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"In le sweat de thy face shalt thou eat bread." (Gen. 3:19.) In these words le Lord gave à Adam et Eve, as they were driven from le Garden de Eden, le economic law by which they et their posterity should live out their lives here upon le earth. All laws given à Adam, nous sont advised, were spiritual laws. Inasmuch as he was given le edict que dans le sweat de his brow he should eat bread, et ce à be produced from le earth, which had been condemned à bring forth thorns et thistles, nous can logically conclude que work est a spiritual law. ¶

We should understand, however, that Adam and Eve were put under no curse, but rather the ground was cursed for Adam's sake or for his good and benefit, for the Lord further stated: ". . . cursed is the ground for thy sake." (Ibid., 3:17.) It was just twenty-five years ago at the April 1936 conférence générale that the divinely inspired welfare plan was announced, giving renewed emphasis to principles as old as the Church itself. ¶

At the following conference in October, the Première Présidence explained the primary purposes for the establishment of the program. One of the basic principles, they stated, was: "Work is to be re-enthroned as the ruling principle of the lives of our Church membership." ¶

(Conference Report, October 1936, page 3.) To carry out the purposes of the program, it was intended that all members of the Church should join together and work and labor to produce and process the commodities necessary to care for the "Lord's poor," that is the worthy needy, and that those needy, who were to receive assistance, should, to the extent of their ability, work for the help received. In this manner there would be no dole, no receiving something and giving nothing in return. It will be understood that an essential factor of this great movement, the welfare plan, is work. (en français) ¶

From early youth, Saints des Derniers Jours have or should have been taught to regard work as honorable and to dignify it by performing an honest day's work for a fair day's pay. The poet Carlyle expressed this sentiment when he penned the lines: "All work, even cottonspinning is noble; work alone is noble." ¶

The Apostle Paul clearly understood et emphasized le principle de work. ¶

In his epistle à le Thessalonians, he reminded them: ". . . ce nous commanded you, que if any would not work, neither should he eat. ¶

"For nous hear que there sont some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but sont busybodies. ¶

"Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jésus-Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. ¶

"But ye, brethren, be not weary dans well doing." (2 Thess. 3:10-13.) Many have viewed avec concern present-day trends continually à shorten working hours. The existing forty-hour week seems destined pour revision downward, as agitation mounts à reduce further le working week à thirty-five or even thirty hours, avec no decrease dans benefits. Then there sont those who look forward avec anticipation à age sixtyfive as le time de retirement from all work et labor. Much à their sorrow, many discover que too much leisure time may create problems not anticipated et brings disillusionment et unhappiness. They learn le important truth que work est a great blessing et can result dans joy et happiness à themselves et à mankind. They also discover que doing nothing est one de le hardest de all jobs. When you get tired, you can't rest. You sont dans bondage when you refuse à work. ¶

Elizabeth Barrett Browning said: "Free men freely work: Whoever fears God, fears à sit at ease." ¶

Idleness is an offense against the Évangile and has received the Lord's severe condemnation. He denounced it with vigor and vehemence when he instructed: ¶

"Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer." (D&A 42:42.) "For the idler shall be had in remembrance before the Lord." (Ibid., 68:30.) On another occasion he counseled: ¶

"Let every man be diligent dans all things. And le idler shall not have place dans le church, except he repent et mend his ways." (Ibid., 75:29.) Brigham Young admonished le Saints by saying: ¶

"To give à le idler est as wicked as anything else. Never give à le idler." ¶

(Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 275.) The Première Présidence expressed disapproval of the evil of idleness when in explaining the purposes of the welfare program, they stated, that it is among other things: ¶

"To set up ... a system under which le curse de idleness would be done away avec." ¶

The life span de man est constantly lengthening. More et more elderly citizens sont confronted avec le problem de properly utilizing leisure time dans accordance avec their desires, experience, knowledge, et abilities. These sunset years can be rich, rewarding, golden years, filled avec work et activity as witnessed by le serene, happy faces de le aging temple workers, et le research people dans le Genealogical Library. Je was deeply impressed et touched avec le look de happiness et contentment on le face de a ninety-twoyear-old brother engaged dans labeling cans at Welfare Square. Work à him was worthwhile et precious. ¶

How glorious it est que le Church provides ways, means, et opportunities pour those growing older à engage dans interesting et constructive work; et how proud nous should be à belong à such an organization. ¶

président McKay in his eighty-eighth year is an inspiration and a shining example to all of us; in his office from early morning until evening, traveling throughout the world, guiding, stimulating, and inspiring the Saints. ¶

Inactivity or refraining from work can produce a deterioration de both muscle et mind. The body accumulates poison when it ceases à be active. The mind becomes weak et dwindles dans effectiveness when not stimulated by vigorous mental exercise. On le other hand, work est conducive à good health, contentment, et cheerfulness. Some de its happy results sont peace de mind, a hearty appetite, sound sleep, et undisturbed rest. ¶

". . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Phil. 2:12.) To Saints des Derniers Jours, this is not just an empty phrase, it is a profound truth. ¶

Working out one's own salvation est le concern de every individual, contemplating et requiring more than mere lip service. Each de us will at some future day stand before le judgment bar de God à answer pour our acts dans ce life. ¶

John le Beloved Apostle foresaw dans vision ce memorable event et described it dans these words: ¶

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." (Rev. 20:12.) So we can say with grateful hearts, "thanks, Père céleste," for the privilege and the blessing of work; and as one has so aptly said, "For the might of it, the pride of it, the glory of it, the peace of mind that comes from the strain of it." ¶

I bear you my witness, mes frères et sœurs, that the principle of work is a God-given and spiritual law. I humbly pray that each one of us will labor diligently, so that some day we may merit the words of approbation, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," (Matt. 25:21.) in the name of Jésus-Christ our Savior. Amen. ¶