Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-21


" Brother w, b. Dougall. IT re-
minds me OF statement made by Apos.
Tie Paul Speaking on the principle OF
faith, he said by It the Elders obtain
ed good report" Brother Dougall
has not only borne good report Of the
goodness Of the Lori in the bestowal
Of His Spirit upon him, but he has
brought good report OF The people ana
given US such an understanding Of CON
ditions In the land where ne has tauOf-
ed that the listeners here must have
been imbued with an additional tes-
tlmony concerning the divinity Of this
work.
In the early commencement of this
work the Prophet Joseph Smith made
statement that the Gospel as revealed
to him would yet revolutlonlze the
world, | believe that II the exact facts
were known relative to the religious
sentiment Of the Christian world. Il
could be proven that from the proclama-
tion of this work by the Prophet Jo-
seph smith, there has been a stronger
disposition than ever before on the Part
of the world to turn aside from the old
established theories of the churches
and an earnest desire in the hearts of
tlf honest to receive more truth than
they had enjoyed. In this connection
j am reminded Of very striking incl
dent In the history OF this work. The
Lord made promise unto the ancIegts
which was to be fulfilled In the last
days, that Elijah the Prophet should
visit the earth You will find II re-
corded In the 4th chapter OF Malachi
and believe Will read 1t. First, let
me say that these predictions OF the
Jewish prophets antedating the coming
OF the Messiah were largely directed to
the last days While the pre-
dictlons are very definite con-
corning the first coming Of the
Messiah and the atonement that should
be wrought out by Him, they are just
as plain and positive concerning the re-
markable events that should transpre
before His second coming, This chap
ter is as follows;
For behold the day cometh that
shall burn as an oven; and all the
proud yea, and all that do wlckedly,
shall be stubblei and the day that COM
eth shall burn them up, saith the Lord
OF hosts, that It shall leave them neith-
er root nor branch
But unto you that fear my name
shall the Son OF righteousness arise
with healing in his wings; and ye shall
go forth, and grow up as calves Of the
stall.
"And We shall tread down the wicked
for they shall be ashes under the soles
of your feet in the day that shall do
this saith the Lord Of hosts
Behold, | will send you Elijah the
prophet before the coming Of the great
and dreadful day of the Lord.
And he shall turn the heart Of the
fathers to the children, and the heart
OF the children to their fathers, lest
come and smlte the earth with a curse"
The Savior prophesed concerning the
last days that mems hearts would fall
them for fear, because Of what should
come TO pass upon the earth. When He
said that before His coming kingdom
should rise against kingdom, nation
against nation, and there should be per-
plexity in the hearts of men. lie re-
marked, Except those days should be
shortened, there should no flesh be
saved"
The Apostle Peter makes a striking
reference. recorded in the 3rd chap, of
Acts, to prophecy delivered by Moses
and TO be found In the 18th chap, Of
Deuteronomy, which reads as follows
"The Lord said unto me IMosesl.
They have well spoken that which they
have spoken.
IL will raise them up a Prophet from
among their brethren, like unto thee,
and viii put my words In his MOUTH
and he shall speak unto them all that l
shall command him.
"And IL shall come TO pass, that Who
soever will not hearken unto my words
which he shall speak In my name, VIII
require 1t Of him"
The Apostle Peter quoted this predic-
ton, with this change
"And It shall come TO pass, that every
soul which will not hear that prophet
shall be destroyed from among the peo-
pie"
TIE GREAT APoSTAsY
But Peter does not show that this
prophecy received its fulfillment ut the
frat coming OF the Messiah; for at
that coming they had power 10
reiect Him. Even the house
of Israel did not repent and
turn unto the commandments given
through the Savior Of the world. But
there was TO come q time when he
should come In power and great glory
when He should come suddenly unto
His temple, as stated In the third chap
ter OF Malachi. At that time who
may abide the day Of His comlngY and
who shall stand when He appearethY
FOR He is like a refner's fire, and ike
fullers soap; and He shall sit as
refiner and purifier Of silver; and He
shall purify the sons Of Levi, and purge
them AS gold and silver, that they
n,ay offer unto the Lord an Offering IN
Righteousness" This prophecy was
not accomplished in the days Of the
Messiah. and ! might connect with
tnat some more. You remember the
glorious prophecy of Daniel found IN
the secopd chapter Of his book, where
he state that In the days OF certain
kings, which he had described as Kings
that should grow out Of the komah
empire. likened unto the legs OF the
image which NebuChadnezzar had seen
in dream, and which the astrologers
and the soothsayers, being DESTITUTE OF
The Spirit OF God, were absolutely IN
competent to interpret, IN the Gays
VI these kings shall the Goa Oh heaNcn
set up a Kingdom, which shall never
be destroyed and the Kingdom sla,,
not be left to other people but II shal
break IN pieces and consume all these
Kingdoms and II shall stand forever
II is also llkened unto stone cut Guy
cf the mountain without hands when
should roll forth until It should I'LL the
whole earth This prophecy was no'
fulfilled in the days Of Jesus he MN
self said to the Jews, after referring 10
their rejection Of the Messiah There,
fcre say / unto you. the kingdom OF
God shall be taken from you, and given
70 nation bringing forth the fruits
thereof" thus showing that the KING
dom of God as established by the
savior in that day was to be taken
from them and given to another people.
To this the Apostle Paul bears witness
when he said, in addressing the Jews:
N was necessary that the word OF Coo
should first have been spoken TO you;
but seeing We put II from you and
nudge yourselves unworthy of everlast-
ing life, 10, we turn to the Gentiles.'