A Remarkable Age

What a remarkable age is this in which we live! It seems to me that it is most wonderful, and I feel grateful that the Lord has permitted me to live in an age and time when such wonderful progress has been made, in an age that surpasses all previous periods in the history of the world, and yet the preacher tells us there is no new thing under the sun — things which were, which are now, and will be in the future. Sometimes I almost doubt that, and yet when I contemplate it still further, I believe that all of our progress, the advancement of science, all our new inventions and discoveries, the great things that are taking place in the world today, mean simply this, that we are approaching nearer to the ultimate truth, that truth however which is eternal, and always has been, and always will be. ¶

None of the great principles of progress is changed. Many things are changing. We change our views with regard to many things, and in these changes lie the principles of progress, we do not remain just where we are. We are going onward, but that progress is that we are approaching more nearly to the truth. ¶

We want to keep abreast with all the various things we see around us ; we do not want to be accused at any time of not progressing. We ought to adapt ourselves more or less to the times in which we live and not be what some people call those who do not change at all, "old fogies." Old fogies ? Oh, no, but there are some things that do not change, and one thing is the truth, and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the truth. Whenever we see people who undertake to make changes in the fundamental things that have been revealed from heaven they are undertaking to change God's truth. ¶

The Lord has said, "I am the Lord, and I change not." His word shall endure forever. The Lord has so ordained that a number of generations shall be contemporary in sojourning upon this earth. What a wise provision is this! What a wonderful thing is wedlock, the home where father and mother rear their family of children ! What a splendid thing it is to have grandfathers and grandmothers, and even great grandfathers and great grandmothers, four or five generations sometimes con- ¶

temporary, living upon the earth at the same time ! What a wonderful advantage that is to mankind, an advantage to the aged, and an advantage to the young, to live and to mingle together and to partake of each other's feeling and spirit! Youth — how eager they ought to be to profit by the experience of Age ! The aged — what a wonderful and elevating influence it must have upon them as they ponder over the lives and characters of their own children ! What a development of all the Christian virtues is involved in this contact or association with those you love — your own kindred ! It always brings a certain amount of regret when this association is lacking. ¶

Old age can learn much from youth. They keep us abreast with the times ; they keep us alive to the burning questions of the day. Therefore, you fathers and mothers, let us listen to the young with sympathetic hearts while they endeavor to instruct us, which they sometimes feel themselves quite competent to do. But, oh youth, you have much to learn from old age! Out of the rich experiences of many years your elders are surely able to instruct you in the way of life, in the principles of truth. ¶

The Psalmist says : "I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." Therefore youth should hearken and give heed unto the counsels of old age ; they should seek the counsel of their fathers and their mothers. Remember the Lord's commandment : "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." How greatly then we ought to appreciate the privilege of living with them and seeking their counsel, and we ought not to regard them as "old fogies," or somebody not up to the times. How can one be up to the times unless he can benefit by the experience he has ? How could there be any progress without experience ? ¶

"There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding," and whatever understanding we have it comes from the Almighty. There is no other source of knowledge. He is the great fountain of all truth, the inspirer of all discoveries ; they all come from him. I am aware that sometimes we find inventors, discoverers and scientists that are not always willing to admit the source of their inventions and their discoveries, but nevertheless it is true.. We do not always appreciate when the Lord is making known his truth. ¶

I remember in my school days many years ago reading the story of a Greek philosopher, Archimedes, who was making a study of specific gravity, the relative weight of things. Upon one occasion while he was bathing in a pool of water he observed that his body in the water was much lighter than it was out of the water, and as he pondered upon it a flash of light came to him and, greatly elated over his discovery, and forgetting that he was naked, he rushed out into the street crying "Eureka, Eureka, — I have found it!" ¶

Now what was that ? There was a spirit in the man and the inspiration of the Almighty had given him understanding. It does not detract from the honor that is due to the scientist, the discoverer, or the ¶

inventor to say that God has used him in bringing truth to light. And what is true of secular knowledge and of the things that pertain to our temporal salvation is likewise true of religion. God uses scientists and philosophers, inventors and discoverers — for they are also his servants — in bringing secular truth to light ; but he also uses his servants, the prophets, in bringing spiritual truth to light. ¶

What a wonderful flood of light came into this world with the advent of the Gospel, with the coming of the Prophet Joseph Smith, that prophet of the latter days 1 What wonderful discoveries have come to us and to all mankind ! The same almighty being who overrules all things is bringing to pass his mighty purposes, and a flood of spiritual light has come to the world through the instrumentality of the prophet of God in the day and age in which we live. That is another source of joy and gladness to me that I live in this glorious day, notwithstanding the fact the world seems to be changing. We are merely discovering more truth. ¶

How eager we should be to keep abreast of the times and come to a knowledge of the truth, both secular and spiritual, scientific and religious. Be assured that when we do there will be no conflict between the two. Doctor John A. W'idtsoe tells us in that excellent little book "In Search of Truth" that "the way to truth may be found by anyone who desires it." "But," says he, "he must desire it with all his might, mind and strength." ¶

We often sing the words of our inspired poet, John Jacques : ¶

Yes, say, what is Truth? Tis the brightest prize ¶

To which mortals or Gods can aspire; ¶

Go search in the depths where it glittering lies, ¶

Or ascend in pursuit to the loftiest skies, ¶

'Tis an aim for the noblest desire. ¶

And let me add the following words found in the closing paragraphs of the Lord's preface to the Doctrine and Covenants : ¶

Search these commandments for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled. ¶

What I the Lord have spoken, I have speken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same. ¶

For behold, and lo, the Lord is God, and the spirit beareth record, and the record fs true, and the truth abideth forever and ever. ¶

But other things do change. I am reminded of a little sentiment I read in an autograph album in the German language when I was upon my first mission. Slightly paraphrased it reads like this : ¶

Es wechselt Zeit und Glueck Es aendert alles sich Doch Gottes Liebe bleibt Stets unveraenderlich. ¶

Translated into English, without any attempt at rhyming, it means ¶

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this : Time and fortune change, everything changes, but the love of God remains always unchangeable. ¶

'And so it is with his glorious Gospel. It is the means of advancement, it is the means of progressing along spiritual lines. If we would be better men and better women, and lay hold on eternal life, let us render obedience to those principles which God has revealed, and which have remained the same from eternity to eternity, never changing. If we have fallen by the way and made mistakes and feel almost depressed and discouraged, resort again to those principles. There never was a time when genuine faith and sincere repentance would not bring a blessing and a change for better in one's life. There never can be a time when these principles will not bring progress and advancement. There never will be a time when we can grow in the knowledge of God and good works without the application of these principles. Be not discouraged or fall by the way, but if we have made mistakes repent and (if not already) be baptized, every one of us, for the remission of our sins, and we shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. These principles are applicable to all mankind and they never change worlds without end. ¶

May God bless us and our children to the latest generation and help us to live in accordance with them, that we may come to the knowledge of the Truth. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