Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-05-18

Rfccs OF IcftectlOn Wtfc httathou' ~
was, TO his view, much more reason.
able 10 conclude that what we beheiu OF
mankind was the result offcrmor prog
ress. former development, former tx.
pericnces and former achievements
than that II was all accomplished he.
tween the cradle and theerave. Nei,her
was II TO be presumed uhnt such
triumph OF the Cfeators' wofitwas uer-
tined 10 be annihilated at the END OF
this brief span Of life. He held that
the faith Of the Saints on this subject,
and In what was contained within the
sacred record, was not only IN unison
with revelation but with reason and
true philosophy, with the lave and
operations " nature NJ we believed
them everywhcfe.
How shall we follow the Savior In
this life, that we may be among the
redeemed who will dwell with Him IN
eternity? Belief In Him leading 10
salvation was not mere action OF inc
mind from religious stanJpoint. IL
meant living faith; for belief without
action was powerlce-. III my Of US
had lmbibcd the idea that we could be
saved by means OF dead faith, We
should disabusc our minds Of that fhlla.
cy and en1cavor TO obtain the spirit
and power Of a moving faith. Christ
rcpudiatcd that Idea Ia His minis.
try, when lie said, din vain call
ye Me Lord, Lord, and do not the
things which | have commanded
YOU"
All mon were called upon 70 repent
Of their sins. This was essential. for
the Spirit Of God could not dwell In
unclcan tabcrnsclcs, and they wcro
uncicAn when those who possessed
them broke the laws u God and nature.
There must be n rcctiEcation Of con-
duct and laying aside OF erroneous
views which kept tho minds OF men In
chains Of darkness, No that there might
be u preparation made for that which
followed. II was not only made plain
that the object Of baptism was for
the remission OF sins, but that
II was part OF tho law OF
Righteousness, and II became even tho
Son Of God 10 deliver II, No That the
chain Of obedience unto the require.
mcnts Of God might bccompletc In
ever link. who TINT was protesting
believer would say that II was not
necessary 10 10 baptized for the re-.
mission VI sins? He who did ~ raised
objection not only 10 the instructions
but 10 tho act Of the son Of God, and
the teachings Of His authorized and
commissioned servants. He could not
see how any believer In Christ, m OK.
hibitcd In the Bible, could take n posi-
ton against the necessity OF the burial
In the water and the resurrection from
|, free from sin, a. type Of Christ's
work tor humanity. There were people
who immersed believers la water
and initiated them Into their churches
In this way, claiming that II was all
right. but In the cases 10 which he
now referred there was most cs-en-
tlal element absent-that OF authority
TO administer. Who could claim u be
mn agent Of his own accord for any
earthly organization, either national
or pertaining TO community? Men
would bc reasonable, logical and philo.
sophical In their plain everyday af-
fairs, but thc moment their religious
ideas were touched their intelligence
seemed TO tskea flight into the realms
Of mystery and absurdity. An agent
or servant Of God must be en.
powered and authorized by Him
whom he claimed TO represent, or his
acts were repudiated.
Some people urged that the canon OF
scripture was full, that revelation was
given In the early days Of tho Church
for Its establishment, not 10 be per-
petuated; that revelation Ia not needed
now that the Churches have grown In
enlightenment; that they can therefore
dispense with instructions direct from
the source OF all light. But II there
was no direct revelation given from
God there could be no calling Of serv-
ants Of God direct; for they were called
by revelation. II the means Of calling
were not here, md not even
recognized, then the calling was
absent also.
A distinguishing feature which
caused No much difference between the
Church Of Jesus Christ OF Latter-day
Saints aud other churches was that
the former believed In continuous rev.
citation from the Most High, and that
II was necessary for the life OF the
Church and for the existenco.of divine
authorization. The result was that
when people were baptized for the re-.
mission OF their sins by one holding
this authority those sins were RENTED:
they were prepared TO walk In the natl,
OF regeneration, having been born
again, of water and OF tho Spirit, the
Holy Ghost having been Obtained by
tho laying on Of the hands Of the
authorized servants OF God,
Did anyone wish TO dIscoyer
whether or not this be- tho Church
founded on the rock Of revelation.
how easy would DO the test; for the
Gospel was q system In which were
Incorporated the most glorious pronis.
~, one OF these being that tho fepent.
ant believer should not be- left In the
dark-thnt tho promises 10 him were
the same ~ TO the ancients. IL was 10
us as 10 tho people In the days OF
Peter, when that valiant Apostle Of
the Lord, In reply TO heterogeneous on
the same subject said ON tho day OF
Pcntccost TO those who believed his
words, "Repent and be baptized,
every one OF you, for the remission OF
slns, and ye shall receive the Holy
Ghost for the promise 10 unto you and
unto your children"
The Latter.day Saints were In much
the same position m was tho ApostIe
Paul on this subject when hp WINS
mobbed aud stoned, and men rent their
garments In rage because no declared
that he had seen light and heard the
voice OF the Lord his Redeemer. SIn,I.
lar remarkable arguments had bcen
applied 10 tho Saints and Elders ~
this Church. Notwithstanding thos,
mobocntic demonstrations, how.
ever, Paul said he did see
that light aud hear that voice
And NO said the Saints who had ,n,'
brnced the Gospel I'm these lattar ,,.,.