Reaching the Souls of Men

Reaching the Souls of Men Elder David 0. McKay, of the Council of the Twelve

It is, indeed, an inspiration to behold this excellent gather- ing this morning. I wish to commend the large attendance of priesthood. It is a source of strength in this Church to have such a body of men holding the holy Priesthood scattered throughout the congregation. "And he gave some, apostles, and some prophets; and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the per- fecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edi- fying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a per- fect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up unto him in all things which is the head, even Christ." Ephesians 4:11-15. I have referred to the presence of the priesthood, and asso- ciated with these quorums are large representative bodies of men and women engaged as auxiliary workers. Members of these two groups of workers in the Church will include from 60 to 80 percent of those who constitute this congregation, this morning. There is a responsibility resting upon each for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, and that work is to continue until we all come in the unity of the faith unto the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, even unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. I am inclined to think, however, that much of this work, both of quorums and auxilliary organizations, is confined largely among the better and more earnest members of the Church. We are prone to do our duty, as many men and women do their work, along the lines of least resistance. Our influence is felt most strongly among those who need it least. I may be over-stating this. If I am, I am doing so, simply to make a point; and yet my observation leads me to believe that what I sav is verv nearlv a fact. Quorum officers, for example, are wielding their influence, and the need of their quorums is felt.

Remarks at the Granite stake Conference, Sunday morning, August 31, 1919, reported by John M. Whitaker.

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among the most active members of the quorum. Officers of the auxiliary associations are centering their efforts individ- ually, and as organizations, upon those men and women, boys and girls, who attend most earnestly and regularly to their re- ligious duties; and little effort is given to the indifferent, and the least attention, to those not of us. I was led to think most earnestly upon this matter when I heard, only a few days ago of a young man not a member of the Church who has been in Utah for nearly twenty years, and who had just met a young high councilman of my acquaintance. Although he was with the high councilman only a short time he said he had learned more about the "Mormon" religion than he had heard during his whole former stay in Utah. "Why is it," he asked, "that we do not hear more of this from you men with whom we associate in daily vocation?" "Well," said the high councilman, "our meeting houses are open, always free, we invite everybody to come to our meet- ings, and why have you not availed yourself of this oppor- tunity?" Said he, "I have attended my own church, and consequently did not know you men believed in the doctrines you have ex- plained to me." The high councilman who spoke to that non-member is a natural missionary. He does not bore his hearers with his re- ligion; but he proposes it, invites attention to it, and never does he fail to take advantage of the opportunity to tell his com- panions what the Church offers to humanity, by way of temporal salvation here, and eternal salvation as well. I was delighted, later, only yesterday, to learn that this non-member had asked for several more interviews, with a view to joining the Church. How many such men might be reached, if we, as elders, on whom responsibility to preach the truth rests, would but sense that responsibility? It is ours to teach the truth in plain- ness, in season and out of season, bearing testimony, not only by words but by our actions. I would ask, too, if we reach, as well, another set of men who come half-way between the regular meeting- and women goers, who are honest and faithful in the Church, and the non-member. I refer now to that indifferent boy and girl in too many of them today, towards the Church— and there are all to lead them into ways whom no senile hand is outstretched happiness than the paths in which they now more fruitful to tread. I know of no class of workers in the Church who reach these boys and girls so effectively and so directly as the men and bovs to whom has been assigned the duty of ward teacher.

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We urge in auxiliary associations that the teachers reach out for the indifferent boy and the indifferent girl. The Mutual Improvement workers are striving to enroll the unenrolled, likewise are the Sunday School, Primary, and Religion class workers; but there is not much individual work being done, be- cause it is natural when we see a boy indifferent, one who will answer our inquiry with indifference to leave him alone and say, "Well, you go your own way, if you will not listen to me." Day before yesterday, I entered a wagon shop, and said to a brother who had just taken a cigar out of his mouth. "I have noticed, lately, that you are getting very fond of cigars.** "Yes, sir," said he, "and I pay for them with my own money." He became quite haughty and rather resented my sug- gestion. We frequently will meet that attitude, and we may think it seems all right to say, "You go your way, and I will go mine," but is it? A Mutual Improvement worker may speak to an indifferent girl about her weakness, and the young girl will toss her head and walk away rather resentfully to think the mutual worker should approach her in any such way what- ever. But the very fact that interest was taken, the fact that the attention of the indifferent was called to her weakness, will leave seed which in the future will bear good fruit. It is better for him or her to feel that you are interested than to have them think you have no care for them. I shall never forget an answer which a man made at the organization of one of our wards, not many miles from where we are meeting today. A branch had been made a ward, the new bishopric had announced in the afternoon meeting that following the sacrament service, a special meeting would be called for the purpose of considering ways and means of erect- ing a house of worship. The meeting was held, committees were appointed, and the next morning the new bishop, meeting a man who had been absent from the business meeting, greeted him and said: "We held a meeting yesterday, appointed committees with a view of erecting a meetinghouse. I am sorry you weren't there; we missed you." The man turned to the bishop and said: "That is the first time I have been missed in fifteen years." He became a member of the building committee and was one of the best workers. It is not a good thing to let these people feel that they are not missed. They are missed, too many of them, today, are missed from our places of meeting, and are found in organiza-

