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Show HHl -- j i? N - t' , 4 tstm ow hub "ti t ' II a rt TAJA eSsk 1 4 I 4 t Church Department THE DESERET NEWS, SATfUEpLy, SEPTEMBER fjH Mid j and - hotter." ' f. "V r's religion, that we do not pome X nearer to a unity of the faltbjA explained to this gentlemanl on Latter-da- y that oooaaioa, the Saints do not send missionaries into Christian countries .for thef purpose of loading them away from truth, or from anything that , is to good. It ts uot our purpose, say to people when we invite them In effect, to come into j our Church, that they must lvave that is good, anything tbat is whoiesomie. or that will make, and women better. We ds not; them to turn from the rich paths of life. We say, on the i trary, to them: 'Como let u "reason tog br. We want you 40 keep all o the good you have. Bring It with you, and come and alt down with ui and let ua sea It we. can show you more light, more truth, more that will make you 'better, more that will show you thf path Of life. more that will make you a pro. elate life, ;Let ue see if w not show you the way to a or salvation, and exaltation j lt4 paaUnlst David commence sixteenth psalm by saying; "Piwnr me, O God? tor la Tkra do I put my trust," and concluded that psalm by saying: "Thou wilt how roe the path of life: in thy presene Is fullness of Joy; at thy right hand there ars pleasures for evermore" A few years ago at Fort I was speaking to a group Of Indiana and In ny talk pointed out to theta as best I could what the government ts doing for their welfare, and how much they should appreciato It, I also urged upon them to aceept the1 benefits of civ- lltaatlon. and urged them to be the white men. After I had concluded, an old Indian nearlnK the close of life se. cured permission to Speak, and said: "Which white men ahalt wo fol- low? Shall we follow those who have coma Into our midst and disease and discord; Shalt brought we follow those who have taken ad- vantage of our Ignorance andsometimes robbed us of our poasessions? Which class of white men shall a a follow?" THE ' any-thti- ig ne " kingdom of God." And when Awe have thus soned together, when we thus considered the light which we we have to give to you. 3thcn think you are free to choose, of c whether you will come or noi only aak for thla privilege' cause, in all sincerity We that to us our Father has n ed a great responsibility, hi vested great truths, a great pli life, a great set of principle! outlined in the goepel of C has revealed knowledge even II neaa thereof and haa given Tints ' pf men in this d4y to know the truth. That which enables men and women to mors abundantly live, not only here, but prepare them for the continr uity of life after death englem path of progress, development! and revealed." growth haa all been This is our message, to the w$Td. 4 I Indian's philosophy Of course, I had to explain .lot follow the better they should eiaaa. Then ho said these rather significant words, and I have re- membered the old Indians philosophy ever since; "I do not believe that the Great Spirit ever Intended that we should all be white, or he would have made ua white. I do believe that he intended ua to be good Indians: and if you" meaning the white people "will teach ua the philosophy of life" those may not have been his exact words, but it la in effect what he said "If vou will teach us the way of life that will lead us to be better Indiana then we shall gladly follow your exam- ple" He further,. said; We do not worship as you worship, W bellevs In the Great Spirit," He Is one who has held tenaciously to the faith of his fathers. He continued; "We like to go out into the forest and Into the mountains. and worship the Great Spirit near to, nature. You k us to come to 'churches and chapclr aod we are pot always comfortable when we are worshiping as you point out" And- - then he closed by saying; "If you understood ua better, it would make ua both happier, and I think we should unand appreciate life betderstand, t ter ' Relates Interview A few months ago, in the City of New York, I had a Very leasant interview with a learned man. During the course of our conversation I had occasion to explain to him our great missionary system I mean, of course, the missionary system of the Chureh of Jesus Christ, of Latter-da- y Saints. Hs You interrupted ms bv saying: Will pardon me, I am sure, but when yon speak of missionaries In Christian lands It seems a little odd to me. I have been used, all my life, to understand missionaries besent to heathen lamia ro you" ing -mean that we ars meaning us heathens, and do you so regard us? la that the reason you send missionaries to ua?" Of course, r assured him that we did not regard them as heathens, nd then I said to him: "Before I continue this explanation may I ask you a quest ton? Will you tell me honestly how you regard ? Do you look upon ua as being heathens? Hs smiled and said, To be perfectly frank, I would not class you, and have never understood that you were heathens, liut I have understood that you wore Just a little lose than Christian that you were not Christians In the ordinaryaltogether sense as we understand that term." Makes Conclusion And he too concluded at the clone of our conversation, If we knew each other better, if we understood each other's motives, if we understood life and that