Importance of Service

My brethren and sisters, the audience in this wonderful building is an inspiration, and it reminds me of the great faith and confidence of the members of the Church in its divine organization. ¶

IMPORTANCE OF SERVICE ¶

During the few moments that I shall occupy I desire to call your attention to what I think is of the greatest importance not only as affecting the Church and its growth, but in every worthy avocation of ¶

life ; that is, service — service to our God, service to our country, service to the family, service to the Church. Without such service, it seems to me, my brethren and sisters, there would not be in the hearts of the people a full knowledge of their duty, not only to God and country, and family, and the Church, but to all the activities of life in which they become engaged or interested. ¶

Service to our God — I doubt whether there is a people living on the earth as near to God and who recognize the duty that they owe to our Heavenly Father as do the Latter-day Saints. I am proud to say that I doubt whether there is a people — in fact I am positive of it — whose loyalty and service to the country is greater than that of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ¶

We believe that the Constitution of the United States was an inspired instrument from our Heavenly Father, and we believe in being loyal and true to that document and to every requirement made of us as citizens of the greatest country in the world. ¶

We believe in service to family, one of the great and important things of life. I sometimes think, my brethren and sisters, that men of affairs give less attention to their own loved ones than they do to public interests. I hope not, I pray not, but I am fearful that some of us are guilty of this. There is no question in my mind about our loyalty and service to the Church. This vast audience demonstrates beyond question of doubt your loyalty, and we know of your service. ¶

So, my brethren and sisters, I desire to call attention this morning to some of the fundamental principles that should be in the lives not only of the Latter-day Saints, but in the lives of honest, devoted, true men and women no matter what church they may belong to. ¶

THE BURDEN OF DEBT ¶

We are living in a day of extravagance, and I might say not only we as individuals of the nation, but I am fearful that extreme extravagance reaches into every organization — city, county, state, and nation. I know how hard it is to reduce an obligation, even that of the government of the United States. At the close of the World War our government was owing $26,187,000,000. For ten years succeeding that time every effort was made, and I assure you that everything that I could do as chairman of the Finance Committee and the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, was done to raise the money and meet the obligations of our government. It took ten long years to reduce the government indebtedness to $16,000,000,000. Now we are about to enter into the thirty billions. I want to call attention to that fact, not by way of criticism, but to emphasize what I have already said, that in the family, I care not where that family may be, every member of it, should be acquainted with what the head of the family receives, and make a plan to live within that income ; and I am going to add, if there is any possible way of saving a little each year do that. ¶

We do not know what is coming; we do not know, my brethren and sisters, altogether what obligations we will be called to meet, but ¶

I pray you to keep out of debt if it is possible for you to do so. I may say that the members of the home must be united in order to carry out this desirable condition. ¶

THE HUMBLE HOME OF A PRESIDENT ¶

I remember that upon one occasion I was asked by President Coolidge to attend a conference to consider the policy to be adopted by the United States respecting the indebtedness of foreign countries to the United States. The meeting was held at his father's home. I shall never forget the thoughts I had when I was called to the boyhood home of the President to consider the question of our national indebtedness. It was built scores of years before, and as I ride through the different settlements of our state and look at some of the humble homes built years and years ago I say : "There was a home of a President of the United States that was just as simple, no more pretentious." Inside the home the fixtures and furniture were what you would expect to see inside a home in any of our little towns or cities within our own state. It taught me a lesson, and I then understood why he as President of the United States watched and guarded personally every item of expense, and wherever in his judgment there should be a reduction he never hesitated to call it to the attention of the Appropriations Committee. ¶

So, my brethren and sisters, the few words that I have said in relation to the matter of being careful, prudent, and saving are said in the hope that you will be watchful that nothing is done by way of extravagance to bring a debt upon yourself and loved ones. ¶

A PRAYER FOR BLESSINGS ¶

Father in heaven, we jointly ask of thee at this time for wisdom and judgment to carry on thy work, and may we all be loyal and true to the great cause that we have espoused. How wonderful has been its growth, and what an influence for good it is to be in the future and in the affairs of the world we cannot know, but we do know that it is going to be a power for good. God grant his choicest blessings upon the Presidency of this Church. Lead and guide them by thy Holy Spirit, that they may have the love, and the honor, and the respect of men of the world who are honest in heart, and that they may be upheld by the prayers of the people of this Church, that they may be one united body, with one thought in mind, that is : God's great work upon this earth, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶

TABERNACLE CHOIR AND ORGAN BROADCAST ¶

From 10:30 to 11:00 the following program of choral and organ music was presented by the Tabernacle Choir and Organ which program was broadcast by radio throughout the United States and Canada through the courtesy of the Columbia Broadcasting System, originating over Station KSL, Salt Lake City : ¶

"Glorious Things Are Sung of Zion" (Daynes) — Choir. ¶

"Prelude to the Deluge" (Saint Saens) — Organ. ¶

"Listen to the Lambs" (Dett) — Choir. ¶

"Toccata" (Boellman) — Organ. ¶

"Music When Soft Voices Die" (Dickinson) — Choir. ¶

"In the Forest" (Durand) — Organ. ¶

"Worthy is the Lamb" (Handel) — Choir. ¶

CHURCH OF THE AIR BROADCAST ¶

At the conclusion of the Tabernacle Choir and Organ broadcast, a thirty minute program was presented on the Columbia Broadcasting System's regularly scheduled Church of the Air series, this being a nation-wide broadcast. The radio announcer was Richard L. Evans. ¶

The program opened with the Tabernacle Choir and the congregation joining in the singing of the hymn "High On the Mountain Top." ¶

Elders John A. Widtsoe and Melvin J. Ballard were the speakers. ¶