| 74 moon, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made. And the earth also, and the power thereof; even the the earth upon which you stand.
And the light which now shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God, to fill the immensity of space. The light which is in all things; which giveth life to all things; which is the law by which all things are governed; even the power of God, who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things."-[D C. Sec. VII. Consequently, if in the world, there is any wisdom, any intelligence, any true principles it all proceeds from the "Father of Lights, in whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning." All virtue, goodness, purity, righteousness that then may be in the world emanates from him, the great fountain of blessings, and the dispenser of every good; his blessings are scatterred [scattered] promiscously [promiscuously] over the universe; all the human family participate in his benevolence, "he sends his rain on the evil and on the good; and causes his sun to shine on the just and on the unjust yet he does not bestow this sonship upon all; nor introduce the whole of the human family to the nearness of that relationship.
To be a son of God, is to be born of God, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh but of God; to be related to, and be the son of God. Paul says in writing to the Galatians, now ye are all the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus; for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ" . . . . 'and if ye be Christs, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." We may here pause-and ask, what we inherit? says Paul, "ye are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord." Consequently we inherit great blessings; we are conjointly with Christ the sons of Gold, and with him inherit like blessings from the Father; he is our brother-God is our Father; and hence in Gal, iv:4-7, it is written, "But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son made of a woman-made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons; And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." Through the atonement, and redemption wrought out by him, and obedience to the law of the gospel.
There is a depth, a dignity and glory connected with this subject that very few have had any idea of; but when rightly understood it had a tendency to enlarge the heart, expand the capacity, to give us just, and comprehensive views of the plans of Jehovah, and it justifies the ways of God to man. Narrow prejudice and bigotry flees at its approach, and haggard superstition hides its head in shame. It was a subject upon which the apostles loved to dwell; and Paul in writing to the Galations [Galatians] concerning their departure from the simplicity of the gospel,-portrays the dignity, the freedom, the blessings, and the glory of the sonship in striking and vivid colors; and when contrasted with the folly, the weakness, and the absurdity of the gentile superstitions; and the 'beggarly elements of the world' presents a thrilling discord.
It is an opinion that generally prevails in the religious world that all people who have united themselves to a religious body, if it is presumed that they have "got religion," are sons of God; an opinion than which nothing could be more absurd or preposterous. That many individuals have been serving God in different parts of the earth, and among different sects of professing christians, will all sincerity, diligence, and faithfulness, we are free to admit; but to say that all those individuals, or all those churches were sons of God, would be saying that which could not be supported by the scriptures of truth: we doubt not their zeal;-we do not question their diligence, nor their desire to do good: but there are certain principles, which do not exist among them, which must necessarily be connected with the sons of God. If a man is a son of God, he can comprehend the things of God, enter into the designs of Jehovah, unravel the mysteries of the kingdom of God and contemplate the future designs of the Great I Am, as they shall roll forth in all their dignity, and majesty, and glory, and this they do not profess to enjoy.
Did this principle universally exist sectarianism would fall and all the different systems of theology would crumble into ruin, idolatry would not have an existence, and Mahommadanism would be annihilated; Catholicism would be no more, the names of Presbyterian and Methodist would be blotted out, and all the different parties whether found among the Mahommedans, the heathens, or Christians all being taught of God; would possess the same principles of intelligence, and whether in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America, they would have the same system of theology; being taught by the same God, instructed by the same spirit, and led into the same truths; and there
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