Brother Alfred Olszewski to talk to us. I'm deeply grateful, my brethren and sisters, for the privilege of standing before you to deliver something of the gospel that could be beneficial to us. The Spirit will direct my remarks. I should just like to read one very brief item which came to my mind tonight, which I have considered as a...

truly a gem i believe i'm getting at the age where i can't do without such occasion always reminds me of brother joseph when he had forgotten his glasses one time you've heard the expression many times isn't that my eyes are bad is my arm that isn't long enough those who know the truth are not equal to those who love it and those who love it are not equal to those who find pleasure in living it i don't know that that'll be my text because i haven't got a text might be a text for someone else but in all that i have listened to tonight and the things that i have reflected upon and i cannot help but say that the reflections of the gospel are with me constantly is that in our trying to be saints we have one great drawback

something that we are slow to overcome, and that is our tradition. I suppose it has been years since any mention has been made among us of the word of wisdom. And I don't know that anyone has taken time and trouble to consider that the word of wisdom is still a part of the gospel. That's not my intention to speak upon the word of wisdom, but just to remind you.

that it appears to me has appeared over all the years that I've been here. And perhaps, as Brother Dockstader mentioned, these 20-odd years that I have been associated with this work, that perhaps at least age might have a little bit to do with what I'm saying. Because certainly in that length of time, we do gather some experience.

And it has appeared to me that one of the things that we do when we come out of the church, that the first thing we do is lessen our obedience to the word of wisdom as the Lord has revealed it. Now, contrary to anyone else, perhaps, I have never objected to the word of wisdom. I'm grateful that the church is still teaching it today. What I'm objecting to is the hypocrisy.

For instance, like in the morning, as I get up and freshen myself up in the bathroom, I have the KSL station on, and prior to the news, Jenny, there comes what is called the hymn of the day. And then comes on the news, and suddenly, there it comes. And mind you, this is KSL, and the church owns it, and no one can get around it.

But there it comes. Winston tastes good like a cigarette show. I took occasion today to look through the Truth magazine, and there I found an extensive article by Brother Joseph pointing that thing out to the church. And on that particular occasion, what must have aroused his ire was an advertisement concerning the use of coffee.

As I read it, it is stated that it was nearly a full-page advertisement in the desert noose, also owned by the church. That's what I object to, the hypocrisy where the dollar is involved. It makes no difference. But it's understandable, because after all, the only thing that the church worships today is the dollar. You think they're still worshiping Joseph Smith?

or anyone else holding the priesthood but be that as as it may what i'm talking about is that we come with an attitude into this work that we want to leave certain things behind and the first things we leave behind are the things that are obnoxious to the lord in this work i don't know of any part of the gospel that excuses you for breaking the word of wisdom It amazed me recently being out on the road with someone. Three cups of coffee after a rising. Two more cups of coffee at noon. Probably not at two cups of coffee. And never one but two cups of coffee at three, four o'clock. Coffee before we go to bed. Doesn't matter to me. I don't want to stand here as a saint and say I don't use coffee. I refer you to the...

things that the priesthood had tried to teach in regards to temperance and all the other things, I couldn't help but reflect that when I'd been here only a short time, that I met Brother Doxtiller on Second South, and he started talking to me about matters of the gospel and told me some things that could have destroyed my faith in the Word of Wisdom, but it didn't. And I've learned a great deal from him.

So why is it? That is the question. Why in the first instance do we try to make ourselves comfortable? Why do we come into this work and try to take care of our passions and of our weaknesses and in the same breath talk about the higher things? I'm not trying to ridicule what has been said, but it reminds me of what Brother Kimball said.

So many of you talk about going into the celestial kingdom when you aren't even worthy to be taken in a kingdom that has no glory. If you want to read more about that, you'll find it in the journals. I won't take time to read that whole thing, although I have it in my notes. The essence is there. I know we talk about being atoms and bodies. Maybe eternities from now, some of us will make it. Some of us.

