Here is another quotation; he says: "A little further on, to the more impress the sanctity of those set apart to rule, the same Joseph, as a revelation from heaven, said: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law." to eradicating swine diseases in this country. Indeed, we are informed that more cash has been expended officially in this direction than towards the removal of disorders that affect the human family. It may be very praiseworthy to expend so much for the purpose of purging American pig, considering Joseph Smith surrendered to the trial. This Church recognizes the rights of the State and has done so from the beginning. The Doctrine and Covenants says, page 485: "And again,no Bishop or High Priest who shall be set apart for this ministry shall be tried or condemned for any crime, save it be before the First Presidency of the Church." "This government has been main-nize the rights of the courts, nor that diseased hogs are not pertained through all the years since the first immigration came to Utah." to appear before them on legal pro-mitted to invade foreign marNow the object of quoting the cess when there was the slightest kets. American commerce must foregoing paragraph and italicising prospect of a fair and impartial be protected and promoted, and a few words therein, was to make it our exports kept up at all hazards. appear that "there were no laws of But it would seem to the land but such as he [Joseph be poor economy to care so much Smith] made; that for the American hog, and so little the statutes of the State in which he was living for the American man. The breedwere clear usurpations and not bind"We believe that all religious so- ing and care of animals, particuing on him;" and that this merely their members for disorderly con- is a proper subject of both local and cieties have a right to deal with larly those in use for human food, Church regulation related to the duct according to the rules and recivil law. gulations of such societies, provided national legislation. And yet it apthat such dealings be for fellowship pears that no less important a subbelieve that any religious society and good standing; but we do not ject is the breeding of sound huhas authority to try men on the right of property or life, to take from them this world's goods, or to put limb, neither to inflict any physical them in jeopardy of either life or punishment upon them, they can only excommunicate them from their society, and withdraw from them their fellowship." The truth is, as any one who reads the book may perceive, that this was simply one of the Church rules as to the manner in which transgressors should be tried, ecclesiastically. In the trial of a Bishop the First Presidency should be present. And that this had no reference whatever to the laws of the land, is positively proven by the following, which the perverter of the truth who made the above citation was careful not to append: who "And again, every person belongeth to this Church of Christ, shall observe to keep all the commandments of the Church. "And it shall come to pass, that if any persons among you shall kill, they shall be delivered up and dealt with according to the laws of the land; for remember that he hath no forgiveness, and it shall be proven according to the laws of the land. "And if a man or woman shall rob, he or she shall be delivered up to the law of the land. "And if he or she shall steal, he or she shall be delivered up to the law of the land. "And if he or she shall lie, he or she shall be delivered up to the law of the land. "And if he or she shall do any manner of iniquity, he or she shall be delivered up unto the law, even that of God." man beings, and the cure of those disorders to which they are liable. Science and money in this direcwisely used as in the production of tion, we think, would be quite as a first-class quality of pork. SHALE SIDEWALKS. The Latter-day Saints are the most law-abiding people on this con- SOME time ago the walk, inside tinent. Their submission to the civil the wall enclosure, running along law is striking and commendable to the west front of the Tithing office all who know them. Their daily buildings was laid with shale obmaligner should stick to his conge-tained, from the beds in the vicinity nial role-vituperation and general of Saltair, about fourteen miles west abuse, if he wants to have smooth of the city. The result is all that sailing. Whenever he departs from could be desired. The material, that and attempts to give proofs of over which there is considerable his falsehoods, he only shows his traffic, is packed almost as hard as own perversity and mendacity. "Mormonism" teaches submission cement. It would appear from this that to every constitutional enactment. the excellence of this article with It inculcates respect for every officer decided cheapness also in its favor— of the law in the discharge of his for sidewalks is now placed beyond official duties. It draws a sharp dispute. It may be questioned line of distinction between church whether it would stand the severe government and civil government, weather of winter. We believe it and keeps them separate and dis- would, as there is but little probab. tinct. There is no dubiety on these ility of material which has been points. The standards of Church laid loosely and subsequently packed doctrine are positive and plain. The cracking by the operation of ordinary reader can readily under-frost. If walks were wetted and stand their meaning. And it is rolled immediately after being laid useless for perverters of the truth to there is good reason for believing