ASTROLOGY AND KINDRED TOPICS EVILS THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED BY I 1 THE PEOPLE editor debret muei I 1 I 1 4 1 ever since the fall fali of adam wb when en the vail was drawn between man and his maker there has existed a desire to penetrate the future to ascertain if possible that which is to be as well as that which is this disposition seems to have been inherited a feeling that had been born witti with us and while we percel perceive our inability to satisfy this desire yet frequent disappointment does not destroy it for fon it continues to make itself manifest even down dofa n to old age the darkness with which both the immediate as well as the more distant future is shrouded in many instances intensities intensifies this lon ion loning longing ing to the ox extent tent that the most questionable means are often employed to obtain the e end desired this tais is fully exemplified in the history of kinh kins king g saul when he sou sought ht out the witch of endor wh who was reputed to be possessed of extraordinary powers and besought her to bring brino up the prophet samuel from the dea dead ut that he might enquire of him th the result of the gattle tattle battle in which lie he was about to bugage engage for said he god answer eth me no more by prophets nor by dreams therefore I 1 have called thee that thou make known unto me etc the prophets of old a very brief history of whom Is given in the bible hIble were continually sofi solicited cited to FORETELL FUTURE EVENTS in fact israel when in full favor with the loru never enga engaged ed in battle battie with their enemies without first obtaining his mind thereon and enquiring in re eard yard ard to the result the bistor history y of sainam balaam is familiar to every one how King kin Balak being afraid of israel who had pitched their tents upon the plains his princes with the re ards of divination to influence the prophet to curse israel and with what result in the pearl of great price we reab read read that the people in days of enoch came from all parts of land to hear bear him prophesy offu of future tuie tufe events that they would point to hint hiiri and say behold the seer foche 11 the gift of prescience or the power to penetrate the future belongs to and always accompanied the Melchi sedek priesthood whenever and wherever it was not this gift could not be to fo ind counterfeits have always existed however with the genuine gift and have succeeded in leading many of the unwary away during the period when the genuine gift wad was not upon the earth in consequence of the absence of this PrIestl priesthood rood many individuals have practiced practised what are termed tuc tim tur BLACK ARTS and their devotees have been very numerous isaiah speaking of the time when the lord would hide his face from jacob said that some would then say seek unto them that have familiar spirits nd sid unto wizards that peep and that ia utter mutter and asks should hould tf not a peo pe seek unto their god he bhende aa clares r e to the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this it is because there Is no I igat bt in them 1 1 in other words in the absence of the genuine gift we must be satisfied with tiie the written word moses in his last charge to israel declares the secret things belong unto the lord our god but those things which are arc revealed belong unto us and our children for ever that we may do all the words of this law 11 inferring that in the absence of revelation revelation the people would then be justified by a strict observance of the written law the lord chooses his own channels of communication and will not reca recognize anything other than that which he lit himself appoints the prophet amos says surely the lord god will do nothing but he reve aleth his secret unto his servants the prophets the question may be asked Is THE SCIENCE OF THE STARS from which data f future events are de term ried tied reliable for a belief inthis in this art has obtained largely among the people of christendom Is as well as the heathen nations I 1 would answer there is nothing really reliable that god has not revealed abraham undoubtedly held the keys of the science of astronomy and while on a visit to egypt cliar cilar charmed mea mcA the egyptians with his knowledge of these principles as is evident f from rom the book of abraham ile he says but the records of the fathers even the patriarchs concerning the right of priesthood the lord my god preserved in mine own hands therefore a knowledge of the beginning of the creation and also of the planets and of the stars as they were made known unto the fathers have I 1 apt even unto this da day and the lord said unto me A abraham aham I 1 show these things unto thee before ye go into egypt that ye rna may y d declare C cl a re all these wor ls 11 then follow some explanations in regard to the gradation of the heavenly bodies the first king of egypt ia is said to have been a righteous man but being a descendant ant of ham who was cursed could not hold bold the priesthood yet god blessed him with the tile blessings of wisdom it is said of this pharaoh that he sought A to imitate that order fished ty by the fathers even in the reign of adam and also noah whose M great at grandson he was and being 1 undoubtedly familiar with the ii act fact that the