The Church a Church of Missionaries

It seems but a very short time indeed since I faced a similar audience, on my return from a very recent mission. The interval between that home-coming and the present time leaving seems very brief indeed. ¶

I am very sorry that Elder Whitney's ill health necessitates his release. I met him about ten months ago. He was doing excellent work and feeling apparently well, although he informed me then that he feared he would have to undergo an operation. I rejoice with you in the latest word that he is better, and I hope when I shall greet him, that I shall find him well on the road to his usual normal, vigorous health, and I shall be pleased — I will assume it here — to take the best wishes of this magnificent congregation to him. ¶

During the few moments that I shall occupy this afternoon, I am going to ask you to become missionaries, and tbus render help to your sons and daughters who are in the mission-field. I am going to ask you to make their work more effective. ¶

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"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." ¶

The Church a Church of Missionaries

There are approximately two thousand men and women representing this Church in the missionary field. There should be, in a general way, about two hundred and fifty times twb thousand missionaries in the organized wards and branches of the Church. ¶

What the Missionaries Are Preaching by Precept and Example

These boys out in the field are sweet and clean and wholesome, and they are striving to live exemplary lives, that their example might accord with their precept. I have met them, as you know, in many missions, and, invariably, they are fit, noble representatives of their parents and of the Church. Their skin is clean, their eyes clear, ¶

their lives wholesome, and men and women who are opposed to our teaching's are forced to acknowledge that the missionaries of the Church are noble young men and pure women. O, I grant you there are men and women in the world who are suspicious, many who are suspicious of them. Sometimes, too, once in a great while — a missionary man forgets himself and brings disgrace upon the body of the Church, but the percentage of such failures, thank heaven, is extremely small. The two thousand missionaries are preaching by "plain living and right thinking" the efficacy of "Mormonism." ¶

a summary of Christ's message to the world In addition to that, they are proclaiming a wonderful message. The other day I read, in a very carefully written book, on the life of Christ — a summary of his teachings to the world. The eminent writer said : ¶

"Christ came to the w,orld and gave to the world a message, which consists, first, in giving to men a true conception of God. Second, in teaching men how to attain a< larger and freer life." ¶

Then, basing the third message, or the third lesson upon the fact that a man's actions depend upon his motives, he draws this conclusion that, ¶

"Christ's message meant the ultimate development of God's kingdom or rule upon earth, which is destined to transform society. Loyalty to the divine King — the common Father of all mankind, is the strongest arid only universal bond that can bind all men together. His teachings, therefore, have a large social, as well as individual significance, for they contemplate a universal brotherhood or democracy in which all men are united in the common desire to do the will of God." ¶

I think this a good summary of the message that your sons and daughters are giving to the world. They teach to all men a true conception of God. They invite the world to investigate the great declaration that God and his beloved Son have appeared in person in this dispensation. What a glorious message ! Second : they are teaching men the means of attaining a higher and freer and diviner life. Say what you will, that is their only purpose, and they prove their sincerity in it by leaving their loved ones, leaving their vocations, spending their own money, or the hard earnings of their beloved parents, in trying to induce men to hear that message. Third : they can stand before the people of the world and say that "Mormonism" does contemplate, in its ultimate consummation, the transformation of society; and who, conversant with world conditions today, will say that the time is not ripe for society to be transformed ! ¶

The World Rejects Their Message

But the world does not believe this message. We have heard in this conference about evil designing men and women, who say, in substance, that our missionaries teach one thing, but the people practice another at home. Such accusations but emphasize the importance of preaching to the world by example. It seems to me that this conference has been characterized by the gospel of application, and so, ¶

I feel in perfect accord with the spirit when I ask that you who constitute part of the two hundred, and fifty times two thousand missionaries, in the organized stakes and branches of the Church, preach by example these glorious things — prove to the world that you are not only a God-fearing, but a God-trusting people. ¶

Responsibility of Organized Branches and Wards to Exemplify in Daily Life the Doctrines and Principles of the Gospel

If you ask me where I first received my unwavering faith in the existence of a God, I would answer you : in the home of my childhood — when father and mother invariably called their children around them in the morning and at night, and invoked God's blessing upon the household and upon mankind. There was a sincerity in that good patriarch's voice that left an undying impression in the children's souls ; and mother's prayers were equally impressive. ¶

