 


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Publishers  of  Fine  L.D.S.  Books 


DECEMBER  1950 


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IMPROVEMENT 


r*J     r^     r^    VOLUME  53      nu    NUMBER  12      ^      SbecemLr    1950 


n~> 


Editors:    GEORGE    ALBERT    SMITH     -     JOHN     A.    WIQTSOE     -     RICHARD     L.     EVANS 

Managing    Editor:    DOYLE    L.    GREEN 

Associate    Managing    Editor:    MARBA    C.    JOSEPHSON 

Manuscript   Editor:    ELIZABETH    J.   MOFFITT     -     Research    Editor:    ALBERT    L. 

ZOBELL,    JR.     -     "Today's    Family"    Editor:    BURL    SHEPHERD 

Contributing    Editors:    ARCHIBALD    F.    BENNETT     -     G.    HOMER    DURHAM 

FRANKLIN    S.    HARRIS,    JR.     -      HUGH     NIBLEY     -     LEE    A.    PALMER 

CLAUDE    B.     PETERSEN      -     SIDNEY    B.    SPERRY 

General    Manager:    ELBERT    R.    CURTIS     -     Associate    Manager:    BERTHA    S.    REEDER 

Business    Manager:    JOHN    D.    GILES     -     Advertising    Director:    VERL    F.    SCOTT 

Subscription    Director:    A.    GLEN     SNARR 


Church  Features 

Evidences  and  Reconciliations:  CXLIX — Who  Were  the  Early 

Converts?  John  A,  Widtsoe     949 

Conference  Section  962 

(Index  to  Conference  addresses) 941 


Church  Moves  On  944 

Melchizedek  Priesthood  1036 


Presiding  Bishopric's  Page 1038 


Special  Features 


The  True  Christmas Marba  C.  Josephson  951 

Heritage  in  the  Pacific ...D.  Arthur  Haycock  952 

Toys  They  Will  Like ...Burl  Shepherd  955 

On  the  Children's  Bookrack  960 

The  Spoken  Word  from  Temple  Square  .. 

Richard  L.   Evans   1020,  1024,  1028,  1032,  1044 


Exploring  the  Universe,  Franklin 

S.  Harris,  Jr 937 

These   Times — The   Conquest   of 

.     Fear,  G.  Homer  Durham  942 

Veteran  Reporter,  Frank  W.  Ot- 

terstrom    946 

On  the  Bookrack  1030 

Assistant  Church   Historian,   An- 
drew   Jenson    1030 


Today's  Family,  Burl  Shepherd....  1040 

Make   It   with   Towels 1040 

Keep  the  Christmas  Tree  Safe..  1041 
Poinsettias      May      Hibernate, 

Too  .. ..1042 

Blueprint    for    Beauty — "Tips" 

on  your  Fingers  1042 

To  Give— or  To  Keep .....1044 

Your  Page  and  Ours  1048 


Stories,  Poetry 


The  Gift  Horse  John  Sherman  Walker     956 

Merry  Christmas  with  Gravy Diantha  Henderson     959 


Frontispiece — Christmas    is   Com- 
ing, Solveig  Paulson  Russell  ....  947 

Poetry   Page 948 

Christmas     Trees,      Olive     May 
Cook  954 


To    A     Daughter,     Elizabeth    S. 
Norris 958 

Beauty,   Sytha  Johnson  979 

Mountain  Snow,  Gilean  Douglas..  1004 


Lsfficiai   Lycaan  of 

THE  PRIESTHOOD  QUORUMS, 
MUTUAL  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIA- 
TIONS, DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCA- 
TION, MUSIC  COMMITTEE,  WARD 
TEACHERS,  AND  OTHER  AGENCIES 
OF 

~Jke   L^nufcn  of 
or  cJLatter-aau  faints 


THE  COVER 


The  reverence  in  which  all  of  us  hold 
the  Christmas  season  .  .  .  the  warm  glow 
of  lighted  windows  in  a  house  of  worship 
.  .  .  the  muffled  footfalls  upon  new-fallen 
snow  ...  a  friendly  feeling  of  good- 
will and  good-fellowship  toward  our 
neighbors  and  the  whole  wide  world  .  .  . 
all  of  these  things  so  inseparably  linked 
with  the  December  holidays  have  been 
skilfully  and  admirably  delineated  in  this 
full-color  oil  painting  by  Arnold  Friberg. 


CONFERENCE   SECTION 

All  eyes  turn,  twice  yearly,  to  Temple 
Square  in  Salt  Lake  City  because  it's 
conference  time.  The  photographic  study 
on  page  962  is  the  work  of  Jeano  Orlando. 


940 


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Copyright  1950  by  Mutual  Funds,  Inc.,  a  Corpora- 
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at  special  rate  of  postage  provided  for  in  section 
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1918. 

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solicited manuscripts,  but  welcomes  contributions. 
All  manuscripts  must  be  accompanied  by  sufficient 
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Change  of  Address 

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THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


LJctober    L^c 


onrerence 


SPEAKERS 


^rndex 


Benson,  Ezra  Taft 1012 

Bowen,   Albert  E.  983 


Clark,  J.  Reuben,  Jr. 
Cowley,    Matthew    — 
Evans,  Richard  L.  — 
Hunter,  Milton  R.  __ 
Isaacson,  Thorpe  B. 
Ivins,  Antoine  R.  — 


_  989 

_  970 

1010 

.  978 


Merrill,  Joseph  F.  998 

Moyle,  Henry  D.  987 

Petersen,  Mark  E.  975 

Richards,  LeGrand  1016 

Romney,  Marion  G.  


1004 


Kimball,  Spencer  W. 
Kirkham,  Oscar  A.  _ 

Lee,  Harold  B.  

McConkie,  Bruce  R. 


985 

976 

980 

972 


.....1006 
966 


McKay,  David  O 991 


Smith,  Eldred  G 977 

Smith,  George  Albert  963,   1021 

Smith,  Joseph  Fielding  965 

Sonne,  Alma  1008 

Stapley,  Delbert  Leon  988 

Widtsoe,  John  A.  973 

Wirthlin,  Joseph  I 968 

Young,  Clifford  E.  971 

Young,   Levi   Edgar   994 


SUBJECTS 


Aaronic  Priesthood  968 

Articles  of  Faith  1008 

Baptism  963,   1008 

Baptism    963,  965,   1008 

Book  of  Mormon 965 

Brotherhood 1012 

Brotherly  Love 987 

Church,  Why  a 983 


Constitution    (U.  S.) 
Covenants  


963,  987 
966 


Effort,  United,  Necessary  976 

Eternal  Rewards  966,  971 

Faith    976,   1010 

Fast  Offerings,  Principle  of  1004 

Free  Agency 998 

Gambling  987 

Gathering  970 

Heresies,  Warnings  Against 989 

Indians  980 

Inflation 998 

Jesus  Christ  1021 


Joseph  Smith 


.1008,    1021 


Labor   and   Management  998 

Lamanites  980 

Missionaries  ....963,  971,  973,  1008,   1016 


Obedience 


966 


Prayer    977,  985 

Priesthood    971,  987,  991 

Sabbath  Day  1012 

Saints,  Devotion  of  the  1016 

Salvation    965 

Scandinavia   973 

Scouting  968 

Teachings  983 

Temple  Work   '--  970 

Testimony   972,  988,   1006,   1021 

Tithing  978 

Welfare  Plan  1004 

Word  of  Wisdom 975 

Youth 968 

NOTE:  Three  of  the  General  Authori- 
ties did  not  speak  at  the  sessions  of  this 
general  conference:  Elder  Stephen  L 
Richards  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve 
who  was  completing  a  Church  assignment 
in  Europe;  Elder  Thomas  E.  McKay,  As- 
sistant to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve,  who, 
while  he  attended  some  of  the  meetings, 
did  not  speak  on  the  advice  of  his  physi- 
cian; and  President  S.  Dilworth  Young  of 
the  First  Council  of  the  Seventy  who  is 
presiding  over  the  New  England  States 
Mission.  Addresses  were  given  at  the  ses- 
sions by  Francis  A.  Child,  Glenn  G.  Smith, 
E.  Wesley  Smith,  and  Leo  J.  Muir,  former 
mission  presidents.  These  and  brief  talks 
by  President  George  Albert  Smith  and  by 
the  members  of  the  First  Presidency  given 
at  the  priesthood  session  will  be  printed 
in   the   conference   bulletin. 

Dr.  John  A.  Widtsoe's  "Church  of  the 
Air"  address  will  be  printed  in  the  Janu- 
ary issue  of  THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 


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DESERET  NEWS  PRESS 


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DECEMBER  1950 


941 


Southern  Pacific  proudly  presents 


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THE  CONQUEST  OF  FEAR 


A  s  we  approach  the  annual  Christmas 
milestone  to  be  renewed  by  its 
message — "peace  on  earth,  good  will 
toward  men" — we  are  sobered  by  the 
thought  and  the  evidence  that  fear 
reigns  in  the  hearts  of  men.  In  the 
United  States,  to  judge  by  headlines 
and  the  comment  that  fills  the  air  and 
drinks  up  printer's  ink,  we  are  afraid 
of  inflation;  of  government  controls  to 
cope  with  inflation;  of  war  and  rumors 
of  war.  Our  government  does  not 
trust  itself,  but  officials  insist  on  secret 
surveys,  cross-checks,  the  determina- 
tion of  the  loyalty  of  the  other  fellow, 
character  investigations.  All  of  us, 
meanwhile,  might  also  look  in  the  mir- 
ror— at  our  lives.  Some  fear  the 
prospects  of  military  service.  Some 
fear  the  atomic  bomb.  Some  fear  the 
effects  of  television  on  society.  Fear, 
fear,  fear!  Some  fear  lest  they  not  be 
accepted  socially.  Some  fear  because  of 
the  too-great  social  demands  made  upon 
them.  Socialism,  communism,  taxes, 
cancer,  polio,  traffic  accidents — all  are 
feared.  Some  fear  the  people.  Some 
fear  the  rulers.  Some  fear  the  work- 
ingmen.  Some  fear  the  "bosses."  If 
fear  is  the  devil's  substitute  weapon, 
considerable  success  can  be  reported 
for  his  minions. 

What  of  heaven's?  If  the  Christian- 
Christmas-Easter  message  has  anything 
at  all  for  mankind,  it  is  the  conquest 
of  fear.  "Let  your  faith  be  stronger 
than  your  fear,"  it  says.  Although 
some  fears  may  be  well-founded,  faith 
must  always  be  the  stronger  force. 

What  is  there  to  be  afraid  of,  any- 
way? 

Of  ignorance,  sickness,  poverty — 
man's  historic  enemies?  By  means  of 
these  real  fears,  superstition  has  his- 
torically thrived.  Of  these  three 
miseries,  too  much  prevails.  But  we 
have  the  knowledge  for  their  con- 
quest. In  their  historic  form,  these 
ills  displayed  themselves  largely  in 
the  fear  of  nature:  earthquakes,  thun- 
ders, lightnings;  of  wild  animals,  then 
dragons,  evil  spirits,  hobgoblins,  and 
werewolves;  in  the  whatnot  of  imagi- 
nation as  well  as  the  realities  of  naked 
nature.  Today  these  fears  are  in- 
consequential. Nature,  affirmed  by 
faith,  is  proved  by  science  to  be 
bounteous,  responsive,  predictable; 
even  generous  and  kind — when  its 
laws  are  known  and  followed. 

The  Christian  message  should  banish 
the  fear  of  death.  It  does,  for  most 
believers,  and  offers  faith  for  living. 

If  it  is  not  nature,  if  it  is  not  death, 
what  do  our  modern  fears  reduce 
themselves  to?  Is  it  not  largely  fear 
of  each  other,  fear  of  man  and  of 
mankind? 


By  DR.  G.  HOMER  DURHAM 

Head  of  Political  Science  Department, 
University   of   Utah 

Is  it  worth  while  to  spend  time  and 
energy  "fearing"  man?  Fearing  the 
Russians?  Fearing  communism?  Fearing 
capitalism?  Fearing  pressure  groups? 
Fearing  the  farmer?  Fearing  the  work- 
ingman?  Fearing  the  banker?  Fearing 
each  other?  How  can  faith,  confidence, 
love,  be  substituted? 

The  problem  may  be  resolved  into 
the  nutshell  of  fearing  what  others 
might  do  to  us,  to  our  bodies,  to  our 
loved  ones,  to  our  property.  Do  others 
have  the  same  fears?  Does  anybody 
here  want  to  hurt  or  injure  anybody 
else?  Is  everybody  here  willing  to  do 
unto  others  as  he  would  have  others 
do  unto  him?  Could  the  United  States 
get  along  without  the  oil  of  the  Middle 
East,  or  do  we  need  to  retain  custody 
of  it?  For  ourselves  or  for  the  welfare 
of  all  human  oil-users?  Are  most  fears 
real,  or  imaginary?  Where  do  we  go 
from  here?  What  is  man? 


~yke5e   -Jl 


ime$ 


942 


A  real  spirit,  almost  magical  in 
effect,  settles  over  Christendom  on 
Christmas  Eve.  It  is  the  peace  of 
home,  of  children  snug  in  their  beds. 
Love  reigns.  It  is  the  peace  of  the 
spirit  that  men  daily  require.  We 
usually  lose  it — sometime  between 
Christmas  morning  and  the  next  day 
at  business.  It  all  depends  on  how 
soon  our  tempers  flare  in  the  cross 
fire  of  relations  with  other  children  of 
God,  even  those  of  our  own  house- 
hold. A  prescription  for  these  times 
might  well  be,  as  we  stumble  along  in 
weakness  through  a  New  Year,  that 
at  least  we  will  be  cheerful  and  strive 
to  let  faith  replace  fear  in  our  hearts, 
that  we  may  overcome  evil  with  good. 
It  is  better,  Christ  reigning,  to  offer 
trust  and  confidence,  even  where  nei- 
ther is  expected  in  return.  Faith  is 
positive;  fear  negative.  The  positive 
faith,  after  all,  is  man's  basic  asset.  A 
word  from  the  Prince  of  Peace  pro- 
vides the  clue  and  the  challenge: 

These  things  I  have  spoken  unto  you, 
that  in  me  ye  might  have  peace.  In  the 
world  ye  shall  have  tribulation:  but  be  of 
good  cheer;  I  have  overcome  the  world, 
(John  16:33.  Italics  author's.) 

It  is  for  us,  also,  to  overcome  the 
world  and  make  the  Christian  message 
of  peace  on  earth,  good  will  to  men, 
a  reality.  Who  else,  if  not  you  and 
me?  The  work  begins  at  home — today. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


THE  GREATEST  STORY  EVER  TOLD 

By  Fulton  Oursler 
A  reverent,  faithful  retelling  of  the 
sublime  story  of  Jesus,  bringing  Him 
and  those  whose  lives  were  entwined 
with  His  excitingly  close  to  the  mod- 
ern reader.  Publisher's  edition,  $2.95. 


THE   HORNS  OF  CAPRICORN 

By  Helen  Topping  Miller 
Against  a  Carolina  background  moves 
this  story  of  two  who  should  not  have 
fallen  in  love — but  did — and  others 
who  should  have  loved,  but  didn't! 
Publisher's  edition,  $3.00. 


THE  ENDURING  HILLS 

By  Janice  Holt  Giles 
A  southern -Kentucky  farm  boy  coura- 
geously struggles  to  "break  away" 
from  the  humdrum  existence  that  had 
been  his  family's  lot  for  many  genera- 
tions. Publisher's  edition,  $3.00. 


SWIFTWATER 

By  Paul  Annixter 
A  captivating  story  of  a  father  and 
his  son — and  their  lonely  struggle  to 
establish  a  sanctuary  for  the  wild 
geese  which  pass  over  Maine  twice 
each  year.  Publisher's  edition,  $2.50. 


STORIES  OF  THE  GREAT  OPERAS 

By  Milton  Cross 

Contains  every  aria,  all  the  action, 
the  complete  stories  of  72  of  the 
world's  best-loved  operatic  dramas.  A 
book  for  years  of  richly-rewarding 
study.  Publisher's  edition,  $3.75. 


Funk  &  Wagnolls  NEW  COLLEGE 
STANDARD   DICTIONARY 

The  first  basically  different  word  guide 
in  years!  Contains  over  145,000  en- 
tries, 1,420  pages;  measures  6V2"  x 
9'A"  in  size.  A  must  for  the  home 
library.  Publisher's  edition,  $5.50. 


FAITH  TO  LIVE  BY 
By  Alson  J.  Smith 

Dr.  Smith  shows  that  every  problem 
and  crisis  can  be  met  with  faith! 
Here  is  a  revelation  of  how  you  can 
use  faith  to  triumph  over  your  frus- 
trations.   Publisher's    edition,    $2.50. 


ROOM  FOR  ONE  MORE 

By  Anna  Perrott  Rose 

A  true  story  of  a  woman,  her  hus- 
band, and  their  three  children — and 
how  they  opened  their  home  to  three 
waifs  who  had  never  belonged  to  a  fam- 
ily circle.  Publisher's  edition,  $2.75. 


AMERICA  COOKS 

By  The  Browns 

Contains  over  1,600  recipes  —  the 
finest  of  each  of  the  48  states  from 
old-fashioned  favorites  to  up-to-the- 
minute  taste  sensations.  Crystal-clear 
directions.  Publisher's  edition,  $2.49. 


STILLMEADOW  SEASONS 

By  Gladys  Taber 
Here  is  an  invitation  to  companion- 
ship and  friendship — a  chance  to 
spend  an  entire  year  with  the  author 
at  her  delightful  old  home  in  Connec- 
ticut. Publisher's  edition,  $3.00. 


Why  The 

^uiiily Readiiw  Club 

NOW  OFFERS  YOU 

ANY  TWO 

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BOOKS    FOR  THE  WHOLE   FAMILY  AT  BIG   SAVINGS 


The  Family  Reading  Club  was 
founded  to  select  and  distribute  books 
for  the  whole  family — books  which 
are  worthwhile,  interesting  and  enter- 
taining without  being  objectionable  in 
any  way.  Each  month  publishers  are 
invited  to  submit  books  they  believe 
will  meet  the  Family  Reading  Club 
standards.  Our  Editors  then  select  the 
book  they  can  recommend  most  enthu- 
siastically to  members.  These  are 
books  which  every  member  of  your 
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What  Membership  Means  to  You 

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The  Family  Reading  Club  distrib- 
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four  Club  selections  you  take.  These 
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ards of  excellence,  interest,  superior 
writing  and  wholesome  subject  mat- 
ter— and  you  can  build  up  a  fine  home 
library  this  way  at  no  extra  expense. 
The  purchase  of  books  from  the  Club 
for  only  $1.89  each — instead  of  the 
publishers'  regular  retail  prices  of 
$2.50  to  $4.00 — saves  you  25%  to 
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Join  Now— Send  No  Money 

If  you  believe  in  a  book  club  which 
will  appeal  to  the  finest  instincts  of 
every  member  of  your  family,  let  us 
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ANY  TWO  of  the  books  shown  on 
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FAMILY  READING  CLUB    •    MINEOLA,  NEW  YORK 


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me,  each  month,  a  review  of  the  Club's  forthcoming 
selection— which  I  may  accept  or  reject  as  I  choose. 
There  are  no  membership  dues  or  fees— only  the  re- 
quirement that  I  accept  a  minimum  of  four  Club  selec- 
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Mr. 

Mrs... 
Miss 


(Please  Print) 


Street  and  No. 


City. 


Zone 


State 


Age,  if  f  Same  price  in  Canada:  105  Bond  St..  Toronto  2] 

Under  21 L     OffergoodonlyintheU.S.  A.  and  Canada.     J 


□ 


The  Greatest  Story 
Ever  Told 


r  i  New  College  Standard 
Dictionary 


□ 


The  Horns  of 
Capricorn 


□  Faith  to  Live  By 
G  The  Enduring  Hills 

1    Room  for  One  More 

□  Swiftwater 

□  America  Cooks 

'J  Complete  Stories  of 
the  Great  Operas 

|_|    Stillmeadow  Seasons 


DECEMBER  1950 


943 


HE   CHURCH  MOVES   ON 


September  1950 

Q  Sperry  Rueckert  won  the  sin- 
gles meet  in  the  all-Church  tennis 
tournament,  and  Maurice  (Eddie)  An- 
derson and  Allen  Cornwall  teamed  to 
win  the  doubles  title.  All  three  men 
had  won  the  same  contests  in  the  Di- 
vision 9  tournament  a  week  earlier. 

|  A  Elder  Alma  Sonne,  assistant  to 
the  Council  of  the  Twelve,  dedi- 
cated the  Pioche,  Nevada,  Ward  chap- 
el, Uvada  Stake. 

Presiding  Bishop  LeGrand  Rich- 
ards dedicated  the  Morgan  (Utah) 
Stake  Church  welfare  storehouse. 

Elder  John  A.  Widtsoe  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  the  Twelve  dedicated  the  Provi- 
dence First  Ward,  Mt.  Logan  (Utah) 
Stake,  chapel. 

President  Levi  Edgar  Young  of  the 
First  Council  of  the  Seventy  dedicated 
the  Lyman  Ward  chapel,  Rexburg 
(Idaho)    Stake. 

Willcox  Branch,  Southern  Arizona 
Stake,  organized  with  Joseph  Dean 
Bennett,  president. 

Two  hundred  high  school  stu- 
dents of  the  Los  Angeles,  Cali- 
fornia, area  enrolled  for  their  first  year 
of  L.D.S.  seminary  work. 

The  Salt  Lake  Temple  opened  for 
endowment  and  other  ordinance  work 
after  renovating. 

0  Kathryn  Fairbanks,  A 1 1  i  e 
Howe,  and  Edith  F.  Shepherd 
appointed  to  the  Y.W.M.I.A.  general 
board. 

The  First  Presidency  announced  that 
the  Church  plans  to  erect  a  monument 
near  Varnell,  Georgia,  where  Elder 
Joseph  Standing,  missionary  to  the 
Southern  States  was  killed  by  a  mob 
July  21,  1878.  The  tract,  which  will 
be  appropriately  landscaped,  has  been 
given  the  Church  by  W.  C.  Puryear 
of  Dalton,  Georgia,  and  members  of 
his  family.  Elder  Standing's  compan- 
ion at  the  time  he  fell  was  the  late 
President  Rudger  Clawson  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve. 

Fj     Presiding  Bishop  LeGrand  Rich- 
ards dedicated  the  Logan  ( Utah ) 
L.  D.  S.  Hospital  nurses'  home. 

j  ft  The  First  Presidency  announced 
that  Dr.  Ernest  L.  Wilkinson  had 
been  appointed  president  of  Brigham 
Young  University.  His  letter  of  ac- 
ceptance was  dated  September  11.  It  is 
expected  that  he  will  assume  his  duties 
944 


at  the  beginning  of  the  winter  quarter 
in  January  1951. 

7    President  Levi  Edgar  Young  of 

the  First  Council  of  the  Seventy 

dedicated  the  Idaho  Falls  First  Ward 

chapel-North     Idaho     Falls      (Idaho) 

Stake  house. 

Bishop  Thorpe  B.  Isaacson  of  the 
Presiding  Bishopric  dedicated  the 
Cove  Ward  chapel,  Benson  (Utah) 
Stake. 

The  Salt  Lake  Tabernacle  Choir 
and  Organ  presented  its  eleven  hun- 
dredth weekly  radio  network  program. 

El  Paso,  Texas,  Second  Ward, 
Mount  Graham  Stake,  organized  from 
portions  of  El  Paso  Ward,  with  Wil- 
lard  Whipple,  bishop. 

Garden  Heights  Ward,  East  Mill 
Creek  (Salt  Lake  County)  Stake,  or- 
ganized from  portions  of  Rosecrest 
Ward,  with  Thomas  B.  Neff,  bishop. 

Oakdale  Ward,  San  Joaquin  (Cali- 
fornia) Stake,  organized  from  Oak- 
dale  Branch,  with  Garney  V.  Johnson, 
bishop. 

0     Fall  courses  for  choristers  and 
organists  in  the  Salt  Lake  City 
area  began  under  the  direction  of  the 
general  music  committee. 

1  Q  The  Y.W.M.I.A.  general  presi- 
dency and  the  Presiding  Bishop- 
ric announced  that  comparative  meet- 
ing attendance  for  girls  between  the 
ages  of  twelve  and  nineteen  will  again 
be  published  in  monthly  bulletins  to 
bishops.  The  girls'  program  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  M.I.A.  last  June. 

The  general  presidency  of  the  Re- 
lief Society  announced  the  appoint- 
ment of  Mildred  B.  Eyring  to  the 
general  board  of  that  organization. 

9  j)  Mrs.  Mabel  Y.  Sanborn,  last 
surviving  daughter  of  President 
Brigham  Young,  died  in  Salt  Lake 
City.  This  eighty-seven-year-old  wom- 
an was  the  guest  of  honor  at  the 
unveiling  of  the  Brigham  Young 
statue  in  Washington,  D.  C.  last  June. 

O  o  The  new  board  of  trustees  of 
"  ^  Brigham  Young  University  met 
for  the  first  time.  This  board  includes 
all  members  of  the  Council  of  the 
Twelve  and  the  First  Presidency,  Dr. 
Franklin  L.  West,  and  Dr.  Adam  S. 
Bennion.  The  change  came  with  the 
expiration  of  the  old  articles  of  in- 
corporation of  Brigham  Young  Univer- 
sity. The  old  trustees  included  the 
First  Presidency  and  Elders  Joseph 
Fielding  Smith,  Stephen  L  Richards, 
John  A.  Widtsoe,  and  Albert  E.  Bowen 


of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve,  Dr. 
Franklin  L.  West,  and  Dr.  Adam  S. 
Bennion. 

The  Y.  M.  M.  I.  A.  announced  that 
seventeen-year-old  young  men  were 
eligible  to  play  M  Men  basketball. 
Explorer  basketball  leagues  had  in- 
cluded sixteen-year-old  lads,  and  M 
Men  basketball  rules  had  set  the  mini- 
mum age  at  eighteen. 


24 


Elder  Mark  E.  Petersen  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve  dedicated 
the  Conda  Ward  chapel,  Idaho  Stake. 
The  former  Soda  Springs  Ward  chapel 
had  been  moved  to  Conda  and  re- 
modeled by  the  ward. 

Sunnyslope  Branch,  Phoenix  (Ari- 
zona) Stake,  organized  with  Conrad 
J.   Kleinman,  president. 

Binghampton  Ward,  Southern  Ari- 
zona Stake,  name  changed  to  Tucson 
First  Ward. 

t%  o  The  general  presidency  of  the 
"  ^  Relief  Society  announced  the  ap- 
pointment of  Mrs.  Helen  W.  Ander- 
son, president  of  the  Big  Cottonwood 
(Salt  Lake  County)  Stake,  to  their 
general  board. 

The  First  Presidency  announced  that 
branches  of  the  Spanish-American  Mis- 
sion in  Arizona,  Colorado,  and  Cali- 
fornia are  being  severed  from  the 
mission  and  assigned  to  stakes  or  other 
missions  in  which  they  are  located. 
This  mission  in  the  future  will  be  con- 
fined to  the  states  of  New  Mexico  and 
Texas  where  the  largest  centralization 
of  Mexicans  in  the  States  is  to  be 
found. 


28 


President  Bruce  R.  McConkie 
of  the  First  Council  of  the 
Seventy  was  reappointed  L.  D.  S. 
servicemen's  coordinator. 

The    Relief    Society    ended    its    an- 
nual two-day  general  conference. 


29 


The    121st   semi-annual   confer- 
ence of  the  Church  began  in  Salt 
Lake  City. 

A  special  meeting  was  held  in  the 
Salt  Lake  Tabernacle  by  the  Presiding 
Bishopric  for  bishops  and  counselors, 
stake  and  ward  clerks,  members  of 
stake  committees  for  adult  members  of 
the  Aaronic  Priesthood,  general  secre- 
taries of  ward  Aaronic  Priesthood 
committees,  and  members  of  stake  and 
ward  committees  on  ward  teaching. 
Stake  presidencies  and  high  councilors 
were  invited  to  attend. 

A    meeting    to    discuss    the    softball 

program  of  the   Church  was  held  at 

Barratt  Hall  by  Y.  M.  M.  I.  A.  officers. 

(Continued  on  page  1029) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


See  this  amazing  new 
way  to  dry  yonr  wash 
fast,  fresh  and  fluffy 
without  work  or  worry ! 


rinTHlS  DR^tR 


,G„S    *»■»  ■.»««*'«■ 


•  You'll  save  HOURS  of  basket-lugging  and  clothes- 
hanging  work  every  washday  with  a  Hamilton  Auto- 
matic Clothes  Dryer.  Hamilton  lets  you  do  your  wash 
ANY  day,  any  evening,  rain  or  shine.  Hamilton  gently 
tumbles  clothes  fluffy-dry  in  a  matter  of  minutes — turns 
them  out  so  wrinkle-free  that  towels,  tee-shirts,  pajamas, 
diapers,  rompers,  corduroys  and  the  like  need  no  ironing! 

The  hygienic,  heated  air  in  your  Hamilton  is  cleaner 
than  an  outdoor  breeze — free  of  soot,  dust,  smoke — puri- 
fied with  healthful  ultra-violet  rays  and  sweetened  with 
ozone  from  Hamilton's  exclusive  Sun-E-Day  Lamp.  More 
than  100,000  homes  enjoy  this  washday  work-saver. 


Come  in  for  FREE  demonstration 

Only  Hamilton  gives  you  the^fsUHEDAvj'^iIitra'Violet  lamp! 


See  One  of  the  Hamilton  Dealers  for  a  Free  Demonstration    of   this   Amazing    Time   and    Labor    Saver! 


UTAH     DEALERS 

BARLOW   FURNITURE   COMPANY  Clearfield 

BLAKE  ELECTRIC   COMPANY   Richfield 

BRADLEY-BADGER,  38  South  Main  Salt  Lake  City 

J.  G.  READ  &  BROS.  COMPANY,  24th  and  Kiesel  Ogden 

ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  GAS  CO.,  1212  Beck  St Salt  Lake  City 

SOTER'S   INC.,  51   North  Main  Midvale 

TAYLOR  BROTHERS,  250  West  Center Provo 

UTAH  APPLIANCE  CO.,  32  East  1st  North  Provo 


IDAHO     DEALERS 

BINGHAM  AND  SONS  CO Rexburg  and  Idaho  Falls 

FOSTER'S  INC.,  816  Bannock  St ..Boise 

LIQUEFIED  GAS  CORPORATION,  703  So.  8th  St Boise 

ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  GAS  CO Pocatello  and  Idaho  Falls 

WILSON  BATES  APPLIANCE  CO Twin  Falls,  Jerome,  and  Burley 


GORDON    E.   WILKINS,    INC.     Intermountain   Distributors  142  South   Fifth  West 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


The  Keys  To 

SUCCESS 

Those  who  would  live  successfully 

must  first  find  the  keys.  Careful  study 

of  LDS  books  gives  the  answers. 


Bible  Stories  For 
Young  Latter  Day  Saints 

By  Emma  Marr  Petersen 

Enriched  with  20  illustrations  this  book 
brings  to  life  the  stories  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments  accenting  the 
Latter-day  Saints  viewpoint.      ^  __ 

The  Word  of  Wisdom 

By  John  A.  and  Leah  D.  Widtsoe 

By  a  careful  study  of  the  Word  of 
Wisdom  as  it  relates  to  the  science  of 
nutrition  the  authors  of  this  book  can 
offer  sound,  healthful  conclusions.  »  _r 

2.75 

Vitality  of  Mormonism 

By  Dr.  James  E.  Talmage 

A  volume  of  concise,  interesting  essays 
on  distinctive  themes  of  the  restored 
gospel.  Points  of  interest  between 
LDS  and  others  clarified.  ^  r/\ 

Sharing  the  Gospel  With  Others 

By  President  George  Albert  Smith 

This  book  reveals  the  inner  spirit  and 
mind  of  a  man  whose  life  is  rich  with 
unusual  and  varied  experiences  with 
his  fellow  men.    -^  E/\ 

Themes  of  the  Restored  Gospel 

By  Sidney  B.  Sperry 

A  collection  of  sermons  and  writings 
that  are  the  fruit  of  30  years  of  a  rich 
life  as  a  world  traveler  and  teacher  in 
Latter-day  Saint  schools.      1  C/\ 

ZCMI  BOOKS  —  Street  Floor 


946 


FRANK  W.  OTTERSTROM 


VETERAN  REPORTER 

ONE  familiar  figure,  missing  at  the 
recent  semi-annual  conference 
of  the  Church,  was  Frank  W. 
Otterstrom,  who  for  thirty-five 
years  has  been  seated  at  the  small 
table  "down  front"  recording  the 
unnumbered  words  that  come  from 
the  mouths  of  the  speakers  at  con- 
ference time.  Elder  Otterstrom 
was  recovering  from  a  surgical 
operation  and  could  not  attend  the 
conference  sessions. 

Court  reporter  by  profession,  he 
is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  greatest 
shorthand  reporters  that  the  Church 
has  ever  had. 

His  friends  and  associates  know 
him  as  being  unselfish  and  generous; 
a  man  that  knows  no  envy;  a  per- 
son who  is  not  content  until  he  has 
done  more  than  his  share;  and 
whose  personality  is  retiring  to  a 
fault. 

Frank  Otterstrom  is  doing  mis- 
sionary work  by  correspondence — 
discussing,  by  letter,  the  principles 
of  the  gospel  with  people  in  far 
cities  who  have  come  to  Salt  Lake 
City  on  business,  and  while  here 
have-met  him. 

In  recent  years  The  Improve- 
ment Era  has  sent  him  a  check  for 
his  services  rendered  to  the  maga- 
zine in  recording  the  conference  ad- 
dresses. The  check  has  usually 
been  returned  with  a  list  of  his  cor- 
responding friends  and  investi- 
gators, and  each  name  on  the  list 
was  sent  a  year's  subscription  to  our 
magazine. 

Twenty-nine  years  ago  this  com- 
ing January,  President  Heber  J. 
Grant  obtained  a  new  secretary, 
Joseph  W.  Anderson.  Elder  An- 
derson discovered  that  one  of  his 
duties  was  the  taking  of  speeches 
at  the  Salt  Lake  Tabernacle.  He 
found  Frank  Otterstrom  ever  will- 
ing to  make  the  task  easier  as  the 
two  of  them  sat  side  by  side  making 
their  shorthand  notes  during  meet- 
ings. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


^■Photograph    by    H.    Armstrong    Roberts 


(MjratmaBi 


is 


ffl0tttt«9 


By 

Solveig  Paulson  Russell 


-K 


VJ/  H,  hide  the  gifts  and  stir  the  cakes, 
For  Christmas  time  is  coming; 
About  the  house  the  youngsters  prance, 
And  mother's  work  is  humming. 

Our  home  is  bright  with  streamer  things 
And  presents  in  the  making, 
And  all  the  air  is  tingling  with 
The  spicy  things  a-baking. 


-K 


Oh,  feed  the  flame  and  chop  the  wood 
And  bring  in  greens  and  trimming. 
With  Christmas  mirth  and  happiness 
The  whole  house  is  a-brimming. 

There's  sparkle  in  each  merry  eye, 
And  lips  are  set  for  funning, 
And  every  heart's  a-tune  with  joy 
For  Christmas  is  a-coming! 


DECEMBER  1950 


947 


LAST  SUPPER 

By  Eleanor  Alletta  Chaffee 

HpHERE    were    thirteen     together,     eating 
-*■    bread 

Broken  by  One  who  knew  them  best  of  all. 
They  watched  his  face,  and  one  with  heart 

of  lead 
Thought  of  the  child  he  played  with  by  a 

wall 
Long  years  before,  and  how  in  that  child's 

eyes 
A  light  had  gleamed  as  tender  as  a  star, 
As  blue  as  were  young  childhood's  cloud- 
less skies: 
The  memory  lay  on  him  like  a  scar. 
He   was   not    listening    now.      Within   his 

hand 
The  weight  of  silver  lay  as  cold  as  steel. 
His    forehead    burned    with    an    invisible 

brand: 
The  floor  protested  underneath  his  heel 
As  he  went  out,  and  toward  the  darkening 

wood 
To   cool   his   brow  and   sleep   then,    if   he 

could.  .  .  . 


IF  CHRIST  SHOULD  COME 

By  Enola  Chamberlin 

IF   Christ   should   come    tonight   into   our 
land, 
In  weariness  and  hunger,  travel  sore, 
How  many  latchstrings  would  he  have  in 

hand 
Before  he  found  a  welcoming  open  door? 
How  many  times  would  he  be  turned  away? 
How  many  times  would  he  be  left  to  stand? 
How  many  hostelries  would  bid  him  stay 
Although  he  held  the  money  in  his  hand? 
And  yet  we  blame  those  ones  of  long  ago, 
Who  took  no  heed  of  Mary  in  her  plight. 
We  censure  them  because  a  manger  low 
Became  the   birthplace   of   the  Christ   that 

night. 
Oh,  people,  bow  your  head  and  hide  your 

face 
Till  you  can  give  the  Christ  his  rightful 

place! 


WANDERERS  RETURNED 
By    Margery    S.    Stewart 

1"  ET  the  guns  be  forgotten  in  Jerusalem, 
*■*  And  the  women  be  silent  at  the  Wailinq 

Walk 
Search  in  the  ancient  and  prophetic  dust 
For  the  brittle  papyrus  telling  of  this  day, 
Wanderers  returned.    Be  ye  not  blind 
As  your  fathers  were  before  you.    See  how 

the  land 
Leaps   to   your  welcome,   how  the   fruitful 

soil 
Holds   to   your   lips,    again,   the   promised 

bread. 

In  Bethlehem  the  old  inns  hold  again 
The  stranger,  and  the  fugitive,  the  broken, 
In  the  small,  narrow  streets  they  touch  and 

meet, 
Believer,   unbeliever,   seeker  for  the  light, 
Passing    and    repassing    the    place    where 

Mary  stood, 
Where   Joseph   questioned   and   where   he 

was  born — 
Wondering   how   the   radiance  of  a   night 
Could  light  a  thousand  years. 

948 


ONE  CHRISTMAS  NECESSITY 

By  Janie  Rhyne 

\7~ou  must  beg  or  steal  one 

■*     If  you  haven't  any; 
I've  never  known  a  Christmas 
Tree  to  have  too  many. 

One  or  two  will  furnish 

Color,  magic,   glee, 
Once  wound  up  and  flashing 

Round  your  lighted  tree. 

Christmas  Eve  bring  home  one 

To   keep   overnight; 
You'll  be  waked  at  dawn 

By  gales  of  swift  delight. 

Borrow,  beg,  or  steal  one — 

Better  two  or  three! 
Christmas  without  children 

Simply   must  not   be! 


PRINCE  AND  PAUPER 

By  Lucile  Coleman 

npHis  tree,  this  glittering  tree, 
-*-   This  Christmas  tree, 
Carries  a  star,  and  around  it  angels  sing; 
Each  glowing  branch  is  like  an  outspread 

wing 
Crowned    with    two     thousand    years     of 
memory. 

He  is  a  prince  who  visions  like  a  chart 
The  message  carved  in  centuries  of  prayer. 
He    is    a    pauper    whose    dull    earthbound 

heart 
Sees  no  more  than  a  tree  with  tinsel  there. 

This   tree,   this  beautiful   tree, 

This  Christmas  tree, 

Gives   us   a   promise   bright  as   evergreen, 

Which    spirit  knows,    but  eye   has    never 

seen; 
An  ancient  symbol  of  eternity. 


■  ♦  «^— o— 


FIRST  SNOW 

By  Vesta  Nickerson  Lukei 

*  I  'HE  world  is  a  bride 
■*■    In  satin  pale, 
All  starry-eyed 
With  snowflake  veil. 


GRANDFATHER'S  TREE 
By  Lalia  Mitchell  Thornton 

HE  always  knew  the  very  place 
To  find  the  nicest  Christmas  tree, 
And  when    and  how  it  should  be  cut. 

"That  one's  too  tall,"  he'd  say  to  me. 
"And  that  too  thin,  and  that  one  leans 
Against  the  wind.  Up  there  a  bit 
Is   just   the  kind   would   last   a   month." 
And  then,  he'd  plan  for  sawing  it. 

There  was  a  wood  road,  not  too  poor, 

And  not  to  narrow  or  too  far, 
A  little  rutted,  but  I  knew 

We  could  have  made  it  with  the  car. 
But  Granther  always  shook  his  head 

And  brought  old  Nellie  from  her  stall 
And  hitched  her  to  the  stone-boat  for 

That's  how  we  went,  or  not  at  all. 

Yes,  Granther  liked  to  have  his  way, 

But  Granther's  tree  was  always  fine, 
He  wouldn't  have  a  hemlock,  and 

He  was   distrustful  of  a   pine. 
Then,  home  at  last,  we  brought  it  in 

And  edged  it  through  the  open  door 
Where  Grandma  waited,  and  despite 

His  bluffing,  he  was  boss  no  more. 

She  told  him  how  to  set  it  up, 

Just  where  she  wanted  it  to   stand, 
And  when  it  came  to  trimming,  why 

She  wouldn't  let  him  lend  a  hand. 
But  Granther  chuckled,  and  I  knew 

That  was  the  way  it  ought  to  be, 
A  man  to  bring  it  from  the  woods, 

And  then  a  wife  to  trim  a  tree. 


LILACS  IN  DECEMBER 
By  Anna  M.  Priestley 

I  WILL  erect  a  storehouse  in  my  mind; 
It  shall  not  be  shut  in  by  walls  or  bars; 
The    winds   of    heaven    shall    not   be   less 

confined — 
It  shall  be  roofed  by  night's  array  of  stars. 
There  I   shall  store  all  summer's  precious 

things 
Against  the  time  when  winds  shall  sweep 

life  bare: 
Beauty  as  frail  as  iridescent  wings; 
All  that  I  treasure  shall  be  hoarded  there. 

I  shall  not  be  forlorn  when  winter  comes, 
And    all   my   dreams   have   vanished   with 

the  swallow; 
When  no  bird  wakes  to  song  and  no  bee 

hums, 
And    hope's   bright    leaves    are    drifted    in 

the   hollow, 
For,  as  I  sit  and  watch  the  dying  ember, 
I  shall  have  lilacs,  blooming  in  December! 


•  ♦  « 


THE  GIFT 
By  Clarence  Edwin  Flynn 

I   have  no  notion   what  it  cost; 
That  is  not  what  endears. 
Its  market  value  will  be   lost 
Among  the  passing  years. 

It  was  a  friendly  hand  that  gave; 
It  speaks  a  kindness  vast. 
These  are  the  values  I  shall  save 
As   long   as   life   shall  last. 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


JOSEPH 
SMITH 


Who   Ware 

THE  EARLY  CONVERTS? 

v3u  /John  _^v.    vviafooe 


^hat    type   of   people   were   at- 
tracted to  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith   and   the   Restored   Church? 
Were  they,  as  some  have  claimed, 
"the  scum  of  society"?  This  question 
is  answered  in  this  month's 

EVIDENCES  d¥£ 
RECONCILIA  TIONS 

CXLIX    


IT  has  been  a  common  pastime  of  enemies  of  the 
Church  to  say  flippantly  that  those  who  early 
joined  the  Church  were  low-grade  people,  the 
scum  of  society.  Even  some  reputable  historians  have 
found  it  easier  to  accept  such  statements  than  to  in- 
vestigate the  matter  for  themselves. 

The  fact  is  that  the  converts  to  the  Church  were 
good  representatives  of  the  people  who  were  battling 
on  the  pioneer  fringe.  They  were  religiously-minded 
people  who  had  a  deep  love  of  truth,  which  they 
sought  to  satisfy.  They  were  intelligent,  honorable 
men,  thinking  people,  the  kind  who  investigate  for 
themselves  and  come  to  personal  conclusions.  Their 
sincerity  is  witnessed  by  the  sacrifices  that  they  un- 
flinchingly made  for  their  beliefs.  Their  courage  to 
accept  truth  in  the  face  of  contempt  and  persecution 
is  a  lesson  for  the  world. 

Such  people  alone  would  be  attracted,  for  the 
Church  offered  nothing  but  truth.  It  invited  its 
members  to  accept  truth,  and  if  needs  be,  to  sacrifice 
and  toil  for  it. 

The  Church  had  no  wealth,  nor  prospects  of  wealth. 
Positions  in  the  Church  came  by  call;  therefore,  no 
one  could,  with  hope  of  success,  set  out  to  win  a 
commanding  place  in  the  Church  community.  To 
possess  its  truth  could  be  the  only  motive  for  accept- 
ing it.  Such  people,  differing  in  possessions,  abilities, 
and  attainments,  but,  alike  in  their  love  for  truth, 
joined  the  Church  then  as  now. 

A  sampling  of  the  hundreds  who  joined  the  Church 
soon  after  its  organization  shows  the  quality  of  these 
converts. 

The  lives  of  those  who  were  associated  with  Joseph 
Smith  in  his  earliest  days,  and  before  the  organization 
of  the  Church,  are  well-known. 

The  Smith  family,  both  immediately  and  more  re- 
motely connected  with  the  Prophet,  were  honorable 
farmers  and  tradesmen.  Even  persecutors  have  failed 
DECEMBER  1950 


OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


to  find  dishonesty  among  them.  So,  those  who  in 
vain  have  sought  occasion  against  the  family  have 
fallen  back  upon  the  unproved  charge  that  Joseph  and 
his  father  were  gold  diggers  and  crystal  gazers. 

Oliver  Cowdery,  who  was  associated  with  Joseph 
Smith  in  most  of  his  spiritual  experiences,  came  of 
good  stock,  was  a  schoolteacher,  later  an  attorney. 
His  non-Mormon  colleagues  and  the  community 
spoke  highly  of  him.1 

The  Whitmer  family,  prominent  in  early  Church 
history,  of  Pennsylvania  Dutch  descent,  were  honor- 
able, successful  farmers.  All  joined  the  Church.  Five 
of  the  family  testified  that  on  different  occasions  they 
saw  the  Book  of  Mormon  plates.  No  derogatory  word 
against  the  Whitmers  has  been  found. 

A  large  harvest  followed  the  visit  in  Kirtland  of  the 
four  elders  assigned  to  preach  to  the  Indians.  Most 
of  them  were  well-known  in  their  communities,  highly 
accepted,  and  of  influence  among  the  people.  The 
converts  generally  were  not  idlers,  but  competent,  in- 
dustrious farmers,  tradesmen,  or  professional  workers. 
The  following  are  typical  examples. 

Joseph  Knight,  Sr.,  who  helped  the  Prophet  before 
the  Church  was  organized,  was  a  farmer  and  owner 
of  a  gristmill  and  a  carding  machine.  He  was  a 
prosperous,  well-respected  member  of  the  community. 

The  converts  by  Samuel  H.  Smith  and  others,  al- 
most immediately  after  the  organization  of  the  Church, 
were  good  citizens,  usually  above  the  average.  One 
of  Samuel  H.  Smith's  first  converts  was  John  P. 
Greene,  a  Methodist  minister,  who  became  a  promi- 
nent Church  worker. 

The  first  organized  branch  in  the  Church,  at  Coles- 
ville,  New  York,  was  made  up  of  successful  farmers, 
with  a  strong  sprinkling  of  tradesmen.  Many  of  them 
followed  the  miller's  trade  and  became  very  useful 
to  the  Church  as  it  settled  in  Missouri. 

Thomas  B.  Marsh,  who  became  the  president  of  the 


^Mn  ^ArnSiver  to  the    (a/uedtlond  or   UJonth 


first  Council  of  the  Twelve,  was  a  successful  business- 
man, interested  in  a  type  foundry. 

Edward  Partridge,  the  first  bishop  of  the  Church, 
was  a  successful  businessman,  trained  as  a  maker  of 
hats. 

William  W.  Phelps,  one  of  the  most  competent  of 
the  early  converts,  was  an  editor,  writer,  and  politician. 
His  hymns  are  favorites  among  the  Latter-day  Saints. 

The  Pratt  brothers  ( Parley  P.,  Orson,  and  William 

(Concluded  on  following  page) 


Andrew    Jenson,    L.D.S.    Biographical    Encyclopedia    1:246. 


949 


WHO  WERE  THE  EARLY  CONVERTS? 

(Concluded  from  preceding  page) 


Dickenson)  were  men  of  astonishing  gifts.  Parley  P. 
and   Orson    Pratt   were   fervent   speakers,    lucid   phi- 
losophers:   one   a    poet,    the   other    a   mathematician. 
They    would    have    risen    to    eminence 
anywhere. 

Sidney  Rigdon,  an  associate  of  Alex- 
ander Campbell,  a  printer  and  an  elo- 
quent preacher  with  a  large  following, 
was  well  connected,  widely  known  and 
established. 

John  Taylor,  who  became  the  third 
President  of  the  Church,  was  a  turner, 
and  a  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Church, 

Horace  K.  Whitney,  another  bishop, 
was  a  successful  merchant  of  notable 
talents. 

Frederick  G.  Williams  was  a  practis- 
ing physician  of  good  reputation.  He 
had  abilities  above  the  average. 

Wilford  Woodruff,  who  also  became 
the  fourth  President  of  the  Church, 
was  a  miller. 

Brigham  Young  was  a  prosperous 
"painter,  glazier,  and  carpenter."  He 
was  doing  well  in  his  trade  when  the 
gospel  message  reached  him. 

Naturally,  on  the  frontier,  nearly  all  engaged  in 
some  farming;  most  of  the  people  were  farmers.  Sur- 
prisingly, however,  a  list  of  early  converts,  taken  at 
random,  showed  that  about  one-third  were  farmers; 
one-third  craftsmen;  and  one-third  merchants  and 
professional  men.  Some  college  men,  scarce  in  that 
period,  had  joined  the  Church. 

About  five  hundred  persons  converted  in  the  days 
of  Joseph  Smith  are  mentioned  by  name  in  the  various 
early  publications  of  the  Church.  The  employment  of 
these  converts  is  mentioned  for  only  about  eighty. 
Among  them  were  farmers,  tradesmen,  schoolteachers, 
businessmen,  lawyers,  doctors,  and  preachers.  The 
trades  were  represented  by  tailors,  shoemakers, 
cabinetmakers,  brickmakers,  millers,  potters,  coopers, 
gunsmiths,  blacksmiths,  turners,  and  lumbermen. 

Statistically,  these  eighty  members  with  their  em- 
ployments enumerated  are  as  follows: 


Farmers   19 

Trades  19 

Schoolteachers   11 

Businessmen   14 


Lawyers 10 

Doctors  5 

Ministers  2 

TOTAL  80 


This  is  but  a  small  and  confessedly  inadequate 
sampling  of  the  many  who  joined  the  Church  soon 
after  its  organization.  But,  a  more  extended  study 
would  show  that  those  who  from  the 
beginning  helped  build  the  Church  were 
people  above  the  average  of  the  times. 
Clearly  the  converts  to  the  Church 
were  sane,  sober,  intelligent  persons, 
representing  a  high  average  of  the  peo- 
ple who  were  moving  the  boundary  of 
the  nation  westward.  They  were  high- 
grade  citizens,  far  above  their  neigh- 
bors, judging  from  occupations  and 
stations  in  the  life  of  those  pioneer  days. 
These  converts  were  so  near  the 
foundation  events  of  the  Church  as  to 
have  known  intimately  Joseph  Smith 
and  his  family.  They  were  the  kind  of 
people  who  would  not  associate  with 
unworthy  persons  or  accept  falsehoods. 
Their  characters,  occupations,  and 
standing  in  society  form  a  powerful 
evidence  for  the  honorable  life  of 
Joseph  Smith  and  a  sufficient  answer 
to  careless  historians  who  have  be- 
littled the  people  who  became  the  founders  of  the 
Church.  The  Church  has  attracted  chiefly  honest, 
intelligent  people. 

It  should  be  noted  also  that  these  people  accepted 
with  deep  loyalty  their  leader,  Joseph  Smith,  as  a 
prophet.  They  believed  that  he  had  conversed  with 
the  Lord.  They  received  his  revelations  as  words  of 
God.  This  was  the  more  remarkable  because  in 
human  experience  it  is  relatively  easy  to  accept  a  dead 
prophet  but  exceedingly  difficult  to  believe  in  a  living 
prophet.  This  allegiance  from  clear-headed,  hard- 
headed  men,  such  as  Brigham  Young,  is  one  of  the 
many  evidences  of  the  worth  of  the  messages  of 
Joseph  Smith  and  the  high  character  of  the  Prophet. 

A  masterful  man  like  Brigham  Young  spoke  re- 
peatedly of  his  faith  in  the  truth  of  the  work  of 
Joseph  Smith.  Constantly  he  declared  that  he  was 
proud  to  be  a  follower  of  the  Latter-day  Prophet. 
The  unity  among  the  majority  of  Latter-day  Saints 
has  always  been  a  chief  annoyance  to  enemies  of  the 
restored  Church. 


950 


THF  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


^Jke 


iSu    fl/{awa   C  sroseph&ow 

ASSOCIATE  MANAGING  EDITOR 


What  does  Christmas  really 
mean?  The  pungent  odor  of 
the  pine,  the  romance  of  the 
mistletoe,  the  laughter  of  little  chil- 
dren, the  memories  of  other  Christ- 
mases,  and  above  all  the'  Christ 
story — these  become  the  warp  and 
the  woof  of  this  greatest  of  holy 
days. 

Sometimes,  in  the  hustle  and  bus- 
tle of  preparation,  the  true  message 
of  this  day  is  forgotten.  The  knowl- 
edge of  what  Christ  means  in  our 
lives  becomes  secondary  to  the 
awareness  of  feasting  and  getting 
and  giving. 

Perhaps  a  view  of  the  Christ- 
mases  of  our  leaders  may  draw  us 
back  to  a  wiser  celebration  and  a 
full  renewal  of  the  spirit  of  the  day. 

President  George  Albert  Smith 
had  a  life  filled  with  an  abundance 
of  the  love  of  a  devoted  mother  and 
love  for  the  gospel,  but  therje  was 
not  an  abundance  of  wh'at  thfose  of 
the  world  might  call  "the  comforts 
of  life."  Christmas  was  riot  a  time 
for  extravagant  spending  of  money; 
it  was  rather  a  time  of  restatement 
of  values  in  relation  to  the  life  of 
Christ.  Since  President  Smith's 
father  was'  away  on  missions  for 
the  Church  part  of  the  time,  money 
was  even  more  scarce  than  usual. 
But  President  Smith's  mother  never 
failed  to  have  an  apple  or  some 
little  goodie  for  her  family.  And 
more  than  that,  she  would  tell  him 
and  her  other  children  that  they 
were  indeed  rich,  for  they  had  in 
their  veins  the  blood  of  some  of  the 
best  families  in  the  world. 

Christmas  to  President  Smith 
came  to  be  and  has  remained  the 
best  day  of  the  entire  year,  for  it 
serves  as  a  vivid  reminder  of  the 
Christ,  whose  way  of  life  we  all 
would  emulate. 

President  J.  Reuben  Clark,  Jr., 
said  that  children  of  his  early  days 
never  had  such  a  Christmas  as  is 
celebrated  today.  He,  with  his 
brothers  and  sisters,  did  hang  up 
his  stocking  before  going  to  bed. 
DECEMBER  1950 


In  the  early  hours  of  Christmas 
morning,  he  would  hear  his  mother 
moving  about  long  before  the  chil- 
dren were  stirring.  Then,  when 
they  would  get  up,  the  stockings 
would  have  a  few  nuts,  perhaps  an 
apple,  one  or  two  pieces  of  stick 
candy,  and  on  the  very  top  of  the 
stocking,  a  pielet,  as  he  called  it. 
It  was  undoubtedly  a  tart  or  a  small 
pie.  As  a  child,  he  never  saw  an 
orange  or  even  a  lemon.  That  was 
the  Christmas  in  the  Clark  house- 
hold, but  President  Clark  is  in- 
sistent that  -the  children  looked 
forward  to  that  stocking,  with  its 
meager  bounty,  with  all  the  excite- 
ment and  anticipation  with  which  a 
child  looks  forward  to"  Christmas 
nowadays.  "And  furthermore,"  he 
states  quietly,  "though  presents  and 
toys  were  lacking,  there  existed  in 
our  home  the  most  ; 
precious  gifts  of 
all  —  health  and 
happiness." 

What  could  be 
more  satisfying 
than  that  —  and 
without  all  the 
headaches  and 
worries  about  who  ^S  - 
gave     a     present  *',4ll\^'^l 

without    receiving 
one  in  return — or  trying  to  get  out 
of  debt  for  having  spent  more  than 
one  should? 

Let's  turn  to  President  McKay's 
diary  for  a  very  important  Christ- 
mas that  he  celebrated  away  from 
home  when  he  was  a  missionary  in 
Scotland,    The  item  reads, 

Glasgow,  Scotland,  Saturday,  Dec.  24,  1898 

After  posting  some  Xmas  cards,  i  Brother 
McKnight  and  I  visited  Sister  Gain  and 
found  her  feeling  somewhat  better,  al- 
though still  confined  to  her  bed. 

Received  several  Xmas  presents — some 
were  given  a  day  or  so  back: 

1.  White  satin  necktie  and  Xmas  card — 
Brother  and  Sister  Wm.  Reid 

1.  Pair  knit  socks  and  Xmas  cards — 
Sis.  Maggie  Gain 


True  Christmas 


1.  Necktie  and  Xmas  card — Sis.  Eliza- 
beth Neilsen 

Cake  (for  all  of  us)  and  Xmas  card — 
Sis.   Steven. 

At  4:30  p.m.  Bro.  Neilsen  and  Leggat 
came  to  the  conference  house  according 
to  appointment  to  consider  branch  matters. 
...  I  learned  much  from  the  men's  char- 
acters which  I  believe  will  be  helpful.  .  .  . 
How  little  do  some  men  understand  the  true 
spirit  of  the  gospel!  .  .  . 

While  feeling  a  little  discouraged,  the 
postman  brought  a  fine  loving  letter  from 
dear  Mamma,  and  a  dainty  loving  card 
from  Annie.  To  read  Mamma's  encourag- 
ing words  would  banish  the  most  gloomy 
feelings.  I  thank  God  for  loving  parents 
and  affectionate  brothers  and  sisters! 
Where  true  love  reigns,  there  Heaven  is 
found. 


The  three  of  us  took  an  evening  stroll. 
Although  Christmas  Eve,  nothing  unusual 
was  seen. 

12:30  p.m.  Christmas  Eve!  Two  years 
ago  at  about  this  hour  I  was  with  my 
brother  and  sisters  going  from  a  pleasant 
party!  "When  I  was  playing  with  my 
brother,  Happy  was  I,  O  take  me  to  my 
loving  mother,  There  let  me  live  and  die." 
This  just  about  expresses  my  feelings  to- 
night. I  would  like  to  peep  into  the  dear 
old  home  and  see  the  little  ones  preparing 
for  Santa  Claus!  Perhaps  one  year  from 
tonight  will  find  us  all  in  the  happy  home: 

Heaven      grant      that 

this  be  so. 

Sunday,  Dec.  25,  1898 

As  Elders  Edward, 
McKnight,  and  I  arose 
from  our  beds,  we 
greeted  each  other 
with  a  "I  wish  you  a 
Merry  Xmas;"  but  the 
half-hearted  manner  in 
which  it  was  ex- 
pressed showed  that 
there  was  a  doubt  that 
the  wish  would  be  realized.  Priesthood 
meeting.  Sunday  School,  and  meetings  as 
usual.  The  stormy  scene  and  bad  feeling 
manifested  last  night  in  our  meeting  made 
me  fear  that  today's  meetings  would  feel 
the  effect.  But  earnest  prayers  were  an- 
swered; and  a  better  day  throughout  is 
seldom  enjoyed. 

Our  Xmas  dinner  was  eaten  at  Sister 
Neilson's.  .  .  .  Christmas  night  found  us 
feeling  in  better  spirits  than  Xmas  morning. 
We  were  somewhat  tired — Sunday's  strain 
usually  leaves  us  feeling  so — but  as  we 
knelt  to  have  our  evening  prayers,  each 
one  felt  thankful  for  Christmas  of  '98. 

And  twenty-two  years   later,   on 
Christmas,    President    McKay 
recorded  another  celebration: 

Saturday.  December  25,  1920 

How    foreign    from   my   mind,  was    the 
( Continued  on  page   1 03 1 ) 

951 


Heritage  in  the  Pacific... 


Every  missionary  yearns  for  the  op- 
portunity of  returning — even  for  a 
short  visit — to  the  mission  and  the 
people  whom  he  labored  among.  This 
dream  came  true  for  D.  Arthur  Hay- 
cock, when  he  with  his  wife,  Maurine, 
accompanied  President  George  Al- 
bert Smith  to  Hawaii  last  August. 
Elder  Haycock  was  returning,  as  sec- 
retary to  President  Smith,  to  the  land 
of  his  mission,  and  observing  the 
progress  that  had  been  made  in  a 
decade  and  a  half.  Sister  Haycock 
was  seeing  for  the  first  time  those 
fabulous  islands  of  which  she  had 
heard  so  much  from  her  husband. 


A  century  ago  ten  young  mis- 
sionaries of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints 
stepped  off  the  ship  Imaum  of  Mus- 
cat after  an  eventful  voyage  of 
eighteen  days  from  San  Francisco. 
They  had  gone  to  Hawaii  in  answer 
to  a  call  from  the  Church  to  serve 
in  the  newly-established  mission  of 
the  Sandwich  Islands.  Their  ac- 
commodations had  consisted  of 
some  rude  bunks  which  were  se- 
cured between  the  decks,  and  were 
very  uncomfortable,  to  say  the  least. 
I  could  not  help  thinking  of  these 
things  as  President  George  Albert 
Smith,  Elder  Henry  D.  Moyle,  and 
their  party  went  to  Hawaii  one 
hundred  years  later  to  celebrate 
the  centennial  of  the  Hawaiian  Mis- 
sion. 

President  Smith  and  Elder  Moyle 
were  accompanied  by  the  Presi- 
dent's two  daughters,  Mrs.  Robert 
Murray  Stewart  and  Mrs.  George 
O.  Elliott,  Elder  Moyle's  wife,  my 
wife,  and  me,  secretary  to  Presi- 
dent Smith.  We  had  made  the  trip 
from  the  California  coast  to  Hawaii 
on  a  beautiful  luxury  liner  that 
sailed  across  a  sea  as  calm  and  blue 
as  a  millpond.  Also  enjoying  the 
comfort  and  beauty  of  the  5.  5.  Lar- 
line,  were  some  one  hundred  fifty 
members  of  the  Church  who  were 
making  the  trip  to  enjoy  the  cen- 
tennial program.  Many  others  had 
preceded  them  on  the  previous  sail- 
ing, and  still  others  flew  over  in 
giant  airplanes  that  make  the  trip 
from  the  mainland  to  the  islands  in 
nine  hours.  As  one  contrasts  the 
mode  of  travel  between  now  and 
one  hundred  years  ago,  one  is  also 
Impressed  with  the  advancement 
952    • 


riot 


e:\  on  the  ^rwawallavi    L^entennia 


i 


MCOCi 


Elder  D.  Arthur  Haycock 
and  his  wife,  Maurine 
McClellan     Haycock. 


SECRETARY  TO 
PRESIDENT  GEORGE  ALBERT  SMITH 


The  boat  was  met  by  many  hun- 
dreds of  Saints  who  had  come  to 
welcome  the  prophet  of  the  Lord 
to  their  beautiful  shores.  There  was 
a  note  of  sadness,  however,  as  we 
entered  the  harbor.  Some  news- 
papermen gave  us  the  sad  news  of 
the  passing  of  President  George  F. 
Richards  of  the  Council  of  the 
Twelve.  President  Smith  was  par- 
ticularly distressed,  for  he  had  lost 
a  lifetime  friend  and  associate.  At 
first  it  was  thought  that  possibly 
President  Smith  might  return  home 


A  scene  from  the  pageant  "One  Hunderd  Years  of  Mormonism  in  Hawaii: 


and  progress  made  by  the  member- 
ship of  the  Church  there  during 
the  past  century.  We  sailed  from 
Los  Angeles  the  afternoon  of  Au- 
gust 4  and  arrived  at  the  pier  at 
Honolulu  alongside  the  Aloha 
Tower  early  in  the  morning  of 
August  9.  It  is  impossible  to  put 
into  words  the  joy  and  satisfaction 
which  were  mine  in  returning  to  the 
islands  that  I  loved  so  well,  where 
as  a  boy  of  eighteen  I  served  as  a 
missionary. 


by  plane  and  attend  the  funeral 
services  of  President  Richards. 
While  still  on  the  boat  he  dictated 
the  following  message  to  be  sent 
back  to  the  widow  and  the  family 
of  the  deceased: 

All  members  of  the  Church  here  in 
Hawaii  send  love  and  sympathy  to  the 
family  of  one  of  God's  great  characters. 

As  soon  as  we  left  the  boat,  hun- 
dreds of  people  crowded  around  and 
virtually    covered    the    party    with 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Scene    from    the,   dedication    of    the    Daughters    of    the    Utah 
Pioneers    monument    commemorating    the    hundredth    anniversary. 


President  Smith  with  members  of  the  Church  in  Hawaii:  On  his  right  were 
a  Samoan,  a  Filipino,  a  Japanese;  and  on  his  left  a  Chinese  and  a  Hawaiian. 
All  were  dressed  in  their  native  costumes. 


beautiful  flower  leis.  President 
Smith  and  his  daughters  then  went 
directly  to  the  beautiful  home  of 
President  and  Sister  Ralph  E. 
Woolley  of  the  Oahu  Stake.  There 
President  Smith  talked  by  radio- 
phone with  his  counselors  in  Salt 
Lake  City,  and  it  was  decided  that 
it  would  be  wiser  for  him  to  remain 
in  Hawaii  and  continue  the  cen- 
tennial program  which,  in  addition 
to  commemorating  the  centennial  of 
the  Church  in  Hawaii,  would  now 
also  take  the  form  of  a  memorial 
for  President  Richards. 

The  program  that  had  been  ar- 
ranged in  celebrafion  of  the  cen- 
tennial was  a  full  one,  covering  a 
period  of  twelve  days.  And  every- 
thing that  was  done  and  said — the 
meetings,  the  singing,  the  pageant, 
all  were  a  fitting  climax  to  a  hun- 


President  Smith  with  the  lei  which  was  pre- 
sented to  him  and  fashioned  of  one  hundred 
giant  orchids,  one  for  each  year  of  Church 
activity   in  Hawaii. 

DECEMBER  1950 


dred  years'  activity  in  Hawaii  and 
were  a  credit  to  the  Church  and 
its  people. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  day  we 
landed,  an  impressive  reception  was 
held  at  the  Oahu  Stake  Tabernacle 
particularly  to  welcome  those  who 
had  come  from  the  mainland  to  join 
with  the  local  Saints  in  the  cele- 
bration. There  were  music  and 
dancing  and  happy  reunions.  Color- 
ful costumes  and  flowers  were 
everywhere.  Dozens  of  hostesses  in 
holokus,  the  Hawaiian  formal  dress 
with  a  train,  or  their  muumuu,  which 
is  similar  to  a  "Mother  Hubbard," 
and  in  Japanese  and  Chinese 
dresses,  presented  everyone  who 
came  with  a  beautiful  lei.  The 
Saints  in  Hilo  had  sent  over  ten 
thousand  orchids  for  the  occasion, 
and  many  orchid  leis  were  worn 
by  those  who  were  in  attendance. 
It  was  interesting  to  note  that  these 
leis  contained  at  least  two  or  three 
hundred  baby  orchids  each. 

This  was  my  first  view  of  the 
Oahu  Stake  Tabernacle  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Kalakaua  and  Beretania 
streets,  one  of  the  finest  locations  in 
all  of  Honolulu.  As  I  walked  about 
the  grounds  admiring  the  beauty  of 
the  trees,  the  flowers,  and  the  mag- 
nificent building  itself,  my  thoughts 
"went  back  to  a  Sunday  morning  fif- 
teen years  before  when  I  had  at- 
tended the  first  meeting  ever  held 
on  the  grounds  soon  after  the 
property  had  been  purchased.  The 
mission  president  and  a  few  of  the 
missionaries  met  and  sang  a  song 
and  had  a  short  prayer.  Then,  this 
beautiful  edifice  was  only  a  dream, 
but  the  same  majestic  banyan  tree 
is  still  out  in  front.  In  fact,  the 
building    had   been    constructed    to 


President  Smith  with  his  daughters,  Emily 
Smith  Stewart  and  Edith  Smith  Elliott,  who 
accompanied   him    on    the    trip    to    the   islands. 


make  the  tree  one  of  the  focal  points 
of  interest. 

The  next  morning,  Elder  and 
Sister  Moyle  and  many  of  the  mis- 
sionaries accompanied  President 
and  Sister  Clissold  of  the  Hawaii 
Mission  to  Maui  where  the  first 
general  session  of  the  conference 
was  held  at  Wailuku,  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  an  historical  pageant  in  the 
Baldwin  High  School  in  the  even- 
ing. On  Friday,  August  11,  we 
accompanied  President  Smith  and 
his  daughters  by  plane  to  the  island 
of  Maui,  where  we  were  greeted 
by  Elder  and  Sister  Moyle  and 
many  of  the  Saints  and  missionaries 
and  were  presented  with  beautiful 
red  carnation  leis,  which  are  noted 
for  their  rich,  spicy  fragrance.  The 
trip  from  Honolulu  to  Maui  took 
forty-five  minutes,  and  en  route  we 
passed  over  the  islands  of  Molokai 
and  Lanai.  As  we  soared  quietly 
[Continued  on  [allowing  page) 

953 


HERITAGE  IN  THE  PACIFIC . . . 


(Continued  from  preceding  page) 

along  over  the  beautiful  blue  Pacific, 
looking  down  on  the  lush  green 
valleys  of  the  islands  which  ap- 
peared on  each  side,  I  could  not 
help  thinking  of  the  previous  trips 
I  had  made  between  these  islands 
on  a  small  steamer,  going  steerage 
and  sleeping  on  a  coil  of  rope  or  on 
the  deck  alongside  the  anchor  chain. 
Then  it  was  an  all-night  ride,  and 
not  always  a  pleasant  and  com- 
fortable one.  As  soon  as  we  landed 
at  the  airport  on  Maui,  we  stepped 
into  the  cars  which  were  waiting 
and  drove  part  way  up  the  massive, 
extinct  volcano  Haleakala  to  the 
little  chapel  at  Pulehu,  the  site  of 
the  first  baptisms  a  hundred  years 
ago.  The  service  was  being  held 
outside  because  the  chapel  would 
only  seat  some  forty  or  fifty,  and 
there  were  several  hundred  present 
at  this  service. 

Elder  Henry  D.  Moyle  spoke  to 
those  who  were  assembled,  and  then 
President  George  Albert  Smith 
talked.  He  reminded  the  people 
who  were  present  that  this  meeting 
was  being  held  on  sacred  ground 
and  urged  them  to  be  grateful  for 
their  heritage  and  their  homeland, 
and  so  to  live  that  they  would  be 
able  to  inherit  a  place  in  the  celes- 
tial kingdom  which  would  be  estab- 
lished here  upon  this  earth.  He  paid 
tribute  to  President  George  Q. 
Cannon  who  performed  the  first 
baptisms  in  Hawaii  within  a  few 
feet  of  where  the  service  was  being 
held.  One  impressive  feature  of  the 
program  occurred  when  Sister 
Rosannah  Cannon  Irvine,  daughter 
of  President  George  Q.  Cannon, 
placed  a  lei  around  a  picture  of 
President  Cannon  which  hung  from 
the  pulpit.  Another  indication  of  the 
profound  effect  that  the  news  of  the 
death  of  his  beloved  friend,  Presi- 
dent George  F.  Richards,  had  upon 
him  was  President  Smith's  mention 
while  speaking  at  Pulehu  Maui  that 
almost  at  this  very  hour  services 
were  being  held  in  the  great  Taber- 
nacle in  Salt  Lake  City  for  Presi- 
dent Richards.  Following  the  serv- 
ices a  luau  or  native  feast  was  held 
at  the  Kahului  Fair  Grounds,  with 
several  hundred  in  attendance. 

The  next  day,  Saturday,  August 
12,  a  missionary  report  meeting  was 
held  in  the  Honolulu  Tabernacle. 
At  two  in  the  afternoon  we  attended 
954 


a  bazaar,  and  saw  the  Relief  So- 
ciety handwork  and  the  Polynesian 
curios.  In  the  late  afternoon  the 
Relief  Society  served  a  poi  supper, 
and  then  at  seven  in  the  evening 
priesthood  and  Relief  Society  meet- 
ings were  held.  The  Relief  So- 
ciety was  honored  with  the  pres- 
ence of  President  Smith's  daughter, 
Edith  Smith  Elliott,  a  member  of 
the  Relief  Society  general  board. 

Sunday  morning,  August  13,  was 
a  beautiful  day,  and  when  the  Presi- 
dent arrived,  he  found  the  buildings 
and  patios  filled  to  overflowing  with 
3,265  people  present.  As  President 
Smith  entered,  he  was  presented 
with  a  gorgeous  orchid  lei  fashioned 
out  of  one  hundred  giant  orchids, 
each  bloom  representing  one  year 
since  the  gospel  was  first  taken  to 
the  Hawaiian  Islands.  The  beauti- 
ful orchids  against  the  President's 
white  suit  produced  an  effect  which 
took  the  breath  of  all  present. 

One  of  the  highlights  of  the 
meeting  was  the  presentation  by 
George  Q.  Cannon  III,  a  grandson 
of  President  George  Q.  Cannon,  of 
President  Cannon's  personal  copy 
of  the  Book  of  Mormon  in  Ha- 
waiian. This  book  is  in  a  remarkable 
state  of  preservation,  and  only  re- 
cently was  obtained  by  a  collector 
of  rare  books  who  made  it  available 
to  the  Cannon  family,  who  in  turn 
presented  it  to  President  Smith  that 
it  might  be  placed  in  the  archives 
of  the  Church  and  there  be  pre- 
served for  posterity. 

When  President  Smith  rose  to 
speak,  all  of  the  congregation  arose 
as  one  man  in  a  spontaneous  demon- 
stration of  love  and  respect  for  this 


O 


CHRISTMAS  TREES 
By   Olive   May   Cook 

ne  stood  in  a  room,  well-furnished  and 

gay, 

The  other  in  a  cabin  some  distance  away. 
Meticulously  trimmed,  the  one  was  a  treat 
For  all  passers-by  on  that  select  street. 

A    mere    pigmy    in    comparison    was    the 

other, 
With  homecraft  trinkets  made  by  a  mother. 
They  were  lovingly  hung,  each  one  in  its 

place, 
By  father  and  Judy  and  Tommy  and  Grace. 

The  big  tree  shone  gorgeous  with  metallic 

glitter, 
Intriguing  children  as  well  as  the  "sitter." 
But   lights   on   the   other  were   brighter  to 

see, 
For  bits  of  five  hearts  were   entwined  in 

the  tree. 


great  man.  Following  the  meeting 
President  Smith  and  Brother  Moyle 
indicated  that  never  before  had  they 
attended  a  meeting  where  they  felt 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  in  greater 
abundance. 

In  the  afternoon,  on  Sunday,  con- 
ference sessions  were  held  in  Ha- 
waiian and  in  Japanese,  one  in  the 
tabernacle,  and  the  other  in  the 
Waikiki  Ward  chapel. 

On  August  14,  because  of  a  lack 
of  sufficient  strength,  President 
Smith  was  unable  to  attend  the 
dedication  of  the  Daughters  of  the 
Utah  Pioneers  marker  on  the  taber- 
nacle grounds  commemorating  the 
arrival  of  the  first  missionaries  to 
Hawaii,  December  12,  1850.  The 
dedication  services,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Ilima  Camp,  Daughters 
of  the  Pioneers,  was  short  but  im- 
pressive. 

The  following  day  President 
Smith  and  his  party  called  and  paid 
respects  to  Governor  Ingram  M. 
Stainback  of  the  Territory  of  Ha- 
waii. Governor  Stainback  was  com- 
plimentary to  the  Latter-day  Saints. 
A  few  of  his  comments  were: 

I  think  the  Mormons  have  done  more 
for  the  Hawaiian  people  than  any  organi- 
zation in  the  territory.  I  am  not  just  say- 
ing this  because  you  are  Mormons.  I  have 
said  it  to  others.  You  seem  to  instil  a 
capacity  in  them  to  endure.  The  other 
groups  of  Hawaiians  here  don't  seem  to 
like  to  work,  but  the  Mormons  seem  to 
give  them  an  inspiration  to  work,  and  I 
believe  you  are  the  only  ones  who  have 
been  able  to  do  that.  No  nation  can  exist 
unless  the  people  work.  Mormons  have 
stimulated  the  Hawaiians  to  work. 

President  Smith  attended  the 
meeting  that  evening  of  the  Oahu 
Stake  high  council  and  spoke  to 
them,  giving  them  words  of  counsel, 
inspiration,  and  commendation,  and 
visited  with  President  Emil  C.  Dunn 
of  the  Tongan  Mission,  who  had 
just  landed  in  Hawaii  on  his  way 
home  from  that  far-off  mission. 
President  Smith  then  met  with  the 
Hawaii  Mission  presidency. 

On  the  morning  of  Wednesday, 
August  16,  President  Smith  went 
to  the  tabernacle  and  there  ad- 
dressed the  missionaries  who  had 
assembled  for  a  testimony  meeting. 
Before  President  Smith  arose  to 
speak,  we  had  the  privilege  of 
hearing  the  testimonies  of  many  of 
the  young  missionaries. 

In  the  early  afternoon  of  August 

(Continued  on  page  1026) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


n 


OYS  they  will  like 


i5u  A5url  Shepherd 


y 


r 


Who  most  often  gets  a  kick  out 
of  Tommy's  electric  train? 
Usually,  it  is  Tommy's  father; 
for  unless  Tommy  is  mature  enough 
to  appreciate  the  mechanism  of 
trains,  he  will  watch  it  in  amusement 
for  awhile  and  then  go  back  to  his 
building  blocks.  Those,  he  under- 
stands. 

Parents  select  their  children's  as- 
sociates, schools,  and  social  activi- 
ties with  some  care  because  these 
environmental  influences  play  a 
definite  part  in  the  child's  develop- 
ment. But  toys,  also  tools  of 
growth  and  learning,  are  too  often 
bought  with  little  regard  to  the 
child's  needs  or  his  level  of  under- 
standing. 

Young  Susan,  for  instance,  who 
is  two,  would  as  soon  carry  her 
curly-headed  mamma-doll  upside 
down  as  not  and  doesn't  care 
whether  or  not  it  has  a  pretty  face; 
a  cuddly  doll  that  will  stand  lots  of 
handling    is   for   her.      But   as    she 


Simple  sewing 
skills  develop  when 
she  delights  in  mak- 
ing new  wardrobes 
for  her  doll. 


grows  older,  the  doll  becomes  some- 
thing for  her  to  mother,  and  she 
wants  it  to  be  pretty.  Later  still, 
she  will  decide  it  needs  a  new  ward- 
robe, and  from  then  on  she  develops 
simple  sewing  skills  which  continue 
until  she  tires  of  dolls  and  begins 
to  sew  for  herself. 

Children  like  toys  that  put  their 
hands  and  their  imaginations  to 
work — toys  they  can  use  without 
dependence  on  adult  help.  The 
baby  of  eight  months  will  only  pick 
up  blocks  and  throw  them,  but  a 
few  months  later  he  will  arrange 
those  same  blocks  in  a  neat  row, 
and  in  a  year  or  two  erect  buildings 
and  towers  with  these  tools  which 
he  has  learned  to  use  well.  Says 
one  author  on  the  subject  of  toys: 


the  very  young  may  be  quite  simple; 
the  primary  colors  are  enough. 

To  babies  give  objects  to  look  at 
or  listen  to,  to  bite  and  shake,  small 
enough  to  be  grasped  by  a  baby 
hand;  beads,  balls,  cotton  reels, 
spoons,  rattles,  rings  to  bite.  The 
toddler  of  two  will  enjoy  things  to 
push  and  pull — carts,  trucks,  trains. 
Youngsters  over  a  year-and-a-half 
but  less  than  three  are  always  get- 
ting into  things;  they  want  to  pull 
everything    apart    and    examine    it. 


Children  like  above  all  else  to  make 
something. 

Blocks,  crayons,  modeling  clay  are 
among  the  things  which  satisfy  their 
needs. 


"The  best  preparation  for  any  stage 
of  development  is  to  experience 
thoroughly  the  stage  which  natural- 
ly precedes  it."1 

Two-year-old  Johnnie  will  slap 
water  colors  on  his  canvas  with  no 
forethought  or  purpose;  but  that 
does  not  matter.  He  learns  by  look- 
ing, feeling,  and  trying  out,  and  by 
four  years  of  age,  he  will  have  an 
eye  for  a  finished  product.  So  long 
as  he  enjoys  it,  his  measure  of  skill 
is  unimportant.  A  child  may  paint 
his  feelings  in  vivid  colors,  and  his 
imagination  thus  gives  him  great 
satisfaction.     Painting  materials  for 


^The    Wise    Choice    of    Togs,    Ethel    Kawi 
versity   of    Chicago    Press,    1938.    Page   2. 


Uni- 


DECEMBER  1950 


Here  is  where  building  toys  come 
in:  peg  boards,  blocks  that  fit  to- 
gether, rubber  blocks  to  pile  up  and 
knock  over. 

Small  children  like  above  all  else 
to  make  something.  Blocks,  crayons, 
paints,  molding  clay,  are  among  the 
raw  materials  which  satisfy  this 
need  and  are  popular  with  children 
of  all  ages. 

From  two  to  five  the  youngster 
will  also  make  good  use  of  pull- 
about  toys,  especially  those  that  can 
be  put  together  from  separate  parts; 
cut-outs,  with  dull,  blunt  scissors; 
gymnastic  apparatus;  dolls  and  toy 
animals;  picture  books  and  simple 
(Continued  on  page  1047) 

955 


-   , 


i 


the  three  on  his  back  were  caroling  as  they  traveled  toward  the  trading  post. 


Trader  Lee  Tabor  was  serious  as 
he  looked  over  the  windswept 
mesa  from  the  comfortable  office 
of  his  Whiterock  Trading  Post  with 
its  rugs  and  Indian  paintings,  and 
great  fireplace  wafting  incense  from 
juniper  and  pinon  wood  embers. 

Far  down  the  valley  he  could 
just  glimpse  an  igloo-like  hogan  out- 
lined amid  the  clutter  of  upjutting 
volcanic  rocks,  where  he  knew  old 
Chief  White  Wolf  would  be  sitting 
on  the  dirt  floor  of  his  hogan, 
muffled  in  blankets  against  the  cold, 
like  some  old  mummified  idol — and 
just  as  impassive  and  as  hard  to 
reason  with. 

That  was  Lee  Tabor's  problem. 
How  to  help  the  proud  old  chief— 
who  once  had  numbered  his  sheep 
and  goats  by  the  hundreds  and  now 
was  poorer  than  the  jack  rabbits — 
without  offending  his  dignity. 

More  than  once  the  taciturn  old 
chief  had  spurned  the  genial  trader's 
offers,  whether  of  a  loan  of  money, 
food,  or  supplies  from  the  trading 
post.  Nor  would  the  independent 
old  man  deign  to  accept  any  relief 
956 


The  Gift  Horse 


from  the  government's  Great  White 
Father. 

Worse  yet,  Christmas  was  com- 
ing. That  meant  gifts.  And  old 
White  Wolf  had  his  peculiar  ideas 
about  Christmas  gift-giving,  dating 
from  the  time  when  Lee  Tabor  and 
his  wife  Nina  had  taken  over  the 
Whiterock  store  and  that  first 
Christmas  had  presented  every  In- 
dian in  the  valley  with  a  gift. 

Trader  Tabor's  first  gift  to  Chief 
White  Wolf  had  been  a  handsome- 
ly-fashioned hunting  knife  in  tooled 
leather  sheath.  Greatly  impressed, 
the  chief,  then  more  affluent,  had 
presented  Lee  Tabor  with  a  fine 
silver-worked  belt,  and  his  wife  with 
a  turquoise  necklace.  Varied  gifts 
had  been  exchanged  at  each  Christ- 
mas time  thereafter  between  the 
chief  and  his  good  friend,  the  trader. 

CJo  it  was   that  old  Chief  White 

Wolf,  who  had  been  converted, 

after  a  fashion,  to  the  white  man's 

religion,  had  come  to  understand  the 


& 


dohn  oA 


9 


erman 


1/1/ aike  r 


white  man's  ritual  of  gift-giving  at 
the  Christmas  season.  He  had,  in 
fact,  come  to  imagine  the  ritual  as 
an  essential  part  of  being  a  member 
of  the  Christian  community.  This 
year  he  would  have  no  gift  for  his 
friend — and  would  certainly  accept 
no  gift  himself.  Some  kind  of 
disaster  seemed  imminent. 

