Study of Doctrine and Covenants Urged

My brethren and sisters: This is a very wonderful sight, to see so many Latter-day Saints assembled in this great tabernacle. ¶

I have been thrilled thus far with the proceedings of the Conference. ¶

We had a most excellent session this forenoon, and the words that were spoken by President Clark it is to be hoped will reach far distant and fall upon the ears of law-makers, and of kings and potentates of the earth, and especially upon those who are engaged in war. ¶

I was thrilled with the remarks of the other brethren who spoke and with the singing of the choir. It was quite exceptional. ¶

And now, brethren and sisters, why are you assembled here? You have come from afar and from nearby, and there are others listening in. I take it that you have come to wait upon the Lord and listen to what he has to say to you through his anointed servants. It is a rare opportunity for the word of the Lord to reach our hearts as we are assembled in this sacred place. ¶

Study of Doctrine and Covenants Urged

I have here in my hand a most wonderful book, its value cannot be estimated in dollars and cents. It is one of the sacred books of the world; there are none greater perhaps. It is the Doctrine and Covenants, one of the standard works of the Church. This book, my brethren and sisters, is a book containing the revelations of God given unto this people through Joseph Smith, the Prophet. Some two hundred revelations collected and bound together, and they are sent forth as the Doctrine and Covenants of the Church. They constitute the pure word of God to us. We can depend upon the teachings of this book, and you should know that a deep and thorough study of the book before me is more than equivalent to a university education. You may wonder why I say this, but as a matter of fact the university education does not and could not give us the actual saving principles of eternal life. That information comes direct from our heavenly Father. ¶

The book of Doctrine and Covenants covers every phase of the Gospel of salvation, and speaks of the restoration of the Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods representing the authority of God given to man upon the earth. It describes the three glories -- the celestial, the terrestrial, and the telestial -- in far greater fulness than does the vision given to Paul the Apostle. It speaks in great plainness of the eternity of the marriage covenant that can be had only in the temple of God. It describes the glorious vision of the Savior in the Kirtland temple, his acceptance of the temple; the visitation of Moses and his commitment of the keys of gathering, and the visitation by Elias, and his commitment of authority; the visitation of Elijah in direct fulfilment of Malachi's prediction, pointing to the work for the dead, which is one of the important things that are very dear to us and cannot or must not be overlooked or forgotten, because we without our dead cannot be made perfect, and they without us cannot be made perfect. ¶

In the curriculum of the university of education what teaching will you find, though it may be important, that is equal to what is set forth in this precious book? ¶

Importance of Revelation

I would like to show by reading two lines here how very particular the Lord is. When he speaks there should be all attention, and when he commands, obedience should follow without hesitation, without murmur or fault-finding. Somebody might ask, which is the most important revelation in this wonderful book? I will answer you that I do not know, I have not the wisdom nor the understanding to determine that question. All of the revelations of God are important. He speaks to a point that is definite. Whenever he appears there is a reason, as there was when he appeared with his Beloved Son to Joseph the boy. There was a reason for his being there; it was not just an excursion from heaven down to the earth, but something important was about to happen. The Father spoke to the boy and said, "This is my Beloved Son, hear him!" So it appears there was something important to be said on that occasion. The Son spoke to the boy and said, "What do you want?" Not quite so roughly as that of course, but "What would you like?" And the boy replied in a simple way -- it was the language of a boy -- I want to know which one of these Christian sects is right. There are quite a number of them here and they have created very considerable disturbance. They contradict one another; they say Christ is here, and Christ is there, I want to know which one is right and which one I am to join? ¶

That was an important question for a boy fourteen years of age to put up to Deity. But he was in earnest about it, he wanted to know, and the Son said: You are not to join any of them, for none of them is right, and their worship is not acceptable to me, or words to that effect. ¶

The boy evidently was astonished. He did not know what to make of that statement. He thought one of the various churches must be right and the others of course wrong. But none of them was right, and he was told not to join them. He was given to understand that he had a work to do. ¶

