Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-12
[REPoRrED by ARTHUR WINTER, !

!, has fallen to my lot to be called up
nm TO address the Saints this afternoon,
and in responding earnestly desire that
NAV have the benefit OF the faith and
..,,.e,s of the Latter-day Saints who
assembled, that what | say may be
-.t.rlated to strengthen our faith and 10
;r.oire us to renewed diligence in dis.
.h,ro;ng the duties and obligations
,,s,ing upon us as members in the
church of Christ. We meet together
,,rv frequently to worship the Lord and
"a listen TO those who are called upon TIC
sneak, for the express purpose OF renew
inc our faith and being spiritually led.
II there is one thing more than an.
other that is made perfectly plain in the
teachings OF the Savior and His Apos-
,ss IT is that faith is OF no value to us
and will bring no reward unless it be
couoled with works. There are no
o,omises made to us by our Heavenly
Father that we shall be rewarded, that
We shall be entitled to the inspiration OF
His Spirit, or that we shall make sue
cess OF this life, except we shall labor
theoretically and faithfully to discharge
the duties resting upon us. On the con-
lrary. all the inspired teachings go to
move that a faith with which works are
mt coupled is dead. 1t has ever been
my desire, in laborng among the Latter
day Saints, to inspire them with desire
| 10 obey the commandments of God. |
| realize that it is impossible for man to
! fail in obeying the commandments OF
/ God and at the same time be blessed by
/ Him. But an individual who has re-
ceiyed testimony OF the divinity OF this
work will, by obeying these command.
ments, ever have that testimony burning
IN his heart, illuminating his mind, and
and keeping him in that straight and
narrow path which leads TO eternal life.
II is through the neglect OF duty that we
lose the Spirit of God. II is as natural
that we should lose the light and inspir'
alton OF our Heavenly Father through
failing to labor diligently as it is that we
must exercise our physical beings IN or
der to be healthy and strong. We all
know that the blacksmith has very
powerful arm, because he is constantly
using il. Inc PEDESTRIAN, who Is con-
SANITY tramping around the country.
develops his limbs; and the man who is
constantly practicing singing develops
"a his lungs. The more we labor to devel-
op our physical frame, the greater Is the
strength OF that frame. The mind, also.
4 becomes stronger by being exercised.
| In TACT, we develop physically, intellect
ually and spiritually by labor. Although
my right arm is the stronger oil the two,
il requires no argument from me to I'M
press you with tue fact that II were to
tie that arm and never use 1t, in the
course OF time that arm would Wither
away. We must exercise all our powers
10 be healthy and strong In like man
ner, il you and expectto be healthy and
strong IN the Gospel; il we expect to
grow from day to day in the light and
Inspiration OF the Spirit of God; If
We expect to expand and keep pace
with the onward advancement OF the
kingdom of God on the earth, then we
must labor, and we must labor constant
", energeiically and faithfully, lot the
advancement OF that kingdom. The
Lord has placed his stamp OF disapprov.
al very Enthusiastically upon idleness.
You take a building, ill 1t with heavy
machinery, have that machinery running
day and night, and bestow ordinary
care upon it; then take another building
alongside OF it that is never used, and
thai bail hat ta ~ n,
crumble away while the other building
remains strong. You take an individual
that works early and late, and works
hard, and such man lives to good old
age in comparison with the idle man.
You find a man that studies hard, and
such mans mind is bright 10 the end
Of his life in comparison with the man
that does not do this. The Lord blesses
US as we labor. 1t is recorded in the
Doctrine and Covenants that we are
agents unto ourselves, and that wherein
We do any good work we shall in no
wise lose our reward; but that il we are
sothiul servants and wait TO be com
nanded in all things, our reward lurketh
nom beneath and not from above. We
have the power within us TO do good
and TO keep the commandments OF God,
there is no requirement made OF us by
our Father that He has not given us the
liability 10 fulfil. have often admired the
abors OF Nephi and his determination to
serve the Lord, IN contradistinction to
lhe fault finding spirit that was mani
Tested by his elder brethren. These
sons OF Lehi went up TO jerusalem TO
yet the records from Laban, and after
I'hey had had some trouble in trying to
Ioblain them, Nephi's brethren became
discouraged. have been particularly
slruck with the testimony that Nephi
Pore to them on this subject. When
Ithey were commanded 20 go by their
pam T, the elder sons murmured and
Fad 1t was a hard thing to require Of
Ihem; but Nephi said unto his father,
l wi,l so and do the things which the
lord ham commanded, for | know that
Ihe Lord glveth no commandments unto
me children OF men, save lie shall pre-
pare way for them that they may ac'
complish the thing which He command
IeIh them." Nephi also said TO nj.
brethren, at the time refer TO LET II.
10 up again unto jerusalem, and let II.
faithful IN keeping the command
2 'ents OF the Lord; for behold He i:
il ghtier that all the earth, then why moi
hlghtier than Laban and his fifty, yea
1syen than his tens OF thousands. We
lali know how He was successful il
rms and we have all admired his lie anC
boTs. | would exhoit my brethren anC
Ilsters 10 remember the fanhlulness o
Ihls man. The Lord treats us exactl,
swe would treat our own children
Where is there father or a mother wh,
HAOtS moi FPtnlrfa taFhan fhatf fhAtr -l,sI