to his friend who is miles distant. By it
the machinery of the factory is kept in
life is
motion, and the machinery of
stilled.

it

But when not under control, electricity produces widespread destruction; leaves ruin in its path.

As to its nature, we cannot compare habit to electricity; but as to the kind of effect it produces, we can so compare it. For if we make habit our friend we may rise by its aid from the lowly earth to the vaulted skies of character; we can possess that true worth which "lies in being, not seeming; in doing each day that goes by some little good, not in dreaming of great things to do by and by;" or as our foe, habit will bind us hand and foot; it becomes a cruel despot whose abject

slaves we are.

Now, we want to learn something about

the nature of this being; how to act so as to make him our friend; how to fight him successfully if, unfortunately, he has become our foe.

or not de

It has been fitly said that the little child lying in the cradle is a bundle of possibilities. Embodied in that little lump of flesh are the germs that may yet deNewton. Whether velop into a this result shall follow on the direction in pends largely which these possibilities shall develop formed. habits that are In on the childhood "the season, the soil, the seed and the implements are all in our hands," and we may choose what we will plant. But, having once chosen and planted the seed, we can neither change nor escape the harvest. The possibilities of the child develop until they become habits in the adult, who is aptly called a mere walking

bundle of habits.

up"-call it what you will-is such that
The child's organism, nature, "make
every act or state of the mind leaves an
enduring effect. The organism tends to
form itself in accordance with the mode
in which it is constantly exercised. Power
and tendency are the results of all acts;
that is, there is more likelihood of again
and there is
doing an act once done
greater ease in doing it.
To get an understanding of the nature
of habit let me perform a little experi-
ment-(paper-folding.)

way.

In the broader meaning of the term habit, we may say that the paper has been habituated to fold in a particular at Other similar instances are hand. A coat after having been worn for a time clings to the body better than when it was new. There has been a change in the tissue of the coat, and this change is a habit. The wooden frame of the violin has the function, I believe, of intensifying, by the vibrations of the wood particles, the sound made by the strings of the violin. It is a well-known fact the sounds of the violin improve in quality And a violin in the hands of a master. that has been long used by a master comThe explanamands a fabulous price. tion of the improvement in quality of sound is that the particles of wood have, in the hands of a master, been habituated to respond in a certain way so as to produce harmony. It is said that the laws of nature are nothing but the unchangeable habits which the various sects of matter follow in their action and reaction on one another. For example, the fact that a body once set in motion would continue forever, did not some external force prevent, is simply an unchangeable habit of all matter.

But let us speak of habit in things with life. There seem to be two kinds of habit, called active and passive. By Rosenkranz, active habit is said to be the preparing of the mind for action passive upon the outer world, while

habit is the preparing of the mind to
be acted upon by outer agencies; that
is, active habit is the steeling of the
internal for action upon the external:
and passive habit is the steeling of the in-
ternal against the influences of the ex-
ternal. As an illustration of passive
habit, we may refer to the boy begin-
ning to smoke; the body objects, but the
boy continues the practice and in conse-
quence, the body adapts itself to the con-
dition; it grows to the way in which
it is treated. Persons who have been
confined many years to dungeons, ask
to be readmitted to prison, after hav-
ing been set free. An instance of this
kind occurred here in our city. One pris-
oner who had been kept at the city jail
for a number of years, could not be
driven away; he had to be allowed to
pass the remainder of his days there.
The man who lives in the city and often
hears the piteous complaint of the street
beggar gets into the habit of hearing un-
affected such tales; he steels himself
against them; they do not affect him as
they affect the man from the country,
who is immediately melted to tears, and
to the beggar. The boy who is con-
likely gives his all, in a financial sense,
tinually scolded soon becomes indifferent
to the scolding. As illustrations of active
habit there may be named the habit of
walking. The child had to give attention
to each separate movement, and then
poorly succeeded, but the adult walks
with his attention centered on a subject
far removed from the problem of how to
walk.
The various single acts in walk-
ing have become so closely connected
that, if one be presented, the others fol-
low without the intervention of either
will or consciousness.

