The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-05-08
"Victory," and the benediction, =
nounced by Elder John Sears, brought
the services to close.
IN THE TWENTIETH WARD.
Elder Charles W. Stayner on
Revelation.

The closing lecture of the Twentieth
Ward series, under the auspices of the
Mutual Improvement Association, was
delivered on Sunday evening, May 9Th,
in the ward Westinghouse. Elder G.
W. Stayner was the lecturer: his sub
ject: Revelation, and what it has done
for the World" The house was full
and the interest unflsgging.
The speaker began by saying that
while not wishing to transcend the usual
limits of a meeting, he would rather
not be hampered, or be reminded, by
the swapping of watches or the striking
of clocks, too much of time, while deal
ing with a subject vast as eternity
He asked for the pray ers and attention
of his hear ers.
What is revelation? was the question
that first suggested itself. 1t was com
munication from God to man, the
Father speaking to His offspring for
their salvation spiritually ana temper
ally. Though silent, it was more
powerful than the thunder or the earth
quake.
How is it impaired? In various ways.
God had not come down in person and
spoke from the pulpits and platforms
of the world, nor stood upon the street
corners delivering His messages to
man. But He had chosen men OF like
passions 10 ourselves, through whom
to make known His will, and used diff
ferent methods in communica ting to
His prophets, seers and revelators
Som times He had spoken by His own
voics, sometimes sent angels to deliver
His word, and at other times made It
known by the impressions of the Holy
Spirit; sowing the spiritual seed in the
urrow of the mind, and planting the
principle of inspired thought in the
garden of the intellect. Tnis was
ne case, to great extent with Isaiah.
To Daniel He spoke III DIRE ans, visions
ton of angels. 70 Adam tina Lord
spake by His own voice i'll the garcel
of Eden, aud appeared to him IN per-
son, warning him, before hand, of 'ho
con qnences of disobeulence Au
event, the speaker said. did not come to
pass simply because prophet pred;c' ell
it, but it was the foreknowledge of the
prophet that enabled him to see what
was destined to come, AMI prepare men
for its approach. Thus with the flood
in the DAYS of Noah, the earth's watery
baptism, doubtless, decreed in the
heavens before earth was formed, but
foretold by Noah that a remnant, at
least, might be saved (all who would
believe), for the REIMBURSEMENT and re-
populsLing tf the earth. Noah wss
thus typical OF Adam. 1t was rsvela-
ton that sent Abraham from
Mesopotamia into Egypt, where ne
taught principles of knowledge revealed
to him from heaven, that made Egypt
famous in after ages as the cradle of
learning and the wonder of the world.
The arts that built the Pyramids were
lost, bat much of true science, mixed
with false tradition, remained. JOSEPH
in Egypt. by the spirit OF reVelation, had
dreams. and interpreted dreams of
destinies.
What has been the object of
reVelation2 Te teach men the road
to eternal life. and save them from the
effects of sin, that they may reach
Gods presence, and dwell in His glory.
What is the record of the -
suit of disobedience to revel =
tlon2 Sorrow and disaster, ex-
capt repentance preceded the judy
ment. Nineveh repented 1t the pl g. CHI
ing of Jonah, in time to save itself FROM
the calamity he had foresold, and a
similar course would save any nation
or people. Christ was the typical
prophet. Every sentence He ut
tered, nearly, was rep.ete with reveal
ton. Those who obeyed Him, received
the Holy Ghost, ano knew like Job
that their Redeemer lived, and though
persecuted for His sake, they could bear
all things with patience and fortitude, |
and go to their deaths singing songs OF |
Joy; knowing that their trials were but |
stepping to glory. The death |
OF the wicked was without such hopes |
and assurances. The speaker referred |
to the destruction of Jerusalem by |
Titus, in fultilment of the SavIor's |
prediction. and to the miraculous prs-
servation of the Saints in that city
who remembered the words of |
the Lord: when you see Jerusa-
benz surrounded by armies, fee to the |
A simple warning, vet |
fraught with life or death. for those |
who believed escaped-while for some |
unknown reason the Roman armies |
temporarily withdrew little distance
from the city-and those who dis
believed were starved, massacIed or |
led into captivity. The speaker then
referred to the brother of Jared and |
Lehi, who were led by revelation from
the eastern hemisphere to become the
patriarchs of mighty peoples upon this
western contiL emit.
How has the spirit of reve-
lation operated to produce the con-
dition of things founa in the world to-
day? Here Elder Stayner referred 10
the discovery of America by Columbus,
who was inspired to cross the great
waters for that purpose. Unlike Joseph
Smith, Columbus was not led to DIE
cover the golden plates in the hill
Cumorah. nor to translate them.
though they were there when he came.
although be knew it not. An agent of
the Almighty could only fulfil the mis-
sion appointed to him, the spirit quail
tying every man according to his no.
sition and sphere. It was left for
Joseph to open the last dispensation,
and bring to light those buried records.
The fulness ct the gospel. as recorded
on the plat found in the hull Cumo-
l. i |