Somebody might say, "Well, Brother Clawson, that was a wonderful vision, but why did the Lord wait; why didn't he just lay hands on the boy and bless him and bestow upon him divine authority to solve his problem?" Well, that was not the method the Lord used at that time, or perhaps any other time. The boy was not prepared to receive any authority. He was hardly prepared to endure the vision of the Father and the Son. I suppose he had to be transfigured in order to enjoy their presence. The boy must have some training, some schooling before he could do the work required of him, just as we need training and schooling for our work. We need to study and delve into principles of the Gospel and become acquainted with them. So this boy was ministered to by angels from heaven. He wanted to know about the principle of baptism. The Father and the Son sent John down to tell him and Oliver Cowdery and to give them what authority was needed at that time. The young boy would rapidly be growing older. Peter, James, and John, who held the Melchizedek Priesthood in the days of the Apostles, came later, and laid their hands upon the heads of Joseph and Oliver and committed to them the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood. ¶

I am telling you now something you already know, of course, but I presume there are many people here and in the Church who have not looked much into the Doctrine and Covenants. I do not think any of us spends any too much time in doing so. It is a big question. This great Gospel takes some thought and a good deal of prayer to comprehend it, and authority to exercise the Priesthood. There will be a gathering of the Priesthood in this building Saturday night and a great company of men of the Church and young boys will fill this house; it will be a wonderful sight. If that body of men who shall come together were all equally faithful in keeping the commandments of God one hundred per cent, they could make this great building, tremble on its foundation by the exercise of their faith. ¶

Daniel's Prophecy

I am talking to you now briefly, brethren and sisters, about the kingdom that Daniel saw when he looked down through the ages, down and down, until he came to that time when the world was broken up into small kingdoms. "There will be kings in that latter day." We are right in the midst of it, and then Daniel said by the spirit of prophecy: "In the days of these kings the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." ¶

Now we are identified with that kingdom, that something that must endure forever, and as long as we hold on to the kingdom and are faithful we will live forever in that kingdom. ¶

A Marvelous Work

Now I want to show you how very particular the Lord is. I am going to read from section 6 of the book of Doctrine and Covenants, being a revelation that was given to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery for their benefit, but it applies perhaps equally to all of the members of the Church. A general obligation goes with this section: ¶

A great and marvelous work is about to come forth unto the children of men. ¶

I think you will get the idea from what I have said that it is a tremendously important work. The Lord calls it a marvelous work, and he uses that expression in other sections. And then he goes on to say: ¶

Behold, I am God; give heed unto my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my words. ¶

You see the Lord must not be trifled with, and when he gives a commandment and we do not receive it and do not carry it out, what becomes of us? That man who takes such a course will become blind in his mind. While he thinks he is right and probably boasts of his standing in the Church he is nevertheless in the dark because he has ignored or broken the commandment of God. ¶

Riches of Eternal Life

I am passing over a number of paragraphs here until I come to the seventh paragraph in this revelation: ¶

Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich. ¶

I remember reading about the funeral of a brother in moderate financial circumstances. President Young was one of the speakers, and he pointed to the casket in which the remains were resting under the pulpit and said: "There lies a rich man." And yet he had been poor all his lifetime in the flesh. His talents, his ability were not of a financial character. There is really a sermon in that which might be developed if I had time. ¶

Then I pass on to the 13th verse. It is all good, brethren and sisters, but there are limitations: ¶

If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation. ¶

So if we seek for wisdom and we use it, that is what we will get, the gift of salvation. ¶

This is a very fine subject. It is a good thing to take a few moments in the Conference here to point out some of these things that may possibly be discussed by other speakers. ¶

I know that this is the kingdom of God, as referred to by Daniel. I verily believe that the temple on this block is the temple that Isaiah saw in vision: "The mountain of the Lord's house," and this is the people of God and I love them and am happy to be identified with them. ¶

I pray God to bless you, and bless the Presidency, the Twelve, and other Authorities, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