On one occasion,
story you

the breaking up of an old habit that are
required for the forming of a new one.
And this brings us to the question of
On this matter
how to break off old habits, or the ques-
tion of "tapering off."
there is a wide difference of opinion. Dr.
Sulzheim says: "All changes which nature
produces are successive, and we ought to
in dietetic rules, and in every manner of
imitate her proceedings. It is the same
feeling and thinking. Drunkards cannot
leave off their bad habits suddenly, witù-
out injuring their health. Those who are
near starving from inanition will perish
if too much nourishment be given; and
too much light dazzles those who have
long lived in darkness. The bad effects
of great and sudden changes of tempera-
mals and man
generally known.
ture on such bodies as glass, plants, ani-
Great and sudden changes of political,
moral and religious opinions
borne with indifference."

are

are not

However, the best authorities agree habit and an abrupt acquisition of the that an abrupt breaking off of the old new is the best method to follow. Dr.

that abrupt acquisition of the new habit
James says: "In the main, experts agree
is the best way, if there be a real possi-
We must be
bility of carrying it out.
careful not to give the will so stiff a task

as to insure its defeat at the very outset;
but, provided one can stand it, a sharp
period of suffering and then a free time
is the best thing to aim at, whether in
giving up a habit like that of opium, or
in simply changing one's hours of rising
or of work. It is surprising how soon a
desire will die if it be never fed. One
must first learn to walk firmly on the
to the right nor to the left, before one can
straight and narrow path, looking neither
begin to make one's self over again (that
is, break off old habits). He who every
day makes a fresh resolve is like one.
who, arriving at the edge of a ditch he is
to leap, forever stops and returns for a

in telling a
had heard you exagger-
ated somewhat. It was not so easy to ex-
aggerate then, but when you told a sec-
ond story, you found it much easier to ex-fresh run.'
aggerate, and each successive time less ef-
fort was required to bring about the ex-
aggeration, till now it is almost impossi-
ble for you to tell a story without exag-
When you began to study, you found it
gerating; you have formed the habit.
difficult to attend for a great length of
time; now, as a result of habit, you can
attend for hours.

From these illustrations we can draw
the definition that habit is a fixed dis.
position to act or to be acted upon (either
physically or mentally), and an ease in
acting or being acted upon-this condition
being the result of numerous repetitions
of similar actions.

Let us now refer to the conditions of
the formation, and of the strength of hab-
The conditions are similar in the two
it.
cases, for what tends to form a habit
will increase the strength of one already
formed.

The first condition is, the amount of
attention given at the outset, at the be
ginning of the formation of the habit.
Launch yourselves out with as strong a
Let all circum-
beginning as possible.
stances favor the action which you de-
sire to turn over to habit.

The second condition is, frequently re-
peating the habit tends to fix it. Repe-
tition is the great means of forming a
habit.

The third condition is, we must not only
repeat, but repeat uniformly. Continuity
Never suffer an exception
is necessary.
to occur till the habit is firmly rooted in
Each exception is like the
your life.
letting fall of a ball of string which one
is carefully winding up; the single slip
undoes more than a great many turns
will wind again. If you are forming the
habit of arising early in the morning, and
fail on one morning to get up somewhat
near the time set, you will find it very
hard to rise the next morning at the ap-
pointed time. The effect of the lack of
continuity is shown on such occasions as
holidays in school. The student does not
study during the holiday, and as a re-
sult he finds it difficult to begin to study
again when school commences.

The same conditions are required for

Then let us remember that habits are formed by attentive practice, and are forgotten by disuse. A child can be made to to practice it specially and by removing opportunities for action colliding with it. form a habit by giving it the opportunity Heighten the pleasure in the action by the union of pleasant impressions with the deed, and, on the other hand, make In other words, ing pain with them. the conflicting habits unpleasant by unitmake it easy and pleasurable for the child to tell the truth, and hard and unpleasant for him to tell a lie, if you want to form the habit of truthfulness in him. And only when he speaks the truth as a habit is he safe. It has been said that he is not honest in the strictest sense of the word who must still be on his guard that he may not cheat his fellowmen or covet their goods; but he only is honest indeed with whom honesty has become a favorite habit, which rules his inmost sensibilities and aspirations, so that no power from without can turn him away from it.

