Welfare and Personal Responsibility

I am happy, my brethren and sisters, to be with you here this morning and to listen to the remarks that have been made. As a member of the Presiding Bishopric much of my time during the last year has been taken by those who find themselves distressed. In an effort to discover the reason for such distress I find that a large majority have brought that condition upon themselves through their own actions. May I give you an example? ¶

One laboring man seeking employment was put to work at a nominal salary and he understood that he was to be employed only a few days and then would be replaced by someone else. After a week he received his check. He stated that he had purchased a radio, had paid five dollars down and agreed to pay a dollar a week, and would lose his radio unless he continued in employment. ¶

An aged brother, past the fruitful age of life, who some years ago owned clear a very choice farm, had sufficient means to spend his winters in California. He now finds himself without a farm, too old to.find employment, wondering what he is going to do. It seems that ¶

he was not satisfied with the land he had and felt that he should have more. To secure more it was necessary to mortgage that which hehad. Prices did inot continue as they were. His land did not produce crops as it had been producing and he soon found that he could not keep up his payments on principal and interest and taxes. He thus lost his inheritance to those who held the mortgage. ¶

On the other hand, one of our ibishops called at the office to ask advice. He had money in the bank and desired to know where he could put that money to make it safe. I inquired how this money had come to him ? His answer was : ¶

"When I came from the old country I heard your father deliver a sermon in the tabernacle in which he told the people to keep out of debt, to get a little piece of land, just enough upon which to make a, home, and then save. When enough money is accumulated to buy more, buy it, but do not go into debt. Live within your means. Do without some things you would like, with the hope that in time you will enjoy those things without being in bondage during the time of enjoyment. I remembered that and secured a small piece of ground, a neighbor loaned me his team and plow to do the first plowing. ¶

"I had a little means with which to build a modest little one-room house, and since that time I have added to my holdings." He said : "I have always produced enough on my farm to pay my tithing and my taxes and then have sufficient left to keep myself and my family in comfort, and I have never been in debt." ¶

A few weeks ago while attending a conference I was taken to the home of a bishop, a modest, comfortable little home. There were eight children in the family. He had a small farm of about thirty acres. i ¶

I asked about conditions in his ward. He answered : ¶

"We are not suffering, at least those of us who have not contracted debts. Some are suffering; those who have gone into debt for things they could do without are finding this to be a real hard time. I will not suffer. The Lord has been good to me. I have harvested my wheat crop — turned it into the mill and taken flour — I have enough flour put away to last me during the coming year. My potato crop is promising, and my other vegetables also. We will have sufficient food to carry us through the winter and I have enough money to pay my taxes and to fill my bin with coal sufficient to keep us warm." ¶

I have given you two sides of a great story which is at the present time a problem world-wide — what are we to do during these times of depression? A year after the close of the (World War I attended a convention in the East. One of the speakers in that convention among other sayings made the following statement : ¶

"Our experience with the army has taught us that today the people have no love for the old conventional religion. Instead, there are selfishness and pettiness. We must do away with the false social distinction and create a new church ideal for our present needs, one with social aims worth fighting for, not a mere selfish gospel of safety. Let them lift up the better faith of the Christian life. Let them practice as well as preach fraternity and draw together in one common cause." ¶

We may well recall that from the very beginning of the world ¶

the Lord has used two methods of calling forcibly to the attention of his children the fact that they owe obedience to him and his laws. One is that of war, destruction by the sword ; the other is that of famine through which he brings us face to face with his power. It seems that under the conditions of poverty we are more apt to turn to God than we are when facing the cannon or the sword. The last war developed the fact that men were turning from God. Mammon was made their God. They seemed to console themselves in the thought that man is not actually created in the image of God, that he is a spirit, a God of love, who dwells in the heart of man, which it seems to me makes of man an infidel, for under such conditions one can create his own God and worship in his own manner. At the present time we find ourselves in a condition that has followed such periods from the very beginning, and the Lord has found it necessary to remind us, as he has others in ages 'past, that he will not be mocked and that it is our duty to turn again to him, to meet our obligations to him, and serve him in faith. To do this is not only a duty but a privilege with a promise of blessings. ¶

President Grant has again urged us to pay our tithing and fast offerings. How many of us are paying an honest tithe and fast offering? I shall not mention at this time the average amount paid, but suggest that when we go home we look over our tithing and fast offering record, study it carefully, and I think many will find that although they feel they are doing a wonderful work they are only paying a mere pittance. Many of us feel that we are faithfully serving the Lord, and many are. The (Lord has said that we have many things to do and many things to repent of, and that we are not pardoned because we seek to counsel in our own way. ¶

As I travel through this Church I find many men of integrity and faith who are willing to give up all in the world they have in an effort to serve God. I am not belittling in the least their work, but there are many of us who should be following, who are leaving them to carry the load. We are not measuring up, and because of those who fail to keep the commandments of God many who are striving to serve him are required to pay the penalty with them. ¶

My brethren and sisters, let us think of these things seriously and in the spirit of faith and humbly. Time will not permit me to go into more detail. Let us study our own conditions and our own affairs, not forgetting our neighbors, plead with the Lord that he will help us overcome these conditions which are so distressing at this time. He has shown the way and given his promise. Have we faith in him ? Have we faith in his servants whom we sustain as our leaders ? If so, we shall not be long in finding the way out. ¶

May his blessings be upon us. May we have wisdom and judgment and love to guide us in all that we do, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