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Show - JP-- -- - 'V' ' . - Education end Life I The joyous, Abundant By DR. FRANKLIN L WEST of the Lord, that he might be glorified. . (Isaiah 61:1-In other words Christ is glorifying God and through the utilization of righteous principles He assures freedom of the spirit, and emancipation of the soul . from the bondages of sin, and makes man free by teaching him the truth. He preaches glad tidings of great joy, and through His preaching and example shows the way to living joyously and abundantly. 3) Church Commissioner of Education delivered Sunday, Jan. 20, . 1946 over'KSL) said "Let not your the JESUS, be Master, troubled; ye believe in God, believe also In me. (John 14:1) "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 18.33) 1 am the way, and the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) "Peace I leave with ( Address you, my peace 1 give unto you: Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let It be afraid. (John 14:27) On another occasion He saldJT am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) These things, He said, "have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your Joy might be fulL (John 13:11) The Book of Mormon, one of the sacred Saint books of the Latter-da- y Church, in e that they one place says that "men-armight have joy. (2 Nephi 2:25) And It Saint is further recorded in Latter-da- y scriptures that God said it was His purpose to bring about the salvation and eternal life of man. On still' another Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (Matthew 3:17) For the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives, but to save them." (Luke 9:56) Who is there among us who does not desire life, and that fully, completely? Who does not desire to accompany life with joy and quiet peace? There seem to be, however, many diversions, many paths to be taken, and a great variety of opinion exists as to what the real and enduring satisfactions of life are. Many seek to find happiness in desert and forbidding places. Some. think of a good time only in terms of a life of debauchery and drunkenness. Others think of goodness as symbolic with weakness and they think of piety as being opposed to rugged vitality. One once remarked he thought all the good things of life were reserved for the wicked. Mark Twain it was, I lieve, who said of a man that he was "i good man in the worst sense of the term.1 I suppose he thought of some individuals he had known who were very satisfied with themselves, obeyed all the trivial rules of conduct, avoided ail the prohibi' tions and made their religion a gloomy and dismal affair. ETERNAL LIFE, A REWARD Eternal life is held up as one of the rewards for the good life here, and it is a stimulus to great endeavor, but one won ders what good eternal life is to a man who does not know how to spend even one day here satisfactorily. It is my own confident belief that the peace of God, which passeth. all understanding" 4:7) comes, after compliance with stipulated ordinance, only to a man who plays the game of life fairly, and enduring satisfaction and joy comes only to him who serves his day and generation effectively and well. I believe, too, that the best way to prepare for the life to come is by living the life which Jesus recommended the life of service and love, which gives maximum satisfactions here jand now. A little innocent fun at times, and wholesome recreation, is absolutely necessary to tone up the spirits and help one stand up against the difficult prob lems which confront almost every individual But coarse, vulgar joking and loud laughter are not only crude but offensive to the finer sensibilities of cult! vated people. estimate of the importance of . Jesus joy in life, and the satisfactions to be produced ih making others happy, is shown In the address He made at Nazareth when, as was customary. He opened the Law and read from 61st Isaiah, telling the people after He had finished, that that prophecy that day had been fulfilled in their pres ence. He meant that He Himself was the embodiment of the prophecy there refer red to. It reads, The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath annotated me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up to proclaim liberty to the broken-hearte- d, the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. He has sent me to comfort all that mourn to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting on (Phi-lippia- ns ... foge 10 January 26, 1946 .x Life I suppose everyone has experienced the inner satisfactions of doing something use ful for a friend or associate, and has known the joy of making others happy. The reason the Christmas season is such a happy time for almost everyone is because people are being sought out, time is spent in purchasing gifts which are thought will be of value and be appreciated, and letters expressing goodwill are sent broadcast. It is ho wonder this prac tice of spreading joy and of doing for others is associated with the birthday of Jesus Christ, our Lord. JESUS A HAPPY MAN - Jesus could not have been other than happy. Consider the vast amount of good He accomplished, doing it all simply and without ostentation or thought of reward. It must have given Him joy to heal the people of their Incurable diseases and He moved, among physical handicaps. the people, the record says, helping them 4 because He had compassion on them, and quite resented the fact that publicity came to Him therefrom. He repeatedly told those healed to tell no one about It, and Himself obeyed the admonition - given, that Hls followers were not to let their left hand know what their right hand did, but to do for others, and in secret, without hope of reward. Some complaint was raised that Jesus i did not fast enough, but He answered,' likening Himself to a bridegroom, and said you do not fast when a bridegroom is still with you. Whoever heard of a bridegroom who was not happy? It is a lovely thing to have friends and Jesus had many. He was a welcome guest in their homes. He seems to have been rather sure of himself because when had climbed the tree in order to DR. FRANKLIN L. WEST delivers hear Him speak, when the crowd was so first In series of Sunday evening radio large, Jesus came to the place, he looked addresses.' ' up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zac- - - Zac-chae- us She Seventy s Colu The Holy Rite Of Baptism , - By LEVI EDGAR YQUNG Of The First Council of Seventy j But when they believed Phillip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both - men and women. Then Simon himself believed also, and when be was baptised, he eon- - ' tinned with Phillip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and Signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of Ged, they sent unto them Peter and John: - . Who when they were eome down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. For as ylt he was fallen upon none of them; only they were baptised la the name of the Lord Jesus: Then laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. (Acts 8:12-1rHERE. is a beauty to the holy rite of Baptism that is seldom deeply felt We naturally think of one of the noblest characters in all history, John the Baptist, when we study the sacred subject. As we turn