The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-06-07


clearly in regard to those instr NC
lions which the saints should keep
in constant remembrance. 1t was
most difficult for the people to obey
the instructions that were given for
their guidance. 1t was easy enough
to profess, but it was more difficult
to practice. Men had inherited
fallen natures, which they had to
contend with, and it was only by the
spirit of God that they could over
come the evil that was in
them. 1t was not difficult
TO embrace popular religion, but
1t was not this that God had chosen
for his children. There was the
power of darkness and of light, of
good and evil, and this brought out
the agency of men. We would OBJ
tain no blessings that we would not
strive for. God had given to every
human being his agency, to chose
either the evil or the good, rejecting
the opposite. God would drive no
man to heaven or hell. No one was
predestined to heaven or destruction.
If we were ever saved it would be
because we obeyed the laws that
God has laid down for us to pursue.
Deathbed repentance would save no
one. That was a doctrine that did
not come from God. The man who
after living life of evil and crime,
IN his dying hour becomes fright
ened and sends for a minister, who
prays with him and tells him his
peace is made with God, will not 90
direct to heaven. The doctrine was
not true. 1t was never too late to re-
pent, but it was nonsense to think
that one hours repentance would
entltle one to salvation. He who
thus repented would receive a de-
gree of glory. for there was differ
ence in the glory Of the hereafter,
difference in the reward for deeds
done in the flesh. Men laid the
foundation here and built thereon.
If it were good it would be accepted;
if not, it would be rejected. Ali
would be rewarded according to
their works done on earth. If we
obey the law of God, we would re-
ceive reward accordingly, each re-
ceiving the glory for which he was
prepared. When the elders had
testified of the restoration of
the gospel and its ordinances
as a means of salvation by heavenly
messengers, the question was asked
what had become of our ancestors,
the unnumbered millions who had
gone from the earth in ignorance of
the true gospel? We might extend
the inquiry to the myriads of pagans
who had never heard of the name
Of Jesus Christ, the only name by
which man can be saved. The
thought that they had been sent to
eternal darkness was horrifying.
God was merciful. He would not
require one to obey law of which
he knew nothing. His mercy would
reach every soul. Christ died for
all-the pagan as well as those who
knew Him. He said he would bring
all up to him. Christ, after death,
and before the resurrection
preached to the spirits in prison,
and this indicated how the innumer-
able HUSLs who had not hoard of tile
plan of salvation on earth, would
hear the gospel and have the oppor-
tunity to be saved. God would ex-
tend his message Of mercy to all,
and those who received it would
be saved, and those who rejected it
would have to take the consequence
of their own actions. The saints
could afford to endure all things,
even to death, for the sake of the
gospel. They were the happiest
people on the earth, and they al
ways had been, even when trials
and prosecutions were imposed upon
them. They were happy because
they knew they were obeying Gods
gospel, and trying to keep his COM
The choir sang the anthem, "Come,
let us go to the Mountain of the
Lord" Benediction by President
Joseph F. Smith.