The Fundamental Principle In Individual Government

In my advocacy for Prohibition I keep ever in mind the importance of that great principle which Joseph Smith enunciated when he was asked how he governed his people so well. He answered: “I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves.” That is the fundamental principle in the United States in individual government and when an individual becomes converted to a condition he can live up to it. When we get the majority of the people converted to a condition that will favor temperance the law will be enforced.

But there is another condition also. We are living in a democracy. The majority of the people determine the kind of laws by which the people should be governed. That being true we are now facing a proposition to determine what the majority of the people desire. I believe that the American people desire temperance. I have given one reason why I think that the retention of the Eighteenth Amendment will foster and favor temperance.

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

Topics: Prohibition

“They Shall Not Pass”

Sixteen years ago there was a terrific battle being waged at Verdun. On June 7, 1916, the French vacated the city Damloup under the hill on which Fort Vaux was situated. The defense of this Fort was one of outstanding heroism, and Major Raynal, the commander, was treated with every honor as a prisoner of the Germans.

Fort Vaux had fallen and other outer lines were broken through, but there was an inner circle of defense that was invincible. The words of General Petain, “They shall not pass,” thrilled the heart and nerved the arm of every French soldier. For more than two long months the Germans hammered and battered at that inner defense in the most terrific conflict in the annals of war. In the last desperate assault of the Crown Prince, 40,000 German soldiers were slaughtered in a hopeless effort to break through the French curtain of fire. The inner circle of defense was impregnable. The main line held.

Today we witness the legalization of beer by the United States government. One of our outer defences has fallen and the enemy spurred on by victory will attack others. But the inner defence, the 18th Amendment, must be defended at all costs. Let the words of General Petain, “They shall not pass,” strengthen every heart and nerve every hand in defense of this part of the Constitution of the United States.

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

Topics: Prohibition

Founder of the Government

Just as our Father in heaven, through Christ his Son, is the founder of the Church, so is he the founder of the government by which we are—or should be if we are not—controlled in civil affairs. He it was who brought the Pilgrim fathers and those who followed after to the shores of New England. He has said that he established the Constitution of our country by the hands of wise men whom he raised up for that very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.

Both the Church and the government have experienced periods of deep affliction since their establishment. Both have been assailed by enemies from without and foes within which have threatened disruption. Each in time of trial has found strong hearts and arms to sustain it.

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

Topics: America, History; Heavenly Interest in Human Events

Deliverance Will Come

You need not call our attention to our unfortunate condition, you are saying to yourselves, we are all too well aware of that. Tell us how to extricate ourselves from it. If I had the wisdom to do that I would be the happiest man in the world. That we will survive and emerge from it a wiser, happier and better people I am confident, whatever our suffering may be before we win the victory. It will not come through the Sovietism of Russia, the Socialism of France, the Fascists of Italy, nor the Nazis of Hitler. It will not come by the brewing and disposition of more beer or the manufacture and drinking of more wine. It will not come from the manufacture and distribution of more cigarets for our boys and girls to smoke. It will come to our country, if it is to come at all, through the united effort of the American people, whose soul I believe will turn to the Lord.

Deliverance will not come by a miracle from heaven, but I believe the Lord will endow us with wisdom and with his help we will work out our deliverance. If the Lord for the sake of ten righteous men would spare Sodom and Gomorrah, will he not spare this government, which he declares he has established, for the sake of the many thousands of honest souls which make up its citizenship?

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

Topics: Heavenly Interest in Human Events

“Thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands, * * * thou seest that the Lord will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren.”

So there was this prediction. Now, of course, perhaps the world will not admit that this was a prophecy uttered some six hundred years before the coming of the Christ upon this land; but it must be inevitably conceded that these words are prophetic, because they were uttered in 1830, when the Book of Mormon was published. At that time, of course, the Gentile nation here under the government of the United States numbered but about thirty millions; and now, behold, the great Gentile nation has become so increased in numbers and in power that there are perhaps nearly a hundred and thirty millions that constitute the citizens of the United States.

As for its power and dominion above all other nations of the earth, it has become somewhat customary to speak of America, but we generally mean the United States of America. Some of the Latin American republics take exception to this assumption of supreme domination in the western world, and demur from such homage being given to the United States. But nevertheless it is a fact which exists, and the dominating political power, the master spirit and dominant power in a political way, is this Anglo-Saxon republic known as the United States of America.

That nation alone was competent to state the great Monroe Doctrine, to the effect that these continents were closed to the establishment of the political systems of Europe, and they could not attempt to introduce such systems as theirs in this country, without giving offense to the United States of America; and behind the utterance was the necessary force to maintain such a declaration; it was inherent in the great Anglo-Saxon republic of this country.

Source: Elder Brigham H. Roberts
General Conference, April 1933

Topics: America, History; Politics, International

Now, all these circumstances are hopeful. There is still faith in this great people that God has raised up upon this land to direct in the civil affairs of men. I think sometimes when I read those great words in the Declaration of Independence, that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that truly and really the law of the Lord is going forth from Zion as the word of the Lord—even the word of him that is the Word that was in the beginning with God, and that was God, and that was made flesh and dwelt among men, where men could behold his grace and his power, the Lord Jesus Christ—went forth from Jerusalem.

