,,cowley',s ,,talks ,,on ,,doctrine ,by ,elder ,m4 ,f4 ,cowley4 ,one of the ,twelve ,apostles of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-,day ,saints4 ,,published ,,by ,,ben4 ,e4 ,,rich1 ,,chattanooga1 ,,tenn4 #aijb4 ,,times ,,print1 ,,chattanooga1 ,,tenn ,,preface4 ,notwithstanding what has already been written upon the principles and doctrines of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ as taught by the ,latter-,day ,saints1 ,i feel an assurance that this little work will be received with no little pleasure and a great degree of satisfaction by members of the true ,church1 as well as those who are seeking light upon religious topics4 ,the style in which the articles comprised in this little volume are written1 is pre-eminently plain1 and peculiarly adapted to the reading public4 ,loaded as the articles are1 with careful thought and numerous scriptural quotations and references1 itself not only a thought gatherer but a thought generator1 it will come as a valuable aid to our missionaries and theological organizations1 and also to the many investigators throughout the civilized world4 ,truth in studied brevity has been aimed at1 without seeking the least embellishment of diction4 ,with an intense desire to impart the truth to mankind as widely as possible1 this little messenger is sent forth1 trusting that it may prove a blessing to thousands who are as yet grovelling in darkness and superstition and lead them to the sunlight of truth4 ,,the ,,publisher4 ,chattanooga1 ,tenn41 ,february1 #aijb4 ,,table ,,of ,,contents4 ,apostasy ,restoration of the ,gospel ,the ,church ,church ,organization ,divine ,authority ,personality of ,god ,revelation ,faith ,repentance ,baptism ,reception of the ,holy ,spirit ,pre-,existence ,salvation for the ,dead ,the ,gathering of ,israel ,tithing ,eternal ,rewards and ,punishments ,obedience ,charity ,the ,resurrection ,the ,book of ,mormon ,marriage ,the ,millennium ,,apostasy4 ,the subject of ,apostasy occupies the minds of people of modern times but very little4 ,this1 however1 is not surprising when we consider their views regarding the ,church of ,christ2 for they claim a continuation of divine authority and the plan of salvation from the apostolic age to the present time1 the idea prevailing among them being1 that the ,bible alone is a sufficient guide without immediate and continued revelation4 ,in this respect1 the position of the ,latter-day ,saints differs widely from that of all other religious organizations4 ,the ,saints bear no relationship to any1 but declare in words of soberness1 that our ,heavenly ,father has restored the ,gospel by modern revelations to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,this being true1 there must have been a departure from the proper order of the ,gospel4 ,to prove that this has been the case1 we will refer to statements of ,holy ,writ4 ,in ,,ii ,peter i3#bj1 it is said1 ,knowing this first1 that no prophecy of the ,scripture is of any private interpretation1 for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man2 but holy men of ,god spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,savior said1 when addressing ,his disciples3 ,and then shall many be offended1 and shall betray one another1 and shall hate one another1 and many false prophets shall rise and deceive many1 and because iniquity shall abound1 the love of many shall wax cold4 7,matthew xxiv3#aj-ab47 ,to this testimony of ,matthew1 concerning the words of the ,savior1 in relation to the subject under consideration1 there will be found the corresponding testimonies of ,mark and ,luke4 ,it will be remembered also1 that the testimony of the ,lord was in answer to a very important question4 ,when ,he had foretold the overthrow of the temple1 ,his apostles asked ,him3 ,when shall these things be1 and what shall be the sign of ,thy coming1 and of the end of the world8 ,the appearance of false prophets2 the deception of man2 the martyrdom of the apostles2 the betrayal of the ,saints2 the love of many waxing cold2 the overwhelming prevalence of iniquity2 the universal discord and contentions of the nations1 all were prominent events to transpire before the advent of the ,savior to reign in power and glory upon the earth4 ,to this we will add the words of ,paul3 ,now we beseech you1 brethren1 by the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and by our gathering together unto ,him1 that ye be not soon shaken in mind1 or be troubled1 neither by spirit1 nor by word1 nor by letter as from us1 as that the day of ,christ is at hand4 ,let no man deceive you by any means3 for that day will not come1 except there come a falling away first1 and that man of sin be revealed1 the son of perdition4 7,,ii ,thes4 ii3#a-d47 ,it is evident from the foregoing that some were likely to be deceived with regard to the time of ,his second coming4 ,paul1 to prevent their being misled by false teachers who were likely predicting the ,savior's advent1 testified that there should come a falling away first4 ,the language is so pointed that one can readily see that nothing but a departure from the unchangeable plan of salvation could fulfill this prediction4 ,we read in the ,scriptures that ,god hath set some in the ,church1 first apostles2 secondarily1 prophets1 and other officers2 all of whom were divinely inspired for the work of the ministry1 with spiritual gifts following the baptized believers4 ,only a short time elapsed1 however1 before these officers1 principles1 gifts and blessings1 mentioned in the ,new ,testament1 were not to be found on the earth3 and when we examine the religious institutions of the present time1 these things1 which ,god set in the ,church1 are not found1 save with the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,the present generation then1 as those of many centuries past have been1 are witnesses to the verification of the words we have quoted4 ,when ,paul was about to depart from ,miletus1 he called to him the ,elders of the ,church from the city of ,ephesus1 and in his farewell address warned them1 as appears in the following words3 ,for ,i know this1 that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you1 not sparing the flock4 ,also of your own selves shall men arise1 speaking perverse things1 to draw away disciples after them8 7,acts xx3#bi1 #cj47 ,as an evidence that this prophecy was being verified as early as the time of the apostle ,john's banishment on the ,isle of ,patmos1 this appears in the second chapter of ,revelations1 first and fifth verses3 ,unto the angel of the ,church of ,ephesus write3 ,these things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in ,his right hand1 who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks2 ,remember1 therefore1 from whence thou art fallen1 and repent1 and do the first works2 or else ,i will come unto thee quickly1 and will remove thy candlestick out of this place1 except thou repent4 ,by reading the second verse we discover that false teachers had arisen among the people1 professing to be apostles1 thus verifying the words of ,paul4 ,following closely the context1 we discover that similar reproofs were meted out to most of the branches of the ,church in ,asia1 because they were departing from the truth4 ,peter1 the presiding apostle1 also has spoken very plainly regarding the apostasy4 ,beginning with the first verse of the second chapter of his second epistle1 we read3 ,but there were false prophets also among the people1 even as there shall be false teachers among you1 who privily shall bring in damnable heresies1 even denying the ,lord that bought them1 and 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 ,and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you3 whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not1 and their damnation slumbereth not4 ,from this we learn not only that false teachers should arise among the people1 but that they should succeed in deceiving the people1 causing them to follow pernicious ways4 ,in connection with this part of the subject1 ,paul says to ,timothy3 ,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 7,,ii ,timothy iv3#c1 #d47 ,thus it is clearly stated1 not only that men should arise speaking perverse things1 and by their evil designs succeed in making innovations upon the teachings of the apostles1 but that the people themselves would be so allured from the way of life1 as to heap unto themselves these false teachers1 and many would adhere to their spurious doctrines4 ,the terms heap and many do not signify a few but a great number4 ,these quotations from the ,holy ,scriptures bear especially upon the internal eruptions that occurred in the ,church1 causing many to depart from the straight and narrow path which leadeth unto life eternal4 ,those causes which create internal division and discord in the midst of the ,saints are the worst of all1 for a house divided against itself cannot stand4 ,having shown that many of the ancient ,saints departed from the plan of salvation1 we will now proceed to examine another branch of the subject1 namely3 ,the ,external ,events in ,connection with the ,history of the ,church which ,conspired to ,overthrow the ,people of ,god4 ,from the quotations here given1 stating that the love of many waxed cold2 many shall follow their pernicious ways1 etc41 it may be asked1 ,what shall become of the few who were faithful8 ,did not they confer the authority upon a people in some remote corner of the earth8 ,and from thence has it not continued1 as the true ,church1 down to the present time8 ,in answer to these queries we shall refer to declarations of ,holy ,writ4 ,when the ,savior made ,his appearance in the flesh there were many religious denominations extant1 some of which professed a firm belief in the ,bible--the ,old ,testament--and notwithstanding the ancient prophets plainly foretold the birth and ministry of the ,savior1 the religious element bitterly opposed ,him and denounced new revelation1 as manifested through the ,redeemer4 ,this peculiar perversity of the human family has been displayed prominently whenever the ,almighty has introduced a new dispensation of the ,gospel4 ,the ,lord1 fully understanding the result of such bitter persecution1 said to ,his apostles3 ,then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted1 and shall kill you2 and ye shall be hated of all nations for my namesake4 7,matt4 xxiv3#i47 ,the vile treatment to which the ancient apostles were subjected and the martyrdom of many of them1 is known to all acquainted with the history of those inspired men2 and scriptural evidence as to their having been informed thereof in advance is quite abundant4 ,the ,savior says in ,mark1 thirteenth chapter1 ninth verse3 ,but take heed to yourselves2 for they shall deliver you up to councils2 and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten2 and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake1 for a testimony against them4 ,another witness to this testimony of our ,savior has also left us the following3 ,and ye shall be betrayed both by parents1 and brethren1 and kinsfolks1 and friends1 and some of you shall they cause to be put to death4 ,it is a remarkable fact that1 in every age of the world when the ,lord has committed a dispensation of the ,gospel to men upon the earth1 the heavenly message has been rejected by the great majority of the human family1 and the envy and hatred of many have been such as to instigate measures of violence against the humble servants of the ,lord4 ,especially is this true when applied to the professedly religious element1 and more directly to those who aim to be public instructors of the people4 ,notice the action taken by the ,pharisees1 ,sadducees and other religious classes regarding the ancient ,saints2 while the devotees of these sects were divided on points of doctrine and disagreed upon the writings of the prophets1 they combined their efforts to overthrow the ,lord's chosen people4 ,the ,savior1 indicating the class who would imbrue their hands in the blood of the prophets1 said3 ,these things have ,i spoken unto you1 that ye should not be offended4 ,they shall put you out of the synagogues2 yea1 the time cometh1 that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth ,god's service4 7,john xvi3#a1 #b47 ,this could not apply to the atheistic world1 for it denies the existence of ,god4 ,it could not mean the infidel class1 for while they may not deny the existence of a ,supreme ,being1 they disavow all forms of worship4 ,the ,savior's prediction was directed to the religious world1 and from the facts of the case1 it seems especially applicable to that portion of it which claimed to believe in the writings of the ancient prophets4 ,immediate revelation from heaven has always come in contact with the vain traditions and religious crafts of men1 so that the strictest professors of religion anciently were1 and are now1 among the foremost in persecuting the ,saints and seeking to deprive them of the rights and privileges which other men enjoy4 ,in connection with the evidence found in the ,holy ,scriptures on this part of the subject1 the thousands of ,latter-day ,saints who have suffered by the hand of oppression in this dispensation of the ,gospel1 are living witnesses4 ,while the revelator ,john1 who was the last remaining member of the quorum of the ,twelve ,apostles on the ,eastern ,hemisphere1 was in banishment upon the ,isle of ,patmos1 he saw the image of a beast1 representing a power that should arise in the earth1 make war upon the ,saints and overcome them4 ,and they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast1 and they worshiped the beast1 saying1 ,who is like unto the beast8 ,who is able to make war with him8 ,and he opened his mouth in blasphemy against ,god1 to blaspheme ,his name1 and ,his tabernacle1 and them that dwell in heaven4 ,and it was given unto him to make war with the ,saints1 and to overcome them2 and power was given ,him over all kindreds1 and tongues1 and nations4 ,this declaration of the ,scriptures is very broad1 indicating clearly that the ,saints should be overcome1 and the power of the beast should be so extensive as to cover all kindred1 tongues and nation1 thus leaving the people destitute of divine authority and bereft of the glorious plan of redemption4 ,by turning to the second chapter of ,daniel1 we learn something with regard to the period of time when this power which made war with the ,saints and overcame them should flourish in the earth4 ,the metallic image which ,nebuchadnezzar saw in ,his dream consisted of gold1 silver1 brass1 iron and clay1 so we are told in the interpretation given by ,daniel the prophet4 ,it represented several kingdoms1 beginning with ,babylon1 which we learn from history flourished in the fifth and sixth centuries before ,christ2 and second1 the ,medio-,persian government1 from about #ehj to #cca ,b4 ,c42 third1 the ,macedonian kingdom1 founded by ,alexander the ,great1 from #cca ,b4 ,c41 to #afa ,b4 ,c42 fourth1 the ,roman ,empire1 established in #afa ,b4 ,c41 and which flourished until #dhc ,a4,d4 ,this last named government was represented in the metallic image by the two legs of iron1 which resembled very much the two divisions of the ,roman ,empire1 the one having its seat of government at ,rome1 the other at ,constantinople4 ,these subsequently subdivided into the petty governments of modern ,europe1 having in them the elements of strength and weakness1 as indicated by the feet and toes of the image1 which were part of iron and part of clay4 ,it will be observed by the dates given above that it was during the time of the ,roman ,empire that our ,lord and ,savior was born into the world4 ,as early as the banishment of the apostle ,john1 about #if ,a4 ,d41 we discover that nearly all apostles forming the chief quorum of officers in the ,church of ,christ had been martyred4 ,we are informed in ,mosheim's ,ecclesiastical ,institutes that the year #gj ,a4 ,d4 ,vespasian and his son ,titus besieged the city of ,jerusalem with an army1 destroyed the city and the temple and slew many of the inhabitants1 this event having been predicted by the ,savior1 and recorded in ,matthew1 twenty-fourth chapter4 ,in speaking of this power that should destroy the ,saints1 ,daniel the prophet1 says1 ,and he shall speak great words against the ,most ,high and shall wear out the ,saints of the ,most ,high4 ,we might illustrate how literally these prophecies were verified by the following example3 ,previous to the late ,civil ,war in the ,american ,union1 the ,south organized a republican form of government with the requisite officers to constitute such a government4 ,in a short time1 however1 the ,northern ,states engaged in war with the ,south and overcame them1 so that the confederacy of that section ceased to exist4 ,suppose a stranger should visit the ,south at the present time and inquire of some person in that region of country if they have a republic entirely independent of the ,north1 and on being answered ,we have1 the visitor queries1 ,where is your president8 ,well1 he is done away with1 because no longer needed4 ,he is asked1 ,where is your vice-president8 ,oh1 we have none4 ,where is your congress8 ,well1 that was dissolved long ago and has not existed since4 ,pray1 then1 says the stranger1 ,what have you left8 ,well1 we have a judge1 and a policeman1 besides the book which gives a history of the officers you inquire about4 ,such answers1 however absurd and inconsistent1 are very similar to those offered by the religious world of today who claim to have the ,church of ,christ2 but when asked where are their apostles1 they answer1 ,we have none1 they are done away with4 ,have you prophets8 ,oh1 no6 ,they are no longer needed4 ,do the members of your church enjoy the gifts of the ,holy ,spirit that ,jesus promised should follow believers8 ,certainly not1 they have passed away centuries ago1 and we have no occasion for them now4 ,well1 then1 what have you left8 ,why1 we have a pastor and a deacon1 and then we have the good ,book1 the ,holy ,bible1 that describes the officers you mention4 ,it is very clear1 from the condition of affairs1 that we have briefly described1 that at some period in the past1 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ was taken from the earth and the human family left without the direct and authorized administration of the plan of salvation4 ,the prophecies we have quoted show1 first1 that such an event was to transpire some time in the future2 second1 about the period of time in which many of these predictions were verified1 and1 third1 the means of power by which the ,saints were overcome4 ,there are other prophecies in the ,bible which plainly show that the extent of the ancient apostasy would be universal and continue in the earth until a certain period in the history of the human family1 which will1 with other items1 form the subject matter for our next consideration4 ,as the predictions of the prophets relating to the past have been so literally verified1 this fact should promote1 in the hearts of the people1 great faith in the words of the ,lord1 as these are given in the ,bible4 ,we have shown that the ,church established by the ,savior in all its pristine beauty and purity was taken from the earth4 ,as none of the religious denominations1 existing between the time of the ancient apostles and the nineteenth century have received a new commission from heaven1 that fact is proof that the effect of the primitive apostasy has extended without interruption to the present age of the world4 ,dr4 ,mosheim is the author of four large volumes of religious history comprehending about eighteen centuries of the ,christian era4 ,this work has been translated by ,dr4 ,murdock with copious notes1 or extracts1 from the writers who lived contemporary with the times of which he writes4 ,from the translation of ,mosheim's ,ecclesiastical ,institutes we make a few quotations4 ,in speaking of the second century of the ,christian era1 ,mosheim says 7,vol4 #a1 p4 #adb73 ,for the noble simplicity and the majestic dignity of the ,christian religion were lost1 or at least impaired1 when these philosophers presumed to associate their dogmas with it and to bring faith and piety under the dominion of human reason4 ,on pages #ahb and #ahc of the same volume we are informed that1 to conform to the customs of ,jews and ,pagan priests1 rites and ceremonies were added to the simplicity of correct worship1 and a large part therefore of the ,christian observances and institutions even in this century had the aspect of ,pagan mysteries4 ,passing on to the third century on page #beg1 we have the following3 ,all the monuments of this century which have come down to us1 show that there was a great increase of ceremonies4 ,page #bei3 ,baptism was publicly administered twice a year to candidates who had gone through a long preparation and trial4 ,of the fourth century we learn from p4 #cde that the regard for ,platonic philosophy was embraced and mingled with the doctrine of the ,savior3 ,hence it is that we see on every hand evident traces of excessive veneration for ,saints in heaven2 of belief in a fire to purify souls on leaving the body2 of partiality for priestly celibacy2 the worship of images and relics1 and for many other opinions which1 in the process of time1 almost banished the true religion or at least very much obscured and corrupted it4 ,of the fifth century1 an account is given of impostors perpetrating artifices to make people think they were miracles and thereby induce them to embrace ,christianity4 ,religious teachings1 we are informed1 were substantiated1 not so much by the declarations of the ,holy ,scriptures1 as by the authority and logical reasonings of the ancient doctors4 ,page #dee3 ,the whole ,christian ,church was in this century overwhelmed with these disgraceful fictions4 ,we might proceed with similar quotations relative to subsequent centuries intervening between the fifth and the time of the ,reformation1 but the foregoing will suffice to show that religious matters grew worse from one age to another1 presenting to the world a mass of religious confusion4 ,although there may have been honorable men who protested against these evils1 it is evident that genuine authority and the principles of the ,gospel in their purity could not be derived from such a corrupt source4 ,we are informed in the ,scriptures that an evil tree will not produce good fruit nor a bitter fountain send forth sweet waters4 ,as neither ,luther1 ,melancthon1 ,huss1 ,zwingli1 ,calvin nor any of the reformers of that age received revelation from heaven authorizing them to establish the ,church1 we find that the world was still without the plan of salvation1 and that the products of the ,reformation1 as religious bodies1 are the offspring of the mother church1 described in the ,scriptures as the mother of harlots and abomination of the earth4 ,this unnatural mother1 like some of the fashionable women of modern times 7whose husbands and illicit patrons are zealously opposing the ,latter-day ,saints71 endeavored to procure abortion1 but failing in this1 she tried to destroy her children after birth4 ,both attempts being futile1 the children grew to years of maturity and in turn gave birth to other children1 and so on until now there are several generations of them living4 ,these offspring1 being without natural affection1 have been and still are quarreling with each other and casting missiles at their mothers and grandmothers as the case may be4 ,in the midst of this religious spectacle1 however1 there are and have been many honorable people who have realized the fallen condition of the world and were honest enough to acknowledge the same4 ,from ,elder ,john ,morgan's ,tract ,no4 #a1 we make the following extracts3 ,roger ,williams refused to continue as pastor over the oldest ,baptist church in ,america on the grounds that there was no regularly constituted church on earth nor any person authorized to administer church ordinances1 nor can there be until new apostles are sent by the ,great ,head of the ,church for whose coming ,i am seeking4 7,see ,picturesque ,america1 page #ejb47 ,smith's ,bible ,dictionary also says3 ,we must not expect to see the ,church of ,holy ,scriptures actually existing in its perfection on the earth4 ,it is not to be found thus perfect either in the collected fragments of ,christendom or still less in any one of these fragments4 ,the names of sixty-five learned divines and biblical scholars are on the preface page as contributors to and endorsers of this book4 ,mr4 ,wesley states that the reason the gifts are no longer in the church1 is because the love of many waxed cold and the ,christians had turned heathens again and had only a dead form left4 7,see volume #a1 sermon #id47 ,the situation of the religious world is beautifully depicted in poetic verse on page forty-one of the ,latter-day ,saints' ,hymn ,book1 in a hymn from ,wesley's collection4 ,in speaking of the golden age of the apostles and prophets1 when the ,saints were endowed with spiritual gifts and graces1 the writer says3 ,where shall we wander now to find ,successors they have left behind8 ,the faithful whom we seek in vain ,are 'minished from the sons of men4 ,ye different sects who all declare3 ',lo6 here is ,christ' or ',christ is there6' ,your stronger proofs divinely give1 ,and show me where true ,christians live4 ,i will now quote from the ,bible to illustrate how plainly the prophets foretold what the writers from whom ,i have quoted clearly show to have been verified3 ,behold the days come1 saith the ,lord ,god1 that ,i will send a famine in the land1 not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water1 but of hearing the words of the ,lord3 ,and they shall wander from sea to sea and from the north even to the east they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the ,lord1 and shall not find it4 7,amos viii3 #aa1 #ab47 ,we learn from this that the time was coming when men should seek to the four points of the compass1 and in all directions1 and yet fail to find the word of ,god2 but we find the ,bible in every direction1 and that is said to contain the word of the ,lord4 ,very true1 but that word was directed to past generations and is a record of the dealings of our ,heavenly ,father with ,his children in bygone days4 ,the sacred record states3 ,surely the ,lord ,god will do nothing1 but ,he revealeth ,his secrets unto ,his servants the ,prophets4 7,amos iii3#g47 ,from this we learn that if there are no prophets of the ,lord1 then our ,heavenly ,father is doing nothing in a religious sense among the people of this earth2 but if ,he is doing a work among them for their redemption1 then there must be prophets4 ,by this it will be easy to ascertain whether the prediction of ,amos has been verified or not4 ,who1 previous to the year #ahbg1 for many centuries has found in his researches an inspired prophet who could stand in the midst of the people and say1 ,thus saith the ,lord8 ,have not the people denied the prophets and visions of heaven8 ,we learn from the nineteenth chapter of ,revelations that the testimony of ,jesus is the spirit of prophecy4 ,therefore1 if any have had this testimony they have been inspired with the spirit of prophecy4 ,and again1 we are informed by the ,savior1 as written in the sixteenth chapter of ,john1 that the ,spirit of truth shall guide into all truth1 and show you things to come4 ,who has seen things to come8 ,and where is the word of the ,lord8 ,surely not with those who deny prophets and apostles4 ,we learn from the twenty-fourth chapter of ,isaiah that the effects of this ancient apostasy would be so universal as to cover all classes of society1 affecting not only the religious and social circles1 but the business transactions of the human family4 ,in the second verse he says3 ,and it shall be as with the people1 so with the priest2 as with the servant1 so with his master2 as with the maid1 so with her mistress2 as with the buyer1 so with the seller2 as with the lender so with the borrower2 as with the taker of usury1 so with the giver of usury to him4 ,by reading the fifth verse of the same chapter we learn that even the earth upon which we dwell is seriously effected4 ,isaiah says3 ,the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof1 because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinances1 broken the everlasting covenant4 ,as a testimony to the fulfillment of this prophecy1 thousands of