Conference Address

I am sure that everyone present feels to say sincerely in his own heart, thank the Lord for the spirit of the brotherhood of Christ. I am overwhelmed at this vast audience. I believe it is the largest Priesthood meeting held in the history of the Church. We sense even though dimly that the strength of Zion is to "put on the authority of the priesthood." ¶

I pray for the inspiration of the Lord, and for your sympathy while I attempt to say something which will be of interest and value to you leaders of Zion. ¶

"Evils and Designs" ¶

One of the most significant statements in the Doctrine and Covenants, one which carries with it evidence of the inspiration of the Prophet Joseph Smith, is found in the 89th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants: ¶

In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation . . . (D. & C. 89:4.) ¶

Methods of Tobacco Interests ¶

"Evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men. . . ." The purport of that impressed me in the twenties, and the thirties of this century. I just ask you men tonight to recall the methods employed by certain tobacco interests to induce women to smoke cigarettes. ¶

You remember how insidiously they launched their plan. First, by saying that it would reduce weight. They had a slogan: "Take a cigarette instead of a sweet." ¶

Later, some of us who like the theatre, noticed that they would have a young lady light the gentleman's cigarette. Following this a woman's hand would be shown on billboards lighting or taking a cigarette. A year or two passed and soon they were brazen enough to show the lady on the screen or on the billboard smoking the cigarette. ¶

I find here a clipping which I set aside in the early thirties, which corroborates this idea. This is 1931: ¶

It is well known that the cigarette manufacturers are after the young women and girls, now. They say there are twenty-five million of these in the United States, and if they can popularize smoking among them, they will be able to increase their sales from three billions, six hundred million dollars annually to six billion dollars. This is their claim and their aim. ¶

Cigarette Advertising ¶

Now, it is common to see beautiful young women depicted on billboards, and in the popular journals advertising certain brands of cigarettes. "Last year three of the large cigarette manufacturers, we are informed, spent fifty-four million dollars in advertising their wares. This is probably a greater outlay than has ever before been spent to popularize any kind of merchandise. ¶

"There is hardly a dead wall in the country or a railroad right of way that escapes the cigarette posters. The revenue from one Broadway, New York, billboard covering the front of a building, it is said, exceeds the rent for the building itself. ¶

"The radio has become one of the most successful means of advertising cigarettes. Attractive programs are presented, not for the purpose of entertaining the youth, but for the purpose of enticing and encouraging them to reach for a cigarette. ¶

"Parents meekly submit to this and later deplore the fact when their children are hopeless cigarette addicts." ¶

I may be wrong, but I thought I saw an indication recently that conspiring men now have evil designs upon our youth. Keep your eyes and ears open, to observe if they are not taking the same steps now to get our young men as they did to entice women to use that vile weed. You know that : ¶

Sin is a monster of such hideous mien, As to be hated needs but to be seen, But seen too oft, familiar with its face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace. ¶

Confidence in Youth ¶

Lest you might think from what I am going to say in giving some statistics, that I am losing confidence in the youth, I want to say here that my confidence in them is unshaken. Every week I sit with my brethren and hear recommends from you bishops, of young men and young women to go on missions. While there are some whom we think you should not have recommended, the great majority of these young men and young women are the noblest in the land. They are not addicts; they are not seeking evil ways; they have high ideals. ¶

The young men, even the boys in Sunday School, particularly those in the Deacons Quorums, Teachers and Priests, and girls of corresponding age, are a credit to the parents, a credit to the Church. As an illustration, out in Uintah recently, I had the privilege of dedicating three church edifices. I learned from the president of the stake that many people had "given their all." ¶

Examples of Devotion ¶

I have heard that expression in other places, and took it at first that it was just an exaggerated expression of devotion. But when I learned on this occasion of a widow who had given all she could possibly give — others, each of whom had sold their last cow, and others who had taken the tax money that had been saved, then I began to realize that there was something in that phrase. And the whole thing was climaxed by the following incident. ¶

