Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-26
INSPIRATION AND REVELATION

enty, on the 18th OF December. 1905. by
Elder J, NJ. Sjodahl It Ia published by
the request OF the quorum.l
l am afraid, my brethren, that the
subject on which | am expected TO talk
few minutes, will appear unlnterest-
Ing, after the excellent remarks by
Elder II. G. whitney on what the
Church leaders have done for the ma
terial development OF Utah, ] was very
much interested In what he told us,
as well as In the discussion that fol-
lowed. Will however. endeayor to
I'll my part OF our program.
II were asked to define the meaning
OF the word Inspiration. ] would say
that in general sense It denotes the
Influence Of the Divine Spirit upon the
human intellect. whereby this IL quick
ened TO a keener perception Of truth. or
stimulated to more than common ac-
tiyity. In this broad sense OF the word
we properly speak OF the inspiration
OF poets. of artists OF scientists, OF In
gard such works as Millions Paradise
Lost or BInyan's Pilgrims Progress;
the masterpieces OF Michael Angelo or
Thorvaldsen; the results of the re-
searches OF Calico. or Newton the in
yentons Of Gutenberg or Edison, and
the discoveries OF Columbus. or stan
ley as the works OF inspiration. For,
all truth flows from the same divine
fountain.
But there IL mere restricted sense
in which the term inspiration Is COM
monty used. II denotes that divine In
nuence upon the mind Of man. as a re-
sult OF which truth pertaining to re-
ligion Is given to mankind. As a gen
eral rule, when we speak Of lnspira-
ton, we refer to this divine influence
Insured men are those selected and au-
thorized by The Lord to declare true re-
ligous doctrines to their fellow men.
We regard their words. spoken or
written, as inspired. meaning thereby
that they have divine approval and
authority.
Concerning the question how the
Lord inspires His chosen instruments
20 declare His mind and will TO His
children, many opinions have been
held. In the ancient pagan world It
was generally considered that when
person was under the divine influence.
all voluntary action was suspended.
The individual inspired became a mere
speaking-tube through which the divine
thoughts found expression. The univer-
sal belief OF the pagan world was
that the human mind possesses capa-
city to receive impressions OF the
divine will, and that this faculty is
not equally developed in all. In some,
they held, 1t is very strong. and these
are then chosen as the special nstru-
ments. When God speaks through
them. they thought, He overpowers
their soul for the time being, and takes
entire possession OF them. The con-
sciousness Of the medium" ceases, and
God speaks, mechanically. as II were,
oracles of old. They sometimes spoke,
II was claimed, languages unknown TO
themselves, as when Ptoios gave, as
alleged, an answer In the Caran lam
guage. which only the questioner could
understand. And often they claimed
not to know the meaning OF the mes
sages they delivered.
This pagan view, though largely
founded on superstition rather than
fact, Is noteworthy, because 1t has been
lingering among theologians for many
centurles, and Il Is a question whether
the world Is entirely free from it now.
The first Christian writer's did not
pay special attention to the question
OF the mode Of Inspiration. The fact
itself that the Almighty had authorized
some of His children TO teach and
speak under divine influence and with
divine authority, they maintained, but
how they were inspired, was not to
that age q question of first Importance
Clemens Romanus praises the Corin-
thians for carefully attending 10 the
words of God, and adds; Look in
to the holy Scriptures which are the
true words OF the Holy Ghost" Jus
tin Martyr quotes largely the words OF
Christ He also says For there
were among the Jews certain men,
prophets of God, by whom the pro-
phetic Spirit foretold beforehand what
would come to pass" Theo-
philus Of Antioch says 1.-THE
holy prophets who foretold things
as they happened, being taught by the
Spirit lrenaus observes; "Well
knowing that the Scriptures are per-
feet as being dictated by the Word OF
God and His Spirit"
on the fact OF the inspiration OF the
prophets and apostles Of the Lord. the
early fathers were unanimous, and
they quoted coplously from their writ
ings in support Of their own teachings.
But, on the question OF how God inspir-
ed them, they were not clear, and per-
haps that Is one reason why some OF
those excellent men fell into the absurd
error VI regarding the verses OF the
pa gan sibyls az also dIylney inspired.
Though these sibyIs were no better
than our gypsy fortune tellers, Justin.
Clement Of Alexandria, Athenagoras,
of Antioch. origin, Tertul-
Han, and even Augustine. quote them
so earnestly that the early Christians
were derIslvely called sibylllsts. Had
they had a clearer appreciation OF the
nature OF divine inspiration. they would
perhaps not have fallen into this Pc
culiar error.
In the middle ages. when the su-