which actuates and motivates people, I am sure we would all appreciate and enjoy Ufa mors abundantly, nd it would mean more to us," I believe that It Is because we do not understand each other's viewpoint, and particularly each oth- - , Not Religious r ' , ' 1 hj ! nt f frequently of late ws men who are saying: -- Well, "fused to belong to a Church, but not now a member; In fact, I not fa religious man." And" wo talk to such a man and him; "Do you not believe in eety?" --Oh, yea" he wil repj , think X or the school girt, H is a part of ' , ibis or '"'Do you not believe that Iroeu and women are better when fthey are virtuous and chaste and bdnev-s olent, when they are full of faith and hope and charity, when .they recognise the brotherhood 1 i of man ?" And almost Invariably such a r man will answer: "Indeed 1 I toe- -; lleve all that. itVell, that la religion, Thai i is and , of religion. Without that allwoft the rest is fringe: but with that everything else which makes religion Is woven into; the wovS life. of !" is !??rp do life. I not mean thatReligion principles and ordinances of revealed religion-, i are not necessary. I f believe that they are Indeed, necessary,! I am only trying to put veil But the point that he who believes in bring honest, true, chaste, benevolent, and in doing goad to all mentis a I t religious man In very deed, i Tr f Obedience Ws have that common ground and then additional light has been revealed, additional truth has jbeen given to the children of men Imfthls our day. Obedience to It will Wring greater happiness, greater tjoy, mors light, more of that which makes men and women happier here in tbe world, for after S all happiness la the end of life, f are that they might have Joy'v. i la our attitude before the We seek only to bring greater and happiness. We want to people into the Celestial Kingdom of God, At the' close of our conversation the man said: "Why don't jroii tell that story to the world; why don't your people sell that to the people 1 i of the world ?" I said to him: "For a hundred years we have been trying tte .do that, y have been trying thla afternoon to Mil it to you during Soar conversation; but When I leave I fancy you will atiil be somewhat of the same opinion, because of that have been In you mind." And he said: "I hope not. a, - I 4 .1! we berm , That doctrine, eo tar as I knew, 1 peculiar to the Latter-da- y Saints. -Thla Gospel plan teaches us why w are hers, whence we go. after rd leave this exitencs, and, what fur future reward will be. .It traces every step from that primeval life' 16 ihe time when we hope we shall he received in the celestial king- torn of our Heavenly Father. To a man or woman who im-bIt that doctrine, who hla or her Ufa, ther isapplies no aep-itlbetween religion and life, sllgion Is Ufa to such a person, ob, what a Wonderful inspirator right-livin- g it brings. How ueh mors abundantly ws live: iOw it influences our very lifes , nark! It becomes a religion of very 'day; even to the Khool boy -- ea on 1 t. 4 t , J 1 i 4 tf t bsr existence. A Keveiatkm Very early la torn Chureh a revelation waa given along this line, whicn A would like to quote Just briefly: r 1 give unto you a , that you ahalt teach ' one another the doctrine ef . ths kingdom. "Teach ye dlllgtuUy and my f grace shall attend ybu, that ' you may bs instructed mors perfectly to theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the Gospel, in alt things that pertain unto tbs kingdom ef God, that are expedient tor you to understand: . "Of .things both is heaven pd in ths earth, and under tils earth. ..." 1 That is science. Is it not? Tbat i everything that the human mind can yoara to knojr. Teach diligentlya such things as them, always X with consciousness that ail truth is of God. and ultimately wiU bs reconciled with his great revealed , ' word. ( "Things which Save been," Mis-to- r. How much ws can learn front ths lessons of ths past and how much ws appreciate history, .Oh, what an inspiration it is to ths young man and ths young woman today to know ths history of their own parents and grandparents who cams to this of ths United States for theirpart religion. How bins- d t is ws have history and , r taught it under that ws thsp ths in- - . apirhtlon of ths Lord. You know 4 the famous words that President Brigham Young used when hs gam Karl G. hlaeaar his final inatrue- - , lions with refercoes to ths school at From: "Do not attempt ts ' - . . BY PRESIDENT DON B. COLTON Of the Eastern Stales Mission TABBRNAOM3 6ERMOBT SUNBAX, AIGIKT M, 1934, understand A Finable That has bedn oar trouble from the beginning. Men have not understood ua, have not understood message taken by this Chureh thethe people ef the world; they have not understood our people (Who cams hers to Utah, Prejudice often, and 1a some cases 'gnorancs, has prevented a complete and mo- - i dual understanding of the position balms. .taken by the Latter-da- y to j happentheto be old enough of pioneers,! some jnsmember who cams first into - Utah, them, ill remember as a child; at sitting 'the feet of mjr grandparents. I 'know something of their aspire-jtiohand ef their intentions and . .motives in life, I know how sacred- the ly they, in connection With other good people whoi cams to reMis in stats this beginning, garded their religion, jand how Ufa was to them. It it of 'ijiuih Was