Rome

by

If They Will But Serve the God of the Land

This is the year of the Semiquincentennial of the United States of America. I have wondered multiple times about this moment in time. I am fortunate to be alive to experience this year. I have heard others tell of their experiences with the Bicentennial and what a special occasion it was. I don’t recall reading much of the 1926, 1876, or 1826 celebrations. Although I know there were some in 1826, as there are references to them especially trying to get Thomas Jefferson and John Adams to attend events for that occasion.

Massachusetts State House – April 2026

From all I have read and reviewed for this year, I have a profound sense of achievement and pride in how these things have come to be and how we mostly still are as we should be. I feel that much since Independence has also been inspired. Earlier this year, I was fortunate to go to Boston. For the Semiquincentennial, I was excited. In the evenings after classes, I would walk all over Boston, with friends, to see the sights.

It is with that, I share this address from the April 1976 General Conference. This was given by N. Eldon Tanner for the Bicentennial. What he spoke of on that date seems as timeless as it fully applies even today. He took his title from the Book of Ether, given to the Jaredites as they first reached this continent:

“Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.” (Ether 2:12)

“This being the first general conference in the bicentennial year of the United States of America, I have been doing much pondering and contemplating of this event as it relates to the gospel and the great plan of life and salvation. We are all reading and hearing much concerning the events connected with the founding of this country, and with the modern devices available to us today, the news media reach throughout the world, and we are all aware of our interrelationship with one another’s countries.

“We would expect every man to be loyal to his native land—the land in which he was born, the land in which he lives, works, and rears his family. I think of the words of Sir Walter Scott in “The Lay of the Last Minstrel”:

“Breathes there the man, with soul so dead,

“Who never to himself hath said,

“This is my own, my native land!

“Whose heart hath ne’er within him burn’d

“As home his footsteps he hath turn’d

“From wandering on a foreign strand!

Old State House – Boston – April 2026

“During the last few weeks I, with President Kimball and others of the official party, have had the privilege of attending area conferences in New Zealand, Australia, and the beautiful islands of the South Seas. New Zealand claims to be a choice land and favored by the Lord, and the night before we left Tahiti, one of the Brethren said, “Well, tomorrow we will be driven out of the Garden of Eden.”

“We were most favorably impressed by the beauties of the countries wherever we went. Sister Tanner said, “We surely live in a beautiful world.” Yes, all countries are greatly blessed by the Lord, and each is uniquely different in its beauties, its people, customs, and traditions.

“Today, however, I should like to confine my remarks to a discussion concerning the Western Hemisphere, and particularly to the United States of America, and to point out the destiny of America in the Lord’s eternal plan. The discovery of the Americas was not an accident. The event had been foreordained in the eternal councils. The prophets of old had it in view. Jacob foresaw it when he blessed his son Joseph, calling him “a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall … unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.” (Gen 49:22, 26.)

“Moses too made promises to the tribe of Joseph, whose land, America, was to be precious for the things of heaven and of earth, and who would “push the people together to the ends of the earth.” (See Deut 33:13-17.) These are just some of the biblical prophecies, and we have the Book of Mormon record which tells of the Jaredites who were the first to come to America. They came at the time of the confusion of languages during the building of the tower of Babel.

“Just as Noah was directed, these people too were instructed to build ships to carry them on the waters. When all was in readiness, they boarded their vessels and “set forth into the sea, commending themselves unto the Lord their God.” (Ether 6:4.)

“The account states, “And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them.” (Ether 6:12.)

“Then, six hundred years before the birth of Christ, a prophet by the name of Lehi, who had been crying repentance unto the inhabitants of Jerusalem, was commanded by the Lord to depart with his family into the wilderness. Because of the things which he had testified concerning the wickedness of the people and the pending destruction of Jerusalem, he was mocked and scorned, and the people sought to take his life. In obedience to the Lord’s instructions, he departed with his family and others, and after a period in the wilderness, they too were instructed to build a ship and sail for the promised land. We read, “And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land.” (1 Ne. 18:23.)

