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Show DISCOUBSB BY PRESIDE8T GEO. Q. CAHKOK, .it 7ie Tabernacle, Salt Laic tVff, Sunday afternoon, April 27tA, 1S9J. ?s R IXIBTED J-Y ARTllfir W lTnt-l I will read a icrtion of the 8th chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Ro-mans. I ty the troth in Chrut, I lie art. my cnwelpiice a!6"barli:g neKiuiefiIn'Uic IIoljGboit, Thtt I hai e ;rrct heaTtnoiaaitl ooBUnaftl sorn) In niy herL lor X cootd wish that rajiclf vtercae enrd from Chrut for mj brethreo, xdj Hni mf a acrordiofc to the & IVhoare Iiracluci, to vbom petUlneth the KlopUoa. sdJ the fttory. ac4 the corn SBts, and the girtop of the lair, and the service of tod, and the 1 romite t Wb?e ars th father, and of whom a concfrnrng the fieah ChnU came.vho 13 orcraL. Cwd bleated for ercr. Amen. 3. os at thosgh tho word of cod haib tai en conn effect. For they are not- all ItracL which arc of Ii-ael Neither, becacte they are the seed cf abraham. arc they alt children, L&t, in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That U. They which arc the children of the tetb. these are sot the CM dren of God Jjat the children of the promise are counted for the seed. lor this is the word of promise, lthit rise will I come, an 1 Sarah shatt hare a son And n-t only this bet when Rebecca also bid coneeiTed ly one, even by enr fa.ber Isaac, (Tor the ehddren being- not jet bom, neither hatiny done any good or ertl, that Ibe pnrroso of clod according to clecLon ts)j:nt stand, not of n-oris, but of him that calklhi) It uas said nnto her. The cider shal serre the younger. Ae It Is written. Jacob bare 1 loTrd, bn: Esaa bars I hated. What ahall we say then? Is there nn rzbleotuncts with God f God forbid. For lie aatih to Moses, I will bare mercy oavbomliriilbaTemercy.andl will hate compassion on whom I mil hare compas. sion. So then It Is not of htm that wlllclh.nor of him thit rsnaetb, but ef Coi that sbeircth mercy For tho Scripluro aalth cnto Fhiroab, Ercn for ttla same pnriose bare I ratted thee ap, that X mifht shew my poirer la Jhec, and that my name might be declared throughout a.1 the earth. Therefore hath he merry on whom he will hare nercy, and n bom be will he bar deneth Thou wilt lay then unto me, W by doth heyei Cod famf o- wha bath icsistrd bis will? aybnt,o an, nho art thoa that re pliiitazaici'.Md Shall the Ihinifarniel say to b m that formed It, by ba't thon made melbns ilath not the potter power over the clay, of ihe same lemp to make one vc-sel nnto boner, and another unto dishonor' What if God. willing to shew h" wrltb, and 10 raaae b rower known, endu-ctfc with much losrsafTcrlnff the Teasels cf wrath Sued tb destruction And that be mtut male hnown thervhes cf his plorr en thCTcatlaof mercy, wbioh be bad afore prepared unto alory, ICtcn ns. Kbom be hath called, not of the Jiws only, bet also ot the Gcnn'cs? In addressing you this afternoon I dtsire very much to have an interistln your faitli and prayers, that rry remarks inav bejrornrteU and accompanied by the Spirit of God, and that they may bo profitable profit-able to us It is out privilege in comli g together to be fed with the bread of life. I would not lake much rleasurc In meeting as we do todaj.and ccrtaiul) not in speaking, speak-ing, il I did not tartakc- cf the Spirit or God, so that my heart would 1 made to nji Ice In the truth, and I rui-elf l strengthened by that wlikh should be s-id. I ofteu rematk tiiat our spiritual wants need to to supplied just rt, much as our physical wants. There are many eve u among the Eatter-daj Eatter-daj baints who undergo a -pi cits of starvation through neglect in attending; at-tending; meetings aud availing Ihcm-thcs of the opportunity whhh God hasgivenuuto us Thej donot get that simtual nourish mcntwhidirsasuecussar) to make the mail or the woman in Christ Jesus pelfict as it is that w e should partake of carthij food to sustain our bodies. This scripture which I have read In your hearing contains orcu remarkable re-markable expressions, nd it hat Ucn used 1 9 many Iiiliidualslo convey tho Idea that there Is a pre-'1 destination or foreoniiuatlon li which some men arocltrtrd to lie satd and others are predestined to 1 damned. Ecn among Latter-day Latter-day SainU I have heard remarks male to tho fleet that thin; tut something In this doctrine, aril that (although tho ides was not fully convtied) certain individuals were seiectid to be vesvk of wrath, and did not have It in their ioucr to hilp themselves but wire inevitably in-evitably destined to receive certain punishment and to take such a course of life as would bring uton themselves this punishment. Only a few days ago, one of our !stcrs, in speaking of a young man who had gone astray, seemed to beat be-at a loss to understand why he should hae been left to take evil courses. Sho asked me how it wa3 tiiat tho Elders had been led to Lcip that young man, or that child (he was a child at the tiniei how they were led to select him to a his passage and bring himtoZion, aud then he be r milted, after he reached hrr and had grown up, logo to the bad.' bhc wanted to know why God would prornrt His servants to do as they did aud suffer sucli results to follow. Of course, the reflection was made tiiat there wrjs something Inscruta ble about this providence, something that needed explanation; and tiie Inference might be drawn from tho inquirks whhh were made that &od, iu come manner, had failed to do that which