Free Agency and Leadership

Of the First Council of the Seventy ¶

Twice each year, for the last few years, I have had the privilege and pleasure of sitting and looking into your faces, and contemplating the things that are transpiring in your hearts. But I want to say to you now that it is greatly different from sitting and looking at you, in this position which I now occupy. Just a few feet above my seat makes considerable difference. ¶

There is one thing that we all have been contemplating, and I know that we have come to some definite conclusions concerning it, and that is the well-being and the safety of this people who have been gathered out from every nation and from every branch of people upon the earth, here to this land which has been consecrated and dedicated of God, our Eternal Father, for the gathering place of His own. I believe that we will come to the conclusion that we are perfectly safe in our daily walks and talks, if and when we devote ourselves to God's great work, in the right spirit. ¶

The Liberty Bell

You know that through one hundred and eighty-four years there has now come down to us a rather national emblem -- it has become almost a shrine. I speak of the old Liberty Bell, which, though voiceless for these many years, has served so well, and which was eagerly looked upon by the people on July 4th, 1776, as it rang forth its message that this country was in very deed free from tyranny and free from that which had caused mankind so much distress. You know it was brought from England in 1732, and it rested in the State House in Philadelphia for a number of years. Then in 1753 it cracked and was remolded by American workmen. This did not last very long. It cracked again, and ¶

then was remolded. But the strange thing to me is this, that some twentyfive years prior to its being cast the last time, out of the scripture men sought that which was molded into its crown and that was, as it came from the holy writ: "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, unto the inhabitants thereof." ¶

Now, this bell was in use by the City of Philadelphia until July 8th, 1836, when it cracked while being tolled at the funeral of Chief Justice John Marshall. ¶

Free Agency a Gift from God

It seems strange that God has prepared the way for His people, and perhaps strange to us that God is now preparing the way for His people, but such is the case. In the beginning of this earth of ours for this thing which God prepared for His children, He gave some definite, pointed instructions, and was rather jealous of what He said and what He desired, and to us have come these things which we would like to obey and love to keep. ¶

God has also given unto each of us the one and only tool by which we might gain honor and success and exaltation, or on the other hand, misery and disgrace and absolute degradation. Now, that tool is the free agency of man to choose between right and wrong, and God has safeguarded it, from time to time called our attention to it, and brought it home to us. ¶

Light and Understanding to Be Striven For

I read in the Doctrine and Covenants this: ¶

Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and repoice together. ¶

And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness. ¶

That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day ¶

And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you; ¶

He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant ol all. ¶

I feel that we should never imagine that we have seen the light at one time, and it becomes therefore unnecessary for us constantly to strive to glimpse those flashes from heaven that are coming to us, as they did in the past. I would that we might open the windows of our souls and receive that light which God desires to give and is giving to his people. ¶

Leadership Through Service

You recall when Christ was with His Twelve, one thing that has always rather impressed itself upon me, was the time when the Twelve and Christ were together, and the Twelve, some of them were contending, one with the other, as to who might be on the right-hand side of God and who on the left, and these things were said: (This is in Mark, the tenth chapter.) ¶

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. ¶

But so shall it not be among you; but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister; ¶

And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. ¶

The salvation of man is not brought about by force or coercion or the powers of dictatorship. These are not the methods God has used, nor are they the methods God will use. ¶

Refer to your Pearl of Great Price, and read in Moses that which God gave to us then: ¶

And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying -- Behold, here am I, send me. I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. ¶

But behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me -- Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever. ¶

Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I sriould give unto him mine own power, by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down. ¶

Constantly there has come ringing into our ears these admonitions, these things, which bring us up standing, to realize that it is God who speaks to His people, to direct them and to cause that their minds may run in the proper channels. ¶

god's word given to his people ¶

The following was given in a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith: ¶

Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments? ¶

Who am I, saith the Lord, that have promised and have not fulfilled? ¶

I command and men obey not; I revoke and they receive not the blessing. ¶

Then they say in their hearts: This is not the work of the Lord, for his promises are not fulfilled. But woe unto such, for their reward lurketh beneath, and not from above. ¶

Now. these passages of scripture that I have read to you, I have read them for this one purpose, and they have led me to this thought, that every single last soul of us here, and all the members of this great Church of God, scattered throughout the length and breadth of the land, have seen the light, and we have had that light confirmed by the testimony of the Holy Ghost in our hearts and souls, that this is God's work, that God in His own way has wrought and brought to pass that which you and I now behold. ¶

Think of God's message. Think of His methods, the choosing of Moses, the call of Abraham, and the placing of Joseph sold into Egypt, the sending of His Only Begotten Son among the children of men, to ¶

bring about that which Christ wrought, which is sung by the millions upon this earth here today. Then think of the marvelous thing that He did in His quiet, unostentatious manner; how Moroni appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith, to bring forth this great work that you and I are now engaged in. ¶

All this being true, all this having been revealed to us, we knowing of its truth and virtue, I think is it quite necessary that we bring ourselves to understand that with the establishment here upon this earth of God's prophet, God's servants, we can say in our hearts that these are the servants of God, chosen absolutely and literally by Him for the guidance o'f His people here upon this earth. ¶

Success in Local Missionary Work

Now, just one word: I am thrilled with that which has been told to you people by Brother Richards, Apostle George F. Richards, concerning the work which is going on here in the Stakes of Zion. Your sons and daughters have been sent abroad. They have been marvelously blessed. But here in your own Stakes, up and down these great stretches, your sons and husbands and daughters and wives are in this great missionary work, and up to July of this year we were just fifty-one baptisms ahead of the same time last year; and during this last month one hundred ninety-four men joined this Church, who never knew of its truth before. ¶

So I rejoice, and say to you I feel that it is not necessary that we should feel overly concerned about what will happen to us, if we will do that which God desires us to do. ¶

God bless you, I pray in Jesus' name, Amen. ¶