History, Progress and Counsel

Improvement Era Vol; XXVII DECEMBER, 1923 No. 2 HISTORY, PROGRESS AND COUNSEL* By President Heber J. Grant It is certainly an inspiring sight to see this building so well filled at the first session of our semi-annual conference. I feel truly grateful to the Lord for his blessings to us as a people during the past year. Our harvests have been very abundant. There is a feeling of contentment today throughout this intermountain country, where the Latter-day Saints are located, that is very different, financially speaking, from what it was two years ago today. We are grateful indeed for the blessings that have come to the people during the past two years, and we humbly pray that they may be continued upon the Saints, that the land may yield abundantly, and that peace and prosperity may continue with all of the people of the Lord. Above all it is the desire of the Presidency of the Church and the General Authorities that the Latter-day Saints may grow in the light, the knowledge, and the testimony of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, which has been restored to the earth again, through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith. While we rejoice in the material prosperity of the people, we rejoice more in the growth of faith and knowledge and the love of God and a desire to serve him on their part. President's Visit During the past six months we have had the privilege of receiv- ing a visit from the President of the United States, who spoke from this stand, and who later visited the southern part of our state. We all know that he has since been called from this life. As I stated here upon one occasion, I am very grateful that President Harding had the opportunity of meeting and mingling with the people of our state and of the adjoining states, where so many of the Latter- day Saints are located. I rejoiced when he said to me, as I was dining ♦Address delivered at the opening session of semi-annual general con- ference, Salt Lake Tabernacle, Friday, October 5, 1923. Reported by Joseph Anderson. Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second class matter. Ac- ceptance foe mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 2, 1918, $2 per annum. Address Room 40 6 Church Office Building, Salt Lake City, Utah.

96 IMPROVEMENT ERA with him in the Yellowstone Park, that his good opinion of our people has been enhanced by his visit among them. I am grateful that the high office he held until his death is now occupied by a man who I believe with all my heart is worthy of that exalted position. I desire, and I am sure that all Latter-day Saints desire, that the inspira- tion that comes from God may be given to President Coolidge in the great office which he holds, and that wisdom may come to him and his cabinet in directing the affairs of our beloved country. We as Latter-day Saints have much to be thankful for. We are just completing in Idaho Falls a magnificent hospital, which when completed and furnished, will cost about four hundred thousand dol- lars, and will be a lasting monument to the integrity of our people, and their devotion to God. Otherwise we would not have had the means to have created such a magnificent structure in our adjoining state. Alberta Temple Dedicated There has been dedicated a temple to the Most High God in a foreign land, the first that has been erected outside the confines or dependencies of the United States. The cost of the Alberta Tem- ple, including furniture, equipment, lawns, grounds, and in fact the building complete, is seven hundred and eighty-one thousand four hundred and seventy-nine dollars and ninety cents — over three quarters of a million dollars expended there in completing a house of God, dedicated for sacred purposes. Many of us had the opportunity of attending the sessions, eleven in all, at each of which the dedicatory prayer was read, and remarks were made upon more than one occasion by all of the General Authorities who were in attendance, by many of the officers of the Church, and by many of the people who were there as visitors. I rejoice in being able to say that the same sweet, peaceful, Godlike and inspiring spirit that I have had the opportunity of en- joying at the dedication of the Logan Temple, of the Manti Temple, of the Salt Lake Temple, and the one in the Hawaiian Islands, was present with us upon all of the occasions when we met in the Alberta Temple. I rejoice that there was a rich outpouring of the spirit of the Lord during all of the eleven sessions that were held in that Temple, and that those who were present partook of that spirit, and that the visitors and the local people were satisfied in their hearts and able to bear witness that the Lord, by the rich outpourings of his Spirit, was with us throughout the sacred services. There stands out in my mind in the various dedications of tem- ples that I have had the privilege of attending, a feeling of gratitude and thanksgiving to God that I was permitted to be present at these dedications, and to partake of the spirit that was always present. It is the spirit that giveth life, while the letter killeth; and I can testify that the spirit of the living God has been present at the time of the

