OCR Text |
Show ' i Continued From Page U iSmade up of little things. Our life, our is made being, physically, up here of low aspirations. We shall radiate them heartbeats. Let little that little heart stop ,11 we do. and life in this world ceases. beating, we enthink If noble thoughts, If we The great sun is a mighty force in " courage and cherish noble aspirations, the universe, but we receive the blessings there will be that radiation when we meet of its rays because they come to us as people, especially when we associate with little beams, which, taken In the aggrethem, gate, fill the whole world with sunlight. The Gospel finds Its greatest expresThe dark night is made pleasant by the sion in the individual It finds expression glimmer of what seem to be little stars; in the home, as we have heard in this and so the true Christian life is made up Conference. Our homes radiate what we of little Christ-lik- e acts performed this are, and, that radiation comes from what hour, this minute, in the home, in the we say and how we act in the home. No Priesthood quorum, in the organization, member of this Church husband, father, in the town, wherever our life and acts or child has the right to utter an oath in may be cast his home or ever to express a cross word In an article written at eight-si- x years to his wife or to his children or to parents. of age by Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick, A man who holds the Priesthood cannot New York Citys Riverside Church Mindo it and be true to the spirit within him ister, author of thirty-fiv- e books, and because of his ordination and his responsiknown nation-wid- e for his Sunday broadbility, You contribute to an ideal home casts and his dauntless dedication of his by your character, by controlling your own life to the brotherhood of man and passions, your temper, guarding your the Fatherhood of God, when speech, because those things Will make - it hard to believe there is a asked, Isnt moral order your home what it is and what it will in the universe when we look around us radiate to thp neighborhood. Anger, hatred, today? said, No harder than it always jealousy are, but tools of destruction. has been. There never were any good, old days. The tragedy of the humah heart Savior set us the example been-th- e has same since time began radicalm, always controlled, of mans blinding self concern ating something which people could that prevents him from accepting .Gods feel as they passed. Remember the ways. woman who touched His garments? The In this world if we want physical reSavior felt something go from Him that sults, we must fulfill physicalconditions. radiation which is divine. If we want spiritual results, we must Each individual soul has It That is fulfill spiritual conditions. This is the law in which The is house the body only you. of life, and it is both stern and magnifyou live. God help us to radiate strength, icent Modern religion says: Go out In control, love, charity (which is another Gods world and fulfill His conditions. If name for love), consideration, and best you want health, fulfill the conditions of wishes for all human beings. You do health physical, mental, and spiritual. what you can to produce peace and harWhat a man sows he indeed reaps. Sow mony, no matter what you may suffer. friendliness and reap friendship. Sow unWe leave this Conference today with selfishness and reap an enlarged life. Sow greater responsibility than ever before goodwill and reap a better world for our as men of the Priesthood, as women of children. Sow worship the uplift of the the Church, and as the youth who are heart toward the Highest and reap the leaders of tomorrow and to make our responsiveness to things Eternal! homes such as will radiate to our neigh(From tho Rudor's Diont, October, 1M.) bors harmony, love, community duties, God help us and all the world to sense loyalty. Let our neighbors see it and the reality that toe Gospel of Jesus Christ hear it. is established among men, and that And what is the responsibility which through obedience to it the Fatherhood of rests upon every member of the Church? God and toe brotherhood of man may be Read the 107th Section of the Doctrine realities to every mother, father, every sou and Covenants, and there find enumerand daughter. God hasten the day when ated the duties of the various organizathat testimony will be real in every heart. tions of the Priesthood. followIn the 99th Verse, we find the this Conference you have ing: from men, who, Throughout Wherefore, now let every man with tears in their eyes, if you were in the learn his duty, and to act close enough to see, their lips quivering office in which he is appointed, with emotion, testify that they know that in ail diligence. God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and Two principles In that admonition that They appeared to the Prophet Joseph stand out as the duty of the officers to Smith and gave instructions about organwhom this revelation was given: First, izing Christs Church; and that Peter, the learning the knowing what one's duty James and John, who held the authority is; and Second, to act in all diligence in from the Christ, Himself, gave that authorthe performance of duty. ity in this dispensation; that the Melchize-de- k To know one's duty, to learn the truth, Priesthood was bestowed upon the Is the duty of every member of the Prophet Joseph and Oliver Cowdery; that woman of and man in the Church, every John toe Baptist, who baptized Jesus world. Christ, bestowed the Aaronic Priesthood, All mankind, I believe, are being ima direct authority from Heaven. that lifted which upward by pelled, Spirit You know that, and you know these makes them desire the truth. There is men who have given you their testimonies a natural feeling which urges men and women towards truth; it is a responsiduring this Conference. I give you my testimony that God lives; that He is close bility .placed upon mankind. That responsito us; that His Spirit is real; that His bility rests upon members of the Church voice Is real; that Jesus Christ, His Son, in a greater degree than upon their stands at the Head of this great work; and no matter how much of the atheistic There is no one great thing which we philosophy takes hold of toe blinded boys pan do to obtain eternal life, and it seems and girls and men who hear Satans voice, to me that the great lesson to be learned Intte world today is to apply in the little the truth stands as declared by the Father and the Son to that boy Prophet You and acts and duties of life the glorious prinL and all true members of The Church ciples of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-da-y Let us not think that because some of Saints, have the responsibility to declare that truth to the things we have beard during this toe world; and the world is full of honest Conference may seem small and trivial men and women waiting to hear that that they are unimportant Life, after