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Show THE DESERET NEWS, SATURDAY, JUtfE Church Department Man Cannot Know Without At Tahiti To Be Baptized ?( ;' 30 Vxv. irr l 'J science, Among tho many questions which the present themselves Vo naturallyman. there are a few Which mind of standi above alt others In point of importance, as they are the vital questions, all others are subordinthem. Every attempt by ate ito men Ito answer them has proved an utter and complete failure; they have baffled him. no matter how great his Intelligence. In fact the greater the Intelligence and erudition Which haa been brought to bear Upon the problem, the greater haa been the perplexity, ft has had the same effect that incombustible matter has upon the fire: a great ileal of amoke but no flamu. To make sura that we are not mistaken. let us quote from one of the , profound thlakere of the age. Herbert Spencer, in his triiil'e on says: Iflirogress I Herbert Spencer. A few words must bo added on the orttologlcal bearings of our judgment ProbablyIsnot a fw will an attempted conclude that here solution .of the great questions with which philosophy in ill age has perplexed Itself. Let none thus deceive themselves. Only suen as know not the scope and the tlmits of science eon fall Into so grave an error. The foregoing generalisation -, apply, not to the genesis of thingsin thepiselves. but to their genesis tho human as manifested to all that haa been After saldT the Ultimate mystery remains It was. The explanation of lust as that Whicll Is explicable doc bqt clearness, the bring into! greater of that whlcq reInexplirablenes mains; behind.' However,-- we may succeed in reducing the equat.on to Itif lowest terms, we are not theretho unby enabled to determine known quantity; on the contrary more manifest luat it only! becomes can never the unknown quantity J be fpund." significant. Nbw the foregoing It expresses the sum? total of human knowledge upon these great affect questions 1 which most our submit, lit view of conIs not thl boasted knowledge. more; is It fession humiliating? It is at.artUng. I is appalling. The expressed vain (hops has been how or other, that, berhaps.ofsome we circumlocution by a System may gome day solve the a riddle, mounaround if by going just ai tain we could anhope to penetrate Igntsfatuua. The its mass. It la "The things flat has gone forth: of God can be understood only by la the spirit of God." Thenodecree more unalterable; man cancan hope to change it than he of change tho orbital revolutions as It may the earth. Humiliating appear, Every knee shall bow that and every tongue confese no Jesus W the Christ." There aais inis shrinking possible; TheIt more we evitable a death. may sieek to avoid It. the more manifest does It appear. And the strangest thing about It is. that tt stronger the conviction! apparently the more des-- - 1 frantic ara man's enperate land avoid it. Let us Imagdeavors to ine a stranger from some distant In star on a voyage of discovery. our eagerness to Impress him with him conduct we our greatness through our numerous libraries. Hs picks up ono of tho magsslnes of the day. wherln a strong con. trast is drawn between our intel-of lectual attainments and thoseour We point to the stone age. finest specimens of architecture, our legislative halls, our schools our W exhibit and colleges. works if art, our steam powers, teleour railroads, telegraphs. phones, eleotrio lights, telescopes and spectroscope. and tell him 4. that ouch la our Ingenuity that can reproduce sounds occurring a distance of 1,000 miles, etc., etc.1 .Imagine 'our contempt tor him when ho says. This is all every fine and very good, but I conceive, that there was a time when all this did not exist as It now wheq In fact you yourselves hid no existence, Now what I waht to know most particularly Is, where all you folks ?ame from. In opr country we take but little Interest In these things you have shovjn me, but are concerned most deepjty about the princlpfle which Is manifest upon this little , MS MI HMH , --i ' 14 'srV5 f vb, I . j 3trv Jq A i . V life-givi- globe(." - I I On our Informing him that such considered qy trifling tnatters are our us as unworthy of attention, be turns to take bis leave with ' I words: shall corny back .these in a few thousand yearn. this Will yoti be kind enough to loqk the matter up land inform me upon my return I" The expresaton ft hie countenance can be better Imagined than; described when we tell him, that It would afford ip considerably satisfaction to comply oiir with hid request, but thst short lease on llje would preclude and that anything of the kind, upon hia return are should have disappeared no one knows where. The stranger pulls out his book and makes the following noler The aarth, the Insane asylum of some neighboring planet. Inhabited by a demented and short-live- ' a ry K--i 'V3 ' ! -- . ff d i , race." Let it' nut be understood that I desire tq depreciate the knowledge of phvafeal science or discourage the investigation and discussion of natural phenomena. On the contrary. I would encourage them with ail the power that I am capable of. Volecs Aided. But what I wish to express is. that It appears foolish in the extreme to; manifest such an anxiety for things which are comparatively ' trifling, to thei utter neglect of the weightier ones and that the