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Show - All Life all the greatest defense required? What is it that we fear in the last analysis? Is it that we shall have somebody else come here, or that our sties. government might be in some way alNow, because of that,assumpption tered, or that.th social order may be I do'not think tnere may beat times a possible this- - ''some changed? Man's activities are, rsp, even though dome fear in 'those understanding. varied. Weave the field of governdirections might properly be enterSpirituality', Mental of business, a great tained. What is it that we deeply and ment, Attitudes Determine Men's variety of .fields in which to find ac-- , definitely fear? People are prosperActions In Last Analysis tivity. Well, if religion comprehends ous under many types o'f government. man' s life in its wholeness, then rePeople seem to be happy in various BY OSCAR W. CARLSON ligi6n must touch in a definite way., .part of the world, but What is it that the various activiti.eS, and we'Cannoi-stirs anxiety yi the heart of most (Following is the text of an address do. livered. by Elder Oscar W. Carlson at the withdraw it or departmen and women'', and brinks fear to consistently regular, Sunday afternoon services in the mentalize it. It must be vital in the nearly every hearthside? Ideas deTabernacle, July 14, 1940.) in the office, in the legistermine action. Ideas after all rule workstp, brethren and sisters all: In this lative halls, wherever men think and the world. Conception S Of men dehAY I v 'Church of ours we do nOt have act. termine what armies and navies and be termed a ministry and , . , a laity. It is true. our General Au' ' " ' , thorities must spend their whole time ' : in the service Of the Church. Their :. ''.:...... t: '4'.." duties are such and are so extensive ., as to require exclusive service. Nev' 40"7,1T-- c?":4 ertheless, in the littt analysis we do .,..,,11,,,,, ' , I not have, as is,commonlw, accepted, a . ''''- ' ,it-' , a memAll and the ministry laity. I.... .... t.,,.!...,:,,:,... bers of the Church 'are deemed to be ... servants of- GOd, and' it is assumed '. '7,?' , .. ' that they stand ready to promote the .... ..... ......'''..... ' '1 cause of God,land-whe- n thy are re' ; , 7 quested, irrespective of the walk of life in which they may fin& themselves, to render some service, it is :e,' 40"''''' '''..4e...;,:their duty to respond. Consequently ;lit,. flit ,.. you will appreciate readily ,why it is. NI, 'of from Various life walks that the those who speak frequently come. ' They come in no spirit of profession' ,, t.....:...,.:40i alism, they come as humble servants ' :'" who endeavor to serve their God. , ' .,,otiI have chosen a rather obscure k::. ' ' t subject. It does not seem to indicate .....,''':,.., .L. .''''''''':. ,:' .14rst.''''' P exactly what I may ,attempt to talk '' ''' , ' about. But before I endeavor to 1.,.'OC ?:.'''..'..;:..;1' launch upon that subject may I make a prefactory statement. I believe it is rather true among most of us at least irrespective of the subject considered ' '1,., ,' or the task involved that in our generjes .. ' '. al thinking we unintentionally depart''''. '''''''., r::!;'?i!:: mentalize our thoughts. We spend .c::::'' ..' some time thinking of art, literature, 1 science, and of religion. However, not I am sure, we fail to appurposely ' preciate that these variou subjects should be consolidated, fused into a ' , i Ae oneness of life, our everyday life. Art .1,.!:, and literature for instance are but "' 1.'1' ,,''''','' phases that we are interested in, are but some of the things that appeal to us in our living and that should continue to be a vital part of our .life's experiences, rather than some adjunct or side issue. Now as to religion, may it not be true, perhaps I. reason largely in terms of my own experience, but may it not be true that we do not as we , go about our affairs definitely inject Elder Carlson as much religious conception''art4 faith into our efforts as we do on the I would not want it inferred for a governments may do. So in the last Sabbath day. That fact may be occasioned by circumstances, may be moment that I am endeavoring to analysis we are concerned with conthe result of human frailty, but after talk about specifically any activity of viction of mind, conviction of soul, if all I find it true of myself that I man, but what I have to say will that expression may be properly used. touch upon activities that may be somewhat departmentalize my religAt this time we have new ideas, have ious conceptions. I am thinking about classified other than religious activiwe not, or old ideas revived. In the reI am Yet that still ties. now and what it means. On insisting religion some other occasion I might be think- 'ligion must impregnate those activipress and publications we see the exing of something else that may be in-- . ties definitely if it is true religion that pression frequently now, Ideology or volved in the present tasks of life we indulge and confess. ideologies." There is a new ideology and not correlate it with religion at In this time of trial, in view of the parading in the world. Russia apparall. It does behoove us, does it not, great stresses in the world, because-4)ently symbolizes it in large degree. I despite the circumstances that con- , the great menances glowering on the may be pardoned if I use some of the strain us, to make our religious conhorizon we are all concerned about 'terms that are necessary to be used a of part ceptions vitally, constantly preparedness. We must be prepared, In describing governments, yet I do our every day activities. not want to