Ezra Taft Benson wrote, “With the abundance of books available today, it is a mark of a truly educated man to know what not to read. Of the making of books there is no end. In our reading, we would do well to follow the counsel of John Wesley’s mother: ‘Avoid whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, … increases the authority of the body over the mind.
’ The fact that a book or publication is popular does not necessarily make it of value. The fact that an author wrote one good work does not necessarily mean that all his books are worthy of our reading. Many novels and modern publications are corrupters of morals or distorters of truth.” (September 1988
Ensign)
D&C 52 Historical Heading
John Whitmer also notes that Joseph Smith said “that the man of sin would be revealed” at this conference. “While the Lord poured out His Spirit upon His servants,” he noted, “the devil took a notion to make known his power. He bound Harvey Whitlock and John Murdock so that they could not speak, and others were affected but the Lord showed to Joseph, the seer the design of the thing; he commanded the devil in the name of Christ, and he departed, to our joy and comfort” (History of the Church, 1:175).
“In this conference much instruction was given by President Smith, who spake in great power, as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost,” recalled Parley P. Pratt, “and the spirit of power and of testimony rested down upon the Elders in a marvelous manner. Here also were some strange manifestations of false spirits which were immediately rebuked” (Autobiography, 68).
The Lord gives us a pattern to help us avoid being deceived.
No comments:
Post a Comment