My main concern at first is to return into the presence of my Father in heaven. Peter said to his Lord, When the time comes, Lord, take me speedily, because I have but one desire, and that is to be with you. Nothing else matters. If I can only be in your presence, irregardless of what it will be, I'll leave that to you. All I want to be is in your presence. And my, what a...

job it is to get into his presence. Now then, in coming out of the church, I said I didn't care to speak upon the Word of Wisdom as such, though I would admonish you to read it. I've read it twice within the last week, and it has so brought me up in my feelings that I have sought to find the Word of the Priesthood. I've gone through the Truth magazine and read a few articles. It would do us good.

to refresh our memory upon us. But now if you come out of the church and you must leave something behind, why don't you leave your whole self over there? Brother George A. Smith has been quoted tonight. He spoke at one time to the people here in Salt Lake and evidently there were some things going on about folks that had emigrated from these foreign countries, like myself. And I guess they were holding their German folk dances and their Swedish something or other, and they couldn't quite get the spirit of the gospel. Brother Smith says, I wish you'd have come here and left yourselves behind. Why? Because the gospel hasn't changed, and the gospel requires you to come into this work as a babe, free from anything. And what do you try to do? You try to bring your blessings with you. I know it.

the first thing anybody comes into this work he walks up to the bread in here oh today at least they'll get a little explanation and pretty soon they'll consent to be baptized 20 years ago they didn't even think of that they didn't think it was necessary but at least we're able to convert some of them today that they ought to be baptized but they're very careful the men are careful to remind these brethren that in the church they were elders What do you call that? You want to be elders in the church? You ought to stay there. You're coming into this work as a new man. I know that, so many of you. You're trying to bring all your blessings along. What have you received? For years I've been dwelling upon this subject to find out when did this church go astray? I haven't found the answer yet. But I can tell you this much.

It wasn't in the days of Heber J. Grant that the church went astray, nor in the days of Joseph F. Smith, nor in the days of Lorenzo Snow, not even in the days of Wilford Woodruff. I'll tell you, they were far along when Wilford Woodruff took the whole of the church. They were far along on the road to apostasy, and that's where they are today. They are an apostasy. I like what has been said.

There is one thing that is constantly on my mind, and that is the possibility that I can apostatize. Enough of us don't live with those things. No, we're good saints. We carry the holy priesthood. We're standing high. Nothing is going to happen to us. Am I true in what I'm saying? I'm not here to stand and speak at the top of my voice. Is it true? Have you considered?

that you have as much chance to apostatize as had the three witnesses, as had most of the Quorum of the Twelve, as had Judas Iscariot, and as had men in our day, men that were being fed by the priesthood, the things Brother Fisher was talking about. I tell you, I'm grateful that nobody had the courage to come to my home and lay some long plan before me. I wouldn't have had the patience.

Whoever would have come, I think I would have called on my big brother to help me, and I would have just ungentlemanly like eased them out of the house. Why listen to apostasy? Why? You have this desire of wanting to be fair about all things? You're deceived if you think that there's anything fair about the devil. I would rather never meet that good soul, because I wouldn't think that I'd have enough.

In me to withstand his trickery. There is nothing fair about him. Nor about his fallen angel. And all the evil spirits. There is nothing fair about them. And there is nothing fair about an apostate. I think it was the prophet who said he wouldn't. Or Brigham Young. It was Brigham Young who said he wouldn't cross the street. To shake hands with an apostate. He had no desire to save him.

You've left them in the hands of the Lord, and that's where they belong. Then why listen? Don't you think you meet apostates? There's one thing I've never forgotten. I used to work with Brother Guy, and I couldn't, can't possibly forget this incident. Many, many years ago, before he was a member of the council, he spoke upon the subject of apostasy.

And he made some remarks regarding how many of this people would apostatize. And immediately he got a few lickings back. He went to Brother Barlow. He said, Brother Barlow, I'll be willing to apologize and to retract anything that I have said that is wrong. Brother Barlow said, you haven't said anything wrong. He went to his father and made the same offer. And his father said, you haven't said anything wrong.

