President Hinckley Visits Members in Atlanta, Georgia

“We are a biblical church,” said President Gordon B. Hinckley to about 7,000 listeners gathered in the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta on Sunday morning, 17 May. “This wonderful testament of the Old World, this great and good Holy Bible is one of our standard works. We teach from it. We bear testimony of it. We read from it. It strengthens our testimony. And we add to that this great second witness, the Book of Mormon, the testament of the New World, for as the Bible says, in the mouths of two or three witnesses shall all things be established” (see Matt. 18:16). President Hinckley then went on to review “a half dozen or so scriptural statements for which we have an interpretation and an understanding, but of which others do not seem to have an understanding” (see John 10:16, 1 Cor. 15:29, 2 Thes. 2:3, 1 Pet. 2:9, and Rev. 14:6).

President Hinckley spoke to 6,000 additional members during an afternoon session. The previous day he met with missionaries and spoke at a priesthood leadership meeting. He was accompanied on the trip by his wife, Marjorie; Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Barbara; and Elder John K. Carmack of the Seventy, President of the North America Southeast Area, and his wife, Shirley.

“We may not be Christians by the interpretation which others may put on that term,” President Hinckley said. “In fact, we are not Christians by the standard under which they are Christians. If we were, there would have been no need for a restoration of the gospel. The restoration of the gospel occurred to correct all the mistakes of the past. … We are Christians in terms of following the teachings, the example, and the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it doesn’t bother me a bit when people say we are not Christians, because they are looking at what they are saying in terms of a long tradition, whereas we speak from the depth of our hearts out of the words of modern revelation.”

Photography by Nolan Taylor

President Hinckley greets children during a regional conference held in Atlanta.

Atlanta-area members gather in the Georgia International Convention Center for the regional conference.