Conference reports of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

:38 GENERAL CONFERENCEMonday, April 4 Second Daythat it be destroyed by the regular use of tobacco is essentially wicked.The number of cigarets manufactured in the United States in the year1913 was 13,000,247,891, and for the year 1928, 102 billion. Duringthose thirteen years the use of cigarets in our own dear America hadincreased nearly 900%. The cost of our public schools, elementary,secondary, and collegiate, in the year 1926 was $2,255,251,557. Theamount expended during that same year for tobacco was $2,087,000,000,or nearly as much as the United States spent for educational purposeson her children and men and women, in the primary schools,in the high schools, in the colleges, and wherever education was given.Is not this a sad picture ? And it seems to me, my brethren and sisters,that when it is called to the attention of the people, particularly ourpeople, there should be a reformation. And if what I say here todaybrings about a reformation, small or large, I will thank my HeavenlyFather for it.SCRIPTURAL PASSAGESI had prepared at my office some of the wonderful statements foundin the Bible and other publications of a religious nature, and I tookparticular pains to copy some that appealed to me personally, and I thinkthey ought to appeal to every honest man and woman in the worldDeliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitfultongue. (Psalms 120:2.)He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life : but he that openeth widehis lips shall have destruction. (Proverbs 13:3.)Death and life are in the power of the tongue : and they that love itshall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21.)The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into theinnermost parts of the belly. (Proverbs 18:8.)Who steals my purse steals trash, * * * but he who filches from memy good name robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes mepoor indeed. (Shakespeare.)There are so many of them. I love to study them. I love to takethe Bible and turn to the two pages that I have here of similar quotations,all beautiful in expression and Godlike in purpose.SAFETY IN LIVING THE GOSPELMy brethren and sisters, I thought yesterday as I sat upon thisplatform looking over that mass of men and women who believe in therevelations that God gave to the Prophet Joseph, who believe in all ofour Articles of Faith (and there is no reason for mentioning thembecause you are all acquainted with them), I thought that if we liveby these things and by the examples of the Authorities of the Churchsince its establishment by Joseph Smith the Prophet we shall not govery far wrong in this life.May God give us strength to live our religion, not only talk aboutit, but live it, and live it every day. If we do we shall never have any