Testimony and Counsel

I take it as a compliment to my father, James H. Hart, rather than any slight to myself, that I should be invited to the stand under my father's name. I recall an incident in his life, suggested to me during this conference, of his being lost with a companion in a fog or storm. They wandered for hours without reaching any known landmark, until night settled upon them and the situation became serious. They knelt in prayer for their deliverance, and shortly after arising from their knees in the snow of that cold country, the clouds broke away for a few minutes, they beheld the North Star and received their bearings. So in this conference there have been presented guiding gospel principles, foundation stones upon which we may safely anchor, and to which we may look for guidance. In the constitution of this commonwealth, framed under the presidency of the late President John Henry Smith, it is declared that "frequent recurrence to general principles is essential to the security of individual rights and the perpetuity of free government." By parity of reasoning, a frequent recurrence to the fundamentals of religion are essential for individual guidance, and for the well-being of the Church. I rejoice in the fundamental instructions and the solid satisfaction of the spiritual feeding, given us during this conference. The injunction of the opening speech was to keep the commandments of the Lord. I am reminded in this connection that the Ten Commandments form the very foundation of the laws of all civilized nations. One of our most learned jurists in the civil law, that is, the Roman law as distinguished from the common law, said of the civil law, (and it is in keeping with the Book of Mormon quotation made by Elder Whitney in this conference) that "the spirit of man, divinely inspired, has wrought from the beginning. The roots of the tree of life strike down into the remotest past"; that a system had been developed which reigns by reason after the authority which pro- ¶

mulgated it ceased to reign. If it be true that inspiration to the law-giver, can produce a system of such strength and reasoning that it prevails long centuries after the authority which promulgated it has passed away; how peculiarly true it is of the gospel that these divine principles, these foundation stones, lower than which we may not be able to go, will be a stay to us and a strength and a guide to us. ¶

I always enjoy that hymn that we sang yesterday, Ex-President Roosevelt's favorite hymn, "How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent word." We have been reminded of this firm foundation by the teachings of this conference. When in the tribulation, turmoil and temptations of life, there is danger of losing our bearings, if we can keep sight of these guiding principles, these foundation truths of our religion, we are more secure. I did not refer to the incident of prayer followed by a view of the polar star as an argument for prayer, although I am sure as I live, as sure as I desire to be, that God can and does hear the prayers of faith of his children. ¶

I Rejoice greatly in looking in the faces of these my faithful brethren, into whose stakes it has been my great privilege to go during the past fifteen years, and to see them working with love for the good of their fellow men, giving loving service to the point of great sacrifice in many instances; and, by the way, that covers three of the cardinal principles that our Redeemer stood for and taught -- love, service and sacrifice. I have seen that manifested so abundantly in the lives of my brethren, that in being in their presence I have felt reassured, reinforced, and renewed in strength and determination. ¶

I think perhaps no more important principle was given to us during this conference than the reference which our president made to some matters in the 43rd Section of the Doctrine and Covenants: ¶

"And this ye shall know assuredly, that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken, if he abide in me"... referring to the Prophet Joseph. ¶

"And this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments," other than the president of the Church, because there is "none other appointed" to receive revelations for the Church except the president of the Church. ¶

"And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me." And if that principle were known and understood in the Church, some individuals would stand upon safer ground than they now stand, upon. Their compass would work and it would point to the North Star, to the source from which the Church is entitled to receive guidance. ¶

In listening to the remarks of Elder Richards on the necessity of ¶

example, and teaching the gospel by example, I thought of the reverse condition of those who may cast reflection and bring disgrace, not only upon themselves but upon the Church, by not setting an example that is worthy of emulation; by failure to adhere to fundamental principles, by listening, perchance, to some lying voice, some lying spirit of evil that may direct them away from foundation principles and truths, persuade them to violate the commandments of God, and lead them off on a tangent of evil. ¶

This is a time in the history of the world when a new resolve should be made in favor of obedience to law. The proclamation has been made throughout this conference of the reign of law in the universe. The general principles which apply, as we read in the 130th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants are: ¶

"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated; ¶

"And when we obtain any blessing from God it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated," compliance with the conditions upon which it is predicated. That is fair and safe to everyone, that we are governed not by caprice nor by whim, nor by changing laws, but upon principles irrevocably established from the foundations of the earth. ¶

President Lincoln in his day had some sound advice for the people, which should be reiterated throughout the earth. I suppose there has never been such a lawless period in all the history of the world as we are passing through in the United States today, never a time when life has been held at so low an estimate, nor a time when greed and the ambition for unjust gain, have been more rampant. He said: "Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well-wisher of his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate in the least particular the laws of the country, and never to tolerate their violation by others. Let reverence for the laws be breathed by every American mother to the lisping babe that prattles on her lap; let it be taught in schools, in seminaries and in colleges; let it be written in primers, in spelling books and in almanacs; let it be preached from the pulpits, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation; and let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay of all sexes and tongues and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its altars." ¶

The fact that one may not like a law does not justify him in disobeying it. Will elders of Israel be unmindful of the rule prevailing in the United States against the manufacture or distilling of liquor. Will they feel at liberty to violate the law because, perchance, they may think it can be done in safety? If they do so, there is a harvest of sorrow for them to reap. By the violation of law they reap the whirlwind they sow in disobedience to law. We have had some pathetic cries from individuals in this nation who have taken ¶

false steps and have cried out as a warning voice to their sisters to avoid the evils that have come upon them. On their death bed they have sobbed: "It was wine, wine that did it. Tell girls to heed me, for I know. Tell them that in the wine cup lies death." Others attribute failure in life to a lack of appreciation of the value of a home and a loving companion and the establishment of a home under lawful wedlock and the companionship of a husband who would be true. There may be other laws than that for the enforcement of temperance throughout the United States that an individual here and there may not fancy, but let all support the law; let all be guided by the general principles that are established for the guidance, not only of citizens of the United States, but citizens in this great Church of ours. ¶

I copied from some author words of advice and warning to our girls in reference to modesty. The thought was expressed more beautifully than I could express it myself and therefore I desired to read the exact language, but I do not seem to have the words with me. In substance it was that cultivated communities have come to make modesty the supreme grace of woman. That it is to her a garment of strength and beauty and a witness to her womanhood. That she has no need to assert what all concede or to demand rights which no one question. That the costume or the action which suggests immodesty is a voluntary descent from the position which the community gladly assigns to a woman. That it is an accepted degradation and choice of unloveliness and a challenge to impurity; and that it is well to remember that the only protection is in oneself and the only safety in resisting the beginning of evil ¶

May the Lord bless and help the efforts of those who are striving to establish the youth of Zion, to keep in the paths of righteousness, rectitude and right, young people in the Church who are growing up and who will take the places in a few years of these their older brethren and sisters. There has been many testimonies of the truth of the Gospel presented during this Conference. The few statistics given by President Grant was an eloquent witness to the divinity of this work. A deathrate of nine, a birthrate of thirty-eight, and a marriage rate of fifteen and one-half. Those things could not flow from an evil tree. The tree may be judged by its fruit, and "the poisonous tree, though watered by nectar, can produce only the fruit of death;" and likewise, the good tree will bring forth good fruit. ¶

I have rejoiced in the testimonies of my brethren, in the instructions which they have given, and I desire to continue with them to be faithful in promulgating this great cause, which confers honor upon any man who has any part or work therein. May the Lord bless us and give us glimpses from time to time of the grandeur and the magnitude and majesty and worth of this great work and of its value to the children of our Father, whose souls are very precious in his sight, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