Show DISCOURSE Delivered In the Tabernacle Salt Lake Oily Sunday Afternoon After-noon May lad 1004 by ra = = as PRESIDENT JOSEPH F SMITH = = = RKTORTLO M ARTHUR wixitn It Is I whit II feeling 01 great depend tnr < upon line Lord that I stand before you Hill afternoon to nddrMt you lor a ihotl time 1 desire therefore An Interest In-terest In the faith of the congregation that I may be led b > the good Spirit to uy such things ai will be profitable i man I Ie able to preach the Gospel of j Christ ol lilmicU for the thing tod knowelli no man but by the s I d of God which U I In him lor any I ID attempt preach the word of the I I by I his o n vvItdom anil know ledge I iwmlent of Iniplratlon It I Imply n i irv No man can preach God and tg iiirst and the truth alt II in Christ ji J a except he bo Inspired by the IIi > Spirit The disciples In ancient I sus eadlud 1 and conversed with the I Slor during lilt mission among the i r i ilrcn of men and jet nolHlthstand r I lilt and the fact r that thy received I j dt of the Holy Ghost they Here nnunded to tarry In cruwtcm and tog to-g I t out to preach until they Were ttveduith power from on high In mbar words until the Holy Spirit > outd l l be poured out upon llitin by which their minds would be quickened h ir undemanding enlarged the law la-w uny of Jeiui J Christ planted In their i is that they might tear l that hill i uy i to Ihoie unto whom they should 6 f Therefore they turled III Jeru s m until the day of Ienlecost On day a great multitude of people I 11 III parts of the country assembled I 0111 11 i tine Apostle arose before them and I 1111 to declare the word ol God Ti Holy Spirit had descended upon 11 i cm They poke In tongues and npheslcd I and declared unto the people peo-ple Icsus who had been persecuted put tu death upon the crone and had risen again from the dead ascended on high end Indeed was the Lord of glory even the boa ol God rode whom all power ua < tuen Hie people hearing lilt In their own tongues some of them mar shed I and ionic said the Apostles were I drunken t > it one of dt them declared i that they were not drunken but the scrip lure were being lulfillcd wherein It hud been promised that the Spirit of God should 1 bo pouted 1 out upon all Hall their 1 1 young men should 1 tee unions and their I old I men should dream dreamt etc It I eat the Ill Holy l Spirit that al had descended upon them rbfro which I they were Tided with power from on lug rand ra and with the tellimony of that Spirit Blot enabled them to declare the Gospel 11 Jesus mid Him crucified and men Irunr the dead even unto those who had taken part In Ills crucifixion Many people I were pricked In their hearts and tried < J out Men and brethren whit shall wo dot And Peter said Ke one and be bapilied every one of you trl la the name of Jesus Christ fur the re miiion ol aim und yn hall receive the t t ot the Holy Ghust Fur the prom in U unto you and lo jour children and 1 to nil that are afar off even at many as the Lord our God shall callA call-A great many inure then baptued and reed the Holy Ghost by Ihe laying on ol the bands 1 of the Apostles Now It was no until r the disciples ware endowed first with the gilt ul the Holy Ghoul and next by the outpouring ul mat bplrll upon mew that tinny were authorized and qunllned to go out and preach I the Gospel ol lira and salvation II t may be asked How U II In this day Are men qualified to go out and preach mite Gospel without tills lame prepara nun and without these tame gds hav tug been bestowed upon Iliemf Is It I oMible for people m this age of the I round lo preach the Gospel ol Christ and bear testimony t of the Lord of Ills death of Hit atonement of lln resur I tecilun wall tine mine knowledge and I i witness that were enjoyed by the disciples disci-ples of old unless coney are nullified as lee disciples of old were We declare to the ptople that In mums age ul the world me tame Gospel is being reached I that was preached by the IDUCIII disciples 1 m MIIIU power by w hli It they preached the Uospel has ben restored and men In our nay have Icu I en led itlih the lame calling en mooch with lira tame kilts odes the same authority the same priesthood md power to plead I tIe Go > pU to the nihauilnnu ol the earth to