should be done, or to exercise His providence in a way that it should bo exercised to compass com-pass the salvation of His children, and especially of this young person. Now, if there is auy thing that Is clear iu the Gospel of the Ixrd Jesus Chri-t ns it is revealed to us iu these last days It it this- thai cverj human lieing lorn 011 the earth has ghtn unto him and unto her the utmost latitude In the exercise exer-cise of his or her agemy. We are taught, and it Is made exceeding plain in the word of God, that we can exercise our free agencj to tlie fullest extent utcts-ari to make us responsible for our acts, and by its exercise-to gain for ourselves glorj In the e'erual w oridsand the reuaid which God gives unto his faithful children, or. on thu other hand, tin. condemnation and punishment that wicked nes Inevitably brings upon tho-e- who practise it. This is a fundamental principle of theGcspel or the Lord Jeus Christ, and v.e as His followers, should clearly understand under-stand it. If we do wrong (and we have it in our power to do wrong; we must be responsible for that. e do It because we elect to do it, and not because we are compelled by sxmu power over which we have no control to commit this wrung. On the other hand, if we do right, it is because we exercise our agency in that direction, aud not because there is a power exercised over us which compels us to do right. Those who reach that blissful state that God b s promised to the faithful could not enjoy happiness there if they obtained ob-tained it iu any other way than by the exercise of their agency, bo with punishment. If men should be punished for acts, that they n ere compelled to commit by a power superior to their own, how unjust wculd it be to punish them therefor, and how properly they could reproach re-proach our Creator for holding them accountab'c for the commission of deeds In which they had noagen-y. There Is no uch principle as this In the Gcspel. The Gosttlf the Lord Jesus Christ is one of perfect freedom. Every soul has the right to cbooM) whom he will rervc, whether God or Baal, and no Individual Indi-vidual who does that which Is wrong can reproach Gcd therefor. Unfavorable circumstances may surround sur-round human beings at their birth which may havo influence upon their subsequent careers. But our Great Creator In Judging His children will make full allowance for these. Man, having his agency, need not, unless he so wishes, become be-come tlie entire creature of these circumstances. 1 1 b comes his duty to contend against that which is evil, and, by the help of God, to overcome evil Inclinations and rie above evil surroundings. It is for tills purjiose that God gives His Holy Spirit un'o His children, that under its lutTucnce and by its power they may l-e able to resist evil, to overcome the temptations that may be in tbeirfathway,audtostrcngth-en tbeirfathway,audtostrcngth-en themselves in the practice of those vittuea which He has en-jolneu en-jolneu upon us as necessary to make us acceptable in II Is sight. Hut the question arises aud It has often arisen in times past how It Is that God shcull make sucli c x-presslons x-presslons as Hu has concerning Jacob and Esau By reference- to tho history wc find that before the children were born, in respousc to the inquirj of Itcbecca exmccrnins them, the Lord said to her "the cider shall serve tlie jouuger," although al-though they each should become the held of a great nation. And by Ihcte-o w ho try to prove that sotno men are predestined to do good and otticrs to do evil it Is often remarked "Has cot God said that 'Jacob have I loved, but J -sail have I linte-d?' la not this au evidence that predestination predesti-nation was doio its work in the lives of these tn In brothers? Did not Jacob start before his Mrtii with advantages over his brother Esau? And was Esau to be blamed for selling sell-ing his birthright and losing the fa vororGod.wheu Gad Ufurel.aud had declared that that should Lo the case?" Tiien again, those who lake tills lew say, "Why, God has said expressly that Hcraised up l'iiaranh for the very iirr.o 01 showing forth His power through him; and has He not said tiiat He hardened his heart that he might net let Is-iiel co, cfctl though he beheld tlie mighty minvlrs thet were pcr-furmed pcr-furmed by Moses and Aaron." Looked at from one standpoint, these passages or Herlpturu would seem to give color to tlie idea that there is foundation for tills doctrine of j redcUration, and -that before the birth of Esau and Jacob there had been n foreordination or n predestination pre-destination by which the lives of the two men Wero determined, aud the course that they should tuke had been ordained bj God, so that each had to follow n certain line of life to accomplish his destiny. rite difliculty that many people IiSAein considering this sulject Is thatlhiy confound foreknowledge with foreordination. Because God foreknew thatlau would serve-his brother Jacob, Hekaowin tiie cud from the (ginning, it docs not fol low that lierHse or this fort-knowledge and lircau-e He reveIed tills fact toIJebecca, it was His design, or that He had predetermined, that these children, Jet unborn, should eacii take tlie course that lie did. Esau and Jacob had their agency. So with all of us; yet our Heavenly Father knowsbeforohandevi-ntliirvV corcerniug us and what our lives will be. There is nothing hidden from or unknown to Him concerning concern-ing