Improvement Era, August 1927

Improvement Era Vol. XXX AUGUST, 1927 No. 10 LATTER-DAY SAINT IDEALS AND INSTITUTIONS* By Elder Orson F. Whitney, of the Council of the Twelve Definition of Terms My first duty to this congregation is to define the terms used in the title of my address. You all know what Latter-day Saint means; so I need not dwell upon that. But what is meant by ideal? And what is an institution? To such as need be told, I now address myself. Broadly speaking, an institution is something that is already established, while an ideal is a thing not yet attained, or a thing unattainable. Ideal does not mean unreal; it is just a loftier real. The ideal might be termed the parent of the real. The Need of Ideals Man needs ideals; and, for aught I know, God needs them. There must always be something above and beyond, something in the lead, to incite and encourage effort; else progress would cease. In ideality is the principle of leadership. The ideal stands upon a mountain top, beckoning to the real to come up higher. But as we climb the mountain, the ideal recedes and takes yet higher ground, where it continues to beckon and point upward. We press on and on, but Alps on Alps arise, and the summit of one attainment proves the point look-out to heights still unsurmounted. Thus the ideals of yesterday have become the institu- tions of today; and the ideals of today will be the institutions of ♦Address delivered at the M. I. A. Conference in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday evening, June 12, 192 7. Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second class matter. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1 103 , Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 2. 1918, $2 pec annum. Address Room 40 6, Church Office Building, Salt Lake City, Utah.