baptize by imimrtion fur the reiiiiision of sins und to lay on hands lor Iho I gill ol the Holy Ghost Jesus dcclued to Ihosc H 10 beI levcd upon Him that whin IK i > nit annoy lIa wuuhl suid unto tins iii i Coudurtir Urn Holy Ghost which t ullid incur I record ol the leather and ol Ie i bun and it appears very clear Iron j IIe itcord ul tint character ind conduct ui unw disciples that they very much Mouu in need of tins Comforter and of f Ille whines that Ii give anent in order i ui tney might be qualllud to punch tllu i Goop1 l 10 tIe world lor no sowar Nds tin Lord hut uvay in the tomb nun they returned every man to his nmaupauun taunt tinny murmured among I uuikulvm mid sand We trusted thai niud been He which should I I lino redeemed re-deemed Israel Ulicn two of tin dibuplei were walking one day tu Inuiuui behold I Jesus appeared unlo mem nlinouglulley knew Illnl our He ii iinrcd o-ur tn1II what they were Hiking nuuiu they Juueycl along ana mey were antomslied tu Ililnk tlut union e tliuuld mitt In tint neluhboriKiod UIH had not heard ol the great thiiign tutu t had been rlll In Jerusalem I to recently They complained that J Jeauc maul beet t lam whom they ihuuilii Im 1 come tu bring dellveraniu la tin n eupli but la He was dead They I hid nut profiled i very muni II 1 appears p Irurn tneir experience I wniie laljuilng and usiocialini with the SavIOr and hcjrlii lln words Iron day la day They had not evidently a true concep ion of the work that was required a 1 theft hands It had not apparently dawned upon their minds whatlhet were called lo do The mission ol Jesus was but poorly understood by them even aRer all f this experience JIIe they had had And after Jetus had rlten runs he dead and had appeared unto them hey still were In doubt and uncertainty as to the character of Ihe labors which were emolnid upon them as mine ills ip les and witnesses of the I lord Nol until the oulpourlng of the Holy I Spirit upon them did It seem to dawn upon their minds that they were called to be I especial witnesses oln lblia to declare lit name to the Inhabllanlt of the world and to preach Him I crucified and amen Iron the dead the first fruits of hem thai I slept d It was nol until they were endowed with power from on high that ihey went forth and were willing lu bAr testimony of Jesus Christ and en I lure suffering and persecution fur Ills 1 sake without wavering On Ihe night ol the tria of the lord when He wat In the hinds of Hit I enemies humiliated before Hit disciples I I and the people one of His I most prominent tdl followers Ieter I was ashamed to confess Him I When Ile was charged with lieing one of Ihe llsclplet ol Jesui i lie denied I i II and lthe third lime he was accused In order to deceive those to whom he spoke lor ic must have known that he was tell ng thai which wan nut true he cursed And swore and declared lint he did not cl1 Him I Then the signal was given which the Lord 1 had foretold I Ieler cabled what he had done and lie unit out and wept bitterly He was tilled with sorrow and repentance became ol Ihe weakness which he had exhibited before the people Fills was lima cundl lion of Iter Jut before the criicilUlon 01 l his Master notwithstanding all his eiperlenca with Him and nuiwilhsland ng too thAt he had enjoyed atone time the testimony from 1 pin e Lord that t Jaws was the Christ llie Son ol the living God and had su declared it II > you suppue far a moment that 1lor would bane done link Ir he had Lees endowed with the Holy Ghost Do J UU think that Ieler could have denied he lord If I lie had been endowed with he Inspiration and the I wisdom which omes from lt the possession l of line Spirit i i of God Verily I say Nu he could not have denied the lord under those clrcunuiances Hut he was Iclt to him selh the Spirit had nol operated spun him the Comforter do not taken luo he things of God and declared them unto him It was not until after the resurrection of the lord and Ills I amen Ion inlo heaven and the descending of he Holy Spirit upon Peter and hit lel law laborers that they 1 received 1 line testimony of Je J + us Christ which Is I the spirit of prophecy and could then standup stand-up before the people and declare I unto ut rIn hem Ilu front Christ I and Him crucified i risen