With a smile and signature wave of his cane, President Gordon B. Hinckley opened the first session of the LDS Church's 176th Annual General Conference on Saturday — reserving strong words about racism for an evening gathering of men and boys.

The 95-year-old leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints scarcely used his cane as he walked vigorously in and out of conference sessions, which will attract more than 100,000 people to the Conference Center this weekend. He did not address the opening general sessions but told male priesthood holders Saturday night that racism still "lifts its ugly head," even among church members.

That is unacceptable, he said.

"I remind you that no man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ," said President Hinckley. "How can any man holding the Melchizedek Priesthood arrogantly assume that he is eligible for the priesthood whereas another who lives a righteous life but whose skin is of a different color, is ineligible?"

The LDS Church opened its priesthood to worthy males of all races in 1978, after then-President Spencer W. Kimball announced he had received a revelation admitting black males, who had formerly been excluded.

President Hinckley's remarks came as part of an address admonishing members to show more kindness in their lives.

His appearance at the opening session Saturday morning was a moment of sweet normalcy in a meeting marked by a change. For the first time since taking the church's helm 11 years go, the man revered by millions as a prophet did not conduct or open the conference with a sermon of his own.

No mention was given for his absence as the opening speaker, but many church members surmised it was a result of recent illness. In January, President Hinckley had surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his intestine and was hospitalized for a week. He has since made few public appearances, but he did fly to Chile last month to rededicate a temple there.

From the perspective of 95 years, he said, his "wish list" for church members "is not long or complex. It is basically that as Latter-day Saints we would at all times act like Latter-day Saints. It is that we would live the gospel more fully in our homes, in our work and in every aspect of our lives."

President Hinckley's son, Elder Richard G. Hinckley of the First Quorum of Seventy, gave a small tribute Saturday to the way his father has lived the gospel and his life. Both father and son spoke during the priesthood session.

"My memories of him will ever be of laughter and love; of steadiness, of testimony, of relentless hard work, of faith and fidelity," he said. "He is kind and wise, and I am blessed beyond measure that I not only sustain him as my prophet for this season of mortality but that I also claim him as my father now and throughout all eternity."