As One Turns The Pages Of The...

As one turns the pages of the Old Testament, there appear the writings of great men of ages past who are referred to as the prophets. The books of the New Testament contain, among other things, the writings, teachings, and history of men of a later dispensation, who have been designated as prophets. We also have the record of the prophets of the western part of the world, who raised their voices, proclaiming the word of the Lord, protesting unrighteousness, and teaching the principles of the gospel. All of these have left their witness. ¶

A prophet is one who has been called and raised up by the Lord to further God's purposes among his children. He is one who has received the priesthood and speaks with authority. Prophets are teachers and defenders of the gospel. They bear witness of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Prophets have foretold future happenings, but this is not the most important of their responsibilities, although it may be some evidence of prophetic power. ¶

Righteous leadership has been needed in each dispensation of time, and God chose prophets for this purpose long before they came to this mortal existence. We remember the Lord spoke to Abraham and showed him the intelligences which existed before the earth was created and said: ". . . Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born." (Abr. 3:23.) In speaking to Jeremiah the Lord said: ". . . before thou earnest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." (Jer. 1:5.) After the formation of the earth and the creation of man, Adam became the patriarch to the human family and the first prophet. He previously sat in the council that planned the creation of the earth and participated under Christ in the execution of the prearrangement. ¶

According to the plan, the fall of Adam from immortality created the condition by which all men may be saved from mortal death and live again by reason of the atoning sacrifice of Christ. In spite of the teachings of Adam, people turned from righteousness. ¶

In the seventh generation a dispensation was given to Enoch. God called him to prophesy unto the people and call them to repentance. He went forth in the land among the people and cried with a loud voice against their iniquities. ¶

Enoch understood the doctrine of the fall and the atonement and taught the gospel as it had been given to Adam. He gathered a great multitude of people into a city known as the City of Holiness, which, because of the righteousness of the people, was lifted from the earth. ¶

Corruption soon filled the earth again and God raised up Noah as a prophet to teach the gospel. ¶

"And it came to pass that Noah called upon the children of men that they should repent; but they hearkened not unto his words." (Moses 8:20.) The Lord then caused the earth to be covered by water, destroying the wicked population except the family of Noah, and Noah became the prophet to a new generation, holding the keys of the priesthood. ¶

As we continue to trace history, we come to another period when apostasy swept over the peoples of the earth. God spoke to Abraham, a follower of righteousness and revealed many things through him for the benefit of mankind— the order of the priesthood, a knowledge of the planets in the universe, a vision of the council in heaven before the creation of the earth, and the plan of salvation. ¶

Again the people turned to darkness rather than light. Moses was chosen to lead the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. On Mt. Sinai, during the migration to the land of promise, he was given the Ten Commandments for the benefit of his people. In spite of his labors to teach them the gospel, they failed to take heed, so the Lord, through this great prophet, gave them what has been known as the Law of Moses or the Law of Carnal Commandments. ¶

The western world was not without its prophets. From the writings of Ether in the Book of Mormon, we read of the appearance of the Lord to the brother of Jared. As this people ceased to serve the Lord and deteriorated into unfaithfulness, the prophet Lehi was instructed to bring his family to these shores, and a new gospel dispensation was established. The history of his descendants is a series of leadership under great prophets, but as the people ceased to obey their counsel, the Lord withdrew his Spirit from them, and the race was destroyed. ¶

John the Baptist was the forerunner of Christ and proclaimed the same gospel ordinances which had been instituted for the salvation of man before the world was created and which had been taught by the prophets. Then came the Master in the Meridian of Time, fulfilling that which had been spoken by Adam and each of the prophets since his time. The Son of God, the Savior of the world, was born into mortality. Jesus was "God manifest in the flesh." (1 Tim. 3:16.) He taught by precept and lived the perfect life. ¶

He made the atonement for sin and gave his life that all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. The Twelve Apostles were the personal witnesses of Christ, but after the death of the last of them, there was a falling away. The priesthood was lost to the world, and there was total spiritual darkness. This condition had been foretold by the ancient prophets. ¶

At the beginning of the nineteenth century there had been no revelation for seventeen hundred years. There had been no heavenly appearances or scripture during that time and the world was in a chaotic religious state. ¶

Many times the gospel had been given to the world through the prophets, and each time was lost because of disobedience. In the year 1820 the silence was broken, and the Lord again appeared to a prophet. This prophet, Joseph Smith, could testify of his own positive knowledge that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, a Resurrected Being, separate and distinct from the Father. He did not testify as to what he believed or what he or others thought or conjectured, but of what he knew. This knowledge came to him because God the Father and the Son appeared to him in person and spoke to him. Through him and by subsequent events the priesthood and the gospel in its fulness were once more restored to the earth, never again to be removed. The Church of Christ, the kingdom of God on earth, was reestablished and destined, according to scripture, to roll forth and fill the whole earth. Since the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, each succeeding President of the Church has been sustained as a prophet of the Lord, and there is a living prophet on the earth today. ¶

To peoples of past dispensations and ages, the most important prophet was the one then living, teaching, and revealing the will of the Lord in their time. In each of the past dispensations, prophets have been raised up by the Lord as his spokesmen to the people of that particular age and for the specific problems of that age. ¶

It is the present living prophet who is our leader, our teacher. It is from him we take direction in the modern world. From all corners of the earth, we who sustain him as a prophet of the Lord, express our appreciation for this source of divine guidance. We are grateful for his life, his example, his teachings, his leadership. Ninety years of faith and devotion! His faith has not stood alone but has borne fruit all over the world. If he is tested by the fruits of faith as spelled out in the New Testament, we will find that his life is a manifestation of each of them and can be described by that chain of "linked graces" enumerated in the Second Epistle of the Apostle Peter. ¶

To faith he added virtue. His life demonstrates manly strength, courage, and moral excellence, measured not by his extraordinary efforts, but by his everyday conduct. ¶

To virtue he added knowledge. Since early boyhood he has been a student and a teacher, in both the formal pursuits of education and in the great school of life. His experience, practical skill, understanding, clear perception of truth, knowledge of God and the divine nature of man, distinguish him from other men of the world. ¶

To knowledge he added temperance. ¶

He is the master of himself yet submissive to the will of God. He demonstrates self-control and moderation in all things. ¶

And to temperance, patience! There are often occurrences which are apt to harass the temper, but in his sweet, kindly way, he regards them with calm endurance. ¶

And to patience he added godliness. ¶

One who works closely with him has said, "There is a spirituality radiating from him that is ofttimes felt by even the stranger who visits him. He keeps himself spiritually tuned to heavenly things." His thoughts, his writings, his teaching, his very appearance indicate the presence of God in his life. ¶

And to godliness he added brotherly kindness. The story is told of a conference concerning a difficult problem when he said, "Human hearts are very tender, and human lives are very precious. Let's solve this problem without hurting a very tender heart." ¶

And to brotherly kindness he added charity. He has a Christian love for all men because they are the sons of God. He is kind, forgiving, and compassionate. ¶

All these things are in him and abound and make him neither barren nor unfruitful. They distinguish him as a prophet of the Lord — our President, David O. McKay. ¶

As the prophets from the beginning to the present day pass in review before our memory, we become aware of the great blessing which comes to us from the influence of a living prophet. History should teach us that unless we are willing to heed the warnings and follow the teachings of a prophet of the Lord, we will be subject to the judgments of God. ¶

I bear witness that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that there is a living prophet of God on the earth today, whom I sustain with all my heart. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