from the dead l and ascended l on ilgb and sluing upon the right hand ol the ather 1 dollied will all authority and all majesiv and with all power It was ncccssai apparently for line disciples i rol receive ilns huplrallon he fare Ihey could be qualified for Ihil great mission unto hutch they had been called Is It possible thai we a > intelligent intelli-gent beings I can suppose thai I men In his l age can gu out at true ministers r of Christ I to proclaim the gospel of repen rl i rl r lance of baptism and uf the laying on of hands without same Inspiration and qualification Is it mtsiole 1 rut men with their own learning and wisdom wis-dom lo become final I to the I Apostles I ol old who were endowed with I power from on high No il Is nol posslule In order then I that men may preach the Gospel g they 1 mint mare I ea Holy 1 Glwit which bears record of tune lather ind of the Son they must receive Hut witless wit-less ll In heir hears line must know ol he doctrine I Hut II Is of God and nut oman f o-man or they aru not quallhed lo bear hfr record of Him I and lo 1II proclaim I the LOS ItCh of salvilion lo lire world It hives me Juy to my soul to declare Kerr us you have hid it declared unlo you tor > Cars that the Lord line Miser Mis-er the Gar all goad has opened tine Gospel dour lo me children ol men in Ibis age ol the world and lint tau lot by the written word only nol alone l by tJ giving I Ihe Holy I Spiel but by His own personal appearancu unto man lying shown irl I l lmselr i spoken by t ins I sawn mouth and declared Himself J unto nan In this age ol the world through finch men have become acquainted with Him l and know lIt lie l is md that Hi I is lime Ktdiiiner of tine world the same that was audited and raised Iron lie dead who burst line bands of deitll md conquered Hie gravy We knoa Hut Ho lives DecaiiM lie has been declared de-clared unto us now not only hy limn an lent prophets anil apoMles but ben caiue I le Ii is appeared lo man in this ugennddeUiredllu I I I I will and the I will I 01 the 1lllIor 1 mud 1 bestowed upjn menthe men-the authority ol the holy 1n I unoml ns well us the gilt ul the Iloty Ghost by which they have claim upon God lor Inspirillon lair mielhitince lor faith and for I now ledge whereby liny playmate play-mate ilth I und knowledge Milhticnt lo endure every trim md uvnar trite every obstacle until they shall obtiin tern victory vic-tory over the world the drain and tin n devil Wo believo m upostlts and prophets our day ve believe Ills necessiry that men m this age shout 1 hvo and nu and be in touch with God line lather and with the Son and Hilt they should > > know them whom to know Is l eternal mile We believe In urder tu know them und be in touch with thorn ills necessiry m tins age Hut wt should > e as the sums did m ancient an-cient tmus so that ute may tnloy Ilm same blisulng ut-e which dmvya did and be liu btof Him l day hy day line upon line precept upon pti qt Here a little and there a mile mud ar come to a knowledge ol tine 1 iihtr and know Urn I for ourselves It ui impossible lor me to knuw her yon or for any mm lo t know for emu I lie Spun ol God 1 does not reveal to you tin U < < mien l or bear Wline to you 01 line 1iiner l lorrm I cinnotsive you you uiinol nave lIIe Nu man can DO a ivior In this sense loony other m in lei HM mm t who Inutile testimony ol the Spirit In i his heart and who hat a knowledge ort the or-t principles of the impel may declare them to another and by so di elating nnolher soul may be convinced of Ihe truth and be Ird to embrace il for hlmteir Hut It II Mi obedience to the Gospel and Ills own work ol l righteous nets which save hint and not that of the nun that bears testimony to him It Io rlnl this way that the man can be saved II It the ruth Ih it make men freenot the wisdom nor learning of man nor the great armii t of Hie nations na-tions and II Is only through the recep lion of the mull In > our own hearts lint you can Iw let free free from error tree from the powers uf darkness free hf a1 from those Influence Hut are br dIn d-in the world tossing la And fro Ihe unwary un-wary the unstable the u ik and the ignorant those who hate nut received n knowledge fur tlieimrtus are they who are tossed about by ever wind ol r1 