Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-21

kind. In almost every revelation that
was given to the Elders in the days Of
the Prophet Joseph Smith, they were
cn1oilpd to observe the principles of
chastity virtue and purity. Again. we
believe In the everlasting Gospel as
taught by the Son of God. and ! will
refer you to His language whom lie
taught these principles to His disciples
on this continent:
Behold, 1t is written by them OF old
time that thou shalt not commit adul-
terry;
"But say unto you. that whatsoever
looketh upon woman. to lust after
her, hath committed adultery already
in his heart.
behold. / give unto you u commando
ment, that We suffer none of thesd
things to enter into your heart" OII
Nephi T.: % -29)
That Is what the Latter-dny Saints
believe. You may ask why? Jesus
Christ answers:
For 1t is better that We should deny
yourselves Of these things, wherein ye
viii take NJ your cross, than that We
should be cast into hell OH Nephi,
12: 800
BY this we understand that adulter-
ers viii be cast into hell. The Lord
Jesus Christ understood it. David was
Il man after Gods own heart and the
Lord blessed him, and bore testimony
that in nothing did he sin. save in his
tr1nsgression with Urinhs wife. Il
Kings, XIV. 50 Now, the Lord loved
David, hut h" had to pay the penalty
OF his sin. The Latter-day Saints be-
lieve that there are some sins which
men commit that cannot be forgiven.
but they have TO pay the penalty. The
Lord Jesus Christ was very particular
to teach this to His disciples on this
continent. He also taught them what
the Father had declared through Mala-
CHI, that they might understand the
conditions and the necessity of obeylnB
the ordinances of the house Of God.
Then again, we read of the son of
Alma being smitten by the harlot lsa-
bel and following her; and Alma bore
testimony that the sin of fornication
was the most abomnlable above all
sins. save 1t be the 81. ddur 81 innO-
cent blood or denying the Holy Ghost"
lAlma 80: 81
The Iatter-day Saints understand
this principle, and IT would be lmpos-
sibe for them to practice immortality
and be the disciples Of Jesus Christ.
We have taken upon us the name of
Christ; we are His representatives; and
1t would be more than we dared do to
encourage such thoughts in our hearts.
The scriptures say that n murderer
hath not eternal life abiding in him.
q John 8: 49, There is no forgiveness
for such a sinner. The question may
be asked, Why is II that murderer
cannot be forgiven? Simply because he
takes that which he cannot restore.
How can he atone for the shedding or
innocent blood? He canont do 1t in
this life Look at the calamity that
came upon the Jews through the she'd
ding of innocent blood at Jerusalem,
and then upon the Gentiles through
the shedding of innocent blood at
Rome! The curse of God came upon
them.
Can you tell me of more heinous
crime. save the shedding af innocent
blood, than for man to secure the love
and devotion and pure affection of an
innocent young woman, and then
to watch his opportunity and take adj
vantage OF her. rob her of her virtue,
and then cast her off? Just think OF
it, He takes advantage OF her sim,
plicity, her affection, and her solemn
trust. How can he restore that wom-
ans virtue? For the protection of
women there was law in Israel
anclently that II man hunnbled a
woman, she should become his wife,
and he should not put her away all his
days. DO you think we can commit
such crimes and expect to please God?
DO you think we can do such things
and not have to face the bar of God
and receive a just condemnation for
deeds such as these? Yet men who do
these things are frequently received in
polite society! They never should be
admitted into any decent society; for
anyone that would be guilty of such
acts is not worthy the fellowship Of
any decent man or woman. And when
they have TO stand before the bar OF
God and give an answer for the deeds
done In the body. they will learn some
thing concerning the miseres of hell.
What is the result of such conduct? A
wreck in the family! a broken-heart
motherl a sorrowing father! And to
think that the guilty man can move
in polite society and be associated with