FIGHT FOR THE GOOD.

Of late we have received from our good friends in the South some anti-Mormon tracts, with a request that we refute the errors contained therein through the columns of our paper, and thus overthrow the false assertions of our enemies. We thank our friends for exhibiting such an interest in this work of "Latter Days," as to desire a complete refutation of these evil designing tracts, but we cannot afford to devote the valuable space of our paper to silence some contemptible religious demagogue, who has more learning than brains, and whose only aim is to tear down that which he ignorantly supposes to be false, instead of building up that which is righteous and good. We firmly believe with the poet, Tennyson, that "It is better to fight for the good, than rail at the ill.”

THE SOUTHERN STAR.

our Lord, for then we know that salva-
tion awaits us if we are true to the
teachings of that which the world has
nicknamed "Mormonism."

History of the Southern States Mission.

(Continued from page 306.)
FEBRUARY, 1899.-On the 7th inst.
Elder Geo. A. Lyman arrived at the
office, having been released from presid-
ing over the East Kentucky conference
to assist Pres. Rich as a counsellor. All
the Elders of the Louisiana conference,
with the exception of Elder Louis A.
Warren, were met in conference assem
Louisiana, on the 14th inst. Much good
bled at Red Rock, Natchitoches parish,
instruction was given, and a time of re-
joicing and gladness was had.

On the 21st a company of Elders ar-
rived from the vales of the far west.
Their names were as follows:
Arrowsmith, Wm. J. Hunnicutt, Joseph
vil, Miel C. Pierce, Joseph M. Holt,
Jonathan D. Wood, Albert I. Grover,
Conrad Maag, Jr., Ernest S. Fisher,
John Jensen, Job Adams, David J.
Paice and William A. Brown.
Frank H. Snow arrived on the 13th inst.
ginia conference.
and was assigned to labor in the Vir-

317

rived from Salt Lake City. They were as follows: Lewis M. Nebeker, Jos. D. Burnett, Geo. A. Adams, Wm. J. Turner, Chas. L. Bean, John Gooch, Jr., Win. Fifield, W. W. Butler, Almy C. Clayton, Jos. H. Corbridge, Geo. F. Summerhays and Niels C. Jensen,

The next conference was held at Or-
The

The Georgia conference convened in Atlanta on the 23d and 24th. A hall was procured in which services were held and a feeling of fairness and love seemed The Elders reported feeling well, and to characterize the whole proceedings. encouraged in the work of the Lord. lando, Fla., on the 26th and 27th. work was progressing, and the Elders bama conference met at Montgomery. enjoying the blessings of the Lord. On the 30th and 31st, the South AlaThe people were free from the prejudice so prevalent in the south, so they granted the brethren the use of the opera house on Sunday, free of charge. Albert The question is: After we have prov-F. Tingy, Ernest Knowles, A. B. Sco-moniously for the spread of the everlastElders feeling well, and working harThus the month closed, with all the en the assertions of these tracts to be false and altogether ing Gospel. erroneous, what have we gained? It is true we have occupied much space, but have we benefited ourselves or others by so doing? No, we think not; at least not near the amount of good we could have done had we continued in vigorously declaring for the right, and let the evil perish with its wicked worshippers. If we were to stop to silence the snarl of every little dog which snaps at our heels, it would keep us busy muzzling them, and thus deprive us of preaching the good word of salvation unto others who remain bound in chains of error, superstition, and tradition, waiting for the Gospel of Christ to break their fetters, and set them free. Our motto is, and ever shall be, "Do what is right, let the consequence

follow."

We would gently remind the authors of these base fabrications circulated throughout this land, that there is a place in hell for all who love and make a lie. Why delight in speaking evil of things you understand not? Why not be broad-minded enough to investigate with a soul's sincere desire to know the truth pertaining to this much despised and everywhere spoken against people, and not merely to find flaws or discover defects? You sing of your good old-time religion, and say, "Makes me love everybody," and at the same time your whole miserable anatomy is seething with hat red and malice for a people professing to worship the same God you claim to believe in. Oh, how utterly inconsistent! How manifestly hypocritical! How unChristian, unholy and dispicable! We love the sons of men, we love the Lord our God, we love the good Bible, and prize the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the power of God unto salvation. Do you hate us for these things? Of course you say, "Nay!" Then what do you hate us for? You know not, to be consistent and true to your confessions and loud professions. And you can never be just and fair in speaking evil of things you understand not.