That  was  how  Lee  Tabor  was 
reasoning  it  out  in  his  mind,  and  his 
reasoning  seemed  to  end  in  circles, 
no  closer  to  a  solution  of  the  vexing 
problem. 

The  lines  in  Tabor's  ruddy  face 
deepened,  and  thoughtfully  he 
turned  to  the  doorway  into  the  ad- 
joining big  room  of  the  trading  post, 
piled  with  its  colorful  stock  of  goods 
and  supplies.  As  he  stood  in  the 
doorway,  his  wife  looked  up  from 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


her  bookwork  on  accounts  and  re- 
garded him  for  a  minute  before  she 
spoke. 

"Your  face  is  darker  than  the 
weather  outside,  Lee.  What's  on 
your  mind?" 

"Just  what  are  we  going  to  do, 
Nina,"  demanded  the  frowning  Lee, 
"about  that  obstinate  old  Chief 
White  Wolf?  How  can  anybody 
be  thinking  about  a  merry  Christ- 
mas with  that  stubborn  old  man 
sitting  down  there  in  that  hogan, 
practically  freezing  and  starving  to 
death?  Won't  accept  a  thing,  even 
from  the  government." 

Nina  Tabor  stared  from  the  win- 
dow, as  a  low  wind  whined  about 
the  eaves  of  the  building  with  a 
swirl  of  powdery  snow,  as  she  an- 
swered. 

"He's  proud,  Lee — terribly  proud. 
I  really  don't  know  the  answer  to 
that  one.  If  only  he  had  some  gift 
to  give  you  this  Christmas,  perhaps 


yellow  and  blue  cloth  they  so  loved 
for  dresses.  They  must  look  their 
best  for  the  approaching  Christmas 
holidays. 

HTwo  Indian  men  rode  up,  hitched 
their  ponies  to  the  rail  in  the 
windy  street  and  stomped  into  the 
store,  spurs  a-jingle  on  their  cow- 
boy boots,  their  dark  hair  held  with 
bright  bands,  their  costumes  aflash 
with  silver  and  turquoise. 

They  also  were  getting  ready 
for  the  big  Christmas  celebration. 
Everyone  was  in  a  gay,  spending 
mood.  And  everyone  seemed  to  have 
money,  or  goods-in-trade,  to  indulge 
the  spirit — everyone,  that  is,  ex- 
cept old  Chief  White  Wolf  and  his 
daughter's  family,  her  husband,  and 
their  little  son,  Billy  Blue  jay — the 
only  ones  in  the  village  whom  the 
old  chief  would  accept  favors  from, 
and  who  were  doing  all  right  just 
to    support    themselves    with    their 


V  <>&&(£}/imfih)fti 


we  could  give  him  something  sub- 
stantial in  return  without  offending 
him." 

Lee  gave  a  helpless  shrug  of  his 
wide  shoulders. 

"Don't  think  he  would  take  a 
present,  if  he  didn't  have  one  to 
offer  in  return.  I've  known  him  too 
long  to  believe  that.  Now — he's 
got  less  than  nothing;  at  most,  the 
blankets  on  his  back — and  that 
bony,  piebald  mustang  pony  he  gets 
around  on.  This  Christmas  gift 
business  is  going  to  break  his  old 
heart.  In  the  meantime,  he's  slow- 
ly killing  himself  because  of  his 
pride.  And  what  can  I  do  about 
it?" 

His  wife  went  to  serve  a  group 
of  Indian  women  in  colorful  calico 
skirts  and  velvet  blouses  who  had 
come  into  the  store. 

They'd  come  with  sacks  of  sweet 
pinon  nuts  to  trade  for  the  red  and 

DECEMBER  1950 


very  small  flock  of  goats*  and  their 
tiny  plot  of  maize  and  melons  in 
season. 

It  was  an  exasperating,  ridiculous 
situation;  but  apparently  nothing 
could  be  done  about  it,  the  blunt 
old  chief  being  tempered  as  he  was. 

HThe  days  went  thus,  the  spirit  of 
the  festive  season  mounting  as 
the  eve  before  Christmas  neared. 
Lee  Tabor  continued  to  dwell  mood- 
ily upon  the  sorry  condition  of  his 
stubborn  old  Indian  friend.  The  day 
before  Christmas,  Lee  made  a  final, 
definite  announcement  to  his  wife. 

"I'm  going  to  load  the  truck  with 
groceries  and  some  warm  clothing 
and  dump  them  right  in  old  White 
Wolf's  hogan,  whether  he  likes  it 
or  not.  He's  going  to  take  the  heart 
right  out  of  Christmas  this  year  if 
he  persists  in  holding  out  in  his  old 
fool  way  about  a  little  charity." 

"If  that  would  do  any  good,"  en- 


joined Nina.  "Frankly,  I  don't  think 
he'd  feed  any  part  of  it  even  to  his 
goats,  if  he  thought  you  were  pity- 
ing him.  But  I'll  help  in  any  way  I 
can." 

Big  Lee  went  to  the  window  of 
the  office  and  held  the  curtain  aside 
as  he  stared  for  the  dozenth  time 
that  afternoon  through  the  sleety 
mist,  down  at  the  snow-mounded 
hogan  of  old  White  Wolf. 

He  was  drawing  on  gloves  and 
reaching  for  his  hat,  when  his  keen 
eyes  caught  the  slow  trot  of  a  pinto 
pony  just  turning  out  of  the  corral 
by  old  White  Wolf's  hogan.  Atop 
the  stiff-gaited  old  horse,  riding 
bareback,  the  gnomish  form  of  Billy 
Bluejay,  the  old  chief's  grandson, 
his  uncut  black  hair  flaring  from 
under  his  red  headband,  looked  a 
dark  mite  in  the  storm. 

Watching,   Tabor   mused   aloud. 

"I  wonder  now  where  that  old 
bag  of  horseflesh  is  taking  our  young 
friend  Billy,  in  a  storm  like  this. 
He's  coming  calling,   looks  like." 

Nina  joined  her  husband,  her 
brown  eyes  following  the  awkward 
course  of  old  horse  and  young  rider 
as  they  cloppity-clopped  up  the 
muddy  road. 

Billy  Bluejay  threw  a  hasty  leg 
off  the  sway-back  of  the  pinto,  and 
he  tied  it  at  the  hitching  rail  in  front 
of  the  trading  post,  gave  the  old 
horse  a  fond  pat,  then  scrambled  up 
the  steps  and  into  the  store,  banging 
the  door. 

For  a  minute  the  little  Indian, 
looking  wild  indeed  with  wind- 
tangled  hair  and  wearing  nonde- 
script clothing,  blinked  the  snow 
mist  from  his  jet-bright  eyes,  then 
saw  Lee  and  Nina  smiling  from  the 
end  of  the  room.  Lee  called  a  wel- 
come. 

"Hi,  Billy — -now  what  can  we  do 
for  you  today?" 

The  curious,  half-doleful,  half- 
defiant  look  which  Billy  cast  at  them 
was  puzzling;  then  he  was  blurting 
out  his  message. 

"Thees  horse,  outside — he  is  from 
my  grandfather  to  you — for  Crees- 
mus.  He  says  much  Merry  Crees- 
mus,  Meester  Tabur — and  to  your 
Meesus." 

'"That  was  all.  Like  the  rush  and 
go  of  the  wind  the  boy  was  gone, 
with  a  flash  of  white  teeth  and  the 
look  of  calamity  in  his  dark,  almost 
tearful  eyes. 

They  could  only  rush  to  the  win- 
(Continued  on  following  page) 

957 


THE  GIFT  HORSE 


(Continued  from  preceding  page) 
dow  for  a  glimpse  of  the  racing  lit- 
tle whirlwind,  who  paused  for  a 
final  pat  on  the  neck  of  the  pinto 
pony,  then  fled  down  the  slushy- 
street,  lost  in  the  gusty  storm. 

Speechless,  Lee  and  Nina  looked 
at  each  other.  The  incredulous  ex- 
clamation of  Lee  finally  cut  the  si- 
lence. 

"Can  you  imagine  that!  The  old 
chief's    Christmas    present — to    us; 
that   flea-bitten  old  cayuse.  Ha — 
ha — ha." 

But  Nina  cut  him  short,  her  eyes 
serious. 

"Don't  laugh,  Lee.  It's  the  grand- 
est gesture  I've  ever  heard  of. 
Would  any  of  your  friends  give 
you  the  car  out  of  their  garage  as 
a  Christmas  gift?  It  amounts  to  the 
same  thing.  That  old  horse  is  ab- 
solutely the  last  thing  on  earth  the 
old  chief  owned;  and  a  horse  to  an 
Indian  is  wealth  and  prestige  and 
an  only  way  of  travel. 

"Yet,  he's  given  it  up,  rather 
than  let  us  down  this  Christmas. 
And  that  look  on  Billy's  face — like 
he  was  laying  his  heart  at  our  feet, 
when  he  gave  up  that  pony.  It's 
the  old  chief's  to  give,  true.  But 
the  boy's  tended  that  pony  since 
he  was  old  enough  to  straddle  it. 
Now  we've  got  double  trouble  to 
look  forward  to  over  the  holidays. 
Billy's  not  going  to  get  over  this 
for  a  long  time,  I  can  see.  To  Billy 
that  horse  has  every  fine  line  of  a 
thoroughbred  racer." 

Soberly  Lee  replied. 

"I'm  not  laughing,  Nina,  at  the 
giver;  you  know  that;  nor  at  the 
gift.  But  whoever  could  have 
imagined  that  the  old  chief  would 
give  us  his  horse?  What  can  I  pos- 
sibly do  with  a  wheezy  old  bag  o' 
bones  like  that?  I  can't  accept  it,, 
of  course.  I'd  better  get  it  back 
to  the  corral  at  the  hogan  before 
the  old  plug  gets  snowed  under  out 
there." 

But  a  quick  sparkle  had  come  into 
Nina's  eyes. 

"No — wait,  Lee,  I've  an  idea. 
Don't  you  see — the  chief's  gift  has 
been  given.  Now  we  can  return  in 
kind.  That  old  horse  may  solve 
the  whole  problem." 

"Well,  how  then?" 

"How?  What  are  we  waiting 
for?  Let's  get  busy.  There  are  gifts 
958 


to  be  wrapped  for  old  Chief  White 
Wolf — lots  of  them.  Meats  and 
fruit  and  canned  goods.  We'll  wrap 
them  fancy,  Lee — some  good  sub- 
stantial food,  done  up  like  Christ- 
mas gifts.  Warm  socks  and  mufflers, 
a  big  box  of  candies  for  the  old 
chief's  family;  some  overalls  and 
shirts  for  Billy — everything  they 
need." 

Her  husband  was  smiling. 

"I  expect,"  he  said,  "that  you're 
the  smartest  gal  in  the  world — and 
the  nicest." 

Nina  gave  him  a  sly  smile. 

"I'd  just  better  be,  Mr.  Tabor. 
It's  a  strange  thing,  but,  do  you 
know,  I  love  you,  too.  Otherwise,  do 
you  suppose  I'd  stay  in  this  hermit- 
age  of   a   place  with  you   through 


these 


years 


7" 


Lee  bantered. 

"You'd  miss  our  people  here,  the 
same  as  I  would,  if  we  went  away, 
Nina — you  know  it." 

She  nodded. 

"Come  to  think  of  it,  you're  right. 
How'd  we  ever  get  along  now  with- 
out obstinate  old  White  Wolf  and 
Billy  Bluejay,  and  Mrs.  Minnie 
Moonflower  and  her  new  papoose. 
Yes,  I'd  miss  'em,  Lee. 

"But  aren't  we  forgetting  some- 
thing? How  ever  are  we  going  to 
make  up  to  Billy  for  the  loss  of  his 
pony?  The  way  he  looked  when  he 
handed  over  that  horse  almost  broke 
my  heart.  What'll  we  do  with  it, 
anyway?  We  can't  give  it  back  to 
the  chief,  now — " 

A  shrewd  light  was  in  Lee 
Tabor's  eyes  as  he  answered. 

"Not  exactly.  But  your  ideas  are 
catching.     I've  got  one  of  my  own. 


TO  A  DAUGHTER 
By  Elizabeth  S.  Norn's 

Should   dreams   be   proven   dreams — not 
more, 
And  castles  fall  in  ruins  at  your  feet, 
Should  sorrow,  like  the  closing  of  a  door, 
Bring  loneliness — at  such  a  time,  my  sweet, 
Reach  for  the  comfort  of  the  commonplace 
And  seek  the  miracles  in  simple  things: 
The  happy  smile  upon  a  well-loved  face, 
A  brook  or  flower,   flashing,  silver  wings 
Against  the  backdrop  of  soft,  summer  skies, 
Frail  cobwebs  shimmering  with  dew, 
Or  purple-painted  mountain  peaks  that  rise 
To  pierce  the  infinite  of  heaven's  blue. 
Compared  with  these,  how  pale  the  dreams 
You  dreamed,  how  childish  castles  tall 
You  built!  And  even  grief,  it  seems 
Recedes,  or  proves  not  grief  at  all. 


Be  wrapping  the  packages,  while  I 
get  that  fancy  saddle  we've  had  in 
the  back  room  for  so  long,  the 
bridle  with  the  shiny  rosettes,  and 
a  couple  of  currycombs.  I'll  doll  up 
that  old  nag  so  Billy  won't  recog- 
nize it.  He's  not  going  to  lose  his 
pony  if  I  can  help  it." 

,\I7'ithout  further  explanations, 
Lee  threw  on  a  coat  and  was 
out  untying  the  pinto  seconds  later. 
He  led  the  patient  pony  to  a  shel- 
tered shed  in  the  rear  of  the  trading 
post  and  set  to  work  with  a  set  of 
currycombs  on  its  shaggy  mane  and 
blotchy  hide. 

That  finished,  he  replaced  the 
pony's  worn  hackamore  with  the 
new  bridle,  threw  a  saddle  blanket 
over  the  animal's  back,  and  topped 
it  with  the  handsome  saddle  set 
with  shining  conchas,  and  tightened 
the  cinches.  He  tied  a  red  and 
green  ribbon  in  the  horse's  mane 
and  stood  back  to  view  the  effect. 
The  old  "broom"-tailed  mustang 
looked  good  enough  for  the  county 
fair.  Lee  chuckled,  gave  the  horse 
a  sugar  lump,  then  went  scooting 
back  into  the  store.  His  voice 
boomed  out  as  he  entered. 

"Everything  ready,  Nina?" 

"Just  about,"  she  called,  scurrying 
about  the  place  on  a  dozen  different 
errands.  "What  have  you  been  do- 
ing?" 

"You'll  see.  Get  into  a  macki- 
naw — we're  going  Christmas  call- 
ing." 

Hooking  the  packed  hamper  un- 
der one  arm  and  his  wife  under  the 
other,  laughing,  Lee  called  over  his 
shoulder  to  an  Indian  boy  in  the 
store. 

"Take  over  for  awhile,  Jimmy. 
We've  got  a  hurry-up  call  to  make. 
Back  soon." 

C^utside,  Nina  caught  her  breath, 
at  both  the  crisp  air  and  the 
gaily-caparisoned  pony.  Then  Lee 
held  a  stirrup  for  her  boot,  secured 
the  gift-filled  basket  on  the  saddle 
horn,  and  swung  up  easily  behind 
her. 

Then  they  were  gone,  like 
some  knight  errant  and  his  lady, 
on  their  gaily-rigged  Rosinante — 
through  the  welter  of  storm,  across 
the  wide  snow  fields,  to  the  hogan 
of  old  Chief  White  Wolf. 

(Continued  on  page  1033) 
THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Merry  Christmas  wd 


raui 


¥ 


£5ia   <JJ)laritka  ^Mendt 


y 


erion 


The  day  before  Christmas  started 
out  bright  and  sunny.  Joey 
helped  Pop  salt  the  paths  and 
the  driveway  so  no  one  would  slip. 
Then  he  ran  out  to  roll  over  and 
over  in  the  snow  just  because  he 
felt  so  happy. 

Mother  was  coming  home  to- 
day! She'd  been  gone  hundreds 
and  hundreds — well,  lots  of  weeks. 
It's  hard  to  keep  track  when  you're 
only  seven.  But  she  had  gone  right 
after  Thanksgiving  and  that  was  a 
long  time  ago.  It  sure  took  a  long 
time  to  get  an  operation. 

He  had  so  many  things  to  show 
and  tell  her,  he  was  afraid  he 
couldn't  even  remember  them  all. 
The  important  things  today  were 
the  Christmas  tree  and — 

Pete's  sake!  He  had  almost  for- 
gotten the  gravy!  Aunt  Nettie 
promised  he  could  make  it.  It  was 
to  be  special  turkey  gravy,  the  kind 
Mother  liked,  rich  and  brown  and 
running  off  the  mashed  potatoes 
to  make  brown  puddles  on  the  plate. 

He'd  make  it,  then  he'd  say,  "I 
made  the  gravy!"  Mother  would 
look  surprised  and  pleased.  When 
she  tasted  it,  she'd  say,  "M-m! 
What  delicious  gravy!" 

Maybe  it  was  time  now  to  make 
the  gravy.  He  yelled  and  listened 
to  the  echo.  Then  he  ran  to  the 
back  door,  remembering  to  stamp 
the  snow  off  before  he  went  in. 

Aunt  Nettie  was  bustling  around 
the  kitchen,  her  wide  hips  swaying 
in  rhythm  with  the  tick-tock  of  the 
old  kitchen  clock.  Joey  nodded  his 
head,  keeping  in  time. 

Pies  were  already  cooling  on  the 
drainboard.  Aunt  Nettie  opened 
the  oven  door  and  basted  the  turkey. 
Joey  peeked  over  her  shoulder.  No, 
it  wasn't  time  yet  to  make  the 
gravy. 

He  took  off  his  coat  and  went  to 
the  living  room.  The  whole  house 
was  shining  and  smiling.  The 
Christmas  tree  stood  there  waiting 
for  Mother  and  Santa  Claus.  It 
shone  with  tinsel  and  candy  canes 
and  popcorn  balls.  Nothing  to  do 
now  but  look  at  it  and  imagine.  In 
the  morning  there'd  be  lots  of 
DECEMBER  1950 


J^Jother  was  coming 
home  today  I  She'd 
been  gone  hundreds  and 
hundreds  —  well,  lots  of 
weeks. 

surprises — maybe  even  a  drum  with 
red  and  white  stripes! 
'""Time  for  your  bath,  Joey,"  Aunt 
Nettie  called.  "Your  pop's 
going  for  your  mother.  You  want 
to  get  all  slicked  up." 

Pete's  sake!  Already?  He  fol- 
lowed Aunt  Nettie  up  the  stairs. 
He  could  hear  the  old  clock  tick- 
tock  in  the  kitchen.  He  wondered 
if  the  clock  would  stop  if  Aunt 
Nettie  stopped  swaying  her  hips. 

^hen  one's  mother 
comes  home  from,  a 
long,  long  stay  at  the  hos- 
pital, she  should  have 
something  extra  good, 
thought  Joey  .  .  . 


Warm  water  and  soap  felt  good. 
He  lathered  up  lots  of  soap  all  over 
him.  It  took  longer  to  rinse  off  lots 
of  soap,  and  the  water  ran  off  his 
shoulders  onto  his  stomach — like 
gravy  pouring  over  mashed  pota- 
toes. 

Oh,  the  gravy!  He  wondered  if 
he  really  knew  how  to  make  it.  He 
sat  still,  frowning,  trying  to  remem- 
ber how  Aunt  Nettie  did  it  on 
Thanksgiving.  She  put  the  roaster 
over  the  fire  on  top  the  stove.  Then 
she  got  a  cup  of  flour  .  .  . 

"Joey,  don't  dawdle!"  Aunt  Net- 
tie  warned    from    the    foot    of   the 

stairs. 

He  hurried  out  of  the  tub  and 
into  fresh  clothes.  He  couldn't 
seem  to  part  his  hair  straight,  and 
his  underwear  pulled  to  one  side. 
But  he  thought  he  looked  fine — 
good  enough,  anyhow,  to  give 
Mother  his  biggest  hug  and  show 
her  the  Christmas  tree. 

"Joey!"  The  voice,  strange  yet 
familiar,  came  from  the  downstairs 
hall.  His  throat  felt  funny.  He 
blinked.     He  was  too  big  to  cry! 

"Joey?"  The  voice  again,  a  lit- 
tle anxious.     It  was  Mother! 

He  ran  down  the  stairs  so  fast 
he  missed  some  of  the  steps.  But 
he  kept  his  hand  sliding  on  the  ban- 
nister so  he  didn't  fall.  Then  he 
threw  himself  at  his  mother  and 
hugged  so  hard  she  gasped  for 
breath,  laughing. 

Suddenly  he  felt  shy.  He  stepped 
back  a  little.  Why,  Mother  looked 
just  like  the  Christmas  fairy  in  his 
storybook!  Her  shiny  hair  fell 
softly  onto  her  shoulders.  Her  eyes 
were  awfully  bright  and  her  mouth 
looked  a  little  shaky,  even  though 
she  was  laughing.  She  was  a 
beautiful  Mother!  She  did  need  a 
little  fattening  up,  though. 

Pop  scooped  her  up  in  his  arms 
and  strode  to  the  couch  in  the 
living  room.  Her  eyes  got  big  and 
excited  when  she  looked  at  the  tree, 
just  as  Joey  had  known  they  would. 
She  held  out  her  hand  to  him.  He 
went  over  and  rubbed  his  face 
against  it. 

"I'd  better  get  dinner  on  the 
table,"  Aunt  Nettie  said. 

{Continued  on  page  1023) 

959 


BIBLE  STORIES  FOR  YOUNG 
LATTER-DAY  SAINTS 
(Emma  Marr  Petersen.  Bookcraft  Co., 
Salt    Lake    City.      1950.      310   pages. 
$2.75.) 

npHE  author  has  done  an  exceptional- 
ly fine  piece  of  work  in  her  cor- 
relation of  Book  of  Mormon,  Pearl  of 
Great  Price,  and  the  Bible,  thus  adding 
information  not  found  in  the  Bible 
alone.  This  book  includes  both  the 
Old  and  New  Testament  stories  in 
one  volume.  The  book  is  one  that 
should  find  a  place  in  every  Latter-day 
Saint  home,  whether  there  are  children 
or  not,  but  no  home  with  children 
should  be  without  it.  The  art  work 
does  much  to  enhance  the  printed 
word. — M.  C.  /. 

BRANCHES  OVER  THE  WALL 
(Ora   Pate   Stewart.   Zion   Printing   & 
Publishing     Co.,     Independence,     Mo. 
1950.    $1.00.) 

A  companion  book  to  God  Planted 
a  Tree,  this  book  should  be  well- 
received  by  those  who  have  learned 
the  ability  of  this  capable  writer.  The 
author  has  given  innumerable  lectures 
on  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  has  done 
years  of  research.  This  book  has  been 
condensed  from  her  experience.  Even 
for  those  who  have  a  testimony,  this 
book  will  prove  valuable,  and  it  will 
prove  of  inestimable  value  to  young 
people  and  investigators.  The  actual 
places  where  the  Nephites  and  Laman- 
ites  lived  is  not  known  for  a  surety. 
The  author  in  this  book  indicates  the 
probable  places  where  she  thinks  they 
lived.— M.  C.  J. 

CHRISTOPHER  AND  HIS 
TURTLE 

(Eleanor  Francis  Lattimore.  William 
Morrow  &  Company,  Inc.,  New  York. 
126  pages.  $2.00.) 

"V^oung  Christopher  was  led  astray 
by  a  turtle  given  to  him  by  his 
mother.  He  only  wanted  to  take  his 
new  pet  across  the  street  to  show  to 
Antonia,  but  he  had  never  crossed  the 
street  alone  before,  and  after  getting 
mixed  up  with  a  procession  of  school 
children,  he  lost  his  way.  A  variety  of 
exciting  adventures  followed,  taking 
him  clear  to  the  Mississippi  River  be- 
fore he  eventually  succeeded  in  show- 
ing Antonia  the  turtle. — D.  L.  G. 

THE  BOUNCES  OF  CYNTHIANN 
(Evelyn  Sibley  Lampman.  Doubleday 
&  Company,  Inc.,  Garden  City,  New 
York.   260  pages.  $2.50.) 

/^~\lder  children  will  follow  with  in- 
terest and  delight  the  adventures 
of  these  courageous  young  Bounces 
who  came  all  the  way  from  Rhode 
Island  to  Oregon  alone,  following  the 
death  of  their  mother,  only  to  find  that 
the  uncle  they  were  to  have  lived  with 
960 


On  The  Children's 


in  Oregon  had  also  died.  How  they 
met  their  problems  and  with  the  help 
of  kind-hearted  friends  in  a  strange 
country  were  able  to  keep  together  as 
a    family   makes    an    absorbing    story. 

— D.  L.  G. 


If 


UNEXPECTED  SUMMER 
(Gertrude  E.  Mallette.  Doubleday  & 
Company.  New  York.  1949.  212  pages. 
$2.25.) 

Action,  mystery,  and  romance  com- 
bine to  make  this  a  thrilling  and 
worth-while  hovel  for  the  girl  of  high- 
school  age.  Selden  Meredith  is  con- 
fronted with  a  dilemma  which  solves 
itself  when  she  brings  into  play  her 
knowledge  of  candy-making  which  she 
learned  in  high  school. — E.  J.  M. 

ALL  ABOUT  MARJORY 
(Marian  Cumming.  Harcourt,  Brace  & 
Company,  New  York.  1950.  148  pages, 
$2.25.) 

IV^arjory's  eighth  year  was  full  of 
good  times.  For  one  thing,  there 
were  the  band  concerts  in  the  park  to 
which  the  whole  family  went  with 
a  picnic  supper  on  summer  evenings. 
Then  there  was  the  excitement  of  Miss 
Louisa's  engagement,  a  lovely  Christ- 
mas, when  Aunt  Fanny  came  to  visit, 
and  many  other  incidents.  Miss  Cum- 
ming has  created  with  rare  sensitivity 
real  and  unforgettable  children. 

E.  J.  M. 


A  CAP  FOR  MUL  CHAND 

(Julie  Forsyth  Batchelor.  Harcourt, 
Brace  and  Company,  New  York.  1950. 
58  pages.  $2.00. ) 

IITul  Chand,  an  Asiatic  Indian,  sets 
out  to  earn  a  cap  so  he  can  take  a 
trip.  And  youngsters  who  have  the 
thrill  of  reading  their  first  books  alone 
can  discover  the  world  of  these  In- 
dians.— A,  L.  Z.,  Jr. 

PETER  HOLT,  P.  K. 

(Jean  Bothwell.   Harcourt,  Brace  and 

Co.,  New  York,  241  pages.  $2.50.) 

TThe  "P.  K."  in  the  title  identifies 
Peter  as  the  "preacher's  kid."  In 
Millersville,  where  his  father  came  to 
lead  the  local  Protestant  church,  Peter 
found  that  he  had  to  sleep  on  a  folding 
bed.  But  Millersville  offered  the 
space  where  he  could  grow  his  beloved 
rabbits,  too.  Then  there  were  friends 
to  make  among  the  city  and  the  church 
folk. —A.  L.  Z.,  Jr. 

OWLS 

(Herbert  S.  Zim.  William  Morrow  & 
Company,  New  York.  1950.  66  pages. 
$2.00.) 

TPhis  fascinating  and  informative 
story  of  every  kind  of  owl  in  the 
United  States  will  intrigue  nature-lov- 
ing boys  and  girls  from  six  years  up. 
It  is  filled  with  illustrations  to  supple- 
ment the  story  of  how  owls  see,  what 
they  eat,  how  they  care  for  their 
young,  and  how  they  aid  the  farmer. 
This  science  picture  book  is  written  in 
simple  language. — B.  S. 

CATS 

( Written  and  illustrated  by  Wilfrid  S. 
Bronson.  Harcourt,  Brace  &  Company, 
New  York.  1950.  74  pages.  $2.00.) 
"\17ild  cats,  tame  cats,  alley  cats, 
barn  cats — all  are  described  and 
amply  illustrated  in  this  science  picture 
book.  It  should  be  good  reading  for 
any  person,  young  or  old,  who  is  in- 
terested in  these  pets.  Their  instincts, 
habits,  how  to  make  a  den  for  them, 
how  to  play  with  them,  are  all  dis- 
cussed. The  book  also  includes  a  sec- 
tion on  the  whole  cat  family — lions, 
tigers,  cheetahs. — B.  S. 

THE  SIZE  OF  IT 
(Ethel  S.  Berkley.  William  R.  Scott, 
Inc.,  New  York.) 

V^ou  are  tall  next  to  a  two-year  old. 
But  are  you  tall  next  to  a  grown- 
up? Or  is  a  grown-up  tall  next  to  a 
giraffe?  With  the  aid  of  effective  and 
amusing  illustrations  by  Kathleen 
Elgin,  Ethel  S.   Berkley  helps  young- 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


BOORRACK 


sters  to  understand  the  relative  mean- 
ings of  big,  little,  long,  short,  tall,  wide, 
narrow. — D.  L.  G. 

WHAT  DO  THEY  SAY? 
(Grace  Skaar.  William  R.  Scott,  Inc., 
New  York.) 

T  Tsing  a  mystery  story  approach, 
Grace  Skaar  presents  the  language 
arts  of  the  animals  to  the  very  young 
reader  or  listener.  Children  will  delight 
in  guessing  over  and  over  again  what 
says  "meow,  meow"  but  can't  say 
"bow-wow." — D.  L.  G. 

KIKI  SKATES 

(Written  and  illustrated  by  Charlotte 
Steiner.  Doubleday  &  Company,  Inc., 
Garden  City,  New  York.  $1.25.) 
"jy^iKi  found  Grandma's  farm  in  winter 
very  different  from  what  it  was  in 
summer.  And  what  exciting  and  won- 
derful fun  there  was  when  the  big 
storm  came!  Most  fun  of  all  was  the 
big  ice  pond  where  all  the  children 
skated,    and    Kiki   yearned   to    skate. 

— D.  L.  G. 

THE  COAT  OF  MANY  COLORS 
(Marian  King.  J.  B.  Lippincott  Co., 
Philadelphia.  1950.  166  pages.  $2.50.) 
NJo  story  has  more  gripping  poignan- 
cy inherent  than  that  of  Joseph  in 
Egypt.  The  author  of  this  book  has 
captured  much  of  the  drama  and  back- 
ground of  this  intensely  significant  rec- 
ord. The  author  follows  the  Biblical 
narrative  extremely  well  and  has 
clothed  it  with  the  intensity  such  a 
story  deserves.  It  would  make  a  good 
book  for  home  reading. — M.  C.  /. 

THE  TREASURE  OF  LI-PO 
(Alice  Ritchie.  Harcourt,  Brace  &  Co., 
New  York.  1949.  154  pages.  $2.00.) 
''T'his  is  a  collection  of  fairy  tales 
frOm  Old  China.  Into  the  book  the 
author  has  incorporated  the  reserved 
humor  and  the  dignity  of  the  Chinese. 
The  stories  are  a  welcome  addition  to 
the  imaginative  literature  for  young 
folk.— M.  C.  /. 

THE  TWO  REDS 

(Will  and  Nicolas.  Harcourt,  Brace 
and  Company,  New  York.  50  pages. 
1950.  $2.00.) 

TLJere  is  a  gay,  unusual  picture  story 
in  which  the  author  and  artist 
have  caught  the  spirit  of  a  small  boy 
and  an  independent  cat  in  the  heart  of 
a  busy  city.  Young  readers  will  wax 
enthusiastic  over  the  striking  and 
colorful  drawings  of  the  two  Reds  in- 
tent on  their  adventures.  A  refreshing 
new  style  of  title  page  lures  the  reader 
into  the  following  pages  of  the  book. 

E.  /.  M. 

DECEMBER  1950 


ONE  HORSE  FARM 
(Written    and    illustrated   by   Dahlov 
Ipcar.    Doubleday    &   Company,    Inc., 
Garden    City,    New   York.    1950.    36 
pages.  $2.00.) 

""JPhe  story  of  Big  Betty  and  Johnny 
as  they  grow  and  become  fast 
friends  is  so  delightfully  simple  and 
well  done  that  it  will  be  enjoyed  by 
young  and  old  alike.  Big  Betty  is  a 
farm  horse  and  Johnny  is  the  farmer's 
son. — E.  J.  M. 

IDAHO  SPROUT 

(John  Baumann.  William  Morrow  & 
Company,  New  York.  250  pages. 
$2.50.) 

Tn  the  locale  of  Idaho's  Malad  River 
Basin  in  the  1880's,  originated  this 
tale  of  a  pioneer  boy:  a  boy  who  loved 
his  father  and  who  loved  the  life  of 
the  pioneer.  When  he  sees  the  neces- 
sity for  stocking  his  farm  with  thor- 
oughbreds, he  goes  to  work  trapping 
the  wild  animals  of  the  territory  and 
joining  the  freight  trains  to  the  mines 
in  the  mountains.  This  all  makes  ex- 
citing and  fascinating  adventure. 

—A  L.  Z„  Jr. 

HIDDEN  TRAPEZES 
(Edward  Fenton.  Doubleday  &  Com- 
pany, Inc.,  Garden  City,  N.  Y.  1950. 
241  pages.  $2.50.) 

"T'his  is  the  story  of  Robin,  the  young 
son  of  trapeze  artists,  who  desires 
to  follow  in  his  parents'  footsteps  in 
the  life  under  the  big  top.  Besides  a 
variety  of  experiences  with  circus  per- 
formers, Robin  makes  special  friends 
with  Sophonisba,  the  painted  snake, 
and  with  Paul  and  Virginia,  the  trained 
seals. — A.  L.  Z.,  Jr. 

SCHOOLROOM  ZOO 

( Catherine  Woolley.  William  Morrow 
&  Company,  New  York.  1950.  191 
pages.  $2.00.) 

Pllie's  keen  appreciation  of  dogs  and 
cats  and  mice  and  snakes  and 
every  other  living  animal  on  earth 
makes  an  unusual  and  fascinating 
story.  She  could  not  even  let  a  mouse 
get  caught  by  the  cat,  but  captured  it 
herself  in  a  tin  box  and  kept  it  for  a 
pet.  And  when  her  grade  three  teacher 


suggested  that  they  collect  animals  for 
a  schoolroom  zoo,  Ellie  was  in  her 
seventh  heaven.  Even  little  girls  who 
were  horrified  of  wildlife  developed  a 
sudden  interest  in  it  when  Ellie 
achieved  newspaper  fame  for  her  col- 
lections.— B.  S. 

SKYMOUNTAIN 
(Amelia   Elizabeth   Walden.    William 
Morrow  &  Company,  New  York.  1950. 
224  pages.  $2.50.) 

lT^EADiNG  this  book,  is  like  taking  a 
deep,  exhilarating  breath  of  fresh 
air.  Teen-age  girls  who  like  winter 
sports,  particularly  those  who  ski,  will 
find  the  story  of  Robin  Young  refresh- 
ing and  exciting.  She  solves  her 
problems  the  way  most  young  folk 
must — by  hard  work  and  straight 
thinking.  The  love  story  is  real  and 
wholesome. — B.  S. 

BETSY'S  LITTLE  STAR 

( Carolyn  Haywood.  William  Morrow 

&  Company,   New  York.    157  pages. 

$2.00.) 

Tt's  hard  to  be  four  years  old — not 
quite  five — when  all  of  your  little 
friends  are  five  and  can  go  to  kinder- 
garten. With  an  understanding  born 
of  love  for  little  children,  Caroyln 
Haywood  tells  of  Little  Star,  of  her 
desire  to  join  her  friends  in  kinder- 
garten, and  of  the  many  interesting 
things  that  happened  to  her  in  the 
months  before  her  fifth  birthday  when 
she  received  a  gift  without  a  shape — 
going  to  kindergarten! — D.  L.  G. 

KANTCHIL'S  LIME  PIT  AND 
OTHER  STORIES  FROM 
INDONESIA 

(Harold  Courlander.  Harcourt,  Brace 
and  Co.,  New  York.  150  pages.  $2.75.) 
'"These  folk  tales  from  the  green  is- 
lands in  the  Pacific,  falling  away 
from  the  southeast  tip  of  Asia,  re- 
semble the  stories  of  Kipling  and  will 
prove  of  interest  to  old  and  young. 
A  Rip  Van  Winkle  story  is  told  in 
"The  Wood  Carver  of  Ruteng."  The 
stories,  as  the  author  relates,  have 
been  recorded  from  the  oral  narrations 
by  people  from  this  area  of  the  world. 
Although  many  of  them  are  age  old, 
they  are  told  today  with  the  modern 
setting.  "...  they  are  imaginative  re- 
flections upon  phenomena,  institutions, 
mores,  and  foibles  of  the  people." 

'  — M.  C.  /. 


SU-MEI'S  GOLDEN  YEAR 
(Margueritte  Harmon  Bro.  Doubleday 
&  Company,  Inc.,  Garden  City,  N.  Y. 
1950.  246  pages.  $2.50.) 
Cu-Mei's  village  is  a  village  of  wom- 
en and  children,  old  men,  and  Su- 
Mei's  crippled  father — the  able-bodied 
men  are  at  the  front  fighting  a  war.  To 
(Concluded  on  page  1037) 

961 


«!;.■;.  f*  ■■J;.,;-;"       > 


m  ...  "*g 

1      JR 


./    -:: 


emnce 


ion 


containing  addresses  delivered  at  the  121st  Semi- 
annual General  Conference,  September  29-30  and 

October  1,  1950 


.  .  .   %*t  Session  .  .  .     FRIDAY  MORNING,  SEPTEMBER  29,  10:00  A.M. 


LIBERT! 


-K 


-X 


-x 


* 


vividev*  the   L^ondtltution 


4 

president 
Ljeome  ^/rtbert  J^mltk 


This  is  a  beautiful  picture  this  morn- 
ing, to  see  the  Lord's  house  filled 
with  his  children  who  have  come 
here  to  worship.  Since  our  last  con- 
ference many  things  have  occurred. 
While  our  singing  mothers  were  sing- 
ing, I  thought  of  one  of  our  brothers 
who  went  to  the  South  Seas  with  me 
about  thirteen  years  ago.  When  we  ar- 
rived at  British  Samoa,  the  people  were 
having  a  holiday.  We  had  been  per- 
suaded to  stay  aboard  the  boat  at  night 
because  it  could  not  go  around  the 
reef,  and  we  could  not  land  in  small 
boats  in  the  dark.  We  were  told  that 
the  people  wanted  to  give  us  a  wel- 
come, so  there  was  nothing  else  for  us 
to  do.  We  could  not  wade  it,  so  we 
had  to  wait  until  they  took  us  in. 

The  boat  anchored,  and  the  next 
morning  out  came  a  war  canoe  all 
decorated  and  rowed  by  great  husky 
men,  one  oar  to  a  man,  and  there  were 
fifteen  oarsmen  including  the  captain. 
They  had  persuaded  us  to  wait  because 
they  said  they  wanted  to  give  us  a 
royal  welcome,  and  when  we  arrived, 
it  was  a  real  welcome.  Everybody 
was  out,  apparently.  People  were  all 
along  the  shore.  Among  them  was  a 
group  of  women,  more  than  a  hundred, 
all  dressed  in  light-colored  dresses  of 
tapa  cloth  made  from  the  bark  of  the 
mulberry  tree.  They  had  made  them 
themselves  for  that  occasion. 

When  I  saw  this  group  of  singing 
mothers  all  dressed  alike  this  morning, 
my  mind  went  back  to  Apia  and 
Brother  Rufus  K.  Hardy  who  was  with 
me  on  that  trip.  He  has  been  gone  a 
long  time. 

Those  singing  mothers  sang  beauti- 
fully at  our  meetings  and  at  such  cele- 
brations as  they  had,  as  our  sisters 
have  sung  this  morning.  And  since  that 
time  I  have  heard  the  singing  mothers 
in  many  places,  but  I  think  I  have 
never  been  more  impressed  with  them 
than  I  was  there  in  the  islands. 

Our  first  meeting  was  in  the  open  air, 
and  there  were  between  two  and  three 
thousand  people  whom  the  singing 
mothers  entertained.  But  the  thought 
that  came  into  my  mind  is  that  Brother 
Hardy  is  gone.  He  has  finished  his 
work.     Since     our     last     conference 

DECEMBER  1950 


PRESIDENT  GEORGE  ALBERT  SMITH 

President  George  F.  Richards  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve  has  finished  his 
mission  and  has  gone  to  find  his  re- 
ward. I  miss  these  brethren. 

I  am  glad  that  Brother  Thomas  E. 
McKay  is  here  this  morning.  He  has 
had  a  long  siege  of  illness.  I  am  sure 
that  Brother  Stephen  L  Richards  and 
those  with  him  are  having  a  real  ex- 
perience. In  all  probability  they  are  in 
the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem  today. 

It  is  a  joy  to  come  to  one  of  these 
conference  meetings  and  meet  people 
not  only  from  all  sections  of  the  United 
States,  but  also  from  other  parts  of  the 
world.  It  is  one  of  the  greatest  gather- 
ings of  religious  people  that  meet  any- 
where in  the  world,  and  you  will  find 
no  other  such  place  in  all  the  world 
dedicated  to  the  Lord  for  worship. 

I  would  like  us  all  to  remember  that 
this  is  the  Lord's  house.  You  will 
find  no  other  place  in  all  the  world 
dedicated  to  the  Lord  that  gathers  to- 
gether a  congregation  such  as  is  here 
this  morning,  many  of  whom  have 
come  thousands  of  miles,  not  to  see 
and  be  seen,  but  to  wait  upon  the  Lord. 
And  he  has  promised  us  that  if  even 
two  or  three  shall  meet  together  in 
his  name,  he  will  be  there  to  bless 
them. 

This  morning,  that  we  may  claim 
our  blessing,  there  are  approximately 
ten  thousand  here   in  the  Tabernacle 


and  in  the  Assembly  Hall — all  at  wor- 
ship. There  are  thousands  more  en- 
joying the  conference  by  means  of 
radio  and  television.  We  are  here  in 
the  name  of  the  Redeemer  of  mankind, 
and  I  am  sure  when  we  go  from 
this  conference  back  to  our  homes, 
we  will  have  an  intense  desire  to  live 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  is 
the  only  gospel  that  is  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation  in  the  celestial 
kingdom. 

This  morning,  brethren  and  sisters, 
I  congratulate  you:  Not  that  you  are 
here,  but  that  you  are  here  to  worship. 
What  a  privilege  it  is  to  worship 
the  Lord  and  to  do  it  in  the  way 
he  has  indicated.  There  are  some 
people  who  are  members  of  the 
Church — their  names  are  on  the  rec- 
ord, and  they  have  an  idea  that  that 
is  all  that  is  necessary — but  the  time 
will  come  when  they  will  have  to  face 
their  record,  and  their  admission  into 
the  celestial  kingdom  will  be  condi- 
tioned upon  the  way  they  have  ob- 
served the  advice  of  our  Heavenly 
Father  right  here  upon  earth.  How 
grateful  we  ought  to  be,  not  to  be  un- 
certain as  to  where  we  are  going. 

I  had  a  man  say  to  me  one  day  after 
I  had  taught  the  gospel  to  him  for  an 
hour  or  so  on  a  train,  "I'd  give  a  lot 
to  have  the  assurance  that  you  have." 
And  I  replied:  "You  do  not  have  to 
give  anything  to  have  the  assurance 
that  I  have  except  to  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord.  If  you  do 
that,  you  will  know  that  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  is  on  earth.  You  will 
know  that  the  authority  of  the  priest- 
hood is  on  earth." 

How  beautiful  it  is  to  realize  that 
men  who  are  worthy  may  receive 
that  priesthood,  and  in  the  authority 
that  is  given  them,  do  so  many 
things  that  are  a  blessing  to  our 
Father's   other   children. 

Within  the  week,  I  listened  to  one 
of  the  brethren  who  has  just  returned 
from  the  mission  field.  He  has  been 
out  nearly  five  years,  and  he  told  of 
some  of  the  experiences  in  the  field. 
He  told  of  people  that  had  illness  and 
the  doctors  did  everything  they  could 
for  them,  but  they  could  not  heal  them. 
But  the  humble  missionaries,  the  hum- 
ble men  who  held  the  priesthood, 
placed  their  hands  upon  the  heads  of 
those  who  were  afflicted  and  rebuked 
their  ailments,   and  they  were  healed. 

That  would  not  occur  without  faith, 

and  our  faith  is  conditioned  upon  our 

righteous   lives.     We  cannot  live  im- 

(.Continued  on  following  page) 

963 


President  George  Albert  Smith 

properly  and  have  faith  as  we  should, 
but  if  we  keep  the  commandments  of 
the  Lord,  we  can  have  faith,  and  it 
will  grow  and  increase  as  our  right- 
eousness  increases. 

I  am  happy  to  be  here  with  you,  my 
brothers  and  sisters,  in  the  Lords 
house  to  wait  upon  him.  We  are  right 
now  in  the  midst  of  a  political  cam- 
paign here  in  America.  It  ought  to 
be  a  source  of  education  to  the  people. 
It  ought  to  inspire  men  and  women  to 
choose  for  their  officers  in  the  various 
sections  of  the  country,  particularly  in 
the  nation,  men  and  women  who  be- 
lieve in  God.  That  is  their  privilege, 
but  unfortunately  so  many  times  peo- 
ple become  allied  with  a  group,  and 
they  insist  on  everybody  supporting 
the  individual  that  they  support,  and 
the  result  is  a  campaign  of  bitterness. 

Brethren  and  sisters,  you  have  your 
agency;  you  do  not  have  to  be  angry 
with  your  brother  and  your  sister  be- 
cause they  do  not  see  as  you  do.  We 
are  not  supposed  to  criticize  and  find 
fault  with  the  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  the  Presbyterian  Church,  the 
Methodist  Church,  because  they  can- 
not understand  all  of  the  gospel. 

I  think  it  is  fine  to  encourage  them 
to  understand  all  that  they  have  and 
then  add  to  it.  Now  if  that  is  true  in 
regard   to   our   religious  belief,   surely 


'"J^he  Lord  gave  us  a  rule  of  life  for  this  great  na- 
tion, and  as  far  as  we  have  lived  up  to  it  and 
taken  advantage  of  it,  the  nation  has  grown,  and  the 
people  have  been  blessed." 


we  will  not  lose  our  way  during  a 
political  campaign,  and  cultivate  an- 
ger and  displeasure  and  hatred  for 
those  who  do  not  believe  as  we  do. 
And  that  brings  me  to  something  that 
is  frequently  on  my  mind.  No  nation 
in  the  world  has  a  constitution  that  was 
given  to  it  by  our  Heavenly  Father 
except  the  United  States  of  America. 
I  wonder  if  we  appreciate  that.  The 
Lord  gave  us  a  rule  of  life  for  this 
great  nation,  and  as  far  as  we  have 
lived  up  to  it  and  taken  advantage  of 
it,  the  nation  has  grown,  and  the  peo- 
ple have  been  blessed.  But  there  are 
many  people  who  prefer,  or  at  least 
they  seem  to  prefer,  something  else. 

As  one  man  said  to  me,  "Why  not 
try  what  Russia  has  tried  and  Ger- 
many has  tried?"  And  my  answer  to 
him  was,  "Why  try  something  that 
has  already  failed?  Why  not  hold 
on  to  what  the  Lord  has  given?"  The 
Constitution  of  the  United  States  was 
written,  it  is  true,  by  men,  George 
Washington,  Benjamin  Franklin,  and 
others  who  were  their  associates,  but 
we  have  in  this  book  that  I  have  in  my 
hand,  the  book  of  Doctrine  and  Cove- 
nants, a  revelation  in  which  the 
Lord  tells  us  that  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States  was  prepared  by 
964 


for  nothing  and  are  not  encouraged  to 
work  for  what  they  need  and  desire. 

Brothers  and  sisters,  you  are  ap- 
proaching a  political  campaign.  Go  to 
the  Lord  in  prayer.  Seek  his  guidance. 
We  do  not  want  to  turn  this  nation 
over  to  the  folly  of  the  teachings  of 
other  nations  that  have  failed.  What 
we  should  do  is  to  cling  to  what  we 
have,  and  it  is  wonderful  what  the 
Lord  has  given  to  us  in  this  nation. 

Now  it  does  not  make  any  differ- 
ence to  me  what  a  man's  politics  is; 
as  long  as  he  observes  the  advice  of 
our  Heavenly  Father,  he  will  be  a  safe 
companion  and  associate.  We  should 
not  lose  our  tempers  and  abuse  one 
another.  I  want  to  say  that  nobody 
ever  abused  anybody  else  when  he  had 
the  spirit  of  the  Lord.  It  is  always 
when  we  have  some  other  spirit. 

Seek  the  Lord,  brothers  and  sisters. 
We  do  not  have  to  live  as  they  are 
living  in  many  other  parts  of  the  world. 
We  can  continue  to  live  under  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  and 
worship.  One  of  the  most  populous 
nations  in  all  the  world  restricts  the 
people  in  their  worship.  They  cannot 
worship  as  we  do  here,  and  yet  there 
are  many  people  in  our  land  who 
would  like  to  try  what  they  are  doing 
over  there  because  they  want  some- 
thing different. 

I  hold  in  my  hand  a  copy  of  the 
Doctrine  and  Covenants,  and  in  it  the 
Lord  tells  us  another  thing,  to  pray  for 
and  sustain  the  Constitution  of  the 
land  and  those  who  represent  us  in  its 
offices.  So,  pray  for  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  pray  for  those  who 
have  been  elected  to  Congress,  pray 
for  your  governor  and  the  members  of 
your  legislature.  If  they  have  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord,  they  cannot  go 
wrong;  but  without  it  they  can  go  a 
long  way  on  the  bypath. 


Air  view  of   conference  crowd  waiting   for   the   afternoon   session   to   convene. 


Continued 

men  raised  up  by  him  for  this  very 
purpose. 

As  Latter-day  Saints  we  ought  to 
know  that  there  is  nothing  better  any- 
where else.  And  so  we  should  cleave 
to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States 
and  in  doing  so,  earn  the  blessings  of 
our  Heavenly  Father.  It  was  a  long 
time  ago  that  the  Lord  gave  to  Moses 
the  Ten  Commandments.  If  the  peo- 
ple of  the  world  had  observed  the 
Ten  Commandments  from  that  time 
until  now,  we  would  have  a  different 
world.  There  would  be  millions  of 
people  who  would  live  longer  than 
they  have  lived  and  be  happier.  The 
Ten  Commandments  are  in  force  to- 
day, and  if  we  are  good  Latter-day 
Saints  and  are  observing  what  the  Lord 
has  advised,  among  other  things,  we 
will  honor  the  Sabbath  day  and  not 
make  it  a  day  of  pleasure.  The  Con- 
stitution guarantees  us  liberty  that  no 
other  nation  enjoys.  Most  of  the  na- 
tions are  losing  the  liberties  they  have 
had  because  they  have  not  kept  the 
commandments  of  the  Lord. 

Most  of  the  difficulty  is  the  bid  that 
is  made  by  the  leadership  of  nations 
to  people  that  if  they  will  follow  the 
plan  that  the  leaders  map  out,  they 
will  be  fed  and  clothed  without  having 
to  work  so  hard  for  it,  but  it  does  not 
work.  People  are  being  misled  with 
the  idea  that  they  can  get  something 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Here  we  are  this  morning,  on  a 
beautiful  day.  No  people  could  be 
more  comfortable  in  worship  than  we 
are  this  morning.  I  am  so  grateful 
that  I  am  able  to  be  present.  Recently 
I,  with  a  group  of  my  brothers  and 
sisters,  went  to  Hawaii  to  celebrate 
the  centennial  of  preaching  the  gospel 
in  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  Some  of  our 
party  expected  to  find  most  of  the 
people  Hawaiian.  But  it  was  found 
there  were  Hawaiians,  Japanese,  Chi- 
nese, Portuguese,  Samoans,  and  several 
other  nations  I  might  name,  all  living 
there  at  peace.  When  our  meeting 
was  held  in  a  large  building,  all  of 
those  races  were  there  as  members  of 
the  Church. 

The  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is  not 
just  for  us.  It  is  for  the  people  of  the 
world,  all  his  children,  and  at  the  pres- 
ent time  we  have  over  5800  mission- 
aries out  in  the  world,  from  this  little 
Church.  What  for?  To  go  to  all 
these  people  and  say,  "Keep  all  the 
good  things  that  you  have,  keep  all 
that  God  has  given  you  that  enriches 
your  life,  and  then  let  us  share  some- 
thing with  you  that  will  add  to  your 
happiness  and  increase  your  satisfac- 
tion." That  is  the  spirit  of  the  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Our  happiness  is  con- 
ditioned upon  our  loving  our  fellow 
men.  all  of  whom  are  children  of  our 
Heavenly  Father. 

Right  here  on  this  block  is  one  of 
the  greatest  missionary  fields  in  the 
world.  I  see  a  man  sitting  down  here 
in  the  audience  who  spends  much  of 
his  time  with  the  people  on  this  block. 
He  is  a  wonderful  missionary  and  just 
as  happy  as  he  can  be  when  he  is 
talking  about  it.  When  we  are  doing 
missionary  work  to  bless  the  people, 
we  are  doing  it  under  the  influence  of 
the  Lord,  and  we  are  sure  to  be  happy. 

We  welcome  you  all  here  this  morn- 
ing. Let  us  all  come  into  this  house, 
into  the  houses  that  may  be  necessary 
to  be  used  for  the  conference,  with  a 
spirit  of  prayer,  the  spirit  of  gratitude. 
Let  us  appeal  to  the  Lord  to  bless  us, 
and  then  those  who  address  us  will 
be  inspired.  I  pray  that  we  may  all 
live  in  such  a  way  that  our  Heavenly 
Father  can  have  us  in  his  keeping,  that 
we  may  have  joy  and  satisfaction,  and 
we  will  have  if  we  have  this  Spirit. 

I  pray  that  his  peace  may  be  with 
us  during  the  continuation  of  this  meet- 
ing and  the  other  meetings  of  the  con- 
ference, that  we  may  meet  with  a 
feeling  of  gratitude  for  all  our  bless- 
ings. And  when  the  conference  is 
concluded  and  we  return  to  our  homes, 
may  we  do  so  with  the  appreciation 
of  the  fact  that  we  did  wait  upon  the 
Lord  and  that  he  fulfilled  his  promise 
and  was  with  us  to  bless  us.  I  pray 
that  we  may  be  filled  with  that  spirit 
that  comes  from  him,  and  that  is  a 
spirit  of  love,  of  kindness  and  help- 
fulness and  of  patience  and  forbear- 
ance. Then,  if  we  keep  that  spirit  with 
us  in  our  homes,  our  boys  and  girls  will 
grow  up  to  be  what  we  would  like 
them  to  be. 

That  the  Lord  may  add  his  blessing, 
I  humbly  pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.     Amen. 

DECEMBER  1950 


KEEP  THE 
COMMANDMENTS 

ACTING  PRESIDENT 
OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


JOSEPH  FIELDING  SMITH 

President  George  Albert  Smith  says 
that  this  is  a  wonderful  sight.  To 
that  I  agree.  It  gives  me  great 
pleasure  to  look  into  the  faces  of 
men  and  women  whose  lives  are 
clean;  who  have  faith  in  God;  who 
have  made  covenants  to  serve.  Presi- 
dent Smith  further  says  that  salva- 
tion comes  through  the  keeping  of 
the  commandments  of  God.  We  do 
not  believe  that  salvation  comes  from 
lip  service,  merely  a  confession  with 
our  lips  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ.  It 
comes  through  obedience  to  every 
principle  and  eternal  truth  pertaining 
to  our  exaltation.  Let  me  read  to  you 
words  of  the  Lord  given  to  his  disciples 
on  this  continent  as  he  stood  in  their 
presence. 

And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  whoso 
repenteth  and  is  baptized  in  my  name  shall 
be  filled;  and  if  he  endureth  to  the  end, 
behold,  him  will  I  hold  guiltless  before 
my  Father  at  that  day  when  I  shall  stand 
to  judge  the  world. 

And  he  that  endureth  not  unto  the  end, 
the  same  is  he  that  is  also  hewn  down 
and  cast  into  the  fire,  from  whence  they 
can  no  more  return,  because  of  the  justice 
of  the   Father. 

And  this  is  the  word  which  he  hath 
given  unto  the  children  of  men.  And  for 
this  cause  he  fulfilleth  the  words  which  he 
hath  given,  and  he  lieth  not,  but  fulfilleth 
all  his  words. 

And  no  unclean  thing  can  enter  into  his 
kingdom;  therefore  nothing  entereth  into 
his  rest  save  it  be  those  who  have  washed 
their  garments  in  my  blood,  because  of  their 
faith,  and  the  repentance  of  all  their  sins, 
and  their  faithfulness  unto  the  end. 

These  words  that  I  have  read  to  you 
are  from  the  twenty-seventh  chapter 
of  III  Nephi,  verses  16-19  inclusive. 

One  of  my  great  sorrows  is -that  so 
many  members  of  the  Church  fail  to 
recognize  this  truth  which  I  have  read. 
We  are  not  going  to  be  saved  in  the 
kingdom  of  God  just  because  our  names 


are  on  the  records  of  the  Church.  It 
will  reguire  more  than  that.  We  will 
have  to  have  our  names  written  in  the 
Lamb's  Book  of  Life,  and  if  they  are 
written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life 
then  it  is  an  evidence  we  have  kept  the 
commandments.  Every  soul  who  will 
not  keep  those  commandments  shall 
have  his  name  blotted  out  of  that  book. 

I  am  exceedingly  grateful  this  morn- 
ing for  the  knowledge  which  I  have, 
limited  as  it  is,  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ;  of  the  things  that  have  been  re- 
vealed for  our  salvation;  for  the  oppor- 
tunities which  come  to  us  to  give  serv- 
ice to  the  Church  and  to  our  fellow 
men.  We  have  so  many  blessings  that 
the  world  does  not  have.  The  world 
could  have  them,  but  it  will  not.  As  the 
Savior  said,  speaking  particularly  of  the 
Jews,  many  a  time  would  he  have 
gathered  them  as  a  hen  gathers  her 
chickens  under  her  wings,  but  they 
would  not.  I  wish  that  every  honest 
soul  in  this  world  would  read  the  Book 
of  Mormon;  would  read  the  Doctrine 
and  Covenants;  the  Pearl  of  Great 
Price,  besides  reading  the  Bible.  What 
a  glorious  privilege  is  ours.  The  so- 
called  Christian  world,  divided  and 
subdivided,  maintains  that  the  Bible 
contains  all  of  the  word  of  God.  To 
them  the  Lord  has  never  given  a  reve- 
lation. According  to  its  teachings  noth- 
ing has  come  from  the  heavens  by  way 
of  counsel  and  advice  or  revelation, 
comparable  to  that  which  we  find  in 
what  they  are  pleased  to  call  the  canon 
of   scripture. 

Not  long  ago,  as  I  was  on  the  train 
coming  home,  a  minister  said  to  me 
that  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  a  fraud 
because  in  the  last  chapter  of  the  book 
of  Revelation  the  Lord  so  declared  it. 
Let  me  read  those  words. 

And  if  any  man  shall  take  away  from  the 
words  of  the  book  of  this  prophecy,  God 
shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of 
life,  and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and  from  the 
thinas  which  are  written  in  this  book.  (Rev. 
22:19.) 

I  said  to  him,  "My  good  friend,  don't 
you  know  that  when  that  was  written 
we  had  no  Bible?"  This  Bible  was  not 
compiled  as  we  have  it  when  that  was 
written.  That  has  reference  merely  to 
this  book  of  Revelation.  Then  he  was 
sorry  that  he  had  spoken.  Well,  all 
they  have  is  what  is  contained  in  this 
book  ( the  Bible ) ,  this  record  that 
closed  nearly  two  thousand  years  ago. 

See  the  advantage,  brethren  and  sis- 
ters, that  we  have.  Not  only  do  we 
(Continued  on  following  page) 

965 


Joseph  Fielding  Smith 


Continued 


have  the  revelations  given  to  the  proph- 
ets of  ancient  Israel,  given  by  our  Sav- 
ior when  he  was  on  the  earth  and  by 
his  disciples  in  that  first  century,  but 
the  Lord  has  continued  to  speak;  he 
has  given  many  revelations  to  others. 
We  have  them.  We  are  blessed  with 
the  Book  of  Mormon  which  contains 
the  principles  of  the  gospel  so  clearly 
stated,  that  we  do  not  stumble  over 
them.  We  have  the  Doctrine  and  Cove- 
nants, which  is  our  book  particularly, 
containing  the  revelations  given  to  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints  and  to  all  the  world  if  it  will 
have  them.  This  book  isn't  just  for  us, 
but  we  have  it.  The  world  won't  have 
it.  See  what  it  could  have  if  it  would. 
It  could  have  information,  knowledge 
and  wisdom  pertaining  to  the  salvation 
of  men,  that  can't  be  found  in  the 
Bible.  I  have  said,  and  I  think  I  am 
right,  that  there  isn't  one  principle  per- 
taining to  the  salvation  of  men  that  is 
so  clearly  stated  in  the  Bible,  as  it  has 
come  down  to  us,  that  men  do  not 
stumble  over — not  one  thing.  There  is 
not  one  principle  they  can  be  united 
on  that  has  been  so  clearly  stated  that 
they  don't  find  their  interpretations  of 
it  conflicting. 

Do  you  want  to  know  about  the  res- 
urrection of  the  dead?  Who  is  going 
to  be  saved  in  the  celestial  kingdom  of 
God?  Then  read  your  Book  of  Mor- 
mon. Read  your  Doctrine  and  Cove- 
nants. The  seventy-sixth  section  of  the 
Doctrine  and  Covenants,  known  as 
The  Vision,  is  the  clearest,  most  con- 
cise statement  regarding  salvation  that 
I  know  anything  about,  and  I  doubt 
if  the  Lord  ever  gave  to  any  people  at 
any  time  upon  the  face  of  the  earth 
anything  clearer  than  this  revelation. 
Do  the  people  of  the  world  know 
where  they  are  going  when  they  die? 
No.  They  sing  about  a  beautiful  isle 
of  somewhere.  They  don't  know.  Can 
they  find  out  in  the  Bible?  Yes,  we 
can  find  it.  They  could  find  it  if  they 
had  the  right  inspiration,  but  with  the 
added  help  that  we  obtain  from  the 
records  the  Lord  has  given  us,  we  don't 
stumble  over  that.  We  don't  stumble 
over  baptism  and  how  it  should  be 
performed  and  by  whom.  We  have  a 
clear  and  perfect  understanding  of  the 
nature  of  God.  Now,  I  can  find  that 
in  the  Bible;  so  can  you.  So  can  they, 
if  they  would  search  for  it  in  the  spirit 
of  faith;  but  they  stumble  over  it;  and 
yet  they  are  not  willing  to  accept  the 
revelations  of  the  Lord  given  in  the 
day  and  dispensation  in  which  they  live 
that  would  set  forth  clearly  to  them 
all  these  principles  of  eternal  truth. 
How  greatly  are  we  blessed! 

Then  I  have  this  regret,  that  so 
many  members  of  the  Church  do  not 
avail  themselves  of  this  information. 
The  Lord  was  kind  enough  and  so 
deeply  concerned  in  the  matter  that  he 
sent  an  angel  from  his  presence  to  re- 
veal the  Book  of  Mormon.  For  ages 
he  prepared  the  Book  of  Mormon  that 
it  might  come  forth  to  the  convincing, 

966 


it  says,  of  both  Jew  and  Gentile  and 
the  remnant  upon  this  land,  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ.  It  was  to  come  forth  in 
a  day  when  men  would  be  denying  the 
Christ.  Isn't  that  true?  Is  not  the  world 
today  getting  farther  and  farther  away 
from  a  knowledge  concerning  the  Son 
of  God?  Are  not  the  peoples  of  the 
earth  beginning,  if  they  have  not  al- 
ready reached  the  point,  to  deny  the 
literal  resurrection  of  the  body  and  are 
questioning  the  resurrection  of  the 
Lord  himself  and  his  godhood?  The 
Book  of  Mormon  said  that  would  be 
the  case  and  that  it  was  to  come  forth 
as  a  testimony,  as  a  witness  to  men  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  the 
Redeemer  of  the  world,  and  that  men 
will  be  saved  and  exalted  in  the  king- 
dom of  God  by  keeping  their  hearts 
pure  and  obeying  all  of  his  command- 
ments. These  things  the  Lord  has  im- 
pressed upon  us.  In  conclusion  let  me 
read  the  covenant  we  make  when  we 
are  baptized  and  come  into  this  Church. 

All  those  who  humble  themselves  before 
God  and  desire  to  be  baptized,  and  come 
forth  with  broken  hearts  and  contrite 
spirits,  and  witness  before  the  church  that 
they  have  truly  repented  of  all  their  sins, 
and  are  willing  to  take  upon  them  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  having  a  determination  to 
serve  him  to  the  end,  and  truly  manifest 
by  their  works  that  they  have  received  of 
the  spirit  of  Christ  unto  the  remission  of 
their  sins,  shall  be  received  by  baptism  into 
his  church.    (D.  6  C.  20:37.) 

What  do  you  get  out  of  that?  I  get 
this:  that  every  soul  baptized,  truly 
baptized,  has  humbled  himself;  his 
heart  is  broken;  his  spirit  is  contrite; 
he  has  made  a  covenant  before  God 
that  he  will  keep  his  commandments, 
and  he  has  forsaken  all  his  sins.  Then 
after  he  gets  into  the  Church,  is  it  his 
privilege  to  sin  after  he  is  in?  Can  he 
let  down?  Can  he  indulge  in  some  of 
the  things  which  the  Lord  has  said  he 
should  avoid?  No.  It  is  just  as  neces- 
sary that  he  have  that  contrite  spirit, 
that  broken  heart,  after  he  is  baptized 
as  it  is  before. 

Oh,  I  wish  we  had  the  power,  we 
who  hold  the  priesthood,  to  reach 
every  soul  who  is  not  faithful,  who  is 
not  humbled  in  his  heart — members  of 
this  Church — that  we  might  bring  them 
back  to  a  full  understanding  of  the  gos- 
pel. Is  it  true  that  some  among  us  have 
an  idea  that  it  matters  not  that  we 
sin  so  long  as  it  is  not  a  grievous  sin, 
a  deadly  sin,  that  we  will  yet  be  saved 
in  the  kingdom  of  God?  Nephi  saw 
our  day.  He  said  that  people  would  be 
saying  that.  But  I  say  unto  you,  we 
cannot  turn  away  from  the  path  of 
truth  and  righteousness  and  retain  the 
guidance  of  this  spirit  of  the  Lord. 

May  the  Lord  bless  the  Latter-day 
Saints.  May  he  bless  all  people.  Oh,  I 
wish  that  we  would  all  humble  our- 
selves and  seek  the  truth  which  the 
Lord  has  declared  to  us  by  his  own 
word  in  this  day  in  which  we  live.  The 
Lord  bless  us  all,  help  us  to  be  true 
and  faithful  and  keep  his  command- 
ments, I  pray,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Amen. 


CHILDREN 


& 


9 


President  George  Albert  Smith  said 
this  morning  that  it  was  not 
enough  for  people  to  have  their 
names  on  the  records  of  the  Church 
in  order  to  be  saved  in  the  kingdom 
of  God,  but  that  it  was  necessary  to 
keep  the  commandments. 

Then  Elder  Joseph  Fielding  Smith 
said  the  same  thing  and  read  to  us  the 
covenant  of  baptism,  that  is  the  cove- 
nant which  we  take  in  the  waters  of 
baptism. 

We  are  a  covenant-making  and  a 
covenant-taking  people.  We  have  the 
gospel  which  is  the  new  and  the  ever- 
lasting covenant:  new  in  that  the  Lord 
has  revealed  it  anew  in  our  day;  ever- 
lasting in  that  its  principles  are  eternal, 
have  existed  with  God  from  all  eter- 
nity, and  are  the  same  unchangeable 
laws  by  which  all  men  in  all  ages  may 
be  saved.  The  gospel  is  the  covenant 
which  God  makes  with  his  children 
here  on  earth  that  he  will  return  them 
to  his  presence  and  give  them  eternal 
life,  if  they  will  walk  in  the  paths  of 
truth  and  righteousness  while  here. 

We  are  children  of  the  covenant 
which  God  made  with  Abraham,  our 
father.  To  Abraham,  God  promised 
salvation  and  exaltation  if  he  would 
walk  as  the  Lord  taught  him  to  walk. 
Further,  the  Lord  covenanted  with 
Abraham  that  he  would  restore  to 
Abraham's  seed  the  same  laws  and 
ordinances,  in  all  their  beauty  and 
perfection,  which  that  ancient  patriarch 
had  received.  "For  as  many  as  receive 
this  Gospel,"  the  Lord  said  to  him, 
"shall  be  called  after  thy  name,  and 
shall  be  accounted  thy  seed,  and  shall 
rise  up  and  bless  thee,  as  their  father." 
(Abraham  2:10.) 

Now  we  have  this  same  everlasting 
covenant.  We  have  the  restored  gos- 
pel, and  every  person  who  belongs 
to  the  Church,  who  has  passed  through 
the  waters  of  baptism,  has  had  the 
inestimable  privilege  of  making  a  per- 
sonal covenant  with  the  Lord  that  will 
save  him  provided  he  does  the  things 
he  agrees  to  do  when  he  enters  into 
that    covenant   with   God. 

Alma  recited  this  personal  covenant 
of  salvation  at  the  waters  of  Mormon 
in  language  like  this — all  of  it  is,  of 
course,  summed  up  in  the  promise  to 
keep  the  commandments  of  God — but 
Alma  gives  these  particulars:  He  says 
that  when  we  go  into  the  waters  of 
baptism  we  covenant  that  we  will  come 
into  the  fold  of  Christ  and  be  numbered 
with  his  people.  We  covenant  that 
we  will  take  upon  ourselves  the  name 
of  Christ  and  be  Saints  in  very  deed. 
We  covenant  that  we  will  bear  one 
another's  burdens,  that  they  may  be 
light.  We  covenant  that  we  will 
mourn  with  those  that  mourn.  We 
covenant  that  we  will  comfort  those 
that   stand  in   need   of   comfort.     We 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


JtL  COVENANT 


(J->mce  f\.  /f/cL^onhi 


OF    HE  FIRST  COUNCIL  OF  THE  SEVENTY 


BRUCE    R.    McCONKIE 


covenant  that  we  will  stand  as  wit- 
nesses of  Christ  and  of  God  at  all 
times  and  in  all  things  and  in  all 
places  that  we  may  be  in,  even  until 
death.  Then,  by  way  of  summary, 
Alma  says  we  covenant  that  we  will 
serve  God  and  keep  his  command- 
ments. 

In  return,  that  is,  if  we  do  all  these 
things,  the  Lord  on  his  part  promises 
us  that  we  will  come  forth  in  the  first 
resurrection  and  be  redeemed  of  him; 
that  he  will  pour  out  his  Spirit  more 
abundantly  upon  us  while  we  are  here 
in  this  life;  and  that  we  will  have 
eternal  life  in  the  world  to  come. 

I  don't  suppose  that  the  Lord  is 
making  any  useless  covenants  with 
any  individual;  and  so,  any  person 
who  will  keep  this  covenant,  and  do 
all  the  things  required  by  it,  can  have 
in  his  heart  the  assurance  that  he  will 
go  to  the  presence  of  God  and  have 
eternal  life  in  the  mansions  that  are 
prepared. 

So  important  is  this  covenant  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Lord  that  he  has  provided 
for  us  a  means  and  a  way  to  renew 
it  often.  The  ordinance  whereby  we 
renew  this  covenant  is  the  ordinance 
of  the  sacrament.  Every  time  we  par- 
take of  the  sacrament  worthily,  with 
humble  hearts  and  contrite  spirits,  we 
agree  again  that  we  will  take  upon 
ourselves  the  name  of  Christ,  always 
remember  him,  and  keep  his  com- 
mandments which  he  has  given  us.  And 
the  Lord  agrees  with  us  again  that 
we  will  always  have  his  Spirit  to  be 
with  us;  and  further,  that  we  will 
have  eternal  life  in  his  kingdom  in 
accordance  with  the  revelation  which 
says, 

Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my 
blood,  hath  eternal  life;  and  I  will  raise 
him  up  at  the  last  day.  (John  6:54.) 

To  be  saved  is  to  go  to  the  celestial 
kingdom  of  heaven.  To  be  exalted  is 
to  gain  the  highest  heaven  or  degree 
within  that  glory.  Not  only  have  we 
been    permitted    as   Latter-day    Saints 

DECEMBER  1950 


to  take  the  covenant  of  salvation,  and 
to  renew  it  from  time  to  time,  but  we 
have  also  been  privileged  to  enter  into 
covenants  which  will  give  us  exalta- 
tion in  our  Father's  kingdom.  After 
a  man  has  taken  the  covenant  of  bap- 
tism and  has  pressed  forward  in 
righteousness  and  steadfastness  before 
the  Lord,  and  has  desired  to  keep  his 
commandments,  and  manifested  by  his 
works  that  he  places  the  things  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  first  and  will 
let  the  things  of  this  world  take  care 
of  themselves,  there  comes  a  time 
when  he  is  called  and  chosen  and 
ordained  to  the  higher  priesthood. 
Ordination  to  the  higher  priesthood  in- 
cludes a  covenant  of  exaltation. 

The  Lord  revealed  this  covenant  to 
Joseph  Smith  in  this  language: 

For  whoso  is  faithful  unto  the  obtain- 
ing these  two  priesthoods  of  which  I  have 
spoken,  and  the  magnifying   their  calling, 


\\/e  are  a  covenant- 
making  and  a 
covenant  -  taking 
people.  We  have  the 
gospel  which  is  the 
new  and  the  ever- 
lasting covenant. 


are  sanctified  by  the  Spirit  unto  the  re- 
newing of  their  bodies. 

They  become  the  sons  of  Moses  and  of 
Aaron  and  the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  the 
church  and  kingdom,  and  the  elect  of 
God. 

And  also  all  they  who  receive  this 
priesthood  receive  me,  saith  the  Lord; 

For  he  that  receiveth  my  servants  re- 
ceiveth   me; 

And  he  that  receiveth  me  receiveth  my 
Father; 

And  he  that  receiveth  my  Father  re- 
ceiveth my  Father's  kingdom;  therefore 
all  that  my  Father  hath  shall  be  given  unto 
him. 

And  this  is  according  to  the  oath  and 
covenant  which  belongeth  to  the  priest- 
hood. 

Therefore,  all  those  who  receive  the 
priesthood,  receive  this  oath  and  cove- 
nant of  my  Father-  which  he  cannot  break, 
neither   can   it  be   moved. 

But  whoso  breaketh  this  covenant  after 
he  hath  received  it,  and  altogether  turneth 
thereform,  shall  not  have  forgiveness  of 
sins  in  this  world  nor  in  the  world  to 
come.  (D.  &  C.  84:33-41.) 

Now,   according  to  the  revelations 


which  we  have  received,  the  fulness 
of  the  priesthood,  meaning,  I  suppose, 
the  fulness  of  the  blessings  of  the 
priesthood,  is  had  only  in  the  temples 
of  God.  There  is  an  order  of  the 
priesthood  which  is  named  the  new 
and  everlasting  covenant  of  marriage. 
When  people  enter  into  that  order  of 
marriage,  administered  in  the  temples 
of  the  Lord,  by  the  Lord's  servants, 
having  the  Lord's  authority,  they  make 
a  covenant  of  exaltation,  a  covenant 
that  will  bring  them  up  in  the  resur- 
rection as  husband  and  wife.  The 
family  unit  will  continue,  and  they 
will  gain  the  highest  reward  and  the 
greatest  honor  and  glory  that  our 
Father  can  bestow  on  any  of  his 
children.  They  will  be  gods,  even 
the  sons  of  God,  and  all  things  will 
be  theirs,  for  they  will  receive  of 
the  fulness   of  the  Father. 

These  covenants  which  we  take  in 
the  waters  of  baptism  and  when  we 
partake  of  the  sacrament,  if  we  keep 
them,  will  guarantee  us  a  place  in  the 
celestial  world.  These  covenants  which 
we  take  when  we  are  ordained  to  the 
higher  priesthood,  and  when  we  enter 
into  that  order  of  priesthood  which  is 
the  new  and  everlasting  covenant  of 
marriage,  if  we  keep  them,  will  guar- 
antee us  a  place  of  exaltation  in  eter- 
nity. 

And  as  with  the  covenant  of  bap- 
tism, so  with  the  covenant  of  marriage: 
I  don't  suppose  the  Lord  is  making  a 
useless  covenant  with  us  or  offering 
us  something  that  we  are  not  able 
to  obtain.  In  each  instance,  if  we  keep 
our  part  of  the  bargain  and  do  the 
things  we  know  we  should,  the  Lord 
has  promised  to  do  his  share  and  keep 
his  part  of  the  bargain  and  give  us  the 
promised   reward. 

Sometimes  someone  will  say:  "Well, 
I  have  been  baptized  into  the  Church; 
I  am  a  member  of  the  Church;  I'll  just 
go  along  and  live  an  ordinary  sort  of 
life;  I  won't  commit  any  great  crimes; 
I'll  live  a  reasonably  good  Christian 
life;  and  eventually  I  will  gain  the 
kingdom  of  God." 

I  don't  understand  it  that  way.  I 
think  that  baptism  is  a  gate.  It  is  a 
gate  which  puts  us  on  a  path;  and  the 
name  of  the  path  is  the  straight  and 
narrow  path.  The  straight  and  narrow 
path  leads  upward  from  the  gate  of 
baptism  to  the  celestial  kingdom  of 
heaven.  After  a  person  has  entered 
the  gate  of  baptism,  he  has  to  press 
forward  with  a  steadfastness  in  Christ, 
as  Nephi  expresses  it,  having  a  perfect 
brightness  of  hope,  and  a  love  of  God 
and  of  all  men;  and  if  he  endures  to  the 
end,  then  he  gains  the  promised  re- 
ward. 

And  so  it  is  with  marriage  and  exal- 
tation. Sometimes  people  think  they 
can  enter  into  the  ordinance  of  celes- 
tial marriage  and  then  be  indifferent  or 
lukewarm  or  even  commit  iniquity  and 
sin,  and  yet  figure  that  eventually,  in 
the  eternities  that  are  prepared,  after 
they  have  paid  the  penalties  for  their 
sins,  they  will  come  up  as  husband  and 
(Continued  on  following  page) 

967 


Bruce  R.  McConkie 


Continued 


wife  and  enter  into  their  exaltation. 
Such  is  not  the  case.  The  same  princi- 
ples apply  to  marriage  and  exaltation 
as  apply  to  baptism  and  salvation. 
There  is  no  such  thing  as  gaining  sal- 
vation or  exaltation  except  by  obedi- 
ence to  those  laws  upon  which  the 
receipt  of  these  blessings  is  predi- 
cated. Salvation  never  has  been  and 
never  will  be  the  fruit  of  sin. 

After  we  have  been  baptized,  after 
we  have  been  married  in  the  temple, 
after  we  have  taken  all  these  cove- 
nants, we  have  to  keep  them.  Every 
promise  that  we  receive  is  conditioned 
upon  our  subsequent  faithfulness.  It 
is  expressly  so  stated  in  the  marriage 
covenant  itself.  We  have  to  be 
obedient,  faithful,  and  diligent,  valiant 
in  the  testimony  of  Christ,  walking  by 
every  word  that  proceedeth  forth  from 
his  mouth.  By  such  a  course  we  will 
sanctify  our  souls.  When  we  become 
sanctified  and  pure,  we  are  capable 
and  eligible  and  worthy  to  stand  in 
the  presence  of  our  Father.  No  un- 
clean thing  can  dwell  in  his  presence. 
The  whole  process  of  salvation,  this 
whole  probation  that  we  are  under- 
going in  mortality,  is  to  permit  us  to 
cleanse  and  perfect  and  purify  our 
souls.  It  is  to  permit  us  to  take  evil 
and  iniquity  and  carnality  and  every- 
thing that  leads  away  from  God  out 
of  our  souls,  and  replace  those  char- 
acteristics with  righteousness  and  vir- 
tue and  truth  and  obedience,  which,  if 
we  do,  degree  by  degree,  will  perfect 
us  until  eventually  we  are  clean  and 
spotless  and  pure  and  are  able  to  stand 
the  glory  of  the  celestial  world.  If  we 
can't  stand  the  glory  of  the  celestial 
kingdom,  we  won't  be  able  to  go  where 
God  and  Christ  are. 

We  get  the  greatest  blessings  that 
it  is  possible  for  men  to  get  here  in 
this  life  by  living  the  gospel.  The 
world  may  be  in  turmoil,  torn  and 
disheveled;  there  may  be  blood  and 
carnage  on  every  hand,  but  if  we  keep 
the  commandments  of  God,  we  will 
get  the  Holy  Ghost  for  our  companion 
and  guide.  Those  who  have  the  Holy 
Ghost  get  the  peace  which  passeth 
understanding.  Now  that  is  the  great- 
est gift  that  a  person  can  get  while 
he  dwells  in  mortality. 

And  then  by  having  kept  those  same 
commandments  and  having  walked  in 
that  same  path,  having  kept  those  same 
covenants,  we  get  the  sure  promise 
that  we  will  be  inheritors  of  a  celes- 
tial exaltation  in  the  mansions  that  are 
prepared.  The  gospel  gives  us  the 
greatest  blessings  it  is  possible  to  re- 
ceive in  time,  and  assures  us  of  the 
greatest  inheritance  it  is  possible  to 
gain  in  eternity.  How  grateful  we 
ought  to  be  for  it!  How  anxious  we 
should  be  to  keep  the  commandments 
of  God,  and  the  covenants  that  we 
have  made,  so  that  we  may  have  all 
the  choice  and  rich  things  the  Lord 
promises  the  Saints.  It  is  my  prayer 
that  we  may  so  do,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 
968 


% 


OH 


JOSEPH    L 
WIRT  HUN 


AN  EXAMPLE 


I  sincerely  trust,  my  brethren  and 
sisters,  that  I  might  enjoy  an  inter- 
est in  your  faith  and  prayers  during 
the  few  moments  that  I  shall  stand 
before  you.  I  have  the  high  honor  and 
privilege  of  laboring  with  the  youth 
of  the  Church;  and  it  is  a  distinction 
and  an  honor  to  associate  with  Bishop 
Richards  and  Bishop  Isaacson,  who 
have  the  welfare  of  the  young  people 
at  heart. 

The  admonition  of  the  Apostle  Paul 
to  his  younger  associate  Timothy  is 
so  applicable  to  youth: 

Let  no  man  despise  thy  youth;  but  be 
thou  an  example  of  the  believers,  in  word, 


K 


'j 


/Joseph  o(.    vvirthl'm 

OF  THE  PRESIDING  BISHOPRIC 


The.  young  man  was  deeply  worried, 
knowing  that  the  income  for  the  sum- 
mer would  not  be  adequate.  He  said 
he  worried  about  it  for  several  days 
and  wondered  whether  or  not  he 
should  seek   employment   elsewhere. 

"Finally,  one  day,"  he  declared,  "as 
I  was  driving  out  among  the  cedars 
to  gather  firewood  for  the  lodge,  I  said 


P^  young  man  believed  implicitly  in  God,  and  be- 
cause of  that  great  faith  he  took  his  problem  to  the 
Lord  and  found  a  solution  through  fervent  prayer. 


in    conversation,    in    charity,    in    spirit,    in 
faith,  in  purity.    (I  Timothy  4:12.) 

Through  the  great  youth  program  of 
the  Church,  the  admonition  of  Paul 
to  Timothy  is  being  adhered  to.  On 
every  hand  we  see  the  evidence  in  the 
lives  of  these  young  people  of  their 
belief,    faith,   charity,   and  purity. 

