The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-06-21

with Initiated appetiteS and evil pas
Slons and it calls upon US to over
come these tastes and subdue our
passions, substituting for them
healthy tastes and holy desires. L
am satisfied by going into the world
we can find religions more popular
than ours: but we would find our
selves still in the possession Of the
same appetites and desires and
that we had not been bettered.
We would only take upon ourselves
another cloak, chose another
name, assume another position,
but we would undoubtedly remain
the same. can speak with eXpe-
rience, for [ was reared unto man
hood in the world, with the in
fuences of good men-God bless
them, they were good-to guide me,
but the religion they taught me
did not appeal to my individuality.
could chew tobacco and smoke
and do other things, and still be in
good membership, which | could
not do and remain a good Latter
day Saint. There are certain appe-
titles which form into abnormal
tastes, which tend to destroy the
development Of my Individuality
but in my chosen religion, l must
strive to overcome all unholy pas
sions; and l will continue endeavOr-
ing to master my evil passions and
all my abnormal habits until may
be developed to a perfection in which
l can enjoy all the liberty of life
for then l will be pure, and until
then l cannot expect to enjoy this
blessed boon. 1t is the duty of
every Latter-day Saint to under
stand the laws of physical develop
ment, and the laws of health, that
he may live morally correct. The
first requirement is to have a good
sound body, and when a man is in
that condition, you fill him with the
Holy Ghost, and that man is a
giant in the earth, and is filled with
the principles of life. That is all
there is in religions life. l found,
in four years experience in the war.
that it was not hard to die; it
was one of the easiest things in the
world; but the function of religion
is to teach us how to live. Why, do
you know | believe that many Of
the religions of the world are the
emanations of men in ilI-health-
men whose digestive organs were
not in sound condition. The Objec-
ton [ had to my early religion was
that it did not teach anything in re-
gard to health, or to the observance
of moral laws and the tendency was
to physical degradation, which in
turn, brings moral degradation.
Talk about the Latter-day Saints
being restrained, why l know of no
man who has more right to investi-
gate the sciences of the world than
members Of this faith. The more
we become acquainted with all
things on the earth, the more
thoroughly we investigate them,
the more we are able TO know and
appreciate the Great Being who
placed all things here for the benefit
of the human family. These are the
things that make me love my
religion, that l may gain infinite
knowledge, and that L may live for
ever and forever, in the presence of
an intelligent God. Why, we can
afford to pity those who prosecute
US. If we have a superior religion,
let our lives show it to the world;
let us show to the world that we are
better husbands, better fathers, bet
| ter men and better citizens. We
need not always say it, but our &C
lions should show it; we should be
honest, industrious, virtuouS and
| intelligent, for no Latter-day Saint
can afford to grovel in ignorant
superstition for ignorance is the
curse of man, and it always has
been. accept the revelations given
to Jos. Smith as the words of God.
I have no compromise to offer. The
principle Of celestial marriage, and
of others are from God, or they are
not: and I care not if it be five men
to one woman or five women to one
man, so long as it is principle OF
God. [ say we must obey it; and If
it is not a commandment of God, let
| it be swept from the face Of the
earth. On this basis, l will help
my wives, and my children, and
with the help of God, L will educate
and support them, and make them
intelligent men and women. l stand
upon the platform that accepts no
compromise. If the doctrines are
of man, they will go down, and
let it be so, say but if they are of
God, they will stand through all the
eternities. am one of those per
sons who believe in progressing; In
going ahead, and 1 feel that [ am on
the right path, for 1 have had a testi-
mony from heaven when there was
no money in this religion, and when
I was away from home and friends,
and among strangers. l propose to
stand by Him who stood by me IN
my dark hours. The things of this
world are but fleeting; they live but
day, an hour, and [ can afford
to forego SEINE of the things of this
life, for the hope of the glorious
family relations hereafter and for
eternal life. =,
The choir sang an anthem, Il will
sing of the mercies of the Lord"
Benediction by Elder ID. o. Calder.