Milton

says,

Elder

It was also on the 21st, the day of
the company's arrival, that a telegram
was received from Elder R. A. Robinson
of the Louisiana conference which read
as follows: "Elder Louis A. Warren
died last night of pneumonia. Arrange
Elder."
by wire for transportation of corpse and
A full account of Elder War-
ren's death, of his fidelity, integrity,
and faithfulness, is given on page 101
of Vol. 1.

During this month the Chattanooga
conference was organized with Pres. L.
R. Anderson at its head. It embraced
some twenty counties, located as fol-
lows:
Grundy, Hamilton, Polk, James
Sequachee, Marion, Franklin,
and
Bradley in Tennessee; Jackson, De Kalb
and Cherokee in Alabama; and Dade,
Catoosa, Walker, Chattooga, Whit-
field, Murray, Floyd, Bartow and Gor-
don in Georgia.

On the 24th, a portion of the Middle
Tennessee Elders were met at Tulla-
homa, Tenn., and on the 28th the re-
mainder were met at Rural Hill, Wil-
son county, Tennessee. At both meet-
ings a splendid time was enjoyed.

Thus the month closed.
MARCH, 1899.-In general the month
of March was one of joy for the Elders.
Not much sickness was reported, and in
turb the Elders in their labors.
only one or two instances did mobs dis-

On the 7th inst. Pres. Rich met in

conference with a part of the Elders of

the East Tennessee conference at Milli

gan, Tenn., where the Elders enjoyed
much of the Spirit of God in their as-
sembly.
inst. the remainder of the Elders of the
At Clinton, Tenn., on the 9th
East Tennessee conference were visited,
and a good spirit prevailed.

(To be continued.)

A FAIR-MINDED REPORT.

[The Republican News, of Hamilton, O., under date of Aug. 23, gives a fair report of the work of our Elders in that city. We congratulate the good people of Hamilton for having such a bright, lively, honest journal as the News, and we admire the straightforwardness and apparent our contemporary. broad-mindedness of Here is what the News has to say:-Ed.] "For the past few weeks the attention of pedestrians on High street has been attracted to men garbed all in black, with long coats and black ties, who were familiarly called Mormon preachers, but, more appropriately, Elders of Christ's Church.

"These Elders have been influential in converting four Hamiltonians to their faith, and the service of baptism was to have taken place in a few days, but on account of the illness of one the same has to be postponed until some later date.

"There is living on the northeast corner of Park avenue and D streets, a family which is composed of Cassius Smith, Mrs. Lillian Briggs Smith and Gertrude and Robin Smith, that have accepted the faith of the Christ church and will be baptized at some future date.

"The acceptance of this faith, however, is not a rash step, as Mr. and Mrs. Smith have known and thought seriously of belonging to this Church since their residence in Kokomo, Ill., where there is a very large Mormon Church.

"Mrs. Smith stated this afternoon that

was that Mrs. Smith was much improved today and was able to partake of some food.

for the past six days she had such a severe case of quinsy that she could much from the effects of the same. Yesneither eat nor sleep and has suffered and Smith, the Elders working in the terday afternoon the Messrs. Jacobson city, called and poured olive oil, similar to that which Christ used, upon her head; and after doing this they earnestAt Hewlett, Va., on the 12th inst. aly prayed for her recovery. The result part of the Elders of the Virginia conference were gathered together, and the remainder at Bridges on the 14th inst. The Elders were much encouraged to go "Mrs. Smith stated that her mother onward in their work with a determination to win the prize of eternal life. was a Methodist and that she herself was reared in that denomination, but On the 19th, the Elders of the Missis-in reading and studying this subject she "Good, the more communicated, more sippi conference assembled at Hatties- has been led to the conclusion of acabundant grows." Remember the words burg, Miss., to hold their special confer- cepting the Mormon faith, and she and of the poet. We repeat them again, for ence. Although the Elders had sought her family will be baptized as soon as your special benefit. "It is better to halls in which to meet, they were un- she recovers from her illness. fight for the good, than rail at the ill." able to obtain one, because of the exWe shall continue to "contend for the treme prejudice of the residents of the city. It was with difficulty that a hotel faith once delivered to the Saints," and could be persuaded to furnish lodgings let our adversaries howl and bark to for the Elders. At last one was protheir hearts' content. Onward, upward, cured, and in one of the large rooms, is the watchword, with a cordial invita- council meeting was held. The Elders tion to all to come and join the army of were warned to leave the city by noon the Lord. The right will prevail, right- of the next day and reluctantly they eousness triumph, and truth outlive her did so, seeing that nothing could be done with the half-crazed, frenzied bigots of wicked opponents. So we fear not the that place (see page 175, Vol. 1). outcome, but gladly await the coming of On the 20th inst., twelve Elders ar

"Mrs. Smith said: "These people are devoted Christians. They are friends to the poor. They show kindness to all. They have the Holy Ghost from Christ and from thence comes their power. The Elders are noble young men. They are intelligent, and therefore speak accordingly.'

