,,the ,,gospel4 ,,an ,,exposition ,,of ,,its ,,first ,,principles4 ,,by ,,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts1 ,author of ,life of ,john ,taylor2 ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,history2 ,new ,witnesses1 ,etc4 ,revised and ,enlarged ,edition4 ,,published ,,by ,,george ,q4 ,,cannon ,,sons ,,co41 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah4 #ahic4 ,religion1 my honored friend1 is surely a simple business1 as it equally concerns the ignorant and the learned1 the poor and the rich4 --,burns4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,first ,,edition4 ,this work has been written for the purpose of instructing the youth of ,zion in the first principles of the gospel4 ,for the most part our parents have been converted to the gospel while living in the various ,states of this country1 or in foreign lands1 by the preaching of the servants of ,god sent forth of him to proclaim the ushering in of the ,dispensation of the ,fullness of ,times1 and to call mankind to repentance4 ,they carefully and thoroughly examined every principle advanced by them2 for notwithstanding the doctrines taught by the ,elders were older than the earth1 and in various dispensations have been expounded by prophets and apostles whose testimony is recorded in the ,bible1 yet something in the spirit by which they were proclaimed1 and the manner in which they were combined1 made them a new gospel--a new religion4 ,not only did our parents hear the public discourses of the servants of ,god1 but in the home circle--to which they invited the teachers of the seemingly ,new ,faith--the gospel1 the harmony and beauty of its principles1 the consistent blending in it of justice1 and mercy1 its sanctifying influence upon the human character1 its spirit and powers1 were all common topics of their conversation2 until they not only intellectually assented to it as a grand system of truth1 but also became imbued with its spirit1 and felt and enjoyed its powers4 ,with the youth of ,zion it has been different4 ,being removed from the errors of the sectarian world1 it has been thought they would accept the gospel as a matter of course4 ,it may be stated as a general truth1 that too much in this respect has been taken for granted2 and in too many instances our youth have not been instructed so thoroughly in the things of ,god as they ought to have been4 ,many have grown up in lamentable ignorance of even the ,first ,principles of the gospel--which ignorance is often confounded with unbelief1 or mistaken for infidelity4 ,to such the gospel has only to be presented intelligently1 and in its native simplicity1 to be accepted4 ,whoever examined our religion1 said one of the ,fathers of the early ,christian ,church1 but what he accepted it8 ,so now3 the ,gospel has only to be understood to be admired and believed4 ,it is to place within their reach a thorough exposition of the ,first ,principles of the gospel that this work has been prepared1 and is now presented to the youth of ,zion3 and it is the earnest hope of the author that by a patient perusal of these pages those who now believe the gospel will find their faith strengthened and confirmed2 and those who do not believe it1 be convinced of its truth4 ,it is but fair to the writer to say that the work has been written amid the busy scenes of missionary life in a foreign land4 ,its preparation has been frequently interrupted by travel1 and the performance of many other duties requiring the writer's attention4 ,if this work1 therefore1 in point of excellence shall fall below what was desired by the ,general ,superintendency of the ,mutual ,improvement ,associations1 at whose instigation it was written1 it is hoped these circumstances will in some degree excuse it4 ,the ,author4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,second ,,edition4 ,i had determined in the second edition of this work to very much alter its general plan and enlarge it2 but a number of friends who have used ,the ,gospel as a text-book in our ,church schools1 in ,improvement ,associations and theological classes1 persuaded me not to materially change or too much enlarge it4 ,their experience in using the little work as a text-book gives weight to their opinions1 and ,i have so far yielded to their judgment that ,i have made but few changes1 and those merely verbal1 in this edition of the book4 ,i have1 however1 added as a supplement1 a series of articles originally written for ,the ,contributor1 on ,man's ,relationship to ,deity4 ,those articles were intended in the first place to be supplemental to ,the ,gospel1 and as the theme has a close relation to the subject of which the work treats1 ,i thought it would increase the interest in the whole subject to publish them in this edition4 ,the ,author4 ,,contents4 ,chapter ,i4--,introductory ,chapter ,,ii4--,general ,salvation ,chapter ,,iii4--,general ,salvation ,chapter ,,iv4--,general ,salvation ,chapter ,v4--,individual ,salvation ,chapter ,,vi4--,principles and ,ordinances ,chapter ,,vii4--,faith ,chapter ,,viii4--,faith4--,the ,bible ,chapter ,,ix4--,faith4--,the ,old ,testament ,chapter ,x4--,faith4--,the ,new ,testament ,chapter ,,xi4--,faith4--,the ,new ,testament ,chapter ,,xii4--,faith4--,the ,new ,testament ,chapter ,,xiii4--,faith4--,tradition ,chapter ,,xiv4--,faith4--,revelation ,chapter ,,xv4--,faith4--,the ,character of ,god ,chapter ,,xvi4--,faith4--,course of ,life ,chapter ,,xvii4--,repentance ,chapter ,,xviii4--,repentance ,chapter ,,xix4--,repentance4--,historical ,illustration ,chapter ,,xx4--,repentance4--,historical ,illustration ,chapter ,,xxi4--,baptism ,chapter ,,xxii4--,object of ,baptism ,chapter ,,xxiii4--,the ,subjects for ,baptism ,chapter ,,xxiv4--,the ,mode of ,baptism ,chapter ,,xxv4--,the ,holy ,ghost ,chapter ,,xxvi4--,the ,holy ,ghost4--,who ,may ,receive ,it ,chapter ,,xxvii4--,the ,holy ,ghost4--,how ,imparted ,chapter ,,xxviii4--,the ,holy ,ghost4--,character and ,source ,chapter ,,xxix4--,the ,holy ,ghost4--,its ,power ,chapter ,,xxx4--,authority ,chapter ,,xxxi4--,laws of ,spiritual ,development ,chapter ,,xxxii4--,history of the ,gospel ,chapter ,,xxxiii4--,salvation for the ,dead ,conclusion ,supplement4--,man's ,relationship to ,deity ,,the ,,gospel4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,introductory4 ,in the investigation of any subject1 it is of first importance that the terms employed be thoroughly understood2 hence1 ,i begin the subject in hand by asking and answering the question1 ,what is the ,gospel8 ,the definition to the term ,i shall derive from the scriptures2 not from one passage alone1 but from the consideration of a number of passages4 ,the ,apostle ,paul1 in defining the ,gospel1 calls it3 ,the power of ,god unto salvation to every one that believeth4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,rom4 i3 #af4 ,from other scriptures1 to be considered presently1 we shall see that ,paul could not have meant a mere intellectual assent to the truth of the several principles composing the ,gospel1 but an active1 living faith in them--a belief which accepts them1 not in theory only1 but in practice also--a belief which leads up to an implicit obedience to the ordinances and precepts of the ,gospel4 ,it is only such a belief that can make the ,gospel the power of ,god unto salvation4 ,in proof of this ,i call attention to the following scriptures3 ,not every one that saith unto me1 ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter into the kingdom of heaven2 but he that doeth the will of my ,father which is in heaven 99 99 99 ,therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine1 and doeth them1 ,i will liken him unto a wise man1 which built his house upon a rock3 and the rain descended1 and the floods came1 and the winds blew1 and beat upon that house2 and it fell not3 for it was founded upon a rock4 ,and every one that heareth these sayings of mine1 and doeth them not1 shall be likened unto a foolish man1 which built his house upon the sand3 and the rain descended1 and the floods came1 and the winds blew1 and beat upon that house2 and it fell3 and great was the fall of it4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,matt4 vii3 #ba1 #bd-bg4 ,wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness1 and receive with meekness the engrafted word1 which is able to save your souls4 ,but be ye doers of the word and not hearers only1 deceiving your own selves4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,james i3 #ba1bb ,and now to come to a passage which must set at rest forever all controversy on the question4 ,in speaking of ,jesus1 the writer of the book of ,hebrews says3 ,though he were a son1 yet learned he obedience through the things which he suffered1 and being made perfect1 he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him4,d ,not to those who do not obey him4 ,footnote ,d3 ,heb4 v3 #h1i4 ,from these scriptures we deduce the following definition3 ,the ,gospel is the power of ,god unto salvation unto every one who believes and obeys it4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,general ,,salvation4 ,having defined what the ,gospel is1 it is my purpose now1 for convenience1 to separate the subject into two grand divisions4 ,these ,i shall call respectively3 ,general ,salvation1 and ,individual ,salvation4 ,by ,general ,salvation1 ,i mean a salvation that is as universal as the race of man2 that will extend to the sinner as well as to the saint2 to the unbeliever1 as well as to him who believes2 to the impenitent1 as well as to the penitent2 in short1 a salvation that is secured to every son and daughter of ,adam1 irrespective of his or her belief or unbelief1 obedience or disobedience4 ,by ,individual ,salvation1 ,i mean a salvation from certain consequences that result from transgressing one or more of ,god's holy laws2 a salvation secured by complying with certain conditions specified in the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 and which can only be secured to those who fulfill said conditions4 ,first1 then1 as to ,general ,salvation3 ,whatever mystery may hang over man's existence1 he is conscious of these two facts3 first1 that he does exist2 and second1 judging from all human experience1 as well as by the decrees of ,god1 the time will come when he will die4 ,no matter how strong the body1 how perfect the health1 or how buoyant the spirit1 man knows that sooner or later time will sap the vital forces1 unbend the body's strength1 and in a few years the all-beholding sun shall see him no more in all his course4 ,the experience of the race proves that man is dust1 and to dust he must return4 ,it is true that a few1 for the time being1 have escaped this fate1 through being translated by the special providence of ,god2 as in the case of ,enoch and many of his people2,a the prophet ,elijah2,b the three ,nephite apostles1,c and also ,john1 the apostle4,d ,but even those who have attained this peculiar privilege1 will doubtless yet have to pass through the mysterious change we call death1 in order that the decrees of ,god may be fulfilled4 ,this calamity of death1 then1 falls upon all mankind2 and it was brought into the world through no act of theirs4 ,footnote ,a3 ,pearl of ,great ,price pp4 #ah1 #ai1 #bb4 ,footnote ,b3 ,,ii4 ,kings ii41 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 cx4 #ac4 ,footnote ,c3 ,,iii4 ,nephi xxvii3 #g-cc4 ,footnote ,d3 ,st4 ,john xxi3 #ba-be1 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 vii4 ,adam transgressed the commandments given to him by his ,god2 and through that act1 sowed the seeds of death1 and became mortal1 and his progeny inherited1 as a legacy1 that mortality1 and so death passed upon all mankind4 ,and since death was brought upon mankind through no act or fault of theirs1 justice demands that they should receive full and complete redemption from that evil which falls upon them through the acts of another1 over which they had no control4 ,such redemption has been wrought cut through the ,atonement of ,jesus ,christ2 and1 in proof that that redemption from the consequences of ,adam's transgression is universal1 extending alike to the righteous and unrighteous1 ,i cite the following scripture3 ,and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth1 shall awake1 some to everlasting life1 and some to shame and everlasting contempt4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,dan4 xii3 #b4 ,from this it appears that not only the righteous--those who are worthy of everlasting life--are to come forth from their graves1 but also the wicked--those worthy only of shame and everlasting contempt4 ,to this agrees the testimony of ,jesus1 ,for as the ,father hath life in himself2 so hath he given to the ,son1 life in himself4 ,marvel not at this2 for the hour is coming1 in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice1 and shall come forth2 they that have done good unto the resurrection of life1 and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation4,f ,or1 as the last two clauses were given to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 by inspiration3 ,they who have done good in the resurrection of the just1 and they who have done evil in the resurrection of the unjust4,g ,footnote ,f3 ,john v3 #bf1 #bh1 #bi4 ,footnote ,g3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxv3 #af1 #ag4 ,this1 too1 is in harmony with ,paul's teaching1 pronounced on the occasion of his defense before ,felix3 ,after the way which they call heresy1 so worship ,i the ,god of my fathers1 believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets2 and have hope towards ,god1 which they themselves also allow1 that there shall be a resurrection of the dead1 both of the just and the unjust4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,acts xxiv3 #ad1 #ae4 ,if it were necessary to add anything more to this array of testimony1 it would be found in the words of ,john the ,revelator4 ,in the twentieth chapter of ,revelations is given an account1 first1 of the resurrection of the just1 and their reign of peace upon the earth for a thousand years2 and then follows a description of the general resurrection in which the writer says3 ,and ,i saw the dead1 small and great1 stand before ,god4 ,and the sea gave up the dead which were in it2 and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them1 and they were judged every man according to his works4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,rev4 xx3 #ab1 #ac4 ,it is certain1 then1 that the resurrection of the dead is universal1 extending alike to all classes and races of men4 ,and thus there is a general salvation from the consequences of ,adam's fall4 ,for as by the offense of one 7,adam7 judgment came upon all men to condemnation2 even so by the righteousness of one 7,christ7 the free gift came upon all men to the justification of life4,j ,and again1 ,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,k ,footnote ,j3 ,rom4 v3 #ah4 ,footnote ,k3 ,i4 ,cor4 xv3 #ba1 #bb4 ,the reader will observe that the redemption is as universal as the fall4 ,if it were possible1 still more explicit is the testimony of the ,book of ,mormon on this subject of man's redemption1 as will be seen from the following passages3 ,and he 7,christ7 shall come into the world to redeem his people2 and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name2 and these are they that shall have eternal life1 and salvation cometh to none else2 therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made1 except it be the loosing of the bands of death2 for behold1 the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand before ,god1 and be judged according to their works4 ,now there is a death which is called a temporal death2 and the death of ,christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death1 that all shall be raised from this temporal death3 the spirit and the body shall be re-united again in its perfect form2 both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame1 even as we now are at this time2 and we shall be brought to stand before ,god1 knowing even as we know now1 and have a bright recollection of all our guilt4 ,now1 this restoration shall come to all1 both old and young1 both bond and free1 both male and female1 both the wicked and the righteous2 and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost2 but all things shall be restored to its perfect frame1 as it is now1 or in the body1 and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of ,christ the ,son1 and ,god the ,father1 and the ,holy ,spirit1 which is one eternal ,god1 to be judged according to their works1 whether they be good or whether they be evil4,l ,footnote ,l3 ,alma xi3 #dj1 #da1 #db1 #dc1 #dd4 ,behold ,i have given unto you my gospel1 and this is the gospel which ,i have given unto you1 that ,i came into the world to do the will of my ,father1 because my ,father sent me2 and my ,father sent me that ,i might be lifted up upon the cross2 and after that ,i had been lifted up upon the cross1 that ,i might draw all men unto me2 that as ,i have been lifted up by men1 even so should men be lifted up by the ,father1 to stand before me1 to be judged of their works1 whether they be good or whether they be evil4 ,and for this cause have ,i been lifted up2 therefore1 according to the power of the ,father1 ,i will draw all men unto me1 that they may be judged according to their works4,m ,footnote ,m3 ,,iii ,nephi xxvii3 #ac-ae4 ,behold1 he 7,christ7 created ,adam1 and by ,adam came the fall of man4 ,and because of the fall of man1 came ,jesus ,christ1 even the ,father and the ,son2 and because of ,jesus ,christ1 came the redemption of man4 ,and because of the redemption of man1 which came by ,jesus ,christ1 they are brought back into the presence of the ,lord2 yea1 this is wherein all men are redeemed1 because the death of ,christ bringeth to pass the resurrection1 which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep1 from which sleep all men shall be awoke by the power of ,god1 when the trump shall sound2 and they shall come forth1 both small and great1 and all shall stand before his bar1 being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death1 which death is a temporal death4,n ,footnote ,n3 ,moroni ix3 #ab1 #ac4 ,still1 some of skeptical inclination1 will refuse to admit that justice has its perfect development in this scheme of redemption through ,christ's ,atonement4 ,they insist that the sin of ,adam should not be visited upon his posterity even for a moment4 ,why should man die8 ,how is it that through the sacrifice of one who is innocent1 salvation may be purchased for those under the dominion of death8 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,general ,,salvation4 ,in answer to the questions with which the last chapter closed1 ,i may say that however difficult it may be to comprehend fully all things connected with man's fall1 and ,god's plan for his redemption1 we may be assured that the fall was not a blunder1 nor was it an accident4 ,the prophet ,lehi bowed down under the weight of years1 when giving his last testimony and instructions to his son ,jacob1 said3 ,behold1 all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things4 ,adam fell that men might be2 and men are1 that they might have joy4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,nephi ,,ii3 #bd1 #be4 ,all that has befallen man1 we may rest assured1 is essential to his eternal and perfect happiness4 ,from our limited experience1 we know that men learn to appreciate the joys of prosperity by drinking deeply from the cup of adversity2 they learn to prize the boon of health1 by languishing upon the bed of affliction2 they learn the value of wealth1 by experiencing want and poverty2 the sweets of life are rendered still more sweet by the draughts of bitterness we are compelled to drink2 and the ever intermittent gleams of sunshine are made more bright by the renewing storms which darken the sky2 and thus-- ,tis sorrow builds the shining ladder up1 ,whose golden rounds are our calamities4 ,as it is with these things ,i have mentioned1 so it is in respect to the greatest blessing ,deity can bestow upon man--the gift of eternal life4 ,how great that gift1 it is difficult for us to understand4 ,it is not to live merely three score years1 nor a thousand years1 nor ten thousand years1 but eternally2 and while ,the stars shall fade away1 the sun himself ,grow dim with age1 and nature sink in years2 ,man shall flourish in immortal youth4 ,unhurt amid the war of elements1 ,the wreck of matter and the crash of worlds4-- ,but in order that his children might know how to prize the greatest of all his gifts4 ,deity has ordained that they should pass through the dark valley of death2 and in the meantime1 by passing through this probation we call life1 they might have the opportunity of demonstrating before the heavens their integrity to principles of righteousness and truth2 and by coming in contact with evil1 they might forever prize that which is pure and good3 that vice might ever be hideous to them1 and virtue lovely--and thus the eternal happiness of man be made secure4 ,thus with death1 as with many other things1 that which at times we consider our greatest calamity1 turns out to be our greatest good4 ,as to the second question,b--,how is it that through the sacrifice of one who is innocent salvation may be purchased for those under the dominion of death8--,i will observe1 in passing1 that what should most concern us1 is1 not so much how it is that such is the case1 but is it a fact4 ,is it true that ,god has established such a scheme of redemption1 is what should concern us most4 ,footnote ,b3 ,see ,discourse of ,j4 ,taylor1 ,j4 of ,d4 vol #aj1 p4 #aad4 ,to that question the blood sprinkled upon a thousand ,jewish altars1 and the smoke that darkened the heavens for ages from burnt offerings1 answers yes4 ,for those sacrifices1 and that sprinkled blood were but typical of the great sacrifice to be made by the ,messiah4 ,even the mythology of heathen nations retains the idea of an atonement that either has been1 or is to be made for mankind4 ,fantastic1 distorted1 confused2 buried under the rubbish of savage superstition it may be1 but it nevertheless exists4 ,so easily traced1 so distinct is this feature of heathen mythology1 that some writers have endeavored to prove that the gospel plan of redemption was derived from heathen mythology4 ,whereas the fact is that the ,gospel was understood and extensively preached in the earliest ages2,c men retained in their tradition a knowledge of those principles or parts of them1 and however much they may have been distorted1 traces of them may still be found in nearly all the mythologies of the world4 ,footnote ,c3 ,see ,pearl of ,great ,price1 ,writings of ,moses1 pp4 #ab to #ca4 ,gal iii1 #h4 ,heb4 iv1 #b1 in connection with latter part of chap iii4 ,i ,cor4 ,x1 #a-d4 ,mediation and ,atonement by the late ,prest4 ,john ,taylor --,appendix4 ,the prophets of the ,jewish scriptures answer the foregoing question in the affirmative4 ,the writers of the ,new ,testament make ,christ's ,atonement the principal theme of their discourses and epistles4 ,the ,book of ,mormon1 speaking as the voice of an entire continent of people1 whose prophets and righteous men sought and found ,god1 testifies to the same great fact4 ,the revelations of ,god as given through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith are replete with passages confirming this doctrine1 and lastly1 the ,saints who have received this doctrine and walked in obedience to the laws of heaven1 bear testimony that the ,spirit of ,god has borne record to their spirits that the ,atonement of ,christ is a grand reality4 ,this evidence is more than sufficient1 it seems to me1 to establish the fact of the atonement beyond the possibility of a doubt2 and if there are some things in it not within the scope of our comprehension1 still there is sufficient foundation for our glorious hope of eternal life through its power2 for the evidence proving the fact of that ,atonement is sufficient1 wanting nothing1 either in quality or quantity4 ,the ,atonement is not the only fact which man accepts without being able to comprehend it4 ,such facts exist all about us4 ,for example1 here stands a row of trees2 here is the plum tree1 the peach1 pear1 apple1 cherry and the apricot4 ,they send their roots down into the same soil2 their fibres become interlaced in it2 and yet each tree has the mysterious power to draw from the same soil the substances which produce its own peculiar fruit4 ,so it is throughout the vegetable kingdom4 ,but how it is that the peach tree produces the peach1 while the plum tree1 from the same soil1 produces the plum2 or how one plant produces wheat1 while another at its side produces barley1 we cannot tell4 ,but there is the fact2 and how stupid would he be considered who rejected the fact1 because1 forsooth1 he cannot understand the mysterious powers or forces which produce it6 ,as ,bishop ,watson remarks to ,sir ,edward ,gibbon1 in the letters which comprise his ,apology for ,christianity3--,in physics you cannot comprehend the primary cause of anything3 not of the light by which you see2 nor of the elasticity of the air by which you hear2 nor of the fire by which you are warmed4 ,in physiology you cannot tell what first gave motion to the heart1 nor what continues it1 nor why its motion is less voluntary than the lungs2 nor why you are able to move your arms to the right or left by a simple volition2 99 99 99 nor comprehend the principle by which your body was at first formed1 nor by which it is sustained1 nor by which it will be reduced to earth4 ,the list might be indefinitely extended1 for the facts in nature which are incomprehensible are more numerous than those of revelation4 ,and yet those who insist that all the facts connected with revelation should be of such a character that they are perfectly comprehended1 refuse not to accept the facts in nature because they are incomprehensible4 ,why cannot they treat with equal fairness the facts of revelation and leave it to time and further revelation to make that clear which is now obscure8 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,general ,,salvation4 ,unbelievers delight to represent ,god1 the great ,law ,giver1 as unspeakably cruel in demanding such an ,atonement as ,christ made for the salvation of the children of men4 ,but let it be borne in mind that he who made the ,atonement did so voluntarily4 ,testifying to his disciples respecting the matter he says3 ,therefore doth my ,father love me1 because ,i lay down my life that ,i may take it up again4 ,no man taketh it from me1 but ,i lay it down of myself4 ,i have power to lay it down and ,i have power to take it again4 ,this commandment have ,i received of my ,father4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,john x4 #ag1ah4 ,when his enemies gathered about him1--a former friend betraying him with a kiss1--and ,peter prepared to defend him with the sword1 he chided him for his rashness1 commanding him to put up his sword1 and added3 ,thinkest thou that ,i cannot now pray to my ,father1 and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels8 ,but how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled1 that thus it must be8,b ,footnote ,b3 ,matt4 xxvi3 #ec1 #ed4 ,thus down to the very last moment1 it appears that ,jesus could have been delivered from the sacrifice had he so willed it4 ,but the principle which was the guiding-star of his life--,father1 not my will1 but thy will be done influenced him in this instance1 and he drank of the cup given him of his ,father1 and wrung out the dregs in agony2 but he did it voluntarily1 and that1 too1 out of his great love for mankind4 ,among men we sometimes see this willingness to suffer for others4 ,men there are who would lay down their lives for their friends4 ,in the times when imprisonment for debt was customary in ,england1 we often meet instances where out of pure love and kindness towards his fellows1 a man under no obligation whatever to do so1 has paid the debts of the unfortunate1 satisfied the demands of the law1 and set the captive free4 ,it is related of ,lord ,byron that when he was a lad attending school1 a companion of his fell under the displeasure of a cruel1 overbearing bully1 who unmercifully beat him4 ,byron happened to be present1 but knowing the uselessness of undertaking a fight with the bully1 he stepped up to him and asked him how much longer he intended to beat his friend4 ,what's that to you8 gruffly demanded the bully4 ,because1 replied young ,byron1 the tears standing in his eyes1 ,i will take the rest of the beating if you will let him go4 ,that partakes to some extent1 at least enough so for illustration1 of the spirit by which the ,son of ,god was actuated when he offered himself a ransom for mankind1 to redeem them from the power and dominion of death1 from which they were powerless to free themselves4 ,there was something more1 however1 in the suffering of the ,messiah than merely the ordinary pangs and terrors of personal death4 ,as stated by the late ,president ,john ,taylor1 ,the suffering of the ,son of ,god was not simply the suffering of personal death2 for in assuming the position that he did in making an atonement for the sins of the world1 he bore the weight1 the responsibilities and the burden of the sins of all men1 which1 to us1 is incomprehensible4 ,as stated1 ',the ,lord your ,redeemer suffered death in the flesh2 wherefore he suffereth the pains of all men4' ,and ,isaiah says3 ',surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows2' also1 ',the ,lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all2' and again1 'he hath poured out his soul unto death1 and he was numbered with the transgressors1 and he bear the sins of many2' or1 as it is written in the second book of ,nephi1 ',for behold1 he suffereth the pains all men1 yea the pains of every living creature1 both men1 women and children1 who belong to the family of ,adam2 'whilst in ,mosiah it is declared1 'he shall suffer temptations and pains of body1 hunger1 thirst and fatigue1 even more than man can suffer1 except it be unto death2 for behold1 blood cometh from every pore so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and abominations of his people4',c ,footnote ,c3 ,mediation and ,atonement ch4 xxi4 ,by this ,atonement of ,messiah's there is especially one fact thrown out into bold relief1 that is1 the great love of ,god and ,christ for mankind4 ,when you come to think of the unspeakable agony1 of the anguish of heart1 of the pains that racked the body and distressed the mind of the ,savior at the time of his betrayal1 and during his trial and crucifixion1 you may begin to see how great the love of the ,father for mankind must be1 when he would consent for his only begotten ,son to pass through this great humiliation and affliction1 in order to redeem mankind from the bonds of death4 ,on such contemplation increased emphasis will be given to the passage--,in this was manifested the love of ,god towards us1 because that ,god sent his only begotten ,son into the world that we might live through him4,d ,and also to this--,for ,god so loved the world1 that he gave his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish1 but have everlasting life4 ,for ,god sent not his ,son into the world to condemn1 the world1 but that the world through him might be saved4,e ,footnote ,d3 ,i4 ,john iv3 #i4 ,footnote ,e3 ,john iii4 #af1 #ag4 ,then what shall we say for the greatness of the love of the ,son of ,god1 who of his own free will volunteered to take upon himself the task of man's redemption6 ,not only of redeeming him from death1 but from the consequences of all sins1 that is1 on certain conditions1 as we shall see further on6 ,i have often thought that the love of a son for his mother must ever be made stronger1 and become more sanctified1 through bringing to mind the sufferings which brought her to the very gates of death1 to give him life2 her subsequent devotion1 anxiety1 toil and watchfulness in the years of his childhood and youth1 making her a being enskyed and sainted1 to him4 ,so it is with ,christ4 ,the recollection of the love he bears for us as manifested in the sufferings he endured in our stead1 for upon him was laid the iniquity of us all1 and by his stripes are we to be healed--the recollection1 ,i say1 of his excruciating agony in ,gethsemane1 where he sweat great drops of blood1 in the council chamber of the ,jews1 in the streets of ,jerusalem at the hands of the rabble1 and finally upon ,calvary1 in order to satisfy the inexorable claims of justice1 must seal and make perfect the bond of love which connects us with him2 and bears witness to the world how great1 how infinite the love of ,christ for us1 how great the price paid for our ransom4 ,well may the ,apostle say--,ye are not your own1 for ye are bought with a price4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,i ,cor4 vi4 #ai1 #bj4 ,in the ,atonement made for man1 there is a nice balancing of the relative claims of ,justice and ,mercy4 ,the law given to man being transgressed1 ,justice demanded the payment of the penalty1 which was death4 ,and as ,adam had no power to liberate himself from the captivity thereof1 his sleep in the grave must have been eternal2 so also with all his posterity to whom his mortality was bequeathed as an evil legacy1 had not ,mercy put in her claims and prevented ,justice from being cruel4 ,the ,son of ,god having it given him to have life in himself1,g and being capable of making an infinite atonement1 he stood forth as the great friend of man and offered himself as a sacrifice to satisfy the claims of ,justice4 ,that offering was accepted by the great ,law ,giver1 and upon the demands of ,justice being satisfied1--the law having no further claim upon him1 the captive is set free from the dominion of death4 ,footnote ,g3 ,john v3 #bf4 ,mercy is not permitted to rob ,justice1 but she claims her own4 ,justice is not permitted to be cruel1 but he retains his dignity--his demands are satisfied4 ,as the late ,president ,taylor very beautifully and very truthfully said3 ,is justice dishonored8 ,no2 it is satisfied2 the debt is paid4 ,is righteousness departed from8 ,no2 there is a righteous act4 ,all requirements are met4 ,is judgment violated8 ,no2 its demands are fulfilled4 ,is mercy triumphant8 ,no2 she simply claims her own4 ,justice1 judgment1 mercy and truth all harmonize as the attributes of ,deity4 ,justice and truth have met together1 righteousness and peace have kissed each other1 justice and judgment triumphant as well as mercy and peace2 all the attributes of ,deity harmonize in this great1 grand1 momentous1 just1 equitable1 merciful and meritorious act4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,mediation and ,atonement1 ch4 xxiv4 ,to the reader who would make a more thorough investigation of this subject than these pages afford1 ,i refer him to the following passages and works4 ,book of ,mormon1 ,,ii ,nephi1 ,chap4 ii4 ,mosiah xv1 #ah-bg4 ,alma xxxiv1 #g-ag4 ,alma xlii1 #a-bf4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec lxxvi1 and especially the ,mediation and ,atonement by the late ,prest4 ,john ,taylor ,also ,watson's ,apology for ,christianity1 ,letter vi4 ,jenyn's ,internal ,evidences of the ,christian ,religion1 the concluding chapter4 ,through this ,atonement1 made by ,messiah1 a full and complete redemption from the consequences of ,adam's transgression is brought about2 that is1 a victory over the grave is secured2 and that1 too1 through the merits of ,jesus ,christ1 ,and while the law transgressed by ,adam has been vindicated1 the posterity of ,adam1 who became subject to death through his disobedience1 are redeemed from the grave without anything being required of them4 ,for as their agency was not concerned in bringing about the mischief1 neither is anything demanded of them in order to obtain redemption from it4 ,so far salvation is free1 universal1 and unconditional extending to every man1 woman and child who has ever breathed the breath of life4 ,and hence the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith wrote as one of the articles of our faith--,we believe that men will be punished for their own sins1 and not for ,adam's transgression4 ,this is what ,i mean1 then1 by ,general ,salvation ,free redemption for all mankind through the resurrection from death1 which was the great penalty affixed to the law that ,adam transgressed4 ,this is what the ,atonement of ,christ accomplished for man1 but this is not all it did1 as we shall see when we come to speak of ,individual ,salvation4 ,meantime1 through the fall1 comes our present state of probation2 our opportunities for gaining an experience in this life2 of coming in contact with good and evil2 learning to love the one and despise the other1 by seeing them placed in contrast with each other1 working out their respective results1 to the production of happiness on the one hand1 and misery on the other4 ,from which experience we shall learn on what basis rests the eternal felicity of intelligences1 and how to perpetuate it throughout the ages yet unborn4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,individual ,,salvation4 ,having dealt with what ,i called ,general ,salvation1 ,i now turn to ,individual ,salvation4 ,you have seen that man is redeemed from the evils brought upon him through ,adam's sin1 without any act of belief or obedience being required of him4 ,this is because his agency or will was not exercised in breaking the law given to ,adam4 ,the calamity overtakes him through no fault of his2 and consequently his deliverance1 so far1 comes without his seeking--in fact1 it comes independent of him4 ,in this matter1 man is passive1 being acted upon by the relative claims of ,justice and ,mercy4 ,but apart from the transgressions of our first parents1 there is a vast amount of sin1 crime and corruption in the world4 ,envy1 hatred1 malice1 contention1 evil-speaking1 jealousy1 and covetousness abound2 to say nothing of the greater evils of lying1 drunkenness1 stealing1 fornication1 adultery1 and debauchery of every description1 which would be improper even to name4 ,selfishness is the starting point of the present system of industrialism2 chicanery and fraud enter into all the avenues of trade2 dishonesty walks the streets without shame2 licentiousness revels in its own wantonness2 whoredoms are poisoning the life's blood of the nations2 prostitution flaunts its shame upon the streets1 and takes up its abode in the very shadow of the church1 where men meet to worship ,god4 ,instead of beautifying the earth1 man is but making many portions of it sink-holes of iniquity2 where poverty1 misery1 degradation1 drunkenness1 crime and sin lie festering in their filthiness under the sunlight of heaven1 until the very earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof4 ,now1 who is responsible for all these evils1 this seething mass of iniquity1 which blights like a hell-sent plague this fair creation of ours--the earth8 ,i answer that every man and every woman and every child1 who has arrived at the years of accountability--who understands the difference between good and evil--is responsible for it1 so far1 and to that extent that his or her individual acts contribute to the grand aggregate of crime in this sin-stained world4 ,in the commission of these individual sins1 too1 man's agency becomes a factor4 ,he sins knowingly willfully1 and sometimes wantonly4 ,he transgresses the laws of ,god and of nature in spite of the protests of his conscience1 the convictions of his reason and the promptings of his judgment4 ,he becomes desperately wicked and so depraved that he actually seeks evil and loves it4 ,he hugs it to his bosom and cries1 ,evil1 be thou my good2 sin1 be thou my refuge6 ,for the transgression of that law which brought death into the world4 ,justice had no claims upon the posterity of ,adam1 because their agency was not concerned in it1 hence a free redemption was provided from the calamity that overtakes them4 ,but in the case of these individual sins1 where the agency of every person is exercised1 justice demands that the penalties affixed to the violated laws be satisfied1 and the transgressors punished4 ,but here again the principle of mercy is active4 ,as ,i have before stated1 the victory over death is not the only benefit arising from the ,atonement of the ,messiah2 but by the sacrifice which he made he purchased mankind as an inheritance for himself1 and they became of right under his dominion1 for he ransomed them from an endless sleep in the grave4 ,nor is that all1 but as the scripture saith3 ,he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows 99 99 99 ,he was wounded for our transgressions1 he was bruised for our iniquities2 the chastisement of our peace was upon him2 and with his stripes we are healed 99 99 99 ,the ,lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all4,a ,so that his ,atonement not only broke the bonds of death1 but also atoned for the individual sins of men on condition of their obedience--their loyalty to ,christ1 who by virtue of his ,atonement redeemed them from endless death1 and therefore of right became their lawgiver1 and had power given him to dictate the terms upon which the full benefits of his ,atonement should be applied to individuals1 in order to release them from the penalties which follow as a consequence of their personal violations of the principles of righteousness4 ,footnote ,a3 ,isaiah liii3 #e1f4 ,first1 however1 let us settle it in our minds from authority that the ,atonement of ,christ has this two-fold force that ,i have ascribed to it1 viz43 that it redeems all mankind from death2 and also redeems them from the consequences of personal sins1 through obedience to ,christ4 ,the first part of the proposition has already been discussed and proven in those chapters devoted to the consideration of ,general ,salvation1 and those arguments need not be repeated here4 ,that the second part is true is evident from such scripture as3 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved1 and he that believeth not shall be damned2,b and1 ,being made perfect1 he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him4,c ,but while you are under the necessity of sustaining the proposition1 so far as the ,jewish ,scriptures are concerned1 by inference1 by conclusions drawn from the consideration of numerous passages1 in the ,book of ,mormon we have passages which at once sustain the doctrine3 ,and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of ,adam1 who have died not knowing the will of ,god concerning them1 or who have ignorantly sinned4 ,but woe1 woe unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against ,god2 for salvation cometh to none such1 except it be through repentance and faith in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4,d ,footnote ,b3 ,mark xvi4 #af4 ,footnote ,c3 ,heb4 v3 #af4 ,footnote ,d3 ,mosiah iii3 #aa1 #ab4 ,alma1 in answering a question asked him by the lawyer ,zeezrom1 said of ,jesus3--,and he shall come into the world to redeem his people2 and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name2 and these are they that shall have eternal life1 and salvation cometh to none else2 therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made1 except it be the loosing of the bonds of death2 for behold the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand before ,god and be judged according to their works4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,alma xi3 #dj1da4 ,still more plain in relation to the effect that ,messiah's ,atonement has upon the personal sins of men1 is the word of the ,lord through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith to ,martin ,harris1 warning him to repent lest his sufferings be sore--how sore1 how exquisite1 how hard to bear he knew not3 ,for behold1 ,i ,god1 have suffered these things for all that they might not suffer if they would repent1 but if they would not repent1 they must suffer even as ,i1 which suffering caused myself1 even ,god1 the greatest of all1 to tremble because of pain1 and to bleed at every pore1 and to suffer both body and spirit2 and would that ,i might not drink the bitter cup and shrink--nevertheless1 glory be to the ,father1 ,i partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xix1 #af-ah4 ,see also ,mosiah iii1 #bj1 #ba4 ,these passages to my mind prove the dual character of ,messiah's ,atonement--the redemption from the consequences of ,adam's transgression1 from death2 and redemption from personal sins on condition of implicit obedience to the laws of ,christ--to the gospel1 which we have already seen is the power of ,god unto salvation to everyone who believes and obeys it4 ,it will doubtless be observed by the attentive reader that upon this showing those who die before they are capable of knowing good or evil1 before they arrive at the years of accountability and who1 therefore1 are pure and innocent1 are saved by the merits of ,jesus ,christ alone4 ,being redeemed from the death brought upon them by the fall of ,adam1 by the ,atonement made by ,christ1 and having committed no personal sins --dying in the days of their innocence--they have nothing to repent of4 ,having broken no law4 ,justice has no claim upon them2 they fall into the arms of ,mercy alone1 and there they are secure4 ,well might ,jesus exclaim--,suffer little children to come unto me1 for of such is the kingdom of heaven6 ,but those who interpret that scripture to mean that little children have to be baptized or perform or have performed for them any other ordinance1 in order that they might come unto ,christ1 or to save them in the kingdom of ,god1 are woefully ignorant of the gospel1 and fail to grasp the grandeur1 the consistency the perfection there is in it4 ,it was doubtless these considerations which caused ,mormon to say1 in writing to his son ,moroni3 ,listen to the words of ,christ your ,redeemer1 your ,lord and your ,god4 ,behold ,i came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance3 the whole need no physician1 but they that are sick2 wherefore little children are whole for they are not capable of committing sin1 wherefore the curse of ,adam is taken from them in me1 that it hath no power over them2 99 99 99 and after this manner did the ,holy ,ghost manifest the word of ,god unto me1 wherefore my beloved son1 ,i know that it is solemn mockery before ,god that ye should baptize little children4 ,behold ,i say unto you that this thing shall ye teach1 repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin2 yea1 teach parents that they must repent and be baptized and humble themselves as their little children1 and they shall all be saved with their little children4 ,and their little children need no repentance1 neither baptism99 99 99 ,little children are alive in ,christ1 even from the foundation of the world4,g ,footnote ,g3 ,moroni viii1 #h-ab4 ,no less implicit is the word of the ,lord through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith3 ,but behold ,i say unto you1 that little children are redeemed from the foundation of the world through mine ,only ,begotten4 ,wherefore they cannot sin1 for power is not given unto ,satan to tempt little children1 until they begin to become accountable before me4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xxix1 #df1 #dg4 ,moreover1 it appears that ,mercy has special claims upon those men and women1 and also upon nations and races who know not the laws of ,god1 or have never heard the gospel4 ,the first ,nephi in speaking of the ,atonement of ,christ and its effects where proclaimed and rejected1 says3 ,wherefore he has given a law2 and where there is no law given there is no punishment2 and where there is no punishment1 there is no condemnation2 and where there is no condemnation1 the mercies of the ,holy ,one of ,israel have claim upon them because of the ,atonement2 for they are delivered by the power of him 7,christ72 for the ,atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them1 that they are delivered from that awful monster1 death and hell and the devil1 and the lake of fire and brimstone 7see ,alma xii1 #ag71;,i which is endless torment2 and they are restored to that ,god who gave them breath1 which is the ,holy ,one of ,israel4,j ,footnote ,i3 ,the torments of the ungodly sinners are likened unto a lake of fire and brimstone by this writer1 ,nephi--not that sinners are plunged into a lake of fire and brimstone as so-called orthodox ,christians teach4 ,indeed1 in the above passages there is a definition of what the lake of fire is--it is endless torment1 which ever exists for the punishment of impenitent sinners--each one partaking of it to such a degree and for such time as is necessary to satisfy the demands of justice4 ,in the very chapter above quoted ,nephi says of the wicked3 ,and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone1 whose flames ascendeth up for ever and ever1 and have no end4 ,footnote ,j3 ,,ii4 ,nephi ix1 #be1 #bf4 ,and so ,moroni3 ,for the power of redemption ,cometh on all they that have no law2 wherefore he that is not condemned1 or he that is under no condemnation cannot repent2 and unto such baptism availeth nothing4,k ,footnote ,k3 ,moroni viii1 #bb4 ,to this also agrees the teachings of ,paul3 ,for as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law2,l and as many as have sinned in the law1 shall be judged by the law4,m ,footnote ,l3 ,i venture the suggestion1 basing it on the sense of the whole passage1 that it should read3 ,shall also be judged without the law4 ,footnote ,m3 ,rom4 ii1 #ab4 ,so also the word of the ,lord to ,joseph ,smith3 ,and again ,i say unto you1 that whosoever having knowledge1 have ,i not commanded to repent8 ,and he that hath no understanding it remaineth in me to do as it is written4,n ,footnote ,n3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xxix1 #di1 #ej4 ,hence it is that the heathen nations who have had no law given to them1 and have died without law1 will have part in the first resurrection4,o ,footnote ,o3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xlv1 #ed4 ,see also ,mosiah xv1 #bd1 #be4 ,still1 those who have died without law are placed at this disadvantage2 that if they are not under the condemnation of the law1 through not having had it delivered to them1 neither are they sanctified by the law1 and consequently their development in spiritual knowledge and experience is not such as may warrant us in expecting that they are prepared to inherit the same degree of glory with those who have received the law of the gospel1 faithfully observed all its requirements and through their obedience have become sanctified by it1 and inherit the celestial glory1 the highest of all4 ,therefore1 it is written of those who die without the law3 ,these are they who are of the terrestrial world1 whose glory differs from that of the church of the ,first ,born1 who have received the fullness of the ,father1 even as the moon differs from the sun in the firmament4 ,behold these are they who died without law4,p ,footnote ,p3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxvi1 #ga1 #gb4 ,i know of nothing that is written1 however1 which prevents us from believing that they may1 eventually1 enter the celestial kingdom4 ,of one thing at least we may rest assured1 and that is1 that they will receive all the glory1 all the exaltation1 that their capacity can comprehend and enjoy1 and they will be satisfied with the mercy and justice of ,god4,q ,footnote ,q3 ,see chapter on ,salvation for the ,dead4 ,but now to return to those to whom the gospel is preached1 and who can only hope for salvation from the penalties affixed to sin1 by obeying the precepts and ordinances thereof4 ,how far is their obedience taxed8 ,what principles are they to accept1 what precepts practice1 what ordinances observe8 ,to the first question ,i make answer3 ,that since ,christ ransomed mankind by his own death and suffering1 from an endless sleep in the grave1 in order to attain the additional grace of an immunity from the consequences of our personal violations of the laws of righteousness--a forgiveness of sins--man's obedience to him must be implicit and absolute4 ,it is the duty of man to obey the whole ,gospel1 all precepts1 all ordinances1 as far as they are made known unto him--in short1 it is binding on him to live by every word which proceedeth from the mouth of ,god4 ,in proof of this1 ,i have only to add that when ,jesus commanded his apostles to go into the world and preach the ,gospel he said3 ,go ye therefore and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost3 ,teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you4,r ,footnote ,r3 ,matt4 xxviii1 #ai1 #bj4 ,there is no one single thing1 however great1 that man can do and then be under no further obligations to continue to observe the laws of righteousness4 ,the reply of ,jesus to the young man who came running to him saying1 ,good ,master1 what good thing shall ,i do1 that ,i may have eternal life8 was--,if you will enter into life1 keep the commandments4 ,the young man asked1 which2 that is1 which of the commandments must he keep4 ,and here ,i will say that by reading a little between the lines it is not difficult to see that the young man had an idea that there was some great thing he could do1 and by that one act secure eternal life4 ,but the answer of ,jesus dispelled that illusion1 for he said3--,thou shalt do no murder1 thou shalt not commit adultery1 thou shalt not steal1 thou shalt not bear false witness2 honor thy father and thy mother2 and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,the young man sayeth1 all these things have ,i kept from my youth up2 what lack ,i yet8 ,jesus said unto him1 if thou wilt be perfect1 go and sell all thou hast and give it to the poor1 99 99 99 and come and follow me4,s ,footnote ,s3 ,matt4 xix3 #af-bb4 ,it will be observed from the foregoing that it was not enough that the young man keep the commandments in the law of ,moses1 not enough that he sell all that he had and give it to the poor1 but he must then come and follow his ,master4 ,how much that means6 ,but ,i shall not particularize1 ,i shall sum up the matter by saying' that this case1 together with the observations in the preceding chapters1 plainly proves that if man would be perfect1 if he would obtain the full benefits of ,messiah's atonement1 complete absolution from his personal violation of holy1 righteous laws1 as well as deliverance from the grave1 his obedience to the laws of ,christ--the ,gospel1 must be implicit1 absolute4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,principles ,,and ,,ordinances4 ,in this chapter ,i shall deal briefly and collectively with those principles that must be accepted1 the ordinances that must be observed1 the precepts that must be followed and the kind of a life that must be led in order to secure a forgiveness of individual sins1 and obtain and grow in the favor of heaven--in short1 what laws and ordinances man is required to obey in the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,i shall enter into no analysis of the respective principles spoken of1 but shall merely point them out1 and enter into a more particular consideration of them further on in the work4 ,certain it is that faith enters into and forms a part of the ,gospel4 ,men are required to believe in ,god1 and in ,jesus ,christ3 and by that ,i mean1 not merely an assent to their existence1 but an acceptance of the whole system of truth revealed by them for man's salvation4 ,faith of necessity is a factor in the ,gospel1 because it is the incentive to all action2 for unless men believe in ,god's existence1 and in the revelations and commandments which he has given them1 they will consider themselves under no obligations to obey him2 and hence will neglect the things which concern their salvation4 ,it was the knowledge of this fact1 doubtless1 which led ,paul to say3 ,he that cometh to ,god must believe that he is 7i4e4 exists71 and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him4,a ,and ,jesus1 too1 when he said3 ,if ye believe not that ,i am he 7the ,redeemer1 the ,son of ,god71 ye shall die in your sins4,b--had the same thing in his mind4 ,footnote ,a3 ,heb4 xi3 #f4 ,footnote ,b3 ,john viii3 #bd4 ,hence1 ,i say1 faith is of necessity a part of the ,gospel1 a fundamental principle of it2 and therefore much importance is given to it by the writers of ,scripture4 ,how great that importance is may be learned from the fact that ,jesus said1 on the one hand1 ,he that heareth my word1 and believeth on ,him that sent me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into condemnation2 but is passed from death unto life3,c while on the other hand ,he said1 ,he that believeth not shall be damned4,d ,footnote ,c3 ,john v3 #be4 ,footnote ,d3 ,mark xvi3 #af4 ,belief in ,god and in ,jesus ,christ--in the sense ,i have described in the foregoing--when once fixed in the mind and heart1 leads men to obedience to ,god's laws4 ,it leads them to repentance and every other good work4 ,repentance is made particularly prominent in the scheme of man's salvation4 ,it was taught by ,john the ,baptist in the wilderness of ,judea2 the main feature of his mission seemed to have been to call men to repentance4 ,it was taught1 too1 by ,messiah himself4 ,on the occasion of some telling him of certain ,galileans whose blood ,pilate had mingled with their sacrifices1 he said3 ,suppose ye that these ,galileans were sinners above all ,galileans1 because they suffered these things8 ,i tell you nay2 but except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise perish4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,luke xiii3 #a1 #c4 ,going to the time when the ,apostles began to fulfill the mission given to them to preach the ,gospel1 it will be found that this same principle1 in connection with others1 is urged upon the acceptance of the people4 ,on that occasion ,peter preached a discourse in which he proved from the old ,scriptures that ,jesus was the ,messiah1 and in answer to the cries of the people1 ,men and brethren1 what shall we do8 he answered1 ,repent and be baptized every one of you1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of sins1 and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,acts ii3 #ch4 ,following this case is another1 also recorded in the ,acts of the ,apostles1 in which the ,gospel was taught and obeyed by the people of ,samaria1 under the teachings of one ,philip and the apostles ,peter and ,john4 ,in this latter case there is a development of the same principles that were taught on the day of ,pentecost4 ,i can do no better than quote the passage which gives the history of the circumstance3 ,then ,philip went down to the city of ,samaria and preached ,christ unto them4 ,and the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which ,philip spake1 hearing and seeing the miracles which he did4 ,for unclean spirits1 crying with loud voices1 came out of many that were possessed with them2 and many taken with palsies1 and that were lame1 were healed4 ,and there was great joy in that city3 99 99 99 and when they believed ,philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of ,god1 and the name of ,jesus ,christ1 they were baptized1 both men and women4 99 99 99 ,now when the apostles which were at ,jerusalem heard that ,samaria had received the word of ,god1 they sent unto them ,peter and ,john3 who1 when they were come down1 prayed for them1 that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost 7for as yet he was fallen upon none of them2 only they were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus74 ,then laid they their hands on them1 and they received the ,holy ,ghost4,g ,footnote ,g3 ,acts viii3 #e-h1 #ab1 #ad-ag4 ,the same principles that are here taught--the same ordinances that were observed by the people of ,samaria--are enumerated in another scripture1 as the principles of the doctrine of ,christ4 ,the language is3 ,therefore not,h leaving the principles of the doctrines of ,christ1 let us go on unto perfection2 not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works1 and of faith towards ,god1 of the doctrines of baptisms1 and of the laying on of hands1 and of resurrection of the dead1 and of eternal judgment1 and this will we do if ,god permit4,i ,footnote ,h3 ,i quote the passage here as it stands in the inspired translation of the ,bible--or1 rather1 what should be called the inspired revision of the ,bible--by