get Into any political subwe must enlarge our army, strengthen our navy, marshal the resources of ject at all. That is not my purpose; I THE ESSEN(E 0) 114111PH. xt we disavow any such intention. the country so that we shall be pre Religion if it means anything a about totaliout:selves: heard deal that To Hove should defend to great life. It of pared should be the essence -. tarian government's. There are some policy We all subscribe. We must be comprehend all life. It does comprebend all life here and in the life to strong enough to ,resist, invasion. who endorse such governments, and with those I have no quarrel. We About that Ameilcan citizens probcome. It is true that we haVe differdebelieve that- people should deBut after do not differ. the in all, firmly ably 'religion ent conceptions, yet matheir own government,- that termine we must have last analysis must comprehend life in spite the fact that should be the expression the must have we meanterial government strength, its fullness, life in its deepest maand that government their of and the the and will, offer navies, to armies, that it purports ing, life in, all should be administered for the welterials and supplies essential to naand promise. ,fare of the people governed. I am assuming, then, that the re tional defense, what Is perhaps after Religion Most Vital - Of Man's Interests I Essence Of ligion we indulge, that we definitely' harbor, that .we are willing at all times to sponsor, ,impregnates or 'should impregnate all of life's activi- - ASPIRITUAL QULNTION Qpnceding many differences of opinion, I should like to argue this afternoon that this great trend toward totalitarian government involves a great spiritual question. I do hot care to discuss any other phase of the situ- ation. I would not be entitled to un- - der the circumstances. Whatidoes totalitarian guernment signifyl'What the-fie- ld 'does it really Npress? Now, my gocal people,' I grant I am a humble indi- vidual that can err in reaching a con-elusion, yet we are all so broadminded; so tolerant th)to4e are glad to hear the conclusions that are earnest- - . 1 , . - - -- - ht ' ' .. "...49;2:. " :::,,t.8,:::.,:,...' , . , 1 - . ., , i JA.:. ,,it ; - kk.... Z.' ,..... , ., ". :. ..... ." ..: : '. - :,,,;liiiivi-----,-::t,- i .... '''' ;4 '".- : ' ). :: ...' , , - , .' - ,,,,,ft.,t..'N.;,,A.-!.:4;',."te!.. ., :'' t'-'-,-,- ''. :0' .:':',"....s.k' :, .: .;':t - , ''' : ,... 1,;.:. ''.:,..:::::: ., f ,:f.-;,,:,- ' 1 .: ,,,4:.,;;::,....- , .., ' - '' -- ,,,i;...,,4.;r: .:, ,., ' 4 - .:,;:,: "For-wha- , .' ..',..:.-,:;.- , end-all- ; - . deep-seate- d over-ridde- n - A 'z 4 - - 1 - - .,..... , author's name: '"It is of course a commonplace that the totalitarian governments exalt the position of the State to the point where the individual is completely absorbed by it. No individual possesses value aparcfrom the State, they say, nor is it conceivable for man to exise-'apart from the State." If that be a true explanation what 4tm,,; is, the religious significance, ,partie- ularly to people who believe in a personal God, and who' profoundly be- lieve that we are the children of God and that we wish to serve Him, petition Him, and keep His command- ments? What is the ieal significance if the governnent is all powerful, if It means the state is the endall? that the individual- is submerged, he is the subject of the state and the state by virtue of its authority and its be-ing the supreme power will feed upon or strive for additional power. What then becomes of the conception of the divine individuality of man? What then beiomes of his conception of the personal relationship between man aid his Heavenly Father? That re- lation is disturbed, that relation is denied. Quite naturally then we have widespread mass atheism. Now some may want to indulge atheism, but I am acting upon the assumption that it is of vital import we defend the Christian ideals; that we preserve this personal relationship between God and man clearly and de- t shall it profiteth voutly. man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his' own soul?" In my judgment when the State as over yonder it is apparently cen, ceived, when the State is the a is and the individual but subject of the State, we have, as I said before, a challenge to Christian religion, and as ', a member of this Church I feel clef- initely the challenge. This challenge disturbs us in America I believe more than the possibility that a few build- ings might be.destroyed, or that our shores might be encroached upon, or that some part of our territory may be lost. It is the denial of this conviction that we are the chil- dren of God and are entitled to serve and worship Him as we will that stirs our hearts. Such conviction we fear 'will be to our own distress. Hence the preparedness we must seek Is a greater defense of the spiritual conviction that we are Cod's children, that we are servants of God, and that God is watching over us. It Is that cbnviction that we must have as a national preparedness, and with that conviction, materials of warfare 9 become effective, but without that 1 conviction we shall strive with weak- ened effort. So I should like to stress, whether rightly or wrongly, but sincerely, that ) what we need in this countfy Is spir- - 3 itual preparedness as the background of all other preparedness Many public men have argued for spirit pre- paredness In the fields of biness. and elsewhere, and th not made their arguments from a PUIpit either. They have appreelated hq (Continued on Page Seven) - ''...- ',..... lt--: - ly arrived act. This is an observation that I got from a magazine, I have forgotten the - what-mig- '; - ,4 , , |
