Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-01-13
LEARN YOUru.


young mon In Isracl today, ne well as
by some Of moro mature ycara Said
Alma:
oh romombor, my son, and learn Wis
| dom iu thy youth, yea, learn in my
/ youth 60 Keep the commandments OF Goii
| yea, and cry unto GOD for all thy sup
p1ri yea, let 40 thy d0inrf be uu,u tho
! Lord, aud whithouloy0r thou roufi lct
| % be- In the Lords yoa, lci thy thoughts 30
directed unto the Lord; yea, lOt thu 10.
iOciions OF thy hoiri ho placed upon tho
lord forever! counsel the Lord be- on Thy
dningl, and Ito will direct thCC Tor good;
yea, whom thou lirst down 10 night, Ito
down unto the Lord, thni lie may watch
over You Va your sleep. and when thou
fiscst la tho morning, lot thy heart ho fall
~ thanks unto God, and u yO do tlvl1
things yo shall DO lifted upat tho last
day.
There are many people who think IL
unnecessary for the young to undergo a
work Of preparation to nt them for
Religious duties Ia life, and who
argue that the rule Of the scriptures
h that In tho very hour they need
It shall be given to them what 10
say. Such an open construction az
this 10 the sentiment quoted may well
receive careful examination before II is
adopted, as II Involves direct contra.
diotion OF the inspired counsel Of the
Prophet Alma. II Ia true that under
the inaplfatlon Of tho Holy Ghost men
comparatively unlearnod have con.
founded those wise aud prudent after
tho manner Of the world, and will
continue 10 do -, And d, n also true
that the men 10 blessed with git
from the Source Of superior knowledge
did not acquire Il through wiliul
rejection or neglect OF tho opportunity
to acquire the information ani power
which came 10 them rs n revelation
from heaven. IL was rather their
eagerness 10 obtain that knowledge
aud their realization OF tho necessity
Of ~ possession which wrought their
faith up to the point OF receiving
10. Had any Of them rejected
In earlier life the opportunity for
gaining the required under.
standing II would not have been
bestowed upon them AZ divine gll,
until they had repenled OF their Tor.
mer folly. A lesson Of the experiences
reiortsdto Is that unavoidable illiteracy
Is not disqualification for receiving the
blessings aud exercising tho powers Of
heaven; but It does not follow that
wiliul Ignorance isa qualification.
The possession anu proper use u an
understanding Of tho sciences, OF his.
tory, and of other branches Of oduca.
ton, are an advantage to n servant OF
the Lord, notwithstanding assertions
sometimes made 10 the contrary IN
public assombiagos. I, Il fact that
there are many Instances where the
Latler.day Saint Elders have received
this understanding by direct reyelG.
ton In tue time o, necessity; the
possession Of the knowledge thus OBJ.
tainot, not their ignorance Of the
revelation bestowed, Is VIVA. gave
them power. ltssuddou manifestation
TO them was marked evidence Of the
lntereit OF tbs Almighty Ia their BIO.
half In the work they were perform.
Ing; II the knowledge had been gained
by them under other circumstances
and through study, It would have been
jus, 40 much a providence Of the Lord
Ia preparing Tor tho special occasion Of
Ia use, though rs aoluiromeut may
have shown less contrast with sur.
rounding conditions.
Whegsa man Of high educational
attachments, however, seeks 10 minis.
ter as a servant ot the Lord In the
strength OF his individual powers aud
outside Of. perfect reliance on thu
Almighty, lac closes, by this c5urse, the
door TO divine instruction. In his self.
suilicicncy hofays Ia elcc,ihat no docs
not need the information which the
Lord may have to reveal, consequent
ly ho IS not In harmony VITA tue
Almighty and Ia not suilatneI by
Him, So when a mau less learned
concludes that no will not acquire an
understanding Of correct punclplss
Wien Ia tho providence of tho L9II
The opportunity Il given him, he 10 lu o.
similar slate u tho other IN hls au.
tagonlsm to the purposes % the
Almighty, Both are ia the situation
Of refusing to receive l.glt. AMI there.
by Get a premium upyu ignorance OF
tho divine will.
The Lord commands Ils people to
seek wisdom by study laI also by
tsilh, The advice OF Alma 90 his SON
to learn wisdom in hts youth anu
the promise that tho servants Of tho
Lori win rsesiys inspiration Ia
tho ..mg OF need, ure expouent5 OF
principle 70. divine truth that operate
In peileg. accord. Those who rely
wholly upon QUE 70 the rejection Of the
oth15 are in about the same s,slo OF
Inconsistency, from the Gospel stand.
point as are those who would receive