the ,prophet ,joseph1 that is1 not leaving the principles1 etc42 and it seems to me that all must agree that that is right4 ,for1 admitting that faith1 for instance1 is a principle of the doctrine of ,christ--and it is enumerated as one in this very passage--how can that principle be left and we go on unto perfection8 ,it is a principle that enters into religious life1 no matter how far advanced in all that is excellent the individual may be4 ,it is a principle that underlies the actions of the ,gods1 and enters into their life and work--by faith the worlds were made4 ,we might as well admonish the mathematician to leave the fundamental principles of his science and expect him to go on unto perfection4 ,but he cannot do it4 ,the simple principle of addition1 subtraction1 multiplication and division1 enter into his calculations1 whatever his advancement in the science of numbers2 and in like manner the fundamental principles of the gospel are connected with our spiritual advancement1 and we cannot leave them1 and go on to perfection--hence ,joseph ,smith's rendering must be correct4 ,footnote ,i3 ,heb4 vi3 #a-c4 ,it is scarcely necessary for me to say that these doctrines must be accepted1 and the ordinances observed by those who would obtain favor with ,god1 and the remission of their sins2 for ,i have already pointed out the fact1 that implicit obedience to the law of ,christ--the ,gospel--is the only means of salvation for man4 ,and furthermore it is written3 ,whosoever transgresseth1 and abideth not in the doctrine of ,christ1 hath not ,god4 ,he that abideth in the doctrine of ,christ1 he hath both the ,father and the ,son4,j ,footnote ,j3 ,,ii4 ,john ix4 ,it would seem1 then1 that it is binding upon man to receive the whole ,gospel1 with all its principles1 precepts1 ordinances and sacraments4 ,and not only are they to be received but the candidate for eternal life should continue therein4 ,he must not be content with being born of the water and of the spirit into the kingdom2 he should not forever remain in his childhood in spiritual things3 but as the natural child gradually obtains control over the limbs1 and makes them obey his will1 either to stand erect1 walk1 or run2 and so continues until he develops into the skillful workman whose hand is able to execute whatever his brain conceives--so in spiritual things--those born into the kingdom of ,god should grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth4 ,the injunction placed upon those who accept the faith of the ,gospel,k is that they add to their faith1 virtue2 and to virtue1 knowledge2 and to knowledge1 temperance2 and to temperance patience2 and to patience1 godliness2 and to godliness brotherly kindness2 and to brotherly kindness1 charity4 ,for if these things be in you1 and abound1 they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4,l ,footnote ,k3 ,the reader will observe that the words of ,peter which ,i quote in the above are addressed by him to them that have obtained like precious faith with himself--to the ,saints 7see #ast verse of the chapter quoted71 hence ,i say the injunction is to those who have accepted the ,gospel--to the children of the ,kingdom4 ,footnote ,l3 ,,ii4 ,peter i3 #e-h4 ,such1 in brief1 is the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ as taught by the ,messiah and his apostles in ,palestine4 ,the same was taught by the prophets and apostles among the ,nephites on the western hemisphere4 ,the same is restored to the earth in our day through the revelations of ,god and the inspired teachings of ,joseph ,smith1 and other men whom the ,lord has raised up in this generation4 ,such are the principles which in the aggregate constitute the power of ,god unto salvation to those who believe and obey them4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,faith4 ,it is now my purpose to enter into a more particular consideration of the respective principles and ordinances which constitute the ,gospel1 or plan of man's salvation4 ,first in order1 both from necessity and because of its importance1 is the principle of faith4 ,and following the same method of investigation ,i adopted at the commencement of this inquiry1 viz3 defining as clearly as ,i am able1 the meaning of the words and terms used1 ,i come to the question4 ,what is faith8 ,and in answer say that it is an assurance in the mind of the existence and reality of things which one has not seen1 or which to him have not been demonstrated4 ,it may be an assurance in the mind of the existence of some ,being whom we have not seen1 but whose works are visible1 and who has been seen by others2 or it may be of the transpiring of some event at which we were not present1 but of which others bear witness2 or it may be an assurance of the correctness of certain deductions based upon scientific calculations1 though the principles of the science1 and the method of dealing with them1 by which the conclusions are reached1 we neither understand nor are able to follow2 in whatever it may be1 that assurance of the mind which accepts as truth those things which one has not seen1 and does not know for a certainty from his own experience to be absolutely true1 is faith4 ,for example1 to bring to our aid the assistance of illustration1 few1 perhaps none of my readers have ever seen the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 yet the writers of the ,new ,testament bear testimony to the reality of his existence1 and relate the circumstances which make up his eventful career4 ,the writers of the ,book of ,mormon do the same in relation to his labors on the western hemisphere ,joseph ,smith testifies that1 in vision1 he saw both ,jesus and his ,father1 in the spring of #ahbj4;,a ,joseph ,smith and ,sidney ,rigdon bear record that they saw him in ,february1 #ahcb2;,b and ,oliver ,cowdery and ,joseph ,smith say they saw him in the ,kirtland ,temple1 in ,april1 #ahcf4;,c ,these evidences establish an assurance1 or faith1 in the mind1 concerning the existence of ,jesus1 the ,lord4 ,footnote ,a3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #ei4 ,footnote ,b3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 #gf4 ,footnote ,c3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 #aaj4 ,again1 none of us1 and perhaps no one living1 was at the battle of ,waterloo2 yet the fact of that battle taking place is testified to by many historians2 no one doubts it1 and the evidence in the case is so certain1 that one may say he has perfect faith or assurance1 approaching almost within the lines of absolute knowledge1 that the event transpired--that assurance in the mind is faith4 ,still another illustration3 ,mathematicians claim that they can weigh the earth1 and measure the distance between our planet and the sun4 ,one may not be acquainted with the methods of their calculations1 or the principles involved in them1 yet such is the character and learning of the thoughtful men who make the claim1 that we accept their statements and conclusions as true1 though we may not be able ourselves to comprehend the science which reveals to them1 perhaps to the certainty of demonstration1 these facts3--this confidence in their statements--this assurance of the mind1 is faith4 ,other elements enter into this principle1 but at this stage of our investigation1 ,i desire to present the subject in its simple rather than in its complex character4 ,a step further in the investigation of this principle brings us to the consideration of the facts upon which faith rests1 or from which it springs4 ,i think a careful reading of the remarks already made in this chapter will lead the reader to see that faith is based upon evidence1 upon testimony4 ,it is the evidence we have in the testimonies of the writers of our ,scripture1 and the prophets of ,god to which ,i have alluded1 supported to some extent also by the glorious works of nature1 that creates in the mind faith in the existence of ,god4 ,that ,paul held these views1 that is1 that faith is based upon evidence1 is clearly seen in this passage3 ,for whosoever shall call upon the name of the ,lord shall be saved4 ,how1 then1 shall they call on him in whom they have not believed8 ,and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard8 ,and how shall they hear without a preacher8 ,and how shall they preach except they be sent8 ,so then faith cometh by hearing1 and hearing by the word of ,god2,d or1 in plainer terms--faith cometh by hearing the word of ,god4,e ,footnote ,d3 ,rom4 x3 #ac-ag4 ,footnote ,e3 ,i understand that such is the rendering of this passage--,rom4 x3 #ag--;by the ,prophet ,joseph4 ,faith is based upon evidence1 then1 and here ,i would remark1 that the faith will be true or false according as the evidence or testimony is truthful or untruthful4 ,evidence is to faith what the fountain is to the stream2 and as an impure fountain cannot send forth pure streams1 so incorrect evidence cannot establish a true or profitable faith4 ,by way of illustration ,i borrow the following from the ,works of ,orson ,pratt3 ,when ,europeans first began their explorations in the ,new ,world1 the ,indians whom they met were much amazed at the power and explosive properties of gun-powder1 and asked many questions respecting the manner in which it was produced4 ,the ,europeans1 taking advantage of the ignorance of the savages1 and seeing an opportunity to increase their wealth by the deception1 told the ,indians that it was the seed of a plant which grew in the lands they had come from1 and doubtless it would thrive in their land also4 ,the ,indians1 of course1 believed this statement and purchased the supposed seed1 giving in exchange for it large quantities of gold4 ,in implicit faith they carefully planted the supposed seed1 and anxiously watched for its sprouting and the appearance of the plant2 but it never came4 ,they had faith in the statements made to them by the ,europeans1 but as these statements were false1 and therefore the evidence on which the ,indians based their belief untrue1 their faith was vain4 ,thus must it ever be4 ,only correct evidence1 only truthful testimony can produce fruitful1 profitable faith4 ,no matter how sincere one's belief may be in an error1 that will not transform the error into truth4 ,the sincere faith of the ,indians in what the ,europeans had said about the gun-powder seed did not make that substance produce a plant yielding gun-powder4 ,and so faith in false doctrines1 founded upon false testimony1 cannot savor of salvation4 ,it is also worthy of note1 in passing1 that the character and intensity of the faith depends largely upon the quality and quantity of the evidence4 ,if a credible witness testifies to any matter of fact1 however strange or unusual the fact may be1 one would have some degree of faith in it2 but if another witness to the fact1 equally credible with the first1 also testifies to the same thing1 one's faith would be greatly increased2 and so as the evidence was multiplied the faith would grow1 until at last faith would become so perfect that it would pass almost into the domain of knowledge4 ,so much for faith in general4 ,now to consider it as a principle of revealed religion4 ,here it occupies a prominent place4 ,it is the foundation on which religion rests1 and the source of all righteousness4 ,in religion1 it is in ,god that faith centers2 it is to him that religious faith directs the eyes of man1 and bids him hope through ,christ to obtain eternal life4 ,and as this is the primary principle in religion1 it is my purpose to show from the ,scriptures that there is an abundance of evidence which1 if carefully considered1 will not fail to produce faith in the mind of him who is desirous to know the truth as to the existence of ,god1 the divinity of ,christ's mission and the truth of the ,gospel4 ,before ,i proceed with that investigation from the ,scriptures1 however1 ,i think it will be profitable to inquire briefly into the authenticity and credibility of the ,scriptures themselves2 that is1 as to the ,jewish ,scriptures2 for ,i consider such an inquiry respecting our other ,scriptures1 the ,book of ,mormon1 ,doctrine and ,covenants and the revelations contained in the ,pearl of ,great ,price1 as altogether unnecessary here4 ,the reason that ,i undertake to devote several chapters to this inquiry1 is because some have supposed that the testimony of the ,bible respecting ,god is so far imperfect that it is scarcely reliable4 ,and to the extent of my ability1 ,i desire to check a growing skepticism in relation to the ,bible1 and therefore will endeavor to prove that not only are the revelations contained in the ,bible sufficient to lay a sure foundation for an intelligent belief in ,god1 but that the ,bible itself is both authentic and credible4 ,i must ask my readers to remember1 however1 that this of itself is a subject for a volume1 and ,i can but devote a few pages to it2 and therefore ask that too much be not expected4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,faith4--,,the ,,bible4 ,a word1 in passing1 on the ,bible as a whole1 ,i am of the opinion that a very great many people look upon the ,bible as simply one book1 one testimony--one witness for ,god2 when in fact it is not one book1 but a collection of books2 not one witness for ,god1 but the collected testimony of many witnesses for him4 ,the word does not come1 ,i am assured on very good authority1 from the word biblos1 as many have supposed2 nor does it signify the book by way of eminence--the ,book of books1 but it is a word derived from the ,greek biblia1 meaning the books1 and is a term first applied by ,chrysostom to denote the collection of small books which constitute the ,old and ,new ,testaments2 and this term with the prefix ,holy1 soon came into general use4 ,this is how the ,jewish ,scriptures came to be called the ,holy ,bible2 meaning1 really1 the holy or sacred books4 ,the ,bible is made up of sixty-six distinct books1 bound together in one volume1 and written by about forty different authors4 ,and if each book is not a separate and independent witness for ,god1 it cannot be denied that each author is4 ,the first of the sacred writers is ,moses1 whom ,bacon calls ,god's first pen2 the last is the ,apostle ,john4 ,these two writers1 the first and the last1 are separated by a period of some two thousand years2 and the men who wrote as they were moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost1 in that lapse of time1 and whose works have been preserved to us in the ,bible1 occupied various positions in life1 ranging from the grand old war king of ,israel1 ,david1 and the wise king ,solomon1 down to the humble shepherd ,amos1 the despised tax collector ,matthew1 and ,peter1 the unlearned fisherman4 ,but whatever the condition of life occupied by these men1 or whatever the nature of their respective writings1 whether histories1 biographies1 poems1 prophecies1 or only didactic discourses on morals or religion1 they all1 in some way or other1 bear witness to the existence of ,god1 and give us some information respecting his character and attributes4 ,it is now our task to inquire briefly into the authenticity and integrity of these writings4 ,for convenience ,i shall take up the two ,testaments1 the ,old and the ,new1 separately3 ,first1 then1 the ,old ,testament3 ,it is maintained by the best biblical scholars1 that the books which now constitute the ,old ,testament1 were collected as we have them1 immediately after the return of the ,jews from the captivity in ,babylon2 that would be about the middle of the fifth century1 ,b4 ,c4 ,the work is ascribed to ,ezra1 ,nehemiah2 and the men of the great synagogue4 ,in proof of this they point to the testimony of the son of ,sirach1 who flourished between the years #caj-cgj1 ,b4 ,c42,a and who speaks of the canon--with its three divisions as finally made up4,b ,by the three divisions1 ,i mean those divisions made by the ,jews in their scriptures1 and which are supposed to be contemporary with the completion of the canon4 ,those divisions are 7#a7 the ,pentateuch1 or ,law2,c 7#b7 the ,prophets2 and 7#c7 the ,hagiographa4,d ,it is of these divisions that the son of ,sirach speaks4 ,footnote ,a3 ,vide ,kitto4 ,footnote ,b3 ,see the prologue to the ,book of ,ecclesiasticus1 in the ,apocrypha4 ,footnote ,c3 ,the five books of ,moses--,genesis1 ,exodus1 ,leviticus1 ,numbers1 and ,deuteronomy4 ,footnote ,d3 ,this is a ,greek term for the sacred writings not included in the other two divisions4 ,the ,talmud places the following books in this division3 ,ruth1 ,psalms1 ,job1 ,proverbs1 ,ecclesiastes1 ,canticles1 ,lamentations1 ,daniel1 ,esther1 ,ezra and ,chronicles4 ,the books not included in this list1 nor in the ,pentateuch1 of course1 constitute the division called the ,prophets4 ,josephus in his first book against ,apion 7section viii7 enumerates twenty-two books1 ,which contain the record of all the past times2 which are justly believed to be divine2 and of them1 five belong to ,moses1 which contain his laws1 and the traditions of the origin of mankind till his death4 ,this interval of time was little short of three thousand years2 but as to the time from the death of ,moses till the reign of ,artaxerxes1 king of ,persia #eth cent4 ,b4 ,c41 the prophets1 which were after ,moses1 wrote down what was done in their time in thirteen books1 the remaining four books,e contain hymns to ,god and precepts for the conduct of human life4 ,it is true our history hath been written since ,artaxerxes1 very particularly1 but hath not been esteemed of the like authority with the former by our forefathers1 because there has not been an exact succession of prophets since that time4 ,footnote ,e3 ,our thirty-nine books of the ,old ,testament were so grouped by the ,hebrews as to make but twenty-two1 which accorded with the twenty-two letters of the ,hebrew alphabet4 ,what are generally known as the minor prophets1 twelve in number1 are connected as one book4 ,the ,book of ,ruth was coupled with ,judges2 ,ezra with ,nehemiah2 ,lamentations with ,jeremiah2 while the two books of ,samuel1 ,kings and ,chronicles were counted but one each4 ,this testimony settles the question back to the commencement of the fifth century ,b4 ,c41 that is1 for a period of about twenty-four hundred years the authorship of the respective books of the ,old ,testament has been ascribed to the men who today are regarded as their authors4 ,the rabbis say3 ,the wise men have left us the ,law1 the ,prophets1 and the ,hagiographa1 combined into one whole2 and then they specify the authors of the sacred books4 ,that specification ascribes the respective books to the men now regarded as the author of them4 ,the ,talmud says3 ,moses received the law at ,sinai1 and transmitted it to ,joshua2 ,joshua to the ,elders2 the ,elders to the ,prophets2 the ,prophets to the men of the ,great ,synagogue1 and1 as we have seen1 it was ,ezra1 ,nehemiah1 and the men of the ,great ,synagogue who made up our present collection of books known as the ,old ,testament4 ,josephus in speaking of those who wrote the scriptures says--,every one is not permitted of his own accord to be a writer1 nor is there any disagreement in what is written2 they being only prophets that have written the original and earliest accounts of things as they learned them of ,god himself by inspiration2 and others have written what hath happened in their own times1 and that in a very distinct manner also4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,josephus against ,apion1 ,book ,i1 ,sec4 #h4 ,from the books of the ,old ,testament something may be learned as to the manner in which the original parchments of the sacred books were preserved previous to the days of ,ezra1 extending as far back even as to ,moses himself--#adea ,b4 ,c4 and some of the passages that ,i shall notice--belonging to a subsequent period to ,moses1 yet previous to the days of ,ezra--refer to a collection of sacred books that leave small doubt that the books of ,moses and other sacred writings were the ones to which allusion is made4 ,we are told that after ,moses wrote the ,law1 he delivered it to the priests1 the sons of ,levi1 with a commandment to put it in the side of the ,ark of the ,covenant1,g that it might be there for a witness against ,israel1 whom ,moses by the spirit of prophecy1 foresaw would turn away from ,god4 ,footnote ,g3 ,deut4 xxxi3 #i1 #bd1 #be1 #bf4 ,in laying down the duties of the future ,king of ,israel1 ,moses says3 ,and it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom1 that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests1 the ,levites,h--showing that it was the intention of ,moses to have the ,law always preserved by the priests4 ,when ,joshua had completed the book that bears his name1 it is said3 ,and ,joshua wrote these words in the book of the ,law of ,god2,i which was doubtless the book which ,moses had placed in the ,ark of the ,covenant in care of the priests4 ,footnote ,h3 ,deut4 xvii3 #ah4 ,footnote ,i3 ,joshua xxiv1 #bf4 ,when the form of government of ,israel was changed into a monarchy1 ,samuel explained the character of the new kingdom to the people1 and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the ,lord4,j ,this was three hundred and fifty years after ,moses1 and yet the practice of laying up these important records before the ,lord1 as ,moses had done with his books1 still prevailed2 and ,i doubt not were placed side by side with the books of ,moses and ,joshua1 if not attached to them4 ,footnote ,j3 ,i4 ,sam4 x3 #be4 ,four centuries and a half later than ,samuel1 bringing us to about #fdj ,b4 ,c41 in the reign of good king ,josiah1 ,hilkiah1 the high priest1 when the temple was undergoing some repairs1 found the ,book of the ,law in the house of the ,lord1,k and sent it to the king1 who read it2 and when he saw how far ,israel had departed from the observance of it1 and the judgments pronounced against them on condition of their forsaking the law1 he sought to lead his people to repentance4 ,footnote ,k3 ,,ii4 ,kings xxii--see the whole chapter4 ,isaiah1 some seventy years before this1 when wishing to confirm some of his own prophecies1 recommended the people to seek out the ,book of the ,lord and read it4,l ,the value of this passage is1 that it gives us the testimony of ,isaiah that such a book as the ,book of the ,lord was known to the people1 that they had access to it1 that it was a recognized authority on questions about which there might arise doubts4 ,and there can scarcely be two opinions as to this book1 alluded to by ,isaiah1 being either the original or an authorized copy of the writings placed in the keeping of the priests1 and found by ,hilkiah4 ,footnote ,l3 ,isaiah xxxiv3 #af4 ,we have traced this matter down to #fdj ,b4 ,c42 there is one more step to take1 to reach ,ezra1 in whose days the books of the ,old ,testament were collected1 some one hundred and eighty-five years after the date above noted4 ,what became of the sacred records of the ,jews at the time ,jerusalem was laid waste by ,nebuchadnezzar1 about #ehh ,b4 ,c41,m is difficult to learn4 ,but the document granting permission to ,ezra and the priests to go and rebuild the temple at ,jerusalem is addressed to him thus3 ,artaxerxes1 king of kings1 unto ,ezra1 the priest1 a scribe of the law of the ,god of heaven1 perfect peace4 ,then follows permission for all the people of ,israel in his realm to go to ,jerusalem with ,ezra4 ,he then continues3 ,forasmuch as thou art sent of the king 99 99 99 to inquire concerning ,judah and ,jerusalem1 according to the law of thy ,god which is in thy hand4,n ,from this it appears that during the captivity the priests were permitted to retain possession of the sacred records4 ,at any rate ,ezra had them when he departed from ,babylon for ,jerusalem1 so that they had been preserved1 and that1 doubtless1 by the priests4 ,this brings us to the period when the books of the ,bible were collected as we have them today4 ,and from that time1 more than two thousand years ago1 until the present1 the ,old ,testament has been what it is now2 the multiplication of copies and of translations1 as well as the subsequent controversies between ,jews and ,christians1 combined to secure the sacred writings against alterations4 ,footnote ,m3 ,this is the ,hebrew ,chronology1 according to ,usher4 ,footnote ,n3 ,ezra vii3 #ab-ad4 ,no one will contend that the ,old ,testament contains all the writings of the ,jews1 perhaps not all the sacred or inspired writings2 for there are a number of books and writings of prophets referred to in these very books of the ,old ,testament1 which are not to be found in the collection4 ,but that fact does not destroy the value of these we have1 or refute the testimony they bear for ,god4 ,that very care which may have excluded from the sacred collection some books which were really inspired1 has also prevented many worthless and uninspired books from becoming connected with the word of ,god4 ,what is set down so far in this chapter relates to the ,hebrew version of the ,scriptures alone2 but about three hundred years ,b4 ,c41 by some set down at #bhe ,b4 ,c41 an event occurred which did much to preserve the integrity of the ,hebrew ,scriptures2 by that ,i mean the probability of alterations being made in them was lessened1 and they the more likely to be brought down to us just as they were written originally4 ,at the date above given1 ,ptolemy ,philadelphus1 ,king of ,egypt1 was gathering up the books which constituted the splendid ,alexandrian ,library1 and being informed by his librarian1 ,demetrius ,phalerius1 concerning the ,hebrew ,scriptures1 he at once set himself at work to procure a ,greek translation of them4 ,the better to secure this object he set at liberty many ,jews in his kingdom1 and sent word to the high priest at ,jerusalem1 ,eleazar1 his desire1 asking that six ,elders from each tribe of ,israel1 such as were skilled in the law1 should be sent to him to translate their ,scriptures for him4 ,this was done1 and it is said that the work was completed in seventy-two days4,o ,footnote ,o3 ,for a full account of this matter see ,antiquities of the ,jews by ,josephus1 ,book xii1 chapter ii4 ,this translation is called the ,septuagint1 meaning the seventy1 often represented by the ,roman numerals ,,lxx2 but whether it is so called because it was translated by about seventy ,elders1 or for the reason that the translation occupied about seventy days is not clear4 ,at any rate copies of this translation were multiplied1 and in the days of ,messiah's personal ministering in ,judea was the version most in use1 and the one he and his ,apostles usually referred to1 when sustaining their teachings by that which aforetime had been written by inspiration4 ,that this is true is evident from the following facts3 ,there are in the ,new ,testament #bbe quotations from the ,old2,p and of these over one half1 that is #abj1 agree verbatim with the ,septuagint4 ,that these quotations1 says an able writer1 must have been taken from the ,septuagint is plain from the copia verborum1 the remarkable fertility of expression1 in the ,greek language1 which forbids us to believe that1 had the quotations been from the ,hebrew1 the ,greek rendering would have agreed verbatim with the passages in the ,septuagint version4 ,of any ,old ,testament passage made up of only ten words1 there are not fewer than thirty modes of translating it into ,greek2 and such indeed are the possible varieties1 that if thirty different persons were translating into ,greek a ,hebrew sentence of three lines1 none of them1 though all were to give a perfectly correct rendering1 would be found exactly agreeing in the ,greek words employed1 or in the collection of these4 ,footnote ,p3 ,the only books in the ,old ,testament not quoted in the ,new are ,ruth1 ,i4 and ,,ii4 ,chronicles1 ,ezra1 ,nehemiah1 ,esther1 ,ecclesiastes1 ,song of ,solomon1 ,lamentations1 ,obadiah1 ,nahum and ,zephaniah4 ,again1 of the one hundred and five remaining quotations in the ,new ,testament1 from the ,old1 thirty-nine agree verbatim with the ,septuagint1 except that a synonymous word occurs once in two or three lines4 ,there are next1 twenty-two quotations agreeing verbatim or nearly so1 with the ,septuagint1 but even in sense differing from the ,hebrew text4 ,hence out of the two hundred and twenty-five quotations in the ,new ,testament from the ,old1 we may say that not fewer than one hundred and ninety must have been taken from the ,septuagint version4 ,from about three centuries ,b4 ,c41 then1 the ,old ,testament has existed at least in two languages1 and this has contributed much1 as ,i before said1 to prevent the corruption of the text and preserve the integrity of the ,scriptures2 for if changes were made in the ,hebrew1 it would be discovered from the ,,lxx42 and if alterations were made in the ,,lxx41 it could be detected from the ,hebrew4 ,there were other translations made of the ,scriptures into still other languages1 but as my space is limited1 ,i cannot give an account of them here4 ,we have now seen how the books of the ,old ,testament1 as we have them at the present day1 were collected by ,ezra1 some #bdjj years ago2 we then went to the last book written by ,moses--,deuteronomy--and from it learned that his writings were deposited in the ark of the covenant in charge of the priests and ,levites2 how ,joshua and ,samuel also laid up their writings before the ,lord2 and how ,isaiah referred the ,jews to these sacred writings in confirmation of his own prophecies2 how when in #fdj ,b4 ,c4 the temple was undergoing some repairs the high priest found in it an ancient copy of the law2 and how ,ezra in ,babylon had the sacred writings in his possession1 so that he at that time would have no difficulty in fixing upon the authorship of the sacred books then before him4 ,i shall further examine this question of the authenticity of the ,old ,testament in my next chapter1 but the testimony ,i shall there consider will also have a bearing upon its integrity1 and will likewise tend to confirm the claims as to its containing the revelations of ,god to the ,jews2 and to this latter consideration ,i especially invite the attention of the reader4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,faith4--,,the ,,old ,,testament4 ,certain it is that the ,hebrew ,scriptures1 the ,old ,testament1 the same collection of books that we now have1 was recognized by the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and the prophets and apostles of that dispensation as the word of ,god1 and was referred to by them as the law and the prophets4 ,this is evident from the fact of their frequently appealing to those scriptures to sustain their own doctrine and teachings4 ,nearly every book of the ,old ,testament is quoted in the ,new1 and therefore all the evidence which may be amassed in support of the divinity of ,christ and the inspiration of the ,new ,testament1 sustains also the authenticity and inspiration of the ,old2 for the inspired writers of the former appeal to the latter as an unquestioned authority in matters relating to ,god4 ,hence1 whatever evidence sustains the ,new ,testament1 supports also the ,old4 ,i trust the reader will bear this in mind1 and when ,i have considered and proved1 as ,i hope to do1 the authenticity and credibility of the ,new ,testament1 remember that it is a witness for the ,old ,testament1 an important1 ,i might say an infallible one1 since it is inspired2 it comes as from ,god4 ,in our day the evidences which support the authenticity of the ,jewish ,scriptures have accumulated in a most remarkable manner4 ,in #ahce the two rolls of papyrus1 one filled with the writings of ,joseph1 who was sold into ,egypt1 and the other with those of ,abraham1 came into the hands of ,joseph ,smith4 ,the roll containing the writings of ,abraham was translated by the prophet1 at least in part1 and is published in the ,pearl of ,great ,price under the title of the ,book of ,abraham4 ,the manner in which these rolls of papyrus came into ,joseph ,smith's possession was as follows3 ,in #ahca the celebrated ,french traveler1 ,antonio ,sebolo1 penetrated ,egypt as far as the ancient city of ,thebes1 under a license procured from ,mehemet ,ali--then viceroy of ,egypt--through the influence of ,chevalier ,drovetti1 the ,french consul4 ,sebolo employed #dcc men for four months and two days2 and entering the catacombs near ancient ,thebes on the #gth of ,june1 #ahca1 they procured eleven mummies4 ,these were shipped to ,alexandria1 and from thence the great traveler started with his treasures for ,paris4 ,but en route for the ,french capital1 ,sebolo put in at ,trieste1 where he was taken sick1 and after an illness of ten days died4 ,this was in #ahcb4 ,previous to his death he willed his ,egyptian treasures to his nephew1 ,michael ,h4 ,chandler1 who was then living in ,philadelphia1 ,pennsylvania1 but whom ,sebolo believed to be in ,dublin1 to which city he ordered the mummies shipped4 ,mr4 ,chandler ordered the mummies forwarded to ,new ,york1 where he took possession of them4 ,there the coffins for the first time were opened1 and in them were found two rolls of papyrus covered with engravings4 ,while still in the custom house1 ,mr4 ,c4 was informed by a gentleman1 a stranger to him1 that no one in the city could translate the characters1 but was referred to ,joseph ,smith1 who1 the stranger informed him1 possessed some kind of gift or power by which he had previously translated similar characters4 ,joseph ,smith was then unknown to ,mr4 ,c4 ,the mummies were shipped to ,philadelphia1 and from there ,mr4 ,c4 traveled through the country1 exhibiting them and the rolls of papyrus4 ,he finally passed through ,kirtland1 where ,joseph ,smith was residing4 ,joseph1 seeing the rolls of papyrus and the record upon them1 had the ,saints purchase them1 and they were translated as before stated4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,the above ,i have condensed from the account given of this matter by the ,prophet ,joseph in his history4 ,this ,book of ,abraham1 while it has no direct reference to the works of ,moses1 gives an account of the creation of this earth1 which1 substantially1 is the same account as that given by ,moses2,b and is1 at least1 a strong collateral evidence to the correctness of the account in ,genesis4 ,footnote ,b3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 pp4 #da-de ,in the year #ahcj1 the visions of ,moses1 through which he was enabled to write the account of the creation in ,genesis1 and the history of the world down to the time of the ,flood1 were revealed to ,joseph ,smith4 ,this part of the world's history1 as given to the ,prophet ,joseph1 is substantially the same as that in ,genesis1 only more full and perfect than that2 the ,lord pointing out here and there where the record of ,moses1 as we now have it in the ,bible1 has been marred because of changes made by wicked men4 ,still1 as ,i say1 the accounts substantially agree1 and in the revelations to which ,i have called attention the ,lord says over and over again that these things he revealed to ,moses1 and that ,moses bore record of them4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 pp4 from #a to #ca4 ,this is testimony of the most direct character as to the authenticity of the books in our ,bible giving this history4 ,all ancient tradition says ,moses wrote ,genesis1 and now in this day1 a revelation is given from ,god to ,joseph ,smith1 saying that an account substantially the same as that in ,genesis was revealed to ,moses1 and that he recorded it4 ,i come now to the strongest witness of all for the authenticity1 and also the divinity of the ,jewish ,scriptures2 ,i mean the ,book of ,mormon4 ,in the first place let me say that the ,book of ,mormon itself1 as an inspired book1 rests on so sure a basis1 that however much men may be disposed to doubt the authenticity1 credibility1 and inspiration of the ,jewish ,scriptures1 they cannot1 if they investigate the claims of the ,book of ,mormon doubt its truth4,d ,and in these ,nephite ,scriptures is contained the most direct and positive proofs relative to the authenticity of the ,bible4 ,footnote ,d3 ,those who desire to prosecute an investigation of this subject win do well to read the ,divine ,authenticity of the ,book of ,mormon1 by ,o4 ,pratt2 and ,a ,new ,witness for ,god1 by the author of this work4 ,according to the ,book of ,mormon1 ,lehi and his family left ,jerusalem in the first year of the reign of ,zedekiah1 about #fjj ,b4 ,c4 ,soon after leaving ,jerusalem1 from his camp in the wilderness ,lehi sent his sons back to that city to obtain the genealogies of his fathers1 and a record of the ,jews4 ,in this mission his sons were successful1 returning to their father's encampment in the wilderness with a set of brass plates on which the record and the genealogies were written4 ,the return of the sons of ,lehi to their father was celebrated with great rejoicing4 ,nephi in his account of it says3 ,and after they had given thanks unto the ,god of ,israel1 my father1 ,lehi1 took the records which were engraved upon the plates of brass1 and he did search them from the beginning4 ,and he beheld that they did contain the five books of ,moses1 which gave an account of the creation of the world1 and also of ,adam and ,eve1 who were our first parents2 and also a record of the ,jews from the beginning1 even down to the commencement of the reign of ,zedekiah1 king of ,judah1 and also the prophecies of the holy prophets1 from the beginning1 even down to the commencement of the reign of ,zedekiah2 and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the mouth of ,jeremiah4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,i4 ,nephi v3 #aj-ac4 ,here is a direct reference to the ,jewish ,scriptures1 in which five books are accredited to ,moses--the same number as in our present ,bible--and the prophecies of ,jeremiah are also mentioned4 ,then in a vision1 in which the future was unfolded to ,nephi1 he saw that a book would go from the ,jews to the ,gentiles1 and that it would be like the record upon the brass plates4 ,this is the passage3 ,the angel said unto me1 ,knowest thou the meaning of the book8 ,and ,i said unto him1 ,i know not4 ,and he said4 ,behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a ,jew2 and ,i1 ,nephi1 beheld2 and he said unto me1 the book that thou beholdest is a record of the ,jews1 which contains the covenants of the ,lord which he hath made unto the house of ,israel2 and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets2 and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass1 save there are not so many2 nevertheless they contain the covenants of the ,lord1 which he hath made unto the house of ,israel2 wherefore1 they are of great worth unto the ,gentiles4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,i4 ,nephi xiii3 #ba-bc4 ,nephi further informs us that it was his practice to read frequently to his people from these brass plates1 that they might be informed concerning the dealings of ,god with their forefathers2 and all through the ,nephite ,scriptures these brass plates are referred to4 ,moreover1 whole chapters1 and sometimes several chapters together1 especially from the writings of ,isaiah1,g are transcribed from the brass plates to the record made by ,nephi2 and comparing these transcribed portions of the ,old ,testament found in the ,book of ,mormon with the parts which correspond to them in our present ,english version of the ,jewish ,scriptures1 it will be seen that the difference is but slight2 substantially they agree4 ,the circumstance not only proves the authenticity of the ,scriptures1 but it is also a strong proof of the integrity of our present version of them4 ,footnote ,g3 ,see ,i4 ,nephi1 chapters xx1 xxi2 ,,ii4 ,nephi vii1 viii2 also ,,ii4 ,nephi1 from the xii to xxiv4 ,it is true the ,book of ,mormon informs us that many plain and precious parts of this book1 which proceeds from the mouth of the ,jew1 are taken away and others corrupted1 but that does not affect the statement ,i make that the substantial agreement between these passages in the ,book of ,mormon and ,bible1 proves1 in the main1 the integrity as well as the authenticity of the ,jewish ,scriptures4 ,here1 so far as the authenticity of the ,old ,testament is concerned1 ,i shall1 for the present1 rest my case2 and proceed with a like inquiry as to the ,new4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,faith4--,,the ,,new ,,testament4 ,there is an impression existing1 and it is one encouraged by infidel writers1 that the acceptance of the books now comprising the ,new ,testament1 was the arbitrary action of a council of bishops three or four hundred years ,a4 ,d4 ,this ,i believe to be a wrong impression4 ,i do not think the list of books that now constitute the ,new ,testament was made up in an arbitrary manner1 at one time1 or by any single council4 ,it can be shown that the books and epistles now in the collection known as the ,new ,testament1 were accepted as inspired writings by the ,christian churches1 before the councils of the church undertook any discussion of the subject2 and even when this question was before those councils1 they merely decided what books before-time had been regarded by the churches as inspired4 ,the first council which undertook to pronounce a decision on the subject was that of ,laodicea in the year #cfc ,a4 ,d4 ,probably the decree of this council1 as ,archdeacon ,paley remarks1 rather declared than regulated the public judgment1 or1 more properly speaking1 the judgment of some neighboring churches1 the council itself consisting of no more than thirty or forty bishops of ,lydia and the adjoining countries2 and after this council the question1 ,what books were entitled to be received as ,scripture8 was discussed with great freedom1 and without any reference to the declaration made by the council of ,laodicea4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,paley's ,evidences1 ,part ,i1 ch4 ix4 ,the list of inspired books of the ,new ,testament1 as we have them now1 was accepted by the council of ,hippo1 held #cic ,a4 ,d4 ,the third council of ,carthage1 #cig ,a4 ,d41 and also the sixth of ,carthage1 #dai ,a4 ,d41 confirmed the decisions of the first4 ,thus1 from that early date1 the authorship and inspiration of the books of the ,new ,testament may be said to have been fixed4 ,true1 certain early ,christian writers doubted the inspiration and authenticity of some of the books now in the ,new ,testament2 ,,ii ,peter1 the ,epistle to the ,hebrews1 the ,epistle of ,james and the ,apocalypse,i being among those whose inspiration and authenticity were questioned2 and some ,bible scholars since those days have held the same doubts2 but the preponderance of evidence is in favor of the inspiration of all the books of the ,new ,testament1 and of their being the productions of the men accredited in those early days1 and by the councils named1 with having written them4 ,footnote ,i3 ,revelations of ,st4 ,john4 ,it is quite evident1 however1 that the ,new ,testament does not contain all the inspired writings of the apostles and disciples1 since there are references in the books of the ,new ,testament to other books written by the same authors1 which would certainly be equally inspired with those we now have in the collection4 ,such1 for instance1 as another epistle to the ,corinthians1,j also a second epistle to the ,colossians1,k and another book of ,jude4,l ,still1 because some inspired books were lost1 and others rejected by these councils1 that does not affect those that remain as to their authenticity or inspiration2 though had we those inspired books that were lost or rejected1 many passages in the books that have been preserved to us might be made more plain4 ,footnote ,j3 ,i4 ,cor4 v4 ,footnote ,k3 ,col4 iv3 #af4 ,footnote ,l3 ,jude #c4 ,could it be proven even1 that some of the books now retained in the ,new ,testament collection were uninspired1 and not written by those now accredited with being their authors1 that would not affect these books about whose authenticity and inspiration there has never been a question4 ,suppose all those books ,i have named as having had their authenticity questioned1 should turn out to be forgeries1 we would still have the four ,gospels1 the ,acts1 the thirteen ,epistles of ,paul that stand unquestioned2 and as long as even one of these books remains unshaken as to its authenticity and inspiration1 you have a witness for ,god and ,christ in it--an exposition1 to some extent1 at least1 of the character and attributes of ,deity4 ,for the ,new ,testament1 like the ,old1 is not one book1 but a collection of books2 each independent of the other4 ,it is not one witness for ,god and ,christ1 but a collection of the testimonies of a number of witnesses4 ,and if it could be proven 7but ,i do not think it can be7 that some of these books were of such doubtful origin that they are unworthy a place in the collection1 it does not follow that the other books of the ,new ,testament are also of doubtful origin and unworthy of confidence4 ,furthermore1 if it be admitted 7and ,i am willing to admit it7 that some of the texts in the books comprising the ,new ,testament have been corrupted or changed1 and portions thereof taken away1 while these things tend to1 and do weaken the testimony of the witnesses1 and make many parts obscure1 and even contradictory1 still1 after making all these concessions1 enough remains uncorrupted and unimpaired1 to give us in those books strong and reliable witnesses--whose testimony cannot be impeached--for ,god4 ,and while some parts have been corrupted1 and thus rendered imperfect1 yet the narrative of the life of ,christ1 the ,gospel he advocated1 the moral precepts he inculcated in his system of truth1 together with the revelations contained in those ,scriptures respecting the character and attributes of ,deity1 are all substantially correct4 ,i refer again to the manner in which the list of books now composing the ,new ,testament was decided upon4 ,i have already stated that ,i do not think it was by the arbitrary decision of any one council at any one time1 that the selection of this list of books was made and all others rejected4 ,on the contrary it was most probably the work of years4 ,the most plausible supposition1 says an unquestioned authority1 is that each of the most influential churches founded by the ,apostles in person1 made for its own use a collection of all the writings duly ascertained to be apostolic and inspired4 ,the epistles sent to the different churches were soon1 doubtless1 communicated to the sister associations for the strengthening of each other's faith1 hope and virtue4 ,indeed the ,apostle ,paul1 in one instance at least1 commands an interchange of apostolic writings4 ,in his epistle to the ,colossian saints he says3 ,and when this epistle is read among you1 cause that it be read in the church of the ,laodiceans1 and that ye likewise read the epistle from ,laodicea4,m ,doubtless1 as stated by ,chambers1 ,the brotherly love which was a notable feature of primitive ,christianity1 led ,christians everywhere to make common property of the local messages from apostles1 as valuable to them all alike4 ,nor did they ever dream of withholding from their brethren copies of such inspired writings as had come into their own hands4 ,no general order from the apostles was needed to prompt individual ,christians or congregations that had been favored with an inspired communication to make it equally well known to every neighbor4 ,there must have been the most cordial reciprocity of communication in this matter1 an unreserved sharing of new ,scripture with each other2 the fair and full interchange of apostolic oracles leading to such a multiplication1 that each church possessed1 for the benefit of its members1 a copy of all inspired writings previously issued by the ,apostles4,n ,and here let me add1 that in the multiplication of copies1 it is not to be wondered at if the originals were soon lost sight of1 or worn out by constant use4 ,footnote ,m3 ,col4 iv3 #af4 ,footnote ,n3 ,information for the ,people1 ,vol4 ,,ii ,art4 ,bible4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,faith4--,,the ,,new ,,testament4 ,the earliest reference we have to any writings or collection of writings now in the ,new ,testament1 and in which they are recognized as authoritative scripture1 is in the second ,epistle of ,peter4 ,that apostle1 writing about the year #fe ,a4 ,d41 says3 ,account that the long suffering of our ,lord is salvation2 even as our beloved brother ,paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you2 as also in all his epistles1 speaking in them of these things2 in which are some things hard to be understood1 which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do the other scriptures1 unto their own destruction4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii4 ,peter iii3 #ae1 #af4 ,it will be observed that the reference to the ,epistles of ,paul is of such a character that it leads us to infer that those ,epistles were well and generally known by the church at large2 for this ,epistle of ,peter's which we quote1 is written to no particular branch of the church1 but to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of ,god and our ,savior ,jesus ,christ2,b in other words1 to the church universal2 and it can scarcely be doubted that some of the larger branches of the church1 even in that early day1 had the ,epistles of ,paul in a collected form4 ,it will also be observed that ,peter places these ,epistles of ,paul on equal authority with ,scripture by saying1 that the unlearned and unstable wrest them1 as they do also the other scripture1 unto their own destruction4 ,footnote ,b3 ,,ii4 ,peter i3 #a4 ,there is a tradition that the apostle ,john1 on his return from his banishment to ,patmos--#if ,a4 ,d4--made a collection of what he considered the inspired writings of the apostles and disciples of ,christ2 but the tradition seems not to be well founded4 ,it is generally admitted1 however1 that he must have had before him the three other gospels when he wrote the one which bears his name1 because his book called ,the ,gospel according to ,st4 ,john1 is supplemental in its character1 and in it he gives prominence to those incidents in the life of his ,master and the doctrines he taught1 about which the other writers are either silent or have said but little4 ,this peculiarity is accounted for by the supposition that ,john had before him the other three narratives of his ,master's life and mission1 and that he sought to make prominent what they had omitted or treated but briefly1 that the church--in the four books--might have a complete history of ,messiah's life1 and labors and doctrines4 ,in his admirable work on the ,evidences of ,christianity1 ,archdeacon ,paley maintains that the following allegations respecting the books comprising the ,new ,testament are capable of proof2 in fact1 to my mind1 the learned ,archdeacon does prove them1 and places them beyond the power of successful contradiction3 ,i4 ,that the historical books of the ,new ,testament1 meaning thereby the four ,gospels and the ,acts of the ,apostles1 are quoted1 or alluded to1 by a series of ,christian writers1 beginning with those who were contemporary with the apostles1 or who immediately followed them1 and proceeding in close and regular succession from their time to the present4 ,,ii4 ,that when they are quoted1 or alluded to1 they are quoted or alluded to with peculiar respect1 as book sui generis2,c as possessing an authority which belonged to no other books1 and as conclusive in all questions and controversies amongst ,christians4 ,footnote ,c3 ,that is1 of its own kind4 ,,iii4 ,that they were1 in very early times1 collected into a distinct volume4 ,,iv4 ,that they were distinguished by appropriate names and titles of respect4 ,v4 ,that they were publicly read and expounded in the religious assemblies of the ,christians4 ,,vi4 ,that commentaries were written upon them1 harmonies formed out of them1 different copies carefully collated1 and versions of them made in different languages4 ,,vii4 ,that they were received by ,christians of different sects1 by many heretics as well as ,catholics1 and usually appealed to by both sides in the controversies which arose in those days4 ,,viii4 ,that the four ,gospels1 the ,acts of the ,apostles1 thirteen ,epistles of ,st4 ,paul1 the first ,epistle of ,john and the first of ,peter1 were received1 without doubt by those who doubted concerning the other books which are included in our present canon--authorized list4 ,,ix4 ,that the ,gospels were attacked by the early adversaries of ,christianity1 as books containing the accounts upon which the religion was founded4 ,x4 ,that formal catalogues of authentic scriptures were published1 in all of which our present sacred histories were included4 ,,xi4 ,that these propositions cannot be affirmed of any other books claiming to be books of scripture2 by which are meant those books which are commonly called apocryphal books of the ,new ,testament4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,evidences of ,christianity1 part ,i4 ch4 ix4 ,i would also recommend my readers to carefully study ,dr4 ,lardner's ,credibility of the ,new ,testament1 from which ,dr4 ,paley obtains much1 ,i may say nearly all of the material for his own admirable work4 ,there is also a fine article on the subject1 in ,chamber's ,information for the ,people1 entitled ,history of the ,bible2 and another in ,dr4 ,kitto's ,biblical ,literature1 under the heading1 ,canon of ,scripture4 ,out of these eleven propositions ,i shall deal with but two1 viz43 the first and tenth2 referring my readers to ,dr4 ,paley's work1 for information as to the other propositions4 ,and what is said here of these propositions1 ,i shall select or condense from ,paley's work1 sometimes using his language as well as his facts1 without troubling myself to indicate the quotations4 ,well1 then1 as to his first allegation1 viz43 that there are a series of ,christian writers1 beginning with those contemporary with the apostles1 and extending on down to the present1 who have quoted the chief books of the ,new ,testament4 ,to begin with1 there is an epistle ascribed to ,barnabas1,e the companion of ,paul1 in some of his missionary tours4 ,it is quoted as an ,epistle of ,barnabas1 by ,clement of ,alexandria1 ,a4 ,d4 #aid2 by ,origen1 ,a4 ,d4 #bcj2 by ,eusebius1 ,a4 ,d4 #cae1 and more frequently by writers after that time1 and is referred to by the writers above named1 as an ancient work in their time1 and as well known and read among ,christians1 though not accounted a part of scripture4 ,it purports to be written soon after the destruction of ,jerusalem under ,titus4 ,footnote ,e3 ,there is a manuscript copy of this epistle in connection with a copy of the ,new ,testament entire1 dating back to the fourth century1 now in the ,st4 ,petersburg ,library4 ,it was found by ,tischendorf in the convent of ,st4 ,catherine on ,mount ,sinai1 in #ahei1 and is known as the ,sinaitic ,manuscript--the oldest one in existence4 ,in this epistle appears the following remarkable passage3 ,let us1 therefore1 beware lest it come upon us1 as it is written2 ,there are many called1 few chosen4 ,from the expression1 as it is written1 we infer1 with certainty1 that at the time when the author of this epistle lived1 there was a book extant well known to ,christians1 and of authority among them1 containing the words many are called1 few chosen4 ,such a book is our present ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew1 in which this text is twice found1,f and found in no other book which existed in those days2 therefore ,barnabas must have referred his readers to ,matthew's ,gospel4 ,furthermore1 the writer of the epistle was a ,jew4 ,the phrase1 ,it is written1 was the very form in which the ,jews quoted their scriptures4 ,hence1 it follows that he would not have used this phrase1 and without qualification1 of any books but what had acquired scriptural authority4 ,so that while the quotation many are called1 few chosen1 confirms the existence of ,matthew's ,gospel2 the expression ,it is written1 gives to it the authority or dignity of scripture4 ,footnote ,f3 ,matt4 xx3 #af2 xxii3 #ad4 ,there are other passages in the epistle which are the same in sentiment as some of the passages in ,matthew1,g some in which we recognize the same words4 ,for example1 ,give to every one that asketh thee2 and he says that ,christ chose as his apostles men who were great sinners that he might show that he came1 not to call the righteous1 but sinners to repentance4 ,footnote ,g3 ,matt4 v3 #db2 ix3 #ac4 ,there is also extant an epistle of ,clement1 bishop of ,rome1 whom the ancient writers without doubt or scruple assert to have been the ,clement whom ,paul mentions in ,phil4 iv1 #c4;,h ,this epistle is spoken of by the early ,christian writers as an epistle acknowledged by all4 ,of it ,irenaeus says 7writing in the second century7 it was written by ,clement1 who had seen the blessed apostles1 and conversed with them1 who had the preaching of the apostles still sounding in his ears1 and their traditions before his eyes4 ,dionysius1 bishop of ,corinth 7the epistle is addressed to the ,church of ,christ7 says1 about the year #agj ,a4 ,d41 that the epistle of ,clement had been wont to be read in that church from ancient times4,i ,footnote ,h3 ,with ,clement also1 and with other my fellow-laborers whose names are written in the book of life4 ,footnote ,i3 ,a copy of this epistle dating back to the fifth century1 is connected with the ,alexandrian manuscript of the ,new ,testament now in the ,british ,museum4 ,the manuscript was given to ,charles the ,i4 in #afbh by ,cyril ,lucas1 ,patriarch of ,constantinople4 ,in the said epistle are found the following passages1 evidently taken from our ,new ,testament scriptures3 ,especially remembering the words of the ,lord ,jesus which he spake1 teaching gentleness and long suffering1 for thus he said3 ',be ye merciful1 that ye may obtain mercy2,j forgive that it may be forgiven unto you2,k as you do so shall it be done unto you2 as ye judge so shall ye be judged2 as ye show kindness1 so shall kindness be shown unto you2 with what measure ye mete1 with the same shall it be measured to you4',l ,footnote ,j3 ,matt4 v3 #g4 ,footnote ,k3 ,luke vi3 #cg1 #ch4 ,footnote ,l3 ,matt4 vii3 #a1 #b4 ,in another place he says3 ,remember the words of the ,lord ,jesus1 for he said3 ',woe to that man by whom offenses come2 it were better for him that he had not been born1 than that he should offend one of my elect2 it were better for him that a millstone should be tied about his neck1 and that he should be drowned in the sea than that he should offend one of my little ones4',m ,footnote ,m3 ,matt4 xviii4 ,the reference in the foregoing to the passages ,i have indicated is too palpable to leave any room for doubt4 ,connected with the ,sinaitic manuscript copy of the ,new ,testament1 now in the ,st4 ,petersburg ,library1 to which ,i have already called attention in a foot note1 is a manuscript copy of the ,shepherd or ,pastor of ,hermas1 dating from the fifth century2 but that copies of it existed at a still earlier date is evident from the fact that it is quoted by ,irenaeus1 ,a4 ,d4 #agh2 by ,clement of ,alexandria1 ,a4 ,d4 #aid2 by ,tertullian1 ,a4 ,d4 #bjj2 ,origen1 ,a4 ,d4 #bcj4 ,in this ancient work are many allusions to and some direct quotations from the ,gospels of ,matthew1 ,luke and ,john4 ,of the allusions may be cited1 the confessing and denying of ,christ2,n the parable of the seed sown2,o and the comparison of ,christ's disciples to little children4 ,of the more direct quotations ,i mention the following3 ,he that putteth away his wife and marrieth another1 committeth adultery2,p the singular expression1 having received all power from his ,father1 is undoubted allusion to ,matthew xxviii1 #ah2 and ,christ being the ,gate1 or only way of coming to ,god1 in plain allusion to ,john xiv1 #f1 and x1 #g1 #i4 ,footnote ,n3 ,matt4 x3 #cb1cc4 ,luke xii3 #h1i4 ,footnote ,o3 ,matt4 xiii3 #c4 ,luke viii3 #e4 ,footnote ,p3 ,luke xvi3 #ah4 ,i now come to ,ignatius1 who became bishop of ,antioch about thirty-seven years after the ascension of ,messiah2 and therefore1 from his time and station1 it is probable that he had known and conversed with many of the apostles4 ,some of the epistles of this bishop are referred to by ,polycarp1 his contemporary1 the bishop of ,smyrna2 and some are quoted by ,irenaeus1 ,a4 ,d4 #agh2 and by ,origen1 ,a4 ,d4 #bcj4 ,in these epistles are plain and