Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-05-15
A GOSPEL CONVERSATION.
a 1sricf Explanation OF the plan of
salvation. ne Understood by
a ".uormon- Elder.

Families who are seeking after truth.
on previous occasions We had had tho
pleasure OF explaining TO them the dif-
fercnt principles Of the Gospel and the
object we had In view on leaving home.
Little by little the glorious truths Of
the Gospel began 10 be planted In their
hearts. The seeds were not sown by
the waysldc." but "feil on good
ground"
on the evening Of which I speak. we
were at the home OF AIR. Smith. lie
loves to listen to US explaining thi Bible
and other members OF the family are
no less Interested.
After supper was over. Mr.. Smith
asked me TO explain again the necessity
Of Joseph Smiths mission. elders are
always pleased 10 respond 10 such petit
lions. for that u the main object we
have In View on leaving homeD
Following u the line of argument pre-
scented In favor 81 the divinity OF Joseph
Smiths missioni
In viewing the condition ~ the re-
llrious world today. many people are
led 20 wonder. II Christ II tire author
OF what II called Christianity. can lie
be the author OF 20 many sccts. that
produce such profound confusionf
Would he lead part ~ Ills children TO
worship In one way and others TO wur-
ship In different way " His Spirit
be with the preachers ~ the different
denominations. would II teach one min
lister tn preach that 10 confess christ
~ sufficient for salvation, while "
tenchca another that good works are
ncccasary7 Would u teach one minis.
ter to preach that Immersion l. the
proper mode OF baptism. While ~ We
same time teach another that Sprinkle
Ing or pouring VIII do lust a. wellf can
II be that christ would sent Ills SER
wants out elRhrcn hundred years ayo
ngo without purro or scrip. TELLING
them, Freely SO have received. free
~ give" and today allow them TO
accept large sums of money
FOR their prcachlnRf Would he have
I'VE or ten churches. under diftcrcnt
names. In our city u not more than
that many hundred people all claiming
10 be- churches reared 60 Ns name,
and all preaching different doctrincaf
when We look nj NIL this confusion
In the so-cniled Christian rcllsion. We
cannot consistently mink thht .9n y
the author % u. No, the good book
tells. "God Is not the author
OF confusion hut % peace"
~ house divided against Itself can.
not stand" christ. Peter. Paul and
the other Inspired servants of ugd. all
taught the same Oospcl ns the plan Of
salvation. Paul says, ~ We, or an
Gospel let them be accurrcd."
Let uH very briefly review the fundn-
mental. or foundation principles u the
Gospel ne taught BY Christ and Ills
Apostles First. Faith In the Lord
Jesus christ: This faith should lead us
60 accept Him ~ the l,edecmcr OF
mankind and should lead Ms 10 obey
the principles and ordinances Instituted
by Him for our aaivntioni not merely
20 call Hin. Lord. Lord; but 10 ns.o-
ciate good works with uur faith
James says. For aH the BODY without
works II dead also" Second. Repent
ancc; and by that IL meant "a complete
turning away from Hin-n reformation
IN life. Not feeling sorry for sins COM
mitted and then doing the same thing.
or worse. the next day. THIS kind Of
sorrow Is what Paul calls worldly sor-
row" and says II works death.
Third. baptism by immersion for the
remission u sins This baptism. how
ever. IN not 60 be administered 10 child
ron not accountable for wrong doing,
christ told his disciples 10 teach be-
fore they baptized. Some ministers say
christ sanctioned infant baptism whsn
Ito said. suffer little children TO come
unto Ne. ana forbid them not. for "
such j. the kingdom ~ heaven" I
chnnoi see wherein this sanctions. for
the next verse says. and He took them
up IN His arms and blessed thcm'-Sot
anrinklcd them.
come by the laying on OF hands. You
win notice too that the Holy Ghost
enjoyed by the early chriAtiana
h. far different TO what
they term Holy Ghost today. Christ
said II would lead into all truth. take
Of the things u the Father and reveal
them unto US" lie also said the be-
Au alrH 81 N.f
MARK 10; II. ~.
Paul cnumeratea ~ tho Gifts OF tho
Spirit Wisdom. knowledge. faith.
healing. working Of miracles. prophecy.
discerning OF spirits, divers kinds Of
tongues, ana Interpretation OF tongues.
a Cor. "; S.iD.
Now, Mr.. Smith. you s-. tho world
today don't teach these fundamental
principles na We ind them taught In
the Bible.
Hut why do not NIL ministers teach
them alike and as the bible sets them
FORTH asked Mr. smith.
That Is tho point | was leading IN
20. The reason they look Ut the Bible
in no many ways, II because they try
TO understand It by the spirit N man,
Paul says, the things OF man are known
by the spirit OF man; and the things of
God by the Split ~ ,'od q Cor. 2.
n. ie).
Men have put themselves up Ms teach
crn Of Gods word before they were
called Of God. They Try 20 teach the
things ~ God by the spirit OF man,
hence have brought on all this con-
fusion.
The bible plainly predicts a pervcrt.
Ing of the Gospel ~ Christ and "a bring.
Ink In of the teachings " mon. There
was 20 be n great apoatacy from the
Gospel Of christ 80 complete that
Gods word could not be found upon the
earth. This npostncy did come ana
the pure Gospel Of Christ has not been
taught In the earth for several oen'
| turicu past I'LL this tho nineteenth cen-
| fury when II was restored again
through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
To prove that the apoatncy was not
come We Will 80 20 prophecies Of the
q. n. The first nix verses Of H.. cath
| chapter, shows tho confusion and cor.
| ruption that was 10 he In the earth AT
some future time. The nth verse
/ reads. THE earth also IN dofiled under
the inhabitants thereof, because they
have tranAgrehsed the laws, changed
the ordinance, and broken the ever
lasting covenant" No one can road
the history of the past and say thnt
| the laws 81 God has not been trnng-
creased and the everlasting covenant
broken,
nut says one. this may have taken
| place before Christie advent Into Tho
world. for the people even In fsaiah's
time were breaking the laws OF God.
No. Il could not have meant before
chrlst's time for lie gave the ever
lasting covenant
The law and the Prophets We're 10
Il