of sorrow would lift up his head and say, "Our Father who art
in heaven." The heavenly songsters would string anew their harps, and
send the good news far and wide, "He lives, he reigns, God over all,
blessed forever."

"We are not able to estimate the effect it would produce to blot the
knowledge of God from the universe. We can not appreciate the state of
that mind which labors under the impression that God is retiring.
Perhaps we have one momentary example of the sad gloom that takes
possession of the man under such circumstances. It is seen in the
Savior's dying words, 'My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me?'"

In our nature and condition there are two sources of misery--the mind,
or conscience, disturbed by sin, and the body affected by disease and
death. Sinful emotions cause disquietude, uneasiness, sorrow and misery,
bitterness, recrimination, reciprocated treachery, infuriated rage,
malignant and stormy passions; envy, jealousy, suspicion and unlawful
desires distract the mind and quench its joys. Who can be happy in such
a condition? Disquieted and corrupted affections cause the greater part
of the unhappiness or misery of the race. The angels of light could not
be happy in such a murky sea. Our great ancestors were doomed to toil in
a world of disappointment and sorrow for yielding to such a guide. Haman
occupied a high position at the court of Persia, yet he made himself
miserable because "Mordecai the Jew sat at the king's gate." And Ahab,
on the throne of Israel, "refused to eat bread" because he could not get
possession of the vineyard of Naboth. Men can not be happy with such
passions reigning in the mind, and yet they are found in almost every
bosom, unless it has been purified by the influence of the gospel of
Jesus the Christ. The great idols of this world are fame, pleasure and
wealth, and the love of these is the strong passion of the heart. But it
is the most prolific source of individual, social and public misfortune,
the most mischievous, contentious and demoralizing passion. The
ambitious, the voluptuous, the rich and the great are not necessarily
happy. Alexander wept upon the throne of the world because there was not
another world for him to conquer.

In the midst of seminal pleasures and corrupt passions men are always
miserable. The influence of the Gospel of Christ is the only remedy for
such diseases. It saves men from aggravating selfishness and holds in
check their fierce passions