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tions, the influence ofwhich is not conducive to the instilling of the testimony of the truths of the everlasting gospel. Never before in the history of the Church were there so many insiduous influences at work among our people as to- day. Never before have dangers been so threatening to our youth. I am not a pessimist, neither am I one of those who say our young people are worse now than they used to be; I don't believe they are. I have as much confidence in our boys and girls today as you fathers and mothers had in your sons, twenty years ago. Most of the boys of today are just as earn- est, they think just as much of their religion in general, and just as much of the truth, as boys did twenty years ago. But there are conditions that are worse than they were twenty years ago. There are more threatening influences enticing our boys and girls from paths of duty, than there were twenty years ago; all of which is evident, without further explanation. It is true some of the boys think that the standard of morality has changed. A young man of seventeen said the other day to his mother who had cautioned him about his company, etc.: "Well, mother, the standards of morals have changed, they are different from what they were ten years ago." The standard of morals of the Latter-day Saint boy and girl will never change, must never change. Standards of the outside may change, may be lowered, and that influence may penetrate our social organizations but our standards must be maintained; our boys and girls should be made acquainted with our standards. On whom rests this responsibility, my brethren and sisters? Upon us all. Let each one constitute himself, today, a missionary, and sometime during the next week reach out that influence to some boy who is indifferent: go beyond that, say one good word by way of testimony to some man, some non-member who does not know the truth, who does not know this people, some one who, perchance, has been residing here for many years; and good fruit will result from it. Applications are made for baptism by those who are already residing here, and I think they are better in many ways than applications of those made ten thousand miles away, to reach whom we spend hundreds and thousands of dollars annually. Brethren and sisters, the gospel is to be preached to all the world as a witness. Let us not forget our own, those who are in our midst. Let us preach, by voice, as well as by act and example, and if we can reach them all, well and good; and if we are not permitted to do it, we can at least approach the pur- pose by our acts. The time has come when the Latter-day Saints must cling to the Church organization, as the best and safest organization in all the world. No other group of men, no other organizations, in the world, can offer you the safety, the

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happiness, and the security that are offered to you in your quo- rums and auxiliary associations. Let us stand united, remem- bering that God has placed His organizations here for the per- fecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, and that ministry includes everybody. You ward teachers should not pass a house simply because therein is a non-member of the Church. You can, at least, ask permission to visit him, or leave a tract there. You are not teaching, and should not teach or visits only to make a hun- dred per cent report to your bishop, but you should teach with a view to reach the souls of men, our boys and girls, as well as those who are older, and non-members. Love the work, do your best, then leave the conversion to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord; and know this, that when you have done your duty, the peace and satisfaction that come will more than compensate for any rebuff, resentment, or op- position, that might be manifest. You young teachers may come home and feel that your labor has been in vain. A young teacher said not long ago, "Do we need to go back to the house where the man uses tobacco, and says he is going to continue to use it, and his wife favors him in using it?" "Yes; go back again and again, you do your duty, and leave the rest to the Lord." In conclusion, brethren and sisters, may I quote these lines which seem to be pertinent: Who does his task from day to day, And meets whatever comes his way, Believing God has willed it so, Has found true greatness here below; Who guards his post no matter where, Believing God must need him there, Although but lowly toil it be Has risen to nobility. For great and low there's but one test. 'Tis that eachone shall do his best, Who works with all the strength he can, Shall never die in debt to man.

May God's blessings be with us, and may we have a rich outpouring of his Spirit that we may feel the need, more than ever before, of loyalty, devotion, purity, and have the determi- nation, and feel the responsibility of testifying to the world that God lives, that he is our Father, that he has spoken in this our day, that he has placed man here on earth with authority, and an organization complete in itself, for the benefit and salva- tion of the human family; and may we feel, as never before, the responsibility, power, and need, of reaching the non-mem- bers, and especially the indifferent boy and girl, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.