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Show uvc (3s EDITORIAL PAGE 1 1 o f On Limiting Families nfvr present day leaders of the Church have teen wonderfully outspoken in teach-inthe people that marriage is sacred, and is for the rearing of good families within the faith Former presidents of the Church have likewise been forthright in their instruction on this point. President Brigham Young said : "THERE ARE MULTITUDES of pure and holy spirits waiting to take tabernacles Now what is our duty? To prepare tabernacles for them: to take a course that will not tend to drive those spirits into the families of the wicked, where they will be trained in wickedness, debauchery, and every species of crime It is the duty of every righteous man and woman to prepare tabernacles for all the spirits they can. . "To check the increase of our race has its advocates among the influential and powerful circles of society in our nation and in other nation The same practice existed 45 years ago, and various devices were used by married persons to prevent the expenses and responsibilities of a family of children, which they must have incurred had they suffered natures laws to rule preeminent. "THAT WHICH WAS practiced then in fear and against reproving conscience is now boldly trumpeted abroad as one of the best means of ameliorating the miseries and sorrows of humanity "The wife of the servant man is the mother of eight or ten healthy children, while the wife of the master is the mother of one or two poor, sickly children, devoid of vitality and constitution, and of daughters, unfit, in their turn, to be mothers, and the health and vitality which nature has denied them through the irregularities of their parents are not repaired in the least by their education (Disc, of B Y.) s . . . President Wilford Woodruff declared. "Another word of the Lord to me is that, is it the duty of these young men heie in the land cf Zion to take the daughters of Zion to wife, and prepare tabernacles for the spirits of men, which are the children of our Father in heaven. They are waiting for tabernacles, they are ordained to come here, and they ought to be born in the land of Zion instead of Babylon. On the same subject President Joseph F Smith said"WHILE MAN was yet immortal, before sin had entered the world, our Heavenly Father Himself performed the first marriage. He united our first parents in the bonds of holy matrimony and commanded them to be fruitful and to multiply and replenish the earth. This command hae never been changed, abrogated or annulled, but it has continued in force throughout all the generation of mankind uuvenile Instructor Vcl. 3?, p. 400, July 1 100? Joseph F. Smith "I regret, I think it is a crying evil, that there should exist a sentiment or a feeling among any members of the Church to curtail the birth of their children I think that is a crime wherever it occurs, where husband and wife are in possession of health and vigor and are free from impurities that would be entailed upon their posterity. - this- - "What doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him. and he receive not the gilt? Behold he rejoices not in that which is given unto him. neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift. (v. H3i APPLY THIS for example to the eon st ruction of temples which are provided at great expense, but which some Saints never enter 4 i "I BELIEVE that where people undertake to curtail or prevent the birth of their children that they are going to reap disappointment by and by "I have no hesitancy in saying that I believe that this is one of the greatest crimes of the world today, this evil practice. (Gospel Doctrine, pp. Saints expect any Can Latter-da- y clearer statement pertaining to this much debated question? Need any go astray? 278-279- .) What Doth It Profit? ONE OF THE GREAT revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants is Section 88. Many important truths arc told therein pertaining to the glories of eternity, the certainty of life after death, even the signs of the Ixvrds coming. But one of the most important of all is t a HISTORICAL VIGNETTES - x A Remembrance j health Apostle George Albert Smith had ill busy e c rv waking moment since he left Salt Lake City in Deeemixi 1S0 to lead a party of saints in the Sounding of Paruwan. Utah a literate, humane man, and took time from ile v, hi many duties to teach school in the evenings and to blithe! t is own edecation s he- - n j T d? A 3 Dnung the Jirst lew bus weeks he studied "natural finishes! Wdiards "Universal History," phdovojhv and read tests which might be useful in Mvutir' for iron ere in the vicinity. He spiced this piactieal diet with an occasional "romance" such as t n 1 G;r! of Pans " - not common, when planting a new colony, to take all of the families of the settlers at once, and Brother Smith's wife, Rathsheba, had remained for the time being in Salt Lake City . One blustery March night, while rummaging in his wagon for garden seed, the apostle came across on 1'iie It j Flown wa- 1 unevpectcxi Utter Rathsheba had hidden there before his departure, bundled together with a small sugar lout and a "bunch ol English currants " 1 he letter lead, in pait A present to my dear husband -- 3 d r When you und this you will be Perhaps tar far away from me And instead ef a sweet kiss 1 give it unto thee1 Rut I would give more for one kiss Thai, two such saga'- - loa.s as this for be assured it is true It comes from a kind heart to you it is a pres, nt unto me Think of it in terms of the priesthood which is conferred upon those who never honor it, and who slump into inactivity so far as the laird's program is concerned Consider it too with respect to our tree government, and persons who sock to overthrow it, or who never vote, or who are w illing to v iolate the law if it can be done m secret. PERSONS MHO do nt appreciate a divine giff certainly do not appreciate the Giver either, and vet from Him come all the blessings we enjoy, even the air we breathe It we continue in this neglect, we turn our backs upon the greatest gilt of all, which is eternal life. "He that hath eternal life is rich (D&C 11.7.1 f Now 3 5 1 .j I give it unto thee That e. piiort ;c.u may m this My great larim sit,ir ke s i ? v I Dec. 7th, that) I y uu jie iil well th eight j m per to enter the above m my journal." P't nt South vuote that mght, "tor surely I to, ia mbeT my lust love L. hope- - i "Dean X n j May. b. the Churcti Huorical Dewmwnl 4 16 - CHURCH WEEK ENDING MAY 24. 1975 4 i |