HISTORY, PROGRESS AND COUNSEL 97 dedication of each and all of the temples that I have had the great privilege and honor of attending. Spirits Attuned If we as Latter-day Saints live the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, our spirits are perfectly attuned, so that we really partake of the in- spiration of the living God that is present in the conference gatherings of the Latter-day Saints, and I know that no faithful Latter-day Saint could have been present at Logan, at Manti, at Salt Lake City, in the Hawaiian Islands or in Cardston at the dedication of the several temples but what he or she was thrilled by the spirit of those occa- sions. No Latter-day Saints has attended any of those sessions who has not gone away with an increased love of God, with an increased desire to serve God, with a renewed determination to more faithfully live the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that we have espoused. I call to mind two occasions while in the missionary field that were remarkable to me, for they compared in my affections and in my feelings with the blessed experiences incident to the dedication of these temples. One of them was when we had all of the elders of the British Mission and representatives from some of the other mis- sions of Europe present at Bradford — several hundred missionaries, and we had a spiritual feast. We had what would be called "a red letter day," spiritually. The Lord God Almighty blessed us abundant- ly upon that occasion. I call to mind another instance in Rotterdam where many of the missionaries of the Netherlands mission, includ- ing Belgium and Holland, and many from the Swiss and German mission were present. Our meeting lasted until midnight, and I am sure that no one of the many elders who were assembled there was the least bit weary because of the length of the meeting. There were tears of gratitude and thanksgiving to the living God for an abiding knowledge and testimony of the divinity of the work in which we are engaged, shed in great profusion upon that occasion. The fear of God was with us, and we rejoiced exceedingly. Cumorah Conference On the 22nd day of last month we had the privilege — four of the general authorities from this city and one who was located at Brooklyn as the 'president of the Eastern States Mission, Brother Brigham H. Roberts — of being present at the wonderful conference held at the Joseph Smith farm, in the Sacred Grove, and at the Hill Cumorah, celebrating the one-hundredth anniversary of Joseph Smith's first view of the plates from which the Book of Mormon was later translated. A very remarkable conference for three days was held there. A rich outpouring of the spirit of the living God was ex- perienced. I am grateful indeed, to President Brigham H. Roberts for arranging that conference, for I am free to confess, that in the mul- titude of duties and responsibilities resting upon me, I might have

98 IMPROVEMENT ERA neglected that one-hundredth anniversary. I feel grateful to Brother Roberts that he did not allow it to pass without a very splendid con- ference. It was one that each and every person who attended will look back to with that same pleasure and joy and satisfaction with which we look back upon the dedication of our temples, and the passing of other mile-stones, so to speak, in the history of this Church. In the Sacred Grove I remarked in the first meeting that we were sorry beyond ex- pression that President Roberts' health was such that he could not be present, that it seemed to me very much like the great play of Hamlet with Hamlet left out. Brother Roberts had prepared a very remarkable program, covering many episodes and historical matters in connection with the rise of the Church through the one hundred years, nearly, of its history, and there were no words with which we could convey adequately our regret that the man to whom we were indebted for all of these labors could not take a more active part than he did because of his poor health upon that occasion; and yet we rejoiced that he was able to lift up his voice on several occasions during that conference, and also to be present during some of the meetings, although his health was such that he had to withdraw from a few of them before their close. I have expressed, and heard others who were present express sincere and heartfelt regret that the prayer delivered by Brother Roberts in the Sacred Grove on Sunday morning, Sept. 23, was not taken down in writing. I cannot remember when my heart has been more stirred, and when I have had my affection called out to the Lord more perfectly than upon the occasion when Brother Roberts uttered that prayer in the Sacred Grove, where the Lord God Almighty, and where Jesus Christ our Redeemer, had appeared and conversed with the Prophet, or more properly speaking, with the boy Joseph Smith, afterward the Prophet of the Living God. Faith Increased We know, of course, that the world doubts that God and Jesus Christ spoke in that grove to Joseph Smith; but there is no Latter-day Saint living who has kept the commandments of God, and has re- ceived the witness of the Holy Spirit, that we are engaged in his work, who has any doubt in his or her mind that the Lord God Almighty, that Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior of mankind, did talk to that boy. And those of us who had the privilege of as- sembling in that grove Sunday morning, Sept. 23, and partaking of the sacrament of the Lord's supper, in witness to God of our remem- brance of the death and suffering, and of the atoning blood of our Redeemer, and who listened to the inspiring words in the prayer of supplication by Brother Roberts, had our faith increased and strength- ened, and had our hearts mellowed in gratitude to the living God for the rich outpourings of his spirit at that sacred spot. I believe

