Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-10-26
SINH SERVICES.

pci,,,er OFT 1891, commencing nj
N. M pr..ent Angus NJ. Cannon
presiding.
The choand congregation sang the
hymn copencing'
The snirls God IKEA Gre ia burning
The lav day glory begins to come forth
PrayervAs offered by Counselor
Joseph Taylor.
The OR saugi
uomleareit Lord. descend and dwell
n,ith aud love. In every breast
Tn. rlssthood Of the Fourth Ward
official Ia the administration OF tue
Sacfaent.
LDEn JAMES y. TALnAoE
was ,lled upon 10 address the congre'
gait. 80,
Hsaid he found himself suddenly
andinexpcctedly placed before the
p.de TO discharge one Of the duties
benging to an Elder In the Church
M Kingdom OF God. lie would
nd undertake to comply with the
ralest 10 address the audience
IL. did not feel that the latter-dhy
ants were exercising their faith and
,,yer- In behalf Of those called upon
instruct thcm. lie had long ago
gen up the idea that speaker ought
ibe given an opportunity TO prepare
aaddTtss beforehand. The more
,eaker relied on the inspiration from
od, the more humble no would lie,
Nd the more likely 10 please our
,avenly Father and benefit his bfeth'
N and sisters ~ well rs himself. We
list have faith In God In order TO re-
dive His gifts ami blessings.
The term "isith" IL frequently used
mong us. The word Is almost an
very day word. We have been taught
hat faith II the ilrst principle OF re-.
iealcd religion. II Is the chief corner
tone OF the superstructure Of the Cos
Dol. without II, II N impossible TO
please God. II i-, therefore, well worth
\ lille 10 inquire into the full meaning
n that word. Faith IL older than the
human race, yet many may not have
Its real signlncnncc.
Considering the word itself, II may
DO observed that II signifies almost the
same M the word "beliei." Faith Is
, rpeciea Of belief. But settling philo-
logical considerations aside, for the
lime being, II may be- said, that faith
In God IL Implicit confidence In Him,
\ means whereby We may know Him,
Him ms the Father Of our
.pirlts aud the author Of the whole
without which knowledge
We canuot worship Him acccptably or
intelllgcntly.
Ills true, We canuot fully compre-
bend NIL the powers aud attributes OF
God, for man IL capable Of understand
Ing only those attributes Of which lie
can form his ideas by means Of COM
parison. This IL recognizci-rs n true
principle. For instance,
10 form n correct Idea OF the length Of
ten yards, IN necessary 10 know the
real length OF the unit, one yard,
any onr who has this can easily, by
by comparison, comprehend the longer
measure. In the same way We obtain
knowledge OF abstract things by com
pairing them TO concrete; Of unseen
things by comparing them TO that
which n seen.
Thus We are enabled TO understand,
10 some extent, the attributes OF God,
For He has been pleased to allow us
10 compare some Of them 10 attribute
of which we have already formed an
idea. We have been told 10 call Him
Father. Everybody understands what
that means. II II n name familiar aud
dear 10 nil Of Us. We know Him 10 be
an Individual with all the attribute,
which we have, though In higher per
lection. lie In loving, He Ia Just. Thi'
we can perceive both from His words
and His actions. Aud Ms We obtain
such knowledge, we can exercise
iallh In Him. Those who had erected
an altarto an unknown God, thereby
declated that they could have no faith,
for we eau place no confidence In
being whom we do not know.
Seing that faith IL absolute conf
dence In God, we may ask the ques
ton, How can we lcarL TO exercise
faith? Holy writ ablunds sof In
stances setting forth the results OIL
tnin.l by placing implicit confidence
In God. These can be studitu 10 greal
advantage. II is always good 10 study
the biography Of good mon and 4
initiate their example.
Abraham Il an illustri0us Instance
That man with whom God delightet
10 walk was called 20 leave his nstlv,
land and 40 TO country he knew not
Hut he trusted In God and obeyed tht
call and went, guided by the Lord.
The speaker here uwelt ut length
upon the remarkable history OF tina
great patriarch, showing how he VIII
tried but that he, IN the most sever,
trials, placed implicit confidence II
his God, faith TINT was rewarded
with Mn abundance OF tho choices
blessings.
Referring TO the command OF III,
Lord to Abraham, to sacrifice his only
child--a test which must have toucheI
his hear, strings 10 their utmost ten.
slon--the speaker remarked, that many
have thought It unfair OF God TO com
mand Abraham to do such an act. |
has been held up as an instance Of dos
demanding n servant Of His 20 def
the laws OF the land IN which h'
lived, and lntidels have said, II II I'm
possible TO have confidence In do,
who can command such violation o
law and Of nature. But we must con
skier the circumstances under whlcl
Abraham lived. fne government u
that time was patrlarchal. The heat
Of the family was not merely the owne
Of his property, but OF his household
ton, and lie ami death " the chillrrl
were " n large extend con fde,
into his hands. During the Journey II
tho wilderness, tho LORD sometime
called upon the heads of the families /
exercise this power, In order to extei
inmate blasphemer aud other sinner
from among the people. Such was tn
Law nj that remote time, and the I.0rd'
command was no violation OF any ex
istiny law The first Instance of ia