atuily of natural phenomena la ptialeadlng unless aided by tho light of divine revelation, aml is of aa little value aa the study of man when life haa departed fromi the .body. Supposing that mid attains to an of the relations understanding which nun ter sustains to itself .throughout alt the changes that (this earth has undergone, how will this affect our being? Allowing that wo fere acquainted with nll.the physical changes from the ttcoirt to the 4 gantic oak. what do we know or Us vital principle? tt at we have a correct knowledge of the distance! densities and heVohlMhns gt all the planets which compose thy stellar wot Id, that wj understand the relations which the solar system sustains to the lother constellations and to one another, and all the Consequent effects, we ais no nearer a solution Jof the problems of which lifh anq death are the eg- ponents. And here, by the bv. ends man povor of Investigation. t4r unaided by any supernatural -- i'hllesopbkir contemplate the situation! Some may smile upon this picture ajnd say l(hat It Is farfetched, but we are trre'sistably led do this conclusion, and from It I see no escape. The refusal of one 1 the acleptanc o th other. Vanity of Vanities. What penrflt can we possibly derive fnjun th etudy of a proh-4ein whlche th (minor proposition absoih the whole of our a t tension wjhilst the main and leading one ire held ir absolute abeyance? Or, In sOrlptural language, rWhdt will It prof t a iman if he gslh the ivhuje world and lose hi A, skilful general pwfi soul"' of his wophl notl waste (he strength Yo are jumparmy In sKhmlshts ing over the dollar' and stooplnk r the piciivuti.-- . vee are decelv g ourselves w4tji Hi ides that th h of our being ;i.s if gathering . conth shblls.i Wampums id barnacles. Vanity of vanities! hen. we ait down and read the arks of the eminent writers of the ijt we Sdmlre tho hottest spirit iln qulr msntfeuted the great of facts collected by energy, the itelllgence id bet if we are not datutled the trmht!cal terms end cepfus-- d iby intricate reasoning, we arise from thetr perusal with a similar" feeling tq that which a hungry man would have on arising from a table elegantly decorated with war f Ihe highest style of art but void ff Any vestige nf food. To say that grai Hallon la the cause of th. ancle falling may satisfy the scientific mind, hut It falls to satisfy the unscientific. Thbugh our telescopes penetrate the Immensities of space and descry worlds whose existence were mknown In ege pist, though we can traosfbrm maHer into multi- s awr-eds- 1 j ATIiot ELBERT D. THOMAS. t .. . . a r - ei rovon took an'octlvo part ib Iho th Churchl ootivitlsa lnf'wmo o' California towns in which Ko waa stationed. Ha made up hi mind to beJoin th Church but th 8 San fore he was to b baptised FranoisCo. hi ship loft for n tour lof th Islands of th Pacific. !! heard ther was a mission JJn Papeete, M looked u up. and aa a result ho was baptised on Sunday. He was very happy and w feel that he wltl b th mnn of dolnd much good for Our Church, .amongst his companions a bo ta a whom fin young man and on everyone ran look to with respect and adpilration. v The accompanying picture shows th Salats and friends at the bap- tlsm. Th native Saint are striving to live th principles of the gospel to the best of their ability and on lth whole are doing so much bet-- .! ter than some of our Sa'nts at home. . 1 hr i i ? i tudlnous Jliape. though we era able to trace end duUnnate the development of life from the ovuitii to the) full grown man, and be able to say such and such a formation- or arrangement of the fibre and corpuscles of the brain are equivalent to such and each A elate of feeling, though w concede that we understand fullife down evolution of th ail ly to the i smallest possible germ, how much nearer are we to a solution pf the great problems? Not one wlfit. j Tim rntuhorpd Ravage. After alt our boasted acquirements (is regards the main Issues, We arc on a par with the traditional ignorance of long. long ago. In j this respect the Fatagoman Is Just! as wise aa Mr. ttpenccr. Tho untutored. Indolent savage basking In the light of the sun is Just asi happv aa the scientist in his laboratory;, the difference la that the mind of one la a blojik susceptible of Immediate Inscription. piliifst that of tlve other la filled WMh erroneous Impressions - from a hclcrogcneous mass of fact. f which he is utterly in- the hcgjtj-nin- g capable! of w oi th und. and at last realtxe jihe trulh of th .words of Let no man Haul, when he saiddpccivei himself. If any i msft among ivou seemeth to be wtlse In this world, let hlrm become a fool that hei mo v be While, Foe th ot this world!. fonllnhnes with God It ts evident on every han I that the power of man is llmitcc , and must remain so Just aa ion : aa mortality endures. It ta equally evident that there exists a tower 'superior to that of man aid hy which lie is controlled. lie does not in the least alter it existence. It Is patent to any understanding even th the mast limited. The Almighty In Introducing life upon the earth hs reserved the balance of pow- r end (given man plainly t( un dorstaiifi that, hHherte rhslt thou com, but no further. One would (naturally think that any person capable of perceiving this Would hot lacerate hlmSelf by vain endeavor io fly into the graan of such an Irresistible Powv ould