undoubted allusions to the ,gospels of ,matthew and ,john1 of which the following are but specimens3 ,christ was baptized of ,john that all righteousness might be fulfilled by him4,q ,be ye wise as serpents in all things and harmless as a dove4,r ,yet the ,spirit is not deceived1 being from ,god1 for it knows whence it comes and whither it goes4,s ,footnote ,q3 ,matt4 iii3 #ae4 ,footnote ,r3 ,matthew x3 #af4 ,footnote ,s3 ,john iii3 #ah ,i now pass over several writers in whose works are similar quotations from the scriptures to those already noted2 among them ,polycarp1 a convert to ,christianity through the teachings of the ,apostle ,john2 as also ,papias1 his companion2 ,justin ,martyr1 separated from the last named by but twenty years2 and also ,hegesippus1 who came about thirty years after ,justin4 ,this brings us to the year #agj ,a4 ,d4 ,at this time the churches of ,lyons and ,vienna in ,france1 sent a relation of the sufferings of their martyrs to the churches of ,asia and ,phrygia4 ,this epistle is found entire in the works of ,eusebius #cae ,a4 ,d41 and in it are direct allusions to the ,gospels of ,luke1 ,john and the ,acts of the ,apostles4 ,the one to ,john is1 ,thus was fulfilled that which was spoken by the ,lord1 that whosoever killeth you1 will think that he doeth ,god's service4,t ,footnote ,t3 ,john xvi3 #b4 ,at that time these churches in ,france had for their bishop ,pothinus1 then about ninety years old1 whose time1 therefore1 must have joined on to the times of the apostles4 ,the evidence now1 says ,dr4 ,paley1 opens upon us full and clear4 ,irenaeus succeeded ,pothinus as bishop of ,lyons4 ,in his youth he had been a disciple of ,polycarp1 who was a disciple of ,john4 99 99 99 ,he asserts of himself and his contemporaries1 that they were able to reckon up in all the principal churches the succession of bishops from the first4 99 99 99 ,the testimony which this writer affords to the historical books of the ,new ,testament1 to their authority1 and to the titles which they bear1 is expressive and positive4 ,one principal passage runs as follows3 ,we have not received the knowledge of the way of our salvation by any others than those by whom the ,gospel has been brought to us4 ,which ,gospel they first preached1 and afterward by the will of ,god1 committed to writing1 that it might be for time to come the foundation and pillar of our faith4 ,for after that the ,lord rose from the dead1 and they the apostles were endowed from above with the power of the ,holy ,ghost coming down upon them1 they received a perfect knowledge of all things4 ,they went forth to all the ends of the earth1 declaring to men the blessings of heavenly peace1 having all of them1 and every one alike1 the ,gospel of ,god4 ,matthew then1 among the ,jews1 wrote a ,gospel in their own language1 while ,peter and ,paul were preaching the ,gospel at ,rome1 and founding a church there2 and after their exit1 ,mark also1 the disciple and interpreter of ,peter1 delivered to us in writing the things which had been preached by ,peter2 and ,luke2 the companion of ,paul1 put down in a book the ,gospel preached by him 7,paul74 ,afterward ,john1 the disciple of the ,lord1 who also leaned upon his breast1 he likewise published a ,gospel while he dwelt at ,ephesus1 in ,asia4 ,nor is this writer less explicit respecting the book of the ,acts of the ,apostles4 ,the force of the testimony we have considered will be strengthened by remembering that it is the testimony1 and the concurring testimony of writers who lived in countries remote from each other4 ,clement flourished at ,rome2 ,ignatius at ,antioch1 and ,irenaeus in ,france4 ,i deem it unnecessary to pursue this inquiry further1 and shall close by remarking that ,clement of ,alexandria1 one of the most voluminous of ,christian writers1 follows ,irenaeus at a distance of but sixteen years4 ,in the works of ,clement which remain1 the four gospels are repeatedly quoted by the names of their authors1 and the ,acts of the ,apostles is expressly ascribed to ,luke4 ,this brings us to the year #aid ,a4 ,d4 ,tertullian joins on to ,clement1 and is no less explicit in his reference to the ,new ,testament than the writers who preceded him4 ,then follow numerous writers1 among them ,origen1 ,a4 ,d4 #bcj2 ,eusebius1 #cae2 and ,jerome1 ,a4 ,d4 #cib4 ,so numerous are the references to scripture1 in the writings of these men1 that were our books of scripture lost1 some aver1 that they could be reproduced from the works of these writers alone4 ,from the date last given1 there can be no question as to the existence of our ,new ,testament or of its acceptance by the whole of ,christendom1 as containing the account of those events on which ,christianity was founded4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,faith--,,the ,,new ,,testament4 ,i now come to the tenth allegation of ,dr4 ,paley1 viz43 ,formal catalogues of authentic scriptures were published1 in all of which our present sacred histories were included4 ,in the writings of ,origen which remain1 and in some extracts preserved by ,eusebius1 from works of his which are now lost1 there are enumerations of the books of scripture1 in which the four ,gospels and the ,acts of the ,apostles are distinctly and honorably specified1 and in which are no books beside what are now received4 ,the date of ,origen's works is #bcj ,a4 ,d4 ,athanasius1 about a century afterwards 7#ccj ,a4 ,d471 delivered a formal catalogue of the books of the ,new ,testament1 containing our scriptures and no others2 of which he says1 ,in these alone the doctrine of religion is taught2 let no man add to them1 or take anything from them4 ,about twenty years after ,athanasius 7#cej ,a4 ,d471 ,cyril1 bishop of ,jerusalem1 sent forth a catalogue of the books of scripture1 publicly read at that time in the ,church of ,jerusalem1 exactly the same as ours1 except that the book of ,revelation is omitted4 ,fifteen years after ,cyril 7#cfe ,a4 ,d471 the council of ,laodicea delivered an authoritative catalogue of ,canonical ,scripture1 like ,cyril's1 the same as ours1 with the omission of ,revelation4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,i have taken the preceding paragraphs of this chapter entire1 from ,paley's ,evidences of ,christianity ,part ,i41 chap1 ix1 sec4 #aj ,about thirty years later1 that is1 in #cic ,a4 ,d41 followed the council of ,hippo1 which delivered a catalogue of the books of the ,new ,testament1 which agrees with that now in our common ,english version4 ,this was followed by the third council of ,carthage1 in #cig ,a4 ,d41 and by the sixth of ,carthage #dae ,a4 ,d41 both of which confirmed the list of sacred books made out by the council of ,hippo4 ,it seems to me that proving these two propositions selected from ,dr4 ,paley's list1 is sufficient to make out a case for the authenticity of the books of the ,new ,testament2 but when the reader remembers that the nine other allegations we quoted in chapter eleven can also be sustained by undeniable proofs1 the case is made out so clearly that there can be no room for doubt4 ,then the ,book of ,mormon comes in also as a witness for the ,new ,testament as well as for the ,old4 ,not so much a witness for the authenticity of the books composing it1 however1 as for the correctness of what is contained in them4--,the writers in the ,book of ,mormon who bear a direct testimony as to what the ,new ,testament scriptures contain1 and in that way indirectly establish their authenticity and credibility may be divided into two classes1 prophetic and historical4 ,by the former1 ,i mean those who by the inspiration of heaven foresaw the birth and mission of ,jesus ,christ as it all1 afterwards came to pass2 by the latter1 ,i mean those who lived at the time and were witnesses to the personal ministrations of ,messiah1 on the western hemisphere1 and made a record of those things they saw and heard4 ,of the first class1 the prophetic1 the first ,nephi stands out most prominently2 for he gives such a vivid description of the leading outlines of ,messiah's life and labors on the earth1 that it makes one feel in very deed that prophecy is but history reversed1 for had he lived and written in the first century of the ,christian are instead of the fifth century preceding it1 ,i feel sure that he could not have been more vivid or exact in writing the life1 mission and doctrines of the ,son of ,god2,b and all that he predicts is in strict accord with what is contained in the ,new ,testament4 ,footnote ,b3 ,for the remarkable prophecies which foretell the events here alluded to1 ,i refer my readers to the xi1 xii1 xiii and xvi chapters of ,i4 ,nephi1 ,book of ,mormon4 ,next to ,nephi we may place ,king ,benjamin1 whose testimony is found in the book of ,mosiah1 chapter iii1 and next to him1 ,abinadi1 whose prophecies in relation to the coming and mission of ,jesus1 are contained in the thirteenth1 fourteenth1 fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of ,mosiah2 and1 lastly1 ,samuel1 the ,lamanite prophet1 whose testimony is in the fourteenth chapter of ,helaman4 ,all these prophets give the outlines of the life and mission of ,jesus ,christ1 and1 as before stated1 what they say is in strict accord with what is written in the ,new ,testament1 by those who witnessed the events that these prophets of the ,western hemisphere foretold4 ,on the other side of the line1 that is1 of the historical witnesses1 they who lived at the time ,jesus visited the western hemisphere and wrote an account of what took place1 the ,,iii ,nephi1 the one whom the ,lord made the chief of the apostles1 is most conspicuous4 ,he records the fact of ,messiah's visit to the ,nephites1 after his resurrection and departure from his disciples in ,judea2 and gives a most particular account of the several visits of ,jesus to his people1 and of his organizing a church1 after the pattern of the one organized in ,jerusalem2 also of the doctrines and moral precepts which he taught2 in all of which there is a substantial agreement with what is recorded in the ,new ,testament4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,the reader is recommended to read carefully the whole ,book of ,,iii ,nephi1 and compare it with the teachings of the ,new ,testament4 ,thus the ,book of ,mormon1 is an additional witness for ,jesus1 testifying as well as the ,new ,testament1 that he is both ,lord and ,christ4 ,it also sustains the ,new ,testament1 that is1 if it does not directly prove the authenticity of the various books composing it1 it does prove the correctness of what is contained in them1 by testifying that the same person who was crucified by the ,jews is the ,son of ,god1 the ,savior of the world1 and that he taught the same doctrines1 ordinances1 and precepts1 and organized his church on the ,western hemisphere after the pattern of that described in the ,new ,testament2 and all this1 ,i take it1 is very strong proof of the correctness of what is recorded in the ,new ,testament scriptures--it is1 in fact1 the testimony of a mighty and numerous people1 speaking from the silence of past ages1 bearing witness of the truth as contained in the ,jewish scriptures2 and1 withal1 is such an evidence of their authenticity1 and1 likewise of their integrity1 in the main--speaking now of both the ,old ,testament and the ,new--and of the correctness of the matter they contain1 that before this new witness for ,god unbelief must hide its head2 atheism must stand rebuked2 the scorner is reproved2 they that watch for iniquity are cut off2 the terrible ones are brought to naught2 they that erred in spirit come to understanding2 they that murmured learn doctrine2 the meek increase their joy in the ,lord and the poor among men rejoice4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,isaiah xxix3 #ah-bd4 ,i have been led thus far into an investigation of the authenticity of the ,jewish scriptures touching1 too1 here and there1 the question of the integrity and truthfulness of them1 by a desire to fix in the mind of the reader the fact that our principal volume of scripture is worthy of all confidence so far as the question of authenticity is concerned4 ,i am aware1 however1 that after treating of the question of authenticity1 there still stands the question of credibility4 ,after proving the authenticity of a book1 ,i believe the further questions may be asked1 and usually with great propriety--,is it worthy of belief8 ,can it be believed8 ,is it credible8 ,to this rule ,i make one exception1 and in the case in hand it is important4 ,that exception is this3 ,if it can be proven that ,god is the author of the book1 or1 what would be equivalent1 if those who wrote it were inspired by his ,holy ,spirit1 then if you prove such an authenticity as that1 you prove at the same time the credibility of the book4 ,for1 let it be proven clearly that the book emanates from ,god directly or indirectly1 then who could doubt its truth1 its wisdom1 or the events1 however wonderful1 it relates8 ,or who could question the mercy and justice of the acts of ,god as represented in that book or books that are the fruits of inspiration8 ,it matters not how at variance their contents may seem to be with our supposed knowledge of the laws of nature2 our knowledge of those laws are so limited2 our understanding of the mechanism of the universe so imperfect2 our acquaintance with the universe and the forces that operate in it so insignificant1 that let it be clearly proven that a revelation from ,god contradicted our supposed facts1 and ,i believe the wisest1 and best among the children of men1 with becoming humility that would but add to their dignity1 would bow in submission to the revelation4 ,neither does it matter how much the conduct of ,deity1 as represented in such books1 may violate what we understand to be the relative claims of stern ,justice and sweet ,mercy2 our knowledge of the operation of those qualities1 and their effect upon men in time and in eternity1 and under varied conditions1 is so uncertain and imperfect that we are liable to confound good with evil1 and that which is indeed an infinite mercy1 we may condemn as a piece of barbaric cruelty4 ,in this matter we would bow also1 and say1 ,thy will1 ,o ,lord1 be done1 righteous must be all thy judgments1 merciful are thy ways6 ,shall not the ,god of the whole earth do right8 ,in connection with these observations1 ,i would remark1 that throughout the ,jewish scriptures1 that is1 in their composition1 in their diction as well as in the excellence of their matter1 whether in the historical1 legislative1 poetic1 or prophetic books of the ,old ,testament2 or in the gospel histories1 the epistles or prophetic books of the ,new1 everywhere may be traced the inspiration of ,heaven2 and the style and matter of the whole volume proclaims that the ,spirit which prompted the writers and brought those books into existence1 is divine4 ,then again1 if the prophecies contained in the volume of scripture be studied1 and their fulfillment traced out in the history of the rise and fall of nations1 cities and peoples2 in the calamities that have overtaken the ,jews,e and their country2 in the coming of ,messiah and the work he performed1 all of which was foretold by those holy men of ,god who spake as they were moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost--if all these prophecies and their fulfillment be considered1 it seems to me that there is an accumulation of evidence to the divinity of the ,jewish scriptures1 that must break down all the petty objections that unbelief can array against them4 ,and indeed1 ,i may say1 that such has been the effect of these considerations on the human understanding that the noblest and brightest intellects of all ages have been so impressed with them1 that they have yielded a ready assent to their divine inspiration1 and worshiped the ,god whose character and attributes are unfolded in the revelations contained in them4,f ,footnote ,e3 ,you may question1 if you will says ,bishop ,lightfoot in the ,quarterly ,review for ,april1 #ahhh1 every single prophecy in the ,old ,testament1 but the whole history of the ,jews is one continuous prophecy more distinct and articulate than all4 ,you may deny1 if you will1 every successive miracle which is recorded therein2 but again1 the history of the ,jews is from first to last one stupendous miracle1 more wonderful and convincing than all4 ,footnote ,f3 ,in making this observation ,i do not close my eyes to the fact that there are exceptions to this general assertion2 nor will ,i be so unjust as to claim that among unbelievers there are none who are honest in that unbelief ,there have been men in all ages1 or nearly so1 who have doubted the truth of the ,jewish scriptures1 and some of them have been most brilliant in intellect1 and not a few most upright in their manner of life1 but these are the exceptions1 not the rule2 and the remark on this point in the text holds good4 ,now1 if to these evidences1 which have been sufficient to convince men of powerful intellect1 as well as of the masses of ,christendom1 be added the further fulfillment of prophecy in respect to taking the ,gospel from the earth and then restoring it in the last days1 much of which--pertaining to the restoration of the ,gospel--has been fulfilled in our day2 and then to this be added the testimony contained in the ,book of ,mormon to the divinity and general truth of the ,bible2 and to this the testimony in the ,book of ,abraham and the visions of ,moses1 as revealed to ,joseph ,smith and now contained in the ,pearl of ,great ,price--pray tell me1 youth of ,israel1 where is there room for unbelief on your part8 ,or where is there excuse for infidelity8 ,let me remind my readers1 that the ,bible is a record of man's crimes and vices1 as well as of his righteousness and virtues4 ,it as faithfully records the former as the latter4 ,but because it thus faithfully records the evils that men did as well as the good1 it must not therefore be concluded that ,god sanctioned or condoned those evils4 ,it was the doing of those very evils that brought down the displeasure of ,god upon those guilty of them4 ,and what is true of individuals in this respect1 is also true of peoples and nations4 ,then again1 as to the ,old ,testament1 let it be remembered that when the ,lord took the children of ,israel from the land of ,egypt to make of them a people for himself1 he presented them first with the ,gospel of ,christ1 with all its mercy and inspiring love and gentleness2 but they would not live in accordance with its high moral precepts1 nor reflect in their lives its spiritual excellence4 ,accordingly1 a less perfect law was given to ,israel2 a law which in the ,new ,testament is everywhere called the law of carnal commandments2 a law more in keeping with their moral development2 a law which breathed less of mercy1 forgiveness and love and more of exacting1 relentless justice2 demanding an eye for an eye1 and a tooth for a tooth--and this was to be their schoolmaster1 to prepare them for the more excellent law of the ,gospel of ,christ4,g ,many things in that law of the ,old ,testament are imperfect1 and must not be taken as reflecting the full glory and excellence of the divine wisdom or goodness4 ,on the contrary it is plainly stated1 and that too by the voice of inspiration1 in the ,new ,testament1 that it was a law carnal and imperfect1 yet withal containing more excellence than the people seemed able in those days to attain unto4 ,footnote ,g3 ,in proof that the ,gospel was first offered to ancient ,israel1 and then because of transgression the law of carnal commandments1 ,i invite the reader's attention to the following scriptures3 ,heb41 latter part of chap4 iii1 in connection with ,heb4 iv3 #a1 #b2 ,i ,cor4 x3 #a-d2 and ,gal4 iii2 also ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 #hd2 see also the chapter on ,history of the ,gospel in this work4 ,add these considerations to the fact that in some of its details and in its translation the ,bible has been marred by the hand of man2 a number of sacred books lost1 and some plain and precious parts taken away from those we have1 and it is not surprising that men find imperfections in it1 and some things difficult to harmonize with our ideas of the mercy and justice of ,god4 ,yet1 with all its imperfections1 in the main it is true1 and may be relied upon as a witness for ,god2 that is1 as to his existence1 his character and attributes2 and also to the existence1 character and mission of his ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 the ,redeemer of the world1 and of the plan of salvation--the ,gospel4 ,what it says of those1 and topics associated with them1 may be relied upon as ,god's truth2 for the evidences of its authenticity and credibility are so numerous1 ,i may say so overwhelming1 that for my part1 ,i see not how intelligence can disbelieve it4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,faith--,,tradition4 ,having now concluded our inquiry as to the authenticity and credibility of our principal volume of scripture--the ,bible2 having proven1 as ,i hope1 to the satisfaction of my readers1 that the ,bible is authentic1 and worthy of their confidence in what it says of ,god1 of ,christ and the ,gospel1 ,i have only to remark that the evidence it contains--especially when considered in connection with that found in the other scriptures1 the ,book of ,mormon1 ,doctrine and ,covenants and ,pearl of ,great ,price--is sufficient to plant in the mind an intelligent belief in ,god1 in ,christ and in the ,gospel as the plan of man's redemption4 ,and now1 after so long a digression1 ,i return to the subject of faith in ,god4 ,i have already remarked,a that faith is the first principle of religion1 and that religious faith centers in ,god1 to whom men look for salvation4 ,i have also remarked that it is absolutely necessary for those who come to ,god to believe that he exists1 for unless that fact is firmly fixed in their minds1 men will consider themselves under no obligations to obey him4 ,footnote ,a3 ,chapter vii4 ,the first evidence men have of the existence of ,god comes from tradition1 from the testimony of their fathers2 and this has been the case from that event known as the ,fall1 until the present4 ,nor is this evidence unworthy our serious attention2 it rests upon a surer foundation than is usually accorded it4 ,suppose we go back to its beginning1 to its first introduction into the world1 and observe how well founded it is4 ,according to the account given by ,moses in ,genesis1 previous to the ,fall1 ,adam associated with ,god2 conversed with him respecting the works of creation1 and gave names to the cattle1 and all living things upon the earth4 ,how long continued1 or how intimate that association was1 we are not informed in ,genesis2 but1 at all events1 it was long enough continued1 and sufficiently intimate to fix definitely in the mind of ,adam the fact of ,god's existence4 ,then when ,adam and his wife transgressed ,god's law1 their recollection of his existence did not vanish1 but they tried to hide from his presence2 and were afterwards visited of the ,lord1 who reproved them for their sin and pronounced the penalty which would overtake them for their transgression4 ,all ,i wish to call attention to in this is the fact that they knew positively of the ,lord's existence before their transgression1 and they did not forget it after that event2 but on the contrary had a lively recollection of what they had seen and heard before they fell1 and related it to their children1 who1 in turn1 transmitted it to their children1 and so from generation to generation the tradition of ,god's existence has been handed down until the present time4 ,but other considerations are yet to be noticed in respect to this tradition4 ,it will be remembered that ,adam and all the patriarchs previous to the ,flood lived to a very great age4 ,adam lived nine hundred and thirty years1 and during that time ,seth1 ,enos1 ,cainan1 ,mahalaleel1 ,jared1 ,enoch1 ,methuselah and ,lamech1 the father of ,noah1 were born4 ,indeed the last named was fifty-six years old,b when ,adam died2 so that for a number of years he must have had the pleasure of ,adam's acquaintance2 while the patriarchs between ,adam and ,lamech all associated with him for hundreds of years1 and would learn well the story that the grand patriarch of our race would have to tell respecting ,eden before the ,fall4 ,footnote ,b3 ,see ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,,ii ,lecture on ,faith1 verse #cj4 ,then again1 we are told in ,genesis,c that when ,lamech was one hundred and eighty-two years old he begat ,noah2 and since ,lamech was fifty-six years old when ,adam died1 ,adam had been dead but one hundred and twenty-six years when ,noah was born4 ,after the birth of ,noah1 ,lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years1 so that ,noah associated with his father1 who had seen ,adam1 for more than five hundred years2 and also with a number of the other patriarchs--with ,enos1 the grandson of ,adam1 and son of ,seth--with ,cainan1 ,mahalaleel1 ,jared and ,methuselah4,d ,then1 the sons of ,noah1 ,shem1 ,ham and ,japheth1 all of whom were born before the ,flood1 would likewise be acquainted with a number of these worthies who had lived with ,adam and heard his testimony of ,god's existence4 ,footnote ,c3 ,gen4 v3 #bh1 #bi4 ,footnote ,d3 ,those desiring a more minute account of these points are referred to the ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,,ii ,lecture on ,faith4 ,again1 ,noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the ,flood2 that would give him ample time and opportunity to teach his posterity for several generations the tradition respecting ,god1 which he had received from a number of patriarchs1 who lived previous to the ,flood1 and thus the said tradition became firmly fixed in the minds of men4 ,traces of that tradition1 and of these patriarchs connected with it1 may be found in nearly all1 and so far as ,i know1 in all the mythologies of the world1 as well in ancient as in modern times2 as well in the mythology of the civilized ,greeks and ,romans1 as in that of ,india1 ,china1 ,egypt1 and that of the ,american ,indians4 ,the tradition has evidently been corrupted1 added to and twisted into fantastic shapes by the idle fancies of corrupt minds1 but despite all the changes made in it1 traces of this tradition are discoverable in the mythology of all lands4 ,i believe1 too1 with ,crabb1 ,that the fictions of mythology were not invented always in ignorance of divine truth1 but with a willful intention to pervert it2 not made only by men of profligate lives and daring impiety1 who preferred darkness to light1 because their deeds were evil1 but by men of refinement and cultivation1 from the opposition of science1 falsely so-called2 not made1 as some are pleased to think1 by priests only1 for interested purposes1 but by poets and philosophers among the laity1 who1 careless of truth or falsehood1 were pleased with nothing but their own corrupt imaginations and vain conceits4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,crabb's ,mythology of all ,nations1 pp4 #agd-e4 ,thus the tradition of the patriarchs was1 in time1 degraded1 by some branches of their posterity1 to mythology--a muddy1 troubled pool1 which1 like a mirror shattered into a thousand fragments1 reflects while it distorts into fantastic shapes the objects on its banks4 ,still1 under all the rubbish of human invention may be found the leading idea--,god's existence1 and that fact alone1 however misshapen it may be1 proves how firmly fixed in the human mind is the tradition of the fathers2 while the universality of that tradition goes very far towards proving its truth4 ,when once the idea of the existence of a ,god is suggested to the mind of man by the testimony of the fathers1 and represented as he is by that tradition1 as the ,creator of the heavens and the earth1 and also as the great governing power throughout the universe1--very much is discovered in the marvelous works of nature to strengthen and confirm1 almost to a certainty1 the truth of that tradition4 ,man is conscious of his own existence1 and that existence is a stupendous miracle of itself2 he is conscious1 too1 of other facts4 ,he looks out into space in the stillness of night1 and sees the deep vault of heaven inlaid with planetary systems1 all moving in exact order and harmony1 in such regularity that he cannot doubt that intelligence brought them into being1 and now sustains and directs the forces that preserve them4 ,thus the heavens declare the existence of ,god as well as his glory4 ,this thought is in harmony with the tradition of his fathers1 and he recognizes the identity between the intelligence that he knows must control the universe1 and the ,god of which his fathers testify4 ,nor is this all3 but in the mysterious changes which take place on our own planet1 in the gentle ,spring1 luxuriant ,summer1 fruitful ,autumn and blighting ,winter1 with its storms and frosts--the mysterious round which brings us our seed time and harvest1 and clothes the earth with vegetation and flowers1 perpetuating that wonderful power we call life1 the strangest fact in all the works of nature--in these mighty changes1 so essential and beneficent1 man recognizes the wisdom and power of ,god of whom his fathers bear record4 ,as the heavens declare his existence and glory1 so1 likewise1 do these changes and a thousand other things1 connected with our earth1 until lost in wonder and admiration1 one exclaims with ,paul1 ,the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen1 being understood by the things that are made1 even his eternal power and godhead4,f ,or else he calls to mind another scripture1 still more sublime--,the earth rolls upon her wings1 and the sun giveth his light by day1 and the stars also giveth their light1 as they roll upon their wings in their glory1 in the midst of the power of ,god4 99 99 99 ,behold1 all these are kingdoms1 and any man who hath seen any or the least of these1 hath seen ,god moving in his majesty and power4,g ,footnote ,f3 ,rom4 i3 #bj4 ,footnote ,g3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 #hh3 #de-dg4 ,but wandering oft1 with brute unconscious gaze1 ,man marks not ,thee2 marks not the mighty hand1 ,that1 ever busy1 wheels the silent spheres6 ,this much we may say1 in conclusion1 the tradition of the fathers1 confirmed by the power of ,god as manifested in the works of nature1 lays a broad foundation for an intelligent belief in ,god's existence4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,faith4--,,revelation4 ,the evidence of tradition1 confirmed by the works of nature1 created the assurance or faith in the minds of men that ,god existed2 and that faith led them to the performance of works of righteousness that they might win his approbation2 for doubtless1 side by side with the tradition of his existence1 came also the idea that he loved righteousness and truth1 and those who wrought them4 ,in other words1 it is but reasonable to suppose that ,adam brought from the period of his life on the other side of the ,fall1 some recollection of ,god's character and attributes1 as well as of his being3 ,and so well pleased was the ,lord with the faith and works of some of these men1 that he revealed himself to them1 made them acquainted with his laws1 purposes and designs1 and conferred upon them authority to act in his name1 as his messengers to the children of men who had not sufficient faith to seek for and enter into his presence4 ,such men have lived in various ages of the world1 and have ever been 7or would have been1 had the people only received them7 a blessing unto their generation4 ,such a character was ,enoch1 whom we are told walked with ,god1,a and received a revelation from the ,lord in which was made known to him events to take place even down to the glorious coming of the ,son of ,god to execute judgment on the wicked4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,gen4 v3 #bd4 ,footnote ,b3 ,jude1 #ad1 #ae4 ,for a more detailed account of the revelations of ,god to ,enoch1 and the mighty work which that patriarch did1 the reader is referred to the ,pearl of ,great ,price1 pp4 #ah to #bi inclusive4 ,noah also1 the tenth from ,adam1 received a revelation from ,god1 and was made a messenger to the people of his generation1 but they refused to receive his testimony1 and perished in their sins4 ,after ,noah comes ,abraham4 ,he received special revelations from ,god1 being visited by him in the plains of ,mamre as the patriarch dwelt in a tent4 ,it was at that time he received the promise of a son1 and was told of the intention of the ,lord to destroy the wicked cities of the plain1 ,sodom and ,gomorrah2 whereupon ,abraham pleaded for the righteous that might be in the cities4,c ,the ,lord also gave him other revelations concerning the organization of the heavens and the laws by which they are governed2 the order which was followed in the creation of this earth1 and some things pertaining to the redemption of man4,d ,footnote ,c3 ,gen4 xviii4 ,footnote ,d3 ,pearl of ,great ,price--,book of ,abraham1 pp4 #cc-dg4 ,the ,lord also appeared unto ,jacob in dreams and visions1 and sent angels unto him1 and to his son ,joseph also1 but we pass by these and come to the prophet ,moses4 ,the first revelation the ,lord gave to ,moses1 that we have any account of1 was at the burning bush1 in ,mount ,horeb4 ,there the ,lord said to him3 ,i am the ,god of thy father1 the ,god of ,abraham1 the ,god of ,isaac1 and the ,god of ,jacob4 ,and ,moses hid his face1 for he was afraid to look upon ,god4,e ,then and there the ,lord commissioned him to go and deliver ,israel1 in the performance of which labor he received many manifestations that ,god was with him4 ,footnote ,e3 ,exodus iii3 #f4 ,in ,exodus,f we have an account of ,god's glorious descent upon ,sinai in the presence of all ,israel1 and the revelations that he gave to them by his own voice3 ,and ,god spake all these words1 saying1 ,i am the ,lord thy ,god1 which have brought thee out of the land of ,egypt1 out of the house of bondage4 ,thou shalt have no other ,gods before me4,g ,then follow nine other commandments3 ,and all the people saw the thunderings1 and the lightnings1 and the noise of the trumpet1 and the mountain smoking3 ,and when the people saw it1 they removed and stood afar off4 ,and they said unto ,moses1 speak thou with us1 and we will hear2 but let not ,god speak with us lest we die4 99 99 99 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 thus thou shalt say unto the children of ,israel1 ye have seen that ,i have talked with you from heaven4,h ,footnote ,f3 ,exodus xix1 xx4 ,footnote ,g3 ,exodus xx3 #a-c4 ,footnote ,h3 ,exodus xx3 #ah1 #ai-bb4 ,subsequently to this there was another grand revelation which the ,lord gave to a number of the leading ,elders of ,israel4 ,moses thus records it3 ,then went up ,moses and ,aaron1 ,nadab1 and ,abihu1 and seventy of the ,elders of ,israel3 and they saw the ,god of ,israel3 and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone1 and as it were the body of heaven in its clearness1 and upon the nobles of the children of ,israel1 he laid not his hand3 also they saw ,god1 and did eat and drink4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,exodus xxiv3 #i-aa4 ,moses after this left the other ,elders and went into the mount1 where he received the law of the ,lord written by the hand of ,god on tables of stone1 and also was instructed how to build a tabernacle and the ark of the covenant4 ,indeed1 throughout the lifetime of ,moses the manifestations of ,god's power1 and the revelations of his existence were frequent1 and came in so direct a manner that there is left no room for doubt2 for the ,lord knew ,moses face to face1 so also knew ,moses the ,lord1 and left his testimony on record4 ,time would fail me to tell of the revelations which ,god gave of himself to ,joshua1 and the judges whom he raised up to rule in ,israel2 to ,samuel1 and ,david and ,solomon1 and the prophets ,isaiah1 ,jeremiah1 ,ezekiel1 ,daniel and the rest4 ,i pass by all these and come to the dispensation opened by the preaching of ,john the ,baptist4 ,the first direct revelation of ,god's existence after the opening of that dispensation was at the baptism of ,jesus1 the ,son of ,god4 ,matthew's testimony respecting this revelation is as follows3 ,and ,jesus1 when he was baptized1 went up straightway out of the water3 and1 lo1 the heavens were opened unto him1 and he ,john,j saw the ,spirit of ,god descending like a dove and lighting upon ,him2 and lo1 a voice from heaven1 saying1 this is my beloved ,son in whom ,i am well pleased4,k ,with this also agrees the testimony of both ,mark and ,john4 ,footnote ,j3 ,i supposed that ,john the ,baptist was the only one who was a witness of the ,holy ,ghost resting upon ,jesus in the form of a dove4 ,in all the accounts given of this event1 except by ,luke1 the pronoun he referring to ,john1 as in ,matthew1 is used4 ,while in ,luke it is not said that anyone else saw it1 but the fact is merely stated that the ,holy ,ghost descended in bodily shape like a dove and rested upon him4 ,john's own testimony is as follows3 ,and ,john bore record saying1 ,i saw the ,spirit descending from heaven like a dove1 and it abode upon him4 ,and ,i knew him not2 but he that sent me to baptize with water1 the same said unto me1 upon whom thou shalt see the ,spirit descending and remaining on him1 the same is he which baptizeth with the ,holy ,ghost4 7,john i3 #cb1 #cc47 ,footnote ,k3 ,matt4 iii3 #af1 #ag4 ,then next in order1 that is the next direct revelation1 is on the occasion of the transfiguration of ,christ on the ,mount1 thus related by ,matthew3 ,after six days he taketh ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 his brother1 and bringeth them up unto the high mountain apart1 and was transfigured before them3 ,and his face did shine as the sun1 and his raiment was white as the light4 ,and behold there appeared unto them ,moses and ,elias1 talking with him4 ,then answered ,peter1 and said unto ,jesus1 it is good for us to be here1 if thou wilt1 let us build three tabernacles2 one for thee1 one for ,moses and one for ,elias4 ,while he yet spake a bright cloud overshadowed them3 and behold a voice out of the cloud1 which said3 ,this is my beloved son in whom ,i am well pleased2 hear ye him4,l ,this same circumstance is also related by ,mark and ,luke4 ,footnote ,l3 ,matt4 xvii3 #a-e4 ,the ,new ,testament is replete with testimonies of the existence of ,god1 both direct and indirect1 but ,i shall here notice but one more2 it will be found recorded in the ,acts of the ,apostles4,m ,it is given at the martyrdom of ,stephen4 ,the ,jews were so stung by ,stephen's reproofs for their hardness of heart1 that they rushed upon him1 ,but he1 being full of the ,holy ,ghost1 looked steadfastly into heaven1 and saw the glory of ,god1 and ,jesus standing on the right hand of ,god1 and said4 ,behold ,i see the heavens opened1 and the ,son of ,man standing on the right hand of ,god4 ,footnote ,m3 ,chapter vii4 ,as before stated1 the testimonies in the ,new ,testament to the existence of ,god and his ,son ,jesus ,christ are numerous4 ,indeed1 ,i may say it is the one grand truth which the writers in that volume of revelation testify to2 and around this primary fact1 and dependent upon it for their existence and importance1 are arranged all the other facts pertaining to man's redemption and future existence4 ,but ,i wish to turn from the witnesses in the ,jewish scriptures to others2 for1 numerous as those witnesses for ,god and ,christ are among the ,jews1 they are not the only ones4 ,in the ,book of ,mormon is an abridgment of the record of ,ether1 called the ,book of ,ether4 ,it gives a brief account of a colony which the ,lord led from the tower of ,babel1 where he confounded the language of the people1 to the ,western hemisphere4 ,the prophet who1 under ,god's direction1 led this people in their journey1 was the brother of one ,jared4 ,at the command of ,god he had built eight barges or vessels in which his company was to cross the mighty deep2 and the brother of ,jared prayed to the ,lord that he would provide a means whereby they might have light in the barges1 and he presented to the ,lord sixteen small stones and asked that he would touch them with his finger and make them luminous1 that they might give them light4 ,and as the ,lord1 in answer to the earnest prayer of his servant stretched forth his hand to touch the stones1 the brother of ,jared saw the finger of the ,lord1 and he was struck with fear4 ,yet receiving encouragement from ,god1 he asked the ,lord to show himself to him1 a petition which the ,lord1 in consequence of the great faith of the man1 granted him1 and testified to the redemption that he was yet to work out for the salvation of man4 ,the testimony of the brother of ,jared was placed upon record and was abridged by ,moroni1 and now comes to us in the sacred pages of the ,book of ,mormon,n as a witness for ,god4 ,footnote ,n3 ,see ,book of ,ether in ,book of ,mormon1 ch4 iii4 ,in the account given ,an the ,book of ,mormon of that colony which was led from ,jerusalem1 about six hundred ,b4 ,c41 by ,lehi2 and in the history of the nations that grew out of that colony1 and flourished on the ,western hemisphere1 are many testimonies as to the existence of ,god2 too many1 in fact1 to be enumerated here4 ,all ,i can say is1 that their prophets were visited by angels from heaven1 and they were instructed by dreams and visions1 in which were shown to them1 in remarkable plainness1 the coming and mission of ,messiah2 the object to be attained by1 and the power of the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,in all these things they were taught by the inspiration of heaven1 accompanied by wonderful demonstrations of the presence and power of the ,lord4 ,then1 in ,,iii ,nephi1 in the ,book of ,mormon1 is an account of two visits of the risen ,redeemer to the ,nephites 7descendants of the aforementioned ,lehi71 and of his labors among that people4 ,here1 as in ,jerusalem1 ,jesus announced himself as the ,son of ,god1 and bore testimony to the existence of his ,father4 ,the multitude1 to whom he first revealed himself1 had the satisfaction of beholding the wounds in his hands and in his feet and in his side2 and this1 that they might know in very deed1 that he was the one who had been slain in ,jerusalem by the ,jews1 for the sins of the world--that he was the one of whom their prophets from the beginning had testified4 ,in the ,book of ,mormon1 then1 as in the ,bible1 is found a volume of testimony of ,god's existence2 indeed1 ,i may say the accumulated testimony of all the prophets of the ,western hemisphere4 ,i now turn to the testimony of the prophet of our own day4 ,joseph ,smith1 in giving an account of how he came to seek the ,lord1 informs us that he read that passage in ,james which says3 ,if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of ,god that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not2 and it shall be given him4,o ,in obedience to that injunction1 he retired to the woods to call upon the ,lord1 to learn from him which of all the religious sects he should join1 for their division and contentions had perplexed his mind4 ,for what occurred on that occasion ,i quote his own words3 ,footnote ,o3 ,james i3 #e4 ,after ,i had retired to the place where ,i had previously designed to go1 having looked around me and finding myself alone1 ,i kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to ,god4 ,i had scarcely done so1 when immediately ,i was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me1 and had such astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that ,i could not speak4 ,thick darkness gathered round me1 and it seemed to me for a time as if ,i were doomed to sudden destruction4 ,but1 exerting all my powers to call upon ,god to deliver me out of the power of this enemy1 which had seized upon me1 and at the very moment when ,i was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction1 not to an imaginary ruin1 but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world1 who had such a marvelous power as ,i had never before felt in any being--just at this moment of great alarm1 ,i saw a pillar of light exactly over my head1 above the brightness of the sun1 which descended gradually until it fell upon me4 ,it no sooner appeared than ,i found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound4 ,when the light rested upon me1 ,i saw two personages1 whose brightness and glory defy all description1 standing above me in the air4 ,one of them spake unto me1 calling me by my name and said 7pointing to the other71 this is my beloved son1 hear him4,p ,footnote ,p3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 pp4 #hg1 #hh4 ,such is the testimony that ,joseph ,smith bears to the existence of ,god and his ,son ,jesus ,christ2 but there are other testimonies to follow4 ,in a revelation called ,a ,vision1,q is found the testimony of both ,joseph ,smith and ,sidney ,rigdon1 from which ,i make the following extract3 ,we1 ,joseph ,smith1 ,jun41 and ,sidney ,rigdon1 being in the ,spirit on the sixteenth of ,february in the year of the ,lord #ahcb1 by the power of the ,spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings were enlightened1 so as to see and understand the things of ,god--even those things which were from the beginning before the world was1 which were ordained of the ,father1 through his ,only ,begotten ,son1 who was in the bosom of the ,father1 even from the beginning1 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 saw1 and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision4 99 99 99 ,and while we meditated upon these things1 the ,lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened1 and the glory of ,god shone round about2 and we beheld the glory of the ,son1 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 been1 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 him1 and of him the worlds are and were created1 and the inhabitants thereof begotten sons and daughters unto ,god4 ,footnote ,q3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 lxxvi4 ,surely their testimony lacks nothing to be desired either as to directness or plainness4 ,in the ,kirtland ,temple1 on the third of ,april1 #ahcf1 another revelation of the existence of the ,son of ,god was given1 and another witness was added to the list of those who in this dispensation have beheld the ,lord--this was ,oliver ,cowdery4 ,i quote the following from the revelation3 ,the vail was taken from our the prophet ,joseph's and ,oliver's minds 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 gold1 in color like amber4 ,his eyes were as a flame of fire1 the hair of his head was white like the 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 rejoice2 let the hearts of your brethren rejoice1 and let the hearts of all my people rejoice1 who have1 with their might1 built this house,r to my name1 for behold ,i have accepted this house1 and my name shall be here1 and ,i will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house4,s ,footnote ,r3 ,the ,kirtland ,temple4 ,footnote ,s3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 ex1 #a-g4 ,such1 in brief1 are some of the direct testimonies we have from the ,jewish and ,nephite scriptures1 and from the writings of inspired men in our own day concerning the existence of ,god and his ,son ,jesus ,christ4 ,and surely if human testimony can establish anything--any matter of fact1 then the fact of ,god's existence is so established4 ,the testimony comes from such a variety of sources1 is delivered in so many different ages1 from the first to the present1 yet all blending so harmoniously1 that it leaves nothing to be desired in point of consistency or harmony1 quality or quantity4 ,let me here observe1 in concluding this chapter1 that ,god is no respecter of persons2 but they who will approach him in faith1 as these characters did1 whose testimonies we have been examining1 may have a knowledge of his existence also4 ,but--adapting to my purpose the language of the ,doctrine and ,covenants,t--after any portion of the human family are made acquainted--either through tradition1 or the testimony of those who have sought and found him--with the important fact that there is a ,god who has created and does uphold all things1 the extent of their personal knowledge respecting his character and glory1 will depend upon their diligence and faithfulness in seeking after him2 until1 like ,enoch1 the brother of ,jared1 ,moses1 ,joseph ,smith1 and ,oliver ,cowdery1 they shall obtain faith in ,god1 and power to behold him face to face4 ,footnote ,t3 ,lecture ,,ii1 on ,faith1 verse #ee4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,faith4--,,the ,,character ,,of ,,god4 ,although belief in the fact that ,god exists is of first importance1 it is not all that is necessary to an intelligent faith4 ,it is the primary element1 perhaps1 but there are others in addition to that which are needful to a rational exercise of faith--such an exercise of faith that will lead to eternal salvation in ,god's ,kingdom4 ,something must be known of the character of ,god1 of his attributes2 for ,i hold this truth to be self-evident1 that without some knowledge of ,god's character men cannot intelligently exercise faith in him4 ,without that knowledge faith will ever be imperfect1 unsatisfactory1 weak and comparatively unfruitful4 ,hence1 we next proceed to inquire into the character of ,deity1 as he has revealed it to his children2 and as we are dependent upon revelation for the knowledge of ,god's existence1 so are we dependent upon revelation for what knowledge we have of his character4 ,but before ,i proceed immediately to inquire into the character of the ,deity1 ,i think it necessary to remark that men1 who exercise faith in ,god1 must not only believe that he is1 but recognize him as the creative power by whom all things are made and sustained2 that they recognize him as the ,supreme ,ruler of the universe4 ,as ,i understand it1 that much is implied in the term ,god4 ,indeed1 unless ,god is regarded as the supreme governing power1 men could not center their faith in him for life and salvation4 ,for if the idea existed that his power was not supreme1 absolute--fear would be engendered in the hearts of men that there existed still other powers who would overturn his purposes1 and prevent a fulfillment of his promises2 and where such fear exists there faith cannot be perfected4 ,there is abundant testimony in the scriptures1 however1 which proves ,god to be the creator and sustainer of all things that exist1 and the supreme power of the universe4 ,in proof of this ,i quote the following3 ,before the mountains were brought forth1 or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world1 even from everlasting to everlasting1 thou art ,god4,a ,and thou4 ,lord1 in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth2 and the heavens are the works of thy hands3 they shall perish2 but thou remainest2 and they shall wax old as doth a garment2 and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up1 and they shall be changed2 but thou art the same1 and thy years shall not fail4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,psalms xc3 #b4 ,footnote ,b3 ,heb4 i3 #aj-ab4 ,the scriptures1 however1 are more specific than this as to the works of creation in connection with our earth and the heavens connected with it4 ,it is written3 ,god 99 99 99 hath in these last days spoken unto us by his ,son1 whom he hath appointed heir of all things1 by whom also he made the worlds4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,heb4 i3 #a1 #b4 ,from this it appears that ,god through and by ,jesus ,christ created the worlds1 not only one world1 but doubtless many2 and this agrees with a number of other scriptures4 ,the apostle ,john says1 in opening his ,gospel--in plain allusion to ,christ3 ,all things were made by him2 and without him was not any thing made that was made4 ,in him was life2 and the life was the light of men4,d ,paul also says3 ,but to us there is but one ,god1 the ,father1 of whom are all things1 and we in him2 and one ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 by whom are all things1 and we by him4,e ,and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear ,son1 99 99 99 who is the image of the invisible ,god1 the firstborn of every creature2 for by him were all things created1 that are in heaven1 and that are in earth1 visible and invisible1 whether they be thrones1 or dominions1 or principalities1 or powers3 ,all things were created by him1 and for him3 ,and he is before all things1 and by him all things consist4 ,and he is the head of the body1 the church2 who is the beginning1 the firstborn from the dead1 that in all things he might have the pre-eminence4 ,for it pleased the ,father that in him should all fullness dwell4,f ,footnote ,d3 ,john i3 #c1 #d4 ,footnote ,e3 ,i4 ,cor4 viii3 #f4 ,footnote ,f3 ,col4 i3 #ac-ai4 ,it was doubtless these considerations which led ,president ,young to say3 ,christ is the author of this earth1 of men and women1 of all the posterity of ,adam and ,eve1 and of every living creature that lives upon the face of the earth1 that flies in the heavens1 that swims in the waters1 or dwells in the field4 ,christ is the author of salvation to all this creation1 to all things pertaining to this terrestrial globe we occupy4,g ,footnote ,g3 ,journal of ,discourses1 ,vol4 ,,iii1 p4 #hj4 ,christ being1 under the direction of the ,father the ,creator and ,redeemer of the earth1 he and his ,father have a proprietorship in this earth1 and by virtue of that are the ,supreme ,governing ,power in it4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 under directions from his ,father1 created it2 he then redeemed it by his own suffering2 he is now1 and has been from the beginning1 watching over it2 and will yet sanctify it1 and present it to the ,father a glorious1 celestial sphere to be added to the redeemed and glorified kingdoms of ,god4 ,remember the former things of old1 saith the ,lord through ,isaiah1 for ,i am ,god and there is none else2 ,i am ,god and there is none like me1 declaring the end from the beginning1 and from ancient times the things that are not yet done1 saying my counsel shall stand1 and ,i will do all my pleasure4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,isaiah xlvi1 #h-aj4 ,from the scriptures1 then1 we get abundant evidence that ,god is the creator of1 and the power that sustains the heavens and the earth1 and the ,supreme ,ruler of them2 so that no fear need exist in the mind of any who put their trust in ,god1 that other powers will or can thwart his purposes1 for having all power in heaven and in earth1 he is able to fulfill his promises4 ,i now come to the character of the ,deity1 as we have it revealed to us in the scriptures4 ,the references ,i make are brief1 though sufficient1 ,i hope1 for my purpose4 ,i assure my readers1 however1 that they may be indefinitely extended1 as the scriptures are replete with such passages4 ,moses says3 ,and the ,lord passed by before him and proclaimed1 the ,lord1 the ,lord ,god1 merciful and gracious1 long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth4,i ,the ,lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed4 ,he made known his ways unto ,moses1 his acts unto the children of ,israel4 ,the ,lord is merciful and gracious1 slow to anger and plenteous in mercy4 ,but the mercy of the ,lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him1 and his righteousness unto children's children2 to such as keep his covenants and to those that remember his commandments to do them4,j ,footnote ,i3 ,exodus xxxiv3 #f4 ,footnote ,j3 ,psalms ciii3 #f1 #g1 #h1 #ag1 #ah4 ,every good gift and every perfect gift is from above1 and cometh down from the ,father of lights1 with whom is no variableness1 neither shadow of turning4,k ,for ,i am the ,lord1 ,i change not2 therefore ye sons of ,jacob are not consumed4,l ,for ,god doth not walk in crooked paths1 neither does he turn to the right hand nor to the left1 or vary from that which he has said1 therefore his paths are straight1 and his course is one eternal round4,m ,listen to the voice of the ,lord your ,god1 even ,alpha and ,omega1 the beginning and the end1 whose course is one eternal round1 the same today as yesterday and forever4,n ,footnote ,k3 ,james i3 #ag4 ,footnote ,l3 ,mai4 iii3 #f4 ,footnote ,m3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec1 iii3 #b4 ,footnote ,n3 ,doc and ,cov41 sec4 xxxv3 #a4 ,god is not a man that he should lie1 neither the son of man that he should repent4,o ,into thy hand ,i commit my spirit2 thou hast redeemed me1 ,o ,lord ,god of ,truth4,p ,he is the rock1 his work is perfect2 for all his ways are judgment2 a ,god of truth and without iniquity1 just and right is he4,q ,footnote ,o3 ,numbers xxiii3 #ai ,footnote ,p3 ,psalms xxxi3 #e4 ,footnote ,q3 ,deut4 xxxii3 #d4 ,of a truth ,i perceive that ,god is no respecter of persons1 but in every nation he that feareth ,god and worketh righteousness is accepted with him4,r ,footnote ,r3 ,acts x3 #cd1 #ce4 ,he that loveth not1 knoweth not ,god2 for ,god is love3 99 99 99 and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in ,god1 and ,god in him4,s ,for ,god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life4,t ,footnote ,s3 ,john iv3 #h-af4 ,footnote ,t3 ,john iii3 #af4 ,i can think of no greater evidence of ,god's love than that exhibited in the act of permitting his ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 to come to the earth and suffer as he did for the sins of the world1 that they might not suffer if they would but conform to his laws and thus accept the terms of salvation4 ,it would seem1 too1 that the same attribute of love exists in the breast of the ,son1 for the sacrifice he made for the redemption of the world was a voluntary act4 ,he was not compelled to make the atonement1 but of his own free will he volunteered to become our ransom4,u ,footnote ,u3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #da ,he himself testified3 ,therefore doth my ,father love me1 because ,i lay down my life1 that ,i might take it again4 ,no man taketh it from me1 but ,i lay it down of myself4 ,i have power to lay it down1 and ,i have power to take it again4 ,this commandment have ,i received of my ,father4,v ,footnote ,v3 ,john x3 #ag1 #ah4 ,thus1 the atonement of ,jesus1 for the children of men1 was a voluntary act2 and his death and suffering for the world1 was the strongest expression of his love it is possible to conceive--,greater love hath no man than this1 that a man lay down his life for his friends4 ,from the foregoing testimonies we learn the following things respecting the character of ,god4 ,first1 that he is merciful and gracious1 slow to anger1 abundant in goodness1 and that he was so from everlasting1 and will be so to everlasting4 ,secondly1 that he changes not1 neither is there variableness with him2 but that he is the same from everlasting to everlasting1 being the same yesterday1 today1 and forever1 and that his course is one eternal round1 without variation4 ,thirdly1 that he is a ,god of truth and cannot lie4 ,fourthly1 that he is no respecter of persons1 but in every nation he who fears ,god and works righteousness is accepted of him4 ,fifthly1 that he is love4,w ,footnote ,w3 ,i quote the above paragraphs from the ,,iii4 ,lecture on ,faith1 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,i conclude this chapter with the remarks made upon these attributes of ,deity1 to be found in one of the lectures on faith in the ,doctrine and ,covenants3 ,an acquaintance with these attributes in the divine character1 is essentially necessary1 in order that the faith of any rational being can center in him for life and salvation4 ,for unless he was merciful and gracious1 slow to anger1 long suffering and full of goodness1 such is the weakness of human nature1 and so great the frailties and imperfections of men1 that unless they believed that these excellencies existed in the divine character1 the faith necessary to salvation could not exist2 for doubt would take the place of faith1 and those who know their weakness and liability to sin1 would be in constant doubt of salvation1 if it were not for the idea which they have of the excellency of the character of ,god1 that he is slow to anger and long suffering1 and of a forgiving disposition1 and does forgive iniquity1 