endeavor to make them convey any that shale would give excellent other signification than their clear and concise language, for by doing so they simply expose their own evil This is a sufficient answer to the falsehood that Joseph Smith regarded the statutes of his State or of the nation as "usurpations and not binding upon him." Neither Joseph Smith nor any of the leaders of the Church have disputed the right of the nation or of the State to make intentions. laws for the government of the people, nor the duty of the Latter-day Saints to be subject to them. To PIG OR MAN. this day they teach their children, IT APPEARS from an article in satisfaction, with the advantage of being easily repaired. An experiment should be made on a larger scale than the one now referred to. MAKE THE TRIAL. IT DOES not appear that the suggestion regarding the feasibility of obtaining artesian water is being taken hold of in a practical way. If not an opinion we express but a posi- some private individual with the necessary means and public spirit to make the experiment cannot be We have no ill-feeling against exfound, perhaps a number of persons Governor West. We desire him no owning tracts of land contiguous to harm. We regret that he should each other might be induced to do have made himself the enemy of SO. The Chamber of Commerce has the people whose friendship and tried its hand at a good many things. support he ought to have cultivated How would it do for it to make a rather than repelled. We hope it dash at an artesian well? Would will prove a lesson to him in his the city or county, or a combination | future experience. And we look of the two, offer a bonus, on the upon his career as one more example for the Church such commandments ground that if it should be demonstrated that artesian water can be obtained in this valley it would be a public boon the value of which would be practically beyond computation. Now is the season to make the trial, when water is phenomenally scarce. The necessary machinery is, we understand, in the city. Surely the probability of obtaining water from a subterranean source should be sufficient inducement to cause the effort to be made. ONE MORE EXAMPLE. CALEB W. WEST has stepped down into the position of a private citizen, to which we think he is better adapted than to any office of importance, at least in relation to Utah. No man can use a place of public trust in the sole interest of a faction and maintain public respect. Governor West had the opportunity of his life, if he could have but seen and seized it, when appointed to succeed Governor Murray. He might have known, if he had been wise enough to profit by his predecessor's blunders and their result, that as an enemy to the great majority of the citizens here and the tool of a clique, he would not and could not reach the goal of his ambition. But he was led, like others have been, into the path of folly and fanaticism, and has landed in the hole with the rest. of the failure which eventually MORE FALSE LOGIC. As to God's thoughts and words, there is no one in the Church who pretends to think or utter them except in this way: As holy men of old spake as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and their words so inspired became a guide to the people, so with those ordained to a similar calling today. And in this Church there is but one man appointed and ordained to receive as God may reveal for the government of the Church. There is no men living, occupying the position of religious ministers, who are less pretentious than the presiding authorities among the "Mormons," or who place themselves more on a level with their brethren. WE have perhaps devoted more attention than the matter merits, The Almighty is able and willing certainly more than the writer de to manifest His truth today as in serves, to some of the perversions of the days of Moses, Elijah, Isaiah or "Mormon" principle and doctrine Peter. And that which He thus which have lately appeared in the manifests is of at least equal imporlocal organ of slander. But we will tance to people now living, with notice two more sentences from the that revealed to others thousands of same source, at the risk of nauseat-years ago. Those who choose to do ing some of our readers who attach so can reject either or both. The no importance to its utterances. "Mormons" believe in present as Touching on another question it well as past revelation. But none of them view any man as Deity, neither do they believe any Church official to be "free from the restraints of merely human laws.” says: "It does not help an argument by misstating the position of another, except among those who have no other resort." Disbelievers may despise, repu That is a proposition the spirit of which every candid person will en-diate and ridicule both the belief in dorse. Its language, however, is divine revelation and those who enrather "turgid." Now read this tertain it. But they have no right from the same paper: to lie about it nor to misrepresent it, nounced than another in the Mor-to mis-state the position of another," "If there is anything more pro-and "it does not help an argument mon creed, it is that those who but indulgence in this course shows "hold the keys" stand in God's place, think with His thoughts and that the person pursuing it has "no speak with His words, and that men other resort." Nothing further need so exalted are entirely free from any be said on the subject. of the restraints of merely human laws." OUR NEW GOVERNOR. THE these points. There could not be a more complete misstatement of the position of news that