Mr. Smith is an employe at the Champion Coated Paper mills and Mrs. Smith is a pianist of no mean ability. They have resided in Hamilton for the past year."

ordained before he was clothed upon

DID OUR SPIRITS EXIST PRIOR TO MORTAL BIRTH? with flesh.

accept reasonable truths of the Gospel. Surely it will not be denied that Christ enjoyed a pre-existence? Because of this fact: The Bible is replete with allusions to Him as the "Lamb slain before the foundations of the earth, "the Mighty Prince," foreordained to be a propitiation for the sins of fallen man," etc. Having voluntarily accepted the conditions of the atonement before man upon this earth began to be, He made known the great sacrifice to His Holy Prophets, who understood, and who wrote, and who offered sacrifices in commemoration of the magnanimous act of love and mercy to be enacted in the meridian of time.

Job records that every man possesses TAKEN FROM A SERMON DELIVERED BY ELDER BEN. L RICH, IN COLUMBUS, O., SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 1930. a spirit and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth it understanding. EccieIt is generally conceded throughout, mortal tabernacle and a spirit which, too, siastes says, in speaking of his death: Christendom that men's souls or their existed before the world was, though not "Then shall the dust return to the earthspirits had no existence prior to their in such princely power as did Christ's? as it was and the spirit shall return to birth into mortality. While this concesHowever, there are stronger evidences God Who gave it.' If a tourist has sion agrees with the philosophy of Plato, than mere logical inferences. Man is a been to Salt Lake City, to Denver, to it is at variance with the written word dual being, physical and spiritual, with Chicago, or Atlanta, that tourist can reof God. It is as inconsistent with Scrip- modifications of morality and intellectu- turn to Salt Lake, Denver, Chicago or ture to disbelieve in the pre-existence of ality. The spirit of man, that which Atlanta, by reason of his first having visspirits, as it is to believe that revealed leaves men when they die, is the off-ited those places; but if he has never truth teaches the existence of Deity, de- spring of God. Truly "man is a spark been to New York or London or Paris, void of mind, body and attributes; not- struck from the blaze of Deity." God is he cannot return to New York, London withstanding such an idea of God had the Father of the spirits of men, and or Paris till he first visits those cities. its inception in Plato's ethics, as did the because of this relationship the Son of And if the spirit returns to God Who doctrine inimical to an ante-mortal life. God taught us to pray: "Our Father gave it, as the Scriptures affirm, it arTo believe that the ego or spiritual self Who art in heaven." These words are gues beyond contradiction that the spirit of man lived before mortal birth is to not without signification. In times of once existed with God before it returns. trouble, affliction or pain, bereft of friends, faced by starvation or in the midst of a raging storm, when the elements go wild and seem to defy the laws of their Creator, the inward self, the spirit, naturally and instinctively, like a true child, leans upon the arm of its Father for comfort, for assistance and protection. The word of God sustains and recognizes this relationship. In the sense that God is the Father of our spirits, we are all the children of God. We are the literal progeny of Adam, and Luke, in giving the genealogy of Joseph, says, "who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God." And Paul writes: "We have fathers of the flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence, shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live?" But John in his epistle makes it plain. "Beloved,' says he, "it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but now we know that we are the sons of God, and when we shall appear we shall be like Him," etc. There, as aforesaid, we are the sons of God, because God is the author of our spirits, because of which we call Him, "Our Heavenly Father. Now listen: "And God said unto Job, gird up thy loins like a man and answer thou Me, for I will demand of thee. Where wast Thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding, who laid the corner stone thereof when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Where wast thou. declare?" Job must have been somewhere at the time of the creation of the earth, or why the question? And since we are all the sons of God, and at the laying of the earth's corner stones, as it were, all the sons of God shouted for joy, we of necessity existed in a condition anterior to our mortal probation. Is not the conclusion logical?