transgression and sin4 ,an idea of these facts does away doubt1 and makes faith exceedingly strong4 ,but it is equally as necessary that men should have the idea that he is a ,god who changes not1 in order to have faith in him1 as it is to have the idea that he is gracious and long suffering2 for without the idea of unchangeableness in the character of the ,deity1 doubt would take the place of faith4 ,but with the idea that he changes not1 faith lays hold upon the excellencies in his character with unshaken confidence1 believing he is the same yesterday1 today and forever1 and that his course is one eternal round4 ,and again1 the idea that he is a ,god of truth and cannot lie1 is equally as necessary to the exercise of faith in him as the idea of his unchangeableness4 ,for without the idea that he was a ,god of truth and could not lie1 the confidence necessary to be placed in his word1 in order to the exercise of faith in him could not exist4 ,but having the idea that he is not man1 that he cannot lie1 it gives power to the minds of men to exercise faith in him4 ,but it is also necessary that men should have an idea that he is no respecter of persons1 for with the idea of all the other excellencies in his character1 and this one wanting1 men could not exercise faith in him2 because if he were a respecter of persons1 they could not tell what their privileges were1 nor how far they were authorized to exercise faith in him1 or whether they were authorized to do it at all1 but all must be confusion2 but no sooner are the minds of men made acquainted with the truth on this point1 that he is no respecter of persons1 than they see that they have authority by faith to lay hold on eternal life1 the richest boon of heaven1 because ,god is no respecter of persons1 and that every man in every nation has an equal privilege4 ,and lastly1 but not less important to the exercise of faith in ,god1 is the idea that he is love2 for with all the other excellencies in his character1 without this one to influence them1 they could not have such powerful dominion over the minds of men2 but when the idea is planted in the mind that he is love1 who cannot see the just ground that men of every nation1 kindred1 and tongue1 have to exercise faith in ,god so as to obtain eternal life6 ,from the above description of the character of the ,deity1 which is given him in the revelations to men1 there is a sure foundation for the exercise of faith in him among every people1 nation1 and kindred1 from age to age1 and from generation to generation4,x ,footnote ,x3 ,doc and ,cov41 ,lectures on ,faith1 ,no4 ,,iii4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,faith4--,,course ,,of ,,life4 ,i have now considered two elements which enter into the principle of faith1 and which are essential to its existence2 viz41 a belief in the being of ,god2 and1 secondly1 the nature of his character4 ,there is still one more thing that must be considered1 one more element that must enter into this principle of faith1 before it can become a living1 active power in the life of man--and that is1 herein the worth of faith exists4 ,i may say of faith as ,guizot does of science1 that it may be a beautiful thing of itself1 but it becomes a thousand times grander and more beautiful when it becomes a power2 when it becomes the parent of virtue4 ,indeed if it does not become a power in the life of man1 an incentive to noble deeds1 it is a dead faith1 and is as the body without the spirit1 or as salt without its savor--it is good for nothing4 ,the third element which is essential to faith as a power in the life of man1 centers in and depends upon man rather than ,god4 ,a belief in the fact that ,god exists1 with a correct idea of his character is sufficient for man to exercise faith in him1 but man must know something about himself also2 that is1 he must know that the course of life he is pursuing is in accordance with the will of heaven--is approved of ,god1 before faith can become perfect1 or have any marked influence with the heavens4 ,this truth is self-evident4 ,for what confidence can one have that his petition will be heard and answered by the ,lord1 if all the time he is conscious that he habitually1 perhaps wantonly1 violates the law of ,god--if he blasphemes the name of ,deity1 or speaks lightly1 and may be slightingly1 of sacred things1 or walks contrary to the expressed will of the ,lord in the matter of truthfulness1 sobriety1 chastity1 honesty and brotherly kindness8 ,what confidence1 ,i ask1 can such a person have that his petitions will be sufficiently respected either to be heard or granted8 ,the understanding answers1 none4 ,it stands to reason that such persons must repent1 and that earnestly1 with real intent1 with a fixed determination to respect ,god and his laws1 before they can hope for the powers of heaven to be influenced by them4 ,it is the prayer of the righteous man that availeth much4 ,on the other hand1 if one walk in all honesty of heart before ,god2 if to the best of his ability and knowledge1 making due allowance for human frailty--and ,i do not under-estimate its influence in hindering that perfect walk with ,god1 that is desirable--he keeps the laws of his ,god1 sacrificing his good name among men1 if need be1 or leaving father or mother1 houses or lands1 wives and children1 counting all things but dross1 when compared with the excellence of the knowledge of ,god--being faithful through good and through evil report--resulting1 as it must do1 in a consciousness of the approval of heaven--how strong will his confidence become in the presence of the ,lord1 and what blessings can the heavens withhold from him8 ,it was this consciousness of having walked truly before his ,god1 which1 when the word of the ,lord came to him1 that he should surely die1 enabled king ,hezekiah to turn to the ,lord1 in confidence1 and say3 ,remember1 now1 ,o ,lord1 ,i beseech thee1 how ,i have walked before thee in truth1 and with a perfect heart1 and have done good in thy sight4,a ,and before ,isaiah had left the house of the king1 the word of the ,lord came again to him1 bidding him to return to the king with the glad message that his prayer had been heard1 and fifteen years had been added to his life4 ,footnote ,a3 ,isaiah xxxviii4 ,it was this consciousness1 coupled with a belief in ,god's existence and a knowledge of his character1 that enabled the ancient saints to endure their sore afflictions1 taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods4 ,by combining these elements of faith they produced a power by which they subdued kingdoms1 wrought righteousness1 obtained promises1 stopped the mouths of lions1 quenched the violence of fire1 escaped the edge of the sword1 out of weakness were made strong1 waxed valiant in fight1 turned to flight the armies of the aliens4 ,women received their dead raised to life again3 and others were tortured1 not accepting deliverance2 that they might obtain a better resurrection3 and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings1 yea1 moreover of bonds and imprisonment3 they were stoned1 they were sawn asunder1 were tempted1 were slain with the sword3 they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins2 being1 destitute1 afflicted1 tormented4 ,of whom the world was not worthy1 they wandered in deserts1 and in mountains1 and in dens and caves of the earth4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,heb4 xi3 #cc-ch4 ,such is ,paul's testimony respecting the faith and the power thereof among the saints on the ,eastern hemisphere2 and if we turn to the sacred pages of the ,book of ,mormon1 a like record of sacrifice and heroism could be drawn up to the credit of the saints living on the ,western hemisphere4 ,and so also with the ,saints in this present dispensation4 ,it was through faith that the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith had the heavens opened to him and received a glorious vision of ,god the ,father and his ,son ,jesus ,christ2 it was through faith that he received the gold plates on which were engraven the history and scriptures of the ,nephites1 and translated them into the ,english language2 it was by the power of faith that he organized the church and the quorums of the priesthood4 ,it was by the power of faith1 too1 that the ,saints endured the persecutions heaped upon them in ,missouri1 the land of ,zion1 taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods1 being whipped1 imprisoned and murdered4 ,it was by faith they gathered at ,nauvoo and converted its swamps into a beautiful city1 its wilderness into fruitful fields and erected the beautiful temple in the days of their poverty4 ,by faith they restrained their anger when their prophet and patriarch were murdered while under the plighted faith of the ,state of ,illinois1 and committed no depredations on the ungodly within their power in retaliation for the cowardly assassination of their leaders4 ,by faith they followed the prophet ,brigham into the desert1 going a thousand miles beyond the borders of civilization among savage ,indian tribes1 their only hope of protection being in the ,god of ,israel4 ,by faith they subdued the sterile soil and made it yield them the bounties of life1 and filled the once barren wastes of the ,rocky ,mountain valleys with towns and villages2 farms1 gardens1 orchards and happy homes for an extent of more than five hundred miles2 and by faith they have calmly endured fines1 confiscations1 exile and imprisonment--persecution under the forms of law--at the hands of the ,united ,states government1 rather than be untrue to their ,god4 ,such experiences as these ,i have referred to in the history of the ,saints1 both of ancient and modern times1 demonstrates to the heavens the strength or quality of faith possessed by the ,saints1 and also exhibits faith as a principle of power1 for such it is2 who can doubt it when we are told that through faith the worlds were framed by the ,word of ,god2,c and through faith the saints in all ages of the world have been able to perform the works already set down to their credit4 ,footnote ,c3 ,heb4 xi3 #c4 ,another result flows from these experiences--these sufferings1 trials and sacrifices of the saints4 ,they bring to the faithful who endure them the assurance--nay1 the knowledge of their acceptance with ,god4 ,this knowledge occupies an important place in religion1 for it is through that knowledge and through that alone1 that men will be able to endure the trials that ever have and ever will1 in a state of probation1 beset the pathway of candidates for the celestial kingdom of ,god4 ,such was and ever will be the situation of the saints of ,god1 that unless they have an actual knowledge that the course they are pursuing is according to the will of ,god1 they will grow weary in their minds1 and faint2 for such has been1 and always will be the opposition in the hearts of unbelievers and those that know not ,god1 against the pure and unadulterated religion of heaven 7the only thing which insures eternal life71 that they will persecute to the uttermost all that worship ,god according to his revelations1 receive the truth in the love of it1 and submit themselves to be guided and directed by his will2 and drive them to such extremities1 that nothing short of an actual knowledge of their being the favorites of heaven1 and of their having embraced that order of things which ,god has established for the redemption of man1 will enable them to exercise that confidence in him1 necessary for them to overcome the world1 and obtain that crown of glory which is laid up for them that fear ,god4 4 4 ,for unless a person does know that he is walking according to the will of ,god1 it would be offering an insult to the dignity of the ,creator1 were he to say1 that he would be a partaker of his glory when he should be done with the things of this life4 ,but when he has this knowledge1 and most assuredly knows that he is doing the will of ,god1 his confidence can be equally strong that he will be a partaker of the glory of ,god4 ,let us here observe1 that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things1 never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation2 for1 from the first existence of man1 the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things4 ,it was through this sacrifice1 and this only1 that ,god has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life2 and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things1 that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of ,god4 ,when a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth's sake1 not even withholding his life1 and believing before ,god that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will1 he does know1 most assuredly1 that ,god does and will accept his sacrifice and offering1 and that he has not1 nor will not1 seek his face in vain4 ,under these circumstances1 then1 he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life4 ,it is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those1 or can be heirs with them1 who have offered their all in sacrifice1 and by this means obtained faith in ,god and favor with him1 so as to obtain eternal life1 unless they1 in like manner1 offer unto him the same sacrifice1 and through that offering1 obtain the knowledge that they are accepted of him4 99 99 99 ,from the days of righteous ,abel to the present time1 the knowledge that men have that they are accepted in the sight of ,god1 is obtained by offering sacrifice4 ,and in the last days1 before the ,lord comes1 he is to gather together his saints who have made a covenant with him1 by sacrifice3 ',our ,god shall come1 and shall not keep silence3 a fire shall devour before him1 and it shall be very tempestuous round about him4 ,he shall call to the heavens from above1 and to the earth1 that he may judge his people4 ,gather my saints together unto me2 those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice4',d ,footnote ,d3 ,psalms i3 #c-e4 ,those1 then1 who make the sacrifice1 will have the testimony that their course is pleasing in the sight of ,god2 and those who have this testimony will have faith to lay hold on eternal life1 and will be enabled1 through faith1 to endure unto the end1 and receive the crown that is laid up for them that love the appearing of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,but those who do not make the sacrifice cannot enjoy this faith1 because men are dependent upon this sacrifice in order to obtain this faith2 therefore they cannot lay hold upon eternal life1 because the revelations of ,god do not guarantee unto them the authority so to do1 and without this guarantee faith could not exist4 ,all the saints of whom we have any account1 in all the revelations of ,god which are extant1 obtained the knowledge which they had of their acceptance in his sight through the sacrifice which they offered unto him2 and through the knowledge thus obtained their faith became sufficiently strong to lay hold upon the promise of eternal life1 and to endure as seeing him who is invisible2 and were enabled1 through faith1 to combat the powers of darkness1 contend against the wiles of the adversary1 overcome the world1 and obtain the end of their faith1 even the salvation of their souls4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,lecture on ,faith1 ,no4 ,,vi4 ,this1 then1 is my exposition of the grand principle of faith3 ,it is an assurance of the mind of the existence or reality of things not seen1 or that have not been demonstrated to any other of the senses4 ,it takes root in evidence1 more or less convincing to the understanding2 and the strength of the faith depends largely upon the quality and quantity of the evidence4 ,the more unquestionable1 the more overwhelming the evidence1 the more strong and immovable will be the faith4 ,as a principle of religion1 faith centers in ,god1 and bids man hope for salvation and eternal life4 ,i have endeavored to show in the foregoing pages that in order that faith may be intelligently exercised in ,god1 it is essential that there should be a belief in his existence1 and correct ideas as to his character4 ,i trust that the evidences pointed out as to the fact that he exists have been sufficient to produce that belief2 and that the testimonies adduced have been of a character to fix in the mind of the reader a just estimate of his character4 ,if that has been accomplished1 then ,i feel assured that a faith has been established in the mind that will lead to repentance1 to an effort to yield obedience to the laws of heaven4 ,that effort persevered in will1 in time1 bring the consciousness that the course of life being pursued is in accordance with the will of heaven1 and by a union of these three elements1 that is1 a belief in the existence of ,god1 a correct conception of his character1 and a knowledge that the course of life pursued is approved of him--will render faith perfect1 will constitute it a principle of power1 the incentive to all action--as really it is1 whether in temporal or spiritual things--leading from one degree of knowledge or excellence to another1 from righteousness to righteousness1 until the heavens will be opened to them and they will hold communion with the ,church of the ,first ,born1 with ,jesus ,christ1 and with ,god the ,father1 and thus will they make their calling and election sure--through faith ripening into knowledge4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,repentance4 ,in saying that the first result of belief in ,god1 and in the revelations which he has given is repentance1 ,i shall raise no controversy1 for it is a truth generally accepted2 indeed it follows faith in logical sequence4 ,no sooner does conviction of ,god's existence1 and of the truth of the revelations which he has given of himself1 and of his laws1 dawn upon the mind1 than man becomes conscious of his being a violator of the holy and just laws of heaven4 ,in the days of his unbelief and spiritual darkness he sinned recklessly and wantonly1 without regard to ,god and often in defiance of him2 but when belief takes hold of the mind1 and when mere belief begins to ripen into intelligent faith through becoming acquainted with the character of the ,deity--when it becomes clear to the understanding that he is the creative and sustaining power of all things2 when it is understood that from him man derives his existence and that in him he lives1 and moves and has his being2 and when it is further known that his laws are beneficent and good1 shaped for the purpose of ennobling man and exalting him2 when some revelation of the great love of ,god and his ,son ,jesus ,christ rushes in upon the mind like a flood of heavenly light into darkness--how the haughty1 rebellious spirit is humbled1 the heart softened1 and the whole demeanor changed6 ,with what contrition does the man1 truly convinced of all these things we have enumerated respecting the ,deity1 seek the throne of grace and cry aloud3 ,o ,god6 ,have mercy upon me a sinner6 ,for almost at the same moment that faith took hold of him1 he began to understand how great his sins were before ,god4 ,and that realization growls upon him as conviction1 becomes more certain1 until the spirit is bowed down with sorrow because of his many violations of the laws of righteousness4 ,nor do these remarks apply only to those who have been enormously wicked4 ,take those of a naturally good disposition1 and who have followed the light of reason1 and even they1 in taking a retrospective view of their lives1 will find that they have fallen far short of coming up to what they conceived to be their duty4 ,even the light they possessed--,i mean aside from the revelations of ,god--revealed to them a higher moral excellence than they have attained4 ,they have not done as well as they could have done4 ,this fact is evident--one of which all may give witness4 ,this being true1 that is1 man seeing that he has come short of doing his whole duty according to his natural conceptions of what that duty is1 how much more distant from the goal of desired excellence will he esteem himself when the light of revelation breaks in upon his life1 bringing into bolder relief his mistakes1 and revealing to him a purer moral and spiritual life than it was possible for his mind1 unaided by revelation1 to conceive8 ,i venture the assertion that even the best men--by that ,i mean those who have best conformed their lives to the rules of conduct dictated by reason--will be ready to say with the apostle1 ,all have sinned and come short of the glory of ,god4 ,hence they1 as well as those guilty of more flagrant sins1 will1 as faith takes possession of their minds1 be brought to repentance through its influence1 and be led to seek forgiveness of their sins1 and reconciliation with ,god4 ,that repentance is the first result growing out of faith in ,god and the ,gospel1 is abundantly proven from the scriptures4 ,the multitude that assembled on the day of ,pentecost1 and listened to the remarks of the apostles1 and even heard them speak in tongues1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 were ready to scoff at those things1 and even went so far as to say that these men were drunken with new wine2 but when ,peter arose and reasoned with them from the scriptures1 proving from the law and the prophets that ,jesus1 whom the ,jews had slain1 was both ,lord and ,christ1 his words and testimony were accompanied by so much of the power of ,god1 that conviction took hold of the people1 and1 as with one voice1 they cried1 ,men and brethren1 what shall we do8 ,in this instance1 then1 the first fruits of that faith which had been created in the minds of this people1 was a desire to know what they were to do2 and the first words that the inspired apostle said in reply were1 ,repent1 every one of you4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts ii4 ,paul1 of ,tarsus1 afterwards the great apostle to the ,gentiles1 at first persecuted the disciples of ,jesus1 casting both men and women into prison for what he considered their blasphemous faith4 ,and when ,stephen was martyred1 ,paul stood by and held the clothes of those who did the ghastly1 cruel deed4 ,he appears to have been proud of and zealous in the prosecution of this work of opposition2 but when the ,lord appeared to him on the way to ,damascus1 and announced himself as ,jesus whom he persecuted1 the ambitious1 arrogant ,paul was immediately humbled to the dust1 and in tremulous accents he inquired1 ,lord1 what wouldst thou have me to do8,b ,how deep the sorrow1 how sincere the repentance was which began in the very moment of his learning the fact that ,jesus was the ,lord1 is witnessed by his life of zealous labors and his suffering in the interest of the kingdom of ,messiah4 ,footnote ,b3 ,acts ix4 ,the ,book of ,mormon also furnishes a number of examples of like character4 ,when a church was established among the ,nephites1 in the reign of good ,king ,mosiah1 about #ajj ,b4 ,c1 the work of ,god was bitterly opposed1 derided and persecuted by the sons of ,king ,mosiah1 and especially by ,alma1 one of the sons of the first ,alma1 and a man of great influence and consummate eloquence4 ,paul-like1 these men went about doing all the mischief to the people of ,god within their power2 but at last an angel of the ,lord appeared to them1 to bring them to a knowledge of the truth1 and this occurred in answer to the fervent prayers of their parents4 ,the glory of ,god shone about the angel1 and his voice shook the earth4 ,alma was smitten dumb for a season1 and had to be carried to the presence of his father2 and when his speech returned to him1 the eloquent scoffer of a few days before1 was as humble as a child1 and as penitent and submissive as it is possible for man to be4 ,he repented of all his former sins1 and throughout the remainder of his eventful life1 was a zealous missionary and a faithful witness for ,god4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,the history of this case is in the ,book of ,mosiah1 ,book of ,mormon1 ch4 xxvii4 ,similar in point1 too1 is the case of ,zeezrom1 the lawyer1 who withstood1 for a time1 the teachings of ,alma and ,amulek1 but was brought to faith and repentance through the manifestation of the power of ,god4,d ,enough1 however1 has been said in relation to a fact that in the very nature of things is largely self-evident2 and surely after the illustration it has received1 will not now be questioned2 that is1 that repentance is the first result growing out of faith in ,god and in revelation2 and therefore it is the subject that1 according to the natural order of things1 must now receive our attention4 ,footnote ,d3 ,see ,book of ,alma1 xi-xvi4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,repentance4 ,something of the importance of the subject of repentance1 as connected with the ,gospel1 may be learned from the stress laid upon it by those who have been sent of ,god to instruct the people in the ways of life4 ,the burden of ,john the ,baptist's teaching was1 ,repent ye1 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand4,a ,jesus also told the people of ,jerusalem1 that except they repented1 they should perish4,b ,when upon the ,western hemisphere1 among the ,nephites1 he also taught repentance as one of the conditions of salvation1 saying to them1 ,whosoever will hearken to my words1 and repenteth and is baptized1 the same shall be saved4,c ,and of course it follows that those who repented not1 and were not baptized1 could not be saved4 ,footnote ,a3 ,matt4 iii3 #b4 ,footnote ,b3 ,luke xiii3 #a-e4 ,footnote ,c3 ,,iii4 ,nephi xxiii3 #e4 ,when the apostles1 that were chosen in ,judea1 began the execution of the commission given them1 viz41 to go and teach all nations1 the very first thing they required the people who received their words to do was that they should repent4,d ,paul bears witness1 that though in the days of ignorance ,god winked at sins1 when the ,gospel was declared unto the people1 he commanded men everywhere to repent4 ,and in this last dispensation1 the ,lord inspired his servant ,joseph ,smith to say1 ,we know that all men must repent1 and believe on the name of ,jesus ,christ1 99 99 99 or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of ,god4,e ,footnote ,d3 ,luke xiii3 #a-e4 ,footnote ,e3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 xx3 #bi4 ,from these scriptures it is evident that repentance is one of the conditions of salvation1 and1 indeed1 reason1 no less forcibly than revelation1 would teach us that it is one of the conditions on which salvation is predicated4 ,it must forever precede a forgiveness of sins4 ,he who is impenitent is in no condition to receive a forgiveness of sins2 he does not desire it2 he would not receive it2 he refuses to surrender1 and however much men and angels may deplore his state of mind1 one cannot conceive how ,god would forgive anyone in open rebellion to him and his laws1 and who persists in that rebellion4 ,not until the spirit is humbled1 not until the heart throbs with genuine sorrow for repeated violation of ,god's holy laws1 not until the citadel of sin is surrendered1 can man hope for forgiveness1 or expect salvation4 ,but what is repentance8 ,i shall venture as a definition this1 ,repentance is a deep and heartfelt sorrow for sin1 producing a reformation of life4 ,that is the significance of the word to my mind as associated with the ,gospel2 and ,i think such a definition arises from the spirit1 and1 ,i may say1 the letter of the scriptures4 ,repent1 and turn yourselves from your transgressions2 so iniquity shall not be your ruin4 ,cast away from you all your transgressions1 whereby you have transgressed2 and make you a new heart and a new spirit1 for why will ye die1 ,o house of ,israel8,f ,footnote ,f3 ,ezek4 xviii3 #cj1 #ca4 ,such was the word of the ,lord to ,israel through the prophet ,ezekiel4 ,i call the attention of the reader to the fact1 that the idea of turning away from transgressions1 and making a new heart and a new spirit1 or in other word1 a reformation of life1 is associated with the commandment to repent1 and forms part of it4 ,paul wrote an epistle to the ,corinthian saints1 reproving them for their sins1 and his sharp reproofs filled them with sorrow4 ,in a subsequent epistle to the same people1 and alluding to the effect of his former epistle1 he said3 ,though ,i made you sorry with a letter1 ,i do not repent4 99 99 99 ,i rejoice1 not that ye were made sorry1 but that you sorrowed unto repentance2 for ye were made sorry after a godly manner1 that ye might receive damage by us in nothing4 ,for godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of3 but the sorrow of the world worketh death4,g ,footnote ,g3 ,,ii4 ,cor4 vii3 #h-aj4 ,from this passage it appears that ,paul recognized two kinds of sorrow1 or repentance1 one of which has need to be repented of1 because unfruitful of reformation1 and therefore not profitable in the way of salvation--the sorrow of the world which worketh death4 ,on the other hand is godly sorrow1 or repentance which bringeth salvation1 known to both men and angels1 aye1 and likewise to ,god1 by the fruit it bears--good works--forsaking evil1 producing a reformation of life4 ,it leads one who stole to steal no more2 one in the habit of getting drunk1 to get drunk no more2 one who blasphemed the name of ,god to do so no more2 and so on as to all things in which man violates the sacred principles of righteousness4 ,it is written in ,james3 ,submit yourselves1 therefore1 to ,god4 ,resist the devil and he will flee from you4 ,draw nigh to ,god and he will draw nigh to you4 ,cleanse your hands1 ye sinners2 and purify your hearts1 ye double minded4 ,be afflicted and mourn1 and weep3 let your laughter be turned to mourning1 and your joy to heaviness4 ,humble yourselves in the sight of the ,lord1 and he shall lift you up4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,james iv3 #g-aj4 ,because of the stress here laid upon the necessity of humility1 and the people being commanded to mourn and weep1 to let their laughter be turned to mourning1 and their joy to heaviness1 some religious teachers 7like the ,pharisees and scribes of old who tithed mint and anise and cummin1 but omitted the weightier matters of the law1 judgment1 mercy and faith7 give so much attention to weeping1 mourning and crying aloud1 in order to appear to be afflicted1 that they have overlooked the weightier matters--cleansing their hands1 purifying their hearts1 resisting the devil and drawing nigh unto ,god4 ,these ought they to do1 and not leave the other--the weeping and mourning1 inasmuch as it arises from a deep and heartfelt conviction of sinfulness--undone4 ,but at present there is too much of what ,paul would call worldly sorrow mixed up with the idea of repentance4 ,too much mourning over sin1 yet running into temptation2 an excess of lamentation and not enough of turning away from evil2 in a word1 the sorrow of the world1 which worketh death1 is too prevalent4 ,how weary must be the old1 old story to ,god and angels1 as well as to men--we have done those things we ought not to have done1 and have left undone those things we ought to have done6 ,then again1 the sorrow of the world1 the sorrow which worketh death1 is too generally accepted for genuine repentance2 the latter may be known and distinguished from the former by its being accompanied by a reformation of life1 a turning away from that which is evil--the kind of repentance required in the ,gospel1 the only kind that will be accepted of ,god1 or that savors of salvation4 ,god1 whom we esteem as a being in whom all the fullness of perfection dwells1 must ever be more pleased with the substance of worship1 or religion1 or repentance than with the forms pertaining to it1 and this is abundantly proven by instances recorded in holy writ4 ,in the days of ,israel's captivity in ,babylon1 certain messengers from those who were captive1 ,sherezer and ,regem-melech and their men1 went up to ,jerusalem to inquire of the prophets and priests of the ,lord if ,israel while in captivity should keep the fast of the fifth month1 and weep1 separating themselves as they had hitherto done4 ,in answer to these inquiries the word of the ,lord came through the prophet ,zechariah1 and he asks3 ,when ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month1 even those seventy years1 did ye at all fast unto me1 even to me8 ,and when ye did eat1 and when ye did drink1 did not ye eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves8 ,should ye not hear the words which the ,lord hath cried by the former prophets1 when ,jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity1 and the cities thereof round about her1 when men inhabited the south and the plain8 ,he reminds them that through the former prophets he had commanded ,israel to execute true judgment1 to show mercy and compassion every man to his brother2 to oppress not the widow and the fatherless1 the stranger nor the poor2 to let none imagine evil in his heart against his brother4 ,but these things they neglected to do1 and the ,lord permitted their enemies to scatter them among strange nations4 ,as a final answer to those messengers1 however1 the ,lord said3 ,these are the things which ye shall do3 speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor1 execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates3 and let none of you imagine evil in your heart against his neighbor3 and love no false oath3 for all these are things which ,i hate1 saith the ,lord4 ,and then the ,lord1 on condition of their doing this1 promised them that ,the fast of the fourth month1 and the fast of the fifth1 and the fast of the seventh1 and the fast of the tenth1 shall be to the house of ,judah joy and gladness and cheerful feasts2 therefore love the truth and peace4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,zech41 chapters vii and viii4 ,surely1 after the spirit of this circumstance is carefully considered1 it will be admitted that ,i am right in my statement1 that ,god is more pleased with the substance of repentance1 than with the weeping and mourning attendant upon it2 more satisfied with the reformation of the sinner1 than with his affliction4 ,then1 how reasonable and righteous is this law of repentance6 ,when one guilty of violating the laws of heaven desires forgiveness1 the very least thing that can be expected of him is that he will refrain from doing again those things which constituted his offense1 and form an honest resolution to refrain from evil4 ,moreover1 repentance is chiefly beneficial to the person who practices it4 ,the commandment from ,god to repent--always given in connection with the declaration of the ,gospel--is really nothing more than an invitation to do one's self a kindness4 ,it can only be an abomination to fools to depart from evil4 ,it is written1 also1 that ,righteousness exalteth a nation2 but sin is a reproach to any people4,j ,and as it is with a nation1 so it is with individuals4 ,footnote ,j3 ,proverbs of ,solomon4 ,again1 the voice of inspiration says3 ,as righteousness tendeth to life1 so he that pursueth evil1 pursueth it to his own death4 ,to repent1 then1 means to turn aside from the path which leads to death1 and choose that which leads to life--to life eternal4 ,and while the angels in heaven may rejoice over one who turns from the error of his way2 yet1 the chief good arising from the reformation of the sinner1 is reaped by himself4 ,since ,god1 then1 in this matter of repentance seeks only the good of those of whom the requirement is made1 ,let the wicked forsake his wicked way1 and the unrighteous man his thoughts2 and let him turn unto the ,lord1 and he will have mercy upon him2 and to our ,god for he will abundantly pardon4,k ,footnote ,k3 ,isaiah lv3 #g4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,repentance4--,,historical ,,illustration4 ,historical illustration of the truth of the statement made by ,isaiah1 with which our last chapter closed1 and which in effect says that the ,lord will have mercy on the penitent sinner and abundantly pardon him--would be easy1 whether in the experience of individuals or of peoples and nations4 ,when ,cain was crest-fallen because the offerings of his more righteous brother were accepted1 while his own half-hearted and begrudgingly-tendered offerings were rejected1 the ,lord said to him1 ,cain1 why art thou wroth8 and why is thy countenance fallen8 ,if thou doest well1 shalt thou not be accepted8,a ,so it would seem that the ,lord was just as ready to receive ,cain as he was ,abel1 if the former would only repent4 ,footnote ,a3 ,gen4 iv3 #f1 #g4 ,in my first chapter on repentance 7chapter xvii71 ,i referred to the case of ,paul's conversion1 and ,i only name it again in order to call the reader's attention to the readiness with which the ,lord forgave him fully1 and made him an honored servant in his church on his turning away from his sins4 ,in the same chapter reference is also made to the case of ,zeezrom1 the lawyer1 to ,alma1 the son of the first ,alma1 and to the sons of ,mosiah his companions1 all of whom1 like ,paul1 were among the chief of sinners1 because they persecuted the ,church of ,god2 but on their sincere repentance1 as in ,paul's case1 the ,lord freely and abundantly pardoned them4 ,among the remarkable characters of old1 perhaps none are more interesting than the person known in the ,book of ,ether as the brother of ,jared4,b ,he is the prophet whom ,god chose to lead away a colony from the great tower1 built shortly after the flood1 to the choice land of ,america4 ,after this colony had been led from the tower into the wilderness1 they pitched their tents in a land they called ,moriancumer1 by the sea-side2 and here they dwelt for four years4 ,footnote ,b3 ,see ,book of ,mormon4 ,during this season of rest and peace they forgot their ,god1 and neglected to call upon him4 ,it seems1 too1 that the brother of ,jared was guilty of this thing1 as well as his brethren4 ,at last the ,lord appeared to the brother of ,jared in a cloud1 and reproved him for his neglect1 and for the space of about three hours he chastened him for his sins4 ,and the brother of ,jared repented of the evil which he had done1 and did call upon the name of the ,lord for his brethren who were with him4 ,and the ,lord said unto him1 ,i forgive thee and thy brethren of their sins2 but thou shalt not sin any more1 for ye shall remember that my spirit will not always strive with man2 wherefore1 if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe1 ye shall be cut off from the presence of the ,lord4,c ,note how readily the ,lord forgave as soon as the transgressors repented6 ,footnote ,c3 ,book of ,ether1 in ,book of ,mormon1 ch4 ii4 ,time would fail me to tell of ,laman and ,lemuel1 the elder brothers of ,nephi1 who so frequently were in rebellion against ,god1 and their younger brother1 whom the ,lord had chosen to be a leader and a prophet unto them4 ,how often they assaulted his person1 bound him with cords1 scorned his teachings1 rejected his warnings and trampled the message of ,god under their feet6 ,yet as often as they repented both ,nephi and the ,lord forgave them1 and that freely4 ,the experience of these persons1 and that of many others related in holy writ1 is surely sufficient to prove the willingness of ,god to forgive4 ,yet1 take one more evidence of it1 not from personal experience1 however1 but from the spirit of the teachings of the ,son of ,god4 ,on a certain occasion the apostle ,peter came to ,jesus and said3 ,lord1 how oft shall my brother sin against me1 and ,i forgive him2 till seven times8 ,jesus saith unto him1 ,i say not unto thee until seven times3 but until seventy times seven4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,matt4 xviii3 #ba1 #bb4 ,since the ,lord requires so much mercy1 such a generous spirit of forgiveness in his children1 may it not be reasonably concluded--inasmuch as every noble quality that man possesses1 is1 in ,deity1 enlarged and perfected--that ,god is infinitely more forgiving than he has commanded his children to be8 ,such a conclusion1 it seems to me1 is but reasonable2 and1 indeed1 it is needful that such an idea respecting the character of ,god1 should exist in the minds of men2 for1 as ,i have remarked elsewhere1 such is the weakness of man1 and the frequency of his transgressions of ,god's law1 that unless he knows that the ,lord is merciful1 slow to anger1 long-suffering1 and always ready to forgive1 he would become disheartened2 gloomy despair would drive hope from the soul2 and1 hope once destroyed1 leaves man a prey to all the fiends of hell4 ,he will then give a loose rein to every passion1 and under the whip and spur of his desperation1 ride recklessly to certain and everlasting destruction4 ,he would have no good1 he would know no evil4 ,lucifer-like1 he would exclaim3 99 99 99 ,whither shall ,i fly8 ,which way ,i fly is hell--myself am hell6 ,and in the lowest deep1 a lower deep ,still opening wider1 threatens to devour me6 ,but man is rescued from this gloomy prospect by the assurance of ,god's longsuffering and willingness to forgive2 by knowing that while man may drive compassion from his heart1 ,god never will4 ,yet stay6 there is something more4 ,because of the loving kindness of our ,father in heaven1 as abundantly manifested in his willingness to pardon our transgressions1 let us not lay the flattering unction to our souls that we can go on sinning1 carelessly and recklessly1 without making any effort to resist evil1 relying1 nay1 rather1 presuming upon the kindness of ,god to forgive4 ,such a course would be doing despite to the grace of ,god2 it would be an unmitigated insult to the ,most ,high2 a most presumptuous sin1 deserving the severest condemnation4 ,the ,lord is faithful to forgive us our sins1 and to cleanse us from our transgressions1,e but it is on condition of our repentance1 that we confess our sins1 and make a manly1 determined effort to forsake them4 ,therefore1 while the tender mercies of our ,god1 and his readiness to forgive should encourage men to pray and not faint1 and by that means seek forgiveness of sins1 they should also remember that it is decreed that the ,spirit of the ,lord will not always strive with man1,f and that there are some sins that may not be forgiven either in this life1 or in that which is to come4,g ,footnote ,e3 ,i4 ,john i3 #i4 ,footnote ,f3 ,gen4 vi3 #c4 ,footnote ,g3 ,matt4 xii3 #ca1 #cb4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,repentance4--,,historical ,,illustration4 ,if we turn to the history of peoples and nations in order to learn the lessons which their experiences teach1 we shall find that the hand-dealings of ,god with them as collected bodies1 as well as the experiences of individuals1 demonstrate the same great facts of ,god's long-suffering and abundant mercy1 and of his willingness to pardon on the first manifestation of sincere repentance4 ,it was not until the antediluvians had become thoroughly corrupt1 not until every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts was evil continually1,a and they rejected the teachings of ,noah1 and were beyond the hope of reformation1 that the ,lord sent the flood upon them and cut them off that they might not perpetuate in their posterity their corruption4 ,footnote ,a3 ,gen4 vi4 ,next in chronological order to the antediluvians stands the people of ,jared2 and from the brief history we have of them in the ,book of ,mormon1 consisting of an abridgement of the twenty-four plates of the prophet ,ether1 we learn that they were frequently in rebellion against ,god1 and continually straying from his precepts and ordinances4 ,yet as often as they repented he forgave them2 and not only that1 but supplemented that forgiveness by such periods of prosperity1 that one would think that even if they knew no more than the dumb ass that merely knows his master's crib1 they must have been aware that it was to their present as well as to their eternal interests to live in obedience to the will of heaven4 ,yet sin1 individual and national1 was added to sin1 transgressions followed close upon the heels of each other1 and secret combinations were formed for robbery and to obtain political power1 spreading rapine1 murder and terror throughout the land1 and menacing always the security of the political fabric4 ,in the midst of all this the ,lord labored patiently for their reformation1 sending his servants1 the prophets1 to them1 to teach them the way of life and encourage them to observe the statutes and judgments of the ,lord4 ,when persuasion failed1 then warning was given of calamities and judgments1 followed by the chastening hand of ,god2 but all to no purpose2 reform they would not4 ,they killed the prophets1 and persecuted those who attempted to follow their counsels until they filled up the cup of their iniquity1 and the ,spirit of the ,lord entirely withdrew from them1 and then began that series of wars in the sixth century ,b4 ,c41 which finally ended in the extermination of the entire people4,b ,the history of ancient ,israel1 as recorded in the ,bible1 is very similar to this4 ,the ,lord took them from the bondage of ,egypt1 to sanctify them a people unto himself4 ,he gave them ,moses and ,aaron and other wise1 faithful men to be their teachers1 and led them from the dominion of ,egypt towards a choice land1 their journey being attended by such displays of ,god's glory and power as are seldom witnessed by the inhabitants of the earth4 ,the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god was first presented to them1 but when they would not abide its requirements1 the law of ,moses1 a less excellent law1 was given to be their school-master to bring them to ,christ4,c ,and when they complained against the free constitution that had been given them1 and would no longer sustain the judges whom the ,lord raised up to be their leaders1 he gave them a kingdom according to their desires1,d but warned them of the bondage to which it was liable to lead4 ,footnote ,b3 ,see the ,book of ,ether1 ,book of ,mormon1 for their history4 ,footnote ,c3 ,gal4 iii2 ,heb4 iv4 ,footnote ,d3 ,i4 ,sam4 viii4 ,the consequences of obedience to the laws which the ,lord gave them through ,moses1 even before the death of that great leader1 were plainly set before them2 and surely the advantages that are there set forth1 leave nothings to be desired1 no matter how ambitious of place1 power1 honor1 wealth1 glory and dominion a nation might be4 ,and1 on the other hand1 in case of their forsaking their ,god and his laws1 the judgments1 calamities1 distress1 wars1 famines1 pestilences1 dishonor and destruction that follow1 as a consequence of their apostasy from ,god1 are drawn with such vividness1 even down to the minutest detail1 that had these things been written after they came to pass--after the threatened judgments were visited upon ,israel1 and especially upon ,judah--in a word1 if they had been written as history instead of prophecy--they could scarcely be more circumstantial than the prophetic words of ,moses4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,see ,deuteronomy xxviii4 ,but notwithstanding all these promises of favor and blessing on the one hand1 and the forewarnings of calamity on the other1 ,israel rebelled against ,god1 wholly rejected him1 and trampled upon his counsels4 ,the generous instructions of the teachers whom the ,lord raised up to instruct them in the things of righteousness and true government1 were unheeded4 ,they killed the force and spirit of the law of ,moses by their vain traditions4 ,the warnings of the prophets were unheeded1 and the prophets themselves were stoned and murdered4 ,the earnest appeals of ,lehi1 the sharp reproofs of ,ezekiel1 the prophetic pleadings of ,jeremiah as well as the poetic fire and more splendid prophecies of ,isaiah could do no more than to bring them to a partial repentance4 ,these means of correction failing1 there was occasional chastisement administered in wars1 partial famines and seasons of captivity1 to remind them that justice was not dead1 though at times it appeared to sleep1 and as a foretaste of the terrible wrath which would overtake them if they persisted in their rebellion and wickedness4 ,but all this was of no avail4 ,neither the instructions of wise teachers1 nor reproofs of special messengers from ,god were sufficient to bring them to repentance3 ,neither moving eloquence1 nor prophetic warnings1 nor inspired portrayals of certain calamities could soften their obdurate hearts4 ,even chastisement failed to produce any permanent reformation4 ,finally1 the ,son of ,god came among them2 but him they rejected1 accused and condemned of blasphemy1 before their senate1 and sentenced him who did no sin to death2 led him before ,pontius ,pilate1 the ,roman judge1 and1 under the pressure of popular clamor1 compelled that functionary of the ,roman government1 against the sense of his better judgment1 to sign the warrant for his death2 and then1 amid the cry of ,let his blood be upon us and our children1 led him away to his crucifixion4 ,the climax of their apostasy and rebellion had now been reached4 ,nothing more to their damnation could they add4 ,they had sowed the wind1 they must now reap the whirlwind4 ,so they have4 ,the full fury of outraged justice and righteousness broke upon them with a force that was irresistible4 ,the ,romans under ,titus besieged their city1 ,jerusalem1 and successfully cut off all supplies of food or assistance from the surrounding country4 ,to the horrors of war waged by the ,romans was added that of civil conflict within the walls of the city1 more fruitful in calamity and cruelty than the actual conflict with the ,roman soldiery4 ,as if of distress there was not already enough1 famine preyed upon them1 and a million people perished from lingering starvation4 ,if men were brutal1 women became fiendish1 and fed upon the flesh of their own offspring4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,an incident of this kind is thus related by ,josephus3 ,there was a certain woman who dwelt beyond ,jordan2 her name was ,mary1 her father was ,eleazar1 of the village of ,bethezob1 which signifies the house of ,hyssop4 ,she was eminent for her family and her wealth1 and had fled away to ,jerusalem with the rest of the multitude1 and was with them besieged therein at this time4 ,the other effects of this woman1 had been already seized upon1 such1 ,i mean1 as she had brought with her out of ,persia1 and removed to the city4 ,what she had treasured up besides1 as also what food she contrived to save1 had also been carried off by the rapacious guards1 who came every day1 running into her house for that purpose4 ,this put the poor woman into a very great passion1 and1 by the frequent reproaches and imprecations1 she cast at these rapacious villains1 she had provoked them to anger against her2 but none of them--either out of the indignation she had raised against herself1 or out of consideration for her case--would take away her life3 and1 if she found any food1 she perceived her labors were for others1 and not for herself1 and it was now become impossible for her anyway1 to find any more food1 while the famine pierced through her very bowels and marrow1 when also her passions were fired to a degree beyond the famine itself2 nor did she consult with anything1 but with her passions and the necessity she was in4 ,she then attempted a most unnatural thing--and snatching up her son1 who was a child1 sucking at her breast1 she said1 ',o1 thou miserable infant6 for whom shall ,i preserve thee in this war1 this famine1 and this sedition8 ,as to the war with the ,romans1 if they preserve our lives1 we must be slaves4 ,this famine also will destroy us even before that slavery comes upon us4 ,yet are these seditious rogues more terrible than the other4 ,come on2 be thou my food1 and be thou a fury to these seditious varlets1 and a by-word to the world1 which is all that is now wanting to complete the calamities of the ,jews4' ,as soon as she had said this1 she slew her son1 and then roasted him1 and ate the one-half of him1 and kept the other half by her1 concealed4 ,upon this the seditious came in1 presently2 and1 smelling the horrid scent of this food1 they threatened her1 that they would cut her throat immediately if she did not show them what food she had gotten ready4 ,she replied that she had 'saved a very fine portion for them2' and1 withal1 uncovered what was left of her son4 ,hereupon they were seized with a horror and amazement of mind1 and stood astonished at the sight1 when she said to them3 ',come eat of this food for ,i have eaten of it myself4 ,do not you pretend to be either more tender than a woman1 or more compassionate than a mother2 but if you be so scrupulous and do abominate this my sacrifice1 as ,i have eaten the one half1 let the rest be preserved for me also4' ,after which those men went out trembling1 being never so much affrighted at anything as they had been at this1 and with some difficulty they left the rest of that meat to the mother4 ,upon which the whole city was full of this horrid action immediately2 and while everybody laid this miserable case before their own eyes1 they trembled1 as if this unheard of action had been done by themselves4 ,so1 that those that were thus distressed by the famine1 were very desirous to die3 and those who were already dead were esteemed happy1 because they had not lived long enough1 either to hear or to see such miseries4 7,wars of the ,jews2 ,josephus1 ,book ,,vi3 chapter iii47 ,i advise my readers to compare this incident and other calamities --described by ,josephus in these ,wars of the ,jews--with the prophecies which foretold these evils1 found in ,deuteronomy1 xxviii4 ,at last the ,romans forced an entrance into the city1 and they with sword and flame were permitted to complete the ruin so well nigh accomplished by the ,jews themselves4 ,the beautiful temple was thrown down so that not one stone was left upon another which had not been thrown down4 ,this was done by the ,roman soldiery in their mad search for gold4 ,jerusalem was laid waste and desolate4 ,hundreds of thousands of her people were put to death1 and the remainder of them taken into captivity1 or driven into exile4 ,from that time until now1 for more than eighteen centuries1 they have remained a broken1 scattered people2 despised1 hated1 distrusted1 unfriended1 oppressed2 a hiss and a by-word in every land where they have sought a home4 ,they have learned by a sad experience that it is a terrible thing to reject the tender mercies of ,god1 and fall under his displeasure4 ,turning again to the ,western hemisphere1 we have the experience of ,israel in the ,east duplicated in that of the ,nephites and ,lamanites2 the same lesson is taught by their experience1 viz41 that it is a fearful thing to rebel against ,god1 and reject and fight against his truth4 ,the half-naked ,american savage1 with the desolation that surround him in a splendid land 7,i mean at the time it was discovered by the ,europeans7 and filled as it is with the ruins that testify to the grandeur of his departed glory1 is a warning of deep significance to the nations now in the zenith of their power1 not to follow in his footsteps and reject the counsels of ,god against themselves4 ,what shall ,i say of the cities of ,tyre and ,sidon1 of ,nineveh with her hundred gates2 of ,babylon1 the glory of kingdoms1 the beauty of the ,chaldees excellence1 with her mighty walls1 her strong gates and towers1 her palatial residences1 her magnificent temples1 her hanging gardens1 the wonder and admiration of all who beheld them6 ,where are all these8 ,crumbled into shapeless heaps of ruins that are scarcely sufficient to show where they once stood--nothing left of them but their names4 ,where1 too1 are the grand empires of ,assyria and ,babylon1 of ,egypt and ,persia1 of ,macedonia and ,greece8 and1 lastly1 where is ,rome1 the most stupendous political fabric yet constructed by the wit of man--where are all these8 ,where is their strength1 their glory1 their pride--nay1 ,i ask more1 where are the principles that formed the basis of their constitutions1 the ideas by which they were governed--principles which they expected would forever perpetuate their institutions--where are all these things1 as well as the empires themselves8 ,like the gorgeous temples1 and cloud-capped towers of the cities we have named1 they have dissolved into thin air1 like the baseless fabric of an empty vision4 ,look at your maps of today1 and you shall find no line or trace of them1 not even of the boundaries which once marked the extent of their dominion4 ,all is lost except their names and their history4 ,as in the sight of ,god the mountains are as unstable and transient as the clouds1 so nations rise and pass away4 ,but seek out the causes of their dissolution1 look well into it1 and you will find that these nations no less than the children of ,israel1 both ,jews and ,nephites1 were guilty of violating righteous principles1 as they understood them1 of refusing to repent1 and of rejecting the counsels of ,god1 and fighting against his truth4 ,they were guilty of oppression1 pride1 licentiousness2 they tyrannized over the meek and lowly2 they wrung from the hands of the poor the wealth their labor created1 that they might consume it upon their lusts4 ,these abominations were the causes of their overthrow1 and as one reviews the rise and fall of great kingdoms1 republics1 and splendid empires1 he concludes that ,byron might well say-- ,there is the moral of all human tales2 ',tis but the same rehearsal of the past2 ,first freedom1 and then glory--when that fails1 ,wealth1 vice1 corruption--barbarism at last3 ,and history with all her volumes vast ,hath but one page6 ,what lessons are here spread out for the reading of the nations today6 ,true1 they might be offended if one should tell them that there was danger threatening them for their wickedness1 for they esteem themselves righteous2 so did the people of the ancient cities and kingdoms ,i have named4 ,it might be held treasonable1 to say that the present governments1 which encumber the earth1 will pass away like the others have--like the chaff of the summer's threshing floor--for they think they have laid the foundation of their respective political fabrics on so sure a basis1 that they will be perpetuated forever4 ,so thought the ,babylonians1 the ,greeks1 and especially the ,romans2 but they have passed away1 and have left nothing behind them1 but their names and the lessons which their follies and crimes teach4 ,but ,i fear you have forgotten in this long digression the subject in hand--repentance4 ,of the things ,i would have you remember1 this is the sum3 ,true repentance is sincere sorrow for sin1 accompanied by a firm resolution to forsake that which is evil4 ,the legitimate fruits of such sorrow--repentance1 is a reformation of life4 ,and if1 peradventure1 through weakness of human nature one should fall into transgression1 even after setting his heart to work righteousness1 let him not be discouraged1 but repeat his repentance1 and ,i believe the experiences ,i have pointed out in these pages1 both individual and national1 demonstrate that ,god is good1 and goodness still delighteth to forgive4 ,he is merciful and willing to pardon abundantly those who are sorry for their offenses1 and will make a manly effort to reform4 ,but on the other hand1 those who mock him1 and presumptuously sin1 thinking to impose upon his long-suffering1 have need to fear1 both persons and nations1 for all history teaches that it is a fearful thing to fall under the displeasure of the ,most ,high4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,baptism4 ,except be born again he cannot see the kingdom of ,god4,a ,such was the statement of ,jesus to ,nicodemus1 a ,pharisee1 and a ruler of the ,jews1 who came to ,jesus by night to be taught of him4 ,the statement of the ,son of ,god created no little astonishment in the mind of ,nicodemus1 and he inquired if a man could be born again when he was old2 could he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born4 ,jesus then gave an answer which was explanatory of his first statement3 ,except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,john iii3 #c4 ,footnote ,b3 ,john iii3 #e4 ,there can be no question about being born of water1 here alluded to1 having reference to water baptism administered to those who accept the ,gospel1 and which1 as administered for the first three centuries of the ,christian era1 represented1 most completely1 a birth4 ,the candidate for baptism being led down