| OCR Text |
Show " DISCOURSES j, IAs 7atitrnucte, loll ImLs (lily, ' Sunday iiUrnonn, UoWitr ! swa, ISO.'. ' croTi:i nt Aiituon iriitcn. j jrOSTIX AIIIMIIAH II. UIN.NOX. I have been rwiueatwl, my brethren mil latere, lu occupy n Kttlun of llio tlms nllotod to our meeting this alter, noon, and while) I ilo co wllh inuoli teir, I trtiat (bat through the Intluenco of y :ur faith anil priyers In my behalf I inny l) led to sny those tlilujca which l b Instructive t) us nil, ami will alia bo a raune of encouragement anJ, If nece'tary, of reproof, ! ilo tiat feel that Ultra nto nny principles of my own which I deilru to ndvj.-icr, nor do J with to attempt to nJdressj till a nst congregation nccordlwr to the human ultdoin which Uod has given me, but only aa Ma riflrlt shall prjrupt ineto .ik unto you. Inmr-ttenrunilnlolof Into o! tint rcrlpMri) written by liul, "If In this lleeDly weliruo liopi In Christ, wo nraoi all man mist mlaernulo." Whtn I have nlleoluJ upiu the clrcurn stances iirroiindlii;r in nulthudllll. culllas wo havo lo mti t, It acumi to ma that wo hnvo everything to discourage uiau Ilo malto in turn hick frjni the latliupou which wo havo en:cretl In connection with ihu work f Uod, unlet, un-let, wo hnvo a jinshupo whliliiut con. rernlng tho fuliiroiitid that eternity to which we nru all hastening. Wo not only havo tho enun of life to eudure; weale tot only troubled dally In our business nud household niTalrs; not only iloweliavore-tlluguponua all tho re, LOUilbllltlea which nra ooiurajii to ji upleln the world; but lu addition to all ilitsii, wo Irnvo to meet tho ier-(ecullou, ier-(ecullou, Ihu oppression, thu con. tunioly and thu acorn of the majority if thu human family. Wo havo al ready, aa n C'liurih, aullercd far btyotul Hit" power of human toiiKiie to dtfcrlle. Our peoplu hnvo buou ilrlvou (rem tnelr homos lime and tlmenrfalti. 01 thilr pruptlty they have repeatedly beeorobued. Tuny have Iwt, through death at the lianda nl wicked men, eiiuu of those who wrro most dear to tbeni. Theyhau aullercd everything which human beluga couhl endure nut Hill live. Notwithstanding what they have dnue for thu benelltof thu human family In tho preaching of the Uuspel and In the promulgation of thitdoctrluouf g'thirluK which has all'orded relief and temporal blessing to so many people, they are today bereft nf thu eucotirugetnent which their acta cirlilnly merit. They are I the only people, In my opinion, who ceul I havo redeemed these desert valleyi. They are the ouly joople whn could have beautified this laud aa they have done and maJo It a place which men covet, nud which la dealrablu nlmoat atoveevery laud upon the faco of the earth. I do not menu to ay that they euuld Imvodonult had It not been for the b'caalug uf Uod which alien led their labors. I do not bcllevo that theycuuld, Hut It wna thu remit of circumstances over whloh they had no control that they were brought to thla land, that they aettlej theae valley, val-ley, thai they continued to live here, nud that III the providence of Ud liny have mado thla u plneo ao dellgutful for their own occupation and lor liomea fur othera who desire peace, content ment, uud prosperity lu the thlnga of thla world. In view of all tuosothltigs which they have accomplished, It sieius to me that the hcarta of mon throughout the whole world, nnd especially In thla c.iiDtry, ahould be filled wllh griill tudn lor the services whloh those Jnltor day Uitiitt have rendered to their country lu tho rodoeinlur uf theio aterllo waalea, whloh would douhtleaa today, but lor their labors, beatlll urn tin il ua tho (Jroat American JJeitrt, Hut Ihuteiulla are not audi aawo might hope would follow aueli labor, 'Ihu Jjaiter-duy Halnts nro not Jet ncelvud with Mnduoas by thu people of tho world. They aro not treated with that consideration that they ahould ho by their fellow men, Jlut we have bocjnu ao accuttomuJ to mlkr at the liuuda ot those who do not understand ut that It la almost aecoud nature to ua, and we have been nb'o to find peaoe and Joy for our aoula even lu the mldat of the itrettest trlbulntloua which It aiima