Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-01-25

MAa that SAilh hAA great power unto the atta
ring up Of the people TO do an manner ofiniquity
and to the putting them mp with pride. tempting
them 20 seek for power and authority, and
riches and The vain things Of the world.
And thus Satan did lead away the hearts Of
the people, TO do all manner oi ini1uty. there.
fore they had not enjoyed peace but a few years.
Brethren and sisters, Satan Is the same
today that he was then; and when he fills
the children OF men with love for the
things Of the world, with love Of office
a greed for power, beware OF III beware
oil It, Latter-day Santsl for tell you as
a servant OF Col, those who do so, II
they do not take care, will be led down
to destruction. This lying spirit Of
which | have spoken Is now among this
people. All manner Of lies are being
told about the authorities Of the Church.
President Woodruff, President Smith,
myself, and some OF the Twelve Apps.
ties are lied about until we are made to
appear very wicked an even h re ahom.
Unable ial'ehoods are cifcula ed concern.
ing Us. II that spirit were to be widely
INDUCED In. !, might lead 10 the shed.
ding oi our blood, just as il led to the
shedding Of the bloodo Others that have
preceded us. Now want to say to you
that these accusations are false. ! bear
that testimony to you today for myself.
And the First Presidency have not done
the evil things which many accuse them
OF doing. Our conduct has been nei'
Their wicked nor dishunorable as
some have alleged II has been.
We have not sought to unite
Church and State. We have not sought
to interfere with the liberties OF our
brethren or OF any other persons. We
have done nothing of this kind, In any
form, aud those who say We have tell
that which Is untrue.
want to warn you, my brethren and
sisters, about this lying spirit that has
gone out. II IS dangerous. Those who
indulge In Il and those who believe these
things, Il they are not careful, will lose
the faith. and the Spir, Of God will
withdraw itself from them; for a lying
spirit and the Spirit OF God cannot dwell
together In the same breast. Men who
tell lies, men who circulate lies, and
men who who believe lies, cannot
have the Spirit OF God reigning 10 their
hearts. We should therefore be very
careful aboutthcse things. Newspapers,
magazines and books which contain lies
aud which Islander and deiame.the wofl;
and people OF God will not read. do
not want 10 read ialsehoud do not
want my children 20 read ia'schood.
have heard people say many times, 'Let
Us hear what they say about USE aud
they read works filed with misrepresen.
tauons Of the work Of God. Did you
ever read such a work without the
Spirit Of God being grieved within your
4 sNa o d
made up my mind that ! would not al.
low my mind to be contaminated by
reading that which knew to be false.
hood. would not read anything Of
that kind. knew the truth; God had
revealed Il, and | was In possession OF il.
knew the character OF the servants OF
God, and | would not read nor listen TO
anything derogatory to the servants Of
God or to the work OF God. have not
done this through my life, and with
Gods help will not do il; and as far as
| have power, will not have II in my
family. try to teach my children 10
keep alooi from il.
The case Of strong, eloquent man
whom | knew intimately and with whom
| labored IN the ministry In more than
one field comes to my mind. lie was
one whom | esteemed and reverenced
as | would a father. But this man Tell
into darkness and lost the faith and was
cut OF from the Church In reviewing
what knew of his lite | remembered
that had noticed his Indifference con.
corning the Book OF Mormon and the
revelations OF the Lord TO the Church
and that he seldom, II ever. read them.
But he had a iondness for reading works
on Spiritualism, lie liked thellanguage
used by writer's on that subject; their
eloquent phrases suited him. Butin per-
using these works he imbibed the false
doctrines theY taught Perhaps at first
he did this unconsciously TO himself.
BY degrees, however, they did their
work. lie dropped the truth and al.
lowed these false teachings to take its
place, II probably took years for the
undermining Of his belief In the truth to
be accomplished. But, however slow
the process may have appeared, II was
sure and deadly in its elect upon him
and his faith He became spiritually
dead-so dead as to be past recovery.
Is this a solitary casep No, tar from
this one being alone, there are hundreds,
perhaps thousands like 1t. The minds
OF the people are colored by that which
they hear and read, especially II they
make II a pleasure to hear aud read. II
Il be qualification TO hear and read the
truth, the effect upon the character OF
those who seek qualification In that way
is most marked. But II, on the other
hand. pleasure be taken In listening to
false statements, or reading works con-
tanning ISLANDERS and lies aud false doc.
trines, the effect is most huTttul. The
minds OF those who do this become col.
ored with that which Is untrue. and as
they continue they attach more and
more importance to IL until they accept
errors and lies as truths.
When do not see IN houses any Book
Of Mormon, any Bible, any Book OF
Doctrine and Covenants, or any Church
works for the family to read, feel that
the children are being neglected. When
| see improper literature or literature
that contains lies left around Tor children
to read feel sorrowiul, because know
II will produce bad results. Children
cannot read lies, nor can men and
women, without their having their effect.
A lie oft-told will be believed in after
awhile. Men have been known to tell a
lie so often that they have appeared to
actually believe II themselves, perhaps
because Il was not contradicted. Lies
circulated among the Latter-day Saints
concerning the authorities OF the Church
have been believed IN in thi, manner,
until many have got false ideas concern
ing the character OF the men OF God.
This was the case in the days OF Joseph.
Many accusations which his enemies
made against him some Of those who