Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-11-28
DAY, NOVEMBER rs: 1896 CITY,

who humble themselves before God, and desire
TO be baptized and come forth with broken
hearts and eontri;e spirits, and witness before
the church that they have truly repenied Of all
their sins, and are willing to take upon them
the name of Jesus Christ, having determination
TO serve Him 10 the end, and truly manifest by
their works that they have received of the Spirit
OF Christ unto the remission Of their sins, shall
be received by baptism into His church.
The Church is entitled to know that
candidates for baptism have truly re-
pented of their sins and are willing TO
take upon them the name of Jesus
Christ, having determination TO serve
Him to the end-not for little season,
not for twenty years or fifty years. but to
the end. 1t is an eternal obligation that
they take upon themselves, and il man
does not intend to serve God throughout
eternity his obligation is void IN the
sight OF the Lord. There is no promise
OF eternal life and salvation unless a
mans repentance is genuine-a repen.
lance which needs not to be repented
Of. II man be liar, he must lie no
more; il he be thief, he must steal no
more; il he be corrupt, or in any
manner wicked, he must cease that and
from henceiorth and forever serve God.
have been brought to think of this
subject when have met with members
OF the Church who do not know the
Gospel IS true. OF course, there are
many who know the Gospel is true, but
they do not know that they know it.
But there are some who really do not
know and have never learned that the
Gospel is true. Why? Because thew
have not done the will OF the Father as
they should have done. You rarely find
an Elder who goes out in the world but
he soon finds out that the Gospel is true
and that Joseph Smith is prophet OF
the Lord. He is very soon able to bear
testimony TO the truth OF this work, aud
that the Lord lives. He has that testi-
mony strong and burning in his heart.
What is the reasonl 1t is because be
has been on his knees before the Lord.
He has felt his weakness, that he needed
the assistance OF the Lord TO preach the
Gospel, or he could not ofiiciate in the
name Of the Lord acceptably. There
fore, he BUNDLED himself before the
Lord in the very dust; he prayed ter
vently: he read and studied; he sought
the Lord, and found Him, That is the
reason he has that testimony. The
Spirit OF the Lord came to the rescue
and bore record OF the truth and estab
lished a testimony in his heart. And
this will be so at home as well as abroad.
Where we find brethren who have not
obtained knowledge, it is because
they have not been as devoted as they
should be. | recommend all those in
the Church who have not yet got n testi.
mony to apply themselves now. Their
baptism has been administered to them
r;f nj ,,,ttl
them to fulfill their part OF the obliga-
ton. They are not entitled to the knowl.
edge nor the blessing until they have
fulfilled their part, No doubt, many
have been brought into the Church who
were as pure and honest as could possib-
ly be, but without proper instructions
and counsel. 1t may have been the care
lessness OF Bishops, or OF parents. or OF
Elders. Possibly they were born in the
Church. and baptized at the age oil eight
years, and have not been brought to a
proper and thorough understanding OF
the Gospel. repeat, however, ii there
are any in the Church today who lack a
testimony, or question in their minds as
to whether the Gospel is true or not, let
them humble themselves before the
Lord; let them perform the duties de-
volving upon them; let them meet to.
gether often with the people, and serve
God faithfully and devotedly, and in a
very little while the Spirit of the Lord
will come in upon them, and they will
begin TO see as they have not seen and
known. 1t is important that they should
do this. And when the light once
shines in upon us, it is important then
that the Holy Spirit should be kept with
us, that His influence and power should
abide with us constantly, and that we
never live in the dark. | want to say to
my brethren and sisters, not TO be salts.
fed with membership in the Church,
with our names upon the record; but lei
us be aggressive and positive in our
knowledge OF the truth, so that we may
always have a testimony to bear and
reason for the hope that God has estab.
lished in our souls. God bless you,
Amen.