Pessimism and Optimism

Of the First Council of the Seventy ¶

I am delighted, brethren and sisters, with this opportunity of standing before you for just a few short minutes this morning. The gathering of men who were here in this building last night, and the gatherings of men and women who have been here during this Conference, give new testimony to the fact that there is in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints still a fervent faith in God, our heavenly Father. ¶

Pessimism and Optimism

There are people in the Church who have the temerity to say that our condition is such as to justify, perhaps, God our heavenly Father in taking the Gospel from us. I have had at least one man cite to me the sixteenth chapter of Third Nephi, tenth and eleventh verses, in which God says that when certain conditions shall prevail within the Church, He will take the Gospel from us, citing as justification the fact that we are now in such a condition that we might lose it -- a pessimistic view, indeed, I take it. ¶

I insist on feeling, brethren and sisters, that I am an optimist. As I move about among you people I have many opportunities to see how you feel, to realize your trust in God our heavenly Father, and I believe that there is in the Church today still the same faith that characterized our ¶

grandfathers and grandmothers when this Church was re-established in our dispensation. ¶

If you will permit, I would like to cite you just one or two instances which make me feel this way. ¶

Faith in Missionary Work

One time when I was in the Mexican Mission I passed through a little town in Arizona, and asked a man how he felt regarding the depression. He said: "We feel just as we always do, Brother Ivins. It is always depression in this section." I happened to know that that man had a family of six or eight, and that every boy and girl that he had, who was of age, had performed a mission for the Church, one of them at that very time serving in the Mission over which I had the privilege of presiding. ¶

Not very many weeks ago a man came into my office with his son. He said: "Brother Ivins, I am presenting this son for a mission." The few questions that I directed to him brought out the fact that this was the ninth child of his to fulfil a mission for the Church; that in addition to those nine, he had supported his brother on a mission, and was at that very time supporting a man, who was not of his family, in the New England States Mission. ¶

One time when I was interviewing a young man in Idaho, his father having brought him in, said: "Brother Ivins, we recommend this boy for a short-term mission. If, however, the leaders of the Church feel that he should serve a full term, they are welcome to his services, but in that event my wife and I will be forced to sacrifice our home, which represents the savings of our lifetime. We are willing to do it if the Church requires it." ¶

Those things indicate to me that in those instances, at least, there is a fine degree of faith within the Church. As we move around we interview prospective missionaries who are to be called to go out into the world, and we ask them some very pertinent and sometimes very delicate questions, to find out just what their attitude is, and how they have lived. I find, to my utter pleasure and satisfaction, that almost without exception those young men and young women are able to tell me, and look me honestly in the eye when they do it, that in preparation for this great event in their lives they have lived clean and pure lives. ¶

Now, when that type of faith exists within the Church I am not particularly worried as to the future. I feel that God is going to be justified in honoring the Priesthood which He has here in the Church at this time, and that He will not feel like taking the Gospel from us. ¶

Love of Neighbor Exhibited in Welfare Work

iO'lKsWe had portrayed the accomplishments of the Church Welfare work, the other day, in the program of one of these meetings. Nobody can look at those things and tell me that there is not faith still in the Church. I think we are meeting those problems with a wonderful display ¶

of faith. It gives me an unbounded satisfaction to realize that men are willing to devote their time and their talents, not only without compensation, but at their expense, for the welfare of their fellows. ¶

The injunction of Christ was that we should love God, our heavenly Father, first, and our neighbor second; and this is indication to me that we do, most of us at least, love our neighbors, for we are willing to work for them, and work for them for nothing, help them over their pitfalls and out of their troubles, and to a higher state of living. ¶

Now, why should we be terribly pessimistic over this outlook, when we realize that those conditions prevail? We do recognize the fact, however, that there are conditions within the Church which need rectifying. There are too few of us who are living fully and completely up to our opportunities. ¶

Melchizedek Priesthood Percentages

I have had the privilege of checking, this year, the relationship between the number of families in the Church and the number of members in the Melchizedek Priesthood. I find that in some of the Stakes the proportion between families in the Stake and members of the Melchizedek Priesthood is as low as fifty-five. In other places it runs up to eighty-eight or ninety. In Colonia Juarez, the other day, I checked that very item, and I found those people down there having representatives in the Melchisedek Priesthood to the extent of eighty-eight per cent of their families, I believe; but just recently another Stake checked as low as fifty-five. ¶

