I Sincerely Trust My Brethren And Sisters...

I sincerely trust, my brethren and sisters, that I might enjoy an interest in your faith and prayers during the few moments that I shall stand before you. ¶

With you I have been deeply moved and inspired by the proceedings of this great conference. I am sure the address of our beloved President this morning inspired each and every one of us to resolve to live better lives exemplifying the principles of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as we live it day by day. ¶

In the days of the Master there was an Apostle called John the Beloved. He was given that title because he loved the Savior with all his heart. He loved the people. It is a grand thing to know that in this day we have an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, a prophet, a revelator, and a seer, who, because of his kindness and his love for the people, and his manifestations of tenderness toward them, will be known as David the Beloved. I thank the Lord today that he has been restored in his health and strength and pray that the Lord will always bless him to the end that he may be enabled to perform the great tasks that devolve upon him. ¶

Principle of Belief

Some few weeks ago, returning from an assignment in Los Angeles, I met a man on the train who introduced himself as the representative of a great business which was sending him to Salt Lake City to establish one of its branches. He had made a previous visit, and during the visit he made a tour of the Temple Block, being deeply impressed by all that he heard and saw. I told him that I had the honor of being one of the General Authorities of the Church, after which he launched into a discussion of religion, saying he felt this great nation could be saved only through the application of spiritual principles. ¶

He seemed to be a very devout man, as he attended the services of his church and met his financial obligations therein. His whole hope for salvation was upon the principle of belief only, and he indicated he had no responsibilities in his church other than those already mentioned. The attitude of this gentleman stimulated some thinking on my part as to the value of belief which might not develop into an abiding faith. ¶

The Savior at no time during his ministry or in the restoration of the gospel ever promulgated the doctrine that man can be saved on the basis of belief. Rather, he made it very clear and implicit in the following statement: ¶

Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matt. 7:21.) In the analysis of this statement of the Savior, it is made very plain that belief in and of itself is not sufficient for salvation, but — "He that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." ¶

James made it perfectly clear when he made this statement: ¶

What doth it profit my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ¶

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? ¶

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. ¶

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. ¶

(James 2:14-18.) ¶

Steppingstone to Faith

We cannot wholly discount the principle of belief, for it is the first steppingstone to faith. The Apostle Paul declared. ". . . for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6.) Therefore an individual with a firm desire to know God and his purposes, expressing a willingness to keep his commandments, can be a recipient of that divine gift called faith. ¶

The Prophet Joseph Smith declared that faith is the moving cause of all action. It is that great stimulating force which brings into fruition the plans and the desires of mankind. The genius of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in ancient days, and in the restored gospel of this day, demands a program not only which requires faith but also works on the part of the individual who has for an objective salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God. ¶

We are told that the glory of God is intelligence, that no man can be saved in ignorance. Therefore, if we are to gain the intelligence and the knowledge that is necessary for a place in the celestial kingdom, it will only come about by mental and spiritual effort and works. ¶

The Privilege of Work

God, in restoring the Church of Jesus Christ, so organized it that there would be an opportunity for each and every worthy member to have the privilege of work. The restoration of the priesthood is an evidence of this. Priesthood is the power of God given unto men whereby they may act as his representatives upon the earth and fill certain assignments when called upon by those who preside over them. ¶

Hence, with this authority upon both the older men and the young men, there is an opportunity for service, for the accomplishment of great work; for example, we think of the missionary work, wherein are involved thousands of men and women, both young and old, who are out in the world preaching the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. ¶

The same is equally true of the great project of teaching the people at home the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We call it "ward teaching." If ward teaching were done as it should be, it would require the services of every worthy member of the priesthood in the Church. ¶

Genealogical Work

If there are any of us who are seeking to do the work of the Lord and feel that we do not have an opportunity, all that we have to do, brothers and sisters, is to become engaged in the genealogical work of the Church. I am sure those who have been touched by the spirit of Elijah, and had their hearts turned to their fathers, have gone into this work with eagerness and a desire to see that the work is going to be done or has been done or will be done for those who have not had the privilege in this life of hearing the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. ¶

The other day while visiting the St. George Stake, I was introduced to an elderly brother who is ninety years of age, and I was told that he had done the work for ten thousand people. What an achievement! What an accomplishment! I could not help thinking that when that brother passes through the veil and meets these thousands of people, they will rise up and call him blessed. ¶

This is an example of faith and works together, for the benefit and blessing of thousands of people. ¶

Opportunities for Service

It is not only intended in this great organization of faith and works that all of the work is to be done by the priesthood, but that our sisters shall have opportunities of service which are found in the auxiliary organizations of the Church, teaching the children and in rendering assistance to those who are in distress of any kind. ¶

Consider for a moment if you will a ward organization in its requirements of personnel with the presiding authorities of the ward, the officers of all the auxiliaries, and the ward teachers. ¶

Opportunities for work in the kingdom are immediately available for at least two hundred members, while in the churches of the world, only one or two people would have this opportunity. ¶

The work of which James spoke in connection with faith is divided into two divisions; that which has to do with the spiritual and that which has to do with the temporal works. In illustrating the point of temporal works, Brigham Young declared: ¶

Everything connected with the building up of Zion requires actual, severe labor. It is nonsense to talk about building up any kingdom except by labor; it requires the labor of every part of our organizations, whether it be mental, physical, or spiritual, and that is the only way to build up the kingdom of God. ... If we build up the kingdom of God, or establish Zion upon the earth, we have to labor with our hands, plan with our minds, and devise ways and means to accomplish that object. ¶

