| Show litigious sunday services religious services were held in the tabernacle salt lake city sunday april 21 1889 commena 1 ing at 2 pm president angus M cannon presiding the choir and congregation sang may we who know the joyful sound still practice what we know prayer by elder E B tripp the choir sang ye te children of our god ye saints of latter days the priesthood of the eighth ward officiated in the administration of the sacrament ELDER WILLIAM SPRY was called upon to address the congregation gre gation he said the latter day dav saints gather together sabbath after sabbath for the purpose of being strengthened in their faith in order that they might be placed in a position 0 si to serve god more faithfully faithful faithfully py in the future than in the past t hence those who might be called ed upon to address the saints m must A needs be in possession of that spirit which unto all truth so that they may say something to accomplish the desired object I 1 have no desire this afternoon to state anything that is not in accordance cor dance with the principles of the gospel the plan to life and salvation I 1 reaf realize fize what the apostle paul said when speaking a kin to t 0 the saints Sain tsin in one of xa his epistles that though we or an angel from rom heaven preach reach any other gospel unto you than rhan that which you have received let him be accursed the principles of the gospel as repeated by the apostle paul are believed in and practiced m by the latter day saints cc the elders of israel are sent abroad among the inhabitants of the earth to proclaim m these principles to teach the gospel of glad tidings to the children or of men to bring mankind to a knowledge of god and the requirement which he makes ofus of us as his children they have in mind the assertion of the A apostle pose e paul and guard against deac teaching hing anything that is not in keeping keepin with the gospel as he taught taug h t it and aug as the former day saints received it on many occasions we find him dwelling particularly 1 upon the necessity of aki the e people exercising faith in the almighty in the promises promises teem which he had made to them on condition of their faithfulness or obedience to the laws of the gospel we are given to understand that without this faith it is impossible to please god for he be that cometh to him must believe that he is and that he is a of all those who diligently seek him we find in the alth chapter of hebrews Hebrew sa a definition of this faith fr for which paul contended he gives ves us to u understand e n that faith is the he substance of things hoped for the evidence of things sot not seen the power of faith then embraces anything and everything that we have around us that through it our heavenly father was enabled to call together the elements and form this earth upon which we live move and have our being he speaks of what has been accomplished before time by this principle of the faith of the strength that thai was to be given to those who sought to cultivate that principle and cherish it in their everyday life having pointed out the result of exercising faith in god and the blessed promise that he has made to those who would serve him the speaker read from the eleventh chapter of hebrews verses 82 32 to 35 and remarked these axe are the words of the apostle paul and as an elder of israel as a latter day saint these are the principles which I 1 desire to present before you in order that your faith may be strengthened and that your determination may be increased to henceforth serve god more diligently we gather together to hear the word of god expounded to hear something that may be for our benefit if indeed we had no desire to be benefited or strengthened it is fair to presume that we should this afternoon have remained away but as the latter day saints desire to grow and increase in the knowledge of the gospel and the requirements made of them they assemble together from time to time to listen to toche the words of those who are called upon to address them thus in their ton er gathering they are strengthened and edified and their determination mi nation is increased to continue in that straight and narrow path in which they have been placed so that bhat they may eventually return into the presence of their father in heaven when our savior was upon the earth as is recorded in the new testament he sent abroad to its inhabitants apostles giving them a charge to preach the gospel to every nation kindred tongue and people he authorized them to make the promise to those with whom the they came in contact that all who wouly would believe and be baptized should be saved while they who believed not would be damned certain signs were to follow those who believed in his name they I 1 should cast out devils they should s speak ak with new tongues they age should take up serpents and if they drank any deadly thing it should not hurt them these apostles were to lay hands on the sick and they should recover the principle of repentance was also associated with the gospel taught by paul and it is believed in by the latter day saints in his epistle to the ephesians the same apostle dwells upon the matter at some length explaining the necessity for putting away that which to is contrary to the gospel which he taught the people there are many things that I 1 might dwell upon in connection with this same principle did time permit dermit which we as latter day saints would do well to think of many things to which we are am addicted that are contrary to the gospel of jesus christ we have not attal attained ned to a full state of perfection I 1 the gospel has not been upon the earth for more than about sixty years I 1 can readily understand that many of our veterans veteran fi living today were trained in their childhood in the sectarian bellef belief that it will take time for them to eradicate from their minds the impressions made upon them in their youth and considering si the fact that the gospel has been upon the earth for so short a space of time the latter day saints are indeed the best the most favored and blessed people upon the face of the earth today what t has placed laced them in that happy IF position 0 nothing else than the G gospel of christ the principles that are taught them by the prophets of god the spirit which is granted unto them atthe at the time they themselves bow in obedience to the law of god go down into the waters of baptism and receive a remission of their sins thereby becoming fit subjects for the rece reception on of the holy ghost we are not of course a perfect people we make no such pro profession but we believe that the goza gospel which ch we have embraced is per perfect ee bet in every detail that it is of god that it was instituted from before th the foundations of the world and that if we live in accordance therewith and seek earnestly to know the will of god and do it we shall in time become perfect tt it is necessary for us to listen to the counsels which we receive from those whose right it is to advise and to obey them in that which pertains to ourselves many of the saints are often heard to testify as to their condition before the gospel found them that their minds were darkened that they were benighted and laboring under error but that when the true gospel reached them when the voices of the servants of god were raised in their midst when the plan of life and sa salvation was unfolded to them in all its plainness uness how they were led under er the enlightening influences of the spirit of god to know that these men who traveled among them notwithstanding that they are looked upon by the majority or of the people at large as impostors po as men who are seek seeking liag to destroy the influences of home anti ami country are the honest in heart the blood of israel the chosen people peole le of our father and they are led to know and accept them as the servants of god sent into their midst to proclaim the gospel of glad tidings I 1 desire to testify to you this afternoon that this is the gospel of f jesus christ this is the power of god unto salvation I 1 did not receive that testimony frona from man but through the influences fluen ces of the holy spirit and they who scoff at it and scorn the servants of god will most amu assuredly bring abrl in condemnation upon their own heals heads I 1 pray that the blessings of god may rest upon you that the enlightening influence of als his spirit may be with you that your knowledge and understanding of the gospel may be increased and that you may seek more diligently and faithfully to serve god in the future than in ahe the past the choir sang the anthem 0 give Tha thackis akis 11 benediction by patriarch john smith |
