55+ Instructive Quotes From My Study of the Apr. 1960 General Conference
I LOVED the April 1960 General Conference! It contained so many powerful and still pertinent talks. David O. McKay taught about Priesthood duties, Hugh B. Brown taught about the three unique doctrines of the Restoration (A personal God, man being God's literal offspring, and how those two doctrines require the third, communication from God to man). Marion G. Romney taught about the importance of consistent and deep drinking from the Book of Mormon, Mark E. Petersen gave an amazing sermon on the importance of honor and teaching it to our young men, and Howard W. Hunter gave the "Church of the Air" talk, which was part of Music and the Spoken Word, but it was broadcast over the entire Columbia Broadcasting System as part of their weekly sermon series (not exclusive to the Church). I just loved the entire April 1960 general conference and I hope you find value in these quotes!!
I hope you enjoy this twenty-second installment of quotes from my studies of the General Conference Archives (If you want to read prior installments, click HERE). For the first installment and an explanation of the Conference Archives, see "55+ Powerful Quotes From My Study of the Oct. 1970 General Conference." To read this conference report PDF from the Church History Catalog (click HERE), for the Archive.org PDF (with speech-to-text, click here). I hope you enjoy these quotes from my studies. But more than enjoying them, I hope they serve as a starting point for your own study of the Apr. 1960 General Conference! Use the page number and the above links to access the full talks. Enjoy!
55+ Instructive Quotes From My Study of the Apr. 1960 General Conference
“There is no substitute for service in the Church. It will increase spirituality and testimony and the prospect of gaining all of the blessings of the gospel.”
Bruce R. McConkie
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 14
“None of the auxiliary organizations of the Church, none of the Priesthood quorums of the Church, can feel that they have accomplished their purpose unless we can so train and inspire our young people that they will answer these missionary calls.”
President Henry D. Moyle
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 17
“There is nothing which strengthens men in their priesthood, develops the power of the priesthood within them, more than exercising their priesthood in behalf of others.”
President Henry D. Moyle
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 17
"You know, I am so busy trying to understand the first principles of the Gospel that I have no time for the mysteries."
Elder Matthew Cowley as quoted by J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 20
“Can you, can we, do the mighty things that the Savior did? Yes. They have been done by the members of the Church who had the faith and the righteousness so to do. Think of what is within your power if you but live the Gospel, if you but live so that you may invoke the power which is within you.”
J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 21
“Remember the parable of the talents where the man who failed to improve the talent given him, had it taken from him Matt. 25:14-30 I ask you brethren, and myself, are we magnifying our Priesthood in such a way, are we living close enough to the Lord and in obedience to His commandments that we may exercise this power, or shall it be wholly or in part taken away from us?”
J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 21
“[To learn your duty] means learning what kind of life a man who holds the Priesthood should live, being true to himself, to his loved ones, to the Church, to God. Every individual has that duty, and particularly every individual who holds the Priesthood If he is honest to himself he is honest with the brethren; he is fair in his dealings in business circles, in politics he speaks the truth; he merits the confidence of his associates in business, civic areas, and particularly he should live so as to merit the confidence of members of the Church who trust him.”
David O. McKay
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 22
“The Lord was not content when he gave to the individual the Priesthood. He organized those men who were true in upholding the ideals of the Priesthood into groups that they might render group service to their fellow men.”
David O. McKay
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 22
“It is the duty of leaders in Priesthood quorums to watch over their members, to teach them their duty. They can do that independently of the Ward bishopric. They do it because it is their own responsibility, it is their duty to have their members fit to be called into ward activity, stake activity, missionary activity”
David O. McKay
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 23
“The duty of the Church is to teach and practice the fundamental principles of the good life. Obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ, no matter what the financial or physical conditions may be, will bring peace in the soul.”
David O. McKay
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 26
“It is easy to see temporal things. It is easy to yield to lascivious things. It requires little or no effort to indulge in anything physical and animal-like. But to be born out of that world into a spiritual world is advancement that the Lord requires of each of us.”
David O. McKay
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 26
“It is to be hoped that every father and mother will set a good example. I hope that parents will not set bad examples so that the children indulging in weakness may say, ‘I am following you.’”
David O. McKay
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 28
“It is said, ‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating.’ So is the proof of the Book of Mormon in the reading… when you read it, you discovered a key which unlocked for you a source of evidence which proved beyond the shadow of a doubt the divine source of its origin. This key was your reward for reading the book, from cover to cover, for only those who pursue their reading to the closing pages will find it.”
William J. Critchlow, Jr.
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 36
“America needs a rebirth of honor more than it needs any other one thing. It needs honor more than it needs its atom bombs and nuclear submarines. Put weapons in the hands of dishonorable men and what have you?
