How to Get Out of Debt and Economy as a Righteous Principle

Perhaps the greater number of the people here this afternoon were in the Tabernacle this morning, when I spoke upon the subject of keeping out of debt. Since that meeting a brother has asked me how to keep out of debt, and there may be quite a number of this congregation that would like to ask the same question. Brethren and sisters, I can tell you in a few words how to get out, and how to keep out of debt; it is indeed simple and is this: Stop the waste that so many people are practising-, save a little every day from your earnings, and it will not be long until you are out of debt, and if you will do this you will never get into debt. I consider it is a sin in the sight of God to waste anything that He has created, either in its original state or changed by the labor of man. The old saying "Waste not, want not," is just as true today as it ever was. It is gratifying to read the history of the different nations and learn that many great men, by their personal examples and lives, demonstrated that they were enemies to waste in every form. In reading of Dante, who was the most radical against waste in his day, we find that he classifies the spendthrift in the same circle as the miser, thinking the miser would surely go to hell and the spendthrift would be his close neighbor. Dante had the Middle Age idea of hell, not knowing the limited number of crimes that will keep a man there eternally. By revelation, we know that the only crimes man will be placed in hell for is committing the unpardonable sin, knowing the Christ and then denying Him; or shedding innocent blood. ¶

Man never will go to hell for saving means, even if miserly. No man ever lived that looked more carefully into household expenses than did George Washington, the father of our country. Many of his servants thought him penurious, and that he should give attention to greater matters, not be looking after small things and petty savings. My brethren and sisters, there are many who look upon a man that saves as stingy, and think that he is thus doing a wrong, but I assure you that is not true. I have always insisted that under all circumstances and conditions economy is necessary. You will find that it is necessary in every condition of life, whether the man be a millionaire or the humblest and poorest soul that walks the face of the earth; economy, not in dollars and cents only, but it also relates to the use of time, one of God's gifts that He will hold us all responsible for. Watch every expenditure, and see that nothing is wasted. I remember reading an incident in the life of Carlyle, the man who said he overcame the two jailors of the human family — "low birth and an iron fortune," — proving that he was indeed an economist. One day he was crossing a street in one of the large cities of Scotland, with a companion, and stooping down picked something from the mud. He stepped to the sidewalk, and brushed the mud from a piece of bread, laid it on the curb, remarking to his friend that it might do a dog or bird some good. , I want to say, my brethren and sisters, that the great Scotchman was an enemy to waste, and his life was an example of economy. He was taught by his mother never to waste a crumb of bread, said he, "mother impressed me with the fact that bread was to man what the mind is to the soul." I am indeed thankful that the mother who gave me birth taught me that principle, and I earnestly wish that every Latter-day Saint had it impressed upon them so they will practise economy in their lives. Not long ago I was in one of the stakes of Zion, and a young man complained to me how hard it was to get along financially. He asked me to go home with him to dinner. I did so. On going to the back of his residence after dinner, I found enough good food thrown into a swill-barrel to feed another family; and yet he was wondering why he could not make ends meet. ¶

In the early days of Utah, the voice of President Brigham Young rang out warning the people to be saving, and not waste anything that God in His goodness had given them. I say the same to you, with all my heart; and I wish our people would stop and think about it, and use the intellect that God has given them. I tell you, if they would do this there would be less suffering from poverty among us. I was in the north a couple of weeks ago, and saw trainloads of wheat being shipped from the state. What does this mean? It means, if not stopped, that a great portion of the amount of wheat being shipped at the present time may have to be brought back into Utah, and the people thus have to pay freight charges going out and coming in, and a middleman's profit besides. Farmers of Utah, is this the way to do? Why, no! How often have we heard the Prophets of the Church, in times past, tell the people to store their wheat. Just as sure as we live the time will come when we will wish we had followed that advice, and stored at least enough to last us from one harvest to another. Brethren and sisters, for your own sakes, save enough wheat and keep it on hand so that we can have bread stuff in case of any unforeseen contingency that may arise. ¶

Suppose a great strike had occurred on all the railroads of the United States last year, every wheel tied up, and every avenue for carrying freight to this intermountain country had been stopped, either by strike or through any other cause, in what condition would we have been? Do you know that flour and wheat were shipped last year into Sanpete county, once called the granary of Utah? Do you think that such a thing could have happened if the Saints were following the advice of the Prophets of God? No, never! I ask the people to remember this, for I tell you, in the name of Jesus Christ, you will see the wisdom of it some day. God wants His people to be prepared for the coming judgments. Peace be to you all, I ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