the earth and its Inhabitants, r.verythlij that will lake place U known beforehand to Ilitn. By the spirit of prophecy, Ihereforc.IIcpre-dlcls Ihereforc.IIcpre-dlcls events th-itshall take platcand work that men and nations willao compli-h Hukiiewbtforcthcscchil dreu were born upon tlie earth the course that txith Jicob and Esau w ould take, nud was able (o foretell tothemo'her that tlie elder would ervo tlie Jounger, and lhat the joucger would be Hie gnater and tlie Utter man. "But," says one, "He saj s that 'Jacob have 1 loved, aud Esau have I hale-d'" as thcugii God before- they were born ihiil Joed one mid hated theotr-er; before the j had committed an act to cause the fcclirg of lou or to prompt tLe feeling of hatred, He-had He-had cxprcsec-d Himself Iu that manner. man-ner. This is -not the case, however. This exj rcsion was not made 1 j Hie lord before the birth of the-, children. It was Maiachl, the la-t of the Prophet w hese record in the Bible lias come down to us who made tnls expression coucemitg these two men. Alter thej had lived upon the caith after the had accomplished tlieir labors the Prophet Malachi, in speaking of them and of thcllessingsthat had desceuded upon Israel and speaking by the spirit cf tlie Lonl and for thu Iord, made this, expression 'Jacob have I loved, aud Eui have I hale-d " Of course, it was easj to declare this thcu, after they had finished their n ork cu earth. Tin re was no Impro nety In It, for the Judgment was then pruuetnewi ujicu them. The work of Jacob had bcn thoe which God loved.. The work or Esau had been Uosc of uhlch dud did not approve, therefore this could lie said of them I with perfect propriety aud impar-tiahl,and impar-tiahl,and without conveying the Idea that lauii helpless in the, presence tra fate to which I.e had ! lieen foreordained, had no alterua i live I ut to pe rform ti c- w orks which were so ttispleasii'g to the Loni. In the cash of Phar oh, the Lord raised him up, no doubt, for the express ex-press lurpo-ecr show lug forth His jiower. He knew Pharaoh before lie was bora. He- knew his character charac-ter and spirit. He knew tiiat which he would do Therefore, to si,0w i forth His might and to accomplish His iiurposcs not by taking away ' Pharaoh's ogetii j not by compel-. ling him to do that which he did, but by leaving hliu to the free cxer- j use of hlsageucy He spoke as He did concerning Pharaoh and de-, clared that He had nl'ed him up , for tint cxriesspuriosc. He laced, him on the throne of tgj tat a time when it was necessary In order tol fulfil the- predictions that had al-read al-read been made respecting the deliverance de-liverance of Israel from tlie bondoire I of Egypt. In order that the children of Israel might go forth with mighty lower and with the exhibition of great miracles, God so arranged and prejared events that a i irit sucli as tills Pharaoh war, should occupy thu throne of Egypt, so tluUHi glorious glori-ous ability to save His leopluandlo fulfil His word might be- made manl-j rest to the nations of Hie earth, and that the story thereof should go down tbrcuh all the ages I of time, to be tiid as long as there shoull Us men upon the earth to relate thc-storv or to hear it; and iu order, too, thatUichotcn jieople-, the children of Israel, might know that He had Laugh: tiiein furtli Willi mighty ewer and with an outstretched arm, that It might never be forgotten bv, them nor their children after them. But it was not that God fore-ordaiunl fore-ordaiunl this man to commit tills wickedncssand to oppose His work. I would like ycu to clearly understand under-stand that foreknowledge is one thins and foreordination or predestination pre-destination is another, aud there is a great distinction between the two Th-y must cot be confounded one with theotl.tr. Isit not plain that God does possess foreknowlege? But do-s It nece63arilj- follow that, because He knows that a spirit when it takes a nmrtal tabernacle will follow evil course, He ordains that soul to that end, ornredestines him to be thu wicked man he becomes? be-comes? Such a doctrine is abhorrent abhor-rent to every pilnciple of righteousness righteous-ness aud justice and to ail that God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ and the holy Prophets have said concerning cur Great Creator. That men are foreordained there can bo no dealt entertained by those who believe the Go-pel; but not to be damned. Lverj human heliig is ordained to be saved, If he will be. ir he Js damned, it is because he chooses the path that leads to condemnation. con-demnation. And know that all tbanjs work to retter for pd to them that Hie God, to tbea who are the called accordlex to his purpose. Xorstbomho did foreaao-r. be also did . prcdesticaie to be conformed to its image of his Son, that h might bo the Srstbora I among many brethren. iloreoTer. whoa he did predestinate. 