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Show H OPEKATIOXS OF TItUTH A.M H . IMELLIENCE. H "FitE -whole life of a Christian H should tie devoted to placing him- Hj c'lf.iuacccr4.TiUietenaaIririncirlcs H I nrfotnrj this he Tieccssarily becomes HHj an oddity among his fellows, tho BH rule of tlin world Ik. log to allow BH crrOuaI conduct to' be controlled by H external circumstances, without H giving a greataeol of concern about B its reference to truth. In other BbbbbH word", what seerus to be right, or U Hj generally viewed as right, is ordi- H iinrily deemed to be all that is ne- K cefe-ary for individual guiJance. B The reason for this common con- ff dition is that people, as a rale pro- J fesslug Christians not excepted Hll Jive more wTUi"if vief to tliocn- H Joyment of tho transitory benefits BC of time tlian the imperishable, bless- HH ingaof ."eternity, which are inscpar- ! able from olipfiiocce to truth. BBs o theological system in existence K deOnes tho whole duty of man as clcaily.as does the philosophy intro- BBVBk duced In this generation through C Joseph Smith. It insists that all BB things are governed by law, and Bj therefore cannot be sustained or BBBBb sanctified -short cf obedience to it. BBBf I" one of the revelations given BBhBb through him, tho following, which BBBBl conveys a great truth, occurs: BBbB "That which is governed by law is BBBBk also preserved by law. and perfected and sanctified by tho same." BBhBb Hence the jursuit of tho true BBE Christian is knowledge of the laws BBflBg of truth an J personal conformity to BBflBf their requirements when the infor- BBBB1 motion is obtained. ) An examination of the revela- BBpBt tions given through Jo-cph Smith BBbHI demonstrates the harmony witli it- BBhBT teif of what was enunciated by him. BBhBE Here,-for instance,, is a statement BBBB made iu another connection and at BBBB) a dilTerent time thin when the ox- BBHj pression regarding the preservative BBpH anJ feanctifyini; quality of iaa- BBpV which is another term for truth BBBB w as given: BBBB "There is a Ian irrevocably decreed BBBB in heaven before the foundation of this BBBB world, open which all blessings are BBBB predicated; and when wo obtain any BBBB Wesir4: from God, Ir is by obedience BBhJ tothatlan-upon whieh'it lsprcdicat- BJBH fipH How prominently this e-xhlbib BBhB thejusticoof God, who hasprovid- BBpV ednbroyaI road to heaven, reach- BBhB inglhu' celestial kingdom and par- BBBR ticlpating in its glories being the BBBB result of obedience, to law, upon BBpft which such an attainment is based. BBpJ Trstth and 'intelligence, or the BBBB light of truth, arc independent and BBpf active agents, operating in unison BBhB for the rectification of all condition BBpJ ingonflict with themselves. This BpF lew, which opens a vast field for BBS intelligent contemplation, is ex- BBHj pressed by the Prophet thus : BBHJ "All iraih It independent in that BBB Rftbere in which God. lias placed it, to BBV aetforKself. as all intelligence also, BBV oibyrnisc there is no existence." BBVj I n onother re elation the activity BBS and claims of truth arc beautifully BHfl referred te, as follows: BBH "Jtercy hath coupassicn on mercy, BBV andciaimoth-her own; jusiiee con- BBBJ litiuoth its conr-e and claimeth ltfl BBV wn; jadgment goeth hefore the face BBB . Him who sitteth upon tho throne, BBM and covcrncth and cxecutcth all BBB lhini-" BHf This refers to the operation of BBB three great truths mercy, justice BBB and judgment, each having a clear- BBB lj defined sphere, as God has placed BHf it, in which to act. That which is BBlj untitled to mercy, whose claims are BHfl ittsed on equitable conditions, ob- BHfl tains her, as judgment will respond BBB to her righteous demand. Ho with BHj justice, which retains that uu which BBT mercy has no hold, Judgment rec- BBg ocuiziug Uie debt due it by that BHC vhicli has invaded its domain, or. BHf On the other hind, the credit which BHf has accrued through a course of con HHj formity to its condition. HH t Justice is of a two fold character, HHJ administrative and receptive. Tiiat HHj is to say, it is every man's duty to BHf administer it in every transaction of HH hfe; it is nNo every man's duo to re- HH celve it. There is a duty on tho re- HH ceptivo as well as tlie administrative Hflj side of the question. For(instance BH ii"K man is convinced that justice BH has not been meted cut to him, it HB becomes his duty to make an ex- HB planationof the fact to him or those BH who have failed in that rcpect