President Grant's Words Urge Us to Action

I desire that during the few minutes I stand before you, the words I speak may be prompted by the inspiration of our heavenly Father. ¶

Two Types of Great Speakers

There have been two types of great speakers ; shall I say two types of great orators? One type reached its highest form in Cicero. The other type reached its perfection in Demosthenes. It is said that when Cicero stood before the people they all listened with great interest, and as they were leaving the assembly they said to one another: "How well Cicero speaks." They had praise for his voice, praise for his words, praise for his rhetoric, praise for his eloquence. ¶

But when the multitudes listened to that master speaker, Demosthenes, they never thought of his language, his rhetoric, or his words, but rushed from the building exclaiming: "Come, let us go up against Philip!" ¶

President Grant's Words Urge Us to Action

In the remarks of President Heber J. Grant, we heard words like the words of Demosthenes. This good shepherd told us to get out of debt and remain out of debt. As soon as possible I propose to get out of debt. ¶

On the Word of Wisdom

He asked us also to remember the Word of Wisdom. President Grant has himself been a model in the matter of keeping the Word of Wisdom. I doubt if any other man has appealed to the people more earnestly or effectively to induce them to live in accordance with these inspired health teachings than he has. ¶

It has been variously estimated that ten per cent or twenty per cent, or forty per cent of the people in the Church use tea and coffee. 1 propose that when we leave this conference we do so accepting the message of the prophet of God, that is, that we leave the building determined to live in strict accordance with the Word of Wisdom. ¶

On Home Industry

The President, the man whom we sustain as our Prophet, also appealed to us yesterday to support home industry. I propose not to talk about his eloquence, but to leave the building determined to reform in this respect. Will you do the same thing? ¶

I wish I could say, as he did, that he was standing in shoes made at Z. C. M. I., and that he has worn Z. C. M. I made shoes for thirty years. I have made a resolution that at the next conference I will stand, on one condition, in Z. C. M. I shoes — Will you do the same thing? That condition is that they can find a piece of leather big enough to make them. (Laughter) ¶

The President said that while the Knight Woolen Mills of Provo were manufacturing cloth for making clothing, he wore home-made goods. He did not say here what he said to me before the meeting, namely: "It was my intention to have a suit of clothes made from cloth from the Knight Woolen Mills before this conference, but I have been away from the city and from the State so much of late that I did not get it done." ¶

When in Provo the other day I went to the Woolen Mills and purchased an overcoat, made of Utah wool by Utah workmen, and it is the best bargain in every sense I ever had in an overcoat. The reason I am not wearing it is because the weather, or this building is so hot. I promise to leave here with a resolution to the effect that if Brother Golden Kimball will sign a note with me, to get the money, I shall have a suit made of goods from the Knight Woolen Mills before the next General Conference. ¶

Long years ago when the people of America were about to declare their independence and that great American, Benjamin Franklin, was before the House of Lords being examined, he was asked the question: "But how can you live in America without the products of England?" ¶

Benjamin Franklin replied about as follows : "The goods that we receive from England may be divided into three classes : First, the necessities ; next, the mere conveniences ; and third, the luxuries." You have all seen that picture I am sure, of a sheep with a little wagon behind carrying its great big tail. That was devised as a result of the remarks of Benjamin Franklin. ¶

He said : "In America the people are loyal, they have quit eating lamb, so they will have more wool, and it is only a question of a little time until we can produce all of the necessities. It will be but a little longer when we can also produce the mere conveniences ; and the luxuries," he said, "because of the patriotism of our people, are cut off already." ¶

So I appeal to you Americans to listen to the voice of the man who stands at the head of the Church, and support home industry. ¶

I was at the Fair yesterday. It was gratifying to see there the ¶

products of the institutions and organizations of our own State. I propose to listen to the words of the man who stands at the head of the Church, and leave this conference saying: "Come, let us go forth and use first the products of our own State." ¶

Religious and Industrial Training of Children

.' But that is not what I want to talk about. In the 22nd chapter of Proverbs, and the 6th verse, appear these words: ¶

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." The 29th and last verse in that same 22nd chapter says : ¶

"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men." ¶

So I desire to urge the proper training of our children, the bringing up of the child in the way he should go. I urge faithful devotion to business. I ask you this question. If you have a son, in how many ways is he trained to make a living? I have the reputation, especially among the engineering students of the University of Utah, of helping them to find employment. I have helped a good many others, and I have been surprised when some young men have come to ask for employment to find before me a human being with untrained hands, and untrained eyes, and untrained ears, and an untrained mind. Honor be to the man who took his boy to an expert workman and said: "I want my boy to learn to work. I would like to have you give him some employment." ¶

"I don't have very much business," replied the man, "I have no work for him to do. If I had the work, I haven't the means with which to pay for his services." ¶

"Well," said the father, not in the presence of the boy, however, "I will let the boy board at home. You go to him, tell him you will pay him for his services $15 a month, and each month I will give you a check for $15." ¶

Honor to the man who teaches his boy to work, and is more concerned in having him learn to do things than in securing financial compensation. ¶

Honor also to the man who' took nis boy to a ranchman, a man who was a financial success, who had flocks and herds and fields, fields of grain and fields of hay, and said: "I would like to have you take my boy and train him to do things. I am not concerned whether you pay him anything or not, but I want you to teach him to work." ¶

I had a little pamphlet put in my hands the other day, and in it is a story something like this: ("It is up to You," by Parlette) A newspaper man in a paper mill was watching the operations of a machine with interest, when along came a man with an oil can, squirting oil into the squirt holes in the side of the machine. He asked that man a few questions that he answered fairly well. Then he ¶

asked something about the process going on in the next room, and the man replied : "J don't know nothing about it, boss, I haven't worked there." So he said he asked him another process and the answer came the same : "I don't know nothing about it, boss, I haven't worked there." He asked him a question about the pulp mill: "I don't know nothing about it, boss, I have never worked there." He asked him a question about the office, the number of people employed in the plant : "I don't know nothing about it, boss, I haven't worked there." And so the newspaper man, to himself, said: "Nobody home." ¶

The newspaper man asked : "I presume, my friend, that you are new in this plant?" "No, no," came the reply, "I have been squirting oil into this machine now for twelve years." Twelve years and "don't know nothing" about any other part of the institution. He said: "I took off my hat in the presence of the dead." (Laughter) ¶

As he was leaving he asked the foreman: "You see that man standing over there with a can in his hand ? Is he a human being, or do you just wind him up?" ¶

A Stupendous Piece of Work Before the Saints

The appeal I make to you is for the training of the hands, the training of the eyes, the training of the ears, the training of the minds of the young people in the Church. We have before us to be done the most stupendous piece of work that has been given to any people, that is the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. This cannot be done by our boys alone. It will take men, strong men, men of training, men of experience, men of education, men of brains. The Church can have in it a great army of such strong characters only by training our children in the way they should go. The Lord bless us all, Amen. ¶