Others would quit, they would avoid trouble. When it comes, it is to them most unfortunate. It is really too bad. In their minds, it might have been avoided. They want to square themselves with the World. The decree of the world has gone forth, why withstand it? "We have withstood evil," they say, "and it has overwhelmed us. Why stand longer?" Such men read history, if at all, only as they make it; they cannot see the hand of God in the affairs of {148} men, because they see only with the eye of man and not with the eye of faith. All resistance is gone out of them--they have left God out of the question. They have not put on his whole armor. Without it they are loaded down with fear and apprehension, and they sink. To such men everything that brings trouble seems necessary. As Saints of God, it is our duty "to stand," even when we are overwhelmed by evil. "And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God; "For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith; "And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name's sake shall find it again, even life eternal; "Therefore be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy; "For if ye will not abide in my covenant, ye are not worthy of me." (Doc. and Cov. 98:11-15).--_Juvenile Instructor,_ Aug. 15, 1904, Vol. 39, pp. 496, 497. NOT NATURALLY RELIGIOUS. Some people persist in saying on occasion that they are not naturally religious. Do they mean by this that attending meetings, taking part in ward worship, teaching and preaching, are not congenial to them? Or, do they mean more? Perhaps the moral restrictions governing an active worker in the Church are not congenial to them. They reason that it is better to make no pretensions than to make more than one can live up to; and so they excuse themselves by declaring they are naturally not religious. But religion is not outward show and pretense, and {149} being religious does not altogether consist in compliance with outward forms, even when these are the ordinances of the gospel. Neither is it an unfailing sign that a person is conscientious who takes an active part in organizations of the Church. Evil men may use these for selfish and wicked purposes. I have known men who joined our organizations for such ends, and men who have been baptized who never repented.