Duty Of Individual To Society

While emphasizing the worth of the individual, I wish to say that the individual in turn owes a duty to society. The world today perhaps as never before is demanding that the employer consider his employee not merely as a part of a machine to make money, but as a living, sensitive being entitled to justice and right. It is equally obligatory upon the employee to recognize the employer as one who has equal privileges. It is the duty of the citizen to take this same attitude toward the leaders of his government, and the duty of the churchman to recognize the rights of those appointed to preside.

This is a time in which we should renew and rekindle the faith of our fathers. On every hand “we see social unrest; unloving and unlovely men, greed, selfishness, political corruption. We see people indifferent, pleasure seeking, ignorant, far from following a life of service. Plans fail and success seems an Utopian dream. The materialistic philosophy of life which so largely controls our thinking today has nearly succeeded in convincing the world that a man’s life does consist in the abundance of things which he possesses.”

Source: Elder David O. McKay
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Individual, Improvement

Self-seekers Not In Need

I was impressed with what President Grant said with regard to those seeking help who do not need it. It seems to be a peculiar feeling or attitude, on the part of many citizens of this nation, that whenever the government has anything to give away, they are desirous of obtaining it, even though they may not actually need it, and are able to support themselves without. That seems to me a rather selfish attitude. I think that we ought to strive to be self-supporting, and, as far as possible, independent of help from other sources.

Source: Elder Sylvester Q. Cannon
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Government, Wealth Transfer; Responsibility

Experimental Policies

We are now called upon to support what purports to be a very comprehensive program for recovery. It is a complex program. In many respects it is an experiment, acknowledged so to be. Those who are students of our governmental history recognize the fact that in it there have been and are wide departures from established policies, some of which seem to contravene the very fundamental tenets of our governmental faith. I freely acknowledge that as I hear criticisms of this character directed toward some of the policies that are sought to be carried out, I find it difficult, if not impossible, to answer, in terms of our old principles and procedure, the objections that are urged. Nevertheless, for a while, I feel constrained, by very force of all the circumstances, to be patient for the outcome of these experimental policies.

Source: Elder Stephen L. Richards
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Politics

We of the Church believe in sustaining government. Wherever our people are located, they are admonished to support, not only the form of government under which they live, but those who preside over them, kings, rulers and potentates. It is a part of our creed.

Source: Elder Stephen L. Richards
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Politics; Responsibility

A Land Of Promise

We, my brethren and sisters, are assembled here today in this historic building, in a city which we call Salt Lake, in a territory which we call Utah, a territory which forms one of the forty-eight federated states of our union, each state independent in its own sphere, but all bound together by constitutional law, which welds them into a single entity.

Only yesterday the ground upon which this building stands, in fact the entire area covered by the United States of America, was an uncultivated wilderness. The prophets of the Lord, centuries before, had predicted the existence of this land, before it was known to the people of the old world. They had outlined to us the establishment of this government of ours; they had declared that upon this land, which to them was a land choice above all others, there would be established a system of civil government, which would be a light to the world; a government to which would be gathered the remnant of the scattered house of Israel; a government in which men would enjoy equal rights under the law; a government in which men would act as their own conscience might prompt them to do—with this restriction, however, that in that which they did they must not infringe upon the rights of others or prevent them from exercising the agency which they themselves exercised.

Source: President Anthony W. Ivins
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: America, History; Heavenly Interest in Human Events; Rights

The prophet Isaiah, referring to this land of America, these everlasting hills, declared that at a future time—the time to which he referred was the latter days—the house of the Lord the Lord would be established here, and that all nations would flow unto it; that they would be taught here the way of the Lord and learn to walk in his paths. By foreknowledge of God the prophets declared that by the direction of his Spirit the Lord would bring people to this continent who would establish this form of government, and said that they would never be overthrown or conquered by other nations, if they would but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.

The destiny of America from the day that Columbus sailed from the ports of Spain to the present, was declared by the prophets of the Lord, as I have said, before the people of Europe knew that America existed. The sailing of Columbus, from the port of Palos, in Spain, was not a thing of chance. It had been declared by the prophets nearly two thousand years before that the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon a man among the Gentiles, and that he would sail forth and land upon this continent. As he sailed on and on over uncharted seas, his crew was in open revolt, they declared that they would go no farther, and that upon the morrow they would turn the prows of their ships back to the east and endeavor to find their way back to Spain, but upon that eventful night a gun from the Pinta announced that land had been sighted. A new world had been discovered.

Source: President Anthony W. Ivins
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: America, History; Heavenly Interest in Human Events

Coming Of Pilgrims

Two hundred years after the landing of Columbus another landing occurred which had been just as definitely declared by the prophets of God. When the Pilgrim Fathers anchored their ships off Plymouth Rock, another prophecy had been fulfilled and the history of the American nation had been commenced. Both of these events had been declared, according to the dates I have been able to discover, two thousand years before their final accomplishment.

Source: President Anthony W. Ivins
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: America, History; Heavenly Interest in Human Events

Independence Declared

For more than a century the colonists who had come from the Old World continued to live under the governments of the countries from which they came. At the end of that time, and this too in fulfilment of the decrees of the prophets, they declared that they of right were and should be an independent people.

The Declaration of Independence was published to the world, the War of Independence was fought and won, and our ship of state was launched on a troubled sea. The hour had struck that kingcraft and priestcraft, which for ages had held the struggling masses of the world in thralldom, under perverted control both in civil and religious life, were to be stricken and the people of the world were to be emancipated from the shackles with which they had been bound.

Source: President Anthony W. Ivins
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: America, History; Heavenly Interest in Human Events

Opposition Of Lucifer

If this government was established by God our Father, no argument should be necessary to convince you that anti-Christ is opposed to it. Lucifer is the enemy of God and Christ his Son. His minions have always been arrayed against them. He fights to lead men away from the Redeemer of the world. Never have his emissaries been more active than at the present time. The very elements appear to combine to bring confusion and tribulation to the people of this troubled world of ours. Both physical and spiritual forces are at work to effect and accomplish if possible our ruin.

Shall Christ or Lucifer triumph in this conflict? This government of ours and all other governments need the strength of the Church. It was by Christian people under God that our government was founded and has been maintained. I have faith in the soul of the American people. They may stumble, they may waver, wicked men may for a time seize control of the affairs of government, but even though confronted by chaos, these people whom the Lord has brought here will rise in their might and with the help of God will triumph.

Source: President Anthony W. Ivins
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: America, Faith in

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