Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-11-10
SUNDAY SERVICES

Wardofiiciased in the administration
Of the 6acraments ilss ] boil
BISHOP onsos y. wnirsEr
was called uponsto address the con-
gregation. 1t isa common custom
among the Saints, he said, 70 call
upon Eidets to speak a. the Spirit
designates, without consulting With
them. But feeling of weakness
and dependency upon superior
power Is nevertheless usually com
bined with this. Aud j know full
well that no man OF himself can
edifya congregation Of Latter-day
self. - =,
We have come together here from
different places and with vari-
Gus feelings, though Presumably
with a common motive = TO
be fed with the bread Of life, 70 hear
instructions, reproofs, warnings or
admonitiuns, such as the Spirit
knows 10 be necessary. Hence the
importance for the speaker to be as
musical instrument in the hand OF
the Spirit, to play upon rs desirable.
1t does not however, depend entire
ly on the speaker, no, more THAI II
does upon a pane OF glass to give
light or on n musical Instrument TO
furnish music. He must keep his
.x-art clear as the. glass, must, be-
In order to admit the light, or he
must be in tune, as an ,instrunlent
must be. to give music, yet II does
not depend on him alone. There j.
great power within a congregation
to draw forth what Is most nee,ied.
They must, therefore, come with
sni-it en- rapport with the. Holy
Spirit. Then We canepjsy His In
struetion.. -; IS rms
God has, in every age, given unto
man his free agency He, has
placed him here on EARN on
probation 10 act for himself
aud 10 take the corsequspceso OF his
acts. He may be good or evil; he
may make a wise use OF his time,
his talents and opportunities, or he
may squander thenI- He IS ieft at |
liberty 10 act for hfmselfs and 10 re-
ceive blessings when sought for,
desired and deserved. When Jesus |
was among men He preached the
Gospel and worked various kinds OF
miracles to the great astonishment
Of His generation. Yet 10 q certain
place he could not perform many
miraclts on account of the nnbelief
OF the people. Why cot:fd be not
do IL? For this reason, afready /
stated, that God VIII not mpel
men to exercise faith. he will read
them and exhort them, but de
never compels anybody TO be right
eous. The free agency OF man n an
eternal principle, and Ne are required
as Gods children TO seek earnestly
after the salvation He will give us.
There Is; as II were, a. great gulf
yawning between Him and Gus.
His love will partly span this gulph,
but our good works must span the
other part OF 1t. = 1iGi- y Eeis
This doctrine Is not very popular
among the Christian world. The
idea has obtained, that belief alone
is sufficient: that even a criminal
can on the scafiold, II he has. the
name of Jesus on his lips, go straight
to Jesus. We do not believe such
doctrines. We hold that none will
De punished for another mans sins,
nor rewarded for aeotheI's virtues,
but that every one must he judged
according 10 his own deeds. In this
there is nothing unreasonable. .saq !
, We are often accused Of being
narrow and exclusive in our views
human salvation. But
only those think so, who have
failed to study. our rdOctrints
aud have accepted falsehood
for truth. / can say without pnrju-
dice that / have never hearI Of more
and comprehensive
doctrines than those contained in
what Is called "MOrmonism;" but
on account Of misrepresentation
men have believed the contrary.
We believe that God Is the Father OF
the race, and that literally. be Is
the Father Of the spirit, the intein-
gent. thinking part Of man, without
which our body would be a cold anu
lifeless lump OF clay This was male
in the image OF 9od and placed here
that it might develop and become
like God. And this We hold 70 he
true, not only concerning ourselves,
but Of all men, wherever they may
exist beneath the canopy OF heaven
We believe that His heart IS great
and kind enough 10 beai
with love to all His children III
some are black AMI come, are while,
or red, or yellow; II some are, rich
and others poor, and 50 on, we hold
that there are good reasons for these
differences, but God certainly loves
them all, and VIII MI The cup OF
their desires, and give them all the
they can appreciate.
We believe that God sent His
Son to iie for men. but not to put a
premium upon their idleness, but 10
open the way 10 all men that they
may come and partake Of the waters
Of life freely. OF course, II they do
not come, but, like those bitten by
the serpents In the wilderness re-
fuse to look TO Him and be saved,
they cannot blame anyone but
for their condemnation.
Those, however, who have never
heard the Gospel. =e.nnot on that
account be cast away for they can
mt he judged according % q law
they have never heard. Yet this,
Is the belief Of many Christians
yea, they even hold that little chill
a = Il