Howard
Hunter
14th President
1994–1995
The
United States
Constitution
The
Bill of Rights
Declaration
of
Independence
Born
14 November 1907
President of the Quorum of the Twelve 2 June 1988
Ordained the fourteenth President of the Church on 5 June 1994
Died 3 March 1995
1.
Avoid being a secret follower of Jesus.
Among our own people, in our communities, in our nation and throughout the
world, there are secret followers of Jesus and half-hearted
Christians—onlookers who have a noncommittal attitude. Why is it that so
many will not commit themselves?
Joseph
of Arimathea was only a secret disciple because of what others would think
of him. He would not risk his social position nor the respect of his
associates. It is fear that causes men to be noncommittal. They are afraid
to declare their loyalty and assume active responsibility. The easy way is
to let someone else be the leader and assume the responsibility. The world
needs men who are willing to step forward and declare themselves. The
world needs men who will lift the load of responsibility to their
shoulders and carry it high under the banner of Jesus Christ—men who are
willing to defend the right openly. (60-10, p. 949)
(Howard
W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J.
Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 45.)
2.
Now is the time for people to stand up boldly for Christ. How can men of conscience ignore the teachings of the Master
in their daily affairs, in business, or in government? We stand by and
wink at many things because we fear to do anything about them. We may be
against crime or communism, but what do we do about it? We may be against
corruption in government or against juvenile delinquency, but what do we
do about it? We may have a belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ, but what
are we doing about it? We need to push fear into the background and come
forward with a definite, positive declaration, and assume responsibility.
Can
we stand on the sidelines and merely observe? This is a day for action.
This is the time for decision, not tomorrow, not next week. This is the
time to make our covenant with the Lord. Now is the time for those who
have been noncommittal or who have had a halfhearted interest to come out
boldly and declare belief in Christ and be willing to demonstrate faith by
works. (60-10, p. 949)
3.
We must fix our eyes on the Savior to overcome the waves of unbelief. It
is my firm belief that if as individual people, as families, communities,
and nations, we could, like Peter, fix our eyes on Jesus, we too might
walk triumphantly over "the swelling waves of disbelief" and
remain "unterrified amid the rising winds of doubt" (see Matthew
14:22-33). But if we turn away our eyes from him in whom we must believe,
as it is so easy to do and the world is so much tempted to do, if we look
to the power and fury of those terrible and destructive elements around us
rather than to him who can help and save us, then we shall inevitably sink
in a sea of conflict and sorrow and despair.
At
such times when we feel the floods are threatening to drown us and the
deep is going to swallow up the tossed vessel of our faith, I pray we may
always hear amid the storm and the darkness that sweet utterance of the
Savior of the world: "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid"
(Matthew 14:27). (92-05, p. 19)
(Howard
W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J.
Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 46.)
4.
The ability to stand by our principles is what matters. The ability to stand by one's principles, to live with
integrity and faith according to one's belief—that is what matters, that
is the difference between a contribution and a commitment. That devotion
to true principle—in our individual lives, in our homes and families,
and in all places that we meet and influence other people—that devotion
is what God is ultimately requesting of us. (90-03, p. 61)
5.
Our Father in Heaven requires a total commitment. As I think of the blessings God has given us and the many beauties of the
gospel of Jesus Christ, I am aware that along the way we are asked to make
certain contributions in return, contributions of time or of money or of
other resources. These are all valued and all necessary, but they do not
constitute our full offering to God. Ultimately, what our Father in Heaven
will require of us is more than a contribution; it is a total commitment,
a complete devotion, all that we are and all that we can be.
Please
understand that I do not speak only of a commitment to the Church and its
activities, although that always needs to be strengthened. No, I speak
more specifically of a commitment that is shown in our individual
behavior, in our personal integrity, in our loyalty to home and family and
community, as well as to the Church. (90-03, p. 60)
(Howard
W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J.
Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 65.)
6.
The greatest growth occurs when the opposition is greatest. One hundred fifty years of Church history provide us with a
lesson that when resistance and opposition are greatest, our faith,
commitment, and growth have the greatest opportunity for advancement; when
opposition is least, the tendency is to be complacent and lose faith.
President Brigham Young said: "Let any people enjoy peace and
quietness, unmolested, undisturbed,—never be persecuted for their
religion, and they are very likely to neglect their duty, to become cold
and indifferent, and lose their faith" (Journal of Discourses
7:42). This lesson, which applies to the Church collectively, also applies
to individuals. (80-01, p. 25)
7.
God will have a tried people. Today
other biographies of faith are being written—Saints who, like Job,
suffer physical pain, emotional sorrow, and even disloyalty from
friends—yet remain faithful; Saints who, like Jacob, see sons and
daughters not so valiant as they should be, but who bless them for their
potential; Saints who, like Paul, endure great ridicule and endure to the
end; Saints who, like Nephi, must separate themselves from family because
of their commitment to the gospel. There are those who know pain and
sorrow because of loss of loved ones; who know spiritual sorrow because
children go astray; who experience loss of health, financial reverses, and
emotional distress, and yet, like Job, resolve, "When he hath tried
me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).
We
stand on the summit of 150 years of Church history; yet there are other
summits to climb before the work of God is crowned with victory. There
will be tribulations collectively and hardships personally—that
resistance so essential to the eternal plan.
What
makes us imagine that we may be immune from the same experiences that
refined the lives of former-day Saints? We must remember that the same
forces of resistance which prevent our progress afford us also
opportunities to overcome. God will have a tried people! (80-01, p. 26)
8.
Fear is a principal weapon of Satan.
Fear, which can come upon people in difficult days, is a principal weapon
in the arsenal that Satan uses to make mankind unhappy. He who fears loses
strength for the combat of life in the fight against evil. Therefore, the
power of the evil one always tries to generate fear in human hearts. In
every age and in every era fear has faced mankind. (93-01, p. 72)
(Howard
W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J.
Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 83.)
9.
The Church avoids debt.
We don't rely on taxation to take care of our people. We believe that we
should take care of our own and not rely upon the help of others. These
newspaper reporters were interested in how we build without having any
debt. We have built thousands of buildings in the world, and every one is
paid for in full. We have no indebtedness. The Church has always taught us
that we should live within our income and be free from debt, and it
practices what it preaches. (67-04)
(Howard
W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J.
Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 157.)
10.
We have a solemn obligation to God and our country. [Quotes D&C 134:1-5.] These words point up the solemn obligation of
government and the solemn obligation of those who owe allegiance. This is
a day when civil disobedience seems to be prevalent and even advocated
from some pulpits, but the position of this Church and its teachings is
clear.
I
know that God lives, that he is the supreme power of heaven and earth. I
bear witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Savior of all mankind.
My knowledge of these truths moves me to allegiance to divine sovereignty,
also to sustain the law of the land. There is no conflict between that
which is owed to Caesar and the obligation to God. May the God of heaven
give inspiration and guidance to those leaders in the world who formulate
the policies of earthly sovereignty, and also to those of us who are
governed by those powers. May righteousness be placed in proper
perspective for the good of every man. (68-03, p. 81)
(Howard
W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J.
Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 166.)
11.
Government dependency is dangerous.
From my own experience in business and as a lawyer and church worker, and
from my firsthand observations in this country and other countries of the
world, there appears to me to be a trend to shift responsibility for life
and its processes from the individual to the state. In this shift there is
a basic violation of the law of the harvest, or the law of justice. The
attitude of "something for nothing" is encouraged. The
government is often looked to as the source of wealth. There is the
feeling that the government should step in and take care of one's needs,
one's emergencies, and one's future. Just as my friend actually became a
slave to his own ignorance and bad habits by refusing to accept the
responsibility for his own education and moral growth, so, also, can an
entire people be imperceptibly transferred from individuals, families, and
communities to the federal government. (66-01, pp. 7-8)
12.
We need people to live for democracy. We
have often referred to our willingness to die for democracy. The time has
come when we ought to be willing to live for democracy. Have we the
courage to do it, by directing our lives according to the ideal set forth
in the Sermon on the Mount? Can we lend a supporting hand toward
reassuring people to follow the high road of life? Others are doing it and
have done it throughout our history. (85-02)
13.
Freedom is never free.
Someone has said, "To be born free is a privilege. To die free is an
awesome responsibility." Freedom is never free. It is always
purchased at a great cost. (91-03)
14.
Personal unrighteousness can lead toward a welfare state. What is the real cause of this trend toward the welfare
state, toward more socialism? In the last analysis, in my judgment, it is
personal unrighteousness. When people do not use their freedoms
responsibly and righteously, they will gradually lose these freedoms.
If
man will not recognize the inequalities around him and voluntarily,
through the gospel plan, come to the aid of his brother, he will find that
through "a democratic process" he will be forced to come to the
aid of his brother. The government will take from the "haves"
and give to the "have nots." Both have lost their freedom. Those
who "have," lost their freedom to give voluntarily of their own
free will and in the way they desire. Those who "have not," lost
their freedom because they did not earn what they received. They got
"something for nothing," and they will neither appreciate the
gift nor the giver of the gift.
Under
this climate, people gradually become blind to what has happened and to
the vital freedoms which they have lost. (66-01, p. 9)
15.
Freedom comes through personal righteousness. A
thief takes something and gives nothing. He thinks he is free, but sooner
or later his freedom vanishes into walls and bars. Likewise, a person
becomes a thief of his own soul by deceiving himself that he can live
unrighteously, immorally, that he can cheat, lie, and take advantage of
his neighbor; but all the while he is imprisoning himself behind bars and
walls of his own making. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked"
(Galatians 6:7).
The
only way we can keep our freedom is through our personal
righteousness—by handling that freedom responsibly. We are our brother's
keeper. We must be concerned for the social problems of today. We must
take that responsibility upon ourselves according to the gospel plan but
not according to the socialistic plan. (66-01, p. 10)
16.
We must uphold the principles of freedom. To
those who sacrificed for our freedom, the end was worth the painful means.
Where would we, who are citizens of the United States of America, be today
if there had not been those who counted the cost of freedom and willingly
paid for it? Where will we be tomorrow if men and women of integrity do
not come forward today and pay the price to uphold those principles of
freedom? (91-03)
17.
Our forefathers declared their independence while declaring dependence
upon God. We
often forget that in declaring dependence from an earthly power, our
forefathers made a forthright declaration of dependence upon Almighty God.
The words of this document solemnly declare:
"With
a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge
to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
The
56 courageous men who signed that document understood that this was not
just high-sounding rhetoric. They knew that if they succeeded, the best
they could expect would be years of hardship for a struggling new nation.
If they lost, they would face a hangman's noose as traitors. (91-03)
(Howard
W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J.
Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 170.)
18.
If we follow the counsel of Church leaders we will not be led astray. If we follow the advice, counsel, and teachings of
the leaders of the Church in their instruction to us, we will not go amiss
in that which is important for our own personal salvation and exaltation.
(59-02)
(Howard
W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J.
Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 223.)
Jesus
Christ Joseph Smith
Jr.
Brigham Young
John Taylor
Wilford Woodruff
Lorenzo Snow
Joseph F. Smith
Heber J. Grant
George A. Smith
David O. McKay
Joseph F. Smith
Harold B. Lee
Founding
Fathers Spencer Kimball Ezra T. Benson
Gordon Hinckley First Presidency Elders
Citizens
Rule Book