My brethren and sisters, I think we have reason to hope for our nation. I believe the testimony of President Ivins to be true, that we have a God-established government here, and also under its protecting aegis we have the Church of Jesus Christ established in the fulness of time, for the last time, to bring to pass the purposes of God in the salvation of men.

I see a beautiful unity in these things found in the Book of Mormon and the testimonies to which we have listened during this conference. I think we have the right to lift up the drooping hand, and to speak the word of encouragement to the people of the United States, and chiefly for this reason, that neither the government of the United States, in its achievements and in its character of great leadership, nor the Church, has yet reached the climax of those things for which they were established. So my faith is that we have a right to expect recovery and renewal of faith with God, and fellowship with him; for we still bow the knee and still proclaim that Jesus is the Christ, the God of this land and of all the earth. And as long as that is our national attitude, I believe that the light of hope is not obliterated.

Source: Elder Brigham H. Roberts
General Conference, April 1933

Topics: Heavenly Interest in Human Events

Our Responsibility As Citizens

“We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law.”

In the light of this declaration every real Latter-day Saint is a good citizen. He is loyal to civil authority, an observer of law, a supporter of those who make and enforce the law. But this is not all. Good citizenship requires something more of a person than to be loyal to authority and to be law-abiding.

We are living under democratic forms of government. This puts certain responsibilities upon the shoulders of the citizens, upon those who enjoy the privileges of the franchise. The voters elect the officers, those who make, interpret, and execute the laws. The government will, therefore, be good or bad depending on the character, wisdom, ability and efficiency of its officers. To have a good government we must have good officers, and to have good officers the voters must do, their duty. They must enter politics, that is, take an active part in all those forms, processes and functions needful to elect and stand by and support good officers.

The government cannot be left to, professional politicians to elect themselves and to rule in their selfish interests. If this were done the people would suffer from unjust laws, unjustly and oppressively administered. Experience abundantly testifies to this truth.

Source: Elder Joseph F. Merrill
General Conference, October 1932

Topics: Citizenship; Politics

Know The Truth And Follow It

Now, if a citizen is to do well his part in securing good government he must be well informed on public questions and problems. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that man cannot be saved in ignorance and that the glory of God is intelligence. These are fundamental doctrines with us. Hence to please our Father in heaven, we must continually strive for wisdom, knowledge, intelligence we must keep growing in God-like attributes.

Can we vote intelligently and wisely unless we are informed on the questions and candidates at issue? But does not good citizenship require us to vote in this manner? I think so. We then should make a careful study of these questions, study them open-mindedly and as fully and deeply as circumstances will permit. To do this we must not be bound by a spirit of partisanship. Principles and policies should guide us rather than self-seeking politicians. We should follow the truth rather than deceptive propaganda.

But how shall we know the truth? Learn all the facts pertaining to the case, interpret them fairly, justly, truthfully, and with a sincere desire to be wise and to act for the best good of all, at least for the majority. Then we shall not be far from the truth. Good citizenship requires that we shall not be carried away from a safe anchorage by misleading propaganda, fostered by selfish interests.

Source: Elder Joseph F. Merrill
General Conference, October 1932

Topics: Citizenship; Politics; Responsibility

One evening last May when I was passing through Butte, Montana. I read in an evening paper that the head of the Montana division of the women’s organization for national prohibition reform “appealed to the women of Montana to join and support the organization in its efforts to restore law and order, to safeguard the homes and family ties in the nation through prohibition repeal. * * * The direct objects of this women’s organization,” the state leader announced, “are the closing up of speak-easies, the abolition of gin mills and roadhouses; putting the bootlegger out of business, taking the profits out of crime, and the restoration of respect for law.”

All of them are perfectly worthy objectives and undoubtedly all good people will stand for them. But behold the means by which it is proposed to attain them! Did you ever hear of anything more deceptive? Yet many accept this propaganda, convinced that the objectives and the means are as logically connected as are cause and effect in the natural world. Of course this particular propaganda takes account of two facts. First, that people in general are very forgetful, and second, that millions of voters in America had not yet reached the legal voting age when national prohibition went into effect. From observation and personal experience they know little or nothing of the old saloon days and the almost intolerable evils, linked with, and attendant upon, the liquor traffic. And people are forgetful, very forgetful. Many of the older people now favoring the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment seem to have forgotten the old conditions, and knowing that conditions today relative to liquor drinking are not so good as they ought to be, appear to be ready to “jump from the frying pan into the fire” as a result of the repeal propaganda.

Among other thing’s it is said that repeal will bring back prosperity, reduce crime, stop racketeering and do many other very desirable things. Experienced, as well as informed people all know that repeal will make all these matters worse, much worse, instead of better. But in times like these any propaganda that promises relief from present ills appears to many as does a straw to a drowning man—a safe support or a secure anchorage. Hence the condition of the times produces the very atmosphere in which wild propaganda of various kinds flourish.

Source: Elder Joseph F. Merrill
General Conference, October 1932

Topics: Prohibition

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