The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-04-08
TIE SAINTS MIST RE TESTED

The pathway of the people of God
has been beset with difficulties. They
have been enyironed with dangers.
Dark clouds have almost enshrouded
them. But amidst all these, the still,
small voice of the Spirit of God has
been heard. His Saints have had a
testimony from Him that the course
they have been led to take is the right
one, and that He will never fail to
make known His mind and will to them
SO long rs they live up to His require
ments.
1t appears plain that it is Gods pur-
pose to suffer His Saints to be thor
oughly tried and tested, SO that they
may prove their integrity, and know the
character OF the foundation upon which
they build. Many things have occurred
during the last twelve months, which
are well adapted to test the faith and
integrity of the people. It does not
seem possible that those who do not
live so as to have the light of the Holy
Ghost shining in their souls, can escape
doubts and fears concerning the work
of God. So many things have occurred
which are entirely different TO pre-con-
ceived notions as to the course that
would be taken in building up Zion that
| each one needs TO have knowledge for
himself, 10 clearly understand that God
is leading US in the path which we are
now pursuing. To some who are in
| cllned to despond, and to ia e gloomy
view of affairs, the ship Zion may, per
haps, appear to be drifting away from
its old moorings, because things are be-
ing done, or movements consented to,
which, to their eyes, portend disaster to
US and to the work of God.
UNJUST CRITICISM.
| There has always been a few among
US who have been filed with evil fore
| bodings, and who have failed to see TIE
wisdom of God in the steps which His
people have been led to take. They
nave questioned and found fnult With
the counsel that has been gwen and the
measures which have been adopted, and
have asserted that revelation had ceased
and the Saints were no longer guided
by men to whom God made gpown His
will. The Prophet Joseph during his
lifetime did not escape the criticism and
censure Of this class. He was often &C
Cused of being fallen prophet and of
| leading the church astray. During the
| long presidency of President Brigham
Young, the same charges were made,
| and many epostatiZed because they be-
lieveG, as they stated, that he WAS no
longer led by the Lord. Experience has
proven that in all such cases those who
make these accusations are themselves
in the dark.
But the faithful people-those who
have lived strictly in accordance with
their profession as Saints and with the
requirements ofS the gospel-have not
been assailed by doubts of this char
acter. There might be many things
which they could not clearly under
stand, the reasons for VIII ch might not
be fully apparent to them at the time;
but possessing the Spirit of God, and
being led bV it, they trusted in the Lord
and felt satisfied to leave the manage
meDt Of His Kingdom and affairs to His
supreme wisdom. Time developed to
their minds the correctness Of the
course which III church has been led to
atop4. This has occurred SO frequently
in our career that RE instances will
readily suggest themselves to those
familiar with our history. In this way,
however, the faith of the people has
been constantly tested.
THE AMOUNTING THE SAINTS HAVE
RECEIVED.
Tie Apostle John, in speaking to the
Saints in his day, said: ''But the
amounting which ye have received of
Him abideth in you, and We need not
that any man teach you; put as the
same amounting teacheth you of all |
things, and is truth, and is no lie, and |
even as it hath taught you, We shall |
abide in him."
The Saints in ouv day have received |
this same amounting. and they should |
be in a position to not be dependent |
upon man TO teach and tell them that !
which is right. They have had a food |
of instruction given to them in days |
that are past. This instruction has |
covered the entire policy of building |
up the kingdom of Goo on the earth. |
Of tbs continued instruction they have |
been TO great extent deprived of late. |
1t has appeared to be the design of |
Providence that they should be left to |
show to the heavens, to each other and |
to the world, whether the truths they |
have been taught have had the proper |
etfsct upon them, or not-whether, |
when left to a certain extent to them |
selves, they will be governed in their
daily lives and acts by principle-prin-
ciple to the trath of which testimony
has been borne by the Holy Ghost-or
by the SPIRITS and customs OF Babylon,
by which they are surrounded, but from
which they are supposed to be gathered
out.
NECESSITY OF EXPERIMENTATION.
The present is an appropriate time
for each member of the Church to in
dulge in f-examinat ion-to measure
his conduct and life in the full light OF
the heavenly principles revealed to US.
Ours is no ordinary calling. Great OPP
portnnities and privileges have been
bestowed upon Us. To US, as people,
has been entrusted the grand and
glorious labor of laying the foundation
of the kingdom of God upon the earth.
Every act of our lives should be per
formed with this in view. Nothing
sh 'uld be done by any one calling him
self Latter-day Saint that will con-
hict with the policy which God has an
ncunced as proper to be adopted in
that kingdom. In this
there are questions which
each one should ask himself: Do |, in
all my words and influence and in all
the transactions of my life, constantly
kesp before me the advancement and
prosperity of the Zion of God as the
first aud most important considera-
ton? Do L, through covetousness or