xjelblu for men nud women lu endure, Theae thlnga wu can Hill endure, If we enjoy the favor of Uod, until wu havo iiccoiupllahcil tlio elk which the Lord haa marked out for ua to do hero on the uitth. It Hied give ui no concern when we atu the powora of dark Luja marahallfu In oppoaltlon to ua In tho niooiupllahinent of theae dutieawhleh nro required ntour handr. On thu other hand wo can lift up our hearla nil I rejoice. If theae thlnga omeupouua for rlilhtcousuedM aaku; for we will receive lu eternltyjf not In time, all the uleaaluga concerning which Jiaua apbke, uud uouierning which Uod Ims ejioken through II It I'roiheta, both lu undent nud In inoUirntlnue. Jlut when, my brethren and listen, Weaie n spirit of dlacord and oouleu lion, a dealro to peraeoutr, n duilru to nppraa, n deilra to divide, growing up In the inld't of the Lalter-day tfalut., then we have cause to fear and tremuit; wo havo oauso to tiek the kuhluiico nud tho strength of Uod to ruU this aplrlt, which will ua surely lialuatodeatructlou ua tho spirit of UhrUt will lead ua to salvation uud In triumph, And I do uot su poao that theru l anyone who has reached the 3 Mr of maturity among the Latter-day Latter-day rUluts but am sou I hul theru Is auihn aplrit lludlng place In certain 'luarlera uinoiig mimhira of tho Clnirch of J earn Uhrlat of Latter-day tiuluti. Are there any who rati douy that the aiiun spirit which charaolerlied tho Halnli IntlieeurlJ sitt'ement nf theae valleya haa lie I, to n certain extent, fromuur mldalT Do yon find umung Latter-day Halnta thai samu harmony, luui tame lovu 111 it same union and that lame spirit of peaco which Were familiar In tho uarly eettlemont uf theru valle's? Various oiuaia liavu conlrlbutedto thu growth and expau-klou expau-klou of lliii iplrlt lu which I roltr-a spirit of dlvlaion, finding Ita way Into lh liomca of l.atler-diy 8aluta and, creating dlion nnd a.rlfo whore fir-mrly fir-mrly thire was love nil J union. Whatthn rMult will be It require! no great prophit to tell. We rend In Hcrlpturo of tho warn. Inga which were given uy tliurtMnr (ItiKelf upm thla very subject, lie salt that aliwnj illvlJol naluat It. aelt cm Id not aland. Ho wnrncJ Ilia dlaclploatu snk lor that spirit nf one-tieta one-tieta which waaolsracitrlstlonf Hlni-aelf Hlni-aelf an I ilia Father la heaven; for He said, "If je um urn one, yo ore tut mine." "Von, my bruthreu an 1 allien, n;e aware of thu special fealurea which characterised the saluti lu former daj, nud which nro clmrao erlulo of I, iller-Jay rtnlnti an well. Vu remember re-member thu result which folljwcd tho preaching uf the Alionlea wnun they ricelved tliu Holy Ulioilou thaday of 1'entecoit ant thu inulllluiu cried unto I'otcrfor lnlormillou ai to how they might lioaivol. After rioolving tho nrillnanco ol tho Uiapel, thoy be-ciiaiouno be-ciiaiouno lu all thlnja ai n result uf their nocoptiuco ut ,thcss priiiclp.et. Theywurenllks In their toniporal al fairs aa well ai In their spiritual concerns. They saw eye to eye. rbcro were no h ckerlnga unions them. There ffm no alrllu tiir pfint, nil,,,,. Hut Ihero was a anlrlt lining ua.h heartned resting down upjii evoty In dividual that undo him love his iitlgh-Doras iitlgh-Doras himielf, and love (lod, Ills Creator, Cre-ator, with all his heart, Tnuy Were reajy t show that rupromo lovu of which Jeauasnys therola none groater to lay uoivn their Uvea for their frieudi. The Apuslles showed Iholr loe, not only for their brethren, hut for thu principles which thsy Iml ea. ued, by theoiaelvei sulleriug mir tyrdom nt the hands of their enemies. That samo spirit haa found placu lu Ihohiiar.aof tno people who have received re-ceived this Uosnullu this day, lu uvery Ian I whom II hai been preachej euo. ccasmlly. Thoru have been no national tinea separating the Halnts of do J. The brother from the Islands of tho sea lri na Weljomo to the circle of the Halnta ns tho one who camo from l.urope or from America. The brother or sistir of the dirk skin was con. Mdered Juat ai wolcomo lu the lilldlt of tho I.Uter-dny Halnts aud na having c(inl privileges In the work of CJJ, It