The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-17

IN the First Methodist church yester-
day. addressing large congregation.
The subject was Divine Photography, .
the texs being taken from II CORN
thians, SIS: But we all with open
face beholding as in a glass the glory
OF the Lord are changed into the same
image from glory to glory, even as by
the spirit of the Lord"
In one of the great cathedrals in the
orfeget there is a. large painting cover
ing the ceiling. 1t is famous work OF
ART, representing heaven with its pearly
gates, the river of life and great multi
tudeS of saved. Fer centuries travellers
have visited the place and gazed upon
the wonderful representation but there
was one obstacle. The painting cover
ed the entire ceiling ana one could not
frost his vision without sttraining the
eyes. Someone devised scheme to
overcome this obstacle Large mirrors
We're constructed in such positions that
they reflected the painting in ain It's
magni1icence and brought it down to
the level of the eyes SO that the be-
holder can now recline in cushioned
chair and feast his vision.
This was a similarity between the
humanity's search for the image of
God Jesus Christ was the person who
brought Gods image to a level with
man. There was some difference, how
ever.
These beautiful paintings please the
eye, but they have no power over the
beholder. In this respect there is u
difference as the image of God,
though unseen, possesses a. wonderful
power over humanity. 1t is the I'M
seen influence which makes men and
women berter. Some scientist a few
years ago announced how to make men
better, outside OF religious thoughts or
influence. That, held the speaker,
would be as impossible as for the crew
60 move a, ship in mid-ocean by stand
ing on deck and pushing against the
mast. Whenever we attempt to elevate
ourselves by our own strength we fail.
To break off sins is futile without
religion. A man may try to emulate
Christ, do right as far as practicable
and be considered a good man, still it
would avail him naughr 1t would be
as a>syax flower to the natural plant
artificial.
How then shall we become like God?
There is one process as simple and nat
ural as others are complex and diff
cult. It is as true as the law of cause
and effect. But we ali with open face
beholding as in a, glass the glory Of the
Lord, are c1luaged from glory to glory. ;"
That explains the method. How are
we changed BY rejecting as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord. Gods
glory is his character. Nothing in man
is grander than character, and when
the test speaks about Gods glory it
cir u
Every man is in some means a refiec-
tor. You can tell mans nationality
by his features and if you enter into
conversation with him you can soon
discover if he has had a good mother,
or whether he has studied this and that
work. Every being more or less u0l-
consciously reflects his character
The law is as plain as the natural
Men and women are constantly chang
ing, from the influences OF their sur
roundings. Two boys may for ex-
ample go to school together for a num-
Der of years and their minds will be-
come alike. They are simply trans
formed into the same image. A boy
some years ago went wrong and his
mother started off in search for him.
City after city was visited without re-
suit and the mother weary of the
fornia and began to teach school
Among her pupils was a little girl who
became very much attached to the
teacher. They were constantly in each
others company and their taste and
habits grew similar until it was the
source of comment by the community.
David and Jonathan furnish another
example of this growing alike" Why
is 1t that a couple who nave travelled
together for fifty years become alike :?
Because for fifty years they have gone
on rejecting each ether Another eX-
ample of this fact is found IN the hea-
then. A native of Central Africa, be-
cause of constant interningling with
wild beasts and chatteTdng monkeys,
has grown SO as to almost lose the re-
semblance Of a human being.
Now there is a very apparent lesson
growing out of this. We should seek
constant companionship with God in
order that we may assume his image
An eminent divine has asserted that
if we spend but five minutes each day
in communion with the Lord we shall
gTow like him and Influenced to do
everything for hts sake. Another, les
son is the effect of standing in the
presence of God. There is much signifi-
canoe in the story of the robber who,
beq,is upon evil, was gathering up some
money when his eyes fell upon a. pic
ture of Christ on the wall. The rob bier
became so uneasy that he could not
go on and commit his theft until the
picture had been turned toward the
wall The knowledge of standing III
the Almiglhty's presence even though
we Garnet see him exerts a wonderful
influence. And then there are the prom
Uses of God that in his presence we
shall receive siniessness, answer of
prayer and fruitfulness-
At the Tabernacle.