OCR Text |
Show Ft I of Thought Gems v Editor! 0,1 . HE STORY of Lucifer is one of tragedy. It Is likewise a warning to each one of us, who . must remember that no matter in what position we stand, even we may falL r' '.Let ys consider the story of Lucifer. The Book of Mormon teaches us that an angel of God became a devil. He fell from heaven and became miserable forever In telling the story Lehi said that this fallen angel sought also "the misery of all man- -' ' j kind. Not often do we think of Lucifer as a fallen angeL But the Doctrine & Covenants confirms it ' and says: "An angel of God, who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the only begotten Son, whom the Father loved, and who was Tn the bosom of the Father was thrust down fromjthe a presence of God and the Son, and was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him he was Lucifer, a son of the morning. And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen, is fallen, even a son oFThe morning Then Lucifer was once an angel of God, ' in authority in the presence of God. Is ft any .wonder that the heavens wept over him as he fell? Would we not weep over any great one aiqong us who turned traitor, who fell from grace, who was banished for-ever. !, , - ' , - self-conce- it -- - , - x. MISERY COMES to each one of us as we commit sin, as we injure other people, as we overlook our responsibility and ahlrk it, as we fail to comply with ' the standards of theChurch. wfiich is remorse And there anything like the comes from a smarting conscience? . Nsv Is there anything like the embarrassment result-ln- g from a sin exposed? . - But on the other hand is there anything like the peaee and Joy of work well done, of a kindly act, , or a sense of obedience?. Is there any satisfaction like that which comes from being clean? Man is that he might have joy, said Lehi who i ' told us of the fallen angeL Joy Comes from cleanliness, from godliness, from ' . tfbedience, from living the Golden Rule. V Lucifer seeks to make all men miserable in our day, as he has done through the ages.. He does it through deception, through appealing to selfishness, to and pride. ' - Is it he whom we would follow? Is his the example after which we would pattern our lives? The scripture says that Satan entered into Judas who betrayed the Christ. Selfish Judas, in his greed, obtained his thirty pieces of silver. But did that make him happy? Did not his ignominious end but verify ' : the lesson of Lucifer? Jesus is the personification of Joy, In Him. is peace. Through Him we may become like God Him, - . . LUCIFERS . AMBITION, stufcborness, . and pride caused his fall. He seems to have been blinded In his Judgment to the point where pride and ambition, egotism and selfishness, destroyed his bal-- , ance, and plunged him to destruction. In that fall he became miserable forever, as Lehi taught. And now he seeks to make all of us miserable like himself. But his rise and fall are no different from the rise and fall of others whom we have known here y v in life. , Among our own friends, it there one who is egotistical,- proud and selfish? Is he happy? Isnt he ,hls own worst enemy? Doesnt he seek to make other people miserable also? ... Or is there one among our acquaintances who ipay have robbed a, bank, or defrauded the govem- - ment, or seduced an Innocent person? Is he not also miserable? t Wickedness never was happiness, .the Book of Mormon teaches us. The wages of sin is death. have known of traitors in the government - and in the Church,, and what hasbecome of them? Were they happy? Was Benedict Arnold happy? Or Wilson Law or Governor Boggs ? .. When are we ourselves miserable? When are we happy?" I K y -- - self. 4 To follow the fallen angel will but make fallen angels of ourselves. 7. To follow God will lead us to 'divinity! A DIM beam of light shone out across the snow as the back door of the big house on First North Street opened and a boyish figure In a heavy coat came put carrying a lantern. The "circle of. light with the shadowy figure in the center moved quickly along the shoveled path to the bam. The door opened with a creak, and the figure moved inside. Setting' the lantern down, the lad took a set of harness from a wall peg. He clambered 6nto a large box and began placing the harness on the horse in the stalL He worked quickly, for his mission was a matter if life or death. The horse was hitched to the buggy, and the boy drove up by the back door. Another figure a woman glided quickly out and mounted the seat beside 4iim. He tapped the horse with the whip and they moved out into' the road, disappearing in the darkness of the winter night Young Joseph Fielding Smith and his mother were answering another urgent call to a home . where a new life was about, to begin. i Sister Smith had delivered many babies la SaltJLake City homes, and always, at any hour of the day or night that the call might come, Josephs . Job was to hitch up the home and drive the buggy. the cows but west of He had other responsibilities as' a the Jordan River or working on the farm" fa Taylorsville... His father. Apostle Joseph F. Smith, was often away, sometimes for long periods, on Church assignments. 'X Young Joseph had time for fun, too, lie learned to Swim In the Jordan and played baseball with the neighbor boys. He also went to Saints University where he school and in due time entered the Latter-flastudied for two years. After graduating, he got a job at Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution where he worked until at the. age" df p, he received a call fo the British Mission. There, 'he learned the joy of teaching the GospeljA people who were anxious to receive it He also learned what it mepnt to face mobs of Mormon-haters- . snarling ' Returning home from his mission after two years, Elder Smith became superintendent of the 16th Ward Sunday School and a president of the 24th Quorum of Seventy. Later he became a member of the Salt Lake Stake Council and was called to the general board of the YMMLA. Week Ending Auaost ,26, 1 961 90 CHURCH . - E PREACH add discuss the revelation known as the Word ' of Wisdom, and usually think of the temporal blessings that will come to us in increased health if we . live in harmony with its teaching. But there is also a spiritual aspect which is more . )! and should Stimulate us to high purpose. The promise I am. thinking of is this: And all saints who remember to keep and do , these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments shall find wisdom and great treasures f knowledge, even hidden treasures. . (D&C 89:18, 19.) , What could be so priceless as wisdom and knowledge, even hidden treasures? Surely the treasures here referred to are not those of scientific accomplishments. Such will come reeled as light from heaven discovered the research of men, but hidden treasures of knowledge these in the revelation are those which can be had only by use of the keys given which are: "Walking in obedience," ' And while the discoveries in the physical world are very important to us here in mortality, the spiritual discovery of a knowledge of God and His and through eterprogram reach' into 7 " nity. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and JesUs Christ, whom . thou hast : sent" . (John 17:3) Another revelation gives fa JHis: " . . For unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom,, but unto the world it Is not given to know them. (D&C 42:65) Which Indicates another requirement: One must be baptized and receive the Holy .Ghost and still live the commandments to be given the knowledge of the divinity pf the work. Mere passive acceptance of the doctrines will . ' not give the testimony. g .... 1 , He was employed by the Church Historians Office and soon became an assistant Church Historian. - In 1910, at the age of 33, Elder Smith was called to the Council of the Twelve. Along with his calling as an apostle, he has had numerous other responsible positions. He became a member of the Salt Lake Temple presidency In 1915, and was president of the temple from 1945-4He has served since 1921 as Church Historian and for many years as president of the Genealogical Society.' He became president of the Council of the Twelve in April 1951. Just as he answered promptly and willingly when, as a boy, he heard his mothers urgent call. President Smith has continued to answer throughout his life whenever the Church has needed his services. - ing - y - " -- 4 tnm-mnn- rl Early Training Coridliioni LDS Boy for Later Call To Duly The Twelve Of This Dispensation boy-herd- V 7 - t . s. t 4 rddrrst if Eiirt Spot Excerptt from err IP, Kimbrtt of tb Comnetl of tb Twrier tb fenrrai ton met, October 1944. .. J X. VI $ Spiritual aspect to Word of Wisdom 3Pa,ge The Lesson Of Lucifer -- v nrrn . |