Arthur L. the "Mormons" on "If there is anything more pro- Thomas, of this city, has been apIn leaving his post and playing nounced than another in the Mormon pointed Governor of Utah, will be a the part of a lobbyist at the national creed," it is that prophets, presi- great surprise to most of our readers capital, for the purpose of acquiring dents, bishops or other church dig- and particularly so to the crowd of power that ought not to be vested nitaries are only men, subject to office-seekers who have been exon any appointed official in a Re-like passions as others, and amen-pecting something entirely differpublican form of government, he able to the same laws, human and ent from this selection. not only departed from fundamental divine, with the exception only that We understand that Mr. Thomas democratic principles, but proclaim- they are under greater obliga- was not an applicant for this posied himself a demagogue and an as- tions than the world to live tion. He has been to Washington pirant to autocratic authority for per- in accordance with both, and recently, and while there was sonal ends and objects. in addition to the penalties spoken to by the Secretary of the His second visit for this purpose attending the infraction of the Interior in relation to the post. But exposed his scheme to the gaze of laws of the land, they are liable to it is easy to believe that he was not prominent men of both parties, and discipline from the Church and to an eager candidate for the Governordamaged his own purpose and the excommunication if their offenses ship, considering the fact that the cause of the clique he represented. deserve such punishment. There office of Utah Commissioner, which We know what we are talking about is no person in the Church who is he held, was worth financially about and speak that which is sure. It is exempt from trial for transgression. I twice as much as that to which he is now appointed, while its duties Let us hope that the change now were far less onerous. The President has adhered to the policy of the platform of his party in this appointment, and also in that of Col. Elijah Sells as Secretary of the Territory. inaugurated may prove the preparation for still greater changes, until Utah shall enjoy the full liberties, rights and privileges designed by the founders of this nation to be Both these gentle-secured to all its citizens on every men are bona fide residents. They part of the public domain. have personal interests here which are identified with the progress and well-being of Utah. Whatever may be thought of the President's choice --and no doubt there will be different opinions on this by different people-it must be acknowledged by all that President Harrison has acted consistently and after much consideration. The DESERET NEWS congratulates Governor Thomas on his appointment and will support him in the rightful exercise of the powers conferred upon him, with the hope that under his administration the Territory will make its greatest stride toward that eminence, union, freedom and power which is its ultimate and certain destiny. SAVE YOUR SYMPATHY. dence of this, if those who are so ready to take a fling at them would only stop to think of it a little. We do not pay men for preaching, we do not pay fees for ordinances, we do not usually take up collections, and whatever may be thought or said upon this subject, "Mormonism" does not make merchandise of the souls of men. Our friends may save their sympathies for themselves and others nearer home. A NEW SECRETARY. THE appointment of Col. Elijah Sells as Secretary of Utah is quite as surprising as the appointment to Arthur L. Thomas came here in the Governorship. It was underApril 1879 as Secretary of the Terristood that the gentleman was a cantory, and was Acting-Governor dudidate for the Executive chair, that ring the legislative session of 1880, THE papers have not yet finished he had strong endorsements and excepting five days, because of the their comments on the statistical re- was likely to obtain the position. absence of the Governor. He was very ports read at the recent general No one here that we know of had efficient and was much esteemed by Conference of the Church in this any idea that he would receive the the members. He was appointed to city. The number of persons hold-present appointment. Col. Sells is superintend the census of 1880 and ing the priesthood is dilated upon, the first resident of the Territory was very painstaking and exact in and much commiseration is ex- appointed to this office since 1856. the work, which was generally con-pressed for the poor Latter-day He came here in 1872 and has been sidered to have been done fairly and chiefly engaged in the lumber busithoroughly. He was reappointed ness. He has been somewhat active Secretary of Utah in May, 1883. occasionally in local politics and As Secretary of the Utah Com- The idea that any religious min- quite prominent in the Chamber of mission, Mr. Thomas exhibited the ister officiates except for pay, does Commerce. We hope he is satisfied same diligence and vigilance mani- not seem to strike these newspaper with the position and that he will fested in other official capacities, editors. A sermon and a collection occupy it with pleasure to himself and when a vacancy occurred was are essential associates in sectarian unanimously recommended by the services. A salary and a minister Commission for the position of one are almost synonymous terms in the of its members, which he has occu- various denominations. The perpied up to the time of receiving | formance of any religious rite