President Mckay And My Beloved Brethren It...

President McKay, and my beloved brethren, it would be difficult to say in words how cherished is your fellowship in the priesthood. God bless you all, wherever you are. ¶

You who have visited Seattle's Century 21 Exposition would perhaps have noticed in one of the scientific exhibits a moving meter which indicates the present population of the world, more than three billion, two hundred-eighty million, as I recall, with the clicking of a number, every second or so it seemed, as each additional newcomer arrives from eternity into time. It is a sobering sight to see— more than 3,280,000,000— all of them ultimately our responsibility, and many of them currently being added to the Church, each one to be taught (as well as all else), each one to be made to understand the purpose of time and life and eternity. ¶

It is a sobering and a wonderful assignment. With the Church growing as it is, ever more widely over the world, it becomes apparent that it must more sharply focus its purposes, avoiding duplications and obvious unessentials, but doing what is essential, as to teaching and training and activities and understanding. We have an obligation to see that our children, our youth, and all of us — and those who come to us by conversion— know what they ought to know. And it cannot be haphazard. ¶

This brings us to the question of the correlation of the curriculum. ¶

Now, these dedicated groups, already referred to, who have been working so well so many months — former stake and general board members, members of bishoprics and stake presidencies, professional educators, and others — have arrived at a recommendation, which in principle the First Presidency has approved: that the gospel be taught as completely as possible at least three times during these three age levels of life: children, youth, and adults. ¶

Within these major groupings there will be many minor groupings, taking into account school associations, social interests, priesthood ages, missions, marriage, and other factors. ¶

The committees at work gratefully know that they are not beginning from nothing or from nowhere. Gratefully they know that they already have going activities and organizations, and revealed truth, and the priesthood of God, and the gospel, and the greatest organization on earth. ¶

They know also that from decades and generations past there are priceless study courses and lesson materials already written, and, as reported to President McKay, and as I feel sure he has very much in mind, these task committees are reviewing all that has been written and used, all that is now being used, as well as seeking to determine the need for further lesson writing. ¶

There is no presently defined limit as to how much we can enlarge or expand the curriculum. It is inclusive, but does not exclude the possibility of adding anything that should be in it. In general, it is proposed to preserve the traditions, names, influence, experience, objectives, and activities of the various organizations, but all to be directed through the priesthood and co-ordinated not only at the level of the General Authorities and general boards, but co-ordinated through the stake presidencies in the stakes and through the bishoprics in the wards, in a way whereby competition and inadvertent duplication will be avoided, and in such a way that each young woman and each young man will grow up with an opportunity to know what he needs to know, and to do what he needs to do, without overloading him or pulling him two ways at once. ¶

Brother Lee has sometimes cited Oscar Kirkham, who said, "One Church, one boy, one program." May we give you an example of the necessity for correlation: ¶

Some months ago when the latest missionary lessons were introduced, four organizations of the Church sincerely and properly desired to use them as lesson material. Had each organization done what it desired to do, some of the same young people would have been taught the same lessons four different times in the same season by four different teachers in four different organizations. You see we can get too much of a good thing! ¶

The curriculum that is being worked on by these dedicated committees will not only prevent such duplication, but will assure the filling in of some areas that have been too thin. It appears that there may have been thick layers in some places, and great gaps in others. ¶

This is not a curriculum designed to create a shallow program, but one dedicated to cover uniformly deeper. There will no doubt be some changes of age groupings, and some reallocation of assignment, but the contemplated curriculum will include instruction, activities, and all proper wholesome interests on a broad base, having in mind the spiritual and cultural and mental and physical and social aspects of man. ¶

The basic program for the various age groups will be made flexible enough to meet the varying needs and circumstances of individuals and of wards and stakes and branches and missions of different sizes and circumstances. ¶

It is expected that the meeting schedule of the Church will be simplified. ¶

As Brother Lee has indicated, the home and family will be considered in all programs that are developed for individuals or age groups. ¶

May we quote from the minutes of one of the committee meetings: "We shall teach them not only doctrine and scripture, but also such things as the Word of Wisdom, chastity, the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, reverence, good citizenship, good manners, and other things which will help them to become wholesome and gracious Latter-day Saints, with an understanding of the basic beliefs, of the ordinances of the gospel, prepared for missions, for success in vocational life, in marriage, and in church and civic affairs." ¶

It is a wonderfully inclusive curriculum. I cannot imagine a father who would not be interested in all that pertains to his children, in all phases of life, and our Father in heaven surely is in us. An eminent thinker of our time has said that "the Church cannot afford to be interested in less than God is interested in. Religion has to do with everything." ¶

"When you get the function of the priesthood fully defined," Brother Lee has said, "it is going to be comparatively easy for us to define where the MIA, the Primary, the Sunday School, etc., fit in. ¶

It will all fit into place with the program of the priesthood." ¶

With it becoming more and more difficult to keep the balance of life, to keep the spirit of prayer and spirituality in public places, it becomes increasingly important that our instruction and activity and learning and lives be full and effective from the first influence of a mother's arms to the latest opportunity of life. ¶

May God help us to know the gospel, to live it, to teach it to our children, and to share it with all others, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