Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-07-26
WHAT is REVELATIONS

The subject Of revelation has been
under discussion recently, among
many people of different denominations
and beliefs. The ministers Of religion
who count themselves orthodox, are
pretty well united in deciding that
while revelation from God was fire.
quently had in olden times It is num-
bcred now among things that are OBJ
solete. They account for this by the
assertion that the Bble-some say the
New estament-contans the entire
word OF God. and therefore no further
revelation is necessary or to be ex-
Iected or believed IN
This, Of course, puts up the shutters
against any divine light that may be
shed forth anew and leaves the re-
llgious world with mere record OF
few things that were revealed ages
ago, to people Of other lands than those
that are now called civilized, and un-
der circumstances altogether different
from those surrounding the people OF
he present century The absurdlty Of
his notion does not seem TO strike
hem. The fact that the letter OF such
scripture as has been preserved and
translated into modern languages, Is
the subject of innumerable debates as
to the meaning of very important pas
sages therein, appears to have no
weight with them when uttoring their
ipse diyit against new revelation, The
Almighty does not reveal Himself un-
10 them, therefore they conclude lie
does not and viii not do so to any one
else.
II the revelations in bygone ages that
are now pronounced "all sufficient for
every generation down TO the end Of
time, were understood alike by all peo-
pie who read them; II even their ex-
FOUNDERS were united In their UNDER
standing Of them; II they were indis-
putable and sef-ilumlnaIing, there
might be some little color Of excuse
for the theory that Deity became dumb
,s 10 this world, after giving vision
10 one Of His servants nearly two
thousand years ago, But even II the
books contained in the Bible were of
that nature, and were accepted by be-
lievers in the same sense and meaning,
II appears to us that the necessities of
The present times are such as to require
further light and Information Of q
definite character to meet the wants of
This advanced period
No good reason that we have heard
has ever been advanced by theologlans
or any sectarian teachers, why the
Eternal Father, after revealing Himself |
from time to time through prophets
and inspired men, whenever He had a
purpose to fulfill, q people to direct, |
or a great truth TO make known. con-
tnulng this course through successive
ages, should all OF a sudden cease to
communicate with this earth. seal up |
the heavens, leave His children to
themselves without a word TO guide
them, except that spoken ages before
10 other people in other conditions, and
determine no matter how much His
sons and daughters might ask they
should not receive, how much they
should speak. they should not find Him,
how loudly they might knock, the door
Of revelation should not be opened to
them.
The notion that people nowadays
should be satisfied with the spiritual
food given TO folks dead and gone for
ages, is about as reasonable as to say
that hungry men and women today
may get fat by reading OF the great
feast given by Belshazzar; the mama
that came down from heaven for the
benefit OF the lsraelites, or the calf
tender and good prepared by Abra-
ham for his three distinguished visit
0rs on the plains of Mamre,
The declarations that God Is the
same yesterday, today and forever"
that He is mo respector Of persons"
that He is "a God at hand and not afar
on that His "ear is not duled that
He cannot answer" that His mouth is
not dumb that He cannot speak"
and that II we draw near unto Him
He will draw near unto us. which may |
all be found in the very scriptures that |
modern ministers profess to take for |
their perfect guide, ought TO be en-
phatlc enough in support Of the doe
,rine Of continuous revelation to those
who seek for II in sincerity and in
faith nothing doubling To the truth
Of this doctrine the "Mormons" or Lat
t,r-day Saints bear united testimony
before God, angels and men
a critical writer, descantlng on this
subject. recently. in a Utah journal,
poked fun against the Christian sects
Of the present time for their contempt
Of the idea OF present revelation. and
hen asked these questions.