The ward was putting forth every effort to finish the meetinghouse, but it was unpaid for. They needed more money. I am not sure that young boy's father is in the Church. I think he is, but he would not contribute, and I have to imagine the devotion of his mother. But this young boy, about fourteen, had saved money by shining shoes, washing automobiles, doing odd chores, and had saved a hundred and fifty-nine dollars. ¶

He had heard of a recent call for more contributions and said to the president of the stake who was cashier of the bank: "I need the nine dollars, but I wish you would take the hundred and fifty and give to the bishop to help pay the cost of that meetinghouse." ¶

"But," said the president, "you cannot afford it." ¶

"Yes, I can." ¶

He gave his hundred and fifty dollars as a contribution. Several months passed and the ward needed more money, and that young boy out of his meager savings gave a total of two hundred and twenty-five dollars. ¶

An entire group of the lesser priesthood taking turns in shifts carried every brick from one old meetinghouse over to the new. ¶

Well, I could multiply incidents of the devotion of the youth, so I have not lost confidence in them, but, we must not close our eyes to the approaching wolves who would ravish the flock. We must not close our eyes to the fact that there are conspiring men who would pollute young boys, and girls of corresponding age for sake of increasing profits. I have these things in mind as I read you the following statistics: ¶

A Vice to be Shunned ¶

I think tobacco is a vice which should be shunned as the bite of a rattlesnake. When I say that, I am not unaware of the fact that though seemingly there are some young men who can use tobacco without serious injury, there are many others who are poisoned, their character weakened, and their health undermined by the ingredients of the cigarette. The Lord has said that tobacco is not good for man. That should be sufficient for Latter-day Saints. ¶

Too many of our boys are tampering with cigarettes. I do not like to hear tobacco programs on the radio. Young people say: "Well, they are the best we have." Of course they are, because tobacco interests can pay the highest salaries and get the best actors, and singers to further their evil "designs." ¶

Report on Delinquency ¶

I have been favored recently, as I have told you once before, in receiving a monthly report of the young people who are arrested in Salt Lake County. Note from the following how many delinquents are users of tobacco: ¶

In January there were 94 fingerprinted. Eighty of these were tobacco users, and sixty-eight used liquor. Twenty-two of them belonged to our Church; thirty to the Catholics, twenty-seven to the Protestants, and fifteen no religion at all. There were five deacons, three priests and five elders among them. ¶

February there were seventy-one fingerprinted. Fifty-six used tobacco and fifty-one drank liquor. ¶

March, eighty-eight. Seventy-eight tobacco users, and seventy-four drinkers. ¶

April, there were a hundred and four. Eighty-seven used tobacco, eighty-six used liquor. ¶

May, ninety-three. Seventy-five tobacco, sixty-seven liquor. ¶

June, ninety-four. Ninety-two tobacco users, eighty-six whiskey. ¶

July, one hundred and six. Ninety-four tobacco users, eighty-eight liquor. ¶

Out of the six hundred and fifty, five hundred and sixty-two used tobacco, five hundred and twenty drank liquor. ¶

Tobacco and Lung Cancer ¶

Recently there came to this city a gentleman who has been specializing on cancer, Dr. E. L. Winder, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri. He is attached to the National Cancer Foundation and is one of the most eminent men in cancer treatment in the country. He spent a few days here in Salt Lake City the week of August 29th. ¶

He came to the laboratory in which Dr. George R. Hill, Jr., works, because the company who employs him had published a paper on arsenic content of tobacco smoke. This gentleman stated that he had come to Utah to make a study of lung cancer since he had heard that cigarette smoking is appreciably lower in Utah than in any other state, "because Mormons do not smoke." He reports that lung cancer, virtually unknown a hundred years ago, and occurring only rarely in 1912, is today taking the lives of more men than any other type of cancer. More than twenty percent of the cancers attributed to men are lung cancers. They have been endeavoring to find out why this increase in lung cancer, and have found the answer — cigarette smoking, definitely and unmistakably so. ¶

