Two Important Doctrines

My brethren and sisters, I am quite sure that this is the largest congregation of Latter-day Saints that I have ever had the privilege of standing before. I think there must be in this building at least nine thousand people, and in addition to that number there is a large audience in the Assembly Hall, and another congregation in the Barratt Hall, and still in addition to that there is a large congregation of people who are "listening in."I said to Brother John M. Knight, as we were leaving the building yesterday, that I sat right behind him on the stand and could hear every word he said. He seemed to be pleased with that information, and as he was able to make me hear him, I trust that I shall be able to make you hear me. ¶

Two Important Doctrines

I have been deeply impressed with the sermons of the brethren who have spoken, both yesterday and today. President Grant in the opening address gave the key note to the conference. He explained clearly our belief in Deity; yes our belief in God the Father and in Jesus Christ, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, which is one God, the God of the Bible. He also stressed, with his usual force and precision, two very important doctrines of the gospel — one the Word of Wisdom and the other the law of tithing. In my talk this afternoon, if I can come somewhere within the range of the keynote address, I will not be going very far astray. Another thing, it should be remembered that the doctrines of the gospel may be approached at different angles, which gives a little spice and variety to the discourses of the brethren. This I think is acceptable to the Lord and pleasing to the Latter-day Saints. ¶

Greater and Lesser Laws

How wonderful is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul the Apostle describes it as the power of God unto salvation to all those who believe and obey it. But the question naturally arises: "What is this salvation the apostle was referring to? You will find among the writings and sermons of the Prophet Joseph Smith some information upon this very important subject. He said that a man could not be fully saved until he had put all enemies under his feet in this world, and subdued or dominated all evil spirits in the world to come, as it was written of Christ that he should reign until he put all enemies under his feet, the last enemy being death. ¶

Within the scope of the gospel there are very many doctrines or laws. There are some people who presume to determine which are great and which are small. As for instance, you may hear a person say: Well, this doctrine of the gospel is one of the greater doctrines, and this other doctrine, well that is one of the lesser laws, It seems ¶

to me it is presumptuous upon the part of any man to determine a matter of that kind. Who can say, except God himself, the author of the gospel, which are the greater and which are the lesser laws, if there be any difference. I have been reflecting somewhat upon the two important doctrines or laws that the President so beautifully and powerfully emphasized in his address. One is the law of health, the other is the law of revenue; or in other words the Word of Wisdom and the law of Tithing. ¶

As to the Word of Wisdom

Relative to the Word of Wisdom, brethren and sisters, we are told in the revelation itself, which was given February 27, 1833, that it was given to show forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of his people. That sounds very fine to me. It is wonderful if we can be saved temporally. It is necessary, it is essential, and this was given, it seems, for that very purpose. The Lord then proceeds to tell his people what is hurtful to the body. He knew; he has always known; therefore he advises his people. He tells us that strong drinks are not good for the body, that tobacco is not good for the body, but was intended for all sick cattle, and is to be used with judgment and skill. We are also told that not only strong drinks are not good for the body, but that hot drinks, meaning tea and coffee, are not good for the body. ¶

In giving this great revelation, the Lord has not left his people in the dark, After pointing out some of the things that are exceedingly hurtful to the body, he points out the articles of food that are good for the body, namely all wholesome herbs to be used with prudence and thanksgiving, the flesh of beasts and the fowls of the air, to be used sparingly and not to excess; all grain, the same being ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life. Here is a law that reaches out in opposite directions. It tells us on the one hand what is good for these our mortal bodies, on the other, what is bad for them. It is the law of health. Are the Latter-day Saints observing it? Many are, some are not. Those who fail to keep it cannot plead ignorance, for the law has been in force upon the Church of Christ for ninety-two years, and is often mentioned in the congregations of the Saints. It should not be overlooked, nor forgotten, that this law was given with a promise of great blessings through its observance; for it is written down in the statute that, "all Saints who remember to keep and do these things, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones, and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures, and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass them by as the children of Israel, and not slay them." ¶

Its Spiritual and Temporal Character

This promise greatly emphasizes also the spiritual character of the ¶

law, as well as the temporal, and justifies one in saying that the Word of Wisdom is not only temporal in its nature, but is also spiritual, for surely wisdom and great treasures of knowledge are spiritual. In further evidence of this the Lord said to Joseph Smith in the revelation of the Three Glories, namely: ¶

"For thus saith the Lord— I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness, and in truth to the end. ¶

"Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory. And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom. ¶

"Yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know and tilings to come will I show them even the things of many generations. ¶

"And their wisdom shall be great and their understanding reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish and, the understanding of the prudent shall come to naught ¶

"For by my Spirit will I enlighten them and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will — yea,.even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man." ¶

The Promise Is Sure

Let me say here, in all solemnity, that those who fail to keep this law cannot justly claim the promise. ¶