people in the ,american ,union are witnesses to the fact1 that in many parts the land will not produce such prolific crops as it would several years ago1 but is gradually growing weaker and losing its virtue4 ,many places once fruitful are now turned aside as being too poor to cultivate1 and are occupied by hedge grass1 sassafras bushes and growths of small pine4 ,such is the rapid decline of the strength of the soil4 ,i have been informed that in one state some of the people1 desiring to learn why the soil was losing its virtue1 took quantities of earth from different points and had it analyzed4 ,the analysis revealed the fact that the soil had lost its salt and was therefore comparatively of but little worth1 only to be trodden under the foot of man4 ,this test of the soil in one section is a fair sample of the same condition of the land in many other places4 ,these are the terrible effects1 ,isaiah informs us1 of the inhabitants of the earth transgressing the laws1 changing the ordinances1 and breaking the everlasting covenant4 ,among other important features wherein the everlasting covenant has been broken is that pertaining to the marriage contract1 which1 agreeable to the laws of heaven1 is binding through time and eternity1 not recognizing death1 which is said to be the wages of sin1 as having power to sever that which is joined together by the power and authority of ,god4 ,the world is now following the pattern of the ,sadducees 7who denied the resurrection71 and therefore pronounce the ceremony of marriage until death do you part4 ,another prophecy which vividly portrays the religious state of affairs in the last days is that contained in 7,,ii ,timothy iii3#a-f7 as follows3 ,this know also1 that in the last days perilous times shall come4 ,for men shall be lovers of their own selves1 covetous1 boasters1 proud1 blasphemers1 disobedient to parents1 unthankful1 unholy1 without natural affection1 truce-breakers1 false accusers1 incontinent1 fierce1 despisers of those that are good1 traitors1 heady1 high-minded1 lovers of pleasure more than lovers of ,god2 having a form of godliness1 but denying the power thereof2 from such turn away4 ,this is so plain that no one need to doubt its verification4 ,it clearly sets forth the very evils that are now prevalent in all the civilized nations of the earth4 ,while this statement of evils may apply to the world at large1 it is evident that it was directed specially to a certain class of people--not to infidel nor atheist1 nor yet to the heathen nations1 which are unacquainted with the name of the ,savior and with what is termed ,christianity1 but to those religious bodies which1 as ,paul declares1 have a form of godliness1 but deny the power thereof4 ,it plainly describes the situation of the ,christian world at the present time1 who1 while they have various forms of worship1 deny the gifts of vision1 prophecy1 healing1 tongues and nearly all the manifestations of the power of the ,lord1 as enjoyed by the ancient ,saints4 ,in fine1 they deny the ,gospel1 for that1 says ,paul1 is the power of ,god unto salvation4 ,the apostle1 it appears1 would not attribute to them even true forms of worship1 for he says they have a form of godliness4 ,from such1 says ,paul1 turn away4 ,if all would receive this admonition and turn away from these powerless forms1 what would become of the churches that are now extant8 ,with the foregoing positive predictions upon this subject1 and the facts before us in verification of the same1 we can testify that the words of ,isaiah have been fulfilled1 wherein he says3 ,behold the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people2 and that nothing short of more revelation direct from heaven could place the present generation in possession of the everlasting ,gospel4 ,having shown that many of the ancients fell away from that ,gospel2 that the faithful remainder were warred against by the enemies of truth1 and that the last of the saints who held the ,priesthood were overcome1 leaving no successors to continue the works of the ministry2 it is therefore made clear that the plan of salvation was taken away from the earth1 that the results of the ancient apostasy were universal and have extended down without interruption to the present century4 ,the gloom that these serious events would cast upon the minds of the honest in heart who saw this sad picture unfolded to the gaze of the world1 and which would effect their posterity in future generations1 was greatly relieved when they beheld1 while rapt in heavenly vision1 angels from the mansions of glory descending to the earth with the ,gospel message in all its purity and holiness1 to deliver to the sons of men1 causing the poor among men to rejoice in the ,holy ,one of ,israel4 ,the apostle ,john1 while in banishment upon the ,isle of ,patmos1 said3 ,and ,i saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting ,gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth1 and to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people1 saying with a loud voice1 ,fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him2 for the hour of ,his judgment is come2 and worship ,him that made heaven1 and earth1 and the sea1 and the fountains of water4 7,revelation1 xiv3#f1 #g47 ,there are now thousands of honest-hearted people upon the earth who testify that the angel spoken of in the foregoing quotation visited ,joseph ,smith1 the prophet1 and delivered to him the everlasting ,gospel4 ,scattered ,israel is coming to a knowledge of the truth while the day spoken of by ,jeremiah is dawning4 ,o ,lord1 my strength1 and my fortress1 my refuge in the day of affliction1 the ,gentiles shall come unto ,thee from the ends of the earth1 and shall say1 surely our fathers have inherited lies1 vanity1 and things wherein there is no profit4 7,jeremiah xvi3#ai47 ,these predictions are being fulfilled and will be fulfilled to the very letter2 and as the apostasy and its effects were universal1 so will the restoration of the ,gospel be universal1 extending to every nation1 kindred1 tongue and people1 until ,satan shall be bound and the voice of peace on earth and to men good will shall be heard from the rivers to the ends of the earth2 when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the ,lord1 as the waters cover the sea2 and when they shall teach no more every man his neighbor1 and every man his brother1 saying1 know the ,lord2 for all shall know ,me1 from the least of them unto the greatest4 ,,restoration ,,of ,,the ,,gospel4 ,having shown conclusively that the ,church of ,christ in its purity and entirety was taken from the earth1 we find the world without divine authority1 without ordinances of the ,gospel1 having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof4 ,from such turn away4 ,this would be truly a sad picture to gaze upon and contemplate1 were it not that the ,lord also revealed to the apostles and prophets anciently that in the last days there would be a restoration of all that had been enjoyed in previous dispensations4 ,the apostle ,peter1 speaking of the second advent of the ,messiah1 prophesied as follows3 ,and ,he shall send ,jesus ,christ1 which before was preached unto you3 whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things1 which ,god hath spoken by the mouth of all ,his holy prophets since the world began4 7,acts iii3#bj1 #ba74 ,this prediction is so plain that a wayfaring man1 though a fool1 need not err therein4 ,a restitution means bringing back that which was lost2 even if ,god had not spoken by the mouth of many prophets since the beginning1 giving in detail various conditions which would be restored to the earth1 this prophecy would be sufficient in itself in assuring a restitution of all things to justify mankind in looking for a new dispensation containing all the gifts and powers of the apostolic age4 ,these gifts and powers do not exist in the ,catholic church1 nor in any ,protestant denomination of modern ,christendom4 ,nothing short of new revelation from ,god will fulfill the prediction of the apostle ,peter4 ,the twenty-second and twenty-third verses of the same prophecy read3 ,for ,moses truly said unto the fathers 7his prophecy here quoted by ,peter is found in ,deuteronomy1 #ahth chapter1 commencing with the fifteenth verse71 ,a prophet shall the ,lord your ,god raise up unto you of your brethren1 like unto me2 ,him shall ye hear in all things1 whatsoever ,he shall say unto you4 ,and it shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people4 ,this prophecy undoubtedly refers to the ,savior1 but the conditions specified were never verified at ,his first coming4 ,those who would not hear ,him were not destroyed from among the people4 ,it is plain therefore that the prediction must allude to ,his second advent4 ,in this connection1 we refer our readers to the third chapter of ,malachi1 #a to #c1 inclusive3 ,behold1 ,i will send my messenger1 and ,he shall prepare the way before me2 and the ,lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to ,his temple1 even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in1 behold ,he shall come1 said the ,lord of hosts4 ,but who may abide the day of ,his coming8 ,and who shall stand when ,he appeareth8 ,for ,he is like a refiner's fire1 and like fuller's soap1 and ,he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver1 and ,he shall purify the sons of ,levi1 and purge them as gold and silver1 that they may offer unto the ,lord an offering in righteousness4 ,these conditions did not exist when ,jesus came as the ,babe of ,bethlehem4 ,the people then abode ,his coming4 ,they despised ,him1 and persecuted ,him to the death4 ,the sons of ,levi were not purged4 ,many centuries have elapsed since they offered an acceptable offering unto the ,lord1 so far as we are informed in sacred or other history4 ,the ,messiah did not come suddenly2 ,he came as other infants came1 only under humbler circumstances1 being born in a stable and cradled in a manger4 ,truly does the ,scripture say3 ,he descended below all things that ,he might rise above all things4 ,he did not come to ,his temple1 for ,he said that the foxes had holes and birds of the air had nests1 but the ,son of ,man had not where to lay ,his head2 and again that the temple occupied by money changers1 rather than being a house of prayer1 had become a den of thieves4 ,when ,he comes in verification of ,malachi's prophecy1 ,he will come suddenly and in power and great glory4 ,he will find a temple to come to4 ,to do this1 there must be a people called of ,god1 instructed by revelation direct1 in order to know where1 when and how to erect1 in keeping with divine approval1 such a sacred edifice4 ,such information cannot be found in the written word of bygone ages1 much less in the writings and commentaries of learned divines who deny the necessity of new and continuous revelation4 ,nothing short of a new ,gospel dispensation1 ushered in and perpetuated by direct revelation from the ,lord1 can fulfill the provisions of ,malachi's prediction4 ,passing on to chapter four of ,malachi's prophecy1 we find the inspired utterances respecting the judgments of ,god1 the burning and overthrow of the wicked and the rising of the ,son of ,righteousness to those who fear ,his holy name4 ,in the fifth verse it is said3 ,behold1 ,i will send you ,elijah1 the prophet1 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord4 ,this is so definite that comments are unnecessary4 ,the prophet ,elijah who was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire without tasting death is doubtless referred to4 ,in the verse following the one quoted1 the mission of ,elijah is specified to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers4 ,how consistent and glorious such a mission6 ,the children receiving the ,gospel in a new dispensation naturally inquire what has become of their fathers who died without the ,gospel4 ,in other pages of this volume1 referring to the redemption of the dead1 we notice more fully this prophecy and testify that ,elijah has come and also restored the keys of salvation for the dead4 ,zechariah saw the time when ,jerusalem should be rebuilt1 and said3 ,behold1 the angel that talked with me went forth and another angel went out to meet him1 and said unto him1 run1 speak with the young man1 saying1 ,jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein4 7,zech4 ii3#c1 #d47 ,continuing1 the prophet speaks of ,israel coming from the ,north1 and from ,babylon1 and being gathered to their inheritances1 and that ,god ,himself shall dwell in the midst of thee4 ,the ,scriptures are replete with similar prophecies pointing to the gathering of ,israel to ,zion and ,jerusalem1 the coming of the ,lord1 and other important events4 ,how any one could believe that these glorious prophecies could be verified without more revelation and the establishment of a new dispensation of the ,gospel1 is more of a marvel to a true believer in the ,bible than is believing in prophecy1 revelations1 visions1 miracles1 etc4 ,in ,revelations1 chapter xiv1 verses #f and #g1 we have the following very clear prophecy on this important subject3 ,and ,i saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven1 having the everlasting ,gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth1 and to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people1 saying with a loud voice1 ,fear ,god and give glory to ,him1 for the hour of ,his judgment is come2 and worship ,him that made heaven1 and earth1 and sea1 and the fountains of waters4 ,the inspired utterance cannot have reference to an event in the age in which it was uttered for two reasons at least3 first1 the people had the ,gospel at the time1 and ,john's mission was to declare the same2 second1 the voice from heaven as recorded in ,rev4 iv3#a1 #b1 called to ,john saying1 ,come up hither1 and ,i will shew thee things which must be hereafter4 ,what is prophecy but history reversed8 ,thus the book of ,revelation is one unbroken chain of prophetic history from first to last4 ,the declaration that an angel should come with the ,gospel is proof that the ,gospel would be taken away4 ,again1 the angel was to come in the hour of ,god's judgment1 a day not at all fulfilled during the earthly ministry of our ,savior4 ,one of the most remarkable features of the prophecy is that the inhabitants of the earth1 without exception 7every nation1 kindred1 tongue and people1 is included in the glorious message71 are called upon to worship ,him who made the heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of water4 ,when we come to the subject of personality of ,god1 it will be our purpose to show that the ,god without body1 parts1 and passions is not the ,god who made the heaven and the earth1 and hence the necessity of just such an injunction as that quoted from the fourteenth chapter of ,revelation being given to the world in the last days4 ,the specifications of the prophecy are plain4 ,the question which logically follows is1 ,has that angel come8 ,if he has not1 then he must do so1 or the word of ,god is null and void1 and this is impossible4 ,not one jot or tittle shall fall unfulfilled4 ,though heaven and earth shall pass away1 my word shall never pass away4 ,certainly the angel has not come to any ,catholic or ,protestant ministers1 for they dispute the necessity of angels4 ,the only claim to the reception of the heavenly message is made by ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet1 and his followers1 who testify that the angel came to the young man ,joseph4 ,it will not do to dismiss this claim by saying that false prophets shall come1 for false prophets1 counterfeit coin1 and every spurious imitation exists as a counterfeit to the true article1 so that the existence of false prophets is usually a very fair indication that true prophets are not far away4 ,following the coming of the angel having the ,gospel to restore was to be another1 urging the ,saints to come out of ,babylon3 ,and ,i heard another voice from heaven1 saying1 come out of her1 my people1 that ye receive not of her plagues4 7,rev4 xviii3#d47 ,thus it is a gathering dispensation1 as stated by ,paul in the first chapter of ,ephesians4 ,the ,savior1 in speaking of the signs associated with ,his second coming and the consummation of ,his ,father's work in the last days1 says3 ,and this ,gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations2 and then shall the end come4 7,matt4 xxiv3#ad4 7 ,this prophecy was uttered in connection with the stating of other signs given by the ,savior respecting ,his second advent1 and in answer to a question by the disciples3 ,tell us when shall these things be8 and what shall be the sign of ,thy coming and of the end of the world8 ,this ,gospel of the kingdom2 ,the ,everlasting ,gospel2 ,the ,gospel of apostles1 prophets1 revelations1 visions1 miracles and all the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this only true ,gospel could not be preached for a witness unto all nations unless restored to earth by modern revelations1 for the religious world1 so far as enjoying the true ,gospel is concerned1 comes under the prophecy of ,isaiah1 chapter ix3#b3 ,for behold darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people2 and again1 chapter xxiv3#e3 ,the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof2 because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinances1 broken the everlasting covenant1 all this going to prove the necessity of a ,gospel restoration4 ,when ,jesus taught ,his disciples how to pray ,he instructed them to say1 among other things1 ,thy kingdom come1 ,thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven4 7,matt4 vi3#aj47 ,if the kingdom referred to by ,him had come1 ,he would not have instructed them to pray for what they already possessed4 ,they were looking for a future day4 ,on one occasion after ,his resurrection1 the apostles asked the ,savior this question3 ',wilt ,thou at this time restore again the kingdom to ,israel8' ,and ,he said unto them1 it is not for you to know the times or the seasons1 which the ,father hath put in ,his own power4 7,acts i3#g47 ,this indicates plainly the establishment of ,god's kingdom at a future period of time4 ,we may connect with these inspired sayings of the ,savior the prophecy of ,daniel1 recorded in the second chapter of his prophetic utterances4 ,by reading from the second chapter of his book we learn that the king of ,babylon had received a dream which1 having gone from his mind1 he demanded to know of the wise men2 and not only the interpretation1 but the dream itself4 ,they1 of course1 failed4 ,daniel1 the prophet1 was called in1 and in the spirit of a true prophet and ,saint of ,god acknowledged that it was not in man to reveal such things1 ,but there is a ,god in heaven that revealeth secrets1 and maketh known to the ,king ,nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days4 ,the image seen in the dream is next described by ,daniel as being in form like a man1 with a head of fine gold1 his breast and arms of silver1 his belly and thighs of brass1 his legs of iron1 his feet part of iron and part of clay4 ,the interpretation made known that this image represented the kingdoms of the world1 beginning with ,babylon1 the head of gold2 next came the ,medio-,persian1 under ,alexander the ,great3 then arose the ,roman empire1 out of which grew the modern kingdoms of ,europe1 represented by the feet and toes4 ,here comes the important feature of the prophecy which was to take place in the latter days1 of which the prophet ,daniel says1 ,and in the days of these kings shall the ,god of heaven set up a kingdom1 which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people1 but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms1 and it shall stand forever4 ,the language of this prophecy shows3 first1 that unlike the preceding kingdoms1 this last named kingdom was to be set up by ,god ,himself1 in other words1 the kingdom of ,god1 not of man4 ,second1 unlike the other kingdoms1 it should never be destroyed4 ,third1 it should not1 like the kingdoms of men1 pass from one people to another1 but should not be left to other people4 ,fourth1 that it should have power to break in pieces and consume all other kingdoms4 ,the terms of this prophecy1 and the history of ,god's dealings with men since it was uttered1 are such that no thoughtful1 well-informed man can suppose that this event took place at the first coming and ministry of the ,savior1 for the following reasons3 first1 the kingdoms represented by the toes and feet1 contemporary with which the kingdom of ,god was to be set up1 did not exist2 the ,roman empire1 symbolized by the legs of iron1 was that part of the image then extant4 ,second1 the kingdom spoken of by ,daniel was not to be left to other people1 whereas the ,savior ,himself said to the disciples1 as recorded in ,matthew xxi3#dc1 ,therefore say ,i unto you1 the kingdom of ,god shall be taken from you and given to the nation bringing forth the fruits thereof4 ,to this the testimony of ,paul agrees in ,acts xiii3#df4 ,then ,paul and ,barnabas waxed bold1 and said1 ,it was necessary that the word of ,god should first have been spoken to you3 but seeing ye put it from you1 and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life1 lo1 we turn to the ,gentiles4 ,these statements taken together1 as well as many other conditions referred to1 prove clearly that the kingdom spoken of by ,daniel was not established in the days of our ,savior4 ,we are thus forced to the admission that if the kingdom of ,god has not come in this age1 it is yet to come4 ,there are1 however1 many other prophecies relating to the restoration of the last days1 which show not merely that a restoration has been predicted1 but that the ,gospel veritably has been restored to man in this dispensation1 with all the gifts and blessings which characterized the same in the days of the ,messiah2 and more1 that a people are being prepared for the coming and reign of our ,lord and ,savior ,jesus ,christ4 ,we have proved from the ,bible prophecies that a restoration of the ,gospel in its fullness1 by modern revelation1 would take place in the last days4 ,we now desire to show that this restoration has taken place1 and that ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet1 was the man through whom ,god has established anew ,his ,church upon the earth1 after the ancient pattern1 with apostles1 prophets1 gifts and blessings1 visions and revelations4 ,joseph ,smith announced to the world that he had received the visitation of heavenly messengers1 also that they conferred upon him authority to speak and officiate in the name of the ,lord with the same power and authority received and exercised by ,john the ,baptist and the apostle ,peter in ancient times4 ,now1 the prophecies quoted here could not be verified unless some one should come to the world bearing just such a testimony as that borne by ,joseph ,smith4 ,furthermore1 when we ask ,catholic and ,protestant ministers if an angel has come to any of them with the everlasting ,gospel1 they answer in the negative1 and deride the idea of new revelation4 ,ask them if ,elijah the ,prophet has come to them1 to plant in the hearts of the children the promise made to the fathers4 ,they say no4 ,has the messenger spoken of by ,malachi come to you and taught you how to build a temple to the ,lord1 that ,he may suddenly come to ,his temple8 ,the very question itself is treated with utter astonishment1 and the man who asks it is regarded as being erratic4 ,we must therefore turn from sects having forms of godliness but denying the power thereof1 to other sources to find some one who has received1 or shall receive1 the revelations of the ,almighty in the last days4 ,one thing is certain1 if the claims of the ,latter-day ,saints are not true1 then some one must come in the future with just such claims4 ,we ask the question1 will the world be any better prepared to receive a message of this character in the future than it is today8 ,certainly the hearts of the people are not being prepared for such testmonies by the influence and teachings of modern ministers4 ,come1 dear readers1 let us reason together2 let us divest our minds of all prejudice4 ,prove all things1 hold fast that which is good1 and ask the question1 what constitutes complete evidence that a man is a prophet of ,god8 ,to be a reliable witness in a human court1 an individual must be a person of veracity1 whose honor cannot be impeached4 ,such a man was ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet4 ,his parents were hard-working farmers4 ,they had a standing in the community of virtue1 honesty1 industry and sincerity in religious devotion1 unexcelled by any4 ,his forefathers were among the early founders of ,new ,england1 who came from the mother country to enjoy the greater liberty of worshiping ,god without molestation and according to the dictates of conscience4 ,his progenitors were soldiers of the ,revolution4 ,they offered their lives freely upon the altar of liberty1 for the freedom of the ,american colonies and their descendants for all generations to come4 ,from such a line of ancestors came the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,if they were not popular1 nor great1 nor affluent1 in the eyes of the world1 neither were the immediate ancestry of ,jesus and ,his apostles4 ,if ,joseph was poor and earned his bread by the sweat of his brow1 so did most all of the prophets since the world began4 ,he enjoyed the reputation1 among those who knew him best1 in every state in which he lived throughout life1 of being an honest1 industrious1 virtuous1 patriotic man4 ,on trumped-up charges by the enemies of truth1 he was arrested and tried thirty-nine times in courts not conducted by men of his own faith1 and thirty-nine times he was honorably acquitted4 ,the last time he was arrested1 his enemies said1 ,if the law cannot reach him1 powder and lead shall4 ,how like the experience of ,jesus before ,pilate6 ,honorably acquitted by the judges1 they cried out1 ,let ,his blood be upon us and our children6 ,and so it has been2 the same is true of those who shed the blood of the ,prophet and ,patriarch in these last days4 ,in view of the unpopularity of believing in angels and revelations in this age1 what purpose could a man have in view1 to make such a declaration1 unless it was true8 ,joseph ,smith gained no popularity or honors of men by it2 he made no wealth of a worldly character by such a course4 ,on the other hand1 he suffered ignominy1 scorn1 and persecution in almost every form1 including hunger1 fatigue1 exile1 imprisonment and death at the hands of assassins4 ,if it could be urged with the least propriety that when he announced his first vision he was so young--only about fifteen years of age 7not much older than ,samuel the prophet when ,god called him7--that he did not realize the terrible consequences of such a testimony1 he certainly realized in a very short time and had every opportunity to correct his assertions had they been false4 ,human nature is not such as to maintain known errors with such unwavering integrity and consistency against the bitter opposition of the world from boyhood to the grave4 ,yet with all his increasing trials and persecutions1 which rolled upon him all his life like the angry waves of the ocean1 driven by the winds against the peaceful shore1 he never faltered4 ,his testimony never wavered4 ,he testified that he saw ,god the ,father and the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and received of the ministrations of ,john the ,baptist1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 ,elijah and other prophets who lived in bygone ages4 ,with an understanding of these circumstances and a knowledge of his character1 the charge of fraud and dishonesty cannot be laid against him4 ,if so1 every prophet since the world began can be counted a dishonest man4 ,the question which naturally follows in this place is3 ,could ,joseph ,smith be mistaken8 ,in answer we say3 ,he was not a religious zealot4 ,he was a young man of a practical turn of mind4 ,while not a skeptic1 he was reasonable1 and thought that men professing to be the servants of the ,lord should give proof of their calling similar to that given by the ancient prophets4 ,if they had the true ,gospel1 with the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost1 they should not be full of contradictions on doctrine1 at least4 ,this feature