Law Observance

Law Observance There are civil, moral, and religious laws. There are family laws and regula- tions. There are the two great laws which our Savior emphasized and which embrace all the others: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neigh- bor as thyself. On these two command- ments hang all the law and the prophets." Only through love and obedience in the individual can laws be observed by him. If he loves the law he will observe it. No man can be a law unto himself and succeed. He must conform to the regula- tions that are established in civilized society, for the protection of all. His liberty must be within these laws, and must encompass the good of his fellows. To these laws he must render the service of obedience. At the late conference of the Church, the present need of law observance was strongly emphasized. President Anthony W. Ivins called attention to the wise and just laws of our country, and that while laws may have been enacted which were in a sense undesirable, there is a way pro- vided by which they may be abrogated or amended, and that, not law-breaking, is the proper mode of procedure. He then continued: "Now what is the necessity of calling attention to this matter at this particular time? I believe that we know that the necessity does exist. You only need to read the reports that come to us from the various parts of the United States, and from our own state and county. There is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that lawlessness is running riot. Men go, boldly and unmasked, and shoot their way into the treasure-houses of this country, killing, if law-abiding men stand in the way, in order that they may carry away that which does not belong to them. Men violate, unblushingly, the laws of chastity and virtue, which are the very foundations upon which all good governments may stand. Men holding public office violate that trust which has been reposed in them by the people, and themselves stand out violators of the very law that they are appointed to magnify and uphold. Only this morning you who read the papers saw an account of one of the most atrocious crimes that could be perpetrated, said to have been perpetrated by an official who has been appointed to administer the law, not to violate it, in which at a threat of life he takes a woman into an automobile, carries her away to a secluded place, and there keeps her during the entire night. I have passed a good part of my life among uncivilized people. I have been with In- dian tribes from the Canadian border to the interior of Mexico, and I have never in my experience encountered a tribe of Indians who would tolerate lawlessness of this character in the indifferent manner that we do. Men are arrested, prosecution is sought, the best legal talent available is called in for their defense, and there is scarcely one chance in ten that they will be convicted. Witnesses unblushingly per- jure themselves, while attorneys who pose as respectable members of society, with full knowledge of the fact, encourage them in it. "I speak plainly upon this subject, be- cause it appears to me to be vital to our welfare. I do not direct my remarks to Latter-day Saints alone, but to the people of all creeds, profession of faith, or of no faith at all. I know that politics has been held up to us as a thing so sacred that the Church has nothing to do with it, and should not refer to it. I ask you. in heaven's name, what is the calling of the Church if it is not to oppose lawless-