Show 1 ea c IR R am EM 1 V jc A is rez 31 tes ITS S y president e D IT 1 WELLS delivered in tie the anew mew new tabernacle sau sam zake lake oily 1870 11 11 A VAT 1 REPORTED BY DAVID W ft if at has pleased god in the day and generation in which we live to reveal his holy gospel I 1 knew know the time to bring it forth fortar that he understood the proper time to introduce its principles and goper mose dose 0 r 0 that period in the worlds history in which it would be received by at least a portion of his children I 1 apprehend that he made no mistake that the angel which john prophesied should come forth bearing the everlasting gospel to the children of ormen ormon iiren came to the right person to the true joseph to the one end who would receive it and bear testimony that he had seen an angel though all the world should deride derido ana point the finger of call him a dreamer and treat him with every kind of contumely and reproach and though they eventually persecuted him unto the death they could not prevail upon him to deny that he had seen an angel and that he received from the lord those these principles which he taught we believe then that it was the high time and that he the angel came to the j ight right person that the tho gospel has gone forth unto the world that the minds of the children of men have been beon touch touched edwith with the light of truth and that it has had the effect to inspire some to seek rater the lord to observe and keep his laws leam his ways and walk in his ills paths the object and purpose of our gathering tog together ther brethren and sisters is is to learn of gis via nis his ways and walk in his paths it is one of the greatest conceivable blessings sin Es which can be conferred upon the children of men to live in the day and generation in which the lord has sent forth fortu his gospel in an age in which he has conferred upon men the authority of the ho holy priesthood to administer in sacred and hol hoi holy things it is one of the greatest blessings that could be conferred upon his children to become the happy recipients of that knowledge which leads to eternal life and exaltation in his kingdom all people have this privilege so far as the knowledge of the gospel has come to their ears in this the children of men are independent they have their volition and agency to receive or to reject these principles when they shall hear them but hut rhesa they are sent forth with the authority or the got hol hoi holy priesthood which is the auth authority of god and are sounded in the ears odd omd gods creatures here on the earth and they reject them they incur a fearful responsibility still they have the power to act as they please in this matter but the consequences rest upon themselves the lord has left them without excuse it is a matter for you and me and for all persons to canvass in their own minds and we can then act upon our own volition in receiving or rejecting ejecting g the truth all who have not heard the principles of life and salvation proclaimed will have the privilege of doing so if not cot here then in some other sphere or state of existence the plan ot of salvation is ample fall and complete and will s save luve all the children of e men who will let it and the lord will be ilor lion left without excuse in the f inal final winding lup gup up so far as tha the probation of man on the tarth larth earth tarth is conc concerned ernecl ive we read in the scriptures that to know tee the only gnik true god and jebus christ whom he has haa sent is life eternal to enable his creature creatures to obtain this knowledge the lord haa has kindly enu sent ent forth his revelations from kiane time to timo wt byrt wo we do hen hou honestly estly bellevo that the tho latte latter day dax saints are the only deij people on the face of the earth at the present time that have any true knowledge of god of the relationship that does exist between him and the inhabitants of tw the earth and of the design and object of the almighty in bringing them into existence and the purpose to b be accomplished thereby in their future state I 1 say we believe that the latter day saints are the only people who possess this knowledge the world have no just conceptions of the deity even the christian world are without the knowledge of god as much as the heathen nations this may be deemed a sweeping declaration but it is susceptible of proof if we take the scriptures for our guide and and as the foundation ot of our argument that is if the christian world believe as they pro 1 fess to do I 1 do not care to illustrate at this present time or to bring evidence to bear to sustain my position to a people to understand these arguments and principles and who have learned better things as is the case with this congregation we know in whom we have trusted we know who has led us forth to the valleys of the mountains who has blessed the land and caused it to bring forth its strength for our sustenance who has shielded and protected ua us from the power of the adversary those who have sought our overthrow and destruction truc tion we have learned to know him as our father the ather father of our spirit sand the god and father of our lord and savior jesus christ he has exercised a parental care over us and has delivered us at all times