Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-09-21
ASKING AND oBEYING.

A valued correspondent writes us to
the effect, that lady who lslnvestlgat-
ing 'Mormonism" wants to know the
reason why there is so much confusion
and controversy among the religious
ministers, II they all have the Holy
Spirit, which the Presbyterians say
they can receive for the asking. and
without any laying on Of hands, AS
TO the contention among them II may
be said 1t certainly does not proceed
from the Holy Spirit and is not one Of
its fruits, On the other question we
will make little explanation.
In the attack on the Mormon" faith
made at the Presbyterian convention Of
teachers in this city, the words Of the
Savior were quoted in This way. III ye,
being evil, know how to give good gifts
unto your children, how much more
shall your heavenly Father give the
Holy Spirit 10 them that ask him."
That is from Luke XII, IL. II is given In
very brief synopsis OF the sayings OF
the Savior at different times and under
variety Of circumstances II Is not
by any means a verbatim report, The
whole chapter when compared with
Matthew. shows II is collection OF
scraps Of history and remarks, which
Luke thought he would write to Theo-
PLUS, inasmuch as many had taken
such work In hand. duke I, l-i)
For more detailed, consecutive and
probably accurate account OF the do
ings and sayings OF Jesus Of Nazareth,
Matthew takes the lead. For instance.
the choice and much-admlred sermon
on the mount. which occupies three
whole chapters In Matthew, Ia given but
thirteen verses by Luke, and that which !
is quoted above is the last Of them.
Much OF the language is different too. !
from that recorded at length In Mat |
thew, as may be seen by comparison,
and one example Is the very text so |
much relied on. Here II how II appears |
IN Matthews more complete account: |
IF ye then. being evil know how TO
give good gifts unto your children. how !
much more shall your Father which Is
In heaven give good things to
them that ask him" WILD |
We have to 20 to Matthew for the i'm
mortal sermon on the mount In all its
beauty, the other writers furnishing but
isolated quotations. we, therefore re-
gard Matthews version as the most re-
liable and accurate.
But suppose we take Luke's account
Just as It stands Observe 70 whom
the Sayior's words were addressed Il
was to His disciples that He spoke He
had withdrawn from the multitude,
Luke says xxi, ~ he was praying in a
certain place when he used them. Matt
hew says that Seeing the muluiudes
he went up into a mountain. and when
He was set His disciples came unto
Him. and lie opened His mouth and
taught them, etc" " l, y, These re-
marks. then, were TO persons who had
received His gospel and were his lmme-
dlate followers. They were entitled TO
receive and be led by the Holy SPIRIT
through faith and prayer having at
tended TO the means appointed.
But suppose this applies - every hui
man being. Il does not apply to that
baptism Of FIRE and of the Holy Ghost,
20 which John the Baptist referred as
coming through Christ Il Is not that
gift Of the Holy Ghost impaired
through the laying on OF the han II Of
Christs appointed servants II Is not
that Amounting from above which
teacheth all things Jesus said. iha
Holy Ghost. the Comforter. would not
come until lie himself went away. and
then He would send that Spirit OF
Truth. which was TO guide them into
oil truth and show them things {, come.
The Holy Spirit that God gives to them
that ask Him, is the ordinary light that
llghteth every man that cometh into the
world, which light win be increased to
those who seek for It In prayer and
humility. But unless they obey Hin
they need not ask fg that Spirit. II
people reject the means by which God
imparts His gifts and blessings, they
may plead for them In vain.
Jesus taught His disciples on the
same occasion how to pray. one thing
they were TO ask was, give US this