patriarchs patriarchy possessed knowledge concerning the heavenly bodies was v as anxious 10 to oo 00 tain the same tame neither is it str strange anie aria that his hia defendants should manifest this desire also hence we find abraham while v ile pharaohs Phara guest in jil egypt d discoursing ing upon the subject 0 of the heavenly bodies before the assembled court SACRED SACRE D liis 1118 HISTORY tomy TONY IS SILENT upon this subject from the time of abraham until today to day thou though h abraham said that he would write some of f these things for the benefit of his posterity buts butt but we must conclude from the reading of profane history that this science has occupied the attention of mankind from the earliest eai eal liest periods of antiquity but that the relative positions juxtapositions ions aspects etc of the heavenly bodies in view of our limited know knowledge lidge thereof can forecast accurately future events or that they shall be used by latter day saints for this purpose is vely questionable tio but the time will come when whatever truth there max may maybe be in this subject will be restored to knowledge is beyond doubt as it belongs to the priesthood to receive all truth both ag as pertaining to the earth as well as to the heavens hea yens Is it not safer than to wait until the almighty shall reveal things unto his people that the knowledge ow thereof may be used for his glory than that they should accept ot of data derived from incorrect hypotheses and entirely outside of the legitimate channel that god has appointed strong bt 0 believers in astrology may feel like d disputing Fp my position bub but ut latter lutter day saints will readily recognize the correctness of my there is also SEER STONE OR OIL PEEP STONE which differs little in appearance from an ordinary stone the finding of which has kas a ge generally ie rally raily been the result of accident d e n t th though 0 ugh some have claimed that t they ie w were e I 1 e ma made de known to them by revelation siy sly eat I 1 0 n they are arc found in the hands of men women and children but are not numerous those in possession of these stones claim to be endowed with the tho gift of the seer and are arc besieged by all classes to learn something in regard garito to their individual affairs such as the whereabouts of lost aneals animals or stolen goods the character of a man or woman with whom the enquirer is anticipating marriage in some in static ts where persons are arc suspected of evil designs the peep stone has been used to verify the suspicion the sex as siso ilso the future of an unborn child has been enquired after in this western country they have been often used to determine the location of a good paying mine etc strange to say most individuals who have had recourse to this source for information exercise considerable faith in the findings of the individuals who claim inspiration through the method then we have THE GYPSY prognosticator who if well paid beforehand will tell you everything you want to know concerning cernin we ane past present and f future attire angwill and will like the professional astrologer er often prove the correctness of their predictions by telling you something thin in the past that you did not believe was known to mortal being but yourself then there are others who claim that certain persons are posses possessed sed of the SPIRIT OP or witchcraft that they have the power to produce injury to any individual they may choose chook these have always been shunned by the masses and in numberless instances have fallen victims to the most roost cruel persecutions as well as the most horrible deaths V unquestionably eques tion ably thousands of innocent persons lives have been sacrificed who have been suspected as belonging to this class individuals who are made to believe that they are under this spell or influence generally visit the astrological pr professor processor olessor and in too many 1 cases have suspicions con confirmed confirma fIrme that they are really bewitched then 1 f follows allows some of the most ridiculous recommendations and the use of some of the most revolting antidotes to break the spell I 1 in order not to be overcome by these influences people ought to carefully avoid any association with or practice of these doubtful and unreliable pursuits that must of ne necessity lead the mind into darkness and if continued will finalle finally lead to apostasy jesus predicted and gave us warning of false spirits who should arise especially in the last days who should how show great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive tho very elect ll 11 let us not then seek to anticipate THE ALMIGHTY by foolishly endeavoring lo 10 to penetrate into futurity to Ai discover scover that which is wisely hidden from our view but wait the appointed time when in the lan ian an guage bac of the revelation 6 1 nothing Not hinshall shall shail be withheld but all shall be made manifest 11 if there be bounds set to the heavens or the seas or to the dryland dry land or to the sun moon or stars all the times of their revolutions revolution all the appointed appointed pointed days months and years and ar a all ali it their glories laws and set times shall be revealed in the days of the dispensation pensa tion of the falness of times 11 A LOVER LOVEK OF TRUE KNOWLEDGE