,a ,,new ,,witness ,,for ,,god4 99 99 99 99 ,,by ,,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts ,,author ,,of ,,the ,,gospel1 ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,john ,,taylor1 ,,outlines ,,of ,,ecclesiastical ,,history1 ,,succession ,,in ,,the ,,presidency ,,of ,,the ,,church1 ,,etc41 ,,etc4 99 99 99 99 ,some millions must be wrong1 that's pretty clear4 99 99 99 99 ',tis time that some new prophet should appear4 99 99 99 99 ,,published ,,by ,,george ,q4 ,,cannon ,,sons ,,company1 ,,salt ,,lake ,,city1 ,,utah4 #ahie4 ,,preface4 ,three quarters of a century have passed away since ,joseph ,smith first declared that he had received a revelation from ,god4 ,from that revelation and others that followed there has sprung into existence what men call a new religion--,mormonism2 and a new church1 the institution commonly known as the ,mormon ,church1 the proper name of which1 however1 is ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 ,though it may seem a small matter1 the reader should know that ,mormonism is not a new religion4 ,those who accept it do not so regard it2 it makes no such pretentions4 ,the institution commonly called the ,mormon ,church1 is not a new church2 it makes no such pretensions1 as will be seen by its very name--the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,this of itself discloses what ,the ,mormon ,church claims to be--the ,church of ,jesus ,christ2 and to distinguish it from the ,church of ,jesus ,christ that existed in former days1 the phrase of ,latter-day ,saints is added4 ,mormonism1 ,i repeat1 is not a new religion2 it is the ,old ,religion1 the ,everlasting ,gospel1 restored again to the earth through the revelations received by ,joseph ,smith4 ,at a glance the reader will observe that these claims in behalf of ,mormonism pre-suppose the destruction of the primitive ,christian ,church1 a complete apostasy from the ,christian religion2 and hence1 from the standpoint of a believer1 ,mormonism is the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ restored2 and the institution which grows out of it--the church--is the ,church of ,jesus ,christ re-established among men4 ,during the three quarters of a century that have elapsed since the first revelation was announced by ,joseph ,smith1 the world has been flooded with all manner of rumors concerning the origin of ,mormonism1 its doctrines1 its organization1 its purposes1 its history4 ,books enough to make a respectable library1 as to size1 have been written on these subjects1 but the books1 in the main1 are the works of avowed enemies1 or of sensational writers who chose ,mormonism for a subject because in it they supposed they had a theme that would be agreeable to their own vicious tastes and perverted talents1 and give satisfactory returns in money for their labor4 ,this latter class of writers have not only written without regard to truth1 but without shame4 ,they are ghouls who have preyed upon the misfortunes of an unpopular people solely for the money or notoriety they could make out of the enterprise4 ,that ,i may not be thought to overstate the unreliability of anti-,mormon literature1 ,i make an excerpt from a book written by ,mr4 ,phil ,robinson1 called ,sinners and ,saints4 #a ,mr4 ,robinson came to ,utah in #ahhb as a special correspondent of ,the ,new ,york ,world1 and stayed in ,utah some five or six months1 making ,mormonism and the ,latter-day ,saints a special study4 ,on the untrustworthiness of the literature in question1 he says3 ,whence have the public derived their opinions about ,mormonism8 ,from anti-,mormons only4 ,i have ransacked the literature of the subject1 and yet ,i really could not tell anyone where to go for an impartial book about ,mormonism later in date than ,burton's ',city of the ,saints1' published in #ahfb4 99 99 99 ,but put ,burton on one side1 and ,i think ,i can defy any one to name another book about the ,mormons worthy of honest respect4 ,from that truly awful book1 ',the ,history of the ,saints1' published by one ,bennett 7even an anti-,mormon has styled him 'the greatest rascal that ever came to the ,west1'7 in #ahdb1 down to ,stenhouse's in #ahgc1 there is not to my knowledge a single ,gentile work before the public that is not utterly unreliable from its distortion of facts4 ,yet it is from these books--for there are no others--that the ,american public has acquired nearly all its ideas about the people of ,utah4 ,it may be asked why have not the ,saints themselves written books refuting the misrepresentations of their detractors1 and giving correct information about themselves and their religion4 ,to that inquiry there are several answers4 ,one is that they have made the attempt4 ,perhaps not on a sufficiently extensive scale4 ,they may not have appreciated fully the importance of doing so2 but chiefly the reason they have not published more books in their own defense1 and have not been more solicitous about refuting slanders published against them1 is because of the utter impossibility of getting a hearing4 ,the people to whom they appealed were hopelessly prejudiced against them4 ,their case was prejudged and they themselves condemned before a hearing could be had4 ,these were the disadvantages under which they labored2 and how serious such disadvantages are1 only those know who have felt the cruel tyranny of prejudice4 ,now1 however1 there seems to be a change in the tide of their affairs4 ,prejudice has somewhat subsided4 ,there is in various quarters indications of a willingness to hear what accredited representatives of the ,mormon faith may have to say in its behalf4 ,it is this circumstance that has induced the author to present for the consideration of his fellow-men this work1 which is written1 however1 not with a view of defending the character of the ,latter-day ,saints1 but to set forth the message that ,mormonism has to proclaim to the world1 and point out the evidences of divine inspiration in him through whom that message was delivered4 ,the author has chosen for his work the title1 ,a ,,new ,,witness ,,for ,,god1 because that is the relation ,joseph ,smith1 the great modern prophet1 sustains to this generation2 and it is the author's purpose to prove1 first1 that the world stands in need of such a witness2 and1 second1 that ,joseph ,smith is that witness4 ,the subject is treated under four ,,theses4 ,i4 ,the world needs a ,new ,witness for ,god4 ,,ii4 ,the ,church of ,christ was destroyed2 there has been an apostasy from the ,christian religion so complete and universal as to make necessary a ,new ,dispensation of the ,gospel2 ,,iii4 ,the ,scriptures declare that the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ in the last days--in the hour of ,god's judgment--will be restored to the earth by a re-opening of the heavens1 and giving a ,new ,dispensation thereof to the children of men4 ,,iv4 ,joseph ,smith is the ,new ,witness for ,god2 a prophet divinely authorized to preach the ,gospel and re-establish the ,church of ,jesus ,christ on earth4 ,how well the writer has succeeded in sustaining these propositions1 the reader will judge for himself2 he only asks that his treatment of the subjects be considered with candor4 ,to guard against error or inaccuracy in doctrine the writer applied to the ,first ,presidency of the ,church for a committee of brethren well known for their soundness in the faith1 and broad knowledge of the doctrines of the ,church1 to hear read the manuscript of this book4 ,whereupon ,elder ,franklin ,d4 ,richards1 one of the ,twelve ,apostles of the ,new ,dispensation1 and ,church ,historian2 ,elder ,george ,reynolds1 one of the author's fellow-,presidents in the ,first ,council of the ,seventies2 and ,elder ,john ,jaques1 ,assistant ,church ,historian1 were appointed as such committee2 and to these brethren1 for their patient labor in reading the manuscript1 and for their suggestions and corrections1 the writer is under lasting obligations4 ,,the ,,author4 ,footnotes #a4 p4 #bde4 ,,contents 99 99 99 99 ,,thesis ,i4 ,,the ,,world ,,needs ,a ,,new ,,witness ,,for ,,god4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,the ,necessity of a ,new ,witness 99 99 99 99 ,,thesis ,,ii4 ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,christ ,,was ,,destroyed2 ,,there ,,has ,,been ,,an ,,apostasy ,,from ,,the ,,christian ,,religion1 ,,so ,,complete ,,and ,,universal ,,as ,,to ,,make ,,necessary ,a ,,new ,,dispensation ,,of ,,the ,,gospel4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,the ,effect of ,pagan ,persecution on the ,christian ,church ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,the ,effect of ,peace1 ,wealth and ,luxury on ,christianity ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,changes in the ,form and ,spirit of ,church ,government--,corruption of the ,popes ,,chapter ,v4 ,change in ,public ,worship--,in the ,ordinances of the ,gospel ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,the ,testimony of ,prophecy to the ,apostasy ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,catholic ,arguments--,protestant ,admissions 99 99 99 99 ,,thesis ,,iii4 ,,the ,,scriptures ,,declare ,,that ,,the ,,gospel ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,in ,,the ,,last ,,days--,,in ,,the ,,hour ,,of ,,god',s ,,judgment--,,will ,,be ,,restored ,,to ,,the ,,earth ,,by ,a ,,re-,,opening ,,of ,,the ,,heavens1 ,,and ,,giving ,a ,,new ,,dispensation ,,thereof ,,to ,,the ,,children ,,of ,,men4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,the ,necessity of a ,new ,revelation--,the ,arguments of ,modern ,christians ,against it ,considered ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,prophetic ,history of the ,church--,the ,restoration of the ,gospel by an ,angel 99 99 99 99 ,,thesis ,,iv4 ,,joseph ,,smith ,,is ,,the ,,new ,,witness ,,for ,,god2 ,a ,,prophet ,,divinely ,,authorized ,,to ,,teach ,,the ,,gospel1 ,,and ,,re-,,establish ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,on ,,earth4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,the ,new ,witness ,introduced ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,a ,new ,dispensation of the ,gospel ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,objections to the ,new ,witness ,considered ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,the ,character of the ,new ,witness ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,fitness in the ,development of the ,new ,dispensation ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,the ,evidence of ,scriptural and ,perfect ,doctrine ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,manner of the ,prophet's ,teaching ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,the testimony of ,toil and ,suffering--,exertion and ,danger--,a ,christian ,argument ,applied ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,the ,testimony of ,miracles--,the ,evidence of ,fulfilled ,promises ,by an error ,chapter ,,xix4 was numbered ,,xx41 hence the apparent omission4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,the ,evidence of ,prophecy ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,the ,evidence of ,prophecy--,continued ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,the ,evidence of ,prophecy--,continued ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,the ,evidence of ,prophecy--,concluded ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,the ,church ,founded by ,joseph ,smith1 a ,monument to his ,inspiration ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,testimony of the ,inspiration and ,divine ,calling of ,joseph ,smith ,derived from the ,comprehensiveness of the ,work he ,introduced ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,testimony of the ,inspiration and ,divine ,calling of ,joseph ,smith ,derived from the ,comprehensiveness of the ,work he ,introduced--,continued ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,evidence of ,inspiration ,derived from the ,wisdom in the ,plan ,proposed for the ,betterment of the ,temporal ,condition of ,mankind ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,evidence of ,divine ,inspiration in ,joseph ,smith ,derived from the ,prophet's ,teaching in ,regard to the ,extent of the ,universe1 ,man's ,place in it1 and his ,doctrine ,respecting the ,gods ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,evidence of ,divine ,inspiration in ,joseph ,smith ,derived from the ,prophet's ,teaching in ,regard to the ,extent of the ,universe1 ,man's ,place in it1 and his ,doctrines ,respecting the ,gods--,continued ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,evidence of ,divine ,inspiration in ,joseph ,smith ,derived from the ,prophet's ,teaching in ,regard to the ,extent of the ,universe1 ,man's ,place in it1 and his ,doctrine ,respecting the ,gods--,concluded ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,the ,testimony of the ,martyrdom--,conclusion ,,thesis ,i4 ,the ,world ,needs a ,new ,witness for ,god4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,necessity ,,of ,a ,,new ,,witness4 ,,the very title of this book may give offense4 ,a ,new ,witness for ,god6 will exclaim both ministry and laity of ,christendom2 are not the ,old ,witnesses sufficient8 ,has not their testimony withstood the assaults of unbelievers1 atheists and agnostics alike for nineteen centuries8 ,what need have we for a ,new ,witness8 ,every weapon that hostile criticism could suggest1 has been brought to bear against the tower of our faith based on the testimony of the ,old ,witnesses2 and it stands more victorious now than ever1 four square to all the winds that blow4 #a ,the testimony of the ,old ,witnesses has outlived the ridicule of ,voltaire1 the solemn sneers of ,gibbon1 the satire of ,bolingbroke1 the ribaldry of ,paine2 just as it will outlive the insidious assaults of the ,german mythical school1 and the rationalistic school of critics1 which are now much in vogue4 ,such the confident boast of orthodox ,christians4 ,meanwhile1 every diocesan conference rings with the wail over 'infidel opinions4' ,it grows notoriously more and more difficult to get educated men to take any interest in the services or doctrines of the church2 99 99 99 literature and the periodical press are becoming either more indifferent1 or more hostile to the accepted ,christianity year by year2 the upper strata of the working class1 upon whom the future of that class depends1 either stand coldly aloof from all the ,christian sects1 or throw themselves into secularism4 ,passionate appeals are made to all sections of ,christians1 to close their ranks1 not against each other1 but against the 'skepticism rampant' among the cultivated class and the religious indifference of the democracy4 #b ,in the face of these facts1 notwithstanding the confident boasts of orthodox ,christians about the invulnerableness of the testimony of the ,old ,witnesses1 it will be well for us to look a little more closely into the achievements of ,christianity1 ,catholic as well as ,protestant1 and see if they are as satisfactory when measured by actual results1 as they are claimed to be in the fervid rhetoric of the orthodox special pleader4 ,what is distinctly and commonly recognized as the ,christian religion1 was founded some nineteen centuries ago #c1 by the personal ministry of ,jesus ,christ1 and those whom he chose as ,apostles4 ,for about three centuries it had a hard struggle for existence4 ,the persecutions waged against it1 first by the ,jews1 from whose religious faith it may be said to have sprung2 and second1 from the pagans1 then in possession of all secular power1 well-nigh overcame it4 ,the beast made war upon the saints and prevailed against them4 ,then ,constantine1 the friend of ,christianity1 succeeded to the imperial throne of ,rome1 and external persecution ceased4 ,christian ministers were invited to the court of the emperor and loaded with wealth and honors4 ,magnificent churches were erected1 and the hitherto despised religion became the favorite protege of the imperial government4 ,from a precarious and wretched existence1 the ,christian church was suddenly raised to a position of magnificence and power4 ,nor was it long in playing the part of the camel which1 being permitted by the kind indulgence of its master to put its head within the tent during a violent storm1 next protruded its shoulders1 then its whole body1 and turning about kicked out its master4 #d ,so did the ,christian ecclesiastical power with the civil power4 ,that is to say1 that which was at first granted to the church as a privilege was soon demanded as a right2 and what was at first received by grace1 was at the last taken by force4 ,on the ruins of pagan ,rome1 rose papal ,rome1 and while the latter power did not abolish secular government1 it did make it subservient to ecclesiasticism4 ,from the chair of ,st4 ,peter1 the ,roman pontiffs ruled the world absolutely4 ,kings and emperors obeyed them1 and all stood in awe before the throne of the triple-crowned successor of ,st4 ,peter4 ,finally1 through the mutual jealousy and ambition of the bishops of ,rome and ,constantinople1 a controversy arose which1 in the ninth century1 resulted in a great and lasting division of ,christendom into two great ecclesiastical bodies2 viz41 the ,greek ,catholic or ,eastern ,church1 and the ,roman ,catholic or ,western ,church4 ,in the ,western ,church the secular or civil power continued to be regarded as subordinate to ecclesiastical authority1 a sort of convenient instrument to execute the decrees of the church4 ,hence ,roman ,catholic ,christianity drew to itself all that prestige in the propagation of its doctrines which comes from the authority and support of the state2 and though the power of the state was held to be subordinate to that of the church1 no one who has read our ,christian annals can help being struck with the importance of the civil power as a factor in the propagation of ,roman ,catholic ,christianity4 ,the barbarous peoples who came in contact with the ,christian nations1 were often compelled to accept the so-called ,christian religion as one of the terms of capitulation2 and the fear of the sword often eked out the arguments of the priests1 and was generally much more effective4 ,i think it proper that the above statement should be emphasized by the following proofs3 ,in the year #ggb1 ,a4 ,d41 ,charlemagne1 king of the ,franks1 undertook to tame1 and to withdraw from idolatry1 the extensive nation of the ,saxons1 who occupied a large portion of ,germany1 and were almost perpetually at war with the ,franks1 respecting their boundaries and other things2 for he hoped that if their minds could become imbued with the ,christian doctrines1 they would gradually lay aside their ferocity1 and learn to yield submission to the empire of the ,franks4 ,the first attack upon their heathenism produced little effect1 being made not with the force of arms1 but by some bishops and monks whom the victor had left for that purpose among the vanquished nation4 ,but much better success attended the subsequent wars which ,charlemagne undertook1 in the years #gge1 #ggf1 and #ghj1 ,a ,d41 against that heroic people1 so fond of liberty1 and so impatient1 especially of sacerdotal domination4 ,for in these assaults1 not only rewards1 but also the sword and punishments were so successfully applied upon those adhering to the superstition of their ancestors1 that they reluctantly ceased from resistance1 and allowed the doctors whom ,charles employed to administer to them ,christian baptism4 ,widekind and ,albion1 indeed1 who were two of the most valiant ,saxon chiefs1 renewed their former insurrections2 and attempted to prostrate again by violence and war1 that ,christianity which had been set up by violence4 ,but the martial courage1 and the liberality of ,charles at length brought them1 in the year #ghe1 solemnly to declare that they were ,christians1 and would continue to be so4 99 99 99 ,the ,huns inhabiting ,pannonia1 were treated the same way as the ,saxons2 for ,charles so exhausted and humbled them by successive wars1 as to compel them to prefer becoming ,christians to being slaves4 #e ,in ,denmark1 during the tenth century1 the ,christian cause had to struggle with great difficulties and adversities1 under ,king ,gorman1 although the queen was a professed ,christian4 ,but ,harald1 surnamed ,blatand1 the son of ,gorman1 having been vanquished by ,otto the ,great1 about the middle of the century1 made a profession of ,christianity in the year #idi1 and was baptized4 99 99 99 ,perhaps ,harald1 who had his birth and education from a ,christian mother1 ,tyra1 was not greatly averse from the ,christian religion2 and yet it is clear that in the present transaction he yielded rather to the demands of his conqueror1 than to his own inclinations4 ,for ,otto1 being satisfied that the ,danes would never cease to harass their neighbors with wars and rapine1 if they retained the martial religion of their fathers1 made it a condition of the peace with ,harald that he and his people should become ,christians4 #f ,waldemar ,i41 ,king of ,denmark1 obtained very great fame by the many wars he undertook against the pagan nations1 the ,slavs1 the ,wends1 the ,vandals1 and others4 ,he fought not only for the interests of his subjects1 but likewise for the extension of ,christianity2 and wherever he was successful1 he demolished the temples and images of the gods1 the altars and groves1 and commanded the ,christian worship to be set up4 99 99 99 ,the ,fins who infested ,sweden with frequent inroads1 were attacked by ,eric ,,ix41 ,king of ,sweden1 called ,st4 ,eric1 after his death1 and by him subdued after many bloody battles4 99 99 99 ,the vanquished nation was commanded to follow the religion of the conqueror1 which most of them did with reluctance and disgust4 ,towards the close of the century the tenth1 99 99 99 some merchants of ,bremen or of ,lubec trading to ,livonia1 took along with them ,mainhard1 a regular canon of ,st4 ,augustine in the monastery of ,segberg in ,halsatia1 to bring that warlike and uncivilized nation to the ,christian faith4 ,but as few listened to him1 ,mainhard consulted the ,roman pontiff1 who created him the first bishop of the ,livonians1 and desired that war should be waged against the opposers4 ,this war1 which was first waged with the ,esthonians1 was extended farther and prosecuted more rigorously by ,berthold1 the second bishop of the ,livonians1 after the death of ,mainhard2 for this1 ,berthold1 formerly ,abbot of ,lucca1 marched with a strong army from ,saxony1 and recommended ,christianity not by arguments but by slaughter and battle4 ,following his example1 the third bishop1 ,albert1 previously a canon of ,bremen1 entering ,livonia in the year #aaih1 well supported by a fresh army raised in ,saxony1 and fixing his camp at ,riga1 he instituted1 by authority of ,innocent ,,iii41 the ,roman pontiff1 the military order of knight's sword-bearers1 who should compel the ,livonians by force of arms to submit to baptism4 ,new forces were marched from time to time from ,germany1 by whose valor and that of the sword-bearers the wretched people were subdued and exhausted1 so that they at last substituted the images of ,christ and the saints in place of their idols4 #g ,a volume of evidence similar in import to the foregoing could be compiled1 showing that from the accession of ,constantine the ,great down to the sixteenth century1 the ,roman ,catholic ,church did not hesitate to employ the civil power to enforce conversion and punish recalcitrants4 ,if the ,eastern ,church has been less successful in extending the borders of ,christianity by means of conquests waged by the civil power1 it was because the division of the world it occupied afforded less opportunity than ,western ,europe1 where a great struggle was on between the race of men made weak by the effete civilization of ,rome and the more vigorous barbarians4 ,but while the ,eastern ,church made less direct use of the sword to extend its dominions1 it nevertheless had the state for an ally which sustained it at need4 ,when in the sixteenth century the great revolt against the authority of the pope and the religion of the ,roman ,catholic ,church gave birth to the ,protestant churches1 they1 too1 in the main1 formed alliances with the states in which they were founded4 ,nay1 in the very struggle for their existence1 the states of ,germany1 of ,holland1 ,scandinavia and of ,england1 drew the sword in their behalf and by their support made it possible for the seceding religionists to establish churches despite all efforts of the ,roman pontiffs to prevent them2 and after the revolution was an accomplished fact1 the states above enumerated continued to give support to the churches founded within their borders4 ,if the church and the state in some instances were regarded as separate and distinct societies1 they acted at the same time as close neighbors1 and nearly interested in each other's welfare4 ,if they lived separate1 they were not estranged2 and each at need gave the other support4 ,i have thought it necessary to call the attention of the reader to the conditions in which ,christianity has existed since the days of ,constantine under all three great divisions of ,christendom--the ,roman ,catholic1 the ,greek ,catholic1 and ,protestant--in order that he might be reminded of the fact that circumstances of the most propitious character have existed for the propagation of the so-called ,christian religion4 ,christendom has had at its command the wealth and intelligence of ,europe2 it has been able to follow the commerce of ,european states into every country of the world2 and not only its commerce1 but its conquests as well2 and wherever the love of adventure or the desire for conquest has led ,christian soldiers1 ,christian priests have either accompanied or followed them1 that the gospel1 in the hands of the ,christian minister1 might be a balm for the wounds inflicted by the sword in the hands of the ,christian soldier2 so that if ,christian armies were a bane to the savages1 the ,christian priests might be an antidote6 ,yet with all the advantages which came to ,christianity through the support of the state2 with the intelligence and wealth of ,europe behind it2 with the privilege of following in the wake of its commerce and conquests2 what has ,christendom done in the way of converting the world to its religion8 ,but a little over one-fourth of the inhabitants of the earth are even nominally ,christian6 ,there are in the world1 according to statistics published on the subject3 ,roman ,catholics 444444444444444444444444444#bjf1ehh1bjf ,protestants 7all sects7 4444444444444444444 #hi1hbe1cdh ,greek and ,russian ,churches 4444444444444444 #ge1fia1chb ,oriental ,churches 4444444444444444444444444 #f1ggj1jjj ,making the total of all ,christians44444444 #cgh1hgd1icf4 ,the other religions stand as follows3 ,brahminical ,hindoos 44444444444444444444444#abj1jjj1jjj ,followers of ,buddha1 ,shinto and ,confucius 444444444444444444444444444444444#dhb1fj j1jjj ,mohammedans 4444444444444444444444444444444#afi1jed1 ghi ,jews 444444444444444444444444444444444444444 #g1fab1ghd ,parsees 7fire-worshipers in ,persia7 44444444 #a1jjj1jjj ,pagans not otherwise enumerated 44444444444#bgg1jjj1jjj ,making a total of 44444444444444444444444#a1jjg1bfg1egc #h ,surely when the superior advantages for the propagation of the ,christian religion are taken into account1 one could reasonably expect better results than this1 after a period of nineteen centuries1 sixteen of which may be said to have been of a character favorable to the extension of the borders of the church4 ,but let us take a nearer view of the status of ,christendom4 ,as seen in the foregoing1 but a little more than one-fourth of the population of the earth is even nominally ,christian4 ,no one will contend that all those nominally ,christians are really ,christians4 ,church membership may be one thing1 conversion to the ,christian religion quite another4 ,if those who are ,christians in name only1 and church members from custom or for worldly advantage were separated from those who are ,christians upon principle1 upon conversion and real faith1 the number of ,christians in the world would be materially reduced4 ,for it cannot be denied that when any religion becomes popular there are multitudes of insincere men who will outwardly accept it1 and give it lip-service in return for the advantages that accrue to them socially1 financially or politically4 ,moreover1 ,christendom is not united in one great body or church2 but on the contrary it is divided into numerous contending factions whose differences are so far fundamental that there appears no prospect of reconciliation among them4 ,the ,catholics refuse to recognize any power of salvation in ,protestantism4 ,to the ,catholic the ,protestant is an heretic1 a renegade child2 and on the other hand1 to the ,protestant1 the ,catholic is an idolator1 and the pope the very anti-,christ1 prophesied of in scripture4 ,nor are the ,roman and ,greek ,catholics much nearer at one with each other than the ,roman ,catholics and ,protestants4 ,away back in the ninth century1 as a result of the controversy between the ,eastern and ,western ,churches1 ,pope ,nicholas1 in a council held at ,rome1 solemnly excommunicated ,photius1 the patriarch of ,jerusalem1 and had his ordination declared null and void4 ,the ,greek emperor resented this conduct of the pope1 and under his sanction ,photius1 in his turn1 convened what he called an acumenical council1 in which he pronounced sentence of excommunication and deposition against the pope1 and got it subscribed by twenty-one bishops and others amounting in number to one thousand4 ,although this breach was patched up after the death of the ,emperor ,michael1 difficulties broke out again between the ,east and the ,west from time to time1 until finally in the eleventh century1 when ,michael ,cerularius1 patriarch of ,constantinople1 opposed the ,western ,church with respect to their making use of unleavened bread in the sacrament1 their observation of the ,sabbath1 and fasting on ,saturdays1 charging therein that they lived in communion with the ,jews4 ,pope ,leo ,,ix4 replied1 and in his apology for the ,western ,churches1 declaimed warmly against the false doctrine of the ,greeks1 and ended by placing on the altar of ,santa ,sophia1 by his legates1 a deed of excommunication against the ,patriarch1 ,michael ,cerularius4 ,this was the final rupture4 ,from that time the mutual hatred of the ,greeks and the ,latins became insuperable1 insomuch that they have continued ever since separated from each other's communion4 #i ,though both the ,greek and the ,protestant ,churches are separated from the ,roman ,catholic ,church1 yet there is no union or fellowship between them2 on the contrary1 they hold doctrines so opposite that union between them is out of the question4 ,at least so remote is the prospect1 that all attempts at union have been ineffectual4 ,turn now to ,protestant ,christendom4 ,surely we shall find a union of organization and agreement of sentiment here6 ,but no2 division1 on the contrary1 is multiplied4 ,protestant ,christendom is divided into numerous sects between some of which the gulf of separation is almost as broad and deep as that which separates ,protestants from ,catholics4 ,such is the distracted condition of ,protestant ,christendom that sects are daily multiplying1 and confusion is constantly increasing4 ,nor can one refrain from saying with ,cardinal ,gibbons1 that ,this multiplying of creeds is a crying scandal1 and a great stumbling-block in the way of the conversion of the heathen nations4 #aj ,and ,i will add1 equally a stumbling-block to the conversion of the unbelievers living among ,christians4 ,this last class of persons named1 the unbelievers living among ,christians1 we must now consider2 and note the effect of their assaults upon ,christianity4 ,they are1 for the most part1 without organization2 without unity of purpose1 except in so far as they are united in their disbelief of revealed religion4 ,their position being essentially a negative one1 the incentive to organization is not active4 ,it requires unity of purpose and organization of effort to build2 those who content themselves with pointing out the defects1 real or imagined1 of the work of the builders1 or saying the structure does not answer well the purposes for which it was erected1 feel no such necessity for organization as the builders do4 ,in consequence of having no organization1 infidels keep no account of their numerical strength2 they publish no statistics1 and therefore we have no way of estimating how numerous they are4 ,but no one with large acquaintance in ,christian countries1 and who is in touch with the trend of modern religious thought1 can doubt that the number of unbelievers is considerable1 and their influence upon the ,christian religion more damaging than ,christian enthusiasts are willing to admit4 ,what a motley crowd this great body of unbelievers is6 ,first is the downright atheist who says plainly1 ,there is no ,god4 ,nothing but blind force is operating in the universe2 there is no ,providence whose will can interrupt the destined course of nature4 ,providence they set down as a dream4 ,the universe and all its varied phenomena are generated by natural forces out of cosmic atoms1 and into atoms to be again resolved1 is their creed4 ,following the atheist is the deist1 who1 while not one whit behind the atheist in rejecting revealed religion1 is of the opinion that mind is somewhere operating in the universe1 but refuses to recognize that intelligence as associated with a personality4 ,still that ,intelligence1 whatever or wherever it be1 is ,god2 but with them is always ,it1 never ,he4 ,then comes the agnostic4 ,he prefers to suspend his judgment on the question of ,deity2 and with a modesty1 not always free from affectation1 says1 ,i don't know4 ,the evidence in the case is not quite clear2 in fact it is sometimes quite conflicting4 ,he questions2 is debating2 but you find his sympathies1 at bottom1 on the side of unbelief4 ,next to the agnostic comes the rationalist1 who1 while he leaves ,god more or less of an open question1 has his mind made up in respect to ,jesus ,christ4 ,he recognizes him as a good man1 though mistaken on many questions2 but though he strips ,jesus of all divinity1 he nevertheless recognizes him as the friend of ,god and of man2 and sees embodied in him1 moreover1 the symbol of those religious forces in man which are primitive1 essential and universal4 #aa ,such are the varied classes which assail the ,christian religion4 ,their methods of assault1 though having much in common1 are as varied as the kinds of unbelievers4 ,the atheist mockingly asks if there be a ,god why he does not make himself manifest to all the world2 why he keeps himself shrouded in mystery8 ,why not reveal himself to all as well as to a chosen few8 ,pushing aside the testimony of those who say they have stood in his presence1 he boldly asserts there is no ,god1 because no one has ever seen him2 he has not made himself known to men1 and in conclusion he points to the natural and uninterrupted order of things in the universe as proof that all things are governed by blind forces instead of intelligence1 whether a personality or apart from personality4 ,the deists say nearly all that the atheists say2 but admitting an intelligence back of all phenomena in the universe1 they pretend to read his will in the book of nature1 #ab and contrast its perfections with the imperfections of all written books of revelation4 ,to them the ,bible--the ,christian volume of revelation--is imperfect and contradictory2 it teaches a morality and seems to tolerate practices unworthy of a ,being of infinite goodness4 ,the agnostics join with the deists in their objections4 ,they see all the contradictions1 imperfections and alleged immorality that deists see in the ,christian volume of revelation2 and with them question the authenticity and credibility of the scriptures4 ,if they differ from the deists in anything1 it is simply in arriving at a less positive conclusion4 ,but the worst is to come4 ,there has arisen within our century1 mainly in ,germany1 a class of theological writers1 who indeed profess a reverence both for the name and person of ,jesus ,christ1 and a real regard1 moreover1 for the scriptures as embodiments of what is purest and holiest in religious feeling2 and yet they degrade ,christ to a mere name1 and strip the scriptures of all their force as the word of ,god1 by denying the historical character of the ,biblical narrative4 ,starting with the postulate that the miraculous is impossible and never happens1 or at least has never been proven1 #ac they relegate the scriptures--the ,new ,testament as well as the ,old--to the realms of poetry1 legend or myth1 because they are filled with accounts of the miraculous4 #ad ,this movement of theological thought had its origin in a new science1 the science of historical criticism1 which had its birth in our own nineteenth century4 ,the new science consisted simply in applying to the mass of materials on which much of ancient history had been hitherto based--myths1 legends and oral traditions--the rules #ae embodying the judgment of sound discretion upon the value of different sorts of evidence4 ,the effect of the application of this principle to the materials out of which our ancient histories were constructed1 was to banish to the realms of pure myth or doubtful legend much which our fathers accepted as historical fact4 ,the relations of ancient authors are no longer received with as ready a belief as formerly2 nor are all ancient authors any longer put upon the same footing and regarded as equally credible1 or all parts of their work supposed to rest upon the same basis4 #af ,many old1 fond theories have been shattered2 in some respects the whole face of antiquity has been changed1 #ag and instead of now looking upon the ancients as demi-gods1 and the condition in which they lived as being something supernatural1 we are made to feel that they were men of like passions with ourselves1 possessed of the same weaknesses1 actuated by the same motives of self interest1 ambition1 jealousy1 love1 hatred2 and that the conditions surrounding them were no more supernatural than those which surround us4 ,the science of historical criticism by the application of its main principle has stripped ancient times of their prodigies1 and has either brought those demi-gods of legend to earth and made them appear very human1 or has banished them entirely from real existence4 ,so long as the leading principle of this new science was applied to profane history alone2 and the revolution it inaugurated confined to smashing the myths of ancient ,greece1 ,rome1 ,babylon1 ,egypt and ,india1 no complaints were heard4 ,indeed1 the work was very generally applauded4 ,but when the same principle began to be applied to what1 by ,christians at least1 was considered sacred history1 then an exception was pleaded4 ,this difficulty was met by orthodox believers much in the same way that an earlier question1 one about miracles1 was met by ,conyers ,middleton4 ,it will be remembered that the ,catholic ,church has always claimed for herself the power of working miracles from the earliest days until the present2 and cites1 in confirmation of her claims1 testimony that seems at once respectable and sufficient4 ,the ,protestants1 with the ,anglican ,church at their head1 in the discussions to which reference is here made1 conceded that the possession of the gift of working miracles was prima facie evidence of divine authority and soundness of faith4 #ah ,so much being conceded1 ,protestants were puzzled when to fix the date that miracles ceased4 ,they were certain that no miracles had happened in their times1 but were equally positive that they had occurred in the early ,christian centuries4 ,but the recent testimony presented by their ,catholic opponents was just as worthy of belief as the testimony of the early ,christian ,fathers2 in some respects it was better1 because it was within reach for examination4 ,what was to be done8 ,if this recent testimony of the ,catholic ,church concerning miracles was to be rejected1 could the earlier testimony of the ,christian ,fathers stand8 ,the discussion had reached this point when ,middleton published his ,free ,inquiry1 in which he held that the miracles claimed by the ,catholic ,church1 both in former and recent times must stand or fall together4 ,for if the testimony of the early ,christian ,fathers and contemporary witnesses could confirm the former1 the testimony of the recent witnesses1 being just as respectable as the former1 and hence as worthy of belief1 would confirm the latter4 ,middleton met the difficulty by rejecting all testimony to miracles after the close of the apostolic age4 ,when it was suggested that the ,new ,testament miracles might be treated in a like summary manner1 he took the position that the ,new ,testament account of miracles was inspired1 and therefore beyond the reach of criticism4 ,so likewise ,i say1 orthodox ,christians were disposed to meet the application of this principle of ,historical ,criticism under consideration4 ,they protested against the application of it to sacred history4 ,they insisted that the marvelous occurrences related in the ,bible1 and which read so much like myth or legend1 were recorded by inspired writers1 hence above criticism4 ,the exception pleaded1 however1 was not granted4 ,there were bold spirits both within the church as well as outside of it1 who did not hesitate1 at least so far as the ,old ,testament was concerned1 to apply the new methods of criticism to sacred history4 ,the conclusions of those who started with the hypothesis that what we call the miraculous is impossible1 would not be difficult to forecast4 ,from the outset1 with them1 the ,old ,testament was doomed4 ,in the wonderful incidents related as the experience of the patriarchs1 of ,moses1 ,aaron1 ,joshua and the kings and prophets of ,israel1 this school of critics could discern a striking parallel to the legends of ,rome1 of ,greece and ,egypt2 and as readily rejected the one as the other4 ,they rejected also the cosmogony of ,genesis1 insisting that it was not the history of the creation but poetry1 and as such must be regarded1 but not as fact4 ,suspicion once cast upon the historical value of sacred writings1 the critics grew bolder and declared that portions of the sacred narrative presented the appearance of being simply myths2 and from this by degrees it soon became the fashion to attach a legendary character to the whole of the ,old ,testament4 ,it was decided by the same class of critics that the whole narrative1 in the main1 rests upon oral tradition and that that tradition was not written until long after the supposed events occurred4 ,moreover1 when the old traditions were written1 the work was done by poets bent rather on glorifying their country than upon recording facts2 and it is claimed that at times they did not hesitate to allow imagination to amplify the oral traditions or at need to invent new occurrences1 to fill up blanks in their annals4 ,the authorship of the sacred books was held to be a matter of great uncertainty1 as well as the date at which they were written2 but certainly they were not written until long after the dates usually assigned for their production4 ,this style of criticism not only got rid of the cosmogony of ,genesis1 but discredited as histories the whole collection of books comprising the ,old ,testament4 ,the ,fall of man1 that fact which gives meaning to the atonement of ,christ1 and without which the scheme of ,christian salvation is but an idle fable--was regarded as merely a myth4 ,so1 too1 were the revelations of ,god to the patriarchs2 his communion with ,enoch2 his warning to ,noah1 together with the story of the flood2 the building of ,babel's tower2 the visions of ,abraham2 the calling of ,moses2 the splendid display of ,god's power in the deliverance of ,israel from bondage2 the law written upon the tables of stone by the finger of ,god1 the ark of the covenant and the visible presence of ,god with ,israel2 the visitation of angels to the prophets2 their communion with ,god and the messages of reproof1 of warning or of comfort they brought to the people--all1 all were myths1 distorted legends1 uncertain traditions told by ecstatic poets1 falsely esteemed prophets6 ,such was the wreck which this new science of criticism made of the ,old ,testament4 ,there was scarcely a halt between the wrecking of the ,old ,testament by this new school of critics and their assault upon the ,new4 ,their success gave them confidence1 and they attacked the ,christian documents with more vigor than they had the ,old ,testament4 ,by research which did not need to be very extensive in order to conduct them to the facts1 they discovered that the age which witnessed the rise of the ,christian religion was one in which there existed a strong preconception in favor of miracles2 that is1 the miraculous was universally believed1 and it was held by our new school of critics that this pre-conception in favor of miracles influenced the writers of the ,new ,testament to insert them in their narratives4 ,ever present in their ,new ,testament criticism as in that of the ,old1 was the cardinal principle that miracles never take place--the miraculous is the impossible2 #ai hence whenever our anti-miracle critics found accounts of miracles interwoven in the biographies of ,jesus1 or in the epistles of the apostles1 they inexorably relegated them to the sphere of myth or legend4 #bj ,unhappily for orthodox believers who cling to the gospel narratives as reliable statements of fact1 they themselves found it necessary to discard as apocryphal many of the books and writings which sprang into existence in the early ,christian centuries2 books which pretended to relate incidents in the life of ,messiah1 especially those which treated of his childhood and youth4 ,the marvelous account of his moulding oxen1 asses1 birds and other figures out of clay1 which at his command would walk or fly away2 his power to turn his playmates into kids2 his striking dead with a curse the boys who offended him2 his stretching a short board to its requisite length2 his silencing those who try to teach him #ba--;all this1 and much more1 ,christians had to discard as pure fable4 ,but they stopped short with the pruning process at the books of the ,new ,testament as we now have them4 ,our new school of critics1 however1 infatuated with the chief principle of their new science1 went right on with the pruning1 and made as sad work of the ,new ,testament as they had with the ,old4 ,they rejected the miraculous in the ,new ,testament writings as well as the account of miracles which the ,christians themselves rejected in the apocryphal writings4 ,by this step they got rid of the story of the miraculous conception and birth of ,christ2 of the journey of the vision-led magi2 of the dream-led ,joseph2 of the testimony of the ,holy ,ghost1 and of the ,father at ,christ's baptism2 of converting water into wine2 of ,christ walking upon the water2 of the miraculously fed multitude2 of the healing of the sick by a word or with a touch2 casting out devils2 the raising of the dead2 the earthquake2 the rending of the vail of the temple2 and the miraculous three hours' darkness at the crucifixion2 ,christ's resurrection from the dead2 his appearance after the resurrection2 his final ascension into heaven2 and the declaration of the two angels that he would come again to the earth as he had left it3 in the clouds of heaven and in great glory4 ,the new criticism got rid of all this--all that makes ,christ ,god1 or one of the persons of the ,godhead1 or that ascribes to him powers above those that may be possessed by a man4 ,christ's divinity is destroyed by this method of criticism1 and one instinctively asks what there is left1 and is told--,the manifestations of the ,god concealed in the depths of the human conscience4 #bb ,god-man1 eternally incarnate1 not an individual but an idea6 #bc ,to this then it comes at last1 a ,christianity without a ,christ--that is1 without a divine ,christ2 and a ,christ not divine--not ,god manifest in the flesh1 is no ,christ4 ,we had trusted that ,jesus of ,nazareth had been he who would have redeemed not only all ,israel1 but all the nations of the earth4 ,we and our fathers had believed that he had brought life and immortality to light through the gospel2 but alas6 it turns out according to our new school of critics1 that his revelations of blissful scenes of existence beyond death and the grave1 are but one of the many impostures which time after time have been palmed off on credulous mankind6 ,christ but a man1 the moralist and teacher of ,capernaum and ,gennesaret--nothing more6 ,on a level with ,socrates1 or ,hillel1 or ,philo6 ,what a void this new school of criticism makes6 ,a ,christianity without the assurance of the resurrection6 without the hope of the glorious return of the ,messiah1 to reward every man according to his works6 ,the new school of critics does not question so severely as other critics have done the authenticity of the ,christian documents1 or the date of their origin4 ,indeed1 one of their chief apostles concedes the authenticity of the gospels and their antiquity4 #bd ,but after having admitted the authenticity and antiquity of the ,christian documents1 they then proceed to mutilate the story they relate--the gospel they teach--as to render it practically valueless to mankind4 ,this is accomplished by regarding the ,christian documents as legends1 #be from which if we would arrive at historical truth must be excluded all that is miraculous1 #bf and hence all that makes ,christ ,god4 ,and while to the imagination of the idealist much that is of value and that is beautiful may remain in the attenuated ,christianity which the new criticism would leave us1 yet for the great body of humanity such a ,christianity would be worthless4 ,for however beautiful the moral precepts of the merely human ,jesus may be1 they will have no perceptible influence on the lives of the multitude unless back of them stands divine authority1 accompanied by a conviction of the fact of man's immortality and his accountability to ,god for his conduct4 ,shorn of these parts1 what remains may be beautiful2 but it would be as the beauty of a man from whom the spark of life had fled--the beauty of the dead4 ,of course the orthodox ,christian denies that this style of attack on the ,christian religion has had any success4 ,to him it is an attack which has failed4 ,in spite of all the efforts of an audacious criticism1 says one1 as ignorant as bold--the truth of the sacred narrative stands firm1 the stronger for the shocks that it has resisted2 the boundless store of truth and life which for eighteen centuries has been the ailment of humanity is not 7as ,rationalism boasts7 dissipated4 ,god is not divested of his grace1 or man of his dignity--nor is the tie between heaven and earth broken4 ,the foundation of ,god--the everlasting gospel--still standeth secure--and every effort that is made to overthrow1 does but more firmly establish it4 #bg ,let us examine this matter more nearly1 and with less partiality than ,rawlinson has done4 ,if for the new school of critics to succeed means that the orthodox view respecting ,jesus of ,nazareth1 and the religion he founded must be entirely overthrown by being driven out of existence1 then the new criticism is an attack which has failed1 for orthodox ,christianity1 that is1 the ,christianity which recognizes ,christ as divine--as ,god1 and the ,new ,testament as divinely inspired and stating the substantial facts of ,messiah's life--is still with us4 ,there are a number of reasons why the orthodox view of ,christ has not been entirely overthrown by the new criticism4 ,first1 the great body of ,christians which constitute the ,catholic ,church have been preserved in the orthodox faith of ,christ by the protecting aegis afforded by the authority of that ,church4 ,recognizing the church as superior to the written word1 alike its custodian and interpreter1 and accepting the meaning which the church attaches to the ,bible as infallible1 ,catholics1 ,i say1 have been preserved from the faith-shattering effects of the ,new ,criticism4 ,second1 the criticism has been conducted1 in the main1 and especially in the early stages of it1 in the ,german language1 and hence has been largely confined to the ,german nation4 ,third1 the discussion wherever it has taken place has been carried on over the heads of the laity2 it has not been within their reach1 hence to a large extent it has been without effect upon them--an attack that has failed4 ,but in each case1 let it be remembered1 its non-effect is the result of not coming in contact with it4 ,in one case it has been kept away from the people by the authority of the church2 in the other through the inability of the laity1 outside of ,germany1 to understand the language in which the attack was written2 and thirdly1 through the inability of the masses to bring the necessary scholarship to the investigation4 ,but1 on the other hand1 if to attract to itself a large following1 both among clergymen and laity1 and especially among scholars2 if to modify prevailing orthodox opinion concerning the historical character of the ,old ,testament1 and force concessions respecting the character at least of some parts of the ,christian documents2 if to permeate all ,christendom--the ,catholic ,church perhaps excepted--with doubt concerning the divinity of ,christ1 and to threaten in the future the faith of millions of ,christians--if to do this is to succeed1 then the new criticism is succeeding1 for that is what it is doing4 ,forty years ago it was the complaint of ,german orthodox writers that this ,german neology1 as the new criticism is sometimes called1 had left ,no objective ground or standpoint1 on which the believing theological science can build with any feeling of security4 #bh ,nor1 says the same authority1 is the evil in question confined to ,germany4 ,the works regarded as most effective in destroying the historical faith of ,christians abroad1 have received an ,english dress1 and are1 it is to be feared1 read by persons very ill-prepared by historical studies to withstand their specious reasonings1 alike in our country and in ,america4 ,the tone1 moreover1 of ,german historical writings generally is tinged with the prevailing unbelief2 and the faith of the historical student is likely to be undermined1 almost without his having his suspicions aroused1 by covert assumptions of the mythical character of the sacred narrative1 in works professing to deal chiefly1 or entirely with profane subjects4 #bi ,it is more than thirty years since these admissions were made2 since then the ,german works complained of have been more generally translated and widely read than before4 ,besides1 since then1 ,renan has given his ,origins of ,christianity #cj to the world1 and by his great learning1 but more especially by the power and irresistible charm of his treatment of the subject1 has popularized the conceptions of the ,rationalists1 until now the virus of their infidelity may be said to be poisoning all ,protestant ,christendom4 ,what must ever be an occasion for chagrin1 not to say humiliation1 to orthodox ,christendom1 is1 its inability to meet in any effectual way the assaults of this new criticism4 ,in ,germany they complain against ,strauss for having written his ,life of ,jesus in the ,german language4 ,if he must write such a book1 so full of unbelief in the orthodox conception of ,jesus1 he ought at least to have had the grace to have written it in ,latin6 #ca ,for his rationalism ,renan is driven out of the ,church of ,rome2 but this only gives notoriety to his views1 creates a desire to read his books and spreads abroad his unbelief4 ,when the ,presbyterian ,church takes to task one of its most brilliant scholars #cb for accepting the results of the new criticism1 he is sustained by the powerful ,presbyterian ,synod of ,new ,york and acquitted2 and when an appeal is taken to the general assembly of the church and he is finally condemned1 he is able to retort that while he was condemned by the general assembly1 it was by numbers and not by intelligence that he was overcome2 it was the less intelligent ,presbyteries of the rural district that gave the necessary strength to his opponents4 ,the better informed members--members from the cities and centers of education and enlightenment--were with him4 #cc ,the defense commonly made for orthodox ,christianity is an appeal to its antiquity and its past victories4 ,its defenders point with pride to the failure of the proud boast of ,voltaire1 who was foolish enough to say3 ,in twenty years ,christianity will be no more4 ,my single hand shall destroy the edifice it took twelve apostles to rear4 ,some years after his death1 say the orthodox1 his very printing press was employed in printing ,new ,testaments1 and thus spreading abroad the gospel4 ,gibbon with solemn sneer devoted his gorgeous history #cd to sarcasm upon ,christ and his followers4 ,his estate1 say the orthodox1 is now in the hands of one who devotes large sums to the propagation of the very truth ,gibbon labored to sap4 #ce ,all this may be very well1 but even in their day these men of the eighteenth century had a large following1 and did much damage to orthodox belief4 ,in fact1 it is not inconsistent to claim that1 in an indirect way1 they were the forerunners of our new school of criticism2 for many ,christian scholars not satisfied with the answers made to the infidel writers of the eighteenth century have accepted the results of this new criticism as a solution of the difficulties urged against christianity by the infidels of the eighteenth century4 ,it is time now to pause and summarize what has been thus far discussed3 ,first1 the divided state of ,christendom of itself argues something wrong2 for nearly every page of holy scripture urges the unity of ,christ's ,church4 ,is ,christ divided8 #cf is the ringing question that the apostle of the ,gentiles asks the schismatically inclined church at ,corinth4 ,i beseech you1 brethren1 says he1 by the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that ye all speak the same thing1 and that there be no division among you2 but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment4 #cg ,he then proceeds to tell them that they are utterly at fault in one saying that he was of ,paul2 another that he was of ,apollos1 and another that he was of ,cephas4 #ch ,what he would say of divided1 not to say warring ,christendom of today1 one may not conjecture1 further than to say that if the incipient divisions in ,corinth provoked his condemnation1 the open rupture and conflicting creeds of the ,christianity of the nineteenth century would merit still harsher reproof4 ,second1 the failure of ,christianity to evangelize the world in nineteen centuries1 sixteen of which1 to all human judgment1 appear to have been especially favorable to that evangelization1 since at the back of ,christianity stood the powerful nations of ,europe whose commerce and conquests opened the gates of nearly all nations to ,christian missionaries--argues some weakness in a religion bottomed on divine revelation and sustained through all these centuries 7so ,christians claim7 by divine power4 ,to be compelled to admit after all these centuries favorable to the establishment of ,christianity that now only a little more than one-fourth of the population of our earth is even nominally ,christian is to confess that the results do not do credit to a religion making the claims and possessing the advantages of ,christianity4 ,third1 the existence of a broad and constantly widening stream of unbelief1 not only in ,christian lands and apart from ,christian communion1 but within the very churches claiming to be churches of ,christ1 together with the inability of the orthodox to meet and silence the infidel revilers of the ,christian religion--tells its own tale of weakness2 and bears testimony of the insufficiency of the ,christian evidences to bring conviction to the doubting minds of many sincere and moral people4 ,all these considerations proclaim in trumpet-tones ',tis time that some new prophet should appear4 ,mankind stand in need of a new witness for ,god--a witness who may speak not as the scribes or the pharisees1 but in the clear1 ringing tones of one clothed with authority from ,god4 ,the world is weary of the endless wrangling of the scholastics4 ,they settle nothing4 ,their speculations merely shroud all in profounder mystery1 and beget more uncertainty4 ,they darken counsel by words without knowledge4 ,therefore1 to heal the schisms in ,christendom2 to bring order out of the existing chaos2 to stay the stream of unbelief within the churches2 to convert the ,jews2 to evangelize the world2 to bring to pass that universal reign of truth1 of peace1 of liberty1 of righteousness that all the prophets have predicted--the world needs a new witness for ,god4 ,footnotes #a4 ,such is the language1 slightly paraphrased1 which ,mrs4 ,humphrey ,ward puts in the mouth of the orthodox ,ronalds in her dialogue entitled ,the ,new ,reformation 7,see ,agnosticism and ,christianity--,humbolt ,library ,series1 page #aea72 and it accurately states the claims of the orthodox ,christian4 #b4 ,agnosticism and ,christianity1 p4 #aea4 ,the passage is paraphrased4 #c4 ,i thus carefully qualify the statement for the reason that ,i believe the ,christian religion--that is1 the ,gospel1 has a much earlier existence than the birth of ,christ4 ,messiah is spoken of in ,scripture as the lamb slain from the foundation of the world1 from which expression in connection with many other evidences--too numerous to mention here 7see the ,author's work ,the ,gospel1 ch4 xxxii47--,i get the idea that the plan of man's redemption through the atonement of ,jesus ,christ is at least as old as the foundation of the world4 ,it was revealed to ,adam1 and the ,patriarchs1 to ,abraham1 to ,moses1 and to some of the prophets2 and finally through the earthly ministry of the ,son of ,god himself2 but it is an error to suppose that it came into existence first through the ministry of ,jesus of ,nazareth on earth4 #d4 sop's ,fables4 #e4 ,mosheim's ,ecclesiastical ,institutes1 book iii41 cent4 viii41 part i41 chap4 i4 7,murdock's translation always quoted47 #f4 ,mosheim1 book iii41 cent4 x41 part i41 chap4 i4 #g4 ,mosheim1 book iii41 cent4 xii41 part i41 chap4 i4 #h4 ,what the ,world ,believes1 ,gay ,bros ,co41 ,new ,york4 ,dr4 ,hurst's ,outline ,history of the ,church 7#ahge7 gives the following population to the creeds3 ,christianity 444444444444444444444444 #djg ,millions4 ,judaism 4444444444444444444444444444444 #g ,buddhism 4444444444444444444444444444 #cdj ,mohammedism 4444444444444444444444444 #bjj ,brahmanism 44444444444444444444444444 #age ,confucianism 4444444444444444444444444 #hj ,all other forms of religious belief 4 #agd ,while this is a little different grouping of the religions than that in the text1 the computation is approximately the same4 ,of the ,christian populations of the world1 #aca1jjg1ddi are assigned to ,protestantism1 #bjj1cci1cij to ,roman ,catholicism1 and #gf1cij1jdj to the oriental churches4 ,in the ,new ,world1 comprising ,north and ,south ,america1 the ,roman ,catholics are in the majority1 having about sixty millions 7,behm ,wagner74 ,the above is also quoted with favor by ,dr4 ,joseph ,faa ,di ,bruno in his work ,catholic ,belief1 p4 #cig4 #i4 ,burder's ,history of all ,religions 7#ahfj71 p4 #adj2 also ,buck's ,theol4 ,dic41 ,art4 ,greek ,church4 #aj4 ,faith of our ,fathers1 p4 #aji4 #aa4 ,christianity and ,agnosticism1 p4 #afa4 #ab4 ,the true deist has but one ,deity2 and his religion consists in contemplating the power1 wisdom and benignity of the ,deity in his works1 and in endeavoring to imitate him in everything moral1 scientifical and mechanical4 99 99 99 99 ,the ,almighty ,lecturer 7,deity71 by displaying the principles of science in the structure of the universe1 has invited man to study and to imitation4 ,it is as if he had said to the inhabitants of this globe we call ours1 ',i have made an earth for man to dwell upon1 and ,i have rendered the starry heavens visible1 to teach him science and the arts4 ,he can now provide for his own comfort1 and learn from my munificence to all1 to be kind to each other4' 99 99 99 99 99 ,in ,deism our reason and our belief become happily united4 ,the wonderful structure of the universe1 and everything we behold in the system of the creation1 prove to us far better than books can do1 the existence of a ,god and at the same time proclaim his attributes4 ,it is by exercise of our reason that we are enabled to contemplate ,god in his works and imitate him in his ways4 ,when we see his care and goodness extended over all his creatures1 it teaches us our duty towards each other while it calls forth our gratitude to him4--,thomas ,paine4 #ac4 ,it is not in the name of this or that philosophy1 but in the name of constant experience that we banish miracle from history4 ,we do not say 'miracle is impossible'2 we say3 'there has been hitherto no miracle proved4' 99 99 99 99 ,till we have new light1 we shall maintain1 therefore1 this principle of historical criticism1 that a supernatural relation cannot be accepted as such1 that it always implies credulity or imposture4 ,renan1 ,life of ,jesus1 ,e4 ,t4 pp4 #dd1 #de4 #ad4 ,let the gospels be in part legendary1 that is evident since they are full of miracles and the supernatural4 ,renan1 ,life of ,jesus1 p4 #ai4 ,renan is one of the chief writers of the rationalistic school4 ,no just perception of the true nature of history is possible without a just perception of the inviolability of the chain of finite causes1 and of the impossibility of miracles4 ,strauss1 ,leben ,jesu1 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #fd4 ,e4 ,t4 #ae4 ,canons1 is the scientific term4 #af4 ,inquiry into the ,credibility of ,early ,roman ,history4 7,sir ,g4 ,c4 ,lewis7 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #b1 of the ,introduction4 #ag4 ,the whole world of profane history has been revolutionized3 99 99 99 99 ,the views of the ancient world formerly entertained have been in ten thousand points either modified or revised--a new antiquity has been raised up out of the old--while much that was unreal in the picture of past times which men had formed to themselves has disappeared1 consigned to that ,limbo large and broad into which all things transitory and vain are finally received1 a fresh revelation has in many cases taken the place of the old view1 which has dissolved before the wand of the critic2 and a firm and strong fabric has arisen out of the shattered debris of the fallen systems4--,george ,rawlinson's ,historical ,evidences 7,london ,edition7 pp4 #bh1 #bi4 #ah4 ,a footnote scarcely affords the space necessary in which to discuss the value of miracles as evidence to the truth of a religion or the divine authority of the miracle worker2 but a few observations at this particular point will be1 in the estimation of the author1 apropos4 ,it is a mistake on the part of the ,protestants or any one else to concede that the power to work miracles is absolute evidence of the truth of a religion1 or of the divine calling of the miracle worker4 ,too much importance has been given to miracles as evidence of divine authority4 ,looking upon what are commonly called miracles1 not as events or effects contrary to the laws of nature1 but interventions on the part of ,god 7through the operation of natural1 though perhaps to man unknown laws7 for the benefit of his children1 and recognizing ,god as the ,father of all mankind1 it would be an extremely narrow conception of the love and mercy of the ,deity to suppose that he would confine these interventions to any one class of his children4 ,surely it is egotism run mad for a people to suppose that they have succeeded so far in becoming the special favorites of heaven that all ,god's special providences will be confined to them4 ,no1 no2 he who maketh his sun to rise on the evil as well as the good1 and sendeth rain on the just and unjust alike1 is capable of better things than men ascribe to him in this matter of miracles4 ,but it does not follow that those who enjoy these special manifestations have correct religious creeds or possess the fullness of truth4 ,equally erroneous is it to suppose that the powers of evil cannot work what are called miracles2 that is1 put into operation forces as yet unknown to man which produce effects uncommon to his experience4 ,can it be that our ,christian writers have forgotten that to win us to our harm1 the instruments of darkness tell us truths--win us with honest trifles1 to betray us in deepest consequences8 ,have they forgotten that the miracles of ,moses were well nigh matched by those of the magicians of ,egypt8 ,that ,simon ,magus1 notwithstanding he had no lot nor part in the things of ,god1 yet had wrought miracles4 ,have they forgotten that in the description given us in ,holy ,writ 7,,ii4 ,thess4 ii47 of the rise of ,anti-,christ1 that ,satan shall have power to work signs and lying wonders1 and that ,god will permit the strong delusions that those might be condemned who believe not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness8 ,have they forgotten that the word of prophecy hath said that even unclean spirits1 devils1 shall have the power of working miracles1 even calling down fire from heaven1 to deceive the inhabitants of the earth8 7,rev4 xvi78 ,if miracles are to be taken as an absolute test of divine authority1 will not the unclean spirits1 these miracle-working devils1 prove the divinity of their mission8 ,again1 it said that ,john 7the baptist71 than whom there is no greater prophet1 did no miracle 7,john x4 #da74 ,it appears1 therefore1 that not all that are sent of ,god work miracles2 and we see that devils have in the past and will in the future possess that power2 hence miracles are not as important a class of testimony as they have usually been esteemed2 and writers are utterly at fault who regard them as an absolute test of true religion or divine authority4 #ai4 ,i find it necessary to say another word on miracles4 ,there is a general misapprehension1 ,i think1 of what a miracle really is4 ,the commonly accepted definition of the term is1 an event or effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things1 or a deviation from the known laws of nature4 ,renan defines a miracle to be1 not simply the inexplicable1 it is a formal derogation from recognized laws in the name of a particular desire4 ,what is especially faulty in these definitions is this3 ,miracles are held to be outside or contrary to the laws of nature4 ,let us examine this4 ,two hundred years ago the only motive powers known to ocean navigators were wind and the ocean currents4 ,suppose at that time those old mariners had seen one of our modern ocean steamers running against both ocean currents and the wind2 and1 withal1 making better speed in spite of both wind and tide than the old time sailing vessel could even when running before the wind and the ocean currents in her favor4 ,what would have been the effect of such a sight on the mind of the old-time sailor8 ,it is a miracle6 he would have exclaimed2 that is1 it would have been an effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things1 a derogation from recognized laws4 ,but is such an effect to us who know something of the force of steam contrary to the laws of nature8 ,no2 it is simply the employment of forces in nature of which the old-time mariner was ignorant2 and while it would have been a miracle to him1 to us it is merely the application of a newly discovered force of nature1 and it is now so common that we cease to look upon it with wonder4 ,so with the things that we now in our ignorance call miracles--such as the healing of the sick1 restoring the blind to sight1 making the lame to walk1 through the exercise of faith1 and the resurrection of the dead--instead of these things being in derogation from recognized laws1 we shall yet learn that they are done simply by the application of laws of which we are as yet in ignorance4 ,with man's limited knowledge of the laws of nature1 how presumptuous it is in him to say that the healing of the sick or even the resurrection of the dead are in derogation of the laws of nature1 or that deviation from those few laws of nature with which he is acquainted will never happen1 or is impossible6 ,better reasoners are they who1 like ,george ,rawlinson1 say1 ,miraculous interpositions on fitting occasions may be as much a regular1 fixed1 and established rule of his 7,god's7 government as the working ordinarily by what are called natural laws4 ,in other words1 what we in our ignorance call miracles1 are to ,god merely the results of the application of higher laws or forces of nature not yet learned by man4 ,miracles are to be viewed as a part of the divine economy4 #bj4 ,it will be observed that throughout a difference between myth and legend is recognized4 ,strauss thus distinguishes between them3 ,mythus is the creation of a fact out of an idea2 legend the seeing of an idea in a fact1 or arising out of it4 ,the myth is therefore pure and absolute imagination1 says ,rawlinson2 the legend has a basis of fact1 but amplifies1 abridges1 or modifies that basis at its pleasure4 ,and thus ,de ,wette3 ,the myth is an idea in a vestment of facts2 the legend contains facts pervaded and transformed by ideas4 #ba4 ,all this and a hundred other things equally silly and untrue which mar rather than dignify the character of ,jesus ,christ are related in the ,first ,gospel of the ,infancy1 translated by ,mr4 ,henry ,sike1 professor of ,oriental ,languages at ,cambridge4 ,the ,infancy was accepted by the ,gnostics1 a ,christian sect of the second century4 #bb4 ,life of ,jesus 7,renan71 p4 #ej1 ,e4 ,t4 #bc4 ,life of ,jesus 7,strauss71 vol4 ,,iii41 p4 #dcd1 ,e4 ,t4 #bd4 ,upon the whole1 ,i accept the four canonical gospels as authentic4 ,all1 in my judgment1 date back to the first century1 and they are substantially by the authors to whom they are attributed4 ,renan's ,life of ,jesus1 ,introduction1 p4 #cd1 ,e4 ,t4 #be4 ,let the ,gospels be in part legendary1 that is evident since they are full of miracles and the supernatural4 4 4 4 4 ,the historic value which ,i attribute to the ,gospels is now1 ,i think1 quite understood4 ,they are neither biographies1 after the manner of ,suetonius1 nor fictitious legends1 like those of ,philostratus2 they are legendary biographies4 ,renan1 ,life of ,jesus1 ,introduction1 p4 #ag #ch4 #bf4 ,till we have new light1 we shall maintain1 therefore1 this principle of historical criticism1 that a supernatural relation cannot be accepted as such1 that it always implies credulity or imposture1 that the duty of the historian is to interpret it1 and to seek what portion of truth and what portion error it may contain4 ,such are the rules which have been followed in this life 7of ,christ74 ,renan1 ,life of ,jesus1 p4 #de1 ,e4 ,t4 #bg4 ,historical ,evidences 7,rawlinson71 p4 #bbh4 #bh4 ,historical ,evidences1 7,rawlinson71 ,preface4 #bi4 ,historical ,evidences 7,rawlinson71 see ,preface4 ,see also ,keil's preface to his ,comment on ,joshua4 #cj4 ,origins of ,christianity in three volumes2 ,the ,life of ,jesus1 ,the ,apostles1 ,saint ,paul4 #ca4 ,see ,preface to ,strauss' ,life of ,jesus4 #cb4 ,dr4 ,c4 ,a4 ,briggs4 #cc4 ,the triumphant language of ,dr4 ,briggs in the ,north ,american ,review is3 ,the majority of votes in favor of the suspension was very great4 ,but if the votes are weighed as well as counted the disparity will not be regarded as serious4 ,the basis of representation in the general assembly gives the small presbyteries in the country districts and on the frontiers a vastly greater power than they are entitled to by their numbers or influence1 while the strong presbyteries in our large cities and in the great communities are put at a serious disadvantage4 ,the general assemblies1 as they are now constituted1 represent the least intelligent portion of the church1 and not unfrequently a majority in the ,assembly really represents a minority of the ministers and people in the denomination4 ,a majority of a general assembly is not taken seriously by intelligent ,presbyterians4 #cd4 ,decline and ,fall of the ,roman ,empire4 #ce4 ,the remarks in relation to both ,gibbon and ,voltaire are to be found in the ,christian ,visitor for #ahhi4 #cf4 #a ,cor4 i4 #ac4 #cg4 ,ibid verse #aj4 #ch4 #a ,cor4 i4 #ab4 ,,thesis ,,ii4 ,the ,church of ,christ ,was ,destroyed3 ,there ,has ,been an ,apostasy from the ,christian ,religion1 ,so ,complete and ,universal1 as to ,make ,necessary a ,new ,dispensation of the ,gospel4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,effect ,,of ,,pagan ,,persecution ,,on ,,the ,,christian ,,church4 ,a variety of causes have operated to produce the result stated in my second ,thesis1 among which ,i shall first consider those terrible persecutions with which the saints were afflicted in the first centuries of our era4 ,let it not be a matter of surprise that ,i class those persecutions as among the means through which the church was destroyed4 ,the force of heathen rage was aimed at the leaders and strong men of the body religious2 and being long-continued and relentlessly cruel1 those most steadfast in their adherence to the church invariably became its victims4 ,these being stricken down1 it left none but weaklings to contend for the faith1 and made possible those subsequent innovations in the religion of ,jesus which a pagan public sentiment demanded1 and which so completely changed both the spirit and form of the ,christian religion as to subvert it utterly4 ,let me further ask that no one be surprised that violence is permitted to operate in such a case4 ,the idea that the right is always victorious in this world2 that truth is always triumphant and innocence always divinely protected1 are old1 fond fables with which well-meaning men have amused credulous multitudes2 but the stern facts of history and actual experience in life correct the pleasing delusion4 ,do not misunderstand me4 ,i believe in the ultimate victory of the right1 the ultimate triumph of truth1 the final immunity of innocence from violence4 ,these--innocence1 truth and the right--will be at the last more than conquerors2 they will be successful in the war1 but that does not prevent them from losing some battles4 ,it should be remembered always that ,god has given to man his agency2 and that fact implies that one man is as free to act wickedly as another is to do righteousness4 ,cain was as free to murder his brother as that brother was to worship ,god2 and so the pagans and ,jews were as free to persecute and murder the ,christians as the ,christians were to live virtuously and worship ,christ as ,god4 ,the agency of man would not be worth the name if it did not grant liberty to the wicked to fill the cup of their iniquity1 as well as liberty to the virtuous to round out the measure of their righteousness4 ,such perfect liberty or agency ,god has given man2 and it is only so variously modified as not to thwart his general purposes4 ,hence it comes that even when stealthy ,murder in sight of his helpless victim meditates the crime1 no voice to prevent the act speaks through the blanket of the dark crying1 ,hold6 hold6 ,of course it follows that running parallel with this fact of man's liberty is the solemn truth of his full responsibility for the use he makes of it4 ,in the light of these reflections1 then1 ,i say that after ,christ1 as before his day1 the kingdom of heaven suffered violence and the violent took it by force4 #a ,how far that violence1 as manifested in the persecutions of the first three ,christian centuries1 was effectual as a factor in causing the destruction of the church is now to engage our attention4 ,at the outset1 however1 there is a difficulty ,i cannot pass without comment--the disagreement of eminent writers on the extent and severity of the persecutions endured by the ,christians up to the accession of ,constantine to the imperial throne of ,rome4 ,on the one hand infidel writers1 such as ,gibbon and ,dodwell1 have sought to minimize the suffering of the ,christians under the persecutions1 and on the other1 ,christian writers1 such as ,milner1 ,paley and ,fox1 have sought to magnify it4 ,the motive on the part of both infidels and ,christians is obvious4 ,the more violent and extensive the persecutions1 the more the martyrs1 the more glorious the triumph for the church4 ,while on the other hand1 if the persecutions can be proven to be limited1 the suffering made to appear trifling and the martyrs few in number1 the church is robbed of so much of her glory4 ,doubtless both parties have gone to extremes in the contention4 ,unfortunately for the ,christian side of the controversy1 there is much reason for believing that the account of ,christian suffering within the period named has been much exaggerated4 ,their chief authority--,eusebius--has thrown more or less suspicion upon the trustworthiness of all that he has written1 by declaring in the opening chapter of his ,ecclesiastical ,history and elsewhere that ,whatsoever1 therefore1 we deem likely to be advantageous to the proposed subject1 we shall endeavor to reduce to a compact body by historical narration4 ,for this purpose we have collected the materials that have been scattered by our predecessors1 and culled1 as from some intellectual meadows1 the appropriate extracts from ancient authors4 #b ,on these passages ,gibbon remarks3 ,the gravest of the ecclesiastical historians1 ,eusebius himself1 indirectly confesses that he has related whatever might redound to the glory1 and that he has suppressed all that could tend to the disgrace of religion4 ,such an acknowledgment will naturally excite a suspicion that a writer who has so openly violated one of the fundamental laws of history1 has not paid a very strict regard to the observance of the other4 #c ,draper also refers to the same when1 commenting upon the inaccuracies of early ,christian writers1 he says3 ,in historical compositions there was a want of fair dealing and truthfulness almost incredible to us2 thus1 ,eusebius naively avows that in his history he shall omit whatever might tend to the discredit of the church1 and magnify whatever might conduce to her glory4 #d ,but while it must be conceded that there is much reason for believing that the ,christian fathers exaggerated both the extent and severity of those early persecutions1 it remains clear that both the extent and severity of them were greater and more baneful to the church than infidel writers allow2 and the truth of it may be proven independent of the testimonies of the ,christian fathers4 ,the proofs ,i refer to are the edicts themselves1 considered in the light of the well-known cruelty of the ,roman people1 intensified by the malice of religious zeal aroused to suppress an obnoxious society whose doctrines were held to be destructive of the ancient religion of ,rome1 and a menace to the existence of the state itself4 ,passing by the persecutions inflicted upon the ,christians by the ,jews1 an account of which is to be found in the ,new ,testament1 ,i call attention to the first great pagan persecution under the cruel edict of the ,emperor ,nero4 ,for our information in respect to this persecution we are indebted not to any ,christian writer1 but to the judicious ,tacitus1 whom even the most sceptical criticism is obliged to respect4 #e ,nero having set on fire the city of ,rome1 in order that he might witness a great conflagration1 and wishing to divert suspicion from himself1 first accused and then tried to compel the ,christians to confess the great crime--and now ,tacitus3 ,with this view he inflicted the most exquisite tortures on those men who1 under the vulgar appellation of ,christians1 were already branded with deserved infamy4 ,they derived their name and origin from ,christ1 who1 in the reign of ,tiberius had suffered death by the sentence of the procurator ,pontius ,pilate4 ,for awhile this dire superstition was checked2 but it again burst forth2 and not only spread itself over ,judea1 the first seat of this mischievous sect1 but was even introduced into ,rome1 the common asylum which receives and protects whatever is impure1 whatever is atrocious4 ,the confessions of those that were seized discovered a great multitude of their accomplices1 and they were all convicted1 not so much for the crime of setting fire to the city1 as for their hatred of human kind4 ,they died in torments1 and their torments were embittered by insults and derision4 ,some were nailed on crosses2 others sewn up in the skins of wild beasts1 and exposed to the fury of dogs2 others1 again1 smeared over with combustible materials1 were used as torches to illuminate the darkness of the night4 ,the gardens of ,nero were destined for the melancholy spectacle1 which was accompanied with a horse-race1 and honored with the presence of the emperor1 who mingled with the populace in the dress and attitude of a charioteer4 ,the guilt of the ,christians deserved indeed the most exemplary punishments1 but the public abhorrence was changed into commiseration1 from the opinion that those unhappy wretches were sacrificed1 not so much to the public welfare as to the cruelty of a jealous tyrant4 #f ,eminent scholars are divided in opinion as to whether this persecution under ,nero extended to the provinces or was confined to the city of ,rome4 ,gibbon assumes that it was both brief and confined to the city4 ,according to ,milman ,m4 ,guizot1 on the authority of ,suplicious ,severus and of ,orosius inclines to the opinion of those who extend the persecution to the provinces4 ,mosheim rather leans to that side on this much disputed question4 ,neander takes the view of ,gibbon1 which is1 in general1 that of the most learned writers4 #g ,this controversy need not detain us a moment4 ,it matters not to my purpose whether the edicts of ,nero extended to the provinces or were limited in their operations to the ,christians within the capital4 ,the testimony of ,tacitus is sufficient to prove1 first1 that the persecution was general within the city2 second its terrible cruelty2 and third1 the great abhorrence in which the ,christians were held by the ,romans4 ,i submit to the consideration of the reader that a people so greatly detested as the ,christians1 were not likely to meet with gentle treatment from the ,romans2 and when1 as subsequently it came to pass1 the people clamored for the sacrifice of the saints whom they abhorred as the enemies of mankind1 instead of looking upon them with commiseration as the citizens of ,rome did in their persecution under ,nero--when the ,roman people1 ,i say1 clamored for the sacrifice of the ,christians and the emperors were cruel enough1 and unjust enough to issue edicts for their destruction1 the persecutions of those times were neither so limited nor so free from severity as ,gibbon and others would have us believe4 ,even in this persecution under ,nero1 if no edicts were sent into the provinces commanding the execution of ,christians1 it is not unreasonable to believe that the despisers of the followers of ,christ1 finding warrant for their conduct by what was taking place at ,rome1 under the supervision of the emperor himself1 would not hesitate to inflict hardships upon the saints without the formality of his proclamation4 ,it was this unofficial persecution which1 without doubt1 arose in the provinces as an indirect result of the persecution in the capital1 that has led a number of prominent writers to believe that ,nero's persecution extended throughout the empire4 ,however that may be1 a great multitude suffered in the city of ,rome1 and were subject to such tortures and cruel modes of death--described1 mark you1 by the unfriendly ,tacitus--that little is left to be added even by the fervid imaginations of the ,christian fathers4 ,it is reasonable to believe that the subsequent persecutions were not freer from cruelty than this one under ,nero2 and therefore1 though some allowance must be made for exaggeration in the writings of the ,christian fathers1 it may be safely concluded that those persecutions which preceded the reign of ,constantine were both widespread and horribly cruel4 ,what is usually denominated the third persecution of the ,christian ,church occurred in the reign of ,trajan1 #ih--aag ,a4 ,d4 ,here1 as in the persecution under ,nero1 we may determine something of the severity and manner of it from a ,roman writer4 ,trajan intrusted the government of ,bithynia and ,pontius to his personal friend1 the younger ,pliny4 ,the new governor1 in his administration of the affairs of his provinces1 found himself perplexed as to what course he should pursue in regard to the ,christians brought before him for trial4 ,he accordingly wrote to his master for instruction2 and ,i deem his letter of such importance as showing the severity to which ,christians were subject1 the character of the ,christians1 and the number of unfaithful members who had evidently entered the church by that time1 that ,i give it in extenso3 ,health4--,it is my usual custom1 sir1 to refer all things1 of which ,i harbor any doubts1 to you4 ,for who can better direct my judgment in its hesitation1 or instruct my understanding in its ignorance8 ,i never had the fortune to be present at any examination of ,christians1 before ,i came into this province4 ,i am1 therefore1 at a loss1 to determine what is the usual object either of inquiry or of punishment1 and to what length either of them is to be carried4 ,it has also been with me a question very problematical1 whether any distinction should be made between the young and the old1 the tender and the robust2 whether any room should be given for repentance1 or the guilt of ,christianity1 once incurred is not to be expiated by the most unequivocal retraction2 whether the name itself1 abstracted from any flagitiousness of conduct1 or the crimes connected with the name1 be the object of punishment4 ,in the meantime1 this has been my method1 with respect to those who were brought before me as ,christians3 ,if they pleaded guilty1 ,i interrogated them twice afresh1 with a menace of capital punishment4 ,in case of obstinate perseverance1 ,i ordered them to be executed4 ,for of this ,i had no doubt1 whatever was the nature of their religion1 that a sullen and obstinate inflexibility called for the vengeance of the magistrate4 ,some who were infected with the same madness whom1 on account of their privilege of citizenship1 ,i reserve to be sent to ,rome1 to be referred to your tribunal4 ,in the course of this business1 information pouring in1 as is usual when they are encouraged1 more cases occurred4 ,an anonymous libel was exhibited1 with a catalogue of names of persons1 who yet declared they were not ,christians then or ever had been2 and they repeated after me an invocation of the gods and of your image1 which for this purpose ,i had ordered to be brought with the images of the deities4 ,they performed sacred rites with wine and frankincense1 and execrated ,christ1 none of which things ,i am told a real ,christian can ever be compelled to do4 ,on this account ,i dismissed them4 ,others named by an informer1 first affirmed and then denied the charge of ,christianity1 declaring that they had been ,christians1 but had ceased to be so1 some three years ago1 others still longer1 some even twenty years ago4 ,all of them worshiped your image1 and the statues of the gods1 and also execrated ,christ4 ,and this was the account which they gave of the nature of their religion they once professed1 whether it deserves the name of crime or error1 namely1 that they were accustomed on a stated day to meet before daylight1 and repeat among themselves a hymn to ,christ as to a god1 and to bind themselves by an oath with an obligation of not committing any wickedness2 but on the contrary1 of abstaining from thefts1 robberies1 and adulteries2 also1 of not violating their promise1 or denying a pledge2 after which it was their custom to separate1 and to meet again at a promiscuous1 harmless meal1 from which last practice they however desisted1 after the publication of my edict1 in which1 agreeably to your order1 ,i forbade any societies of that sort4 ,on which account ,i judged it the more necessary1 to inquire1 by torture1 from two females1 who were said to be deaconesses1 what is the real truth4 ,but nothing could ,i collect1 except a depraved and excessive superstition4 ,deferring1 therefore1 any further investigation1 ,i determined to consult you4 ,for the number of the culprits is so great1 as to call for serious consultation4 ,many persons are informed against of every age1 and of both sexes2 and more still will be in the same situation4 ,the contagion of the superstition hath spread not only through cities1 but even villages and the country4 ,not that ,i think it impossible to check and correct it4 ,the success of my efforts hitherto forbids such desponding thoughts2 for the temples1 once almost desolate1 begin to be frequented1 and the sacred solemnities which had long been intermitted1 are now attended afresh1 and the sacrificed victims are now sold everywhere1 which once could scarcely find a purchaser4 ,whence1 ,i conclude1 that many might be reclaimed1 were the hope of impunity1 on repentance1 absolutely confirmed4 #h ,to this ,trajan sent the following answer3 ,you have done perfectly right1 my dear ,pliny1 in the inquiry which you have made concerning ,christians4 ,for truly no one general rule can be laid down which will apply itself to all cases4 ,these people must not be sought after4 ,if they are brought before you and convicted1 let them be capitally punished1 yet with this restriction1 that if anyone renounce ,christianity1 and evidence his sincerity by supplicating our gods1 however suspected he may be for the past1 he shall obtain pardon for the future1 on his repentance4 ,but anonymous libels in no case ought to be attended to2 for the precedent would be of the worst sort1 and perfectly incongruous to the maxims of my government4 #i ,gibbon makes much of the perplexity of ,pliny as to how to proceed against the ,christians4 ,for since the life of that ,roman had been employed in the acquisition of learning and the business of the world2 since from the age of nineteen he had pleaded with distinction in the tribunals of ,rome2 therefore1 from the ignorance of this ,roman governor1 the great historian of the ,decline and ,fall concludes that there were no general laws or decrees of the senate in force against the ,christians previous to ,pliny accepting the governorship of ,bithynia4 #aj ,there is nothing1 however1 in the circumstance of ,pliny's ignorance to justify such a conclusion4 ,it is not difficult to conceive how laws and decrees against the ,christians could exist and yet a man employed as ,pliny was have no technical knowledge of the modus operandi of procedure against them4 ,his very letter1 quoted above1 seems to recognize the existence of such laws before he went into ,bithynia2 for he pleads as an excuse for his ignorance of how to proceed in the business neither the non-existence1 nor the newness of the laws1 but merely the fact that he had never been present at the examination of ,christians brought to trial previous to accepting the governorship of his provinces4 ,in like spirit ,gibbon points to the mildness of both the emperor and the governor as being against the idea that this persecution was very severe4 ,giving full credit for that mildness1 what was the status of the ,christians as to liability to persecution in ,bithynia and ,pontus after ,pliny received the instruction of his master8 7#a7 ,they were not to be sought after1 that is1 hunted down for the mere sake of destroying them2 7#b7 anonymous complaints or libels were not to be entertained against them2 7#c7 if brought before the judge and they would renounce their religion by supplicating the gods of ,rome1 they were to receive pardon4 ,so far the tender mercies of ,trajan extended4 ,they could still be accused by any one bold enough to affix his name to the charge2 and if the accused ,christians refused to deny the faith1 they were punished by sentence of death4 ,when it is considered how bitter was the malice of their enemies1 and how wide-spread the detestation of ,christianity1 it will be conceded that even in ,bithynia and ,pontus1 notwithstanding the mildness of the emperor and the humanity of the governor1 there was still left plenty of opportunity to vex the church and make persecution contribute to its destruction4 ,i say even in ,bithynia and ,pontus this was the case2 how much more was it so in those provinces where less humane magistrates than ,pliny administered the laws1 and who proceeded without asking for instruction from the emperor6 ,in such provinces the saints were liable to be accused anonymously1 put to the torture1 not with a view to force from them a confession1 but a denial of the charge1 failing in which they were executed without mercy4 ,the limits of this inquiry forbids anything like an exhaustive examination of the several persecutions endured by the ,christians4 ,i shall therefore content myself with a brief reference to those most disastrous to the church4 ,passing by1 then1 the persecutions under ,aurelius and ,verus1 in which the sufferings of the ,christians in ,gaul were most severe--especially in the cities of ,lyons and ,vienne1 #aa where churches were well nigh destroyed by its violence2 and also passing by the persecutions which arose under the edicts of ,severus1 which were issued more especially to prevent the propagation of ,christianity than to punish those already converts to it1 ,i come to that general and terrible persecution under ,decius ,trajan1 in the middle of the third century4 ,the incentive which prompted the action of ,decius against the ,christians is variously ascribed to hatred of his predecessor1 ,philip1 whom he had murdered1 and who was friendly to the church2 to his zeal for paganism2 and lastly to his fear1 feigned or real1 that the ,christians would usurp the empire4 ,perhaps all these motives combined impelled him to make war upon the church4 ,according to the representations of one ,dionysius1 quoted by ,eusebius1 the persecution1 at least in ,africa1 began before the edicts of ,decius were issued4 ,the persecution with us1 says the writer referred to1 did not begin with the imperial edict but precede it by a whole year4 ,and a certain prophet and poet1 inauspicious to the city ,alexandria1 whoever he was1 excited the mass of the heathens against us1 stirring them up to their native superstition4 ,stimulated by him1 and taking full liberty to exercise any kind of wickedness1 they considered this the only piety1 and the worship of their demons1 viz1 to slay us4 99 99 ,but as the sedition and civil war overtook the wretches1 their cruelty was diverted from us to one another4 ,we then drew a little breath1 while their rage against us was a little abated4 ,but1 presently1 that change from a milder reign was announced to us1 and much terror was now threatening us4 ,the decree of ,decius had arrived1 very much like that which was foretold by our ,lord1 exhibiting the most dreadful aspects so that1 if it were possible1 the very elect would stumble4 ,all indeed were greatly alarmed1 and many of the more eminent immediately gave way to them2 others1 who were in public offices1 were led forth by their very acts2 others were brought by their acquaintances and when called by name1 they approached the impure and unholy sacrifices4 ,but pale and trembling1 as if they were not to sacrifice but themselves to be the victims and the sacrifices to the idols4 ,they were jeered by many of the surrounding multitude1 and were obviously equally afraid to die and to offer the sacrifice4 ,but some advanced with greater readiness to the altar and boldly asserted that they had never before been ,christians1 concerning whom the declaration of our ,lord is most true1 that they will scarcely be saved4 ,of the rest1 some followed the one or the other of the preceding2 some fled1 others were taken1 and of these some held out as far as the prison and bonds1 and some after a few days' imprisonment abjured ,christianity before they entered the tribunal4 ,and some1 also1 after enduring the torture for a time1 at last renounced4 ,others1 however1 firm and blessed pillars of the ,lord1 confirmed by the ,lord himself1 and receiving in themselves strength and power1 suited and proportioned to their faith1 became admirable witnesses of his kingdom4 #ab ,eusebius at great length recounts the suffering of individuals both in the east and west divisions of the empire1 but it is not necessary to follow him through all those details4 ,it will be sufficient to say that this persecution was more terrible than any which preceded it4 ,it extended over the whole empire1 and had for its avowed object the enforced apostasy of the ,christians4 #ac ,how unrelenting the efforts must have been to encompass either the destruction or the apostasy of the ,christians will appear when it is known that the governors of the provinces were commanded1 on pain of forfeiting their own lives1 either to exterminate all ,christians utterly1 or bring them back by pain and tortures to the religion of their fathers4 ,during two years1 continues ,mosheim1 a great multitude of ,christians in all the ,roman provinces were cut off by various species of punishment and suffering4 ,this persecution was more cruel and terrific than any that preceded it2 and immense numbers dismayed1 not so much by the fear of death1 as by the dread of the long-continued tortures by which the magistrates endeavored to overcome the constancy of the ,christians1 professed to renounce ,christ2 and procured for themselves safety1 either by sacrificing1 i4 e41 offering incense before the idols1 or by certificates purchased with money4 #ad ,gibbon1 who never admits the severity of the persecutions under the emperors1 except when compelled by undeniable facts1 says1 of this one under ,decius3 ,the fall of ,philip 7the predecessor of ,decius7 introduced with a change of masters1 a new system of government so oppressive to the ,christians that their former condition1 ever since the time of ,domitian1 was represented as a state of perfect freedom and security1 if compared with the rigorous treatment which they experienced under the short reign of ,decius4 99 99 99 ,the bishops of the most considerable cities were removed by exile or death2 the vigilance of the magistrates prevented the clergy of ,rome during sixteen months from proceeding to the new election2 and it was the opinion of the ,christians that the emperor would more patiently endure a competition for the purple than a bishop for the capital4 #ae ,milner1 quoting ,cyprian1 says concerning the effect of this persecution3 ,vast numbers lapsed into idolatry immediately4 ,even before men were accused as ,christian many ran to the forum and sacrificed to the gods as they were ordered2 and the crowds of apostates were so great that the magistrates wished to delay numbers of them till the next day1 but they were importuned by the wretched suppliants to be allowed to prove themselves heathens that very night4 #af ,the reign of ,decius was brief1 lasting only two years1 and toward the close of it1 as if surfeited with slaughter1 the violent persecution against the saints relaxed somewhat of its severity2 but his successors1 ,gallus and his son ,volusian1 renewed it4 ,a pestilential disease broke out about this time and spread through a number of the provinces1 and this the pagan priests persuaded the populace was a curse sent upon the people on account of the toleration shown to the ,christians4 ,this was sufficient to re-kindle the flames of hatred and for two years more the ,church of ,christ suffered violence as it had done under ,decius4 ,there remains but one more persecution to notice1 that which is commonly known as the ,diocletian4 ,it could be called more properly the ,galerian persecution2 for ,galerius1 son-in-law to the emperor1 and one with two others--,constantius ,chlorus and ,maximian--who shared with him the responsibility of governing the empire1 #ag had most to do with it4 ,it is said that ,galerius was urged to secure the edicts of ,diocletian against the ,christians by his mother1 ,romlia1 a very haughty woman1 who had taken offense because the saints had excluded her from their sacrament meetings4 ,be that as it may1 it is generally conceded that this severest of all persecutions against the ,church of ,christ was inaugurated and carried on through the hatred and influence of ,galerius4 ,according to ,eusebius #ah the persecution began in the nineteenth year of the reign of ,diocletian--#cjc ,a4 ,d4 ,the emperor in issuing his first edict could not be brought to the infamy of aiming at the lives of the saints2 it appears he could only be brought to that by degrees4 ,his first edict ordered the destruction of the ,christian churches1 and the surrender of the holy scriptures and the degradation of ,christians from office4 ,shortly after this the royal palace at ,nicomedia was twice set on fire1 and from it ,galerius fled1 giving out that he feared ,christian malice had attempted his life4 ,the ,christians being charged with the crime the incident was made the excuse for issuing a second edict1 in consequence of which whole families of the pious were slain at the imperial command1 some with the sword1 some also with fire4 ,but the populace1 binding another number upon planks1 threw