Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-08-03

by the remarks Of Brother Richards
which are proper to speak upon.
There has been such u ilood-tidc Of
inhdolity sweeping over the earth that
" has seemed as though It would be
impossible 10 arrest u or stem IL on.
ward course. IL has been proclaimed
that God has ctnsed 10 mako known |
His will 10 men. II has been looked !
upon ~ no longer necessary 10 have |
continuous revelations. Tho fact that |
we have tile Bible has been deemed /
sufficient for the guidance u men 10 !
salvation, from this time forward.
But to people who have reasoned !
ON this point II has seemed that " |
there ever was Necessity for fevela-
ton from God, this necessity exists To- |
day. There, certainly, never was a
time when there was such variety OF
opinions and views concerning saliva
ton n there IL tOday-nuver 80 many
sects and parties aud divisions, all
claiming 10 be right, and 10 have the
pure Gospel and know the plan Of sal.
walton. The human family seems
10 be lett 10 grope In darkness like 80
many blind, trying TO lind the path,
with 40 many guides, all declaring that
they know the right path, until con-
fusion relgn1 everywhere. Therefore,
" II ever was necessary 10 have com
inunication with heaven, that necessity
exists now.
We have been compelled 10 reason
on this point by the stacks made ON
| US, and we Had nothing IN the
Scriptures that shows that Il II Coda
| design 10 withhold communication.
| Whenever there has been silence be-
tween heaven and earth, that was In.
variably produced by the wickedncss
/ Of men. There have been Intervals
when there WAS no communication
with heaven, rs, for Instance, alter
/ the death Of Samuel. Saul sought then
| the witch Of Eudor, because there was
| no Trim and Thummim, no man 10
uxpound the will Of God. Rut the
reason for the withdrawal was that the
people aud the King had fallen.
SO when Jesus came. There was no
Inspired man. And when he appeared
preceded by John the Baptist, II was
a new thing 10 the world aud people
refused to lirtrn 10 Him, although'they
said, m our generation Il Inclined 90
say, that ifthoy had been living In tho
days of the prophets they would not
have prosecuted them. Just ~ some
people now think, that n they had
lived Ia the days OF Jesus and His
Apostles they would not have refused
10 believe them. but lei n man today
stand up and make tho statements
which Jesus made, and he will receive
the salne treatment.
There l., a. was said, a fiood.tide Of
inndollty, stronger, perhaps, than Ia
former days. For formerly tOd was
believed In, while the tendency now IL
not 10 believe In God, and certainly
not In personal God. In tiles.
valleys there j. n people plead
iug for the old faith. We
hold that God IL the same ~ lie was,
and that lie will bestow the same
blessings now ~ were formerly
bestowed. This lisa good faith In the
midst Of tho trouble and confusion that
exist. IL u Il true that God has
restored the ancient powers and gifts,
It would indeed be good thing. And
even II II were not n really II would
be- COED 10 contend for tue faith Oi
ancient times. IL could certainly harm
nobody 10 say that God hears prayers,
that He Il not deaf, but that lie will
answer the applications Of the most
humble Of Hir children. In these day
Of drvary darkness and Jrcary ignOr
nnrc concerning God, Il l. good b. be-
able TO say that He Has not desertet
the human family.
Our cndcavOr IL TO stem To,
great wave Of unbellef. IL II
n wave. As we In the summer have .
wave Of heat and In the winter way,
Of freezing cold, 20 In the Hpiritua
world there are different waves, An,
now wave OF intdrllty IL sweeping
over the world. II IL good ~ stant
firm. say, God lives. He hears ant
viii answer our payers.
The time IN not far distant wheI
the promise referred a. By the preylou'
speaker will bo fulfilled. hut gr,a
changes must flrrt take place. We III
our voices Of warning That Judgment
are Vt the threshold, and unless III,
world repent, tho wrath Of God vii
certainly be- poured out
! The speaker bore strong auC
eloquent testimony To the truth o
tho Gospel Of Christ lie knew
that Il came from God. There IL NJ
barrier, no intervenor, between Go,
aud man, except Jesus Christ. TIT
humhlcst man or woman can 20 10 Thu
, Lord and receive knowledge for hini
self or herself This il the faith W,
: try TO instil IN the minds Of men. AM
when everybody Is guided by tn
Spirit, Their. Is no danger Of Rnybod.
being deluded. II Is Gods design tina
nil should know for themselves. People
are Of no use except they hav. u per
! sonal knowledge OF what Ii right an,
wrong, aud only rs far as they posses
this knowledge can they become
united power Tor good.
The speaker exhorted his hearers 4
seek TO obtain knowledge and 10 live N
that the Spirit OF God might rest dow
, upon them.
The choir sang the anthem; "Fsther
let thy blessings Mt parting he upol
us"
Benedlctlon by Bishop w. d. Pres
, ton.
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