**

*

*

*

*

* **

Habit is a cable. We weave a thread for it each day, and it becomes so strong that we cannot break it. If not resisted, habit soon becomes necessity. It is during the period of childhood and youth This the that We weave this habit. young should clearly understand: the twig is bent the tree is inclined." Wool once dyed never regains its primitive whiteness.

"As

If the young appreciated the fact that childhood and youth is the season for the formation of habits, and that the

effect of an evil habit never can be whol-
The hack-
cuses for youthful follies.
y eradicated, there would be fewer ex-
neyed cry that the boy must sow his
wild oats would be considered almost
blasphemy. No one is ever safe from
evil, if he has ever practiced evil.
bad habit broken off, may be left in
disuse for years, yet in an unguarded
reformed drundards, when worry and
moment it may assert itself. Too many
misfortune overtakes them return

A

to

We are spinning our own fates-good or under a procurator), were very bitter ju
evil-and never to be undone. Every their hatred of the Christians, and in
smallest stroke of virtue or of vice leaves every way sought to stamp them out, but
its never so little scar. The drunken
were curtailed in their vindictive malice
Rip Van Winkle in Jefferson's play ex-
cuses himself for every fresh dereliction to a great degree by the religious liberty
by saying: 'I won't count this time.' granted by Rome.
Well, he may not count it, and a kind
heaven may not count it, but it is being
counted none the less. Down among his
nerve cells and fibres the molecules are
counting it, registering and storing it up
to be used against him when the next
temptation comes. Nothing we ever do is
in strict scientific literalness wiped out.
As we
Of course this has its good side.
become permanent drunkards by so many
separate drunks, so we may become saints
in the moral and authorities and experts
in the practical and scientific spheres by
so many separate acts and hours
work."

Thus it is easy to see that the world Further, since habits are SO easily in its corruption was hardly in a condiformed in childhood, single actions have an tion to accept and understand the pure importance far beyond' what at first seems teachings of Jesus. However, He came, que to them. The tendency to repetition and His followers were from among the is so strong in the young that a lie told Essenees, who had all things in common, in jest, a little carelessness in dress or wastefulness in food may lead to habits and were doing the best they could to of untruthfulness, carelessness or prodi- please God. Christianity grew and spread gality. On this point Dr. James fitly re- over the then civilized world, especially marks: "The hell to be endured hereafter. amongst the Gentiles, until even the corof which theology tells, is no worse than rupt Tiberius wished to Deify Christ and the hell we make for ourselves in this place Him amongst the many gods of world by habitually fashioning our char- Rome. This shows the success that Chrisacters in the wrong way. Could the young but realize how soon they will be- tianity met soon after the crucifixion. come mere walking bundles of habits, they would give more heed to their conduct.

SOUTHERN STAR

the laws of the land. Yet he would pre-
sume to suggest that one should make a
law to one's self to drive men away and
restrict them in their religious worship.
Nov. 21 he wrote about a conference
held by the Latter Day Saints.
and among other things, slurringly re-
marks about the coats worn by some of
the Elders, which, he says, bore evidence

to date, and anything but a backwoods
city. Surely this cannot be applied to
all the citizens. It must be that as he
makes laws unto himself (the editor, I
mean), he must have made one which
placed him as the criterion, and being
such a rank backwoodsman he thought
everybody else as verdant as himself.
"In this enlightened day and genera-

Published Weekly by Southern States Mission, Church of having done considerable service. We tion the people have learned to rely on

of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,,

Chattanooga, Tenn.

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1899.

reason to shape their destinies."

