The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1914-01-22
LECTURE DELIVERED AT
MINOT JAN. 8, 1914, BY
ELDER WIN. Sparkling

ELDER WIN. Sparkling.
! (Reported by Mrs. Chas. r. Graham,)
Subject: "Latter Day Saints. Who
We Are and What We Stand For"
| Sometimes in conversation with 9TH
ers, we are frequently asked the name
of our church. When we answer,
Latter Day Saints" another question
follows: "Who Are They?" This
lecture is intended as an answer to
that question, and furthermore to ex-
plain what is our belief and practice
as church.
l feel safe in saying, among all the
churches we are perhaps the least
understood, and what is worse; some
times misrepresentation; would not say
always knowingly, or with an intent
to injure us, Though sometimes we
have painful evidence that such is the
case,) but even where there is a dis
position on the part of honest minded
men and women to give fair hearing
to our side of the subject, their minds
are frequently biased through prev
ious Misrepresentation, it is almost
l impossible to render clear and alb
solutely Just verdict. One of the most
disagreeable things to US is, in being
classed with what we term Brigham
ism, this will be more fully explained
further on. An explanation Of any
church or society, would not be COM
plete without taking into account
something of it's origin. Bold as the
assertion may sound to some, we claim
TOR this church Divine origin.
But so far as the salvation of man
is concerned, while the Lord sent His
son, Jesus Christ, to make atonement
for the fallen race of man; yet in the
proclamation Of the gospel plan, He
used human instrumentality. These
men in Bible terms were Prophets;
thus we read of Abel, Enoch, Noah,
Moses, and so on down to Malachi,
and contrary to the opinion of many,
evidences Of the prophetic gift even
after the ascention of Christ to
Heaven. Both the Old and New Tes-
lament teach continuance of Revela-
ton, the former declaring in Amos g.:
/, 7, "Surely the Lord God will do moth
ing, but he revealeth his secret unto
his servants, the Prophets" And the
Savior, in HIATT. 1884, intimates more
will come, and they shall be killed.
And in Revelation 1910, we are told,
"The testimony Of Jesus is the spirit
of prophecy" Our claim is a restor
alton of primitive Christianity, with
it's attendant blessings, the gift of
prophecy included We meet with op-
position; we are used to it; do not
think we have met with more in Minot
than elsewhere, in fact the press of
Minot, both weeklies and dailies, have
been very liberal to US. No explana-
ton of church or, society would be
complete, without taking into account
the origin or beginning. In our case
this is especially so, because of the
general ignorance and misapprehen-
sion of our true position as a church
organization. But we do not think we
should be over sensitive, or become
offended when our neighbors misjudge
US, especially as to the reputed char
4 acter of Him, who under the provi-
dence of God, was chosen as the in
strument to lay the foundation of this
latter day work, that which we desig-
nate as "The Church Of Christ" or
"The Church of Jesus Christ" which,
as we understand is the true Biblical
name, the word "Reorganized" being
a prefix to distinguish us from the
factions which use the same name.
I said awhile ago, we claim Divine
origin, and wish to be understood by
that, that Joseph Smith was moved
upon in the same sense, and by the
same Divine influence as Moses or
John the Baptist, and that as the lat
ter was sent as messenger or fore
runner to prepare the way for the
first advent of the Redeemer, so the
Divine head of the church, Jesus Him
self, in his infinite wisdom has seen
fit to restore the ancient order of His
church, the perfect knowledge Of
which, during the dark days Of the
Apostacy was lost or taken away, as
shown in Rev. IL and II (chapters)
and other places. In all ages when
ever God had people on earth, He
communicated His mind and will to
them, sometimes by direct revelation,
at other times by the administration
Of angels, who Paul says are sent to
Minister to them who are heirs Of sal
walton, and we are told by John in
Rev. 14:6-7, such thing will be, and
coupling that statement with Rev. Al,
we come to the conclusion, it was to
be sometime in the future, from that
i Now ifsSE was the way God dealt
with His people in the ages Of the
past, I want to ask you, are we as a
4 people to be blamed, claiming to be
i led by the same Interchangeable God,
who for a period of approximately
l four thousand years, led His people
in His own way, giving line upon line,
precept upon precept, should it be
considered strange that he should call
upon men as in past ages, the divided
condition of the churches, the general
unrest and disquietude Of the whole
world, calls for something more than
human. Since coming in contact with
this people, period Of 81 years, ]
have he'd occasion to defend it at diff
n ferent times from the attacks Of min
listers and members Of other churches,
N and almost invariably I have found