Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, an humble and a contrite heart.

Among the cardinal virtues of the gospel is the praiseworthy virtue of humility. To a certain king of Israel, whose power was waning before the "pride that goeth before a fall"  Prov. 16:18 the prophet Samuel said: "When thou wert little in thine own sight, the Lord blessed thee"  1 Sam. 15:17 I interpret humility as being strength. Humility expresses itself in lowly service, in volunteering for any service which will ameliorate the conditions, particularly the spiritual conditions of mankind. Humility does not mean to grovel, to be a sycophant. Humility is inward strength outwardly expressed in good works. Great souls attain to humility.

The Apostle Peter said:

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour  1 Pet. 5:6-8

Are the American people great enough to be humble? If this nation and all mankind had humbled themselves beneath the mighty hand of God, there would have been no war. Humility would have found beautiful expression in noble deeds.

Charles Evan Hughes gave this definition of Christian character: "Faith without credulity, conviction without bigotry, charity without condescension, courage without pugnacity, self-respect without vanity, humility without obsequiousness, love of humanity without sentimentality, and meekness with power." When Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes retired from his exalted position, the Supreme Court was weakened, and this republic was made poorer.

Consider the example of Moses. He was the great lawgiver of Israel, filled with courage and faith. The miraculous, the statesmanlike work that he accomplished, the deeds that he performed, stamp him as the foremost statesman of any age of the world, excepting always, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ. Of a people steeped in slavish bondage he made a nation. He breathed into them, as someone has said, the immortality that made them a great nation. And yet he was a meek man; nevertheless he was strong.

One time the children of Israel committed sin, and Moses said to them: "I am going up in the mount to talk with God and make atonement for your sins"  Ex. 32:30 Oh, I love that word, "atonement." The atonement of the Savior — without that there would have been no vitality, no purpose in any of the principles of the gospel, for it gives life to every doctrine of the everlasting gospel. Listen to this:

And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin — ;and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written  Ex. 32:31-32

Unparalleled love, the spirit of the holy Priesthood, humility, meekness with power, exemplifying the love of the Lord Jesus Christ! He didn't even want to survive the people. If they were eliminated, if the punishment of God destroyed them, he, too, was willing that his name, yea, his life, be blotted out with the people he loved and led and made, for he carried them as a father carries his child. He smote the rock out of which gushed the water. With miraculous power he divided the waters of the Red Sea; but as he stood upon the mount, pleading with God for the Israelites, he reached sublime heights; he touched divinity!

That is the spirit that should characterize the holy Priesthood. If we work in humility, become little in our own sight, more than we are now, and seek the good of others I testify to you that there will be added power to our labors, and sinners will be brought unto Him. The Savior said:

... Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant  Matt. 20:26-27

Christ was called the suffering servant:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life  John 3:16

The man who communed with Jehovah, Joseph Smith, was meek but had great power. Enshrined in that power was love for his people and for the gospel of Jesus Christ. When the West was opened unto him, when he saw there a refuge for himself and his people, yet for fear of drawing down upon the people he loved (who would be temporarily left in Nauvoo ) bitter persecution, mobocracy, and cruel punishment, he voluntarily relinquished the means of escape and said: "I go as a lamb to the slaughter. If my life" — note that, brethren — "if my life is of no value to my friends, it is of no value to myself."

That is the yardstick by which we should measure our lives: How much are we worth to our fellow citizens, to the people of the Church, to our country? That is the true measure, for the best of life is expressed in service to others.

God grant that the American people—that includes us—may rise to higher eminence by clothing ourselves with, humility, and humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God. I testify to you that if this nation and all the world would repent, as Ninevah did  Jonah 3:5-10 from the greatest to the least, and serve God, the horrors of war would soon disappear. This is my testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.