Show THE TIMES PROBABLY at no DO time in the history of the church have the latter day sat saints ants been placed in a situation so 80 complicated as now they I 1 hey are beset on every band with temptations to depart from the spirit of the gospel the times are therefore in that regard perilous but the righteous will stand in hot holy y places and not be moved he who keeps in accord with the spirit of truth stands in a holy place he who gradually extinguishes the light of that influence which should be his bis direce director tor is moved about by every sensational 1 an pas passing saing breeze blat blows blow baere are no times so smooth that the people are not placed in a position to elect between a course of action contrary to or in accord with correct principle just now however circumstances of great tu are being thrust in front of them thein and decisions involving apparent personal sacrifice or advantage have to be made up and operated on in nearly near lyall flicki ate steps p 8 ahat are taken these two conflicting ag constituents are presented the in individual di is therefore left to decide tit the e question from that standpoint la ig the contemplation of the advisability of any course of action the elements to be considered are 1 will this contribute to my immediate wealth power com coin ort and convenience 2 will it contribute to the general welfare is it just is it consistent it if toe latter be then a step in harmony harmocy with an affirmative in favor of f the former must be wron in principle and he who takes it imagines he is eating bread when he 1 simply aws swallowing 1 stones lie he acts purely and simply in a accordance with the spirit of ae a W burld ald and in opposition to the spirit of tue gospel W anen nen a man is confronted by a temptation to take a step involving a qu stion of justice or rightfulness iu it will be bd prof liable for him to consider before acting if he be be tempted to depart from toe straight line of correct principle what tho the moral proprietary and spiritual status of the entire community would be providing every member of it were to act similarly if tie be is honest enough with himself to admit that it would be at a low ebb then so far as laid his action to is concerned the en entire tire community is placed it at t a disadvantage and has become demoralized zed it is difficult to understand s how any intelligent person can escape being forced to admit that this is true philosophy phi if this is sound the In individual dividu L in order to bring to a merely a apparent parent but really transitory and illus illusive tva advantage perpetrates peL pe rates a wrong upon the community of which he be is a member and to that stent is its enemy nor does the evil it it be one cease with his individual action as he vitiates popular morality ap eakins I 1 of morality in its it broad sene aen e by banis his example he is imitated by others and tans he be begets in kis his fel fellows fellowes lowis his own likeness there are some who go so BO far in their worship of mammon in preference to a strict allegiance to the god of justice and truth that they are not slow to place more scrupulous members of the community among the foolish in this they are right from one standpoint the itie worldly que but from the hespel point ot of view that esteem edly foo liali clubs ar aru who will be tue lat la of caff hig too the wisdom ot of the wise to ana aaa ahe lug hig of tae liae prudent to lu oe do old hid that wil be when a luan with a will be held at a premium and hot but to some konie extent at a dacou lt lit 1 li may be said ut a person ananis man is not ot jauch account tie he cac in not bot make money H he e has no DO ability la in that hue lue 11 does doea it ever occur to those who are thus disposed to tender re preau on tuat tuat if some of those thus rv turied to 10 were to lu adopt anany mau ot ct the lu ethoda thai appear to be particularly popular at t this his a tage stage of affairs they would have bare no difficulty in making the highly ancial flu accumulation it ie would require so ao tar lar as to some ot of the processes preces sea a meagre amount of ability and an infinite quantity of conscience by conscience we wean luean the spirit of prompts men to act upon last and correct principles rather than to have a single and selfish eye to their own personal perso oai advantage this the philosophy ot of the gospel tea teaches blies th thai the results of worldly pursuits par suits perish they do not sustain toe the pur beyond the aage of tou grave not so with alth the support given to those who abide by correct principle the effects of conformity to truth go beyond the tomb and sustain thia the pos seasor of it and actor upon at dequire ments in eternity otherwise there would be no jus justice tico sat but that principle is eternal not only is its duration endless but its claims are equally perpetual it t is intelligently self acting and claims lu its own therefore oe to escape the rebound u of justice la in time or eternity when its conditions are impinged is an impossibility impassibility it is ia in an infallible cause tout that produces produced so unerring and unchangeable unc effect toe the voice of revelation through joseph the seer has proc proclaimed lamed this truth all truth is in independent in that sphere in god bas it to ad act for itself as all intelligence also alao wise there is no existence exie tence also justice its course alad ca IL imet h I 1 its ts 0 awu wa let every intelligent lint look around him and see whether there ever was a time when opportunities were more striking or plentiful tor for each member to manifest the particular spirit that animates him aim it II light and truth even the spirit of troth illumine his soul he will not be to la doubt a to the course he be should pursue because he be will seek to act upon the principle princile involved in every step he will not endeavor by a line of b eaphis try to excuse himself for sc line iliac 0 of action doubtful in the lioe line of ness if this be his course the truth will increase la ia him and the spirit 8 p irit of truth will abed anch aig lit upon his bis mind that he will comprehend the situation whether it involves an understanding of the past present or future or all combined for such ir if the office of the spirit of light whick edeth from him who upon the throne every act which accords with that in influence increases its quantity in the mind of the person taking that course every step of a contrary character diminishes it until the individual Is devoid of the likht and is unable to grasp the truth of a matter when it to is presented to him then i Is the revelation fulfilled f which says the haat chineth in darkness and the darkness comprehend eth it not 11 and every man whose spirit recel veth not the light Is under condemnation 11 |