And I will give it to you as a rule that any time you stand before this body of saints at this time, you can take it for granted that 50% of them will apostatize. I couldn't forget, as I can't forget many other things that man has taught me. Now, do you live with these things, my brethren and sisters? Do you? Or are you so assured of your salvation?

But those things don't ever cross your mind. Are you so sure you're doing the things that Sister Margaret talks about? And I'm grateful that I had a chance of listening to her twice today. I made a little remark not too long ago to Brother Guy. We had met and talked about some things, and he also mentioned the very same things, speaking to the saints. I shook hands with him, and I...

Said I was grateful I had a chance to listen to it a second time. There's a great number of things I've listened to twice and three times. And I'm glad I'm here. I want to live with the truth. Nothing else. I love it. But I know that I'm not equal to those who live it. And I won't be equal until I live these principles of truth myself. That's what we're here for.

nothing else matters, but to put into application the principles that have been revealed to us. And what are they? Where is this body that is ready to do the will of God in all things? Sister Margaret spoke beautifully about women doing the will of their husbands. I want to give you one little item. Maybe it doesn't apply to all of you. It's applied in my life.

I know it has applied in the lives of a lot of other people. And it is something that no woman will consent that a man knows anything about. You go to section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants. And in preparation for opening the school of the prophets, the Lord commanded them, cease from all your light-mindedness. Cease to be idle. Cease.

going to bed late and learn to arise early. Pretty soon I shall be married 25 years, and I must have read that little thing to my wife, I don't know for how many times, and to this day I get the same answer. A woman's work is never done. And in my whole household there is a tendency that everybody likes to go to bed late except that. And I guess I'm An evil person because I can be found retiring at 9 and at 10 o'clock. And I never arise later than 6. We're a somewhat large household. Just one person out of that household trying in this little respect. Why is it? How are you going to be one, sisters, if you have this feeling that your husband doesn't know what he's talking about? Or never mind the husband. Don't you believe the Lord?

You mean he didn't know what he was talking about? He didn't see far enough ahead? He didn't know that we would have electric lights that would turn the house into daylight and would never let us know the difference? That was good enough in the days of the Prophet Joseph when man had to go out and carry the wood in in the morning and make a fire. I've done that a couple of times down south on my visits. But in our modern day and age, we don't have to do that.

There is so much written. There are so many books available. Why should we cease this light-mindedness? What is light-mindedness? Everybody ought to enjoy a good joke. The Lord says, cease from all your loud laughter. Just go to the show. Sit alongside a couple of saints. Don't sit alongside a mate. I quit going to the movies because I was rocking the aisle. Reminds me, referring back to the word of wisdom, and this is serious, because I...

think it's a wonderful thing. I won't say who said it. But he said to me, referring to the use of wine, he says, I will not touch it because I'm afraid I could learn to like it. Take that as a criterion. It was a servant of God who said it. Let that be a criterion in a lot of things that you do. When you're going to movies and to going other places, cut out a few things unless you could learn to like them and learn to do the things of God that you should like, that you should love. And then you might be on the road of doing a few things that you've heard about constantly. I don't think I'm much of a preacher. I make too much noise sometimes. But I like to sit with my bread and in the quietness of anyone's home and discuss the matters of the gospel.

I don't know of anything that touches me more. We don't often talk about the things that influence us, but I want to take a moment to give this to you. A little more than a year ago, when Mr. Khrushchev of Russia was here the first time, I was in New York at the time, and he heralded himself as the man of peace.

and on my way to a business appointment i was standing by the pennsylvania railroad station where he was supposed to arrive he came in a closed car out of the station and i don't think anybody saw him i didn't i saw more of him afterwards on tv but there was one significant thing about this whole business there i was squeezed in the middle of thousands of people Where I was standing, I think they must have been 20, 25 rows deep. I don't know how anxious the people were to see this man, this supposed man of peace. But there was one thing that everybody was doing. If they weren't praying, they were at least talking about it. And this is the thing they said. We hope that no one in this city will be foolish enough to lay a finger on Mr. Khrushchev and hurt him because that will set off a war. Millions of people with just one desire. Who but an enemy could create that kind of feeling? I'm no more in favor of communism than I am in favor of capitalism. And I don't know but if Mr. Eisenhower had gone over there.