I fancy I hear some one say: "Ah, Brother Clawson, my father was a good man, a faithful Latter-day Saint. He kept the commandments of God, he was an observer of the Word of Wisdom. At the age of seventy he died, and the destroying angel came and took him away." ¶

My answer to that is: "Brother, would you make the promise of God of non-effect? Would you intimate that the Lord who gave this law and this promise unto its people failed in your father's case to keep his promise? Surely it was not so. True, the angel of death may have been in your father's home when he passed away, in fact, may have come for your father, but he was not a destroying angel, no, he was an angel of peace, of mercy, of hope, of love, and he came to open the door of light and life and everlasting joy to your good father." ¶

Death comes to all. The death of the righteous is sweet but the death of the wicked, of the rebellious, of those who are wilfully neglectful of their duty and treat lightly the sacred commandments of God, is bitter. Oh, Israel, God will not be mocked in these latter days. His house is a house of order. His will is supreme. He gives the law and demands of his children obedience thereto. ¶

Concerning the Use of Tobacco

Again referring to those things that are hurtful to the body, I quote from an article by Will H. Brown of Oakland, California, as follows: ¶

"Tobacco A Source of Inefficiency "Newspaper dispatches from Washington, D. C. state that the amount spent ¶

for tobacco in the United States for 1923, was $3,090,000,000. That -is more than $1,000,000 more than was spent for admission to movies and theatres, for imported silks, for candy and sweets, jewelry, face powder, lipsticks, perfumes, imported diamonds and precious stones, all combined. ¶

"The further statement is made that the tobacco bill of the United States for 1923 would pay the entire ordinary operating expenses of the Government for the next fiscal year, according to the new budget estimates. It has been well known for some time that the tobacco bill is far in excess of the total cost and valuation of the entire public school system of America. ¶

"But great as is the cost in money, it is small in comparison with the cost in mental, moral and physical efficiency. The lack of care and thought on the part of many workers in many lines is a matter of common comment. A man who stated he had been a yardmaster for the last thirty-five years, wrote to one of the well known financial writers for the Hearst papers, saying: "There are only a few good men left in all the great railroad terminals."" ¶

"The increase in crime and immorality, which is one of the alarming conditions now faced in this country, keeps pace with the increase in the use of tobacco. One prominent judge says he regrets to see a girl smoking, for he considers a cigarette in the mouth of a girl as a brand of the prostitute. Tens of thousands of women and girls are now smoking. We must remember, however, that tobacco is no more demoralizing for one sex than the other." ¶

In face of the fact that tobacco exerts a baneful and demoralizing effect on the body and the mind, there are some members of the Church and even young men and boys, who have acquired the habit and go on using tobacco. It appears to be a matter of deliberate and wilful disregard of God's commandment. And then what shall we say of members of the Church, if there be any, and I fear there are, who not only violate the law of God, but also the law of man, by using bootleg whiskey that in some cases paralyzes the body and blinds the eyes. If the Latter-day 'Saints will but do their simple duty, they will be living above and beyond the law of prohibition, which is a righteous and most beneficient law. ¶

The Law of Revenue for the Church

The time is gone. I might say in conclusion that the other great law emphasized was the law of revenue for the Church. No church under the heavens can be fully established and have assurance that it will prosper without revenue, and therefore the churches of the world have planned in various ways to raise revenue to meet their current expenses, and to build up their institutions. In many instances, they have adopted the custom of passing around the plate during their religious services, or in other words taking up a collection. Now the Lord knew very well that, if he established his Church, there must be a way provided for gathering revenue for the Church. In his wisdom he gave to us the law of tithing. It is very simple, it is very beautiful, In reading that law nobody need to go astray or to misunderstand it. It bears down equally upon all, according to their circumstances, and that idea alone is very valuable. For instance, if a man is getting one thousand /dollars a month, he pays one tenth, or one hundred dollars, for tithing. If a man is getting five hundred dollars a month, he pays fifty dollars tithing. If he is getting thirty dollars a month, three ¶

dollars tithing. If a man is getting ten dollars a month, which is inconceivable, he should pay one dollar in tithing; and, as I have heard the law explained by our late President Joseph F. Smith, if a widow woman gathers ten eggs from her chickens, she should pay one egg for tithing, and will then have nine eggs left to go on with. Doubtless the widow woman will not miss that one egg. Doubtless the man that earns one thousand dollars a month, if he will be honest with the Lord and pay his tithing, will not miss the one hundred dollars. The Lord said to ancient Israel: "Why have you robbed me?"Ancient Israel said to him: "Lord, how have we robbed thee?"And the answer was: "You have robbed me in your tithes and offerings."Now, if we will pay our tithes and offerings, the Lord has said: "I will open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."So there is a blessing and a promise that go with tithing as there is with the Word of Wisdom. The Lord bless you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