Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-08-29
WHICH Is RIGHT2

bytery on the first principles OF the
Latter-day Saints faith has been pro-
ductive Of some good in arousing inter-
est among both Saints and sinners me
result Is increased inquiry and reading
Of the scriptures, with deeper conVic-
lion OF the truth Of "Mormonism' and
the folly OF the theories Of human the
ology. We therefore recur 10 the
topics introduced before the Presoy-
terrain teachers. Mr.. McClain. who
made a special subject of "The Holy
Spirit" among other things SAID, as
reported
81 find no place in the Bible where
the Holy Spirit Is under the control OF
men. He Is not going here and there
because men put Him there lie Is not
controlled by men, but men are con-
trolled by Him"
"The reverend gentleman then read
on excerpt from a tract on the laying
on OF hands, by Dr. Wlshard, In which
the latter holds that the laying on OF
hands is symbollcal. and that II was
performed after the people had prayed
and received the Holy Spirit"
The gentleman might have saved
himself the trouble Of endeavoring to
show that the Holy Spirit Is not under
the control OF men" We have not
heard up to date that anybody has
claimed that the Holy Spirit was, or is,
or win be under the control OF men.
OF course he could not find that notion In
the Bible. nor can he find It In the Book
OF Mormon or the Doctrine and Cove
nants. or any Of our Church standards.
II Is like other vagaries OF scctarlan
ministers, Pigment Of vain lmaglna-
ton. His language implied that he
was opposing Mormon" tenet, while
IN fact he was striking at empty space
and denying that which had not been
affirm d,
One Of the doctrines Of "Mormonism"
Is, that the gift Of the Holy Ghost is
impaired TO believing, repentant bap-
tiled persons through the laying on Of
the hands OF men dlylnely appoint
Cd TO oiilclate. Does that place
the Holy Spirit under their "control?''
Not at all II is the glft OF God The
means employed by Deity In It's be-
stowal are those dlyinely appointed.
They are another matter, The fact that
people IN every land and Of every
tongue have received that heavenly gift
through the laying on OF the hands Of
our Elders, Is frequently offered as ey'-
dence that they have acted under d.
vine authority, because no man can be-
stow the gift Of the Holy Ghost upon
anyone, as 1t Is the gift Of God alone,
The argument Of the Presbyter was
wasted. because nobody holds the posi-
ton which he assalled. The reading
from DR.. Wishard's tract-which We
have not seen--dlsclosed the fact that
both the gentlemen named proclaim Ii
doctrine that is untrue and unscrlptur-
al. Under the Presbyterian Confession
Of Faith, Il Is not to be received by
the teachers TO whom II was adj
dressed nor by anyone else as authori-
tatlve. because II cannot be found in the
Holy Scriptures nor be proved there
by. and they form the only and all
sufficient guide to Presbyterian saliva.
ton.
The laying on OF hands IL not mere
symbol. I, Is enumerated by the Apos-
tie as one OF the principles that form
the foundation OF the doctrine Of
Christ. and Is classed with repentance.
and faith. and baptism and eternal
judgment--Meb. W. 2) 1t was not
performed after the people had prayed
and received the Holy Spirit" but was
the means employed by which God be-
slowed that Spirit upon people who had
been prepared for II by faith, repent-
ance and baptism
Take the case Of the people OF sa-
maria who, after receiving the word
Of God and being baptized by Philip,
had TO wait for the coming Of the Apos-
ties Peter and John, who when they
were come down prayed for them that
they might receive the Holy Ghost (fot
as yet he was fallen upon none Of them.
only they were baptized in the name OF
the Lord Jesus) Then laid they their
hands on them and they received the
Htly Ghost" simon the sorcerer, saw
that through laying on Of the Apps
tics hands the Holy Ghost was given"
When he offered to buy this power
Peter said; Thy money perish -aith
thee because thou hast thought that the
gift Of God can be purchased with
money"-tActs VIII. i2-2o)
IL the laying on Of hands was merely
"symbolioal." there would have been
no need for the Apostles TO Journey
from Jerusalem 20 samaria to lay
hands on the baptized men and women.
II Philip had been endowed with au-
thorlty TO lay on hands FOR the gift Of
the Holy Ghost, the Apostles would not
have been required TO perform the cere-
mony. Philip. like John the Baptist.
could baPtize but not oficlate in that
further ordinance Of the Gospel. See
also the account Of Paul's adminlstra-
,ion TO The people IN Ephcsus. who be-
iieved and had been improperly bap-
tized, but who after rightful baptism.
received the Holy Ghost when Paul
had laid his hands upon them."-(Acis
xix. i-s) Was 1, a mere symbol that
Paul referred to. IN writing to Timothy,
Wherefore put thee In remembrance
that thou stir UP the gift Of God that