| Show COURS E I 1 DELIVERED nd BY bt ELDER LORENZO bin atthe general gon pon Conference ference on alton ston doy adorning april ath 1879 W BY GEO fo F GIBBS and tand when abram was ninety yearn years old and nine the lord appeared to abram and said unto nim lihn f T am the almighty god walk before me and bo bc thou perfect in connection with this I 1 will quote quota parl of he the of the savier in his grmon sermon ohi on the mount as contained in the last verse of the ath chapter of matthew ba be ye t lo ie perfect even as your fachar which is in heaven is perfect in occupying a short time thle thie morning I 1 desire an interest in ili your faith and prayers we learn that the lord appeared to abraham and made him very great promises promises ro and that before he was way prepared to receive them a certain requirement was made of him that he should become perfect before the lord and the same requirement was made by the savior of his disciples that they should become perfect even as he and his father in heaven were perfect this I 1 conceive to be a it subject that concerns tho the latter day sainte and I 1 wish to offer a few remarks by way of suggestion for the reflection of those whom it concerns 1 4 the lord apropo ci to confer the highest bless biess blessings ingi upon the latter day saint but like abraham we must ourselves our oura elves delves for them and to do this the same law thal thai was given to him of the tha lord ha has been given to us for our observance wo we also are required to arrive at a state of perfection before the lord and the lord in this cas etho same AB as in every other has not made a requirement thal thac cannot be complied P I 1 ta w with ith but on the other hand I 1 ftfe 16 has placed for the use of the lat ter day maints the menns meana by which they c can ean a n conform to his holy order ahert the lord made this require S mant of abraham he gave gye him th fue B means by which he could become come qualified to obey that law and come ap up fully to the tho requirement ho had the privilege leae ot of tho the holy spirit as wo we are told tho the gospel was preached to abraham abrahami and ihal gospel he bb could obtain that aid idd which would enable to understand the things of gods god ana and without it no man could do so without it no man could arrive at state of perfection before the lord so in reference to the latter saints they could not possibly up to buch such a moral and standard except through supernatural aid and assistance neither wo we expect that tho lata Lat saints at once will or can conform to this law under all circumstances I 1 c requires time it requires much patience and discipline of the mind and heart in order to obey this commandment man dment and although we may fall fail at first in our attempts yet this should not discourage the latter day saints from endeavoring to exercise a determination to comply with the great requirement abra ham bam although ho he might have had faith to walk before the lord according to this divine lawyea there were wele times when his hla faith was sorely tried buc but still ho he was not discouraged because a he exer exercised cleed a determination to comply with the willOt God we may think that we cannot live up to the perfect law that the work of perfecting too difficult this may be true truo in part bub but the fact still remains that it is a command of the almighty to ua us and we wo cannot ignore foreit it when we experience trying moments then is the time fo for r asto us to avail ourselves of that great privilege of calling upon the lord tor for strength astren ath and understanding understand intelligence and grace bychich by which we can dan overcome the wea weakness kness kneEs of the flesh against which we have to make a continual warfare abraham was called to leave his kindred and country had he be not complied with this th re require quire menthe would not have bee been n approved ot of the lord but be he did comply and while he was leaving his home be hie no doubt was living in obedience to this divine law of perfection had he failed in this ho jia certainly could not have obeyed the requIre requirements ments menta odthe of the almighty ana while he wab was W as leaving his fathers house while he was subjecting himself to this trial triai he was doing that which his own conscience and the spirit of god justified him in doing and no body could have done better belter providing he be was doing no wrong when he was waa performing this lad bor when the latter day saints received tho the gospel in the nations aar afar and when the voice of uhe tho almighty to them was to leave the land landkof sot their fathers to leave their kindred kindled aa as abraham dideo did so faras they complied with this requirement qui rement so tar tat they were walking in obed ienco lenco to this lawand law and they were as perfect as men could be under the circumstances and in the sphere in which they were acting not that they were perfect in knowledge or power etc but in their feelings in their integrity motives and determination and anu while they were cross crosb crossing ipg ing the great deep providing they did not mur mur or complain but obeyed the councils which were given them and in every way comforted themselves in a becoming manner they were aa