Messenger and Advocate/3/5

Messenger and Advocate
Volume 3, Number 5

Source document in Mormon Publications: 19th and 20th Centuries online archive: Messenger and Advocate Vol. 3

Note: Some headings and bracketed texts are editorial and not part of the original text.

LATTER DAY SAINTS'
MESSENGER AND ADVOCATE
Volume III. No. 5.]	KIRTLAND, OHIO, FEBRUARY, 1837.	[Whole No. 29.

For the Messenger and Advocate.

"For we walk by faith, not by sight." 2d Cor. 5-7.

Who can peruse the sacred records, containing an account of the travels, precepts and lives of the ancient saints,-with an honest heart before God,-without having their minds impressed with the sacred truth that they "walked by faith, not by sight." When the inspired penman presented the above declaration to his Corinthian brethren, his soul was filled with a subject that had engrossed the attention of all inspired men from the days of Adam until the present time; and will continue to be a theme on which the saints will delight to dwell, until "mortal puts on immortality and death is swallowed up of life."

Perhaps there is no saying in the Bible, that will more universally apply to the saints of God in every age of the world, than the one above quoted: St. Paul, the author of these words, possessed the same principle, and was dictated by the same spirit, while calling upon his Hebrew brethren, and setting before them the evidences of faith and the history of the ancients, the victories they won, and the blessings received while "walking by faith, not by sight." See Hebrews, chap. 11.

There is a joy not easily expressed; bursts into the soul of the sincere honest believer in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, while perusing their lives and viewing their integrity before God, in obeying his commandments, maintaining his cause, keeping his covenants, and "walking by faith, not by sight," while at the same time, it often brought them into the most narrow paths, the greatest difficulties and the most appalling dangers, that could possibly be presented to the natural view; notwithstanding this, they walked by faith, maintained their integrity, proved their God, and found deliverance. Was, or will there ever be an age of the world, when there are saints on the earth that are fit subjects for the celestial kingdom, whose faith has not been tried to the utmost, even trials that would fall nothing short of sacrificing their good names, their houses and lands, wives and children, and even their own lives, for the cause and kingdom of God? If so, we should be under the necessity of coming to the conclusion, that the Lord was a respecter of persons: but sooner than to charge God foolishly, we would believe that God did and would have a tried people, and equally tried too, in the days of Adam, Enoch, Noah, Elijah, Daniel, Lehi, Alma, Moroni, Jesus, Paul and Joseph, and until "He reigned, whose right it is to reign."

To the reflecting mind it is at once instructive and interesting, and teaches an important lesson, to peruse and contemplate the scenery of an Abraham offering up an only son without regard to outward appearance or consequences, because God had commanded him; he did not stop to speculate on faith, or judge by outward appearances, but he walked by faith, believing him true that had promised. What was the fruits of this faith and confidence that Abraham had in the true and living God? Was it not an everlasting covenant bestowed upon him and his seed after him, as immutable as the throne of Jehovah? What encouragement then have the Latter Day Saints to follow the examples of those who have lived in earlier ages, by obeying every word of God, fearless of consequences, even to the laying down of their lives, if it should become necessary, to maintain the gospel and cause of God, and to secure their blessings and rights, and support and honor the holy Priesthood; uphold each other, and keep their birth-rights, and not become profane, by selling them, as did Esau.

Could St. Paul encourage his Corinthian and Hebrew brethren to "walk by faith, not by sight," by setting before them the long catalogue of the ancients for an example; cannot the brethren in Zion and Kirtland, and all who have embraced the new and everlasting covenant in these days, be encouraged by the same cloud of witnesses? It is possible we may have more testimony than was presented to them: Did they have the privilege of perusing the account of an Enoch and Elijah being translated by faith, or a Noah