theywereuf thu Houau of Israel, us thu tirither or sister uf thu white Bkln. The Uospel leveled tho whole com inanity. It male of ua ouo people, aa loug aa we practice 1 Its principle) nud thu love of It was auprome Id our huirtt, Jlut Immediately upon nny other spirit taking pjiseaslon of us, II lutnlshcd this spirit of love and of union; and thoeo who gave encouraje-ment encouraje-ment to any such feeling gradually drew away I rum the Ibck uf Christ and weut Into Uarkuoas aud upoalaay, from which It was Impoisiblo to ruturu without sincere repentance It Is Impossible Im-possible for people to continue lu tho pale ot thla Church If thoy are divided di-vided one against another. It Is Just ua lmiwailble for mon who are continually raising discord nnl slrlfu noiong the Minn, to remain lu the mldat of tho people of UoJ na 11 was for Lucifer, the Hon of tho Morning, Morn-ing, that talented and brilliant sou of Uod, to retain his Xltlon lu thu heav only kingdom when ho rebelled against the will of the b'.itlier. You know how ll una then. The Lord preeeutej to Ilia children Ilia plau or plana which He had concerning the earth upon which we dwell. Lucifer had u plau to present to Uod. He waulol tho thu salvation of all the human family, nud to ha Hie Instrument of vHectlng their redemption In his own way, und for this labor he wai to receive the glory. II Jt Jeius, tho Unloved, the Only lleiotteii ot thu Jollier In the Utah, dealred that tho will ot Uol ahould bo done, nnd that thu glory ahould be given unto tho I'ather hliusol. Tne plan of Jesus was reo lived; tho plau of Lucifer was rejected, Herchillel In litaveu, ullJ hedrew alter III ill a third part of thu hosts of lieavuo, nud they were cast down to earth because at thatrebelllou. It was Impoaalblo for them to dwell In the preseuco ol Uid posaeaalug the spirit which filled them. Ho it hat been lu the Church, A apliltof dliaeuelon will brlug disaster to those who encouraje It, You remember re-member by reading the history ut tho Uays of ivlrlland, how half of Ihu Twelve Aportlea turned upon thu IVopbetof Uod.andaillllul were they with tlie spirit of Hatun that If thoy could have hai their way hu woula havo liwn slulu nt the hands ot those who had been his friends und who had been In the closest communion with him. Jlut through the mercy of Uod his lilo wai spared. They were not permlttoj tu work out their evil tie. slgua, nudtho l'rophet lived until he vouldaual Ills testimony wllh Ills bloodut Ihu haiiila ut thoau who had rejected his testimony. Hut those who wero In re-belllou, re-belllou, tnose who had sought to ilia. nipt tho Church nud to break the In; Iluenco of Ihu l'rophet ot Uod, had fallen on the "itone" oud hul been shattend to pieces, mi J they went down to destruction, havlug lost tho Hplrlt of Uod. Homo of them afterwards after-wards returned and made full atonu. ment, aa far nt it waa postdblo for them ti do, for tho wrongs which thoy had committed; hut others never returned. TIiibo examples, aad numoroui others which might be cited, should he a coustant warning to Latter-day Halnta to not permit nuy spirit lo take p incision of their lieirlt that la apt to lend them III the ways of uurlghteous-nets. uurlghteous-nets. It they Ulvergo from the path which Uod ha niamed nut for theru i to lollow, they will certain y to" t o spirit of thu Uospel. Tliy Holy Uliost, which gives them a tisllmony of tho truth ol Uod, will depart from thorn, aud they will go Into d'iit-a nud down to destruction, unlets they re pent. Wo should seek mtotily to wmovo any spirit ot this klud l from our own lioaris, but also from the heattsof thusowho ;""'" wo nre called to proildo In nny capacity capaci-ty In the midst of the iopIe, our con-.'... con-.'... i .., .i,.,iiM i,n la overcome any slant tllort sum d be lo ovc iiwiu. i apl It Which la likely to divide he poo. pie In regard to tplritun matter . And wo certainly cauuot ludulge I n fau t. (hiding, In backblllng, In slaiiderlog, " oppoaltlon to the Ulclaloi of hoi whoui Uod haa en od t a" naour guides, without lo.log In, "ZiZ'h Uiosplrltofthe holy r.lljln "', ,ve lave received. Iow, 1 ' refer so much to things o if"l charaoior. There """"'io, '?,, oounectel with our dally "J"",1.' which Uol has glvju ' "rv."ll'ti',,i Ho haa given no direct wo d to ills uple fo? their BU'J"IJ,'.'