Financial and Moral Advantages of the Word of Wisdom

Evidences of increased faith. — Financial and moral advantages in obeying Word of Wisdom. — Zion's people tried, but all is well. ¶

It is always a pleasure to me to meet with the Latter-day Saints. I have listened with interest to the remarks that have been made by those who have preceded me in this Conference; and while I stand before you today, I desire that all I say may be for our mutual benefit. I trust that it may be calculated in its nature to inspire us with a determination to press forward, and discharge the duties and obligations resting upon us as Latter-day Saints. ¶

I feel to rejoice in the splendid condition of the Church at home and abroad. I rejoice that the gatherings here this morning, and this afternoon, have been the largest that I ever remember to have seen in the first meetings of our Conference. It is an evidence to me that the Latter-day Saints are interested in the Gospel, that they are anxious to hear what may be said to them by those who shall speak during the Conference. If there is any one thing more than another that is not calculated to inspire a speaker, it is the privilege of talking to empty benches. I have had that privilege, in years gone by, when speaking in the first meeting of our Conference. The gallery was not often opened, and the body of the house more than held the congregation, years ago. Therefore, I am very happy indeed to see this large gathering. To me it is an evidence of improvement among the Latter-day Saints; it indicates a growth of their faith, and of their interest in the teachings of the servants of the Lord. ¶

Three weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking from this stand to the people who were assembled, and I devoted nearly the entire time to quotations from the Doctrine and Covenants, from the Word of Wisdom, and from the leaves of the journal of an old criminal lawyer. My remarks were all upon the subject of temperance. I read to the audience a statement that the drinkbill in Great Britain amounted to over $800,000,000 a year; and other items, showing that the drinkbill in America was fully up to the average of the people of Great Britain. The Lord has said that the Word of Wisdom was given to the people for their temporal salvation, and when you and I stop to reflect upon the fact that tea, coffee, tobacco, and liquor, with the exception of the small amount manufactured in our state, all comes from a distance, and that every dollar expended in breaking the Word of Wisdom goes out of this country, never to come back, with nothing in exchange for it, and when we realize that the profits of all the sugar factories in Utah would not begin to compare in amount with the wasted money thus sent away, it does seem to me that our financial sense ought to teach us to obey this law of God. I have no hesitation in saying that if the Latter-day Saints had obeyed the Word of Wisdom, as a people, from the day they entered these valleys until the present time, that this would be the wealthiest state west of the Mississippi River, from which neighborhood our fathers were driven. Money accumulates very rapidly when it is allowed to remain in any country, and goes from pocket to pocket, or is compounded from year to year. All the money that has been spent for the breaking of the Word of Wisdom, during the sixty years that we have been in this country, — almost every single, solitary dollar of it, might have been retained in this community, it might have been here accumulating and multiplying, and growing all the time. ¶

In the article which I read here three weeks ago, this man announced that he had been a criminal lawyer for more than thirty years; that he had defended sixty-two men who had been accused of murder, and that forty-nine out of the sixty-two murders were committed because of the use of strong drink. He announced that he had defended a boy for killing his own brother; that he had defended a son for killing his own father; that he had defended a husband for killing his wife; that he had defended a mother for killing her child. Then he asks this question: "Is there anyone who would, for one moment, presume that these murders were committed because of the natural inclination of the people?" And he went on to show that in these cases he had brought witnesses forward to prove that these people had committed these crimes under the maddening influence of drink. ¶

Now, the Lord has said to the Latter-day Saints that it is not good for us to partake of strong drink. Let us, as Latter-day Saints, show to the world, by our good deeds, that we believe in the teachings of our Heavenly Father; let us, by observing the Word of Wisdom, set an example before the world that shall command the admiration of our fellows. I want to say to the young people that, as a coldblooded business proposition, as an investment, there is nothing that will give a young man more credit, or better standing in the world, than to obey this simple law of God. Many of the greatest corporations, employing thousands of men, will not employ a man who smokes; neither will they employ a man who drinks. They are beginning to find out that men who drink, who smoke, and break these commandments that the Lord has given to the Latter-day Saints, lack the intellect, lack the physical strength, and the moral character which is so necessary to efficient service. They discover that those who break these laws of God are not so capable in the performance of any labor as are those who keep these laws. Now, let us fit and qualify ourselves morally, intellectually, and physically, that we may be able to fulfill every duty and obligation in all the walks of life. Let us have this capital as a part of our reserve; for it will prove to be one of the means by which we can make a success in the battle of life. ¶

