Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-09-13

dissppolntmeut.
The Cnoir sang the anthem:
jesus. my cross have taken.
BeDsdiotion by Elder U. +. Whit.
ney.
AFTERNOON Session.
The choir aud congregation san G
the nymr:
Our God VIC raise to Thee
Thanks for Thy blessings fec.
We heIe enjoy.
Prayer by Elder Elias Morris.
TIE cnoir eaug the On men:
We give thanks to Thee. o Lord OF The hsr.
vest
Tho following statistical teior a of
tho Stshs inr the SIX months Ell Ing
June 30, 1897, were read ana ordered
flied. Tue report OF the Stake at
large: the report Of the High Priests
quoruu; OF the Nstionsi w man's
Relief Socle'y; Of tue Y. NJ. NJ. L. A.,
ana OF The Primary Associs,Iou.
Elder Angus M. Cannon announced
that Elder JOS. IL. Felt hau been
honorably releasei from he pasitio, OF
Stake superin,eu dent OF Y. M. III. La.
apd Elder Richatd X, Lyman ap-
pointed to the position. The spppii,-
ment OF Elder Lymsu WAS unaut-
mousiy sustainsd. l. der William q.
5eais was proposed ~ assistant Stake
reporter In place OF Elder J. +. Cuam.
berlin, who had been called To tsk- a
mission. This appointment was also
uuonimously sustairei.
Elder Is. ii. R9bers was called TO
address the congregation. He tx.
planned the Obi ,ot OF the sps.kets IN
asking for the NTH and prayers OF the
people, rsa iing from revelation
given in November, 1881, In which
the Eldeis OF Israel are r.Quireh 10
speak as moveu upon by tue Hoy
Ghost, their utteranoss under such
circumstances being the Will and
word OF the Lord. This was the res-
son for this Almost universal request OF
IbCse called upon to address Inc Lat
ter.uay Saints. II the people were to
take due account OF this matter they
would he anxious that the Elders
should be SO blessed, that the volumes
Of Scripture might be added to anu
the Saints taught OF Go the only
Teacher Of perfect righteousness
The oeget,ing Of faith III the hearts
of the chiluren OF men, was Ut great
importance, for 1t was the moving In.
centive OF ail action, the iirst ptin pile
NJ the Gospel, Of lsceseity. With
reference 10 ibis suit jtc', Elder Rob-
:. rts read an extract from the tulTu
i ecture ON faith In the Doctrine and
Covenants, where three essential OLE
mems of q perfect faith were stated.
The idea that God exists; ., A know
edge OF His attributes; 3, "a oonsci us-
uets that the lie Of Inc individual is
10 accordance with the viii OF God.
Without the fret OF these el,msnis,
the great motive for obedience TO the
laws Of the Gospel was entirely want.
ing, and this obedience would fail as
a matter OF logical cons quence.
This was the meaning OF Pau's
statement that ltney who como to God
must know that de IL, and Is re.
warder Of those who diligently seek
Him. The descent OF the idea o..
Gou's existence by tradition was
traced from the first revelation of.that
knowledge through those who knew
OF God's existence through personal
testimony. The impvrtancs oil this
line of evidence was emphAslZ,J, Ito
Importance being proved by the uni
VERBALLY Of this tradition among all
the children Uf men. Even among
the heather nations, Were, apDa.
rently, devotion was g,vsu TO stocks
and stones, in rtaiiy a divine ling
stood behind the IDOL, and wss re-
presented 10 part by it. This might
also Introduce the Idea Of the necessity
u q mediator between Goa and man,
representation OF the Christian ide.
that the Son of God was The occupant
oil this place.
Other lines OF evidence OF the sxis.
tence OF q -, wound DC found to sup.
plement tradition. One of these wac
the personal testimony OF God, as
gnined 10y Individual Obedience His
lave, ana born by these thu, favored,
to their fellowp, Entch, Abraham,
Moses, Joshua, the Elders, Prophets,
anu kiDgs Of Israel, tue Son OF GU
and His APOSTLES, sil could be- coun,ed
in tue list OF personal WITNESSES OF
GODS existence. In q, dition to these
the Lattei-Isy Saints possess d the
testimony oil tue Nephite Prophets, as
given IA the Book OF Mormon; there.
fore, with double testimony, they
should be doubly faithful In obedience
to the laws OF God. Furthermore, the
usimony oil Prophets pecuiia to their
own aye was also possessed
by the Saiuts, Tor revelation
had been vouchsaied to them, This
Icreaslng their cauie OF faith, ana
heir punishms nt II they failed to as.
cspt these testimonies and live TO them.
An additional line OF evidence wa,
outlined In the work OF natut.,s. sung
Dv David, "rhe heavens ueeiare the
tbry OF Goc." Even with the te.ti-
mooy Of the Scriptures and the
prophets, hidden awny for a time.
there wOulu he no lack OF testimony
az written on the face OF nature,
rhete three lines, twisted Into three.
cord rope, would be not only not easily
broken, but unbreaksole.
The second element OF faith. n cor.
rect idea OF GSd's attributes. was
treated by the speaker. Uuder.tand.
ing the difficulty OF controlling m.
natural app etites which ran cou nter Ia
the will OF God, the Ieople would need
10 know His slOwness to anger. ard
His forgiveness OF sin. Otherwise tb,y
would econ become discouraged in the
attic mpts al serving Cod and oyercom.
Ing sip. This principle OF Coo. for.
glveness wIs beautifully set forth In
Chrisps reply TO the noble, bronu
iiberai.minded Peter, who n,kso i, n,
should forgive his brother sevep times
aud was answered that he should Tor.
give seventy times seven. This shuwou
The comparison between the mercy o
man anu the mercy of God. Yet In.
tender mercies of love aud forQiyenes.
we're properly tempered with Justice