er. but( on the eontrary. Irtevlt-abl- e. graCefiMlv submit to the (Yet strange as It msj exman. in this respect hibits the same traits of chii-a- e. ter no does the wild beast tinder confinement, who while rontlliunt-l- y trying the length of hla ehnln. neglect no opportunity to devour . teri-ehiu- - wts-do- ni 1 .of . Whatever the outlook on life, to th thoughtful the last hindred-yea- c period has been mankind's century of greatest change. jThla period to many 1s thought of as one of progress, to others, one of regress.It is a noteworthy paraldox that the period the world) tho theory of the! perfectable individual fave theory of) ithe mechanised man- iTo some last centurys change means merelyithe eternal grinding of the hdl! of th gods a change In cycle only, where today, man may be on the upward incline but facing the inevitable decline, when once the top arc of the cycle Is reached- - To others last century spelt progress", with all Its Implied meanings; vis: la purposeful world peopled With improvable individuals, who can and will Uve better andjfullef' lives. Whatever the outlook the Mormon' movement wilt always be Identified with this great century of change. To some It wUl represent a reflection of the true age of progress, to others itt wUl typify the splHt of regress.! it return to ancient attitudes or a survival of the medieval mind. Still others who accept Incident to the upward the cycle theory wilt see In It an incline of the cycle, a blase of glory which will spend It energy! and' n lose it entity In the general sinking of the decline. Th "Mormon idioms recognise both the cycle theory and the progress Idea. This we see in the following two characterisations: f the Last Joseph, the Founder Joseph Smith, the Restorer" and Latter-daSaints both characteri To y (culminating) Dispensation. sations are true. But one hundred years after the reatoratio; n which shall we stress;' "Joseph Smith. h restorer of the old," or Joseph Smith, the starter of the new? Which shall It be? 111 ! 1 . k m agency, he cnttl never hope to trail- acend the ob!im which aeparatij the stellar world from the nebula Here evidently is a limit to manfe powers of observation to hla physical knowledge, it I may be allowed th expression, and If that limit Is (reached, what will be the result ? Thera must of necessity be a retrograde movement decay and death appear in their most horrible furtn-Hs- n intellectual decay. O, what a cold, cheerless prospect for the.man of science who refuses the freely offered amt bleset The faith of God', gift f faith that he. lives In time and place. BY DR. T j President Georg if the Tahitian mission ollowlng account of an Interesting south! e event in that far-oisland mission field t Is Lord progressTho work of the ing favorably down! her and fixd very much encouraged, of our baptisms recently was arlne on the iJ. 8. Cruiser ago." Tho crulaer cam to itl! on a friendly call and so sro for four day, arriving Sunday 'rlday morning. May t. On II. Smith, doming marine. Wileyhomol and ame to the mission sked to be baptised. Ho had he omo interested in our Church lirough th association of a Mormon boy, who was Ills buddy about three yeafs ago. .During their acthe Mormon boy quaintanceship loaned . Marine Smith a Book of Mormon and asked him to redd it, nd while so doing the marine was onvinced of Its truthfulness. Ho und ado further rejrt lira! Inn off-sho- ot nn-pe- the hand that feeds It. The wis- dom nf the Great Creator Is n tIn giving man his ngenc he lit mit Placed hss of npparentlv his reach to make his flea n a peceesllv. I have ' said enough ou thla subject. Having defined our b let us conform to heir exigencies and busy ourselves With th Investigation of it requirements. for after .alt ihal nut be aid. this has the greatest besjrfng upon ope Present nad future hap. Who is wise, and j he plnese. shall understand these things? pruden$, and he shall know them? for th wavs pf the Lord are right.- - and the Just shall walk tn aoj-fes- rue-tlo- them; bnt transgressor shaft fan therefn I' -- 3 U. S. Marine Goes Ashore Help of Divine jRvelatioi BT W. R MAT. HE advancement la all the department of physical science, haa of late, as compared with times. Indeed been wonder former 4 ful and rapid, one discovery fol lowing close upon the heels of another. The fact has been referred to aa an index of the great learning and Intelligence of the nineteenth century, and is an ever recurring topic In our periodicals. Amaxlng as it may appear to the world at luirgu. Saint there is to the Latter-da- y really nothing surprising about Hi Understand the growth of that they TH following bit of philosophy on tns vainness of man, without , the spirit of God. seeking to reach add know the Inscrutable, copied from 'the files of The Deseret News of fifty years ago. ie worthy or consideration, as setting forth tho trend of thought and the advance of science in a generation past: physical knowledge must keep pace with i the growth of spiritual knowledge; they are each dependent! upon the other; they are but The part of ono undivided whole. effebt of such a rapid advance of physical science upon the human mind is very similar to the effects of ntoohol upon the body: It will eneregtie for a season, butit. will unsurely and finally depress by less It is properly balanced of spiritual corresponding growth 13, 3931 . |