1 them h also called aad whom he called. I them he also Jtstuled aad irhon h Juitl' J fied, them ha alto f lot-tried. I It is plain from these words of Paul that tho Lord, by His foreknowledge, fore-knowledge, saw that Certain spirits I would love God, them Ho did "predestinate "pre-destinate to be conformed to the image im-age or His Sob." "them He also called; them He also Justified." They were, doubtless, foreordained to come forth and be mlnMers of righteousness on the earth. Tbo Savior, while In the flesh, chose twelvo men to be Hlsapostles. He ordained them. Eleveuof Ihera were true and faithful men. One of them was a hypocrite and a thief, and afterwards a base traitor. Does not our experience in this Church prov e to us that Judas mlilit bo all tills without bc-intfrredestlned to bo so vile? Have we not seen In our daymen violate tho commands of Goil In-what some might term little thing, and go ou, step by step, from onu degree of slu to another, until they would betray tlie Lord's atiiiolntcd? And can auy who were familiar wiUi such cases, aud who watched thcgradual descent of these men to evil, doubt for a moment that they had their nsency? They chose to commit sin. They had their agency In doing so. They did not repent, and themes. dreadful results followed. , , God knew His Sou Jesus Christ before Hew-as born 111 Uie flesh and Ho was ordained before tlie foundation of the earth was lad. He was the Lamb slain, we are told, before the fouuiLtion of the earth. That is, il was known that He would be 'lain; it was known that a generation would be found upon earth at Ihe time the Savior came who would bo so hanl in their hearts that the would nject Him and crucify Mini. God foreknew th's. He predicted it. Wo have the record of it. Isaiah predicted It with great plainness1, and other Prophets alluded to IU Moses predicted pre-dicted tl.nt the Lord would raise up n Prophet like unto himself referring re-ferring to tlie Sou of God. Aud In tho Book of Mormon wc find a great many predictions recorded with tbo utmost plaliitiess concerning concern-ing the life of lhe fcavlor, the pere- cullon that He should endure, n-id the death that Hu should stiflcr. Tills was revealed bj- tho spirit of protJiec. God, in lib infinite know ledge, uuderslandingaud comprehending com-prehending the end from the lie-gin-uing, know in,; the harduessof heart of that generation, inspired His scrvautsthe Pro hetsto redlct thi, nud they foretold it with thu utmost accuracy. But you must not imagine im-agine that bs-CHUte of this these-w these-w lio murdered thu baviorte- re destined or comiicl.ed to do what they did. Oa the contrary, lliey did It because the w ished to do it, In tlie exereUe of their agency the chescsv it rather than good. They hated virtue, they haled mritv. Full cf the traditions of the'lr fathers ti.e hated Ihe Hon of God and they I akd Him to t ri'on and to dc-alK We mult always remember that God knew Hi children before tliey came here, bpeaklrig to Jeremiah, lie said: "Before I formed thee in thu belly I knew tl.ee; aud before thev earnest cut of thu womb I sanctified thee-, aud I ord-ili.ed thee a Prophet unto the talion " He knew Jeremiah l.tfore he made his appcaraucu In the flesh, aud He knew that lit would be a Prophet, fur He !.ce v tbc-sp'ritcf the mail, and He kuewal-o the course that he would take. So with the other Prophets aud Apostles. God, iu His Infinite mere-, has revealed to us that we had a pre existence, that wc lived wilii Him befurewecamc here iu tho flesh, just as our Savior did. The Apc-slle Paul, quotinfrni the Psalm?, sas or the btvior, "Thou hast loved rlghtcou-utts, and hated lulquit; therefore God, eve n thy God, hath anointed thee j with the oil of gladness above-Ui I fellows." Who were His fellows? jWcvure His fellows we who are I' here toda, and all the children of men tiiou the face of the eartli Wo were all companions or thebon . cf God In the eternal world-, burn f in Hie spirit, living with Christ be- ! fore He became our earthl Savior God foreonlalucd Him, chose Him, elected Him, to come forth aud iicr-furm iicr-furm tho work of a Savior upon Hie earth. He- was ordaiueu to this ex-' ex-' I lets wotk, God knowing before-I before-I inn J that He would do this, bo I w Illi the Axx.llcf,witli the- Prophets, land witliali of us. We were sent I heri' ou earth, foreordained to do I good to keep tlie-count) jmltniuN of jdod.andto busaved. lor God loves 'all Ills children, and would save 'ever human soul. He- would not J that an one should be Ic-t, but He-j He-j de-sires the silvation of all. Andall I willlic saved, exctttthe sous of per dition. r his is tlie grand truth th it ' God has revealed unto u- in thee last da-: that ever human being i w ill be saved excel t a certain class w ho commit the uui-atdonable sin tin who shed Innocent blood, the who antacces-ory thereto, or who consent to thu shedding of innocent llbod. For them there is no salva- I lion, wc arc told. Therefore, Jesus said "AH mauueref tin aud blas- I I hi in shall be forgive u unto men but the hiasj hcui against the Hoi Ghost shall not be forhin unto men. And whe-sucver spt-.il.eth a wonl agalut Ihe ben of rnaii,it shall lie-forgivin lie-forgivin him, but whoso everspeak-eth everspeak-eth again-t the Holy Ghost, it shall ' not lie forgiven him, neither in this world, neither In Hie world to I come." Every sin i ot of tills tin-isirdoi.alle tin-isirdoi.alle character will receive i forgiveness sooner or later. But will it not be iiunUhcd? Ye. There I punlidiment affixed to every sin ( .No man can commit sm without 1 receiving Ihe tunhltaiint therefor. 