Show AN ETERNAL COVENANT COVENA Nr the apostle paul in his hie epistle ae f the cne corinthians explains that t us ir there in ie but one god the father phia la is the eternal father Fathe rJ to whom his children petition veti tion in the be name of f ane ne only begotten whom abraham ai addressed dressed when be called on the name of the everlasting Go godif dof of whom daniel declared kits hie dominion la is an aa everlasting dominion sod and whom the savior said to know is 3 ete eternal roal lifee abe eternal or everlasting character of the me supreme being whom we worship is clearly set forth in scripture ancient and modern sod and in this assurance of el permanency Is in a firm foundation for baith As god to Is eternal it Is follows follow of necessity ity that the principles principle which emanate from him are similar in their nature mature for like beeta I 1 like I 1 k e thai it is that the baird author of eternal salvation alT atlon unto ail them that obey him his gopel w blob is ie the power ot ol god unto that hat salvation therefore Is IB like unto it and ana is ie eternal in the principles principle which it inculcates the application of the ordinances does which it requires and the covenants which it authorizes the covenant which re he enters enten into with his alb people as aa he declares through the prophet ilze ezakiel klel hall be an ever covenant this principle was waa understood by the preacher when be said 1 I know t hat bat whatsoever god doets it shall be forever nothing can be put to lk it nor anything taken from it IL 1 anere in no conjecture or supposition in this statement it was wan froza from the standpoint of a positive knowledge it teaches as a known truth that that which Is in done by too the almighty partakes parta kea of his everlasting ever latting nature it also suA geste that that which la in of an opposite character la Is not by him if it la Is done by man in him bk mortal capacity and then moo it partakes of the same character and whatever force it way may possess comes when the mortal end comes take cake tor for instance the marriage covenant arid and lot jet the lule iule be applied when that covenant to Is entered into by divine authority according to his law thod then itis ita bond in ia eternal it in a marriage ordained of god but the ceremony eMODY not dot performed in bar mony with that law and by that authority while it to ie binding upon persons persona in the mortal probation la of no force so as an eternal covenant tor tar the reason that it is in not the marriage ordained of gud god it if it were such marriage ariage its covenant would be it u uld old not be severed by death for we the power of the mernal eternal one has bas over come that ot of the grove grave bary barly in the history of human ex on earth the almighty declared the fundamental principle that it la in not good for man to be alone it wax was not good for him to be without the companionship that comes in the marriage relation therefore be was wae given a wife and as aa that which the lord boeth shall be forever as aa the scripture says bay a then eye eve was adams wife for eternity the aso elation entered into by divine autuori nation and direction was of an ever lasting character in the wife which the lord gave him father adam received is ia good gift he be was removed from that state which the lord said wen was not good it if he had rejected the proffer ot of the lord and sought bought his hie wife through another source than the one divinely open to him his contract conti act would not have reached into eternity sod and be would not have attained to the superlative goodness of that gift whose perfection la is reached react hed only in a perfect sphere phere ci hence the he eugeee res of the advice given by the tle james in hla his day do not err my beloved brethren every good gift abad every perfect gift is irom from above and cometh down from the father ather of lights with whom there is if oo no variableness neither shadow of 00 with respect reaped to the covenant of mar ariage the lord boa baa opened the way fr for be latter jay day saints who enter into that relationship to do BO 9 in the los manner ordal ordained tied by him and none who understand the force of the she principle will supplant eup plant th the divinely appointed way by submitting to an inferior or cou coi it fl doting procedure the marriages which latter batter day saints contract should be by divine authority sod and counsel co unee the word of the lord given in latter times la in noi no lera lefe emphatic on ibis principle aban in ancient days day to the saints he has baa revealed the everlasting covenant of marriage according to hla his law and lass has declared that condemnation follows those who do not abide it that those who reject it cannot eater into his hie glora Acco according rAng to this those who claim standing in hla his church who profess to do his hie will yet choose another form of enter ing into the relationship of husband and wife place themselves in a very unenviable position ton the lord has spoken plainly regarding his hie eternal covenant or law la bof of marriage honeys AJI covenants contracts bonds obligations gat ions oaths vows performances mances oon con sections associations or expectations that are not made and entered into and sealed by the holy spirit of promise of him who is anointed both as well for time and for an eternity and that too most holy by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed a moin nc ted whom I 1 have appointed on the earth to hold bold this thia power are of no efficacy virtue or force in and after the resurrection from the dead for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead for whatsoever things remain are by me and whatsoever things are not by me shall be shaken and destroyed therefore it a man marry him a wife in the world and he marry her not by me nor by my word and he covenant with her so long as he be is in the world handshe and she with him their covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead and when they are out of the world therefore they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world the revelation contains a further statement tat ement of the abe condition of trobe who are in the marriage relation atlon outside ot of his hia covenant it also aleo points out with equal clearness olearo eee the situation of those who wao marry according to hla his word giving the promise that if they abide in that covenant then those blessings conferred upon them shall be of full force they F hall pass to their exultation exaltation and glory in ID all things as both bath been sealed upon their heads beada it in of vital importance that this principle of the divine eternal nature of the marriage covenant should be taught to the youth of israel that no young man shall seek a wife outside of that or her der and covenant sod and that no DO young woman shall be willing to accept an aa a husband one who cannot or does doea not comply with the conditions of the divine law upon their in and acceptance of the word of the lord on this subject depends not only their happiness in this thia life but their exaltation in the life to come with all the rights of 0 beira hip which that hat exaltation al implies |