The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-04-08

we UOW lave W OVeICOHG, IL las uOL
been because we have not been warned
of their approach. By the testimony
of His Spirit and by the voices of His
faithful servants, God has given His
| people ample time for preparation.
lived SO as to enjoy the spirit of their
religion have expected, and have pre-
pared themselves to meet, such trials
which may vet be in reserve for them be.
fore the final victory is achieved over
Satan and the embattled powers of
| darkness.
THE PRIVILEGE OF REVELATION.
It is this pre-knowledge which God
has given concerning His work, and
which He constantly imparts as it is
needed to His people, which is one of
the chief causes of the strength pos
sessed by the Latter-dav Saints. 1t is
the principle of revelation from the
| Heau of the Church to the Church itself
"a principle which in its operation is
not confined to one man, or to three
men, or to twelve men; but is extended
to every individual in the Church, in
greater or less degree, as each one
chooses to avail himself of it. There is
an appointed way, however, by which
revelation from the Lord for the govern
ment OF His Church is received. There
| is but one man on the earth, at time,
who holds this power. But every in
dlyldual member has the privilege of
receiving revelation from the Lord for
his guidance in his own affairs and to
testify to him concerning the cor
rectness OF public teachings and move
ments.
The great promise which accompanies
the preaching of the gospel, as re-
vealed from heaven in our day, is that
the Holy Ghost will be bestowed upon
the sincerely penitent who obey its
holy ordinances. Through the Holy
Ghost knowledge of things past, pre-
sent and to come is communicated and
the mind and will of the Father made
known. In this way the Almighty
reveals His purposes to those who
obey His commandments and whose
lives are pure and acceptable before
Him. so that they can be prepared for
all the events and trials that may lie in
their pathway.
Ii there are any members of the
Church who do no5 know by their own
experience that this Is true, thew NAV
their privileges. Ali Saints should be
i'll close communion with the Holy
Ghost, and, through it, with the Fa-
Their, or there is danger of their being
overcome of evil and falling by the
Wayside.
We, therefore, say to the Latter-day
SalMts: The Holy Ghost will not dwell
in an unholy tabernacle. If you would
enjoy the full powers and gifts of your
religion, you must be pure. If you are
guilty of weaknesses, folIies and sins,
you must repent of them; that is, you
must thoroughly forsake them. In no
other way can we please God. MAN
of holiness" is His name, and He de-
lights in the efforts of His children to
be puro.
ABSENCE OF OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH.
We feel led to speak in this strain
for the reason that while the Latter
day Saints in order, to prosper in their
religion and to increase in the kuowl-
edge of God, must alW avs live CLOSE to
Hin, the present is an extraordinary
time which appears to require more
help and strength from the Lord than
usual. The church has been left, as
never for so long time before, with
out the public ministrations of num-
Der of the men to whom its members
have looked for instruction and counsel.
Not only has the number of the
apostles who could minister in public
been greatly reduced, but the same
causes which have relegated them to
seclusion have had the effect to keep
many presidents of stakes and their
bishops and their coun-
selors, as well as high connselors and
other active men in the priesthood,
from officiating in their callings. The
people have felt the absence OF these |
men and the loss Of their teachings and
guidance. But has the Lord, on this |
account, forgotten His people? No, |
not. The prayers of the faith
ful men of God, who have beer pre-
vented from ministering to the people, |
aad whose hearts have been full of love |
and earnest desire for their welfare, |
have been constantly offered to the |
Lord that He would have mercy on His |
lock, that He would make up 10 them |
by the more abundant outpouring of |
His Holy Spirit, for the deprivation to |
which they had been subjected in not
having the presence of many of His |
servants among them.
THE HAND AND PURPOSES OF GOD.
The Savior said, ut is impossible but
hat offenses will come; but" he added,
woe unto them through whom they
;ome." In our case offenses have come,
ind it has appeared that we could not
void them. Shall we not acknowledge
he hand of God in that which has
AIKEN place in our land and which af-
ects US so deeply? We who have seen
n all our affairs, and in all the events
which have happened to us, His provi-
lence so visibly manifested, must feel
hat the occurrences of the past three !
Or four years have been permitted by
Him for wise purpose. We cannot
suppose that these happenings have
1een by chance and without q design.
God has not so dealt with US in the
oast Mysterious as have been many
;hings when we had them TO encounter,
lime has never failed to throw light
Upon and explain them. When they
we, perhaps, acknowledges
he hand of the Lord in them, be-
,suse of the Lord having said we
should do so: but this was upon the
principle of faith. Afterwards, how
ever, we have looked back to these
events, and seeing how wonderously
Sod had wrought, we. in the fullness
If our hearts and in view of the results,
lave acknowledged, not in faith but in
,ovai0nod knnUln6oa fhof Godio hand |