HISTORY, PROGRESS AND COUNSEL 99 that if I had more thoroughly partaken of the spirit of that conference prior to going there, that arrangements would have been made to have had hundreds of the Latter-day Saints present. It was only a very short time prior to this one hundredth anniversary that I felt im- pressed that I ought to go there. Last May I thought perhaps I would gc. but scarcely felt the full inspiration of it. However, just before the conference was to be held, the impression came to me that it would be a very serious mistake if the man whom the Lord had seen fit to honor in placing him to preside over the Church of Christ, es- tablished through the instrumentality of that boy who, one hundred and three years ago, conversed with God the Father and the Savior, and one hundred years ago, saw for the first time the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated, did not attend that cele- bration. I was very grateful that two of the CouncT of the Twelve happened to be in the east at the time, so that they could also be there; and in thinking the matter over I felt that it would be v.;ry fitting indeed for one of the blood relatives of the Prophet Joseph Smith to be there at that remarkable celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the first view of the plates from which the Book of Mormon was transcribed. New Inspiration I have read within the past few weeks what a lot of rot the Book of Mormon is, what an absurd, ridiculous book it is. I want to say that it was my pleasure to be very intimately acquainted with the late William W. Riter, than whom there were few men in all the Church who were greater readers and greater students, and who had more analytical and thoughtful minds. The last time that I heard Brother Riter speak was in a meeting in the ward where I reside. He was a. man who read and studied a great deal. Among other things he made the statement, which was greatly to my surprise, that for many years he had read the Book of Mormon through regularly every year. 1 never dreamed that he would take the time to do so. And he said that he found new inspiration, new uplifting thoughts, that he enjoyed the book, he believed, more each time that he read it than he had previously done. He said that nobody could find anything in that book that was not calculated to uplift mankind, and to im- prove them; that there was no book that more perfectly inspired a love of the Lord Jesus Christ the Redeemer of the world, by its con- tents, than did the Book of Mormon; that there was not one single incident, not one paragraph in that whole book, that could offend the most sensitive soul. I have regretted beyond expression that the very remarkable and splendid sermon that he gave that night was not taken down in shorthand. The Arizona Temple I am pleased to be able to inform the people that the work on

100 IMPROVEMENT ERA the Arizona temple is progressing satisfactorily, that next month we hope to lay the corner stone and deposit some records in that stone, and that we hope in the near future to have that building com- pleted for sacred ordinance work. We are making very extensive improvements, almost completed now, giving greater facilities for taking care of larger numbers of people in the Salt Lake temple. Many of those improvements, however, have had to be made underground because of the conditions that face us. We have made some improvements, also, in the Logan Temple for increased capacity in doing temple work there. There have been changes in the following missions: Hugo D. E. Peterson has been made the president of the Swedish Mission, succeeding Gideon E. Hulterstrom. John S. Hansen has been made president of the Danish Mission succeeding Carl E. Peterson. Angus T. Wright has been made president of the New Zealand Mission, succeeding George F. Taylor. Ernest LeRoy Butler has been made president of the Samoa Mis- sion succeeding John Quincy Adams. Missionaries Safe Martin A. Robertson has been appointed to succeed Lloyd Ivie as president of the Japan Mission. Brother Ivie has not yet re- turned. We received a cablegram, however, from him stating that our missionaries in Japan were safe. We have not yet had a letter from him since the terrible catastrophe of earthquake and fire in that land, but we are grateful indeed to the Lord that all of our mis- sionaries in Japan were preserved during the awful calamity that came to that country. Albert R. Peterson has been made president of the Norwegian Mission, succeeding August S. Schow. Fred J. Tadje has been made president of the Swiss and German Mission, succeeding Serge F. Ballif. Charles S. Hyde has been made president of the Netherlands Mis- sion, succeeding John T. Lillywhite. The work in all of our missions is progressing very favorably indeed. We are thankful for the splendid labors being performed in all of the missions throughout the world. The one cry that comes to us from every mission is: Send us more elders. The people are becoming interested in the work of the Lord. "We could use twice a? many elders" is the word that comes from many of the missions. Impressive Slogan The Mutual Improvement associations of the Church have an impressive slogan this year. They stand for spiritual growth among the L2tter-day Saints through family and secret prayers. I wish to commend the young people for adopting this slogan. I am con

