Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City, "That Mormon"Rich, Ben. E. (Benjamin Erastus)
Religion
Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City, "That Mormon"
Rich, Ben. E. (Benjamin Erastus)
Latter Day Saints -- Fiction; Salt Lake City (Utah) -- Fiction
"Mr. Durant, you closed last night with a definition of the first
principle in the series of steps to be taken by the convert to
Christianity, with a promise that tonight we should have the second
explained. Will you now proceed to fulfill the promise?"
"Most willingly, if it is desired."
Unanimous approval was at once manifested, and the western man
proceeded.
"The second follows the first, just as naturally as the second step
follows the first when a child learns to walk. When faith in God is
once created, the knowledge that we have at some time, perhaps many
times during our lives, done things displeasing to Him, naturally
follows immediately, therefore repentance makes its appearance as
the second principle of the gospel. When John came preaching in the
wilderness, as the forerunner of Christ, his message to the people
was, 'Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' (Matt. iii:
2.) When Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom
of God, it was with a message calling them to repentance. (Mark i:
15.) When He chose His disciples and began sending them forth, it was
to call mankind to repentance. (Mark vi: 7-12.) When He upbraided the
cities wherein the most of His mighty works were done, it was because
they repented not. (Matt. xi: 20.) True repentance is that which will
cause him who stole to steal no more; that which will keep corrupt
communications from our mouths; that which will cause us to so conduct
our walks through life as not to grieve the Spirit of God; that which
will cause all bitterness, wrath, anger, and evil speaking to be put
away from us, and will make us kind one to another, tender-hearted and
forgiving even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven us. (Ephesians
iv: 28-32.) When he who has committed a sin shall commit it no more,
then he has repented with that Godly sorrow which worketh repentance
to salvation, and not with the sorrow of the world, bringing with it
death. (II. Cor. vii: 10.) When a sinner repents with such repentance
more joy is found in heaven than over ninety and nine just persons who
need no repentance. (Luke xv: 7.) This, then, ladies and gentlemen, is
the second round in the gospel ladder according to the plan given us
by the Master, and without it, faith is of no substantial consequence
whatever."
"Your reasoning is both logical and just," said Brown, "and no one can
find fault with those doctrines. This world of ours would certainly
be more pleasant if these teachings were followed, and when a person
is filled with that kind of faith, and has truly repented with such
repentance, it must be manifest that he is entitled to salvation."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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