Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-06-19
DISCOURSE.
Continued from page nine J

which begets love and union, unless you
are pure. The moment you commit
sin, the moment you violate COM
mandment OF God, and do not repent OF
it, that moment the Spirit of God is
grieved, and il begins to wit draw
itself from you, and unless you rep. mt II
will wi hdraw itself entirely from you.
Is not this an extraordinary cond ton
What a mighty work God is doing, and
yet we scarcely believe il God is
gathering out from the nations of the
earth all who will listen 10 His voice,
and making unto them great promises
and giving unto them great gifts; then,
when He has gathered them, sitting
them, cleansing them, removing one by
one the wicked d the impure, Hii-
den from human sight are m my oil the
sins oil men; but G. I'd knows them. His
Spirit Sc them. He peneiretes the
secret recesses of all our hearts. His
eye, pierce US to the very centre. He
knows our every thought. His Spirit,
which is His minis,ering agent, under
stands these things. 1t dwells with the
pure 1t sustaini the pure. 1t comforts
and builds up tn pure. But the impure
|, wiihdraws Itself from, leaving them to
walk in darkness. Thing which they
understood are changed. Darkness has
taken the place oil light; and as the
Savior says, II The light that is within
you become darkness, how great is that
darkness. M II and women, when they
get in this condition, wonder how they
could have been operated upon to do as
they did in former days. The light has
gone out OF hem; they are in the dark
they leave the Church; and their friends
wonder what has caused SUCH results,
Men and women VIII 0 have been attached
to the Church, and who have borne testi-
mony concerning its truth, for some
reason leave the Church. Whyl God
knows why. The Spirit OF God under
stands it. He is aware of the sin that
has produced that dreadful result, and
the sinner will be brought 10 Judgment.
Then his sin will be made plain and
clear as the light of day. For God does
not Withdraw himself from men and wo-
men without cause.
In this way we shall have a pure
Church sooner or later. This Is the
only church that | know OF in which
these causes are operating and these re-
suits being produced. There is no
church IN Christendom that is in the
same position as this Church, because
there is no church that has the power
tn It this Church has. There is no cnurch
aside from this, that is the true church
Of Christ. There are thousands OF men
and women who are honestly striving
to follow Christ; but this is the only or
ganization that possesses the authority
which God conferred in ancient DAYS
through HIS Son Jesus Christ. Hence
we are held to higher accountability,
More is required of us. Our reward
will be UNNECESSARILY greater than the
reward OF others who do not obey the or
di ances of the Gospel; and our con-
domination will be immea ,urably greater
if we, through sin and trangression, for
ieit these blessings that God has given
unto us.
My brethren and sisters, wish we
cou d always think that we are dwelling
in the presence of God; that He is near
er to US than we imagine; that His
Spirit is in US, and that His power is
over US. When the veil is Withdrawn,
and we see the light as it is, we will be
forced to acknowledge this, and we will
be surprised that God has been SO neal
to US in our mortality God is working
with us to an extent that we cannot con-
ceive oi--at least, cannot. And the
sinner cannot prosper. He may pros
per as TAR as earthly things are concern
ed; but he cannot prosper in the things
oil God. The hyrocrite cannot flourish
His sins will be brought to light, and
men will then understand that neither
men nor women fall from grace, they
do not become alenated from the
Church and 60 into dark, without &
cause. No matter how small the cause
may be in the estimation OF the sinner
You may know there is a cause for it
The Spirit OF God can BE- very easil,
grieveo. But there are some thing!
that are worse than others. One is tS
lift our voice against. or in any name
assail the Priesthood OF the Son of God
You may think this a trifling thing
You may say, "Why who are these mel
that should not speak about them1
know they are ialllble men; they ar
mortal; they are guilty OF many veal;
nesses. do not see why should re
spect them, or why they should b.
shielded from criticism, or why | Shout,
listen to their COUNSEL" Now, judge,
by mans standard, this ma
appear to be true. There is no
man in The Church, from VII
ford Woodruff down, that has anythin
overpowering about him, that we shoul
render him any degree OF obedience
1t is not that. These are but the earth
ly vessels. Joseph Smith was not out
wardly transformed, neither was Peter
smes and John. when they received tn
Priesthood of the Son oil God. Jesu
himself was not in form to compe
mani lad 10 honor him. But while lhes
men are but earthly vessels, it is tn
authority, it is the power, it is God
now do not be shocked at this-it i
God that is within Them that cause
them to do these god y works. Withou
God were in them, they could not bar
tiz. men for remission of sins, the
could not Law on hands Tor the receptio
OF ths Ho y Chest. 1t is the spirit an
power which God gives to all who re
ceive His Priesthood that makes Their
in The sight OF God SO holy that the
ought not to be spoken against, the
ought not to be bell tied, they ougt
NOT 10 be dlsobeyed By the people c
God
Now, in saying this, | do not mea
that men should be OBJECTS oil worship
God forbid No man stould set him
sell up above his iellowmen. II he die
God would be angry with him, an
| The Shrine etor,,,c c+r.1,