.,1,or.tn matters, and they ''"'in'VuuLuiSnt to the oierclau of their own Juugmoat and the wisdom which Ho haa poured out upon I hem, ur which Ho will give 1 1 Ihim when they seek wisdom nl Ilia hand. Hut 1 refer lu the spiritual things, lo the doctrines of llio Church ot Jeaua Christ nf Litlcr-dsy Halnta concerning which there ore debates, dlacuteloiis, iUlbbllngs nnd iui-llou among thu Latter-day Biliita. Upon thise points we cannot allord to to dlvlJeJ, u be In opposition oiiu to nil other; for tho Lord, In establishing this perfect plan of silvallon of which He has male us tho recipients, lutiltutol n way In Ills Churo' by which wucan recelvefruui Hlmntauy time the cmuiel uf Ilia will, nnd upon nuy matter concerning Which there Is dispute. Helms luetltutel an author. Uy In His Church for thu settlement ui such disputes, lu regard tu llio cardinal principles of tho Uoiptl Ihero Is no ipiestlou. Wu understand faith to be the first principle of revealed religion. re-ligion. Wu iiuJorslaud rcpentaucoto be necrsaary for the solvation of the children ol men. Wo know that baptism bap-tism Is cisonllal losalvallon. We know that thu laying of lianda la ono of the cardinal doctrines of tho Church. Woalaoknosr that union is nt necessary neces-sary tu the Litter-day Halnta In lis place ns faith, repentance, baptism nu 1 Ihu lay lug on of lianda nre vasciitlal lu their places. Hot there aro frequently other things arising lu our expurlonce concerning which the word of tho Lord Is not aulllclontly cloir to eaio uurmluda and to place them nt rest In considering these matters. How shall we receive light upon thim7 If theau principles uoucern ourselves Individually, Individu-ally, or our farullloj, If wu stand at the head ot families we can appeal Pi Uod for guidance; we can ask for His Hplrlt to enlighten uur minds nud give ui tho revelation ot Ills will concernlu that point on which there are doubts In our minds. And It wo seek Him lu tho proper manner, He will give to ua the revelattuus uf Ills will upon that matter. If It wero not so, how would II be with our lHdirs who go abroad to the nations of tho earth nnd among people opposed to them, nnd whodeslro lreUeDtly their destruction? If they wero left without this spirit of revelation revela-tion which Uod gives to His children who seek Him In the roier manner, how would It ho with them under such circumstances? Had IndeuJ would be their condition! We might then with fearful hearts euud our Llders out to the iiatlona ot the earth to preach thla Uospel. ll.it knowing that our I'ather laull-potve-rlul, that Hu la omnipotent and omulproaent, we can aend uut these young men, Inexperienced though they may be, to uny part of tho earth, knowing know-ing that when they nro In trouble they can seek Uod, nnl that I lu will be near to hear aud nntwer their prayers. Uur experience lu the past sixty yoara haa fully verlUcd the promise thalllomtde unto His children hundreds ol yours ago, that those who sought Hlmahould receive wisdom at Ills hands. Hut how Is It with regard to the atlilrs of award? l'or Instance, If there Is a division among the Trlest-hood Trlest-hood ot a ward, who Is to receive the uouuiel necessary to produce harmony har-mony aud to Uitibllsh peace among thu members ot that ward Who, but the lllthop, whostaudsat the head of that ward? Who hut thu father of thai ward? Who but tho man upon whom Uod hat bestowed the Priesthood, Priest-hood, not only of Aaron, but of Melchlsodec? Who but this man can interpose between (actions of the Halnts, and by the word ol Uod which ho speaks to the oplo re-eetabllsh harmony and union ttnong them, The Ulthoii haa thla right. If hu does not eierclso II, lie Is not living up to his calling. Ho, too, lu regard lo tho atlalrs of u Htako. Huppose theroare differences existing between wards In the Htake, or between organl-Bilious organl-Bilious which belong