'Ho will havo to expiate that sin, ...her in this life cr In the life-to come. rorlhcreisac-iiall afllxel to every transgre-sisloii of uie laws of God, aud wc shall have- to pa 1 Hie pcnall unless w e repent of our sins, and by going forth Into the waters of Injllsm, obtain a remission re-mission or them, according to tin promise which Gcd has give u. I n tliis way our sins can be remitted and be blitled out, and wc be relieved re-lieved Ironi thu le-nalty that Is affixed to sin. I These features of the Gosil, as lUny'havo been revealed to us, I think, inut fill every soul who contemplates con-templates them witii gladness, with Joy, with satisfaction. The idea i that has been preached by iguorant .teachers who have put erroneous constructions on the- words of the j Bible for so many generations concerning con-cerning thu punishincnt that God has a nixed to sins has filled men witii great horror, aud has driven I rolably a greet many into atheism or unbelief resjtctin,; God, because tl e could l ot n-CDUciio sucli teachings teach-ings with ILe character of a Being Be-ing such as our God is. Before this Churcli was organized, the Lord gave a revelation unto the Prophet Joseih Smith, in which tills was ex lained, aud it was explained ex-plained with sucli clearness lhat a child might uudereUnd it; that because be-cause God's punishment Is eternal punishment it does not nece-saril follow that Uie- being who receive it Is consigned to il eternally. For instance, a prison might stand for a hundred ears. It might be a lace ot punishment. A pe r-on consigned to that prison mlchi go in there acd expiate his crime Iu the prl-ou b suffering a certain punl-hment, and after thtt time pionounced as the punhhmenthad expired he could emerge therefrom, btill the prison cxi-ue. So it Is with G tj'si nunish- ment. His runlsl nie-iit Is eternal punishment, because He ! eternal; but it does Lot follow, as the Ixird has said wiUi great plainness, that a person who Is consigned thereto will endure It eternally. The-Lard Jesus Christ has died for all men, and He will draw all men unto Him. But there are degrees of punishment ajllxo i to sin; and in proportion to men's crimes they w ill be punished. But they will not be consigned to endless punishment that Is, to suffer it eternally. Tiie revelation which God gave, and which Is embodied in tho seventy-sixth section of the Book of Dactrine and Covenants, Is wonderfully wonder-fully plain upon this sulject. In that revelation we are told that there are three degrees of glory. There Is a glory vhich Paul likened, In I Corinthians. 15th chapter, to the glory cf the suu. There is a glory which he likened to the glory of tho moon; and there is a glory which ho likened to the glory of the stars, and as "one star diCereth from another star In glory, so also is the resurrection resurrec-tion of the dead." Men and woman ho keep the commandments or God In their fulness; who labor continually, con-tinually, as many have done, to carry out the principles of truth; who are willing tosuffer martyrdom for the sake of the truth, as tho Apostles did in the days of Jesus; men and women who havo died by hundreds and by thousands. In various var-ious ages of the world, for the truth these will undoubtedly receive a greater glory than those who have Sever made such sacrifices. There are people who have not stamina to stand up to tfce truth, and Who are uot willing to eudure the persecutions persecu-tions tiiat follow- Uie practice or truth. They weaken before tueop-poslUon tueop-poslUon that Is brought to Mar against them. Tliey love popularity, popular-ity, thev love a good name, they love the good things of this life, anil they are willing to trust the future to itelf. They go in for the enjoyment of Uie present day, of the present hour, aud are willing, as they say, to risk the future. But there are others who look above aud beyond Uiis; who lovo the truUi better bet-ter than they love worldly ease, or comfort, or riches, or good name, like our Lord and Savior aud ills Apostle. Thuy went through life enduring every ceaccivable hardship hard-ship and privatiou, and at last had their lives taken from them. Why was this? Because they knew that God had in store for Uicni a wonderful reward, a great glory. As Jesus sail, in response re-sponse to u question of one or thu Apostle-si "1 o which have followed me, in Hie regeneration rrheu the fcou of Man shall sit in Uie throne of his glory, eaI-o shall sit ujn telvc thrones Judging the twelve tribes of Irael." Tliey believed the wonls of Jeus Tliey believed that Jestiswould give them thrones, that tliey would be rulers in the Kingdom or God. They did not labor for nu, earthly crown. We read or men wiio Iiavu cudurul ever tiling for the sake of a worldly crown. We read of men going to battle, risking their llveaaud undergoing under-going all sorts of prlvaUous and hard-hii-, for worldly fume, ll.it these herccs of whom 1 sjeah looked beond this life. They saw that worldly honors, crowns and fame were perishable. But Jesus had proniised uuto them (hat the should sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tnbes of I -rail. They would become kings. And they looked forward with lerfect confidence to lhe fulfillment of that promise. Therefore the endured these privation. But cow, M then, there arc-other classee me n who love their own ease; who will not enutfie these privations; who will not go through that which the Apcslles had to meet;and, ef course, though the may be worthy iicoplc ill man respects tin cannot hope- to at tain uuto the same glor as thet did vli3 made "aich Immense sacrifices- for Hie Jrutll Therefore, there I as l"aul savs one glory of the sun,or the eel- tial glor. V ho shall attainuntuUnl? riio-e who keep the law that pcrtairai to that glor ,those who do ever thing that is commanded com-manded