| Show persecution AS AN educational FACTOR IT may safely be set down by the lat erday er day saints as a f et ct that if thel present band and prospective afflictions were not necessary for their development and the progress of the work they are engaged iu in they would not have to endure them their severity will be commensurate with the extent to which they have failed to 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 advancement 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 aims of those who area alethe the instruments of the inflections inflictions inflict ions hence their coni dem nation the ultimatum of all these things so BO as is concerned beneficent so far as 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 spir it baily through faith naturally speaking the people are encompassed about on every side by insurmountable barriers A noble struggle is being made and this is roper proper for the saints cannot be justified in submitting tamely without an effort in favor ot 01 right to wrongs whose parallel can only be found in the history of the dark ages when w hen people were trodden under the feet of tyrants for opinion and conscience sake in inmost most instances however during daring the present crusade efforts to stern stem the flood of oppression have been like straws thrown into the stream of popular fury and have been carried docu with the current how then can a faithless mancho man who for some reason is unable to anticipate ultimate divine interposition weather the present and impending storm the purification of the people being an object for the attainment of which trials are permitted a consummation which will cause a separation of the unfaithful from those who stand firm in their integrity for the truth Y be it is aj unsafe to look for it to come in t afe f of a crisis in which each will oe e required to stand staid on sharply defined ground upon which a clear cut line will be drawn if this be correct the divine object in graduating the abille afflictions ot of the saints is made markedly apparent crises which fall upon the people without previous preparation are natural creators of panics in case of a sudden and culmination of the present controversy man many good and well meaning people would would be liable to be thrown off their balance and in the consequent flurry they they might elect to stand upon disastrous ground when people go forward step by step faith and comprehension increasing with bitter experience I 1 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 a proper position further along in the controversy for as the lowering clouds thicken tue the inducements to do otherwise proportionately tiona tely increase it may be imagined that the separating process is in in progress now but this is true in a merely limited sense its operations being necessarily iati internal the various elements still remaining to a large extent within the body it is therefore reasonable to hold that the present phase of things constitutes very largely a mere preparation for division what is required of the saints is to place themselves as near as possible in every thought and act in harmony with the truth which is the word of god that they may imay have the spirit of truth who is capable of conducting them into the presence of the father it is also always necessary to consider present or earthly consequences as in finites when compared with those which are eternal in relation to the cause and object 6 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 covenants verily venly I 1 say eay unto you yon concerning your brethren who have been afflicted and persecuted and cast out from the land of ater their air inheritance 1 I the lord have suffered the affliction to come upon on them wherewith they have been afflicted in consequence of their transgressions gres greg Y yet et I 1 will WAI own them and they shall be mine in the day when I 1 shall come to make ui up my iny je jewels w els therefore they must needs be chastened chasteney chast ened and tried even as abraham who was com funded to offer up his only son for all those who will not endure chast enin ening but deny me cannot be sanctified behold f old I 1 say unto you there were jar rings and contentions and envy ings and st rites fes and lustful and covetous desires among them therefore by these things they polluted their inheritances 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 in the day of their trouble in the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel but in the day of their trouble or of necessity they feel after roe me verily I 1 say aay unto you notwithstanding their sins my bowels are filled with compassion towards baem I 1 will not dot atte utterly I 1 cast them off and in we day of wrath I 1 wl will T remember mercy I 1 have sworn and the decree hath gone forth by a former commandment which I 1 have given unto you that I 1 would let lettell jall tall ache he sword of mine indignation in the benalt behalf of my people and even as I 1 have said it shall come to pass |