(Discourses of Brigham Young, 1943 ed., p. 291.) ¶

Welfare Program

One of the great temporal works of the Church is found in the welfare program. It affords an opportunity for all to participate, from the young boy or girl to the aged man or woman who is physically fit. It requires much physical labor, but out of our physical effort comes a spiritual blessing — a spiritual blessing wherein, brethren and sisters we keep part of the first and great commandment to "love thy neighbour as thyself." If we actually love our neighbors as ourselves, we are going to endeavor to do something for those who are in distress of any kind. ¶

Construction of meetinghouses demands physical effort which in reality contributes much to the building up of the kingdom. ¶

There has never been a time in our history as a Church when so many meetinghouses have been erected as in the last five or six years, and the most inspiring factor in this great project of building is that members of the various wards have contributed physically of their labor as well as having made financial contributions. ¶

St. George Tabernacle

Last Sunday it was my privilege to attend the conference of the St. George Stake, and when it is my privilege to visit the city of St. George, I am always thrilled and inspired as I admire the beautiful tabernacle erected almost a century ago by the pioneers. ¶

This lovely building is an excellent example of architectural and structural achievements. Its walls are just as straight and true today as the day that the pioneer masons laid stone upon stone. ¶

Out of the construction of this lovely building, the Lord answered the prayers of the people, and his blessings were abundantly bestowed upon them in a time of stress and difficulty. When President Brigham Young requested the people to erect a tabernacle, some were surprised because of its size and the small membership which there was to attend, but without question and with profound confidence in their great leader, they went to work. ¶

Finally, when the roof had been placed upon the building, and it came time to buy the windowpanes, it was necessary to order them in New York. These windowpanes were shipped down along the east coast of North and South America and around the Horn, and up to San Francisco, and finally transported to the city of Stockton. ¶

Upon arrival in Stockton, the brethren in St. George were notified that the windowpanes were there, and were now ready to be delivered for a cash consideration. By this time the cash resources of the people had been exhausted and when they were asked to pay for the windowpanes, they did not know what they were going to do; but great faith was manifest by the leaders of the people, which impressed them to call upon God for assistance. ¶

Thereafter, preparations were made to make the trip to Stockton. ¶

Finally, before departure, the brethren gathered together and supplicated God to the end that they might have the cash with which to pay for the windowpanes. In the midst of their supplication, a knock came on the door. It was opened, and an old Scandinavian brother who lived in the Washington Ward just north of St. George placed in their hands a bag containing between six hundred and seven hundred dollars which was enough to pay for the windowpanes. ¶

The faith of these brethren was so great that their teams had been hitched up and they were ready to leave immediately after their prayers, which is an evidence of the profound faith which motivated them to go forward with their building program even though the necessary cash was not in sight, and hence, the St. George Tabernacle and the temple stand as a monument to the faith and works of these great pioneers. ¶

Faith and Works

In the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith when the gospel was being restored, the Lord declared to the Prophet, "I will pour my Spirit out on all flesh." (See D. & C. 95:4.) The outpouring of the Lord's Spirit generated in the hearts of men a degree of faith that moved them to great works which have brought manifold blessings to humanity. For instance, Thomas Edison had faith so great in the utilization of electricity for lighting that after hours, days, and months of work, the electric light bulb was made available in addition to many other electric appliances which have brought comfort and luxury to the people. ¶

Another outstanding example of faith and works is the Wright brothers who were thought to be mentally weak when they advocated the idea of flying through the air with a contraption heavier than air itself, but out of their faith and their works there has now been developed one of the greatest methods of transportation that the world has ever known. Radio and television have come as the result of the faith and the works of their inventors. ¶

Lincoln's Faith

There were great souls that had a profound faith in the principles of righteousness, of whom Abraham Lincoln is a great representative. As a young man he visited the city of New Orleans where he witnessed the sale of human beings over the auction block. ¶

He declared: "If I ever have a chance to strike this thing, I will strike it hard." ¶

His faith in the great principle of freedom motivated him to take action when he was president of the United States. He struck slavery hard, and the shackles were removed from the thousands and thousands of oppressed people who now enjoy their liberty. ¶

Brethren and sisters, I feel in my soul as the Apostle Paul felt when he declared, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation. . . ." (Romans 1:16.) The godly power Paul speaks of is the combination of faith, the divine motivator, and the works of the individual. These together make salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God a certainty. ¶

Christianity in Action

Some few days ago the office of the Presiding Bishop was visited by a Hindu doctor from India. He said he was a Christian. ¶

He pointed out to us that as he traveled from the southern boundary to the northern boundary of the state of Utah noticing the many meetinghouses that had been erected, he was convinced that he was among a Christian people. And after becoming conversant with the gospel and the religion of our people, he declared, "This is Christianity in action." Faith and the works of the gospel constitute Christianity in action as Jesus Christ revealed it to the Prophet: ¶

Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations. (D. & C. 115:5.) If our light is to be a standard unto the nations, then well might we follow the admonition of James when he said: ¶

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. ¶

(James 2:18.) This people have the greatest obligation of any people in all the world; for first they have covenanted with God their Eternal Father that they will manifest their faith and their works in the cause of his beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and that the world seeing their works will declare as Isaiah of old declared: Come let us go up to the house of Jacob's God and learn of his ways and walk in his paths (See Isaiah 2:3), to the end that the world and all of us may be free of the pernicious doctrine that men can be saved by belief or grace, and that we may know that salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God rests wholly upon faith and works, which I pray will be the blessing of all of us, in the name of Jesus Christ. ¶

Amen. ¶