HISTORY, PROGRESS AND COUNSEL 101 vinced that one of the greatest and one of the best things in all the world to keep a man true and faithful in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, is to secretly supplicate God in the name of Jesus Christ, for the guidance of his Holy Spirit. I am convinced that one of the greatest things that can come into any home to cause the boys and girls in that home to grow up in a love of God, and in a love for the Gos- pel of Jesus Christ, is to have family prayer, not for the father of the family alone to pray, but for the mother and for the children to do so also, that they may partake of the spirit of prayer and be in har- mony, be in tune, to have the radio, so to speak, in communication with the Spirit of the Lord. I believe that there are very few that go astray, that very few lose their faith, who have once had a knowledge of the gospel, and who never neglect their prayers in their families, and their secret supplications to God. I am grateful for this slogan. I am also grateful that in addition to this slogan the fifty thousand or more of our young ladies are being requested that they shall, during the next six months, observe rigidly and strictly the Word of Wisdom. If you or I possessed a letter from the late President Warren G. Harding, I am sure that we would prize it, that we would hold it as a keepsake all the days of our lives, and that we would leave it as a legacy for our posterity — a communication from a man that had been honored by being the president of our great country. Do we ever stop to think that the Creator of heaven and earth, the Maker of all that we see in this great universe, the Father of our spirits, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ in the spirit and in the flesh, has communi- cated with us, that he has given us counsel and advice such as will lead us back into his presence, that will give to us vigor of body and of mind? A Matter of Regret And yet there are hundreds, there are thousands among the Latter-day Saints to whom the Lord God Almighty has given a testimony and a knowledge that he lives, a knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, a knowledge that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the true and the living God, and who are able to bear that witness and to testify of it at home and abroad who when the Lord God Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth, tells them what is good for them, physically and spiritually, and writes them a letter, neglect to pay any attention to it. I am sorry that today there are many of the sons and daughters of the Latter-day Saints — some of the sons and daughters of leading men and women in this Church, who are having social gatherings and who think that it is smart, that it shows a spirit of liberality and of broadness to drink wine and to have their tea and their coffee and to play their cards, and to do those things that we have been taught are not good for us. I am going to read to you a letter from the Lord to the Latter-day Saints: "Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland,

102 IMPROVEMENT ERA Ohio, February 27, 1833." [Ninety long years ago since the Lord wrote this letter to you and to me, and to every man and woman and child in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the Word of Wis- dom. What is there in all the world so valuable as Wisdom? Nothing. The one thing of all others that King Solomon sought after was wisdom] "Abstinence from wine, strong drink, tobacco and hot drinks enjoined — moderation in the eating of meat — wholesome foods — promises to those who live according to these precepts. "A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the Saints in Zion. Given With Promise "To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by rev- elation and the words of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God," [in a letter telling you, telling me the will of God,] "in the temporal salva- tion of all Saints in the last days — "Given for a principle with promise," [don't forget that promise,] "adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all Saints, who are or can be called Saints. "Behold, verily thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation — "That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him. "And behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make. , "And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies." I remember hearing the most eloquent address that I heard dur- ing the campaign for prohibition of liquor delivered by Dr. Geisel, a lady who was connected with the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michi- gan, and she stated that there were scores and hundreds of doctors that had become absolutely convinced from their scientific investigation, from their personal experience, that alcohol or strong liquors were ab- solutely worthless as medicine when taken internally, but that they were good for the washing of the body, that there was a stimulating and invigorating effect that those who were sick enjoyed by washing their bodies with alcohol. Favorably Impressed I remember after hearing her remarks in the Twenty-first ward Sunday school that morning, that I asked permission to ride to the depot with her in the automobile. She had a watch lying in front of her and agreed to talk within ten minutes of train time. In going to the train I said: "Dr. Geisel, I am delighted to hear that your investigations in America, France and Russia regarding alcohol confirm what we knew seventy-five years ago through a revelation from the Lord to Joseph Smith the Prophet." And I told her of the Word of Wisdom, and she said she was coming back here some time to spend

HISTORY, PROGRESS AND COUNSEL 103 an entire summer vacation, that she had found so many remarkable things in our faith and our doctrines, that she wanted to investigate them. "And, again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill. "And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly. "And, again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath or- dained for the constitution, nature, and use of man — "Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. "Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly. "And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine." Teachings Confirmed I remember recently reading that many of the doctors had come to the conclusion that excessive use of meat was one of the great causes of cancer, and of many other of the diseases that are destroying the human race. Year by year the inspiration comes to men through study and research to confirm, one by one, the teachings that came by the inspiration of the living God to Joseph Smith the Prophet of this last dispensation. "All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth. "And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger. "All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine ; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground — "Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain." Now, oh, ye Saints, listen to the promise of the Lord God Al- mighty in this letter written to you as to what shall be your heritage if you obey these simple words of wisdom: "And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and mar- row to their bones; "And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hid- den treasures; "And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. "And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen." Let me read the last verse once more: "And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them." Benefit of Obedience In this same book you will find it recorded that there is a law