them of God, those- -alio arewllIlwMo'ndure even tiling ror His sake and to do that v-hich He requires at their hands There have been, nu doubt, Miilllons of people-on the earth w ho i;ve l.atl Uiis willingness. willing-ness. They will attain, we are- told, unto the celestial glor- WiicreGexl anJthrMaiethc wllldvvell. Thev are promised erowii thrum , exaltation. Ever thing that heart can desire, or tiiat will mid to the glory or a human or an Immortal soul, will be given unto tills class. Jcmis Is the great exemplar or that class He himself can.e here ou earth. He forsook His throne and His glor; He left hi father's presence, pres-ence, and was willing to come down here and s ufle r as lie did suffer. I n the short pace of tin-e that he labored iqiuii earth He suffered ever thiug that a human -oul could sutfti; mil after having endured such agon that lie sueatgreat dpiis cf blood, He- wa crovvi ei witti thorns, and then was crucified, ti us pointing out the path f,r all hl-followcm hl-followcm totkt, givii.g them the examrh-. Jvow. tliore who vvoulJ reign with Chri-t, those who would have- the glory that Christ lias attained unto, must be equally willing will-ing to endure all things for tiie sake of thu Gosih.1 that He has revealed Tlie-e- are- the ,!, t,f t.od, the daughters of God, vrho will attain uuto this great exaltation in the prtseuccof the (jamb. But there is another class who. though the ma be honorable, will not attain unto thii same glory, for Hie rcsscn tlirt t!a ale nut w ilhug to make the saerilicrss required of themluorJer to receive it. The have not the strength, they have-uo' have-uo' the wilt, the have not Uie dis-tioMtlun dis-tioMtlun to dn Uiese thing.- Th Iwud toiopular favor. They love Uie world and Hie applau'e of the world. God basprovidtil a glor for Hit m. There are millions or honorable p- oplc in Hit earth, w ho have lived lives or honor and !-tcgnt, !-tcgnt, aud in their associations with tlieir ft Hows hive dciiortcd UicniM-lvcs in a most moral and up-rljihl up-rljihl manner; jet the have not attained uuto the emer aud thu greatness of soul of tlm other class to whom I have referred But the re will be a glory given to them which Paul likens to Uie glory of the moon. Then there are other elasse. tint are vile, differing in degrees in tlieir vileness; men w ho, instead of cxe r-clsing r-clsing their atuc for the je rform anccorgood, are-ready to do evil in every direction. The glory tint Uiey will receive is likened to (he glor of the-stars, and, as the A pes tie saj s as one s'ar dideretli from another In e'T o also Is the-resurrection the-resurrection The resurrection of thce lndiviJuars differs in glory, Ju-t as their conduct in life doe, one lieing better than the oilier. There ate degrees of sin In which this rlas indulge; and according to their sins they will be punished. But they will lie redeemed b the blood of the I.smb after ihe v have endured thu wrath of God for a certain cer-tain time, and tl ly will receive a greater glory than ever it entered into their licarls to conceive. Xo human lcliig can conceive of the-glor the-glor that even thte people will get, though they are so low and degraded; de-graded; but it will Ikj after they havo been puni-hed for Uicir sins. There Is connected with cverv crime and every sin that man commits com-mits a penalty. Tliis Is an inexorable inexor-able law, an unchangeable law, nud the i fleet of it cannot 1 e avoided. We mu't endure thepinalty of oar sins If I violate the laws of my lio-Jy; If, for instance, I take Into my. stomach food that Is not con genial, or eat to excess, or drink to excess, I have to endure the penalty of that. This is inevitable. We have to sutler the penalty of our transgression of physical laws. Iu like manktr, wc have- to i nduru the penalty of the violation of Ihe laws of G'd. There l only onu way In which Iho punishment can bu avoided, and that i bv obc lng the law that God has given. Tiiat law is a superior law. lie savs: Believe in my Son JeuChrM rrct of our tin-, U-bajtlznl bj one having authority, and j ou shall have tho remission cf our sins. Tills is tho only way by which we can escape thepecalUcs or violated spiritual laws. Tiie lonl has made this exceedingly exceed-ingly plain injfc ce days, so that wh can uuJerstanait. Thoe who take a wrong cour-e mast endure thecon-senuences thecon-senuences or their wmtif- Thr.. who are fighting th6 work of God toda much as we may dl-Ilktj them, much as we may bo opiiosed to them, and much as wo may feel In our hearts wrought upconccrning their wicked conduct will receive benefit sooner or lalir.if the uo not shed Inncccnt blood, or become accessory ac-cessory thereto. They will get a glory far greater than they ever anticipated. an-ticipated. But it will be after they have paid the penalty of their slu. Therefore, when we commit In we shoull understand that wo bave to expiate that sin. We cannot transgress tho laws of God with Impunity; ami if we commit com-mit certain tins we are debarred from entering Into the piesence of God, and Into that glory that He lias In store for His faithful children. I supptva that there I not a soul, who professes to be a Latter-day i Saint, within tho sound cf my voice j today, who docs not, when he or sho offers prayer to God, entreat' Him in the name of Jcu lht , i - . " they may be aided In aitalnlng unto celestial glory. C-Iestlal gjpry Is tho prayer, celestial glory Is Uie desire, de-sire, celestial glory Is the aniniaUnjj motive that prompts us In our lives. Wo desire this with all our hearts. For this the Latter-day Saluts have left Uiclr homes. For this they have endured privations priva-tions without end. For this they havo suffered the burning of their I-ouses, the expulsion from Uieir homes, aud robbery In every form. For Uiis Ihi y are now enduring persecution. per-secution. 