And perhaps some of the Russian people might have said the same thing. Please let's not harm him, lest this will start a war. But here are supposed men of peace going into the world, and what do they bring? Fear of war. And if there are any men of peace on the earth, they are here tonight or in some other part of this vineyard.

But if they're men of peace, they have the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. This only leads to the experience that I want to relate. I think it was about my third day after arrival in the city, but I was on my way back to my hotel, walking on Broadway toward Times Square. And if you think your home is a madhouse, you want to try 42nd Street and Times Square.

quick. And as I was walking there and contemplating some things of the gospel, a great loneliness overcame me. And if the Lord would have granted me, I would have by any means tried to get back to this place. But he didn't grant it. And I went to my room and cried myself to sleep. I asked my father what was I doing back there in the place from which he had gathered. Myself, My mother's family and a few friends. What was I doing back then? It's been the last time that I've been there. And I'm grateful. I'm grateful, my brethren and sisters. The unworth of expression for the evidences that I have received. The care and keeping that my father exercises over me. How he has brought me from a foreign country all the way.

To the place called Zion. Placed me under the direction of his servants. And has given me the privilege. Of finding my fathers in the priesthood. I read what Abraham had to say just the other day. And I felt a closeness. Because the Lord did the same thing for him. He took him away from his apostate family. And he gave him the opportunity to find his way back. To his fathers in the priesthood.

and he made a great man out of him in the head of a dispensation. To my children I would say, Praise the Lord, that he has blessed you with the privilege of being born in the land of Zion, that you too have the privilege of living under the direction of the priesthood of Almighty God, and that you have the privilege of returning into his presence if you will but keep his commandments. And with all that's getting you, With all the getting, get truth. For a knowledge of the truth, the knowledge put into application, that is what will bring you the Spirit of God. I have heard it said so many times. I'm grateful for it. That President Barlow constantly spoke upon the subject. Get the Spirit of God and keep it. But my brethren and sisters,

Learn to place the emphasis on the getting. You can't keep what you haven't got. You've got to get it first. And there is but one way of getting the Spirit of God. That is through obedience to every commandment and the mind and will of God. What greater can you say than the Savior himself said?

I have not come to do my will, but his that sent me. I pray, my brethren and sisters, in all humility, that something that I have said may be useful to you. I have really no right to speak as long as I did, but I couldn't help it. I believe these things with all my soul. I believe every word.

And I pray to God earnestly that I might learn to keep all that I have spoken about. We are not yet united. That's our problem. We are not yet united. And until we are, we can't rightly approach the Lord. Let's strive for this unity in all things. Yes, in all things. I'm grateful beyond expression.

And I don't know whether Sister Margaret will forgive me for saying it. She talked three times as long to me today than she did to you. And I was grateful for every word that she spoke. And I don't know that there be one single servant of God that wouldn't be grateful to listen to his wife or to other sisters tell them the truth of the gospel if they would have it.

And I do not listen to Sister Margaret because she is somebody's wife. I've listened to Sister Margaret because of the conviction that what she said was the truth, was the gospel. And I rejoice in listening to it. And I rejoice in listening to all who will bear this glorious message of truth. Strive for it, my brethren and sisters. This thing Sister Margaret talked about, It is easy. So I'm following the way of the world with this 50-50 proposition. You do the will of your husband and the will of God, and you won't have to worry about a position. You won't have to worry. No man of God can fail to recognize the Spirit of God and the blessings that come from God. I pray that the blessings of our Father

may continue with us, strengthen us. Out there in the world, it's horrible. It's horrible. The story I've listened to this past week, it made my heart ache. And I want to tell you that the world is horrible. And don't you ever expect that any single soul will step up to you and say you are a saint. They'll step up to you and call you something else.

But you've got to smile at him. For there's but one to please. And that is your Father. Let us try that. Let us try to please him. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.