into the water1 had his whole person immersed in it1 then he was brought forth from that element1 and gasped again the breath of life4 ,in order that the resemblance of a birth in this may be clearly seen1 ,i would remind my readers that the infant1 previous to its birth1 and while in its mother's womb1 lives in the element of water1 and is nourished by the generous tide of life which courses through her veins and visits her heart4 ,at birth1 that life which was connected with the mother is severed1 the offspring comes forth from the womb1 from the element of water1 and breathes the air1 which then becomes essential to its existence--it is born into this world4 ,the likeness1 in a general way1 between this natural birth and ,christian baptism1 as described above1 is sufficiently obvious4 ,in both instances the persons are brought from one element into another1 from the water in which they existed into the atmosphere4 ,many and various have been the views held respecting this ordinance1 as to its necessity1 its object1 to whom it should be administered1 and the manner in which it should be performed4 ,differences of opinion on this subject have led to schisms in the ,christian world1 and new sects have been formed1 and that because of peculiar views held in respect to baptism4 ,but with those who are willing to take as authority absolute1 the teachings of revelation as contained in the ,bible1 and more especially the revelations of the ,lord in these days1 there need be no confusion in relation to any of these questions that have perplexed men in regard to this ordinance4 ,the necessity of water baptism may be maintained upon the broad grounds that it is a commandment from ,god2 for1 as ,i have already shown in preceding chapters1 the conditions of man's salvation may be summed up1 in general terms1 thus--the implicit and complete obedience to the commandments of ,god2 and1 as it can be proven that baptism is a general commandment to all who would be saved1 therefore it follows that baptism must be one of the things necessary to salvation4 ,that baptism is a general commandment all may learn who will take the trouble to make inquiry in respect to it4 ,john the ,baptist informs us that ,god sent him to baptize with water and to testify of him who was to come after him1 and who was to baptize with the ,holy ,ghost2,c and those who refused to hearken to his teachings and to be baptized of him rejected the counsels of ,god against themselves4,d ,footnote ,c3 ,john i3 #cc4 ,footnote ,d3 ,luke vii3 #cj4 ,jesus1 himself1 also1 had those baptized who accepted his teachings2 and1 indeed1 soon after he began his public ministry1 it was commonly reported that he made and baptized more disciples than ,john1,e and when he gave his last great commission to his apostles1 just on the eve of his departure from them1 he said3 ,footnote ,e3 ,john iv3 #a1 #b4 ,go ye 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 you4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,matt4 xxviii3 #ai1 #bj4 ,when the apostles began the execution of this commission1 which was during the first pentecost after it was given them1 ,peter commanded those who had been converted through his teachings1 to be baptized in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of their sins1 and then he promised them the ,holy ,ghost4,g ,thus we see there can be no question as to baptism being a general commandment1 and one of the conditions of man's salvation1 and that being true1 how can that condition be neglected and still the blessing of salvation obtained8 ,footnote ,g3 ,acts ii3 #cg1 #ch4 ,i may say further1 by way of argument on the necessity of baptism1 that one may reasonably conclude that the ,lord does not deal with non-essentials1 or require that which is not necessary of his children2 therefore from the fact that ,god has commanded men to be born again1 as well of water as of the ,spirit2 in other words1 to be baptized of both water and the ,spirit1 it may be taken for granted that this baptism is essential to salvation4 ,to question it being necessary1 to say nothing of thrusting it aside as non-essential1 is to sit in judgment upon the wisdom of ,god1 who has ordained it as a means of salvation to man4 ,is it necessary to be born naturally in order to obtain life8 ,all will answer3 ,yes1 we know of no other way1 no other means by which life is obtained4 ,so likewise is it necessary that men should be born into the heavenly kingdom1 as well of water as of the ,spirit1 in order to attain unto spiritual life in the kingdom of ,god2 and without being born of the water and of the ,spirit1 ,jesus himself declares that the kingdom of ,god cannot be seen1 it cannot be entered into--,h therefore baptism must be necessary to an entrance into the kingdom of ,god2 and as there is1 and can be1 no salvation outside of that kingdom1 baptism must be necessary to salvation4 ,not that there is saving virtue in the water itself1 but the ordinance derives its virtue from the fact of its being appointed by the ,lord as a means of grace to man4 ,footnote ,h3 ,john iii3 #c1 #e4 ,again1 ,i would ask1 is a forgiveness of sins necessary to salvation8 ,i think there can be but one answer to that question1 and that in the affirmative4 ,now1 we are informed by both ,mark and ,luke that ,john the ,baptist ,did baptize in the wilderness1 and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins2 and ,peter commanded the multitude on ,pentecost to repent and be baptized in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of sins2,i hence it appears that baptism is the means appointed through which forgiveness of sins is obtained1 and since it is evident that men cannot be saved in their sins1 and remission of sins comes through baptism1 therefore baptism is necessary to salvation4 ,footnote ,i3 ,acts ii3 #ch4 ,the necessity of baptism is further demonstrated in the experience of ,paul and the devout ,gentile1 ,cornelius1 as related in the ,acts of the ,apostles4 ,it will be remembered that ,paul1 at first1 was a great persecutor of the saints1 and that1 while on the way to ,damascus for the purpose of persecuting them1 the ,lord ,jesus appeared unto him1 in a pillar of light1 above the brightness of the sun1 and demanded of ,paul1 why persecutest thou me8 ,to which the trembling ,paul said1 who art thou1 ,lord8 ,i am ,jesus whom thou persecutest1 was the reply4 ,lord1 said ,paul1 what will thou have me to do8 ,and the ,lord said unto him1 arise and go into the city1 and it shall be told thee what thou must do4 ,then the ,lord sent an angel to his servant1 ,ananias1 living in ,damascus1 and directed him to go to ,paul2 and when ,ananias came into the presence of ,paul1 after announcing to him that the ,lord had chosen him for a witness for himself he said3 ,and now1 why tarriest thou8 arise and be baptized1 and wash away thy sins1 calling on the name of the ,lord4,j ,footnote ,j3 ,acts ix4 ch42 also the xxii4 and xxvi4 chapters same book4 ,thus ,paul learned what the ,lord would have him to do2 and is it not a fair inference that it is necessary for all sinners to do likewise1 viz41 to be baptized1 and wash away their sins8 ,cornelius1 the devout ,gentile to whom we have alluded1 was a man who prayed much1 gave alms to the poor1 and indeed was especially loved of the ,lord4 ,an angel was at last sent to him1 to assure him that his alms and his prayers had come up in remembrance before the ,lord1 and this messenger also told him to send men to ,joppa where he would find one ,peter1 ,and he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do1,k or1 as ,peter afterwards expressed it1 in relating the circumstance to his fellow apostles--send men to ,joppa1 and call for one ,simon1 whose surname is ,peter2 who shall tell thee words1 whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved4,l ,footnote ,k3 ,acts x3 #f4 ,footnote ,l3 ,acts xi3 #ac1 #ad4 ,after ,peter went into the house of this devout ,gentile and heard of the mercies of ,god to him1 he preached ,christ unto him and his household1 and as he spake of ,jesus and the plan of salvation wrought out for mankind by him1 the ,holy ,ghost was poured out upon them as a witness to ,peter that the ,gospel was for the ,gentiles as well as for the ,jews4 ,then1 turning to those that were with him1 ,peter said3 ,can any man forbid water1 that these should not be baptized1 which have received the ,holy ,ghost as well as we8 ,and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the ,lord4,m ,footnote ,m3 ,acts x3 #dg1 #dh4 ,notwithstanding the general righteousness of ,cornelius1 and his acceptance with ,god1 it became necessary that he should be instructed in the ,gospel1 and taught words whereby he and his house should be saved2 and1 in connection with other things that they were taught as necessary for their salvation1 was baptism4 ,paul1 in writing to the ,corinthian saints1 uses this expression1 which to the world sounds strange and incomprehensible3 ,else 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,n ,and if baptism1 as some maintain1 is not essential to salvation1 ,i would ask1 why then was it considered necessary1 by the primitive ,christians1 that there should be such a thing as baptism for the dead8,o ,is it not conclusive1 that if it was necessary for some one to be baptized for the dead who had not had the privilege of attending to that ordinance for themselves1 that baptism is essential to salvation8 ,footnote ,n3 ,i ,cor4 xv3 #bi4 ,footnote ,o3 ,the subject of salvation for the dead is treated at length in a subsequent chapter1 hence ,i enter into no explanation here4 ,but now to come to the most positive of all passages in the ,new ,testament upon this subject3 ,jesus when he commissioned his apostles used this language3 ,go ye into all the world1 and preach the ,gospel to every creature4 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved2 but he that believeth not and consequently fails to repent1 be baptized or perform any other act of obedience shall be damned4,p ,here the matter is before us in the most unequivocal terms2 those who believe and are baptized have the sure promise of ,god that they shall be saved2 while those who believe not1 and therefore are not baptized1 are threatened with condemnation4 ,footnote ,p3 ,mark xvi3 #ae1 #af ,i have thus far1 confined my illustrations and arguments--upon the necessity of baptism--to the ,jewish scriptures4 ,i have done so1 because the young ,elders1 into whose hands this work will fall1 will doubtless be called upon to teach this principle1 and support it in the main1 upon the authority of what is written in the ,bible4 ,but if we turn to the ,nephite scriptures1 the ,book of ,mormon1 we shall find it sustains the same views in respect to the necessity of baptism1 as the ,jewish scriptures4 ,the ,lord revealed to the first ,nephi1 in a vision1 very much of the life and labors of the ,son of ,god1 although the said ,nephi flourished in the fifth century ,b4 ,c4 ,among other things1 it was revealed to him1 that the ,son of ,god would be baptized in water by a prophet who should be raised up for that purpose4 ,subsequently1 when ,nephi desired to impress his brethren with the importance and necessity of baptism1 he said3 ,i would that ye should remember that ,i have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the ,lord showed unto me1 that should baptize the ,son of ,god1 which should take away the sins of the world4 ,and now1 if the ,lamb of ,god1 he being holy1 should have need to be baptized by water1 to fulfill all righteousness1 ,o then1 how much more need have we1 being unholy1 to be baptized1 yea even by water4 ,and now ,i would ask of you1 my beloved brethren1 wherein the ,lamb of ,god did fulfill all righteousness in being baptized by water8 ,know ye not that he was holy4 ,but notwithstanding he being holy1 he showeth unto the children of men1 that according to the flesh1 he humbleth himself before the ,father1 and witnesseth unto the ,father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments4 99 99 99 ,and again1 it showeth unto the children of men the straightness of the path1 and the narrowness of the gate1 by which they should enter1 he having set the example before them4 ,and he said unto the children of men1 ,follow thou me4 ,wherefore1 my beloved brethren1 can we follow ,jesus1 save we be willing to keep the commandments of the ,father8 ,and the ,father said4 ,repent ye1 repent ye1 and be baptized in the name of my beloved ,son4 ,and also1 the voice of the ,son came unto me1 saying1 ,he that is baptized in my name1 to him will the ,father give the ,holy ,ghost1 like unto me2 wherefore follow me1 and do the things ye have seen me do4,q ,footnote ,q3 ,book of ,mormon1 ,,ii4 ,nephi xxxi4 ,the first ,alma's teachings are in accord with this3 ,and now ,i1 ,alma1 do command you in the language of him who hath commanded me1 that ye observe to do the words which ,i have spoken unto you4 ,i speak by way of commandment unto you who belong to the church2 and to those who do not belong to the church1 ,i speak by way of invitation1 saying4 ,come and be baptized unto repentance1 that ye also may be made partakers of the fruit of the tree of life4,r ,footnote ,r3 ,alma ix3 #bf1 #bg4 ,the plain and fair inference from this last clause is1 that those who refused to be baptized1 would not have right to the tree of life4 ,further on in his book1 he says3 ,and not many days hence1 the ,son of ,god shall come in his glory2 99 99 99 ,and behold he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized unto repentance through faith on his name4,s ,footnote ,s3 ,alma v3 #fa1fb4 ,here1 again1 the fair inference is1 that those who would reject baptism1 could not be redeemed2 hence the necessity of baptism4 ,turning to the revelations which the ,lord has given in this dispensation1 in which he commissioned men to preach the ,gospel1 he said3 ,go ye into all the world1 preach the ,gospel to every creature1 acting in the authority which ,i have given you1 baptizing in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost2 and he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved1 and he that believeth not shall be damned4,t ,footnote ,t3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 lxviii3 #h-aj4 ,still more emphatic1 perhaps1 because it leaves nothing to implication1 is the passage which reads 7and this1 too1 is in connection with sending out men to preach the ,gospel73 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved1 and he that believeth not1 and is not baptized1 shall be damned4,u ,footnote ,u3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 cxii3 #bi4 ,thus in the present dispensation1 as well as in the former ones1 committed to the ,jews and ,nephites1 the necessity of baptism is beyond all question4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,object ,,of ,,baptism4 ,in speaking of the necessity of baptism ,i incidentally referred to the object of the ordinance also2 which the reader will doubtless remember1 is for the remission of sins4 ,such was the object for which ,john the ,baptist administered baptism4 ,mark says3 ,john did baptize in the wilderness1 and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins4,a ,luke also says3 ,and he ,john came into all the country about ,jordan1 preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,mark i3 #d4 ,footnote ,b3 ,luke iii3 #c4 ,here it may be a proper time to call attention to the fact that many seek to make nice distinctions between the baptism of ,john and what they call ,christian baptism2 that is1 baptism in the name of ,jesus after the death and resurrection of ,messiah1 by which members were admitted into the ,kingdom of ,christ4 ,the controversy on this subject became particularly sharp in the sixteenth century4 ,zwingle and ,calvin1 on the one hand1 maintained that the two baptisms were identical1 and for the same purpose1 only that ,john baptized in the name of the future ,messiah1 while the apostles baptized in the name of the ,messiah already come2 on the other hand1 ,luther1 ,melancthon and the ,catholics maintained there was an essential difference4 ,the latter adopted the views of ,tertullian1 who lived about the close of the second century and the beginning of the third4 ,to the baptism of ,john1 ,tertullian ascribed the negative character of repentance1 and to ,christian baptism the positive impartation of a new life4 ,this distinction1 it is maintained1 arises from the words of ,john himself2 viz41 ,i indeed baptize you with water unto repentance2 but he that cometh after me is mightier than ,i1 99 99 99 he shall baptize you with the ,holy ,ghost and with fire4,c ,but this reason for any such distinction as that sought to be made is worthless when it is remembered that while ,jesus did baptize with the ,holy ,ghost1 and commissioned others to do so1 still that baptism of the ,spirit did not supplant water baptism for the remission of sins4 ,it was simply an additional principle and ordinance to the doctrines taught by ,john2 and ,jesus continued to authorize water baptism before his crucifixion1,c and commissioned his apostles to continue it after he departed from them4,d ,the ,new ,testament is replete with instances of water baptism standing in connection with though1 as a rule1 preceding the baptism of1 the ,holy ,spirit4,e ,whereas1 to make the words of ,john quoted a valid reason for supposing a difference between the baptism of ,john and water baptism after ,jesus was resurrected1 it would be necessary to prove that the baptism of the ,spirit took the place of water baptism as administered by ,john1 which is contrary to the facts in the case1 as already noted4 ,footnote ,c3 ,matt4 iii3 #aa2 see also ,luke iii3 #af1 and ,john i3 #be4 ,footnote ,d3 ,john iii3 #bb1 and iv3 #a-c4 ,footnote ,e3 ,matt4 xxviii3 #ai1 and ,mark xvi3 #ae1af4 ,the ordinance of baptism1 associated with the proclamation of the ,gospel1 in any age of the world1 is always the same1 whether taught by ,adam1 ,enoch1 ,noah1 ,abraham1 ,moses1 the ,jaredite or ,nephite prophets on the ,western hemisphere1 or by ,john the ,baptist among the ,jews4 ,it was administered in the same manner1 with the same object in view1 and with the same powers and graces attending it before the crucifixion of ,messiah as after that event4 ,only those who administered it before ,jesus came in the flesh1 performed the ordinance in the name of a future ,messiah1 while those who have officiated since the death of ,jesus1 have done so in the name of the ,messiah already come2 and that is a difference of little moment4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,these views are capable of the strongest proofs from the writings of ,moses as revealed to ,joseph ,smith and now contained in the ,pearl of ,great ,price2 from the ,book of ,mormon1 ,doctrine and ,covenants and also from the ,bible4 ,but the reader will find a subsequent chapter on ,the ,history of the ,gospel in which the subject is treated at some length1 and to that chapter the reader is here referred if he now wishes to push further his investigation4 ,one thing which has contributed largely towards creating the impression that a difference existed between the baptism of ,john and ,christian baptism1 is the account given in ,acts of ,paul's finding a number of disciples--twelve in all--at ,ephesus1 of whom he asked if they had received the ,holy ,ghost since they believed2 to which they replied1 they had not so much as heard of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and he said unto them1 unto what then1 were ye baptized8 ,and they said1 unto ,john's baptism4 ,then said ,paul1 ,john verily baptized with the baptism of repentance1 saying unto the people1 that they should believe on him who should come after him1 that is on ,christ ,jesus4 ,when they heard this1 they were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,and when ,paul had laid his hands upon them1 the ,holy ,ghost came on them3 and they spake with tongues and prophesied4,g ,the fact of ,paul re-baptizing those people1 who1 according to their statement1 had been baptized unto ,john's baptism1 does not necessarily argue a difference between baptism as administered by ,john and ,christian baptism4 ,the circumstance of this re-baptism may be reasonably attributed to other causes4 ,footnote ,g3 ,acts xix3 #a-f4 ,the preaching of ,john was always accompanied with a reference to one who should follow after him1 mightier than he was1 whose shoe latchet he esteemed himself unworthy to unloose3 and his baptism was always attended by the declaration3 ,i1 indeed1 baptize with water unto repentance1 but he that cometh after me is mightier than ,i2 99 99 99 he shall baptize you with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,so the apostle ,paul1 when he found these disciples1 who claimed to have been baptized unto ,john's baptism1 and yet had not so much as heard of the ,holy ,ghost1 he might well have his suspicions as to the validity of their baptism1 and suspect that some person1 but partially acquainted with the doctrine of ,john1 and1 without authority1 had taken it upon himself to baptize these parties4 ,upon these suspicions1 and in order1 doubtless1 to put the validity of their baptism beyond all question1 he re-baptized them with water1 and then followed the baptism of the ,spirit4 ,this1 to my mind1 is the most reasonable conclusion to come to respecting this circumstance4 ,but now to return to the subject of this chapter--the object of baptism3 ,we have already seen in the first paragraph of this chapter1 that ,john taught that baptism was for the remission of sins4 ,if we turn to the teachings of the apostles1 we shall find that they also taught that baptism was for that purpose4 ,in that memorable discourse which ,peter preached at the commencement of the labor of the apostles1 after the departure of the ,master1 when the people1 convinced by the power of ,god which rested upon the apostles1 that they were commissioned of ,god with a message to the world1 cried out as with one voice--,men and brethren1 what shall we do8--he replied3 ,repent every one of you1 and be baptized in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for the remission of sins4,h ,surely nothing in the way of simplicity1 plainness or positiveness is left to be desired here4 ,he who runs may read1 and the wayfaring man though a fool1 need not be in doubt in respect to the object of this ordinance4 ,footnote ,h3 ,acts ii3 #ch4 ,other passages in the ,new ,testament1 however1 are in harmony with this4 ,when ,ananias1 in obedience to the commandment from the ,lord1 went to the afflicted and humbled ,paul to tell him what he ought to do1 he commanded him to arise and be baptized1 and wash away his sins4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,acts xxii3 #af4 ,again it is said3 ,know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into ,jesus ,christ were baptized into his death8 ,therefore1 we are buried with him by baptism into death3 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 life 99 99 99 knowing this1 that our old man is crucified with him1 that the body of sin might be destroyed1 that henceforth we should not serve sin4,j ,in this passage also1 as well as in those previously considered1 stands the grand truth that1 connected with baptism is the crucifixion of the old man of sin1 the destruction of the body of sin2 and that as ,christ arose from the grave by the power of the ,father1 so those who in baptism have been buried with ,christ should also rise from the watery grave to a newness of life4 ,what1 ,i ask1 does all this mean1 if it does not mean that through baptism it is ordained that men receive a remission of sins1 and are made new men in ,christ ,jesus8 ,footnote ,j3 ,romans vi3 #c-f4 ,if we turn from the scriptures to the traditions of the early ,christians1 we shall find that their understanding of the subject is in harmony with the observations and deductions in the foregoing4 ,justin ,martyr1 who wrote about the middle of the second century1 in describing the customs observed in receiving new members into the ,christian societies1 says3 ,those who believe and are persuaded that the things we teach and inculcate are true1 and who profess ability thus to live1 are directed to pray with fasting1 and to ask of ,god the forgiveness of their former sins4 99 99 99 ,then we conduct them to a place where there is water2 and they are regenerated baptized in the manner in which we have been regenerated baptized2 for they receive a washing with water in the name of the ,father of all4 99 99 99 ,this washing is likewise called illumination2 because the minds of those who have learned these things are enlightened4 ,he then describes the manner in which the sacrament of the ,lord's supper was administered2 and thus concludes3 ,and this food is called by us the ,eucharist1 which it is unlawful for any one to partake of1 unless he believes the things taught by us to be true1 and has been washed baptized with the washing for the remission of sins in regeneration1 and lives according to what ,christ has taught4,k ,footnote ,k3 ,second ,apology of ,justin ,martyr4 ,quoted in ,murdock's ,mosheim1 #c;d ed41 vol4 ,i41 p4 #acg--note4 ,of baptism in the third century ,dr4 ,mosheim says3 ,baptism was publicly administered twice a year1 to such candidates as had gone through a long preparation and trial2 and none were present as spectators but such as had been themselves baptized4 ,the effect of baptism was supposed to be the remission of sins4,l ,footnote ,l3 ,murdock's ,mosheim1 vol4 ,i 7#c;d edition71 p4 #ahi4 ,in ,maclaine's translation of ,dr4 ,mosheim's ,church ,history is a passage from ,letter ,seventy third1 of ,cyprian1 ,bishop of ,carthage1 in which that writer says 7he wrote in the third century73 ,it is manifest where and by whom the remission of sin conferred in baptism is administered3 ,they who are presented to the rulers of the church obtain by our prayers and imposition of hands1 the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the following quotation will show what importance is attached to baptism1 as to its necessity and object1 by the ,roman ,catholic ,church3 ,baptism is a sacrament absolutely necessary for all1 without which no one can enter into the kingdom of ,god1 for ,jesus ,christ has said1 ',amen1 amen1 ,i say to thee1 unless a man be born again of water and of the ,holy ,ghost1 he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4' ,hence it was not enough for ,saul of ,tarsus1 converted on the road to ,damascus1,m to believe2 nor for the ,chamberlain of ,queen ,candace1 met on the road by ,philip1 the ,deacon2,n they had to be baptized in order to obtain remission of their sins1 and thus be in the way of salvation2 therefore in the ,nicene ,creed we say3 ',i acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins4',o ,footnote ,m3 ,acts ix3 #ah4 ,footnote ,n3 ,acts viii3 #ch4 ,footnote ,o3 ,catholic ,belief 7,bruno pp4 #ef1 #eg47 ,the ,book of ,mormon1 which we have found so explicit in its treatment of other doctrines1 is none the less so in respect to the one now under discussion--the object of baptism4 ,in the teachings of ,alma we have the following3 ,now1 ,i say unto you1 that ye must repent1 and be born again2 for the ,spirit saith1 if ye are not born again1 ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven2 therefore1 come and be baptized unto repentance1 that ye may be washed from your sins4,p ,footnote ,p3 ,alma vii3 #ad4 ,it is written of the third ,nephi1 that just about the time of ,messiah's birth1 he went among the people1 and also many others1 baptizing unto repentance1 in the which there were a great remission of sins4,q ,footnote ,q3 ,,iii4 ,nephi i3 #bc4 ,this work he continued for more than thirty years after the sign in the heavens of the birth of ,messiah had been given4 ,mormon says of ,nephi1 that in the thirty and third year after the birth of the ,messiah1 he preached unto them repentance1 and remission of sins4 ,now ,i would have you to remember1 also1 says ,mormon1 that there were none brought unto repentance1 who were not baptized with water2 therefore there were ordained of ,nephi1 men unto this ministry1 that all such as should come unto them1 should be baptized with water1 and this as a witness and testimony before ,god1 and unto the people1 that they had repented and received a remission of their sins4,r ,footnote ,r3 ,,iii4 ,nephi vii3 #bc-be4 ,lastly1 in closing up his abridgment of the writings of the third ,nephi1 ,mormon says3 ,hear the words of ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god3 99 99 99 ,turn1 all ye ,gentiles1 from your wicked ways1 and repent of your evil doings1 of your lyings and deceivings1 and of your whoredoms1 and of your secret abominations1 and your idolatries1 and of your murders1 and your priestcrafts1 and your envyings1 and your strifes1 and from all your wickedness and abominations1 and come unto me1 and be baptized in my name1 that ye may receive a remission of your sins1 and be filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of ,israel4,s ,footnote ,s3 ,,iii4 ,nephi xxx4 ,turning now to the revelations which the ,lord has given on this subject1 in the dispensation of the ,gospel committed to men in our day1 we find the ,lord saying to ,martin ,harris3 ,and of tenets thou shalt not talk1 but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the ,savior1 and the remission of sins by baptism and by fire1 yea1 even the ,holy ,ghost4,t ,footnote ,t3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 xix3 #ca4 ,in a revelation to ,w4 ,w4 ,phelps we hear the ,lord saying3 ,and thou shalt be ordained by the hand of my servant ,joseph ,smith1 jun41 to be an ,elder unto this ,church1 to preach repentance and remission of sins by way of baptism in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4,u ,footnote ,u3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 lv3 #ba4 ,the ,lord1 subsequently1 gave the following as a standing law unto the inhabitants of ,zion and her organized stakes3 ,their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins1 when eight years old1 and receive the laying on of hands4,v ,footnote ,v3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 lxviii3 #bf1 #bg4 ,clearly1 the object of baptism is the remission of sins4 ,in a revelation given to the ,church in ,september1 #ahcb1 in which a number of ,elders are directed to go out into the world and preach the ,gospel1 it is written3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 they who believe not on your words1 and are not baptized in water in my name1 for the remission of their sins that they may receive the ,holy ,ghost1 shall be damned1 and shall not come into my ,father's kingdom4,w ,footnote ,w3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 lxxxiv3 #gd4 ,the teachings of ,joseph ,smith on this subject may be learned from this one homely but expressive sentence3 ,you might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man1 if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,here1 as far as this branch of the subject is concerned1 ,i pause2 and surely ,i may hope that the treatise on the object of baptism has been sufficiently exhaustive1 both as considered in the ,jewish scriptures and as understood by the early ,christians1 as well as in the ,book of ,mormon and the revelations of the ,lord in this dispensation4 ,from all these sources of information1 we learn that baptism is an ordinance through which it is ordained that man shall receive a remission of sins4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,subjects ,,for ,,baptism4 ,having shown from all worthy sources of information that baptism is for the remission of sins1 and that necessarily repentance and faith precede it1 and1 moreover1 are pre-requisites thereto2 it follows as a logical sequence of these facts1 that baptism can only be properly administered to those capable of exercising faith in ,god1 and repentance of sin4 ,therefore the baptism of infants1 or of children of such tender years that they are unable to comply with these conditions --is not in accordance with the requirements of the ,gospel1 and is solemn mockery before ,god4 ,the consideration of just two facts1 it seems to me1 is sufficient to destroy the doctrine of infant baptism2 first1 the fact that baptism is for the remission of sins2 and1 second1 that infants are incapable of committing sin1 cannot repent1 and therefore have nothing to be baptized for4 ,to avoid the irresistible force and right conclusion of this logic1 however1 those who stand for infant baptism tell us that the baptism of the infant is not for the remission of any actual sins committed by the child1 but for original sin4 ,the ,roman ,catholics teach3 ,in baptism all infants1 without any disposition on their part being required1 are cleansed from the stain of original sin1 taken into ,god's favor1 made members of ,christ's mystical ,body1 and heirs of the kingdom of heaven4 ,they are thus regenerated1 that is1 in our ,savior's own words1 'born again of water and the ,holy ,ghost4' ,as they have contracted the stain of original sin without their knowledge and personal co-operation1 so they are freed from sin without their knowledge2 and the disposition necessary for grown up persons is not required of them2 for infants are incapable of any reasoning act4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,catholic ,belief ,bruno p4 #eh4 ,but this position does not help the matter any4 ,the fact remains1 that whatever stain original sin fixes upon the individual1 it is done without the exercise of his agency2 and1 as said above1 without his knowledge4 ,then how1 ,i ask1 can he be held responsible for it1 or any requirement1 in justice1 be made of him to remove the stain when it was fixed upon him without the exercise of his will1 without his knowledge1 and was a thing which he was powerless to prevent8 ,the system of theology which teaches that ,god would condemn the child that failed to receive baptism1 because of this stain fixed upon him by original sin--is not only unreasonable1 it is damnable4 ,it represents ,god as a cruel monster1 and drives both justice and mercy from the economy of heaven4 ,it is true that from the fathers the children may inherit concupiscence2 by that ,i mean a blind inclination to do evil1 in one or more directions4 ,certain passions or mischievous appetites tending to sinfulness is not unfrequently stamped upon the offspring by the parents1 or1 as figuratively expressed by one of old1 the parents eat sour grapes1 and the children's teeth are set on edge4,b ,but the children are not responsible for that2 and1 as the ,catholic church teaches this blind1 involuntary inclination to evil of our lower nature1 is not of itself sinful unless it be consented to by the human will1 or rendered strong by bad and not retracted habit4,c ,it is not until the will assents to that which knowledge and experience tell the individual is sinful1 that responsibility begins to attach to him4 ,when knowledge instructs the understanding as to that which is good and that which is evil1 and the will becomes conscious of its power to assent to the evil or withhold its approval1 then the individual becomes accountable before ,god1 and may reasonably be expected to be held answerable for his acts4 ,but it is a noted principle1 both in moral philosophy and theology1 that there is no sin where there is no will2 and ,i would add1 there can be no will where there is no knowledge4 ,footnote ,b3 ,jeremiah xxxi3 #bi4 ,footnote ,c3 ,catholic ,belief 7,bruno71 ch4 iii4 #h ,i know of no sect or party1 however1 or individual even1 who maintains that infants should be baptized for this concupiscence4 ,indeed it is most apparent that baptism does not affect this natural tendency to evil1 since it is as marked in children who have been baptized in their infancy as those who have not4 ,as before stated1 in substance1 the admission that baptism is for the remission of sin is fatal to the doctrine of infant baptism1 as they are incapable of actual sin2 and1 original sin and concupiscence being fastened upon them without their knowledge1 and by circumstances they were powerless to prevent1 they cannot be held accountable for them1 and should not be required to be baptized for them4 ,so far ,i have confined my remarks to that class of people believing in infant baptism who maintain also that baptism is for the remission of sins4 ,there are others1 however1 who do not so regard baptism2 but who look upon it merely as an ordinance by which entrance is gained unto the spiritual kingdom of ,christ4 ,but this position does not help out the doctrine of infant baptism4 ,it is only by actual sin1 by willful violations of ,god's holy laws that men become aliens and foreigners to the kingdom of ,god1,d and1 as infants and children not yet arrived at the years of accountability are incapable of such violations of law1 they are not aliens to the kingdom of ,christ2 they are natural heirs to it1 and1 in the days of their innocence1 form part of it1 for ,jesus himself said3 ,suffer little children to come unto me3 for of such is the kingdom of heaven4 ,therefore1 being already in the kingdom of ,christ1 and forming part of it1 they have no need of being initiated into it by baptism or any other ceremony2 it is only those who have made themselves foreigners and aliens through transgression of the laws of ,god that have need to repent of their sins1 through baptism obtain a remission of them1 and thus be brought back to the state of children1 without sin1 and into the kingdom of ,christ4 ,footnote ,d3 ,col4 i3 #ba1 #bb4 ,there is nothing in the scriptures which authorizes the doctrine of infant baptism4 ,it is an invention by man1 pure and simple4 ,it is true that ,jesus said1 when some of his disciples reproved the people for bringing their children to the ,master to be blessed1 ,suffer little children1 and forbid them not to come unto me2 for of such is the kingdom of heaven4,e ,but he did not baptize them4 ,he only laid his hands on them1 and blessed them4 ,there is nothing in the passage which warrants the assumption that he commanded them to come unto him by baptism4 ,footnote ,e3 ,matt4 xix4 ,indeed1 ,i believe it is generally conceded that the doctrine of infant baptism was not introduced in the first century at all4 ,the first notice we have of its existence is by ,tertullian1 appearing against it as a zealous opponent1 in the latter years of the second century1 ,a proof1 says ,dr4 ,neander1 that it was not then usually considered as an apostolic ordinance2 for1 in that case1 he would hardly have ventured to speak so strongly against it4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,church ,history 7,neander71 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #cfb4 ,as faith and baptism are constantly so closely connected together in the ,new ,testament1 an opinion was likely to arise that where there could be no faith there could also be no baptism4 ,it is certain that ,christ did not ordain infant baptism4 99 99 99 ,we cannot prove that the apostles ordained infant baptism2 from those places where the baptism of a whole family is mentioned,g we can draw no such conclusion1 because the inquiry is still to be made whether there were any children in those families of such an age that they were not capable of any intelligent reception of ,christianity4,h ,footnote ,g3 ,acts xvi3 #cc2 ,i4 ,cor4 i3 #af4 ,footnote ,h3 ,church ,history 7,neander71 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #cfj4 ,the strongest contradiction to this erroneous doctrine1 however1 comes from the ,book of ,mormon4 ,it appears that there arose some disputations among the ,nephites about this matter1 and ,mormon inquired of the ,lord in respect to it1 and sent the answer he received1 through the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 to his son ,moroni1 and with it ,i shall close my remarks on this subject3 ,listen to the words of ,christ1 your ,redeemer1 your ,lord and your ,god4 ,behold1 ,i came into the world not to call the righteous1 but sinners to repentance2 the whole need no physician1 but they that are sick2 wherefore little children are whole1 for they are not capable of committing sin2 wherefore the curse of ,adam is taken from them in me1 that it hath no power over them2 and the law of circumcision is done away in me4 ,and after this manner did the ,holy ,ghost manifest the word of ,god unto me2 wherefore my beloved son1 ,i know that it is solemn mockery before ,god1 that ye should baptize little children4 ,behold ,i say unto you1 that this thing shall ye teach1 repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin2 yea1 teach parents that they must repent and be baptized1 and humble themselves as their little children2 and they shall all be saved with their little children4 ,and their little children need no repentance1 neither baptism4 ,behold1 baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins4 ,but little children are alive in ,christ1 even from the foundation of the world2 if not so1 ,god is a partial ,god1 and also a changeable ,god1 and a respecter of persons2 for how many little children have died without baptism8 ,wherefore1 if little children could not be saved without baptism1 these must have gone to an endless hell4 ,behold ,i say unto you1 that he that supposeth that little children need baptism1 is in the gall of bitterness1 and in the bonds of iniquity2 for he hath neither faith1 hope1 nor charity2 wherefore1 should he be cut off while in the thought1 he must go down to hell4 ,for awful is the wickedness to suppose that ,god saveth one child because of baptism1 and the other must perish because he hath no baptism4 99 99 99 ,little children cannot repent2 wherefore it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of ,god unto them1 for they are all alive in him because of his mercy4 ,and he that saith1 that little children need baptism1 denieth the mercies of ,christ1 and setteth at nought the atonement of him and the power of his redemption4 ,wo unto such1 for they are in danger of death1 hell1 and an endless torment4 ,i speak it boldly1 ,god hath commanded me4 ,listen unto them and give heed1 or they stand against you at the judgment seat of ,christ4 ,for behold that all little children are alive in ,christ1 and also all they that are without the law4 ,for the power of redemption cometh on all they that have no law2 wherefore1 he that is not condemned1 or he that is under no condemnation1 cannot repent2 and unto such baptism availeth nothing4 ,but it is mockery before ,god1 denying the mercies of ,christ1 and the power of his ,holy ,spirit1 and putting trust in dead works4 ,behold1 my son1 this thing ought not to be2 for repentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,moroni1 ch4 viii4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,the ,,mode ,,of ,,baptism4 ,there still remains to be discussed1 in connection with baptism1 one thing more--the manner of administering it4 ,in relation to this matter there is much division among professed believers of the ,bible4 ,one class maintaining that the immersion of the whole body in water is the only manner in which baptism can be administered2 that immersion1 in fact1 and immersion only1 is baptism4 ,others1 however1 while they admit that immersion is baptism1 claim that it may be performed in some other manner1 by sprinkling or pouring water on the candidates for the ordinance4 ,both parties appeal to the original ,greek from which baptism and the verb baptize is derived1 one insisting that it means immersion1 and to immerse only2 while the others insist that in some connections the words in the original may mean sprinkling or pouring as well as immersion and to immerse4 ,and as the commandment given to the apostles to baptize all nations,a is given without any reference to the manner in which the ordinance is to be administered1 they maintain it is immaterial whether it is done by immersion or by sprinkling or pouring4 ,footnote ,a3 ,matt4 xxviii1 #ai4 ,it cannot be denied that an array of respectable testimony may be drawn up in favor of both theories2 but when the meaning of the terms are interpreted in the light of the practice of the early ,christians1 those who received the doctrine of baptism from the apostles and other servants of ,christ--nay1 if interpreted by the manner in which these very apostles administered the ordinance--it is evident that immersion alone is the proper method for baptizing for the remission of sins1 and initiation into the ,church of ,christ1 whatever other signification may be attached to the words in other connections2 for nothing is more evident than that immersion is the manner in which baptism was administered by them4 ,of ,john the ,baptist it is written3 ,and there went out unto him all the land of ,judea1 and they of ,jerusalem1 and were all baptized of him in the ,river ,jordan2,b and to this agrees also the testimony of ,matthew4,c ,footnote ,b3 ,mark i3 #d4 ,footnote ,c3 ,matt4 iii3 #e1 #f4 ,again it is said of him that he baptized in ,aenon near ,salim1 because there was much water there4,d ,and it is said that ,jesus1 when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water2,e from which it is evident that he had been down in the water4 ,from these circumstances1 that is1 from his baptizing in ,jordan1 and near ,salim where there was much water1 and from ,jesus going up out of the water after his baptism1 there can be no question but ,john baptized by immersion2 and there is nothing to lead us to suppose that he baptized in any other manner4 ,footnote ,d3 ,john iii1 #bc4 ,footnote ,e3 ,matt4 iii3 #af2 ,mark i3 #aj4 ,take an account of a baptism which took place after the crucifixion of ,messiah1 and we shall find the same method of administering the ordinance observed4 ,i allude to the baptism of the chamberlain of ,queen ,candace1 by ,philip4 ,this person was met by ,philip in the highway1 and being invited to ride in the chamberlain's carriage he taught him the ,gospel4 ,on belief taking hold of the chamberlain1 as they came to certain water1 he inquired of ,philip what hindered him from being baptized4 ,to which ,philip answered3 ,if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest4 ,and he answered and said3 ,i believe that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god4 ,and he commanded the chariot to stand still3 and they went down both into the water1 both ,philip and the eunuch2 and he baptized him4 ,and when they were come up out of the water1 the ,spirit caught away ,philip that the eunuch saw him no more4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,acts viii3 #cf-ci4 ,there can be no two opinions as to the manner in which the eunuch was baptized--it was by immersion4 ,it would seem1 too1 that had ,philip been aware of any other method1 that is1 had he understood that sprinkling or pouring would answer the purpose1 he never would have put himself and the chamberlain to the inconvenience of going down into the water4 ,it is a fair inference1 under all the circumstances1 that ,philip knew of no other method of baptism than by a burial in the water4 ,we have already referred to baptism being spoken of as being born of water1,g and to those paragraphs ,i call the attention of my readers again4 ,it will be seen that immersion best carries out that idea2 indeed1 it is only by immersion and being brought forth out of the water1 in which a person is brought from one element 7water7 into another 7air71 that a birth is represented4 ,sprinkling or pouring does not represent a birth4 ,footnote ,g3 ,chapter xxi4 ,in writing to the saints of ,rome1 ,paul says2 ,know ye not1 that so many of us as were baptized into ,jesus ,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 resurrection4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,rom4 vi3 #c-e4 ,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 dead4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,col4 ii3 #ab4 ,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 likeness of his resurrection in that2 but in immersion there is1 and hence we conclude from all these circumstances that baptism among the saints of ,god in those days was by immersion1 and by immersion alone4 ,turning to other sources than the scriptures for information1 we shall find that the statement that immersion alone was practiced by the early ,christians1 say for at least nearly three centuries1 is sustained by the most respectable testimony4 ,speaking of baptism in the first century4 ,dr4 ,mosheim says3 ,in this century1 baptism was administered in convenient places1 without the public assemblies2 and by immersing the candidates wholly in water4,j ,footnote ,j3 ,mosheim's ,church ,history 7,murdock71 third edition1 ,vol4 ,i1 page #hg4 ,of the second century1 the same learned author says3 ,twice a year1 namely1 at ,easter and ,whitsuntide1 99 99 99 baptism was administered by the bishop1 or by the presbyters acting by his command and authority4 ,the candidates for it were immersed wholly in water1 with invocation of the sacred ,trinity1 according to the ,savior's precept4,k ,footnote ,k3 ,ibid1 p4 #acg4 ,indeed1 the first deviation from baptizing by immersion1 occurs in a case recorded by ,eusebius1 as happening in the third century4 ,he alludes to it in these detracting terms3 ,he ,novatian 99 99 99 fell into a grievous distemper1 and it being supposed that he would die immediately1 he received baptism 7being sprinkled with water71 on the bed where he lay1 7if that can be termed baptism73 ,neither when he had escaped that sickness1 did he afterwards receive the other things which the canon of the church enjoineth should be received4,l ,footnote ,l3 ,eusebius ,eccl4 ,hist4 b4 vi1 ch4 #dc4 ,even down to the close of the thirteenth century baptism by immersion was the rule and sprinkling and pouring the exception4 ,notwithstanding all these arguments1 which are in their character so conclusive1 many worthy people there are whom they fail to convince4 ,what does this fact argue8 ,that those who fail to understand that baptism must be by immersion are woefully ignorant1 or their understanding willfully perverse8 ,no2 ,i would suggest that to them the evidence is simply insufficient and unauthoritative1 and that the fact of it being so argues that there is need of some further instruction from the ,lord on the subject than is contained in the ,bible2 that there is need of further revelation from ,god to settle the question4 ,in ushering in the ,gospel in this dispensation the instruction so much needed was given in ,april1 #ahcj1 and is as follows3 ,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 ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,amen4 ,then shall he immerse him or her in the water1 and come forth again out of the water4,m ,footnote ,m3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 xx3 #gc1 #gd ,the ,book of ,mormon is equally plain on this point4 ,when ,jesus gave authority to his servants among the ,nephites to baptize1 he said to them3 ,verily ,i say unto you1 that whosoever repenteth of his sins through your words1 and desireth to be baptized in my name1 on this wise shall ye baptize them3 behold1 ye shall go down and stand in the water1 and in my name shall ye baptize them4 ,and now behold1 these are the words which ye shall say1 calling them by name1 saying4 ,having authority given me of ,jesus ,christ1 ,i baptize you in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,amen4 ,and then shall ye immerse them in the water and come forth again out of the water4 ,and after this manner shall ye baptize in my name4,n ,footnote ,n3 ,,iii4 ,nephi xi3 #bc-bg4 ,there can be no question as to how baptism should be administered after such instruction as this2 while the very pressing need of such a revelation to the ,christian world is a great evidence in support of its divine inspiration4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,he who said a man must be born again--born of water1 said also that he must be born of the spirit2,a and it is to that birth1 or baptism of the ,spirit that we now direct the attention of the reader4 ,footnote ,a3 ,john iii3 #e4 ,john the ,baptist made reference to this matter when he was preaching repentance and baptism throughout ,judea4 ,he told the people that he truly baptized with water1 but one should come after him1 mightier than he was1 who would baptize them with the ,holy ,ghost1,b ,afterwards he bore record that ,jesus of ,nazareth was he of whom he spake4 ,i saw1 said he1 the ,spirit descending from heaven like a dove1 and it abode upon him ,jesus4 ,and ,i knew him not2 but he that sent me to baptize with water1 the same said unto me1 upon whom thou shalt see the ,spirit descending and remaining on him1 the same is he which baptizeth with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and ,i saw and bear record that this is the ,son of ,god4,c ,footnote ,b3 ,mark1 i3 #g1 #h4 ,footnote ,c3 ,john i3 #cb-cd1 in connection with verse #bi-ca4 ,jesus frequently alluded to this baptism of the ,holy ,ghost and the powers that a possession thereof would impart to those who received it2 and1 finally1 after his death and resurrection1 and just previous to his departure from among his disciples in ,judea1 he said to them3 ,wait for the promise of the ,father1 which 99 99 99 ye have heard of me4 ,for ,john truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the ,holy ,ghost not many days hence4,d ,the reference to the promise made through ,john the ,baptist is obvious2 and the disciples who had anxiously looked for its accomplishment1 were now informed that its fulfillment was not many days hence4 ,footnote ,d3 ,acts i3 #d1 #e4 ,the promise was fulfilled1 for in about seven days,e after the ,messiah's ascension1 on the day of ,pentecost1 the disciples being assembled with one accord1 in one place1 ,suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind1 and it filled all the house where they were sitting4 ,and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire1 and it sat upon each of them4 ,and they were all filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and began to speak with other tongues1 as the spirit gave them utterance4,f ,footnote ,e3 ,pentecost came fifty days after the ,passover1 on which day the ,lord ,jesus was crucified4 ,allowing that he laid three days in the tomb1 and was with his disciples forty days after his resurrection 7,acts i3 #c71 forty-three days of the fifty between ,passover and ,pentecost was accounted for1 leaving but seven between his ascension and the day of ,pentecost1 when the promise of the baptism of the ,spirit was fulfilled4 ,footnote ,f3 ,acts ii2 #b-d4 ,thus was the promise made by ,john and repeated by ,messiah fulfilled4 ,i have been particular to call attention to this promise1 and its fulfillment1 because a similar promise is made to all men of all nations1 and in all generations wherever and whenever the ,gospel is proclaimed4 ,the promise ,i allude to was made on this very same day of ,pentecost1 on which the promise of ,john and ,messiah was fulfilled4 ,peter1 under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 so abundantly given to himself and companions on that day1 preached a discourse which convinced thousands that ,jesus was both ,lord and ,christ1 the ,savior of the world2 and in answering the question of the multitude as to what they should do1 after telling them to repent1 and to be baptized in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of their sins1 he added3 ,and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost3 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,g ,footnote ,g3 ,acts ii3 #ch4 ,i call attention to the universality of this promise4 ,it was made to those who were listening to the apostles1 but not to them alone1 it extended to their children1 to them also that were afar off--to those who were a hundred years off1 or five hundred1 or five or ten thousand years off2 the promise was to them2 and as if this was not sufficiently universal1 the apostle adds1 even to as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call--call1 to what8 to as many1 of course1 as are called to yield obedience to the ,gospel--to all such the promise extends4 ,as the promise made by ,john was repeated and emphasized by the ,savior1 so1 likewise1 has this general promise1 made by the apostle ,peter been repeated and emphasized by the ,lord1 in restoring the ,gospel to the earth in this dispensation in which we live4 ,to the first ,elders of the ,church in our day1 he said3 ,as ,i said unto mine apostles1 even so ,i say unto you1 for ye are mine apostles 99 99 99 ,therefore 99 99 99 ,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,h ,so1 to those who have faith in the revelations which the ,lord has given through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 the promise of the ,holy ,ghost is repeated1 and assurance is made doubly sure4 ,footnote ,h3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 lxxxiv3 #fc1 #fd4 ,the necessity of this baptism of the ,holy ,ghost is made apparent1 first1 by the plain declaration of the ,savior himself1 wherein he says1 except a man is born of the ,spirit as well as of the water1 he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven2,i and of course outside of the kingdom of heaven there can be no salvation1 nor perfect happiness2 second1 its necessity appears from the very nature of things4 ,footnote ,i3 ,john iii3 #e4 ,through water baptism is obtained a remission of past sins2 but even after the sins of the past are forgiven1 the one so pardoned will doubtless feel the force of sinful habits bearing heavily upon him4 ,he who has been guilty of habitual untruthfulness1 will at times find himself inclined1 perhaps1 to yield to that habit4 ,he who has stolen may be sorely tempted1 when opportunity arises1 to steal again4 ,while he who has indulged in licentious practices may again find himself disposed to give way to the seductive influence of the siren4 ,so with drunkenness1 malice1 envy1 covetousness1 hatred1 anger1 and1 in short1 all the evil dispositions that flesh is heir to4 ,there is an absolute necessity for some additional sanctifying grace that will strengthen poor human nature1 not only to enable it to resist temptation1 but also to root out from the heart concupiscence--the blind tendency or inclination to evil4 ,the heart must be purified1 every passion1 every propensity made submissive to the will1 and the will of man brought into subjection to the will of ,god4 ,man's natural powers are unequal to this task2 so1 ,i believe1 all will testify who have made the experiment4 ,mankind stand in some need of a strength superior to any they possess of themselves1 to accomplish this work of rendering pure our fallen nature4 ,such strength1 such power1 such a sanctifying grace is conferred on man in being born of the ,spirit--in receiving the ,holy ,ghost4 ,such1 in the main1 is its office1 its work4 ,i do not draw such a conclusion directly from any one passage of scripture1 but from the whole tenor of the teachings of the servants of ,god1 in both ancient and modern times4 ,we shall see1 presently1 that it is this spirit which reproves the world of sin1 of righteousness and judgment1 that it guides into all truth1 takes of the things of the ,father and reveals them unto the children of men and testifies that ,jesus is the ,christ ,these things increase knowledge and faith2 and as the foundations of knowledge and faith are broadened and deepened so are the powers to work righteousness increased4 ,we shall see also that the fruits of this spirit are goodness1 righteousness1 truth1 love1 joy1 peace and gentleness1 and as these things are increased in the soul1 viciousness and impurity are rooted out1 until the whole man is changed and in very deed becomes a new creature in ,christ ,jesus--is numbered among the pure in heart1 and blessed are the pure in heart1 for they shall see and dwell with ,god4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4--,,who ,,may ,,receive ,,it4 ,the reader has observed1 perchance1 that ,john the ,baptist was sent to preach repentance and baptism before the coming of him who was to baptize with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we may also have observed in the teachings of ,peter on the day of ,pentecost1 after his arguments and the power of the ,spirit by which he spake had aroused belief in the minds of the people1 that he required them to repent and to be baptized for the remission of their sins before he gave them the promise