Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-02

apart Tor their mission. They testify
that the Lord has been continually with
them, and that the signs follow the be-
lever. In over forty years experience
in this Church | have seen the sick
healed time and again in marvellous
manner by the power of God. | can
bear my testimony in common with my
brethren, that God has spoken from the
heavens, that He has restored His
Church to the earth, that the signs fol-
low the believer, and that Joseph Smith
was no impostor, but true servant oil
God, ordained from before the founda-
tons OF the earth to usher IN the dis
pensation of the iulness oil times. So
we can safely offer to the world this
glorious Gospel, and all who live its
principles are improved in every respect
II they are good, it makes them better,
We also understand the truth OF what
the Lord said to Ezekiel:
"When the wicked man turncth away from
his wickcdness that he hath committed, and
doc,h that which IS lawful and right, he shall
save his soul alive.
1t is source of great joy to the re-
pentant sinner to know that he need not
any longer be in doubt, or be dependent
upon somebody else, but that he himself
can obtain this light and truth that is en-
ioyed by the Priesthood, because he
will become priest himself after awhile.
The disciples oil Jesus Christ are TO be-
come nation OF kings and priests to
God and His Christ for ever and ever.
Therefore, there is something to be at
tanned to. People ask us why it is that
we send out our missionaries. Is there
| anybody else that teaches these prnci-
plies, or that has the authority to adj
minister in the ordinances OF the house
OF God2 Is there anybody but the Lat
| ter.day Saints that has the authority to
go into temples and oiiicidte for the
deadl Why is it, my friends, that YOU
cannot open your eyes and see the glory
| and beauty oil Zion2 Why is it that yon
cannot see the house OF God that is
erected here unto Him, and see the
| patient workers that are officiating in
| the ordinances OF the temple for the ac-
complishment of Gods purposes? How
| is it that you cannot understand our
| testimony when we tell you in such sim
| plicity that God has again spoken from
the heavens? 1t is to your interest 10
| embrace the Gospel aud to be one with
us. 1t is TO your interest to be oificiat'
ing for your dead kindred and friends,
and accomplishing the purposes OF Al.
mighty God. If you reject these
| principles, how will You feel when you
go into the spirit world and realize tina,
| you might have been associated with
the Church of God upon the earth and
been a blessing TO your progenitors
/ 81 IL h.,
went with the multitude, who cried,
false prophet" vain delusioDl" How
will you ieel when you realize that you
have shut the gates OF heaven agains
| yourselves by rejecting the loving, kind
| ly message OF our Eternal Father to His
erring children You are His children
in His likeness and image; you have
| precious souls to save, and this message
10 you is the most important message
that you ever heard. II you want to bt
kind to yourselves, you will investigat,
these principles; you will appeal to God
in the name of Jesus Christ, and ash
Him if these things are not So and II,
will reveal it to you, But you will havt
10 give up the pomp and vanity of thi:
world; you will have to give up tn,
wickedness that there is on every hand
and be determined that you will serve
| God and keep His commandments
And il you think we are not as good a:
we ought to be, come and set us a bet
ter example; cast in your lot with Us
anu show us how to more perfectly live
the principles Of the Gospel than we are
trying to do. We are weak and ialliDle
creatures; we have been taken from all
classes OF society; we are ignorant and
uneducated in many ways, and we say
and do things that perchance may look
rather strange TO you; but want 10 tell
YOU that our hearts are right before
| God, and we love Him, we love our
wives and our children, we love our
| friends, and we love the world as our
| record will show in the thousands OF
| miles we have travelled to preach the
| everlasting Gospel to them. | know
you can be put in possession of all the
light and intelligence you desire if you
Will accept OF these principles, obey
them, and humble yourselves before the
Lord, and ask Him II these things are
true. If you will do this, promise you
that you shall know, and that you shall
be redeemed from the darkness that
covers the earth and enjoy the light, but
II will depend upon your subsequent in.
tegrity as to your overcoming and endur-
| ing to the end.
My brethren and sisters, let us strive
to live the principles Of righteousness
| let us be like light set upon hill, that
cannot be hid; let us be the salt of the
earth; let us cease our iault.fnding and
back biting, or taking any course that
would be a stumbling block to the
stranger that visits us. and let us be
what we seem to be-the saints Of the
Eternal God. pray that His Spirit
and blessing may be upon us unto this
end, in the name Of Jesus Christ, Amen.