Sometime  ago  while  I  was  visiting 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  state  with 
Sister  Wirthlin,  we  decided  to  remain 
overnight  at  Bryce  Canyon.  We  ar- 
rived in  the  afternoon,  meeting  some 
of  the  young  people  who  were  em- 
ployed there.  They  came  to  our  cabin 
and  held  what  I  would  call  a  fireside 
chat.  These  young  men  and  women 
told  us  of  ambitions  and  objectives  to 
be  achieved  and  of  their  great  faith 
in  the  gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
I  remember  one  young  man  who  told 
us  that  he  had  come  to  Bryce  Canyon 
with  the  hope  of  earning  enough  money 
to  pay  his  school  expenses  for  the 
coming  year.  He  was  promised  a 
certain  salary,  but  later  the  manager 
indicated  that  the  salary  could  not  be 
paid    in    the    amount    first    mentioned. 


to  myself,  'Why  not  ask  the  Lord 
about  it?'  So  I  stopped  the  truck  and 
walked  out  among  the  cedars,  knelt 
down,  and  talked  to  my  Heavenly 
Father.  And  there  came  to  my  heart 
a  feeling  of  assurance  that  I  should 
remain  at  Bryce  Canyon  and  things 
would  work  out.  A  few  days  later 
the  manager  came  to  me  and  said,  'We 
ha-ve  decided  to  give  you  the  salary 
promised  you  in  the  first  place.'  ' 

You  couldn't  convince  that  young 
man  that  the  Lord  hadn't  answered 
his  prayer.  He  believed  implicitly  in 
God,  and  because  of  that  great  faith 
he  took  his  problem  to  the  Lord  and 
found  the  solution. 

The  next  morning  when  we  went  to 
the  lodge  for  our  breakfast,  I  noticed 
on  the  table  the  name  of  the  waitress, 
an  old  familiar  Latter-day  Saint  name. 
When  the  young  lady  came  in,  I  asked 
her  where  she  lived,  and  she  answered, 
"I  live  in  Bountiful." 

I  asked,  "I  suppose  you  are  a  mem- 
ber of  this  so-called  Mormon  Church?" 

She  replied,  "Yes,  I  am." 

Then  I  asked,  "What  kind  of  church 
is  it?" 

THE  IAAPROVEMENT  ERA 


She  declared  rather  emphatically, 
"It's  a  good  church." 

And  then  I  put  the  next  question 
quite  strongly  and  asked  her  if  she 
thought  it  was  the  only  true  church. 
In  a  very  positive  way  she  gave  me 
to  understand  that  it  was  the  true 
church.  At  that  point  Sister  Wirthlin 
told  the  young  lady  who  I  was,  and 
that  ended  it.  But  the  thrill  of  the 
whole  thing  was  that  this  young 
woman,  talking  to  a  stranger,  was 
willing  to  bear  testimony  to  the  fact 
that  she  belongs  to  the  restored  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

Some  four  weeks  ago  I  had  a  rather 
interesting  and  inspiring  experience. 
A  young  man  whom  I  have  known 
since  he  was  a  boy  came  into  my 
office.  He  said,  "I'm  a  reserve  officer, 
and  I  have  been  called  into  the  army." 

He  has  been  married  only  about  four 
or  five  years  and  has  two  lovely  chil- 
dren, and  I  sorrowfully  replied,  "Paul, 
I'm  sorry,  in  a  way." 

He  said,  "Brother  Wirthlin,  don't 
worry  about  me.  I  have  come  here 
this  morning  to  get  some  tracts  that  I 
might  do  some  missionary  work  among 
my  companions  in  the  army;  and 
furthermore,  I  have  a  promise,  which 
I  look  upon  as  a  divine  promise,  that 
I  shall  live  to  see  the  day  when  my 
father,  who  is  not  a  member  of  the 
Church,  will  join  it.  I'm  so  impressed 
with  that  promise,  I'm  not  worrying 
about  the  experiences  that  are  imme- 
diately ahead  of  me."  Such  faith — so 
simple,  and  so  profound!  This  young 
man  will  enjoy  the  blessings  of  our 
Heavenly  Father  because  of  his  sweet, 
clean  life  and  his  faith  in  the  gospel 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the 
priesthood. 

We  often  hear  young  people  bear 
their  testimonies  to  the  divinity  of  this 
great  work,  and  what  a  thrill  it  is; 
although,  at  times,  there  are  evidences 
of  a  negative  attitude  on  the  part  of 
older  people.  They  say  these  young 
people  cannot  stand  up  and  testify 
that  they  know  this  is  the  Church  of 
God,  that  God  lives,  that  Jesus  is  his 
Son,  and  that  Joseph  Smith  was  a  true 
prophet.  Brothers  and  sisters,  young 
people,  even  a  child  at  the  age  of  eight 
who  has  been  baptized,  can  stand  up 
under  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  bear  sincere  testimony  that 
he  knows  the  Heavenly  Father  lives, 
that  Jesus  is  his  Son,  and  that  Joseph 
Smith  was  his  chosen  instrument. 
There  is  no  question  about  that  in  my 
mind. 

Go  back  to  the  days  of  Peter,  the 
Apostle,  after  Christ  had  left  the 
disciples,  and  they  had  received  the 
Holy  Ghost.  They  stood  before  a 
great  multitude  of  people  on  the  Day 
of  Pentecost  and  preached  to  them 
the  gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
The  throng  of  people  were  so  pricked 
in  their  hearts  that  they  arose  as  one 
man  and  asked,  "...  Men  and  breth- 
ren, what  shall  we  do?"  Peter  answered 
them  and  said, 

.  .  .  Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one 
of   you   in   the   name   of   Jesus   Christ   for 

DECEMBER  1950 


the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive 
the  gift  of  the   Holy  Ghost. 

For  the  promise  is  unto  you,  and  [to 
your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off, 
even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall 
call.   (Acts  2:37-39.) 

Any  child  who  attains  the  right  age, 
who  has  faith  and  repents  of  his  sins 
and  is  baptized  for  the  remission  of 
sin  under  the  hands  of  authorized 
servants  of  God,  can  receive  the  gift 
of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  under  the  in- 
spiration of  that  sweet  spirit,  he  can 
bear  his  testimony.  Did  not  the  Christ 
declare: 

But  when  the  Comforter  is  come,  whom 
I  will  send  unto  you  from  the  Father,  even 
the  Spirit  of  truth,  which  proceedeth  from 
the  Father,  he  shall  testify  of  me.  (John 
15:26.) 

I  recall  a  friend  of  mine  who  had 
a  great  sorrow  to  bear.  He  had  sought 
solace  in  many  places.  Finally,  one 
fast  Sunday  he  said  to  his  wife,  "Let 
us  go  over  to  fast  meeting."  He  hadn't 
been  too  active  in  the  Church.  In  the 
fast  meeting  he  saw  many  of  the  young 
people  bearing  their  testimonies.  The 
spirit  of  testimony  took  hold  of  him, 
and  he  stood  up  and  bore  his  testi- 
mony. That  same  afternoon  he  asked 
another  associate  of  mine  if  he  could 
have  some  place  in  the  activities  of 
the  Church,  and  he  was  called  to 
serve.  Today  he  is  a  loyal,  devoted, 
and  fruitful  servant  of  our  Heavenly 
Father. 

Now,  what  about  the  young  men 
who  are  being  called  into  the  armed 
forces  of  the  nation?  After  all,  we 
use  this  axiom:  Old  men  for  counsel 
and  young  men  for  battle.  In  the 
bloody  struggle  of  war,  it  is  youth  who 
suffer.  Their  blood  is  spilt;  their  lives 
are  sacrificed;  and  many  are  denied  the 
blessings  of  having  a  companion  and 
rearing  a  family.  We  owe  much  to 
these  young  men.  First,  we  owe  them 
encouragement.  We  owe  to  them  let- 
ters in  a  constant  stream  to  keep  them 
encouraged,  to  keep  their  faith  built 
up.  Then,  regardless  of  what  happens 
to  them,  if  death  should  come,  because 
of  their  sweet,  clean  lives,  they  will 
be  able  to  meet  the  great  Judge  who 
will  extend  his  hand  to  them  and  give 
them  that  heavenly  salutation:  "Well 
done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant." 

The  Aaronic  Priesthood  program  of 
the  Church  is  most  vital.  It  is  a 
training  field  for  the  young  men  of 
the  Church.  And  what  a  grand  and 
glorious  thing  it  is  to  know  that  a  boy 
at  the  tender  age  of  twelve  can  receive 
divine  authority  from  on  high  and 
become  a  servant  of  God.  Whenever 
I  think  of  these  twelve-year-old  boys, 
I  always  think  of  another  one  who 
lived  nearly  two  thousand  years  ago — 
the  boy  Savior  of  the  world,  Jesus 
Christ.  At  the  age  of  twelve  we  find 
him  attending  the  Feast  of  the  Pass- 
over with  his  parents  in  the  city  of 
Jerusalem,  and  in  the  course  of  events 
he  found  his  way  to  the  temple.  There 


he  was  discussing  the  problems  of  the 
day  with  the  great,  the  wise,  and  ,the 
learned.  Later  his  mother  missed  him, 
and  in  looking  for  him,  found  him  in 
the  temple.  In  effect,  she  said  to  him, 
"Do  you  not  know  that  you  have 
caused  your  father  and  me  a  good 
deal  of  sorrow  and  grief?"  Then  he 
gave  her  that  memorable  answer, 
"...  wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  about 
my  Father's  business?"  (Luke  2:49.) 
That  should  be  the  slogan  of  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood,  in  which  every 
boy  at  the  age  of  twelve  commences 
his  ministry  in  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  The 
Aaronic  Priesthood  affords  opportuni- 
ties that  young  boys  cannot  afford  to 
miss,  if  they  will  take  advantage  of 
them;  just  as  Paul  said  to  Timothy, 

Let  no  man  despise  thy  youth;  but  be 
thou  an  example  of  the  believers,  in  word, 
in  conversation,  in  charity,  in  spirit,  in 
faith,   in  purity.    (I  Timothy   4:12.) 

Then,  too,  we  have  the  great  auxili- 
ary organizations  of  the  Church.  We 
have  the  Sunday  School  which  pro- 
vides lessons  covering  the  gospel  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  we  have  the 
Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement 
Association  and  the  Young  Women's 
Mutual  Improvement  Association.  We 
have  our  seminaries  and  institutes.  We 
have  our  great  welfare  program,  too, 
which  should  play  a  pertinent  part  in 
training  our  youth  to  be  thrifty,  am- 
bitious, and  willing  to  sustain  them- 
selves by  the  sweat  of  their  brows  and 
the  toil  of  their  hands.  The  Primary 
Association  of  the  Church  makes  a 
great  contribution  in  the  spiritual,  vo- 
cational, and  recreational  training  of 
our  children.  It  is  the  Primary  that 
takes  the  child  at  a  tender  age  and 
guides  his  footsteps  in  the  paths  of 
prayer  and  faith;  and  it  teaches  him 
how  to  use  his  hands  effectively.  The 
Primary  Association  is  closely  related 
to  the  young  men  who  become  holders 
of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood,  as  it  pro- 
vides a  preparatory  course  for  all 
young  men  of  the  Church  who  antici- 
pate receiving  the  Aaronic  Priesthood, 
May  I  say,  emphatically,  the  Primary 
Association  has  been  one  of  the  great 
factors  in  giving  young  men  a  vision 
of  their  responsibilities  in  the  future. 
May  God  always  bless  and  sustain 
the  fine  sisters  who  have  been  and  who 
are  carrying  on  this  splendid  work. 

Another  great  and  very  important 
project  of  which  little  is  said  is  that 
of  the  Boy  Scout  program.  I  want  to 
say  to  you,  as  the  vocational  and 
recreational  program  of  the  Church 
for  the  Aaronic  Priesthood,  there  is 
nothing  finer  than  scouting.  I  say  this 
because  I  have  three  sons,  two  of 
them  are  Eagle  Scouts,  and  the  other 
one  a  Life  Scout.  As  I  have  observed 
their  work  in  scouting,  to  me  it  has 
been  almost  comparable  to  a  college 
education.  Many  times  there  are  those 
of  us  who  feel  scouting  is  strictly  a 
recreational  program,  but  that  is  only 

.     (Continued  on  following  page) 

969 


Joseph  I. 

Wirthlill    Continued 


GATHERING 


a  part  of  it.  We  are  faced  today  with 
a  big  problem  in  knowing  what  to  do 
with  the  leisure  time  of  our  boys, 
especially  during  the  vacation  period. 
The  scouting  program  will  take  up 
all  of  this  leisure  time,  provided  we 
encourage  our  boys  to  participate  in  it. 

About  a  year  ago  a  Scout  was  sent 
to  me  for  an  oral  examination  cover- 
ing the  project  of  producing  beef.  I 
asked  many  questions  of  the  scout 
pertaining  to  the  production  of  beef, 
and  I  was  quite  surprised  when  he 
answered  every  one  of  them  correctly. 
With  the  knowledge  he  has  accumu- 
lated through  the  merit  badge  project 
in  scouting,  he  will  be  able  to  go  for- 
ward in  the  beef  industry  on  his  own, 
although    he    is    tender   in    years. 

There  are  many  other  projects 
which  can  be  most  helpful  to  young 
men  in  working  out  their  future  vo- 
cations. 

As  a  father  of  three  sons,  and  all 
of  them  Scouts,  if  I  were  to  choose 
someone  to  supervise  their  recreation, 
I  would  choose  the  scouters  of  my  own 
ward,  because  I  know  they  would  be 
in  good  hands  and  nothing  would 
happen  that  would  be  detrimental  to 
their  character. 

Where  we  have  the  right  kind  of 
Aaronic  Priesthood  work,  we  will  have 
the  great  scouting  program  supple- 
menting it;  and  where  there  is  good 
scouting,  there  is  good  Aaronic  Priest- 
hood work.  I  plead  with  you  to 
support  the   Boy   Scouts. 

I  haven't  forgotten  the  5800  young 
men  and  young  women  out  in  the 
world,  meeting  people  far  beyond  them 
in  age  and  experience.  With  the  sword 
of  truth  in  their  hands  for  defense  and 
offense,  they  are  convincing  men  they 
have  a  great  message,  and  as  a  result 
thousands  of  people  are  accepting  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  in  this  nation  and 
all  over  the  world. 

So,  we  plead  for  your  support,  for 
your  help  in  encouraging  the  youth  of 
the  Church  to  participate  in  the  great 
Church  youth  program,  with  the  aim 
that  they  may  be  prepared  when  the 
time  comes  to  take  over  the  responsi- 
bilities that  we  older  people  now  have. 
Returning  to  Paul's  admonition  to 
Timothy,  "Let  no  man  despise  thy 
youth;  but  be  thou  an  example  of  the 
believers,  in  word,  in  conversation,  in 
charity,  in  spirit,  in  faith,  in  purity." 
Impress  every  young  man  with  his 
responsibilities  and  obligations  in  the 
priesthood,  that  when  temptation 
crosses  his  path,  he  may  remember  the 
answer  of  the  boy  Savior  in  the  temple 
when  he  said,  "...  wist  ye  not  that  I 
must  be  about  my  Father's  business?" 
This  I  humbly  pray,  will  be  the  bless- 
ing of  every  young  man  and  every 
young  woman  in  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  Amen. 
970 


tL 


FAITHFUL 


MATTHEW  COWLEY 


& 


ittkew  L-ou/le 


lallhew  K^-owieu 

OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 

I  am  indeed  grateful  this  morning, 
my  brothers  and  sisters,  for  the 
counsel  which  we  have  received.  I 
am  grateful  for  the  counsel  we  have 
received  which  has  come  from  the 
President  whom  we  sustain  as  a 
prophet,  as  the  mouthpiece  of  God  to 
his  children  here  on  earth.  I  endorse 
his  timely  counsel  with  respect  to  our 
conduct  in  the  coming  political  cam- 
paigns and  the  keeping  of  our  tempers. 
I  am  reminded  of  a  story  that  was  told 
of  Senator  Chauncey  Depew  when  he 
was  launching  into  a  campaign  for 
the  Senate  of  the  United  States.  His 
opponent  came  to  him  and  said,  "Sena- 
tor, let's  make  this  campaign  clean." 

The  Senator  replied,  "I  fully  agree. 
If  you  will  promise  not  to  lie  about  me, 
I'll  promise  not  to  tell  the  truth  about 
you."  How  clean  the  campaign  was, 
I  am  unable  to  say. 

When  I  was  a  youngster  employed 
in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States, 
there  came  into  the  office  one  day  a 
former  governor  of  this  state.  While 
we  were  visiting,  he  said,  "I'd  like  to 
give  you  a  little  advice." 

I  said,  "That's  fine,  I  appreciate  ad- 
vice from  one  of  your  experience." 

He  said,  "Never  lose  a  friend  over 
politics  or  religion." 

I  have  tried  to  keep  that  counsel  in 
my  mind  all  my  life.  I  was  in  politics 
a  little  bit  at  one  time,  for  which  I 
have  since  repented.  I  was  successful 
in  one  election.  I  was  defeated  in  an- 
other. But  I  am  very  thankful  that  I 
can  say  today  that  I  still  have  the 
friendship  of  my  opponents.  I  cherish 
their  friendship.  I  respect  the  principles 
for  which  they  stood,  and  I  am  sure 
they  respect  me  in  the  same  light. 

Brothers  and  sisters,  we  are  children 
of  God,  we  are  Saints  of  the  Most  High 
God.  There  is  no  place  in  this  kingdom 
upon  the  earth  for  God's  children  to 


make  enemies,  one  with  the  other,  both 
professing  to  be  members  of  the 
Church,  over  politics  or  religion.  I  am 
reminded  now  of  the  opening  prayer. 
In  that  prayer  we  thanked  God  that 
he  had  sought  us  out  from  far  and 
near  places  to  gather  here.  How 
thankful  we  should  be  that  we  have 
been  sought  out  to  gather  where  we 
are.  And  as  I  stand  here  this  morn- 
ing, I  see  two  in  this  congregation  who 
have  come  all  the  way  from  New 
Zealand,  two  good  Maori  Latter-day 
Saints  who  have  come  to  receive  the 
blessings  in  the  temple  of  God.  These 
are  the  only  two  who  have  had  the 
opportunity  to  come  from  New  Zea- 
land during  the  past  thirteen  years. 
There  are  thousands  of  us  living  in  the 
shadows  of  the  temples  of  God  upon 
whom  there  is  no  financial  burden  to 
go  to  these  temples.  How  I  thrill 
this  morning  when  I  see  this  grand 
couple  who  have  saved  and  saved  and 
prayed  and  prayed  that  they  might 
one  day  come  to  the  temple  of  God 
and  receive  their  blessings.  They  have 
come  eight  thousand  miles  to  spend  a 
few  days  with  us  and  to  return  back 
home.  I  trust  that  they  have  listened 
to  the  admonition  which  has  been  given 
all.  of  us  this  morning,  to  keep  the 
covenants  which  we  have  made  with 
our  God,  to  remember  the  blessings 
which  are  theirs  if  they  remain  faith- 
ful to  the  end. 

I  see  also  our  good  Hawaiian  sister, 
Sister  Kauhini,  the  president  of  the  Re- 
lief Society  of  the  Oahu  Stake.  I  see 
also  some  of  our  Japanese  and  some  of 
our  Indian  friends.  Yes,  I  thank  God 
that  we  have  been  sought  out  from 
places  far  and  near  to  gather  here. 
After  this  conference  I  am  going  among 
the  Indian  people  of  the  Southwest 
Indian  Mission.  Brothers  and  sisters, 
they  are  our  people.  The  salvation  of 
these  people  rests  upon  us.  The  re- 
wards to  which  they  are  entitled  must 
come  through  us  and  the  service  we 
are  willing  to  render  to  them  and  for 
them. 

I  love  these  native  races.  They  have 
given  me  something  that  I  could  have 
received  from  no  other  source.  Even 
though  some  classify  them  as  heathen, 
yet  I  have  never  seen  the  veil  between 
God  and  man  so  thin  as  I  have  seen 
among  these  native  races.  God  has 
restored  his  gospel  for  all  people.  We 
have  had  eleven  thousand  missionaries 
in  the  field  since  1946,  going  to  all 
parts  of  the  world  where  they  are 
permitted  to  go.  As  has  been  men- 
tioned, they  are  young,  unexperienced 
men  and  women.  But  whether  in 
New  Zealand  or  in  Hawaii  or  among 
the  Indians  of  this  nation  or  wherever 
they  may  go  in  the  world,  God  magni- 
fies his  priesthood,  and  his  priesthood 
speaks  as  having  authority,  and  the 
people  give  listening  ears. 

Sometimes  they  are  warned,  the 
people  of  the  world,  to  beware  of 
these  Mormon  missionaries;  and  they 
are  referred  to  the  prophecy  that  one 
day  false  prophets  would  come  among 
them.  God  never  fulfils  his  purposes 
through    false    prophets.       It    is    only 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


through  true  prophets  that  he  fulfils 
his  purposes  among  men.  It  is  a 
matter  of  historical  record  that  God 
said  he  would  scatter  Israel.  It  is  a 
matter  of  historical  record  that  he  said 
he  would  gather  Israel  from  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth.  And  this  con- 
gregation today  is  a  witness  to  the 
world  that  it  is  a  matter  of  historical 
fact  that  through  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  God  is 
gathering  Israel. 

God   said  that  in   the  last   days   the 
house  of  the  Lord  would  be  established 
in  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  and  ex- 
alted above  the  hills,   and   all   nations 
would  flow  unto  it.     It  is  a  matter  of 
historical   record   that   he   uttered  that 
prophecy  through  one  of  his  prophets. 
It  is   a   matter   of   historical    fact    that 
the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  has 
been    established    in    the    tops    of    the 
mountains,  and  all  nations  have  been 
flowing    into    it.       It    is    a    matter    of 
historical  fact  that  the  stick  of  Judah 
has   been   written   and   is   in  the   hand 
of  God  as  one  of  his  mediums  of  bring- 
ing salvation  to  his   children.      It  is   a 
matter  of  historical  record  that   there 
was  also  to  be  a  stick  of  Joseph,  and 
that  these  two   should   be   one   in   the 
hand  of  God.     It  is  a  matter  of  histori- 
cal fact  that  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints  is  now  distribut- 
ing  this    record,    this    stick   of    Joseph 
along  with  this  stick  of  Judah  to   the 
thousands   and  thousands  of  those   to 
whom  the  missionaries  are  going  with 
their  testimonies  of  the  restoration  of 
the  gospel.     It  is  a  matter  of  historical 
record   that   God   was   to   send    Elijah 
the  prophet  before  the  coming  of  the 
great    and   dreadful    day   of   the    Lord 
to  turn  the  hearts  of  the  children  to  the 
fathers   and  the  hearts   of  the    fathers 
to  the  children,  lest  the  earth  be  smit- 
ten  with    a   curse.      It   is    a   matter    of 
historical  fact  that  in  this  dispensation 
Elijah   has   returned   to   the   earth,    for 
the  hearts  of  the   children  have   been 
turned   to   their  parents   and   those   of 
the  parents  to  the  children.     We  know 
to  whom   that   prophet    came.    It    is    a 
matter   of   historical   record   that   God 
said  through  his  Apostle  that  another 
angel  would  fly  through  the  midst  of 
heaven,   having   the   everlasting   gospel 
to   preach    to   those   who   dwell    upon 
the    earth.      To   the    Church    of    Jesus 
Christ    of    Latter-day    Saints    it    is    a 
matter    of    historical     fact    that    that 
angel  has  flown  through  the  midst  of 
heaven,  and  the  everlasting  gospel  has 
been    restored   to    the    earth.      It   was 
said   by   the    Master   that   this    gospel 
of  the  kingdom  should  be  preached  as 
a    witness    to    all    nations,    and    then 
should  the  end  come.     It  is  a  matter 
of  historical  record  and  fact  that  there 
are  right  now  5,840  missionaries  repre- 
senting the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-day    Saints    out    in   the    world, 
bearing   witness  to  the   restoration  of 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Brothers  and  sisters,  what  more  do 
we  need  other  than  the  testimony  of 
these  historical  facts  to  confirm  the 
fulfilment  of  God's  prophecies  as 
prophesied  by  his   servants?   And   we 

OECFMBER  1950 


know  as  explained  by  Daniel  that  God 
would  set  up  a  kingdom  in  the  last 
days.  W'e  know  the  story  of  the 
image  which  was  seen  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar in  a  dream  and  the  interpreta- 
tion by  Daniel  under  the  power  of 
God  of  that  dream.  We  know  that 
those  kingdoms  and  empires  sym- 
bolized by  the  head,  shoulders,  and 
breast,  the  belly  and  thighs,  and  the 
legs,  all  passed  away,  and  that  during 
the  existence  of  none  of  those  king- 
doms did  God  set  up  his  kingdom  never 
to  be  destroyed.  But  in  the  days  of 
the  kings  symbolized  by  the  toes,  God 
did  establish  his  kingdom  in  the  earth, 
and   it   will   never   be    destroyed. 

The  priesthood  of  God  is  among 
men.  Let  us  who  hold  it  be  faithful 
and  loyal  to  this  priesthood.  We 
represent  God,  brethren.  God  must 
work  through  you  to  fulfil  his  prophe- 
cies; therefore,  prize  your  priesthood, 
be  loyal  to  it,  be  humble  before  God, 
and  you  will  accomplish  his  purposes 
in  the  building  up  of  his  kingdom,  and 
this  work  shall  go  forth  into  all  the 
world  and  will  reach  out  and  will 
touch  those  who  are  to  be  brought 
out,  two  of  a  family  and  one  of  a 
city,  and  gathered  to  Zion. 

I  repeat,  I  thank  God  that  we  have 
been  sought  out  from  far  and  distant 
places  to  gather  here.  I  thank  God 
for  the  young  missionaries  who  many 
years  ago  found  my  ancestors  on  the 
Isle  of  Man  and  brought  them  out,  and 
they  came  in  poverty  and  found  their 
way  to  Nauvoo.  They  met  the 
Prophet.  One  of  these  young  lads 
was  almost  to  be  attacked  and  de- 
stroyed by  a  mob  as  he  was  lifting 
water  from  the  Mississippi  River,  but 
his  life  was  spared  as  it  had  been 
prophesied  it  would  be.  Yes,  I  thank 
God  with  all  my  heart  that  we  have 
been  gathered  out  from  the  world,  and 
I  thank  God  that  these  people,  these 
islanders,  and  these  Indians  are  re- 
sponding to  this  message,  and  that 
once  in  a  great  while,  these  people  in 
their  poverty  find  a  way  to  get  to 
Zion  and  go  into  the  temple  of  God. 
I  offer  up  my  thanksgiving  to  my 
Father  in  heaven  for  these  natives 
who  are  here  today.  My,  how  much 
I  owe  to  them!  I  remember  during 
the  war  years  that  this  fine  couple 
were  both  in  the  military  service  of 
their  country.  And  after  the  service 
was  completed,  as  we  had  no  mission- 
aries in  New  Zealand,  they  both  re- 
sponded to  mission  calls.  One  day 
as  I  was  going  to  visit  them  in  the 
city  of  Rotorua,  I  discovered  that  they 
had  built  a  beautiful  new  house.  As 
I  went  into  that  home,  I  noticed  that 
over  the  door  there  was  a  beautiful 
little  printed  sign  with  the  name  on  it, 
Matthew  Cowley.  That  was  to  be 
my  house  whenever  I  was  visiting  in 
that  area  of  the  mission.  And  when 
my  family  and  I  left  New  Zealand,  it 
wasn't  enough  that  we  had  lived  in 
their  home,  they  took  the  blankets 
from  the  beds  on  which  we  had  slept 
and  insisted  that  we  bring  those 
blankets  back  home  with  us. 

Are  these  people,  brothers  and  sis- 


ters, these  islanders  of  the  sea,  these 
Indians  of  the  reservation,  worthy  of 
the  blessings  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ?     Yes,  a  thousand  times,  yes! 

God  bless  us  all.  May  we  be  faith- 
ful and  devoted  to  this  cause,  obedient 
to  the  principles  of  the  gospel,  sustain- 
ing one  another  in  our  respective  posi- 
tions, honoring  each  other  in  our 
homes,  preserving  the  integrity  of  our 
families,  the  integrity  of  our  priest- 
hood quorums,  and  of  all  the  auxilia- 
ries, that  God  may  continue  to  be  and 
abide  with  us.  This  I  pray  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


.    .    .    Second   J^eiiion    .    .    . 

FRIDAY   AFTERNOON 
SEPTEMBER   29,   2  00   P.M 

A  PURE  RELIGION 


CMC 


I 


UNDEFILED 


CLIFFORD  E.  YOUNG 


uj-j-ora  (_.    {/jovtvia 

ASSISTANT    TO 
THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 

Our  testimonies  have  indeed  been 
strengthened  so  far  in  this  con- 
ference, and  1  share  with  you  in 
gratitude  to  our  Heavenly  Father  for 
his  goodness,  for  the  manifestations  of 
his  Spirit,  and  above  all  I  am  grateful 
for  the  Church,  for  the  testimony  of  its 
truth,  and  for  the  fellowship  with  you, 
my  brethren  and  sisters. 

Some  weeks  ago  I  was  handed  a 
clipping  taken  from  a  Los  Angeles 
paper  in  which  appeared  a  report  of 
some  remarks  made  over  the  radio  by 
one  of  the  distinguished  clergymen  of 
Los  Angeles.  His  broadcasts  are  in  the 
nature  of  a  questionnaire,  and  one  of 
the  questions  submitted  to  him  was 
this:  "There  are  said  to  be  more  Latter- 
day  Saints  in  Los  Angeles  and  its  en- 
virons than  there  are  in  Salt  Lake  City. 
Do  you  not  regard  this  as  a  threat?" 
Dr.  Fifield,  in  answering  the  question 
said, 

No,   I   do  not  consider  this  a   threat.    I 
(Continued  on  following  page) 

971 


Clifford  E.  Young 


Continued 


consider  it  a  challenge.  The  Protestant 
churches,  I  think,  have  much  to  learn  from 
the  Mormon  Church.  There  is  no  church 
in  the  world  that  does  so  much  for  its 
young  people  as  the  Mormon  Church.  I 
personally  know  most  of  the  dignitaries  of 
the  Mormon  Church.  I  visit  in  Salt  Lake 
City  frequently,  and  I  know  of  no  finer  or 
more  high-minded  people  anywhere.  They 
live  the  cleanest  and  most  temperate  lives 
of  any  religious  sect  that  I  know  of.  Their 
people  support  their  church  generously  with 
their  tithing  system,  and  the  church  in  turn 
supports  its  people  and  provides  a  way  for 
their  social  care  so  that  none  of  them  is  on 
any  public   relief  roll. 

As  I  read  that,  I  wished  that  were 
true.  The  possibilities  of  it  are  like 
the  possibilities  in  the  Church  for  all 
things  that  are  in  harmony  with  the 
mind  and  will  of  God.  But  sometimes 
some  of  us  do  not  always  conform.  If 
all  the  Latter-day  Saints  conformed  to 
the  counsels  of  the  Church,  this  would 
be  verily  true.  But  we  do  have  within 
the  Church  this  possibility.  It  isn't  a 
dream.  It's  a  reality,  if  we  will.  And 
then  he  goes  on. 

Of  course,  I  do  not  accept  the  story  of 
the  finding  of  the  golden  plates  and  the 
translation  thereof  of  the  Book  of  Mormon 
in  the  manner  related,  but  I  do  think  that  as 
a  religious  organization,  holding  its  peo- 
ple to  a  high  level  of  culture  and  education 
and  social  progress,  the  Mormon  Church 
has  no  parallel  in  our  time.  No,  I  do  not 
think  the  Mormon  Church  is  any  threat  to 
other  churches.  I  think  it  is  a  challenge 
to  them  to  do  better  work  with  their  mem- 
bers and  their  converts. 

As  I  read  that,  I  recalled  a  very 
constructive  criticism  of  President 
Clark's  book,  On  the  Way  to  Immor- 
tality and  Eternal  Life.  A  brief  review 
of  that  book  appeared  in  the  Unitarian 
Christian  Register  in  the  April  number 
of  this  year.  This  is  a  magazine  that  is 
124  years  old,  a  magazine  that  carries 
each  month  criticisms  and  reviews  of 
the  leading  theological,  religious,  and 
philosophical  books  as  they  are  pub- 
lished from  time  to  time.  Outstanding 
works  they  are,  and  it  was  certainly  in 
keeping  with  the  dignity  and  the  schol- 
arly atmosphere  of  Brother  Clark's 
book  to  have  this  criticism  appear  in 
this  magazine.  In  the  final  statement, 
and  that  is  the  point  I  wish  to  empha- 
size, the  critic  says  this:  "It  is  an  ex- 
cellent introduction  to  the  contempo- 
rary position  of  one  of  the  most  in- 
fluential religions  on  the  American 
scene."  Now,  of  course,  we  all  like  to 
hear  nice  things  about  our  Church,  but 
the  thing  that  we  are  interested  in,  my 
brothers  and  sisters,  is  this:  Are  we 
worthy  of  this  trust — this  pedestal  on 
which  we  are  placed — as  set  forth  in 
these  statements?  That  is  the  challenge 
for  us.  Are  we  meeting  this  challenge? 
Do  we  in  very  deed  in  our  living  repre- 
sent the  Church  and  kingdom  of  God? 
On  one  occasion  the  Savior,  as  he  was 
speaking  to  his  disciples  and  telling 
them  of  the  events  that  should  come  to 
pass  in  the  last  day,  after  making  cer- 
tain predictions  and  promises,  said, 
972 


"And  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom"  and 
that  was  quoted  here  this  morning, 
"shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world  for 
a  witness  unto  all  the  nations;  and  then 
shall  the  end  come."    (Matt.  24:14.) 

On  the  Sabbath  day,  as  we  par- 
take of  the  sacrament,  we  witness  un- 
to the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  that  we  will 
keep  his  commandments,  that  we  will 
live  in  harmony  with  his  will.  And  so 
I  repeat,  we  have  this  challenge.  Are 
we  witnessing  the  truth  to  the  world? 
We  can  only  witness  it  as  we  live  in 
harmony  with  those  concepts  that  have 
been  revealed  by  our  Heavenly  Father. 
Lip  service  is  not  the  service  that  is 
required  in  this  Church.  It  is  a  con- 
stant daily  service  to  our  fellow  men. 
I  alluded  to  it  a  minute  ago  with  ref- 
erence to  people  being  on  relief.  We 
have  a  challenge  there  to  see  to  it  that 
those  of  our  people  who  are  in  dis- 
tress shall  not  be  neglected  but  shall 
be  provided  for,  and  if  we  fail  to  meas- 
ure up  to  that  challenge,  and  that  is 
the  reason  why  we  have  people  on 
public  relief,  we  are  failing  in  our  re- 
sponsibilities as  leaders  and  members 
of  the  Church.  The  Lord  has  pointed 
the  way.  We  should  walk  therein.  We 
know  the  way,  but  it  is  in  our  neglect 
and  in  our  failure  to  live  up  to  that 
which  we  know  to  be  true,  that  we  fail 
to  witness  that  we  are  keeping  his 
commandments,  that  we  are  a  witness' 
of  the  truth.  This  applies  not  only  in 
this  but  in  other  walks  of  life  also. 
We  are  told  in  James  1:27, 

Pure  religion  and  undefiled  before  God 
and  the  Father  is  this,  to  visit  the  fatherless 
and  widows  in  their  affliction,  and  to  keep 
himself  unspotted  from  the  world. 

In  our  community  recently,  we  had 
a  very  serious  tragedy.  One  of  the 
young  men  of  our  city,  a  very  promis- 
ing young  man,  met  with  a  tragic  death. 
The  community  responded  in  love  and 
sympathy  to  the  family;  and  when  the 
funeral  service  was  held,  it  proved  to 
be  one  of  the  largest  attended  in  a  long 
time.  One  couldn't  help  feeling  the 
love  and  the  sympathy  there  manifest- 
ed. But  the  next  day,  then  what?  And 
the  days  to  follow.  These  are  the 
things  that  should  give  us  concern.  It 
isn't  just  a  spasmodic  move  or  a  ges- 
ture, but  it's  a  constant  service  that  is 
required  of  us  as  Latter-day  Saints  in 
all  we  do,  in  our  various  walks  of  life. 
Therein  our  religion  can  be  exempli- 
fied as  we  each  day  experience  prob- 
lems such  as  this. 

Now,  I  do  not  regard  this  as  diffi- 
cult. I  believe  we  can  do  it.  I  believe 
the  Lord  is  cognizant  of  our  weak- 
nesses sufficiently  to  overlook  them, 
and  to  make  it  possible,  in  spite  of 
those  weaknesses,  for  us  to  carry  out 
to  the  world  that  we  do  have  a  living, 
this  mandate,  that  we  may  demonstrate 
vital  religion,  that  we  have  some- 
thing that  the  people  can  live  and  ex- 
emplify in  their  lives.  Otherwise  the 
gospel  would  not  mean  to  us  what  it 
does.  I  repeat  again,  it  isn't  a  lip  serv- 


ice. It  is  one  that  presents  a  constant 
challenge  of  daily  labor,  laboring  for 
good,  for  the  establishment  of  truth, 
for  the  amelioration  of  suffering.  We'll 
never  have  peace  in  the  world  in  any 
other  way.  It  will  come  only  if  we 
translate  into  our  lives  these  divine 
concepts  and  these  truths. 

I  pray,  that  the  Lord  will  give  us 
strength  and  power  to  do  this,  in  the 
name  of  Jesus.     Amen. 


STAND  UP  AND 

BE  COUNTED 

WITH  THE 

10RD 


& 


l;t 


\_J5car   ~Al.    J\imh 


am 


OF  THE  FIRST  COUNCIL  OF  THE  SEVENTY 


OSCAR  A.  KIRKHAM 

I  PRAY  that  I  may  enjoy  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  I 
thank  him  for  my  membership  in 
this  Church.  I  wish  I  had  the  power 
and  the  ability  to  make  that  expression 
of  appreciation  more  real,  that  it  might 
be  not  only  more  helpful  to  me  but  also 
to  those  with  whom  I  associate. 

Much  has  been  given  to  us.  Much 
is  expected  of  us.  I  sincerely  feel  that 
there  never  was  a  time  when  greater 
opportunities  faced  our  Church.  I 
know  that  every  year,  every  score  of 
years,  brings  to  that  group  and  that 
generation  like  feelings,  but  truly  great 
things  are  now  being  wrought  in  the 
world,  and  great  opportunities  now 
face  us.  Nations  fear  each  other.  There 
is  much  that  is  being  done,  but  we 
have  a  task  that  challenges  truly  the 
best  that  is  within  us,  me  in  my  home, 
you  in  yours,  all  of  us  wherever  we 
may  be. 

These  lines  from  John: 

He  that  hath  received  his  testimony  has 
set  to  his  seal  that  God  is  true.  (John  3:33.) 

I  want  to  refer  to  the  baptism  of 
Karl  G.  Maeser,  one  of  the  great  spirits 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


of  our  Church,  one  of  the  great  leaders 
of  the  Brigham  Young  University.  Just 
after  his  baptism  in  Germany,  he  said 
these  words: 

On  coming  out  of  the  water,  I  lifted  both 
my  hands  to  heaven  and  said,  "Father,  if 
what  I  have  done  just  now  is  pleasing  unto 
thee,  give  me  a  testimony,  and  whatever 
thou  shouldst  require  of  my  hands,  I  shall 
do,  even  to  the  laying  down  of  my  life  for 
this  cause."  {The  Improvement  Era  3:25.) 

Soon  after  this  covenant  with  the 
Lord,  he  and  President  Franklin  D. 
Richards  of  the  European  Mission  re- 
ceived the  answer  to  this  promise  to 
the  Lord,  for  while  neither  one  of  them 
could  speak  the  language  of  the  other, 
that  is.  Brother  Richards  could  not 
speak  German,  Karl  G,  Maeser  could 
not  understand  English,  yet  the  Lord 
gave  them  the  gift  of  tongues  and  of 
understanding.  The  promise  was  ful- 
filled at  once.  You  know,  hundreds  of 
you  in  this  audience  today,  that  the 
Lord  continued  his  blessings  with  Karl 
G.  Maeser,  for  numbered  among  his 
pupils  was  George  Sutherland  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States, 
Reed  Smoot  of  the  United  States  Sen- 
ate, William  H.  King  of  the  United 
States  Senate,  and  many,  many  others. 
I  feel  in  like  fashion  we  have  also  in 
our  hearts  with  all  good  intent  made  a 
like  promise  to  the  Lord.  And  again 
I  repeat,  this  is  our  opportunity  to 
prove  to  the  Lord  that  promise. 

At  one  of  our  recent  conferences  in 
one  of  the  stakes,  we  asked  a  young 
lady  to  tell  of  her  experience  at  a  na- 
tional convention.  She  had  received 
lovely  honors.  She  told  the  story  in 
some  detail  of  what  had  happened  at 
the  convention,  but  then  as  the  detail 
of  it  got  wearisome  to  her,  she  took 
hold  of  the  stand  and  seemed  to  rise 
several  inches  higher  as  she  said,  "I 
want  to  bear  my  testimony.  That  is 
what  is  on  my  heart."  Then  this  youth 
in  all  her  glory  expressed  what  her 
testimony  meant  to  her. 

Years  have  been  somewhat  many  in 
my  life.  I'm  easily  up  to  the  top  of  the 
crest,  but  I  challenge  myself  with  you, 
the  great  majority  of  this  audience,  if 
we  do  not  take  the  opportunity  that  is 
ours  to  serve  him  and  courageously  do 
his  Will,  he  will  bring  forward  a  genera- 
tion that  will  keep  his  commandments 
and  prove  the  glory  of  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

I  listened  to  a  talented  pressman 
a  few  days  ago  who  had  just  returned 
from  Korea.  He  said  the  question  was 
often  asked  of  the  soldiers  up  in  the 
front  lines  what  they  were  fighting  for. 
He  told  only  one  simple  incident.  He 
said  they  know.  Down  the  highway 
when  thousands  of  Koreans  were  evac- 
uating a  city,  there  came  a  young  fel- 
low in  a  jeep.  In  the  crowd  that  was 
hurrying  on  in  confusion  was  an  old 
lady  bent  with  age,  a  large  bundle  on 
her  back.  The  jeep  stopped,  the  GI 
boy  threw  the  bundle  in,  then  lifted  the 
old  lady  into  the  seat.  Down  the  road 
they  went  to  safety.  Well,  the  press- 
man made  quite  a  bit  of  that  simple  in- 
cident, and  I  believe  that  I  caught  the 
spirit  of  it.  Surely  the  American  youth 

DECEMBER  1950    ;  : 


know  what  they  are  fighting  for.  God 
bless  them  with  courage  when  they  re- 
turn home,  that  they  will  take  their 
place  and  do  their  best.  May  the  des- 
tiny that  is  theirs  to  have  and  enjoy  be 
with  them. 

A  like  spirit  has  gone  out  with  5800 
young  men  and  women  into  different 
parts  of  the  world.  One  simple,  yet  to 
me  a  glorious,  experience  was  enjoyed 
last  month  in  the  East  Central  States 
Mission.  As  is  our  custom,  we  meet 
with  all  the  missionaries  as  we  go 
through  a  mission.  Their  testimonies 
are  truly  inspiring.  We  are  thrilled  as 
we  listen  to  them.  I  seldom  leave  a 
meeting  but  what  I  have  to  hold  back 
my  tears  of  pride  and  joy  for  the  youth 
of  this  Church.  I  received  a  lovely  re- 
flection of  their  service  in  one  experi- 
ence. A  brother  came  to  me  after  the 
dedication  of  one  of  the  little  chapels 
in  the  mission  and  said,  "Brother  Kirk- 
ham,  I  have  been  in  the  Church  now  for 
about  nineteen  years,  and  I  am  extreme- 
ly grateful  for  what  God  has  given  us. 
The  light  and  the  truth  of  the  gospel  has 
truly  enriched  my  life.  Let  me  tell  you 
how  it  happened." 

He  said:  "I  had  a  young  missionary 
come  to  my  home.  I  used  to  drink  a 
cocktail  occasionally.  I  smoked  freely; 
but  the  young  chap,  clean,  sweet  in  his 
nature,  and  in  his  appearance  so  de- 
lightful, came  to  our  place  and  told  us 
that  he  had  something  for  us.  I  called 
Mother  in,  and  we  sat  and  listened. 
This  continued  for  several  evenings, 
until  one  night  when  we  were  quite 


free  in  our  conversation  and  felt  we 
knew  each  other  quite  Well,  I  took  the 
liberty  of  rolling  a  cigaret.  And  the 
young  man  said,  1  suppose  it's  time 
that  I  told  you  about  another  great 
principle  of  the  Latter-day  Saints.'  He 
said,  'I  want  to  read  you  what  we  call 
the  Word  of  Wisdom,'  and  he  started 
to  read  to  me.  I  had  taken  the  cigaret 
out  of  my  mouth  and,  as  this  young 
chap  read  this  Word  of  Wisdom, 
something  happened  to  me.  I  found 
myself  trying  to  crush  that  thing  in  my 
fingers.  I  felt  the  fire  once  but  held  my 
nerve  and  kept  crushing  it,  and  I  said, 
as  now  I  say  to  you,  Brother  Kirkham, 
he  spoke  the  truth.  This  boy  brought 
me  a  message  from  God  and  cleared  up 
my  life." 

Well,  these  opportunities  are  also 
ours.  Just  over  the  fence  from  where 
we  live  is  someone  waiting  to  hear  us 
speak  the  word.  Consider  the  way  we 
accept  our  opportunities  in  citizenship. 
Yes,  I  appeal  to  every  Latter-day  Saint: 
Vote — it's  one  of  the  high  privileges  of 
your  American  citizenship.  Bear  your 
testimony  every  opportunity  that  comes 
to  you.  "Stand  up  and  be  counted  with 
the  Lord." 

God  bless  us  and  help  us  that  these 
great  hours  may  to  us  be  great  realities 
and  opportunities.  May  it  be  said  of 
us,  "Much  was  given  to  you;  much 
was  expected;  and  you  did  your  part." 
God  bless  us  and  be  with  us  that  we 
may  make  of  our  glorious  religion  a 
reality.  In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 


_^ 


vinweManeS 


in 


SCANDINAVIA 

Sif  JoL  -J.  Wilt. 


JOHN   A.   W1DTSOE 


[confess,  my  brethren  and  sisters, 
that  the  call  to  occupy  this  position 
this  afternoon  is  somewhat  unex- 
pected. I  am  to  give  the  Church  of 
the  Air  sermon  next  Sunday  morning. 
It  was  intimated  that  because  of  that 
appointment  I  would  not  be  asked  to 
speak  from  this  stand.  So  I  have  no 
special  message  in  my  heart.  I  sup- 
pose I'll  have  to  depend  upon  the 
Lord.  That  is  good  practice  for  Lat- 
ter-day Saints. 

I  am  always  happy  to  bear  my  testi- 
mony to  my  brethren  and  sisters  that 
this  is  the  gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  I  rejoice  in  it;  I  know  it  to  be 
true.  The  truth  of  it  has  lightened  my 
life  and  has  given  happiness  to  me 
and  to  my  family.  That  I  can  say 
always  to  my  brethren  and  my  sisters. 
This  has  been  a  year  of  anni  versa- 


6oe 


OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 

ries.  A  short  time  ago,  within  the  last 
few  weeks,  the  President  of  the 
Church  went  to  Hawaii  to  celebrate 
the  coming  of  the  gospel  to  those 
islands  one  hundred  years  ago.  You 
have  read  of  what  happened  there. 
He  mentioned  it  briefly  himself  this 
morning  in  his  address. 

It  is  also  a  hundred  years  ago  since 
the  gospel  was  brought  to  the  foreign- 
speaking  lands  of  Europe.  Up  to  that 
time  we  had  only  once  attempted  to 
preach  the  gospel  in  foreign  tongues, 
namely  in  the  South  Sea  Islands.  But 
a  hundred  years  ago  the  missionaries 
sent  out  by  the  First  Presidency  of 
that  day  entered  the  Scandinavian  and 
other  countries  of  Europe  and  bore 
witness  of  the  restoration  of  the  gospel 
of  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ.  They  made 
{Continued  on  following  page) 

973 


John  A.  Widtsoe  continued 

notable  progress  at  that  time,  a 
progress  which  has  resulted  in  a  large 
influx  of  men  and  women,  faithful 
men  and  women,  to  the  valleys  of  the 
mountains  here. 

It  was  my  privilege  to  be  sent  to 
Scandinavia  a  few  months  ago  to  take 
part  in  the  celebration  which  the  Saints 
of  those  countries  were  holding  and 
enjoying,  because  of  the  great  anni- 
versary. I  visited  the  three  Scandi- 
navian countries.  I  was  given  the 
privilege  primarily,  I  suppose,  because 
I  am  able  to  speak  a  little  of  the 
tongues  of  those  countries.  I  visited 
Denmark,  Sweden,  and  Norway,  in 
addition  to  stopping  briefly  in  Eng- 
land. I  came  back  feeling  thrilled 
with  the  manner  in  which  the  gospel 
had  developed  and  spread  from  the 
humble  beginnings  of  a  hundred  years 
ago  in  those  countries.  You  know,  of 
course,  that  here  in  these  valleys, 
among  the  stakes  and  wards  of  Zion, 
the  blood  of  those  countries  through 
intermarriage  has  spread  until  a  large 
proportion  of  our  people  here  carry 
some  of  that  blood. 

The  brethren  and  sisters  of  the 
Scandinavian  countries  had  planned 
large  celebrations.  I  was  able  to  at- 
tend fully  the  ones  in  Stockholm, 
Sweden,  and  in  Oslo,  Norway.  They 
were  carefully  laid  out  after  the  pat- 
tern that  had  been  planned  for  our 
celebration  here  at  home  and  were 
splendidly  rendered,  fully  as  well  as 
the  celebration  here  at  home.  I  missed 
the  beginning  of  the  celebration  in 
Denmark  because  of  my  hurried  call 
and  trip,  but  later  on  I  met  with  the 
Danes  and  enjoyed  their  company  and 
partook  of  their  spirit  and  learned  of 
the  excellence  of  their  celebration. 

It  was  interesting  to  me  to  note  how 
the  gospel  changes  the  very  nature 
of  men  and  women,  and  how  faithful 
and  devoted  men  and  women  may  be- 
come to  the  cause  of  truth  once  it 
sinks  into  their  hearts. 

Norway  is  a  long  country,  nearly  a 
thousand  miles  long.  Up  in  the  icy 
north,  we  have  two  or  three  branches, 
one  very  recently  established,  and  I 
was  pleased  to  find  in  Oslo,  which  is 
nearly  at  the  south  end  of  the  country, 
people  who  had  come  from  the  far 
north  to  celebrate  and  to  thank  the 
Lord  for  the  coming  of  the  gospel  to 
their  land.  The  same  happened  in 
Sweden;  also  in  Denmark,  which  is  a 
small  country.  All  had  a  very  large 
representation  of  their  Church  mem- 
bers in  attendance  at  the  celebrations. 
There  was  a  spirit  of  faith  and  devo- 
tion like  that  we  have  here  today. 
Many  people  had  traveled  hundreds 
of  miles  to  sit  by  one  another  in  meet- 
ings like  this  and  to  listen  to  dis- 
courses on  the  simple  principles  of  the 
gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

It  was  interesting  to  note,  also,  how 
men  grow  and  develop  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  gospel  spirit.  Let  a  very 
humble  man  be  touched  by  the  gospel 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  he  be- 
974 


comes  transformed.  He  is  no  more 
the  same  man,  no  longer  the  same  per- 
son. He  has  changed  completely.  I 
am  reminded  of  the  statement  of  the 
Prophet  Joseph  Smith  at  one  time, 
when  talking  about  the  children  of 
Abraham;  he  said  that  any  person  who 
accepts  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ 
becomes  of  the  seed  of  Abraham.  A 
subtle  change  occurs  in  the  very 
physical  system  of  the  man,  which 
makes  him  indeed  one  who  belongs 
to  the  family  of  Abraham,  the  family 
of  the  faithful.  This  notable  change 
I  observed  a  good  many  times  on  this 
trip  to  Scandinavia  this  summer,  that 
men  are  transformed  for  the  better, 
their  powers  multiplied,  their  vision 
increased,  their  understanding  and 
comprehension  brought  out  in  new 
forms  so  much  more  vigorously  be- 
cause of  the  gospel  which  they  have 
received,  because  of  the  truths  of  the 
gospel.  I  am  happy  to  bear  this  rec- 
ord to  my  brethren  and  sisters  at  this 
conference. 

I  am  very  happy  also  to  bring  you 
the  greetings  of  the  people,  our  breth- 
ren and  sisters  of  the  covenant,  of  the 
faraway  missions  in  Europe.  They 
send  their  greetings  to  you  and  their 
blessings  also,  and  their  blessings  are 
quite  worth  while  for  they  come  from 
common  sources.  They  love  you, 
they  watch  you;  they  follow  you;  they 
try  to  emulate  and  to  imitate  that 
which  you  do  here. 

Some  years  ago,  I  have  forgotten 
just  how  many,  I  had  the  privilege  to 
go  to  Oslo,  the  capital  of  Norway, 
with  President  David  O.  McKay  and 
Elder  Reed  Smoot.  The  three  of  us 
came  into  the  city  rather  late  in  the 
afternoon.  I  think  two  of  us  at  least 
were  unannounced.  Perhaps  Brother 
McKay  was  announced,  the  president 
then  of  the  European  Mission,  I  am 
not  sure  about  that.  But  we  made  our 
way  at  once  to  the  meeting  place  of 
the  Latter-day  Saints.  I  shall  never 
forget  that  meeting.  We  were  not 
expected  by  the  members  present.  The 
meeting  was  composed  of  the  people, 
the  men  and  women,  who  had  been 
called  to  labor  as  missionaries  in  the 
city  of  Oslo.  It  was  a  report  meeting. 
One  after  another  the  people,  young 
and  old,  got  up  and  gave  a  report  of 
what  they  had  done.  I  recall  one 
elderly  lady  who  said  that  she  hesi- 
tated to  make  her  report,  for  it  was 
such  a  poor  report.  She  had  only  had 
time  during  the  last  month  to  bring  the 
gospel  to  two  hundred  different  homes. 
I  thrilled  as  I  thought  of  the  faith  of 
that  woman,  the  strength  of  her  faith; 
and  how  many  of  us  fail  to  appreciate 
what  we  have  received  as  she  did  ap- 
preciate it.  Many  go  by  day  after  day, 
having  received  the  great  gift,  of  the 
eternal  gospel,  the  greatest  of  all 
gifts,  but  forgetting  to  pay  back  to  the 
Lord  as  he  would  like  us  to  do  a  part 
of  our  time  and  strength  and  power  to 
assist  in  the  advancement  of  the  great 
kingdom  of  God  here  upon  this  earth.  I 


am  sure  that  good  sister  received  the 
gift  of  joy  from  her  labors. 

There  is  much  I  might  tell  you  even 
after  a  brief  trip  to  Scandinavia  this 
summer  about  the  conditions  of  the 
people.  They  are  faithful  Latter-day 
Saints,  second  to  none  in  the  wards 
of  Zion,  I  just  touched  old  London 
for  a  few  days  and  found  it  the  same 
wonderful  old  London,  in  the  same 
condition  as  of  the  past.  The  people 
there,  our  people,  are  reported  to  be 
faithful  and  true  to  their  covenants 
with  the  Lord,  through  their  baptism 
into  the  Church. 

I  would  like  to  say,  before  I  close 
this  brief  report,  that  I  was  greatly 
thrilled  this  morning  as  I  heard  Brother 
Cowley  give  his  report,  and  added  to 
that  we  have  heard  from  Brother 
Kirkham  a  few  moments  ago.  The 
message  of  the  Church  is  not  to  the 
valleys  of  the  mountains  alone.  It  is 
not  to  be  confined  in  these  valleys  sur- 
rounded by  these  everlasting  hills.  We 
have  a  worldwide  message.  Our  army 
of  missionaries,  five  thousand  eight 
hundred  strong  as  was  reported  this 
morning,  implies  our  belief  in  the 
spread  of  the  gospel  over  the  whole 
earth.  The  Lord  has  said  himself  that 
every  ear  shall  hear  the  gospel  in  these 
latter  days.  That  means  not  only  the 
ears  of  the  people  who  are  here  in 
this  beautiful,  blessed  land  of  America, 
but  far  beyond  over  the  seas,  on  the 
islands,  everywhere,  the  gospel  has 
been  preached  and  must  continue  to 
be  taught.  And  we're  doing  this  sa- 
cred work  to  the  best  of  our  ability. 
As  we  do  that  and  continue  to  do  it, 
the  Lord  will  bless  us  and  magnify  us 
and  make  us  powerful  and  strong,  ac- 
ceptable to  him.  Let  us  never  forget 
the  worldwide  nature  of  our  obliga- 
tions before  the  Lord.  Our  mission- 
ary system  must  be  cherished  and 
be  kept  alive  constantly  and  forever, 
until  that  last  great  day  comes  and  the 
Lord  says  that  the  work  is  done. 

My  brethren  and  sisters,  I  bear 
you  again  my  testimony  that  I  know 
this  to  be  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
It  is  the  truth.  As  Brigham  Young 
used  to  say,  "Men  ask  me  what  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is,  what  name 
does  it  bear?  And  I  say  to  you,  its 
name  might  well  be  truth."  We  and 
the  Church,  if  we  are  faithful,  as  we 
have  been  taught  this  morning  by  the 
President,  the  prophet  of  the  Lord, 
shall  conquer.  We  cannot  fail.  Truth 
is  never  defeated.  It  blesses  all  who 
possess  it.  We  have  the  truth.  If 
we  will  keep  the  truth  and  if  we  cher- 
ish it  and  practise  it  in  our  lives,  then 
victory  over  error  will  be  ours  from 
the  smallest  household  in  Zion  to  the 
farthest  outpost  of  Zion,  wherever 
that  may  be.  Thus  through  the  resto- 
ration of  the  gospel  in  our  day,  the 
whole  world  shall  be  blessed. 

May  the  Lord  bless  us  and  fill  us 
with  an  understanding  of  this  mighty 
work  laid  out  for  us  in  these  latter 
days  and  make  us  able  to  do  the 
Lord's  work,  which  we  can  do  if  we 
are  faithful,  I  pray  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


LIKE  FATHER... 
LIRE  SON... 

vDu    t  If  jam  (L-.  [-^eterten 

OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


I  earnestly  pray,  my  brothers  and 
sisters,  that  while  I  stand  here  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  be  with  me 
because  indeed  it  is  a  frightening  thing 
to  stand  before  so  many  people,  and 
I  realize  my  great  need  of  help. 

I  have  missed  in  this  conference  the 
genial  presence  of  President  George 
F.  Richards.  I  would  like  you  to  know 
that  I,  as  one  of  the  members  of  his 
Council,  was  very,  very  grateful  for 
the  privilege  of  serving  under  his 
leadership.  I  regard  him  as  a  truly 
great  man — a  great  soul — a  great 
leader.  I  am  sure  that  no  one  had  a 
more  firm  faith  in  the  Almighty  than 
did  President  Richards.  I  am  sure 
that  he  was  an  inspired  man  of  God, 
and  I  would  like  to  say  to  you  that  I, 
along  with  the  other  members  of  the 
Council,  loved  that  man  deeply;  and 
today,  together  with  the  rest  of  you, 
I  miss  his  presence  here. 

I  would  like  to  tell  you  a  story  about 
a  friend  of  mine  whom  I  shall  call  Bill, 
for  the  sake  of  anonymity.  During 
Bill's  last  year  at  school,  he  met  a 
lovely  young  woman  named  Helen. 
They  became  very  good  friends,  and 
it  wasn't  very  long  until  they  began 
to  talk  about  the  possibility  of  their 
getting  married. 

During  that  same  last  year  of  school 
Bill  fell  in  with  a  group  of  fellows  who 
were  known  as  the  most  popular  group 
on  the  campus.  They  taught  Bill  some 
bad  habits. 

When  Helen  first  saw  Bill  with  a 
cigaret  in  his  mouth,  it  nearly  broke 
her  heart.  She  talked  with  him  and 
pleaded  with  him,  but  he  felt  that 
smoking  cigarets  was  one  of  the  things 
that  went  with  the  popularity  of  this 
group  on  the  campus.  So  her  plead- 
ings brought  no  results.  Helen  began 
to  wonder  if  she  should  stay  with  Bill 
or  not,  whether  she  should  allow  their 
courtship  to  end  in  marriage.  She 
wanted  to  be  married  in  the  temple, 
and  she  knew  that  if  Bill  continued  to 
smoke  cigarets  they  would  not  get  to 
the  temple. 

When  graduation  time  came,  Bill 
offered  a  formal  proposal  to  Helen  and 
asked  her  to  set  the  date  of  their 
wedding.  She  thought  it  over  long 
and  seriously.  She  loved  Bill  a  very 
great  deal  and  did  not  like  the  idea  of 
losing  him.  But  neither  did  she  like 
the  idea  of  marrying  a  smoking  man, 
one  who  could  not  take  her  into  the 
temple  where  she  had  wanted  to  go. 

After  some  days'  consideration, 
Helen  finally  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  when  school  was  out,  Bill  would 

DECEMBER  1950 


MARK   E.   PETERSEN 


be  separated  from  this  group  of  boys 
and  that  possibly,  if  she  married  him, 
under  her  influence  he  might  leave  off 
the  bad  habits  which  he  had  acquired 
and  get  back  into  activity  in  the 
Church.  And  then,  probably  within 
a  year  or  so,  they  could  go  to  the 
temple  together;  so  she  consented,  and 
they  were  married  by  her  bishop  in 
her  living  room  at  home. 

A  year  or  so  went  by,  and  a  lovely 
baby  boy  was  born  to  them.  They 
called  him  John.  In  due  time  another 
boy  was  born  to  them.  They  called 
him  James,  but  he  was  soon  known  as 
Jim. 

Bill  loved  his  two  boys,  and  every 
night  after  he  came  home  from  work, 
he  would  play  with  them  and  have 
just  a  grand  time.  He  would  hold 
them  way  above  his  head  and  laugh 
at  them  and  talk  to  them,  and  they 
would  laugh  back.  Then  he  would 
bring  them  down  and  hug  them  to 
him. 

This  show  of  affection  made  Helen 
very  happy,  but  Bill  played  with  them 
while  he  had  a  cigaret  in  his  mouth, 
and  when  Helen  saw  those  little  baby 
hands  reach  out  for  that  smoldering 
white  thing  between  Bill's  lips,  her 
heart  sank,  and  she  began  to  wonder 
what  that  example  might  mean  in  the 
future  lives  of  those  boys. 

Years  went  by.  John  became  twen- 
ty years  of  age  and  was  called  on  a 
mission.  He  was  thrilled  with  the  call 
and  so  was  his  mother.  Bill — well,  on 
the  night  of  the  farewell  testimonial, 
Bill  sat  on  the  stand  with  his  wife  and 
son,  and  he  was  just  about  as  proud  as 
any  father  could  be,  because  John  was 
really  a  remarkably  fine  young  man. 

About  three  weeks  after  John's  de- 
parture for  his  mission,  Bill  was  sitting 
one  evening  in  front  of  the  big,  open 
fireplace  in  the  living  room  reading  the 
evening  paper  and  smoking  a  cigaret. 
While  he  was  doing  so,  in  came  Jim, 
a  young  man  by  this  time.  Jim  said, 
"Hi,  Dad." 

Without  looking  up  from  his  paper, 
Bill  said,  "Hello,  Son.    How  are  you?" 
"I'm  fine,  Dad.     I  want  to  ask  you 
a  question." 

"All  right,  Son,  what  is  it?" 
"What's  the  best  brand  of  cigarets?" 
Bill  stiffened  in  his  chair.  For  a  mo- 
ment it  seemed  as  if  he  were  frozen 
there.  Then  his  hands  relaxed,  and 
the  paper  slipped  from  his  fingers  and 
fell  to  the  floor.  He  flipped  his  ciga- 
ret over   into  the   open  fire   and  then 


stood  up  and  faced  his  son. 

He  said,  "Jim,  you  cannot  start  to 
smoke." 

"But  I  have  started  already,  and  I 
want  to  know  what  is  the  best  brand 
of  cigarets?" 

"Son,  I  am  telling  you,"  Bill  said, 
"you  cannot  start  to  smoke." 

"Well,  why  not,  Dad?  You've 
smoked  as  long  as  I  can  remember,  and 
it  hasn't  hurt  you  any.  I've  watched 
you." 

Those  last  words  Jim  spoke  cut 
into  Bill's  heart.  "I've  watched  you. 
I've  watched  you."  Then  Helen  was 
right,  Bill  thought  to  himself.  All 
these  years  Helen  had  told  him  that 
his  cigaret  habit — the  example  he  was 
holding  before  his  sons — would  re- 
sult like  this,  and  he  had  never  believed 
her.  Now  Helen  was  right.  Here  was 
Jim  saying,  "I've  watched  you.  I've 
watched  you." 

Then  Bill  felt  a  consciousness  of 
guilt,  a  note  of  self-accusation,  and 
there  were  words  going  through  his 
mind  saying,  "I  taught  him.  I  taught 
him.  I  taught  him." 

Bill  shook  himself  and  walked  over 
to  his  son  and  took  hold  of  both  shoul- 
ders and  looked  him  square  in  the  eye 
and  said,  "Son,  you  say  these  cigarets 
didn't  ever  hurt  me.  And  you  say 
you've  watched  me.  I  want  you  to 
know  that  these  cigarets  have  done 
me  more  harm  than  anything  else  in 
my  life.  Nothing  has  hurt  me,  nothing 
has  handicapped  me  so  much  as  these 
cigarets.  Why,  I'd  give  anything  that 
I  own  if  I  had  never  started  to  use 
them,  and  I  don't  want  to  see  the  same 
handicaps  come  to  you.  Why,  Jim, 
these  cigarets  have  raised  a  barrier 
between  me  and  happiness  right  here 
in  my  own  home,  and  they  have  caused 
your  mother  many  hours  of  weeping. 
I  know  that,  and  I  don't  want  you  to 
undertake  a  habit  of  this  kind." 

He  talked  so  earnestly  and  so  un- 
usually that  Jim  at  first  thought  that 
his  dad  was  putting  on  an  act  and 
told  him  so.  Again  Bill  began  to  talk 
and  plead  with  his  son  never  to  smoke 
again,  to  get  rid  of  this  habit  that  he 
had  just  begun. 

Then  Jim,  realizing  that  his  dad  was 
really  serious,  said,  "Well,  Dad,  if 
this  cigaret  habit  is  so  bad,  why 
haven't  you  quit?" 

Bill  said,  "I've  tried  to  quit.  I've  tried 
many  times,  but  I  have  never  been 
able  to — the  habit  is  too  strong.  I'm 
just  like  a  slave  to  this  cigaret,  and  I 
don't  want  you  to  become  a  slave. 
Now,  Son,  cut  it  out." 

Jim  said,  "Well,  Dad,  you  see  all  the 
fellows  I  go  with — they  all  smoke. 
They'll  think  I'm  a  sissy.  I  couldn't 
face  those  fellows  and  tell  them  I 
wasn't  going  to  smoke  any  more.  They 
are  the  most  popular  crowd  I  know." 

Bill  said,  "Popular  or  not,  stop  this 
habit  and  if  necessary  get  a  new 
crowd.  Find  new  friends  who  don't 
smoke,  but  let  cigarets  alone." 

Jim  said,  "Well,  I  don't  know 
whether  I  can  do  that  or  not.  I'll  have 
to  think  this  over." 

(Continued  on  following  page) 

975 


Mark  E.  Petersen  continued 

Then  his  dad  said,  "Jim,  I'll  make  a 
bargain  with  you.  If  you'll  quit  smok- 
ing, I'll  quit." 

Jim,  quick  as  a  flash  said,  "Well, 
Dad,  you  just  told  me  you  couldn't 
quit.  Are  you  trying  to  lead  me 
along?" 

Bill's  answer  to  that  was  that  he 
walked  over  to  the  fireplace,  put  his 
hand  in  his  pocket,  pulled  out  the 
package  of  cigarets  and  the  folder  of 
matches,  and  threw  them  into  the  open 
fireplace.  Then  he  turned  around  and 
faced  his  son  and  said,  "Son,  I've 
quit.  I'm  all  through.  Now,  will  you 
do  the  same  thing?" 

"Well,  I  don't  know.  Dad,  I've  got 
to  think  this  over,"  Jim  said.  "I'll  tell 
you  in  the  morning." 

That  night  Bill  couldn't  sleep.  He 
rolled  and  tossed  in  bed  as  long  as 
he  could  stand  it  and  then  got  up  and 
went  into  the  living  room  and  closed 
the  door.  He  didn't  turn  on  the  lights. 
He  just  walked  the  floor  there  in  the 
dark.  Jim's  words  kept  going  through 
his  head,  "I've  watched  you.  I've 
watched  you,"  followed  by  his  own 
sense  of  self-accusation,  "I  taught  him. 
I  taught  him." 

It  had  been  a  long  time  since  Bill 
had  said  a  prayer.  He  had  left  that 
pretty  much  with  Helen.  But  this 
night  he  wanted  more  than  anything 
else  to  have  Jim  quit  smoking;  so  there 
in  the  darkness  and  the  stillness  of 
his  home  he  slipped  down  on  his 
knees  and  began  to  pray.  He  poured 
out  his  soul  to  the  Lord  and  told  him 
all  of  his  faults  and  shortcomings,  con- 
fessed all  of  his  sins  to  the  Lord — the 
first  time  he'd  ever  done  that.  Then 
he  told  the  Lord  about  Jim  and  their 
conversation  of  the  evening. 

He  didn't  pray  with  much  faith. 
The  cigarets  had  pretty  well  weakened 
what  faith  he  had,  but  he  did  pray 
from  a  sense  of  fear — fear  for  the 
future  of  that  boy;  and  from  a  sense 
of  love — love  for  a  son  for  whom  he 
would  give  his  own  life,  if  necessary. 
But  it  seemed  like  asking  a  great  deal 
of  the  Lord  to  erase  in  one  night  an 
example  which  he  had  held  before 
his  son  ever  since  that  son  was  a  tiny 
baby. 

At  last  morning  came.  Bill  slowly 
climbed  the  stairs  up  to  Jim's  room  and 
went  in  and  sat  down  on  the  edge  of 
the  bed.  He  put  one  hand  on  Jim's 
shoulder.  Jim  turned  over,  and  Bill 
said,  "Son,  what's  your  answer?" 

Jim  looked  up  into  his  dad's  tired 
face  and  sleepless  eyes  and  said,  "Dad, 
I  surely  don't  want  to  hurt  your  feel- 
ings, but  the  fellows— I  couldn't  face 
them.  I  guess  I  won't  quit.  I'll  wait 
awhile." 

Deeply  disappointed,  but  without 
saying  another  word, 'Bill  got  up  and 
walked  slowly  out  of  the  room.  '  He 
felt' likfe1  he  had  been  whipped.  But 
he  was  more  than  ever  determined  to 
keep:  his  dwn  resolution.  He  would 
never  go  back  to  his  cigarets. 

The  next  Sunday  he  went  to  Church, 
the  first  time  in  years.  He  went  again 
976 


the  next  Sunday  and  the  next,  and 
he  continued  to  go  and  enjoyed  it. 

About  a  year  afterwards  the  bishop 
came  to  him  one  day  and  said,  "Bill, 
how  would  you  like  to  be  ordained  an 
elder?" 

A  lump  came  into  Bill's  throat,  and 
his  eyes  filled  with  tears  as  he  took 
hold  of  the  bishop's  hand  and  said, 
"Bishop,  do  you  mean  that  at  last  I 
can  take  Helen  to  the  temple?" 

The  bishop  squeezed  his  hand  and 
said,  "Yes,  Bill,  at  last  you  can  take 
Helen  to  the  temple." 

Another  year  went  by,  and  John 
came  home  from  his  mission.  One 
day  when  John  and  his  father  were 
alone  together,  John  went  over  and 
put  his  arm  around  his  dad  and  said, 
"Dad,  I  want  you  to  know  how  deeply 
grateful  I  am  to  you  for  the  wonderful 
thing  you  have  done.  You  know,  as  a 
boy  I  always  used  to  think  that  my 
dad  was  just  about  perfect,  and  I 
guess  every  boy  thinks  that  his  dad 
is  the  greatest  man  in  the  world.  But 
every  time  you  took  a  cigaret,  it  hurt 
me  deep  inside.  I  knew  you  had  a 
weakness   you   couldn't   control.      But 


now,  Dad,  all  that  is  over,  and  I  want 
you  to  know  how  grateful  j  I  am  to 
you." 

But  what  about  Jim?  Well,  Jim  is 
married  now  and  has  a  little  boy  of 
his  own,  and  he  comes  home  at  night 
and  plays  with  this  boy  just  as  Bill 
used  to  play  with  Jim.  And  when  Jim 
gets  his  own  little  son  up  in  his  arms, 
that  little  baby,  just  as  his  father  did, 
reaches  out  for  that  smoldering  white 
thing  between  his  dad's  lips. 

The  other  day  I  rode  home  on  the 
bus  with  Bill,  and  he  was  telling  me 
how  happy  he  is  in  his  new  life.  And 
then  he  told  me  about  Jim,  and  said 
that  if  nearly  twenty  years  of  a  bad 
example  would  put  Jim  where  he  now 
is,  possibly  another  twenty  years  of  a 
good  example  might  bring  him  back  to 
where  he  ought  to  be.  And  I  thought, 
"God  bless  you,  Bill." 

And  God  bless  all  other  men  like 
him  in  the  wonderful  struggle  they  are 
making  for  the  right. 

And  God  bless  Jim  and  all  other 
boys  like  him  that  they  may  recognize 
tobacco  for  what  it  is — a  narcotic 
which  enslaves  human  beings  and  helps 
to  destroy  their  faith  in  God.  This  is 
my  prayer,  in  Jesus'  name.     Amen. 


FAITH... 


~Xr  y/eed  J'or  ^Joda 


y 


(L5u  ^sMntou 


&Jk 


OF    HE  FIRST  COUNCIL  OF    HE  SEVENTY 


ANTOINB  R.   IV1NS 


MY  beloved  brethren  and  sisters, 
as  I  stand  before  you  this 
morning  to  add  my  testimony  to 
those  that  have  already  been  given 
you  in  this  conference,  I  seek  an  in- 
terest in  your  faith  and  prayers.  I 
pray  that  what  I  say  may  be  prompted 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  out  of  it 
may  possibly  come  a  word  of  en- 
couragement for  some  of  us;  for  my 
sole  purpose,  in  ministering  as  I  am 
called  to  do  to  the  seventies  and  to 
the  Church  generally  is  to  be  helpful, 
to  stimulate  if  I  can  the  faith  and  the 
courage  of  the  members  of  the  Church. 
It  has  been  very  wisely  said  that 
he  who  carries  a  lantern  to  light  the 
pathway  of  his  brother  sees  more 
clearly  his  own.  I  must  confess  that 
in  trying  to  encourage  others,  I  gain 
courage,  strength,  and  faith.  It  is  in 
a  spirit  of  love  that  I  minister  and 
help  those  that  need  it,  if  I  can,  realiz- 
ing at  the  same  time  that  I  get  joy  and 
satisfaction  out  of  it. 

1  Only  a  week  ago  Sister  Ivins  and 
I  returned  from  a  visit  to  the  Canadian 
Mission,  where  we  had  the  privilege 
of  listening  to  the  testimonies  of  al- 
most 160  of  your  sons  and  daughters; 


where  we  heard  their  expressions  of 
faith  and  their  determination  to  carry 
on  and  further  the  work  to  which  they 
have  been  called  in  the  service  of 
God.  It  was  our  purpose  to  encourage 
and  to  stimulate  them  in  their  faith, 
to  help  if  we  could,  to  surmount  any 
obstacles  that  had  presented  them- 
selves to  them.  Also,  it  was  our  pur- 
pose to  encourage  the  members  of 
the  Church  in  that  area,  to  help  them. 

I  was  very  pleased  to  discover  what 
I  think  is  an  awakening  among  the  peo- 
ple of  that  area.  In  some  of  the  meet- 
ings we  had  more  investigators  than 
members,  after  excluding  the  mission- 
aries. Rather  large  groups  of  investi- 
gators were  present.  In  some  sections 
we  had  the  privilege  of  meeting  peo- 
ple of  Jewish  ancestry  who  have  come 
into  the  Church,  That  and  other  ex- 
periences that  I  have  had  in  other 
missions  of  the  Church  seem  to  indi- 
cate to  me  that  there  is  an  awakening 
of ''  interest  among  the  people  with 
whom  we  labor.  I  hope  it  is  real.  I 
hope  it  is  an  indication  of  an  increasing 
faith  on  the  part  of  the  people  and  their 
dependence  upon  the  Lord  for  his 
blessings.  I  hope  it  doesn't  come  from 
fear  of  the  present  conditions  that  pre- 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


vail  in  the  world  but  rather  from  a 
sincere  desire  to  serve  God  and  en- 
joy the  blessings  that  come  from  the 
companionship  of  his  Holy  Spirit. 

They  expect  in  the  Canadian  Mission 
to  baptize  more  people  than  they  did 
last  year.  By  a  missionary  who  re- 
turned the  other  day  from  one  of  the 
missions,  I  was  told  that  in  a  single 
month  the  missionaries  had  baptized  al- 
most as  many  people  as  in  some  previ- 
ous years  in  the  same  territory.  As  I 
said,  I  hope  it  indicates  a  true  increase 
in  interest  and  desire  on  the  part  of 
the  people  to  approach  God  and  get 
nearer  to  him.  And  I  hope  that  same 
spirit  exists  among  us  who  are  here 
at  home.  I  wish  to  assure  the  fathers 
and  mothers  of  those  missionaries  in 
the  Canadian  Mission  that  their  leader- 
ship is  good,  that  the  president  of  that 
mission  has  only  the  welfare  of  the 
work  and  the  welfare  of  the  mission- 
aries at  heart,  that  it  is  my  judgment 
that  he  enjoys  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his 
ministry,  that  his  wife  is  supporting  him 
loyally  and  well.  The  missionaries  are 
without  exception  in  the  enjoyment  of 
health. 

This  is  a  time  when  we  need  faith, 
faith  of  a  very  definite  and  positive 
nature,  the  faith  that  will  lead  us  to 
optimism.  I  believe  that  pessimism 
grows  out  of  a  lack  of  faith,  and  that 
if  we  have  the  right  type  of  faith,  we 
will  be  optimistic  about  the  future. 
It  may  be  true  that  the  immediate 
future  may  have  difficulties  for  us,  but 
I  feel  that  out  of  it  all  will  grow  a  reali- 
zation of  the  purposes  of  God.  And 
it  should  be  our  purpose  to  develop 
and  maintain  in  our  hearts,  if  we  can, 
faith  in  God  and  in  the  ultimate  con- 
summation of  his  purposes — a  faith 
that  will  unite  us  in  a  solid,  coherent 
group.  We  must,  of  course,  in  order 
to  do  that,  develop  faith  in  each  other. 
Without  that  faith  we  are  not  likely 
to  go  far  in  promoting  the  work  of  the 
Lord.  We  must  have  a  faith  that  will 
encourage  our  returning  missionaries. 
I  find  as  I  interview  them,  that  they  are 
uncertain.  They  don't  know  just  what 
is  going  to  happen  to  them  because 
of  present  chaotic  conditions,  but  we 
must  try  to  develop  in  their  hearts 
faith  and  reliance  on  God  that  will 
enable  them  to  plan  as  they  would  like 
to  plan,  and  then  carry  on  even1  though 
those  plans  may  be  temporarily  in- 
terrupted; the  faith  that  will  lead  us  to 
the  ultimate  consummation  of  the  pur- 
poses of  God,  faith  that  will  help  us 
to  cooperate,  that  out  of  cooperation 
may  come  strength.  If  we  could  prop- 
erly unite  our  efforts,  all  of  our  tem- 
poral difficulties  could  be  overcome,  I 
am  sure.  If  and  when  we  overcome, 
it  will  be  only  because  we  unite  in  our 
purpose  through  faith  in  each  other. 

I  want  to  tell  you  a  very  pretty  little 
thing  that  I  once  saw  that  illustrates  the 
result  of  cooperation.  Most  of  you 
know  that  I  spent  a  time  in  Mexico, 
One  time  as  I  was  riding  on  a  cold, 
frosty  morning  through  the  Sierra 
Madre  Mountains,  I  ran  on  to  a  little 
covey  of  Messina  partridges.  It  was 
cold,   and  they  got  together ,  f or, ,  sejf- 

DECEMBER  1950 


protection.  I  noticed  that  each  one  of 
those  birds  had  spread  his  wings,  and 
they  had  so  intertwined  them  that 
their  bodies  were  completely  covered 
as  a  shield  from  the  frost  and  the  cold; 
only  their  heads  stuck  up  above  that 
covering.  And  they  survived.  With- 
out that  united  effort  of  self-protection, 
they  might  have  succumbed  to  the 
weather.  But  with  it,  they  came 
through  in  comfort,  I  am  sure. 

Now  if  we  could  so  put  out  our  arms 
and  shield  each  other,  if  we  could  so 
support  each  other  through  the  faith 
that  we  should  have  in  each  other, 
then  all  the  righteous  purposes  of  God 
as  far  as  this  group  of  people  is  con- 
cerned, I  am  sure,  could  be  realized. 
Can  we  develop  that  faith?  I  think 
we  should;  I  think  it  could  come  as  a 
result  of  a  positive  effort  on  our  part. 
I  have  been  checking  the  records  of 
the  various  stakes  that  I  have  visited 
all  this  year,  and  in  many  respects  I 
notice,  as  compared  with  previous 
years,  that  there  is  a  better  condition 
indicated  in  those  reports,  the  condi- 
tion of  greater  faith.  There  are  some 
items  that  show  slipping,  but  many  of 
them  show  improvement  in  the  stakes 
that  I  have  visited.  The  use  of  liquor 
and  tobacco  seems  to  be  decreasing, 
if  I  can  trust  those  statistics.  The 
number  of  people  who  hold  family 
prayers  seems  to  be  on  the  increase. 
The  number  of  people,  the  percentage 
of  those  in  the  Melchizedek  Priesthood 
who  observe  the  Sabbath  seems  to  be 
on  the  increase.  I  noticed  in  a  stake 
that  I  visited  recently  that  the  at- 
tendance at  sacrament  meeting  has 
been  on  a  steady  increase,  showing  a 
rising  curve  over  the  last  few  years. 
I  hope  that  these  indications  are  real, 
that  they  show  a  real  determination  on 
our  part  to  live  closer  to  God  and 
serve  him  better. 

I  love  this  service;  I  love  the  people. 
I'am  always  encouraged  when  I  see 
these  signs  of  faith  on  their  part. 
We're  never  perfect — we  will  never  be 
perfect — but  we  should  strive  for  per- 
fection, and  the  development  of  faith 
is  the  thing  that  will  bring  it.  My  faith 
prompts  me  to  believe  that  God  has  a 
design  for  the  world  that  he  expects 
us  to  realize.  And  the  best  way  for 
us  to  do  that  is  to  pay  attention  to 
today.  Yesterday  has  gone.  It  will 
never  come  back.  Today  is  always 
with  us  so  long  as  we  live.  Tomorrow 
is  a  hope  only,  so  today  we  must  look 
to  ourselves,  to  our  behavior,  look  to 
our  faith  in  ourselves  and  in  God.  If 
we  are  satisfied  with  it,  all  well  and 
good!  If  we  are  not,  let's  increase  it. 
Let's  make  such  changes  in  our  pro- 
gram and  in  our  attitudes  that  will  in- 
crease that  faith.  I  have  said  we 
should  have  faith  in  each  other.  We 
should  have  faith  in  our  leadership,  in 
the  ward,  in  the  stake,  in  the  general 
officers  of  the  Church.  I  stand  here  to 
bear  testimony  to  you  that  in  all  my 
associations  with  the  leadership  of  the 
Church  above  me,  I  have  seen  nothing 
but  honest  purpose.  Let's  try  and 
develop  that  type  of  faith.  .Let's 
develop  a  loyalty  to  the  organization 


that  will  prompt  us  to  live,  its  stand- 
ards. Overcoming  the  temptations  of 
the  world  and  living  the  standards  of 
the  Church  should  be  a  matter  of 
loyalty  to  us,  a  matter  of  self-disci- 
pline. We  should  take  pride  in 
ourselves  that  we  can  live  the  will 
of  the  Church,  whether  we  always 
know  the  reason  for  it  or  not.  It  is 
my  feeling  and  my  testimony  that  out 
of  the  inspiration  of  God  which  comes 
to  these  brethren,  comes  a  policy  for 
the  Church  that  is  wise  and  well- 
designed,  that  will  be  for  the  welfare 
and  the  progress  of  every  man  and 
every  woman  that  will  follow  it. 

May  God  give  us  this  faith  in  our- 
selves, faith  in  those  who  lead  us,  faith 
in  our  ultimate  destiny  that  will  en- 
able us  to  carry  on,  without  misgiv- 
ings and  without  fear,  into  the  future; 
that  will  enable  us  to  carve  out  our 
destiny;  that  will  ultimately  bring  us 
back  to  the  presence  of  God  in  ex- 
altation, I  pray,  and  I  do  it  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.    Amen. 


