1958–A:88, J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Untitled

Untitled

President J. Reuben Clark, Jr.

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Conference Report, April 1958, pp. 88-89

My brethren, and as the phrase in Holy Writ goes, from Dan to Beer-sheba  Judg. 20:1 north, south, east, west:

President McKay, I can envision within the reasonable future that we shall broadcast throughout the civilized world, a broadcast in which by means of the proper interpreting organization here in Salt Lake City, perhaps in this building, the French will hear what we say in French, the German in German, the Spanish speaking people in Spanish, and so on throughout the whole earth.

It is a great, a great triumph which we already have.

I had intended to say a little something tonight more by way of suggestion than anything else. I would like to recommend that you people read the Prophet's translation of the 24th Chapter of Matthew  JS—M 1:1-55 I am not acting as a prophet or a seer, I am only asking that you read that chapter. We have heard during this Conference certain passages of scripture repeatedly referred to. The Prayer, so-called, of the Great High Priest:

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent"  John 17:3

We have heard the statement made by Peter to the Sanhedrin responsive to their question, by whom did he do these things:

"By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified . . . for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved"  Acts 4:10-12

We have heard the scripture where Thomas was told by the Savior, responsive to his question, that no one could come to the Father, save through him  John 14:4-6

And I have in mind and will read to you, what was said by Alma to his son Shiblon:

"And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness"  Alma 38:9

And then I want to read to you or call your attention to those various statements by Paul in which he compares the wisdom of men and the wisdom of God  1 Cor. 1:20 pointing out how great God's wisdom is and how slight is the wisdom of man  1 Cor. 3:19 Then I want to read to you from the sermon which the Savior made to the multitude after he had met and answered the visitors from John, the sermon in which he paid that great tribute to John and turning to the multitude he said:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"  Matt. 11:28-30

Christ is the only one through whom, through his teachings and his work and his sacrifice and his atonement, by which we can reach the divine destiny which has been declared for us. We are living in perilous times. That is trite. Man has discovered and is trying to learn how to use some of the great forces that evidently were operative at the time of the creation of the universe. We know nothing about them, we play with them as a child plays with the live end of a high voltage transmission wire. We know not how to control them nor what they will do. We are equally challenged in all walks of life, economic, financial, social, religious, with new theories, new problems, new solutions. We live in a maze of unknown, untried ideas and concepts.

Be not dismayed. Remember what I have read to you and referred you to. Christ is our answer. Christ is our salvation. "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"  John 14:27 And remember, you who may be influenced by discoveries of science today, that the discoveries of science in my day have been thrown away and given up and in so far as present discoveries are not in accord with truth, they will be thrown away and discarded. "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Brethren, keep your eye on the beam, the Word of God, and he will bless you.

May that blessing come to all of us, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus. Amen.