shows that ,joseph was of a disposition not easily deluded by the unfounded theories of men4 ,he belonged to no church1 and like the ancient apostles1 was free from preconceived dogmas and theories4 ,he had no system to bolster up nor pet theory to maintain4 ,his mind was free and of an order most likely to be selected for the great work which the ,lord assigned him4 ,the circumstances which led to ,joseph ,smith's prayer offered in the grove near ,palmyra1 ,new ,york1 in the spring of #ahbj1 were these3 ,a great religious revival had been in progress4 ,he attended4 ,it consisted of people who were ,baptists1 ,methodists1 ,presbyterians1 etc41 represented in the pulpit by their respective ministers4 ,when a convert joined the ,baptists the other ministers would say3 ,this is the way2 walk ye in it4 ,and another3 ,this is right2 follow this way4 ,yet their doctrines were in conflict4 ,he could get no light from them4 ,in this frame of mind he commenced to read the ,scriptures4 ,he came to the first chapter of ,james1 fifth and sixth verses4 ,this reads as follows3 ,if any of you lack wisdom1 let him ask of ,god1 that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not2 and it shall be given him4 ,but let him ask in faith1 nothing wavering1 for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea1 driven with the wind and tossed4 ,for1 let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the ,lord4 ,joseph believed the promise4 ,he put it to the test4 ,he knelt in a grove of timber1 and asked ,god which denomination was right4 ,while thus engaged an unseen power seized him1 tied his tongue1 as it were1 and apparently would have destroyed his life4 ,here are ,joseph's words1 quoted from the ,pearl of ,great ,price1 page #ei3 ,just at this moment of great alarm ,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 me ,i saw two personages1 whose brightness and glory defy all description1 standing above me in the air4 ,one of them spoke unto me1 calling me by name1 and said 7pointing to the other71 ',this is my beloved ,son1 ,hear ,him4' ,in answer to my question1 which of the sects were right1 ,he answered that none of them were1 and ,i was forbidden of the ,lord to join any of them4 ,this prayer was offered by an honest boy1 seeking after truth1 unable to get the whole truth from men4 ,would the ,lord suffer such a prayer to go unanswered1 or suffer this boy to be deceived by ,satan8 ,all reason1 all ,scripture answers1 no4 ,ask and ye shall receive2 knock and it shall be opened unto you4 ,if a son ask his father for bread will he give him a stone8 ,if he ask for fish will he give him a serpent8 ,the ,savior answers1 no4 ,if it is argued that ,joseph was alone and no one else present to corroborate his testimony1 we have two answers3 ,one is that those determined to reject such revelations will deny the veracity of two or three men as readily as the assertion of one2 the other is that those who believe the ,bible1 to be consistent1 if they doubt the testimony of ,joseph because he was alone1 must also doubt the testimony of ,moses1 who was alone when ,god spoke to him from the burning bush1 and again when he stood in ,his presence on the mount and received the ,ten ,commandments4 ,will they doubt that ,isaiah saw the ,lord in the days of ,king ,uzziah8 7,isa4 vi474 ,because ,stephen alone saw ,god and ,his ,son in the last moments of ,his life1 is his testimony false8 ,paul saw the ,savior1 but the men who were with him saw ,him not4 ,yet the ,christian world believes that ,paul saw the ,lord1 even though other men in the presence of ,paul did not see him4 ,while ,joseph was alone on the occasion above related1 he was not alone in all the manifestations which the ,lord gave him4 ,we have other honest witnesses who corroborate the testimony of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 and their testimony has not been impeached4 ,they were men of good repute4 ,on the #eth day of ,may1 #ahbi1 ,john the ,baptist appeared to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 laid his hands upon their heads and conferred upon them the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 which holds authority to preach the principles of the ,gospel and baptize in water for the remission of sins1 but not authority to administer in the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this ,aaronic ,priesthood was held by ,john the ,baptist1 by ,philip1 who baptized the ,samaritans1 and by others in the times of the apostles4 ,subsequent to this ,peter1 ,james and ,john presented themselves to the same men1 ,joseph and ,oliver1 conferring upon them the holy apostleship1 which included authority to organize the ,church in its fullness and to open the door of the ,gospel to all nations4 ,passing over the many remarkable manifestations given to the ,prophet and others1 we will conclude this part of the subject by reference to the statements of the three witnesses respecting the ,book of ,mormon4 ,their testimony will be found in the title pages of every copy of that sacred volume1 signed with their names--,oliver ,cowdery1 ,david ,whitmer and ,martin ,harris4 ,they assert that an angel appeared before them1 held in his hands the metallic plates1 giving an account of the ancient inhabitants of ,america2 their origin1 history and destiny2 the dealings of ,god with them2 and the fullness of the ,gospel as taught by the ,savior and ancient prophets on this land1 from which sacred plates the ,book of ,mormon is translated into ,english4 ,the witnesses saw and handled the plates1 and gave their solemn testimony to the world4 ,under all circumstances the witnesses maintained their testimony to the end in private and public2 to all who came to ask of them1 they told the same unchanging story4 ,another feature of this evidence of these three witnesses is this3 ,in the course of time they transgressed the rules and regulations of the ,church1 and of necessity had to be excommunicated4 ,having thus fallen away from their adherence to the ,church1 from their association and fellowship with the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 they were placed in a condition where every inducement was presented them to deny their testimony and in this way frustrate the scheme1 if it had been false4 ,if such a procedure had been possible they could thereby gain the fellowship and applause of the world for exposing to ridicule and shame the man who came to the world with a ,new ,dispensation4 ,but they did not do this4 ,being outside the pale of the ,church1 may they not be called truly disinterested witnesses1 witnesses stronger in that sense than can be produced to substantiate the divinity of ancient ,jewish ,scriptures8 ,the writer once sat in the presence of ,david ,whitmer and can testify from personal contact with him that he was firm and unshaken in the testimony which he bore to the divine authenticity of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,in ,david ,whitmer's dying hours1 when enemies of this work may have had some hopes of his recanting1 he asked the leading men of ,richmond1 ,mo41 if they could honestly give an affidavit before an officer that1 from their acquaintance and dealings with him1 he was a man of honesty and truth4 ,this they did1 and published it4 ,they were men not of ,mr4 ,whitmer's religious views4 ,with that affidavit signed by about twelve leading business men of the town1 and the testimony of his physician that his mind was perfectly sound1 he published again to the world his testimony that he had seen the angel1 had handled the plates1 and that the ,book of ,mormon was the divinely translated record4 ,in connection with the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon1 a remarkable prophecy of ,isaiah has been strikingly verified3 ,and the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is seated which men deliver to one that is learned1 saying1 ,read this1 ,i pray thee3 and he saith1 ,i cannot2 for it is sealed3 and the book is delivered to him that is not learned1 saying1 ,read this1 ,i pray thee3 and he saith1 ,i am not learned4 7,isaiah xxix3#aa1 #ab47 ,when ,joseph obtained the plates he discovered that a portion of them were sealed and learned from the angel that the time had not come to publish that part of the volume1 but from the unsealed plates he copied some characters and sent them by ,martin ,harris to a learned linguist in ,new ,york--,prof4 ,anthon4 ,the learned man examined them and gave ,mr4 ,harris a certificate testifying that they were true characters of ,hebrew and reformed ,egyptian4 ,before leaving1 the learned man asked ,mr4 ,harris to bring him the plates and he would translate them4 ,mr4 ,harris answered that he was forbidden to do that1 and also that a portion of the plates were sealed4 ,he replied1 ,i cannot read a sealed book1 and asked where ,joseph ,smith obtained them4 ,when answered that an angel revealed them1 he asked to see the certificate he had given of their genuineness4 ,it was handed him and he tore it up in a rage1 saying1 ,angels do not appear nowadays4 ,the words of the book1 not the book itself1 were delivered to the learned man1 as ,isaiah said they would be4 ,he said he could not read a sealed book1 as ,isaiah said he would say4 ,the book itself was delivered to ,joseph1 the unlettered youth1 and in his humility he said1 ,i am not learned2 but ,god gave the gift of translation1 that it should be done2 not by the wisdom and learning of men1 but by the power of ,god4 ,other ,bible prophecies might be quoted referring to the ,book of ,mormon1 but our purpose at present is not to treat upon that sacred record1 but incidentally to show that its coming forth furnishes strong evidence that ,joseph ,smith was a ,prophet of ,god4 ,how it would be possible for an unsophisticated youth to devise a scheme that would answer in its workings so minutely the details of ancient prophecy1 unless ,god inspired him1 should require far more credulity to believe than it would that he was sent of ,god1 and thus attribute to the ,almighty the honor for the great work4 ,with this array of corroborating witnesses1 and the practical character of ,joseph ,smith1 we do not see the possibility of his being mistaken any more than were ,paul1 ,stephen1 ,moses1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john and all the ancient prophets4 ,it should be remembered that ,god has ,his own way and does not show ,himself openly to all the people1 but to chosen witnesses4 ,him ,god raised up the third day1 and showed ,him openly1 not to all the people1 but to witnesses chosen before ,god4 7,acts x3#dj1 #da47 ,we come now to another phase of evidence that the ,gospel has been restored1 namely1 that the organization of the ,church as established by the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 and also the doctrines taught by him1 are in perfect accord with the teachings of the ,bible4 ,the proof of this is given in other chapters of this volume4 ,the evidence there given of the divine mission of ,joseph ,smith is all the stronger when we take into consideration the fact that for seventeen centuries learned men have been organizing churches and teaching what they esteemed to be the essentials of salvation1 without being able from the fragmentary teachings of the apostles to organize a church with apostles1 prophets1 seventies1 etc4 ,the force of this condition is also enhanced when we recall that each generation of reformers has possessed the advantages arising from the experience and conclusions of each generation preceding them4 ,neither has been able to unite upon the principles essential for mankind to obey in order to secure salvation4 ,joseph ,smith presents to the world a system which is a monument of inspiration1 both as to the scriptural evidence that the organization is divine and in the fact that the practical workings thereof are perfect4 ,he does not stop at this4 ,he says to his followers that on condition of their acceptance of faith in ,god and in ,his ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 repentance from all sin1 baptism by immersion for the remission of sins1 and the laying on of hands by ,elders of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 they shall receive the ,holy ,ghost1 and that the fruits thereof are the same as in olden times2 they shall prophesy1 speak in tongues1 have dreams1 visions1 revelations1 healings and miracles4 ,there are in the ,church today #caj1jjj souls4 ,of this number many are children1 but the thousands who have arrived at the years of accountability have put the promise to the test1 and the universal testimony of these people is that they have received knowledge of ,god for themselves4 ,the tens of thousands1 also1 who have passed from life1 since the date of the organization of the ,church 7#ahcj71 received the same testimony4 ,during the troubles of the ,saints in ,illinois1 judge ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas was an acquaintance of ,joseph ,smith and his people4 ,he knew the injustice heaped upon them by his personal acquaintance with the facts4 ,while in the presence of judge ,douglas and others1 the judge requested the ,prophet to give him a history of the persecutions in ,missouri1 which he did4 ,while addressing the judge the ,prophet said3 ,judge1 you will aspire to the presidency of the ,united ,states2 and if you ever turn your hand against me or the ,latter-day ,saints1 you will feel the weight of the hand of the ,almighty upon you2 and you will live to see and know that ,i have testified the truth to you2 for the conversation of this day will stick to you through life4 7,deseret ,news1 ,sept4 #bdth1 #ahef47 ,judge ,douglas aspired1 as stated1 to the ,presidency of the ,united ,states1 and was nominated for that position on ,june #bc;d1 #ahfj1 at the ,democratic convention held in ,charleston4 ,when he thus aspired he was a popular man1 eloquent and gifted1 and no one seemed to have brighter hopes of success4 ,however1 in his mistaken effort to win popular approval1 in a speech delivered in ,springfield1 ,illinois1 ,june #abth1 #aheg1 he1 in defiance of his own knowledge of the ,latter-day ,saints and their character1 said3 ,the knife must be applied to this pestiferous1 body politic4 ,it must be cut out by the roots and seared over by the red-hot iron of stern and unflinching law4 ,much more he uttered against the ,latter-day ,saints1 in harmony with misguided public sentiment4 ,when the election came ,douglas was badly defeated4 ,of the electoral votes he had but twelve4 ,he carried but one state4 ,feeling the weight of the hand of the ,almighty upon him1 he died a disappointed1 heart-broken man1 in less than a year1 in the prime of life1 being but forty-eight years of age4 ,thus the word of the ,lord was fulfilled with terrible accuracy4 ,again ,joseph said3 ,i prophesied that the ,saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the ,rocky ,mountains2 many would apostatize1 others would be put to death by our persecutors or lose their lives in consequence of exposure and disease2 and some of you will live to go and assist in making settlements and build cities and see the ,saints become a mighty people in the midst of the ,rocky ,mountains4 7,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 xix41 page #fcj47 ,the ,saints did continue to suffer much persecution1 some did apostatize1 others did die of exposure1 disease and privation4 ,others were put to death by persecutors2 some lived to go to the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,they have assisted there in building cities1 towns and temples1 in making a great commonwealth1 and the ,saints have become a mighty people in the midst of these mountains4 ,they attract the attention of the world4 ,a city set on a hill cannot be hid4 ,these prophecies1 uttered by ,joseph ,smith1 have come to pass1 as have many others1 and that1 too1 contrary to all human prospects4 ,all his prophecies not yet verified relate to future times1 and will come to pass as literally and exactly as those of the past or those of any other prophet since the world began1 for ,god inspired and ,joseph spoke4 ,having finished his mission1 accomplished all in the flesh the ,lord gave him to do1 the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith suffered the shedding of his blood at the hands of a wicked mob1 ,june #bgth1 #ahdd1 in ,carthage1 ,illinois4 ,why was he slain8 ,his doctrine1 his promises1 his life1 his prophecies1 all proved him to be a prophet of ,god before he died a martyr4 ,let the ,scriptures answer the question3 ,for where a testament is1 there must also of a necessity be the death of the testator4 7,heb4 ix3#af47 ,god gave to the world through ,joseph ,smith a new testament of the plan of salvation4 ,he gave the ,book of ,mormon1 a record of the ,gospel to the ancient inhabitants of ,america4 ,he gave the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 containing the revelations of ,god to the ,saints of the last days4 ,these do not supplant the ,bible4 ,they prove it true1 and all agree in one4 ,in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established4 ,through ,joseph1 to this generation1 came the witness of the ,holy ,ghost and the authority of the ,holy ,priesthood4 ,by the continuation of that authority the ,church exists today1 with the ,prophet ,joseph ,f4 ,smith as its earthly living head4 ,every ,elder of the ,church can trace his authority back directly to ,joseph ,smith1 who was ordained by the apostles ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 who received it from the hands of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,joseph ,smith's testimony is weighty4 ,it effects the whole world4 ,the evidence must also be weighty1 and it can now be said that no class of evidence was withheld4 ,he gave all that any ,prophet ever gave1 including life itself4 ,he sealed his testimony with his blood and his testimony is in force upon all the world4 ,the sealing of his testimony with his blood also accords with ancient prophecy4 ,john the ,revelator was called into a high mountain to see the visions of the future4 ,read 7,rev4 iv3#a74 ,also1 among other things1 the apostle says3 ,and when he had opened the fifth seal1 ,i saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of ,god1 and for the testimony which they held3 ,and they cried with a loud voice1 saying3 ,how long1 ,o ,lord1 holy and true1 dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth8 ,and white robes were given unto every one of them2 and it was said unto them1 that they should rest yet for a little season1 until their fellow servants also and their brethren1 that should be killed as they were1 should be fulfilled4 7,rev4 vi3#i-aa47 ,joseph ,smith1 the great ,prophet of the last days1 and his martyred brother1 the ,patriarch ,hyrum ,smith1 were among these fellow servants who were to be slain4 ,they have fulfilled this last requirement of their earthly existence4 ,their testimony is true1 attested by every evidence that man could give or the world require4 ,that testimony is binding upon all the world4 ,the ,gospel has been restored to man1 through ,joseph ,smith1 in all its fullness4 ,will men obey the divine message8 ,a proper answer by every individual is of the greatest importance4 ,,the ,,church4 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints is the organization through which the ,lord is accomplishing the declaration of the ,gospel in the last days1 gathering ,israel1 administering the ordinances of salvation1 and1 in short1 is accomplishing the work of redemption--that accomplishment which has been predicted by the mouths of all ,his holy prophets since the world began4 ,the ,church is called the ,church of ,jesus ,christ because it is ,his4 ,he directed how and when to organize it1 pointing out by direct revelation the manner of ,church government2 the principles and ordinances of the ,gospel2 the blessings to be enjoyed by those who obey ,him1 and also the respective duties of each quorum or council of the ,holy priesthood4 ,the words ,latter-day ,saints are used to distinguish it from the former-day dispensation1 or from the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,former-day ,saints4 ,the authority of ,god delegated to man is called the ,holy priesthood4 ,this priesthood is arranged under two great heads4 ,the lesser branch is called the ,levitical or ,aaronic1 because it was conferred upon ,aaron and his posterity4 ,it holds the keys of the administration of angels1 administering the outward ordinances of the ,gospel1 such as baptism by immersion for the remission of sins1 the sacrament of the ,lord's supper1 the receiving and distribution of tithes and offerings1 all subject to the direction of the high priesthood4 ,the officers in the ,aaronic priesthood consist of ,bishops1 ,priests1 ,teachers and ,deacons4 ,there is a presiding ,bishop1 who holds the keys of this priesthood1 also other ,bishops1 who preside over the interests of the lesser priesthood in ,wards or ,branches1 looking after the temporal interests of the ,saints4 ,the ,priests are standing ministers1 organized into quorums of forty-eight in each4 ,the duty of the ,priest is to visit the home of each member1 expound the ,scripture1 invite all to come unto ,christ and exhort the ,saints to perform every duty enjoined by the ,gospel4 ,teachers are organized into quorums of twenty-four each4 ,the duty of those bearing this office is to see that the ,saints do their duty and entertain no ill-feelings toward their fellow-beings1 and that no iniquity exists in the ,church4 ,these general duties1 common to all ,saints1 consist in living a chaste1 honest1 upright1 temperate and industrious life1 attending to secret and family prayers1 attendance at meetings of worship1 partaking of the sacrament1 the payment of tithes and offerings1 observing the ,sabbath day1 and kindred obligations1 all made plain in the revelations of ,god to the ,church4 ,the ,deacons are organized into quorums of twelve each1 and are to assist the ,teacher in all the duties of his calling1 as occasion may require1 but their especial duty is to look after the houses of worship1 keep them clean1 see to the arrangement of seats and the seating of the people in public assemblies of worship1 and such other labors under the direction of the ,bishop as may conduce to the welfare of the ,church4 ,the ,melchisedek or higher priesthood holds the keys to the kingdom of heaven4 ,it has the power to seal on earth1 and what is done is sealed in heaven2 to loose on earth and it is loosed in heaven2 to receive the revelations of ,god2 to guide the ,church in all things1 and to understand the mysteries of godliness as far as they are revealed to men in the flesh4 ,in ancient times these keys and fullness of authority were given to ,peter when the ,savior said to him3 ,and ,i give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven4 7,matt4 xvi3#ai47 ,the offices of this priesthood consist of the ,first ,presidency1 a quorum of three1 bearing the holy apostleship1 and as the organization of the ,church on earth typifies the heavenly1 these three symbolize the ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost1 and hold the keys of authority over all departments of the ,church1 on all matters1 spiritual and temporal1 even as the ,godhead is the great ruling power of the universe1 the heavens and the earth and all that in them is4 ,next come the ,twelve ,apostles1 who hold the keys of opening the door of salvation to all nations1 kindreds1 tongues and peoples4 ,the reason that this quorum numbers twelve is in honor of the twelve tribes of ,israel4 ,jesus said to the ,twelve at ,jerusalem3 ,thou shalt sit upon twelve thrones1 judging the whole house of ,israel2 and again1 upon the foundations of the heavenly ,jerusalem were to be the names of the ,twelve ,apostles of the ,lamb4 ,the ,church in government is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets1 ,jesus ,christ ,himself being the chief corner stone4 7,eph4 ii3#ai1 #bj47 ,the duty of the ,twelve is to carry the ,gospel to all nations and to send the same by their associates1 the ,seventies4 ,the ,seventies are organized into quorums of seventy in each1 presided over by seven of their number4 ,their especial calling is1 like that of the ,twelve1 to be witnesses of the truth in all the world1 and they are the ones especially appointed to associate with the ,twelve in conveying the ,gospel message to all mankind4 ,the office of ,high ,priest is one of presidency4 ,the ,high ,priests are not limited to any especial number to constitute a quorum1 but any number existing in a ,stake of ,zion is a quorum1 presided over by three of their members4 ,high ,priests are chosen to preside over ,stakes of ,zion1 to act as ,high ,counselors1 preside over temples1 officiate in the ordinances of the house of the ,lord1 and1 where the literal descendants of ,aaron are not found1 the ,high ,priest is chosen to officiate in the ,bishopric4 ,where men are found among the ,seventies or ,elders in any ,ward or ,stake1 more suitable to fill a vacancy in the ,ward ,bishopric1 ,stake ,presidency1 or ,high ,council1 than the resident ,high ,priests1 such men are selected and ordained to the office of ,high ,priest4 ,as standing ministers in ,wards and ,stakes the office of ,elder exists1 and a quorum of ,elders numbers ninety-six4 ,they have authority to preach the ,gospel1 baptize1 confirm1 administer the sacrament1 anoint1 and lay on hands for the healing of the sick1 but differ from the ,seventies in not being under the especial duty of traveling abroad to preach the ,gospel4 ,they have authority1 however1 as do ,high ,priests1 to travel abroad and preach the ,gospel when called by the ,presidency of the ,church4 ,there is in the ,church a presiding ,patriarch1 and other ,patriarchs in all the ,stakes of ,zion4 ,the duty of this high office is to impart blessings to the ,saints of ,god4 ,in presenting the general authorities of the ,church the name of the ,patriarch is presented next to the ,twelve ,apostles4 ,the general authorities of the ,church1 presented for the acceptance of the ,church at every general conference1 are the ,presidency1 the ,twelve ,apostles1 the ,patriarch1 the ,seven ,presidents of ,seventies1 and the ,presiding ,bishopric of the ,church4 ,the names of the officers in the ,priesthood are ,apostles1 ,patriarchs1 ,high ,priests1 ,seventies1 ,elders1 ,bishops1 ,priests1 ,teachers and ,deacons4 ,when difficulties arise between members of the ,church and they fail to settle by themselves and the assistance of one or two witnesses1 as the ,savior directs1 the ,bishopric of the ,ward form an ecclesiastical court1 to which the disputants can refer their difficulties4 ,if the decision is unsatisfactory to either party1 there is a court of appeal in each ,stake1 called the ,high ,council1 consisting of twelve ,high ,priests presided over by the ,presidency of the ,stake4 ,from their decision an appeal can be had to the ,presidency of the ,church1 which is the end of controversy4 ,trials by these courts are conducted free of charge4 ,they are to exercise the functions of their calling without partiality and with the fear of ,god before their eyes1 and to be guided by the ,spirit of the ,lord in their conclusions4 ,in the selection of any and all officers in the ,church1 the ,saints have a voice4 ,no person is to be ordained to any office in this church1 where there is a regularly organized branch of the same1 without the vote of that church4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 section xx1 #fe47 ,and all things shall be done by common consent in the ,church1 by much prayer and faith1 for all things you shall receive by faith4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 section xxvi1 #b47 ,the ,gospel is a perfect law of liberty1 and no people upon the earth have broader freedom and a stronger voice in government1 religious or otherwise1 than do the ,latter-day ,saints in the governmental and all other affairs of the ,church4 ,the reader is referred to the revelations of ,god1 given in the last days to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 for a more perfect understanding of the offices and duties thereof1 pertaining to the ,church of ,christ4 ,they are to be found in the ,book of ,doctrine and ,covenants4 ,these revelations throw great light upon the fragmentary statements of the ,new ,testament1 because in the latter no one can learn the