Charge to President Henry B. Eyring

Transcription

1 INAUGURAL ADDRESS Charge to President Henry B. Eyring Elder Marion G. Romney Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 10 December 1971 President Lee, members of the General Authorities and of the Board of Education, Dr. Eyring, Commissioners Maxwell and Beesley, President Eyring, members of the faculty, and students and friends of the Ricks College, it is indeed an honor and a pleasure to be here on this significant occasion. It s also a great responsibility to be under assignment, as I am, from the First Presidency of the Church, to represent its Board of Education of which President Smith and his counselors are the presiding officers. They have assigned me to make a few remarks and give the charge on behalf of the Board of Education to President Eyring as he assumes his appointment as president of Ricks College. For this consideration, I am deeply grateful and express my sincere thanks to the Presidency. As an alumnus of Ricks, it may not be inappropriate for me to say that we are proud of the accomplishments of our alma mater. We appreciate and express our gratitude to her past administrators all nine of them. Their vision and deeds together with those of their sponsors and associates have assured for them for all of them honorable mention in the permanent annals of Ricks College. From its beginning in 1888, the purpose and course of this school has been and still is to implement the Lord s directions concerning learning. In giving such directions, He said I have here the quotation just given you by Dr. Eyring, which I will not read again, but it will be in the manuscript. Later on he said, Study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people (Doctrine and Covenants 90:15). The Church has ever since diligently pursued education. The Lord, Himself, took a hand in setting up institutions of learning. In 1831 He told William W. Phelps that he was to be ordained to assist Oliver Cowdery in the selecting and writing books for schools in this Church that little children also may receive instruction before me [which] is pleasing unto me (Doctrine and Covenants 55:4). He said again in 1833, I, the Lord, am well pleased that there should be a school in Zion (Doctrine and Covenants 97:3). The Prophet was convinced that it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance. He is quoted as saying that a man [can be] saved no faster than he gets knowledge (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 217). His own profound understanding of knowledge is revealed in this remarkable statement: The things of God, said the Prophet, are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity thou must commune with God (History of the Church, 3:295). Sustained in his search by assurance from the Lord that the puny arm of man could not hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latterday Saints (Doctrine and Covenants 121:33) and that pure knowledge greatly enlarge[s] the 1

2 soul (Doctrine and Covenants 121:42), the Prophet ever sought for knowledge by faith and by diligent study. Latter-day Saints seek for knowledge in all domains. Never has the Lord put a limitation upon our search for truth. We recognize, however, that there are different fields of knowledge. As there is a natural body and a spiritual body, so there is secular knowledge, that is knowledge of worldly things, and there is spiritual knowledge, knowledge of spiritual things. Concerning these fields of knowledge, Paul said, We speak the wisdom of God even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:7 13) The services Ricks has rendered, and the contributions she has made through fostering secular learning have been praiseworthy. We charge you, President Eyring, to endeavor to improve upon her past record in these pursuits, with the means now at your disposal: her greatly expanded physical facilities, enlarged student body, and erudite faculty, which makes of her one of the major educational institutions of the Church. We confidently expect that you will be able to do this. In such fields as agriculture, business, the professions, and cultural refinements, Ricks has blessed the people, and the homes, and the communities of southern Idaho and far beyond immeasurably. Her graduates have held and now hold positions of responsibility, honor, trust, and influence throughout the land. Her accomplishments in these secular fields, which concern worldly things, do not, however, fulfill her destiny. Her destiny lies in spiritual things, with respect to which there is a different measure of achievement. Jesus indicated this when He asked, What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26). Spiritual knowledge deals with the mind and physical body not only, but with the soul, the immortal man. It teaches that life is of infinite duration. So also is knowledge of spiritual things of infinite importance. Achievement tests and tangible rewards in spiritual things are revealed in the following scriptures: Blessed are the poor who are pure in heart, whose hearts are broken, and whose spirits are contrite, for they shall see the kingdom of God coming in power and great glory unto their deliverance; for the fatness of the earth shall be theirs. 2

