FAITH.
To enable a man to perform any work whatever, requires that he have faith in the ultimate result of the work. No farmer would plant unless he expected to reap; no builder build, unless he expected to inhabit; no speculator invest unless he expected to increase his means; no journey would be attempted unless there existed hope of reaching the destination. So, likewise, no commandment of God would be obeyed, unless there existed faith that certain blessings would follow obedience.
With this idea plainly before us, we can comprehend the assertion of the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11:6.)
We find the active workings of the principle of faith in the many cases of healing performed by our Savior. "Thy faith hath made thee whole," was the invariable remark he made to one and all: and we find him speaking to the apostles in the strongest terms about their lack of this great principle. Upon one occasion they came to Him with the question: "Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you." (Matt. 17:19, 20.) Again, we read, "And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matt. 13:58), or in other words, they had no faith in the claim He made to being the Messiah; consequently, they were deprived of the blessings that fell to those that had faith, as mankind to-day are depriving themselves of many great and glorious blessings, through their unbelief in the divine calling of Joseph Smith, the prophet and seer.
We often hear the same cry to-day that greeted the ears of Jesus, "Master, we would see a sign from thee. But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign." (Matt. 12:38, 39.)
What was true of the generation was true of the individual, and what was true then is true now, which places sign-seekers in a most unenviable position, but doubtless where they justly belong. Faith is not produced by sign-seeing, but in the words of Paul, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10:17.)
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, He left this grand test of faith upon record, to serve as a guide for all future generations: "And these signs shall follow them that believe" (or have faith); "In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." (Mark 16:17, 18.)
"But," says one, "was it not intended that these gifts and blessings should be limited to the days of the apostles, and to the apostles themselves?" Read again, "shall follow them that believe"; and again, the preceding verse reads, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." If you limit the signs following the believer to the day of the apostles, you must also limit salvation to that day. But it is to-day as it was in the day Paul wrote to the Hebrews: "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Heb. 4:2.)
The cultivation of this principle of faith is the first step in our duties in this life. The second step is that of