such this appointment to the Governor-as baptism, marriage, burial or other ship. Saints who have to support such an ceremony, means the requirement of and profit to the people. Mr. Hall, we understand, resigned the place less than two weeks ago. We may now look with some assurance for further Utah appointments. HIS EYES WERE OPEN. IN the Topeka (Kansas) Capital of May 3rd, there appears what purports to be an account of an interview between a reporter of that paper and Mr. Simon Greenspan, who had recently spent several months in Utah and was about to return here. He gave a detailed description of the Territory-par We hope the new Executive will devote his energies and abilities to the work of advancing all the material, social and political interests of the Territory. He is familiar with the situation. He knows much But we will inform our contemof the people, their condition, senti- poraries at a distance that this army ments and desires. He can, if he of priests" is not a paid ministry. will, do much towards the quieting | We have no hireling clergy in this of sectional agitations and internal Church. Nearly all the adult male antagonisms. A conservative course members bear a portion of the ticularly Salt Lake City and Ogden Priesthood by which the "Mor--and its resources, introducing also mons" are supposed to be ruled, and an intelligent explanation of the their wives partake of its power by condition of affairs here and exvirtue of their matrimonial union. pressions of appreciation of the charThey are thus self-ruled and self-acter of the population. The entire dominated, if there is any domina- description given by Mr. Greenspan tion, and all are or ought to be, ac- showed plainly that he had not cording to their faith, ready to min- viewed things here through the ister in the gospel for mutual benefit and the promulgation of saving truth. may be reasonably expected of him both from the majority and the minority. He should be Governor of the whole people, not the advocate or agent of a class. If he pursues this unbiased, dignified and proper course, he will receive the support and respect of all our citizens except a few extremists. Governor Arthur L. Thomas enjoys the distinction of being the first "Gentile" resident of Utah to receive this appointment. Since the days of Governor Young, strangers have been sent to the Territory to occupy the chief official positions. yellow spectacles of prejudice, manufactured by false reports. Were it not that our readers are so The "Mormons" are less "priest- familiar with the facts he enunciridden" than any religious people ates, we would here reproduce Mr. in the United States, and the very Greenspan's description, in which number of persons holding eccles- he does full justice to the nature iastical office among them is evi- and resources of Utah. There is one point touched by him that does him special credit; that is his fair and kindly reference to the "Mormon" people, whom it is popular to misrepresent and malign. We here introduce a portion of his remarks: "The Mormons are as nice a people socially, individually and in business as any class of people on earth, but the majority of new arrivals come in with a hue and cry of 'Mormon,' when they don't know what it means. The effect is the same as if a home-seeker on coming into a Kansas community would ask whether you are an Episcopalian, a Catholic, or a Baptist, and when upon learning that you belong to one of these denominations would refuse to do business with you. But a man may go into any part of Utah and if he will let religion alone he will be treated as well as he could ask to be." In that brief paragraph Mr. Greenspan tells a good deal of truth in a short space. FEATURES OF OKLAHOMA RELIGIOUS. Sunday Services. The choir and congregation sang: G God, the Eternal Father, Who dwells amid the sky. The Priesthood of the Tenth Ward officiated in the administration of the Sacrament. ELDER CHARLES W. PENROSE In fact, with all the boasted understanding, learning and wisdom of this enlightened nineteenth century, after ages of accumulation of the world's knowledge, we actually know but very little. We are not familiar with everything that belongs to the globe on which we live; we do not know all concerning its surface, let alone its interior. Therefore it is not very wonderful that we are but little acquainted with our past or future home. We are finite creatures in our present existence; we can see but a very short distance around us; our knowledge is circumscribed in regard to earthly things; how, therefore, can it be otherwise as to heavenly things? But there are some persons who think that what we see, feel, and comprehend by our senses is all there is of us, and that when we go down to the grave that is the end-that the dissolution of the body is the entire dissolution of the said he had been requested to ad- circumstances. The first verse of the first hymn sung this afternoon suggested to my mind a subject upon which I would like to speak. The third line of that verse indicates to us that this body of ours is simply a dwelling-place for something else for the soul, or spirit-which at some time shall ascend to God. AMONG the peculiar attractions of Oklahoma, the Mecca of the pilgrims who think that a patch of its land will be a salvo for all their sorrows, are innumerable swarms of bedbugs and skunks. It is said they inhabit the country in countless but not scentless millions. The very soil is full of the bugs and they are a worse pest than even the sandfleas. As for the fragrant skunks, the Indians have been in the habit of making