The few of us who met here this forenoon
had the privilege of listening to a very
interesting discourse from Bro. Penrose,
on the first principles of the gospel. I say
the "few" who were here, for there were
few, and there are every Sabbath in the fore
part of the day. I think if the Latter-day
Saints prized their privileges as they ought
to do, there would be more attend meeting
on a Sunday morning, there would be more
of us faithful to the Lord our God and to
the covenants we have made if we did but
realize the rewards that, in the future, will
be awarded for the deeds done here in the
flesh.
There was one principle referred to by
Bro. Penrose this morning, upon which I
wish to make a few remarks, for the benefit
of the elders of Israel. It is a very common
saying with us, as elders, in our remarks
concerning the gifts of the gospel to speak of
confirming the gifts of the Holy Ghost by
the laying on of hands. There is no differ-
ence with regard to our faith, opinions or
views, as a church, pertaining to this
principle; it is only in the manner in which
we use our language. There is a difference
between the gifts of the Holy Ghost and
the Holy Ghost itself. As Brother Penrose
said this morning, we repent of our sins, are
baptized for the remission of them and we
receive the laying on of hands for the
reception of the Holy Ghost; but the elders,
when speaking on this principle, instead
of saying so, not unfrequently say "for the
reception of the gifts of the Holy Ghost."
Now we have no right, power nor authority
to seal the gifts of the Holy Ghost upon
anybody, they are the property of the Holy
Ghost itself. To explain this I will say, for
instance, Prest. Young may go and preach
in every ward in this city; yet it is President
Young in each ward. When in the 14th
Ward he may give a man an apple; in the
13th Ward he may give another person a
loaf of bread; in the 10th Ward he may give
a man a dollar in money; in the 1st Ward
he may give a man a horse and carriage.
Now they are all different gifts, but he is
one and the same man who bestows them.
I merely bring up this figure by way of
illustration.
We lay hands upon the heads of those
who embrace the gospel and we say unto
them, "In the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ receive ye the Holy Ghost." We
seal this blessing upon the heads of the
children of men, just as Jesus and His
Apostles and the servants of God have done
in every age when preaching the gospel of
Christ. But the gifts of the Holy Ghost are
His property to bestow as he sees fit. To
one is given the spirit of prophecy, to
another a tongue, to another the interpreta-
tion of tongues and to another the gift of
healing. All these gifts are by the same
spirit, but all are the gifts of the Holy
Ghost, to bestow as He sees fit, as the
messenger of the Father and the Son to the
children of men.
The Holy Ghost, as was justly presented
this morning, is different from the common
spirit of God, which we are told lighteth
every man that cometh into the world. The
Holy Ghost is only given to men through
their obedience to the gospel of Christ; and
DISCOURSEBy Elder WILFORD WOODRUFF,
delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt
Lake City, Dec. 12th, 1869.
The few of us who met here this forenoon
had the privilege of listening to a very
interesting discourse from Bro. Penrose,
on the first principles of the gospel. I say
the "few" who were here, for there were
few, and there are every Sabbath in the fore
part of the day. I think if the Latter-day
Saints prized their privileges as they ought
to do, there would be more attend meeting
on a Sunday morning, there would be more
of us faithful to the Lord our God and to
the covenants we have made if we did but
realize the rewards that, in the future, will
be awarded for the deeds done here in the
flesh.
There was one principle referred to by
Bro. Penrose this morning, upon which I
wish to make a few remarks, for the benefit
of the Elders of Israel. It is a very common
saying with us, as Elders, in our remarks
concerning the gifts of the gospel to speak of
confirming the gifts of the Holy Ghost by
the laying on of hands. There is no difference with regard to our faith, opinions or
views, as a Church, pertaining to this
principle; it is only in the manner in which
we use our language. There is a difference
between the gifts of the Holy Ghost and
the Holy Ghost itself. As Brother Penrose
said this morning, we repent of our sins, are
baptized for the remission of them and we
receive the laying on of hands for the
reception of the Holy Ghost; but the elders,
when speaking on this principle, instead
of saying so, not unfrequently say "for the
reception of the gifts of the Holy Ghost."
Now we have no right, power nor authority
to seal the gifts of the Holy Ghost upon
anybody, they are the property of the Holy
Ghost itself. To explain this I will say, for
instance, Prest. Young may go and preach
in every ward in this city; yet it is President
Young in each ward. When in the 14th
Ward he may give a man an apple; in the
13th Ward he may give another person a
loaf of bread; in the 10th Ward he may give
a man a dollar in money; in the 1st Ward
he may give a man a horse and carriage.
Now they are all different gifts, but he is
one and the same man who bestows them.
I merely bring up this figure by way of
illustration.
We lay hands upon the heads of those
who embrace the gospel and we say unto
them, "In the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ receive ye the Holy Ghost." We
seal this blessing upon the heads of the
children of men, just as Jesus and His
Apostles and the servants of God have done
in every age when preaching the gospel of
Christ. But the gifts of the Holy Ghost are
His property to bestow as he sees fit. To
one is given the spirit of prophecy, to
another a tongue, to another the interpretation of tongues and to another the gift of
healing. All these gifts are by the same
spirit, but all are the gifts of the Holy
Ghost, to bestow as He sees fit, as the
messenger of the Father and the Son to the
children of men.
The Holy Ghost, as was justly presented
this morning, is different from the common
spirit of God, which we are told lighteth
every man that cometh into the world. The
Holy Ghost is only given to men through
their obedience to the Gospel of Christ; and