from the power of our enemies brought us an inheritance in a goodly land ind blessed the land and caused caused it to bri bring forth in its strength for our sustenance we know that we are dependent upon him for hurvery existence and that by him only are we preserved just as well as we know that the children of or men impelled by the great adversary satan are seeking to overthrow us to break in pieces pieces the kingdom of god and to destroy from the face of the earth the rule and authority of the priesthood of god are we prepared to take upon ourselves the labor the self belf denial the self abiega tion I 1 might say the persecution if it should be permitted to come upon us that continually besets the pathway of the gaint saint of god if ir we are we areail are aro all ali right if we are not we had better repent and seek unto the lord for strength retrace our steps and get the spirit of god in our hearts that wo we may become more confirmed in our most holy faith when we received the gospel we felt as though it would be a great privilege to devote our whole lives and all our interests in this existence to tho iho exten J sion of this great and glorious cause have wo we grown lukewarm luke warm in our feelings and love if so it is time to retrace our steps lest we become darkened in the counsel of our minds minda and turn away to the beggarly elements of the world I 1 will say this morning that the gospel that I 1 received is as sweet to me today to day as it ever was during my existence on the earth yea more so for tur as I 1 advance greater and more glorious truths and beauties develop themselves and come home to my understanding if the first principles of the gospel were true in the days ot of joseph they are true today to day if the principles that have been developed as we have passed p assed along were true when they first s truck struck our minds with their convincing proofs they are also true today to day if what we believed were the whisperings of the spirit of god confirming these truths on our minds were really so and we received them from heaven we should live faithful to what we have received that w we in mav may progress bogress and improve as we pass along I 1 we e rave eave have havo received an item of truth here and another there as we could receive and maintain it 1 but the revelations declare that there ar are e things yet to be revealed which have been kept hid from the foundations of tho world 1 I for one expect that the volume of revelation will remain open and that the servants of god will in the future as they have in the past read to us from the book of life the reflection that we shall not be confined to what has already been given but that we shall continue to grow and increase in the knowledge of god and in every good is one of the most highly prized principles of the gospel of jesus christ how true it is that when any new principle or any new now idea concerning an old principle is promulgated the human heart seems to rise up in rebellion against it and the saints are no exceptions in this respect for when the lord condescends to reveal any new principle pertaining to their welfare and the building up of his kingdom on the earth many are ready both in feelings and practices to rise up and rebel against it what is the matter are we pent up in a nutshell nut shell and confined in our feell feelings to such an extent that we cannot receive new revelations and instructions from tima time to time when they come from the proper source no I 1 think that for the great majority of the latter day saints I 1 can answer it is not so 0 it may bo be so with individuals but as a general thing the saints are glad to receive instruction line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little as ad they thoy can receive and endure it I 1 heard beard president young say kay told the prophet joseph never to reveal a new principle to him if he thought that he could not receive it that it would be detrimental to his faith or cause him to turn from that which hb had bad received ha he said ho would rather remain in igno winea anco than to hayo have it prove a I 1 i bling bung block to him I 1 have see been seen n a great many people anxious for revelation and for the development of some isome great myrtez mystery concerning the kingdom of god I 1 ha have never felt so I 1 have been satisfied with what the lord should condescend to reveal and more than glad if when it did come I 1 was able to receive and practice it how many are there within the hearing bearing of my voice who have felt infringed upon in their feelings when they were told to sustain zion and not to trade with their enemies this was a new feature but it touched things of a temporal nature why a great many felt as though they could not SU submit banit to be dictated to though it was by the servant of god in regard to temporal affairs Is not this true and we too right in the midst of israel 0 yes res we cant deny it there has been considerable howling made mado concerning this item but yet this is the kingdom of or god and the tho kingdom and the greatness thereof are to be given to the saints of the most high can we expect anything else than that his servant will dictate us concerning our temporal matters I 1 do not understand it ia in any other way when