Show MOUNT peroration PERO BATION elder roberts advises the saints to be tolerant to all mind we are all fellow citizens of the sima same commonwealth balth Chil childred dreu of the same god all heirs to sal salvation 1 in reply to certain resolutions adopted by the presbytery of utah declaring in effect that as the church of jesus christ of latter lay day saints un churches all other denominations it is therefore an impossibility to fellowship with them elder B H roberts replied at great length in the cie salt lake tabernacle on the of april 1896 As we have been requested to publish the same game we regret our lack of space for it is really an eloquent sermon however we reproduce his grand peroration but my brethren and sisters let me say eay this if our oar friends come to the conclusion that they cannot fellowship us as christians christiana if we cannot say gay to them that they have the fullness of the gospel and divine authority to proclaim it and administer its ordinances if we must mutually each other in this wa let us do so at least in christian charity on our part and with no malice towards anyone and if we cm cannot not meet as ie f e a EAU g ss CO krow knowledge ledge that they lold hold man many preci precious ug truths truth within their creeds and their doctrines when the gospel was taken from the earth and divine authority removed from among nien men god was gracious enough to leave behind in the world the in ritten word which though P fra fragmentary yet contains precious gems of truth and that so far as christian sects embraced those truths nay and for that matter so far as so called heathen religions 0 embraced the same truths so eo much is good that they have you know that after the sun sets there is ethl a twilight left in the heavens and after the twilight passes away in a sea of glory and the sable mantle of night over spreads the sky god has haa permitted the stars to shine through to break away absolute darkness that in this light men may walk with some degree of safety and so when the gospel of jesus christ was taken from the earth fra fragments g of it were left to reflect some of its glow some of its truth and our father in his kindness and goodness did not leave the inhabitants of the earth to total darkness some mighty spirits ile he has ral raised 1 sed up also in his providence to seize these great fragments of christian truth and hold them up as beacon lights unto the people to keep them partly in the way until the sun in the fullness of the everlasting gospel should again shed its golden light over all the earth ile he did this for the children of men aud and our christian friends that have taken these thesa truths and treasured them up in their hearts are to be congratulated and for their fidelity to these fragments of truth how great is our admiration but as I 1 was going to remark if we cannot in strict logic recognize our christian friends as possessing the fullness of truth let us never forget that there is something om koom ething we can do we can recognize in each other fellow citizens of the same commo it wealth children of the selfsame self same god all heirs to salvation all entitled to the same political rights and liberties we can be kind neighbors we can all be good citizens and if on doctrinal we cannot altogether come to eye lo io eye we wean can become united in upholding a high bi h standard morality in the community and can protect each other in the he enjoyment of all our rights and liberties as citizens of the same commonwealth mon wealth now that our utah is clothed fully in the robes of her sovereignty I 1 hope for one to see her become a model commonwealth in the great american union acknowledging and preE preserving ervin to all the people irrespective of religious creeds and differences of I 1 opinion the liberties and immunities that belong to american citizens here in this land I 1 hope to see realized the dream of one of our early poets who in one of our hymns has said corn com ye christian sects and pagan pope and protestant and priest worshipers of god or dagon conia coma ye to fair freedoms feast come ye sons of doubt arid and yonder wonder ludian indian moslem gleek or jew all bour your shackles burst asunder F freedoms banner waves for you I 1 do hope I 1 say to see that spirit pervade the hearts of the people orthis of this commonwealth I 1 do hope to see all fear dismissed from the hearts of the latter duy i saints first of all that there w will 11 fc iari be ana any feren ditl ti th their ilter abe ii I 1 gats and their heir aaa ra acan can citizens the gospel of jesus jesua christ beginning with bringing 5 us liberty is never intended to end in bondage and the latter day saints may now take it for granted that they need never permit any doubt to enter their hearts that their freedom is secure god hasin has intended that his people shall be free and the gospel of jesus christ comes breathing this spirit of freedom unto the people it not only begets the spirit of freedom and the love of it in your own hearts but it enlarges the mind it exalts the understanding it purifies the thought and makes those who receive it willing that the rights they ask for themselves shall be 0 granted with equal liberality to others this is the spirit of the gospel |