Poor Brother Jameson. If this be

true, and you say it is, maybe in your future destiny you can, shaped by your reason, get some Lazarus to come and

parching tongue. Surely you do not deny miracles. If you do you must acknowledge God's goodness, for this is the nineteenth century, nearly the twentieth, and you are living, and, remember your own words, this is an enlightened age.

He concludes with quite a plea for the respect of society and the sacred relations existing between man and wife. Mr. Jameson, do not forget that once you had a race of people down here, who were very black; who had no bones in their nose; little if any hair; feet that were not arched as the white man's, and not any were red-headed. Now how came this change in their appearance? Remember your plea, Mr. Jameson, and look in your own door yard all over the country where you live and see if some people don't live in glass houses.

believe it is everywhere written, and upon the lips of every school child, and understood by every one who is rightly entitled $1.00 to live in this progressive age, that it is .50 the ugliest kind of ignorance and corrupt .25 manners to speak of others' clothes in a disrespectful way. It is quite comfort-place a drop of cool water upon your ing to know that God judges by the heart and not by the tile, the set of the cravat or the broadcloth suit. It might be profitable and comforting to many if Mr. Jameson would invest a quarter for a work on etiquette for his mother's sake, if it be that he is not too depraved and vicious to learn a few items on decency and manners. He then comments upon the manner, as he says, in which President Rich tried to arouse the sympathy of the people. President Rich need only tell the truth to cause any man with even a spark of patriotism in him to feel that the "Mormons" when they were driven from Missouri and Illinois; when they had their houses burned; their women and daughters butchered and ravished by men, who, as Mr. Jameson, made laws unto themselves, were not treated like Americans should be. The power to make laws that regulate affairs between states and citizens of different states lies with the Congress of the United States, so he need have no fear that an organization numbering about 350,000 scat-earth. tered throughout the whole world, will "undermine and overthrow the laws." True, he may be somewhat annoyed, for we are here and cannot deny it, to fight all manner of wickedness, and possibly he feels insecure under those conditions and would like to make a law to drive these men away lest he be overtaken in sin.

ARTICLES OF FAITH
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF
LATTER-DAY SAINTS.

1. We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

3. We believe that men will be punished for their own eins, and not for Adam's transgression.

8. We believe that, through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordiDances of the Gospel.

4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

6. We believe that a man must be called of God, by "prophecy, and by the laying on of hands," by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church-namely, Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists, etc.

7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.

8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be built upon this (the American) continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

1. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulere, and magistrates; in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law. 18. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul, "We believe all things, we hope all things," we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after thean Ching-JOSEPH SMITH..

A BACKWOODS EDITOR. There is a man living down in Alabama who edits a paper called the Tuscaloosa Times. His efforts would be more appreciated if he would direct his energies in a channel calculated to do good, rather than attempt a discussion and chastisement of a people of whom, from his article, he is very ignorant. In one of these betraying articles of Oct. 15 he says: "There is something gruesome about the

fact that emissaries from that hot-bed of

vice are permitted to invade the sacred precincts of our homes in Tuscaloosa.

"We would feel that our education had
been woefully neglected if we were not
informed upon the practice of the 'Mor-
mons. This is what we think. What
would he have you believe the "practice
of the 'Mormons'" was? He speaks of
it as a hot-bed of vice and tries to create
the general impression that "Mormon-
ism" implies all manner of vileness, chief
of which is the unrestricted honor of the
fair sex, and we will take his word that
he believes as he says; he knows his own
self best.

There is one part, however, that don't
come with very good grace from him, af-
ter having advised making laws or taking
them into their own hands. He says
that the "Mormons" have a right to wor-
ship God according to the dictates of
their own conscience. Yes, they should
have, and we thank God that all people
aren't as Mr. Jameson or we would have
to think and do as they thought and did
or else be burned at the stake or some
other hideous torture inflicted. Con-
tinuing, he says: "We are strenu-
opposed to
ously
anything that
is not lawful." I
suppose he folded
his hands and rolled his eyes toward

heaven while he thought of this, and for

If there is no legal protection against got what he had written in the early part

such intrusion, must one take the law in his own hands or be a law unto one's self?"