450

building an ark to save himself and family; or Lot leaving the cities of wickedness, for his deliverance; or an Elisha smiting the floods of Jordan with a mantle, crying, where is the Lord God of Elijah, when the waters yielded to his faith; or a Daniel thrust into the den of lions for praying; or the three Hebrews walking in the fiery furnace, for worshiping a God of revelations? all of whom found a Savior in the time of trouble. Did they have a great cloud of witnesses presented before them for their encouragement? So have we. We have not only the examples that are recorded in the bible (the stick of Judah) for our encouragement, but we have the book of Mormon (the stick of Joseph in the hands of Ephraim) which contains facts of equal interest for our benefit. There is no man that searches the book of Mormon, with a mind filled with prejudice, with no other motive in view than searching for iniquity, that is capable of knowing its value or judging of its worth. But let an individual, seeking for light and truth, read those sacred pages, with humble prayer to God through Jesus Christ, for wisdom and truth, and he will have no difficulty in finding a multiplicity of precepts, that do honor to the character of God, and if obeyed, will prove a savor of life unto life.

We have now taken a brief view of some of the ancients who have acted a conspicuous part in the cause of God, in their day and generation, by opposing sin and error in the sight of an unbelieving people; overcoming the world; making sure their crowns; dying in faith, and will rest in peace, and be blessed with the privilege of beholding God in the flesh in the latter day. Let us for a moment turn our thoughts to that scenery that presents itself to our view in this last dispensation and fulness of times; and am I not justified in saying, that there never was a day when it became more necessary for a poople [people] to "walk by faith, not by sight," than for the church of Christ of Latter Day Saints at the present time. Trace the history of the church, that has been travelling out of the wilderness for the last few years, and what have been the outward appearance and prospects? as dark as any other ever left on record. Had not the first elders of the church of Latter Day Saints walked by faith, lived by faith, and stood by faith, all their exertions to the present day would have been in vain; yea, they would ere this have been forgotten; but this is not the case. The day has arrived for the God of Israel to set his hand the second time to gather his people from their long dispersion, and do them good, and reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth, in fulfilment of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, according to the testimony of all the holy prophets since the world began. Consequently, Joseph entered his room in faith, and offered up his petitions to God in a manner that caused the heavens to be propitious, and those prayers, by faith, prevailed before God, and that vail that had long been closed gave way, and an holy messenger descended to comfort the servant of the Lord and lay a foundation that could not be moved. Was this all that was effected? No: The powers of error, of darkness, of priestcraft, the earth and even hell itself felt the blow; and every engine of falsehood was put in operation, because a man of God had prevailed with the heavens-Notwithstanding the stone at this time was as small as the mustard seed, it was not too small to roll; and the sound of its march hath already echoed beyond the bounds of America. What if honest poverty has had in this case to contend with wealth, or even public opinion, popularity, custom, fashion, persecution, ridicule, slander, base falsehood, and every epithet that could be invented, whirled in its path, to block its wheels and stop its progress? Have all these inhuman weapons had their desired effect? No: Truth declares they have not; and in the presence of every beholder, these weapons have been ground to dust beneath the rolling of the kingdom, and driven like chaff before the wind. What glorious contemplations must feed the souls and form the richest treasures in the minds of the first elders of Israel who have by faith acted so conspicuous a part in laying an everlasting foundation for the gathering of Israel, and lifting a standard for the Gentiles to seek unto. The feelings of such men cannot be of an ordinary kind, while meditating upon the scenes that have transpired for a few years past, and realising that they have stood together, as a handful of corn in the earth; and walked together through all straight places