The Apostle to the Gentiles wrote in his letter to the Hebrews, "God, Who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets, hath in these days spoken unto us by His Son, Whom He hath ordained to be heir over all things, and by Whom also the worlds were made." Now, then, let it be frankly asked: "How could Christ, as Paul affirms, assist in the creation of the earth, unless He existed before that world was created?"

وہ

John, the beloved, calls Him the Word, "The Father, Word and Holy Ghost,' and says in his Gospel: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and was made flesh and dwelt among men.' From this we see definitely that Christ in the beginning was a God with His Father and in the course of time became clothed upon with mortality.

It is reasonable that there was a life before this sphere of action. The achievement of such refinement as man's intellect required a period longer in its growth and existence than two or three decades of worldly years. It is no more impossible that we did exist than that we will exist hereafter, or that we do now exist. The greatest mystery is the present life of man, yet it is the most actual and real. Who first wound up the life's clock of man and set his heart beating? Why does the heart still beat independent of any exertion? Why is it that by simple volition the right hand can be raised or the brain think? Would it not be folly to argue that because we cannot know or understand why anything is, that therefore it is not or has not been? And it is no more impossible for life to be after the grave than for it to have been before the grave. until it can be proven that the souls of men are not immortal, it cannot be proven that the souls of men did not exist before this sphere of action. And if it cannot be shown that the souls of men will not exist hereafter because they do exist now, and the living revelations of a just God have shown that there is life beyond death and also that there was life before birth. And who can disprove the teachings of the Great One, when every word is truth?

But

spirits, we can understand the true fathUnderstanding the pre-existence of erhood of God and brotherhood of man; we can appreciate the justice of God, in permitting one child to be born white Indeed, we have the Messiah's own tesand another one black, we can undertimony of His former life. One day, stand why one intellect is superior to when His disciples were confused by a and more brilliant than another. Wherremark of the Savior, as John records, ever a son of God exists, whether here, He inquired: "What, and doth this ofbefore or hereafter, that son had or will fend you? What and if you shall see the have or has his agency, his liberty to Son of Man ascend up where He was act without coercion. He possesses freebefore?" In the garden before the bedom and individuality. And it has been trayal by a kiss, the Man God lifted up revealed in this age that we exist in His voice in humble prayer and said: Christ and His followers understood mortality because of actions in our for"Oh, Father! I have glorified Thee on mer life. Those spirits who disobeyed earth, I have finished the work which the doctrine. One day in His travels, acthe injunctions of the Father were cast Thou gavest Me to do, and now, O Fath-companied by His Apostles, Jesus met a man blind from birth. His disciples out and became tempters of men. We er, glorify Thou Me even with Thine own self, with the glory I had with Thee asked Him, saying: "Master, who hath will all exist after the grave, but if we "place ourselves in subjection to the before the world was.'" Surely no bal- sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Now the Savior inva- Father of spirits" and prove ourselves anced mind will question Christ's prime- riably rebuked any of His disciples when-worthy of His trust by complying with ever they made light or idle remarks, His wishes concerning us, we will exist but not so here. He understood the worth in power; we will progress to perfection of the question and approved it by anin love, mercy, justice, truth and happiswering that "neither" had sinned, but ness, enthroned in the courts of eternal that he was born blind so that the power intelligence, the glory of salvation. Is of God might be asserted. The all-wise not this end worthy the means of its Omnipotence is a God of justice. He accomplishment, when the simple execudoes not inflict punishment before the tion of the Gospel laws tend to mortal commission of sin. And if this blind man felicity? We did exist before our morcould have sinned (and it was possible tal birth; and we will exist after our because of Christ's sanction of the query) mortal death, but in what condition deand as a result of that sin was born pends upon self and only self. "Choose blind, he must necessarily have sinned this day whom ye will serve.' before he was born and consequently existed before mortal time.

val existence?

Now, then, the Nazarene was like other men in a hundred ways. He was born of woman, He was raised as other men, fed by the same food, wearied by the same toil, warmed by the same fire, chilled by the same cold, and subject to everything of which flesh is heir. His temperament was sensitive and He was of all characters the "man of sorrow.'

