| Show 4 DISCOURSE BY PREST jihn JOM delivered in the tabernacle sunday afternoon june 10 1878 reported DY ry GEO P F ClID GIBBS AS lim hai been remarked by one of the speakers a great deal might be said upon the principles ples plea of the gospel ol 01 the son of god goil tho the heavens and the earth are full of intelli intelligence genee gende and god rules over and directs the affairs of nations as well as those of individuals and people and whatever may be our pecullar peculiar notions or ideas of other men and their professions fes fee sessions the time will come and is not far distant when the secrets ol 01 all helita wiil yo sl kai hui i when all of us latter day saints and others jews and gentiles peoples who now live those that shall live and those who have lived wll ull be judged not according to thal thai peg pecullar pe uliar euliar theories ideas idem or notions but according to the principles 0 eternal truth as it exists in the bo 0 pom com of god or ia is manifested by hi bi eternal laws he has from timela time to time tirl revealed his will to mankind irid and he haslid has iu these last days rev revealed baled the human family and the mento mento whom he lie has revealed himself iu iti the different ages comprehend a all the principles of truth and the laws of god alik auk als all so far as they understood by them having beeri beet taught by t the he same lord and rind in rn strutted ted from the same t source and had bad intelligence from the bann sann fountain they have comprehended according to the positions which they have occupied and so far as rev revealed led unto them alike whether they were things pertaining to the living or the dead or to the var various lous ioui kingdoms that exist in the eternal worlds terr terrestrial eArIal or cele eele aa as the case casa might bf be and as i 1 may bave been revealed unto them I 1 but no man in any anlage age of the world has understood aDyth anything ilig 1119 pertaining to god and godliness only as it has abeen been revealed him by the lord for what man the things ofa ota of a man save by the spirit of wm a man n which ia Is fri him even so the things of god no man manlut iut but Tut by the spirit ot of god and hence it Is impossible under certain circumstances jor for mankind to judge correctly of these principles for although the lord juas given unto every man a portion of his spirit to profit withal no matter who he may be or what clime lie be may live in yet at the rame hame tinie time if ho hb does not improve this manifestation manUe station of the spirit of god and cultivate principles it would be impossible for him xo zo comprehend the things of god jesu when upon the tho earth said bep mep my sheep hear my voice and know me and follow fellow me but a stranger will they not follow for they know not the yolee voice of a stranger bt ranger it may appear singular and it apes q to the minds of many when they t reflect c t upon the tha various dispensa tion god to raan 1 a pa tho the pa ord w hitt that the barjou of tho the J in the different ages tf time all men have know mureon jerij let lei and feel a rever efine fur the divine being which is in various torme forme of but F R e mie die are few mel men comparatively who have under stood cor correctly the relationship that exists between god and man such li has hag a 9 bee been n the power oj of the adversary and mad so pro uro profound has been the dar darkness knes of the human mind and BO so great the disparity between god and his hib creatures hero bege upon the C earth anthi that the light effulgence glory and intelligence Intelli genee genbe that exists with him and with flause by whom he hi is surrounded hus bus been little understood by man upon the earth grovelling gro velling inthe in the midst ot or dar darkness wea knees knetS and hd imperfections i com batting I 1 with evil eill and with the thia powers of the aver adversary imry imly it seems almost impossible for nian man to foster and maintain these thebe W high b a aspirations spi rations and feelings which tat iab gospe lalone nione can efin inspire man in fri his true posit position loh before god his anticipations and hopes fo to ascend to tb thase high 0 1 magnificent and glorious prin principles ciplis that exist in ift tile the bosom of gody gods god and in the of those with whom he Is surrounded nothing but and revelation nothing save the manifestations of the spirit of god nothing but communication muni catlon cation from him hita can br bring n 9 man relationship with him ii it is impossible and hence the theolia wild notions erratic views and peculiar feelings that prevail among men yes see among the wisest of men amoni among statesmen and kings and emperors and potentates and 9 governors av and rulers as well as among divines priests and people an anu nuu u how bow howl different the how widely apart are the religious be liefso s forms of worship and ardi na narces of all of them what peculiar pecullar dar darkness knes ia Is manifested in relation tp these things in corm corn parison to many other things with which we are acquainted when we talk about practical matters of fact the raws jaws aws of nature and of matter the motions of this and other planets or when we reflect upon the various organizations of matter and of man and of the ihfe brute creation we wb kee gee and comprehend in part concern concerning Dg the by which they are governed and although we may speak in different aa ka lu WE W arrive in a great measure at the tha same conclusions in regard to most of these prominent fact fads we a gree agree in regard to the ab matters mattero but when we come to jesus and god we e are altogether what is the mattei mattel wu vo do not compre the law we have not bleis taught by the same came rules the principles of instruction are liot pot within our reach we wander in the dark ami act and ignorantly in Te relation lation thesa these ni matters aLters but if wa we were taught in ja tha there e schoos schools as wb are taught in ju the schools of science clence and art and literature we could comprehend things alike i and not until wa we hae a teacher not until we have those who are competent to teach leach who un under der stand the laws of life and the principles of bal Lal salvation can we oo 00 mat ter what our intelligence ot otherwise may be until then we shall have to 10 grope in the dark give in the dark and when we leave this world we must according tb the saying baying of an eminent philosopher tabe take taby a leap in ifa the dark we vve comprehend nothing of our origin of the beat beet object of our existence or of our oui destiny neither can we comprehend it unless god reveals it he has as before in different ages ot of time mupi manifested rested hi will to certain 1 individuals and be ife buk bus sent them forth to make wake known his will to the human family and they