He has personally investigated over five hundred cases of lung cancer and says that in every case but four, these men have been smoking cigarettes, from one pack to two packs a day, for some twenty to thirty years. And then he adds: "That percentage is far too great to be meaningless." ¶

He says that the average patient of lung cancer dies at fifty-two years of age, and that the average lung cancer lasts only thirteen months before proving fatal. ¶

He interviewed eleven or twelve Mormons who call themselves "Jack-Mormons," having lung cancer, and found them in every case but one, a man seventy-four years of age, to be heavy smokers. ¶

Dr. Hill asked him if he had found similar cases among women. The doctor answered, "No, but I look for a very great increase in lung cancers among women in the next ten or fifteen years." ¶

Drinking on Increase ¶

Liquor drinking is increasing. In Salt Lake County we have reports from seven of these liquor stores. From June 1st to 5th of 1948, one store that week — note only about four days — sold $62,381 worth. The corresponding week this year $72,000. June 14th to 19th, $65,900, practically $66,000. And this year, corresponding week $78,900, or $79,000. The increase in the first week was $9,700, the second $13,000, the fourth, $4,000, the fifth, $3,000, the sixth, $12,000, seventh, $19,000, eighth, $13,000, and in August $10,000. ¶

"In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men, I have warned you, and forewarn you ..." ¶

Now, we do not want to condemn the unfortunates, but we do want to warn our boys and girls against these evils. We must not shut our eyes to the fact that all this smoking and all this drinking is not done by those who are non-members of the Church. Even if we have only a small percentage, it is worth our while to be on our guard and try to save our boys and our girls from these evils. ¶

Results of Alcoholism ¶

A young man who, addicted to drink, became an alcoholic, and finally took his own life in a New York hotel, left his last will and testament as follows: ¶

I leave to society a ruined character. I leave to my parents as much misery as they can bear. I leave to my brothers and sisters the memory of a misspent life. I leave to my wife a broken heart. I leave to my children the memory of a drunkard's name. ¶

James L. Gordon, by whom this is quoted says this ought to be written on the memory of every youth who is prone to say to himself, "I can drink and I can let it alone." ¶

Obligations to Youth ¶

Some of our foolish girls, here in the city particularly, are becoming addicts to nicotine. We should warn them, labor with them, not drive them from us, bring them into our Mutuals, our Sunday Schools, and into our socials where they may mingle with those who cherish higher ideals. I want to tell you, brethren, that we cannot with impunity sit by and be satisfied with having the best of our boys and girls come to auxiliary and priesthood meetings and let the others go unvisited. ¶

If parents are failing in guiding the youth then it is the duty of ward teachers and priesthood quorums and auxiliary teachers to supplant in the lives of these children the love which they are losing perhaps because of broken homes. ¶

Prevalence of Divorce ¶

If I had time to give you the number of these young people who have been fingerprinted who come from broken homes, you would see where one source of this evil lies. Divorces are altogether too common in our Church. I hope the time will come soon when there will be no divorce granted, no sealing cancelled, unless that couple first come to a member of the priesthood, stake or ward, and try their best to avoid a separation. ¶

Standards of Servicemen ¶

Now I conclude with a reference to the standards of our boys during the war. Many of them, under difficult conditions, proved themselves strong enough to resist the temptations. Only today a returned soldier came and put this into my hands with the remark: "I collected this while overseas during the war years." ¶

No matter what else you are doing, ¶

From cradle days through to the end; You are writing your life's secret story, ¶

Each night sees another page penned. Each month ends a thirty page chapter. ¶

Each year the end of a part; And never an act is misstated, ¶

Nor even a wish of the heart. Each morn when you wake the book opens, ¶

Revealing a page clean and white; What thoughts and what words and what doings, ¶

Will cover its surface by night! God leaves that to you, you are the writer, ¶

And never one word will grow dim; Until someday you write the word "finish" ¶

And give back your life's book to Him. ¶

God help us as men of the priesthood to keep the lives of our boys and girls pure and white, that they may return, with us, back to the presence of our Father in heaven, worthy of the welcome, "Well done, thou good and faithful servants," I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