“While in the wilderness Nephi, the son of Lehi, was permitted to see in vision the things that would transpire concerning the destiny of America—the promised land. He said, “And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.” (1 Ne. 13:12.)

“This, as we know, refers to Christopher Columbus, who was impelled by the Spirit of God to cross the ocean for the rediscovery of America, thus assisting in the furthering of God’s purposes.

“Columbus himself, in a letter to the Spanish hierarchy, wrote, “Our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my emprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?” (Quoted in Mark E. Petersen, The Great Prologue, Deseret Book Co., 1975, p. 26.)

“During the voyage, after weeks of sailing with no sign of land, mutiny raised its head. Finally, Columbus promised the captains of the Pinta and the Niña, both of whom wanted to turn back, that if no land was sighted in forty-eight hours, they would turn back. Then he went to his cabin and, in his words, “prayed mightily to the Lord.” On October 12, the very next day, they sighted land.

“Nephi saw in vision also the coming of the Pilgrims, who came to escape religious persecution. He foresaw the coming to America of peoples from many nations, their wars and contentions. As Nephi said, they did humble themselves before the Lord and “the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle.

““And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.” (1 Ne. 13:18-19.)

“Thus the American colonies attained their independence and set up the government of the United States, all under the divine intervention of God in preparing this land for its divine destiny.

“At this point we pay tribute to those great men who accepted and met the great challenge to establish a constitution for the government of this so-called new land. That this too was divinely inspired is attested by the word of the Lord when he said, “According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles;

““That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment.

““Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another.

““And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.” (D&C 101:77-80.)

Old North Church – Boston – April 2026

“No constitution on earth has endured longer than this one. We seek, and usually find, the answers to today’s questions in this document of yesterday. It was and is a miracle. Both Washington and Madison referred to it as such. It is an inspired document written under the guidance of the Lord. James Madison, commonly called the father of the Constitution, recognized this inspiration and gave the credit to “the guardianship and guidance of the Almighty Being whose power regulates the destiny of nations, whose blessings have been so conspicuously dispensed to this rising republic.” (Petersen, Prologue, p. 95.)

“We believe that the Constitution was brought about by God to ensure a nation where liberty could abound and where his gospel could flourish. Joseph Smith said, “The Constitution of the United States is a glorious standard—it is founded in the wisdom of God—it is a heavenly banner.” (Petersen, Prologue, p. 75.)

“Among other things, the Constitution guaranteed the religious freedom that allowed the Reformation to continue and flourish. Many of these great reformers stated that their effort was to reassert the basic Christian teachings of the Bible—but they acknowledged that they possessed no authority to administer the ordinances of the Church, or to reestablish the original church of Jesus Christ. Luther said, “Christianity has ceased to exist among those who should have preserved it.”

“Roger Williams, founder of the Baptist Church in America, said, “There is no regularly constituted church on earth, nor any person qualified to administer any church ordinances.” (LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Deseret Book Co., 1973, p. 29.)

“We believe that both freedom and the continuing reformation that flourished here occurred in preparation for a restoration from heaven of the full gospel of Jesus Christ. That restoration began in the United States of America in the 1820s through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who was chosen by the Lord and who, through personal manifestations from heavenly messengers, received pertinent records which contained the authentic record of early American peoples and God’s dealings with them. He received the priesthood and authority to reestablish the church of Jesus Christ in these latter days.

Paul Ross and Paul Revere statue – Boston – Old North Church in background – April 2026

“At the time of this restoration, God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ actually appeared to Joseph Smith, as they had appeared to leaders of previous dispensations. They announced to him that Christ’s church would be reestablished upon the earth, with a restoration of the same principles and ordinances and organization which existed in the primitive church, from which there had been an apostasy as documented by irrefutable evidence. This restoration was the greatest event in the history of mankind since the birth, death, and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

“Significantly, the early Americans to whom we have referred were aware of the birth, death, and resurrection of the Savior because they saw the same signs and wonders as those in the Old World foretelling the coming of the Lord, his life, mission, and subsequent death and resurrection.