their everything, iholr all. . it wan the mainspring of their lilMw, it was tbe motivating power nearly all their actions, it was . i if itself to them. Gives Illustration ' I Only one Illustration! Their be get concerning home, for Instance, When properly commenced, they 'believed that the horns and ws bellevs It now Is ths one unit that " ihau endure forever; tbat children , Are given to us as th greatest benefit and blessing in Bte; that It la our greatest mission to teach them the way of life; to bring them I UP to know God, to tear him and keep his commandments; to teach them concerning God. He has said, in this our day. Thi is my work and my glory to brlng to pass ths Immortality and sternal Ilfs of ! it it la the purpose of; the gospel opes up to men and women ' rywhere ths path that will lead eternal life. That l the plan of gospel Of the Lord Jesus i Christ. Yet with thsti ideal ef home, believing it to be the most . iaeered institution in ths world, bs- Moving that It should be a home of prayer, that the day's work should bet commenced with prayer and Should.bo closed with! thanksgiv- - . ling to Almighty God, bsilieytng that it Is the duty of parents to teach hs boys and girls to bohonest and .Virtuous i and truthful believing a :kll that, men and women event- 'where have said of us Chat our be- - J Jiefs and practices polluted ths homes and defiled them. Can you ' .imagine such thing as that, yoa who understand the spirit and genius ot the Mormon homo? And yet, (Ml over the world today, your boys and girls, as missionaries of thla r ttphurvk, are being misunderstood And misrepresented, wad not un- - .. ltood, because people do uot They are pot received, , andeystand. and our greatest difficulty is to to people stop ends listen and fit understand tbat w to them a message of iofe. ofbring peace, ana of . toodwlll that wtll mark put to them 4 he way of life. If people, only Morraonlsm bow t easy ., , r task would be. Another thought. NO other pea- - , e. so far as I know, believe thla our philosophy wo tr, ic (his life rom ii primeval existence to its t hdteas glory in the hereafter. To l the life before we came here is t as real as ths Bf to which a shall go when wej leave thi Ipbere of ekislence. For a Wise hd glorious purposea-have oeen ipced here upon tbe forth, ' !. A Wise Ihirpowe It is true that in the J providence f God he has withheld from us t b recollection of pur former t friends and birth. There is a wise purpose in this, but nevertheless, . be has revealed this truth to us chat ws did llv before we came ihere, tbat we are his children in reality, and literally, add that ws reached a very' great stag ot pro- - , grass and development! before we X Lif 1- - 4 . - , teach" said Tie, the multiplication table without the Spirit of the w That is the spirit of this revela. tion. it continues: - j "Thing which are." Current history. "Thing which must shortly corns to pass," The tutors. "Thing which are at horns, things which are abroad. Ths wars and ths perplexities or to yiationa, and ths Judgments whtotr are on the lend.' of current event , Any - knowsstudent, some of theso perplexities , "And a knowledge also ot conn- tries and of kingdoms." Oh, whaf an appreciation a knowledge of tbe kingdoms of this world bring to ua who are elt Uena ef this great . country, and especially to those of ns who ars members of the Chureh - of Jesun Christ f- y- - e - j Deeper Aporertalfsw t A deeper appreciation of Ilf is v reslsed when these things ars ! taught. How much ws should ape the freedom of this land preelate X peed not refer by name, but you , notice what is going on now in one of the great countries of this earth, where one man, in four short , yearn for four years ago he was a eitixeo of another country ha risen to the supreme pise in that- land! where he is more than auto-cratj and rules with more of ant lron hand than any king since th middle ages. And yet he to M to get all of the people tempting In his land to worship In one par Renter church. t Compare that with th freed out , and the breadth of the doetrlno taught by the Prophet Joseph wheat he nttered these words; Ws bellevs that religion is of God, and that men ar to him, and to him only amenable 4 for the exercise of It, Unleas their - religious opinions prompt them ts infringe upon the rights and liber ties of other: but we do not be--1 Mere that human law haa a right 4 to interfere in prescribing rules of worship tp bind th conscience men, nor dictate forms for publlo Or prlvst devotion; that th rlvil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of th soul." V 4 Xante -- 4 4 , ' Make Comparison say, compare come of the thing that are going on In th word today with tha blessings and privileges of our own land, of our own will as how much riple, and you In this revelation of God; your will see how much It Squares with your understanding of right and righteousness. You w will learn to mors fully appreciate hat haa coma to you bv virtue and reason et your religion. Talk about binding people, the truth ts th verv thing that make people free, tor after nit It is hs soul X . that to free or fettered. Great revelations are given to ua for onr life, to guide us in our work, --for th car ot our bodies for the ultiva-tlon of our minds for the n owth of our spirits our minds bodies (Continued on Fag Btx.l . i: i I j |
