Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-19
SUNDAY SERMON
By REV. GOSHEN.
sooke Interestingly at Y. N. c. A.
On the Subject Of Two
Ways"
cost OF PRIVATE JUDGMENT.
g.. This Priceless Treasure, Genera
nave NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Have
Contributed In Its Defense.

~, = J. Goshen spoke on Two
,ayso Yesterday afternoon. before the
Al G. A., from the text, There Is Il
u,bich seemeth right unto Il man.
w. Pho end thereof is the way OF
s",,b, prov. XIV: IL. The speaker
said In part
aIf there has been one possession
49,. has cost man more than all else,
~ that Of the fright Of private judy
mt For this priceless treasure gem
nn,.,ions have laid down their ives III
s"rsnIt of il, nations have given their
pn,rlhntions and In defense of II, the
Shisst souls have shed their blood.
n,oovine back along the track Of cen-
'''rtes we find that when barbarism
W.. glven away to civilization. that the
~ tsst prize that men had to wrest
sor unwilling tyrnats was this prize
., me right OF private JUDGMENT We
Sas one whole century torn BY this
s,rpggle and its fields drenched In
sIood we see the struggle culminates
~ ,be bloodless field of Runnymede.
,bsre noblest manhood won from un-
Wiling monarchy the right to think Tor
self and to be free.
What then, means such statement
"a the text Announces Does II mean
10, ALI this Is wrong and that we are
m take n step backward In order TO
Gin an inheritance that fadeth not
The position announced Is Just the
aar,rsrv 10 this, as We shall see. There
!. n theory very much in fashion that
n man acts according 10 his con-
ylctlons. he is justified In his course.
mis- theory takes for granted that a
nan il law unto himself; that his
avn IDEAS are his own standard; that
n ne does violence TO his own views OF
ruth he is reprehensible. but II he fol-
lows his own Views, no matter what
,bey be, he IL all right. The text offers
strong protest against this theory.
How often do We hear It said when
men are criticised for 81 given course
Of action or for holding ideas that are
preiudlcial to the broadest truth:
We'll many OF them are Just as sin
cere as can be; there are lots of good
people among them2' Now weaker
position or one more false 1t would be
difficult to imagine. The question IN
The religious life OF man Is not chief
" question OF sincerity; IL IL a Ques-
ton OF fact one may be entirely sim
cere IN regard To certain position.
may build his life upon 1t il may seem
to him to be right. and vet a very lit
lie study and examination would show
him that he Is entirely wrong.
In things temporal, 1t is evident that
sincerity In Ignorance or error has new
er saved any one from the conse-
Qeences which such ignorance or error
may entail. Societies are based upon
this maxim, no one ~ supposed 10 be
ignorant Of the law. But is one who
has taught us to call him our Father
thus so severe? If a man Is mistaken
as to truth and is sincere. will God
gave him? With my whole heart, | be-
leye he will But the question is just
here n one has examined into the
conditions and truths surrounding his
own soul life. according to his best
ability then II his decision Is wrong.
J cannot for a moment conceive but
that In the end he will come out all
right, He has done his hest he has
sought truth; he has knocked at her
door and one day, either here or there,
that door will open. But his position
Is very different from his who without
serious reflection or study simply does
what he thinks to be right. To AL such
nature and the Bible s0y There is
way that seemeth right unto man,
but the ends thereof are the way Of
death"
responsibility for evildoing is not
diminished because God brings good
out OF it. We are free moral objects
and upon us rests the awful response
bllty OF finding the truth and then In
living IT, II we do not Investigate and
use all good Judgment in things relig-
lous as In other matters. but merely
follow what seems to be right. we may
be sure that the ends thereof are the
WAYS Of death