Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-12-31
DISCO RISE
DELIVERED ny
PRESIDENT JOSEPH !. Smith,
Saturday Afternoon, sept. 3, 1892 al
The SAT- Lake Stale Conference,
held i Sat Lole Cky, Utah.
tnrroHrxD ny ARTHUR wISrrR.l

I always feel a desire to respon'
when am asked TO try 10 do anythibl
good. do not know that / have TN
spirit Of talking this afternoon, but
have enjoyed tho remarks which w
have listened 10 and can endorse then
and recommend them to the considers
ton and careful thought OF the Latter
day Saiots who are here assembled. 4
10 a glorious thing for those who ar
in search Of truth to DO able 20 oDtaii
a knowledge of It. We seek for man,
things upon which It seems Impossible
TO obtain any satisfactory knowledge
There are a great many things In the
world that seem difficult for us TO un
ders,and clearly or to become thor
oughIy satisfied upon. IL Ia M
easy thing to ask questions, and there
are many people In the world who
seem TO devote themselves very largely
to asking questions; but II is not alwayf
no easy to answer them. Yet the ques'
ton In relation to our religion Is one
that every man ought TO ask himself
and God, that he may gain knowl'
edge thereof which will be perfectly
satisfactory, and every person should
be able 10 give reason for the hope lac
has within him.
/ havo always felt thankful TO my
Heavenly Father for the testimony He
has given me In relation TO the princl-
pies which we call Mormonisn. To
me they have always seemed nothing
but tho truth. In relation to the
opinions Of men we have much room
for doubt, aud many do doubt, because
these opinions DO not always appeal to
Acknowledgement, and there is not accom-
panying them spirit to enlightcn
the mind concerning them. In other
words, there Is not, connected with
the opinions OF men, the power OF the
Holy Spirit which, we nre told, takes
OF the things Of God and elbows them
unto men who arc sincerely seeking
after knowledge OF the truth. Since
my childhood have sought to know
something about the first principles OF
the Gospel. IL has been necessary for
me to understand something about
them, for the reason TINT have been
called upon from time to limo 10 go out
into the world TO preach thsm; and
desire TO bear my testimony to this
congregation, ms the brethren have
borne their testimony, in regard to
these principles, and It Is this - GER
tiiy that every principle associated
with this Gospel which have been
able to understand has appeared to me,
beyond the possibility OF doubt, to
he absolutely correct. absolute
ly good, and In every way
adapted TO tho wants OF those
who receive It and put 1t into practice.
l DO not know OF a single principle that
Is not In my judgment calculated to
benefit me, In time and In eternity. 30
also II will benefit every man that
will receive It. This is my testimony
In relation to the principles OF the
Gospel. | am convinced that they are
true. There is spirit connected with
and accompanying them that appeals
TO my judgment and to my under
standing, and that thoroughly con-
WAGES me they nre true. Therefore, 1
am perfectly satisfied with tho princi-
pies Of the gospel; and no far as obey
these principles feel that oil will be
well with me In life or IN death. feel
very grateful to God for this spirit and
testimony, and desire 10 to live the
remaining part OF my lifo that this
spirit may be In me, and that may al
ways feel In my heart to love the truth
and to labor for the welfare Of tho
children OF men.
The Gospel win inspire us to do good
and TO forsake evil. Ii will inspire us
to love our neighbOr and to live near
unto God; to be true to outaslves, true
TO our fellow creatures, true 10 our COW
enante, anu In every res. .ect reliable
and worthy OF the confidence of our
ieilowmen. 1t may be said that thefe
are men In the world who are ali this
without the Gospel-mon who are
reliable, honorable, true TO their
friends, pure IN their lives, and in
every respect praiseworthy, and such
as God would delight to acknowledge |
as His chil1ren. Now, you show me |
man OF this character In the world, |
though he Is beyond the pale OF the |
Church OF Jesus Christ OF Latter.day
bainte, or OF any religion, and / will |
show you a child Of God. 1 do |
not caro- who he IL, nor In |
what land he lives, nor what |
bis profession ia. tell you that |
God has many noble men In this world |
that are not Lattor.day Saints, mud that |
know nothing about this work that we |
are engaged In. tits In search of these |
that the Elders IRE sent out among the
nations OF the earth from time to time,
and these are they who arc brought |
Into the fold OF Christ when they have
the opportunity OF hearing tho Gospel.
! have thought that there Were still |
Just IA good fish In the sea of mankind
m had ever been caught by tho Gospel
net. In the course OF my experience
L believe have seen people In
the world 70 surrounded by the
traditions OF their fathers, and
40 bound up by their creeds, that
they could not see the light; but they
were living more consistently, accord.
Ing TO the knowledge that they posseesed
anu the circumstances thatsurrounded
them, than hundreds OF the Latter
day Saints who have been born again
VI the water anu OF the Spirit
fHd who ought to be, Of all men aud
Homen IN the world, the most fnith.