They also concluded, that though it was exceedingly important that all should understand and believe the directions written in the Book, yet as all did not agree in every thing, it was best to join together in the point where they all did agree, viz. in cleaning the house. And they comforted themselves in thinking of the promise of the young prince, “If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine.” So they concluded that the best way to satisfy their own minds and to convince others of the proper way of doing the work was, to do it so diligently, so orderly, and so well, that others would be convinced “by seeing their good works,” and so would follow their example.
And it was these servants who really cleaned the house, and, so far as they could do it,
had every thing in readiness. And when their Lord and King arrived, they met him without fear, while he blessed them with a benignant smile, and said unto them, “Well done, good and faithful servants, enter ye into the joy of your Lord.”
Now, my friends, this story illustrates what I wish to explain to you, about religion and religious meetings.
We are placed in this world to form a character like that of God, to become holy as he is holy, for this is the only way to be happy. Jesus Christ is “God manifest in the flesh,” and “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,” and one great object he had in coming into this world was, to show us what the character of God is, that we may know how to become like him.—And while here, he set us an example of the way in which we are to “cleanse our hearts” from all evil, so that he and his Father can come and make their abode with us. He did every thing which we shall be called to do, as a perfect example for us, and when he returned to his Father’s court, he left a Book of Instructions for us all
to use, that we may learn how to cleanse our hearts and lives from all sin.
Now, we find that there are many parties among the servants of Christ, that differ a great deal about the best way of doing this great work. Some think it is very important to have a great many meetings, and to read and pray and sing a great deal, in order to keep our feelings warm, and this they think is more important than any thing else.
Others think it is very important that we should be baptized in the proper manner, and at the proper time. Others think it very important, that those who are rulers and overseers in the church, should be ordained in the proper manner, and that they should direct their people aright, as to the forms and rites of the church.
Others think it very important to believe in the right doctrines of religion, and that it is best to take great care, not to have any belong to their particular church, who do not believe the doctrines of the Bible as they do.
But they all agree, that the great work to be done, after all, is to cleanse the heart and life,