." Do not wear gold or pearls or
costly array. Pray when you are afflicted. Do not jest or talk foolishly,
but have a sound speech. Greet one another with a kiss. Wash one another's
feet. You must all speak the same thing. You must be of one mind. If ye do
these things you shall receive the inheritance, but he that offends in one
is guilty of all.

Now who of a sound mind could not understand as plain and simple language
as this? But suppose one man or woman does not want to lay off their gold
and pearls, so they decide he meant that for women of ancient times and
not for us. Another thinks the command to greet with a kiss means to shake
hands. Another thinks to visit my neighbor when he is sick is washing his
feet. To pray when we are afflicted is meant for the people of olden time.
One man whose heart is full of hatred against a neighbor decides no man
can love his enemy, therefore this command does not mean what it says, so
he will go on hating his enemy, but expects to get his inheritance. One
man decides one command means one thing, another that it means something
else, each one making each command to mean that which is most pleasing to
do. Who would receive the one thousand dollars at the time appointed? You
can at once see the folly of their entertaining hopes of receiving the
inheritance.

Thousands are thus treating the Word of God, saying this and that
commandment does not mean what it says, but means thus and so, or, it was
for a people of some other time, etc. At this present day there are many
who are taking the traditions of men and customs of some religious society
for their rule of life and duty.

Recently while passing through a strange part of the country we stopped at
a farmhouse to inquire our way. It became convenient to tell the lady, who
came to answer our inquiry, that we had come into her neighborhood to hold
a few religious meetings. She invited us into her house to see her four
weeks' old baby which was sick. While talking with her she said that she
became afraid that her child was going to die, so she sent for the
minister and had it christened. I asked her if she believed that if the
babe had died without being christened that it would have gone to hell.
"No," she said, "I do not believe that, but I believe that it would have
gone to heaven." I then asked her, Do you not believe that if your little
child lives that it will go into sin and some day will have to repent and
be converted in or