The subject of eternal salvation is or ought to be interesting to all
people. All the forms of religion which have been invented by the
different sects of the day could never make one single line of
Scripture. They have shut up the door of immediate revelation between
God and man, and it does not seem to occur to them that this is the
only means upon which the world can ever attain to the knowledge of
God. All their religion and piety for many generations past have not
produced one word of Scripture for the guidance of mankind to
salvation in this and in the next existence. While they hold up the
Bible as the all-sufficient guide to the possession of life eternal,
they at the same time inculcate a principle which would never have
given them a Bible. They fasten their faith and hope for salvation
upon revelations given to another people, in another age and under
other circumstances.
When God has a people upon the earth he gives them living oracles, and
communicates his mind and will to them for their present and future
exaltation, as well in one age as in another. The Old and New
Testaments, yea, all Scriptures are made by this process. Prophets and
Apostles are the mediums through which the Almighty communicates his
will to the children of men. Revelations given from God to us are more
binding upon us than revelations given to another people, because they
are in accordance with our wants and circumstances, and fit our case
more perfectly than revelations given to another people many
generations back. This generation is responsible for the revelations
of God given to them; if they receive them, blessed are they; if they
reject them, woe is their doom. The words of God sent to this age by
Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Lord, and by his Apostles, is a
dispensation of good will to all men now living, and they are
responsible to God as to the manner in which they receive or reject
it. These words are for their salvation, if they see proper to accede
to them.
We talk a great deal about exaltation. We look for exaltation in the
heavens—in the eternities which are before us. We expect the Gospel of
salvation to exalt us. Where and when is this exaltation to commence?
Some do not expect exaltation until after death. This is a mistake.
Our exaltation commences in this world. That individual who has
received the light of truth in his own bosom, has the base or
foundation of his exaltation formed within him, and if he progresses
in the knowledge of God—in the things which pertain to eternal life,
he is in the road to exaltation, otherwise he is not. That brother who
redeems himself from the habit of drunkenness, or from any other
vicious practice, and suffers the holy principles of the Gospel to
work in him for his redemption, is exalting himself in the kingdom of
God.
The work of exaltation is the work of this probation, and has
to do with every duty that pertains to it. That sister who seeks
diligently to order her own conduct and her household; who seeks to
bring forth from the elements for her own support, commences in the
right way to obtain exaltation; she exalts herself in the sight of her
husband and in the sight of all good men. She can be economical with
that which she handles for the use of her household, whereas, before
she has perhaps been wasteful and prodigal of the rich blessings of
God bestowed upon her. In making this reformation she has taken an
important step in the way of exaltation in this world for exaltation
in the world to come. That man who improves in the cultivation of his
farm, in the cultivation of fruit, who plants a single fruit tree if
he does no more, and cultivates it, and cause it to bring forth more
fruit, he has done something torwards his exaltation—has made one step
towards redeeming the earth from sin and iniquity, and from the curse
pronounced against it. It was said to Adam, "Cursed is the ground for
thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt
eat the herb of the field."
That man who commences to keep himself clean, whereas he has been
brought up in filthiness and dirt, is engaged in the good work of
exaltation upon his own person. That housekeeper who has been
slatternly, slothful, and filthy in her habits, and begins to be
thrifty, industrious, and cleanly in her household pursuits, commences
the work of exaltation in that household. Those who ornament their
houses and their gardens, making nice tidy fences, who ornament their
fields, making everything pleasant and agreeable around them, commence
the work of exaltation, and make a heaven at home for their wives and
children; a home to which their children in afteryears will look back
with pleasant reminiscences, regarding the home of their childhood, the
pleasantest place they ever saw. A pleasant and happy home has its
influence in creating in the young mind a love of order—a love of all
that is beautiful, cleanly, virtuous, and true.
We can commence our exaltation upon this earth by trying to redeem it
and ourselves from the effects of the fall, and continuing to progress
in every good word and work. If we build a house and wish to build
another, we have the experience of the one we have built to improve
upon in building another. If we have raised one crop of grain, or one
tree, we can improve upon that experience in raising more. Thus we
progress and become exalted more and more. This same principle will
hold good in any pursuit of life—rural, mechanical, scientific, or
philosophical; whatever efforts we make to inform our minds, we have
it in our power to do better still, gaining more knowledge and
intelligence as we progress in life.
If by the enlightening aid of the Holy Ghost, that leadeth into all
truth, we strive constantly to improve in all things we shall set
ourselves about, we can improve faster than those who are not blessed
with its influence, because our actions are based upon a principle of
heavenly light and intelligence, giving us power to excel in all
things we set our hands to do in righteousness.
Truth will prevail, while all man-made systems, on which the whole
world stands convicted before High Heaven, will be swept away, as this
people and this work progresses, because truth must and will prevail.
Let those who have not yet commenced to make improvements begin the
good work at once; and let us all be constantly satisfied that we are doing something for good day by day. Inasmuch as we have been
wicked, let us no longer be wicked. We have a standard of
righteousness in our own bosoms; let us be actuated by it in all that
we do. Let us be righteous, holy, truthful; walking wickedness under
our feet, exalting righteousness in all our ways, that it may rule in
us until sin and its consequences shall be subdued, and we gain a
victory even over death and the grave, and life eternal shall reign
supreme upon the face of the whole earth. I ask God to add his
blessing in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
- Daniel H. Wells