of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,if we turn to the account given in the ,acts of the ,apostles of the conversion of the people of ,samaria1 we shall find the same order observed4 ,philip went down to that city1 taught them the word1 which they believed1 they repented of their sins1 and were baptized2 then ,peter and ,john came and conferred upon them the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts viii4 ,then1 again1 when ,paul found a number of men in ,ephesus1 who claimed to have been baptized unto ,john's baptism1 yet had not so much as heard of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,paul was careful to re-baptize them--since there seemed to be some doubt as to the validity of their first baptism--before he conferred upon them the ,holy ,ghost4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,acts xix4 ,it appears from these circumstances that faith1 repentance1 and baptism1 precede the reception or baptism of the ,holy ,ghost1 and are1 in fact1 prerequisites to a reception of it4 ,this order1 in respect to these principles and ordinances1 is further sustained by other passages of scripture4 ,just previous to his crucifixion1 ,jesus said to the apostles3 ,i will pray to the ,father1 and he shall give unto you another ,comforter1 that he may abide with you forever2 even the ,spirit of truth1 whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not1 neither knoweth him4,c ,it is evident from this that the world cannot receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and now1 who are the world8 ,i answer1 those who have not yet put on ,christ2 or1 in other words1 those who have not yet entered into the kingdom of ,god1 through faith in ,god and ,christ1 repentance and baptism4 ,they are the world2 and1 according to the word of the ,master1 they cannot receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,footnote ,c3 ,john xiv3 #af1 #ag4 ,again3 ,when ,peter and other apostles were brought before the senate of the ,jews1 accused with intent to bring the blood of ,messiah upon them1 ,peter answered3 ,the ,god of our fathers raised up ,jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree4 ,him hath ,god exalted with his right hand to be a ,prince and a ,savior1 for to give repentance to ,israel and forgiveness of sins4 ,and we are his witnesses of these things2 and so is also the ,holy ,ghost whom ,god hath given to them that obey him4,d ,not1 mark you1 to them who have not obeyed him4 ,this is in harmony with the statement that the world cannot receive the ,holy ,ghost1 and also with the other cases we cited where the order in presenting the ,gospel to the people was faith in ,god and ,christ1 repentance1 baptism for the remission of sins1 and then the reception of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,footnote ,d3 ,acts v3 #bd-cb4 ,there is an exception1 however1 to this rule in the ,new ,testament3 the case of ,cornelius the devout gentile2,e and for this exception there was a special reason4 ,it seems that the apostles applied the narrow and contracted views of the ,jews to the ,gospel4 ,they thought it was to be confined to the house of ,israel--to those of the circumcision4 ,they appeared slow to understand that in ,jesus ,christ all the nations and peoples of the earth were to be blessed1 the gentiles as well as the ,jews4 ,consequently1 when the time had come to send the ,gospel to the gentiles1 the ,lord opened the way by sending an angel to ,cornelius to tell him that his prayers and alms had come up for a memorial before the ,lord1 and to direct him to send men to ,joppa for ,peter1 who would tell him what he ought to do4,f ,he at once obeyed the heavenly injunction4 ,footnote ,e3 ,some also note the case of ,paul as an exception to the rule1 but ,i think this an error ,it is true ,ananias1 on entering the house where ,paul was1 put his hands on him and said3 ,the ,lord1 even ,jesus1 that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest1 hath sent me1 that thou mightest receive thy sight1 and be filled with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and immediately1 the historian tells us1 there fell from his eyes as it had been scales2 and he received sight forthwith1 and arose and was baptized4 7,acts ix3 #ag1 #ah47 ,but in all this ,i see nothing to warrant the assumption that he received the ,holy ,ghost prior to his baptism4 ,footnote ,f3 ,acts x3 #a-h4 ,meantime the ,lord prepared ,peter to go to the gentiles4 ,in vision he beheld a great net lowered down from heaven1 filled with all manner of beasts1 and a voice cried unto him1 ,rise1 ,peter1 kill and eat4 ,but ,peter said4 ,not so4 ,lord1 for ,i have never eaten anything that is common or unclean4 ,what ,god hath cleansed1 that call not thou common1 said the voice4,g ,this was done thrice1 and before he had wholly concluded what the vision could mean1 the messengers from ,cornelius were at the gate1--and the ,spirit told him to go with them1 for the ,lord had sent them4 ,footnote ,g3 ,acts x3 #i-ag4 ,that ,peter understood the import of this vision to be that the ,gospel was for all mankind1 for all races and nations1 is evident from the fact that when on the following day he went with the messengers to the house of ,cornelius1 he said to him3 ,ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a ,jew to keep company1 or come unto one of another nation2 but ,god hath showed me that ,i should not call any man common or unclean4 ,therefore come ,i unto you without gainsaying1 as soon as ,i was sent for4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,acts x3 #bh4 ,cornelius related to him his vision and expressed himself as ready to receive the commandments of ,god4 ,then ,peter preached to him ,christ and him crucified and that whosoever believed on him should have remission of sins4 ,and while ,peter yet spake these words1 the ,holy ,ghost fell on all them that heard the word4 ,and they of the circumcision which believed were astonished1 as many as came with ,peter1 because that on the gentiles also was poured out the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,for they heard them speak with tongues and magnify ,god4 ,then answered ,peter1 can any man forbid water1 that these should not be baptized which have received the ,holy ,ghost as well as we8 ,and he commanded them to be baptized1 in the name of the ,lord4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,acts x3 #dd-dh4 ,afterwards1 when they of the circumcision complained of ,peter going to them who were uncircumcised1 he related the whole matter to them1 and testified that as he began to speak to ,cornelius and his kindred1 the ,holy ,ghost fell upon them1 as on us at the beginning4 99 99 99 ,forasmuch1 then1 as ,god gave them the like gift as he did unto us1 who believed on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 what was ,i1 that ,i could withstand ,god4,j ,when they heard this they held their peace1 and the saying went abroad that ,god had also to the gentiles granted repentance unto life4 ,footnote ,j3 ,acts xi3 #ae-ag4 ,the object for deviating from the order in which the principles and ordinances of the ,gospel follow each other is obvious--it was that the ,jews might have a witness from ,god that the ,gospel was for the gentiles as well as for their own nation4 ,but according to the scriptures1 and1 ,i may say1 according to the nature and relationship of these several principles and ordinances of the ,gospel to each other1 the reception of the ,holy ,ghost comes after repentance and baptism4 ,in ,writing to the ,corinthian saints who had received the ,holy ,ghost1 ,paul says3 ,what8 know ye not that your body is the temple of the ,holy ,ghost1 which is in you1 which ye have of ,god8,k ,footnote ,k3 ,i4 ,cor4 v3 #ai ,and again3 ,know ye not that ye are the temple of ,god1 and that the ,spirit of ,god dwelleth in you8 ,if any man defile the temple of ,god1 him will ,god destroy4,l ,footnote ,l3 ,i4 ,cor4 iii3 #af1 #ag4 ,from these passages this much is learned3 that the man who receives the ,holy ,ghost becomes a temple thereof1 even the temple of ,god2 and since it is decreed that if a man defiles the temple of ,god him will ,god destroy1 it may be reasonably inferred that the ,holy ,ghost dwells not in unholy temples2 hence1 through faith in ,god1 sincere repentance of all sins1 and baptism for the remission of them1 man cleanses his temple1 his body1 that it may be a fit dwelling place for the ,holy ,ghost4 ,thus faith1 repentance1 water baptism1 and then the baptism of the ,spirit is the order in which these principles stand1 both according to the teachings of the scriptures1 and the nature of the things themselves3 the one leading up logically to the other1 which follows in beautiful and harmonious sequence4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4--,,how ,,imparted4 ,the manner in which the saints under the teachings of the apostles received the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost was through the laying on of hands4 ,in proof of this ,i call attention once more to the labors of ,philip in the city of ,samaria4 ,it is already known how he taught them the ,gospel1 how they believed it and were baptized2 then we are informed that when the apostles which were at ,jerusalem heard that ,samaria had received the word of ,god1 they sent unto them ,peter and ,john3 who1 when they were come down1 prayed for them1 that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost 7for as yet he was fallen upon none of them3 only they were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus47 ,then laid they their hands on them1 and they received the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts viii3 #ad-ag4 ,previous to the labors of ,philip among the ,samaritans1 one ,simon ,magus1 a magician1 had given it out that he himself was some great one1 and his influence among the people was considerable4 ,but he1 too1 became converted to the teachings of ,philip1 and was astonished at the power which attended his administrations1 for the sick were healed1 the lame were cured1 and unclean spirits cast out of those who were possessed of them4 ,afterwards when the apostles ,john and ,peter came and conferred the ,holy ,ghost upon those whom ,philip had baptized1 ,simon was present3 ,and when ,simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the ,holy ,ghost was given1 he offered them money1 saying4 ,give me also this power1 that on whomsoever ,i lay my hands1 he may receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but ,peter said unto him1 ,thy money perish with thee1 because thou hast thought that the gift of ,god may be purchased with money4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,acts viii3 #ah-bj4 ,paul1 it will be remembered1 found a number of men at ,ephesus who claimed to have been baptized unto ,john's baptism1 but when ,paul questioned them as to the ,holy ,ghost1 they had not heard even that there was such a spirit4 ,so doubting the validity of their baptism1 he re-baptized them2 after which1 when ,paul had laid his hands upon them1 the ,holy ,ghost came upon them2 and they spake with tongues and prophesied4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,acts xix3 #a-f4 ,the same apostle1 also1 in writing to ,timothy1 exhorts him to stir up the gift of ,god which was in him1 and which he had received by the putting on of his ,paul's hands1,d alluding1 no doubt1 to the time that ,paul bestowed the ,holy ,ghost upon him by the laying on of hands4 ,footnote ,d3 ,,ii4 ,tim4 i3 #f4 ,that this practice of laying on hands for the bestowal or baptism of the ,holy ,ghost continued in the primitive ,christian ,church for a long period--at least for three centuries--is evident from the following testimony3 ,of the rites and ceremonies of the third century ,mosheim says3 ,the effect of baptism was supposed to be the remission of sins3 ,and it was believed that the bishop1 by the imposition of hands and by prayer conferred those gifts of the ,holy ,spirit which were necessary for living a holy life4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,mosheim's ,church ,history 7,murdock71 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ahi4 ,in a note on the foregoing question1 ,murdock1 the most accurate translator of ,dr4 ,mosheim's great work on church history1 says3 ,this may be placed beyond all controversy by many passages from the fathers of this century4 ,and as it will conduce much to an understanding of the theology of the ancients1 which differed in many respects from ours1 ,i will adduce a single passage from ,cyprian4 ,it is in his ,epistle1 ,no4 #gc1 p4 #aca3 ',it is manifest where and by whom the remission of sin conferred in baptism is administered4 ,they who are presented to the rulers of the church1 obtain by our prayers and imposition of hands the ,holy ,ghost4',f ,footnote ,f3 ,mosheim's ,church ,hist41 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ahi4 ,in another passage ,cyprian writes3 ,our practice is1 that those who have been baptized into the ,church should be presented1 that by prayer and imposition of hands they may receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,while ,augustine1 in the fourth century1 says3 ,we still do what the apostles did when they laid their hands on the ,samaritans and called down the ,holy ,ghost upon them4,g ,footnote ,g3 ,laying on hands was employed in the ,church for other purposes than imparting the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it was the manner of administering to the sick 7,mark xvi3 #ah2 ,acts xxviii1 #h72 and also of conferring authority or priesthood on men 7see ,acts vi3 #e1 #f2 viii3 #ag2 xiii3 #c72 but as we here are only dealing with the ordinance as it relates to a means of imparting the ,holy ,ghost1 ,i do not stop to discuss the other purposes for which it was employed4 ,in subsequent centuries1 however1 this part of the ,gospel was lost1 or neglected by some of the sects of ,christendom1 and when announced among them today1 it is not unfrequently regarded as a new doctrine4,h ,yet it is not4 ,we have seen that it was a doctrine practiced by the apostles and their immediate successors4 ,indeed it is named directly as one of the principles of the doctrine of ,christ by ,paul4 ,the following is the passage3 ,therefore not leaving the principles of the doctrine of ,christ1 let us go on unto perfection2 not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works1 and of faith toward ,god1 of the doctrine of baptisms1 and of laying on of hands and of resurrection of the dead1 and of eternal judgment4,i ,and here it may be well to call attention to the fact1 that it is written that ,whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of ,christ1 hath not ,god4,j ,and since the religious world has very generally lost sight of this important doctrine of the laying on of hands for imparting the ,holy ,ghost1 it is one evidence1 among many others1 that they have not ,god2 for the absence of this part of the ,gospel proves that they have not continued in the doctrine of ,christ4 ,footnote ,h3 ,it is a mistake to suppose all ,christendom have neglected the practice of this ordinance4 ,the ,catholics teach that ,confirmation by the laying on of hands is a sacrament instituted by our ,lord1 by which the faithful1 who have already been made children of ,god by baptism1 receive the ,holy ,ghost by prayer1 unction 7or anointing with holy oil called chrism71 and the laying on of the hands of a bishop1 the successor of the apostles4 ,it is thus that they are enriched with gifts1 graces and virtues1 especially with the virtue of fortitude1 and made perfect ,christians and valiant soldiers of ,jesus ,christ to stand through life the whole warfare of the world1 the flesh and the devil4 ,the first recorded instance of confirmation being administered to the faithful is in the eighth chapter of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 where ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,john confirmed the ,samaritans who had been already baptized by ,st4 ,philip4 ',they prayed for them that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost4 99 99 99 ,then laid they their hands on them and they received the ,holy ,ghost'7,catholic ,belief1 ,bruno pp4 #ig1 #ih74 ,the ,church of ,england1 and of course the ,episcopal churches in the colonies and the ,united ,states teach practically the same4 ,footnote ,i3 ,heb4 vi3 #a1 #b4 ,footnote ,j3 ,,ii4 ,john3 #i4 ,in restoring the ,gospel to the earth in the present dispensation1 it seems1 from the frequency with which it is mentioned1 that particular prominence is given to this doctrine and ordinance through which the ,holy ,ghost is imparted4 ,out of the many passages in the ,doctrine and ,covenants relating to the subject ,i select the following3 ,in ,april1 #ahcj1 the same month and year in which the ,church of ,christ in this dispensation was organized1 the ,lord in explaining the office and calling of an apostle1 said3 ,an apostle is an elder1 and it is his calling to baptize2 99 99 99 and to confirm those who are baptized into the ,church1 by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the ,holy ,ghost1 according to the scriptures4,k ,footnote ,k3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 xx3 #ch1 #da4 ,in a revelation to ,james ,covill given in ,january1 #ahca1 calling him to obedience to the ,gospel and appointing him to be his servant1 even a minister for ,christ1 the ,lord said3 ,and this is my ,gospel3 repentance and baptism by water1 and then cometh the baptism of fire and the ,holy ,ghost1 even the ,comforter1 which showeth all things1 and teacheth the peaceable things of the ,kingdom4 ,after calling him to be his servant the ,lord said3 ,and again it shall come to pass1 that on as many as ye shall baptize with water1 ye shall lay your hands1 and they shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4,l ,footnote ,l3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 xxxix2 #f1 #bc4 ,then in a revelation given to ,sidney ,rigdon1 ,parley ,p4 ,pratt and ,lemon ,copley1 through ,joseph the ,prophet1 on the occasion of these men being sent with the ,gospel to the ,shakers1 the ,lord said3 ,go among this people and say unto them1 like unto mine apostle of old1 whose name was ,peter2 believe on the name of the ,lord ,jesus4 99 99 99 ,repent and be baptized in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 according to the holy commandment1 for the remission of sins2 and whoso doeth this shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 by the laying on of the hands of the ,elders of this ,church4,m ,footnote ,m3 ,ibid41 sec4 xlix3 #aa-ad4 ,as this last is a general law1 ,i do not consider it necessary to cite further passages1 though the revelations of the ,lord contained in the ,doctrine and ,covenants are replete with them4 ,sufficient has been said to show that the doctrine has been made prominent in this dispensation4 ,to my mind this ordinance is the most philosophical of any in the ,gospel4 ,on one occasion as ,jesus passed through a throng of people1 a woman who had been troubled with an issue of blood for twelve years1 and had spent all her living upon physicians1 but received no benefit from them1 came up behind him1 saying in her heart1 if ,i can but touch the hem of his garment ,i shall be healed4 ,and it was so1 even according to her faith2 for pressing through the crowd she laid hold of his garment and was immediately made whole4 ,and ,jesus said1 who touched me8 ,when all denied1 ,peter and they that were with him said1 ,master1 the multitude throng thee1 and press thee1 and sayest thou who touched me8 ,and ,jesus said1 somebody hath touched me2 for ,i perceive that virtue is gone out of me4,n ,footnote ,n3 ,luke viii3 #dc1 #df4 ,now1 what had happened4 ,and why the expression--,somebody hath touched me2 for ,i perceive that virtue is gone out of me4 ,my answer would be that the person of ,jesus1 aye1 and also the very garments he wore1 were so charged with that divine influence1 known to us as the ,holy ,spirit1 that when the woman with the issue of blood touched his garments1 so much of that ,spirit left him to heal her that it was perceptible to him1 and he exclaimed1 ,virtue is gone out of me6 ,so1 when a servant of ,god1 filled with that ,spirit1 and with authority to act in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 lays his hands upon one who has prepared himself for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost1 through faith1 repentance1 and baptism1 a portion of that ,holy ,spirit passes from the one who administers1 to him upon whom he lays his hands and he is baptized with it4 ,these are the laws by which it is received and conveyed2 these are the conditions that must exist1 in order that men may obtain this holiest of all influences1 and its full and free enjoyment4 ,and its transmission from one person to another by an observance of the ordinances and principles of righteousness we have now considered1 is as natural and philosophical in the spiritual things of the universe1 as it is for electricity or steam to perform the wonders which these forces are now made to enact in the commercial and mechanical worlds2 and which they will not perform1 unless the conditions by which their power is made available1 are complied with4 ,i cannot do better in concluding this chapter than to quote a paragraph or two from the works of ,apostle ,parley ,p4 ,pratt3 ,to impart a portion of the ,holy ,spirit by the touch1 or by the laying on of hands2 or to impart a portion of the element of life1 from one animal body to another1 by an authorized agent who acts in the name of ,god1 and who is filled therewith1 is as much in accordance with the laws of nature as for water to seek its own level2 air its equilibrium2 or heat and electricity their own mediums of conveyance4 ,this law of spiritual fluid1 its communicative properties1 and the channel by which it is imparted from one person to another1 bear some resemblance or analogy to the laws and operations of electricity4 ,like electricity1 it is imparted by the contact of two bodies1 through the channel of the nerves4 ,but the two fluids differ widely4 ,the one is a property nearly allied to the grosser elements of matter2 not extensively endowed with the attributes of intelligence1 wisdom1 affection or moral discrimination4 ,it can therefore be imparted from one animal body to another1 irrespective of the intellectual or moral qualities of the subject or recipient4 ,the other is a substance endowed with the attributes of intelligence1 affection1 moral discrimination1 love1 charity and benevolence pure as the emotions which swell the bosom1 thrill the nerves1 or vibrate the pulse of the ,father of all4 ,an agent filled with this heavenly fluid cannot impart of the same to another1 unless that other is justified1 washed1 cleansed from all his impurities of heart1 affections1 habits or practices by the blood of atonement1 which is generally applied in connection with the baptism of remission4 ,a man who continues in his sins1 and who has no living faith in the ,son of ,god1 cannot receive the gift of the ,holy ,spirit through the ministration of any agent1 however holy he may be4 ,the impure spirit of such a one will repulse the pure element1 upon the natural laws of sympathetic affinity1 or of attraction and repulsion4,o ,footnote ,o3 ,key to ,theology1 pp4 #if1 #ig1 #ih4 ,in other words1 the ,spirit of ,god will not dwell in unholy temples1 hence repentance and baptism for the remission of sins go before the baptism of the ,spirit that men may be cleansed of their sins1 justified before ,god1 and their bodies by these means made fit dwelling-places for the ,holy ,ghost--the living temples of ,god4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4--,,character ,,and ,,source4 ,can the naturalist find out and comprehend the secret of the endless variety of life in the vegetable and animal kingdoms8 ,can the chemist find out the essences of substances1 or make himself master of the secrets of great nature's laboratory where those wonderful combinations are wrought which produce the substances that constitute the material universe8 ,can the physician or surgeon with scalpel and microscope trace to its source the lightning of the soul--trace out the secret springs of life and intelligence in the human organism8 ,can the astronomer1 even with his mightiest telescope1 penetrate to the outside curtains of space where worlds and planetary systems do not exist--can he circumscribe the creations of ,god1 within the scope of his vision or knowledge8 ,to all these questions a negative answer must be given2 when man has done his best1 when his whole life has been spent in seeking knowledge and finding out wisdom1 even then the facts which he has mastered1 compared with those beyond the power of his intellect to comprehend1 are insignificant2 and the fields of knowledge which he has explored1 compared with those wherein man has never yet set his foot1 are as the few grains of sand compared to the untold millions of such grains that form old ocean's beach4 ,the great ,sir ,isaac ,newton at the close of his life--a life devoted to the search for knowledge in which pursuit he had been more than ordinarily successful1 and most men thought he had accomplished something of which he could boast--said in accents most humble1 ,i have been like a child playing upon the beach2 ,i have succeeded in finding a few pretty shells1 and picking up a few pretty pebbles1 but the great ocean lies before me unexplored4 ,questions and considerations like these1 are calculated to reveal the fact that man1 with all his boasted intelligence1 is1 after all1 in this sphere of existence1 cribbed1 cabined and confined to limits extremely narrow1 so far as his ability to comprehend facts is concerned4 ,the naturalist will answer ,no1 to the question ,i have set down to him4 ,he will tell us that he can classify the various forms of animal and vegetable life1 basing his classification upon certain similarities of structure or habits2 but when it comes to accounting for the great variety and forms of life in animated nature2 or to telling why it is that one seed produces the mighty1 sturdy oak1 and another the supple willow2 or why each species of animals produces its kind--he cannot inform you4 ,his most careful investigations and patient watching have failed to rob nature of these secrets4 ,the chemist of a century ago1 who thought he had reduced compound substances to their primary elements1 and had discovered all the primary elements of substances2 could he live today1 he would see his elements separated and reduced1 and a multitude of other elements unknown to him1 brought within the compass of chemical science2 and yet the existence of the universe itself1 remaining as great a mystery as ever4 ,indeed1 the wonder grows rather than diminishes with each succeeding discovery2 for these things increase the mystery by revealing the complexity and delicate combinations of substances as they exist in their varied forms4 ,to the physician1 the surgeon1 the scientist1 the mystery of life remains as much an unsolved problem as it ever did4 ,it is true they claim to have traced it down to its beginning2 they say it originates in a substance known to them as protoplasm2 that a single cell of this wonderful substance has the peculiar power of producing another cell1 and this one still another4 ,this multiplication of protoplasmic cells continuing until it develops in the varied processes of nature into the great variety of animal organisms known to us4 ,yet after all his work1 the scientist at last1 with nervous hand and throbbing brow reaches a point beyond which he cannot go1 and the single cell of protoplasm1 with the peculiar power to multiply itself1 is as great a mystery as man with his complex organism of bones and nerves and muscles4 ,to the question ,i have put to the astronomer1 he would doubtless answer1 with some impatience1 that his best instruments but revealed to him the nearest outposts of the stellar worlds2 and that beyond these few street lamps within his vision1 with whose positions he has become acquainted and marked down on his chart1 are numberless planetary systems out of the reach of his instruments1 but whose existence is revealed by masses of light through which he cannot penetrate4 ,his science is unsatisfied1 the little he has learned but reveals to him the vastness and extent of those fields of knowledge beyond his power to enter1 much less to reap4 ,if in relation to these grosser materials or objects1 and their relationship to each other1 man's knowledge is so limited1 and his powers of comprehension so restricted1 the reader will not be astonished when ,i tell him there is very much that is beyond our power to understand in relation to that most subtle1 powerful1 sensitive and intelligent of all influences1 known to us as the ,holy ,ghost4 ,what little may be learned of this great spiritual force in the universe1 is to be found in the revelations of ,god1 from which we are given to understand that this ,holy ,spirit which exists throughout the universe and is the medium by which it is governed1 emanates from ,god4 ,just previous to his crucifixion1 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,but when the ,comforter which is the ,holy ,ghost--see ,john xiv1 #bf1 is come1 whom ,i will send unto you from the ,father1 even the ,spirit of ,truth1 which proceedeth from the ,father he will testify of me4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,john xv3 #bf4 ,and this agrees with what the ,lord has revealed in this dispensation1 in respect to this ,spirit4 ,to a number of ,elders who had assembled together1 to learn the will of the ,lord concerning them--after telling them that he was well pleased with them1 and that their names were written in the book of the names of the sanctified--he said3 ,wherefore1 ,i now send upon you another ,comforter1 even upon you1 my friends1 that it may abide in your hearts1 even the ,holy ,spirit of promise2 which other ,comforter is the same ,i promised unto my disciples1 as is recorded in the testimony of ,john4,b ,this ,comforter is the promise which ,i give unto you of eternal life2 even the glory of the celestial kingdom3 which glory is that of the church of the first-born2 even of ,god1 the holiest of all1 through ,jesus ,christ1 his ,son3 he that ascended up on high1 as also he descended below al things1 in that he comprehended all things1 that he might be in all and through all things that is1 by the power of his ,spirit the light of truth2 which truth shineth4 ,this is the light of ,christ or ,holy ,spirit4 ,as also he is that is1 by this ,spirit--the ,holy ,ghost1 in the sun1 and the light of the sun1 and the power thereof by which it was made4 ,as also he is in the moon1 and is the light of the moon1 and the power thereof1 by which it was made4 ,as also the light of the stars1 and the power thereof by which they were made4 ,and the earth also1 and the power thereof2 even the earth upon which you stand4 ,and the light which now shineth1 which giveth you light1 is through him who enlighteneth your eyes1 which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings2 which light proceedeth forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space1 the light which is in all things2 which giveth life to all things3 which is the law by which all things are governed2 even the power of ,god1 who sitteth upon his throne1 who is in the bosom of eternity1 who is in the midst of all things4,c ,footnote ,b3 ,john xiv4 ,footnote ,c3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 lxxxviii3 #a-ac4 ,the line in italics represents this light which quickened the understanding of the ,elders to whom the revelation was addressed1 as proceeding from the presence of ,god1 and this is wherein the testimony of this revelation agrees with that of ,john4 ,both testify that this ,spirit emanates from ,god1 and that this light which proceedeth forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space1 which giveth life to all things1 which is the law by which all things are governed1 is identical ,with that ,spirit of which ,jesus was speaking1 the ,holy ,ghost1 cannot be doubted4 ,hence1 from this revelation we learn not only the source of the ,holy ,ghost1 but that it permeates the universe1 and is the power by which the creations of ,god were brought into existence1 by which they subsist1 and by which they are directed in their respective spheres in such harmony and splendor4 ,to these ideas respecting the ,holy ,ghost agree several other authoritative passages4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith taught that the ,holy ,ghost has not a body of flesh and bones1 but is a personage of ,spirit2 and then adds3 ,were it not so1 the ,holy ,ghost could not dwell in us4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 cxxx4 ,again it is written3 ,the elements are the tabernacle of ,god1 yea man is the tabernacle of ,god1 even temples2 and whatsoever temple is defiled1 ,god shall destroy that temple4,e ,this cannot allude to ,god the ,father or to ,god the ,son1 because each has a tabernacle of flesh and bones1 as tangible as man's2,f but it alludes to ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 whose tabernacle is in the elements of the universe1 giving life and light and intelligence to all things1 and is the grand medium of communication between ,god the ,father and his ,son ,jesus ,christ and their vast creations4 ,footnote ,e3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 xciii2 also ,i4 ,cor4 iii3 #af1 #ag2 ,i4 ,cor41 vi3 #ai4 ,footnote ,f3 ,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 7,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 cxxx3 #bb2 see also ,lectures on ,faith1 v3 #b1 #c47 ,so much as to the source and nature of the ,holy ,ghost2 now let us turn our attention to what it does for those who possess it1 what gifts and graces it bestows and develops in them4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4--,,its ,,power4 ,as the time drew near for ,jesus to make his great sacrifice1 and then depart from the immediate presence of his disciples1 he manifested a great desire to comfort them in prospect of this separation1 and this he did by promising to send to them from the ,father the ,holy ,ghost1 that he might abide with them for ever2,a and in explaining to them the powers of this ,spirit1 he said3 ,but the ,comforter1 which is the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the ,father will send in my name1 he shall teach you all things1 and bring all things to your remembrance1 whatsoever ,i have said unto you4 ,footnote ,a3 ,john xiv3 #af1 #bf4 ,in continuation of his remarks on this subject1 he told them he had many things to say unto them1 but they could not bear them at that time4 ,howbeit1 said he1 when he1 the ,spirit of ,truth1 is come1 he will guide you into all truth3 for he shall not speak of himself3 but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak3 and he will show you things to come4 ,he shall glorify me3 for he shall receive of mine1 and shall show it unto you4 ,all things that the ,father hath are mine3 ,therefore1 said ,i1 that he shall take of mine1 and shall show it unto you4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,john xvi3 #ac-ae4 ,from these passages four important things are learned respecting the powers of the ,holy ,ghost3 ,i4 ,that he will teach all things2 and1 what is equivalent1 guide into all truth4 ,,ii4 ,he will bring all things to remembrance1 that is1 whatsoever things have been stored in the mind4 ,,iii4 ,he will show things to come4 ,,iv4 ,he will take of the things of ,god and reveal them unto men4 ,of the excellence and importance of these several powers it is scarcely needful to speak1 since their excellence is evident1 upon the mere enumeration of them1 yet one cannot refrain from looking at them more in detail4 ,how excellent a thing it is to have a teacher competent to teach all things1 and guide into all truth ,in view of the fact that the saints possessed the ,holy ,ghost1 and that the ,holy ,ghost has these powers1 one can understand the reasonableness of ,john's remarks to the saints1 in which he says3 ,but ye have an unction from the ,holy ,one1 and ye know all things4 99 99 99 ,the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you1 and ye need not that any man teach you3 but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things1 and is truth1 and is no lie1 and even as it hath taught you1 ye shall abide in him4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,i4 ,john ii3 #bj1 #bg4 ,moreover1 to that extent that a man is guided into all truth1 he is preserved from all error4 ,there is no danger of his being deceived1 or led astray by every wind of doctrine1 or the cunning craftiness of false teachers1 so long as he is in possession of that ,spirit which guides into all truth4 ,so taught ,isaiah1 who1 in speaking of the time when the house of ,israel should possess this ,spirit1 says3 ,and though the ,lord give you the bread of adversity1 and the water of affliction1 yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more1 but thine eyes shall see thy teachers3 ,and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee1 saying4 ,this is the way1 walk ye in it1 when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,isaiah xxx3 #bj1 #ba4 ,as to the second power enumerated1 viz43 the power to bring all things to the recollection1 ,i maintain that it would be impossible for man to live the law of the gospel without some such grace being conferred upon him by the ,lord4 ,the law of the gospel requires men not only to do good to those who do good to them1 but to do good to those who despitefully use them2 not only to lend to those who lend to them1 but to lend to those of whom they can hope to receive nothing in return2 to revile not those who may revile them--in a word1 the law of the gospel is summed up in this3 ,be ye not overcome of evil2 but overcome evil with good4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,romans xii3 #ba4 ,see also ,matt4 v1 vi4 ,however fine this may be in theory1 or however beautiful it may look on paper1 to carry it practically into the affairs of life is difficult4 ,when reviled it seems but natural to answer railing with railing1 blows with blows1 and for injury inflicted1 return as much in kind as is within one's power to inflict4 ,and unless in possession of this grace bestowed by the ,holy ,ghost1 viz41 having brought to one's recollection the things of ,christ's gospel1 being reminded in the very moment of temptation of these laws--when smarting under a sense of injustice1 or suffering under wrongs heaped upon one--it would be difficult if not impossible to live up to these heavenly precepts4 ,but by having the ,holy ,spirit as one's prompter in the moments of temptation1 and by cultivating the ,christian virtue of patience1 this law of the gospel1 so contrary to the natural disposition1 may be complied with1 and the follower of ,christ1 like his ,master1 may be able to say for those who inflict injury upon him1 ,father1 forgive them1 for they know not what they do4 ,thirdly1 ,he will show you things to come4 ,in other words1 the ,holy ,ghost is the spirit of prophecy1 for by it the future has been unfolded to the minds of the prophets2 and by it the scriptures were given4 ,in proof of this ,i quote the apostle ,peter3 ,the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man3 but holy men of ,god spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost1,f and that which they spake was written and became scripture4 ,footnote ,f3 ,,ii4 ,peter i3 #ba4 ,when an angel visited ,john on ,patmos and that apostle fell at his feet to worship him1 the angel said3 ,see thou do it not3 ,i am thy fellow servant1 and of thy brethren that have the testimony of ,jesus which is the ,holy ,ghost3 worship ,god1 for the testimony of ,jesus is the ,spirit of prophecy4,g ,footnote ,g3 ,rev4 xix3 #aj4 ,these facts will exhibit the inconsistency1 nay1 ,i may say1 the absolutely erroneous position of those who insist that while the ,holy ,ghost has continued with men1 prophecy and revelation have ceased4 ,the very fact1 as stated in the fourth item taken from these passages under consideration1 viz41 that the ,holy ,ghost will take of the things of the ,lord and show them unto men1 also proves that this ,spirit is one of revelation1 and is in harmony with the scripture--,the ,spirit searcheth all things1 yea1 the deep things of ,god4 ,what man knoweth the things of man1 but the spirit of a man which is in him8 ,even so the things of ,god knoweth no man1 but the ,spirit of ,god4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,i4 ,cor4 ii3 #aa1 #ab4 ,in addition to these powers there is still another1 and it is an important one4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is a witness for ,god and ,christ3 ,when the ,comforter is come1 are the words of the ,son of ,god1 whom ,i will send unto you from the ,father1 99 99 99 he will testify of me4,i ,the testimony of ,paul is still more emphatic than this3 ,no man speaking by the ,spirit of ,god calleth ,jesus accursed2 and no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord1 but by the ,holy ,ghost4,j ,footnote ,i3 ,john xv3 #bf4 ,footnote ,j3 ,i ,cor4 xii3 #c4 ,i have shown in my remarks on the ,holy ,ghost being the ,spirit of prophecy1 that that ,spirit and this without which no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord--the testimony of ,jesus--are identical4 ,several other powers belonging to this ,spirit are also enumerated by ,paul4 ,he gives us to understand that ,there are diversities of gifts1 but the same ,spirit1 and there are differences of administration1 but the same ,lord4 99 99 99 ,but the manifestation of the ,spirit is given to every man to profit withal4 ,for to one is given by the ,spirit1 the word of wisdom1 to another the word of knowledge by the same ,spirit3 to another faith by the same ,spirit2 to another the gifts of healing by the same ,spirit3 ,to another the working of miracles2 to another prophecy2 to another discerning of spirits1 to another divers kinds of tongues2 to another interpretation of tongues3 ,but all these worketh that one and the self same ,spirit dividing to each one severally as he will4,k ,footnote ,k3 ,i4 ,cor4 xii3 #d-bb4 ,in addition to this splendid array of powers and gifts of the ,holy ,ghost1 we are told that its fruit is love1 joy1 peace1 long-suffering1 gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness1 and temperance4,l ,indeed we may say1 in the language of ,apostle ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 the ,holy ,spirit adapts itself to all the organs and attributes of man4 ,it quickens all the intellectual faculties1 increases1 enlarges1 expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections2 and adapts them by the gift of wisdom to their lawful use4 ,it inspires1 develops1 cultivates and matures all the fine-toned sympathies1 joys1 tastes1 kindred feelings and affections of our nature4 ,it inspires virtue1 kindness1 goodness1 tenderness1 gentleness and charity4 ,it develops beauty of person1 form and feature4 ,it tends to health1 vigor1 animation and social feeling4 ,it develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man4 ,it strengthens1 invigorates and gives tone to the nerves4 ,in short1 it is1 as it were1 marrow to the bone1 joy to the heart1 light to the eyes1 music to the ears1 and life to the whole being4,m ,footnote ,l3 ,gal4 vi3 #bb1 #bc4 ,footnote ,m3 ,key to ,theology1 p4 #ajb4 ,such is the ,holy ,ghost and its sanctifying influence--such is the ,spirit given to those who accept the gospel1 who believe in ,god and ,jesus ,christ1 who repent of their sins and are baptized for the remission of them--then follows the baptism of the ,spirit1 in other words1 the reception of the ,holy ,ghost through the laying on of hands4 ,then is developed one or more of its spiritual gifts1 and its general purifying influences2 enlarging the understanding1 ennobling every thought1 making pure the heart2 in short1 it draws man into a nearer relationship with his ,god1 and begins that spiritual education so necessary to prepare him for the glorious presence of his ,creator--his ,father4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,authority4 ,i have now considered1 at some length1 the doctrines and ordinances which constitute the ,first ,principles of the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,in connection with these principles1 however1 there is another matter which must claim the reader's attention2 viz43 the important fact that the gospel must be preached and its ordinances administered by those having authority from ,god2 or the administrations will have no binding force in heaven or on earth1 in time or in eternity4 ,we are informed in the scriptures that the ,lord wrought special miracles by the hands of ,paul1 whom he had called to be his servant4 ,the sick were healed1 and evil spirits were cast out of those who were possessed4 ,then certain of the vagabond ,jews1 exorcists1 took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits1 the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 saying4 ,we adjure you1 by ,jesus whom ,paul preacheth4 ,and there were seven sons1 of one ,sceva1 a ,jew1 and chief of the priests1 which did so4 ,and the evil spirit answered and said1 ,jesus ,i know1 and ,paul ,i know1 but who are ye8 ,and the man in whom the evil spirit was1 leaped on them1 and overcame them1 and prevailed against them1 so that they fled out of that house1 naked and wounded4,a ,these men presumptuously took it upon themselves to act as those who had authority1 and the result was that not even the devils would respect their administrations1 much less the ,lord4 ,footnote ,a3 ,acts xix3 #ac-af4 ,there is a principle of great moment associated with this incident4 ,the question is1 if these men1 when acting without authority from ,god could not drive out an evil spirit1 would their administration be of force1 or have any virtue in it1 had they administered in some other ordinance of the ,gospel1 say baptism for the remission of sins1 or laying on hands for imparting the ,holy ,ghost8 ,manifestly it would not4 ,and hence we rightly come to the conclusion1 so well expressed in one of our articles of faith1 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 ,such a conclusion as this could reasonably be drawn also from the words of ,paul in ,hebrews where he says3 ,every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to ,god1 that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins3 99 99 99 ,and no man taketh this honor unto himself1 but he that is called of ,god as was ,aaron4,b ,the manner in which ,aaron was called to the priest's office is recorded in the writings of ,moses as follows3 ,take thou unto thee ,aaron thy brother1 and his sons with him from among the children of ,israel1 that he may minister unto me in the priest's office1 even ,aaron1 ,nadab and ,abihu1 ,eleazar and ,ithamar1 ,aaron's sons4,c ,footnote ,b3 ,heb4 v4 #a1 #e4 ,footnote ,c3 ,ex4 xxviii1 #a4 ,it may be objected that this was the law relating to the calling of high priests alone1 but if high priests are to be called in this manner1 is it not reasonable to conclude that all who administer in things pertaining to ,god must be called in the same way--that is1 of ,god8 ,so far as the scriptures are concerned1 and on subjects of this character their authority is conclusive1 wherever we have an account of men administering in the things pertaining to ,god1 and their administrations are accepted of him1 they have either been called directly by revelation from him1 or through inspiration in those who already had authority from ,god to act in his name2 and to be called by a legitimate1 divinely established authority is to be called of ,god4 ,on the other hand1 whenever men have taken it upon themselves to act in the name of ,god1 so far as any such instance is recorded1 it has been followed by some manifestation of displeasure from him4 ,as an example of this statement1 ,i call attention to the case of ,uzza4 ,the ,lord appointed ,aaron and his sons to take special charge of the ark of the covenant and all the holy things belonging to it4 ,when it became necessary for the camp to move1 after all things had been arranged by ,aaron and his sons1 then the sons of ,kohash were to come to bear it2 but1 said the ,lord1 they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die4,d ,some generations after this4 ,king ,david undertook to move the ark from ,baalah1--called also ,kirjathjearim1 where it had remained many years4 ,uzza and ,ahio drove the cart on which the ark and its furniture were placed1 and when the company engaged in this pious work reached ,chidon1 ,uzza put forth his hand to steady the ark1 for the oxen stumbled1 but in doing so he broke the law which had been given to ,israel,e--he acted without authority ,and the anger of the ,lord was kindled against ,uzza1 and he smote him because he put his hand to the ark2 and there he died before ,god4,f ,footnote ,d3 ,num4 iv3 #ae4 ,footnote ,e3 ,num4 iv3 #ae4 ,footnote ,f3 ,i4 ,chron4 xiii3 #aj4 ,take still another case1 that of ,uzziah4 ,he was one of the kings of ,israel2 and for a long time he prospered exceedingly because of his righteousness4 ,his enemies were smitten before him1 and wisdom was given him to fortify ,jerusalem as it never had been fortified before4 ,but in the midst of his glory and the pride of his heart1 he undertook to minister in the temple of ,god in the priest's office2 and appeared before the altar to burn incense4 ,and ,azariah the priest went in after him1 and with him four score priests of the ,lord1 that were valiant men3 ,and they withstood ,uzziah the king and said unto him4 ,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 to thine honor from the ,lord ,god4 ,then ,uzziah was wroth1 and had a censer in his hand to burn incense3 and while he was wroth with the priests1 the leprosy even rose in his forehead before the priests in the house of the ,lord1 from beside the incense altar4 ,and ,azariah1 the chief priest1 and all the priests1 looked upon him1 and1 behold1 he was leprous in his forehead and they thrust him out from thence2 yea himself hasted also to go out1 because the ,lord had smitten him4 ,and ,uzziah1 the king1 was a leper unto the day of his death1 and dwelt in a several house1 being a leper2 for he was cut off from the house of the ,lord4,g ,footnote ,g3 ,,ii4 ,chron4 xxvi4 ,swift punishment followed upon the presumptuous attempt of this king to exercise the authority of ,god without having had it conferred upon him3 and we have already seen that in ,new ,testament times the ,lord would not have respect for the administration of those who spoke in his name without authority1 no matter how nearly they conformed to the forms of the ceremony2 there was no force in it1 and the devil could and did prevail against him4 ,we have the testimony of ,jesus respecting the authority which he had conferred upon his apostles2 said he1 ,ye have not chosen me1 but ,i have chosen you1 and ordained you1 that ye should go and bring forth fruit4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,john xv3 #af4 ,when seven men were chosen to look after the poor and minister to them1 they set them before the apostles who1 when they had prayed1 laid their hands on them and ordained them to their calling4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,acts vi3 #a-f4 ,so in the case of ,paul4 ,it was not enough that he saw and spoke with the ,messiah1 not enough to have ,ananias come and baptize him1 and receive the ,holy ,ghost2 for afterwards1 when the ,lord would have him engage in the work of preaching the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof1 the ,holy ,ghost said unto certain prophets at ,antioch1 ,separate me ,barnabas and ,saul for the work whereunto ,i have called them4 ,and when they had fasted and prayed1 and laid their hands on them1 they sent them away4,j ,footnote ,j3 ,acts xiii3 #a-c4 ,furthermore1 as ,paul went about confirming the souls of the saints1 he ordained elders in every church4,k ,he did not suffer men to take the authority on themselves to minister in the things of ,god2 but warned the saints against such characters4 ,having assembled the elders of the church of ,ephesus1 he said to them3 ,take heed unto yourselves1 and to all the flock1 over which the ,holy ,ghost has made you overseers1 to feed the flock of ,god4 99 99 99 ,for ,i know this that after my departing1 shall grievous wolves enter in1 not sparing the flock4 ,and of your own selves1 shall men arise1 speaking perverse things1 to draw away disciples after them4,l ,footnote ,k3 ,acts1 xiv3 #b1 #c4 ,footnote ,l3 ,acts xx3 #bh1 #bi4 ,this same thing pressed itself upon his mind when he wrote his ,epistle to ,timothy2 for we find him exhorting that worthy man to ,preach the word2 be instant in season1 out of season2 reprove1 rebuke1 exhort with all long-suffering1 and doctrine1 for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine2 but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers1 having itching ears2 and they shall turn away their ears from the truth1 and shall be turned unto fables4,m ,footnote ,m3 ,,ii4 ,tim4 iv3 #b-d4 ,to this also agrees the testimony of ,peter4 ,after speaking of the prophets that were in ancient ,israel1 he says3 ,but there were false prophets also among the people then addressing the saints of his own day1 even as there shall be false teachers among you1 who privily shall bring in damnable heresies1 even denying the ,lord that bought them1 and shall bring upon themselves swift destruction4 ,and many shall follow their pernicious ways2 by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of4,n ,footnote ,n3 ,,ii ,peter ii3 #a1 #b4 ,that is just what happened4 ,false teachers arose1 damnable heresies crept into the churches1 the ,gospel was corrupted1 and a few generations after the gospel was introduced by the personal ministry of ,john the ,baptist and the ,messiah himself1 the authority of ,god was taken from among men4 ,hence1 when a knowledge of the ,gospel was restored to the earth in this last dispensation1 it became necessary to restore also the authority to teach it1 and administer its ordinances4 ,for this purpose ,john the ,baptist1 laboring under the direction of ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 was sent to restore sufficient authority to administer the outward ordinances1 to teach faith and repentance1 and baptize for the remission of sins4,o ,footnote ,o3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 xiii4 ,subsequently ,peter1 ,james and ,john were sent of the ,lord,p some time in the early summer of #ahbi1 and ordained ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery to the holy ,melchisedek ,priesthood--in fact1 they were ordained apostles4 ,q,and as the ,melchisedek priesthood holds the right of presidency1 and has power and authority over all the offices in the church in all ages of the world to administer in spiritual things,r--these men1 ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 had authority to administer in all the ordinances of salvation1 and to organize the ,church of ,christ2 which1 under the direction of the ,lord1 they did4 ,and thus1 not only has the ,gospel been restored to the earth in this last dispensation1 but the authority to administer in all its ordinances1 and to build up the ,church of ,christ and the ,kingdom of ,god on earth has been brought from heaven and bestowed upon men4 ,footnote ,p3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 xxvii3 #ab4 ,footnote ,q3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 xx3 #b1 #c4 ,footnote ,r3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 cvii4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,laws ,,of ,,spiritual ,,development4 ,if a man accepts the principles and obeys the ordinances ,i have now treated upon1 and ,i hope with sufficient clearness1 and they are administered by men having authority from ,god to act in his name1 then he is born again1 born of the water and of the ,spirit--born into the kingdom of ,god1 and hence is a child of ,god1 a citizen of his kingdom4 ,and since by submitting to these ordinances a man is born into the kingdom1 ,i would remind the reader that his position in that kingdom is closely analogous to the child just born naturally into this world4 ,it possesses all the faculties1 all the organs1 all the limbs of a man1 but they are in embryo1 undeveloped4 ,the new born infant has eyes1 but it will be some time before it will be able to distinguish objects1 or recognize even the kind face of its mother4 ,it has ears1 but it cannot distinguish sounds2 a tongue but it cannot speak2 limbs but it cannot stand or walk or run2 nor has it control of the muscles of the hands or arms--it will have to wait for growth and strength before these organs of sense and motion are developed4 ,its first attempts at the use of any of these organs will necessarily be imperfect as to the results4 ,the tongue will speak the first words but brokenly2 the first step will be uneven and staggering2 the movements of the hands will be erratic and awkward4 ,but by persistent effort the tongue that could only pronounce words brokenly1 becomes1 at last1 eloquent1 and crowds listen spellbound by the charm of its music4 ,the uneven1 staggering step is changed finally for the elastic step and noble carriage of graceful manhood4 ,the hands so awkward become by practice the hands of the skilled artisan1 competent to execute whatever his mind may conceive4 ,so it is with those just born in the church of ,christ4 ,they1 at their birth1 are not fully developed men and women in the things of ,god4 ,it is expected that they will have to grow in grace and in the knowledge of ,god4 ,peter exhorted the saints of his day to give all diligence1 and add to their faith virtue2 and to virtue knowledge2 and to knowledge temperance2 and to temperance patience2 and to patience godliness2 and to godliness brotherly kindness2 and to brotherly kindness charity4 ,for if these things be in you and abound1 said he1 they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4,a ,such instructions are applicable to the ,saints of this or any other dispensation4 ,the new born saints will find themselves in a new atmosphere1 sensitive to new forces operating upon them1 new powers developing within them3 and as the young child staggers in its first attempts to walk1 and has many a fall before it will obtain complete control over its muscles--so the new born member of ,christ's church will make many mistakes and perhaps blunders in the days of his infancy4 ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,peter i3 #e-h4 ,for this reason1 that the child of the kingdom might not grow weary in his efforts at moral and spiritual development1 the ,lord has revealed his long-suffering and merciful kindness to those who strive to keep his commandments4 ,and such is the weakness of mankind and their frequent violations of the laws of ,god that had they not the repeated assurances in the revelations respecting ,god's character that he is slow to anger1 abundant in mercy and long-suffering1 the heart of man would grow faint1 and his effort at spiritual development would be palsied4 ,but with these facts firmly impressed on their minds men struggle on--they pray and faint not,b4 ,footnote ,b3 ,luke xviii3 #a4 ,if there is one struggle more than another in which the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong1 but to those who endure to the end1 it is in this struggle for eternal life4 ,he that shall endure to the end the same shall be saved1 were the words of ,jesus1 and ,i know of no other condition of salvation contemplated in the ,gospel of ,christ1 than this4 ,be thou faithful unto death1 wrote ,john to the saints at ,smyrna1 and ,i will give thee a crown of life4,c ,blessed are they who do his commandment1 that they may have right to the tree of life2,d and with such passages the scriptures are replete4 ,footnote ,c3 ,rev4 ii3 #aj4 ,footnote ,d3 ,rev4 ii3 #ad4 ,there is no one great thing that man can do and then do no more and obtain salvation4 ,after entering into the kingdom of ,god1 in the manner already pointed out in these pages1 it is by learning precept upon precept2 line upon line2 here a little and there a little1 that salvation will be made secure4 ,it is by resisting a temptation