The Church and This Government

Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles ¶

Since we are living at a time when wars of the greatest known magnitude are being fought between some of the most powerful nations of the world, very naturally we are wondering what the results are going to be and particularly what part our own country will play in this intense and most disheartening conflict. We are all extremely anxious to know whether or not our government is so constituted that it can endure indefinitely, or whether the time is now approaching when government of the people and by the people and for the people is to perish from the earth. ¶

Dr. Andrew D. White, great scholar, wise diplomat, historian, and the first president of Cornell University, said many years ago that since all the republics of the past have failed, he had made a careful study for the purpose of determining whether in our republic there is any element that did not exist in those republics which have not endured. His conclusion was that the only new and outstanding characteristic of our republic is its public school system and he expressed the view that if our nation is to endure indefinitely it will be because of the broad democratic training and education in our public school system that we are giving to all the citizens of our nation. ¶

Public Education Not Enough

But there are those who have strong convictions that public school education alone is not enough to preserve indefinitely and in peace, the life, the liberty and the prosperity of this our beloved country, the United States of America. Many are of the opinion that other elements are necessary. Religion, morality, righteousness! These are elements which must be factors in the make-up of any nation, it is said, if that nation is to endure indefinitely. ¶

Experience has taught that morality is the life of a nation and religion is the life of morality. "Arming a country with guns and tanks and airplanes is not enough," says Roger W. Babson. Selecting men for the army, the navy and the air force on physical fitness alone will not suffice. "If our defense program is to succeed," he continues, "the entire country must experience a re-birth, for in the end, only righteousness can save a nation." ¶

Revelations Pertaining to This Land

Our modern revelations, as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants of the restored Church, (Section 58) declare that this is the land upon which the Zion of God shall stand. The faithful are to have this land as an inheritance for their children forever and forever. Here the poor and the lame and the blind and the deaf are "to partake of the supper of the Lord." But in this land, these revelations tell us, the law of the Lord must be obeyed, and here, the record says, no man is to be in bondage to any other man, and it declares that the Constitution of our country was prepared under divine guidance. The Prophet Joseph when dedicating the Kirtland Temple prayed that the Lord would have mercy on all the nations of the earth, and he appealed especially for the Lord to have mercy upon this our own government, so that the principles of freedom and justice for all men guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States might be "established forever." ¶

Then again, the inspired words of the Book of Mormon assure us that inasmuch as we live the righteous life and keep the Lord's commandments, we shall prosper here in America which the Lord says again and again is "a land choice above all other lands." The faithful, according to this divine record, are to enjoy this as a land of their inheritance and adds that this "land of promise" is for them and for their faithful children forever. Those faithful ones who have been "gathered here from other nations" are also to enjoy this as a land of liberty. The righteous inhabitants of this country, this inspired record continues, "shall never be brought down into captivity." Here "there shall be none to molest them," none to "take away this, the land of their inheritance." ¶

A Land of Promise

It is gratifying and satisfying to us who have faith in the inspired words of this divine record, the Book of Mormon, to read further that "This land shall be fortified against all other nations," it shall be a land of liberty and upon it there shall be no king. This inspired book says further that God has preserved this country for a righteous people, and that whatever nation shall possess this land of America, shall serve God or else that nation "shall be swept away." "Whatsoever nation shall possess this land," the divine record continues, "shall be free from bondage, and from captivity and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of this land who is Jesus Christ." ¶

Our fathers came to this land of promise and under divine guidance, as we believe, they established our Constitution and government which guarantee freedom, liberty and justice to all men. Having been led and guided by providence very appropriately they adopted these words as the motto of our country, "In God We Trust," and it is fitting therefore that the people of our nation sing: ¶

Our father's God to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing; Long may our land be bright With freedom's holy light, Protect us by Thy might, Great God, our King! ¶

COERCION IN GOVERNMENT NOT THE LORD'S WAY ¶

The Lord Himself has always favored government by the people. You will remember that in the days of Samuel the Prophet the Lord instructed him to let the people have whatever form of government they desired. They clamored for a dictator, a king, and because the Lord respected the right of free-will and human choice, because He recognized the right of men to govern themselves, and that it is better that humanity be self-governed, even though they are poorly governed, than to be compelled to obey even the divine law, He told the Prophet to let the people have a king, a dictator, since they insisted upon it. And the Bible tells us that after the decision of the Israelites to have a king, their dictatorial rulers wasted the substance of the people, they took away their personality and their freedom, and oppressed them with heavy taxes and other burdens. Instead of making a government for the people, as in a democracy, the people became the subjects of the dictators who did not rule for the good of the many but to bring power, wealth and idleness to a few. ¶

Our government is founded on the principle laid down by the Lord Himself: that a man is capable of self-government. This is in harmony with the divine intent expressed by the Creator when He said: ¶

Let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion... over all the earth. ¶

This important statement of man's right and ability to rule is expressed in our Declaration of Independence thus: "Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed." And no doubt those forms of government in which there is an assumption to rule without the consent of those who are to be governed are responsible for that forceful expression, "Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God." ¶

Provision Made for Three Branches of Government

Wisely did our forefathers organize our national institution with three different, distinct departments, each one to be entirely separate from and independent of the other two. These three departments are the Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial. These able and farseeing patriots and statesmen thus made these three separate and distinct departments the cornerstone of our republic and the guarantee that in our land there shall never be a dictator. ¶