them into the depths of the sea4 #ai ,a rebellion which occurred in ,syria about this time was also charged to ,christian intrigue1 and a third edict was issued commanding that the heads of the church everywhere should be thrust into prison4 ,the spectacle of affairs after these events exceeds all description4 ,innumerable multitudes were imprisoned in every place1 and the dungeons formerly destined for murderers and the vilest criminals were then filled with bishops1 and presbyters1 and deacons1 readers and exorcists1 so that there was no room left for those condemned for crimes4 #bj ,it was ordered after a time that the prisoners should be granted their liberty on condition that they offer sacrifice at the shrine of the heathen gods4 ,to effect that purpose the judges were commanded to employ the most excruciating tortures4 ,diocletian thought to destroy the ,christian superstition by overcoming the constancy of the leaders2 but meeting with more resistance than he anticipated1 he at last issued a fourth edict1 directing the magistrates to compel all ,christians1 irrespective of age1 sex1 or official position1 to offer sacrifice to the gods2 and to employ tortures to compel that apostasy4 ,the magistrates yielded strict obedience to the edict of the emperor1 and the ,christian church was reduced to the last extremity4 #ba ,the scenes of suffering from tortures and bloodsheds throughout the empire1 except in ,gaul1 where ,constantine reigned1 defy description4 ,thousands1 both men1 and women and children1 says ,eusebius1 speaking of those who suffered in ,egypt1 despising the present life for the sake of our ,savior's doctrine1 submitted to death in various shapes4 ,some1 after being tortured with scrappings #bb and the rack1 and the most dreadful scourgings1 and other innumerable agonies which one might shudder to hear1 were finally committed to the flames2 and some plunged and drowned in the sea1 others voluntarily offering their own heads to their executioners1 others dying in the midst of their torments1 some wasted away by famine1 and others again fixed to the cross4 ,some1 indeed1 were executed as malefactors usually were2 others1 more cruelly1 were nailed with the head downwards1 and kept alive until they were destroyed by starving on the cross itself4 #bc ,after describing similar but still more cruel tortures endured by the ,christians of ,thebais1 ,eusebius continues3 ,and all these things were doing not only for a few days or some time but for a series of whole years4 ,at one time ten or more1 at another more than twenty1 at another time not less than thirty1 and even sixty1 and again at another time1 a hundred men with their wives and little children were slain in one day1 whilst they were condemned to various and varied punishments4 ,we ourselves have observed when on the spot1 many crowded together in one day suffering decapitation1 some the torments of the flames2 so that the murderous weapon was completely blunted1 and having lost its edge1 broke to pieces2 and the executioners themselves wearied with the slaughter1 were obliged to relieve one another4 #bd ,gibbon1 whose very reluctance to concede the severity of these persecutions induces me to quote him as often as admissions are forced from his unwilling lips1 says of this persecution3 ,the magistrates were commanded to employ every method of severity which might reclaim them from their odious superstition1 and obliged them to return to the established worship of the gods4 ,this rigorous order was extended1 by a subsequent edict1 to the whole body of ,christians1 who were exposed to a violent and general persecution4 ,instead of those salutary restraints which had required the direct and solemn testimony of an accuser1 it became the duty as well as the interest of the imperial officer to discover1 to pursue1 and to torment the most obnoxious among the faithful4 ,heavy penalties were denounced against all who should presume to save a prescribed sectary from the just indignation of the gods and the emperors4 #be ,this persecution lasted for ten years2 and at the end of that time the church presented a melancholy spectacle4 ,everywhere1 even in ,gaul1 the ,christian houses of worship were laid in ruins4 ,streams of ,christian blood had flowed in every province of the empire1 excepting in ,gaul1 where ,constantine governed2 and there1 it will be remembered1 a previous persecution under ,aurelius and ,verus had well-nigh destroyed the churches4 ,public worship was suspended4 ,the saints were either driven to apostasy by tortures1 had fled from the provinces to the barbarians1 or kept themselves concealed4 ,meantime the magistrates incited as much by avarice as by hatred of ,christianity1 confiscated not only the church property1 but also the private possessions of the ministers4 ,in other cases the church leaders were either slain1 or mutilated and sent to the mines or banished from the country4 ,many through dread of undergoing torture had made way with their own lives1 and many apostatized from the faith2 and what remained of the ,christian community1 consisted of weak1 poor and timorous persons4 #bf ,after adopting these measures for the destruction of the church1 severities of another character were put in operation4 ,it was thought necessary to subject to the most intolerable hardships the condition of those perverse individuals who should still reject the religion of nature1 of ,rome1 and of their ancestors4 ,persons of liberal birth were declared incapable of holding any honors or employments2 slaves were forever deprived of the hopes of freedom1 and the whole body of the people were put out of the protection of the law4 ,the judges were authorized to hear and determine every action that was brought against a ,christian4 ,but the ,christians were not permitted to complain of any injury which they themselves had suffered2 and thus those unfortunate sectaries were exposed to the severity1 while they were excluded from the benefits of public justice4 ,this new species of martyrdom1 so painful and lingering1 so obscure and ignominious was1 perhaps1 the most proper to weary the constancy of the faithful2 nor can it be doubted that the passions and interest of mankind were disposed on this occasion to second the designs of the emperors4 #bg ,that the ,romans considered the destruction of the ,christian church completed by the ,diocletian persecution is witnessed by the inscriptions upon monuments and medals4 ,two pillars in ,spain1 erected to commemorate the reign of ,diocletian bore the following2 on the first-- ,,diocletian1 ,,jovian1 ,,maximian ,,herculius1 ,,caesares ,,augusti1 ,,for ,,having ,,extended ,,the ,,roman ,,empire ,,in ,,the ,,east ,,and ,,west1 ,,and ,,for ,,having ,,extinguished ,,the ,,name ,,of ,,christians1 ,,who ,,brought ,,the ,,republic ,,to ,,ruin2 ,on the second1 ,,diocletian1 ,,etc41 ,,for ,,having ,,adopted ,,galerius ,,in ,,the ,,east1 ,,for ,,having ,,everywhere ,,abolished ,,the ,,superstition ,,of ,,christ1 ,,for ,,having ,,extended ,,the ,,worship ,,of ,,the ,,gods4 ,and on the medal of ,diocletian this3 ,,the ,,name ,,of ,,christian ,,being ,,extinguished4 #bh ,when it is remembered that these persecutions1 to which ,i have briefly referred1 ran through more than three centuries2 that the emperors whose edicts inaugurated them possessed unlimited power to execute their decrees2 that the age in which they occurred was cruel beyond modern comprehension2 that ,roman1 that is to say1 pagan hatred of ,christians was venomously bitter1 because they were made to believe that the existence of the ancient religion of ,rome and latterly the existence of the empire itself depended upon the destruction of ,christianity--when all this is remembered1 it is not to be wondered at that the saints were worn out1 or so nearly so that only weak and timorous men were left to ineffectually resist the paganization of ,christianity--the destruction of the ,church of ,christ4 ,footnotes #a4 ,matt4 xi4 #ab4 #b4 ,euseb4 ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,book ,,viii41 ch4 ii4 and ch4 xii4 #c4 ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #dhf1 ,ed4 of #ahhj4 #d4 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #cfj4 #e4 ,of the burning of ,rome1 the punishment of the ,christians and this celebrated passage in the writings of the famous ,roman annalist1 ,gibbon1 from whom ,i quote the phrase above1 says3 ,the most sceptical criticism is obliged to respect the truth of this extraordinary fact and the integrity of this celebrated passage of ,tacitus4 ,the former the burning of ,rome and the punishment of the ,christians is confirmed by the diligent and accurate ,suetonius1 who mentions the punishment which ,nero inflicted on the ,christians1 a sect of men who had embraced a new and criminal superstition4 ,the latter may be proved by the consent of the most ancient manuscripts1 by the imimitable character of the style of ,tacitus1 by his reputation1 which guarded his text from the interpolation of pious fraud4 ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol4 i41 p4 #ddh4 #f4 ,tacitus ,annl41 lib1 ,,xv41 ch4 #dd4 #g4 ,see ,milman's ,note in ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #dej4 #h4 ,i have taken ,milner's translation of the ,epistle4 ,see ,ch4 ,hist41 ,vol ,i41 p4 #ade4 #i4 ,milner's ,ch4 ,hist41 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #adh4 #aj4 ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #dec4 #aa4 ,an account of these persecutions at great length will be found in the letters of the survivors sent to the churches of ,asia and ,phrygia4 ,eusebius1 ,book ,v41 ch4 i4 #ab4 ,that is1 they were executed4 ,eusebius1 ,bk4 vi41 ,ch4 xli4 #ac4 ,see ,murdock's note in ,mosheim's ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,bk4 i1 ,cent4 iii1 ,ch4 ii4 #ad4 ,mosheim1 7,murdock7 ,bk4 i1 ,cent4 iii1 ,ch4 ii4 #ae4 ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol i41 ,ch4 xvi4 #af4 ,milner's ,church ,hist41 ,vol4 i1 ,cent4 iii1 ,ch4 viii4 #ag4 ,the situation was this3 ,a year after his elevation to the imperial throne1 ,diocletian1 believing the government of the vast empire of ,rome a task too great for a single mind1 chose ,maximianus ,herculius1 commonly called ,maximian1 to be his colleague and to share with him the title of ,augustus4 ,after a few years each of the emperors chose a colleague in order to still further divide the labor of administration4 ,these were ,constantius ,chlorus and ,galerius ,maximianus1 usually called by his first name4 ,constantius and ,galerius occupied an inferior position to that of ,diocletian and ,maximian1 and were honored only with the title of ,caesar4 #ah4 ,eusebius ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,bk4 viii1 ,ch4 ii4 #ai4 ,eusebius ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,bk4 viii1 ,ch4 vi4 #bj4 ,eusebius ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,bk4 viii1 ,ch4 vi4 #ba4 ,mosheim's ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,cent1 iv1 ,part i1 ,ch4 i4 #bb4 ,this torture was raking the flesh from the body by means of an iron-toothed instrument4 #bc4 ,eusebius ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,bk4 viii1 ,ch4 viii4 #bd4 ,eusebius ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,bk4 viii1 ,ch4 ix4 #be4 ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol4 i1 p4 #dha4 ,gibbon claims1 however1 that notwithstanding the severity of this law1 the virtuous courage of many of the pagans in concealing their friends or relatives1 affords an honorable proof1 that the rage of superstition had not extinguished in their minds the sentiments of nature and humanity4--,ibid4 #bf4 ,schlegel1 quoted by ,murdock1 see note ,mosheim's ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,cent4 iv1 ,bk4 ii4 ,ch4 i4 #bg4 ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol4 i1 ch4 xvi1 p4 #dgg4 ,gibbon undertakes to modify what he has here written by saying that the policy of a well-ordered government must sometimes have interposed in behalf of the oppressed ,christians4 ,this wants proof1 says ,milman in a footnote on the remark1 the edict of ,diocletian was executed in all its rigor during the rest of the reign2 and gives reference to ,eusebius ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,bk4 viii1 ch4 xiii4 #bh4 ,see ,milner's ,church ,history1 ,vol4 ii1 cent4 iv1 ch4 ii1 ,i also give the following in evidence of the severity of the persecution of the ,christians in the early centuries of our era2 and since it is taken from the funeral oration pronounced by ,libanius over the body of his friend1 the ,emperor ,julian1 commonly called the apostate--because in manhood he renounced that ,christianity which had been forced on him in childhood1 and attempted to restore the ancient religion of ,rome--it is of the same character of evidence as that already found in the statements of ,tacitus and ,pliny--it is the testimony of one unfriendly to ,christianity1 who could have no motive for exaggerating the sufferings of the ,christians4 ,referring to the mildness of the methods of persecution adopted by ,julian against the ,christians1 ,labanius says3 ,they who adhered to corrupt religion he means the ,christians were in great terrors on his accession to the throne and expected that their eyes would be plucked out1 that their heads would be cut off1 and that rivers of their blood would flow from the multitude of slaughters4 ,they apprehended their new master would invent new kinds of torment1 in comparison of which mutilation1 sword1 fire1 drowning1 being buried alive1 would appear slight pains4 ,for the preceding emperors had employed against them all these kinds of punishments4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,effect ,,of ,,peace1 ,,wealth ,,and ,,luxury ,,on ,,christianity4 ,disastrous as the persecutions of the early ,christian centuries were1 still more mischievous to the church were those periods of tranquility which intervened between the outbursts of rage that prompted them4 ,peace may have her victories1 no less renowned than those of war2 and so1 too1 she has her calamities1 and they are not less destructive than those of war4 ,war may destroy nations1 but ease and luxury mankind corrupt--the body and the mind4 ,especially is peace dangerous to the church4 ,prosperity relaxes the reins of discipline2 people feel less and less the need of a sustaining providence2 but in adversity the spirit of man feels after ,god1 and he is correspondingly more devoted to the service of religion4 ,we shall find the early ,christians no exception to the operation of this influence of repose4 ,whenever it was accorded them1 either through the mercy or the indifference of the emperors1 internal dissensions1 the intrigues of aspiring prelates and the rise of heresies characterized those periods4 ,even ,milner1 who wrote his great work to counteract the influence of the too candid ,mosheim2 who takes to task other ecclesiastical writers for making too much of the wickedness that has existed in the church2 who declares in the introduction of his ,church ,history that genuine piety is the only thing he intends to celebrate1 and announces it to be his purpose to write the history of those men only1 irrespective of the external church to which they belonged1 who have been real not nominally ,christians #a--;even ,milner1 ,i say1 admits and deplores the mischief wrought by these periods of peace which came to the church between the storms of persecution which plagued it2 and refers in several places to the marked and steady declension of the ,christian spirit in those centuries with which at present ,i am dealing4 ,he admits that a gloomy cloud hung over the conclusion of the first century2 and argues that the first impressions made by the effusion of the spirit are generally the strongest2 that human depravity1 overborn for a time1 arises afresh1 particularly in the next generation--hence the disorders of schism and heresy that arose in the church1 the tendency of which was to destroy the work of ,god4 #b ,the same writer upon the authority of ,origen says that the long peace granted the church in the third century produced a great degree of luke-warmness and religious indecorum4 ,let the reader1 says he1 only notice the indifference which he ,origen here describes1 and the conduct of the ,christians both in the first and second century1 and he will be affected with the greatness of the declension4 ,then follows the picture drawn by ,origen3 ,several come to church only on solemn festivals2 and then not so much for instruction as diversion4 ,some go out again as soon as they have heard the lecture1 without conferring or asking the pastors questions4 ,others stay not till the lecture is ended2 and others hear not so much as a single word2 but entertain themselves in a corner of the church4 ,coming to the middle of the third century1 just previous to that severe persecution inaugurated by the ,emperor ,decius1 and speaking of ,cyprian1 bishop of ,carthage3 ,milman exclaims3 ,a star of the first magnitude6 when we consider the times in which he lived4 ,let us recreate ourselves with the contemplation of it4 ,we are fatigued with hunting for ,christian goodness2 and we have discovered but little and that little with much difficulty4 ,we shall find ,cyprian to be a character who partook indeed of the declension which we have noticed and lamented2 but who was still far superior1 ,i apprehend1 in real simplicity and piety to the ,christians of the ,east4 #c ,this same ,cyprian1 in whom ,milner delights1 speaking of the effects of the long peace which preceded the ,decian persecution1 says3 ,each had been bent on improving his own patrimony2 and had forgotten what believers had done under the apostles1 and what they ought always to do4 ,they were brooding over the arts of amassing wealth2 the pastors and the deacons each forgot their duty2 works of mercy were neglected1 and discipline was at the lowest ebb2 luxury and effeminacy prevailed2 meritricious arts in dress were cultivated2 fraud and deception practiced among brethren4 ,christians would unite themselves in matrimony with unbelievers2 could swear not only without reverence but even without veracity4 ,with haughty asperity they despised their ecclesiastical superiors2 they railed against one another with outrageous acrimony1 and conducted quarrels with determined malice4 ,even many bishops1 who ought to be guides and patterns to the rest1 neglected the peculiar duties of their stations1 gave themselves up to secular pursuits4 ,they deserted their places of residence and their flocks2 they traveled through distant provinces in quest of pleasure and gain2 gave no assistance to the needy brethren2 but were insatiable in their thirst of money4 ,they possessed estates by fraud and multiplied usury4 ,what have we not deserved to suffer for such conduct8 ,even the divine word hath foretold us what we might expect3 ',if his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgments1 ,i will visit their offenses with the rod and their sins with scourges4' ,these things had been denounced and foretold1 but in vain4 ,our sins had brought our affairs to that pass1 that because we had despised the ,lord's directions1 we were obliged to undergo a correction of our multiplied evils and a trial of our faith by severe remedies4 #d ,the last forty years of the third century were years of peace to the church4 ,that period began with the ascension of ,gallienius1 a man of taste1 indolence1 philosophy and toleration1 to the throne2 and his example was followed by the emperors to the end of the century4 ,a new scene this1 ,christianity tolerated by a pagan government for forty years6 ,this new scene did not prove favorable to the growth of grace and holiness1 writes ,milner4 ,in no period since the apostles was there ever so great a general decay as in this2 not even in particular instances can we discover during this interval1 much of lively ,christianity4 #e ,though conscious of having already quoted copiously upon the point under consideration1 ,i cannot withhold the testimony of ,eusebius who was a witness of the effects of that peace granted the church previous to the last great pagan persecution1 the ,diocletian4 ,after describing the multitudes which flocked into the church before the declension in the spirit of true ,christianity so greatly prevailed1 he remarks3 ,nor was any malignant demon able to infatuate1 no human machinations prevent them so long as the providential hand of ,god superintended and guarded his people as the worthy subjects of his care4 ,but when by reason of excessive liberty1 we sunk into negligence and sloth1 one envying and reviling another in different ways1 and we were almost1 as it were1 upon the point of taking up arms against each other with words as with darts and spears1 prelates inveighing against prelates1 and people rising up against people1 and hypocrisy and dissimulation had arisen to the greatest height of malignity1 then the divine judgment1 which usually proceeds with a lenient hand1 whilst the multitudes were yet crowding into the church1 with gentle and mild visitation began to afflict the episcopacy2 the persecution having begun with those brethren in the army4 ,but as if destitute of all sensibility1 we were not prompt in measures to appease and propitiate the ,deity2 some indeed like atheists1 regarding our situation as unheeded and unobserved by a ,providence1 we added one wickedness and misery to another4 ,but some that appeared to be our pastors deserting the law of piety1 were inflamed against each other with mutual strifes1 only accumulating quarrels and threats1 rivalship1 hostility and hatred to each other1 only anxious to assert the government as a kind of sovereignty for themselves4 #f ,let it be remembered that this is quoted from a writer contemporary with the events1 and who says in the very chapter following the one from which the foregoing is taken that it was not for him to record the dissensions and follies which the shepherds of the people exercised against each other before the persecution4 ,he also adds3 ,we shall not make mention of those that were shaken by the persecution1 nor of those that suffered shipwreck in their salvation1 and of their own accord were sunk in the depths of the watery gulf4 #g ,then in his ,book of ,martyrs1 referring to events that occurred between the edicts ordering the persecution1 he says3 ,but the events that occurred in the intermediate times1 besides those already related1 ,i have thought proper to pass by2 ,i mean more particularly the circumstances of the different heads of the churches1 who from being shepherds of the reasonable flocks of ,christ1 that did not govern in a lawful and becoming manner1 were condemned1 by divine justice1 as unworthy of such a charge1 to be the keepers of the unreasonable camel1 an animal deformed in the structure of his body2 and condemned further to be the keepers of the imperial horses4 99 99 99 ,moreover1 the ambitious aspirings of many to office1 and the injudicious and unlawful ordinations that took place1 the divisions among the confessors themselves1 the great schisms and difficulties industriously fomented by the factions among the new members1 against the relics of the church1 devising one innovation after another1 and unmercifully thrusting them into the midst of all these calamities1 heaping up affliction upon affliction4 ,all this1 ,i say1 ,i have resolved to pass by1 judging it foreign to my purpose1 wishing1 as ,i said in the beginning1 to shun and avoid giving an account of them4 #h ,hence1 however bad the condition of the church is represented to be by ecclesiastical writers1 we must know that it was still worse than that2 however numerous the schisms2 however unholy the ambition of aspiring prelates2 however frequent and serious the innovations upon the primitive ordinances of the gospel2 however great the confusion and apostasy in the church is represented to be2 we must know that it is still worse than that1 since the church historians contemporaneous with the events refused to record these things in their fullness lest it should prove disastrous to the church2 just as some of our modern scholars professing to write church history express their determination to close their eyes to the corruption and abuses which form the greater part of the melancholy story of ecclesiastical history1 for fear that relating these things would make it appear that real religion scarcely had any existence4 #i ,but it is all in vain4 ,it is idle1 it is disingenuous1 remarks the editor #aj of ,gibbon's great work1 to deny or to dissemble the early depravations of ,christianity1 its gradual but rapid departure from its primitive simplicity and purity1 still more from its spirit of universal love4 ,if the intermittent peace accorded to the church in the first three troubled centuries of its existence was productive of the evils admitted by the writers who have felt that the cause of religion demanded that these evils as much as possible should be covered up1 naturally enough one exclaims1 what then must have been the result of that repose which came to the church after the elevation of ,constantine to the imperial throne6 ,when from a proscribed religion ,christianity was exalted to the dignity of the state religion of the empire2 and her prelates and clergy1 recalled from exile and suffering1 poverty and disgrace1 were loaded with the wealth and the honors that the lords of the ,roman world could bestow6 ,let imagination do her best or worst in picturing the rapid decline of whatever remained of true ,christianity1 conjecture can scarcely outrun the facts4 ,if when the office of bishop was attended with danger and scant revenues it aroused the inordinate ambition of men to possess it1 how infinitely more must it have become the object of envy1 strife and ambition when by the patronage of ,constantine it became not only free from danger but endowed with revenues that a prince might envy1 and accorded an influence in the palace scarcely second to that granted to the governors of the provinces6 ,if before the ,decian persecution the rivarly between the bishops of ,rome and ,carthage prompted a bitter controversy which threatened the unity of the church1 how much more likely were such conflicts to arise between the bishops of ,rome and ,constantinople--rival bishops of rival cities1 ,rome proud of her past1 ,constantinople vain of her present glory2 the former jealous of the place she had filled in the world's history2 the latter ambitious of future influence6 ,if heresies were fomented and schisms created when to be a ,christian invited espionage and perhaps death1 what an increase there must have been in these and other disintegrating influences when it became a reproach rather than a praise not to be a ,christian1 and the door of the church stood wide open to the evil-minded1 who sought membership1 not to enjoy the consolation of religion but for worldly advantage6 ,footnotes #a4 ,church ,history1 ,vol4 i1 ,introduction4 ,in justification of his course1 in a foot note he argues that ,a history of the perversions and abuses of religion is not properly a history of the church2 as absurd were it to suppose a history of the highwaymen that have infested their country to be a history of ,england4 ,he appears oblivious to the fact that he throws himself open to the retort3 ,a history of the blessedness and charity of the purely good men alone is not properly a history of the church2 as absurd were it to suppose a history alone of the honest men of ,england that have blessed their race to be a history of that country4 ,milner's work is more properly a history of piety than of the church4 ,in every age and country he seeks out the good men who have nearest conformed their lives to ,christian precepts and celebrates them in his pages4 ,therefore1 whatever admissions we find this author making as to the corruptions and abuses which found their way into the church3 we shall be justified in considering as of special weight since they are admitted by him only on compulsion1 and when there is no chance of either denying or excusing them4 ,i have already called attention to the same disposition in ,eusebius1 p4 #cg2 and hence his testimony may also be regarded as of special value in relation to the decline of the true ,christian spirit4 #b4 ,ch4 ,hist41 ,vol4 i1 ch4 xv4 #c4 ,milner's ,ch4 ,hist41 ,vol4 i1 cent4 iii1 ch4 vi4 #d4 ,milner's ,ch4 ,hist41 ,vol4 i1 cent4 iii1 ch4 viii4 #e4 ,milner's ,ch4 ,hist41 ,vol4 i1 cent4 iii1 ch4 xvii4 #f4 ,eusebius' ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,bk4 viii1 ch4 i4 #g4 ,eusebius' ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,bk4 viii1 ch4 ii4 #h4 ,book of ,martyrs1 ch4 xii4 #i4 ,see ,milner's ,introduction to his ,church ,hist41 ,vol4 i4 #aj4 ,this is the ,rev4 ,h4 ,h4 ,milman who edited and annotated ,gibbon's ,decline and ,fall4 ,the above quotation will be found in the editor's preface4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,changes ,,in ,,the ,,form ,,and ,,spirit ,,of ,,church ,,government--,,corruption ,,of ,,the ,,popes4 ,it is now my purpose to notice those alterations actually made in the form and spirit of the ,christian church government4 ,necessarily my reference to these matters must be brief2 sufficient only to demonstrate the fact for which ,i am contending in these chapters4 ,i am forced to admit that the description of the church organization in the ,new ,testament is not all one could wish it to be4 ,only the faintest outline may be traced in those documents which all ,christians accept as authority1 and as they are fragmentary the description of the church contained in them is necessarily imperfect4 ,from what is written it appears that the quorum of the ,twelve ,apostles exercised a universal jurisdiction over the church1 and a sort of primacy seems to be accorded to three of their number1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john4 ,before the crucifixion ,jesus also called into existence quorums of seventies to whom he gave similar powers to those bestowed upon the ,twelve2 #a but for some reason1 doubtless the imperfection of the ,christian records1 we can learn nothing more of them than is set down in the tenth chapter of ,luke4 ,after the departure of the resurrected ,messiah from his disciples at ,bethany1 the apostles1 as fast as men were brought to faith and repentance through their preaching1 organized in the various cities where they labored branches of the church1 over which they appointed elders or bishops to preside2 #b and these evidently were assisted in their duties by deacons4 #c ,in an enumeration of the church officers given by ,paul1 we have other officers named besides apostles1 prophets1 seventies2 viz41 evangelists1 pastors and teachers4 #d ,it is difficult from the ,new ,testament to determine the exact nature and full extent of the duties of these respective officers in the church1 or their gradation4 ,but that there was a prescribed duty to each officer1 a limit to the authority of each1 and a gradation among them1 which made a harmonious whole--a complete ecclesiastical government1 with all the parts properly adjusted and assigned their respective duties1 there can be no question4 ,for ,paul likens the church of ,christ to the body of a man1 which1 though it hath many members1 yet is it one body2 and all the members are necessary2 one cannot say to the other1 ,i have no need of thee4 ,so all these officers in the church1 the apostle argues1 are necessary2 and as the head in the natural body cannot say to the foot1 ,i have no need of thee1 neither in the church can the apostle say to the deacon1 ,i have no need of thee2 much less can the deacon say to the apostle1 ,i have no need of thee4 #e ,are all apostles8 ,are all prophets8 ,are all teachers8 he asks4 ,the implied answer is1 ,no2 but1 as he elsewhere says1 the whole body--i4 e41 the church--is fitly joined together1 and compacted by that which every joint supplieth4 #f ,this organization as given by the ,master had for its purpose the perfecting of the saints2 the work of the ministry2 edifying the body of ,christ2 and to prevent the saints being carried about by every wind of doctrine1 by the sleight and cunning of men4 #g ,the apostle who thus specifies the purposes of the church organization also intimates that it was to be perpetuated until the saints all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the ,son of ,god--unto a perfect man1 unto the measure of the fullness of the stature of ,christ4 #h ,furthermore1 it is obvious that since the church organization was given for the purposes above enumerated1 so long as there are saints to be perfected1 or a necessity for work in the ministry2 so long as the church needs edifying or the saints guarding from heresy1 and the deceitfulness of false teachers--just so long will this organization of the church with apostles and prophets1 seventies and elders1 bishops and pastors1 teachers and deacons be needed2 and since the kinds of work enumerated in the foregoing will always be necessary1 we arrive at the conclusion that the church organization as established by the apostles was designed to be perpetual4 #i ,but that it was not perpetuated is clearly demonstrated by writers of the second century1 who1 with the single exception of ,clement of ,alexandria1 who calls ,clement of ,rome an ,apostle1 recognize no other officers in the church than bishops1 presbyters 7elders7 and deacons4 ,it is difficult to account for the sudden loss of so many orders of officers in the church1 unless1 indeed1 the apostasy for which ,i contend had made very great progress as early as the opening of the second century1 which1 ,i believe1 was the case4 ,it appears from a statement of ,clement of ,rome #aj that persons selected by the apostles to be bishops1 and after the death of the apostles those selected by other men of repute in the church1 were submitted to the people for their approval1 and this was the custom until the fourth century4 ,it was also the custom of the bishops to employ the elders as a sort of council2 and to call upon the people for their assent in the important matters of church government4 ,in course of time1 however1 early in the fourth century1 this respect for the principle of common consent was lost4 ,the people were first altogether excluded from a voice in ecclesiastical affairs2 and the next step was to deprive the elders of their former authority4 #aa ,thus power was centralized in the hands of the bishops1 which enabled them to control everything at their discretion1 and paved the way for those abuses of power which bear evidence of the awful apostasy of the church4 ,so far as can be learned from the ,christian annals1 the churches that grew up under the preaching of the apostles recognized in that quorum a general presidency over all the churches established2 and in fact seemed to regard each separate church as but a member of the one great household of faith4 ,but after the death of the apostles1 these several branches seem to be considered separate and independent organizations1 united in faith and charity1 it is true1 but in nothing more4 ,there is no evidence that there was such a thing as subordination among the churches1 or rank among the bishops4 ,as might be expected1 however1 there was a peculiar respect paid to the churches founded by the apostles4 ,those churches were appealed to in controversies on points of doctrine1 as most likely to know what the apostles taught1 but the appeal had no other significance4 ,this equality of rank among the bishops1 together with the simple form of church government1 described above1 was soon changed4 ,the bishops who lived in cities1 either by their own labors or those of the elders associated with them1 raised up new churches in the adjacent villages and hamlets4 ,the bishops of these rural districts being nominated and ordained by the bishops presiding in the cities1 very naturally felt themselves under the protection and dependent upon the city bishops4 ,this idea continued to grow until these bishops of the suburbs and the fields were looked upon as a distinct order of officers1 possessing a dignity and authority above the elders1 and yet subordinate to the bishops of the cities who1 wherever they presided over bishops in outlying districts1 soon came to be designated as archbishops4 ,gradually1 and perhaps almost imperceptibly1 the church in the west in its government followed the civil divisions of the ,roman empire4 ,the bishop of the metropolis of a civil province1 in time came to be regarded as having a general supervision of all the churches in that province1 and soon it became the custom to style them metropolitans4 ,the bishops of the great cities of ,rome1 ,constantinople1 ,alexandria1 and ,antioch1 after the ascension of ,constantine1 were made to correspond to the four praetorian prefects created by ,constantine in the civil government2 and before the end of the fourth century received the title of patriarchs4 #ab ,it is also said by ,mosheim1 though denied by other writers1 that next to the patriarchs were bishops whose jurisdiction extended over several provinces and corresponded to the civil exarchs2 next came the metropolitan bishops whose jurisdiction1 as already stated1 was limited to a single province1 and corresponded to the governor of the provinces4 ,the arch-bishops presided over a district including several bishoprics within a province2 and lastly came the bishops of churches4 ,concurrent with these changes arose the custom1 first derived from the ,greeks1 of holding provincial councils4 ,the bishops living in a single province met in council to confer upon mattes of common interest to their churches4 ,at first the attending bishops looked upon themselves as merely the representatives of their respective churches1 without further jurisdiction than to discuss and come to agreement on matters of common concern4 ,but gradually they usurped the power to order by decree where at first they were wont to advise or entreat4 ,nor was it long ere the decrees of these provincial councils were forced upon the respective churches as laws to be implicitly obeyed4 ,there was some resistance to this from the lower clergy1 but it was quickly overcome by the activity and ambition of the bishops1 who were only too glad to escape the restraints imposed upon their movements by the doctrine of common consent4 ,it is said also that as many changes occurred among the lower order of the clergy as among the bishops4 ,the elders and deacons aping the conduct of their file leaders became too proud to attend to the humble duties of their offices1 and hence a number of other officers were added to the church--subdeacons1 acolythi1 ostiarii1 lectors1 exorcists and copiatae #ac--while the elders and deacons spent much of their time in indolence and pleasure4 ,if the ambition of rival bishops distracted the church in the second and third centuries1 much more did ambitious prelates--patriarchs and metropolitans--of the fourth and fifth centuries disturb its tranquility4 ,they contended about the limits of their respective jurisdiction with all the bitterness of temporal kings seeking an enlargement of their dominions4 ,they made conquests and reprisals upon each other in much the same spirit1 and at times were not above resorting to violence to attain their ends4 ,it soon happened that the patriarchs of ,alexandria1 ,antioch and ,jerusalem sank below their fellow patriarchs of ,rome and ,constantinople in wealth and dignity4 ,the prelates of these latter cities fiercely contended for the title of universal bishop2 and in that contest the bishop of ,constantinople was not always unsuccessful4 ,over the protest of ,leo the ,great1 in the fifth century1 the council of ,chalcedon decreed that the bishop of ,new ,rome ought to enjoy the same honors and prerogatives with the pontiff of ancient ,rome1 on account of the equal rank and dignity of the two cities4 ,in the following century1 encouraged by past successes the bishop of ,new ,rome1--,john1 surnamed the ,faster1 because of the austerity of his life1 assembled a council of eastern bishops on his own account1 to decide on charges brought against the patriarch of ,antioch4 ,it was on this occasion that he made such an assumption of the title of acumenical or universal bishop1 that ,gregory the ,great supposed him to be aiming at a supremacy over all the ,christian churches4 ,in spite of the opposition of ,gregory1 the ,faster1 sustained by the emperor1 continued to wear the title1 though1 it is said1 not in the sense that ,gregory supposed4 ,the contest continued from this time forward with little interruption until that fatal schism came between the east and the west with which the reader has already been made acquainted4 #ad ,the patriarchs of ,new ,rome retained their hold upon the east2 but the decay1 moral and spiritual1 which blighted those churches steadily went on1 until at the last1 ,mohammedan civilization displaced ,christian civilization4 ,the crescent rose triumphantly above the cross1 and the east sank into a settled gloom out of which it has not yet been able to rise4 ,in the west it was otherwise4 ,there all was activity4 ,the ,roman pontiffs not only sent their missionaries to the barbarians to preach the supremacy of the popes1 but the barbarians came to ,rome4 ,they came with arms in their hands and as conquerors1 it is true1 and in the closing years of the fifth century obtained an easy victory over the western division of the empire4 ,but if imperial ,rome was vanquished1 there arose above its ruins papal ,rome1 in majesty no less splendid than that possessed by imperial ,rome in her palmiest days2 and in the course of time the victorious barbarians bowed in as humble submission to the wand of the popes1 as their ancestors had to the eagle-mounted standard of the emperors4 ,moreover1 the barbarous nations that fell under the influence of the ,roman missionaries were accustomed to hold their priests in a superstitious reverence4 ,in portions of ,western ,europe the ,druid priests had reigned over both people and magistrates1 controlling absolutely the jurisdiction of the latter2 and1 in the case of the supreme priest1 according to some authorities1 #ae the reverence of the barbarians amounted to worship4 ,this reverence1 on their conversion to ,christianity1 was readily transferred to the supreme pontiff of the ,catholic ,church2 and made possible that spiritual and temporal despotism before which monarchs trembled and the world stood in abject fear4 ,having traced the rise of the ,church of ,rome to this point1 it yet remains to say that the corruption of her clergy and members kept pace with the developing splendor of the hierarchy4 ,the pride1 ambition and wickedness which bishops and other ministers of the church practiced in the second and third centuries have already been pointed out1 and at the same time it was suggested that in these matters there was not likely to be any improvement after ease and luxury--ever the panderers to immorality--had increased the appetite for sensual pleasures and supplied the means of gratification4 ,early in the history of the church the morality of the times not only excused but justified lying and deceit whenever it was supposed that the interests of religion could be promoted by it2 and hence the existence of that mass of childish fable and falsehood respecting the infancy and youth of ,messiah1 and the wonder-working power of the relics of the saints and martyrs which has brought the ,christian religion into contempt4 ,not even the greatest and most pious teachers of the first five or six centuries are free from this leprosy2 #af and if such characters as ,ambrose1 ,hilary1 ,augustine1 ,gregory ,nazianzen1 and ,jerome are not free from it1 how much more may we expect to find it a vice with men of less reputation6 ,the attempt to live in a state of celibacy gave rise to many scandals in the church4 ,ambitious of a peculiar sanctity1 the clergy began to abstain from marriage1 but not from the pleasures supposed to be peculiar to the married state4 ,it became the custom for the priests to live with sub-introduced women1 who passed as sisters of the priests1 the correctness of whose taste was often exemplified by the remarkable beauty of their sinful partners4 #ag ,it is only fair to say that a law of ,honorius condemned this practice1 but it is to be feared that the only effect of the law upon those undertaking to live in the unnatural condition which celibacy imposes was merely to drive the practice from the public gaze4 ,of all the writers who have given us a description of the moral condition of the church in the period of which ,i write1 ,i think ,salvian1 who wrote about the middle of the fifth century1 is the most vivid1 and hence ,i quote in part his arraignment3 ,the very church which should be the body to appease the anger of ,god1 alas6 what reigns there but disorders calculated to incense the ,most ,high8 ,it is more common to meet with ,christians who are guilty of the greatest abominations than with those who are wholly exempt from crime4 ,so that today it is a sort of sanctity among us to be less vicious than the generality of ,christians4 ,we insult the majesty of the ,most ,high at the foot of his altars4 ,men1 the most steeped in crime1 enter the holy places without respect for them4 ,true1 all men ought to pay their vows to ,god1 but why should they seek his temples to propitiate him1 only to go forth to provoke him8 ,why enter the church to deplore their former sins1 and upon going forth--what do ,i say8--in those very courts they commit fresh sins1 their mouths and their hearts contradict one another4 ,their prayers are criminal meditations rather than vows of expiation4 ,scarcely is service ended before each returns to his old practices4 ,some go to their wine1 others to their impurities1 still others to robbing and brigandage1 so that we cannot doubt that these things had been occupying them while they were in the church4 ,nor is it the lowest of the people who are thus guilty4 ,there is no rank whatever in the church which does not commit all sorts of crimes4 ,it may be urged that we are better at heart than the barbarians who oppose us4 ,suppose this to be granted2 we ought to be better than they4 ,but as a matter of fact1 they are more virtuous than we4 ,the mass of ,christians are below the barbarians in probity4 ,true1 all kinds of sins are found among them2 but what one is not found among us8 ,the several nations have their peculiar sin2 the ,saxons are cruel1 the ,franks perfidious2 the ,gepidae inhuman2 the ,huns lewd4 ,but we1 having the law of ,god to restrain us1 are given over to all these offenses4 ,then1 to confine ourselves to the single sin of swearing1 can many be found among the faithful who have not the name of ,jesus ,christ constantly upon their lips in support of their perjuries8 ,this practice coming down from the higher to the lower classes1 has so prevailed that ,christians might be deemed pagans4 ,this1 although the law of ,god expressly forbids to take his name in vain4 ,we read this law2 but we do not practice it2 as a consequence the pagans taunt us that we boast ourselves the sole possessors of ,god's laws and of the rules of truth and of what that law enjoins4 ',christians1 indeed1 to the shame of ,jesus ,christ1' say they4 #ah ,in book ,,vi4 on ,the ,providence of ,god1 ,salvian continues his arraignment3 ,we rush from the churches to the theatres1 even in the midst of our perils4 ,in ,carthage the theatres were thronged while the enemy were before the walls1 and the cries of those perishing outside under the sword mingled with the shouts of the spectators in the circus4 ,nor are we better here in ,gaul4 ,treves has been taken four times1 and has only increased in wickedness under her misfortunes4 ,the same state of things exists in ,cologne--deplorable wickedness among young and old1 low and high4 ,the smaller cities have been blind and insensible to the dangers threatening1 until they have overwhelmed them4 ,it seems to be the destiny of the ,roman empire to perish rather than reform2 they must cease to be1 in order to cease to be vicious4 ,a part of the inhabitants of ,treves1 having escaped from the ruins1 petitions the emperor for--what8 ,a theatre1 spectacles1 public shows6 ,a city which thrice overthrown could not correct itself1 well deserved to suffer a fourth destruction4 99 99 99 ,would that my voice might be heard by all ,romans6 ,i would cry3 ,let us all blush that today the only cities where impurity does not reign are those which have submitted to the barbarians4 ,think not1 then1 that they conquer and we yield by the simple force of nature4 ,rather let us admit that we succumb through dissoluteness of our morals1 of which our calamities are the just punishment4 ,the moral condition of the church did not improve in the sixth nor the seventh century4 ,it kept getting worse and worse until in the tenth century those writers most interested in upholding the purity of the church declare that this was an iron age1 barren of all goodness2 a leaden age1 abounding in all wickedness2 and a dark age1 remarkable for the scarcity of writers and men of learning4 ,christ is represented as in a very deep sleep1 the ship as covered with waves1 and there were no disciples who by their cries might wake him1 being themselves asleep4 #ai ,infidel ,malice1 says ,milner1 has with pleasure recorded the vices and crimes of the popes of this century4 ,nor is it my intention to attempt to palliate the account of their wickedness4 ,it was as deep and atrocious as language can paint2 nor can a reasonable man desire more authentic evidence of history than that which the records both of civil and ecclesiastical history afford concerning the corruption of the whole church4 #bj ,as already remarked1 it is the contention of the ,roman ,catholic ,church that from ,peter to ,leo ,,xiii4 there has been an uninterrupted line of bishops in the see of ,rome who have held divine authority2 who succeeded both to the divine authority and mission of ,st4 ,peter2 with power to bind and loose on earth and in heaven2 who were1 in fact1 the vicars of ,christ on earth1 presidents of the church universal4 ,it now becomes my duty to refute that claim and give further proof of the complete apostasy of the church by presenting the history of the popes for three hundred years1 from the middle of the eighth to the middle of the eleventh century4 ,i quote the sketch from ,draper's ,intellectual ,development of ,europe3 ,on the death of ,pope ,paul ,i41 who had attained the pontificate ,a4 ,d4 #geg1 the ,duke of ,nepi compelled some bishops to consecrate ,constantine1 one of his brothers1 as pope2 but more legitimate electors subsequently1 ,a4 ,d4 #gfh1 choosing ,stephen ,,iv41 the usurper and his adherents were severely punished2 the eyes of ,constantine were put out2 the tongue of ,bishop ,theodorus was amputated1 and he was left in a dungeon to expire in the agonies of thirst4 ,the nephews of ,pope ,adrian seized his successor1 ,pope ,leo ,,iii41 ,a4 ,d4 #gie1 in the street1 and forcing him into a neighboring church1 attempted to put out his eyes and cut out his tongue2 at a later period this pontiff trying to suppress a conspiracy to depose him1 ,rome became a scene of rebellion1 murder and conflagration4 ,his successor1 ,stephen ,v41 ,a4 ,d4 #haf1 was ignominiously driven from the city2 his successor1 ,paschal ,i41 was accused of blinding and murdering two ecclesiastics in the ,lateran ,palace2 it was necessary that imperial commissioners should investigate the matter1 but the pope died1 after having exculpated himself by oath before thirty bishops4 ,john ,,viii41 ,a4 ,d4 #hgb1 unable to resist the ,mohammedans1 was compelled to pay them tribute2 the ,bishop of ,naples1 maintaining a secret alliance with them1 received his share of the plunder they collected4 ,him ,john excommunicated1 nor would he give him absolution unless he would betray the chief ,mohammedans and assassinate others himself4 ,there was an ecclesiastical conspiracy to murder the pope2 some of the treasures of the church were seized2 and the gate of ,st4 ,pancrazia was opened with false keys1 to admit the ,saracens into the city4 ,formosus1 who had been engaged in these transactions1 and excommunicated as a conspirator for the murder of ,john1 was subsequently elected pope1 ,a4 ,d4 #hia2 he was succeeded by ,boniface ,,vi41 ,a4 ,d4 #hif1 who had been deposed from the diaconate1 and again from the priesthood1 for his immoral and lewd life4 ,by ,stephen ,,vii41 who followed1 the dead body of ,formosus was taken from the grave1 clothed in papal habiliaments1 propped up in a chair1 tried before a council1 and the preposterous and indecent scene completed by cutting off three of the fingers of the corpse and casting it into the ,tiber2 but ,stephen himself was destined to exemplify how low the papacy had fallen2 he was thrown into prison and strangled4 ,in the course of five years from ,a4 ,d4 #hif to ,a4 ,d4 #ijj1 five popes were consecrated4 ,leo ,v41 who succeeded in ,a4 ,d4 #ijd1 was in less than two months thrown into prison by ,christopher1 one of his chaplains1 who usurped his place1 and who1 in his turn1 was shortly expelled from ,rome by ,sergius ,,iii41 who1 by the aid of a military force1 seized the pontificate1 ,a4 ,d4 #ije4 ,this man1 according to the testimony of the times1 lived in a criminal intercourse with the celebrated prostitute ,theodora1 who1 with her daughters ,marozia and ,theodora1 also prostitutes1 exercised an extraordinary control over him4 ,the love of ,theodora was also shared by ,john ,x43 she gave him the first arch-bishopric of ,ravenna1 and then translated him to ,rome1 ,a4 ,d4 #iae1 as pope4 ,john was not unsuited to the times2 he organized a confederacy which perhaps prevented ,rome from being captured by the ,saracens1 and the world was astonished and edified by the appearance of this warlike pontiff at the head of his troops4 ,by the love of ,theodora1 as was said1 he maintained himself in the papacy for fourteen years2 by the intrigues and hatred of her daughter1 ,marozia1 he was overthrown4 ,she surprised him in the ,lateran palace2 killed his brother ,peter before his face2 threw him into prison1 where he soon died1 smothered1 as was asserted1 with a pillow4 ,after a short interval ,marozia made her own son pope as ,john ,,xi41 ,a4 ,d4 #ica4 ,many affirmed that ,pope ,sergius was his father1 but she herself inclined to attribute him to her husband ,alberic1 whose brother ,guido she subsequently married4 ,another of her sons1 ,alberic1 so called from his supposed father1 jealous of his brother ,john1 cast him and his mother ,marozia into prison4 ,after a time ,alberic's son was elected pope1 ,a4 ,d4 #ief2 he assumed the title of ,john ,,xii41 the amorous ,marozia thus having given a son and a grandson to the papacy4 ,john was only nineteen years old when he thus became head of ,christendom4 ,his reign was characterized by the most shocking immoralities1 so that the ,emperor ,otho ,i4 was compelled by the ,german clergy to interfere4 ,a synod was summoned for his trial in the ,church of ,st4 ,peter1 before which it appeared that ,john had received bribes for the consecration of bishops1 that he had ordained one who was but ten years old1 and had performed that ceremony over another in a stable2 he was charged with incest with one of his father's concubines1 and with so many adulteries that the ,lateran ,palace had become a brothel2 he put out the eyes of one ecclesiastic and castrated another1 both dying in consequence of their injuries2 he was given to drunkenness1 gambling1 and the invocation of ,jupiter and ,venus4 ,when cited to appear before the council1 he sent word that 'he had gone out hunting2' and to the fathers who remonstrated with him1 he threateningly remarked 'that ,judas1 as well as the other disciples1 received from his master the power of binding and loosing1 but that as soon as he proved traitor to the common cause1 the only power he retained was that of binding his own neck4' ,hereupon he was deposed1 and ,leo ,,viii4 elected in his stead1 ,a4 ,d4 #ifc2 but subsequently getting the upper hand1 he seized his antagonists1 cut off the hand of one1 the nose1 finger1 tongue of others4 ,his life was eventually brought to an end by the vengeance of a man whose wife he had seduced4 ,after such details it is almost needless to allude to the annals of succeeding popes2 to relate that ,john ,,xiii4 was strangled in prison2 that ,boniface ,,vii4 imprisoned ,benedict ,,vii41 and killed him by starvation2 that ,john ,,xiv4 was secretly put to death in the dungeons of the castle of ,st4 ,angelo2 that the corpse of ,boniface was dragged by the populace through the streets4 ,the sentiment of reverence for the sovereign pontiff1 nay1 even of respect1 had become extinct in ,rome2 throughout ,europe the clergy were so shocked at the state of things that1 in their indignation1 they began to look with approbation on the intention of the ,emperor ,otho to take from the ,italians their privilege of appointing the successor of ,st4 ,peter1 and confine it to his own family4 ,but his kinsman1 ,gregory ,v41 whom he placed on the pontifical throne1 was very soon compelled by the ,romans to fly2 his excommunications and religious thunders were turned into derision by them2 they were too well acquainted with the true nature of these terrors2 they were living behind the scenes4 ,a terrible punishment awaited the ,anti-pope ,john ,,xvi4 ,otho returned into ,italy1 seized him1 put out his eyes1 cut off his nose and tongue1 and sent him through the streets mounted on an ass1 with his face to the tail1 and a wine-bladder on his head4 ,it seemed impossible that things could become worse2 yet ,rome had still to see ,benedict ,,ix41 ,a4 ,d4 #ajcc1 a boy of less than twelve years1 raised to the apostolic throne4 ,of this pontiff1 one of his successors1 ,victor ,,iii41 declared that his life was so shameful1 so foul1 so execrable1 that he shuddered to describe it4 ,he ruled like a captain of a banditti rather than a prelate4 ,the people at last1 unable to bear his adulteries1 homicides and abominations any longer1 rose against him4 ,in despair of maintaining his position1 he put up the papacy to auction4 ,it was bought by a presbyter named ,john1 who became ,gregory ,v41 ,a4 ,d4 #ajde4 ,more than a thousand years had elapsed since the birth of our ,savior1 and such was the condition of ,rome4 ,well may the historian shut the annals of those times in disgust2 well may the heart of the ,christian sink within him at such a catalogue of hideous crime2 well may he ask1 ,were these the viceregents of ,god upon earth--those who had truly reached that goal beyond which the last effort of human wickedness cannot pass8 #ba ,is it not difficult to reconcile one's mind to the thought that these men who ruled the ,catholic ,church for three centuries were the viceregents of ,god on earth8 ,or that through them a divine authority and a divine mission has been transmitted to later and happier times8 ,to do so one would be under the necessity of maintaining that no amount of immorality1 however infamous1 can possibly disqualify men from acting as ,god's representatives4 ,and such a position would be contrary to all the evidence of scripture1 as well as revolting to sound reason4 ,footnotes #a4 ,compare ,luke x with ,matt4 x4 #b4 ,acts xiv3 #bc4 ,acts xx3 #ag1 #bh4 #c4 ,phillip i3 #a4 ,i ,tim4 iii4 ,this also is the view of ,clement of ,rome who1 in writing to the ,corinthians in the third century1 says of the apostles3 ,so preaching everywhere in country and town1 they appointed their first fruits when they had proved them by the spirit1 to be bishops and deacons unto them that should believe4 ,and this they did do in no new fashion2 for indeed it had been written concerning bishops and deacons from very ancient times2 for thus saith the scriptures in a certain place3 ',i will appoint their bishops in righteousness and their deacons in faith4' #d4 ,eph4 iv4 #e4 ,i ,cor4 xii4 #f4 ,eph4 iv4 #g4 ,eph4 iv4 #h4 ,ibid4 #i4 ,in this connection it may be observed that the vacancy in the quorum of the ,twelve1 occasioned by the apostasy of ,judas1 was filled 7,acts i3 #bd-bf74 ,paul1 too1 though not in the original ,twelve was an ,apostle1 and so subscribes himself in nearly all his letters4 ,clement of ,alexandria1 an elder and writer of the second century1 calls ,clement of ,rome1 the ,apostle ,clement4 ,though whether this is meant in a rather loose sense or because he had been ordained such by one of the apostles--for he was an associate of both ,peter and ,paul--does not appear4 7,philip iv3 #c47 #aj4 ,see epistle of ,clement to the ,corinthians4 #aa4 ,mosheim's ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,cent4 iv1 ,bk4 ii1 ,part ii1 ch4 ii4 ,see also his remarks on the government of the church in ,cent4 iii and ii4 #ab4 ,the bishops of ,jerusalem1 in the #eth century1 also contended for and at last secured the title of ,patriarch4 7,mosheim's ,e4 ,inst41 ,cent4 v1 ,part ii1 ch4 ii47 #ac4 ,mosheim's ,eccl4 ,inst41 ,cent4 iii1 ,part ii1 ch4 ii4 #ad4 ,see pp4 #ba1 #bb4 #ae4 ,schlegel among them4 #af4 ,mosheim's ,eccl4 ,inst41 ,cent4 iv1 ,part ii1 ch4 ii4 #ag4 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 i1 p4 #cei4 ,draper remarks also that the children arising from these associations do not appear to have occasioned any extraordinary scandal4--,ibid4 #ah4 ,the above quotation is taken from the third and fourth books on ,the ,providence of ,god1 by ,salvian4 #ai4 ,such are the representations of ,caesar ,baronius1 a ,catholic historian of the #afth century4 ,he was a candidate for the papacy in #afje1 and hence his devotion to the ,catholic church cannot be doubted4 #bj4 ,milner's ,ch4 ,hist41 vol4 ,,iii1 ,cent4 x1 ch4 i4 #ba4 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 i1 pp4 #cgh-chb4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,change ,,in ,,public ,,worship--,,in ,,the ,,ordinances ,,of ,,the ,,gospel4 ,it yet remains to note some of those changes in the public worship of the church1 and in the ordinances of the gospel1 which contributed to the great apostasy4 ,the simplicity of the ,christian religion was made a reproach to the ,church of ,christ by the pagan priests4 ,the ,christians have no temples1 therefore they have no gods1 was an argument sufficiently convincing to the heathens4 ,it was but natural1 perhaps1 to seek to cast off this reproach2 but the effort to do so led to the introduction of many ceremonies quite at variance with the gospel4 ,the early ,christian ,saints were accustomed to meet on the first day of the week for public worship2 the meetings1 during the first century at least1 being held1 for the most part1 in private houses4 ,the ceremonies were of the simplest character4 ,they consisted of reading the scriptures1 the exhortation of the president of the assembly--neither eloquent nor long1 but full of warmth and love1 #a--the testimony of such as felt moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost to bear testimony1 exhort or prophesy2 the singing of hymns2 the administration of the sacrament and prayers4 ,but all this was soon changed4 ,the bishops and other public teachers in the third century1 framed their discourses and exhortations according to the rules of ,grecian eloquence2 and were better adapted1 says a learned writer1 #b to call forth the admiration of the rude multitude who love display1 than to amend the heart4 ,and that no folly and no senseless custom might be omitted in their public assemblies1 the people were allowed to applaud their orators1 as had been practiced in the forums and theatres2 nay1 they were instructed both to applaud and to clap the preachers4 ,this was a wide departure from that spirit of meekness and humility enjoined by ,messiah upon his ministers4 ,and when to these customs was added the splendid vestments of the clergy1 the magnificence of the temples1 with all the pageantry of altars1 surrounded with burning tapers1 clouds of incense1 beautiful images1 the chanting of choirs1 processions and other mummeries without number--one sees but little left of that simple worship instituted by the ,messiah and his apostles4 ,about the third century incense began to be used4 ,the ,christians of the first and second centuries abhorred the use of incense in public worship as being a part of the worship of idols4 #c ,it first became a custom to use it at funerals against offensive smells2 then in public worship to disguise the bad air of crowded assemblies2 then at the consecration of bishops and magistrates1 and by these steps its use at last degenerated into a superstitious rite4 ,in the fourth century matters became still worse4 ,the public supplications by which the pagans were accustomed to appease their gods1 were borrowed from them1 and were celebrated in many places with great pomp4 ,to the temples1 to water consecrated in due form1 and the images of holy men1 the same efficacy was ascribed and the same privileges assigned as had been attributed to the pagan temples1 statues and lustrations before the advent of ,christ4 #d ,in the third century also arose the worship of martyrs4 ,it is true that worship or adoration was relative1 and a distinction was made between the worship of martyrs and the worship paid to ,god2 but by degrees the worship of martyrs was made to conform with that which the pagans had in former times paid to their gods4 #e ,this was done out of indiscreet eagerness to allure the pagans to embrace ,christianity4 #f ,when ,gregory surnamed ,thaumaturgus on account of the numerous miracle she is said to have wrought--born in ,pontus1 in the second decade of the third century perceived that the ignorant and simple multitude persisted in their idolatry1 on account of the sensuous pleasures and delights it afforded--he allowed them in celebrating the memory of the holy martyrs1 to indulge themselves and give a loose to pleasure 7i4 e41 as the thing itself1 and both what precedes and what follows1 place beyond all controversy1 he allowed them at the sepulchres of the martyrs on their feast days1 to dance1 to use sports1 to indulge in conviviality1 and do all things that the worshipers of idols were accustomed to do in their temples1 on their festival days71 hoping that in process of time they would spontaneously come over to a more becoming and correct manner of life4 #g ,while pagan rites and ceremonies were increasing in the church1 the gifts and graces characteristic of apostolic times1 seemed to have gradually departed from it4 ,protestant writers insist that the age of miracles closed with the fourth or fifth century1 and that after that the extra-ordinary gifts of the ,holy ,ghost must not be expected4 ,catholic writers1 on the other hand1 insist that miracles have always continued in the church2 yet those spiritual manifestations which they describe after the fourth and fifth centuries savor of invention on the part of the priests and childish credulity on the part of the people2 or else what is claimed to be miraculous falls far short of the power and dignity of those spiritual manifestations which the primitive church was wont to witness4 ,the virtues and prodigies ascribed to the bones and other relics of the martyrs and saints are purile in comparison with the healings1 by the anointing with oil and the laying on of hands1 speaking in tongues1 interpretations1 prophecies1 revelations1 casting out devils in the name of ,jesus ,christ2 to say nothing of the gifts of faith1 wisdom1 knowledge1 discernment of spirits1 etc41 common in the church in the days of the apostles4 #h ,there is nothing in the scriptures or in reason that would lead one to believe that the miraculous gifts were to be discontinued4 ,still this plea is made by modern ,christians--explaining the absence of these spiritual powers among them--that the extraordinary gifts of the ,holy ,ghost were only intended to accompany the proclamation of the gospel during the first few centuries until the church was able to make its way without them1 and then they were to be done away4 ,it is sufficient to remark upon this that it is assumption and stands without warrant either of scripture or right reason1 and proves that men had so far changed the religion of ,jesus ,christ that it became a form of godliness without the power thereof4 #i ,it appears to have been the custom of the apostles in the case of members of the church grievously transgressing the moral law of the gospel1 to require repentance and confession before the church2 and in the event of a stubborn adherence to sin the offender was excommunicated1 that is1 he was excluded from the communion of the church and the fellowship of the saints4 ,for the crimes of murder1 idolatry and adultery some of the churches excommunicated those guilty of them forever2 in other churches they were received back1 but only after long and painful probation4 ,the manner in which excommunication was performed in apostolic times is not clear1 but there is every reason to believe the process was very simple4 ,in the course of time1 however1 this simple form of excommunication was changed1 by being burdened with many rites and ceremonies borrowed from pagan sources4 #aj ,it was not enough that the fellowship of the saints be withdrawn from the offender and he left to the mercy of ,god1 or the buffetings of ,satan1 according as he was worthy of the one or the other2 but the church must load him down with anathemas too terrible to contemplate4 ,the power of excommunication1 too1 eventually1 passed from the body of the church into the hands of the bishops1 and finally into those of the pope4 ,at first excommunication meant the loss of the fellowship of the saints and such other punishment as ,god ,himself might see proper to inflict2 the church leaving the ,lord to be the minister of ,his own vengeance4 ,but gradually it came to mean in some instances banishment from home and country1 the confiscation of property1 the loss not only of church fellowship1 but loss of civil rights and the rights of ,christian burial4 ,in the case of a monarch1 excommunication absolved his subjects from their allegiance2 and in the case of a subject1 it robbed him of the protection of his sovereign4 ,no anathema was so terrible but it was pronounced against the excommunicated1 until the sweet mercies of ,god were overshadowed by the black pall of man's inhumanity4 ,the outward ordinances of the gospel consisted of baptism1 the laying on of hands for the imparting of the ,holy ,ghost1 and the ,lord's supper4 ,the laying on of hands was also employed in ordaining men to the priesthood and in administering to the sick4 ,in the latter case it was accompanied by anointing with oil4 ,baptism was administered by immersing the candidate in water4 ,the only pre-requisites were faith in ,jesus ,christ and repentance4 ,as soon as the candidate professed these he was admitted into the church by baptism4 #aa ,in a short time1 however1 the simplicity of this ordinance was corrupted and burdened with useless ceremonies4 ,in the second century the newly baptized converts1 since by baptism they had been born again1 were taught to exhibit in their conduct the innocence of little infants4 ,milk and honey1 the common food of infants1 were administered to them1 after their baptism1 to remind them of their infancy in the church4 ,moreover1 since by baptism they were released from being servants of the devil1 and became ,god's free men1 certain forms borrowed from the ,roman ceremony of manumission of slaves was employed in baptism4 ,as by baptism also they were supposed to be made ,god's soldiers1 like newly enlisted soldiers in the ,roman army1 they were sworn to obey their commander4 #ab ,a century later 7the third7 further ceremonies were added4 ,it was supposed that some evil spirit was resident in all vicious persons and impelled them to sin4 ,therefore1 before entering the sacred fount for baptism1 an exorcist by a solemn1 menacing formula declared them free from the bondage of ,satan1 and hailed them servants of ,christ4 #ac ,after baptism the new converts returned home decorated with a crown and a white robe2 the first being indicative of their victory over the world and their lusts1 the latter of their acquired innocence4 #ad ,we have already noted the fact that baptism was administered in the days of the apostles as soon as profession of faith and repentance was made1 but in the second and third centuries baptism was only administered twice a year1 and then only to such candidates as had gone through a long preparation and trial4 #ae ,the times chosen for the administration of the ordinance were on the vigils of ,easter and ,whitsuntide1 #af and in the fourth century it had become the custom to accompany the ceremony with lighted wax candles1 to put salt--an emblem of purity and wisdom--in the mouth of the baptized1 and everywhere a double anointing was administered to the candidates1 the one before the other after baptism4 #ag ,it must have been early in the third century that the form of baptism began to be changed4 ,up to this time it had been performed only by immersion of the whole body4 ,but in the first half of the third century1 ,cyprian1 ,bishop of ,carthage1 during a controversy respecting the re-baptism of those who in times of persecution had denied the faith1 decided that those whose weak state of health did not permit them to be immersed1 were sufficiently baptized by being sprinkled4 #ah ,the first case of this kind of baptism is related by ,eusebius4 ,the person to whom it was so administered was ,novatus1 a desperate heretic1 who created a schism in the church and became the founder of a sect4 ,he was among the number of so-called ,christians who put off baptism as long as he dared2 in order to enjoy a life of sin and then through baptism1 just before death1 obtain forgiveness--a custom very prevalent in those times4 ,novatus being attacked with an obstinate disease1 and supposed to be at the point of death1 was baptized by having water sprinkled upon him as he lay in bed2 if indeed1 says ,eusebius1 it be proper to say one like him did receive baptism4 #ai ,this innovation continued to spread until now the general rule among ,christians is to baptize by sprinkling or pouring4 ,for this change there is no warrant of revelation4 ,it destroys the symbol there is in baptism as taught by ,messiah and his apostles--that of a burial and resurrection--of a death and birth--a death unto sin1 a birth unto righteousness4 ,it is one of those innovations which changed an ordinance of the everlasting covenant4 #bj ,about the same time that the form of administering baptism was changed it began to be misapplied1 that is1 it was administered to infants4 ,just when this custom came into vogue may not be determined1 but clearly it has no warrant for its existence either in the doctrine or practice of the apostles or any ,new ,testament writer4 ,no truth is more plainly taught by the apostles than that baptism is for the remission of sins1 and must be preceded by faith and repentance2 and as infants are incapable of sin1 and of exercising faith1 or of repenting1 evidently they are not fit subjects for baptism4 ,still it became the custom in the latter part of the second century or early in the third to baptize infants4 ,in the year #bec ,a4 ,d41 a council of sixty bishops1 in ,africa--at which ,cyprian1 bishop of ,carthage1 presided--considered the question whether infants should be baptized within two or three days after birth1 or whether baptism should be deferred until the eighth day1 as was the custom of the ,jews in respect to circumcision4 ,the council decided that they should be baptized at once1 within a day or two after birth4 #ba ,it will be observed that the question was not as to whether infants should be baptized or not1 but when they should be baptized1 within a day or two after birth or not until they were eight days old4 ,the matter was treated in the council as if infant baptism was a custom of long standing4 ,this proves1 not that infant baptism is a correct doctrine1 or that it was derived from the teachings of the apostles--as some aver #bb--;but that in a century or so after the introduction of the gospel1 men began to pervert it by changing and misapplying its ordinances4 ,the false doctrine of infant baptism is now practiced by nearly all so-called ,christian churches1 ,catholic and ,protestant4 ,much as the simple rite of baptism was burdened with useless ceremonies1 changed in its form and misapplied1 it was not more distorted than was the sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,the nature of the sacrament--usually called ,eucharist--and the purposes for which it was instituted are so plain that he who runs may read4 ,from ,paul's description of the ordinance1 it is clear' that the broken bread was intended to be an emblem of the ,messiah's broken body2 the wine an emblem of his blood1 shed for sinful man2 and his disciples were to eat the one and drink the other in remembrance of him until he should return2 and by this ceremony show forth the ,lord's death4 #bc ,it was designed as a memorial of ,messiah's great atonement for mankind1 a token and witness unto the ,father that the ,son was always remembered4 ,it was to be a sign that those partaking of it were willing to take upon them the name of ,christ1 to remember him always and keep his commandments4 ,in consideration of these things being observed1 the saints were always to have the ,spirit of the ,lord to be with them4 ,in this spirit and without great ceremony the sacrament was administered for some time4 ,but in the third century there were longer prayers and more ceremony connected with the administration of the sacrament than in the century preceding4 ,disputations arose as to the proper time of administering it4 ,some considered the morning1 others the afternoon1 and some the evening the most suitable time4 ,all were not agreed either as to how often the ordinance should be celebrated4 ,gold and silver vessels were used1 and neither those doing penance1 nor those unbaptized1 though believers1 were permitted to be present at the celebration of the ordinance2 which practice1 it is well known1 was derived from the pagan mysteries4 #bd ,very much of mystery began to be associated with it even at an early date4 ,the bread and the wine through the prayer of consecration were considered to undergo a mystic change1 by which they were converted into and became the very body and the very blood of ,jesus ,christ2 so that they were no longer regarded as emblems of ,messiah's body and blood1 but the body and blood itself4 #be ,this is the doctrine of transubstantiation4 ,this dogma established1 it was but a short step to the elevation of the host2 that is1 the elevation of the bread and wine before it was distributed1 so that it might be viewed and worshiped by the people4 ,this was called the adoration of the symbols4 ,it was idolatry--the worship of the bread and wine falsely taught to be the ,lord ,jesus4 #bf ,hence came the ,mass1 or the idea of a sacrifice being connected with the celebration of the ,eucharist4 ,it was held that as ,jesus was truly present in the bread and wine he could be offered up as an oblation to his ,eternal ,father4 ,the death of the victim was not supposed to occur in reality1 but mystically1 in such a way1 however1 as to constitute a true sacrifice1 commemorative of that of the cross and not different from it in essence4 ,the same ,victim was present1 and offered up by ,christ through his minister the priest4 ,the sacrifice at the cross was offered with real suffering1 true shedding of blood1 and real death of the ,victim2 in the mass it was taught there was a mystical suffering1 a mystical shedding of blood and a mystical death of the same ,victim4 ,into such absurdities was the simple sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper distorted6 ,when attended with all the pomp and ceremony of splendid altars1 lighted tapers1 processions1 elevations and chantings2 offered up by the priests and bishops clad in splendid vestments and in the midst of clouds of incense1 accompanied by mystic movements and genuflections of bishops and priests1 the church could congratulate itself on having removed the reproach at the first fastened upon the ,christians for not having altars and a sacrifice4 ,the mass took away the reproach2 and the new converts to ,christianity were accustomed to see the same rites and ceremonies employed in this mystical sacrifice of the ,son of ,god as they had seen employed in offering up sacrifices to the pagan deities4 ,in time the idea became prevalent that the body and blood of ,messiah were equally and entirely present under each species--that is1 equally and entirely present in the bread and in the wine2 and was equally and entirely given to the faithful which ever they received4 ,this idea1 of course1 rendered it unnecessary to partake of both bread and wine--hence the practice of communion in one kind4 ,that is1 the sacrament was administered by giving bread alone to the communicant4 ,to remark that this was changing the ordinance of the sacrament as instituted by ,messiah--suppressing half of it in fact--can scarcely be necessary1 since it is so well known that he administered both bread and wine when instituting the sacred ordinance4 #bg ,thus1 through changing the ordinances of the gospel2 by misapplying them in some cases1 and adding pagan rites to them in others2 by dragging into the service of the church the ceremonies employed in heathen temples in the worship of pagan gods2 by departing from the moral law of the gospel1 until the pages of ,christian church history are well nigh as dark in immorality1 as cruel and bloody as those that recount the wickedness of pagan ,rome2 #bh by changing the form and departing from the spirit of government in the church as fixed by ,jesus1 coupled with the corrupting influence of luxury which came with repose and wealth1 together with the destruction visited upon the noblest and best of the servants and saints of ,god by the pagan persecutions which continued through three centuries--all this1 ,i say1 brought to pass the apostasy for which ,i am contending in these pages--the destruction of the ,church of ,christ on earth4 ,footnotes #a4 ,justin ,martyr1 ,first ,apology to the ,emperor ,antoninus ,pius4 #b4 ,mosheim4 #c4 ,tertullian's ,apology1 ch4 xiii4 #d4 ,mosheim's ,eccl4 ,hist41 vol4 ,i1 bk4 ii1 ch4 #d4 #e4 ,historie de ,manicheism1 tom ii1 p4 #fdb4 #f4 ,eccl4 ,hist4 7,mosheim71 vol4 ,i1 bk4 ii1 part ii4 #g4 ,nyssen's ,life of ,gregory ,thaumaturgus4 #h4 ,i ,cor4 xii3 #h--aj4 #i4 ,it does not appear that these extraordinary gifts of the ,holy ,spirit 7speaking of ,i ,cor4 xii7 were common in the church for more than two or three centuries4 ,we seldom hear of them after that fatal period when the ,emperor ,constantine called himself a ,christian2 and from a vain imagination of promoting the ,christian cause thereby heaped riches and power and honor upon ,christians in general1 but in particular upon the ,christian clergy4 ,from this time they the spiritual gifts almost totally ceased2 very few instances of the kind were found4 ,the cause of this was not 7as has been supposed7 because there was no more occasion for them1 because all the world was become ,christians4 ,this is a miserable mistake1 not a twentieth part of it was then nominally ,christians4 ,the real cause of it was the love of many1 almost all ,christians1 so-called1 was waxed cold4 ,the ,christians had no more of the spirit of ,christ than the other heathens4 ,the ,son of ,man1 when he came to examine his church1 could hardly find faith upon earth4 ,this was the real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the ,holy ,ghost were no longer to be found in the ,christian ,church--because the ,christians were turned heathens again and only had a dead form left4--,john ,wesley 7,wesley's ,works1 vol4 vii1 ,sermon #hi1 pages #bf1 #bg74 #aj4 ,that it was proper for the ,christian bishops to increase restraints upon the licentiousness of transgressors will be readily granted by all who consider the circumstances of those times4 ,but whether it was for the advantage of ,christianity to borrow rules for this salutary ordinance from the enemies of truth1 and thus to consecrate1 as it were1 a part of pagan superstition1 many persons very justly call in question4--,eccl4 ,history 7,mosheim71 book i1 cent1 ii1 part ii1 ch4 iii4 #aa4 ,acts ii3 #da4 ,acts viii3 #ab1 #ce--dj4 #ab4 ,mosheim1 vol4 i1 book i1 part ii1 ch4 iv4 #ac4 ,that exorcism was not annexed to baptism till some time in the third century1 and after the admission of the ,platonic philosophy into the church1 may almost be demonstrated4 ,the ceremonies used at baptism in the second century are described by ,justin ,martyr in his second apology1 and by ,tertullian in his book de ,corono ,militis4 ,but neither makes mention of exorcism4 ,this is a cogent argument to prove that it was admitted by ,christians after the times of these fathers1 and of course in the third century4 ,egypt perhaps first received it1--,murdock's ,mosheim1 vol4 i1 p4 #aij4 7,note47 #ad4 ,mosheim1 vol4 i1 book i1 part ii1 ch4 iv4 #ae4 ,according to ,schlegel1 the so-called apostolic constitution 7b4 viii4 ch4 xxxii7 enjoined a three years' course of preparation2 yet with allowance of some exceptions4 #af4 ,that is1 in the evening preceding the day on which ,messiah is supposed to have arisen from the dead1 and the evening preceding the seventh ,sunday after ,easter1 the anniversary of ,pentecost1 when the ,holy ,ghost was poured out upon the ,apostles in a remarkable manner4 7,acts ii47 #ag4 ,mosheim1 vol4 i1 book ii1 part ii1 ch4 iv4 #ah4 ,cyprian's ,epistles1 letter #gf4 #ai4 ,eusebius ,eccl4 ,hist41 b4 vi1 ch4 #dc4 #bj4 ,in writing to the saints of ,rome1 ,paul says3 ,know ye not1 that so many of us as were baptized into ,christ were baptized into his death8 ,therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death2 that like as ,christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the ,father1 even so we also should walk in newness of life4 ,for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death1 we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection 7,rom4 vi3 #c--e47 ,in writing to the saints of ,colosse1 the same apostle reminds them that they had been ,buried with him ,christ in baptism1 wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of ,god who hath raised him from the dead 7,col4 ii3 #ab74 ,in these passages the terms buried and planted are in plain allusion to the manner in which the saints had received the ordinance of baptism1 which could not have been by sprinkling or pouring1 as there is no burial or planting in the likeness of ,christ's death1 or being raised in the likeness of his resurrection in that2 but in immersion there is4--,the ,gospel 7,roberts71 page #ahe4 #ba4 ,milner's ,church ,hist41 vol4 i1 pp4 #dbi1 #dcj4 #bb4 ,such is the opinion of ,milner--,church ,hist41 vol4 i1 p4 #dcj4 #bc4 ,the ,lord ,jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread2 and when he had given thanks1 he brake it and said1 ,take1 eat3 this is my body1 which is broken for you3 this do in remembrance of me4 ,after the same manner he took the cup1 when he had supped1 saying3 ,this cup is the new testament in my blood3 this do ye1 as oft as ye drink it1 in remembrance of me4 ,for as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup1 ye do show the ,lord's death till he come4 7,i ,cor4 xi3 #bc--bf47 #bd4 ,mosheim's ,eccl4 ,hist41 bk4 i1 cent4 iii1 part ii1 ch4 iv4 #be4 ,protestants combating the ,catholic idea of the real presence of the flesh and blood in the ,eucharist--transubstantiation--have endeavored to prove that this doctrine was not of earlier origin than the eighth century4 ,in this1 however1 the evidence is against them4 ,ignatius1 bishop of ,antioch1 writing early in the second century1 says of certain supposed heretics3 ,they do not admit of ,eucharist and oblations1 because they do not believe the ,eucharist to be the flesh of our ,savior ,jesus ,christ1 who suffered for our sins4 7,epistle of ,ignatius to the ,smyrneans47 ,so ,justin ,martyr1 also writing in the first half of the second century3 ,we do not receive them 7the bread and wine7 as ordinary food or ordinary drink2 but as by the word of ,god ,jesus ,christ our ,savior was made flesh1 and took upon him both flesh and blood for our salvation1 so also the food which was blessed by the prayer of the word which proceeded from him1 and from which our flesh and blood1 by transmutation1 receive nourishment1 is1 we are taught1 both the flesh and blood of that ,jesus who was made flesh4 7,justin's ,apology to ,emperor ,antoninus47 ,after ,justin's time the testimony of the fathers is abundant4 ,there can be no doubt as to the antiquity of the idea of the real presence of the body and blood of ,jesus in the ,eucharist2 but that proves--as we said of infant baptism--not that the doctrine is true1 but that soon after the apostles had passed away1 the simplicity of the gospel was corrupted or else entirely departed from4 #bf4 ,as evidence of the superstition which was connected with the ,eucharist1 note the following4 ,if any one through negligence1 shall destroy the ,eucharist1 i4 e41 the sacrifice2 let him do penance one year4 99 99 99 99 ,if he lets it fall on the ground1 carelessly1 he must sing fifty ,psalms4 ,whoever neglects to take care of the sacrifice1 so that worms get into it1 or it lose its color1 or taste1 must do penance thirty or twenty days2 and the sacrifice must be burned in the fire4 ,whoever turns up the cup at the close of the solemnity of the mass must do penance forty days4 ,if a drop from the cup should fall on the altar1 the minister must suck up the drop and do penance three days2 and the linen cloth which the drop touched must be washed three times1 over the cup1 and the water in which it is washed be cast into the fire4 ,decisions of ,pope ,gregory ,,iii4--,harduin's ,concilia4 #bg4 ,luke xxii4 ,matt4 xxvi4 #bh4 ,the wickedness of the ,christian world in the dark ages and during the progress of the ,reformation was such that the author of the ,decline and ,fall of the ,roman ,empire1 in closing his famous sixteenth chapter which deals with the persecution of the ,christians during the first three centuries of our era1 can say1 and his arraignment cannot be successfully contradicted3 ,we conclude this chapter by a melancholy truth which obtrudes itself on the reluctant mind2 that even admitting without hesitation or inquiry1 all that history has recorded1 or devotion has feigned1 on the subject of martyrdom1 it must still be acknowledged1 that the ,christians1 in course of their intestine dissensions1 have inflicted far greater severities on each other1 than they had experienced from the zeal of infidels4 ,during the ages of ignorance which followed the subversion of the ,roman ,empire in the west1 the bishops of the imperial city extended their dominion over the laity as well as the clergy of the ,latin church4 ,the fabric of superstition which they had erected1 and which might long have defied the feeble efforts of reason1 was at length assaulted by a crowd of daring fanatics1 who from the twelfth to the sixteenth century assumed the popular character of reformers4 ,the church of ,rome defended by violence the empire which she had acquired by fraud2 a system of peace and benevolence was soon disgraced by proscriptions1 war1 massacres and the institution of the holy office 7the ,inquisition74 ,and as the reformers were animated by the love of civil as well as of religious freedom1 the ,catholic princes connected their own interest with that of the clergy1 and enforced by fire and the sword the terrors of spiritual censurers4 ,in the ,netherlands alone more than one hundred thousand of the subjects of ,charles ,v4 are said to have suffered by the hand of the executioner2 and this extraordinary number is attested by ,grotius 7,see ,grotius ,annal4 de ,rebus ,belgiers74 99 99 99 ,if we are obliged to submit our belief to the authority of ,grotius1 it must be allowed1 that the number of ,protestants who were executed in a single province and a single reign1 far exceed that of the primitive martyrs in the space of three centuries1 and of the ,roman ,empire4 ,decline and ,fall1 vol4 i1 ch4 xvi4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,prophecy ,,to ,,the ,,apostasy4 ,what is prophecy but history reversed8 ,nothing4 ,prophecy is a record of things before they transpire4 ,history is a record of them after they have occurred2 and of the two prophecy is more to be trusted for its accuracy than history3 for the reason that it has for its source the unerring inspiration of ,almighty ,god2 while history--except in the case of inspired historians--is colored by the favor or prejudice of the writer1 depends for its exactness upon the point of view from which he looks upon the events2 and is likely to be marred in a thousand ways by the influences surrounding him--party considerations1 national interest or prejudice2 supposed influence upon present conditions and future prospects--all these things may interfere with history2 but prophecy is free from such influences4 ,historians are self-constituted1 or appointed by men2 but prophets are chosen of ,god4 ,selected by divine wisdom1 and illuminated by that spirit which shows things that are to come1 #a prophets have revealed to them so much of the future as ,god would have men to know1 and the inspired writers record it for the enlightenment or warning of mankind1 without the coloring or distortion so liable to mar the work of the historian4 ,thus ,moses recorded what the history of ,israel would be on condition of their obedience to ,god2 and what it would be if they were disobedient4 ,israel was disobedient1 and historians have exhausted their art in attempts to tell of their disobedience and suffering2 but neither in vividness nor accuracy do the the histories compare with the prophecy4 #b ,so with the prophecy of ,daniel in respect to the rise and succession of the great political powers that should dominate the earth1 and the final triumph of the ,kingdom of ,god4 #c ,so with well nigh all of the prophecies4 ,with these observations upon the trustworthiness of prophecy it is my purpose to show that prophecy no less than the facts of history1 sustains the conclusion arrived at in the foregoing chapters on the apostasy from the ,christian religion1 and the destruction of the ,christian ,church4 ,paul warned the church at ,ephesus that after his departing grievous wolves would enter in among them1 not sparing the flock2 and also of your own selves1 said he1 shall men arise1 speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them4 #d ,preach the word1 said the same apostle in writing to ,timothy1 be instant in season1 out of season1 reprove1 rebuke1 with all long suffering and doctrine4 ,for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine2 but after their own lusts shall they heap teachers to themselves having itching ears2 and they shall turn their ears from the truth and be turned to fables4 #e ,the prophet ,peter also warned the church of the rise of false teachers1 who privily would bring in damnable heresies2 deny the ,lord who bought them2 bring upon themselves swift destruction1 speak evil of the way of truth and through covetousness1 with feigned words would make merchandise of the saints4 #f ,referring again to ,paul's prophecies we have him foretelling the rise of anti-,christ before the glorious coming of the ,messiah to judgment4 ,he plainly foresaw the falling away--the long night of spiritual darkness and apostasy that would brood over the world before the coming of the ,son of ,god1 in the glory of his ,father1 to reward the righteous1 to condemn the wicked4 ,he said of this apostasy3 ,we beseech you1 brethren1 by the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and by our gathering together unto him2 that ye be not soon shaken in mind1 or be troubled1 neither by spirit nor by word1 nor by letter as from us1 as that the day of ,christ is at hand4 #g ,let no man deceive you by any means1 for that day shall not come except there be a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed1 the son of perdition2 who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called ,god1 or that is worshiped2 so that he as ,god sitteth in the temple of ,god1 showing himself that he is ,god4 ,remember ye not that when ,i was yet with you ,i told you these things8 ,and now ye knew what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time4 ,for the mystery of iniquity doth already work3 only he who now letteth will let1 until he be taken out of the way1 and then shall that wicked be revealed whom the ,lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth1 and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming2 even him whose coming is after the working of ,satan1 with all power and signs and lying wonders1 and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish2 because they received not the love of the truth1 that they might be saved4 ,and for this cause ,god shall send them strong delusion1 that they should believe a lie2 that they all might be damned who believe not the truth1 but had pleasure in unrighteousness4 #h ,the reader with the facts of history before him1 cannot see more clearly the falling away1 the rise of that corrupt ecclesiastical power which opposed and exalted itself above all that was called ,god2 lorded it over ,god's heritage2 shrouded itself in mystery2 placed its foot on the neck of kings2 forbade marriage2 transgressed the laws2 changed the ordinances1 and broke the everlasting covenant--,i say the reader with the facts of history before him can not see these things more clearly than ,paul foresaw and predicted them in this remarkable prophecy4 ,but not to the prophets of the ,new ,testament alone was the great apostasy revealed4 ,isaiah as well as ,paul and with equal clearness foresaw and predicted it4 ,in a prophecy1 which beyond all question relates to conditions that can only exist in the last days1 he writes3 ,behold1 the ,lord maketh the earth empty1 and maketh it waste1 and turneth it upside down1 and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof4 ,and it shall be as with the people1 so with the priest2 as with the servant1 so with the master2 as with the maid1 so with her mistress2 as with the buyer1 so with the seller2 as with the lender1 so with the borrower2 as with the taker of usury1 so with the giver of usury to him4 ,the land shall be utterly emptied1 and utterly spoiled2 for the ,lord has spoken this word4 ,the earth mourneth and fadeth away1 the world languisheth and fadeth away1 the haughty people of the earth do languish4 ,the earth is also defiled under the inhabitants thereof4 ,why8 ,because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinances1 broken the everlasting covenant4 ,therefore hath a curse devoured the earth1 and they that dwell therein are desolate3 therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men are left4 #i ,of this prophecy it is to be observed that the defilement of the earth1 and the wretched condition of the inhabitants thereof described in the opening sentences1 and in the remaining verses of the chapter1 not quoted1 are the result of transgressing the law1 changing the ordinances and breaking the everlasting covenant4 ,the prophet cannot have reference to transgressing the law1 and changing the ordinances of the ,mosaic covenant1 for the ,mosaic ,law was not an everlasting covenant1 #aj but merely a temporary law added to the ,gospel because of transgression4 ,it was a law of carnal commandments to act as a school master to bring the people to ,christ2 and when ,christ came was laid aside1 having fulfilled its purpose4 #aa ,it was not1 therefore1 an everlasting covenant1 and hence was not the thing the prophet ,isaiah had in mind in his great prophecy4 ,on the other hand1 ,paul refers to the blood of ,christ as the blood of the everlasting covenant1 #ab hence it is the covenant sealed by that blood to which ,isaiah must have had reference--the ,gospel2 and the transgression of its laws1 the changing of its ordinances1 the breaking of that covenant was to result in making desolate the earth and the inhabitants thereof4 ,as additional evidence that it was not the transgression of the ,mosaic ,law1 nor transgression against any former dispensation of the ,gospel1 that the prophecy refers to1 the reader's attention is called to the fact that the disasters of the great apostasy find their culmination in the burning of the inhabitants of the earth1 from which but few men shall be left4 ,that is a calamity that has not yet overtaken men4 ,it is a judgment that will fall upon them in the future4 ,yet a few shall escape4 ,as the prophet in another place in this remarkable chapter says--referring to the general desolation of the earth and its inhabitants--,when thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people1 there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree1 and as the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done4 ,they shall lift up their voices1 they shall sing for the majesty of the ,lord1 they shall cry aloud from the sea4 #ac ,from which it is to be understood that there will be a few even in those disastrous times1 whose righteousness will call down the favor of ,god4 ,and though the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard1 and the transgressions thereof shall be heavy upon it2 though the ,lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high1 and the kings of the earth upon the earth2 though as prisoners they shall be gathered into the pit1 and will not be visited for many days2 though the moon shall be confounded1 and the sun ashamed1 yet shall the ,lord of ,hosts reign in ,mount ,zion and in ,jerusalem1 and before his ancients gloriously4 #ad ,my direct argument for the apostasy is completed4 ,the facts of history have testified to the destruction of the church1 to the apostasy from the ,christian religion2 and prophecy with a voice no less certain has testified to the same things4 ,footnotes #a4 ,st4 ,john xvi3 #ac4 #b4 ,deut4 xxviii4 #c4 ,daniel ii4 #d4 ,acts xx3 #bg-cj4 #e4 ,,ii ,tim4 iv3 #a-d4 #f4 ,,ii ,peter ii3 #a-c4 #g4 ,that is1 he would not have them believe that the day of ,messiah's glorious coming was at hand4 #h4 ,,ii ,thess4 #a-ab4 #i4 ,isaiah xxiv4 #aj4 ,gal4 iii4 #aa4 ,heb4 xiii3 #bj4 #ab4 ,isa4 xxiv3 #ac1 #ad4 #ac4 ,isaiah xxiv3 #bj-bc4 #ad4 ,isaiah xxiv3 #bj-bc4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,catholic ,,arguments--,,protestant ,,admissions4 ,but what of the ,catholic argument that there has been an unbroken line of authority from ,peter to ,leo ,,xiii42 and running parallel with that line of authority a continuation of all that is essential to the ,gospel1 both in doctrine and ordinances8 ,my reply is3 ,of what avail is argument in the face of facts which contradict it8 ,the facts of both history and prophecy are against the contention that there has been such a line of divine authority1 accompanied by a continuation of all the essentials of the ,gospel2 and therefore1 the argument is worthless4 ,but that we may see how weak the argument is in itself1 let us examine it4 ,go ye therefore and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son and of the ,holy ,ghost 99 99 99 ,and lo ,i am with you to the end of the world4 #a ,on this ,catholic writers remark3 ,now the event has proved 99 99 99 that the apostles themselves were only to live the ordinary term of man's life2 therefore the commission of preaching and ministering together with the promise of the divine assistance1 regards the successors of the apostles1 no less than the apostles themselves4 ,this proves that there must have been an uninterrupted series of such successors of the apostles1 in every age since their time2 that is to say1 successors to their doctrines1 to their jurisdiction1 to their orders1 and to their mission4 #b ,cardinal ,gibbons1 commenting on the same passage says3 ,this sentence contains three important declarations3 #ast1 the presence of ,christ with ,his ,church1 'behold1 ,i am with you2' #bnd1 ,his constant presence without an interval of one day's absence1 ',i am with you all days2' #crd1 ,his perpetual presence to the end of the world1 and consequently the perpetual duration of the church1 'even to the consummation of the world4' ,hence it follows that the true church must have existed from the beginning2 it must have had not one day's interval of suspended animation1 or separation from ,christ1 and must live to the end of time4 #c ,of the conclusion here arrived at1 it is only necessary to say that it is founded upon an assumption4 ,look again at the passage upon which the argument is based1 in connection with its context4 ,then the eleven disciples went away into ,galilee1 into a mountain where ,jesus had appointed them4 ,and when they saw him1 they worshiped him2 but some doubted4 ,and ,jesus came and spake unto them1 saying3 ,all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth1 ,go ye therefore1 and teach all nations2 99 99 99 and lo1 ,i am with you alway1 even unto the end of the world4 #d ,it will be seen that the promise was to the eleven apostles1 not to the church4 ,to say that this promise regards the successors of the apostles no less than the apostles themselves1 is an assumption unwarranted by the text2 and it is upon that assumption that the ,rev4 ,john ,milner and other ,catholic writers1 base their conclusions that the word of ,jesus is pledged to an uninterrupted continuation of ,his church in the earth4 ,the argument of ,cardinal ,gibbons is still