Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-20


city. were applicable TO conditions
then existing. and were generally
received IN the spirit In which they
were uttered. But they were even then
the views Of the men who expressed
them. When spoken under the in
nuence Of the Spirit OF the Lord, they
were profitable In the enunciation OF
principle. When they were detained
under excitement of the individual they
We're understood In that light. Some
OF them were spoken In that Jocular
strain which was customary with
Brother Heber c. Klmbal, aud were 50
construed. But why should any per-
son DESTROYS OF showing what Il the
doctrine accepted by the Church OF
Jesus Christ OF Latter-day Saints to-
day. so back TO those strenuous times
for evidences to establish a point, in
stead OF taking the acknowledged and
adopted written standards Of the
Church for that purpose?
Our Recognized" assailant, IN or
der to give some color TO his assertions
that "unquestloning obedience to men"
Is a doctrine OF our Church. picked out
small parts Of paragraph from
discourse delivered IN 1896 by Presi-
dent Joseph f. Smith. We quoted the
entire paragraph In reply, showing
that there was not anything In his re-
marks that taught the doctrine OF un-
questioning obedience to men. our op-
ponent further attempted to bring IN
AS eyiNnce on his side q sentence from
an Ogden paper, purporting TO be from
remarks made by the editor OF the Dei-
eret News Here Is what the accuser
said
mo longer ago than the 10Th OF Oc-
tober last he was teaching this doc
trine IN his peculiarly oracular manner.
In his sermon at Ogden on that date
he Is reported to have said
"'In nutshell the philosophy OF the
Mormon religion consists In obeying the
COMMANDMENTS and living UP 10 the reve-
latlons OF God as revealed to his cho-
sen servants on earth IN this the last
dlspensation Of the fulness or times
Now for the facts. The editor OF
the News was not In Ogden on the
2Cth Of October last Therefore he did
not deliver sermon or discourse OF
any kind at that time. He did deliver
lecture on Mormon philosophy" In
the Ogden Tabernacle at different
date. but then did not make any re-
marks Of the kind attributed to him
by the Ogden paper. The lecture was
entirely devoted 10 the philosophy of
the Prophet Joseph Smith concerning
the eternity OF matter and OF spirit, OF
duration, of space, OF beginningless
and endless succession OF beings and
worlds. including the doctrine OF pre-
existence and after-existence and
the relationship between man and
Deity. The subject mentioned In the
Paper quoted from was not touched
upon or alluded to, and we do not be-
lleve that any reporter from that Jour
nal was present at the meeting. SO
much for Mr.. Smiths desperate effort
to bolster up his Misrepresentation
concerning "unquestionlng obedience
And on examining even the remarks al
legged 10 have been made by this editor
what Ia there in them that will logic
ally support his erroneous assertion?
| But 1t is not our intention In this ar
ticle to go through the numerous ex-
hIbitions Of chop logic aud forced rea-
aoning which our opponent has induig-
ed In. in the article that appears In
the Recognized" organ, but our pur-
pose Is TO show what Mr.. Smith him
self has taught on this subject in Ian
guage that cannot be mistaken. and
which appeared In the Saints Herald
of Feb. II, 1903. IL Ia on the subject Of
obedience and Is entitled Sermon by
Frederick NJ. Smith at Lamont, Iowa,
January IS. 1903 reported by Bro. Leon
| Gold. This sermon contains an argu-
| ment in favor OF the doctrine which
| the preacher Is now attempting TO foist
| upon the Church In Utah as one Of its
/
which he has come to deliver US.
| After relating several stories illus
| trating the virtues and benefits and
necessity OF implicit obedience" in
Guiding the history Of the healing Of
| Naaman and the result of his obedl-
ence to the Prophet Elisha, he told
the story OF Abraham's implicit ODE
dience" In the attempted sacrifice OF his
son. at the command Of the Lord. lie
| remarked:
There is one thought that wish to
draw from the three stories: and II
can get that one thing, or one lesson,
before YOU | shall be satisfied: and
that is the lesson Of obedience. obedi-
ence which Is the result OF absolute
faith Or confidence In God. When
| Abraham went out into the new coun-
try as we are told he did II IN obedi-
ence to a command, and, as he believed,
| direct command from God. lie saw
| not whore he was going. He knew no,
why the Lord told him to 60. And yet,
| relying absolutely upon the faith that
he had In Gods business, he went.
Think YOU not that that took faith.
a conhding faith, to promulgate and to
institute such absolute obedience? Now.
then, have you ever heard the state
| ment made, or has II ever occurred
10 you, that you would not obey a COM
| Tand OF God unless that command APP
| reJlfi ga v0ur ntell igeuce9 | want
to ask you here, did this command Of
GOl appeal 10 Abraham's intelligence
| In any way? When he was told to
leave the land where he had been rails
ed, where ne had settled down, and
where the most Of us would think that
he would be likely 10 spend his days,
do you think that statement appealed
TO his intelligence, when ne was told
to move and go into a new country and
| make a new itart1 And again when
he was told 10 Kill his son, or offer his