Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-09-08

afford TO make our repentance ana re-
formation genuine from this time forth,
believing that the coming OF the Son OF
Man the redemption Of Zion and the
fulhllment Of the purposes Of the LORD
are at our door?
PREPARATION FOR COMING OF
CHRIST.
Can we not afford to do this now 50
that when the Bridegroom comes we
shall be prepared TO meet Him. Tor
lie viii come. he has always come
when he has promised He has visited
the earth IN this dlspensaton and has
established bis authority and power
among men. and the Millennium, the
reign Of righteousness, is 30 be ushered
in; and It is liable TO come In our day.
The redemption OF Zion Is also liable
70 come in our day, There is doubtless
n set time for the redemption OF Zion
and for the coming Of the Son OF Man,
The time has not been made known %
MS. and Is not likely 10 be, until tie
comes II would hardly be fair for the
Presidency the Twelve and the presld-
ing brethren TO know the very time OF
His coming, SO that they could be pre-
pared. and let the people be Indifferent
and careless. The coming Of the Son OF
Man will be as much Of a surprise 10
the presiding brethren as 10
any others That is Il will
occur when they are not looking for i
particularly. We hope TO be prepared,
and we hope the people will be pre-
pared. but II viii come suddenly and
you viii know n as soon as we know IT,
We have the Spirit OF that coming, and
the Spirit Of the redemption OF Zion
We have the Spirit that Indicates thst
in the near future the Lord will appear.
IMPORTANCE OF REFORMATION.
Hence, the Spirit Of the Lord has been
very powerfully upon President Snow
and his brethren, and they have been
led TO urge upon the people the import
ance OF reformation, not alone In the
law Of tlthing, but In every other prln-
ciple Of the Gospel Tthing alone Is
not enough. II VIII yield It's measure
Of oil and light and Of Inspiration and
power, TO those who observe that law
But II we are non-prayers non partak-
ers OF the Sacrament. II we are not
found doing by others that va would
that others should do Dy US; II we are
not honest and yirtuOus, the fact Of
our being tIthe-payers will not be
enough TO save US. But Il is pretty well
discovered and understood that n men
can stand the test OF the law OF tith-
ing which appeals 10 our wealth. they
will be able 10 make other sacrifices as
WE'LL for there Is a strength and a
power which comes in answer to our
fulfillment Of this law that VIII enable
US 10 do other things much less din
cult. There are many things less diff
cult than the payment Of tithlng In
our fallen condition, being Of the
earth earthly, we love the things Of this
world, and II Is a most difficult thing
for some Of US TO meet this requirement
Of the Lord. There Is quite a percen-
tage OF the brethren who have received
the Priesthood, as well as members Of
the Church, who ought to be 1.-THE.
payers and are not / want 10 ask any
man upon whom | have ever laid my
hands and conferred authority IN the
name Of the Lord Jesus; l want TO ask
any brother who has ever had the
hands Of the servants OF God
laid upon his head, 10 con.
fer the Priesthood Of God
upon him, can you reconcile your course
Of life. II you neglect TO furnish the
revenue necessary for the building up
Of the kingdom OF God on the earth?
Can you justify yourself In this?
want the High Priest the Seventy and
the Elder 20 come 20 ME as an lndiWd-
ual and show 10 me his philosophy and
reasoning as 20 how he can conscien.
tiously hold the Priesthood OF God and
yet decline 10 meet the obligations that
belong 10 that Priesthood. believe
that there Is no man In this Church en-.
titled 10 the holy Priesthood who will
not magnify IT, ! believe the Lord re-
Quires Il OF every Deacon. every Teach
err every Priest. every Elder, every
High Priest. every Seventy. every Pa
triarch, every Bishop President, etc
And we will not always be tolerated
with the authority Of God unless we do
honor II. We VIII be found among the
foolish, lacking oil IN our lamps and be-
ing unrrepared for the coming Of the
Son Of Man. unless we attend faithfully
10 these duties.
DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE
SAINTS.
Is a man justified IN this church who
fails TO partake OF the Sacrament when
the opportunity Is offered? Is man
justified who does not bow his knee be-
fore the Lord daily. and who forgets the
Lord In secret prayer ] think not.
believe that the Latter-day Saints are
required to meet all these obligations
and 10 be as honest with their brethren
as they are required 10 be honest with
the Lord. Il is not enough for us to
pretend 20 be honest with the Lord, and
not be honest with our brethren.
We cannot be honest enough
with our Father In heaven to Justify US
In being dishonest with our brethren.
We must meet our obligations to our
brethren. 10 our families 20 the world.
NO IMnI 1nwUuHfU
tiOusly IN an these things. II we DO
notthe spirit Of the Lord win withdraw
from ms. and whom the spirit OF the
Lord wlthdraws from u.s. we complain.
we find fault. we are not happy. and we
are not satisfied We cannot afford
10 sacrifice the presence OF the
spirit OF the Lord. because We cannot
be Latter-day Saints unless we enjoy Il
and are directed by IL constantly II
seems TO be a difficult thing 10 do 20
meet our temporal obligations 10 the
Lord. Our hearts are naturally set up
on the things Of this world. We can
! see temporal blessings a little palmer
than we can see the spiritualitIes OF the
kingdom. FOR they are here before us,
and We enjoy them. We are inclined
To gather the things OF this world
around US and to treasure them up,
while the spiritual things, and eternal
life with our families and friends here
after pertain TO the future. They are
a little ahead Of u.s. and II we do not
have the spirit OF the Lord strongly IN
our hearts there Is more or less a ques-
ton OF doubt ahd misgIvlng about
them. All these things, however, van
ish when we discharge the duties that
devolve upon US as latter-day Saints.
And we expect TO look after every man,
through the Presidents the Bishops.
and the Apostles. and see 20 % that all
who have been entrusted with the au-
thority and power Of God. shall come 70
the mark ana do their duties faithfully
and we'll that they with their families
may be saved. We want you 10 be
saved; but n you do not want the sal
walton that Is offered through the Cos
pei OF the Lord Jesus Christ. why make
the profession that you do2 There Is
no salvation In professions alone, or In
| promises and covenants nor Is there
any salvation In the blessings that are