Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-02-05

out how In many "a small village there
is a Baptist church, u Congregational
one, Methodist a LuthePn, an Epis-
copal and Presbyterian church. with
their six edifices sparsely attended, and
their six ministers starving to death, y
where but one minister and one church
could accommodate the whole, and do
more good; these might be added to in
Salt Lake City (accordlng TO the Sun
day papers) materially, all catering
for converts or perverts. quarrelling as
to essentials and non-essentials. yet
admitting time and again a certain and
positive entity in regard tothe cardinal
principles of Christianity. differing
only on points without practical bear
ing on the increase of soulful goodness
or the salvation of sinner.
Division is. kept up In the spirit of
rivalry, effort looks mainly to the ag-
grandizement of sect, preaching has
become profession. men preach for
hire and divine for money" they pro-
woke enmites, sow the seeds of dis
trust and disunlon, minister to cranki-
ness of idea, and award by implication
to every man with nerve enough, the
right on some fool idea or another. to
create and found a church of his own.
yet all are looking for the same heaven
ostensibly. where rivalry is unknown.
faith, one rule, and from whence all
who rebel and Invite sectionalism"
will share the fate OF "the Son of the
Morning''--they will assuredly be cast
out.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Lat.
ter-day Saints stands aloof from all
this /; it is satisfied with its own special
of Jesus Christ; II has no controversy
with the world only as explanatory and
in self defense; 1t does not expect to
convert all mankind: 1t believes that
during the millennium and in the spirit
world there will be those who "claim to
be of Paul, of Apollos. of Cephas." yet
they will be satisfied to be of Christ. to
teach His doctrines. to honor His or
dinances and commandments. and to
receive that allotment of persecution,
Misrepresentation. and rejection, which
may be their share. for $50 did the
fathers unto the prophets which were
before them"
The Church Of God prefers union to
unity, but not that which comes from
amalgamation with any: as much as
possible they desire to ''live in peace
with all men," but there is no com
mand to receive into their houses. or
to bid God-speed" to those who
in their own self-righteousnes project
into the true Christian life or true
Christian Church. under any assump-
ton. the sons OF Behalf" but il Is and
ever VIII be the prerogative of the un-
firing saints. with Luke. to testify of
those things that they know and verify
Two thousand years have passed
since the Gospel was revealed by the
authority of its Great Apostie -
Jesus Christ, since that, emascuIated
perverted, and without authority, what
remained has achieved It's trlumphs
and had Its measure OF success: win
its re-revealment the Lord is holding
that predicted Controversy, with the
nations, and speedily will be ushered
in the day of deoison;" the forces of
good and evil win align themselves for
the great day of the Lord-the battle
OF Arlnageddon: that union which is
not unity, will be consumed, and the
Unity OF the Saints VIII be so ex-
hibited that the two Churches-the
only two-"the Church Of God and the
Church of the Devil" as the Book OF
Mormon rather abruptly designates the
contestants, will demonstrate after all
pretension the real value of each; yet
there may and viii be reward for the
members of one and condemnation for
the members OF the other; seeing that
where much II given much shall be
required. and whore little is given little
Will be required"