Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-03-07

81 tANliE OF the innocent bluuu OF the
Prophet aud the Pdtrarcn Of he Church.
Win these examples before Us, my
brethren aud sisters ought We not to be
exceedingly careful how We speak and
how W. act ln relation to the Priesthood.
Think ui thi, authority that God has
gwen unto the officers Of this Church.
tour young men receive It as well as the
Older onc,.l- he authority To go in.o
the water anu bipiize people Tor the re-
mission Of their sins-thc authority To
ldyusnd, ON thpc who are baptized and
confer upon them the Holy Cno,t-the
authority TO lay hands ON OF e. and
give item the same authOily tudt they
themselves pJssgss-thc authority to
bind On earth and IL IS bound In heaven
10 bind wives to husbands Tor time
aud eternity, and children to parents
10 perform all the sealing ordinances
that are necessary IN order to connect
one generation with another. until We
shall 70 clear bgCs to our great father
Adiml Think Ut rs importance, OF It's
sdgrCdncss Trims cd the bcnciucnCc
OF or God ~ brstoNiug It upon mani
suppose there va, only one man upon
the earth vino held the authority that all
YOU Elders in the congregation huli,
what would be our feelings toward him'
Why, We would ictl like tfaycising sea
aud land, wearing out our lives 10 nee.
gssaty, To get to such man who could,
lY administering to US certain or
chances, insure to Us the fJfg " ness OF
our Sins and eternal glory IN the pres
encc Of God aud tho Lamb. Is there
any sscuhce that We would think too
ErclW know with the feelings we have
uJd concerning the Gospel that We
would not think any sacrifice too great
TO obtain this grand fr1e. But because
We have it here among us shall We DIES.
pisg iG Snail we think gltly Of t be-
cause it Is So common 10 We do this,
God will hold Us to strict accouuil.
hiity therefor. Think Of our great
Father, accompanied by Ills Son Jesus.
coming from the mansions Of glory To
prepare the way for the uihcfing 10 OF
This dispcnsatOni We can form some
idea OF its importance when Wc reflect
that lie sent John, vino held the keys OF
the Aaruuic Priesthood from heaven,
and then sent Peter, James AMI John,
who held the keys OF the Mrlchisulek
Priesthood. and continued tgscnd angels
to confer all other keys that had been
held IN the various dispensa,'ons back
to the time Of our father Adam, each
coming IN his time and season TO confer
upon mortal man the keys that were
necessary Tor the salvation OF man and
Tor q organizing OF this dspcnsation
in sucn a manner as to prepare the way
Tor the coming OF the Lord
I have not language To describe to you
the importance OF our relationship to
I Priesthood, aud the greatness and
sacredness OF the Priesthood VIII h the
Lord has bestowed upon us ! believe
that m the day OF the Lord Jesus one OF
the great causes OF condemnation OF the
/. defs Of this Church will be their neg
l Ct in approaching the importance Of
the Priesthood and In magniiying II as il
should be. ask myself frequently, are
you living as YOU should liye' Are you
attending to the duties OF your calling,
30 that the Lord will accept Of your Or
wi there be any OF the blood Of this
generation found on your garments In
he day OF the Lord Jesusp For every
one Of the Latler.day saints as well as
the whole human family will have to
stand before the ju tgment seat OF Christ
aud be Judged Tor the deeds done In the
body. II we have used the talents, the
opportunities, the authority and the
power which God has given unto US
Alright, then, OF course, We are promised
great rewards-we are promise exata.
ton, and that we shall enter into the
presence OF God and sit down at His
right hand. But there are great penal.
ties attached to the conduct OF those
who do not walk as they should and
discharge the duties and use the oppor.
tunities that the Lord has given them
Tho Latter.day Saints vii. be held to a
sticter accountability than any other
people.
was greatly pleased this morning at
the remarks which were made by Piesi-
den, Joseph +, Smith respecting that
which devJlyCd upon us. IL strikes me
as the most ab ,urd thing In the world
for a man to call himself l. t,er-day
SAINT who is a thief, or who is drunk
ard, or who is a whoremonger, because
with the name OF saint is associated
cyeTythit e that is pure. II is a holy
name, ami how can we expect that the
Lord will permit us to bear that name
Il we do not act consistently with IN
have sonnet mes thought that the prom.
ises which God has made to US as PEG.
pie, aud particularly those which are
spoken OF in the revelations contained
In the Doctrine and Covenants, to the
effect that after enduring severe punish
ment and making proper atonement
there will be redemption for every hui
man being that has not committed the
II ID rdonable sim have thought that
III 30 promises have caused a good
many OF our brethren perhaps to imbibe
the idea that they can commit sin with
some degree OF impunlty. recall to
mind an expression that was made by
Bishop George Miller, who was ordained
a bishop after the death VI Edward Par.
fridge. The Lord speaks very kindly OF
Miller, and calls him man without
guile. Some years after this, when the
Temple was completed so that endow.
mcnts could be given, George Miller re.
Ceiyed his endowments, OF course,
great promises are made to US IN the en-.
dowments, A great many blessings are
sealed upon us by virtue Of the Holy
Priesthood, and we are promised that
we shall come forth In the morning OF
the first resurrection, clothed with glory,
immortality and eternal lives, etc
George Miller felt so reiolced over these
promises and so sure that he would get
every blessing that had been promised
to him by the authority OF the Priest.
hood, that he made a remark to Brother
Bn cham Young TO the effect that he was
safe now even II he should commit sin.
lie did commit sin; he sinned with wo.
men, and he lost the Spirit of God and
his Priesthood, and became an apostate
from the Church.