3 And again: And this one: For behold, the Lord shall come, and his recompense shall be with him, and he shall reward every man, and the poor shall rejoice; And their generations shall inherit the earth from generation to generation, forever and ever. And now I make an end of speaking unto you. Even so. Amen. (Doctrine and Covenants 56:18 20) He who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come. (Doctrine and Covenants 59:23) Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am; (Doctrine and Covenants 93:1) And when I shall come in my glory, [said the Lord,] [T]hey that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation. For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver. (Doctrine and Covenants 45:56 59) The everlasting, unchanging truths revealed in the gospel are for our guidance and direction, President Eyring. To quote from President Clark, They are our shields against temptation and our redemption from sin (J. Reuben Clark, Charge to [BYU] President Howard S. MacDonald, 1945). They give us the light for our feet. They guide us on our way. They draw aside for us the curtains of heaven that, like Stephen of old, we may see the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. They are the rocks upon which we build our house that the winds and the storms wash not away. They are the bridge connecting time with eternity, mortality with immortality. Over it we walk from worldliness into salvation. Among these revealed truths are the fact that God, Himself, is a person with a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man s, in whose image men are made, that all the inhabitants of the worlds are begotten sons and daughters unto God, that Jesus Christ is His firstborn in the spirit and His only begotten in the flesh, the Savior and the Redeemer of the world and all men, that He lived, was crucified, died, and was laid in the tomb, was resurrected, and now lives, a perfected mortal being, the express image of God, His Father, that His plan of eternal progression provides that, through the atonement of Christ, and His victory over death, all men shall be resurrected from the grave, and that they may, through obedience to the principles of the gospel and the ordinances of the gospel, be perfected in eternal life and become even as Christ and God are. God has restored His priesthood and reestablished His Church that the fullness of His gospel might be authoritatively taught and its saving ordinances officially and effectively administered. He has opened the heavens anew and abundantly demonstrated the truth of His 3

4 promise: If any of you not just some of you If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men not just to some men, but to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (James 1:5). He has reemphasized that law that one must ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is [as the] wave of the sea driven [by] the wind and tossed (James 1:6). To some of the early brethren of this Church who lacked such faith, the Lord said, Ye endeavored to believe that ye should receive the blessing which was offered unto you; but behold, verily I say unto you there were fears in your hearts, and verily this is the reason that ye did not receive (Doctrine and Covenants 67:3). God has reannounced the eternal truth spoken by James that faith, if it hath not works, is dead (James 2:17). To Oliver Cowdery, He said, Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind. (Doctrine and Covenants 9:7, 8) Thus, God s formula for obtaining that knowledge essential to eternal life is seek diligently by study, by faith, and by works. The Prophet Joseph Smith was pursuing this course when he found the promise recorded in the first chapter of James. He was pursuing it further when he went into the Sacred Grove and received that incomparable First Vision which opened this last dispensation. This formula must be followed by everyone who would gain spiritual knowledge. This principle the students at Ricks must be taught and must learn. The key to knowledge, secular and spiritual, is: Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63). Our pursuit of knowledge in both of these fields, secular and spiritual, must go hand-in-hand here at Ricks College. We charge you, President Eyring, to always remember that this school is a part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that the Church is the standard bearer of God s eternal truth, that spiritual knowledge, revealed from heaven as it is, contains ultimate truths, not relative truths. These truths endure; they are the same in all lands, and among all peoples, and at all times. They are changeless. They are the truths which, to quote again, must take precedence over all contrary theories, hypotheses, or relative truths These ultimate truths may not be questioned. All secular truths will, must, finally [shall] conform to these ultimate truths (J. Reuben Clark, Charge to [BYU] President Howard S. MacDonald, 1945). After setting forth the secular subjects that the educational standards of the time required to be taught, President Brigham Young had this to say about the spiritual training and teaching that should be carried on in Church schools: The Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants shall be the standard text books, and shall be read and their doctrines inculcated in the [school]. And, further, no book shall be used therein that misrepresents, or speaks lightly of, the divine mission of the Savior, or of the Prophet Joseph Smith, or in any manner advances ideas antagonistic to the principles of the Gospel. (as cited in J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Messages of the First Presidency, Volume 6, 1975, p. 237) President Eyring, we shall expect you to build into the minds and hearts of the students who come here all the Christian virtues. We shall expect you to teach them to follow the 4

5 commandments of God, for God never demands obedience to error. We shall expect you to recognize that science and worldly knowledge must question every demonstration, every experiment, every conclusion, every phenomenon that seems a fact, for only by this method may the truths of the natural law become known to us, save by specific revelation. But we shall also expect you to know that in matters pertaining to our spiritual lives, God s revealed will, His laws, His commandments, declared not only directly by Himself but by and through His servants must be taken unquestioned because they are the ultimate truths that shape and control our destiny. President Eyring, keep these things in your mind and heart. Keep them before your faculty and the members of your student body. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5, 6). We respect you. We have confidence in you. We know that you have faith in the Lord and know how to commune with Him. We feel safe in placing the destiny of Ricks College in your hand for the duration of your administration. I now, therefore, representing the Board of Education of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, do hereby officially inaugurate and install you president of Ricks College. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 5