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Show (2EDITORIALCVWro PAGE ns5 is suffering from two modern Mankind Both have been known in the past, they are essentially new to us of today as far as their present extent is concerned. They are plagues in reality. They are taking life. They are causing severe mental and physical breakdowns and are affecting men, women and even little children. These plagues are drug use and venereal f disease. Only months ago, both were regarded as being serious. Later they reached the epidemic stageh and now .officials brand both of them as plagues. THE DRUG MENACE now has reached a point where it touches children in school, athletes on the field, workmen in their shops, clerks at their desks, and even in battle. It is destroying minds and lives. In spite of extensive medical warnings, drug use is increasing at an alarming pace. So bad is it among the armed forces of this nation that stern steps have been taken by the military to control it. Vice Admiral William P. Mack estimates that from 30 to 50 per cent of our troops in Vietnam have sampled or use these drugs regularly. He adds that we know of no situation in which a unit was unable to perform its mission, but there are no doubt many d state has instances in which a weakened combat effectiveness. Many deaths have resulted among the armed forces from the use of heroin and other strong drugs, and numerous hospital cases are still being treated. Out of 44,000 such cases studied by the armed forces recently, it is reported that 75 per cent of those men used marijuana. sol-die- rs drug-induce- THE U.S. NAVY expects to dismiss more than 5,000 men this year for the use of drugs. It is now estimated that the consumption of heroin and marijuana in the various branches of the U.S. armed forces will double this year over last year. One of the paradoxical facts about our men using these drugs in the Orient is that the Communists grow them and sell them to the Americans. Evidently the Reds have discovered that there is more than one way to fight a war. With drug pushing so extensive at home that even little children are involved on their own school grounds, and youths by the millions are becoming enslaved, what will the future bring? Quite as frightening is the spread of venereal disease which is now more widespread than any contagion except the common cold. STATE AFTER state is relaxing its moral laws. Other agencies and media, even including some of our leading magazines, either shut their eyes to the immorality of the day or openly condone free sex. Even some religious leaders no longer regard premarital experience as being sinful, and therefore their young people respond accordingly in their dating habits. Is it any wonder that we now have such a plague in this coun- try? Free sex always leads to venereal disease. It is doing so now at the rate of 3,000 cases DAILY in the United States,- of which 1,500 are among teenagers! Public health officials frankly admit that most such cases are neither discovered nor treated. The carriers are unrestrained as they continue to spread their filth wim each contact. Old remedies are becoming less and less effective among those who are treated. The result is that the sex explosion is resulting in a dev? stating plague which causes blindness, ormpling, heart disease and a slow and painful death. - BOTH ILLICIT sex and unlawful drugs are indulged in for a thrill, but the thrill turns to the ashes of death and misery. The Lord said that in the latter days devastating pestilences would sweep the earth. Are these the beginning? There is no way to stop them but abstinence : complete chastity so far as sex is concerned, and full resistance to every temptation to take a trip by means of drugs so-call- ed Great Powers Of Faith ss by Elder Excerpts from an add-eHenry D. Taylor at General Conference of tie Church, October 1970. We must be content to accept many things on faith. Some have referred to this as blind faith or blind obedience. But I have never been persuaded that faith or obedience was blind when the request to perform some duty or task came from one in whom I had complete confidence and trust. Rather than term it blind I prefer to call it obedience, trusting or implicit faith. I like the beautiful lesson taught and the impressive ex16 CHURCH O ample set by our first parent, Father Adam. He was commanded by the Lord to offer the firstlings of his flocks as a sacrifice. He did not know the reason for the request, but without hesitation was obedient to the command-ment- ; and after many days, an angel of the Lord appeared to Adam saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? Adam responded with this magnificent, trusting reply: I know not, save the Lord commanded me. To Adam it was not a matter of blind obedience, but rather WEEK ENDING DECtMBER 5, 1970 complete and unwavering confidence and faith in the word and instruction from the Lord. displayed his During our lifetime there will undoubtedly come times when we may be asked by our Church leaders to carrv out an assignment or perform some duty. We may not be aware of the reason for the request at the time nor after. But i am confident that if we have faith in our leaders and render obedience to them, the Lord will bless and reward us for our faithfulness. ZION'S CAMP Glad For Cornbread Activities marked by difficulties on Friday, June 13, 1834, and the next day or so, were typical of Zions Camps march toward Jackson County, Mo. First, Heber.C. Kimballs horses, through -- negli- gence of the guards, got loose at night, and he and several companions had to backtrack about 10 miles before thy were rounded up. For this carelessness, the guards, Frederick G. Williams and Roger Orton, were very severly chastized for neglect of orders by the Prophet Joseph Smith. On the 14th, Joseph Hancock, and an unidentified companion, were chased throughout the day by four suspicious fellows on horseback, armed with guns. The two brethren managed to escape by traveling in heavy brush where the horsemen could not ride, and finally got back to camp late at night. The countryside was wild and uncultivated, making travel slow, and in their haste to get to Jack-so- n County, the men traveled on Sunday, the 15th. On this day, they were met by Orson Hyde and Parley P. Pratt, accompanied by Bishop Edward Partridge, from Clay County. Elders Hyde and Pratt had been sent ahead to learn of conditions. They brought the disappointing newr that Gov. Daniel Dunklin refused to fulfill his promise to reinstate the saints on their lands in Jackson County, maintaining that it was impractical. Bishop Partridge brought much information concerning recent events among the expelled saints. The Prophet noted it gave us great satisfaction to receive intelligence from him of the union and good feeling that prevailed among the brethren. Being in primitive country, food was scarce, and the camp lived on corn meal, and were glad to get that, wrote Joseph. When a thundershower came up, the men caught rain in their hat brims, but when it wasnt enough to satisfy their thirst, they were forced to drink from the horse tracks. - On the 15th, Dean Gould, a friend, who had accompanied the camp from Kirtland, was baptized by Lyman Wight. non-memb- er naveitu uuuugli xiuwdiu, rtaimUipiA, Chariton, and Carroll counties. Arriving at the Grand River, the ferryman said he would take the party across for $17. When the men said wuui bUliU their own rafts rather than pay the high charge, the cost was lowered to $12 and the crossing was made. (Another In a Series) |