'Ihiyhavu In view the celestial glory. Tiny want to bo w here God rind Christ dwell. They want tl bu lu the rcseiice of the sanctified and litire who have lived In all tlie aes when the truth has been upon the eartli, tn have their companionship throughout eternity. Tiity want to enter ujiou a career of uever-endin progress, unUl they shall bu like- God our Father, and like our Lord Je-us Christ, Tl.ey b-lleve that Uiere I truth in what tlst ApotIe Paul siys when ho stieaks of the Saluts as bciug heirs of God. Eeniembcr Uie w ord. I f wu are heir, vve may hope tome day to Inherit; and if we are heirs of God, why then wc shall Inherit In-herit the power and tho blessings and the glory of God our Eternal Father. Tills is what the Latter-day Latter-day baiuts ought to havo constantly constant-ly in view! Hon can I live so as to become an Lelrof God, and a Joint heir with Jesus Christ? What course can 1 take to rccure to myself my-self celestial glory a never-fading crown? not an empty bauble, not a barren scelre, but a sceptru of power, a sceptre of dominion, a crow u that means something real, a throne lhat means the- kingly and queenly authority. Tiiis is what the Latler-da SalnUIiave iu view, ahen Uiey havu Uicir hearts fixed as Uiey si ould be and their eyes open to tliu glory Uiat God has in store for thu f u'hftil. And having these glorious prom ises made- to us aud these grand prospects before us shall wc- stoop to ' do those things that are beneath us . ami beneath our dignity? bhail we be guilty of sin? '-hall w c do these liUloietty things that disfigure our I character aii.1 make us ashamed of i ourselves in the- resenre of enirfel loirs, and how much more in the preacuce of our God and or lhe holy angels which surround lilt throic' Let nut these sacrifices Uiatwehave already maile lie loot through an unfaithfulness or neglect uj-on our part, or through our hardening our hearts and not allo.viug His spirit topical wiUi us and to lead us iu the path that He dtsircsus to walk In. Would 0U be satisfied todiy withagicr such as Paul sajs the stars are 1 leal of? Wouldoute-satisfied Wouldoute-satisfied with the glor of which the moon is t p.cal? Io, ou would cot; although ituia be beyond our , lowers of imagination toconcciveof j the greatness and the gbr to be rt- ceived by those who attain uuto that I glory of wliieh themoon Ntyjie-al. zoiir-i tooiirr.lf. ' Oh. weak a I am. fauit as ni . character miy be, imperfect as I , am, I pri God to bear with me; I tirav &od not to take away from me . the p:umisc of celestial ,rlor, help mc, O God, to contend w til the w cakntiy s of my nature; help uie to keep liiy eomruauUir.cntsdo by da,tkatl may lai -rroi.h torecii-e the fulfillment of the proml"-' winch Tiiou hast made unto mc! Tili-, I know, is tie- feeling of 1-attcr - day bamls. It is for this that temples are reared. God lias forecnLinetl oti, He has predestined you tibe-ave-d. Donot allow n"y other tlirtiht to enter your hearts. When I hear of poor wretches commitlit llehic or lining ether vis that irecief'tl and being filled with de-palr, bccatrc of the veakiii--e" of their nature. I feel to pi! them from the bottom of my heart. I wotiiJ that 1 couki savethini I wouil that I ewuld . pour into Uielrwoundtdand crushed seuls thebilm oT ghtdncs, tr.tt I m:ght avvkta -rithin their the-lwppltit-s that GoJ has inri Ireel in tliose whohavereceived Hiar-pinf. For there is hop" firrcvery hiuna-i sunt. Gcd does not desire the destruction de-struction orany manor my woman. He wants to save- cvary out or u. 2o matter bow low, how degraJid, cr how sinful w- ma le, God love us though our sins may be itate'-il to Him; we arc Hi- children, aiid He d-sires our salvation. His arms of merer afs-extendcu afs-extendcu continually unto u. Hi en'reats us in loving nitfiy, in tender comiasidon to tone unto Him, aud lv will give unto us every b'esslrg that we ate wortiiy of. lie will strcngtheu us In ourweakn-s- Ho will pardon par-don our Ins if we repent or them On sinner, if there arc "inner-here "inner-here toda and wc all are sinners, but if there are an who fitl that lhe are almost lo-t, I say to ou tiat God I read to forgive- our sins He i read to bint out your trausgrus-ioiif. if ou will relent of the rn. Kei-eutaucc is w hat I Iu asks true and heartfelt repentance- of si.i; then He will forgive oursius, aud He will help ou to overcome ourwcakucsee-. He has uotciio-cn an ofou tpleUimnnl. Ifvcuure damned, it will l-ebeeau'c you ycur-self ycur-self have chosen to taku the ro.au that leads to damnation, and nctl-r cause or auy wish on Ills partorati predestination that He has ordained that such should be the ca-c. We find Iu thu writings ef Uie Arostlcs mention frequently madt of the "elect" and of thu "cho-en." Weil, we- could do the same thlne-, writing iu our da. Hw strange it is, and how it gives ri-e to this view, the cxerlcncu that we have in tlie worlti in (.reaching the Gospel' Wc-go Into a neighborhood, neighbor-hood, and vve gather in a few. Tin great masses: of thu cop!c- pay no . attention to Uie message- of -alva I Iron that w u declare. Now , w l-o i are these Hut listen. Why, wc might call them very truthful) Hie "elceV'the"c!icseii," according to the crace of Gou. as the Atostles so frequently did. Vc, wearechoscii. but it is not hecau-e tho others are cotchnscn. It is because we, In the providi nee and mercy of God, have-hail have-hail our hearts softeued, so tliatue have believed thu truth when we-heard we-heard it; we have received it and rejoiced in it- Therefore, we can be nglitfiilly called tlie elect. But it Is not because ottiers arc debarred froni these- ( rivilegei-; I lit because we have chosen to accept the message of salvation. In tliis. wa the Lonl inspired His servants In aucie-ut cbs to speak and write as they did. Theyspokc aliout fureordinaUon, about tlie blest and Uie cheu. But Paul, in this chatter that I have read, te lilt li-lt w ho thcyare-p'alnly; that they arc not all Israel which are cf Is racl." There ire a great many that Inherit the ble-sincb ef the covenant, cove-nant, who are of the scetl of Abraham Abra-ham who do not (rove themselves orthy'of it, and therefore they arc not all Irael. If Ihey hail obeyed tiie commandments of Got! the woul I lia ve been; tliey woul J Iiav e received all Uie promises made to th- ri'hp-s F r l It knnwn unto ou tLat Gou itMKese-uvuiiants with men, and He- bleses men, and lie will llca their posterity. Thi ought to be an incentive to every man to live as he should do, not only for his own sake, but for the sake of his (esterity. But are Iherc-not Iherc-not good men U at have wicked children? Certainly. Nevertheless God makes promises to Hisfalthful children. He did to Abraham: vet Abraham liau descendants who were wicked, and who did net JIvo to inherit Uiu blessings that God liad promised to Uicir great an- , Cestor. But others received these I proml'e-; and all tho families I cf the earth are Mcs-chI through faithful Abraham, so we are told, aud they are adopted into his family. fam-ily. God called Abraham His friend. Whatarrrcat distinction! He called himself the God of Abraham. Then when Abraham had a son, lie called Himself the God of Abraham Abra-ham and Isaac; and when Isaac bad a eon He celled Hlavclf tire God of I Abraham, Isaac nnd Jacob three I ui-llngulauecl men, upon whom lie sealed ble-sings, and to whom He gave great promises. He gave u cto ' Abraham a promise that, if it were ' no' considered rilsresi ectfui or ir-i - reverent, I would say was the J promise lhat be should be as a Gee!. I Hu took him cut and showed him the 'Uk ef heaven, and raid lhatas the stars of heaven were Innuin-r I able for multitude, and as the sand on the sea shore was countless, so Uie seed of Abraham should be. His seed should people the earth, end In him all thu caUocs of the earth Should be blessed. He wa counted BO faithful that Ihe Savior of mankind, the Lord Jesus Himself, Him-self, came through his lineage. . So In our day. God blesses His faithful children. He gives unto them promises; and it is for this purpose that we rear temples, In which the servants of God can go and receive promises and have them sealed upon them, that their posterity and others Will receive the benefit or in years and in ages to come. Men can have sealed upon them, by the authority or God, all those blessings that pertain to eternity, and that the Lord has made such frequent allusions to in the Bible. We should treasure these promises op in our hearts. They are not idle words, nor Idle promises. When we are told that we shall come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, clothed wiUi glory, Immortality and eternal live, and tbatblesslngispronouncedupon us by the authority which God has restored to the earth, depend upon it, my brethren and sisters, that promise will be fulfilled. When the man of God says, 1 teal upon you throne, and principalities, and I power, and dominions, and exalts-, lion?, wiUi the blessing or Abraham, Abra-ham, or Isaac and or Jacob, rest assured that will be fulfilled, it you live for it, and not one word will fall, rears may elapse; no matter how many; but If Uie soul who receives re-ceives this promise is faithful, every word or it will I rulfllltd, because God cannot break His promise. He ha made covenant with His children, chil-dren, and He is bound by Ills promise. It Is that which makes Him God. lln is a God of truth. He could not tell a lie. He could not deceive. He could not give a promise to a man without fulfilling it. God knows everything connected I w itli this work, from Uie- beginning 1 to the end. The troubles that we are ' now going through are all known to Uie Lord. Ho knew them before they took place. He knew the jo-sition jo-sition we would be In. He knew , how we would actTlrr M His foreknow ".a-a M - HeknowrhoWlsbr lions will t.JL! . "'tM.J'-i Sana! UiatvaUon,?' H, that Zion has wn ?f' . 5 auaH t be ovenhrowln?njfalM thUw be the case Ts HW fallible PromLWrj",1'' b "t!E which f, madHtoEB may go through, th?, l,TLcu5a ,, Hf Uiougn eriaayir'1'ePtt.-.lK Aery tornace, thouK' 1B dure severe tral,, Q V J- -a. Of all, and He ha, T n' ttea VK 11 hr His wonderfuIR He will overrule I''lBi glory and for the ahtSfor, H H rple. All thata nia e,f "j B is to do our duty: trr'Tfer- B ( Him, under a e, r 't fa K f let our faith WL fcSSfvt5 and continually uMnIli.,'lc!1,i LI , and He wU hrln" u, ttf M ant la the end. Cod K l oru,, fa thertafMP Christ. Amen. cf ''- MM |