SEEK  YE 

THE  LORD 

By       ■ 

(stared  kj.  J^>mltk 

PATRIARCH  TO  THE  CHURCH 


ELDRED   G.    SMITH 

I  have  paid  particular  attention  in 
this  conference  to  the  prayers  that 
have  been  offered.  They  have 
been  indeed  a  good  example  for  all  of 
us  to  follow.  I  hope  that  I  will  receive 
in  turn  my  full  share  of  prayers  asked 
in  behalf  of  those  who  take  part  here 
in  this  conference  as  I  am  sure  those 
who  have  preceded  me  have  received. 
In  the  beginning,  as  Adam  and  Eve 
were  driven  out  of  the  Garden  of 
Eden,  they  Were  shut  out  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  but  the  Lord  did 
not  expect  them  to  be  without  some 
contact  with  him.  That  one  avenue 
he.. left  open  for  man  to  reach  God 
while  |  in ■ . ,  this  life  of  mortality  was 
prayer;  so  Adam  called  upon  God,  and 

977 


Eldred  6.  Smith 


Continued 


he  received  guidance  in  all  things. 
Neither  does  God  expect  us  to  get 
along  without  his  help.  Throughout  the 
Old  and  New  Testament  and  the  Book 
of  Mormon  the  Lord  gave  instructions 
to  pray  constantly.  The  Doctrine  and 
Covenants  is  filled  with  like  exhorta- 
tions. The  disciples  asked  the  Savior 
on  one  occasion,  "Lord,  teach  us  to 
pray."- 


As  Jesus  told  his 
disciples,  our 
Father  in  heaven 
knows  what  we  are 
in  need  of  before  we 
start;  yet  he  has  com- 
manded us  to  pray. 


Among  other  things  the  Lord  said, 
"Pray  to  our  Father  in  heaven."  And 
herein,  I  think  that  we  need  to  be  care- 
ful, because  very  often  we  open  our 
prayer  with  the  expression  of  praying 
to  our  Father  in  heaven,  then  during 
the  prayer  we  use  the  term  "Lord,"  and 
before  we  are  through  it  is  hard  to  tell 
whether  we  are  addressing  the  Father 
or  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ.  We  should 
pray  to  our  Father  in  heaven,  for  he 
is  indeed  the  Father  of  all  mankind  on 
the  earth,  and  because  he  is  our  Father, 
he  wants  us  to  come  to  him  often  with 
our  joys  and  our  sorrows  and  thank 
him  for  all  that  he  has  given  us.  Then 
the  Savior  gave  us  a  good  suggestive 
sample  of  the  things  to  pray  for  and 
how  to  pray.   (See  Luke  11:1-2.) 

As  Jesus  told  his  Disciples,  our 
Father  in  heaven  knows  what  we  are 
in  need  of  before  we  start;  yet  he  has 
commanded  us  to  pray.  He  wants  us  to 
be  thoughtful  of  others  as  we  are  of 
ourselves.  "Forgive  us  as  we  forgive 
our  debtors."  He  did  not  intend  that 
we  should  always  use  the  exact  words 
that  he  gave  in  the  sample  or  to  use 
pre-written  prayers.  In  so  doing  we 
would  become  as  those  Christ  referred 
to  when  he  said,  "They  draw  near  to 
me  with  their  lips,  but  their  hearts  are 
far  from  me."  Do  you  think  Joseph 
Smith  would  have  received  that  won- 
derful manifestation  if  he  had  simply 
read  a  prayer?  How  much  of  our  heart 
goes  into  a  prayer  of  that  nature?  How 
much  faith  can  we  exercise  with  words 
and  thoughts  that  are  not  our  own? 
Prayer  without  faith  is  dead,  and  if  we 
add  to  the  faith  which  President  Ivins 
has  just  spoken  to  us  about,  that 
prayer,  I'm  sure  will  have  results,  and 
we'll  have  an  increase  of  the  statistics 
President  Ivins  has  referred  to  in  actual 
fact  and  continue  as  such. 

We  do  not  read  our  prayers  in  this 
Church,  but  some  of  us  get  in  almost 
as  bad  a  rut.  We  are  so  bound  by  set 
words  and  phrases   at  times  that  we 

978 


hardly  remember  what  we  are  saying. 
We  must  have  a  spirit  of  deep  humili- 
ty, of  repentance,  an  open  mind,  to 
receive  the  will  of  God.  We  must  not 
be  hampered  by  any  anger  or  meanness 
or  hardness  of  heart,  or  any  selfish  de- 
sires. We  must  tune  our  minds  and  our 
hearts  to  the  Spirit  of  God  just  as  we 
tune  our  radio  to  receive  the  program 
from  the  broadcasting  station.  We 
want  no  interfering  static  from  outside 
influences.  In  the  attitude  of  true  re- 
pentance we  should  seek  forgiveness 
of  our  past  mistakes  and  guidance  for 
improvement.  I  like  the  little  poem 
used  so  much  in  our  home: 

To  say  my  prayer  is  not  to  pray, 
Unless  I  mean  the  words  I  say, 
Unless  I  think  to  whom  I  speak, 
And   with    my   heart   his    favor    seek. 

Then   let   me,   when   I   come   to   pray, 
Not  only  mean  the  words  I  say, 
But   let   me   strive   with   earnest    care, 
To  have  my  heart  go  with  my  prayer. 

Unless  our  whole  heart  is  in  what  we 
are  doing,  we  are  not  really  praying. 
A  child  is  naturally  sincere  and  can  be 
taught  to  pray  almost  with  its  first 
words.  His  own  private  prayer  should 
become  a  habit  never  to  be  broken. 
If  he  greets  the  day  with  a  prayer  for 
guidance  and  help,  if  he  goes  to  sleep 
with  a  prayer  of  thanksgiving,  more 
than  half  the  battle  is  won  in  trying  to 
do  right.  The  Lord  tells  us  in  the  Doc- 
trine and  Covenants,  sixty-eighth  sec- 
tion, twenty-eighth  verse: 

And  they  shall  also  teach  their  children 
to  pray,  and  to  walk  uprightly  before  the 
Lord. 

Children  will  learn  more  from  obser- 
vation than  they  ever  will  from  just 
being  told.  If  parents  have  a  prayerful 
attitude,  the  children  are  more  than 
likely  to  have  the  same.  Family  prayer 
cannot  be  too  highly  praised.  In  no 
other  way  can  we  obtain  such  a  spirit 
of  unity,  nor  is  there  any  better  place 
for  the  child  to  learn  to  pray  in  public. 
The  Lord  also  tells  us  in  the  Doctrine 
and  Covenants,  nineteenth  section  and 
twenty-eighth  verse: 

And  again,  I  command  thee  that  thou 
shalt  pray  vocally  as  well  as  in  thy  heart; 
yea,  before  the  world  as  well  as  in  secret, 
in  public  as  well  as  in  private." 

It  is  surprising  how  soon  a  child  can 
take  his  turn  in  family  prayer,  and  just 
think  of  the  good  that  comes  to  the 
family.  If  we  kneel  down  together  and 
unitedly  thank  God  for  his  many  bless- 
ings; pray  for  guidance,  for  peace  and 
love  in  our  hearts;  if  we  pray  for  others 
who  are  in  need;  for  the  advancement 
of  God's  work  here;  can  it  help  but 
make  our  home  a  better  place?  Can 
we  help  but  be  more  thoughtful  of 
others,  more  kind  and  loving?  A  man 
and  wife  who  will  pray  together  and 
pray  vocally  will  have  more  love  and 
contentment  in  their  home.  If  we  would 
learn   to   call   upon   God   more   often, 


we  should  not  have  to  call  upon  the 
divorce  courts  so  much.  Teach  your 
children  the  one  source  of  strength  that 
will  never  fail  them.  Help  them  to 
realize  that  they  have  an  everlasting 
friend,  one  that  they  can  call  upon 
when  their  hearts  are  filled  with  joy 
as  well  as  when  they  are  filled  with 
doubt  or  sadness  or  despair.  Then  when 
they  have  grown  up  and  are  on 
their  own,  living  at  home,  away  at 
school,  or  in  the  far-flung  battlefields 
of  war,  they  have  God  as  their  part- 
ner; they  are  not  afraid.  This  would 
bring  peace,  happiness,  and  joy.  A  sin- 
sick  world  could  be  lifted  from  its 
depths  if  we  could  only  turn  to  the 
Lord  in  prayer.  What  more  could  we 
do  for  our  children?  I  pronounce  the 
blessings  of  God  upon  all  who  humbly 
seek  him  in  prayer,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


WILL  A  MAN 
ROB  GOD? 


MILTON  R.  HUNTER 


Utton  f\.  ^MiAftter 

OF  THE  FIRST  COUNCIL  OF  THE  SEVENTY 

THIS  is  indeed  a  humbling  experi- 
ence—to occupy  this  position.  I  do, 
therefore,  ask  an  interest  in  your 
faith  and  prayers  and  that  the  Spirit 
of  God  might  rest  down  upon  me. 

More  than  two  thousand  years  ago 
an  ancient  Hebrew  prophet,  speaking 
for  the  Lord,  said, 

Will  a  man  rob  God?  Yet  ye  have 
robbed  me.  But  ye  say,  Wherein  have 
we  robbed  thee?  In  tithes  and  offerings. 
(Malachi3:8.) 

During  the  past  five  and  one-half 
years  since  I  was  made  a  member  of 
the  First  Council  of  the  Seventy,  I 
have  had  the  wonderful  experience  and 
opportunity  to  travel  throughout  the 
stakes  of  Zion  and  in  the  mission  fields, 
I  have  observed  with  much  joy  the 
great  amount  of  faith  expressed  and 
exhibited  by  the  Latter-day  Saints. 
Thousands  and  thousands  of  them  are 
paying   their   full   tithes   and   offerings 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


to  the  Lord,  contributing  in  the  wel- 
fare programs,  sending  their  sons  and 
daughters  into  the  mission  fields,  and 
in  practically  all  respects  living  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  are  doing 
all  of  those  things  and  much  more  be- 
cause they  know  that  God  lives;  they 
know  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  and  the 
Savior  of  the  world;  they  know  that 
Joseph  Smith  is  a  prophet  of  God  and 
that  the  true  gospel  has  been  restored 
through  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  in 
our  day. 

I  have  ofttimes  felt  that  I  am  sure 
God  is  pleased  with  the  Church  in 
general  and  with  many  of  the  Latter- 
day  Saints  in  particular. 

On  the  other  hand,  however,  I  have 
also  observed  that  there  are  certain 
members  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints — and  possibly 
thousands  of  them — who  are  fulfilling 
Malachi's  prophecy  or  prediction  at 
the  present  time.  They  are  robbing 
God  in  tithes  and  offerings.  I've  oft- 
times  thought  and  have  even  expressed 
the  idea  that  I  believe  that  practically 
all  members  of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  if  they 
understood  the  law  of  tithing,  thor- 
oughly; that  is,  if  they  knew  the  will 
of  God  in  this  respect  and  especially 
if  they  could  be  taught  to  know  of  and 
appreciate  the  great  spiritual  blessings 
which  would  be  received  as  a  result  of 
rendering  obedience  to  this  law,  they 
would  pay  their  tithes  and  offerings  to 
the  Lord  in  full.  I  have  suggested  in 
priesthood  leadership  meetings  as  I 
have  traveled  throughout  the  Church 
that  the  leaders  of  the  stakes,  presi- 
dents of  quorums,  bishops,  and  stake 
presidencies  endeavor  to  teach  the 
people  the  law  of  tithing. 

Yet  I  also  recognize  the  fact  that 
there  are  certain  ones  in  the  Church 
who  would  argue  against  that  law. 
They  might  say,  "But,  Brother  Hunter, 
you  quoted  Malachi,  and  he  lived  four 
hundred  years  before  the  Savior  lived. 
He  was  a  Hebrew  prophet  and  was 
talking  to  the  Jews.  Would  his  teach- 
ings apply  to  us?" 

I  would  answer,  "Yes,  I  know  that 
he  was  a  Hebrew  prophet.  He  was 
talking  to  the  Jews,  and  yet  his  teach- 
ings would  apply  definitely  to  us. 
Why?  Because  he  was  giving  us  the 
will  of  God — the  absolute  mind  and 
words  of  God  the  Eternal  Father 
which  he  had  been  commanded  to 
teach. 

Now  why  can  I  be  so  definite  on 
that  point?  Because  of  an  event  that 
took  place  after  the  resurrection  of 
the  Savior.  The  resurrected  Lord  ap- 
peared to  the  Nephites  here  on  this 
continent.  He  taught  them  the  same 
gospel  plan  that  he  had  given  to  the 
Jews  while  in  mortality.  On  one  oc- 
casion he  said  to  them, 

After  you  people  left  Jerusalem  a  great 
prophet  of  God  came  among  the  Jews  and 
my  Father  commanded  him  to  teach  the 
people  certain  things,  and  since  you 
haven't  a  record  of  what  that  prophet 
taught,  I  have  received  instructions  from 
the  Father  to  tell  you  what  Malachi 
taught.    (See    III   Nephi   24:1.) 

DECEMBER  1950 


So  he  gave  them  the  teachings  of 
Malachi  and  he  asked  them  to  write 
those  teachings  down.  After  this  had 
been  done,  he  explained  to  them  all 
that  Malachi  had  taught. 

He  quoted  the  exact  words  of  Mala- 
chi, 

Will    a   man   rob    God?      Yet   ye    have 
robbed   me.      But   ye   say:    Wherein  have 
we    robbed   thee?     In  tithes   and   offerings. 
(Ibid.,  24:8.) 

Now  since  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the 
Savior  of  the  world,  the  great  Judge, 
the  Redeemer,  the  very  One  under 
whom  the  gospel  came  to  us,  the  gos- 
pel being  named  after  him;  then  cer- 
tainly when  he  says  that  these 
teachings  on  tithing  are  the  doctrine 
and  will  of  his  Father,  those  teachings 
would   apply  to  us. 

Furthermore,  a  hundred  years  ago 
and  a  little  more,  the  Lord  revealed 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the  Proph- 
et Joseph  Smith.  As  part  of  that 
great  restoration  was  the  restoration 
of  the  principle  of  tithing.  In  a  revela- 
tion to  the  Church  the  Lord  said  that 
this  commandment  would  be  an  ever- 
lasting law  unto  the  priesthood  of  the 
Church.  (D.  &  C.  119:4.)  It  is,  there- 
fore, a  law  that  you  and  I  must  obey 
if  we  expect  to  receive  the  blessings 
that  God  has  in  store  for  those  who 
love  him  and  keep  his  commandments. 

I  would  like  to  relate  a  little  experi- 
ence that  I  had  about  a  year  ago.  A 
young  man  came  into  my  office  to  be 
interviewed  to  be  ordained  a  seventy. 
I  asked  him  if  he  would  like  to  be  a 
seventy.  His  face  lighted  up  with 
joy;  and  he  said,  "Yes,  Brother 
Hunter,  for  a  long  time  I  have  wanted 
to  become  a  seventy.  I  have  never 
been  recommended  before,  but  I  do 
hope  that  I  am  now  worthy.  I  do 
hope  that  you  ordain  me  a  seventy 
today." 

After  I  got  this  gush  of  enthusiasm 
from  him,  I  asked  him  a  question  rather 
point-blank.  I  said,  "Would  you  steal 
$150.00  from  your  neighbor?"  A  look 
of  indignation  came  over  his  face.     If 


BEAUTY 
By  Sytha  Johnson 

T  have  met  beauty  in  a  lonely  land 

Where    pinnacle    and    mesa    lift    their 
heads 
In  silver  dusk,   on   shores  where   seaweed 

spreads, 
In  moth  wings,  machinery,  a  large,  strong 

hand. 
I  have  found  music  in  the  beating  surge 
Of   restless  sea,   the   cello's   golden   string, 
A   robin's   muted   outburst   in    the    spring; 
Clipped  voice  of  rails,  November's  lonely 

dirge. 

But  all  remembered  beauty  is  a  faint 
Dark  ash  beside  the  fire  I  dedicate, 
And  other  music  inarticulate, 
To  symphonies  now  swelling  past  restraint. 
The  music  I  hear  now  is  sweet  and  new: 
Beauty  but  shows  herself  to  me  in  you. 


I  could  have  read  his  thoughts,  he 
probably  would  have  been  thinking, 
"Well,  you  have  your  nerve,  Brother 
Hunter,  to  think  that  I  would  steal." 

Finally  he  looked  at  me  and  said, 
"No,  sir." 

I  wasn't  exactly  satisfied,  and  so  I 
said,  "Would  you  steal  a  cow  from 
your  neighbor?" 

He  shot  back  this  reply  instantly, 
"I  wouldn't  steal  thirty-five  cents  from 
my  neighbor." 

I  remarked,  "This  is  very,  very  in- 
teresting to  me,  that  you  wouldn't 
steal  thirty-five  cents  from  your  neigh- 
bor; and  yet,  you  would  rob  God," 

A  questioning  look  came  over  his 
face,  and  he  asked,  "What  do  you 
mean?     I  don't  understand  you." 

Thereupon  I  turned  his  recommenda- 
tion card  over  and  read  three  words, 
"Part  tithepayer." 

He  looked  at  me  rather  flushed,  and 
I  might  say,  turned  a  little  red, 
twisted  around  in  his  chair  a  little, 
and  finally  he  said  to  me,  "Well,  I 
guess  it's  this  way,  Brother  Hunter: 
the  Lord  isn't  here  to  check  up  on 
me.  My  neighbor  is.  If  I  robbed  my 
neighbor,    he   would   put   me   in    jail." 

I  replied,  "Brother,  you  are  partly 
right  and  partly  wrong.  Certainly 
your  neighbor  would  put  you  in  jail 
if  you  robbed  him.  He  should  put 
you  in  jail,  but  when  you  got  out 
of  jail,  your  neighbor  would  have  no 
more  influence  or  claim  on  you.  You 
would  have  paid  your  debt.  But 
God  also  is  checking  up  on  us,  and 
we  are  working  with  him  for  eternal 
life.  He  declares  that  eternal  life  is 
the  greatest  gift  he  has  in  store  for 
man,  and  it  is  reserved  for  those  that 
love  him  and  keep  his  commandments. 
To  receive  eternal  life  in  the  presence 
of  God  would  be  worth  more  than  all 
the  money  in  the  world."  And  I  con- 
tinued by  saying:  "Now  it  is  my  opin- 
ion and  feeling  that  if  you  or  I  or  any 
other  Latter-day  Saint  feels  that  he 
must  rob  somebody,  I  think  probably 
it  would  be  far  better  to  rob  our 
neighbor  than  to  rob  God." 

He  replied,  "Well,  I've  never 
thought  of  it  that  way  before." 

And  then  I  asked,  "What  are  you 
going  to  do  in  the  future?" 

"I  am  going  to  be  a  full  tithepayer," 
came  quickly  the  positive  and  unquali- 
fied answer. 

I  was  delighted  that  he  took  that 
attitude  because  he  now  understood 
more  about  the  law  of  tithing  and  had 
reached  a  determination  to  obey  it  in 
the  future. 

We  are  told  by  the  prophets  of  God 
that  the  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the 
fulness  thereof;  that  you  and  I  are 
merely  stewards,  merely  landlords,  so 
to  speak.  Our  rent  is  one-tenth  of  all 
that  we  earn.  Yesterday,  in  a  very 
beautiful  way,  Brother  McConkie  spoke 
of  a  covenant  with  God.  Every  one  of 
us  has  entered  into  a  covenant  with 
{Continued  on  following  page) 

979 


Milton  R.  Hunter  continued 

God  to  the  effect  that  we  will  pay  one- 
tenth  of  all  that  we  earn  to  the  Lord. 
When  we  entered  the  waters  of  bap- 
tism and  became  members  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints,  we  accepted  all  of  the  princi- 
ples of  the  gospel,  including  the  princi- 
ples of  tithing. 

The  Lord  has  given  us  the  law  of 
tithing  in  order  that  he  might  test  our 
honesty.  When  we  use  any  portion 
of  God's  one-tenth,  we  are  robbing 
him. 

The  Lord  has  given  us  the  law  of 
tithing  in  order  that  he  might  test  our 
love  for  him.  He  has  declared  that 
if  we  love  him  we  will  keep  his  com- 
mandments; therefore,  to  the  extent 
that  we  pay  a  full  tithing,  to  that  ex- 
tent we  have  given  tangible  evidence 
that  we  do  love  the  Lord  our  God. 

The  Lord  has  given  us  the  law  of 

'  tithing    to    test    our    obedience.      The 

purpose  is  to  see  if  we  will  be  faithful 

in  all  things  that  God  commandeth  us. 

Furthermore,  the  Lord  has  given  us 
the  law  of  tithing  to  test  our  prepared- 
ness to  enter  the  kingdom  of  God,  to 
enter  exaltation. 

The  prophets  of  God  have  taught 
the  things  I  have  been  mentioning  here 
this  morning.  I  would  like  to  quote 
from  the  teachings  of  one  of  the  great 
prophets  in  our  day,  the  Prophet 
Joseph  F.  Smith.  He  said  in  regard  to 
tithing,  this: 

By  this  principle  (tithing)  the  loyalty 
of  the  people  of  the  Church  shall  be  put 
to  the  test.  By  this  principle  it  shall  be 
known  who  is  for  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  who  is  against  it!  By  this  principle  it 
shall  be  seen  whose  hearts  are  set  on  doing 
the  will  of  God  and  keeping  his  command- 
ments; thereby  sanctifying  the  land  of 
Zion  unto  God,  and  who  are  opposed  to 
this  principle  and  have  cut  themselves  off 
from  the  blessings  of  Zion.  There  is  a 
great  deal  of  importance  connected  with 
this  principle,  for  by  it  ye  shall  know 
whether  we  are  faithful  or  unfaithful.  In 
this  respect,  it  is  just  as  essential  as  faith 
in  God,  as  repentance  of  sin,  as  baptism 
for  the  remission  of  sin,  as  the  laying  on 
of  hands  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
[As  you  recall,  the  Savior  said  that  "ex- 
cept a  man  have  these,  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God."]  For  if  a  man  keep 
all  the  law  save  it  be  one  point,  and  he 
offend  in  that,  he  is  a  transgressor  of  the 
law,  and  he  is  not  entitled  to  the  fulness 
of  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ.  But  when  a  man  keeps  all  the 
law  that  is  revealed,  according  to  his 
strength,  his  substance,  and  his  ability 
though  what  he  does  may  be  little,  it  is 
just  as  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God  as 
if  he  were  able  to  do  a  thousand  times 
more.  (Joseph  F.  Smith,  Gospel  Doctrine, 
pp.  282-283.) 

President  Smith  also  made  this  state- 
ment: 

The  law  of  tithing  is  a  test  by  which 
the  people  as  individuals  shall  be  proved. 
Any  man  who  fails  to  observe  this  princi- 
ple shall  be  known  as  a  man  who  is  indif- 
ferent to  the  welfare  of  Zion,  who  neglects 
his  duty  as  ,a  member  of  the  Church,  and 
who  does  nothing  towards  the  accomplish- 
980 


ment  of  the  temporal  advancement  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  He  contributes  nothing, 
either,  towards  spreading  the  gospel  to 
the  nations,  and  he  neglects  to  do  that 
which  would  entitle  him  to  receive  the 
blessings  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel. 
(Ibid.,  p.  283.) 

Could  the  Lord  have  established  or 
could  he  now  establish  another  way  to 
take  care  of  the  economic  needs  of  the 
Church?  I  am  positive  that  he  could. 
He  could  say,  "President  George  Al- 
bert Smith,  in  yonder  hill  or  mountain 
there  is  a  great  deal  of  gold.  Have 
the  brethren  of  the  Church  mine  that 
gold.  Use  the  money  to  build  church 
nouses,  to  send  missionaries  out  in 
the  mission  fields,  to  take  care  of  all 
the  other  needs  of  the  Church.  The 
Latter-day  Saints  have  been  faithful  in 
the  past  in  paying  many  conributions, 
so  from  now  on  they  can  rest.  They 
don't  have  to  pay  any  more  money  to 
the   Church." 

Certainly  he  could  do  that  if  he 
wanted  to,  but  he  won't.  He  is  too 
wise  a  God  to  do  that.  He  recog- 
nizes the  great  spiritual  blessings 
which  come  from  paying  tithing.  They 
far  outweigh  the  economic  blessings. 
He  recognizes  that  "where  a  man's 
treasure  is,  there  his  heart  will  be 
also."  He  recognizes  the  fact  that  if 
we  contribute  much  money  to  help 
build  a  church  house,  we  might  come 
to  church  to  get  our  money's  worth. 
He  recognizes  the  fact  that  if  we  give 
donation  after  donation  to  the  Church 
for  various  purposes,  our  contributions 
tie  us  into  the  Church.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  we  own  part  of  it.  We  belong 
there.  It  develops  us  spiritually  to  pay 
on  welfare,  to  pay  tithes,  to  pay  fast 
offerings,  to  pay  and  pay  into  the 
Church. 

Brethren  and  sisters,  it  is  a  blessing, 
an  opportunity  in  your  lives  and  in  my 
life  to  have  the  privilege  of  paying 
into  the  Church.  It  helps  us  to  get 
rid  of  the  selfishness  in  our  hearts.  It 
makes  us  love  each  other  more.  It 
makes  us  love  God  more.  In  fact,  it 
makes  us  more  godly.  In  other  words, 
tithing  is  a  spiritual  law  which  God 
has  given  us  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
paring us  to  come  back  into  his  pres- 
ence and  receive  eternal  life.  Therefore, 
his  course  is  a  wise  course.  Every 
wise  Latter-day  Saint  will  accept  it. 
Not  one  of  us  can  afford  to  be  part 
tithepayers  nor  non-tithepayers.  We 
need  the  blessings  of  the  Lord. 

I  humbly  ask  our  Father  in  heaven 
to  let  his  Spirit  rest  down  upon  you  and 
me  and  upon  every  member  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints,  whether  he  be  a  full  tithepayer 
or  not;  may  the  full  tithepayers  remain 
full  tithepayers;  may  the  part-tithe- 
payers  accept  this  principle  of  the 
gospel  and  repent  of  their  past  negli- 
gence. By  doing  so  we  might  all  pre- 
pare ourselves  to  come  back  into  the 
presence  of  God  and  receive  exalta- 
tion. And  for  this  I  pray,  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


Uke 

WORK 
AMONG  THE 
LAMANITES 

must  not 
be  postponed, 

if  we  desire  to 
retain  the 

i 


approua\ 


w 


Of    CjOi 

JOHN  7a\LO;< 


SPENCER    W.    KIMBALL 


8, 

vw.  ^y\unbati 


Spencer 

OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


MY  brothers  and  sisters,  I  should 
like  to  express  here  my  great 
love  and  admiration  for  Presi- 
dent George  F.  Richards  who  was  with 
us  in  our  last  conference  but  has  since 
passed  away.  Of  all  the  men  I  have 
known  in  my  life,  none  has  risen  to 
greater  heights,  in  my  opinion,  than 
Elder  George  F.  Richards  in  saintli- 
ness,  in  vision,  in  understanding,  and 
in  love,  humility,  and  power. 

I  was  glad  that  President  Beckstead 
mentioned  in  his  prayer  the  Lamanite 
program.  I  thought,  as  he  was  pray- 
ing, "Wouldn't  it  be  glorious  if  two 
hundred  thousand  Latter-day  Saint 
families  every  morn  before  their  break- 
fast, in  their  family  prayers,  were 
asking  that  the  work  of  the  Lord 
among   the   Lamanites   might   be    fur- 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


thered;  and  if  those  same  two  hundred 
thousand  families  might  also  be  on 
their  knees  before  they  retired  that 
night  to  ask  again,  among  other  things, 
that  the  blessings  of  the  Lord  might  be 
brought  to  this  great  people?" 

The  Lord  has  devised  a  very  com- 
prehensive plan,  and  I  have  a  firm 
conviction  that  the  blueprint  that  he 
worked  out  many  millennia  ago  will 
be  followed,  and  the  structure  will 
be  built  in  accordance  therewith. 

The  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  dedicated 
the  Kirtland  Temple  in  1836.  His 
prayer,  which  he  stated  later  was  a 
revelation  from  the  Lord,  covered 
many  matters,  and  in  it  he  made  this 
statement: 

And  cause  that  the  remnants  of  Jacob, 
who  have  been  cursed  and  smitten  because 
of  their  transgression,  be  converted  from 
their  wild  and  savage  condition  to  the 
fulness  of  the  everlasting  gospel.  (D.  &  C. 
109:65.) 

Our  Father  began  to  speak  through 
the  mouths  of  prophets  long  centuries 
ago,  outlining  in  prophetic  words  the 
history  of  those  many  centuries  which 
were  to  follow.  I'm  sure  that  he  in- 
spired a  little  boy,  Christopher  Colum- 
bus, to  stand  on  the  quays  in  Genoa, 
Italy,  and  yearn  for  the  sea.  He  was 
filled  with  the  desire  to  sail  the  seas, 
and  he  fulfilled  a  great  prophecy  made 
long,  long  ago,  that  this  land,  chosen 
above  all  other  lands,  should  be  dis- 
covered. And  so  when  he  was  mature, 
opportunity  was  granted  to  him  to 
brave  the  unknown  seas,  to  find  this 
land  which  had  been  cut  off  from 
the  rest  of  the  world  long  centuries, 
and  to  open  the  door,  as  it  were,  to 
the  teaching  of  these  people  and  bring- 
ing them  back  to  their  Heavenly 
Father. 

I  have  a  firm  conviction  that  the 
Lord  led  the  Pilgrims  and  the  Puritans 
across  the  ocean,  perhaps  permitted 
the  persecutions  that  would  bring  them 
here,  so  that  when  they  came  to  the 
American  shores  with  their  righteous 
blood  and  their  high  ideals  and  stand- 
ards, they  would  form  the  basis  of  a 
nation  which  would  make  possible  the 
restoration  of  the  gospel.  I  am  sure 
that  since  there  was  not  religious  lib- 
erty, not  political  liberty  here,  the 
Lord  permitted  these  few  poorly-armed 
and  ill-clad  men  at  Valley  Forge  and 
elsewhere  to  defeat  a  great  army  with 
its  trained  soldiery  and  its  many  mer- 
cenaries, a  few  against  the  many,  but 
the  few  had  on  their  side  the  Lord 
God  of  heaven,  that  gave  them  victory. 
And  there  came  political  liberty  and 
religious  liberty  with  it,  all  in  prepara- 
tion for  the  day  when  a  young  boy 
would  come  forth  and  would  seek  and 
make  contact  with  the  Lord  and  open 
the  doors  of  heaven  again.  Following 
that  great  manifestation  to  Joseph 
Smith  came  the  opening  of  Cumorah 
Hill  and  the  speaking  of  the  dead  from 
the  dust. 

I  am  sure  that  all  this  was  for  a 
well-planned  purpose.  The  Lord  knew 
exactly  what  he  was  doing,  and  though 
evil    forces   were   at   play,    they   were 

DECEMBER  1950 


all  brought  to  bow,  so  that  the  pur- 
poses of  the  Almighty  would  be  ful- 
filled. 

I  should  like  to  quote  to  you  a  para- 
graph from  Wilford  Woodruff,  stated 
by  him  in  1873: 

I  am  looking  for  the  fulfilment  of  all  the 
things  that  the  Lord  has  spoken. 

For  long  centuries  the  Lord  has  said 
how  this  chosen  people  would  fall 
into  transgression  and  how  some  cen- 
turies after  Christ  they  would  be  so 
deep  in  sin  they  would  lose  the  faith, 
and  that  certain  ones  of  them  would 
be  destroyed.  Now,  Brother  Wood- 
ruff says  he  knows  that  these  things 
will  all  be  fulfilled, 

.  .  .  and  they  will  come  to  pass  as  the 
Lord  lives.  Zion  is  bound  to  rise  and 
flourish.  The  Lamanites  will  blossom  as 
the  rose  in  the  mountains.  I  am  willing 
to  say  here  that  although  I  believe  this, 
when  I  see  the  power  of  the  nation  de- 
stroying them  from  the  face  of  the  earth, 
the  fulfilment  of  that  prophecy  is  perhaps 
harder  for  me  to  believe  than  any  other 
revelation  of  God  that  I  have  ever  read. 

Brother  Woodruff  lived  in  the  day 
when  the  Lamanites  were  being  de- 
stroyed. They  were  the  "Vanishing 
Americans"  at  that  time,  and  they  were 
being  persecuted  and  driven  and  killed 
and  reservationed  about  that  time  of 
the  nation's  history.     He  continued: 

It  looks  as  though  there  would  not  be 
enough  left  to  receive  the  gospel;  but 
notwithstanding  this  dark  picture,  every 
word  that  God  has  ever  said  of  them 
will  have  its  fulfilment,  and  they,  by  and 
by,  will  receive  the  gospel.  It  will  be  a 
day  of  God's  power  among  them  and  a 
nation  will  be  born  in  a  day.  The  chiefs 
will  be  filled  with  the  power  of  God  and 
will  receive  the  gospel,  and  they  will 
go  forth  and  build  the  New  Jerusalem,  and 
we  shall  help  them.  They  are  branches 
of  the  House  of  Israel  and  when  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Gentiles  has  come  in  and  the 
work  ceases  among  them,  then  it  will  go 
in  power  to  the  seed  of  Abraham. 

We  are  given  to  understand  that 
the  work  commenced  when  the  book 
came  forth,  for  in  Ether,  fourth  chap- 
ter, we  read: 

Therefore,  when  ye  shall  receive  this 
record  ye  may  know  that  the  work  of 
the  Father  has  commenced  upon  all  the 
face  of  the  land.    (Ether  4:17.) 

The  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  gave  us 
the  thought  that  the  Lord  brought  us 
out  here  from  the  East  to  bring  the 
gospel  to  the  Lamanites.  One  of  the 
most  important  things  that  can  possibly 
happen  in  this  Dispensation  of  the 
Fulness  of  Times  is  to  bring  to  the 
Lamanites  a  knowledge  of  God.  He 
says: 

.  ,  , .  there  will  be  tens  of  thousands  of 
Latterrday  Saints  who  will  gather  in  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  there  they  will  open 
the  door  for  establishing  the  gospel  among 
the  Lamanites,  who  will  receive  the  Gos- 
pel and  their  endowments  and  the  bless- 
ings of  God. 


Brigham  Young  seemed  to  catch  the, 
vision  of  it.  He  said  that  the  Lord 
could  not  have  devised  a  better  plan 
than  to  put  us  where  we  are  in  order 
to  accomplish  that  very  thing  of  edu- 
cating and  teaching  the  Lamanites.  Our 
ancestors  came  a  thousand  miles  across 
the  desert,  under  terrific  persecutions 
and  hardships,  to  locate  where  the 
Gentiles  had  scattered  the  Lamanites. 
They  had  pretty  well  "reservationed" 
them  here  in  the  western  states.  They 
were  in  our  every  county,  and  the 
Lord  brought  us  out  here  that  we 
might  teach  them  the  gospel. 

Brothers  and  sisters,  that  work  has 
continued  with  some  interruptions 
through  the  century.  Now  the  Lord 
has  made  another  step.  It  seems  to 
me  he  is  bringing  the  Lamanites  back 
to  us.  They  were  sent  onto  reserva- 
tions all  over  the  west,  and  now  the 
largest,  the  Navajo  Reservation,  will 
not  support  its  people.  The  Navajos 
are  being  starved  out.  They  are  com- 
ing back  among  us  into  the  beet  and 
cotton  fields,  on  the  railroads,  and  in 
the  mines  to  find  employment.  They 
are  coming  back  into  the  stakes  of 
Zion  where  we  have  stake  missions 
and  where  we  have  thousands  of  good 
Latter-day  Saints  who  live  the  gospel, 
and  thousands  of  devoted  stake  mis- 
sionaries who  will  teach  them  the 
truth.  Here  is  our  great  opportunity. 
The  Lord  seems  to  have  planned 
everything  for  our  sake.  If  we  fail  our 
opportunity,  I  am  sure  the  Lord  will 
not  easily  forgive  us. 

You  will  be  interested  to  know  that 
there  are  some  forty  thousand  Laman- 
ite  members  of  the  Church  in  the 
world,  including  the  islands  of  the  sea. 
There  are  probably  ten  thousand  La- 
manite  members  in  North  America  in 
the  Mexican  missions  and  the  Indian 
mission.  There  are  902  Lamanite 
members  in  the  English-speaking  mis- 
sions in  the  Eastern,  Northern,  Cen- 
tral States,  and  other  North  American 
missions.  And  this  work  has  gone 
forward  splendidly  under  some  of  our 
mission  presidents.  We  have  baptized 
1823  Lamanites  in  the  last  two-and-a- 
half  years  in  the  three  missions  that 
specialize  in  Lamanite  proselyting  in 
North  America.  We  have  baptized 
■480  Indians  down  in  the  little  Indian 
mission,  with  a  token  number  of  mis- 
sionaries. About  an  equal  number  have 
been  blessed,  children  under  eight 
years  of  age  who  belong  to  families 
of  friends  and  investigators  and  mem- 
bers, so  that  we  now  have  more  than 
twelve  hundred  members  there  in  our 
short  period  of  missionary  work.  We 
have  approximately  seventeen  hundred 
Indian  members  in  the  stakes  of  Zion. 
We  have  baptized  347  in  the  sixty- 
five  stakes  which  have  reported  so  far, 
in  this  period,  since  the  work  was  in- 
augurated. 

In  the  missions  in  the  United  States 
and  Canada,  we  have  baptized  248 
Indians  in  this  short  period.  You  will 
be  interested  to  know  that  we  are  bap- 
tizing more  Indians  for  each  missionary 
than  the  Church  is  baptizing  in  the  rest 
{Continued  on  following  page) 

981 


Spencer  W.  Kimball  continued 

of  the  world.  There  were  three  and 
three-tenths  baptisms  for  each  mission- 
ary in  the  Indian  mission  in  1949,  com- 
pared to  about  two-thirds  that  many 
for  the  other  missions  in  North  Amer- 
ica. We  have  about  fifty  baptisms  of 
Indian  youth  who  have  come  from  the 
reservation  and  who  are  living  in  the 
homes  of  Latter-day  Saints  on  a  daugh- 
ter-mother and  son-father  basis.  Here 
the  Indian  boy  or  girl  becomes  an  un- 
official member  of  the  family,  and  is 
neither  a  servant  nor  a  guest,  where 
foster  parents  are  taking  care  of  them 
and  are  giving  them  education  and 
training,  and  they  soon  come  into  the 
Church  at  their  own  request.  We  have 
about  fifty-one  Lamanite  missionaries 
in  the  mission  field  now,  and  they  will 
be  increasing  very  rapidly,  I  am  sure. 
We  have  a  full-blooded  Navajo  girl 
who  goes  into  the  mission  field  Mon- 
day morning,  the  first  from  that  nation. 
We  have  a  Pima  Indian  in  the  mission 
field  now,  and  we  have  a  Catawba 
Indian  coming  from  the  East  who  goes 
into  the  mission  home  soon,  en  route 
to  one  of  the  other  missions  in  the 
Church.  Brother  (E.  Wesley)  Smith 
told  us  yesterday  there  were  ten  La- 
manite missionaries  from  Hawaii  who 
were  over  in  the  Orient,  I  believe. 

I  should  like  to  give  you  a  few 
quotations  from  some  of  the  early 
brethren.  Joseph  Smith  said  that  this 
work  was  extremely  essential,  and  he 
sent  Oliver  Cowdery,  Peter  Whitmer, 
Parley  P.  Pratt,  and  Ziba  Peterson  out 
as  early  as  October  1830.  It  wasn't 
very  long  after  the  plates  had  come 
out  of  the  Hill  Cumorah.  In  section 
thirty-two  of  the  Doctrine  and  Cove- 
nants, the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  says  of 
those  Lamanite  missionaries: 

.  .  .  and  I,  myself,  will  go  with  them,  and 
be  in  their  midst;  .  .  .  and  nothing  shall 
prevail  against  them.    (D.  &  C.  32:3.) 

And  then  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith 
said, 

.  .  .  and  there  (in  the  Rocky  Mountains) 
they  (the  Latter-day  Saints)  will  open  the 
door  for  the  establishing  the  gospel  among 
the  Lamanites  who  will  receive  the  gos- 
pel and  their  endowments  and  the  blessings 
of    God. 

And  Brother  John  Taylor  said: 

.  .  .  the  work  among  the  Lamanites  must 
not  be  postponed  if  we  desire  to  retain  the 
approval  of  God. 

Oliver  Cowdery,  even  in  that  early 
day,  had  found  the  Navajos  in  the  far 
Southwest,  and  he  reported  it  to  the 
brethren,  feeling  that  it  was  a  very 
important  thing.  Then  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff said  this  further,  as  he  went  down 
into  the  southwest,  in  New  Mexico, 
and  visited  among  the  Indians  there. 
He  said: 

In  my  short  communication  of  the  second 
inst.,  I  promised  to  give  a  fuller  account 
of  my  visit  to  the  Isletas  which  I  will  now 
endeavor  to  do. 

982 


The  Isletas  are  one  of  the  Pueblo 
groups  down  in  New  Mexico. 

I  view  my  visit  among  the  Nephites  one 
of  the  most  interesting  missions  of  my  life, 
although  short.  I  say  Nephites,  because 
if  there  are  any  Nephites  on  this  continent, 
we  have  found  them  among  the  Zunis,  the 
Lagunas,  and  the  Isletas,  for  they  are  a 
different  race  of  people,  altogether,  from 
the  Lamanites.  I  class  the  Navajo,  Moquis 
( Hopis ) ,  and  Apaches  with  the  Lamanites, 
although  they  are  in  advance  of  many 
Indian  tribes  of  America.  I  class  the  Zunis, 
Lagunas,  and  Isletas  among  the  Nephites. 

And  then  he  goes  on  to  say,  that  as 
soon  as  they  dismissed  this  particular 
meeting  among  the  Isletas,  and  were 
going  to  leave,  one  of  the  Nephites 
arose, 

.  .  .  full  of  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  and  said, 
"Friends,  why  do  you  dismiss  us  and  leave 
us  this  way?  This  is  the  first  time  we  have 
heard  of  our  forefathers  and  the  gospel 
and  the  things  we  have  looked  for  from 
the  traditions  of  our  fathers.  If  our  wives 
and  children  are  weary,  let  them  go  home. 
We  want  to  hear  more.  We  want  you  to 
talk  all  night.  Do  not  leave  us  so." 

Brother  Brigham  Young  said:  "It 
is  our  duty  to  feed  and  teach  these 
Indians."  Let  me  quote  a  few  lines 
from  him.  He  advised  us  to  "educate 
them  and  teach  them  the  gospel"  so 
that  many  generations  would  not  pass 
ere  they  should  become  a  white  and 
delightsome  people. 

This  is  the  land  they  and  their  fathers 
have  walked  over,  called  their  own.  And 
they  have  just  as  good  right  to  call  it 
theirs  today  as  any  children  have  to  call 
any  land  their  own.  They  have  buried 
their  fathers  and  mothers  and  children  here. 
This  is  their  home,  and  we  have  taken 
possession  and  occupy  the  land  where 
they  used  to  hunt.  Now  the  game  is  gone, 
and  they  are  left  to  starve.  .  .  The  Lord  has 
given  us  the  ability  to  cultivate  the  ground 
and  reap  bountiful  harvests.  We  have  an 
abundance  of  food  for  ourselves  and  for 
the  stranger.  .  .  We  are  living  on  their 
possessions  and  at  their  homes. 

I  should  like  to  quote  again  from 
President  John  Taylor.    He  said: 

The  work  among  the  Lamanites  must 
not  be  postponed  if  we  desire  to  retain 
the  approval  of  God.  Thus  far  we  have 
been  content  simply  to  baptize  them  and 
let  them  run  wild  again,  but  this  must  con- 
tinue no  longer;  the  same  devoted  effort,  the 
same  care  in  instructing,  the  same  organiza- 
tion and  priesthood  must  be  introduced  and 
maintained  in  the  House  of  Lehi  as  amongst 
those  of  Israel  gathered  from  Gentile  na- 
tions. As  yet  God  has  been  doing  all, 
and  we  comparatively  nothing.  He  has 
led  many  of  them  to  us,  and  they  have  been 


I  want  to  say  to  my  friends  that 
we  believe  in  all  good.  If  you  can 
find  a  truth  in  heaven,  earth,  or 
hell,  it  belongs  to  our  doctrine. 
We  believe  it;  it  is  ours;  we 
claim  it. — Brigham  Young. 


baptized,  and  now  we  must  instruct  them 
further  and  organize  them  into  churches 
with  proper  presidencies,  attach  them  to 
our  stakes,  organizations,  etc.,  in  one  word, 
treat  them  exactly  in  these  respects  as  we 
would  and  do  treat  our  white  brethren. 

Brigham  Young  put  this  into  prac- 
tice, the  proclaiming  the  gospel  to  the 
Lamanites,  and  he  sent  missionaries 
up  on  the  Salmon,  over  in  Carson  Val- 
ley, over  into  Moab,  down  on  the 
Santa  Clara,  up  around  Blackfoot,  and 
elsewhere.  He  also  sent  a  mission  out 
to  the  Indian  territory.  We  made  five 
attempts  to  establish  the  work  in  that 
area.  There  were  twelve  missionaries 
went  in  1855.  The  missionaries  were 
withdrawn  from  almost  all  of  these 
places  when  Johnston's  Army  came  to 
Utah.  And  so  the  work  ceased  in  many 
places.  Malaria,  persecution,  and  death 
hampered  the  work,  and  by  1860  the 
Indian  territory  mission  work  had 
lapsed.  There  were  few  missionaries 
to  send,  the  civil  war  was  on,  and 
conditions  at  home  were  difficult,  and 
we  had  just  begun  to  get  established 
here  in  the  West.  A  period  of  seven- 
teen years  elapsed,  and  those  converts 
and  investigators  were  lost,  of  course, 
with  no  one  to  teach  them.  In  1877 
another  group  of  missionaries  went  to 
the  Indian  territory.  After  six  months 
they  returned.  The  malaria  was  too 
much  for  them.  A  year  later  Elder 
George  Teasdale  was  sent  with  some 
other  missionaries,  and  the  work  be- 
gan again,  but  they  also  returned  in 
about  six  months.  The  malaria  was 
most  severe. 

Two  years  later  a  fourth  attempt 
was  made  to  establish  the  work,  and 
missionaries  were  sent  again.  Though 
the  malaria  was  severe,  they  remained, 
and  the  mission  went  on  to  the  present 
time;  but  other  changes  that  were  severe 
came  upon  the  Indian  work.  Texas, 
Kansas,  Missouri,  and  other  states 
were  added  to  the  Indian  Territory 
Mission,  and  it  became  the  Central 
States  Mission,  and  the  emphasis  was 
gradually  transferred  from  the  Indians 
to  the  non-Indians.  When  I  was  in 
that  mission  in  1914,  no  mention  was 
ever  made  of  Indians,  all  the  work 
being  done  among  the  whites.  About 
two  years  ago  President  Francis 
Brown  of  that  mission  sent  missionaries 
again  to  work  among  the  Indians  in 
Oklahoma,  and  the  work  is  again  going 
forward. 

It  is  time  now  that  we  began  to  give 
proper  emphasis  to  this  great  work  of 
bringing  the  Lamanites  to  a  knowledge 
of  their  God.  It  is  our  responsibility 
and  our  opportunity.  Now,  brothers 
and  sisters,  in  the  stakes  and  missions 
you  will  have  a  chance  to  teach  the 
Indian.  Let  your  prayers  ascend  to 
the  Lord  in  behalf  of  them  and  then 
do  your  utmost  to  bring  them  to  higher 
standards,  and  above  all,  give  to  them 
the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  and  the 
knowledge  of  God,  as  they  once  had. 

May  the  Lord  bless  the  Lamanite 
people,  and  bless  us  that  we  may  re- 
alize our  responsibilities  toward  them. 
This  I  pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Ukird  O^ 


esswn, 


One  often  hears  the  question:  Why 
a  church?  I  should  like  briefly  to 
consider  it.  I  shall  hope  to  sug- 
gest to  your  minds  that  the  question  is 
tantamount  to  asking:    Why  religion? 

It  was  one  hundred  fifty-four  years 
ago  this  very  month,  his  second  term 
of  office  as  President  of  the  United 
States  drawing  to  a  close,  that  George 
Washington  announced  to  the  country 
his  determination  to  retire,  and  re- 
quested that  he  be  not  considered 
available  for  re-election  to  the  office 
he  was  about  to  lay  down.  He  made 
it  the  occasion  for  a  farewell  message 
which  partook  almost  of  the  nature  of 
a  last  testament,  bequeathing  to  his 
countrymen  the  fruitage  of  his  rich  and 
varied  experiences. 

As  a  participant  in  the  long  and 
oftentimes  acrimonious  disputes  which 
eventuated  in  the  political  severance 
of  the  American  colonies  from  the 
mother  country,  as  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  untrained,  poorly-disci- 
plined, ill-equipped,  scantily-clad,  un- 
der-provisioned, and  ofttimes  unpaid 
Continental  Army,  as  witness  to  the 
bickerings  and  jealousies  and  petty 
greeds  which,  following  the  war,  so 
threatened  the  wreckage  of  the  in- 
fant nation  that  he  often  wondered 
whether  the  winning  of  the  conflict 
with  Britain  would  prove  to  be  a  bless- 
ing or  a  curse,  as  president  of  the 
convention  which  fashioned  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica and  as  its  first  president,  he  had 
seen  human  nature  at  its  best  and  al- 
most its  worst.  Under  stresses  and 
strains,  sacrifice  and  suffering,  he  had 
seen  men  rise  to  noble  heights  of 
patriotic  devotion.  Likewise,  he  had 
seen  them  usurp  and  abuse  power, 
quarrel  and  bicker,  resort  to  petty 
scheming  for  advantage,  exhibit  mean 
little  greeds,  and  stoop,  under  the  spur 
of  selfish  ambition,  to  ignoble  deeds. 

Drawing  upon  this  ripe  knowledge 
of  human  behavior  with  all  its  foibles 
and  inconstancy,  he  so  packed  into 
that  testamentary  legacy  perennial  wis- 
dom that  it  never  grows  old,  but  is 
valid  for  all  peoples  and  all  times. 

Among  the  nuggets  of  pure  gold 
tucked  away  in  that  admonitory  ad- 
dress are  Washington's  observations 
about  religion  and  morality.  Here  is 
what  he  said: 

Of  all  the  dispositions  and  habits  which 
lead  to  political  prosperity,  religion  and 
morality  are  indispensable  supports.  In 
vain  would  that  man  claim  the  tribute  of 
patriotism  who  should  labor  to  subvert 
these  great  pillars  of  human  happiness — 
these  firmest  props  of  the  duties  of  men 
and  citizens.  The  mere  politician,  equally 
with  the  pious  man,  ought  to  respect  and 
cherish  them.  A  volume  could  not  trace 
all  their  connections  with  private  and  pub- 
lic felicity.  .  .  .  And  let  us  with  caution 
indulge  the  supposition  that  morality  can 
be  maintained  without  religion.  Whatever 
may  be  conceded  to  the  influence  of  re- 
fined education  on  minds  of  peculiar  struc- 
ture, reason  and  experience  both  forbid  us 

DECEMBER  1950 


SATURDAY  MORNING,  SEPTEMBER  30,  10:00  A.M. 


— WHY^ 
A  CHURCH? 


ALBERT  E.   BOWEN 


B,  -JtLii  £.  Be 


J 


owevi 


OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


to  expect  that  national  morality  can  pre- 
vail in  exclusion  of  religious  principle. 
(Sept.  17,  1796.) 

Without  doubt,  when  Washington 
spoke  about  religion,  he  had  in  mind  the 
Christian  religion.  By  and  large  that 
is  the  only  religion  Western  man 
knows.  When  I  speak,  in  what  I  shall 
say  today,  about  religion  or  the  church, 
I  shall  have  in  mind  the  Christian  re- 
ligion and  the  Christian  church,  which 
encompasses  the  moral  and  religious 
teachings  of  the  Old  Testament  as  well 
as  the  New. 

The  church  has  had  many  ups  and 
downs  since  Washington's  day  as  well 
as  before.  It  has  had  periods  of 
strength  as  well  as  periods  of  ques- 
tionings and  doubts.  Agnostics  and 
atheists  have  ever  been  with  it.  It 
has  taught  that  man,  the  individual  as 
well  as  the  race,  is  of  very  great  con- 
sequence. As  a  child  of  God  en- 
dowed with  divine  attributes,  he  is 
capable  of  infinite  advancement  in  the 
scale  of  being,  even  to  ultimate  perfec- 
tion. He  must  have  faith  in  himself 
and  his  high  destiny.  Thus  far,  the 
Christian  is  a  humanist,  and  the  church 
is  humanistic.  But  when  man  loses  his 
humility  and  arrogates  to  himself  a 
self-sufficiency  which  denies  God  or 
any  other  power  higher  than  himself, 
then  the  church  must  part  company 
with  the  humanistic  creed  or  compro- 
mise its  principles. 

Under  the  impact  of  agnosticism, 
atheism,  and  the  extreme  humanism 
which  denies  God  and  makes  man  the 
source  of  all  meaning,  the  Christian 
church  as  a  body  has  compromised  its 
basic  doctrines  to  make  its  teachings 
more  harmonious  with  the  current  of 
popular  opinion.  And  where  has  it 
got  itself?  It  has  lost  its  saving  faith, 
weakened  its  influence,  and  almost  for- 


feited its  moral  leadership.  In  con- 
sequence, men  are  floundering  about 
in  confusion,  not  knowing  what  they 
ought  to  do,  but  well-assured  that  the 
fair  promises  of  irreligion  and  unbelief 
and  human  sufficiency  have  failed  them, 
and  they  are  casting  about  for  anchor- 
age. That  is  the  sorry  plight  of  man 
in  this  age. 

Men  of  distinction  in  the  world  of 
letters,  scientists,  men  of  wide  learn- 
ing in  almost  every  realm  of  scholarly 
research  are  asserting  with  great  ear- 
nestness that  the  only  thing  that  can 
save  our  civilization  is  a  revival  of 
religious  faith.  In  one  of  his  notable 
addresses,  Robert  Gordon  Sproul, 
president  of  the  University  of  Cali- 
fornia, said: 

There  is  a  great  need  for  some  directive 
force  to  rally  the  recuperative  powers  of 
mankind  and  win  the  race  with  catastrophe. 
Education  cannot  provide  such  a  force, 
important  as  it  is,  because  it  is  not  the 
minds,  but  the  souls  of  men  that  must  be 
regenerated  if  catastrophe  is  not  surely  to 
come.  .  .  .  Our  American  heritage  cannot 
long  endure  without  a  firmly-grounded 
religious  faith. 

Only  day  before  yesterday,  General 
Marshall  said  that  military  force  alone 
cannot  defeat  the  enemies  of  the 
United  States.  It  must  be  buttressed 
by  the  weight  of  moral  force. 

These  utterances  are  but  typical  of 
the  warnings  that  are  repeatedly  being 
sounded  by  thoughtful  people  who  are 
concerned  about  the  state  of  men  and 
women  in  this  modern  world.  Thus  is 
the  wisdom  of  Washington's  reminder 
that  religion  and  morality  are  in- 
dispensable supports  to  political  pros- 
perity and  that  morality  cannot  be 
maintained  without  religion  vindicated 
by  the  compelling  logic  of  events  in 
this  disordered  topsy-turvy  world.  One 
of  the  most  frequently  urged  indict- 
ments against  the  Soviet  system  of 
government  as  directed  by  the  Polit- 
bureau  is  that  it  seeks  to  destroy  all 
religion  and  forbids  freedom  of  reli- 
gious practices  to  its  people. 

If,  then,  it  can  be  conceded,  as  is 
so  vigorously  asserted,  that  a  sound 
religious  faith  is  essential  to  the  saving 
of  our  blighted  and  withering  civiliza- 
tion, the  question  demanding  concrete 
and  immediate  answer  is:  How  is  a 
religious  faith  equal  to  this  supreme 
task  to  be  regenerated?  I  do  not  assert 
or  mean  to  say  that  the  average  run  of 
our  people  is  irreligious  or  anti-Chris- 
tian. Christian  standards  of  morality 
have  too  long  been  bred  in  their  bones 
for  that.  The  teachings  of  Christ 
still  furnish  the  best  standards  by 
which  to  measure  values  that  the  world 
knows,  and  the  people  of  this  land, 
out  of  long  habit,  instinctively  turn  to 
them.  At  least  we  pay  lip  service  to 
them.  But  clearly  that  is  not  enough 
to  furnish  the  crusading  fervor  essen- 
tial to  rousing  the  people  of  the  Chris- 
tian nations  to  that  mighty  endeavor. 
It  is  not  a  matter  for  individual,  un- 
confirmed on  following  page) 

983 


Albert  E.  Bo  wen  continued 

coordinated  confession  of  faith.  It 
requires  action,  unified  action.  That 
means  an  organized  agency  or  instru- 
mentality to  give  the  movement  di- 
rection and  solid  purpose.  The  only 
such  organization  at  hand  is  the  church. 
That  is  its  office.  But  there  are  too 
many  people  who  profess  religion  and 
would  probably  be  insulted  if  charged 
with  being  irreligious  or  non-Christian, 
who  at  the  same  time  refuse  to  unite 
with  their  fellows  in  the  effective  prac- 
tice of  religion.  They  tell  us  that  they 
do  not  believe  in  organizational  reli- 
gion. 

Who  has  not  heard  amiable,  good 
men  say:  "I  have  my  own  religion  and 
do  not  need  to  be  bolstered  up  by 
church  affiliation  to  live  a  good  life?" 
Even  if  that  were  so,  it  may  still  be 
that  others  need  the  bolstering  up  their 
superior  strength  would  afford,  and 
after  all,  they  owe  some  obligation  to 
those  who  need  their  help.  But  apart 
from  that,  if  this  sinking,  trouble-torn 
world-order  is  to  be  saved  through  a 
resurgence  of  religious  ferver,  then  it 
is  encumbent  on  every  believer  to 
throw  in  with  his  might.  We  hear 
much  said  these  days  about  isolation- 
ism and  isolationists.  The  least  ex- 
cusable form  of  isolationism  and  the 
most  reprehensible  of  isolationists  is 
that  one  who  holds  himself  aloof  and 
refuses  to  lend  his  strength  with  fellow- 
believers  to  the  supreme  job  of  saving 
civilization  and  the  world. 

The  gospel  taught  by  Jesus  is  a  gos- 
pel of  action.  It  does  not  consist  in 
a  passive  profession  of  faith.  Of 
himself,  Jesus  said  that  he  came  to  do 
the  Father's  will,  not  to  talk  about  or 
profess  it.  He  made  a  parable  about 
the  man  who  heard  his  sayings  and 
did  them  not,  likening  him  to  a  foolish 
man  who  built  his  house  upon  the 
sand,  and  when  the  rains  descended 
and  the  floods  came  and  the  winds 
blew  and  beat  upon  that  house,  it  fell 
because  it  was  built  upon  the  sand. 
That  man  who  heard  his  sayings  and 
did  them  he  likened  to  a  wise  man  who 
built  his  house  upon  the  rock,  and  it 
withstood  the  fury  of  rain  and  flood 
and  tempest. 

The  Christian  church  was  not  estab- 
lished by  isolationists  who  separated 
themselves  from  each  other  or  the 
body  of  believers.  They  were  formed 
into  worshiping  bodies  who  collec- 
tively fought  their  way  to  victory 
against  dire  persecutions,  torture,  and 
death.  They  constituted  themselves 
a  great  brotherhood  cemented  together 
for  the  fulfilment  of  a  purpose  in  which 
they  believed.  Let  him  who  in  placid 
aloofness  luxuriates  in  the  freedom  and 
comfort  and  security  and  ease  which 
Christianity  has  brought  to  the  nations, 
contemplate  what  his  status  might 
have  been  if  there  had  been  no  Chris- 
tian church. 

Organization  is  but  another  name  for 
order ,  and  stability.  Its  opposite  is 
turmoil  and  confusion  and  weakness 
984 


and  ultimate  disintegration.  If  no 
political  body  in  the  world  has  ever 
been  able  to  exist  without  orderly  co- 
ordinated authoritative  organization, 
how  can  it  be  presumed  that  religion 
can  carry  on  its  high  commission  to 
resuscitate  a  sagging  world  without 
the  church  which  is  the  organizational 
instrumentality  through  which  it  car- 
ries out  its  great  work?  Here  is  rea- 
son enough  for  a  church. 

There  is  one  other  vital  considera- 
tion, namely,  the  effect  on  family  life 
and  succeeding  generations  of  the  neg- 
lect of  participation  in  organized 
church  practices.  A  few  years  ago 
I  recited  from  this  pulpit  the  story  of 
a  disturbed  woman's  perplexities.  She 
had  just  visited  a  dear  friend  of  her 
college  days  who  by  then  had  a  well- 
grown  daughter  and  a  son.  She  was 
both  embarrassed  and  shocked  by  the 
behavior  of  these  children.  The  boy 
came  and  went  as  he  pleased,  and  no 
questions  asked  or  answered.  The 
mother's  admonitions  and  protests 
against  the  indelicate  indiscretions  of 
the  daughter  in  her  behavior  with 
young  men  were  met  with  jeers  at  the 
mother's  prudery  and  lack  of  sophisti- 
cation. The  last  night  of  her  visit,  she 
was  awakened  by  a  disturbance  in  the 
house.  The  girl  had  come  home  from 
a  late  party  thoroughly  intoxicated  and 
was  leading  her  escort  in  like  condition 
to  her  room  when  they  were  inter- 
cepted by  the  aroused  parents.  A 
noisy  scene  ensued  before  the  boy  was 
finally  sent  off  home  and  the  girl  put 
to  bed.  So  the  embarrassed  visitor 
went  home  to  clear  her  head  and  do 
some  thinking.  She  remembered  the 
home  environment  in  which  she  was 
reared. 

The  religious  note  was  strong  in  that 
home.  The  Bible  was  read  and  be- 
lieved in.  Daily  the  family  on  their 
knees  talked  to  God  who  was  revered 
and  was  a  reality.  They  were  church- 
going  people  and  set  apart  one  day 
a  week  as  a  holy  day  on  which  to  do 
reverence  to  the  Author  of  life.  They 
sang  majestic  hymns  which  carried 
messages  to  their  expanding  souls. 
They  heard  the  simple,  direct  words 
of  the  gospels  whose  grandeur  some- 
how carried  over  into  their  hearts  and 
furnished  their  ideals  for  living.  These 
ideals,  through  practice,  were  silently 
woven  into  the  pattern  of  their  lives, 
and  they  came  out  with  established 
characters  and  stable  guides  to  con- 
duct which  made  them  secure  against 
the  waves  of  laxity  which  washed 
about  them  with  the  passage  of  time. 
Her  home  and  family  experience 
were  typical  of  those  of  the  youth 
of  her  time,  including  the  friend  she 
had  just  visited.  That  friend,  along 
with  herself,  in  the  days  of  their 
girlhood  association  had  spontaneously 
as  a  matter  of  habit  and  acceptance 
observed  the  conventions  and  proprie- 
ties. 

She  explained  that  she  and  her  friend 
and  their  associates  had  in  their  college 


years  given  up  the  simple  faith  of 
their  youth,  had  ceased  to  give  cre- 
dence to  the  beliefs  which  had  sus- 
tained them,  had  given  up  their  Bible 
reading  and  their  church-going  and 
their  Sabbath  observance  and  their 
prayers.  They  could  live  the  good 
life  without  these  "artificial  props." 
They  didn't  need  the  church.  They 
said  they  had  their  own  religion,  but 
really  it  had  shriveled  up  to  a  mere 
code  of  ethics  now  cut  loose  from  its 
roots  and  no  longer  nourished  from 
the  parent  stem.  Then  with  an  in- 
credible lack  of  recognition  of  the  re- 
lation of  cause  and  effect,  she  professed 
amazement  at  the  moral  bankruptcy  of 
her  friend's  children.  The  truth  was 
that  these  children  by  the  neglect  of 
their  parents  had  been  cut  off  from  the 
very  character-forming  influences  upon 
which  her  own  character,  and  her 
friend's  character,  and  the  character  of 
their  generation  had  depended  for  for- 
mation and  growth. 

While  the  instance  I  have  cited  may 
in  some  aspects  be  extreme,  it  never- 
theless illustrates  a  result  naturally  to 
be  expected.  The  moral  foundations 
established  through  active  participa- 
tion in  the  activities  of  the  church  may 
carry  through  for  one  generation,  but 
scarcely  go  beyond  that.  When  par- 
ents detach  themselves  from  active 
church  affiliations  and  leave  their  chil- 
dren free  to  neglect  it  too,  they  have 
no  right  to  be  surprised  when  their 
children  fall  below  their  own  stand- 
ards. Religion  is  a  powerful  stabilizer-, 
and  the  church  is  the  medium  through 
which  it  is  made  effective. 

I  have  but  merely  mentioned  some  of 
the  reasons  why  there  must  be  a  church 
if  religion  is  to  be  a  force  in  the  world 
or  wield  any  influence  or  power.  Many 
other  cogent  reasons  will  occur  to  you. 

The  church,  however,  is  but  a  dry 
and  barren  mechanism  unless  energized 
by  the  burning  faith  of  a  vital  religion. 
That   is   the   spark   that    gives   it   life.. 

It  would  seem  to  be  the  part  of 
wisdom  that  all  professing  the  same 
creed,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  mighty 
and  the  humble,  the  laborer  and  the 
professional  man,  the  unlearned  and 
the  scholar  should  rally  together  and 
with  united  strength  exert  a  power  in 
the  land. 

To  merit  the  name,  religion  must 
rest  on  solid  conviction.  It  must  stand 
for  something.  It  cannot  temporize  or 
compromise.  The  Christian  church 
rests  on  the  premise  that  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God,  the  resurrected  Lord,  the 
author  of  eternal  life  for  man.  So  long 
as  it  stood  unyielding  on  that  base,  it 
was  a  force  in  the  world.  When  the 
guardians  of  the  faith,  in  their  several 
denominations,  waivered  and  watered 
the  doctrines  down  till  the  virtue  was 
gone  out  of  them,  they  ceased  to  be 
the  prop  and  support  to  morality  and 
political  prosperity  which  Washington 
said  was  indispensable.  So  long  as 
that  is  the  case,  the  world  will  totter 
and  reel.  We  seem  to  be  trying  now 
to  rear  a  government  whose  propo- 
nents and  sponsors  cannot  even  invoke 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


divine  blessing  upon  their  deliberations 
or  its  destiny.  What  chance  do  you 
think  it  has  to  heal  the  wounds  of  the 
world? 

If  religion  is  a  necessary  prop  to  the 
political  government,  so  likewise  does 
the  religious  body,  the  Church,  need 
for  the  protection  of  its  guaranteed 
freedom  a  righteously  administered 
civil  government,  which  depends  upon 


an  intelligent  and  jealously  guarded  use 
of  the  franchise.  That  is  the  citizen's 
protection  against  abuse  and  usurpa- 
tion. 

So  far  as  Latter-day  Saints  are  con- 
cerned, I  pray  that  as  President  Smith 
admonished  at  the  beginning  of  this 
conference,  they  may  have  the  wisdom 
and  honesty  to  put  their  religion  above 
their    partisan    politics    and    unite    to 


gether  as  a  solid  phalanx  to  weed  out 
prostitution  of  power  and  debauchery 
and  subversion  of  the  God-ordained 
freedom  guaranteed  by  the  glorious 
Constitution  of  this  land,  by  voting 
into  office  without  regard  to  party 
affiliation  those  who  will  preserve  it 
unpolluted  and  uncorrupted,  the  pro- 
tector and  guarantor  of  individual 
liberty. 


PRAYER 


i5u  Jkome  £5.  Jfi. 


"i 


^daaciovi 


OF  THE  PRESIDING  BISHOPRIC 


I  AM  very  glad  I  made  it  this  far.  At 
the  opening  session  of  the  confer- 
ence President  Smith  said  this  was 
a  beautiful  picture,  and  it  certainly  is 
a  magnificent  sight,  but  I  would  like  to 
have  some  of  you  brethren  looking  at 
it  now. 

My  dear  brothers  and  sisters,  you 
of  the  radio  audience,  and  you  who 
are  following  the  conference  on  tele- 
vision, I  am  grateful  for  the  privilege 
of  attending  this  conference  in  this 
house  which  was  dedicated  to  the  serv- 
ice of  the  Lord.  Nevertheless,  I  al- 
ways fear  and  tremble  as  I  stand  here, 
and  I  will  be  very  grateful  if  I  might 
have  an  interest  in  your  faith  and 
prayers,  because  I  know  I  need  the 
Lord  now — I  need  him  always.  I  con- 
fess that  I  have  waited  upon  the  Lord. 
I  believe  I  know  my  limitations.  I  have 
prayed,  and  I  have  wanted  to  be  hum- 
ble, and  I  believe  my  soul  is  bowed. 

I,  too,  would  like  to  pay  tribute  at 
this  time  to  President  George  F.  Rich- 
ards. I  am  very  grateful  to  my  Father 
in  heaven  that  I  had  the  privilege  of 
knowing  him  intimately.  He  loved  this 
people.  He  loved  this  Church;  and  the 
people  loved  him.  These  conferences 
were  a  great  comfort  to  his  soul,  and 
he,  in  turn,  always  gave  us  beautiful 
and  wise  counsel.  He  was  truly  one  of 
God's  noblemen.  I  am  particularly 
grateful  for  a  blessing  that  I  received  at 
his  hands,  and  I  sincerely  pray  to  my 
Father  in  heaven  that  he  will  never 
permit  me  to  forget  that  choice  bless- 
ing. 

I  had  a  birthday  a  few  days  ago, 
a  month  after  the  passing  of  President 
George  F.  Richards,  and  on  the  day 
of  my  birthday  I  received  a  letter 
signed  by  President  George  F.  Rich- 
ards, written  in  his  own  handwriting, 
that  his  good  wife  had  kept  and  mailed 
to  me  the  day  before  my  birthday. 
He  had  written  that  letter  just  the  day 
before  he  died.  I  shall  always  treasure 
that  letter,  and  in  it  he  gives  me  some 
advice  that  I  need. 

This  great  tabernacle  that  we  are 
meeting  in  now  was  commenced  in  the 

DECEMBER  1950 


THORPE   B.    ISAACSON 

year  1 863,  nearly  a  hundred  years  ago. 
The  Lord  inspired  the  brethren  to  build 
this  house,  and  it  was  first  used  for  a 
general  conference  such  as  this  in  the 
year  1867,  and  it  was  dedicated  as  a 
house  of  the  Lord. 

Spiritually  I  am  strengthened  as  I 
attend  these  nreat  conferences  of  the 
Church.  The  Lord  revealed  to  the 
brethren  that  conferences  should  be 
held,  both  general  conference  and  stake 
conference,  so  that  we  could  be  spirit- 
ually strengthened  and  instructed  in 
our  duties. 

It  is  very  good  to  be  here  to  worship 
God,  our  Eternal  Father,  together.  We 
are  here  for  no  other  purpose.  We 
have  no  selfish  interests.  We  come  here 
to  thank  our  Father  in  heaven  for  the 
blessings  that  we  enjoy  as  a  people. 
We  come  here  and  unite  our  faith, 
and  when  all  of  us  together  can  unite 
our  faith  humbly,  then  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  is  here  in  rich  abundance. 
It  is  good  to  be  here  and  pray  to- 
gether, and  when  we  say  "Amen"  to 
these  prayers,  we  have  prayed  to- 
gether, and  the  prayers  have  been  so 
beautiful  and  strengthening.  It  is  good 
to  be  here  and  sing  together.  It  is  good 
to  be  here  and  hear  the  word  of  the 
Lord  as  we  have  heard  yesterday  and 
today  and  that  we  will  hear  during 
the  remainder  of  the  conference.  It  is 
good  to  be  here  and  be  taught  the  gos- 
pel of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  good  to  be  here 
and  partake  of  the  spirit  of  the  Lord, 
and  as  is  stated  in  Genesis:  "Truly  this 
is  God's  house." 

As  we  come  here  to  be  instructed 
and  to  draw  near  to  the  Lord,  I  am  re- 
minded of  a  letter  that  I  received  the 
other  day  from  a  nephew  of  mine  who 
is  on  a  mission  over  in  Finland.  Brother 
Stephen  L  Richards  had  just  been  there 
and  spoken  to  these  missionaries,  and 
I  would  like  to  quote  from  a  paragraph 
in  this  missionary's  letter. 

Last   week   it  was   a    real    privilege    to 


A  BLESSING 

a  a 


ani 


PRIVILEGE 


hear  Apostle  Stephen  L  Richards  and  also 
to  see  and  feel  the  example  that  he  is, 
the  spirit  which  he  radiates.  I  sometimes 
am  afraid  these  Apostles  of  God  which 
live  in  our  midst  today  may  not  be  appreci- 
ated for  what  they  really  are.  Many  people 
do  not  realize  that  these  men  are  truly 
Apostles  of  God  in  the  same  sense  of  the 
word  that  Peter,  James,  and  John  were 
Apostles  of  God,  our  Father.  This  great 
Apostle  who  was  inspired  of  the  Lord  stood 
in  front  of  us  this  day  and  told  us  about 
the  things  of  our  Father  in  heaven,  and  I 
shall  never  forget  one  thing  that  he  said 
to  us:  "The  things  of  men  are  understood 
by  the  spirit  of  men,  and  the  things  of  God 
are  understood  by  the  spirit  of  God." 

I,  too,  know  and  bear  testimony  that 
every  one  of  these  Apostles  is  truly 
an  Apostle  of  God,  our  Eternal  Father. 
I  want  to  bear  testimony  in  all  humility 
that  I  know  that  the  Lord  inspires  his 
leaders.  Many  times  I  have  seen  de- 
cisions made  that  for  the  moment  I 
could  not  understand  nor  could  I  com- 
prehend, but  it  was  only  days,  yes, 
only  hours,  until  I  knew  that  the  de- 
cisions that  had  been  made  were  truly 
the  decisions  inspired  of  our  Father 
in  heaven. 

I  am  grateful  for  the  privilege  I  have 
of  living  in  this  day  and  age  when  the 
gospel  has  been  restored.  I  am  grateful 
for  a  little  old  grandfather  who  in  his 
youth  accepted  the  gospel  in  far-off 
Denmark.  I  am  grateful  that  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  came  into  his  bosom  and 
told  him  that  it  was  true.  I  am  grate- 
ful that  he  had  the  courage  and  that 
he  listened  to  that  spirit.  He  had  to 
leave  his  native  land,  his  parents,  and 
his  brothers  and  sisters,  never  again 
to  see  them;  but  oh,  how  he  loved  the 
Lord,  and  how  the  Lord  blessed  him 
all  the  days  of  his  life. 

I  am  grateful  for  the  mission  of  the 
Prophet  Joseph.  I  am  grateful  that  he 
read  that  passage  of  scripture  because 
he  lacked  wisdom.  He  was  confused. 
He  read  that  passage  of  scripture  that 
we  ought  to  read  today  and  practise: 

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. 

(Continued  on  following  page) 

985 


Thorpe  B.  Isaacson 


Continued 


But  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing  waver- 
ing.    (James    1:5-6.) 

He  believed  in  God,  and  he  went  into 
the  Sacred  Grove,  a  natural  place  for 
him  to  go  and  kneel  down  and  pray, 
just  back  of  his  father's  home.  I  don't 
suppose  we  can  ever  imagine  how  he 
must  have  felt  when  God  and  his  Son 
appeared  to  him.  He  saw  them;  they 
spoke  to  him;  and  as  a  result  of  that 
great  event,  one  of  the  great  events 
of  the  ages,  it  has  been  made  possible 
for  you  and  me  to  be  members  of  the 
Church  of  God,  our  Eternal  Father. 
I  am  grateful  for  our  parents  and  our 
grandparents  who  had  that  faith,  who 
did  not  have  the  learning  of  men,  but 
oh,  they  had  the  faith  of  God.  Their 
testimony  was  indeed  strong.  Yes,  if  we 
lack  wisdom;  let  us  ask  of  God.  He 
has  promised  us  if  we  would  seek  after 
him,  we  would  truly  find  him.  I  know 
that  God  hears  and  answers  prayers. 
I  can  confess  humbly,  publicly,  that  I 
know  I  would  not  be  able  to  do  my 
work  if  the  Lord  withheld  from  me  his 
blessings  in  response  to  my  petitions 
and  my  prayers.  God  has  said:  "Pray 
always,  and  I  will  pour  out  my  bless- 
ings upon  you."  Yes,  he  has  said, 

Bring  ye  all  the  tithes  into  the  storehouse, 
that  there  may  be  meat  in  mine  house,  and 
prove  me  now  herewith,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  if  I  "will  not  open  you  the  windows  of 
heaven,  and  pour  you  out  a  blessing,  that 
there  shall  not  be  room  enough  to  receive 
it.   (Malachi  3:10.) 

Other  promises  and  other  blessings  go 
with  all  the  commandments  of  the  Lord. 
Now  as  we  attend  these  conferences, 
oh,  if  we  could  rededicate  our  lives, 
and  put  aside  those  things  that  matter 
little.  Sometimes  I  ponder  over  the 
things  that  I  have  foolishly  placed 
value  on  that  mean  little  or  nothing. 

I  would  like  to  ask  you,  "When  are 
you  the  happiest?"  You're  the  happiest 
when  you  are  trying  your  best  to  serve 
the  Lord  with  all  your  hearts,  with  all 
your  might,  and  with  all  your  strength. 
And  I  would  like  to  ask  you  wnen 
you're  the  most  unhappy?  You're  the 
most  unhappy  when  you  fail  to  do 
those  things  that  the  Lord  has  com- 
manded you  to  do.  Happiness,  true 
happiness,  comes  from  serving  the  Lord 
every  day  as  best  you  can,  trying  just 
a  little  harder  today  than  you  did 
yesterday. 

It  is  marvelous  to  be  associated  with 
the  Latter-day  Saints.  We  love  you 
as  we  come  to  you  in  your  wards  and 
your  stakes.  You're  a  great  inspira- 
tion to  us.  Sometimes  we  try  to  en- 
courage you,  but,  oh,  the  comfort  you 
bring  to  us  from  your  faith  and  your 
prayers  and  your  encouragement  to  us. 

Now  I  would  like  to  say  just  one 
word  about  the  servicemen.  I  wish  you 
could  all  have  heard  Brother  McConkie 
last  night  at  our  bishops'  meeting.  My 
heart  goes  out  to  this  group  of  boys 

986 


who  have  been  called  away  from  their 
loved  ones;  who  have  been  called  away 
from  their  wives,  their  farms,  their 
businesses,  their  schools;  many  of  them 
wanted  to  go  on  missions.  They'll  not 
have  that  privilege  now,  at  least  tem- 
porarily, but,  oh,  I  hope  that  as  a 
Church,  that  as  a  people,  not  only  we 
who  have  sons  of  our  own,  but  that 
all  will  unite  our  faith  that  the  Lord 
will  bless  these  young  men.  They  didn't 
bring  this  on  themselves.  They  go  be- 
cause it  is  their  duty  to  their  country. 
They  don't  like  war;  they  don't  like 
hatred;  and  they  don't  like  killing.  But 
they  are  called  into  the  service  of  their 
country.  Many  of  them  have  just  been 
married,  some  of  them  only  married 
a  couple  of  years,  some  of  them  only 
a  short  time.  They  are  entitled  to  live 
and  to  love  and  to  rear  their  families 
and  build  their  homes.  It  would  not 
matter  so  much  if  it  were  some  of  the 
rest  of  us  who  have  nearly  lived  our 
lives;  but  may  our  faith  and  prayers 
go  out  to  these  young  men.  Pray  for 
them  diligently,  for,  as  Brother  Bowen 
said  this  morning,  "If  this  Church  could 
unite  our  faith,  if  we  can  humble  our- 
selves and  petition  the  Lord  regularly 
that  these  boys  may  be  blessed,  I'm 
sure  that  God  will  look  down  in  his 
tender  mercy  upon  them."  May  we 
pray  every  day  of  our  lives,  pray  hard- 
er than  we  have  ever  prayed  before 
that  God  in  his  mercy  will  stay  the 
hand  of  the  leaders  of  nations,  that  this 
conflict  may  not  become  a  dreadful 
conflict  that  could  ruin  thousands  and 
millions  of  innocent  young  men,  leave 
many  widows,  and  many  children 
fatherless. 

May  we  write  to  those  young  men 
diligently.  May  we  promise  them  that 
we  are  praying  for  them  with  all  the 
faith  and  prayer  and  testimony  that 
we  can  muster.  It  isn't  enough  that  we 
leave  that  just  to  the  parents  of  these 
boys.  Surely  they  will  write  to  them 
nearly  every  day  of  their  lives.  They'll 
need  you.  They  are  not  in  places  of 
worship.  They  are  in  an  environment 
that  is  not  good,  and  you  know  it, 
and  I  know  it;  so  when  we  know  that, 
is  it  asking  too  much  that  we  exercise 
our  faith  and  our  prayers  in  their  be- 
half that  they  can  come  back,  that 
they  can  yet  have  the  privilege  of  living 
and  loving  and  raising  their  families  as 
God  intended?  Oh,  I  am  sure  the  Lord 
must  not  be  pleased  with  the  world 
conditions  of  today. 

Many  of  these  young  men  returned 
from  the  service  three  or  four  years 
ago.  They  didn't  ever  expect  to  be 
called  back  to  the  armed  services 
again.  Some  of  them  signed  up  as  re- 
serve officers,  but  they  did  not  expect 
to  be  called  back  into  bloody  conflict 
in  just  four  or  five  years.  Many  parents 
have  already  received  that  sad  letter 
which  starts  out  "We  regret  to  inform 
you."  Oh,  may  we  pray  to  God  Al- 
mighty, that  he  will  spare  the  lives  of 
our   boys,   that  they   can   come   back 


and  fulfil  their  places  in  the  Church  as 
they  have  desired  to  do. 

I  did  receive  a  ray  of  hope  today 
when  I  read  that  just  yesterday  the 
United  Nations  commander  directed 
the  Lord's  prayer.  Seldom  has  the 
Lord's  prayer  been  uttered  in  such 
solemnity  or  in  such  grim  surround- 
ings. Yesterday  it  was  spoken  in  a 
battered  Korean  capital,  in  the  legis- 
lative halls  where  glass  came  tinkling 
down  from  the  wrecked  dome  at  inter- 
vals, and  where  the  galleries  were 
guarded,  where  they  kept  close  watch 
in  all  directions,  and  where  the  Korean 
guards  stood  outside,  draped  in  gre- 
nades. They  themselves  were  walk- 
ing bombs.  The  leader  of  the  Lord's 
prayer  yesterday  was  General  Douglas 
MacArthur.  He  stood  behind  the 
speaker's  desk  on  the  speaker's  plat- 
form, with  light  showing  the  gravity 
of  his  lean  physique.  Before  him  the 
congregation  at  this  place  of  thanks- 
giving consisted  of  brass  hats  in  army 
uniforms;  haggard,  unshaven  marines 
and  soldiers;  and  many  weary-looking 
war  correspondents  and  other  people. 
The  war  air  was  tainted  with  smoke 
and  death;  smashed  and  burning  build- 
ings stood  along  the  streets;  columns 
of  reverse  refugees  were  now  trying 
to  find  home.  Then  Douglas  Mac- 
Arthur  came  to  that  part  of  his  ad- 
dress where  he  was  about  to  read  the 
Lord's  prayer,  and  he  hesitated  for  a 
very  long  solemn  moment,  and  then 
that  great  man  raised  his  hands  and 
stood  up  and  asked  everybody  to  quote 
the  Lord's  prayer,  and  he  stated,  "In 
humble  and  devout  manifestation  of 
gratitude  to  Almighty  God  for  bring- 
ing this  decisive  victory  to  our  arms, 
I  ask  that  all  present  rise  and  join  me 
in  reciting  the  Lord's  prayer."  There 
was  the  rumbling  shuffle  of  many  ris- 
ing to  their  feet  such  as  you  might  hear 
in  a  great  church.  Off  came  the  camou- 
flaged helmets,  the  canvas  hats,  the 
navy  caps,  the  snappy,  blue  air-force 
hats- — all  were  bowed  as  they  repeated 
the  Lord's  prayer.  It  was  truly  the  act 
of  a  Christian  gentlemanl  Oh,  that 
that  same  spirit,  that  same  confidence 
in  God,  our  Eternal  Father,  could  be 
in  the  hearts  of  all  men  who  are  holding 
responsible  positions! 

