Words of President Lorenzo Snow

Words of President Lorenzo Snow WE HAVE a perfect right to understand something of what we may receive in the other life. We have to suf- fer almost everything in accom- plishing the duties that are imposed upon us in moving along in this line that we have chosen. In the past, if we had time we might relate the various sacrifices the Lat- ter-day Saints have been called to make; and if they did not make these sacrifices their own conscienc- es would condemn them, because of the light which they had re- ceived and the knowledge they had of what they should do. It has proved very true with the Latter- day Saints what Jesus said on a certain occasion, when he compared the kingdom of God to a man seeking pearls. Having found one of very great value, he went and sold all that he possessed that he might secure that pearl. Then again He compared it unto a man that found a treasure in a field, which, having found, he went and sold everything that he possessed in order that he might come in possession of that treasure. That has been the case with the Latter- day Saints. We have been called to suffer and to sacrifice that which was more dear to ourselves than our lives, and some have been called to sacrifice their mortal exist- ence, having been placed in cir- cumstances that they could not avoid suffering the loss of their lives. We are called upon daily to make sacrifices, the Lord re- quiring this at our hands, and we as a general thing have complied. It is our privilege to know some- thing in regard to the future- — what will be the result of this sacrifice, what will be the result of traveling upon this path. Indeed a Latter-day Saint can hardly sus- tain himself in the Church of God unless he does get some knowledge of this kind that cannot be un- folded by common wisdom. We are no better than other people if this be not so. I have read something that is very peculiar in regard to the promises that are made, and which I know will be fulfilled, if we on our part do our duty. I have not lived liii this Church for about sixty-two years without finding out something. I devoted myself to be worthy to receive something that no mortal man can receive except through the spirit and pow- er of the Holy Ghost, and the Lord has shown me things and made me to understand them as clearly as the sun at noon-day in regard to what shall be the out- come of those Latter-day Saints that are faithful to their callings. Jesus says: "He that receiveth me receiveth my Father. "And he that receiveth my Father, re- ceiveth my Father's kingdom, therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him." TTHIS is in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. Now, if it were in the ,New Testament some people, though they might not un- derstand it, would pass it as being true, because it was in the Bible. Well, I am just as sure of its truth as if it were found in the New Testament. And the New Testa- ment bears us out in this doctrine. Jesus said, as recorded in the Rev- elation of St. John: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcome, and am sat down with my Father in his throne." There are many Scriptures bear- ing upon this point. I believe in this. I believe that we are the sons and daughters of God, and that He has bestowed upon us the capacity for infinite wisdom and knowledge, because He has given us a portion of Himself. We are told that we were made in His image, and we find that there is a character of immortality in the soul of man. There is a spiritual organism within this tabernacle, and that spiritual organism has a divinity in itself, though perhaps in an infantile state; but it has within itself the capability of im- proving and advancing, as the in- fant that receives sustenance from its mother. Though the infant may be very ignorant, yet there are possibilities in it that by passing through the various ordeals of childhood to maturity enable it to rise to a superiority that is perfectly marvelous, compared with its in- fantile ignorance. Why and how is it that this is accomplished? Be- cause it possesses the susceptibili- ties and the capabilities of its fa- ther. So in regard to ourselves. There is a divinity within our- selves that is immortal and never dies. Thousands and thousands of years hence we will be our- selves, and nobody else, so far as our individuality is concerned. That never dies from all eternity to all eternity. Immortality never dies, and it is immortal. We are as children growing and increasing in knowledge and wisdom. Some men we read of, like Elijah, Elisba, Samuel, or Moses, great prophets, advanced themselves to that degree of knowledge, and developed their immortal possibilities to an extent that is perfectly astonishing. And you and I will have to advance in this line until we control those things that the world cannot pos- sibly do. * * * A S TO our receiving these won- ■^ derful things about which I have read to you, I am just as sure of it as I am that I am talking to you today. Although it seems marvelous, it is here so stated, and I know the Lord tells that which is true. When he gives comfort to His Saints in His promises, those promises when fulfilled are vastly greater than the words seem to have indicated. * * * "The time is speedily coming — we do not want to talk very much, though, about going to Jackson County, Missouri, because through our foolishness and weakness we would not care anything about building houses and making our- selves comfortable here. I know when we first started a colony in (Continued on page 24)