titl fl fl r doctrine U Is the iriitli that sets You Iree from all these Influences and that will make you steadfisl m God Nothing will avail but the truth And what Is the truth The truth is ever ton and daughter ol God must tlhavd faith in Go Ifaith f that I He is I Hut lie Is l rlghteuus that He is almighty al-mighty Hut He governs all things and that In YI Him I all perfection I dwells You I may not have R knowledge of this but you must hue faith tint this Is I true lint Is the first principle of revealed religion It Is written that without faith It Is i Impossible to please God It II alto written that the just shall live by lallli Therefore 1 say It It necessary for All meal to have fallli In God the Maker and Creator of all things the i llhlhl Ruler of heaven and earth Ulthout filth worlds could nut have been made without It they could not be held In there positions but by fallh all things are possible with God and will man Jesus J himself laid very great stunts upon this principle of iillh lie declared de-clared upon one occasion I Dial If I lilt I disciples 1 had 1 faith like iuU n grain I of mustard seed Ihey could say to the mountain lie removed and It would be removed On another occasion when Christ walked upon the water Ieter said unto Him I M fJrd If I It lie Thou bid me come unto Thee on theater the-ater and Jesus said Come Hut hen he saw the wind and I waves boisterous bois-terous ha wai alrald and beginning to sink ha cried saving Lnnf I nave me and Immediately Jesus stretched forth Ills hand and caught him and said unto him O thou ol little laitb where lure m didst thou doubt Peter had nut suRidenl bulb to bear him up I but the Savior had Such Is the nMlh that man should have In God In Hit tower nnd In Ilea omniscience Next to laid a e mutt repent of our lintnot with I tlut repentance which needelhto be repented of but with a glIullle true repentance which will cause men lu cease from their evil ways and to do the will of God at they learn what hits I will Is This It time repentance nccessnr If 1 you have wronged l anyone any-one if repair tint wrong 1 If you have fIt yoo ilnned against jourielf cease lodo It t ind l make Intercession with God through Jesus Christ that vou may lain forgiveness forgive-ness ol ytur tins If you have sinned against others repair HIM sin no far as It lies in vane power make tatlifac Hon and thereby show heartfelt repentance repent-ance Not a repentance that begins and ends In outward sorrow and regret and It exhlblcd In a long 11111001 sorrowful r countenance Ills I U not ncedlut al all for a nnn may repent of Ins sins with a cheerful heart and countenance Itepcnlancc It I not a mailer of sorrow It Is n matter of con gratulallon before God that we are able lu repent of our sins and have them removed fherelorr believe on the I Lord J Jean Chnsl tel and repent of jour Im every one of you II iv ing faith and having repented of sin seek someone who Is clothed with authority rum God as was John ol old to baplUe In the name of Ihe Father the Sun and of the Holy Ghost Do not seek for nin man lu baptlte you who hat not received that authority fur no man takelh this honor unto himself but he that Is I called of God as w w Aaron Sack nun woo holds the 1rleslhood and who Is I called and appointed to administer In Ihe sacred ordinances of the Gospel und say unto him I have faith in Gud I have faith In Jmime Christ and In his atoning blood I I have to tar at II lies In my power repented I ul lnlIIClll i fn rap rll my tins and I have loughl to make right oli Iha wrong Hm f have com milted m the world I line repented before God and hive sought forgiveness from Him I pray you bury ma with Christ in baptism that I may put off Hie old I man and rise r from line liquid 01 grave unto a newness ol life In likeness the resurrection of Christ from the grave and also 1 Irani the llquidgrive II when He rl lo S Il was burled In the waters ol I Jordan bv John that I may be able to receive Hut great witness that is needful to make all mi n steadfast In the lord even line teslimony ol Jesus Chris which Is limn spirit ofprophcC l riicn when you are bipllied by this m1I who has authority la baptize tor the remission ul sin may you receive the > lft ol limo holy Ghost by the laving