Editor’s Table

EDITOR'S TABLE. THE TRUTH REMAINS. It is natural that young people should become worried over the ridicule directed against the Saints and their doctrines, as well as over passing conditions relating to Church government. But they should also learn to rest in faith, to some extent, for they will learn, as they grow older and gain more experience, that we live largely by faith, and also that God is at the helm, and will overrule all things to his honor and glory, and for the good of those who serve him. He even turns men's errors to their benefit, if their hearts are just and righteous before him; and no matter what may be said or done, the truth remains, in spiritual as in secular affairs. There is no religion above or greater than the truth, and in proportion to the possession of truth by a religious body, so will it finally be judged. This has been a source of comfort to me,. when I have often wondered what can be the cause of so much opposition to the Latter-day Saints. When we consider the humble origin of this people, and, further, contemplate their insignificance in numbers, wealth and education, and remember their mission of peace and love, I am more than ever astonished at the opposition they encounter. From its organization this Church has proclaimed peace and good will to all men, inculcated into the lives of its members, love, meekness and humility, accompanied by every virtue tending to vigorous manliness and noble womanhood; as a people^ we have confessed faith in Jesus Christ and in his mission and sacrifice, in his wonderful resurrection and passage to glory with the Father. Our organization has been and is for the advancing of right and justice, truth and liberty; and as such we have ever

;300 IMPROVEMENT ERA proclaimed the doctrines of the Redeemer, and sought to live up to them, and to induce all men to do the same. Why, then, has this work engendered so much opposition from professed believers in Christianity? Why have the people of the world persecuted the Saints? No other organization, established for like purposes and with similar aims, has been so dreaded, so advertised for evil, and so lied about! The names of this people have been held up as evil, and no other church, so small in numbers, has been so proscribed, as the Latter-day Saints have been. Why, indeed, is it? Let the Saints answer for themselves. Is it because they are immoral, corrupt, wicked, disobedient? Let each man answer for himself. As for their leaders, they have labored long and zealously for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the people. Without their sacrifices and loving services' neither our spiritual or temporal conditions would be as prosperous and enviable as they are today. In the three quarters of a century of our history they have never robbed men of their substance nor deprived them of their liberties. On the contrary, they have emancipated thousands from temporal and spiritual bondage. They have never sought to ■tyrannize, but have labored diligently, during all these years, to impress upon the minds of their followers, by repeated and emphatic admonitions, the doctrines of Jesus Christ, and to persuade men to walk in his footsteps. They have taught this people to do to others as they would have others do to them, to be good neighbors, to induce men to believe in God, that Jesus is the Christ, and that he suffered death for the salvation of the human race. No man can justly point to an act of theirs which with their intention has tended to the injury of any man. And what can be said of the leaders, all the Saints may say for themselves—all this and more, for themselves, as a body and as individuals. Have not the Latter-day Saints made, and are they not making, a daily sacrifice t(J go into all parts of the world proclaiming the gospel of peace, and the love and mission of the Redeemer? Yet are they despised, misunderstood, hated, persecuted. But remember, it was so also with Christ. He healed the blind, cleansed the leper, made the deaf to hear, and preached the gospel to the ^poor; and yet the Jews persecuted him, and even took up stones

MANLINESS. 801 to stone him. But he declared unto them: "Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?" So with the Latter-day Saints: they have done many good works; for which of these are they persecuted? Through the inspiration and blessing of God the poor have been gathered from many lands and brought here where we have shown them how to build homes; from their native poverty, their feet have been planted seemingly in the green fields of plenty, shadowed by the everlasting hills. We have made them happy, and the freest people in the world—freemen, indeed, having their untrammelled agency to the fullest extent. For, be it remembered, no man is free, unless he is made so by the truth. For this reason, I repeat, the Saints are the freest people on the earth. The truth has made them free. We hear much of men not daring to apostatize from the Church, because they fear for their lives, property, and interests T Who among the Saints has ever injured an apostate? On the contrary, he brings his own punishment upon himself; the Saints do him no harm. Any man who says he is hampered by the Saints because he has turned [away from the gospel, does not tell the truth. You know,the people, young and old,know that I am telling the truth. If any persecution is reported among this people, let it be known, and the bishops of those who persecute will be asked _ to have them taught their duty, which is to fear the Lord and love all men. I would have the people taught that if an enemy in our midst has sickness, let him be visited; if he is naked, clothe him; if there is a stranger in our midst, comfort him. It has always been a doctrine of the Church, her leaders, and her people, as well as their practice, to love all men and let judgment rest with the Lord; to do good to all men, to bless and not to curse. The practice and the doctrine are in force today as ever. Then, under these conditions, what shall we say? I conclude and testify that we have the truth, and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ; we have the priesthood, which includes authority from God to officiate in the ordinances pertaining to life everlasting. Hence, with our.Savior, we may well boldly declare to the world: "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though

302 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." They persecuted Christ, nevertheless; and, doubtless, for like reason the Latter-day Saints are held in contempt, proscribed, ridiculed and hated. As for myself, personally, I purpose devoting my life to the truths of the gospel. I purpose telling the truth concerning the divinity 'of this work, and to stand by it, regardless of the criticisms of men. I believe with all my heart in the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and will not deny the light which God has granted me in this respect. Young people need have no cause for worry, though they are justified in feeling sorry,when ridicule is ruthlessly directed against the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ and the doctrines of the Gospel, or when worldlings hold up spiritual things to contempt; for, after all that is said and done, the truth, which has been revealed and which the Latter-day Saints have embraced, still remains, and will gloriously triumph in the end. Joseph F. Smith.