Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-12-01
DIFFICULTIES IN sArRED wRT

probation which often seem incur.
mountaule. Believers arc sometimes
harrassed by objections founded ON
them, while non.bolievgrs Offer them
~ an excuse for rejecting the Divine
WORT. They are met with in the vafi-
Gus parts Of the Bible al vol aa ON the
sacred pages Of the Book OF Mormon
aud the Doctrine and Covenant,
although to much smaller extent In
the la,lor volumes thnn iu the Ola and
New Testamsnts. The subject is Of
much Importance nnI demands tho
attention especially OF missionarl's
and others who are engaged ~ insifuc-
tors Of young and old Ia religious mat.
tors.
In the cass Of The Bible many aim.
oulties arise from the fact that
the correct reading OF some texts
IL at present perhaps imp0ssi'
bio to ascertain; others depend
on our ignorance Of the meaning o.
words ami phrases, once perfectly vol
UNDERWOOD but now more or les OBJ
scufo; or on mistakes OF transcribofa ia
matters pertaining % chronology
geography OF history aud sometimes
there Ia apparent contradiction be-
tween the precepts AMI truths TO.
voaled. In the case Of tho teachings
given through the Prophet Joseph
fow Of these difficulties exist, because
they were Transmitted In modern lau-
guage and under circumstances sIill
within the memory Of living witnesses,
furnishing the most iniallible iutcrprr-
tatlon. The Dlcirine and Covenants
contains tho truth IN language just ~
plain 10 tho present generation a. did
the writings u tue Apostles Of our
Lord to the people to whom they ud.
dressed themselves. SIN, Ia nll those
sacred books the Inquirer often nnis
himself under the necessity OF humbiy
seeking for Divine wisdom, In order
that he may not orr when trying 10
understand that which he rsads.
IL Ia not admitted, however, that the
difficulties found Ia sacred writ Justify
doubts or rejection Of religion. All
inspired writings are given Tor the In.
struo,ion Of mankind. But Instruction
aupposes ignorance on tho part Of the
pupil, 10 be- overcome only through
diligont study. And as the fact Ia
pretty well established that the 81 III
cuiues mostly relief on by skeptloa are
those which may easily DO traced 10
that ignorauoe whioh they refuse 20
have enlightened instebi ot TO the
sacred word, doubt on that Acooun, Is
M Irrational as II would be on the part
Of a student Of geometry, who should
reject the instructions OF bis teachers,
because no inds the problems aud
theorema Of ths sciencs at fret sur
passing his u0mprehension. Tue same
remark applies to any subject OF study.
Theology whether theoretical OF
practical, opens up its treasures TO
those who seek them, Difficulties
there must be, or there would DO moth.
Ing 10 master. Through labor alone
mysteries are solved, truths are compile
heuded aud their proper connection
discovered; the path, 1T frat dark and
beaet with hiudranUes, becomes bathed
In tue light Of Divine intelligence, and
on It mortal man b. lod on until ho be-.
holds tue glory VI the very throne Of
God.
Faith is the fret principle Of the
Gospel. But n revelation present.
cd no difficulties; n every
doctrine, every presoripi. every stale.
mont were demonstrated beforehand
and narrowed down to tho oOmpte.
honslon OF miu Ia the condition the
Gospel finds MIN, iiilh would be- ex.
cludod, and religious progress made
impossible, since 1t IL ouly through
faith that knowledge h oblainoI--a
proposition sBli.evldont TO any one
who will consider tue subject. 10 lisa
general arrangement Ia nature, that
valuable truths-liko tho precious
meIals-ure obtained through labor
Theology 10 no exception 10 this rule,
nor Is Is possible to conceive bow II
could be.
But while all this Ia admitted, the
fact remains, ~ has already been re.
marked, that every objection To rcvela-
ton can be- met satisfactorily. Some
may be u such a nature ne to admit Of
no conceivable solution ia the stage
OF intelligence 10 which mau-
kind has now reached. They
remain TO BIO Illuminated BY
the rays Of revelations sul
future. Others are easily solved al
though seemingly great stumbling
blocks
One illustration may be allowed. The
reader ol the Gospel oi John Is told
(John XXI; ~ that our LORD Performed
no many yHiugs thatif nll we've written
"tlo world i.srIi could not contain the
books Ma, should Boz wuu1u." This
evidently Tatgu 90 Ills brcf no or
uaI.ui and many sacp.Cs have there.
fore taken uguaHl9u Co quusUUu tho ra.
hlu.HF gf AN aulhUr with ideas
apgue4ly soeraugouB OF tnu mngai-
iulu 20. tht universe. The uug mgsu-
bog 70. tli- verse depends, however, on
the Interpretation OF the words Wc1u-
INIuH and WygHF.I % AH..I.t. U..r 40