relationship of one quorum in the ,church to another1 nor the explicit duties of the respective offices in the ,holy ,priesthood4 ,this ,church was organized on the #fth of ,april1 #ahcj1 as far as could be1 with the limited membership of six men--,joseph ,smith1 ,jr41 ,hyrum ,smith1 ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,samuel ,h4 ,smith1 ,peter ,whitmer1 ,jr41 and ,david ,whitmer4 ,it was truly a grain of mustard seed1 the smallest of all seeds1 in comparison with other organizations4 ,a less number could not have been organized under the laws of ,new ,york4 ,the great founder1 under ,god1 of this ,church1 had never belonged to any other4 ,it was not an off-shoot of ,catholic or ,protestant1 but as a little stone cut out of the mountains without hands1 it bore no relationship to any human system2 and as the stone should increase in velocity as it rolled on1 so has the ,church grown in magnitude from the mustard seed to a great tree4 ,it is believed by the ,saints that the ,savior was born on the #fth of ,april1 and that the organization of this ,church commemorates that great event4 ,on the #aath of ,april1 #ahcj1 ,oliver ,cowdery preached the first ,gospel discourse of this dispensation4 ,soon branches of the ,church were raised up in ,new ,york and ,pennsylvania4 ,men were brought into the fold who later filled notable places in the ,church4 ,brigham ,young1 ,john ,taylor1 ,wilford ,woodruff1 ,lorenzo ,snow and other leading men embraced the ,gospel between #ahcj and #ahcg4 ,the ,book of ,mormon had been translated and published to the world previously4 ,news of the new dispensation was heralded abroad by friend and foe4 ,at that time many were prepared to embrace the ,gospel1 for the ,lord had shown unto them that the ,gospel in its fullness and purity did not exist in the ,catholic and ,protestant systems of so-called ,christianity4 ,the ministration of heavenly beings had been renewed1 and during the entire lifetime of ,joseph ,smith he was the recipient of messages from the eternal worlds4 ,persecution arose1 and bitter opposition was arrayed against the ,church4 ,the ,prophet was at times waylaid by wicked men1 and sometimes arrested upon unfounded1 trumped-up charges4 ,from all these he was delivered until the time came for him to offer his life as a martyr4 ,in the fall of #ahcj ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 ,john ,whitmer and ,ziba ,peterson were called to carry the ,gospel to the ,indians 7,lamanites71 located in what was then the western wilds of these ,united ,states4 ,near ,kirtland1 ,ohio1 they met ,sidney ,rigdon and other followers of ,alexander ,campbell4 ,the ,elders presented to them the restored ,gospel1 with the ,book of ,mormon4 ,many of them received the truth1 and the town of ,kirtland became a gathering place for the ,saints4 ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet1 removed to that point1 and the ,church as a body was chiefly located there as early as #ahca4 ,in the meantime the future site of the chief city of ,zion was designated by revelation to the ,prophet1 dedicated and set apart for the gathering of the ,saints4 ,in #ahcb the first periodical in the ,church was published1 the ,evening and ,morning ,star1 at ,independence1 ,missouri4 ,the press and property of this publication were subsequently destroyed by a mob4 ,persecution in ,missouri became very bitter4 ,many of the ,saints were treated with bodily violence1 their houses and property destroyed by fire and themselves expelled from the county by armed mobs4 ,during this time ,kirtland was being built up4 ,the ,lord required the ,saints to build a temple1 in which to receive sacred ordinances for the salvation of the living and the dead4 ,to this labor they devoted their energies1 and notwithstanding their poverty the temple was completed and ready for dedication in ,march1 #ahcf4 ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet1 translated by inspiration the ,new ,testament1 completing the work ,feb4 #b1 #ahcc4 ,five months later he finished the translation of the ,old ,testament1 so far as the ,lord indicated the necessity of so doing4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints' ,messenger and ,advocate was published in ,kirtland4 ,the ,church1 though organized by the authority of the apostleship1 did not contain sufficient adherents at first to organize the councils of the priesthood1 so as time went on and numbers increased1 the ,lord would indicate when and how to organize these quorums4 ,the quorum of ,high ,priests was organized in ,kirtland1 ,march #ah1 #ahcc4 ,the ,presidency and ,high ,council of the ,church were organized ,feb4 #ag1 #ahcd4 ,that of the ,seventies commenced ,feb4 #bh1 #ahce4 ,thus from time to time1 as the ,church grew and developed1 the ,lord made plain by revelation how to organize every quorum1 and finally ,stakes of ,zion and branches thereof and branches scattered abroad4 ,on ,aug4 #ag1 #ahce1 the ,book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 containing the revelations of the ,lord to the ,church up to that date1 was accepted as a rule of faith and practice4 ,between that date and the martyrdom of the ,prophet many revelations were given1 but owing to the poverty and unsettled condition of the ,church all of them were not published until subsequent to the decease of the ,prophet4 ,during the troubles in ,missouri1 a body of men called ,zion's ,camp left ,kirtland ,may #e1 #ahcd1 to carry supplies and relieve the distress of their co-religionists1 who had been exiled from their homes in ,independence1 ,missouri4 ,they performed the arduous journey on foot1 through the wildernesses of ,indiana1 ,illinois and ,missouri1 accomplished their mission and returned to ,ohio4 ,early in the year #ahcf the ordinances of blessing and anointing were attended to in the ,kirtland temple1 and that sacred edifice was dedicated to the ,lord ,march #bg1 #ahcf4 ,in the temple the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost were poured out in abundance4 ,many saw visions4 ,the ,savior1 ,moses1 ,elias and ,elijah appeared to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery4 ,previous to this1 ,joseph's first visit was a personal visit of the ,father and the ,son4 ,again on ,feb4 #af1 #ahcb1 the ,savior appeared to ,joseph ,smith and ,sidney ,rigdon1 and revealed to them the glories of the celestial1 terrestrial and telestial worlds1 and the suffering and condemnation of these who are unworthy a kingdom of glory4 ,in #ahcg1 during the financial panic1 a great apostasy took place in ,kirtland1 which involved the standing of several of the ,twelve ,apostles4 ,persecution raged in ,missouri4 ,elders ,kimball1 ,hyde and ,richards introduced the ,gospel into ,england and performed their first baptism ,july #cjth1 #ahcg1 in the river ,ribble4 ,from that time until the present date a prosperous mission has been conducted in ,great ,britain4 ,thousands have joined the ,church in that land and gathered to ,zion4 ,subsequently ,john ,taylor introduced the ,gospel into ,france1 and with others1 into ,germany2 ,erastus ,snow into ,scandinavia1 and ,lorenzo ,snow into ,italy2 and from these countries1 especially ,germany and ,scandinavia1 thousands have come to swell the ranks of the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,into each of these tongues1 and others1 the ,book of ,mormon has been translated in fulfillment of prophecy4 ,the ,gospel continued to spread in ,canada1 where it had been introduced by ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 also in the ,united ,states and ,europe4 ,persecution raged in ,ohio and ,missouri4 ,the ,saints as a body left ,kirtland ,july #fth1 #ahch1 for ,missouri1 chiefly locating at ,far ,west1 ,caldwell county4 ,in the fall of that year1 ,apostle ,david ,w4 ,patten fell a martyr at the hands of a mob on ,crooked river2 ,joseph1 ,hyrum and others had been sent to prison without trial or conviction2 yet the work prospered and spread abroad4 ,during these sore trials1 when death to the ,prophet and others appeared inevitable1 he prophesied their safe deliverance from the mob in ,missouri4 ,while ,joseph and ,hyrum were yet in prison1 ,presidents ,young and ,kimball led the suffering ,saints to ,illinois1 where they established the famed city of ,nauvoo4 ,to that point ,joseph and his brethren made their escape and enjoyed a brief respite from mobocracy4 ,the ,prophet predicted1 however1 that ,nauvoo would not be a resting place of the ,saints for a great length of time4 ,in keeping with this inspiration1 he prophesied on ,aug4 #fth1 #ahdb1 of their coming location and greatness in the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,he also prepared an expedition to explore the ,west1 but died a martyr before its consummation4 ,although ,nauvoo was a sickly place1 the industry of the ,saints was attended with the blessings of divine ,providence1 and the city grew with magic speed4 ,a temple was soon commenced4 ,a charter was obtained from the ,state ,legislature to establish a university1 and prosperity almost unparalleled characterized the labors of the people4 ,however1 the combination of political intrigue and religious bigotry on the part of religious professors1 coupled with transgressing apostates1 soon conspired to spread death and destruction among the ,saints4 ,in ,missouri1 at ,haun's mill and elsewhere1 many had been shot down in cold blood1 property was burned1 and the whole people exiled from the state4 ,in ,illinois further trouble was inaugurated by ,missourians4 ,they sought on one occasion to kidnap the ,prophet1 but failed4 ,fabricated charges were made against the ,prophet4 ,he was tried as before1 and every time acquitted4 ,when his last trial was being conducted1 the mob 7like the rabble in the halls of ,pilate7 said that if the law could not touch him1 powder and lead should4 ,their nefarious purposes were permitted to be carried out1 and on ,june #bgth1 #ahdd1 ,joseph and ,hyrum1 while under the pledged protection of ,gov4 ,ford1 were assassinated by a howling mob in ,carthage jail1 ,hancock county1 ,illinois4 ,previous to his martyrdom1 the ,prophet ,joseph had received more than one hundred revelations1 had been instrumental in organizing the ,church in its fullness1 and bestowing the keys of the kingdom of ,god upon the ,twelve ,apostles4 ,to ,nauvoo were gathered thousands of people from the several states1 ,canada and ,great ,britain4 ,at the time of the ,prophet's martyrdom the ,twelve were abroad on missions1 with the exception of ,elders ,john ,taylor and ,willard ,richards1 who were with the ,prophet and ,patriarch at the time of the martyrdom1 ,elder ,taylor himself being wounded with four bullets4 ,while the ,saints were in ,missouri the ,lord commanded that they should importune the officers of the law in the districts where the trouble occurred1 and not being heeded1 should appeal to the governor1 thence to the president of the ,united ,states4 ,all this was done1 without avail4 ,the president answered their appeal by saying1 ,gentlemen1 your cause is just1 but ,i can do nothing for you4 ,governors of states were written to1 to use their influence to avert the wrongs heaped upon the ,saints1 but from one or two only came a favorable response4 ,on the failure of the states and nation to protect their own citizens against mob violence and plunder1 the ,lord promised to vex the nation with a sore vexation4 ,this was done in the hundreds of thousands of lives and the millions in treasure lost in the ,civil ,war4 ,the outbreak of this war was revealed by the ,lord to ,joseph twenty-eight years before it came to pass1 and published to the world as early as #ahea4 ,the ,church was not founded by men1 nor did it depend upon any particular man or set of men for strength1 growth or progress4 ,god has rounded and protected and is perpetuating ,his ,church on the earth1 so that when the ,prophet passed to the life beyond1 the work continued and grew with great rapidity4 ,it is said1 and truly1 that the blood of the martyr is the seed of the ,church4 ,president ,brigham ,young and his associates of the ,twelve1 according to the voice of the ,spirit and the order of the ,holy ,priesthood1 succeeded to the ,presidency of the ,church4 ,the work of the ,lord continued to prosper1 contrary to the prediction of its enemies that when the ,prophet ,joseph was out of the way the work would come to naught4 ,the foundation of a temple had been laid which was pushed to completion1 dedicated to the ,lord1 and ordinances performed therein4 ,mobocratic hostilities were renewed1 however1 with determined vigor4 ,nauvoo was besieged4 ,the temple was burned and ,elder ,william ,anderson and his son killed4 ,the ,saints were expelled at the point of the bayonet4 ,they had a flourishing city in an incredibly short time4 ,they were quiet1 peaceable1 law-abiding1 industrious citizens4 ,the killing of their leading men1 the burning of their homes1 the numerous indignities heaped upon them1 were as dastardly and cold-blooded as any persecution chronicled in the annals of history1 especially when we consider that it occurred in a free country1 where liberty for every race and religion is the proud boast of its people4 ,many of the people left ,nauvoo in the dead of winter1 #ahde-f1 crossing the ,mississippi river on the ice4 ,the day after the general exodus1 nine children were born in the camp of the exiled people4 ,under the leadership of ,president ,young and his associates1 the ,saints moved westward across the state of ,iowa and built up a settlement called ,winter ,quarters1 where the people remained to recruit until #ahdg4 ,while there the government called on the ,saints for five hundred men to engage in the war with ,mexico4 ,these were promptly supplied1 and the most able-bodied men were sent to defend their country4 ,in the spring of #ahdg1 ,president ,young and a small company numbering #adc1 including three women1 started from the ,missouri river to find beyond the ,rocky ,mountains a place of rest1 where they might build and inhabit homes and worship ,god free from the furious rage of mobs4 ,after an interesting and trying journey of about three months this noble band of pioneers entered ,salt ,lake valley ,july #bdth1 #ahdg1 over a thousand miles from the ,mississippi river4 ,as they emerged from the mouth of what was afterwards named ,emigration ,canyon1 they stood upon a plateau facing westward4 ,to the north and south a great valley extended1 bordered on the west by mountains and a great inland sea of salt water1 the ,great ,salt ,lake4 ,the islands in the lake are mountains almost destitute of timber1 but supplied with grass suitable for the grazing of horses and cattle4 ,the valley was poorly watered1 and dry and sterile was the appearance of the country before them4 ,but ,god was their leader4 ,he had shown to ,president ,young beforehand the ,salt ,lake ,valley4 ,when the pioneer band entered the valley the ,prophet said1 ,this is the place4 ,here we will build a city4 ,when they came upon the ground where the temple now stands1 ,president ,young1 thrusting his cane into the ground1 said in substance1 ,here we will stay1 and upon this ground we will build a temple4 ,all the events conducing to the growth and development of the valleys prove that ,president ,brigham ,young knew whereof he spoke1 and ,god has confirmed his words by the many blessings of divine ,providence showered upon the people in building up a commonwealth in what was in those days a great barren waste4 ,the soil upon which the ,saints then stood belonged to ,mexico4 ,those pioneers were as truly exiles from their country as were the ,puritans who sailed the trackless ocean and planted their feet upon ,plymouth ,rock4 ,and yet the ,latter-day ,saints then had five hundred men in the ,american army1 in the contest with ,mexico4 ,upon a prominent mountain peak1 called ,ensign1 the ,mormon pioneers planted the ,stars and ,stripes1 the flag of their country1 and possessed the land as citizens of the ,united ,states4 ,upon the arrival of this first company the work of plowing and building immediately commenced4 ,it would take volumes to tell the history of the growth and progress of the ,saints from that time till now2 but this wondrous recital is written upon the mountains and in the valleys1 which are open to the inspection of all people4 ,in the fall of #ahdg a large company of ,saints crossed the plains1 led by ,president ,john ,taylor and other prominent men4 ,the companies continued to pour into ,salt ,lake valley and spread into the valleys north and south each year from #ahdg to #aijj1 coming as ,latter-day ,saints1 under the regulations of the ,church4 ,the leading brethren had made covenant that they would not cease their energies until all the ,saints who would remain faithful should be gathered to the place appointed4 ,before the death of ,prophet ,joseph many had apostatized4 ,the ,saints were not so well established in doctrine as they are today1 and some were led astray by the pretensions of prominent men who were disposed to leave the ,church and follow their own course4 ,the ,twelve ,apostles stood next in authority to the ,presidency of the ,church by the order pointed out in the revelations of ,god and at the time when ,sidney ,rigdon was asserting his claims to the guardianship of the ,church1 ,president ,young stood up to address the ,saints4 ,a remarkable manifestation of ,god's power took place4 ,president ,young was transfigured before the people4 ,he appeared to increase in height and in form of his face and body to the exact personal appearance of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,when he spoke his voice was as that of the martyred ,prophet4 ,people who were present on that occasion say that if their eyes had been closed when he arose from his seat they would have believed the speaker to be none other than the ,martyr4 ,truly the mantle of ,joseph had fallen upon ,brigham1 and while ,joseph had received all the keys of the priesthood1 he had bestowed them upon the ,twelve1 also the revelations upon which to build the ,church of ,christ4 ,president ,young truly built upon these revelations during his entire administration4 ,in #ahdi1 at ,winter ,quarters1 he was sustained as ,president of the ,church by the unanimous voice of the priesthood1 ,heber ,c4 ,kimball and ,willard ,richards then being chosen ,counselors and so endorsed by the voice of the ,church thereafter at general conferences during the remainder of their lifetimes4 ,president ,young presided over the ,church as the senior ,apostle for thirty-three years1 five years in connection with the ,twelve and twenty-eight years in the ,presidency4 ,soon after the settlement of the ,saints in ,salt ,lake valley1 other valleys were explored north and south1 and settlements established wherever water could be obtained1 as rapidly as the strength and numbers of the ,saints would justify4 ,as early as #ahfj settlements were rounded and the ,saints organized in ,wards and quorums of the priesthood1 from ,cache valley to ,st4 ,george1 a distance of over #djj miles from north to south4 ,wherever the ,saints locate in settlements of a few families1 or more1 they are organized with a ,bishop and counselors to preside over them1 with ,priests1 ,teachers and ,deacons1 as before explained1 for a local ministry4 ,as helps in government they had in those early days the ,relief ,society to relieve the poor and afflicted4 ,the society is composed of women1 and was first organized ,march #ag1 #ahdb1 by the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 in ,nauvoo4 ,in #ahdi the first ,sunday school was established in the ,church by ,richard ,ballantyne1 in the ,fourteenth ,ward1 ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,later1 and during the administration of ,president ,young1 the ,young ,men and ,young ,ladies' ,mutual ,improvement ,associations were inaugurated4 ,still later1 by suggestion of ,sister ,aurelia ,spencer ,rogers1 under the administration of ,president ,john ,taylor1 the ,primary ,associations1 presided over and conducted by capable sisters1 were established for the especial benefit of little children4 ,all these are helpful regulations to meet the growing requirements of the ,saints in matters of religious1 moral and intellectual training and development4 ,one of these organizations exists in every ,bishop's ,ward1 unless the number of any class who properly belong to one of the associations named is too limited to make the organization profitable4 ,in such cases those who would take part in such associations are not unprovided for because the ,sunday school1 more than any other association in the ,church1 takes in all ages of both sexes4 ,our ,sunday schools now have a membership of nearly #abe1jjj4 ,where there are a sufficient number of ,wards1 in any section of the country1 these ,wards are presided over by a ,president and two counselors1 with a ,high ,council1 who have certain jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the ,church in this group of ,wards4 ,the associations1 ,sunday schools1 societies1 etc41 have a general superintendency of three1 with assistants4 ,this organization1 composed of the ,wards1 is called a ,stake of ,zion4 ,for convenience sake1 the geographical boundaries of the ,stake are usually the same as those of the county1 but not always1 or necessarily so4 ,sometimes the population of two or three counties is not too great to be one ,stake1 where the settlements are close together1 or not separated by mountains1 which would render the attendance of the people at ,stake conferences1 especially in the winter season1 very laborious1 and in some instances almost impossible4 ,we have now fifty ,stakes of ,zion4 ,they extend from ,canada to ,mexico4 ,they exist in ,utah1 ,idaho1 ,arizona1 ,wyoming1 ,colorado1 ,canada and ,mexico4 ,many of them were organized just prior to the decease of ,president ,young1 the remainder under his successors1 respectively3 ,presidents ,taylor1 ,woodruff1 ,snow and ,smith4 ,april #fth1 #ahec1 the ,temple in ,salt ,lake ,city was commenced4 ,it is constructed of granite4 ,the rock was hauled1 the first fifteen years1 with ox teams1 a distance of sixteen miles1 two yoke of oxen frequently being required to draw one huge stone4 ,but many years before the completion of the ,temple1 the locomotive1 with many ear loads of stone at a time1 rolled into the ,temple block and left its cargo by the side of the growing edifice4 ,the capstone of this magnificent house of the ,lord was laid by electricity4 ,the current was applied by the finger of ,god's ,prophet1 ,wilford ,woodruff1 then eighty-four years of age1 and one of that noble band of one hundred forty-three who entered ,salt ,lake valley ,july #bdth1 #ahdg4 ,president ,young was instrumental in laying the foundation of four temples in ,utah1 at ,salt ,lake1 ,st4 ,george1 ,logan and ,manti4 ,all have been1 years ago1 completed2 the ,salt ,lake ,temple being dedicated ,april #fth1 #ahic1 by ,president ,wilford ,woodruff4 ,the ordinances of salvation for the living and the dead are performed in the temples1 and tens of thousands have been officiated for since their completion4 ,subsequent to the exodus of the ,church from ,nauvoo to ,salt ,lake valley1 the ,gospel was introduced to the ,pacific ,isles by ,president ,george ,q4 ,cannon and other ,elders in #ahec4 ,in the work of preaching the ,gospel many countries have not yet accorded perfect religious freedom1 and to penetrate these the ,church awaits only the provinces of the ,almighty to break down the barriers and make it feasible to promulgate the ,gospel in those countries4 ,in other lands1 where freedom reigns1 the ,elders have carried the glorious message4 ,the ,book of ,mormon has been translated into ,german1 ,danish1 ,swedish1 ,french1 ,spanish1 ,italian1 ,hawaiian1 ,maori and other tongues1 and will continue to be given to the world until the truths of the ,gospel upon its sacred pages shall be read by every nation1 kindred1 tongue and people4 ,the thousands who have embraced the work with honest motives have received the witness of the ,holy ,spirit to their own satisfaction4 ,gifts and blessings which the ancient saints enjoyed have been renewed in this glorious dispensation4 ,the external history of the ,church has been the same as in other times4 ,if ye were of the world1 the world would love its own2 but because ye are not of the world1 therefore the world hateth you4 ,and they that live godly in ,christ ,jesus shall suffer persecution4 ,prophecy has been and is being fulfilled4 ,what is prophecy but history reversed8 ,history repeats itself4 ,when ,joseph ,smith promulgated a new revelation1 religious and irreligious fought against such an idea4 ,professional religionists seek to prove by the ,scriptures that revelations are not for our day4 ,in this they fail1 because the ,old and ,new ,testaments abound in predictions of future revelations and events which cannot be filled without revelation4 ,the wicked have resorted to slander1 ridicule and falsehood1 then to violence1 resulting in the destruction of property and human life4 ,all this being futile1 they moved the nation by the falsehoods of ,judge ,drummond to send an army to ,utah4 ,but when the army came they found that this ,united ,states officer had basely deceived the president of the nation1 by telling that the ,mormons were in a state of rebellion and had burned the court records1 these being found unharmed4 ,the ,mormons were at peace with ,god and all mankind1 quietly minding their own business1 pursuing their vocations of life and building up the country for the benefit and blessing of all who should come within their gates4 ,the army came to ,utah in #aheg1 and subsequently returned ,east1 going chiefly to the ,south1 their leading officer1 ,gen4 ,albert ,sidney ,johnston1 taking part with the ,confederate army in the great rebellion4 ,he fell upon the battlefield of ,shiloh1 ,april #fth1 #ahfb1 thirty-two years to the day after the ,church was born in this dispensation4 ,the army sold to the ,mormons mules1 wagons1 harness and other materials much needed1 at a mere nominal figure1 and thus being a blessing1 proved the words of ,isaiah true1 ,i will make the wrath of man to praise me4 ,as the ,saints grew in prosperity and importance1 avarice and prejudice seized political demagogues1 adventurers and religious bigots1 to stir the nation to a systematic effort to crush out ,mormonism4 ,special legislation was enacted and enforced beyond the severity of its own provisions4 ,about eight hundred men went to prison2 a few women were incarcerated because they would not testify against their husbands2 heavy fines were paid and hundreds went into exile rather than prove untrue to the solemn covenants and obligations they had entered into under their religious convictions4 ,finally confiscation of ,church property took place1 but most of it was afterwards restored4 ,in #ahij ,president ,woodruff issued his manifesto regarding plural marriage1 feeling that the courts of the country had abused justice in denying the ,saints the liberty of religious worship granted by the ,american ,constitution4 ,in this form of opposition to the ,church1 a prophecy of ,joseph ,smith is fulfilled1 in which he said1 in substance1 that persecution against the ,saints would extend from township to county1 from county to state1 and from state to nation4 ,his words have been literally fulfilled4 ,the ,saints1 in enduring persecution1 did so with patience and forbearance4 ,they have no spirit of revenge4 ,they understand that much of the popular sentiment against them is based upon misunderstanding1 rounded in the falsehood of wicked and designing men4 ,the spirit of the ,gospel teaches them that it is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong1 and that patience and charity are as necessary as a testimony of the truth2 for without the approval of the ,lord they could not endure the trials and temptations which beset them4 ,from the commencement the ,church had taught the utmost freedom of mankind to worship as they chose1 such liberty being curtailed only when it runs into license and infringes upon1 the rights of others4 ,in the early inception of the ,church1 ,god commanded ,his people to study and learn from the best of books1 to acquire an understanding of the laws of ,god and the governments of men1 to become acquainted with the heavens and the earth4 ,thus the ,saints are the