This article briefly indicates the character of this man. If you were to ask him he would no doubt say that he was an American and believed in sustaining

of the article.

"These Mormons confine their operations to the rural districts." We are quite surprised, yet not so much when we consider the source. We thought Tuscaloosa to be one of the busiest little cities of the south, and thoroughly up

People who believe in the transmigration of the soul should try to get the editor of the Times and place him on exhibition as a living testimony that the spirit of Annanias had again come to

While traveling through the south some of our Elders are frequently asked if it is true that a man must have four or five wives before he can join the church. Only last week we received a letter from a school teacher in Florida, asking if we couldn't furnish him with two or three wives and no one be the wiser. They also ask if Utah is any place around Salt Lake City, what ocean they had to cross to come to America; if it took them long to learn the language; if Salt Lake was not near Jerusalem, etc. After wondering how people could be so ignorant, we are now quite satisfied that Mr. Jameson once taught school, and this is what he taught, for he says he is educated concerning "Mormonism," and he evidences the veracity of that remark from the way in which he writes.

a

Being generous and broad-minded in our religious views, we still believe there will be some place in the various degrees of glory in God's Kingdom where the editor's soul may find a resting place, if it can be found. But should he be consigned to the other apartments for season they would have to get a good many souls like him if Alabama has them and put them all in a mustard seed and consign the seed to hell to be able to damn them. A soul no larger than he has could walk forever in the shadow of Just such a two-foot gravestone. shrunken, warped and narrow bigots as this put Jesus Christ to death.

SCARED OF THE LIGHT.

A dispatch to the Courier-Journal from London, Ky., of Dec. 2, '99, comments upon a conference soon to be held in that city by the Latter Day Saints. It says they will not be very kindly received nor cared for after arriving, for the only

place where they can get a place to stay is at the Riley Hotel. About a month ago the same sect went into Goldsboro, N. C., for the same purpose and had a very similar experience. The manager of the hall they had hired said he would have to break his contract because of public opinion created by ministers.

In Louisiana a similar case occurred. And yet we are accused of being afraid of the light, and fear the investigation of the wise. Whenever we go to these cities we are always met with opposition created by men who say they are ministers who warn the people, as they say, and tell them to have nothing to do with

us,

If "Mormonism" is such a hideous

monster, why do they not invite their flock to go and hear them? If they do become polluted all they will have to do, you say, is confess that Jesus is the Christ and they will be saved. That used to be the devil's plan to force people.

How can you preach that God has no passions? Unless you was blind to truth you would know He was long suffering and loved His children or else how would you have escaped this long the damnation of hell, if such be the home of the ungodly and sinners and liars.

WHAT IS MEANT

The following question and answer is clipped from a religious paper published at Chicago, Dec. 2, 1899:

THE SOUTHERN STAR.

to when he said, upon the rock will I
build My Church? Is it not very rea-
sonable to believe He was referring to
the power that had given Peter the
testimony that it was Jesus to whom He
was speaking, and that upon the rock of
revelation He would establish His

Church?

a

Catholic Doctrine.

13

"It is the general teaching of Catholic theology," says a Catholic priest in Donohue's Magazine, "that among the scenes and places of man's future habitation will be this planet, not as we have it now, with its winters and summers, In the eighth chapter of Amos and with its biting winds and enervating ateleventh verse it is recorded that there mosphere, but as it will be after the would be a famine for the word of God. great day of judgment, when, according The same author, in chapter three and to the clear teaching of Holy Scripture, seventh verse, tells us that the Lord will the world is to be deluged by fire, and do nothing, but He revealeth His secret in the purifying elements of fire the unto His servants, the prophets. At this world is to be renewed and regenerated. particular time of speaking, when Christ The world will then be transformed into scene of changeless and surpassing was addressing Peter, the saving dispensation of Jesus Christ was to be ush-loveliness, a fit dwelling place for gloriered in, and as Christ did only those fied man." things which He seen the Father do, then it must have been upon that information the Father revealed to Him that He built His Church; or upon revelation. had concerning the Father or And if no information could be His work (none of His secrets), isn't it quite plain that we cannot do the work of the Lord without His instructions? Yes, I know we have the word, but the letter killeth and the spirit giveth life, and for each succeeding circumstance that transpires we must be enlightened so that we will

know His will.

all that had previously been given
When the Lord wanted a temple built

to

The New Creed of the Universalists.