His countrymen said: "Whence has this man this power? Is not He the carpenter's son, is His mother not called Mary, are His brothers not called Simon, Judas, James, and are not His sisters, too, among us? Whence has He this power and authority?" They rejected Him because they considered Him an imposter, and because they branded Him as an imposter they crucified Him and thought He was only a man. Now, then, if the birth of Christ was a union of a spirit, which has existed in the courts of God before the world began, and a mortal tabernacle, is it at all unreasonable to believe that our birth is a union of a

The ancients in the Mosaic period also understood the subject: "God said unto Jeremiah, "Before thou wert conceived of woman I knew thee, and before thou wert formed into mortality I sanctified thee and ordained thee a Prophet unto the nations." It is the reason of a sound mind to admit that Jeremiah must have existed before his birth, in order for him to have been recognized, sanctified and

You will find it less easy to uproot faults than to choke them by gaining virtues. Do not think of your faults, still less of others' faults; in every person who comes near you look for what is good and strong; honor that; rejoice in it, and, as you can, try to imitate it; and your faults will drop off, like dead comes.-John leaves, when their time Ruskin.

THE SOUTHERN STAR.

CONTINUOUS REVELATION.

The Church Built on the Foundation of Continuous Revelationtitled to an Individual Testimony of the Truth.

319

who heeded and acted upon it. Moreover, it cannot be found upon the pages of history where any man has risen up in opposition to that counsel and has Each Member En- stretched forth his hand to steady the

DISCOURSE DELIVERED BY APOSTLE M. F. COWLEY, IN THE TABERNACLE AT SALT LAKE CITY, APRIL 7TH, 1900.

the Messiah had said to him and his
brother Andrew, "Come and follow me
and I will make you fishers of men."
From Peter the testimony came in no
uncertain tones, saying, "Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God." And
Jesus said to Peter: "Blessed art thou,
Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath
Father which is in heaven."
not revealed it unto thee, but my

Woman

I wish to bear my testimony that
Besh and blood never did, because it
tity of the Son of God, or make plain
never could, reveal anto man the iden-
to the understanding of the children of
en the things of God in any respect;
and if it required a revelation for the
Apostle Peter to bear witness that
Jesus was the Christ, it will require
revelation for every man and
are
in every dispensation of the Gospel, to
bear the same testimony.
I think
Indeed, the
Son of God enunciated this fact as an
eternal doctrine, when He sent the Sev-
enties out to declare the Gospel.
had commanded them to
He
go without
purse or scrip, just as the servants of
God have been commanded in this dis-
pensation, that the world may be test-
ed, and that the Disciples of the Son
of God may act upon the principle of
faith and trust in God to provide for
them the necessities and comforts of
Savior with the report of their mission,
life. When the Seventy returned to the
they said that they lacked nothing:

My brethren and sisters. I am pleased to have the privilege of meeting with you at this Conference. I desire in the performance of my duty the kind assistance of your prayers of faith. I have been edified through the instructions of my brethren. They have en couraged me, and also corrected me, for I find in them instructions which will enable me to improve wherein I lack, and encourage me in the enjoyment of the blessings resulting from the duties which perhaps I have performed more faithfully than others. In contemplating the character of these instructions, it is a solemn testimony to me of the truth of which my brethren have spoken, that the Church is guided by the spirit of revelation. But we not guided by the spirit of revelation as much as we ought to be. sometimes that we have not fully divested ourselves of the elements of sectarianism which some of us may have brought from the world and which others may have imbibed because of their weaknesses. Our Elders, in preaching the Gospel in the various nations of the earth, call attention to the fact that it has always been a characteristic of hu manity to profess a belief in the reveations and the remarkabie manifestations of the power of God which have been exhibited before their day. But when confronted with the opportunity or necessity of exercising the same faith, and enjoying immediate revelation, they have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. The Church of Christ never did exist on the earth, only as it existed, by the spirit of revelation from God. The Jews, when the Gospel was presented to them by John the Baptist, and also by the Savior, had just the same opportunities that the Christian world of today have, that is, of reading from the Scripture, which had been made by the Prophets preceding them, and receiving instructions from the doctors of the law and those whose pretended business it was to expound the Scriptures. But when one came to

"In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.

"All things are delivered to me of my Father; and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him."

This is a plain and simple doctrine, and whatever may be the attainments of mankind, based upon the opportunities of the age in which we live, aug mented by the experience and the learn ing of the preceding generations, they cannot understand the things of God, without the spirit of revelation.

been

I wish to bear my testimony that the
Saints was founded upon the principle
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
of revelation, and that it has
guided and controlled by the spirit of
revelation from its inception to the pres-
ent time. God designed to guide this
Church by the voice of revelation. When
I see any lack of confidence on the part
Prophet of God and his associates, I
of our people in the wisdom of the
am impressed with the fact that we
to the work of God. When the Prophet
are lacking in that faith which belongs
Joseph Smith was instrumental in es-
tablishing this work, he made certain
promises, such as have been alluded to
by my brethren today. These promises
have been fulfilled to the very letter.

ark of God, but what that man has come to disappointment and his folly has been made manifest in the midst of the people of God. I can bear my have been recorded as a result of the testimony that these evidences, which experience of this Church, will continue down to the latest period of time. God has established this work; He has maintained it; He has prospered it in the earth, and He will continue to do so God bless you, in the name of Jesus. from this time henceforth and forever. Amen.

