Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-01-11

Spirit because we have entered In at the
door The Spirit OF God,-who has
seen IN have not. But have felt II.
What is II likei Is II in the form OF a
pefsonagep The Spirit Of God, accord
Ing to my understanding, Is not a per
sonage OF tabernacle. But II is spirit
the spirit OF life. II you could see every
living thing by the spirit that Is In man,
you would see It full OF the Spirit OF
God. II Is In man, II Is In beast, II IS in
the vegetation; IN fact, II is in all that
God has created. II is In all, and
through all; and everything exists by II.
II It were not for this spirit, death would
step In. But IL Is life. Now, when men
and women take upon themselves the
responsibility OF baptism, they are then
In a way to receive the imposition OF
hands Tor the reception OF that spirit.
Il comes upon them and abides with
them, through the laying on Of hands,
and II operates on the spirit In them.
Now, what is II given us iofp This
spirit, by which we are justified, and
which leads US into all truth, Is given to
us for the grand purpose OF our eNalta.
ton in the presence Of our Father. The
Laiter-day Saint that has had faith, that
has repented OF his sins, and been bap-
tized, has this Holy Spirit conferred
upon him for the purpose Of guiding his
feet, controlling his tongue, controlling
his body, controlling the passions OF the
body, controlling tie spirit that is In the
body, controlling the whole creature;
aud he can no more lay this Spirit aside
than he can lay aside the baptism that
he has acted upon, or than he can lay
aside faith and repentance; because the
spirit is what justihes the creature. This
spirit is given to the Latter-day SAINTS
that they may be justified.
Now, II have not cultivated that
spirit, then am going backward. In
stead OF having this spirit and getting 1t
solidly fixed In me, | am letting II 20
until perchance deny the baptism that
God has permitted me to receive, and
the repentance ! have passed through,
and the faith that has entered into my
heart. ! am either advancing with that
spirit in my heart, or ! am retrogAding
until | throw overheard everything |
have done and deny the faith. This is
the situation, as ! understand II, though
men do not believe II altogether. But
my experience Of nearly fifty years
teaches me that am either advancing
toward my Father and toward His sal.
walton, or ] am retracing the steps that
have made. ] am not standing still.
There Is no such thing in this Church.
We are either in the light or In the dark
ness. When the sun sets in the west,
gradually darkness steals upon us from
the east until we are enveloped with IL.
The sun has not deserted the earth; but
II has gone from us, While Il is setting
To- a Il 8..a -.
part OF the earth. But when our minds
become dark, how great is that darknessl
! have seen darkness steal over the
minds OF persons, and yet some OF them
will say they never felt better in the
Church in their lives, Dissect the life
OF such an individual. | say to him,
You never felt better In your life In the
church," NO" DO you pay your
tithing, brotheri" "Ohf no, / have
stopped that" DO you pray in your
iamilyp No, do not pray in my
family" 40 you attend TO your Sc.
felt better In your lifel" mo, never
ielt better" Nov, ! know from my
experience that man cannot feel we'll
IN the Gospel unless he attends to these
things. How do you feel toward the
AAtalhtnNl VI Ailt 1uulAHI TOW 10 you
feel toward the Twelvep How do you
feel toward the Presidency OF the Stalker
How do you feel toward your Bishop
How do you feel toward your teachersp
How are you toward your neighbour
well, | don't consider anybody around
here III to associate with, and really |
am not very comfortable in the presence
OF the President OF the Stake" "What
10 The -
YES, he don't preach the right kind OF
doctrine to suit me-but never ielt bet.
ter In the Church In my liie." Now, as
strange as this may seem, man said
that 10 me practically not more than
three weeks ago. That man told me he
was not doing the things | have men,
toned. and yet he said he never felt bet.
ter in his life. Is that encouraging the
Spirit OF God in his heart that will jus.
tiiy him before his MakeTl say, no; he
will never be justified by the Spirit OF
God while he lives in that darkness that
he has seemed to allow himself to get
into. | know the spirit by which he
said he never felt better in his life. |
have seen IL; and 1t is snare and de-
fusion. But try TO love my neighbor
as myself. have sought earnestly, in
prayer anu ihhhllkl loI tllG DlllIlt Oh the
Lord; but feel sometimes like am so
poor in spirit and so weak in determine.
ton, and as II when | would do good
evil is present with me. that II the Lord
did not help me | would fall forever.
What is that kind OF spirit In mani II
Is the spirit that prompted the publican
when he said, God be mercilul unto
me sinner" while the Pharisee, in
the pride OF his heart, thanked God that
he was not as other men. II is the hum.
BILE, lowly spirit that wins In this Church.
Men may hold their heads as high as
they please; men may be arrogant, full
OF vanity and OF lies; men may be wealthy
and ride in fine carriages; but II the
spirit OF humility Is not there, then the
Spirit OF God does not reign there. II
will not do Tor me, after having received
the ordinances of the Church, to see how
little OF the Spirit Of God can get along
with and still be held in fellowship. II
a man cultvates bad spirit, II will, like
the measles, come out on him sooner or
later, and he will show his true colors.
But we who have entered into covenant
and have determined in our hearts to
serve the Lord. are justified by the Spirit
II 1t Is in our possession, and we keep II
there, determined that no act OF ours
shall grieve that tender plant which may
be lust springing into life within us, or 1t
may have been there tor many years,
until II becomes a fixed inhabitant OF
the heart and never leaves the creature
to wander irou his Maker 1 knn,u