Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-08

hundreds of backsliders in the states
Of Missouri and Illinois, who had en-
braced the Gospel. many of them in
the days of Joseph Smith. Some had
received testimony and sinned
against II and became embittered, while
others had not received 1t In sincerity
Of heart, and they We're easily led
aside. l want to impress upon the
youth that to enjoy this Spirit, we
must not only receive 1t by the ordt-
nances of the Gospel but we must take
IA course in life that we can keep 1t
constantly with us. The Spirit of the
Lord will not associate with evil in any
form. AS quoted by Brother Kim
ball, the Spirit of the Lord will not
dwell in unclean temples; and the
Apostle Paul felt so impressed with
this that on one occasion he said to
the Corinthan Saints: EVIL com
nunicntions corrupt good Manners
and he cautioned them to avoid evil
association. to avoid coming In contact
with the influences that were of the
world The Savior gave this caution
to his disciples, when He said unto
them, Beware OF the leaven of the
Gentiles" The young people should
understand that the foundation. the
stepping stone to Mutual Improvement
is the reformation of life. II there Is
n young man that is guilty of any
habit that is contrary to the injunc-
lions of the Gospel.the first step neces-
sary IL to lay that aside. Lay aside
the habit of smoking cigarettes. lay
aside the habit of chewing tobacco.
lay aside the habit of swearing and
profanity, and Sabbath breaking, and
seek unto God in humble prayer for
the enjoyment and the impressions of
the Holy Spirit.
II we will do that. the Lord will pre-
serve US from scepticism and infidelity
One of the brethren in his remarks
hnt t,tr ff
Scriptures and thereby becoming an
easier prey to infdelity. I thought of
my own testimony regarding this
work. that no matter what might be
the skin of the sceptic or the infidel
in his efforts to tear down and destroy
the standards of Christianity that
every young man might feel
as felt myself. that no
matter what NAV be their
theory. however plausible may appear
their reasoning I know that this is the
work of God, regardless of these
things. / know that there is n spirit
and power associated with what they
denominate Mormonism that Is beyond
and above the power and the natural
intelligence of man. l have received
this testimony. But. in addition to
that my young brethren. we should
become so convcrsant with the prin-
ciples of truth, and also with the theo-
ries IL necessary, that are advanced
by the world against the true doctrines
Of Christ. that we NAV be able. when
under the influence of the Spirit OF God.
TO refute them and show their incon-
sistency by the light of truth.
have often been impressed with a
few statistics that were published by
President John Morgan. several years
before his decease. He wrote. / think
to the wardens of the penitentiaries at
Detroit, and Joliet. ILL.,. and Sing Sing.
New York. and he asked the question
of the keepers of those government
houses OF correction to give him clear
and truthful statement as to what per-
centage of the convicts in their respec-
also wanted to know what percentage
of them had an understanding of
grammar and rhetoric. When the
answers came back, If ] remember cor
rectly, they showed that there were
fully ninety per cent of all the crimi-
tion that could read and write;
and there Were some - think
seventy-five per cent OF them
that We're quite grammatical in their
conversation: still smaller per cent
that had very good understanding of
arithmetic and other branches and
some of them were highly educated.
remember the statement by President
/ Morgan that there was a greater per-
centage of well educated people in the
| penltentiary. compared with the whole
! of the inmates, than there was out
| side OF the prisons as compared with
| the entire population of the United
! States. To me this was n great les
son. 1t was lesson that impressed
me that the mere education of the in
tellect is not sufficient. Men may I'M
, derstand astronomy, they may under
stand mathematics. they may he eff
cient In the beautiful art Of music. they
! may be conversant with law and the
science of civil government as 1t OBJ
| tains In the nations OF the earth, and
at the same time they may be corrupt
! they may be dishonest men. their mo-
tives may be impure In the sight of
| God.
No man, no matter what may be his
natural attachments, If he does not en-
Joy the Spirit of the living God, II his
life is not circumspect. squared by the
| principles and doctrines of the Son of
God is well educated Latter-day
Saint, he does not enjoy the true light.
| he Is not safe man to follow. An
other striking thing in the history of
this work is that when men--no mat
have ceased to follow In the counsels
of the Prophets OF God. or have volat-
| ed their covenants in any respect
/ especially IL 1t has been in serious
manner. they have ceased to enjoy the
| light that comes from the Father.
| 70 VIC sHohtn VI III Int
| Book of Mormon In connection with
the Prophet Joseph Smith. You know
| that Nephi prophesied that of the seed
of Joseph that was sold into Egypt in
| the last days,t the Lord would raise up n
! Prophet whose name should be Joseph.
and his fathers name should he Jo-
| seph; and he said that this Prophet
Joseph in the last days should not be
mighty in speaking, but he should be
mighty in writing the words of the
| Lord. like unto Moses. And he says.
I God viii raise up unto him q, mouth
| piece like unto Aaron" Now by read
| ing the Doctrine and Covenants, we
| know who that mouth-piece was. We
| know the name of that man that en-
| joyed so much OF the Spirit. during his
| faithfulness, that his tongue was elo-
| quent and powerful; but when he
| ceased to follow the line of his duty.
| when he despised the day of small
| things, when he became lifted up in
| the pride OF his heart, became Jealous
| of his associate. the Prophet, and he
| gan step by step to turn aside from the
| course of rectitude which the Gospel
| enjoined upon him. that man lost his
| power, lost his influence he lost his
tongue of eloquence, and went down
| into oblivion. / heard, many years
| ago. President George O.. Cannon say
| in Nauvoo when that man stood up be-
| fore o. congregation and sought to lay
! his claims before the people to be the
I guardian OF this Church, and I re-
member distinctly that President Can
I -.