Hfl "Thus lie directs attention of the fl oBeudiDg person to a fact of uhich Hfl he may not have lon aware. It is BBj ffet necessary as a rule that there- HJj sfstince should go beyond an ex- HC hlbit of the merits of the matter, as Hi rectification can be safely lea to the HB operations cf the GoJ of truth, whoe M ceo Domy reaches clcssr into tho de- BF ' tails ol existence tuan Is ordinarily h understood. The explanation and Bl request relieves the wronged indl- viJual from any responsibility o! H z aiding in the prevalenceof Injustice Jj by inacUo acccptanco of its condl- BJ tions. BJ The LatterJay Saints are Fpe- J cJally commandeJ by tho voice of K .revelation to act upou this pnn- BJ clplc. It is made their duty to H picifieally reslt, by intelligent rc- J Jmnstnnce, the encroachments of Hj Jnjastlcejurion them. Uencethejn- Janctfon!in relation to the pctition- H ing of the powers that be, according Hj to their relative stations, graded up Hj to tho chief rulcr for redress of Hj grievances. If tlic result is a refusal to do justice, the latter, as an Inde-iwndent Inde-iwndent active agent in the sphere In which God has placed it. will In unl'-ou with tho light of truth, assertlts claim and smash those who have Invaded its rights. Hence tho J kivf, Insobstance,"Aftermak-Jng Insobstance,"Aftermak-Jng an- exhibit of 'your(wrongs to thhse who" have the fewer to rectify them, the rest can bo left to Me." Individual! and nations are subject sub-ject to the same laws and consequences. consequen-ces. Kvcry intelligent and consistent consis-tent Christian expects tho time to J come when p-ace and truth will prevail on the whole earth. The ., ' " prevalence or the former depends wp- S on Uie accejitance of the latter. Iu- I J '' ' flSJ? 'w111 1"5 mpofsiblo in that, 4 aTpresont, 13eal eondltioh, because , .Itjisjncompailble' with "harmony. & jSeithcr can there 1 such an era as . )S the millennial period and tho na- l lj lions exist as at present constructed i 4' onJ operated. Hence a consump- ; , tion has been decreed that shall "j make "a full end" of them, because j ,jutice, in the continuation of its ,l . coursci will, in combination with the light of truth, ateert its tichts fflVMHBBBBaHaHHHHHHJBHlHIIHHHi SaiBHHBBBHHHHHH and judgment will be executed In accord with tho legitimate claim. All that is unjust, and Inharmonious with the natural condition of the universe will be banished by the force of truth and its light. It is reasonable to presume that that nation which has a form nearestin accord withjustico which is thecssenceof all government and is not administratively in conflict with its own Institutions will endure tlielongest. But when there isa wide divergence between the theory and practice the end is perhaps nearer than in the case of that nation whose form is lower and administration no higher than those of one more theoretically the-oretically advanced. When the principles of truth and their nature and effects begin to bo comprehended, those thus enlightened en-lightened necessarily view their opposite with more and more repugnance. re-pugnance. This understanding gives to the human mind a glimmering of the power, majesty and Justice of God, who can only be consistently consistent-ly worshiped "in Spirit and in truth." The development of truth within tho soul enables the individual to jwrcclve by iu light that it Is Inseparable Inse-parable from eternal prosperity, and that bo course that is not based upon its exacting requirements will receive re-ceive the seal of permanent success, an omission to conform to thee high premises bringing inevitable failure In relation to the things of God. This absence of success constitutes con-stitutes a means of rectification of conduct until methods are ixirlfled. GJ it Lrjt), msrciful and Just. His character in these respects being be-ing plainly manifest in the principles princi-ples of His economy as revealed through the great modern Trophet. The current of human affairs is rushing along with unprecedented swiftness, and culminations are treading upon each others heels. The very nature of the times indicates indi-cates that the courses pursued by individuals, communities and na tions will reach their legitimate results, re-sults, according to the unerring laws ot-trutb, more quickly than heretofore. hereto-fore. This will probably be a general gen-eral condition throughout the world, but it is i.ot unreasonable to expect it to havo a special force in relation to the marvelous work the Lord is about to perform. |