I ask today that every father in the Church see to it that, in all sincerity, he impress his children with the reality of the existence of God, and with the reality that God will guide and protect his children. You carry that responsibility. Home is one of the units — the fundamental unit of society. Let the sincere investigators who believe more from what they see than from what they hear, find, upon investigation, that "Mormons" prove by example in the home, by devotion, and in their service to God, that they believe and know that God is their Father. I knew before I heard my father testify that he had heard a divine voice, that he lived near to his Maker ; and I know, by a nearness to that same Eternal Father since, that father told the truth when he said he received in answer to prayer this admonition given in audible tones : "Testify that Joseph Smith is a prophet of the living God." Such is the reality of the true Latter-day Saints' conception of God the Father. ¶

Ideals

Secondly, I would ask that every parent in the Church teach men by example how to obtain a higher and freer life. Missionaries are pointing the way ; we should follow it. What a strength it would be to the missionaries, if they were able to point back to the thousands and thousands of villages and find in each a community that introduces into its life the higher and better things. We have heard much throughout this conference about the necessity of pure individual living. We have heard that no Latter-day Saint can indulge in "boot-legging" with impunity. He is not only violating the law, but he is casting reflection upon his people and upon his nation. Latterday Saints should uphold the officers in their efforts to ferret out these law breakers. No Latter-day Saint can enter into a gambling den without casting reflection upon his people and without violating the statutes of his state. A few gambling dens are still found, I am informed, in Ogden and Salt Lake City at least, and it behooves Latter-day Saints to stand by the officers in their efforts to close these ¶

places of vice. Latter-day Saints do not smoke. If your houses are contaminated with tobacco smoke, your appeals to God are not going to be very availing in the minds of your children. Pray to him to give you strength to overcome the habit, and I promise you God will give you that strength. I care not how viciously the habit is fixed in your body, God will not forsake you if you call to him in sincerity. Obedience to the laws of health, and of the Spirit will lead to the higher and freer life. ¶

Lastly, missionaries are preaching that the gospel is destined to transform society. We believe it and we believe that from an economic standpoint, from a social standpoint, from a spiritual standpoint, we can offer to the world today such practical ideals in organized society, that if applied to the world, would alleviate much of the suffering and misery in this poor war-ridden, famine stricken, selfish world. Take for example the little simple work of your fast day ; your contribution to the poor. I remember mentioning that before an audience in New Zealand, at Auckland, about six hundred non-members being present. We took that as the theme because a day or two before the meeting a paper had published the fact that citizens had discovered some suffering women and children about whose condition nobody seemed to be aware. Following the meeting, a man said : "Do you really mean to say that every member of your Church is visited every month by some officer?" "Yes, that is the plan." "And that the amount contributed once a month on your fast day is sufficient to meet all the needs of the poor?" "Yes, that is the fact. All do not do it, however," I confessed. Ah, that is it. Don't you see — all do not comply. All do not come up to the standard. O, fathers and mothers, what an example to the world in economic salvation if we could only live up fully to this economic principle ! Let us determine here and now to raise the percent per capita, of our fast offerings. Let us raise it from twenty cents to a dollar. Though that is not what it should be, what a lesson to the distracted government in this war-torn world today! ¶

I was in Syria when some of your fast offerings came over there, and realized, as Brother Booth gave out relief to those suffering Armenians, that one hundred cents irn every dollar went to those poor people, because of the perfect organization of the Church. The • minimum overhead expense was not deducted from your contributions. Let us return home from this conference determined to live up to this one principle, in addition to the many others that have been named. Then, as the boys and girls are preaching and bearing testimony to the efficacy of "Mormonism," they can, with pride, point back to the home ward and say, "You may find these principles exemplified there." Remember, "example is more forcible than precept." People look at you six days in the week to see what you mean on the Sabbath. ¶

Therefore, with this idea that we are giving to the world the ¶

same message which Christ gave, namely : leading the people to a true conception of God, their Father, teaching them how to obtain higher and freer life, bearing witness to them that it is possible in this day, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel, to transform society; let us resolve this day to "Be noble; and the nobleness that lies in other men sleeping, but never dead, will rise in majesty to meet our own." In this way we can make our light so shine among men, that they seeing our good works may be led to glorify their Father in heaven." ¶

God help us to be near to him, for I testify to you he is ever ready to be near to us. I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