America needs honor more than it needs wealth and prosperity. Put wealth in the hands of dishonorable men, and what have you?
America needs honor even more than it needs professions of religious piety. What good is a profession of religion in a man who has no honor? Such men lived in the days of Jesus. He called them scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites”
Mark E. Petersen
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 37
“Are you shocked when large industries become involved in public scandals? Does it scare you to learn that our government was defrauded by its own citizens of five billion dollars in income tax in a single year? Where will all this lack of honor take us? What will be its effect upon our children?”
Mark E. Petersen
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 37
“There is no happiness without honor. There is little success without doing one's best. To instill in the mind and heart of a child the importance of honor and the value of doing his best, is one of our greatest tasks. What are we without good character? Can good character exist without honor? When we look at the life and teachings of the Savior, it was the hypocrite, the pretentious hypocrite, who received his most scathing criticism.”
Mark E. Petersen
CR, Apr. 1960 pp. 38-39
“It is time to teach honor to America. It is time to acknowledge that an honest man is the noblest work of God. It is time to remember that when the grownup sheep wander off from the fold, they usually lead the lambs astray.”
Mark E. Petersen
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 39
“I come to you with this simple message: There are not many roads that lead to heaven. There is one and one only, and that is the road that we profess to travel and should be traveled. It is the road that is restored to us by the restoration of the gospel and the restoration of the priesthood.”
J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 44
“Every boy who expects to go on a mission, every boy or girl who aspires to a mission, should, through the way he lives and through his study and his faith and prayer, come to a position so that he can testify to those things before he goes into the mission field.”
Antoine R. Ivins
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 46
“There can be no substitute for the Lord's plan in redeeming our dead relatives, and no amount of side-stepping our individual responsibility will excuse us for neglecting to do these two important things, namely, identifying the dead from the records available, and then seeing to it that they have received in the temples by proxy the necessary ordinances for their salvation.”
ElRay L. Christiansen
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 48
“[The Restoration] asserts on the authority of divine revelation that man is the central figure of an integrated plan, and as Dr. Talmage has said, he is potentially greater and more precious than all the planets and the suns of space; for him they were created; they are God's handiwork; man is his son.”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 53
“Man's spirit was with his Father in the beginning (D&C 93:29) he was designed to be free, and expected to gain wisdom and intelligence in the exercise of his agency. His freedom is, next to life itself, his most priceless possession. He has freedom to think, to explore, to discover, and to act. We encourage men to search for truth, to be unafraid of new ideas which are and always have been steppingstones to progress.”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 53
“While we have complete freedom to heed or disregard the promptings of the spirit or the teachings of the prophets, let us always remember that we must abide the consequences of our choice.”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 54
“All truths pertaining to science as well as to religion emanate from our Father in heaven.”
Henry D. Moyle
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 56
“Have faith in life and its purpose, know that God has provided and planned it for our joy and happiness. Live each day wisely and fruitfully.”
Delbert L. Stapley
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 74
“Have faith that he is our Redeemer, Savior, and God; that there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12)”
Delbert L. Stapley
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 74
“Have faith in priesthood authority, knowing that the Lord has said, ‘For he that receiveth my servants, receiveth me’ (D&C 84:36)”
Delbert L. Stapley
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 74
“Have faith to set aside your own views and personal desires to do God's will with confidence and good works.”
Delbert L. Stapley
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 74
“Do we want children to grow up to be missionaries? The parental attitude on this service will be reflected in the preparation of the children.”
S. Dilworth Young
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 81
“Do we want [our children] to have unwavering respect for us, their parents? Then let us render unwavering respect for the eternal truths of the gospel, and for the men appointed to administer its teachings.”
S. Dilworth Young
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 81
“I have had opportunity to study what causes people to join the Church. I have come to the conclusion that it is testimony, which comes into their hearts of the truth of these great revelations, which leads them into the waters of baptism there to covenant with the Lord to keep his commandments and to become citizens in his kingdom.”
Gordon B. Hinckley
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 8?
“O foolish men who think to protect the world with armaments, battleships, and space equipment, when only righteousness is needed!”
Spencer W. Kimball
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 83
“The answer to all of our problems—personal, national, and international—has been given to us many times by many prophets, ancient to modern. Why must we grovel in the earth when we could be climbing toward heaven! The path is not obscure. Perhaps it is too simple for us to see.”
Spencer W. Kimball
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 8?