I  bear  you  my  testimony  that  I  know 
that  God  lives.  I  know  that  the  spirit 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  understandable. 
I  know  that  it  is  clear.  I  know  that  we 
can  hear  it  if  we  will  only  try  and 
listen  to  it  as  it  speaks  to  us.  And  in 
closing,  I  would  like  to  give  my  favor- 
ite little  quotation: 

Oh,  the  joy  and  comfort  that  comes  from 
feeling  safe  with  a  group  like  you,  having 
neither  to  weigh  my  thoughts  nor  measure 
my  words,  but  pouring  them  out  from  my 
heart,  just  as  I  have  today,  chaff  and  grain 
together,  feeling  certain  that  some  kind 
friend  here  will  accept  what's  worth  keep- 
ing and  with  a  breath  of  kindness,  blow 
the   rest   away. 

God  bless  you,  I  pray,  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


*y~f  ^J4nu    1/1/ (an   cJLoue    Uke    vWond, 

THE  LOVE  OF  THE  FATHER 
IS  NOT  IN  HIM " 


By  J4e 


enr* 


'i 


2).  Wol 


OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


HENRY   D.    MOYLE 


"y  brethren  and  sisters,  I  am  indeed 
grateful  for  this  opportunity  to 
bear  my  testimony  to  you  and  to 
those  who  listen  in.  I  am  grateful  to 
be  counted  a  member  of  the  great 
Church  and  kingdom  of  God  here  upon 
earth.  And  I  am  especially  grateful  that 
my  life  was  touched  as  closely  and  as 
intimately  as  it  was  by  the  life  of  our 
departed  President,  George  F.  Rich- 
ards. I  want  to  join  with  my  other 
brethren  today  in  paying  respect  to  his 
memory.  He  will  always  stand  in  my 
memory  as  a  man  of  God  whose  testi- 
mony of  the  divinity  of  the  work  in 
which  we  are  engaged  will  ever  burn  in 
my  heart.  It  has  increased  my  testi- 
mony and  the  intensity  thereof  because 
I  know  that  what  he  knew  and  what 
he  testified  to  was  true.  I  am  also  very 
grateful  for  the  close  association  I  have 
had  both  in  the  Church  and  out  with 
our  departed  brother,  Frank  Evans.  I 
had  the  privilege  of  practising  law  in 
the  same  courts  and  in  the  same  coun- 
ties as  did  he.  And  whether  it  was  in 
his  profession  or  in  his  Church  activi- 
ties, he  exemplified  the  highest  virtues 
that  we  find  in  our  fellow  men. 

As  I  have  sat  here  during  this  con- 
ference and  looked  into  your  faces,  I 
have  been  conscious  of  the  fact  that 
we  represent  but  a  small  part  of  this 
great  body  of  men ,  and  women  whose 
lives  are  dedicated  to  the  work  incident 
to  the  establishing  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  here  on  earth.  If  we  had  a  build- 
ing which  would  hold  twenty  times  as 
many  people  as  are  here  today,  we 
would  hardly  have  as  many  people  as 
we  meet  every  three  months  in  our 
quarterly  conferences  throughout  the 
Church.  Just  think  of  it:  A  great  army 
of  righteousness  contending  against 
evil!  What  a  power  and  what  a  force 
we  are  in  the  world.  It  was  in  1899 
that  President  Heber  J.  Grant  spoke 
these  words: 

The  Latter-day  Saints  are  indeed,  as  the 
Prophet  Joseph  Smith  said  they  would  be, 
a  mighty  people  in  the  midst  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  we  are  simply  in  our  in- 
fancy. We  are  beginning  to  grow  and  be- 
come a  mighty  people,  but  we  are  nothing 
to  what  we  will  be.  There  is  no  question 
in  my  mind  but  what  the  Lord  is  going 
to  multiply  the  Latter-day  Saints  and  bless 
them  more  abundantly  in  the  future  than  he 
has  ever  done  in  the  past,  provided  of 
course  that  we  are  humble  and  diligent, 
provided  we  seek  for  the  advancement  of 
God's  kingdom  and  do  not  do  our  own 
mind  and  will.  (Conference  Report,  April 
1899,  p.  28.) 

DECEMBER  1950 


I'd  like  to  say  a  few  words  this  after- 
noon about  that  latter  subject.  There 
are  so  many  people  on  the  earth  today 
who  desire  to  do  their  own  will  rather 
than  the  will  of  the  Father.  And  when- 
ever I  think  of  these  people,  I  wonder 
what  there  is  that  we  can  do  in  our 
ministry  to  touch  their  lives,  cause  them 
to  realize  the  blessings  that  are  incident 
to  obedience  to  the  laws  of  God.  What 
is  there  in  life,  after  all,  that  is  so  im- 
portant that  we  cannot  and  should  not 
set  it  aside  to  do  our  full  duty  to  our 
maker?  The  Savior  said  to  his  dis- 
ciples of  old: 

Love  not  the  world,  neither  the  things 
that  are  in  the  world.  If  any  man  love 
the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not 
in  him.    (I   John  2:15.) 

Is  there  anything  the  world  has  to 
offer  us  today  that  is  as  precious  as  the 
truths  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ? 
The  gospel  brings  comfort  and  joy 
into  our  lives,  gives  us  a  sense  of  securi- 
ty which  the  world  cannot  offer  to  us. 
Some  people  today,  and  today  is  a  day 
of  prosperity,  become  so  attached  to 
their  wealth  that  they  become  suffi- 
cient to  themselves.  They  cease  to  be 
dependent  upon  God.  They  sense  no 
necessity  for  any  direction  from  him, 
and  they  go  their  own  way.  Just  as 
certainly  as  they  do,  they  gradually 
lead  themselves  on  toward  destruction. 
When  the  Lord  blesses  us  with  wealth 
and  with  prosperity,  we  have  a  great 
mission  to  perform.  We  can  utilize 
that  which  the  Lord  has  given  us  so 
beautifully  to  build  up  his  kingdom,  to 
help  one  another,  and  to  accomplish 
good,  and  to  be  the  more  dependent 
upon  our  Father  in  heaven  rather  than 
less.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  prosperity, 
economically  speaking,  is  not  the  only 
force  in  the  world  that  draws  us  away 
from  the  things  of  God  and  builds  us 
up  in  our  own  estimation — leads  us  to 
criticize  the  prophets  of  God  here  upon 
the  earth,  thinking  that  our  judgment 
and  our  wisdom  are  superior  to  theirs. 
It  seems  that  when  men  gain  power  on 
this  earth,  whether  it  be  political  or 
otherwise,  they  build  up  within  them- 
selves an  egotism  which  destroys  that 
simple  faith  in  God  which  is  so  essen- 
tial for  men  who  are  charged  with  im- 
portant responsibilities  in  public  life 
and  elsewhere  to  possess. 

Brother  Bowen  read  to  us  this  morn- 
ing from  the  farewell  address  of  Pres- 
ident George  Washington.  Washing- 
ton realized  that  religion  and  morality 


are  the  pillars  which  uphold  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States,  and  with- 
out which  the  Constitution  would  fall. 
Washington  also  realized  and  exem- 
plified in  his  life  the  necessity  for  re- 
ligion and  morality  in  the  lives  of  those 
charged  with  the  responsibility  of  main- 
taining our  Constitution,  and  without 
which  men  will  be  led  away  from  the 
truth.  Men  will  be  led  to  follow  the 
course  which  will  ultimately  destroy 
the  Constitution  rather  than  uphold  it, 
against  their  very  oaths  of  office,  if 
they  once  throw  off  the  cloak  of  moral- 
ity and  of  religion.  No  one  can  fail  to 
uphold  the  Constitution  and  be  a  good 
citizen,  much  less  a  worthy  public  of- 
ficer. One  who  disregards  the  Con- 
stitution is  not  worthy  of  our  patron- 
age, politically  or  otherwise. 

It  grieved  me  very  much  this  year  to 
hear  a  man  running  for  public  office 
decry  the  fact  that  another  man  in  the 
opposite  political  camp  had  religion 
with  him,  as  though  that  totally  dis- 
qualified him  for  public  office.  When 
men,  in  the  exercise  of  the  power  which 
they  hold  by  virtue  of  the  offices  in  the 
government  to  which  they  are  elected, 
begin  to  discredit  religion,  they  cease 
to  become  fit  to  hold  public  office.  And 
I  hope  and  pray  that  we  as  a  people 
shall  be  led  to  exercise  the  rights  which 
are  ours  in  this  great  government  of 
ours  to  vote  for  those  men  who  have 
some  religious  conception  and  who 
seek  to  ordain  their  lives  in  accordance 
with  the  principles  of  truth  and  of 
right;  men  who  respect,  uphold,  obey, 
honor,  and  sustain  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States. 

We  have  in  our  midst  social  organ- 
izations. They  seem  to  be  springing  up 
every  day  in  one  shape  or  another; 
and  because  there  is  some  power,  some 
distinction,  some  prerogative  that  goes 
with  those  who  become  members  and 
the  heads  of  these  organizations 
(whether  they  be  purely  social  or 
otherwise),  many  seem  to  think  that's 
more  important  in  their  lives  than  to 
magnify  the  callings  which  are  theirs 
in  the  priesthood.  We  have  heard 
something  said  this  morning  about 
learning,  and  the  same  thing  holds  true 
for  that.  As  we  become  absorbed 
with  the  wisdom  and  the  learning  and 
the  philosophy  of  men,  unless  we  have 
a  humility  and  a  faith  about  us,  we  shall 
be  led  astray  just  as  certainly  as 
wealth  or  power  might  accomplish  the 
same  purpose.  There  is  a  very  slight 
margin  between  good  and  bad  in  our 
lives.  Sometimes  when  I  see  my  friends 
erring  a  little,  I  wonder  why  it  is  they 
can't  remove  that  margin  and  be  as 
strong  and  faithful  in  keeping  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord  as  their  neigh- 
bor. 

I  want  to  say  that  my  heart  goes  out 
to  you  brethren  and  sisters  here  to- 
day and  to  those  in  the  wards  and 
stakes  of  the  Church  who  are  so  faith- 
ful to  the  callings  which  are  yours,  and 
who  seek  so  earnestly  to  magnify  the 
priesthood  which  is  yours.  I  am  sure 
that  history  in  no  age  of  the  world 
could  record  any  greater  faithfulness 
(Continued  on  following  page) 

987 


Henry  D.  Moyle 


Continued 


than  we  find  today  in  the  lives  of  our 
bishops,  our  stake  presidents,  and  those 
who  labor  under  them  in  the  stakes  and 
wards  of  this  Church.  When  I  look 
into  the  faces  of  these  brethren  who 
have  returned  from  their  missions  as 
mission  presidents,  I  have  a  sense  of 
reverence  for  their  integrity,  their  loy- 
alty, their  faithfulness,  their  courage. 
These  men  have  been  willing  to  give 
up  their  business  and  their  profes- 
sions, leave  their  families  and  homes, 
and  go  out  into  the  world,  and  remain 
just  as  long  as  their  call  extends,  not 
worrying  about  what  happens  in  the 
future.  There  is  no  wealth,  there  is  no 
political  position,  there  is  no  power  or 
social  distinction  which  could  come  to 
these  men  that  could  tempt  them  in  the 
least. 

And  so  it  is  our  purpose  in  the 
Church  to  go  out  among  the  people  in 
the  wards  and  stakes  and  see  whether 
we  can  instil  in  their  hearts  the  kind 
of  faith  and  devotion  which  we  find  in 
these  great  mission  presidents  of  ours. 
It  is  one  of  the  joys  of  my  life  to  be 
able  to  go  into  a  mission  and  become 
intimately  acquainted  and  associated 
with  these  men  as  they  direct  the  efforts 
of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Israel  in 
the  mission  field.  They  give  to  us  an 
example  which  we,  that'  is,  most  of  us, 
endeavor  to  reflect  in  our  own  lives.  I 
am  sure  that  as  we  reflect  this  into  the 
lives  of  those  over  whom  we  preside, 
this  great  Church  and  kingdom  of  God 
on  earth  will  continue  to  grow  and  de- 
velop even  as  President  Grant  said  it 
would  in  1899.  I  am  sure  that  prophecy 
is  yet  unfulfilled.  We  are  still  in  our 
infancy,  and  we  still  have  all  these 
worldly  forces  and  powers  to  combat 
and  to  overcome. 

We  have  a  few  simple  remedies 
which  have  been  given  to  us  of  the 
Lord  by  which  to  accomplish  his  pur- 
pose; I  don't  know,  of  any  remedy 
more  effective  than  ward  teaching.  If 
the  bishops  and  the  stake  presidents 
would  see  to  it  that  this  work  was  en- 
tered into  in  the  true  spirit  of  the 
priesthood,  the  spirit  of  this  work  as 
the  Lord  intended  it,  we'd  be  able  to 
touch  the  lives  of  these  people.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  we'd  even  be  able  to 
live  close  to  those  who  hold  public 
office  if  our  ward  teachers  visited  them 
once  a  month  and  called  their  attention 
to  the  duties  and  responsibilities  they 
owe  to  the  people  who  elected  them  to 
that  office. 

I  would  like  to  say  one  more  word 
about  public  office.  There  seems  to  be 
a  tendency  among  us  in  this  state,  and 
I  presume  even  more  so  in  others,  to 
think  that  when  we  act  as  mayor  of  a 
city  or  in  a  city  council,  we  are  not  re- 
quired to  exercise  that  same  degree  of 
righteousness  that  we  would  in  our 
own  individual  lives.  I  have  particular- 
ly in  mind  today  a  case  where  a  mayor 
and  a  city  council  thought  that  it  was 
perfectly  proper  for  them  to  violate  the 
laws  of  the  state  of  Utah  and  to  carry 
on  in  their  city  parimutuel  betting, 
gambling  in  one  of  its  worst  forms,  in 

988 


connection  with  horse  racing  held  there 
during  one  of  their  city  celebrations. 
They  seemed  to  think,  when  their  acts 
were  challenged,  that  because  they  held 
public  office  and  the  city  treasury  re- 
ceived the  income  from  those  vices 
they  were  completely  justified.  Let  us 
stop  for  a  moment  and  see  where  such 
reasoning  would  ultimately  lead  us..  If 
every  city  in  Utah  did  that  same  thing, 
then  the  mayors  and  the  city  councils 
would  nullify  the  laws  of  the  state 
legislature.  They  would  take  unto 
themselves  powers  that  do  not  belong 
to  them.  They  would  abrogate  the  law 
by  their  own  illegal  and  immoral  prac- 
tices. But,  say  the  people  of  this  one 
town,  they  don't  all  do  it,  and  we're 
the  ones  that  got  this  idea  up  and  we 
ought  to  be  able  to  continue  to  profit 
by  it.  I  asked  them  one  simple  ques- 
tion. Who  is  it  that  comes  to  your  city 
to  attend  these  races?  Well,  they  come 
from  all  over  the  state.  Now  isn't  that 
the  answer?  Has  any  mayor,  has  any 
city  council  the  right  to  carry  on  il- 
legally, gambling  in  the  city  under  the 
auspices  of  the  police  power  of  the 
city  and  invite  everybody  else  from  the 
state  in,  so  that  city  might  profit  by 
preying  upon  the  weaknesses  of  others, 
inviting  as  it  were  the  public  to  come 
there  and  not  only  exhibit  their  weak- 
nesses but  also  lose  their  money.  It 
cannot  be  any  more  objectionable  for 
the  individual  to  carry  on  gambling 
within  the  city  than  it  would  be  for  the 
city  itself.  It  seems  to  me,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  that  those  who  have  taken  a 
solemn  oath  to  uphold  and  sustain  the 
laws  and  the  Constitution  of  the  land 
should  be  the  last  to  violate  them  no 
matter  in  whose  name  they  might  do  it. 
I  hope  and  pray  that  this  coming 
election  will  indicate  to  the  world  the 
steadfastness  of  the  Latter-day  Saints 
in  their  determination  to  move  forward 
as  an  army  of  righteousness,  to  fight 
evil  in  all  its  forms  wherever  it  is  met 
by  putting  into  office  men  and  women 
who  will  stand  for  our  highest  ideals, 
morally  and  religiously.  We  should  be 
discerning  when  we  seek  to  exercise 
any  of  the  rights  that  are  ours.  We 
should  see  that  those  rights  are  exer- 
cised intelligently,  that  we  know  whom 
we  are  voting  for,  and  what  they  stand 
for  when  we  vote  for  them.  It  is  our 
privilege,  yes,  our  duty,  to  know  the 
position  legislators  will  take  on  all  mat- 
ters of  interest  to  us.  Will  those  who 
seek  our  patronage  at  the  ballot  box,  if 
elected  to  the  legislature  of  this  state, 
vote  for  sale  of  liquor  by  the  drink? 
Will  they  vote  for  horse  racing  with 
parimutuel  betting,  gambling  on  the 
side?  Will  they  otherwise  let  down 
the  bars  of  morality  and  permit  men 
to  come  into  our  communities  and  prey 
upon  the  weaknesses  of  the  flesh.  No 
man  ought  to  be  very  proud  of  his  ac- 
complishments if  those  accomplish- 
ments consist  of  capitalizing  upon  the 
human  weaknesses  and  frailties  of 
others.  Generally  speaking,  it  is  the 
young  people,  the  boys  and  girls,  who 
are  naturally  inclined  to  be  a  little  reck- 


less. They  get  in  the  groove,  as  it  were, 
in  the  habit  of  gambling,  by  learning 
that  most  vicious  habit  of  trying  to  get 
something  for  nothing.  It  is  prevalent 
today  in  the  individual  lives  of  our  peo- 
ple and  in  all  of  our  government  units 
to  give  the  people  as  much  as  possible 
for  nothing  and  to  see  how  little  the 
people  shall  ultimately  be  required  to 
work  for  what  they  get.  I  hope  and 
pray  that  the  day  will  come  when 
every  Latter-day  Saint  will  stand  for 
the  enthroning  of  labor  and  industry 
and  thrift.  God  bless  us  to  be  wise,  to 
be  discreet  and  discriminating  and  dis- 
cerning, and  to  utilize  every  force  and 
every  asset  that  we  have  to  see  to  it 
that  our  governments  are  conducted  by 
men  who  uphold  the  Constitution  un- 
conditionally, who  believe  in  God,  who 
lend  obedience  to  his  commandments, 
I  pray  humbly  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


DELBERT  L.  STAPLEY 

RESPONSE 

10  A 

CALL 


OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


President  J.  Reuben  Clark,  Jr. 

"\T7elcome  to  this  pulpit.    The  apos- 
" "   tleship  is  a  great  honor  and  a  high 
responsibility. 

Elder  Delbert  Leon  Stapley 

Brothers  and  sisters,  I  feel  more 
keenly  than  ever  that  what  Presi- 
dent Clark  has  just  said  is  true.  I 
am  grateful  I  had  the  stopover  privilege 
on  the  way  up  to  the  pulpit,  otherwise 
I  am  fearful  I  would  not  have  made 
the  grade.  I  stand  before  you  in  all 
humility.  I  am  very  humble  about 
this   call,    and   I   know   I   require   the 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


blessings  of  the  Lord  if  I  fulfil  such 
a  high  responsibility.  I  know,  too, 
that  I  require  your  love  and  confidence, 
your  faith  and  prayers,  for  it  is  my 
desire  since  receiving  this  appointment, 
with  the  help  of  the  Lord,  to  give  it 
the  best  that  I  am  capable  of  giving. 

I  would  like  to  tell  you  just  a  little 
about  the  call  because  it  is  a  testimony, 
at  least  to  me.  But  first  I  would  like 
to  say  that  I  love  these  brethren,  the 
General  Authorities.  I  know  them  all, 
and  I  have  had  the  privilege  as  a 
counselor  in  the  stake  presidency  and 
as  president  of  a  stake  to  work  with 
them.  I  appreciate  their  high  spiritual 
leadership,  their  fine  counsel  and  ad- 
vice. I  have  been  coming  to  general 
conferences  for  a  long  time,  and  it 
has  been  my  privilege  to  raise  my  hand 
to  sustain  these  brethren,  and  I  have 
always  tried  to  do  just  that.  Most  of 
my  life  I  have  been  actively  engaged 
in  the  Church.  I  love  the  Church;  I 
love  to  work  in  the  Church.  I  delight 
in  working  with  people.  I  am  sure  this 
calling  gives  me  that  opportunity. 

Thursday,  having  some  stake  busi- 
ness to  transact,  just  following  the 
noon  hour,  but  understanding  the 
General  Authorities  were  in  session, 
I  thought  I  had  time  to  go  down  the 
street  to  visit  a  friend  of  mine  before 
they  returned  to  their  offices.  As  I 
got  out  of  the  elevator  in  the  Hotel 
Utah,  who  should  the  Lord  place  in 
my  path  but  President  George  Albert 
Smith.  There  is  no  one  I  would  rather 
see,  for  I  have  known  and  loved  him 
for  a  long  time.  As  a  boy  I  remember 
his  coming  into  my  father's  home 
representing  the  General  Authorities  as 
a  stake  conference  visitor.  When  I 
went  on  my  mission  to  the  Southern 
States,  President  Smith  set  me  apart 
for  that  mission.  When  my  wife  and 
I  were  married  in  the  Salt  Lake  Tem- 
ple, President  Smith  officiated.  When 
he  was  General  Superintendent  of  the 
Mutual  Improvement  Association,  I 
was  superintendent  of  the  Maricopa 
Stake  Mutual  Improvement  Associa- 
tion. During  the  dedication  of  the 
Arizona  Temple  at  Mesa,  President 
Smith  and  his  lovely  wife  lived  with 
us  for  a  period  of  two  weeks.  He  has 
been  in  our  home,  and  I  have  seen 
him  many  times  since.  To  us  he  is 
a  very  dear  person. 

And  so  here  he  was,  blocking  my 
way.  He  said,  "President  Stapley, 
you  are  just  the  man  I  am  looking  for." 
There  in  the  lobby  of  Hotel  Utah  he 
told  me  that  it  was  the  wish  of  the 
Brethren  that  I  come  on  the  Council. 
Well,  I  saw  him  to  the  door,  and  I 
am  sure  I  must  have  looked  like  a 
ghost  because  people  were  staring  at 
me  as  I  walked  back  into  the  hotel, 
and  I  thought,  surely  everyone  knows. 
I  went  up  to  the  room  and  called  my 
wife  from  an  adjoining  room.  I  just 
couldn't  speak,  I  was  so  overcome  with 
emotion.  She  tried  for  a  long  time  to 
find  out  what  was  wrong.  She 
thought  surely  something  serious  had 
happened  to  me.  Well,  to  some  peo- 
ple, perhaps,  it  had.  But  when  I 
finally  composed  myself  and  told  her 

DECEMBER  1950 


about  the  interview  with  President 
Smith,  the  only  consideration  I  re- 
ceived from  her  was  full  encourage- 
ment to  accept  the  assignment. 

I  deeply  appreciate  my  good  wife 
for  the  position  she  took,  and  I  know 
that  in  this  work  if  it  were  not  for 
good  wives,  the  men  could  not  suc- 
ceed in  such  high  callings.  I  have 
learned  to  rely  completely  upon  these 
Presiding  Brethren,  and  I  know  when 
I  sustain  them,  as  being  accepted  of 
the  Lord,  I  too  am  accepted  of  the 
Lord  and  our  Heavenly  Father. 

Brothers  and  sisters,  that  is  true  of 
all  of  us.  When  we  receive  and  fol- 
low those  whom  the  Lord  has  chosen, 
we  are  accepted  of  the  Lord  and  our 
Heavenly  Father. 

Now  just  one  other  thing.  As  I 
was  passing  through  Salt  Lake  City 
on  my  way  to  the  Southern  States 
Mission,  I  received  a  patriarchal 
blessing  from  Hyrum  G.  Smith,  the 
father  of  our  present  Patriarch  to  the 
Church.  I  haven't  read  that  blessing 
for  some  little  time,  but  after  this  call 
came,  two  things  in  that  blessing  stood 
out  in  my  mind  that  impressed  me  very 


greatly.  One  was  that  I  would  be 
called  into  positions  of  responsibility 
and  trust.  And  this,  in  a  measure,  I 
have  enjoyed  along  the  way,  but  the 
crowning  achievement  is  in  this  ap- 
pointment to  the  apostleship.  And  the 
other  was  that  I  would  travel  much  for 
the  gospel's  sake.  Well,  I  didn't 
know  when  and  how  in  the  work  I 
was  doing  I  would  be  able  to  realize 
this  blessing.  I  never  expected  to  be 
called  into  this  position,  but  it  does 
open  up  the  way  whereby  this  blessing 
will  be  realized.  And  so  I'm  grateful 
to  the  faithful  patriarchs  of  the  Church 
who  enjoy  the  spirit  of  their  calling, 
and  for  the  ability  they  have  to  lay  out 
before  us  our  pattern  of  life,  and  I 
know  if  we  keep  in  the  way  of  God's 
commandments,  we  will  realize  that 
pattern  of  life. 

I  have  a  testimony  of  this  gospel. 
It  is  a  great  Church,  and  I  enjoy  work- 
ing in  it,  and  I  hope,  brothers  and 
sisters,  that  I  may  get  acquainted  with 
you  in  this  responsibility  and  gain  your 
love  and  respect  and  confidence.  I 
ask  for  your  faith  and  prayers  that 
I  may  serve  you  well,  and  I  do  it  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


WARNING 


bounded 

HERESIES 


B, 


t 


PRESIDENT  J.  REUBEN  CLARK,  JR. 

I  FEEL  very  humble,- brothers  and  sis- 
ters, standing  before  you  today,  and 
it  is  my  dearest  hope  that  the 
spirit  which  has  thus  far  been  present 
in  this  conference  will  continue  with 
us  while  I  speak.  And  to  that  end  may 
I  humbly  ask  for  faith  and  your 
prayers,  that  I  may  be  led  to  say  some- 
thing that  will  be  helpful  to  you  and 
to  all  who  are  listening  in. 


I  might  begin  by  adding  my  tribute 
to  that  great  soul  who  is  not  with  us 
today,  who  was  here  last  time,  Presi- 
dent George  F.  Richards.  I  have  never 
known  a  man  of  finer  spirit,  greater 
integrity,  more  devotion,  more  loyalty 
than  President  George  F.  Richards 
possessed  or  exercised  in  his  life. 

Brother  Frank  Evans  also  was  a 
splendid  character,  a  man  of  great 
ability,  a  man  whose  place  it  will  be 
hard  to  fill. 

We  are  met  here  today  as  members 
of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Lat- 
ter-day Saints — and  I  am  impressed 
with  that  name,  The  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ.  I  would  like  to  say  a  few  words 
(Continued  on  following  page) 

989 


President  J.  Reuben  Clark,  Jr.  continued 


today  based  on  the  necessity  of  our 
remembering  that  name  and  of  our 
yielding  loyalty  and  obedience  thereto. 

Out  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  the 
day  before  the  crucifixion,  the  Lord 
preached  a  great  sermon  to  his  Apos- 
tles, in  which  he  spoke  of  the  times 
that  were  to  come.  The  Prophet  Joseph 
has  given  us  a  revised  translation  of 
that  great  speech.  In  that  speech  he 
spoke  of  the  times  when  the  anti-Christ 
would  come.  He  also  spoke  of  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  what 
should  precede  that  event,  apparently 
the  destruction  which  came  under  Ti- 
tus. You  may  have  to  read  the  dis- 
course with  care  to  determine  when 
the  Lord  was  speaking  of  the  one  and 
then  of  the  other,  but  the  revised  trans- 
lation will  help  you  in  your  study. 

At  that  time,  the  Apostles  seemingly 
felt,  and  they  felt  thereafter,  that  the 
second  coming  of  the  Savior  was  near 
at  hand.  That  was  nearly  two  thou- 
sand years  ago.  In  those  early  days 
of  the  Church,  shortly  after  the  Apos- 
tles began  their  work,  there  began  to 
be  "fallings  away"  from  those  who  had 
joined  the  Church.  There  were  a  num- 
ber of  things  that  led  to  that:  perhaps 
not  a  full  understanding  of  the  gospel, 
their  association  and  proximity,  their 
elbow  rubbing  with  pagan  religions, 
and  other  things.  But  in  that  time, 
Peter  warned  them  of  what  he  called 
"damnable  heresies,"  and  the  Apostle 
Paul,  in  his  epistles  to  Timothy  and  to 
Titus,  spoke  more  specifically  of  the 
wickedness  and  the  transgressions 
which  were  among  the  people,  and 
warned  Timothy  and  Titus  to  warn 
the  people. 

In  our  own  modern  revelation,  the 
Prophet  Nephi  has  spoken  of  these 
days  when  men  would  set  up  their  own 
reason  and  their  own  learning  against 
the  gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  he  warned  us  to  beware  of  such 
doctrines. 

I  want  to  refer  briefly  to  two  or  three 
of  the  old  heresies  that  are  now  present 
amongst  us.  You  will  hear  among  our 
intellectuals  not  infrequently  that  the 
God  of  the  Old  Testament  is  different 
from  the  God  of  the  New  Testament; 
that  the  God  of  the  Old  Testament  has 
evolved  into  the  God  of  the  New — 
rather  a  rapid  evolution,  if  it  were 
true.  That  doctrine  had  its  base  in 
what  we  know  as  Marcionism,  which 
appeared  very  early  in  the  church. 
The  doctrines  of  Marcion  seem  to 
have  been  founded  upon  the  hatred 
which  he  bore  toward  the  Jews  and 
his  determination  to  try  to  wipe  out 
belief  in  all  that  God  had  done  with 
the  Jews,  and  to  destroy  the  God  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.  When  that 
doctrine  is  reduced  down,  it  means 
this:  that  God  is  what  man  conceives 
him  to  be;  that  man  creates  his  God, 
instead  of  God  creating  man.  No 
greater  falsehood  can  be  promulgated 
than  that. 

Another  heresy  which  appeared  in 
the  early  days  was  known  as  Arianism 
and  that  was  called  Sabellianism,  which 

990 


identified  as  one  being,  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  man 
Arius,  apparently  a  resident  of  Alexan- 
dria and  a  member  of  the  Egyptian 
church,  in  order  to  get  away  from  that 
concept,  developed  the  idea,  the  doc- 
trine, that  Jesus  was  merely  a  mortal 
man,  a  man  of  exceptional  power,  wis- 
dom, and  with  a  great  code  of  ethics. 
That  was  in  substance  the  contention. 
Marcionism  destroyed  God  and  Arian- 
ism destroyed  the  Christ.  These  two 
false  doctrines  shook  the  early  Chris- 
tian church.  That  doctrine  of  Arianism 
is  with  us  today.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
it  would  seem  that  the  Protestant 
churches  themselves  are  largely  tinc- 
tured with  it.  They  no  longer,  appar- 
ently, preach  the  simple  doctrine  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  the  Living 
God,  but  on  the  other  hand  they  gloss 
that  over  and  talk  about  his  greatness, 
which,  of  course,  he  had.  I  want  us 
to  be  warned  against  the  appearance 
of  these  doctrines,  because  they  are 
grievous    sins. 

The  third  thing  I  want  to  mention 
is  paganistic  immorality.  Among  some 
ancient  peoples  it  had  advanced,  im- 
morality had,  to  such  a  stage  of  de- 
pravity that  they  actually  set  up  in  the 
worship  of  some  of  the  pagan  deities, 
religious  prostitutes,  who,  as  a  matter 
of  religion,  offered  themselves  in  the 
temple  precincts  to  those  who  were 
devotees  of  that  religion. 

The  same  elements  that  had  to  do 
with  that  doctrine  are  at  work  amongst 
us.  There  is  an  effort  made  in  some 
quarters  to  destroy  all  idea  of  the  sanc- 
tity of  chastity.  In  some  quarters  it  is 
taught  that  the  urge  of  sex  is  like  the 
urge  of  hunger  and  thirst  and  should  be 
equally  satisfied.  That  doctrine  is  from 
the  devil  and  will  lead  to  destruction 
for  any  man,  any  woman,  any  people 
that  espouse  it  and  practise  it. 

Now,  coming  back  to  the  Savior,  he 
said:  "For  what  is  a  man  profited,  if 
he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose 
his  own  soul?  or  what  shall  a  man  give 
in  exchange  for  his  soul?"  (Matthew 
16:26.) 

The  evidence  about  the  Savior  and 
his  identity  has  been  accumulating  over 
the  years,  both  by  experience  from  him, 
himself,  and  by  the  testimonies  of  those 
who  have  been  privileged  to  receive  a 
testimony  and  a  knowledge  that  he 
lives.  We  will  note  some  great  testi- 
monies. 

On  several  occasions  the  Savior 
himself  declared  to  those  who  were 
about  him  that  he  was  the  light  of  the 
world,  the  light  that  shineth  in  the 
darkness,  and  the  darkness  compre- 
hendeth  it  not.  He  made  this  statement 
to  the  multitude  who  remained  after 
he  had  forgiven  and  dismissed  the  wom- 
an who  was  taken  in  adultery.  He 
made  the  same  statement  to  those  who 
were  in  attendance  when  he  healed  the 
man  blind  from  his  birth  at  the  pool  of 
Siloam.  He  has  made  it  in  modern 
times,  in  our  modern  revelations,  over 
and  over  again,  where  he  has  said, 
changing  it  a  little  bit:  "I  am  the  life 


and  the  light  of  the  world."  (D.  &  C. 
12:9.)  When  he  was  in  the  temple, 
shortly  before  the  crucifixion,  when  he 
was  speaking  to  the  Father,  he  said 
his  soul  was  troubled;  should  he  say — 
save  me  from  this  hour;  yet,  he  added, 
for  the  very  purpose  of  enduring  this 
hour,  he  had  come.  He  asked  the 
Father  to  glorify  his  name,  and  the 
Father  said:  "I  have  both  glorified  it, 
and  will  glorify  it  again."  (John  12: 
28.)  Some  of  the  people  thought  it 
thundered;  others  thought  an  angel 
spoke.    Jesus  understood. 

There  has  always  been  to  me  a  great 
lesson  in  that  incident.  We  do  not  al- 
ways understand  the  Savior.  We  do 
not  always  understand  the  messages 
from  heaven.  We  are  not  in  tune. 
When  the  Savior  was  introduced  upon 
this  continent,  the  Father  spoke  from 
heaven.  The  people  heard  the  noise 
but  did  not  understand.  He  spoke 
again,  but  they  did  not  understand. 
Finally,  the  third  time,  they  heard  and 
knew  what  he  said:  "Behold  my  Be- 
loved Son."   (Ill  Nephi  11:7.) 

When  Jesus  was  before  the  San- 
hedrin  on  the  night  before  the  cruci- 
fixion, Annas  and  Caiaphas  were  there, 
and  the  rest  of  them.  Finally,  they 
said  to  the  Savior,  "Art  thou  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  Blessed?"  And  he  re- 
plied to  them,  "I  am."  (See  Mark 
14:61-62.) 

You  remember  when  he  was  met  by 
Martha;  you  remember  that  colloquy 
at  the  time  of  the  death  of  Lazarus. 
Just  before  Lazarus  was  raised,  the 
Savior  said  to  Martha,  in  the  course  of 
their  conversation  and  near  its  end, 
"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.) 

I  want  to  read  you  John's  testimony 
found  at  the  beginning  of  the  gospel: 

In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the 
Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was 
God.  The  same  was  in  the  beginning  with 
God. 

All  things  were  made  by  him;  and  with- 
out him  was  not  anything  made  that  was 
made. 

In  him  was  life;  and  the  life  was  the  light 
of  men. 

And  the  light  shineth  in  darkness;  and  the 
darkness  comprehended  it  not.  .  .  . 

And  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and 
dwelt  among  us,  (and  we  beheld  his  glory, 
the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father,)  full  of  grace  and  truth.  (Ibid., 
1:1-5,14.) 

I  can  only  refer  to  the  great  vision 
of  Stephen  and  to  his  testimony  as  he 
died.  After  they  had  gnashed  at  him 
with  their  teeth  and  beaten  him  with 
stones,  he  cried  out  that  he  saw  the 
Son  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father.  And  then,  as  the  scriptures 
say,  before  "he  fell  asleep"  from  his 
beating,  he  implored  our  Heavenly 
Father  to  forgive  them. 

Then  I  refer  to  the  First  Vision  and 
its  testimony  when  the  Father  and  the 
Son  came  to  the  Prophet  Joseph  in  the 
most  glorious  vision  ever  recorded  in 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


history — two  beings,  the  one  introduc- 
ing the  other,  and  the  other  giving  the 
instructions.  I  am  always  lifted  up  by 
reading  what  is  recorded  in  the  Doc- 
trine and  Covenants  of  the  time  when 
Joseph  and  Sidney  had  their  vision  and 
another  testimony: 

The  Lord  touched  the  eyes  of  our  under- 
standings (they  record),  and  they  were 
opened,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shone 
round  about. 

And  we  beheld  the  glory  of  the  Son,  on 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  and  received 
of  his  fulness; 

And  saw  the  holy  angels,  and  them  who 
are  sanctified  before  his  throne,  worshiping 
God,  and  the  Lamb  who  worship  him 
forever  and  ever. 

And  now,  after  the  many  testimonies 
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  created,  and 
the  inhabitants  thereof  are  begotten  sons 
and  daughters  unto  God.  (D.  &  C.  76: 19- 
24.) 

Out  on  the  Mount  of  Olives  on  the 
night  before  the  crucifixion,  just  before 
he  went  into  the  garden,  the  Christ 
said:  "And  this  is  life  eternal,  that 
they  might  know  thee  the  only  true 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast 
sent."    (John  17:3.) 

My  brothers  and  sisters,  this  is  the 
testimony  which  we  have.   This  is  the 


testimony  that  we  must  retain.  I  bear 
you  my  testimony,  born  of  the  spirit, 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ;  that  as  Peter 
said:  "There  is  none  other  name  under 
heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we 
must  be  saved";  (Acts  4:12)  that  he 
is  the  Only  Begotten  of  the  Father; 
that  salvation  comes  through  him  and 
only  through  him;  and  I  bear  you  my 
testimony  that  we  have  the  restored 
gospel,  that  Joseph  Smith  was  a  proph- 
et, and  that  all  those  who  have  fol- 
lowed him  as  Presidents  of  the  Church 
are  prophets,  seers,  and  revelators. 
I  bear  you  this  testimony  in  the  hope 
that  it  may  strengthen  others  as  well 
as  strengthen  my  own,  and  I  pray  that 
God's  choicest  blessings  be  with  you, 
and  I  do  it  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


\iik  Session  .  .  .    SUNDAY  MORNING,  OCTOBER  1,  10:00  A.M. 


PRESIDENT   DAVID   O.   McKAY 

With  President  Smith  and  others  of 
the  brethren  and  with  all  of  you 
I  miss  President  George  F.  Rich- 
ards, and  our  other  close  associate, 
Brother  Frank  Evans,  However,  who 
knows  but  that  they  may  be  nearer  to 
us  than  we  think? 

"And  the  two  disciples  heard  him 
speak,  and  they  followed  Jesus. 

"Then  Jesus  turned,  and  saw  them 
following,  and  saith  unto  them,  What 
seek  ye?  They  said  unto  him,  Rabbi, 
(which  is  to  say,  being  interpreted, 
Master,)  where  dwellest  thou?"  (John 
1:37-38.) 

About  forty  years  ago,  a  stranger  sat 
in  this  Tabernacle  and  listened  to  a 
message  such  as  those  to  which  we 
have  listened  throughout  this  confer- 
ence. My  informant  didn't  tell  me  who 
spoke  on  that  occasion,  but  he  thought 
it  was  President  Charles  W.  Penrose. 
As  the  stranger  and  his  host  walked  out 

DECEMBER  1950 


QUESTS  2U 


ermine 


avid 


SUCCESSES 


from  that  meeting,  the  visitor  said  to 
his  companion,  I  would  give  all  that  I 
possess  if  I  knew  that  what  that  man 
has  said  this  afternoon  is  true." 

Well,  he  would  not  have  to  give  all 
that  he  possessed  to  know  that;  if  he 
had  but  followed  the  example  of  these 
two  disciples,  he  might  have  learned,  as 
they,  the  truth  of  what  President  Pen- 
rose, or  whoever  it  was,  gave  on  that 
occasion. 

With  your  cooperative  help  and  the 
inspiration  of  the  Lord,  I  should  like  to 
mark  out  that  path. 

"What  seek  ye?"  and  the  answer, 
"Master,  where  dwellest  thou?"  And 
thereby,  "Come  and  see."  These 
two  disciples  sought  Jesus  upon  the 
testimony  of  John  the  Baptist,  whom 
they  had  been  following,  and  who  only 
a  day  or  so  before,  seeing  Jesus  walk- 
ing near  Jordan,  said,  "Behold  the 
Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world."  (John  1:29.) 
It  seems  that  none  left  John's  side, 
at  that  time,  but  the  next  day  John 
repeated  his  testimony,  and  these  two 
disciples,  one  of  whom  was  An- 
drew, Simon  Peter's  brother,  followed 
Jesus.  We  can  only  conjecture  how 
clearly  or  deeply  they  sensed  the  fact 
that  in  thus  seeking  the  Son  of  Man 
they  were  taking  the  first  step  toward 
eternal  life.  But  this  we  do  know,  that 
the  Savior  has  given  the  divine  assur- 
ance that  "...  this  is  life  eternal,  that 
they  might  know  thee  the  only  true 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast 
sent."  (John  17:3.) 

Man's  success  or  failure,  happiness 


&  l^re6ldevit  <JJauid  \J.  ulc^J\a 


9 


or  misery,  depend  upon  what  he  seeks 
and  what  he  chooses.  What  a  man  is, 
what  a  nation  is,  may  largely  be  deter- 
mined by  his  or  its  dominant  quest.  It 
is  a  tragic  thing  to  carry  through  life  a 
low  concept  of  it. 

The  great  writer  Carlyle  says,  "The 
thing  a  man  does  practically  believe, 
the  thing  a  man  does  practically  lay  to 
heart,  and  know  for  certain  concerning 
his  vital  relations  to  this  mysterious 
universe,  and  his  duty  and  destiny 
there,  that  is  in  all  cases  the  primary 
thing  for  him,  and  creatively  deter- 
mines all  the  rest.  This  is  his  religion; 
or  it  may  be  his  mere  skepticism  and 
no  religion;  the  manner  it  is  in  which 
he  feels  himself  to  be  spiritually  re- 
lated to  the  unseen  world  or  no  world. 
I  say  if  you  tell  me  what  that  is,  you 
tell  me  to  a  very  great  extent  what  the 
man  is,  what  the  kind  of  things  he  will 
do  is." 

The  disciples'  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, "What  seek  ye?"  gives  a  key  to 
man's  highest  and  noblest  quest: 
"Master,  where  dwellest  thou?"  saying 
in  effect,  We  desire  to  know  thee  and 
thy  teachings.  They  stayed  with  Jesus 
all  that  day,  for  it  was  the  ninth  hour. 
And  later  Andrew  sought  his  brother 
Simon  and  said,  "...  we  have  found 
the  Messias,  which  is,  being  inter- 
preted, the  Christ."  (John  1:41.)  "If 
.  .  .  thou  seek  the  Lord  thy  God,"  is 
the  promise  coming  down  through  the 
ages,  "thou  shalt  find  him,  if  thou 
seek  him  with  all  thy  heart  and  with 
all  thy  soul."  (Deut.  4:29.) 

{Continued  on  following  page) 

991 


President  David  0.  McKay 


Continued 


This,  then,  brethren  and  sisters,  is 
the  all-important  quest  of  life:  To  seek 
God  and  Jesus  Christ,  to  know  whom 
is  eternal  life. 

The  messages  given  in  this  confer- 
ence have  directly  and  indirectly  an- 
swered the  question  of  how  we  may 
know  him.  Jesus  expressed  it  clearly 
on  one  occasion  when,  attending  the 
Feast  of  the  Tabernacles  in  Jerusalem, 
he  declared  to  the  Jews  who  marveled 
at  his  preaching,  "My  doctrine  is  not 
mine,  but  his  that  sent  me. 

"If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall 
know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of 
God,  or  whether  I  speak  of  myself." 
(John  7:16-17.) 

In  his  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  he  ex- 
pressed the  same  thought  in  these 
words:  "Not  every  one  that  saith  unto 
me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven;  but  he  that  doeth 
the  will  of  my  Father,  which  is  in  heav- 
en." (Matt.  7:21.) 

These  statements  awaken  in  the 
mind  of  the  honest  investigator  the 
great  question,  "What  is  God's  will?" 
If  we  knew  it,  surely  we  would  obey  it. 

Well,  Christ  has  not  left  us  with  that 
question  unanswered.  His  will  is  sum- 
marized in  the  memorable  reply  he  gave 
to  the  lawyer  who  asked  him  the  ques- 
tion with  a  desire  to  entrap  him,  "Mas- 
ter, which  is  the  great  commandment 
in  the  law?" 

Answered  the  Savior:  ".  .  .  Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and 
with  all  thy  mind. 

"This  is  the  first  and  great  command- 
ment. 

"And  the  second  is  like  unto  it,  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  On 
these  two  commandments  hang  all  the 
law  and  the  prophets."  (Matt.  22:36- 
39.) 

Further,  regarding  the  will  of  God, 
the  Apostle  Peter  particularized  when, 
on  the  Day  of  Pentecost,  with  one  ac- 
cord the  people  asked  him  and  the 
other  Apostles,  "...  Men  and  breth- 
ren, what  shall  we  do?" 

"Repent,"  answered  Peter,  "and  be 
baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission  of 
sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

"For  this  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to 
your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar 
off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God 
shall  call."  (Acts  2:37-39.) 

To  repent — this  we  should  note  care- 
fully—is to  feel  regret,  contrition,  or 
compunction  for  what  one  has  done  or 
omitted  to  do.  It  means  to  change  one's 
mind  in  regard  to  past  or  intended  ac- 
tions or  conduct  on  account  of  regret 
or  dissatisfaction.  It  means  to  conquer 
selfishness,  greed,  jealousy,  fault-find- 
ing, and  slander.  It  means  to  control 
one's  temper.  It  means  to  rise  above 
the  sordid  things  which  pure  nature 
would  prompt  us  to  do  to  gratify  our 
appetites  and  passions,  and  to  enter 
into  the  higher  or  spiritual  realm. 

Thus  we  become,  in  the  words  of 
992 


Peter,  ".  .  .  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature,  having  escaped  the  corruption 
that  is  in  the  world  through  lust." 
(II  Peter  1:4.)  Then  Peter  adds, 
"And  besides  this,  giving  all  diligence, 
and  to  your  faith  virtue;  and  to  virtue 
knowledge; 

"And  to  knowledge  temperance;  and 
to  temperance  patience;  and  to  pa- 
tience godliness; 

"And  to  godliness  brotherly  kind- 
ness; and  to  brotherly  kindness  chari- 
ty." (Ibid.,  1:5-7.) 

Now  note  this  great  promise:  "For 
if  these  things  be  in  you,  and  abound, 
they  make  you  that  ye  shall  neither  be 
barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  (Ibid.,  1 :8. ) 

These  are  the  signposts  along  life's 
highway  which,  if  followed,  will  lead 
any  man  to  do  the  Lord's  will,  to  know 
his  Son,  the  Redeemer  of  the  world,  to 
know  whom  is  eternal  life.  And  while 
we  are  gaining  this  great  knowledge 
which  leads  to  immortality,  we  find  the 
greatest  joy  in  mortality  that  can  be 
experienced  by  the  human  soul. 

"The  best  of  all  men  are  they  who 
realize  in  daily  life  their  luminous 
hours  and  transmute  their  ideals  into 
conduct  and  character.  These  are  the 
soul  architects  who  build  their  thoughts 
and  deeds  into  a  plan,  who  travel  for- 
ward not  aimlessly  but  toward  a  desti- 
nation." All  the  happiness  that  comes 
with  spiritual  gifts  may  be  theirs — love, 
joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness, 
goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance, 
friendship,  communion  with  the  infinite; 
I  repeat,  communion  with  the  infinite. 
All  these  and  a  thousand  other  bless- 
ings that  God  gives  free  of  charge  are 
theirs. 

"Earth  gets  its  price  for  what  earth 
gives  us. 

"Tis  heaven  alone  that  is  given 
away, 

"  'Tis  only  God  may  be  had  for  the 
asking."   ( Lowell. ) 

High  in  the  scale  of  manhood  stand 
those  who  ceaselessly  aspire  toward 
life's  great  Exemplar.  This  great  Ex- 
emplar is  Jesus  Christ,  who  among  all 
leaders  in  history  has  wielded  the 
greatest  influence  upon  the  human  fam- 
ily. 

You  have  asked  yourself,  as  have 
thousands  of  others,  wherein  lies  the 
secret  of  his  greatness?  You  have 
probably  answered,  "Why,  it  is  in  his 
divinity."  Well,  that  is  true,  but  he 
came  to  earth  as  you  and  I,  took  upon 
himself  mortality,  and  he  exerted  an  in- 
fluence among  his  fellows,  in  keeping 
with  the  natural  laws  just  as  each  in- 
dividual here  exerts  a  natural  influence. 
Wherein  is  the  secret  of  his  greatness, 
aside  from  his  divinity?  He  defeated  the 
lawyer  in  argument,  healed  the  sick 
where  medicine  failed,  inspired  the 
greatest  music  ever  written,  filled  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  libraries  with 
books,  inspired  missionaries  to  go  to 
all  the  world,  even  to  the  darkest 
depths  of  Africa;  yet,  in  none  of  the 
realms  in  which  men  and  women  ordi- 


narily win  their  laurels  do  you  find 
historians  referring  to  Christ  as  having 
succeeded. 

"In  the  realm  of  character,"  writes 
Charles  Jefferson,  "he  was  supreme. 
The  only  thing  which  places  a  man 
above  the  beasts  of  the  field  is  his  pos- 
session of  the  spiritual  gifts  which  de- 
velop that  Christ-like  character.  Man's 
earthly  existence  is  but  a  test  as  to 
whether  he  will  concentrate  his  efforts, 
his  mind,  and  his  soul  upon  the  things 
which  contribute  to  the  comfort  and 
gratification  of  his  physical  instincts  and 
passions,  or  whether  he  will  make  as 
his  life's  end  and  purpose  the  acquisi- 
tion of  spiritual  qualities." 

Aren't  you  students  thrilled — I  hope 
you  are — with  the  recent  tendency 
among  the  alleged  best  thinkers,  and  I 
think  some  of  them  are,  particularly 
the  man  who  wrote  Man  Does  Not 
Stand  Alone,  in  their  appeal  for  human- 
ity, for  mankind  to  rise  above  the  low, 
the  sensual,  and  develop  the  spirit  that 
is  within  man.  I  think  we  have  made 
the  turn  from  agnosticism  into  the  realm 
of  spirituality. 

Last  night  we  had  here  in  the  Taber- 
nacle, Assembly  Hall,  Barratt  Hall,  an 
estimated  14,000  men  who  hold  the 
priesthood.  I  don't  know  that  you  can 
find  a  more  inspirational  gathering  any- 
where on  earth.  Just  to  be.  with  them 
was  an  inspiration.  To  those  14,000 
and  to  those  250,000  throughout  the 
Church  who  hold  the  priesthood  I 
should  like  to  say:  Our  lives  are 
wrapped  up  with  the  lives  of  others. 
We  are  happiest  as  we  contribute  to 
the  lives  of  others.  I  say  that  because 
the  priesthood  you  hold  means  that  you 
are  to  serve  others.  You  represent  God 
in  the  field  to  which  you  are  assigned. 
"Whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for  my 
sake  shall  find  it."  (Matt.  16:25.)  This 
paradoxical  saying  of  the  Savior  con- 
tains the  crowning  element  of  the  up- 
right character — crowning,  I  say.  Here 
we  touch  an  important  phase  of  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  Selfishness  is 
subdued,  in  which  greed  and  avarice 
must  be  subordinated  to  the  higher 
principles  of  helpfulness  and  of  kindli- 
ness. 

"If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall 
know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of 
God,  or  whether  I  speak  of  myself." 
(John  7:17.)  Choosing  the  right  with 
unvarying  and  unwavering  determina- 
tion, resisting  temptations  from  within 
and  from  without,  cheerfulness  in  the 
face  of  difficulties  and  experiences, 
reverence  for  God  and  respect  for  your 
fellow  men,  willingness  to  assist  in  the 
establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
— these,  though  you  might  miss  some 
of  the  emoluments  of  the  world,  will 
bring  peace  and  happiness  to  your  soul, 
and  through  obedience  to  the  principles 
and  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  bring  im- 
mortality and  eternal  life.  Your  soul 
will  rise  in  ecstasy  and  clearer  under- 
standing of  that  great  word  of  God 
given  in  modern  revelation:  "This  is 
my  work  and  my  glory,  to  bring  to  pass 
the  immortality  and  eternal  life  of 
man."  (Moses  1:39.)  That  friend  who 
(Continued  on  page  994) 
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993 


President  David  0.  McKay 


Continued 


said  he  would  give  all  in  the  world  if 
he  knew  it  was  true  can  know  if  he 
will  follow  the  example  set  down  by 
the  Savior. 

In  conclusion,  as  sure  as  you  can 
tune  in  on  the  radio  and  hear  voices 
from  afar,  so  sure  am  I  that  God  our 
Father  lives,  and  the  soul  of  man  can 
commune  with  him  through  the  Holy 
Spirit.  I  give  you  that  as  my  testimony; 
I   know  it.     So   sure   am   I   that   Jesus 


Christ  is  the  Savior  of  the  world, 
through  whom  and  only  through  whom 
may  mankind  find  happiness  and  peace. 
So  sure  am  I  that  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  has  been  restored  through 
Joseph  Smith,  and  the  authority  to 
represent  God  on  earth  is  again  given 
to  man.  Oh,  may  he  give  us  power 
to  proclaim  these  truths  to  an  un- 
believing world,  I  pray  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


^4  f^eopte 

CULTURE 

d5u  oLeui  (L.aaar'    i/lc 


wiAna 

OF  THE  FIRST  COUNCIL  OF  THE  SEVENTY 


M' 


LEVI  EDGAR  YOUNG 

"ay  my  words  express  a  love  for 
God  and  mankind  while  I  speak 
to  you,  my  brethren  and  sisters. 

A  few  friends  of  mine  from  New 
York,  members  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  are  in  attendance  at  these 
services.  At  home  they  attend  their 
services  at  the  church  of  St.  John  the 
Divine,  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
places  of  worship  ever  erected  in 
America.  We  bid  you  welcome.  We 
are  glad  to  have  you  hear  something 
of  our  beliefs,  something  of  the  great 
truths  of  the  Living  God.  We  respect 
you  in  your  worship  and  your  religious 
beliefs.  It  is  one  of  the  rich  sayings  of 
Joseph  Smith,  the  Prophet,  that  we 
believe  in  worshiping  God  according 
to  the  dictates  of  our  own  consciences, 
and  we  allow  every  man  the  same 
privilege,  let  him  worship  how,  where, 
or  what  he  may.  We  honor  you  in 
your  worship. 

You  will  hear  from  this  pulpit  this 
morning  the  testimony  of  every  Latter- 
day  Saint  who  speaks.  Far  and  wide 
in  the  world  you  will  hear  the  same 
testimony  concerning  this  latter-day 
work  which  was  given  to  the  world  by 
the  word  of  God  to  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith.  We  believe  in  God,  the 
Eternal  Father,  and  in  his  Son,  Jesus 
Christ,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is 
our  testimony  that  God  has  given  us 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that 
Joseph  Smith,  the  Prophet,  was  the 
founder  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints.  Testimony  with 
us  is  a  very  divine  thing.  It  is  a  sacred 
trust  and  can  come  only  to  one  who 
has  opened  his  heart  and  mind  to 
hallowed  living  with  earnest  prayer  and 
deep  faith  in  God  and  Jesus  Christ. 
It  is  the  most  divine  gift  of  all,  and 
this  testimony  lies  deep  in  the  heart 
of  every  member  of  the  Church. 
994 


When  the  Latter-day  Saints  crossed 
the  Mississippi  River  in  the  winter  of 
1846  and  began  their  journey  to  the 
far  west,  they  left  the  city  of  Nauvoo, 
a  city  of  beauty  and  high  religious  and 
civic  life.  It  had  been  built  within 
a  short  period  of  time,  but  it  came  to 
be,  under  the  direction  of  the  Prophet 
of  God,  the  greatest  city,  morally,  in 
America.  There  was  a  civic  conscious- 
ness that  can  well  become  the  model 
of  the  cities  of  our  country  today. 

The  people  were  rich  in  the  Spirit 
of  God,  and  they  had  a  culture  all 
their  own.  The  men  and  their  families 
were  reduced  to  humble  circumstances. 
They  had  little  to  eat,  but  living  in 
their  wagons  drawn  by  mules  and  oxen, 
they  were  making  their  way  to  their 
new  home  in  the  West.  They  carried 
copies  of  the  Bible  and  the  Book  of 
Mormon  with  them.  They  had  come 
to  love  books  of  literature  and  history, 
and  they  sang  their  psalmodies  by 
night  and  by  day. 

We  have  heard  some  of  the  brethren 
speak  of  the  American  Indians  in  this 
conference.  We  are  carrying  the  gos- 
pel to  all  the  tribes  of  America,  and 
we  have  become  particularly  interested 
in  the  traditions  of  these  people.  The 
Night  Chant  of  the  Navajo  and  the 
Hako  of  the  Pawnees  have  been  trans- 
lated into  English.  They  are  myster- 
ious but  beautiful  dramas.  The  Indians, 
if  understood,  developed  fine  artistic 
feeling;  and  it  has  been  said  that  their 
traditions  will  yet  become  the  founda- 
tion for  the  richest  American  literature, 
and  feeling.  Everyone  knows  that  the 
American  Indian  passed  on  to  us,  and 
through  us  to  the  world,  a  heritage  of 
utility  beyond  the  dreams  of  avarice. 
This  was  in  such  homely  things  as  the 
inestimable  food  plants,  which  he  had 
brought  from  the  wild  to  a  high  state 
of  domestication.  Few  seem  to  know 
that  he  has  prepared  a  second  heritage 
of  beauty,  a  gift  of  fine  arts,  illusions, 


and  immaterial  creations  which  rise 
above  mere  utilities  as  the  mountains 
rise  above  the  plain.  "The  English  find 
in  the  Arthurian  romance  a  never-fail- 
ing inspiration."  Americans  in  the  fu- 
ture will  surely  realize  an  epic  grandeur 
in  the  song  sequences  and  world  stories 
of  the  first  Americans.  We  know  that 
they  once  had  their  testimony  of  the 
Living  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  our  Re- 
deemer. The  following  short  poem 
will  give  an  idea  of  the  beauty  of 
their  thoughts.  It  was  written  by  a 
Tewa  Indian: 

Oh,  our  Mother,  the  Earth;  oh,  our  Father, 

the  Sky, 
Your  children  are  we,  and  with  tired  backs 
We  bring  you  the  gifts  that  you  love. 
Then  weave  for  us  a  garment  of  brightness; 
May  the  warp  be  the  white  light  of  morn- 
ing, 
May  the  weft  be  the  red  light  of  evening, 
May  the  fringes  be  the  falling  rain, 
May  the  border  be  the  standing  rainbow. 
Thus  weave  for  us  a  garment  of  brightness 
That  we  may   walk  fittingly   where  birds 

sing, 
That  we  may  walk  fittingly  where  grass  is 

green, 
Oh,  our  Mother,  the  Earth;  oh,  our  Father, 
the  Sky! 

We  Latter-day  Saints  have  a  high 
regard  for  the  youth  of  the  world.  It 
is  our  desire  to  have  our  homes  in- 
fluenced by  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  our 
children  may  grow  in  a  knowledge  of 
what  true  religion  is.  I  think  we  are 
all  agreed  that  one  great  need  of  the 
hour  is  to  bring  back  the  fine  concept 
of  the  faith  in  God  which  our  fore- 
fathers had. 

Yesterday  Bishop  Isaacson  in  his 
address  referred  with  feeling  to  this 
Tabernacle.  In  the  early  days  of  this 
state,  the  Mormon  pioneers  built  many 
public  buildings  and  memorials  that 
bore  witness  to  their  love  of  the  beauti- 
ful. Everything  that  they  did  to  create 
homes  and  cities  showed  a  mingling  of 
definite  religious  feeling  with  the  crea- 
tions, and  they  thought  of  it  all  as 
God's  work.  It  was  from  their  faith 
and  trust  that  their  genius  developed 
in  the  days  of  hardship  and  toil.  There 
was  something  of  emotional  color  in 
what  they  did,  a  something  that  made 
them  strive  to  unite  the  work  of  their 
daily  duties  with  the  light  of  heaven. 
It  was  Ruskin  who  said  that 

The  power  of  the  human  mind  had  its 
growth  in  the  wilderness;  much  more  must 
the  conception,  the  love  of  beauty  be  an 
image  of  God's  daily  work. 

This  Mormon  Tabernacle  expresses 
something  of  the  strength  of  character 
and  religious  idealism  of  the  Latter-day 
Saints.  The  only  building  of  its  kind 
in  the  world,  it  is  unique  in  the  history 
of  American  architecture.  While  its 
massiveness  suggests  a  people  strong  in 
spirit,  conviction,  and  purpose,  its  lines 
indicate  a  splendid  adoption  of  scien- 
tific principles  in  architecture.  It  is  a 
plain,  oval-shaped  building,  studded 
with  heavy  entrance  doors  all  the  way 
around;  there  is  no  attempt  at  orna- 
mentation of  any  kind.  The  building 
is  a  fine  example  of  the  utilizing  of  the 
(Continued  on  page  996) 
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Continued 


resources  of  the  land  for  the  purpose 
of  having  a  place  for  divine  worship. 
The  building  impresses  one  as  an  im- 
mense, irresistible  force,  "humanly 
super-human,"  an  expression  of  sover- 
eign intelligence  and  feeling.  It  is  as 
the  great  Ibsen  has  said  of  all  art,  "an 
illumination  of  life."  The  interior  im- 
presses one  with  its  majestic,  vaulted 
ceiling,  and  "the  vastness  of  the  place 
grows  upon  one  and  inspires  one  with 
mingled  feelings  of  solemnity  and  ad- 
miration." 

The  building  of  this  world-famed 
organ  is  a  dramatic  story.  It  is  in- 
separably connected  with  the  name  of 
Joseph  Ridges,  a  native  of  England, 
who  went  to  Australia  as  a  youth  and 
later  emigrated  to  America.  In  Austra- 
lia he  worked  in  an  organ  factory; 
while  in  Sydney,  Elder  Ridges  con- 
structed a  small  pipe  organ,  and  having 
joined  the  Church,  he  was  advised  to 
take  his  instrument  to  Utah.  He  immi- 
grated to  Utah,  and  shipped  his  little 
organ,  in  tin  cases,  to  San  Pedro  in 
California;  he  afterwards  brought  it  to 
Utah  by  ox  team. 

In  the  early  sixties  Elder  Ridges  was 
selected  by  President  Brigham  Young 
to  build  an  organ  in  the  Tabernacle. 
After  submitting  preliminary  drafts  to 
President  Young  and  his  counselors, 
Elder  Ridges  began  making  arrange- 
ments for  the  construction  of  the  in- 
strument and  was  assisted  by  his 
associates,  Shure  Olsen,  Neils  Johnson, 
Henry  Taylor,  Frank  Woods,  and 
others.  Meetings  were  held  with  these 
men  almost  daily,  and  the  reports  of 
each  man's  work  were  heard.  While 
one  was  collecting  various  specimens 
of  wood  from  the  canyons  of  Utah, 
another  was  making  good  tools  with 
which  to  carve  the  wood,  while  still 
a  third  man  was  experimenting  in  mak- 
ing glue.  Specimens  of  wood  were  sent 
by  people  from  all  over  Utah,  and  it 
was  finally  decided  that  the  best  wood 
was  found  in  the  hills  around  Parowan 
and  in  Pine  Valley,  about  three  hun- 
dred miles  south  of  Salt  Lake  City.  It 
was  a  fine  grain  of  white  pine  variety, 
free  from  knots  and  without  much 
pitch  or  gum.  For  the  large  pipes,  it 
was  especially  well-adapted. 

The  large  pipes,  some  of  which 
measure  thirty-two  feet,  required  thou- 
sands of  feet  of  timber.  Over  the 
long,  lonely  roads  labored  the  oxen, 
day  by  day,  hauling  the  heavy  logs 
to  Salt  Lake  City.  At  times  there 
were  as  many  as  twenty  large  wagons, 
each  with  three  yoke  of  oxen  drawing 
its  loads.  The  roads  were  rough  and 
dusty,  and  many  streams  had  to  be 
bridged  that  the  wagons  might  pass 
over  them  without  difficulty. 

About  one  hundred  men  were  em- 
ployed constantly  in  the  construction 
of  the  organ,  and  it  was  dedicated  in 
October  1867.  It  is  a  majestic  crea- 
tion, and  to  this  day,  thousands  come 
to  listen  to  its  melodious  strains.  It  is 
one  of  the  great  instruments  of  the 
world. 

996 


Casting  your  eye  to  the  pinnacle  of 
the  center  tower  of  the  temple,  you 
see  Cyrus  Dallin's  statue  of  the  Angel 
Moroni,  a  beautiful  creation  by  that 
noted  sculptor,  who  was  a  native  of 
Springville,  Utah,  and  who  died  re- 
cently in  Boston.  I  had  the  honor  of 
his  acquaintance.  He  was  one  of  the 
noblest  men  I  ever  knew.  One  time 
in  discussing  his  work,  he  said: 

To  believe  in  angels  marks  one  who 
lives  near  to  his  God.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  concepts  a  man  can  have.  I  am 
glad  I  came  to  believe  that  Moroni,  who- 
ever he  was  in  history,  came  back  to  earth 
again  as  an  angel  from  God's  throne. 

This  is  why  Dallin  created  his  master- 
piece on  yonder  temple. 

Wherever  you  go,  you  will  find  the 
buildings  of  pioneer  days  always  great 
structures  with  artistic  features.  The 
State  of  Utah  had  its  beginning  over 
one  hundred  years  ago  when  the  pio- 
neers arrived  in  this  valley,  and  it  was 
in  1 850  that  the  Territory  of  Utah  was 
organized.  The  people  brought  with 
them  their  ideals,  which  they  had  de- 
veloped at  Nauvoo.  That  city  had  a 
university  and  public  schools.  The 
people  built  a  "Seventy's  Hall  of  Sci- 
ence," which  was  to  have  a  great 
library.  This  is  what  a  Methodist 
minister,  a  Mr.  Briar,  wrote  concerning 
the  city  before  the  Mormons  had  left 
it: 

Instead  of  seeing  a  few  miserable  log 
cabins  and  mud  hovels,  which  I  expected 
to  find,  I  was  surprised  to  find  one  of  the 
most  romantic  places  I  had  visited  in  the 
west.  The  buildings,  though  many  of  them 
were  small  and  of  wood,  bore  the  marks 
of  neatness  which  I  had  not  seen  equalled 
in  this  country.  The  farspread  plain  at  the 
bottom  of  the  hill  was  dotted  over  with 
habitations  of  men  with  such  majestic  pro- 
fusion that  I  was  almost  willing  to  believe 
myself  mistaken;  and  instead  of  being  in 
Nauvoo,  111.,  among  Mormons,  that  I  was 
in  Italy  at  the  City  of  Leghorn.  .  .  I  gazed 
for  some  time  with  fond  admiration  upon 
the  plain  below.  Here  and  there  arose  a 
tall,  majestic  brick  house,  speaking  loudly 
of  the  untiring  labor  of  the  inhabitants,  who 
have  snatched  the  place  from  the  clutches 
of  obscurity,  and  wrested  it  from  the  bonds 
of  disease;  and  in  two  or  three  short  years 
rescued  it  from  a  dreary  waste  to  transform 
it  into  one  of  the  first  cities  of  the  west.  .  . 
I  found  all  the  people  engaged  in  business 
— much  more  than  any  place  I  have  visited 
since  the  hard  times  commenced.  I  sought 
in  vain  for  anything  that  bore  the  marks  of 
immorality.  .  .  I  could  see  no  loungers 
about  the  streets,  nor  any  drunkards  about 
the  taverns.  .  .  I  heard  not  an  oath  in  the 
place.  I  saw  not  a  gloomy  countenance; 
all  were  cheerful,  polite,  and  industrious. 
I  conversed  with  many  leading  men  and 
found  them  well-informed,  hospitable  and 
generous.  I  saw  nothing  but  order  and 
regulation  in  the  society.  .  .  . 

Joseph  Smith  himself  became  a  stu- 
dent of  Greek  and  Hebrew,  and  classes 
in  the  ancient  languages  were  organ- 
ized in  the  Kirtland  Temple,  which  the 
Prophet  Joseph  attended.  The  Mor- 
mon pioneers  established  schools  in 
Utah  at  the  beginning  of  their  activi- 


ties here.  In  1850  they  organized  the 
first  university  west  of  the  Missouri 
River,  and  in  1851  a  library  was 
brought  across  the  plains  by  ox  team. 
It  had  been  purchased  in  New  York 
City  by  Dr.  John  M.  Bernhisel  and 
was  the  finest  collection  of  historical, 
philosophical,  scientific,  and  literary 
works  in  the  history  of  the  American 
frontier.  This  collection  contained  the 
works  of  the  classical  writers  of  an- 
cient Greece:  Homer,  Sophocles,  Plato, 
Aristotle;  the  Latin  writers,  Virgil, 
Tacitus,  and  Herodotus;  and  the  mod- 
ern great  writers,  Shakespeare,  Milton, 
and  Bacon.  These  are  just  a  few  of 
the  authors  of  the  books  that  were 
brought  in  this  great  collection.  The 
library  from  the  beginning  received 
copies  of  the  New  York  Herald,  New 
York  Evening  Post,  the  Philadelphia 
Saturday  Courier,  and  the.  North 
American  Review.  Of  the  scientific 
works  there  were  Newton's  Principia, 
Hefschel's  Outlines  of  Astronomy,  and 
Von  Humboldt's  Cosmos.  The  trea- 
tises on  philosophy  included  the  works 
of  John  Stuart  Mill,  Martin  Luther, 
John  Wesley,  and  Emanuel  Sweden- 
borg. 

The  ideals  and  daily  lives  of  a  peo- 
ple are  judged  by  their  standards  of 
amusements.  Among  the  fine  arts  en- 
couraged by  the  pioneers  of  Utah  were 
music  and  the  drama,  and  hardly  had 
the  colonizers  planted  their  fields  of 
grain  and  begun  building  their  homes 
when  they  built  a  theater  in  this  wilder- 
ness— a  theater  that  in  pioneer  days 
noted  actors  visited,  among  whom  was 
Sir  George  Pauncefort  of  Drury  Lane 
Theatre  in  London.  He  played  Hamlet, 
and  from  that  time  on  great  artists 
graced  the  stage  of  the  old  theatre, 
including  Edwin  Booth,  Lawrence  Bar- 
rett, and  many  others.  So  successful 
were  these  early  pioneers  in  carrying 
out  their  ideals  that  M.  B.  Leavitt,  in 
his  Fifty  Years  of  Theatrical  Manage- 
ment, says: 

Sweeping  as  the  statement  may  seem,  I 
do  not  believe  that  the  theater  has  ever 
rested  on  a  higher  plane,  both  as  to  its 
purpose  and  its  offerings,  than  at  Salt  Lake 
City,    the   capital   of   Mormondom. 

Even  when  the  early-day  mission- 
aries went  to  England — and  this  as 
early  as  1837 — they  went  with  open 
minds  to  learn  everything  they  could 
that  would  be  conductive  of  the  ways 
of  God.  Let  me  here  recite  to  you  an 
example  of  love  for  beauty  and  truth 
when  three  missionaries  from  Salt  Lake 
City  in  1857  wended  their  way  to  the 
Missouri  River,  called  as  they  were  on 
missions  to  England.  Seymour  B. 
Young,  Phillip  Margetts,  and  David 
Wilkins  pulled  their  handcart  from 
Salt  Lake  City  to  the  Missouri  River, 
where  they  were  able  to  take  a  train  at 
Council  Bluffs  for  New  York.  During 
that  long  journey  on  foot — for  they 
walked  all  the  way,  camping  at  night 
on  the  streams  of  water — they  would 
have  their  supper,  consisting  of  dried 
meat  and  bread,  and  before  rolling  up 
in  their  blankets  to  get  their  rest, 
(Continued  on  page  998) 
THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


The  51  FORD  steps  ahead 
for  the  years  ahead... 


with  43  new 


Look  Ahead  ...  at  your  Ford  Dealer's  today! 
Look  at  the  '51  Ford! 

Here's  the  car  designed  and  built  not  just  for  this 
year  and  next,  but  for  the  years  to  come.  To  stay  in 
style,  to  stay  young  in  performance,  to  stay  thrifty! 

It's  the  '51  Ford  with  43  new  "Look  Ahead" 
features — every  one  planned  and  engineered  for 
the  years  ahead. 

You'll  see  such  advances  as  Fordomatic  Drive, 
the  industry's  newest,  finest  and  most  flexible  auto- 
matic transmission,  which  cuts  driving  motions  92% 
and  makes  you  a  better  driver  doing  it!  You'll 
feel  the  brand-new  comfort  of  the  Automatic  Ride 
Control  that  makes  even  rough  roads  easy  on  you 
— easy  on  the  car  itself!  And  you'll  ride  in  the  quiet 
elegance  of  new  "Luxury  Lounge"  Interiors — 
designed  for  both  fashion  and  function  for  the 
years  to  come. 

Yes,  inside  and  out,  every  detail  of  styling, 
coachwork  and  finish  of  the  '51  Ford  is  luxury  that 
lasts  because  the  quality  is  there.  So  when  you  buy 
for  the  future,  buy  Ford. 


"Test  Drive"  it  Today  at  your  Ford  Dealers 


^features! 


and    FORDOMATIC  DRIVE 


* 


With  Fordomatic,  you  will 
never  have  to  shift  a  gear  or 
push  a  clutch  pedal  again!  Just 
start  the  engine,  place  the  selec- 
tor in  "Drive"  and  step  on  the 
accelerator.  Practically  all  you 
do  is  steer!  Fordomatic  gives  you 
flashing  "jet-away"  performance 
at  starts  and  on  the  road  ...  or 


gradual  takeoffs  if  you  prefer... 
with  traditional  Ford  gasoline 
economy.  The  new  Semaphore 
Drive  Selector,  exclusive  with 
Ford,  makes  proper  drive  selec- 
tion easy.  You  are  always  in 
complete  control  of  the  car  .  .  . 
the  engine  acts  as  a  brake 
going  downhill. 

*Optional  al  extra  cost. 


You  can  pay  more  but 

you  carit  buy  bet fer 

"ORD 


SEE  YOUR    FRIENDLY  FORD    DEALER 


DECEMBER  1950 


997 


Levi  Edgar  Young  continued 

they  always  had  their  prayer  to  God. 
One  night,  we  are  told  by  one  of  these 
men  in  his  journal,  they  sat  by  their 
fire,  and  Phillip  Margetts,  who  became 
one  of  the  noted  actors  of  the  Salt 
Lake  stage  and  who  was  known  in 
New  York  and  London  for  his  ability 
as  an  actor,  recited  the  words  of 
Hamlet: 

.  .  .  What  a  piece  of  work  is  man!  how 
noble  in  reason!  how  infinite  in  faculties! 
in  form  and  moving  how  express  and  ad- 
mirable! in  action  how  like  an  angel!  in 
apprehension  how  like  a  god!  the  beauty 
of  the  world!  the  paragon  of  animals! 

And  then  he  gave  another  of  his  favor- 
ite quotations,  from  Macbeth: 

Tomorrow,  and  tomorrow,  and  tomorrow 
Creeps  in  this  petty  pace  from  day  to  day 
To  the  last  syllable  of  recorded  time; 
And  all  our  yesterdays  have  lighted  fools 
The  way  to  dusty  death.    Out,  out,  brief 

candle! 
Life's  but  a  walking  shadow,  a  poor  player, 
That   struts   and   frets   his   hour   upon   the 
apprehension  how  like  a  god!  the  beauty 
And  then  is  heard  no  more.  .  . 

To  the  youth,  to  the  boys  and  girls 
of  the  Church,  if  you  could  only  rea- 
lize   how    our    forefathers    expressed 


their  ideals  of  culture  and  learn  to 
abide  by  those  ideals  today,  you  would 
know  what  happiness  means.  If  this 
appreciation  could  grow  in  your  hearts, 
there  would  be  a  revival  of  the  stage 
as  we  used  to  have  it,  which  would  be 
a  revival  of  the  plays  of  Shakespeare 
and  Moliere  and  Corneille,  and  all  the 
masters  of  the  great  literature  of  the 
past.  There  would  be  an  apprecia- 
tion of  music  and  the  drama,  of  litera- 
ture and  sculpture,  and  the  old  ideals 
would  come  back  to  us  as  expressed 
by  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith: 

Organize  yourselves;  prepare  every 
needful  thing;  and  establish  a  house,  even 
a  house  of  prayer,  a  house  of  fasting, 
a  house  of  faith,  a  house  of  learning,  a 
house  of  glory,  a  house  of  order,  a  house 
of  God.    (D.  &  C.  88:119.) 


Remember  the  kings,  the  princes,  the 
nobles,  and  the  great  ones  of  the  earth, 
and  all  people,  and  the  churches,  all  the 
poor,  the  needy,  and  the  afflicted  ones  of 
the  earth.   (Ibid.,  109:55.) 


And  do  thou  grant,  Holy  Father,  that 
all  those  who  shall  worship  in  this  house, 
may  be  taught  words  of  wisdom  out  of 
the  best  of  books,  and  they  may  seek  learn- 
ing even  by  study,  and  also  by  faith,  as 
thou  hast  said.    (Ibid.,  109:14.) 

O  Lord,  we  delight  not  in  the  destruction 
of  our  fellow  men:  their  souls  are  precious 
before  thee.   (Ibid.,  109:43.) 


These  are  just  a  mere  semblance  of 
the  teachings  of  Joseph  Smith.  Think 
of  what  they  should  mean  to  the  stu- 
dents of  universities  and  colleges. 
Think  of  what  America  will  regain 
when  nations  accept  this  divine  truth; 
as  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  expressed 
it: 

"I  teach  them  correct  principles  and 
they  govern  themselves." 

To  the  youth  of  this  land  I  give 
these  words  of  Sir  Francis  Drake,  who 
sailed  up  the  Pacific  Coast  at  the  close 
of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  then  on 
around  the  world: 

Men  pass  away,  but  people  abide.  See 
that  you  hold  fast  the  heritage  we  leave 
you,  yea,  and  teach  your  children  its 
value,  that  never  in  the  coming  centuries 
their  hearts  may  fail  them,  or  their  hand 
grow  weak.  Hitherto  we  have  been  too 
much  afraid.  Henceforth,  we  will  fear  only 
God. 

May  God  ever  direct  us  all  in  our 
holy  work,  I  ask  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.     Amen.    ., 


Inflation  or  Selfishness 

Self-Controlled 

9  (7oSeP'%  ***    ivlenltt 


M 


JOSEPH  F.  MERRILL 


"any  who  are  not  visibly  present 
may  be  listening  to  the  proceed- 
ings of  this  conference  by  reason 
of  the  marvels  of  modern  radio.  I  greet 
you  all. 

Much  is  said  and  written  these  days 
about  the  troublous  conditions  pre- 
vailing locally,  nationally,  and  inter- 
nationally. The  war  in  Korea  during 
recent  weeks  has  perhaps  claimed  most 
attention  in  newspaper  headlines.  But 
talk  of  war  and  rumors  of  war  also 
have  come  from  other  quarters.  Rising 
costs  and  prices  have  likewise  claimed 
much  attention.  Labor-management 
troubles  have  shared  in  the  headlines. 
Partisan  politics  have  stirred  up  anger 
and  bitterness.  Looking  in  any  direc- 
tion you  will  see  anything  but  harmony 
and  peaceful  conditions.  Why  all  of 
998 


OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


this,  one  may  ask.  Are  all  these 
things  necessary?  Does  God  will  them? 
In  their  ignorance  some  say,    "Yes." 

During  the  three  years  we  traveled 
about  Europe,  1933-36,  we  learned  that 
the  feeling  was  more  or  less  general 
that  there  is  no  God  whose  children 
we  are,  and  who  loves  us  as  a  kindly 
parent  loves  his  children;  if  so,  he 
would  not  have  permitted  the  great 
World  War  (the  first  one,  we  now 
call  it ) .  Such  a  statement  implies  that 
God  is  responsible  for  wars — some- 
thing that  is  wholly  false.  God  has 
given  "free  agency"  to  every  child 
born  into  mortality,  a  priceless  gift 
for  which  each  recipient  will  be  held 
accountable.  God  is  not  responsible 
for  our  wars  nor  for  any  other  of 
our  many  troubles  and  sinful  acts. 
This  truth  is  one  of  the  many  char- 
acteristic teachings  of  Mormonism,  de- 
fined as  the  teachings  and  doctrines 
of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints. 

We  bring  our  troubles  upon  our- 
selves, be  it  ignorantly  or  otherwise. 


We  live  in  a  world  and  a  universe 
governed  by  immutable  laws  which, 
if  fully  obeyed,  result  in  beautiful 
harmony  and  peace.  This  is  true  of 
both  the  material  and  the  spiritual 
realms — so  teach  authorities  in  the 
fields  of  science  and  religion. 

According  to  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith, 

There  is  a  law,  irrevocably  decreed  in 
heaven  before  the  foundations  of  this  world, 
upon  which  all  blessings  are  predicated — 

And  when  we  obtain  any  blessing  from 
God,  it  is  by  obedience  to  that  law  upon 
which  it  is  predicated.  (D.  &  C.  130:20-21.) 

Human  experiences  testify  to  the 
truth  of  these  statements.  Scientists 
have  long  taught  that  every  phenom- 
enon in  nature  is  the  result  of  ante- 
cedent causes.  This  fact  is  commonly 
known  as  the  law  of  cause  and  effect. 

Last  April,  a  few  days  following  the 

annual  conference,  a  lady  spoke  to  me 

on  the  street  and  asked  how  I  dared 

to  mix  politics  and  religion  in  a  con- 

(Continued  on  page  1000) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


This  is 


. 


\W 


Another  new  industry  for  Utah  becomes  a  reality 
with  the  formal  opening  of  the  Utah  Copper  Refinery  of 
Kennecott  Copper  Corporation,  at  Garfield. 

For  the  first  time  in  Utah's  history,  copper  ready  for 
use  by  manufacturing  plants  will  be  available  right  here 
in  our  own  State.  Now  all  four  major  operations  —  min- 
ing, milling,  smelting  and  refining  — ■  necessary  to  pro- 
duce pure  copper  will  be  performed  in  Utah. 

The  new  $16  million  dollar  refinery  will  furnish  700 
additional  jobs  for  Utah  workers.  With  the  exception  of 
about  a  dozen  trained  technicians,  local  people  have 
been  employed  and  trained  on  the  job  as  the  plant  got 
under  way. 


This  new  industry  was  made  possible  by  the  team- 
work of  112,000  individuals.  Of  this  group,  23,000 
are  Kennecott  employees  in  Utah  and  in  other  locali- 
ties and  approximately  89,000  are  shareholders  living 
throughout  America. 

This  team  of  employees  and  stockholders  have  faith 
in  the  future  of  our  State.  They  believe  the  nevw  refinery 
will  contribute  to  the  wellbeing  of  our  neighbors  here  in 
Utah. 

You  and  the  other  686,796  residents  of  our  State 
will  be  benefited,  directly  or  indirectly,  because  of  this 
new  industry/  its  payrolls,  supply  purchases,  and  tax 
payments. 


UTAH  COPPER  DIVISION 


ECOTT     COPPER     CORPORATION 

A  Good   Neighbor  Helping  to  Build  A  Better  Utah 


DECEMBER  1950 


999 


Joseph  F.  Merrill 


Continued 


ference  address.  My  reply  was  that  I 
understand  our  religion  is  essentially 
a  way  of  life  and  therefore  covers  in  a 
broad  way  the  whole  field  of  moral 
human  relations  as  indicated  by  arti- 
cles eleven,  twelve,  and  thirteen  of  our 
faith.  As  you  all  know,  we  do  not 
limit  our  religion  to  the  teaching  of  a 
set  of  theological  doctrines.  One  of 
our  fundamental  teachings  is  that  faith 
without  works  is  dead.  (See  James 
2:14-26.) 

Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me,  Lord, 
Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven.    (Matt.  7:21.) 

