The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-04-13
SUNDAY SERVICES.
The Meeting in Assembly Hall.

The Salt Lake Assembly Hall va:
, fairly crowded on Sunday afternoon.
f; being the first for the season of the
3 egular Sunday services. Besides the
3 presidency Of the stake, many church
dignitaries we're present on the stand
: and in the audience.
The services began by the choir
singing the hymn commencing
Come all you saints who dwell on earth,
etc.
Prayer by Elder J. B. Maiben. OF
Manti.
Singing by the choir:
How great the wisdom and the love, etc.
ELDER N. II. FELT was the first
speaker. He said it was strange and
marvellous to see those who. like
himself, had left their homes IN
distant lands, and gathered here to
worship God, and live the everlasting
gospel, that was being preached in
every part of the earth by elders of
Israel. To the stranger it must be
marvel. The object of this is not
generally understood by the outside
world. Those who go forth to teach
the gospel, tell their hearers to be-
lieve in God. The saints believe in
God-the God who created man in
MS own image; they believe in Christ,
the Son OF God; in prophets and
apostles; in the sacred scriptures, the
Holy Bible; in every revelation given
through every holy prophet who was
moved upon by the holy ghost to
speak and record commands and
directions for the salvation OF man
kind; they believe in the Book of
Mormon and the Doctrine and Cove
nants; but they do not believe in Basl,
in VIohnu, in Jupiter or Saturn as
their God; they do not believe in |
Juggernaut, nor that it is necessary TO |
throw themselves under its wheels; |
nor IN the transcendentsl God, nor In
God without body parts or passions.
but in the God who created the
heavens and the earth, the seas and
fountains of water, and who said that
by strict compliance with his laws
and commands, man might come to
dwell with him; they claim that they
are the people sent by Ge1 to gather
scattered Israel. The Christian God,
God without body, parts or passions,
could never have created being in
his own likeness; there could be no
such being.
Elder Felt then spoke OF some
things which we're necessary in order
to receive the gift of the holy ghost,
as repentance and baptism for the
remission of sins; and remarked that
the Christian world seemed wanting
in knowledge of the gospel, as estab-
lished upon the earth by Christ.
Many years ago he used to ask him
sell why it was that man with al his
learning and intelligence, had never
sought direct communication with the
Deity. He had studied the subject
much, but had been unable to find
among scientific or philosophic ranks
that furnished q method by which
man might communicate with God.
The Bible taught him that prophets
had talked and walked with God. In
looking around him 10 see If others
thought it possible to communicated
with God he was met by the same
response from all the churches, and
sects, namely, we don't believe in
prophets in this enlightened age.
The Mormons alone believed in pro-
phets and that through them God
communicated directly with men on
earth. The speaker then found what
he was In search OF and was satisfied.
ELDER CHARLES w. PENROsE ad-
dressed the congregation. He was
thankful for the opportunity OF wor-
shipping God in this fine hall;and also
to bear bis testimony to the truth OF
the gospel. There were many points
of difference between the Latter-day
Saints and other religious scots, bu!
the chief of these differences was that
the religion of the saints was founded
by God, while, with one exception,
the creeds and religions OF the day
were established by men, the excep-
ton being the Roman Catholic
Church. That church professed to be
the successor to the church established
by Christ and that there was no
break in the succession. All other
churches had sprung out from the
Roman. The Latter-day Saints be-
lieved that God had ree.tablished his
church upon the earth, and that
theirs wss the church which was
organized by direct revelation from
heaven. The difference was therefore
great between the MormOns and
other Christian sects. He said the
Christians called the saints Nor
mons" but this was ridiculous, be-
cause Mormon was simply man. As
well call others Peters, Pauls or
Jeremiahe, because they believe IN
those ancient saints. As proof that
the saints were correct in their belief
as to the divine origin was the TACT
that they had received the testimony
OF the gospel in distant parts OF the
globe, and God had made them know
that it was true; and in obedience to
the commands of God and his ser
wants they had gathered here. The
speaker bore a strong testimony to his
knowledge Of the truth Of the gospel
as it had been reestsblished. He
knew it would remain es long as the
world continued. and until mankind
had heard and been redeemed. This
was the testimony that the elders who
went forth to the nations of the
earth, bore to all kindred, tongues
and peoples. Those who received it
gathered to Zion where they could
learn more of the purposes OF God.
The same priesthood that Christ pos
sessed had been restored to the earth,
and was held by the Lstter-day Saints.
Although the Roman Catholics
claim to be the successor of Christs
church, it was not. The Pope did
not claim to be an apostle, hence he
was not the successor of Peter, the
apostle; the Catholics did not even
believe in prophets to-day. The
priesthood had not remained upon
. the earth during the ages since
Christ; it had been taken away, and
was only restored when conferred
upon Joseph Smith. AS an evidence
that the saints had received the holy
phost. and had the same priesthood
that was held on earth in Christ's
time. was the fact that the same were
now visible as formerly. The speaker
referred to other differences between