Mes bien-aimés frères et sœurs, et je...

Mes bien-aimés frères et sœurs, and I include all of you, both you in this building and you who are listening in on radio and television. I consider you all mes frères et sœurs, for I know, as you do, that we are all the sons and daughters of our Father in heaven. I sincerely trust that you will join with me in a prayer that while I speak I may enjoy the Spirit and that you may enjoy the Spirit, for I am convinced with Nephi that ". . . when a man speaketh by the power of the Saint-Esprit the power of the Saint-Esprit carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men." (2 Nephi 33:1.) I have a prepared talk in my pocket, which took me five months to prepare, titled "The Livre de Mormon— The Keystone of Our Religion." You, of course, know what Brother McConkie did to it. (laughter) He has made me feel towards it as the player on a boys' baseball team felt towards left field. This player was taken out of a game to give Jimmy from the second string a chance to play. As luck would have it, Jimmy dropped the first two balls hit into left field. He was therefore taken out, and the left fielder put back in. The next two balls hit also went to left field, and the regular player dropped them. ¶

When he came off le field at le end de le inning, le coach said, "Je wasn't surprised when Jimmy fumbled le ball, but Je was surprised at you." "Well, Coach," said le player, "Je'll tell you, Jimmy messed up left field so badly que no one can play it." ¶

However, I do want to say one or two things about the Livre de Mormon before I get to the point that I have in mind to comment on. ¶

As you know, the Livre de Mormon is 7 G. ROMNEY 117 the current study course for Prêtrise de Melchisédek quorums. I urge everyone to read it during 1961, particularly Prêtrise de Melchisédek bearers. This I do because I think we need — as we increase in Church membership under the impetus of our great missionary program — to keep pace in the perfecting of our own lives. This we can do by putting on the "whole armour of God," ¶

as Paul says, (Eph. 6:11) or, as Peter puts it, by more rapidly becoming "partakers de le divine nature." (2 Pet. ¶

1:4.) I do not know any more effective way to do this than to know and live the teachings of the Livre de Mormon. ¶

The Prophet knew what he was talking about when he said que "... a man would get nearer à God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." ¶

(DHC. 4:461.) The Prophet also knew what he was talking about when he said "the Livre de Mormon" is "the keystone of our religion." We may not know all he had in mind when he said this, but we do know the statement was amply justified because the authenticity of the Livre de Mormon rests upon two facts, acceptance of which is tantamount to acceptance of the whole of the restored Évangile, namely: the fact of modern revelation, by which I mean direct communication from God to men, and the fact that Joseph Smith was a prophète of God. ¶

Acceptance of the Livre de Mormon requires acceptance of these two facts, because they are inseparably connected with its coming forth. If one accepts them and the Livre de Mormon, he cannot deny the restored Évangile, for it rests upon the same two facts. The person who knows the Livre de Mormon is true has passed the point of no return, so far as conversion is concerned. ¶

He has come out of darkness into the glorious light of truth. He has, in effect, accepted the Évangile of Jésus-Christ. ¶

Je would now like à say a few words about le significance de ce conference. Je have been thinking about ce as Je have sat here on ce stand during these conference sessions et considered what was going on. Je do not think Je have le language à convey à you its full significance, but Je can say que it represents le most effective force dans le world pour le good de humanity. ¶

We have great gatherings, de course, dans le United Nations. Representatives from le governments de le world convene à deliberate, à reason, à argue, à compromise, à try dans every way devisable by le human mind à resolve differences. Je suppose most de de them come avec honest hearts à try à bring peace à le world. ¶

We have come à ce conference from many nations de le world — not, however, as representatives de le governments de these nations. We sont here representing le leadership de le kingdom de God. This Church est le literal kingdom de God dans le earth. ¶