GLEANINGS.

writes a firm and strong testimony of Sister Aderholt, a young lady of 19 summers, living, near Evergreen, Miss., the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has been connected with the Saints of God for something like four years, and rejoices in the knowledge of the truth.

Bro. T. T. Bookman and wife, of Sharp, S. C., write a very nice letter, of the Church of Jesus Christ and gladly in which they say: "We are members bear our testimony to the truthfulness of the Gospel the Elders are teaching in these latter days. We know and realize that this is the same Gospel as taught anciently by Christ and His Apostles. The Elders have always been welcomed to our home, and we never feel better than when they are with us. We would be pleased if all people could see and understand as do the Latter-day Saints."

Bro. Mayo sends some encouraging news from Westville, Holmes county, Fla. Here is what our brother says:

"As many readers of the Star are few lines might be interesting to them. acquainted at this place, I thought a Health is better than usual for the season, though there is some fever among

us.

"Our Sabbath school is moving along and I hope will improve in the near future, as the people are becoming more acquainted with the Gospel. There is .than nothing I enjoy more Sabbath school work, and there is no institution more cultivating or developing to the moral character of the youth than the Sabbath school among the Latter-day Saints and if the Saints and friends could only realize this fact it would be a great aid in publishing the Gospel.

"Elders Jas. J. Thompson and Daniel Bagley, who are traveling in the interSouth Alabama conference, are in this est of the Sabbath schools in this, the urday, the 11th, held meeting Saturday locality now. They arrived here Satnight, met with us in Sabbath school Sunday at 10 o'clock. We were addressed by Elder Daniel Bagley, followed by Elder Thompson. They also held meeting Sunday night."

them and said that the kingdom of God was nigh at hand, they were not prepared to receive it. The Gospel then, as now, was a test to all institutions. John the Baptist said, "The ax is laid unto the root of the tree, therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire." Jesus was desiring to bring to the attention of His Disciples the necessity of being built upon a solid founda tion, aud propounded a question unto them as recorded in Matthew, 16th chapter. He said: "Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" And His Disciples said, "Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremiah or one of the Prophets." They not only extended to the remark Advice is thrown away on a boy or

Thus we see that it was all guess work

with them, so far as the general public were concerned. He turned to the Apostles and said: "But whom say ye that I am?" In response there came an emphatic testimony, not from a doctor of the law, not from an educated man, who had built his faith upon a mere reading of the ancient Scripture, but from a poor, unlettered man, who had been called by the voice of the Son of God from the fisherman's net, when

able manifestatiton of the gifts and
tended to a promise that every man and
powers of the Holy Ghost, but they ex-
every woman in the Church should have
a substantial testimony concerning the
propriety of every movement made by
the Prophet of God, in advancing the
interests of the work of God ur on the
earth. And it can be pointed out on
the pages of history that neither the
Prophet Joseph Smith nor any of his
successors ever gave counsel unto the
Saints of God that was not attended
with blessings and prosperity to those

Sensible Advice.

C. P. Huntingdon, who after a phePacific Railway President, through the nomenal career in business became a columns of Success says these sensible words to boys and young men who are ambitious for honorable achievement:

him to work at anything which hardens
young man who considers it beneath
the hands or soils the garments, but
who prefers a clerkship in a store or
office at
clothes should not be worn at the ex-
starvation wages. Good
pense of a career. To the man who is
not afraid of downright hard work, I
would sugest frugality, investing sur-
plus earnings, if only a dime a day, in
books during leisure hours.
a savings bank, and reading usefu!

Elder P. N. Nelson gives us the follow-ready to lend a helping hand to a dising account of a pleasant time in the Florida conference:

strife, but if he wanted to have a friend. fenders of error will use, as a means of "Love and good will to all' was his

about three months they baptized sixteen
persons.

In October he went to Kirtland, where
he spent a few weeks, and then started
on his second mission, this time going
and into Pennsylvania. Himself and com-