Remarks by Nephi Jensen

I am truly thankful for the privilege of coming into this holy place on this beautiful day to worship the God of our fathers. I am ¶

thankful that I have in my heart a desire to bow my head and lift my heart in praise to the Maker of all. ¶

I returned home from a mission to Canada last April, rather worse for wear. I was a little better than a corpse and not quite as good as an invalid. But through the mercy and goodness of our heavenly Father, I have been greatly strengthened in my body during the last six months. I am thankful with all my heart for the testimony that I have that God does hear his children who come unto him with broken hearts and contrite spirits, in the times of their need and their distress. I pray that the spirit of our heavenly Father shall attend me in my utterances this afternoon. During my term of missionary service in the Dominion of Canada I learned that there is very little that any of us can do, in and of ourselves, to bring to pass the righteousness of God in the world. I have learned to know that there is only one power anywhere that can really purify and ennoble the human heart, and that is the power of God's Holy Spirit. ¶

During the last year or two I have had occasion to read three noteworthy books. All three of these books are addressed to the great theme of "salvaging the wrecked civilization of the world." One of these books was written by a great teacher of psychology, Dr. G. Stanley Hall. The second was written by a distinguished man of letters, H. G. Wells. The last was written by an English philosopher, G. Bernard Shaw. All three of these distinguished men attempt to answer the big question, "How can we save the wrecked civilization of the world?" ¶

G. Stanley Hall gave to his book the name, Morale. In it he attempts to show that the spiritual and intellectual wellbeing of the world depends upon physical wholesomeness. He arrives at the conclusion that all that we need to save the world from ruin is more abundant physical health. The professor did not seem to remember that, if the heart is evilly-disposed, the more of vitality and strength there is back of it the more there is of fuel to feed the flames of passion. Morale, in the sense in which Dr. G. Stanley Hall uses that word, will not save the world. ¶

H. G. Wells took for the title of his book, Salvaging Civilization. Mr. Wells is an intellectualist. He is a profound believer in the supremacy of mind over matter, lie believes in education. In hi? book he goes on to say, in effect, that what the world needs is more education, more enlightenment. Mr. Wells seems to have forgotten that the brighter the mind, if it is attached to an evilly-disposed heart, the greater its power for evil in the world. The recent history of the world written in the blood of millions killed upon the battlefield, and the tears of weeping widows and orphans, confirms the truth, that brightness of mind without rightness of heart leads to frightfulness, and the wreckage of the world. ¶

The last of these writers, the philosopher, G. Bernard Shaw, ¶

took for the title of his book, Back to Methuselah. You know Mr. Shaw is an evolutionist. He tells us in his book that there is in operation in the world a universal principle of evolution, social evolution, political evolution, and moral evolution; and that the only reason why the human race is not saved is because men and women do not live long enough. He contends that if man could live a thousand years, so that the process of evolution could do its effective work the race of man would be saved from evil and error. But the philosopher seems to have forgotten that the longer a bad man lives the worse he becomes. ¶

Now, the strange thing, to me, about these three great books is the fact that all three of these writers, of international note, claimed to believe in the supremacy of Jesus Christ as the moral and ethical teacher of the world. Mr. Hall, Mr. Wells, and Mr. Shaw all believe that Jesus Christ was the greatest moral and ethical teacher the world has ever seen. Now, just why these three men should not recommend to the human race Christ's panacea for the ills of the world, I am not able to understand. That remedy is found in one simple sentence in the first chapter of Mark's gospel. In this chapter we read : ¶

"Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand ; repent ye, and believe the gospel." ¶

In that simple sentence is found the cure for all the ills of the world. In it is found the only medicine that can save this sin-sick world. ¶

When I think about it. I am reminded that sometime ago Mr. Bok, one of our great American writers, made an offer to the world of a hundred thousand dollars for the best plan for bringing peace to the world. Some time subsequent to the publication of this offer, a Florida newspaper came out with a short editorial, in which the writer said, "We win in two words — Stop fighting." You can turn the world from recklessness and sin to righteousness and peace, with just two words, "Stop sinning." ¶

Does this command apply to me? Yes. It includes you and me. and all mankind.] When you and I and all our neighbors are peaceable the peace of the world will be secure. And, by-the-by, it is not the usual sins that damn the world. I used to say to my companions in the missionary field, "You need not be concerned about the sin of robbing a bank, because you are not going to rob any bank." It is just the little daily sins of you and me, of wrong-thinking, that damn our souls. ¶

Now, one of these little prevailing sins which I have found since I came home is the sin of pride. You know we have a lot of people who worship their automobiles more than they worship God. There ¶

are many who have more pride in their professional skill than they have in the beauty and the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In my profession, I frequently meet young members of the bar. When some of these young" men have read two or three law books, and have got about two legal ideas into their heads, they begin to think that they are too wise to take any stock in gospel truth. ¶

Now, you cannot get into heaven in that sort of a spirit. You cannot ride into the presence of God on a high horse. Jesus, the greatest of all teachers, said, "Except ye become as this little child, ye cannot see the kingdom of heaven." What we need is more childishness of heart and less childishness of mind. We need more of old-fashioned humility and devotion in the Church. Humility is nobility. ¶

Just a few weeks ago I was invited to spend a few moments in looking over a splendid Packard sedan, that had cost $5,000. I did not buy it. A friend of mine was the buyer. Now, while we were admiring this beautiful car, a young man spoke up, "It's heaven inside of it." There are some of our people who seem to think that when they get into a sedan they are in the celestial glory. Now, don't misunderstand me ; I haven't anything against the automobile. It is a splendid instrument of utility in the commercial and industrial world. It is also a legitimate source of pleasure used in moderation. ¶

Many of us have become engulfed in the mad swirl of worldly pleasure. Our age is coming to be an age of gratification. It should be an age of glorification. In every age of the world when the children of men have given themselves over to pleasure, and selfish gratification, there has been a marked decadence physically, morally and intellectually of the race. And in every age of the world when mankind have remembered in meekness and gratitude the God of heaven, and have worshiped him, they have progressed and advanced, in all of the fine things that make for the ennoblement of the children of men. ¶

My brothers and sisters, let me make this appeal to you. Be not deceived by the glitter of this vain world. There is a deeper joy than the pleasure of gratification. There is the joy of knowing God, of having sacred fellowship with him through the Holy Spirit. That is the deepest and the purest joy in the world. We cannot have this joy unless we live near to God and serve him and keep his commandments. ¶

I am thankful with all my heart for the humble part I have had in telling the world of the great things of God's latter-day glory. I love the truth ; I love this work ; I love this people ; I love to witness their advancement and their progress; and I pray that God will help us to be true to the truth and faithful to the faith, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