declare certain simpie simple in themselves yet emanating from god which are calculated to e lighten enlighten ti to impart intelligence to bring him into relationship with the almighty to give him a knowledge of god of the savior of his own being and the object of god in creating the earth and man upon unon iland it and also of the de destiny stilly of the earth the world in inc which we live and all its inhabitants thesa things however are almost too simple for the human mind mystified and befogged by false and notions they are almott almost too simple for them to bow down unto what is it jesus jesua said to b isAi sciples in irr former times go S ja a into all the world and preach preach the gospel to every creature he that believeth beli beh eveth and Is baptized shall be saved gaved but he be that bel bei loveth tb not shall ghali be 6 damned 1 he gave unto power to lay their ther hands UP dpn 1 hai bel believers levois glad impart fo thew them tho holy ghost which placed them in with god and whose falth faith as deuro wit with hin the veil whither christ their ture oure runner hail had gone and arid still the words that these ened ined men preached as cezus himself expresses it in referring to the same thing werd were not his own but the father that dwelt in him be did the works and we are to told id that when those ancient men of god preached their words went wend wen with power and with much as assurance urance and the spirit of god and with the tho holy ghost to the convincing of those who desfred desired to know the truth and be go governed verried thereby what was tho result thia confusion heretofore existing among them departed they were no longer split up into sects and parties but they had one lord one faith one oue baptism and one god the father of whom adeall are all ali things precisely fhe tho bame game arwe as we haye in all the works of nature in all organized matter there are certain eternal erab a aulee anfee alil kill j law aby which it la is governed anu no chemist or philosopher can change these thebe laws they are eternal inexorable and always produce the ther bame same result s ye wc think these things correct upon natural principles why not in regard to these higher principles w god has revealed to the human fht fat family ully we read of men in former times who baid laid they gazed upon the lord they saw him and his train filled the temple but mays tays one 1 I do not believe it who cares whether you do or not that does doe s not invalidate the fact fam your ignorance in regard to these matters mattery does doea not affect in the leaa lead the great truths of god and unless you yourE yourselves elves have had bad homb comb te level atlon to show you that this statement is incorrect it ia Is foolishness in any man t to 0 dispute llie tile ghesu 0 principles thuei thua communicate communicated 4 wt W underhand these thin thins things s hav having obeyed the law what do you understand der stand what does man know nothing only some bome few principles pert aWing to the laws lawa of nature vvhs organized these jabb that very being whom we affect to de apine iwho organized the uni who W ho makes this planet and ano uther uthen planets revolve in va their several orb orn orbits its and by what influence and und power are they governed by a rower jower power far greater laan we know i 4 doyi y I amai can wearn w eq where jd here there a philosopher that thai can organize a blade of grass or a I 1 grain ot or sand producing me mate ial lal to make it from you cannot nind find them the great creator Cre who governs and regulates these and oth oiher systems has given a law to man telling him how to approach him bim aud and sto showing him the means whereby he tie cau can obtain intelligence from 0 ulm nim am and ho he is able to carry out that law jaw for jor ha he comprehends llo ito it and what is it why repent Be pent peni and bei be baptized every one of you in fia the namo of jesus christ for the thy i emission of sins ana ye shallie shall te the holy ghost and what shall that db for you it hait bull take of the things of gud gd antu anty I 1 bhoj thum them unto you but you would learn it in some other way would you you cannot do IL 11 that thau way god has a appointed anu arid man may exert esert all his jullien influences aud bring into all bus bos talents antl and powers out hei nev 1 er or can emu obtain it oni only Y in the way god has hus appointed I 1 have havir a watch the man who made madd it mils tell iberia ma if I 1 would keep it going 1 I 1 1 ujust wind it up every day djay eui bui I 1 silo bilo should uld want it to go in ime other way would it go no noe should I 1 blame the maker theu certainly not in tact fact you might uuno euno ui nider ider me a fool for nol nut eat cat candying lyme out the makers instructions and anu when god points oata out a path whereby we can obtain a knowledge p pt nim him and of his las laws that thai is the way to receive it if we receive it at ail all the laws of matterand matter matler and of mechanism are aro and BO 30 alo aio the laws pertaining to lifee life and aiau also the medium of communication betwee nGod and man and hence elui paul after speaking some time to a congregation that he was waa addressing said the words that we speak unto you wo we speak by tho power of god godana auf nui by the holy ghost and with much assurance and then in speaking of these things he saysie say says sye ye are my bitne witnesses ses who those who rece received ivd his word word and obeyed it you are my witnesses as altoja the holy HWY ghost that bears witness LOf us lie he had the living watne witness S within him and they among themselves had bad this evidence and john in f ep peaking caking to lunt tort of his hia disciples paid autye but a 4 aye ave no RD from flom tho holy on and ye yo know all things ye yo need not tha vady tauy taDy man teach you buhbe but the same suo sno inting tea cheth you all things and is truth and ii is no najle lie ife and in speak speaking irig to the people paul said which bo hope pe we have ns as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which en bereth into that within the veil whither the foTe forerunner runner is for us entered this thia latter day saints is your privilege you have embraced the same gospel you have been baptized into the same fiame baptism have partaker partaken par taken lahea of the same hope and are in possession of the samer same spirit do not allow your feelings to be overturned do not give thib the follies and delusions of men nor to the powers of darkness bul but but maintain your integrity before god iu in all fidelity and live your religion keeping the commandments of god and your faith will be as the faith of the just that shines bright er and brighter until the perfect day god blees you sod and lead you in the path of life in the name of jesus jesue amen |