a lively penny out of the sale of skunk pelts by the wagon load, without sensibly lessening the number or the perfume of the aroThis is in accordance matic animal. It is also stated that drouth is not an uncommon draw- with Holy Scripture. In the 12th chapter of Ecclesiastes, 7th verse, back to this home of the festive bed- we read, on the subject of death, bug and odoriferous skunk. All "Then shall the dust return to the these attractions, with the pros-earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it." From pect of being knifed or pistoled that text we learn that man is a dual by some adventurous land- being; that is, he is composed of at jumper determined to secure least two parts-the body and the a slice of the much coveted soil, must make Oklahoma a most desirable spot for home-seekers. However, a few years of occupation will no doubt cause a wonderful change, and those who go there and buy out the disgusted pioneer settlers, will find a better country and obtain possession on much easier terms than the present pilgrims to that land of the sociable and scented denizens and visitors of the night. Most of the troubles of life originate from the habit of talking too much. The tongue is useful in its way, but it should be handled with as much care as gunpowder. spirit. The body came from the There are various opinions in the If that were so our existence here would not be of much account. Of what avail would it be for us to scramble and struggle for a living, if this little brief existence is all there is of us? Is it possible that all the light and intelligence and extal life are to be dissipated when our perience which we gain in this morbreath leaves the body; that that is the end of it all? Our reason seems to resist such an idea; all the instincts of our nature rise up and repel it. Everyone who has examined himself or herself must be aware that there is something within us which is superior to the body itself, that can resist the inclinations of the body and control and conquer them, and bring them into subjec tion. There is something within us that can think, understand, comprehend, and reach out farther than the body can reach-farther than the limits of this globe-and penetrate to some extent at least, the sphere that is on high. There is something within us corresponding to that which we cannot see with our natural eyes, to that which we cannot handle with our hands, to that which we cannot taste with our mouths something that has an affinity with it, reaching after that which is eternal, greater, mightier, and more glorious than anything we behold around with our natural vision. Who is there among us that is thoroughly satisfied and contented with the condition in which he finds himself, no matter how much he may succeed in his earthly desires-in the accumulation of wealth or in the acquisition of anything labored for? No one that I know of. There is always something beyond to seek after, something greater in the mind's eye. The soul longs after infinitude; it reaches out to something greater than that which it can comprehend through the medium of the senses. It reaches after God, from whom it came-after the Eternal home in which it was born, and cannot and will not be satisfied with the things that are limited by this narrow and contracted sphere. In this body we are "cribb'd, cabin'd and confin'd," and our souls reach out to grasp eternity; we feel that this is not our permanent home. We are dwelling just for the time in this flesh. When His body was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb it did not become disorganized. It was dead, that is, without a spirit. Where did the spirit go? Some people say it did not go anywhere; they have a notion that when the body dies the spirit dies also. They believe in the spirit in a certain fashion, and that when the body is resurrected the spirit is resurrected likewise. Now read I Peter iii, 18-20. hills. It is an eternal truth. as we are, only that we have had In this same Book of Doctrine earthly fathers of our flesh. God and Covenants (page 330,29th verse) was the Father of His body as well we read that "man was also in the a3 of His spirit. He was the only beginning with God," and on the begotten son according to the fleshI will read to you a passage same page we read, "And now, the first begotten according to the from the Doctrine and Covenants, verily, I say unto you, I was in the spirit. After undergoing the troubles page 331. This book contains some beginning with the Father and am and trials of this earth, and having of the revelations from God to the the firstborn." "Ye were also in the performed His mission, He yielded Prophet Joseph Smith, a man beginning with the Father." up His life, "gave up the ghost"— whose name is despised and cast out According to the revelation of died for the sins of the world. He as evil all over the world because God to Joseph Smith, this is not our knew no sin Himself, but He gave he is not understood. So it was first estate. Our first estate was "in himself a offering for sinners. with all the prophets in their the beginning with the Father." day. They were "despised Jesus, according to the old scripand rejected of men" even as tures, was in the beginning with Jesus the Son of God, the the Father before the word was, and Savior of the world was when He so it was with us. Was not that came and tabernacled in the flesh what the Father referred to when and spent His time here in mortal-speaking to Job out of the whilwind? ity. But the Prophet Joseph Smith I think so. Read Job xxxviii: 1-7. received from God a vast fund of