Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-05-26

after day saints, ana rejoice w otlhk
,,e,ent here today. have reioiced In
,b, eounsels that have been given, and
earnestly desire that while may stand
before you this afternoon may have
,se benefit Of your faith and prayers to
assist ME In speaking. / rejoice eX-
esrdInsly in the Gospel Of Jesus Christ
that has been revealed In this day aud
earnestly desire tina; may be able,
ia connection with the rest Of the Lat.
tgrday Saints, to so order my lie that
my mind may never become darkened,
that may never depart from the truth,
or break any OF the covenants which |
have made with the Lord. earnestly
wish TO know the mind and will Of my
Heavenly Father and to have the
ability and strength Of character to
carry the same out in my life. have
ihi, same desire for all Of the Latter.
day Saints, appreciate fully the TACT
that in proportion to our diligence,
h,hulness and humility In keeping the
commandments Of God, lie will bless
US and assist us In our labos: and It is
the duty Of every one to seek earnestly
Of the Lord to lear His ways.
When / heard Brother Merrill this
morning say that he had met many Of
the Laiigr.day Saints who thought Il
Wa not obligatory upon them 10 teach
their children the plan OF salvation, and
90 blpuze them when eight years OF
Il 80 "a
their children to grow 10 years Of ac-
counnbiity and then To present to them
The Gospel aud allow them to receive or
reject i'll could not help but feel that
aii such individuals placed their judy
meul aud their ideas as superior to the
commandments OF God that they
lacked faith m the Gospel OF Jesus
lhfist, and that they did not have an
abiding testimony Of the divinity Oi the
work m which they are engaged. A
man who has testimony that We are
engaged IN he work Of God values that
testimony more than life itself. aud
believe I am safe In saying that the
most earnest desire OF every true Lat
lerday Saint Is that his children may
grow up In the nurture and the admodl-
ION OF the Gospel. keeping the com.
nandmcnts OF God, so that they
may be saved In His kingdom. Il IS
simply absurd to imagine that II a child
has the seed OF ialsehood aud evil sown
IN It's mind through life, you will all at once
be able to SOW IN that mind one crop oi
truth and have Il bring forth a harvest
OF truth. ] remember remafking re.
Gently NJ a conference that we would
look upon a farmer as natural born
IDIOT who would call upon everybody
who passed his farm TO throw IN a few
seeds VI weeds TO do this for a period
Of wenty-onc years, and then expect
De could SOW a crop Of grain and expect
TO get good harvest may know the
multiplication table, and my wife may
also, but | cannot ON that account ex.
pcct my children to be born with a
knowledge OF the multiplication table
~ their heads. may know that the
Gospel Is true, and my wife may know
o. but ! do not imagine tor one moment
that my children Will be born with this
knowledge. We receive a testimony Of
the Gospel by obeying the laws and or.
chances thereof; and our children will
receive that knowledge exactly the
same way. aud II we do not teach them.
and they do not walk In the straight
aud narrow path that leads to eternal
lite they will never receive this knowl.
edge. have heard people say that
Their children were born heirs 10 all the
promises OF the new and everlasting
covenant, and that they would grow up
IN spite OF themselves, with a knowl-
edge OF the Gospel. | want to say to
you that this Is not a true doctrine, and
u us In direct opposition to the COM
mandment OF our Heavenly Father
We find that II Is laid down to the Lat.
ier'day Saints, not as an enreaty, but
a. law, tina, they should teach their
children.
And again, iullmuch as parents have chill
dfeu IN Zion. or In any Of her Stakes which are
organized. that teach them not 10 understand
llr doctrine Of repentance. faith 10 Christ the
Son OF Che living God and Of baptism and the
200 Of The Holy Ghost by the laying on Of the
bands when eight yram old the SIN De upon
we heads Of The parents,
For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants
o. Hon, or In any Of her Stake which are
ofganisei
And their children shall be baptized or the
remission Of their sins when eight yelB old.
ahl receive the laying on Of iho hands
Ana they shall also teach their children 20
pay and 20 walk upnghily before thc Lord
And The inhabitants Of Iion shall, also. Oh.
as''e ihe Sabbath day TO keep II holy,
ANA ihe Inhabitants Of /.on, also. shall fc-
member their lahou. inaimuch as they are
appointed 10 labor In AL hithmlness Tor the
Lord
nov. thc Lord am not we'll pleased with
We Inhabitants Of Zion, for there are ilers
sNong Them, and their children are also grow
Nt up In wickedncsi. they also seek not earn
sy ne riches Of eternity but their eyes are
4l oi grsedness.
These things ought not to be. and must be-
1'nr away from among them.
And again:
Who ann !, saith the Lord, tha, have prom.
.l ana have not mlhlled2 I command. and
..ln onsys not. revoke. and they receive not
.A' b.eiAngi Then they say ln ihe.r hearts,
''' not The work Of the Lord, for bis prom.
are not fulfilled. But woe unto such. for
above"
me Lord has given us a command.
ment that we shall teach our children
we principles Of the Gospel and have
them baptized when they are eight
years Of age. II we fail to keep dis
commandment the blessings that are
promised TO rs by the Lord will be
revoked, and we will have mourning
una sorrow IN seeing our children grow
HP without desire to serve God, and
w after years, when we endeayor TO