We did not come to argue, to jockey for position, to compromise differences and establish policies. We came here to hear and learn the word of God as he has and does now reveal it through his appointed servants, and to take it back and teach it to our people. We know that the Évangile of Jésus-Christ, of which this Church is the repository, is the one and only way of peace. We know that to everyone who accepts and lives it there comes peace — peace in his heart — even in the midst of turmoil in the world. We know that if the people of the world would accept it and live it, we would have peace in all the world. We are in very deed representatives of Jésus-Christ our Redeemer and his Father, God our Eternal Father. ¶

Our authority comes from them. (en français) ¶

This is l'Église de Jésus-Christ. ¶

It est le Church de Christ by his own statement as à what his Church had à be. Je am going à take le time à read à you what he said his Church had à be. Brother [Milton R.] Hunter told about le visit de Jesus à le Nephites after he had completed his post-resurrection ministry among le Saints at Jerusalem. When he appeared à le Nephites, they saw him as he was — a glorified man de flesh et bone et spirit. He walked avec them, et he talked avec them. He organized his Church among them. He clearly pointed out à them two distinguishing characteristics de his Church. He chose, as you remember, twelve disciples who were à serve among le Nephites as le Twelve Apostles served le people dans le land de Jerusalem. ¶

"And it came à pass que as le disciples de Jesus were journeying et were preaching le things which they had both heard et seen, et were baptizing dans le name de Jesus, it came à pass que le disciples were gathered together et were united dans mighty prayer et fasting. ¶

"And Jesus again showed himself unto them, pour they were praying unto le Father dans his name; et Jesus came et stood dans le midst de them, et said unto them: What will ye que Je shall give unto you? ¶

"And they said unto him: Lord, nous will que thou wouldst tell us le name whereby nous shall call ce church; pour there sont disputations among le people concerning ce matter. ¶

"And le Lord said unto them: ¶

Verily, verily, Je say unto you, why est it que le people should murmur et dispute because de ce thing? ¶

"Have they not read le scriptures, which say ye must take upon you le name de Christ, which est my name? ¶

For by ce name shall ye be called at le last day — [That great day when nous shall be called à stand before him à be judged]; "And whoso taketh upon him my name, et endureth à le end, le same shall be saved at le last day. ¶

"Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it dans my name; therefore ye shall call le church dans my name; et ye shall call upon le Father dans my name que he will bless le church pour my sake. ¶

"And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses' name then it be Moses' church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my Évangile." ¶

(3 Nephi 27:1-8.) How about the name of this Church? (en français) ¶

What is it? It is "L'Église de Jésus-Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours." How did it get the name? Did Joseph Smith select it? No. The Lord Jésus-Christ himself told Joseph Smith to name this Church "L'Église de Jésus-Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours." I will not take time to read the instruction. You will find it in the 115th section of the Doctrine et Alliances. In that revelation Jesus refers to "all the elders and people of my Church of Jésus-Christ of Saints des Derniers Jours scattered abroad in all the world; For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even l'Église de Jésus-Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours." (See D&A 115:3-4.) Now what about the other point? ¶

It is my church "if it be called in my name ... if it so be that they are built upon my Évangile." Now what is the Évangile of Jésus-Christ? I would like to read to you out of this same chapter, the 27th chapter of 3rd Nephi, the Évangile of Jésus-Christ, as defined by the Master himself — not by Joseph Smith, not by men, but by Christ himself as he stood among the Nephites, as a resurrected being. To me it is marvelous: ¶

"Behold I have given unto you my Évangile [he said], and this is the Évangile which I have given unto you — that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. ¶

"And my Father sent me que Je might be lifted up upon le cross; et after que Je had been lifted up upon le cross, que Je might draw all men unto me, que as Je have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by le Father, à stand before me, à be judged de their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil — "And pour ce cause have Je been lifted up; therefore, according à le power de le Father Je will draw all men unto me, [dans le universal resurrection], que they may be judged according à their works. ¶

"And it shall come à pass, que whoso repenteth et est baptized dans my name shall be filled; et if he endureth à le end, behold, him will Je hold guiltless before my Father at que day when Je shall stand à judge le world. ¶