451

where they have been called, not deserting each other in the hour of danger; but willing to lay down their lives for Christ's sake and their brethren; and all this in the midst of a professed religious, enlightened, and wise generation, with their eyes turned upon them, considering them to be overwhelmed in error, darkness and delusion; and offering them no consolation but Aha, Aha, while they themselves had a beam in their own eye, and were unwise, not knowing the scriptures, neither God, neither understood they his counsel.-But how changed the scene; now those faithful servants of God who have been firm, unshaken, and unmoved, riveted together by the holy covenant, by virtue, confidence, friendship, and brotherly love, in every tried circumstance in life; not murmuring, complaining, or deserting each other, or the cause in which they were engaged; such can now lift up their heads and rejoice, to behold the fruits of their labors, as they tread the courts of the Lord's House, and behold the church traveling out of the wilderness, with a perfect body, each member in its place, and still contemplate the day when the box, the pine and the fir tree shall stand to beautify the place of God's sanctuary, and to make the place of his feet glorious, which will be perfected through the instrumentality of the faithful saints "by faith and not by sight."

May the elders of Israel never lose their crowns by dishonoring the priesthood, selling their birth-right, or deserting, or rejecting the authorities that are ordained of God. Israel rejected Moses and fell. We have every reason to believe that all the inhabitants of Zion and her stakes, and those scattered abroad, who will obey the commands of God they have received from the bible, book of Mormon, and Doctrines and Covenants, will find a shield in the day of God's wrath, and a covering from his indignation upon the wicked; for the truths of these books will stand, while pestilence, famine, sword and fire will carry woe in their march.

W WOODRUFF.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism.-Ephesians, 4th:5.

The epistle, of which our text forms a part, as well as all others that were dictated by that eminently useful man, the apostle Paul, were replete with that instruction, which the saints in his day, needed to guide and direct them. We may form some idea of the peculiar fitness of such instruction at that time, when we consider, that there were various orders of religionists then in the world; and it is but just to conclude they were as tenacious of their belief and the principles of their faith, as people in our day and age of the world. We know there were Pharisees, Sadducees, Essens, and others among the Jews; among the Gentiles or heathen as they were called by the Jews, were various sects of philosophers, differing in their sentiments; some were Stoics, some were Epicureans, some believed in the immortality of the soul, some doubted it, and others denied it wholly. Now when we consider that the church of God at that time was made up of such discordant materials, men among whom such a diversity of sentiment prevailed, previously to their conversion to the christian faith, we shall see the propriety of the sentiment couched in the words at the head of this paragraph. Not only shall we see the propriety, but the absolute necessity of such instruction. Such instructions became necessary from the fact that the gospel, the scheme of things which God had devised, was so diverse from the principles and practices of that generation, that there was no similarity, no resemblance between them.-Every item of the christian faith was important, and was necessary, in making up, or constituting that which the apostle said, was the "power of God unto salvation." Nothing short of that, nay nothing but that, would save men; no only so, he that inculcated any other plan, or as the apostle declares to his Galatian brethren, "Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel than we have preached, let him be accursed."

Now we may justly conclude that as the church was made up of such as had embraced the various sentiments of that day, and none other than the one taught by him was acceptable in the sight of God, that he should urge upon the churches with peculiar force, that there was one Lord, one faith, one baptism. It is a well known fact to every reader of ancient history, that in that day and age of the world, as well as in all subsequent periods to the present time, there were, and are still, those

452

who worship other beings than the God of heaven. The apostle knew full well that such worship was not acceptable in the sight of God. He also knew as well that if they essayed to worship the true and living God, but did not comply with the requisitions of heaven as he had borne testimony, it would be of no avail. Bear in mind what the apostle said of himself while persecuting the saints: I did it, said he, in all good conscience; he did it in the sincerity of his heart, from a firm conviction that it was right. But his sincerity did not justify his acts in the sight of God, nor in the least palliate his crime.

