The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-04-26
SUNDAY SERVICES.

The opening hymn at the services
IN the Tabernacle on Sunday after
noon was the one beginning:
Hark! listen 70 the trumpeters
They sound for volunteers;
, On ZiOn's bright and hJwery mount
Behold the officers.
Prayer by Elder Theodore Nc
Kean.
The choir sang the hymn begin
ming:
Behold the great Redeemer died, etc.
ELDER JOHN NICHOLSON adj
dressed the congregation. He re-
| joiced at having the glorious privi-
lege of being identified with the
Church OF Jesus Christ of Latter
day Saints, which has been restored
through revelation from the Most
High. The saints claimed that God,
in this generation, had raised up a
prophet for the purpose of eStab-
fishing his church on the earth for
the last time. If the saints posi-
ton was correct, there must have
been departure in the world from
the system that was preached by
Jesus and his apostles anciently.
That there had been such depart
ure should be plain to all those who
read the sacred history. The ancient
system had in connection with it the
| principle of communication be-
tween heaven and earth. Holy men
wrote and spoke as they were
moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
which was a spirit of revelation.
The officers of the ancient church
enjoyed the gift and power OF
| prophecy, by which the church was
governed. When it was desired to
receive the word of the Lord on any
subject, the word was sought and
obtained. The organization OF
| Christ's church was made plain in
the Scriptures, and if it existed to-
day 1t would be similar in its organ
lZation and its officers to what il
was formerly. The people now,
| however, almost invariably repudI-
ate that organization, the apostles,
the seventies, the elders, the gifts,
etc. The fact was, the churches OF
the world did not have those officers
and gifts; but that was no reason
why they were not needed. If we
say they are no longer necessary,
then the ministry is no longer re-
quired, for the gifts and powers
were given for the prosecution
of the work of the ministry.
All the gifts, powers, organ
ization and officers that be-
longed to the church anciently
were necessary now, and for the |
same purposes as they were for
merly A church that claims to be |
the church of Christ, but denies rev.
citation, has not the holy ghost and |
It's consequent gifts. The true
church of Christ had not been on
the earth since revelation from God
ceased, and without revelation no |
man knows whether he is serving
God accePtably or otherwise. The
spirit Of revelation was gift to the
church as whole, and not to indl-
Ylduals, excepting in one particular.
An things relating to the govern
ment OF the church as an organiZa-
Uion must come through the head.
which now was President John
Taylor. But as to all else, each per-
son was entitled to revelation for
his own guidance. The ancient
ANTS looked forward to realiZa-
ton OF the promises given them
from the earliest ages; that is, when
the Saviour would come, and when
there would be an era of peace ana
all would know the Lord from the i;
least to the greatest. Some ex-
pected that period earlier than the II
time appointed for its coming; but
Paul had said the day should not
come until there had been a falling
away from the church established
by Christ and the apostles. The
saints say the falling away has oc- :
CURED, and that there has been a
restoration of the gospel which
Christ said would be one of the q
signs of his second coming.4 Christ
said the gospel should be preached 3
TO all the earth as a witness, and S
then should the end come, The
and doctrines now being b
preached were identical with those n
'aught by Christ, and the organiza- a
ion of the church was the same to- h
lay as formerly; hence the time of
he second coming was near at hand, Il
his being the last dispensation. III
PRESIDENT GEORGE @. CANNON. =,
ollow'd, saying the principles that 20
lad just been advanced were so
trictly in accord with those taught d
n ancient days that every one must Ii n,
cknOwledge that in order to have ~ ~
hurch of Christ, there must be the 81
plrit Of revelation. In the Bible. "
he record of Gods dealings with
is people, from the days of Adam, IE
own TO the last apostle of Christ, De
re are tod that every man who was u
follower of the Lord enjoyed the OF
plrit of revelation. There were Sc
ny number of churches, protesting
D be churches of Christ saying the M
anon Of scripture was full, that tn
Il the revelations to be given by co
hrlSt had been given, that God had I'll
9ased to speak and communicated Fl
is mind and will to his children:
lat the channel of revelation had r,
)reYer closed. The natural con- In
usion from reading the Bible is that of
yery person belonging to the "a,
lurch Of Christ has the privilege no,
receiving revelation, which was In
e distinguishing characteristic of na1
lrlst's Church. IL seemed a sim &,
liar idea that God should leave his va,
ildren to grope in the dark, without ~
" means of learning his divine =
ind and will concerning the affairs
the earth. Elder Cannon was
ppy that he lived in day whenI 4
ID had again spoken from the
avens, communicating his Will to
cry person who humbly seeks for
1t was cause for thanksgiving s
at a people had been gathered who
IRE relieved from the discussions '
ncerning points of the doctrines
Christ. 1t was a natural desire of
IN to know something of God and
plans of salvation, and concern
! the future of mankind. Because
d does not coincide with mans
"a of Him, many deny that there
a God, saying if there were
2, he would certainly reveal
nself. We cannot comprehend :,
d, nor dictate to him the plan he II
III pursue reg riding his children.
n say it would be easy for him to
cal himself, SO that none could
lot. When the saints preached
t God had again revealed him -
tthey were met by the question, -
V did he not anDaar tO S0mahodvI -