Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-06-09

counscls VI the authorities Of the Church
and accep, the theories which arc adj.
vanccd concerning our religion; but they
do not seem disposed, for some reason,
to seek for q practical aud an undying
testimony OF the truth Of this Gospel,
without which no man or woman Z sure
Of eternal lie. They doubtless attend
meetings because In this day Il Is fashion
able TO attend church; ID is fashionable
TO study theology and 10 read the scrip.
tures. not seeking therein the inspiration
which the scriptures contain. but read.
ing them because Il Is considered an
excellent literary work. In this shirt
many OF the young people read Il. They
read the works Of the Church because
Of the historical iliormiiion therein to
be obtained But they do not dig down
to the root Of things, to gain for them.
selves a testimony Of the truth. The
result Is, we ind a great many young
men who go forth TO the nations OF the
earth as missionaries without the testi.
mony Of the Gospel In their hearts.
Time and tine again have young men
told me- when they have been get apart
Tor their missionary lab0rs, that they
firmly believed that this was the work Of
God. and they could so forth 10 the
people telling them OF what they be-
iievcd, but as for the knowledge Of
which they have heard their seniors
testify. this had not come to them. They
have acknowledged their neglect In not
seeking II as earnestly as they should.
They have gone on missions, and these
same young men, / believe, without a
single exception, laboring with earnest.
ness and zeal IN the fields to which they
have been appointed, have not been lett
long without the testimony OF the truth;
aud when they have returned there is
not one Of them whose words | have
listened TO but has testified that he knew
for himself that the Gospel was true,
that God had spoken from the heavens
aud that Joseph Smith was prophet Of
God. Il Is well that they receive Il
even under these circumstance, but
better far would II be II they could re.
ccivc the testimony Of the truth IN their
childhood, that It might grow with their
stature and increase with their intclli,
gcncci that It might become within them
a living FIRE, which no amount Of opposi.
ton or sOphistry could quench.
And this testimony is with.
IN the reach Of every one.
God has said that none who seek Him
shall be turned away unsitisied. Some.
times the testimony does not come in
the way that we have desired, We do
not receive the outward manifestations
which we have been led TO expect. But
II Is not the outward appearances; il Is
not the healin; Of the sick, nor the hear
ing Of tongues, that gives a man or a
woman the greatest strength In the
work Of God, for those who have never
seen angels, whose eyes have not been
closed to the glones OF eternity, and to
whom Il has seemed impossible for God
to forbid even anything which they
askcd-they have turned away from the
truth, lost the testimony Of the Spirit,
and again gone into darkness. Better
by Ear Tor Us to possess Is The still small
voice Of the Spirit-the inward feeling
which Is experienced In every fibre OF
our organization, which tingles In our
veins, which reaches the extremities OF
our bodies, and tells our whole being