on of hinds Fur 1 this Is I one of the csienthl ordinances of the Gospel II is I not fur line preachers ul the Gospel alone Il was just necessary for the eunuch hapllied by Ilnlip and others luptited by the Apostles uf old to rw ceiv t the gilt ol the Holy Ghot by the tying I on ol hinds as it wan for the disciples themselves 10 receive It fill 0 Is I in Individual work Every 1 man mutt obtain salvation and exiltatlon In the presonce of God lor hiimulf 1 say again that no mm cm be saved fur you ear YUII for my other mm My 1 works of righteousness will not nvnl you jour works 01 righteousness will du sue no good except so lar n < IlIIay I follow jour sample and thin be benchted by Hit goal works I am led U do by U tin tl ood I that 1 troll I come to me will belli 1 doing i use will of rC r Ilia el 1 dhcrmssdf tint 1 may know of the doctrine for np self Having been Initialed into the king dom of God through filth repentance bipllsm and live laying on of hands that Nhal shill wo do in order thai we may cOllllnllo to be caved 11 Shall we go back again like the dug to Ins voimt or Ike the tax thai is I wished toils wallowing In the mire Alter we have put off the old nun and put on the new niter we lave been regenerated through tint baptism of water and of fire hall I we go back again Into the bfggirly elements nl the world f Shall we do as wo did bclore iratlly the lusts and 1 desires ol morlnll > Shill we do lint a In under thai we may be saved 1 It II I not so written On ono Decision there I was n young nun sought the Lord and I said wit I u hen good Muter whit good thing shall 1 do tht 1 may have eternal Iilel And he said unto him Vu hy modest thou lIIe good There Is none gait but one Hilt If I God but il thou wilt enter Into life keep Ihe command I vents mW imtli unto him Which Jesus said Thou shall do no murder Ihou slralt not commit adultery thou shall not steal thou shalt not bear false witness Honor thy father and thy mother and Thou hall II love thy neighbor at ihy I self Hero then are some things thai are needful for us lu do alter we are born ur rand ol the Spirit and l + tonie the adopted children of God We shnll not commit adultery we shall not steal we shall r not bear false witness and harder than all this we shall love our nrignbjr as ourselv This Is one of the com roandmeiili of God huh there Is I an summer coniniandrnent which surpasses even thai and which we are under the necessity uf observing We read a allows nut when the Pharisees had heard l hat he had put the Sadducees to Hence they were gathered together Then one thcniwhlch was a lawyer iskeil him a question tempting him and saying Mailer which Is I the great command mnt in the law Jesus raid unlo him Thou shall love he Lord thy God with all thy heart mil with all Ihy soul I and with all thy mind This It I the first and great command sent lIIentlId line second Is I like unto It Thou shall love thy neighbor nt thysell Hilt needs no comment When this rich young man heard the AIn qs of Jesus lie declared unto Him I 1 All iliese things huclkcpt 1 tU Irom my t l youth up I Wlul lack I vet Jesus said unto him thou wilt be perlect gu and sell that thou hast nnd give lo the poor and thou shall have tniurc III m m heaven and I come und follow me Tho young man was here put la the est 110 I was boasting that he had kept ill these commandments He had not murdered be was not guilty or stealing he was Innocent 011 the crime of aduttry he had honored his father and ills mother and furthermore he lord loved l his neighbor as himself accordIng accord-Ing to bis own declaration Now snit dently Ihe Lord saw his heart and under Hood his spirit f and lie vary readily slwx ed him and those who stood about Jilt lie nidi lacked something very material lor salvallon For I He I said lo him Soil thai thou hast und give to the poor and come and lollow me Hut when the young man heard that sa > Ing he went away sorrow lul for he hAd great possessions It seems that he did not love hit neighbor as himself and 1 lie licked In Hut rosier commandmenttor t he did not Wholinl f ro Who ld J love God with nil Ins might mind and strength It appears that he had great vosnesslont and his affections were lined upon those possessions lie did nol love its neighbor