Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-03-14
REWARDS AND PuSlsnMENTs.

Teachss Of ethics, Of modern ten.
denotes, seem TO incline % the view
that moral training IL conducted on
wrong principles, unless this subject 10
taught 10 love virtue for iis own sake
and shun vice Tor similar reason.
Appeals TO the consequences, good or
bad, are considered as lowering The
ideal and oonssquen,ly noulrallzlng
the effects. According TO this, every
rcprese nta,lon OF God NJ a personality
VINO deals out rewards for ooedienoeand
punish mebis for disobedience IL wrong,
the Supreme Ruler not being capable,
morally, Of Offering "brlbes" or mani.
Testing the "vindlctlye spirit Of hate"
There IL but little truth In this
view. Throughout the revealed word
Of the Almighty, the lesson is taught
by means Of history. by biography,
by precept, that the consequences
OF obedience 10 Gods laws are re-
wards both temporal aud eter-
nal, while dlsobedlenco brings
punlshmenis. But they are not held up
In the light Of bfibes or vlndicuveness.
They are set forth rs the natural re.
suits Of mems conduct. La many 10.
stances the true connection between
tho act anu ils result IL as plainly
dltcefnible rs that between n we'll
understood cause and its effect. When,
for Instance, as In tho oase OF ancient
Israel, honor paid 10 parents
brings longevity In the land q prom.
Lee 10 the people; or when idolatry l.
followed by war and devastation o
the country, the causes are easily
traced. Nor Is II difficult 10 under.
stand why faith In Goa should bring
peace and JOY and happiness, or why
the fruit OF disbelief should be the or.
posite. Today Ia but stop from yes-
terdAy on the interminable road
toward future ages; tomorrow thu
journey will bo continued; n the Oh.
reotlon taken In the past Ia wrong,
what else IL the present aud future
likely to be-
In some instances, however, INC
connection between the act and i,u
ultimate consequence IL much less
clear, though not less clearly or en-.
phAtiuslly stated. Why should the
sins Of the antediluvlans, consisting
chiefly, II seems, In acts OF violence
and injustice, result In their deslruc.
ton by food? or the wickeiness OF
the eltiea OF tho plain bring down fire
from the sky2 Why should the oppon.
nents OF the Priesthood In the wilder.
nss, be swallowed up by tho earti?
All through the history OF manklnd,
both sacred and secular, We hnd nn
apparent connection bstween tho
moral status OF nations AMI gren, com.
motions In nature. No doubt many
OF them could be- explained, were tue
laws Of the universe clear TO US, as
they are to the Iivine mind, bu, even
after this admission has been made,
the fact Rename that oihaFs can not be
Understood except on the exposition
that there Il ruling Intelligence who
according TO His own WELDON
and power utes the trtmenioul
physical forces Of nature i.I
the trAiuiug OF His obilirea,
much ~ human lalhsr in his limited
sphere. lie deals out rewards and
puriShmsnls as means OF encourage.
ment and restraint. The "wHges" Of
sin Ia death, anu eternal life IL tht
"git" OF Coz. " seripIutal aud o
philosophical view Of the matter. T.
take 40 opposite view lie to step dau.
gsrously near the ground Of infldslity.
The msnuer In which thu revealed
word deals with the great principles o.
ethical science IL worth while noting,
because II gives the key to all success
ful moral training. InvrstigRliou hos
long ago discovered the important fact
that the character OF human beiug e.
largely Influenced by that which In.