PRESIDENT HEBER J. GRANT

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MESSAGE FROM THE FIRST PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.

The long-threatened and dreaded war has broken out. Its end and fruition await now the measure of God's infinite wisdom, justice, and mercy.

"THOU SHALT NOT KILL," STILL A LAW UNTO MAN

The divine law on the taking of human life was proclaimed at Sinai and in the Garden. This law, we declare, is equally binding upon men and upon nations. It embraces war.

We further declare that God is grieved by war and that he will hold subject to the eternal punishments of his will those who wage it unrighteously.

THE WICKED TO FEEL GOD'S WRATH

We affirm that all international controversies may be settled by pacific means if nations will but deal unselfishly and righteously one with another. We appeal to the leaders of all nations and to the people themselves thus to mend and adjust their differences, lest the vials of God's wrath be poured out upon the earth, for he has said he will visit his wrath upon the wicked without measure.

A CALL TO REPENTANCE

We call the unrighteous of the world to repentance — a forsaking of sin and a returning to righteousness, for the Lord has said :

I, the Lord, am angry with the wicked. I am holding my Spirit from the inhabitants of the earth.

I have sworn in my wrath and decreed wars upon the face of the earth, and the wicked shall slay the wicked, and fear shall come upon every man. (Doc. and Cov. 63:32-33.)

We condemn all of war's foul brood — avarice, greed, misery, want, disease, cruelty, hate, inhumanity, savagery, death.

A PLEA FOR LOVE TO TAKE THE PLACE OF HATE

We earnestly implore all members of the Church to love their brethren and sisters, and all peoples whoever and wherever they are; to banish hate from their lives, to fill their hearts with charity, patience, long-suffering, and forgiveness. The Master said:

Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. (Matt. 5:44.)

We ask the Lord so to overrule the plans and designs of man that this war shall not spread to countries not now involved, and especially that America shall escape the material and spiritual ravages of war.

A PRAYER FOR THE BEREFT

We humbly pray God to bring to all bereft and grieving mothers the sweet consolation of his Spirit, to the widow robbed of her helpmeet a faith that God will help her in her lonely struggle for a livelihood for her children, to those fatherless children a will to help their mother in her fight for their welfare and existence, and to peoples everywhere an increased desire and determination to "renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers and the hearts of the fathers to the children ; * * * lest," said the Lord, "I come and smite the whole earth with a curse, and all flesh be consumed before me."

We pray that the spirit now raging in men's hearts, of hate, of exploitation, of a desire to dominate, may be supplanted by the spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness, that in obedience to principles of righteousness and of justice this war without further bloodshed and suffering may be brought to an early close.