So  said  Jesus  in  his  great  Sermon  on 
the  Mount. 

On  another  occasion,  a  lawyer  asked 
Jesus, 

Master,  which  is  the  great  command- 
ment in  the  law?  ' 

Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with 
all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind. 

This  is  the  first  and  great  commandment. 

And  the  second  is  like  unto  it-  Thou 
shalt  love  thy   neighbour  as  thyself. 

On  these  two  commandments  hang  all 
the  law  and  the  prophets.  (Ibid.,  22:36-40.) 

These  teachings  we  wholeheartedly 
accept.  We  interpret  the  word 
"neighbor"  in  this  commandment  as 
meaning  our  fellow  men.  In  a  brief 
amplification  of  the  second  command- 
ment,  Jesus   said: 

.  .  .  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should 
do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them:  for  this 
is  the  law  and  the  prophets.  (Ibid.,  7:12.) 

This  requirement  is  generally  called 
the  Golden  Rule.  This  requirement  is 
implied  in  the  thirteenth  article  of  our 
faith,  which  is  stated  as  follows : 

We  believe  in  being  honest,  true,  chaste, 
benevolent,  virtuous,  and  in  doing  good  to 
all  men.  .  .  . 

I  began  this  talk  by  naming  a  few 
of  the  many  troublous  conditions  that 
afflict  this  country.  Why  do  these 
conditions  exist?  They  are  all  man- 
made,  hence  could  be  eliminated  if 
men  had  the  desire  and  the  will  to 
eliminate  them.  But  this  will  never 
be  done  until  men  repent  of  their  evil 
ways  and  stop  doing  the  things  that 
have  brought  about  these  conditions. 
To  be  more  specific,  among  other 
things  we  must  control  our  selfishness, 
not  an  easy  thing  to  do;  for  selfishness 
is  an  inherited  weakness,  an  inborn 
quality  that  every  man  possesses  to 
a  greater  or  less  degree.  However, 
it  may  be  manifest  in  ways  that  are 
commendable  or  damnable.  In  the 
twenty-fifth  chapter  of  Matthew  is 
written  a  beautiful  parable  wherein  the 
Lord  said, 

For  I  was  an  hungred,  and  ye  gave  me 
meat:  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me 
drink:    .   .   . 

Naked,  and  ye  clothed  me:  I  was  si  A, 
and  ye  visited  me.  .  .  .    (Matt.  25:35-36.) 

1000 


Asked  when  they  had  done  this,  the 
Lord  replied, 

.  .  .  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto 
one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
have  done  it  unto  me.  (Ibid.,  25:40.) 

Yes,  we  serve  the  Lord  by  unselfish- 
ly and  righteously  serving  our  fellow 
men.  And  this  is  what  our  missionaries 
at  home  and  abroad  are  trying  to  do. 
As  a  reward,  they  develop  a  deep  love 
for  the  people  among  whom  they  labor 
and  experience  joys,  delights,  and  satis- 
factions to  a  degree  and  of  a  nature 
that  enables  them  to  say  truthfully 
they  greatly  enjoyed  their  missions  and 
would  gladly  return  to  them  if  called 
to  return.  Yes,  these  missionaries  were 
out  there  at  their  own  expense  giving 
their  full  time  to  unselfish  efforts  to 
deliver  a  message  that  if  accepted  and 
lived  would  be  an  everlasting  blessing 
to  the  recipients. 

Many  different  answers  may  be 
given  to  the  question:  Why  is  the 
world — people  in  every  land  and 
clime — in  an  uncertain,  troubled  con- 
dition? The  nature  of  current  troubles 
is  such  that  many  people  are  looking 
ahead  with  fear  and  almost  hopeless 
despair  as  to  the  outcome.  There  are 
intelligent  and  informed  people  who 
see  the  third  world  war  as  imminent 
and  certain  to  come  in  the  not  distant 
future.  And  hearing  or  knowing  some- 
thing of  the  enormous  destructiveness 
of  current  implements  of  war,  they 
have  reason  to  feel  panicky  by 
thoughts  of  World  War  III. 

But  why  is  there  danger  of  such  a 
war  breaking?  One  answer  is  the 
inordinate,  wicked  selfishness  of  men 
in  positions  of  power.  Was  there  a 
more  selfish,  greedy,  ambitious  national 
head  than  Adolph  Hitler  at  the  out- 
break of  World  War  II?  If  uncon- 
trolled, the  selfishness  of  men  in  power 
will  lead  to  the  deadliest  war  this 
world  has  ever  known. 

But  most  of  our  perplexing  troubles 
are  not  of  an  international  nature. 
They  arise  in  our  homes,  communities, 
and  nation,  and  many  of  them  are  also 
due  to  some  type  of  wicked  selfishness. 

What  is  the  basic  cause  of  the  in- 
flationary tendencies  of  the  last  few 
years?  I  know  the  answer  that 
economists  usually  give.  It  is  more 
or  less  stereotyped.  I  am  not  an 
economist,  only  a  layman,  but  I  have 
an  answer,  and  I  believe  it  is  a  correct 
one.  The  basic  cause  is  selfishness. 
But  selfishness  may  be  commendable 
or  damnable.  It  is  commendable  selfish- 
ness that  motivates  our  missionaries — 
their  desire  to  help  and  bless  their 
fellow  men.  They  are  activated  by 
the  spirit  of  the  Golden  Rule.  But 
selfishness  ceases  to  be  commendable 
when  it  goes  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
Golden  Rule.  It  then  becomes  more 
or  less  sinful,  -  depending,  of  course, 
on  the   circumstances. 

About  the  time  of  the  surrender  of 
Japan   in    1945,   the  officers   of   some 


labor  unions  began  to  stir  up  an  agi- 
tation for  an  increase  in  wages.  They 
insisted  that  their  members  should  con- 
tinue to  have  the  same  weekly  in- 
comes as  they  received  during  the  war 
— the  same  for  forty  hours  each  week 
as  previously  received  for  forty-eight 
hours.  Hence  a  demand  was  made 
for  a  wage  increase  of  thirty  cents  an 
hour.  But  they  insisted  there  should 
be  no  increase  in  prices,  no  increase 
in  the  cost  of  living — an  absurdity. 
When  the  cost  of  production  goes  up, 
must  not  prices  also  go  up  if  business 
is  to  continue?  Well,  what  was  the 
outcome?  There  were  demands,  strikes, 
disturbances,  etc.,  and  finally  a  settle- 
ment was  made,  on  the  recommenda- 
tion of  the  President,  giving  a  wage 
increase  of  eighteen  and  one-half  cents 
an  hour.  This  increase  became  general 
in  all  the  big  production  industries. 
How  about  prices?  Of  course  they 
rose — the  cost  of  living  went  up.  On 
this  account,  the  following  year  there 
were  more  demands,  agitations,  strikes, 
and  finally  settlements  giving  a  second 
wage  increase,  followed  by  another 
rise  in  the  cost  of  living.  This  was  es- 
sentially the  story  of  the  third  year, 
of  the  fourth  year,  and  now  of  the 
fifth  year,  the  result  being  an  inflation- 
ary spiral,  which  still  continues,  with 
the  highest  wages  in  history  for  labor 
in  the  productive  industries  and  a  cor- 
responding increase  in  the  cost  of  liv- 
ing.   It  seems,  therefore,  that  increased 

W7Cxra>c      a-ro     I  arnolir     r/>cnnn  cihl/>     \-r\r*     in  - 

flation  in  this  country  during  recent 
years.  But  a  sad  part  of  the  story 
is  that  the  majority  of  workers  in  the 
country  have  been  wronged  by  the 
inflation  that  has  followed  wage  in- 
creases— their  incomes  have  not  in- 
creased as  fast  as  prices  have  risen. 

In  another  way,  inflation  has  hurt 
the  millions  of  loyal,  thrifty  Americans 
who  invested  their  savings  in  war 
bonds.  A  depreciation  of  the  purchas- 
ing power  of  the  dollar  has  resulted 
in  the  loss  of  many  billions  of  dollars 
to  those  who  bought  the  bonds.  The 
many  millions  of  insurance  policies  of 
all  kinds  have  been  deflated,  of  course. 
And  these  facts  seem  not  to  have 
bothered  in  the  least  those  who  are 
running  the  government.  At  any  rate, 
I  have  not  heard  of  it.  As  a  matter 
of  justice  to  all,  should  not  the  gov- 
ernment do  everything  feasible  to  keep 
the  purchasing  power  of  the  dollar 
constant?  Who  has  been  benefited 
by  inflation?  Certainly  the  vast  major- 
ity have  been  hurt. 

I  spoke  of  labor  union  bosses.  There 
are  undoubtedly  officers  of  labor  unions 
who  are  good,  honorable  men  who 
are  willing  to  do  what  is  fair,  right, 
and  just  in  their  dealings.  And  certain- 
ly the  majority  of  members  of  the  labor 
unions  are  good,  loyal  Americans  and 
would  not  knowingly  be  guilty  of  do- 
ing things  hurtful  to  their  follow  men. 
But  it  appears  that  multitudes  of  these 
are  misinformed  by  some  of  their 
crafty  leaders  who  have  told  them, 
for  instance,  that  the  Taft-Hartley 
labor  law  enslaves  labor  and  that  all 
(Continued  on  page  1002) 
THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


m 


s>l^ 


<  iw j-w  * 


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■.■X'r.-r.'Vr.'-  -*&y*-*rrfSS* 


UTAH    OIL    REFINING    CO. 

and  Stations  and  Dealers  in  Highest 

Quality  Petroleum  Products 


41  years 
of  progress 


DECEMBER  1950 


1001 


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Continued 


its  congressional  supporters  should  be 
defeated  in  the  coming  November 
election.  But  if  I  understand  the  mat- 
ter aright,  this  law  does  limit  the 
power  of  selfish  union  bosses,  but  gives 
a  correspondingly  larger  measure  of 
freedom  to  union  members  than  they 
hitherto  had.  I  am  willing  to  trust 
informed,  honest,  loyal  American 
workers.  All  I  ask  union  members  to 
do  before  they  vote  for  candidates 
demanding  the  repeal  of  this  law  is  to 
make  a  study  of  the  law  that  their 
leaders  demand  shall  be  repealed  and 
then  vote  conscientiously.  In  this 
country  the  ballot  is  secret.  Everyone 
has  the  God-given  right  of  free  agency, 
but  God  will  hold  him  responsible  for 
how  he  uses  it. 

Speaking  of  labor  union  bosses,  may 
I  ask  if  you  read  the  Deseret  News 
editorial  published  September  24,  1950, 
entitled  "John  L.  Lewis  Bares  Fangs 
Again  With  a  Grisly  Grin  and  Growl." 
In  that  editorial  attention  was  called 
to  an  epistle  written  by  Lewis  in  which 
he  says: 

Taft  was  born  encased  in  velvet  pants 
and  has  lived  to  rivet  an  iron  collar  around 
the  necks  of  millions  of  Americans.  He 
is  the  relentless,  albeit  witless,  tool  of  the 
oppressors  of  labor. 

Do  you  see  why  I  urge  all  members 
of  labor  unions  to  become  familiar 
with  the  provisions  of  the  Taft-Hartley 
law  before  they  vote?  Let  them  see 
for  themselves  if  the  law  does  not 
give  them  freedom  rather  than  en- 
slavement. 

Here  is  another  illustration  of  dog- 
matic selfishness  shown  by  union 
bosses.  During  several  weeks  recent- 
ly, the  General  Electric  Company  was 
trying  to  negotiate  new  contracts  with 
one  of  the  unions  (a  new  one)  repre- 
senting its  employees.  In  the  com- 
pany's News  Letter  of  August  4  were 
these  statements: 

The  burden  of  I.U.E.'s  argument  is  now 
admittedly  that  it  just  doesn't  count 
whenever  we  willingly  offer  or  put  into 
effect  any  benefits  that  do  not  publicly 
appear  to  have  been  wrung  out  of  us  by 
the  union.  .  .  .  And  I.U.E.  argues  that 
it  can't  afford  to  credit  us  with  anything 
we  are  willing  to  do  voluntarily.  .  .  . 
I.U.E.  inferred  that  others  had  never  been 
rugged  enough  in  collectively  bargaining 
with  us. 

Do  these  statements  show  any  de- 
sire to  be  fair? 

Speaking  again  of  sinful  selfishness 
as  the  chief  factor  in  producing  infla- 
tion, may  I  suggest  that  most  of  us 
are  more  or  less  guilty  of  sinful  selfish- 
ness— we  go  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
Golden  Rule  in  promoting  our  own 
interests.  This  is  understandable  but 
hardly  justifiable  in  the  light  of  our 
teachings.  To  the  extent  that  we  do 
thus  go,  we  violate  the  second  great 
commandment,  do  we  not? 

When  the  Korean  war  broke,  prices 
immediately  went  up.    Why?    Because 


1002 


of  the  sinful  selfishness  of  those  who 
had  things  to  sell.  When  goods  be- 
come scarce,  their  price  is  increased. 
Why?  For  the  same  reason.  In  such 
cases  the  production  costs  have  not 
increased,  but  the  selfishness  of  ven- 
dors must  be  satisfied. 

About  forty-seven  years  ago  Cache 
Valley  in  northern  Utah  had  a  long 
winter.  The  price  of  hay  for  cattle 
rose  sharply.  Marriner  W\  Merrill, 
president  of  the  Logan  Temple,  was 
told  by  the  manager  of  his  farm  affairs 
that  he  had  several  tons  of  hay  to 
spare.  The  demand  was  keen.  Fifteen 
dollars  a  ton  and  more  was  being 
offered.  Brother  Merrill  was  silent 
for  a  few  moments  and  then  advised 
that  as  much  hay  be  sold  as  could  be 
spared.  And  the  price?  Eight  dollars 
a  ton.  That,  he  added,  is  a  fair  price 
for  the  cost  of  production,  but  do  not 
let  more  than  one  ton  go  to  the  same 
individual.  If  the  spirit  here  indicated 
prevailed  throughout  all  America,  how 
much  better  it  would  be  for  all  of  us 
and  how  much  greater  our  happiness! 
Then  officials  of  corporations  and 
labor  unions  would  be  motivated  to  be 
fair  and  honest  in  all  their  negotia- 
tions. 

Yes,  among  the  troublous  situations 
that  America  faces  are  inflation,  com- 
munism, and  the  monopoly  of  labor 
union  bosses;  and  the  most  imminent 
of  these  three  are  inflation  and  monop- 
oly. Both  of  these  would  disappear 
overnight  if  all  concerned  would  im- 
mediately repent  and  live  the  Golden 
Rule.  And  this  all  members  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints  are  obligated  to  do  by  the 
covenants  they  made  in  the  waters 
of  baptism  and  in  partaking  of  the 
holy  sacrament. 

Now  in  conclusion,  may  I  say  that 
three  years  ago  last  April  I  stood  in 
this  pulpit  and  asked  the  question: 
"Did  Joseph  Smith,  the  fourteen-year- 
old  boy  out  in  the  woods  actually 
and  really  see  two  highly  glorious 
heavenly  personages,  God  the  Father 
and  Jesus  Christ  the  Son,  and  hear  the 
voice  of  each  one?"  If  a  fair,  open- 
minded,  competent  judge  were  required 
to  make  a  thorough  study  of  all  rela- 
tive material  and  then  give  answer  to 
the  question,  it  undoubtedly  would  be 
affirmative — so  strong  is  the  evidence. 
For  myself  I  am  very  sure  that  just 
as  certainly  as  you  are  sitting  there 
and  I  am  standing  here,  I  know  that 
God  lives  and  that  this  is  his  Church. 
He,  himself,  through  the  Holy  Ghost, 
has  revealed  this  to  me.  In  answer  to 
prayer  I  have  been  the  happy  recipient 
several  times  of  revelation  direct  from 
God,  given  verbally,  once  orally. 
Hence  I  positively  know  that  he  lives. 
In  recent  years  I  have  publicly  related 
some  of  these  experiences  many  times. 
Many  thousands  of  other  Latter-day 
Saints  have  testimonies  as  strong  as 
mine.  But  all  true  Latter-day  Saints  are 
firm  in  our  precious  faith.  May  all 
of  us  let  it  be  our  guiding  light  and 
keep  us  loyal  to  the  leadership  of  the 
First  Presidency  of  the  Church,  I  pray 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.    Amen. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


DECEMBER  1950 


1003 


Perfecting  The  WELFARE  PLAN 


[earnestly  invite  each  of  you,  my 
brethren  and  sisters,  to  say  a 
prayer  that  while  I  stand  before 
you,  you  may  get  something  out  of 
what  I  say  that  will  do  you  good,  and 
that  what  I  say  will  inspire  what  you 
get.  I  rely  wholly  upon  the  spirit  of 
the  Lord  to  direct  me  on  this  occasion. 
During  this  conference  I  have  lis- 
tened intently  to  everything  that  has 
been  said.  What  has  been  said  has 
thrilled  me,  although  I  have  not  heard 
anything  much  that  is  new.  During  the 
past  weeks  I  have  read  many  confer- 
ence addresses  given  from  this  pulpit 
during  the  last  twenty-one  years,  and 
I  have  not  found  much  in  those  ad- 
dresses that  was  new,  but  I  thrilled 
with  every  one  of  them. 

Truth,  sufficient  to  guide  us  through 
our  lives  and  back  into  the  very  pres- 
ence of  God,  was  revealed  through  the 
Prophet  Joseph  Smith  during  the  early 
years  of  this  last  dispensation.  The 
Lord  counseled  the  brethren  in  that 
day  that  they  were  to  pretend  to  no 
new  revelation.  They  were  to  speak 
and  teach  what  had  been  revealed 
through  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith.  In 
the  main,  that  is  what  we  are  still 
doing. 

I  know,  of  course,  that  there  have 
been  new  revelations  given  since  the 
days  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith.  I 
know  that  every  man  who  has  stood 
at  the  head  of  the  Church  from  then 
until  now  has  received  revelations  from 
the  Lord.  I  know  President  Smith  re- 
ceives them  today.  But  not  many  new 
doctrines  have  been  revealed  since 
the  Prophet's  time. 

What  we  get  out  of  general  confer- 
ences is  a  build-up  of  our  spirits  as  we 
listen  to  those  particular  principles  and 
practices  of  the  gospel  which  the  Lord 
inspires  the  present  leadership  of  the 
Church  to  bring  to  our  attention  at 
the  time.  He  knows  why  he  inspired 
Brother  Joseph  F.  Merrill  to  give  the 
talk  he  just  gave.  He  knows  why  he 
inspired  the  other  brethren  who  have 
talked  in  this  conference  to  say  what 
they  have  said.  It  is  our  high  privilege 
to  hear,  through  these  men,  what  the 
Lord  would  say  if  he  were  here.  If  we 
do  not  agree  with  what  they  say,  it 
is  because  we  are  out  of  harmony  with 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

I  desire  to  say  a  word  or  two  about 
the  work  that  I  give  a  great  deal  of 
my  time  to,  the  welfare  work.  I  hope 
they  will  be  worth  remembering.  There 
are  few  of  the  brethren  who  so  con- 
sistently go  to  all  the  stakes  in  the 
Church  as  I.  I  go  because  I  am  sent, 
I  feel  very  humble  in  it  and  very  grate- 
ful that  the  brethren  have  enough  con- 
fidence in  me  to  send  me  about  the 
Church  to  tell  the  stake  presidents, 
bishops,  Relief  Society  presidents,  and 
other  welfare  workers  some  things 
about  the  welfare  program. 

I  thank  you,  my  brethren  and  sisters, 
1004 


MARION   G.    ROMNEY 

for  your  faithfulness  in  coming  to  the 
regional  and  stake  welfare  meetings 
that  we  call.  I  have  never  called  one, 
and  I  never  shall  call  one  that  is  not 
authorized  by  the  Presidency  of  the 
Church.  Last  year,  of  the  173  stake 
presidents  invited  to  attend  the  welfare 
budget  meetings,  163  attended.  Of  the 
172  Relief  Society  stake  presidents  in- 
vited, 163  attended.  That  made  the 
attendance  record  of  the  Relief  Society 
presidents  about  55/100ths  of  one  per- 
cent better  than  the  record  of  the  stake 
presidents.  The  record  of  attendance  of 
the  bishops  and  the  independent  branch 
presidents  was,  however,  61/100ths  of 
one  percent  better  than  the  record  of 
attendance  of  ward  and  independent 
branch  Relief  Society  presidents.  Thus 
the  attendance  record  of  the  brethren 
was  about  5/100ths  of  one  percent 
better  than  that  of  the  women — quite 
a  record  for  men.  Welfare  workers 
who  attended  those  meetings  traveled 
488,323  man-miles  coming  and  going. 
You  have,  my  brethren  and  sisters, 
made  a  marvelous  record  of  loyalty  to 
the  welfare  plan. 

Just  now  we  are  in  the  midst  of 
touring  the  Church  with  the  proposed 
1951  welfare  production  budget.  We 
are  not  inviting  so  many  people  to 
the  meetings  this  year  as  we  did  last 
year,  because  we  want  to  get  down 
in  our  conferences  with  you  to  the 
discussion  of  some  of  the  details  of  the 
welfare  operations.  We  do  not  feel 
we  need  to  promote  the  welfare  pro- 
gram as  an  idea  so  much  as  we  have 
done  in  the  past,  because  we  believe 
that  most  of  the  people  are  now  con- 
verted. But  we  do  need  to  perfect 
its  operation. 


MOUNTAIN  SNOW 
By  Gitean  Douglas 

HERE  in  this  world  of  falling  snow 
The    mountains    have    gone,    and    the 
rivers  sound 
As  a  thing  remembered  but  not  quite  heard; 
The  trees  draw  in  as  the  forests   go; 
Each  stump  is  an  ashen,  alien  mound; 
Each  bush,  the  thought  of  a  white-winged 
bird. 


& 


<i 


anon 


G:& 


owine 


ASSISTANT    TO 
THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


t 


First,  we  want  to  get  to  the  point  in 
the  program  just  as  soon  as  possible 
where  the  necessity  to  call  upon  the 
Saints  for  cash  contributions  to  meet 
the  annual  Church  welfare  production 
budget  is  eliminated.  We  are  presently 
doing  two  things  to  accomplish  this. 
In  the  first  place,  under  the  direction  of 
the  brethren  we  have  taken  out  of  the 
proposed  budget  a  couple  of  items 
which  required  the  raising  of  cash: 
transportation  of  coal  and  cash  for 
the  purchase  of  cloth.  As  a  result,  the 
1951  welfare  production  budget  will 
be  $132,000  less  than  it  would  have 
been  with  these  two  items  left  in. 

Second,  with  these  items  eliminated, 
we  are  urging  that  the  budget  be  pro- 
duced in  commodities  and  not  in  cash. 
This  can  only  be  done  by  getting  in 
hand  the  means  with  which  to  pro- 
duce the  commodities — permanent  wel- 
fare production  projects.  We  have 
nearly  enough  projects  to  produce  our 
budget  needs,  but  we  are  a  little  out  of 
balance.  Some  projects  are  larger  than 
they  need  be,  while  in  some  places 
there  are  no  production  projects.  If, 
somehow,  those  who  have  no  projects 
could  buy  into  the  larger  projects,  so 
that  all  the  production  could  be  turned 
into  the  welfare  program,  it  would 
help.  All  those  who  have  no  projects 
will,  of  course,  need  to  get  them.  We 
are  stressing  this  matter  as  we  go  about 
the  Church. 

Another  thing  we  are  doing  is  em- 
phasizing the  counsel  given  by  the 
brethren  from  the  beginning  that  the 
welfare  program  must  not  become  a 
dole.  Our  people  must  be  given  the 
opportunity  to  work  for  what  they 
get.  In  the  spirit  of  the  Master  let  us 
give  them  an  opportunity  to  work  so 
that  we  do  not  violate  the  primary 
purpose  of  the  welfare  plan.  When 
they  set  it  up,  the  brethren  said,  "Our 
primary  purpose  was  to  set  up,  insofar 
as  it  might  be  possible,  a  system  under 
which  the  curse  of  idleness  would  be 
done  away  with,  the  evils  of  a  dole 
abolished,  and  independence,  industry, 
thrift,  and  self-respect  be  once  more 
established  among  our  people.  .  .  . 
Work  is  to  be  re-enthroned  as  the  rul- 
ing principle  of  the  lives  of  our  Church 
membership." 

Now  one  more  point:  We  desire  to 
encourage  throughout  the  Church  the 
principle  of  the  fast — abstaining  from 
the  eating  of  two  meals  on  fast  day 
and  giving  the  equivalent  thereof  to 
the  bishop.  A  minimum  fast  offering 
is  the  equivalent  of  the  two  meals,  and 

(Continued  on  page  1006) 
THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


480  geologists  and  exploration  experts  41 00  drillers  and  oil  field  employees     6900  refinery  and  manufacturing  employees    990  research  scientists  and  technicians 


8100  salesmen  and  service  station  people 


Thousands  of  hands  work  when  you  say  "fill  'er  up" 


Most  folks  probably  think  of  a  corporation 
like  ours  in  terms  of  a  name . .  ."Standard  Oil 
Company  of  California." 

Actually,  a  company  is  people  . . .  people 
working  together. 

In  our  case,  27,900  men  and  women  work 
to  bring  you  the  products  you  buy  from  us. 
They  each  contribute  special  skills  and  abil- 
ities, live  their  own  lives  in  many  different 
places.  You'll  find  their  houses  down  the 
block,  pass  them  on  the  street,  sit  next  to 
them  at  a  movie. 

In  the  extremely  competitive  oil  business, 
it  takes  a  lot  of  people — working  with  many 
expensive  tools — to  bring  you  good  products 
at  reasonable  prices.  For  crude  oil  is  a  bulky, 
sticky  liquid  that's  hard  to  handle.  Taking  oil 
from  the  ground,  refining  it,  transporting  it 
and  pumping  it  into  your  car  or  oil  burner  is 
a  continuous  job ...  a  job  that  can  be  done 


most  efficiently  when  many  people  pool  many 
talents  within  a  coordinated  organization. 

That's  why  thousands  of  hands  work  at 
Standard  to  bring  you  good  products  . .  .  and 
to  make  sure  oil  flows  in  steady  supply  to 
America's  planes,  tanks,  trucks  and  ships  in 
times  of  national  emergency. 


STAH*>A*D  oil  m. 

OF  CAn       °MPANY 

tf'°;e"*  you  better 


Your  progress  and  oil  progress  go  hand  in  hand 


DECEMBER  1950 


1005 


Marion  G.  Romney  continued 


a  maximum  fast  offering  may  be 
measured  by  the  greatness  of  one's 
heart.  God  bless  you  that  you  may 
continue  in  this  great  program  with  all 
the  energy  of  your  souls. 

If  I  had  time,  I  would  like  to  give 
you  a  lesson  on  it  out  of  the  first  six 
verses  of  the  105th  section  of  the  Doc- 
trine and  Covenants,  but  I  do  not  have 
time.  I  will  simply  say  this:  The  rea- 
son the   Saints   did   not  go  back  into 


Jackson  County,  Missouri,  and  redeem 
Zion  at  the  time  the  Prophet  came 
from  Kirtland  with  Zion's  Camp  was 
because  the  members  of  the  Church 
in  Zion  would  not  impart  of  their 
substance,  as  becometh  Saints,  to  the 
poor  and  afflicted  among  them.  We 
may  find  that  just  such  a  consequence 
rests    upon    our   performance. 

God  bless  you,  I  pray  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


fortified  &  ^4n 

UNSHAKABLE 
TESTIMONY 

H5u  ^Jstaroid  £5.  <JLee 


HAROLD  B.  LEE 


OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


As  another  great  conference  of  the 
Church  draws  near  its  closing  ses- 
.  sion,  it  remains  for  each  here  in 
attendance  at  the  conference  or  listen- 
ing on  the  air  to  formulate  for  himself 
that  which  to  him  has  been  the  cardinal 
teaching  and  central  theme  of  the  con- 
ference and  then  to  apply  it  in  his  own 
practice.  As  I  have  sat  here,  I  have 
tried  to  do  that  for  myself.  I  would 
like  to  tell  you  what  my  own  feelings 
are  about  that  which  has  transpired  in 
this  conference. 

The  first  thing  which  has  character- 
ized it  has  been  the  feeling,  particu- 
larly among  the  members  of  the  Twelve 
and  to  some  degree  by  all  the  General 
Authorities,  and  put  into  words  by 
President  McKay  this  morning,  that 
this  conference  has  been  greatly  in- 
fluenced by  President  George  F.  Rich- 
ards, and  likewise,  perhaps,  in  a  degree, 
by  all  those  who  have  departed  this 
life  as  leaders  of  the  Church.  President 
George  F.  Richards  was  one  of  the 
noblest  among  them.  I  have  felt  his 
influence  as  President  McKay  has  ex- 
pressed our  feelings. 

The  second  thing,  that  to  me  has 
been  the  cardinal  theme,  is  that  we 
must  prepare  to  meet  that  of  which 
the  Master  warned  when  the  disciples 
asked  him  how  they  would  know  that 
his  coming  again  was  nigh  at  hand. 
He  said  to  them: 

For  there  shall  arise  false  Christs,  and 
false  prophets,  and  shall  shew  great  signs 
and  wonders;  insomuch  that,  if  it  were  pos- 
sible, they  shall  deceive  the  very  elect. 
(Matthew   24:24.) 

The  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  in  his 
inspired  version  of  that  same  scrip- 
ture, added  these  significant  words: 
"who  are  the  elect,  according  to  the 
1006 


covenant."  This  is  what  has  been  said, 
in  effect,  in  this  conference:  Unless 
every  member  of  this  Church  gains  for 
himself  an  unshakable  testimony  of  the 
divinity  of  this  Church,  he  will  be 
among  those  who  will  be  deceived  in 
this  day  when  the  "elect  according  to 
the  covenant"  are  going  to  be  tried  and 
tested.  Only  those  will  survive  who 
have  gained  for  themselves  that  testi- 
mony. 

I  heard  from  a  young  man  up  in  the 
Northwestern  States  Mission,  who  had 
only  been  there  a  few  months — a  fine, 
stalwart,  handsome  young  man — he 
had  just  received  what  he  had  inter- 
preted to  himself  as  a  testimony.  He 
told  how  he  had  been  anxious  in  the 
circle  where  he  had  lived,  because 
members  of  his  own  household  and  the 
circle  of  his  friends  had  ridiculed  oft- 
times,  after  the  conferences  had  ended, 
what  had  been  said  in  those  confer- 
ences, and  he  had  been  shocked  about 
it.  Then  he  said,  as  the  tears  filled 
his  eyes  after  he  had  borne  his  own 
testimony,  "If  I  could  hear  my  own 
father  and  mother  stand  up  and  bear 
their  own  testimonies,  it  would  be  the 
greatest  thrill  of  my  life." 

The  other  day  one  of  the  bishops 
from  the  Big  Horn  country  of  Wyo- 
ming came  to  my  office,  and  told 
me  that  frequently  there  came  to  their 
conferences  visiting  brethren  who 
talked  about  those  who  criticize  the 
General  Authorities  of  the  Church,  and 
about  the  "isms"  that  are  springing  up 
in  apostate  groups.  He  said,  "You 
know,  Brother  Lee,  our  people  don't 
know  what  these  brethren  are  talking 
about  up  there  in  our  ward.  We  never 
hear  these  criticisms.  They  accept 
you  brethren  as  the  representatives  of 
the   Living   God,   and   we   don't   hear 


what  they  say  is  happening  elsewhere." 
As  I  thought  of  that  bishop's  state- 
ment,    I    remembered    the    words     of 
Brigham  Young: 

Were  your  faith  concentrated  upon  the 
proper  object,  your  confidence  unshaken, 
your  lives .  pure  and  holy,  every  one  ful- 
filling the  duty  of  his  or  her  calling  ac- 
cording to  the  priesthood  and  capacity  be- 
stowed upon  you,  you  would  be  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  it  would  be  as  im- 
possible for  any  man  to  deceive  and  to 
lead  you  to  destruction  as  for  a  feather  to 
remain  unconsumed  in  the  midst  of  intense 
heat. 

And  then  this: 

I  am  more  afraid  that  this  people  have 
so  much  confidence  in  their  leaders  that 
they  will  not  inquire  for  themselves  of  God 
whether  they  are  being  led  by  him.  I  am 
fearful  they  settle  down  in  a  state  of  blind 
security,  trusting  their  eternal  destiny  in 
the  hands  of  their  leaders  with  a  reckless 
confidence  that  in  itself  would  thwart  the 
purposes  of  God  in  their  salvation,  and 
weaken  that  influence  they  could  give  their 
leaders  if  they  know  for  themselves  by  the 
revelations  of  Jesus  Christ  that  they  are 
led  in  the  right  way.  Let  every  man  and 
woman  know  by  the  whisperings  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  to  themselves  whether  their 
leaders  are  walking  in  the  way  the  Lord 
dictates  or  not. 

To  me,  there  is  a  tremendous  truth. 
It  is  not  alone  sufficient  for  us  as  Lat- 
ter-day Saints  to  follow  our  leaders 
and  to  accept  their  counsel,  but  we 
have  the  greater  obligation  to  gain  for 
ourselves  the  unshakable  testimony  of 
the  divine  appointment  of  these  men 
and  the  witness  that  what  they  have 
told  us  is  the  will  of  our  Heavenly 
Father. 

I  had  a  shock  and  a  startling  truth 
borne  in  upon  me  by  an  experience  six 
months  ago,  when  following  April  con- 
ference, the  General  Authorities  and 
their  wives  met  in  a  semi-annual  party 
and  dinner  up  at  our  Institute  of  Re- 
ligion near  the  University  of  Utah.  As 
a  part  of  the  program,  the  committee 
in  charge  had  arranged  for  a  recital 
of  the  conferences  a  hundred  years 
ago,  from  the  preceding  October.  They 
read  the  minutes  from  the  conference 
of  1849.  They  then  brought  quota- 
tions from  the  sermons  delivered  by 
the  First  Presidency  and  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve  in  October  1899.  Then 
they  reproduced  on  the  public  address 
system  quotations  from  the  sermons  of 
every  one  of  the  present  Presidency 
and  the  Council  of  the  Twelve.  When 
they  put  into  my  hands  the  quotation 
from  the  one  in  that  other  Council 
fifty  years  ago,  whose  place  I  was  now 
filling,  I  was  startled,  for  I  was  to 
read  the  last  recorded  statement  of  a  » 
man  who  lost  his  standing  in  the  Coun- 
cil and  later  his  membership  in  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  I  was 
more  startled  when  I  read  this  state- 
ment from  his  last  recorded  sermon. 
This  is  what  he  had  said: 

I  know  that  the  children  of  men  never 
were  converted  till  they  saw  that  the  power 
of  God  rested  upon  his  servants,  and  the 
spirit  of  God  went  down  into  their  hearts 
like  lire. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


He  knew,  and  he  came  to  know  by  the 
bitter  experience  of  his  own  apostasy 
that  the  thing  which  lost  him  his  stand- 
ing in  the  Church  was  that  he  lost  his 
testimony  of  the  divine  appointment 
of  the  prophets  of  God,  and  that  the 
fire  which  once  burned  in  his  heart 
had  gone  out.  When  I  realized  that 
one  like  him  had  failed,  and  that  I  was 
now  sitting  in  the  chair  once  occupied 
by  him,  it  gave  me  a  tremendous  feel- 
ing of  responsibility  and  a  fear  lest  I 
might  fall,  by  foolishness  and  because 
of  the  deceit  and  cunning  which  I  have 
come  to  believe  may  overtake  any  of 
us.  False  prophets  and  christs,  as  fore- 
told by  the  Savior,  may  come  to  de- 
ceive us  not  alone  in  the  name  of  re- 
ligion, but  if  we  can  believe  the  history 
of  Italy  and  Germany  and  Russia,  they 
may  come  under  the  label  of  politicians 
or  of  social  planners  or  so-called  econo- 
mists, deceitful  in  their  offerings  of  a 
kind  of  salvation  which  may  come 
under  such   guise. 

Five  years  ago,  following  the  death 
and  burial  of  President  Heber  J. 
Grant,  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  met 
in  one  of  the  most  solemn  meetings  I 
have  ever  attended  as  one  of  the  junior 
members  of  the  Council,  in  one  of  the 
upper  rooms  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple. 
They  had  met  there  to  consider  the 
appointment  of  a  succeeding  Presi- 
dency of  the  Church.  The  chairs 
usually  occupied  by  the  First  Presi- 
dency were  vacant,  and  for  hours  the 
members  of  the  Twelve,  each  in  his 
turn,  expressed  his  feelings  fully  on 
the  matter  of  the  new  appointment. 
After  the  decision  was  made,  Presi- 
dent George  Albert  Smith  took  his 
place  and  called  to  his  side  President 
Clark  and  President  McKay.  There 
was  something  that  happened  to  me 
in  that  meeting.  I  was  willing  then,  as 
always,  to  listen  to  the  brethren  and  to 
follow  them,  but  as  they  took  their 
places  at  the  front  of  our  council. room, 
there  came  into  my  heart  a  testimony 
and  an  assurance  that  these  were  the 
men  who  had  been  chosen  by  God's 
appointment,  and  I  knew  it  because  of 
the  revelation  of  the  Spirit  to  my  own 
soul. 

May  I  close  with  only  this  one 
thought  taken  from  one  of  our  own 
hymns: 

Soon  the  earth  will  hear  the  warning, 
Then  the  judgments  will  descend! 
Oh!  before  the  days  of  sorrow, 
Make  the  Lord  of  Hosts  your  friend. 

Then,  when  dangers  are  around  you, 
And  the  wicked  are  distressed, 
You,  with  all  the  Saints  of  Zion, 
Shall  enjoy  eternal  rest. 

From    "See,    the    Mighty    Angel    Flying" 

God  help  us  to  gain  that  divine,  as- 
suring testimony  which  I  have  in  my 
soul.  I  know  that  God  lives  and  know 
that  this  is  his  work.  I  know  that 
these  men  are  divinely  appointed 
servants  of  God.  And  I  bear  you 
this  testimony  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.      Amen. 

DECEMBER  1950 


Yours  now,  yours  to  remember  —  this  loving  smile  that's  all 
for  mother.  Yours  also,  the  joy  of  knowing  that  he  is  safer 
and  happier  because  of  you  .  .  .  because  of  your  care  in 
choosing  for  him  now  the  things  that  will  help  him  grow 
into  a  sturdy,  happy  child. 

High  on  the  list  of  things  important  to  your  baby  now  is  the 
milk  you  give  him.  Is  it  uniformly  rich  —  easy  to  digest  — 
safe?  You  can  be  sure  of  this,  and  more,  when  you  give  your 
baby  Sego  Evaporated  Milk. 

Sego  Milk  is  always  easy  for  babies  to  digest.  Always  uni- 
formly rich  in  the  food  substances  of  whole  milk.  Always 
surely  safe,  in  its  sealed  container.  And  Sego  Milk  is  enriched 
with  pure  crystalline  vitamin  D,  the  sunshine  vitamin.  It's 
this  sunshine  vitamin  that  helps  your  baby  build  strong, 
straight  bones  and  sound  teeth  —  helps  him  make  the  best  of 
growth. 

Yet,  with  all  these  advantages,  Sego  Milk  costs  less  generally 
than  any  other  form  of  milk! 

FREE  TO  MOTHERS! 


This  handy  book  that  makes  it  easier 
to  care  for  and  train  your  baby. 
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ASSISTANT    TO    THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


ALMA    SONNE 


My  brethren  and  sisters,  I  have  been 
full  of  anxiety  during  all  the  ses- 
sions of  this  conference.  It  has 
been  said  that  everything  comes  to  him 
who  waits.  I  have  been  waiting  and 
waiting,  and  here  I  stand  well-nigh  ex- 
hausted. It  reminds  me  of  a  young 
man  who  stood  before  his  fellow  mis- 
sionaries over  in  Norway  to  bear  his 
testimony  for  the  first  time.  He  said, 
"I  am  told  when  you  are  weak,  you 
are  strong;  but  when  I  am  weak,  I'm 
just  weak." 

I  rejoice  with  you  in  the  growth  and 
expansion  of  the  Church,  in  the  mar- 
velous progress  which  it  has  made  since 
it  was  organized  in  the  year  1830.  I 
am  proud  of  the  achievements  of  the 
men  and  women  who  first  planted  their 
feet  in  these  Rocky  Mountains  and  laid 
the  foundation  for  all  we  have  and  are. 
I  am  also  proud  of  the  men  and  women 
who  built  the  great  city  of  Nauvoo 
and  erected  there  a  temple  to  the  Lord. 
I  am  equally  proud  of  those  who  built 
the  Kirtland  Temple  in  times  of  great 
hardship  and  adversity.  I  rejoice  in  the 
success  which  has  attended  the  Latter- 
day  Saints  in  this  dispensation,  and 
particularly  in  the  success  of  the  great 
missionary  enterprise  which  is  going 
forward  in  the  world.  I  tell  you  the  op- 
position is  crumbling,  and  the  Lord's 
work  is  going  forward.  Never  before 
have  we  had  the  friendly  reception 
which  we  are  receiving  today  in  all  the 
nations  of  Europe.  Our  message  is  be- 
ing listened  to  by  people  everywhere, 
and  the  Lord  is  preparing  the  hearts  of 
men  and  women  for  the  gospel  mes- 
sage; and  so  I  view  the  situation 
throughout  with  optimism  and  delight, 
so  far  as  the  Church  is  concerned. 

Just  before  leaving  London,  I  pur- 
chased a  book.  Its  author  is  Dr.  Ernest 
William  Barnes,  the  famous  Bishop  of 
Birmingham,  England.  I  did  not  get 
time  to  read  the  book  as  thoroughly 
and  carefully  as  I  should  have  done, 
but  I  noticed  as  I  scanned  through  its 
pages  the  learned  man  called  attention 
to  this  one  thing,  namely,  that  infant 
baptism  was  unknown  in  the  days  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  Apostles.  In  an- 
1008 


other  place,   he   quoted  the  words  of 
Paul,  the  Apostle: 

Else  what  shall  they  do  which  are  bap- 
tized for  the  dead,  if  the  dead  rise  not  at 
all?  Why  are  they  then  baptized  for  the 
dead?  (I  Cor.  15:29.) 

He  then  concluded  that  there  can  be 
no  question  but  that  the  early  Chris- 
tians were  baptized  for  their  dead  rela- 
tives and  friends.  Why  is  the  attitude 
of  the  world  changing  respecting  these 
doctrines?  Because,  brethren  and  sis- 
ters, the  endeavors  of  the  humble  men 
and  women  who  have  gone  forth  as 
missionaries  have  been  eminently  suc- 
cessful, and  people  in  all  the  walks  of 
life  are  reading  our  literature.  About 
a  year  ago  I  rode  on  the  train  from 
northern  England  to  London.  WHhen 
we  came  to  the  city  of  Darlington,  the 
door  to  our  compartment  opened,  and 
a  minister  of  the  Church  of  England 
entered.  He  looked  us  over  rather  care- 
fully and  finally  said,  "I  am  curious  to 
know  why  you  Americans  should  come 
from  a  land  of  plenty  to  a  land  of 
scarcity." 

My  companion,  a  young  missionary, 
who  was  always  eager  for  a  gospel 
conversation,  turned  to  him  and  re- 
plied, "We  are  missionaries  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints,"  and  then  with  characteristic 
bluntness,  "commonly  called  Mor- 
mons." 

The  minister  was  not  shocked.  I 
think  perhaps  he  had  surmised  who  we 
were.  The  young  missionary,  true  to 
form  in  all  respects,  reached  into  his 
pocket  and  produced  a  little  card  on 
which  were  printed  the  Articles  of 
Faith.  The  minister  read  the  articles 
very  carefully  and  handed  them  back  to 
the  missionary  with  the  remark,  "I  can 
believe  most  of  these  fine  declarations 
of  faith."  And  then  good-naturedly, 
"Of  course,  I  am  not  prepared  to  be- 
lieve that  Zion  is  to  be  built  upon  the 
American  continent."  But  he  went  on 
to  talk  about  these  thirteen  Articles  of 
Faith  and  referred  to  them  as  "a  great 
religious  document." 

I  have  always  said,  and  I  now  repeat 
it,  there  is  something  more  than  man's 
genius  back  of  these  thirteen  Articles 
of  Faith.  How  could  anyone  devise  a 
better  introduction  to  a  gospel  con- 
versation for  our  missionaries?  These 
articles  are  not  antagonistic.  One  fol- 
lows the  other  in  proper  Sequence. 
They  are  sound  and  scriptural  and  have 
a  strong  appeal  to  those  who  are  famil- 
iar with  the  Holy  Bible.  :  They  are 
neither  dogmatic  nor  unfriendly.    The 


Prophet  showed  great  wisdom,  it  seems 
to  me,  and  a  rare  insight  into  human 
nature,  when  he  used  the  words,  "we 
believe,"  in  presenting  this  powerful 
message  to  the  world.  Is  it  any  wonder 
that  they  have  been  translated  into  so 
many  languages?  They  are  not  only 
well-stated,  but  they  are  also  well- 
selected  from  all  the  beliefs  of  the 
Latter-day  Saints.  They  have  stood 
the  test  of  one  hundred  years,  during 
which  time  they  have  been  analyzed 
and  scrutinized  by  thousands  of  in- 
vestigators. Not  a  single  alteration  has 
been  necessary.  These  declarations  are 
an  important  part  of  the  Prophet's 
literary  and  scriptural  productions. 
They  are  neither  threadbare  nor  obso- 
lete. 

When  our  minister  finally  had  finished 
reading  them,  my  missionary  com- 
panion handed  him  another  of  our 
tracts.  It  was  the  one  entitled  "What 
Is  Mormonism?"  written  years  ago  by 
Elder  John  A.  Widtsoe.  He  read  it 
from  beginning  to  end.  It  was  much 
longer.  It  took  him  an  hour  to  read  it. 
He  was  equally  complimentary  when  he 
returned  it  to  us.  "It  is  one  of  the  best 
religious  papers  I  have  read,"  he  said. 
Then  my  companion  did  a  bold  thing. 
He  reached  into  his  brief  case  and  took 
from  it  another  tract  called  Joseph 
Smith  Tells  His  Own  Story.  Our  friend 
read  it,  but  the  expression  on  his  face 
changed.  His  attitude  was  different. 
His  friendliness  disappeared.  He 
handed  it  back  without  comment  ex- 
cept to  say,  "The  answer  to  that  gos- 
pel tract  is  either  yes'  or  'no.'  "  And  I 
believe  he  was  right.  There  is  no  mid- 
dle ground  upon  which  you  can  con- 
sider the  claims  of  Joseph  Smith.  He 
was  either  prophet  or  fraud,  for  he  did 
his  work  like  one  called  of  God. 

I  also  picked  up  in  England  another 
book,  written  by  Dr.  James  Black  of 
Edinburgh,  Scotland.  He  was  a  promi- 
nent clergyman  in  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land in  Edinburgh.  He  wrote  numer- 
ous articles  against  the  Latter-day 
Saints  over  a  period  of  fifteen  or  twen- 
ty years.  These  articles  were  bitter 
and  were  directed  primarily  against  the 
leaders  of  the  Church  and  against  the 
missionaries  who  were  then  in  England. 
One  chapter  in  his  book  is  devoted  to 
the  Mormons  in  Utah,  and  in  it  the 
reverend  gentleman  made  a  confession 
that  he  has  failed  after  years  of  study 
to  understand  Joseph  Smith.  Said  he  in 
his  statement: 

The  real  problem  in  Mormonism  is  how 

an  ill-educated  man  like  Joseph  Smith  could 

{Continued  on  page  1010) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Another  Bell  Ringer 

for  the  Christmas  Season 


.  .  .  continuing  the  tradition,  now  51  seasons 
old,  of  giving  something  special  for  the  special 
Christmas  season. 

This  year's  Christmas  News  will  bring  you  four  bright,  big  sections  besides 
the  regular  Wednesday  "News."  The  cover  on  the  enlarged  Church  News 
will  be  a  reproduction  of  a  painting,  in  full  color,  suitable  for  framing. 

Rather  than  looking  back  over  a  century  of  living  in  the  Mountain  West, 
authoritative  writers  from  every  field  of  activity  in  this  atomic  age  are  look- 
ing to  the  future  and  what  it  can  and  will  mean  to  the  people  of  this  region. 

Make  sure  you  have  ample  copies  for  the  whole  family's 
enjoyment  —  order  extras  through  your  carrier  or  by  writing 
the  Deseret  News. 


On  the  newsstands,  or  delivered  with  your 
Wednesday,  December  13 


DECEMBER  195© 


1009 


Alma  Sonne  continued 

have  invented  an  elaborate  system  of  rules 
and  ideas  with  many  historical  references, 
ingenious  speculations  and  imaginative 
flights,  and  moreover,  how  he  could  have 
expounded  them  in  a  style  of  writing  ap- 
parently foreign  to  his  ordinary  speech  and 
range  of  culture. 

He  goes  on: 

On  the  other  hand,  the  charge  of  his  ene- 
mies that  the  whole  system  is  merely  an 
invention  and  a  fraud  does  not  touch  the 


problem,  for  this  charge  does  not  explain 
and  cannot  explain  how  such  an  ill-educated 
man  could  produce  such  an  elaborate  sys- 
tem. This  is  a  bigger  problem  than  most 
people  imagine.  It  requires  an  exceedingly 
able  scholar  to  foist  a  highly  wrought-out 
fraud  to  last  for  over  a  century  upon  the 
public. 

Who  will  explain  Joseph  Smith?  Is 
there  any  explanation  of  this  great 
prophet  of  the  latter  days?  Only  one, 
brethren  and  sisters,  and  that  is  the  one 


which  he  himself  gave.  No  one  will  ex- 
plain this  prophet  of  the  nineteenth 
century  except  those  who  accept  him  as 
a  prophet  of  God. 

May  the  Lord  bless  this  great  work 
which  has  been  established  upon  the 
earth  in  the  last  days.  May  he  bless  his 
servants  and  handmaidens  who  are  go- 
ing forth  in  the  world  to  present  this 
gospel  of  salvation,  and  may  we  live 
so  that  our  lives  may  shine  like  a 
beacon  light  to  lead  the  world  towards 
the  truth,  I  pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.   Amen. 


WITH  FAITH  for  the  FUTURE 


vSu    iKlckard    <=L.    C^i 


VaVlS   OF  THE  FIRST  COUNCIL  OF  THE  SEVENTY 


RICHARD  L.  EVANS 

I  am  sure  that  no  one  knows  as  well 
as  I  know  how  much  I  need  help  as 
I  face  this  congregation  here  and 
those  who  may  be  listening  and  look- 
ing on  the  air,  and  I  earnestly  hope 
that  I  may  have  it. 

I  have  jotted  down  from  time  to 
time  mentally  or  actually,  these  past 
three  days,  things  that  I  think  it  might 
have  been  well  for  me  to  have  said  at 
this  conference,  and  I  have  repeatedly 
scratched  them  out  as  others  have  said 
them.  They  make  a  rather  long  list. 

I  heard  some  weeks  ago  a  set  of 
figures  presented  by  Brother  A.  Z. 
Richards,  which  I  felt  deserved  wider 
circulation  as  a  point  of  historical  per- 
spective. I  should  like  to  extract  a  few 
of  these  figures  from  a  longer  list: 

When  Joseph  Smith  was  born,  the 
population  of  the  United  States  was 
about  one-half  the  present  population 
of  California. 

In  1820,  the  population  of  the  entire 
United  States  was  about  the  popula- 
tion of  New  York  City  today. 

In  1830,  when  the  Church  was  or- 
ganized, New  York  City  was  about 
one-third  larger  than  Salt  Lake  City  is 
today. 

In  1837,  when  our  missionaries  first 
went  to  Great  Britain,  New  York  City 
was  smaller  than  Denver  is  today. 

In  1847,  there  were  only  two  United 
States  cities  larger  than  Salt  Lake  City 
today;  they  were  New  York  and 
Manhattan,  both  of  which  are  now 
part  of  the  present  greater  New  York. 

When  Martin  Harris  went  to  New 
York  with  the  Book  of  Mormon  char- 
acters, New  York  City  was  only 
slightly  larger  than  Salt  Lake  City  is 
today. 

Before  Nauvoo  was  abandoned  by 
our  people,  Washington,  D.  C,  was 
about  the  same  size  as  Nauvoo,  but 
1010 


Nauvoo  had  been  only  three  or  four 
years  in  the  making  while  Washington, 
D.  C.  had  been  designated  as  the  seat 
of  national  government  more  than  a 
half-century  before  that  time  . 

I  think  these  latter  figures,  and  others 
which  might  be  presented  here,  bring 
to  us  with  some  considerable  force  the 
kind  of  people  that  our  pioneer  fore- 
fathers were — people  of  great  courage 
and  conviction.  I  think  we  can  see  from 
these  figures,  too,  something  of  the 
basis  of  the  concern  of  some  of  their 
neighbors— with  all  of  the  social,  re- 
ligious, political,  and  economic  impli- 
cations inherent  in  growth  of  this  peo- 
ple, and  the  vigor  and  purpose  they 
displayed  in  rising  repeatedly  from 
their  poverty. 

Two  more  figures  I  think  may  be  of 
interest  to  you:  In  1850,  the  population 
of  Utah  has  been  recorded  in  official 
records  as  being  about  11,380.  Three 
years  later  our  people  started  building 
the  magnificent  temple  which  now 
stands  to  the  east  of  us. 

In  1860,  the  population  of  this  state 
has  been  recorded  as  being  about 
40.273.  Three  years  later  than  that  they 
began  to  build  the  Tabernacle  in  which 
we  meet  today,  which,  when  it  was 
projected,  probably  would  have  seated 
about  one  out  of  every  five  people  in 
the  entire  state.  If  we  were  to  do  like- 
wise today,  proportionately,  we  should 
have  to  project  ourselves  to  the  build- 
ing of  an  auditorium  that  would  seat 
considerably  more  than  a  hundred 
thousand  people. 

Men  of  courage,  men  of  faith  in  the 
future  in  spite  of  all  the  uncertainties 
and  the  drivings  and  the  depredations 
that  they  experienced,  they  began 
again  and  again,  and  rose  from  their 
poverty  again  and  again,  to  produce 
what  we  see  before  us  and  what  we 
are  the  beneficiaries  of.  These  walls 
and  these  buildings  on  Temple  Square 
are  part  of  the  evidence  of  their  pur- 
pose and  their  faith,  and  I  hope  and 
earnestly  believe  that  something  of 
their  spirit  still  lingers  here. 

Now  times  have  changed,  but  human 


nature  hasn't  changed  very  much.  We 
face  other  uncertainties  today,  and 
sympathy  and  appeals  for  faith  and 
prayers  and  for  encouragement  to  our 
young  people  who  face  the  uncertain- 
ties of  our  generation  have  been  ex- 
pressed repeatedly  in  this  conference. 
I  should  like  to  add  my  appeal  for 
faith,  for  prayers,  and  for  understand- 
ing for  these  young  people  who  live  in 
confusion  and  suspense,  and  who  won- 
der when  they  are  going  to  be  relieved 
of  all  this  uncertainty,  when  they  can 
settle  down,  what  they  can  count  on 
for  the  future,  whether  to  pursue  their 
education  and  their  preparations  for 
professions  or  to  give  it  all  up. 

What  can  they  count  on?  Well,  I 
think  it  was  Heber  C.  Kimball  or  one 
of  his  associates  who  said  that  he  had 
started  all  over  again  seven  different 
times  and  left  his  home  and  all  behind 
him.  I  hope  this  generation  will  not  be 
faced  with  any  such  extremities,  but  I 
do  know  that  we  must  have  faith  in 
the  future,  and  when  we  see  what  our 
forefathers  did  with  what  they  had,  and 
the  conditions  under  which  they  did  it, 
I  feel  sure  that  we  can  surmise  some- 
thing of  what  might  be  expected  of  us, 
and  of  what  might  be  accomplished  by 
us,  in  faith,  in  that  unity  of  which  Presi- 
dent Clark  so  often  speaks,  and  in 
righteous  purpose.  There  is  much  ex- 
pected of  us  with  what  we  have,  com- 
pared with  what  our  pioneer  fathers 
did  with  what  was  theirs. 

They  did  some  other  things  also:  It 
has  been  mentioned  that  this  is  a  year 
of  anniversaries.  For  one  thing,  it  is 
the  centennial  of  the  University  of 
Deseret,  now  the  University  of  Utah. 
The  second  act  of  the  territorial  legis- 
lature, as  I  recall,  was  the  founding  of 
this  educational  institution.  This  month 
we  also  observe  the  seventy-fifth  anni- 
versary of  the  founding  of  Brigham 
Young  University.  Did  the  founders 
of  these  institutions  have  their  eyes  on 
the  future?  They  believed  in  seeking 
knowledge  out  of  the  best  books.  They 
believed  that  "the  glory  of  God  is  in- 
telligence," and  "that  whatever  princi- 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


pie  of  intelligence  we  attain  to  in  this 
life,  it  will  rise  with  us  in  the  resurrec- 
tion." (D.  &  C.  130:18.)  And  they 
established  institutions  of  learning 
wherever  they  went.  The  pursuit  of 
learning  was  an  important  part  of  their 
lives. 

I  am  aware  today,  not  only  of  those 
who  are  facing  uncertainties  in  the 
armed  forces,  to  whom  our  hearts  and 
prayers  go  out,  but  of  those  who  are 
pursuing  knowledge  in  institutions  of 
learning,  who  sometimes  run  into  areas 
of  confusion  and  seeming  conflict  in 
their  pursuits.  I  am  grateful  to  belong 
to  a  Church  that  has  committed  it- 
self to  the  acceptance  of  all  truth,  that 
encourages  its  people  to  pursue  truth 
and  to  push  farther  and  farther  the 
frontiers  of  human  knowledge.  And  I 
am  grateful  also  (and  I  have  said  this 
before)  that  the  things  I  don't  under- 
stand don't  destroy  my  faith  in  the 
things  that  I  do  understand. 

There  is  so  much  that  men  don't 
know  that  we  can  afford  to  wait  for 
all  the  answers  where  there  seem  to 
be  areas  of  conflict  and  confusion  in 
the  pursuit  of  knowledge. 

I  was  reading  recently  an  article  on 
the  new  telescopes  lately  put  into  serv- 
ice on  Mount  Palomar,  California — 
the  Schmidt  telescope,  a  smaller  one  of 
rather  radical  design  with  forty-eight- 
inch  lens,  '  and  the  much  larger  one 
with  a  200-inch  lens.  Since  early  1949, 
so  says  the  writer,  the  smaller  of  these 
two  telescopes  has  provided  "new 
clues  on  the  creation  of  the  universe," 
"has  already  revealed  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  island  universes  and  mil- 
lions of  stars  .  .  .  which  had  never  been 
seen  before,"  and  can  see  and  photo- 
graph "clear,  undistorted  distances  of 
three  hundred  million  light  years  away 
or  about  two  thousand  billion-billion 
miles!"  And  the  larger  telescope  pene- 
trates about  a  billion  light  years  away! 
"What  is  man  that  thou  art  mindful  of 
him!" 

And  shall  we  say  that  these  millions 
of  stars  that  have  just  been  "seen" 
within  recent  months  did  not  exist  be- 
fore we  could  see  them  with  the  aid 
of  these  more  acute  instruments?  I 
think  we  should  ask  ourselves  some  of 
the  questions  that  were  asked  of  Job 
by  the  Voice  out  of  the  whirlwind,  and 
see  how  many  we  can  answer,  when 
we  run  into  some  of  these  areas  of 
seeming  conflict.  If  we  were  to  sit 
down  and  list  those  things  which  have 
been  discovered  even  in  our  own  gen- 
eration, which  were  not  before  known, 
and  then  think  of  infinity  and  of  all 
that  is  not  yet  known  by  man,  we 
should  be  humble  indeed  in  our  small 
knowledge,  even  the  most  learned 
among  us. 

I  should  like  to  say  to  our  young 
people:  Keep  your  lives  well-balanced. 
Pursuing  any  narrow  field  of  knowl- 
edge or  activity  to  the  exclusion  of  all 
others  will  reach  a  point  of  diminishing 
returns.  Give  some  of  your  time  to  the 
things  of  the  spirit,  and  always  reserve 
some  of  your  means  to  the  purposes  of 
your  Father  in  heaven.  Look  broadly 
(Continued  on  following  page) 
DECEMBER  1950 


Here's  the  Easiest  way  to 
do  the  Hardest  work 

There's  no  back-breaking  work  in  manure-hauling  when  you  use 
these  3  McCormick  time  and  labor-savers— the  No.  200  Spreader, 
No.  3 1  Power  Loader  and  a  Farmall  H,  M  or  MD  Tractor.  With- 
out leaving  your  tractor  seat  you  can  break  loose  4  or  5  huge 
scoops  full  of  manure,  dump  them  in  the  spreader,  then  hitch  on, 
and  take  off  for  the  field.  Instead  of  a  half-hour  to  an  hour  of 
hard,  back-bending  work  with  pitchfork  and  shovel,  the  entire 
loading  operation  has  taken  only  5  or  6  minutes! 


fciv.i.  ffc;. ■■:■: 


8  Reasons  Why  the  McCormick  No.  200 
Spreader  Gives  You  Extra  Years  of  Service 


!•   Heavy-duty,  copper-bearing  rust  and 
acid-resisting  sheet  steel  body. 

A*   Reinforced  wood  floors  specially 
treated  to  resist  rot  and  warp. 

O*   Double-riveted,  U-shaped  carbon- 
steel  beater  teeth, 

*»•   Rigidly  mounted,  drop-forged  ratchet, 
cams  and  driving  pawl. 


3*   Rugged,    2-piece    widespread,    rein- 
forced by  malleable  brackets. 

©•   Heavy-duty,  replaceable,  draft-reduc- 
ing axle  and  beater  roller  bearings. 

r  m  Exceptionally  strong  roller  chain  to  re- 
sist wear,  stretch,  dust  and  moisture. 

O*   Arched,  heavy-steel  safety  shields  to 
protect  working  parts. 


And  the  No.  200  Spreader  is  only  37  inches  high  for  easy  hand  load- 
ing ...  its  large  capacity  makes  it  ideal  for  the  average  to  large  dairy 
and  livestock  farmer  ...  it  spreads  a  wide,  uniform  blanket  of 
shredded  manure — from  wet  bedding  to  the  toughest  chunks — at  any 
rate  you  want  from  5  to  2  5  loads  an  acre  .  .  .  and  its  accurate  load- 
balance,  when  hitched  to  your  Farmall,  gives  you  pin-point  turning 
in  feed-lot,  barn  or  field. 

The  full  line  of  McCormick  Spreaders  includes  4  others  —  all  as 
ruggedly  built  as  the  sturdy  No.  200 — designed  to  fit  the  varying 
needs  of  feeders  and  dairymen.  These  are: 


No.  200-F.  75  bu.  Designed  for  the  dairy- 
man to  handle  liquid  manure. 

No.  200-H.  65  bu.    Four-wheel,  for  horse 
or  tractor  power. 


No.  100.  40  bu.    For  small  tractors  or  for 
minimum  spreading  requirements. 

No.  100-H.  40  bu.  Three-wheel,  for  horse 
or  tractor  power. 


See  and  examine  these  rugged  spreaders,  the  work-saving  No.  31 
Power  Loader  and  world-famous  McCormick  Farmall  tractors  at  your 
IH  dealer.    International  Harvester  Company,  Chicago  1,  Illinois. 


INTERNATIONAL  HARVESTER 


101t 


Richard  L  Evans 


Continued 


as  well  as  intently,  and  keep  your  lives 
well-balanced  in  your  pursuits. 

I  would  say  today  to  those  who  are 
in  the  classroom,  to  farmers  in  the  field, 
to  the  laborers  in  factories,  to  men  pur- 
suing professions,  to  young  men  in 
military  service,  to  all  of  us  in  life, 
whatever  the  discouragements,  what- 
ever the  seeming  areas  of  conflict  and 
confusion,  whatever  the  infinite  area 
of  things  we  don't  understand,  cling 
to  these  eternal  verities  always:  that 
God  lives,  that  men  were  made  in  his 
image,  that  life  is  purposeful,  that  men 
are  immortal.  Cling  to  the  command- 
ments and  give  observance  to  them  and 
to  the  knowledge  that  it  is  our  Father's 
plan  and  purpose  to  bring  immortality 
and  eternal  life  to  man.  If  we  will  cling 
to  these  eternal  verities  in  simplicity 
and  truth  and  keep  our  lives  well- 
balanced  in  all  our  pursuits,  we  shall 
reach  a  glorious  end,  with  ever-grow- 
ing knowledge.  By  all  means  seek 
knowledge  out  of  the  best  books,  in 
all  fields  of  thought  and  learning  that 
are  constructive,  and,  if  possible,  it 
would  be  wonderful  to  push  the  fron- 
tiers of  knowledge  beyond  where  they 
are  now.  But  always  keep  lives  well- 
balanced  and  reserve  some  time  for  the 
things  of  the  spirit. 

Now  as  to  this  discouragement  and 
confusion:  I  think  the  enemy  of  men's 
souls  wouldn't  care  too  much  what 
means  he  used  to  render  our  lives  in- 
effective, just  so  long  as  he  did  render 
them  ineffective,  I  don't  think  he  would 
care  too  much  whether  it  was  by  in- 
dolence or  indifference  or  by  with- 
holding willing  work,  or  by  doubt,  or 
by  discouragement,  or  by  uncertainty 
— so  long  as  he  could  render  us  in- 
effective, it  would  please  him.  And 
it  must  be  our  purpose  to  see  that  we 
pursue  our  purposes  regardless  of  the 
things  we  don't  know  which  we  hope 
sometime  to  know.  It  must  be  our  pur- 
pose to  pursue  with  all  earnestness 
every  righteous  purpose. 

No  matter  how  much  we  may  be 
discouraged  or  how  often  we  are  set 
back,  we  must  begin  again  and  again, 
if  necessary,  and  earnestly  pursue  the 
purposes  of  life,  full  of  faith  for  the 
future.  Enduring  to  the  end  is  exceed- 
ingly important.  Pursuing  the  oppor- 
tunities and  the  duties  of  every  day  is 
exceedingly  important,  and  repenting 
while  there  is  still  time  to  repent  is  also 
exceedingly  important. 

I  hope  that  we  may  set  our  lives  in 
order,  and  that  our  Father  will  bless 
these  young  people  of  ours,  whether 
they  be  called  to  the  service  of  their 
country  or  whatever  in  righteousness 
they  may  be  called  upon  to  do,  and 
give  them  strength  and  faith,  and  let 
them  be  of  good  courage,  and  help 
them  to  keep  their  lives  well-balanced 
and  always  to  keep  their  feet  firmly 
on  solid  rock.  May  he  bless  all  of  us 
with  all  our  problems,  with  our  fami- 
lies, with  our  professions,  with  our 
work,  and  with  all  that  is  ours  to  under- 
take in  life. 

1012 


I  wish  to  express  to  you  the  convic- 
tion in  my  soul  as  to  the  reality  of 
those  things  which  have  been  spoken 
of  here  in  this  conference,  that  God 
lives,  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  that  the 
gospel  has  been  restored,  that  it   has 


within  it  the  answers  to  the  problems 
that  beset  this  generation,  and  the  only 
answers  to  permanent  peace.  May  we 
pursue  it  in  unity  and  with  righteous 
purpose,  ever  keeping  the  command- 
ments and  bringing  our  young  people 
with  us,  full  of  faith,  understanding, 
and  courage.  I  pray  in  the  name,  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


FACE  THE  FUTURE 

UNAFRAID 

&    (L-zra    J  art    vSeniovi 


EZRA    TAFT    BENSON 


OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE 


I  come  to  you,  my  brethren  and  sis- 
ters, as  we  approach  the  close  of 
this  glorious  conference,  in  a  spirit 
of  fasting  and  prayer,  in  the  hope  that 
the  Lord  will  see  fit  to  sustain  me  dur- 
ing the  few  moments  I  stand  before 
you.  As  I  have  been  contemplating 
with  anxiety  this  sobering  experience, 
I  have  had  reason  to  thank  the  Lord 
many  times  for  his  blessings. 

While  I  was  sitting  alone  in  a  room 
at  my  home  following  the  morning 
session  today,  one  of  my  boys  came 
into  the  room  and  said,  "Dad,  I've  ob- 
served you've  been  fasting  and  praying 
a  good  deal  during  this  conference.  I 
just  wanted  to  come  in  to  tell  you  that 
I  have  been  doing  the  same.  The 
Lord  bless  you." 

As  I  left  the  room,  I  was  met  by 
my  good  wife,  ever  loyal  and  devoted, 
who  said,  "The  younger  children  have 
suggested  that  it  might  be  well  if  we 
kneel  in  family  prayer."  Then  she 
added,  "We  had  prayer  this  morning, 
but  they'd  like  to  join  with  you  in 
prayer  now."  I  am  grateful,  my 
brothers  and  sisters,  for  the  support 
of  our  families. 

I  am  grateful  for  the  spirit  of  this 
great  latter-day  work.  I  am  grateful 
for  my  brethren  among  whom  I  labor — 
for  their  support,  their  confidence,  and 
their  faith.  My  heart  has  responded 
to  every  message  given  at  this  confer- 
ence and  every  testimony  that  has  been 
borne. 

My  soul  echoed  the  sentiments  ex- 
pressed in  behalf  of  our  great  leader, 
President  George  F.  Richards.  I  loved 
him  almost  as  a  son  loves  a  father.  I 
recall  vividly  standing  in  his  presence 
— alone  with  him  in  his  office — just  be- 
fore I  left  for  the  shores  of  war-torn 
Europe.  I  recall  his  last  words  of 
counsel.  I  shall  never  forget  them  and 
the  sweet  embrace  which  he  gave  me 
as  I  was  about  to  leave  on  that  emer- 
gency mission  under  the  direction  of 
the  First  Presidency. 

I    was    happy    to    hear    the    words 


spoken  regarding  my  good  friend  and 
brother,  Frank  Evans,  whom  I  have 
loved  many  years  and  who  was  not 
only  loved  in  the  Church  but  also  was 
loved  by  the  people  throughout  rural 
America. 

I  am  happy,  my  brethren  and  sisters, 
in  the  appointment  of  Brother  Stapley 
to  our  Council,  and  I'd  like  to  say  to 
him,  and  I'm  sure  I  echo  the  feeling 
of  all  of  my  associates,  that  he  will 
see  and  feel  and  witness  a  love  that  is 
not  excelled  among  men  anywhere  in 
the  world  as  he  sits  in  the  Council  of 
the  First  Presidency  and  the  Quorum 
of  the  Twelve.  I  am  grateful  for 
these  rich  blessings. 

I  am  thrilled,  my  brethren  and  sis- 
ters, with  the  sweet  summary  of  the 
conference  given  by  Brother  Lee  this 
morning  and  particularly  with  his  testi- 
mony. I  thank  God  that  he  has  im- 
planted in  the  hearts  of  men — strong 
men,  good  men — a  burning  testimony 
of  the  divinity  of  this  great  latter-day 
work. 

There  is  a  real  spirit  of  brotherhood 
and  fellowship  in  the  Church.  It's  a 
very  powerful  thing,  somewhat  intangi- 
ble, but  very  real.  I  feel  it,  as  do  my 
associates,  as  we  travel  throughout  the 
stakes  and  wards  of  Zion  and  through- 
out the  missions  of  the  earth.  It  mat- 
ters not  where  we  go.  We  may  meet 
in  a  group  with  the  priesthood,  in  one 
of  the  stakes,  or  out  in  one  of  the  mis- 
sions, but  there  is  always  that  feeling 
of  fellowship  and  brotherhood.  It  is 
one  of  the  sweet  things  in  connection 
with  membership  in  the  Church  and 
kingdom  of  God.  I  have  felt  it  way 
up  in  Alaska  as  I  met  with  our  breth- 
ren and  sisters  there.  I  felt  it  far  up 
in  East  Prussia,  throughout  the  mis- 
sions of  Europe,  down  in  Mexico,  in 
some  of  the  islands  of  the  sea,  and 
throughout  this  land  of  Zion.  It  is 
very  real.  Oh,  I  know,  my  brethren 
and  sisters,  it  isn't  what  it  should  be; 
it  isn't  what  it  could  be;  it  isn't  what 
the  Lord  would  have  it  be,  but  never- 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


theless,  there  is  nothing  like  it  in  all 
the  world.  It  is  one  of  the  marks  of 
the  divinity  of  this  great  latter-day 
work,  and  I  rejoice  in  it.  The  most 
important  thing  of  all,  to  me,  is  the 
spirit  of  this  great  work  in  which  we 
are  engaged.  It  is  that  spirit  which 
brings  to  our  souls  a  conviction  of  the 
divinity  of  this  work.  One  cannot 
fully  explain  it,  and  yet  it  is  very 
powerful  and  very  real. 

One  of  my  non-Mormon  friends  who 
passed  away  only  a  few  days  ago, 
who  was  rather  prominently  known, 
who  wrote  for  national  magazines,  and 
was  chairman  of  the  board  of  trustees 
of  one  of  our  great  universities,  some 
months  ago  came  to  this  city  to  ad- 
dress a  meeting  of  dairymen,  most  of 
whom  were  members  of  the  Church. 
After  the  meeting  was  over,  he  came 
up  to  my  home  for  the  purpose  of  a 
visit  and  a  renewal  of  friendship.  As 
I  drove  him  back  to  the  hotel  that 
night,  he  turned  to  me,  after  being 
quiet  for  several  moments,  and  said, 
"I  don't  know  what  it  is,  but  each 
time  I  come  among  your  people  I 
experience  something  that  I  never  ex- 
perience anywhere  else  in  the  world. 
It's  an  intangible  thing,  but  it's  very 
real."  He  added,  "I've  tried  to  analyze 
it;  I've  tried  to  describe  it;  but  the 
best  thing  I  can  do  is  to  say  that  every 
time  I  come  among  your  people,  I  get 
a  spiritual  uplift.  What  is  it  that  gives 
me  that  feeling  which  I  get  nowhere 
else?" 

Brethren  and  sisters,  what  is  it? 
You  feel  it.  We  feel  it  in  these  great 
conferences  of  the  Church.  We  feel  it 
out  in  the  stakes  of  Zion.  We  feel  it 
in  little  branch  meetings  or  in  meetings 
with  missionaries  in  the  far  parts  of 
the  earth.  It's  a  sweet  thing.  It's  a 
priceless  thing.  It  is  a  mark  of  the 
divinity  of  this  great  work  in  which  we 
are  engaged. 

I  recall  while  living  in  the  East  some 
years  ago,  I  invited  one  of  my  good 
friends,  not  a  member  of  the  Church, 
to  attend  our  sacrament  meeting.  He 
promised  that  he  would  sometime. 
Weeks  went  by;  I  met  him  on  the 
street  one  day  following  a  Rotary 
luncheon,  and  he  said,  "I  was  up  to 
your  meeting  last  Sunday  night,  but 
you  weren't  there."  I  explained  that 
I  was  visiting  another  ward,  and  then 
he  said  in  answer  to  my  inquiry  as  to 
whether  he  enjoyed  the  meeting,  "Yes, 
I  enjoyed  it,  especially  the  spirit  of 
it,  but,"  he  said,  "I  wish  you  would 
tell  me  one  thing.  Why  is  it  that 
when  your  people  come  to  the  end  of 
a  meeting  and  the  benediction  is  said 
that  they  don't  seem  to  have  any  place 
to  go?"  He  said,  "That  group  stood 
up,  recognizing  the  meeting  was  over, 
but  they  just  stood  there  and  visited 
and  visited  until  I  thought  I  was  never 
going  to  get  out  of  that  building.  Final- 
ly, when  I  got  into  the  foyer,  it  was 
more  congested  than  ever."  Well,  that 
is  a  further  evidence  of  this  spirit — 
this  spirit  of  love,  this  spirit  of  brother- 
hood that  is  so  real,  my  brethren  and 
sisters,  in  the  Church. 

(Continued  on  following  page) 
DECEMBER  1950 


HOTEL  UTAH 


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Ezra  Taft  Benson 


Continued 


We  witness  it  in  our  missionary 
activities.  1  recall  vividly,  and  it  was 
called  to  my  mind  by  the  remarks  of 
Brother  Sonne  this  afternoon,  stand- 
ing on  the  shores  of  war-torn  Europe 
following  the  war  and  watching  the 
mission  presidents — several  of  whom 
are  here  before  me  this  afternoon — 
come  back  to  the  shores  of  Europe. 
I  wondered  in  my  heart,  What  is  it 
that  causes  them  to  leave  the  comforts 
of  their  homes  and  come  over  to  these 
war-torn  lands  where  there  is  a  short- 
age of  everything  necessary  for  civi- 
lized living?  What  is  it  that  causes  a 
man  to  sell  his  grocery  business  and 
come  way  up  into  Norway  on  his  third 
mission?  What  is  it  that  causes  a  man 
to  sell  his  business  down  in  California 
and  go  up  to  Sweden?  What  is  it 
that  caused  a  man  to  turn  over  his 
furniture  business  in  Salt  Lake  City 
and  come  over  to  the  shores  of  war- 
torn  Holland,  where  there  was  short- 
age of  food,  shortage  of  clothing, 
shortage  of  fuel  and  transportation, 
and  where  there  were  practically  no 
comforts?  What  is  it  that  causes  a 
man  to  leave  his  chair  in  a  university 
surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  earned 
by  a  long  life  of  service  and  go  back 
into  war-torn  France?  And  so  on.  I 
tell  you,  my  brethren  and  sisters,  it  is 
marvelous.  There  isn't  anything  like  it 
anywhere. 

Wbat  is  it  that  causes  our  young 
missionaries  to  want  to  go  out  and 
serve  without  any  hope  of  material 
reward?  I  interviewed  one  of  them 
down  in  a  California  stake  recently. 
We  couldn't  accept  him  because  he 
wasn't  old  enough.  He  broke  down 
and  cried.  He  said,  "Brother  Benson, 
ever  since  I  was  a  deacon  I've  wanted 
to  go  on  a  mission."  He  stated,  "The 
last  few  months  my  fiancee  and  I  have 
been  planning  my  mission  and  what 
would  follow,  and  what  support  she 
would  give  while  I  was  out  in  the 
field.'*  And  he  told  how  his  parents 
had  prayed  that  the  time  might  come 
that  he  would  be  considered  worthy 
to  go  out  and  represent  the  Church 
in  the  world.  Nearly  six  thousand  of 
them  are  out  in  the  world  as  we  meet 
here  today.  What  is  the  impelling 
force  back  of  it? 

How  did  the  Prophet  Joseph  know 
as  a  young  man  that  men  and  women 
would  respond  to  the  call  to  fill  mis- 
sions, to  go  out  into  the  world  repre- 
senting an  unpopular  cause,  to  carry 
this  glorious  message?  How  did  he 
know  that  the  Saints,  when  and  if  they 
accepted  the  gospel,  would  respond  to 
the  call  of  gathering  and  come  to  Zion. 
Yes,  the  spirit  of  this  work,  my  breth- 
ren and  sisters,  is  a  marvelous  and  a 
priceless  thing. 

Now  during  this  critical  period,  and 
it  is  a  critical  period  that  we  are  pass- 
ing through,  I  hope  that  we  will  keep 
ever  burning  in  our  hearts  the  spirit  of 
this  great  work  which  we  represent.  If 
we  do  so,  we'll  have  no  anxiety;  we'll 
have  no  fear;  we'll  not  worry  about 
the  future  because  the  Lord  has  given 


us  the  assurance  that  if  we  live  right- 
eously, if  we  keep  his  commandments, 
if  we  humble  ourselves  before  him,  all 
will  be  well.  I  turn  to  two  passages 
of  scripture  today  which  I'd  like  to 
read: 

...  Be  strong  and  of  a  good  courage; 
be  not  afraid,  neither  be  thou  dismayed: 
for  the  Lord  thy  God  is  with  thee  wither- 
soever thou  goest.    (Joshua    1:9.) 

This  was  the  Lord's  admonition  to 
his  son,  Joshua,  encouraging  him  to 
trust  in  God.  Joshua  answered  that 
admonition  in  counsel  to  his  people 
in  these  words: 

.  .  .  choose  you  this  day  whom  ye  will 
serve;  .  .  .  but  as  for  me  and  my  house,  we 
will  serve  the  Lord.    (Ibid.,  24:15.) 

Embodied  in  these  two  passages  of 
scripture  are  the  two  principal  essen- 
tials for  security  and  peace :  first,  trust 
in  God;  and  second,  a  determination 
to  keep  the  commandments,  to  serve 
the  Lord,  to  do  that  which  is  right. 
Latter-day  Saints  who  live  according 
to  these  two  admonitions — trust  in 
God  and  keep  the  commandments — 
have  nothing  to  fear. 

The  Lord  has  made  it  very  clear 
in  the  revelations  that  even  though 
times  become  perilous,  even  though 
we  be  surrounded  by  temptation  and 
sin,  even  though  there  be  a  feeling 
of  insecurity,  even  though  men's  hearts 
may  fail  them  and  anxiety  fill  their 
souls,  if  we  only  trust  in  God  and 
keep  his  commandments  we  need  have 
no  fear. 

In  modern  revelation  the  Lord  has 
pointed  this  out  very  clearly.  Even 
before  the  Church  was  organized, 
when  there  were  only  a  handful  of 
people  following  the  leadership  of  the 
boy  Prophet,  the  Lord  said  to  his 
Saints, 

Therefore,  fear  not,  little  flock;  do  good; 
let  earth  and  hell  combine  against  you,  for 
if  ye  are  built  upon  my  rock,  they  cannot 
prevail.  .  .  . 

Look  unto  me  in  every  thought;  doubt 
not,  fear  not.  (D.  &  C.  6:34,  36.) 

He  has  also  said, 

...  it  is  my  purpose  to  provide  for  my 
saints,  for  all  things  are  mine.  (Ibid., 
104:15.) 

My  brethren  and  sisters,  it  is  not 
going  to  be  enough  just  passively  to 
accept  the  teachings,  standards,  and 
ideals  of  the  Church.  It  will  require 
real  activity,  real  dedication  to  the 
principles  of  righteousness  if  we  are 
to  face  the  future  unafraid.  But  if 
we  have  the  courage,  sound  judgment, 
and  the  faith  so  to  do,  then  no  matter 
what  happens  we  will  be  able  to  face 
any  situation  with  courage  and  with 
faith  and  with  the  assurance  that  God 
will  sustain  us.  I  know  this  to  be 
true,  my  brethren  and  sisters.  I  know 
that  now  is  the  time  probably  more 
than  any  other  time  in  our  lives  to  live 
the  gospel.  We  should  not  be  lulled 
away  into  a  false  security  as  Nephi 
said  many  would  be  in  the  last  days. 
We  should  not  be  pacified  and  feel  in 
our   hearts    that   we    can    sin    a   little, 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


that  we  can  attend  to  our  meetings 
part  of  the  time,  that  we  can  pay  a 
token  tithing,  that  we  can  live  the 
gospel  when  it  is  convenient,  and  all 
will  be  well.  We  must  not  be  "at 
ease  in  Zion"  and  say,  "Zion  prosper- 
eth,  all  is  well."  But  we  must  live  the 
gospel  plan  every  day  of  our  lives  in 
its  fulness.  Therein  is  safety.  Therein 
will  come  a  satisfaction  which  comes 
from  righteous  living  which  will  enter 
our  hearts,  give  us  the  courage  and  the 
strength  that  we  need.  There  is  no 
security  in  unrighteousness.  The  sin- 
ful always  live  in  despair. 

We  have  a  great  mission.  We  must 
be  prepared,  both  young  and  old.  We 
must  stand  as  a  leaven  among  the  na- 
tions, true  to  the  principles  of  right- 
eousness. 

We  need  to  be  humble.  We  need 
to  be  grateful.  We  need  as  families 
to  kneel  in  family  prayer,  night  and 
morning.  Just  a  few  words  added  to 
the  blessing  on  the  food,  which  is  be- 
coming the  custom  in  some  parts,  is  not 
enough.  We  need  to  get  onto  our 
knees  in  prayer  and  gratitude,  as  Alma 
admonished.  (See  Alma  34.)  We  need 
the  spirit  of  reverence  in  our  houses 
of  worship  referred  to  by  President 
McKay  in  his  beautiful  address  last 
night  at  priesthood  meeting.  We  need 
to  keep  the  Sabbath  day  holy.  We 
need  to  close  our  businesses  on  Sun- 
day, and  as  Latter-day  Saints,  refrain 
from  making  purchases  on  the  Sab- 
bath except  in  cases  of  emergency. 
We  need  to  refrain  from  going  to 
moving  pictures  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
if  we  are  operating  show  houses,  we 
should  close  them  on  Sunday.  We 
should  not  seek  pleasure  in  any  form 
on  the  Sabbath  day.  We  should  stand 
firm  in  opposition  to  Sunday  baseball 
and  other  amusements  regardless  of 
what  much  of  the  Christian  world  may 
do.  We  should  oppose  gambling  in 
all  of  its  forms  including  the  parimutuel 
betting  at  horse  races  referred  to  so 
effectively  by  Brother  Moyle.  We 
should  refrain  from  the  habit  of  card 
playing  against  which  we  have  been 
counseled  by  the  leaders  of  the 
Church.  We  should  stand  united  in 
opposition  to  the  wider  distribution 
and  use  of  alcohol  and  other  things 
declared  by  the   Lord  to   be   harmful. 