enough ti > part l with his riches and give lo the poor Then said icons unto his disciples enly I say unto you that a rich man shall hardly enter Into the kingdom of heaven And again IIOY I unlo you It it I easier for a camel to go through the eye ofi needle than for a rich nun to enter Into the kingdom of God It has been said that there was a small gale or entrance through the wall surrounding sur-rounding Jerusalem and a camel would have lo be very small Indeed to get through It and il Is I believed that Jesus h in making this comparison referred to Ibis Lvidentl the disciples understood i It t and they marvelled at this saying but neither thy nor line young man understood apparently at lint lime the full farce and meaning 01 these words of time 5lor Wish because the man was rich e that II was Impossible for him lo enter II Into the kingdom of God Ii think not I du nol think thai I would be criticising the words of the Saviour III I declared that so fir as riches themselves are concerned the have nothing to du with a nuns entering Into the kingdom of heaven Allhough Jesus had now no-w lo lay hit held und 1 was com pelted 10 send Ills l disciples lo catch a lull with money In us mouth Hut Me might pay tribute to Ceiar I think I J Yb will not be disputed wnen i I say that Jesus himself possessed world tlul it was His I that He madu II that the gold and Ihe silver and the precious things of the world were His I and yet I do not understand that they were any bar to His salvation or exaltation or glory or entrant < Into Hie kingdom ol God U 1 il I not then the possession posses-sion of riches Ihil is in HID 1 wo Sts th ollen I hear It said Ihil money Is thin root ol all evil but the Scriptures declare that tr it d Ii the Move of none that is the root ol all evil I I ins is time l key by which to Interpret the condition of this young Ivan 1 Jesus 1 saw that he loved riches more than he loved Gud or u s neighbor and therefore II 1 was nece try fur him lu repent and gel forgive nesa in order Hut lie mikht Its prepared to obtain elcmal life I say that a man may loss millions mill II he loves God < J Insure Him Ins puixessioni and will lollow In the footstep ol Jesus Christ the portals of the celestial city I will open lo him us Iriely m to Latarut or the poorest nun that ever dwell in the llesh IT 1 a the lovo ol Goi tits love 01 your neighbor md Ihe hatred ol cv 11 and wrong thai will help lo quillfy man lo enter into Hie celetu d kingdom or to obtain the knowledge ul eternal Iilc by which hi may be saved and brought back lilo Ihe present e ol God Iron whence liu time 10 I we are all the children ol our lather lie loves us and we should love linn Gad so loved the world tint Ifs gave Ills only begotten Son lint who koever bebeveth In Him should not penali but have everlasting life Grealer love hath no mm than this Dial a man lay down his life for Ia Irlnd Jesus laid down His I life fur bis friends Tnw Is I time kind ol luve we should have fur Gad and fur our neighbor and we should seek to do righteously then It i Is promised Hut the works which jeStu did we shall do and greater works for I Ho I has Mine lo time lather 1 to prepare m due way lor those who will be Cahhlul unto Him God bless you my brethren und sitters and blend Mat Ho lead us ill the path l of duly and enllghieii ou minds and enlarge our understandings by Ills Spirit tint vve may be willing to t huaiken unto Ills counsels mil be obed ° I lent unto His rummandments lint wet 1 mav be true lo Ih I Urn trui lu each oilier and Irue lo thin Gospel i It l Is eu troll I thai etui u I Ihe I hrist the Son ol tin a living God mini It IS truo Hut this in x I eternal Ilia to know Him I whom God hath sent Into the world l III Is Irue the vv o mutt repent ol our inn It Is I trap that we mutt be buried with Chntt m baptism It is true that we must have I the gift of the toly I Ghost bestow a + onus on-us by laving on ol hinds of those Mat have authority These are eternal I ha from which no man can escape and vet enter the kingdom or God Tlten let I us have the truth and let us be so free from tin and darkness and from the Iwbem of the world Hist we may be made free In the Gospel of liberty May God trim this unto all ot hJ us in list name ol Jesus Amen |