Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-01

plest In the world. There Is no uQuDt
in my mind concerning this. believe
we are the happiest people In the world
And from our organization, seventy
years ago, we have been distinguished
for our love for truth. II the pursuit OF
truth and the obedience Of truth VIII
make people happy, then certainly we
ought to be a very happy people. All
our sufferings. all our trials, all the
obloquy that has been heaped upon W,
have had their origin in our determined
pursuit OF truth and our love for H. |
think We have been distinguished above
all other people for this characteristic.
We have differed from our fellow beings
10 very great extent, because We had
higher conceptions OF truth than those
which prevailed. II We had been con-
tent to go along the beaten path tray-
eled by the world at large we would
have escaped a great rnany things that
we have had TO contend with. our ex-
istence In these valleys, our organiza-
tion throughout these mountains, Is en-
tirely due TO our love for truth and our
determination to obey truth as fast as
we could comprehend Il. We have been
In advance Of the world In this respect.
A great many truths that are now ae-
cepted by the world were taught BY us
and derided By the world In the first
place.
have had occasion to call your at
tention to the grand truth connected
with the eternal character OF matter.
Joseph Smith revealed the truth
that matter is indestructlble; that
the world was not made
out Of nothing, as was taught generally
by the religious world, but that IL was
made out Of pre-eXistent matter, that
It could not be destroyed, but II was not
interchangeable. That truth X now be-
lleyed generally Joseph Smith also re-
vealed the truth that we are not all con-
signed after death TO one heaven or to
one hell, but that there are different de-
grees OF punishment and different de-
grees Of glory. This has been revealed
with exceeding plainness 10 the world
and / am happy 10 believe that the
world Is gradually accepting this truth.
Our Temples are built for definite
purpose. In the past the world has be-
lieved that when men died they were
consigned TO one OF two places-they
either went TO heaven or 10 hell. The
Lord has revealed to us, az We testify
that this Is not true, hut that His chill
dren, after they leave here. are still His
children. ami they can repent OF their
sins. and be relieved thereby from the
punishment that follows disobedlence.
Having this knowledge We build tenn
Piles, wherein we haptize for the dead,
believing that they are preached 10 by
the servants VI God IN the spirit world.
In that state they have the opportunity
for repentance. and are prepared 10 re-
ceiye the benefits Of baptism, ana the
laying on Of hands for the reception OF
the Holy Ghost. These are truths that
the world does not believe. They are
nevertheless true, and they will yet
prove themselves TO be TRUE TO the ac-
ceptance OF many thousands of people.
What is there connected with baptism
for the dead that should cause feelings
OF oppostiOn7 All the Christian world
believe that Jesus died for us and that
through His vicarious atonement and
sufferings we are redeemed. This prin-
ciple OF vicarious action lies at the very
foundation OF the whole Christian re-
lgion,
Another principle that we believe
10, il having heen revealed to
us. Is the pre-existence VI spirits.
The religious world believe that mans
first existence commences at his birth
In mortality. The idea that man lived
before he came here Is not seriously
entertained by them. But Joseph Smith
received light from the Lord on this
which has made Il plain TO US. and We
as q people firmly believe II. This is a
grand truth. and We have accepted IL
and Incorporated Il IN our faith. For
that and other truths We have been
willing to endure persecution. What Is
there unreasonable about II? Is there
a Christian in the world who does not
believe that the Savior existed before
He came and took upon Himself NOR
tality? Was He not God manifested In
the flesh. Yet the Christian world are
not prepared 10 receive the beautiful
and grand truth that we all existed be-
fore we clne here. Such a thought
never entered their minds until the
Prophet Joseph Smith received II as a
truth from heaven. What Is there in
consistent In believing that We existed
before we came here. any more than
Il Is inconsistent TO believe that Jesus
existed before He came here2 The
Scriptures substantlate this truth. The
Lord said 10 the Prophet jeremiah,
Before | formed thee In the belly |
knew thee. and before thou earnest
forth out Of the womb | sanctified
thee. and ordained thee prophet UNI
% the nations"
Then comes the doctrine Of marriage.
We have had revelations from God
concerning marriage, We have been
taught OF the Lord that marriage can
be solemnized on the earth for time
and for all eternity; and that when
men and women receive their highest
glory they win be Joined together as
husbands and wives / need not dwell
on all the features connected with this
princi DE; you are familiar with them.
] need not say TO you how extensive
Our belief Is I'm relation 20 this mat
ter: Tor II Is q matter that has been
agi;Gted and talked about until
II has become al least partially
understood need only say
that Latter-day Saints believe. because
God has revealed n 70 them. that when
wives and husbands are united. there
Is an authority and a power that can
unite them together for time and for
all eternity. This Is IN line with the re-.
mark OF Paul. where he SAYS neither
Is the man without the woman. neither
the woman without the man. In the
lord" They are united together. their
posterity VIII be theirs. and they win
reign over them IN eternity One ~ the
glories OF eternity win consist of the
fact that the family organization will
be complete, and will be- VI such q char
acted rs 20 enable them 10 increase ami
spread abroad until they shall become
innumerable. This Is another principle
Tor which We have suffered
mention these 90 bring 10 your mind.
my brethren and sisters how much we
have loved The truth and how DESTROYS
we have been o. obtain q knowledge
OF the truth. We have been willing DO
make sacrifices for The truths sake. We
have not onlv ptaved and talked with
our lips concerning Truth. but We have
actually obeyed the truth as FAR as
We have known g. For this reason we
have been prosecuted The world seems
90 be anxious tia. We SHOULD conhne
ourselves TO the truths already revealed.
But that is not our desire. We are
progressing; We are seeking 10 compre.
bend more truth, We are earnestly
seeking 10 understand the laws tina,