as perfect aa as god required them to be rhe fhe lord designs to bring na us up into the celestial king kingdom doms domo beha reba he has malle malie known through direct revelation that we are ate his begotten in the eternal worlds that ve we have c ome come to this earth for the purpose of preparing ourselves to receive a falness of our fathers fathera glory when we shall return into his presence therefore we must seek the ability to kee hee keep p this law to sanctify our moti yes es desires feelings and affections that they may be pure and holy and eur our ur will in all things be subservient to the will of god and have no will of our own except to do our father such a man in his sphere is perfect and commands com munds the blessing of god in all that he does tines and wherever he goes but we are subject to folly to the weakness of the flesh and we are more or less ignorant thereby liable to err ye yes but that is no reason why we should not feel deai deal desirous rous roub to comply with this command of god especially seeing that he has placed ed within our reach tho the in means babs of accomplishing this work this I 1 understand ia is thu the meaning of the word perfection as expressed by our saviour and by the lord to Abr abraham allana aliana A parson maybe may be perfect in in regard to some come things and not others A person who obeys the word of wisdom faithfully ia is perfect RS ns far as that law jaw is concerned when we repented of our allis and were baptized for the remission of them we were perfect as far as that matter was concerned now we are told by the apostle john that we are the sons of god but it does not appear what we shall be but hut bu we know that when he shall appear wo vre shall ba be like him for we shall sea seb him as he is and every man that hath this hope in him puna etli etil himself even asne ashe christ his pure the lat ted ter jy day saints eject correct to arri aril arrive at nt this state of perfection we expect to become as our father and god fit stand and worthy children to dwell in his hia presence we expect that when the son of god shall appear we shall receive our bodies renewed and glorified and that these vile bodies will be changed and become like unto his hia glorious body these are our expect expectations ite itT one now let lot all present put this question que stien atlen to themselves are our expectations well mounded founded in other words are we s to purify purity ourselves how can a blatter day saint feel justified in himself unless be he ia is seeking to purify himself even as god in Is pure unless be he is seeking to keep hib hia conscience void of orence before bod andrau and nan man every day of his life we doubtless many of us walk from day to day and from week to week and from month to month before god feeling under na no condemnation comporting com porting Dg our properly and seeking earnestly and in all meekness for the spirit of god to dictate our daily course and yet there may be a certain time or times in our life when we are greatly tried and perhaps overcome even aven if this thia be so that ia is no reason I 1 why we should not try again and that too with ie ledou doubled redoubled bied bled energy and determination to accomplish our object there was wag the tho apostle peter for instance a man valiant for the truth and a it man who walk ed before god I 1 in n a manner that met with hib his divine app approval roval ruval he told the savior on a certain occasion that hat though all men forsook him he would nou not but the savior forsee I 1 ing n what would happen told him zat gat that thai on that bame same night before the cock crowed he would deny him hi in thrice and he e did BO so he proved himself unequal or the trial but be and his file mind was disciplined to that extent that thai sueh such ch trials could no not t possibly ra eat him and i if 1 we could d read in detail the 1 ilfe life re of A avraham abraham or the lives of other the g great eat and ano holy men we would do doubtless u bt ji find f that their efforts to be righteous were not always crowned with success hence we ve should not be discouraged if we should be overcome me ina lna in a weak moment button the way repent of 0 the enen ener or ube tha wrong wilmay we may have committed and as far as possible repair jt it and then seek bogod to god lor for renewed strength to luand on and do better abraham could walk perfectly before god day after day when he life was leaving his hia fa father therla house and he showed ovi evidences dences denees of a superior and well disciplined mind in the course ho suggested when men quarrelled quarrel led with the herdsmen of his nephew lot there came a time in abrahams life however which must have been very trying in fact anything more severe can scarcely be conceived of that was called upon him to offer ai w a sacrifice his hia beloved and only bon son eken eden even hini him through whom be expected the fulfillment fulfilment ot the great promise made him by the lord but through manifesting a proper disposition be he was enabled to surmount surin burin the tf triai trial buria burla in and prove his faith and integrity to god it can hardly be supposed omed that abraham inherited such a aate of mind from his idolatrous parents but it is consistent to Ie