The Testimony of God

THE TESTIMONY OF GOD. BY ELDER HENRY W. NAISBITT.

True theology is the science of eternal life, because it includes the knowledge of God and man; and it implies a knowledge of the first, through his representative, Jesus Christ, and of the latter, by unlimited experience. "This is life eternal," said the Savior, "that they might know thee, the only true God, whom thou hast sent." and Jesus Christ Few possess this knowledge, and those to whom it is given, are few and far between. In them, that knowledge has been of gradual growth; it is not the product of a day, or year, but it is cumulative, coming by observation, by experience, and by inspiration. Even to the wisest and most sanctified on earth, it must be a progressive and, therefore, imperfect, or incomplete knowledge. There is one feature which is very common among the expressions used by the Latter-day Saints, both by the laity and the Priesthood, and it is the expression of testimony which they claim to have. Almost universally, every one bears his testimony; but there are differences in the midst of similarity; there is a meaning to one which does not apply to another. There is unity, but variety and a breadth of meaning, a depth of realization, in the hearts of the experienced, to which the early convert is a stranger; and curiously enough, the outer testimony which gives joy and satisfaction to one, is less appreciated by another. In almost every meeting, almost every speaker hints at or expresses diversity as to testimony. The preaching of the word affects individuals differently. The mental and spiritual faculties

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apprehend differently, as expressed by Paul, "To one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the gift of knowledge, to another faith, to another the gifts of healing, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another divers kinds of tongues, to another the interpre-

tation of tongues," as if these outer workings or manifestations were to meet the varied desires, faith, temperament, and organization of individual believers, for the instances are surely rare for any one person to enjoy or even appreciate the whole! Observation points out this diversity. Persons have coveted, prayed for, had these special gifts —they have constituted their testimony; to these they refer in public, over them they rejoice in private; and while others have preferred testimony of another kind, more in harmony with themselves, they have rejoiced in the manifestations possessed by another. The query has often been in our hearts, when listening to testimony, in open meeting: how far does that testimony extend? While it may be sufficient for the individual, what are its limits? Is it confined to the expression used? Is it bounded by that thought

or that experience? When testimony is based upon the manifestation of healing, is it satisfied to remain there? When testimony in regard to the Gospel and its truths is simply based upon fidelity to scriptural injunction, upon assumed or real similarity of Church organization, is that a sufficient basis for the acceptance of thought or change of sentiment? Will such testimony stand the sneers and ridicule of mankind? Have the allurements of gathering, of change of scene or occupation, moulded the testimony of the believer? Or is testimony graduated and developed by the reception of each succeeding truth or principle? Is it needful for one to refer to something occurring years ago for a demonstration of truth? When one testifies that he or she knows that the Gospel is true, does it refer to the general revealment, or to single principles, and would additional revelation bring additional testimony? Or, is there not additional testimony guaranteed on the reception of all advanced truth? Will the testimony that God lives, given through answer to prayer, become testimony to tithing, to gathering, to temple-building, to the sealing ordinances, to the certainty of a Tesurrection to eternal life?

194 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

Is a general testimony sufficient to give stability, or shall the revealing spirit be sought for to bear record of all other truths, as they may come from time to time? If healings are assumed to be

the only testimony required for receiving persons or systems, then we should have to receive the Catholic church, the Wesleyan church, the Josephite church. Even heathen religionists, and nonreligionists, can boast of manifestations such as these. - If our standard of judgment is based on prophetic utterances alone, how many pretenders and non-pretenders would claim our faith ? If to

have apostles is alone our guide, the Irvingites, Josephites, and others, could claim our confidence! If to be severely tenacious of

the word of wisdom is to captivate us, who so strenuous as the Reverend Dowie? If the assumption of authority is our great sheet-anchor, who so decided as the representatives of the mother church? If the claim to revelation is to guide us, what shall we say to the affirmation of spiritualistic mediums and the claims of Swedenborg? And as to trance, healing, writing, revealing mediums, are not their name legion? and can human discrimination alone, or segregated truth alone,guideus,thenare we left to "every wind of doctrine, whereby men lie in waite to deceive." Enoch had this testimony before his translation, "that he pleased God," and it seems in no way irrational, but rather deeply philosophical, that all reception of divine knowledge, all obedience to divine law and commandment, should bring its own special testimony, although the whole may be the product of the same Spirit. The testimony had by the exercise of faith, or the earnestness of repentance is one, and the testimony that sins are remitted by baptism is another. The power and manifestation of the working of that Spirit, which is given by the laying on of hands, is one thing, and the testimony which recognizes the propriety and blessing of personal tithing is surely another.That testimony which comes from cumulative obedience and which demonstrates the restoration of the Gospel as a whole, can never be received to testify to Catholicism, as a whole, or to Wesleyanism, Calvinism, Lutheranism, or any other "ism," as a whole. It can never be realized, for God hath not appointed them. Albeit, these may bring a measure of comfort, enjoyment, satisfaction, and blessing,, flowing from truths associated with every church, and outside all

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churches, when men live up to the best light which they possess. So that the Latter-day Saint — one who is always in the line of his duty —becomes a living epistle; he carries continuously the testimony of Jesus; he comprehends all revelation as part of one great system or science, established for an express purpose. He grows in the knowledge of the truth; every step becomes of value; every ordinance, of importance. Every principle is a necessary result of its predecessor; and the Latter-day Saint sets no limit to the reception or application of truth; it is eternal; it is his heritage. He does not avoid, but he reaches out after it. He is always struggling that he may apprehend that for which he is apprehended in Christ Jesus. It has often been said that all truth belongs to the Saints; it is their heritage. They are not yet in possession of it, but the promise is theirs. The keys are in their possession, and all the eternities will become tributary to continuous realization, here a little and there a little— cumulative, progressive, practical and predestined, "all things are yours, for ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." Sectarianism can be bounded, its circumference is defined, its limits are known, and the essential spirit thereof is to ignore and reject all further light. The true disciple, enlightened, peers into the mystery of God; his orbit is expanding; the circuit of his mental powers, and his spiritual activities are as wide as the eternities.

They include all "the fullness of God." Every problem of life and being will find ultimate solution, and bring with it assuredly "the testimony of God" by the power of his Holy Spirit and the anointing wherewith he has been anointed! Can more be asked for, expected,or enjoyed "while life, or thought, or being, lasts, or immortality endures?"