friends of all true education4 ,joseph ,smith established a school in ,kirtland for the study of ,hebrew and other branches of knowledge4 ,for ,nauvoo he obtained a charter for a university4 ,brigham ,young and his associates founded the ,deseret ,university1 now called the ,university of ,utah4 ,they have also established church schools1 the ,brigham ,young ,academy in ,provo1 the ,brigham ,young ,college in ,logan1 ,stake academies and other schools4 ,the sons of ,latter-day ,saints have graduated with honor in the ,military ,academy at ,west ,point4 ,in ,ann ,arbor1 ,michigan1 they have a record unsurpassed in the law school and in other branches taught by that noted institution4 ,the same is true of their record at ,harvard and elsewhere2 also are there numerous graduates of medicine1 dentistry1 civil engineering1 etc41 as taught in the great schools of ,chicago1 ,philadelphia and other places4 ,mission conferences are established in almost every state of the ,american ,union1 also in ,england1 ,ireland1 ,wales1 ,scotland1 ,denmark1 ,sweden and ,norway1 ,germany1 ,holland1 ,palestine1 ,new ,zealand1 ,australia1 the ,hawaiian and many other islands of the ,pacific ocean1 including ,japan4 ,the present living membership of the ,church1 men1 women and children1 is not less than #caj1jjj souls4 ,while there has been steady progress in numerical strength1 it is not in numbers altogether that strength consists4 ,we fully realize that ,straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life1 and few there be that find it4 ,the greatest strength consists in the purity of the principle and the impossibility of the wicked and corrupt to remain long in the ,church4 ,god is its founder and builder4 ,he established the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,it will stand always1 for whatsoever the ,lord doeth1 ,he doeth it forever4 ,,church ,,organization4 ,we have treated briefly upon the subject of ,divine ,authority1 merely pointing out the absolute necessity of such authority in order to obtain complete salvation1 and how it was bestowed and perpetuated whenever a ,gospel dispensation existed upon the earth4 ,it will not be amiss to deal briefly with the subject of ,church ,organization1 as this specifies the distribution of divine authority to the various offices in the ,church of ,christ1 each having specific duties to perform4 ,in the beginning we wish it distinctly understood that we accept of the ,new ,testament as the record of this organization1 and that nowhere within that sacred record is even an intimation that1 by divine appointment1 the offices established in the ,church of ,christ by the ,savior of mankind would be done away4 ,on the other hand1 neither do we claim that the ,new ,testament contains a full and explicit statement of every office in the ,church1 with the several duties of each officer and the relationship which each council or order of authority bears to every other council4 ,the ,new ,testament is fragmentary and has been translated and re-translated many times since it was first written by inspired apostles and prophets2 those translations were by men not claiming the inspiration which characterized the men of ,god who wrote it4 ,in this connection we must not forget the statement of ,holy ,writ3 ,the things of ,god knoweth no man but the ,spirit of ,god4 99 99 99 ,but the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god2 for they are foolishness unto him2 neither can he know them1 because they are spiritually discerned4 7,i4 ,cor4 ii3#aa1 #ad4 7 ,therefore1 where the inspired record is not sufficiently full in elucidating any principle1 nothing short of new revelation from ,god will clear away the mist and bring us to a knowledge of the truth4 ,the writings of ,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke1 ,john1 ,peter1 ,james and ,jude1 so far as they bear upon the sayings and acts of the ,savior during ,his earthly ministry1 are the testimonies of what they saw and heard personally1 as well as the revelations of the ,holy ,ghost to them1 subsequent to the crucifixion and ascension of the ,savior4 ,paul embraced the ,gospel later1 and was not personally associated with ,jesus in ,his ministry4 ,his testimony is equally binding1 however1 as he wrote and spoke as he was moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established4 7,matt4 xviii3#af47 ,in ,matthew1 chapter #aj1 commencing with the first verse1 we have this statement3 ,and when ,he had called unto ,him ,his ,twelve disciples1 ,he gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease4 ,now the names of the ,twelve apostles are these2 then follows the name of each of the ,twelve4 ,mark gives more detail as to when and where they were called1 as follows3 ,and ,he goeth up into a mountain and called unto ,him whom ,he would2 and they came unto ,him4 ,and ,he ordained twelve1 etc4 7,mark iii3#ac1 #ad47 ,luke records the calling of the ,twelve in the sixth chapter of his book1 beginning with the twelfth verse3 ,and it came to pass in those days that ,he went out into a mountain to pray1 and continued all night in prayer to ,god4 ,and when it was day ,he called unto ,him ,his disciples3 and of them ,he chose twelve1 whom also ,he named apostles4 ,paul says in ,i4 ,cor4 xii3#bh3 ,and ,god hath set some in the church1 first apostles2 and again in ,ephesians1 chapter #d1 verse #aa3 ,and ,he gave some apostles4 ,from the statements of four ,new ,testament writers1 it is plain that the first officers placed in the ,church of ,christ were apostles4 ,jesus delegated unto ,peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven1 that whatsoever he should bind on earth should be bound in heaven1 as recorded in the sixteenth chapter of ,matthew1 thus delegating to the apostleship all authority essential to the preaching of the ,gospel1 and administering in all the ordinances thereof1 at home and abroad1 for the salvation of all who would render obedience4 ,it is apparent that other men such as ,paul and ,barnabas received the apostleship1 but while this was the case it is evident that the ,twelve apostles constituted a quorum4 ,when ,judas fell1 one was chosen to take his place in that quorum1 as written in the ,acts of the ,apostles1 first chapter1 #bc-bf verses4 ,it would appear from the reading of the ,scriptures that while these twelve still lived1 ,paul and probably others received the holy apostleship1 but did not become members of that council4 ,the work of preaching the ,gospel to all the world1 to every creature1 was undoubtedly too extensive for the accomplishment personally of twelve men1 so ,jesus chose others to assist them4 ,after these things the ,lord appointed other seventy also1 and sent them two and two before ,his face into every city and place1 whither ,he ,himself would come4 7,luke x3#a47 ,as ,he conferred upon them similar powers and gave them a similar calling to preach the ,gospel1 they were undoubtedly the next associates of the ,twelve in preaching the ,gospel to the inhabitants of the earth4 ,some think by the language used by ,luke1 other seventy1 that ,he had chosen one quorum of seventies before this one1 but this is not necessarily correct1 as it will apply in meaning to other than the ,twelve apostles4 ,in ,hebrews1 fifth chapter and first verse1 ,paul says3 ,for every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to ,god4 ,while it is true that the words high priest are used in a more general sense in some instances1 such as in ,hebrews1 third chapter1 first verse1 where the ,savior is called both the ,apostle and ,high ,priest of our profession1 it appears evident from the above quotation and other passages that there was in the order of ecclesiastical government in the ,church of ,christ a distinct officer with specific duties called a ,high ,priest4 ,again1 in ,acts1 fourteenth chapter and twenty-third verse1 we read3 ,and when they had ordained them elders in every church1 and had prayed with fasting1 they commended them to the ,lord1 on whom they believed4 ,and when they were come to ,jerusalem1 they were received of the church1 and of the apostles and elders4 99 99 99 ,and the apostles and elders came together4 7,acts xv3#d-f47 ,and as they went through the cities1 they delivered them the decrees for to keep1 that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at ,jerusalem4 7,acts xvi3#d47 ,and from ,miletus ,he sent to ,ephesus1 and called the elders of the church4 7,acts xx3#ag47 ,and ordained elders in every city as ,i had appointed thee1 7,titus i3#e47 ,the term elders is used in many other passages of ,scripture4 ,in some instances the apostle is called an elder1 as ,paul and ,john allude to themselves personally as elders4 ,in some places the term is used in reference to the aged1 as in ,i4 ,timothy1 chapter v41 verses #a1 #b3 ,rebuke not an elder1 but entreat him as a father1 and the younger men as brethren1 the elder women as mothers1 the younger as sisters1 with all purity4 ,yet the quotations made will be ample to prove that the office of ,elder was an order anciently in the organization of the ,church of ,christ4 ,in ,i4 ,timothy1 third chapter1 verses #a1 #b1 we learn of the office of ,bishop1 with some essential qualifications4 ,this is a true saying3 ,if a man desire the office of a bishop1 he desireth a good work4 ,a bishop then must be blameless1 the husband of one wife1 vigilant1 sober1 of good behavior1 given to hospitality1 apt to teach4 ,also1 in ,titus i3#g3 ,for a bishop must be blameless1 as the steward of ,god1 not self-willed1 not soon angry1 not given to wine1 no striker1 not given to filthy lucre2 but a lover of hospitality1 a lover of good men1 sober1 just1 holy1 temperate4 ,these passages show clearly the office of ,bishop to be a department in the government of the ,church of ,christ1 and should be held by a married man4 ,there was in the days of ,herod1 the king of ,judea1 a certain priest named ,zacharias1 of the course of ,abia4 7,luke i3#e47 ,the order of the ,priest as established in ancient ,israel seems to have continued in the ,new ,testament dispensation4 ,although the offering of sacrifice was consummated at least for that period1 in the atonement of our ,savior1 it is apparent that ,john the ,baptist1 ,philip1 and others1 were priests after the order of ,levi1 having authority to baptize for the remission of sins1 and to preach faith and repentance1 but not to officiate in the higher ordinances of the ,gospel which secured the baptism of fire and the ,holy ,ghost1 nor to preside over the ,church of ,christ and regulate the affairs thereof throughout the world4 ,in ,acts xiii3#a1 ,i4 ,cor4 xii4#bh1 and ,eph4 iv3#aa1 we learn of an officer called ,teacher1 though nothing as to the especial functions of that office4 ,paul to ,timothy1 in the third chapter of his letter1 refers to the ,deacons1 and enumerates some of the qualifications essential to the possession of men who bear that sacred calling in the ,church of ,christ4 ,in the ,first ,epistle to the ,corinthians1 twelfth chapter1 verse #bh1 the apostle declares3 ,and ,god hath set some in the church1 first apostles1 secondarily prophets1 thirdly teachers1 after that miracles1 then gifts of healings1 helps1 governments1 diversities of tongues4 ,and ,he gave some apostles2 and some prophets2 and some evangelists 7patriarchs72 and some pastors and teachers1 7,eph4 iv3#aa47 ,now there were in the church 99 99 99 certain prophets and teachers4 7,acts xiii3#a47 ,peter and ,paul1 in their writings1 make reference to the ancient patriarchs1 and although no definite statement is made1 as to such an office existing in their time1 it is more than probable that it existed in the ,church of ,christ whenever that ,church had an existence on the earth4 ,the quotations give us the names of1 at least1 the following offices as departments of the ,holy ,priesthood and essentials to the work of the ,lord3 ,apostles1 ,patriarchs1 ,high ,priests1 ,seventies1 ,elders1 ,bishops1 ,priests1 ,teachers and ,deacons4 ,the words pastors1 shepherds1 evangelists1 etc41 are also used in reference to officials in the ,church1 but it is probable that some terms were used not so much to name the exact title of a man's position or calling in the order of the priesthood as to indicate the nature of the work his calling enjoined upon him4 ,for instance1 a pastor is one who has charge of a flock1 a shepherd2 applied religiously1 one who has the oversight of a ,branch of the ,church 7president of conference1 for example72 and this term would apply to ,elders and ,bishops1 who1 according to the ,new ,testament1 had watched over branches of the ,church in different parts of the earth4 ,we wish to again call attention to the fact that the exact and full duty in detail of each officer is not wholly explained in the ,jewish ,scriptures4 ,the precise order in which all of these officers were placed is not clear4 ,the difference between the general duties common to all and the particular labors enjoined upon one officer1 which distinguished him from every other officer in the church1 is not told4 ,this is not surprising1 either1 as undoubtedly each man in his order understood his duties from the instructions of the living oracles of ,god4 ,furthermore1 they had writings1 which are referred to in the ,testament1 but which are not preserved and handed down to us2 and it is probable they had still other writings that are neither compiled nor alluded to in the ,scriptures4 ,the ,new ,testament contains letters of instructions1 exhortations1 warnings and testimonies of the apostles to the ,church and to the world1 and does not claim to be a complete exposition of ,church ,organization1 etc4 ,the ,church was guided by direct revelation1 and was to be so guided in all time2 and the fact that man1 with all his learning and the benefits of researches made by preceding generations1 cannot organize a church after the ancient pattern1 is indisputable proof that we need more revelation from ,god4 ,the world by wisdom knew not ,god4 ,suffice it to say1 that as long as we need divine instructions1 which will be the case forever1 we need the ,god-given officers which ,christ placed in ,his ,church1 and which ,he designed to continue as long as the ,church should exist4 ,here is the testimony of ,paul to the ,ephesians1 chapter #d3 ,and ,he gave some apostles2 and some prophets2 and some evangelists2 and some pastors and teachers2 for the perfecting of the saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the edifying of the body of ,christ3 ,till we all come in the unity of the faith1 and of the knowledge of the ,son of ,god1 unto a perfect man1 unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of ,christ3 ,that we henceforth be no more children1 tossed to and fro1 and carried about with every wind of doctrine1 by the sleight of men1 and cunning craftiness1 whereby they lie in wait to deceive4 ,in this connection it is perhaps sufficient to remark that the history of the world is ample proof that apostles1 prophets and inspiration are always needed4 ,the reader is asked to carefully study the chapter on the ,church1 given in this work1 as it points out the duties of officers in the ,church ,organization1 as given us by modern revelation4 ,,divine ,,authority4 ,a very remarkable feature in the religious sentiment of modern ,christianity is the indifference which prevails as to the question of legitimate authority to speak and officiate in the name of the ,lord4 ,should an unauthorized man operate in matters of human government1 or an impostor pretend to be the agent of a mercantile institution and deceive the people by taking their orders for goods and receiving their money1 no one with sound reason would expect the government or firm to make good the unauthorized contracts of such an impostor2 but the deceiver would be arrested and thrust into prison for his fraudulent acts4 ,why should the consideration of sacred ordinances involving the salvation of mankind be treated with less concern8 ,there seems to have grown up in the hearts of the people a feeling that mere belief and intellectual assent to the theories of the ,gospel is all-sufficient to secure salvation in the presence of the ,lord4 ,but this is an unscriptural delusion4 ,even so faith1 if it hath not works1 is dead1 being alone4 ,thou believest that there is one ,god2 thou doest well3 the devils also believe and tremble4 ,but wilt thou know1 ,o vain man1 that faith without works is dead8 4 4 4 ,for as the body without the spirit is dead1 so faith without works is dead also4 7,st ,james ii3#ag1 #ai1 #bj and #bf47 ,we have shown from the ,scriptures that baptism and confirmation are essential ordinances to salvation2 and to these might be added other sacred rites1 instituted by the ,savior of the world for the redemption of man4 ,he has said that 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 heaven4 7,matt4 vii3#ba47 ,can anyone reasonably suppose that baptism1 confirmation1 the sacrament1 or any other sacred ceremony administered by one not sent of ,god will be followed by the blessings which attended the primitive saints8 ,will unauthorized acts secure the remission of sins1 or the gifts of the ,holy ,spirit1 which are manifest in visions1 dreams1 healings1 prophecies1 tongues1 etc48 ,not by any means2 and the reason the signs do not follow professed believers of the present day is because their ministers are not called of ,god according to the pattern instituted by ,him4 ,the condemnation of the ,lord will rest upon all who speak presumptuously and who willfully usurp authority to officiate in sacred things4 ,the ,lord said in the days of ,jeremiah1 concerning certain men who spoke without authority3 ,i have not sent these prophets1 yet they ran2 ,i have not spoken to them1 yet they prophesied4 7,jer4 xxiii3#ba47 ,the whole history of the dealings of ,god with ,his people as it is recorded in the ,bible1 proves the constant necessity of living1 divine authority4 ,upon this branch of the subject we cite the reader to the ,scriptures4 ,when ,moses was about to depart from ,israel he sought the ,lord to designate his successor1 knowing full well that without succession of authority the work of ,god could not continue4 ,he said1 ,let the ,lord1 the ,god of the spirits of all flesh1 set a man over the congregation1 which may go out before them1 and which may go in before them1 and which may lead them out1 and which may bring them in2 that the congregation of the ,lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd4 7,num4 xxvii3#af-ag47 ,in ,romans x41 #ad to #ag1 we have the following3 ,how then 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 preach1 except they be sent8 ,the ,savior1 who called ,twelve apostles and other seventy to continue the work which ,he1 by the direction of ,his ,father1 had inaugurated1 was so particular that they should not run before they were sent that ,he said to them1 ,and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in ,his name among all nations1 beginning at ,jerusalem4 ,and behold1 ,i send the promise of my ,father upon you3 but tarry ye in the city of ,jerusalem1 until ye be endued with power from on high4 7,luke xxiv3#dg1 #di47 ,this emphatic injunction was given1 notwithstanding that these apostles had been already called and ordained as recorded in ,mark iii3#ad1 and notwithstanding their great experience by personal association with the ,savior of mankind1 who was pure1 without guile1 and perfect in all things1 who spake as never man spake4 ,the apostles had witnessed the sick healed1 the blind see1 the deaf hear1 the dumb speak1 the dead raised4 ,three of them1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 had been with ,christ when ,he was transfigured on the holy mount4 ,moses and ,elias had ministered unto them4 ,these ,twelve were the living oracles of ,almighty ,god1 but for all that1 they must not run before they were sent1 nor speak before they were spoken to4 ,they must enjoy especial power4 ,are men in modern times as particular to avoid speaking in the name of the ,lord before they are truly called8 ,let us ascertain how men are called of ,god and ,his authority perpetuated in the earth4 ,in speaking of the honor and authority of the ,holy ,priesthood1 ,paul says1 ,and no man taketh this honor unto himself1 but he that is called of ,god1 as was ,aaron4 ,by reading the fourth and twenty-eighth chapters of ,exodus1 the information as to how ,aaron was called can be obtained4 ,he was called by a revelation through a prophet of ,god4 ,that prophet was called by revelation and ordained by one having authority to ordain him4 ,this method of calling men to the ministry was ever adhered to by true ,saints1 and when departed from1 the departure has been of men and not of ,god4 ,aaron received the anointing literally at the hands of the prophet ,moses1 as recorded in ,exodus xl3#ae1 #af1 and thus conferred the ,levitical priesthood upon ,aaron1 which was to be transmitted by the holy anointing from generation to generation1 as long as they should observe the statutes of the ,holy ,one of ,israel4 ,when ,joshua was called to succeed ,moses in leading ,israel into the promised land1 it was done by revelation from ,god and the laying on of hands by one having authority4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ,take thee ,joshua1 the son of ,nun1 a man in whom is the spirit1 and lay thine hand upon him4 99 99 99 ,and he laid his hands upon him1 and gave him a charge1 as the ,lord commanded by the hand of ,moses4 7,num4 xxvii3#ah #bc47 ,and ,joshua1 the son of ,nun1 was full of the spirit of wisdom2 for ,moses had laid his hands upon him4 7,deut4 xxxiv3#i47 ,during the entire history of ancient ,israel1 men were called by revelation1 and when any person presumed to officiate without such a call1 their acts were invalid and were rejected of the ,almighty4 ,the ,new ,testament furnishes direct evidence of the plan of calling men to the ministry and perpetuating the authority of ,god among men4 ,jesus said to ,his apostles1 ,ye have not chosen me1 but ,i have chosen you1 and ordained you4 7,st4 ,john xv3#af47 ,now there were in the church that was at ,antioch certain prophets and teachers2 as ,barnabas1 and ,simeon that was called ,niger1 and ,lucius of ,cyrene1 and ,manaen1 which had been brought up with ,herod the tetrarch1 and ,saul4 ,as they ministered to the ,lord1 and fasted1 the ,holy ,ghost said1 ,separate me ,barnabas and ,saul for the work whereunto ,i have called them4 ,and when they had fasted and prayed1 and laid hands on them1 they sent them away4 7,acts xiii3 #a1 #b1 #c47 ,and when they had ordained them elders in every church1 and had prayed with fasting1 they commended them to the ,lord1 on whom they believed4 7,acts xiv3 #bc47 ,men thus called have authority to speak in the name of the ,lord1 to officiate in ,his name2 and their acts are valid1 binding in time and eternity4 ,when ,paul found a number of disciples at ,ephesus who had received baptism1 but in answer to his question1 said that they had not so much as heard whether there be any ,holy ,ghost1 he promptly baptized them2 yet they had received this ordinance after the form of ,john's baptism1 that is1 by immersion1 which was correct4 ,it was evident1 however1 that their first baptizing was done without authority1 otherwise the person officiating would have told them of the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost1 as did ,john the ,baptist4 ,under these circumstances ,paul had to rebaptize them1 or rather administer the true baptism1 he having authority from ,god to administer it1 and then he conferred the ,holy ,ghost upon them by the laying on of hands4 ,this example is a lesson as applicable to similar conditions of today as it was in the ,new ,testament dispensation4 ,all ceremonies1 ordinances1 rites1 etc41 administered without the administrator being called of ,god as was ,aaron1 are null and void4 ,the dispensation of the fullness of times has been ushered in4 ,the ,father and the ,son and other heavenly messengers have visited the earth and restored authority to act in the name of ,jesus as in days of old4 ,this authority has been transmitted from the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith to others1 as designated by the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost and by the laying on of hands4 ,in this manner the authority of the ,holy ,priesthood will be perpetuated without interruption until the kingdoms of this world shall have become the kingdom of our ,god and ,his ,christ4 ,,personality ,,of ,,god4 ,the general idea of ,deity accepted throughout the so-called ,christian world is stated briefly in this way3 ,god is a being without body1 parts or passions4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints regard our ,heavenly ,father as possessing an actual tabernacle of flesh and bones 7not blood71 and that in ,his image man is created4 ,our views respecting this important subject are based upon the revelations of ,god to man in ancient and modern times1 and regarding which there is no contradiction in the testimony of the prophets4 ,god said1 ,let us make man in our image1 after our likeness2 and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea1 and over the fowl of the air1 and over the cattle1 and over all the earth1 and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth4 ,so ,god created man in ,his own image1 in the image of ,god created ,he him2 male and female created ,he them4 7,gen4 i3#bf1 #bg47 ,it is claimed by some that this likeness is only to be understood as a moral image4 ,there is1 however1 nothing to justify such a view1 either in the statement quoted or any other passage of ,holy ,writ4 ,on the contrary1 the ,scriptures show that man is actually in the image of his ,maker4 ,concerning ,his appearance to ,abraham1 we read3 ,and the ,lord appeared unto him in the plains of ,mamre2 and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day2 and he lifted up his eyes and looked1 and1 lo1 three men stood by him3 and when he saw them1 he ran to meet them from the tent door1 and bowed himself toward the ground1 and said1 ',my ,lord1 if now ,i have found favor in thy sight1 pass not away1 ,i pray thee1 from thy servant3 ,let a little water1 ,i pray you1 be fetched1 and wash your feet1 and rest yourselves under the tree4' 7,gen4 xviii3#a-d47 ,material as this may appear to many1 the first verse of the chapter1 as well as other verses following those quoted1 proves conclusively that this records a personal appearing of the ,lord1 and also that ,he has a tangible being1 composed of various parts of the body1 as real as those which characterize ,his offspring4 ,this instance is only one out of many in which the ,lord appeared to ,abraham4 ,read the seventeenth chapter of ,genesis1 #a-c1 ,and when ,abraham was ninety years old and nine1 the ,lord appeared to ,abram1 and said unto him1 ,i am the ,almighty ,god2 walk before me1 and be thou perfect4 ,and ,i will make my covenant between me and thee1 and will multiply thee exceedingly4 ,and ,abram fell on his face2 and ,god talked with him4 ,then follows the conversation engaged in between ,god1 our ,eternal ,father1 and ,abraham1 the father of the faithful4 ,how such an event should occur between a real human being and one who had no real organization1 without body1 parts or passions1 requires more credulity to believe than to accept the idea which the ,scriptures themselves convey in these chapters1 viz3 that ,god has an actual personality4 ,if language more direct than the foregoing is required1 it can be found in the eleventh chapter of ,genesis1 regarding the confusion of tongues at the tower of ,babel4 ,and the ,lord came down to see the city and the tower1 which the children of men builded4 99 99 99 ,go to1 let us go down1 and there confound their language1 that they may not understand one another's speech4 ,it is evident from this that the ,lord was in one place1 the tower of ,babel in another2 that ,he was surrounded by associates1 and in counsel with them proposed to go to the place where the tower was in course of construction and there defeat the purpose of its builders4 ,no one could take this account1 written in the simplicity of truth1 believing that it is a truthful statement of the historical facts1 and still believe that ,god is without body1 parts or passions and in ,his actual individuality fills at once the immensity of space4 ,the entire ,bible history of ,abraham is also one continuous