Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-07-14


marks Of our brethren thin afternoon
such experiences as they have related
ore beneficial to the people in strength
ening their faith and giving them add
tonal evidences OF the truth Of the Cos
mel and OF the power Of God which Is
being manifested In these days
While Brother Pond was speaking
about the influence OF the Spirit some
thoughts passed through my mind tnat
would like TO express. The Latter
day saints tax great deal about the
Shirt of God, the Holy Ghost, and the
urncipie OF revelation, and a great
many wonder what It means. What Is
there about the Mormon people to
convince others that they really are
led BY the Holy Ghost?
WHAT is REVELATION.
There Is a passage in one OF the reve-
lations which the Lord gave TO the
Prophet Joseph Smith before this
Church was organized, that explains TO
some extent the nature OF the Spirit by
which this people have been and are
led. Itisin revelation given through
the Prophet 10 oliver COwdery In rela-
lion 10 the translation OF old records.
The Lord said:
Yea. behold, | will tell you in your
mind and In your heart. by the Holy
Ghost. which shall come upon you and
which shall dwell in your heart.
Now, behold. this Is the Spirit Of
revelations behold. this Is the Spirit by
which Moses brought the children Of
Israel through the Red Sea on dry
ground
We have heard this afternoon how
the Spirit Of God directs the Elders OF
this Church and prompts them what TO
do In this manner the Church has
been built up from the beginning, Every
Elder that has gone forth has had a
claim upon the spirit Of revelation. But
great many people have imagined
4 that when the Holy Ghost descended
upon men or women they were COM
pletely transformed and that II was a
supernatural influence which could be
Witnessed and felt by those surrounding
the person receiving H. on this ac'
count many misapprehenslons have
arisen IN regard 10 the way this Church
has been governed. Some members or
the Church have imagined that IL has
been necessary for angels to come and
point out TO the leaders OF the people
every step they should take, or that
some other supernatural power had 10
be- exhibited 10 enable the servants OF
God 20 DO as they have done In leading
the people.
GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST
But there Is a higher gift than the gift
Of the mnistering Of angels, and that Is
the sic Of the Holy Ghost. This Is
the Spirit referred 10 by Brother Pond
and described IN this revelation which
have quoted 10 you. II Is with the
Prophet and becomes, so 10 speak, a
part of him God dwells with His ser
Wants through the Holy Spirit, which
maniests unto them the very things
they should do. AS this revelation says,
This is the Spirit by which Moses
brought The children Of Israel through
the Red Sea on dry ground,
This people have been led TO these
valleys by the same Spirit Every step
that has been taken In building up the
n church has been under the influence OF
n that Spirit II 80 that that has con,
stituted the strength Of the people Of
n God, because when the servant OF God
g. gave forth the mind and win OF God as
revealed 10 him through the Holy
II spirit those who were with him. being
a Possessed OF the same Spirit, were led
70 understand that that was the very
thing that should be done.
PEOPLE OF GOD LED BY INsPIRA-
TON
The experience OF the Latter-day
saints Is re9lete with instances OF the
WONDERFUL manner In which they have
.een led and delivered, and II has been
. because OF this great Gift which God
nus bestowed upon His servants and
Fl upon all who have bowed In submission
20 His Will
When the people Of God first came 10
Il this land, as soon as the Prophet brig
Il nam gazed upon this valley he said this
was the place. How did he know that ?
a hy the Influence Of the Spirit OF God.
Il which rested down upon him. Under
j mat influence he was able 10 say 10
4 ms companions with entire certainty
ana confidence that they should make
i Wls lheir stopplng-place; that this was
tne place designated by the Lord where
hls people should build q city. Did an
angel manifest that TO him? I will not
4 say mat an angel did not come TO him.
oul VIII say that Il was the inspiration
. OF the Holy Ghost that rested upon
MN His mind was light and clear.
Cua ne could see plainly that this was
n sNt Ileht spot. whereas Y this had not
yeeh lhe place designated by the Lord.
nus mind would have been dark and ne
Il Nouid have had no assurance that this
was the place designed OF the Lord as
'he place Of settlement.
EXPERIENCE OF ALL ELDERS.
This Is not the experience OF the lead
ING men Of the Church alone: IL Is the
sAptrence Of all the Elders. II was the
4 vyApeIience OF the Elders referred 10 by
HIq'her Pond, who Travelled through a
tegiesl IN the dark; they were led By this
S,plilt 10 take the right path SO in a
,v,'olsand ways, the Spirit Of God man
"a 1'ss unto the servants OF the Lord
a we course that they should take. This
- very remarkable fact connected
"TH me history OF this people.
Il ore our Elders are sent forth 10
a ste,h the Gospel they are set apart
AZ lnelr missions. Those who set them
s spsIt pray that God VIII give them the
.. a. NhfiA lllHHrl0Nt ana tuut
the Holy Ghost NAV rest
,i.h them. When they go forth,
u they are faithful they are filled with
4 nai spirit In their various fields Of
,1.or me power Of the Holy Ghost Is
invariably manifested through them
,al though they may be c3mparativoly
n'Aperienced and. perhaps. Ignorant
r 'iln directions, they know exactly
II ua' hey should DO. Sometimes they
Il .-l 10 go In a certain direction. not
n nv "IAF Why hut they feel led 60 go In
,u' way and they are brought In con.
n @ WIN men and women who are prc.
y, l1 receive the truths which they
s'a Thus they see the wonder-work.
.n power Of God and how providenti.
f5,,ii ie prepares the way for them Ia
''''l their missions.
POWER IN ORDINATION.
5S''oe brethren are appointed to pre-
~, ~, over missions. and very likely they
u m. ,atlfely Inadequate 10 the labor;
HAIf ANf|Na % a -.