If  we  keep  the  commandments,  we 
will  refrain  from  joining  secret  orders 
and  lodges.  Our  first  allegiance  will 
be  to  the  Church  and  the  priesthood 
quorums.  We  will  attend  our  meet- 
ings. We  will  take  our  families  with 
us  to  the  sacrament  meeting  and  sit 
with  them  and  worship  with  them.  If 
we  keep  the  commandments,  we  will 
pay  our  tithes  and  offerings,  our  fast 
offerings,  and  our  welfare  contribu- 
tions. We  will  respond  to  the  calls 
in  the  Church,  and  we  will  not  resign 
from  office  when  called  under  the 
authority  of  the  Holy  Priesthood.  We 
will  follow  the  counsel  of  the  leader- 
ship of  the  Church  and  call  our  fami- 
lies together  periodically  in  home 
evenings  in  order  that  the  home  might 
be  safeguarded  and  the  solidarity  of 
the    family   increased.     We   will   read 

DECEMBER  1950 


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THE  APOSTOLIC  INTERREGNUM 
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1015 


Ezra  Taft  Benson  cw. 


inuec 


the  scriptures  in  our  homes  as  the 
Lord  has  admonished  us.  We  will  not 
violate  the  sacred  covenants  we  have 
taken  upon  ourselves  in  the  waters  of 
baptism  and  in  the  temples  of  the 
Lord,  nor  will  we  desecrate  or  cast 
to  one  side  the  garments  of  the  Holy 
Priesthood.  We  will  attend  to  our 
temple  work.  We  will  become  saviors 
on  Mount  Zion  in  very  deed. 

If  we  keep  the  commandments  we'll 
be  good  citizens.  We'll  exercise  our 
right  to  vote.  We'll  follow  the 
counsel  which  the  Lord  has  given 
in  the  revelations  regarding  our  obli- 
gation to  seek  out  "honest  men  and 
wise  men"  (D.  &  C.  98:8-10)  who 
will  stand  for  principle,  men  who  will 
put  principle  ahead  of  political  ex- 
pediency. We  will  seek  men  of  faith 
who  believe  the  Constitution  was  in- 
spired and  that  this  nation  has  a 
spiritual  foundation.  If  we  are  living 
the  gospel,  we  will  feel  in  our  hearts 
that  the  First  Presidency  of  the 
Church  not  only  have  the  right,  but 
are  also  duty  bound  under  heaven  to 
give  counsel  on  any  subject  which 
affects  the  temporal  or  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  regard- 
less of  whether  or  not  some  men  may 
think  such  counsel  may  have  political 
implications. 

We  must  stand  firm  for  that  which 
we  know  to  be  right,  my  brothers  and 
sisters,  and  uphold  these  men  who 
have  been  sustained  as  our  leaders 
in  modern  Israel.  All  this  we  will  do, 
and  more,  if  we  live  the  gospel.  We 
will  keep  ourselves  clean  and  unspotted 
from  the  world.  We  will  live  lives  of 
purity.  We  will  be  true  to  our  wives 
and  families.  We  will  live  according 
to  the  gospel  plan. 

May  God  bless  us,  my  brothers  and 
sisters,  that  we  may  trust  in  God  and 
keep  his  commandments.  That  is  all 
the  Lord  expects  of  us.  Joy  and 
happiness  will  enter  our  hearts  as  we 
do  so.  It  is  the  wicked  who  flee  when 
no  man  pursueth.  The  righteous  are 
bold  as  a  lion.  People  who  live 
righteously  have  nothing  to  fear.  In 
spite  of  the  turmoil,  anxiety,  and  in- 
security which  may  seem  to  be  every- 
where, we  will  be  able  to  stand  erect 
and  go  forward  with  courage  and 
faith.  We  must  not  compromise  with 
evil.  "They  enslave  their  children's 
children  who  make  compromise  with 
sin." 

God  bless  us  to  live  the  gospel,  to 
be  grateful  for  all  that  we  have  and 
are,  and  for  all  that  we  enjoy,  in  this 
the  kingdom  of  God,  I  humbly  pray, 
and  I  bear  fervent  testimony  to  you 
to  the  truth  of  the  words  that  have 
been  spoken  at  this  conference,  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


M 


LeGRAND    RICHARDS 


en  a  man  5aM, 

"I  AM  NOT 

RELIGIOUS' 

£5u   aJLe Tirana    IKicharaS 


There  is  no  freedom  anywhere 
outside  the  gospel  of  salvation. 

— Brigham  Young. 

1016 


MY  brothers  and  sisters,  from  the 
depths  of  my  soul  I  thank  the 
Lord  for  the  privilege  of  being 
here  to  worship  with  you  in  the  ses- 
sions of  this  conference.  I  think  of 
the  words  of  the  Master  when  he 
was  tempted  to  turn  the  stone  into 
bread  to  prove  that  he  was  the  Son 
of  God.  He  replied,  "It  is  written, 
Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone, 
but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth 
out  of  the  mouth  of  God."  (Matt. 
4:4.)  And  I  am  sure  we  have  been 
fed  the  bread  of  life  eternal  during  the 
sessions   of  this  conference. 

President  Smith  has  already  indi- 
cated that  I  am  a  son  of  George  F. 
Richards.  I  would  like  to  take  this 
occasion,  representing  his  family,  to 
express  appreciation  to  those  who  have 
paid  tribute  to  Father  during  the  ses- 
sions of  this  conference  and  the  many, 
many  friends  who  have  written  their 
tributes  since  Father's  passing  away. 
Many  have  said  that  they  thought. he 
was  one  of  the  finest  men  that  ever 
lived.  As  his  son,  I  would  like  to  tell 
you  that  I  don't  know  of  any  man  that 
I  think  lived  nearer  the  Lord  than  my 
father.  When  he  spoke  in  prayer,  he 
just  talked  to  the  Lord.  And  when  he 
made  a  promise  to  me,  it  was  just  the 
same  as  if  the  Lord  had  made  it.  He 
has  left  us  a  great  heritage  and  a  great 
responsibility,  and  I  hope  his  posterity 
will  not  fail  him. 

I  should  like  also  to  mention  Brother 
Roscoe  Eardley.  Brother  Roscoe  and 
I  had  much  in  common.  We  each  filled 
two  missions  in  Holland;  we  each  pre- 
sided over  that  mission.  Roscoe  was 
a  great  missionary,  and  the  Dutch  peo- 
ple loved  him.  He  loved  the  Church, 
and  he  was  loyal  to  it  in  every  way. 
I  also  worked  side  by  side  with  Brother 
Frank  Evans  in  the  Church  offices, 
and  I  think  he  was  one  of  the  grandest 
men  it  has  ever  been  my  privilege  to 
know.  And  I  thank  God  for  the  pres- 
ence of  Brother  Thomas  E.  McKay 
in  this  meeting.  We  have  been  praying 
for  you,  Brother  McKay,  for  months, 
and  we  thank  the  Lord  that  you  are 
here  to  worship  with  us  on  this  oc- 
casion. 

While  riding  to  my  conference  a 
week  ago  last  Saturday,  one  of  my 
companions  said,  "Bishop,  what  do  the 
Saints  need  to  be  told  more  than  any- 
thing   else?"    I    answered,    "The    one 


PRESIDING  BISHOP 


thing  they  ought  to  be  told  is  how 
wonderful  they  are  in  the  payment  of 
their  tithes  and  their  offerings,  in  help- 
ing to  build  meetinghouses,  in  sending 
their  boys  into  the  mission  field,  in 
helping  with  the  great  welfare  program 
of  the  Church,  in  the  buying  of  proj- 
ects and  helping  with  the  budget,  in 
maintaining  their  wards,  and  in  the 
other  things  they  have  been  asked  to 
help  with,  such  as  the  Primary  Chil- 
dren's hospital,  the  Relief  Society 
building,  and  the  BYU  fieldhouse."  I 
I  tell  you,  my  heart  goes  out  in  admira- 
tion, in  thanksgiving  to  God  for  the 
faith  of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  and  I 
love  them.  For  over  twelve  years  now 
I  have  had  to  do  with  the  financial 
affairs  of  this  Church,  and  we  haven't 
passed  one  year  that  the  Saints  haven't 
paid  a  greater  tithing  than  the  year  be- 
fore. We  are  already  away  ahead  this 
year  over  last  year.  I  don't  think  they 
are  making  undue  sacrifices,  because 
of  the  faith  I  have  that  every  effort 
they  put  forth  in  the  building  up  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  shall  be  in  the  words 
of  the  prophet,  as  bread  cast  upon  the 
water  which  after  many  days  shall  re- 
turn. 

When  I  was  a  boy,  my  father  said, 
"My  son,  there  is  no  organization  or 
corporation  or  institution  in  this  world 
that  will  pay  you  as  great  dividends  on 
the  investment  of  your  time  and  your 
talents  and  your  means  as  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints." 
After  nearly  fifty  years  since  my  father 
made  me  that  promise,  I  stand  before 
you  to  say  that  I  have  seen  it  verified 
in  the  lives  of  the  Latter-day  Saints 
and  the  lives  of  my  own  family,  and 
of  my  own  loved  ones.  And  so  I  say, 
God  bless  the  Saints  for  their  faith  and 
for   their   integrity. 

Brother  Benson  has  just  talked  of 
the  marvelous  sacrifices  being  made  to 
carry  on  the  great  missionary  work  of 
the  Church;  then  there  is  the  building 
of  meetinghouses.  We  have  about 
four  hundred  of  them  in  the  course  of 
construction  at  the  present  time,  and 
the  way  the  Saints  sacrifice  in  order  to 
raise  their  portion  of  the  money,  to  me, 
is  a  marvelous  thing.  My  daughter 
called  me  a  few  nights  ago  after  I  had 
retired.  She  said,  "Daddy,  I  was  afraid 
you  were  in  bed,  but  we  just  came  from 
our  ward,  and  we  raised  tonight  fifteen 
{Continued  on  page  1018) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Peace  <rf  Hlind 

is  the  Guiding  Star  to . . . 

|kace  on  CartJ) 


When  a  man  finds  peace  of  mind  there 
is  little  chance  that  he  will  harm  his 
brother  .  .  .  but  when  a  nation  loses  con- 
tact with  its  Creator,  there  lies  a  threat 
to  the  peace  of  all  the  world.  Through- 
out America  and  the  nations  that  are 
free  there  is  today  a  return  to  relig- 
ion ...  a  quest  again  for  spiritual  values. 
Please  God  that  this  in  time  may  grow 
into  a  clarion  call  to  break  the  shackles 
of  the  oppressed  and  bring  the  dream 
of    peace    everlasting    to    all    mankind. 


The  beautiful  edifice  above  is  the  new  Moun- 
tain View-Monte  Vista  Ward  Chapel  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints; 
Young  &  Ehlers,  architects.  Masonry  work  by 
Thomas  B.  Child  &  Co.  Brick  furnished  by 
Interstate  Brick  Co.,  manufacturers  of  burned 
clay  products. 


interstate  prick  Company 


3100  SOUTH  11th  EAST     #     SALT  LAKE  CITY 


DECEMBER  1950 


1017 


ESSE 


show  the 
heavens  to  Betsy! 

In  fact,  once  you  show  your  partic- 
ular Betsy  how  to  get  upstairs  to 
one  of  the  "California  Zephyr's" 
five  Vista-Domes,  your  worries  are 
over.  You  have  done  the  impossible 
...you  have  solved  the  dreaded 
"what-shall-l-do-now-mother?" 
problem!  Now,  perhaps  for  the  first 
time,you  are  free  to  enjoy  your  trip! 

Children  love  the  "California 
Zephyr";  they  love  eating  in  the 
Diner  or  Buffet  Lounge;  love  the 
scenery;  and,  most  of  all,  they  love 
riding  in  the  Vista-Domes! 

And  we  love  children!  Those 
under  twelve  travel  for  half-fare; 
those  under  five,  free  (when  accom- 
panied by  parent  or  guardian). 


More  to  do . . .  more  to  see 
aboard  the  Vista-Dome 


THE  MOST  TALKED-ABOUT  TRAIN 
IN  THE  COUNTRY 

Daily  between  Salt  Lake  City 
and  San  Francisco 


LeGrand  Richards 


Continued 


thousand  dollars  to  make  the  final  pay- 
ment on  our  meetinghouse."  And  she 
added,  "To  cap  the  climax,  the  bishop 
gave  another  thousand."  I  say  God 
bless  the  Saints  and  leaders  like  that. 

This  same  daughter  was  sent  out  to 
collect  money.  She  went  into  the  home 
of  one  student.  He'd  given  his  part, 
but  they  had  to  have  more.  The  build- 
ing cost  more  than  they  had  antici- 
pated. He  said,  "Well,  now,  I  don't 
know  where  I  can  get  it  tonight,  but 
give  me  a  few  days;  come  back  again." 
He  gathered  up  his  books  that  he  had 
finished  using  at  school  and  took  them 
to  the  university  and  sold  them  to  get 
money  to  pay  another  contribution  on 
the  meetinghouse. 

Sister  Richards  and  I  were  in  Idaho 
a  few  weeks  ago  to  dedicate  a  meeting- 
house. When  we  heard  the  stories  of 
those  Saints,  how  they  had  sacrificed, 
we  were  thrilled.  One  good  sister  told 
how  she  had  taken  her  cow  and  had 
it  killed  and  cut  up,  and  had  stood  on 
the  street  corner  of  the  little  town 
selling  beef  sandwiches  in  order  to 
raise  her  portion  for  that  meetinghouse. 
There  isn't  time  to  tell  you  more  of 
these  stories.  But  I  do  want  to  say 
that  just  as  long  as  the  Lord  will  keep 
putting  that  kind  of  faith  in  the  hearts 
of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  you  just  can't 
stop  the  kingdom  from  growing.  No 
power  under  heaven  can  do  it.  And  I 
thank  God  for  your  faith. 

Now,  as  I  love  the  Saints  for  their 
faithfulness,  I  also  feel  remorse  and 
sorrow  for  those  who  fail  to  have  that 
kind  of  faith,  for  those  who  are  not 
willing  to  do  their  part,  for  those  who 
have  discontinued  attending  their  meet- 
ings. Brigham  Young  said  that  when 
we  fail  to  attend  our  sacrament  meet- 
ings and  observe  our  prayers,  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  withdraw  him- 
self, and  a  spirit  of  darkness  will  come 
over  us.  Now  there  are  a  great  many 
people  in  our  midst  who  have  ceased 
attending  their  meetings,  and  who 
do  not  observe  their  prayers.  Some  of 
them  are  near  to  us,  some  of  them  are 
dear  to  us,  but  the  Lord  does  withdraw 
his  Spirit.  Just  within  the  last  week  I 
had  a  woman  in  my  office  who  told  me 
how  her  husband  had  quit  doing  his 
duty  and  how  the  Lord  had  withdrawn 
his  Spirit.  She  said,  "Sometimes  I 
think  he  is  almost  possessed  of  the 
devil."  Well,  the  Lord  knew  that  we 
could  not  be  disobedient  to  his  com- 
mandments and  still  enjoy  his  Spirit. 
I  want  to  read  the  twelfth  verse  of  the 
ninety-fifth  section  of  the  Doctrine  and 
Covenants. 

If  you  keep  not  my  commandments,  the 
love  of  the  Father  shall  not  continue  with 
you,  therefore,  you  shall  walk  in  darkness. 

And  when  people  walk  in  darkness, 
they  cannot  love  the  brethren;  they 
cannot  love  the  Lord;  they  cannot  love 
the  people;  they  cannot  love  this  great 
Latter-day  cause,  the  greatest  move- 
ment the  world  has  ever  known,  aside 
from  the  great  atonement  of  the  Lord 


1018 


and  Savior,  Jesus  Christ.  At  least 
that  is  my  appraisal  of  it.  I  think  that 
is  what  the  Lord  had  in  mind  when 
he  said  in  a  revelation  to  the  Prophet 
Joseph   Smith :  , 

But  behold,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that 
there  are  many  who  have  been  ordained 
among  you,  whom  I  have  called  but  few 
of   them   are    chosen. 

They  who  are  not  chosen  have  sinned 
a  very  grievous  sin,  in  that  they  are  walk- 
ing in  darkness  at  noon-day.  (D.  &  C. 
95:5-6.) 

The  noonday  is  the  brightest  period 
of  the  day,  and  with  all  this  glorious 
truth  about  us,  some  walk  in  darkness. 

When  the  Lord  has  withdrawn  his 
Spirit,  and  one  walks  in  darkness,  he 
says:   "Well,   I'm  not  religious." 

We  represent  the  adult  group  of  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood,  many  of  whom  are 
indifferent.  One  good  brother  wrote 
in  and  inquired:  "How  can  a  man  ef- 
fect a  complete  annihilation  ot  his  soul 
and  his  body?"  Why,  because  he 
has  not  observed  the  commandments 
of  God.  He  was  not  attending  his 
meetings.  He  was  not  praying;  so  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  withdrew  and  left 
him  walking  in  darkness;  and  when  a 
man  walks  in  darkness,  he  has  little 
hope  to  look  forward  to. 

When  a  man  says  he  is  not  religious, 
does  he  mean  that  he  believes  that 
when  he  dies  that  will  end  it  all?  In  the 
words  of  the  Savior,  speaking  of  the 
days  of  Noah,  he  said:  "They  shall 
say,  come,  let  us  eat,  drink,  and  make 
merry,  for  tomorrow  we  die."  Does  it 
mean  that  he  believes  that  will  end  it 
all?  Paul  said  that  "If  in  this  life  only 
we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are  of  all 
men  most  miserable."  (I  Cor.  15:19.) 
And  the  Savior  said, 

For  what  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he 
shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his 
own  soul?  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in 
exchange  for  his  soul?    (Mark  8:36-37.) 

Oh,  I  tell  you,  brothers  and  sisters, 
the  glorious  gospel  that  we  have  is 
worth  more  than  all  the  wealth  in  the 
world. 

When  a  man  says  he  is  not  religious, 
does  he  mean  that  he  would  not  be 
interested  if  religion  could  tell  him 
where  he  came  from,  why  he  is  here, 
and  where  he  is  going?  Does  he  mean 
that  he  is  not  interested  in  these  things, 
when  he  says  he  is  not  religious?  Sup- 
pose you  had  never  seen  your  own 
father,  and  yet  you  had  had  communi- 
cations from  him  from  Europe  or  else- 
where, and  he  had  been  kind  to  you, 
but  conditions  hadn't  been  such  that 
you  could  visit  him.  Wouldn't  you 
want  to  see  your  own  father?  Would- 
n't you  some  day  want  to  be  acquaint- 
ed with  him  and  enjoy  his  association? 

Paul  tells  us  that 

.  .  .  we  have  had  fathers  of  our  flesh 
which  corrected  us,  and  Cwe  gave  them 
reverence:  shall  we  not  much  rather  be  in 
subjection  unto  the  Father  of  spirits,  and 
live?     (Heb.   12:9.) 

When  religion  can  teach  us  that  we 
THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


are  the  very  offspring  of  God  the  Eter- 
nal Father,  how  could  any  of  us  not 
look  forward  longingly  to  the  day 
when  he  will  take  us  by  the  hand  and 
say,  ".  •  .  Well  done,  thou  good  and 
faithful  servant:  thou  hast  been  faith- 
ful over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee 
ruler  over  many  things :  enter  thou  into 
the  joy  of  thy  lord?"   (Matt.  25:21.) 

If  what  we  read  in  the  Pearl  of 
Great  Price  is  true,  that  those  who 
were  faithful  in  keeping  their  first  es- 
tate should  be  added  upon,  (and  there 
isn't  time  to  discuss  how  marvelously 
those  who  have  kept  their  first  estate 
have  been  added  upon)  but  that  more 
blessed  is  he  who  keeps  his  second 
estate,  for  he  shall  be  added  upon  for- 
ever and  forever,  does  a  man  mean 
when  he  says,  "I  am  not  religious," 
that  he  would  not  like  to  be  added 
upon  forever  and  forever?  There  is 
an  eternal  life,  and  we  have  that  right 
awaiting  us  if  we  will  just  live  for  it. 

Does  a  man  mean,  when  he  says  he 
is  not  religious,  that  he  does  not  care 
whether  his  wife  and  his  children  be- 
long to  him  throughout  the  countless 
ages  of  eternity,  that  they  mean  noth- 
ing to  him? 

I  was  in  the  Arizona  Temple  not  so 
long  ago.  We  spent  a  day  there,  and 
the  Primary  teachers  of  one  of  the 
wards  brought  their  children  to  do 
baptismal  work  for  the  dead.  While 
the  children  were  doing  this  work,  we 
held  a  testimony  meeting  with  the 
teachers,  and  in  that  meeting  sister 
after  sister  stood  up  (their  husbands 
were  not  active  in  the  Church),  and 
with  tears  in  their  eyes,  they  bore  their 
testimonies  and  said  that  the  greatest 
desire  of  their  hearts  was  for  the  day 
to  come  when  their  husbands  could 
take  them  into  the  temple  of  God  and 
be  sealed  to  them  for  time  and  all 
eternity,  that  they  might  have  claim  on 
them   and   their   children. 

Do  we  mean  when  we  say  we  are 
not  religious  that  we  do  not  care  any- 
thing about  such  matters? 

How  are  we  going  to  find  out  these 
things?  You  remember  the  story  of 
the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  how  Lazarus 
died  and  was  received  into  Abraham's 
bosom  and  the  rich  man  into  torment. 
He  called  to  father  Abraham  and  said: 
"Have  mercy  on  me,  and  send  Lazarus, 
that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in 
water,  and  cool  my  tongue;  for  I  am 
tormented  in  this  flame."  Father  Abra- 
ham explained  that  there  was  a  gulf 
between  them.  Then  the  rich  man's 
thoughts  turned  to  his  five  brothers 
who  were  still  upon  the  earth,  and  he 
said,  "I  pray  thee  therefore,  Father, 
that  thou  wouldest  send  him  to  my 
father's   house: 

"For  I  have  five  brethren;  that  he 
may  testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also 
come  into  this  place  of  torment." 

Abraham  saith  unto  him,  "They  have 
Moses  and  the  prophets;  let  them  hear 
them." 

And  the  rich  man  said:  "Nay,  Father 
Abraham:  but  if  one  went  unto  them 
from  the  dead,  they  will  repent." 

Father  Abraham  said:  "If  they  hear 
(Continued  on  following  page) 
DECEMBER  1950 


9 b*  Mt  gukt  frtlron* 


Six! 


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Continued 


not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither 
will  they  be  persuaded,  though  one  rose 
from  the  dead."  (See  Luke  16:22-31.) 
I  pray  that  God  will  put  it  into  the 
hearts  of  our  loved  ones  and  those 
of  the  Saints  of  Zion  who  are  not  as 
faithful  as  they  should  be,  who  do  not 
think  they  are  religious,  that  they  will 
realize  that  we  do  not  only  have  Moses 
and  the  prophets,  but  also  the  living 
prophets  of  God  who  are  sent  to  show 
us  the  way;  that  they  will  listen  unto 
them.  When  I  think  of  all  the  Lord  has 
revealed    in    the    establishment    of   his 


Church  and  kingdom  on  the  earth  in 
these  latter  days,  to  me  it  is  all  Isaiah 
described  it  to  be  when  he  said  the 
Lord  would  proceed  to  do  a  marvelous 
work  and  a  wonder,  and  the  wisdom 
of  their  wise  men  should  perish,  and 
the  understanding  of  their  prudent  men 
should  be  hid.  God  help  us  to  touch 
the  hearts  of  those  who  cannot  see  and 
who  are  walking  in  darkness,  and  God 
bless  you  faithful  Latter-day  Saints  for 
your  integrity  and  your  devotion  to 
his  great  cause,  I  humbly  pray  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


.^0^'^^''-C^''^€^'^^<-^'^?^'^0^<^^'~0^'-0^'^6^^^^^ 


§■ 

§ 


*/  ^r5    K^alled    ^Jodt 


7? 


BY  RICHARD  L.  EVANS 

Cometimes  we  become  impatient  with  the  present.  We 
see  its  evils,  its  uncertainties,  its  imperfections,  and 
eagerly  we  wish  for  the  day  when  things  will  be  different. 
It  is  proper  and  expected  that  immortal  man  would  hope 
for  and  have  faith  in  a  finer  future— but  of  utmost  im- 
portance also  is  the  power  to  appreciate  the  present.  No 
matter  what  far  futures  lie  before  us  (and  we  earnestly 
believe  that  they  are  limitless  and  everlasting ) ,  yet  always 
we  live  in  the  present.  We  may  sometimes  rebel  at  all  the 
uncertainties  and  at  all  the  undisclosed  events,  but  those 
who  would  always  force  the  future,  who  are  overly  im- 
patient for  it  to  unfold,  may  let  the  happiness  and  oppor- 
tunities and  obligations  of  the  present  pass  them  by.  Even 
if  we  could  positively  foresee  the  road  far  ahead,  this 
wouldn't  alter  the  fact  that  we  always  live  now.  And  hap- 
piness, after  all,  isn't  so  much  a  matter  of  rushing  the 
future  as  it  is  of  learning  to  "respect  .  .  .  the  present  hour."1 
To  be  blind  and  indifferent  to  the  possibilities  for  happiness 
today  is  too  much  like  closing  our  eyes  on  an  endless 
journey  and  always  wondering  when  we  are  going  to  "get 
there."  There  is  always  that  which  leads  us  on,  that 
which  keeps  us  full  of  faith  concerning  the  everlasting 
future,  but  an  important  part  of  happiness  comes  with 
learning  to  live  each  day — in  the  quiet  companionship  of 
loved  ones,  with  useful  and  well-loved  work  willingly  done, 
and  with  gratitude  for  friends,  for  food,  for  each  day's 
protection,  and  for  each  day's  endurance.  Whatever  we 
would  alter,  whatever  evils  we  would  outlaw,  this  is  our 
day,  our  generation,  and  we  had  better  learn  to  live  and 
to  "labor  while  it  is  called  today,"2  being  mindful  of  each 
day's  opportunities  and  obligations.  The  far  future  may 
be  better.  We  doubt  not  that  it  will.  But  when  the 
future  comes,  it  will  be  called  the  "present."  When  to- 
morrow comes,  it  will  be  called  "today."  "This  ...  is  the 
day  for  men  to  perform  their  labors. "i!  And  one  of  the 
great  gifts  of  life — one  of  the  surest  sources  of  happiness — 
is  the  power  to  appreciate  the  present. 


1Emerson,    Experience. 

2Doc.   and   Cov.,   64:25. 

sBook  of   Mormon,   Alma   34:32. 


^Jke    J^>poken 


Wo  J" 


FROM    TEMPLE    SQUARE 

PRESENTED    OVER   KSL    AND    THE   COLUMBIA    BROAD- 

CASTING  SYSTEM,    OCTOBER    1,    1950 

Copyright,     1950 


§ 

§ 
§ 


1020 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


a 


...it  beeometh  us  to  fulfil  all 

RIGHTEOUSNESS" 


You  have  just  listened  to  the  Pre- 
siding Bishop  of  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints, 
LeGrand  Richards,  and  while  he  has 
been  talking,  I  have  been  thinking  of 
this  great  audience.  Reference  has 
been  made  repeatedly  to  missionary 
work.  We  have  been  told  that  we 
have  nearly  six  thousand  missionaries 
out  in  the  world  today.  Of  course 
they  are  coming  and  going  all  the 
time.  For  a  small  church,  such  as 
we  are,  having  membership  a  little 
more  than  a  million,  approximately  six 
thousand  missionaries  is  a  marvelous 
record.  As  I  sit  here  looking  at  the 
faces  of  the  men  and  women  that  I 
know  here,  and  I  can  see  people  here 
from  all  over,  it  came  into  my  mind 
to  ask  the  question:  How  many  of  you 
have  fulfilled  a  two-year  or  longer  mis- 
sion during  your  lifetime?  Raise  your 
hands.  Thank  you  very  much.  This 
is  a  missionary  Church.  Sometimes 
people  might  think,  from  the  way  we 
refer  to  finance,  that  we  are  a  bank, 
but  we  are  not.  Think  of  the  build- 
ings that  are  on  this  block,  every  one 
of  them  built  many  years  ago.  This 
tabernacle  and  the  temple  were  built 
in  the  very  poverty  of  our  people  when 
they  were  trying  to  make  homes  here 
in  the  valleys  of  these  mountains.  But 
the  Lord  said,  "seek  ye  first," — not 
last — "  .  .  .  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  his  righteousness;  and 
all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto 
you."     (Matt'.    6:33.) 

When  I  travel,  as  I  have,  approxi- 
mately a  million  miles  in  the  world,  in 
many  nations  and  places  in  the  world, 
and  come  back  here,  I  do  not  know  of 
any  place  where  people  have  more 
comforts  and  blessings  than  we  do 
right  here  in  this  place  that  103  years 
ago  was  a  desert  land,  with  only  one 
tree  growing  in  this  valley.  My 
grandfather  came  with  the  first  com- 
pany of  pioneers.  There  were  143 
men,  three  women,  and  two  children. 
After  he  had  been  here  for  five  or  six 
years,  one  of  his  non-Mormon  friends 
asked  him,  "President  Smith,  why 
did  you  leave  Nauvoo  and  all  that 
fine  country  back  there  in  New  York 
and  Missouri  and  come  out  to  this 
God-forsaken  land?" 

The  reply  of  my  grandfather  was, 
"Why,  we  came  here  willingly,  be- 
cause we  had  to." 

In  other  words,  the  people,  about 
twenty  thousand  of  them,  when  they 
were  expelled  from  Illinois,  had  their 
choice.  They  could  have  stayed  there 
and  lived  with  those  so-called  Chris- 
tians (I  want  to  emphasize  that),  or 
they  could  leave  and  come  out  here 
and  live  with  the  Indians.  That  was 
their  choice.  They  preferred  the  In- 
dians.    Now  that  was  not  because  our 

DECEMBER  1950 


& 


(-'resident 


people  did  not  believe  in  Christianity.  I 
know  of  no  people  in  the  world  who 
believe  as  firmly  in  the  divine  mission 
of  Jesus  Christ  as  does  the  member- 
ship of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-day  Saints.  I  remember  I  have 
had  many  people  say  to  me,  "Why, 
you  people  do  not  even  believe  in 
Jesus  Christ." 

I  have  said,  "What  is  the  matter 
with  you?  If  we  do  not  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ,  why  do  we  call  the  Church,  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ?" 

"Oh,  I  didn't  know  you  called  it 
that,  I  thought  it  was  called  the  Mor- 
mon Church,"  they  have  replied. 

I  remember  I  attended  a  conference 
in  Canada  once,  and  it  so  happened 
that  I  referred  in  my  remarks  during 
the  evening  to  our  faith  in  the  divine 
mission  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  be- 
lieved that  the  Lord  prepared  the  way 
for  the  coming  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth; 
prepared  Mary  to  be  his  mother  and 
Joseph  to  act  as  his  earthly  father. 
And  then  Herod,  in  an  attempt  to  de- 
stroy him,  sent  out  a  decree  that  the 
children  in  Bethlehem  and  the  country 
roundabout  who  were  two  years  old 
and  under  were  to  be  slain,  and  he 
became  one  of  the  greatest  butchers 
of  all  time.  Joseph  and  Mary  took 
Jesus  and  departed  from  the  land  of 
their  birth  and  their  home  and  went 
down  into  Egypt.  They  returned 
later  when  that  wicked  king  had  died, 
and  the  boy  grew  up  in  Nazareth  and 
other  places  in  that  section.  When  he 
was  twelve  years  old,  he  went  with  his 
parents  to  the  temple.  They  were 
there  to  perform  services  in  the  tem- 
ple as  was  customary  with  those  good 
Hebrew  people  in  those  days.  When 
Joseph  and  Mary  started  home,  they 
missed  the  boy.  They  returned  to 
Jerusalem  and  found  him  reasoning 
with  the  wise  men  in  the  temple.  When 
he  was  reproached  by  his  parents  for 
causing  them  such  anxiety,  his  answer 
was,  "...  wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be 
about  my  Father's  business?"  (Luke 
2:49.)  Remember  he  was  only  twelve 
years  old. 

When  Jesus  became  a  man,  he  went 
to  the  River  Jordan  where  John  was 
baptizing  "because  there  was  much 
water  there,"  and  he  needed  more  than 
a  teacup  or  a  basin  full — Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  who  was  to  become  the 
Savior  of  the  world,  went  to  John 
and  applied  for  baptism,  and  John, 
recognizing  him  as  an  unusual  char- 
acter, said,  "...  I  have  need  to  be 
baptized  of  thee,  and  comest  thou  to 
me?" 

"And  Jesus  answering  said  unto  him, 


teorae  ^J4lbert  S^mith 

Suffer  it  to  be  so  now:  for  thus  it  be- 
cometh us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness. 
Then  he  suffered  him."  (Matt.  3:14- 
15.)  And  Jesus  of  Nazareth  went  down 
into  the  water  and  was  baptized  by 
John,  and  when  he  came  up  out  of  the 
water,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  and  de- 
scended upon  him  in  the  form  of  a 
dove. 

And  a  voice  from  heaven  said,  "This 
is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased."  (Ibid.,  3:17.)  Could  there  be 
anything  more  definite  than  that?  Our 
wonderful  Bible  contains  all  that  in- 
formation and  much  more,  of  course. 
When  people  say  or  think  that  we 
do  not  believe  in  the  divine  mission  of 
Jesus  Christ,  let  them  know  that  we 
believe  all  that  the  Bible  teaches  in 
reference  to  him.  We  believe  the 
story  of  how  he  organized  his  people 
and  taught  them,  and  how  eventually, 
at  the  insistence  of  his  own  people,  he 
was  crucified  by  the  representatives  of 
the  Roman  government;  not  for  any 
wrong  he  had  done,  but  because  he 
was  too  good  to  live  among  that 
people. 

We  believe  all  that.  But  that  was  not 
the  end.  The  Bible  tells  us  that  he 
had  been  taken  down  from  the  cross 
where  he  had  been  crucified  and  placed 
in  the  tomb  of  Joseph  of  Arimathea. 
After  three  days,  when  the  women 
went  to  the  tomb  with  spices  and 
other  things  to  prepare  his  body  for 
burial  as  was  customary,  they  found 
that  the  tomb  was  empty.  They  be- 
gan looking  around.  Mary  was  stand- 
ing near  the  sepulchre  weeping  when 
she  saw  someone  who  she  thought 
was  the  gardener.  She  asked  where 
Jesus  was,  and  He  said,  "Mary,"  and 
she  recognized  his  voice.  I  suppose 
Mary  would  have  embraced  him,  but 
he  said,  "Touch  me  not;  for  I  am  not 
yet  ascended  to  my  Father"  (John 
20:17) — that  was  three  days  after  his 
crucifixion — but  to  go  and  tell  his 
brethren,  and  gave  her  other  instruc- 
tions. 

Not  very  long  after  that,  his  dis- 
ciples were  gathered  together  in  a 
room;  because  of  their  fear  of  their 
enemies,  the  door  was  closed.  All  at 
once  he  materialized  in  that  room — 
he  did  not  have  to  wait  for  a  door  or 
a  window  to  open.  Thomas,  who  had 
not  been  present  at  the  time  of  the 
previous  appearance  of  Jesus,  had  been 
told  by  the  disciples.  Realizing  that 
there  was  some  doubt  in  the  mind  of 
Thomas,  Jesus  said,  "...  Reach  hither 
thy  finger,  and  behold  my  hands;  and 
reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into 
my  side."  {Ibid.,  20:27.) 

(Continued  on  following  page) 

1021 


President  George  Albert  Smith 

And  when  Thomas  had  done  it,  he 
cried  out,  "My  Lord  and  my  God." 
(Ibid.,  20:28.)  He  identified  the  body 
as  the  one  he  had  seen  on  the  cross. 
And  then  the  Savior  said,  "Thomas, 
because  thou  hast  seen  me,  thou  hast 
believed:  blessed  are  they  that  have 
not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed." 
{Ibid.,  20:29.)  But  that  was  not  the 
end.  He  said  to  his  disciples,  "And 
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." 
(Ibid.,  10:16.) 

What  did  he  mean?  We  do  not  know 
from  the  Bible,  but  there  is  another 
glorious  record,  the  history  of  the 
ancestors  of  the  American  Indians, 
another  scripture,  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, and  in  this  scripture  is  recorded 
how  he  fulfilled  that  promise  of  going 
to  his  other  sheep.  At  the  time  of 
his  crucifixion  this  earth  was  rent,  and 
the  mountains  were  made  valleys,  the 
valleys  were  made  mountains,  and 
buildings  were  destroyed,  and  many 
of  the  people  who  lived  on  the  land 
lost  their  lives.  They  had  been  look- 
ing for  the  time  when  the  Savior  should 
come,  for  Samuel,  the  Lamanite  proph- 
et, had  told  them  about  it  and  all  that 
would  occur.  They  were  gathered 
around  the  temple;  and  all  at  once  they 
heard  a  voice,  but  they  did  not  under- 
stand it.  And  they  heard  it  a  second 
time;  and  still  they  could  not  tell  where 
it  came  from.  And  then  they  heard  it 
the  third  time,  and  this  time  they  un- 
derstood, and  looking  up,  saw  the 
heavens  open,  and  a  glorified  Being 
came  down  and  stood  among  them. 
Had  there  been  any  doubt  in  their 
minds  as  to  who  it  was,  he  dispelled 
it,  because  he  said,  "Behold,  I  am 
Jesus  Christ,  whom  the  prophets  testi- 
fied shall  come  into  the  world."  (Ill 
Nephi  11:10.) 

Brethren  and  sisters,  we  have  all 
the  information  that  our  Christian 
brothers  and  sisters  do  with  regard  to 
the  life  of  the  Savior  in  the  Bible,  and 
in  addition  to  that,  we  have  the  story 
of  his  coming  to  the  people  on  this 
western  hemisphere,  as  recorded  in  the 
Book  of  Mormon.  And  when  he  came 
among  them,  he  talked  to  them  as  he 
had  to  those  in  the  old  world.  When 
he  was  ready  to  leave  them,  he  blessed 
them,  he  healed  their  sick  and  took 
their  children  up  in  his  arms  and  wept 
over  them.  And  after  being  with  them 
two  or  three  days,  coming  and  going, 
they  saw  him  ascend  into  heaven. 

In  1820  Joseph  Smith,  the  boy 
prophet  not  yet  fifteen  years  of  age, 
seeking  to  know  what  Church  he  should 
join  because  of  the  confusion  in  his 
neighborhood — his  mother  insisted  he 
belong  to  one  Church  and  his  father  to 
another — went  out  in  the  woods  to 
pray.  This  boy  had  read  in  the  Bible, 
"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."  (James  1:5.)  He 
went  out  into  the  woods  and  put  it 

1022 


Continued 

to  the  test.  As  he  knelt  there,  the 
adversary  sought  to  overpower  him 
and  he  was  stricken,  but  suddenly  a 
bright  light  appeared.  Two  glorified 
Beings  were  standing  in  the  air  above 
him  in  the  woods  near  Palmyra,  New 
York.  He  saw  them,  and  they  asked 
him  what  he  wanted,  and  he  asked 
which  of  all  the  churches  he  should 
join.  One  of  them  spoke  to  him  and 
said,  pointing  to  the  other,  "This  is 
My  Beloved  Son.  Hear  Him!"  (Pearl 
of  Great  Price,  Joseph  Smith  2:17.) 
Almost  the  same  language  that  was 
used  by  the  Father  when  Jesus  came 
up  out  of  the  waters  of  baptism — "This 
is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased."  (Matthew  3:17.)  So  when 
Joseph  the  boy  wanted  to  know  what 
to  do,  he  was  told  by  the  Savior  him- 
self. 

I  say  to  you  we  not  only  have  all 
that  the  world  has  with  regard  to  the 
divinity  of  the  mission  of  Jesus  Christ 
as  recorded  in  the  Bible.  But  also  we 
have  the  story  of  another  book,  known 
as  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  the  ac- 
count of  his  appearing  in  this  western 
hemisphere,  the  tradition  of  which  has 
been  among  the  Indians  ever  since;  and 
we  also  have  the  story  of  another  man 
who  gave  his  life  as  a  witness  that 
he  knew  that  God  lives  and  Jesus 
is  the  Christ.  I  refer  to  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith. 

My  brothers  and  sisters,  if  men  and 
women,  with  all  the  truth  that  they 
have,  would  retain  all  the  wonderful 
things  that  have  been  passed  on  through 
the  prophets  of  God,  and  then  let  us 
share  with  them  the  additional  infor- 
mation the  Lord  has  revealed  since 
the  Holy  Bible  was  made  accessible  to 
the  world,  what  a  difference  it  would 
make.  I  remember  a  very  fine  doctor, 
who  was  a  good  member  of  the  Jewish 
church  in  Atlanta,  Georgia,  and  who 
read  the  Book  of  Mormon.  I  be- 
came well-acquainted  with  him,  and 
he  said  to  me  one  day,  "There  isn't 
a  man  living  in  the  world  today  that 
could  write  the  Book  of  Mormon.  It 
must  be  something  more  than  the  work 
of  man."  I  have  known  many  people, 
who,  having  read  it,  and  prayed  about 
it,  have  received  a  witness  that  it  is 
true. 

What  I  want  to  emphasize  is  this: 
Not  only  do  we  have  all  that  is  con- 
tained in  these  sacred  records.  But 
also  when  you  have  received  the  gos- 
pel, been  baptized,  had  the  hands  of 
the  servants  of  the  Lord  laid  upon  your 
head  and  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  you 
have  a  right  to  the  inspiration  of  the 
Almighty  if  you  live  to  be  worthy  of 
it.  Ought  we  not  to  be  grateful  for 
our  many  blessings?  What  a  wonder- 
ful thing  to  live  in  a  land  like  America 
and  to  have  all  the  advantages  that 
we  have.  I  feel  so  grateful  for  my 
privileges  in  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ, 
for  my  companionship  with  the  men 
and  women  of  this  Church  and  of 
other  churches.  I  am  grateful  to  have 
a  host  of  friends  in  the  various 
churches    of    the    world,    scattered    in 


different  places.  I  am  grateful  for 
those  friendships,  but  I  will  not  be  sat- 
isfied until  I  ran  share  with  them  some 
of  the  things  which  they  have  not  yet 
received.  And  that  is  the  thing  we 
must  keep  in  our  minds;  it  is  our 
responsibility  to  bear  the  word.  Let 
us  do  the  things  the  Lord  wants  us 
to  do  and  keep  his  commandments 
and  be  worthy  of  the  blessings  that  we 
enjoy  that  are  superior  to  those  of 
most  people  in  all  the  world. 

This  is  the  closing  session  of  this 
great  conference.  It  will  be  another 
six  months  before  we  are  again  brought 
together  in  this  capacity,  as  far  as  we 
know  now.  But  in  that  six  months 
we  do  not  know  what  may  occur.  Ref- 
erence has  been  made  to  the  fact  that 
many  of  our  boys  and  some  of  our 
girls  are  already  being  taken  away 
preparatory  for  another  war.  War  is 
the  result  of  sin,  not  righteousness. 
And  if  we  want  to  avoid  war  and 
avoid  the  responsibilities  that  come, 
our  duty  is  to  keep  the  commandments 
of  God,  and  he  has  promised  that  if 
we  will  do  that  we  will  enjoy  bless- 
ings that  we  cannot  enjoy  in  any  other 
way. 

I  am  happy  to  be  with  you  today. 
We  have  had  a  wonderful  time.  We 
are  grateful  to  this  wonderful  choir 
that  sings  to  the  world  every  Sunday, 
a  choir  that  has  rendered  1102  pro- 
grams, broadcast  to  the  world.  We 
are  not  depending  entirely  upon  the 
nearly  six  thousand  missionaries.  We 
also  have  the  radio,  and  thousands  of 
people  listen  in  to  the  program  that 
is  given  each  week  by  this  wonderful 
choir,  an  unpaid  organization  that  is 
doing  missionary  work  for  the  bless- 
ings of  mankind. 

Now  are  you  happy?  If  you  are 
keeping  the  commandments  of  God,  I 
am  sure  you  are  happy.  We  have  much 
to  do.  You  have  heard  something 
about  preparing  a  temple  at  Los  Ange- 
les. The  first  plans  have  been  ap- 
proved so  that  the  temple  may  be 
constructed  just  as  soon  as  the  de- 
tailed plans  are  prepared.  It  will 
add  another  temple.  We  are  the 
only  people  in  the  world  who  know 
what  temples  are  for,  and  how  won- 
derful it  is  that  we  can  build  a  tem- 
ple without  feeling  the  loss  of  the 
expense.  We  have  been  building  tem- 
ples and  building  meetinghouses  all 
these  years.  Since  the  war,  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints, 
the  people  that  belong  to  this  organiza- 
tion, have  sent  130-odd  carloads  of 
food,  bedding,  and  clothing  to  the  peo- 
ple across  the  sea  because  they  needed 
it,  and  they  were  made  a  present  of 
it.  Yet  our  granaries  are  filled  today. 
Our  root  cellars  are  being  filled  now. 
Our  little  workshops  where  clothing 
is  made  and  where  second-hand  cloth- 
ing is  repaired  and  made  desirable  are 
filling  up  again,  and  I  want  to  say 
that  I  do  not  know  of  any  people  in 
the  world  that  are  more  richly  blessed 
than  we,  notwithstanding  our  constant 
giving  that  has  been  referred  to  here. 
They  who  give  to  the  poor,  but  lend 
to  the  Lord,  and  he  is  a  wonderful 
paymaster. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Brethren  and  sisters,  let  us  do  our 
part.  Harken  to  the  advice  that  has 
come  to  us  here  during  these  sessions 
of  conference.  This  is  the  Lord's 
house.  His  Spirit  has  been  here,  and 
we  have  been  uplifted  and  blessed 
thereby.  I  pray  that  the  power  of 
our  Heavenly  Father  may  go  with  you 
workers  of  this  Church,  you  members, 
wherever  you  go,  that  your  homes  may 
be  the  abiding  place  of  the  spirit  of 
our  Heavenly  Father,  that  your  sons 
and  daughters  may  grow  up  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord, 
that  you  may  love  your  neighbors,  and 
that  means  members  of  the  Church  and 
those  that  are  not:  That  means  all 
who  seek  to  be  what  the  Lord  would 
have  them  be.  I  pray  that  each  of 
us  may  feel  day  by  day  the  assur- 
ance that  so  many  of  you  have,  that 
God  lives,  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ, 
that  Joseph  Smith  was  a  prophet  of 
the  Living  God.  I  know  that  as  well 
as  I  know  that  I  live,  and  I  bear  that 
witness  to  you  in  humility,  and  realiz- 
ing the  seriousness  of  such  a  statement 
if  it  were  not  true,  I  still  bear  this 
testimony  to  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  our  Lord.     Amen. 


Merry  Christmas  With  Gravy 

(Continued  from  page  959) 

The  gravy!  He'd  almost  forgot- 
ten the  gravy! 

"Don't  tell!"  he  shouted. 

Aunt  Nettie  turned  to  stare  -at 
him.  "Land  sakes!  What  in  the 
world — " 

He  darted  past  her  and  into  the 
kitchen.     She  followed,  chuckling. 

The  turkey,  all  brown  and 
crinkly,  lay  on  his  back  on  the 
platter,  his  legs  up  in  the  air.  Aunt 
Nettie  set  the  roaster  on  the  stove. 
Joey  dragged  the  low  bench  over 
to  stand  on,  so  he  could  see  down 
into  the  roaster  without  getting  his 
face  too  close. 

Aunt  Nettie  opened  the  flour  bin 
and  dipped  the  cup  in. 

"You  promised!"  Joey  protested. 
She  chuckled  again  and  handed  him 
the  cup.  Then  she  picked  up  some 
plates  and  napkins  and  went  into 
the  dining  room. 

Just  a  little  bit  of  flour  spilled 
when  he  carried  it  to  the  stove.  He 
got  the  big  spoon,  dumped  the  flour 
into  the  roaster,  and  stirred  and 
stirred.  It  got  awfully  thick  and 
turned  brown. 

Pop  came  in  and  looked  in  the 
roaster.  "I'll  get  the  salt  and  pour 
the  water." 

Joey  wanted  to  do  that,  too,  but 
he  didn't  say  anything.  Pop  had 
let  him  help  salt  the  drive. 

The  salt  falling  on  the  browned 
(Continued  on  following  page) 
DECEMBER  1950 


DAVI 


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(Continued  from  preceding  page) 
flour  looked  like  the  snow  falling  on 
the  dirt  road.  Then  Pop  picked  up 
the  teakettle  and  poured  in  boiling 
water.  Joey  stirred  harder  and 
faster.  Pete's  sake!  it  wasn't  smooth 
any  more!  There  were  bumps  in 
it! 

Suddenly  Joey  remembered,  and 
the  spoon  stood  still  up  in  the  air. 
This  wasn't   special   turkey  gravy! 


He  was  making  plain,  everyday 
gravy!  For  turkey  gravy,  you  put 
the  flour  and  some  water  in  a  bowl 
and  stirred  it  smooth,  then  poured 
it — 

The  everyday  gravy  blurred. 
Joey  blinked.  Of  course  it  was  the 
steam  which  made  it  hard  to  see. 
He  looked  up  at  Pop,  and  Pop 
looked  at  the  gravy. 

"We've     got     dumplings,"     Pop 


§ 

§ 

§ 

§ 
§ 
§ 

I 

§ 


. . .  i^hiidi 


ren   in, 


LAfideritandi 


>> 


ma 


I 


BY  RICHARD  L.  EVANS 

N  times  of  disappointment  and  disturbance,  there  are  al- 
ways those  who  would  question  the  Creator,  and  there 
are  also  those  who  would  rule  him  out  of  existence.  There 
are  those  who,  in  their  resentment  against  the  evils  of  the 
days,  ask:  If  indeed  there  be  a  God,  why  would  he  permit 
men  to  bring   about   such  unthinkable  conditions?     And 
not  finding  the  answer,  or  not  having  sufficient  faith,  they 
sometimes  deny  his  power  and  personality.    A  once  promi- 
nent philosopher  pronounced  that  man  could  neither  prove 
nor  disprove  the  existence  of  God.1     But  there  are  endless 
evidences  of  his  existence,  and  there  are  timeless  testimo- 
nies and  undeniable  facts  before  us — and  even  a  philosopher 
can  be  wrong.  But  at  least  the  last  part  of  this  pronounce- 
ment is  true — it  is  true  that  man  cannot  disprove  the  ex- 
istence of  God.     The  universe  is  too  illimitably  large,  and 
there  are  too  many  things  unseen  and  unknown,  even  in 
our  own  world,  to  say  nothing  of  outside  our  world,  for 
the  puny  presumption  of  man  to  say  that  there  isn't  some- 
thing he  hasn't  seen.     We  have  enough  difficulty  finding 
out  what  there  is  in  a  drop  of  water,  what  composes  a 
particle  of  dust,  what  makes  a  kernel  of  grain  grow,  with- 
out presuming  to  encompass  the  entire  universe  and  elimi- 
nate therefrom  the  power  and  personality  of   God — and 
they  who  would  do  so  somehow  remind  us  of  the  child 
who  says  that  there  is  no  ocean  because  he  has  never  been 
to  the  seashore;  the  child  who  believes  that  nothing  exists 
beyond  his  own  backyard.     It  was  such  "children"    (al- 
though they  were  men  in  years)   who  were  once  so  sure 
that  the  world  was  flat,  and  who  abused  and  even  burned 
those  who  had  other  evidence.     It  was  such   "children" 
who  have  disbelieved  in  the  existence  of  all   manner  of 
things,  once  unseen,  that  have  since  become  commonplace. 
And  to  all  such  perhaps  these  words  of  Paul  could  apply: 
"...  be  not  children  in  understanding.'"     And  to  those 
who  would  eliminate  the  Lord  God  from  their  lives— be- 
cause things  have  gone  wrong,  because  we  have  seen  a 
sick  world — let  it  be  said  again:  "be  not  children  in  under- 
standing"— no  matter  what  we  have  seen — or  have  failed 
to  see. 

iKant. 

H    Corinthians    14:20. 

ULe    spoken      \A/ord         FROM    TEMPLE   SQUARE 
PRESENTED    OVER   KSL   AND    THE   COLUMBIA   BROAD- 
CASTING   SYSTEM,    OCTOBER    8,     1950 

Copyright,     1950 


§ 
§ 


§ 
§ 

§ 

§ 


tjG'A&V. 


1024 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


said,  "but  dumplings  are  good  with 
potatoes." 

Joey  started  stirring  again,  still 
harder  and  faster.  Some  of  the  big 
bumps  broke  into  little  bumps.  But 
it  didn't  look  like  gravy. 

Pop  looked  at  Joey's  face,  then 
back  at  the  gravy,  "Do  you  want  to 
take  the  dumplings  out?" 

Joey's  teeth  bit  hard  on  his  lower 
lip.  He  started  fishing  out  all  the 
big  bumps  and  putting  them  into  the 
cup,  until  the  cup  was  almost  run- 
ning over.  Now  the  gravy  looked 
too  watery,  and  it  still  had  little 
bumps  in  it. 

"I  think  some  more  flour  will  fix 
it  up,"  Pop  said. 

He  got  flour  in  a  spoon  and 
started  back  to  the  stove.  For  an 
awful  moment  Joey  thought  he  was 
going  to  dump  the  flour  in  just 
plain. 

"You — you  stir  it  up  in  water," 
Joey  said.  His  voice  sounded  queer, 
but  Pop  didn't  seem  to  notice. 

"Now,  why  didn't  I  think  of 
that!"  Pop  said  cheerfully.  He 
got  a  bowl  and  made  a  smooth 
paste  then  poured  it  slowly  into 
the  gravy. 

Joey's  arm  ached  now,  but  he 
kept  on  stirring,  fast  and  hard.  The 
gravy  got  thicker  and  smoother. 
But  it  looked  dull  yellow  instead  of 
rich  brown,  as  turkey  gravy  should. 
And  it  still  had  bumps  in  it. 

Aunt  Nettie  came  in.  "Is  it 
ready  yet?" 

Nobody  answered.  Joey  looked 
at  Pop,  and  Pop  looked  at  the  gravy. 

Land  sakes,  get  me  a  strainer!" 
Aunt  Nettie  sounded  impatient. 
"Joey,  go  wash  your  hands  then 
carry  the  potatoes  to  the  table. 
Everybody's  starved." 

Joey  darted  out,  glad  to  get  away. 
Everything  was  spoiled.  He'd 
planned  to  tell  Mother  he  made  the 
gravy.  He  imagined  how  she'd 
smile  at  him  when  the  rich  brown 
gravy  spread  over  the  mashed 
potatoes.  But  that  awful  yellow 
gravy!  Pete's  sakes!  How  could 
he  say  he  made  that? 

Of  course,  Pop  worked  on  the 
gravy,  too.  Pop  should  have  known 
how  it's  done.  Pop  should  have 
told  him.  You  couldn't  expect  just 
a  little  boy  to  be  all  to  blame,  when 
his  pop  helped  him  do  it. 

He  held  his  fingers  under  the 
faucet  and  wiped  them  on  the 
towel.    He  went  back  to  the  kitchen 

{Concluded  on  following  page) 
DECEMBER  1950 


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MERRY  CHRISTMAS  WITH  GRAVY 


(Concluded  from  preceding  page) 
and  picked  up  the  potatoes  with- 
out looking  at  anybody.  He  stood 
by  his  chair  until  the  others  came 
in,  then  smiled  bravely  at  Mother 
and  tried  to  smile  at  Pop. 

"I  made  the  gravy!"  he  said 
loudly,  and  sat  down  before  any- 
one else  did. 

"Why,  Joey,  that's  wonderful!" 
Mother  said. 

He  bowed  his  head  and  folded 
his  hands  hard  together  in  his  lap, 
while  Pop  thanked  Heavenly  Father 
for  our  blessings  and  for  having 
Mother  home.  He  didn't  look  up 
again  until  Pop  asked  him  to  pass 
his  plate  for  a  piece  of  turkey. 

He  looked  for  the  gravy  bowl, 
then  turned  his  head  just  a  little 
to   watch    Mother    dip    gravy   onto 


her  mashed  potatoes.  His  eyes 
wanted  to  jump  right  out  of  his 
head!  It  wasn't  bumpy  yellow  at 
all!  It  was  smooth,  brown  gravy! 
It  ran  over  the  potatoes  and  made  a 
little  brown  puddle  on  the  plate. 

Mother  tasted  it.  "M-m!  Deli- 
cious gravy,   Joey!" 

He  looked  at  Pop,  skilfully  slic- 
ing turkey.  Pop  had  done  some- 
thing magic  to  the  gravy!  Pop 
glanced  up  and  winked. 

"Pop  helped!"  Joey  said  sud- 
denly. 

Mother  and  Pop  smiled.  Aunt 
Nettie  chuckled.  Then  Joey  laughed 
right  out  loud. 

"Merry  Christmas,  everybody!" 
he  shouted.  "And  please  pass  the 
gravy!" 


HERITAGE  IN  THE  PACIFIC . . . 


(Continued  from  page  954) 
17,  Brother  Ching  who  lives  and 
works  at  the  leper  settlement  of 
Kalaupapa  on  the  island  of  Molokai, 
came  to  take  moving  pictures  of 
President  Smith.  Brother  Ching  is 
allowed  to  come  and  go,  but,  of 
course,  the  regular  inmates  at  the 
settlement  cannot  leave  the  village 
because  of  the  disease  which  they 
have.  When  he  left  to  come  to  the 
centennial  conference,  the  Saints 
there  at  Kalaupapa  asked  Brother 
Ching  to  take  some  moving  pictures 
of  the  President  as  he  walked  and 
talked.  In  the  evening,  in  company 
with  President  Smith,  we  attended 
the  magnificent  centennial  pageant 
which  had  been  postponed  from  the 
night  before  because  of  rain.  The 
pageant  was  entitled,  One  Hundred 
Years  of  Mormonism  in  Hawaii, 
which  was  presented  at  the  Arthur 
L.  Andrews  Theater  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Hawaii,  in  a  great  open-air 
amphitheater.  The  stage  was  gi- 
gantic, but  the  thing  that  was  so 
striking  was  the  fact  that  the  entire 
background  was  a  lush  tropical 
growth  of  trees,  flowering  shrubs, 
and  vines,  which  were  a  picture  in 
and  of  themselves.  There  was  a 
cast  of  over  five  hundred  in  the 
pageant,  and  in  addition  a  chorus 
of  over  five  hundred.  Villages,  plan- 
tations, chapels,  and  homes  were 
reproduced  on  the  stage  lifesize, 
and   because   of   the   immensity    of 


1026 


the  area  they  seemed  entirely  in 
keeping  with  the  whole,  so  that 
when  the  missionaries  came  riding 
down  the  hillside  through  the  trees 
on  a  horse  they  were  not  at 
all  out  of  proportion,  and  when 
the  plantation  manager  rode  out 
amongst  the  fields  of  taro  and  sugar 
cane  to  observe  the  activities  of 
the  people,  it  seemed  very  natural. 
Even  when  the  more  than  five  hun- 
dred members  of  the  cast  were  on 
the  stage  at  one  time,  it  did  not 
seem  crowded.  The  pageant,  under 
the  direction  of  Joseph  F.  Smith, 
professor  at  the  University  of 
Hawaii,  was  a  credit  to  the  Church 
and  to  the  Hawaiian  people.  Not 
only  was  it  appreciated  by  the  mem- 
bership of  the  Church  but  was  also 
received  enthusiastically  by  the 
populace  of  Honolulu  itself,  and  the 
papers  carried  front-page  stories 
about  it.  The  five-hundred-voice 
chorus  was  made  up  of  members  of 
the  Church  from  all  the  islands  un- 
der the  leadership  of  Sister  Miriam 
Leilani  and  presented  a  thrilling  pic- 
ture as  all  were  dressed  in  white 
and  wearing  orange  and  red  capes. 
On  Friday,  August  18,  President 
Smith  was  interviewed  at  some 
length  by  a  member  of  the  United 
Press;  and  then  he  visited  with  a 
very  good  friend  of  his,  one  of  the 
outstanding  physicians  of  Hawaii, 
Dr.  Strode,  whom  the  President  met 
on  a  train  once  in  the  United  States. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


On  Saturday,  August  1  ^Presi- 
dent Smith  and  party  went  to  the 
village  of  Laie,  on  the  windward 
side  of  Oahu,  where  is  located  the 
beautiful  Hawaiian  Temple.  To  at- 
tempt to  describe  the  setting  and  the 
feeling  that  one  receives  as  he  rides 
along  the  shore  of  the  blue  Pacific 
and  suddenly  turns  to  the  left  and 
there  views  the  beautiful  temple 
with  its  magnificent  background  of 
tropical  growth  is  most  difficult  in- 
deed. It  is  a  glorious  sight  in  the 
daytime  and  even  more  inspiring  as 
one  sees  it  stand  out  under  the 
brilliant  radiance  of  a  full  Hawaiian 
moon. 

President  Smith  attended  the 
hukilau,  or  net  fishing,  which  was 
held  at  Laie.  The  men  in  the  boats 
leave  from  one  side  of  the  bay  and 
row  out  into  the  ocean  and  return 
in  a  great  arc,  spreading  the  net  as 
they  go  and  landing  several  hun- 
dred yards  down  the  beach,  and 
then  the  whole  village  turns  out  and 
begins  to  pull  in  on  both  ends  of 
the  net.  Many  fish  are  caught  in 
the  net  as  it  is  pulled  in,  but  the 
major  portion  of  them  are  in  a  great 
funnel-shaped  net  at  the  apex.  This 
is  a  very  colorful  affair,  and  thou- 
sands of  people  were  present  to 
watch  the  net  pulled  in  and  to  see 
the  many  curious  types  of  fish  that 
were  pulled  in  from  the  ocean. 

Sunday  morning,  August  20, 
dawned  bright  and  clear,  and  we 
went  again  to  where  the  morning 
meeting  was  held  in  the  beautiful 
new  Laie  Ward  chapel,  where  over 
one  thousand  people  were  in  at- 
tendance. Music  was  furnished  by 
the  Laie  Ward  choir,  and  after 
others  had  spoken,  Elder  Moyle  and 
President  Smith  addressed  the  audi- 
ence. 

In  the  afternoon  we  returned  to 
Honolulu  where  in  the  evening  the 
final  session  of  the  conference  was 
held,  which  brought  to  a  close  the 
centennial  celebration  program.  At 
this  meeting  over  two  thousand 
were  present — a  truly  fitting  climax 
to  a  most  glorious  celebration.  Presi- 
dent Smith  bore  his  testimony  in 
great  beauty  and  simplicity.  Every- 
one present  was  visibly  moved  and 
affected  as  the  President  uttered 
words  of  love,  kindness,  and  wis- 
dom. 

The  next  day,  Monday,  August 
21,  we  reluctantly  boarded  the  ship 
for  the  return  voyage.     There  are 

{Continued  on  following  page) 
DECEMBER  1950 


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— Marba  C.  Josephson 

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HERITAGE  IN  THE  PACIFIC . . . 


{Continued  from  preceding  page) 
no  words  to  express  the  feeling  that 
one  has  as  he  leaves  dear  friends 
standing  on  the  pier  as  the  boat  be- 
gins to  glide  gracefully  away.  You 
become  suddenly  aware  that  you 
may  never  see  these  loved  ones 
again  in  this  life  and  that  many  a 
year  may  pass  before  ever  you  see 
the  beautiful  islands  once  more. 

Many  things  went  through  my 
mind  as  I  contemplated  the  cen- 
tennial activities.  I  found  myself 
constantly  comparing  conditions  in 
Hawaii  and  in  the  mission  as  they 
were  when  I  was  there  as  a  young 


missionary  years  ago  and  as  I  found 
them  on  this  recent  trip. 

When  I  first  went  to  Hawaii,  the 
islands  constituted  one  mission. 
While  I  was  there,  the  great  Oahu 
Stake  of  Zion  was  organized,  which 
has  continued  to  grow  and  prosper 
in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  As  great 
airplanes  glide  smoothly  to  the 
ground  after  having  come  from  the 
mainland,  I  recalled  having  watched 
Captain  Music's  China  Clipper  land 
at  Honolulu,  when  he  pioneered  the 
air  route  from,  San  Francisco  to 
Hawaii.  It  was  on  his  second  flight, 
as  he  touched  Hawaii  and  continued 


'~0^'^?''^Cr'^^^^^^^0^'-^''--^'^Cri^^-^^'~i!^<^^^ 


§ 
^ 


eainviina 


^Joaetker 


BY  RICHARD  L  EVANS 


/"^ften  young  people  who  are  beginning  life  together 
become  discouraged  because  they  can't  begin  where 
their  parents  "left  ofF."  There  are  many  things  they  want. 
And  working  and  waiting  and  going  without  aren't  always 
easy.  Often  they  come  from  comfortable  homes.  Some 
have  lived  in  comparative  luxury.  They  have  entertained 
their  friends  in  surroundings  that  it  has  taken  the  family 
much  working  and  waiting  to  acquire.  And  they  sometimes 
think  it  is  an  undue  hardship  to  begin  as  their  parents 
began.  A  girl  who  comes  from  a  provident  home  could 
make  it  very  miserable  for  the  young  man  she  marries  if 
she  were  to  expect  him  immediately  to  provide  all  the  com- 
forts and  conveniences  that  she  has  been  accustomed  to. 
She  must  remember  that  few  people  start  with  "every- 
thing" at  once.  And  those  who  do — those  few  who  have 
made-to-order  establishments  handed  to  them — miss  much 
of  the  genuine  joy  of  working  and  planning  together.  Of 
course  we  expect  each  generation  to  improve  upon  the 
past.  And  fortunately  it  may  not  be  necessary  to  go  all 
the  way  back  and  begin  where  our  parents  began.  But  it 
just  isn't  reasonable  for  young  people  to  expect  to  dupli- 
cate at  once  the  pattern  set  by  provident  parents.  And 
neither  parents  nor  others  should  make  it  difficult  for 
those  who  are  beginning  together  by  encouraging  the  idea 
that  they  should  be  able  to  begin  ,with  what  others  have 
acquired  only  after  long  effort.  Working  and  planning  and 
pursuing  common  purposes  can  be  very  worth  while.  It 
isn't  always  easy.  But  things  that  come  that  way  often 
mean  much  more.  And  this  we  should  certainly  say  to 
all  who  are  beginning  together  (and  to  all  others  also): 
One  sure  way  to  make  life  miserable  is  to  live  in  a  manner 
that  you  can't  afford. 

Copyright,    King    Features 

Uhe    Spoken      VUord  FROM    TEMPLE    SQUARE 

PRESENTED    OVER   KSL   AND    THE   COLUMBIA    BROAD- 
CASTING   SYSTEM.    OCTOBER    15.    1950 


1028 


§ 

§ 
§ 

§ 


down  to  Samoa,  that  in  landing  in  a 
Samoan  lagoon,  his  plane  blew  up 
and  killed  all  on  board. 

The  Hawaiian  people  have  a  faith 
and  belief  in  the  gospel  which  is 
beautiful  in  its  simplicity.  They 
pray  without  doubting,  and  theirs 
is  the  childlike  faith  which  moves 
mountains.  Surely  the  Hawaiian 
centennial  was  a  fitting  climax  to 
the  one  hundred  years  of  Mormon- 
ism  in  Hawaii.  Everything  that 
was  done  and  said  was  in  harmony 
with  the  occasion  and  was  calcu- 
lated to  do  nothing  but  to  add  honor 
and  credit  to  that  which  had  gone 
before. 


The  Church  Moves  On 

(Continued  from  page  944) 

Speakers  included  President  Oscar  A. 
Kirkham  of  the  First  Council  of  the 
Seventy  and  Bishop  Thorpe  B.  Isaac- 
son of  the  Presiding  Bishopric. 

a  a  At  the  two  o'clock  session  of 
"  general  conference,  President 
David  O.  McKay  was  sustained  presi- 
dent of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve.  As 
President  McKay  remains  in  the  First 
Presidency,  Elder  Joseph  Fielding 
Smith  was  sustained  as  Acting  Presi- 
dent of  the  Twelve.  Elder  Delbert 
L.  Stapley,  president  of  the  Phoenix 
(Arizona)  Stake,  was  sustained  as  a 
member  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve. 
Approximately  fourteen  thousand 
priesthood  bearers — the  largest  number 
in  the  recorded  history  of  the  Church — 
were  in  attendance  at  the  semi-annual 
priesthood  meeting  in  the  Salt  Lake 
Tabernacle  and  in  adjoining  buildings. 

On  this  and  the  preceding  night 
many  returned  missionaries  and  serv- 
icemen held  their  semi-annual  reunions. 


reunions. 


October  1950 


^     Dr.   John   A.   Widtsoe  of  the 
J-     Council  of  the  Twelve  gave  the 
"Church  of  the  Air"  sermon  from  the 
Tabernacle,  over  the  Columbia  Broad- 
casting system. 

The  three-day  121st  semi-annual 
general  conference  of  the  Church  con- 
cluded. 

The  Deseret  Sunday  School  Union 
conference  was  held  at  seven  p.  m.  in 
the  Tabernacle. 

[Continued  on  following  page) 
DECEMBER  1950 


Take  Inventory 
of  Yourself— 

Now's  the  time  to  stop  a  minute 
and  take  inventory  of  your  ad- 
vancements during  1950. 

Have  you  made  as  much  prog- 
ress as  you've  wanted  in  your 
work?  If  not,  consider  adding  to 
your  qualifications  by  attending 
either    day    or    evening    classes    at 


===■*  L.D.S.    Business  College. 


WINTER  TERM 
starts  January  3,   1951 

At  L.D.S.  you're  offered  a  completed  curriculum  of 
business  and  commercial  subjects  that  will  better  train  you 
to  fill  more  responsible  jobs  in  such  fields  as  accounting, 
stenography,  office  work,  typing  and  secretarial  work. 

Inquire  right  now,  don't  wait  until  too  late. 

Call  or  visit,  you  are  cordially  welcome  at 

T  1)  «  BUSINESS  COLLEGE 

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Beautifully  crafted  and  comfortably  upholstered  seating  by 
Salt  Lake  Cabinet  makes  church  going  an  added  pleasure 
at  the  new  Bonneville  Ward  and  Stake  House.  You'll  find 
our  seating  and  fixtures  in  scores  of  new  L.  D.  S.  buildings. 


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BABY   LIMA  BEANS 
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GREEN   CHILI    PEPPERS 
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At  Your  Grocers 


JOLLY  TIME 


JOLLY, 
TIME 


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HOLIDAY  FUN 

ALWAYS  POPS 


POP  CORN 


1029 


The  Church  Moves  On 

(Continued  from  preceding  page) 

5  President  David  O.  McKay  was 
set  apart  as  President  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve  by  President 
George  Albert  Smith;  Elder  Joseph 
Fielding  Smith  was  set  apart  as  Acting 
President  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve 
by  President  David  O.  McKay;  and 
Elder  Delbert  L.  Stapley  was  ordained 
an  Apostle  by  President  George  Al- 
bert Smith  at  the  weekly  meeting  of 
the  First  Presidency  and  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple. 
National  approval  was  obtained  for 
the  new  Deseret  Recognition  ribbon 
award  designed  for  wear  by  Explorer 
groups  of  Scouts. 


6  Richard  E.  Folland,  executive 
secretary  of  the  Deseret  Sunday 
School  Union,  announced  that  begin- 
ning in  January  a  new  plan  of  moving 
classes  as  a  whole,  along  the  course 
of  Sunday  School  study,  will  be  put 
into  operation.  Promotions  of  students 
because  they  have  reached  a  different 
birthday  will  be  abolished,  except  in 
rare  cases. 


8  Elder  Ezra  Taft  Benson  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve  dedicated 
the  Richmond,  (Virginia)  chapel  of  the 
Washington  Stake. 

Presiding  Bishop  LeGrand  Richards 
dedicated  the  Coeur  d'Alene  (Idaho) 
Branch  chapel,  Spokane  Stake. 

President  Milton  R.  Hunter  of  the 
First  Council  of  the  Seventy  dedicated 
the  chapel  of  the  New  Westminster 
(British  Columbia)  Branch,  Western 
States  Mission. 

Norwalk  Ward,  East  Long  Beach 
(California)  Stake,  created  from  por- 
tions of  Bellflower  Ward,  East  Long 
Beach  Stake,  Downey  Ward,  South 
Los  Angeles  Stake,  and  Whittier 
Ward,  East  Los  Angeles  Stake. 
Stephen  H.  Sims  is  bishop  of  Norwalk 
Ward. 

Lakewood  Ward,  East  Long  Beach 
(California)  Stake,  created  from 
Lakewood  Branch,  with  Lorin  B. 
Daniels,  bishop. 

Long  Beach  Fifth  Ward,  East  Long 
Beach  (California)  Stake,  created 
from  portions  of  Park  View  Ward, 
with  Robert  H.  Barker,  bishop. 

Park  View  Ward,  East  Long  Beach 
(California)  Stake,  name  changed  to 
Long  Beach  Third  Ward. 


1/^    The  annual   report   of  the   Pri- 
ll   mary    Association     shows    that 
197,403    children  are  enrolled. 
1030 


ASSISTANT  CHURCH  HISTORIAN,  ANDREW  JENSON, 
BORN  100  YEARS  AGO 


The  late  Assistant  Church  His- 
torian Andrew  Jenson,  had  he 
lived,  would  have  celebrated  his 
own  centennial  this  December  11. 
As  a  man  he  was  always  intensely 
proud  of  the  fact  that  he  was  born 
at  Torslev,  Hjorring  Amt,  Den- 
mark, in  1850,  the  same  year  that 
saw  the  coming  of  the  elders  with 
the  message  of  the  restored  gospel 
to  his  native  land. 

It  was  the  elders,  too,  who  inter- 
ested the  teen-age  Andrew  in  keep- 
ing a  diary — a  practice  which  he 
cherished,  and  a  habit  which  colored 
his  long  life,  because  he  was  in- 
deed a  keeper  of  records. 

He  and  his  parents  and  a  younger 
brother  were  sail-boat  and  ox-train 
emigrants  of  1866.  In  pioneering 
Utah  he  did  manual  labor  to  reclaim 
the  land  and  to  bring  the  railroad, 
but  he  always  used  his  spare  time 
advantageously  in  study. 

Time  after  time  he  filled  missions 
for  the  Church — first  as  a  regularly 
assigned  missionary,  later  as  a  re- 


searcher in  the  interest  of  Church 
history,  and  in  1935,  in  his  eighty- 
fifth  year,  he  took  a  pioneer  wagon 
to  Denmark  as  a  gift  from  the  state 
of  Utah. 

It  has  often  been  said  of  him  that 
he  "traveled  a  million  miles  in  the 
interests  of  the  Church."  In  1891 
he  became  a  member  of  the  staff  of 
the  Church  historian's  office,  and  in 
April  1898  he  was  sustained  as 
Assistant  Church  Historian,  a  posi- 
tion he  held  until  his  death,  Novem- 
ber 18,  1941.  As  such,  he  compiled 
a  manuscript  history  of  every  stake 
and  ward,  every  mission  and  branch 
of  the  Church.  His  writings  in  be- 
half of  the  Church  were  in  both 
the  Scandinavian  and  the  English 
tongues.  The  bookshelf  of  Andrew 
Jenson's  books  includes:  Church 
Chronology,  Historical  Record,  His- 
tory of  the  Scandinavian  Mission, 
Biographical  Encyclopedia^  Auto- 
biography of  Andrew  Jenson,  En- 
cyclopedic History  of  the  Church, 
Joseph  Smith's  Levnetslob,  and  J  or- 
den  Rundt. 


ON  THE  BOOKRACK 


YOU  CAN  LEARN  TO  SPEAK 
(Royal   L.   Garff.    Wheelwright    Pub- 
lishing Co.,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  1950. 
273  pages.  $2.75.) 

"D  eplete  with  illustrations  to  prove 
the  point  that  everyone  can  learn 
to  speak — and  how  he  may  learn  to 
speak,  this  book  should  find  space  in 
everyone's  home,  for  we  are  a  Church 
of  speakers.  Into  the  book  have  gone 
the  experiences  of  the  many  years 
that  Dr.  Garff  has  been  in  demand 
throughout  the  United  States  as  a 
speaker.  In  addition,  he  has  long  been 
a  successful  teacher  of  speech. 

The  book  is  not  like  an  ordinary 
textbook,  however,  and  anyone  who 
picks  it  up  to  read  will  find  that  he 
cannot  put  it  down  until  he  finishes 
it.  The  reader  will  likewise  find  that 
he  will  return  to  it  for  helpful  sugges- 
tions or  stories  innumerable  times. 

Attractively  bound,  the  book  also 
has  clever  sketches  that  help  drive 
home  the  messages  that  Dr.  Garff  in- 
cludes in  the  text.  All  in  all,  the  book 
is  one  that  deserves  wide  popularity. 

— M.  C.  /. 


THE  CRITICISM  OF 

T.  S.  ELIOT 

(Victor  H.  Brombert.  Yale  University 
Press,  New  Haven,  Conn.  1949.  43 
pages.  $2.00. ) 

HP.  S.  Eliot  has  been  an  enigma  to 
most  readers — but  has  also  been 
one  to  crystallize  a  new  approach  to 
criticism.  This  analysis  of  T.  S.  Eliot 
is  unusual  not  only  in  its  relationship 
to  Eliot  himself  but  also  in  its  indica- 
tion of  how  to  reach  essential  values 
in  the  criticism  of  poetry.  According 
to  the  author,  T.  S.  Eliot  moved  from 
the  point  of  view  that  the  critic  should 
deal  only  with  the  "impersonal  theory" 
of  poetry,  in  which  the  critic  limits 
himself  to  a  consideration  of  the  art 
of  the  poem,  to  that  of  a  dual  analysis: 
1,  the  judgment  from  a  literary  stand- 
point; and  2,  that  from  an  ethical  point 
of  view.  The  author  feels  that  Eliot 
expects  each  generation  of  artists  and 
critics  to  have  a  dynamic  attitude  to- 
wards literature,  which  of  necessity 
will  receive  new  interpretation  from 
"periodical  shifts  of  interest."  The 
book  would  be  even  more  valuable  if 
it    had    been    printed    in    larger    type. 

— M.  C.  /. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


The  True  Christmas 

(Continued  from  page  951) 
thought,  one  year  ago  when  spending  a 
happy  Christmas  with  Loved  Ones,  that  I 
should  be  in  Tokyo,  Japan,  today!  It  seems 
almost  impossible  to  realize  it,  and  there  is 
nothing  either  in  the  weather  or  surround- 
ings to  help  one  to  realize  it — a  clear  blue 
sky,  bright  sunshine,  dry  streets,  green 
leaves  on  the  bamboo  trees  do  not  suggest 
our  Christmas  morning  in  Ogden.  Ever- 
green trees  on  every  hand,  I  have  been 
admiring  as  a  mark  of  landscape  beauty, 
so  their  Christmas  significance  has  some- 
what waned. 

But  the  little  Christmas  tree  in  Sister 
Stimpsons  room,  the  joyous  laughter  and 
exclamations  of  delight  from  her  three  little 
ones  bore  the  true  marks  of  the  glorious 
day.  Cards  conveying  the  good  wishes 
of  the  Stimpsons  to  Brother  Cannon  and 
me  were  appreciated. 

I  spent  the  forenoon  in  a  large  depart- 
ment store,  and  returned  in  time  for  the 
children's  Christmas  entertainment,  in 
which  about  fifty  Japanese  kiddies  partici- 
pated. 

In  the  evening  fully  175  people  sat  on 
their  feet  on  mats  spread  on  the  floor,  and 
listened  for  two  and  a  half  hours  to  a  well- 
rendered  program.  .  .  . 

Japanese  people  are  clever  and  enjoy 
doing  things.  I  was  intensely  interested 
in  the  children.  With  what  vigor  and  loud 
acclaim  they  entered  into  each  part!  .  .  . 

When  we  retired  at  1 1  p.m.,  the  folks 
at  home  had  about  three  more  hours  of 
peaceful  sleep  before  waking  at  six  o'clock 
to  see  what  Santa  Claus  had  brought  them. 
If  they  enjoyed  but  half  the  prayers  and 
loving  wishes  I  had  in  my  heart  for  them, 
how  happy  they  would  be! 

To  Elder  Ezra  Taft  Benson  of 
the  Council  of  the  Twelve,  Christ- 
mas meant  the  absorption  of  little 
children  in  the  making  of  decora- 
tions for  the  Christmas  tree  and  of 
presents  for  the  family.  After  all, 
with  a  family  of  thirteen,  eleven 
children  and  Father  and  Mother, 
money  was  hard  to  come  by  except 
for  the  essentials.  But  the  Christ- 
mases  were  unusually  happy  ones, 
for  love  and  thoughtfulness  abound- 
ed in  the  household. 

As  the  children  grew  older,  they 
were  permitted  to  help  with  the 
filling  of  the  stockings  and  the 
putting  out  of  the  presents.  A  line 
of  chairs  was  arranged  in  the  living 
room,  and  on  the  corner  of  each  one 
was  hung  the  stocking — with  an 
orange  in  the  toe,  for  oranges  in 
those  days  were  a  rare  treat.  The 
children  were  anxious  to  get  up  in 
the  morning,  and  long  before  it  was 
the  designated  time,  they  would  call 
asking  if  it  wasn't  time.  But  until 
the  father  had  the  two  fires  in  the 
kitchen  and  the  living  room  blazing, 
none  of  the  Benson  children  came 
[Continued  on  following  page) 
DECEMBER  1950 


JOIN  OUR  CHRISTMAS  LAY-AWAY  CLUB! 

A  SMALL  DEPOSIT  HOLDS  ANY 

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{Continued  from  preceding  page) 
downstairs.     When  the  procession 
started,    the   smallest;  one   led,    and 
the  others   followed  in  an   ascend- 
ing line. 

Most  of  the  day  was  spent  at 
home,  but  at  about  eleven  o'clock 
the  new  skis  or  sleds  or  skates  had 
to  be  tried  out,  and  away  they 
would  go  skimming  over  the  snowy 
or  icy  trails. 

In  the  late  afternoon  the  family 
would    pile    into    a    bobsleigh   with 


straw  on  the  bottom  and  travel  the 
two  or  three  miles  to  the  maternal 
grandparents  or  to  the  paternal 
grandparents,  depending  on  which 
of  the  grandparents  had  been  vis- 
ited for  the  Thanksgiving  dinner. 
After  the  dinner,  which  was  a 
great  dinner — usually  chickens  be- 
ing served  that  the  family  had 
raised  themselves — a  program  was 
given  by  the  families. 

