On Friday, 3 October 1952, the Tabernacle was crowded to capacity before the opening hour of 10:00. Just before the radio microphones would be turned on, David O. McKay addressed the crowd:
President David O. McKay:
“Before we go on the air, we should like to say a word to you in the way of soliciting your cooperation in a very important matter.
“This is a sacred edifice, made so by dedication, by the devotion and lives of the Pioneers — leaders who have gone before us. We meet here to worship the Lord. One way to express our appreciation of his presence is to appear before him in cleanliness and neatness and show that we have anticipated by our preparation meeting him in this great building.
“This morning there is not a scrap of paper, not a banana peeling, not a thing that would be displeasing to the most fastidious. We should like to keep this house in that order. If any of you happen to see one sitting close to you, throw a piece of paper or litter in any way, will you kindly pick it up for him or her, because he or she is neglectful of the obligation resting upon him or her to keep this house clean and presentable to the Lord. Will you do that, each of you? You of course will not do it yourself but please see that if anybody is so forgetful as to leave on the seat or on the floor any kind of litter you pick it up. This same suggestion applies to the grounds, especially during Sunday when people feel it necessary to bring their lunch. We ask you to refrain from leaving newspapers, any kind of fruit, or any litter either in the tabernacle or on the grounds. Thank you!
“This is the opening session of the One Hundred Twenty-third Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are convened in the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah … ”
He said that in a kinder way than I’ve thought it on many an occasion.
I wonder if this was a problem in the past. Hard to think someone would bring the Trib to a general session or just throw a banana peel on the floor. But done get me started about Cheerios left after church in the Chapel. Anyway that was President McKay disposition to talk kindly. My all time favorite Prophet and besides he was a cowboy.
Ahh. The good old days when people picked up after themselves. He did say that very nicely.
My memories of President McKay are of a kindly old grandfather. I can “picture” him saying this is a very nice voice. . . . Meanwhile, #2 comment above mentions Cheerios on the chapel floor, and I have to tell: We had a new family move in some time ago. They are wonderful people, but that first Sunday there were lots of Cheerios in the carpet where they’d sat. The man in charge of cleaning the chapel floor after Sacrament Meeting kindly pointed and asked them to help clean it up. They insisted that they had been left by the previous ward. (Our Sacrament Meeting is at 9AM.) The man smiled and told them: “There’s only one ward in this building.” There has been no Cheerios at their place in the chapel since.