While listening to the profound presentation of the correlation work in this Church, two thoughts came to my mind which I wish to emphasize.

First, I hope you all visioned clearly the quorum work in the Church and its relation to what Brother Lee presented. There are quorums in the Church independent, in a way, so far as spiritual work and service is concerned, of the ecclesiastical organization of the Church, and those quorums supply a spiritual need which the world seeks to obtain in secret societies. I think they make it more effective, however, than we do in the Church.

One day Brother [Hugh J.] Cannon and I were on the vessel leaving the northern part of Africa, and as the vessel pulled out into the ocean, I strolled along the deck. I noticed a stranger coming toward me. I could see by his face that he recognized me and expected me to recognize him. For the life of me I knew I had never seen him before, but he still came for ward with that recognition and grasped my hand with a special grip. He immediately dropped my hand, and said: "Excuse me." Then I knew. I was wearing a stick pin, a gift from Sister McKay, upon which was engraved a star and crescent. This man recognized the sign, gave me the grip, but I could not return it.

We do not object to the world's holding those special convenient means of soul intercourse. It is friendly. It is helpful. But we have the same thing in the Church. Every male member in the Church from twelve years up to 112 years, as one man celebrated his birthday yesterday, has a place in the quorum—twelve deacons, twenty-four teachers, forty-eight priests, ninety-six elders; and high priests gathered under the ecclesiastical group in your stake. Where we do not have that number we have groups. In every ward we have deacons, teachers, and priests, and in the stakes, the elders, seventies, and high priests.

Now, each quorum has a duty to perform. The presidencies have a responsibility to sit in council with them and to teach them their duty—the quorum work. Not the bishop, not the stake presidency—that is the duty of the quorum.

And so I saw, while Elder Lee was presenting this work of teaching correlating work, the duty of the individual members of each quorum.

I was pleased the other day to receive an old minute book. I thank somebody for sending it to me so that I could look through it. This minute book came from Ogden where we used to have our deacons' quorum presidency's meeting, talking there in a neighbor's house, then deciding that it was our duty to chop the wood for the widows of the ward. My point is that the responsibility of the entire Church rests upon the men who are members of these quorums.

I should just like to say a word now to the deacons, the teachers, and the priests who are present tonight. President Brown was right when he said the officers of the Church are expecting you young men to carry on the work that is presented this night. There are two things we should like you to do: each one keep his faith in God, and have moral courage—not just physical courage—moral courage. I know that some of you are just like a man who wrote a letter the other day saying, "I have lost my faith. Can you help me? What is there hereafter? I am afraid there is nothing hereafter. Can you help me?"

Well, I know for what he is yearning.

He wants to know for sure that death does not end this life, and that the soul within will live eternally. I shall just say to him, and to you young men, whenever you are doubting the existence of God or your own immortality, remember what the Savior said to those who doubted him: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself"  John 7:17 italics added).

Now, that is the keynote to every man living. Do the will of God. If any man will do his will he shall know for himself. There is an opportunity every day of our lives to do that will. Each young man has an opportunity some day to do as his Father has asked him to do. The young men here tonight have heard the words of scripture, and you will have opportunities tomorrow to be untrue to yourself or to the instructions given today. God will prompt you what to do. You say, "Well, I do not know yet that he lives." Yes, you do! You cannot prove that he does not; and if you doubt it, believe those men who know, if you have confidence in them.

You are studying in your schools, and you have probably read the words of one of the essays of reputedly the wisest American who ever lived, who said, "Oh, my brothers, God exists! There is a soul at the center of nature . . . so that none of us can wrong the Universe. There is guidance for each of us, and by lowly listening we shall hear the right word."

When that word comes to you—call it conscience, or, if you are in the Church and doing your duty, the whisperings of the Spirit, because you are entitled to be a partaker of it—then be true to that whispering, and some day you will know for yourself that you are in harmony with the universe.

Peter was quite a doubtful man as he grew to manhood before he knew Christ, but long afterwards he was praying and said that we have been made partakers of the divine nature (see  2 Pet. 1:4 He knew it, and you will know it some day if you will do the will, be true to self.

Now, I said courage is a second need not physical courage, but moral courage. Let me illustrate: James L. Gordon, the author of The Young Man and His Problems tells the story of a young boy who decided to be an apprentice in one of the carpenters' societies. He was a bright young boy in his teens, and the men were very glad to admit him. They said, "Come on, let's drink to the entrance of this young man to our group!" They poured out the beer, handed him the glass.

He said, "No, thank you, I do not drink."

"Well," said a gruff old member, "we're not going to have any teetotalers in our group."

"Well," said the young boy, "you'll have one if you have me."

Another seized him by the collar and said, "Young man, you'll have this beer either inside or outside!"

"Very well, I came here with a clean jacket and a clear conscience. You may soil my jacket if you wish, but you shall not soil my character."

He had been trained—I use that word properly—not only taught, but trained to avoid the use of tobacco and strong drink, intoxicating liquor. That is what I mean by moral courage. The greatest need in the world today is faith in God and courage to do his will.

God help us as young men to prepare ourselves for the responsibilities awaiting us. God help us all to keep our consciences clear, our characters sound, responsive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit, which is real, if we shall but put our ears and listen to it as the wisest American suggested, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.