“Every Man Did Deal Justly”

K. Douglas Bassett

refer in this text to 2 Ne. 9:41

“A young man came to me not long ago and said, ‘I made an agreement with a man that requires me to make certain payments each year. I am in arrears, and I can’t make those payments, for if I do, it is going to cause me to lose my home. What shall I do?’ I looked at him and said, ‘Keep your agreement.’ [The young man replied], ‘Even if it costs me my home?’ I said, ‘I am not talking about your home. I am talking about your agreement; and I think your wife would rather have a husband who would keep his word, … and have to rent a home than to have a home with a husband who will not keep his covenants and his pledges.’” (N. Eldon Tanner, Ensign, May 1997, p. 29-30)
“We need to learn, practice, study, know and understand how angels live with each other. When this community comes to the point to be perfectly honest and upright, you will never find a poor person; none will lack, all will have sufficient. Every man, woman, and child will have all they need just as soon as they all become honest. When the majority of the community are dishonest, it maketh the honest portion poor, for the dishonest serve and enrich themselves at their expense.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 232)
“Honesty is a very important part of character. We have all seen men who think they are not accountable to the laws of men or of God. They seem to feel that the rules of human conduct do not apply to them. A popular philosophy is ‘What can I get away with?’ As someone once said, ‘The difference between a moral man and a man of honor is that the latter regrets a discreditable act even when it has worked.’ Honesty begins when we are young. When I was 11 years old, I looked forward eagerly to my magical 12th birthday when I could become a deacon and a Scout. My mother helped me learn the Articles of Faith, the Scout Law and Motto… . One day Mother left me to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen while she attended to a sick neighbor. I agreed to do these duties but put off doing the dishes. Time ran out and they didn’t get done. In fact, they didn’t even get started. When Mother came home and saw the kitchen, she put on her apron and went to the sink. She spoke only three words, which stung worse than the sting of a dozen hornets. They were the first three words of the Scout Law: ‘On my honor.’ That day I resolved that I would never give my mother cause to repeat those words to me again.” (James E. Faust, Ensign, May 1998, p.44)

Latter-Day Commentary on the Book of Mormon

References