Salvation

Salvation BY WILLIAM HALLS "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ ; for it is the power of God unto salvation." Taken in its broad sense, salvation means not merely freedom from condemnation and suffering in the world to come, but also from the evils of this world. The principles of good and evil always did, and always will exist, as essential opposites. The want of understanding this necessary truth, has caused many to stumble, and to censure the Almighty for allowing evil to exist. If he had not wished Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit, why did he place the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden? Why did he not banish Lucifer from the garden before the temptation instead of after? In the background, behind these symbols, are principles that had no beginning and will have no end; without these opposites there would be no choice ; man could not exercise his agency. As a child of God, he must learn by experience, he must be as free and independent in his sphere as the Almighty is in his, yet always subject to law. If it were not for gravitation there would be no stability, man would have no solid footing. Yet in his movements, man is handicapped by this law. When he lifts a rock it hinders him all it can ; but when he puts it on the wall, it relents and comes to his assistance by holding it to its place, and setting the seal of its approval on his work, hence the law of compensation. There are always two sides to a balance ; to pull one down, you must lift the other up. This resistance is ever present and will persist. Our Father in Heaven, having passed through all the experiences we are passing through, knows all the trials and temptations of mortal life, and he has pointed out the way by which we may be saved from the evils we must meet. Life involves a constant struggle with adverse conditions. Man has many weaknesses incident to human nature, and if left to himself he would be overcome. Why these weaknesses? Why is he so constituted? Is there some mistake in his creation ? The answer is, no ; these weaknesses are all necessary, they are blessings in disguise. They are like a two-edged sword ; they cut both ways. If yielded to, they drag us down to lower levels ; but if controlled and brought into subjection, they lift us up to higher planes. It is not the province of the gospel of Christ to take these weaknesses from us, but to help us to control them. It is by overcoming our weak-

SALVATION 437 nesses that we gain power. As a rule of conduct to govern men, the Lord has given certain commandments which are included in the gospel of Christ. Assuming that unbelief and disobedience to the principles of the gospel of Christ have caused the evils of the world, we may presume that faith in and obedience to these principles will overcome them. The Lord has given a revelation to the Saints, called a "Word of Wisdom," and as a result no true Latter-day Saint uses tobacco nor strong drink, tea nor coffee. This is the power of God unto salvation for the Saints against intemperance. "Thou shalt not kill." If this were obeyed, there would be no need of battle-ships, armies and navies might be disbanded, and the fear of war would be taken from the hearts of men, and peace would prevail. "Thou shalt not commit adultery." This would remove the social evil, with its prostitution, white slavery, and the disease and misery it causes. "And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." This would end despotism and tyranny, removing all incentive to evil war, and peace and contentment would become general. "The powers of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and can only be exercised by persuasion and kindness." This would do away with persecution on account of difference of religious belief, and leave every man free to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience. The evils of intemperance are so appalling as to need no comment here. The shedding of the blood of millions of innocent men, and the burdens the fear of war is imposing on the people, are bankrupting the nations. The "social evil" has no parallel in nature ; it not only defiles the body, it deadens the soul, and makes spiritual development impossible. Kingcraft tells its own story, in the pomp, splendor, and extravagance of the favored few ; and in the squalor and poverty of the many. Priestcraft has exalted itself above the prerogative of Deity, by depriving men of their agency. To enforce its dogmas, it has shed the blood of millions, it has filled the minds of the greatest thinkers and writers (those who most influence public sentiment) with contempt for all forms of religion, resulting in an almost universal unbelief in the scriptures and in Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Redeemer of the world. The Sabbath is turned into a day of pleasure-seeking. There is unbelief in the sanctity of marriage, conjugal infidelity, multiplied divorce, and weakening of family ties, and parental and filial affection. The prevalence of these and kindred evils is not questioned; the question is. what is the remedy? Both men and women are organizing and giving their time and means for the

438 IMPROVEMENT ERA betterment of mankind, and each is doing good in its sphere, but there is lack of cohesion, the work must be unified to become effective. It must be centralized ; there must be a presiding council to direct the work. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an organization with the remedy. With its presidency and the twelve apostles to direct the work, it has a divine mission, with divine authority to preach the Gospel of Christ, the power of God unto salvation, unto all nations. All who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, repent of their sins, be baptized by immersion in water for the remission of sins, and receive the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands, and keep the commandments of God, will receive a testimony that Jesus is the Christ ; and will receive salvation from darkness, and doubt, the fear of death, and the bondage of sin, and from the destruction that will come upon the wicked; will be filled with peace, and love, and be prepared for the coming of the Lord, to dwell in his presence with the sanctified. MANOSj COL. A Memorable Saying The few short years of aviation have been so full of swift progress and thrilling achievement that already the earlier conquests of the airmen are taking on something of the remoteness of ancient history. This is true even of the first flight across the English Channel, by Louis Bleriot. But one of the brave adventurer's speeches on that occasion, as reported by the newspapers of the day, rang with a spirit so noble that it ought not to lapse from the memory of men. Bleriot was lame ; so lame that he was actually on crutches, as he waited for sunrise that fateful morning on the Calais sands. At last, when all was ready and he threw aside the crutches to seat himself in his monoplane, he cried gaily, "If I can't walk, I'll show the world that I can fly!" Surely those gallant words must call forth a response from many a determined heart. Many of us are crippled, handicapped in one way or another for the great adventure of living. We cannot walk — cannot pursue the ordinary, natural human course. But above us sweep the blue distances of faith, of the supernatural life, of the things that are spiritual and eternal. We cannot walk ; but the great voices of earth and heaven summon us to the miracle of flight! — Youth's Companion.