today1 overcoming a weakness tomorrow1 forsaking evil associations the next day1 and thus day by day1 month after month1 year after year1 pruning1 restraining and weeding out that which is evil in the disposition1 that the character is purged of its imperfections4 ,nor is it enough that one gets rid of evil4 ,he must do good4 ,he must surround himself with circumstances congenial to the sensitive nature of the ,holy ,ghost1 that it may not be offended1 and withdraw itself from him2 for if it does so1 amen to his spiritual or moral development4 ,he must cultivate noble sentiments by performing noble deeds--not great ones1 necessarily1 for opportunity to perform what the world esteem great things1 comes but seldom to men in the ordinary walks of life2 but noble deeds may be done every day2 and every such deed performed with an eye single to the glory of ,god1 draws one that much nearer into harmony with the ,deity4 ,and if you wish to go where ,god is1 said the ,prophet ,joseph1 you must be like ,god1 or possess the principles which ,god possesses1 for if we are not drawing towards ,god in principle1 we are going from him and drawing towards the devil4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,hist4 of ,joseph ,smith1 ,apr4 #aj1 #ahdb4 ,thus by eschewing the evil inclinations of the disposition on the one hand1 and cultivating noble sentiments on the other1 a character may be formed that shall be godlike in its attributes and consequently its possessor will be fitted to dwell with ,god1 and if so prepared1 there is no question but his calling and election are sure4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,gospel4 ,i think it proper in this chapter to give a brief history of the gospel--for this reason3 ,there is a very general idea existing in the ,christian world that nothing was known of the gospel of ,christ--its principles and ordinances1 until the personal ministry of the ,messiah began2 whereas the truth is1 the plan of redemption1 the gospel1 was understood in the eternal heavens before the foundations of the earth were laid2 and was revealed to the first patriarchs of the race1 and extensively preached many centuries before the coming of ,messiah in the flesh4 ,in proof of the statement that the plan of redemption was understood before even the creation of the earth1 ,i quote the words of the ,lord to ,abraham3 ,now the ,lord had shown unto me1 ,abraham1 the intelligences that were organized before the world was2 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 them2 and he said4 ,these ,i will make my rulers2 for he stood among those that were spirits1 and he saw they were good4 99 99 99 ,and there stood one among them like unto ,god1 and he said unto those that were with him4 ,we will go down1 for there is space there1 and we will take of these materials1 and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell2 and we will prove them herewith1 to see if they will do all things whatsoever the ,lord their ,god shall command them2 and they who keep their first estate1 shall be added upon2 and they who keep not their first estate1 shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate2 and they who keep their second estate1 shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever4 ,and the ,lord said1 who shall ,i send8 ,and one answered like unto the ,son of ,man1 ,here am ,i1 send me4 ,and another answered and said1 ,here am ,i1 send me4 ,and the ,lord said1 ,i will send the first4 ,and the second was angry1 and kept not his first estate1 and1 at that day1 many followed after him4 ,and then the ,lord said1 ,let us go down3 and they went down at the beginning1 and they organized and formed 7that is the ,gods71 the heavens and the earth4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #da4 ,this is a brief account of the controversy there was in heaven1 in respect to the plan that should be adopted for the salvation of man1 when in his second estate4 ,in the writings of ,moses1 as revealed to ,joseph ,smith1 the matter is made still more clear4 ,there we have an account of ,satan appearing before ,moses1 and of his seeking to induce that faithful man to worship him instead of ,god2 but ,moses rebuked him in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 and afterwards the ,lord appeared unto him and said3 ,satan1 whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine ,only ,begotten1 is the same which was from the beginning1 and he came before me1 saying1 ,behold ,i1 send me1 ,i will be thy ,son1 and ,i will redeem all mankind1 that one soul shall not be lost1 and surely ,i will do it2 wherefore1 give me thine honor4 ,but1 behold1 my beloved ,son1 which was my beloved and chosen from the beginning1 said unto me1 ,father1 thy will be done1 and the glory be thine forever4 ,wherefore1 because ,satan rebelled against me his plans being rejected1 as we have already seen1 and sought to destroy the agency of man1 which ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 had given him1 and also that ,i should give unto him mine own power1 by the power of mine ,only ,begotten1 ,i caused that he should be cast down1 and he became ,satan4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #i4 ,from this we learn the cause of ,lucifer's rejection and rebellion--his plan for man's redemption was of such a character that it would have destroyed the agency of man1 and robbed ,god of his honor2 and because that plan was rejected1 he rebelled against ,god and was cast out of heaven4 ,this was before the creation of the earth1 and this controversy about which the rebellion took place was in relation to the plan of salvation--the gospel4 ,these things were revealed to the ,prophet ,joseph1 and they throw a perfect flood of light upon the scriptures which refer to ,christ as the ,lamb slain from the foundation of the world1,c ,from that expression we see that ,jesus was chosen to make the atonement from the foundation of the world1 and that the gospel was understood from the beginning4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith said that at the first organization in heaven we were all present1 and saw the ,savior chosen and appointed and the plan of salvation made1 and we sanctioned it4 ,footnote ,c3 ,rev4 xiii3 #h4 ,coming to the time when the gospel was introduced among men on this earth1 we find it began by a commandment to ,adam to worship the ,lord his ,god1 and to offer the firstlings of his flock for an offering unto the ,lord4 ,many days after this commandment had been given1 an angel of the ,lord visited ,adam and asked him why he offered up sacrifices4 ,to which ,adam replied3 ,i know not1 save the ,lord commanded me4 ,and the angel spake1 saying3 ,this thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the ,only ,begotten of the ,father4 99 99 99 ,wherefore1 thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the ,son1 and thou shalt repent and call upon ,god in the name of the ,son forevermore4 ,and in that day the ,holy ,ghost fell upon ,adam1 which beareth record of the ,father and the ,son1 saying1 ,i am the ,only ,begotten of the ,father from the beginning1 henceforth and forever1 that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed2 and all mankind1 even as many as will4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #ab4 ,enoch1 several centuries after this1 in describing these events that occurred in the early experience of ,adam1 said3 ,he the ,lord called upon our father ,adam by his own voice1 saying1 ,i am ,god3 ,i made the world1 and men before they were in the flesh4 99 99 99 ,if thou wilt turn unto me1 and hearken unto my voice1 and believe1 and repent of all thy transgressions1 and be baptized1 even in water1 in the name of mine ,only ,begotten ,son1 99 99 99 which is ,jesus ,christ1 the only name which shall be given under heaven1 whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men1 ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 99 99 99 ,and it came to pass1 when the ,lord had spoken with ,adam1 our father1 that ,adam cried unto the ,lord1 and he was caught away by the ,spirit of the ,lord1 and was carried down into the water1 and was laid under the water1 and was brought forth out of the water4 ,and thus he was baptized2 and the ,spirit of ,god descended upon him1 and thus he was born of the ,spirit1 and became quickened in the inner man4 ,and he heard a voice out of heaven1 saying1 ,thou art baptized with fire1 and with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this is the record of the ,father1 and the ,son1 from henceforth and forever2 and thou art after the order of him who was without the beginning of days or end of years1 from all eternity to all eternity4 ,behold1 thou art one in me1 a ,son of ,god2 and thus may all become my sons4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #ag4 ,the reader will here observe that the same principles and ordinances were taught to ,adam1 as the means of salvation1 as have been set forth in these pages as the ,first ,principles of the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,they continued on through the generations of the patriarchs to the days of ,noah2 and from ,noah through the fathers to ,abraham1 and from ,abraham to ,moses4 ,at least in one of the revelations of the ,lord contained in the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 we have the continuance of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood traced out through the line of the fathers from ,moses to ,abraham1 from ,abraham to ,noah1 and from ,noah to ,adam1,f and ,i see not how this priesthood can exist among men and not the gospel3 for that is what this priesthood is for--to administer in the ordinances of the gospel1 and it is obtained through obedience to the gospel4 ,footnote ,f3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 lxxxiv4 ,that the gospel was taught to ,abraham and to ancient ,israel is also evident from the ,jewish scriptures4 ,paul1 in writing to the saints in ,galatia explained to them that1 ,the scriptures1 foreseeing that ,god would justify the heathen through faith1 preached before the gospel unto ,abraham1 saying1 in thee shall all nations be blessed1,g ,from this then it is clear that the ,gospel was taught to ,abraham4 ,footnote ,g3 ,gal4 iii3 #h4 ,the question1 however1 may arise1 what gospel was it8 ,was it the same gospel which we have seen was taught to ,adam2 the same that was taught by the ,messiah and his apostles8 ,to which ,i reply there is but one gospel4 ,there never was but one plan ordained by which mankind are to be saved2 and that is denominated in the scriptures ,the everlasting gospel1 to express its sameness in all generations4 ,such as it was formed in the grand council of heaven1 such it has remained in all ages1 and in all dispensations4 ,it is sealed by the precious blood of the ,son of ,god1 and like the great ,lawgiver whose mind conceived it1 whose wisdom brought it into existence1 it changes not1 neither is there a shadow of variableness in it4 ,so thoroughly imbued with this idea was the apostle ,paul that he said--in writing his epistle to the ,galatians3 ,though we or an angel from heaven1 preach any other gospel unto you1 than that which we have preached unto you1 let him be accursed4 ,as we said before1 so say ,i now again1 if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received1 let him be accursed4,h ,the gospel preached to ,abraham1 was the gospel of the ,son of ,god2 there is no other4 ,footnote ,h3 ,gal4 i3 #h1 #i4 ,but ,i have also stated that the gospel was taught to ancient ,israel in the days of ,moses2 and in proof of this ,i offer the following3 ,in the third chapter of ,hebrews1 ,paul alludes to the transgression of ancient ,israel1 especially to those who1 by reason of their sins1 were destroyed in the wilderness4 ,then1 in opening the fourth chapter1 he says3 ,let us therefore fear1 lest a promise being left us1 of entering into his rest1 any of you should seem to come short of it4 ,for unto us the people of his day was the gospel preached1 as well as unto them meaning ancient ,israel2 but the word preached did not profit them ancient ,israel1 not being mixed with faith in them that heard it4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,heb4 iv3 #a1 #b4 ,paul makes a further allusion to the gospel being with the children of ,israel1 in the days of ,moses4 ,writing to the ,corinthians he said3 ,moreover1 brethren1 ,i would not that ye should be ignorant1 how that all our fathers were under the cloud1 and all passed through the sea2 and were all baptized unto ,moses in the cloud and in the sea2 and did all eat the same spiritual meat2 and did all drink the same spiritual drink2 for they drank of that spiritual ,rock that followed them3 and that ,rock was ,christ4,j ,footnote ,j3 ,i4 ,cor4 x3 #a-d4 ,but now to return to the epistle to the ,galatians1 in which we learned the gospel was taught to ,abraham4 ,after making that statement1 ,paul asks the question3 ,wherefore then serveth the law8 ,that is1 if the gospel was preached to ,abraham1 how came the law of ,moses into existence1 why was it given to ancient ,israel and binding on them8 ,to which the apostle replies3 ,it was added because of transgression1 till the seed should come to whom the promise was made4 99 99 99 ,wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto ,christ1 that we might be justified by faith4,k ,footnote ,k3 ,gal4 iii3 #ai1 #bd4 ,the matter is still more plainly set forth in the ,doctrine and ,covenants4 ,in speaking of the priesthood and the ordinances belonging thereto--through which ordinances the power of godliness is manifest2 and without the ordinances thereof1 and the authority of the priesthood1 the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh2 for without this--that is without the priesthood and its ordinances--no man can see the face of ,god even the ,father and live4,l ,the ,lord says3 ,now this ,moses plainly taught to the children of ,israel in the wilderness1 and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of ,god3 but they hardened their hearts1 and could not endure his presence1 therefore the ,lord in his wrath 7for his anger was kindled against them7 swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness1 which rest is the fullness of his glory4 ,therefore he took ,moses out of their midst1 and the holy priesthood also2 and the lesser priesthood continued1 which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel2 which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism1 and the remission of sins1 and the law of carnal commandments1 which the ,lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of ,aaron among the children of ,israel until ,john4,m ,footnote ,l3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 lxxxiv3 #ba1 #bb4 ,footnote ,m3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 lxxxiv3 #ai1 #bg4 ,the above is confirmed by the ,jewish scriptures also2 for it is written in the concluding chapter of ,deuteronomy--,there arose not a prophet since in ,israel like unto ,moses1 whom the ,lord knew face to face1 in all the signs and the wonders which the ,lord sent him to do in the land of ,egypt4,n ,footnote ,n3 ,deut4 xxxiv3 #aj-ab4 ,of the things we have spoken respecting the gospel being presented to ,israel1 this is the sum3 ,the ,lord gave them the gospel1 but because they would not observe its sacred requirements1 he took it1 that is in its fullness1 from among them1 and also the higher or ,melchisedek ,priesthood2 but left them the lesser or ,aaronic ,priesthood1 and to the part of the gospel which remained1 viz41 repentance and baptism for the remission of sins1 was added the law of carnal commandments1 which was to educate them for the fullness of the gospel when ,messiah should come with it4 ,at the appointed time ,messiah came and taught the gospel of the kingdom2 and though the ,jews as a nation rejected him1 and their ,sanhedrin sentenced him to death1 yet a few received his teachings1 and among them the ,lord ,jesus organized ,his church1 established his priesthood and gave to his servants a commandment to go and teach all nations4 ,they were faithful in discharging their commission1 and many received their testimony and obeyed the gospel4 ,satan1 however1 working in the hearts of the disobedient1 stirred them up to anger against the saints of ,god1 and they were persecuted1 imprisoned1 and slain4 ,all the apostles1 save ,john1 sealed their testimony with their blood1 and thousands of their followers were put to death4 ,edicts the most cruel and heartless were formulated against them by the ,roman emperors1 and executed with relentless vindictiveness1 until the saints of ,god were well nigh destroyed4,o ,footnote ,o3 ,see ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,history1 part ,,ii41 ,the apostasy4 ,meantime heresies crept into the churches2 false teachers arose teaching perverse doctrines to draw away disciples after them2 the ,gospel was perverted1 the laws thereof were transgressed1 the ordinances were changed1 the covenant was broken1 until scarcely a vestige of the gospel as delivered to men by the ,son of ,god and his authorized servants remained4 ,after the sword1 the prison1 the rack1 and the flame in the hands of a powerful1 pagan government1 together with apostate influences and false teachers had done what they could to break down or corrupt the church of ,christ1 then another evil1 more dangerous than all that had gone before was brought to bear upon it4 ,a ,roman ,emperor1 ,constantine1 was converted to the ,christian religion--yet by that time1 #cac ,a4 ,d41 no more like the religion of ,christ than dim1 misty twilight is like the glorious light of the noon-day sun4 ,he soon loaded the bishops with new honors1 dignities and powers4 ,the churches were made wealthy1 and luxurious living succeeded the simplicity in the manner of life characteristic of earlier times among the followers of ,christ4 ,this luxury1 ever more dangerous than storms or quicksands1 poverty or chains1 proved more disastrous to the church1 more fruitful in its corruptions of the ,gospel than the storms of persecution which had beaten upon it from its inception4 ,through these combined evils that ,i have very briefly enumerated1 the gospel was corrupted1 the authority of ,god1 the priesthood1 was taken from among men2 and then followed long ages of spiritual darkness and wickedness4 ,at last1 however1 the time came to usher in the dispensation of the fullness of times1 in which all things in ,christ1 both things which are in heaven and things which are in earth1 are to be gathered in one1 and the work of the ,father pertaining to the salvation of this creation1 the earth1 and those who inhabit it1 is to be consummated4 ,to open up this work a prophet was raised up in the person of ,joseph ,smith1 and to him the ,lord revealed his purposes2 telling him also that the creeds of men were an abomination in his sight2 that men were drawing near to him with their lips but their hearts were far from him2 that they taught for doctrine the commandments of men1 having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof4,p ,footnote ,p3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p #eg4 ,after this the angel ,moroni was sent to reveal the ,book of ,mormon2 and as it contained an account of the gospel as it was taught to the ancient ,nephites on the western hemisphere by the ,messiah1 and the prophets and apostles authorized to teach in his name2 and as this record had been preserved for generations from the hands of wicked men1 and has never been corrupted1 it contains the fullness of the gospel in its plainness4 ,while this ,nephite record was in course of translation the ,lord sent ,john the ,baptist1 as already stated in the chapter on authority1 to restore the ,aaronic ,priesthood2 afterwards ,peter1 ,james and ,john came and restored the ,melchisedek ,priesthood1 and by the authority which these priesthoods conferred upon him1 and under the direction of the ,almighty1 the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith organized the church1 and ordained men and sent them out to preach the gospel in all the world1 as a witness that the end was near4 ,for more than fifty years has this proclamation been sounded among the nations1 and thousands have been gathered to the place appointed for the saints to assemble and prepare for the glorious coming of the ,messiah4 ,the work has met storms of opposition from the press1 pulpit and ,congress4 ,ridicule and the violence of mobs have assailed it2 drivings1 confiscations of property1 imprisonment1 and banishment have at various times conspired to dishearten those who have accepted it4 ,but in spite of pulpit1 press and ,congress2 in spite of ridicule1 the violence of mobs1 unjust imprisonment1 schemes of confiscation and drivings1 the church of ,christ moves steadily on to the fulfillment of its high destiny1 and the gospel is being preached in all the world4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii4 ,,salvation ,,for ,,the ,,dead4 ,the reader will have observed1 doubtless1 that according to the history of the gospel1 as given in the last chapter1 there have been long periods of time when it has not been upon the earth4 ,one of these periods was from the time that ,moses and the ,holy ,priesthood1 together with the fullness of the gospel1 were taken from among the children of ,israel1 until the restoration of the gospel in the days of ,messiah's ministry in the flesh4 ,another such period was from the time the gospel was corrupted1 in the first two or three centuries of the ,christian era1 and its restoration in the present dispensation1 through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,what became of those who lived in those long periods of time--those untold millions1 who never so much as heard the gospel8--,i might push the inquiry still further1 by calling attention to the fact that even when the gospel has been upon the earth1 there are countless millions who lived and died without having an opportunity of obeying it4 ,what is their fate8 ,in order that the force of these remarks may appear more clearly1 ,i will refer to the present state of the religious world1 that is1 to the strength of the respective religions1 as represented by numbers3 ,according to the latest and best information on the subject1 there are throughout the world3 ,roman ,catholics--#bjf1ehh1bjf ,protestants--#hi1hbe1cdh ,greek and ,russian ,churches--#ge1fia1chb ,oriental ,churches--#f1ggj1jjj ,making the total of all ,christians--#cgh1hgd1icf ,the other religions stand as follows3 ,brahminical ,hindoos--#abj1jjj1jjj ,followers of ,buddha1 ,shinto and ,confucius--#dhb1fjj1jjj ,mohammedans--#afi1jed1ghi ,jews--#g1fab1ghd ,parsees 7fire worshipers in ,persia7--#a1jjj1jjj ,pagans1 not otherwise enumerated--#bbg1jjj1jjj ,making a total of--#a1jjg1bfg1egc;,a ,footnote ,a3 ,these statements are taken from a recent work published by ,gay ,bros4 ,co41 ,new ,york1 entitled1 ,what the ,world ,believes ,from this showing it is seen that only a little more than one-third of the world's population are even professing ,christians2 the other two-thirds know nothing of ,christ or of salvation through his ,gospel4 ,no one1 however1 will contend that all professing ,christianity will be entitled to salvation1 for the very good reason that they do not adopt its precepts in the practices of their lives2 so that the one-third that are enumerated as ,christians would be reduced to much less than that fraction of the world's population if this consideration is taken into account4 ,even if you grant that the gospel of ,christ has been upon the earth for the past eighteen centuries1 as the ,christian world claim1 here is a serious question confronting them1 viz43 ,what is to be the fate of this greater part of the children of ,god who have never heard of ,christ1 and know nothing of the ,christian religion8 ,this is a question which confronted those who declared that the gospel and authority to administer in its ordinances had not been upon the earth for a number of centuries4 ,it is a question which confronts them today2 but it also may be asked of ,christians generally1 for even if you allow that they and their fathers before them have had and still have the gospel1 here is the great majority of the human race--the children of ,god--who have not had it in the past generations1 and do not have it even now4 ,what becomes of the neglected ones8 ,to this question the ,saints used to reply1 in one of their hymns-- ,god is just is all we say1 ,seek no crop where 'twas not planted1 ,nor the day where reigns the night2 ,now the sunshine bright is beaming4 ,let all creatures see aright4 ,since those days1 however1 further light has been revealed from heaven1 which gives enlarged views in respect to the plan of human redemption1 and brings out in strong relief the justice and mercy of ,god2 enlarges the hope1 and dispels the gloom of wretchedness that man-made systems of theology have cast over religion4 ,the principle which has performed all this1 a principle which is permeating all religious thought and shattering to their foundations the old schools of theology1 was first revealed by the prophet ,elijah1 in the ,kirtland ,temple1 in #ahcf4 ,it is written in ,malachi3 ,behold ,i will send you ,elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord3 ,and he shall 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,b ,footnote ,b3 ,mal4 iv3 #e1 #f4 ,the manner in which ,moroni quoted this scripture to the prophet ,joseph ,smith was1 ,behold ,i will reveal unto you the priesthood by the hand of ,elijah the prophet1 before the coming of the great and terrible day of the ,lord4 ,and he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers1 and the hearts of the children shall turn to the fathers4 ,if it were not so1 the whole earth would be utterly wasted at ,his coming4 7,pearl of ,great ,price47 ,this prophecy1 for so long before the people in the ,jewish scriptures1 yet no one knowing the meaning thereof1 was fulfilled by the aforesaid coming of ,elijah to the ,kirtland ,temple1 on the #crd of ,april1 #ahcf4 ,this appearance of ,elijah is described as follows--by the way1 however1 his appearance was preceded by a vision of the ,lord ,jesus1 then of ,moses1 then of ,elias1 who committed the keys of the dispensation of the gospel of ,abraham--,after this vision had closed1 says the prophet1 another great and glorious vision burst upon us1 for ,elijah the prophet1 who was taken to heaven without tasting death1 stood before us and said4 ,behold1 the time has fully come1 which was spoken of by the mouth of ,malachi1 testifying that he 7,elijah7 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 door4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 cx4 ,the key of knowledge this prophet revealed was in relation to salvation for the dead2 the means by which the principles and ordinances of salvation could be applied to those who had lived in those periods of time when the gospel was not upon the earth2 and also to those who had lived when the gospel was on the earth1 but who had not the privilege of hearing it2 aye1 and even to those who had heard and rejected it2 though the spirits of this last class of persons must go to the prison house where they will be required to pay the utmost farthing for their wickedness in rejecting the mercies of ,god2 and will1 through their disobedience1 have shut themselves out from the heights of glory and exaltation they might have attained unto had they but accepted the truth in the love of it1 and walked in harmony with its teachings4 ,this key of knowledge1 ,i say1 gives enlarged views of the mercies of ,god1 and reveals the fact that every man1 both in time and eternity1 will always have the privilege of doing right1 and reaping the reward of his righteousness4 ,it brought to light the grand truth that this earth was not the only place where men could hear the gospel and give assent to its doctrines4 ,on the contrary it gives us to understand that in the spirit world the gospel is preached to the departed spirits of men1 that is1 to those who have departed from this life and that there they are instructed in the way of salvation4 ,these facts give life and meaning to the scripture which says3 ,christ also hath once suffered for sins1 the just for the unjust1 that he might bring us to ,god1 being put to death in the flesh1 but quickened by the ,spirit2 by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison2 which sometimes were disobedient1 when the long-suffering of ,god waited in the days of ,noah while the ark was a preparing1 wherein few1 that is eight souls1 were saved by water4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,i4 ,peter iii3 #ah-bj4 ,in the chapter following the one ,i have quoted1 the apostle remarks3 ,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,e ,this last quotation proves as plainly as plain statement of holy writ can prove anything1 that the gospel is preached also to the dead1 as well as to the living2 and not only that1 but likewise assigns the reason why it is preached to them1 viz43 that those to whom it is thus preached might live according to ,god in the spirit--that is1 live in harmony with the precepts of the gospel taught to them1 that they may be judged as men will be who have the gospel preached to them in the flesh4 ,footnote ,e3 ,verse #f4 ,the first passage quoted gives us to understand that the spirit of ,jesus went to those spirits that were in prison--to those who had rejected the gospel in the days of ,noah1 and who from the time of the flood until ,jesus visited them1 had been paying the penalty of their disobedience in the prison-house prepared for such characters4 ,in the light of these facts several other scriptures are made plain4 ,we can understand now more clearly the words of ,jesus to his apostles1 when he said3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 the hour is coming and now is1 when the dead shall hear the voice of the ,son of ,god1 and they that hear shall live4,f ,and also the words of ,isaiah1 when speaking of the mission of the ,son of ,god1 wherein he tells us that not only is ,jesus to be a covenant unto the people1 and a light unto the gentiles1 but he is also to bring out the prisoners from the prison house4 ,this is the passage3 ,i the ,lord have called thee in righteousness1 and will hold thine hand1 and will keep thee1 and give thee for a covenant of the people1 for a light of the gentiles2 to open the blind eyes1 to bring out the prisoners from the prison1 and them that sit in darkness1 out of the prison house4,g ,footnote ,f3 ,john v3 #be4 ,footnote ,g3 ,isaiah xlii3 #f1 #g4 ,and1 as it was with those who rejected the gospel in the days of ,noah1 so will it be with those who reject the gospel in the days of the coming of the ,son of ,man4 ,such is the prediction of the prophet ,isaiah4 ,after describing the judgments that will attend the glorious coming of the ,son of ,god1 and the punishment that shall overtake the ungodly1 he says3 ,and it shall come to pass1 in that day1 that the ,lord shall punish the hosts of the high ones that are on high1 and the kings of the earth1 upon the earth4 ,and they shall be gathered together1 as prisoners are in the pit1 and shall be shut up in the prison2 and after many days they shall be visited4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,isaiah xxiv3 #ba1 #bb4 ,but while the gospel is preached in the spirit world1 it appears from all that can be learned upon the subject1 that all the outward ordinances1 as baptisms1 confirmations1 ordinations1 anointings1 sealings1 etc41 etc41 must be performed vicariously here upon earth for those who accept the gospel in the world of spirits4 ,this is the work that children may do for their progenitors1 and upon learning this1 the hearts of the children are turned to their fathers2 and the fathers in the spirit world1 learning that they are dependent upon the action of their posterity for the performance of the ordinances of salvation1 their hearts are turned to the children2 and thus the work that was predicted should be performed by ,elijah--turning the hearts of the children to the fathers1 and the hearts of the fathers to the children1 was accomplished in restoring the key of knowledge respecting the salvation for the dead4 ,this1 however1 is no new doctrine4 ,we have already seen that ,peter understood that the ,messiah went and preached to the spirits who had rejected the gospel in the days of ,noah2 and also that the gospel was preached to the dead--without confining it to those who lived in the days of ,noah or any other period4 ,nor is this all1 for ,paul says to the saints at ,corinth3 ,else 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,i ,and why1 ,i ask1 does ,paul make this very plain allusion to baptism for the dead1 if there is no such ordinance connected with the gospel8 ,no other passage of scripture perplexes the theologians more than this one1 and they have exhausted their ingenuity in trying to explain away the evident meaning of it1 because it is destructive of some of their horrible dogmas in respect to the eternal damnation of those who do not have the good fortune to become acquainted with the truth in this probation4 ,footnote ,i3 ,i4 ,cor4 xv3 #bi4 ,from the wording of the sentence--else 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--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 importance1 and the first thing to be considered4,j ,to this rendering of the passage could be drawn up a long list of respectable authorities1 among them ,erasmus1 ,scaliger1 ,grotius1 ,calixtus1 ,meyer and ,de ,wette4 ,footnote ,j3 ,biblical ,literature 7,kitto7 ,art4 ,baptism4 ,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 in ,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,k ,this proves beyond controversy the fact that vicarious baptism for the dead was practiced among some sects of the early ,christians4 ,footnote ,k3 ,heresies1 xxiii3 #g4 ,another fact proves it still more emphatically than this statement of ,epiphanius4 ,the ,council of ,carthage1 held ,a4 ,d4 #cig1 in its sixth canon1 forbids the administration of baptism and the holy communion for the dead2 and why would this canon be formed against these practices if they had no existence among the ,christians of those days8 ,we have now seen1 not only that baptism for the dead is a principle known to and doubtless practiced by the ,corinthian saints1 in the days of ,paul--and evidently with his approval--and by some of the ,christian sects for two or three centuries after his time2 but we have also seen that it was forbidden by the council of an apostate church in the fourth century4 ,in the dispensation in which we now live1 however1 the knowledge of the ordinance1 with a commandment to practice it1 and with instructions necessary to its practice1 has been restored2 and the erection of costly temples1 in which this and other ordinances for the dead may be administered1 testifies to the zeal with which the ,latter-day ,saints enter into this work2 and is a living testimony to the world that there was virtue in the mission of ,elijah4 ,he succeeded in turning the hearts of the children to the fathers2 and we may reasonably conclude that the hearts of the fathers have been turned to the children1 for they without us cannot be made perfect4 ,this doctrine of salvation for the dead strikes a deadly blow to the horrible dogmas formulated by uninspired men in the dark ages of apostasy1 in relation to the eternal punishment of those who die unconverted and in an impenitent condition4 ,according to the aforesaid dogmas such persons are damned to all eternity1 without the least hope for redemption2 and ingenuity has exhausted itself to present to the mind the duration of their sufferings4 ,in the month of ,march1 #ahcj--six years before the coming of ,elijah--the ,lord explained1 through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 the meaning of the terms eternal punishment and endless punishment1 in regard to which men have gone astray4 ,in that explanation it is said3 ,behold the mystery of godliness1 how great is it8 ,for1 behold1 ,i am ,endless1 and the punishment which is given from my hand1 is endless punishment1 for ,endless is my name2 wherefore ,eternal punishment is ,god's punishment4 ,endless punishment is ,god's punishment4,l ,footnote ,l3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 xix3 #aj-ab4 ,the punishment takes its name from him who administers it2 and1 since ,god is ,endless1 the punishment he inflicts is called endless or eternal4 ,and1 indeed1 the punishment exists eternally1 and stands ready to be applied to those who violate the laws of righteousness4 ,but because the penalty stands ever ready to vindicate any law which may be broken1 it does not necessarily follow that persons violating the law will for ever have to endure punishment4 ,mercy1 though not allowed to rob justice1 somewhere1 and at some time1 will step forward and claim her own2 permitting the violator of law to endure punishment no longer than is necessary to vindicate the law1 and satisfy the reasonable claims of justice4 ,hence we may conclude1 that while the actions of men in this probation will greatly affect their standing in the life that is to come1 those actions do not1 in every case1 fix the status of men for eternity4 ,this doctrine of salvation for the dead not only enlarges the hope of man1 but it gives him nobler conceptions of the character of the ,deity1 and increases his admiration for him4 ,in fact1 to my thinking1 this doctrine strips the character of ,god in the inhuman and vindictive cruelty which men1 in the past1 have delighted to represent him as possessing2 and gives new force1 and1 perhaps1 new meaning to the expression1 ,if in this life only we have hope in ,christ1 we are of all men the most miserable4 ,it also vindicates the wisdom of ,deity2 for it must be a very imperfect wisdom that would construct a plan for the redemption of mankind so imperfect in its operations1 so limited in its application as to miss the great majority of mankind1 and leave them without redemption throughout the countless ages of eternity4 ,but when one is given to understand1 and surely such an understanding is given one in the revelations of ,god to which the reader's attention has been directed--when one learns that sometime in the eternities1 somewhere in the numberless creations of ,god1 the proclamation of the gospel will overtake all the children of our ,father1 and they have the privilege of accepting it1 and will be saved by it1 and permitted to enjoy all the happiness and glory their nature and degree of development enables them to encompass--the wisdom1 mercy1 justice and love of ,god all stand out in bold relief2 and man's heart is warmed with increased admiration and devotion to him3 for it teaches him that he worships not a tyrant who delights in the miseries and damnation of his children1 but one whose great pleasure and design it is to bring to pass the eternal happiness of man4 ,,conclusion4 ,my task now draws to a close4 ,i have completed the exposition of the ,first ,principles of the ,gospel of ,christ1 contemplated in this work4 ,i have endeavored to explain what the ,gospel is--its two-fold powers of redeeming mankind from the consequences of ,adam's transgression2 and also from the consequences of their own personal violations of the principles of righteousness1 on the condition of their repentance and obedience4 ,the various principles and ordinances constituting the gospel have been analyzed and the nature and object of each considered in detail1 and then in their relationship to each other--how one principle or ordinance prepares the way and leads up to another3 and lastly1 their application to mankind1 not only in this probation1 but how they follow them into the spirit world and throughout the eternities1 forever inviting him to peace and eternal felicity4 ,in all this ,i see a most perfect system of moral and spiritual philosophy--the perfection of beauty and goodness--a harmonious blending of justice and mercy1 of truth and love4 ,how far these pages exhibit those powers and beauties of the gospel1 it will be for the reader to judge4 ,but in passing that judgment ,i ask him to remember this3 ,our whitest pearls we never find1 ,our ripest fruit we never reach2 ,the flowering moments of the mind1 ,drop half their petals in our speech ,and in this probation ,i do not believe it is given to man to comprehend all the force1 the excellence1 beauty and power of the gospel4 ,these things will be revealed in their fullness only in eternity4 ,,supplement4 ,,man',s ,,relationship ,,to ,,deity4 ,,man',s ,,relationship ,,to ,,deity4 ,,what ,,is ,,man ,,that ,,thou ,,art ,,mindful ,,of ,,him8 ,,and ,,the ,,son ,,of ,,man ,,that ,,thou ,,visitest ,,him4,a ,i4 ,in order to a clear understanding of man's redemption through the atonement of ,jesus ,christ--the grand central truth of the gospel--it is necessary to know something of the relationship between ,god and man4 ,the very fact that such a sacrifice was made for his redemption-- being no less than the immolation of him1 who in heaven bore the second name--argues at once some special relationship between man and ,deity4 ,in view of the greatness and importance of that sacrifice1 we may well ask1 with the ,psalmist1 ,what is man1 that thou art mindful of him8 and the son of man that thou visitest him8 ,these questions lead to the investigation of man's origin2 for upon his origin his relationship to ,god depends4 ,footnote ,a3 ,psalms viii3 #d4 ,a discussion of this subject must be very imperfect1 not to say partial1 that does not give some attention to the various theories--at least to the most prominent ones--of man's origin4 ,it is scarcely necessary to say that theories on the subject are quite numerous and widely different2 and that in each school of philosophers are men eminent for their learning and intelligence4 ,all existing theories1 however1 may be arranged under three headings3 ,first1 the monogenists1 who hold that mankind have descended from a single human pair1 created by ,deity2 and their descendants1 modified by climatic influences1 food1 habits of life and thought constitute the various races of men--this is the theory of those who accept the ,bible as authority on the subject2 second1 the polygenists1 who insist not only on one act of creation1 but upon a number of independent creations1 each giving birth to essential1 unchangeable peculiarities of a separate race1 thus constituting a diversity of species with primal adaptation to their geographical distribution2 third1 the evolutionists1 who believe all existing species are but developments of pre-existing and lower forms of life2 which1 in their turn1 were but developments of still lower forms1 and so on back1 back until you reach the spontaneous generation of the lowest types of vegetable and animal life1 as the accumulation of mold upon food1 the swarming of maggots in meat1 99 99 99 the generation of insect life in decaying vegetable substances1 the birth of one form arising out of the decay of another2 the slow and gradual unfolding from a lower to a higher sphere1 acting through a long succession of ages1 culminating in the grandeur of intellectual manhood4 ,of these theories the first and last only need detain us2 and since the theory of evolution is the one more generally accepted by scientific men1 and is making rapid progress among the masses1 ,i think it proper to state the basis of this theory more in detail4 ,the absurdities which theologians have associated with the first named hypothesis of the origin of man and the universe is largely responsible for the existence of the theory of evolution4 ,finding so much that was contrary to well known facts1 not so much in the theory itself1 as in the explanations of it by its advocates1 induced men of intelligence to look for some other explanation of the genesis of things4 ,it was doubtless observed that many remarkable resemblances exist between man and the inferior animals4 ,in embryonic development1 in physical structure1 in material composition and the functions of organs1 man and the superior animals are strikingly alike4 ,the skeleton of man when examined minutely and compared with the skeletons of the higher order of animals1 seems only a modification of them1 and in some instances the modifications appear extremely slight4 ,this resemblance also exists among the inferior animals1 and it was this1 doubtless1 which gave birth to the idea of a common origin for all existing species4 ,side by side with the above mentioned facts are others that sustain1 it is claimed1 the idea of common origin2 and suggest an explanation of how the varieties of animal and vegetable forms were brought into existence4 ,the great law of nature is for like to beget like2 the tendency of offspring is always to reproduce the parent forms1 as every seed produces its kind2 that is the general law of nature1 and to it a special name is given--it is called atavism4 ,but notwithstanding this general law1 there is a modification of it1 a tendency to variation1 slight in some cases and more marked in others4 ,this is a matter of common observation4 ,the male does not follow the precise type of the male parent1 nor does the female always inherit the precise characteristics of the mother4 ,there are all sorts of intermixtures and intermediate conditions between the two1 where complexion1 or beauty1 or fifty other different peculiarities belonging to either side of the house1 are reproduced in other members of the same family4 ,this kind of variation in cases where offspring are produced by sexual propagation is attributed to the fact that the thing propagated proceeds from two organisms of different sexes and temperaments4 ,breeders of our domestic animals take advantage of this tendency to variation1 to produce such varieties as are most desirable2 and1 indeed1 for that matter1 to obtain new varieties by crossing breeds4 ,sometimes this tendency to variation acts in the most remarkable and unaccountable manner1 and because naturalists can assign no reason for it4 they have called it spontaneous variation4 ,that it may be understood ,i quote instances of such variation from ,professor ,huxley3 ,reaumur1 a famous ,french naturalist1 in an essay on variation1 relates a remarkable case of spontaneous variation which came under his observation in the person of a ,maltese1 of the name of ,gratio ,kelleia1 who was born with six fingers upon each hand1 and the like number of toes upon each of his feet4 ,his parents1 of course1 were ordinary five-fingered persons4 ,this was a case then of spontaneous generation2 and subsequent circumstances in connection with this case prove there is a tendency in nature to perpetuate these variations4 ,gratio ,kelleia married1 when he was twenty-two years of age1 an ordinary five-fingered lady4 ,the result of that marriage was four children4 ,the first1 ,salvator1 had six fingers and six toes1 like the father2 the second1 ,george1 had five fingers and toes2 but one of them was deformed1 showing a tendency to variation2 the third1 ,andre1 had five fingers and five toes perfect2 the fourth1 a girl1 ,marie1 had five fingers and five toes1 but her thumbs were deformed1 showing a tendency towards the sixth4 ,these children grew up and when they came to adult years married1 and of course it happened that they all married five-fingered and five-toed persons4 ,now let us see what happened4 ,salvator had four children1 they were two boys1 a girl and another boy3 the first two boys and the girl were six-fingered and six-toed1 like their grandfather2 the fourth child had only five fingers and five toes4 ,george had four children4 ,there were two girls with six fingers and six toes2 there was one girl with six fingers and five toes on the right side1 and five fingers and five toes on the other2 the fourth1 a boy1 had five fingers and five toes4 ,the third son of ,gratio ,kelleia1 ,andre1 it will be remembered1 was perfectly well formed1 and he had many children whose hands and feet were regularly developed4 ,marie1 the last1 whose thumbs were deformed1 married a man with five fingers and toes3 they had four children2 the first was born with six toes1 but the other children were normal4 ,in this case of ,gratio ,kelleia and his children is seen the tendency to reproduce the parent stock1 and also to perpetuate the variation which so unaccountably appeared4 ,that tendency to perpetuate the variation was very strong1 even though these persons with the six fingers and toes1 or who only inherited the deformity in part1 intermarried with persons ordinarily formed4 ,what would have been the result had the two eldest boys of ,salvator taken it into their heads to marry their first cousins1 the two first girls of ,george8 ,it will be remembered that these were all of the abnormal type of their grandfather4 ,is it not most likely that had these people married and their descendants continued to intermarry with each other1 that a new variety of men having six fingers and six toes would have been the result8 ,the second case ,i quote from ,huxley gives us every reason to believe that such would have been the result3 ,in the year #agia there was a farmer of the name of ,seth ,wright1 in ,massachusetts1 who had a flock of sheep1 consisting of a ram and some twelve or fifteen ewes4 ,of the flock of ewes1 one at the breeding-time bore a lamb which was singularly formed2 it had a very long body1 very short legs1 and those legs were bowed4 ,in the part of ,massachusetts where ,seth ,wright lived1 the fields were separated by fences1 and his sheep1 which were active and robust1 would roam abroad1 and without much difficulty would jump over the fences into other people's farms4 ,as a matter of course this gave rise to all sorts of quarrels1 bickerings and contention among the farmers of the neighborhood2 so it occurred to ,seth ,wright1 if he could obtain a breed of sheep with bandy legs like the one which had so strangely appeared in his flock1 it would be to his advantage1 as they would not be able to jump over the fences so readily4 ,he acted upon that idea4 ,he killed his old ram1 and as soon as the young one arrived at maturity he bred exclusively from him4 ,the result was that all the offspring were like the male parent or female parent1 there was no mixing in the offspring the peculiarities of the parents1 they were either pure ,ancons--the name given to the new variety--or pure1 ordinary sheep4 ,in consequence of this the farmer in a very few years was able to get a considerable flock of this short-legged variety of sheep and a large number of them were soon scattered throughout ,massachusetts4 ,here is the case then where the tendency to perpetuate a variation culminated in the production of a new variety4 ,and1 indeed1 this is what is perpetually going on with our domesticated animals1--by what we may call selective breeding2 and it is going on1 it is claimed by evolutionists1 in a natural state1 that is1 where man's interference does not effect it2 in other words1 variations are perpetuated by means of what ,mr4 ,darwin has called natural selection4 ,suppose1 for instance1 that by one of those unaccountable freaks of nature a spontaneous variation is produced1 as in the case of ,seth ,wright's sheep2 and further suppose that the particular characteristic which distinguished it from the parent stock was favorable to its persistence1 by that ,i mean that the particulars in which it varies from the parent stock will enable the animal1 if it be a beast of prey1 to secure its food more surely either by an increase of fleetness or stealth1 by which it would the more surely run down1 or steal upon its victims1 and in either case be more sure of its food and hence more secure of existence than the stock from which it came2 and if the means of subsistence for these animals were limited1 then the variety having the peculiarity of fleetness or stealth would be preserved and perpetuate the peculiarities imparted to it originally by spontaneous variation1 while the original stock would perish4 ,thus1 as evolutionists would say1 the fittest would survive in this struggle for existence2 and thus the original variation would be preserved and perpetuated and a new variety brought into existence as effectually by this natural means of selection as if man had superintended it for his own benefit4 ,that individuals in organic forms increase in a proportion greater than the provisional means of support is a theory pretty well demonstrated2 there is1 therefore1 a constant struggle for existence in nature1 in which the strongest1 those best fitted to live and improve their species1 prevail4 ,every variation1 therefore1 that is favorable to races of plants or animals is seized upon by this principle of natural selection and preserved4 ,another way of preserving variations is by what our latter-day naturalists call sexual selection4 ,throughout nature1 say they1 the male is the wooer2 he it is who is armed for fight1 and provided with musical organs and ornamental appendages1 with which to charm the fair one4 ,the savage and the wild beast alike secure their mate over the mangled form of a vanquished rival4 ,in this manner the more highly favored of either sex are mated1 and natural selections made by which better ever producing better1 the species in its constant variation is constantly improved4 ,it is now time to pause and see what conclusions these facts have led our scientist to draw4 ,i have called attention to the striking resemblance between man and the superior animals2 in the development of the embryo1 in the material of which they are composed1 and in the use of organs they are alike2 and especially very much alike in physical structure1 the skeleton of man only slightly varying from that of the higher order of animals2 and that resemblance in something like gradation exists throughout the organic world4 ,of course there are marked structural variations even in closely allied species1 and we have seen that there is a tendency in species to vary and also to preserve the variation2 and where the peculiarity of the variation is favorable to the individual it is almost certain to be preserved by the process of natural selection4 ,new varieties thus produced may be expected to produce still other variations that will remove them further than ever from the stock from which their parents came1 until the variation amounts to what our naturalists denominate specific difference4 ,by this process what we now call varieties may eventually become species1 as our species1 according to the evolutionists1 were once nothing more than varieties2 and the groups which naturalists classify as genera1 families1 order1 classes1 etc41 are but the remains of still older species1 which have continued their existence side by side with the new species1 which have been produced from them by this process of variation2 and but for the fact that so many intermediate species have become extinct1 they claim that the multifarious forms of organic life could be traced1 through all the minute variations that have occurred1 back to a common origin2 even back to the mysterious substance in which life seems to generate--protoplasm4 ,such are the basic principles on which is grounded the theory of evolution1 as ,i understand the subject from the works of its advocates1 though my effort to be brief may have rendered my statement of those principles very imperfect4 ,one thing more should be stated in connection with this theory1 and that is that very long periods of time are demanded for the slow work of variation preserved by natural selection to accomplish the wonders attributed to it4 ,to measure the time claimed by evolutionists by the lapse of years is simply out of the question2 they ask for a long series of ages1 each of which1 though doubtless unequal1 consists of millions of years4 ,as the ,rev4 ,george ,b4 ,cheever remarks3 ,the first postulate of this philosophy is that of countless millions of years to work in1 with no ,creator1 and with no authority that can bring it to book4 ,to prove that such long periods of time have elapsed1 during which organic forms have existed on the earth1 the evolutionist triumphantly points to the revelations of geology1 and there gives proof which there is1 perhaps1 no denying1 of the lapse of time he pleads for2 and also proof of organic forms of life in those various ages1 fossilized remains of which are found in the strata of the earth's crust4 ,if you say to the advocate of evolution that it is incredible that variations preserved by natural selection could result in the production of such a wonderful organ as the eye2 he replies that if numerous gradations from a simple and imperfect eye to one complex and perfect can be shown to exist1 each grade being useful to its possessor1 as is certainly the case2 if further1 the eye varies and the variations be inherited1 as is likewise certainly the case2 and if such variations should be useful to any animal under changing conditions of life2 then the difficulty of believing that a perfect and complex eye could be formed by natural selection1 though insuperable by our imagination1 should not be considered as subversive of the theory4,b ,but with this statement and some further observations upon it1 ,mr4 ,darwin himself seems not altogether satisfied that he has removed the difficulty which he admits is enough to stagger anyone2 ,i have felt the difficulty1 he says1 far too keenly to be surprised at others hesitating to extend the principle of natural selection to so startling a length4,c ,footnote ,b3 ,origin of ,species p4 #adc1 7,american ,edition1 #ahhc47 ,footnote ,c3 ,ibid p4 #adf ,if you say that it is incredible that natural selection can account for the production of such a wonderful thing as the mind of man--his reasonable soul1 the reply is that instinct varies among the inferior animals no less than physical structure1 and though there may be no perceivable proportion or gradation between structural variation and variation of instinct2 still1 if the fact is admitted that among animals instinct varies1 then it is easy to conceive that some of those variations may be favorable1 and if favorable then natural selection would perpetuate them and make them dominant4 ,from this basis they make another step the difference between the mental faculties of man and animal is immense1 but the high culture which belongs to man evolutionists maintain has been slowly developed1 and the separation between the mental powers of lowest man and the highest ape is no greater than that which exists between the lowest ape and some of the lower forms of life1 say the ,zoophytes4 ,if you say that articulate language surely marks a wide gulf between man and the lower animals1 the reply is that animals are not devoid of expedients for expressing emotions1 and from those expedients may have been evolved through intermediate species1 now extinct1 articulate language4 ,if you ask why1 if species have descended from other species by fine gradations1 do we not everywhere see innumerable transitional forms8 ,why is not all nature in confusion1 instead of the species being1 as we see them1 well defined8 ,the answer is that the intermediate species have become extinct1 that we must look upon each existing species as having descended from some unknown forms2 that natural selection acts slowly by preserving profitable modifications4 ,each new form will tend in a fully stocked country to take the place of1 and finally exterminate1 its own less-improved parent form1 and other less favored forms with which it comes in competition2 thus both parent and all transitional varieties will generally have been exterminated by the very process of the formation and perfection of the new4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,origin of species1 p #acd4 ,if you object further1 and call attention to the fact that in the great geological record1 of which evolutionists boast so much1 that not even in that can be found the intermediate transitional forms that should1 according to their theory1 link together by fine gradations the species,e--this objection1 otherwise fatal to the theory of evolution1 is avoided rather than answered by putting forth the claim that the geological record is very imperfect1 and comparatively only a few of its pages have1 as yet1 been read by man4 ,footnote ,e3 ,geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain2 and this1 perhaps1 is the most obvious and serious objection which can