More Knowledge Than Wisdom

(From a talk given in 2010 by Elder Russell M. Nelson at BYU Idaho, only a small part is included here)

“I can see that mankind’s general and pervasive lack of knowledge of the scriptures has handicapped great numbers of people for long periods of time. The suffering that has resulted from such ignorance is truly tragic. I will illustrate that point with excerpts of history that pertain to the spread of infection from one person to another. Back in the 19th century, very little was known about the transmission of infectious disease. Health officials and others subscribed sickness simply to air pollution.

They were not concerned about the pollution of the visible smoggy hydrocarbons of the day but by what they called an invisible miasma. That miasma was blamed for almost every infection. In 1867, for example, a famous surgeon, Sir Joseph Lister, cited bad air as the chief cause of infection.

Because of that notion, in 1869, Dr. Jay Y. Simpson of Edinburough urged a policy that hospitals be taken down and rebuilt, every few years. Such a costly practice was also advocated by other experts. Even Florence Nightingale, a living legend for her heroic efforts in the Crimean War, was unaware of the transmission of infection from one person to another. This, despite her careful notations that wound infections accounted for 40% of post operative mortality.

Many others missed the connection too. For centuries, enumerable mothers and countless babies died from childbirth fever. Serious infections transferred amongst numerous people by the unwashed hands of their attendants.

It was only in the latter part of the 19th century that the greatest heroes, Robert Coche, Louie Pasture and others proved that infection could be caused by bacteria.

Infectious organisms trapped inside of body fluids, were transmitted from one individual to another, by attendants who had not washed their hands. With these painful recollections of history in mind, may I quote the words of the Lord, in the Old Testament Book of Leviticus, Chapter 15, beginning in verse one: The Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying:

Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them, when any man hath a running issue, we would say some draining pus. They were a little more gentle in those days. Because of his issue, he is unclean and this shall be his uncleanness in his issue. In other words, it’s contaminated fluid. Every bed whereon he lieth is unclean and everything whereon he sitteth shall be unclean. Whosoever sitteth on his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water.

Him that toucheth the flesh of him that hath an issue shall bathe his clothes and wash himself in water. Then we read this conclusion in verse 13: And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue, the drainage stops in other words. Then shall he number to himself seven days and shall wash himself and bathe his clothes in running water and shall be clean.

Thus, our loving Heavenly Father clearly revealed and His prophet faithfully recorded the principles of clean technique in the handling of infected patients, more than 3,000 years ago! It’s all there. These scriptures are in complete harmony with modern medical guidelines.

But during those many millennia, how many mothers needlessly perished, how many children suffered, because man’s quest for knowledge had failed to incorporate the Word of the Lord in that quest?

In our day, many challenges face us. Some are new, some are old, simply clothed in modern attire. The epistles of Paul include prophesies pertaining to our day. Do these descriptions sound familiar? In the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud and the list of insidious qualities goes on, without natural affection. I think you know what that means.

Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2nd Timothy 3:1) Paul’s warnings describe these and other dangers of our day. You and I know that many of these threats to happiness are wrong because they are contrary to God’s will. Yet, today they are championed by persuasive people, possessing more ability than morality, more knowledge than wisdom.

Their convenient rationalization provides self consoling justification. The Bible warns us that the way of a fool is right in his own eyes. Indeed, individuals with ignorance of doctrine or people with malignity of purpose often wear the mask of honesty, so we must constantly be on guard.