OBEDIENCE.
In the consideration of Priesthood and its authority, much useless
discussion is often indulged in as to whether a person should yield
obedience to authority. Some believe that to yield obedience is to lay
down free agency.
**The Restraint of Nature.** Countless forces, surrounding man, are
interacting in the universe. By no means can he withdraw himself from
them. By experience he has learned that control of natural forces is
obtained only when their laws are understood. When a certain thing is
done in a certain manner, there is a definite, invariable result. No
doubt it has often occurred to an intelligent being that he might wish
it otherwise; but that is impossible. The only remedy is to comply
with existing conditions, acknowledge the restraint of nature, and
gaining further knowledge, put law against law, until the purpose of
man has been accomplished. This is the process by which intelligent
beings have acquired dominion over nature. Such an acknowledgement of
the existence of the law of cause and effect does not weaken man;
strength lies in an intelligent subjection to rightful restraint, for
it has been the condition of progress from the beginning. The
recognition of law and the obedience to law are sure signs that
intelligent beings are progressing.
**An Active Condition.** Obedience is an active condition or it could
not be a principle of consequence. It is closely akin to repentance.
Obedience simply means that whenever a truth is revealed, it is
obeyed, which by our previous definition is a phase of repentance. The
man who is active in carrying out what he knows is truth, is an
obedient man. His active obedience to authority is based on
intelligence; and the more knowledge a man has concerning the nature
of the law in question, the more thoroughly obedient is he. Obedience
is not a characteristic of ignorance.
**The Restraint of Man.** Obedience to the invariable laws of nature
is, usually, considered to be a self-evident necessity. The question
of obedience is commonly raised when man exercises authority. Shall a
man obey a man? The first consideration in the answer to this question
is whether the system which the man in authority represents is based
on truth. If so, then intelligent man will be bound to render
obedience to the system, even if it is exercised through imperfect
man. The second consideration is whether the man is acting within his
authority in the organization. This can always be determined, simply,
by laying the matter before the bodies constituted to settle such
matters. With the exception of the First Presidency, every officer in
the Church has a limited jurisdiction. The third consideration is
whether the matter to which authority has been applied is at all under
the discipline of the organization. No officer in the Church has
authority beyond matters that pertain to the Church. Any authority
exercised beyond that field is accepted only at the discretion of the
individual members of the Church, and should come only in the form of
counsel. If yes is the answer to these three considerations, obedience
must be rendered by a progressing man. If no is the answer, obedience
should not be yielded, but the matter should be tried before the
proper courts.
The restraint of man in the exercise of authority derived from eternal
laws, is as compelling as the restraint of nature, because they are
parts of the same whole.
**The Life of Law.** Obedience is nothing more than a compliance with
truth. Truth is of no consequence to a man if it is not used. The
moment truth is used, obedience begins. Man, and the Church to which
he belongs, are active organisms, interested in progress. When truth
is given them, promises to use that truth should be required, else all
is in vain. Lives conforming to law, alone, are moving onward. For
that reason, for every gift to man a promise is required, and usually
a statement of the punishment that will follow the non-use or misuse
of it. Obedience to truth means progress; refusal to use truth means
retrogression.
**Disobedience.** Disobedience may be active or passive. Passive
disobedience is not doing what should be done; active disobedience is
doing what should not be done. Both may be equally harmful. The main
effect of disobedience is to weaken, and finally wreck the man who
disobeys law. Disobedience and sin are synonymous.
**The Church Worth Having.** The only Church worth having is one
having authority, resting on intelligence and truth. Such a Church
will command obedience. In such a Church, little misunderstandings are
easily rectified. Within the laws of the Church, man has absolute,
personal freedom. It is so with nature, outside of the Church. Within
the laws of nature, man has full freedom. The greatest freedom known
to man comes from obedience to law. The greatest punishment
conceivable to man comes from opposition to law. This is true with
respect to the Church as a community of the saints, and with respect
to individual man in the great universe.