I 1 would ask can the kingdom of god be established anthe on the earth or in other words when can the kingdom and the greatness thereof be given to the saints of the most high never until a people eople is found possessing sufficient clent good eara eard hard hara sound sense to use the blessings of that kingdom to build it up and not to give it to the devil just as fast as the lord hands them over to them we have come up to zion that we may be taught in the ways of the lord and that we may learn to walk in his ris path paths 7 and you know I 1 have told adu you h how w I 1 independent d epen dint we are we ca can n either receive the gospel or reject it and take the consequences but let no man lay the flattering unction to his soul that he can do just ashe pleases and obtain c celestial e glory we can never do we malle make our ways notions and ideas ide as correspond with the lords loras if we expect to attain to celestial glory and be prepared and qualified to receive the kingdom of god in its great greatness ness upon the earth we shall have to make our ways correspond with the lords so much so at least as to be found faithful in making good use of the blessings which hohas he has entrusted to us it is those who are found faithful over a few faw things unto whom the promise imade that they shall become rulers over many things it is not those who he il fly y the track at the moment of peril and difficulty who will obtain the blessings of high heaven no the lord tests testa and tries us to prove if we wo have and the man who fl flies s the track when tested proves that heisl he is lacking ing in integrity and is not worthy to rec receive 1 e the blessings of those who are faithful and true blessings are no doubt withheld in kindness for a time for many who receive them grow fat and kick thus proving to the lord that they are not worthy ih and peradventure he ile withholds blessings iya s from many very good people who will finally triumph over their own peculiar notions and ideas and make their ways so far correspond with the lords as to be worthy we are in a school of experience brethren and sisters bisters si stera and it will be well for us if we will wisely use and apply the blessings we receive and the experience thal that we are passing through gb and so go govern vernand vernana and ana control ourselves in the future that the experience of the past may be a light to our feet in time to come it is most desirable to us all that we should be preserved in the purity of our most holy faith and never depart or swerve either to the right hand or to the left the fate of others who dave departed from the path of rectitude hufh ought t to be a warning to us all to be careful f not 0 t to grieve the holy spirit lest we fall into the same pit it is a very easy thing for a man to get into the daric dark and and small things often lead tolt to it heskes he sees peradventure something in his bisho bishop or teacher or in some of the authorities he does not like ilke and instead of going to the proper place to ascertain the truth in the case caso and informing his mind correo correctly aly concerning the matter he lets leta it corrode in his heart until disaffection is produced and he begins to lose confidence in a short time if he indulges in this spirit he mouths it to some confidant or friend and after doing it once he mouths it again and if you follow that man a little longer you will find that he neglects his prayers and the duties of his calling and very soon the counsel of his mind becomes darkened and soon he is on the highway to apostasy apo stacy and in fact he has been thero there from irom the beginning if he had only known it and if no good friend should tell him his error in in a short abort time such a man goes over the dam and makes shipwreck of ills his faith and that is the greatest calamity that can befall abdall any person what matters it to the saints what path they ameled into if the tile lord leads if they lre are ire submissive and yield to his dictation no matter whether at t br brings birgs weal orwee or woe it will work out good it may brin bring poverty so far as the things or of the arm world are concerned but it will never bring pov erty orty to the soul soui coulm and il it will wa 0 be o a happy reflection when wo e have passed through this mortal existence ce that we werd word we reabie reable able abie to stand the test in enduring the ordeals ahia hd remaining ing stead stend steadfast fact and faithful to the end I 1 do not know that we are promised anything here but the tho hatred ana and persecution of the world and this thia has been the portion of the tho saints of god in every age of the tha world I 1 do believe beli boil aye ave ho however weyer that tho tha table ia is going to change I 1 b elleve lieve that when the people are sufficiently pure and worthy ana and capable of wisely using the blessings of which I 1 have spoken the blessings of earth and heaven will be poured upon them in rich abundance we have a little foretaste of this in the blessings that we have received and adversary on enjoy oy today to day although the tower power of the adversary is very great and he e still seeks the overthrow and destruction truc tion of the cause and kingdom of god on the batth earth yet yei ot it is a |