Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-03-10

become Indifferent and careless, Time
goes on, and they BEGIN 10 think that
the funllment Of the promises OF the
Lord is a long way Of. Now, while We
do not know how soon or how long II
will be before these great events which
have been predicted VIII take place
we do know that they VIII take place
They have been spoken by the mouths
OF the servants Of God. and He has
proved In the past that lie honors the
words OF His servants. They are IN
deed His own words. and they VIII not
fall. "A Jesus said Heaven and earul
shall PASS away, but my words shall
not pass away" and the words spoken
by the Prophets OF God Inspired by
Him. will Just as surely come 10 pass.
SO. my brethren. who have returned
from missions. make UP your minds
that you viii not cease your labors OF
love IN the ministry. Seek for work az
home as YOU did abroad, Take up a
labor amongst your friends. II you can
save a man at home, and kindie the
fire Of the Holy Ghost in his heart You
are indeed doing a great work. ! think
Iaan converted at home is just
as good as one converted abroad, and
perhaps a little better for we do
not run the risk Of bringing him here
TO apostatze. Hence some Of the
brethren yesterday alluded to the JOY
they had In cases where men. who had
been cold and Indifferent IN the work,
had turned around and renewed their
covenants with our Father I'm heaven.
We all rejoice over such. Jesus speaks
in the parable OF how the shepherd
sought the lost sheep, and how glad he
was when he found IT, that he rejolced
more over that one than over the nine
~ and nine that had not gone astray -
not that he considered them less I'M
portant. but he felt that they We're safe
and would stay in the fold. We all
rejoice over the return Of the erring
ones In a repentant condition Brethren,
YOU can find plenty Of work OF this kind
right In Zion. Then. on Sunday morn
ings, 20 to Sunday school II YOU are
not needed as q teacher sit down In the
theological class, and follow the lesson
there. II will refresh your memories,
and keep you alive In the studies you
pursued abroad But there Is plenty
Of room for good teachers everywhere,
and brethren who are able TO teach
should not stay at home. To be a
teacher I'm the Sunday school requires
not only that you know the lesson you
are expected TO teach. but that you
should also be exemplary In your life, so
that the little ones win be able to say:
II know my teacher is a good man. |
watch him during the week. and ] see
that he does right. ! love TO have him
come Sunday after Sunday TO teach
no taN
with the young children Children are
good observers. Let them hear you
teach something that they see you do
not practice yourself, and you VIII find
how inefficient such teaching Will be;
but II you show a good example, what
great power for good you will have!
FOSTER RELIGION CLASS WORK.
There IL another matter want to re-
fer to here, and that is in re-
gard 10 our Religion Glass work. This
is movement that was started
some years ago. and Il has been found
uphill work TO get these classes started.
Many Of our Bishops are not converted
10 the necessity OF II. / am glad 10
say however, the movement is making
progress. The Presidency and the Apos-
ties feel impressed with the necessity
OF the work, and gradually the presl-
dents and Bishops In the different
Stakes are becoming converted to IL.
Now, we do not want 10 lay extra bur
dens on the Bishops, nor upon the peo-
pie But we have given much thought
10 this, and We have come to the con-
cluslon that our children do not receive
enough religious instruction from the
Sunday schools alone. Only a few can
avail themselves OF the privileges OF
the Church schools, and other means
must be provided for the mass Of the
children, so that they can be Instructed
In the principles OF the Gospel, and In
learning TO pray 20 bear testimony, etc.
In some places our religion classes are
actually competing with the Mutual
Improvement associations. and the COM
plant has come from some places that
greater interest Is being taken In the
religion class work than in the Mutual
Improvement work. OF course, we do
not want one institution 60 supplant
another: but | was glad indeed when |
heard that I'm certain Stakes they have
awakened 10 the great importance OF
having our children taught our religion.
In Canada the government allows every
religious denomination 20 take a certain
time In the district schools TO teach the
children the principles Of their faith;
but this cannot be done here. We do
not want TO force our religion upon the
children OF our friends who are not Of
us. We want freedom for all. There
fore, we do not introduce religion into
the district schools. nor attempt 20 force
our religious tenets upon the children OF
non" Mormons But In guarding
against this, We do not want TO 40
so far as TO neglect our
children and not have them taught IN
our faith. We do not want 60 give our
friends any chance to find fault with
US IN our educational methods but we
do not want our children neglected. II
objections are raised 20 our children re-
naming after the district school Is
closed. "a be taught In the religion
class. we have meeting houses where
they can renair to. but ! DO noi see
that there can boz any objection 10 our
remaining after the school Is
dismissed, II the trustees are willing.
And n our friends Of other denomlna-
lions want the same privilege, 50 that
they may teach the children Of their
faith. We certainly should feel 10 ac-
them. We do not ask for
privileges that we are not willing to ac-
cord into others.
TRAINING IMPORTANT
Brethren and sisters, let us keep our
religion classes alive. II Is not too
much II the children go TO Sunday
school on Sunday and 20 religion class
in the middle OF the week Take the
other branches Of learning that We are
teaching our children such as SPELL
INK. reading. arithmetic. geography
ETC. and suppose they only had one
hour n week nj each would they make
great progress WHY they study I've
days a week. six hours a day--thlity
hours each week they are given secn-
lar education. and vet we are satisfied
10 le' them have only one or two hours
on the sabbath day IN which 20 be
religion. This Is hot enough.
Do not be afraid that ycur children
VIII BE- too religious, or too conscien-
tlous. know this Is world In which
the conscientious man at times may
not stand the same chance as tho I'M
vcrupulons one does; nevertheless, We
want our children so taught that there
viii be very few INSCRIPTIONS persons
among them. Let them be taught. as
was repeated here this morning that
they must be honest. true .chaete, benev-
oIent, and TO do good unto all men.
let them learn the ethics of
the Gospel. which lead TO purity and