The Oct. 1962 General Conference started out with David O. McKay swinging. He denounces the movements to abolish property rights and the assault on personal freedoms setting the tone for the whole conference (Click HERE to read President McKay’s talk). Bruce R. McConkie delivered a POWERFUL sermon on the prophetic role of Joseph Smith, and Ezra Taft Benson spoke of the idea that losing our freedoms “Cannot Happen Here” (Click HERE to read President Benson’s talk). Additional sermons on honesty, chastity, forgiveness, and accepting Christ into our life. It was just a fantastic conference with some really powerful timeless sermons.
I hope you enjoy this seventeenth 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 enjoy them, I hope they serve as a starting point for your own study of the Oct. 1962 General Conference! Use the page number and the above links to access the full talks. Enjoy!
45+ Powerful Quotes From My Study of the Oct. 1962 General Conference
“Today, brethren, we are in danger of actually surrendering our personal and property rights. This development, if it does occur in full form, will be a sad tragedy for our people. We must recognize that property rights are essential to human liberty.”
David O. McKay
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 6
“Today, freedom—political, economic, and individual freedom—lies destroyed or is in the course of being destroyed over great areas of the globe. And it has been destroyed and is being destroyed in the name of freedom. A vast struggle for the mind of man is now being waged—a struggle in which I hope each of you with all your heart will take part. In this struggle truth is distorted by those who have not the slightest regard for truth. All the words which mean so much to us—like Liberty, Freedom, Democracy—are being despoiled spoiled and prostituted by the enemies of Liberty, Freedom, and Democracy. A ruthless dialectical battle is being waged against the Christian way of life, against political liberty, against individual freedom, and it is being waged in the name of Freedom. Black becomes White; Tyranny becomes Freedom; The Forced Labor Camp stands for Liberty; The Slave State is represented as Democracy. This is the deadly challenge of Communism. And in this challenge those who put their emphasis upon man as an economic being—and there are plenty in every so-called free country in the world today who do just that—those who explain man in terms of scientific and chemical facts and the accident of circumstance, those who treat human beings as so many ‘bodies,’ those who deny man’s spiritual and individual existence—each of them aids and hastens the destruction of the political institutions on which our free society rests, and whether he knows it or not, supports the dialectics and the aims of International Communism.”
Sir Percy Spender as quoted by David O. McKay (italics as added by President McKay)
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 7
“Force and compulsion will never establish the ideal society. This can come only by a transformation within the individual soul — a life redeemed from sin and brought in harmony with the divine will.”
David O. McKay
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 7
“We find ourselves now immersed in a great political campaign in America for the purpose of selecting candidates for office in local, state, and national positions. We urge you as citizens to participate in this great democratic process, in accordance with your honest political convictions. However, above all else, strive to support good and conscientious candidates of either party who are aware of the great dangers inherent in communism, and who are truly dedicated to the Constitution in the tradition of our founding fathers. They should also pledge their sincere fealty to our way of liberty — a liberty which aims at the preservation of both personal and property rights. Study the issues, analyze the candidates on these grounds, and then exercise your franchise as free men and women.”
David O. McKay
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 8
“God enlighten our minds to comprehend our responsibility, to proclaim the truth and maintain freedom throughout the world, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
David O. McKay
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 8
“The greatest question in the spiritual realm today is this: Was Joseph Smith called of God? Did he in fact receive the revelations which we certify were given to him?”
Bruce R. McConkie
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 9
“Every honest truth seeker in the world, every spiritually inclined person ought to desire to know whether Joseph Smith was called of God and whether the Lord’s hand is in this work.”
Bruce R. McConkie
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 9
“You can argue or debate about the scriptures; you can explain away the works that are performed by prophets and say they were done by this power or that. But you cannot argue with a testimony; there is no issue to debate; there is no defense against the testimony that rests in the hearts of living witnesses who go out and certify of the divinity of this work… that witness stands against them at the judgment bar of the Almighty.”
Bruce R. McConkie
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 10
“Listen to the voice of a prophet of God, that every member be a missionary, and as the children of God, there can be no apathy toward this great challenge.”
Alvin R. Dyer
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 12
“We must never forget that nations may, and usually do, sow the seeds of their own destruction while enjoying unprecedented prosperity.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 14
“In that sacred volume of scripture, the Book of Mormon, we note the great and prolonged struggle for liberty. We also note the complacency of the people and their frequent willingness to give up their liberty for the promises of a would-be provider.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 14
“This is our need today — to plant the standard of liberty among our people throughout the Americas.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 14
“In less than half a century this evil system has gained control over one-third of mankind, and it is steadily pursuing its vicious goal of control over all the rest of the world. It is time, and past time, for us to be alarmed.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 15
“How did this situation come about? There are, of course, many reasons. Our apathy — our complacent indifference is a major cause. We have permitted ourselves to be pacified and lulled away into carnal security as Book of Mormon prophets predicted. (See 2 Nephi 28:21.)”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 15
“Our liberty is in danger. But we go blithely and gullibly on our way. Some of us fall for the Kremlin line as planned by the mass murderer Khrushchev and call patriots “extremists” and accuse courageous liberty-loving citizens of ‘dividing our people.’”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 17
“There is no place here in America for part-time patriots. This nation is face to face with the greatest danger ever to confront it, a sinister and deadly conspiracy which can be conquered only by an alert, informed citizenry. It is indeed appalling that some members of our society continue to deplore and criticize those who stress the communist danger. Public indifference to this threat is tantamount to national suicide. Lethargy leads only to disaster.”