worse than that of ,dr4 ,milner4 ,he says the promise of ,jesus to the apostles contains three important declarations1 the first of which is3 ,the presence of ,christ with ,his church4 ,this is worse than assumption4 ,the learned ,cardinal has written church1 where he should have written apostles2 and therefore the conclusion he reached1 namely1 the perpetual duration of the church1 is based upon a misstatement2 and as the premises upon which the argument is based are untrue1 the conclusion is false4 ,the argument by ,catholics is thought to be invulnerable1 because the promise of ,jesus to be with the apostles to the end of the world is impossible of fulfillment1 unless it regarded the successors of the apostles no less than the apostles themselves4 ,but to be with their successors is not being with the apostles4 ,hence the device arranged by ,catholics for the fulfillment of this promise of the ,lord1 misses its purpose altogether4 ,moreover1 there is no need of such device to explain how the promise of ,jesus could be fulfilled4 ,in my ,father's house1 said he1 addressing these same men1 are many mansions3 if it were not so1 ,i would have told you4 ,i go to prepare a place for you1 99 99 99 that where ,i am there ye may be also2 #e ,and there they are with ,jesus in the place he prepared for them1 and they will continue to be with him even unto the end of the world4 ,no less erroneous is the ,catholic argument for the uninterrupted continuation of the church of ,christ on earth1 based on the passage in the sixteenth chapter of ,matthew1 when ,jesus in the course of a conversation with ,peter says to him3 ,thou art ,peter1 and upon this rock ,i will build my church1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it4 ,by this promise1 says a foot-note on this passage in the ,douay ,bible--the version accepted by the ,catholic ,church1--we are fully assured that neither idolatry1 heresy1 nor any pernicious error whatever1 shall at any time prevail over the church of ,christ4 ,our blessed ,lord clearly intimates here1 says ,cardinal ,gibbons1 that the church is destined to be assailed always but to be overcome never4 #f ,the argument of ,catholics is1 that if the great apostasy took place which1 as we have seen1 is clearly predicted in the scriptures1 and1 as ,i believe1 confirmed by the facts already presented to the reader in this volume1 then the express promise of ,jesus ,christ that the gates of hell should not prevail against ,his church has failed4 ,if the prediction of our ,savior about the preservation of ,his church from error be false1 then ,jesus ,christ is not ,god1 since ,god cannot lie4 ,he is not even a prophet1 since he predicted falsehood4 ,nay1 he is an imposter1 and all ,christianity is a miserable failure1 and a huge deception1 since it rests on a false prophet4 #g ,this argument and its conclusion is based upon too narrow a conception of the ,church of ,christ4 ,that church exists not only on earth1 but in heaven2 not only in time1 but in eternity4 ,it has not been prevailed against1 because men on earth have departed from it2 corrupted its doctrines1 changed its ordinances1 transgressed its laws4 ,the ,church of ,christ in heaven1 consisting of an innumerable company of angels--the general assembly and church of the firstborn1 which are written in heaven-- #h the church there has been far beyond the reach of the powers of hell2 and ultimately here on earth it shall be triumphant4 ,to repeat an illustration ,i before used3 ,truth may lose a single battle1 it may lose two or three1 and yet be victorious in the war4 ,so with the ,church of ,christ3 many of those enrolled as its members may be stricken down by cruel persecution2 those remaining may capitulate with the enemy1 and by compromises betray the cause of ,christ1 and put him to an open shame4 ,repose and luxury1 the reward of the above perfidy1 may bring in such floods of wickedness that virtue can scarce be found among men1 and no abiding place found on earth for the church of the ,redeemer4 ,that church1 however1 still exists in heaven1 in all the glory of the general assembly of the firstborn2 and from time to time dispensation after dispensation of the gospel will be sent from thence to the children of men1 until a people shall be found who will remain true to all its doctrines1 accept its ordinances1 obey its precepts1 preserve its institutions1 and the ,church of ,christ everywhere become triumphant as well on earth as in heaven4 ,the promise of the ,lord ,jesus will not fail--the gates of hell will not finally prevail against his church4 ,the reader's faith in the above view will doubtless be strengthened if ,i remind him that the apostasy contended for in the foregoing pages1 is not the first time in the experience of men that the gospel has been taken from among them4 ,it is written by ,paul that1 the scripture foreseeing that ,god would justify the heathen through faith preached before the gospel unto ,abraham4 #i ,a little further on the apostle asks3 ,wherefore then serveth the law8 ,referring to the law of ,moses4 ,that is to say1 if the gospel was preached unto ,abraham1 wherefore serveth the law of ,moses8 ,his answer is1 ,it was added because of transgression till the seed should come1 to whom the promise was made 99 99 99 ,wherefore the law was our school master to bring us unto ,christ that we might be justified by faith4 #aj ,having in the third chapter of his epistles to the ,hebrews referred to the dealings of ,god with the children of ,israel in the wilderness1 and having in the opening verse of the fourth chapter warned the saints against similar sins to those committed by ,israel1 ,paul says3 ,for unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them ancient ,israel1 but the word preached did not profit them1 not being mixed with faith in them that heard it4 ,the only conclusion to be drawn from these passages is this3 ,in very ancient times the ,gospel was introduced among men2 but because of their disinclination or inability to keep its laws and live in harmony with its precepts--because of transgression1 it was taken from among them4 ,god1 however1 not willing to leave ,his children utterly without light1 gave unto them a less exalted law--the law of carnal commandments4 ,a law better suited to their condition1 wherein were forms and ceremonies foreshadowing things to come1 designed to act as a school master to bring the people to ,christ4 ,taking away the gospel from the earth1 then1 is not a new thing2 not a thing peculiar to the first centuries of the ,christian era4 ,it had been done before when transgression led the people to depart from its ordinances and disregard its precepts4 ,so1 too1 after the introduction of the gospel by the personal ministry of the ,son of ,god1 when men transgressed its laws1 and corrupted its teachings and ordinances by their vain and foolish fancies1 or by their efforts to modify it to make it acceptable to a pagan nation1 because of transgression1 it was taken from among them4 ,not abruptly4 ,not in such a sense as that the ,christians some night in the third century all laid down to sleep good1 faithful saints and awoke next morning stripped of the ,gospel and turned pagans4 ,no2 but as the elders and bishops who held divine authority were destroyed by persecution1 or passed away by natural death1 the people with each succeeding generation growing worse and worse1 and less and less worthy of the gospel--false teachers without authority from ,god usurped power1 corrupted the gospel and the church until the false displaced the true1 and anti-,christ sat in the temple of ,god4 ,nothing remained but fragments of the gospel2 here a doctrine and there a principle1 like single stones fallen and rolled away from the ruined wall2 but no one able to tell where they belonged in the structure1 and so many of the stones missing that to reconstruct the wall with what remains is out of the question4 ,the fragmentary accounts of the gospel1 as recorded by some of the apostles1 and their associates1 is all that was left to the world4 ,all6 ,but this was much4 ,it has stood to the people since the days of the great apostasy as the law of carnal commandments did to ,israel after the transgression which occasioned the gospel to be taken from them4 ,those fragments of the truth1 however disconnected1 have been as the light of the moon and the stars to the night traveler2 not the sunlight1 indeed1 which makes so clear the way1 but light which1 however dim1 is still better than absolute darkness2 and will1 ,i trust1 yet lead many of our ,father's children into the sunlight of ,christ's restored gospel4 ,it will not be necessary to examine at length the ,protestant argument1 viz43 ,the gospel had been corrupted1 and buried under the rubbish of idolatry for ages it is true1 but the ,reformers of the sixteenth century cleared away the rubbish and brought to light again the gospel1 and restored the ,church of ,christ in all its simplicity of organization1 and efficacy of power4 ,of this one need only say that the gospel having been taken from the earth1 and divine authority lost1 the only way for their restoration is through the re-opening of the heavens and the committing of a new dispensation thereof to men4 ,as this answers the argument1 it is only necessary to prove that ,protestants admit the apostasy4 ,luther said of himself1 ,at first ,i stood alone4 ,calvin in his epistle says3 ,the first ,protestants were obliged to break off from the whole world4 #aa ,the editor of ,gibbon's ,decline and ,fall of the ,roman ,empire1 the ,rev4 ,h4 ,h4 ,milman1 a ,protestant divine1 writes in his preface to that book3 ,it is idle1 it is disingenuous to deny or to dissemble the early depravations of ,christianity1 its gradual and rapid departure from its primitive simplicity1 still more from its spirit of universal love4 ,the reader is already acquainted with the declaration of ,wesley that the ,christians had turned heathens again and only had a dead form of faith left4 #ab ,in ,smith's ,dictionary of the ,bible--the work is endorsed by sixty-three learned divines and ,bible scholars--the following occurs3 ,we must not expect to see the ,church of ,christ existing in its perfection on the earth4 ,it is not to be found thus perfect1 either in the collected fragments of ,christendom1 or still less in any one of those fragments4 #ac ,roger ,williams refused to continue as pastor over the oldest ,baptist ,church in ,america on the ground that there was no regularly constituted church on earth1 nor any person authorized to administer any church ordinance2 nor can there be until new apostles are sent by the great head of the church for whose coming ,i am seeking4 #ad ,alexander ,campbell1 founder of the sect of the ,disciples1 says3 ,the meaning of this institution 7the kingdom of heaven7 has been buried under the rubbish of human tradition for hundreds of years4 ,it was lost in the dark ages and has never1 until recently been disinterred4 #ae ,and lastly1 that greatest of all ,protestant sects1 the ,church of ,england in its homily on the ,perils of ,idolatry1 says3 ,laity and clergy1 learned and unlearned1 all ages and sects and degrees have been drowned in abominable idolatry1 most detested by ,god and damnable to man1 for eight hundred years and more4 #af ,footnotes #a4 ,matt1 xxviii3 #ai1 #bj4 #b4 ,end of ,religious ,controversy 7,rev4 ,john ,milner71 p4 #bha4 #c4 ,faith of our ,fathers1 p4 #gb4 #d4 ,matt4 xxviii3 #af-bj4 #e4 ,john xiv3 #b4 #f4 ,faith of ,our ,fathers1 p4 #gb4 #g4 ,faith of our ,fathers1 p4 #hg4 #h4 ,heb4 xii3 #bb1 #bc4 #i4 ,this should be remembered by the student of the ,bible4 ,the law of ,moses1 with its formalisms and numerous rites1 does not reflect the fullness of divine wisdom4 ,it was not the best and highest code of laws and morals which ,god could give1 but the best the people could be induced to accept4 #aj4 ,quoted by ,rev4 ,john ,milner in ,end of ,religious ,controversy4 #aa4 ,see p4 #aja4 #ab4 ,smith's ,dict4 of ,bible1 p4 #afc4 #ac4 ,picturesque ,america1 p4 #ejb4 #ad4 ,picturesque ,america1 p4 #ejb4 #ae4 ,christianity ,restored1 p4 #ahd4 #af4 ,perils of ,idolatry1 p4 #c4 ,,thesis ,,iii4 ,the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ in the ,last ,days--,in the ,hour of ,god's ,judgment--,is to ,be ,restored to ,earth by ,re-opening the ,heavens1 and ,giving a ,new ,dispensation ,thereof to the ,children of ,men4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,necessity ,,of ,a ,,new ,,revelation--,,the ,,arguments ,,of ,,modern ,,christians ,,against ,,it ,,considered4 ,i shall take it for granted that those who have followed me to this point are convinced that the world has need of a new witness for ,god2 that the ,church of ,christ was destroyed2 that there has been an apostasy from the ,christian religion so complete and universal as to make necessary a new dispensation of the gospel4 ,i have already remarked1 in noticing the ,protestant claim that the ,church of ,christ was re-established by the ,reformers of the sixteenth century1 that the gospel having once been taken from among men1 and divine authority lost1 the only way that either one or the other could ever be restored would be by the ,lord giving a new revelation1 and re-commissioning men with divine authority1 both to teach the gospel and administer in its ordinances4 ,this is a proposition so obvious to reason that ,i can scarcely persuade myself that it requires either argument or proofs to sustain it4 ,if there are those1 however1 who think that the plan of salvation might be clearly defined from the fragmentary documents which comprise the ,new ,testament1 without the aid of more revelation1 ,i ask them to consider the ,protestant effort to accomplish that task4 ,the ,protestants accepted the ,bible as an all-sufficient guide in matters of faith and morals and church discipline4 ,but when they undertook to formulate from it a creed that should embody the whole plan of salvation1 and prescribe a government for their church1 it was found that well nigh each ,doctor understood the ,bible differently4 ,one saw in it the authorization of the ,episcopal form of church government2 another the ,presbyterian form2 and another the ,congregational4 ,one saw in the ,bible authority for believing there was a trinity of persons in the ,god-head2 another that there was but one4 ,one saw authority for believing that ,god had predestined an elect few to be saved2 another that salvation was equally within reach of all4 ,and so on through all the vexed questions that have distracted ,protestant ,christendom and divided it into a hundred contending sects4 ,it must be remembered that to this effort to construct from the ,new ,testament scriptures a creed which would embody all the principles and ordinances essential to salvation1 and re-construct the ,church of ,christ1 all the zeal and learning that we can hope to see brought to such a task was possessed by ,protestant ,reformers1 and they failed miserably2 for the confusion grows greater by the constant multiplication of sects1 led by men making the vain attempt to re-construct the ,church of ,christ and define the gospel by their own wisdom from fragmentary ,christian documents4 ,but if the theory of salvation could be clearly defined from the scriptures1 by the wisdom of man2 if all the doctrines to be believed and all the ordinances to be obeyed could be formulated1 where1 without further revelation1 is the divinely authorized ministry to teach the gospel or administer its ordinances8 ,however distinctly the gospel as a theory might be defined from the ,new ,testament1 the dead letter authorizes no one to perform its ceremonies1 or even teach its doctrines4 ,the ,new ,testament writers have recorded in a number of places how ,jesus called his apostles and commissioned them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature1 saying in one place1 that4 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved1 but he that believeth not shall be damned2 #a and in another place1 ,go ye1 therefore1 and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son and of the ,holy ,ghost3 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you3 and lo ,i am with you alway even unto the end of the world #b ,but to say this authorizes anyone else but those to whom the commission was directly given is to advocate the stealing of other men's commission1 and presumptuously attempting to act in the name of ,god without divine appointment4 ,a case of this kind is related in the ,acts of the ,apostles1 the result of which should be a warning to those who would advocate such a course now4 ,among the ,jews who witnessed the power of ,god displayed through the administrations of ,paul--the ,holy ,ghost imparted by laying on hands1 the sick healed and unclean spirits cast out--were seven sons of one ,sceva1 a chief priest among the ,jews1 who took it upon themselves to call over one possessed of an evil spirit the name of the ,lord ,jesus saying1 ,we adjure you by ,jesus whom ,paul preacheth 99 99 99 ,and the evil sprit answered and said3 ,jesus ,i know and ,paul ,i know1 but who are ye8 ,and the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped upon them1 and overcame them1 and prevailed against them1 so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded4 #c ,another case in point is the incident of ,uzziah stretching forth his hand to steady the ark of ,god without authority--,and ,god smote him there for his error2 and there he died by the ark of ,god4 #d ,king ,uzziah's presumption in this kind also points a warning4 ,made king when but sixteen years of age1 he was wonderfully blessed of the ,lord1 and his fame went abroad until he was feared or honored by all the surrounding nations4 ,in the height of his glory he presumptuously entered the temple of ,god and essayed to exercise the functions of the priest's office--to burn incense before the ,lord4 ,azariah1 the chief priest1 withstood the king's usurpation1 saying1 ,it appertaineth not unto thee1 ,uzziah1 to burn incense unto the ,lord1 but to the priests1 the sons of ,aaron1 that are consecrated to burn incense3 go out of the sanctuary2 for thou hast trespassed2 neither shall it be for thine honor from the ,lord ,god4 ,the king was not inclined to yield to the admonition1 and while he was yet angry with the priests the leprosy arose in his forehead1 and he lived a leper the remainder of his life1 separated from his people and from the house of the ,lord4 #e ,if the usurpation of authority to act in the name of the ,lord in casting out an evil spirit1 in steadying the ark of ,god and burning incense called forth such pronounced evidences of the divine displeasure1 would usurpation in administering the more sacred ordinances of the gospel meet with divine approbation8 ,if men by usurping authority could not drive out an evil spirit from one possessed through calling over him the name of ,jesus1 just as they had seen ,paul do1 would there likely be any more efficacy attend their administrations if they baptized in the name of the holy ,trinity for the remission of sins1 or laid on hands to impart the ,holy ,ghost8 ,the reasonable answer is obvious4 ,every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to ,god2 99 99 99 and no man taketh this honor unto himself1 but he that is called of ,god as was ,aaron4 #f ,aaron was called by revelation1 and ordained by one already holding divine authority4 #g ,it amounts to nothing to say that this particular passage relates to high priests of the ,mosaic law4 ,the principle is announced in it that those who officiate for men in things pertaining to ,god must be called of ,god by revelation through a divinely established authority2 and that holds good in the gospel as well as in the ,mosaic law2 aye1 and more abundantly is it true2 for as the gospel is more excellent than the carnal law1 so is it to be expected that more care will be taken to have it administered by a divinely authorized ministry4 ,you have not chosen me1 said ,jesus to the ,twelve1 but ,i have chosen you1 and ordained you1 that ye may bring forth fruit1 and that your fruit should remain4 #h ,this sounds the keynote relative to an authorized ministry for the gospel4 ,men are not to take it upon themselves to administer in things pertaining to ,god4 ,they must be called as ,aaron was1 as the ,twelve were1 as ,jesus himself was2 for even ,christ glorified not himself to be made a high priest2 but he that said unto him1 ,thou art my ,son1 this day have ,i begotten thee4 99 99 99 ,thou art a priest forever after the order of ,melchisedek4 #i ,but ,i must not be drawn into an argument on a point that is obviously true1 namely1 that the gospel of ,christ having been taken from among men and divine authority lost1 the only way of regaining them is by a re-opening of the heavens and a re-commitment of them to man from ,god4 ,this of course would constitute a new dispensation1 a new revelation2 and as all ,christendom1 both ,catholics and ,protestants1 hold that the volume of scripture is completed and forever closed--that divine inspiration1 prophecy and revelation1 together with the visitation of angels has ceased forever1 ,i think it necessary to inquire into those reasons that are assigned for such a belief1 or rather unbelief4 ,it is a necessity to inquire into this question2 for disbelief in new revelation bars the way to a consideration of the claims of the ,new ,witness ,i am introducing4 ,the case stands thus3 ,the ,christians in the early centuries of our era having turned heathens again1 thereby losing the gospel and divine authority1 it seems reasonably clear that the only way these precious things can be regained is through a new dispensation of the gospel1 by means of a new revelation1 which shall restore all that was lost4 ,but since all ,christians have been persuaded that the volume of the scripture is completed2 that ,god will give no more revelation2 and that the ,bible sustains that view of the case1 it becomes necessary to investigate the reasons given for this doctrine4 ,i apprehend that this ,christian belief respecting the discontinuance of revelation came into existence as the an excuse offered for the absence of revelation4 ,ministers of apostate churches found themselves without communication with ,god1 either through the visitation of angels or direct revelation4 ,finding themselves without these powers so abundantly possessed by the servants of ,god in the early age of the church1 they attempted a defense of their own powerless state by saying these things were no longer needed4 ,they were extraordinary powers only to be employed at the commencement of the work of ,god1 in order to establish it in the earth1 and afterwards to be put aside as childish things4 ,in support of the theory that the volume of revelation is closed forever1 the following passage in the ,book of ,revelation is usually quoted3 ,i testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book1 if any man shall add unto these things1 ,god shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book4 ,and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy1 ,god shall take away his part out of the book of life1 and out of the holy city1 and from the things which are written in this book4 #aj ,as this passage occurs in the last book of the ,new ,testament--and also the last book of the ,bible--in the last chapter1 and the last but two of the closing verses of the chapter1 it has been argued that it is a formal closing up of ,god's revelation to man4 ,no more is to be added--nothing is to be taken from it1 it is completed and sealed up1 and therefore no more revelation is to be given after that4 ,upon this it should be observed1 first1 that it was not by the arrangement of the inspired writer himself that the ,book of ,revelation was made the last book of the ,bible2 nor is that book the last inspired book of the ,new ,testament collection that was written4 ,it is the prevailing opinion of the early ,christian writers that the ,book of ,revelation was written while the apostle ,john was an exile on the isle of ,patmos1 and that he did not write his book called ,the ,gospel according to ,st4 ,john1 until after his return from ,patmos4 #aa ,the weight of evidence now tends to prove1 says ,canon ,farrar1 speaking of the ,book of ,revelation1 that it is not the last book in chronological order2 that it was written nearer the beginning than the end of ,st4 ,john's period of apostolic activity amid the churches of ,asia2 that the last accents of revelation which fall upon our ears are not those of a treatise which1 though it ends in such music1 contains so many terrible visions of blood and fire2 but rather those of the gospel which tells us that the ',word was made flesh1' and of the epistle which first formulated the most blessed truth which was ever uttered to human hearts--the truth that ',god is love4' #ab ,and again3 ,some may think it an exaggeration to say that this closing of the ,holy ,book with the ,apocalypse has not been without grave consequences for the history of ,christendom2 but certainly it would have been better both for the church and for the world if we had followed the divine order1 and if those books had been placed last in the canon which were last in order of time4 ,had this been done1 our ,bible would have closed as the ,book of ,god to all intents and purposes did close1 with the epistle and solemn warning of the last apostle1 ',little children1 keep yourselves from idols4' #ac ,if the words in the last chapter in the ,book of ,revelation mean that no more scripture or revelation was to be written after the prohibitory words under consideration1 then ,john himself became a violator of the word of ,god which he himself had written2 for according to the testimony here adduced his gospel and first epistle were written after he ,book of ,revelation4 ,such an alternative as makes the divinely inspired writer a violator of his own supposed inhibition of further revelation is so absurd1 so unlike the conduct of an inspired apostle1 that it is sufficient in itself to overthrow the theory that the passage in the last chapter of the ,apocalypse intended to close the volume of revelation4 ,second3 ,since the ,apocalypse had no connection with the other books of the ,new ,testament for many years after it was written1 its prohibitory clause under the most liberal construction could only have reference to itself--it forbade men adding anything more to that particular book of prophecy1 the ,apocalypse1 not to a volume of scripture with which1 at the time1 it had no connection4 ,third3 ,a careful reading of the passage discloses that it is only man who is prohibited from adding anything more to that book of prophecy1 not ,god4 ,while man may have added to him the plagues which are written in the book if he presumptuously adds to the words of the prophecy and passes them off for the word of ,god1 yet ,god would still be left free to give revelation ad infinitum4 ,i must needs think that this is the proper view to take of the prohibition1 since in ,deuteronomy ,i find it recorded3 ,you shall not add to the word which ,i command you1 neither shall ye diminish ought from it4 #ad ,to give to this passage the same interpretation that is placed by modern ,christians on the passage under consideration from the ,apocalypse 7and it is just as reasonable to place such an interpretation on the passage in ,deuteronomy as to place it on the one in ,revelation7 would result in rejecting all scripture that was given after the prohibitory clause in the writings of ,moses--which would be the greater part of the ,old ,testament and all of the ,new4 ,the same is true of the prohibitory passage in ,proverbs3 ,every word of the ,lord is perfect4 99 99 99 ,add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a liar4 #ae ,there can be no doubt that these passages mean only this3 ,man must not add his own words to the revelation of ,god and pass them off as ,god's word4 ,to say that they mean that no more revelation is to be given after they were uttered is to condemn all the scripture written subsequent to that time4 ,what those passages mean the passage in ,revelation means4 ,man must not add to the words of ,deity2 but ,god is left as free to give more revelation as he was before this prohibition to man was placed on record4 ,the passage in question does not in the remotest manner refer to the close of the volume of revelation4 ,when the last act of indignity which the wicked ingenuity of his persecutors could suggest was perpetrated on the ,son of ,god1 ,jesus bowed his thorn-crowned head and exclaimed ,it is finished4 ,by some who contend against new revelation it is held that this means that no more revelation is to be expected--revelation is finished6 ,such a construction would exclude the inspired revelations1 visions1 dreams and revelations given to the apostles after the crucifixion of ,jesus and abundantly testified of in the ,acts of the ,apostles1 the ,epistles and the ,apocalypse4 ,it is so clearly evident that the exclamation1 ,it is finished1 #af had reference to the suffering of the ,son of ,god1 that it is not necessary to enter further into a refutation of the claim that it means the revelation of ,god to man was finished4 ,again it is contended that ,paul predicted that prophecies should cease3 ,whether there be prophecies1 they shall fail2 whether there be tongues1 they shall cease2 whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away4 #ag ,unfortunately1 however1 for those who see in this passage a prophecy of the discontinuance of revelation1 ,paul tells us when prophecy or revelation 7for prophecy must needs always be founded on revelation7 will cease2 that it is not in this mortal life1 but when that which is perfect is come4 ,for we know in part and prophesy in part2 but when that which is perfect is come1 that which is in part shall be done away4 99 99 99 ,for now we see through a glass darkly1 but then when that which is perfect is come face to face4 ,now ,i know in part1 but then when that which is perfect is come shall ,i know even as ,i am known4 #ah ,that this refers not to this life1 where the best and purest only see in part and know in part1 but is to be looked for in that future and perfect existence where men shall see as they are seen and know as they are known1 is too obvious to need comment4 ,that prophecy1 and the revelation on which it is based1 was designed to continue with the saints in this mortal existence is evident from the fact that in the opening verse of the succeeding chapter #ai the apostle admonishes the saints to follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts1 but rather that ye may prophesy4 ,the whole genius of the gospel contemplates continuous revelation in the church2 and so far is the ,bible from justifying the belief that the time will come when it will cease1 that on the contrary it teaches that revelation will increase more and more1 especially becoming abundant in the last days4 ,revelation is the very rock or principle upon which the ,church of ,christ is founded4 ,whom do men say that ,i the ,son of ,man am8 was the abrupt question which ,jesus once put to his disciples4 ,the answers given were varied4 ,but whom say ye that ,i am8 ,then ,peter answered3 ,thou art the ,christ the ,son of the living ,god4 ,blessed art thou ,simon ,barjona1 was the ,lord's reply1 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee1 but my ,father which is in heaven4 ,and ,i say unto thee1 that thou art ,peter1 and upon this rock will ,i build my church2 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it4 #bj ,that is as if the ,master had said3 ,blessed art thou ,simon1 for flesh and blood hath not revealed unto you that ,i am ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god1 but my ,father which is in heaven2 and ,i say unto thee1 ,peter1 upon this principle of revelation will ,i build my church1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it4 ,this ,i hold to be the plain meaning of the passage1 and not the interpretation given it by the ,catholic ,church1 which is as follows3 ,first let me remind the reader that when ,peter was introduced by his brother ,andrew to the ,lord ,jesus1 the latter said to ,him3 ,thou art ,simon1 the son ,jona2 thou shalt be called ,cephas1 which is by interpretation a stone4 #ba ,therefore when on the occasion above referred to ,jesus said3 ,blessed art thou1 ,simon ,barjona2 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee1 but my ,father which is in heaven4 ,and ,i say unto thee1 thou art ,peter1 and upon this rock will ,i build my church1 ,catholics say that the words of ,christ to ,peter1 spoken in the vulgar language of the ,jews 99 99 99 were the same as if he had said in ,english3 ,thou art a rock1 and upon this rock will ,i build my church1 so that by plain course of the words1 ,peter is here declared to be the rock upon which the church was to be built1 ,christ himself being both the principal foundation and founder of the same4 #bb ,but this interpretation strikes wide of the real truth4 ,to say the least it is a far-fetched assumption to hold that ,jesus when ,he addressed ,peter on this occasion had any reference to the name ,he had given him on a former occasion1 which1 by interpretation1 meant a stone4 ,if the ,master meant to announce his intention to build his church on ,peter1 one cannot refrain from asking why he did not explicitly say so8 ,the passage would then doubtless have read3 ,i say unto thee1 ,peter1 that thou art a stone1 and upon thee ,i will build my church4 ,unfortunately for the ,catholic contention such is not the reading1 and it is only by juggling with the words that such a meaning can be read into the passage4 ,the subject under consideration was not ,peter1 but the principle upon which he had learned that ,jesus was the ,son of ,god--revelation1 and on that principle1 and not on ,peter1 the ,lord promised to build his church4 ,but ,i said the whole genius of the gospel contemplates the continuation of revelation--a statement incumbent upon me to prove4 ,we have seen that the ,lord promised to build his church upon revelation4 ,it is the very life and light of it4 ,the means by which it preserves its correspondence with heaven1 and learns the will of ,god under the constantly varying conditions through which it is called to pass4 ,the means by which revelation may be communicated to the church or to man are varied4 ,revelation may be given by direct communication with ,god1 as in the case when the ,lord walked with ,enoch1 #bc or talked face to face with ,moses1 as a man speaks to his friend4 #bd ,or it may be by the ministrations of angels1 of which we have numerous instances1 both in the ,old and ,new ,testaments2 but more generally the communication of ,god's will to man is through the medium of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,no one can doubt that prophecy is based upon revelation4 ,no man can truthfully predict the future save ,god reveals it to him4 ,prophecy came not in old time by the will of man1 writes ,peter1 but holy men of ,god spake as they were moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost4 #be ,again1 in further proof that the ,holy ,ghost is the means of revelation and the source of prophecy--,when the ,spirit of ,truth is come1 he will guide you into all truth3 for he shall not speak of himself2 but whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak2 and he will show you things to come4 #bf ,this ,jesus said of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,if anything were lacking to prove that the ,holy ,ghost is a medium of revelation1 the very spirit of prophecy1 it would be found in the following3 ,when the ,comforter is come1 whom ,i will send unto you from the ,father1 even the ,spirit of ,truth1 which proceedeth from the ,father1 he shall testify of me4 #bg ,to this ,paul agrees3 ,no man speaking by the ,spirit of ,god1 calleth ,jesus accursed1 and no man can say that ,jesus is the ,christ but by the ,holy ,ghost4 #bh ,it is the ,holy ,ghost1 then1 that testifies that ,jesus is the ,christ4 ,now mark what follows3 ,an angel appeared to ,john1 the ,apostle1 on ,patmos1 and1 says ,john1 ,i fell at his feet to worship him1 and he said unto me1 ,see thou do it not3 ,i am thy fellow servant1 and of thy brethren that have the testimony of ,jesus3 ,worship ,god3 for the testimony of ,jesus is the spirit of prophecy4 #bi ,this is the sum of my argument3 ,the ,holy ,ghost testifies that ,jesus is the ,christ1 and that testimony of ,jesus is the spirit of prophecy2 and since prophecy must of necessity be based on revelation1 the testimony of ,jesus--the ,holy ,ghost must also be the spirit of revelation4 ,when ,peter on the day of ,pentecost preached the famous sermon by which three thousand souls were converted1 he made an unqualified promise of the ,holy ,ghost unto all who would obey the gospel4 ,replying to the cry of the multitude1 ,men and brethren1 what shall we do8 he said3 ,repent and be baptized every one of you1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for the remission of sins1 and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,for the promise is unto you1 and to your children1 and to all that are afar off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call4 #cj ,this simply means that the ,holy ,ghost is promised to all who will obey the gospel4 ,it was promised to those that were listening to the apostle1 to their children1 to all that were afar off1 not only as to distance1 but as to time2 to those a hundred years off1 five hundred1 or five thousand years off2 even to as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call--that is1 called to obedience to the gospel4 ,it is a promise that reaches our own generation as well as the first generation of the ,christian era4 ,we1 then1 are promised the ,holy ,ghost1 the spirit of prophecy and of revelation2 and indeed we are instructed by the ,master himself that except we are born of the ,spirit1 that is1 receive the ,holy ,ghost1 we cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4 #ca ,so clearly is receiving the ,holy ,ghost a part of the plan of salvation1 that1 so far as ,i know1 there is not a ,christian sect or church1 but teaches the necessity and right and duty of the ,christian to possess it4 ,but oh1 strange inconsistency of apostate ,christendom6 ,while teaching that men must be baptized with the ,holy ,ghost1 and must possess it1 and walk in the light thereof1 they deny to it the chiefest of its powers--revelation and prophecy6 ,modern ,christian teachers have dared1 without the warrant of divine authority1 to divide the manifestations of the ,holy ,ghost into ordinary and extraordinary powers2 and then have had the further presumption to tell us that the ordinary powers of the ,spirit1 such as love1 joy1 peace1 long-suffering1 gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness1 and temperance1 are to remain with men2 but the extraordinary powers1 such as revelation1 prophecy1 healing the sick1 discernment of spirits1 speaking in tongues1 interpretation of tongues1 etc41 these are to be discontinued6 ,unhesitatingly ,i pronounce such unwarranted assumption blasphemous6 ,instead of trying to excuse the absence among them of the mighty powers of the ,holy ,ghost as manifested anciently in revelation and prophecy1 by falsely saying it was the design of ,almighty ,god that the ,holy ,ghost should discontinue the exercise of these extraordinary powers1 the proper thing for ,christendom to do would be to humble itself in the dust1 and confess that it has strayed from ,god's ordinances1 transgressed his laws1 changed his ordinances1 broken the covenant of the gospel1 blasphemously denied the powers of the ,holy ,ghost1 because in their apostate state they received not the manifestations thereof4 ,how absurd to contend that part of the powers of the ,holy ,ghost are to be exercised and not the others6 ,what a denying and splitting up of the powers of ,god are here6 ,one class of his powers to be exercised in one age1 but to lie dormant in another1 and man presuming to tell which are necessary to be active and which dormant6 ,so far from leading us to believe in the discontinuance of the extraordinary powers of the ,holy ,ghost in the last days1 the teachings of scripture on the contrary lead us to expect an increase of them4 ,peter in the sermon already referred to above1 says1 quoting the prophet ,joel3 ,and it shall come to pass in the last days1 saith ,god1 ,i will pour out my spirit upon all flesh3 and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy1 and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams3 and on my servants and on my handmaidens ,i will pour out of my spirit and they shall prophesy2 and ,i will show wonders in heaven above1 and signs in the earth beneath2 blood and fire and vapor of smoke3 ,the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood1 before the great and notable day of the ,lord come3 and it shall come to pass1 that whosoever shall call upon the name of the ,lord shall be saved4 #cb ,i know that the general understanding among ,christians is that this prophecy was fulfilled upon the occasion of the ,holy ,ghost being poured out upon the apostles on the day of ,pentecost2 because1 in replying to the accusation of the multitude that the apostles who were speaking in tongues were drunk1 ,peter said3 ,these are not drunken as ye suppose1 seeing it is but the third hour of the day4 ,but this is that which was spoken by the ,prophet ,joel4 ,then follows the quotation already given4 ,but that ,peter meant by this that the prophecy of ,joel was completely fulfilled is out of all harmony with the facts of the case4 ,first1 ,joel's prophecy relates to the last days--not to the days in which ,peter was living and speaking2 second1 according to ,joel's prophecy1 the ,spirit of ,god was to be poured out upon all flesh2 on the occasion of its outpouring on the day of ,pentecost1 it was confined to twelve men2 third1 both the sons and daughters of the people are to prophesy1 according to ,joel's prediction2 young men are to see visions2 old men to dream dreams2 and on his servants and his handmaidens the ,lord promises to pour out of his ,spirit and they shall prophesy4 ,this describes so general an outpouring of the ,spirit of the ,lord upon his people that the conditions existing on the day of ,pentecost by no manner of means fulfill the prophecy4 ,what then could mean the saying of ,peter--,this is that which was spoken by the prophet ,joel8 ,it means this3 ,the ,spirit that you here see manifestations of is that ,spirit spoken of by ,joel that will eventually be poured out upon all flesh2 doubtless in that happy time spoken of by other prophets when ,the wolf shall dwell with the lamb1 and the leopard shall lie down with the kid2 and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together2 and a little child shall lead them4 99 99 99 ,they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain3 for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the ,lord1 as the waters cover the sea4 #cc ,then and not till then will ,joel's great prophecy have its complete fulfillment4 ,moreover1 connected with this outpouring of the ,spirit of the ,lord upon all flesh in the last days1 is the fact that ,god will also show wonders in heaven above1 and signs in the earth beneath2 blood and fire and vapor of smoke3 ,the sun shall be turned into darkness1 and the moon into blood1 before that great and notable day of the ,lord come2 but1 whosoever shall call upon the name of the ,lord1 shall be saved4 ,these judgments that are to be poured out upon the earth1 together with the mercy that shall be shown to those who turn to the ,lord1 are so nearly identical with those which are described as preceding or connected with the glorious appearing of the ,lord ,jesus in the last days1 #cd that they must be the same2 and these judgments1 as also the outpouring of the ,holy ,spirit of ,god upon all flesh1 look to the last days1 and not to the days when ,peter preached to the people1 for their complete fulfillment4 ,if we contemplate the ,church of ,christ as having existed1 without a moment's interruption from the time it was founded by the ,savior and his apostles until now1 instead of losing or having any spiritual power discontinued the ,christians ought to have increased in the enjoyment of them more and more4 ,and instead of saying that the extraordinary powers of the ,holy ,ghost have been discontinued1 they ought to be able to say the circle of those possessed of and able to employ all the spiritual gifts of the gospel to their own and the salvation of others1 has been marvelously enlarged4 ,the spirit of prophecy and revelation1 which1 as we have seen1 is the ,holy ,ghost1 is absolutely necessary in the church to call its officers4 ,how else shall the church have a divinely authorized ministry8 ,how else shall men be called of ,god as was ,aaron8 ,the church today has as much need of inspired men able to say1 separate unto the ,lord such and such men for the work whereunto ,god has called them1 as it was for the church in ,antioch1 in the early days of ,christianity1 to have prophets and teachers who1 as they ministered before the ,lord and fasted1 heard the ,holy ,ghost say1 ,separate me ,barnabas and ,saul for the work whereunto ,i have called them4 #ce ,the spirit of prophecy and revelation is necessary in the church to direct the officers thereof in the performance of their duties4 ,it is useless to contend that the directions given by the spirit of revelation to the ancient servants of the ,lord will answer for ,god's ministry now4 ,as well might it be argued that the miller today could grind with the water which passed his mill-wheel yesterday4 ,the conditions under which the ,church of ,christ exists in various ages are constantly changing2 and the officers of the church always require divine direction1 which can only be supplied by revelation4 ,the revelations given to the patriarchs from ,adam to ,abraham and ,melchisedek were not esteemed sufficient to direct ,moses in the management of the dispensation committed to him4 ,nor were the numerous revelations given to ,moses sufficient to guide his successor1 ,joshua1 in leading ,israel2 but a means for obtaining the word of the ,lord was provided for him through the use of the ,urim and ,thummim1 in the hands of the high priest4 ,so also the revelations given to ,moses1 to ,joshua and his successors1 the judges and prophets of ,israel1 were not considered sufficient to direct the labors of the apostles and seventies and elders in the dispensation of the gospel introduced by the ,lord ,jesus4 ,nor were the revelations given to the first apostle sufficient to direct the labors of ,paul and his associates in the constantly changing circumstances in the midst of which they found themselves4 ,after having gone throughout ,phrygia and the whole region of ,galatia1 ,paul1 had he followed his own inclinations1 would have gone into ,asia to preach2 but he was forbidden of the ,holy ,ghost #cf--that is1 by revelation4 ,afterwards he would have gone into ,bithynia1 but the ,spirit suffered him not #cg--that is1 gave a revelation forbidding him to go into that land4 ,afterwards1 through an inspired vision1 he was called into ,macedonia1 #ch and began that wonderful missionary career which resulted in spreading a knowledge of the gospel throughout ,macedonia1 ,greece and the western division of the ,roman empire4 ,in like manner1 in all succeeding generations1 and no less in our own than in any that has preceded it1 the ministry of the ,church of ,christ stands absolutely in need of the spirit of prophecy and revelation to direct its labors1 if those labors are to be efficient and acceptable to ,god4 ,the spirit of prophecy and revelation is necessary in the church not only to call its ministers and direct their labors but also to teach1 correct1 reprove1 comfort and warn the members thereof4 ,how else shall they be preserved from error in doctrine1 and from the strife and division consequent upon it8 ,man's ways are not as ,god's ways2 and it seems almost inherent in human nature to wander from the ways of the ,lord1 to seek out many and strange inventions4 ,human wisdom is not sufficient for this work of correcting errors and reproving saints2 for the things of ,god knoweth no man1 but the ,spirit of ,god2 #ci hence the necessity of the ministry of the church having the spirit of prophecy and revelation4 ,and then1 for another reason should the ministry of the church teach1 not with the enticing words of man's wisdom1 but in demonstration of the spirit and of power2 that the faith of the saints stand not in the wisdom of men1 but in the power of ,god4 #dj ,nor is it enough for the ministry to be inspired of ,god1 the lay members of the church no less than the ministry have a right to it--to the people as well as to the priests is the ,holy ,ghost promised2 and the people have need of it as well as the ministry2 for the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god3 they are foolishness unto him3 neither can he know them1 for they are spiritually discerned4 #da ,hence the importance of those who listen being inspired by the same spirit as those who teach4 ,it is written1 says ,paul1 that eye hath not seen1 nor ear heard1 neither hath it entered into the heart of man1 the things which ,god hath prepared for them that love him4 ,but ,god hath revealed them unto us by his ,spirit2 for the ,spirit searcheth all things1 yea1 the deep things of ,god4 99 99 99 ,now we have received1 not the spirit of the world1 but the ,spirit which is of ,god2 that we might know the things that are freely given to us of ,god4 #db ,if thus the saints in primitive ,christian times enjoyed the spirit of revelation and of prophecy1 why should not the saints in all succeeding ages also enjoy it1 since it is promised to them as well as unto the first ,christians1 and ,god is no respecter of persons8 #dc ,why should not ,christians in all ages have the spirit of prophecy to enlighten and comfort their souls and warn them of events to come8 ,but the argument is interminable1 and ,i only desired to pursue it far enough to prove that the whole genius of the gospel contemplates the continuance of revelation4 ,how long ,i have delayed the direct consideration of my ,thesis6 ,the foregoing remarks1 however1 were necessary since the belief that the volume of scripture was completed and forever closed2 that the voice of prophecy is no more to be heard2 that the visitation of angels is not to be expected2 that revelation has forever ceased--all stood as so many obstacles to be removed before we could consider the direct testimony supporting the proposition that the gospel in the last days is to be restored to the earth by re-opening the heavens and giving a new dispensation thereof to the children of men4 ,but now all things are ready4 ,i have shown that since men corrupted and lost the gospel1 together with divine authority to administer its ordinances1 the only way to regain possession of it is by receiving a new dispensation thereof through a revelation from ,god2 that the sectarian teaching that the volume of scripture is completed and closed is based upon assumption merely2 that the same sectarian teaching that revelation and prophecy had ceased forever is equally false2 on the contrary we have seen that the very spirit and genius of the gospel contemplates the continuation of revelation both to the church and to individuals2 therefore it can be neither unscriptural nor unreasonable to expect a new revelation that will restore the gospel4 ,footnotes #a4 ,mark xvi4 #b4 ,matt4 xxviii4 #c4 ,acts xix4 #d4 ,see ,,ii4 ,samuel vi1 in connection with ,numb4 iv1 #e-ae4 #e4 ,,ii4 ,chron4 xxvi4 #f4 ,heb4 v3 #a-d4 #g4 ,and take unto thee ,aaron1 thy brother1 and his sons with him1 from among the children of ,israel1 that he may minister unto me in the priest's office4 ,word of the ,lord to ,moses1 ,ex4 xxviii3 #a4 #h4 ,john xv3 #af4 #i4 ,heb4 v3 #e1 #f4 #aj4 ,rev4 xxii3 #ah1 #ai4 #aa4 ,vide ,biblical ,literature 7,kitto71 ,art4 ,book of ,revelation4 #ab4 ,early ,days of ,christianity1 ch4 xxvii4 #ac4 ,this would make the #ast ,epistle of ,john the closing book of the canon4 #ad4 ,deut1 iv3 #b4 #ae4 ,proverbs xxx3 #f4 #af4 ,st4 ,john xix3 #cj4 #ag4 ,corinth xiii3 #h4 #ah4 ,ibid1 verse #i-ab4 #ai4 ,it should be remembered that the division of the ,epistle1 and for that matter the whole of the ,new ,testament1 into chapters and verses was not made by the writers of it1 but is quite a modern work4 ,the verse with which the fourteenth chapter opens is a direct and close continuation of the subject with which the thirteenth chapter closes1 and ought not to have been separated from it into another chapter4 ,it is an instance of how clumsily the work of dividing the ,new ,testament into chapters and verses was done4 #bj4 ,matt4 xvi4 #ba4 ,st4 ,john i3 #db4 #bb4 ,footnote in the ,douay ,bible on ,matt4 xvi3 #ag1 #ah4 #bc4 ,genesis v3#bd2 ,heb4 xi3 #e4 #bd4 ,exodus xxxiii3 #aa4 #be4 ,,ii ,peter i3 #bj1 #ba4 #bf4 ,john xvi3 #ac4 #bg4 ,john xv3 #bf--;,jesus to the apostles4 #bh4 ,i ,cor4 xii4 #bi4 ,rev4 xix3 #aj4 #cj4 ,acts ii3 #ch1 #ci4 #ca4 ,john iii3 #e4 #cb4 ,acts ii4 #cc4 ,isaiah xi4 #cd4 ,see ,matt4 xxiv4 #ce4 ,acts xiii4 #cf4 ,acts xvi3#f4 #cg4 ,acts xvi3#g4 #ch4 ,acts xvi3#i1 #aj4 #ci4 ,i ,cor4 ii3 #aa4 #dj4 ,i ,cor4 ii3 #d1 #e4 #da4 ,i ,cor4 ii3 #ad4 #db4 ,i ,cor4 ii3 #i1 #aj1 #ab4 #dc4 ,rom4 ii3 #aa4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,prophetic ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,church--,,the ,,restoration ,,of ,,the ,,gospel ,,by ,,an ,,angel4 ,and now as to the direct testimony for the restoration of the gospel by means of a new revelation4 ,it is to be found in one of the revelations to ,st4 ,john upon the ,isle of ,patmos4 ,while there1 either as an exile1 or a prisoner in the mines during the persecution under the ,emperor ,domitian--and in either case suffering for the word of ,god and the testimony of ,jesus ,christ--the apostle received many visions pertaining to the past1 the present and the future of the ,church of ,christ4 ,especially are the twelfth1 thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of ,his revelation instructive4 ,there is a unity of design in them that cannot be mistaken4 ,they contain a history of the church from the time it was presided over by the ,twelve ,apostles of the ,lamb1 unto the time when the judgments of ,god fall upon ,babylon to her utter destruction4 ,without entering into minute detail let me point this out4 ,in the first two verses of the twelfth chapter1 under the figure of a woman clothed with the sun1 with the moon under her feet1 and about her head a crown of twelve stars1 and ready to be delivered of a child1 ,john describes the church presided over by the apostles1 and ready to bring forth the complete organization of the priesthood--the male child that is to rule the nations4 ,in the third and fourth verses1 under the figure of a great red dragon1 whose tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven1 and who stood before the woman to devour her child as soon as it was born1--we have a description of ,lucifer standing ready to destroy the priesthood so soon as it should be brought forth4 ,in verses five and six1 under the figure of the woman bringing forth the male child1 the child being caught up into heaven1 and the flight of the woman into the wilderness1 where ,god has a place prepared for her1 where she is nourished for a thousand two hundred and three score days--we have a description of the coming forth of the priesthood as an organization1 its being taken up into heaven out of reach of ,lucifer1 and also the flight of the church beyond his power into the wilderness1 where it is nourished for a certain time4 ,in the verses from seven to twelve1 inclusive1 we have a deflection from the main line of history to explain who and what the great red dragon is4 ,we are told of the war in heaven1 where ,michael and his angels fought2 and the dragon and his angels fought1 but prevailed not2 and how at last the dragon1 that old serpent called the ,devil and ,satan1 was cast out of heaven into the earth and his angels with him4 ,we are told of the joy there was in heaven when the accuser of the brethren was cast out2 and how there had come salvation and strength and the kingdom of ,god and the power of his ,christ4 ,but those who thus rejoiced in heaven cry woe unto the inhabitants of the earth1 because the devil had come down unto them having great wrath4 ,the thirteenth verse brings us back from the deflection to the line of history again2 and from there to the close of the chapter under the figure of the woman flying into the wilderness1 the dragon casting out of his mouth floods of water to carry her away if possible1 and the return of the dragon full of wrath to make war on the seed of the woman1--which keep the commandments of ,god and have the testimony of ,jesus--we have repeated the story of the flight of the church from the earth1 the slander of ,lucifer still seeking to destroy the church1 now beyond the direct influence of his power1 and his return to make was upon the few saints that remained after the church as an organization had been taken from among men4 ,in the first and second verses of the thirteenth chapter1 under the figure of a monstrous1 hydra-headed beast rising out of the sea1 and the dragon giving unto him his power and his seat and great authority--we have a description of the rise and nature of pagan ,rome1 and ,lucifer giving unto it his power and inspiring it with his spirit of hatred towards the saints4 ,in the third and fourth verses1 under the figure of one of the heads of the beast being wounded and afterwards healed1 all the world wondering after the beast1 the dragon who gave him his power being worshiped1 and the beast being worshiped--we have the transition from the pagan to the papal power of ,rome described1 and the worship of ,lucifer in return for giving his power to the beast4 ,then follows in verses from the fifth to the tenth1 inclusive1 the proclamation of this devil-inspired power to blaspheme against ,god1 against his tabernacle and the saints in heaven2 to make war upon the saints and to overcome them2 his dominion over all kindreds and tongues and nations2 the prophecy that all who dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the ,lamb's book of life from the foundation of the world2 and also the prophecy of the captivity of this power which has led into captivity1 and the killing of him by the sword who killed with the sword4 ,from the tenth verse to the close of the chapter we have the rise of other powers described which shall under new forms inaugurate the old worship1 exercise the old tyranny1 practice the old deceptions1 and confirm them by the performance of miracles4 ,the first seven verses of the fourteenth chapter describe the blessedness of a special company of the servants of ,god who have been redeemed from the earth1 an hundred and forty and four thousand of them1 being the first fruits unto ,god and the ,lamb1 in whose mouth was found no guile1 and who are without fault4 ,the sixth and seventh verses describe an angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth1 and to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people1 saying with a loud voice1 ,fear ,god and give glory to him1 for the hour of his judgment is come3 and worship him that made heaven1 and earth1 and the sea1 and the fountains of waters4 ,the eighth verse proclaims the fall of ,babylon which has made all nations drunk with the wine of the wrath of her fornication4 ,the rest of the chapter forbids the worship of the beast or his image1 pronouncing the wrath of ,god against those who do so2 and deals with the successive judgments which shall overtake the earth to cleanse it of its wickedness4 ,thus in prophecy was the history of the church written1 its establishment2 the war made upon its priesthood by ,lucifer2 the taking away of the priesthood and the church from within the circle of his power2 ,lucifer's league first with pagan and afterwards with papal ,rome2 the establishment of devil and man worship2 the blaspheming of ,god1 his tabernacle and the saints in heaven2 the rise of other powers who under new forms establish old blasphemies and devil-worship2 the restoration of the gospel in the hour of ,god's judgment2 and the final fall of ,babylon and the cleansing of the earth preparatory to the reign of peace and righteousness inaugurated by the restoration of the gospel4 ,there it is1 a mighty compendium of history written by the spirit of prophecy6 ,it is1 however1 with that part of it which relates to the restoration of the gospel that here ,i have most to do4 ,this the passage3 ,i saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth1 and to every nation1 and kindred and tongue and people1 saying with a loud voice1 fear ,god and give glory to him2 for the hour of his judgment is come2 and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters4 #a ,however obscure some parts of the ,books of ,revelation may be considered1 this prophecy is perfectly clear4 ,looked at from any standpoint1 it means simply this3 ,in the hour of ,god's judgment an angel will come from heaven bringing with him the everlasting gospel1 which is thence to be preached unto all nations and peoples of the earth4 ,the fact that the gospel is to be restored in the hour of ,god's judgment by the ministry of an angel1 and thence is to be preached to every nation and kindred and tongue and people is proof positive that every nation and kindred and tongue and people in the hour of ,god's judgment would be without the gospel1 hence the necessity of restoring it in the manner described4 ,for if the ,lord had a church on the earth1 possessing divine authority1 there would be no necessity to bring in a new dispensation of the gospel as described in the prophecy under consideration4 ,in this passage several of the facts for which ,i have contended meet3 ,first1 that there has been a universal apostasy from the gospel1 so complete in its departure from the doctrines and rites of the ,christian religion1 so universal1 as to destroy the church of ,christ2 second1 the necessity of restoring the gospel by a re-opening of the heavens2 and third1 the fact of the restoration of the gospel by the ministration of an angel who commits a new dispensation of it to man1 to be preached throughout the world4 ,footnotes #a4 ,rev4 xiv3 #f1 #g4 ,,thesis ,,iv4 ,joseph ,smith is the ,new ,witness for ,god2 a ,prophet ,divinely ,authorized to ,teach the ,gospel1 and ,re-establish the ,church of ,jesus ,christ on ,earth4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,the ,,new ,,witness ,,introduced4 ,at the beginning of the nineteenth century1 the western part of the ,state of ,new ,york was a new country1 by which ,i mean--one recently settled1 and comparatively a wilderness4 ,at the close of the ,revolutionary ,war1 which secured to the former ,british ,colonies independence1 the people of the new-born nation found their country and themselves impoverished4 ,manufactures owing to the narrow and selfish policy of ,england toward her colonies 7that policy had been to discourage the colonies from manufacturing1 least they should compete with the manufactures of ,england7 could scarcely be said to have an existence4 ,commerce1 owing to the fact that the new nation had not yet established a commercial standing in the world1 afforded little opportunity for ,american activity4 ,moreover1 the ,american people themselves1 of that generation1 because of the conditions which had surrounded them in the ,new ,world1 were neither skilled artisans capable of competing with the ,british workmen in manufacturing1 nor had they the cunning that comes by training1 which qualified them for immediate success4 ,what they did possess was sturdy physical frames--constitutions unimpaired either by the excesses practiced among barbarians1 or by the vices which abound in older civilizations4 ,they possessed strong hands1 superb courage and simple tastes1 and with these they entered into that almost boundless empire of wilderness to the west of them1 to make homes for themselves and their children4 ,looking from the standpoint of our modern life1 which knows so much of ease and comfort1 the lot of these pioneers was a hard one4 ,the soil which their rude shares upturned to the sun was indeed virgin and fertile1 but before it could be cultivated it had to be cleared of its heavy growth of timber and underbrush1 and with the means then employed1 to clear a farm was well-nigh a life's labor4 ,each pioneer with the help of a few neighbors--which help he paid for by helping them in return--built his own house1 his barn1 his sheds1 and fenced his clearing4 ,each family within itself was practically self-supporting4 ,the hum of the spinning-wheel1 the rattle of the shuttle and the thumping of the loom was heard in every home1 as wool and flax were converted into fabrics to clothe the family2 and every pioneer cultivated such a variety of products that his farm and his labor supplied his wants and those of his household4 ,happily for their contentment1 the conditions in which they lived rendered their wants but few4 ,in settling the wilderness the pioneers were not disposed to crowd each other4 ,they settled far apart4 ,it often happened that a man's nearest neighbor would be two or three miles away1 so that the country for a long time was but sparsely settled4 ,towns were few and far between1 and were only slowly built up4 ,no such mushroom-growth of towns was known as that which characterized the settlement of the great prairie states in subsequent years4 ,a few families settling on a stream furnishing water power for a grist-mill1 or at some point on lake or stream frequented by the ,indians for the purpose of trading their furs1 formed the nucleus of these towns1 and soon school-houses and churches increased their attractions4 ,it was a simple1 honest life these pioneers led4 ,a life full of toil2 for it was a stubborn fight they had with the wilderness to subdue it4 ,and yet their very hardships tended towards virtue4 ,a busy life in honorable pursuits can never be a vicious one2 and the constant toil of these men in wood and field so kept hands and head employed that there was left no time nor opportunity to pursue evil4 ,their amusements were few and simple1 consisting in the main of the occasional gatherings of neighbors for social enjoyments--the love of youth and maiden seeking its legitimate expression in that companionship which alone satisfies the hunger of the heart1 ,i doubt not1 was the incentive which brought about these gatherings--at least their frequency2 and the old1 well pleased to see their own youth reflected in that of their sons and daughters1 looked on with unconcealed delight4 ,not only was this life in the wilderness favorable to morality1 it contributed equally well to the cultivation of the religious sentiment in man4 ,man is by nature a religious animal1 and where natural conditions prevail instead of artificial ones1 true to his nature1 man inclines toward a religious state of mind4 ,there is something in the awful stillness of the wood that says to man--,god is in this solitude6 ,the murmur of the brook splashing over its pebbly bed1 and the mournful sighing of the winds through the tree tops1 whisper to his spirit the fundamental truth of all religion--,god lives6 ,the stars looking down through the trees or mirrored in stream or lake bear witness to the same great truth2 while the orderly course of the seasons1 bringing with such undeviating regularity seed time and harvest1 the period of summer's growth and winter's rest1 accompanied by the fact of the sun shining for the wicked as for the good1 and the rain falling upon the just and the unjust alike1 gives ample evidence of ,god's interest in the world he has created and of his beneficence and mercy towards all men4 ,when conditions were so favorable for the development of natural religion1 it is not surprising that profound interest was manifested also in revealed religion4 ,especially when we remember that these pioneers of the wilderness were but from one to three generations removed from ancestors who had left the ,old ,world for the express purpose of worshiping ,god according to their understanding of that same revealed religion4 ,that skepticism of the eighteenth century which in some quarters had such a baneful influence upon religious belief was scarcely felt in these settlements remote from the old centers of the ,new ,world civilization4 ,these men of the wilderness believed the ,bible and looked upon it with the reverence worthy of men descended from ,protestant fathers who had in their system of theology made it take the place of pope and church1 and established it as their sole authority and infallible guide in the matters of faith and morals4 ,while many of them refused to identify themselves with any of the various sects about them1 or subscribe to their creeds1 they were profound believers in the word of ,god1 and often confessed this short creed which they duly impressed upon their descendants3 ,i believe in ,god1 in the ,bible1 and in a state of future rewards and punishments4 ,there was no lack of zealous churchmen among the pioneers1 sectaries who taught special forms of faith and contended for the necessity of particular dogmas and formulas with all that ardor and narrowness of view that usually characterizes the sectarian mind4 ,their contentions for the correctness of their respective creeds were not always free from bitterness but for all that the ,protestant sects recognized each other as parts of a great universal church1 and occasionally would so far put away the differences of creed which separated them as to unite for the purpose of holding union protracted meetings for the conversion of unbelievers4 ,during the continuance of these meetings the minister avoided preaching any doctrine except such as could be accepted by all the sects--evangelical doctrine4 ,professedly their sole effort was to lead the unconverted to believe in and accept ,christ1 let them join what sect they pleased4 ,usually matters went on very agreeably until the converts made by these united efforts began to express their preference for one or the other of the different religious sects4 ,then would break out those fierce sectarian struggles for advantage which have ever been so disgraceful to ,protestant ,christendom4 ,the good feeling temporarily exhibited during the union meetings nearly all disappeared1 and by the fact of its vanishing impressed an observer with the idea that all along it was more pretended than real4 ,sectarian zeal was unbounded in its efforts to secure as many of the new converts as possible to its own particular denomination4 ,there was a cry of lo here and of lo there1 not unfrequently accompanied with remarks of detraction about the opposing sects4 ,the priests1 each jealous for his own church1 contended fiercely with one another1 so that they who ought to have been the most exemplary in that conduct which makes for peace on earth and good will towards men1 were often the most to be blamed for stirring up contention4 ,such a wave of religious fervor brought about in the manner above set forth1 and attended with results described1 passed over the western part of the ,state of ,new ,york in the winter and spring of #ahbj4 ,the movement at that time was of unusual interest1 first on account of its extent1 and second on account of the intensity of the religious excitement produced4 ,it can well be imagined that with these two conditions existing1 the bitterness among the sects taking part in the movement would be correspondingly great when it came to dividing up the spoils4 ,by which ,i mean when the converts made by a unity of effort began to file off some to one sect and some to another4 ,such was the case4 ,presbyterians opposed ,methodists1 and ,methodists ,baptists2 and ,baptists opposed both the other sects4 ,all was strife1 contention1 confusion1 beneath which ,christian charity and good will to man--these weightier matters of the law--were buried so far out of sight that it might be questioned if they ever existed4 ,standing somewhat apart from1 but watching with intense interest this religious excitement1 and wondering greatly at the confusion and strife attendant upon it was a lad fourteen years old4 #a ,he was born of parents numbered among the pioneers of the wilderness1 and up to that time had lived with them surrounded by the conditions already described in the first part of this chapter as so favorable to morality and the development of religious sentiment4 ,by this religious agitation the mind of the lad was stirred to serious reflection accompanied with great uneasiness on account of the sectarian strife so incessant and so bitter4 ,he saw several members of his father's family connect themselves with the ,presbyterian sect1 but he himself was more partial to the ,methodist ,church2 and at times he felt some desire to be united with them4 ,the tumult arising from the religious contention1 however1 was such as to bewilder him1 and he felt himself incompetent to decide who was right and who was wrong4 ,what is to be done8 he would often ask himself4 ,who of all these parties are right8 ,or are they all wrong together8 ,if any one of them be right1 which is it and how shall ,i know it8 #b ,young as he was1 his native intelligence taught him that something was radically wrong with all this contention over religion4 ,it was clear even to his boyish mind that ,god could not be the author of all this confusion4 ,god's church would not be split up into factions in this fashion2 if he taught one society to worship one way1 and administer one set of ordinances1 he would not teach another principles diametrically opposed4 #c ,influenced by these reflections he refrained from joining any of the sects and in the meantime studied the scriptures as best he could for himself4 ,while thus engaged he came to that passage in ,james which says3 ,if any of you lack wisdom1 let him ask of ,god1 that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him4 ,that passage was like the voice of ,god to his spirit4 ,never1 he was wont to say in later life--never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine4 ,it seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart4 #d ,he reflected upon it again and again1 and as he did so the impression grew stronger that the advice of the ancient apostle offered a solution to his perplexities4 ,it never occurred to him to think that the passage meant other than it said1 or to question the universal application of the advice it gives4 ,he knew nothing of the sophistry of the schools of theology which too often made the word of ,god of none effect by their learned exegesis4 ,through the innocent eyes of a mere boy1 he looked the proposition of ,james squarely in the front1 and1 thanks to the teachings of parents who revered the word of ,god1 he believed what the man of ,god said1 and he believed further that he expressed that which the ,lord inspired him to say2 so that it came to him with the full force of a revelation4 ,under such circumstances what was more natural than for him to reason thus3 ,if any person needs wisdom from ,god1 ,i do1 for how to act ,i do not know1 and unless ,i can get more wisdom than ,i now have1 ,i shall never know4 #e ,but one conclusion could be arrived at through such a course of reflection3 he must either remain in darkness and confusion or do as ,james directed--ask of ,god4 ,and since he gives wisdom to them that lack wisdom1 and will give liberally and not upbraid1 he thought he might venture4 ,and so at last he did4 ,he selected a place in a grove near his father's house1 and there one beautiful morning in the spring of #ahbj1 #f after looking timidly about to ascertain that he was alone1 the boy knelt in his first attempt at vocal prayer1 to ask ,god for wisdom4 ,no sooner had he begun calling upon the ,lord than there sprang upon him a being from the unseen world1 who so entirely overcame him1 and bound his utterance1 that he could not speak4 ,thick darkness gathered about him1 and it seemed to the struggling boy that he was doomed to sudden destruction4 ,he still exerted all his power to call upon the ,lord to deliver him from the power of the enemy who had seized him4 ,but still his unseen though none the less real enemy continued to prevail4 ,despair filled his heart4 ,he was about to abandon himself to destruction when at the moment of his greatest alarm he saw a pillar of light exactly over his head1 above the brightness of the sun1 which descended gradually until it fell upon him4 ,no sooner did this light appear than he was free from the enemy which had held him bound4 ,as the light rested upon him he saw within it two personages whose brightness and glory defy all description4 ,they stood above him in the air1 and one of them pointing to the other said3 ,,joseph1 ,,this ,,is ,,my ,,beloved ,,son1 ,,hear ,,him4 ,the object of the lad in going to that place to engage in secret prayer was to learn of ,god which of all the sects was right1 that he might know which to join4 ,no sooner1 therefore1 did he recover his self-possession than he asked the personage to whom he was thus introduced1 which of all the sects was right--which he should join4 ,he was answered that he must join none of them2 for they were all wrong ,their creeds were an abomination in ,god's sight2 the professors of them were all corrupt--,they draw near me with their lips1 said the personage1 talking to him1 but their hearts are far from me2 they teach for doctrine the commandments of men2 having a form of ,godliness but denying the power thereof4 ,again he was told that he must join none of them4 ,many other things were said to him on that occasion which the ,prophet has not recorded1 except to say that he was promised that the fullness of the gospel would at some future time be made known to him4 #g ,with this the vision closed1 and the boy on coming to himself was lying upon his back looking up into heaven4 ,he arose to his feet and looked upon the place of his fierce struggle with his unseen though powerful enemy--the place also of his splendid vision6 ,what a change had come to the lad in one brief hour6 ,he was no longer struggling with doubts or troubled with perplexities as to which of the sects was right4 ,he had gone to that place of prayer plagued with uncertainty1 now no one among the children of men so well assured as he of the course to pursue4 ,he had proved the correctness of ,james' doctrine--men may ask ,god for wisdom1 receive liberally and not be upbraided4 ,he knew that the religious creeds of the world were untrue2 that they taught for doctrine the commandments of men2 that religionists observed a form of godliness1 but in their hearts denied the power of ,god2 that they drew near to the ,lord with their lips1 but their hearts were far from him4 ,he knew that ,god1 the ,father1 lived1 for he had both seen him and heard his voice2 he knew that ,jesus lived and was the ,son of ,god1 for he had been introduced to him by the ,father1 conversed with him in heavenly vision and had received instruction and a promise that the fullness of the gospel should yet be made known to him4 ,up to that time his life had been uneventful1 and of a character to make him of no particular consequence in the world2 now he stood as ,god's ,,witness among the children of men4 ,henceforth he must bear witness to the great truths he had learned4 ,his testimony will arouse the wrath of men1 and with unrelenting fury they will pursue him4 ,slander1 outright falsehood and misrepresentation will play havoc with his reputation4 ,everywhere his name will be held up as evil4 ,derision will laugh at his testimony1 ,ridicule mock it4 ,on every hand he will be met with the cry of ,false prophet6 false prophet6 ,chains and the dungeon's gloom await him2 mobs with murderous hate will assail him again and again2 and at the last1 while under the protection of the law1 and the honor of a great commonwealth pledged for his safety1 he will be murdered in cold blood for the word of ,god and the testimony of ,jesus6 ,how little that fair-haired boy1 standing there in the unpruned forest1 with the sunlight stealing through the trees about him1 realized the burden placed upon his shoulders that morning by reason of the visitation he received in answer to his prayer6 ,here is not the place for argument1 that is to come later2 but let us consider the wide-sweeping effect of this boy's vision upon the accepted theology of ,christendom4 ,first1 it was a flat contradiction to the assumption that revelation had ceased1 that ,god had no further communication to make to man4 ,second1 it reveals the errors into which men had fallen concerning the personages of the ,godhead4 ,it makes it manifest that ,god is not an incorporeal being without body1 or parts2 on the contrary he appeared to the ,prophet in the form of a man1 as he did to the ancient prophets4 ,thus after centuries of controversy the simple truth of the scriptures which teach that man was created in the likeness of ,god--hence ,god must be the same in form as man--was re-affirmed4 ,third1 it corrected the error of the theologians respecting the oneness of the persons of the ,father and the ,son4 ,instead of being one in person as the theologians taught1 they are distinct in their persons1 as much so as any father and son on earth2 and the oneness of the ,godhead referred to in the scriptures1 must have reference to unity of purpose and of will2 the mind of the one being the mind of the other1 and so as to the will and other attributes4 ,the announcement of these truths1 coupled with that other truth proclaimed by the ,son of ,god1 viz43 that none of the sects and churches of ,christendom were acknowledged as the church or kingdom of ,god1 furnish the elements for a religious revolution that will affect the very foundations of modern ,christian theology4 ,in a moment all the rubbish concerning religion which had accumulated through all the centuries since the gospel and authority to administer its ordinances had been taken from the earth1 was grandly swept aside--the living rocks of truth were made bare upon which the ,church of ,christ was to be founded--a ,new ,dispensation of the gospel was about to be committed to the earth--,god had raised up a witness for himself among the children of men4 ,footnotes #a4 ,joseph ,smith the prophet was born in ,sharon1 ,windsor ,county1 state of ,vermont1 #bcrd of ,december1 #ahje4 #b4 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #hf4 7#ahhh edition always quoted74 #c4 ,see ,joseph's reasoning upon this subject1 published in his account of the rise of the church1 written for ,mr4 ,john ,wentworth1 proprietor of the ,chicago ,democrat 7#ahdb71 ,this article is also found in a pamphlet published by ,geo ,a4 ,smith1 entitled ,answers to ,questions1 p4 #cg4 #d4 ,hist4 of ,joseph ,smith1 ,supplement to ,millennial ,star1 ,vol xiv4 #e4 ,his reasoning set down here is paraphrased from his own account of what he thought4 ,see ,hist4 of ,joseph ,smith1 ,millennial ,star1 ,vol4 xiv4 #f4 ,the exact date of this occurrence is not known4 #g4 ,answers to ,questions1 p4 #cg4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,a ,,new ,,dispensation ,,of ,,the ,,gospel4 ,the true test of moral courage is to stand alone against the world and maintain what one believes or knows to be the truth4 ,it is easy enough to join in the chorus that cries ,amen to orthodox doctrines1 or even to lead in advocating opinions that the multitude by very force of tradition accept with applause4 ,even unpopular opinions are maintained and that stoutly by men whose moral courage falls very far short of the sublime1 if only they are supported by a following4 ,just as men of indifferent physical courage will sometimes show a spirit of desperate daring1 and rush into the jaws of death1 borne up against the danger by the sheer consciousness of moving upon it with a large number of their fellows4 ,examples are furnished by armies in battle4 ,not a few of those who charge the enemy with apparent reckless bravery are borne along by the strength which comes from the support of numbers4 ,the charge upon the enemy1 therefore1 even in the face of a galling fire1 is not the truest test of the courage of the soldier4 ,a better evidence of courage is given by the solitary sentinel upon his beat2 when alone under the quiet stars he walks the path of danger1 uncertain where it may be lurking or from what quarter it may come2 when the shouts of his comrades are hushed in slumber2 when the soul-stirring drum and ear-piercing fife are silent2 when the excitement which comes from action1 and the tumult of glorious battle no longer sustains him--then if his spirit fails him not1 and he calmly and alone faces the danger and does his duty1 he gives his commander a better evidence of his courage than he will ever give in the mad recklessness of the charge4 ,as dogs best hunt in packs1 so men best fight in armies2 and so1 too1 do men best stand by their convictions when strengthened by that moral support which comes from the approval of their fellows4 ,but1 as ,i remarked1 the truest test of moral courage is to stand alone and maintain what one either knows or believes to be the truth against the sneers and ridicule of the world4 ,when the one who stands alone against millions is young1 and the influences brought to bear against him are the most powerful that can be employed2 if he break not down1 but steadily holds to the assertion or principle which gives offense1 his courage and integrity must stand as presumptive evidence that he either has the truth or what he believes to be the truth1 for out and out falsehood has no such heroes4 ,the truth alone1 or what is honestly taken for it1 can support men in such an issue as this4 ,and more especially is this the case if the one undergoing the trial1 in addition to tender years1 is also unschooled in the vices of the world1 is of quick sympathies and easily persuaded4 ,such was ,joseph ,smith when he received that vision of the ,father and the ,son described in a preceding chapter4 ,he had but just completed his fourteenth year4 ,the conditions amid which he spent his childhood--not yet ended--were such as to keep him innocent2 and his deep filial love and strong affection for brothers and sisters gave evidence of the existence in him of those quick sympathies which in later life developed into that deep universal love for his fellow-men so characteristic of him2 while the disposition to yield to the persuasion of his friends was so prominent in him as well nigh to amount to weakness4 #a ,thus in him were all those qualities of character1 and about him were all those conditions1 which make his stand for the truth of his story of such great force as presumptive evidence of its correctness2 for notwithstanding his youth1 his inclination to yield to the persuasions of friends1 his deep sympathetic soul1 which was pained at the abuse heaped upon his parents as well as upon himself for asserting that he had seen a vision--notwithstanding all this1 he never could be induced either by persuasion1 by threats1 by scoffs1 by scorn or ridicule1 or religious influence1 or abuse heaped upon himself and family1 to retract his declaration that he had seen a heavenly vision in which he beheld both ,god the ,father and his ,son ,jesus ,christ4 ,he made no secret of the vision4 ,only a few days after receiving it1 being in company with a prominent ,methodist minister1 he gave him an account of the revelation which he had received from ,god1 when to the boy's astonishment the minister railed most viciously against it4 ,he treated my communication not only lightly1 says the ,prophet1 writing of those early experiences later in life1 but with contempt1 saying it was all of the devil1 that there was no such thing as visions or revelations in these days2 that all such things had ceased with the apostles1 and that there never would be any more of them4 ,i soon found1 however1 that by telling the story ,i had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion1 and was the cause of great persecution1 which continued to increase1 and though ,i was an obscure boy1 only between fourteen and fifteen years of age1 and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world1 yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me1 and create a hot persecution1 and this was common among all the sects1 all united to persecute me4 ,it has often caused me serious reflection1 both then and since1 how very strange it was that an obscure boy1 a little over fourteen year of age1 and one1 too1 who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily labor1 should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day1 so as to create in them a spirit of the hottest persecution and reviling4 ,but strange or not1 so it was1 and was often a cause of great sorrow to myself4 ,however1 it was1 nevertheless1 a fact that ,i had had a vision4 ,i have thought since that ,i felt much like ,paul when he made his defense before ,king ,agrippa1 and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light and heard a voice1 but still there were but a few who believed him2 and some said he was dishonest2 others said he was mad1 and he was ridiculed and reviled2 but all this did not destroy the reality of his vision4 ,he had seen a vision1 he knew he had1 and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise2 and though they should persecute him unto death1 yet he knew and would know to his latest breath that he had both seen a light1 and heard a voice speaking to him1 and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise4 ,so it was with me2 ,i had actually seen a light1 and in the midst of that light ,i saw two personages1 and they did in reality speak unto me1 or one of them did2 and though ,i was hated and persecuted for saying that ,i had seen a vision1 yet it was true2 and while they were persecuting me1 reviling me and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely1 for so saying1 ,i was led to say in my heart3 ,why persecute for telling the truth8 ,i had actually seen a vision1 and who am ,i that ,i can withstand ,god8 ,or why does the world think to make me deny what ,i have actually seen8 ,for ,i had seen a vision4 ,i knew it1 and ,i knew that ,god knew it1 and ,i could not deny it1 neither dare ,i do it2 at least ,i knew that by so doing ,i would offend ,god and come under condemnation4 #b ,this statement the boy maintained alone 7save such support as came from the belief of his own family1 none of the immediate members of which1 so far as ,i have learned1 ever doubting his story71 against the world for three years2 without even the encouragement of a further spiritual manifestation4 ,it would be improper1 as ,i believe1 to say that ,god did this to prove him4 ,the ,almighty1 who is also ,all ,knowing1 knew before the test was made that he would endure it4 ,god knew his spirit and its nobility and strength as he knew ,messiah's or ,abraham's2 ,he knew it as he knew the spirit of ,jeremiah and ordained him1 too1 to be a prophet to the nations before he was born4 #c ,but if ,god needed no new evidence of the strength of character possessed by his ,new ,witness2 if he needed no proof of his integrity1 his devotion to the truth--the world did2 and during that period of three years of sore trial1 when alone he maintained the truth against scoffing priests1 the gibes of his companions1 and the sneers1 ridicule and unbelief of the world1 he gave to the generation in which he lived and to all generations succeeding1 such evidence of his integrity to the truth1 or what at least he believed to be true1 as ought and will secure the respectful attention of sincere men to the testimony he bears for ,god4 ,the constancy of the lad1 under all the circumstances1 laid deep the foundation for faith in the man1 and in the work which1 under ,god1 he founded4 ,there were so many interests--the peace of himself and family2 his own and his family's good name and standing in society2 the applause of religionists who would have hailed with delight his renunciation of the vision as a delusion of the devil--all these things cried out1 ,renounce it6 ,but the fact that to all such demands the lad shouted back1 ',tis ,god's truth1 ,i saw the vision6--will go far towards making men believe that he did2 for had he been base enough to invent such a story1 when he found that it made against his interest and brought nothing but reproaches1 without doubt1 he would have denied it2 for men seldom persist in conscious falsehood which works only to their disadvantage4 ,and in this instance the renunciation would have been so easy by calling it a delusion wrought by the adversary of men's souls1 by which he had been deceived4 ,but neither ease of denial nor the seeming advantages to accrue from it moved him2 against it all he was supported by the consciousness of having told the truth4 ,unless indeed we can believe him so insane as to have been a candidate for disgrace and ambitious of the contempt of his fellows4 ,at the end of three years' silence1 viz41 on the #bast of ,september1 #ahbc1 he was blessed with another vision4 ,during the three years he was left to stand alone he lays no claim to perfect sanctity1 but freely confesses to have fallen frequently into foolish errors1 and displayed the weakness of youth1 and the corruption of human nature4 ,in consequence of these things he often felt condemned2 and on the above mentioned #bast of ,september1 he betook himself to prayer to ,almighy ,god1 sought a remission of his sins1 and asked for a manifestation of his standing before the ,lord4 ,while thus calling upon ,god in prayer1 the room in which he knelt was filled with light1 and an angel stood in his presence1 who announced himself a messenger sent from ,god to inform him that the ,lord had a work for him to do2 and that his name should be had for good and evil among all nations2 or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people4 #d ,moroni1 for such was the angel's name1 was one of the ancient prophets who had lived in ,america2 he was now raised from the dead1 #e and had come to make known the existence of the record of the ancient inhabitants of the western hemisphere4 ,besides giving an account of the ancient peoples who inhabited ,america and the source from whence they sprang1 this record also contained the fullness of the gospel as delivered by the ,savior to them4 ,hidden with the record were two stones in silver bows1 and the bows fastened to a breast-plate1 constituting the ,urim and ,thummim4 ,the ability to use the ,urim and ,thummim was what constituted seers in ancient times1 and they had been deposited with this record for the purpose of translating it4 ,after these explanations1 ,moroni began quoting and explaining a number of the prophecies of the ,old ,testament4 ,following are the passages in the order in which he quoted them3 ,part of the #crd chapter of ,malachi1 #dth chapter of ,malachi2 #aath chapter of ,isaiah--saying it was about to be fulfilled2 #crd chapter of ,acts1 #bbnd and #bcrd verses1 saying that the prophet therein named was ,jesus ,christ1 but the time when those who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people had not yet come1 but would soon come2 #bnd chapter of ,joel1 from #bhth verse to the last3 this was not fulfilled1 but soon would be4 ,some of the passages he quoted differently from the way they read in our ,english version4 ,malachi #crd chapter1 #ast verse1 for example1 he quoted as follows3 ,for behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven1 and all the proud1 yea1 and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble2 for they that come shall burn them1 saith the ,lord of ,hosts1 and it shall leave them neither root nor branch4 ,the #eth and #fth verses he quoted thus3 ,behold ,i will reveal unto you the priesthood by the hand of ,elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord4 ,and he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers2 if it were not so the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming4 ,this heavenly messenger appeared to him three times during that night and each time related the same things to him1 the interviews occupying nearly the whole night4 ,the next day while working beside his father in a field ,joseph was taken ill4 ,his father observing it advised him to go to the house4 ,this the boy started to do1 but in climbing over the fence1 which separated the field from the house1 his strength utterly failed him1 and he sank to the ground unconscious4 ,he was aroused by some one calling his name1 and when he regained consciousness the messenger of the night before stood near him4 ,again the things of the night before were repeated2 and he received a commandment to go and tell his father the vision4 ,this he did and his father encouraged him to do as he had been commanded4 ,he accordingly went as directed in his vision to the place where the record of the ancient ,americans was concealed--to a hill called by them ,cumorah4 ,removing the grass and soil which was about the edges of the stone box that contained the ancient record1 with a lever he raised the lid and there saw the gold plates and the ,urim and ,thummim4 ,he was about to take them from the box1 when the angel ,moroni again stood before him1 and forbade his taking them out1 as the time for them to be given to him for translation had not yet come1 nor would it come until four years from that date4 ,he was commanded to come at the end of each year to that place1 and the angel would meet him to give the necessary instruction4 ,this ,joseph did for four successive years1 and each time met the same heavenly messenger and received instruction4 ,on the occasion of the fourth meeting1 viz41 on the #bbnd of ,september1 #ahbg1 the record was given into his hands to translate4 ,this work of translation1 through the grace of ,god1 he accomplished1 and in #ahcj the ,book of ,mormon was published to the world4 ,before it was published1 the plates of gold on which it had been engraven by the ancient inhabitants of the land1 were shown by the angel ,moroni to ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,david ,whitmer and ,martin ,harris1 together with the ,urim and ,thummim through which the translation was effected2 and their testimony to this fact was printed over their signatures on the fly-leaf of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,joseph ,smith himself exhibited the plates to eight other persons1 viz3 ,christian1 ,jacob1 ,peter and ,john ,whitmer2 ,hiram ,page1 ,joseph ,smith1 ,sen41 ,hyrum ,smith and ,samuel ,h4 ,smith4 ,the testimony of these eight witnesses to the effect that they had seen1 and handled the plates from which the ,book of ,mormon had been translated1 and examined the characters engraven thereon1 was also printed in the first and all subsequent authorized editions of the book4 #f ,it must be understood that during the progress of the young ,prophet's work1 persecution was continuous2 and slander with her thousand tongues was inventing falsehood to destroy the work of ,god4 ,but while opposition was strong1 the ,lord from time to time raised up friends to assist him in his labors and share his responsibilities4 ,among such persons was one ,oliver ,cowdery1 a young school teacher1 who while following his profession in the town of ,manchester1 was boarding in the family of ,joseph ,smith's parents1 from whom he learned of the revelations of ,god to ,joseph1 and of his having the record of the ancient inhabitants of ,america4 ,the youthful ,prophet at this time was living at ,harmony1 ,susquehanna ,county1 ,pennsylvania4 ,he had married a ,miss ,emma ,hale and settled there on a piece of land purchased of his father-in-law4 ,oliver ,cowdery went to ,harmony to investigate the claims of ,joseph ,smith1 both in respect to his receiving revelations from ,god and having the ,book of ,mormon4 ,he became satisfied upon both points and remained with him to act as his scribe in the work of translation4 ,in ,may1 #ahbi1 the work of translation drawing near to completion1 they came upon a passage in the ,book of ,mormon respecting baptism1 upon which they held different views4 ,they retired to the woods on the #aeth of ,may to present the matter before the ,lord for further light1 and while engaged in calling upon ,god in prayer1 a personage appeared to them surrounded by a glorious light1 who1 as he laid his hands upon their heads1 said3 ,upon you my fellow servants1 in the name of ,messiah1 ,i confer the priesthood of ,aaron1 which holds the keys of the ministering of angels1 and of the gospel of repentance1 and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins2 and this shall never be taken again from the earth1 until the sons of ,levi do offer again an offering unto the ,lord in righteousness4 ,the ,messenger who thus conferred the ,aaronic priesthood upon them was named ,john1 the same that is called the ,baptist in the ,new ,testament4 ,he had been raised from the dead1 and was now sent as a messenger from ,god to confer the keys of the ,aaronic priesthood upon ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery4 ,he told them that he acted under the direction of the apostles ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 and that some time in the near future the ,melchisedek or higher priesthood would be conferred upon them4 ,he then commanded them to each baptize the other1 ,joseph to first baptize ,oliver1 and then ,oliver to baptize ,joseph4 ,thus the work of baptizing men for the remission of sins began in the new dispensation4 ,some time in the following month1 ,june1 #ahbi1 the promise made by ,john to ,joseph and ,oliver that the ,melchisedek ,priesthood would be conferred upon them was fulfilled4 ,in the wilderness between ,harmony1 ,susquehanna ,county1 ,penn41 and ,colesville1 ,broom ,county1 ,new ,york1 on the banks of the ,susquehanna ,river1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john conferred upon ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery the apostleship1 the keys of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood1 which gave them the right to build up the church of ,christ in all the world1 and organize it in all its departments4 ,it is proper here to say a few words upon the subject of priesthood4 ,priesthood is power which ,god confers upon man1 by which he becomes an agent for ,god1 authorized to act in his name4 ,it may be to warn a city or nation of approaching calamity because of corruption2 it may be to teach faith in ,god1 or cry repentance to the wicked2 it may be to baptize in water for the remission of sins1 or lay on hands1 as the ancient apostles did1 for the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost2 or it may be to lay on hands for the healing of the sick1 or all these things combined4 ,men who hold the priesthood possess divine authority thus to act for ,god2 and by possessing part of ,god's power they are in reality part of ,god1 that is1 in the sense of being part of the great governing power that extends throughout the universe4 ,this is the authority of men that hold the priesthood1 and when those who possess it walk in obedience to the commandments of ,god1 men who honor the priesthood in them1 honor ,god2 and those who reject it reject ,god1 even the power of ,god4 ,it was doubtless these considerations which led ,jesus to say1 when sending out his apostles to preach the gospel3 ,he that receiveth you1 receiveth me2 and he that receiveth me1 receiveth him that sent me4 99 99 99 ,and whosoever shall not receive you1 nor hear your words when ye depart out of that house or city1 shake off the dust of your feet4 ,verily ,i say unto you1 it shall be more tolerable for the land of ,sodom and ,gomorrah in the day of judgment1 than for that city4 #g ,considered in the light of these sayings of ,jesus1 the priesthood is a solemn thing4 ,to hold power delegated to one by ,almighty ,god--to have authority to speak and act in his name1 and have it of the same binding force as if the ,deity himself spoke or acted1 is both an honor and a responsibility which few men comprehend4 ,it is an awe-inspiring thing4 ,yet such authority ,god does confer upon men4 ,it was bestowed upon the ,patriarchs before the flood1 upon ,melchisedek1 ,abraham1 ,moses1 and the prophets4 ,it was given to the apostles through ,jesus2 he said to ,peter1 ,i will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven2 and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven2 and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven4 #h ,these mighty keys of authority were conferred1 as related in the foregoing1 upon ,joseph ,smith1 and by that authority he organized the ,church and regulated its affairs up to the time of his death4 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ1 in the new dispensation under the direction of revelation from ,god1 was organized on the #fth day of ,april1 #ahcj4 ,that organization was very simple2 it was effected with six members4 ,joseph ,smith was acknowledged as the first ,elder of the ,church1 and ,oliver ,cowdery as the second ,elder2 but before the meeting which organized the ,church adjourned1 the ,church was commanded to keep a record in which the ,prophet ,joseph was to be called a seer1 a translator1 a prophet1 an apostle of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 an ,elder of the church4 #i ,the more complete organization of the church with ,apostles1 ,seventies1 ,high ,priests1 ,elders1 ,bishops1 ,priests1 ,teachers and ,deacons was a later