Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-01-09
Elder James Z. Talmagc Deliver
Discourse on the rec Agency
OF Man.
EVILS OF EIGHT HOUR DAY.
Significance of the Title, "Cbur.h Of
Jesus Christ Of Latter.Day
Saints."

Elder James Il. Talmage was the
speaker at the Tabernacle yesterday az
ternoon, his remarks dealing particu-
larly with the free agency Of man and
his right 20 worship God according to
the dictates Of his own conscience.
President John r. winder presided,
The choir sang the hymn:
Come, dearest Lord. descend and
dwell,
BY faith and love in every breast"
Prayer was offered by President
Richard W. Young of Ensign stake,
The choir further sang;
Sweet is the work, my God, my King,
10 praise Thy name, give thanks and
sing"
Elder James T.. Talmage was the
speaker He began by referring TO
the words found In DR.. Watts hymn
Just sung: 80 may my heart in tune
be found. like pavlds harp Of solemn
sound" "These words" said the speak
er, II heartily subscribe to, for stand
before you without any predetermined
sermon TO give you" Elder Talmage
said this statement might seem peculi.
ar 70 those not conversant with the re-
ligiOus practises of the Latter-day
Saints; but 1t was nothing new to
members OF that Church, for all recog-
nlzed their dependence upon the Holy
spirit for guidance in their expressions
from time to time.
The speaker alluded to the prayer Of
Tered up by Elder Young and to his
petition that our Heavenly Father
would bless this government and pre-
serve this country as land Of liberty
for His children. The law OF liberty
was one of the fundamental principles
OF the Gospel The Lord had extended
TO His children the utmost degree OF
liberty. He had given them certain
specific rights, which none had a right
to take from them. The principle OF
iree agency played an important part
IN the salvation OF the souls OF men.
The Lord would have His children do
tilat which is right, but II they insisted
ON doing wrong they We're permitted 10
do 30, acting, however, on their own
personal responsibility Despite this
condition, the speaker had confidence
.nnt 600 would permit nothing TO in
terfere with the contamination Of His
purposes The inquisltion was referred
TO- ana the remark m ide that God could
not be held responsible for that neither
could He be held accountable for many
other atrocities committed In His name.
Elder Talmage felt that Satan was
blamed for good many things he was
not responsible for. While he believed
In giving the devil his due he feored
that many times he was uniustly held
accountable for acts either committed
or brought about by ourselves.
customs, said the speaker, were fast
changing among men, Time was when
the laboring classes We're required TO
wark 10, IL and even Is hours a day.
NOW, however II was thought that
eight hours was long enough--that the
working man should be given the Oh.
portunity for advancement along edu-
cational lines The spirit Of the thing
was highly oommendable, but the fact
remained that the privileges thus
granted them were often abused and in
this way that which was intended as a
blessing, became a curse. Some men
do not know how to use a spare hour
or two. Instead OF spending the time
to good advantage, they do things that
drag them into the mire and make
them slaves to sin and iniquty Such
men would be, better off were they re-
CURED to spend the time in honest toll.
The speaker said the Latter-day
Saints had been charged with lncon-
slstency. In high places It had been
Ironically remarked that they claimed
veto power over God. This statement,
the speaker Ventured TO assert, was
perhaps more true than those who
made II had believed for az IN all ages
OF the world, the Saints had the right of
..,1
reject the word of God, as they saw
it This was their right this was the
right OF all men, but IN rejecting the
word OF God, they laid themselves liable
to the consequences
Elder Talmage said the Latter-day
Saints professed great deal. The name
or their Church was IN Itself insight
floant, II bore the name OF lta author
and was founded on His Gospel, which
Paul said was the power OF God unto
salvation. In this respect II was unlike
the denominations OF men, many OF
which were styled after the Prophets
and Apostles OF early times So many
false titles were upheld that a distin-
guished English bard had been led to
exclaim What's In name2" On
this point the speaker dwelt for some
time, citing many examples bearing
upon the subject under consideration.
With all the churches organized upon
the earth, not one bore the name OF the
Master until the restoration of the Cos
pei In latter times.
Mrs. Lizsie Thomas Edward rem
dered the solo, ~ Know that My Re-
deemer Liveth," after which the choir
sang tho anthem "HnlleluIah" and the
benediction was pronounced by Patrl-
arch John smith