Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-02-02

I MS lN Allt lAllll WHICH We hNHNAN ~ wv ]
plant In the hearts OF the children Of
men.
Then we want them to be filed with
the spirit Of repentance, which iol!ow3
faith. and which IS the natural result OF
faith IN God. for II men are filled with
faith In the Father aud IN the Son. they
will naturally desire to place themselves
In condition TO be 30 associates for
such holy beings, and they will look
back upon their past lives with sorrow-
with a sorrow which will prompt them
to be more righteous, more God fearing,
more upright in the future. Then re-
pcntancc OF sin will come upon them;
II 1 felc nee as the MIR lcrcr pos
scs5ts, not such as men igel who are
called to account In The flesh for their
crimes, and who, when the penalty is
paid. 10 back to their iniquities, aud
only fail to sin because the opportunity
to do so IS lacking; but a repentance that
prompts men TO make restitution, so Tar
as it is possible for them to do SO, for
the sins which they have committed and
10 restore iour.old, II necessary, IN or
der to obtain pardon for the wrong
done; a repentance which will keep be-
fore our minds continually the view Of
our own sinlulness, our own weaknesses.
aud GU us with a desire TO avoid the
sins and weaknesses Of the past. This Is
the repentance which worketh salvation
TO the souls Of men, and prepares them
to receive any ordnance, however hu.
initiating It may be considered.
They will then go into the waters Of
baptism; they will do anything else, In
| order to receive forgiveness OF their
sins They will be buried In the water
as Christ was; they will come forth out
OF the water new men, laying of the old
Adam, the old siniulncss OF their lives.
/ and determining that thereafter their
lives shall conform as near as possible
to the divine pattern which Christ set.
Then they will be prepared to have
/ the Holy Ghost conferred upon them,
with all its powers, gifts and blessings
| hy the administration Of men who pos
sess the authority to act In the name OF
/ Christ. This Is the same power which
| Jesus conferred upon His disciples To
/ times OF old, aud which made them
such mighty men In the midst Of an un
/ believing world. II gave them the
courage to suffer their bodies 10 be tor.
turcd, their lives TO be taken. still prais.
/ ing the name of God. Il gave them
strength TO withstand every temptation
and to pass through every trial, still
cliuging to the faith which God had
| given them-ihat faith which brings out
of trouble salvation and blessing. II Is
/ thi, spirit aud this faith which have gath
cicd this people together from every
/ nation Of the globe, and enables them
TO testify Of the restoration Of the Cos
/ pei OF the Son OF God, and TO tell IN
solemn language that the Lord has again
spoken from the heavens, revealed Ills
/ Gospel, called His servants To 10 forth
for the last time TO teach to the world
the plan OF salvation, that before the
end comes, every people upon the whole
/ earth may hear the sound Of the truth
and receive or reject Il, as seemeth them
| good. II is this spirit, received through
the laying on OF hands, that gives our
Elders the strength TO go to the nations
OF the earth and preach the Gospel, en-.
during hardshps Of every kind, perse-
cutions, and even suffering death, to
testify Of the truth which the Lord has
restored to the earth. And this Is the
spirit which every man and woman will
receive who accepts the Gospel OF the
Lord Jesus Christ.
"But," says one, "how can you expect
men and women 10 receive these doc
/ trines1 We have your testimony; but
| what other evidence do you have that
this Is the truth2' We only ask YOU TO
/ place to the test that same request which
/ Jesus made OF His disciples and people
/ IN His day when lie ssid 10 them, "My
/ doctrine is not mine, but His that sent
me II any man will do His will, he
shall know OF the doctrine, whether il
/ be OF God, or whether ! speak OF my.
SELF We say to the people OF the world
/ today: DO not accept our testimony
| alone. You have heard the words which
| the Elders have spoken; you have seen
| their diligence in visiting the nations OF
| the earth; you have heard OF the rcstora.
ton " the TRUTH now listen no further
to these men, but appeal directly to
| God. Seek Him in prayer, exercise
faith Ia Him, and lie will tell you for
yourselves whether or not this doctrine
| is His or the doctrine OF men. You need
not accept the testimony OF any man
concerning this religion. You need not
| receive baptism until you yourselves are
converted through the workings OF the
Holy Spirit upon you-that spirit which
| God alone eau bestow, aud which men
cannot give, except as they are made the
| instruments, under God, OF exercising
the authority which lie has restored TO
the earth. You can seek the Almighty
In your closets. lie Is not God that Is
aiar of; not one whose ears are closed
or whose arm is Withdrawn from His
children; but lie Is God whose eve Is
! upon the humblest creature that lives
OF every race aud color, and whose love
| Is extended to the whole human family,
II is TO Him that you should appeal for
a testimony OF the truth uf this work
which the Lord has established. And n
| you will do this, IN humility and Ia faith.
| we have no fear as to the results of your
prayers; for God will hear aud answer
| every soul"
know the prejudice which has existed
and which now exists against this
Church; but II is only a renewal Of the
old'lime prejudice that existed in the
days OF Jesus and at every time when
the Church OF God has been upon the
earth. Men, however, have got TO be.
come so humble that they are willing
TO endure persecution for the name OF
Christ; and # they cannot maintain their
standing through all the trials Of lie
then they are unworthy Of their calling
as followers OF the meek and iowly
/ Jesus,
Now, going still further, we find that
this same Gospel will yet be preached
and is now being preached to the spirits
behind the yeil--the spirits OF men and
women who have died In the ages that
are past Does It seem a fanciiul idea
that these beings, who exist TODAY as
much as they ever did, though In dif.
ierent condition, are having the Gospel
| preached to themP ID Is. | KNOW. "a us,,