The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-06

with the customary preliminaries.
Apostle F. NJ. Lyman was the first
speaker He said that the Saints
should be a, progressive and. enlight-
ened people spiritually. This is neces-
sars- so that when false doctrine is
taught they Will be able to readily de-
tect it. 1t would be idle to say that
temptations do not beset the Saints
and tend to envelop their minds in
spiritual darkness. Yet no man is
compelled to do wrong; no mana ever
has been compelled to do wrong.
Adam in the garden was free agent.
He could either remain steadfaSt in
his obedience to the divine word or
disobey it, as he chose. That legacy
of free agency or independence of ac-
ton was transmitted to all the sons
OF men. Christ's blood is the only re-
deeming element that will give saliva
ton to men and because of his media
ton all flesh will be resurrected at
the last DAY.
Christ revealed the gospel to his peo-
pie and it is by his authority that the
Latter-dSy Saints propagate it TO the
world. II is the function of divinely
authorized men to speak today, as did
Peter at Pentecost or Paul to the
Ephesians.
The Holy Ghost is the greatest bless
ing that came with the renewal of the
covenant and the restoration Of truth.
Without that the priesthood would be
without effect. Israel would go into
darkness. The Holy Ghost was given
to quicken the mind; to bring the
Saints into all spiritual truth. 1t
would be impossible to continue the
church an hour without the Holy Spir-
1.-THE witness of truth. The church
Of Christ cannot be run with these
books aloQe-the Bible, Book of Nor
mon and Doctrine and Co. enants. We
must have revelation direct from
divine source. The people must have
among them the living oracles of God,
whom he placed at the head of the
Saints for their perfection. These or
acles commune with the Lord and re-
veal his commands and wishes to the
Saints whom he has chosen out of the
world. The kingdom is built firmly
upon that foundation and is destined
10 spread in its might all over the
world.
Apostle Brigham Young spoke of the
many places of evil that exist among
the people. The Latter-day Saints, he
said. cannot foster dens of vice and
institutions that sap the moral life
from the people. We cannot sustain
that evil system of society that pre-
walls in the world The Latter-day
Saints have come to the tops of the
mountains to preserve themselves from
contamination with these things; TO
instruct their children in the Christ
life and to approximate that perfec-
ton that existed in the ancient city Of
Broch or Zion. If Latter-day Saints
begin to wink at these things they
viii bring upon themselves the dis
pleasure of the Lord.
The Book Of Mormon describes a
time when lniquity should prevail and
then light should break forth and
lstion speaks of a desolating
sickness that is to overtake
the people because of their evil deeds.
These are the signs of the times. They
are already apparent.
The Latter-day Saints must remem-
Der that these things are to come and
use every safeguard against them.
Those who take hold of politics with
an evil purpose tread on dangerous
ground and will fail. If the Saints are
to throw themselves into the arena of
politics, let them do SO honestly, up
rightly, consistently. The world may
come 10 the standard of this church
but the Latter-day Saints will never
become one with the world.
Apostle Franklin .. Richards said
the principles embodied in A1ormonism
are everlasting and lie at the founda-
ton of all system and government If
all the Saints had taken hold of the
truth with the same fidelity that it's
founders did. the gospel by this time
would have been preached to all en-
iightened nations. The gospel is not
contained in its entirety in books
The bible viii baptize men; it will not
give them authority to act in the
Lords name. The story about ''Mor-
mon Bible has been a stumbling
block to people in the world. That old
delusion about the Book of Mormon
being the work of Solomon Spaulding
was long ago disproved. Mr.. Spauld-
ing's book has been found and is now
published in book form. "A compari-
son of this with the Book of Mormon
viii reveal at once the wide diverg-
ance in stlye and matter between the
two
The Book of Mormon reveals many
truths Of history and doctrine before
unknown TO men. 1t may be termed the
bible Of the western continent It tells
of the travels, life and DEVELOPMENT of
great people in America. The Book
Of Mormon is the word of God as much
as the bible is. It teaches belief in the
same Christ and the efficacy Of atone
ment. This is the kingdom to which
Christ VIII come at the last day. as
all true Saints can testify.
Apostle Abraham II. Cannon said the
instructions received this morning are
as valuable to US as the written word
II Is, therefore, essential that we
should heed the orders of the church.
A short time ago a boy was boast
ing on the street over the independ-
ence he had shown in refusing his
fathers request that he attend meet
ing This spirit of disregard of re-
Ngious duties seems TO be increasing
among young Latter-day Saints In
China disobedience to parents is most
severely reprimanded. They recognize
that children who grow UP in that
manner are dangerous to the state
The old saying that order is heavens
first law might appropriately be rem
dered, obedience is heavens first. law.
Not long ago a young man who was
called on to go on a mission felt a
conviction that he would never return
alive. Nevertheless he was obedient 10
the divine call, and not long after
wards died while faithfully prosecut-
ing his duties. The greatest examples
of noble heroism are always among
those who are obedient. Obedience has
created the greatest warriors: il has
made the most distinguished figures in
statecraft. Obedience is necessary to
discipline and discipline is the founda-
ton of all great achievements. Of SUBJ
mission and obedience to the divine