Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-05-11
SCRIPTURE AND COMMON SENSE

we receive iItiu'i'isi N"
answer that indicate either dispose
tion to start controversy or weakness Oh
intellect that IL pitiable Some Of them
are founded upon isolated texts OF an
Client scripture, showing that the in
ouirers cling to the old sectarian notion
that the Bible is 1.-The only guide and
that instructions given by Jewish
prophets to the people Of their time and
locality, are TO be taken for present
direction and to be followed implicitly
as divine commands today
The Latter-day Saints have the living
oracles, who bear "the burden Of the
word OF the Lord just as much az did
the prophets Of old, And the word re-
vealed now is for the present age, anu
adapted to existing circumstances ana
requirements. 1t needs no interpreta-
ton or private construction. II expbln-
alton is required, It can be had from
those who declare the word. This Is a
great advantage over books, ancient or
modern. The living word of God Is the
safe guide for the people to whom 1t Is
delivered,
What was written aforetime was
written for our learning" but that
which comes by present revelation Is "a
more sure word Of prophecy where
unto the Saints Of today would do well
that they take heed, and not be so con-
cerned about some obscure text which,
when given, had a local Specification
and a purpose for the age when 1t was
written. on general principles there Is
perfect harmony between ancient and
modern revelation. Every truth relating
20 the eternal salvation Of mankind en-
dures and applies to all generations
But in every dispensatlon there are in
siructIons specially bearing upon its
time and people, and these may have
no application TO other dispensatlons or
individuals.
Noah was told TO build an ark. That
Is not duty devolyng upon anybody
else, Moses was commanded to build a
tabernacle, the pattern Of which was
revealed to him. That is no require
ment to others All the Hebrew
prophets had particular and special
missions each for himself and
not for another. To take the
scripture referring to these things
and apply them to ourselves, would
be not only foolish but presump-
tuous.
one Of the needless questions now
before US we will mention as a sample
The people Of Judea were promised in
the time Of Malachi, that II they would
obey the word Of the Lord then dellv.
cred TO them He would "rebuke the
deyourer for their sakes" so that 'he
should no longer destroy the fruits Of
their ground" A correspondent is anx-
ious to know whether, in view Of that
promise, 1t would be right to kill
ground squirrels, which are a great
nuisance in his vicinity, causing much
loss to farmers
This Is case Of dead-word worship
that illustrates our theme. Destruc-
i've pests may be rightly destroyed for
selt-preservat,on. II is not right to
take animal life for mere sport. II Is
right to XIII animals for food, and also
when necessary, to preserve odr lives
anG property Also II is folly TO ex-
peel the Lord to do anything for us
that 10 proper and we are able to do for
Ourselves. Without the spirit Of life
that proceeds from Him, the seeds we
SOW would not bring forth, In their
kind But we do not. II sane, expect
Hin to plant the seed, or irrlgate the
coll or do our harvesting.
In al the affairs Of life, and in splr.
itual as We'll as temporal things. a lit
lie Common sense. and the exercise Of
the reasoning powers which God has
given u Tor use and development. VIII
be found of more value than porting
ovsf some ancient scripture. given 10
people In other times and adapted 10
'heIr particular condition.
Al the books that have been pre-
served relating 20 the dealings Of God
with mankind loo the past are Of value
6Yond price But they are not to be
Norsh.ppgd as fetish. nor regarded as
the only guide for today Dependence
upon them and the diverse private I'M
t-rlrctauons Of them made by un.n-
splred theologIans, has involved
Chrstendom IN web Of lnexuicable
confusion, that can only be escaped
from 10y bursting st asundcr. and 10.
ceNlng the pure rays OF celestial light
that come from present divine reye.a-