The Non-Use and Non-Sale of Tobacco

It is more than a hundred years since the Prophet Joseph Smith received his first vision. It is more than ninety years since the Church was organized. It is more than eighty-eight years since the prophet received and gave to the world the revelation on the Word of Wisdom. ¶

A Lesson from the Sermon on the Mount

The thought of the amount of time that has elapsed since these important events in the Church took place suggests that I read the following from the seventh chapter of Matthew -- a few of the last stanzas in the Sermon on the Mount. I begin at the 15th verse: ¶

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ¶

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¶

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¶

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ¶

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ¶

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. ¶

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ¶

Many will say to me in that day Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ¶

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. ¶

Therefore whosoever [I draw attention to these words after these long years have passed in the history of the Church] therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock; ¶

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. ¶

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: ¶

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. ¶

"We Stand for the Non-Use and Non-Sale of Tobacco"

More than eighty-eight years since the Word of Wisdom was given to the world through the Prophet Joseph Smith. A business man of this city stated in my presence a few days ago that the stir we are making with respect to the use of tobacco is having the effect of increasing rather than having the effect of decreasing the amount of tobacco that is being used. This man needs but to be associated with our Church auxiliary organizations in order to learn that his assertion is not correct. If he had looked into the faces of those who assembled this morning as Mutual Improvement officers and other workers, if he had seen their clean faces, if he could know their clean lives, if he could know the intensity of their determination to labor for the improvement, the education, the uplift of the young people of the Church, he would realize that his assertion is not correct. Audiences of this same quality I see when meeting with the Young Men's Mutual Improvement workers in the various stakes of Zion. And what can be said of these can be said also of the workers in the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations, of the workers in the Relief Society, in the Sabbath Schools, in the Primary organizations and in the Religion Classes. ¶

The slogan of the Mutual Improvement Associations for this year is: "We stand for the non-use and non-sale of tobacco." When our legislature was in session recently one active Mutual Improvement worker presented a bill in the state senate providing for the abolition of the cigarette in the state of Utah. When he presented his arguments in favor of this measure his fellow legislators told him there was no sentiment or little sentiment in the state of Utah in favor of legislation of that sort and no serious demand for it. ¶

Is the Sentiment of the People for the Word of Wisdom?

I want to know whether we believe in the Prophet Joseph Smith or not. I want to know if this great multitude of people, assembled in this historic place, followers of the Prophet Joseph Smith, worshipers of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, believe in these revelations nearly eighty-eight years since that revelation was given. The President of the Church said in one of our meetings a little while ago: "Certainly in this length of time we ought to begin to see the fruits of our labors." ¶

The promises that are made in the Word of Wisdom and which were read yesterday by President Rudger Clawson, are, or ought to be in themselves, enough to induce us to live in accordance with ¶

the teachings of this great revelation. Nor is it necessary for us to base our conclusions with respect to these matters entirely upon this revelation. ¶

Andrew D. White on Tobacco

One of the great American educators, only a few years ago, asked the multitude of teachers who were before him, to go out and take to the young people of the country a message from him, Andrew D. White, against the habit of smoking. I wrote to this great teacher and college president later with respect to this matter. One sentence of his reply reads: "I consider any young man at school, in college or in any professional school, is seriously, indeed, almost fatally handicapped by the habit of smoking." Andrew D. White was a great educator, and statesman. It was he who served so ably as ambassador to the Imperial German empire. It was he who, as a professor at the University of Michigan, and as president of the Cornell University, lived in close touch with college men for a period of fifty years. ¶

That the Latter-day Saints have a tremendous work to do we all agree. We can only do this work well if we live in accordance with the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We cannot stand around with our hands in our pockets and get things accomplished. We cannot drink tea, we cannot drink coffee, we cannot drink liquor, we cannot use tobacco, we cannot be unkind, or dishonest, and in reason expect to accomplish our tremendous task. If we live these teachings we shall be known everywhere for our good works -- the charity that we extend, the kindness that we put forth, and the honor which characterize our dealings. These are the genuine products of the gospel of Jesus Christ. ¶

Sentiments of David Starr Jordan

Another quotation on the subject of smoking from the great educator, David Starr Jordan: "I am not much of a mathematician, said the cigarette, but I can add to man's nervous troubles, I can subtract from his physical energy, I can multiply his aches and pains, I can divide his mental powers, I can take interest from his work and I can discount his chances of success." ¶

Another from Dr. Jordan. This I heard quoted many years ago by President Heber J. Grant: "Boys who smoke cigarettes are like wormy apples. They drop long before the harvest time. They rarely make failures in after life, because they don't have any after life. When the other boys are taking hold of the world's work these are concerned with the sexton and the undertaker." ¶

Appeal to Enforce the Laws

"Whosoever," says the great Master, "whosoever heareth these words of mine and doeth them, I shall liken unto a wise man who ¶

built his house upon a rock and the rains descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon this house and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock." I appeal to you as a young man, as a Mutual Improvement worker, one who is interested, intensely so, in the welfare of the boys of this state, I appeal to you every one to see to it that the laws of the state, as they exist today, are enforced, that these boys who, in their ignorance are destroying, by the use of cigarettes, their chance of success may be protected against themselves. ¶

Our Determination

An election is coming. I wish that in all the conventions all over the state the same resolution had been adopted that was presented and adopted in one of the counties by one of the political parties. I think they used these words: "We stand for the non-use and the non-sale of tobacco in the state of Utah." ¶

When the next legislature meets, I beg of you, see to it that the men who represent you realize that there is in Utah a determination to preserve the brains, the memories and the reasoning powers of our boys. We are determined to increase and not decrease their chances of success. Whosoever heareth these teachings and liveth in accordance with them, the great Master himself has likened unto the wise man who built his house upon the rock. The rains descended, the winds blew, the floods came and beat upon the house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock. Let the legislators know that our faith, too, is founded on a rock, I ask it through Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