Ezra Taft Benson quoting David O. McKay who was quoting J. Edgar Hoover
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 17
“As a Church we have a world message of salvation to deliver to our Father’s children. The restored gospel can only thrive in an atmosphere of liberty. We are in a worldwide conflict. It is the first of its kind in history. It is between light and darkness; between liberty and slavery. It is a struggle for the souls of men. We must win this war.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 17
“Rather than impede communism our policies in their total effect have apparently helped promote it. And so the honest in heart, many of whom have probably already been murdered, are deprived of the message of the restored gospel — good people who would have responded to the words of truth from our missionaries.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 18
“Who then is to blame? What then can be done? To some extent we Latter-day Saints and Americans everywhere must share some blame for we have not been awake to the warnings of the prophets. We have not exerted our righteous influence as citizens to stop this disastrous course. Our skirts are not entirely clean. Many of us have been asleep in Zion”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 18
“The effective preaching of the gospel can only thrive in an atmosphere of liberty. Yes, we all say, we love liberty. But that is not enough. We must protect and safeguard that which we love. We must save liberty.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 19
“The Son of God has a perfect right to call us his children, spiritually begotten, and we have a perfect right to look on him as our father who spiritually begot us.”
Joseph Fielding Smith
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 21
“The blind man believed and was permitted to see. Thomas refused to believe until after he could see. The world is full of Thomases, but there are many like the blind man of Jerusalem. Missionaries of the Church meet both of these every day as they carry their message to the world… Some believe, have faith, and are baptized. Some will not accept because they cannot see or feel.”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 24
“Great missionaries have been characterized by their simplicity and their directness.”
Franklin D. Richards
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 32
“Now brothers and sisters, we have been called to gather the Lord’s elect and we are told that they will not harden their hearts. For this day our Prophet has given us the challenge— every member a missionary.”
Franklin D. Richards
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 34
“Now, as God is the fountain of truth and knowledge, the source of wisdom, and as theology and religion are primarily concerned with the existence of and our relationship to Deity, does it not seem obvious that this combined subject, theology and religion, when accurately defined and understood, is the queen of all the sciences? It embraces all truth and therefore includes all other sciences”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 41
“God himself has from the beginning been the Great Scientist, and he has taught men by personal manifestations as well as by ministrations of his appointed servants.”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Oct. 1962 pp. 41-42
“The honest investigator must be prepared to follow wherever the search of truth may lead. Truth is often found in the most unexpected places. He must, with fearless and open mind ‘insist that facts are far more important than any cherished, mistaken beliefs, no matter how unpleasant the facts or how delightful the beliefs.’”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 42
“The vital and dynamic message of [The Restoration] is that there is a personal God in the heavens. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He has not abated his power; he has not surrendered his sovereignty; he has not diluted his love; he changes not; and his plans never fail. We bear witness that his chief executive officer in the creation and direction of the affairs of this and other worlds is Jesus Christ the Lord, the Redeemer of the World, the Son of the Father.”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Oct. 1962 pp. 42-43
“The various denominations of Christendom number in the hundreds. They have many different creeds and sharply contrasting interpretations and views pertaining to the nature of God. But can a misunderstanding of the truth bring salvation? The Savior taught there is but one straight and narrow way (Matt. 7:14) One of his great disciples wrote: ‘One Lord, one faith, one baptism’ (Eph. 4:5) Conditions today are much as they were anciently, but in times of old when they reached this point, God clarified the issues by giving new revelation of himself, even to the point of raising up new prophets through whom to speak. Would he do that in modern times? Are modern people as precious in the sight of God as ancient men and women? Would he make repeated efforts to save his ancient people in their times of confusion and not do the same for his modern children?”
Mark E. Petersen
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 46
“In this Church you are not only given full opportunity and full responsibility, but also full ecclesiastical authority. It is when I contemplate this that I repeat, here teenagers are not just tolerated, here they are needed. And it is when I contemplate this that I want to repeat again, the only thing wrong with you teenagers is that there aren’t enough of you.”
Boyd K. Packer
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 48
“If you obtain your errand in life from the Lord, there is a special spiritual preparation necessary… To achieve this spiritual preparation you must set out on a quest. The quest has all of the aspects of high adventure. It will require the gallantry of knighthood, all of the virtues of the storybook princess. It will take the resourcefulness of the pioneer, the courage of the astronaut, and the humility of a true saint.”
