Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-07

had never heard Of that peculiar Gus.
tom before would at once convince
everybody that he eought 10 perpeipte
n fraud upon you. II would be im-
possible 10 present such book to the
people OF the United States a- an
authentic record and one by which
everybody would finally he judged.
But II would have been Just rs inp0ssi-
BILE 10 present the i've books Of Moses
TO the Jewish people, had not the facts
therein set forth really been established
Ne facts. Can We not see the wisdom
Of God In lnstltuting such memurlals2
They serve ma links between the truths
revealed In ancient agesand our times.
In those ancient revelations we lind
frequent references 10 doctrines re-
vonlcd In later ages. In Gods teach.
ings 10 Adam there l. reference made
TO the atonement Of Chris, not without
ambiguity, perhaps, yet plain enough
10 be well understood when the event,
referred TO had tfauAplred. The prom
iae given 10 our flrst parents that the
seed Of the woman" should bruise the
head Of the serpent IA one Of these.
This Il evidently an allegory referring
10 the redemption or atonement
brought by Christ. Theoxprcssion the
'seed Of the woman" Ia plain when
the parentage Of Christ IL considered.
And that He should "bruise the head
OF the serpent" pfoHgures clearly His
suitrings, death, resurrection anu
final victory.
Looking farther down In the history
Of man, We Ind the promise Of God 10
Abraham, after he had shown his vii.
ingness 10 lay down even his only son
on the altar, that In him and his seed
all generations should be blessed. This
promise IL reaillrmed TO Isaac anu then
again TO Jacob, and It IL pointed out
that II should come through Judah and
the royal family Of David.
To say nothing OF the remarkable
predictions, later given by Isaiah, we
may refer to the prophecies OF Daniel,
who actually states the precise period
Of time--i00 yoars-afier the elapse OF
which Messiah should come, the daily
sacrifice be abolished aud the work u
atonemeDt accomplished.
Aud this knowledge was by no
means confined 10 the Jews alone. Ac.
cording TO Matthew, Mt the time OF the
birth Of Christ, wise men came to
jerusalem from the East, probably
from Chaldpa, having entered on their
long Journey In consequence Of some
astronomical knowledge Of which they
were Ia possession. They were looking
for the newborn king, and had evi.
IDENTITY the idea that lie was more than
a human king, for they worshiped Him
when they found Him, mark Of
respect which Il not shown 10 a mere
human being. suetonlus also, the
lsN N.alN
was tradition at that time,
stating that one should be- born who
was destined " rule the whole world,
including the Roman empire. This
tradition had mnde such an Impression
on the Senate, that decree had been
Issued TO kill the male children born In
that year, "a decree which was never
carried out, however, owing 10 the fact
that several women, tho wives Of the
Senators, hoped that they might posi-.
bly, be- the mother OF that ruler.
Matthew tells Us that HcTud and the
whole Of Jerusalem with him, became
exast Grated at the news brought by the
wise men, and had the writings OF the
Prophets searched 10 nnd out where
Messiah was 10 be- horn. when he had
disc, ycTod that the birthplace was
HN hAA AAAF
children II n certain age destroyed. We
know how he WINS defeated IN his de-
sign. Would Matthew have ventured
such statement II there had been no
truth In ~
sumptive that that rite was Instituted
by Christ. Had 1t been introduced n
huudied years after His time, every
A.. -.
ginning, to bu an innovation.
Such memorials amount therefore
TO q demonstration OF the truth Of
Christianity. OF course, we can shut
our eyes aud pretend that we do not
see u. But 10 those who seek for en-
lightenment with n humble, sincere
spirit, they give ample proof and salts
factory evidence.
Now, lust assurely as Jesus once WI.
oniearth and lived here, suffered, died
ana again rose In glory, lust as surely
has He appeared In this ngo, 10 usher
ia the diHlonsBtiOn Of the filness OF
times and announced His second COM
Ing, when He shall reign over the
nations OF the earth as He reIgns
In heaven. There IN reason In these
thugs. When we heard from the Far
West, as II then was called, "A peasant
boy had held communion with God,
this was marvellous announcement.
II was almost incomprehensihle
that the Father aud the Son should
have appeared In the manner related
by the youthful seer. But what about
the statements OF the Bible Of Code
conversations with Moses? His fev.ia.
ton " samuel? Hia selection OF David
In preference TO all his brethren? What
Of Jesus who chose from among the
poor and the desplsed 10 be His Apos-
Tics and held II out as proof OF the d.
vlnity OF the Gospel He preached, that
1t was particularly offered to the poor?
When these facts are considered, IL no
should reveal Himself In this age TO
the humble among men. All the
churches had proclaimed their dlsbe.
lief In revelation, and there was not n
man found among them all who could
claim divine authority. The predic-
tons Of the ancient prophets had benn
remarkably fulfilled. Tho Church had
been "taken away" was "overcome,"
ami had "fivd 10 the wilderness" but,
according to the same predictions, II
should again be established. How? As
II was established the first tlme-in
humility and lowliness.
The Prophet Joseph tesiifies 10 the
first revelation he received, and then
he states that the appearance OF the
Prophet Moroni came IN direct fulfil.
ment of the previous revelations.
These statements characterize the
ynuug Seer either ag "A trtlc pfOphet mr.