In considering the principles of the gospel, it will not be difficult to see that faith occupies the first place in the catalogue of righteous principles which, as a whole, go to constitute the plan of salvation. It is the principle existing in the human soul which goes before all action and leads to good works. It pleases God that man should repent of all sin by ceasing therefrom, thus accomplishing a reformation of life without which remission of sins would not be granted; and as repentance and good works are pleasing to God, we must accept of faith first, for Paul says: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." (Heb. xi:6.)

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. xi:1.) The inspired translation by the prophet Joseph Smith renders the word "assurance" instead of "substance," which appears more consistent with the latter clause in the passage, which says, "the evidence of things not seen," not the substance itself, for that would amount to knowledge or the actual possession of the object hoped for. This assurance of things hoped for must come through some evidence, either of a character which can be demonstrated in a tangible manner, or through some impression which gives an assurance to the mind of the individual possessing it, if to no other. This faith prompts to action all intelligent beings. Without the assurance of reaping, the farmer would not sow; the laborer would not commence his daily task unless he believed he would accomplish it; and so it is in religious matters.

Upon the day of Pentecost the multitude never would have appealed to the apostles to know what they should do to be saved unless they first believed in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ—so recently crucified in their midst—and also in the authority of the apostles to teach and administer in the ordinances of eternal life. This faith was based upon the evidence presented by Peter that Jesus was the Christ, sealed upon their hearts by the Spirit of God, and not by the wisdom or ability of man. The result was obedience, and a knowledge of the truth for themselves; for the promise is: "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (St. John vii:17.) If Peter had been an impostor, deceiving the people, he might, perchance, have persuaded some to accept his theories; but what would have been the result? The evidence being false, the faith or assurance would have a false foundation to act upon, and disappointment would have been the result. When the evidence is true, the faith resulting and acted upon will bring knowledge.

When Columbus discovered America, and the use of gunpowder was displayed to the astonishment and fear of the Indians, some of the Europeans told the natives that all they had to do was to procure some powder and sow it like grain, and it would grow. The poor natives believed the lie, acted upon their belief, and disappointment was the result, to the destruction of their confidence in the white man. This illustrates that belief may be built upon false evidence, and no matter how sincere the believer, the laws of sincerity cannot be changed to vindicate the dishonesty of the deceiver nor to avoid disappointment befalling the deceived. Why should it be otherwise regarding the law of God? Sincerity is not evidence that the believer will obtain the good for which he seeks, for if his religious devotion is based upon his confidence in the preaching or teaching of false guides, God will not change His laws and ordinances, neither will He acknowledge the authority of impostors, and thus become accessory to the deception, in order to satisfy those who allow themselves to be led astray.

It is a maxim of skeptics that "We doubt all things in order to prove all things"; and thus doubting, they reject the means which God has designated as the way to become acquainted with and prove for themselves the truth of the promise: "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine."

The history of the world proves that in the advancement made in science, in arts, in human government, the leaders and promoters of all that is good, in the majority of instances, have been believers in God; and their faith in Him and the ultimate success of their enterprises have prompted them to action. In the language of Paul on this subject of faith: "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness, which is by faith": "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." (Heb. xi:7, 8.) I might add numerous testimonies from the Scriptures that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the principle which prompts to action all intelligent beings, and that when based upon the promises of the Lord, unmixed with the theories of men, and acted upon, it has never failed to bring knowledge and rest to the weary mind in that security which comes from a pure knowledge of God.

Having shown something of the nature of faith in a general way, as a principle existing in the human mind and as directing all human action, whether religious or secular, let us now draw the line of distinction between faith in its general sense, and faith as a principle of power as enjoyed and exercised by those who are truly the people of God.

Let us first remember that it is one thing to believe in the power of God as manifested by revelation, prophecy, healing, etc., when presented to us merely as the events of history, and altogether another thing to be confronted with the testimony of living apostles, presenting to the world doctrines that are unpopular and with which the cherished creeds of men have never failed to conflict—apostles who ask us to believe them to be servants of God, called by new revelation, and testing our faith by the promise that "if you will repent and be baptized" with honest hearts, you shall know for yourselves the truth, and need not depend upon the assertions of any other man for your knowledge concerning it. It is an undeniable fact of history that God has never sent a prophet to warn the world but He found thousands professing belief in the dead prophets, yet ready to reject and slay the living. It cannot be said that this generation is an exception, for the religious education they receive from the so-called Christian pulpit is that apostles and prophets, together with the ancient gifts and powers of the gospel, are no longer needed; and if any come professing the ancient apostleship, they may reject them without investigation as "false prophets." They apparently forget that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to produce a counterfeit coin unless the genuine existed.

In speaking of faith as a principle of power, the apostle Paul said to the Hebrews: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. * * * And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again," etc. (Heb. xi:3 32-35.) Besides these, innumerable other events have been brought about through faith exercised by men having authority to speak and act in the name of God. Jesus promised that "these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name shall they cast out devils, they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover."

These are only a few of the characteristics associated with true faith, the "faith that was once delivered to the saints," and so much in striking contrast to the weak yet high-sounding pretensions of modern professors who have a form of godliness, yet deny the power thereof.

As a contrast to the wisdom and learning of men, we are promised as the result of acting upon true faith, that to one is given the word of wisdom, to another knowledge. Tongues, prophecy, etc., all are characteristic of that faith which emanates from God. These gifts are not merely to satisfy curiosity or to convince skeptics.

As a principle of eternal truth it is a necessity that not only must the administrator have faith, but the one who is the recipient of the blessings also must exercise it so far as he is capable. Therefore, as a rule, when Jesus healed the sick and opened the eyes of the blind, He said to the individual: "Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole." As a further testimony of this He told unbelievers when they sought a sign: "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas; for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matt. xii:39, 40.) Yet be it remembered that this sign of Christ's three days' rest in the tomb was not given to convince skeptics, for it was an event ordained of God before the foundation of the world, in the plan of human redemption, and would have occurred if all the world had received Him gladly. But they did not receive Him even when He was resurrected, for the same class who sought a sign circulated the fabrication that the body of Christ was not risen from the dead, but that His disciples had come in the night and stolen Him away.

There are sign-seekers today, even among those who profess Christ, and may we not say the same of them as Jesus said of the ancient sign-seekers, from the fact that what was true then is true now, and what is true of a generation is true of the individuals which compose it. Further, the Savior said to His apostles when they failed to cast out the devils and sought Him to know the reason: "Because of your unbelief, for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, 'Remove hence to yonder place,' and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." (Matt. xvii:20.)

To these quotations might be added many others, but this will suffice to show the effects of faith, that it is a principle of power. We ask, has God changed? Is not faith, being a principle emanating from Deity, as unchangeable as God Himself? Who, professing to believe in Christ, will say, if we believe and are baptized by rightful authority in this age, that Jesus will fail in His part of the contract to bestow the promised blessings?

In view of all that is written in the Bible concerning this true faith and the effects which flow therefrom, and the reverse of that pure faith of the Bible which characterizes the "Christianity" of today, is it wonderful that the Savior exclaimed: "When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on earth?" (Luke xviii:8.)