Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-12-07

II we will do certain things land they
are very simple and easily done) on our
part. He will ON His part bestow cer-
tain blessings. We have entered into
covenant with Him. We have believed
IN Jesus, we have repented Of our sins,
we have been baptized lie said to US
II we would submit to this ordinance Of
baptism administered by man having
authority, lie would wash away our
sins and blot them out He further
promised that u we would have hands
laid upon US by one having authority,
and do so IN the proper spirit, He would
give us the Holy Ghost-one OF the
Godhead-whch should take up His
abode with US, and lead and guide us In.
10 all truth teaching Us everything that
we should know and revealing things
TO us that otherwise we would not un.
dersland. This was the promise Of our
Eternal Father. How wonderfully IL has
been fulfilled Commencing with
small beginning, the work OF God has
grown,a lew here and few there being
added unto Il, until now we are num-
bered by the hundreds OF thousands,
who have thus entered into covenant
with God, and who, Il may be ttutniully
said, are OF one heart and one mind.
aud are filed with spirit OF love that
Is unknown outside Of this organization,
at least 10 a very great extent There
IS no comparison between the love that
exists between the people Of the world
and that which exists between the Lat.
ter-day Saints OF course, there Is love
among mankind, because the Spirit Of
God . with the children OF the Father
who dwell on the earth, and according
to their lives SO Is the portion OF the
spirit that they receive. But Il Is not
tue same wonderful, all'cmbracing love
that the LatteT-day Saints have rccriy.
ed. Il does not 20 to the same extent,
Il is scarcely OF the same character.
But God has bestowed this love upon Us
and has filled our hearts with Il. lie has
made our lives pleasurable. IL Is a de-
light to live IN this aye and 10 take part
IN this work. Whoever has tasted this
spirit and retains 1t desires to live and
to have his existence rerpetuated, Ia
order that he may contribute TO the
glorious cOnsummation that IS to be
achieved on the earth by the power Of
God
God having bestowed these blessings
upon us how thankful we should be
that we live IN an age like the present,
when these wonderful things are being
brought to pass. You would think that
mankind, seeing such wonderful power
revealed and IN operation, would turn
their attention TO u and would not rest
satisfied until they comprehended what
II Is that Is working In this manner
among this people aud accomplishing
such grand results. But, wonderful to
state. the world look ON aud see all
this, and yet they are blind to IL aud
cannot perceive the power OF God in IL.
They shut their eyes to Il apparently;
or, rather, they never had them opened
to perceive the wonderful character OF
the great work God Is doing. But the
humble, the meek and the lowly, those
who bow In submission before the Lord,
have their eyes opened and they have
their hearts prepared, so that they per.
celve that II Is from God. They have a
testimony from God that II IS true, ana
that lie is performing great work.
work that lie has predicted through
the mouths OF the holy prophets should
be accomplished. HayIIg these lesu.
monies, how faithful people we should
bel How We should seek to be pure
In our thoughts, IN our words, and In
Our acts, so that we should not gricve
this Holy Spirit, but that we should
cherish II aud have II grow within us
until we shall be filled with Il.
We cannot commit sin and retain this
Spirit. That is an impossibiliiy. Apos.
ties have tried H., others who were men
OF God have tried II; but they have
signally failed. They could not retain
the Spirit OF God aud at the same time
commit sin. We have the evidence
brought home to us by the experience
OF upwards OF siKty.lve years that
Gods word in this respect Is true. No
man can hope to ENJOY the favor aud
blessing Of God who commits sin and
does not repent oil IT,. And IL will be so
unto the end OF time. There are two
things that are irTeconciliable-sin aud
the spirit of God. The Split OF God
will not tolerate sin. Therefore, II we
hope to escape darkness and apostasy
we must refrain from SIN. OF course
every human being Is a sinner. No
man or woman ever lived on this earth,
excepting the Son OF God, who was not
sinner. The Presidency OF this
Church, the Twelve Apostles, and all
the prophets that ever lived upon this
earth are and have been sinners. Its
We are subject 10 sin aud temptation.
But while this Is the case, II is the
privilege Of every human being to live
so that his sins will be forgiven and not
be held against him. II should be the
aim OF all who desire to live IN the en-
joyment Of the Spirit OF God to try aud
retain that Spirit IN its iulness; for when
the Holy Ghost is With US, then God Is
with us; and when we are In the fellow.
ship OF the Holy Ghost we are in the
fellowship OF the Father and the Son.
While say we are sinners, believe il
is possible for US TO live so as to have
no sin held against us. We should have
the spint OF repentance constantly in
our hearts. Our hearts should be
touched aud soitened by 1t, SO that we
will be mellowed under its influence,
aud that we shall have such horror OF
sin and such desire for righteousness
that when we become conscious that we
have thought, or said, or done any.
thing contrary to the mind aud will OF
God, We will instantly bow down and
acknowledge our sins before the Lord
and repent OF lntm with all our hearts
and OBTAIN forgiveness Tor them, Ii
we sin against each other or offend
each other, we should have the same
disposition to go and ask forgiveness,
that our brethren and sisters may still
extend their fellowship to us. often
think Of the remark OF the Savior
Take heed tina, ye despse not one OF these
little ones | say unto you, That In heaven their
angels do always behold the face Of my Father