Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-03-07

| HtlF lu9Llntlt anu W NuttI tphN'i'is
ufright II "a not necessary for peopl
10 surrender their agency OF their JUG
ment In order to he united.
The spirit Of uod IL the cause OF un
ION. Let one man have the Spirit Q
uod In America and another have
nj The Antipoic-, and " they wer'
brought together they would sec alikI
on tho same principles. They would
not differ, hut they would bc one
This j. tho charactcristicS that attend
the Preaching Of the Gospel by thu
l.astcr-dsy Saints. IL Il this TINT make
the work marvellous work and won
der, Just "a the prophet said II wotil,
be. it " n marvellous work. IL Ia con
tfnry 10 all human experience ontsld,
Of this Church, TO see people dwelling
together NJ the Latter-,lay Saints have
done and do In these valleys. II u
phenomenal In IL character, bccnus,
nowhere else can you see an cxhibi.
billion OF u. Men say all manner ol
things concerning II because Of IL
strangencss. u being 10 different from
anything else that IL known. Men
attempt TO philosophers upon Il. They
try to explain the reason for u, aud
have recoufs. IA all manner Of views,
a. erroneous ~ they possibly can be,
concerning the CAUSES that produce
these results that we eco throughout
these valleys, Ignoring entirely the
true cause aud denying the
possibility that God Is In
this movement. and that His Spirit
produces these results. Yet this Il the
only clear AMI sufficient reason. II "a
tho only one by which all this eau be
accounted for. Human power could not
have done what has been done among
the Latter-dny saints. IL was beyond
the power of human wisdom: II was
beyond the limit u human power. IL
required n divine power TO work out
these grand results For contemplate
NJ the i.attor.day Saints may bc In
the oycs OF some, dcspiscd ~ they may
be. this power TINT has brought this
congregation together aud that has
gathered these people from the reniotest
parts Of the earth IL n grand power; Il
u "a power that l. beyond that OF man.
Man In no instance, In aud Of himself,
has ever been nblo 10 accomplish any,
thing comparable with II. And 10 sny
that thorc Ia no God Ia this, II would
require morn faith on my part 10 be-
lievc that than Il does 10 believe that
God u In this movement. ! can nc-
count for II when 20 10 God. eau
account for nil the results | witness
when | 70 10 Him, because lie eau nc
compllsh these. Aud II II not godlike
10 unite peoples hearts, 10 mako them
one, 10 create love within them that
they never had before, 10 draw them
together by bands stronger than Heath,
aud TO unite them with indissolublc
ties? II certainly Il; aud there Il
nothing short OF the power Of God that
could accomplish this.
AsI have said, We are the frecst
people upon the face Of the earth. We
have heard this afternoon concerning
the officers OF this church having
authority, and how the people should
listen 10 them. This IA all very well
In It's place. But does any man who
occupies this stand the stand OF the
First Presidency have the right 10
teach tho people doctrines and they be
required 10 receive them, independent
OF their own investigation aud exam
inntiong Certainly not. The great
characteristic Of this Gospel l. that
every human being who embraces II
has The right TO know for himself con-
corning It's divinity. II isdistlnguished
In this respect from all the systems Of
men. The constant appeal that Il
given TO the members OF this Church
l., "You enquire for yourselves. You
20 10 the Lord, the Fountain Of all
knowledge, and learn for yourselves
concerning the truth OF these things.v
This N the constant exhortntiOn and
teaching Of the Elders when they 10
out on missions 10 preach the Gospel
10 tho people. would not bapilzc
man, never did baptize one, without
pleading with him, with all tho energy
Of my soul, 10 ask God for himself
that lie might have testimony from
God that that which he was about b.
cspouse was the Gospel Of tho Lord
Jesus Christ. individuals who would
Join tho church upon somebody else's
penuasions are ONO value, for when the
day OF trial aud perplexlty should come,
their faith would melt away and they
wsuld leave the body Of Tho church.
Wise Elders dealrc no such converts M
these. Even among tine heathens
whore they have gone, they have
taught them that there was q Great
Being--our Father In heavcn--to
whom they could appeal, and from
whom they could receive communich
ton for themselves and testimony
regarding the principles that were
taught 10 thom. This Il tho secret Of
the tcnacity With which the Latter
day Saints cling 10 their hlth. In the
midst Of imprisonment, In the midst
OF mobblngs, when life has been ap-
parently at stake, aud when II has
seemed M though 10 save life II would
be necessary TO deny the principles
that they believed in..in that dread hour
they have stood firm and have faced
tho consequences without blenching,
because they knew for themselves that
this was OF God. They had obtained a
testimony from Him In answer 10
their prayers. They had obeyed the
form Of doctrine that He had revealed,
and the blessings that had been prom
lsed had followed their obedience.
Therefore, no trial or aflliotlon has
boon able 10 move the Latter-day
Saints or 10 disturb them In their
faith.
This In no dclusion. This Is not
hooiwinking mon and leading them
blindly. This IL not taking away mans
agency. This il not q system Of fraud
or imposture. This " not bllDding
mems Judgment, and doluding them
by giving them sophistry and false.
hood and appealing 10 their lower pas
sions. Mormonism, as II Il called,
IL nothing Of this kind. IL never
was; X never will he. But II 1, Just
what have attempted NJ fcebly 10 de-
scribe 10 you-a system Of salvation, IN
which men and women arc taught to
find out for themselves that II origin.
aied with the Father, and that II Is the
plan Of salvation revealed for their re-