A Remarkable Experience

EDITOR'S TABLE. 623 dates and adopt in their lives its spiritual and temporal precepts, to become indeed the sons and daughters of God, worthy to dwell in peace and happiness upon this earth, and eventually in the heavens, in the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Joseph F. Smith. A REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE. The following experience is related to the Era by an elder who prefers his identity to be unknown,as he considers the incident •of too sacred a character to be coupled publicly with his name: It may be interesting to some, to read, in connection with this, the 46th verse of the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, in which the Lord says that he gives to some a momentary view of the torments of the condemned, but immediately closes the vision. If he shows that side of the hereafter to some, why should it not be consistent to think that he would reveal its opposite to others, for their benefit? The writer thinks that the 9th and 10th verses of the second chapter of First Corinthians could be taken as a direct statement to that effect: "But, as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God," At a period in this elder's life, when he was making determined efforts to overcome his weaknesses and perform certain duties required of him, being worried and troubled, he had an experience which he could scarcely class as a vision, or as a dream, though it occurred in his sleep, in the quiet of the night. He thought he saw himself in a kneeling posture with his face turned heavenward as though engaged in prayer, when there gradually stole over him a feeling of calm contentment, an utter forgetfulneas of trouble, and an obliviousness to mortal surroundings. This sense of satisfaction increased to one of joy until his soul was

wrapped in exquisite happiness, such as he had never experienced before in his most favored hours. There was borne in upon his mind, taking possession of and quickening his heart, a sense of supreme possession. It was as if every righteous desire were granted, every good thing wished for in life were given; there was a fulness of realization overwhelming in its nature. It seemed that he was aglow throughout his entire body with a warmth that was heavenly: even now, after years have passed, he can feel the thrill in his breast of the glorious light that seemed to illuminate him. Then the climax of the experience commenced, as the flame in his heart burned brighter, and it seemed that every nerve in his body was alive and quickened into independent vibration. His blood seemed to leap through his veins, his heart throbbed tumultuously, as if about to burst its walls, as forces, strange, powerful, yet heavenly, held him in sweet yet awful control. He could almost feel himself being consumed by an inward fire, and, finally, as the sensation became still more strongly intensified, he thought he felt his spirit leaving his body, which was apparently unable longer to endure under the influence that possessed him. In an agony of joy, no other term will express it, he cried aloud, "Q Lord, withhold thy blessings, I can endure no more!" Then he awoke, the tears coursing in torrents from his eyes, and his body quivering in every part, a glorious sense of a wonderful experience in his heart! In quiet thought and contemplation over what had occurred to him, there came as the most logical and reasonable explanation of it, the conclusion that for a brief period he had been permitted to taste, through the power of the Holy Spirit, celestial happiness; and an explanation, to some extent at least, was therein found of the scripture quoted that man cannot see nor hear, nor understand, the extent of God's blessings ; for this elder knows now, to his complete satisfaction, that man not only cannot know and describe the extent of this divine joy and happiness, but he could not endure its fulness while in mortality. He can sense now, and thinks that he can never forget, that the effect of the Spirit upon the sense of man, is light and warmth and fire.