To  Elder  Matthew  Cowley,  the 
most  unusual  and  the  most  satisfy- 


t^t^c^t^t^t^^^TC^t^.t^^^t^t^t^t^t^c^'K^'K^t^t^t^c^e^'it^'K^i 


5 
§ 

§ 
§ 


§ 
§ 


^j/ctith    ^vaaLnst    ^J/i 


ear 


BY  RICHARD  L  EVANS 

W/e  have  long  since  learned  that  among  the  chief  weap- 
ons of  the  war  of  nerves  are  fear  and  falsehood  and 
confusion.  But  fear,  it  seems,  is  foremost.  If  you  can 
strike  fear  into  the  heart  of  a  man,  you  have  already  gone 
far  toward  destroying  his  effectiveness.  Fear  is  a  paralyzer 
of  people  and  is  no  doubt  a  "secret  weapon"  of  Satan  him- 
self. Of  course,  there  are  those  who  will  remind  us  that 
fear  is  not  always  paralyzing — that  sometimes  in  great 
fear  a  man  will  rise  to  feats  of  physical  performance  which 
he  could  not  otherwise  accomplish.  And  this  may  be  true 
as  to  an  act  of  emergency — but  the  strength  of  fear  is 
quickly  spent  and  is  not  to  be  compared  with  the  strength 
that  comes  with  calm,  quiet  courage.  Fear  is  the  enemy  of 
faith;  it  is  the  companion  of  darkness  and  despair.  It  will 
not  keep  company  with  hope;  it  sets  the  stage  for  failure. 
It  is  a  malignancy  of  mind  and  of  the  spirit — a  killer  and 
destroyer  of  man.  And,  as  all  of  its  victims  have  dis- 
covered, peace  will  not  dwell  with  fear.  And  a  generation 
that  has  had  reason  to  have  its  fears  multiplied  would  do 
well  to  remind  itself  that  fear  is  crowded  out  only  by 
something  which  is  stronger  and  firmer  than  fear.  Fear 
cannot  long  sustain  itself  where  there  is  firm  faith — 
faith  in  the  future,  faith  in  God,  faith  in  the  ultimate  ac- 
complishment of  his  purposes,  faith  in  eventual  justice, 
and  faith  in  the  fact  that  wrongs  will  be  righted  and  that 
truth  will  triumph.  We  need  and  must  have  faith  against 
fear — faith  to  pursue  our  purposes,  faith  to  keep  fear 
from  impairing  our  effectiveness.  "...  and  they  awake 
him,  and  say  unto  him,  Master,  carest  thou  not  that  we 
perish?  .  .  .  And  he  said  unto  them,  Why  are  ye  so 
fearful?  how  is  it  that  ye  have  no  faith?"1  Unto  a  fearful 
generation  there  come  again  these  quieting  words  from 
the  Father  of  us  all:  "Be  still,  and  know  that  I  am  God."s 

Copyright,    King     Features 


Uhe    Spoken      \AJoi>d         FROM    TEMPLE    SQUARE 
PRESENTED    OVER   KSL   AND    THE    COLUMBIA   BROAD- 
CASTING   SYSTEM,    OCTOBER    22,    1950 


iMark  4:38,    40. 
2Psalm     46:10. 


5 
J 

§ 

§ 

f 

§ 
§ 
§ 

§ 


§ 

§ 


l-i  I1VI  !«»(!«»!  >4»ii«»0«i'{  '4 


1032 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


ing  Christmases  were  those  he 
spent  in  New  Zealand  where  the 
Christmas  was  the  Sabbath  in  the 
literal  sense  of  the  word.  Churches 
were  opened  for  sacred  service. 
Greeting  cards  might  be  sent  to 
loved  ones,  but  they  were  limited 
in  number.  No  presents  were  ex- 
changed, and  in  the  hearts  and 
minds  of  all  was  the  spirit  of  loving 
kindness  and  reverence.  The  day 
following  the  religious  services, 
there  would  be  a  day  of  festivity, 
but  even  this  was  restrained.  Going 
to  the  beaches,  feasting  on  lamb 
rather  than  on  turkey,  visiting  with 
friends  and  relatives  made  up  the 
celebration — and  behind  the  occa- 
sion lay  the  reason  for  the  day,  the 
life  and  ministry  of  Christ,  the  Re- 
deemer. 

Contrast  these  remembrances  with 
the  occasions  of  today.  The  reason 
for  this  contrast  is  not  far  to  find, 
for  into  this  day  on  which  all 
should  be  concentrating  on  the 
qualities  of  Christ  which  have  moti- 
vated our  lives  and  given  us  more 
abundant  joy,  have  gone  the  ex- 
travagances that  have  made  living 
more  difficult.  Instead  of  genuine 
love  and  thoughtfulness,  in  the  ma- 
jority of  cases  there  has  gone  the 
feeling  of,  "Well,  Jane  gave  me  this 
last  year,  I  must  do  more  for  her 
this  year."  As  a  result,  behind  a 
pile  of  debts,  tinsel,  gay  wrapping 
paper,  the  true  spirit  of  Christmas 
has  been  lost,  thrown  away  with 
the  garish  trimmings  of  the  day. 

Let  us  this  Christmas  season 
open  wide  our  hearts  to  the  gospel 
message,  to  the  love  that  Christ 
bore  for  all  people,  and  we  shall 
again  find  the  true  meaning  of 
Christmas. 


The  Gift  Horse 

(Continued  from  page  958) 
JDilly  Bluejay,  eyes  wide  in  rec- 
ognition of  the  new-saddled 
pony,  watched  them  ride  up,  and 
now,  with  his  old  grandfather,  the 
chief,  stared  as  Lee  and  Nina  dis- 
mounted and  came  towards  the 
hogan.  In  amazement  the  chief  and 
Billy  stepped  back,  welcoming  them 
into  the  shabby,  low  room. 

Both  Lee  and  his  wife  had  to 
stoop  to  enter  the  thatched  hut; 
and  their  basket  of  good  things 
seemed  to  fill  up  half  the  room  as 
{Continued  on  following  page) 
DECEMBER  1950 


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331    SOUTH    MAIN 


{Continued  from  preceding  page) 
they  set  it  on  the  cleanly-swept  dirt 
floor. 

For  a  moment  their  eyes  groped, 
getting  used  to  the  gloom,  lit  only 
by  a  smoky  kerosene  lamp  and  the 
dull  glow  of  coals  on  the  primitive 
hearth  at  one  side  of  the  room. 

Discreetly  they  eyed  the  incon- 
gruous array  of  mementos  displayed 
above  the  fireplace — an  ancient 
tomahawk,  a  frayed,  eagle-plumed 
war-bonnet,  the  hunting  knife  in 
its  case,  which  Tabor  had  given  the 
chief  many  Christmases  ago — and 
in  the  midst  of  the  militant  display, 
a  tranquil,  if  smoke-grimed,  picture 
of  the  Three  Wise  Men  riding  their 
rich-laden  camels  toward  the  light 
of  a  distant  star. 

Yet,  it  was  the  time  of  year  for 
that  picture  to  be  hanging  there,  for 
Christmas  had  come  again  to  the 
hogan  of  Chief  White  Wolf.  It 
was  an  expression  of  the  chief's 
veneration  of  the  white  man's  God 
— a  picture  given  to  him  long  ago 
by  Nina  Tabor.  He  knew  the  story 
of  the  picture,  and  always  it  hung 
above  the  lowly  hogan  hearth  at 
Christmas  time. 

Then  Lee  was  extending  his 
hand.  There  was  the  play  of  a 
smile  in  the  network  of  wrinkles  of 
the  old  chief's  face,  the  trace  of  a 
twinkle  in  his  aged  eyes  as  he  took 
the  hand  of  his  trader  friend. 


n 


A^erry  Christmas,  Chief  White 
Wolf." 

The  ancient  chief  nodded  his  head 
as  he  looked  steadily  into  his 
friend's  eyes.  His  voice  cracked  out 
the  old  familiar  greeting  he  had 
come  to  know  through  the  white 
man — in  his  own  words. 

"Much  Merry.  I  have  been  wait- 
ing you  to  call." 

Smiling,  Lee  answered,  "I  have 
come  to  thank  you  very  much  for 
the  present  of  the  pony,  Chief 
White  Wolf.  I  have  brought  this 
gift  basket  for  you  and  your  family 
from  my  wife  and  myself." 

Gravely  Chief  White  Wolf 
nodded  in  acknowledgment;  and 
both  Lee  and  Nina  saw  wherein  his 
great  pride  lay. 

Here  was  an  old  one,  bundled  in 
a  sheepskin  coat  held  together  with 
safety  pins,  an  Indian  blanket  held 
around  him  to  ward  off  the  drafts 
in  the  mud  hogan,  his  feet  encased 


1034 


in  worn,  high  moccasins,  his  long 
gray  hair  held  with  a  band  of  shod- 
dy; but  in  his  eyes  was  the  bravery 
of  an  eagle,  and  in  the  lined,  intelli- 
gent face  the  nobleness  of  his  race 
and  the  pride  of  all  his  ancestors. 

Lee  spoke  on  quietly.  "There  is  a 
great  favor  I  would  ask  of  you  now, 
my  friend.  It  is  concerning  the 
pony.  You  see,  I  have  no  place  to 
keep  him,  nor  anyone  to  tend  him. 

"I  want  to  ask  you — will  you 
keep  the  pinto  here  in  his  stall,  as 
he  used  to  be?  And  perhaps  Billy 
here  could  see  that  he  gets  fed  and 
watered — and  exercised.  It  will 
be  a  great  favor  if  you  will  agree 
to  this.  I  will  pay  you,  of  course, 
for  his  care.  Is  this  agreeable  with 
you; 

Lee,  and  Nina,  who  sensed  now 
the  nicely-contrived  plan  of  her  hus- 
band— and  Billy  Bluejay,  who  was 
becoming  overwhelmed  with  the  idea 
of  taking  care  of  the  pony  with  its 
new  bridle  and  saddle,  and  getting 
paid  for  it  by  Mr.  Tabor — all  were 
holding  their  respective  breaths,  as 
they  awaited  the  old  chief's  deci- 
sion. 

His  approval  would  solve  all  their 
problems  and  would  provide  the 
poor  old  chief  with  a  modest  income 
for  his  wants — and  he  would  not 
lose  face  with  his  great  pride.  His 
disapproval — 

But  the  venerable  old  man  was 
nodding  his  head  again,  and  his 
hand  was  held  out  to  Lee  Tabor  to 
seal  the  bargain.  Solemnly  he  in- 
cluded his  grinning  grandson  in  his 
words,  though  never  taking  his 
black  eyes  from  Lee's  face. 

"It  is  good,  my  friend;  it  will  be 
so.  Billy — you  hear?  You  take 
much  good  care  of  horse  for  Mister 
Tabor." 

Billy  Bluejay  was  about  bursting 
with  pride  in  the  assignment,  and 
with  the  thought  of  having  his 
pony  back,  but  he  only  shook  his 
shaggy  head  in  quick  agreement. 

Matter  of  factly  Lee  took  out  his 
wallet  and  counted  out  several  bills 
in  the  wavering  light  of  the  dusky 
lamp,  placing  them  in  the  wrinkled 
hand  of  Chief  White  Wolf;  and 
silver  dollars  in  the  stub-fingered 
hand  of  the  beaming  Billy  Bluejay. 
Then  confidentially  he  looked  down 
at  the  boy  and  asked,  "Do  you  sup- 
pose that  pony  could  carry  three 
of  us  back  up  to  the  trading  post, 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Billy?  Nina  and  I  have  got  to  get 
home  and  get  things  ready  for  the 
Christmas  party  tomorrow.  The 
road  is  awfully  slushy  for  walking, 
and  you'll  have  to  bring  the  pony 
back  to  his  stall." 

Billy  Bluejay  nodded  his  head 
vigorously,  and  there  was  mature 
judgment  in  his  affirmation. 

"Oh,  sure.  Peento  can  carry  three, 
even  more  maybe — easy.  Come,  you 
see. 

"We're  off,  then." 

Lee  took  his  wife's  arm  and  they 
stooped  out  of  the  hogan.  They 
turned,  their  farewells  to  the  chief 
blending  in  the  frosty,  bell-clear 
air. 

"Good  night — Merry  Christmas, 
Chief  White  Wolf." 

Standing  straight  and  with  great 
dignity,  in  the  doorway  of  the  ho- 
gan, the  old  chief  re-echoed  their 
words  of  the  Eve. 

"Much  Merry,  my  friends." 

Into  the  saddle  went  Nina,  be- 
hind her  Lee,  and  clinging  like  a 
leech,  the  little  Indian  cowboy,  Bil- 
ly, behind  them  both.  A  flick  of  the 
rein,  the  touch  of  a  heel,  and  the 
old  horse,  rallying  to  the  occasion 
and  not  minding  his  triple  load,  set 
off,  beating  out  the  time  of  a  tune 
the  three  on  his  back  were  caroling 
as  they  traveled  toward  the  trading 
post. 

At  the  store,  Lee  put  the  set  of 

currycombs  in  the  pony's  saddle 

bags,  filled  Billy  Bluejay's  pockets 

with   all-day  suckers,   and   gravely 

admonished  him. 

"Keep  the  pinto  looking  slick, 
Billy — -and  give  him  lots  of  exer- 
cise. Off  with  you  now  and  get 
some  sleep.  The  big  Christmas 
party  starts  early  in  the  morning — 
we'll  be  expecting  you." 

Together,  Lee  and  Nina  watched 
the  jubilant  Indian  lad  vault  into 
the  saddle  and  take  his  mount  at  a 
reckless  pace  down  the  road  to  his 
grandfather's  hogan — the  proudest, 
the  happiest  Indian  boy  in  all  of  the 
Whiterock  Valley. 

They  stood  for  a  moment,  arm  in 
arm,  on  the  store  steps,  looking  over 
the  snow-mantled  valley,  a-twinkle 
with  the  little  yellow  lights  from 
many  hogans,  where  the  valley  peo- 
ple were  preparing  for  the  morrow's 
holiday.  A  pale  winter  moon  peeped 
reassuringly  from  behind  storm 
clouds.  And  Eee  and  Nina  Tabor 
went  in  to  get  ready  for  another 
merry  Christmas  at  the  Whiterock. 

DECEMBER  1950 


MINER  MIKE    % 


"If  the  mine  I  work  for  is  able  to  reduce 

operating  costs,  the  chances  of  my  job 

lasting  longer  will  be  better.   If  I  give  8 

hours  work  for  my  8  hours  pay,  it  will 

,       x   mean  a  better  income  for  the  com- 

IIC^V    XV       pany  and  my  job  will  be  more 

secure." 


UTAH    MINING    ASSOCIATION 


E.  POWER  BIGGS  ON  RECORDS 


Give  Christmas  joy,  to  others  or  to 
yourself,  in  COLUMBIA  RECORDS  of 
fine  organ  music,  played  by  E.  Power 
Biggs.  Hear  these  records,  LP  and  78 
rpm,  at  your  local  record  store:  "Bach's 
Royal  Instrument  ML  4284-5,"  "Organ 
Music  of  Bach  ML  4097,"  "French  Organ 
Music  ML  4195,"  "Mendelssohn's  Sixth 
Organ  Sonata  ML  2076,"  "A  West- 
minster Suite  ML  4331." 


ALL  ALUMINUM 

TRIPLE  TRACK  STORM  WINDOWS 

AND  FINEST 
STORM 
DOORS 


Keep  Out 

Cold  Drafts 

Save  on 

Fuel 

Stop  Sweaty 
Windows 

EASY  TERMS 

Call  or  Write 

STOACO  INTERMOUNTAIN,  INC. 

4847  So.  State,  Murray,  Utah 

MURRAY  955 

SALT  LAKE  9-4107 

— ~  \ 

Please  have  one  of  your  representatives 
call    and   give    us    a    free    estimate. 

Name    

Address     

Town State 


Going  to  attend  the 

UNIVERSITY  OF  UTAH? 

Plan  to  live  at 

THE  GAMMA  HOUSE 

FOR  L.D.S.  MEN 

•  Friendly  homey  atmosphere 

•  Finest    associations    with    other   L.D.S. 
boys 

•  Right  on  the  campus  tool 

Prices  Reasonable 

For  full  information  and  reservation 

write  to 

THE  GAMMA  HOUSE 

1410  Butler  Ave.        Salt  Lake  City  2,  Utah 
Phone  9-1102 


1035 


zeaea 


QUORUM  ACTIVITIES 

tkrouakout  the   L^hurch 

Photos  courtesy  of  Davis  Grant 


What  are  the  quorums  of  the 
Melchizedek  Priesthood  doing 
throughout  the  Church? 

Shelley  ( Idaho )  Stake,  which  for 
the  past  several  years  has  had  the 
enviable  record  of  being  first  in 
submitting  the  quarterly  reports  to 
the  general  Melchizedek  Priesthood 
committee  in  Salt  Lake  City,  were 
asked  how  they  did  it. 

It  was  once  one  of  the  delinquent 
stakes,  but  decided  to  do  something 
about  the  delinquency.  The  stake 
committee  campaigned  for  coopera- 
tion in  this  matter  from  the  quorum 
presidencies.  Those  quorums  that 
had  difficulty  at  first  in  getting  the 
reports  in,  received  assistance  from 
the  stake  committee.  Soon  the  habit 
was  formed,  and  they  discovered 
that  it  was  much  easier  to  get  their 
reports  in  than  to  let  them  go  over- 
time. 

Their  letter  goes  on: 

We  also  find  that  in  recognizing  the 
value  of  getting  our  reports  in  early, 
other  advantages  come  to  us.  In  the  first 
place,  the  officers  seem  to  feel  a  need  for 
closer  association  and  personal  contact 
with  the  members,  and  as  we  have  more 
time  to  study  the  reports  and  the  weak- 
nesses therein  disclosed,  we  find  it  much 
easier  to  make  the  necessary  assignments 
and  perform  the  desired  missionary  work 
where  it  is  most  needed.  In  other  words, 
we  are  happy  about  these  reports,  where- 
as in  the  past  they  were  a  burden  .  .  . 

High  priests  of  Shelley  Stake 
have  a  personal  contribution  project. 
Each  member  who  is  financially 
able,  contributes  eight  dollars  an- 
nually. The  money  is  used  to  re- 
habilitate quorum  members.  Several 


The  seventh  quorum  of  elders  of  the  Glen- 
dale  (California)  Stake,  La  Crescenta  Ward, 
have  been  in  charge  of  constructing  a  home, 
which  was  sold  for  about  twelve  thousand 
dollars,  and  the  profit  was  turned  over  to 
the  ward  building  fund.  About  seventy  men 
from  all  branches  of  the  priesthood,  and 
some  non-members  of  the  Church  aided  in 
the  construction.  Pictured  here  is  the  house, 
in  various  stages  of  construction,  with  some 
of  the  men  who  labored  on  it. 


1036 


members  are  receiving  aid  from  the 
fund  while  they  are  engaged  in 
temple  work. 

The  one  hundred  sixth  quorum 
of  seventy  in  Shelley  Stake  had 
a  nine-acre  potato  project  during 
1950.  The  land  was  rented,  and 
seed  potatoes  were  contributed  by 
quorum  members.  One  of  the  needy 
members  contracted  to  do  the  irri- 
gating, and  the  rest  of  the  season's 
work  was  contributed  by  members. 

The  first  quorum  and  the  fourth 
quorum  each  has  a  small  livestock 
project.  The  herd  of  the  first  quo- 
rum consists  of  two  sheep  and  five 
calves.  The  fourth  quorum  has 
six  calves.  The  members  who  did 
not  participate  in  the  purchase  of 
the  animals  are  feeding  and  caring 
for  them.  It  is  planned  to  sell  the 
matured  animals  and  buy  more 
young  animals. 

The  second  quorum  of  elders  has 
had  a  wheat  and  a  potato  project. 
The  wheat  was  grown  on  a  share- 
crop  basis. 

The  third  quorum  of  elders  of 
Shelley  Stake  has  had  a  potato 
and  a  calf  project.  This  quorums' 
were  the  only  potatoes  harvested 
when  this  report  was  made.  Their 
four  and  one-half  acres  had  pro- 
duced: 

511  hundred-pound  bags  of  U.  S.  No.  l's 
117  hundred-pound  bags  of  U.  S.  No.  2's 
98  hundred-pound  bags  of  culls 

All  of  the  Shelley  Stake  quorums 
have  sent,  or  are  in  the  process  of 
sending,  subscriptions  for  The  Im- 
provement Era  to  their  members 
who  have  been  called  into  the  armed 
forces. 

Tt   was    proudly   yet   humbly    an- 
nounced at  the  October  confer- 
ence of  the  Church  that  full-time 
missionaries  in  the  field  now  mrnir 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


ber  over  fifty-eight  hundred.  How 
are  these  missionaries  supported? 
Of  course,  they  themselves  make 
this  personal  contribution  to  the 
Church.  Some  have  saved  their 
nickels  and  dimes  since  childhood; 
some  are  supported  by  their  fami- 
lies, others  by  widowed  mothers; 
still  others  by  members  whose 
homes  have  never  been  blessed  with 
children,  or  whose  sons  have  made 
the  supreme  sacrifice  for  the  na- 
tion's safety.  But  it  is  surprising 
how  many  quorums  are  supporting 
missionaries.  Many  missionaries 
have  entered  their  fields  of  labor  to 
be  supported  by  quorum  contribu- 
tions; other  missionaries,  with  the 
most  fruitful  part  of  their  missions 
before  them,  have  found  quorum  as- 
sistance when  their  original  means 
of  support  has  been  shut  off  by 
sickness  or  by  accident.  Truly,  in 
this  way,  the  blessings  of  "our  mis- 
sionary" have  been  extended  to 
quorum  members  and  their  families. 
The  high  priests  quorum  of  Glen- 
dale  ( California )  Stake  has  been 
actively  engaged  in  a  wheat  project 
to: 

teach  the  value  of  whole  wheat  cereal  and 

bread 
obtain,   store,   and  preserve  wheat 
teach  the  various  ways  of  using  wheat  in 

cooking 
improve   the    health   of   the   Saints    in   the 

stake. 

This   quorum  also  has  a  project 


to  encourage  every  high  priest  and 
his  wife  to  have  their  own  temple 
clothes. 

The  seventh  quorum  of  elders  of 
the  Glendale  Stake  has  completed 
the  construction  of  a  house  and  sold 
it  for  twelve  thousand  dollars,  the 
proceeds  (above  material  costs)  go- 
ing to  the  chapel  building  fund  of 
the  La  Crescenta  Ward.  They  had 
seventy  men  from  all  offices  of  the 
priesthood,  and  even  some  non- 
members,  who  came  and  helped 
build  this  home. 

The  sixth  quorum  of  elders,  re- 
siding in  the  Garvanza  Ward,  Glen- 
dale Stake,  engaged  in  a  chicken 
project,  from  baby  chicks  to  chicken 
on  the  dinner  table,  which  netted 
considerable  profit. 

The  fifth  quorum  of  elders,  Sun- 
set Ward,  Glendale  Stake,  has 
raised  money  and  donated  labor  in 
the  manufacture  and  placing  of 
pews  in  the  stake  center. 

These  quorum  projects  and 
others  in  the  stake  have  been  car- 
ried forward  in  addition  to  the  other 
heavy  ward  and  stake  assignments, 
notably  at  the  new  Church  welfare 
ranch  at  Perris,  California,  and  the 
new  Deseret  Industries  square  in 
Los  Angeles. 

T  Tnder  the  sponsorship  of  the  stake 

presidency  and  the  Melchizedek 

Priesthood    committee,     the     South 

Los  Angeles  (California)  Stake  has 


been  holding  a  priesthood  conven- 
tion in  each  ward.  The  convention 
is  at  the  hour  of  priesthood  meeting. 
At  the  preliminary  session,  the  stake 
president  or  one  of  his  counselors 
gives  instructions.  Then  the  con- 
vention separates  into  departments. 
The  high  priests  quorum  presidency 
meets  with  their  group,  as  do  the 
seven  presidents  of  the  quorum  of 
the  seventy.  The  stake  presidency 
meets  with  the  members  of  the  elders 
quorum,  and  here  the  adult  members 
of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood  are  in- 
vited to  attend.  ( The  stake  Aaronic 
Priesthood  committee  meets  with 
the  members  of  their  respective  quo- 
rums during  this  departmental 
hour. ) 

To  close  the  day  of  Sabbath 
spiritual  feasting,  the  bishopric  of 
that  ward  has  arranged  the  sacra- 
ment meeting  program  for  the 
priesthood  members  to  discuss  some 
assigned  topics,  and  for  as  many 
priesthood  members  as  possible  to 
bear  their  testimonies. 

Needless  to  say,  a  great  deal  of 
planning  goes  into  these  priesthood 
convention  Sundays  in  South  Los 
Angeles  Stake.  Every  priesthood 
member  is  invited  to  attend,  and 
transportation  is  arranged  for  him, 
if  need  be.  But  anyone  who  has 
attended  one  of  these  conventions 
will  testify  that  it  is  worth  the  work 
and  the  effort  of  the  planning. 


(Concluded  from  page  961) 
add  to  the  difficulties,  Black  Devils  at- 
tack the  crops  as  soon  as  the  young, 
tender  shoots  come  from  the  fertile 
ground.  Happily,  this  plague  yields 
finally  to  the  marvels  of  scientific 
farming  learned  from  the  Great  School 
of  the  Foreigners. — A.  L.  Z.,  Jr. 

ALL  KINDS  OF  TIME 
(Harry  Behn.  Harcourt,  Brace  and 
Company,  New  York.  1950.  $2.00.) 
picture  story  of  time — from  sec- 
Londs  up — and  what  happens  when 
you  take  a  timepiece  apart  and  put 
it  back  together  again — leaving  out  just 
one  little  part.- — A.  L.  Z.,  Jr. 

DUFF— THE  STORY  OF  A  BEAR 
(William  Marshall  Rush.  Longmans, 
Green  and  Company,  New  York. 
1950.   $2.25.) 

TPhis    is    a    warmly    humorous     and 
fascinating  story  about  bears  in  the 
Rockies,  and  about  one  bear  in  par- 
ticular.    It  is  written  from  the  bear's 

DECEMBER  1950 


ON  THE  CHILDREN'S  BOORRACK 

point  of  view,  and  describes  authenti- 
cally his  living  habits  and  instincts, 
especially  where  contact  with  man  is 
concerned.  It  is  an  exciting  story; 
the  humane  attitude  toward  wild  life 
is  stressed,  and  the  story  ends  happily 
for  the  bear  rather  than  for  the  hunter. 

— a  5. 

THE  STORY  PRINCESS  BOOK 
(Alene  Dalton.  Bookcraft  Publishing 
Co.,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  $1.00.) 
HPhis  collection  of  fairy  tales,  long 
loved  by  children  the  world  over, 
takes  on  added  charm  when  told  in 
the  words  of  the  Story  Princess.  Ap- 
pealing illustrations  help  to  make  this 
a  book  to  be  enjoyed  by  any  child 
who  loves  a  fairy  tale. — D.  L.  G. 

PETER'S  PINTO 

(Mary  and  Conrad  Buff.  The  Viking 
Press,  New  York.  1949.  96  pages. 
$2.00.) 

"VVTnn  a  setting  in  southern  Utah — ■ 
and  a  background  of  Salt  Lake 


City  from  which  Peter  had  come  to 
the  ranch  at  White  Horse  Mesa — 
the  story  reveals  in  addition  to  the 
locale  the  stamina  of  the  early  settlers 
of  the  region.  There  are  much  action 
and  suspense  in  the  story  to  hold  the 
interest  of  the  eight-to-eleven-year 
olds,  at  the  same  time  that  the  ideals 
are  firmly  implanted  in  them.  It  is 
too  bad  that  "all  right"  should  be  mis- 
spelled in  the  book. — M.  C.  J. 

BEARS 

(Van  Duyn  Doty.  Stevens  &  Wallis, 
Inc.,  Salt  Lake  City.  1950.  72  pages. 
$2.50.) 

HTms  second  book  on  bears  makes  a 
valuable  addition  to  the  child's 
library,  as  well  as  acguainting  him 
with  bears.  These  stories,  collected 
as  the  first  volume  was  from  actual 
experiences,  are  full  of  fascination  and 
excitement.  The  two  books  will  make 
a  wonderful  Christmas  present  for  the 
small  fry. — M.  C.  J. 

1037 


_=r-r- '-r^z 

jf), 1 

1    -=B=~ 

*V^_Zj==A 

~-jfc-:  ■-•y^nn 

tf-'^A'rt**  'M\ 

L^_^A,.-^Bk 

1 L   tifi  L  »  *  .  ■  lu 

Questions  For  Bishops 
From  General  Secretaries 

Tt  was  during  a  convention  of  Aaronic 
Priesthood  leaders  that  the  following 
questions  were  asked  in  a  department 
conducted  for  general  secretaries  and 
quorum  advisers.  These  leaders  were 
not  critical  of  their  bishops,  but  the 
questions  asked  indicated  a  rather 
serious  lack  of  understanding  of  their 
official  relationships  to  their  bishops 
and  of  knowing  the  details  of  their 
responsibilities.  These  questions  may- 
serve  to  alert  bishops  as  to  what  may 
be  going  on  in  the  minds  of  their 
leaders  when  relationships  and  respon- 
sibilities are  not  made  clear  and  re- 
spected.   We  provide  correct  answers. 

1.  Who  appoints  the  ward  Aaronic 
Priesthood  committee  meeting  each 
month — the  bishop  or  the  general  sec- 
retary? 

Answer:  The  bishop. 

2.  When  the  bishop  consistently 
does  not  appoint  the  meeting,  what  is 
the  general  secretary  supposed  to  do 
about  it? 

Answer:  The  general  secretary 
should  respectfully  remind  the  bishop 
that  the  meeting  should  be  held,  but 
the  initiative  for  appointing  the  meet- 
ing rests  with  the  bishop. 

3.  When  those  meetings  are  not  ap- 
pointed, we,  as  general  secretaries,  are 
made  to  appear  as  failures,  and  we  do 
not  like  it. 

Answer:  You  cannot  help  your- 
selves— the  bishop  is  responsible  for 
calling  the  meeting.  You  have  not 
failed  as  general  secretaries,  if  you 
remind  the  bishops  that  the  meeting 
should  be  appointed  and  hold  your- 
selves ready  to  assist  him  in  arranging 
therefor. 

4.  Are  general  secretaries  and  quo- 
rum advisers  supposed  to  lead  out  in 
the  matter  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood 
social  and  fraternal  program? 

Answer:  Yes,  but  always  with  the 
approval  of  the  bishopric. 

5.  What  do  we  do  when  the  bishop- 
ric feel  we  are  going  beyond  our 
authority? 

Answer :  Talk  it  over  with  the  bish- 
opric and  come  to  a  clear  understand- 
ing of  what  they  expect  you  to  do  in 
this  and  all  other  matters  within  the 
province  of  your  calling.  Then  be 
governed  by  their  instructions.  If  the 
bishopric  are  not  clear  on  their  rela- 
tionship with  you,  the  stake  Aaronic 

1038 


Special   To   Bishops 


Letters  To  Servicemen  Held  Vital  To  Their  Welfare 


"LJe  may  not  be  in  a  foxhole;  then 
again  he  may;  he  may  be  in  the 
air —  he  may  be  on  the  ground;  he  may 
be  on  the  deck,  or  down  below;  he 
may  have  a  bed — perhaps  it's  the  cold 
earth;  he  may  be  on  watch;  he  could 
be  afraid  even  though  he's  supposed 
to  be  brave;  he  could  be  alone;  he 
could  be  with  the  crowd;  he  may  be 
in  church — he  may  not;  he  may  be  in 
good  company — we  hope  so;  but 
wherever  he  is  and  whatever  he  is 
doing,  he  will  be  stronger  and  will 
behave  better  if  there  is  a  letter  from 
his  bishop,  and  often  enough  that  he 
cannot  easily  forget. 

He  may  be  well — he  could  be  ill; 
he  may  be  in  good  spirits — he  may  be 
discouraged,  even  despondent;  he  may 
be  happy — he  may  be  sad;  he  may 
have  companions  sympathetic  to  his 
ambitions  and  ideals — too  bad  if  he 
hasn't;  but  however  he  feels,  and 
whatever  his  circumstances  may  be,  he 
is  better  able  to  face  them  and  to  im- 


prove upon  them  if  there's  a  letter, 
some  kind  of  word  from  his  spiritual 
leader,  his  bishop. 

That  man  is  to  be  pitied  who  is  in 
the  service  of  his  country  "alone."  And 
that  man  may  be  too  much  "alone" 
whose  bishop  does  not  write  to  en- 
courage, to  sustain,  to  bless  as  the 
father  of  the  ward. 

Letters  from  loved  ones  and  friends 
are  excellent.  But  letters  from  the 
bishop  with  his  blessings  are  needed, 
too.  One  is  not  without  the  other  in 
adequately  looking  after  our  service- 
men. 

It  is  realized  that  for  a  bishop  to 
write  personally  a  letter  to  a  great 
many  young  men  from  his  ward  at 
least  once  a  month  may  be  asking  too 
much,  in  view  of  all  his  other  responsi- 
bilities. But  the  bishop  should  see  to 
it  that  such  letters  are  written  for  him, 
on  his  behalf,  and  signed  by  him,  that 
his  young  men  may  know  they  are 
not  forgotten. 


Aaronic  Priesthood 
Assignments  Defined 

Tt  appears  necessary  again  to  remind 
our  Aaronic  Priesthood  leaders  that 
only  the  filling  of  priesthood  assign- 
ments officially  listed  for  priests, 
teachers,  and  deacons  are  to  be  cred- 
ited as  "assignments  filled."  The  offi- 
cial lists  are  published  in  the  respective 
quorum  roll  books,  quorum  lesson 
manuals,  and  in  the  Aaronic  Priest- 
hood Handbook. 

This  is  an  item  which  should  be 
reviewed  in  every  stake  during  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood  department  of  the 
stake  priesthood  leadership  meeting. 


Bishops— 


A  LSO  the  duty  of  the  president 
over  the  Priesthood  of  Aaron 
is  to  preside  over  forty-eight 
priests,  and  sit  in  council  with 
them,  to  teach  them  the  duties  of 
their  office,  as  is  given  in  the 
covenants — 

This  president  is  to  be  a  bish- 
op; for  this  is  one  of  the  duties 
of  this  priesthood. 

(D.  &  C.  107:87-88,  italics 
added. ) 


Priesthood  committee  should  labor  to 
bring  about  a  clear  understanding  of 
your  several  responsibilities. 

6.  Are  general  secretaries  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  the  ordering  of 
Aaronic  Priesthood  supplies? 

Answer:  General  secretaries  should 
see  to  it  that  needed  supplies  are  on 
hand  at  all  times.  However,  the  bish- 
op should  sign  all  orders  for  supplies 
in  order  that  costly  duplication  in 
ordering  may  be  avoided. 


Teachers  Not  To  Assist 
Priests  At  Sacrament  Table 

•~\rdained   teachers    are   not   author- 
ized to  assist  priests  at  the  sacra- 
ment table  once  the  meeting  is  under- 
way. 

Teachers  may  prepare  the  sacra- 
ment table  by  spreading  the  linens, 
filling  and  placing  the  water  trays, 
placing  bread  and  bread  trays  thereon. 
They  may  take  care  of  the  linens, 
empty  the  trays,  and  put  them  away 
after  the  meeting  is  ended.  But  teachers 
are  not  to  assist  the  priests  in  any  way 
at  the  sacrament  table  during  the  meet- 
ing. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


TOhaM^ 


^fc^rl  I  re  pare  a  by  cU.ee  _yv.  j-  ad 


mer 


A  Priest's  Reactions 

To  Being  Denied 

His  President's  Leadership 

XJTe  was  an  only  priest  in  his  suburban 
ward  of  a  few  members.  He  had 
recently  moved  into  the  locality  from 
a  ward  where  there  were  many  priests, 
and  a  fine  group  it  was,  too.  Every 
Sunday  morning  the  priests  had  met 
in  quorum  meeting  with  the  bishop  as 
their  president.  They  were  taught  the 
very  things  young  men  of  that  age  al- 
ways need  to  know.  The  bishop 
seemed  to  know  just  when  and  how  to 
touch  upon  the  subject  currently  ap- 
propriate. The  young  priest  wondered 
how  he  would  be  received  by  his  new 
bishop  and  by  his  new  quorum  or 
group    associates. 

He  attended  his  first  priesthood 
meeting  rather  anxiously,  anticipating 
the  welcome  he  felt  certain  would  be 
accorded  him.  No  one  met  him  at  the 
door.  He  found  a  seat,  which,  inci- 
dentally, was  not  difficult  since  there 
were  very  few  present — none  of  his 
own  age. 

When  the  opening  exercises  were 
finished,  he  went  up  and  introduced 
himself  to  the  bishop,  the  president 
of  the  priests'  quorum.  When  he  asked 
the  bishop  where  the  priests  met,  he 
was  told,  "Since  you  are  the  only 
priest  here,  maybe'  you  had  better  go 
in  with  the  elders.  I  am  very  busy 
this  morning,  and  with  only  one  priest 
present  I  can  use  my  time  to  better 
advantage  than  meeting  with  you 
alone.  I  am  sorry." 

It  was  a  long  way  home  after  priest- 
hood meeting  that  morning — "a  long 
way"  because  he  was  carrying  such  a 
heavy  heart.  "What  a  letdown!"  he 
muttered  to  himself.  "So  I'm  not  im- 
portant to  the  bishop  when  I'm  alone — 
only  when  there's  a  crowd  of  us. 
Well,  at  least  I  now  where  I  stand 
with  him — I  know  what  his  attitude 
is  toward  a  lone  priest.  What  chance 
is  there   for   me  in  this   ward?" 

What  ward  was  he  in?  That  is  im- 
material now  since  it  has  already 
happened.  The  important  thing  is  that 
each  bishop  make  doubly  certain  such 
experience  will  never  come  to  any 
priest  in  his  ward. 

The  Savior  said: 

For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered 
together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the 
midst  of  them.    (Matt.   18:20.) 

DECEMBER  1950 


Aaronic   Priesthood 

Reporting  The  Number 
Performing  Ward  Teaching    * 

Tn  the  monthly  report  on  Aaronic 
Priesthood  work  during  1951,  the 
following  information  will  be  called 
for:  "Number  performing  ward  teach- 
ing this  month." 

The  answer  to  this  particular  ques- 
tion should  include  only  those  who 
actually  performed  their  ward  teach- 
ing work  during  the  month.  Please 
note  that  the  question  does  not  call 
for  the  number  "appointed"  to  do 
ward  teaching  but  does  ask  for  the 
number  of  Aaronic  Priesthood  mem- 
bers actually  visiting  in  the  homes  of 
the  Saints  as  ward  teachers  during  the 
month. 


How  To  Teach 

**'Ttell"  him  how  to  live,  that 
his  ears  may  hear.  But 
"show"  him  how  to  live,  that  his 
soul  may  see — the  way  to  eternal 
life. 


Care  Urged  In  Preparation 
Of  Applications  For  Awards 


HPhe  Aaronic  Priesthood  program  has 
grown  to  such  proportions  as  to 
require  care  on  the  part  of  all  con- 
cerned if  we  are  to  avoid  confusion, 
disappointment,  and  inefficiency. 

The  details  of  making  applications 
for  the  Standard  Quorum  Award  and 
for  the  Individual  Certificate  of  Award 
are  too  often  given  too  little  attention. 
Applications  are  received  without  the 
name  of  ward  or  stake  indicated,  and 
without  the  signature  of  those  expected 
to  sign.  Items  are  left  unanswered. 
The  wrong  forms  are  used,  particu- 
larly forms  from  previous  years.  Too 
little  time  is  allowed  for  processing 
and  shipping  or  mailing  the  awards 
( we  ask  for  thirty  days ) .  It  requires 
only  the  following  instructions  in  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood  Handbook  and  on 
the  application  forms  to  avoid  all  of 
these  and  other  unpleasantries. 

New  application  forms  are  available 
and  should  be  procured  when  applying 
for  awards  for  1950. 


Ward  Teaching  Provides  Rare  Opportunity  For  Service 


THhere  are  some  members  of  the 
priesthood  who,  when  called  to 
serve  as  ward  teachers,  think  they 
have  been  assigned  one  of  the 
least  important  responsibilities  in  the 
Church.  With  this  attitude,  it  is  diffi- 
cult for  a  teacher  to  be  successful  in 
his  work.  For  this  reason,  bishoprics 
should  make  clear  to  every  ward 
teacher  the  great  privilege  and  oppor- 
tunity that  comes  to  those  who  serve 
in  this  capacity. 

The  offices  of  quorum  president, 
Sunday  School  superintendent,  or 
superintendent  of  Y.M.M.I.A.  are  posi- 
tions of  honor  and  importance,  and 
rightfully  so.  Yet  those  holding  these 
positions  are  limited  in  authority  when 
compared  to  the  humble  ward  teacher. 
The  officers  mentioned  preside  over, 
supervise,  direct,  and  plan  quorum  and 
auxiliary  activities,  but  are  limited  to 
the  particular  quorum  or  organization 
over  which  they  are  called  to  preside. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  ward  teacher 
is  an  agent  for  each  priesthood  quorum 
and  ward  auxiliary.  It  is  his  responsi- 
bility to  admonish  high  priests,  seven- 


ties, elders,  priests,  teachers,  and 
deacons  to  participate  in  priesthood 
activities  and  to  live  in  compliance 
with  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the 
gospel.  It  is  his  responsibility  to  en- 
courage his  people  to  attend  auxiliary 
organizations  and  classes  set  up  for 
their  respective  ages.  He  is  interested 
in  the  entire  Church  program  for  all 
those  entrusted  to  his  care.  The  stake 
president,  the  bishop  of  the  ward,  the 
officers  and  teachers  in  all  auxiliary 
organizations,  the  head  of  each  family 
and  the  members  of  his  household  are 
expected  to  submit  themselves  to  the 
authority  of  the  ward  teacher  for 
interview,  counsel,  and  instruction. 

The  teacher  has  been  instructed  to 
"see  that  all  the  members  do  their 
duty,"  and  his  major  responsibility  is 
with  lay  members  of  the  Church,  many 
of  whom  are  inactive.  Fundamentally, 
his  is  a  missionary  work,  and  if  car- 
ried out  successfully  will  result  in  the 
saving  of  souls.  No  reasoning  person 
would  classify  the  saving  of  a  soul 
as  unimportant.  The  saving  of  souls 
is  the  highest  and  most  noble  objective 
which  man  can  hope  to  achieve. 

1039 


Utility  Gift  Cape 

While  you  brush  your  hair,  make 
up  your  face,  or  enjoy  a  sham- 
poo, this  handy  cape  made 
from  a  towel  and  trimmed  with  a 
little  ribbon  will  be  a  handy  utility 
article,  and  friends  will  love  it  as  a 
gift. 


TODAY'S 


Take  one  towel,  about  22"  x  44", 
and  make  a  six-inch  slash  across 
the  center  of  it.  Then  make  a  seven- 
inch  slash  down  center  and  bind 
this  opening  with  narrow  ribbon. 
Bind  around  the  neck  opening  with 
wider  ribbon,  leaving  about  twelve 
inches  free  at  both  ends  for  tying. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Doll 

Roll  separately  two  washcloths 
lengthwise,  tightly.  For  Mr.  Doll, 
tie  ends  tightly  with  K-inch  ribbon, 
knotting   it  at  back  of   doll.     For 


Mrs.  Doll,  do  not  tie  ends.  Fold  the 
roll  in  half.  Tie  ribbon  around  the 
waist,  three  inches  from  bottom. 
For  Mr.  have  bow  in  back;  for  Mrs., 
at  side  front.  Then  fold  another 
rolled  washcloth  ( each  doll  re- 
quires two  cloths)  over  the  top  of 
first  roll.  Tie  ribbon  around  neck 
about  2/4"  from  top.  Embroider 
eyes  in  black  and  nose  and  mouth 
in  red.  For  Mrs.  Doll,  loosen  roll 
at  bottom  to  form  a  skirt.  Tack 
rolls  together  at  inside  edge. 
1040 


vDvLrl  J^hepherd 


•pi 


EDITOR 


MARE  IT 
WITH  TOWELS 


fflu. 


Comfy  Shower  Coat 

This  quick  slip-on  towel  robe  will 
be  an  appreciated  gift.  Use  towels 
with  borders  for  attractive  decora- 
tion. Required  are  two  bath  towels, 
size  22"  x  44"  for  sizes  up  to  14; 
(larger  towels  for  larger  sizes);  2 
yards  heavy  cable  cord;  %  yard 
bias  tape;  sewing  thread.  For  the 
front,  cut  one  towel  in  half  length- 
wise; face  the  top  cut  edge  with 
tape  for  10  inches  for  armhole.  On 
the  other  towel  which  will  join  to 
the  front  one,  turn  in  selvage  for 
10  inches  for  back  of  armhole.  Join 
fronts  to  back  at  sides.  Join  fronts 
to  back  at  shoulder  for  lYz" .  Fold 
collar  points  to  outside  and  tack  in 
place.  Attach  cord  at  waist  across 
back  for  about  6Y2f> '.  Make  a  knot 
at  ends  of  cord. 


*Note:  These  gift  suggestions  are  taken  from  a 
pamphlet,  "Make  It  With  Towels,"  published  by 
Cannon  Mills,  Inc.,  New  York  City,  and  are  re- 
printed    by     permission. 


Beach  Bag 


This  article  takes  half  a  22"  x  44" 
bath  towel.  Also  required  are  plas- 
tic lining  22"  x  22";  1  strip  crinoline 
5j/2"  x  5K";  2  yards  narrow  cable 
cord;  4  bone  rings,  %";  sewing 
thread. 


Round  the  edges  of  the  crinoline 
and  stitch  it  to  the  center  of  the 
plastic.  Turn  in  raw  edge  of  towel. 
Place  plastic  lining  to  inside  of 
towel  and  stitch  around  the  edges. 
Stitch  a  narrow  tuck  around  crino- 
line reinforcement.  Bring  each 
corner  of  cloth  in  to  the  center,  and 
stitch  each  fold  5"  from  outside  in 
towards  center.  Sew  a  ring  in  each 
free  corner.  Slip  cord  through  the 
rings. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


KEEP  THE  CHRISTMAS 
TREE  SAFE!* 


Keep  the  Christmas  tree  green 
and  pretty  and  at  the  same  time 
prevent  possible  fires  by  stand- 
ing the  tree  in  a  container  of  water. 
That's  the  advice  of  the  U.S.  De- 
partment of  Agriculture,  which  has 
this  to  say  about  trees  in  general: 

First,  obtain  a  tree  that  has  been 
cut  as  recently  as  possible. 

Second,  cut  off  the  end  of  the 
trunk  diagonally  at  least  one  inch 
above  the  original  cut  end.  Stand 
the  tree  at  once  in  a  container  of 
water  and  keep  the  water  level 
above  the  cut  surface  during  the 
entire  time  the  tree  is  in  the  home. 
If  the  tree  is  not  to  be  set  up  for 
several  days,  it  should  be  kept 
standing  in  water  meanwhile  in  a 
cool  place. 


If  started  in  time,  this  treatment 
will  prevent  the  needles  from  dry- 
ing out  and  becoming  flammable.  It 
will  also  retard  the  fall  of  needles 
on  such  species  as  spruce,  which 
lose  needles  very  easily.  Freshly- 
cut  spruce  or  fir  trees  standing  in 
water  cannot  be  set  on  fire  by  candle 
or  match  fires  but  will  not,  of  course, 
withstand   a   large   source  of   heat. 

It  is  wise,  also,  to  eliminate  defec- 
tive electrical  connections,  and  to 
avoid  the  accumulation  of  combus- 
tible decorations  near  these  connec- 
tions or  around  the  tree;  place  the 
tree  so  that  it  will  not  ignite  curtains 
or  trap  occupants  in  a  room  in  case 
of  fire. 

*Taken  from  "Farm  Flashes,"  Utah  State  Agri- 
cultural College  Extension  Service,  Dec.  15  and 
29,    1949. 

DECEMBER  1950 


Merru^ChrTsTmas,  mu,  dear?* 
said  St.  Nick,  bouncing  in  after  rewarding 
his  reindeer  with  an  extra  forkful  of  hau,  for 
their  night's  work.  "I  couldn't  think  of  a  thing 
to  bring  you  except  this.  It  must  be  good, 
because  I  saw  it  in  ever  so  many  homes." 

"Thank  you,  Nick,"  laughed  his  wife,  "but  if 
that  isn't  just  like  a  man!  You're  so  busy  toy- 
making  that  you've  never  noticed  I've  used 
Fels-Naptha  for  years  and  years  and  YEARS." 


1041 


ALL-O-WHEAT 

CEREAL 

The    Best    and    Most    Healthful 
Cereal  for  Your  Family  to  Eat! 


Its  DELICIOUS 

nut-like  flavor 

contains  ALL  the 

goodness  of  the 

Entire  Wheat  Berry. 

A  Kansas 

Laboratory  analysis 

reveals  that  1  pound 

of  ALL-O-WHEAT  has 


IT'S    STEEL    CUT 


1900  Units  Pro-Vitamin  A 
(These  are  true,  natural  vitamins) 

1.76  Milligrams  Thiamine 

26.50  Milligrams  Niacin 
4.93  Milligrams  Pantothenic  Acid 

.452  Milligrams  Riboflavin 

Also  rich  in  proteins,  phosphorus, 
mineral  matter  and  iron. 

ALL-O-WHEAT  IS 

•  DELICIOUS   to   the   Taste 

•  NUTRITIOUS  to  the   Body 

•  EASY  TO    PREPARE 

•  VERY   ECONOMICAL  to  use 

Ask    your    grocer    or    local    health    store 
today  for 

ALL-O-WHEAT 

Or  Write  to  ALL-O-WHEAT  CO. 

Ogden,   Utah 

All-O-Wheat  now  available  in 

Pacific  Coast  health  stores 

Served  by  Halco  Corp.  of  Los  Angeles 


POINSETTIAS  MAY  HIBERNATE  TOO 


The  Christmas  Gift 
for  Missionaries! 

"YOU  CAN  LEARN 

to 

SPEAK" 


by 

ROYAL  L.  GARFF 

$2.75 

Presents  a  complete 
plan  for  persuasive 
talks  .  .  .  easy  to 
read  ...  64  delight- 
ful cartoons  .  .  . 
many  quotations  and 
anecdotes  .  .  .  will 
help  every  mission- 
ary to  be  a  better 
speaker.  See  review 
page  1030. 

ORDER  BY  MAIL 


|     WHEELWRIGHT  LITHOGRAPHING  CO. 

I     975  So.  West  Temple 

|     Salt  Lake  City  1,  Utah 

\  Please  send  me  a  copy  of  YOU  CAN  LEARN 

TO  SPEAK  at  $2.75   (plus  soles  tax  for   Utah 

residents). 

□   I  am  enclosing  my  check  or  money  order. 
(Book  sent  postpaid.) 

O  Bill  me  on  delivery  for  $2.75  plus  postage 
and  mailing  charges. 

NAME 


The  beautiful  poinsettia  plant  need 
not  be  discarded  when  its  leaves 
drop,  soon  after  the  holiday  season. 
This  dropping  of  leaves  indicates 
the  plant  is  going  into  its  normal 
rest  period  and  will,  with  care, 
bloom  again  next  year. 

After   the  leaves   fall,   the  plant 
should  be  put  in  a  cool  place  ( about 


40°  to  60°  F.)  and  watered  spar- 
ingly. About  the  first  of  May  the 
plant  may  be  cut  back  to  remove  ex- 
cess old  wood  and  make  it  more 
shapely.  Poinsettias  can't  stand 
frost;  and  they  may  drop  their 
leaves  if  placed  in  a  draft  or  where 
it  is  too  warm. 


BLUEPRINT 
FOR 


|oe<*u**| 


"TIPS" 
On  Your  Fingers 

1.  What  are  fingernails  made  of? 
They  are  clear,  horny  cells  of  the 

epidermis,    joined    together    in   one 
continuous  plate. 

2.  How  does  the  nail  grow? 

By  multiplication  of  soft  cells  in 
the  germative  layer  at  the  root  of 
the  nail.  It  grows  about  one-fifth 
inch  a  month. 

3.  What  is  cuticle? 

It  is  the  hardened  skin  around  the 
base  and  sides  of  the  fingernails. 

4.  Why    should    special    care    be 
taken  in  grooming  the  cuticle? 

The  thin  space  under  the  cuticle 
is  a  favorite  location  of  bacteria  and 
molds.  Such  bacteria  may  enter  the 
tissue  around  the  nail  and  cause  in- 
fection if  the  cuticle  has  been 
damaged. 


1042 


5.  What  is  a  hangnail? 

It  is  a  narrow  sliver  of  skin  which 
has  cracked  or  split  away  from  the 
cuticle  at  the  side  of  the  nail. 

6.  How  does  one  treat  a  hangnail? 
Lift  it  up  carefully,  and  cut  it  off 

with  clean,  sharp  scissors;  then  ap- 
ply an  antiseptic  solution.  If  the 
cuticle  and  skin  around  the  nails 
are  kept  soft  with  cream  or  oil, 
hangnails  will  not  form.  The  split 
end  of  the  hangnail  is  always  to- 
ward the  nail  and  the  attached  end 
farther  back;  therefore,  it  should 
never  be  pulled  as  this  causes  bleed- 
ing and  soreness  and  encourages  in- 
fection. 

7.  What  occupations  cause  thicken- 
ing of  the  nails? 

Manual  labor  causes  thick  nails. 

8.  Does  dishwashing  harm  the  nails? 
No,    if    the    soap    used    is    mild. 

Strong  soap  solutions  have  a  soften- 
ing action  on  fingernails,  especially 
if  the  hands  are  immersed  in  it  for 
a  long  time. 

9.  How  may  stains  be  removed  from 
fingernails? 

By  bleaching  with  hydrogen  per- 
oxide or  lemon  juice. 

10.  Is  nail  polish  harmful? 

The  nails  are  usually  resistant  to 
chemicals  and  pigments  found  in 
nail  polish  and  solvents  used  to  re- 
move it.  The  solvent  used  in  polish 
to  keep  the  plastic  substances  in 
solution  may  cause  dryness,  brittle- 
ness,  or  flaking  and  splitting  of  the 
nails.      Nailbreaking    may   also   be 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


the  result  of  dietary  imbalance  or 
disease.  Some  people  have  skin 
allergies  which  prevent  them  from 
using  any  polish. 

1 1 .    What   is   the   manicuring   pro- 
cedure? 

( a )  Remove  old  polish  with  pol- 
ish remover  applied  to  a  piece  of 
cotton.  Hold  it  on  the  nail  a  few 
minutes  until  polish  softens;  then 
stroke  from  base  of  nail  to  finger 
tip. 

(b)  Shape  the  nails  with  nail  file 
into  a  smoothly  rounded  oval  of 
medium  length.  Stroke  from  the 
side  of  nail  to  the  center.  Never 
file  far  down  at  the  sides  as  this 
causes  splitting. 

( c )  Soak  the  fingertips  two  or 
three  minutes  in  warm,  soapy  water. 
Then  rinse  in  clear  water  and  wipe 
lightly. 

(d)  Apply  cuticle  remover  with 
cotton-tipped  orange  stick.  Push 
cuticle  back  toward  the  base,  using 
flat  end  of  orange  stick  or  Q-tip. 
Work  gently  as  digging  may  injure 
cuticle.  Clean  under  the  nails  and 
apply  nail  white,  if  desired. 

(e)  Wipe  away  dead  skin  with 
a  towel.  Trim  ragged  edges  or 
hangnails  with  manicure  scissors. 
Regular  trimming  of  the  cuticle  with 
scissors  or  clippers  is  not  wise  as  it 
stimulates  growth. 

( f )  Scrub  fingers  with  brush  and 
soapy  water;  rinse  and  dry.  This 
removes  solutions  and  dead  cuticle 
and  leaves  nails  smooth. 

(g)  Buff  nails  lengthwise  from 
base  to  tip.  Lift  the  buffer  with  each 
stroke  to  prevent  undue  heating  of 
nails. 

( h )  Apply  polish  base,  and  allow 
to  dry;  then  polish,  and  let  it  dry; 
then  apply  *a  colorless,  sealing  top 
coat.  To  apply  polish,  outline  the 
nail  slightly  above  the  cuticle  with 
the  wet  brush;  then  carry  polish  all 
the  way  over  finger  tips  in  three 
straight  strokes:  first  down  the  cen- 
ter of  nail,  and  then  once  on  each 
side.  With  the  thumb,  take  a  thin 
line  of  polish  off  the  edge  of  the 
nail;  this  discourages  chipping. 

(i)  When  polish  is  quite  dry, 
massage  cuticle  oil  or  nail  cream 
into  the  cuticle  and  at  the  base  of 
the  nail. 

DECEMBER  1950 


With  Era  Readers 


A  DESIRABLE  CHRISTMAS  GIFT 

This  is  the  season  of  gifts.  When  selecting  a  gift  for  someone  near  or 
dear,  the  first  consideration  usually  is  to  find  something  that  will  be  appre- 
ciated, something  that  will  be  worthy  and  that  will  convey  an  impression 
of  friendship  or  love. 

How  would  you  like  to  send  a  gift  that  would  include  these: 

A  message  each  month  for  a  year  from  President  George  Albert  Smith. 

A  discussion  of  an  important  doctrine  of  t!he  Church  by  one  of  the 
outstanding  authorities  of  the  Church,  Dr.  John  A.  Widtsoe,  of  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve  Apostles. 

The  sermonettes  of  President  Richard  L.  Evans  on  the  Tabernacle  Choir 
broadcast. 

Feature  articles  on  Church  doctrine,  Church  history,  and  world  affairs. 

A  full  page  each  month  for  a  year  of  choice,  carefully  selected  poetry. 

Several  short  stories  each  month  for  the  reading  of  youth  and  for  those 
who  are  older. 

A  full  page  of  current  history  of  the  Church  briefed  for  quick  reading 
and  convenient  reference. 

A  variety  of  articles  in  other  fields  that  are  of  general  interest. 

These  are  all  combined  in  one  gift  when  that  gift  is  a  year's  subscription 
to  The  Improvement  Era. 

Such  a  gift  is  suitable  for  Christmas,  weddings,  birthdays,  under  appro- 
priate conditions,  for  friends  or  relatives  in  other  states  or  in  other  lands.  In 
all  cases  a  suitable  dignified  gift  card  is  sent  to  the  recipient,  containing  the 
name  of  the  donor. 

In  times  like  these  The  Improvement  Era  is  suggested  as  an  appropriate, 
helpful,  and  most  acceptable  gift.  There  is  still  plenty  of  time  to  send  this 
issue  and  an  attractive  gift  card  for  Christmas. 

GENERAL  CONFERENCE  REPORT 

In  this  issue  all  the  addresses  delivered  by  General  Authorities  of  the 
Church  at  the  recent  general  conference  are  printed  in  full.  This  outstanding 
and  helpful  service  to  the  Church  is  provided  for  readers  of  The  Improvement 
Era  throughout  the  world.  Into  every  civilized  nation  these  addresses  will 
carry  the  gospel  message  and  the  advice,  counsel,  and  encouragement  of  our 
leaders. 

In  many  thousands  of  homes  this  issue  will  be  preserved  for  future  ref- 
erence, and  many  of  them  will  be  bound  for  permanent  use.  This  service 
to  Era  readers,  brought  to  you  without  extra  cost,  is  one  of  the  contributions 
of  this  publication  to  the  missionary  service  of  the  Church.  This  is  an  appro- 
priate issue  with  which  to  begin  a  gift  subscription. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA  IN  1951 

The  editorial  program  of  The  Improvement  Era  for  1951  is  well  under 
way.  Some  outstanding  features,  new  to  these  columns,  are  definitely  assured. 
This  magazine  in  1951  is  destined  to  reach  a  new  high  mark  in  its  service 
to  its  readers  and  to  the  Church  —  both  the  young  people  whose  interests  are 
being  given  more  consideration  than  ever  before  and  the  middle-aged  and 
older  folk  have  been  kept  in  mind  in  editorial  planning. 

Every  Latter-day  Saint  family  and  all  who  are  interested  in  the  Church 
and  its  progress  whether  as  friends  or  investigators  will  want  every  issue 
of  the  new  year.  With  conditions  as  uncertain  as  they  are  subscriptions  should 
be  placed  early. 


More 
Religious 
Reading 


IMPROVEMENT 

ERA 


1043 


WESTERHLOCKERAP 

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FISH,  FOWL 
AMD  GAME 


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cuts  of  meat,  fish,  fowl,  game! 
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First  choice  of  housewives 
and  locker  plant  operators  in  the 
west,  WESTERN  LOCKERAP 
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locker  plant.  Ask  today  for 
WESTERN  LOCKERAP! 


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you  prepare,  protect  and  pre- 
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Write  now  to  Western  Waxed 
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Oregon.  Your  copy  will  be 
mailed  at  once. 


RolJ  contains 
ISO  feet  of 
WESTERN 
LOCKERAP. 
Choice  ot  18, 
20  or  24  inch 
widths. 


[ 


WESTERN  WAXED  PAPER  CO. 

PORTLAND     •     SAN    LEANDRO 
LOS  ANGELES 


TO  GIVE 


a  Vo  j<* 


Date-filled  Cookies 

Yi   cup  shortening 

1    cup  brown  sugar 

1   egg 

1   teaspoon  baking  powder 
34  teaspoon  salt 
34  teaspoon   cinnamon 
34  teaspoon  cloves 
1  Ya  cups  sifted  wholewheat  flour 

Sift  the  flour,  baking  powder,  salt, 


§ 
§ 

§ 

§ 

§ 
§ 
§ 

§ 
§ 

S 

% 
§ 

§ 

§ 

h 
% 
% 
§ 
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§ 


"7/    "  <?     <? 


££/ 


and  spices  together.  Cream  sugar, 
shortening  together;  add  unbeaten  egg 
and  stir  vigorously.  Mix  with  dry  in- 
gredients. Roll  out  dough  to  about 
Y%  inch  thickness,  keeping  rectangular 
shape.  Spread  with  date  filling;  roll 
up  as  jelly  roll;  wrap  in  waxed  paper; 
and  chill  two  or  three  hours.  Cut  off 
slices  about  34  incn  thick  and  bake 
in  moderate  oven  (350°  F.)  about  10 
minutes. 


BY  RICHARD  L  EVANS 


Tn  three  lines  of  flawless  poetry,  Alexander  Pope  por- 
trays  how   gossip   is   passed    from    person    to    person: 

"And  all  who  told  it  added  something  new, 
And  all  who  heard  it,  made  enlargements  too; 
In  ev'ry  ear  it  spread,  on  ev'ry  tongue  it  grew." 

If  we  haven't  considered  the  subject  seriously,  we 
may  suppose  that  there  is  no  harm  in  the  idle  telling  of 
tales.  At  least  it  keeps  up  conversation.  In  fact,  we  may 
go  so  far  as  to  ask,  as  one  person  did:  "If  gossiping  is  such 
a  besetting  sin,  why  isn't  it  covered  by  the  command- 
ments?" It  is  a  good  question,  and  there  is  a  good  answer: 
It  is  covered  by  the  commandments.  As  we  recall,  there 
is  a  commandment  that  reads,  "Thou  shalt  not  bear  false 
witness" — and  a  very  considerable  part  of  all  whispering 
and  taletelling  does  bear  false  witness,  if  not  by  actual 
word,  at  least  by  innuendo;  and  if  not  at  first,  at  least 
by  the  color  that  is  added  in  passing  it  from  person  to 
person.  Often  there  can  be  more  deadly  malice  in  an  un- 
kind comment  that  passes  behind  hands  or  in  the  whispered 
venom  that  infectiously  spreads  from  ear  to  ear  than  in 
an  open  accusation.  In  Much  Ado  About  Nothing  Shake- 
speare tells  of  an  innocent  victim  "done  to  death  by 
slanderous  tongues."  As  far  back  as  the  memory  of  man 
goes,  as  far  back  as  the  record  is  written,  reputations 
have  been  riddled  by  the  loose  lips  of  people  who  pass  on 
what  they  hear,  plus  what  they  make  up,  or  what  they 
imagine.  And  almost  always  they  seek  to  establish  their 
own  innocence  by  saying  that  someone  else  said  that  it 
was  so.  'They  say  so'  is  half  a  lie,"  wrote  Thomas 
Fuller.  Perhaps  all  of  us  have  asked  ourselves:  "Who  is 
this  'they'?"  Whoever  "they"  are,  "they"  have  much  to 
answer  for.  "They"  start  most  of  the  malicious  rumors. 
If  the  truth  is  too  tame,  "they"  add  color  to  suit  them- 
selves. And  when  "they"  are  finally  identified,  and  when 
justice  is  finally  done,  "they"  will  no  doubt  have  to  pay 
a  price  for  every  irresponsible  word  they  ever  uttered  to 
the  injury  of  others. 


Jhe    J^pok 


Wo  J" 


FROM    TEMPLE    SQUARE 
PRESENTED    OVER   KSL   AND    THE   COLUMBIA    BROAD- 
CASTING SYSTEM,   OCTOBER  29,    1950 

Copyright    King    Features 


§ 

§ 

§ 
$ 

§ 

§ 
§ 


1044 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Date  Filling 

\y2  cups  pitted  dates 
Y2  cup  water 
Y2  teaspoon  vanilla 
Y2  lemon,  juice  only 
y2  CUP  walnut  meats,  broken  in  small 
pieces 

Cook  dates  in  water  over  low  heat 
until  soft  enough  to  be  stirred  into  a 
paste.  Remove  from  fire  and  add 
lemon  juice  and  vanilla.  Cool.  Add 
nuts. 

Cherry  Turnovers 

1  cup  wholewheat  flour 

3^4  teaspoon  salt 

34  cup  brown  sugar 

1  teaspoon  baking  powder 

5  tablespoons   cold  water 

1  cup   cherries,   canned  or  fresh 
( drained ) 

Mix  together  flour,  baking  powder, 
and  salt.  Blend  in  shortening.  Add 
enough  water  to  make  dough  of  con- 
sistency to  roll  smooth  and  thin.  Cut 
it  into  four-inch  squares.  Cook  cher- 
ries, sugar,  and  two  tablespoons  water 
over  low  heat  until  thickened.  Cool. 
Put  a  heaping  spoonful  of  cherry  filling 
in  each  square  of  dough  and  fold 
cornerwise.  Press  edges  together  with 
fork.  Bake  on  greased  baking  sheet 
in  hot  oven  (400°  F.)  about  15  min- 
utes. 

Honey   Coconut  Bars 


Vi 

1 


iy2 

1. 


cup  shortening 
cup  brown  sugar 
cup  honey 

egg 

cup  flour 

teaspoons  baking  powder 

teaspoon  salt 

cup  rolled  oats 

cup  shredded  cocoanut 

teaspoon  vanilla 

cup  chopped  nuts 


Cream  shortening,  sugar,  and  honey 
together  until  light  and  fluffy.  Add 
well-beaten  egg;  blend  together.  Sift 
flour  with  dry  ingredients;  stir  well. 
Add  oats,  cocoanut,  and  vanilla.  Add 
nut  meats.  Spread  on  greased  baking 
sheet;  bake  in  moderate  oven  (350° 
F. )  about  12  to  15  minutes.  Cut  into 
bars. 

Russian  Tea  Rolls 

1  cup  butter  or  margarine 

Y2  cup    powdered    sugar 

234  cups  flour 

1  teaspoon  vanilla 

34  teaspoon  salt 

%  cup  chopped  walnuts 

Mix   all   ingredients   thoroughly  to- 
gether.    Form  into  balls  and  drop  on 
cookie    sheet.      Bake    15    minutes    at 
(Concluded  on  following  page) 
DECEMBER  1950 


MtPFT/KKS.  /f         SMO  4fRS.  S 


ohe  always  buys  this  famous 

*8ITE  SIZE"  TUNA;  she 

knows  it's  delicate,  tender,  and 
delicious.  Every  tuna  dish  she 
serves  is  a  coup  de  maitre! 


She's  learning  by  experience 
that  a  tuna  dish  is  either  a 
glorious  success ...  or  a  dismal 
failure!  Next  time,  she'll  buy 
quality  tuna! 


there's  no  halfway 

QUALITY 
IN  TUNA! 


*»D 'IN  SOYBEAN 
JALT  ADDED 


THIS  fAMOUS  TUNA  ALSO  AVAILABLE 
IN  SOLID  PACK  . . . 


diElaiES 


Trademark  of  Van  Camp  Sea  Food  Co.  Inc., Terminal  Island,  Calif. 


WALLS  ARE  BEING  FRESHENED 
WITH  THE  WONDERFUL  NEW 
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IN  THE 

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GOES  ON  SMOOTH  -  NO  BRUSH  MARKS 
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IT  HAS   BETTER  HIDING   POWER   - 

BENNETTS 

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LeCybuf 
Own  "fesfe 
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brxlerfaf 
Discovery/ 


Maybe  it's  been  years  since  yo-j  tasted 
evaporated  milk.  But  since  then  a  remark- 
able change  has  taken  place  —  for  today's 
Morning  Milk  has  a  flavor  you  associate 
with  rich  country  cream. 

This  means  you  can  enjoy  the  conven- 
ience and  economy  of  Morning  Milk  in  all 
recipes  calling  for  ordinary  milk  or  cream. 
And  Morning  Milk's  smooth  texture  and  rich 
flavor  actually  improve  your  recipes! 


It's  the  delicious 

flavor  that 

makes  the  difference' 


MORNING 
MILK 


STORE  WHEAT 

STONE  GRIND  YOUR 
OWN  FLOUR 

with  a 

Precision 

Electric 

LEE 

Flour  Mill 

"Fresh 
ground 
wheat  flour 
has  a  flavor 
not  found  in 
flour  stored 
for  any  length  of  time.  The  greater 
part  of  Vitamin  "E"  is  lost  a  week 
after  grinding.  The  bleaching  gas 
commonly  added  to  both  white  and 
whole-wheat  flour  also  destroys 
vitamins.  When  cattle  are  fed 
grains  without  these  vitamins,  they 
show  no  harmful  effects  until  they 
drop  dead  suddenly."  (See 
"Science,"  Vol.  104,  No.  2701,  P. 
312.) 

Protect  Your  Health  NOW ! 

30-day  trial  with  Money-Back  Guarantee 

Standard  Mill  $65.00,  Deluxe  $90.00 

(Plus  Mailing  Charges) 

For  full  information  write  to 

THE  WHEAT  SHOP 

99  East  1st  North,  Provo,  Utah 

Name _ 

Address 

City  and  State— 


To  Give ...  or  to  Keep 

(Concluded  from  preceding  page) 
375°  F.    When  done,  roll  in  powdered 
sugar. 

Peanut  Butter-Oatmeal  Cookies 


1!/ 


cup  flour 

teaspoon  salt 

teaspoons  baking  powder 

cup  shortening 

cup  brown  sugar 

cup  peanut  butter 

egg 

teaspoon  vanilla 
cup  honey,  liquefied 
cups  rolled  oats 
cup  chopped  peanuts 


Sift  together  flour,  salt,  and  baking 
powder.  Mix  shortening,  sugar,  pea- 
nut butter,  egg,  vanilla,  and  half  of  the 
honey;  add  to  first  mixture  and  beat 
until  smooth.  Fold  in  remaining  honey 
and  rolled  oats.  Drop  by  teaspoon 
on  greased  cookie  sheet;  sprinkle  with 
chopped  nuts.  Bake  12  minutes  at 
375°  F. 

Matrimonial  Sandwiches 

2  cups  finely  cut,  pitted  dates 

1  cup  hot  water 

1  teaspoon  vanilla 

Yi  cup   brown   sugar,   firmly  packed 

1  cup  sifted  flour 

1  teaspoon  baking  powder 

34  teaspoon  salt 

\x/2  cups  rolled  oats 

Yi  cup  melted  butter  or  margarine 

Pour  water  over  dates  and  simmer 
them  about  10  minutes,  or  until  thick- 
ened. Add  vanilla.  Combine  sugar, 
flour,  baking  powder,  rolled  oats  and 
salt;  then  stir  in  melted  fat  slowly. 
Spread  half  of  oatmeal  mixture  in  pan 
12"  x  8"  x  2";  cover  with  date  mix- 
ture. Sprinkle  remaining  oat  mixture  on 
top;  pat  smooth.  Bake  at  375°  F.  20 
minutes.  Cool.  Cut  in  squares.  Fig 
filling  may  be  used  in  place  of  dates. 


Fig  Filling 

1   pound  dried  figs 

1  cup  water 

14  cup  brown  sugar 

2  tablespoons  lemon  juice 
34  teaspoon  salt 

Cut  or  grind  figs.  Add  remaining  in- 
gredients and  cook  slowly  until  thick- 
ened.    Cool. 

Puffed  Wheat  Sparkies 

134  cups  sweetened  condensed  milk 
Y2  cup  peanut  butter 
2  cups  puffed  wheat 

Mix  condensed  milk  and  peanut  but- 
ter together.  Stir  in  purled  wheat.  Drop 
by  spoonfuls  on  greased  cookie  sheet 
and  bake  at  375°  F.  for  12  minutes. 


You    can    save 
50  weeks  .  .  . 


for 


and 
and 
and 
and 


receive $  25.00 

receive $  50.00 

receive $100.00 

receive $150.00 

$  5.00  and   receive 

$250.00 

$10.00   and   receive 

$500.00 


not     too     early     to 
a   worry-free,   debt- 


It's 
plan 

free,  paid-up  Christmas 
for  next  year.  Open  a 
Christmas  Club  account 
at  State,  then  mail  or 
bring  your  savings  each 
week  to  .  .  . 


State  5avi  iws 


and    Loan   Association  Cj 
56  So.  Main    •    Salt  Lake 

Savings  insured  to  $10,000 


SEND  YOUR  FRIENDS 
AT  HOME  OR  ABROAD 


IMPROVEMENT 


EM 


One  of  the  great  Church 
magazines  of  the  World 

$2.50  a  year  $3.00  foreign 


NIC0-ST0P  AVAILABLE 
AT  LOWER  PRICE 

NICO-STOP,  mentioned  in  Dr.  Merrill's  No 
Liquor  -  Tobacco  column  (Sept.),  now  offers 
you  a  choice  of  TWO  SIZES.  It  is  pleasant  to 
taste,  and  relieves  craving  AT  ONCE.  Thou- 
sands have  used  NICO-STOP  successfully. 
Accept  no  substitute.  Available  on  money- 
back  guarantee  at  druggists,  or  if  you  do  not 
find  it,  write  to 

NICO-STOP 

NICO-STOP,  DEPT.  A,  SAINT  HELENA,  CALIF. 
Please    send    further    information,    and    prices. 

Name    


Address 


City.. 


State.. 


1046 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Toys  They  Will  Like 

( Concluded  from  page  955 ) 
storybooks;  hammers  and  nails;  kid- 
dy   cars,    trikes,    wagons,    spoons, 
spades,  and  pails. 

About  four  years  of  age  children 
begin  to  imitate  grownups  in  their 
play,  and  for  this  they  need  many 
things:  dolls  and  doll  houses,  dishes 
and  laundry  sets  for  girls;  toy  barn- 
yards, boats,  engines,  and  trucks 
for  boys.  At  four,  also,  both  boys 
and  girls  can  be  introduced  to  sim- 
ple musical  instruments — drums, 
cymbals,  bells,  triangles.  Rhyth- 
mic movement  (skipping,  clapping, 
marching),  simple  chants,  and  bits 
of  melody  are  natural  forms  of  ex- 
pression for  the  youngster.  At  this 
age  a  child  should  hear  good  music 
and  take  part  in  songs  and  dances. 

Often  in  selecting  toys,  parents 
forget  what  the  youngster  really 
likes  and  wants  to  do.  One  child 
was  bitterly  disappointed  for  two 
Christmases  in  succession  because 
she  did  not  receive  a  toy  store.  The 
mother,  though  she  selected  gifts 
she  thought  were  nice  for  the  child 
to  have,  did  not  stop  to  consider 
that  the  youngster's  reguest,  as  sim- 
ple as  it  seemed,  might  have  been 
motivated  by  a  need  to  handle  and 
arrange  orderly  rows  of  boxes  and 
bottles  and  serve  her  friends  with 
them. 

Toys  are  not  merely  playthings 
to  keep  children  quiet — or  to  help 
them  make  a  noise;  they  are  tools. 
Children  like  toys  not  so  much  that 
do  things,  but  toys  they  can  do 
things  with,  for  activity  helps  them 
develop  a  sense  of  adequacy  which 
is  so  necessary  to  happiness  in  later 
life.  Thus,  a  boy  younger  than  eight 
or  nine  will  not  long  be  interested  in 
an  electric  train  because  he  does 
not  understand  it,  and  he  can  do 
nothing  but  stand  by  and  watch 
it — the  activity  is  centered  in  the 
toy.  An  older  boy,  however,  may 
enrich  his  interest  in  physics  and 
engineering  by  operating  these  elec- 
tric machines.  The  child  plays  be- 
cause he  wants  to,  and  his  toys 
should  be  appropriate  to  his  age. 

During  pre-school  years  a  child 
will  not  play  with  any  one  thing  for 
long  periods  of  time;  variety  is 
necessary.  Contrary  to  popular 
opinion,  however,  a  child  is  not 
necessarily  happy  when  surrounded 
with  numerous  toys — a  few  well- 
chosen  ones  are  less  confusing. 
DECEMBER  1950 


afefkB? 


use  Cinch  cake  mix.. 

IT'S  REALLY  COMPLETE! 

CINCH  already  contains  every 
high  quality  ingredient  necessary 
for  a  perfect  cake.  You  add  only 
water.  For  a  finer,  easier,  thriftier 
cake .  . .  Bake  CINCH. 


"Millions  of  Cakes  nl*  * 


©  1950  CINCH  PRODUCTS  INC. 


4  DELICIOUS  FLAVORS  WHITE* GOLDEN. SPICE. DEVIL'S  FUDGE 


1047 


^C^-^^'^^-0''^0^^^<^-'^^'-0':^0^'^Ori''^r!t^Or> 


THE  LIGHT  TOUCH 

Highly  Strung 


"Yes,"  said  the  mountain  climber,  "I  always  keep  a  rope 
tied  around  my  waist.     It  has  saved  my  life  more  than  once." 

"But,"  said  the  listener,"  it  must  be  awful  to  be  left  hanging 
from  a  rope.     Don't  you  feel  nervous?" 

"Well,  not  exactly,"  came  the  reply,  "just  highly  strung." 

Sympathetic 


'out  of 

contact"  without  the  Era! 
Elder  Garth  P.  Monson  of  Richmond  (who  baptized  me  on 
January  27th  of  this  year)  and  Elder  Jean  Waite  of  Hyde 
Park  (now  both  returned  home)  started  the  magazine  for 
me,  saying  that  no  member  should  ever  be  without  it.  Now 
that  it  has  failed  to  come  for  the  past  two  months,  I  under- 
stand fully  what  they  meant  .  .  .  every  member  SHOULD 
receive  the  Era!  There's  such  a  feeling  of  having  lost  touch 
without  it;  especially  out  here  in  the  mission  field  where  one 
must  drive  at  least  thirty  miles  for  anything  but  Sunday 
School. 

Sincerely 

Dollilee  Davis  Smith 
i 

Santa  Clara,  California 
September    12,    1950 
Dear  Editors: 

Thank  you  for  your  check  for  my  story  "Money  To  Spend." 
During  my  youthful  years  as  a  teacher,  I  lived  in  Idaho, 
near  Idaho  Falls,  and  taught  the  Sugar  Factory  school  (Lin- 
coln) and  at  Iona,  a  part  of  the  same  district.  If  any  of  my 
former  pupils  take  The  Improvement  Era  they  will  be 
pleased  to  see  the  contribution  from  their  former  teacher. 

I  was  matron  of  girls  of  a  mission  orphanage  at  Unalaska, 
Alaska. 

Yours   sincerely 

/s/  Mary  E.   Winchell 


New  Westminster,  B.  C,  Canada 
Editors: 

"Dy  a  mere  chance  a  copy  of  The  Improvement  Era  of 
*-J  September,  1943,  has  fallen  into  my  hands,  and  I  am  so 
delighted  with  it  that  I  must  write  you  a  letter  of  appreciation. 
I  hope  your  magazine  is  still  being  published,  after  these  long 
years. 

I  am  80  years  of  age  and  was  born  in  the  state  of  Oregon, 
Union  County.  About  the  year  1888  David  Eccles  and  his 
brothers,  Stewart  and  William,  began  the  operation  of  saw- 
mills in  the  pine  forests  in  our  foothills,  and  as  a  boy  of  18 
I  began  working  for  the  Eccles  sawmills  and  continued  work- 
ing for  them  for  several  years.  .  .  .  On  Sunday  mornings  our 
sawmill  crew  went  with  Elder  Stoddard  to  a  high  cliff  near 
the  mill  and  he  would  mount  this  cliff  and  preach  to  us  for 
an  hour,  the  finest  and  most  helpful  sermons  I  ever  heard. 

So,  this  copy  of  your  magazine  recalls  to  me  many  beautiful 
incidents  in  my  youth.  I  loved  Elder  Stoddard  and  could 
have  become  a  member  of  his  faith.  Wishing  you  continued 
prosperity,  I  am, 

Yours   very  truly, 
Bertram   W.    Huffman 


BIND  YOUR  ERA  FOR  1950 

Subscribers  who  wish  to  bind  or  to  otherwise  pre- 
serve the  1950  volume  of  THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 
are  informed  that  the  annual  index  is  now  being  pre- 
pared. You  may  reserve  yours  by  sending  your  name 
and  address  to  THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA,  50  North 
Main  St..  Salt  Lake  City  1,  Utah.  Please  enclose  a 
three-cent  stamp  with  your  request  to  cover  cost  of 
postage. 


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Two  men  were  talking. 

"I'm  a  man  of  few  words,"  said  one. 

"I'm  married,   too,"  said  the   other. 

The  Straight  of  It 

Two  salesmen  were  conversing. 

"Do  you  know  that  Max  went  to  Boston,  went  to  the 
Acme  store,  made  a  deal,  and  made  ten  thousand  dollars?" 
asked  one  of  the  men. 

"Listen,"  said  the  other.  "To  begin  with,  it  wasn't  Max. 
It  was  Sam.  It  wasn't  Boston,  it  was  Pittsburgh.  It  wasn't 
the  Acme  store,  it  was  the  Emporium.  And  he  didn't  make 
ten  thousand  dollars.  He  lost  it.  And  besides,  it  was  I  who 
told  it  to  you  yesterday." 

With  on  Accent 

A  salesman  buttonholed  Ivan  Popnikoff. 

"I've  got  a  great  invention,"  he  said.  "A  dictaphone.  Saves 
you  the  trouble  and  expense  of  a  stenographer.  You  talk  into 
it,  push  a  button,  and  immediately  you  hear  yourself  talk 
back." 

"Always  some  phony,  new-fangled  invention.  Positival 
couldn't  be  no  good —  absolutel  couldn't  be  no  good,"  said 
Popnikoff. 

"Wait  a  minute!"  insisted  the  salesman.  "Go  into  the  other 
room  and  try  it.  Talk  into  it  and  have  it  talk  right  back  to 
you." 

He  took  it  into  the  other  room  to  try  it.  He  talked  into  the 
dictaphone  and  it  talked  back  to  him.     Out  he  rushed. 

"It's  no  good,"  he  said.  "It  spicks  wid  a  dialect." 

Value  Received 

First  Lawyer — "As  soon  as  I  realized  it  was  crooked  busi- 
ness I  got  out  of  it." 

Second  Lawyer — "How  much?" 


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1048 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Building  with  Buehner-crete 
...  at  B.  Y.  U. 


s  ::;:::;  . 


-     ill 


511!  »  w 

111!  «•  II 

fill  n  | 

MOT  (i  M: 


rar    fir  n  Mr 
till    si  it  ti 

1118      11    IS    r 


IMSM 


The  new  Science  Building 

at  Brigham  Young  University  is  one  of 
the  nation's  truly  great  science  centers. 
In  planning  this  building,  Architect 
Fred  Markham  specified  Buehner- 
crete  cast  stone,  made  with  sparkling 
white  onyx  marble  for  exterior  details 
around  windows  and  entrances  and 
grilled  wall  sections,  as  well  as  the 
pendulum  pit  in  the  main  foyer.  En- 
during quality,  low  maintenance,  and 
economy,  as  well  as  architectural 
beauty  were  sound  reasons  for  this 
choice. 


:■: 


*uMM 


Y.U.   Field   House 


1  -  shown  above  under  construction,  will  provide 

an   athletic   center   for   the   entire   Church.     In    this 
modern  athletic  building,  Buehner-crete  blocks  —   100,000 
of  them  used  for  interior  walls  and  partitions  —  will  absorb  the 
shouts  of  7,500  to  12,000  excited  basketball  fans  and  players.    These 
Buehner-crete  blocks  were  selected  for  their  sound  absorption,  dura- 
bility, economy,  and  speed  of  construction. 

Scores  of  new  L.D.S.  buildings  have  been  better-built  with  BUEHNER-CRETE  products. 


OTTO  BUEHNER  &  CO. 

ARCHITECTURAL  CONCRETE  PRODUCTS 
640  Wilmington  Ave.     •     Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


BUEHNER  BLOCK  CO. 

CONCRETE  MASONRY  UNITS 
2800  South  West  Temple  •  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


■  '■■     ■  ■'       >  ":..:  ": 


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i 


I 


■  . 


amiliar  carols,  ages  old,  yet  ever 
new,  ring  out  in  the  still  night  air, 
as  many  voices  in  many  lands  join  in 
thrilling  harmony  to  proclaim  the  glory 
of  Christ's  nativity  .  .  .  and  the  true 
spirit  of  Christmas. 

ENEFICIAL  LIFE 

Insurance  Company 


George  Albert  Smith,  Pres. 


Salt  Lake  City  1,  Utah