The "Winchester Platform" of 1803, which Universalists have commonly accepted as their standard, embraced these three propositions:

Art. I. We believe that the

Holy

Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain a revelation of the character of God, and of the duty, interest and final destination of mankind.

Art. II. We believe that there is one

God, whose nature is Love, revealed in one Lord Jesus Christ, by one Holy Spirit of Grace, who will finally restore the whole family of mankind to holiness

"To whom or to what did Jesus refer Noah as to how to build the ark would and happiness.

when he said, "Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church," etc., as recorded in Matt. 16:17-18? Did Jesus mean that Peter was the rock?

"There is not, so far as we can see, any sound reason whatever for supposing that the reference was to Peter; on the contrary, all the evidence tends to show that he, Peter, could not have been the 'rock,' but that Jesus Himself was to be the foundation stone upon which the eternal, immovable church was to be builded. 'Whom say ye that I am?' asked He, and the response came, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.' Then follow the words from which the quotation is taken. It would seem impossible that the unstable Peter could have been meant. In the paragraph following, we find our Lord reproving Peter, declaring him to be an offense or stumbling block. All too soon we see him denying, with profane lips, all connection with the Master, and although he afterward became a mighty force in turning the hearts of the people to a positive faith in Jesus, it does not alter our conviction that the 'rock' spoken of was and is Jesus Curist, 'the chief corner stone.''

The answer to this inquiry is in part

right, inasmuch that it speaks of Peter not being the rock upon which the Church of Christ was to be built. But

the question is, does it also apply to Jesus, or did He mean something else

when He blessed Peter and bestowed

some remarkable gifts upon him?

Note the expression "For flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee,

but my Father which is in heaven.

And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

In the first place He tells Peter that flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee * * and upon this rock I will build My Church, He continues.

True it is that Christ is the chief corner stone, whom the builders rejected,

not do. He must again speak. The in-
structions to Joshua, how to capture
Jericho would never have caused the
walls at Jerusalem to fall. But each
successive event needs the word of God
to make it successful. At no time in

the history of God's work were the peo-
ple deprived of revelation, and are we
not of as much importance as any peo-
ple that ever lived upon the earth?

Charity never faileth; but whether
there be prophesies, they shall fail;
whether there be tongues, they shall
shall vanish away.
cease; whether there be knowledge, it

For we know in part and we prophesy
in part.

But when that which is perfect, then
that which is in part shall be done away.
(I Cor. 13:8-10.)

Has perfection come? Until that time
we are to know in part, prophesy in part,
see through a glass darkly, but when
that which is perfect is come then (and
not till then) we are to see face to face.
Are these gifts in the Church? If not,
what will you do with this Scripture?
And no
man taketh this honor unto
himself, but he that was called of God,

as was Aaron. (Heb 5-4.)
Aaron was called by revelation through
a prophet of God. How was your
preacher called? Does the Bible tell us

preachers are to be called any other way?
Does your minister through
learning take this honor unto himself?

Art. III. We believe that holiness and true happiness are inseparably connected, and that believers ought to be careful to maintain order and practice good works; for these things are good and profitable

was about what he called an American
duel, wherein two duelists, with one sec-
ond, met within doors and drew lots to
decide which should shoot himself.
was the unlucky man, and without a
word he retired into the next apartment
to carry out the purpose of self-destruc-
tion. B and the second, both very much

the pistol was heard.
worldly

When you are asking yourselves which
is the way to be saved, think over this
Scripture and find its parallel among the

many plans offered to save mankind on
the earth in this age.

