Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-11-25


~ Iife for the union which the
! Holy spirit has produced among
the Latter-day saints anu al
the oneness which pFeNalIs
amongst them. have re-
ioiced in this because OF the pros
rect there Is before rs. ! see
/ union here on earth tlrough lls
Irvine influence Of that Spirit; l
| see men and women living together
I'm love when under its influence;
and if this lie the case in mOrtahty,
! tenpted rs we are by Satan, sur
rounded as we are 10y temptations
an n-,ed with human weaknesses,
/ how much greater viii he our JOY
when we are emancipated from the
| thraldom of sin, when the conse-
ouences Of the fall will all have dis
appeared, and we shall merge into
1 the full glory Of our Father ana
dwell with Him rs do the angels.
Iwish to repeat that there never
can he a Church of God on earth
without a revelation from Him. IL
is an utter impOssibility. Men may
deride revelation; they may say the
heavens are closed, no longer TO DC
onened; but in this they teach 4
doctrine that Is not OF Cod; II Is
from beneath. II ever there was
need for revelation. for miracles and
gifts, for Gods voice 10 the heard,
and for ministering angels 10 de-
sccnd to the earth, IL is today, when
universal disunion, division, striie,
and contention prevail, and men
are arraying themselves against
their fellows.
! is for us TO contend for the
faith once delivered 10 the Saints
! Unbelief exists eVeTyw hcro-ln Inc
newspaper, in the magazine, III lle
school book; in nearly all the worhs
that We read today unbeliei per
mcates almostfrOn. beginning to end.
we breathe it ~ the very atmos-
nhere. in our associations with our
fellow men: we feel it Is palpably rs
did the Egyptians the darkness
which was brought upon them. We
have these things 10 contend with,
and the result is that cur faith be-
! comes weak; il is difficult Tor US 10
| obtain the knowledge that we ought
/ 10 have. Nevertheless, il Is our
bounden duty TO contend for that
faith, 10 plead with God 10 restore II
to the earth, TO make Ills
mind and will clear to us,
and to increase the gliIs
of His Spirit among US. Is this our
privilege? 1t Is: and there IS no
! reason why we should not receive
/ and enjoy every gilt received by
I the most favored Of the sons OF men
both in carly and modern days.
| God has made a promise unto u,
and instead Of being ashamed oil our
union. Of that which He as zone Tor
US, our hearts should ascend IN
constant thanksgiving 70 Him for
/ the blessings which He has poured
ont upon US. Ii Is this union which
makes life sweet, which makes
association delightful, and gives u
a forf.taste OF that heavenly bliss
which n salts US If we remain faith
/ full unto God. Instead OF icing
ashamed ufrevelation and prophecy,
and those gifts which in former
days were esteemed beyond price,
and for which men and women were
willing TO lay down their lives, we
/ should be thankful to our tod thaI
we are living in an age when II Is
possible 10 receive them through
! Obedience to His Gospel, through
the restoration Of the Holy Priest
hood. / have many times heard
men saw that they have known tie
day, before they heard this Gospel
preached, when they would have
travelled over sea and land anu
crossed continents in any way IN
order to see 4 man who had the au-
thority of the Priesthood TO adminis-
ter the ordinances Of life and saliva
ton as the ancients diG-a man who
could make promises unto his fell
lows that if they would obey certain
ordinances which God had revealed
thew should receive the gift Of the
HOLY Ghost and those gifts which
accompany it, as in the ancient
days.
Men sometimes talk about the
rover which the leaders Of this
Church possess. Why, there never
was more democratic organization
than the Church Of Christ. IL was
so in ancient days; bond and free
received the gift Of the Holy Ghost
without distinction Of sex, POSITION
or class. and so II Is today with
every man or woman who obeys the
Gospel Of Jesus Christ. II would
Ice impossible for the leader OF
. this Church, whoever he might be,
TO lead the people astrly. The peo-
ple themselves know too well what
Is right; they are the judges, and
they sit in judgment upon every
man, whether he be President,
Apostle, or Whatever his standing
NAV be. God has chosen one man
TO preside over His Church in order
, 10 prevent the possibility Of confu-
sion, disuniOn, OF anything else
calculated 10 divide the people. In
, His infinite mercy be has placed
but one man at time at the head
to receive His revelation for the
: Church, and that man holds the
T keys.
/ Ibeseech you in the name OF
E Jesus to value your religion. Exer.
1 else yourselves in il, and to do thi;
= I y
D OF Godi and pray increasingly,
r When You canbOt bow your knee in
r secret, or in your family, pray e
I God in your hearts. Men say W,
] are sinful and wicked, but they said
: the same about our Lord and Mas.
{ ter. II they called the Master
! 'Beelzebub, +" how much more shall
e they deride those Of His household!
IL was considered a merit to cruelty
, the Son Of God and to kill His pro
: phets and Apostles. Shall we won
E der, then, that the same spirit exist
= now? Do you believe the devil la,
D died or been destroyed during the las
4 1900 years, or that he has lost hi
power or hatred? There have beer
1 two antagonistic forces at work from
a the very beginning Of the world
I The evil one is constantly seeking
I to destroy the work Of God; SataT
r is striving today just as he did an
e GENTLY to blackeB the people o
I God, TO give them n bad name
1 TO make them so odious in the eye
( Of men as to lead them to believ,
: they are doing God good service il
/, stay ing them.
: Men believe this today wheI
D hurting thunderbolts against the
s Latter-day Saints. There are many
( who think that If all the artillery o
: the earth could be brought {,
4 bear upon this Tabernacle and al
: the Latter-day Saints could be de
stroyed, such would be a meritOri
Gus and God-blessed act. Why,
Because they consider us so wicked
, as to be unworthy to exist on tn,
I face OF the earth.
Now, my brethren and sisters. le
US so continue to live that Coo
! will be our Friend. He has said N,
need not fear, that He will deliveI
us, as he has done before, and Hi
( promises can never fail. Heaver
and earth may pass away, but the
promises Of God win endure forever
God help US one and all 10 b,
/, faithful is my prayer In the name o
! Jesus. Amen.