Show THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST ITS principles GIFTS AND BLESSINGS no man can be saved except he Is B As ain the usi 3 sabbath services of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints were hold in the meeting bouso on sunday afternoon at 2 the choir sang lord we come before thee sow at thy deot we humbly bow prayer waa offered by elder S S jones the choir sang on that dark that solemn night when howera of earth and hell tho sacrament was administered by tho bishopric of the second ward ELDER J E BOOTH road the sixteenth verse of the first chapter of komans and then asked the saints to sustain him by their faith and prayers whilo he spoke upon it realizing that the elders in israel tho assistance of god when occupying such an important position the speaker believed beli aved the gospel was the cause of the saiad being assembled under the sound of his voice and that whatever good they received by being there tho gospel should havo the credit for it there is nothing else in tho world that brings the persecution upon us than the gospel and we are entitled to the reward god ha promised if we remain true through it all the gospel is the power of god unto salvation to all who believe in it and we find there Is oven more than the saving power attached to it there is the damning power as stated by jesusa to his apostle goye into all tho world and preach the gospel to every creature he that believeth beli eveth and is baptized shall be saved ho that be shall be damned this goepel is not to a certain class but as peter said it is to you and children and all who aro afar off even as many as the lord our god shall call by this you sep there is no monopoly but tho gospel is free god is no respecter of persons he is as prepared to bestow his blessings upon the poor as ha is upon the aeh the gospel is nothing new it is the same old plan of salvation as revealed unto noah bato enoch bato abraham and all the other ancient worthies and as it was revealed to them in the precise samo manner was it revealed unto joseph smith this boy prophet had in his youth been reading the first chapter of james wherein it says H that wisdom let him ask of god who to all men liberally and upbraid eth none and it shall be given him what did joseph do why he went into the and prayed unto god who in connection with hia son jesus christ revealed himself unto the boy joseph and instructed him as to the nature of the gospel and the man made systems that were then being practiced promising him that bathe adno time 0 the lord he should be the moans in his hands of restoring tho gospel to earth jow notwithstanding joseph had received this assurance he had not the power to administer in the ordinances of the gospel for no man this honor unto himself except he bo called of god as was aaron then how did he get this power we find by reading the fourteenth chapter of revelations that john saw another angel flying through the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto all thosa who dwell on the earth now god does not do these things for fun and had tho gospel been oa earth as is declared by christendom there would have baan no necessity for its restoration by an angel as john saw when tho gospel came the power camo with it the speaker then read the worda pronounced on the heads of joseph smith and oliver cowdery bhea conferring tho aaronie priesthood upon them as recorded in tho boox of doctrine and covenants what is the gospel then that has so many blessings and powers it is a system of salvation first there is the principle of faith without faith it is impossible to please god this is the initiatory principle without it we would not understand and comprehend tho ways and purposes of god after this comes the principle of repentance tonce there is no man who has not dono sin no not one hence we all need to repent of those pins and haye them washed away how is this to bo accomplished T the principle of baptism the third principle of the gospel will perform the work except ye are bom of water and 0 the spirit ye cannot enter abo kingdom of heaven some will say if this is tho case how then about the thief on the cross buot me here say there is no one ii who is of more bother to the missionaries than this he bobs up every occasion and h affords more satisfaction to christendom probably that any other one man we havo any account of abe people sav he was saved in the kingdom of god without and if be could why we can yes but let ns enquire into the matter a little ahon jesus robe from the tomb on the third day he was met by mary who eager to embrace her lord ran with open aria to him what did jesua bayt touch me not for I 1 have net yot ascended to my father and your father my god and your god then bad he been tot peter gives us c little information on the subject in hib epistle let us see what he baya bead for this cause did christ once auffert just for aba unjust bang put the flesh and quickened by tho spirit by which also be went and preached to the spirits who were ia prison who were sometimes disobedient when the long sufferings of god waited in the days of noah where the thief on the cross went to and no whore else and if we dont do the works of righteousness where wo will all go to the speaker then dwelt upon the free agency of man relating the that happened in the council co uncil of the gods before the foundations of the earth were laid at which time satan offered to save maa in his bins attached to this gospel are certain gifts and blessings such as speaking in tongues ton gnes the interpretations of tongues prophecy healing and others it is arne wo dont exercise these gifts so much as we ased to do and as we should but that is our fault not the lords he is unchong able and is just as ready to bestow upon us his blessings now as he ever was if wa were only ready to do his will but we are becoming negligent and are hankering after the things of this world president heber C kimball once said that it was not poverty he was afraid of nicch the saints but prosperity gods work has come to stay and though we may fall tie kingdom of god will con timie to roll caward until the sons of levi again offer a sacrifice to the lord in righteousness there have i been times when tho outlook has appeared discouraging but god has been with his work and he will see us through there may be as dark times agam but there will never be times when the majority of the saints will break off and apostatize hence if there should be times when you dont know what to do stay with the majority of gods people for tho majority will sever go at the speake brhen invoked the blessings of heaven to rest upon the people and exhorted the saints to live their religion and practice the truths which god had given them the choir song the anthem holy holy lord god of aoth benediction was pronounced by elder Tho |