all. - The -the--tragedy -- open-heart- n. WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 7, 1967 vidual efforts their lives are dedicated. To make the world a better or a safer or a fitter place for man, "their talents and means are consecrated Just to be associated with you, with men striving toward such an aim, is a you in this quest, an joy; and inspiration. Unselfishly you are trying to serve your fellowmen in love. You are true followers of toe Master, for to those who have toe Christian faith,' toe most sublime of His teachings, and to him who penetrates . its deepest sense, the most human of all is this: To save mankind, God came to dwell among us in the form of man, and was willing to make Himself known by this simple, though glorious, principle Love. The animal world is filled with selfishness, each thing seeking its own life, its own perpetuation. But Christ lived for love "love toe Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all, thy soul, and with all thy mind. And toy neighbour as thyself. (Matthew 22:37, 39.) God bless toe Elders and toe Sisters who, if not with perfect love, at least with a desire to bring joy and peace to others, are engaged in toe noblest calling of, life. Worthy servants of Christ you are! Our teachers, followers of the true Redeemer, our Lord. There is nothing greater than this noble work, none more righteous. Yours is toe joy promised by the Savior, truth. Let us not condemn them. Condemn the evil men who would blind them with their sophistry and with false reasoning. Some of our young boys are so blinded; but it is our duty as officers of the Church to lead them from toe things of the world. . Now, what do we mean by the world? It is sometimes used as an indefinite., term. I take it that toe world refers to the inhabitants who are alienated from the Saints of God. They are aliens to the Church, and it is toe spirit of this alienation from which we should keep ourselves free. We are told by Paul not to conform to the fashions of the world. Titus was warned not to partake of those things the evils of toe world and to Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on toe Lord out of a pUre heart. (II Timothy 2:22). Purity of heart! Zion is the pure in heart, we have been told, and strength of this Church lies in the purity of toe thoughts and lives of its members. It is then that toe testimony of Jesus abides in the sou, and strength comes to each individual to withstand the evils of the world. It is the responsibility of every member of toe Church to preach the Restored Gospel to ever nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that the evils of toe world forces may be met by the counter-actin- g of Truth. - ... who do temptations come? they to us in our social gatherings; they come to us at our weddings; they come to us in our business relations; on toe farm, in the When mercantile establishment In toe dealings in the affairs of life we find these insidious influences working; and it is 'when .they manifest themselves to the consciousness of each individual that toe defense of truth ought to exert itself. There may never come a greater opportunity to defend this Church. When that still small voice calls to the performance of duty, insignificant though it seems, and its performance unknown to anyone save the individual and God, he Who responds gains corresponding strength. Temptation often comes in the same quiet way. Perhaps toe yielding fo it may not be known by anyone save toe individual and his God, but if he does yield to it he becomes to that extent weakened and '"spotted with toe evfl of the world. It is toe unseen influence at work in society that is undermining the manhood and womanhood of today. It is these unseen influences that come from the world that overcome us when we are least prepared to defend ourselves. When we do not withstand the encroachments of these evil influences, we weaken the possibility of defending the Church of Jesus Christ. This is an individual work, and what the individuals are, that toe aggregate is. God bless you, my dear fellow workers, bless you in your homes. Make your faith shown by your works in your home) husbands, be true to your wives, not only in act, but in thought; wives, be true to your husbands. Children, be true to your parents do not arrogate to yourselves that they are in their beliefs and that you know more than they do. Girls, follow that sweet mother and her teachings. Boys, be true to your fathers, who want happiness and success for you, which come only through living the principles of the gospel. Strangers, seeing such homes, will say, Well, if that is the result of Mormonism, I think it is good. You will show by your faith and acts in everyday life what you really are. To no other group of men in all the world is given a better opportunity to serve mankind than that which is afforded the Elders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints. To establish salvation and peace to the extent of their indi said.: And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in toe kingdom of my Father! "And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me! (Doctrint and CtvtnanH 11:15-15- ) God bless you men of the Priesthood. May you hold it in dignity and righteousness which comes from within, not from without. To hold the Priesthood of God by divine authority is one of the greatest gifts that can come to a man. He is greatly blessed who feels the responsibility of representing deity. He should feel it to such an extent that he is conscious of his actions and words under all conditions. God bless our friends who are contributing to toe advancement of this great Church. We are grateful for their friendship and goodwill. God bless us that we may go home with a firmer resolve than we have ever had before to live toe gospel of Jesus Christ, to be kind to our families and to our neighbors, to be honest in all our dealings so that men seeing our good works may be led to glorify our Father in " Heaven. I leave my blessings with you, with the rick and afflicted, with our men in the service, and with our missionaries scat tered around the world. I pray that Gods protecting care will be with them wherever they are. God bless you officers and leaders Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics of the Church. May the love of the Redeemer be in each heart, and that means, that the love will be expressed in serving one another. God bless these Brethren of the General Authorities for their devotion and untiring efforts in furthering His work on earth. May they be blessed with increased health and strength to carry on their great responsibilities throughout the world. I know that God lives; that His Son Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and that divine beings restored to the 'Prophet Joseph Smith the Gospel of Jesus Christ as He established it in the Merman of Time. I bear this testimony as we part this Osetiraed an Page IS |