“Referring to these same early Americans, the Lord said, as recorded in the New Testament, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” (1 John 10:16.)

“In the Book of Mormon we have a beautiful account of Christ’s visit to these “other sheep” following his resurrection, when they heard his voice and recognized him as he showed the nail prints in his hands and feet. We know these were the “other sheep” because he said, “Ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold.” (3 Ne. 15:21.) He taught them the gospel. He instituted the sacrament and ordained disciples. He gave authority to confer the Holy Ghost, healed the sick, and blessed the little children. He prayed unto the Father for them.

“We read, “The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

““… and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.” (3 Ne. 17:16-17.)

“Now, what of America’s future? How can we best show our appreciation to God for these marvelous blessings of freedom, of a place where his true and everlasting gospel was restored, of the preparation and divine guidance in every event leading to that most significant event? We must remember what the Lord told the Jaredites when they were first brought to this land: “Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.” (Ether 2:12; italics added.)

“Many years ago in a volume entitled Beacon Lights of History, Dr. John Lord, referring to the discovery of America, said, after speaking of her great potential, “The world has witnessed many powerful empires which have passed away and left ‘not a track behind.’ What remains of the antediluvian world? … What remains of Nineveh, of Babylon, of Thebes, of Tyre, of Carthage—those great centers of wealth and power? What remains of Roman greatness even, except in laws and literature and renovated statues? … What is the simple story of all the ages?—industry, wealth, corruption, decay, and ruin. What conservative power has been strong enough to arrest the ruin of the nations of antiquity?

““Now if this is to be the destiny of America—an unbounded material growth, followed by corruption and ruin—then Columbus has simply extended the realm for men to try material experiments. Make New York a second Carthage, and Boston a second Athens, and Philadelphia a second Antioch, and Washington a second Rome, and we simply repeat the old experiments.

““But has America no higher destiny than to repeat the old experiments and improve upon them and become rich and powerful? Has she no higher and nobler mission? If America has a great mission to declare and to fulfil, she must put forth altogether new forces, and these not material. And these alone will save her and save the world. … The real glory of America is to be something entirely different from that of which the ancients boasted. And this is to be moral and spiritual—that which the ancients lacked.”

“We are all a part of America’s future. Our job is to learn and benefit from the past and to go forward in righteousness, keeping the commandments of God. In this connection the prophet Lehi said, “Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.” (2 Ne. 1:7.)

“As we pray daily to God for guidance, we should all make the same plea as George Washington did in his prayer for our country:

““Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage, we humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will.

““Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning and pure manners.

““Save us from violence, discord and confusion; from pride and arrogancy, and from every evil way.

““Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought out of many kindreds and tongues.

““Endue with the spirit of wisdom those whom in Thy name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be peace and justice at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth.

““In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to fail.

““All of which we ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”

“We encourage our people to be good, loyal, law-abiding citizens. “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” (A of F 1:12.)

William Prescott statue – Bunker Hill Monument – April 2026

“Also, it is our duty to seek diligently for and support and uphold good, honest, honorable, and wise representatives to govern us. Let me reiterate the message left with the Saints nearly sixty years ago at the general conference in April 1917 when Elder Anthony W. Ivins, after discussing religious liberty and the Constitution, said, “I feel authorized to say, here this afternoon, that these liberties which have come to men, both religious and civil, have not been established by the Lord to be destroyed, but that they are here to remain until liberty shall prevail from the rivers to the ends of the earth, until God’s kingdom shall be established among men, and his will done upon earth as it is done in heaven. Until the universal Fatherhood of God, and brotherhood of man shall be recognized, and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of Christ, who shall reign as Prince of Peace.” (Conference Reports, April 1917, pp. 54–55.)

“And I bear testimony that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God here upon the earth, with the Lord directing the work through our prophet, President Spencer W. Kimball. May I urge everyone everywhere to help bring to pass righteousness, in whatever country you may reside, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. If you are active members of the Church you will know what they are. If you are not, may I invite you to avail yourselves of the opportunity to investigate and gain a knowledge and testimony for yourselves that the gospel in its fulness has been restored, with the authority to administer the ordinances thereof, and is here upon the earth.

