Some Mistakes Made While Preaching the Gospel

SOME MISTAKES MADE WHILE PREACHING THE GOSPEL. BY ELDER W. A. MORTON.

"Be ye, therefore, wise as serpents and harmless as doves." This was the admonition which the Savior gave to his mission- aries in former times, and the same counsel has been given in these latter days. One of the best gifts which a young missionary should earnestly seek after is the gift of wisdom, and we have the assurance of the Apostle James that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given us. When Solomon was chosen king over Israel, he pursued this course. He prayed to the Lord to bless him with wisdom that he might rule in righteousness. The Lord granted unto him the desire of his heart, and Solomon was a very wise man until he fell.

There are few missionaries who, when they go out to preach the gospel, to some extent at least, make failures of do not themselves. They allow their zeal to run away with their judg- ment. A few days ago, I heard of a missionary who went into a Catholic chapel. Not content with viewing the inside of the building, he had the boldness to enter a private room, where a priest was attending to the duties of his office — hearing confession. The priest was not a little annoyed at the intrusion, and de- manded an explanation, whereupon the elder replied, "I have come to preach to you the gospel of Christ." I need hardly say that he was promptly shown out of the building. I know that we have been commanded to preach the gospel,

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in season and out of season: but I do not believe that the Lord approves of such conduct as that mentioned above. What would we think of a Catholic priest were' he to enter one of our temples, open the door of a sacred place, and interrupt the brethren in the performance of some holy ordinance of the gospel? I am sure that he would recieve as sharp a rebuke as the priest administered to our missionary, and he would deserve it, too. Of all men, it seems to me that "Mormon" missionaries should be the most gentle- manly, the most polite and civil; and, as a rule, they are. Indeed, fault has been found with some of them because of these qualities. They have been styled "wolves in sheep's clothing," men who, by their polite and genteel manners, have won the respect of people, and finally persuaded them to abandon the faith of their fathers, and to accept the gospel. Christ came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. Our missionaries are not sent out to condemn the world, but to try and save the people, and if we were to spend all our days preaching- repentance, and convert but one soul, how great will be our joy in the kingdom of God with that soul! We have no right to get angry with and condemn the people, if they refuse to believe our testimony. Judgment belongs to the Lord, who has said that he will reward every man according to his works.I know an elder who would get very angry with the

people when they would not accept of the doctrines which he taught. I believe if he had had the power, he would have called firedown out of heaven and destroyed a whole city. This is not a good spirit to be in possession of. On one occasion, when Jesus

and his disciples were in a certain place, the people treated them rather unkindly, and the disciples said, "Lord, let us call down fire out of heaven, and consume these people." I fancy, I can see the Savior smile as he gently rebuked them, saying, "ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. I came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Missionaries, think of these words of the Master: "I came not to destroy, but to save." Let such be your mission. "Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteous- ness," was another counsel of the great teacher. He understood the philosophy of teaching. He knew that we must first make friends before we can make converts. But ijot a few of the missionaries

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liave reversed this rule, and have tried to make converts first, and friends afterward. A number of years ago, there belonged to one of the English branches of the Church a man whose wife was very much opposed to the gospel. Elders had called on her, preached at her, and made her angry. She absolutely refused to allow one of the missionaries to enter her home. Her husband felt this very keenly, but being desirous of living at peace with his family, he requested the brethren not to call again. About three months after this, a missionary arrived from Utah, and on the following Sunday was introduced to the brother spoken of above. When the missionary was told of the unpleasant state of affairs in this home, he said, "I believe I will go home and eat dinner with that man next Sunday." His companions tried to <lissuade him, him that he would surely make trouble for telling the husband, but he refused to be turned from his purpose. At the close of the service the following Sunday, he went up to Brother and said: "Brother I am going home to eat dinner ,

with you, to day." The poor man turned pale, and looked some- what confused, but was unable to tell the elder that he would much rather he wouldn't come. He seemed to get quite nervous as he approached his home, but the missionary tried to cheer him with some interesting experience. Finally, they reached the

house. With a trembling hand the man knocked at the door, and when his wife opened it, before her husband had time to introduce the missionary, the. latter was saying, "I am delighted to meet you, Mrs. . I have heard the elders speak very kindly of you." She invited him in, and treated him with much kindness. He refrained from mentioning religious

topics during the whole of the afternoon. He allowed the lady herself to most of the talking, (which, by the way, dear do brethren, you want to be called good conversationalists you if

would always better do) and when he was leaving, she gave him a hearty invitation to call again. And he did call, a great many

times, and finally succeeded in getting the the lady to attend the

meetings of the Saints. Truly, "a little oil will do more to start the most stubborn machinery than all the vinegar in the world.'' A few words, in closing this paper.— "Brethren, use more oil and less vinegar."