Old subscribers should renew their subscription at once if they intend taking this volume of The Star, as we wish to revise our mailing list at once.

Orders are coming in very lively for

but was it this that He was referring the first bound volume of The Star.

moved by the tragedy of the situation, remained in listening attitudes. At last They shuddered with emotion and remorse, when suddenly in rushed the supposed dead man, triumphantly exclaiming: "Missed, by

heaven!"

Mrs. Younghusband-Do you notice any difference in the milk, dear? Mr. Younghusband-I should say so; this is a much better quality than we have been getting lately.

Mrs. Younghusband-Indeed it is. I got it of a new man, who said he would guarantee it to be perfectly pure, so I bought enough to last a couple of weeks. -Chicago News.

EFFECTS PRODUCED BY LIVES OF GREAT CHARACTERS.

Blessings of God Secured by Obedience-When the Lord Gives Commands He
Opens the Way for the Obedient to Fulfill Them.

[ADDRESS DELIVERED BY ELDER HEBER J. GRANT AT SALT LAKE CITY, OCT. 6, 1899.]
I rejoice exceedingly at again having |
the opportunity of meeting with the Lat-
ter-day Saints in General Conference. I
have listened with a great deal of pleas-

ure to the remarks that have been made by the brethren who have spoken, and 1 earnestly desire that the time which I occupy may be for our mutual benefit, to strengthen us in the faith of the Gospel, and to inspire us with a determination to press forward in the discharge of the many duties and responsibilities resting upon us as members of the Church. We all, no doubt, look around in life and from our observation of men, or from our reading of the lives of those who have died, form our ideals, and we try to live and to be like those whom we admire.

But I find that the men who obey are
those who testify that the promises of
God are fulfilled. Therefore, it behooves
each and every one of us to be true and
energetic.

I desire to read a few words from the
writings of the Prophet Nephi. After
hearing the testimony of his father, and
after they had gone into the wilderness
Nephi says:

16. And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father, wherefore I did not rebel against him unto my brothers.

sion. This is a testimony of the statement of Nephi: "For I know that the Lord giveth no commandment unto the

children of men, save He shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which He commandeth them." Let us realize this and that the keeping of the commandments of God will bring to us the light and inspiration of His Spirit. Then the desire of our hearts will be to know the mind and will of the Lord, and we will pray for strength and ability to carry it out, thereby following in the footsteps of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. After the sons of Lehi had gone up to try and get the plates and were driven back, and Nephi's brethren desired to return to their father, Nephi said unto them.:.

"That as the Lord liveth, and as we live,. we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness, until we have accomplish the things which the Lord hath commanded us.

"Wherefore let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord."

Here is the key: Nephi knew how to be successful. Let us therefore be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord. "Therefore let us go down to the land he left gold and silver and all manner

There is no character with which I have Lord had manifested unto me by his of our fther's inheritance, for behold.

been familiar through my reading that has inspired me more than has Nephi of old. I can never read the life of that man

without being inspired with a desire to be faithful, diligent and true to the Lord, that I may be abundantly blessed of the Lord, as was Nephi. If we all could be inspired with a determiniation to live as this man lived, there is no question in my mind but we would grow and increase in the Spirit of God, and in power and ability to do the will of our Heavenly Father on the earth. Alma says that the Lord granteth unto men according to their desires, whether they be for life or death, for joy or remorse of conscience. As Latter-day Saints, let us have a desire to live lives of usefulness, and to be instruments in the hands of God of accomplishing much good.

I have read and spoken time and time again from the section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants from which Brother Woodruff read this morning. I have felt a desire in my heart to be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and to bring to pass much righteousness of my own free will. I have endeavored to impress this also upon the minds of those with whom I have been laboring since being called to minister among the people. I desire to read a few words more from this same section. After telling us to be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and not to wait to be commanded in all things, the Lord says:

"Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments?

