The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-12-20
SUNDAY SERVICES.

| Ab bU0 AOSGHUlf HAIL. OA Jun
afternoon, the choir sang the hymn
beginning:
Awake, ye Saints Of God, awake!
Call on the Lord in mighty prayer,
That He will lions bondage break,
and bring to naught the fowler's snare
Prayer by Elder John Morgan.
The choir sang the hymn COM
mencing:
He died! the Great Redeemer died.
And Isrsers daughters Wept around;
A solemn darkness yelled the sky;
A sudden trembling shook the ground.
Apostle Albert Darlington ad
dressed the congregation in refer
ence to his labors as president of the
European mission. He was pleased
to again be at home, and meet with
the saints. He saidthe world was en-
tirely ignorant concerning the work
ofGOd. 1t is now as it was in the days
of Noah-darkneSs covers the earth,
and gross darkness the minds Of
the people This fact was source
of great establishment to him when
he first went forth into the world, in
view of the opportunities the people
had for gaining light. This gross
darkness was more prominent
among Christian peoples than
pagans, who were more ready to
accept the light when it was pre-
scented to them. 1t seemed impos-
sible to make the Christian world
see the light OF the gospel. Elder
Darlington gave a good report OF
the elders in Europe, who " ere Ia
boring faithfully for the spread of
the gospel, doing their very best to
enlighten the world as to the prin-
ciples OF salvation. The harvest,
however, was but meagre, only here
and there one accepting the truth
only the few needing the warning
of the judgments that were near.
The elders were trying to save the
world, performing duty that had
been placed upon theEo by the Lord !;
they did not go forth for money or
gain; they were weak things of the
world, who IN their simple way
were preaching the principles of
eternal salvation. They care moth
ing for the cenSure or praise of the
world; the sacrifices they were
making we're in the line Of duty, the
results being with their hearers
who had their own salvation to
work out. Men were free to do
good or evil as they pleased. There
was no subjecti0n as to the princi-
pies Of salvation. 1t rested with
each one 20 reject or accept, the
elders duty being merely to sound
the warning. They were sell
dom able to make their
hearers comprehend the teachings,
for the world would not understand
that unless they were born of the
water and the spirit they could not
see The truth. Wherever the gospel
has been proclaimed and believed in
it is shown to be a gospel of peace
ana happiness. There had never
been an instance where a servant of
God had used coercion in regard to
faith. The gospel was in no sense
aggressive, but left to each being
absolutely free agency. In this it
was different from all other relig-
ions. 1t was strange that the world
would not investigate the gospel,
which made good men Of bad ones,
and better men of those already good.
The work had been going on for
over fifty years, and yet the world
knew little or nothing Of it,
However,, it would go on
until Gods purposes were all
fulfilled. However, the Lord would
not now permit the children OF
men to go on as He had in the past
adding sin to sin, but would cut
his work short in righteousness.
The Lord is prospecting His SER
wants abroad. The elder had never
had occasion to rebuke or chide any
OF the missionaries; and great ma
jority of the saints were living their
religion faithfully. The European
mission was neyer,s far as he knew
in better condition than at prese
ent. He eXhorted the people to bg
faithful and energetic in furtherinS
the purposes of God, whose yoke /
easy and burdens light. The Lord
requires nothing that is not for the
benefit of the Individual.
ELDER STEPHEN TUCKER, lately
returned from mission, addressed
the congregation briefly. He hat
been blessed in his labors, and en-
ioyed the spirit Of the Lord in Ink
ministry. He had gained knowledge
OF God, and his faith had sEength
ened.
The choir sang an anthem ant
Elder G. j. Brain pronounced th'
benedictien.