The following I take from Section 4 of the Doctrine and Covenants. It was recorded in 1829.

"Now behold a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind strength, that ye may stand blamed before God at the last day.

"Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

"And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work"  D&C 4:1-3,5

When that revelation was given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, he was twenty-three years of age. The Book of Mormon was not yet published; no man had been ordained to the priesthood. The Church was not organized; yet the statement was made and written without qualification that ". . . a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men."

Another significant feature of this revelation, and others given about the same period, is the naming of essential qualifications of those who were to participate in the bringing about of this marvelous work. These qualifications were not the possession of wealth, not social distinction, not political preferment, not military achievement, not nobility of birth; but a desire to serve God with all your "heart, mind, and strength"—spiritual qualities that contribute to nobility of soul. I repeat: no popularity, no wealth, no theological training in Church government—yet a marvelous work was about to come forth among the children of men.

Manifestly, some higher power was operating to bring about this marvelous work other than mere human and material means.

In passing, it is interesting to note that about that same period Robert Owen of England, a man of exceptional ability, a religious person, decried the departure of the churches from the simple teachings of Jesus. He was dissatisfied also with economic conditions of that time, for he saw little children, indeed he had some working in his own factories, who were only eight and ten years of age. He introduced the law which required the prohibition of little children from working at night and limited others to ten hours a day. He was desirous of establishing conditions which would at least ameliorate some of these conditions which were almost unbearable in society at that time.

He won the confidence of leaders, and the Duke of Kent (Queen Victoria's father) became his patron. With a fortune in his hand, he came to the new world about 1823. He established what he hoped would be an ideal society. Within three years he had lost two hundred thousand dollars, and his experiment failed.

Joseph Smith had no such royal patron, no potentially influential friends. Over one hundred years have passed, and the work of the Church today is stronger and more flourishing than ever before.

This morning I feel impressed to refer briefly to the missionary phase of this "marvelous work."

Recent visits to the various missions of the world have impressed me more deeply than ever with the importance and magnitude of the Church, and with its responsibility to make more potent the proclaiming of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world"  Matt. 28:19-20

Such was the charge given by the risen Lord to his authorized disciples over nineteen hundreds years ago! Such is the charge given by the risen Lord to his authorized servants today. In the corresponding account given by Mark the passage reads: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned," or condemned  Mark 16:15-16

In both these records you will note two fundamental messages are clearly stated:

First: The responsibility to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world is explicitly given to those who were called and ordained Apostles of the Lord.

Second: The message implied by Matthew and stated definitely by Mark that, to use Peter's words, ". . . there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved"  Acts 4:12

In these passages are also intimated, if not clearly stated, that there are two great divisions in the Church of Jesus Christ. First is the missionary, and the second, organization for instruction, mutual edification, and service.

Four conditions contribute to the intensifying of the thought or sense of responsibility of the Church.

First of these are modern means of transportation. These have made practically all nations neighbors. When the Twelve Apostles of old received the admonition from the Lord to go into all the world to preach the gospel, they had, to quote Beverley Nichols, "only the wind to bear them over the seas, only a few pence in their pocket but a shining faith in their hearts. They fell far short of their ideal, their words were twisted and mocked, and false temples were built over their bones in praise of a Christ they would have rejected. And yet, by the light of their inspiration, many of the world's loveliest things were created, and many of the world's finest minds inspired."

Today "God has given us the power of whispering across space, of transmitting our thoughts from one end of the earth to another." Geographical conditions or distances are just the same, but in point of time New York is as near to the Church headquarters as Provo was when President Brigham Young traveled by horses and whitetop wagon. London is nearer than Fillmore; South Africa, closer than St. George! What a marvelous age we are living in!

Second, another condition that intensifies the importance and magnitude of the Church in its responsibility to the peoples of the world is the willingness of men and women to consecrate their time, their means, and their ability to the advancement of the kingdom of God. No one can associate intimately with mission presidents and with missionaries without being filled with commendation and praise for their sincerity, their untiring energy, their concern for their associates, and or their unselfish devotion to the proclamation of peace and good will. And the same is true of other men in various occupations and callings throughout the Church.

Even more worthy of admiration, meriting more highly the gratitude of the many blessed by their intelligent, loving service, and entire forgetfulness of themselves are our wives and mothers. The inestimable work they do in the missionary field, as in the home, too seldom receives due recognition and praise. I have profound respect, for example, for the mission president's wife who, while showing her deepest tenderness in helping her husband to do his duty, yet in her own sphere, by intelligent, superb planning and unselfish service, gives to any habitation the true spirit of home; and by tender admonition and encouragement, lightens the heart of homesick elders with the assurance that they can and will succeed.

Third, the fulfilment of prophecies made over a hundred years ago regarding the growth of the Church brings forcibly to our minds the responsibility of proclaiming the truth.

Let us take a glimpse at what the Church has accomplished since its humble beginning in 1830. There have been since that time 67,615 missionaries set apart, at an approximate cost to them and their families of $54,500,000.00.

Within the last fifty years the number of missions in the Church has doubled from twenty-one to forty-two today, with 1754 branches.

In addition to what the individuals have spent in missionary work, the Church between 1910 and 1937, inclusive, expended $18,620,028.00. From 1938 to 1953, inclusive, $34,026,640.00, making a total from Church funds of $52,646,668.00. This does not include what the Church spent between the years 1830 and 1910. I could not get those figures. So that is a total amount in dollars expended for missionary service of $107,146,668.00. Just let your mind go back now to the beginning before there was a Church organized, before the Book of Mormon was published, and think how truly was the word spoken that a marvelous work and a wonder was about to come forth.

