Gratitude and the Great Cause

Brethren and sisters: Being keenly sensitive of the great responsibility of this moment, I crave an interest in your sympathetic attention and especially in your faith and prayers. ¶

My feelings this morning can be expressed in one word—gratitude. I should like to quote from the Psalmist: "O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works." (Psalm 105:1-2.) ¶

Giving thanks means in this case, I am sure, a fulness of thanks, which is the outward expression of a grateful feeling. Gratitude is the feeling itself. That is in the heart. Thankfulness is measured by the number of words; gratitude is measured by the nature of our actions. Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude; gratitude the completion of thankfulness. "Gratitude is the heart's recognition of kindness that the lips cannot repay." ¶

I feel grateful and happy this morning for so many evidences of the goodness of the Lord that I wish I could strike a note of optimism that would reverberate to the uttermost parts of the Church. In the words of Frank L. Stanton: ¶

"This world o' God's is brighter / Than we ever dream or know; / Its burdens growin' lighter / An' it's Love that makes 'em so! / An' I'm thankful that I'm livin' / Where Love's blessedness I see, / 'Neath a Heaven that's forgivin' / Where the bells ring 'Home' to me!" ¶

I know that since our conference last April, many of us have had difficulties, disappointments, and failures where we wanted so much to succeed; wounded feelings from barbed tongues; sickness; some of us have passed through the experience of death of loved ones; but these are all incidents in life which, when not understood, may harrow our feelings until we are crushed. ¶

I am aware, too, that there have been jealousies, petty intrigues, meannesses, misunderstandings on occasions, and that men and women, magnifying these weaknesses of human nature, have made themselves miserable and perhaps scattered gloom instead of sunshine into the hearts of their associates. ¶

But notwithstanding these disagreeable, discouraging facts, I am sure that we have cause this morning to rise above petty things and, as the Psalmist says, make known among the people the Lord's deeds, which are always good and beautiful. Paraphrasing a familiar song, let us, "Count our many blessings; name them one by one, and it will surprise us what the Lord has done." ¶

There are so many things for which we should be thankful, time will not permit our even naming them, but I should like to call your attention at least to four or five: First: loyalty and devotion of the presiding priesthood of the Church. Second: the vitality and growth of the Church. Third: the success of the choir on its recent tour in Europe. Fourth: the dedication of the temple. Fifth: the happiness we may secure in obedience to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. ¶

I haven't words to express my gratitude for the support and loyalty of President Richards and President Clark and the work they have carried on at the office and throughout the Church. I make this public expression of my appreciation and gratitude, which applies also to the Council of the Twelve, the Assistants, the Seventy, the Bishopric, and the Patriarch, and to all those who preside in stakes and wards and quorums and organizations, in the presidencies of missions throughout the world. Nobody who has not come in contact with these men and women can realize their loyalty, their energy, and devotion. I wish to express, too, appreciation for the co-operation of the civic authorities in our state and in nations, in the South Pacific, in Europe, and wherever the missions of the Church are operating. I know these are mere words, but they express a true feeling of gratitude. God bless them wherever they are. ¶

Activity and Growth of the Church

Now as to the activity and growth of the Church, that is shown in many ways: First, in the increase in membership. You will be pleased to know that since we met last October, over 73,500 people have joined the Church; two new missions have been organized—the South Australian Mission, attended by Elder Marion G. Romney, who was accompanied by Sister Romney; and the Southern Far East Mission (the Japanese Mission changed to the Northern Far East Mission) where President Joseph Fielding Smith officiated, accompanied by Sister Smith, and by Brother Herald Grant Heaton, who is president of the Southern Far East Mission—a great opportunity—the ground laid for that division by Elder Harold B. Lee and Sister Lee a few months ago. Other missions are demanding similar attention. ¶

The activity and vitality of the Church are shown also in the increase in tithing. Last year the tithing was the largest we have ever had, and this year up to September, it is 10.7 percent higher than last. This is a very significant index to the service, loyalty, and spirituality of the members of the Church. We are grateful to you for your devotion. You have shown in increased attendance at sacrament meetings that devotion. ¶

I sincerely hope that I may report an improvement in these sacrament meetings in order and reverence. As members of the Church in our worshiping assemblies, we should improve I think, in this regard. Presiding authorities in stake, ward, and quorum meetings, and especially teachers in classes, should make special effort to maintain better order and more reverence during hours of worship and of study. Less talking behind the pulpit will have a salutary effect upon those who face it. By example and precept children should be impressed with the inappropriateness of confusion and disorder in a worshiping congregation. They should be impressed in childhood, and have it emphasized in youth, that it is disrespectful to talk or even to whisper during a sermon, and that it is the height of rudeness to leave a worshiping assembly before dismissal. Courtesy, respect, deference, and kind consideration are all pleasing attributes that may be shown on all occasions, and wherever manifested contribute to the pleasure and sweetness of human relations. ¶