"And he que endureth not unto le end [ce est le Redeemer speaking], le same est he que est also hewn down et cast into le fire, from whence they can no more return, because de le justice de le Father. ¶

"And ce est le word which he hath 7 G. ROMNEY 119 given unto le children de men. And pour ce cause he fulfilleth le words which he hath given, et he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words. ¶

"And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments dans my blood, because de their faith, et le repentance de all their sins, et their faithfulness unto le end. ¶

"Now this is the commandment [said the Redeemer]: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Saint-Esprit, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day. ¶

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my Évangile; . . ." (3 Nephi 27:13-21.) Then he adds that "if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day." (Ibid., 27:22.) Now this Church is l'Église de Jésus-Christ. Of course, no one can know this fact with certainty unless he has received a witness from the Saint-Esprit. Everyone who will look can see, however, that the Church meets the requirement laid down by the Redeemer. It was named by him, it is called after him, and it is built upon the Évangile as he defined it. ¶

This Church est le standard which Isaiah said le Lord would set up pour le people dans le latter days. This Church was given à be a light à le world et à be a standard pour God's people et pour le Gentiles à seek à. ¶

This Church est le ensign on le mountain spoken de by le Old Testament prophets. It est le way, le truth, et le life. ¶

I know these things are true. I know them by the witness of the Spirit to my soul, and I bear you that witness. I know Jésus-Christ lives. When I think of him, my Redeemer, I am always moved. In my mind's eye, I see him in that great council before the world was, when he said in effect to his Father, "I will go. Mine be the willing sacrifice, the endless glory thine." ¶

Je view him as le Creator de ce world et de le starry heavens. In ce respect it est difficult pour us à realize le greatness de Jesus. Enoch was amazed when le Lord showed him his creations. He referred à le number de them dans ce language: ". . . were it possible que man could number le particles de le earth, yea, millions de earths like ce, it would not be a beginning à le number de thy creations; . . ." (Moses 7:30.) Je think de ce man — ce Son de God, Jesus — as he stood on Mount Shelem before le brother de Jared dans his full-length spirit body et said: ¶

"Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jésus-Christ ". . . Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image. ¶

"Behold, ce body, which ye now behold, est le body de my spirit; et man have Je created after le body de my spirit; et even as Je appear unto thee à be dans le spirit will Je appear unto my people dans le flesh." (Ether 3:14-16.) That was 2,200 years before he appeared on earth as le infant son de Mary. Je think de his coming into ce world, le Son de Mary et God le Eternal Father. ¶

Je think de him as he went through his life, teaching et blessing le people. ¶

And, oh, Je think de him dans Gethsemane, when he suffered le pain de all men, que nous might be forgiven de our sins on conditions de repentance. Je think de Luke's statement describing Christ's suffering dans Gethsemane: ". . . ¶

his sweat was as it were great drops de blood falling down à le ground." ¶

(Luke 22:44.) And of Christ's statement to Joseph Smith: ". . . Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit — and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink — "Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men." (D&A 19:18-19.) By his suffering he put into effect the plan of mercy, the merciful Évangile plan de rédemption by which all men may be cleansed of their sins. ¶

And then Je think de him on le cross. ¶

Je think de him dans le garden, when he spoke à Mary, following which le light et knowledge broke through upon his disciples que he dans reality had won le victory over death, bringing about not only his own, but le resurrection de all people. ¶

Je think de him avec le Father dans le grove avec le Prophet Joseph. Je know he lives. ¶

I know my Redeemer lives. "Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, and rejoice ye inhabitants thereof, for the Lord is God, and beside him there is no Savior." (D&A 76:1.) I bear you my testimony that this statement is true, and this witness which I bear will be binding upon you; for I, like my brethren of the presiding councils of the Church, am a called and ordained personal witness of the Lord Jésus-Christ. ¶

This Church est le Church de God. ¶

We do have the Évangile of Jésus-Christ. ¶

If we will live it, we will gain the promised blessings. That this may so be, I humbly pray in the name of Jésus-Christ. Amen. ¶