On Moving Men – Sunday, December 10, 1944
The pattern of history would seem to indicate that the moment a despot thinks he has stamped out all independence of thought he is due to find that he likely hasn’t stamped it out at all—but has merely driven it under ground, as has been dramatically demonstrated in many countries within our own recent times.
The pattern of human conduct would seem to indicate that there are many ways of moving men but only one way that may be depended upon to result in permanent good for all. You can shove them around with a strong arm. You can overwhelm them with authority. You can stampede them with fear and panic. You can confuse them with falsehood. You can wear them down with insistent argument—but the only way of moving them willingly and effectively, and of keeping them moving in the right direction, is to touch their lives and their hearts with truth, to touch their minds with the light of truth—to show them sound ways which they will pursue of their own free will without being pushed or coerced or deceived.
When asked how he governed his people, a leader of men once replied: “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.”* To push men around, to enslave them, to coerce them, to regiment them is a thankless job, and one that holds difficulty for all and satisfaction for none—but to touch them in their hearts and their thoughts, to convert them to truth, to transform their lives from within rather than to force them from without, is a glorious and satisfying experience for all concerned.
No one has ever been able to force the world to conformity by strong-arm methods or by the sheer weight of authority or by deception. There is not enough armed strength or policing power in the world to regulate all people in all things. And all men who have a measure of responsibility for the conduct of other men would do well to remember this brief and basic rule of procedure: Teach them correct principles, and let them govern themselves.
* Joseph Smith, quoted by John Taylor, J. of D., Vol. 10, p. 57.
Heard over Radio Station KSL and the nationwide Columbia Broadcasting System from the Tabernacle, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Sunday, Dec. 10, 1944. Copyright – 1944.
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December 10, 1944
Broadcast Number 0,799