The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-06-26
Bishop O. F. Whitney's Elo-
quent Discourse Sunday.
OBEDIENCE TO GODS WILL.
Day-Ingersoll and His
Work-ESc., Etc.

Prayer was offered by David NJ
Evans.
The choir then sang:
How sweet communion is on earth
With those who'Ye realized the birth
OF Watec-who the spirits powers
Receive, in genial quick'ning showers.
The sacrament was administered by
the priesthood of the Seventh Ward.
BISHOP o. F. WHITNEY,
who was called upon to address the
congregation said:
l feel an unusual degree of timidity
in arising to address this vast congrega-
ton this afternoon. And l do not
simply mean it for an Introduction, Or
to hear the vain sound of
my own voice, when I say that
I would have been contented
could 1 have remained listener, in
stead of being called upon Unexpectedly
to be a speaker this day. l can only
trust that my rising will not be in vain,
that the God of Heaven will speak, and
that l may be his humble mouthplece
to this congregation; that your souls
may be fed, that our minds may be edi =
fed, and that We may be built up in the
good things of God and strenthened &C
cording to our needs.
There is more Importance attached to
the act of coming here on the Sabbath
day to worship God, than many people
seem to imagine, regard it as one of
the most important duties we have to
do-none the less important because it
seems small and insignificant. 1t is
hot htoin o1
refreshment, and our souls
are strenthened and. qualified
the better to engage in the duties of:the
coming week; it is here we buckle on
more firmly the armor of righteousness
and FURNISH and make keen those
weapons which God has given US to
overcome evil with, to fight the battle of
faith, and win the crown over the king
dam of our God. And though the duty
may seem small and insignificant, we
are continually reminded that it is
dangerous to neglect small duties. We
cannot afford to overlook little things,
as little drops of water form the ocean,
little snowhakes, the mighty avalanche;
little grains OF sand, the continents
of the earth. We are required to
take things as they come and to
make the best of all circumstances, and
wisely use all that God has given US, mo
matter how smallit may seem, no mat
ter how great it may be, with an eye
single to the glory Of God, working out
our salvation in fear and trembling be-
fore Him.
Man in his highest estate on this
earth is only a steward; naked he will
go out OF the world, and all that he can
accumulate of temporal things, houses
and lands, orchards and vineyards,
focks and herds, gold and silver and
precious stones, all that he can grasp
of such things in this probation,
he must leave behind when he
departs hence All that he can
take with him is the education that he
came here to acquire the experience
land the intelligence which is the result
of experience), through which he is
ordained to pass for the development
and the expansion of his soul. There
fore it needs but glance to convince
US of the superior Importance of
spiritual over temporal things. We
may take with US an expanded soul;
we may take with US those marks
which have been made upon the i'm
mortal spirit during its pilgrimage
through the waste of time; but outside
of thatwe can take nothing; we cannot
body for the time being, but it
must go back into the earth from
whence it came and wait there until it
shall be sanctiied by the spirit, by the
power Of the resurrection; and being
sanctifed, the temporal by the spirit
ual, it becomes an eternal Inheritance
for the righteous. But while here.
temporal blessings are ours to do with
them as seemeth best in our eyes.
God gives Us intelligence. He gives US
conscience; He gives US light and in
spiration from on high, and with this
light we traverse the darkness of this
existence, and are expected to avoid
the snares and pitfalls which lie on
either side of that path which leadeth
to eternal life. We are given lanp
to guide our feet, and if our lamp go
out, if it fails of oil, or if we do not
keep the hams sufficiently bright
to help US to see and avoid the
snares that are in our way,
we will have no one to blame but our
selves. If We step aside and are taken
in those snares, if our flesh shall be
and temptation, or if we stumble and
fall and depart out of the path which
has been plainly marked out before
US, we will have no one to blame but
ourselves. There is a light that
lighteth every man that cometh into
the world, and by that light will all
men be judged. Yes, and all nations |
for nations are but trustees of power.
"Promotion cometh not from the
east nor from the west, but
God is the judge" He put
teth down one and setteth up
another, according to the judgment of
His righteous will. And history is re-
plete with instances of men and nations
into whose hands God has given power
for a season. He has given them
wealth, learning, intelligence and
civilization, and made them stewards
OF these things for a time. If they
wisely used these blessings, then blessed
were they; but if they abused them,
retribution has followed. If you glance
over the pages of history, you will see
that this is true. No nation ever abused
its powers ard advantages without
retribution ensuing.
There is parable among those given
by the Savior which illustrates this
truth. The Son of God told His deciples
the kingdom was Hkened unto a certain |
lord who called unto him his servants
and gave into their hands his goods:
unto one he gave Eve talents; unto
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