Boyd K. Packer
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 48
“The errand, the quest, is the search for a testimony — an individual conviction, a certain knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, that God lives. Although much of religious expression is in group activity, this matter of testimony is not. It is individual — on your own, by yourself.”
Boyd K. Packer
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 48
“Art thou in truth?
Then what of him who bought thee with his blood?
Who plunged into devouring seas
And snatched thee from the flood,
“Who bore for all our fallen race
What none but him could bear —
The God who died that man might live
And endless glory share.
“Of what avail thy vaunted strength
Apart from his vast might?
Pray that his light may pierce the gloom
That thou mayest see aright.
“Men are as bubbles on the wave,
As leaves upon the tree,
Thou, captain of thy soul! Forsooth,
Who gave that place to thee?
“Free will is thine — free agency,
To wield for right or wrong;
But thou must answer unto him
To whom all souls belong.
“Bend to the dust that ‘head unbowed,’
Small part of life’s great whole,
And see in him and him alone,
The captain of thy soul.”
Orson F. Whitney (“The Soul’s Captain.”) as quoted by Boyd K. Packer
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 50
“Infidelity is one of the great sins of our generation. …We make no apology then for raising our voices loud to a world that is ripening in sin.”
Spencer W. Kimball
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 56
“The home is the basis of a righteous life and no other instrumentality can take its place nor fulfil its essential functions. The utmost the auxiliaries can do is to aid the home in its problems, giving special aid and succor where such is necessary; that in aiding the home, the auxiliaries may well consider thinking of home life of the people as having three periods: the first from birth to twelve years of age, or the childhood period; then the youth period from twelve years up to the early twenties; and then adulthood, from the early twenties to the end of life.”
The First Presidency as quoted by Harold B. Lee
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 72
“This is a tremendous undertaking. It will take training of teachers. It will take a new determination. It will mean that every priesthood member will have to be a man of courage. Someone has said that the courageous man finds a way and that the ordinary man finds an excuse. No man that holds the priesthood wants to be just an ordinary man.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 79
“Mortal man is a dual being, a spirit child of God tabernacled in a physical body. Endowed with agency, he is placed here in mortality between opposing forces. The influence of God on the one hand inspires, pleads, and urges him to follow the way of life. On the other hand is the power of Satan tempting him to disbelieve and disregard God’s commandments.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 94
“Young people need discipline, administered in love.”
Marion D. Hanks
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 106
“We can all show our love for our Savior Jesus Christ by feeding the lambs and the sheep. Every member a missionary! Each member to bring one or more members into the Church each year! Have you accomplished this for this year?”
Bernard P. Brockbank
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 106
“If our missionaries would offer them a million dollars, it would not be worth half as much to them as what they can bring to them, that will bring them joy and happiness and peace in this world and in the world to come.”
LeGrand Richards
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 107
“Unless each of us can learn to forgive others for real or imagined trespasses against us, we cannot properly repent.”
Henry D. Taylor
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 110
“One cannot hold grudges and unkind feelings without harming himself. He becomes bitter; his vision is distorted; and his soul becomes cankered. Harsh and sharp words can leave a sting behind, a pang of unhappiness and regret in the heart and conscience of the offender.”
Henry D. Taylor
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 110
“To forgive a person once or twice may not be too difficult, but to continue to forgive many times when one has been wronged may become a real test of character.”
Henry D. Taylor
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 110
“True forgiveness cannot be partial nor halfhearted. It must be wholehearted, genuine, and without reservation.”
Henry D. Taylor
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 110
“The most magnificent lesson ever taught respecting forgiveness was given by the Savior. Jesus was subjected by his enemies to what is considered to be the cruelest and most horrible form of death. Crucifixion is excruciatingly painful, with the victim lingering on in increasing agony and torture for hours or even days. Yet, in spite of the humiliation and intense pain he suffered on Calvary’s cross, Jesus, with compassion, in Godlike mercy, prayed for his tormentors, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34) Now, with the Savior’s great lesson fresh in our memories, may each one of us purge from our hearts any feeling of hatred, envy, or bitterness, so that we may with a clear conscience and utmost confidence approach our Heavenly Father and ask for forgiveness of our shortcomings and mistakes.”
Henry D. Taylor
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 111
“As I visit the temples, I find that the attendance at some of them is commendable, in others it is improving, and some of them, my brothers and sisters, are far from being fully utilized, not because of a scarcity of names, but, if I may say so, I think perhaps it may lie in the leadership back along the line who are so involved in other things that they do not stimulate and motivate their people and organize them so that they may consistently attend to this indispensable part of the Lord’s work.”
ElRay L. Christiansen
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 117
“The Church, with all its quorums and organizations, is God’s plan for rendering mutual aid.”
David O. McKay
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 119
“If priesthood meant only personal distinction or individual elevation, there would be no need of groups or quorums. The very existence of such groups, established by divine authorization, proclaims our dependence upon one another, the indispensable need of mutual help and assistance. We are social beings.”
David O. McKay
CR, Oct. 1962 p. 119
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