If there were more reverence in human hearts, there would be less room for sin and sorrow and more increased capacity for joy and gladness. To make more cherished, more adaptable, more attractive, this gem among brilliant virtues is a project worthy of the most united and prayerful efforts of every officer, every parent, and every member of the Church. ¶

Successful Tour of the Tabernacle Choir

Another reason for gratitude and joy this morning is the recent successful tour of the choir in Europe. The reception given them at Greenock, Scotland, when the Provost, Mr. John Porter, and the Bagpipe Band of that city, gathered on the wharf, took a tug out even to the ship, and returned with the second group of singers, was almost a royal welcome. I cannot refrain from mentioning that, because fifty-eight years before, I stood on the same wharf and saw emigrants, returning missionaries take the tugboat out to the ocean liner. I contrasted our feelings and the attitude of the people fifty-eight years ago with this reception on that morning. Then in the afternoon, it was repeated by the Lord Provost of Glasgow and his Lady, Lord and Lady Andrew Hood. As he stated, in his extemporaneous speech of welcome—as he laid aside his prepared speech—this is probably the first time an organized group of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been officially received in Scotland. That was Friday, August 19, 1955. ¶

I shall let others who were constantly with the choir report their achievements. Sister McKay and our party had the opportunity to attend only four concerts—the one held in Kelvin Hall, Glasgow; in Royal Albert Hall, London; the Fest Hall in Bern, Switzerland; and in Tonhalle in Zurich, Switzerland. The service rendered by the Tabernacle Choir on their tour brought credit to our state, and the Church, and to our country as perhaps no other organization has been able to do. To transport 379 members of a singing group with their escorts, making a company of approximately 600, was a herculean task. The difficulties of transportation and hotel accommodations had really just begun when they landed at Greenock. But their tour, as you all know, proved to be successful beyond our fondest hopes. At every concert they were given an ovation. Elder Richard L. Evans especially, who gave the spoken word, Elder Lester F. Hewlett, president of the choir, the directors, the organists, and every member of the choir deserve the highest praise. The dignified attitude of the group as a whole, their comely deportment, their evident sincerity of purpose, their responsiveness, won the audience even before they started to sing. ¶

Mr. Edmund J. Pendleton, music critic of the New York Herald Tribune of Paris, France, wrote as follows (I will read this one because I think it has not been published): "The simplicity of attitude and the evident sincerity on the part of every participant from the last chorister to the conductor, J. Spencer Cornwall, is moving to behold. The wealth and health of the choir's sonority, and its freely consented discipline, achieved results difficult to duplicate without a similar faith in a job to be done. The whole program was sung by heart, in the most literal sense. The technical side of the performance—balance, tone quality, attack, shading, diction—was thoroughly satisfactory, and in certain strong moments thrilling." ¶

It gives me great pleasure, therefore, to make public acknowledgment and express the thankfulness of a grateful heart to Elder W. Jack Thomas and his faithful wife, Emma, who first suggested a European tour and worked so diligently and enthusiastically in soliciting funds, and who labored so faithfully for months in looking after the transportation and physical comforts of the members of the choir; also to the advisory committee—Elders Mark E. Petersen, Adam S. Bennion, LeGrand Richards, who proved themselves masters of details, the application of which contributed much to the success of the tour. To President Paul C. Child, who with Mr. Charles D. DeKock, manager of the Foreign Escorted Tours Department, New York City, and Mr. Robert H. Smith, also representing the Foreign Escorted Tours Department of New York, had complete charge of all the transportation problems as soon as the choir landed at Greenock, Scotland, until the final concert held in the Palais de Chaillot Theater, Saturday night, September 17, we wish to express deep appreciation. ¶

These men, with Elder Richard L. Evans, worked night and day to make the trip successful. In London, for example, when the tour managers were selling round-trip tickets to the groundbreaking ceremonies in Newchapel near London, at a cost of two dollars each, Mr. DeKock worried all night about it and the next morning said to Brother Child: "This is a very important event, and many people are coming from all over Great Britain and various other countries to attend; it would be a shame if members of the choir were not present." (That was not scheduled, you see, originally.) "I am going to furnish the transportation free of charge to everyone who wishes to attend those services." After he heard the choir concert in Manchester, England, the same gentleman said: "Paul, I took this job as an objective thing; I want you to know from this hour on it is subjective. I have never been so lifted up in all my life! I am going to give everything I have to the success of this tour." ¶

Mr. Robert R. Mullen who handled the over-all publicity of the choir tour and worked in conjunction with the J. Walter Thompson Company in Europe, told Elder Mark E. Petersen that his company was so much in sympathy with the over-all purpose of the choir tour that they did all of their work at cost, without charging any agency commission such as is usually the case. To all individuals and business firms who contributed their money towards paying the expenses of this eventful tour, we now publicly express our gratitude. I have no hesitancy in saying that from the standpoint of good will, in fostering better understanding between our Church, our state, our country, and the European nations visited, money has never been spent more profitably. Of course, there were difficulties and inconveniences, even tragedies, but these are incident to any great undertaking, and especially one of such herculean proportions as transporting six hundred people over Europe in thirty days. To the doctors who looked after the health of the choir members and to all others who assisted in any way in making this tour successful, we now express our thanks and deep appreciation. ¶

