Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-02


ith chapter, Paul says
And he gave some apostles; ana
some. prophets; and some, eNhnkel-
lists; and some pastors and teachers
'''For the pcrfecting OF the saints tor
fthe work Of the ministry, for the edi-
| flying OF the body of Christ
It'll we all come I'm the unity OF the
! faith. and OF the knowledge of the son
! OF God unto u perfect man. unto the
measure of the stature OF the fulness
| Of Christ"
| He enumerntes, then these several
| purposes OF the organization, and main
/ tnins that this organization was nee
| essary In order TO perfect the Saints
essential TO bring to pass their unity.
| These are the purposes for which TINS
| organization was given
| Hut where do we And the church with
! its Apostles, with its Seventies, with It's
| Bishops with Its Priests, and Teachers.
\ and Deacons2 | know that we are told,
by those who contend for the episeo-
| pal order OF church government, that
| Bishops succeeded to the authority OF
Apostles; but that Is assumption a
! Bishop In not an Apostle The power
| and authority of the Apostle was uni
I versnl. the authority and power OF a
| Bishop is local. 1t Is assumption, pure
| and simple, to say that Bishops are
| SUCCESSORS to the same powers ana To
the same commission and office be-
/ slowed upon the Apostles. Where is
/ that order of the Priesthood known as
| the Seventy, who were closely asso-
ciated with the Apostles? II is an order
| OF government lost sight of in the
| churches OF the world. Indeed, the same
organization as that established ny
Jesus nowhere exists among the chill
dren of men today, except among the
Latter-day Saints; and IT exists here
| because God has opened again ~"
heavens and restored II by revelation.
| Now, my brethren and sisters, ! have
| already spoken at too great length, and
| yet have only indicated what may be
| said upon this interesting subject
one In which. know, you have deep
concern. But. as have before said,
| these arguments and very many
others we employ are but helps. We
| trust primarily In the work of God IT.
| self. In that which the Church Is; in
| the doctrines which she teaches; In
| the triumphs she has won. Indeed,
her triumphs are great. We have
| seen mob violence break upon the
| Church time after time. like the waves
| Of the ocean beat upon a rock-bound
| shore. We have seen the great gov
eminent OF the United States. under a
mistaken policy, and deceived by mis-
representation, use its great powers to
break down this Church. The govern
ment confscated the Church property
and many driven into exile. Yet none
| Of those things has for one moment
affected the unity. or the power. OF
| this Church organization. The Church
goes out into the world with its grand
message of peace on earth and good
| Will to man. IL here and there she has
/ brought sword, and not peace. the
sword has been in the hands of her
opponents, and not in ours. II there
| has been family peace disturbed, so
| that the father has been against the
son and the son against the father,
and the mother-in-law against the
| daughterin-law; and II n mans enc
niles have been they of his own house
hold. not those who have accepted the
Gospel have been the aggressors. nor
the disturbers of the peace; but the
others, who have not accepted It: and
/ moved by singular spirit of hatred.
| they have prosecuted and cast out
those who have received the truth.
We are in n state of evolution as Il
community. our methods of argu-
ment, the presentation of our mission
| may be crude. unscholarly and all
that; we are willing to confess it; but
the truth of God is here, And as /
contemplate this Church of Christ
making the bold declaration in the
i rs OF naughty. proud, pseudo.
| Christianity-proud of its past proud
OF Its learning, dsdainrul OF
| the new arrival with her
strange mission sounding in their
ears-as | contemplate the Church OF
Christ going to the world with her mes.
sage am reminded of the connict-the
1 unequal conflict, apparentiy--between
the youthful, half-clad David and the
great Goliath, skilled in the use of
arms, clad from head to foot In com
| plete armor. master of spear and of
sword. And yet the rudy cheeks OF
| the boy smiled in confidence. Why?
| Because of his armor? or that he had
none. Because OF his skill In the use OF
buckler or sword? These he knew not
| how to Use. Because of his eotial
strength, with that proud antagonist
walking towards him? He was a plginy
compared with the giant. No. his con-
| fdence was In none of these things,
but 1t was resident In his sublime faith
that God would vlndicate Israel; that
| He would strengthen the arm OF His
| servant. and give him the victory over
his proud, boastful foe. So 20 out the
Elders OF the Church of Christ not re-
lying upon their own strength nor in
scholarship or worldly wisdom: but
confident In the power OF God. knowing
by the experience OF the past that He
VIII walk by their side that He will
make their strength sufficient for the
accomplishment Of His purposes; and
they with their hands confidlngly
placed in His hand. walk on to the com
dict, recognizing the fact that Il il
Gods controversy with the world. and
especially with the pseudo-Christian
world; and that He will vlndicate the
great truth that He revealed to His
Prophet, Joseph smlth-namely, that
men have departed from the true Chris
tian faith; that they have been and
are teaching for doctrine the com
mandments OF men: that they draw
near TO Him with their lips while their