Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-26
SUNDAY SERVICES
At TABERNACLE
Bishop Heber c., lverson and
Apostle George Albert Smith
The Speakers.
DoCTRINAL POINTS TREATED.
idea Of Impersooal God and Infant
Damnation Objectionable to Ra-
tioraI Mind.

Rlshop Heber c. 1verson. of the Sec
ond ward and Elder George Albert
Smith, of the council of the apostles
were the speakers at the tabernacle
Yesterday afternoon The services
were very largely attended, there be-
ing many strangers in the oongrega-
zion The remarks of Elders Iverson
and Smith We're for the most part. de-
voted To an exposition of the belief OF
tho Latter-day Saints relative to Deity,
both quoting from the Scriptures, an
Gent and MODERN as showing the per-
sonality of God.
PRIEST. WINDER PRESIDES.
President John 4. Winder presided
over the exercises. which We're opend
nv the choir singing 10 the Mighty
God Appearing" The other selections
rendered were Arouse oh Te Mortals,
when Thou CONTEST to the Judgment, -
and Let the Mountains Shout for
JOY" the congregation Joining with
the choir in singing the "DoXology
nj the close OF the last mentioned an
them. In the "Infamatus,' Mrs Liz
5ie Thomas Edward sang the great
solo part with telling effect. Elder
Rodney C. Badger offered the invoca-
tlon and President Richard w, Young
pronounced the benediction.
BISHOP VERSIONS REMARKS.
Elder Iverson said that he had re-
Gently read an article from n promi-
nent writer of the day, in which 1t
was stated that the churches are be-
coming effeminated. that Is, that they
are attended more largely by women
than by men, This condition, the
-. L.
that the sermons heard from the pull
pit appeal to the emotions rather than
to the intellect and the genter sex are
inclined TO be more emotional than are
their brothers mans reason and
judgment must be appealed to. 1t is
and should be the privilege Of every
person to believe whatsoever he or she
will, and to be protected in that be-
lief, so long as the opinions of others
are not thereby infringed upon.
Elder Iverson said that he was not
impressed with some of the doctrines
that obtained In Christendom. the al
most universal idea that God Is an i'm
personal being and the dogma of in
FAINT damnation being especially OBJ
jectionable to his mind. He read
portion of the 93rd section of Doe
trine and Covenants, and commenting
upon the same said that the Latter
day Saints believe that the elements
are eternal, and hold that God did
not create the earth out of nothing.
but that He called from a chaotic state
matter endless In character and from
II the world was formed. AS matter
Is eternal, so lis spirit. Mortals are
the offspring OF God and had an eX-
istence before the life that now Is IL
existence began with mans coming to
this earth. the logical deduction is that
It Will end when he goes out of this
world.
IN IMAGE OF GOD.
Elder Iverson quoted many pas
ssges Of Scripture to prove that a
belief in pre-existence is we'll found
ed, and no less so Is the doctrine
taught by the I4atterday Saints that
man was created in the Image OF his
Creator endowed with the attributes
OF Deity and destined to become like
unto his Father The admonition of
the Savior, BE We therefore perfect,
even as your Father in heaven Is per-
feet" was no idle saying, but showed
the possibility of mortals reaching
the standard of perfection.
The speaker drew comparison
between the mental and physical con-
dtion of a babe. and that. for IN
stance. of his emperor father. the
latter ruling millions and subduing
nations and kingdoms. Yet in the
short period of 40 years, the infant,
perhaps shall have far outshone his
Iarent i'm every way. The inference
or the speaker was that man Is cap
able of endless progression ana de-
velopment and from the foundation
laid in mortality, shall be added upon
and enlarged until he reaches the
state of perfection spoken of by the
Savior
In conclusion Elder Iverson bore
a feryent testimony to the truth oil
the gospel MS proclaimed by the Lat
terday Saints.
ELDER GEORGT ALBERT SMITH.
Elder Smith said that many peo-
pie not numbered among this people
would believe as the saints do, II the
gospel were properly understood. The
message is not of man but of the Re
deemer Though the doctrines are
not now popular, 1t Is a consolation
TO know that they some day VIII be-
That the work is sometimes spoken
evil of is no evidence that 1t Is not
divine. Prophets and holy men IN
various ages had been rejected and
slain and afterwards their sepulchers
had been garnished by the descendants
Of those who had killed them, The
message OF the Messiah was rejected.
and He was crucifled upon the tree.
but His blood proved to be the seed
VI inc LHuItus
The gront object OF life. said Elder
Smith. should not be so much what
10 eat and what To wear. but how
TO prepare for eternity Earth-life Is
but a link In an endless chain, and
the salvation of the soul should be
the all-absorbing thought OF man,
The tendency OF the country and Of
this community Is to seek too much
after the pleasures Of the day rather
Than IN preparing the soul to return
into the presence of God from whence
II came, The speaker said he re-
loieed in the spread of truth, and was
glad TO note that others than the Lat
terday Saints are preaching the doc
lrlnos once deemed heretical and
ialse' but which are verify true, The
newspapers, for instance, are publish
lhR today articles that a few years
,uso would i'm no wise have received
'heir attention.
EVIDENCE OF CHANGE.
As an illustration of the changed
Sshlilons In this respect. Elder
elnlth read the following editorial
aholh me ATLANTA, Ga. News. under
"",o OF Dec /. 1906
cNur Modern Alters ITO tho Unknown
d1u' 'As | passed by and beheld your
Nu'utlpnH, found nm altar with this
lWllon To the Unknown God 49,
Paul az Athens.
II a painful and confusing thing
we Christian Investigator TO be oon-
WtiVgsa' as he must he, by the fact that
fN'h"ilH or C0nNentipnally good DaoDl0