The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-11
VITAL ELEMENT
IN CHRISTIANITY
Elder B. H. Roberts Discussed
Subject at Tabernacle Sun
day Evening.
URGED THAT 1T BE
PREACHED TO SAINTS
Based His Sermon on COnclu-
siOnS of an Eminent Eng
lish Scientist.


conference OF the Mutual Improvement
associations of the church in the Taber
nace Sunday evening, Elder b H Rob
crts delivered lecture on what Nigh,
aptly be termed the relationship OF sci.
erence to Mormonism. Elder Roberts
spoke for about an hour and was listened
TO with rapt attention.
Many Not Yet Identified.
In opening his subject he said: II must
necessarily confine my remarks to the
part OF the work which belongs TO the
young mems organizations We have not
only considered the prosperous phase OF
our work. but have considered the de-
fects of it. We have rcjoiccd in the
large membership now enrolled, APP
preaching 5000. but we have considered
also the fact that there are very many
Yet not Identified with this cause and
OF those whom We have reached In times
past We recognize the fact that we have
lost some.
Defects in the Work.
I'VE have stood face TO face with the
fact that we have had too much external
sympathy Tor the success OF our or
ganizations, that We have not enough
OF internal life That our organizations
unfortunately stll resemble TOO much
system rather than OF fountain. that il
Is case OF pouring In rather than a live
fountain L.,lng out living stream, We
concluded that the greatest defect in our
organization consists In lack Of spir-
itual interest and life; that too much Of
our success is by force OF organization
rather than individual interest in the
work. and that there seems to be a lack
OF enthusiasm in the work"
Enthusiasm and Loyalty Needed,
He loved enthusiasm and the manifesto
tlon OF loyalty. especially when they
showed the outward act as an express
sion of an inward feeling. They needed
enthusiasm and loyalty and how shall
they be inspired? he asked. In consider
ing how they should instil this spirit OF
enthusiasm into the hearts OF the youth
OF Zion he suggested that they should
include within their cause the whole
Church OF Christ,
Asks Some Questions.
II think We shall arrive at the secret
of IL by asking lne question of each of
you how came you to be enthusiastic In
It's support and LOYAL to It's maintenance
How came you in possession OF that
spirit and the principles which. impaired
on to you. have followed and produced
the same results?
Suggests a Remedy.
The reason why there is lack OF en-
thusiasm and loyalty TO our cause is be-
have not realized It, do not understand
IT. One Christian father of old cried.
Who has heard our faith but what has
accepted it? and so 1 hold that the best
thing We can do towards creating a spir-
ftual life or enlarging the spiritual life
OF our youth is to make 1t known to
some comprehension OF its beauty and
greatness of Its helghth and of Its depth.
Vital Element in Christianity.
After brief reference to some Of the
things to be taught. Mr.. Roberts said, in
word, they should teach the truth and
hz llx-1n ~ hoo zl,ra
the truth. Recently In n London publ
cation" he said. Sir Oliver Lodge, an
eminent English scientist snd he had
searched for the vital element In Chris
tianity the power which had enabled
Christianity to survive the vIcissitudes
OF many centuries. and he declared this
TO be tho element:
believe the most essential element
In Christianity is Its conception of hu-
man God. of God. In the first place.
not apart from the universe not outside
IN IT only but actually incarnate In IL
and revealed In the incarnation. Now.
my point Is that If this principle has
been the vital element in Christianity.
how much more abundantly must II be-
come and has II been the vital principle
With u.s.
Inspiration of Jesus.
Sir oliver Lodge holds that the Chris
tian sects may not have always con-
sclentiously and faithfully taught this
view OF God. and then says But what
ever Its conscious treatment by the sccts
may have been. this idea, the humanity
lof God or the divinity Of. man l consider
Ter to be the principle which constituted
the chief secret and inspiration of Jesus.
.erts. and he believed that the scientist
received his light from the works of tho
Mormon prophet Teach the youth this
positive doctrine of the reality Of Cod
urged the speaker. Show that not only
does the church teach the fact Of the
being of God. but the kind of being He
is and II teaches also that you have
what is divine III you and that there is
kinship between you and the Deity and
that the fatherhood of God is not n
mere abstraction. but a concrete truth"
Urges Doctrines to Be Preach ed.
Mr.. Roberts urged them TO preach the
sonsoientiousness el,,t of man, that he has
7ree VIII: that he has divine spark
which might not be quenched. the doc
lrine that he may survive the mistakes
ana transgressions to which, flesh is heir
as the doctrine OF the gospel
Danger OF Self-Righte BUSINESS.
temperament, the man whose blood and
Judgment are we'll co-ningled. Mr. Rob
erts said he hoped such men would not
iail IA csa into .he damger Of self srlghteousness
commit the grossest OF all faults, that of
being conscious OF no faults. sincere
70 be Illuminated: that they can see bo-
sond TO greater heights to which they
must enter"
Exercise of Free Will.
Mr. Roberts did not believe that Satan
was The source OF all evil, although
many INDUCED In rlotous living, to herd
with the swine and the husks notHith
etanding their consciousness their free
will. and with free Will they could not
be coerced God would not permit Satan
10 Invade the free lnstrumehtanty. and
no man would go down into the depths OF
evil unless he chose to go there. When
h.o
would say, Il am going home and the
speaker thanked God they como home
The Doctrines to Be Preached.
THE way to inspire enthusiasm" con-
ciuded Elder Roberts. is 20 teach these
truths In their greatness and teach them
In their fulness, and they shall lay hold
of our sons and daughters I'm Zion and
their spirits will not long remain uninfiu-
enced by the voice of Gods spirit Preach
theac doctrines the vital elements OF
Christianity, and preach them pleasant
ly. sood-naturedly. not in a spirit of
anger"