You Are a Child of God

YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD By Joseph S. Peery At a recent open-air meeting, the following discussion took place: L. D. S. Speaker: "Where do you go when you die?" Care-worn Man: "You don't go." Speaker: "Yes you do, brother. The knowledge you gain in this life through study, suffering and experience will not perish at death. It goes with you and you will continue to live, move, act, accept, reject, and have your being." Another listener: "If this life were the end of it, life would not be worth the battle. I have a hope for the hereafter." "So have I," was the general comment. Speaker: "What is a baby?" Care-worn Man: "A little animal." Speaker: "Not a bit of it. A baby is not a mere animal, but a child of God, created in the image of his Father in heaven. Like begets like; and it is natural for children to grow like their parents. A baby is royal born, helpless and dependent for awhile; but, through proper training, susceptible of wonderful possibilities. The Savior teaches us to pray to 'Our Father which art in heaven' (Matt. 6:9). These words plainly tell .us whose Father he is and where he dwells. The baby lived with his Father in heaven before he came to this life, filled his mission well, and his great reward for keeping his first estate is that he can come to earth and obtain a body, the temple of the spirit within. The Savior said, 'Be ye therefore per- fect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect' (Matt. 5, 48). These words plainly say that you are a child of God, and, if you will only obey divine law, in time, you can go on progressing and become like your Father in heaven. Joseph Smith, the prophet, ex- pressed the same thought in these words: As a man is, God once wag: as God is, man may become.' Joseph Smith knew that God is a perfected person because he saw him. We all know that we are the children of God, because our inner spirits tell us so. As Paul wrote to the Romans: 'The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.' (Romans 8:16) ." When the meeting was over, a receptive listener remarked: "I like that doctrine." Another, "So do I." A University graduate said: "Give me some literature on eternal progression. I want to consider it." The care-worn doubter was softened through these lofty thoughts. He expressed regret for his utterances, was kindly treated and went away a friend. Truth makes its own appeal.