Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-21
Elder MathOnihah Thomas Ey.
plains Principles OF It's
Organization.
SERMON IN THE TABERNACLE.
No Man Can BE True t0 His Religion
Who j. False TO the Government
OF His Country.

At the regular Sunday services 300
the tabernacle Sunday afternoon Ell.
der Mathonihah Thomas was the
speaker and Dee dealt with the ques-
ton Of organization within the church.
pointing Out iu uo uncertain terms
what its boundaries were. and showing
mat there was uo proper allegiance TO
The church without O. loyalty TO the
LatIon under which lt prospers
The services were opened by prayer
by Elder Joseph T. Taylor aud the
singing Of the anthem In our Re-
oeemer's Name" Mr. Thomas then
commenced on a discourse eNplana-
tory Of TIE need for organization In
he church. prefacing II with the state
meni that II was largely FOR the benefit
of visitors and those who had formed
misconcoption OF the Church's or
ganl1ation and discipline.
Speaking OF the hope Cor life after
mat ON this earth the speaker de-
ciared that the conception Of heaven
was not q place OF rest excepting rest
from SIN only There was work TO DO
There iu carrying out Gods purposes.
Intelligence would there secure lis ma
tural outlet aud become most enec-
i've for good. without being held In
cheek 10y influences harmful TO d.
Iu heaven men will learn 20 do the
W.i ot God more fully than upon the
earth and everyone who will love God
and seek tu DO His will. shall find
place 20 continue his work for the glori-
hcatIou uf me Kingdom Of God
Hau f.. L.. Ill #s. al
.atlon Mr. Thomas said that he felt
That The specific promise recorder In
The Bible that the Lord VIII not fan
those who ask iu His name 90 be guild
ed in the direction OF truth and righ-
leousness. IS as good for these days
as IL was aDcientiy Therefore % was
reasonable Go believe that there could
be direct revelation today as there
was anciently. should occasion for 10
arise. The Church form OF govern
ment he said deprived no one Of the
right 10 worship according 10 the die
tates n his own conscience. and ~ en-
no way placed the leading authorities
I'm ne position Of autocrats. such as
they are published and declared To De
by The enemies OF the Church Those
ignorant Of It's principles join in this
belief. and build out Of this misconcep-
ton a consequent belief that there was
not a proper relation between the
Church and the government No man.
said Mr. Thomas. can be loyal 20 his
church and disloyal % the government,
for II Is under the protection OF this
government that liberty % worship God
Is guaranteed The form Of govern
ment was an insuired one both IN the
nation and in the church. he said and
each man must decide for himself his
own attitude 10 each Of them
~ the prophets I'm early days. the
speaker said that We know them now
for what they were. We know their
work was true. because we see that
their prophecies were fulfilled. With
men inspired Of God in this genera
ton. % Is the same. With some %
them we already can see that their
work was inspired because We behold
its fruits, and know that they worked
with an Insight into the future. Yet
before their prOphesies had been full
filled men said they were dictatorial
and autocratlc and took away indi-
yidual rights Yet we now know they
spoke and acted IN the fullness Of in
tclligence. and for the best good 81
ell the Church The necessity FOR
Church organization was recognized az
the creation Of the earth and Christ
established u on earth 10 remain until
lis fun purposes were worked out His
Church must always have this organ
Ization. and one blessed with the Spirit
of Cod and informed on the scriptures
can easily know Tor himself whether
d prophet be u God or an impostor.
This individual right TO know for .
oneself Is guaranteed o. every man
md woman. and must always remain 1
he supreme test Of whether one will .
give his allegiance 10 a doctrine or I
law made within the Church
The services were concluded by a /
hymn and benadiction pronounced by .
President George r. Emery ~ the /
Salt Lake stake