Show persecutions EFFECTS it may very safely be set down by the latter day saints as a fact that if their present and prospective afflictions were not necessary for their development and the progress of the work they are engaged in it would not be necessary for them to endure them their severity is in some measure commensurate with the extent to which they have failed to fulfil fulfill the obligations which have been upon them divinely enjoined and the degree to which they have failed to grasp the nature of the kingdom of the father obedience purification and ad van cement in understanding are evidently the objective points sought to be established through the medium of persecution and other methods by the heavens those are however the antipodes of the alms aims of those who are the instruments of the inflictions inflections inflict ions hence their condemnation the purpose of all these things is so far as divine providence is concerned beneficent to the extent they relate to the victims it should not be a subject for wonder that those who are unable to look at the situation through the eye of faith should falter and fall it takes a greater power than the natural foresight of man to see a glorious outcome beyond the present gloom it can only be discerned spiritually through faith the purification of the people be ing an object for the attainment of which trials are permitted a con summation which will hlll cause a separation of the unfaithful from those who stand firm in their integrity for the truth may be reasonably anticipated it is not unsafe to look for them to e lome come ultimately in the nature of a crisis in which each will be required to stand on sharply defined ground upon which a clear cut line will be drawn if this hypothesis is correct the divine object in graduating the afflictions of the saints is made markedly apparent crises which fall upon the people without previous preparation are natural creators of panics caus causing a 9 good and well meaning people to be thrown off their balance when people go forward ste step p by step faith and comprehension increasing with experience they are educated in a stern but effective school which enables them to maintain a continuous stand for god liberty and truth those who falter and fall before the advanced stage of the process is reached may not be expected to take takes a proper position further farther along in the controversy for as the lowering clouds thicken the Indu inducements inducement cemen to to do otherwise proportionately increase what is required of the saints is to place themselves as nearly as possible in every thought and act in harmony with the truth which is the word of god that they may have the spirit of truth h who is capable of conducting them into the presence of the father it is also always necessary to consider present or earthly consequences ances as I 1 infinities infinites afi gimaj when compared with those that are eternal in relation to the sause muse and object of trials and afflictions a quotation from a revelation given through joseph the seer at kirtland december 1833 has a present profitable application it begins on page of the book of doctrine and Cov covenants evants verily I 1 say unto you concerning your brethren who have been afflicted and persecuted and cast out of the land of their inheritance I 1 the lord have suffered ered the affliction to come upon them wherewith they have been afflicted in consequence of their transgressions yet I 1 will own them and they shall be mine in the day when I 1 shall come to make up my jewels therefore they must needs be chas bened and tried even as abraham who was commanded to offer up his hia only son for all those who will not endure chastening cha but deny me cannot be sanctified r behold I 1 say unto you there were earrings Jar rings and conten contentions Lions and envy ings inga and strafes fes and lustful and covetous desires among them therefore by these things they polluted their inheritances heri they were slow to hearken unto the voice of the lord their god therefore the lord their god is slow to hearken unto their prayers to answer them to the day of their Cro rouble uble in the day of their peace they W 6 teemed lightly my counsel but ant in abe day of their trouble of necessity thoy they feel after me verily I 1 say unto ing their sins my bowels are billea with compassion towards them I 1 will not utterly cast baat them off and in tn day of wrath I 1 will remember memy I 1 have sworn and the decree hath z gone forth by a former command commandment ak which I 1 have given unto you that I 1 would leu lei fall the sword of mine indig nation in the behalf of my people and even as I 1 have said it shall come to palm |