The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-10-23

choir and congregation sang:
Omy Father. Thou that dwellest
In the high ans glorious place.
Elder George G. Bywater offered
prayer.
The choir then sang:
Behold the great Redeemer Gle,
A broken law to satisfy;
He dies sacrifice for sin,
That man might live and glory win.
The Sacrament was administered by
the priesthood of the Third Ward.
ELDER ]. E. TALMAGE,
who arose to address the congregation,
said: My brethren and sisters, we
have assembled once more in the ca
pacity of worshipping congregation
to engage in devotional exercises and to
render up worship at the throne of
God. In doing so, we wish to follow
the pattern that has been set for US
through the mouths of the prophets of
God by the word of revelation. And l
believe that we have every reason to
think that our method of worship is
acceptable before that being whom we
seek to address and reverence. The
outward form of worship, however,
aVails comparatively little IN His ewes,
for He does not see as man seas, neither
does He listen with human ears to
words that are sung or spoken under
the name of prayer. If we have cone
together to-day with that spirit which
He has said should rest upon those WHO
would seek to do His work, with our
minds SO prepared that they are under
the sinfuence of inspiration, believe
that this gathering Is pleasing in His
eyes, and He will give US our desires in
righteousness before him. Every re-
liglous sect has its own mode of wor-
ship, and every sincere worshipper be-
lieves that his method is the correct
one. These forms of worship are vari-
Gus, as they may be met in Journey
over this world; and even amongst
those who worship uLder the collective
name of Christians, there is much di-
versity OF form and procedure. The
method which we pursue, as has been
said, is the one that has been given bv
revelation, one which we believe the
Lord has expressed Himself as pleased
with, providing we follow it in sincerity
and truth. In our mode of worship,
we differ from the rest of the Christian
sects of the day. We believe that thew
have @ right to their methods and
forms; ana we believe also that we en-.
Joy the same right. We ask to yor-
ship God according to the dictates of
our consciences; and we should saw to
all others, 80 worship your God &C
cording to the method which you think
best" We send our missionaries
abroad,no to tear down other religions.
but to present the truths of the gospel
before them. Bigotry is foreign to our
profession, and it should be also un-
Known in our practice. The Latter-day
Saints seek, as a people, to force no
man into their belief or practices.
They seek to encourage liberty and
religious thought, guided by inspira-
ton, for religious truths will not be
mastered as other truths of knowledge
are. We cannot reason upon them as
we can in dealing with a problem in
mathematics or science. We believe
that nothing but the Spirit of God will
enable men to understand the words of
God correctly, and that no degree of
philosophy will ever prove the cause of
q mans exaltation in the presence of
His Father. We believe that there will
be exalted many men ignorant as Peter
was, who became the president of the
apostles and of the church after the
crucihxion of his Master. We believe
that the Lord will look at the heart,
and not at the outward appearance of
man. Call to mind the instance of
Samuel being sent to choose q king for
Israel. He came to Jesse and told him
his GRAND. Jesse had MANY sons.
The elder sons gave him great JOY and
pleasure. They were most highly
esteemed amongst their friends. They
were men OF large stature and impos-
ing form. They were also men Ct
power, holding positions of rank in the
army. And when Jesse was told the
purpose of Samuel's visit, he Thought
bis eldest son was surely the man with
whom the Lord would be well pleased,
And so thought Samuel, for this son
was man pleasing 10 look upon. But
the Lord told Samuel that this was not
the chosen one, for man lookeUh on the
outward appearance but the Lord look
eth at the heart. And Jesse, feeling
somewhat disappointed. sent for his
second son. and the third, and the
fourth, and so On until the Youngest
was presented to the prophet. Then
the Lor told Samuel that this was the
one whom He chose to be king of the
hosts of Israel. And Samuel poured
the holy oil upon his head and set him
apart TO be future king of Israel. 1t
should be principle of our belief that
the Lord will look upon the heart, and
not upon the outward form. The man
who will use his five talents we'll l.
greater in the eyes of God THAI the
man who has his hundreds and buries
them in the earth.
The Latter day Saints are called a
peculiar people. The Lord said He
would have a peculiar people; and &C
cording to the verdict of our opponents.
he has that people here. They say we
ara peculiar. We say we are peculiar,
Why Go the Latler-day SAINTS gather
What constitutes this strargeness that
the Latter.day Saints?
It is because We profess to accept with.
out question, the words of God, and |
follow them. It is because we say it |
is wrong that man should ever quioble |
with the words of the Almighty. 1t is |
because man should have implicit faith |
in his Maker. Il is because what our |
Father says is true, let the |
consequences be what they may. This
Is the great and distinguishing peculi-