Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-02


gan masters OF occult arts
The prophets OF old sometimes were
appealed to for counsel in very Ordinary
affairs of life. Jerobcan sent MS "iie
to shiloh to visit Abljah ana ihauire
of him about the fate OF SICK chi'u'
Saul was led to inquire OF Samuel con-
corning his fathers animals that were
lost, But, It is evident from me oiu
Testament that those only who We're
earnestly endeavoring to do the VIII OF
the Lord had thelright TO expect a d.
vine answer through His prophets.
..rhus saith the Lord God, Every man
of-the house of Israel that setteth up
mis- idols Ia his heart. and putteth the
stumbling block of his iniquity before
his face. and cometh to the prophet, l
the Lord viii answer him that cometh
according to the multitude of his IDOLS"
(Ez, IA; ~ Prophets of the Lord are
not Mt the beck and call of those whose
hearts are devoted to idols, instead of
Jehovah Prophecy is not given for
the satisfaction of human curiosity.
II is also clear from the Scriptures
that this phase OF the prophetic Office
is far from OF first Importance, The
great object OF the prophetic gift was
TO educate the nation to a perception
of what kind of knowledge of the flu
ture could alone be blessing to man.
by opening its eyes to the holy gov
eminent of God in history, and to tho
aims OF divine Providence, that thus 1t
might learn to prepare for coming judg-
ments comp. passages such as Amos.
4: y. etc.), and, walking in the light of
It's own calling to salvation. and of the
great future which this involved, might
regard 1t as beneath its dignity to yield
to the yearning for soothsaylng."
George L. Day. Theology of the Old
Testament) The prophetic office, then,
Is exercised entirely in the promotion of
which is a spiritual kingdom. by declar-
ing its principles and unfolding its
ways. by divine authority.
Moses was one of the greatest proph-
cts that ever lived: not because of
his predictions of future events, but be-
which the Almighty communicated His
will to the covenant nation. Samuel
too. was one of the great prophets, be-
cause the Lord spoke through him 1t
may be said that prophetic authorship
commenced with him. In the Hebrew
nation, and this authorship took at
first the form of historic records.
Prophetic schools also bo,ame an in
stitution of that age, and the religious
fervor of the people, we may well sup
pose. found a center in these assem-
blles, or schools" in which prophets of
the Lord presided.
The prophets were watchmen on the
towers of Zion. 1t was their Office to
interpret the signs OF the times" and
to transmit the Divine will in manner
always adapted to the needs of the time
In which they lived, 1t was also their
calling to cast light upon the future OF
the people. sometimes in order to warn
them against the consequences of par
ucular sins that threatened to become
popular; sometimes to comfort them In
affiction, and call them to repentance.
| The testimony 90 God Among pagan ma
| tons consisted chiefly In the lessons
drawn from history. Among the cove
| nant people the Lord established the
| prophetic gift and Office in order tina:
| uninterrupted communication between
| God and His people might be main
| tanned. The absence of that office be-
| came a sign of Gods withdrawal In
| displeasure from the nation. (Amos 3;
| u; Lam. 2;9; Ps. "A; 81
In this dispensation the prophetic
office was established by God, when He
raised up His Servant Joseph to declare
the will of the Almighty to all the ma
| lions of the earth. To his minds eye
| both the past and the future was I'M
folded, as far as necessary to the ac-
complishment of the work to which he
was called. That office has continued in
| the Church ever since, and will con-
tinue, until the coming of the Lord hi
| glory. False prophets are abundant
now. as In all ages when the Lord has
had His servants upon the earth. But
| no one need to be deceived by their
! false teachings and false predictions;
| no. not even by their miracles. He who
has the Spirit of the Lord knows the
| voice OF the Spirit.
I