account of personal visits1 conversations and covenants made by the ,almighty to and with the patriarch4 ,isaac was also favored with the presence of the ,lord3 ,and ,isaac went unto ,abimelech1 king of the ,philistines1 unto ,gerar4 ,and the ,lord appeared unto him and said1 ,go not down into ,egypt2 dwell in the land which ,i shall tell thee of4 7,gen4 xxvi3#a1 #b47 ,and again in the twenty-fourth verse of the same chapter3 ,and the ,lord appeared unto him the same night1 and said1 ,i am the ,god of ,abraham thy father2 fear not1 for ,i am with thee1 and will bless thee1 and multiply thy seed for my servant ,abraham's sake4 ,jacob1 the grandson1 of ,abraham1 was no less favored of the ,lord in being a personal witness of ,his existence1 with love and interest in ,his earthly children3 ,and ,jacob said unto ,joseph1 ,god ,almighty appeared unto me at ,luz in the land of ,canan and blessed me1 and said unto me1 ,behold ,i will make thee fruitful1 and multiply thee1 and ,i will make of thee a multitude of people2 and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession4 7,gen4 xlviii3#c1 #d47 ,abraham was designated the father of the faithful1 the friend of ,god4 ,of ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob the ,lord has said1 ,i am the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob4 ,to them ,he made glorious promises and entered into everlasting covenants extending into eternity4 ,he promised that their seed should be as numerous as the stars of heaven and as countless as the sands upon the seashore4 ,to the thoughtful person who reads the ,scriptures in the spirit of truth1 it must be apparent that our ,heavenly ,father foreknew the unchanging integrity of these men1 and because of this gave them such great promises and made them1 by ,his visits to them1 living witnesses of ,his existence and personality4 ,moses is another witness to the personality of ,god4 ,and ,moses hid his face2 for he was afraid to look upon ,god4 7,ex4 iii3#f47 ,on another occasion there were over seventy witnesses that ,god is a personal being4 ,then went up ,moses1 ,aaron1 ,nadab and ,abihu1 and seventy of the elders of ,israel2 ,and they saw the ,god of ,israel2 and there was under ,his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone1 and as it were the body of heaven in ,his clearness4 7,ex4 xxiv3#i1 #aj47 ,he said to the prophet ,moses3 ,thou canst not see my face2 for there shall no man see me and live4 ,and the ,lord said1 ,behold1 there is a place by me1 and thou shalt stand upon a rock2 and it shall come to pass1 while my glory passeth by1 that ,i will put thee in a clift of the rock1 and will cover thee with my hand while ,i pass by2 and ,i will take away my hand1 and thou shalt see my back parts2 but my face shall not be seen4 7,ex4 xxxiii3#bj-bc47 ,again it is written3 ,my servant ,moses is not so1 who is faithful in all mine house4 ,with him will ,i speak mouth to mouth1 even apparently1 and not in dark speeches2 and the similitude of the ,lord shall he behold4 7,num4 xii3#g1 #h7 ,these quotations respecting the prophet ,moses show that on some occasions he had personal visits from the ,lord4 ,in one instance he was accompanied by over seventy associates1 and once he was permitted to see the back parts only4 ,these statements are so much in detail and in such direct language that they are not susceptible of any private interpretation1 but must be taken in a literal sense4 ,how any one can profess to believe in the ,bible and read these statements1 yet deny the personality of ,god1 is a matter of wonder and astonishment1 and can only be accounted for in the fact that people have been taught to accept the precepts of men without taking the natural and reasonable conclusions which a personal reading of the ,scriptures would establish in their own minds4 ,when ,hezekiah1 king of ,judah1 was beset by the ,assyrians he offered the following prayer to the ,lord3 ,lord1 bow down thine ear1 and hear2 open1 ,lord1 thine eyes1 and see2 and hear the word of ,sennacherib1 which hath sent him to reproach the living ,god4 7,,ii ,kings xix3#af47 ,and again it is written3 ,now mine eyes shall be open1 and my ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place4 ,for now have ,i chosen and sanctified this house1 that my name may be there forever2 and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually4 7,,ii ,chron4 vii3#ae1 #af47 ,the ,psalmist ,david expressed himself1 saying3 ,i have called upon ,thee1 for ,thou wilt hear me1 ,o ,god2 incline thine ear unto me1 and hear my speech4 ,as for me1 ,i will behold thy face in righteousness2 ,i shall be satisfied1 when ,i awake with ,thy likeness4 7,psalms xvii3#f1 #ae47 ,these expressions in the prayers of righteous men point to the manifest truth that ,god has eyes to see1 ears to hear1 a heart with which to love1 a mouth to speak2 and taken with other statements of ,holy ,writ1 show beyond the possibility of a reasonable doubt1 that our ,heavenly ,father is possessed of a body composed of the various parts which go to constitute the several members of a human body1 and that ,he is susceptible of anger1 love and hatred4 ,he hates iniquity and loves righteousness4 ,he is angry with the wicked every day4 ,such are the statements of ,holy ,writ4 ,he1 therefore1 cannot be without body1 parts or passions4 ,the ,lord was also seen by the prophet ,isaiah4 ,in the year that ,king ,uzziah died1 ,i saw also the ,lord sitting upon a throne1 high and lifted up1 and ,his train filled the temple4 7,isa4 vi3#a47 ,to corroborate these testimonies of the ,old ,testament we call the attention of the reader to several passages in the ,new4 ,when ,stephen was being martyred he saw ,god3 ,but he1 being full of the ,holy ,ghost1 looked up steadfastly into heaven1 and saw the glory of ,god1 and ,jesus standing on the right hand of ,god1 and said1 ,behold1 ,i see the heavens opened1 and the ,son of ,man standing on the right hand of ,god4 7,acts vii3#ee1 #ef47 ,nothing could be plainer and more convincing from the written ,scriptures than that ,stephen actually saw ,god1 and that ,he and ,his ,son were in the heavens in the presence of each other4 ,paul wrote to the ,philippians as follows3 ,let this mind be in you1 which was also in ,christ ,jesus2 who1 being in the form of ,god1 thought it not robbery to be equal with ,god4 7,phillip4 ii3#e #f47 ,and again in ,col4 i3#ae1 ,paul said respecting the ,savior3 ,who is the image of the invisible ,god1 the first born of every creature4 ,to the ,hebrews the same apostle says1 concerning ,jesus3 ,who being the brightness of his glory1 and the express image of ,his person1 and upholding all things by the word of ,his power1 when ,he had by ,himself purged our sins1 sat down on the right hand of the ,majesty on high4 7,heb4 i3#c47 ,these writings of ,paul1 though not relating to a personal appearance of ,god1 fully corroborate in doctrine all the quotations on the subject made from the ,old and ,new ,testaments4 ,the ,scriptures referred to show conclusively the personality of the ,father1 and a portion of the quotations presented1 point to the fact that ,he is a separate personage1 and entirely distinct in person from ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ4 ,we now call the attention of the reader to a few passages of ,scripture1 showing the personality of the ,savior1 not only in reference to ,his individuality before ,his crucifixion1 but showing that in ,his resurrected and immortal state1 ,he will continue a separate and distinct personality from all other beings4 ,subsequent to ,his resurrection ,he appeared to the apostles2 at first sight they were terrified1 and supposed they had seen a spirit1 ,and ,he said unto them1 ,why are ye troubled8 ,and why do thoughts arise in your hearts8 ,behold my hands and my feet1 that it is ,i myself2 handle me and see2 for a spirit hath not flesh and bones1 as ye see me have4 ,and when ,he had thus spoken ,he showed them ,his hands and ,his feet4 ,and while they yet believed not for joy1 and wondered1 ,he said unto them1 ,have ye here any meat8 ,and they gave ,him a piece of a broiled fish1 and of an honeycomb4 ,and ,he took it1 and did eat before them4 7,luke xxiv3#ch-de47 ,thomas1 one of the ,twelve1 was not with them when ,jesus came1 and when told by his brethren that they had seen the ,lord1 he would not believe them1 and said3 ,except ,i shall see in ,his hands the print of the nails1 and put my finger into the print of the nails1 and thrust my hand into ,his side1 ,i will not believe4 ,subsequent to this appearance1 ,thomas was present when the ,savior invited him to satisfy his mind to the fullest extent1 thrusting his hand into ,his side and beholding the wounds in ,his hands and feet1 when he exclaimed1 ,my ,lord and my ,god4 7,john xx3#b1 #e1 #bh47 ,here is a clear demonstration that ,jesus in ,his immortal state continues as a personal being1 with a tangible body of flesh and bones4 ,to show that there is no change in the personal status of the ,savior1 eighteen hundred years have passed away since ,his resurrection1 and yet we learn from the ,scriptures that still in the future ,he shall appear in the same body3 ,and ,his feet shall stand in that day upon the ,mount of ,olives1 which is before ,jerusalem on the east1 and the ,mount of ,olives shall cleave in the midst thereof4 99 99 99 ,and the ,lord my ,god shall come1 and all the saints with ,thee4 7,zech4 xiv3#d-f47 ,in the thirteenth chapter1 which appears to be connected with ,his appearance upon the ,mount of ,olives1 we find the following statement3 ,and one shall say unto ,him1 ,what are these wounds in thine hands8 ,then ,he shall answer1 ,those with which ,i was wounded in the house of my friends4 7,zech4 xiii3#f47 ,many entertain the belief that of the three personages constituting the ,godhead only one is a personal being with a tangible body1 viz43 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,enough evidence has been offered to prove the contrary of this erroneous theory2 but as the ,scriptures are full of evidence on this important subject1 ,i will present the reader with several quotations which will aid him in his researches after the truth respecting this important doctrine4 ,matthew informs us concerning the baptism of the ,savior that ,the heavens were opened unto him1 and he saw the ,spirit of ,god descending like a dove and lighting upon ,him3 ,and lo a voice from heaven1 saying1 ',this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4' 7,matt4 iii3#af1 #ag47 ,in this instance the ,savior is represented as being at the waters of ,jordan1 while the voice of ,his ,father came from the courts of heaven1 showing that the ,father and ,jesus are two distinct personages1 existing in separate places at the same time4 ,this testimony of ,matthew is corroborated by that of ,mark and ,luke1 the former in the eleventh verse of his first chapter3 ,and there came a voice from heaven1 saying1 ',thou art my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased'2 and in ,luke1 the third chapter and twenty-second verse1 as follows3 ,and the ,holy ,ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon ,him1 and a voice came from heaven1 which said1 ',thou art my beloved ,son2 in thee ,i am well pleased4' ,it is recorded that on one occasion1 while the ,savior seriously contemplated the coming ordeal of ,his crucifixion1 this occurred3 ,and ,jesus answered them1 saying1 ',the hour is come1 that the ,son of ,man should be glorified4 ,he that loveth his life shall lose it4 ,if any man serve me1 let him follow me4 ,if any man serve me1 him will my ,father honor4 ,now is my soul troubled2 and what shall ,i say8 ,father save me from this hour2 but for this cause came ,i unto this hour4 ,father1 glorify thy name4' ,then came there a voice from heaven1 saying1 ',i have both glorified it1 and will glorify it again4' 7,st4 ,john xiii3#bc1 #be1 #bf1 #bg1 #bh47 ,still another instance where the voice of the ,father was heard1 and in the presence of other witnesses than the ,savior1 is recorded in ,matthew1 seventeenth chapter1 fifth and sixth verses3 ,while ,he yet spake1 behold1 a bright cloud overshadowed them3 and behold a voice out of the cloud1 which said1 ',this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased2 hear ye him4' ,and when the disciples heard it1 they fell on their face1 and were sore afraid4 ,the disciples here referred to were ,peter1 ,james and ,john4 ,peter relates this impressive event as follows3 ,for we have not followed cunningly devised fables1 when we made known unto you the power and coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 but were eye-witnesses of ,his majesty4 ,for ,he received from ,god the ,father honor and glory1 and there came such a voice to ,him from the excellent glory1 ',this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4' ,and this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with ,him in the holy mount4 ,the account of this vision is also recorded in ,mark ix3#g3 ,and a voice came out of the cloud1 saying3 ',this is my beloved ,son2 hear ,him4' it is also said in ,luke ix3#ce4 ,and there came a voice out of the cloud1 saying1 ',this is my beloved ,son3 ,hear ,him4' ,surely the testimony of three or four reliable witnesses is sufficient to affirm the truth of this matter4 ,when the ,savior addressed the ,father1 no one could reasonably say that ,he was addressing ,himself4 ,we have many instances recorded by the writers of the ,new ,testament that ,jesus supplicated ,his ,father in humble prayer4 ,i thank ,thee1 ,o ,father1 ,lord of heaven and earth1 that ,thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent1 and hast revealed them unto babes2 even so1 ,father1 for so it seemed good in thy sight4 ,all things are delivered to me of my ,father4 7,luke x3#ba1 #bb47 ,father1 the hour is come2 glorify ,thy ,son1 that ,thy ,son also may glorify ,thee4 ,and now1 ,o ,father1 glorify ,thou me with ,thine own self1 with the glory which ,i had with ,thee before the world was4 7,john xvii3#a1 #e47 ,i came forth from the ,father1 and am come into the world2 again1 ,i leave the world1 and go to the ,father4 7,john xvi3#bh47 ,to these references may be added those before referred to1 giving an account of the martyrdom of ,stephen1 in the seventh chapter of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 and the statement by ,paul1 in the first chapter of his letter to the ,hebrews4 ,many other scriptural testimonies might be cited to prove that the ,father and the ,son are personal beings1 each separate and distinct from the other4 ,the following passage of ,scripture is often cited to prove that the ,savior is the only personal being in the ,deity3 ,neither pray ,i for these alone1 but for them also which shall believe on me through their word2 that they all may be one2 as ,thou1 ,father1 art in me and ,i in ,thee1 that they also may be one in us2 that the world may believe that ,thou hast sent me4 ,and the glory which ,thou gavest me ,i have given them2 that they may be one1 even as we are one4 7,john xvii3#bj-bb47 ,the very wording of this ,scripture shows that the ,father and the ,son are not one in person1 because ,he prays that all the disciples may be one in the same manner that the ,father and the ,son are one1 and one in that sense only1 for the simple reason that the oneness of the ,father and the ,son is perfect and complete4 ,their unity consists in being one in wisdom1 one in knowledge1 one in power1 one in council1 having a unity of purpose in the accomplishment of man's salvation to the tallest extent and in every conceivable respect4 ,the disciples of ,jesus could not be one in person1 for each of himself is a separate individuality2 they can be one1 however1 as the ,father and ,son are one1 in the accomplishment of one great purpose--the salvation of mankind--because they are baptized by one ,spirit into one body1 even the church of ,christ2 they have one ,lord1 one faith and one baptism1 and are all taught of ,god1 having access by one ,spirit unto the ,father 7,eph ii3#ah71 who is not the author of confusion1 and cannot consistently1 with ,his own attributes1 contradict ,himself4 ,when ,jesus sent ,his disciples into the world ,he commanded them to baptize penitent believers in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 7,matt4 xxviii3#ai47 ,these three personages are understood by believers in the ,bible to constitute the ,godhead4 ,we have shown that the ,father and ,son are separate personages4 ,it is just as evident1 from the ,scriptures1 that the ,holy ,ghost is as much a separate and distinct personage as are the other two4 ,concerning the enormity of sinning against the ,holy ,ghost1 ,jesus said3 ,wherefore ,i say unto you1 all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men3 but the blasphemy against the ,holy ,ghost shall not be forgiven unto men4 ,and whosoever speaketh a word against the ,son of ,man1 it shall be forgiven him2 but whosoever speaketh against the ,holy ,ghost1 it shall not be forgiven him1 neither in this world1 neither in the world to come4 7,matt4 xii3#ca-cb74 ,again1 ,verily ,i say unto you1 all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men1 and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme2 but he that shall blaspheme against the ,holy ,ghost hath never forgiveness1 but is in danger of eternal damnation4 7,mark iii3#bh-bi47 ,agreeable to the language of these quotations1 there is a distinct separation between the personality of the ,savior and that of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,jesus1 in speaking of those who should believe and obey ,him1 used this language3 ,he that believeth on me1 as the ,scripture hath said1 out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water4 ,but this spake he of the ,spirit1 which they that believe on ,him should receive2 for the ,holy ,ghost was not yet given2 because that ,jesus was not yet glorified4 7,john vii3#ch1 #ci47 ,it appears from this statement that while ,jesus was the representative of the ,godhead to men in the flesh1 at least for a period of time1 the ,holy ,ghost had not come to officiate at that time as a personal witness of the ,father and the ,son to the children of men4 ,to corroborate this idea1 we quote from the sixteenth chapter of ,john1 seventh verse3 ,nevertheless ,i tell you the truth2 it is expedient for you that ,i go away2 for if ,i go not away1 the ,comforter will not come unto you2 but if ,i depart1 ,i will send ,him unto you4 ,that this ,comforter is the ,holy ,ghost is evident from the fourteenth chapter of ,st4 ,john1 sixteenth and twenty-sixth verses3 ,and ,i will pray the ,father1 and ,he shall give you another ,comforter1 that ,he may abide with you forever4 ,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 ,further3 ,but when the ,comforter is come1 whom ,i will send unto you from the ,father1 even the ,spirit of ,truth1 which proceedeth from the ,father1 ,he shall testify of me4 7,john1 xv3#bf47 ,these promises are so definite that no one could reasonably mingle the personality of the ,holy ,ghost with that of either the ,father or the ,son4 ,after the crucifixion and resurrection of the ,savior1 and when ,he had spent forty days with ,his disciples before ,his ascension1 instructing them preparatory to their great mission1 before ,he allowed them to go out1 ,he reminded them of the promise which ,he had made to them1 and commanded them to tarry at ,jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high4 7,luke xxiv3#di47 ,this promise was fulfilled on the day of ,pentecost1 when the powers of the ,holy ,ghost were manifest through ,his glorious gifts which attended the apostles on that occasion4 ,on that great day the ,holy ,ghost as a gift for their permanent guidance1 was promised to all without distinction of time or place1 if they would have faith1 repent and be baptized by divine authority4 ,the personality of the ,holy ,ghost as a minister for ,god has been enjoyed in every dispensation of the ,gospel4 ,men and brethren1 this ,scripture must needs have been fulfilled1 which the ,holy ,ghost by the mouth of ,david spake4 7,acts i3#af47 ,again3 ,ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears1 ye do always resist the ,holy ,ghost2 as your fathers did1 so do ye4 7,acts vii3#ea47 ,this is proof that ,david and the prophets spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost1 as did the disciples in the dispensation of ,christ2 also that the ancients rejected the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 as did the people in the days of the apostles4 ,the apostle ,peter says3 ,for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man2 but holy men of ,god spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost4 7,,ii ,peter i3#ba47 ,no one by reading the ,scriptures can reasonably deduce therefrom that divinely authorized men were justified in their official ministrations in speaking by any other power than that of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,paul says3 ,no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord but by the ,holy ,ghost4 7,i ,cor4 xii3#c47 ,the great gifts of the ,spirit have been referred to in earlier pages of this work1 and need not be repeated here2 but the character of those gifts and the constant necessity for their existence1 together with the passages quoted here1 are positive proof that the ,holy ,ghost is one of the ,deity and a separate personage from the ,father and ,son4 ,at the ,baptism of the ,messiah ,he was present in the waters of the ,jordan with ,john the ,baptist4 ,the ,father was in the heavens above1 and ,his voice was heard1 while the ,holy ,ghost descended upon the ,savior1 as witnessed by its appearance in the form of a dove4 ,the ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost4 ,the three constitute the great1 supreme ,godhead1 yet are as separate and distinct in their personalities as any earthly parents and the children4 ,,revelation4 ,for eighteen centuries the people of this world have been groping in spiritual darkness4 ,they have had the ,bible1 it is true1 but what have they learned from it8 ,in letter1 many things4 ,in the true spirit of divine inspiration1 they have learned little4 ,the letter killeth1 but the spirit giveth life4 7,,ii ,cor4 iii3#f47 ,they are ever learning1 and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth4 7,,ii ,tim4 iii3#g47 ,these statements of ,holy ,writ are fully corroborated by human experience in religious matters4 ,the world is divided and sub-divided into many contending factions1 professing ,christianity1 yet not having a unity of faith4 ,many ideas of the ,lord1 many faiths in baptism4 ,one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism4 7,eph4 iv3#e71 was the doctrine of ,paul4 ,straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life1 and few there be that find it4 7,matthew vii3#ad47 ,what is the cause of all this uncertainty respecting the glorious plan of eternal life8 ,if one was or is right1 all opposing methods must be wrong4 ,we answer that the lack of unity1 the ignorance in relation to the ,gospel1 and finally skepticism and infidelity1 are due to substituting the wisdom of men for the revelation of ,god1 using human learning instead of the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we desire to show in this article that without direct and continuous revelation from ,god1 the ,gospel cannot be understood and properly applied for the salvation of mankind1 nor can the purposes of ,god be accomplished on the earth4 ,first1 we take direct statements of ,scripture3 ,where there is no vision1 the people perish2 but he that keepeth the law1 happy is he4 7,prov4 xxix3#ah47 ,the law of ,god has never been kept without the ,spirit of ,god to enlighten those who sought to keep it4 ,the history of the human family1 from ,adam to ,noah1 from ,noah to ,moses1 from ,moses to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and in all subsequent ages1 proves beyond cavil that where there was no vision from heaven1 no inspired voice1 no revelation1 the people utterly perished in darkness and unbelief4 ,the combined wisdom and learning of men could not save them from spiritual darkness4 ,that there may be an authorized channel of communication between the heavens and the earth1 the ,lord has1 whenever ,his ,church has existed on the earth1 appointed men to receive ,his will and make it known to the people4 ,surely the ,lord ,god will do nothing1 but ,he revealeth ,his secrets unto ,his servants1 the prophets4 7,amos iii3#g47 ,this literally might be understood as equivalent to saying that where no prophet was1 there the ,lord was doing nothing that would result in man's salvation4 ,without being technical respecting the language of ,amos1 the history of the world from ,adam down proves his statements true4 ,when there has been no prophet there has been no revelation from ,god4 ,when there has been no revelation or vision the people have wandered to and fro1 have tossed upon the billows of clashing opinion1 perished in darkness and have been buried in the great ocean of doubt and uncertainty4 ,on the other hand1 when authorized prophets have existed among men we may exclaim with the ancient ,scriptures3 ,i have also spoken by the prophets1 and ,i have multiplied visions1 and used similitudes1 by the ministry of the prophets4 ,and by a prophet the ,lord brought ,israel out of ,egypt1 and by a prophet was he preserved4 7,hosea xii3#aj1 #ac47 ,and we affirm that without prophets ,israel never was preserved and never will be4 ,in looking over the field of mysterious sayings contained in the ,bible1 as well as the mystery which enshrouds many phases of human history1 we are consoled by the promise of the ,savior3 ,for there is nothing covered1 that shall not be revealed2 neither hid1 that shall not be known4 7,luke xii3#b2 ,matthew x3#bf2 ,mark iv3#bb47 ,in this connection we may cite the fact that men by learning do not see the truth alike1 they do not harmonize on the fundamental principles of the ,gospel4 ,as an example1 they cannot1 unaided by revelation1 tell the origin1 history and destiny of the ,american ,indians4 ,isaiah1 over #bjj years before the advent of the ,messiah1 foresaw the spiritual ignorance of the last days and how that condition would be overcome by the light of revelation4 ,he prophesied as follows3 ,wherefore the ,lord said1 ,forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth1 and with their lips do honor me1 but have removed their heart far from me1 and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men3 ,therefore1 behold1 ,i will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people1 even a marvelous work and a wonder2 for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish1 and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid4 7,isa4 xxix3#ac1 #ad47 ,by reading the context it is evident that the prophecy refers to a time later than the first coming of the ,savior1 and that the prediction never could be verified without direct revelation from heaven4 ,paul1 writing to the ,hebrews1 calls attention to the great truth that the method of the ,lord in leading ,his people from the beginning has been by revelation4 ,he says3 ,god1 who at sundry times and in divers manners1 spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets1 ,hath in these last days spoken unto us by ,his ,son4 7,heb4 i3#a1 #b47 ,jesus said in ,st4 ,john xvii3#c3 ,and this is life eternal1 that they might know ,thee1 the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ whom ,thou hast sent4 ,paul says in ,i ,cor4 xii3#c4 ,no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord but by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,when ,peter received a knowledge of the divinity and mission of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,savior said unto him3 ,blessed art thou1 ,simon ,bar-jona2 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee1 but my ,father1 which is in heaven4 ,it required a revelation for ,peter to receive that testimony4 ,how could any one receive that knowledge without revelation from ,god8 ,the ,jews saw ,jesus1 witnessed ,his wondrous miracles of healing the sick1 giving sight to the blind1 unstopping the ears of the deaf and even raising the dead1 but all that was not sufficient4 ,they read the ancient prophecies1 pointing to the birth and nativity1 the birthplace1 life1 ministry and martyrdom of the ,messiah4 ,yet were they blind1 