We shall here notice that Paul, previous to his conversion to the christian faith, was no idolatrous worshiper; he was of the sect called Pharisees, believed in God, made long prayers, and as he said, lived in all good conscience to that day. But the Lord showed him the error of his way, and that with all his zeal, and all his prayers, he was fighting against God. I am Jesus (says the voice) whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

We might here notice the heathens and their worship, but we deem it more instructing to confine our remarks to incidents recorded in the scriptures; we therefore, notice the case of Cornelius as recorded in the tenth chapter of the acts of the apostles. Now this "Cornelius was a devout man, and (the sacred penman says,) feared God with all his house; he gave much alms to the people and prayed to God alway." Let us mark the expressions, "he was a devout man, feared God with all his house, gave much alms to the people and prayed to God alway." Surely he must have been a good man, his prayers, his alms and devotion must have rendered him acceptable to God, for what could he do more? Let us hear the sequel. He saw in a vision an angel, who commanded him to send men to Joppa for Simon Peter, who was lodged in the house of one Simon, a tanner, whose house was by the sea side. This same Peter told him what he ought to do: Had Cornelius ought to do any thing different or more than he had done? He had prayed sincerely and devoutly; he had feared God with all his house, had doubtless been liberal in alms to the poor, and more than all these, the Lord himself sent an angel to tell him what he must do. This legate of the skies directed him to send for Peter, who when he came, preached unto him Jesus, and baptized him. Why, we ask, did it become necessary to be baptized? he had prayed devoutly and sincerely, given alms to the poor, feared God with all his house? and the Lord had sent a heavenly messenger to visit him; could any thing more be necessary? If not, the angel came in vain, Peter came in vain, preached in vain, Cornelius believed in vain and was baptized in vain. But not so, we would not be thus presumptuous. Hence, with the greatest propriety might the apostle urge the words of our text, there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, because these were constituent parts of that scheme of things which God had devised in the counsels of eternity for the salvation of man. We have noticed these men because of their sincerity and zeal, and because the facts recorded concerning them are with us beyond cavil or controversy.

From the history of these men we learn, first, that sincerity, zeal, prayers and alms, would not ingratiate a man into favor with the King of heaven, while he lived in the omission of the duties God had pointed out for him to do. This was no trifling business, the salvation of the soul was concerned; and more than all, the character of God was concerned. If any other plan were fit, or sufficient, then it follows, that the gospel plan was not the best, or at least, no better than some other, which at once impeaches the wisdom of Omnipotence, and destroys all confidence in his word. Secondly, we learn, that there were only certain ones authorized to administer the ordinances which God ordained in his church, and that when those ordinances were administered by those he had chosen and set aside for that purpose, and in the way he had pointed out, certain effects followed. These effects served to increase the faith of the apostles and inspire them with greater confidence in their divine Master, because they saw the power of God demonstrated, and knew of a truth that the word of their Master, while he tabernacled with them in the flesh, was fully verified. He had sent them his spirit, the comforter, which lead them into all truth, and we have no doubt they spake and wrote

453

from its influences, for the scriptures say, that holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; and that all scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness, that men of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. As much as if the scripture had said, God is God, he is infinite, he has devised the best and only possible plan for man to obtain admission into the celestial kingdom of his maker. Therefore, the plan must be implicitly followed to the exclusion of any, and all others, for the reason that there was but one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, that were acceptable with him.

We also learn, thirdly, that there is no other gospel, no other God, no other Savior than the ones Paul preached.-What then shall we say to those who teach differently from the apostles, making some things essential and others which were once enforced with equal authority upon the churches, non-essential? Will they contend that it is the same gospel, or that God himself has changed? Certainly both cannot be true. Can they contend that they have that spirit which leads into all truth, when they differ so widely from each other? How do the various modes of baptism, the different sentiments and the different practices, now extant, comport with the words of our text, one Lord, one faith, and one baptism? Surely they are a feareful [fearful] comment upon the commands of God! We therefore come irresistibly to the conclusion, that the sectarian world may all be wrong, and that it is absolutely certain they cannot all be right. We are sensible the scriptures and the light we have received, lead to unpopular conclusions, but God forbid that we should seek to please men, or court the applause of the world; we had rather tell the truth, and be preachers of that gospel, which the apostle preached, which was approbated by the author of our existence. No other will save men, no other will do them good, and no other will have the same effects. Say not to us that it is the same gospel when God is the same, for most assuredly the same cause would produce the same effects. Tell us not of your piety, your alms, your sincerity, your zeal or your prayers. Neither of those illustrious pious individuals we have mentioned, could be saved without a strict compliance with the requisitions of the gospel. Therefore, as there is but one Lord, one faith and one baptism, may we all learn wisdom, embrace the truth, obey God, and ultimately be saved in his celestial kingdom. Amen. Ed.

