The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-02-29
SABBATH DEVOTIONS.
Meeting in the Tabernacle
Last Sunday Afternoon.
REMARKS OF THE SPEAKERS
Mcrmonism in Harmony With the
Scriptures, and Belief In the
Liety Rational, the Topics.

Divine servic S were opened in thu
Tabernacle, last Sunday afternoon, by
the choir singing:
God moves in mysterious way
his wonders to perform.
|. Prayer was offered by Elder Georg;
Kendall, of Nephi. The choir thel
sang:
o, God, the Eternal Father,
Who dWells amid the sky!
ELDER GEORGE G. LAMBERT arose tC
address the congregation. He said thai
the present age was in many respects a
remarkable one, there being many
characteristics which rendered it differ
ent from the ages which have preceded
it. Among the more striking features
were the multiplicity of religious creeds
which at present exist, and the great
advancement made in scientific re-
search. The world in this age, how
ever, is by no means rem arkable for its
knowledge of Gcd. One of the ancien
apostles had said that the time would
come when people would heap up to
themselves teachers who would tnrn
away the ears of the people from the
truth and direct them to follies. Ac-
cording to Holy Writ, such a state
of things was to exist prior
to the second advent of Christ.
The Prophet Daniel had fore
seen the condition of the human
family; for SO it may be alleged from
his own peculiar language, which has
served as a problem to many learned
theologians of to-day. 1t had also been
predicted that the time would come
when men would run to and fro and
knowledge would increase in the earth
Never was there a time when knowl-
edge was so widely difused as at the
present day. The public press is the
great instrument used in its promulge
ton. According to tie words of the
inspired prophets, however, it is under
stood that the knowledge of the Lord
would not be universal before the sec
ond advent of the Savior. In the days
of the Savior comparatively few be-
lieved in the gospel, while great many
pretending to be serving God were
ready to reject the teachings of the
Messiah. He told His disciples WIN it
was they were SO unpopular. If we
were of the world, the world would love
his own; but because We are not of the
world, bat have chosen you out of the
world, therefore the word hateth you"
And so it was in every age when the
Lord had people upon the earth. This
age is peculiar for the variety of relgi-
Gus creeds that are being taught. A
woe was pronounced upon those
who would teach ''for doctrine
the commandments of men," "hav-
ing form of goodness, but
denying the power thereof" John, in
looking down through the stream OF
time, foresaw that an angel would bring
the gospel again to the earth. 1t was to
all kindreds, tongues and people, show
ing clearly that the absence of the Cos
pei was not confined to one particular
spot but was universal. That angel
having performed this mission, the
priesthood has been restored along with
the blessings which were manifested in
the early history of the church. The
speaker showed that the principles en-
braced by the Latter-day Saints were
identical with those taught in the New
Testament. The Jews having been
convinced on the day of Pentecost that
Jesus was the Messiah, asked what
they should do. Peter thereupon
preached to them repentance and bap-
tism for the remission of sins, and as
pies they would become partakers of
Saints know that the promise of the
Holy Ghost has been fulfilled in this
The Holy Ghost shows
unto them things past, present, and to
come. 1t leads them in the way
of truth, enabling them to comprehend
the meaning of the Holy Scriptures.
By it they are led to understand the
purposes of the Almighty in placing
them here upon the earth. Elder Lam
bert related here an interesting con-
versation he had with a leading Catho-
lie upon baptism and other principles
taught in the New Testament. The
Catholic admitted that the mode of
baptism practised Oy the Lstter-day
Saints was Scripturai, but claimed that
the Savior did not intend it as a rule.
This is but one example of departure
from the teachings of the Scripture, and
the truth of the words of
Isaiah, where he said: "They have
the laws, changed the
ordinance, broken the everlasting Gov
enant." Joseph Smith gave evidences
that his mission was divine. He en-
dured the prosecutions which were
heaped upon him rather than vary in
his testimony. He was not the only
witness who declared that an angel mad
The TACT that there were
other witnesses, who never faltered from
their testimony, was one OF the strong
est evidences that Joseph Smith vas
true prophet.
The Apostle Paul declared that the
natural man could not comprehend the
things of God. They are foolishness
unto him. for they are spiritually dis
cerned. The Latter-day SAINTS might
not be able to explain the reason of
their testimony to the satisfaction of
unbelievers. This, however, was no
proof that their testimony was false.
The Holy Ghost can quicken their
spiritual eyesight; and they are thus
enabled 10 Withstand the evil powers
that are brought against them. They
discern that God is greater than their
foeTs The people Of the world may
think them miserable. But this is not
the case. By means of the Holy Ghost,
the Comforter, they are spiritually en-
lightened, and have a sure testimony
that the world has never enjoyed. They
are not looking for a reward in this life.
oo1f - -r;oara Ill