When the foundations of this truth. Floods of intelligence came earth were laid and the corner stones down from the Fountain of all light were brought together, when God to his mind, and some of the things spake and chaos heard and the worlds revealed to him are in this book. came into order by the power of Having read the portion named His word through faith, "all the sons from the Book of Doctrine and of God shouted for joy and the Covenants, the speaker continued: morning stars sang together." From this we learn that every man So We read. Who were those is a free agent, and condemnation sons of God? We are told comes because he will not receive over and over again in the sacred that which was made manifest from record that "we are the sons of the beginning, which is light. We God." In his First Epistle iii. chap. learn from this, too, that man 2d verse John specially mentions is a spirit; the intelligent individual this. In the 9th verse of Hebrews or being which inhabits the body is 12th we read: "Furthermore, we have the real person. We read in the had fathers of our flesh who correctScriptures that "God is a Spirit, anded us and we gave them reverence; they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." Jesus, the Great Teacher, uttered that grand truth. Man is the offspring of God. This body came from the earth, from the elements which exist here; and these, we read in this revelation, are eternal. They were not created in the sense that some people understand the term. shall we not much rather be in This is a cogent argument. We A great many people declare that The idea of people generally con- God is unknown and unknowable, cerning creation is that it means the not only uncomprehended but inmaking of something out of nothing; comprehensible. Well, I presume but, as the old Latin adage has it, He is, just now, in our present con"out of nothing nothing comes." So dition; the finite cannot compreit will be eternally. Nothing can-hend the infinite; but in some renot produce something, neither can spects He is comprehensible to us something be produced out of noth-by His Spirit, "which searcheth all ing by any being that exists. You things yea the deep things of God." may take this book which J God is our Father as well as our hold and burn it; the elements Creator. The term "create," as I may go off in smoke, but have said, does not mean to form every atom remains. The elements something out of nothing. In Genare eternal, indestructible. Matter can be organized or disorganized; but the atoms remain; and these elements of which I speak, organized into human form by the process of generation, as ordained by the great Creator, can be made the abode of the spirit which comes from God, and which is eternal because it is the offspring of God; the spirit of man, placed in these elements, organized in the human form, with them constitute a living soul. esis we read that God created man. It may be asked, why cannot we The body can be destroyed, so far as its organization is concerned, but the elements remain; the spirit, separated from the body, continues to exist. It existed before it came into the body; it can and will exist Jesus is the great pattern for us after it leaves the body. This idea all. He was "the firstborn among with respect to the spirit existing many brethren." After some thousbefore it came into the body may be ands of years had transpired He new one to some people; but came down from above and was a Ministers make a great effort to try and cover this up to suit their own peculiar views, but they make a terrible mess of it. Take it as it stands and it is all clear and plain. It tells us that the people who were disobedient in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, and who were destroyed by the flood, were shut up in prison. They were imprisoned spirits and Jesus after being put to death in the flesh went by the spirit and preached to them. What did he preach? Read the next chapter, 6th verse. These, then, were not "men in the flesh" but men who were called dead. The spirits of men who were dead shut up in prison for their disobedience, were visited by Jesus Christ, and He preached to them the same gospel which was given to men in the flesh, so that they might be judged the same as men in the flesh. When Jesus himself left the flesh, crying, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," His spirit went forth and he preached the Gospel to the spirits in prison and thus fulfilled the scripture which he read from Isaiah in the synagogue, one Sabbath day. They were glad tidings that he presented to those spirits who had been in the spirit world about 2000 years for disobedience to the preaching of the Prophet Noah. They had been warned by him but had neglected the warning. Christ went into that prison house alone, He came out with a multitude; He "led captivity captive." He then arose from the dead and appeared to His disciples. In what capacity? Simply as a spirit? Oh, no. He came to them in the same body which was hung on the cross and bore the marks of the nails and the spear. Read Luke xxiv, 36-43, also John xx, 19-29. Some people think that we Latter-day Saints are very credulous because we believe a great many things which we do not see. It is a blessed and happy thing when we can have faith in Him whom we cannot see with our natural eyes; it is a blessed thing to have faith in His promises, to lay hold upon them with the grasp of faith; they are bound to be fulfilled if we live for them. It is an idea older than the born of a woman, just exactly It is the spirit that gives life to all |