Show THE TENDENCY OF tiff THE TIMES absorption in lathe the par suit of W aalt abuts out eat toe the spirit ol of the abe gompel bruor dowd I 1 have been reflecting UP on n the situation of things as a latter day ay saint it super induces in me a species of seriousness that doe snot add to my personal comfort I 1 see an increasing disposition among many of mv co religionists to tali fall down and worship the golden calf there is not much difference between a call calf and an eagle when each is composed ot the same kind of metal according to my philosophy which is as near as I 1 can get it harmonious with the gospel standard the mind of man is after the manner of a vessel or receptacle suppose you call it a tub to use a homely comparison it you fill that useful article with soap suds there is no room left for clear water if yon put any in you yon go beyond its capacity to hold or retain and some of the liquid is spilled and a mess is the result well if you fill a mans mind to the brim with business i 1 e the sold gold hunting fever pure religion undefiled dented un is crowded out oat it if you try to pump some ino info the mental receptacle trouble ensues philosophically then as the minds of ray my co religionists get et loaded up with toe the spirit of the world world the spirit of the gospel of christ is crowded out this is as plain as a pipestem you ask for the proof and it can be furnished just notice those who are carried away by the spirit of the times and you will observe that all of a sudden some come of them are so tired of a sunday morning that they are unable to take perhaps an accustomed class in the sunday school their spiritual memory is shortened so they cannot recollect when their quorums meet it if they have been officiating as teachers their districts are ne neglected and so one might go ao on enumerating odds and ends of that kind occasionally however some of them can find time to appear in a public capacity and tell how they love their religion as much as to say just look at me this bu sines has not demoralized me I 1 am streng in the faith I 1 dont say this is universal with the class referred to but it is prominent enough to be visible to the naked e ee je of the close observer should such parties attain what seems to be the leading object of their chase the result will be still more disastrous unless wealth does not have the usual effect upon the present pursuers of it it I 1 were asked for proof of this I 1 would request the ginterr interrogator to point out ont tome to me the actual indefatigable tig workers in tile the charca churca of christ who are the ones who are generally found plodding around the blocks jiing the saints aid exhorting them to be faithful true and vir vid who are tho the persons who assemble in quorums to teach each other the laws ot of the lord who are the seventies and elders who are traveling without purse and scrip footsore and weary weary bearing the contumely of the world and its carrying their lives in their hands dont all speak at once and say the rich and powerful in a worldly sense I 1 will ans answer mer by asking another question is it not the poor and the meek of the church as a rule Is it not those who in a gordly sense are the least able to do it but who in a gospel sense are the most able because of their wealth of faith I 1 might go further in my interrogations and ask how many wealthy and powerful have suffered a good many things for the go G sake within the memory of mau man what bothers me is the possibility of many men leaping into the regions oi of religious coolness should they suddenly vault into affluence tor for such is human tendency real keal workers in the church and for the church ean hardly be spared they are none too plentiful now those belonging to the class too full of their own business to attend to any other than dress parade religious duties are too numerous at present and a swelling of their numbers would be a misfortune misfortune or I 1 am of the signs of tae times no JUDGE |