For the Messenger.

"Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7.

The author of these words is one whose sayings have been handed down to us upon the pages of sacred history, as a prophet of the Most High: His name is enrolled with those inspired penmen who spake and wrote as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. And although his style is not marked with that flowing eloquence, that characterizes the writings of some of his cotemporaries, yet they are clear, specific and sublime. He was found among the herdmen of Tekoah in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, about seven hundred and eighty seven years before Christ; in this humble occupation he did not possess the advantages of an Isaiah, who was brought up in the school of the prophets, and learned in all the wisdom of the world, and had at his command whatever language he chose to select; and when wrapped in prophetic vision seemed to comprehend the present, past and the future, with that profound sublimity, that is characteristic of Him, who touched his lips with hallowed fire. But however, when we carefully examine the writings of the holy prophets, and compare them with each other, a perfect harmony will be found to exist; they were all animated by the same spirit, using their utmost exertions not only to reform and christianize the world in their generations, but to benefit those that should follow.

From the unbounded field of prophecy and revelation lying before me, I have thought that it might not be altogether unprofitable to enter into an inquiry upon the subject contained in the words of the prophet before quoted; and see whether God has varied from the rule by him laid down, and if the fact can be ascertained that he has, we shall of necessity be compelled to strike Amos from the list of God's prophets,

454

and rank him among the prophets of Baal. On the other hand, if the Lord has universally revealed his secrets to his servants the prophets, and positively declared that he will do nothing without first taking this course, that the world may be apprised of what he designs to do, that all men may be without excuse when they come before him in judgment; why should it be thought a thing incredible that he should reveal himself in the latter times, to prepare the way for the gathering of Israel, the destruction of the wicked, and the bringing in of that day of universal peace and happiness that is so much desired by all the saints.

When we review the pages of sacred writ, from the day of our common progenitor, whom God formed of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, we find that he immediately presented before him the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven to be named by him; he also exhibited to his view the trees of the forest, the vegetable kingdom and the vast workmanship of his hands, that he had created and made to render him happy. But for his particular location the Lord had prepared a garden eastward in Eden, delightfully situated and beautified with every tree, plant and flower, that was pleasant to the sight and good for food. When he opened his eyes upon his Creator and the vast scenery that surrounded him, the Lord immediately revealed to him his secrets by giving him this information, that it was not good for him to be alone, that he would provide a help-meet for him, that they might freely partake of all the fruits of the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil excepted, and the consequences that would follow disobedience. When Abel, who had obtained testimony that he had pleased God, had fallen a victim to the dire ambition of his brother, the Lord revealed the awful secret to Cain that in consequence of this high handed rebellion against him he should be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth.

But not to dwell particularly upon the frequent correspondence that the Lord held with Adam, Cain, Abel, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and many others in that early period, to whom he revealed himself in judgments and in mercies; we will come to the final overthrow and desolation of the antediluvian world: and here permit me to ask a question; did, or could, the Lord in justice sweep the earth with the besom of destruction without first warning the inhabitants thereof of the impending ruin that awaited them, because their wickedness was great and the imaginations of the thoughts of their hearts were only evil continually? I answer no; he will do nothing without revealing his secrets to his servants the prophets.