to the Stake, the 1'rosldent of the Blake I aslhouuthorlty nnd the right to seek for the Hplrlt of Uod the spirit of revelation to guhle him In the courso which hu should take. Of courso these 1'resldents of Htakes aud Hlsliops havo aioesstothe higher authorities of the Church, and (hey cast seek counssl from them. Hut tula ahould not eufllce; they ahould alto have tho testimony of the Hflrltol Uod, to tell them that the counsel which they receive irom tlmo to time Is tho very couuso! which Uod Himself would give wero Heheru III person. Homo presidents uf stakes are so far distant from the headquarters ot tho Church that thoy do no have access at all times to Hie Presidency, and perhaps time would not permit them tu wrltu for the counsel coun-sel which they desire; then they havo tho nrlvllece to ltd to the Lord ntul receive direct revelation from Htm, through the Hplrlt of Uod, as to what courio they shall take. Ho with every quorum and organization In thu Church, The Twelve Apostles havo a quorum superior to them, to whom they can appeal for counsel and for guidance whoa thoy are Inn quandary aa to which course thoy shull take or which path they shall follow. The l'rualdoncy of the Church Is that quorum. At the head of llmt quorum Is tho man who represents repre-sents tne Lord upon the earth, and who Is Ills mouthpiece. And beyond bliu, wo can appeal to our I'ather aud Uod, and II wu seek Him In the proper wny His Hplrlt will be pourod out upon us to direct us as to what wo shall do and say, llretnron and sisters, you know that tills Is tho order. You know that this Is the, way to seltlu disputes concerning doctrine und all matters mat-ters of n spiritual nature. And you must not permit, If you desire to retain the Hplrlt ot Christ, temporal nlTilra lo Intervene botweeu you and your brethreu aud slaters. I f you havo dlirereuces of opinion In regard to the management of nny niralrs connected with your dally lives, you must not nllow them to divide you In spirit, to array you one ugaluat aunther, to oause you to find fault with your neighbor, and to condemn him ho-uausu ho-uausu perchance his Ideas are not the same as yours, You must allow tho Lord to ludKO between von in nil vntir nf. fairs, whether they bo spiritual or lem-I'JKah lem-I'JKah We must seek to know tho will of Uod, nnd then earnestly carry It ""'iliavlug respect to the foellugs of ull with whom we labor und umoug whom we nasoolate. "Judgo uut, (hat yo bo not Judged. Fur with what Judgment jojudge, jo shall bojudged: una with Wlat measure ye mete, It shall he measured to you again." This Is truo In regard tooiirtempiral ad'ilrs ai well ni our spiritual alUlrs. Wo cunuotoondomn our brethren and sis. tors, nor Judgo them harshly, nor measure to timni Injustice, without naviog thai measuruj hack to us again prosaed down uud running oven Thenforo, how aateful wu should be of the feelings id those around us! Hi"T, U'nsldernlo we should bo of their Idiat, though they maydlllcr Irom oiirovm nud bo In oitpuilllon to our concepliim of what limy lie proper and Jut I Wsi must banish from our hearts ivery spirit ol fault hiding, every hard filling, or wo cannot entertain within uathuHilrll ufUoil, It Is nol tiilllclunl, brethren nnd sudors, It J"U have hard fillings ngalusl unu ot your brethren ur your sisters, to wait lor that Individual to come lo you nnd usk your lorgtvo-nest. lorgtvo-nest. If wu know thai a brother or sister luilli ought ninluat us- not that we have ought ugslnit them e must go to Ilium aud make the matter right, und llieii wowllIhsapprovoJolUod, If we do not, wo ourselves aro In tho alu. This Is Ihu spirit which Christ sought to Instill In o thu hearla of Hit follow-era. follow-era. It is tho spirit which Uod iJealna should fill tho hearts of His Halnts 111 the Church, that In Ihu ml Jst of tho cu-position cu-position ot tho world thoy may lu unlloJ u uoog thcmselvot. they miybe filled with peace, wills harmony, with contentment, con-tentment, and with such love that Ihcy alll lay down their lives lor their friends or In defense of the truth which Uod has revealed. Amcti. |
