Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-09-04
WHO CAN BLOCK THE wAY2

The assaults made upon the failh o
the Latter-day Saints by the PresDy'
terry Of Utah, when giving instructions
10 the teachers imported here Tor th'
purpose Of peryerting Mormon emu
dren, and the defence offered by th'
Deseret News, have aroused uncoih'
mon interest in the various subjects
treated upon. This has been very behe'
fetal TO the Mormon Church, Tor u
has attracted the attention OF people
not Of our faith, who have thereby %
tanned light, and stirred up many OF the
Saints who were a little careless lhto
renewed activity and diligence, increas
ing their confidence In their religion
and confirming them In the knowledge
OF the truth. II has also furnished us
with several topics for editorial DIS
cussion.
During the session held In this city,
DR.. wishard among other remarks and
admissions, made this announcement
"What am trying to do is to block
the way for this assumed necessity ior
more revelation After reading what
we have. DO YOU want any more reyela-
ton about building Joe boarding
house. and telling Brother Jones and
Brother Williams how much they shall
subscrlbe"
DR.. wlshard's candor Is as charmlnB
az his elegant style, and his courteous
manner Of treatment toward one Of the
greatest celebrities Of the nineteenth
century. The Prophet Joseph Smith,
under divine direction, established u
system Of religion tina, has accom-
pllshed maryes; not only In its work
OF proselytlsm and the devotion II has
inspired in It's converts, but In the
building up OF great cities, the forma-
ton Of splendid State the redemp'
ton Of desert, the amelioration OF the
conditions Of many thousands of people
gathered from distant nations, and the
bringing to the unity Of the faith OF
multitude. once divided into contend
ing fragments Of dlscordant sects. Or.
wlshard may be too dense to perceive
the facts patent to all intelligent and
honest Investigators, and for his mentai
blindness he may be excused; but his
slurs about zoe" proclaim that his
rank as minister Is among the
vltuperatlye and the vulgar
SO the object Of his Christian am
bition Is ito block the way Of those
earnest disciples Of the Master who see
the necessity for more revelation. ana
who try to influence mankind to seek
for I'll A right worthy purpose In one
pretending to be called Of God to
preach chrlsts gospel, is It not? Nor
monIsm" teaches the necessity OF more
revelation than is contained In the
Bible. The Presbyterian creed avows
that the good Book contains everything
essential as a guide for mankind TO sal
walton.
Now which Is the more rational and
scriptural OF the two opposing beliefs?
All the so-called Christian sects claim
to found their Earring creeds on the
Bible. Tho Presbyterian dogma OF the
predestination OF the elect to eyerlast-
Ing happiness, Irrespective Of anything
they do or leave undone. and the fore
ordination Of the rest 20 endless woe
and eternal and ceaseless torment, pro-
fesses 10 take HIS dlabollcal notions
from the Bible, So does the Methodist
who proclaims that every soul Is free
TO choose his life and what he'll be-"
that salvation depends, not on the Sc
lection OF few favored souls before
they were born, but upon the free will
OF cyety creature to accept Christ as
his Savior. The Catholic takes the BIZ
bic, as interpreted by ordained and
learned prlestly Instructors. for his
guide. So does the Protestant who con-
strues the Bible FOR himself. and be-
longs to any one OF the iangling con-
tending religions that make up the dis
cordan, and dlsintegrating mass Of
crumbling Christendbm.
II the Bible Is all-sunicient. why this
division and MISUNDERSTANDING Where
Is the authority that decides which part
% the volume Is the word Of God and
which Is mere history and the state.
ments Of men? How can the Bible con-
fer authority 10 administer any ordln-
ance OF the Gospel so that a viii be
recognized OF God? Does the commits
sion given by the Savior 10 His eleven
Apostles many hundreds Of years ago,
belong 10 any one o. the modern minis.
tiers who assume 10 act IN His holy
name 20 whom We has never spoken
and who do not believe In or want
present revelation Does tle Bible set
de any Of the vital questions that have
agltated the religious world Tor centur-
ies9 Does the Bible bring It's ayowed
believers 10 "the unity OF the faith and
the knowledge Of the Son Of God9'
Does not the Bible. from beginning
20 end. show that II is living. lmmedi-
ate revelation that IS ard always has
been the read guide 10 spiritual hnowl-
edge and the way Of everlasting life?
Is Il not an encouragement and an In
ceniive 10 mortals 20 strive fer COM
munion with Him who Il immortal and
eternal2 The Spirit OF God as the
Comforter, the Spirit Of Truth. Is the
very Spirit Of revelation by which alone
the things 81 God are manifested TO
man. What did Jesus mean when He
declared: no man knoWeth the Son
but the Father neither knoweih any