Little more than sixteen hundred years had rolled away since God had caused his spirit to move upon the face of the waters, and the light to flash athwart the dark abyss; the liquid element to be gathered into one place and the dry land to appear, and placed lights in the firmament of heaven to rule the day and night, and spoke into existence a being in his own image and likeness, with power to rule at his pleasure the beasts of the field, the fowls of heaven, the fishes of the sea, and every creeping thing that moveth upon the face of the earth, with fruit trees, herbs and vegetables bearing seed after their kind to perpetuate their existence and render all the creations that he had made perfectly happy. Contemplating them in this situation, no marvel that God should pronounce them all very good. But how different the language of the great Jehovah at this time to his servant Noah; all flesh, said he, have corrupted their way before me, the earth is filled with violence, therefore I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face thereof; yea, both man and beast, and the creeping things and the fowls of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Noah was a man of God, a preacher of righteousness, and found grace in the eyes of his Maker, and had power with him through faith, to obtain a revelation of his will, by which he was enabled to save himself and those that believed. Are we not warranted in saying that the destruction of the old world come upon them because of their unbelief, not in past but in present revelations. Hear the language of the apostle Paul upon this subject-"By faith, Noah being warned of God, of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." Who cannot

455

see that it was not for want of faith in the revelations of their progenitors that they were destroyed, but for disregarding the testimony of him who stood in their midst, to whom God had revealed the secrets of their abominations and the judgments that awaited them. The apostle says that Noah was warned of things not seen as yet; as much as to say that all the prophets and men of God that have gone before me have not seen the things that the Lord has now shown to me. Is it not evident, then, that however implicitly they might have believed and obeyed all the former revelations of God, an unbelief in the testimony of Noah was sufficient to overthrow and destroy them, for he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

[To be continued.]

ANCIENT HISTORY.

We understand by history a record of events that are past, and that it embraces chronology, biography, manners and customs, statistics, governments, and the rise and fall of kingdoms, nations and empires. It is divided and subdivided into as many different heads as we have mentioned, but the two grand divisions are into ancient and modern.

Ancient history embraces that period of time which elapsed from the creation to the fall of the western empire of the Romans, and the final subjugation of Italy by the Lombards, a period of 4480 years. Little authentic accounts can be had of the antediluvians other than what we gather from the Pentateuch. All seems left to conjecture or imagination. What the state of society was, what its improvements were before the flood, we know not, but nearly all we do know is that it embraced a period of about 1656 years. The most authentic history we have of events that transpired immediately subsequent to the deluge is also that recorded by Moses. That gives us the manners, customs, laws and regulations distinctly, of but one nation.-Others are mentioned incidentally or introduced partially and collaterally as seemed necessary to delineate the character, describe the manners and customs and portray the events that occurred among the Hebrews, as they were called.

About 150 years after the deluge, Nimrod (Belus of profane history) built Babylon, which became the capital of the Babylonish empire; and Assur built Ninevah, which became the capital of the Assyrian empire.

Ninus the son of Belus and his queen, Semiramis are said to have raised the Assyrian empire to a high degree of splendor. But there is a chasm in the history of this empire from the death of Ninias, the son of Ninus, of about 800 years. The history of this empire during this period can only be supplied by conjecture. The governments of these nations were monarchies, but that of the Hebrews in the earliest periods of their history, was patriarchal.

The idea of conquest appears to have grown out of the conflicting interests of the shepherd kings: and from what we learn of them, we ought not to associate in our minds with any of them an extent of territory beyond that of a large plantation or a few thousand acres. The occupants and residents upon this were the subjects of the king and constituted his defence in war and his property in peace. These kings may have been elective, but the greater probability is, their government was more or less absolute according to the temper and disposition of the reigning monarch, and was hereditary. Polygamy and concubinage were allowable, but adultery was discountenanced.

The arts and sciences flourished in but a limited degree; the knowledge of building was more or less perfect, from necessity, even before the flood, and Tubal-Cain, the great grandson of Adam was an instructor of artificers in brass and iron.

We shall now notice some of the larger kingdoms; governments and nations as we pass, and as their history is more or less interwoven and identified with that of the Hebrews, to whom God gave revelations, laws and rulers.

