Show GENERAL AND SPECIAL inspiration WE GIVE space today to another communication from mr charles ellis ellia on the subject of freethinkers infidels and agnostics however it contains nothing that we care to cowmen upon u pon except this sentence if I 1 were to may aay that in n my opinion a church person erson outside of your church may t hold old communion with what I 1 consider to be god and receive revelations from that source you would probably differ and on that point we would agree to differ until we obtained more light we do not know on what basis the gentleman builds his notion that we h dispute ahe the possibility of re velsi 1 from god to persons persona out side of the church ht has not found it in an any y of our utterances nor in the authorized doctrines and standards of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints but his is a common error it is frequently represented in print that the mormon priesthood claim the sole prerogative of communion with deity and that no one but they are privileged to receive divine revelations the truth is Morn mormonism teaches that communion with god is the natu ral privilege of all humanity and that cue the natural man is at enmity with god imply because natural laves laws have been violated and mankind have by that means come into an unnatural state it teaches that the of life 41 13 the spirit of revelation that it to is the true light that ligh teth every man that cometh into the world that the spirit in man receives intelligence from that spirit that sages philosophers statesmen poets artists inventors and all who conceive and bring forth thoughts plans or appliances which are for the benefit of man receive their good inspirations from the same sam e source the fountain of light truth and love so bo that believing in what is commonly called mormonism we do not differ with mr ellis or with any man who believes in god in the idea that men outside the church as well C as inside the church may hold communion munion with deity and receive re ve vela tiona latious from that source that inexhaustible source is open to 7 all evidences of the manifestations of divine light and power are seen in all the world among every race all the creeds of men coia contain tain some truths that have emanated from that one oae source men who have repudiated creeds but who have exercised their natural yet god given powers of mind and spirit have also drunk of the stream that flows ever from the eternal spring to their own joy and the pleasure of others who have haab heard beard or read their inspired ef fusions inspiration to is around us and the spiritual light divine la as free as the light of the sun BUD but as some people avoid or exclude the latter so others 4 feruse or ignore the former and there are differences of both receptive and diffusive power in spiritual things As the cultivation of the physical man renders him capable in the he direction specially sought so BO it I 1 is s with the spiritual faculties to excel in the acquisition of spiritual influence and inform stion special efforts have to be made and nd peculiar spiritual adaptability exists in some individuals as natural adaptability for particular lines of thought or physical work is found in others men are not to be condemned simply for their lack of faith or of other spiritual qualities unless that lack is occasioned by their own acts in refusing to ex belse the powers with which they are endowed but as a man loses loom by indolence in natural things so 80 he does in spiritual things and the loss lose is proportionate to the importance of the faculties unused and the opportunities neglected A there is a natural lal inspiration which is open to all persons of every tribe and tongue but there are varieties inwardly as there are outwardly and the gifts of god are distributed accordingly and there to is a special inspiration that to is given to those who are specially prepared for it by the faith and ordinances of the gospel in that also there are differences of administration according to adoptability adaptability and nece necessity fielty this special or additional inspiration Is fe ordinarily enjoyed only in the church because the preparation to receive it comprehends the introductory ordinances of the church then there are revelations for the government of the church as a whole they can come only through the head of the church who is ia appointed to receive them because if everybody could receive them for the church disorder ais order and confusion would arise and there would be no end of controversy versy when through misconception or evil design erroneous doctrine or unwise counsel was introduced one appointed revelator to the church as ag an organized body with the spirit of truth to bear record to each of the faithful members preserves order and makes a sure standard but there is revelation for every member of the church in his or her ju individual capacity according to the raith faith and works and needs of the recipient and in a different degree and within certain limits there are intuition iov inspiration revelation for every soul throughout the universe and the end and purpose of it all is the overcoming of error the diffusion of light and truth and the progress and exaltation of the sons and daughters of the eternal father |