Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-01-18

" the congregation consisted OF on
IN large black man-which was IN
Of inrge part Of The congregational air
" The n-pectatir ratt tsns Tie Eide
!. himself. They have Travelled ant
n are travelling and laboring an
'e gently to carry the Gospel 10 IN
1t people; but doors are closed sgsins
e them, and peoples hearts are mar
q dened. Formerly II Mas no. an u .ll
s heard-of thing 70 baptze seofes am
d hundreds where now not one j
y baptised. Its a common thing 10
e Eldeis returning FROM The state
e and from Great Britain, where til'
1 Gospel has been lOnr preached, u
e report having baptized not mon
e than halfa dozen adult persons;anc
{ IL they baptize twenty 1t Is Regarded
!, as great work. In the same length
a of time in former years hundreds
were baptized. GROUPS OF people IL
1 one locality have been known 70 re-
: eeive the Gospel, and the Eider'
would baptiSe on the right ami on
; the left, until they would number
= hundreds, and they would be gath
, ered out. ] can recall many such
localities in the United states, and
no doubt you can. When the Cos,
pei WIS heralded there, there seemed
TO be whole neighborhoods al people
all ready TO receive it; and after they
Withdrew themselves and gathered
out to cast their lot with the people
Of Goa, IL seeined there was no room
in the minds Of those who remained
to receive any more Of the testi-
monies of the Servants OF God, as
though they had gathered out every
thing that could be gathered, and
that there was no disposition on the
part ofthose who remained to pay any
negard whatever 10 the testimonies
OF theserpauts of God. This is true
70 great extent also as to Great
Britain. The Elders write of the
haTd-heartedness OF the people and
Of the indifference about testimonies
kOrne 70 them; their disinclination
to Investigate or in any manner
show a willingness TO receive the
word OF God-not only Indifference
about receiving II, but Indifference
I concerning it, Investigation, their
hearts seemingly becoming impene-
j trahle.
This condition Of affairs the Lord
said would take place; He told US
this would he the case, years and
years ago, and We have been look
/ ing for this, and We have been de-
elaring that the time would come
when the Spirit Of the Lord would
Withdraw itself from the nations of
the earth. 1t will therefore become
the duty of the Elders to go forth
and bear solemn testimony concern
ing the Judgments Of God about to
be poured out upon the wicked.
There were two duties imposed
upon us in early days; one was to
seek IN gather out the honest, TO do
al in four power TO gather out the
people who loved and received the
Gospel. and 10 be diligent In our
labOrs doing all in our power to find
them. We were sent out as fishers,
We were sentO out rs hunters, We were
sent everywhere carrying this Cos
pei, seeking out the Israel Of God
scattered among the Gentiles. This
was one duty Then there was an
osher duty, to warn the people, to
warn ell men in the most solemn
manner that the hour of Gods
judgment was near nj hand, 10 de-
clare TO the inhabitants of the earth
that the approach Of our Lord was
near, that the Lord Jesus Christ
was about TO descend from heaven,
and that vengeance and anger
and judgment were about to be
poured out upon the nations of the
earth.
Inis was the message given unto
us, and every Elder who went forth
filed with the spirit Of his mission
was filled with an intense desire to
leave no stone unturned to reach
the people they were sent among,
and to warn every man, woman (
and child concerning the message
that God had given.
The Elders Of this Church have
now travelled for sixty years In |
this manner; they have labOred |
with all the energy Of their souls,
doing all in their power to per-
suade.men and TO warn them con-
corning these affairs. The result is,
n great many people are left with
out excuse. The Elders of this
Church can stand before the judg-
ment seat of the Lord Jesus Christ |
with their garments unspotted with
the blood OF this generation. They /
have been instant in season anu cut
OF season. They have labOred with
sNaas-Ffpfr rrrcaf .fsIgsra,,u., I,f,,r. III
in their power TO inform mankind
Of the events about to take place.
And they will stand as the judges
Of this generation; they will stand
as swift witnesses against the peo.
pies who have rejected them, treated
them with indifference and ridicule,
aud prosecuted and driven them out
OF their midst, leaving the inhahit-
ants Of the earth without excuse.
And not only have the Elders done
this, but the Church as q whole
stands to lay like city SIT on hill.
We have been observed by all
people, and our labOrs are before
the world. Notwithstanding the
falsehoods concerning us there has
gone forth a testimony from this
people that it is hard for the word
to diYrove-a testimony against
vice; ! testimony Of great deeds;
a testimony Of Cody lives;
a. testimony Of a people liv-
ing hTes Of unexampled purity in
the mtlst Of n wicked and perverse
generation; testimony of a people
willing to endure all things for the
Gospel sake. These testimonies have
been borne by this people in addi-
ton o. The other testimonies con-
corning which l have spoken. The
testimeny Of imprisonment: the teS-
timony OF mobbings; the testimony
OF the turning of houses and the
destination OF property; the testi-
mony u expulsion from the bounds
OF civilization; the testim ny Of the
laying the foundation of a great {
commonwealth in the midst Of a s
desert; the testimony Of patience and '
iortituse and endurance. These tes- I
stand out before the world
rs living monumentso Of thefaith ami q
sincerity Of this people, and they S
ignored orexplained away: '
neithe can they plead ignorance
concerning the work Of God or that {
It was hidden from view. i
Now in what direction shall the 7
Elders go from this time forward? :
II the fentiles reject this testimony a
we ntst do as our fellow-apostI.s .
lid nsncient days-turn from the D
ientile and go to the Jews. carry s.
Ing thsGospel Of the Son OF God % 81
he house OF Israel and fulfilling the Q
concerning them as con- a
aimed in this book-th Book Of
Siormn. will read another ex- P
.ract, sbich will be found in the e
10Th cinpter Of Ill Nephi: n
.Andlfter that We were blessed. then n
nihllen the Father the covenant y,
Which 10 made with Abraham, saw =,
ng, In by seed shall althe kindreds =,
y tho erih be blessed. unto the pour l
ng outpf the Holy Ghost through me q
lpon u Geniiles, which blessing M 70
m the Genfiles shall make fban, W