“Only as we accept and live the teachings of the gospel can the destiny which God planned for America be realized and the world united in peace and brotherhood. That this may speedily come to pass I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Union Oyster House – Boston – April 2026
Oysters at Union Oyster House – Boston – April 2026 – Holly Sutherland – Tecla Druffel
by

Dear Journal

I don’t know if this is a good thing or not.  In many cases, I think this little blog can remove some of the excess and useless from my hand written journal.  While I have become increasingly slack in hand writing, I find this is much more easy to type on my break at work or to throw out a few ideas from time to time.  Perhaps the time consumption of writing useless ramblings and thought testing in the hard copy can be removed.  I don’t know if the posterity would have appreciated this maintained in the journal or not, but we will have to see.  I could hope, but I don’t think what I am writing now could last through the centuries as perhaps a book could.  But by that time, the day to day concerns and mundane thoughts will not be of value anyhow.  They will probably be so foreign to most that they would find it utterly boring.  Unless of course, they are steeped in the traditions of our day and understand a glimmer of what it was I thought was somewhat important.
We never hear of the concerns or latest political ramblings of Rome.  I have no idea if they ever passed a CAFTA of sorts, something that is taking up mega amounts of time for me here at work.  Idaho does not want CAFTA.  Minnesota does not want CAFTA.  They both have the sugar beet industry to lose.  Florida and Louisiana don’t want it either for it causes blows to their sugar cane industry.  However, I do not think that is enough to stall it in the House.  While there are problems with tribunals in the pact, and other problems, I think it will end up going the way of a passing vote.  It is always so interesting.  I find myself in the midst of a terrible battle.  One that is not just political, but goes further.  It extends to the parts of the soul, and the age old questions of what is good and right.  I know many people say that this is something that really doesn’t matter in the long run, but it does.  There is nothing temporal which is not also spiritual.  Temporal is only an extention of spiritual.  The principle behind these issues is still very real, and one that extends to the dawnings of time.  The question is this.  We are to be independent as far as we possibly can.  In all things.  Hence comes the conservative slant.  We believe in being sustained as much as we can individually, then to help out our families and communities.  After that, it extends to the state, and then to the whole world.  Families are organized together into communities, and communities in this country into counties.  However this order of things has been diminished and is now the state moreso.  States (in the US) combine to form the United States, one large state.  Nation seems to have the wrong definition, something I would apply more to the community or county.  The culmination of all these creates the populace of the world and our interactions.
The market works purely in this form, trade breaks down barriers, and all things are governed according to need and the invisible hand.  You can sense some of my political theory background coming out here.  This would be considered the far right, the purist, and those who are basically libertarian.  Everything is to work from the base up.  The forming of a state, and of these united states are a social compact for the benefit of all.  From my understanding, government is only to do for the people what they grant it power to do for them.  Therefore, government is not to do something that the people are not willing to do for themselves.  I would protect my life.  Government has that capability to do that for me so I don’t have to worry about it.  I would protect my property, those things I can claim as my own.  Therefore government may do that for me as well.  There is always the sticky idea of defining property and regulating who gets what, but I think that was pretty well defined by the market and to some degree still is.  That is the roll of government.  To aid in those things, communication must be preserved, transportation enabled, and forces which would undermine the happy association with my peers.  Everything beyond is out of the scope of government.  I think most of the problems we are facing today deal with the overstepping of those bounds.  That would be the ideal world.  Yep, there would be inequality, but you know, it would be taken care of on the community level.  If it is community wide, the counties or states would reach to help out neighboring and so forth.  I do believe humans are naturally good.  If there is greed, I believe the market would help remove it and if not, they would find themselves destitute and poor.  However, our audacity to believe we understand things better than the laws of eternity have caused us to stick our fingers into the pots and undermine everything.  Now the other side is that humans are not capable of taking care of themselves and need a big brother.  I obviously am throwing the other side of the spectrum out.  It is our job to reach out and make sure each are living their life to the fullest.  It takes a few who are well learned and understanding to say what those things are because they know best.  Therefore all must be told what to do, how to do it, how often, and in all the details.  This is a very centralized theory, while the other is decentralized.  One claims all understanding, the other claims each knows for themselves.  One states that human kind is naturally ignorant, the other that humans have certain innate gifts of understanding.  The poles are great and hard to mix.  These two far opposites battle in the middle for the ground and neither is ever quite winning.