“We look to foreign programs, summit conferences, land bases. We depend on fortifications, our gods of stone; upon ships and planes and projectiles, our gods of iron—gods which have no ears, no eyes, no hearts (Dan. 5:23) We pray to them for deliverance and depend upon them for protection. Like the gods of Baal”
Spencer W. Kimball
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 85
“My testimony to you is, the Lord is God. He has charted the way, but we do not follow. He personally visited Joseph Smith in our world in our century. He outlined the way of peace in this world and eternal worlds.”
Spencer W. Kimball
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 85
“Here at home, communism ceaselessly pursues the disintegration of the American way of life. It strives to use education, science, literature, art, even the churches, to undermine our free society.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 97
“Let us all do our part to stay free! Let us stand eternal watch against the accumulation of too much power in government.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 99
“Let us all reaffirm our patriotism, our love of country. Patriotism is more than flag-waving and brave words. It is how we respond to public issues. Let us rededicate ourselves as patriots in the truest sense.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 99
“Let us all rededicate our lives and our nation to do the will of God… History is replete with examples of once powerful nations that have forgotten God. No nation ripened in iniquity can long endure.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 99
“Any system which deprives men of their free agency, which weakens the home and family, which depends on butchery for power, which denies all moral responsibility, which holds that man lives by bread alone, and which denies the existence of God, is of the devil. This is the communist philosophy.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 99
“The Book of Mormon is the most effective piece of missionary literature we have.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 110
“If we would avoid adopting the evils of the world, we must pursue a course which will daily feed our minds with and call them back to the things of the spirit. I know of no better way to do this than by reading the Book of Mormon.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 111
“If our young people could come out of our homes thoroughly acquainted with the life of Nephi, imbued with the spirit of his courage and love of truth, they would choose the right when a choice is placed before them.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 112
“From almost every page of the book, there will come to them a moving testimony that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of the Living God, our Redeemer and Savior. This witness alone will be a sustaining anchor in every storm. In the Book of Mormon, they will find the plainest explanation of Christ's divine mission and atonement to be found anywhere in sacred writ.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 112
“I counsel you, my beloved brothers and sisters and friends everywhere, to make reading in the Book of Mormon a few minutes each day a lifelong practice. All of us need continuing close contact with the Spirit of the Lord. We need to take the Holy Spirit for our guide that we be not deceived.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 112
“One can get and keep closer to the Lord by reading the Book of Mormon than by reading any other book. Don't be content with what someone else says about what is in it. Drink deeply from the divine fountain itself.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 112
“If, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase, mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to that counsel. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Apr. 1960 pp. 112-113
“What are some of the traits which might be regarded as excess baggage on our journey toward perfection? To mention but a few: hate and anger and the holding of grudges, a hot temper and a quick tongue, envy, jealousy, and greed, a critical attitude resulting in faultfinding, backbiting, and judging harshly. All these are excess baggage and we shall have to pay dearly for them.”
Henry D. Taylor
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 129
“I bear you that testimony that I know whereof I speak; that we must live in the spirit and get power thereby to overcome the lusts of the flesh as enumerated here by a man who knew. And you know, and the happier you will be if you live above the flesh. Conquer the animal within you when you are tempted to scold or find fault with your wife or with your husband. Control your tempers if prompted to deal unjustly with a wayward child.”
David O. McKay
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 122
“Since the beginning God has given to every man the power to control his thoughts. He has also given man the freedom to select the course in life he wishes to pursue.”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 124
“Scriptures are replete with God's promised blessings to us if we will keep His commandments and comply with His laws, but it is a fundamental principle that we are never compelled to do His will.”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 12?
“Repentance is but the homesickness of the soul, and the uninterrupted and watchful care of the parent is the fairest earthly type of the unfailing forgiveness of God. The family is, to the mind of Jesus, the nearest of human analogies to that divine order which it was His mission to reveal.”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 125
“Fathers and mothers have a great responsibility with respect to the children which are entrusted to their care. One of the greatest needs of the day is for parents to teach and encourage young people to conduct themselves according to Christian standards.”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 125
“The greatest training that can be given to a child is that which comes from the example of parents. Parents need to set the example for young people to follow.”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 125
“Great strength comes from the home where righteous principles are taught, where there is love and respect for each other, where prayer has been an influence in the family life, and where there is respect for those things that pertain to God.”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 125
“The Christian family gets its unity and stability, not by outward regulation, but by the natural processes of its inward life.”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 125
“This should be a personal challenge to every man and woman, and every father and mother, to live according to the commandments of God and be an example for good to boys and girls in their years of growing up.”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 126
“They are the most happy whose lives have been dedicated to the endeavor of making the world a better place to live by raising the standards of thought and action. This can only be done by strict observance to the laws which God has laid down for the conduct of man in this mortal existence.”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Apr. 1960 p. 126
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