Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-07-12
ROBERTS TALKS TO NJ. |. A.
Speaks Interestingly Of the Doctrine
Of the Church.

Last evening in the Social Hall. Elder
B. IA. Roberts delivered a lecture 10 taf
officers of the Y. NJ. NJ. l. A. OF ths
stake. There was only fair attend.
arse OF mutual officers and worker
at the meeting. but those presen. zee
cs.yeI a rare treat, and the explain.
lions made and Information given oat
by the lecturer upon the next season.
manual, which was his subject, ws-s
very interesting
AFTER the usual opening exercise
Elder Roberts proceeded with his sui.
Sect ue said he would pass by tha
historical matter embraced IN ,bs
period under discussion, and consld.r
Doctrine Development at Nauvo.
pur'ng U.l ,hg trying experiences ofths
church while In New York. Klrtlari.
Ohio Missouri little Or no rest frn
u1uU.as1ma enemies had been bossn.
but Boo Nauv0o there was a period Of
about ESQ years OF comparative Del e.
enjoyed Ny the people. ana this tine
tI Prophet used marvClOpsly well DO
OBJ. development of the doctrines Of the
Church Prior t1 this period we knew
bW little concerning the Holy Ghos.
iH. mysteries Of the GOdhead; Salt.
ton for One dead. the eternity Of tts
marriage covenant and plural mlr-
uaga. inc resurrection and the anal
d.sUD. of man and the earth uun
which $50 live. These and many Other
advanced principles OF the Gospel we
given 90 the world by the prophst
joseph at about this time.
Here thc speaker showed how hide
the Christian sects extant at the time
Do question knew with reference 10
these Important doctrines, and h0x
when some We're enunclated, they cr.ti
"Rusphemy Bllsuhemy," etc But aII
of these doctrines are In beautiful haze
many with the Bible scriptures though
not understood by the world al large
and the accusation Of hlasphemy cannot
De- successfully maintained against iha
IaftT-day saints.
The lecturer showed concluslvely thlt
what the world calls "MormOnlsm
contains truths regarding the unlverss
this earth. its origin and destiny. and
mans relationship 20 Deity, etc IL
was here that the Prophet gave
forth that elcvating doctrine, "Thu
God once was as man Is, and man may
become as God o." Among some OF
our people there is an impression 10 be
effect that this did not emanate from
Joseph Smith Let me correct this
error because said the speaker "hs
idea was first pnunciated by him N IL
was not cOuched IN the above lan.
guage'
The speaker said many Of the Dis.
courses and savings OF the Prophet
which have come down 20 us We're tax
en- down in long.hand and Consequent
are only synopsis OF what he said on
different occasions. and while We o.
cept his sayings and discOurses alorg
with the other standard works OF ihe
Church, .as TO the doctrI7e
N the Church we should say that we
accept only the well established BAY
lngs and d.scourses OF the Prophst
Joseph. and not every rumor that Is
said 90 have come from him.
Again. IL should be remembered that
the Prophet had a sense OF humor. and
that he was a man; and many times he
manifested this side Of his nature By
speaking 10 a ocular strain For M.
stance, he was once asked the cause
Of the ehb and flow OF the tide He 40
once replied why the earth breathe
and ln the expansion ana contractIon
of the earth, causes the rise and fan
" the tide But misunderstanding
arose because too many people think
that q Prophet Is always speaking az
such and should never speak as a m8a
or be humorous. and hence took whl,
he said on such occasions too serious.
~. In studying the manual this fact
should be kept IN view
The lecturer also gave many hints
and suggestions as 10 the best method
Of studying the next manual and tie
subjects n win contain IL deals with
a period ~ the Church's history that
Is most vital and important, and there
fore should receive due consideratIm
from the officers and members Of The
associations during the coming season
The work win contain many gems
gathered from a wide range. and most
Of which have heretofore been unpub.
lshed In compiled book form. aud
hence 10 win be Of great value. both as
a manual FOR the Mutual association
and as "a reference work. The young
men We're admonlshed 10 prepare them
selves for the most interesting and I'M
portant seasons work-that OF i9O0-lsl