with eyes to see2 deaf1 with ears to hear1 and without understanding4 ,no reason can be assigned for the ignorance of the masses and the enlightenment of the humble fishermen other than that the former depended upon the learning of men2 the latter had received a revelation from ,god4 ,to place the necessity of revelation beyond question as to obtaining a knowledge of ,god1 we quote the statement of ,jesus to ,his disciples3 ,all things are delivered to me of my ,father2 and no man knoweth who the ,son is1 but the ,father2 and who the ,father is1 but the ,son1 and he to whom the ,son will reveal ,him4 7,luke x3#bb47 ,compare this plain1 unmistakable testimony of ,jesus with the assertions of modern divines1 who claim that the canon of ,scripture is full and that we do not need divine revelation as it was given to men in ancient days4 ,the position of the latter simply contradicts the plainest teachings of ,holy ,writ4 ,if it required revelation #b1jjj years ago to know that ,jesus was the ,christ1 nothing short of revelation from heaven will secure that knowledge now4 ,notice1 too1 the remarkable fact that notwithstanding all the personal experience of the apostles through their association with the ,savior1 ,he commanded them to tarry ye at ,jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high4 7,luke1 chapter #bd47 ,another phase of the subject is this1 that men claim that which is written in the ,scriptures is sufficient4 ,this view simply makes uninspired men the judge of what is and what is not essential as to all the writings of the apostles and prophets of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,this is an unwarrantable assumption1 condemned by the ,scripture2 for ,john says1 concerning that which he had written in the ,book of ,revelation3 ,for ,i testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book1 ,if any man shall add unto these things1 ,god shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book2 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy1 ,god shall take away his part out of the book of life1 and out of the holy city1 and from the things which are written in this book4 7,rev4 xxii3#ah1 #ai47 ,this does not deny ,god the privilege of adding more revelation1 as it is an undisputed fact that the ,gospel according to ,st4 ,john was written subsequent to the ,apocalypse2 but it is a decree of divine displeasure upon any man who shall add to or take from the revelations of the ,almighty4 ,in the face of this decree1 history informs us that councils of the ,roman ,church sat in judgment upon the writings of the apostles1 and received only that which1 in the light of their human wisdom1 was acceptable to them4 ,notwithstanding this fact1 the various factions of ,christendom are essaying to build upon the foundation of what has come down to them through the channel of unauthorized councils of men4 ,may we not ask with perfect propriety1 is not that which was rejected or lost just as valuable as much of that which has been handed down to us8 ,as proof that writings of the disciples of ,jesus have been lost to the world1 ,i would call special attention to several passages of the ,scripture4 ,the writings of the ,new ,testament are from eight authors--,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke1 ,john1 ,peter1 ,paul1 ,james and ,jude4 ,luke says3 ,forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of these things which are most surely believed among us4 7,luke i3#a47 ,while there is no definite proof in this statement as to how many had written their testimonies concerning the ,messiah1 it is evident they were not few1 but many4 ,that there was opportunity and material upon which to write respecting this glorious subject1 the life and ministry of ,jesus1 is very apparent from the last verse of the twenty-first chapter of ,st4 ,john1 as follows3 ,and there are also many other things which ,jesus did1 the which1 if they should be written1 every one1 ,i suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written4 ,with such a statement1 it is to be wondered at that the world who believed in the ,redeemer should rest contented with the narrow view that we have all that is important4 ,we have in the ,new ,testament what is called ,i ,cor4 and ,,ii ,cor41 written to the ,saints in ,corinth by the apostle ,paul4 ,in ,i ,cor4 chapter v3#i1 we have this3 ,i wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators4 ,this must have been previous to the one in which this occurs1 and yet such an epistle is not found in our ,new ,testament4 ,in ,col4 iv3#af1 ,paul says3 ,and when this epistle is read among you1 cause that it be read also in the church of the ,laodiceans2 and that ye likewise read the epistle from ,laodicea4 ,this refers to an epistle from ,paul to the ,colossians1 written from ,laodicea1 but which is not found in the canon of ,scripture as we have it4 ,in ,,ii ,tim41 chapter iv3#ac1 ,paul requests ,timothy to bring him certain parchments2 what they contained we know not4 ,jude says3 ,and ,enoch also1 the seventh from ,adam1 prophesied of these things1 saying3 ',behold the ,lord cometh with ten thousand of ,his saints4' ,how delightful it would be to read the predictions and teachings of that great prophet ,enoch1 the man who walked and talked with ,god #cfe years1 and was not1 for ,god took him4 ,only a few verses in the ,old and ,new ,testament are all we have in the canon of ,scripture respecting ,enoch and his city4 ,what a glorious flood of light will dawn upon the world when the writings of ,enoch are revealed6 ,in the ,old ,testament may be found references to about thirty books written by the ,jewish scribes and prophets1 but which have been lost to the world1 rejected and cast aside by uninspired1 unauthorized councils of men4 ,suppose that all that is necessary so far as explanation of doctrine is concerned is contained in the ,new ,testament1 we are then confronted with man's inability to understand what has been revealed without the light of revelation to guide the human mind in understanding and applying the truth4 ,as proof of this ,i will cite the testimony of ,paul3 ,for what man knoweth the things of a man1 save the spirit of man which is in him8 ,even so the things of ,god knoweth no man1 but the ,spirit of ,god4 99 99 99 ,but the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god2 for they are foolishness unto him2 neither can he know them1 because they are spiritually discerned4 7,i ,cor4 ii3#aa1 #ad47 ,jesus said to ,nicodemus3 ,except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of ,god4 7,st4 ,john iii3#c47 ,no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord but by the ,holy ,ghost4 7,i ,cor4 xii3#c47 ,the truth of these sacred sayings is verified by the history of the world1 which has languished in darkness without revelation1 as shown by previous quotations4 ,another very important feature of this subject consists in the fact1 that there always have been in every gospel dispensation labors to perform of a practical character1 such as the building of temples1 the gathering of ,israel out of ,egypt1 the building of the ,ark of the ,covenant1 etc41 none of which could be accomplished except by direct revelation from ,god4 ,we may therefore conclude that while the ordinances and doctrines of the gospel are eternal and unchangeable1 the circumstances associated with the people in every dispensation of the gospel are constantly changing4 ,the emergencies of this situation must be met1 not by the dead letter of ancient ,scripture1 but by present inspiration and revelation given through living oracles of ,god4 ,by a prophet the ,lord brought ,israel out of ,egypt1 and by a prophet was he preserved4 7,hosea xii3#ac47 ,the prophecies of the ,jewish prophets in the ,old ,testament1 pointing to the advent of the ,messiah1 are clear and explicit4 ,read the seventh chapter of ,isaiah1 fourteenth verse2 the ninth chapter and sixth verse2 the fifty-third chapter of the same book2 the fifth chapter of ,micah1 second verse2 and many other passages of the ,old ,testament4 ,in these we find plain predictions which were verified in the birth1 ministry and crucifixion of the ,savior1 which were read by the ,jews but not understood by them1 because the light of revelation from ,god was not the source of their information4 ,this was rather the wisdom of their own learning1 which led them to reject the ,messiah and discard the great message of life which ,he brought unto them4 ,as there were many plain prophecies relating to the first coming of the ,savior and the great work associated with ,his advent1 so there are pointed predictions referring to ,his second coming and a work of great magnitude to precede that great event4 ,i will call attention to a few as proof that more revelation will be given1 and that without it these prophecies could never be fulfilled3 ,behold1 ,i will send my messenger1 and he shall prepare the way before me2 and the ,lord1 whom ye seek1 shall suddenly come to ,his temple1 even the ,messenger of the covenant1 whom ye delight in2 behold1 ,he shall come1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 ,but who may abide the day of ,his coming8 and who shall stand when ,he appeareth8 for ,he is like a refiners' fire1 and like fuller's sore4 99 99 99 ,and ,he shall purify the sons of ,levi1 etc4 7,mal4 iii3#a-c47 ,this prophecy must refer to ,his second coming4 ,at ,his first advent ,he did not come suddenly2 ,he did not come to ,his temple4 ,the house of the ,lord had become a den of thieves4 ,he did not accept it4 ,he did not purify the sons of ,levi4 ,it was a day when they could in their wickedness abide ,his coming4 ,who shall stand when ,he appeareth is clearly a condition when ,he shall come in power and glory to take vengeance on the ungodly4 ,how could ,he suddenly come to ,his temple unless a temple should be built for ,him8 ,one could not be built without a chosen people to build it2 and how can men build the house of the ,lord without revelation to tell them where1 when and how to construct such a holy edifice8 ,in ,malachi1 chapter iv1 we have a very striking prophecy of the judgments of the ,almighty in the last days1 before the coming of the ,lord4 ,in the fifth verse the prophet says1 ,behold1 ,i will send you ,elijah the ,prophet1 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord4 ,the great prophet ,elijah1 who was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire without tasting death1 was to visit the earth in the last days4 ,the apostle ,john1 when upon the isle of ,patmos1 also saw the hour of ,god's judgement1 and uttered the following prediction3 ,and ,i saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven1 having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth1 and to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people1 ,saying with a loud voice1 ,fear ,god and give glory to ,him2 for the hour of ,his judgment is come3 and worship ,him that made heaven1 and earth1 and the sea1 and the fountains of waters4 7,rev4 xiv3#f-g47 ,from this prophecy we learn that an angel was to visit the earth at a later period than when ,john uttered the above words4 ,his mission was to be to restore the everlasting gospel1 a gospel that does not change2 a gospel of apostles1 prophets1 gifts1 visions1 revelations1 etc4 ,the everlasting gospel4 ,why should an angel bring the gospel if it already existed upon the earth8 ,why should the call be to worship the ,god who made the heavens1 the earth and the fountains of water1 etc41 if these creations were brought into existence by a ,god without body1 parts or passions8 ,this prophecy of ,john agrees with ,peter's words recorded in the third chapter of ,acts1 wherein he says3 ,and ,he shall send ,jesus ,christ1 which before was preached unto you2 whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things1 which ,god hath spoken by the mouth of all ,his holy prophets since the world began4 7,acts iii3 #bj-bb47 ,by this we learn that before the advent of the ,messiah to reign on earth there should be a grand restitution1 bringing back that which was lost2 a restoration of revelation1 ministry of angels1 prophecies1 tongues1 healings1 miracles1 etc4 ,who can believe the ,scriptures and yet deny the necessity for more revelation8 ,the quotations here given are only a few compared with many that can be made bearing upon the subject4 ,they all show that direct and continuous revelation from ,god is an absolute necessity to the welfare1 progress and final salvation of the children of men4 ,,faith4 ,in considering the principles of the gospel1 it will not be difficult to see that faith occupies the first place in the catalogue of righteous principles which1 as a whole1 go to constitute the plan of salvation4 ,it is the principle existing in the human soul which goes before all action and leads to good works4 ,it pleases ,god that man should repent of all sin by ceasing therefrom1 thus accomplishing a reformation of life without which remission of sins would not be granted2 and as repentance and good works are pleasing to ,god1 we must accept of faith first1 for ,paul says3 ,but without faith it is impossible to please ,him3 for he that cometh to ,god must believe that ,he is1 and that ,he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek ,him4 7,heb4 xi3#f47 ,now faith is the substance of things hoped for1 the evidence of things not seen4 7,heb4 xi3#a47 ,the inspired translation by the prophet ,joseph ,smith renders the word assurance instead of substance1 which appears more consistent with the latter clause in the passage1 which says1 the evidence of things not seen1 not the substance itself1 for that would amount to knowledge or the actual possession of the object hoped for4 ,this assurance of things hoped for must come through some evidence1 either of a character which can be demonstrated in a tangible manner1 or through some impression which gives an assurance to the mind of the individual possessing it1 if to no other4 ,this faith prompts to action all intelligent beings4 ,without the assurance of reaping1 the farmer would not sow2 the laborer would not commence his daily task unless he believed he would accomplish it2 and so it is in religious matters4 ,upon the day of ,pentecost the multitude never would have appealed to the apostles to know what they should do to be saved unless they first believed in ,god and in ,his ,son1 ,jesus ,christ--so recently crucified in their midst--and also in the authority of the apostles to teach and administer in the ordinances of eternal life4 ,this faith was based upon the evidence presented by ,peter that ,jesus was the ,christ1 sealed upon their hearts by the ,spirit of ,god1 and not by the wisdom or ability of man4 ,the result was obedience1 and a knowledge of the truth for themselves2 for the promise is3 ,if any man will do ,his will1 he shall know of the doctrine1 whether it be of ,god1 or whether ,i speak of myself4 7,st4 ,john vii3#ag47 ,if ,peter had been an impostor1 deceiving the people1 he might1 perchance1 have persuaded some to accept his theories2 but what would have been the result8 ,the evidence being false1 the faith or assurance would have a false foundation to act upon1 and disappointment would have been the result4 ,when the evidence is true1 the faith resulting and acted upon will bring knowledge4 ,when ,columbus discovered ,america1 and the use of gunpowder was displayed to the astonishment and fear of the ,indians1 some of the ,europeans told the natives that all they had to do was to procure some powder and sow it like grain1 and it would grow4 ,the poor natives believed the lie1 acted upon their belief1 and disappointment was the result1 to the destruction of their confidence in the white man4 ,this illustrates that belief may be built upon false evidence1 and no matter how sincere the believer1 the laws of sincerity cannot be changed to vindicate the dishonesty of the deceiver nor to avoid disappointment befalling the deceived4 ,why should it be otherwise regarding the law of ,god8 ,sincerity is not evidence that the believer will obtain the good for which he seeks1 for if his religious devotion is based upon his confidence in the preaching or teaching of false guides1 ,god will not change ,his laws and ordinances1 neither will ,he acknowledge the authority of impostors1 and thus become accessory to the deception1 in order to satisfy those who allow themselves to be led astray4 ,it is a maxim of skeptics that ,we doubt all things in order to prove all things2 and thus doubting1 they reject the means which ,god has designated as the way to become acquainted with and prove for themselves the truth of the promise3 ,if any man will do ,his will1 he shall know of the doctrine4 ,the history of the world proves that in the advancement made in science1 in arts1 in human government1 the leaders and promoters of all that is good1 in the majority of instances1 have been believers in ,god2 and their faith in ,him and the ultimate success of their enterprises have prompted them to action4 ,in the language of ,paul on this subject of faith3 ,by faith ,noah1 being warned of ,god of things not seen as yet1 moved with fear1 prepared an ark to the saving of his house2 by the which he condemned the world1 and became heir of the righteousness1 which is by faith3 ,by faith ,abraham1 when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance1 obeyed2 and he went out1 not knowing whither he went4 7,heb4 xi3#g1 #h47 ,i might add numerous testimonies from the ,scriptures that faith is the assurance of things hoped for1 and the principle which prompts to action all intelligent beings1 and that when based upon the promises of the ,lord1 unmixed with the theories of men1 and acted upon1 it has never failed to bring knowledge and rest to the weary mind in that security which comes from a pure knowledge of ,god4 ,having shown something of the nature of faith in a general way1 as a principle existing in the human mind and as directing all human action1 whether religious or secular1 let us now draw the line of distinction between faith in its general sense1 and faith as a principle of power as enjoyed and exercised by those who are truly the people of ,god4 ,let us first remember that it is one thing to believe in the power of ,god as manifested by revelation1 prophecy1 healing1 etc41 when presented to us merely as the events of history1 and altogether another thing to be confronted with the testimony of living apostles1 presenting to the world doctrines that are unpopular and with which the cherished creeds of men have never failed to conflict--apostles who ask us to believe them to be servants of ,god1 called by new revelation1 and testing our faith by the promise that if you will repent and be baptized with honest hearts1 you shall know for yourselves the truth1 and need not depend upon the assertions of any other man for your knowledge concerning it4 ,it is an undeniable fact of history that ,god has never sent a prophet to warn the world but ,he found thousands professing belief in the dead prophets1 yet ready to reject and slay the living4 ,it cannot be said that this generation is an exception1 for the religious education they receive from the so-called ,christian pulpit is that apostles and prophets1 together with the ancient gifts and powers of the gospel1 are no longer needed2 and if any come professing the ancient apostleship1 they may reject them without investigation as false prophets4 ,they apparently forget that it would be difficult1 if not impossible1 to produce a counterfeit coin unless the genuine existed4 ,in speaking of faith as a principle of power1 the apostle ,paul said to the ,hebrews3 ,through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of ,god1 so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear4 99 99 99 ,and what shall ,i more say8 ,for the time would fail me to tell of ,gideon1 and of ,barak1 and of ,samson1 and of ,jephthae1 of ,david also1 and ,samuel1 and of the prophets3 ,who through faith 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 again1 etc4 7,heb4 xi3#c #cb-ce47 ,besides these1 innumerable other events have been brought about through faith exercised by men having authority to speak and act in the name of ,god4 ,jesus promised that these signs shall follow them that believe4 ,in my name shall they cast out devils1 they shall take up serpents1 and if they drink any deadly thing1 it shall not hurt them2 they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover4 ,these are only a few of the characteristics associated with true faith1 the faith that was once delivered to the saints1 and so much in striking contrast to the weak yet high-sounding pretensions of modern professors who have a form of godliness1 yet deny the power thereof4 ,as a contrast to the wisdom and learning of men1 we are promised as the result of acting upon true faith1 that to one is given the word of wisdom1 to another knowledge4 ,tongues1 prophecy1 etc41 all are characteristic of that faith which emanates from ,god4 ,these gifts are not merely to satisfy curiosity or to convince skeptics4 ,as a principle of eternal truth it is a necessity that not only must the administrator have faith1 but the one who is the recipient of the blessings also must exercise it so far as he is capable4 ,therefore1 as a rule1 when ,jesus healed the sick and opened the eyes of the blind1 ,he said to the individual3 ,go thy way1 thy faith hath made thee whole4 ,as a further testimony of this ,he told unbelievers when they sought a sign3 ,an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign1 and there shall no sign be given to it1 but the sign of the prophet ,jonas2 for as ,jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly1 so shall the ,son of ,man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth4 7,matt4 xii3#ci1 #dj47 ,yet be it remembered that this sign of ,christ's three days' rest in the tomb was not given to convince skeptics1 for it was an event ordained of ,god before the foundation of the world1 in the plan of human redemption1 and would have occurred if all the world had received ,him gladly4 ,but they did not receive ,him even when ,he was resurrected1 for the same class who sought a sign circulated the fabrication that the body of ,christ was not risen from the dead1 but that ,his disciples had come in the night and stolen ,him away4 ,there are sign-seekers today1 even among those who profess ,christ1 and may we not say the same of them as ,jesus said of the ancient sign-seekers1 from the fact that what was true then is true now1 and what is true of a generation is true of the individuals which compose it4 ,further1 the ,savior said to ,his apostles when they failed to cast out the devils and sought ,him to know the reason3 ,because of your unbelief1 for verily ,i say unto you1 ,if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed1 ye shall say unto this mountain1 ',remove hence to yonder place1' and it shall remove2 and nothing shall be impossible unto you4 7,matt4 xvii3#bj47 ,to these quotations might be added many others1 but this will suffice to show the effects of faith1 that it is a principle of power4 ,we ask1 has ,god changed8 ,is not faith1 being a principle emanating from ,deity1 as unchangeable as ,god ,himself8 ,who1 professing to believe in ,christ1 will say1 if we believe and are baptized by rightful authority in this age1 that ,jesus will fail in ,his part of the contract to bestow the promised blessings8 ,in view of all that is written in the ,bible concerning this true faith and the effects which flow therefrom1 and the reverse of that pure faith of the ,bible which characterizes the ,christianity of today1 is it wonderful that the ,savior exclaimed3 ,when the ,son of ,man cometh1 shall ,he find faith on earth8 7,luke xviii3#h47 ,,repentance4 ,repentance follows faith as a natural sequence2 for when the human mind has sufficient faith in ,god1 based upon the perfection of ,his attributes1 to desire ,his guidance and a final return to ,his presence1 the thought is foremost that no unclean thing can enter his presence4 ,repentance from all sin1 not merely an expression of sorrow but a discontinuance of sinful practices1 amounting to a reformation of life1 therefore suggests itself as a matter of course4 ,this philosophical view of the subject is in perfect accord with ,holy ,writ4 ,hence it was1 upon the day of ,pentecost1 when the sin-convicted multitude cried out3 ,men and brethren1 ,what shall we do8 that ,peter commanded them to repent as the first step following the manifestation of their faith in ,christ and ,his atonement4 7,acts ii3#cg47 ,that repentance is an indispensable condition of salvation has been taught in all ages of the world by men of ,god1 the only exception being that which applies to all other requirements of the ,gospel4 ,that exception is in the case of persons incapable of knowing good from evil1 such as children who cannot believe1 or disbelieve1 and are exempt from the law until they arrive at the years of accountability4 ,hence the saying of the ,savior3 ,suffer little children1 and forbid them not1 to come unto me1 for of such is the kingdom of heaven4 7,matt4 xix3#ad47 ,ezekiel said to ancient ,israel1 in his #ahth chapter and #cjth verse1 ,repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions1 so iniquity shall not be your ruin4 ,israel did not repent as a nation1 and their sad history proves that iniquity caused their ruin4 ,the olive branch of peace was offered them without money and without price4 ,they rejected the means of escape1 and in consequence they have verified the words of ,moses1 their great lawgiver3 ,and ,i will scatter you among the heathen and will draw out a sword after you2 and your land shall be desolate and your cities waste4 7,lev4 xxvi3#cc47 ,it was supposed by those in ,palestine that the ,galileans1 whose blood ,pilate had mingled with the sacrifices1 were greater sinners than others because such agonies had come upon them4 ,and ,jesus answering said unto them1 ',suppose ye that these ,galileans were sinners above all the ,galileans1 because they suffererd such things8 ,i tell you nay1 but except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise perish4' ,the foregoing contains the divine lesson that suffering is not a substitute for repentance3 that while ,he did not justify the agonies brought upon them by persecution1 ,he did not intimate that the suffering would be acceptable instead of repentance1 or that these sufferings were any evidence of the sins of the sufferers as to the height or depth of their transgressions4 ,the weight of responsibility is measured either by the light men possess or the light which opportunities afford them to possess4 ,as ,paul said to the ,athenians 7,acts xvii3#cj471 ,and the times of this ignorance ,god winked at1 but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent2 and again the ,savior enunciated this doctrine3 ,and this is the condemnation that light is come into the world1 and men loved darkness rather than light1 because their deeds were evil4 7,st4 ,john iii3#ai47 ,no matter how strict the individual may be in living a life of moral rectitude1 it is very plainly taught in the ,scriptures that rejecting further light from ,god constitutes a sin4 ,we cite the case of the young man told of in ,matthew1 chapter #ai1 who came to the ,savior for instructions1 but who1 when he was commanded by the ,redeemer to sell all that he had1 give to the poor1 and follow ,him1 went away sorrowful1 rejecting the injunction of the ,savior1 and yet he had kept the commandments from his youth up1 and probably was as righteous as any modern ,christians1 who1 if commanded by the ,savior to give their possessions to the poor1 would go away sorrowful4 ,there were devout people assembled on the day of ,pentecost1 and yet ,peter made no exception when he commanded the multitude to repent4 ,if they had done the best they could previously with the light they had1 greater light had come to them and they must receive it or be condemned4 ,this truth applies to every gospel dispensation1 not excepting the dispensation of the fullness of times1 the greatest of all4 ,god promised to send a holy angel and make a restitution of all things as predicted by the ancient prophets1 preceding the second advent of the ,messiah4 ,the light has come4 ,a new dispensation has been ushered in4 ,the ,everlasting ,gospel has been restored with its ancient gifts and blessings1 and ,god