A half century ago there were comparatively few chapels in the missions owned by the Church. Today there are 410 completed in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Hawaii, at a cost of $8,488,431.00. There are 206 completed in foreign lands at a cost of $4,525,335.00.

There are 142 buildings now under construction in the missions at a cost of $6,058,450.00. Besides these mission chapels, there are thirty-three mission homes purchased at a cost of over $1,000,000.00.

At the turn of the century there were forty-five stakes, with approximately 550 wards. Today there are 212 stakes with 1683 wards and 232 independent branches.

In addition to this, there are 112 seminary and institute buildings completed at a cost of $2,788,798.00; Brigham Young University buildings, $9,470,000.00, or a total cost of $32,464,438.00.

Now note in the wards and stakes, although this is not directly on my theme, we have nearly 1300 chapels, completed at an original cost of $76,196,505.00; 351 others under construction at a cost of $34,916,707.00; a total cost for ward and stake buildings of $111,113,205.00; or a grand total for Church buildings of $143,577,643.00.

Here is another phase of Church work—baptisms for those who did not have a chance to hear the gospel before they died. As of December 31, 1953, there had been performed a total of 17,357,931 baptisms, and a total number of endowments of 15,035,700.

A marvelous work and a wonder!

Creditable chapels are now found in Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, and throughout the British Empire. Members in Johannesburg are waiting for plans to build a modern chapel on a very suitable lot already secured for that purpose.

On our recent tour to South America we had the pleasure of laying the cornerstone of a chapel in Montevideo, which would be a credit to any ward in the Church, with its chapel, recreation hall, and classrooms. Other sites are already chosen throughout the mission. At Durban, there will be a chapel, recreation hall, and classrooms ready for dedication some time next month.

In the fastest growing city in the world, so they told us—Sao Paulo—where the price of a lot for a chapel is almost prohibitive, the president of the mission is authorized to see what he can do to find a suitable building lot and make his recommendation for a flourishing branch in that great city of over three million.

Other branches in Brazil are calling for suitable accommodations. In the Argentine Mission we visited six chapels near Buenos Aires, in fact, in that city. Though it was merely an investigating tour, we found at each place from fifty to one hundred and fifty members waiting to greet us.

Ever since its organization, the Panama Branch in the Central American Mission has been the recipient of the hospitality of Rabbi Nathan Witkins and the members of the Jewish Church who shared their meeting accommodations with our Church members. Here an active, energetic group merit a meeting place of their own. We express appreciation of the co-operation of this Jewish group who entertained us while we were there visiting officially.

In Guatemala there is already being completed a chapel with its tile flooring and oak finish at such a reasonable cost as would make any ward in the Church envious.

Commendable progress is being made throughout Mexico in regards to furnishing suitable houses of worship.

Brethren and sisters, I cite these few conditions and references not only by way of commendation to the officers and members of these various missions, but for the purpose of calling your attention to this important question:

Fourth, if within a little more than a century this Church could achieve such success in numbers, wealth, and influence, how much more, comparatively speaking, might we accomplish within the next half century with a million and a half loyal members, with comparative prosperity attending our efforts, and with a better understanding in the minds of the intelligent, well-informed people as to the purposes and aims of the Church of Jesus Christ?

Ours is the responsibility, greater than ever before, to proclaim:

1. That the Church is divinely established by the appearance of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that divine through the priesthood is given to represent Deity in establishing Christ's Church upon the earth.

2. That its assigned responsibility is to fulfil the admonition of Jesus to his Apostles to "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world"  Matt. 28:19-20

3. To proclaim peace and good will unto all mankind.

4. To exert every effort, and all means within our reach to make evil-thinking men good, good men better, and all people happier.

5. To proclaim the truth that each individual is a child of God and important in his sight; that he is entitled to freedom of thought, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly; that he has the right to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience. In this positive declaration, we imply that organizations or churches which deprive the individual of these inherent rights are not in harmony with God's will nor with his revealed word.

Finally, ours is the responsibility to make available to the tens of thousands of faithful members throughout the foreign missions the privilege of participating in the eternal nature of covenants and ceremonies.

Not counting Kirtland and Nauvoo, eight temples have been completed and are now in use, with two more under construction at a total cost of $13,758,750.00.

One of our greatest responsibilities is to make accessible to faithful members of the Church in foreign lands suitable houses of the Lord. Tens of thousands of them are not able to come where temples are, and where they receive the blessings of the endowment, to have sealed to them their wives and their children for time and all eternity. Ours is the duty to carry the temple to them. It may not be expensive, but it will be complete, and thus will churches be built and strengthened throughout the world.

On this Sunday morning, may we demonstrate our knowledge of the reality of Christ's existence and our love for the gospel by renewed service to his Church, by greater kindness and forbearance toward our associates, and by exercising more charity for the honest in heart the world over.

In the words of President John Taylor, and radiating his same spirit, we say to the priesthood throughout the world:

"Go to every tribe and nation;
Visit every land and clime;
Sound to all the proclamation;
Tell to all the truth sublime;
That the gospel,
Does in ancient glory shine."

God give us this power and the spirit of our callings in rich abundance I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.