The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-10-16

our own destruction. 1t is said that
Satan, or the weakness of our nature,
lends us every facility to become
debased, whilst God cannot, accord
ing to the immutable DEGREES of
Justice, give us the light of His
spirit, unless We deserve and
seek for it. Faith can be cultivated
in the mind of a child, as well as
any other faculty, if the proper
steps are taken, and an example of
such faith is constantly before it, so
that in time it comes to look up to
God as to dear father, whose re-
fusal of a reasonable, asked-for
blessing, is not to be feared. Con-
fidence springs up in the heart, and
it wants but the nOxious weeds of
doubt and scepticism being kept out
of the mind, and faith will grow
with the strength of the child, until
it becomes knowledge of Him and
His ways. There are many evil
seeds flying wildly about upon the
winds of human passion, or interest,
and unless great care is taken, they
find an entrance to the heart, and
once in it is far more difficult to
kill or drive them out, than it is to
guard the avenues by which they
enter. Purity of thought is the
foundation of purity of action,
and that purity can be
cultivated and maintained, ex-
cept in isolated instances. To
such one anything Of an I'M
virtuous, or cruel character, will be
Stunned and avoided as much as
would the most dangerous of rep
tiles, or contagious pestilences. If
approached in the right manner and
properly taught, we verify believe
the greater number of children
would as readily place their hands
in the fire as to do anything that
would be contrary to the teachings
and desires Of their parents. But
the prOmiScuOus mingling of all
kinds Of natures end dispositions to-
gether, causes the evil to more or
less influence the good and the pure,
who at first, many times, are led
astray by evil example, and a noble
example has likewise q beneficial
and lasting effect. The poet says:
"How far the little candle throws lis
beams,
So shines . good deed in naughty
world"
Yet even the candle Of virtue cannot
be kept very brightly burning i'll the
soul, in the midst of vice and cor
ruption, except in isolated instances,
and the consequence is, that virtue
deScendS or raises vice to its own
standard. There are instances
where teaching has been of no avail,
yet they are exceptions to the gen
eral rule, for where, amid a degen-
crate race, do We see any illuStri-
Gus manifestations of diSintereSted
virtue and true greatness of soul
We have often heard it said, there
Is to be q great and radical change
upon the earth. Society is to be
revolutiOniZed and reOrganiZed I'M
der the peaceful reign of the gospel.
The irregularities Of the earth's sur
face are to be SmOothed down, the
barrenneSS now characteristic of
certain portions Of its land to be-
come as a fruitful field: the whole
earth to be as a level plain, land
joined to land in one vast body, as
in the days before it was divided;
the seas and oceans to be gathered
into one vast sheet OF liquid beauty,
mirroring the grandeur of revOlV-
ing planets; whilst war and cOnten-
ton, famine and peStilence, are to be
unknown throughout all the chill
dren of men. The earth will then
have undergone its baptism of fire
and no more will the sins of man |
corrupt its then fair bosom. And it |
is claimed the spirit Of God will be |
as everlasting buTningS over the |
earth, SO that sin and guilt must |
perish, for naught Of impurity can
dwell IN the presence OF the glory |
of God. Death will have been over |
come and banished and the inhabit- |
ants Of the world in that great and |
glorious day will live forever, I'M
bowed by grief, untouched by time,
with locks unbleached 10y age, with |
forms unbOWed by disease, and erect |
and glowing in the vigor and |
strength Of never-failing, never
lOuGLI elIlu lIiG jSSlIG OIL 6dCD |
one will be to praise God by word |
and act and work righteousness
every moment of time they have. |
Yet not even there will the desire |
md the ability to acquire and retain |
wisdom be in allegiance, nor will |
they cease to grow in knowledge |
and happiness. Intelligence has no |
stay. no cessation, but onward. I'D
ward ever, wends its way, penetrat- |
lug with the speed OF thought, from |
sphere to sphere, in imagination |
De0pling each one with j. mortal |
beings like ourselves, working
sedulously, perseyerIngly, to extend !
tle glory and increase tie power
nd majesty OF God.
BE sucn views true or fl Sc. the
belief therein can 90 no injury. as
the living Tor them VIII nave
tendency 10 make men better here. |
M one who believes i'll reward and |
-Xaltation In the regular order Of
merit, and desires to obtain thai
reward, but becomes wiser and
stronger i'll his Iab0Ts, and better in
eY, ryWay III seeking o. it. No good |
things can be persistentiy and |
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