Disbelief a Tragedy, LDS Told

Pres. McKay Gives Opening Mesage

By JACK E. JARRARD

Church News Editor

The chief tragedy in the world today is the disbelief in God and His goodness, members of The Church of Jesus Chrrist of Latter-day Saints, were told at the opening session of teh 138th Annual General Conference Friday morning in the Salt Lake Tabernacle.

This message was carried in the opening address of President David O. McKay which keynoted the six sessions of the conference. . . .

President McKay was present and presided over teh morning session. His prepared address was read by his son, David Lawrence McKay, general superintendent of the Sunday School.

President Hugh B. Brown of the First Preisdency conducted the session and the invocation was offered by Wayne Hales, president of the BYU Sixth Stake.

President Brown, in speaking of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King in Memphis, said:

"At this time we express deep sorrow and shock at the news of the passing of Martin Luther King, a man who dedicated his life to what he believed to be the welfare of his people.

"It is a shocking thing that in this age such a thing could happen. We pray God's blessings upon his family, his friends and thos eassociated with him. . . .

In his talk, President McKay noted that in the Gospel we find the antithesis of hatred, persecution, tyranny, domination, injustice—things which foster tribulation, destruction, and death throughout the world. . . .

Jesus' teachings may be applied just as efficaciously to social groups and national problems as to individuals if men would only give them a trial, President McKay said.