David O. McKay
"Fellow members of the Priesthood, do you so esteem your word? In all sincerity I ask it, tonight. You and I have given our words, our covenants.
"Do we hold them as sacred as did the people of Ammon, the story of whom you find in the Book of Mormon, who made an oath that they would never shed blood, and the time came when their benefactors were being punished, persecuted, killed, and the people of Ammon thought they would break that oath, but Helaman said no. And so those good men and women preferred death, if necessary, rather than break their word, violate their oath.
"You know the story of how two thousand boys went out to sacrifice their lives if necessary, so that their parents would not violate that oath. I wish to read something about those boys.
’And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.’ (Alma 53:20.)
"That is a great story, and an inspiration to young men in all the world.
"Now, the application—Do you realize that we made a promise, a covenant at the water’s edge? You and I are pretty well along in years, some of you, but we remember our baptism on our eighth birthday. There was a sense that came to us that we would not swear after that baptism, that we would do whatever our parents asked us to do, that we would do our part, or render service in the Church when called upon to do it. We were only children at eight years of age, that is true, but I can remember those feelings and sentiments as clearly as though they were yesterday. Don’t you?
"Later we realized what that covenant is. We buried the ’old man,’ with all of his weaknesses, his jealousies, his tendency to slander, that we might come forth and walk in the newness of life. We refer to it now as the covenant made at the water’s edge.
“You made it, you gave your word. Is your word your bond? I ask the Church, and especially the men who hold the Priesthood…We teach honor, truth, integrity, and square-dealing, but to all this we add sacredness of our word of honor. God help us to keep our covenants.” (Conference Report, October 1952, p. 88-90.)