To enable a man to perform any work whatever, requires that he have
faith in the ultimate result of the work. No farmer would plant unless
he expected to reap; no builder build, unless he expected to inhabit;
no speculator invest unless he expected to increase his means; no
journey would be attempted unless there existed hope of reaching the
destination. So, likewise, no commandment of God would be obeyed,
unless there existed faith that certain blessings would follow
obedience.
With this idea plainly before us, we can comprehend the assertion of
the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews, "But without faith it is impossible to
please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that
he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11:6.)
We find the active workings of the principle of faith in the many
cases of healing performed by our Savior. "Thy faith hath made thee
whole," was the invariable remark he made to one and all: and we find
him speaking to the apostles in the strongest terms about their lack
of this great principle. Upon one occasion they came to Him with the
question: "Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them,
Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have _faith_
as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove
hence to yonder place; and it shall remove, and nothing shall be
impossible unto you." (Matt. 17:19, 20.) Again, we read, "And He did
not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matt. 13:58),
or in other words, they had no faith in the claim He made to being the
Messiah; consequently, they were deprived of the blessings that fell
to those that had faith, as mankind to-day are depriving themselves
of many _great and glorious_ blessings, through their unbelief in the
divine calling of Joseph Smith, the prophet and seer.
We often hear the same cry to-day that greeted the ears of Jesus,
"Master, we would see a sign from thee. But He answered and said unto
them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign." (Matt.
12:38, 39.)
What was true of the generation was true of the individual, and
what was true then is true now, which places sign-seekers in a most
unenviable position, but doubtless where they justly belong. Faith is
not produced by sign-seeing, but in the words of Paul, "Faith cometh by
_hearing_, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10:17.)
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, He left this grand test of
faith upon record, to serve as a guide for all future generations: "And
these signs _shall_ follow _them that believe_" (or have faith); "In
my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it
shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall
recover." (Mark 16:17, 18.)
"But," says one, "was it not intended that these gifts and blessings
should be limited to the days of the apostles, and to the apostles
themselves?" Read again, "shall follow them that _believe_"; and again,
the preceding verse reads, "He that _believeth_ and is baptized shall
be saved." If you limit the signs following the believer to the day
of the apostles, you must also limit salvation to that day. But it is
to-day as it was in the day Paul wrote to the Hebrews: "For unto us was
the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did
not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."
(Heb. 4:2.)
The cultivation of this principle of faith is the first step in our
duties in this life. The second step is that of
REPENTANCE. "Repent, and _turn_ yourselves from _all_ your
transgressions: so iniquity shall not be your ruin." (Ezek. 18:30.)
"Let the wicked forsake his way." (Isaiah 4:7.) "Repent * * * every one
of you." (Acts 2:38.) "Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish."
(Luke 13:3.)
We understand that repentance does not consist in mourning over sins
committed, and then repeating the same sin or one equally heinous, but
that Ezekiel meant for the people to cease from doing wrong, to quit
their evil practices, and walk in the paths of rectitude, virtue and
true holiness. "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not
to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death." (II.
Cor. 7:10.) We believe that the "sorrow of the world" here alluded to,
is the too prevalent practice of crying, groaning and moaning over our
wrong-doing, and then continuing the same practice.
The third step for man to take in this life to secure salvation in the
eternal world, is to be