Egypt being the first considerable and powerful government will deserve a passing notice in our next. Ed.

YOUNG MEN OF KIRTLAND,

Permit me, through the medium of the Messenger and Advocate, to address you in a familiar and friendly manner, upon a subject, which,-however much you may think to the contrary,-demands your most serious, candid and

456

undivided attention; I mean the cultivation of the mind.

That ignorance is the foundation or source of much, if not all misery, the history of past ages most clearly evinces. Indeed, were each individual to consult his own experience, or extend his researches through the vast expanse of human intelligence for proof in point, he would only learn, that a knowledge of every fact possible, whether relating to occurrences in the moral or physical world, is essentially necessary to the happiness and enjoyment of mankind, and that in proportion as ignorance abounds, vice and wretchedness must increase also.

It is an error which perhaps may take years to eradicate from the minds of many that our present school systems are the only mediums through which instruction or education may be obtained; whereas it ought to be generally understood, that, though common schools are of vast utility, the man who would be wise, must be in a greater or less degree essentially and positively his own preceptor. There never yet existed a learned man who was not a prodigy of industry and economy in time saving.

You would esteem him a dull scholar indeed, who, although he might be capable of repeating every rule in arithmetic, should be unable to reduce them to practice in the common transactions of life; for you would say, and that correctly, that the senseless parrot might be taught as much: and yet, strange as it may appear, learning, in the present day, is made to consist of much the same materials.

Young men of Kirtland, this will not do. We must put in requisition our own powers of perception and reflection. We must improve our leisure moments in perusing good books, in calculating and extending the operations of our own minds, and in acquiring that intelligence which can alone fit us for acting with honor to ourselves and usefulness to our country, that our names may be hailed by posterity among those of the benefactors of mankind, where we now recognize that of a Franklin, a Jefferson, and a Fulton.

But perhaps some will say they have no time to devote to reading. I would recommend to such a careful inquiry into the various ways and means by which their time,-than which nothing can be more valuable,-is made to slip from them. Let them examine and see if hours, days, and even whole weeks are not consumed in worse than idleness-in parading the streets, or perhaps in lounging about the shop of some honest mechanic, perplexing the industrious, and deranging business.-Let them devote the time thus prodigally squandered, in poring over some valuable history or treatise on the natural sciences, and past experience proves that in a very few years they might be climbing the highest hills of fame, while those whose days have been spent in idleness, would be grovelling their way through the changing scenes of life, destitute of character to themselves or usefulness to their fellow men; and when death, the common leveller of all, has overtaken them, they will go down to the tomb "unhonored and unwept."

Young men of Kirtland, awake to intelligence, and slumber not. And as you expect to become useful to the world, arouse and brush away the cobwebs of slothful and degrading ignorance, improve your intellectual faculties by untiring research and investigation, and by so doing your light will ere long become extended like the spreading rays of the morning sun upon the mountains, and give guidance to the foot-steps of thousands of our race. Anon, by permission, you may hear from me again upon this subject. Till then, I am, as I shall ever be,

S. W. DENTON.

EDUCATION.

The education of the present race of females is not very favorable to domestic happiness. For my own part I call education not that which smothers a woman with ornaments, but that which tends to consolidate a firm and regular system of character-that which tends to form a friend, a companion and a wife. I call education not that which is made up of the shreds and patches of useless art, but that which inculcates principles, polishes taste, regulates temper, cultivates reason, subdues the passions, directs the feelings, habituates to reflection, trains to self-denial, and more especially that which refers all actions, feelings, sentiment, tastes, and passions, to common sense.

A certain class do not esteem things by their use but by their show. They

457

esteem the value of their children's education by the money it costs, and not by the knowledge and goodness it bestows. People of this stamp often take a pride in the expenses of learning, instead of taking pleasure in the advantage of it-Hannah Moore.