"Mormon" Doctrine Plain and Simple; Or, Leaves from the Tree of Life — John Shaqi
"Mormon" Doctrine Plain and Simple; Or, Leaves from the Tree of LifePenrose, Charles W. (Charles William)
Religion
"Mormon" Doctrine Plain and Simple; Or, Leaves from the Tree of Life
Penrose, Charles W. (Charles William)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines
True faith, genuine repentance, correct baptism, properly administered,
are as surely to be followed by the outpouring of the Holy Ghost,
through the laying on of hands, authoritatively administered, as the
harvest is to come from seed sown in good soil and ripened by the rains
and sunshine of heaven, or as the results of a chemical experiment are
to be achieved when the needful elements are correctly compounded.
The effects of this gift upon the recipient are not generally of a
startling character. They are not necessarily physical. The chief
office of the Holy Ghost is to enlighten the internal man or woman.
It administers to the spirit. It brings peace, comfort and joy to the
soul. It gives assurance of divine acceptance; and it establishes
inward strength to resist sin and evil and lay hold upon all that is
good. But it does not convulse the system. It produces no contortions
of the countenance. It will not throw people to the earth as if they
were dead. Neither will it cause them to yell, shout, jump around in
paroxysms or act in an unseemly manner.
Its internal fruits are faith, knowledge, wisdom, joy, peace, patience,
temperance, long suffering, brotherly kindness and charity. Its
external gifts are manifested in prophecies, visions, discernments,
healings, miracles, power over evil spirits, speaking in various
tongues, interpretation of tongues, etc.
These several gifts are distributed according to the will of God among
the various recipients of the Holy Ghost. One person may receive
several of them. Some may not obtain any of those gifts which are
manifested outwardly. Neither are the latter always the most to be
desired. "Prophecy" is better than "tongues" as a gift, though the
latter is more showy, and wisdom and faith are better than either.
Divine knowledge with divine wisdom in its use is a gift of priceless
worth, bringing joy beyond expression to its possessor, and conferring
untold blessings upon others.
These various gifts of the Spirit are obtainable through the prayer of
faith. "Ask and it shall be given you" is the promise to the Saints.
And they are called Saints who have obeyed the laws and ordinances we
have explained, and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. But their
desires must be pure in order to obtain the blessings for which they
ask. These are not given as signs to be consumed on any one's lust.
Neither are they bestowed as wonders to create astonishment or feed
the love of the marvelous. They are designed for the comfort and
confirmation of the faith of the true and obedient believer, and as
tokens of the love of an indulgent Father, and they must be used in
wisdom, or they will be withdrawn and work injury instead of benefit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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