Dedication of the Swiss Temple

Another cause for rejoicing this morning (and I tell you it is a most significant one as an event in the history of the Church) is the dedication of the first temple on European soil, Sunday, September 11, 1955, with two sessions that day, and two each succeeding day until Thursday, September 15. The Tabernacle Choir was present and furnished the music, with Sister Ewan Harbrecht as soloist. The choir and Sister Harbrecht never sang more feelingly than they did at both the morning and afternoon sessions of the first day of the dedication. I wish all members of the Church might have felt the intensity of the spiritual services on that memorable occasion. ¶

When the time came to welcome the hundreds who crowded the rooms at the first session, it seemed proper to express also a welcome to an unseen, but seemingly real audience, among whom were possibly former presidents and apostles of the Church, probably headed by the Prophet Joseph Smith, to whom was revealed the essential ordinances of baptism for those who died without having heard the gospel; also his nephew, President Joseph F. Smith, who prophesied forty-nine years ago in the city of Bern that "temples would be built in divers countries of the world." Among them, too, I thought surely might be numbered Elder Stayner Richards who was president of the British Mission at the time those two temple sites in Europe were chosen. With these distinguished leaders we thought, too, there might have been departed loved ones whom "we could not see, but whose presence we felt." At any rate, we all agreed that the veil between those who participated in those exercises and loved ones who had gone before seemed very thin. ¶

Again, we take opportunity to express publicly appreciation to the architects, contractors, technicians, and workers who labored long and faithfully to have the temple completed for dedication on that day. Two nights before that service, workmen labored all night long and expressed themselves as doing it willingly. It had been announced that regular ordinance work would not commence until Monday morning, September 18, but through the indefatigable efforts of Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, assisted by Elder Paul Evans and others, it was reported that a company might be accommodated on the morning of the 16th following the final dedicatory service Thursday night. Accordingly, two sessions were scheduled for German-speaking people—one at 7 o'clock in the morning, and the other at 1 p.m. But members from the French Mission said, "the choir will be in Paris Saturday night, and if, while we are present here, we could go through the temple and get home for that, we should appreciate it." Accordingly, we gave them 5:00 p.m. Friday, as their opportunity to go through the temple. Then came President Eben R. T. Blomquist, representing the Swedish people, who said, "if we could come at 9:00 o'clock at night, we would be willing to wait over so that we could return Saturday in accordance with our schedule." So instead of two sessions, we granted four, resulting in continual sessions from seven o'clock Friday morning until seven o'clock Saturday night. Members from the Netherlands Mission had been invited to come Saturday morning at 7:30. They were there, and the workers who had worked all night, who were necessary to guide the workers from Holland, continued on duty. The faithful members endured the inconveniences gladly because the privilege of going through the temple at that time was a great accommodation to them. We here express appreciation to President William F. Perschon, President Samuel E. Bringhurst, Elder Edward O. Anderson, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, Elder Paul Evans, and all the missionaries and workers who rendered such unselfish service to the fortunate members of the Church who were privileged to go through the first temple in Europe. ¶

The Gospel Plan the Greatest of All Blessings

Truly, it is fitting to give thanks to the Lord and to talk of all his wondrous work; and in doing so, we must include the greatest of all of his blessings—the sending of his Only Begotten Son to give to all our Father's children redemption, and to those who will listen and obey the gospel, salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of our Father. Obedience to the principles of the gospel brings happiness, and happiness is what all men seek. Indeed, the Prophet Joseph Smith said that "Happiness is the object and design of our existence, and will be the end thereof"—and this is important—"if we pursue the path that leads to it." As an end in itself, happiness is never found; it comes incidentally. Note: "It will be the end thereof if we follow the path that leads to it, and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 255-256.) ¶

"Happiness consists not of having, but of being—not of possessing, but of enjoying. It is a warm glow of the heart at peace with itself. A martyr at the stake may have happiness that a king on his throne might envy. Man is the creator of his own happiness. It is the aroma of life lived in harmony with high ideals. For what a man has he may be dependent upon others; what he is rests with him alone. What he obtains in life is but acquisition; what he attains is true growth." William George Jordan continues: "The basis of happiness is the love of something outside itself. Search every instance of happiness in the world, and you will find, when all the incidental features are eliminated, there is always the constant, unchangeable element of love—love of parent for child; love of man and woman for each other (husband and wife); love of humanity in some form, or a great life work into which the individual throws all his energies. Happiness is the voice of optimism, of faith, of simple, steadfast love," interest in some great cause, that is worthy of a life's work. ¶

My fellow workers: What is the "great cause worthy of our life's work?" The restored Church of Jesus Christ! Is there anything greater in all the world? My heart rejoices that we have the privilege of working together to establish through that Church the kingdom of God on earth. May our great life's work be the promulgation of the restored gospel, that God's purposes may be consummated for the peace and happiness of mankind, I humbly pray this morning, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