An Example in Righteousness

I hope and pray that I may have the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord in what I shall say this afternoon. ¶

Very timely counsel and instruction were given in the meeting this morning. I was pleased that our attention was called to the duties of parents and teachers and their responsibility in looking after the interests of our children and the youth of Israel and in imparting proper instruction while they are young so that they may not depart from it. ¶

I believe fully that we are living in the last days; that we are approaching very rapidly the advent of the Son of God on the earth. President Grant made reference to this in his remarks this morning. ¶

AN EXAMPLE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS ¶

This afternoon I would like, if I may be led to do so, to say a few words to the Latter-day Saints by way of counsel and perhaps admonition. We have been informed that the world is full of lawlessness, and especially is this the case in our own country which is dedicated as a land of liberty. The Latter-day Saints are as a city set on a hill that cannot be hid, and like the candle that gives light to all who are in the house. It is our duty to let our light shine as an example in righteousness, not only to the people among whom we live, but to the peoples of the whole earth. It is our duty to be law-abiding. We are commanded by the Lord to keep his commandments and also to be obedient to the laws of the land. Having the light of the Gospel as it has been revealed, we are under obligation to set examples in righteousness before all men. We have been endowed with power from on high. We have been blessed with direct revelation through our prophets. We know the Authorities of the Church are entitled to ¶

inspiration, and that they receive it. We know that we have been guided by revelation and commandment from the Lord. With this light and knowledge before us, there is no place in the Church for the disobedient and the rebellious, the violator of the law. There is no place for those who do not have in their hearts a love of the truth and who remain unrepentant. When I say this I do not mean to convey the thought that we have no sympathy for the lawbreaker and no love for the unrepentant. It is our commission to go into all the world and cry repentance and endeavor to save the sinner; but if men will not repent who are in the Church, and if they will not be obedient to the teachings of the Church, then they are not entitled to membership. It is the duty of every member to be repentant, to be humble, to be willing to receive counsel, and to walk in the light as it has been revealed to us. ¶

LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS ¶

Today many of the laws on our statutes are ridiculed. Some of the people stand in opposition to them because they have been misled in believing that mistakes have been made. Others are standing in opposition to the law because they have malicious and evil hearts. The Latter-day Saints are quite generally law-abiding citizens, both of the nation and of the kingdom of God. We should be such, for we are under covenant to walk in the light of the truth, to be obedient to the statutes and the judgments which have been given us for our guidance both civilly and spiritually as members of the Church. ¶

IN A DAY OF WICKEDNESS ¶

We are living in a day of wickedness. I do not believe, as some seem to think, that the world is growing better. I cannot make that thought appear consistent with the word of the Lord, for he has emphatically said otherwise. If the world is becoming more righteous, then the coming of the Lord will of necessity have to be postponed, because he is going to come in the day of wickedness, in the day of judgment, and when vengeance against the ungodly is in his heart. At that time he will cleanse the earth of its unrighteousness, and we are told there will be "few men left." ¶

Let me read one or two passages of scripture which bear upon this point. These sayings have been given us for our guidance and for the guidance of the whole world if they will receive them. The Lord says in a revelation given shortly after the organization of the Church : ¶

"And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect ; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts ; ¶

"Wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the Father that they shall be gathered in unto one place upon the face of this land, to prepare their hearts and be prepared in all things against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked. ¶

"For the hour is nigh and the day soon at hand when the earth is ripe; and all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn ¶

them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that wickedness shall not be upon the earth ; ¶

"For the hour is nigh, and that which was spoken by mine apostles must be fulfilled ; for as they spoke so shall it come to pass ; ¶

"For I will reveal myself from heaven with power and great glory, with all the hosts thereof, and dwell in righteousness with men on earth a thousand years, and the wicked shall not stand." ¶

Again in another revelation the Lord said : ¶

"Behold, I, the Lord, utter my voice, and it shall be obeyed. ¶

"Wherefore, verily I say, let the wicked take heed, and let the rebellious fear and tremble; and let the unbelieving hold their lips, for the day of wrath shall come upon them as a whirlwind, and all flesh shall know that I am God. ¶

"And he that seeketh signs shall see signs, but not unto salvation." ¶

So the Lord is going to come when the cup of iniquity is full. He has said : ¶

"Mine indignation is soon to be poured out without measure upon the nations ; and this will I do when the cup of their iniquity is full." ¶

Here is the testimony of the Lord to Enoch as it is given in the Pearl of Great Price: ¶

"And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah. ¶

"And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth ; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve." ¶

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WATCHMEN UPON THE TOWERS ¶

Brother B. H. Roberts, this morning, called our attention to the fact that we are watchmen upon the towers of Israel. It is our duty to warn, to admonish, to teach, in righteousness, the Latter-day Saints and all peoples. I think we are under responsibility to warn the world and call the attention of the people to these predictions and cry among them repentance, and ask them to repent, that they too may receive the Gospel and thus escape from these calamities and tribulations which even now are being poured out upon the nations of the earth. The Lord has promised us that Zion may escape from this destruction and trouble if she will hearken to his commandments and walk in his statutes. But Zion will not escape unless she is willing to walk in humility and obedience. If we refuse to hearken to counsel, if we refuse to observe the laws of the Gospel and to live in humility, faith and love, then we will be visited "with sore affliction, with pestilence, with plague, with sword, with vengeance, with devouring fire." Therefore, I feel it my duty to cry repentance and to warn the people. ¶

OUR DUTY ON THE SABBATH DAY ¶

I pray that these things may pass us by, but I fear they will not unless there is sincere repentance in Israel. As I travel up and down through the stakes of Zion, I discover that there are those among the ¶

Latter-day Saints who are violators of the Sabbath day. Now. the breaking of this great law is not confined to those who are not of us ; but in our own communities the Sabbath day is set aside as a day of pleasure rather than a day for worshiping the Lord and for reflection and study concerning the things which pertain to eternal life. I think it is deplorable and the Lord will not hold us guiltless. ¶

Latter-day Saints have no business, with the Gospel before us, and the direct commandments we have received from the Lord, to go to the picture shows on Sunday. Sunday is our Sabbath. The Lord has set it apart as such and has commanded us to observe it faithfully. We have no right to go to pleasure resorts on that day. We have no business at the baseball games, and other places of amusement on this, the Lord's day ; but should be found inside our church buildings which have been dedicated for the worship of the Lord our God. We should go to the house of the Lord, and there confess our sins, partake of the sacrament and receive instruction in praise and thanksgiving, rejoicing in the truth. This is our duty on the Sabbath day, and we should be engaged in no other thing, for this is a day appointed unto us in which to rest from our labors and to pay our devotions to the Most High. ¶

NEED OF REPENTANCE ¶

We have been warned many times, and I say, my brethren and sisters, there is room for repentance among the Latter-day Saints. We had better repent or many of us will find ourselves caught in the snares and in the net. The Lord has said that when he comes those who will not hearken to the voice of his servants, and more especially to the voice of Jesus Christ, our Lord, shall be cut off from among the people. There will be many among those in Zion and who belong to the Church, who shall be called upon to mourn and to lament, as did the Nephites of old, unless we turn with full purpose, to the worship of the Lord and the keeping of his commandments. That we may turn unto the Lord and remember the covenants we have made with him and thus be worthy in the day of his coming, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