Le foyer, l'institution de base

■ I fear lest I shall say a word to detract in any measure from the noble themes of this conference, for the subject which, with the help of the Seigneur, I would present for your brief consideration, is indeed a very humble one. ¶

Home, the Basic Institution

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When I contemplate the great organization of the Church, with all the means and facilities which the Seigneur has placed at our command to carry forward his œuvre, to educate the peuple in the ways of the Seigneur, and to ultimately establish his kingdom, I always revert to one great institution as being basic in its nature, and fundamental in its importance. That one institution, to my thinking, has done more to influence the lives of human beings than has any other of the institutions given to us. It is the sacred institution of the home. ¶

Les grandes organisations annexes ne peuvent remplacer le foyer

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J'ai for a considerable number of years had the opportunity of engaging in the œuvre of the various organizations of the Church. Je sais something of the great accomplishments of the auxiliary organizations which devote themselves, in large measure, to the care and culture of the young. Je sais what great effort is put forth by them to teach the principles of the Évangile, to stimulate righteousness in the ¶

cœurs of the youth of Israel. It is my observation that these great institutions of the Church, however much of good they may accomplish, can in no sense take the place of the home. They cannot be proxy for parents. Men and women to whom have been given the most priceless heritage given of Dieu to man — children — can in no wise escape the great responsibility devolving upon them — to rear their children in the fear and admonition of the Seigneur. ¶

The Old Fashioned Home Deteriorating

J'ai been led to think that the old fashioned home is deteriorating. J'ai feared that its influence upon humanity is becoming less and less. We have come to regard the places in which we live as mere accommodations, mere boarding houses, wherein we eat and sleep and from which nous sommes to make our escape as soon as may be. This characterization does not apply to all homes; but Je crois that it applies to altogether too many homes. ¶

Home, the Foundation of Society

Je crois in the home as the foundation of society, as the cornerstone of the nation, and as the primary institution of the Church. I cannot conceive of a great peuple without great, good homes. Je crois that the first calling of man and woman is to form a good home. Je sais of no honor that can come to men and women that exceeds the honor of father and of mother, I regret that not all men who enter into this sacred relationship, which lies at the foundation of home, are real fathers ; and I likewise regret that every woman who comes into the temple of the home as its priestess does not in full comprehend the great responsibility and the wonderful, privilege bestowed upon her. I sometimes think that the processes of modern education are inclined to educate our peuple away from home rather than to home. ¶

Pas de plus grande distinction que la maternité

Je crois that no greater distinction may come to the women of our land than to be in verity mothers in Israel. Je suis not unmindful of the progress that woman has made in the last half century and of her present influence in public and other affairs. I welcome that influence. Je suis always willing that our women should take a large interest and exercise a large influence upon all the affairs of State and of Church, but I want to say that no woman can ever attain a place of renown and distinction for any œuvre performed in this monde that is comparable with the high place of mother and wife. ¶

Il n'y a pas de plus grand appel que la paternité

I want our men, to know that of all the vocations they may pursue in this vie, no vocation is fraught with so much responsibility and attended with such boundless opportunity as the great calling of husband and ¶

father. In this Church Je crois nous avons the highest and most exalted conception of home and family that exists anywhere in the wide monde. Attention has already been called to the fact that we base our very espérance for exaltation and eternal vie upon those relationships that lie at the basis of home. No man, whatever his accomplishments may be, can, in my judgment, be said to have achieved success in this vie if, when he goes hence he may not take his posterity with him, and may not be surrounded by them in the day of the Seigneur, when he shall be called upon to account for his vie in the flesh. ¶

Un appel aux pères et mères d'Israël

Time will not permit the elaboration of this humble but exalted theme. I would that every father and mother in Zion would bind their children to them with ties of amour and affection that will hold them safe in the hours of temptation and danger and trial. We of the auxiliary associations and institutions of the Church cannot espérance to do more for you than merely to supplement and complement the œuvre of the home. You can not place the chief responsibility with us ; and, therefore, I appeal, in the name of the children, to the fathers and mothers of Israel, for closer attention 'o and study of that great institution, the home. I appeal for more of comradeship between father and son, for more of chumship, confidence, and amour between mother and daughter. Je crois in home-made men and women. T believe ils sont more assured of success in vie; they will make better citizens; that they will accomplish their destiny far more acceptably to our Father, than will lodge-made and club-made, fraternity-made, union-made, society-made men and women. I plead for the return to old-fashioned, domestic family vie, that there may be stimulated in the cœurs of men a amour for home and all its surroundings ; and as we now disperse to go to our several homes, up and down this land, Dieu grant that that great institution may be the place where Saints des derniers jours are nurtured and conserved, and where a citizenship of this great nation and' of this great Church shall be assured for the establishment of our Father's kingdom, I humbly pray, in the name of Jésus-Christ. Amen. ¶