The Direction of the Spirit in our Lives

I trust that the Spirit of the Lord will direct me while I stand before you. I have rejoiced in the meetings of this conference and the spirit of the instructions which have been given unto us. While our brethren have been talking to us many reflections have come to my mind, regarding the great plan of life and salvation. I was particularly interested in the reference that was made to the "new religion" of Doctor Eliot, the ex-president of Harvard University ; and I thought, how vain men are, who will presume to formulate a religion for the salvation of our Father's children. It lies only with God to devise a plan whereby His children can be saved. The great trouble in the world is that we have too many man-made religions, and they do not possess the power of God unto salvation. Only that plan that was revealed from heaven, that was given and established before the foundations of this earth were laid, possesses this power. Eternal life is the goal for which we are striving, and men may not attain to it except in the way which has been pointed out by the Savior of the world. In order for men to find out the true way, it is necessary that they shall be obedient unto the will of God, that they turn away from wickedness and sin, that the Spirit of the Lord may possess their souls and bring them to a knowledge of the truth and to a knowledge of God, for it is this knowledge of God that we understand to be eternal life, as was pointed out by Brother McKay: "This is eternal life, to know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." But no man can obtain that knowledge of God through the wisdom of men. Men are unable to devise the plan by which the children of men may attain to that knowledge. We read in the holy scriptures that when our first parents were placed in the Garden of Eden, the Lord had planted a garden in the east end thereof, and in the midst of the garden there stood a tree, which was the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The Lord told our father Adam that of the fruit of this tree he should not eat, for in the day that he ate thereof he should surely die. I wish to call attention to this particular instance which occurred in the beginning of the history of man, upon this earth. After having partaken of this fruit, Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden and Cherubim, with flaming swords, were placed at the entrance to guard the way to the tree of life, which also stood in the midst of this garden, lest they might also partake of the fruit of that tree and live forever in their transgression. It is obvious, therefore, that in the great plan of the Almighty, men were not to obtain eternal life while in transgression; and a plan must be formed that would cleanse and purify men before they should be permitted to partake of that fruit which gave them eternal life. If it had been possible, or if it had been permitted that our first parents, in their transgression, could have also partaken of the fruit of this tree of life, we would not have attained to the eternal life that the Lord desires His children to obtain, because it would have been an eternal life of sin, and transgression from the ways of the Lord, and the next world would have been no better than this one. The Lord desired that all those who should partake of the fruit of that tree and live forever, should first become purged and purified and cleansed from all sin and from all unrighteousness ; therefore, He revealed from heaven a plan whereby men and women could obtain eternal life and come to the knowledge of God. Then, to know God is eternal life, and men cannot attain it only through faith and repentance from sin. Likewise, they must receive a remission of sin through baptism of the water, and Spirit, before they can know Him, for we can only know God and the things of God by the Spirit of God. Men may endeavor by their sophistry and philosophy to find Him out, but they will fail. They may undertake, by logic and reason to uncover His hiding place, but they will not succeed only as they pass through the cleansing process of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Cherubim with flaming swords still guard the way to the tree of life and knowledge of God, whom to know is life eternal. It is a wonderful plan. I wish to call attention to this fact, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and in reference to obtaining wisdom or knowledge, it must begin with the fear of God in our hearts. The Lord has given commandments and, with these commandments, this condition of fear is held up before the children of men. Sometimes there is a disposition to belittle this feeling of fear of God. Of course, it is not to be compared with the love of God, which is the greatest thing in the world; but the beginning is the fear of God. The beginning of knowledge, the beginning of wisdom has its origin in the fear of God, because human nature is such that this apprehension must continually be held up before mankind. It is so in the family government ; it is so in our civil government. What would we be if it were not for the fact that laws are passed and penalties attached to the transgression of the laws? Would we be as honest, as virtuous, as true, as we are today if there were no civil laws prescribing penalties? I do not believe we would be. I believe that it is necessary, in our civil government, that there should be laws passed that whosoever sheddeth the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed ; and that whosoever shall steal must pay the penalty. The sentiment of fear must be held up before us. I believe that it is necessary for every one of us to have these things before us, that we may know the consequence of transgression is that we will be punished. I rejoice that there is a code of laws in force by which society is protected, by which our children and we ourselves are protected from going the wrong way. We, too, are a covenant people, and this essential condition of fear is inscribed in the law of God; it is always held up before us. We are under holy and sacred covenants, penalties are attached to the transgression of the law of God; and, my brethren and sisters, in this fear of God I can find the beginning of wisdom and of knowledge. Men who wish to come to a knowledge of God may begin by having the fear in their hearts that they will not violate or transgress His laws, for they are wholesome and good, and we need them to keep us straight. As I advance in years, I find that I approve of every influence that has a tendency to keep me in the right path. I delight in those restrictions that are placed upon society and upon me, that prevent us from going wrong. It will hurt no good man to have good and wholesome laws; furthermore, it will lead us to the love of God, because if we are walking in this path, eschewing evil, turning away from it, each time that we govern ourselves in this way we will find we are coming nearer to obeying the will of God, and the great law of love will have an opportunity of controlling us. ¶

I desire to read a few words from the eleventh chapter of the first book of Nephi. Those of you who are familiar with the Book of Mormon will remember the great dream that Lehi had, and how the Lord revealed to him, in that dream, wonderful things, and among other things that he saw was a tree, the fruit of which was very desirable. Afterwards Nephi received a vision, and an angel of the Lord asked him a question, as to what he desired, and he said he desired to see the things which his father had seen in his dream : ¶

"And the angel said unto me (Nephi) Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw? ¶

"And I answered him saying, Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men ; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things. ¶

"And he spake unto me saying, Yea, and the most joyous to the soul. ¶

"And after he had said these words, he said unto me, Look! and I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him. ¶

"And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God." ¶

The word of God was the iron rod which also led to the tree of life. That is the way to get to that tree and to partake of its fruit ; and it represents the love of God. Blessed are those who shall attain to the love of God, but let them not despise the necessity of fearing God, and keeping His commandments. ¶

In this the dispensation of the fulness of times, as it was predicted, an angel came flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the face of the earth, to every nation, kindred, tongue and people; and this was his cry : "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come ; and worship Him that made the heavens and the earth, and the seas, and the fountains of water." Brethren and sisters, let the fear of God take hold of us, that we may obey His commandments, lest we have to pay the penalty; let us so live that we may avoid the punishment that comes to the evil-doer. If we will do so, clinging to the word of God, remembering the penalties that come from transgressing and going against it, we will eventually arrive at the tree and partake of that love of God that will fill our hearts with joy that is beyond all description. God bless us all. Amen. ¶