Keeping the Commandments Important

This is a most wonderful sight, and this is a most important position which I occupy. In looking into your faces I feel very much my weakness and dependence upon the Spirit of the Lord, and I trust that I may have your faith and prayers in what I may say. ¶

There are a great many principles that concern us very deeply, the principles of the Gospel. We have assembled here for the purpose of being instructed, guided and built up in the faith. It is impossible for one individual, in the limited time, to attempt to cover many of these principles of eternal truth. I have been delighted in all that we have heard. We have heard much already of the greatest importance, which I humbly hope we will put into practice, if we have not already been practicing these principles of righteousness which have been mentioned here this afternoon. ¶

I am inclined, at this particular moment, to continue something along the line of the remarks that were made by Brother Ivins, for I believe that he touched upon one of the most important things that concern the Latter-day Saints -- marriage. ¶

Keeping the Commandments Important

We have a great many people in the Church who would not think for a moment of stealing. They would not lie. They would never think of purposely injuring a neighbor, and they might be considered, of course, to be good citizens, because in all their acts they show the spirit of honesty and integrity so far as their dealings with their fellow men are concerned. But they do not feel that they have violated any principle of justice or right, when they violate some of the most important commandments that the Lord has given us. ¶

Marriage for Time Not Approved

Frequently I receive an invitation to attend a wedding. I look in the newspaper and I see the picture of a beautiful young lady, and the announcement made that she is going to be married, and perhaps, she being a member of the Church, she is going to marry also a member of the Church, but that the ceremony is going to be performed at the home of the bride, or at some other place selected by them, outside of the Temple of the Lord. ¶

While the invitation that comes to me no doubt is sent in the spirit of kindness, I always feel that I would rather not receive it, because I do not want to lend to a wedding of that kind even my presence, because I consider marriage, as the Lord has given it to the Church, one of the most vital and one of the most sacred principles that has ever been revealed. And when we violate that covenant, or refuse to enter into that covenant, we are transgressors of the law. ¶

We read in the scriptures that sin is the transgression of the law. Now, these people who marry by what we call civil ceremony, in other words, who are married by the Justice of the Peace, or by an Elder of the Church, the Bishop or the President of the Stake, outside of the Temple of the Lord, can only be married for time. That is all. The Lord has commanded us, as it is recorded in the revelations, that marriage among members of the Church should be performed in His Holy House, and not for time only, but for time and all eternity. Therefore, those who are satisfied to receive a ceremony for time only, uniting them for this life, and are content with that, are ignorant of this fundamental principle of the Gospel and its consequences, or they are in rebellion ¶

against the commandments of the Lord. ¶

Responsibility of Parents

Now, what I want to say is intended very largely for the parents of the young people. I think the parents, perhaps, are more to be blamed, because, in many instances, very many instances, they have not taught their children the sacredness of the marriage covenant. I want to read to you one or two things that are written in the revelations. I hope that my words will carry to those who contemplate entering into this sacred ordinance, and if they have intended to have the ceremony performed in some other way, rather than that which the Lord has indicated, that they will take heed and repent, that they may receive the blessings. ¶

Covenants Not of God End with Life

I am the Lord thy God; and I give unto you this commandment -that no man shall come unto the Father but by me or by my word, which is my law, saith the Lord. ¶

And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of ¶

men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God. ¶

For whatsoever things remain are by me; and whatsoever things are not by me shall be shaken and destroyed. ¶

I have read to you a fundamental truth, a self-evident truth. Any one, it seems to me, who believes in a Supreme Being, must acknowledge the fact that any covenant or obligation, bond, vow or performance, that is not in accord with the law which has been decreed by the Supreme Being, must of necessity come to an end. I can see no grounds for argument in regard to that. That is a fundamental truth. ¶

The Lord continues in this revelation and says: ¶

Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world. ¶

While the Church, as well as the world, would recognize that marriage while they are in the world, yet the fact remains that when they are dead the marriage comes to an end. ¶

Therefore when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven; which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding and an eternal weight of glory. ¶

I take it that this has reference to those who have been just and honest and have been willing to keep other covenants and commandments the Lord has given them. They are members of the Church, but have not been willing to enter into this great and crowning covenant, if you please, which would exalt them to be the sons and daughters of God. And therefore, as I read further: ¶

For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever and ever. ¶

Forever and ever! Think of it! It fills my heart with sadness when I see in the paper the name of a daughter or a son of members of this Church, and discover that she or he is going to have a ceremony and be married outside of the Temple of the Lord, because I realize what it means, that they are cutting themselves off from exaltation in the Kingdom of God. ¶

Now, again, the Lord continues, in this revelation, to say that if they are married by His word, then they shall pass on to the exaltation, and that exaltation is a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever. In other words, the family organization is intact throughout all eternity, and there shall be eternal increase, -- and that is the crowning glory, if you please, in the Kingdom of God. ¶

Again: ¶

Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory. ¶

For strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world, neither do ye know me. ¶

But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also. ¶

This is eternal lives -- to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He hath sent. I am He. Receive ye, therefore, my law. ¶

ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH KEEPING GOD'S LAWS ¶

What do you get of that? This fact, that the marriage for eternity grants unto us the privilege of eternal lives. It does not have reference to our existence hereafter, for every man will live eternally; it is the continuation of the seeds forever, which constitutes eternal lives. ¶

Broad is the gate, and wide the way that leadeth to the deaths; and many there are that go in thereat, because they receive me not, neither do they abide in my law. ¶

What is meant by the expression "to the deaths"? It means to be stopped, to be shut off, to be denied the privilege of eternal increase. That is the deaths, and a great majority of mankind will go on into the eternity, to partake of the deaths, which means a stoppage, cutting off from these great blessings, which shall be bestowed upon those who are willing to keep the commandments of the Lord. ¶

May the Lord bless the Latter-day Saints. May parents teach their children, that they may understand this thing, that they might walk in the light of the truth, and that this evil that exists among us may come to an end, and that the fathers and mothers may rejoice when their children are married by some one who can seal them for time and for all eternity. ¶

PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH'S WORDS ¶

President Joseph F. Smith has said -- I have heard him say it to the members of his family and elsewhere -- that he would rather take his children to the grave, one by one, and lay them away, knowing that they would come forth worthy to receive the fulness of the kingdom of God, than to have them marry outside of the temple of the Lord, and deny themselves these privileges. ¶

Of course, a person who marries outside of the temple may repent, and can come to the temple and have the ceremony performed by one having authority; but how much better it is, as we have already heard, to do the thing right at first. So I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen. ¶