What does this mean? It means, to me, that too few of us are taking advantage of the sealing ordinances in the temple. Things like that, and other things, need rectifying, to be sure, but I insist, and I leave it to you as my testimony, that there is within this Church an honest, true faith in God our heavenly Father, and I think the manifestations of these Conference meetings bear me out in that testimony. ¶

I pray that God will help us to keep it bright within our hearts, that we may never falter in His service, and that He will be pleased to honor us and bless us in our operations. God bless you all, Amen. ¶

Tabernacle Choir and Organ Broadcast

During the period from 10:30 to 11:00 a. m., the regular weekly National Broadcast of choral and organ music and brief spoken comment was included as part of the Conference proceedings. This program, now in its twelfth year of continuous nationwide broadcasting was presented by the Tabernacle Choir and Organ, and broadcast through the courtesy and facilities of the Columbia Broadcasting system network, throughout the United States and Canada, and by short-wave transmission to many foreign lands. This broadcast originated with Radio Station KSL, Salt Lake City, and, exclusive of routine introductory and closing announcements, was as follows: ¶

Crucifixus" -- Bach ¶

Ella Entering the Cathedral" -- Wagner. ¶

Choir Choir ¶

Announcer, Richard L. Evans: "And Jesus made as though he would have gone... But they constrained Him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." (Luke 24:28-29) And blessed are they who abide His coming, as the gathering storm and the growing darkness of our times bring with them those events that move us on toward another eventide of which the prophets of all generations have spoken. And there is that about the record of prophecy which, even though it may not be pleasant to our ears, strikes conviction to our souls. For "all things must come to pass in their time." (Doctrine and Covenants 64:32) Time and the relentless march of events brought by its passing have been portrayed in musical symbol by the composer Vierne, and we now hear "Westminster Chimes" moving with the sweep of the hours and the march of the years -- but "the day or the hour no man knoweth; but it shall surely come." (Doctrine and Covenants 39:21). ¶

"Westminster Chimes" -- Vierne..Organ ¶

Announcer, Richard L. Evans: And then Stephen said unto them: "As your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?" This accusing question could be asked of any generation, for men have always persecuted those who have seen ahead of their own time -- whose vision has been enlarged and whose understanding has been quickened by that Spirit which giveth light to every man that cometh into the world (Doc. and Cov. 84:46) -- in all fields of thought and knowledge, pertaining both to things here and things hereafter. The Isaiahs, the Galileos, the Noahs and the Columbuses, the Peters and the Pauls, have never been popular in their own day -- but they have been so right in spite of the unwillingness of their own generation to believe them. And it would not seem to be popular to say now in our day that the unprincipled chaos in which we find our world was foreseen by the prophets of God and will find no cure and no lasting peace until men turn to Him and pattern their lives in accordance with His ways. Mere lip service will not be acceptable, and the temporary repentance that is forced by immediate fear and present stress will not be mistaken for obedience and a contrite heart. Let the cynic enjoy his brief day; let the man without faith deny it, and let the unbelieving take such hope as they can find. But the unchangeable facts remain, and there rise to meet the dissenting chorus, the words of Stephen: "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart... And they stoned Stephen." (Acts 7:51-59) "And he kneeled down and cried: To thee O Lord I yield my spirit." This event of New Testament record was given musical setting by Mendelssohn in the St. Paul from which Richard Condie and the Tabernacle choir now sing. ¶

"And They Stoned Him" and "To thee O Lord"-- St. Paul ¶

-- Mendelessohn Choir ¶

Church of the Air

O My Father" (Tune "Harwell")-- Lowell Mason. ¶

Organ ¶

Beautiful Savior"..Choir ¶

The singing of the Choir was conducted by J. Spencer Cornwall. ¶

Alexander Schreiner was at the organ. The spoken word was by Richard L. Evans. ¶

CHURCH OF THE AIR ¶

Immediately following the conclusion of the Tabernacle Choir and Organ Broadcast, the following nationwide Church of the Air program was presented by the Columbia Broadcasting system, as a part of the proceedings of the Conference: ¶

The Tabernacle Choir and the congregation sang two verses of the hymn, "For the Strength of the Hills We Bless Thee." ¶