Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-14

Church before his death. None of the
witnesses to the Book OF Mormon had
ever denied their testimony, no matter
what had bcfallen them. Elder Grant
bore testimony to the congregation
that he knew Joseph Smith was n
Prophet Of God. that Jesus was the
Christ, that God lives and that lie
hears and answers prayer, and ex-
horted all present to serve God all thoit
lives and endure to the end, that they
might be saved.
Elder c. w. Penrose was then called
upon to address the congregation. He
spoke for the Saints assembled, in CON
graduating Elder Grant on his recovery
and expressing the pleasure of all pres
ent in hearing his voice In public once
more. and In the hope that he would
live many years to preach the Gospel
Elder Penrose said, In listening to the
testimonies that had been borne con-
corning the revelations Of God in this
century. the coming Of John the Bap-
list, of Peter, james and John, and OF
angels bearing message from on high
one who was not II believer in these
things, or who was not acquainted with
the latter-day work, might ask the
question, where was the need of those
divine communications in this age of
the world? Considering we have the
Bible, host of preachers and no end
of churches, what was the good of
another church and new revelation?
The speaker proceeded to reply
to these questions, first by
showing what the Bible is
and what 1t II not, how Il was com
piled and the fact that many prophe-
cies and books and epistles spoken of
In the Bible are not to be found in
that collection OF writings. Second,
by showing that the Bible had not sue
ceeded in bringing people to a common
understanding of religion nor to the
unity of the faith md that Ns.a
able to confer upon any man the au-
thority to administer in the name of
Deity. Third. by demonstrating that
the power to preach the Gospel of
Christ and administer its ordinances
conferred by Christ upon his Apostles
was improperly claimed by modern
ministers among the different conflict
ing sects; that they had no more right
to take the commission given to the
eleven Apostles of old, than a man would
now TO take some old commission given
to an ambassador from an ancient
court, or to adjudge in olden times
and claim 1t as his own. Fourth. by
showing that authority from God could
only be conferred by revelation from
God, and all the modern Christian sects
denied that there had been any revela-
tion from Him since she time when
John the beloved received his vision on
the Island of Pntmos While admit
ting that much good had been done by
reformers, and that there We're many
GOOD and devout and prayerful people
In all the Christian sects and also in
heathendom and among the Jews. yet,
this divine authority was not among
them, judging by their own arguments
and admissions The Gospel as
preached by Christ and His Apostles
and the organization. ordinances, gifts
and blessings of the primitive Chris
tian church were explaind by the
speaker and contrasted with modern
churches made by men. The necessi
ty of restoration of the true church.
with authority to administer
IN the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost
was pointed out, and the speaker tes-
titled to the opening OF the heavens in
these latter days and the ministratons
referred to by Elder Grant. He bore
testimony that these things We're true
and called upon all who had not done
so to repent of their sins and be bap-
tized by one having authority for the
remission of sins and promised them
the Holy Ghost as n consequence, which
would give each obedient person wit
ness of the truth. Elder Penrose an
swered the question what had become
of all the people who had died who
had not received this Gospel? and
showed that not only Christian people
but the heather who had never heard
inc name OF Jesus CHRIST, WOulu De
preached to when out of the body, II
they had departed without that privi-
lege. That the spirit of man was an
entity. n sentient, responsible being,
able to learn, to repent and to improve.
and that the modern notions on this
subject that there was no chance for a
man after death was irrational and un-
scriptural. He testified that the time
would come when all would hear the
truth and. after suffering for their
wickedness and folly, all except the
sons of perdition would be saved in
some of the many mansions which were
in the Kingdom OF the Father: every
knee would bow, every tongue confess
that Jesus was the Christ, He would
gain the victory. and death and hell
be destroyed, and the Eternal Father
would be glorifled in the redemption
of His children.
The choir and congregation sang:
Our God. we raise to Thee
Thanks for Thy blessings free.
Adjourned to meet on Saturday, June
18th, 1898, at 10 q. IN.
Benediction by President Joseph +.
Smith.