Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-03-31
pEsEREr EVENING NEWS. SATURDAY, MARCH 81, 1900


The Lord said to Joseph IN the begin
ming, BE patient In thine afiilctionsi
for thou shalt have many" so II u
with all OF W.. We have great aiilic-
lions from time TO time. II seems TO be
necessary that We should be tried and
proved to see whether We are fun OF
integrity or not In this way We set
to know ourselves and our own weak
nesses. and the Lord knows us, and our
brethren and sisters know ". There
fore II Is q precious gift 10 have the
gift Of patience, TO be good tempered
to be cheerful TO not be depressed, 70
not give way 90 wrong feelings ana
become impatient and irritable. Il IL
blessed gift for all TO possess. The gift
OF integrity also Is a splendid gift. Men
may do many wicked things and repent
OF them and the Lord VIII forgive
them II they have integrity. | value
that gift exceedingly. | have seen men
that In many respects were anything
but what they ought to be as Latter
day Saints but they were full OF In
tegrlty. They would not do anything 10
betray the work OF God. Under all
circumstances they were full Of integ-
rlty / have met as you have. such
Characters: and 1 have felt that such
men, Notwithstanding their weaknesses
win be blessed ~ the Lord The Lord
viii forgive their sins. and He will bless
them because Of their integrity. There
fore the gift Of integrity Is a good
thing. 10 Is good also TO have stead
fasluess valor and courage In the hour
OF trial and danger--in the hour when
mems lives are In danger.
BEAUTIFUL GIFT or CHARITY.
Before close I viii call your atten-
ton to what Is said about charity. Let
us dwell on this glorious gift. What
beautiful characters we would have II
We possessed this precious gift OF char
ity Let us read and see what the
Apostle says about Il. The same things
can be found also In the Book OF Nor
mon. In almost identically the same
language.
Charity suffereth long. and Is kind"
Is not that a lovely trait Of human
character
Charity envieth not" There Is no
envy IN n man or woman who pos
sesses charity. They do not envy their
fellow beings anything that they may
possess.
Charity vaunteth not itself Is not
puffed up" Charity never b0asteth.
often think OF that. II / feel inclined
TO boast little. am checked imme-
diately by the reflection that that Is
not charity. When We are filed with
charity we are not yauntlng ourselves.
we are not Boosting Of our good deeds,
we are not pulled up. we are not tell
Ing people what mighty men we are, or
how much good we have done. Charity
does not indulge in this.
Doth not behave itself unseemD'
IL IL modest.
"seeketh not her own" That "a the
spirit OF the Savior. He said, If any
man will sue thee at the law, and take
away they coat. let him have thy cloak
also" II they wanted us TO go with
them mile to go with them two miles
1t is not always quarreling and con-
tending for rights" Persons who have
the gift Of charity arc not always afraid
that they are going 10 lose something.
and that they must look after their
rights" You see that spirit frequently
manifested.
Us not easily provoked" Always
good tempered. does not lose patience.
"Thlnketh no evil IL does not in
dulge IN evil thoughts concerning 9th
ers IL looks upon their conduct In the
best light possible.
"RejOiceth not In iniqulty." Takes
no pleasure in iniqulty, but rejoices In
that which IL good-"rejoiceth, as the
Apostle says. lin the truth"
"Beareth all things, believeth all
things. hopeth all things endureth all
things These are blessed qualities.
My brethren and sisters, what preo-
ious and a glorious gift IL this gift Of
charity! Would not we be perfect
Saints II we had it? Would not this be
heaven II we exercised u? Would not
our houses be habltations OF peace and
Joy? Would not the angels delight to
be with u.s. ] am sure they would. And
| why should we not possess 1t? What
| Is there 70 prevent IL? God has given
| 10 US the promise that we can have
| this Gift OF charity II we viii seek for
| IL. That promise never faileth, no more
| than charity faileth. We can obtain II,
| and Il will beautify and adorn all our
| characters. II our children possess IL,
| how beautiful they will be in every
moral attributed Let us seek for IT, let
| us cultivate II everywhere. Let us read
| about this occasionally and not be
Quarrelsome, no; be fault-fnding, not be
| slandering. not be back biting. not be
saying evil OF each other. That Is not
| OF Christ; but charity Is the pure love
Of Christ. God. we are told. Is love.
one OF the last injunctlons Of the Apos-
tie John was. Little children, love one
| another" II men do wrong TO me, what
| must / DO? Must resent II and fight
back9 Mo- ! must bear II patiently
must suffer long, and be kind / must
not lose my temper and think that
must get even with them. That II
not the spirit OF the Gospel. Christ has
taught US very differently. AS Latter
day Saints. we should exercise those
qualities and gifts that He has COM
| manded us 20 seek for.
Brethren and sister, God bless you
and M you with His Holy Spirit. Let
us contend earnestly for the gifts Of the
Spirit Of God. When we notice a de-
feet In our characters, let us ask God
with all the faith We can 10 give us
the gift that will correct that that We
may be perfect; for Jesus says BE ye
perfect. even as your Father In heaven
is perfect" showing that II is possible
for us. even In our fallen and low con-
dillon, 20 become perfect IN our sphere
That God may grant unto us this. and
M our hearts with this desire and this
great faith. Is my prayer. in the name