be urged against the theory of evolution4 ,the explanation lies1 as ,i believe1 in the extreme imperfection of the geological record4--,darwin1 ,origin of ,species p4 #bje4 ,after thus escaping from the difficulty of there being no intermediate transitional forms between the species1 we come to other facts not less important1 and even1 perhaps1 more fatal to the hypothesis of evolution--,i refer to the phenomena presented by hybrids1 and in order that ,i may not be charged with over-estimating the value of the objection founded on this class of phenomena1 ,i shall quote the words of ,professor ,huxley1 one of the chief apostles of evolution1 and give his estimate of the weight of the objections3 ,there is a most singular circumstance1 says the professor1 in respect to natural species--at least about some of them--and it would be sufficient for the purposes of this argument1 if it were true of only one of them2 but there is1 in fact1 a great number of such cases--and that is1 that similar as they may appear to be to mere races or breeds1 they present a marked peculiarity in the reproductive process4 ,if you breed from the male and female of the same race1 you of course have offspring of the like kind2 and if you make the offspring breed together1 you obtain the same result2 and if you breed from these again1 you will still have the same kind of offspring2 there is no check4 ,but if you take members of two distinct species1 however similar they may be to each other1 and make them breed together1 you will find a check1 with some modifications and exceptions-- 99 99 99 if you cross two such species with each other1 then1--although you may get offspring in the case of the first cross1 yet if you attempt to breed from the products of that crossing1 which are what are called hybrids,f--that is1 if you couple a male and a female hybrid--then the result is that in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred you will get no offspring at all2 there will be no result whatsoever1 99 99 99 ,thus you see that there is a great difference between 'mongrels1' which are crosses between distinct races varieties1 and 'hybrids1' which are crosses between distinct species4 ,the mongrels are1 so far as we know1 fertile with one another4 ,but between species1 in many cases1 you cannot succeed in obtaining the first cross2 at any rate it is quite certain that the hybrids are often absolutely infertile one with another4 ,here is a feature1 then1 great or small as it may be1 which distinguishes natural species of animals4,g ,footnote ,f3 ,the product of the horse and the ass--the mule--is an example4 ,footnote ,g3 ,huxley's ,lectures1 pp4 #ajf1 #ajg4 ,now1 by the side of these facts1 the sterility of species and hybrids1 let us place another2 that of the fertility of varieties4 ,so long as you breed together descendants from a common stock they continue fruitful to each other1 without any check4 ,now1 if naturalists cannot produce by selective breeding varieties from a common parentage that are infertile to each other1 then it is quite clear that species did not come from varieties by the process of variation preserved by natural selection1 since here is a phenomenon existing in connection with species which cannot1 to all appearances1 be produced by breeding together varieties4 ,mr4 ,huxley remarks on this1 that if it could be proven not only that this has not been done1 but that it cannot be done1 then ,mr4 ,darwin's hypothesis would be utterly shattered4,h ,well1 up to the present it has not been done1 the gentleman last quoted admits the fact2 he asks1 what is really the state of the case8 ,it is simply that1 so far as we have gone yet with our breeding1 we have not produced from a common stock two breeds1 which are not more or less fertile with one another4,i ,footnote ,h3 ,huxley's ,lectures1 p4 #ada4 ,footnote ,i3 ,lectures1 p4 #ada4 ,what do these facts prove1 ,i mean the sterility of species and hybrids on the one hand1 and the fertilities of varieties1 descendants from a common stock1 on the other8 ,why that the great law of nature is1 as announced in holy writ that every seed shall produce after its kind1 and every fish1 fowl1 creeping-thing1 beast1 and man shall bring forth after his kind,j--that is what it proves4 ,and though man may for a moment by crossing species cause a slight deviation from that great law1 it can be but for an instant1 the monstrosity cannot be perpetuated1 it dies out by being made unfruitful4 ,footnote ,j3 ,gen4 ,i3 #aa1 #ab1 #ba1 #bd1 #be4 ,how do these facts affect the theory of evolution8 ,let us remember upon what that theory rests4 ,it rests upon the principle that lower forms producing favorable variations and these being preserved by the process of natural selection amount finally to the production of distinct species2 but we have seen that varieties cannot produce what may be called the great characteristic of species--infertility to each other2 then also we have seen there is a check to variation in the sterility of species and hybrids4 ,add these facts to that other fact that neither in living nature nor in the geological records can be found the intermediate transitional forms linking together by fine gradations the species1 and the theory of evolution lies stranded upon the shore of idle speculation4 ,,ii4 ,there is one other objection to be urged against the theory of evolution before leaving it2 it is contrary to the revelations of ,god4 ,i have not in mind1 at present1 the revelations respecting the creation of the earth and of vegetable and animal life2 but rather the revelations which speak of the ,atonement of ,jesus ,christ4 ,according to the revelations of ,god contained in the ,bible1 man was created just and right--sufficient to have stood1 yet free to fall4 ,he transgressed1 in some way1 the holy commandment given him1 and by that transgression became fallen man1 subject to sin and death1 and entailed the same evils upon his posterity4 ,both he and they were powerless to extricate themselves from the consequences of that violation of law2 but a sacrifice was prepared1 a ,redeemer was provided1 both for ,adam and all his posterity4 ,in the meridian of time that ,redeemer appeared in the person of ,jesus of ,nazareth1 who eventually was offered up a sacrifice for sinful man--he suffered for sins1 the just for the unjust1 that he might bring us to ,god4,a ,that this was the mission of ,jesus ,christ is evident from the whole tenor of the scriptures4,b ,but if the hypothesis of evolution be true1 if man is only a product evolved from the lower forms of life1 better still producing better1 until the highest type of intellectual manhood crowns with glory this long continued process--then it is evident that there has been no fall1 such as the revelations of ,god speak of2 and if there was no fall1 there was no occasion for a ,redeemer to make atonement for man1 in order to reconcile him to ,god2 then the mission of ,jesus ,christ was a myth1 the coinage of idle brains1 and ,jesus himself was either mistaken1 or one of the many impostors that have arisen to mock mankind with the hope of eternal life4 ,footnote ,a3 ,i4 ,peter iii3 #ah4 ,footnote ,b3 ,see the chapters in ,the ,gospel on ,general ,salvation1 where this idea is treated at some length4 ,such is the inevitable result of accepting the philosophy of evolution1 after which all the world is now running--it is destructive of the grand central truth of all revelation2 as well ancient as modern2 as well the revelations given to ,moses and the prophets1 as those given to the apostles of the ,new ,testament2 as well those given in ,asia1 as those given in ,america2 for the central truth of all revelation is the fall of man1 and the redemption through the atonement of ,jesus ,christ4 ,all things else contained in the revelations of ,god to man are subordinate and dependent for their strength and force upon this leading truth4 ,i am aware that there is a class of men who profess to be ,christian evolutionists1 and who maintain that ,christianity can be made to harmonize with the philosophy of evolution4 ,but how are they made to harmonize8 ,we are told that ,jesus is still a ,redeemer1 but in this sense he gave out faultless moral precepts1 and practiced them in his life2 and inasmuch as people accept his doctrines and follow his example they will be redeemed from evil4 ,but as to the fall of man and the atonement made for him by the ,son of ,god--both ideas are of necessity rejected2 which means1 of course1 denying the great fundamental truths of revelation2 it is by destroying the basis on which the ,christian religion rests1 that the two theories are harmonized--if such a process can be called harmonization4 ,it is on the same principle that the lion and the lamb harmonize1 or lie down together--the lion eats the lamb4 ,it was stated in the first part of this writing that the follies of those who profess a belief in the theory of creation as revealed in the ,bible1 were largely responsible for the existence of the theory of evolution2 that their exegesis of the revelations on the subject were so manifestly absurd1 and contradicted so many well known and indisputable facts1 that scientific men sought for other explanations of the origin of things4 ,the theologians in the apostate churches of ,christendom have maintained that ,god created the heavens and the earth--the universe--out of nothing1 in six days4 ,a statement than which it is impossible to conceive one more absurd1 or one which contradicts more completely every fact demonstrated by the experience of man4 ,every sense1 every possible conception of the mind bears witness that from nothing1 nothing comes4 ,the idea of creating the universe out of nothing1 however1 is rapidly passing away from the minds of the present generation2 and it is conceded by many theologians that there is no warrant for such a doctrine in the scriptures2 but that it became generally accepted through a misconception of the meaning of the word create4 ,the meaning of this word1 says ,rev4 ,baden ,powell1 of ,oxford ,university1 has been commonly associated with the idea of 'making out of nothing4' ,but when we come to inquire more precisely into the subject1 we can of course satisfy ourselves as to the meaning only from an examination of the original phrase4 ,the learned professor then proceeds to say that three distinct ,hebrew verbs are in different places employed with reference to the same divine act1 and may be translated respectively1 create1 make1 form or fashion4 ,now1 continues the professor1 though each of these has its shade of distinction1 yet the best critics understand them as so nearly synonymous that1 at least in regard to the idea of making out of nothing1 little or no foundation for that doctrine can be obtained from the first of these words4 ,and1 of course if no foundation for the doctrine can be obtained from the first of these words--viz41 the verb translated create1 then the chances are still less for there being any foundation for the doctrine in the verb translated1 made1 formed or fashioned4 ,this is in harmony1 too1 with the teachings of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,he says ,you ask the learned doctors why they say the world was made out of nothing2 and they will answer1 ',don't the ,bible say he created the world8 and they infer1 from the word create that it must have been made out of nothing4 ,now the word create came from the word baurau1 which does not mean to create out of nothing2 it means to organize1 the same as man would organize materials and build a ship4 ,hence we infer that ,god had materials to organize the world out of chaos--chaotic matter1 which is element1 and in which dwells all the glory4 ,element had an existence from the time he ,god had4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,journal of ,discourses1 ,vol4 vi3 p4 #f4 ,professor ,baden ,powell further says1 ,the idea of 'creation' as meaning absolutely 'making out of nothing1' or calling into existence that which did not exist before1 in the strictest sense of the term1 is not a doctrine of scripture2 but it has been held by many on the grounds of natural theology1 as enhancing the ideas we form of the divine power1 and more especially since the contrary must imply the belief in the eternity and self existence of matter4,d ,theologians have held1 generally1 that to admit the doctrine of the eternity and self existence of matter detracted from the perfection of ,deity1 though how that can appear is difficult to comprehend4 ,footnote ,d3 ,kitto's ,biblical ,literature1 ,art4 ,creation4 ,not only have so-called theologians been compelled to renounce the unphilosophical idea that the universe was created out of nothing2 but they also have to admit that there are indisputable evidences of the earth having a greater antiquity than their interpretations of the word of ,god allow4 ,that is1 the earth itself bears in its own bosom the evidence that it is more than six thousand years old4 ,and though it may turn out1 on further investigation1 that some of the claims of geology are extremely absurd2 owing to the fact1 perhaps1 that the founders of that science have not considered sufficiently the effect of conditions not now existing and forces not now in operation1 but which doubtless existed and operated in the earlier ages of our earth's existence--yet when extremely liberal allowances for all these things are made1 the indisputable evidence adduced from the science of geology is sufficient to establish the statement that the earth is more than six thousand years old2 and it might be added also that from the same source it is evident that the earth was not created or organized from pre-existing element in six days of twenty-four hours duration4 ,these facts which geology unquestionably demonstrates have thrown sectarian theologians into dismay4 ,the dogmas concerning the creation formulated with so much pomp and circumstance by the apostate churches of ,christendom1 respectable only for their antiquity1 are going to pieces before the facts discovered by geologists and churchmen1 or theologians1 call them which you will1 are filled with alarm lest all confidence be lost in revelation2 and many of them are making frantic efforts to harmonize the facts of revelation with the facts of science4 ,unfortunately1 however1 some of these proceed on lines which result the same as the efforts of some to harmonize the theory of evolution with the gospel--as the latter efforts end in the destruction of the gospel1 so the former end in denying the inspiration of scripture1 in relegating it to the realms of poetry1 which means kicking it contemptuously out of the domains of fact1 of history4 ,we affirm1 say they1 that it cannot be history--it may be poetry4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,kitto's ,biblical ,literature1 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #dhf4 ,such also were the views of the late ,henry ,ward ,beecher1 and in fact all of his school1 which ,i am sorry to say is rapidly increasing in numbers1 both in the ,united ,states and ,england4 ,for the continental countries ,i cannot speak4 ,there is nothing in the ,bible1 however1 which drives believers in revelation to those straights--straights in which they throw overboard1 practically1 the word of ,god2 discard it1 or1 in other words1 degrade it to the level of romance--making it nothing better than the idle coinage of the half frenzied brains of day-dreamers4 ,if the dogmas of apostate ,christendom respecting the creation were given over as a romance instead of the revelations of ,god1 and those revelations were re-examined1 and especially if re-examined under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 it would then be found that there is nothing in the scriptures requiring the believer in revelation to accept the idea of recent or instantaneous creation of the earth4 ,there is no more warrant in the ,bible for the doctrine that the earth was begun and completed--created--about six thousand years ago1 and that instantly1 at the word of ,god1 than there is that it was made out of nothing4 ,on the other hand there is very much to lead one to believe the contrary4 ,six thousand years ago our earth reached that degree of perfection that it was fitted for the abode of man2 and it is interesting to note1 in this connection1 that geologists have found no evidence of the existence of man on the earth only in the strata of the earth's crust belonging to the latest geological periods1 and most probably only in those made within the period of history4 ,but while the ,bible may teach that it was only about six thousand years since man was placed upon the earth1 how long the period of formation lasted previous to that time1 how long it required to prepare this planet with all its wealth of fruits and vegetables and animal life1 for the abode of man1 is not known4 ,it is called in the scriptures1 says ,apostle ,orson ,pratt1 ,six days2 but we do not know the meaning of the scriptural term 'day4' ,it evidently does not mean such days as we are now acquainted with--days governed by the rotation of the earth on its axis1 and by the shining of the great central luminary of our solar system4 ,a day of twenty-four hours is not the kind of day referred to in the scriptural account of the creation2 the word 'day' in the scriptures seems often to refer to some indefinite period of time4 ,the ,lord1 in speaking to ,adam in the garden says1 ',in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die2' yet he did not die within twenty-four hours after he had eaten the forbidden fruit2 but he lived to be almost a thousand years old1 from which we learn that the word 'day' in this paragraph1 had no reference to days of the same duration as ours4 ,again it is written1 in the second chapter of ,genesis1 ',in the day that he created the heavens and the earth2',f not six days1 but 'in the day' that he did it1 incorporating all the six days into one1 and calling that period 'the day' that he created the heavens and the earth4,g ,footnote ,f3 ,these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created1 in the day that the ,lord ,god made the earth and the heavens4 ,genesis ii3 #d4 ,footnote ,g3 ,journal of ,discourses1 ,vol4 xiv3 p4 #bcd-e4 ,as a further evidence that day as used in connection with the acts of creation does not mean a period of duration of twenty-four hours1 it may be mentioned that it was not until the period called the fourth day that the sun reflected his light upon our earth and ruled the day2 and divided the light from the darkness1 giving us the day and night regulated by the rotation of the earth upon its axis2 so that the preceding three days were not of twenty-four hours duration1 but certainly referred to some other division of time1 which was also1 doubtless1 employed throughout in speaking of these acts of creation4,h ,moreover1 it is said in this first chapter of ,genesis1 ,in the beginning ,god created the heaven and the earth4 ,and the earth was without form and void2 and darkness was upon the face of the deep4,i ,footnote ,h3 ,respecting this creation of the sun as referred to in the above1 ,apostle ,orson ,pratt has made some remarks at once ingenious and instructive1 he says3 ,what ,i understand by the formation creation of these celestial luminaries1 is that ,he ,god then caused them to shed forth their light that is upon the earth4 ,i cannot suppose that it would take the ,lord six days to form such a little speck of a world as ours1 and then for ,him on the fourth to form a globe fourteen hundred thousand times larger than the earth4 ,this does not look consistent to me4 ,if it took six days to form a small world like ours1 we might certainly suppose that it would require more than one day to form the sun1 which contains a quantity of matter sufficient to make some three hundred and fifty four thousand worlds like this1 and whose actual size or magnitude is fourteen thousand times larger than our globe2 consequently ,i understand by the formation of the sun and moon and stars1 and setting them in the firmament of the heavens1 that ,he merely suffered their light to shine on the fourth day1 to regulate the evenings and mornings1 that were produced prior to that time1 probably by some other cause4 ,the ,lord wanted by these luminaries to divide the day from the night1 and he set them for times and seasons in the firmament of the heavens4 ,journal of ,discourses1 ,vol4 xvi3 pp4 #caf-g4 ,footnote ,i3 ,genesis i3 #a1b4 ,how long it remained in that condition before the ,spirit of ,god moved upon the face of the waters1 or the six great periods of creation began1 it would be impossible to say1 since we have no data in revelation to go upon2 but the duration was doubtless sufficient to allow all the myriads of years claimed by geologists as necessary for the formation of our planet4 ,then how long those periods of time were which are called days in the ,bible1 is uncertain2 but enough is known to justify us in the belief that they were great periods of time1 in which the successive acts of creation occurred4 ,in which continents were up-raised1 and mountains were heaved up by volcanic eruption1 exposed to warmth and light and covered with vegetation1 and animal life1 and then worn away by the combined action of the atmosphere and rains1 much of their matter being carried back to old ocean's bed1 and settling there as sediment1 forming new strata of rocks1 occasionally imbedding vegetables and animals which became fossilized2 and these strata1 being afterwards thrown up from the bottom of the ocean are exposed to view1 and from what he there finds1 the geologist conjectures at the condition of the earth and forms his judgment as to what animals and vegetation were then upon it--there was time for all this1 let it be performed ever so slowly4 ,while the ,bible account of the creation gives sufficient margin to allow all the time claimed by the geologists for that work1 let their claims be ever so extravagant1 still let geologists have some modesty about them and admit--as perforce they must--that they do not know that the same conditions existed1 or the same forces operated in those long ages of the past that now exist and operate4 ,hence it is not unlikely that changes resulting in the advancement of the earth's formation1 and in its preparation for the abode of man were much more rapid then than now4 ,this is not begging the question1 there is no need of that2 but it is mentioned in passing1 as pointing to a condition of things not unlikely to have existed4 ,,iii4 ,what is most perplexing about the ,bible narrative of this work of creation is that two accounts are given of it2 and apparently there is an irreconcilable difference between them4 ,in the first chapter of ,genesis is a statement of the creation in respect to this earth and the heavens connected with it1 from the time it was without form and void until it was a fit dwelling place for man3 or1 to put it in other words1 the account seems to reach from highly attenuated nebulae to the solid earth clothed with its wealth of vegetable and animal life1 with man placed upon it as the crowning excellence of the ,creator's work4 ,but after this elaborate account of the creation contained in the first chapter of ,genesis1 we are startled to read in the second chapter-- ,these are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created1 in the day that the ,lord ,god made the earth and the heavens1 and every plant of the field before it was in the earth1 and every herb of the field before it grew3 for the ,lord ,god had not caused it to rain upon the earth1 and there was not a man to till the ground4 ,one naturally pauses here to ask1 what had become of the grasses1 herbs1 and trees spoken of in the first chapter of ,genesis8 what of the fishes of the sea1 the fowls of the air1 the beasts of the field8 what of man1 male and female1 of whose creation we have just read8 and of the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth8 ,is it not strange that after reading of the creation of man in the first chapter that we should be told in the second that there was not a man to till the ground8 ,proceeding with this second account of creation the ,bible says3 ,but there went up a mist from the earth1 and watered the whole face of the ground4 ,and the ,lord ,god formed man of the dust of the ground1 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life2 and man became a living soul4 ,and the ,lord ,god planted a garden eastward in ,eden2 and there he put the man whom he had formed4 ,and out of the ground made the ,lord to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight1 and good for food4 99 99 99 ,and out of the ground the ,lord ,god formed every beast of the field1 and every fowl of the air2 and brought them unto ,adam to see what he would call them3 and whatsoever ,adam called every living thing that was the name thereof4 ,what is especially difficult in this second account of creation is that it reverses the order of that work as given in the first4 ,the first account commences with the formation of the earth from chaotic matter and then records the various steps of progress in succinct and natural order--the same order1 too1 that science insists upon--up to perfection3 the second begins with an account of the creation of man1 the planting of a garden as the beginning of vegetable existence1 and then the creation of the fowls of the air and the beasts of the fields4 ,the writings of ,moses as revealed to ,joseph ,smith1 in ,december1 #ahcj1 and now contained in the ,pearl of ,great ,price1 make this matter of the creation of man still more emphatic by saying3 ,and ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 formed man from the dust of the ground1 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life2 and man became a living soul1 the first flesh upon the earth1 the first man also4 ,but if these writings of ,moses make emphatic the apparent contradiction in these two accounts of creation1 they also furnish the key by which the whole matter may be understood1 and1 as ,i think1 explained4 ,after giving an account of the creation1 much as it is contained in the first chapter of ,genesis1 it is then stated-- ,and behold ,i say unto you1 these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth1 when they were created1 in the day that ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 made the heaven and the earth1 and every plant of the field before it was in the earth1 and every herb of the field before it grew4 ,for ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 created all things1 of which ,i have spoken1 spiritually1 before they were naturally upon the face of the earth4 ,for ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth4 ,and ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 had created all the children of men2 and not yet a man to till the ground2 for in heaven created ,i them2 and there was not yet flesh upon the earth2 neither in the water1 neither in the air2 but ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 spake1 and there went up a mist from the earth1 and watered the whole face of the ground4 ,and ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 formed man from the dust of the ground1 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life2 and man became a living soul1 the first flesh upon the earth1 the first man also2 nevertheless1 all things were before created1 but spiritually1 were they created and made according to my word4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #f4 ,as to the character of this spiritual creation nothing is known2 nothing1 so far as ,i know1 has been revealed in relation to it4 ,here let me say1 by way of caution1 that those who accept the revelations of ,god as truth need not be alarmed or worried if they meet with things in the sacred writings that they cannot explain or understand1 as in the case of this spiritual creation of the heavens and the earth which preceded the natural1 or what we regard as the actual creation of the earth4 ,in this and in all cases of like character we claim for those who accept the revelations of holy writ as facts1 what ,professor ,huxley claims for those who build up theories on their conception of facts in nature1 viz--,there is a wide difference between the thing you cannot explain and the thing which upsets your theory altogether4 ,this idea is a pendulum which should swing just as high for the believer in revelation as for the scientist4 ,not that there is anything wrong with revelation1 the difficulty arises from our inability to comprehend it2 but when increased intelligence shall give us enlarged views and keener powers of penetration1 we shall then find that the revelations of ,god are in strict accord with the facts in the case1 and perfectly simple however incomprehensible they may have seemed to us in the day when we saw as through a glass darkly4 ,but this is a digression4 ,though we cannot understand the nature of this spiritual creation1 yet to learn that the first account of the creation in the ,bible is of a spiritual creation and the second of an actual or natural one1 gives some comfort1 from the fact that it does away with all charges of inconsistency or contradiction between the two accounts4 ,for since they are descriptions of two different things instead of one thing1 there is nothing in the law of consistency requiring the accounts of different events to be alike4 ,in these articles1 however1 what turns out to be an account of the spiritual creation of the earth has been spoken of and treated as the natural or actual creation4,b ,it has been treated so purposely1 because ,i believe the natural in the order of its creation and development corresponds with the creation and development of the spiritual4 ,furthermore1 ,i believe the account in the first chapter of ,genesis could be safely accepted as the announcement of the general plan of creation1 not only of our planet but of all worlds2 and in it will be found ample scope for the belief that the earth came into existence by the accretion of nubulous matter2 that it took thousands of years1 yea1 millions1 perhaps1 for the condensation and solidification of that matter2 granting as long periods as geologists may demand for the formation of the earth's curst2 that then followed the changes which were wrought during the six great periods named in ,genesis2 beginning with the production of light1 and ending with placing man upon the completed planet as its lord and sovereign under ,god4 ,footnote ,b3 ,i do not wish in making this distinction between the spiritual and natural creation1 and in using the word actual to be understood as implying that the spiritual creation was not an actual creation4 ,it may have been just as tangible and actual as the creation on which we walk4 ,i only use the expression to make a distinction between the natural and spiritual creations4 ,the careful reader of this paper will say1 however1 that the statements in the last paragraph permit all the old difficulties to surge back upon us2 all the old apparent inconsistencies between the first and second accounts of creation in ,genesis remain unreconciled4 ,for if the natural creation of our planet corresponded to the spiritual creation of it1 the spiritual standing in the same relationship to the natural as the well devised plan of the architect does to the actual erection of a building--then the account given of the spiritual creation of our earth may as well be regarded as the account of the actual creation of it also4 ,but this leaves all the difficulties between the two accounts of creation in the ,bible untouched1 and we must look to other facts than those yet considered if we would see them removed4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith is credited with having said that our planet was made up of the fragments of a planet which previously existed2 some mighty convulsions disrupted that creation and made it desolate4 ,both its animal and vegetable life forms were destroyed4 ,and when those convulsions ceased1 and the rent earth was again consolidated1 and it became desirable to replenish it1 the work was begun by making a mist to rise that it might descend in gentle rain upon the barren earth1 that it might again be fruitful4 ,then came one of the sons of ,god,c to the earth--,adam4 ,a garden was planted in ,eden and the man placed in it1 and there the ,lord brought to him every beast of the field and every fowl of the air1 and ,adam gave names to them all4 ,afterwards was brought to ,adam his wife1 whom1 since she was derived from man1 he named wo-man2 and she became his help-mate1 his companion and the mother of his children4 ,in this nothing is hinted at about man being made from the dust1 and woman manufactured from a rib1 a story which has been a cause of much perplexity to religious people1 and a source of much impious merriment to reckless unbelievers4 ,we are informed that the ,lord ,god made every plant of the field before it was in the earth1 and every herb before it grew,d on our planet4 ,as vegetation was created or made to grow upon some older earth1 and the seeds thereof or the plants themselves were brought to our earth and made to grow1 so likewise man and his help-meet were brought from some other world to our own1 to people it with their children4 ,and though it is said that the ,lord ,god formed man of the dust of the ground--it by no means follows that he was formed as one might form a brick1 or from the dust of this earth4 ,we are all formed of the dust of the ground1 though instead of being moulded as a brick we are brought forth by the natural laws of procreation2 so also was ,adam and his wife in some older world4 ,and as for the story of the rib1 under it ,i believe the mystery of procreation is hidden4 ,footnote ,c3 ,lest any one should doubt that ,adam was one of the sons of ,god1 ,i call attention to the verse of ,luke1 iii chapter1 where in tracing the genealogy of ,jesus back to ,adam1 and coming to ,cainan it goes on to say that he 7,cainan7 was the son of ,enos1 which was the son of ,seth1 which was the son of ,adam1 which was the son of ,god4 ,footnote ,d3 ,genesis ii3 #d1 #e4 ,of the things ,i have spoken1 this is the sum3 ,there was a planet created on the plan of the spiritual creation described in the first chapter of ,genesis2 beginning with the condensation of nubulous matter to a fire ball1 then the cooling of the surface and thickening of the earth's crust1 and the envelopment of it in water2 then came light1 and by internal eruptions portions of land were thrown above the surface of the water--the dry land appeared2 then came the simpler forms of vegetation2 then the sunlight visited the earth1 and doubtless higher forms of vegetation1 fruit-trees and flowers and grains were brought forth2 then came the creatures that abound in the ocean1 that fly in the air1 and the beasts of the earth4 ,not by the process of evolution1 but by the various species suitable to the condition of the earth's development being brought from some other and older sphere1 with power to propagate their kind1 until the changed conditions of the earth became unfavorable to them1 when they became extinct and were replaced by other species of a higher type4 ,then came the mighty convulsions which1 for some cause or other1 and doubtless for some wise purpose1 disrupted that planet2 and when from its fragments a new world--our present planet--was brought into existence1 it was made the abode of man1 as described in the second account of the creation in ,genesis1 which begins by placing man upon the earth1 and then the inferior animals4 ,accepting this statement of ,joseph ,smith relative to our planet in its present state being created or formed from the fragments of a planet which previously existed1 one may readily understand how the supposed differences between scientists and believers in revelation have arisen4 ,scientists have been talking of the earth's strata that were formed in a previously existing planet2 they have considered the fossilized flora and fauna imbedded in those strata1 and have speculated as to the probable lapse of time since those animal and vegetable forms of life existed2 and have generally concluded that the age is so far remote that there is no possible chance of harmonizing it with the account of the creation as given in the ,bible4 ,believers in the ,bible1 on the other hand1 have generally taken it for granted that the account of the creation in the sacred record1 would give to the earth no greater antiquity than six thousand years2 and have held that within that period the universe was created out of nothing by the volition of ,deity--an idea so palpably absurd that intelligence1 despite all church authority to the contrary1 everywhere rejects it4 ,the theory set forth in this writing that before ,adam was paced upon this earth to people it with his offsprings the matter of which it is composed existed in another planet1 which by some mighty convulsions was broken up1 and from its ruins was formed our present earth1 at once affords a means of harmonizing those facts established by the researches of men and the facts of revelation4 ,if scientists shall claim that myriads of years or of centuries must have been necessary to form the earth's crust1 it may be allowed by the believers in revelation1 for there is nothing that would contradict that idea in the revelations of ,god on the subject4 ,if scientists shall claim that the fossilized remains in the different strata of the earth's crust reveal the fact that in the earlier periods of the earth's existence only the simpler forms of vegetation and animal life are to be found1 both forms of life becoming more complex and of higher type as the earth becomes older1 until it is crowned with the presence of man--all that may be allowed4 ,but that this gradation of animal and vegetable life owes its existence to the process of evolution is denied4 ,as before explained1 the claims of evolution are contrary to all experience so far as man's knowledge extends4 ,the great law of nature is that every plant1 herb1 fish1 fowl1 beast and man produces his kind2 and though there may be slight variations from that law1 those variations soon run out either by reverting to the original stock1 or else by becoming incapable of producing offspring1 and thus become extinct4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,since beginning this writing ,i have found some remarks on the subject of evolution by the late ,president ,john ,taylor1 which cannot fail to be of interest to the student of the subject3 ,the ,animal and vegetable creations are governed by certain laws1 and are composed of certain elements peculiar to themselves4 ,this applies to man1 to beasts1 fowls1 fish and creeping things1 to the insects and to all animated nature2 each one possessing its own distinctive features2 each requiring a specific sustenance1 each having an organism and faculties governed by prescribed laws to perpetuate1 its own kind4 99 99 99 ,these principles do not change1 as represented by evolutionists of the ,darwinian school1 but the primitive organisms of all living beings exist in the same form as when they first received their impress from their ,maker4 ,there are1 indeed1 some very slight exceptions1 for instance1 the ass may mix with the mare and produce the mule2 but there it ends2 the violation of the laws of procreation receives a check1 and its operations can go no further4 ,similar compounds may possibly be made by experimentalists in the vegetable and mineral kingdoms1 but the original elements remain the same4 ,yet this is not the normal but an abnormal condition with them1 as with animals1 birds1 etc41 and if we take man he is said to have been made in the image of ,god1 for the simple reason that he is the son of ,god2 and being ,his son1 he is1 of course1 his offspring1 an emanation from ,god1 in whose likeness we are told he is made4 ,he did not originate from a chaotic mass of matter1 moving or inert1 but came forth possessing1 in an embryotic state1 all the faculties and powers of a ,god4 ,and when he shall be perfected1 and have progressed to maturity he will be like his father--a ,god1 being indeed his offspring4 ,as the horse1 the ox1 the sheep and every living creature1 including man1 propagates its own species and perpetuates its own kind1 so does ,god perpetuate ,his4--,mediation and ,atonement1 pp4 #afd1 #afe4 ,furthermore1 since we have learned that ,god made every plant of the field before it was in the earth1 and every herb before it grew 7i4 e4 in our earth71 the gradation of life forms which the naturalists discover in the various strata of the earth's crust may reasonably be accounted for aside from the theory of evolution--viz41 by the animal and vegetable life forms of some older earth being brought to our own2 different species being transplanted as changed conditions in the soil and atmosphere and temperature of our earth rendered it favorable to their production1 the older species becoming extinct as the changed conditions of the earth became unfavorable to them4 ,then too1 the theory advanced in this writing gives ample room for the reconciliation of another serious difficulty between the scientist and the believer in revelation4 ,to the latter ,adam is the first man2 the former maintains that there are evidences which prove the earth to have been inhabited before ,adam's time4 ,whether or not the planet which existed previous to our own1 and out of the ruins of which our own was organized was inhabited by man as well as by vegetation and animals1 ,i cannot say2 all remarks on this subject would be conjecture merely4 ,but if the researches of scientists prove beyond all question that there were pre-,adamic races1 then doubtless they were inhabitants of that world which was destroyed1 but the evidence of their existence as well as the evidence of the existence of animals and vegetation was preserved in the re-creation of that planet to form this earth4 ,though1 in this connection1 ,i must say that so far as ,i have examined the works of those who treat on the subject of pre-historic man1 or pre-,adamic races1 they have hung the heaviest weights on the slenderest of threads2 and ,i am inclined to the opinion that ,adam was the progenitor of all races of men whoso remain have yet been found4 ,so much then for the different theories as to the origin of things pertaining to our earth2 as to the beginning of the universe1 that is beyond the scope of this inquiry1 and may be dismissed by saying that it had no beginning4 ,we conclude this part by quoting one of our hymns3,f ,if you could hie to ,kolob1,g ,in the twinkling of an eye1 ,and then continue onward1 ,with the same 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 ,footnote ,f3 ,l4 ,d4 ,s4 ,hymn ,book1 #beb1 #ag ed4 ,footnote ,g3 ,a planet near the residence of ,god4--,book of ,abraham1 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #cj4 ,,iv4 ,i think it must be evident to all who have looked upon the dead1 that man is a dual being4 ,who that has stood by the bier of a friend1 a parent1 child or wife1 and looked upon the lifeless form stretched upon it1 but has felt that the being he loved has departed1 that he is looking upon the casket merely that contained the jewel--the spirit4 ,this truth forced upon man's consciousness in the presence of the dead is also sustained by the word of ,god1 in which it is said--speaking of that mysterious change to which all flesh is subject1 and which man calls death--,then shall the dust return to the earth as it was2 and the spirit shall return to ,god who gave it4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,ecclesiastes xii3 #g ,it is my purpose to show in this writing1 that this spirit of man existed before it was united with the body1 that it is an emanation from ,deity1 and hence the relationship of ,fatherhood on the part of ,god1 and sonship on the part of man4 ,it is written by the ,apostle ,paul that1 ,god who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers1 by the prophets1 hath in these last days spoken unto us by ,his ,son1 whom he hath appointed heir of all things1 by whom also he made the worlds4,b ,the palpable meaning of this passage is that ,god employed the spirit of ,jesus ,christ in creating worlds--not one world only1 but doubtless many4 ,and if it was the spirit of ,jesus which acted as ,god's agent in the creation of the worlds1 there can be no doubt as to the spirit of ,jesus having an existence before it was tabernacled in the body born of the virgin ,mary4 ,footnote ,b3 ,hebrews i3 #a1 #b4 ,nor is the above passage of scripture the only one which sustains the fact of the existence of the spirit of ,jesus ,christ previous to its union with the body4 ,there are many expressions which fell from the lips of our ,lord himself that prove the fact4 ,when some of his disciples murmured at certain doctrines he had been teaching them1 he exclaims--,doth this offend you8 what and if ye shall see the ,son of ,man ascend up where he was before8,c--doubtless referring to the place he occupied in the mansions of his ,father before the creation of the earth4 ,footnote ,c3 ,john vi3 #fa1 #fb4 ,again1 just previous to his betrayal1 in his prayer in ,gethsemane1 he said to his ,father1 ,i have glorified thee on the earth1 ,i have finished the work which thou gavest me to do4 ,and now1 ,o ,father1 glorify thou me with thine own self1 even with the glory which ,i had with thee before the world was4,d ,no more direct allusion to his pre-existence could be given than this2 and from it we learn that such existence extended back to a period previous to the creation of the earth we inhabit4 ,footnote ,d3 ,john1 xvii4 ,to all appearances ,jesus was as other men in his physical organism4 ,he was born of woman2 nourished in the same manner and with the same food2 subject to heat and cold1 hunger and thirst and weariness4 ,he was pre-eminently the man of sorrows1 and more than other men subject to pain4 ,in short he possessed all the organs1 dimensions1 passions and attributes of man2 but in him the passions were refined and so nicely checked and balanced1 and the attributes so developed and made subject to the will divine that he was a perfect man--a ,god6 ,so nearly did he resemble other men that his countrymen1 and especially his neighbors1 failed to recognize ,god in him4 ,and when he began his mission among them they said3 ,whence hath this man this wisdom1 and these mighty works8 ,is not this the carpenter's son8 is not his mother called ,mary8 and his brethren1 ,james and ,joses1 and ,simon1 and ,judas8 ,and his sisters are they not all with us8 ,whence then hath this man all these things8 ,and he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,matt4 xiii1 #fd-fh4 ,we may now turn our attention to the more immediate object of this writing--the relationship between man and ,deity4 ,an important inference may be reasonably based upon this similarity between the ,son of ,god and other men1 viz3 that if the spirit which inhabited the body of ,jesus had an existence before it dwelt in the flesh1 is it not possible1 and1 rather is it not probable1 that the spirits of other men1 or of all men1 also existed before they were born into the world8 ,since ,jesus was so much like his brethren in the many respects noted1 it requires no great effort to believe that they resemble him in this particular matter of the pre-existence of their spirits4 ,the question1 however1 rests upon stronger grounds than mere inference4 ,the ,lord said to ,job3 ,where wast thou when ,i laid the foundation of the earth8 declare if thou hast understanding4 99 99 99 ,who laid the cornerstone thereof1 when the morning stars sang together and all the ,sons of ,god shouted for joy8,f ,footnote ,f3 ,job xxxviii1 #b-g4 ,from this scripture one thing is certainly evident1 viz3 that before the creation of this earth--before the foundation was laid or the measuring line stretched upon it1 there were ,sons of ,god in existence2 and they shouted for joy2 perhaps it was at the prospect of the creation of the earth we inhabit that they shouted4 ,and since it was the spirit of ,jesus ,christ under the direction of ,god the ,father which created the worlds1 it is but reasonable to suppose that he was present on that occasion1 and may not they have been where the spirit of ,job was also8 ,this doctrine of the pre-existence of spirits makes another scripture clear3 ,before ,i formed thee in the belly ,i knew thee1 said the ,lord to ,jeremiah2 and before thou camest forth out of the womb ,i sanctified thee1 and ,i ordained thee to be a prophet unto the nations4,g ,it was the spirit of ,jeremiah which the ,lord knew2 which1 in common with the spirit of ,jesus1 of ,job1 of ,adam1 and1 in short1 of all men1,h dwelt in the presence of ,god2 and as the spirit of ,jeremiah possessed those peculiar characteristics which are favorable to the exercise of prophetic powers1 the ,lord foreordained him to be a prophet unto the nations4 ,footnote ,g3 ,jeremiah i1 #e4 ,footnote ,h3 ,at the first organization in heaven we were all present1 and saw the ,savior chosen and appointed and the plan of salvation made1 and we sanctioned it4--,joseph ,smith4 ,in the revelations which the ,lord gave to ,abraham it is said3 ,now the ,lord had shown unto me1 ,abraham1 the intelligences that were organized before the world was2 and among these were many of the noble and great ones2 and ,god saw that these were good2 and he said1 these ,i will make my rulers2 for he stood among those that were spirits1 and he saw that they were good2 and he said unto me1 ,abraham1 thou art one of them1 thou wast chosen before thou wast born4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #cb4 ,this scripture not only proves the pre-existence of the spirits of men1 but gives us to understand that some were more highly developed than others1 were more noble1 and hence set apart for special labors1 some to be rulers2 others1 as in the case of ,jeremiah1 to be prophets1 each one in the mighty multitude being assigned to the particular sphere1 and given to the particular privileges that his state of development and degree of faithfulness entitled him to receive4 ,from the scriptures we learn that at one time there was war in heaven3 ,and there was war in heaven3 ,michael and his angels fought1 and the dragon fought and his angels4 99 99 99 ,and the great dragon was cast out1 that old serpent called the ,devil and ,satan1 which deceiveth the whole world2 he was cast out into the earth1 and his angels were cast out with him4,j ,footnote ,j3 ,rev4 xii4 ,to this also agrees the testimony of ,jude3 ,and the angels who kept not their first estate but left their own habitation1 he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day4,k ,footnote ,k3 ,jude #f4 ,i have called attention to those passages to prove that there were some spirits who dwelt with ,god1 so wicked and rebellious1 that they had to be cast out of heaven1 and became the devil and his angels2 as well as some who had developed such nobility of character1 that ,god had set them apart or ordained them to be his rulers4 ,between these two extremes of good and bad1 obedient and rebellious were1 ,i doubt not1 all degrees of faithfulness and nobility of conduct2 and ,i hazard the opinion that the amount and kind of development in that pre-existent state influences the character in this life1 and brings within reach privileges and blessings commensurate with their faithfulness in the spirit world4 ,yet1 ,i would not be understood as holding the opinion that those born to wealth and ease1 whose lives appear to be an unbroken round of pleasure and happiness1 must therefore have been spirits in their first estate that were very highly developed in refinement1 and very valiant for ,god and his ,christ4 ,regarding this present state of existence1 where as a sphere man is sent to obtain an experience and further develop the intelligence within him1 and obtain a knowledge of good and evil1 from seeing them in contrast and contact with each other--,i hold that that condition in life which is calculated to give the widest experience to man1 is the one most to be desired1 and he who obtains it is the most favored of ,god4 ,one step more in this digression in order that ,i may state further that ,i believe it consistent with right reason to say that some of the lowliest walks in life1 the paths which lead into the deepest valleys of sorrow and up the most rugged steeps of adversity1 are the ones which1 if a man travel in1 will best accomplish the object of his existence in this world4 ,the stream that leaps over cliffs of rocks1 thence goes tumbling down through some canyon's rugged defile1 then divides into babbling brooks1 now coquetting with the sunbeams or dancing in the sheen of the moon1 then stealing into the shade as it meanders through the meadows1 and then quickening its speed makes a final rush down a rocky declivity into the ocean--keeps its waters pure2 while the stagnant pool is overgrown with sedges2 is a place for toads to knot and gender in2 breeds miasmata and infests the air with disease germs2 its water is impure and it is altogether unlovely and undesirable4 ,so it is with the life of man4 ,the conditions which place men where they may always walk on the unbroken plain of prosperity and seek for nothing but their own pleasure1 are not the best within the gift of ,god4 ,for in such circumstances men soon drop into a position analogous to the stagnant pool2 while those who have to contend with difficulties1 brave dangers1 endure disappointments1 struggle with sorrows1 eat the bread of adversity and drink the water of affliction2 develop a moral and spiritual strength1 together with a purity of life and character1 unknown to the heirs of ease1 and wealth1 and pleasure4 ,with the ,english bard1 therefore1 ,i believe ,sweet are the uses of adversity6 ,and with the ,scotch poet ,i would say that those events1 usually regarded as misfortunes1 ,give the wit of age to youth2 ,they let us ken oursel'2 ,they make us see the naked truth1 ,the real guid and ill4 ,thou losses and crosses ,be lessons right severe1 ,there's wit there1 ye'll get there1 ,ye'll find nae other where ,what the mountain gorge1 the beatling crags1 and steep declivities are to the stream--enabling it to dash on in its course and by its very motion purify itself--so are what we usually denominate adverse circumstances to the life of man--they are the means of development and of purification only--the pathway of fiery trials is the one ordained of ,god for his favored sons4 ,in proof of this ,i direct you to the lives of the saints and the prophets2 but above all to the life of the ,son of ,god himself6 ,the life of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith is an illustration second only to that of ,messiah4 ,he was wont to say3 ,i have waded in tribulation lip-deep2 but every wave of adversity which has struck me1 has only wafted me that much nearer to ,deity4 ,envy and the wrath of man have been my common lot all the days of my life2 and for what cause it seems mysterious1 unless ,i was ordained from before the foundation of the world for some good end1 or bad1 as you may choose to call it4 99 99 99 ,it all has become as second nature to me1 and ,i feel like ,paul1 to glory in tribulation1 for to this day has the ,god of my fathers delivered me out of them all4 ,the ,lord1 while the prophet was a prisoner in ,liberty ,jail1 said to him3 ,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 thee2 if they tear thee from the society of thy father and thy mother1 and brethren and sisters2 and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife and of thine offspring 99 99 99 ,and if thou shouldst be cast into the pit1 or into the hands of murderers1 and 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 the way2 and above all1 if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee1 know thou1 my son1 that all these things shall give thee experience1 and shall be for thy good4 ,the ,son of ,man hath descended below them all2 art thou greater than he8 ,therefore hold on thy way1 and the priesthood shall remain with thee1 for their the wicked bounds are set1 they cannot pass4 ,thy days are known1 and thy years shall not be numbered less2 therefore1 fear not what man can do1 for ,god shall be with you for ever and ever4,l ,footnote ,l3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec cxxii4 ,if all this affliction was for the good of one of the most favored of ,god's sons1 is it not a fair conclusion that the trials and adversities of the other sons of ,god are for their good8 ,let us now consider the relationship existing between the spirits of men and ,god4 ,zechariah speaks of ,god as not only laying the foundation of the earth1 but also as forming the spirit of man within him1,m while the writer of the book of ,hebrews alludes to ,jesus as the first begotten,n of ,god4 ,the same writer also saith3 ,we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us1 and we gave them reverence2 shall we not much rather be in subjection to the ,father of spirits and live8,o ,footnote ,m3 ,zech4 xii3 #a4 ,footnote ,n3 ,heb4 i3 #f ,footnote ,o3 ,heb4 xii ,we now begin to see why ,jesus taught his disciples to pray1 ,our ,father which art in heaven4 ,the words ,our ,father are not meaningless1 but express the relationship between ,god and man4 ,and not in any mystical way either1 but in reality1 the relationship being as much a fact as that existing between any father and son on earth4 ,this relationship accounts for the interest of ,god in man2 it explains why he is mindful of him2 why all created things are made but for his use1 to supply his necessities1 to furnish him with comforts1 or afford him the means of experience and education4 ,it makes us understand why such a gulf exists between man and the rest of the animal creation--man is the offspring of ,deity and inherits his ,father's attributes4 ,it is true those attributes are undeveloped2 and often distorted even from that degree of perfection it is possible for them to arrive at in this state of existence2 but that they exist in man is beyond all question4 ,the relationship between ,god and man also enables us to understand how it is that ,god permitted such an atonement as the crucifixion of ,jesus ,christ to be made for his redemption4 ,among men may be seen how strong are the paternal feelings2 but how much stronger and perfect they are in ,god than in man is manifest in this1 that ,god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life4,p ,footnote ,p3 ,john iii3 #af4 ,following as a consequence of the fatherhood of ,god is the brotherhood of man4 ,and since ,jesus ,christ is the first begotten in the spirit world 7and the only begotten of the ,father in the flesh7 it follows that he is our elder brother2 a relationship which accounts for his willingness to make the great atonement which brings life and immortality within the reach of his brethren4 ,god and ,christ1 then1 are by no means beings afar off that man may not know4 ,nor does ,god look upon mankind as worms or worthless things4 ,on the contrary they are his offspring4 ,he regards them with all the affection of a loving1 father-- ,he sees their hopes he knows their fear1 ,and looks and loves his image there6 ,he delights not in their destruction1 but would have all men to be saved2 and for that purpose has established the gospel4 ,i point out this noble relationship of man to ,deity1 not to flatter the former1 but because ,i believe it to be a fact4 ,it is a theme ,i love to contemplate1 not because it debases ,deity1 but because it elevates man1 and must inspire him with noble aspirations1 and to the performance of virtuous deeds4 ,if but once understood and realized by mankind1 ,i believe the conception would be a strong incentive to the reformation of the world2 as it at once explains many things which have been regarded as mysterious1 and explodes many of the absurdities which have crept into the men-invented systems of theology4 ,furthermore it brings man so near to ,deity that like their ,elder ,brother--being in the form of ,god--being the children of ,god--they may think as ,christ did1 that it is no robbery to be equal with ,god1,q and may labor with worthy ambition to that end4 ,heirs of ,god they are1 even joint heirs with ,jesus ,christ1 if they obey the gospel of the ,son of ,god2 and they have the assurance of holy writ that when he shall appear they shall be like him4,r ,footnote ,q3 ,phil4 ii3 #a-h4 ,footnote ,r3 ,i4 ,john iii3 #b