to his life in the Holy Scriptures, the New Testament, we find him coming from the Judean desert in the spirit and garb of an ancient prophet, proclaiming .with the sincerity of a great heart, the coming Kingdom of God. It is the express testimony of Mark that the Gospel story of Jesus Christ has its beginning in the work of the Baptist. This is true as we read the explicit teaching of Jesus himself. - Turning to the first chapter of Mark, we read: The beginning f the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God: As It Is written In the prophets. Behold, 1 send my messenger before ihy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying In the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight John did baptise In the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Had you been living in that day, you would have witnessed a wave of awakened hope passing over the land. The nation was restless and daily praying for the Messiah, promised ages before by the prophets of old. The Jews were chafing under Roman oppression and eager for deliverance. They longed and prayed for the coming of the Deliverer. Into such a nation and at such a time, John was bom. How transcendent are the words of St Matthew: In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea. The conviction of duty had sent John to the deserts, and the divine spirit of truth was his teacher while there. The work of John as a missionary of righteousness was sealed by the rite of Baptism. He immersed in water those who had repented of their sins, and new life came to every person who had received this holy ordinance. It was a great epoch in the lives both of Jesus and John when the two met on the banks of the river Jordan. John felt overawed in the presence of perfect holiness when Jesus approached him. With childlike humility which is ever associated with (he highest human greatness, John said unto Him: I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me. John identified Jesus as the Coming One he had expected and announced. The reply of Jesus is for the world today: And Jesus answering said unto him. Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. And Jesus when He was baptized went up straightway out of the water; and lo, the heaven saying, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. John continued to cry repentance to a dying world, and he has passed Into history as one of the holiest men of faith that ever lived. The Master himself said that of those bom of women there had arisen none greater. It was a simple lesson taught by John. It was none the less divine and of God. Baptism by immersion for the forgiveness of sins has given men an Idea of God which has proved itself to be the greatest force in the only civilization which endures the changes of time. It is the one human act which brings to the soul the desire to live life and to make it akin to God. He realizes the truth of the psalmist that the statutes of God give wisdom to the simplest the highest conceivable wisdom to the humblest of minds." 7) Dr. West Gives' Address Subject Of ' be Dignity of Man will .title of the next radio address to be given by Dr. Franklin L. West, Church Commissioner of Education, on Sunday, Jan. 27, 1946, ' over KSL at 9 p.m. v This address is the next in a series entitled Education and Life. THE - chaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. (Luka 19:5) Simon, the Pharisee, prepared a feast in His honor, and Matthew, the publican, soon after being called to the min- Istry, invited his worldly and sophisticated friends to his home and had Jesus as his honored guest. In both classes of people Jesus was welcomed and his company ' V greatly enjoyed. Although the entire record of the life and teachings of Jesus is very limited and brief, yet brief as the record is, it shows that He was a sociable man who, on occasions, gave .thought to the amiable pleasures derived from meeting with his friends for happy festivities, and the record tells that He attended a wedding and relieved the embarrassment of the host by Himself providing a part of the refresh- ments in order that all might enjoy the hospitality and happiness of the occasion. . Gentle, refined, cultivated women, such as Mary and Martha in whose home he visited on numerous occasions, were his friends as were certain women of misfortune who also responded to His holiness and His compassion. HAPPINESS COMES BE LIVING GOSPEL PRINCIPLES You see, if one goes right on, directly seeking happiness, he very seldom finds it. Oh, there is some temporary satisfaction to be had in this way, a happiness of moderate degree, but the enduring satisfaction, the deepest joy comes as a byproduct of living the gospel principles. Preaching the joy that comes from serving others Jesus mingled with the people, living that very thing He was preaching. He went about doing good. He healed the blind, the lame, the halt, and the leper. He brought good news, the gospel way of life to the poor, and taught with power and clarity. He gave His life and brought the resurrection to alL Even more important than the physical cures were the transformations He made' in people with deranged minds' as He quieted their mental disorders, dissolved their fears and anxieties, and restored peace to their minds and souls. Jesus must have enjoyed preaching the gospel and He did it with utter simplicity and great power, knowing how the living of gospel principles brings to all people satisfaction and joy and eternal happiness. His lessons were taught with a matchless beauty, and His lessons were brought home clearly and effectively through the parables. .He was so thoroughly versed in the law, and so sure of the importance of His message, that it was said of Him, and in truth, that He spoke as one having authority. Jesus was' intimately' associatedwith the Jews and was keenly aware of their bare poverty and distress, of their heavy burdens from taxation, .and the oppression they endured by the Romans. Jesus knew very well that life has its difficulties, but these are to be met with courage and determination. He has shown us that there is good enjoyment to be had just from the simplest things of life, such as eating, and working, and from all physical and mental achievements. The common sources of pleasure for many people include the sports, the theater, the opera, drama, and great literature, but even here it seems to me the creators and producers of literature and music and drama, no doubt, get the greatest thrill if it is their purpose to produce and create for the pleasure of others, and not merely in the hope of gaining fame and wealth. If one is to become great. He said, he must be the servant of all." He let His apostles know something of the terrible persecution and abuse which would be heaped upon them. But He said to them, "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:11-1- 2) The suffering of the Savior in the garden of Gethsemane was, of epurse, most intense, and the suffering on the cross must have been excruciating. But Jesus knew He was thereby bringing about the resurrection of the whole human family, and said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. f John 12:32) rFew parents there are who have not in some way felt the same feeling, as ex- (Continued on Page Twelve) |