development1 and will receive attention in a subsequent chapter4 ,in the month of ,february1 #ahcb1 ,joseph ,smith and ,sidney ,rigdon #aj were wrapt in vision1 in which they beheld the ,son of ,god and conversed with him--let them bear their own testimony3 ,we1 ,joseph ,smith1 ,jun41 and ,sidney ,rigdon1 being in the spirit on the sixteenth of ,february1 in the year of our ,lord1 one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two1 by the power of the spirit1 our eyes were opened1 and our understandings were enlightened so as to see and understand the things of ,god--even those things which were from the beginning1 before the world was1 which were ordained of the ,father through his ,only ,begotten ,son who was in the bosom of the ,father even from the beginning4 ,of whom we bear record1 and the record which we bear is the fullness of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 who is the ,son1 whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision2 for while we were doing the work of translation which the ,lord had appointed to us1 we came to the tenth verse of the fifth chapter of ,john1 which was given to us as follows--speaking of the resurrection of the dead1 concerning those who shall hear the voice of the ,son of ,man1 and shall come forth3 ',they who have done good in the resurrection of the just and they who have done evil in the resurrection of the unjust4' #aa ,now this caused us to marvel1 for it was given unto us of the ,spirit2 and while we meditated upon these things1 the ,lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened1 and the glory of the ,lord shone round about2 and we beheld the glory of the ,son on the right hand of the ,father1 and received of his fullness2 and saw the holy angels1 and they who are sanctified before his throne1 worshiping ,god and the ,lamb1 who worship him forever and ever4 ,and now1 after the many testimonies which have been given of him1 this is the testimony last of all which we give of him1 that he lives2 for we saw him1 even on the right hand of ,god1 and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the ,only ,begotten of the ,father--that by him and through him and of him the worlds are and were created1 and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto ,god4 #ab ,four years after the vision of ,joseph ,smith and ,sidney ,rigdon1 viz41 ,april #fth1 #ahcf1 other visions of ,jesus ,christ and several mighty angels were given to the ,prophet and ,oliver ,cowdery4 ,the visions occurred during the dedication of the ,kirtland ,temple4 ,the first was of ,jesus ,christ1 who declared his acceptance of the temple4 ,the angels came to deliver certain keys of authority to ,joseph ,smith4 ,following is the ,prophet's account of the several manifestations3 ,the vail was taken from our minds1 and the eyes of our understanding were opened4 ,we saw the ,lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit1 before us1 and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold in color like amber4 ,his eyes were as a flame of fire1 the hair of his head was white like pure snow1 his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun1 and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters1 even the voice of ,jehovah1 saying ',i am the first and the last1 ,i am he who liveth1 ,i am he who was slain1 ,i am your advocate with the ,father4 ,behold1 your sins are forgiven you1 you are clean before me1 therefore lift up your heads and rejoice4 ,let the hearts of your brethren rejoice1 and let the hearts of all my people rejoice who have1 with their might1 built this house to my name2 for behold1 ,i have accepted this house1 and my name shall be here1 and ,i will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house4 ,yea1 ,i will appear unto my servants and speak unto them with mine own voice1 if my people will keep my commandments1 and do not pollute this holy house1 yea1 the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out1 and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house2 and the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands1 and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people1 even so1 ,amen4 ,after this vision closed1 the heavens were again opened unto us1 and ,moses appeared before us and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of ,israel from the four parts of the earth1 and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north4 ,after this ,elias appeared and committed the dispensation of the gospel of ,abraham1 saying1 that in us1 and our seed1 all generations after us should be blessed4 ,after this vision closed1 another great and glorious vision burst upon us1 for ,elijah1 the prophet1 who was taken to heaven without tasting death1 stood before us1 and said3 ',behold the time is fully come1 which was spoken by the mouth of ,malachi1 testifying that he ,elijah should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the ,lord come1 to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and the children to the fathers1 lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse4 ,therefore the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands1 and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the ,lord is near1 even at the doors4 #ac ,there were numerous other revelations given to ,joseph ,smith and to others through him2 for he was ,god's mouthpiece to men in this new dispensation1 both before and after the church was organized4 ,some of these revelations were received through the ,urim and ,thummim which the angel ,moroni gave into his possession in connection with the gold plates of the ,book of ,mormon4 #ad ,other revelations were received through inspiration from ,god acting directly upon the ,prophet4 ,of the manner in which these last named revelations were received1 a prominent writer and officer in the church who was present on several such occasions1 says4 ,each sentence was uttered slowly and very distinctly1 and with a pause between each sufficiently long for it to be recorded by an ordinary writer in long hand4 ,this was the manner in which all his written revelations were dictated and written4 ,there was never any hesitation1 reviewing or reading back to keep the thread of the subject2 neither did any of these communications undergo revisions1 interlinings1 or corrections4 ,as he dictated them1 so they stood1 so far as ,i have witnessed2 and ,i was present to witness the dictation of several communications of several pages4 #ae ,with the revelations thus received1 as well as those received through the ,urim and ,thummim1 we shall have more or less to do in this work2 but the visions and ministrations of angels related in this and the preceding chapter constitute the basis upon which the work of ,god in this new dispensation is founded4 ,from the information and authority received through them comes the organization of the ,church of ,christ and the proclamation of the ,gospel in all the world4 ,the manifestations are of a character which preclude all possibility of the parties who received them being mistaken4 ,if the great work of ,god in these last days1 were founded alone upon the internal inspiration or illumination of the ,prophet ,joseph1 the probability of his belonging to that very large number of well-meaning but mistaken men who have thought themselves inspired of ,god would be very much increased2 for nothing is more common perhaps than self-deception in such matters4 ,mormonism1 however1 came into existence not alone from internal inspiration1 or divine inward illumination of ,joseph ,smith2 but from what we may term external revelations as well2 revelations which appeal to the senses of the mind as well as to the inner consciousness4 ,review them ,i pray you3 ,god the ,father and his ,son ,jesus ,christ are beheld in the full light of day--nay1 in an effulgence of light1 brighter than the sunlight at noon-day4 ,and a direct conversation is held with them upon a matter-of-fact subject for some length of time4 ,one of the resurrected prophets of ancient ,america appears three times in one night1 and twice the following day2 he conversed upon a variety of subjects1 but the main purpose of his visitation was to reveal the existence of the record of an ancient people4 ,at the end of each year1 for four successive years1 this same heavenly messenger repeats his visits1 and at the last gives into the possession of ,joseph ,smith a volume of gold plates1 the engravings on which the ,prophet translated into the ,english language4 ,an angel exhibits these same plates to other men1 and permits them to examine the engravings thereon4 ,eight other men see and handle the plates and examine the characters engraven on them4 ,another angel1 also a resurrected prophet1 appears in broad day light and lays his hands upon the heads of two men1 viz3 ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 and ordains them to the ,aaronic ,priesthood4 ,three of the ancient apostles appear and ordain the same men to the ,melchisedek or higher ,priesthood4 ,jesus is seen by two men1 viz41 ,joseph ,smith and ,sidney ,rigdon1 at the right hand of ,god the ,father1 and a protracted conversation ensues4 ,jesus is again seen in the ,temple at ,kirtland1 by ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery and again his voice is heard4 ,on the same occasion ,moses1 ,elias1 and ,elijah1 the prophet1 appeared and conferred certain keys of authority upon two men--,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery4 ,now all this appeals to the outward senses4 ,it is matter of fact4 ,it is tangible4 ,it all occurred and is a solemn verity1 or it is all wicked fabrication4 ,a fabrication it is possible for it to be1 but it can never be resolved into a mere mistake--a self-deception4 ,the men who affirm all of it to have taken place may have been villains1 bent on deluding mankind2 for wicked men still lie in wait to deceive2 but they can never be classed as well-meaning but mistaken men4 ,either what ,joseph ,smith and his associates affirm is true1 or they are base and conscious imposters4 ,the manifestations of which they proclaim themselves witnesses are so palpable to the senses--to sight1 and touch and hearing2 they occur at such times and places1 and under such circumstances1 and are so frequently repeated1 that there can be no possibility of mistake4 ,in the consideration of their testimony1 therefore1 there is no middle ground between the extremes of absolute truthfulness or absolute falsehood1 and ,i ask the readers of this book to take up the investigation upon which we are about to enter in this spirit4 ,footnotes #a4 ,after the plates from which the ,book of ,mormon was translated were delivered to the prophet ,joseph1 the ,lord had occasion to reprove him several times for his disposition to yield to the persuasion of men4 ,when he received the record of the ,nephites the ,lord put him under a covenant to show them to no one except to those to whom the ,lord should command him to show them 7,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 v4 #c74 ,when he had translated enough to make #aaf pages of old foolscap manuscript1 ,martin ,harris continually importuned him to be allowed to show that much of the work to his friends4 ,this the ,lord forbid1 but ,harris continuing his importunings1 and ,joseph in turn petitioning the ,lord at ,harris' request1 permission was at last granted1 and the ,,ms4 was stolen4 ,joseph1 for thus yielding to the persuasion of ,martin ,harris after the word of the ,lord was known1 lost for a season his gift to translate1 and the plates were taken from him4 ,when they were returned1 and permission given to continue the work of translation1 the ,lord thus reproved him for his disposition to yield to persuasion3 ,behold1 you have been intrusted with these things1 but how strict were your commandments2 and remember1 also1 the promises which were made to you1 if you did not transgress them2 and behold1 how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of ,god1 and have gone on in the persuasions of men6 7,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 iii74 ,and again the ,lord said to him3 ,and now1 ,i command you1 my servant ,joseph1 to repent and walk more uprightly before me1 and yield to the persuasions of men no more2 and that you be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith ,i have commanded you1 and if you do this1 behold ,i grant unto you eternal life1 even if you should be slain4 7,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 v74 ,but this characteristic was only manifested early in his career4 ,or if it appeared later in life1 it was only in relation to things indifferent--that is1 in things that did not involve a sacrifice of principle4 #b4 ,extracts from the ,history of ,joseph ,smith1 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 7#ahhh edition71 pp4 #hi1 #ij1 #ia4 #c4 ,before ,i formed thee in the belly ,i knew thee2 and before thou camest forth out of the womb ,i sanctified thee1 and ordained thee a prophet unto the nations--,the ,lord to ,jeremiah1 ,jeremiah ch4 i3#e4 #d4 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #id 7ed4 of #ahhh74 #e4 ,it certainly ought not to be difficult for ,christians to believe in the existence of resurrected men2 for in ,matthew's ,gospel we read3 ,and the graves were opened2 and many bodies of the saints which slept arose1 and came out of the graves after his 7,christ's7 resurrection1 and went into the holy city1 and appeared unto many 7,matt4 xxvii3 #eb1 #ec74 ,if the ancient saints on the eastern hemisphere who were worthy arose from the dead after the resurrection of ,jesus1 it is not improbable1 but rather reasonable1 that the worthy saints who had lived upon the western hemisphere also should be raised from the dead4 #f4 ,this is a very brief and imperfect account of the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,a fuller account will be given in a volume which will treat upon the ,book of ,mormon as a ',witness for ,god1 now in course of preparation by the author1 and ,i shall then write in greater detail of its coming forth4 ,i could not do so in this volume on account of the space it would require1 and besides1 such an account more properly belongs to the part of my work that will treat exclusively of that book4 #g4 ,matt4 x4 #h4 ,matt4 xvi4 #i4 ,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 xxi4 #aj4 ,sidney ,rigdon1 born in ,pennsylvania1 #aith of ,february1 #agic1 had been prominently connected with what is known as the ,campbellite or ,reformed ,baptist movement in the ,united ,states2 but was converted to a belief in the restoration of the gospel through ,joseph ,smith1 by ,elder ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 who first presented him with the ,book of ,mormon4 ,at the time indicated in the text he was a prominent ,elder in the ,church and closely associated with ,joseph ,smith4 #aa4 ,in the ,english version of the ,new ,testament the passage reads3 ,and shall come forth2 they that have done good unto the resurrection of life2 and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation4 ,st4 ,john v3 #bi4 #ab4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxvi4 #ac4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cx4 #ad4 ,the revelations known to have been received through the ,urim and ,thummim are the following3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 iii1 ,ibid1 ,sec4 vi1 ,sec4 vii1 ,sec4 xi1 ,sec1 xiv1 ,sec4 xv1 ,sec4 xvi1 ,sec4 xviii4 ,there were doubtless others received through that sacred instrument1 but these are specially mentioned as being so received4 #ae4 ,autb4 of ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 p4 #fe1 #ff4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,objections ,,to ,,the ,,witness ,,considered4 ,since1 as we have seen1 a new dispensation of the gospel in the last days is to be given to man2 and as neither the ,reformers of the sixteenth century1 nor any person since their day and before ,joseph ,smith has even made any pretension that ,god by a new revelation and the ministry of angels restored the gospel2 and as that is the manner in which ,god has promised to restore the gospel1 may not ,joseph ,smith be the prophet of the ,new ,dispensation1 the instrument in the hands of ,god to bring to pass his purpose in the great work of the last days8 ,some man must be chosen1 why not he8 ,these questions lead me to the consideration of those objections urged against ,joseph ,smith as reasons for believing that he was not a prophet of ,god4 ,first of all1 ,i shall consider the one made against him on account of his humble birth and lowly station in life4 ,it would be well-nigh an endless1 as also a useless task to repeat what has been said of ,joseph ,smith on this score4 ,not content with the facts in the case1 malice has employed misrepresentation to degrade his family in the estimation of the world2 and sneer and ridicule have done what they could to cast discredit upon his pretensions1 by pointing to the rock from whence he was hewn1 and the supposed pit from whence he was digged4 ,his friends and followers are prepared to admit the whole truth in respect to his humble origin and lowly station in life4 ,the character of his parents1 the circumstances under which he himself was reared are detailed in chapter ,x of this book4 ,it will be remembered that his forefathers were among the earlier settlers of ,new ,england2 that his father was a farmer1 industrious1 honorable1 though in humble circumstance2 and under the necessity of laboring with his hands in wood or field to support his large family4 ,it has already been said that the youthful ,prophet ,joseph shared these labors4 ,but of what value is the objection of lowly birth and humble station8 ,is it to be argued that if the ,lord had a communication to make to mankind1 such as ,joseph ,smith claims to have received1 he would have chosen some of the great ones of the earth1 one of high birth1 of vast fortune1 of profound learning1 of deep knowledge and famous for eloquence8 ,such an one man might choose1 but how often has ,god done otherwise6 ,let the roll in part be called3 ,moses and ,aaron1 the sons of an ,israelitish slave2 ,joshua1 the same2 ,david1 a shepherd2 the prophet ,amos1 a shepherd and dresser of sycamore trees2 the apostles of ,jesus ,christ1 men of the lowliest birth and humblest occupations2 ,peter and ,andrew his brother1 were fishermen2 ,john and ,james1 the sons of ,zebedee1 also fishermen2 ,matthew1 a despised tax-collector2 ,paul1 a tent-maker2 and while of the occupations of the rest of the apostles nothing is known definitely1 we have every reason to believe that they were men of the humblest extraction and meanest occupation4 ,these are some of those whom ,god called to do his work4 ,he has not always confined his choice to men of this class2 sometimes he has chosen men of royal descent and from what are called the higher walks of life4 ,because ,deity has chosen his servants so frequently from those of humble extraction and occupation1 it is not for me to flout the rich and learned and great4 ,that were an arrogance as offensive to the spirit of right reason and to heaven1 as that which ,i condemn in those who affect to despise the ,prophet ,joseph because of his humble birth and circumstances4 ,by citing the fact that ,god in other ages has chosen men of lowly birth and mean occupation1 ,i only desire to show that there is no value in the objection urged against ,joseph ,smith on the ground of his humble station in life4 ,let ,joseph ,smith's birth be as humble as it will1 it cannot be more lowly than that of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the fortunes of the mother of the prophet were not more fallen than those of ,mary1 the mother of ,jesus4 ,a log house in ,sharon1 ,vermont1 was not a more humble birth-place than a stable in ,bethlehem4 ,the rude cradle of ,joseph ,smith1 made by his father's hands1 though rough hewn1 was at least equal to the ruder manger of the stable at ,bethlehem2 and the occupation of husband-man1 which the father of ,joseph followed1 and in which the ,prophet in boyhood assisted him1 is not more humble as an occupation than that of a carpenter which the supposed father of ,jesus followed1 and in which ,jesus doubtless assisted him1 before entering upon his public ministry4 ,indeed1 ,i may say that neither ,joseph ,smith nor any other prophet has been permitted to start from a more lowly station in life than the ,son of ,god2 for it is fitting that he who is to ascend above all things--all heights1 principalities and powers1 should also descend below all things1 that he might in all things touch all points of human experience so that whatever the experience of man might be1 however lowly his station1 however distressing his misfortunes2 however poor1 forsaken1 desolate2 however ridiculed1 despised1 hated1 persecuted2 however tempted--looking down from his exalted throne at the right hand of ,god1 with his soul swelling with compassion1 ,jesus might say--,the ,son of ,man hath descended below them all4 #a ,the objections urged against ,joseph ,smith on the ground of his lowly birth and humble occupation are without value4 ,writing to the saints at ,corinth1 the apostle to the ,gentiles says3 ,for ye see your calling1 brethren1 how that not many wise men after the flesh1 not many mighty1 not many noble1 are called3 ,but ,god hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise2 and ,god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty2 and base things of the world1 and things1 which are despised1 hath ,god chosen1 yea1 and things which are not1 to bring to naught the things which are4 #b ,the reason ,god assigns for pursuing such a course in the selection of his servants is said to be1 ,that no flesh should glory in his presence4 99 99 99 ,that according as it is written1 he that glorieth1 let him glory in the ,lord4 #c ,if the wisdom of this method of procedure does not appeal to the intelligence of man1 let him accept it as an evidence that ,god's ways are not as man's ways1 nor his thoughts as man's thoughts4 ,of this1 too1 we may be assured--that as the heavens are higher than the earth1 so are ,god's ways higher than man's ways2 and his thoughts than man's thoughts4 #d ,moreover1 as ,i have remarked elsewhere1 #e it has become proverbial that all great movements1 all reformations1 all revolutions must produce their own leaders2 and this is true of the great work of the last days--the establishment of the ,church of ,christ on earth--as it is of any other great movement4 ,leaders in established usages and institutions1 political1 social or religious1 are seldom or never converted to innovations4 ,they usually consider it to their interest to oppose change1 especially those changes which from their very nature1 cast any shadow of doubt upon the correctness of existing customs or institutions with which they are connected4 ,hence it happened that the ,jewish ,rabbis1 the priests1 the scribes1 the members of the great ,sanhedrim did not accept the doctrine of ,messiah and become the chief apostles1 seventies and elders of the new church4 ,on the contrary1 this class were the stubbornest opponents of the doctrines taught by the ,son of ,god1 and his most implacable enemies4 ,it was the common people who heard him gladly1 and from their number he chose the apostles1 who1 through the ,god-given powers of the priesthood conferred upon them1 shook the old systems of morals and religion from their foundations4 ,from the very nature of things it must be necessary that men whose minds are unwarped by prevailing customs and traditions1 should be selected to establish a new order of religion1 of government or society4 ,how could the ,jewish priests and rabbis1 bound by long custom to a slavish adherence to the outward forms and ceremonies of the ,mosaic ritual1 the spirit of which had long been made of no effect by the rubbish of false traditions1 open their minds to receive the larger and nobler doctrines of the gospel of ,christ unmixed with the pomp and circumstance which men of that age considered essential to religion8 ,can men educated to an attachment for despotic government1 and whose interests are bound up with its maintenance1 be expected to look with favor on democratic principles1 or become the champions of a republic8 ,finally1 were the religious leaders of the early part of the nineteenth century educated to the idea that revelation had ceased2 that the voice of prophecy was forever silenced2 that the ministration of angels was ended2 that the miraculous powers of the ,holy ,ghost were done away2 that the ancient organization of the church was no longer needed--were such men1 filled with pride which the learning of the world too often infuses into the hearts of those who possess it--were such men qualified to stand at the head of1 and become leading actors in the dispensation of the fullness of times8 ,a dispensation opened by a new revelation1 by numerous visitations of angels1 and to end eventually in the full establishment of the ,church of ,christ1 the restoration of the house of ,israel and the complete redemption of the earth and all its inhabitants8 ,such a work was too large1 too high and too deep for minds filled with false sectarian ideas4 ,hence ,god chose for his servant to stand at the head of this great and last dispensation1 a man whose mind was unwarped by false education2 but one of large capacity2 possessing breadth and freedom of thought1 of sanguine1 fearless temperament3 a child of nature1 with a conscience unseared by worldly guile and a stranger to motives other than those dictated by an honest purpose2 and withal1 full of implicit confidence in ,god--a confidence born of a living faith in the fact of ,deity's existence1 and a consciousness of the rectitude of his own intentions and life4 ,as ill-founded as the objection based upon his humble parentage and station in life is that objection which arises out of the fact that he was evil spoken of by the world4 ,let not the reader here confound reputation with character4 ,they are quite distinct1 ,i assure you4 ,the latter is what one is2 the former may be a fool's estimate of one2 or1 even worse1 it may be and often is a thing created by liars and knaves--formed by misrepresentations and set on its feet by malice4 ,when favorable it is often obtained without merit1 and as often lost without deserving4 ,but with character it is not so4 ,that stands independent of the estimate of fools or the misrepresentation of knaves4 ,it is formed in great part by ourselves2 in part by our surroundings2 in part by ,god4 ,it is what we are irrespective of what the world may think or say of us4 ,i have said so much that the reader may be reminded that a man's character may be good1 while his reputation may be villainous2 or vice versa4 ,there is nothing1 therefore1 that is so unsafe a criterion by which to estimate a man as by what the world says of him--by his reputation4 ,especially is this true of the servants of ,god4 ,commissioned as they usually are to reprove the world of sin and unrighteousness1 and to call mankind to repentance1 they have appeared as rude disturbers of the peace and ease of mankind--iconoclasts bent on breaking the images on which men set their hearts4 ,the world does not love them1 and what it hates it maligns--and thence1 with the world1 springs the reputation of the servants of ,god4 ,the balances in which they are weighed are false1 hence the announcement of their value from that source is untrue4 ,judged by his reputation with the world when he lived among men1 the ,lord ,jesus himself would be condemned as a blaspheming malefactor2 a violator of ancient customs2 a traitor to ,caesar's government2 one so base as to be in league with ,lucifer by whose power he cast out devils2 by magic healed the sick and blind and halt2 who for his many crimes was crucified between two thieves2 and whose body his disciples--being of like spirit with their master--stole1 and then sent out the lying report that ,jesus was risen from the dead4 ,such was the world's account of ,christ1 in his day1 and in the days of his apostles--such the reputation of the ,son of ,god6 ,if judged by it would he not be rejected as an imposter8 ,how unjust would such a judgment be6 ,to those who reject ,joseph ,smith as a servant and witness for ,god1 because he was1 and is evil spoken of by the world1 ,i put this question3 ,may not the judgment you pass upon him--which you base upon what the world1 and generally what his enemies1 say of him1 be equally unjust and untrue8 ,if the world hate you1 said ,jesus to his apostles1 ye know it hated me before it hated you4 ,if ye were of the world the world would love his own3 but because ye are not of the world but ,i have chosen you out of the world1 therefore the world hateth you4 ,remember the word that ,i said unto you1 the servant is not greater than his ,lord4 ,if they have persecuted me they will also persecute you2 if they have kept my saying they will keep yours also4 ,but all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake because they know not him that sent me4 #f ,in the light of these sayings of the ,lord ,jesus1 of what value is the objection urged against ,joseph ,smith as a ,prophet and witness for ,god based upon the fact that he was evil spoken of by the world8 ,why1 since he was a servant of the ,most ,high1 sent to reprove the world of its unrighteousness1 may we not reasonably expect that the world would speak against him8 ,would there not be something manifestly wrong if it did not do it8 ,blessed are ye1 said ,jesus1 when men shall hate you1 and when they shall separate you from their company1 and shall reproach you1 and cast out your name as evil for the ,son of ,man's sake4 ,rejoice ye in that day1 and leap for joy2 for behold1 your reward is great in heaven3 for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets4 #g ,it is nothing strange1 then1 that the great ,prophet of the new dispensation should be spoken evil against4 ',tis an old tale1 this slandering of ,god's servants by the world1 so old that one wonders that men have not become so accustomed to it that they can assign to it its true importance1 or rather its want of importance4 ,but it seems to be the doom of every age in this matter to follow in the footsteps of that which preceded it--to build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous1 and say1 ,if we had been in the days of our fathers1 we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets4 #h ,and yet with strange inconsistency1 these builders of tombs1 these garnishers of sepulchres1 while they profess to honor the prophets of past ages1 persecute to the death the prophets of their own days6 ,stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears1 they do always resist the ,holy ,ghost3 as their fathers did1 so do they--which of the prophets have they not persecuted8 ,woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you6 for so did their fathers of the false prophets6 #i ,stranger grows the inconsistency of human conduct4 ,the true rejected2 the false enshrined6 and so common has become the practice that one great thinker #aj touching the theme said3 ,there is always something great in that man against whom the world exclaims1 at whom every one throws a stone1 and on whose character all attempt to fix a thousand crimes without being able to prove one4 ,here ,i may pause again to ask3 ,what is the value of the objection made to ,joseph ,smith as a ,prophet and witness for ,god1 based upon the fact that he was evil spoken of by the world8 ,that has been the heritage of the servants of ,god so long that the memory of man runneth not to the contrary4 ,had ,joseph ,smith failed to have received this treatment at the hands of the world1 he would have failed of one of the marks of a true ,prophet4 ,had he been received with open arms by the world1 he could with some effect have been denounced as a false prophet2 for in such manner they have been received3--,woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you1 for so did their fathers of the false prophets6 ,the fact here stated by the ,son of ,god is a complete answer to the objections based on the calumny of the world against the prophets of ,god in all subsequent times2 and no less an answer to the objections urged against ,joseph ,smith than to other prophets4 ,footnotes #a4 ,these were the words of the ,lord to ,joseph ,smith when confined a prisoner for the truth's sake in ,liberty ,jail1 ,clay ,county1 ,state of ,missouri3 ,if thou art called to pass through tribulation2 if thou art in perils among false brethren2 if thou art in perils among robbers2 if thou art in perils by land or by sea2 if thou art accused with all manner of false accusations2 if thine enemies fall upon thee 99 99 99 99 and if thou shouldst be cast into the pit1 or into the hands of murderers1 and the sentence of death be passed upon thee2 if thou be cast into the deep2 if the billowing surge conspire against thee2 if fierce winds become thine enemy2 if the heavens gather blackness1 and all the elements combine to hedge up thy way2 and above all1 if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee1 know thou my son1 that all these things shall give thee experience1 and shall be for thy good4 ,the ,son of ,man hath descended below them all4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 cxxii47 ,so also ,paul3 ,where in all things it behoved him 7,jesus7 to be made like unto his brethren1 that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to ,god1 to make reconciliation for the sins of the people4 ,for that he himself hath suffered1 being tempted1 he is able to succor them that are tempted4 7,heb4 ii3 #ag1 #ah47 #b4 ,i ,cor4 i3 #bf1 #bg4 #c4 ,i ,cor4 i3 #bi1 #ca4 #d4 ,isaiah lv3 #h1 #i4 #e4 ,life of ,john ,taylor1 chapter #a4 #f4 ,st4 ,john xv3 #ah-ba4 #g4 ,luke vi3 #bb1 #bc4 #h4 ,matt4 xxiii4 #bi1 #i4 ,luke vi3 #bf4 #aj4 ,zimmerman4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,the ,,character ,,of ,,the ,,new ,,witness4 ,it will be argued that the ancient and true prophets were falsely accused1 and proceeded against1 not because they were law-breakers and immoral persons1 but because of the message they bore2 while it is charged that ,joseph ,smith was a very vile person1 lawless and immoral1 and so odious at the last that the people rose en masse and crushed him6 ,thus has reasoned every persecutor in every age from ,cain to the last under whose hands a martyr fell4 ,can it in reason be expected that human nature will fall so low that we shall find men who will be so recklessly wicked as to avow their intention to kill men for righteousness sake8 ,why even devils seek out some semblance of virtue in which to enshroud their evil deeds4 ,there never yet was man so vile1 if he retained his reason1 but sought out some excuse to sanctify his crime4 ,it was not because ,jesus of ,nazareth was pure and upright in his own heart2 gracious in speech2 dignified and gentle in action2 merciful to the wayward2 considerate to the unfortunate2 loving and kind to the poor--,god-like in spirit1 in thought1 in conduct--a reprover of the wicked1 a reformer of evil ways--it was not for these qualities that he was hailed before the high priest1 thence to the ,sanhedrim1 there condemned and thence dragged to ,pilate's judgment seat to have the sentence confirmed2 and thence whipped through the streets of ,jerusalem to ,golgotha and there crucified6 ,not for his virtues was this done4 ,could any one suppose that the ,sanhedrim of ,israel1 the dignified senate of the ,jews1 could condemn anyone to death for righteousness8 ,no1 certainly not6 ,it was because ,jesus was to them a wicked imposter2 who1 being in the form of man1 and so far as they could discern1 very like the rest of his fellow-men--made himself a ,god #a--was guilty of blasphemy4 ,it was written in their law that he that blasphemed should be put to death1 and all the people should say ,amen4 #b ,jesus was found guilty of blasphemy by the ,sanhedrim1 and accordingly condemned to death4 ,the sentence was confirmed by the ,roman judge and executed4 ,the procedure was strictly according to the forms of the law1 and to the ,jews of that generation ,jesus of ,nazareth was not condemned and executed for that he was a prophet1 and the ,son of ,god2 but because he was a pestilential fellow1 a mover of sedition1 a blaspheming imposter4 ,and so it has been in all ages of the world4 ,all the martyrs that ever fell were1 to those who struck the blow1 lawless1 dangerous characters1 of whom it were a blessing to rid the world2 and so it promises to be to the last hour of recorded time4 ,in view of the fact that so much which is evil has been said of ,joseph ,smith ,i think it proper here to give some account of his character4 ,of necessity what is said must be brief4 ,it would be impossible as also unprofitable to reproduce all or any considerable part of what has been said of him by his enemies1 since it would be only a repetition of slanders and untruths which have spent their force and accomplished nothing4 ,it will be sufficient to say that on the unfriendly side it is claimed that--in the language of one who just now is recognized as one of earth's leading philosophers--,professor ,huxley--,there is a complete consensus of testimony that the founder of ,mormonism1 one ,joseph ,smith1 was a low-minded1 ignorant scamp1 and that he stole the scriptures1 which he propounded2 not being clever enough to forge even such contemptible stuff as they contain4 ,nevertheless1 he must have been a man of some force of character1 for a considerable number of disciples soon gathered about him4 #c ,i have selected this passage from a mass of such matter at command1 first1 because of the prominence of the one who utters it2 second1 because in it is focused the spirit of coarseness and vulgarity characteristic of all that has been said by those who have rejected the claims of ,joseph ,smith as a witness and ,prophet of ,god2 and third1 because it may be looked upon as the ,complete consensus of the testimony of his enemies and presents all they have to say against him in a single sentence1 slightly modified by one other sentence1 recognizing the prophet's force of character4 ,i am happy also in having another utterance1 representative of another class of men who have viewed the character of the ,prophet from the standpoint of the savant--the dispassionate philosopher looking at passing events without prejudice1 and speculating upon what shall grow out of them--such was ,josiah ,quincy1 author of the book ,figures of the ,past4 ,he visited ,joseph ,smith at ,nauvoo a little before the tragedy at ,carthage1 and after the ,prophet's death wrote3 ,it is by no means improbable that some future text-book1 for the use of generations yet unborn1 will contain a question something like this3 ,what historical ,american of the nineteenth century has exerted the most powerful influence upon the destinies of his countrymen8 ,and it is by no means impossible that the answer to that interrogatory may be thus written3 ,joseph ,smith1 the ,mormon ,prophet4 ,and the reply1 absurd as it doubtless seems to most men now1 may be an obvious commonplace to their descendants4 ,history deals in surprises and paradoxes quite as startling as this4 ,the man who establishes a religion in this age of free debate1 who was and is today accepted by hundreds of thousands as a direct emissary from the ,most ,high--such a rare human being is not to be disposed of by pelting his memory with unsavory epithets4 99 99 99 ,the most vital questions ,americans are asking each other today have to do with this man and what he has left us4 99 99 99 ,burning questions1 they are1 which must give a prominent place in the history of the country to that sturdy self-asserter whom ,i visited at ,nauvoo4 ,joseph ,smith1 claiming to be an inspired teacher1 faced adversity1 such as few men have been called to meet1 enjoyed a brief season of prosperity1 such as few men have ever attained1 and1 finally1 forty-three days after ,i saw him1 went cheerfully to a martyr's death4 ,when he surrendered his person to ,governor ,ford1 in order to prevent the shedding of blood1 the ,prophet had a presentiment of what was before him4 ',i am going like a lamb to the slaughter1' he is reported to have said1 'but ,i am as calm as a summer's morning4 ,i have a conscience void of offense and shall die innocent4' #d ,of course testimony which sustains the virtue and uprightness of ,joseph ,smith is abundant1 but ,i shall content myself by a very limited reference to it2 depending not so much upon the testimony of men as upon the work he has accomplished for the vindication of his character4 ,but ,i think it proper that the world should know in what esteem he was held by his friends and followers4 ,first1 ,i introduce the description and estimation of the character of the ,prophet by ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 who was intimately associated with him1 who shared his toils1 labors1 persecutions and imprisonment2 and who spent his life in preaching the gospel taught him by the youthful ,prophet4 ,elder ,pratt says3 ,president ,joseph ,smith was in person tall and well built1 strong and active2 of a light complexion1 light hair1 blue eyes1 very little beard1 and of an expression peculiar to himself1 on which the eye naturally rested with interest1 and was never weary of beholding4 ,his countenance was ever mild1 affable1 beaming with intelligence and benevolence1 mingled with a look of interest and an unconscious smile or cheerfulness1 and entirely free from all restraint or affectation of gravity2 and there was something connected with the serene and penetrating glance of his eye1 as if he could penetrate the deepest abyss of the human heart1 gaze into eternity1 penetrate the heavens and comprehend all worlds4 ,he possessed a noble boldness and independence of character2 his manner was easy and familiar2 his rebuke terrible as the lion2 his benevolence unbounded as the ocean2 his intelligence universal1 and his language abounding in original eloquence peculiar to himself--not polished--not studied--not smoothed and softened by education and refined by art1 but flowing forth in its own native simplicity1 and profusely abounding in variety of subject and manner4 ,he interested and edified1 while1 at the same time1 he amused and entertained his audience2 and none listened to him that were ever weary with his discourse4 ,i have even known him to retain a congregation of willing and anxious listeners for many hours together1 in the midst of cold or sunshine1 rain or wind1 while they were laughing at one moment and weeping the next4 ,even his most bitter enemies were generally overcome1 if he could once get their ears4 ,i have known him when chained and surrounded with armed murderers and assassins who were heaping upon him every possible insult and abuse1 rise up in the majesty of a son of ,god and rebuke them1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 till they quailed before him1 dropped their weapons1 and1 on their knees1 begged his pardon and ceased their abuse4 ,in short1 in him the characters of a ,daniel and a ,cyrus were wonderfully blended4 ,the gifts1 wisdom and devotion of a ,daniel were united with the boldness1 courage1 temperance1 perseverance and generosity of a ,cyrus4 ,and had he been spared a martyr's fate till mature manhood and age1 he was certainly endowed with powers and abilities to have revolutionized the world in many respects1 and to have transmitted to posterity a name associated with more brilliant and glorious acts than has yet fallen to the lot of mortal4 ,as it is his works will live to endless ages1 and unnumbered millions yet unborn will mention his name with honor1 as a noble instrument in the hands of ,god1 who1 during his short and youthful career1 laid the foundation of that kingdom spoken of by ,daniel1 the prophet1 which should break in pieces all other kingdoms and stand forever4 #e ,brigham ,young1 the successor of ,joseph ,smith in the ,presidency of the ,church1 said of him3 ,from the first day ,i knew ,brother ,joseph to the time of his death1 a better man never lived upon the face of the earth4 99 99 99 ,joseph ,smith was not killed because he was deserving of it1 nor because he was a wicked man2 but because he was a virtuous man4 ,i know that to be so1 as well as ,i know that the sun now shines4 99 99 99 ,i know for myself that ,joseph ,smith was the subject of forty-eight lawsuits1 and the most of them ,i witnessed with my own eyes4 ,but not one action could ever be made to bear against him4 ,no law or constitutional right did he ever violate4 ,he was innocent and virtuous2 he kept the laws of his country and lived above them2 out of forty-eight lawsuits1 not one charge could be substantiated against him4 ,he was pure1 just and holy as to the keeping of the law4 #f ,john ,taylor1 who succeeded ,brigham ,young as ,president of the ,church1 and who in ,carthage jail may be said to have shared the martyrdom with the ,prophet ,joseph--for he was savagely wounded when the ,prophet was slain--says of him3 ,i was acquainted with ,joseph ,smith for years4 ,i have traveled with him2 ,i have been with him in private and in public2 ,i have associated with him in councils of all kinds2 ,i have listened hundreds of times to his public teachings1 and his advice to his friends and associates of a more private nature4 ,i have been at his house and seen his deportment in his family4 ,i have seen him arraigned before the courts of his country1 and seen him honorably acquitted1 and delivered from the pernicious breath of slander1 and the machinations and falsehoods of wicked and corrupt men4 ,i was with him living1 and with him when he died2 when he was murdered in ,carthage jail by a ruthless mob with their faces painted1 and headed by a ,methodist minister named ,williams--,i was there1 and was myself wounded in my body4 ,i have seen him under all these various circumstances1 and ,i testify before ,god1 angels and men that he was a good1 honorable1 virtuous man--that his doctrines were good1 scriptural and wholesome--that his precepts were such as became a man of ,god--that his private and public character was unimpeachable--and that he lived and died as a man of ,god4 #g ,if of these testimonies it shall be said they are borne by men who were ,joseph ,smith's friends and followers--interested parties1 bent on perpetuating the frauds he inaugurated1 ,i would reply by asking3 ,whose testimony do ,christians accept as representing the true character of ,jesus ,christ8 ,certainly not the testimony of the ,sadducees and ,pharisees2 but the testimony of ,matthew1 of ,mark1 of ,luke and ,john--his friends and followers1 the infidel exclaims--interested parties1 bent on perpetuating the frauds he inaugurated6 ,will the ,christian world because of that preposterous claim that ,christ's friends and followers are not proper witnesses of his life and character1 give up the evidence supplied in the testimonies of his friends to the uprightness and purity of his life1 and the divinity of himself and his mission8 ,ah1 no6 ,they will ask rather1 ,who so competent to bear testimony of his life and the divinity of his character as those who intimately knew him1 who lived with him1 who shared his joys and his sorrows2 who were in sympathy with his life's mission and could enter into its spirit8 ,i only ask that the same reasoning be applied to the testimony given by the friends of ,joseph ,smith4 ,one thing connected with the character of ,joseph ,smith1 and one that distinguishes him from false prophets and mere enthusiasts is the unaffectedness of his conduct4 ,it was the prevailing idea of his day and even now that the calling of a prophet is inseparably connected with a life of austerity--with inordinate fastings and midnight prayers2 with the vows of monastic life1 with gloom and self-mortifications2 with hair shirts1 long robes1 and sandals2 with long hair1 beard unkempt and bodies filthy--as if prophets had no time to keep clean--with solemn1 awful brows and measured tread--lives wherein there is nothing natural--no sunshine1 nor smiles nor rose-lipped laughter--as if communing with ,god was such awful business that it chills the heart and drives all happiness out of the life of man6 ,joseph ,smith was nothing of all this4 ,there was no affectation about him4 ,he complied with the customs of his time and nation in respect to his apparel--scrupulously neat and clean therein2 face smooth shaven1 and hair cut according to the prevailing fashion4 ,while temperate in his habits and content with the humble fare which adverse circumstances during the most of his life forced upon him1 he was not averse to good food and pleasant surroundings--he was not the prophet of sackcloth and ashes4 ,while dignified in deportment and having a due comprehension of the magnitude of his calling and the work committed to his hands1 there was nothing strained or unnatural in his demeanor--no striving after effect2 and often he unbent1 played ball1 wrestled1 or romped with children--with whom he was a general favorite--with all the joyousness and freedom of a boy4 ,and what may be regarded as one of the true tests of his greatness is1 that while here and there his happiness and freedom shocked some over-pious persons who looked on from without1 and expected austerity and gloom in one claiming to be a prophet1 he never lost caste with his friends for his unconventional conduct4 ,he was the ,prophet of a joyous countenance2 of unconventional but upright deportment2 the apostle of cleanliness and becoming apparel4 ,he believed that serving ,god should make men happier and that the good things of the earth were made for the comfort and to increase the happiness of the righteous4 ,to take such a stand as this in the face of the traditional ideal of a prophet1 stamps him as an original character1 and separates him by long distances from the mere enthusiasts and the false prophets whose extreme pretensions to sanctity1 whose studied gloom1 whose affectation of impassioned devotion and assumption of the garb and supposed severe demeanor of ancient prophets--all too plainly proclaim their hypocrisy and declare them players of parts they have assigned themselves4 ,footnotes #a4 ,john x3 #bb-cg1 also ch4 v3 #ag1 #ah4 #b4 ,levit4 xxiv3 #ae1 #af4 #c4 ,agnosticism and ,christianity 7,humbolt ,library ed47 p4 #bh4 #d4 ,figures of the ,past1 pp4 #cgf1 #cgg1 #cgh4 #e4 ,autobiography of ,p4 ,p4 ,pratt1 pp4 #dg1 #dh4 #f4 ,journal of ,discourses4 #g4 ,life of ,john ,taylor1 pp4 #bac1 #bad4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,fitness ,,in ,,the ,,development ,,of ,,the ,,new ,,dispensation4 ,having considered the objections urged against ,joseph ,smith and ascertained their value1 ,i am now prepared to proceed with the testimony and argument which sustains my fourth thesis2 viz43--,joseph ,smith is a ,new ,witness for ,god1 a ,prophet divinely authorized to teach the gospel and establish the ,church of ,christ on earth4 ,i have already argued at some length that the only way the gospel could be restored to the earth when once taken from it was by a new revelation4 ,it was upon the principle of revelation that ,jesus promised to build his church2 it was through the ministration of an angel that the ,apostle ,john foresaw that the gospel would be restored in the hour of ,god's judgment2 and it was at this particular point that ,joseph ,smith started1 thus differing from all other religious teachers who have arisen in modern times4 ,he appealed to ,god for wisdom1 as we have seen2 and that appeal brought a revelation from ,god the ,father1 who introduced his ,son ,jesus ,christ4 ,the lad was informed that ,god accepted none of the religious societies as his church or kingdom1 but was promised that the ,church of ,christ would be restored to the earth and that he should be an instrument in the hands of the ,lord in bringing the event to pass4 ,subsequently1 the angel ,moroni visited him1 revealing the existence of the ,book of ,mormon and finally giving it into his hands to translate into the ,english language4 ,this book itself contains the fullness of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ as taught to the ancient inhabitants of the western hemisphere2 but in addition to this the angel ,moroni met with ,joseph ,smith at the hill ,cumorah on the #bbnd of ,september for four successive years1 and from him1 at each of the annual meetings1 he received instruction and intelligence 99 99 99 respecting what the ,lord was going to do1 and how and in what manner his kingdom was to be conducted in the last days4 #a ,thus ,joseph ,smith started right4 ,he started upon the only principle that the church could again be re-established2 he received the gospel through the ministration of an angel--in just the manner a recognized prophet of ,god had foretold it would be restored4 ,all this1 however1 ,i may be told1 was but a bold stroke of genius on the part of a bold imposter4 ,that might answer for an explanation if it were not for the fact that it all happened in connection with a youth not yet parted from the innocence of childhood4 ,then1 again1 why is it1 if this happiness on the part of ,joseph ,smith in starting right is to be attributed to the master stroke of genius--why is it that some one of the many imposters who have arisen among ,christians1 and founded sects1 have not hit upon the plan of announcing a new revelation from ,god and the restoration of the gospel through the ministration of an angel8 ,surely among the many imposters and reformers who have arisen since the days of ,jesus there have been some who were not lacking that which men recognize as genius6 ,why was it left for a mere lad in the wilds of ,western ,new ,york to display more genius than all the imposters since the days of ,christ8 ,the fact that one so unsophisticated in the ways of the world had the boldness to announce a new revelation to the world1 and proclaim a restoration of the gospel through the ministration of an angel1 carries on the face of it much evidence of its truth4 ,not only1 however1 did our ,prophet start right but he continued right4 ,he not only received the gospel through the ministration of an angel2 but he received his authority to preach it1 administer its ordinances and build up the ,church of ,christ from those who last held the keys of that authority on earth4 ,from ,john who when on earth was called the ,baptist1 now raised from the dead and become an angel of ,god1 he received the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 which gave him power to preach repentance and baptize for the remission of sins2 from ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 the three chief apostles of the dispensation ushered in by the personal ministry of the ,lord ,jesus1 he received the keys of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood--the ,holy ,apostleship1 which gave him power to establish the church of ,christ to the uttermost and regulate all its affairs2 from ,moses he received the keys of the gathering of ,israel from the four quarters of the earth and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north2 #b from ,elijah the keys of the priesthood to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and the hearts of the children to the fathers1 according to the prediction of ,malachi4 #c ,thus he was called and ordained of ,god through divinely appointed agents as was ,aaron1 and therefore fulfilled the law which provides that those who minister for men in things pertaining to ,god1 must be called of ,god as ,aaron was1 by prophecy and revelation4 ,in this development of the work of ,god1 one sees a fitness of things4 ,look for a moment at the work ,god has proposed to himself to accomplish3 ,the time has come for the restoration of the gospel2 for the reestablishment of his church2 for the ushering in of the dispensation of the fullness of times in which he has promised to gather together in one all things in ,christ1 both which are in heaven1 and which are on earth4 #d ,a reign of peace1 a reign of righteousness is about to be inaugurated--the ,millennium which the scriptures promised--long looked for by earth's troubled children--despaired of--given up--is about to be realized6 ,the remnant of ,israel is to be gathered to ,zion2 ,jerusalem is to be established1 no more to be thrown down2 the nations are to beat their swords into plow-shares1 and their spears into pruning-hooks and nation shall not lift up sword against nation1 nor shall they learn war any more--the earth is to rest from its wickedness4 ,to bring this to pass1 the co-operation of man is necessary--his obedience1 his righteousness4 ,to secure that obedience1 that co-operation1 faith is needed2 and as faith is based on evidence1 ,god proceeds to create the evidence by bringing a witness into existence who can not only testify of ,god's existence1 but also of his purposes4 ,he then enlarges the evidence by bringing forth the ,book of ,mormon1 the voice of entire nations of people speaking out of the dust of ages1 testifying that the ,lord is ,god1 that ,jesus is the ,christ1 that the gospel is the power of ,god unto salvation2 and by thus increasing the evidence the foundation for faith was enlarged2 and by establishing faith in the hearts of men the seed of obedience was planted4 ,for faith is the incentive to action1 the cause of obedience1 and the foundation of all righteousness4 ,when the work reached that stage of development that men could be taught repentance1 and receive baptism for the remission of sins1 who so qualified or who with more propriety could be sent to deliver the keys of the priesthood that is especially appointed to cry repentance and administer baptism than the teacher of repentance and the ,baptist8 ,or1 when the time came for the restoration of the apostleship1 who could restore it save those who last held the keys of it on earth--,peter1 ,james and ,john8 ,who so fit to restore the keys of the gathering of ,israel and leading the ten tribes back from the north as ,moses1 the great prophet of ,israel8 ,who so fitting to restore the keys of the priesthood which should turn the hearts of the fathers and children towards each other as ,elijah1 of whom it was prophesied that he would do that work8 #e ,thus throughout there was a fitness in the development of the great work of ,god in the last days--an appropriateness to be observed in the personages employed to restore the keys of authority which opened up the several departments of the great dispensation4 ,and it is to be observed1 too1 that this fitness of things as here pointed out was not the result of working to a well-matured plan in the mind of ,joseph ,smith2 he was too young and too inexperienced to preconceive it all and then set himself at work to unfold it in such beautiful order4 ,it was of course working to a well-matured plan1 but the plan existed in the mind of ,god2 and it was given to ,joseph ,smith piece-meal--incident following incident without an apparent suspicion in his mind that each incident was a step in the progress of the mighty march of events matured in the mind of ,god--each key of authority1 or part of the gospel but a fragment of a mighty and consistent whole that ,god was unfolding4 ,the consistency and appropriateness of the development ,joseph ,smith never spoke of2 it was left for others to note these things after the work was well advanced in the course of its development4 ,the ,prophet received the messengers ,god sent to him1 and under their instruction proceeded with the unfoldment of the purposes of the ,lord1 and left it to others to admire the work and note the evidences of ,god's directing hand in the order of the events and the appropriateness of the parties entrusted with the introduction of the various departments of it4 ,i am not claiming for this appropriateness in the development of the work of the ,lord1 as thus far seen1 absolute proof that ,joseph ,smith was divinely inspired and commissioned of ,god1 it is only one item of the cumulative evidence1 and the inference but part of the cumulative argument it is my purpose to present2 but certainly as part of such evidence and argument it is not insignificant4 ,to see the strength of it1 one needs to think what the pretensions of ,joseph ,smith would amount to1 if this fitness of things did not exist4 ,having affirmed that the gospel had been taken from the earth and the church of ,christ destroyed1 suppose he had claimed to have obtained the former and founded the latter upon any other basis than through a revelation from ,god2 how easy it would have been to show both from reason and from scripture1 that the only way the gospel and the church could be re-established1 would be by a new dispensation from ,god through a new revelation6 ,had he claimed to have received the gospel through any other means than by the ministration of an angel1 how easy it would be to confound him and his followers1 by showing that a recognized prophet of ,god had predicted its restoration in the hour of ,god's judgment through an angel6 ,had he claimed to have received divine authority in any other manner than through a revelation1 and the ordination of one already known to hold authority from ,god1 how easy it would have been to refute his claim by quoting the law of ,god to the effect that no man taketh the honor of administering in things pertaining to ,god upon himself1 except he that is called of ,god as was ,aaron6 #f ,but when in all these things it is seen that the pretensions of ,joseph ,smith were parallel with both reason and the prophecies and laws of scripture1 and that there is a propriety in all the heavenly messengers doing just what ,joseph ,smith claims they did do--because of their known relation to the work of ,god in former dispensations--it all forms a strong presumptive evidence1 at least that his claims are genuine--that he was called of ,god4 ,footnotes #a4 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 pp4 #ii1 #ajj4 #b4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 cx4 #c4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 cx4 #d4 ,eph4 i3 #aj4 #e4 ,malachi iv3 #e1 #f4 #f4 ,heb4 v3 #d-aj4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,the ,,evidence ,,of ,,scriptural ,,and ,,perfect ,,doctrines4 ,continuing to follow the line of presumptive evidence ,i call attention to the fact that the doctrines taught by ,joseph ,smith are scriptural and perfect in every particular4 ,i do not mean this to apply to all that he is alleged to have taught and that is to be found in imperfectly reported discourses or handed down by the still more uncertain vehicle of word of mouth tradition2 but those doctrines which he taught ex cathedra by which ,i mean those doctrines that he taught in his official capacity as a ,prophet and witness for ,god1 as the ,president of the ,church of ,christ4 #a ,i do not wish to be understood as saying that ,joseph ,smith did not teach doctrines which perhaps are not to be found in the ,bible2 for since the ,bible itself is fragmentary1 containing at most but part of that which ,god has revealed to man1 it does not contain all the truth2 nor does it contain a fullness of the truth concerning some of those matters of which it treats2 and hence in the revelations which the ,lord has given to ,joseph ,smith1 there are many truths in respect to which the ,bible is silent2 and in other instances the modern revelations contain the truths spoken of in the ,bible in greater fullness4 ,but since the ,prophet recognized the ,bible as the word of ,god2 and imperfect only so far as imperfection may result from its being fragmentary and marred through faulty translations1 his revelations and teachings must be in harmony with the truths of the ,bible4 ,the ,bible thus becomes1 in some measure1 at least1 a standard by which to test the truths of ,joseph ,smith's claims and work4 ,speaking broadly1 his doctrines must be in harmony with the ,bible1 and while much that he teaches may go beyond that which was written in the ,jewish scriptures1 yet between his doctrines and those of the ,bible1 so far as the latter treats of the same themes1 there must be substantial agreement4 ,the doctrines which our ,prophet teaches as the revelations of ,god1 must be perfect in every particular2 for since he claims to have received them from the ,lord ,almighty at first hand1 by revelation1 there is left no room to plead the error of historians or of translators1 and certainly the ,lord would not reveal erroneous or untrue doctrine4 ,the force of the argument in favor of the genuineness of the claims of ,mr4 ,smith derived from the fact that his doctrines are scriptural and perfect in every particular1 as in the case of the argument based upon the fitness there was in the order of the development of the great work1 is best seen from the negative side1 that is1 by contemplating what the result would be if his doctrines were absolutely contrary to the ,bible1 and imperfect in some particulars4 ,if such a thing could be demonstrated1 it would prove fatal to the validity of his pretensions2 and therefore1 if on the one hand the finding of unscriptural and imperfect doctrine would be so disastrous to his pretensions1 on the other1 if it can be shown that his doctrines are in harmony with the ,bible and perfect in every particular--such a fact should be accepted as a strong presumptive evidence that he was a true witness and prophet sent of ,god4 ,with these considerations in mind1 let us examine his doctrines4 ,i wish to say1 however1 that some of the doctrines briefly noticed here will receive1 because of their importance1 special attention in subsequent chapters devoted to their attention4 ,first1 then1 ,joseph ,smith taught the existence of ,god1 the ,father1 the ,creator of heaven and earth2 that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god1 in whose name the ,father is to be worshiped2 that the ,holy ,ghost is a witness for the ,father and the ,son1 and that these three constitute the ,godhead or ,grand ,presidency of heaven and earth4 ,second1 he taught that ,god the ,father so loved the world that he gave his only begotten ,son for the redemption of mankind2 that ,jesus ,christ suffered temptations but gave no heed to them2 that he was crucified1 died1 and rose again the third day2 that he ascended into heaven to sit down on the right hand of the ,father1 to reign with almighty power according to the will of ,god4 ,this is all so perfectly in harmony with the well known teachings of the ,bible that ,i do not deem it necessary to give references to particular texts in proof of it4 ,third1 he taught that men will be punished for their own sins and not for ,adam's transgression2 that through the atonement of ,christ all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel4 #b ,since the agency of man was not involved in the transgression of ,adam1 it is just that they should be delivered from the consequences of that transgression unconditionally1 hence ,joseph ,smith teaches that through and by the atonement wrought out in the suffering and death of ,jesus ,christ1 and without obedience to any conditions whatsoever1 all men will be saved from the consequences of ,adam's transgression1 that is1 they will be redeemed through the resurrection of the dead from that death which came upon our race through ,adam's disobedience4 ,this teaching is in harmony with the scripture which says3 ,now is ,christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept4 ,for since by man came death1 by man came also the resurrection of the dead4 ,for as in ,adam all die1 even so in ,christ shall all be made alive4 #c ,but not alone from the consequences of ,adam's transgression does the gospel save men1 but also from the consequences of their own sins1 on condition of their obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel4 ,the beauty and justice of this doctrine is apparent when we regard it in relation to the doctrine we have just considered3 ,all men are to be saved from the consequences of ,adam's transgression without compliance with any conditions whatsoever1 because their agency was not involved in the transgression2 but to be saved from the consequences of their own sins--their personal violations of ,god's laws1 certain conditions are to be complied with because their agency was exercised in the act of transgression1 and justice has a claim upon them and may command their obedience to conditions4 ,joseph ,smith taught that those laws and ordinances to be obeyed are1 first1 faith in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 second1 repentance2 third1 baptism by immersion for the remission of sins2 fourth1 laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 #d ,fourth1 he taught that a man must be called of ,god1 by prophecy and by the laying on of hands1 by those who are in authority to preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof4 ,fifth1 he taught that the church of ,christ should be organized in the same manner--i4 e41 with the same officers that existed in the primitive church1 viz43 ,apostles1 prophets1 seventies1 bishops1 elders1 pastors1 teachers1 evangelists1 etc4 ,sixth1 he taught that all the spiritual gifts of the gospel could be possessed and exercised today as well as in former times--the gift of tongues1 prophecy1 revelation1 visions1 healings1 interpretation of tongues1 etc4 #e ,seventh1 he taught that the ,bible was the word of ,god as far as it is translated correctly and also taught that the ,book of ,mormon was the word of ,god4 #f ,indeed the ,prophet taught men to believe all that ,god has revealed1 all that he at present reveals1 and also said that the ,lord would reveal many great and important things in the future pertaining to the kingdom of ,god4 #g ,eighth1 he taught that there would be a literal gathering of ,israel1 and a restoration of the ten tribes2 that a city called ,zion would be built upon the continent of ,north ,america2 that ,christ will reign personally upon the earth1 and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisic glory4 #h ,ninth1 ,joseph ,smith claimed for himself and his followers the right to worship ,almighty ,god according to the dictates of their own consciences1 but conceded the same privilege to all other men1 let them worship how1 where or what they may4 #i ,we believe1 said he1 in being honest1 true1 chaste1 benevolent1 virtuous1 and in doing good to all men4 ,indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of ,paul3 ',we believe all things1 we hope all things2' we have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things4 ,if there is anything virtuous1 lovely1 or of good report1 or praiseworthy1 we seek after these things4 #aj ,this is1 of course1 but an epitome of the teachings of the ,prophet1 and as before stated a number of these doctrines will be considered in chapters by themselves2 but even in this epitome there may be discerned the outlines of a great work1 the harmonious parts of a great and perfect whole2 a system which contemplates the completion of the work of redemption for the whole race of men and of the earth itself--a conception of the mighty purposes of ,god which far out-runs anything which the mind of ,joseph ,smith unaided by the inspiration of ,god was capable of perceiving4 ,footnotes #a4 ,i have been careful thus to limit the teachings of the prophet which ,i call scriptural and perfect in every particular to those doctrines that he taught officially as the word of the ,lord2 for the reason that there are some things accredited to him by individuals that ,i feel sure they must have misunderstood at the time1 or unconsciously changed through imperfect recollection of what the prophet said4 ,even some of his published sermons do him an injustice2 for the reason that they are not accurately reported nor from the nature of the circumstances could they be4 ,they were not reported by stenographers1 but by men writing down what they could in long hand during the course of delivery1 and published with such additions and corrections as could be made afterwards from memory4 ,these published sermons therefore are little better than synopses of what the prophet said1 and necessarily imperfect4 #b4 ,in this statement ,i have grouped together the second and third articles of faith as prepared by ,joseph ,smith for ,mr4 ,john ,wentworth for publication in the ,chicago ,democrat1 in #ahdb4 ,see also ,book of ,alma2 in ,book of ,mormon1 chapter xi3 #d-dd4 ,,iii ,nephi 7,book of ,mormon7 ch4 xxvii3 #ab1 #ac4 #c4 ,i ,cor4 xv3 #bj-bb and ,rom4 v3 #ab-ai4 #d4 ,see fourth ,article of ,faith4 ,those desirous of inquiring into the agreement of these doctrines with the scripture may examine the following text3 ,heb4 xi3 #f2 ,rom4 i3 #af1 #ag2 ,rom4 x3 #ad1 #ae2 ,james iii2 ,mark xvi3 #ae1 #af2 ,acts ii3 #ch1 #ci2 ,john iii3 #e2 ,acts viii2 ,acts xix3 #a-f2 ,heb4 vi3 #a-f4 ,also author's ,gospel4 #e4 ,seventh ,article of ,faith4 ,see also ,mark xvi3 #ae-bj2 ,i ,cor4 xii2 ,james v3 #acae2 ,i ,thess4 v3 #ai1 #bj2 ,john xiv3 #ab2 ,acts ii3 #ag4 #f4 ,the eighth ,article of ,faith4 ,volume ,,ii of this work is to be devoted to the consideration of the ,book of ,mormon as a witness for ,god1 and the evidences of its divine authenticity will there receive full attention4 #g4 ,let the reader examine the following passages in evidence of the truth of future revelation from ,god4 ,acts ii3 #ag1 #ah4 ,see also ,mal4 iv2 ,mal4 iii2 ,isa4 xi2 ,ezek4 xx3 #cc-ch2 ,matt4 xxiv3 #ca2 ,zach4 xiv4 #h4 ,see tenth ,article of ,faith4 ,a subsequent chapter is devoted to the gathering of ,israel and the other statements of the above paragraph4 #i4 ,eleventh ,article of ,faith4 #aj4 ,thirteenth ,article of ,faith4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,manner ,,of ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,teaching4 ,next to what ,joseph ,smith taught may be considered his manner of teaching2 in which1 as ,i think1 may be seen evidences of divine inspiration as well as in the correctness of his doctrines4 ,before inquiring into his manner of teaching1 however1 it is necessary to explain that ,i shall feel at liberty to refer to any of the revelations he has published as illustrating this method4 ,it must ever be borne in mind that it is claimed for ,joseph ,smith in these pages that he was a man inspired of ,god2 and as at this point we are about to consider his manner of teaching as an evidence of his inspiration1 it will be readily seen that the revelations he announced and any peculiar style they possess may properly be referred to in evidence4 ,one other remark should be made1 namely3 ,that ,joseph ,smith was not a learned man in the sense that the world regards learning4 ,how limited his scholastic attainments were has already been stated2 and though his industry in pursuit of knowledge later in life did much to make up the deficiency occasioned by lack of opportunity in early life1 yet1 when that is allowed1 it must still be said that he was not a learned man in the sense in which that phrase is understood by the world4 ,he knew but little of history1 less of languages1 and still less of science or the world's philosophy4 ,nor can this be any reproach to him when the conditions in the midst of which he was reared and lived are taken into account2 nor1 for that matter1 do ,i believe that the lack of education as that term is understood by the world1 was any serious bar to his success in the work to which ,god called him4 ,if indeed he lacked the polish and finish which a liberal and polite education are supposed to impart1 he also escaped the bias and warping which a training in the schools and colleges gives to the mind4 ,it has already been stated how ,joseph ,smith received his revelations2 and from the fact that much of his teaching is in the form of revelations1 it may naturally be expected that it will come in the tone and spirit of authority1 and will not be like the teaching of men who make no such pretensions as the ,prophet did1--but satisfy themselves with deductions drawn from the revelations given in former dispensations1 teaching as the ,scribes and ,pharisees of old4 ,joseph ,smith announced himself a teacher sent of ,god2 and necessarily must place the truth of what he taught upon that authority4 ,it is that which is the peculiar characteristic of his teaching4 ,it is a style that would be altogether out of place for the philosopher or moralist2 but one that the position of our ,prophet made imperative2 and had he failed to teach in that style1 his manner would have been out of all harmony with his pretensions and would have been a means of detecting an imposter4 ,as an illustration of the style here pointed out1 ,i quote the following3 ,it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance4 ,whatever principles of intelligence we attain unto in this life1 it will rise with us in the resurrection1 and if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another1 he will have so much the advantage in the world to come4 ,there is no such thing as immaterial matter4 ,all spirit is matter1 but it is more fine and pure and can only be discerned by purer eyes4 ,we cannot see it2 but when our bodies are purified1 we shall see that it is all matter4 ,the ,father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's2 the ,son also2 but the ,holy ,ghost has not a body of flesh and bones1 but is a personage of spirit4 ,were it not so the ,holy ,ghost could not dwell in us4 ,there are in the ,church1 two ,priesthoods1 namely1 the ,melchisedek1 and ,aaronic1 including the ,levitical ,priesthood4 ,why the first is called the ,melchisedek ,priesthood is because ,melchisedek was such a great high priest4 ,before his day it was called the ,holy ,priesthood after the order of the ,son of ,god4 ,but out of respect or reverence to the name of the ,supreme ,being1 to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name1 they1 the church1 in ancient days1 called that ,priesthood after ,melchisedek1 or the ,melchisedek ,priesthood4 ,let no man break the laws of the land1 for he that keepeth the laws of ,god hath no need to break the laws of the land4 ,wherefore be subject to the powers that be1 until he reigns whose right it is to reign1 and subdues all enemies under his feet4 ,thou shalt not be proud in thy heart2 let all thy garments be plain1 and their beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands4 ,thou shalt not be idle2 for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer4 ,this perhaps is enough for the purpose of illustration2 and will exhibit the spirit of all his teaching4 ,in this manner he sets the officers of the church in order1 asserts the powers they severally possess1 and defines their relations to the church and to each other4 ,in like manner he states the laws of the church1 and gives instruction as to the manner in which the ordinances are to be administered4 ,for example1 of baptism--about which there has been so much controversy in ,christendom--he says3 ,baptism is to be administered in the following manner3 ,the person who is called of ,god1 and has authority from ,jesus ,christ to baptize1 shall go down into the water with the person who has presented him or herself for baptism1 and shall say1 calling him or her by name--,having been commissioned of ,jesus ,christ1 ,i baptize you in the name of the ,father2 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,amen4 ,and so on throughout in the ordinances to be performed1 instruction is given in this spirit4 ,not a statement deduced from ancient scripture1 sustained by labored logic1 but stated in bold1 round terms by virtue of the authority he possessed4 ,it is to be observed1 too1 that in all such cases the simplicity and appropriateness of the language employed bear witness to its inspiration4 ,the tendency of man is to verbosity in administering in sacred things2 to introduce form and pomp and ceremony2 while simplicity and directness mark all the works of ,god in revelation as in nature4 ,looked at with a view to the discovery of these excellencies in them1 to what advantage do the formulas for ordinances given by ,joseph ,smith appear6 ,take this ceremony for baptism--not a superfluous word in it--direct--covering all the ground necessary1 and yet how simple withal6 ,so it is with the formula given for administering the sacrament of the ,lords supper1 which is as follows3 ,o ,god1 the ,eternal ,father1 we ask thee in the name of thy ,son ,jesus ,christ1 to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it1 that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy ,son1 and witness unto thee1 ,o ,god the ,eternal ,father1 that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy ,son1 and always remember him1 and keep his commandments which he has given them1 that they may always have his ,spirit to be with them4 ,amen4 ,the formula for administering the wine or water is only slightly different from this4 ,of the above prayer ,i may say that for a succession of solemn thoughts1 for fixing the attention upon a few great points1 for suitableness1 99 99 99 for sufficiency1 for conciseness without obscurity for the weight and real importance of its petitions #a--this prayer so far as ,i am aware is without an equal excepting1 perhaps1 the ,lord's prayer4 ,the same qualities1 directness and simplicity1 are to be observed in the ordination of ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery to the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 by ,john the ,baptist4 ,this is the more surprising when the circumstances connected with that event are taken into account4 ,the ,aaronic ,priesthood had not been upon the earth for many centuries2 it is to be restored by the great forerunner of ,messiah1 whose business it is to prepare the way before him2 he descends out of heaven in a pillar of light1 and appears to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery and lays his hands upon them--,i am bold to affirm it as my steadfast belief that any mere enthusiast or impostor would have taken advantage of these really dramatic circumstances to have indulged in something theatrical in the ceremony of ordination that was to follow4 ,some reference to the long absence of the ,priesthood from the earth2 some glowing words relative to its importance2 the awful solemnity of conferring part of ,god's power on men2 the honor these men received in having it bestowed upon them--the temptation to the mere enthusiast or impostor to have indulged in some extravagant expression would have been simply irresistible4 ,but hear what the angel said3 ,upon you1 my fellow-servants1 in the name of ,messiah1 ,i confer the ,priesthood of ,aaron1 which holds the keys of the ministering of angels1 and the gospel of repentance1 and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins2 and this shall never be taken again from the earth1 until the sons of ,levi do offer again an offering unto the ,lord in righteousness4 ,that was all1 except that the messenger explained that he acted under the direction of ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 that a higher ,priesthood would later be conferred upon them1 and commanded them each to baptize the other4 ,the simplicity1 directness and appropriateness of this ordination in the presence of such temptation to introduce pomp and ceremony1 stamp it with the seal of truth4 ,it is just such an ordination as we would expect--upon due reflection--an angel to make1 full1 covering all necessary ground1 but simple and direct4 ,thus it is seen that the manner of ,joseph ,smith's teaching is in harmony with his pretensions2 and while not a conclusive it is at least presumptive evidence of the truth of his pretentions4 ,footnotes #a4 ,the quoted part of the statement is what ,archdeacon ,paley says of the ,lord's prayer4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,toil ,,and ,,suffering--,,exertion ,,and ,,danger--,a ,,christian ,,argument ,,applied4 ,archdeacon ,paley in his work1 ,the evidences of ,christianity1 says3 ,there is satisfactory evidence that many1 pretending to be original witnesses of the ,christian miracles1 passed their lives in labors1 dangers1 and sufferings1 voluntarily undertaken and undergone in attestation of the accounts which they delivered1 and solely in consequence of their belief of the truth of those accounts4 ,the learned archdeacon deducts from this fact a strong argument in support of the truth of ,christianity4 ,in order to display his confidence in the strength of his argument1 he says3 ,if the ,reformers in the time of ,wicliffe1 or of ,luther2 or those of ,england1 in the time of ,henry the ,eighth1 or of ,queen ,mary2 or the founders of our religious sects since1 such as were ,mr4 ,whitefield and ,mr4 ,wesley in our times--had undergone the life of toil and exertion1 of danger and suffering1 which we know that many of them did undergo1 for a miraculous story2 that is to say1 if they had founded their public ministry upon the allegation of miracles wrought within their knowledge1 and upon narratives which could not be resolved into delusion or mistake2 and if it had appeared that their conduct really had its origin in these accounts1 ,i should have believed them4 #a ,mr4 ,paley's argument is this3 ,the early ,christians came to the world with a miraculous story2 their public ministry was founded upon the allegation of miracles wrought within their own knowledge1 and upon narratives which could not be resolved into delusion or mistake2 their conduct really had its origin in these miraculous accounts2 and in support of their declarations they endured lives of toil1 poverty1 persecution1 danger and suffering2 and for these reasons ,mr4 ,paley concludes that the religion they advocated must be true4 ,these men1 he says could not be deceivers4 ,by only not bearing testimony they might have avoided all these sufferings and have lived quietly4 ,would men in such circumstances pretend to have seen what they never saw2 assert facts which they had no knowledge of2 go about lying1 to teach virtue2 and though not only convinced of ,christ's being an impostor1 but having seen the success of his imposture in his crucifixion1 yet persist in carrying it on2 and so persist as to bring upon themselves1 for nothing1 and with a full knowledge of the consequences1 enmity and hatred1 danger and death8 #b ,the world1 at least that part of it called ,christian1 accept as conclusive the argument of the archdeacon2 and even unbelievers in the ,christian story recognize the force of his reasoning4 ,it is my intention to apply his argument to the new dispensation of the gospel introduced by ,joseph ,smith2 for if the argument tends to prove the divinity of the mission of the ancient apostles of the church1 it ought also to prove the divinity of the mission of the apostles of the new dispensation1 provided1 of course1 that the same conditions exist in the latter as in the former case4 ,those conditions exist in the new dispensation1 as in the old1 men come to the world with a miraculous story--a story that relates the personal appearing of ,god the ,father1 and his ,son ,jesus ,christ2 bringing to light the record of an ancient people and translating it by miraculous means into the ,english language2 and the visitation of angels to restore divine authority4 ,the public ministry of ,joseph ,smith and his associates was founded upon the allegation of these miracles wrought within their own knowledge1 and which are of a character1 as ,i have already said1 that they can not be resolved into delusion or mistake2 their conduct really had its origin in these miraculous accounts2 and in support of their declarations they endured lives of toil1 poverty1 persecution1 danger and suffering4 ,the reader has the proof of all these statements in the preceding pages of this work1 except in regard to the last1 and it is now my purpose to furnish him proof of that4 ,it has already been stated how the story of the appearance of the ,father and the ,son to ,joseph ,smith brought upon his youthful head the wrath of the ministers of the locality where he lived2 how his own name and that of his parents were loaded with opprobrium for no other reason than because he asserted he had seen a vision4 ,persecution and annoyance increased when it was noised abroad that he had the plates from which he translated the ,book of ,mormon4 ,soon after the church was organized there were a number of vexatious law suits growing out of charges against him for setting the country in an uproar by preaching the ,book of ,mormon4 ,in ,march1 #ahcb1 the prophet's house was broken into in the night4 ,he was dragged from his bed into an adjacent field1 where the mob beat him in the most inhuman and brutal manner4 ,his body was bruised and lacerated from head to foot4 ,he was be-smeared all over with tar and covered with feathers4 ,at the same time ,sidney ,rigdon1 who was now connected with him in the ministry1 was similarly treated4 ,during the night the friends of the prophet removed the tar and cleansed his body1 and the next day 7,sunday71 scarred and bruised as he was1 he preached to the people and baptized three persons4 ,by the year #ahcc a large number of ,saints had settled in ,jackson ,county1 in the western part of ,missouri1 that place being pointed out by revelation as the location of a great city to be called ,zion4 ,in ,november of the year above named the inhabitants of ,jackson ,county rose against the church in that land and drove some twelve hundred men1 women and children from their homes into the wilderness1 where they lay exposed to the inclemency of the season1 which in that latitude is very severe4 ,in the course of the troubles a number of the ,saints were killed1 and others died from exposure4 ,two hundred and three houses and one grist mill were burned down4 ,a printing press was destroyed1 a store owned by members of the church looted1 and much other property destroyed4 ,these troubles arose from the fact of the ,saints accepting the testimony of ,joseph ,smith concerning the miraculous events by which the new dispensation of the gospel was introduced4 #c ,when ,joseph ,smith learned of the expulsion of his followers from ,missouri he immediately organized a company and gathered together clothing and provisions to go to their relief2 and1 if possible1 restore them to the lands from which they had been driven4 ,this company in ,mormon history is known as ,zion's camp4 ,during that journey from ,ohio to ,western ,missouri many dangers were braved1 many hardships encountered1 much toil and sickness experienced4 ,as the only assurance of assistance which could be obtained from the governor of ,missouri was of a nature to invite more bloodshed1 #d the company called ,zion's ,camp disbanded4 ,the exiled ,saints subsequently settled some fifty or sixty miles north of ,jackson ,county1 and organized ,caldwell ,county1 where they were joined by large numbers of their co-religionists from the ,east4 ,joseph ,smith also settled with them4 ,the religious intolerance of their neighbors1 however1 gave them no peace1 and in the fall and winter of #ahch the whole state of ,missouri arose against the church and expelled some twelve thousand peaceful and law-abiding ,united ,states citizens from their homes solely on account of their religious views4 ,joseph ,smith1 under circumstances of great cruelty1 was torn from his family and friends1 and with a number of his prominent brethren was thrust into prison where they remained for six months awaiting trial1 while their families and the church in the midst of great suffering--hunger1 cold and nakedness--the greater part of their property destroyed--were driven from the ,state4 ,recognizing their inability to prove aught against the prophet and his fellow-prisoners1 after six months' incarceration1 while moving them from one part of the ,state to another1 their guards1 evidently through an understanding with the judges--connived at their escape4 ,after enduring many hardships the prophet rejoined his family and the church in ,illinois1 where the ,saints were then settling4 ,during his residence in ,illinois the prophet's life was one continual course of toil1 excitement1 sickness1 and danger4 ,old foes and false friends were well-nigh constantly seeking to entrap him4 ,new schemes were constantly hatching to destroy him4 ,during his career some fifty times he was dragged before the tribunals of his country and as many times were the judges compelled to dismiss him4 ,while living in ,illinois an effort was made to kidnap him and take him to ,missouri among his old enemies4 ,in the midst of these persecutions he was constantly preaching1 translating1 or completing the organization of the church--setting in order the various quorums of the ,priesthood and instructing them in their duties4 ,he endured poverty and hardship throughout the greater part of his career and scarcely knew what it was to enjoy peace--save that ,god-given peace that comes from within2 and which1 however great the tempest from without may be1 gives serenity and joy unspeakable to the servants and prophets of ,god4 ,at last1 after a life of continual warfare with error2 after enduring untold toil and persecution1 illegal prosecutions and mob violence1 hardships and suffering--wicked men conspired against him1 and while in the charge of the officers of the ,state of ,illinois1 with the honor of the great state pledged through the governor for his protection1 he was murdered in cold blood for the word of ,god and the testimony of ,jesus1 in the thirty-ninth year of his age4 ,counting from the time that he received his first vision1 when a lad of fourteen years1 he stood a witness for ,god a little less than a quarter of a century2 but in that short time he suffered more and accomplished more than has fallen to the lot of any other man to suffer and accomplish since the ,son of ,god expired on the summit of ,golgotha4 ,not only did ,joseph ,smith thus endure a life of toil1 poverty1 persecution1 danger and suffering in support of the miraculous accounts in which his public ministry had its origin2 but many of his followers 7some of them also witnesses of the miraculous events which brought into existence the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints7 spent their lives in the same way4 ,the first ,elders of the church shared ,joseph ,smith's toils1 mobbings1 imprisonment1 poverty1 danger and exile2 and some1 while engaged in the ministry1 even in later years have suffered death by violence #e for testifying to the truth of the miraculous story in which the church had its origin4 ,the servants of ,god have traveled in nearly all the nations of ,europe2 through the states of ,north ,america2 and among the peoples of the ,pacific ,islands4 ,they have usually gone without purse or scrip1 and always without remuneration4 ,they have sacrificed their business and professional interests1 together with the associations of home and family that they might preach the gospel newly restored to the earth1 through the ministration of angels to ,joseph ,smith4 ,in telling the miraculous story in which the new dispensation had its birth1 they have found leopards and lions in the path1 and have made abundant acquaintance with the hungry wolf1 that with privy paw devoured apace and nothing said2 but the have kept right on in the work ,god called them to perform2 and have endured toils and privations which even those of the ancient apostles do not surpass4 ,amid the ridicule of the learned1 the indifference of the rich and the great1 and the violence of the rabble they have faithfully borne witness to the truth of the miraculous restoration of the gospel in these last days1 until the whole world is acquainted with the story2 and in their ministry they have given as much evidence of the divinity of the message they proclaim to the world as ever the apostles and elders of the ancient ,christian church did by their lives of self-denial1 of toil1 exertion1 danger and suffering4 ,these labors they continued after the death of their prophet leader2 and ,i may say of them what ,mr4 ,paley says of the first ,christian ministers--only slightly paraphrasing his words3 ,these men could not be deceivers4 ,by only not bearing testimony they might have avoided all these sufferings and have lived quietly4 ,would men in such circumstances pretend to have seen what they never saw2 assert facts which they had no knowledge of2 go about lying1 to teach virtue2 and though not only convinced of ,joseph ,smith's being an impostor but having seen the success of his imposture in his martyrdom1 yet persist in carrying it on2 and so persist1 as to bring upon their own heads1 for nothing1 and with a full knowledge of the consequences1 enmity and hatred1 danger and death8 ,the conditions demanded in ,mr4 ,paley's argument all exist in the experience of the ministry of the new dispensation of the gospel1 and if the same weight be given the argument in the case of this dispensation as is accorded to it when employed to prove the truth of the ,christian story as told by the ancient apostles and elders1 the divinity of the mission of ,joseph ,smith is proven beyond all controversy4 ,mr4 ,paley1 continuing his argument under the head ,i have been discussing1 says that his belief in the miraculous story told by men who had on account of it endured lives of toil and exertion1 of danger and suffering1 would be very much increased ,if the subject of the mission were of importance to the conduct and happiness of human life2 if it testified of anything which it behoved mankind to know from such authority2 if the nature of what was delivered1 required the sort of proof which it alleged2 if the occasion was adequate to the interposition1 the end worthy of the means4 ,in the last case my faith would be much confirmed1 if the effects of the transaction remained2 more especially1 if a change had been wrought1 at the time in the opinion and conduct of such members1 as to lay the foundation of an institution1 and of a system of doctrines1 which had since overspread the greatest part of the civilized world4 #f ,in the new dispensation of the gospel all these additional circumstances which ,mr4 ,paley finds in the old dispensation of ,christianity1 exist2 so that there is nothing wanting to justify the complete appropriation of this time-honored ,christian argument to the divinity of ,joseph ,smith's mission4 ,let me point this out3 ,first3 ,the subject of the mission must be of importance to the conduct and happiness of human life4 ,this is true of the message with which ,joseph ,smith came to the world1 since it cries repentance to all men1 warns them of the approaching judgments of ,god1 and calls upon them to worship ,god who created heaven and earth4 ,if such a message is not a subject of importance to the conduct and happiness of human life what message could be8 ,this message was surely of such importance since the acceptance or rejection of it would affect the condition of men in time and in eternity4 ,second1 it must testify of that which it behoves mankind to know from such authority4 ,this the message brought to the world by ,joseph ,smith does1 for it proclaims first1 that the gospel together with the authority to administer its ordinances had been taken from among men2 and second1 that this same gospel and authority had been restored by a new revelation1 the only way it could be re-established when once taken from the earth4 ,i take it that it behooves mankind to know of such a great transaction as this from such authority--that is1 divine authority4 ,third1 the nature of what is delivered must require the sort of proof which is alleged4 ,this the new dispensation does2 for claiming to be a revelation from ,god it requires just the same kind of testimony that the old ,christian dispensation did--the testimony of suffering and toil on the part of those who receive it1 and especially upon the part of those who enter its ministry4 ,it may be remarked in passing that the new dispensation is just as worthy of such testimony as the old ,christian dispensation4 ,fourth1 the occasion must be adequate to the divine interposition--the end worthy of the means4 ,this is true of the new dispensation since restoring the gospel to the earth after its absence for many centuries1 is not only an occasion worthy of the interposition but the only way in which the plan of salvation could be restored4 ,to make such a restoration to the human race was surely an end worthy of such means--that is1 worthy of a revelation4 ,fifth1 the effects of the original transaction must remain4 ,this is true of the new dispensation as the religious faith at the first promulgated by ,joseph ,smith and his associates is still in the earth1 and the circle of its influence is constantly widening4 ,sixth1 a change must be wrought at the time of the transaction in the opinion and conduct of such members as to lay the foundation of an institution1 and of a system of doctrines which have since overspread the greatest part of the civilized world4 ,this condition also the new dispensation fulfills4 ,that is1 a change was wrought at the time1 and by the means of the introduction of the new dispensation in the opinions and conduct of a sufficient number to lay the foundation of an institution1 and of a system of doctrines which has since spread throughout the greater part of the civilized world4 ,i do not mean to say by the last part of the statement that the new dispensation has been accepted as true throughout the greater part of the civilized world2 but ,i do mean to say that a knowledge of it has since overspread civilized nations2 and that it has drawn to itself as great a number of disciples as ,christianity did in the first sixty-three years of its existence4 ,the change wrought in the opinions of those who have accepted the testimony of ,joseph ,smith was quite as radical as that which came to those who accepted the gospel in the first century of ,christianity4 ,from believing that the volume of scripture was completed and closed1 and that the ,bible contained all that had been revealed to man1 they turned to the belief that it contained but a few fragments of the revelations of ,god and accepted a new volume of scripture received and preserved by the people of the ,western ,hemisphere4 ,from believing that the ministrations of angels had forever ceased1 they turned to the belief that a number of angels had ministered to ,joseph ,smith1 and that in the future the visitation of angels to men would be still more frequent4 ,from believing that the spiritual graces and gifts of the gospel were no more to be expected1 they turned to the belief that these blessings so abundantly enjoyed in the primitive ,christian church could also be possessed by them4 ,they consequently sought for and according to a volume of testimony that cannot be rejected1 they enjoyed the spiritual gifts of healing the sick1 speaking in tongues1 interpretation of tongues1 discernment of spirits1 prophecy1 revelation1 etc42 and sought a closer walk with ,god1 and read and practiced the moral law of the gospel more strictly4 ,thus1 as in the testimony of toil and suffering on the part of those who came with the new faith--or the old faith renewed--there is nothing wanting in these supplemental conditions which1 in ,archdeacon ,paley's opinion1 adds to the weight of the testimony of toil and suffering4 ,every condition in his argument for the truth of the old dispensation of ,christianity is met in the circumstance in the midst of which the new dispensation of ,christianity came into existence2 and ,i claim for the latter all the force that has been demanded for this argument when applied to the former4 ,the argument is the ,archdeacon's1 not mine2 but finding the conditions existing in the new dispensation that ,mr4 ,paley claims existed when the old was brought forth1 ,i merely apply the argument to the new2 and throw the weight of ,mr4 ,paley's reputation for logic and force of statement into the support of the divinity of ,joseph ,smith's mission4 ,footnotes #a4 ,paley's ,view of the ,evidences of ,christianity1 ,proposition ,,ii41 chap4 i4 #b4 ,paley's ,evidences1 ,proposition ,i41 ch4 x4 #c4 ,wight's ,affidavit1 ,times and ,seasons for #ahdc1 p4 #bf4 ,the writer for want of space cannot introduce the testimony to support these several statements1 nor indeed is it necessary2 for the injustice and cruelty of the conduct of the people of ,missouri and ,illinois against the ,latter-day ,saints are universally conceded2 as is also the fact that these cruelties grew out of the prejudice existing against the religion professed by the ,saints4 ,those desiring information on the subject may consult the writer's ,history of ,the ,missouri ,persecutions and the ,rise and ,fall of ,nauvoo4 #d4 ,the governor recognized the right of the people to be returned to their lands1 and agreed to call out the militia to accomplish that object2 but held that he had no authority to keep a force in ,jackson ,county to protect them from the mob4 ,as to go back to their lands under such circumstances would only be inviting another expulsion--the saints not being sufficiently strong to hold their possessions against the invasions of the mob--the attempt to re-instate the exiles was abandoned4 #e4 ,as late as ,august1 #ahhd1 two ,elders while in the act of beginning religious service1 on ,sunday1 in the state of ,tennessee1 were murdered by a mob2 two young men1 members of the ,church1 were also killed1 and an aged woman1 a member of the ,church1 savagely wounded4 #f4 ,paley's ,evidences1 ,proposition ,,ii41 ch4 i4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,miracles--,,the ,,evidence ,,of ,,fulfilled ,,promises4 ,it has been already remarked that ,christian writers have attached