Among those who created this great free government were Puritans whose ancestors had struggled for generations in England and in Holland to secure the right to think, the right to be free, and the right to ¶

worship God in whatever way they saw fit. In England, in those early days, non-conformity with the rules, regulations, beliefs and doctrines of the established Church was neither permitted nor tolerated. Puritanism contained the principle of true religious toleration. And doubtless the ultimate tendency of the views of the Puritans was to republicanism rather than to monarchy although in England the Church and the State were considered one and inseparable. ¶

Eight restless years the Pilgrims spent in Holland where they had gone to find religious liberty and free government. They discovered soon, however, that for them Holland could not be a permanent home. Bradford says that when they looked toward America they were actuated by a great hope and an intense inward zeal to lay a good foundation in those then remote parts of the world for the propagating and the advancing of "the gospel of the Kingdom of Christ." They struggled to prepare stepping stones, at least, to assist others in the accomplishment of this great and important gospel service. ¶

Thus were the Puritans inspired to come to America and here help to prepare a people and frame a government providing such religious tolerance that it was possible for God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ to come to these United States and here restore and establish the Gospel in its original fulness. Under these just and liberal laws it was possible for the ancient church to be established again with all its keys, rights and authority to teach, preach and proclaim the fundamentals of righteousness in preparation for the coming again of our Lord and Master who is to bring joy, happiness and peace to the world. ¶

Two Antagonistic Forces at War

These great present-day battles, to which I have referred, the greatest of all time, are contests between two forces which are utterly antagonistic. One of these is impelled by the despotic passion to rule mankind and rob human beings of their free agency, and the other has for its cherished ideal the right and ability of man to rule himself. The one contemplates government dominated by dictators; the other is the plan of the Almighty who created men free and equal and endowed them with the right and the intelligence to be their own sovereigns. The Creator never intended that a tyrant should assume the role of dictator and lord it over the sons and daughters of God under the despotic motto: "Might makes right." ¶

Our forefathers interpreted this great fundamental principle of freedom for mankind in these words: ¶

All men are created equal. They are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. To secure these, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to abolish it. ¶

The aim of our patriotic fathers was to establish a government that would guarantee to them and to their descendants to the last genera- ¶

tion freedom, security, and happiness. They expressed their feelings in the Declaration of Independence which says: ¶

Appealing to the supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, we do in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies solemnly publish and declare that these United States are and of right ought to be free and independent states.. And the exalted republican principles for which these great and mighty leaders stood are thus expressed: ¶

We the people of the United States in order to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. ¶

Jesus Promoted the Rights of Mankind

Christ Himself did not come to the great and to the mighty of the earth; He came to humble shepherds who were watching their flocks by night. But for His teachings, His announcement and defense of the sacred right of all men, you and I today might be the slaves of tyrants, the bondsmen of cruel masters. Clarence True Wilson said: ¶

From the scorching fires of every persecution there has arisen some leader with a tongue of fire who has been inspired by the love of Jesus Christ to call men to a higher, a purer and a better life. Jesus promoted the rights of mankind. He is the Creator, he is the Architect of the republican form of government. ¶

His Church stands on the principle of human brotherhood. He taught that he who humbleth himself shall be exalted, that this world of ours is for us all and not for a select few. No one ever chose for his followers and associates men less gifted, more simple, plain and humble than did Jesus when he selected his twelve Apostles. And yet see into what heroic, noble, able, death-defying characters they became. Thus the Savior Himself demonstrated that the humblest men may develop into the highest characters. He had high regard for the plain people. Every example He set, every doctrine He taught was, it seems, intended to show that genuine greatness is in the act of service. He taught the equality of men and the dignity of those who are poor and stricken. The longest sermon he ever preached was delivered, it is said, to a motley crowd of peasants and fishermen. To this audience of ordinary people he gladly gave those great ideas and ideals contained in that matchless religious appeal, the Sermon on the Mount. - ¶

The Church and This Government

Our nation, our country and this Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, seem to conform to what was predicted and specified by the ancient prophets. We verily believe that in our present combination of Church and government we have what the Prophet Daniel said had been shown to King Nebuchadnezzar in his famous dream. The king was shown things that are to come to pass in these latter days. Many nations and many kingdoms are to be destroyed, but the God of Heaven is to set up a Kingdom which shall never be ¶

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destroyed, a Kingdom that shall not be left to other people, a Kingdom that shall break in pieces and consume all other kingdoms, and, the Prophet adds, it is a Kingdom that shall stand forever. It is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, the stone that is to become a great mountain; yes, the prophet says it is the stone that is to fill the whole earth. (Daniel 2) It is our belief that this refers to our own land, choice above all other lands, and to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with its principles of free agency and selfgovernment. ¶

Peace Achieved Through Unselfishness

And now, in the name of Him who is our only King, Jesus the Son of God, let us as members of the Church and as citizens of this great nation, unite in an appeal to our heavenly Father, with whom nothing is impossible, to bring to us and to all mankind that glorious blessing of peace, good will and understanding, for which righteous people all over the world these days are so devoutly praying. And when making these our heartfelt, prayerful appeals may we never forget that only by living unselfish lives, by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and extending to all men their God-given liberty, can we hope to secure joy and happiness and everlasting peace. ¶

By our faithfulness and devotion to these righteous principles may we bring to our beloved nation and to the distressed people of all the world these choice blessings, I humbly pray, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