Show STANDARD-EXAMINE- SATURDAY APRIL 7 1930 R leaders reflect! on world change Conference should extend into the homes of all people “I speak to fathers and mothers eery where with a plea to put harshness behind us to bridle our anger to lower our xoices and to deal with mercy and love and respect one tow ard another in our homes" he said Hinckley said if the United States hopes to become a “kinder gentler nation" then it must come “of the spontaneous expression of millions of kinder gentler human hearts “Let us be more merciful" he said “Let us get the arrogance out of our lives the conceit the egotism Let us be more compassionate gentler filled with for- broadcast to thousands By JOHN DeVILBISS Standard Examiner SALT LAKE CITY — Top leaders in the Mormon Church expressed joy and hope over democratic reforms in eastern Europe but warned that mercy — not vengeance — and righteousness — not democracy — will bring about world peace More than 6000 church members gathered in the tabernacle on Temple Square last Sunday during the 160th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints They heard President Gordon B Hinckley first counselor in the First Presidency proclaim that mercy if properly cultivated throughout the world is all that is needed to “put an end to the atrocities of war" His message was one of 32 addresses delivered during the two-da- y conference that was viewed by “tens of thousands" of church members by way of regional television broadcasts and satellite to more than 2600 church centers in the United States Canada and Puerto Rico In attendance during both days of the conference was church president Ezra Taft Benson The leader however did not address the conference Among the highlights of the conference held each April and October was the announcement of the church’s first general authority of black ancestry In addition nine other men were called to serve as members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy The church also announced appointment of a new Relief Society president in the church’s women’s organization Helvecio Martins 59 of Rio de Janeiro was called to serve for five years as a member of the Second Quorum of Seventy He was baptized a member of the church in 1972 six years before the church officially allowed black members to hold the priesthood Called to be general president of the Relief Society a 25 mil- - bearance and patience and five-sessi- Lisa PowellStandard-Examme- r Phuc Nguyen of Pasco Wash swings Angel Huynh 4 in the air at Temple Square lion-memb- er organization of adult women in the church was Elaine L Jack of Salt Lake City Jack who was serving as a counselor in the Young Women succeeds Barbara W Winder who has served as general president for six years During the closing address of the fourth session Sunday Hinckley spoke about the conflict in Northern Ireland and the hatred that has fed the fight over many years “An outpouring of mercy on both sides would overcome the corrosive hatred that has existed and festered for so long" he said “It is time for each side to act with greater compassion toward the other I am confident that as surely as this happens those who are merciful will find the mercy for which the) hunger" He said that in contrast the American Civil War which was filled with venom and hatred ended with forgiveness “There was no recrimination no demand for reparations no apologies required nor punishment given” he said of the surrender of Gen Robert E Lee to Gen Ulysses S Grant “This has gone down in the chronicles of war as a great and magnificent act of mercy” Hinckley said that same mercy respect one for another” Elder Dallin H Oaks of the Council of the Twele Apostles said the world will not know peace without first achieving general righteousness among its nations He expressed gratitude oer the “revolutionary changes" that have taken place in recent months in the governments of many nations “We are gratified that in most nations these changes have been accomplished without war or bloodshed” he said during opening remarks of the final session Sunday “Nevertheless we are far from securing peace in these nations or in any others throughout the world" He said wars and conflicts are rooted in violations of God’s commandments He said some people in power have stolen public and private property so they could live in luxury At the same time they have neglected the most basic needs of the hungry and homeless among their people “Just across the borders of some nations are the wretched camps of refugees whose suffering circumstances are also traceable to man’s inability to keep the commandments of God” The church apostle said democracy does not assure peace “When a nation is governed according to the voice of its people its actions will mirror the righteousness or wickedness of its people" he said “We cannot have peace among nations without achieving general righteousness among the people who comprise them" New Age worries traditional religionsPage 8 |