Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-01-22
A MOST SACRED ORDINANCE.

a correspondent 10 Hohcr CITY t.
queats tho NEWS TO ozpress nn opinion
on / Cor ~, 81; "For this cause
many are weak auisickly among you,
and many tioop." The question D.
whether tho weakness AMI sleep here
mentioned arc To- DO unIuntooi Of a
spiritually weak condition or literal
bodily alcsntss auj death.
Paul Is treating on tho suffice. o.
paraLing Of the Logd's suprcr aud ex.
plains how necessary Il Is that
;his Sacrament be- pariakun o.
with great reverence and after
sufficient preparation. la &c.
bubing come members Of tho Church
at COruth tor eating sui drinking
uuworthiiy, he fsys tholr conduct will
bring "Iamnaton.H Tho word ~
translated means o5ndemaa or
judgment, and tbs thifaolh verso cx.
plains the nature Of tho ludgmeu.
threatened, VIZ, s.ckuoss ami sleep.
From this It IL clear that Paul hero
relorB 10 literal slcl,ntss aud death. II,
Is unquostIonable that Church mem.
bcrs who unworthily par,ako NJ the
Sacrament arc spiritually weak and
asleep; they have no strong faith In
ihe Lord, whose death tho ordinance
commentaries, ami they are liable b
fail Ia the performance Of every
other duty; bl this lamontable
spiritual condition IL not the nc
1uN u going to tho Sacrament
table unproparvJ, and Il is not 10 Ia this
verse referred 10 by Paul. It h
not a Judgment o, GJd on account Of
tho error he socks 10 correct. Rather,
this spiritual weakness aud drcamlue,s
preoeles that sin. Whon protested
Christians allow worldly interests to
become paramount, they viii lose their
spiritual strength and become TO all
intents anu purpoaea as useless 10 The
Church Of Christ a. 81 they were dis.
oased or asleep. 1, In this condition
they continue TO par,ake OF tue holy
emJloms, not discerning tho L9td's
body, their own bodies viii DO made 10
exhibit their true spiritual condition.
They will become anil with sick.
ness. This Is the just chaslisemgnl Of
tho Lord. But u the warning Is mol
needed, death will enauc. This was
the caio with great number OF
Corinthians. They had ptema,urcly
"lallen asleep In death.
twill be Remembered that Paul often
refers 70 death as sleep. Ia this same
epistlg spoasingot tho resurrection from
the dead, he mentions those "who are
fallen asleep In Christ" meaning de.
ris.el Saints. IA tho frs, letter to the
Ihe,salonlaus no also uses tho expres-
sion; "rhem which arc asleep" 70.
.euiug to the dead. Il was a mvoF,o
figure u speech Of Paul aud Indeed Of
tho hut Christians generally. II he
.ly.g,yr0 40 violation Of tho text 10
Interpret The word "sleep" In / Cor.
Xi, 80 as "iea,h."
Moreover Ills but natural to expect
sickness aud death 10 follow as a result
OF tho violation OF the commandments
OF G.d. IL Is by faith tia, wo arc
enabled TO battle successfully against
tho evil Influences tina. shorten cur
llycs, In me degree tua. faith Is be-
coming weak, tho power TO rebuk.
s.osucs aud "oyil .au" 10 lost
wherefore people who arc unworthy
members Of thu community OF Christ
arc liable to fatal dIsg.sgs. Their
spiritual condition by,lE oEu Of weak
faith, tho administrations OF lhr
servants OF the L0r. canu0tbo expected
10 have tho .ugs. iu,guIed. AN DO
but tho naluIai consequence OF
departure from tho path Of duty |
anu tho continual bTeaaius OF iho
commandments OF tho ALMIGHTY. |
Hence the Importance o. the following |
iniu casr "lut l,ta mlu ,zsmmg /
himscl, aui 10 loo him cat ol gha. /
bead, auJ asug OF ihalolun