104 IMPROVEMENT ERA irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of the world, upon which every blessing is predicated, and when we receive a blessing we receive it because we fulfil the law upon which the bless- ing is predicated. I wish to bear my witness here that I believe with all my heart and soul that if I had not obeyed the Word of Wisdom, if I had not kept these commandments, that I would not be standing before you this day as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I believe that I would not be alive but for having obeyed this commandment, but for having fulfilled the law which was irrevocably decreed before the foundation of the world, whereby I was entitled to live. We have the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have the plan of life and salvation revealed to us — temporal salvation, spiritual sal- vation. We have the gospel that will bring to us life eternal in the presence of God our Father, Jesus Christ our Redeemer, and of our loved ones who have gone before, who have been faithful. Rejoice in Testimonies I thank the Lord God Almighty for the faith, for the integrity, for the devotion to him and the gospel of his Son Jesus Christ in the lives of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. I thank the Lord that they were true, even to the day of their martyrdom. I rejoice in the testimonies at the Hill Cumorah, at the Joseph Smith Farm, and in the Sacred Grove, regarding these men. I rejoice in the marvelous integrity and devotion to God of Brigham Young in the days of apostasy, in the days when murder was in the hearts of many who had once been Latter-day Saints. I rejoice that when men said that Joseph Smith was a fallen prophet, Brigham Young was as true as steel, and would have given his life at any time for the Prophet Joseph Smith I rejoice in the wonderful accomplishments of Brigham Young. I rejoice in the integrity and devotion to God of John Taylor, ■of Wilford Woodruff, of Lorenzo Snow, and of Joseph F. Smith with v/hom I was intimately associated for forty-one years this identical month. I know the hearts of these men. I know the inmost de- sires of their lives, that which they desired to accomplish, and I know that every one of these men loved God with all his heart, and with all his being, that they all loved the people of God, and that the one and only thing in their heart's desire above everything else in the world, was the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the spread of it, that men who knew not the truth might learn and accept the plan of life and salvation. Loyal to Country I know that their thoughts, their prayers, their ambitions, were all for the good of this people and their advancement, spiritually and morally, intellectually and patriotically. I know as I know that I live that no men ever graced the footstool of God who were more loyal

HISTORY, PROGRESS AND COUNSEL 105 to their country, who believed more firmly that the Lord God Al- mighty inspired the men who brought freedom to this country under George Washington and inspired the men who wrote the Constitution of our beloved country. I thank God for these men, and with all the power of my being I pray God that I, having been honored in my weakness and my lack of strength in comparison to them, may lead this people as they did, in that straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal. I desire to read just two paragraphs from the prayer given at the dedication of the Alberta temple: "We thank thee, O Father for the knowledge which we possess, that thou dost live, and that thy Son Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, and our Savior, and that thy servant, Joseph Smith, Jr., was and is a prophet of the true and living God. And, O Father, may we ever be true and faithful to the gospel of thy Son Jesus Christ, revealed through thy servant Joseph. "We especially pray thee, O Father in heaven, to bless the youth of thy people in Zion and in all the world. Shield them from the adversary and from wicked and designing men. Keep the youth of thy people, C* Father, in the straight and narrow path that leads to thee, preserve them from the pitfalls and snares that are laid for their feet. O Father, may our children grow up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Jesus Christ, Give unto them a testimony of the divinity of this work as thou hast given it unto us, and preserve them in purity, and in the truth." And I say unto you, O fathers in Israel; if you will set an example by being honest before God in the payment of your tithes, if you will observe the Word of Wisdom, if you will observe your family and your secret prayers, God will give you the strength to pre- serve the youth of Zion as mentioned in this supplication. May the Lord bless us and pour out upon us richly his Holy Spirit during this conference, is my prayer, and I ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. You'll Find What You Look For Never let a person's failings Make you to his virtues blind; Good you'll find in all about you If you're trying good to find. Ere you judge another's actions, Or against him you decide, Place yourself in his position, This will be your surest guide. You can never hate a person, Unless you have wronged him, too; Then be careful in your judgment, For the fault may be in you. Life is but a truthful mirror Which reflects the inner you. If you'd find it full of pleasure You must to yourself be true. Mesa, Arizona Ethel R. Lillywhitt.