I have always taken a great interest in Section 4 of the Doctrine and Covenants, one reason being that it was given directly to my great-grandfather, who made inquiry to know what the Lord would have him do. Second, because I have always considered that this revelation was written to me, not only to me, but also to every man in the Church holding the Holy Priesthood.

It was not intended as a personal revelation.

May I make a comment? I do not wish to detract from anything that has been said by President McKay, but I would like to make this comment in relation to verse 4: "For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul"  D&C 4:4

There is a great responsibility resting upon the members of the Church, both men and women, to proclaim the words of eternal life, but more especially upon these men who have accepted the priesthood with a promise that they would be true and faithful and would magnify their callings, and in the verse that I have read the Lord proclaims this fact: that if we fail in the duties that are assigned to us and refuse to accept the responsibilities which come from that priesthood, that we ourselves are in danger of losing our own salvation. It is a great responsibility resting upon each of us to proclaim this truth to a benighted world. I say benighted because for hundreds of years they have been without the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord and the proper understanding of the things which are written in the scriptures. They have not had a correct understanding of the nature of God, not until the Prophet Joseph Smith came to reveal it.

Strange as that may be, considering the plainness with which the doctrine is taught throughout the scriptures, and so plainly presented this morning by President Clark in his radio talk, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that they are separate individuals or personages, one the Father and one the Son, but the world did not understand. They do not understand it today notwithstanding the fact that the Lord has made it so plain through the revelations that came through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

It is rather remarkable, is it not, that all the great religious teachers of the world, since the time of the passing of the Apostles to the time that this youth went out into the woods to pray, had no clear understanding of the nature of God.

The men of the Protestant Reformation did not understand it, and in their endeavors to correct the evils that they saw then existing, it never entered into their minds that the doctrine that had been proclaimed since the third century or the fourth century of the Christian era was not in accord with the revelations given by the Apostles of God as they are recorded in the New Testament. That never entered their minds, but they continued that same doctrine of the mysterious nature of God, that Jesus Christ lost his body after the resurrection and was swallowed up in some mysterious way into the great body of God, ethereal in its nature.

Now, when Joseph Smith went out into the woods to pray, he had no understanding that the Father and the Son were separate Personages. I am sure of that. How would he know it after listening to the teachings of the ministers of his day? But he came back after the manifestation was given to him, having been instructed by the Son of God with that knowledge clearly in his mind, and proclaimed it to the world—that Jesus Christ is literally the only begotten Son of God in the flesh, and that he is in the image of his Father.

He gave that great truth back again to the world, and unfortunately many of them, even to this day, are not ready nor willing to receive it. Now, in the preface to the book of Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord's preface, the first section in the book, we have some proclamations given for the benefit of the world which I would like to read to you.

"Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments;

"And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—

"The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh—

"But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;

"That faith also might increase in the earth;

"That mine everlasting covenant might be established;

"That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.

"Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding.

"And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known;

"And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed;

"And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent;

"And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time.

"And after having received the record of the Nephites, yea, even my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., might have power to translate through the mercy of God, by the power of God, the Book of Mormon.

"And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually—

"For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance  D&C 1:17-31

I wish the Lord could have said, and I wish he could say it today, that this is the only Church upon the face of the earth with which he is well pleased considering this Church individually. That he cannot say, but if we would humble ourselves, if those who are wayward and indifferent, who have received the testimony of the truth would repent, and if every man and every woman and child who is old enough to understand would turn unto the Lord with full purpose of heart and honor and serve him as we are commanded to do, the Lord would be able to say it.

The day is promised when righteousness shall prevail, and when it shall cover the face of the earth as the waters do the sea  Isa. 11:9 and I am sure that many of us will have to humble ourselves if we live to see that day, and if we do not humble ourselves, and should that day come, we will have to be removed.

Brethren and sisters, let us keep the commandments of God as they have been revealed. Let us set the example before the people of the earth, that they, seeing our good works, may feel to repent and receive the truth and accept the plan of salvation, that they may receive salvation in the celestial kingdom of God, and so I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.