A Saying of Joseph Smith

A Saying of Joseph Smith By William Halls

"A man cannot be saved in ignorance." "A man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge." Let us see how these sayings bear the test of experience and reason. Before a man can do a thing well, he must know how. It matters not how earnest a farmer is in his labors, his success mainly depends on his knowledge. To be a successful ranchman, one must know the nature of the soil in his locality, and its adaptations; must forecast demands for its products; he must know climatic conditions and their effects, must know when to sow, when and how much to irrigate, how to conserve and increase the fertility of his soil, know the weeds and living pests with which he must contend; the nature and use of ani- mals; how to select, breed up, and care for horses, cattle, sheep, and swine; the diseases and the dangers they are subject to; and, to safeguard them, how to select, operate and keep in repair, his farm implements and machinery. In planting an orchard, he must know the fruit that the climate and soil are adapted for; a mistake in choosing his trees may cause him years of failure and disappointment. Our agricultural colleges should be encouraged, for the products and conservation of the soil and the care of animals are the first essentials of a nation's prosperity. That which is true in farming, is true in all the activities of life; ignorance means failure, knowledge, success. As it is in temporal, so it is in spiritual things. Jesus said, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." We may know the Father and the Son, by becoming like them to dwell in their ;

presence and partake of their glory, we must be like them. We are the children of God, and all the attributes dwell- ing in the Father and the Son are inherent in us, and as rapidly as these are developed by exercise, we become like the Father and the Son, and just so far we know them. When a man, by faithful obedience to the gospel, is born of water and of the Spirit, he passes from death into life; old things pass away, all things become new. Unconscious of time, he sees things in their eternal relationship. The love that dwells in the Father and the Son awakens in his soul; he will obey the Word of

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Wisdom, pay his tithes, and keep holy the Sabbath day. He will put away pride, vanity, and all extravagance, live within his means, pay all his debts, and be honest with all men. He will seek knowledge by faith and prayer, and by earnest, dili- gent study of the scriptures, and other good books. After prov- ing himself worthy, he is called and ordained to the Priesthood, he is willing to leave his home and friends, and go and spend his time, labor and means to call men to repentance that they may receive the knowledge he has, and rejoice with him. Then his heart turns to his fathers who have died in darkness, not having heard the gospel in the flesh. That they may have the privilege of receiving the blessings he possesses, he is willing to go and give his time, labor and means as a Savior on Mount Zion, in the temple, in their behalf. In this work he not only feels the approval of the Father and the Son, but the love that radiates from the souls of his fathers on seeing his devotion in their behalf, fills him with a joy that all the wealth, pleasures, and honors of the world could not buy. He doesn't fear to die; to him death has no sting; he knows if he continues faith- ful, until the time comes for him to pass away, that he will meet his dead, for whom he has labored, and that with them, through the atonement of Christ, he will come forth in the resur- rection of the just. His wife and children, who are sealed and given to him for time and eternity, will come forth with him and receive eternal life. Jesus said, "He that will do the will of the Father, shall know of the doctrine." When a man is converted and has received the ordinances of the gospel and the Priesthood by divine authority, and labors with an eye single to the glory of God for his own salvation and for others, both living and dead, he knows his labors are accepted. When the Church was organized, the first men called to the priesthood may have been illiterate; for the learned, as a rule, would not listen to the message of Joseph Smith; and the first elders sent out were of the former class; but after being out some time, as others were found to take their places, they were called home, schools were established, and they were commanded to seek knowledge from every source available, that they might become more efficient missionaries; no man was above the sphere of his knowledge. An illiterate missionary is handicapped, he cannot teach what he does not know, nor give what he has not received; an elder is sent not to be taught, but to teach; he cannot operate beyond the bounds of his knowledge; all experience verifies the truth of the sayings of Joseph Smith: "A man cannot be saved in ignorance." "A man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge."

Mancos, Colorado