Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-07-16

z wv 'hiAll fiA hI israel Inns IhIfIltI
TO a time long prior 10 the birth OF
Abraham, Isaac ana Jacob and c0nse-
quently the allusIou Of the prophet his
torian was TO pre.eXis,ent or sUiritu-
al Israel which afterwards tabornacled
In the flesh
In relation 10 the doctrine Of the
heavenly mother. the speaker said the
ignorant and the bigoted might de-
nounce 10 as rot but the great Theo-
dore Parker did not, when he broke
forth one Sabbath morning before his
assembled congregation iq a sublime
rhapsody of prayer Addressed 10 our
Father and Mother in heaven This
great man could see the beauty and
grandeur Of the doctrine, and was not
ashamed 10 voice 1t and acknowledge II
as true. II Is an interesting
fact. said the speaker that On Theo-
dore Parkers household there was a
little Mormon servant girl, who had
probably left her hymn book where
the great man might open Il and read.
At all events, the FathorhoOd AMI
Motherhood Of God was a doctrine OF
this Church long before Theodore
Parker thundered II forth TO his con-
gregation II was taught by the
Prophet Joseph Smith, and II was his
wife Eliza r. Snow Smith. who wrote
this splendid hymn She doubtless OBJ
tanned the idea from her husband, but
IL was her own sublime poetic genius
that rendered Il into verse. And Yet
this was not the first annuncIatlon OF
the doctrine. The Bible. II read care
fully Will be found 20 inculclte the
same truth. Il do not mean the Nor
mon Bible. as you call it, said Elder
Whitney, addressing the strangers pres
emit Il mean your own Bible, when rs
also our Bible King james transla-
ton Of the Scriptures I'm the opening
chapter Of Genesis II Is written that
God created man I'm His own image,
IA the image OF God created lie him.
male and female created He them.
What is this but virtual recognition
Of the feminine principle as wei as
the masculine principle Of Deity, IT
men and women are the children %
God. sons and daughters Of heavenly
parents. fashioned In their image. on
dowed with their attributes and de-
stlned 10 become IKE them IN perfec-
ton. why should II stdrtle the world
10 be told that there Is a Mother as
well as a Father IN heaven? Earthly
parents expect their children TO grow
and become like them, Why should not
the children Of God attain TO The Ike
ness Of their heavenly parentagc' il Is
reasonable, philosophical, and Ike all
truth. iuvulncrable.
MAN IN GODS IMAGE.
When Moses said that God created
o. Fg iva ara q
actly what he said II was not a mere
moral image but personal image mat
was meant When Jesus said He
that hath seen Me hath seen the Faith
er." He meant that the Father, Ike
the Son, was IN the form OF man. Paul
taught the same truth when h. de-
clared that Jesus Christ, the Son Of
God. Who walked the earth as a man.
was the express image and likeness OF
HIS Fathers person. Joseph Smith reit-
Grated the last doctrine that God Is in
the form OF mana perfect and exalted
human Being.
THE GOSPEL THE LAW or LIB
ERTY.
Il could cite to you" said Elder
Whitney, many so-called CHRISTIAN
doctrines that are 10 me unreasonable.
I could refer TO their God without body
parts or passions, which 90 me is an
admirable definition OF nothing ! could
quote their famous dogma mat God
created all things out Of nothing. which
to my mind involves an aOsurdity,
something absolutely impossible, /
/ could speak 81 the cruel creed OF IN
FAINT damna,i0n, and Of predestination
and election. regardless Of the merits
or dement's ~ those who are saved or
damned eternally under this precious
/ piece Of doclrinal heresy. But ] would
| not 60 50 far as 90 dcnounce these
teachings as rot " especially in a pub
/ lie place, FOR the simple reason mat
many good honest souls sincerely be-
! ueve these tlings 10 be true. and !
would not insult them or their religion.
/ Let them have their belief IN these doc
trines. II II satisfies them. This IS land
1 Of liberty. and the gospel Of Christ Is
| hberty's perfect law. Let men worship
| how, where or what they may. They
/ should not De ridiculed for 50 doing.
/ This is tsa position Of the Church OF
/ Jesus Christ OF Latter-day Saints.
What have taught you this day Is
/ the truth. as revealed from God through
His prophets. and particularly he
! Prophet Joseph smith, who was sent
into the world 90 stand a the head Of
the last gospel dspensation. and inst-
tute the work Of the gathering OF lsra-
81 In the last days He taught the truth
to this generation, and laid down his
! life to seal his testimony with his
blood. The doctrines that he advanced
viii gain ground, viii make headway,
as the years ron by They cannot be
overthrow. Tor they are founded upon
the rock Of truth The ignorant and the
bigoted may fight them but they can
not prevail against them. and they VIII
/ md sooner or later that they nave been
kicking against the pricks and striving
| against God
Truth. crushed % ear. VIII rise again;
The eternal years Of God are hers,
| But error. wounded. wuthes with pain,
And dies amid hls w0rshipers.