believe lieve that under the blessing of god he be was en enabled abbed to acquire it after going through a similar warfare the sesh resh as we are and doubt doubtless less loss being overcome at times and then overcoming until he wad wag was wab enabled V to stand to fo severe a test testo let this thia same mind be in you says the apostle paul t which was also in christ jesus who baliag in the tho form of god thought it not noi robbery to be equal with god Y now every man thia that bab baa this thib object before benore him film willbur afy himself as god pod ia pi pure ire lre and anti try to walk walls perec liy lly before him Ws we havo have our little follies and our weaknesses we re should try to overcome them as faal fast as possible and abd we wa should acut aculeate NN feeling in the hearts of gur pur children aba the fear of god may grow up tip with them from their very youth and that they may learn to comport themselves properly before him under all circumstances if the husband can live with his wife ona day jay i without quarreling or without treating anyone unkindly or without grieving the spirit of god in any way thau thai ia Is well weli so far he la is io far perfect then let him try to tb be the same the next day bud but supposing fail fall in this hla his next dayd daya attempt that is no reason why ne no should not succeed in doing so 0 the third day if the aada apostle itie itle peter had become discouraged cou cour raged agid at his manifest failure to maintain the thib that thi t bb chobad brill I 1 aken laen to stand standby by the savior under all circumstances he would have lost all whereas by by repenting and pere persevering evering evening he 1085 lost jost nothing but gained all leaving us too teo to profit by his hia experience the latter day saints should cultivate this ambition constantly which was BO so clearly bet set forth by the apostles in former days daye we should try to walk each day eo so that our conscience would be void of offense offence before everybody and god has placed in the church certain talu talo meang by which we cai can L 60 ly apostles and prophets and hod Evangel evangelists late etc for tue the lag ing of the saints etc ete etc and he has also conferred upon us hm bir holy spirit which Is an unerring guide guido idel standing as an angel of god at atour atoun our oun side telling us what to do and ar affording for dino us strength and when adverse circumstances adee in our way we must not allow ourselves to be discouraged whenever we dle die discover cover coven our weakness we can scarcely find an instance in ail all the glorious examples getus by the prophets ancient or in they permitted hu the avii evil one to discourage thern them butori the other hand they constan constantly N to over cometo comoto win wih met the adz anza pr prepare e themselves for tot a falness of glory the elijah eiljah suc buc succeeded he hei ed walked before god that he was worthy to td bo bd translated and enoch was waa plind found worthy to walk with Goa odd some soma years year and was wash at last with isi nis peaple taken up to heaten heaven we weare are aie toia tola the iatter latter days thero there shall bhail beno bedo be no more thence then coan conn infant of bays nor andl angl an old oid d man that hath kio tio not t filled his hia days to for t eho the fie child F shail chall aie die die ale an hundred years old and in au atz other ser atule we arb are told that bat the age of we the infant bhai shallie sh allbe libb as the age of a tree and that it bhail ahall not die until it shall be old and then it shall not slumber la the dusti but bui be changed in the twinkling g bisla bf an eye eje bat in those days peo doo people pie most live perfectly before the lord for foi weare we bre are told in the same passage that the ahe sinner instead vt of being so favored 41 being an hundred years jears oid old shall ba accursed V when we once get it into our minds that we really have thet power powen po wen within ours outs elvea the go goepel pe I 1 we va have received to conquer bur our passions our appetites end in all things submit ean ear will to tor the wili will of bur bar Hei heavenly venly father and instead of being the beani means of gener i unpleasing feeling in our family circle circie and those with whom wd ate but assisting to create a little liitle heaven beaven upon ohe earth then the battle maybe waybe bald baid to be halo balf halthon won one oneff of the chief difficulties thai that many suffer from is that we are too adb adt to forget get the great object of life the motive of our heavenly father in send sending bending lnig us hereto put on mortality as ag well as the holy calling with which wo we have been callad and hence instead of rising above tila ilia little trans transitory doryth things ings ingo of tinie we too oten ofte allow Dallow ourselves to come down to the level of the world without availing ours oure ourselves elyes of thet the divine help which god has instituted i which alono can enable us to overcome them we are no better than the krestof rest of the world if we wb do not cultivate the neeling feeling to be perfect fe ct even as our fat Pat herin berin heaven is pe perfect this was the exhortation ot of the savior to the former day faints who were people of |
