Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-07-22

NJ thCy were moved upon by the Holy
Ghost We eau read about the opera.
tons Of the Spirit ~ II existed Ia the
Christian Church. through reading
the writings OF ;hr New Testament,
which Timothy did not have when he
was Guild. We are more favored
than lac was. by reading the Old and
New Teetamonts we learn something
oi the desliugu OF Col with men hun.
drtds Of years ago, aud we also read
that God Il the same "ytHierday, to.
Jay aud forever" that He l. mo re-.
pecler Of pOrsous,n and therefore we
come 10 the conclusion that today
people may obtain the same giits,
b.essinge, inspiration and communion
with God that the ancients had,
because God IA always the same. We
can learn u that from thu Bible. But
We also learn from one Of the writings
OF the ancient Apostles that there il
something more than this mere letter
which We ought TO depend upon Tor
guidance and direction. The A pJsllc
Peter, la speaking TO the Saints ON
this subject, said.
We have also u moro suro word Of
pfophocyi whofounto ye do woll that 80
lake heed, ne unto light that shinoth Ia
ndarlt place, until the day dawn, aud tho
day star arise len your heart
Knowing this first, that no prophecy Of
mo scripture Is OF any private intorprc-
tatiUr.
For the prophecy came not In old time
by tho will " man. but holy men NJ God
snAko ns ihoy were moved by tho Holy
GhosL-ll ioior chap. 1874.
Peter had reverence for the words
that were spoken 10y holy men Of God
as they were moved upon by the Holy
Ghost, aud he wanted tho people TO
understand In his day that they had
no right 10 attach private intefpretn.
tons 10 the words Of these prophets.
That has been tue mischief In the
ages that have interviewed since dnrs.
ness came ON the eatth-since the
death OF the Apostles. Private inter.
pretatiOns have been put uUon these
uayinge, aud people have gone astfav,
and they have divided, quaIrUIlrd anu
fought, aud dfcnChcd the tatth with
blOpI, because OF their private inter.
pfutatioua VI these sayings VI the old
prophets. But mark the words of
Peter! "Wc have also more sure
wotd OF prophecy; whcfeuut1 We DO
well That no take heed, M unto light
that hhincth IN "A dark place" Now,
what did he refer tor Why, lac
reiurrud to this SAME spirit. lilo was
talking 10 them about the living
oraclcs they had In their midst
Apostles that Christ had act ia the
church for a guide. Christ never told
the church that He gave them book
for a guide. He gave them living
men, Inspired by the same spirit that
tho men hEd who wrote the old sorip.
lures; Apostles that lie had called anI
ordained ana sent among them,
clothed with the power Of God, tillod
with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke
By the Holy Ghost They also wrote
some things by the Holy Ghost, and
they were for the good Of tho people
10 whom they were written, and for
our ptOni, 20 many OF them as we
have; n great many Of them are lost.
But, says Peter, 1--WE have also a more
sure word OF prophecy" WHAT IN II?
Why, this spirit that IL like n light
shining In . dark place-.lhe light Of
the Lord, the Holy Ghost, the Com.
iorter, the spirit OF truth, which guides
into all truth, and which takes of the
things OF tho Father aud shows them
unto His children. That IL the more
sure wOrd OF prophecy. That II the
spirit which giveth life, while this
book Ia the dead letter that killeth, n
we have nothing else, because we con.
tend over Ia meaning aud do not com.
prehend ita teachings. That n what
the Apostle Peter referred TO, and what
al people ON the lace OF the earth
need. III they want 10 undofslaud the
things Of God they must have the
Spirit OF God, the light Of God, aud
therein discover the things Of God
clearly. The Bible IL all right. We
venerate H. The Lord has told US
that we should do 40, and remember
tho former holy Hcriptufes, No well as
the latter day HcfipturtH that He has
given 10 us.
We believe In the writings Of the
Apostles; but we look upon them In
the light In which they exist. they
have been handed down TO US through
men that were not inspired. They
have been translated by men according
to their best wisdom. We have not
single document containing the org.
inRl scriptures. We have not one 0f
the Hebrew writings OF the old
prophets. We have not ono Of the
New Testament writings OF the
Apostles They are not In existence,
or, II they are, nobody knows where
they are. Tho books which were used
In the translation Of the Bible were not
the original wTitings; they were
copies, anu there were great number
OF different copies, and they
conligteu Oue with anothpr