I believe in the conservative, free market, libertarian, decentralized mode of things.  I think free trade is a great thing.  Something to be lauded and heralded to the world.  It will serve more to break down the barriers of culture and religion than anything else I can think of.  Now where government has already become involved we have adapted and don’t like drastic change.  The market does provide constance and change is incremental and small.  The authoritative approach brings drastic and painful changes.  We have relied on government so much that the removal of these barriers will affect broad spectrums of our society.  Where if we had not messed with these things, we would not be facing this issue.  Nobody ever heard the wagon maker union calling for subsidies and high taxes on autos because it was ruining their way of life.  Nobody ever heard the candle and lantern makers posing for special incentives and help of the government.  New inventions, new ways of life, the future was bright and great opportunity awaited them.  The wheel makers moved on to auto wheels or were left destitute.  The market required a continuing education, and did not allow for stagnant individuals.  You had to work or you had none.  If you could not work, then those who could help if it was obvious reached out their hand.  If you had no hope, many took their own lives or pined away in misery.  Those who have faith and hope march forward ever into uncharted territory.  Whether for themselves or for others.  Electricity has revolutionized the world.  Those who were destroyed by electricity either adapted or they were left behind.  Yes, it might be painful, but life itself is painful.  Learn to grab the bull by the horns and wrestle it to your benefit.  Have a classic back yard bar-b-que when you have worked things in your favor.  Yep, that bull might be big, it might be a mean one, but call on family and community.  There is nothing that is too big that concerted effort cannot conquer.
Somehow the bull is always to be slaughtered by the community now.  And when it is not, we cry foul.  We avoid the pain of work and endure the pain of hunger.  The pain of work is much less nagging and can actually be enjoyable, much more than the pains of hunger ever were.  Yet somehow we cry and bring about our pity party.  I did not have the opportunity to have first pick of the last killed calf.
So what about specialization.  That is all great.  I believe if someone else can kill the calf and butcher it better than me is more than allowed to do so.  But to receive of their work and effort, there must be something I can be doing that would be of value to them.  Now I understand money has made this bargain much more easily made, but there is something I can do.  Whether I am good at it or not, maybe it is just something nobody else wants to do.  There is always work to do, and that pain we might as well do.  Whether it be low or high, it needs to be done, so why whine, get to it.  If you are the best darn nose picker in the world and somebody else wants those ores, then you will be rewarded for your job.  Do it well, and the better the reward.
So here we are, back in Idaho.  Free trade will remove the old no longer useful or efficient occupations and require ingenuity for those who would like to work.  In saying all that, I hate to see the complete uprooting of an entire way of life.  Granted, it exists because of government, but it is my life.  It is the way I grew up.  It is how life is.  My allowing CAFTA will destroy all I have ever known and break apart the communities and way of life.  Some of my best friends will be left destitute and without hope of a future, partially because of their own unwillingness to adapt and learn.
If all this rambling on theory is not enough, this is what is worse.  That we have the capability to determine these things.  Our government and we as a people have allowed government to get to this stage.  Yep, you and me.  I suppose much more on our ancestors, but we allow and even perpetuate this way of life.  Not just for ourselves, but in our government.  What ever is to be done?  Must we wait for great grievances or even the failure of our system before we make true amends?  Anyhow my break is well over.  Whatever shall we do.  I am afraid most people don’t care enough to worry about it, so I suppose those who believe we are dumb ride for the day.  While those who believe in the independence of the individual either must be obvious or watch with a degree of terror.  Perhaps we deserve to be ruled by the few and an elitest group, after all, we allowed it.