" " " " 2, page 368.
" B. Young, J. of D. Vol. 3, page 80.
Article by W. Woodruff, Mil. Star, Vol. 6, page 113.
Article by C. W. Penrose, Contributor, Vol. 2, page 362.
FAITH.
"Faith is the first principle of revealed religion and the foundation of all righteousness." "Now faith is the substance (assurance) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen;" Heb. 11. 1, Doc. and Cov., Lecture on Faith, 1. 1-8. That to use the word assurance, instead of substance, would be the proper rendering of the above passage, is evident from the 22d verse of the previous chapter: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith."
Faith begets trust and confidence. "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him;" (Jesus Christ.) Eph. 3. 12. Faith is the gift of God. "Saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God;" 2. 8. "To another faith by the same Spirit;" 1 Cor. 12. 9. "But to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith;" Rom. 12. 3. Moroni 10. 11.
Through repentance, baptism and the laying on of hands man may receive the Holy Ghost. It will open his spiritual vision and he will begin to comprehend himself, the object of his creation, and his affinity to his Heavenly Father. Then through the further observance of all the ordinances of the Gospel, will the righteousness of God be revealed to him, from faith to faith, until by keeping the commandments and seeking after knowledge through the inspirations of the Holy Ghost, in time, he will reach that assurance of faith which is unto eternal life.
The Lectures on Faith, by Joseph Smith, Jun., in Doc. and Cov., may justly be considered the most elaborate treatise on the subject in the sacred writings. They are written in such simplicity, that they can be easily understood by all who will honestly study them, to obtain a knowledge of the nature of faith. Their fulness, their comprehensiveness, is one of the many evidences of the Divine inspiration of the Prophet Joseph.