"Who am I, saith the Lord, that have promised and have not fulfilled?

"I command and a man obeys not. I revoke and they receive not the blessing. "Then they say in their hearts, this is not the work of the Lord, for His promises are not fulfilled. But wo unto such, for their reward lurketh beneath, and not from above."

"17. And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.

"18. But behold Laman and Lemuel

would not hearken unto my words; and
being grieved because of the harshness

of their hearts, I cried unto the Lord for

"20. And inasmuch as ye shall keep
my commandments-”

press upon your minds.
This is the point that I desire to im-

commandments, ye shall prosper, and
"And inasmuch as ye shall keep my
shall be led to a land of promise; yea,
even a land which I have prepared fo"
all other lands."
you; yea, a land which is choice above

this land

1 say to the Latter-day Saints that this
last statement is one of the testimonies
of the truthfulness of this record, because
this is the land choice above all other
lands, and God has blessed the people upon
this land. He has fulfilled the words
recorded in this book time and time
again, that those who should come up to
should not prosper. After Nephi had been
fight against the people of
thus abundantly blessed of the Lord,
when he returned to his father, who had
received a commandment from the Lord
that his sons should go back to Jerusa-
lem for the brass plates, Laman and
Lemuel were murmuring against this
commandment. But these are the words

of Nephi:

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father, I will go and do the things which the Lord has commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save He shall prepare a way for thein that they may accomplish the things which he commandeth them.

"And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord."

I know scores of Latter-day Saints who have been commanded of the Lord time and time again, but have failed to receive the blessings promised through the ful- We will all be blessed of the Lord if fillments of the commandments of God, we have the same spirit and realize that because they have obeyed not. Yet they no obstacles are insurmountable when have accused the Lord of failing God commands and we obey. I heard to fulfill his promises made to those who Brother Lyman once remark in a meetobey His commandments. I have evering of the Quorum of the Apostles, that known that those who pay not their tith- he knew of no man who had ever been ing are the ones that criticise the expen- blessed by one of the Quorum of the diture of the tithing. Those who are ap- Apostles or by the Presidency of the proached for donations for laudable purChurch and had been sent out to fulfill poses, sometimes under the direction of a mission that had failed to do So. the Presidency of the Church, and There might be those whose hearts they who refuse to contribute, did not touch, but there were those the ones that criticise the whose hearts could be reached. There Presidency of the Church never was a member of the Quorum of and the Apostles the Apostles sent upon a mission, but for calling upon them means. what sooner or later fulfilled that mis

for

are

of riches. And all this he hath done because of the commandments of the

Lord."

time and Laban had stolen their gold and

After they had been driven the second

silver that they had offered him for the plates, Laman and Lemuel murmured again, and said that Laban could command his fifty and would slay them. And Nephi replied:

"Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his ands. fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thous

This is the kind of faith to have. Let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of God and then we know that we can win the battle, though we may be opposed by a man with his tens of thousands. The final result was that Nephi got the plates. We find recorded here also that Nephi was commanded of the Lord to build a vessel. His brethren laughed at him when they saw he was sorrowful because they refused to help him to build the vessel. Nephi said

to them:

Nephi continues:

had spoken these words, they were angry

"And now it came to pass that when I

into the depths of the sea; and as they
I spake unto them, saying: In the name
came forth to lay their hands upon me,
of the Almighty God, I command you
that ye touch me not, for I am filled
consuming of my flesh; and whoso shall
with the power of God even unto the
lay their hands upon me, shall wither
even as a dried reed; and he shall be is
shall smite him.
naught before the power of God, for God

with me and were desirous to throw me

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto them, that they should murmur no more against their father; neither should they withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I should build a ship."

On another occasion when Nephi was in affliction, having been bound by his brethren on the ship, and they unbound him because they were afraid of the storm. Nephi said:

"Wherefore they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists and behold swollen they had exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.

"Nevertheless I did look unto my God,