Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-08-27
GENERAL AND SPECIAL
INSPIRATION.


communication from Mr.. Char Les FL
liz, on the subject OF frecthlnk ers, In
fidels and agnostics. However, II con.
tains nothing that we care 10 comment
upon, except this sentence;
ar were to say that In my opinion a
person outside OF your Church may
hold communion with what consider to
be God and receive rev elations' from
that source, you would probably differ
Hnd on that point we would agree to DIFF
fer until we obtained more light"
We 10 not know on what basis the
gentleman builds his notion that We
dispute the possibility Of "rcvela'
tions" from Goi TO persons out
side Of the Church. II, Get.
taInly has not found II In any
Of our utterances. nor In the author
lied doctrines aud standa rds OF tho
Church Of Jesus Christ Of i.atier-day
Saints. But his Ia a common error
II IL frequently represented In print
that the "Aiofnon" Priesthood claim
the sole prcrogativo Of communion
with Deity, and that no one but they
arc privileged to receive divine foyela-
lions.
The truth IL, "AIormonlsm" teaches
that communion with God Il the naIu.
rai privilege OF all humanity, aud that
''the natural man Is at onmity with
Col" simply because natural laws
have been violated and mankind have
by that means come Into an unnatural
state. II teaches that the spirit Of life
IL the spirit Of revelation. That u Ia
the 'tfue light that llghloth every
man that comcth into the
world.D That tho "splrlt In
mani receives intelligence from that
spirit. That sagca, philosophers,
statesmen, poets, artists, 'Inventofs"
aud all who conceive aud bring forth
thoughts, plans or appliances which
are for the benefit Of man, receive
their good inspirations from the same
source, tho Fountain Of Light, Truth
and Love.
80 that. believing in what Ia COM
monty called "Momonlsm," we do
not differ with Mr.. Ellis or with any
man who believes In uod, In the Idea
that men outsidc the Church m well
s- inside the Church "may hold COM
munion" with Deity and "receive re-
Violations from that source"
That insxhauslible source Is open 70
all. Evidences Of the manifestation,
OF divine light and power are seen Ia
all tho world, among every
race. All ths creeds OF mer
contain some truths that hav,
emanatod from that ono Source
Men who have rcpudistcd oreeds, bui
who have exercised their natural yei
God-giyen powers Of mind and spirit,
have also drunk OF tho stream thai
flows ever from the Eternal Spring, B,
their own Joy and tho pleasure o.
others who have heard or read theli
inspirSd illusions.
Inspiration IA around us, and IN,
spiritual light divine u ns free ~ III,
light Of the sun. But rs some people
avoid or exclude the latter, 10 othen
refuse or ignore the former. And Their
are differences Of both receptive mn,
diiihsive power la spiritual thing. Al
tho cultivation OF the physioa
man renders him capable II
tho direction specially sought
% II Is with the splritua
faculties. To excel In the aoqulsi
ton OF spiritual influence and inform
alton special cfiorta have to be made
and peculiar spiritual adaptability ex
lists In some individuals, rs natura
Adaptability for particular lines O
thought or physical work Is found II
others.
Men are not to be condemned sim
ply for their lack Of faith or Of otho
spiritual qualities, unless that lack
ocoasioned by their own acts, In reiu'
ing To exercise tho powers with while
they are endowed but rs n man lose
by Incidence In natural things, 10 h
does In spiritual things, aud the loss
proporhonate To tho Importance OF th
hcuities unused and the opportnnitit
neglected