Monopoly on Truth – Sunday, April 12, 1942
History, both past and present, has given us many examples of those who have supposed that truth was somehow narrowly limited to their particular way of life, to their particular sphere of knowledge and belief. To all such there is a delightful experience yet to come—the experience that comes when we realize that there is no monopoly on truth.
Truth does not belong exclusively to any race, to any individual or generation, to any class or creed, to any time or people. And there is a further satisfying experience when we come upon the realization that every truth we ever discover, no matter where we find it and no matter who advocates it, will be added to the whole truth and will sooner or later be accepted—perhaps not immediately, but what is time to a race of immortals—and just the thought that any fragment of truth we discover will never be lost and will find its place in the pattern of the whole, now or sometime hence, greatly adds to the meaning of life. And to the young man who goes forth to learn the ways of truth or to defend the traditions of truth, it will be helpful to remember that no two fundamental truths are in conflict with each other, and that all truth is acceptable wherever or whenever it is found—in our generation or a thousand years ago—in my church or in my neighbor’s church, in my school or in some other school, in high places or among the humble and obscure.
It doesn’t matter whether it shatters traditional errors or whether it confirms old beliefs, all we ask of this or any other generation is that they accept no error just because it happens to be popular, and that they reject no truth, regardless of its consequences.
Yes, it is comforting and reassuring to know that there is no monopoly on truth, that it is deathless, ageless, imperishable, unconquerable. As members of an immortal race—the race of men—we can afford to wait, if we have to, for the triumph of truth, as the scenes of eternity unfold—but we’d rather not wait—we’d rather see truth enthroned in the world here and now—and for this we hope and pray and work.
By Richard L. Evans, spoken from the Tabernacle, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, April 12, 1942, over Radio Station KSL and the Nationwide Columbia Broadcasting System. Copyright – 1942.
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April 12, 1942
Broadcast Number 0,660