Obligation of the Church to All Nations

Improvement Era^ Vol. XXXI MAY, 1928 No. 7 Obligation of the Church to all Nations By Elder Melvin J. Ballard, of the Council of the Twelve, and Assistant General Superintendent Y. M. M. I. A. WITH the opening of this gospel dispensation came a realiza- tion of that promise made by John while on the Isle of Patmos, that in the latter days the gospel should be restored to the earth by the coming of another angel. That the true pur- pose of its restoration might be accomplished, it should be preached, John announced, to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. Con- sequently, this became, at once, the first great obligation placed upon the Church. All of its leaders, from the days of the Prophet Joseph to the present time, have recognized its importance, and the Church has spent more in time and means to fulfil this obligation than all its others combined. We have sent approximately sixty thousand missionaries into this service since the organization of the Church. When we compute the cost of sending them to their fields of labor, maintaining them while there, with a reasonable allowance for the value of their services, and the cost of returning them home, it amounts to more than two hundred millions of dollars. There are also to be con- sidered the precious lives, beyond all earthly price, that many of these missionaries have given. Add to this the sacrifice and devotion of the wives and mothers who, in many instances, have taken upon themselves a man's task, and have spent many years of loneliness, and you will recognize a contribution, in loving service to fellow- man, the like of which no other people have ever offered. Our desire is to be obedient unto the Lord, and to please him. At the same time, we are prompted to render this service out of the love we bear for our fellow-men. I had a distinct impression concern- ing the Lord's feelings toward the children of men, while serving as president of the Northwestern States mission. I was attending a conference in Salt Lake City, when the father of a wayward, careless boy requested an interview with me. The boy had violated, not

544 IMPROVEMENT ERA only his promises to his father, but had broken the law of the land and had become a fugitive from justice; — he was somewhere in Canada. This father told of the love he still had for the boy, notwithstanding all the sorrow the son had caused: but was unable xo search for him. Out of that love he had for his precious boy. he pleaded with me to seek him. While I listened to the pleading of this man. I seemed to hear the plea of another Father, the Father of us all, whose ch':ldren, though he does not come to them, are prec ious to him; and he is imploring every man who holds the Priesthood, and every woman, too, who is a member of the Church, to seek to win these precious sons and daughters away from the pitfalls of the evil one, and to preserve them unto salvation in his kingdom. The following extracts from the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants portray the spirit and the attitude of the Father towards his children. He makes it known that he realizes their danger and is anxious for them; as any true and loving father is •mpellcd to warn his children and offer them the means of escape before it is too late. "Wherefore I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; "And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the p ophcts; * * * "That mine everlasting covenant might be established; "That the fulness of m'y gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers." "For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant: "They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own God, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall." "Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear: "Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh: * * * "And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth, I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh; "For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not 'yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion. "And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world." The means of escape is here clearly set forth as the new and everlasting covenant, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now the Latter-day Saints do not have forever to perform

OBLIGATION OF THE CHURCH 545 this work. In section 45, it is clearly set forth that the beginning of the times of the Gentiles would commence with the dawn of this dispensation, and that this generation should not pass away until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Therefore, we are fast ap- proaching the concluding period of the times of the Gentiles, the time assigned to us to go to the Gentile nations and gather out the blood of Israel, one of a family and two of a city, that may be found in these nations; and then to extend to every man and woman the invitation to come in and be partakers of that safety and protection which the Lord has provided for men, in time and in eternity, through accepting the everlasting gospel. If we were going down the street at night and saw a house on fire, and knew that within were men, women and children, ignorant of their peril and danger, what would the natural action be? If there was any milk of human kindness in our hearts, we would endeavor to rouse them to the seriousness of their situation and, by every power possible, assist them to escape. Though they heeded not our warning, never- theless, we who knew the danger would, with all our might, mind and strength, endeavor to rescue them; — -and we would do this to save their bodies. Will we not do more to save both men's bodies and spirits? No generation of men and women have ever had a more serious obligation upon them than the members of this Church; — to let the whole world know that God has spoken in this hour of warning, and has offered the means of escape for all his children. It is an obligation that rests upon, not only the man who has a son or daughter whom he sends into the mission field, but upon every man and woman. These missionaries are the representatives of the ward. It is an obligation upon the members of the ward to see that their representatives are in the field; and it would be a matter of reproach upon any ward who would allow a mission- ary to come home because the finances of his parents, had been exhausted. In each ward there should be created a missionary fund, by contributions at missionary farewell parties, and by the separate contributions of those who may never be able to go upon missions, that would be sufficient to send each missionary to his field of labor. That would help greatly and make it possible for many who cannot now go to enter the mission field. I believe that the great inventions of modern days, that have increased our facilities of travel, have given us the opportunity to broadcast the message through radio and other means of communication, and portray it in motion pic- tures, have been brought into the world chiefly to enable the Latter- day Saints to discharge this great obligation to the nations of the earth. And if all the members of the Church would pay their honest tithing, sufficient means would be provided that these facilities

546 IMPROVEMENT ERA could be more fully utilized by the Church, and thus reach millions where we are now reaching only thousands. May the Lord speed that glorious day, and continue to send his message forward by the faithful, devoted help of the members of the Church, so that no soul may be ignorant of the dangers that arc before us, or be denied the privilege of that protection and safety which the Lord has offered to all his children; and thus, having done our duty, we shall stand acquitted, and our skirts be clear of the blood of this generation. Subjection or Guidance "What was it then except the trustworthy direction of the Church leaders, and the trust of their followers which made the 'Mormons' successful in all their under- takings? ***!(• .^as a community of equality, whose members, trusting in their leaders, united to form a system of mutual aid in which the motto, 'Live and let live,' was replaced by 'Live and help to live.' "One cannot but grant that the 'Mormon' leaders held especially high moral standards. They never misused their office, nor did they ever use it against the interest of the people. * * * 'Yhe success of the 'Mormons' was due to business ability and the moral sincerity of their leaders. Into their hands the Saints had given their entire rights." — Dr. Rolf Jungeblut, at University of Frankfort, Germany, 1925. (From thesis on "The 'Mormon' System of Government;" translated by Thomas C. Browning, Ogden, Utah.) A Petition O Lord, we pray, bless all thy sons Who on the platform stand, And have to preach, exhort and teach The people of the land. Bless all thy sons and daughters, too. Give them retentive mind That in the treasure house of thought They'll inspiration find. Send each a guardian angel, Lord, To stand beside him there; And open wide the gates of thought In sermon, song and prayer. We need thee so, we need thee so, Each hour of every day. Oh. from our humble plea for help Turn not thine car away! May E. Lillie