I had the privilege, a day or two ago, of attending a little meeting that is held in the temple-annex, just before those who work in the temple enter that sacred building. On that occasion, I read the hymn on page 168, it having first been sung by the choir; and, as Brother Smith was reading the hymn, "If You Could Hie to Kolob," I decided to read it to the audience here today: ¶

"Zion stands with hills surrounded — Zion, kept by power divine; All her foes shall be confounded, Though the world in arms combine; Happy Zion, What a favored lot is thine! ¶

"Every human tie may perish, Friend to friend unfaithful prove, Mothers cease their own to cherish, Heaven and earth at last remove; But no changes Can attend Jehovah's love. ¶

"In the furnace God may prove thee, Thence to bring thee forth more bright, But can never cease to love thee, Thou art precious in His sight; God is with thee; Thou shalt triumph in His might." ¶

This was the favorite hymn of the late President Lorenzo Snow, and there never was a time in his life when he doubted for one moment that her foes should be confounded; he never doubted for one moment that, although in the furnace God might prove us, He would thence bring us forth more bright. ¶

This hymn reminds me of another, that I did not intend to read but I will: ¶

"ZION PROSPERS, ALL IS WELL. ¶

O awake! my slumb'ring minstrel, Let my harp forget its spell; Say, O say, in sweetest accents, Zion prospers, all is well. ¶

"Strike a chord unknown to sadness, Strike, and let its numbers tell, In celestial tones of gladness, Zion prospers, all is well. ¶

"Zion's welfare is my portion, And I feel my bosom swell With a warm, divine emotion, When she prospers, all is well. ¶

"Zion, lo! thy day is dawning Though the darksome shadows swell, Faith and hope prelude the morning; Thou art prospering, all is well. ¶

"Thy swift messengers are treading Thy high courts where princes dwell, And thy glorious light is spreading; Zion prospers, all is well." ¶

There is no question in my mind that Zion prospers, and that all is well. I rejoice when I read these inspired words which were written by the late Eliza R. Snow. I believe, as was said here this morning, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was never in a better condition than it is today, spiritually, and temporally, and every way. During the last year, I have had the privilege of traveling in many stakes of Zion, and I believe that the presidents of stakes, the high councilors, the bishops of wards, and the teachers are more energetic, more diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and in teaching their people to live the laws of God, than they ever have been before; I believe that the auxiliary organizations of this Church are in a flourishing condition, from the Relief Society down to the Primary Association. I believe that the Latter-day Saints as a people are taking more interest in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and are striving to carry out the commandments of the Lord more perfectly than they have ever done before. I rejoice in this fact; I rejoice that the people love the Gospel; that they desire the advancement of the work of God upon the earth, and that they are anxious to so order their lives that the example which they set shall be worthy of the imitation of all men. ¶

I want to bear witness here today that no man or woman ever lived, who kept the commandments of God and lived according, to the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whose example was not worthy of the imitation of all men and all women, in any land, and in any clime. This Gospel of Jesus Christ, which you and I have embraced, is in very deed the plan of life and salvation. It is in very deed the Gospel revealed again to the earth. It is the same Gospel that was proclaimed by our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ; and He gave His life in testimony of the same. And the lives of our Prophet and Patriarch were given as a witness to the divinity of the work in which we are engaged. For seventy-eight years this Gospel has been proclaimed to the world without money, without price. Freely we have received, and freely we have given to the world. ¶

May God give us the light and inspiration of His spirit as our constant guide and companion. May we be Latter-day Saints in very deed, is my prayer and desire, and I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