too much importance to miracles as evidences of the divine authority of those who worked them2 for the reason that in some instances the prophets of ,god have worked no miracles2 in other instances impostors have worked miracles1 and it is predicted for the future that the spirits of devils will have power to work miracles to deceive men4 ,i have also pointed out the fact that miracles are not1 properly speaking1 events which take place in violation of the laws of nature1 but that they take place through the operation of higher laws of nature not yet understood by man2 hence the occurrences which are called miracles are only so in appearance1 and we may confidently expect the day to come when they will cease to appear as miraculous4 ,i say that ,christian writers have attached too much importance to the testimony based on what are called miracles2 and yet ,i would not be understood as ignoring the importance which may attach to them as collateral evidence4 ,when the miracles follow the claimants to divine authority in fulfillment of their promises1 the testimony becomes very important indeed2 for the reason that if certain miraculous gifts or powers are promised by the claimants of divine authority and then they do not follow--then1 granting of course that their disciples comply with the conditions upon which the promises are based1 the failure in the fulfillment of their promises would prove them impostors4 ,more especially would miracles under these circumstances be strong proof of divine authority if the promises were of a nature beyond the power of man to fulfill1 or of ,lucifer to imitate4 ,for example3 ,peter on the day of ,pentecost1 in the boldest manner conceivable1 told the people on condition of their repentance and baptism that they should receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,that1 ,i take it1 was a promise that could not be fulfilled by the agency of man2 and still more revolting to reason would it be to suppose that the spirit of devils could influence the fulfillment of such a promise4 ,it would be insulting to the dignity of ,god--blasphemy of the first degree--to say that agencies of ,lucifer could confer the ,holy ,ghost4 ,however great the powers which ,god in his wisdom has permitted ,lucifer to retain1 to confer the ,holy ,ghost1 or in any manner to operate through or by it1 is not one of them4 ,if this promise made by ,peter1 then1 is fulfilled1 the people to whom he made it would have most positive proof that he held divine authority4 ,or1 on the other hand1 if this or any other promise of heavenly gifts or powers1 though of a subordinate nature to the great promise of the ,holy ,ghost1 should fail of fullfilment--provided always that the conditions were complied with--it would be all that was necessary to prove that the one making it was an impostor4 ,it is in the light of these reflections that ,i propose to submit the evidence of miracles to the divinity of ,joseph ,smith's mission4 ,that is1 making their chief weight as evidence consist in the fact that they are possessed and enjoyed by his followers in fulfillment of his promises to them4 ,john the ,baptist1 when he conferred the ,aaronic ,priesthood upon ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 told them that this ,priesthood did not hold the power of laying on hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost2 but that such power would be given to them later4 ,subsequently they received the higher or ,melchisedek ,priesthood under the hands of ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 which gave them the authority promised by the ,baptist--the power to lay on hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,in ,september1 #ahcb1 on the occasion of a number of ,elders coming into ,kirtland from their missions in the ,eastern ,states1 six of them met together1 and ,joseph ,smith received a revelation directing their future labors1 in the course of which the following commandment and promise were given to them3 ,go ye into all the world1 and whatsoever place ye cannot go into ye shall send1 that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature4 ,and as ,i said unto mine apostles1 even so ,i say unto you1 for you are mine apostles1 even ,god's high priests2 ye are they whom my ,father hath given me--ye are my friends2 therefore1 as ,i said unto mine apostles ,i say unto you again1 that every soul who believeth on your words1 and is baptized by water for the remission of sins1 shall receive the ,holy ,ghost4 #a ,i thought proper to call attention to the fact that ,joseph ,smith claimed to have received power through ordination by heavenly messengers to confer the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands2 and then that afterwards in this revelation a promise of the reception of the ,holy ,ghost is made to all those who will believe the testimony of the servants of ,god in the new dispensation and be baptized for the remission of their sins4 ,accordingly ,joseph ,smith and the ,elders of the ,church have made this promise to all the inhabitants of the earth1 and upon as many as have complied with the conditions prescribed1 they have laid their hands and said--,receive ye the ,holy ,ghost4 ,if this promise that they shall receive the ,holy ,ghost fails1 then the men making the promise stand convicted as impostors4 ,if it is fulfilled1 since1 as already remarked1 neither man nor the agencies of ,lucifer can fulfill such a promise--,god only--then it stands as very positive evidence that ,joseph ,smith through whom the promise is made was divinely authorized1 and that he conferred divine authority upon others4 ,if he was authorized to impart the ,holy ,ghost by an ordinance of the gospel1 it follows also that he was divinely authorized to preach a new dispensation of the gospel1 and re-establish the ,church of ,christ on earth4 ,the only question that remains to be considered is1 do those who comply with the conditions receive the fulfillment of the promise8 ,for over sixty years the gospel has been preached among nearly all the nations of the earth1 during which time hundreds of thousands have received the message1 and they have testified that to them the word of promise made to the ear has not been broken to the hope--but they have realized its fulfillment4 ,not always1 and indeed not frequently1 in the earth-quake1 or the whirlwind1 have they seen the evidence of having received the ,holy ,ghost2 but in the whisperings of the still1 small voice of the ,comforter1 which fills the soul with assurance2 which enlarges while it quickens the intellect2 makes broader while it sanctifies the affections2 shows things to come1 or testifies that ,jesus is the ,christ2 through adversity or affliction is a voice in the ear saying1 when those who have it would turn to the right hand or to the left1 this is the way1 walk ye in it2 or which1 though it brings together men and women from all nations and tribes of the earth1 with all their diverse customs and peculiarities1 yet makes them one people2 blends all their desires in the accomplishment of a common purpose1 and enables them to dwell together in perfect peace and unity4 ,such is the manner of its operations--and in such operations the saints have evidence of its existence among them2 and the whole ,church of ,christ is ready and does testify to the world that the ,holy ,ghost is given in fulfillment of the promise made through ,joseph ,smith4 ,following the promise of the ,holy ,ghost1 in the revelation quoted1 is this array of promises3 ,and these signs shall follow them that believe4 ,in my name they shall do many wonderful works2 in my name #b they shall cast out devils2 in my name they shall heal the sick2 in my name they shall open the eyes of the blind1 and unstop the ears of the deaf2 and the tongue of the dumb shall speak2 and if any man shall administer poison unto them1 it shall not hurt them2 and the poison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them4 ,but a commandment ,i give unto them1 that they shall not boast themselves of these things1 neither speak them before the world2 for these things are given unto you for your profit and for salvation4 #c ,the last part of the passage ,i have written in ,italics that it might be the clearer understood that this promise of the miraculous gifts enumerated was not made that servants of ,god in the new dispensation might have evidence of what are commonly looked upon as miracles to point to in attestation of their divine authority2 but are blessings given to the saints for their profit and salvation4 ,for the very reasons that they were not given as evidence of divine authority1 but as a promise of blessing to the saints1 they will become all the stronger proof of divine authority in the ministry of the new dispensation1 provided it can be proven that they follow those who believe4 ,and ,i want to say1 also1 that because of the commandment that the servants of ,god shall not boast of these powers before the world is the very reason that so little has been said of them as proof of the divine mission of our ,new ,witness2 and even now ,i make their chief weight as evidence consist in the fact that their enjoyment is the fulfillment of a promise made by the ,god of heaven through ,joseph ,smith1 which if it had not been fulfilled would prove him beyond all question an impostor4 ,but ,i affirm that these promises are fulfilled in the experience of those who believe in1 and accept the new dispensation and offer the following testimony in evidence3-- ,in the month of ,april1 #ahcj1 ,joseph ,smith was visiting at the house of a ,mr4 ,joseph ,knight1 at ,colesville1 ,broome ,county1 ,new ,york4 ,this gentleman had rendered the prophet some timely assistance while translating the ,book of ,mormon1 and he was anxious that ,mr4 ,knight and his family should receive the truth4 ,while in ,mr4 ,knight's neighborhood the prophet held a number of meetings4 ,among those who attended regularly was ,newel ,knight1 son of ,joseph ,knight4 ,he and the prophet had many serious conversations on the subject of man's salvation4 ,in the meetings held the people prayed much1 and in one of the aforesaid conversations with the prophet1 ,newel ,knight promised that he would pray publicly4 ,when the time came1 however1 his heart failed him1 and he refused1 saying that he would wait until he got into the woods by himself4 ,the next morning when he attempted to pray in the woods1 he was over-whelmed with a sense of having neglected his duty the evening before1 in not praying in the presence of others4 ,he began to feel uneasy and continued to grow worse both in body and mind1 until upon reaching home his appearance was such as to alarm his wife4 ,he sent for the prophet1 who1 when he came found ,newel in a sad condition and suffering greatly4 ,his visage and limbs were distorted and twisted in every shape imaginable4 ,at last he was caught up off the floor and tossed about most fearfully4 ,the neighbors hearing of his condition came running in4 ,after he had suffered for a time the prophet succeeded in getting him by the hand1 when ,newel immediately spoke to him1 saying he knew he was possessed of the devil1 and that the prophet had power to cast him out4 ,if you know ,i can1 it shall be1 done1 replied the prophet2 and then almost unconsciously he rebuked ,satan and commanded him to depart from the man4 ,immediately ,newel's contortions stopped1 and he spoke out and said he saw the devil leave him and vanish from sight4 ,this was the first miracle which was done in this church1 or by any member of it1 writes the prophet2 and it was done not by man1 nor by the power of man1 but it was done by ,god and by the power of ,godliness2 therefore let the honor and praise1 the dominion and the glory1 be ascribed to the ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,spirit1 for ever and ever4 ,amen4 ,the following account of a miraculous healing is to be found in ,hayden' ,history of the ,disciples 7,campbellites72 and is the statement of witnesses hostile to the prophet and the work in which he was engaged3 ,ezra ,booth1 of ,mantua1 a ,methodist preacher of much more than ordinary culture1 and with strong natural abilities1 in company with his wife1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,johnson1 and some other citizens of this place1 visited ,smith at his house in ,kirtland1 in #ahca4 ,mrs4 ,johnson had been afflicted for some time with a lame arm1 and was not at the time of the visit able to lift her hand to her head4 ,the party visited ,smith1 partly out of curiosity1 and partly to see for themselves what there might be in the new doctrine4 ,during the interview the conversation turned upon the subject of supernatural gifts2 such as were conferred in the days of the apostles4 ,some one said3 ',here is ,mrs4 ,johnson with a lame arm2 has ,god given any power to men on the earth to cure her8' ,a few moments later1 when the conversation had turned in another direction1 ,smith rose1 and walking across the room1 taking ,mrs4 ,johnson by the hand1 said in the most solemn and impressive manner3 ',woman1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 ,i command thee to be whole2 and immediately left the room4 ,the company were awestricken at the infinite presumption of the man1 and the calm assurance with which he spoke4 ,the sudden mental and moral shock--,i know not how better to explain the well attested fact--electrified the rheumatic arm--,mrs4 ,johnson at once lifted it with ease1 and on her return home the next day she was able to do her washing without difficulty or pain4' #d ,when the saints first settled at ,commerce1 afterwards called ,nauvoo1 it was a very unhealthy locality4 ,malaria was prevalent and other people who had tried to make a settlement there had failed4 ,the exposure to which the saints had been subjected in their expulsion from ,missouri1 made them easy victims to the malaria4 ,by the middle of ,july1 #ahci1 the greater part of them were stricken down of the fever1 and in the most helpless condition4 ,from the #bast of ,july to the #bcrd1 inclusive1 there were remarkable manifestations of the power of ,god in the church through the administrations of the ,prophet ,joseph to the sick4 ,his own account of the matter in his journal is extremely brief1 it stands thus3 ,sunday1 #bast4 ,there was no meeting on account of much rain and much sickness2 however1 many of the sick were this day raised by the power of ,god1 through the instrumentality of the ,elders of ,israel ministering unto them in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,monday and ,tuesday1 #bbnd1 #bcrd4 ,the sick were administered unto with great success1 but many remain sick1 and new cases are occurring daily4 #e ,another hand1 however1 has recorded the manifestation of ,god's power on that memorable #bbnd of ,july1 #ahci1 that of ,wilford ,woodruff1 now ,president of the church1 and ,i quote his account of it4 ,in consequence of the persecutions of the saints in ,missouri1 and the exposures to which they were subjected1 many of them were taken sick soon after their arrival at ,commerce1 afterwards called ,nauvoo2 and as there were but a small number of dwellings for them to occupy1 ,joseph had filled his house and tent with them1 and through constantly attending to their wants1 he soon fell sick himself4 ,after being confined to his house several days1 and while meditating upon his situation1 he had a great desire to attend to the duties of his office4 ,on the morning of the #bbnd of ,july1 #ahci1 he arose from his bed and commenced to administer to the sick in his own house and door-yard1 and he commanded them in the name of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ to arise and be made whole2 and the sick were healed upon every side of him4 ,many lay sick along the bank of the river2 ,joseph walked along up to the lower stone house1 occupied by ,sidney ,rigdon1 and he healed all the sick that lay in his path4 ,among the number was ,henry ,g4 ,sherwood1 who was nigh unto death4 ,joseph stood in the door of his tent and commanded him in the name of ,jesus ,christ to arise and come out of his tent1 and he obeyed him and was healed4 ,brother ,benjamin ,brown and his family also lay sick1 the former appearing to be in a dying condition4 ,joseph healed them in the name of the ,lord4 ,after healing all that lay sick upon the bank of the river as far as the stone house1 he called upon ,elder ,kimball and some others to accompany him across the river to visit the sick at ,montrose4 ,many of the saints were living at the old military barracks4 ,among the number were several of the ,twelve4 ,on his arrival1 the first house he visited was that occupied by ,elder ,brigham ,young1 the ,president of the ,quorum of the ,twelve1 who lay sick4 ,joseph healed him1 then he arose and accompanied the prophet on his visit to others who were in the same condition4 ,they visited ,elder ,w4 ,woodruff1 also ,elders ,orson ,pratt and ,john ,taylor1 all of whom were living in ,montrose4 ,they also accompanied him4 ,the next place they visited was the home of ,elijah ,fordham1 who was supposed to be about breathing his last4 ,when the company entered the room1 the prophet of ,god walked up to the dying man and took hold of his right hand and spoke to him2 but ,brother ,fordham was unable to speak1 his eyes were set in his head like glass1 and he seemed entirely unconscious of all around him4 ,joseph held his hand and looked into his eyes in silence for a length of time4 ,a change in the countenance of ,brother ,fordham was soon perceptible to all present4 ,his sight returned1 and upon ,joseph asking him if he knew him1 he1 in a low whisper1 answered ',yes'4 ,joseph asked him if he had faith to be healed4 ,he answered1 ',i fear it is too late2 if you had come sooner ,i think ,i could have been heald4' ,the prophet said1 ',do you believe in ,jesus ,christ8' ,he answered in a feeble voice1 ',i do4' ,joseph then stood erect1 still holding his hand in silence several moments2 then he spoke in a very loud voice1 saying1 ',brother ,fordham1 ,i command you in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 to arise from this bed and be made whole4' ,his voice was like the voice of ,god1 and not of man4 ,it seemed as though the house shook to its very foundations4 ,brother ,fordham arose from his bed1 and was immediately made whole4 ,his feet were bound in poultices which he kicked off2 then putting on his clothes he ate a bowl of bread and milk and followed the prophet into the street4 ,the company next visited ,brother ,joseph ,bates ,noble1 who lay very sick4 ,he also was healed by the prophet4 ,by this time the wicked became alarmed and followed the company into ,brother ,noble's house4 ,after ,brother ,noble was healed1 all kneeled down to pray4 ,brother ,fordham was mouth1 and while praying1 he fell to the floor4 ,the prophet arose1 and on looking around he saw quite a number of unbelievers in the house1 whom he ordered out4 ,when the room was cleared of the wicked1 ,brother ,fordham came to and finished his prayer4 ,after healing the sick in ,montrose1 all the company followed ,joseph to the bank of the river1 where he was going to take the boat to return home4 ,while waiting for the boat a man from the ,west1 who had seen that the sick and dying were healed1 asked ,joseph if he would not go to his house and heal two of his children1 who were very sick4 ,they were twins and were three months old4 ,joseph told the man he could not go1 but he would send some one to heal them4 ,he told ,elder ,woodruff to go with the man and heal his children4 ,at the same time he took from his pocket a silk bandanna handkerchief1 and gave to ,brother ,woodruff1 telling him to wipe the faces of the children with it1 and they should be healed2 and remarked at the same time3 ',as long as you keep that handkerchief it shall remain a league between you and me4' ,elder ,woodruff did as he was commanded1 and the children were healed1 and he keeps the handkerchief to this day4 ,there were many sick whom ,joseph could not visit1 so he counseled the ,twelve to go and visit and heal them1 and many were healed under their hands4 ,on the day following that upon which the above-described events took place1 ,joseph sent ,elders ,george ,a4 and ,don ,carlos ,smith up the river to heal the sick4 ,they went up as far as ,ebenezer ,robinson's one or two miles--and did as they were commanded1 and the sick were healed4 #f ,the manifestation of ,god's power was by no means confined to the personal ministry of ,joseph ,smith1 nor to the land of ,america4 ,god honored the ministrations of those who received authority through his prophet1 and poured out his blessings on those who received the message in distant lands1 as will be seen by the testimony ,i now introduce4 ,the following is an ,editorial in ,the ,merlin1 a non-,mormon paper1 published in ,merthyr ,tydvil1 ,wales1 under the caption of an ,extraordinary ,occurrence4 ,during the night of ,friday week 7,sept4 #bbnd1 #ahdh7 between the hours of eleven and twelve1 a very extraordinary occurrence took place in ,newport4 ,a young man named ,reuben ,brinkworth was1 in #ahdj 787 at ,bermuda1 on board the ,terror1 ,commodore ,franklin1 in the ,arctic expedition1 when1 in the midst of a storm of thunder and lightning1 he was suddenly deprived of both hearing and speech1 and in that deplorable condition returned to ,stroud1 in ,england1 of which place he was a native4 ,he has since been residing with ,mr4 ,naish1 basket maker1 ,market ,street1 ,newport1 who1 with several other persons1 is attached to the community of people known as ',mormons4' ,persons of this denomination have been able to communicate their doctrines to ,brinkworth1 by means of writing1 signs1 and the finger alphabet4 ,his sad condition they allege1 excited their sympathy for his spiritual as well as temporal welfare2 and their doctrines made very considerable impression upon him--perhaps1 more especially1 because their creed was that ,god did perform miracles in these days as he did in the days of old1 and a miracle might be wrought in his favor4 ,on ,friday night week1 the young man was seized with a kind of fit1 in which he continued some time2 and on his recovery he was called upon1 by sight1 #g to believe in the ,savior1 that the healing power of ,god might be exercised in his behalf4 ,he was moreover earnestly entreated to be baptized2 but this was very strongly opposed by a person in the room4 ,the deaf and dumb man1 however1 signified his acquiescence4 ,he was taken to the canal and baptized in the name of our ,savior2 and immediately on coming up out of the water1 he cried out1 ,thank the ,lord1 ,i can speak and hear again as well as any of you6 ,he now speaks fluently and hears distinctly2 which miraculous circumstance is attributed to the power of ,providence by the friends of the young man2 who called at our office with him1 and gave us the details4 ,we have heard from another source that this happy change in the young man's condition is supposed to have been produced by the action upon him of the electric fluid during the thunder storm of the ,friday night4 ,we shall not take upon ourselves to decide this matter4 ,subsequently ,mr4 ,reuben ,brinkworth himself made a statement of the miraculous event1 and it was published in the ,millennial ,star1 from which ,i quote it4 ,on the #bnd of ,july1 #ahci1 ,i entered on board the ,terror1 ,commodore ,sir ,j4 ,franklin being then about to set out on a voyage of discovery for a northwest passage to ,india4 ,upon returning to ,england we landed at ,bermuda on the #afth of ,july1 #ahdc1 and in the afternoon of the same day a terrible thunder storm occurred1 in which ,i was suddenly deprived of my hearing and speech4 ,at the same time five of my comrades1 viz41 ,john ,ennis1 ,william ,collins1 ,john ,rogers1 ,richard ,king1 and ,william ,simms were summoned into eternity4 ,i remained insensible fifteen days--perfectly unconscious of all that was passing around me2 but upon the return of reason1 came the dreadful conviction that ,i was deprived of two of my faculties4 ,i well remember the period1 and shall ever continue to do so--language cannot describe the awful sensations that pervaded my mind when ,i became fully sensible of the reality of my condition4 ,i will here remark1 that the subject of religion had never troubled my mind2 nor did the calamity ,i was called to suffer awaken any feeling akin to it2 nevertheless ,i felt a certain feeling of gratitude that ,i had not met with the same fate as my more unfortunate companions2 yet ,i must1 to my shame1 confess that it was not directed to the ,great ,disposer of all events1 who could have taken my life as those of my companions1 had he willed it4 ,but it was not his design4 ,i was spared1 and am now a living witness of his loving kindness to the most abandoned sinners1 if they will turn and seek his face4 ,at that time ,i was about nineteen years old4 ,after remaining at ,bermuda about three weeks1 we again set sail for ,england1 and reached ,chatham on the #adth of ,december4 ,i remained there only fourteen days1 after which ,i went to ,london1 and1 by the kind assistance of some gentlemen1 entered the deaf and dumb school in ,old ,kent ,road1 where ,i remained for ten weeks1 but not liking the confinement1 and being from home1 ,i became dissatisfied and unhappy1 and resolved to leave it1 and accordingly did so4 ,i then went to ,george ,lock's1 ,oxford ,arms1 ,silver ,street1 ,reading1 with whom ,i lived eighteen months1 supporting myself the whole of that period upon the wages ,i earned on board the ,terror4 ,i afterwards went to ,rugby not to remain there1 but on the way to my mother at ,stroud1 ,gloucestershire4 ,i will here relate a circumstance of cruelty of which ,i was made the sufferer2 being thirsty1 ,i stepped into a public house to get something to drink2 there were gentlemen in the parlor1 who1 seeing that ,i was dumb1 motioned me to them1 and put many questions in writing1 which ,i answered in the same manner4 ,while ,i was thus being questioned1 one of the men went out and brought in a policeman1 who hauled me away to the lock-up in which place ,i was kept all that night1 the next day1 and following night1 and on the morning of the second day ,i was taken before a magistrate who ordered me to be taken to a doctor1 where ,i underwent an operation1 namely having my tongue cut in two places2 he became satisfied that ,i was both deaf and dumb1 and then ,i was discharged4 ,from the treatment ,i had received ,i was determined to go to another of the magistrates of that town1 to whom ,i related by writing what had happened4 ,he said very little to me1 more than that he would write to ,london respecting it1 and ,i have since heard from a gentleman1 that the magistrate who examined me1 has been removed from his office4 ,i then continued my journey to ,stroud1 which ,i reached without any other inconvenience1 and remained there two days4 ,i then went to ,newport1 ,monmouthshire1 and occupied my time in teaching the deaf and dumb alphabet for about three years1 at the end of which ,i became acquainted with the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,at that time ,i was lodging at a public house1 kept by ,james ,durbin1 sign of the ,golden ,lion1 ,pentonville4 ,one of the customers of this house became acquainted with me and prevailed upon me to go and live with him and his brother1 who was a member of the ,latter-day ,saints' ,church4 ,there ,i first became acquainted with the doctrines taught by this people1 by reading and by means of the finger alphabet4 ,i continued to investigate them for about three months1 when ,i felt convinced of the truth of those doctrines which have since become so beneficial to my temporal and eternal welfare4 ,on the #bbnd of ,september ,i had been1 by means of the deaf and dumb alphabet1 conversing freely with some of the ,saints1 and had fully determined to be baptized that evening2 therefore ,i expressed my desire to receive the ordinance of baptism1 and was taken to the canal early on the morning of the #bcrd1 and baptized in the name of the ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost2 and upon my head emerging from the water1 ,i heard the voices of persons upon the towing path1 and this was the first sound ,i had heard since my deprivation upon the island of ,bermuda1 in #ahdc4 ,with my hearing came also my speech1 and the first words that ,i uttered were1 ',thank the ,lord1 ,i can speak and hear again as well as any of you4' ,i scarcely need state my own surprise at the moment1 but such it was1 and it appears marvelous in my own eyes1 not that ,god is possessed of such power1 but that he should manifest it in my behalf4 ,i have much cause to praise him and glorify his holy name1 for in obedience to his divine commands1 ,i not only received the remission of my sins1 which ,i esteem above all earthly blessings1 but also the removal of my deafness and dumbness2 and now ,i can hear as distinctly and speak as fluently as ,i ever did1 although ,i have been deprived of both these faculties for upwards of five years1 not being able to hear the loudest noise1 nor to use my tongue in speech4 ,there is a mistake in the ,merlin of the date of my landing at ,bermuda1 it should have been #ahdc1 instead of #ahdj4 ,the same error appeared also in the ,millennial ,star1 ,no4 #bb1 ,vol4 ,x1 which was caused by extracting the account from that paper4 ,the following individuals are witnesses to my baptism3 ,,henry ,,naish1 ,,john ,,roberts1 ,,john ,,walden4 ,members of the ,church4 ,,jane ,,dunbin1 ,,thomas ,,jones1 ,,jacob ,,naish4 ,non-,members4 #h ,i quote the following cases from one of the publications of the church--the ,millennial ,star--from which alone could be selected enough of such incidents to fill a large volume4 ,these letters were addressed to ,elder ,orson ,pratt1 one of the ,twelve ,apostles of the ,new ,dispensation1 who in #ahdh-ej was ,editor of the ,star and ,president of the ,european ,mission3 ,,the ,,blind ,,healed4 ,,berrien1 ,,montgomeryshire1 ,,north ,,wales1 ,may #bc1 #ahdi4 ,i feel it my bounden duty to make the following narrative known to the authorities of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ1 to show that the manifestation of the power of ,god attends this church1 in the last days1 as it did the church of the early ,apostles1 viz3--,my daughter ,sophia ,matilda1 aged eight years1 was in the month of ,may1 #ahdh1 afflicted in her eyes2 she soon lost the sight of her left eye1 and on applying to medical aid1 instead of the sight being restored she immediately lost the other1 the surgeon stating that the pupils were closed1 and feared she could never be restored to her sight4 ,i was advised to try an eminent surgeon in ,shrewsbury1 in the county of ,salop1 where in ,june1 #ahdh1 ,i sent her and her mother1 as she was now quite blind1 and the poor little creature's sufferings were indescribable1 though the ,lord enabled her to be patient in her afflictions2 she remained in ,shrewsbury a fortnight but found no benefit1 and as the last resource to human aid1 ,i was advised to send her to an eminent oculist in ,liverpool 7,dr4 ,neile7 under whose treatment she was relieved1 and a gradual improvement took place1 to our great joy1 until the ,autumn of the same year4 ,i corresponded with ,dr4 ,neile1 who desired me to continue the treatment he had prescribed1 but it was all to no purpose1 for she relapsed into the same state as before1 and was in total darkness the whole of the winter1 suffering acutely1 and by ,february of the present year1 #ahdi1 she had wasted to a mere skeleton1 when my brother-in-law paid me a visit previous to his embarkation to ,california1 and told me that if ,i would have faith in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and call for the ,elders of the church1 he believed she would be healed4 ,i also soon was enabled to believe and obeyed the command of ,st4 ,james4 ,the church put up their prayers for us1 and ,i found1 thanks to the ,giver of all good1 some improvement ere the ordinance was performed4 ,on the following ,sabbath1 ,elder ,dudley and ,richards1 from ,pool ,quay1 came to my house1 performed the ordinance upon my child1 the pain soon left her1 and she was soon by the power of ,god and the prayers of the faithful restored to sight and health and1 thanks be to ,almighty ,god1 she is still in the enjoyment of these great blessings2 trusting you will rejoice in the ,lord with me for his great mercies manifested to me1 ,i remain1 etc4 etc41 ,,henry ,,pugh4 #i 99 99 99 99 ,some years ago1 the author speaking in ,farmington1 the county seat of ,davis ,county1 ,utah1 had occasion to refer to this instance of healing1 and at the conclusion of his remarks a gentleman of the name of ,james ,loynd arose and said he was well acquainted with the circumstance1 as the person healed was a relative of his1 and said the incident above related was true in every particular4 ,happening to remember this when making his selection of cases of healing that have occurred in the church1 ,i wrote this gentleman and here give my letter to him and his reply3 ,,salt ,,lake ,,city1 ,,utah4 ,dec4 #ca1 #ahid4 ,james ,loynd1 ,esq41 ,farmington1 ,utah4 ,,dear ,,brother3--,a number of years ago1 when delivering a public discourse in your village1 ,i had occasion to refer to some of the testimonies to remarkable cases of healing in the church that were collected and published in the ,millennial ,star by ,elder ,orson ,pratt4 ,my recollection is that after ,i had read one of the many cases published by ,elder ,pratt1 you arose in the body of the house and testified that the person healed--,i think restored to sight--was a relative of yours1 perhaps your wife4 ,if the circumstance still lives in your memory ,i wish you would confirm my statement of the case1 as ,i am about to go to press with a book where your confirmation of my recollection will be of service to me4 ,i trust you will pardon me for thus intruding upon you1 but believing you have an interest in the great cause of truth ,i make bold to trouble you4 ,very truly1 your brother1 ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts4 99 99 99 99 ,,farmington1 ,,utah41 ,dec4 #afth1 #ahid4 ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts1 ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,,dear ,,brother3--,i very distinctly remember the circumstance of you speaking some years ago in ,farmington1 and my confirming one of the cases of healing read by you on that occasion4 ,it was the case of ,sophia ,matilda ,pugh1 who is now my wife1 ,sophia ,m4 ,loynd4 ,the circumstance of her receiving her sight1 is accurately stated by her father in a letter to the ,star 7,vol ,,xi74 ,it is now forty-six years ago since the miracle was performed4 ,sophia ,m4 ,loynd1 who was then healed in so remarkable a manner1 is still alive and joins me in signing this letter to you4 ,she is fifty-four years old1 in good health1 and a living witness to the miraculous power that is in the church of ,christ4 ,she says that this case of healing is what brought her parents into the church4 ,they immigrated to ,utah1 where they died in the faith4 ,i have written this in the presence of my wife1 have read the same to her and she now joins me in saying that you may make such use of it as you choose4 ,very truly yours1 7signed7 ,,james ,,loynd1 ,,sophia ,m4 ,,loynd4 99 99 99 99 ,,healing ,,of ,,one ,,born ,,blind4 ,,bristol1 ,november #be1 #ahdi4 ,,dear ,,president ,,pratt3--,as you were so kind as to publish the letter ,i sent1 dated ,july #i1 #ahdi1 containing an account of the miraculous power of ,god1 displayed in the healing of ,elizabeth ,ann ,bounsell1 which made quite a stir amongst the pious ,christians of this city1 ,i now venture to write to you again1 and say that the above circumstance caused many to call at the house to see if it were true4 ,and upon seeing1 many rejoiced1 others mocked1 saying1 ,she would have got well if the ,elders had not laid their hands upon her4 ,among the latter1 was one would-be great man1 by the name of ,charles ,smith 7who has written a flimsy attack against the ,saints17 who said it was not enough to satisfy him4 ,so the mother took another of her daughters1 and put her upon his knee1 and said1 ,sir1 is that child blind8 ,after he had examined the eyes he said ,she is4 ,well1 said the mother1 she was born blind3 and now she is four years old2 and ,i am going to take her to the ,elders of our church for them to anoint her eyes with oil and lay their hands upon her2 and you can call again when you have time and see her with her eyes opened2 for ,i know the ,lord will heal her and she will see4 ,well1 said he1 if she ever does see it will be a great proof4 ,accordingly the mother brought the child to the ,elders and ,elder ,john ,hackwell anointed her eyes1 and laid hands upon her1 only once1 and the ,lord heard his prayer1 so that the child can now see with both of her eyes1 as well as any other person4 ,for which we all feel thankful to our ,heavenly ,father1 and are willing to bear testimony of it to all the world4 ,yours in the kingdom of ,god1 ,,george ,,halliday4 ,p4 ,s4--,we1 the father and mother of the child1 do here sign our names to the above1 as being true4 ,,william ,,bounsell4 ,,elizabeth ,,bounsell4 #aj ,no4 #ab1 ,broad ,street1 ,bristol4 99 99 99 99 ,,bones ,,set ,,through ,,faith4 ,,rumford1 ,may #ast1 #ahdi4 ,,dear ,,brother ,,gibson3--,at your request1 ,i now sit down to give you a short account of the goodness and power of ,god1 made manifest in my behalf4 ,about two years ago1 while working at my trade of coach-builder1 while assisting in removing a railway carriage1 ,i dislocated my thigh1 and was conveyed home1 and my parents not being in the church1 and no ,elders in the town1 7viz4 ,sterling7 medical skill was called in1 but from the swelling it could not be set4 ,i was again examined by a ,doctor ,jeffrey1 and one ,taylor of ,glasgow1 who said that a kind of jeal had gathered in the hip joint1 and before it could be set this must be removed by cupping2 so ,i was cupped with twenty-four lances but it did no good and ,i lingered in great pain for three weeks when it was proposed that ,i should again be cupped2 but ,i was determined that it should not be2 and hearing from you that ,elder ,samuel ,w4 ,richards1 from ,america was coming to ,sterling1 ,i told my friends that when he came they would see the power of ,god1 and ,i should be healed4 ,accordingly1 when he came1 he anointed me in the name of the ,lord1 and the bone went into its place1 and ,i got up in the morning and went to my work1 to the astonishment of doctors and friends4 ,i am now a traveling ,elder1 and have a great deal of walking1 but experience no inconvenience from it4 ,i can get a dozen witnesses to attest to the truth of this cure both in and out of the church4 ,i remain your brother1 ,,james ,s4 ,,low4 99 99 99 99 ,,nantygwnith1 ,,georgetown1 ,,merthyr ,,tydfil1 ,september #ad1 #ahej4 ,,dear ,,president ,,pratt3--,i enclose a testimony of a miraculous case of healing which has taken place a few days ago in ,abercanaid2 ,i saw the brother in his affliction and the accompanying testimony he bore at my house more than two miles distant from his4 ,i send it to you with permission to do with it as you think proper4 ,,wm4 ,,phillips4 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,david ,,richards4 ,,merthyr ,,tydfil4 ,september #aj1 #ahej4 ,on ,friday1 ,august #bcrd1 #ahej1 at about eleven o'clock while ,i was working among the coal1 a stone fell upon me1 about #bjj pounds weight4 ,i was carried home1 and the doctor who was present said he could do nothing for me1 and told those around me to wrap me up in a sheet that ,i might die4 ,there was a lump on my back as big as a child's head4 ,the doctor afterwards told one of my relatives1 about six o'clock in the evening1 that ,i could not recover4 ,elder ,phillips called to see me1 attended to the ordinance of the church for the sick1 and while commanding the bones in the name of ,jesus1 they came together1 making a noise like the crushing of an old basket2 my strength returned1 and now ,i am able to go some miles to bear my testimony to this great miracle4 ,the doctor who called to see me was astonished1 and said in the hearing of witnesses that my backbone was broken2 but that it now was whole1 and that ,i was now recovering as well as any man he ever saw4 ,many of our greatest enemies confessed that ,i was healed by the power of ,god1 and while coming here today1 many who heard of my accident were struck with the greatest amazement4 ,but ,i thank my ,heavenly ,father for his kindness towards me1 hoping ,i shall live to serve him more faithfully henceforth than ever4 ,witnesses1 ,d4 ,,richards4 ,,morgan ,,mills1 ,,thomas ,,rees1 ,,john ,,thomas1 ,,henry ,,evans4 #aa 99 99 99 99 ,,leprosy ,,healed4 ,no4 #i ,,guardian ,,street1 ,,springfield ,,lane1 ,,salford1 ,may #ai1 #ahdi4 ,last winter1 a young woman addressed me in the ,carpenter's ,hall1 the daughter of a fustian cutter1 named ,lee1 residing in ,cook ,street1 ,salford1 and said her parents were desirous that ,i should go and see her brother1 who was very bad with a leprosy4 ,i went in company with one or two of my brethren4 ,i think ,i never saw anything so bad as the boy was 7the small pox excepted72 the whole lower part of his face and under his chin1 as well as the back of his hands and wrists1 were one entire mass of scabs2 indeed1 you could not have inserted a needle point1 they were so thick4 ,he was eight and a half years of age1 and had been afflicted since he was six months old2 they had him at the ,manchester ,infirmary and the ,salford ,dispensary1 and are at this time paying the surgeon's bill who attended him as a private patient4 ,the surgeon told his parents he could do nothing for him1 as the disease was too virulent for medicine to reach it4 ,his parents told me they did not know what it was to get a regular night's rest with him1 and it frequently took three hours to wash him4 ,the first night we went they were not disturbed during the night1 and in three weeks he was entirely free1 and his flesh was renewed like that of a young child4 ,,john ,,watts4 99 99 99 99 ,to all whom it may concern4 ,this is to certify1 that ,i was seized with a disease like the leprosy1 in the year #ahcg1 and tried all that ,i could to get a cure1 but ,i could not1 and all the doctors that ,i applied to could do me no good2 and it continued with me over all my body till the month of ,september1 #ahdc1 when ,i went and was baptized into the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 by ,william ,mc,farland1 ,elder of the church1 on the first of ,september1 #ahdc1 and on that same night the leprosy left me4 ,,jenet ,,ridd4 ,witnesses1 ,,william ,mc,f,a,r,l,a,n,d1 ,,james ,,crystal1 ,,alexander ,,ridd4 #ab 99 99 99 99 ,the instances of what are usually called miraculous cases of healing in the church are by no means confined to the past1 they take place today and are of frequent occurrence4 ,by permission of ,elder ,heber ,j4 ,grant1 one of the ,twelve ,apostles1 ,i give herewith a letter of his written to his cousin1 ,mrs4 ,julia ,mac,donald1 living in ,st4 ,george1 ,utah1 that relates a case of quite recent date4 ,,tooele ,,city1 ,april #bhth1 #ahid4 ,,my ,,dear ,,cousin ,,julia3--,i am half inclined to the opinion that you will be thinking that ,i have entirely forgotten the promise which ,i made you1 some time ago1 to write about the case of healing1 that came under my observation in connection with my brother ,hyrum4 ,i have not forgotten the promise1 but ,i have been pretty busy with my usual duties1 and the conference matters which needed attention before and since ,april #fth4 99 99 ,i will1 to the best of my ability1 now redeem my promise about giving an account of the young lady healed by the ,lord4 ,some years ago1 as nearly as ,i can now recall it is about seven or eight years1 my brother ,hyrum was living in ,salt ,lake ,city1 he had charge of the business of ,grant ,brothers' ,livery ,co4 ,the employees of the ,z4 ,c4 ,m4 ,i4 shoe factory arranged with our company to carry them to ,calder's ,farm to spend the day4 ,just before dark it looked quite like a storm1 or commenced storming1 ,i do not now recall which4 ,my brother1 who had driven one of the large drags down to ,calder's1 called the party together1 and told them he felt that it was the proper thing to start for the city before it was dark1 for fear of an accident on ,state ,road4 ,the people declined to start for the city1 and ,hyrum then and there warned them that he was not to be responsible for any accident that might happen4 ,coming from ,calder's in the rain and dark1 the drag driven by my brother was turned over1 and one young lady had some bones broken1 and in addition being so badly exposed1 she took cold and the result was pneumonia4 ,she got very low and the doctors had a consultation and decided it was an impossibility for her to recover4 ,hyrum felt very bad indeed when he learned her condition and that the doctors had said that the young lady could not live more than two days1 and that they did not think she would live more than twenty-four hours4 ,he came to see me and said that he had had a testimony that in case he and ,i would go and administer to the young lady she would get well4 ,i was pleased to go with him1 but when ,i got to the house where she lived ,i looked at her and felt that she was dying1 and told my brother that ,i did not think there was any use of blessing her1 but he turned and said1 ,did ,i not tell you that ,i had had a testimony that if we would bless her that she would get well8 ,i felt ashamed of my refusal to bless the girl1 and we then administered to her1 and1 while ,i had my hands on her head1 ,i got a testimony that she would recover4 ,i met ,brother ,wm4 ,h4 ,rowe1 manager of the shoe factory soon after ,i left the young lady's home1 and he was feeling very badly1 and told me that she was going to die4 ,i then assured him that he need have no fears1 as ,i had been blessed of the ,lord with a testimony that she would recover1 and ,i then explained to him what my brother had told me1 and of our visit to the home of the sick sister4 ,the next morning the doctor in attendance upon her called at the livery stables and told my brother that there was a wonderful change in the girl's condition1 and that he could not possibly account for the improvement1 and that he now had hopes of her recovery4 ,my brother informed the doctor that he had no difficulty in accounting for the change1 and he then told him of our visit4 ,he1 the doctor1 did not have any faith that our visit had anything to do with the improvement in the sister's condition1 notwithstanding the fact that he had admitted that he could not account for her improvement4 ,the girl recovered1 and the last ,i heard of her she was still working in the ,z4 ,c4 ,m4 ,i4 ,shoe ,factory4 ,i have a faint recollection that ,i was told that she was married1 but of this ,i would not be sure4 ,i have never seen her since ,i called with ,hyrum at her house1 and ,i do not know whether or not her family ever knew that she was given up to die by the doctors4 ,i think the sister's name was ,maria ,de,gray1 but in case you wish to use her name ,i will make sure that this is correct4 ,with love and best wishes to each and all of the folks1 not forgetting yourself1 ,i remain1 ,your affectionate cousin1 ,,heber ,j4 ,,grant4 ,the following account of a case of healing is taken from the ,juvenile ,instructor1 one of the leading periodicals of the church1 the pages of which are replete with such accounts of healing by the power of ,god as is here presented3 ,,healed ,,of ,,blindness4 ,as near as ,i can remember1 it was in the month of ,june1 #ahgi1 that ,i was engaged in building a rock cellar for ,vernee ,halliday1 in ,provo ,city4 ,about noon1 after finishing the walls as high as ,i could from the inside1 before drawing my lines off to go outside1 ,i looked along the wall to see if every rock was in keeping with the line1 when ,i saw a small corner of a rock a little out of place4 ,with my hammer ,i tapped it very lightly to bring it to its proper position1 keeping my eye along the line to see when it came to its place4 ,while doing this ,i felt as if something had touched my eye1 but nothing to cause me any uneasiness4 ,at the time ,i did not think more of the affair4 ,i worked all the afternoon and the next forenoon1 but felt my eye beginning to get very hot1 and water came therefrom4 ,in the afternoon my eye became worse1 and was inflamed to such an extent that ,i could not see2 my head also became so affected that about four o'clock ,i was obliged to cease work and go home4 ,arriving there my wife1 seeing my eye in such an inflamed condition1 got me into a dark room1 and from that time till very early the next morning she used about two packets of tea in making strong lotions to bathe my eye to keep down the inflammation4 ,at four o'clock in the morning ,i got a handkerchief on my eye1 and went away to arouse ,dr4 ,w4 ,r4 ,pike4 ,when ,i arrived at his house he was attending a man from ,payson4 ,this done1 he asked me what he could do for me4 ,i told him of the inflammation of my eye and the pain in my head1 and said ,i wanted him to examine it and see what was the matter with it1 or to tell the cause of my suffering4 ,after examining my eye he said there was one-third of the lens of my eye entirely destroyed4 ,the center of the lens was gone and only a little on each edge remained4 ,he said it had been struck with something rough like a rock1 and that ,i would never see again with that eye4 ,he described the transparency of the eye1 and assured me that it could not by nature be restored4 ,he said it was likely to take away the use of my other eye at any time1 and that a white opaque substance would grow over my eye so that ,i could never see any more4 ,after leaving his office1 ,i met on the street a ,mr4 ,harrison1 who had formerly lived in ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,he told me of ,dr4 ,pratt1 who had just returned to ,salt ,lake from the ,east1 where she had been studying the eye1 and had done a great deal of good4 ,i therefore went the same day to see her1 but had then to be led by my wife4 ,when we arrived in ,salt ,lake it was too late for her to do anything with my eye that day1 and she told us to come back the following morning at ten o'clock4 ,we did so1 and after hearing my story she examined my injured member by the aid of many glasses1 and told me the same as ,dr4 ,w4 ,r4 ,pike had done4 ,she allowed my wife to look through the glass at my eye1 and she described its appearance as that of a wound from which a dog had bitten a piece4 ,dr4 ,pratt then took me by my front hair1 and pushing my head back1 was about to take my eye out4 ,i inquired what she was about to do1 and she answered me that she was going to take it out and put in a glass one4 ,my wife seized her arm1 and ,i scrambled out of the chair saying1 ,no you don't1 or you will shoot me first4 ,i then asked if she could give me a lotion to check the pain4 ,she took a small vial and put one drop of its contents in my eye1 which immediately took away all pain4 ,she then gave me a prescription1 which ,i had filled1 and then went home4 ,just as both doctors had said1 the opaque matter gradually grew on my eye for three or four weeks1 at the end of which time ,i could not distinguish my own wife standing so that her dress touched my clothes1 unless she spoke4 ,up to this time ,i had not been able to work1 and ,i was getting dissatisfied4 ,about that time the quarterly conference took place in ,provo4 ,on the ,sunday morning ,i found my way to conference1 still with the napkin on my eye4 ,there were present of the general authorities1 ,presidents ,george ,q4 ,cannon and ,joseph ,f4 ,smith and ,apostle ,john ,henry ,smith4 ,during the morning meeting ,i made up my mind to have them administer to me for my sight1 and at the close of the services ,i went to the vestry where they were attending to this ordinance for many who were there before me4 ,when ,i entered ,brothers ,joseph ,f4 and ,john ,henry ,smith came and shook hands with me1 enquiring what was the matter1 and what ,i wanted them to do4 ,they introduced me to ,brother ,george ,q4 ,cannon1 whom ,i had never before known4 ,i knew the ,brothers ,smith in the old country4 ,i was told to take a seat1 and when they had attended to the rest they would administer to me1 and that ,i would get my sight4 ,after they got through with the others they came to me4 ,i cannot now call to mind who anointed1 or who confirmed it1 but this ,i do know that from that very hour the white1 opaque matter that had gradually grown over my eye as gradually began to disappear1 until my eyesight was completely restored and has remained to this date as perfect as it ever has been4 ,to this fact myself and family1 and others yet living in ,provo can testify4 ,while suffering with this affliction ,i reasoned that as ,god made the eye ,he also knew how to repair and restore a damaged one1 and ,i testify to all to whom this may come that ,he did restore sight to the blind one4 ,,robert ,mc,k,i,n,l,e,y4 #ac ,let me assure the reader that these cases of healing the sick1 opening the eyes of the blind1 unstopping the ears of the deaf1 etc41 are but as a handful of earth to a mountain4 ,it would require volumes to contain the testimonies of the ,saints to the fulfillment of the promises of the ,lord made through the great modern prophet2 but what is set down in this chapter will doubtless be sufficient to prove the fulfillment of his promises4 ,the church has taken little or no pains to publish accounts of miracles4 ,but the fact that more than sixty years after these promises of the gifts of healing1 etc41 were made to the church1 the chief reliance of the ,saints in times of sickness is upon the anointing with oil and the laying on of hands by the ,elders--and this throughout all the branches of the church--it must be evident even to the most skeptical that the promises of ,jesus ,christ through ,joseph ,smith have been realized1 or else long ago the faith of the firmest would have failed them4 ,footnotes #a4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxxiv3 #fb-fd4 #b4 i4e4 in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 #c4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxxiv3 #fe-gc4 #d4 ,hayden's ,history of the ,disciples1 pp4 #bej-;,i4 #e4 ,hist4 ,joseph ,smith1 ,mill4 ,star1 vol4 xvii1 p4 #cee4 #f4 ,the same event is spoken of at some length in ,parley ,p4 ,pratt's ,autobiography1 p4 #cbe4 #g4 ,mill4 ,star vol xi3 p4 #cja-b #h4 ,mill4 ,star vol4 xi3 p4 #ahh-i4 #i4 ,mill4 ,star1 vol4 xi1 p4 #ccg4 #aj4 ,mill4 ,star1 vol4 xi1 p4 #bjb-c4 #aa4 ,mill4 ,star4 vol4 xi1 p4 #ahg4 #ab4 ,mill4 ,star1 vol4 xii1 p4 #cab4 #ac4 ,juvenile ,instructor1 vol4 #bi1 p4 #dcd4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,evidence ,,of ,,prophecy ,of all the means by which the claims of a prophet may be tested1 it seems to me that an inquiry respecting the fulfillment of his prophecies is at once the most direct and positive4 ,has he prophesied2 and have his prophecies been fulfilled8 ,if they have1 who can doubt the prophet's inspiration1 or the revelations of ,god to him8 ,this was the means which the ,lord suggested to ancient ,israel for the testing of the genuineness of a prophet's claims3 ,and if thou shalt say in thy heart1 said the ,lord to ,israel1 ,how shall we know the word which the ,lord hath not spoken8 ,when a prophet speaketh in the name of the ,lord1 if the thing follow not1 nor come to pass1 that is the thing which the ,lord hath not spoken1 but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously3 thou shalt not be afraid of him4 #a ,and conversely1 if the thing which the prophet speaks in the name of the ,lord comes to pass1 then the prophet has spoken the thing commanded him by the ,lord--he has not spoken presumptuously and the people are under obligation to respect his message1 since he has furnished them the highest possible evidence of his divine inspiration4 ,i know of no more simple1 yet common-sense and effective test than this4 ,of course it must be understood in applying it that many predictions which prophets utter may not come to pass immediately4 ,some of them perhaps not in the lifetime of the prophet1 or even in the generation in which he lived2 for some prophets have been given the power to look into the future1 and predict things which the wheels of time will not bring due until the very last generation of men2 but if when the time for the fulfillment of the prophecies uttered comes due they are not fulfilled1 the world may know that the ,lord did not speak through that prophet1 but he has spoken presumptuously1 without revelation from ,god1 and the people need have no regard for him or his pretended messages4 ,of the value of the fulfillment of prophecy as evidence of divine inspiration it is scarcely necessary to speak4 ,it has ever been recognized1 and that properly1 as a species of miracle2 and therefore has been accorded all the value attached to miracles4 ,the ,lord himself has recognized the value of the evidence of prophecy2 for when he would have ,israel distinguish between himself and the gods of the heathens1 he issued this challenge to them3 ,produce your cause1 saith the ,lord1 bring forth your strong reasons1 saith the ,king of ,jacob4 ,let them bring them forth1 and show us what shall happen3 let them show the former things1 and what they be1 that we may consider them1 and know the latter end of them2 or declare us things for to come4 ,show the things that are to come hereafter1 that we may know that ye are gods4 #b ,from this it appears that the power to foretell future events is regarded peculiarly as one belonging to ,god alone1 or that spirit which emanates from him2 and those who possess that power1 and can point to the fulfillment of their prophecies in attestation of their inspiration and divine authority may be looked upon as possessing evidence of special and peculiar force in their favor4 ,before applying the test here purposed to the prophetic claims of ,joseph ,smith1 ,i would remark that at least two things in relation to prophecy must be established3 first1 that the prediction ante-dates the events2 and1 second1 that the events must be of a nature that no merely human foresight or judgment1 unaided by divine inspiration or revelation1 could have foretold them4 ,furthermore1 ,i may add1 that one's belief in the divine inspiration of a prophet would be materially increased1 if his prophecies are of a nature to make them of importance either to the individuals or nations to whom they may be addressed4 ,for ,i take it as a common-sense idea that ,god does not give revelation to men or inspire them in relation to trivial or unimportant things2 but deals with those matters that are worthy of ,god's attention and communication4 ,hence in my opinion1 many of those who have made pretensions to the prophetic gift stand condemned1 because the things they bring forth are of a nature too trivial to be worthy the notice or intelligence of men1 much less worthy the attention of ,god4 ,the first prophecy to be considered is one not made by ,joseph ,smith1 but one made of him by the angel ,moroni1 on the occasion of ,joseph's first visit to the ,hill ,cumorah1 when he beheld for the first time the plates from which he afterwards translated the ,book of ,mormon4 ,but as ,joseph ,smith is the one who acquainted the world with this prediction ,i am about to quote1 in a certain way it is his prophecy1 and will answer all the purposes of a test such as ,i am making in this chapter4 ,on the occasion of this interview with ,moroni1 before referred to1 that the young prophet might not be deceived by the powers of darkness1 he was given a vision of ,satan and his hosts and their methods of deception4 ,after the vision closed the angel said3 ,behold1 notwithstanding you have seen this great display of power1 by which you may be able to detect the ,evil ,one1 yet ,i give unto you another sign1 and when it comes to pass then know that the ,lord is ,god1 and that he will fulfill his purposes1 and that the knowledge that this record #c contains will go to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue and people under the whole heaven4 ,this is the sign3 ,when these things begin to be known1 that is1 when it is known that the ,lord has shown unto you these things1 the workers of iniquity will seek your overthrow3 they will circulate falsehood to destroy your reputation1 and also will seek your life2 but remember this1 if you are faithful1 and shall hereafter continue to keep the commandments of the ,lord1 you shall be preserved to bring these things #d forth2 for in due time he will again give you a commandment to come and take them4 ,when they #e are interpreted1 the ,lord will give the ,holy ,priesthood to some1 and they shall begin to proclaim this gospel and baptize by water1 and after that they shall have power to give the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of their hands4 ,then will persecution rage more and more3 for the iniquities of men shall be revealed1 and those who are not built upon the rock will seek to overthrow this work2 but it will increase the more opposed1 and spread farther and farther1 increasing in knowledge till they #f shall be sanctified and receive an inheritance where the glory of ,god shall rest upon them4 99 99 99 ,your name #g shall be known among the nations1 for the work which the ,lord will perform by your hands shall cause the righteous to rejoice and the wicked to rage2 with one it shall be had in honor1 with the other in reproach2 yet with these it shall be a terror because of the great and marvelous work which shall follow the coming forth of this fullness of my gospel4 ,it was in ,september1 #ahbc1 that these prophetic words were uttered by ,moroni--four years before the plates of the ,book of ,mormon were given to ,joseph ,smith to translate2 #h six years before the ,priesthood was given2 #i seven years before the church was organized2 #aj and fourteen years before the knowledge contained in the ,book of ,mormon was sent to a foreign nation4 #aa ,this prophecy1 however1 was first published to the world in #ahcd1 in the ,saints' ,messenger and ,advocate1 and is taken from a letter of ,oliver ,cowdery's to ,w4 ,w4 ,phelps1 giving items of church history4 ,subsequently1 in #ahdj1 these letters were copied from the ,messenger and ,advocate into the ,times and ,seasons1 from which ,i quote #ab the above predictions4 ,the severe skeptic will insist that the prophecy can only be considered with reference to its fulfillment from the time it was published to the world in the ,messenger and ,advocate1 in #ahcd2 this at first glance would seem to cut down much of the prophetic part of the passages ,i am considering4 ,it would cut out the prediction that notwithstanding the opposition that would be arrayed against the young prophet he would have power to bring forth the ,book of ,mormon2 that the ,lord would give the holy ,priesthood to some2 that they would begin to proclaim the gospel and baptize by water2 and give the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands4 ,this much would be cut out by the skeptic because it could be alleged that all this it is claimed occurred before #ahcd1 the time when the prophecy was first published4 ,let these items1 then1 be eliminated2 and still the greater part of the prophecy remains to be fulfilled after #ahcd4 ,the items left are1 first1 that a knowledge of what the ,book of ,mormon contains will go to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people under the whole heaven2 second those not built upon the rock of truth will oppose the work of ,god1 but it will increase the more it is opposed and spread farther and farther2 third ,joseph ,smith shall be known among the nations because of the work the ,lord would perform by his hands--by the righteous he would be held in honor1 by the wicked in reproach4 ,all this was fulfilled after #ahcd1 though some of it was in process of fulfillment before and at that time--such as the work thriving in spite of opposition and the name of ,joseph being received either in honor or reproach among the people4 ,i now enter into a more particular consideration of the fulfillment of this prophecy4 ,first1 ,the knowledge of what the ,book of ,mormon contains will go to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people under the whole heavens4 ,in #ahcd the ,book of ,mormon had been published only in the ,english language1 and but little was known of it even in the ,united ,states and ,canada4 ,yet here is a prediction that it shall be known in all the world4 ,since then it has been published in the following languages3 ,french1 ,german1 ,danish1 ,italian1 ,dutch1 ,welsh1 ,swedish1 ,spanish1 ,hawaiian and ,maori4 ,it has also been translated but not yet published in ,hindostanee and ,modern ,hebrew4 ,proclamation of the new dispensation1 and hence also of the ,book of ,mormon1 has been made by the elders of the church of ,christ in the following nations3 ,great ,britain1 ,france1 ,germany1 ,holland1 ,belgium1 ,denmark1 ,sweden1 ,norway1 ,iceland1 ,finland1 ,italy1 ,switzerland1 ,hindostan1 ,malta1 ,south ,africa1 ,mexico1 and to many of the ,indian tribes of ,america2 all the states of the ,american ,union1 ,british ,america1 ,sandwich ,islands1 ,samoa1 ,friendly ,islands1 ,new ,zealand1 ,west ,indies1 ,turkey and ,palestine4 ,while this enumeration does not include the principal ones4 ,that a knowledge of what the ,book of ,mormon contains will yet go to the remaining nations where the gospel has not yet been proclaimed1 and into whose language the ,book of ,mormon has not yet been translated1 cannot be doubted2 for this item of the prophecy has been so nearly completed that the end is in sight2 and if the church while in its infancy and childhood has done so much1 it will not fail in its strong manhood to fulfill what remains4 ,the proclamation of the knowledge which the ,book of ,mormon contains to all nations and peoples and tongues of the earth1 is not an event which could have been foretold by human foresight1 or shrewdness1 in #ahbc1 or even in #ahcd4 ,the reception given up to that time to the ,book of ,mormon was anything but flattering4 ,only a very few people had received it4 ,all the learned ridiculed it2 the ,christians mocked and rejected it because it was a new revelation4 ,it will be remembered that it was the universal belief of ,christians that the volume of revelation was completed and forever closed2 and hence anything that claimed to be a new revelation was summarily rejected4 ,in the face of all these circumstances it required more than mere human foresight on the part of a few obscure and persecuted followers of ,joseph ,smith to see that the time would come when proclamation of the knowledge contained in the ,book of ,mormon would be made in all the nations and tongues of the earth4 ,second1 ,the work of the ,lord will meet opposition1 but it will increase the more it is opposed and spread farther and farther4 ,the reader already knows that from its inception the work of the ,lord in the new dispensation met with the most violent opposition4 ,only the year before ,oliver ,cowdery published this prophecy under consideration1 twelve hundred of the ,saints were driven from their lands and homes in ,jackson ,county1 ,missouri1 more than two hundred of their houses burned and much other property destroyed4 ,but ,i am to prove that opposition met the church after #ahcd1 and that in spite of that opposition the work increased1 and a knowledge of it became more widely diffused4 ,be it so4 ,five years after the expulsion from ,jackson ,county1 ,missouri1 opposition so increased that the inhabitants of the state of ,missouri1 with the officers of the state at their head1 arose against the ,saints2 directly or indirectly caused the death of some four hundred1 and drove between twelve and fifteen thousand from their homes into exile1 confiscated their lands1 drove off their cattle and wantonly destroyed other property4 ,eight years after their expulsion from the state of ,missouri1 the ,saints to the number of twenty thousand were driven by mob violence from the state of ,illinois1 into the wilderness4 ,they fled beyond the confines of civilization--going a thousand miles beyond the frontiers of the ,united ,states1 and settled in the wilds of the ,rocky ,mountains2 where1 despite the waves of persecution which have broken upon the church1 it still lives1 its membership more numerous than ever1 the faith of the ,saints more strongly established2 and where from its lofty station it overlooks the world and sends its accredited representatives to all the peoples of the earth1 to fulfill the decree of ,jehovah that the gospel of the kingdom1 in the last days1 shall be preached in all the world for a witness and then shall the end come4 #ac ,it was rather a remarkable prediction that the more the work of the ,lord in the last days was opposed the more it would prosper4 ,it was still more remarkable that it should be predicted that opposition would rise against it at all1 since the great work had its birth in a land where the constitution of the government guaranteed religious liberty4 ,the marvelous fulfillment of the prediction under these circumstances is evidence that there was behind it more than human foresight4 ,third1 ,the name of ,joseph ,smith is to be known among the nations4 ,the work which the ,lord would perform by his hands would cause the righteous to rejoice and the wicked to rage3 by the former his name would be held in honor1 by the latter in reproach4 ,the probability of ,joseph ,smith ever being known outside of the nation where he was born was very limited1 even in #ahcd1 much less when the prophecy was uttered by the angel in #ahbc4 ,it was a strange thing to say that his name among the nations would be held either in honor or reproach4 ,but the fulfillment of the prediction will be so generally conceded that to point out the fact is not necessary4 ,it will be enough to say that everywhere the new dispensation of the gospel has been proclaimed1 there the people have been made acquainted with the name of ,joseph ,smith1 and there he is known for good or evil--he is held in honor or reproach--the righteous have rejoiced1 the wicked have raged1 and in many instances have resorted to violence in resisting the message of heaven4 ,the fulfillment of the three items just considered in the prediction of ,moroni proves the genuineness of the prophecy2 and therefore ,i have a right to claim for it the date on which it was first delivered1 the year #ahbc4 ,and when considered from that date--when the existence of the ,book of ,mormon was as yet unknown except by ,joseph ,smith2 when ,joseph ,smith was an obscure boy still in his teens and unknown outside of his own family and immediate neighborhood2 before the ,priesthood had been received1 or the remission of sins obtained through baptism1 or the ,holy ,ghost imparted by the laying on of hands2 before the work of ,god prospered in spite of opposition--when considered from that date which places the prediction before all these events1 how much more the prophetic character of the prediction stands out in bold relief6 ,and who can question its divine inspiration8 ,footnotes #a4 ,deut4 xviii3 #ba1 #bb4 #b4 ,isaiah xli3 #ba-bc4 #c4 ,referring to the record of the ,nephites1 the records lying before them in the stone box from which ,joseph had just removed the covering4 #d4 ,meaning the record of the ,nephites--the ,book of ,mormon4 #e4 ,the plates comprising the ,book of ,mormon4 #f4 ,meaning the people who receive the gospel4 #g4 ,meaning the prophet ,joseph4 #h4 ,the plates of the ,book of ,mormon were given to the prophet to translate in #ahbg4 #i4 ,it was in ,may1 #ahbi1 that the ,priesthood was first given4 #aj4 ,the ,church was organized ,april #cjth1 #ahcj4 #aa4 ,the first foreign mission in the ,new ,dispensation was opened in ,england1 #ahcg4 #ab4 ,times and ,seasons1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 ,no4 #ac4 #ac4 ,matt4 xxiv3 #ad4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,the ,,evidence ,,of ,,prophecy--,,continued4 ,before the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints was organized1 a number of persons who had faith in the statement of ,joseph ,smith that he had in his possession the gold plates from which he was translating the ,book of ,mormon1 and who believed him to be a prophet1 came to inquire through him the will of the ,lord concerning themselves in relation to the new dispensation about to be ushered in4 ,among those who thus came were the prophet's father1 ,joseph ,smith1 ,sen41 some time in ,february1 #ahbi2 ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,april1 #ahbi2 ,joseph ,knight1 ,sen41 ,may1 #ahbi2 and ,david ,whitmer1 ,june1 #ahbi4 ,the prophet inquired for the will of the ,lord concerning these men as they requested1 and received for them the word of the ,lord through the ,urim and ,thummim4 ,in each of these revelations is contained1 with a little variation1 the following prophecy3 ,a great and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men 99 99 99 ,behold the field is white already to harvest1 therefore1 whoso desireth to reap1 let him thrust in his sickle with his might1 and reap while the day lasts1 that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of ,god2 yea1 whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap1 the same is called of ,god4 #a ,this prophecy that a great and marvelous work was about to come forth among the children of men1 ,i say1 was uttered before the translation of the ,book of ,mormon was completed or the church organized4 ,how well it has been fulfilled let the history of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ in the new dispensation1 its present condition and the wonder with which the world regards it1 answer4 ,of all the religions that have arisen since the days of ,jesus ,christ and the apostles1 it is looked upon as the most marvelous2 its growth1 all things considered1 has been most wonderful2 it has a history the most thrilling2 a present interest the most widespread2 and a future that challenges more speculation than any other religious organization4 ,the prophecy was a true one--a great and a marvelous work has come forth among the children of men4 ,on the #bdth of ,february1 #ahcd1 ,joseph ,smith received a revelation1 making known to the church how to proceed concerning the brethren who had been driven from their homes in ,jackson ,county1 ,missouri1 the ,november previous4 ,in that revelation occurs the following prophetic passage3 ,verily ,i say unto you1 that ,i have decreed a decree which my people shall realize1 inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour1 unto the counsel which ,i1 the ,lord their ,god1 shall give unto them4 ,behold they shall1 for ,i have decreed it1 begin to prevail against mine enemies from this very hour1 and by hearkening to observe all the words which ,i1 the ,lord their ,god1 shall speak unto them1 they shall never cease to prevail until the kingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet1 and the earth is given unto the ,saints1 to possess it forever and ever4 ,but inasmuch as they keep not my commandments1 and hearken not to observe all my words1 the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them1 for they were set to be a light unto the world1 and to be saviors of men2 and inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men1 they are as salt that has lost its savor1 and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men4 ,but verily ,i say unto you1 ,i have decreed that your brethren which have been scattered shall return to the land of their inheritances1 and build the waste places of ,zion2 for after much tribulation1 as ,i have said in a former commandment1 cometh the blessing4 ,behold this is the blessing which ,i have promised after your tribulations1 and the tribulations of your brethren2 your redemption and the redemption of your brethren1 even their restoration to the land of ,zion1 to be established no more to be thrown down2 nevertheless if they pollute their inheritances they shall be thrown down1 for ,i will not spare them if they pollute their inheritances4 #b ,condensed the prophecy stands thus3 7#a7 ,the ,saints from the #bdth of ,february1 #ahcd1 are to begin to prevail over ,god's enemies2 and are to continue to prevail until the kingdoms of this world are subdued under his feet--provided they hearken to his counsel3 the kingdoms of this world will prevail against the saints if they hearken not to the counsels of ,god3 7#b7 ,after much tribulation the ,saints shall return and build up the waste places of ,zion--they are to be restored to the land of ,zion2 and ,zion is to be established1 never more to be thrown down--provided the ,saints pollute not their inheritances4 ,the first part of the prophecy has had a remarkable fulfillment4 ,though there have been individuals in the church of ,christ who have failed to walk in the holy counsels of ,god1 and have reaped an abundant harvest of sorrow and shame1 and many have made complete shipwreck of faith1 still the church as a whole has kept reasonably well the counsel of ,god4 ,the ,saints may not have attained to that ideal obedience to the will of ,god which all recognize as desirable2 but human weakness and all the circumstances by which they have been surrounded considered1 ,i repeat that the church has reasonably well walked in accordance with the counsels of the ,lord2 and as a result has prevailed1 so far1 over all the powers that have been arrayed for its destruction4 ,in proof of this let the present condition of the church be contrasted with what it was in ,february1 #ahcd4 ,at the time the prophecy of #ahcd was uttered1 a great part of the church was scattered along the ,missouri bottoms1 in ,clay ,county1 ,missouri4 ,the ,saints had just been driven from their houses and lands in ,jackson ,county1 and were living in log huts and dug-outs1 #c and subsisting1 for the time being1 upon the charity of the people of ,clay ,county4 ,the rest of the church was scattered in branches through several states of the ,american ,union and ,canada4 ,they were without wealth1 or influence2 derided1 scorned1 distrusted1 hated4 ,indeed1 it is difficult to even imagine a situation more hopeless than that occupied by the church of ,christ when this prophecy was uttered4 ,it would be difficult to determine with any exactness the membership of the church in #ahcd1 or the number of branches2 but certainly the membership did not exceed six or eight thousand4 ,now #d the membership of the church in ,utah and the surrounding states and territories is more than two hundred and fifty thousand1 besides those scattered throughout the ,united ,states1 ,europe and the ,pacific ,islands4 ,there are about five hundred organized wards1 grouped into thirty-six stakes of ,zion1 #e each with its high council1 its high priests' quorum1 its several elders' quorums1 etc4 ,in addition to this there are in all the wards female relief societies1 improvement associations for both sexes1 the primary societies for younger children4 ,there are #ejd ,sunday schools1 with a total membership of #ajj1jjj4 ,in #ahcd the church had no temple2 but now it has four magnificent temples wherein are performed the ordinances of the gospel both for the living and for the dead4 ,though but few individuals in the church can be considered wealthy1 yet the ,saints are a prosperous1 contented1 happy people4 ,a greater percentage of them own the homes they live in and the lands they cultivate than is the case with any other community in the world2 and they are freer than any other people on earth from those difficulties which perplex mankind4 ,peace is in their habitations1 ,god is honored at the family altars as well as in the public sanctuaries2 faith and confidence in ,god abound1 and on every hand are evidences that the ,lord has owned them and blessed them as his people4 ,it is true that the church has had its tribulations4 ,immunity from them was not promised4 ,the expulsion from the state of ,missouri2 the exodus from ,illinois2 the subsequent journey into the wilderness2 the desperate struggle for existence in the early days of ,utah2 the judicial crusade waged against the church during the last decade2 these events and all the bloodshed1 wholesale imprisonment1 and the suffering and sorrow incident to them rise up to proclaim that mob violence and other forces of this world have been employed to destroy the work of ,god1 but they have not prevailed4 ,the church of ,christ still exists2 its members are more numerous and stronger in faith than ever before2 the ,saints are more perfectly organized1 happier circumstanced1 more experienced2 they are more confident of ,god's sustaining power1 more convinced of their high destiny and the complete fulfillment of this noble prophecy1 namely1 that if they continue to hearken to the counsels of the ,lord1 they will continue to prevail until the kingdoms of this world are subdued under his feet1 and the earth given to the ,saints to possess it forever and ever4 ,of the second division of the prophecy little need be said1 except that the first part of it1 viz3 that which relates to the tribulation which is to befall the ,saints previous to the redemption of ,zion has been1 in part at least1 fulfilled2 and like the partial fulfillment of the first division of the prophecy1 gives good earnest of the complete accomplishment of all that it predicts4 ,in the fall of #ahch1 the city of ,far ,west1 inhabited by the ,saints1 fell into the hands of the mob forces of ,missouri1 and ,joseph ,smith and a number of his brethren1 viz41 his brother ,hyrum ,smith1 ,sidney ,rigdon1 ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 ,lyman ,wight1 ,george ,w4 ,robinson and ,amasa ,lyman were betrayed into their hands4 ,these men were torn from their families in the most brutal manner4 ,they were tried off hand by a court-martial of the mob officers1 and condemned to be shot on the public square of ,far ,west in the presence of their families and the ,saints2 but one of the officers of the mob-militia--,general ,doniphan--refused to sanction the murder and declared he would not allow his men to witness it4 ,the other officers were afraid to assume the responsibility of executing the court-martial decision1 and the prisoners escaped the fate designed for them4 ,charges of the most serious nature1 including murder1 arson1 and robbery were then trumped up against them1 intending to encompass their execution under civil procedure4 ,amidst the proud boasts of their captors1 who brutally told their heart-broken families and the ,saints that they had seen the last of their prophet1 a start was made with the prisoners for ,independence1 ,jackson ,county4 ,the prospects of the betrayed men were most desperate4 ,they were in the hands of a reckless mob whose hatred of them was intense4 ,there was little respect at the time for law in the state4 ,in the language of ,general ,clark 7,commander-in-,chief of the mob-militia of the state1 then assembled at ,far ,west7 addressed to the ,saints1 their fate seemed fixed1 their die cast1 their doom sealed4 #f ,the start for ,independence was made on the #bnd of ,november2 the following morning1 after spending a most wretched night1 encamped on the banks of ,crooked ,river1 ,joseph ,smith spoke to his fellow-prisoners in low but cheerful and confident tones1 and uttered this prophecy3 ,be of good cheer1 brethren1 the word of the ,lord came to me last night that our lives should be given us1 and that whatever we may suffer during this captivity1 not one of our lives should be taken4 ,of this prophecy1 says ,elder ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 ,i testify in the name of the ,lord1 and though spoken in secret1 its public fulfillment and the miraculous escape of each of us is too notorious to need my testimony4 #g ,after enduring five weary months of captivity1 which had been spent in a loathsome prison1 and when the heart of the prophet was breaking within him because of the affliction of his people1 betrayed by false brethren and oppressed by those in power1 the word of the ,lord came to him saying3 ,the ends of the earth shall enquire after thy name1 and fools shall have thee in derision1 and hell shall mock against thee1 while the pure in heart and the wise1 and the noble and the virtuous shall seek counsel1 and authority and blessings constantly under thy hands4 ,and thy people shall never be turned against thee by the testimony of traitors4 ,and although their influence shall cast thee into trouble1 and into bars and walls1 thou shalt be had in honor1 and but for a small moment and thy voice shall be more terrible in the midst of thine enemies than the fierce lion1 because of thy righteousness2 and thy ,god shall stand by thee forever and ever4 #h ,this prophecy is contained in a letter written by the prophet and his fellow-prisoners from ,liberty jail1 and addressed to the ,saints then settling in ,quincy1 ,illinois1 to those scattered abroad and to ,bishop ,edward ,partridge in particular4 ,it was written in ,march1 #ahci4 ,the fulfillment of the prophecies contained in the above extract are notorious4 ,while fools hold the name of the prophet in derision the wise and the virtuous from the ends of the earth have inquired and are inquiring after ,joseph ,smith1 and the work he established2 and though there were many who turned against him and became strong enemies1 for they were strong men1 his people were never turned against him by the testimony of traitors4 ,while living his people were true to him1 and since his death they have revered his memory4 ,on the #hth of ,july1 #ahch1 a revelation was given concerning the quorum of the ,twelve ,apostles4 ,a number of vacancies existed in this quorum occasioned through apostasy of several of its members2 these vacancies the prophet was commanded to fill2 ,and next spring1 said the revelation1 let them the apostles depart to go over the great waters1 and there promulgate my gospel1 the fullness thereof1 and bear record of my name4 ,let them take leave of my ,saints in the city of ,far ,west1 on the #bfth day of ,april next1 on the building spot of my house1 #i saith the ,lord4 #aj ,before the date appointed in the revelation for the ,twelve to take leave of the ,saints at ,far ,west for a foreign mission1 viz41 the #bfth of ,april1 #ahci1 that city had fallen into the hands of the mob1 the church leaders were cast into prison1 the apostles were scattered and the great body of the church driven from the state4 ,in the midst of these circumstances it was a matter of open boasting with the mob that there was at least one of old ,joe ,smith's revelations that would fail4 #aa ,they said that there would be no meeting of the ,twelve with the ,saints on the #bfth of ,april1 #ahci4 ,but a consultation of the apostles who escaped from ,missouri was held early in the spring of #ahci1 at ,quincy1 and they resolved return to ,far ,west and fulfill the ,lord's commandment1 which1 as the reader will perceive1 partook of the nature of a prophecy4 ,the undertaking was successful4 ,five of the apostles were at the temple site before day light of the day appointed1 together with a number of high priests1 elders and priests4 ,at this meeting they excommunicated a number of persons from the church1 ordained ,wilford ,woodruff and ,george ,a4 ,smith apostles1 and others were ordained to the office of seventy4 ,the apostles each prayed in turn1 and a beautiful hymn called ,adam-,ondi-,ahman was sung4 ,at the conclusion of the hymn1 ,elder ,alpheus ,cutler1 the master workman of the ,lord's ,house1 laid the south-east corner stone in its position1 and stated that in consequence of the peculiar situation of the ,saints it was deemed prudent to discontinue further labor on the house until the ,lord should open the way for its completion4 ,the apostles then took leave of some seventeen ,saints who were present and started on their way to fulfill their missions beyond the ,atlantic4 ,thus the commandment and prophecy which the mobs of ,missouri so confidently boasted should fail1 were fulfilled4 ,in a revelation given in ,march1 #ahca1 after telling some of the judgments and commotions which shall precede the glorious coming of the ,lord ,jesus1 occurs this prophecy3 ,but before the great day of the ,lord shall come1 ,jacob shall flourish in the wilderness1 and the ,lamanites the ,american ,indians shall blossom as the rose4 ,zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains1 and shall be assembled together unto the place which ,i have appointed4 #ab ,in order to have a complete understanding of this prophecy it is necessary to explain that the word ,zion refers not only to a land called ,zion1 and a city called ,zion1 but also to a people1 as will be clearly seen in the above1 where ,zion is not only to rejoice upon the mountains1 but is also to be assembled together1 which really could only be consistently said of a people4 ,in another revelation the ,lord says3 ,let ,zion rejoice1 for this is ,zion1 the pure in heart2 therefore1 let ,zion rejoice1 while all the wicked shall mourn4 #ac ,with this explanation of the word ,zion let us now consider the prophecy3 ,first1 then1 before the great and dreadful day of the ,lord1 ,jacob1 that is ,israel1 or descendants of ,israel1 shall flourish in the wilderness4 ,second1 the ,american ,indians shall blossom as the rose1 that is1 they will be in a blessed and happy condition4 ,third1 ,zion1 the pure in heart1 the ,saints of ,god1 shall flourish upon the hills1 rejoice upon the mountains and shall be assembled together unto the place which the ,lord has appointed4 ,the parts of the prophecy which are in progress of fulfillment are the first and third items4 ,israel is flourishing in the wilderness1 and ,zion1 or the ,saints of ,god1 who are also1 for the most part1 descendants of ,israel gathered from among the ,gentile nations are rejoicing upon the mountains2 and though the ,lamanites are not yet blossoming as the rose1 neither has the great day of the ,lord come2 and before that day does come1 this second item of the prophecy1 referring to the ,lamanites1 will be fulfilled4 ,let it be borne in mind that the prophecy was uttered in ,march1 #ahca1 long ere the ,saints had so much as dreamed of settling in the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,at this juncture ,i may be permitted to introduce another prophecy of ,joseph ,smith's relating to this same subject1 and then consider the fulfillment of both at once4 ,under date of ,august #fth1 #ahdb1 the prophet records the following in his history3 ,passed over to ,montrose1 ,iowa1 in company with ,general ,adams1 ,colonel ,brewer and others1 and witnessed the installation of the officers of the ,rising ,sun ,lodge of the ,ancient ,york ,masons1 at ,montrose1 by ,general ,james ,adams1 deputy grand master of illinois4 ,while the deputy grand master was engaged in giving the requisite instructions to the master elect1 ,i had a conversation with a number of brethren1 in the shade of the building1 on the subject of our persecutions in ,missouri1 and the constant annoyance which has followed us since we were driven from that state4 ,i prophesied that the ,saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the ,rocky ,mountains1 many would apostatize1 others would be put to death by our persecutors1 or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease2 and some of you will live to go and assist in making settlements and build cities and see the ,saints become a mighty people in the midst of the ,rocky ,mountains4 #ad ,at that date1 ,august #fth1 #ahdb1 the ,rocky ,mountains seemed like a country afar off to the people of ,illinois4 ,the ,missouri ,river was the extreme frontiers of the ,united ,states4 ,all beyond that was well nigh an unexplored wilderness filled with savages4 ,the church was fairly settled at ,nauvoo1 the state authorities were apparently very friendly1 the future of the ,saints in ,illinois seemed propitious4 ,yet in the midst of all these favorable circumstances the prophet predicted much affliction for some of the ,saints1 death from persecution for others1 apostasy for many1 and for the great body of the church an exodus to the ,rocky ,mountains1 where some of those present who were listening to the prediction1 should live to assist in making settlements and building cities in the ,rocky ,mountains where they would see the ,saints become a mighty people4 ,there can be no question as to the reality of these two predictions1 the one of ,march1 #ahca1 and the other of ,august1 #ahdb1 or of their being of a character to test the divine inspiration of him who uttered them4 ,that they were proclaimed some years before the events predicted in them began to be fulfilled1 or even there was any thought or prospect of such events taking place1 is well known2 that the latter prophecy has been fulfilled to the uttermost1 the whole history of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints from ,august1 #ahdb1 until now witnesses4 ,the ,saints suffered many afflictions in ,illinois4 ,their homes1 fields1 stacks of grain1 stock and other property were destroyed2 their prophets and a number of others were killed outright by mob violence2 many more perished from exposure and disease occasioned by being driven from their homes at an inclement season of the year4 ,in those trying times1 following the martyrdom of the prophet and the expulsion from ,nauvoo1 many turned away from the faith1 and it is too generally known to need comment1 that the great body of the church made its way to the ,rocky ,mountains1 where cities1 towns and villages have been founded1 the wilderness subdued1 and the ,saints are fast becoming a mighty people4 ,footnotes #a4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 xi3 #a-d4 ,see also ,sec4 iv1 ,sec4 vi1 ,sec4 xii1 and ,sec4 xiv1 where the same prophecy is repeated4 #b4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 ciii1 #e-ad4 #c4 ,holes dug in the ground and covered over with brush and earth4 #d4 #ahie4 #e4 ,a stake of ,zion is a division of the church comprised of several ecclesiastical wards2 and is presided over by a presidency consisting of three high priests4 #f4 ,the language of ,general ,clark was3 ,as for your leaders1 do not once think--do not imagine for a moment--do not let it enter your mind that they will be delivered1 or that you will see their faces again2 for their fate is fixed--their die is cast--their doom is sealed4--,autob4 ,p4 ,p4 ,pratt1 p4 #bff4 #g4 ,pratt's ,autob41 p4 #baj4 #h4 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 xvii1 p4 #he2 also1 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cxxii4 #i4 ,a temple site had been selected at ,far ,west and an excavation made for the foundation4 ,it is this spot that the revelation refers4 ,the excavation for the temple at ,far ,west still remains1 or did in #ahhd1 when the writer visited it4 #aj4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cxviii4 #aa4 ,one of the leaders of the mob forces by the name of ,bogart1 referring to this revelation1 said to ,elder ,theodore ,turley3 ,as a rational man1 you must give up the claim that ,joseph ,smith is a prophet and an inspired man2 the ,twelve are scattered all over creation2 let them come here if they dare2 if they do they will be murdered4 ,as that revelation cannot be fulfilled1 you must now give up your faith4 ,this is like all the rest of ,joseph ,smith's damned prophecies6 7,cannon's ,life of the ,prophet1 p4 #bhe47 #ab4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xlix3 #bd1 #be4 #ac4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xcvii3 #ba4 #ad4 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 xix1 p4 #fcj4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,the ,,evidence ,,of ,,prophecy--,,continued4 ,in the journal of ,william ,clayton1 under date of ,may #ahth1 #ahdc1 is the following entry1 relating a conversation that took place between ,joseph ,smith and ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas1 at the house of ,sheriff ,backenstos1 at ,carthage1 ,illinois3 ,dined with ,judge ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas1 who is presiding at court4 ,after dinner ,judge ,douglas requested ,president ,joseph to give him a history of the ,missouri persecution1 which he did in a very minute manner for about three hours4 ,he also gave a relation of his journey to ,washington ,city1 and his application in behalf of the ,saints to ,mr4 ,van ,buren1 the ,president of the ,united ,states1 for redress2 and ,mr4 ,van ,buren's pusillanimous reply--',gentlemen1 your cause is just1 but ,i can do nothing for you2' and the cold1 unfeeling manner in which he was treated by most of the senators and representatives in relation to the subject1 ,clay saying1 ',you had better go to ,oregon1' and ,calhoun shaking his head solemnly1 saying1 ',it's a nice question--a critical question2 but it will not do to agitate it4' ,the ,judge listened with the greatest attention1 and then spoke warmly in deprecation of ,governor ,boggs and the authorities in ,missouri1 who had taken part in the extermination1 and said that any people that would do as the mobs of ,missouri had done ought to be brought to judgment2 they ought to be punished4 ,president ,smith1 in concluding his remarks1 said that if the ,government1 which receives into its coffers the money of citizens for its public lands1 while its officials are rolling in luxury at the expense of its public treasury1 cannot protect such citizens in their lives and property1 it is an old granny anyhow2 and ,i prophesy in the name of the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 unless the ,united ,states redress the wrongs committed upon the ,saints in the ,state of ,missouri and punish the crimes committed by her officers1 that in a few years the ,government will be utterly overthrown and wasted1 and there will not be so much as a potsherd left1 for their wickedness in permitting the murder of men1 women1 and children1 and the wholesale plunder and extermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished1 thereby perpetrating a foul and corroding blot upon the fair fame of this great republic1 the very thought of which would have caused the high-minded and patriotic framers of the ,constitution of the ,united ,states to hide their faces with shame4 ,judge1 you will aspire to the ,presidency of the ,united ,states2 and if you ever turn your hand against me or the ,latter-day ,saints1 you will feel the weight of the hand of the ,almighty upon you2 and you will live to see and know that ,i have testified the truth to you2 for the conversation of this day will stick to you through life4 ,he appeared very friendly1 and acknowledged the truth and propriety of ,president ,smith's remarks4 ,this prophecy was first published in ,utah1 in the ,deseret ,news of ,september #bdth1 #ahef2 it was afterwards published in ,england1 in the ,millennial ,star1 ,february1 #ahei4 #a ,in both instances it is found in the ,history of ,joseph ,smith1 then being published in sections in those periodicals4 ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas did aspire to the ,presidency of the ,united ,states1 and was nominated for that office by the ,democratic ,convention1 held in ,charleston1 on the #bcrd of ,june1 #ahfj4 ,when in the convention he was declared the regular nominee of the ,democratic ,party1 ,the whole body rose to its feet1 hats were waved in the air1 and many tossed aloft2 shouts1 screams1 and yells1 and every boisterous mode of expressing approbation and unanimity1 were resorted to4 #b ,when ,mr4 ,douglas aspired to the ,presidency1 no man in the history of ,american politics had more reason to hope for success4 ,the political party of which he was the recognized leader1 in the preceding ,presidential election had polled #agd electoral votes as against #abb cast by the other two parties which opposed it2 and a popular vote of #a1hch1afi as against #a1bae1gih votes for the two parties opposing4 ,it is a matter of history1 however1 that the ,democratic party in the election of #ahfj was badly divided2 and factions of it put candidates into the field with the following result3 ,mr4 ,abraham ,lincoln1 candidate of the ,republican party1 was triumphantly elected4 ,he received #ahj electoral votes2 ,mr4 ,breckinridge received #gb electoral votes2 ,mr4 ,bell #ci2 and ,mr4 ,douglas #ab4 ,by a plurality count of the popular vote1 ,mr4 ,lincoln carried #ah states2 ,mr4 ,breckinridge #aa2 ,mr4 ,bell #c2 and ,mr4 ,douglas but ,i6 #c ,twenty days less than one year after his nomination by the ,charleston convention1 while yet in the prime of manhood--forty-eight years of age--,mr4 ,douglas died1 at his home in ,chicago1 a disappointed1 not to say heartbroken1 man4 ,let us now search out the cause of his failure4 ,fourteen years after the interview containing the prophecy with which this chapter opens1 and about one year after the prophecy had been published in the ,deseret ,news1 ,mr4 ,douglas was called upon to deliver a speech in ,springfield1 the capital of ,illinois4 ,his speech was delivered on the #abth of ,june1 #aheg1 and published in the ,missouri ,republican of ,june #ahth1 #aheg4 ,it was a time of much excitement throughout the country concerning the ,mormon ,church in ,utah4 ,falsehoods upon the posting winds seemed to have filled the air with the most outrageous calumny4 ,crimes the most repulsive--murders1 robberies1 rebellion1 and high treason--were falsely charged against its leaders4 ,it was well known that ,mr4 ,douglas had been on terms of intimate friendship with the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith2 and was well acquainted with the other church leaders4 ,he was therefore looked upon as one competent to speak upon the ,mormon ,question1 and was invited to do so in the speech to which reference is here made4 ,mr4 ,douglas responded to the request4 ,he grouped the charges against the ,mormons which were then passing current1 in the following manner3 ,first1 that nine-tenths of the inhabitants are aliens by birth who have refused to become naturalized1 or to take the oath of allegiance1 or do any other act recognizing the ,government of the ,united ,states as the paramount authority in that territory ,utah2 ,second1 that the inhabitants1 whether native or alien born1 known as ,mormons 7and they constitute the whole people of the territory7 are bound by horrible oaths1 and terrible penalties1 to recognize and maintain the authority of ,brigham ,young1 and the government of which he is head1 as paramount to that of the ,united ,states1 in civil as well as in religious affairs2 and they will in due time1 and under the direction of their leaders1 use all the means in their power to subvert the government of the ,united ,states1 and resist its authority4 ,third1 that the ,mormon government1 with ,brigham ,young at its head1 is now forming alliances with ,indian tribes in ,utah and adjoining territories--stimulating the ,indians to acts of hostility--and organizing bands of his own followers under the name of ,danites or destroying angels1 to prosecute a system of robbery and murders upon ,american citizens who support the authority of the ,united ,states1 and denounce the infamous and disgusting practices and institution of the ,mormon government4 ,mr4 ,douglas based his remarks upon these rumors against the ,saints1 in the course of which he said3 ,let us have these facts in an official shape before the ,president and ,congress1 and the country will soon learn that1 in the performance of the high and solemn duty devolving upon the executive and ,congress1 there will be no vacillating or hesitating policy4 ,it will be as prompt as the peal that follows the flash--as stern and unyielding as death4 ,should such a state of things actually exist as we are led to infer from the reports--and such information comes in an official shape--the knife must be applied to this pestiferous1 disgusting cancer which is gnawing into the very vitals of the body politic4 ,it must be cut out by the roots1 and seared over by the red hot iron of stern and unflinching law4 99 99 99 ,should all efforts fail to bring them the ,mormons to a sense of their duty1 there is but one remedy left4 ,repeal the organic law of the territory1 on the ground that they are alien enemies and outlaws1 unfit to be citizens of a territory1 much less ever to become citizens of one of the free and independent states of this confederacy4 ,to protect them further in their treasonable1 disgusting and bestial practices would be a disgrace to the country--a disgrace to humanity--a disgrace to civilization1 and a disgrace to the spirit of the age4 ,blot it out of the organized territories of the ,united ,states4 ,what then8 ,it will be regulated by the law of #agij1 which has exclusive and sole jurisdiction over all the territory not incorporated under any organic or special law4 ,by the provisions of this law1 all crimes and misdemeanors1 committed on its soil1 can be tried before the legal authorities of any state or territory to which the offenders shall be first brought to trial1 and punished4 ,under that law persons have been arrested in ,kansas1 ,nebraska and other territories1 prior to their organization as territories1 and hanged for their crimes4 ,the law of #agij has sole and exclusive jurisdiction where no other law of a local character exists1 and by repealing the organic law of ,utah1 you give to the general government of the ,united ,states the whole and sole jurisdiction over the territory4 ,the speech of ,mr4 ,douglas was of great interest and importance to the people of ,utah at that juncture4 ,mr4 ,douglas had it in his power to do them great good4 ,because of his personal acquaintance with ,joseph ,smith and the great body of the ,mormon people then in ,utah1 as well as their leaders 7for he had known both leaders and people in ,illinois1 and those whom he had known in ,illinois constituted the great bulk of the people in ,utah1 when he delivered that ,springfield speech71 he knew that the reports carried to the ,east by vicious and corrupt men were not true4 ,he knew that these reports in the main were but a rehash of the old exploded charges made against ,joseph ,smith and his followers in ,missouri2 and he knew them to be false by many evidences furnished him by ,joseph ,smith in the interview of the #ahth of ,may1 #ahdc1 and by the ,mormon people at sundry times during his association with them at ,nauvoo4 ,he had an opportunity to befriend the innocent2 to refute the calumny cast upon a virtuous community2 to speak a word in behalf of the oppressed2 but the demagogue triumphed over the statesman1 the politician1 over the humanitarian2 and to avoid the popular censure which he feared befriending the ,mormon people would bring to him1 he turned his hand against them with the result that he did not destroy them but sealed his own doom--in fulfillment of the words of the prophet1 he felt the weight of the hand of the ,almighty upon him4 ,it was impossible for any merely human sagacity to foresee the events predicted in this prophecy4 ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas was a bright but comparatively an unknown man at the time of the interview1 in ,may1 #ahdc4 ,there is and can be no question about the prophecy preceding the event4 ,it was published as before stated in the ,deseret ,news of the #bdth of ,september1 #ahef1 about one year before the ,douglas speech at ,springfield1 in ,june1 #aheg2 and about four years before ,douglas was nominated for the ,presidency by the ,charleston ,democratic ,convention4 ,moreover1 a lengthy review of ,mr4 ,douglas' speech was published in the editorial columns of the ,deseret ,news in the issue of that paper for ,september #bnd1 #aheg1 of which the following is the closing paragraph addressed directly to ,mr4 ,douglas3 ,in your last paragraph of the ,springfield speech you say1 ',i have thus presented to you plainly and fairly my views of the ,utah question2' with at least equal plainness and with far more fairness have your views now been commented upon4 ,and inasmuch as you were well acquainted with ,joseph ,smith1 and this people1 also with the character of our maligners1 and did know their allegations were false1 but must bark with the dogs who were snapping at our heels1 to let them know that you were a dog with them2 and also that you may have a testimony of the truth of the assertion that you did know ,joseph and his people and the character of their enemies 7and neither class have changed1 only as the ,saints have grown better and their enemies worse72 and also that you may thoroughly understand that you have voluntarily1 knowingly1 and of choice sealed your damnation1 and by your own chosen course have closed your chance for the ,presidential chair1 through disobeying the counsel of ,joseph which you formerly sought and prospered by following1 and that you in common with us1 may testify to all the world that ,joseph was a true prophet1 the following extract from the ,history of ,joseph ,smith is again printed for your benefit1 and is kindly recommended to your careful perusal and most candid consideration4 ,then follows the interview between ,joseph ,smith and ,mr4 ,douglas as recorded in the ,journal of ,william ,clayton1 as published in the ,news a year before ,mr4 ,douglas' ,springfield speech1 and as now quoted at the beginning of this chapter4 ,this was boldly accepting the challenge of ,mr4 ,douglas4 ,he raised his hand against the followers of ,joseph ,smith despite the warning of the prophet1 and they1 in the chief organ of the church1 reproduced the prophecy and told him that he had sealed his damnation and closed his chance for the ,presidential chair through disobeying the counsel of the prophet4 ,the presidential election of #ahfj and the death of ,mr4 ,douglas in the prime of life the year following tells the rest4 #d ,it would be mere conjecture1 of course1 to say what the result would have been had ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas been true to the ,saints--the people of his friend ,joseph ,smith4 ,but certainly had he been elected in #ahfj the ,southern ,states would have had no such excuse for their great movement of secession as they at least pretended to have in the election of ,abraham ,lincoln4 ,and had ,mr4 ,douglas in the event of his election followed the counsel given to the government and people of the ,united ,states by ,joseph ,smith in respect to the question of slavery1 that evil might have been abolished without the effusion of blood1 and no place found in the history of the ,united ,states for that horrible conflict known as the ,american civil war4 ,the prophet's counsel here referred to in respect to slavery1 was as follows3 ,petition1 also1 ye goodly inhabitants of the slave states1 your legislators to abolish slavery by the year #ahej1 or now1 and save the abolitionists from reproach and ruin1 and infamy and shame4 ,pray congress to pay every man a reasonable price for his slaves out of the surplus revenue arising from the sale of the public lands1 and from the deduction of pay from the members of congress4 ,break off the shackles from the poor black man1 and hire him to labor like other human beings2 for an hour of virtuous liberty is worth a whole eternity of bondage4 #e ,the document from which this counsel is quoted was published in ,february1 #ahdd4 ,eleven years later1 namely1 in #ahee1 ,mr4 ,ralph ,waldo ,emerson declared that the question of slavery should be met in accordance with the interests of the ,south1 and with the settled conscience of the ,north4 ,it is not really a great task1 said this eminent writer1 a great feat for this country to accomplish1 to buy that property of the planter as the ,british nation bought the ,west ,indian slaves4 ,he also predicted that the ,united ,states will be brought to give every inch of their public lands for a purpose like this4 ,this plan suggested by ,mr4 ,emerson in #ahee1 brought to him no end of praise as a sage philosopher and wise humanitarian4 ,but what of ,joseph ,smith1 whose suggestion preceded that of ,mr4 ,emerson by eleven years8 ,let another--,josiah ,quincy--answer3 ,we who can look back upon the terrible cost of the fratricidal war which put an end to slavery1 now say that such a solution of the difficulty would have been worthy a ,christian statesman4 ,but if the retired scholar referring to ,emerson was in advance of his time when he advocated this disposition of the public property in #ahee1 what shall ,i say of the political and religious leader referring to ,joseph ,smith who had committed himself in print1 as well as in conversation1 to the same course in #ahdd8 ,if the atmosphere of men's opinions was stirred by such a proposition when war clouds were discernable in the sky1 was it not a statesman-like word eleven years earlier when the heavens looked tranquil and beneficent8 #f ,by indulging in these reflections based upon the supposition of the success of ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas in the election of #ahfj1 ,i have wandered from the line of direct argument4 ,i have nothing further to do with the career of ,mr4 ,douglas than to point out in it the remarkable fulfillment of a prophecy which demonstrates the divine inspiration of the man who uttered it4 ,footnotes #a4 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 xxi1 ,no4 #i4 #b4 ,see ,cooper's ,american ,politics1 ,bk4 ,i1 p4 #hf4 #c4 ,see tables in ,american ,politics1 ,bk4 vii1 pp4 #bb1 #bf2 also1 ,history ,u4 ,s4 7by ,alexander ,h4 ,stephens71 p4 #eei4 #d4 ,shortly after the result of the election of #ahfj was known in ,utah1 ,elder ,orson ,hyde1 one of the ,twelve ,apostles1 then residing in ,sanpete ,county1 ,utah1 wrote to the ,deseret ,news the following letter3 ,ephraim1 ,utah ,ter41 ,nov4 #bg1 #ahfj4 ,will the ,judge now acknowledge that ,joseph ,smith was a true prophet8 ,if he will not1 does he recollect a certain conversation had with ,mr4 ,smith at the house of ,sheriff ,backenstos1 in ,carthage1 ,illinois1 in the year #ahdc1 in which ,mr4 ,smith said to him3 ',you will yet aspire to the ,presidency of the ,united ,states4 ,but if you ever raise your hand or your voice against the ,latter-day ,saints1 you shall never be ,president of the ,united ,states4' ,does ,judge ,douglas recollect that in a public speech delivered by him in the year #aheg1 at ,springfield1 ,illinois1 of comparing the ,mormon community1 then constituting the inhabitants of ,utah ,territory1 to a 'loathsome ulcer on the body politic1' and of recommending the knife to be applied to cut it out8 ,among other things1 the ,judge will doubtless recollect that ,i was present and heard the conversation between him and ,joseph ,smith at ,mr4 ,backenstos' residence in ,carthage1 before alluded to4 ,now1 ,judge1 what do you think about ,joseph ,smith and ,mormonism8 ,,orson ,,hyde4 #e4 ,joseph ,smith's ,views of the ,powers and ,policy of the ,government of the ,united ,states1 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xxii1 p4 #gdc4 #f4 ,figures of the ,past--,joseph ,smith at ,nauvoo1 p4 #cih4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,evidence ,,of ,,prophecy--,,concluded4 ,on the #beth of ,december1 #ahcb1 the following revelation and prophecy in relation to the great ,american civil war1 and war among all nations1 was given through ,joseph ,smith3 ,verily1 thus saith the ,lord1 concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass1 beginning at the rebellion of ,south ,carolina1 which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls4 ,the days will come that war will be poured out upon all nations1 beginning at that place4 ,for behold1 the ,southern ,states shall be divided against the ,northern ,states1 and the ,southern ,states will call on other nations1 even the nation of ,great ,britain1 as it is called1 and they shall also call upon other nations1 in order to defend themselves against other nations2 and thus war shall be poured out upon all nations4 ,and it shall come to pass1 after many days1 slaves shall rise up against their masters1 who shall be marshalled and disciplined for war3 and it shall come to pass also1 that the remnants who are left of the land will marshal themselves and shall become exceeding angry1 and shall vex the ,gentiles with a sore vexation2 ,and thus1 with the sword1 and by bloodshed1 the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn2 and with famine and plague and earthquakes and the thunder of heaven1 and the fierce and vivid lightning also1 shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath1 and indignation and chastening hand of an ,almighty ,god1 until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations2 ,that the cry of the ,saints1 and of the blood of the ,saints1 shall cease to come up into the ears of the ,lord of sabaoth1 from the earth1 to be avenged of their enemies4 ,wherefore1 stand ye in holy places1 and be not moved1 until the day of the ,lord come2 for behold it cometh quickly1 saith the ,lord4 ,amen4 ,as stated this revelation and prophecy was given in ,december1 #ahcb2 the elders carried manuscript copies of it with them in their missionary journeys1 and frequently read it to their congregations in various parts of the ,united ,states4 ,in ,vol4 ,,xiii of the ,millennial ,star1 published in #ahea1 pp4 #baf and #bag1 is an advertisement of a new church publication to be called the ,pearl of ,great ,price4 ,in the announced contents is named this revelation of ,december1 #ahcb1 with a statement1 that it had never before appeared in print4 ,subsequently1 but in the same year1 the ,pearl of ,great ,price with this prophecy in it1 was published by ,franklin ,d4 ,richards1 in ,liverpool1 ,england4 ,there are copies of the first edition still extant4 #a ,i am careful to make these statements that the reader may have ample assurance that the revelation and prophecy preceded the event of the great ,civil ,war4 ,the revelation containing the prophecy was given on the #beth of ,december1 #ahcb4 ,the first shot fired in the great ,american ,civil ,war was fired early on the morning of ,april #abth1 #ahfa4 ,hence the prediction preceded the commencement of its fulfillment by twenty-eight years1 three months and seventeen days4 ,ten years before the war began1 the prophecy was published in ,england and circulated both in that country and in the ,united ,states4 ,there can be no question1 therefore1 as to the prophecy preceding the event4 ,let us inquire if the events predicted were of a nature that they could not be foreseen and hence foretold by human judgment1 unaided by divine inspiration4 ,the prophecy predicts1 ,first1 that the war would begin with the rebellion of ,south ,carolina4 ,second1 that it would terminate in the death and misery of many souls4 ,third1 that the ,southern ,states would be divided against the ,northern ,states4 ,fourth1 that the ,southern ,states would call upon other nations for assistance1 even upon the nation of ,great ,britain4 ,fifth1 that ,great ,britain would call upon other nations for assistance1 and thus war would eventually be poured out upon all nations4 ,i submit that this is an enumeration of events twenty-eight years in the future altogether too definite for human wisdom1 unassisted by divine inspiration1 to give4 ,profane history has nothing like it4 ,to find a parallel to it1 recourse must be had to the history of the ,jewish prophets4 ,it is true there was considerable agitation about the time of the prophecy on the question known in ,american politics as ,states' rights4 ,in #ahcj had occurred the great ,senate debate on that subject between ,robert ,y4 ,hayne1 of ,south ,carolina1 and ,daniel ,webster1 of ,massachusetts4 ,on that occasion the champion from ,south ,carolina advocated the doctrine known as nullification4 ,the discussion had its origin in an effort to repeal the protective tariff laws of #ahbh1 which ,south ,carolina1 with several other ,states1 regarded as unconstitutional because the laws were based upon the principle of federal protection to local interests in the several ,states1 to the injury of the general interests of the country4 ,but ,south ,carolina also held1 which the other states did not1 that it was within the reserved rights of the states to have the question of constitutionality on this subject rightfully determined by the judiciary of the states severally1 each for itself1 instead of exclusively by the federal judiciary4 #b ,the question again approached the acute stage in #ahcb1 when the sovereign convention of the people of ,south ,carolina was called which adopted what was known as the ,nullification ,ordinance4 ,the leading features of this were 7#a7 a declaration that the tariff act of #ahcb1 being based upon the principle of protection to manufacturers1 and not with the view to raising revenue1 was unconstitutional and therefore null and void2 7#b7 a provision for testing the constitutionality of this act before the courts of the state2 7#c7 that in case the measures thus adopted for the purpose stated should be forcibly resisted by the federal authorities1 then the ,state of ,south ,carolina was declared to be no longer a member of the ,federal ,union4 ,the last measure was to take effect on the #abth of ,february1 #ahcc1 if before that time the principle of levying duties upon imports1 not with a view to revenue1 but for the protection of domestic manufactures1 should not be abandoned by the congress of the states4 #c ,but notwithstanding these hostile demonstrations on the part of ,south ,carolina1 there was really no very great danger to the ,union at that time4 ,andrew ,jackson1 a man of great determination of character1 and patriotically devoted to the ,union1 was president2 and his political principles ran parallel with his devotion4 ,he issued a proclamation in which he urged ,south ,carolina not to persist in the enforcement of her ordinance as it would necessarily bring the federal and state authorities in conflict1 and if the citizens of ,south ,carolina took up arms against the ,united ,states they would be guilty of treason4 ,the ordinance1 said he1 is founded not on the indefeasible right of resisting acts which are plainly unconstitutional1 and too oppressive to be endured2 but on the strange position that any one state may not only declare an act of congress void but prohibit its execution1 and that they may do this consistently with the constitution2 that the true construction of that instrument permits a state to retain its place in the ,union1 and yet be bound by no other of its laws than those it may choose to consider constitutional4 #d ,it was in ,december1 #ahcb1 the same month in which the revelation and prophecy under consideration was given1 that this issue between ,south ,carolina and the ,federal government about reached its climax4 ,it is important to observe that these questions of nullification and a state's right to secede from the ,union were sharply agitated in ,december1 #ahcb1 because it gives direct testimony of the original date of the prophecy4 ,that is1 it is clear from the facts of history that the question in #ahcb was before the nation2 and very naturally the prophet inquired of the ,lord concerning it1 with the result that he receive the revelation now under consideration4 ,that the prophet did make inquiry of the ,lord concerning this subject is evident from a direct statement of his to that effect4 ,preaching at ,ramus1 ,illinois1 on the #bnd of ,april1 #ahdc1 the prophet in the course of his remarks said3 ,i prophesy1 in the name of the ,lord ,god1 that the commencement of the difficulties which will cause much bloodshed previous to the coming of the ,son of ,man will be in ,south ,carolina4 ,it may probably arise through the slave question4 ,this a voice declared to me1 while ,i was praying earnestly on the subject1 ,december #beth1 #ahcb4 #e ,no ,american statesman in #ahcb believed that the doctrines of secession then talked of would result in a great civil war4 ,none of them had the foresight to see that a great rebellion would occur1 beginning in ,south ,carolina2 that it would terminate in the death and misery of many souls2 that the ,southern ,states would be divided against the ,northern ,states2 that the ,southern ,states would call on ,great ,britain1 and that war would eventually be poured out upon all nations4 ,no one1 ,i say1 foresaw that this would be the result save only that inspired youth--then but twenty-seven years of age--,joseph ,smith1 and he saw it only by the spirit of prophecy and revelation4 ,to be required to believe that the prophecy was merely the fortunate conjecture of a more than ordinarily astute mind1 requires a greater amount of credulity than to concede the inspiration of the prophet2 and then the question would still remain1 why is it that sagacious minds in other generations have not paralleled this astuteness of ,joseph ,smith's8 ,why did not some of the brilliant minds in the ,senate or ,house of ,representatives in #ahcb make such a prediction8 ,there was no dearth of brilliant minds in either ,senate or ,house at that time1 yet none seemed equal to the task4 ,but was the prophecy fulfilled8 ,did the great ,civil ,war begin with the rebellion of ,south ,carolina8 ,let history answer4 ,i4 ,south ,carolina took the initiative in the great rebellion4 ,deeming her interests threatened1 and the institution of slavery doomed if ,abraham ,lincoln was elected2 on ,november #eth1 #ahfj1 her legislature met to choose presidential electors1 and ,governor ,william ,h4 ,gist in his message to that legislature recommended that in the event of ,abraham ,lincoln's election to the presidency1 a convention of the people of the state be immediately called to consider and determine for themselves the mode and measure of redress4 ,he expressed the opinion that the only alternative left in the event of ,lincoln's election was the secession of ,south ,carolina from the ,federal ,union4 #f ,on the #ajth of ,november1 #ahfj1 the ,united ,states ,senators from ,south ,carolina1 ,james ,n4 ,hammond and ,james ,chestnut1 ,jr41 resigned their seats1 being the first of the senators to take that step4 #g ,on the #agth of ,november1 #ahfj1 an ordinance of secession was unanimously adopted by the ,legislature of ,south ,carolina1 the first act of the kind by any of the states4 #h ,on the #bdth of ,november1 #ahfj1 ,south ,carolina's ,representatives in ,congress withdrew2 they were the first representatives to do so4 #i ,members to a state convention for the purpose of considering the method and measure of redress in the event to ,abraham ,lincoln's election1 were elected on the #crd of ,december1 #ahfj2 the convention was assembled in ,charleston4 #aj ,on the #bjth of ,december1 #ahfj1 the convention passed the ordinance of secession and ,governor ,pickins--just elected--announced on the same date the repeal1 by the good people of ,south ,carolina1 the ordinance of ,may #bcrd1 #aghh1 by which ,south ,carolina had ratified the ,federal ,constitution1 and declared the dissolution of the union between the state of ,south ,carolina and the other states under the name of the ,united ,states4 ,the governor's proclamation also announced to the world that the state of ,south ,carolina is1 as she has a right to be1 a separate1 sovereign1 free and independent state and1 as such1 has a right to levy war1 conclude peace1 negotiate treaties1 leagues1 or covenants1 and to do all acts whatsoever that rightly pertain to a free and independent state4 ,done in the eighty-fifth year of the sovereignty and independence of ,south ,carolina4 #aa ,following is the complete ,ordinance passed by the ,convention1 as it appeared in the ,charleston ,mercury ,extra for that date1 the original of which the following is a copy is in the ,libby ,prison ,museum1 of ,chicago3 ,,passed ,,unanimously ,,at #a3ae ,p4 ,m41 ,,december #bj,,th1 #ahfj4 ,an ordinance to dissolve the union between the ,states of ,south ,carolina and other ,states united with her under the compact entitled ',the ,constitution of the ,united ,states of ,america4' ,we1 the people of the ,state of ,south ,carolina1 in convention assembled1 do declare and ordain1 and it is hereby declared and ordained1 ',that the ordinance adopted by us on the #bcrd of ,may1 ,a4 ,d4 #aghh1 whereby the ,constitution of the ,united ,states of ,america was ratified1 and also all acts and parts of acts of the ,general ,assembly of this ,state ratifying amendments of the said ,constitution are hereby repealed1 and the union now subsisting between ,south ,carolina and other ,states1 under the name of ',the ,united ,states of ,america' is hereby dissolved4 ,the act of rebellion on the part of ,south ,carolina was completed4 ,she was the first state to take the several steps here enumerated leading up to that culmination4 ,she was followed in the act of rebellion by ten other ,southern ,states1 as follows--,i take the date on which the state conventions passed their secession ordinances to be the date on which the rebellion of the respective states was completed3 ,mississippi1 ,january #ith1 #ahfa2 ,florida1 ,january #ajth2 ,alabama1 ,january #aath2 ,georgia1 ,january #aith2 ,louisiana1 ,january #bfth2 ,texas1 ,february #ast2 ,virginia1 ,april #agth2 ,arkansas1 ,may #fth2 ,north ,carolina1 ,may #bjth2 ,tennessee1 ,june #hth1 all of the same year1 #ahfa4 #ab ,having proven that the ,great ,rebellion began with the rebellion of ,south ,carolina1 ,i wish now to show that the war itself actually began there4 ,the states which seceded from the union in the last months of ,mr4 ,buchanan's administration1 quietly took possession of all the forts within their respective limits1 except ,fort ,sumter1 in ,charleston ,harbor1 and ,fort ,pickens1 at ,pensacola1 ,florida2 and transferred them to the ,confederate ,states4 ,after the ,southern ,states united into a confederacy1 that government appointed a commission consisting of ,mr4 ,john ,forsyth1 of ,alabama1 ,mr4 ,martin ,j4 ,crawford1 of ,georgia1 and ,mr4 ,a4 ,b4 ,roman1 of ,louisiana1 to open negotiations for the settlement of all matters of joint property1 forts1 arsenals1 arms1 or property of any other kind within the limits of the ,confederate ,states1 and all joint liabilities with their former associates1 upon the principles of right1 justice1 equity and good faith4 #ac ,separate states previous to this action of the confederate states had sent commissioners to accomplish the same purpose2 but of course these gave place to the commission from the general government of the confederacy4 ,during an attempt of this commission to obtain official recognition from the administration at ,washington1 active preparations for war were going on at the ,new ,york navy yard4 ,early in ,april a squadron of seven ships1 carrying two thousand four hundred men1 and two hundred and eighty-five guns put to sea from ,new ,york and ,norfolk navy yards1 under sealed orders4 ,the design of the enterprise was to re-provision and re-enforce ,fort ,sumpter1 which at the time was held by ,major ,anderson1 with a small garrison of men very ill provisioned for a siege4 ,on the #hth of ,april ,washington authorities1 ignoring the commission in ,washington from the ,confederate ,states1 sent word to ,governor ,pickens of ,south ,carolina of a change in the attitude of the general government in regard to unofficial assurances given respecting the withdrawal of ,federal forces from ,fort ,sumter1 and declaring the intention of the government to re-provision and re-enforce the garrison there1 peaceably if permitted2 otherwise1 by force4 #ad ,at the time ,general ,gustave ,t4 ,beauregard was at ,charleston1 with six thousand ,confederate volunteer troops1 for the purpose of defending the city4 ,governor ,pickens informed him of the notice he had received from the authorities at ,washington2 and ,general ,beauregard immediately telegraphed the information to the ,confederate authorities at ,montgomery4 ,the reply received by ,general ,beauregard was that1 if he had no doubt of the authenticity of the notice of the intention of the ,washington government to supply ,fort ,sumter by force1 to demand at once its evacuation2 and if this should be refused1 to proceed to reduce it4 #ae ,on ,april the #aath the demand for its evacuation was made4 ,major ,anderson refused to comply with the demand1 and at #d3cj1 on the morning of the #abth of ,april1 #ahfa1 ,general ,beauregard opened fire on the fort1 to which the guns of the fort promptly replied4 ,the bombardment lasted thirty-two hours2 and then ,major ,anderson capitulated1 though the fleet from the north was within view during the bombardment4 ,this was the beginning of a war between the states of the ,federal ,union1 which has been truly characterized as 'one of the most tremendous conflicts on record4' ,the din of its clangor reached the remotest part of the earth and the people of all nations looked on1 for four years and upwards1 in wonder and amazement1 as its gigantic proportions loomed forth1 and its hideous engines of destruction of human life and everything of human structure were terribly displayed in its sanguinary progress and grievous duration4 #af ,it began where the ,prophet ,joseph twenty-eight years before said it would commence--with the rebellion of ,south ,carolina4 ,,ii4 ,this war1 beginning with the rebellion of ,south ,carolina1 did terminate in the death and misery of many souls4 ,though it is notorious that it did so1 let us consider the history of it somewhat in detail4 ,mr4 ,alexander ,h ,stephens1 in concluding the chapter he devotes to the ,civil ,war1 in his history of the ,united ,states1 says3 ,the ,federal records show that they had1 from first to last1 #b1fjj1jjj men in the service2 while the ,confederates all told1 and in like manner1 had but little over #fjj1jjj4 99 99 99 ,of ,federal prisoners during the war1 the ,confederates took in round numbers #bgj1jjj2 while the whole number of ,confederates captured and held in prisons by the ,federals was in like round numbers #bbj1jjj4 99 99 99 ,of the #bgj1jjj ,federal prisoners taken1 #bb1egf died in ,confederate hands2 and of the #bbj1jjj ,confederates taken by ,federals1 #bf1dcf died in their hands4 99 99 99 ,the entire loss on both sides1 including those who were permanently disabled1 as well as those killed in battle1 and who died from wounds received and diseases contracted in the service1 amounted1 upon a reasonable estimate1 to the stupendous aggregate of #a1jjj1jjj of men4 #ag ,in #ahhg1 the ,cincinnatti ,commercial ,gazette published the following interesting compilation of statistics in relation to the number that fell in the ,civil ,war on the side of the ,federal armies3 ,official returns show that about #b1fec1jjj soldiers enlisted during the war in response to the successive calls of ,president ,lincoln1 and of that number #ahf1jig were colored troops4 ,reports show that the ,northern and ,southern armies met in over two thousand skirmishes and battles4 ,in #adh of these conflicts the loss on the ,federal side was over #ejj men1 and in at least ten battles over #aj1jjj men were reported lost on each side4 ,the appended table shows that the combined losses of the ,federal and ,confederate forces in killed1 wounded1 and missing in the following engagements were3 ,shiloh1 #bd1jjj2 ,antietam1 #ah1jjj2 ,stone ,river1 #bb1jjj2 ,chickamauga1 #cc1jjj2 ,mc,clellan's ,peninsula campaign1 #ej1jjj2 ,grant's ,peninsula campaign1 #adj1jjj2 and ,sherman's campaign1 #hj1jjj4 ,official statistics show that of the #b1fec1jjj men enlisted1 there were killed in battle #dd1bch2 died of wounds1 #di1bje2 died of disease1 #ahf1baf2 died of unknown causes1 #bd1ahd2 total #cjc1hdc4 ,this includes only those whose death while in the army had been actually proved4 ,to this number should be added first #bf1jjj men who are known to have died while in the hands of the enemy as prisoners of war1 and many others in the same manner whose deaths are unrecorded2 second1 a fair percentage of the #bje1gid men who are put down on the official reports as deserters and missing in action1 for those who participated in the war know that men frequently disappear who1 it was certain1 had not deserted1 yet could not be otherwise officially accounted for2 third1 thousands who are buried in private cemeteries all over the north1 who died while at home on furlough4 ,the dead are buried in #gc national cemeteries1 of which only twelve are in the ,northern ,states4 ,amongst the principal ones in the ,north are ,cypress ,hill1 with its #c1ghf dead2 ,finns ,point1 ,n4 ,j41 which contains the remains of #b1fdd unknown dead2 ,gettysburg1 ,pa41 with #a1ifg known and #a1fjh unknown dead2 ,mound ,city1 ,ill41 with #b1eje known and #b1gba unknown graves2 ,philadelphia1 with #a1iji dead2 and ,woodlawn1 ,elmira1 ,n4 ,y41 with its #c1ijj dead4 ,in the ,south1 near the scenes of the terrible conflicts1 are located the largest depositories of the slain3 ,arlington1 ,va41 #af1bfd1 of which #d1cai are unknown2 ,beaufort1 ,s4 ,c41 #i1bda1 of which #d1dic are unknown2 ,chalmettee1 ,la41 #ab1eaa1 of which #e1fgd are unknown2 ,chattanooga1 ,tenn41 #ab1igb1 of which #d1ifc are unknown2 ,fredricksurg1 ,va41 #ae1beg1 of which #ab1ggj are unknown2 ,jefferson ,barracks1 ,mo41 #aa1bij1 of which #b1ijj are unknown2 ,little ,rock1 ,ark41 #e1fjb1 of which #b1ccg are unknown2 ,city ,point1 ,va41 #e1abb1 of which #a1cgd are unknown2 ,marietta1 ,ga41 #aj1aea1 of which #b1ifc are unknown2 ,memphis1 ,tenn41 #ac1iig1 of which #h1hag are unknown2 ,nashville1 ,tenn41 #af1ebf1 of which #d1gjj are unknown2 ,poplar ,grove1 ,va41 #f1aij1 of which #d1jja are unknown2 ,richmond1 ,va41 #f1edb1 of which #e1gjj are unknown2 ,salisbury1 ,n4 ,c41 #ab1abf of which #ab1jcb are unknown2 ,stone ,river1 ,tenn41 #e1fjb of which #bhh are unknown2 ,vicksburg1 ,miss41 #af1fjj of which #ab1gjd are unknown2 ,antietam1 ,va4 #d1fga of which #a1hah are unknown2 ,winchester1 ,va41 #d1eei of which #b1cfe are unknown4 ,in all1 the remains of #cjj1jjj men who fought for the stars and stripes find guarded graves in our national cemeteries4 ,two cemeteries are mainly devoted to the men who perished in the prisons of the same name--,andersonville1 ,ga41 which contains #ac1gad graves1 and ,salisbury1 with its #ab1abf dead1 among which #ab1jcb are unknown4 ,if to the #cjc1hdc given above as the total number of union troops whose death while in the army was actually proved1 be added1 as the ,gazette suggests1 first1 #bf1jjj #ah men who are known to have died while in the hands of the enemy as prisoners of war2 second1 many others whose death was not recorded2 third1 a fair percentage of the #bje1gid put down on the official reports as deserters and missing in action2 and then add to this all who were killed in the ,confederate army1 all ,confederates who died in prisons through wounds and diseases contracted in the service1 it will be seen that the estimate of ,mr4 ,stephens1 namely1 that one million of men perished in the ,great ,rebellion1 would not be considered exaggerated4 ,indeed the same estimate is made by nearly all writers upon the subject4 ,thus ,lossing3 ,the whole number of men called into service during the war 7on the ,union side7 was #b1fbh1ebc4 ,of these about #a1dij1jjj were in actual service4 ,of this number1 nearly #fj1jjj were killed on the field1 and about #ce1jjj were mortally wounded4 ,disease in camps and hospitals slew #ahd1jjj4 ,it is estimated that #cjj1jjj ,union soldiers perished during the war4 ,fully that number of the ,confederate soldiers perished1 and the aggregate number of men including both armies1 who were crippled or permanently disabled by disease was estimated at #djj1jjj4 ,the actual loss to the country1 of able-bodied men1 in consequence of the rebellion was fully #a1jjj1jjj4 #ai ,both sides1 during the struggle1 relied for means to support it upon the issue of paper money1 and upon loans secured by bonds4 ,an enormous public debt was thus created by each1 and the aggregate of money thus expended on both sides1 including the loss and sacrifice of property1 could not have been less than #h1jjj1jjj1jjj of dollars--a sum fully equal to three-fourths of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of all the states together when it commenced4 #bj ,to the terrible loss of life and property let there be added the consideration of the suffering of the wounded and the sick who languished in loathsome prisons2 the sorrow of widows and orphans who looked in vain for the return of husbands and fathers1 who marched in the fullness of manly strength to the war2 the anguish of parents1 whose dim eyes looked in vain for sons thrown into unknown graves2 and the gentler yet equally tender sorrow of sisters which in the fierce war lost the companions of their childhood4 ,let all this1 ,i say1 be taken into account1 and the fact that ,joseph ,smith was a prophet of the living ,god will be found written in characters of blood to this generation1 and witnessed by the heartache and tears of millions6 ,,iii4 ,the ,southern ,states were divided against the ,northern ,states4 ,the fact is too well known to need affirming4 ,there were eleven states in all whose legislatures passed secession ordinances4 ,these were ,south ,carolina1 ,mississippi1 ,florida1 ,alabama1 ,georgia1 ,louisiana1 ,texas1 ,virginia1 ,tennessee1 ,arkansas and ,north ,carolina--all ,southern ,states4 ,in the first ,confederate ,congress members representing districts in ,missouri and ,kentucky were also admitted1 though those states did not secede from the ,union4 #ba ,,iv4 ,the ,southern ,states did call upon other nations1 and upon the nation of ,great ,britain in particular1 for assistance4 ,as early as ,may1 #ahfa1 the ,confederacy sent commissioners abroad to seek recognition and aid from foreign powers4 ,william ,l4 ,yancy1 of ,alabama2 ,p4 ,a4 ,rost1 of ,louisiana2 ,a4 ,dudley ,mann1 of ,virginia2 and ,t4 ,butler ,king1 of ,georgia4 ,mr4 ,yancy was appointed to operate in ,england1 ,mr4 ,rost in ,france1 and ,mr4 ,mann in ,holland and ,belgium4 ,mr4 ,king had a roving commission4 #bb ,subsequently1 in ,october1 #ahfa1 the ,confederacy appointed ,james ,m4 ,mason and ,john ,slidell1 ambassadors to ,england and ,france respectively1 to solicit the assistance of the ,british and ,french governments in the ,southern cause4 ,the ambassadors took passage from ,charleston to ,cuba in a blockade runner4 ,at the latter place they engaged passage to ,england on the ,british steam packet ,trent4 ,on the #hth of ,november1 #ahfa1 the ,trent was overtaken by the ,federal warship ,san ,jacinto1 ,captain ,wilkes commanding2 and ,messrs4 ,mason and ,slidell were taken prisoners and carried to ,boston ,harbor where they were placed in ,fort ,warren4 ,england promptly resented this violation of the rights of a neutral nation upon the high seas1 and the ,united ,states as promptly disavowed the action of ,captain ,wilkes1 made an humble apology1 and as soon as might be restored ,messrs4 ,mason and ,slidell to a ,british deck1 the ,rinaldo1 in which vessel the ambassadors were taken to ,england where they prosecuted their mission4 ,though ,messrs4 ,mason and ,slidell did not succeed in securing the open assistance of ,great ,britain1 yet it is well known that ,british sympathy was with the ,confederate cause2 and so far did this sympathy lead ,england to violate the law of nations that1 against the protests of the ,united ,states ,minister at the court of ,st4 ,james1 she allowed the war vessels ,alabama and ,florida built by ,messrs4 ,laird ,co41 shipbuilders1 ,liverpool1 ,england1 to put to sea4 ,these vessels did immense damage to ,northern ,states shipping4 ,the ,alabama alone captured sixty-five merchant vessels belonging to the ,united ,states2 and destroyed some ten million dollars' worth of property4 ,finally the ,united ,states warship ,kearsarge sunk her off the coast of ,france1 near ,cherbourg4 ,this ,alabama trouble led to ill feeling between ,england and the ,united ,states which was not finally settled until the #bgth of ,june1 #ahgb1 when the ,geneva ,board of ,arbitration decided that ,england should pay to the ,united ,states the sum of fifteen million five hundred thousand dollars1 an amount really in excess of the demands of merchants and others claiming the loss of property through depredations of the ,alabama4 #bc ,the evidence is surely sufficient that the ,southern ,states did call upon the nation of ,great ,britain for assistance 7and that is as far as the prophecy goes on this point71 and ,england did give at least indirect aid and comfort to the ,confederate cause1 to the extent that she was found violating the law of nations so far that she paid a fine of #ae1ejj1jjj for her trespass4 ,thus in all these important items the remarkable prophecy has been fulfilled4 ,it now remains to call attention to the events it predicts which are still in the future4 ,these are3 ,first1 ,great ,britain is to call upon other nations for aid1 and she with her allies thus formed1 is to call on other nations in order to defend themselves against other nations1 until war is poured out upon all nations4 ,second1 ,a great race war in ,america--slaves are to rise up against their masters who shall be marshalled and disciplined for war4 #bd ,third1 ,the aboriginal inhabitants of ,america--the ,indians--will become exceeding angry1 and marshalling themselves1 will vex the ,gentiles with a sore vexation4 ,fourth1 ,with sword and by bloodshed and finally with famine and plague1 and earthquake2 with the thunder of heaven and the fierce and vivid lightning--the inhabitants of the earth will mourn1 and be made to feel the wrath and indignation and chastening hand of ,almighty ,god1 until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations4 ,these several items yet to be fulfilled strengthen belief in the reality of the prophecy1 for the reason that if the prophecy had originated in fraud1 had it been written after the events it pretended to predict had taken place1 the pseudo-prophet and his associates would not have dared in any respect to have ventured into the domain of the future4 ,they would have clung exclusively to the past4 ,but standing as we do now midway between what has been fulfilled of the prophecy and what is yet to come1 we are made to feel the reality of the prophecy2 and so much of it as the wheels of time have brought due having been fulfilled1 gives ample assurance that the remainder will come to pass to the very letter4 ,if it shall be asked of what use is this prophecy about war1 earthquakes1 bloodshed1 famine and general distress of mankind--what makes it worthy of inspiration--knowledge worthy of ,god to reveal and a prophet to proclaim--let it be answered that its value consists in this1 that it is a warning to mankind1 it cries repentance to the wicked1 and gives all who will avail themselves of it an opportunity to make ,god their friend1 escape the calamities predicted1 and have the privilege of uniting with ,god's ,saints who1 in the closing sentence in the prophecy1 are admonished to stand in holy places unmoved until the day of the ,lord comes2 and they are assured it will come quickly4 ,the evidence of prophecy is1 in part1 before the reader1 all ,i design to introduce in this book2 #be and now ,i ask him to review it2 considering first the importance attached to the peculiar power of prophecy as evidence of divine inspiration--how it is within itself a sort of miracle1 as men understand miracles1 and has ever been regarded as an evidence of the possession of a power peculiar to ,god and those whom he commissions4 ,second1 remember how definitely proven is the fact that these prophecies preceded the events they fore ell4 ,third1 that they so minutely describe the future events they predict that by no means can they be resolved into a fortunate conjecture of an uninspired mind4 ,fourth1 that they treat of things that from their nature are of importance to man to know and therefore are worthy of inspiration4 ,fifth1 that their remarkable fulfillment has been by agencies outside of the prophet himself4 ,side by side with all these facts consider how fatal to ,joseph ,smith's claims as a divinely commissioned prophet of ,god would have been the failure of his prophecies6 ,after all this is carefully considered1 without prejudice and with a candid desire to know the truth1 let each for himself answer these questions3 ,does not the fulfillment of the prophecies of ,joseph ,smith furnish a volume of testimony sufficient both as to quality and quantity to convince a reasonable mind that he was a divinely inspired prophet8 ,if he was not a divinely inspired prophet1 on what hypothesis shall we account for this remarkable list of predictions here set forth and their marvelous fulfillment8 ,footnotes #a4 ,the writer saw a copy in the ,church ,liverpool ,office ,library1 in #ahhg1 while acting as assistant editor of the ,millennial ,star4 ,see ,millennial ,star1 ,vol4 xlix3 p4 #cif4 #b4 ,stephens' ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #ddh4 #c4 ,stephens' ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #dea4 #d4 ,see ,cooper's ,american ,politics1 ,book ,i1 p4 #cc4 #e4 ,millennial ,star1 ,vol4 xx1 p4 #gbh4 #f4 ,cooper's ,american ,politics1 ,book ,i1 p4 #hh4 #g4 ,cooper's ,american ,politics1 ,book ,i1 p4 #hh4 #h4 ,ibid4 #i4 ,cooper's ,american ,politics1 p4 #hh4 #aj4 ,lossing's ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #edf4 #aa4 ,cooper's ,american ,politics1 ,book ,i1 p4 #hh4 #ab4 ,lossing's ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #edg1 note #b4 #ac4 ,stephens' ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #fjd4 #ad4 ,see ,war between the ,states1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #cdf-g1 et seq42 also ,appendix ,n4 ,stephens' ,hist4 ,united ,states4 ,there the correspondence on the subject is given in extenso4 #ae4 ,stephens' ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #fji4 #af4 ,stephens' ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #faj4 #ag4 ,stephens' ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #hcg-h4 ,the figures of ,mr4 ,stephens are sustained by the report of the ,surgeon-,general1 ,u4,s4,a42 and also by ,mr4 ,stanton's report for #ahff4 ,mr4 ,s4 was ,secretary of ,war4 #ah4 ,it will be observed that there is a slight disagreement between ,mr4 ,stephens and the ,gazette ,compilation in this item2 the former putting the number of prisoners who died in ,confederate hands at #bb1egf1 the latter at #bf1jjj4 #ai4 ,lossing's ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #gbc-d1 note #c4 #bj4 ,stephens' ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #hch4 #ba4 ,cooper's ,american ,politics1 ,book ,i1 p4 #ii4 #bb4 ,lossing's ,history of the ,united ,states1 p4 #eei and note ,i4 #bc4 ,cooper's ,american ,politics1 ,bk4 ,i1 p4 #aig4 #bd4 ,many believe this part of the prophecy was fulfilled during the war of the ,southern ,rebellion1 when many colored men formerly slaves were enlisted in the ,union service4 ,we have already seen that of the #b1fec1jjj soldiers enlisted in the ,union army #ahf1cig were colored4 #be4 ,in a second volume in which the ,book of ,mormon will be the subject--the witness for ,god--the author will consider many prophecies contained in the ,book of ,mormon which will not only tend to prove the truth of that book but will also establish the inspiration and divine mission of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,the ,,church ,,founded ,,by ,,joseph ,,smith ,a ,,monument ,,to ,,his ,,inspiration4 ,the church founded by ,joseph ,smith is of itself a monument to the inspiration of the prophet4 ,it embraces a scheme of ecclesiastical government so comprehensive1 so effective in its administration1 and at the same time so protects the members of the body religious from priestcraft1 by which ,i mean here the oppression of ecclesiastical rulers1 that none who become acquainted with its organization and the spirit of its administration can doubt that a deeper wisdom presided at its creation than that possessed by ,joseph ,smith uninspired of ,god4 ,it must be borne in mind that the prophet during the development of the church organization was but a mere youth2 unschooled in history1 untaught1 save by ,god1 in the science of government2 and ,i say that a man who had lived in the midst of such environments as those which surrounded ,joseph ,smith would be utterly incapable--if you deny to him divine inspiration--of bringing into existence such a system of government as that which obtains in the church he founded4 ,it will be said by some that he founded this church government on the pattern of that described in the ,new ,testament1 and thus attempt to dispose of his achievement4 ,but the outlines of church government that may be traced in the ,new ,testament are so faint that they can scarcely be defined1 and have led the most learned of our ,christian scholars to diverse conclusions4 ,one sees in the ,new ,testament authority for the ,episcopal form of government2 and a gradation in the orders of the ministry4 ,another sees in the ,new ,testament authority for the conclusion that there is a perfect equality in the ,christian ministry1 no gradation of officers1 but a government through synods1 assemblies and councils of these officers of equal rank4 ,and still a third finds in the same book authority for the idea that each congregation within itself constitutes an independent ,christian church1 subordinate to no other organization1 self-governing1 and only bound to other like societies by sympathy which springs from faith in a common doctrine and common aims4 ,such is the confusion into which the learned are thrown by considering alone the data that exists in the ,new ,testament for a church government4 ,although ,i have once before briefly sketched the organization of the church from such data as exists in the ,new ,testament1 ,i find it necessary again to go over the ground that we may see how meagre the materials are2 and how utterly impossible it would be for ,joseph ,smith to frame such an organization as he established from such materials4 ,jesus called twelve men whom he named apostles and conferred upon them divine authority1 by which they were to preach the gospel1 administer its ordinances and proclaim the kingdom of heaven at hand4 ,he also called into existence quorums of seventies to aid them in this ministry1 and conferred upon them like powers4 ,these are the only church officers called into existence1 so far as we are informed in the ,new ,testament1 previous to the crucifixion of ,jesus4 ,but after his resurrection from the dead1 he was with his disciples forty days speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of ,god4 #a ,it was during that interesting period of his association with his disciples that he doubtless gave those instructions by which their actions were governed in organizing churches after the gospel began to spread abroad4 ,wherever people were found who accepted the gospel an organization was effected4 ,in some instances elders #b were appointed to preside over these organizations1 and in other cases bishops were appointed1 and were assisted in their labor by deacons4 #c ,in his description of the organization of the church1 which the apostle never pretended was complete1 ,paul in one instance enumerates among the offices first apostles1 secondly prophets1 thirdly teachers4 #d ,in another instance he enumerates apostles1 prophets1 evangelists1 pastors and teachers4 #e ,the same writer holds that the whole organization constitutes but one body though consisting of many parts1 that there is a relation of all the parts to the whole1 and a sympathy which binds all together4 #f ,he enumerates the object of this organization to be1 the perfecting of the saints1 the work of the ministry1 edifying the body of ,christ1 and to preserve the saints from being deceived by cunning men who lie in wait to deceive4 #g ,there is also a hint at some kind of judicial authority in the church4 ,jesus himself said3 ,if thy brother shall trespass against thee1 go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone3 if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother4 ,but if he will not hear thee1 take with thee one or two more1 that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established4 ,and if he shall neglect to hear them1 tell it unto the church1 but if he neglect to hear the church1 let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican4 #h ,dare any of you1 ,paul asks the ,corinthian saints1 having a matter against another1 go to law before the unjust1 and not before the saints8 ,do ye not know1 he continues1 that the saints shall judge the world8 ,and if the world shall be judged by you are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters8 99 99 99 ,i speak to your shame4 ,is it so that there is not a wise man among you8 ,no1 not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren8 ,but brother goeth to law with brother and that before the unbelievers4 #i ,i say this gives evidence of the existence in the church of some kind of ecclesiastical judiciary1 but of the nature of it1 the extent of its authority and mode of procedure we know nothing4 ,this is all that is written in the ,new ,testament about church organization4 ,the description is fragmentary and consequently imperfect2 and the materials altogether too meagre and insufficient as will presently appear for the formation of such an elaborate system of church government as that brought into existence by ,joseph ,smith4 ,the church officers and church organization founded by ,joseph ,smith grew out of the ,priesthood1 which1 as already stated1 is the power of ,god delegated to man1 by which man becomes an agent for ,god with authority to act in his name and for him4 ,while there is of necessity a unity in this power1 that is1 all one power1 yet in the exercise of its functions divisions are recognized4 ,first a division into what is called respectively the ,melchisedek and ,aaronic ,priesthood1 the former of which is the greater and devoted more especially to spiritual things1 while the latter has most to do with temporal concerns4 ,within each of these divisions there are degrees of power or authority4 ,speaking of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood1 one degree of it makes men elders1 another high priests1 another seventies1 another patriarchs1 another apostles4 ,speaking of the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 one degree of it makes men deacons1 another teachers1 another priests1 another bishops--the bishopric is the presidency of and embraces the fullness of this lesser ,priesthood4 ,these respective degrees of ,priesthood are limited to the performance of special duties or functions4 ,while the deacon and teacher may teach and expound scripture1 persuade and exhort men to come unto ,christ1 and the former may visit the homes of the members of the church1 watch over them and see that there is no iniquity in the church1 yet neither may baptize the people for the remission of sins nor administer the sacrament4 ,while the priest may teach and expound doctrine1 baptize and administer the sacrament and assist the elder in the performance of his duties1 when necessity requires1 yet he cannot lay on hands for imparting the ,holy ,ghost4 ,so in the ,melchisedek ,priesthood4 ,each degree or order of it has its specific duties assigned to it1 but the greater always includes the lesser and may on occasion officiate in all the offices below its own4 ,i now proceed to consider the organization of the church4 ,first and highest of all officers stands the ,first ,presidency1 consisting of three ,presiding ,high ,priests4 ,their jurisdiction and authority are universal4 ,their jurisdiction extends over all the affairs of the church as well in temporal as in spiritual things2 as well in the organized stakes of ,zion as in the missions and branches of the church abroad4 ,in that presidency are legislative1 judicial and executive powers4 ,that is to say1 the ,president of the church is the mouthpiece of ,god to the church1 and he alone receives the law from the ,lord by revelation and announces the same to the people2 virtually1 then1 this is the law-making power4 ,from all high councils--the judicial courts of the church--except where the ,twelve ,apostles sit as a high council abroad--there lies an appeal to the ,first ,presidency1 which finally determines the matter and also defines the law of the church1 hence here is judicial power4 ,the proof that in the ,presidency is executive power is seen in the fact of their universal presidency1 and authority over all the affairs of the church4 ,the quorum of the ,twelve ,apostles are equal in power and authority to the ,first ,presidency4 ,the ,first ,quorum of ,seventies #aj are equal in authority to the quorum of the ,twelve2 and1 of course1 indirectly equal in authority to the ,first ,presidency4 ,but this is evidently in the main but an emergency provision1 and though the power is there and may be used when occasion requires1 yet for the most part it lies dormant4 ,that is to say1 the powers above described as belonging to the ,first ,presidency1 may only be exercised in full by the quorum of the ,twelve ,apostles in the event of the ,first ,presidency becoming disorganized by death or from other causes2 and by the ,seventy1 only in the event of the destruction or absence of the ,first ,presidency and the ,twelve4 ,but these powers of the ,presidency without diminution would be exercised by the quorum of the ,twelve and the ,seventy1 should occasion arise for it2 and the arrangement renders the church well nigh indestructible at its head4 ,but1 as already remarked1 those are but emergency provisions1 and it is my desire to set before the reader the beauty and harmony of the church organization when its councils are all in place4 ,the great powers enumerated1 then1 center in the ,first ,presidency4 ,on the right of the ,first ,presidency may be said to be the ,twelve ,apostles1 clothed with the authority to officiate in the name of the ,lord1 under the direction of the ,first ,presidency to build up the church and regulate all the affairs of the same in all the world4 ,next to them stand the ,seventies as their assistants in the great work assigned to them4 ,to these two orders of the ,priesthood more especially is assigned and upon them rests the responsibility of the foreign ministry of the church4 ,they are witnesses for the ,lord ,jesus ,christ in all the nations of the earth1 and their special duty is that of preaching the gospel and regulating the affairs of the church abroad4 ,on the left of the ,first ,presidency may be said to stand the high priests1 to which order of ,priesthood belongs the right of local ,presidency in the church4 ,from their ranks patriarchs1 presidents of stakes1 high councilors1 and bishops and their counselors are chosen4 #aa ,next to the high priests stand the elders1 who are to assist them in the performance of their duties4 ,these quorums of ,priesthood constitute the standing ministry of the stakes of ,zion1 upon whom more especially devolve local presidency1 and the duty of preaching the gospel within the stakes of ,zion4 ,the presidency of the ,aaronic ,priesthood centers in the ,presiding ,bishopric of the church1 which presides over all traveling and local bishops4 ,the former are bishops appointed to preside over large districts of country and who travel from place to place therein1 setting in order the temporal affairs of the church2 the latter are bishops appointed to preside over regularly organized wards and whose jurisdiction is confined within such wards respectively4 ,to aid the bishops in the duties of their several bishoprics are the quorums of priests1 teachers and deacons ,the duty of the priests is to visit the homes of the ,saints1 to teach the people1 to expound the scriptures1 baptize believers and administer the sacrament4 ,forty-eight priests form a quorum of which the bishopric is the presidency4 ,the duty of teachers is to be the standing ministers in the respective wards where they reside1 to ferret out iniquity in the church1 and see that the members perform their duties4 ,twenty-four of them constitute a quorum1 which is presided over by a president and two counselors chosen from the members4 ,the duty of the deacons is to assist the teacher1 and they may also expound1 teach1 warn and invite all to come unto ,christ4 ,twelve of them form a quorum1 and from their number a president and two counselors are chosen to preside4 ,before proceeding to a description of the judiciary system of the church it may be well to briefly explain the territorial division of it4 ,a stake of ,zion is a division of the church territorially that embraces several villages or towns or ecclesiastical wards4 ,a stake is presided over by a presidency comprised of a president and two counselors1 all of whom must be high priests4 ,in each stake is a high council1 composed of twelve high priests4 ,the presidency of the stake is also president of the high council1 which constitutes the highest judicial tribunal in the stake4 ,the stakes are divided into ecclesiastical wards1 presided over by a bishopric1 assisted in its labors by the quorums of the lesser ,priesthood as already explained4 ,the judicial powers of the church are vested in the ordinary bishop's court1 the standing high councils of the stakes of ,zion1 temporary high councils of high priests abroad1 the ,traveling ,presiding high council1 which is also the quorum of ,twelve ,apostles1 and a special court consisting of the presiding bishop of the chuch and twelve high priests--of which more is to be said presently--and finally in the ,presidency of the church4 ,church discipline requires that in case of difficulty between members1 every effort shall be made by the parties aggrieved with each other to become reconciled4 ,failing in this they are required to call in others to bring about a reconciliation1 but if through that means a settlement of the case is impossible the matter goes to the bishop's court on the complaint of the party aggrieved1 and there the case is heard on testimony and a decision rendered4 ,the bishop's court is the first or lowest court of the church1 and the bishop is known as the common judge4 ,in the event of the parties or either of them being dissatisfied with the decision of the bishop1 an appeal lies to the high council of the stake1 where a re-hearing is given to the case4 ,the organization of the high council is worthy of consideration4 ,it is composed of twelve high priests1 presided over by the ,presidency of the ,stake4 #ab ,the high council cannot act unless seven of its members are present2 but seven have the power to call upon other high priests to act temporarily in the place of absent councilors4 ,whenever a high council is organized1 the twelve members draw lots for their places4 ,those who draw the even numbers--two1 four1 six1 eight1 ten1 twelve--are to stand in behalf of the accused2 those drawing the odd numbers in behalf of the accuser4 ,in every case the accused has a right to half the council1 to prevent injury or injustice4 ,the councilors who represent the accused and accuser respectively1 do not become partisans bent on winning their case irrespective of its righteousness or justice2 on the contrary every man is to speak according to equity and truth2 and aside from that is merely to see that each party to the issue involved has justice accorded him and that he be not subjected to insult or injury4 ,whenever the council convenes to act on any case1 the twelve councilors are to consider whether it is very difficult or not4 ,if it be not a difficult case1 then only two of the councilors1 one for the accused and accuser respectively1 are appointed to speak4 ,but if the case is accounted difficult1 then four are appointed to speak2 if still more difficult1 six2 but in no case are more than six to speak4 ,in all cases the accuser and accused are to have the privilege of speaking for themselves1 after the evidence is all in1 and the councilors appointed to speak have all spoken4 ,the evidence all in1 the speakers for the accused and the accuser having spoken1 as also the accused and the accuser1 the president gives a decision according to the understanding that he has of the case and calls upon the twelve councilors to sustain it by vote4 ,but should the councilors who have not spoken1 or any one of them1 discover an error in the decision of the president1 they have the right to manifest it and the case has a re-hearing4 ,if after a careful re-hearing1 additional light is thrown upon the case1 the decision is altered accordingly4 ,but if no additional light is given the first decision stands unaltered4 ,such are the general outlines of the organization of a high council and the manner of procedure before it4 ,there are three kinds of high councils in the church4 ,they are similar in organization1 and the manner of procedure is practically the same before them all2 but they differ in authority and jurisdiction4 ,i4 ,the ,traveling ,high ,council4 ,this council consists of the ,twelve ,apostles of ,jesus ,christ4 ,they are a traveling1 presiding high council2 and1 laboring under the direction of the ,first ,presidency of the ,church1 they have the right to build up the church and regulate all the affairs of the same in all the world4 ,whenever they sit as a high council1 there is no appeal from their decisions--that is1 they can only be called in question by the general authorities of the church in the event of transgression4 ,,ii4 ,the ,standing ,high ,councils at the ,stakes of ,zion4 ,the church is divided into branches or wards with appropriate officers2 and these branches1 wards1 and settlements of the ,saints are grouped into stakes of ,zion4 ,in each stake there is a standing high council1 limited in its jurisdiction to the affairs of that particular stake where it is located4 ,,iii4 ,temporary ,high ,councils4 ,the high priests abroad1 that is1 outside of the organized stakes of ,zion1 whenever the parties to a difficulty1 or either of them demand it1 and the high priests abroad deem the case of sufficient importance to justify such action1 are authorized to organize a temporary high council to try the case4 ,the council is to be organized after the pattern and proceed in the same manner as those at the stakes of ,zion4 ,if the decision of any high council--except that of the ,traveling1 ,presiding ,high ,council--is unsatisfactory1 an appeal lies to the ,first ,presidency1 who take such steps in the case as wisdom and the ,spirit of the ,lord indicate4 ,but whatever their decision is it is final4 ,the special court referred to a moment ago--consisting of the ,presiding ,bishop of the church and twelve high priests especially called for each occasion--,i must not neglect to mention1 for the reason that it exhibits the fact that no one in the church is so exalted but he is amenable to the laws and courts of the church1 as well as the humblest member4 ,this special court is called into existence for the purpose of trying the ,president of the ,high ,priesthood1 who is also the ,president of the church1 if he should be found in transgression4 ,it may investigate his conduct1 subject him to the most rigid examination1 and if the evidence showed him to be in transgression the court could condemn him and its action would be final1 from its decisions he would have no appeal4 #ac ,thus none1 not even the highest1 is beyond the operation of the laws and councils of the church4 ,however great and exalted any single officer of the church may be1 the church and its system of government is still greater and more exalted than he2 for though the ,president of the church is ,god's mouthpiece--,god's viceregent on earth--yet he may be tried and his conduct inquired into by this court to which ,i have called attention4 ,therefore if the time should ever come that the church should be so unfortunate as to be presided over by a man who transgressed the laws of ,god and became unrighteous 7and that such a thing could be1 and that the ,president of the church is not regarded as infallible is quite evident from the fact that provisions are made for his trial and condemnation72 a means of deposing him without destroying the church1 without revolution1 or even disorder1 is provided in the church system of government4 #ad ,of course the only punishment which is within the power of the church to inflict if the decisions of its councils or courts are not respected1 is to disfellowship or excommunicate such offenders4 ,in the former case the transgressor is merely suspended from the privileges of church communion2 this punishment may be inflicted by the bishop1 until satisfaction is made4 ,in the latter case--excommunication--the person absolutely loses his membership in the church1 together with all the priesthood he holds2 and if he ever regains a standing it must be by baptism and confirmation as at first4 ,to those who hold lightly their standing in the church1 suspension of fellowship1 or excommunication has no especial terror2 but to the man of faith1 whose full hopes of eternal life with all its advantages stand or fall with his standing in the church of ,christ1 no greater punishment can threaten him4 ,the punishment of excommunication is a serious one in the estimation of the faithful1 and since man in his imperfect state is influenced to righteousness by his fear of punishment1 as well as by his hope of reward1 the punishment of excommunication has a wholesome effect in preserving the discipline of the church4 ,such1 in brief1 is a description of the judiciary system of the church1 and also of the church itself4 ,and as one contemplates its completeness and its efficiency2 the arrangements made for carrying on the work of ,god within the organized stakes of ,zion and throughout the world--both at home and abroad--the wonder of it all grows upon him4 ,and furthermore1 a contemplation of the church judiciary system1 the elaborate and yet inexpensive #ae arrangements made for dealing out even-handed justice to all1 and making all1 even the highest1 amenable to its courts and its laws--gives intense meaning to the emphatic question of ,paul--,dare any of you having a matter against another1 go to law before the unjust and not before the saints8 and also bears strong testimony to the deep wisdom that created it--a wisdom greater than that possessed by a youth reared in the rural districts of the state of ,new ,york6 ,the formation of a free government on an extensive scale1 remarks ,lord ,beaconsfield1 while it is assuredly one of the most interesting problems of humanity1 is certainly the greatest achievement of human wit4 ,perhaps ,i should rather term it a superhuman achievement2 for it requires such refined prudence1 such comprehensive knowledge1 and such perspicacious sagacity1 united with such illimitable powers of combination1 that it is nearly in vain to hope for qualities so rare to be congregated in a solitary mind4 ,it is true that his lordship makes these remarks respecting a secular government1 but ,i see no reason why such reflections do not apply as well to an ecclesiastical government1 especially to that brought into existence by the life's labor of ,joseph ,smith2 for it is both free and founded on an extensive scale1 and presents all the difficulties that would be met in the creation of a secular government4 ,it still remains to describe the spirit of the church government4 ,as in the ,new ,testament we are able to trace the outlines of the church organization 7the lines in places are dim1 it is true1 and in some places we miss them altogether1 but however dim or broken we feel that they are nevertheless there71 which ,joseph ,smith gives in full1 every detail so complete2 so1 too1 in the teachings of ,jesus and some of the apostles1 as recorded in the ,new ,testament1 we may feel the true spirit of ,christ's church government4 ,no clearer manifestation of what that spirit is can be found than is brought out in the incident where the mother of ,zebedee's children brought her two sons to the ,master1 saying3 ,grant that these my two sons may sit1 the one on thy right hand1 and the other on thy left1 in thy kingdom4 ,to this ,jesus replied that it was not his prerogative to say who should sit on his right hand and who on his left1 but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my ,father4 ,the other apostles were indignant at this manifestation of ambition on the part of the sons of ,zebedee and their mother4 ,whereupon ,jesus called them unto him and said3 ,ye know that the princes of the ,gentiles exercise dominion over them1 and they that are great exercise authority upon them4 ,but it shall not be so among you3 but whosoever will be great among you1 let him be your minister2 and whosoever will be chief among you1 let him be your servant3 even as the ,son of ,man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many4 #af ,in line with this spirit ,peter1 about thirty years later1 said3 ,feed the flock of ,god which is among you1 taking the oversight thereof1 not by constraint1 but willingly2 not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind2 neither as being lords over ,god's heritage1 but being ensamples to the flock4 ,and when the chief shepherd shall appear1 ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away4 #ag ,any church government that shall be established in the earth must of necessity reflect this spirit1 or it will contradict the idea of its divine origin4 ,how well the spirit of government in the church founded by ,joseph ,smith meets this requirement will be seen in the remarks ,i am about to make4 ,first of all let me say that this church organization ,i have described1 while ordained of ,god1 cannot subsist without the consent of the people4 ,when the young prophet ,joseph contemplated the great work of organizing the church of ,christ1 he received a commandment from the ,lord to the effect that he must call his brethren together who had received the gospel1 and obtain their sanction to such a proceeding4 #ah ,accordingly at the time appointed1 ,april #fth1 #ahcj1 when these brethren assembled1 the question of organizing the church was submitted to them and they voted unanimously in favor of it4 ,by a unanimous vote they also sustained ,joseph ,smith as the first and ,oliver ,cowdery as the second ,elder in the church1 and they proceeded to ordain each other accordingly4 ,thus in the very inception of the organization of the church1 the ,lord taught his servant that the organization he was about to bring forth recognized the right of the people to a voice in its affairs4 ,the principle of common consent was to be a prominent factor in its government1 as well as the voice of ,god4 ,it is as true of ecclesiastical as it is of civil governments1 that they derive their just powers from the consent of the governed4 ,and hence it is a law of the church that no person is to be ordained to any office in this church1 where there is a regularly organized branch of the same1 without the vote of that church4 #ai ,and it is further provided that all things shall be done by common consent in the church1 by much prayer and faith4 #bj ,not only was the consent of the people recognized as an important factor in establishing the church government1 but it is also provided that it shall be often consulted by a frequent election of officers on the plan of popular acceptance4 ,twice annually at the general conferences of the church the general officers are presented to the people for acceptance4 ,four times a year at the quarterly conferences held in all the stakes of ,zion both the general and stake officers of the church are presented to the people for their vote of confidence and support4 ,once every year ward conferences are held where a similar vote is taken in support of both local and general officers of the ward4 ,this voting is not a formality4 ,there is virtue in it4 ,no man can hold a position in the church longer than he can command the support of the members thereof2 for when the people refuse to sustain a man by their votes1 no power in the church can force him upon the people against their will4 ,frequent elections are held to be the bulwarks of liberty in civil government2 ,i see no reason why they should not be equally so in ecclesiastical government2 and as in the one case they make the tyranny of secular rulers impossible1 so in the other they disarm priests of the power to lord it over ,god's heritage1 the church4 ,if the frequent election of a parliament in ,great ,britain1 and the frequent election of executive and legislative officers in the ,united ,states are held to be on the one hand a safeguard against the tyranny and injustice of those elected to manage the affairs of civil government for the people2 and on the other hand they are esteemed equally as a safeguard against revolution1 because full and frequent opportunity is afforded for correcting all abuses of power and effecting whatever reformation may be necessary in the laws--if1 ,i say1 these frequent elections in the government of the ,united ,states and ,great ,britain accomplish all this1 how much more carefully are the liberties of the people guarded2 how much more readily may a tendency to oppression be rebuked1 and reformation without disorder be accomplished by the still greater frequency of elections in the church8 ,especially since those elections are not only more frequent than in the states named1 but are also conducted without expense4 ,it is the law of the church that the decisions of the quorums of the priesthood are to be made in all righteousness1 in holiness1 and lowliness of heart1 meekness and long suffering1 and in faith1 and virtue1 and knowledge1 temperance1 patience1 godliness1 brotherly kindness and charity2 because the promise is if these things abound in them they shall not be unfruitful in the knowledge of the ,lord4 #ba ,there is nothing in this which justifies the exercise of arbitrary power or any improper authority over men4 ,in ,march1 #ahci1 while the prophet was imprisoned in ,liberty jail he wrote to the church for its instruction and comfort1 and in the course of his letter in speaking of the priesthood and the exercise of its powers he remarks3 ,there are many called but few are chosen4 ,and why are they not chosen8 ,because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world1 and aspire to the honors of men1 that they do not learn this one lesson--,that the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven1 and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness4 ,that they may be conferred upon us1 he continues1 it is true2 but when we undertake to cover our sins1 or to gratify our pride1 our vain ambition1 or to exercise control1 or dominion1 or compulsion1 upon the souls of the children of men1 in any degree of unrighteousness1 behold the heavens withdraw themselves2 the ,spirit of the ,lord is grieved2 and when it is withdrawn1 amen to the priesthood1 or the authority of that man4 ,behold1 ere he is aware1 he is left unto himself1 to kick against the pricks2 to persecute the saints1 and to fight against ,god4 ,we have learned by sad experience1 that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men1 as soon as they get a little authority1 as they suppose1 they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion4 ,hence many are called1 but few are chosen4 ,no power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood1 only by persuasion1 by long suffering1 by gentleness1 and meekness1 and by love unfeigned2 by kindness1 and pure knowledge1 which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy1 and without guile1 reproving betimes with sharpness1 when moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost1 and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved1 lest he esteem thee to be his enemy2 that he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the bands of death4 #bb ,as the letter from which the foregoing is quoted was inspired by the ,spirit of the ,lord1 and is published in the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 at least in part1 #bc the ideas set forth in relation to the spirit of church government by the priesthood1 stand as the word and law of ,god to the church4 ,how well this spirit of government corresponds to that reflected in the teachings of ,messiah and the first apostles already noticed1 the reader will easily perceive4 ,all ,i wish to do here is to observe that the instructions of the prophet upon this subject are not at all the teachings of a man ambitious of power and authority over his followers2 nor that of a man bent on establishing the unrighteous dominion of priestcraft4 ,knowledge1 persuasion1 patience1 meekness1 long suffering1 brotherly kindness1 love unfeigned1 are not the sources from whence those ambitious of place and power are content to draw their authority4 ,the effort to lord it over their fellows by direct exercise of authority which arises from the advantage of an exalted position or the possession of great vigor of mind1 firmness1 resolution1 daring1 activity or other transcendent abilities always characterize your imposter4 ,teaching correct principles1 and then allowing people to govern themselves is not at all the method of government adopted by self-appointed leaders or imposters4 ,they are ever impatient of restraints and always over-anxious to arrive at an exalted station4 ,hence it comes that the spirit of government which obtains in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ founded by ,joseph ,smith1 since it finds its sources of power and authority in the imparting of knowledge1 in persuasion1 and love unfeigned1 bears testimony not only that the prophet was not actuated by vulgar ambition1 but is also a strong testimony in favor of the divine origin of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 and of course a testimony also to the divine authority of him who was1 under ,god1 the founder of it4 ,next to the evidence of divine authority furnished by the spirit of church government is the manner in which that government was brought into existence4 ,governments1 remarks ,herbert ,spencer1 are not made1 they grow4 ,a remark which is as true of ecclesiastical as of civil government3 and although the growth of the church government founded by ,joseph ,smith was rapid1 it was1 nevertheless1 a growth1 a development2 it was not made4 ,what ,i mean is there was no plan more or less elaborate formed by the prophet1 a mental creation of officers with duties assigned1 powers defined and authority limited1 and then an organization effected in accordance with such a plan4 ,on the contrary the organization at the beginning was extremely simple4 ,before the church was organized both the ,melchisedek and ,aaronic ,priesthood had been conferred on ,joseph ,smith1 but the only officers known to the church at its organization1 ,april #fth1 #ahcj1 were elders1 priests1 teachers1 and deacons4 ,it was not until the #dth of ,february1 #ahca1 that a bishop was appointed1 and then of course by revelation4 ,then in ,november following it was made known that other bishops were to be appointed4 ,the first high council in the church was not organized until ,february #agth1 #ahcd4 ,the quorum of the ,twelve ,apostles and quorums of ,seventy were not organized until the winter of #ahce4 ,thus throughout1 an officer was appointed today and his duties defined2 another officer was appointed tomorrow or next year and an explanation given of his duties and perhaps a limit fixed to his authority4 ,thus line was given upon line1 precept upon precept2 the prophet and those co-operating with him being apparently unconscious that they were gradually developing a system of government1 each part of which was beautifully adjusted to every other part and to the whole4 ,this gives evidence that if there was no general plan for this organization in the mind of ,joseph ,smith1 there was a plan in the mind of ,god who through the instrumentality of this man was founding his church4 ,joseph ,smith1 under ,god's direction1 was building better than he knew4 ,he as well as others associated with him were called upon to lay the foundation of a great work--how great they knew not4 ,one may stand so close to a mountain that he perceives neither the vastness of the pile not the grandeur of its outlines4 ,not until one recedes from it some distance does the magnificence of its snow-capped peaks1 the solemnity of its rugged cliffs1 and deep ravines stir the sensibilities of the soul4 ,so with this work established through the labors of ,joseph ,smith and his associates4 ,they stood too close to it to comprehend its greatness2 too absorbed in its parts to contemplate much less fully understand the meaning and harmony of the whole4 ,it was not until the work was well advanced towards its completion1 and men had receded some distance from it in time that they began to be aware that out of the parts given to them at sundry times and under various circumstances there was gradually being developed so sublime a system of ecclesiastical government1 the like of which was not to be found in all the world4 ,and now let me say1 in concluding this chapter1 that if the lack of education and inexperience of ,joseph ,smith in relation to government and its administration be taken into account2 if the scant materials in the ,new ,testament for such a system of church government as the young prophet founded be considered2 if the wonderful organization itself1 so complete in its officers and institutions1 and yet so simple in its administration1 be examined with attention2 if the spirit which pervades this government1 and characterizes its administrations be not lost sight of2 if on the one hand its effectiveness shall be noticed and on the other the provisions made for the security of the liberties of the people2 if the manner in which it was brought into existence--piece by piece--be observed--if all this1 ,i say1 shall be considered without prejudice the reader cannot be far from the conclusion that the church itself bears indisputable testimony to the divinity of its own origin4 ,footnotes #a4 ,acts i3 #c4 #b4 ,acts xiv3 #bc2 ,acts xx3 #ag1 #bh4 #c4 ,phil i3 ,i2 ,titus i3 #e-g4 #d4 ,i ,cor4 xii3 #bh-cj4 #e4 ,eph4 iv3 #af4 #f4 ,i ,cor4 xii4 #g4 ,eph4 iv4 #h4 ,matt4 xviii4 #i4 ,i ,cor4 vi3 #a-g4 #aj4 ,this means the first quorum of seventy--comprised of seventy men--and the first seven presidents of the first quorum4 #aa4 ,the office of bishop of right belongs to the first born of the seed of ,aaron and properly descends from father to son of the chosen seed4 ,a bishop of this lineage can act without counselors--except in a case where a president of the ,high ,priesthood is tried2 in that event he must be assisted by twelve counselors of the ,high ,priesthood--but when no literal descendant of ,aaron can be found1 then a high priest is to be chosen for a bishop and two other high priests to act as counselors4 #ab4 ,in the absence of his counselors the president of the stake has power to preside over the council without an assistant2 and in case that he himself is absent1 his counselors have power to preside in his stead1 both or either of them4 ,in the absence of all the presidency then the senior member of the council may preside4 #ac4 ,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 cvii3 #gf1 #hb-hd4 #ad4 ,this special court was once organized2 before it ,sidney ,rigdon1 one of the ,presidency of the ,church1 was tried and condemned in #ahdd4 #ae4 ,bishops1 when acting as judges1 high councilors1 presidents and all witnesses before these church tribunals act without compensation1 hence these courts are without expense to the litigants4 #af4 ,matt4 xx3 #bj-bh4 #ag4 ,i ,peter v3 #b-e4 #ah4 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 xiv4 7,supplement71 pp4 #bj1 #bf4 #ai4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xx3 #fe4 #bj4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xxvi4 #ba4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cvii4 #bb4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cxxi4 #bc4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cxxi and cxxii4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,testimony ,,to ,,the ,,inspiration ,,and ,,divine ,,calling ,,of ,,joseph ,,smith ,,derived ,,from ,,the ,,comprehensiveness ,,of ,,the ,,work ,,he ,,introduced4 ,next to the evidence of divine inspiration to be seen in the organization of the church and the spirit of its government1 are those which may be seen in what ,i shall call the comprehensiveness of the great work founded by ,joseph ,smith4 ,i mean by this that the ,new ,dispensation contemplates the fulfillment of all things predicted by the prophets2 the gathering of ,israel1 the redemption of ,jerusalem1 the founding of a city called ,zion or ,new ,jerusalem1 the ushering in of a reign of peace and righteousness on earth1 with ,christ as king2 the completion of the work of ,god relative to the salvation of the human race and such a final redemption of the earth as shall convert it into a celestial sphere1 the happy abode of such of its inhabitants as have obeyed and are sanctified by celestial laws4 ,these items have already been alluded to in a former chapter2 #a but it is now my purpose to consider some of them more in detail1 and to that consideration this chapter and the one following are devoted4 ,that ,israel--by which ,i mean all the twelve tribes which sprang from the twelve sons of ,jacob1 together with their descendants scattered among all the nations of the ,gentiles--that ,israel will be gathered together and re-established upon the lands covenanted by the ,lord to their forefathers is abundantly evident from the prophecies of the scripture4 ,hear the word of the ,lord1 ,o1 ye nations1 exclaims ,jeremiah1 and declare it in the isles afar off1 and say1 ,he that scattered ,israel will gather him1 and keep him as a shepherd does his flock4 ,for the ,lord hath redeemed ,jacob1 and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he4 ,therefore they shall come and sing in the height of ,zion1 and shall flow together to the goodness of the ,lord1 for wheat and for wine1 and for oil1 and for the young of the flock and of the herd2 and their soul shall be as a watered garden1 and they shall not sorrow any more at all4 #b ,again the prophet says3 ,therefore1 behold the days come saith the ,lord1 that it shall no more be said1 the ,lord liveth that brought up the children of ,israel out of the land of ,egypt2 but the ,lord liveth that brought up the children of ,israel from the land of the north and from all lands whither he had driven them3 and ,i will bring them again into their land that ,i gave unto their fathers4 #c ,speaking of that day when the enmity of man and beast shall have departed2 when they shall not hurt nor destroy in all ,god's holy mountain2 when there shall be a reign of righteousness in which the poor and meek of the earth shall be accorded equity--,it shall come to pass in that day1 says the prophet ,isaiah1 that the ,lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people1 which shall be left from ,assyria1 and from ,egypt1 and from ,pathos and from ,cush1 and from ,elam and from ,shinar1 and from ,hamath1 and from the islands of the sea4 ,and he shall set up an ensign for the nations1 and shall assemble the outcasts of ,israel1 and gather together the dispersed of ,judah from the four corners of the earth4 ,the envy also of ,ephraim shall depart1 and the adversaries of ,judah shall be cut off4 ,ephraim shall not envy ,judah1 and ,judah shall not vex ,ephraim4 99 99 99 ,and there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people1 which shall be left from ,assyria2 like as it was to ,israel in the day that he came up out of the land of ,egypt4 #d ,this is one of the prophecies that the angel ,moroni repeated to ,joseph ,smith on the occasion of his first visit1 and assured him that it was about to be fulfilled4 #e ,again ,jeremiah3 ,turn1 ,o back-sliding children1 saith the ,lord2 for ,i am married unto you2 and ,i will take you one of a city1 and two of a family1 and ,i will bring you to ,zion3 and ,i will give you pastors according to my own heart1 and they shall feed you with knowledge and understanding4 ,and it shall come to pass when ye be multiplied and increased in the land in those days1 saith the ,lord1 they shall say no more the ark of the covenant of the ,lord3 neither shall it come to mind4 99 99 99 ,at that time they shall call ,jerusalem the throne of the ,lord2 and all the nations shall be gathered unto it1 to the name of the ,lord1 to ,jerusalem4 99 99 99 ,in those days the house of ,judah shall walk with the house of ,israel1 and they shall come together out of the land of the north1 to the land that ,i have given for an inheritance unto your fathers4 #f ,it is needless to multiply passages2 if any credit is to be ascribed to prophecy at all it is clear that ,israel1 the chosen people of ,god1 though now smitten and scattered1 are to be gathered together again and reestablished in the land given to their fathers4 ,the lost tribes are to be brought from the land of the north1 ,judah is to return to ,jerusalem1 and the envy of ,ephraim and ,judah is to depart1 and the mighty power of ,god which was manifested in the deliverance of ,israel from ,egyptian bondage is to be so far surpassed by a display of his power in the latter-day deliverance1 that the former shall not be called to mind4 ,not only are the tribes of ,israel to be re-assembled upon the lands of their inheritances1 but the descendants of the children of ,israel scattered through all the nations among which they have been sifted1 are also to be gathered4 ,the ,jews since the destruction of their city and nation by the ,romans have been scattered among all nations1 but they have succeeded in a remarkable manner in preserving their identity as a distinct people4 ,still it is not to be doubted that there are instances where ,jews have married and inter-married with the ,gentiles among whom they lived1 until they lost their identity1 and thus the blood of ,israel1 unrecognized1 is in the veins of many supposed to be ,gentiles4 ,the tribes of ,israel sent into ,babylon1 ,assyria and the surrounding countries at the fall of the kingdom of ,israel1 in the sixth century ,b4 ,c41 in like manner intermingled their blood with the people of those nations4 ,moreover there are good reasons to believe that in that exodus of the ten tribes from ,assyria to the north--7spoken of1 it is true1 only by the apocryphal writer ,esdras2 but as what he says agrees so well with the idea that ,israel is to return from the north1 according to the prophets1 ,i am inclined to accept it as true #g7--many became discouraged and stopped by the way4 ,others unable to prosecute the journey abandoned the expedition1 and those that halted1 uniting and intermarrying with the original inhabitants of the land1 doubtless constituted those prolific races that over-ran the western division of the ,roman empire4 ,in this manner the blood of ,israel has been sprinkled among all the nations of the earth1 until the word of the ,lord which says3 ,i will sift the house of ,israel among all nations1 #h has been literally fulfilled4 ,these scattered remnants1 ,i say1 are to be gathered1 hence the prophet ,jeremiah says1 ,i will take you one of a city and two of a family and bring you to ,zion2 #i and ,isaiah says1 ,it shall come to pass that in the last days1 that the mountain of the ,lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains1 99 99 99 and all nations shall flow unto it4 #aj ,john the ,apostle in those visions received on ,patmos foretells a time when a voice shall be heard speaking from heaven1 calling upon ,god's people to come out of ,babylon1 that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues2 for her sins have reached unto heaven and ,god hath remembered her iniquities4 #aa ,this not only predicts the gathering together of ,god's people1 but makes clear one of the reasons for which they are brought from among the nations4 ,it is that they may escape the judgments of ,god that have been decreed to fall upon the wicked4 ,the ,new ,dispensation introduced by ,joseph ,smith includes the fulfillment of these prophecies concerning the return of ,israel to their lands4 ,as already stated1 #ab ,moses1 the great prophet of ancient ,israel1 appeared in the ,kirtland ,temple and there committed to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery the keys of the gathering of ,israel from the four parts of the earth1 and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north4 ,indeed the revelations received by ,joseph ,smith are replete with references to this subject4 ,in one of considerable note occurs the following passage3 ,the ,lord1 even the ,savior1 shall stand in the midst of his people1 and shall reign over all flesh4 ,and they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the ,lord1 and their prophets shall hear his voice1 and shall no longer stay themselves1 and they shall smite the rocks1 and the ice shall flow down at their presence4 ,and an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep4 ,their enemies shall become a prey unto them1 and in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of living water2 and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land4 ,and they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of ,ephraim1 my servants4 ,and the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence4 ,and there they shall fall down and be crowned with glory1 even in ,zion1 by the hands of the servants of the ,lord1 even the children of ,ephraim2 and they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy4 ,behold1 this is the blessing of the everlasting ,god upon the tribes of ,israel1 and the richer blessing upon the head of ,ephraim and his fellows4 ,and they also of the tribes of ,judah1 after their pain1 shall be sanctified in holiness before the ,lord to dwell in his presence day and night1 for ever and for ever4 #ac ,since this matter of the gathering of ,israel and their restoration to the lands of their forefathers is so prominent a subject in the prophecies of ,jewish scriptures1 it would have proven fatal to all claims of a divine commission by ,joseph ,smith had he failed to have included this important item of prophecy among the things to be accomplished in the new dispensation4 ,and since to have missed it would have proven him an imposter1 the fact that it is incorporated as an important part of the great work of the last days1 is1 at least1 a presumptive evidence in favor of the genuineness of the prophet's claims4 ,it is all the stronger from the fact that this gathering of ,isarel and their restoration to their lands and the favor of ,god seems to have been lost sight of by the world4 ,the announcement of it partakes almost of the nature of a discovery in prophecy3 and it shows how universal is the sympathy of the ,new ,dispensation1 when it is seen that it carries to the smitten remnants of ,israel a message so burdened with hope4 ,it is also necessary to the completeness of the ,new ,dispensation that it shall include in its list of events the personal and glorious appearing of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the resurrection of the worthy saints and a reign of righteousness for a thousand years4 ,these matters are no less the subject of prophecy than the gathering of ,israel3 and to omit them from the ,new ,dispensation would be as fatal to ,joseph ,smith's claim of possessing divine authority as to omit the gathering of ,israel4 ,i propose to quote a few of the prophecies relating to the personal coming of ,messiah1 that the reader may be reminded how direct and emphatic they were4 ,in the first chapter of the acts of the ,apostles an account is given of the departure of ,jesus from his disciples into heaven4 ,and while they beheld he was taken up2 and a cloud received him out of their sight4 ,and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up1 behold1 two men stood by them in white apparel2 which also said1 ,ye men of ,galilee1 why stand ye gazing up into heaven8 ,this same ,jesus which is taken from you into heaven1 shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven4 #ad ,it is generally conceded that the two men in white apparel were angels of ,god4 ,this prophecy is also in strict harmony with what ,jesus himself said3 ,for the ,son of ,man shall come in the glory of his ,father1 with his angels2 and then he shall reward every man according to his works4 #ae ,paul is very explicit on the subject4 ,writing to the ,thessalonian ,saints1 he says3 ,i would not have you ignorant1 brethren1 concerning them which are asleep 7the dead71 that ye sorrow not1 even as others which have no hope4 ,for if we believe that ,jesus died1 and rose again1 even so them also which sleep in ,jesus will ,god bring with him4 ,for this we say unto you by the word of the ,lord1 that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the ,lord1 shall not prevent them which are asleep4 ,for the ,lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout1 with the voice of the archangel1 and with the trump of ,god3 and the dead in ,christ shall rise first3 then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds1 to meet the ,lord in the air3 and so shall we ever be with the ,lord4 #af ,writing a second time to the same people1 evidently to encourage them in the midst of their tribulation1 he said3 ,and to you who are troubled rest with us when the ,lord ,jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels1 in flaming fire1 taking vengeance on them that know not ,god1 and that obey not the gospel of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the ,lord1 and from the glory of his power2 when he shall come to be glorified1 in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe 7because our testimony among you was not believed7 in that day4 #ag ,closely allied with these prophecies is the prediction of the writer of the ,apocalypse which tells of the binding of ,satan for a thousand years and the resurrection of the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of ,jesus and for the word of ,god 99 99 99 ,and they lived and reigned with ,christ a thousand years 99 99 99 ,this is the first resurrection4 ,blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection3 on such the second death hath no power1 but they shall be priests of ,god and of ,christ1 and shall reign with him a thousand years4 #ah ,the orthodox sects of ,christendom have either so spiritualized these prophecies as to explain away their plain meaning1 or have put off to so distant a day the ,lord's glorious coming that real and active faith in that great event can scarcely be said to exist4 ,there is another matter connected with the second appearing of ,jesus ,christ that should be considered4 ,it will be observed that his coming is attended with judgment upon the ungodly and rewards for the righteous4 ,it would accord with our conceptions of justice1 necessarily imperfect as they may be1 and certainly it would accord with our ideas of the mercy of ,god1 if mankind were warned by special messengers of these threatened judgments4 ,such a proceeding would be in harmony not only with our conceptions of justice but also with the course the ,lord has pursued in former ages4 ,for example1 when ,god decreed that he would destroy the ,antediluvians by a flood1 he first sent ,noah1 a preacher of righteousness1 among them to warn them of the approaching calamity4 ,when destruction was hanging over the cities of the plain--,sodom and ,gomorrah--the ,lord sent his angels to first gather out righteous ,lot and his family4 ,when destruction was decreed against ,nineveh1 the prophet ,jonah was sent to cry repentance to the people1 and in this instance the warning was heeded and the calamity was turned aside4 ,whenever bondage1 famine1 disease or judgment of any character1 was about to overtake ancient ,isarel for their wickedness1 prophets were sent to warn them1 that they might repent and escape the sore affliction2 and now that mighty judgments are pronounced against the ungodly at the coming of the ,son of ,god1 we may reasonably expect that ,god will be true to his custom in the past1 and send messengers to warn the nations of the near approach of those calamities4 ,indeed the ,scriptures plainly say as much4 ,jesus replying to the question1 ,what shall be the sign of thy coming among other things said3 ,this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness and then shall the end come4 #ai ,i have already discussed at length the declaration of ,john that an angel would be sent in the hour of ,god's judgment with the everlasting gospel to be preached to all nations4 ,behold ,i will send my messenger1 says the ,lord through ,malachi1 and he shall prepare the way before me3 and the ,lord1 whom ye seek1 shall suddenly come to his temple1 even the messenger of the covenant1 whom ye delight in3 behold1 he shall come1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 ,but who may abide the day of his coming8 ,and who shall stand when he appeareth8 ,for he is like a refiner's fire and as fuller's soap3 and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver3 and he shall purify the sons of ,levi1 and purge them as gold and silver1 that they may offer unto the ,lord an offering in righteousness4 ,then shall the offering of ,judah and ,jerusalem be pleasant unto the ,lord1 as in the days of old1 and as in former years4 #bj ,i have quoted this last passage at length for the reason that those who advocate that no more revelation is to be given1 and that class1 as we have seen1 includes all ,christendom1 represent that the messenger here referred to is no other than ,john the ,baptist1 and that this prophecy was fulfilled when that personage went throughout ,judea crying repentance1 proclaiming the coming of the ,messiah1 and the near approach of the kingdom of heaven4 ,it is with no desire to lessen the importance of ,john's mission on that occasion that ,i respectfully dissent from the conclusions of the learned ,christian scholars on that subject4 ,and by way of justification for that dissent ,i submit the following reflections4 ,i4 ,following the work of this messenger of which the prophet ,malachi speaks1 the ,lord is to come suddenly to his temple4 ,did that come to pass when ,john the ,baptist some nineteen centuries ago prepared the way for the coming of the ,son of ,god1 by crying repentance8 ,i think it questionable if the ,lord so much as recognized the temple at ,jerusalem in those days1 corrupted as it was by a fallen priesthood1 as his house4 ,when connected with the reflections to follow1 ,i am sure the reader will conclude that this prophecy must relate to some other temple than that old and corrupted one at ,jerusalem1 and to some other appearing than any which occurred at that temple during the former career of ,jesus on earth4 ,,ii4 ,but who may abide the day of his coming8 ,and who shall stand when he appeareth8 ,from this it seems that it will be difficult to abide the day of his coming1 and to stand when he appeareth in fulfillment of this prophecy of ,malachi's4 ,was it so when ,jesus came in the meridian of time to make his great atonement for man8 ,let the life of ,jesus answer4 ,passing by the days of his childhood and youth1 we may see him emerge from the obscurity of his uneventful life at ,nazareth in the full bloom of perfected manhood4 ,he applies to ,john for baptism1 that he might fulfill all righteousness2 and as from the watery grave he is brought forth1 lo6 a voice from heaven proclaims him the ,son of ,god4 ,from that time he becomes a teacher of men4 ,on the peaceful hills1 and in the quiet hamlets of ,galilee1 or along the pleasant shores of the lake of that name1 men heard his gracious words1 and admired while they marveled at the wisdom of one untaught in schools and unlearned in man's petty wisdom4 ,the synagogues of the ,jews also resounded with his doctrines1 and the tones of his voice so mild among the pastoral people of ,galilee1 swelled into mighty notes of denunciation1 when he approached the centers of population where wickedness more abounded4 ,his arraignment of the priests1 his denunciation of the national hypocrisy1 his condemnation of the false traditions which were making of no effect the law of ,god--all this delivered in the tone of undoubted authority1 brought upon him the wrath of a corrupt priesthood1 which conspired to kill him4 ,the priests were successful4 ,they were careful to arouse the people against him2 and often the ,son of ,god sought safety from their violence by flight4 ,at the last he was betrayed into their hands2 dragged unceremoniously before the high priest at midnight2 thence to the ,sanhedrim1 where he was tried and condemned1 and afterwards mocked1 beaten and spit upon2 next morning he is brought before ,pilate for the confirmation of the sentence of death2 and though the ,roman judge could see nothing in his conduct which would warrant the sentence1 the cries of the rabble prevailed over his better judgment1 and ,jesus was condemned to crucifixion4 ,through the streets of ,jerusalem bending beneath the weight of his own cross1 and scourged with cords by the soldiery1 to the infinite delight of the rabble which shouted at his heels1 ,jesus moved towards the place of his execution4 ,arriving there he is stripped of his clothing1 his limbs are stretched to the cross1 and through the quivering flesh the nails are driven4 ,the cross is erected1 and on either side1 is placed a criminal condemned to execution4 ,before him now pass the mocking rabble with which the chief priests mingle4 ,tauntingly they pass by and do him mock reverence1 saying1 ,hail ,king of the ,jews--hail6 ,he saved others1 they shout1 let him save himself4 ,let him come down from the cross and we will believe on him4 ,he trusted in ,god--let him deliver him now1 if he will have him-- and amid such taunts as these the ,son of ,god expired4 ,tell me1 was it difficult to abide that day of his coming8 ,or difficult to stand in that day of his appearing8 ,clearly it was not4 ,but when the ,son of ,god shall come in the glory of his ,father1 to reward every man according to his works2 when he shall come with ten thousands of his saints1 to execute judgment upon all1 and to convince all that are ungodly among them1 of all their ungodly deeds1 which they have ungodly committed1 and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him2 #ba when he shall descend from heaven with a shout1 with the voice of the archangel1 then there will be pertinence in the questions1 ,who may abide the day of his coming8 ,who shall stand when he appeareth8 ,,iii4 ,the argument may be pushed further still4 ,when the ,lord comes suddenly to his temple1 in fulfillment of ,malachi's prophecy1 he is to sit as a refiner and purifier of silver3 and he shall purify the sons of ,levi1 and purge them as gold and silver1 that they may offer unto the ,lord an offering in righteousness4 ,did ,jesus do so when he was on earth nineteen centuries ago8 ,no2 the sons of ,levi were not purified1 neither then nor at any time since have they offered an acceptable offering unto the ,lord4 ,,iv4 ,then shall the offering of ,judah and ,jerusalem be pleasant unto the ,lord1 as in the days of old1 and as in former years4 ,did such a result as this follow the appearance and mission of ,jesus in ,palestine1 when he came to be offered as a sacrifice for sinful man8 ,on the contrary1 ,judah was rejected2 his temple was destroyed1 so that not one stone was left upon another that was not cast down2 ,jerusalem was made desolate1 and for many centuries has been trodden under foot of the ,gentiles1 while her children1 as outcasts1 have wandered among the nations1 a hiss1 a byword2 and a reproach4 ,in the light of all these circumstances1 it is perfectly clear 7#a7 that the terms of ,malachi's prophecy concerning the ,lord coming suddenly to his temple1 were not fulfilled in his first appearing1 and hence the prophecy must refer to some subsequent appearing1 which is to be followed with a blessing upon the house of ,israel1 the purifying of the sons of ,levi1 and the re-establishment of ,jerusalem2 7#b7 that preceding that glorious coming a messenger will be sent to prepare the way4 ,the prophecy of ,malachi1 without doubt1 refers to some glorious appearing of the ,lord ,jesus1 such as that prophesied by the ,new ,testament writers1 when they predict that he shall come in the glory of his ,father to judgment1 before which event1 however1 a great preparatory work is to be performed3 the gospel restored to earth and preached to all nations as a witness1 ,israel gathered1 the ,jews restored to ,palestine1 a temple builded to which the ,lord may come1 and a people prepared to receive him4 ,this preparatory work the reader will recognize in the work founded by ,joseph ,smith4 ,and if ,john the ,baptist was a special messenger to prepare the way for the coming of ,christ1 and he is to prepare the way for his second coming as well as for his first1 the reader will remember that it was this personage who appeared to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 and conferred upon them the ,aaronic ,priesthood4 ,that ,priesthood1 according to the teachings of ,joseph ,smith1 holds the keys of the ministering of angels1 and the preparatory gospel4 ,moreover1 when ,john the ,baptist conferred that ,priesthood upon the two men named1 he told them that it would never be taken again from the earth1 until the sons of ,levi do offer again an offering unto the ,lord in righteousness1 #bb a promise so similar to that made in the prophecy of ,malachi that it surely argues some connection between this angel's message and the fulfillment of that prediction4 ,in further evidence that the work founded by ,joseph ,smith1 is one to prepare the way for the glorious appearing of ,messiah let the following instructions and admonitions given early in the history of the ,church of ,christ in this dispensation to the elders of the church be considered3 ,behold1 ,i sent you out to testify and warn the people1 and it becometh every man who hath been warned1 to warn his neighbor4 ,therefore1 they are left without excuse1 and their sins are upon their own heads4 99 99 99 ,therefore1 tarry ye1 and labor diligently1 that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the ,gentiles for the last time1 as many as the mouth of the ,lord shall name1 to bind up the law and seal up the testimony and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come2 that their souls may escape the wrath of ,god1 the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked1 both in this world and in the world to come4 99 99 99 ,abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free2 entangle not yourselves in sin1 but let your hands be clean1 until the ,lord come2 for not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man1 and the sun shall hide his face1 and shall refuse to give light1 and the moon shall be bathed in blood1 and the stars shall become exceeding angry1 and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree4 ,and after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people2 for after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes1 that shall cause groanings in the midst of her1 and men shall fall upon the ground1 and shall not be able to stand4 ,and also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings1 and the voice of lightnings1 and the voice of tempests1 and the voice of the waves of the sea1 heaving themselves beyond their bounds4 ,and all things shall be in commotion2 and surely1 men's hearts shall fail them2 for fear shall come upon all people2 and angels shall fly through the midst of heaven1 crying with a loud voice1 sounding the trump of ,god1 saying1 ,prepare ye1 prepare ye1 ,o inhabitants of the earth2 for the judgment of our ,god is come3 behold1 and lo6 the bridegroom cometh1 go ye out to meet him4 #bc ,hearken1 and lo1 a voice as of one from on high1 99 99 99 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord1 make his paths straight4 ,the keys of the kingdom of ,god are committed unto man on the earth1 and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth1 as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth1 until it has filled the whole earth2 yea1 a voice crying--,prepare ye the way of the ,lord1 prepare ye the supper of the ,lamb1 make ready for the ,bridegroom2 pray unto the ,lord1 call upon his holy name1 make known his wonderful works among the people2 call upon the ,lord1 that his kingdom may go forth upon the earth1 that the inhabitants thereof may receive it1 and be prepared for the days to come1 in the which the ,son of ,man shall come down in heaven1 clothed in the brightness of his glory1 to meet the kingdom of ,god which is set up on the earth4 #bd ,footnotes #a4 ,see chapter xvii4 #b4 ,jeremiah xxxi3 #aj-ab4 ,see also verses #g1 #h1 #i4 #c4 ,jeremiah xvi3 #ad1 #ae4 #d4 ,isaiah xi1 #e4 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #ej4 #f4 ,jeremiah iii3 #ae-ai4 #g4 ,,ii ,esdras xiii4 #h4 ,amos ix3 #h1 #i4 #i4 ,jeremiah iii3 #ad1 #ae4 #aj4 ,isaiah ii4 #aa4 ,rev4 xvii3 #d1 #e4 #ab4 ,chapter xii4 #ac4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 cxxxiii4 #ad4 ,acts i3 #i-aa4 #ae4 ,matt4 xvi3 #bg4 #af4 ,i ,thess4 iv3 #ac-ag4 #ag4 ,,ii ,thess4 #a3 #g-aj4 #ah4 ,rev4 xx3 #a-g4 #ai4 ,matt4 xxiv3 #ad4 #bj4 ,mal4 iii3 #a-d4 #ba4 ,jude #ad-ae4 #bb4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xiii4 #bc4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 lxxxviii3 #gh1 #ib4 #bd4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 lxv4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,testimony ,,to ,,the ,,inspiration ,,and ,,divine ,,calling ,,of ,,joseph ,,smith ,,derived ,,from ,,the ,,comprehensiveness ,,of ,,the ,,work ,,he ,,introduced--,,continued4 ,at once intimately connected with the coming of the ,lord ,jesus1 and fatal to all claims of a divine commission on the part of ,joseph ,smith had he omitted it from the ,new ,dispensation1 is the mission of ,elijah4 ,this1 too1 is the subject of one of ,malachi's prophecies4 ,behold1 that prophet represents the ,lord as saying1 ,i will send you ,elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord3 and he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children1 and the heart of the children to their fathers1 lest ,i come and smite the earth with a curse4 #a ,according to the testimony of ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 on the #crd of ,april1 #ahcf1 ,elijah appeared to them in the ,kirtland ,temple and fulfilled this prophecy4 ,therefore1 said he1 on that occasion1 the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands1 and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the ,lord is near1 even at the doors4 #b ,the nature of ,elijah's mission1 the manner in which the hearts of the fathers would be turned to the children1 and the hearts of the children to the fathers1 has been and is a mystery to ,christendom2 and only by a revelation from ,god could it be made plain4 ,the mission of ,elijah related to the salvation of the dead2 and the introduction of that doctrine was the beginning of a revolution in the theology of ,christendom4 ,up to that time--#ahcf--;,i may say it was universally believed by ,christians that the souls of men who died without conversion to the ,christian religion were everlastingly lost4 ,as ,i have said elsewhere1 #c it was believed that the application of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ was limited to this life2 and those who failed1 through whatever cause1 to obtain the benefits of the means of salvation it affords1 are forever barred from such benefits4 ,if the tree fall toward the south1 or toward the north1 in the place where the tree falleth1 there it shall be2 #d and they argued from this that in whatever state a man died so he remained4 ,if he died in a state of justification his salvation was assured2 but if not1 then justification1 and consequently salvation1 were forever beyond his hope4 ,this sectarian doctrine which does so much violence to the justice of ,god--since it closes the door of salvation against so many millions of ,god's children through no other circumstance than that they never so much as heard of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 and therefore could not either believe or obey it--arose1 first1 through a misconception of the doctrine of eternal punishment with which the wicked are threatened in the scriptures2 and1 second1 through a very narrow conception of the sure mercies of ,god4 ,christians believed that to receive eternal punishment was to be punished eternally4 ,this popular error was corrected in a revelation to ,martin ,harris through ,joseph ,smith1 even before the church was organized4 #e ,in that revelation it is explained that ,god is ,endless1 that is one of his names2 as also is ,eternal1 one of his names4 ,wherefore eternal punishment is ,god's punishment4 ,in other words the punishment that will overtake the wicked is ,eternal's punishment2 ,endless' punishment4 ,but ,christians mistaking the name of the punishment for the sign of its duration1 taught that men were punished eternally for the sins committed in this life4 ,god's punishment is eternal2 that is1 it always exists2 it is eternal as ,god is1 but the transgressor receives only so much of it1 endures it only so long as may be necessary to satisfy the reasonable claims of justice1 tempered with mercy4 ,then1 when the insulted law is vindicated1 the offender is released from the punishment4 ,but as the bars survive the captive they enthrall1 as the prison remains after the transgressor has served his time in it2 so in ,god's government1 the punishment eternally remains after transgressors have satisfied the claims of justice1 and are relieved from its pains and penalties4 ,it remains to vindicate the law of ,god whenever it shall be broken4 ,but men read1 ,he that believeth not 7the gospel7 shall be damned1 #f and they have been taught to believe that they are damned to all eternity--that they are consigned forever to the flames of hell4 ,the so-called early fathers of the church1 ,justin ,martyr1 ,clement of ,alexandria1 ,tertullian and ,cyprian1 all taught that the fire of hell is a real1 material flame2 and that the wicked were punished in it eternally4 ,augustine in the fifth century stated the same doctrine with great emphasis and argued against those who sought to modify it4 #g ,thomas ,aquinas of the mediaeval school of theologians1 rising head and shoulders above divines of his day1 teaches in his ,summa ,theologia1 that the fire of hell is of the same nature as ordinary fire1 though with different properties2 that the place of punishment though not definitely known is probably under the earth4 ,he also taught that there was no redemption for those once damned1 their punishment is to be eternal4 ,coming to more modern times1 we read in the ,westminster ,confession of ,faith--adopted in the seventeenth century by the ,puritan party in ,england--the following on the subject3 ,the wicked who know not ,god1 and obey not the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 shall be cast into eternal torment and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the ,lord and the glory of his power4 #h ,question twenty-nine of the larger catechism and the answer to it are as follows3 ,what are the punishments of sin in the world to come8 ,ans4 ,the punishments of sin in the world to come are everlasting separation from the comfortable presence of ,god1 and most grievous torment in soul and body1 without intermission1 in hell fire forever4 ,the ,westminster confession and the larger catechism are still the standards of the ,presbyterian churches4 ,indeed the above expresses the orthodox ,christian faith1 from the second and third centuries until the present time4 ,one would think that right conceptions of the attributes of justice and mercy as they exist in ,god's character would lead men to the rejection of the horrible dogma of eternal punishment as taught by orthodox ,christianity4 ,but if that be not sufficient then the scriptures themselves refute it1 as will appear in the following paragraphs3 ,from a remark made in the writings of the ,apostle ,peter1 #i we learn that after ,messiah was put to death in the flesh ,he went and preached to the spirits in prison1 which sometime aforetime were disobedient1 when once the long suffering of ,god waited in the days of ,noah4 ,during the three days1 then1 that ,messiah's body lay in the tomb at ,jerusalem1 his spirit was in the world of spirits preaching to those who had rejected the testimony of righteous ,noah4 ,the ,christian traditions no less than the scriptures teach that ,jesus went down into hell and preached to those there held in ward4 ,in the second and third centuries1 every branch and division of ,christians1 so far as their records enable us to judge1 believed that ,christ preached to the departed2 and this belief dates back to our earliest reliable sources of information in the former of these two centuries4 #aj ,as ,christ died for us1 and was buried1 so also is it to be believed that he went down into hell4 #aa ,a writer in ,kitto's ,cyclopaedia of ,biblical ,literature referring to the passage in ,peter on preaching to the spirits in prison1 says3 ,these 'spirits in prison' are supposed to be the holy dead4 99 99 99 ,the most intelligent meaning suggested by the context is1 however1 that ,christ by his spirit preached to those who in the time of ,noah1 while the ark was a preparing1 were disobedient1 and whose spirits are now in prison1 abiding the general judgment4 ,the prison is doubtless hades1 but what hades is must be determined by other passages of scripture2 and whether it is the grave or hell1 it is still a prison for those who await the judgment day4 ,not only is the mere fact of ,messiah's going to prison stated in the scripture1 but the purpose of his going there is learned from the same source4 ,for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead1 that they might be judged according to men in the flesh1 but live according to ,god in the spirit4 #ab ,this manifestly means that these spirits who had once rejected the counsels of ,god against themselves1 had the gospel again preached to them and had the privilege of living according to its precepts in the spirit life1 and of being judged according to men in the flesh1 or as men in the flesh are judged2 that is1 according to the degree of their faithfulness to the precepts of the gospel4 ,naturally the question arises why was the gospel preached to the spirits in prison who had once been disobedient if there were no means by which it could be applied to them for their salvation4 ,we can scarcely suppose that ,messiah would preach the gospel to them if it could do them no good4 ,he did not go there to mock their sufferings or to add something to the torture of their damnation by explaining the beauties of that salvation now forever beyond their reach4 ,such a supposition would at once be revolting to reason1 insulting to the justice of ,god1 and utterly repugnant to the dictates of mercy4 ,the very fact1 therefore1 that the gospel was preached to the departed is sufficient to assure us of the existence of some method by which its powers of salvation may be applied to all unto whom it is preached1 including those who are dead4 ,following that question comes another3 ,if the gospel is preached again to those who have once rejected it1 how much sooner will it be presented to those who have never heard it1 who have lived in those generations when the gospel and the authority to administer its ordinances were not in the earth8 ,seeing that those who once rejected the offer of salvation had it presented to them again--after paying the penalty of their first disobedience--it would seem that those who lived when it was not upon the earth1 or who when it was upon the earth perished in ignorance of it1 will much sooner come to salvation4 ,of the things we have written1 this is the sum3 7#a7 ,the gospel was preached by ,messiah to the spirits in prison who had rejected the teachings of ,noah2 therefore there must be some means through which its precepts and ordinances may be applied to them4 7#b7 ,if the gospel can be made available to those who once rejected the proffered mercies of ,god1 its privileges will much sooner and doubtless more abundantly be granted to those who died in ignorance of it4 ,let us next consider how the ordinances of the gospel wherein the power of godliness is made manifest1 and without which it is not made manifest1 may be applied to the dead4 ,the manner in which the ordinances of the gospel may be administered to those who have died without receiving them is hinted at by ,paul4 ,writing to the ,corinthians on the subject of the resurrection--correcting those who said there was no resurrection--he asks3 ,what shall they do which are baptized for the dead1 if the dead rise not at all8 ,why are they then baptized for the dead8 #ac ,in this the apostle manifestly referred to a practice which existed among the ,christian saints of the living being baptized or the dead1 and argues from the existence of that practice that the dead must rise1 or why the necessity of being baptized for the dead8 ,though this is the only passage in the ,new ,testament1 or in the whole ,bible that refers to the subject1 yet of itself it is sufficient to establish the fact that such a principle was known among the ancient saints4 ,while not maintaining the view that there is such a thing as a living man being baptized for one who is dead1 a writer in ,biblical ,literature 7,kitto's71 expresses these views3 ,from the wording of the sentence 7why are they then baptized for the dead87 the most simple impression certainly is1 that ,paul speaks of a baptism which a living man receives in the place of a dead one4 ,this interpretation is particularly adopted by those expounders with whom grammatical construction is of paramount importance and the first thing to be considered4 ,this view is also upheld by ,ambrose among the early ,christian writers2 and by ,erasmus1 ,scaliger1 ,grotius1 ,calistus among the moderns2 and still more recently by ,agusti ,meyer1 ,billroth and ,ruckert4 ,de ,wette considers this the only possible meaning of the words4 ,epiphanius1 a writer of the fourth century1 in speaking of the ,marcionites1 a sect of ,christians to whom he was opposed1 says3 ,in this country--,i mean ,asia--and even ,galatia1 their school flourished eminently2 and a traditional fact concerning them has reached us1 that when any of them had died without baptism1 they used to baptize others in their name1 lest in the resurrection they should suffer punishment as unbaptized4 #ad ,this proves beyond controversy the fact that vicarious baptism for the dead was practiced among some of the sects of the early ,christians4 ,another fact proves it still more emphatically than this statement by ,epiphanius4 ,the ,council of ,carthage1 held ,a4 ,d41 #cig1 in its sixth canon1 forbids the administration of baptism and holy communion for the dead2 why should this canon be formed against these practices if they had no existence among the ,christians of those days8 ,from the revelations of ,god to the church in this dispensation1 the following may be learned3 ,elijah in fulfillment of ancient prophecy1 appeared to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 and delivered to them those keys or powers of the ,priesthood which give to the living the right to do a work for the salvation of the dead4 ,as a consequence1 the hearts of the children are turned to the fathers2 and of course1 since the fathers in the spirit world through the preaching of the gospel learn that it is within the power of their children to do a work for them1 their hearts are turned to the children1 and thus the result to follow ,elijah's predicted mission is fulfilled4 ,the work that the living may do for the dead is attending to outward ordinances--baptisms1 confirmations1 ordinations1 washings1 anointings and sealings--all being appointed by revelation from the ,lord1 and all sealed and ratified by the power of the ,priesthood of ,god1 which binds on earth and in heaven4 ,it is required that all baptisms and other ordinances of the gospel performed for the dead1 be attended to in temples dedicated for such holy purposes4 ,these ordinances performed on earth by the living1 and accepted in the spirit world by those for whom they are administered1 will make them a potent means of salvation to the dead1 and of exaltation to the living1 since they become in very deed saviors upon ,mount ,zion4 ,this work that can be done for the dead enlarges one's views of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,one begins to see indeed that it is the everlasting gospel2 for it runs parallel with man's existence both in this life and in that which is to come4 ,it vindicates the character of ,god1 for by it we may see that justice and judgment1 truth and mercy are in all his ways4 ,the servants of ,god and the saints generally have been earnest in seeking to erect temples in which to attend to these ordinances of the gospel for the dead4 #ae ,at first thought ,i was tempted to say that this work for the dead was by far the greatest part of the work contemplated in the ,new ,dispensation2 for as the leaves upon the trees in a single summer are insignificant in comparison to the leaves that have flourished upon the trees in all the summers since creation's dawn1 so the number of men now living is insignificant in comparison to the unnumbered millions that have passed away2 but ,i chanced to remember that this work extends to the future as well as to the past2 that it will effect the generations to come1 as well as those that have gone1 and so ,i checked the thought that the work in relation to past generations was greatest4 ,it is enough to say for this phase of the work that relates to salvation for the dead1 that it recognizes the great truth1 which ,paul also teaches1 in part1 that the fathers who have died without us cannot be made perfect2 #af nor can we without them be made perfect4 ,hence in the great dispensation of the fullness of times those principles are made active1 and those sentiments excited which shall turn the hearts of the present generation backward to the fathers1 and turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 a circumstance that shall eventuate in the complete salvation and linking together not only of all the generations of men1 but also all the families and kindred of the earth4 ,closely associated with the matter treated in the foregoing paragraphs1 is the subject of the different degrees of glory4 ,nothing is more clearly stated in holy writ than that men will be judged and rewarded according to their works4 #ag ,and as their works vary in degree of righteousness1 so will their rewards vary1 and so will they have bestowed upon them different degrees of glory according as their works shall merit1 and their intelligence be capable of receiving and enjoying4 ,messiah said to his disciples3 ,in my ,father's house are many mansions3 if it were not so ,i would have told you4 ,i go to prepare a place for you2 99 99 99 that where ,i am there ye may be also4 #ah ,still it is commonly held among ,christian sects1 that he who attains heaven partakes immediately of the highest glories2 while he who misses heaven goes direct to hell and partakes of all its miseries forever4 ,yet nothing is clearer than the fact that there are different heavens spoken of in scripture and different degrees of glory4 ,when ,solomon dedicated the temple he had builded1 he exclaimed in his prayer3 ,behold the heaven and heaven of heavens1 cannot contain thee2 how much less this house which ,i have builded6 #ai ,paul in writing to the ,corinthians says3 ,i knew a man in ,christ above fourteen years ago1 99 99 99 such an one caught up to the third heaven2 and ,i knew such a man1 99 99 99 how that he was caught up into ,paradise1 and heard unspeakable words1 which it is not lawful for a man to utter4 #bj ,reasoning on the resurrection1 the last writer quoted says3 ,there are also celestial bodies and bodies terrestrial1 but the glory of the celestial is one1 and the glory of the terrestrial is another4 ,there is one glory of the sun1 and another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars3 for as one star differeth from another star in glory1 so also is the resurrection of the dead4 ,in all this1 however1 the great subject is but vaguely hinted at1 for a full understanding of it we are indebted to a revelation given to ,joseph ,smith1 ,february #afth1 #ahcb4 ,from that revelation we summarize the following3 #ba ,they who receive the testimony of ,jesus1 who believe on his name1 and are baptized after the manner of his burial2 who keep the commandments of ,god and are washed and cleansed from all sin2 who receive the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands2 who overcame by faith1 and are sealed by the ,holy ,spirit of ,promise--these become the church of the ,first ,born4 ,they are they into whose hands the ,father hath given all things--they are priests and kings1 who have received of ,god's fullness1 and of his glory2 they are priests of the ,most ,high1 after the order of ,melchisedek1 which is after the order of the ,son of ,god--therefore they are ,gods1 even ,sons of ,god4 ,all things are theirs4 ,whether life or death1 or things present1 or things to come1 all are theirs1 and they are ,christ's1 and ,christ is ,god's4 ,they shall overcome all things2 they shall dwell in the presence of ,god and ,christ forever and forever2 they are they whom ,christ will bring with him when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people2 they have part in the resurrection of the just2 their names are written in heaven1 where ,god and ,christ dwell2 they are just men made perfect through ,jesus the ,mediator of the new covenant2 these are they whose bodies are celestial1 whose glory the sun in heaven is spoken of as typical--they inherit the celestial glory1 they see as they are seen and know as they are known4 ,the terrestrial glory differs from the celestial glory as the light of the moon differs from the light of the sun4 ,these are they who died without law1 and also they who are the spirits of men in prison1 whom the ,son visited and preached the gospel unto1 that they might be judged according to men in the flesh2 who received not the testimony of ,jesus in the flesh1 but afterwards received it4 ,these are they who are honorable men of the earth1 who were blinded by the craftiness of men4 ,these are they who receive of ,god's glory but not of his fullness4 ,they will enjoy the presence of the ,son1 but not the presence of the ,father2 these are they who are not valiant in the testimony of ,jesus1 therefore they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of ,god4 ,the telestial glory differs from the terrestrial as the light of the stars differs from the light of the moon4 ,the inhabitants of the telestial glory are those who neither receive the gospel of ,christ in the flesh nor the testimony of ,jesus in the spirit world4 ,these are they who are thrust down to hell1 and will not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection1 when ,christ shall have finished his work4 ,these are they who are of ,paul and of ,apollos and of ,cephas2 some of ,christ and some of ,john2 some of ,moses and some of ,elias2 but received not the gospel nor the testimony of ,jesus4 ,these are they who will not be gathered with the ,saints1 to be caught up unto the church of the ,first ,born and received into the cloud4 ,these are liars1 and sorcerers and adulterers1 and whoremongers1 and whoso loves and makes a lie4 ,they suffer the wrath of ,god on earth and the vengeance of eternal fire2 but they will be judged every man according to his deeds and receive according to his works1 his own dominion1 in the mansions which are prepared2 and they shall be servants of the ,most ,high1 #bb but where ,god and ,christ dwell they cannot come1 worlds without end4 ,they of the telestial glory enjoy neither the presence of the ,father nor the ,son1 but receive the ministration of angels and of the ,holy ,ghost1 for even they of the telestial glory are accounted heirs of salvation4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph and ,sidney ,rigdon in their vision saw that the inhabitants of the telestial glory were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven1 or as the sand upon the sea shore--and they heard the voice of ,god saying--,these all shall bow the knee and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever2 for they shall be judged according to their works1 and every man shall receive according to his own works1 his own dominions in the mansions which are prepared1 and they shall be servants of the ,most ,high1 but where ,god and ,christ dwell they cannot come1 worlds without end4 ,these are the great divisions of glory in the world to come1 but there are subdivisions or degrees4 ,of the telestial glory it is written3 ,and the glory of the telestial is one1 even as the glory of the stars is one1 for as one star differs from another star in glory1 even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world4 #bc ,from this it is evident that there are different degrees of glory within the celestial and the telestial glories2 and though we have no direct authority for the statement1 it seems but reasonable to conclude that there are different degrees of glory in the terrestrial world also4 ,it appears but rational that it should be so1 since the degrees of worthiness in men are almost infinite in their variety2 and as every man is to be judged according to his works1 it will require a corresponding infinity of degrees in glory to mete out to every man that reward of which he is worthy1 and that also which his intelligence will enable him to enjoy4 ,the question of advancement within the great divisions of glory celestial1 terrestrial1 and telestial2 as also the question of advancement from one sphere of glory to another remains to be considered4 ,in the revelation from which we have summarized what has been written here1 in respect to the different degrees of glory1 it is said that those of the terrestrial glory will be ministered unto by those of the celestial2 and those of the telestial will be ministered unto by those of the terrestrial--that is1 those of the higher glory minister to those of a lesser glory4 ,i can conceive of no reason for all this administration of the higher to the lower1 unless it be for the purpose of advancing our ,father's children along the lines of eternal progression4 ,whether or not in the great future1 full of so many possibilities now hidden from us1 they of the lesser glories after education and advancement within those spheres may at last emerge from them and make their way to the higher degrees of glory until at last they attain to the highest1 is not revealed in the revelations of ,god1 and any statement made on the subject must partake more or less of the nature of conjecture4 ,but if it be granted that such a thing is possible1 they who at the first entered into the celestial glory--having before them the privilege also of eternal progress--have been moving onward1 so that the relative distance between them and those who have fought their way up from the lesser glories may be as great when the latter have come into the degrees of celestial glory in which the righteous at first stood1 as it was at the commencement4 ,thus3 ,those whose faith and works are such only as to enable them to inherit a telestial glory1 may arrive at last where those whose works in this life were such as to enable them to entrance into the celestial kingdom--they may arrive where these were1 but never where they are4 ,there is a class of souls with whom the justice of ,god must deal1 which will not and cannot be classified in the celestial1 terrestrial or telestial glories4 ,they are the sons of perdition4 ,but though they will not be assigned a place in either of these grand divisions of glory1 the revelation from which we have drawn our information respecting man's future state describes the condition of these sons of perdition so far as it is made known unto the children of men4 ,it also informs us as to the nature of the crime which calls for such grievous punishment4 ,the sons of perdition are they of whom ,god hath said that it had been better for them never to have been born2 for they are vessels of wrath doomed to suffer the wrath of ,god with the devil and his angels in eternity4 ,concerning whom he hath said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come4 ,these are they who shall go away into everlasting punishment1 with the devil and his angels and the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power2 the only ones who will not be redeemed in the due time of the ,lord after the sufferings of his wrath4 ,he saves all the works of his hands except the sons of perdition2 but they go away to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity1 where their worm dieth not1 and the fire is not quenched1 which is their torment4 ,the end thereof1 the place thereof no man knoweth4 ,it has not been revealed nor will it be revealed unto man1 except to them who are made partakers thereof4 ,it has been partially shown to some in vision1 and may be shown again in the same partial manner to others2 but the end1 the width1 the heighth1 the depth and the misery thereof they understand not1 nor will it be revealed to any but those who receive the terrible condemnation4 #bd ,such the punishment1 now1 as to the crime that merits it4 ,it is the crime of high treason to ,god which pulls down on men this fearful doom4 ,it falls upon men who know the power of ,god and who have been made partakers of it1 and then permit themselves to be so far overcome of the devil that they deny the truth that has been revealed to them and defy the power of ,god4 ,they deny the ,holy ,ghost after having received it4 ,they deny the ,only ,begotten ,son of the ,father after the ,father has revealed him1 and thus crucify him unto themselves anew1 and put him to an open shame4 ,they commit the same act of high treason that ,lucifer in the rebellion of heaven did1 and hence are condemned to the same punishment4 ,thank ,god1 the number who commit that fearful crime is few6 ,only those who attain to a very great knowledge of the things of heaven are capable of committing it2 and the number among such is few indeed who become so recklessly wicked as to rebel against and defy the power of ,god4 ,but when such characters do fall1 they fall like ,lucifer1 never to rise again2 they get beyond the power of repentance or the hope of forgiveness4 #be ,carried away by the beauty1 consistency and grandeur of these doctrines1 how far ,i have wandered from the line of direct argument6 ,and yet not so2 for these very doctrines breathing as they do a spirit so purely charitable1 laden with joy for the living and hope for even the unconverted dead1 manifesting such a spirit of universal love1 so every way broad1 noble and ,godlike1 they are within themselves the strongest arguments that they are not merely human conceptions4 ,as the heavens declare the glory of ,god1 and the firmament sheweth his handiwork1 so these doctrines proclaim that the mind which fashioned them was inspired of ,god4 ,in other words they were not conceptions of the human mind1 but are the outgrowth of revelation direct from ,god2 and bespeak a divine authority for him who in this generation first taught them to the world4 ,but how comprehensive is this ,new ,dispensation6 ,the ,dispensation of the ,fullness of ,times1 truly2 in which ,god is gathering together in one all things in ,christ1 both which are in heaven and which are in earth6 ,a dispensation in which all former dispensations find their complement1 and without which they would be meaningless4 ,nothing is omitted essential to its completeness4 ,in it all the prophecies of the scripture either have been fulfilled1 are in process of fulfillment1 or are in contemplation1 that is1 the way is being prepared for their accomplishment4 ,in viewing a work so vast in its designs1 so complete in what it is accomplishing and what it contemplates1 one stands over-awed at the boldness of the conceptions involved in it2 and as its real greatness begins to be comprehended by the understanding1 the folly of accrediting such a work to ,joseph ,smith uninspired of ,god becomes apparent4 ,there is no proportion between such a work and the uninspired intelligence of ,joseph ,smith1 or any other man4 ,it is too universal in its sympathies1 too broad in its contemplated achievements1 too great1 in every way too splendid to be referred to a merely human origin4 ,and ,i assert again that as the grandeur of the universe forces upon the mind the conviction that behind all its phenomena1 there must be an intelligence operating infinitely greater than that possessed by man1 so the comprehensiveness of the ,new ,dispensation proclaims an intelligence superior to that possessed by man for the origin of it2 and which can only be attributed to the inspiration of ,god in him who was the instrument by which it was brought into existence4 ,footnotes #a4 ,mal4 iv3 #e1 #f4 #b4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 cx4 #c4 ,the following passages are largely adapted from the writer's work ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,history4 #d4 ,eccl4 xi4 #e4 ,the revelation was given in ,march1 #ahcj2 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xix4 #f4 ,mark xvi3 #af4 #g4 ,see ,augustine's ,city of ,god4 ,part ,,ii42 book xx and xxi4 #h4 ,ch4 xxxiii4 #i4 ,i4 ,peter iii4 #ah-ba4 #aj4 ,christ's ,mission to the ,under ,world 7,huidekoper71 #dth edition1 p4 #di4 ,huidekoper's volume1 #ahe pages1 is a most valuable collection of ,christian tradition and teaching on this subject4 #aa4 ,church of ,england--,book of ,common ,prayer1 p #caa4 #ab4 p4 #gih4 #ac4 ,i4 ,peter iv3 #f4 #ad4 ,i4 ,cor4 xv3 #bi4 #ae4 ,heresies xxviii3 #g4 #af4 ,a temple was erected in ,kirtland1 ,ohio1 and dedicated in #ahcf1 though at the time little was known of the character of the work to be performed in such kind of structures4 ,a temple site was dedicated at ,independence1 ,missouri2 another at ,far ,west in the same state4 ,one was erected at ,nauvoo and there the ordinance work for the dead was begun4 ,since settling in the ,rocky ,mountains the church has erected four splendid temples1 in which up to ,december1 #ahic1 there have been #fhc1cgg baptisms for the dead2 of ordinations to the priesthood1 for the dead1 #bj1bcb2 of endowments1 #caj1eaa2 of sealings 7including wives to husbands and children to parents--three temples reported71 #fi1gdi4 #ag4 ,heb4 xi3 #ci1 #dj4 #ah4 ,rom4 ii3 #f-ab4 ,i1 ,cor4 iii3 #h4 ,,ii4 ,cor4 v3 #aj4 ,rev4 ii4 #bc4 ,rev4 xx3 #ab4 #ai4 ,st4 ,john xiv3 #a-c4 #bj4 ,an exception must be made in the case of the ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,catholics do not believe that all ,christians at death go immediately into heaven1 but on the contrary believe that a ,christian who dies after the guilt and everlasting punishment of mortal sins have been forgiven him1 but who1 either from want of opportunity or through his negligence has not discharged the debt of temporal punishment due to his sin1 will have to discharge that debt to the justice of ,god in purgatory4 ,purgatory is a state of suffering after this life1 in which those souls are for a time detained1 which depart this life after their deadly sins have been remitted as to the stain and guilt1 and as to the everlasting pain that was due to them2 but which souls have on account of those sins still some temporal punishment to pay2 as also those souls which leave this world guilty only of venial 7that is pardonable7 sins4 ,in purgatory these souls are purified and rendered fit to enter into heaven1 where nothing defiled enters4 ,the quotations in the above are from ,catholic ,belief1 by ,bruno1 ,d4 ,d41 of the ,catholic church4 ,as all works of the ,catholic church accessible to me have nothing on the different degrees of glory1 ,i conclude that ,catholic teaching is that they who attain unto heaven are all equal in glory4 #ba4 ,i4 ,kings viii3 #bg4 #bb4 ,,ii4 ,cor4 xii3 #a-d4 #bc4 ,the circumstances under which the revelation was given are these3 ,the ,prophet ,joseph and ,sidney ,rigdon were engaged in revising the ,jewish scriptures4 ,when they came to ,st4 ,john1 ch4 v3 #bi--speaking of the resurrection of the dead1 concerning those that should hear the voice of the ,son of ,man and come forth1 instead of reading as in the text of our common ,english ,bibles--,and shall come forth2 they that have done good1 unto the resurrection of life2 and they that have done evil1 unto the resurrection of damnation1 the following was given to them by the ,spirit3 ,and shall come forth1 they who have done good in the resurrection of the just1 and they who have done evil in the resurrection of the unjust4 ,this reading of the passage caused them to marvel1 as it was given to them by inspiration2 and while they pondered on this thing the ,spirit of ,god enveloped them and they saw the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and those different glories which men will inherit1 an account of which is given in the text4 ,the vision is recorded in ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxvi4 #bd4 ,servants of ,god1 but not ,gods1 nor the ,sons of ,god1 remarks ,apostle ,orson ,pratt in his footnote on the passage from which this is condensed4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxvi3 #aab4 #be4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxvi4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,evidence ,,of ,,inspiration ,,derived ,,from ,,the ,,wisdom ,,in ,,the ,,plan ,,proposed ,,for ,,the ,,betterment ,,of ,,the ,,temporal ,,condition ,,of ,,mankind4 ,the ,new ,dispensation of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ does not regard alone the spiritual welfare of man2 it contemplates also his temporal salvation4 ,that is1 it looks to the amelioration of those conditions which today render the lot of by far the greater portion of the human race so hard to endure4 ,nothing can be more patent to the understanding than the fact that the basis of all our commercial or other industrial enterprises1 is selfishness4 ,the selfish desire for wealth that ease and luxury may follow and be enjoyed1 or power wielded that shall administer to family pride or vain ambition1 seems to have taken complete possession of the thoughts of civilized man1 and well nigh fills up the sphere of his activity4 ,almost unconsciously selfishness has been intensified in our modern life4 ,the inventions of our time have greatly multiplied human conveniences and luxuries4 ,ease that springs from affluence has been brought within the reach of a greater number of people than at any other time in the world's history2 yet those who have entered within the charmed circle of the enjoyment of ease and luxury are not satisfied4 ,something is lacking to the completeness of their contentment4 ,they see for one thing the instability of their wealth1 and note what small affairs may wrest it from them4 ,so that the fear of losing what is possessed is well nigh as tormenting as the inability to gain riches4 ,the wish to permanently secure that which is possessed1 and in like security have it descend to their posterity occasions as much anxiety and effort on the part of the rich1 as the determination to come to the possession of wealth occasions the less fortunate--the envious poor4 ,instead of this wider distribution of comforts and luxuries among mankind contributing to the sum of human contentment1 it has increased its restlessness2 for luxury being more commonly paraded in the face of the masses has maddened all with a desire to possess it1 and1 failing in that1 life is felt to be scarce worth the living4 ,but possession is possible only to the few2 the great mass of humanity is excluded from its attainment4 ,this success of the few and the failure of the many divides civilized communities into two classes--the proud and the envious4 ,it also results in the division of communities into capitalists and laborers2 the former living in affluence on the proceeds of their wealth1 the latter1 for the most part1 eking out an existence on the insufficient means secured through their labor4 ,capital1 it must be said1 feels power and forgets right2 labor in its despair grows desperate and violates the law4 ,capital1 to secure and perpetuate its interests1 combines into huge corporations which control production and the markets1 waters its stock1 bribes legislatures1 congresses and parliaments2 oppresses labor in its wages1 robs the people2 and having thrived by its chicanery and fraud1 laughs at all attempts to wrest from it the spoils in which it revels4 ,labor1 to protect itself against the ever-increasing greed and power of capital1 forms societies and leagues and asks not only what is easily recognized as its rights1 but often demands that which capital cannot give4 ,each confident in its ability to coerce the other1 lockouts and strikes follow1 with the result that not infrequently the conflict ends in civil strife1 lawlessness and bloodshed4 ,meantime wealth accumulates in the hands of the few2 and if every year does not see the condition of the masses growing worse and worse1 it is a fact at least that there is no just proportion between the increasing gains of the capitalists and the wages of the laborers4 ,as a result1 the bitterness between employer and the employed increases every year2 and the sphere of our industrial activities1 instead of presenting a scene of harmony and good-will1 where the interests of both capital and labor are recognized as existing in common1 and the welfare of both dependent on each1 it represents more nearly the scene of two hostile camps where distrust and jealousy have arrayed the respective parties for deadly conflict4 ,philosophers and philanthropists who have seen and deplored the evils of our modern system of economics have not been wanting2 but only a few have ventured to propose remedies4 ,of these some have suggested cooperative methods in trade1 in manufactures1 in commerce and other labor1 with an equal distribution of profits1 as not only securing the conservation of energy1 but also a more equitable basis of economics than our present individual and competitive methods4 ,many attempts have been made to carry out these principles in practice1 and for a time1 in several instances1 partial success has been attained4 ,in the end1 however1 human greed1 weakness1 or individual necessity1 real or imagined1 together with inability to make the system universal--a condition necessary to the system's success1 according to the claims of its advocates--have proven too much for these attempts at co-operation1 and the several enterprises have either drifted into the hands of a corporation or become the concerns of individuals1 or else have been absolutely abandoned4 ,others seeing the failure of voluntary attempts to secure the benefits of the co-operative system1 have advocated the enlargement of the powers of the ,state to the extent of consigning to it the management of all industry2 so far taking control of the individual as to compel him to work1 according to his capacity and remunerate him according to his wants4 ,others have gone even further than this1 and proposed not only to make the individual a creature of the ,state1 in relation to the matter of labor and wages1 but to control him in all the relations of life1 even invading the domestic relations to the extent of abolishing the marriage institution and all domestic government founded on paternal authority4 ,these last two suggestions1 with various amplifications1 are classed as socialism and communism respectively4 ,the former has many advocates in nearly all civilized countries1 especially in ,germany and ,france1 where they wield a political influence of considerable potency4 ,the latter1 communism1 since the abortive efforts of ,robert ,owen in ,england1 of ,st4 ,simon and ,fourier in ,france1 and ,m4 ,cabet--the disciple of ,fourier--at ,nauvoo1 ,illinois1 ,united ,states1 may be considered as relegated to the graveyard of impracticable theories which from time to time have engaged the attention of philosophical minds with a bent for speculation in human affairs4 ,but bad as our modern system of economics may be1 with all its manifest absurdities in the waste of energy1 the unfairness in the distribution of the products of industry1 still mankind has1 so far1 preferred to endure its known evils and incongruities rather than to trust their fortunes to the proposed systems of the socialists and communists4 ,the ,new ,dispensation of the ,gospel1 however1 contemplating as it does the ushering in of that era of peace on earth and goodwill among men of which angels have sung and prophets written1 must perforce and does1 as ,i remarked at the opening of this chapter1 take account of the social and industrial conditions prevailing1 and offers a solution for the difficulties presented which1 while within the possibility of performance1 is effectual as a remedy for the evils under which humanity groans4 ,failure to do this would have been a grave defect in a work making the pretensions of that founded by ,joseph ,smith4 ,moreover1 since what it has to offer as a solution of existing industrial inequalities and evils is either based on or is itself direct revelation from ,god1 the ,divine wisdom must appear in the plan proposed for the betterment of humanity's condition4 ,all this mankind has a right to expect of a divine plan for such a purpose1 and all this ,i claim for the plan revealed through ,joseph ,smith4 ,that plan does not begin with the community or the nation1 and through the community or state seek to reach the individual4 ,while not ignoring the value of institutions or the necessity for favorable conditions1 it does not put its whole trust in arbitrary institutions or regulations for the successful accomplishment of its purposes4 ,it comes first to the individual with a cry of repentance1 with an appeal to turn unto righteousness4 ,it teaches him that by repentance1 accompanied with true and holy faith in ,god1 he may attain through baptism to a remission of sins1 to a consciousness of renewed innocence1 lost through transgression1 and to the possession of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this last adds to his own strength1 in some degree1 the strength of the ,almighty ,god4 ,through its influence he is guided into all truth1 taught a knowledge of the things of heaven1 receives a testimony that ,jesus is the ,christ2 by it he is reproved for his errors2 commended for resisting evil2 prompted in uncertainty2 by courting its influence and listening to its counsels he is purified in heart1 is purged of his lusts and his selfishness1 loves his neighbor as himself1 and is ready to seek another's rather than his own good4 ,it is with an element such as this--cleansed and purified by such a process1 and thus made fit for the ,master's use--that the plan revealed through ,joseph ,smith proposes to deal4 ,it is an evidence that other schemes for the amelioration of the distresses of mankind originated in the petty wisdom of man that they did not take into account the necessary preparation of the elements for their model communities4 ,and let me observe1 in passing1 that that preparation can only be made through the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ and the spirit of it outlined above4 ,it is vain for men to seek to build up communities in which selfishness shall be abolished1 and love and goodwill abound1 until they have developed in the separate units that are to compose it the same qualities that are to be characteristic of the community2 for communities can be no better than the individuals that compose them4 ,as well might men hope to mix to the same consistency pieces of iron and pieces of clay1 make a rope of dry sand1 or do anything else impossible1 as to undertake to organize a society in which want shall be abolished1 unselfishness abound1 and all the virtues prevail1 with men unrighteous1 proud1 envious1 jealous1 lustful1 suspicious1 treacherous and possessed of no higher gauge of right and truth than human intelligence4 ,here1 then1 begins to be seen the wisdom of the plan for the temporal salvation of mankind revealed through ,joseph ,smith3 it begins with the individual--with the preparation of the elements4 ,next to the preparation of the elements1 the plan recognizes the ,fatherhood of ,god and the brotherhood of man4 ,it also recognizes the fact that the earth is the ,lord's2 that it is his by right of proprietorship4 ,he created it and sustains it by his power1 and man's right to the portions of it he seizes so greedily can only be that of a steward4 ,following these principles to their legitimate conclusion1 the plan contemplates the complete consecration unto the ,lord all the possessions of those who accept it4 ,the person who desires to make the consecration brings his possessions to the bishop of the ,church1 and delivers them to him1 with a deed and covenant that cannot be broken4 #a ,the consecration is complete4 ,the person so consecrating his possessions1 whether they be great or small1 if it be a full consecration1 has claim upon the bishop for a stewardship out of the consecrated properties of the ,church4 ,that stewardship may be a farm1 a factory1 a publishing house1 mercantile establishment1 a home with the privilege of following a trade or profession1 according to individual tastes1 abilities or capacities4 ,the stewardships are secured to those unto whom they are granted by a deed and covenant that cannot be broken1 hence the stewards are secured in their stewardships4 ,the income from a stewardship over and above that needed for the maintenance of the steward and his family1 is consecrated to the ,lord's storehouse1 where all the surplus means from the community is1 in like manner1 collected4 ,said surplus to be used1 first1 in supplying the deficiency where stewardships fail to yield sufficient income for the necessities of those who possess them2 second1 to form or purchase new stewardships for such as have not received any2 third1 to supply those with means who may need it for the improvement or enlargement of their respective stewardships2 fourth1 the purchase of lands for the public benefit1 to establish new enterprises1 develop resources1 build houses of worship1 temples1 send abroad the ,gospel1 or for anything else that looks to the general welfare and the founding of the ,kingdom of ,heaven on earth4 ,the several stewards have claim upon the general fund created by the consecration of the surplus of each1 for the means necessary to the improvement or enlargement of the business entrusted to him as his stewardship2 and so long as he is in full fellowship with the ,church1 and is a wise and faithful steward1 his application to the treasurer of the general fund is to be respected by being granted2 the treasurer1 of course1 being accountable to the ,church for his management of the general fund1 and subject to removal in the event of incompetency or transgression4 ,each steward is independent in the management of his stewardship1 and is the master of his own time4 ,he must pay for that which he buys2 he can insist on payment for that which he sells4 ,he has no claim upon the stewardship of his neighbor2 his neighbor has no claim upon his stewardship2 but both have claim1 as also have their children--when the latter come of age and start in life for themselves--upon the collected surplus in the ,lord's storehouse1 to aid them in the event of their needing assistance4 ,the various branches or ecclesiastical wards of the ,church1 where the above plan of managing the temporal affairs of life is carried out1 are each to be independent in the management of their respective storehouses1 subject of course to the general supervision of the presiding bishop of the ,church and of the ,first ,presidency4 ,such is a brief and1 ,i fear1 because of my effort to be brief1 a rather imperfect outline of the plan for the management of the temporal affairs of life in the ,church of ,christ4 ,it is a system which contemplates the humiliation of the rich and the exaltation of the poor1 by the operation of consecration and stewardship1 above described4 ,by the act of consecration both the rich man and the poor one make a formal acknowledgement that the earth and the fullness thereof is the ,lord's2 and by receiving back a stewardship1 each receives that which his wants demand1 or that his capacity will warrant placing under his management2 and which may be added upon as he gives increased evidence of faithfulness and ability to wisely control the stewardship for his own and the general good4 ,the plan recognizes the truth that there is enough and to spare in the earth to provide plentifully for all the wants of the human race2 for all its necessities and all reasonable luxuries1 if the wealth created by the race's industry be justly distributed4 ,in it1 too1 is recognized the truth that transcendent abilities for the manipulation of the elements or the management of affairs by which wealth is created are not possessed that they might minister alone to personal advantage1 or pride1 or ambition2 nor are they to be employed alone for the benefit of the possessor's family4 ,this plan revealed to ,joseph ,smith teaches a nobler and higher use of abilities than this2 a broader field of sympathy than that which merely comprehends a family4 ,a great mind in any department of abilities1 and no less in financial or temporal affairs than in law1 or government1 or literature1 belongs to the race1 and is ,god's best gift to it2 for through it ,god1 in part1 shines4 ,the employment of talents and genius for the common interest is to be the outgrowth of universal sympathy and a willingness to co-operate with ,god to bring to pass the eternal life1 and1 both in time and eternity1 the eternal happiness of man4 ,hence it is written that the inhabitant of ,zion shall labor for ,zion and if he labor for money he shall perish with his money4 ,the plan also recognizes the dignity of all labor2 and provides that the idler shall be had in remembrance before the ,lord4 #b ,idleness is an offense against the doctrine of the gospel and has received ,god's severe condemnation2 for he has declared that the idler shall not eat the bread1 nor wear the garments of the laborer1 #c nor have place in the church1 except he repents4 #d ,it will be observed that the plan revealed through ,joseph ,smith1 while differing from the present selfish and competitive system1 is neither state socialism nor communism4 ,it neither makes man the creature of the state1 nor invades the sanctity of his fireside4 ,it preserves a healthy individualism in that it allows each man control of his own stewardship1 and makes him the disposer of his own time4 ,it provides for the general welfare in that it centralizes all the surplus means of the community and places it at the disposal of the wisest men who apportion it out to the improvement of enterprises or stewardships under the management of men of demonstrated ability and approved integrity2 or who employ it in the development of new enterprises1 or distribute it in new stewardships to those who as yet may not have received them4 ,this system therefore guards against want and destitution on the one hand2 while on the other it collects the surplus means to be used in those new enterprises1 the success of which shall remove the community further and ever further from poverty and wretchedness which is now at once the world's anxiety and shame4 ,by this plan the anxiety of the fathers to secure estates or a fortune for their posterity is relieved1 since their children will have claim upon the surplus property of the community for a stewardship when they are prepared to start in life4 ,and since the prosperity and success of their children depends upon the success and prosperity of the community1 the fathers shall in that find an incentive to honorable exertion4 ,the children find no fortune to squander1 no opportunity to grow up in idleness1 or contract those vices which unfit them for life's serious affairs4 ,but trained from youth to be industrious1 and starting with a stewardship that by industry and economy shall minister to their necessities1 and enable them to contribute something to the general good1 they have an opportunity by wise management of their stewardship1 the improvement and enlargement of it1 to demonstrate their abilities1 rise in public esteem and have more and still more entrusted to their control1 until they reach a position where they can do all the good they are capable of doing1 or that is in their hearts to accomplish4 ,the two prime objections to co-operative methods1 state socialism and communism are1 first1 that by taking the proceeds of individual industry1 talent or transcendent financial abilities and applying them to the common good rather than to individual aggrandizement1 one of the chief incentives to earnest endeavor is stricken down2 and second1 by creating an assurance in the minds of individuals that their wants will be provided for out of a common fund and that necessity cannot overtake them1 the other chief incentive to industry is swept aside4 ,in other words it is held that ambition and the fear of coming to want are the chief incentives to human activity4 ,remove these incentives to action1 it is contended1 and you have1 of course1 a listless1 idle and hence non-progressive community1 that all too soon from want of motive principle would come to poverty1 ignorance and at last to dissolution4 ,these are held to be the vices of the schemes of socialists and communists1 so far as the industrial phase of their plans is concerned1 and ,i anticipate that the same objections will be urged to the plan for the temporal salvation of mankind revealed through ,joseph ,smith4 ,volumes have been written upon the unworthiness of a desire for personal aggrandizement1 and man's necessities being regarded as the chief incentives to human activity2 and it is not my purpose to add anything to the mass of matter that exists on that subject4 ,indeed1 taking average humanity as it is1 rather than what idealists would have it or believe it to be1 and ,i am rather of the opinion that the objection urged against socialism and communism in regard to the industrial phase of these schemes is a good one2 and that however unworthy the gratification of personal ambition and the fear of want may be as incentives to industry1 they are1 nevertheless1 the prime incentives to action2 and if removed1 there is grave reason to fear that what the objectors to community of effort and of interests predict1 would come to pass4 ,my point is that this objection can be of no force against a system in which individualism is not stricken down4 ,a man's success in the management of his stewardship in the plan revealed through ,joseph ,smith1 depends upon his individual effort2 and though the system requires the consecration1 from time to time1 of the surplus arising from the management of the stewardships1 it is also provided that the stewards shall have claim upon the general fund for whatever means they may require to improve or enlarge their stewardships4 ,but the chances of obtaining means to make such improvement or enlargement depends upon the capabilities the individual has developed1 in the management of that already committed to his care2 hence his advancement1 his growth and standing in the community1 together with the comfort1 convenience and beauty of his surroundings depend primarily upon his individual exertion4 ,furthermore1 it must be remembered that the system revealed through ,joseph ,smith teaches as a religious duty the consecration and employment of individual abilities for the common good2 and it also teaches that industry and economy are religious duties4 ,it is by preparing the units of which society is composed through the acceptance and practice of the gospel2 by preserving all that is desirable in individualism and at the same time abundantly providing for the common good2 by recognizing the religious sentiment and righteousness as elements necessary to its success2 by teaching that it is the duty of those possessed of transcendent abilities to employ them for the common good2 by inculcating that humility that shall make those possessed of humbler abilities willing to labor in less exalted spheres1 and1 above all1 by depending upon the enlightening and directing influence of the ,holy ,ghost1 as well in each member of the community as in the appointed leaders1 that the plan for the amelioration of the present distressed condition of society1 revealed through ,joseph ,smith1 hopes in the end to achieve success4 ,if ,i am told that the success of this plan depends upon too many contingencies2 that the attainment of all of them is impracticable2 that humanity can never be brought to that excellence of individual and community righteousness that the plan requires2 my answer would be that the condition of the world1 then1 is hopeless2 for this is the only plan which can bring to pass the amelioration of the hard conditions under which mankind is sinking4 ,but ,i do not at all despair of the success of it4 ,if it cannot immediately be made universal1 its success will be made manifest in the church of ,christ2 and as the peace1 prosperity and happiness of those that accept it indicate the wisdom that constructed it1 more and more will seek its benefits1 until all the children of men shall bask in its blessings4 ,footnotes #a4 ,doc and ,cov4 sec4 xlii3 #cj-cb4 #b4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxviii3 #cj4 #c4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xlii3 #db4 #d4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxv3 #bi4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,evidence ,,of ,,divine ,,inspiration ,,in ,,joseph ,,smith ,,derived ,,from ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,teaching ,,in ,,regard ,,to ,,the ,,extent ,,of ,,the ,,universe1 ,,man',s ,,place ,,in ,,it1 ,,and ,,his ,,doctrine ,,respecting ,,the ,,gods4 ,if the church ,joseph ,smith organized is a monument to his divine inspiration2 if the comprehensiveness of the work he introduced gives evidence that more than human wisdom was necessary to conceive it2 if his proposed reconstruction of society as to its industrial aspects proclaims for him a divine wisdom--a still greater evidence of inspiration is to be seen in the prophet's teaching on the extent of the universe1 man's place in it1 and his doctrine respecting the ,gods4 ,to make this appear it will be necessary to state briefly the opinions entertained on these subjects by those accepting orthodox ,christianity before the introduction of the ,new ,dispensation4 ,indeed1 ,i may go as far back as the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in this statement1 in order that the reader may see what the real orthodox faith on all these subjects was before modern discoveries forced upon it some modification of its views4 ,in the centuries named the geocentric theory respecting the universe prevailed4 ,that is1 it was believed that the earth was in shape flat1 and the immovable centre of the universe2 that about it circled sun1 moon and stars in regular order4 ,indeed it was supposed that the specific and only purpose for which the sun was formed was to give light and heat to the earth2 and the moon and stars were formed to give light by night in the absence of the sun4 ,above the earth was bent the vast dome of the blue sky1 its edges apparently resting on the circumfluous waters4 ,above the blue sky was heaven1 the abode of ,god and the blest2 and under the earth was the dark region of hell1 into which was thrust the wicked--the damned4 ,it was believed that ,god1 about six thousand years ago1 created by a word1 out of nothing1 all this universe--earth1 sun1 moon1 stars1 and all things in the earth4 ,that man and all living creatures were moulded from the dust1 and then had breathed into them the spirit of life1 and so became living creatures4 ,this was the view authoritatively asserted by the church1 #a in the centuries ,i have designated4 ,there were1 however1 in those centuries a few bold spirits who held views at variance with those accepted by the orthodox4 ,these believed in the heliocentric theory--the theory which regards the sun as the centre of our planetary system1 and that the earth is comparatively a small and subordinate body revolving around it4 ,this view was maintained by ,nicholas ,cusa1 afterwards ,cardinal ,cusa1 at the ,council of ,basil1 in #adca4 ,about a century later--#aedc--the great ,copernicus issued the first formal announcement1 in modern times1 of the heliocentric theory4 ,what storms of opposition the great philosopher anticipated may readily be perceived in the preface to his work4 ,that preface was addressed to ,pope ,paul ,,iii41 and in it1 after referring to the imperfections of the prevailing theory1 he states that he had sought among ancient writers for a better1 and so had learned the heliocentric doctrine4 #b ,i1 too1 began to meditate on the motion of the earth1 and though it appeared an absurd opinion1 yet1 since ,i knew that in previous times others had been allowed the privilege of feigning what circles they chose in order to explain the phenomena1 ,i conceived that ,i might take the liberty of trying whether1 on the supposition of the earth's motion1 it was possible to find better explanations than the ancient ones of the revolutions of the celestial orbs4 99 99 99 ,though ,i know that the thoughts of a philosopher do not depend on the judgment of the many1 his study being to seek truth in all things as far as is permitted by ,god to human reason1 yet when ,i considered how absurd my doctrine would appear1 ,i long hesitated whether ,i should publish my book1 or whether it were not better to follow the example of the ,pythagoreans and others1 who delivered their doctrines only by tradition and to friends4 99 99 99 ,if there be vain babblers who1 knowing nothing of mathematics1 yet assume the right of judging on account of some place of scripture perversely wrested to their purpose1 and who blame and attack my undertaking--,i heed them not1 and look upon their judgment as rash and contemptible4 ,in addition to recognizing the sun as the real centre of planetary motions1 ,copernicus taught also that the earth was a planet which turned upon its axis1 and revolved around the sun4 #c ,the person who most zealously accepted the ,copernican system was ,giordano ,bruno1 born in ,italy1 #aeej4 ,in his book1 ,the ,plurality of ,worlds1 he taught that space is infinite2 that every star is a sun having opaque planets revolving around it2 and that these planets are inhabited4 ,bruno was a man of aggressive disposition and pushed his doctrines on public attention irrespective of consequences to himself4 ,because of his peculiar views he was compelled to flee from ,italy4 ,he first went to ,switzerland1 thence to ,england1 where he delivered lectures at ,oxford on ,cosmology4 ,here his views were met with intolerance and he fled to ,france4 ,meeting with persecution in ,france1 he next fled to ,germany1 and from thence ventured to return to ,italy4 ,he was arrested at ,venice and imprisoned for six years4 ,at the expiration of his long imprisonment he was demanded by the ,holy ,inquisition to be tried for having written heretical books4 ,accordingly he was given up to the authorities of ,rome2 and after an imprisonment of two years was tried1 found guilty1 excommunicated and delivered over to the secular authorities to be punished4 ,as mercifully as possible1 and without the shedding of his blood1 reads the sentence which delivered him to the secular authorities2 the abominable formula1 remarks ,draper1 for burning a man alive4 #d ,he was burned at ,rome on the #afth of ,february1 #afjj4 ,some of the spectators remarked as he fell out of sight in the consuming flames that his soul had doubtless gone to some of the imaginary worlds of whose existence he had been so positive4 #e ,it is suspected that this harsh treatment of ,bruno1 and in his person of the ,copernican theory itself1 checked for a time speculation on the lines of thought which ,cusa1 ,copernicus and ,bruno followed4 ,investigation1 however1 was afoot1 and in an age when the people were just awakening to a sense of intellectual freedom1 it could not be expected that a subject of such great interest would long remain unagitated4 ,the man who next championed the ,copernican system was the immortal ,galileo4 ,early in the seventeenth century he invented the telescope1 and by its aid made numerous discoveries which demonstrated the truth of the ,copernican theory4 ,he discovered that the planet ,venus had phases like the moon1 which demonstrated for her a motion around the sun4 ,the discovery of this fact well nigh silenced the opposition to the ,copernican theory1 at least1 among its more intelligent opponents who were capable of appreciating the value of the discovery4 ,if the doctrine of ,copernicus be true1 they had said1 the planet ,venus ought to show phases like the moon which is not the case4 ,but the telescope of ,galileo proved that ,venus had phases and hence furnished the proof demanded by the objectors to the ,copernican theory4 ,by means of his telescope ,galileo also discovered the existence of innumerable stars not visible to the unaided eye4 ,the ignorant multitude who assailed the ,copernican theory of the universe1 starting to argue from the supposition that the stars had been created merely to give light by night1 said that since the stars which ,galileo claimed to have discovered could not be seen by the naked eye1 they could be of no use in giving light to the earth and therefore they did not exist6 ,galileo by turning his telescope upon the moon found that she had mountains casting shadows1 and valleys like those of the earth4 ,he also discovered the four satellites of ,jupiter1 and their movement about their primary4 ,as this furnished an illustration in miniature of the ,copernican theory of the solar system1 it was hailed with great delight by the ever increasing number that accepted the heliocentric doctrine4 ,galileo1 like ,bruno1 lacked the caution that characterized ,copernicus1 and by boldly affirming the truth of the heliocentric doctrine1 he brought upon himself the displeasure of the orthodox party1 and finally the condemnation of the church4 ,the controversy which arose over his doctrines and discoveries would require too much space to detail here4 ,let it be sufficient to say that he was tried before the ,inquisition for teaching as a positive truth that the earth moves2 that the sun is stationary2 and attempting to reconcile these doctrines with the scriptures4 ,he acknowledged the charges made against him1 and thereupon was commanded on pain of imprisonment to renounce these heretical opinions and pledge himself for the future not to defend or publish them4 ,doubtless the fate of ,bruno1 still sufficiently recent to be vividly remembered1 influenced the conduct of the astronomer1 for he gave the necessary pledges4 ,the ,inquisition in passing sentence on ,galileo took occasion to say something of the ,copernican system itself1 denouncing it as that false ,pythagorean doctrine utterly contrary to the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,galileo after his condemnation by the ,inquisition received some kindnesses both from ,pope ,paul ,v1 and ,urban ,,viii1 his successor1 and from other high ecclesiastical authorities4 ,whether or not the considerate and even flattering treatment he received from these popes led him to think he could with impunity break the pledge he had so solemnly given the church not to publish more about or defend the ,copernican doctrine1 is difficult to determine2 but it is a fact that he broke that pledge by publishing in #afcb1 the work entitled ,the system of the world1 the purpose of which was to establish the truth of the heliocentric doctrine4 ,he was again summoned before the ,holy ,inquisition4 ,his offenses were recited and he was told that he had brought upon himself the suspicion of heresy1 and was liable to the penalties thereof--imprisonment or death4 ,the ,inquisition1 however1 was inclined to be merciful1 and agreed to give him absolution for his offenses if with real intent of heart he would adjure and curse his heresies4 ,this the now aged philosopher consented to do4 ,but that he might be a warning to others he was to be kept a prisoner at the pleasure of his judges1 his new work was prohibited by public edict1 and for three years he was condemned to recite once a week the penitential psalms4 ,in his garment of disgrace the aged philosopher was now made to fall upon his knees before the assembled cardinals1 and with his hand upon the gospels1 to make the required abjuration of the heliocentric doctrine and to give the pledges demanded4 ,he was then committed to the prison of the ,inquisition4 ,the persons who had been concerned in the printing of his book were punished2 and the sentence and abjuration were formally promulgated1 and ordered to be publicly read in the universities4 #f ,it has been claimed that ,galileo as he rose from his humble posture before the cardinals exclaimed1--soto voce--ep pur si muove6 #g ,whether the philosopher ever made the remark may be doubtful1 but the truth nevertheless was that it did move1 and it found those of a more daring spirit than ,galileo to affirm it4 ,among these was ,galileo's contemporary1 the great ,kepler4 #h ,he lived in ,protestant ,germany where1 though as bitterly opposed by the ,protestant ,christians of ,germany as ,galileo was by the ,catholics of ,italy2 and his advocacy and defense of the ,copernican theory as emphatically condemned by the ,theological ,faculty of ,tubingen as the ,italian philosopher's efforts in the same line were by the ,inquisition1 yet1 though the ,academical ,senate of ,tubingen might prevent the publication of his works1 he could not be threatened with death or imprisonment1 nor could he be compelled to deny the truths he had discovered4 ,kepler relieved the ,copernican system from the erroneous hypothesis of circular orbits for the planets1 by proving that the orbits were elliptical and have the sun as a common focus4 ,this first discovery1 known as ,kepler's first law1 together with his other two laws of planetary motion1 establish the ,copernican system upon an immovable basis by adding to the fact of the motion of the planets around the sun1 the other fact that that motion is under the influence of never-varying mathematical law4 ,but one thing was lacking to complete the triumph of the new theory--an explanation of the force which held the planets in their orbits and balanced the universe4 ,that explanation came in ,newton's great law of gravitation1 by which it is made know that ,every portion of matter in the universe attracts every other portion with a force varying directly as the product of the masses acted upon1 and inversely as the square of the distance between them4 #i ,the explanation of the ,copernican system was now complete1 and everywhere triumphant4 ,meantime larger and more powerful telescopes were being invented which constantly extended man's knowledge of the immensity of the universe4 ,it is estimated that the unaided eye can see from five to eight thousand of the fixed stars2 but with the aid of our modern telescopes1 though no very reliable computation has yet been made1 it is estimated that between thirty and fifty millions are visible2 #aj and it only requires the invention of larger or more perfect telescopes to increase the number of ,god's creations to our already astonished vision6 ,it could only be expected that the facts discovered by our exact scientists would set in motion those of a speculative turn of mind4 ,among those most noted for outstripping the plodding scientists and plunging into speculation were ,kant #aa and ,johann ,heinrich ,lambert4 #ab ,the former taking the now well-known construction of the planetary system as the basis of his speculation advanced the idea that the whole stellar universe was constructed on the same plan4 ,that is1 as the planets of our solar system revolved about a common centre1 and are kept from falling into each other or into the sun by the centrifugal force generated by their revolutions in their orbits1 so ,kant supposed the stars to be kept apart by a revolution around some common centre4 #ac ,at that time but little1 if anything1 was known positively about the proper motion of the stars2 and the objection was made to his theory that the stars were found to occupy not only the same position from year to year1 but from age to age1 and therefore could not be moving about a centre4 ,to this the philosopher replied that the motion of the stars was so slow1 their distances from us so immense1 and the time of their revolutions so long that the movement was imperceptible to us1 but he doubted not that future generations by combining their observations with those of their predecessors1 would find that there actually was a motion among the stars4 #ad ,lambert1 the contemporary and a correspondent of ,kant's1 supposed the universe to be arranged in a system of different orders4 ,the smallest systems which we know are those made up of a planet with its satellites circulating around it as a center4 ,the next system in order of magnitude is a solar system1 in which a number of smaller systems are each carried round the sun4 ,each individual star which we see is a sun1 and has its retinue of planets revolving round it1 so that there are as many solar systems as stars4 ,these systems are not1 however1 scattered at random1 but are divided up into greater systems which appear in our telescopes as clusters of stars4 ,an immense number of these clusters make up our galaxy1 and form the visible universe as seen in our telescopes4 ,there may be yet greater systems1 each made up of galaxies1 and so on indefinitely1 only their distance is so immense as to elude our observation4 ,each of the smaller systems visible to us has its central body1 the mass of which is much greater than that of those which revolve around it4 ,this feature ,lambert supposed to extend to other systems4 ,as the planets are larger than their satellites1 and the sun larger than its planets1 so he supposed each stellar cluster to have a great central body round which each solar system revolved4 ,as these central bodies are invisible to us1 he supposed them to be opaque and dark4 ,all the systems from the smallest to the greatest1 were supposed to be bound together by the one universal law of gravitation4 #ae ,this of course in ,lambert was speculative conjecture1 based on the few facts that astronomers had discovered up to his day4 ,there was no evidence1 astronomers said1 of the existence of the opaque centers referred to by ,lambert1 and they relegate the sublime ideas of the philosopher to the realm of pure speculation4 ,later the ,german astronomer ,madler #af attempted to show from an examination he made of the motion of the stars that the whole steller universe was revolving around the star ,alcyone1 in the constellation of ,pleiades4 ,no more weight1 however1 has been given by astronomers to the conjectures of ,madler than to those of ,kant or ,lambert4 ,the ideas of all three have been held to be mere baseless speculation4 #ag ,there is this to say1 however1 in favor of the theories of ,kant1 ,lambert and ,madler1 and against the astronomers who condemn their conjectures3 the stars which1 in the days of the two former1 at least1 were generally supposed to be stationary and hence called fixed stars1 are now known to have a proper motion1 by which astronomers mean not an absolute motion1 but only a motion relative to our system4 ,as the sun moves1 he carries the earth and all the planets with him2 and if we observe a star at perfect rest while we ourselves are thus moving1 the star will appear to move in the opposite direction4 99 99 99 ,hence from the motion of a single star it is impossible to decide how much of this apparent motion is due to the motion of our system1 and how much to the real motion of the star4 ,if1 however1 we should observe a great number of stars on all sides of us1 and find them all apparently moving in the same direction1 it would be natural to conclude that it was really our system which was moving and not the stars4 ,when ,herschel averaged the proper motions of the stars in different regions of the heavens he found that this was actually the case4 ,in general the stars moved from the direction of the constellation ,hercules1 and toward the opposite point of the celestial sphere1 near the constellation ,argues4 ,this would show that1 relatively to the general mass of the stars1 our sun was moving in the direction of the constellation ,hercules4 #ah ,as our sun is conceded to be one of the stars--one of the smaller ones1 too1 of the great galaxy that spans the heavens--if it be in motion1 the inference that other stars are also in motion is not unreasonable4 ,indeed they are known to be in motion1 but their appears to be1 so far as the observations of astronomers enable them to determine1 no regularity in that movement more than the general movement noted from the direction of ,hercules4 ,so far as they have yet been observed1 says ,newcomb1 and indeed so far as they can be observed for many centuries to come1 these motions take place in perfectly straight lines4 ,if each star is moving in some orbit1 the orbit is so immense that no curvature can be perceived in the short arc which has been described since accurate determinations of the position of the stars began to be made4 99 99 99 ,the stars in all parts of the heavens move in all directions1 with all sorts of velocities4 ,it is true that by averaging the proper motions1 as it were1 we can trace a certain law in them2 but this law indicates1 not a particular kind of orbit1 but only an apparent proper motion1 common to all the stars1 which is probably due to a real motion of our sun and solar system4 #ai ,the assertion of the fact on the part of our exact masters in working astronomy that there is a motion among the stars1 places under the speculations of ,kant1 ,lambert and ,madler the groundwork of a great probability in respect to their main idea1 which ,i understand to be1 that as the planets move around the sun in regular order1 influenced by unvarying law1 so the stars that make up the visible universe move around one or more centres4 ,these centres are yet unknown4 ,madler may have been mistaken in pointing to ,alcyone as that centre1 but who shall say that one does not exist8 ,meantime we need not follow this matter further4 ,enough has been said to show that the false geocentric theory has been displaced by the heliocentric doctrine1 which has been demonstrated to be true4 ,the earth is no longer looked upon as the centre of the universe1 with the sun1 the moon and stars especially created to revolve about it1 to give it light by day and preserve it from total darkness in the night4 ,the burning of ,bruno1 the imprisonment of ,galileo by the ,catholics1 the condemnation of the works of ,kepler by the ,protestants of ,germany1 could not save the erroneous geocentric theory4 ,it went down as all error in the end must go down4 ,the earth instead of being the immovable centre of the universe is relegated to its true place--it is one of a number of planets1 one of the smaller ones--that revolve around the sun4 ,with all its islands and continents2 its rivers1 lakes and mighty oceans2 its mountains and valleys2 its towns1 cities1 and all the tribes of men1 together with all their hopes and fears and petty ambitions--all is but a moat in ,god's sunbeam--a single grain of sand on the seashore6 ,our solar system itself1 magnificent as it is in its greatness1 is nevertheless insignificant in comparison with the visible universe of which it is only so small a part4 ,as there are other globes like our earth1 says a popular author1 so1 too1 there are other worlds like our solar system4 ,there are self-luminous suns exceeding in number all computation4 ,the dimensions of the earth pass into nothingness in comparison with the dimensions of the solar system1 and that system1 in its turn1 is only an invisible point if placed in relation with the countless hosts of other systems which form1 with it1 clusters of stars4 ,our solar system1 far from being alone in the universe1 is only one of an extensive brotherhood1 bound by common laws and subject to like influences4 ,even on the very verge of creation1 where imagination might lay the beginning of the realms of chaos1 we see unbounded proofs of order1 a regularity in the arrangement of inanimate things1 suggesting to us that there are other intellectual creatures like us1 the tenants of those islands in the abysses of space4 ,though it may take a beam of light a million years #bj to bring to our view those distant worlds1 the end is not yet4 ,far away in the depths of space we catch the faint gleams of other groups of stars like our own4 ,the finger of a man can hide them in their remoteness4 ,their vast distances from one another have dwindled into nothing4 ,they and their movements have lost all individuality2 the innumerable suns of which they are composed blend all their collected light into one pale milky glow4 ,thus extending our view from the earth to the solar system1 from the solar system to the expanse of the group of stars to which we belong1 we behold a series of gigantic nebula creations rising up one after another1 and forming greater and greater colonies of worlds4 ,no numbers can express them1 for they make the firmament a haze of stars4 ,uniformity1 even though it be the uniformity of magnificence1 tires at last1 and we abandon the survey1 for our eyes can only behold a boundless prospect1 and conscience tells us our own unspeakable insignificance6 #ba ,that philosophy which considered the earth to be the immovable centre of the universe with sun1 moon and stars performing a daily revolution about it was not more erroneous than that which asserted the earth and the universe to be instantaneously created about six thousand years ago1 out of nothing4 ,the doctrine that the earth and universe were created out of nothing1 need not detain us a moment4 ,the absurdity of such a proposition is self-evident1 and is becoming quite generally conceded4 ,of the idea that the earth and the heavens1 by which ,i understand is meant the universe1 were created about six thousand years ago1 it is only necessary to say that the discoveries men made in astronomy led them to question the correctness of that theory4 ,men have learned that there is a progressive movement in light4 ,that is1 the rays of light emitted by an object1 and making us sensible of its presence by impinging on the eye1 do not reach us instantaneously1 but consume a certain period in their passage4 ,if any sudden visible effect took place in the sun1 we would not see it at the absolute moment of its occurrence1 but about eight minutes later1 this being the time required for light to cross the intervening distance4 #bb ,it is said by astronomers that there are objects in the heavens so distant that it would take many hundreds of thousands of years--allowing that light travels at the rate of #aih1jjj miles per second--for their light to reach us2 and since we see them it necessarily follows that they have existed so long4 ,they1 at least1 were not created six thousand years ago1 but long before that time4 ,if the orthodox theory was wrong as to the time when those distant worlds were created1 may it not be equally wrong concerning the age of the earth8 ,of course1 it cannot be expected that in this work the writer can give any extended review of the evidence which geology furnishes of the great age of the earth4 ,it will be enough to say that when men look upon the earth1 and take note of those forces which today are producing the gradual changes in the structure of its islands1 continents1 mountain ranges and deltas1 and then attribute the changes which have evidently taken place in the past to the operation of those same forces1 they see on all sides of them evidences of a very great antiquity for the origin of the earth4 ,it is generally conceded that all the heat we now have upon the surface of the earth comes from the sun2 but this only effects the surface of the earth to the extent of a few feet at most4 ,it has been determined1 however1 by experiments so many times repeated1 and in all parts of the earth that it cannot be attributed to any merely local cause1 that beyond the few feet of the earth's surface affected by the sun's heat1 a stratum of invariable temperature is discovered1 beneath which as we descend1 the heat increases at the uniform rate of one degree ,fahrenheit for every fifty or seventy feet4 ,the uniformity of this rate implies that at no great depth a very high temperature must exist4 ,we have every reason to believe1 remarks ,newcomb1 that the increase of say one hundred degrees a mile continues many miles into the interior of the earth4 ,then we shall have a red heat at a distance of twelve miles1 while at the depth of one hundred miles the temperature will be so high as to melt most of the materials which form the solid crust of the globe4 #bc ,the globular form of the earth is also looked upon as evidence of its original fluidity2 while the existence of volcanoes1 found all over the land1 as well in the frigid as the torrid zone2 in ocean beds as well as in the interior of continents1 proving that they are not merely local1 or depend on restricted areas for the liquid lava they belch forth--are supposed to furnish indisputable evidence that the interior of the earth is now as its whole mass once was1 white-hot1 molten matter4 ,granting that the whole earth was once such a ball of fire1 the time for the cooling of such a mass to the present depth of the earth's crust would require a much longer period than the sometime orthodox view of the ,bible account of creation allows4 ,the age of the earth1 remarks ,draper1 is not a question of authority1 not a question of tradition1 but a mathematical problem sharply defined2 to determine the time of cooling a globe of known diameter1 and of given conductibility by radiation in a vacuum4 ,it would unquestionably require a great length of time for the thinest of crusts to form on such a globe2 long ages for the immense clouds of gases and vapors in which the mass revolved to be separated into oceans and atmosphere4 ,then followed upheavals from the ocean's bed1 some gradual1 some abrupt--the mountains appeared1 bleak and bare1 dripping only with the ocean's slime4 ,then came the action of atmosphere and floods of rain upon them4 ,mountains were melted down and valleys formed4 ,then followed depressions and more upheavals2 vast quantities of the interior lava were thrown to the surface through immense rents in the earth's thin crust1 and in time cooled4 ,the ocean receded here and advanced there1 mountain chains1 islands and continents were as unstable as clouds1 when viewed in geological time4 ,constantly the earth's crust grew thicker and more stable as the mass of molten matter within was more securely confined4 ,in time vegetation appeared and so did animal life4 ,still the operation of depression and elevation went on1 as is evident from the fact that imbedded in various strata of the earth's crust1 at great depths1 are found the remains of animals whose species is long extinct2 while on mountain tops are found imbedded in rocks in the region of perpetual snow the fossil remains of animals that only inhabit the ocean4 ,all these changes1 necessarily gradual and slow1 require periods of time so vast that the finite mind fails to grasp them4 ,the book of nature1 made up of the earth's crust1 turn to what page of it you will1 tells us of effects of such magnitude as imply prodigiously long periods of time for their accomplishment4 ,its moments look to us as if they were eternities4 ,what shall we say when we read in it that there are fossiliferous rocks which have been slowly raised ten thousand feet above the level of the sea so lately as since the commencement of the ,tertiary times8 99 99 99 ,that1 since a forest in a thousand years can scarce produce more than two or three feet of vegetable soil1 each dirt-bed is the work of hundreds of centuries8 ,what shall we say when it tells us that the delta of the ,mississippi could only be formed in many tens of thousands of years1 and yet that is only as yesterday when compared with the date of the inland terraces8 99 99 99 ,if the depression of the carboniferous strata of ,nova ,scotia took place at the rate of four feet in a century1 there were demanded #cge1jjj years for its completion--such a movement in the upward direction would have raised ,mount ,blanc4 99 99 99 ,it would take as great a river as the ,mississippi millions of years to convey into the ,gulf of ,mexico as much sediment as is found in those strata4 ,such statements may appear to us1 who with difficulty shake off the absurdities of the patristic chronology1 wild and impossible to be maintained1 and yet they are the conclusions that the most learned and profound geologists draw from their reading of the book of nature4 #bd ,while not accepting all the conclusions of geologists1 and certainly not all their speculations--because they do not know what conditions have existed in the past1 nor can they be sure that the forces which they now see operating are the only ones that have operated in all past time--yet the evidence is very clear that the earth has a much greater age than was attributed to it by the orthodox explanations of the scriptural accounts of creation4 ,it is now generally conceded that the six creative days spoken of in ,genesis are not six ordinary days1 but six long creative periods4 ,so strong is the proof of the great age of the earth1 however absurd some of the conjectures of geologists may be considered1 that no one undertakes to dispute it4 ,thus the ideas of men as to the relation of the earth in time as well as its relation in space have been completely changed within the last century4 ,illimitable ages of duration corresponding to infinite space1 leads up to a grander conception of the universe and prepares the mind for a better comprehension of ,god and his works4 ,so far ,i have considered these changes in the ideas of men relative to the universe as they have been affected by the researches of scientists and speculative philosophers4 ,it now remains to show that while these philosophers have been plodding their way through slow discovery and precarious conjecture towards the truth2 wholly apart from them and independent of them1 there sprang into existence a philosophy pertaining to duration1 space1 matter1 the earth's place in the universe1 the universe itself1 the relation of man therein and the ,gods which1 while running parallel with the truths that scientists have discovered1 goes far beyond them1 and demonstrates a divine inspiration as its source4 ,footnotes #a4 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe 7,draper71 ,vol4 ii4 pp4 #beb-d4 #b4 ,intellectual ,development1 ,vol ii4 p4 #bee4 #c4 ,newcomb's ,popular ,astronomy1 ,introduction1 p4 #f4 #d4 ,intellectual ,development1 ,vol4 ii4 p4 #beh4 #e4 ,i have read with some attention the apology which ,catholics make for the church's harsh treatment of ,galileo2 but ,i have not yet found a writer among ,catholics who attempts a defense of the church in this ,bruno affair4 ,perhaps it is a credit to modern ,catholics that they make no such effort4 ,the incident stands1 however1 as an evidence of ,catholic intolerance and bigotry1 and shows how the apostate church of ,rome had departed from the spirit of the ,gospel of ,christ4 #f4 ,intellectual ,development1 ,vol4 ii4 p4 #bfd4 #g4 ,it moves however4 #h4 ,kepler was born near ,stuttgard in ,wurtemburg1 #aega1 died #afcj4 #i4 ,gillet ,rolfe's ,astronomy1 p4 #dh4 #aj4 ,newcomb's ,astronomy1 p4 #dbb4 #aa4 ,born #agbd1 died #ahjd4 #ab4 ,born #agbh1 died #aggg4 #ac4 ,newcomb's ,astronomy1 p4 #dge4 #ad4 ,newcomb's ,astronomy1 p4 #dgf4 #ae4 ,newcomb's ,astronomy1 p4 #dgg4 #af4 ,johann ,heinrich ,madler1 born #agid1 died #ahgd4 #ag4 ,newcomb's ,astronomy1 p4 #dff4 #ah4 ,newcomb's ,astronomy1 p4 #dff-g4 #ai4 ,newcomb's ,astronomy1 p4 #dff4 #bj4 ,and light travels at the rate of #aih1jjj miles per second4 #ba4 ,draper's ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ii41 p4 #bib-c4 #bb4 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,,ii41 p4 #bii4 #bc4 ,newcomb's ,astronomy1 p4 #cje4 #bd4 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 vol4 ii1 page #ccd4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,evidence ,,of ,,divine ,,inspiration ,,in ,,joseph ,,smith ,,derived ,,from ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,teaching ,,in ,,regard ,,to ,,the ,,extent ,,of ,,the ,,universe1 ,,man',s ,,place ,,in ,,it1 ,,and ,,his ,,doctrine ,,respecting ,,the ,,gods--,,continued4 ,before entering into an exposition of those doctrines taught by ,joseph ,smith in respect to the construction of the universe1 man's place in it and the ,gods1 it is necessary to remind the reader that the prophet was reared and spent his life in the midst of environments which utterly separated him from all possible connection with the scientific thought of the age in which he lived4 ,the western wilds of the state of ,new ,york in the eighteen-twenties and thirties1 the wilderness of ,ohio1 the frontiers of ,missouri and ,illinois were not the centres of thought on astronomy and other scientific subjects2 nor was a man engaged in the great affairs of a new and struggling religious society1 hunted by his enemies1 often betrayed by men whom he trusted1 and constantly on the move1 in any condition to give his attention to scientific thought had he lived in the very centres of its agitation4 ,moreover1 some of the things that the prophet announced as revelation concerning the universe1 the movements of planetary systems and their habitability are not even yet commonly accepted by scientists4 ,only the most advanced of astronomers admit the possibility of these things1 and that with great caution4 #a ,i4 ,joseph ,smith taught that space is infinite1 and that there are no outside curtains to it--no limits--no place beyond its bounds4 ,as it was at creation's dawn so it is now and ever will remain1 incapable of extension or contraction--a limitless vastness to which nothing can be added by way of extension4 ,it is without a centre1 without a circumference4 ,let reason1 aided by the imagination1 do all it can1 no other conception regarding space can be formed4 ,astronomers tell us that between our earth and the sun there are ninety-two millions of miles of space4 ,what is beyond the sun in a straight line from us8 ,space4 ,ninety-two million miles of it8 ,aye1 and if ninety-two millions of miles be multiplied by ninety-two millions1 the space in a direct line from us beyond the sun would not begin to be measured6 ,but ,i am weary of measuring distances by such a paltry unit as a mile1 let us pluck a ray of light from the sun to aid us in our measurements4 ,scientists tell us that in one beat of the pendulum a ray of light would pass eight times round the circumference of the earth1 or #aih1jjj miles6 ,yet from ,alpha ,centauri1 the brightest star in the constellation of the ,centaur and of the fixed stars the nearest to the earth--it would take its light about three and a half years to reach us4 ,it has also been estimated that it would take light over sixteen years to reach us from ,sirius1 about eighteen years to reach us from ,vega1 about twenty-five years from ,arcturus and over forty years from the ,pole-,star4 #b ,these are stars whose distances from the earth have been carefully ascertained4 ,but if these stars nearest to the earth are at such an immense distance from us that figures fail to convey to the mind any adequate idea of its immensity1 what of those clusters of stars of which astronomers speak as only being visible through the most powerful telescopes1 and that are at such immeasurable distances that it would require a million of years for a ray of light to reach us from them6 #c ,so much space is between us and them--what is beyond those distant groups of stars in a direct line from us8 ,space2 and as much of it on the other side of them as on this side2 just as there is as much beyond our earth in a straight line from them as there is between our earth and those distant groups of stars4 ,but why attempt to describe the infinite8 ,it is a hopeless task2 and as space is infinite1 it is useless to attempt to describe it4 ,let imagination fancy it as vast as it can1 but it is still vaster than that4 ,there are heights in it to which even in thought the mind cannot ascend2 there are depths in it which imagination even cannot fathom4 ,what is here set down is not written with the hope of describing space1 but only to aid minds not accustomed to think upon such themes to mentally grasp the self-evident truth that space is limitless4 ,that to some minds may be a difficult thought1 but it is more difficult to conceive bounds to space2 and the effort to do so will result in bringing a consciousness of the truth that space is absolutely without limits4 ,,ii4 ,in this limitless space ,joseph ,smith taught that there are inexhaustible quantities of matter2 that matter is eternal2 it always existed1 it always will exist in some form or other--some of it as suns1 earths and their satellites1 and immeasurable quantities of it in unorganized masses1 or thinly distributed throughout the immensity of space4 ,as space cannot be extended or contracted1 so the sum-total of matter cannot be increased by so much as an atom1 nor can one atom of it be destroyed4 ,it may be put through innumerable changes1 organized into worlds and systems of worlds1 and then resolved again into unorganized elements1 but these changes neither increase the sum total of matter nor annihilate a single atom of it4 ,he who asserts the eternity of matter1 at the same time asserts the impossibility of its creation from nothing1 and also its indestructibility4 ,the discovery of the immense quantity of matter in space by astronomers goes far towards establishing the truth of its infinitude and eternity2 just as their measurements of immense distances go far towards establishing in the mind the conception that space is limitless4 ,when the geocentric theory prevailed1 men had only a very narrow conception of the amount of matter that really existed1 just as they had but a meagre conception of the extent of space4 ,but when through the successive speculation and discoveries of ,cusa1 ,copernicus1 ,bruno and ,galileo1 the conception that the earth is the immovable centre of the universe to attend upon which the sun and all the stars were created1 was displaced by the truth that the earth is but one of the smaller of a number of planets that revolve around the sun2 that the sun with its retinue of planets is but one of the stars that make up the galaxy that spans the heavens--each of which is a sun and doubtless the centre of a planetary system2 #d when the telescope increased to man's vision the number of such suns from five thousand visible to the naked eye1 to thirty or fifty millions1 he began to be aware of the vast amount of matter distributed in space which makes up the visible universe4 ,but beyond the faintest stars that can be discerned1 the telescope reveals the existence of masses of soft1 diffused light of greater or less extent1 to which astronomers have given the name of nebulae4 ,many nebulae which once were set down as masses of unorganized matter1 when more powerful telescopes were turned upon them1 were resolved into star clusters1 and for a time it was thought that all that was needed to discover that all nebulae were star clusters was still more powerful telescopes4 ,this opinion is now1 however1 abandoned1 since another means of determining the character of these hazy patches of light exists1 viz41 the spectroscope4 ,in #ahdf it was discovered by ,dr4 ,john ,william ,draper1 that the spectrum of an ignited solid is continuous1 and as it was already known through the careful experiments of ,fraunhofer that the spectrum of ignited gases is discontinuous1 a means was furnished by the discovery of ,dr4 ,draper for determining whether light emitted by a given nebulae comes from an incandescent gas1 or from a congeries of ignited solids1 stars1 or suns4 ,if the spectrum be discontinuous1 it is a true nebulae or gas2 if continuous a congeries of stars4 #e ,observations of nebulae by means of the spectroscope since this discovery have resulted in some of them giving discontinuous or gaseous spectre1 others continuous ones2 and accordingly the nebulae of the former class have been set down as true nebulae or gas1 and the latter as star clusters1 too distant to be resolved by our most powerful telescopes into separate stars to the vision4 ,the revelations of the spectroscope in this particular are accepted by scientists as demonstrating the existence of vast masses of matter in a gaseous condition1 and at a temperature of incandescence2 and it is suggested by ,draper that in some of those gleaming apparitions we see the genesis1 and in others the melting away of universes4 ,however that may be1 the extended view of the amount and diversity of matter in space afforded us by means of the discoveries of scientists through the instrumentality of telescopes and spectroscopes1 helps the mind to comprehend the infinitude and eternity of it2 and prepares the way for the acceptance of the great truth announced in one of ,god's revelations to ,joseph ,smith--,there are many kingdoms2 for there is no space where there is no kingdom2 and there is no kingdom in which there is no space1 either a greater or a lesser kingdom4 #f ,while on this subject of matter it may be as well to state that the prophet taught that ,there is no such thing as immaterial matter4 ,all spirit is matter1 said he1 but it is more fine or pure1 and can only be discerned by purer eyes4 ,we cannot see it2 but when our bodies are purified1 we shall see that it is all matter4 #g ,that there is no such thing as immaterial matter is a self-evident truth2 and either we must affirm the materiality of spirit1 or deny its existence2 for what would an immaterial spirit be8 the same as immaterial fire or water or atmosphere4 ,to say that any one of the substances named is immaterial is to deny its existence4 ,if it shall be said that intelligence or love is immaterial1 the answer would be that neither intelligence nor love is matter1 but a property of matter--an attribute of spirits1 just as motion or weight is a property of matter4 ,running parallel with boundless space and limitless and eternal matter is eternal duration1 according to the teaching of the prophet4 ,eternal duration of time is of that class of truths called necessary truths1 because it is impossible to conceive the contrary2 that is1 we cannot conceive of duration having a beginning4 ,starting with today for a unit1 ,i ask1 what preceded it8 ,yesterday1 ,i am answered4 ,and what will follow it8 ,tomorrow4 ,what preceded this present year8 ,last year4 ,and what will follow it8 ,next year4 ,what preceded this present century8 ,last century4 ,what preceded the present millennium8 ,last millennium4 ,and what will follow it8 ,another millennium4 ,so ,i might continue to go on questioning and answering1 constantly enlarging the periods1 yet getting no nearer to the beginning of the past1 nor to the end of future time4 ,as in starting from any given point in space1 and going with the velocity of light or thought in opposite directions1 would never take us to the point where space is not extended1 so starting from any given point in duration1 and going in opposite directions1 though our mental strides be a million years each we should never arrive at the beginning nor the end of time4 ,it has neither1 it is eternal4 ,of course there is relative duration1 which has a beginning and an end1 such as the period between that moment1 when the chaotic mass of matter out of which a solar system was made began to break up into rings and condense into a sun and its planets and their satellites1 and that moment when it may be resolved again into such a mass4 ,such a period may have a beginning and an end4 ,there is also relative space which may have a point where it begins and another where it ends1 such as space between our earth and the sun4 ,but ,i have been speaking of absolute space and duration1 not of relative1 and the one is as limitless as the other is eternal4 ,i shall be told that in all this there is nothing new2 that the philosophers1 at least of the materialistic school1 believe and teach all this4 ,be it so1 they thus far teach the truth1 at which they have arrived by the slow and painful pathway of experiment and discovery4 ,wholly separated from them and independent of them1 the youthful prophet ,joseph ,smith learned the same truths by the inspiration of ,god1 and taught them to his followers fifty and sixty years ago in the wilderness of ,new ,york and ,ohio4 ,but he went beyond the philosophers as ,i am now to prove4 ,first1 ,lambert and ,madler1 as we have seen1 conjectured that the so-called fixed stars of our galaxy were each the centre of groups of planets and with their retinue revolved about some greater centre1 somewhere in the universe4 ,lambert's conjectures provided opaque centres1 while ,madler selected ,alcyone of the constellation ,pleiades as the centre of the steller universe4 ,astronomers regard these conjectures as baseless speculation1 but cannot deny the possibility of them4 ,they say that such may be the plan on which the universe is constructed1 but they have no proof of it4 ,they admit that their discoveries prove a movement of the stars1 but they are unable to determine its character4 ,but what the speculative philosophers advanced as conjecture and the working astronomers of today admit only as possible1 more than half a century ago ,joseph ,smith taught as revelation from ,god4 ,that is1 he taught that among the stars commonly called fixed stars there are certain great ones which govern the smaller ones in their times and revolutions1 or are the centres about which they revolve2 that there is pre-eminently one great central body around which even these great ones with their attendant systems revolve1 and that this governs all the planetary systems of the order to which our earth belongs4 ,to put the statement in another form1 for the sake of clearness1 as the eight planets with their attendant satellites which form our solar system revolve around the sun1 so the sun with all his attendant planets is one of a number of such systems which revolve around a still greater centre2 and that centre with its attendant systems is but one of a number of such systems which revolve around the pre-eminently great central body--to which reference has been made--that ,god has set to govern all those planetary systems that belong to the same order as our own4 ,second1 ,joseph ,smith taught that all these worlds and systems of worlds are under the dominion of law1 by which they move in their times and their seasons2 that their courses are fixed1 even the courses of the heavens and the earth--which comprehend the earth and all the planets4 ,and they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons1 in their minutes1 in their hours1 in their days1 in their weeks1 in their months1 in their years3 all these are one year with ,god1 but not with man4 #h ,but while the prophet proclaimed the universal dominion of law1 he also proclaimed that unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions2 #i by which ,i understand that even law is governed by law4 ,that as systems upon systems of universes rise one above another1 so also do the laws by which they are governed1 so that which to us often seems a violation of law1 is but the application of higher laws of which we are wholly or in part ignorant4 ,third1 the prophet taught that these worlds and systems of worlds1 of which ,i have spoken1 were inhabited4 #aj ,the learned scientists of today in dealing with the question1 are the innumerable worlds in the universe revealed to you by your powerful telescopes inhabited8 can only give as an answer a doubtful perhaps4 ,one of the scientists1 a leading astronomer1 thus gives his conclusions after a long review of the question3 ,it seems1 therefore1 so far as we can reason from analogy1 that the probabilities are in favor of only a very small fraction of the planets being peopled with intelligent beings4 ,but when we reflect that the possible number of the planets is counted by hundreds of millions1 this small fraction may be really a large number1 and among this number many may be peopled by beings much higher than ourselves in the intellectual scale4 ,here we may give free rein to our imagination with the moral certainty that science will supply nothing tending either to prove or disprove any of its fancies4 #aa ,this is the best that science can do4 ,the habitability of other worlds to science is a proposition more or less doubtful2 but the teachings of the ,prophet ,joseph are clear and positive upon the subject as far back as #ahcb4 #ab ,fourth1 the prophet taught that all these inhabitants had their own times and seasons1 days and years1 etc41 according to the revolutions of the planets on which they reside4 #ac ,fifth1 that the ,creator of all these worlds and systems of worlds will visit them each in turn4 ,the revelation which teaches this doctrine refers to those worlds or planets that constitute the universe as kingdoms which the ,lord likens unto a man having a field1 and he sent forth his servants into the field to dig in the field2 and he said unto the first1 go ye and labor in the field1 and in the first hour ,i will come unto you1 and ye shall behold the joy of my countenance4 ,and he said unto the second1 go ye also into the field1 and in the second hour ,i will visit you with the joy of my countenance2 and also unto the third1 saying1 ,i will visit you2 and unto the fourth2 and so on unto the twelfth4 ,and the ,lord of the field went unto the first in the first hour1 and tarried with him all that hour1 and he was made glad with the light of the countenance of his ,lord4 ,and then he withdrew from the first that he might visit the second also1 and the third and the fourth1 and so on unto the twelfth2 and thus they all received the light of the countenance of their ,lord2 every man in his hour1 and in his time1 and in his season1 beginning at the first and so on unto the last1 and from the last unto the first1 and from the first to the last--every man in his order1 until his hour was finished even according as his ,lord had commanded him1 that his ,lord might be glorified in him1 and he the servant in him the ,lord1 that they all might be glorified4 ,therefore unto this parable will ,i liken all these kingdoms worlds and the inhabitants thereof2 every kingdom in its hour and in its time and in its season2 even according to the decree which ,god hath made4 #ad ,sixth1 the prophet taught that the earth and the heavens at least as they are now constituted1 will pass away2 that afterwards the earth will be re-created and made an immortal or celestial world2 and the righteous inhabit it as an eternal abode4 ,this is the language of the revelation which teaches the doctrine--,verily ,i say unto you1 the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom1 for it filleth the measure of its creation and transgresseth not the law4 ,wherefore it shall be sanctified2 yea1 notwithstanding it shall die1 it shall be quickened1 again and the righteous shall inherit it4 #ae ,and the earth shall pass away so as by fire4 99 99 99 99 ,and every corruptible thing1 both of man or the beasts of the field1 or the fowls of the heavens1 or the fish of the sea1 that dwell upon all the face of the earth1 shall be consumed2 and also the elements shall melt with fervent heat2 and all things shall become new1 that my the ,lord's knowledge and glory may dwell upon all the earth4 #af ,in a revelation given to ,joseph ,smith making known to him more fully the visions which the ,lord gave to ,moses in the mount1 and from which ,moses wrote his account of creation in the book of ,genesis1 the ,lord is represented as saying3 ,and worlds without number have ,i created4 99 99 99 ,but only an account of this earth and the inhabitants thereof give ,i unto you4 ,for behold1 there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power4 99 99 99 ,and the ,lord ,god spake unto ,moses1 saying1 the heavens they are many1 and they cannot be numbered unto man1 but they are numbered unto me1 for they are mine1 and as one earth shall pass away1 and the heavens thereof1 even so shall another come2 and there is no end to my work4 #ag ,seventh1 the prophet taught that the earth in its sanctified and immortal state will be made like unto crystal and will be a ,urim and ,thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon1 whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom world1 or all kingdoms worlds of a lower order will be manifest to those who dwell on it2 and that through the means of ,urim and ,thummim these inhabitants of the earth in its celestial state will learn of things pertaining to the higher order of kingdoms or universes4 #ah ,these doctrines concerning the earth and the universe will be found scattered through the revelations received by the prophet as quoted in the margin of the respective pages of this book devoted to their consideration1 except the first1 which1 from the importance of the matter with which it deals1 viz43 the movements of planetary systems around great centres1 and these great centres with their attendant systems around some pre-eminently great centre--as well as from the peculiar manner by which he came into possession of the information1 requires special consideration4 ,the construction and movements of the planetary systems herein described as the teaching of the prophet ,joseph ,smith makes no pretension to being new doctrine4 ,the prophet rather proclaims that the ancients were familiar with it4 ,such was the construction of the universe as taught to the ,egyptians by ,abraham2 and ,joseph ,smith learned it from the ,book of ,abraham1 a record written by that patriarch1 and which came into the hands of the prophet in the following manner3 ,the records were obtained from one of the catacombs in ,egypt1 near the place where once stood the renowned city of ,thebes1 by a ,french traveler named ,antonio ,sebolo1 in the year #ahca4 ,he procured license from ,mehemet ,ali1 the viceroy of ,egypt1 under the protection of ,chevalier ,drovetti1 the ,french ,consul1 in the year #ahbh4 ,he employed four hundred and thirty-three men2 and after four months and two days' hard work1 entered the catacomb ,june #gth1 #ahca1 and obtained eleven mummies4 ,there were several hundred mummies in the same catacomb2 about one hundred embalmed after the first order1 and placed in niches1 and two or three hundred after the second and third orders1 and laid upon the floor or bottom of the ground cavity4 ,the last two orders of embalmed were so decayed1 that they could not be handled1 and only eleven of the first order found in niches were well enough preserved to be removed4 ,on his way from ,alexandria to ,paris1 ,sebolo put in at ,trieste1 and1 after ten days' illness1 died4 ,this was in the year #ahcb4 ,previous to his decease1 he made a will of his whole collection of mummies to ,mr4 ,michael ,h4 ,chandler 7then in ,philadelphia1 ,pa471 his nephew1 whom he supposed to be in ,ireland4 ,accordingly the mummies were sent to ,dublin1 and ,mr4 ,chandler's friends ordered them to ,new ,york1 where they were received at the custom house in the winter or spring of #ahcc4 ,in ,april of the same year1 ,mr4 ,chandler paid the duties1 and took possession of his treasures4 #ai ,up to this time they had not been taken out of the coffins1 nor the coffins opened4 ,on opening the coffins1 ,mr4 ,chandler discovered that in connection with two of the bodies1 was something rolled up with the same kind of linen1 saturated with the same bitumen1 which when examined1 proved to be two rolls of papyrus1 filled with hieroglyphics and characters or letters somewhat like the present form of the ,hebrew4 ,all the hieroglyphics were beautifully written with black and a small part with red ink or paint4 ,two or three other small pieces of papyrus with astronomical calculations1 epitaphs1 etc41 were found with the other mummies4 ,mr4 ,chandler traveled with his mummies exhibiting them and the rolls of papyrus in the principal cities of the eastern states1 and in ,july1 #ahce1 arrived at ,kirtland1 where the ability of ,joseph ,smith to translate ancient languages by a divine gift being known1 ,mr4 ,chandler submitted to him some of the characters1 which the prophet translated4 ,a few days later some of the ,saints in ,kirtland purchased the mummies and rolls of papyrus of ,mr4 ,chandler2 and the ,prophet ,joseph with ,w4 ,w4 ,phelps and ,oliver ,cowdery acting as scribes commenced the translation of the rolls1 when to their joy they found that one of them contained the writings of ,abraham1 and the other of ,joseph1 who was sold into ,egypt by his brethren4 #bj ,as soon as it was announced that the prophet had come into possession of another ancient record in the manner above described1 it was rumored about that he pretended to be in possession of the bodies of ,abraham1 ,abimelech1 the king of the ,philistines1 ,joseph who was sold into ,egypt1 etc4 ,these false rumors the prophet corrected by saying of the mummies which had so strangely come into his possession--,who these ancient inhabitants of ,egypt were1 ,i do not at present say4 ,abraham was buried on his own possession in the cave of ,machpelah1 in the field of ,ephron1 the son of ,zohah1 the ,hittite1 which is before ,mamre1 which he purchased of the sons of ,heth4 ,abimelech lived in the same country1 and for aught we know died there2 and the children of ,israel carried ,joseph's bones from ,egypt1 when they went out under ,moses2 consequently they could not have been found in ,egypt in the nineteenth century4 #ba ,then follows the account of the finding of the record as already recited in preceding paragraphs4 ,some parts of the ,book of ,abraham the prophet translated and published1 but if he translated the writings of ,joseph they have not been published4 ,from the fragments of the writings of ,abraham thus brought to light the prophet learned the construction of the universe that ,i have set down in these pages4 ,abraham received his knowledge of the wonderful works of ,god as seen in the planetary and stellar worlds by revelation from ,god through the ,urim and ,thummim1 an instrument by means of which ,god revealed knowledge to the ancient patriarchs and prophets4 #bb ,one of the principal passages in the writings of ,abraham which teaches the principles of astronomy is as follows3 ,and ,i1 ,abraham1 had the ,urim and ,thummim1 which the ,lord my ,god had given unto me1 in ,ur of the ,chaldees2 and ,i saw the stars that they were very great1 and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of ,god2 and the ,lord said unto me1 these are the governing ones2 and the name of the great one is ,kolob1 because it is near unto me4 99 99 99 ,i have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order of that upon thou standest4 ,and the ,lord said unto me1 by ,urim and ,thummim1 that ,kolob was after the manner of the ,lord1 according to its times and seasons in the revolutions thereof1 that one revolution was a day unto the ,lord1 after his manner of reckoning1 it being one thousand years according to the time appointed unto that whereon thou standest4 ,this is the reckoning of the ,lord's time1 according to the reckoning of ,kolob4 #bc ,in this passage will be found the germ of that system of the construction and movement of planetary systems that make up the universe1 set forth in the teachings of ,joseph ,smith4 ,here it may be seen that there are many great stars--the governing ones1 near together1 and from among them rises one pre-eminent in greatness--,kolob--which governs all the rest that are of the same order as that to which our solar system belongs4 ,from other fragments translated from the writings of ,abraham on the roll of papyrus we learn that a star called by the ,egyptians ,oliblish stands next to ,kolob--that it is the next grand1 governing creation2 that it is equal to ,kolob in its revolutions and in the measurement of time2 that it holds the keys of power as pertaining to other planets4 #bd ,another governing star in this ,abrahamic system is ,enish-go-on-dosh1 said by the ancient ,egyptians to be the sun1 and to borrow receive its light from ,kolob through the medium of ,kae-e-vanrash4 99 99 99 ,kae-e-vanrash is the grand key or governing power which governs fifteen other fixed planets or stars1 as also the moon 7,floeese71 the earth and the sun in their annual revolutions4 99 99 99 ,kae-e-vanrash receives its power through ,kli-flos-is-es or ,hah-ko-kau-beam4 ,kli-flos-is-es and ,hah-ko-kau-beam receive their light from the revolutions of ,kolob4 #be ,from the foregoing it appears that our solar system1 the governing planet of which--the sun--is known in this ,abrahamic system as ,enish-go-on-dosh1 is governed by1 or has for a centre around which it revolves a star known as ,kae-e-vanrash4 ,kae-e-vanrash is governed by or has for a centre around which it revolves1 together with its attendant systems of worlds1 ,kli-flos-is-es or ,hah-ko-kau-beam2 and these two stars with their attendant systems are governed by or revolve around ,kolob1 the great centre of that part of the universe to which our planetary system belongs4 ,of course these names of governing stars are of but little importance to us at present because of our inability to identify them with those fixed stars known to us under other names2 but this ,abrahamic system of the construction of the universe and movement of planetary systems1 revealed to the world by ,joseph ,smith certainly presents the grandest ideas of the scale on which the universe is constructed1 and the power and majesty of the laws by which it is governed4 ,it is true that ,kant1 ,lambert and ,madler somewhat approached the ,abrahamic system in their speculations1 but what they advanced as conjecture1 the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith taught as divine truth1 as revelation4 ,it is over half a century since the ,abrahamic system was first announced by the prophet2 and it is interesting to note the fact that though the heavens have been constantly searched by powerful telescopes during that time1 nothing has yet been discovered which at all conflicts with it4 ,on the contrary1 as we have seen1 much has been learned which tends to confirm it4 ,what ,god has revealed on this most important and interesting branch of knowledge far outstrips what scientists have learned or speculative philosophers have conjectured2 and with confidence those who accept that revelation may watch the slow but important discoveries of astronomers which will yet demonstrate the truth of that system which ,god has revealed4 ,it represents the universe as planned on a scale so magnificent that it is worthy of the intelligence of a ,god as its ,creator4 ,such ideas of the construction of the universe are worthy of revelation1 they carry with them by the very force of their grandeur the evidence of their truth2 and when it is remembered that they were brought forth by a young man wholly separated from the centres of scientific thought1 unacquainted with the speculations of philosophers1 and without any previous knowledge of astronomy1 it is not difficult to believe that he received his knowledge of them from the writings of one inspired or taught of ,god2 and that he himself was gifted with divine power to translate those ancient writings1 and hence himself a prophet and seer inspired of ,god4 ,another matter of interest to note is1 as already observed1 that this ,abrahamic system of astronomy is not held up as a new idea of the construction of the universe1 but is simply bringing to light again the knowledge had among the ancients4 ,in a preceding chapter ,i called attention to the fact that ,copernicus in the preface of his work on the movement of the heavenly bodies1 complains against the imperfections of the geocentric theory and states that he sought among ancient writers for a better way1 and so had learned the heliocentric doctrine #bf--that is1 that the sun was the center around which the earth moved4 ,as another evidence that the idea of ,copernicus concerning the structure of the universe was known to the ancients and that he learned it from their writings1 it is only necessary to say that when the ,holy ,inquisition on the #eth of ,march1 #afaf ,a4 ,d41 issued its decrees against ,galileo1 it also condemned and denounced the whole ,copernican system as that false ,pythagoran doctrine1 utterly contrary to the ,holy ,scriptures4 #bg ,pythagoras was born about #edj ,b4 ,c41 most probably at ,samosa1 an island in the ,aegean ,sea4 ,despite the efforts of some eminent scholars to prove that the doctrines of ,pythagoras were not of ,egyptian origin1 it is now quite generally conceded that they were4 ,if it were not explicitly stated by the ancients1 says ,draper1 that ,pythagoras lived for twenty-two years in ,egypt1 there is sufficient internal evidence in his story to prove that he had been there a long time4 ,as a connoisseur can detect the hand of a master by the style of a picture1 so one who has devoted attention to the old system of thought sees1 at a glance1 the ,egyptian in the philosophy of ,pythagoras4 #bh ,the only thing1 however1 that now concerns me in his doctrines is that part which relates to astronomy4 ,however touched with fancy his theory may have been1 he did teach that the sun was the centre of the planetary system1 around which the earth with four other planets revolved2 #bi and in that one may see substantially the heliocentric theory subsequently taught by ,copernicus4 ,it is clear from his own statement that ,copernicus learned the heliocentric doctrine from the ancients1 among whom doubtless was ,pythagoras1 who learned it from the ,egyptians1 among whom he spent twenty-two years of his life4 ,it only now remains to prove that the ,egyptians received their knowledge of astronomy from ,abraham1 in order to prove that indirectly the heliocentric theory1 which has led to our modern notions of the construction of the universe1 as well as the ,abrahamic system of astronomy revealed to the world through ,joseph ,smith has one and the same source--the revelations which the ,lord gave to the ,patriarch ,abraham4 ,that ,abraham was in ,egypt is clear both from the ,bible #cj and the writings of ,josephus4 ,the latter after relating all that the ,bible does1 only in greater detail1 adds to the account that the ,egyptian king made ,abraham a large present in money2 and gave him leave to enter into conversation with the most learned among the ,egyptians2 from which conversation1 his virtue and his reputation became more conspicuous than they had been before4 ,for whereas the ,egyptians were formerly addicted to different customs1 and despised one another's sacred and accustomed rites1 and were very angry one with another on that account1 ,abraham conferred with each of them1 and confuted the reasonings they made use of1 every one for their own practices1 he demonstrated that such reasonings were vain1 and void of truth2 whereupon he was admired by them1 in those conferences1 as a very wise man1 and one of great sagacity1 when he discoursed on any subject he undertook2 and this was not only in understanding it1 but in persuading other men also to assent to him4 ,he communicated to them arithmetic1 and delivered to them the science of astronomy2 for before ,abraham came into ,egypt1 they were unacquainted with those parts of learning2 for that science came from the ,chaldeans into ,egypt1 and from thence to the ,greeks also4 #ca ,josephus does not give his authority for this remarkable addition to the ,bible account of ,abraham's sojourn in ,egypt1 but there can be no doubt of the correctness of his statement or of his sufficiency as authority for the fact4 ,for1 as remarked by ,mr4 ,william ,osburn1 author of the ,monumental ,history of ,egypt1 ,not only were the temple records of ,egypt in existence at the time when ,josephus wrote his ,antiquities1 but the work of ,josephus was itself specially addressed to the ,greek and ,egyptian philosophers of ,alexandria as an apology for his own nation4 ,so that to have ventured upon a falsification of the history of ,egypt1 thus disparaging to its ancient fame1 and thus to the credit of his own hero1 to antagonists perfectly competent to expose it1 and deeply interested in the exposure1 would have been sheer insanity4 ,it would hardly1 therefore1 be possible to produce a statement better authenticated4 ,we assume it1 then1 for an historical fact1 that ,abraham arrived in ,egypt at a time when the monarchy was convulsed by a fierce civil broil1 arising out of religious differences1 which was appeased during his sojourn there4 #cb ,and on the same authority1 supported by the same reasoning1 ,i also accept it as an historical fact that the patriarch taught the ,egyptians arithmetic and astronomy1 from whence afterwards the ,greeks learned some fragments of the patriarch's teaching on the latter subject4 #cc ,from the ,book of ,abraham we learn that the patriarch went into ,egypt because he was commanded of ,god to go1 and that for the express purpose of teaching the things he had learned concerning the heavens and the earth4 #cd ,the agreement of the statement of ,joseph ,smith that he learned what he knew of the construction of the universe from the writings of ,abraham1 found as already described1 in ,egpyt--the agreement of this claim with the historical fact that ,abraham did1 for a time1 live in ,egypt and teach the ,egyptians a system of astronomy1 is very strong presumptive evidence of its truth4 ,it will appear the more so when ,joseph ,smith's lack of historical information at the time he first announced these doctrines--as early as #ahce--;is taken into account4 ,still more will it appear when it is remembered that the fragments of astronomy learned by ,pythagoras in ,egypt is the foundation of the ,copernican system1 the nucleus from which has been developed through the researches of our latter-day astronomers1 our modern knowledge of the solar system and the plan of the construction of the universe4 ,and when it is also remembered that those fragments as well as the system developed from them are in accord with that fuller information that has come through the medium of revelation to ,joseph ,smith4 ,all this--these undesigned coincidences--give direct evidence that in this man ,joseph ,smith there was an excellent spirit of understanding1 so extra-ordinary in its character that it can be referred to no other origin than the revelations of ,god to him4 ,footnotes #a4 ,see a recent article in the ,american press by ,sir ,robert ,ball on the ,possibility of ,life on ,other ,worlds1 in which ,sir ,robert views the present state of the question from a scientific standpoint1 and only conservatively admits the possibility of life on other worlds4 ,he concludes1 however1 thus3 ,no reasonable person will1 ,i think1 doubt that the tendency of modern research has been in favor of the supposition that there may be life on some of the other globes4 #b4 ,gillet and ,rolf's ,astronomy pp4 #cfd-e4 ,in many instances it is believed that it would take the light of stars hundreds of years to make the journey to our earth1 and in some instances even thousands of years4--,ibid4 #c4 ,draper's ,intellectual ,development ,vol4 ,,ii41 p4 #bib4 ,also ,newcomb's ,astronomy p4 #dee-f4 #d4 ,these distant suns are1 many of them1 much larger than our sun4 ,sirus1 the beautiful ,dog-star1 is 7so far as can be judged by its amount of light7 nearly #c1jjj times larger1 and therefore its system of dependent worlds must be so much more important than those which form our solar system4 ,its planets may far exceed ours in size and revolve at far greater distances2 for such a sun would throw its beams of light and heat very much beyond a distance equal to that of our ,neptune4--,samuel ,kinns1 ,p4 ,h4 ,d1 ,f4 ,r4 ,a4 ,a4 ,s41 in ,harmony of the ,bible with ,science1 second edition1 p4 #bch4 ,man when he looks upon the countless multitudes of stars--when he reflects that all he sees is only a small portion of those which exist1 yet that each is a light and life-giving sun to multitudes of opaque1 and therefore invisible worlds--when he considers the enormous size of these various bodies and their immeasurable distance from one another1 may form an estimate of the scale on which the world universe is constructed4--,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,,ii41 p4 #bgi4 #e4 ,draper's ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,,ii41 p4 #bhc4 #f4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxxviii3 #cg4 #g4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 cxxxi4 ,see also an article on the absurdities of ,immaterialism1 by ,elder ,orson ,pratt2 and ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xciii3 #bi1 #cc-ce4 #h4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3 #cf1 #db-dd4 #i4 ,ibid1 verse #ch4 #aj4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxxviii3 #de-f4 #aa4 ,newcomb's ,astronomy1 p4 #eca4 #ab4 ,doc and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3 #de-fa4 ,the revelation was given ,december1 #ahcb4 ,see also ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cxxx3 #d1 #h4 #ac4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cxxx3 #d1 #e4 #ad4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3 #ea-fa4 #ae4 ,ibid1 verses #be1 #bf4 #af4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 ci3 #bd1 #be4 #ag4 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #e1 #f1 #ahhh edition4 ,a noted author and scientist states essentially the same truth in the following manner3 ,the multiplicity of worlds in infinite space leads to the conception of a succession of worlds in infinite time4 ,this existing universe1 with all its splendors1 had a beginning1 and will have an end2 it had its predecessors1 and will have its successors2 but its march through all its transformations is under the control of laws as unchangeable as destiny4 ,as a cloud which is composed of myriads of separate and isolated spherules of water so minute as to be invisible1 on a summer's afternoon changes its aspect and form1 disappearing from the sky1 and being replaced in succeeding hours by other clouds of a different aspect and shape1 so the universe1 which is a cloud of suns and worlds1 changes in the immensity of time its form and fashion1 and that which is temporary with us is only an example of countless combinations of a like kind1 which in ancient times have1 one after another1 vanished away4 ,in periods yet to come the endless succession of metamorphoses will still go on1 a series of universes to which there is no end4--,intellectual development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,,ii41 p4 #ccf4 #ah4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cxxx3 #i1 #aj4 #ai4 ,this account of how ,mr4 ,chandler came into possession of the mummies is of course given by himself2 and for its accuracy the ,prophet ,joseph is in no way responsible4 #bj4 ,history of ,joseph1 ,millennial ,star1 ,vol4 xv41 p4 #bif4 #ba4 ,history ,joseph ,smith1 ,millennial ,star1 ,vol4 xv41 p4 #eej4 #bb4 ,see ,exodus xxviii3 #cj2 ,lev4 viii3 #h2 ,num4 xxvii3 #ba2 ,deut1 xxxiii3 #h2 ,i4 ,sam4 xxviii3 #f2 ,ezra ii3 #fc2 ,neh4 vii3 #fe4 #bc4 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #eh1 #ei4 #ahhh ,edition4 #bd4 ,reynolds' ,book of ,abraham1 a ,divine and ,ancient ,record1 p4 #cj4 #be4 ,book of ,abraham1 circular disc1 plate #b4 ,see also ,elder ,george ,reynolds' ,book of ,abraham1 a ,divine and ,ancient ,record1 p4 #cj4 #bf4 ,intellectual ,development1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #bee4 #bg4 ,intellectual ,development1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #bfc4 #bh4 ,intellectual ,development1 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 ,,iii4 #bi4 ,intellectual ,development1 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #aaf-aag4 #cj4 ,genesis xii4 #ca4 ,antiquities of the ,jews1 ,bk4 ,i4 ch4 viii4 #cb4 ,monumental ,history of ,egypt1 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #cg4 #cc4 ,josephus in another place repeats his assertion that the ,greeks learned their knowledge of celestial things of the ,egyptians by saying3 ,but then for those that first introduced philosophy1 and the consideration of things celestial and divine among them the ,greeks such as ,pherecydes1 the ,syrian1 and ,pythagoras and ,thales1 all with one consent agree1 that they learned what they knew of the ,egyptians and ,chaldeans1 and wrote but little4 ,josephus against ,apion1 ,bk4 ,i4 #cd4 ,book of ,abraham1 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #fa4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,evidence ,,of ,,divine ,,inspiration ,,in ,,joseph ,,smith ,,derived ,,from ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,teaching ,,in ,,regard ,,to ,,the ,,extent ,,of ,,the ,,universe1 ,,man',s ,,place ,,in ,,it ,,and ,,his ,,doctrine ,,respecting ,,the ,,gods--,,concluded4 ,we are to turn now from the contemplation of the universe to consider man's place in it1 and the doctrine in relation to the ,gods as taught by ,joseph ,smith4 ,whether man be viewed from the standpoint of his relationship to other animals1 the beauty and majesty of his physical organism1 the superiority of his intellectual endowments1 or the sublimity of his spiritual aspirations1 something will be found in each that argues for him a special place in the universe4 ,it is true that many animals in their physical organism are stronger than man2 some are swifter2 others keener of sight or smell1 and still others are of more acute hearing2 but in none is there found that combination which renders man superior to them all4 ,which of the animals1 however strong1 or fierce1 has he not subdued8 ,some yield their strength1 and others their speed to serve him2 others still please him with their beauty1 or yield a useful product for his comfort2 while all pay him homage by yielding to his sway4 ,nor has man been content with obtaining dominion over the animal creation alone4 ,gradually he is mastering the elements and extending his dominion over all the earth4 ,the winds and ocean currents have long been his servants2 the lightning bears his messages2 the element of fire is made to serve him in a thousand ways2 steam propels his chariot2 distance he well nigh annihilates2 he weighs the earth in his balances2 measures the distances of the sun and the stars1 tells the substances of which they are composed and the mathematical laws by which they are governed4 ,as one thus even partially reviews man's achievements and considers the mastery he has obtained alike over the animal creation and the forces of nature--with the poet he exclaims3 ,what a piece of work is man6 how noble in reason6 how infinite in faculty6 in form and moving how express and admirable6 in action1 how like an angel6 in apprehension1 how like a ,god6 the beauty of the world6 the paragon of animals6 ,well might the ,psalmist say--addressing himself to ,god3 ,what is man that thou art mindful of him8 ,and the ,son of man that thou visitest him8 ,for thou hast made him a little lower than the angels1 and hast crowned him with glory and honor4 ,thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands1 thou hast put all things under his feet4 #a ,these favors granted to man by the ,creator1 no less than his superiority to all other creatures of earth1 proclaim for him a special place in the universe2 and according to the teachings of ,joseph ,smith1 both the superiority of his endowments and the special favors that he enjoys1 arise out of his relationship to the ,deity4 ,the prophet taught that the spirits of men before they tabernacled in bodies of flesh and bone on this earth had an existence with ,god in another world2 that ,god is the ,father of their spirits1 ,jesus ,christ being the firstborn4 #b ,that existence was a tangible one2 it involved the realities of life in the heavenly kingdom or family4 ,each spirit there was as much an entity as each man is in this present life4 ,each spirit there had its agency as each man has it here2 and was at liberty to take that course it elected to pursue4 #c ,at the first organization in heaven1 says the prophet1 we were all present1 and saw the ,savior chosen and appointed and the plan of salvation made1 and we sanctioned it4 ,some spirits went so far in the exercise of their agency as to rebell against ,god4 ,lucifer1 the ,son of the ,morning1 did so1 and drew away with him one-third of the hosts of heaven1 and they became the devil and his angels4 #d ,this is not only the teaching of ,joseph ,smith1 but also of the ,bible4 #e ,one thing1 however1 ,joseph ,smith taught which1 as far as ,i know1 the ,bible does not teach1 viz1 that these spirits in their pre-existent estate attained unto a variety of degrees of intelligence and nobility of character4 ,in the ,book of ,abraham1 quoted in my last chapter1 it is written3 ,now the ,lord had shown unto me1 ,abraham1 the intelligences that were organized before the world was3 and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones2 and ,god saw these souls that they were good1 and he stood in the midst of them1 and he said1 ,these ,i will make my rulers1 for he stood among those that were spirits1 and he said unto me1 ,abraham1 thou art one of them1 thou wast chosen before thou wast born4 #f ,how beautiful is this doctrine6 how reasonable6 how many problems it explains6 ,what light it throws upon the life and character of man6 ,notwithstanding the great influence of parentage and environment upon character1 we may understand now how it is that in spite of indifferent parentage and vicious environments some characters arise that are truly virtuous and great1 and that purely by the strength of that intelligence and nobility to which their spirits had attained in the heavenly kingdom before they took bodies upon earth4 ,their grandeur of soul could not all be suppressed by environment in this life1 however inauspicious for their development4 ,as the sun struggles through clouds and mists that at times obscure his brightness1 so these spirits1 stirred by their innate nobility1 breaking through all disadvantages attendant upon ignoble birth and iron fortune1 rise to their native heights of true greatness4 ,if a wider survey be taken of mankind1 and those advantages and disadvantages under which whole generations1 nations and races of men have lived be taken into account2 if the fact of their pre-existence be considered in connection with that other fact that the spirits of men before coming to this earth were of unequal intelligence and of every degree of nobility2 if it be remembered that in that pre-existent state all spirits had a free agency1 and that they there manifested all degrees of fidelity to truth and righteousness1 from those who were valiant for the right to those who were utterly untrue to it and rebelled against ,god2 if it be further remembered that doubtless in this earth-life these spirits are rewarded for their faithfulness and diligence in that pre-existent state--if all this1 ,i say1 be considered1 much that has perplexed many noble minds in their effort to reconcile the varied circumstances under which men have lived with the justice and mercy of ,god1 will disappear4 ,the doctrine of the pre-existence of spirits1 as also their relationship to ,deity1 is beyond all doubt a scriptural doctrine2 but it seems to have been reserved for the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith to give clearness and force to it4 ,the fatherhood of ,god1 and its necessary corollary1 the brotherhood of man1 are trite phrases much in fashion in these modern days2 but it is questionable if they have conveyed to the minds of men any definite ideas of the actual relationship of father and son existing between man and ,deity4 ,in the mouths of sectarians the phrases under discussion have always been employed to express some mystic or indefinite relationship not clearly explained or explainable4 ,it was reserved1 ,i repeat1 for the great modern prophet to give these phrases reality4 ,he declared the relationship to be as real as that existing between any father and son on earth2 that man's spirit was actually the offspring of ,deity--,a spark struck from his own eternal blaze4 ,with him the fatherhood of ,god and the brotherhood of man were not mere abstractions more or less beautiful1 but a reality4 ,the words taught by the ,savior of men to his disciples as the proper mode of address to ,deity--,our ,father1 who art in heaven--are not meaningless verbiage1 but express the true relationship of man and ,god4 ,inspired by these teachings a disciple at ,nauvoo1 fifty years ago1 composed and the ,saints still sing the following invocation to the ,heavenly ,father and ,mother3 ,o my ,father1 thou that dwellest ,in the high and glorious place6 ,when shall ,i regain thy presence1 ,and again behold thy face8 ,in thy holy habitation1 ,did my spirit once reside3 ,in my first primeval childhood1 ,was ,i nurtured near thy side4 ,for a wise and glorious purpose ,thou hast placed me here on earth1 ,and withheld the recollection ,of my former friends and birth2 ,yet oft-times a secret something ,whispered1 ,you're a stranger here2 ,and ,i felt that had wandered ,from a more exalted sphere4 ,i had learned to call thee ,father1 ,through thy ,spirit from on high2 ,but1 until the ,key of ,knowledge ,was restored1 ,i knew not why4 ,in the heavens are parents single8 ,no2 the thought makes reason stare6 ,truth is reason2 truth eternal ,tells me1 ,i've a mother there4 ,when ,i leave this frail existence1 ,when ,i lay this mortal by1 ,father1 ,mother1 may ,i meet you ,in your royal court on high8 ,then1 at length1 when ,i've completed ,all you sent me forth to do1 ,with your mutual approbation ,let me come and dwell with you4 #g ,the pre-existence of man's spirit and its relationship to ,deity having been disposed of1 ,i must now refer to the prophet's teaching on the subject of man's future existence and the possibilities which lie before him in the course of the eternities4 ,joseph ,smith taught the literal resurrection of the body1 and its immortality4 ,he declared that the same sociability which exists among us here will exist among us in that future life1 only it will be coupled with eternal glory which now we do not enjoy4 #h ,on one occasion he said3 ,i will tell you what ,i want4 ,if tomorrow ,i shall be called to lie in yonder tomb1 in the morning of the resurrection let me strike hands with my father and cry1 ',my father1' and he will say1 ',my son1 my son6' 99 99 99 ,would you think it strange if ,i related what ,i have seen in vision in relation to this interesting theme8 ,those who have died in ,jesus ,christ may expect to enter into all that fruition of joy1 when they come forth1 which they possessed or anticipated here4 ,so plain was the vision that ,i actually saw men before they had ascended from the tomb1 as though they were getting up slowly4 ,they took each other by the hand1 and said to each other3 ',my father1 my son1 my mother1 my daughter1 my brother1 my sister4' ,and when the voice calls for the dead to arise1 suppose ,i am laid by the side of my father1 what would be the first joy of my heart8 ,to meet my father1 my mother1 my brother1 my sister2 and when they are by my side1 ,i embrace them and they me4 99 99 99 ,the expectation of seeing my friends in the morning of the resurrection cheers my soul and makes me bear up against the evils of life4 ,it is like their taking a long journey1 and on their return we meet them with increased joy4 #i ,the prophet also taught that the relationships formed in this life were intended to be eternal1 not excluding that of husband and wife1 with all its enduring affections4 ,he taught that the marriage covenant which binds man and woman as husband and wife should be made for eternity1 and not until death doth them part4 ,to be made for eternity1 however1 the marriage covenant must be entered into with that object in view1 and sealed and ratified by ,god's authority on earth--even by the holy priesthood1 that authority which binds on earth and in heaven1 in time and in eternity2 which also looses on earth and in heaven--in time and in eternity4 ,otherwise such covenants are of no efficacy1 virtue or force in and after the resurrection from the dead4 ,the house of ,god is a house of order1 and it is useless to hope that covenants made until death shall overtake the contracting parties will endure in eternity2 or that covenants entered into for eternity1 unless sealed by the authority of ,god1 will be of binding force in and after the resurrection from the dead4 ,i wish to be perfectly understood here4 ,let it be remembered that the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith taught that man1 that is1 his spirit1 is the offspring of ,deity2 not in any mystical sense1 but actually2 that man has not only a ,father in heaven1 but a ,mother also4 ,and when ,i say that the prophet taught that the resurrection is a reality1 that the relationship of husband and wife is intended to be eternal1 together with all its endearing affections1 ,i mean all that in its most literal sense4 ,i mean that in the life to come man will build and inhabit1 eat drink1 associate and be happy with his friends2 and that the power of endless increase will contribute to the power and dominion of those who attain by their righteousness unto these privileges4 ,what a revelation is here6 ,as ,i have remarked elsewhere1 #aj instead of the ,god-given power of pro-creation being one of the chief things that is to pass away1 it is one of the chief means of man's exaltation and glory in that great eternity1 which like an endless vista stretches out before him6 ,through it man attains to the glory of the endless increase of eternal lives1 and the right of presiding as priest and patriarch1 king and lord over his ever increasing posterity4 ,instead of the commandment1 ,be fruitful1 and multiply and replenish the earth1 being an unrighteous law1 it is one by means of which the race of the ,gods is perpetuated1 and is as holy and pure as the commandment1 ,repent and be baptized4 ,through that law1 in connection with an observance of all the other laws of the gospel1 man will yet attain unto the power of the ,godhead1 and like his ,father--,god--his chief glory will be to bring to pass the eternal life and happiness of his posterity4 ,if anyone shall say that such views of the life to come are too materialistic2 that they smack too much of earth and its enjoyments1 my answer is1 that if it be inquired what thing has contributed most to man's civilization and refinement1 to his happiness and dignity1 his true importance1 elevation and honor in life1 it will be found that the domestic relations in marriage1 the ties of family1 of parentage1 with its joys1 responsibilities1 and affections will be selected as the one thing before all others4 ,and those relations and associations which have contributed so much to man's true progress and refinement in this world may be trusted not to degrade him in the life that is to come4 ,on the contrary1 with all the affections chastened1 with all the qualities of the mind improved1 and the attributes of the soul strengthened1 we may reasonably hope that what has done so much for man in this life will contribute still more abundantly to his happiness1 his exaltation and glory in the life which is to come4 ,one other point ,i must not omit to mention4 ,i know how like sacrilege it sounds in modern ears to speak of man becoming a ,god4 ,yet why should it be so considered8 ,man is the offspring of ,deity1 he is of the same race and has within him--undeveloped1 it is true--the faculties and attributes of his ,father4 ,he has also before him an eternity of time in which to develop both the faculties of the mind and the attributes of the soul--why should it be accounted a strange thing that at last the child shall arrive at the same exaltation and partake of the same intelligence and glory with his ,father8 ,if ,jesus ,christ1 being in the form of ,god1 thought it not robbery to be equal with ,god1 #aa why should it be considered blasphemous to teach that man by faith and righteousness in following the counsels of ,god1 shall at last become like him1 and share his power and glory1 being a ,god1 even a son of ,god8 ,i grant you the height from our present position looks tremendous2 yet it is not impossible of attainment1 since we have eternity in which to work4 ,stand by the cradle of a new-born babe and contemplate it4 ,within that little body of organized pulp--with eyes incapable of distinguishing objects2 legs unable to bear the weight of its body--without the power of locomotion2 hands over whose movements it has no control2 ears that hear but cannot distinguish sounds2 a tongue that cannot speak--yet within that helpless little tabernacle1 what powers lie dormant6 ,within that germ in the cradle are latent powers which only require time for their unfolding to astonish the world4 ,from it may come the man of profound learning who shall add something by his own wisdom to the sum-total of human knowledge4 ,perhaps from that germ will come a profound historian1 a poet or eloquent orator to sway the reason and passions of men1 and guide them to better and purer things than they have yet known4 ,or a statesman may be there in embryo2 a man whose wisdom shall guide the destiny of the state or perhaps with ,god-like power rule the world6 ,if from such a germ as this in the cradle may come such an unfolding of power as we see in the highest and noblest manhood1 may it not be1 that taking that highest and noblest manhood as the germ1 that from it may come1 under the guiding hand of our ,father in heaven1 a still more wonderful unfolding1 until the germ of the highest and noblest manhood shall develop into a ,god8 ,the distance between the noblest man and the position of ,god is greater1 perhaps1 than that between the infant in the cradle and the highest development of manhood2 but if so1 there is a longer time--eternity--in which to arrive at the result2 and ,god and heavenly influences instead of human parents and earthly means to bring to pass the necessary development4 ,this doctrine makes very clear some of the sayings of the scripture1 ,now are we the sons of ,god1 said the ,apostle ,john1 and it doth not yet appear what we shall be2 but we know that1 when he ,christ shall appear we shall be like him2 for we shall see him as he is2 and every man who hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure4 #ab ,we can see now some meaning in the exhortation of ,jesus--,be ye therefore perfect1 even as your ,father which is in heaven is perfect4 #ac ,to him that overcometh will ,i grant to sit with me in my throne1 even as ,i also overcame1 and am set down with my ,father in his throne4 #ad ,all these sayings give us reason to believe that man may become as ,christ and ,god are2 that he may walk in their footsteps1 become like them and inherit the same glory with them4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith corrected the idea that ,god that now is was always ,god3 ,we have imagined1 said he1 and supposed that ,god was ,god from all eternity1 ,i will refute that idea1 and will take away the vail so that you can see4 99 99 99 ,it is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of ,god and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another1 and that he was once a man like us2 yea1 that ,god himself1 the ,father of us all1 dwelt on an earth the same as ,jesus ,christ himself did4 99 99 99 ,the scriptures inform us that ,jesus said3 ',as the ,father hath power in himself1 even so hath the ,son power'--to do what8 ,why1 what the ,father did4 ,the answer is obvious--in a manner1 to lay down his body and take it up again4 ,jesus1 what are you going to do8 ,to lay down my life1 as my ,father did1 and take it up again4 ,do you believe it8 ,if you do not believe it1 you do not believe the ,bible4 #ae 99 99 99 ,god himself was once as we are now1 and is an exalted ,man and sits enthroned in yonder heavens4 ,that is the great secret4 ,if the vail was rent today and the great ,god who holds the world in its orbit1 and upholds all worlds and all things by his power1 was to make himself visible--,i say were you to see him today1 you would see him like a man in form--like yourselves1 in all the person1 image and very form as a man1 for ,adam was created in the very fashion1 image and likeness of ,god1 and received instruction from and walked and talked1 and conversed with him1 as one man talks and communes with another4 99 99 99 ,here1 then1 is eternal life--to know that only wise and true ,god and you have got to learn how to become ,gods yourselves1 and to be kings and priests to ,god1 the same as all ,gods have done before you--namely1 by going from one small degree to another1 and from a small capacity to a great one1 from grace to grace1 from exaltation to exaltation1 until you attain to the resurrection of the dead1 and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings and to sit in glory1 as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power4 #af ,but if ,god the ,father was not always ,god1 but came to his present exalted position by degrees of progress as indicated in the teachings of the prophet1 how has there been a ,god from all eternity8 ,the answer is that there has been and there now exists an endless line of ,gods1 stretching back into the eternities1 that had no beginning and will have no end4 ,their existence runs parallel with endless duration1 and their dominions are as limitless as boundless space4 ,these truths led one of the disciples of the prophet to write3 ,if you could hie to ,kolob1 ,in th' twinkling of an eye1 ,and then continue onward1 ,with that some speed to fly1 ,d'ye think that you could ever1 ,through all eternity1 ,find out the generation ,where ,gods began to be8 ,or see the grand beginning1 ,where space did not extend8 ,or view the last creation1 ,where ,gods and matter end8 ,methinks the ,spirit whispers-- ,no man has found 'pure space1' ,nor seen the outside curtains ,where nothing has a place4 ,the works of ,god continue1 ,and worlds and lives abound2 ,improvement and progression ,have one eternal round4 ,these conceptions of man's origin and future development and glory involve the idea of a plurality of ,gods--a doctrine somewhat startling1 perhaps1 to modern ears1 since men in our times have been taught to look upon it as sacrilege to speak or think of more than one ,god4 ,but since modern ,christianity finds itself so far separated from other truths of the gospel1 may it not find itself wrong in this8 ,what means that expression in ,genesis where1 speaking of the creation of man1 ,god is represented as saying3 ,let us make man in our image1 after our likeness8 #ag ,is it not a fair inference that he addressed himself to other ,gods who were present8 ,in the account of the creation given in the ,book of ,abraham the plural is used throughout--,and the ,gods prepared the earth to bring forth the living creatures4 ,and the ,gods took counsel among themselves and said1 ',let us go down and form man in our image1 after our likeness1' etc4 ,passing by many other expressions in the ,old ,testament that convey the idea of the existence of a plurality of ,gods1 ,i take up the preface to the gospel according to ,st4 ,john3 ,in the beginning was the ,word1 and the ,word was with ,god1 and the ,word was ,god4 ,the same was in the beginning with ,god4 ,it is generally conceded that the ,word here spoken of as being with ,god in the beginning is ,jesus ,christ4 ,if any doubt existed that ,jesus is referred to1 it would be dispelled by the fourteenth verse of the same chapter1 in which the preface occurs3 ,and the ,word was made flesh1 and dwelt among us 7and we beheld his glory1 the glory as of the only begotten of the ,father7 full of grace and truth4 ,here1 then1 at least is an account of two ,gods--one of which dwelt with the other in the beginning1 and one--the ,word--afterwards came to the earth1 was made flesh and dwelt on earth with men and was known as ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,when ,jesus--the ,word--was baptized in ,jordan1 as he came out of the water1 the heavens opened1 the ,spirit of ,god descended upon him1 and lo1 a voice from heaven said3 ,this is my beloved ,son in whom ,i am well pleased4 #ah ,here there appears on the scene again two ,gods--the ,word and doubtless the ,god with whom the ,word had dwelt in the beginning4 ,in other words here was ,god the ,father1 and ,god the ,son1 both present1 yet both distinct and separate--two ,gods4 #ai ,in the greeting to the seven churches of ,asia1 which ,john embodies in his preface to the ,apocalypse he says3 ,grace be unto you 99 99 99 from ,jesus ,christ1 who is the faithful witness4 99 99 99 ,unto him that loved us1 and washed us from our sins in his own blood1 and hath made us kings and priests unto ,god and his ,father2 to him be glory and dominion forever and ever4 ,amen4 #bj ,i call special attention to the words written above in italics--unto ,god and his ,father1 which can only mean ,god and the ,father of ,god1 which certainly conveys the idea of a plurality of ,gods4 #ba ,i have not space here to consider such expressions--with which the scriptures abound--as ,the ,lord ,god is ,god of ,gods and ,lord of ,lords2 #bb ,the ,lord1 ,god of ,gods1 the ,lord1 ,god of ,gods1 he knoweth1 and ,israel he shall know if it be in rebellion1 etc4 #bc ,o give thanks to the ,god of ,gods 99 99 99 ,o give thanks to the ,lord of ,lords4 #bd ,and shall speak marvelous things against the ,god of ,gods4 #be ,the ,lamb shall overcome them3 for he is ,lord of ,lords and king of kings4 #bf ,such expressions ,i know would be worthless as evidence in the matter under discussion if found in the mouths of heathen kings and prophets who are sometimes represented as speaking in the ,bible2 but the expressions here carefully selected are found on the lips of ,moses1 of the children of ,israel1 ,david1 ,daniel1 and the ,apostle ,john2 and coming as they do from recognized and divinely authorized servants of ,god1 they are important as not only upholding but proclaiming the idea of a plurality of ,gods4 ,i and my ,father are one1 said ,jesus on one occasion4 ,then the ,jews took up stones again to stone him4 ,jesus--,many good works have ,i showed you from my ,father1 for which of those works do ye stone me8 ,the ,jews--,for a good work we stone thee not2 but for blasphemy2 and because that thou1 being a man1 makest thyself ,god4 ,jesus--,is it not written in your law1 ,i said ye are ,gods8 ,if he that is1 ,god who gave the law called them ,gods unto whom the word of ,god came1 and the scripture cannot be broken2 say ye of him1 whom the ,father hath sanctified and sent into the world1 thou blasphemest2 because ,i said ,i am the ,son of ,god8 ,if ,i do not the works of my ,father believe me not4 #bg ,let it be observed that in the above conversation when ,jesus was accused of making himself ,god1 he did not deny the charge2 but on the contrary1 called their attention to the fact that ,god in the law he had given to ,israel had said to some of them--ye are ,gods4 ,and further1 ,jesus argued1 if those unto whom the word of ,god came were called ,gods in the ,jewish law1 and the scripture wherein the fact was declared could not be broken1 that is1 the truth denied or gainsaid--why should the ,jews complain when he1 too1 that is ,christ1 who had been especially sanctified by ,god the ,father1 called himself the ,son of ,god8 ,on another occasion ,jesus said to the ,pharisees3 ,what think ye of ,christ8 whose son is he8 ,pharisees--,the son of ,david4 ,jesus--,how then doth ,david in spirit call him ,lord1 saying--,the ,lord said unto my ,lord1 sit thou on my right hand1 till ,i make thy foes thy footstool8 ,if ,david then call him ,lord1 how is he his son8 #bh ,the ,pharisees could make him no answer1 nor dared they question him further4 ,all that concerns me in the passage is to note that one ,god is represented as saying to another--,sit thou upon my right hand until ,i make thy foes thy footstool--and that clearly proves the existence of more than one ,god4 ,no higher authority than this can be cited in support of any theological doctrine4 ,these conversations of ,jesus with the ,jews so completely prove that ,jesus himself taught the existence of a plurality of ,gods1 that there can be no questioning it4 ,i shall be told1 however1 that ,paul expressly says3 ,there is none other ,god but one4 ,that statement taken alone would seem conclusive2 but considered in connection with its context1 which explains it1 it will be found in harmony with all the passages here produced to prove a plurality of ,gods4 ,the single statement quoted above is immediately followed by these words3 ,for though there be that are called ,gods1 whether in heaven or in earth 7as there be ,gods many1 and ,lords many72 but to us there is but one ,god1 the ,father1 of whom are all things1 and we in him1 and one ,lord1 ,jesus ,christ1 by whom are all things1 and we by him4 #bi ,from this it appears that there be many that are called ,gods both in heaven and in earth4 ,had the reference to many ,gods and many ,lords been confined to these that are called such in the earth1 the force of the passage might have been broken somewhat by the probability that reference was made to the false gods of the heathens2 but when we are told that there be that are called ,gods whether in heaven or in earth1 by which ,i understand that there are those that are called ,gods both in heaven and in earth1 ,christians will not claim that the many ,gods spoken of as being in heaven are false ,gods4 ,but still the apostle teaches that to us there is but one ,god1 the ,father2 and one ,lord1 ,jesus ,christ4 ,so also taught the prophet ,joseph4 #cj ,he taught that there was but one ,god to whom it was proper for us to pay divine honors in worship--,god1 the ,father--the ,father of ,jesus ,christ1 and of whom the ,holy ,ghost is the witness4 ,and these three1 in the teachings of the great modern prophet1 as in the teachings of the ,jewish scriptures1 constitute one ,godhead1 or ,grand ,presidency to whom alone man owes allegiance to be expressed in divine worship4 ,but this does not strike out of existence the many other ,gods and ,lords that live and have dominion in other universes and worlds1 any more than it strikes out of existence other kings and emperors of this world1 when we say that to the ,british subject there is but one sovereign to whom he owes allegiance4 ,if the phrase ,grand ,presidency be substituted for ,godhead2 and ,president for ,god1 we shall have a nomenclature that will better convey correct ideas to the mind respecting the ,gods than that now in common use4 ,how1 then1 would the teaching of the ,prophet ,joseph respecting the ,gods rise to meet the conceptions of the extent and grandeur of the universe1 both as now known to our scientists and as revealed through the prophet himself6 ,an infinitude of worlds and systems of worlds rising one above the other in ever-increasing splendor in limitless space and eternal duration1 would have1 as a concomitant1 an endless line of exalted men1 to preside over and within them as ,priests1 ,kings1 ,patriarchs1 ,gods6 ,nor is there confusion1 disorder1 or strife in their vast dominions2 for they all govern upon the same righteous principle that characterizes the government of ,god the ,father4 ,the ,gods have attained unto the excellence that ,jesus prayed for in behalf of his apostles and those who might believe on their word1 when he said3 ,holy ,father1 keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me1 that they may be one as we are4 99 99 99 ,neither pray ,i for these alone1 but for them also which shall believe on me through their word2 that they all may be one2 as thou1 ,father1 art in me1 and ,i in thee1 that they also may be one in us2 99 99 99 and the glory which thou givest me1 ,i have given them2 that they may be one even as we are one4 #ca ,if that prayer does not contemplate the apostles and those who believe on their words becoming like ,god the ,father and ,jesus ,christ2 sharing their glory and their power2 becoming one with them as they are now one with each other1 hence becoming as they are--,gods6--then the language is without meaning1 and is hollow mockery1 the meaningless verbiage of one who knew not what he was saying4 ,but ,jesus knew for what he was praying2 and he knew that he was not asking in behalf of his apostles and those who would believe on their words the unattainable4 ,he was but asking for them that glory and excellence and exaltation to which many had already attained in other worlds4 ,i say the ,gods had attained unto that excellence of oneness that ,jesus prayed his disciples might possess1 and since the ,gods have attained unto it1 and all govern their worlds and systems of worlds by the same spirit and upon the same principles1 there is a unity in their government that makes it one even as they are one4 ,let worlds and systems of worlds1 galaxies of systems and universes extend as they may throughout limitless space1 ,joseph ,smith has revealed the existence of a government which while characterized by unity is still co-extensive with them4 ,let duration1 as to the past1 be without beginning--yet ,joseph ,smith has revealed the great truth that in the beginningless duration there has existed always an endless succession of exalted men1 called ,gods4 ,let duration1 as to the future be without end1--let the end of time be as remote as the beginning of time1 which it is1 for neither exists--yet ,joseph ,smith has revealed the great truth that in that endless future1 new worlds1 systems of worlds and universes will be created from the exhaustless store of eternal matter1 and made the habitation of the ever increasing posterity of the ,gods4 ,let no one fear--there is room for all this multiplying and increasing in limitless space4 ,let no one fear--there is material for all these worlds and systems of worlds in the exhaustless store of eternal matter distributed throughout limitless space4 ,let no one fear--there is time enough in endless duration to accomplish all that ,god has decreed through his prophet pertaining to the perfecting and exalting of our race4 ,nor will this exaltation of man detract from the majesty and exaltation of the ,gods4 ,joseph ,smith's doctrine does not degrade ,deity1 it merely points out the future exaltation of man4 ,the glory of ,god does not consist in his being alone in his greatness1 but in sharing that greatness and his intelligence and glory with others4 ,it is a case where the more is given the richer he becomes who gives1 because he is constantly widening the circle of his own power and dominion4 ,as the glory of earthly parents is increased by having beautiful1 intelligent children1 capable of attaining to the same intelligence1 development and standing as the parents1 so the glory of the heavenly parent--,god--is added unto by having sons who shall attain unto the same honor and exaltation as himself1 and who shall be worthy of sharing his power and glory and everlasting dominion4 ,what glory is here6 ,what honor6 ,what exaltation6 ,what thrones1 principalities1 kingdoms1 dominions1 powers6 ,what incentive to right living6 ,what encouragement to struggle against weaknesses and make war for righteousness against the flesh1 the world and the devil6 ,well may the ,apostle say--when speaking of this doctrine--,and every man that hath this hope in him1 purifieth himself1 even as he ,christ is pure4 #cb ,this is the doctrine of the great modern prophet ,joseph ,smith--the testimony of the ,new ,witness for ,god4 ,and in the sublimity of the doctrine2 in the grandeur of it2 in the noble aspirations a contemplation of it inspires in the soul of man1 may be seen the evidence of divine inspiration in him who re-announced it to the world4 ,footnotes #a4 ,psalm viii4 #b4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xciii4 #c4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xciii3 #bi-ca4 #d4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xxix3 #cf-ch1 also ,pearl of ,great ,price p4 #ad4 7#ahhh ,edition47 #e4 ,see ,rev4 xii3 #g-ab4 ,,ii4 ,peter ii3 #d4 ,jude vi4 #f4 ,pearl of ,great ,price p4 #fb4 #g4 ,the hymn was composed by ,eliza ,r4 ,snow ,smith1 wife of the prophet4 #h4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 lxxxviii4 #bf-cd2 see also sec4 lxxvi4 and cxxx4 #i4 ,history of ,joseph ,smith1 ,millennial ,star1 vol4 xxi41 p4 #f4 #aj4 ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,history1 p4 #dce4 #aa4 ,phillippians ii4 #f4 #ab4 ,i4 ,epist4 ,john iii4 #b1 #c4 #ac4 ,matt4 v4 #dh4 #ad4 ,rev4 iii4 #ba4 #ae4 ,the argument here made by the prophet is very much strengthened by the following passage3 ,the ,son can do nothing of himself1 but what he seeth the ,father do3 for what things soever he 7the ,father7 doeth1 these also doeth the ,son likewise4 ,st4 ,john v4 #ai4 #af4 ,from a discourse preached by ,joseph ,smith at ,nauvoo1 ,april #gth1 #ahdd4 ,millennial ,star1 vol xxiii1 pp4 #bde-bdh4 #ag4 ,gen4 i4 #bf4 #ah4 ,matt4 iii4 #af1 #ag4 #ai4 ,the prophet ,joseph1 referring to this matter1 says3 ,i wish to declare ,i have always1 and in all congregations when ,i have preached on the subject of the ,deity1 it has been the plurality of ,gods4 ,it has been preached by the elders for fifteen years4 ,i have always declared ,god to be a distinct personage1 ,jesus ,christ a separate and distinct personage from ,god the ,father1 and that the ,holy ,ghost was a distinct personage and a spirit2 and these three constitute three distinct personages and three ,gods4 ,if this is in accordance with the ,new ,testament1 lo1 and behold6 ,we have three ,gods anyhow1 and they are plural2 and who can contradict it8 ,millennial ,star1 vol4 xxiv4 p4 #ajh4 #bj4 ,rev4 i4 #a-f4 #ba4 ,commenting on this text the prophet said3 ,if ,jesus ,christ was the ,son of ,god1 and ,john discovered that ,god1 the ,father of ,jesus ,christ1 had a ,father1 you may suppose that he had a ,father also4 ,where was there ever a son without a father8 ,and where was there ever a father without first being a son8 ,whenever did a tree or anything spring into existence without a progenitor8 ,and everything comes in this way4 ,paul says that that which is earthly is in the likeness of that which is heavenly4 ,hence1 if ,jesus had a ,father1 can we not believe that he had a ,father also8 ,i despise the idea of being scared to death at such a doctrine1 for the ,bible is full of it4 ,millennial ,star1 vol xxiv41 p4 #aji4 #bb4 ,deut1 x4 #ag4 #bc4 ,josh4 xxii4 #bb4 #bd4 ,psalms cxxxvi4 #b1 #c4 #be4 ,dan4 xi4 #cf4 #bf4 ,rev4 xvii4 #ad4 #bg4 ,john x4 #cj-cg4 #bh4 ,matt4 xxii4 #da1 #de4 ,also ,psalms cx4 ,i4 #bi4 ,i4 ,cor4 viii4 #d1 #f4 #cj4 ,on the passage under consideration the prophet remarked3 ,paul says there are ,gods many and ,lords many--,i want to set it forth in a plain and simple manner--but to us there is but one ,god--that is1 pertaining to us2 and he is in all and through all4 ,but if ,joseph ,smith says there are ,gods many and ,lords many1 they cry1 ',away with him6 ,crucify him6 ,crucify him6' 99 99 99 ,paul1 if ,joseph ,smith is a blasphemer1 you are4 ,i say there are ,gods many1 and ,lords many1 but to us only one2 and we are to be in subjection to that one4 ,millennial ,star1 vol4 xxiv4 p4 #ajh4 #ca4 ,st4 ,john1 xvii4 #cb4 ,behold1 what manner of love the ,father hath bestowed upon us1 that we should be called the ,sons of ,god2 therefore the world knoweth us not1 because it knew him not4 ,beloved1 now are we the ,sons of ,god2 and it doth not yet appear what we shall be2 but we know that when he shall appear1 we shall be like him2 for we shall see him as he is4 ,and every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure4 ,first ,epistle of ,john1 iii3 #a-d4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,the ,,evidence ,,of ,,martyrdom4 ,the highest evidence that one man can give another of friendship is that he sacrifices his life for him4 ,greater love hath no man than this1 said ,jesus1 that a man lay down his life for his friends4 #a ,when a man does that he gives all that he has1 and hence can give no more4 ,the highest evidence of sincerity that a man can give his fellow-men--the highest proof that he has spoken the truth in any given case--is that he perseveres in it unto death1 and seals his testimony with his blood4 ,when he does that he affixes the broadest possible seal to that of which he testified1 and henceforth the truth so testified of must be in force in all the world4 ,so important did such a testimony become in the estimation of ,paul that he said3 ,where a testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testator4 ,for a testament is of force after men are dead3 otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth4 #b ,in the light of this principle1 and when the importance of the great testimony which he bore to the world is taken into account1 it is not to be wondered at that ,joseph ,smith was called upon to affix the broad seal of martyrdom to his life's work4 ,something of incompleteness in his work would likely have been complained of had this been lacking2 but now1 not so2 his character of prophet was rounded out to complete fullness by his falling a martyr under the murderous fire of a mob at ,carthage1 in the ,state of ,illinois4 ,the circumstances attendant upon the prophet's death1 briefly told1 are as follows3 ,the extreme bitterness of his enemies culminated in the spring and early summer of #ahdd1 in a charge against himself as mayor of ,nauvoo1 and some members of the ,city ,council1 of riot in suppressing in their official capacity a scurrilous and libelous paper known as the ,nauvoo ,expositor4 ,a warrant for the arrest of ,joseph ,smith and the ,city ,council was issued by a ,mr4 ,morrison1 justice of the peace1 at ,carthage1 and made returnable to the justice at ,carthage or some other justice of the peace4 ,mr4 ,smith and the ,city ,council being assured that it was unsafe for them to go to ,carthage1 insisted upon being taken before some other justice of the peace1 as provided in the warrant4 ,to this the constable refused to assent1 whereupon the parties under arrest applied for a writ of habeas corpus made returnable before the municipal court of ,nauvoo4 ,a hearing was granted and the case dismissed4 ,subsequently1 however1 at the instance of ,judge ,thomas1 the circuit judge of the judicial district which included ,nauvoo1 ,joseph and the ,city ,council submitted to a new trial on the same charge before ,squire ,d4 ,h4 ,wells1 a justice of the peace1 and were again acquitted4 ,but the course pursued by the mayor and ,city ,council was declared to be resistance to the law by the prophet's enemies1 and was made use of to influence the public mind against the saints4 ,mobs assembled about ,carthage and the work of violence was inaugurated by kidnapping1 whipping and otherwise abusing the saints living in the outlying districts of ,nauvoo4 ,for protection the people thus assailed fled to ,nauvoo1 and this was heralded abroad as the massing of the ,mormon forces4 ,the ,governor of the ,state--,thomas ,ford--was kept informed of all that was transpiring in ,nauvoo by the city authorities1 and in answer to the question1 ,what course shall we pursue in the event of an armed mob coming against the city1 he replied that ,joseph ,smith was ,lieutenant-,general of the ,nauvoo ,legion1 and it was his duty to protect the city and surrounding country1 and issued orders to that effect4 ,thus declared1 qualified and directed to act by the ,governor of the ,state1 the ,nauvoo ,legion was called together and measures were taken for the defense of the city2 and as the mob forces grew bolder every day1 ,nauvoo was at last placed under martial law4 ,meantime the mob forces were active in making misrepresentations to the ,governor1 until finally in his perplexity he resolved on visiting the scenes of the disturbances1 and for that purpose went to ,carthage4 ,here he was met by a delegation from ,nauvoo--,elder ,john ,taylor #c and ,dr4 ,john ,m4 ,bernhisel #d--to represent the mayor and ,city ,council4 ,they presented to him a full statement of the case and submitted all the documents4 ,the ,governor was of the opinion that in order to prove to the people that the saints were willing to submit to the law1 it would be best for ,joseph ,smith and all concerned in the destruction of the ,expositor to come to ,carthage for examination4 ,elder ,taylor called the ,governor's attention to the fact that they had already been examined before two competent courts and acquitted2 that they had fulfilled the law in every particular1 and that their enemies had murderous designs and were only making use of this matter to get ,joseph ,smith into their power4 ,the ,governor1 however1 insisted that the proper thing for the prophet to do was to come to ,carthage4 ,elder ,john ,taylor then stated that in consequence of the excitement prevailing1 it would be extremely unsafe for ,joseph ,smith and his friends to come to ,carthage2 that they had men and arms to defend themselves1 but if their forces and those of the enemy should be brought into close proximity the most probable result would be a collision4 ,in reply to this the ,governor strenuously advised us1 says ,elder ,taylor1 not to bring our arms1 and pledged his faith as ,governor1 and the faith of the ,state1 that we should be protected1 and that he would guarantee our perfect safety4 ,as soon as the delegation returned from ,carthage a meeting of the prophet and a few of his friends was called and the demands of the ,governor considered4 ,it was finally determined that it would be unsafe for the ,prophet ,joseph to go to ,carthage1 and he himself felt inspired to go west4 ,he crossed the ,mississippi that night1 and expected to continue his journey as soon as arrangements could be perfected4 ,some of the prophet's friends1 when they learned of his determination to leave ,nauvoo and seek an asylum for the church in the west1 accused him of taking the part of the unfaithful shepherd1 who1 when the wolves were about to come upon the flock1 was taking to flight4 ,they entreated him to return and give himself up1 trusting to the pledges of the ,governor for a fair trial4 ,influenced by these entreaties and stung by the charge of cowardice from those who should have known better and aided his flight1 the prophet said3 ,if my life is of no value to my friends1 it is of none to myself1 ,and against his own better judgment1 and with the conviction in his soul that he would be killed he resolved to return4 ,he besought his brother ,hyrum to leave him1 but nothing could induce ,hyrum to forsake the prophet4 ,having stood by him through well nigh all the storms of his career1 it was not in ,hyrum ,smith's nature to forsake the prophet in the darkest hour of his life4 ,arriving at ,nauvoo1 the prophet promptly sent a message to ,governor ,ford that he would be at ,carthage next day4 ,early next morning the prophet and a company of his friends set out for ,carthage4 ,en route they met ,captain ,dunn1 an officer of the militia of the state1 with a requisition from the ,governor for the state arms in possession of the people of ,nauvoo4 ,he earnestly entreated the prophet to return to ,nauvoo with him1 thinking doubtless that his task would be easier of accomplishment if the prophet was present1 and ,joseph ,smith complied with the request4 ,it was on the occasion of meeting ,captain ,dunn's company1 some four or five miles out of ,carthage1 that ,joseph uttered these prophetic words3 ,i am going like a lamb to the slaughter1 but ,i am calm as a summer's morning4 ,i have a conscience void of offense toward ,god and toward all men4 ,i shall die innocent1 and it shall yet be said of me1 'he was murdered in cold blood4' ,hyrum ,smith that morning before leaving ,nauvoo1 and in spite of an assumed cheerfulness1 also left evidence that the fate awaiting his brother and himself at ,carthage had been foreshadowed in his mind4 ,he read a passage in the ,book of ,mormon1 near the close of the twelfth chapter of ,ether3 ,and it came to pass that ,i prayed unto the ,lord that he would give unto the ,gentiles grace that they might have charity1 and it came to pass that the ,lord said unto me1 if they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee1 thou hast been faithful2 wherefore thy garments shall be made clean1 and because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong1 even unto the sitting down in the place which ,i have prepared in the mansions of my ,father4 ,and now ,i bid farewell unto the ,gentiles1 yea1 and also to my brethren whom ,i love1 until we shall meet before the judgment seat of ,christ1 where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood4 ,on this passage he turned down the leaf1 and there it is to this day1 a silent witness that he1 too1 knew that he was going like a lamb to the slaughter6 ,the state arms secured as per the requisition of ,governor ,ford1 the prophet and his friends1 attended by ,captain ,dunn's company of militia1 set out again for ,carthage1 where they arrived about midnight4 ,one militia company encamped on the public square--the ,carthage ,greys--were aroused by the passing cavalcade1 and gave vent to ominous threats and a volley of imprecations4 ,the next morning ,joseph ,smith and a number of the ,nauvoo ,city ,council appeared before a justice of the peace in ,carthage1 and were bound over to appear before the circuit court at its next session on a charge of riot4 ,no sooner1 however1 was this matter so adjusted than ,joseph and ,hyrum ,smith were arrested on a charge of treason against the state at the instance of ,henry ,o4 ,norton and ,augustine ,spencer--men of no character1 and whose words were utterly unreliable4 ,they were arbitrarily thrust into prison1 where they were at last completely at the mercy of their enemies4 ,the friends of the prophet protested to the ,governor against such treatment1 but to no purpose4 ,governor ,ford was sorry that the thing had occurred--he did not believe the charge1 but thought the best thing to do would be to let the law take its course4 ,the day following1 the #bfth of ,june1 there was a long interview between the prophet and the governor in the prison4 ,all the difficulties that had arisen in ,nauvoo were related by ,joseph and the action of himself and associates explained and defended4 ,in concluding the conversation the prophet said3 ,governor ,ford1 ,i ask for nothing but what is legal2 ,i have a right to expect protection at least from you2 for independent of law1 you have pledged your faith and that of the state for my protection1 and ,i wish to go to ,nauvoo4 ,and you shall have protection1 ,general ,smith1 replied the ,governor4 ,i did not make this promise without consulting my officers1 who all pledged their honor to its fulfillment4 ,i do not know that ,i shall go tomorrow to ,nauvoo1 but if ,i do1 ,i will take you along4 ,the next day--the ever memorable #bgth of ,june-the ,governor broke the promise he had made to ,joseph ,smith the day previous1 viz3 that if he went to ,nauvoo he would take him along4 ,he disbanded the militia except a small company he detailed to accompany him to ,nauvoo1 and the ,carthage ,greys1 a company composed of the very worst enemies the prophet and his friends had--these he left to guard the prisoners6 ,it was the public boast of the disbanded militia that they would only go a short distance from the town and then after the ,governor left for ,nauvoo they would return and kill the prophet4 ,when this fact was stated to the ,governor by ,dan ,jones1 one of the ,elders of the ,church1 who heard the boasts1 ,governor ,ford replied1 that ,jones was over anxious for the safety of his friends4 ,the events of that day proved that the boasts of the prophet's enemies were not idle4 ,about five o'clock in the afternoon the prison was suddenly surrounded by an armed mob1 of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred persons4 ,they forced the prison doors and ruthlessly murdered the brothers ,smith4 ,hyrum was shot first and fell1 calmly saying1 ,i am a dead man6 ,for a moment the prophet bent over the prostrate form of ,hyrum1 and said1 ,oh6 my poor1 dear brother ,hyrum6 ,then instantly rising to his feet he stepped to the half-open door1 through which the mob was firing their guns1 and discharged at them a pistol left in his hands that morning by ,cyrus ,wheelock1 one of the brethren who had visited him in prison4 ,he then turned from the door and attempted to leap from the window2 as he did so he was shot and fell to the ground1 exclaiming1 ,oh ,lord1 my ,god6 ,instant terror seized his murderers and they fled4 ,by the side of the well-curb just under the window from which he had half leaped1 half fallen--the sands of the young prophet's life ebbed away1 and another soul was added to the number under the altar that were slain for the word of ,god and the testimony which they held4 ,joseph ,smith was innocent of any crime2 his death was the direct result of that bitter and relentless persecution which had followed him from the time the ,lord first appeared to him and made him a prophet to the nations2 and in his death1 so tragic1 and so pitiful1 he affixed a broad seal to the message he bore to the world--a seal that makes his testimony of binding force--,for where a testament is1 there must of necessity be the death of the testator2 for a testament is of force after men are dead6 ,not in vain fell the prophet6 ,not in vain did his blood make crimson the soil of the great state of ,illinois6 ,it was fitting that the prophet of the great ,dispensation of the ,fullness of ,times should complete his great work by sealing his testimony with his blood1 that his martyr-cry ,oh ,lord1 my ,god6 might mingle with the martyr-cries of so many of the prophets who1 like him1 were sent to bear witness for ,god4 ,my task draws to a close--and yet ,i take my leave of it with regret rather than joy2 for ,i have learned to love the holy theme2 and now that ,i must think of it as a task completed1 instead of having it the sweet companion of my daily thought1 and care1 and joy1 brings more of sadness than of gladness1 and ,i part with it as ,i would with some dear friend whose affections and interests and very life had become interlocked with my own4 ,moreover1 ,i know that this book goes out into a world that has little sympathy with it1 and harsh treatment may await it as harsh treatment was meted out to ,god's ,new ,witness1 of whom this volume is a vindication1 in that it bears testimony to the divinity of his mission4 ,but whatever the character of the reception accorded this book1 harsh treatment or cold neglect1 the author is confident that the time will come when the world will listen with respectful attention to the message delivered by ,joseph ,smith4 ,and now let me say in conclusion--it is a fact2 the world did need a ,new ,witness for ,god2 the church of ,christ was destroyed2 there was an apostasy from the ,christian religion so complete and universal as to make necessary a new dispensation thereof2 the ancient prophets of ,god did foretell the coming forth in the last days of a new dispensation of the gospel--which was to be preached to all the world2 ,god has sent forth his angel with that new dispensation of the gospel2 ,god did raise up a ,new ,witness for himself and divinely commissioned him to preach the gospel1 administer its ordinances and speak in his name1 and has given to the world abundant evidence of the divine authority and inspiration of that ,witness--,,the ,,prophet ,,joseph ,,smith4 ,,the ,,end4 ,footnotes #a4 ,john xv3 #ac4 #b4 ,heb4 ix3 #af1 #ag4 #c4 ,john ,taylor subsequently became the ,president of the ,church1 succeeding ,brigham ,young in #ahgg4 #d4 ,dr4 ,bernhisel afterwards was ,utah's ,delegate in ,congress for a number of terms4 ,,the ,,works ,,of ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts4 ,a ,,new ,,witness ,,for ,,god4 ,a work of #dhf pages1 treating of the divinity of the mission of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,the ,committee appointed by the ,first ,presidency to read the manuscript of this work before it was published--viz4 ,elders ,franklin ,d4 ,richards1 ,george ,reynolds and ,john ,jaques--say in their report3 ,your committee1 to whom you referred the consideration of ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts's new work entitled ,a ,new ,witness for ,god1 respectfully represent1 that they have read it with great care and believe it to be a valuable addition to our church literature4 ,they find nothing therein calling for adverse criticism but to the contrary find that it is orthodox and consistent with our teachings4 ,there is harmony in its chapters which gives much strength to its arguments1 all of which point directly to the evidences1 first of the need of a ,new ,witness for ,god1 and next that ,joseph the ,prophet was that witness4 ,the truths are emphasized on lines of reasoning different from those common to our elders which carries to the work a freshness and an interest that will1 we think1 attract students and develop in our youth and others an increased love for the study of the great ,latter-day work4 ,brother ,roberts' work collates and condenses a large amount of useful and important information historical and theological which is often not readily accessible to the ,elders and members of the ,church1 but which tends to broaden their views and enlarge and enlighten their understanding of various vital matters connected with the gospel of our ,lord and ,savior ,jesus ,christ4 ,full coth #a4ge1 ,full leather gilt #b4ge1 post-paid4 ,geo4 ,q ,cannon ,sons ,co41 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah4 ,,succession ,,in ,,the ,,presidency ,,of ,,the ,,church4 ,a pamphlet of #abe pages1 uniform in type and page with the ,new ,witness and the author's ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,history4 ,it was written to refute the false claims of the so called ,re-organized ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 or the ,josephite ,church4 ,it is a work with which every ,elder and member of the ,church should be familiar4 ,price1 paper cover #cj cts2 full cloth #ee cts2 full leather #ge cts4 ,deseret ,news ,company1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 publishers4 ,,outlines ,,of ,,ecclesiastical ,,history4 ,a work now so well known that it is only necessary to say that a second edition is just issued by ,cannon ,sons ,company1 ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,the book is especially dedicated to the seventies1 but is valuable to all students of this department of knowledge1 and will be of great service to all quorums of the priesthood1 the ,mutual ,improvement ,associations and advanced theological classes in ,sunday ,schools4 ,full cloth #a4ge4 ,full leather gilt1 #b4ge1 post paid4 ,cannon ,sons ,company1 publishers1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah4 ,,the ,,gospel4 ,an exposition of the first principles thereof4 ,the second edition of this book1 revised and enlarged1 is now out1 to which the author has added a supplement on the subject of ,man's ,relationship to ,deity4 ,the ,gospel by ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts answers more questions arising among young missionaries in the space devoted to the exposition of the first principles1 than any work yet published among us4--,contributor4 ,cannon ,sons ,co41 publishers4 ,,life ,,of ,,john ,,taylor4 ,third ,president of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ1 in the ,dispensation of the ,fullness of ,times1 is a handsome volume of four hundred and sixty-eight pages1 and containing ten illustrations finely executed1 and the portrait of ,president ,john ,taylor as the frontispiece4 ,these are all well executed1 and the steel engraving of the subject of the work is a striking and pleasing likeness4 ,deseret ,news3--,the literary ability displayed in the book is to be highly commended4 ,the volume is from the pen of ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts1 and he has treated his theme in an able manner4 ,the interest of the readers is maintained throughout4 ,the life of ,president ,taylor abounded with incidents of uncommon import4 ,they are presented in forcible and pleasing style4 ,the language is simple yet eloquent1 and not overloaded with rhetoric4 ,price1 full cloth1 #b4ej2 half leather1 #c4jj2 full leather1 #d4jj2 ,morrocco1 extra gilt1 #e4jj4 ,,announcement4 ,,the ,,missouri ,,persecutions ,,and ,,the ,,rise ,,and ,,fall ,,of ,,nauvoo4 --,this book will doubtless be published during the next year4 ,it will be a reproduction in book form of a series of articles1 by ,elder ,roberts1 published some years ago in the ,contributor4 ,the articles will be carefully revised and enlarged1 and will relate in greater detail the story of those stirring times than any other publication among us4 ,it is the intention to have the work beautifully illustrated4 ,the author visited all the places in ,missouri and ,illinois where the ,church located and therefore adds the charm of description of places1 to the narration of events that transpired4 ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon ,,as ,a ,,witness ,,for ,,god is also in course of preparation and will be a companion volume to the work now issued under the title of ,a ,new ,witness for ,god4 ,incidentally the divine authenticity of the ,book of ,mormon will be thoroughly considered4 ,transcriber's ,note ,some obvious printer's errors in the original1 including numerous words with missing1 substituted1 or extra letters1 have been corrected as seemed appropriate4