President Mckay And My Brethren And Sisters...

President McKay and my brethren and sisters, many thoughts and themes have run through my mind during this conference, but I must admit that I am more aware this morning and at this moment of those who are not here in the Tabernacle, than of those who are. It is quite likely not only that those who are listening and looking outside outnumber us many times, but also that those who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints greatly outnumber those who are, and it is with these principally in mind that I speak at this time. ¶

(I am aware, too, somewhat, of the "World Series," unfortunately, and I feel a little, I think, as the Ancient Mariner must have felt when he tried to detain the wedding guest. After all, there are nine innings to come, and likely there can be only one of two results. We hope you will stay with us a little longer.) I am grateful for a conviction of the many things men have in common. ¶

So much of our heritage, so much of basic belief, so much of so much that matters most in life, we have in common. And among the greatest of things we have in common is our relationship to the God and Father of us all, who made us in his image and whose children we all are. For this I am grateful. I am grateful also for the love I have in my heart for mankind. ¶

I should like to share with you, in quick review, another thing we have in common, often overlooked, not always observed — the commandments of God — and I should like to go back first to the Ten Commandments and quickly cite them, not in full text, but in full meaning: ¶

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ¶

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. ¶

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain. ¶

Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. ¶

(I wish all of you present and all of you on the air could have heard last evening, President McKay's statement concerning the Sabbath day. I would not wish to particularize at this time as did they in ancient Israel, as to what one should or should not do on the Sabbath day, but I am sure that there are many activities and events, public, and private, that ought to be deferred to another day, and I would remind you again that the word the Lord used concerning the Sabbath was "holy" — "to keep it holy.") Honour thy father and thy mother. ¶

Thou shalt not kill. ¶

Thou shalt not commit adultery. ¶

Thou shalt not steal. ¶

Thou shalt not bear false witness. ¶

Thou shalt not covet. . . . ¶

I am grateful for these things in common, and I am grateful for a respect I have for the sincere convictions of all men, and the respect other men have for our sincere convictions. ¶

I should like to share with you quickly and briefly some other things that we would hope men have in common, which we would subscribe to as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, some of which are incorporated in our Articles of Faith and some of which appear elsewhere. ¶

The audience this morning being what it is, outside these walls, I should like to read some of these Articles of Faith: ¶

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. ¶

We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression. ¶

(Each of these is tempting to elaborate. Each one might well be the subject of a sermon.) We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. ¶

We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. ¶

We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, viz., apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc. ¶

(There are others, and I will not take time to read them all.) We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. ¶

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of Third Dmj our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may. ¶

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men — [and, passing over some words of Paul] — If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. ¶

We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. ¶

The Lord has had many peoples and has dealt with them under many conditions at many times in many places, even unto the present, and his similar dealings with others as with ancient Israel we accept as scripture. ¶

We believe also in the eternal continuance of the marriage covenant, and not just a marriage that death dissolves. ¶

We believe that the sweetest and most meaningful things in life are everlasting. ¶

We believe in and accept all truth, and believe in the search for truth, through the inspiration of Almighty God and through the searching and seeking of earnest and honest men. ¶

Now, it should not seem a thing strange that there are certain requirements and commandments and ordinances that must be accepted or adhered to. In all things in life, in the physical world and in the spiritual world, there are causes and consequences. Some of them we have to accept on faith. Even those which are demonstrated fact, we have to accept in part on faith, because we do not know the "why" of all things. ¶

We do not know why two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen make water, but we know they do. The "why" is something we shall learn later. ¶

We do not know "why" the necessity for baptism and all the other ordinances under the hands of those having divine authority. We accept them on faith, in full faith. ¶

We believe in continuous revelation. ¶

The Lord God has not told us all he knows, but he has told us much more than we use and live up to. ¶

We believe in the acceptance of all truth, but not all theory. I have spent a good many years in my life in academic walls. I have a profound respect for scholars and scholarship and science and scientists, the ablest among whom would be the first to admit that their findings are still in flux, and that there is yet infinitely much to be discovered. ¶

Patience, faith, virtue, humility, and a never-ceasing search, and living and keeping the commandments of God, are required of all of us — and it should not seem a thing strange that the Lord God has requirements and prescribed ways, and that just any way that men choose will not lead to the highest blessings that God can give. Those who wish to realize limitless opportunities and exaltation and happiness here and hereafter in the fullest possible measure must live according to his commandments, according to his prescribed way in the fullest possible way. ¶

Truth is not always convenient. The commandments of God are not always convenient. They do not bend themselves to our convenience. Truth does not adapt itself to what we wish it were. ¶

We had better adapt our lives to what it is. We had better adapt our lives to the commandments of God, whether they are convenient or not. ¶

Patience, faith, conforming our lives to truth, the keeping of the commandments, trust in the eternal future — the assurance that the most meaningful things in life are everlasting, and a patient search and seizing upon what the soul and the spirit with its imprint upon the soul tells us to be truth — these are required of us. ¶

May I share with you a statement from an eminent and able New England scholar, a statement written to me in a letter just a few days ago by Dr. ¶

Henry Beston: ¶

"Never bind life in the cords of an unintelligent skepticism. Unintelligent credulity can be dangerous, but an unintelligent skepticism locks the doors of the mind." ¶

We can rationalize away almost anything, anything ever said, anything that ever happened, anything ever written or spoken. But we cannot rationalize away the witness of the Spirit unto our souls, which brings knowledge more sure than the things we can touch, and see, and feel. That witness I leave with you this day as to the reality of those things of which Brother Hugh B. Brown and President Clark have previously spoken, as to the glorious events of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as to the way of life and salvation, and the divine reality of our Savior, who came to earth not to condemn but to save us. ¶

Our Father in heaven is not an umpire who is trying to count us out. He is not a competitor who is trying to outsmart us. He is not a prosecutor who is trying to convict us. He is a Loving Father who wants our happiness and eternal progress and everlasting opportunity and glorious accomplishment, and who will help us all he can if we will but give him, in our lives, the opportunity to do so with obedience and humility and faith and patience. ¶

God help us to live to have his help, that these things which he has in store for his children, all of whom we are, may be ours, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