commandeth all men everywhere to repent1 whether they be so-called ,christians or infidels4 ,repentance is a principle and not merely an expression of penitent grief4 ,it involves1 as before stated1 a reformation of life4 ,in ,,ii ,cor1 vii3#i1 #aj1 ,paul says3 ,now ,i rejoice1 not that ye were made sorry1 but that ye sorrowed to repentance4 99 99 99 ,for godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of1 but the sorrow of the world worketh death4 ,the sorrow of the world may be illustrated by the conduct of the inebriate1 who1 when intoxicated1 commits acts of violence which mantle his brow with shame and fill him with remorse in his sober moments4 ,he expresses sorrow1 perhaps weeps in his agony1 but again gives away to the tempter and repeats his acts of dishonor instead of fleeing temptation4 ,this kind of sorrow does not work repentance to salvation4 ,we find religious people sorrowing and sometimes confessing their sins1 only to repeat sin4 ,this is the sorrow of the world and needs to be repented of because it savors so much of hypocrisy1 and consequently worketh death4 ,on the contrary1 true repentance consists1 not in the outward expression of grief1 but in forsaking sin4 ,let the wicked forsake his way1 and the unrighteous man his thoughts3 and let him return unto the ,lord1 and ,he will have mercy upon him1 and to our ,god1 for ,he will abundantly pardon4 7,isa4 lv3#g47 ,repentance is required not only of the evil deed1 but of the unrighteous thought4 ,every wicked deed is first conceived in the mind1 hence the need of casting away the evil thought before it germinates into actual crime1 which leads to prison1 the gallows and to spiritual death4 ,of the ruin caused by the talented1 but corrupt ,aaron ,burr it was truly said3 ,his brain conceived it1 his hand brought it into action4 ,let us now examine a passage of ,scripture which is frequently quoted to substantiate the erroneous doctrine that ,god is pleased to save men in their sins1 or that death-bed repentance is all-sufficient4 ,the passage is found in ,luke xxiii3#db1 #dc1 and reads thus3 ,and he 7the penitent malefactor7 said unto ,jesus1 ',lord1 remember me when ,thou comest into ,thy kingdom4' ,and ,jesus said unto him1 ',verily ,i say unto thee1 today shalt thou be with me in ,paradise4' ,from this statement thousands in the ,christian world have taken it for granted that the thief on the cross received full and complete salvation4 ,with this unwarranted perversion of a sacred passage1 the minister has taught the murderer in the felon's cell to confess ,christ and all would be well with him2 and as the hangman drew the bolt and let the culprit swing into eternity1 the minister has stood close by and said1 ,the ,lord ,jesus receive thy soul4 ,on the other hand1 the poor victim of the assassin has been cut off without time to confess ,christ1 and the same doctrine which wafts the murderer to the courts of glory consigns the victim to the flames of hell4 ,is it possible that ,christ ever taught such a heinous doctrine8 ,a doctrine so inconsistent1 so revolting to reason1 so repugnant to justice6 ,we answer emphatically ,no1 nor did ,he utter a syllable from which such an inference can be drawn or establish the idea that the malefactor went to heaven4 ,the question is1 then1 where did he go8 ,if not to heaven1 then the paradise named and heaven are two different places4 ,let the ,scriptures answer for themselves4 ,three days after the crucifixion the ,savior came forth a resurrected being1 and as ,mary met ,him at the tomb1 ,he said to her1 ,touch me not1 for ,i am not yet ascended to my ,father4 ,thus we have from ,his own lips1 in which there was never guile1 that ,he had not ascended to the ,father2 and if ,he had not1 neither had the thief4 ,if no further light than this could be found in the sacred volume1 this would be sufficient to show that the malefactor did not go to heaven1 for where ,jesus went the thief went1 for that was the promise4 ,where1 then1 did the ,lord go8 ,turn to ,i ,peter iii #ah-ba1 and the question is answered3 ,for ,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 flesh but quickened by the ,spirit3 ,by which also ,he went and preached unto the spirits in prison2 ,which sometimes were disobedient when once the long suffering of ,god waited in the days of ,noah4 ,this makes it plain that the paradise referred to was the prison house1 to which place ,jesus went and opened up a dispensation of the ,gospel to the dead4 ,the next chapter1 #fth verse1 says3 ,for 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 ,the thief therefore went to a place of confinement to remain until the justice of ,god should be satisfied and mercy step in and claim her own4 ,the difference between the penitent malefactor1 who appears to have repented before death1 and the antediluvians was that the former immediately went to a place where ,christ would present to him the plan of life1 that day1 while the latter had waited hundreds of years for that privilege4 ,this shows that repentance brings its blessings even upon the deathbed2 but to say that1 after a life of sin1 the malefactor went straight to the abode of the ,father and remained there in glory1 is in conflict with the teachings of ,christ and ,peter4 ,the statements of ,peter relative to the mission of ,christ to the spirits in prison throws light upon the saying of the ,savior in ,st4 ,john v3#be1 ,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 ,thus we see the privileges of the penitent malefactor4 ,he went to the prison house and heard the ,gospel1 but how long he remained there before receiving all the saving benefits of the ,gospel1 we are not told4 ,one thing is certain-he did not come back with the ,messiah1 nor have we ever heard of him sitting down with ,christ on the right hand of the ,father4 ,the ,scripture being true which says1 ,the murderer hath not eternal life abiding in him1 it is safe to say that the prayers of all the ministers on earth cannot carry the souls of the assassin to the presence and glory of ,god4 ,as there are different degrees of glory1 so are there various grades of crimes to which are attached the different degrees of punishment1 all of which clearly maintain the justice and mercy of ,god4 ,in ,galatians v3#ai-ba1 we read as follows3 ,now the works of the flesh are manifest1 which are these3 adultery1 fornication1 uncleanness1 lasciviousness1 ,idolatry1 witchcraft1 hatred1 variance1 emulations1 wrath1 strife1 seditions1 heresies1 ,envyings1 murders1 drunkenness1 revellings1 and such like2 of the which ,i tell you before1 as ,i have also told you in time past1 that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of ,god4 ,in conclusion1 as a true definition of repentance1 let us quote the words of ,paul to the ,ephesians1 iv3 #be1 #cj3 ,wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbor4 99 99 99 ,be ye angry and sin not3 let not the sun go down upon your wrath4 ,neither give place to the devil4 ,let him that stole1 steal no more4 99 99 99 ,let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth4 99 99 99 ,this is the only repentance taught in ,holy ,writ1 and simply means to forsake all sin and accomplish a reformation of life4 ,,baptism4 ,we come now to considering the necessity of the ordinance of baptism4 ,when men have repented of their sins it is natural for them to desire a forgiveness of those sins4 ,how shall this boon be obtained8 ,that repentance alone does not blot out the sins of the past may be illustrated in part by a comparison between the temporal and the spiritual4 ,a man acquires a debt by purchasing goods on credit1 and finding it a ruinous policy1 resolves1 for the future1 to pay as he goes4 ,this changes his course and constitutes in his business life a reformation1 but it does not pay the debt already incurred4 ,he must liquidate the obligation1 or be forgiven the debt by the creditor4 ,some may say that this is the difference between the earthly transaction of men and the dealings of ,god with ,his children4 ,god forgives1 it is true1 but every blessing is predicated upon a condition1 and the condition is laid down by the ,lord2 hence it is written in ,mark i3#d3 ,john did baptize in the wilderness and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins4 ,from this scripture it is evident that baptism is to follow repentance1 and that at least one object of baptism is the remission of sins4 ,let us now examine some statements of ,holy ,writ which point out clearly the necessity of this ordinance4 ,then cometh ,jesus from ,gallilee to ,jordan unto ,john to be baptized of him4 ,but ,john forbade ,him1 saying1 ',i have need to be baptized of ,thee1 and comest ,thou to me8 ,and ,jesus1 answering3 said unto him1 ',suffer it to be so now2 for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness4' ,then he suffered ,him4 7,matt4 iii3#ac-ae47 ,every thoughtful1 ,god-fearing person must be impressed with the feeling that if it was essential for the ,only ,begotten of the ,father1 who is full of grace and truth1 to be baptized1 none can be exempt who have arrived at the years of accountability4 ,it appears also from the language used in the quotation that without being baptized he could not fulfill all righteousness4 ,after teaching ,his disciples for three years1 being crucified and risen from the dead1 ,he gave to them this commission3 ,go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature4 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved2 but he that believeth not shall be damned4 7,mark xvi3#ae1 #af4 7 ,also in ,matthew xxviii3#ai3 ,go ye1 therefore1 and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost2 and in ,luke xxiv3#de-dg3 ,then opened ,he their understanding that they might understand the ,scriptures1 ,and said unto them1 ,thus it is written1 and thus it behooved ,christ to suffer1 and to rise from the dead the third day3 ,and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in ,his name among all nations1 beginning at ,jerusalem4 ,in the latter quotation the word baptism is not used1 but the same writer says in ,luke iii3#c1 regarding the mission of ,john3 ,and he came into all the country about ,jordan1 preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins1 thus enunciating the doctrine that remission of sins is obtained through baptism4 ,the same writer gives us the following 7,luke vii3#bi1 #cj73 ,and all the people that heard him1 and the publicans1 justified ,god1 being baptized with the baptism of ,john4 ,but the ,pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of ,god against themselves1 being not baptized of ,him4 ,from this it is manifested that by receiving baptism they honored and obeyed ,god1 and that the rejection of this simple yet divine institution amounted to rejecting the counsel of ,god1 with all the terrible consequences attendant upon such disobedience4 ,we read in the eighth chapter of ,acts that ,philip baptized the ,samaritans and the ,ethiopian4 ,in the same book is related the baptism of ,saul1 of ,lydia1 of the ,philippian jailor1 and of ,cornelius4 ,it is not necessary to multiply quotations to show that baptism was taught and practiced all through the apostolic dispensation1 as being essential to salvation4 ,as a direct statement of ,jesus ,himself1 to close this part of the subject1 we quote ,his words to ,nicodemus1 ,st4 ,john iii3#e3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 except a man1 be born of water and of the spirit1 he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4 ,the birth of the water can only be accomplished by baptism1 and if an accountable being cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god without baptism1 then that ordinance must be essential to salvation4 ,let us next consider the object of this sacred rite4 ,it is evident that inasmuch as a man cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god without the baptism of water1 then his sins must necessarily be remitted through faith1 repentance and baptism from the fact that no unclean person 99 99 99 hath any inheritance in the kingdom of ,christ and of ,god4 ,in ,mark i3#d and ,luke iii3#c we read that ,john did baptize in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins4 ,on the day of ,pentecost1 when the mighty power of ,god rested upon the apostles and the ,spirit bore witness to the multitude that they were in sin1 notwithstanding their devoutness1 they cried out1 ,men and brethren1 what shall we do8 ,to this ,peter answered1 ,repent and be baptized1 every one of you1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of sins4 7,acts ii3#ch47 ,paul narrates before ,king ,agrippa his conversion1 in ,acts xxii3#af1 and says that ,ananias1 to whom he had been commanded to apply1 said3 ,and now1 why tarriest thou8 ,arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins1 calling on the name of the ,lord4 ,the foregoing quotations will suffice to show that ,god instituted baptism for the remission of sins1 but from other passages already quoted4 ,mark i3#d1 also xvi3#ae-af1 and the account of ,simon1 the sorcerer1 in the eighth chapter of ,acts1 it is very evident that the result--forgiveness--is not secured unless baptism is accompanied on the part of the candidate by faith and a genuine repentance in turning aside from sin4 ,otherwise there would be the solemn mockery of administering a sacred ordinance to a hypocrite4 ,hence the apostles said to ,simon1 ,thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of ,god may be purchased with money4 7,acts viii3#bj47 ,notwithstanding he had been baptized he was still in his sins1 because his heart was not pure1 and he had not repented4 ,for this reason the apostles said to him1 ,repent therefore of this wickedness4 99 99 99 ,for ,i perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity4 7,acts viii3#bb-bc47 ,this should be a warning to those modern professors whose religion is in many instances a cloak1 hidden beneath which is the depraved heart that garnishes the sepulchres of the dead prophets but is ready to slay the living ones4 ,we now come to that part of the subject which formerly caused so much dissension among the ,christian sects1 but which latterly is smoothed over with the assertion that it makes no difference which mode--sprinkling1 pouring1 or immersion--is used2 either will do1 let the candidate take his choice2 it is immaterial4 ,to these unwarranted assertions we reply3 ,first1 that if either mode will do1 none will do1 for still other forms may be added by the whims of men4 ,christ established but one true mode1 ,one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 and if one is right1 the others are wrong4 ,this is a plain proposition4 ,again1 the dissension and conflict on this point is proof against the inspiration of the sectarian world1 if they have any1 for the reason that the ,spirit of ,god will not lie nor contradict itself4 ,if1 therefore1 the ,spirit of the ,lord teaches me that immersion is right1 it will not teach another sprinkling1 and yet another pouring4 ,this division1 then1 is because men are guided by opinion and preference and not by the spirit of revelation from ,god1 which guides into all truth and brings those who possess it to a unity of faith4 ,now as concerning the baptism of ,jesus1 who is the pattern1 we have ,matt4 iii3#af1 which says1 ,and ,jesus when ,he was baptized went up straightway out of the water4 ,it is not likely that ,john would be baptizing in ,jordan and that ,jesus would have gone down into the water if anything less than immersion would have fulfilled the law4 ,this also agrees with the account of the ,ethiopian's baptism by ,philip 7,acts viii3#ch73 ,and they went down both into the water1 both ,philip and the eunuch1 and he baptized him4 ,as making still plainer this using a river of water and going down into the water to receive the sacred rite1 we quote from ,st4 ,john iii3#bc3 ,and ,john also was baptizing in ,enon1 near to ,salim1 because there was much water there4 ,a statement so plain as the foregoing needs no comment4 ,it speaks for itself4 ,he was baptizing not only in ,enon1 but at a certain point in the stream because there was much water there4 ,such a reason could not have been given if sprinkling or pouring had been a proper mode4 ,we refer further to the ,new ,testament statements where not only the mode of baptism is indicated by the language1 but the fact that baptism symbolizes the birth into the world1 the death1 and the resurrection of the body4 ,to ,nicodemus1 ,jesus said3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 except a man be born of water1 and of the spirit1 he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4 7,st4 ,john iii3#e47 ,when man comes forth into the world1 he is born or brought out from the watery element1 being first buried in it1 and this constitutes his birth4 ,to be born of water as a sacred ordinance would be impossible if the rite of sprinkling or pouring be the mode employed4 ,only complete immersion will answer the ordinance indicated in the language of ,jesus to ,nicodemus4 ,paul also said to the ,romans1 ,know ye not 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 7,rom4 vi3#c-e47 ,the foregoing shows that baptism is a likeness of burial4 ,when the body is laid lifeless in the tomb it is covered completely2 it is not left partly buried and partly uncovered2 and as the body comes forth in the resurrection1 immortal1 and free from the conditions of mortality1 thus walking in newness of life1 so by the remission of sins through faith1 repentance and baptism1 the obedient candidate comes forth free from sin1 and walks in a new life1 prepared for the birth of the spirit1 thus symbolizing in beautiful similarity the death and resurrection of the body4 ,this is still farther emphasized by the language1 ,for if we have been planted1 etc41 thus using a word which implies a complete burial as in planting seeds in the earth4 ,again1 we quote the words of ,paul to the ,colossians1 ii3#ab3 ,buried with ,him in baptism1 wherein also ye are risen with ,him through the faith of the operation of ,god1 who hath raised ,him from the dead4 ,this corresponds with the statement before quoted from ,romans1 and also the teachings of ,christ to ,nicodemus4 ,from the ,scriptures already quoted on the necessity1 object and mode of baptism1 we may deduce the conclusion that the ordinance established to follow and go with faith and repentance1 and which constitutes the third principle of the gospel1 is baptism by immersion for the remission of sins4 ,,reception ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,spirit4 ,having shown that faith1 repentance and baptism are essential to the remission of sins1 let us now consider the reception of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,that this should follow1 and not precede1 the birth of the water must be evident to every thoughtful person4 ,it is clear that a man is not prepared for the indwelling of the ,holy ,ghost unless he repents of his sins and becomes freed from them by obedience to the laws of ,god4 ,some people may contend that1 because ,jesus stated that man must be born again1 in order to see the kingdom of heaven1 such a birth precedes baptism1 and is synonymous with the birth of the ,spirit mentioned by the ,savior in the third chapter of ,st4 ,john2 but being born again1 in order to see the kingdom1 evidently shows that a man must have some light above the natural senses1 sufficient to the light of ,christ to make him see the kingdom of ,god4 ,in other words1 to secure1 and we may say1 consistently constitute his conversion4 ,this light which guides him to the truth does not1 however1 forego the absolute necessity of obeying the laws and ordinances of the ,gospel4 ,as proof of this we cite the conversion of ,paul4 ,he received a personal manifestation of the ,savior's power1 even hearing his voice and witnessing a light from heaven4 ,notwithstanding this1 ,jesus commanded him to go to ,ananias1 an authorized servant of ,christ1 who should instruct him regarding his salvation4 ,he was therefore required to be born of water and of the ,spirit4 ,cornelius1 also1 as related in the tenth chapter of ,acts1 saw an angel and received a manifestation of the ,holy ,ghost previous to baptism4 ,yet both men were required to obey the ordinances enjoined by the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,if they rejected these requirements1 undoubtedly the light they had received would have departed from them and this would have added to their condemnation4 ,the historical fact of the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost is not1 in every instance1 recorded in the ,scriptures1 and it is not necessary that it should be1 in order to prove that the ordinance was established by the ,messiah4 ,in the matter of baptism ,he said to ,john1 ,suffer it to be so now1 for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness4 ,he made no exception of ,himself1 but gave the example by his own obedience4 ,how can others be excused8 ,to show that the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 by those having divine authority was practiced by the ancient apostles1 we refer to ,acts viii3#ad1 #ag3 ,now1 when the apostles which were at ,jerusalem heard that ,samaria had received the word of ,god1 they sent unto them ,peter and ,john1 who1 when they were come down1 prayed for them1 that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost3 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 them and they received the ,holy ,ghost4 ,philip did not have the authority to lay on hands for this gift1 hence ,peter and ,john were sent from ,jerusalem for the express purpose of performing this higher ordinance of the ,gospel4 ,in the nineteenth chapter of ,acts is an account of ,paul's visit to the city of ,ephesus1 where he found about twelve men who claimed to have received the same form of baptism as administered by ,john the ,baptist4 ,but in answer to ,paul's question1 ,have ye received the ,holy ,ghost since ye believed8 they told him they had not so much as heard of it1 and his action in re-baptizing them would strongly indicate that some imposter had counterfeited in form the true baptism4 ,this being performed without legitimate authority1 their sins were not remitted1 and they were not in a condition to receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,hence ,paul baptized them2 and the sixth verse says3 ,and when ,paul had laid his hands upon them1 the ,holy ,ghost came upon them and they spake with tongues and prophesied4 ,an imposter can baptize in water by physical force1 imitate the true form at the submission of the candidate1 but the gift of the ,holy ,ghost cannot be given without authority from ,god2 and while the water baptism is equally destitute of its legitimate results when not performed by authority1 the imposture is not so readily detected because not usually accompanied by the same manifestation of divine power2 therefore designing or ignorant men have taken pains either to deny the gift of the ,holy ,ghost as being essential with its ancient spiritual powers1 or to tell the people that no outward ordinance was essential to confer it1 thus endeavoring to dispense with this sacred ordinance4 ,the following references also indicate the laying on of hands as a sacred rite which would not have been adopted by the apostles unless 'commanded of ,god to do so3 ,i ,tim4 iv3#ad-,neglect not the gift that is in thee1 which was given thee by prophecy1 with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery4 ,,ii ,tim4 i3#f-,wherefore ,i put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of ,god which is in thee by the putting on of my hands4 ,also showing that this ordinance was laid down as a positive doctrine1 we call attention to the sixth chapter of ,hebrews1 first and second verses3 ,therefore leaving 7another translation1 that of the prophet ,joseph ,smith1 reads 'not leaving'7 the principles of the doctrine of ,christ1 let us go on unto perfection1 not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works1 and of faith toward ,god of the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands4 ,that man might duplicate in form this divine ceremony without authority and without effect1 we do not deny2 but we confidently assert that without this ordinance being administered by an acknowledged authority from ,god1 the operation would be of non-effect4 ,the undeniable facts of religious history for seventeen centuries prove that men did not receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,where the tree is1 there will the fruit be produced1 unless the tree is dead2 and no one will contend that the ,holy ,spirit is dead4 ,the following quotations will point out the fruits of the ,holy ,spirit3 ,but the ,comforter1 which is the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the ,father will send in my name1 ,he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance1 whatsoever ,i have said unto you4 7,st4 ,john xiv3#bf47 ,howbeit1 when ,he1 the ,spirit of ,truth1 is ,come1 ,he will guide you into all truth3 for ,he shall not speak of ,himself2 but whatsoever ,he shall hear1 that shall ,he speak1 and ,he shall show you things to come4 7,st4 ,john xvi3#ac47 ,as they ministered to the ,lord and fasted1 the ,holy ,ghost said1 ',separate me ,barnabas and ,saul1 for the work whereunto ,i have called them4' 7,acts xiii3#b47 ,wherefore ,i give you to understand that no man speaking by the ,spirit of ,god calleth ,jesus accursed3 and that no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord1 but by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,now there are diversities of gifts1 but the same ,spirit4 99 99 99 ,for to one is given by the ,spirit the word of wisdom2 to another1 the word of ,knowledge by the same ,spirit2 ,to another1 faith by the same ,spirit2 to another1 the gifts of healing by the same ,spirit2 to another1 the working of miracles2 to another1 prophecy2 to another discerning of ,spirits2 to another1 divers kinds of tongues4 7 ,i ,cor4 xii3#c1 #d1 #h1 #i1 #aj47 ,but the fruits of the ,spirit is love1 joy1 peace1 long-suffering1 gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness1 temperance4 7,gal4 v3#bb-bc47 ,the same cause will ever produce the same effect2 a tree is known by its fruits1 and to be convinced that we need such gifts today it is only necessary to look at the spectacle of jarring ,christianity with its many creeds4 ,where is the ,spirit that guides into all truth1 which does not contradict itself1 but teaches the common salvation of one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 one ,god and ,father of all8 ,that brings us to a unity of faith1 and makes us one in ,christ1 as ,he prayed that ,his disciples and all whom the ,father should give ,him out of the world might be one even as ,i am one in the ,father and the ,father in me1 that they may be one in us1 that the world may believe that thou hast sent me8 ,where is the ,spirit of prophecy8 ,the testimony of ,jesus is the ,spirit of prophecy1 the gifts of revelation1 healings and all the glorious powers enumerated in the ,scripture quotations made4 ,well did ,isaiah say1 ,the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof1 because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinances and broken the everlasting covenant4 7,isa4 xxiv3#e47 ,without further comment on the gifts of the ,spirit1 we will introduce quotations to show that the laying on of hands was practiced also for ordination to office in the ,church of ,christ1 and for the healing of the sick1 as well as to confer the gift of the ,holy ,ghost3 ,whom they set before the apostles2 and when they had prayed1 they laid their hands on them4 7,acts vi3#f47 ,this refers to the ordination of ,stephen and six others4 ,as they ministered to the ,lord and fasted1 the ,holy ,ghost said1 separate me ,barnabas and ,saul for the work whereunto ,i have called them4 ,and when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away4 7,acts xiii3#b1 #c47 ,the same ordinance was also had in ancient times before the coming of the ,savior4 ,paul informs us in ,gal4 iii1 that the ,gospel was preached before unto ,abraham4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ,take thee ,joshua1 the son of ,nun1 a man in whom is the ,spirit1 and lay thine hands upon him4 ,and he laid his hands upon him and gave him a charge1 as the ,lord commanded by the hand of ,moses4 7,num4 xxvii3#ah1 #bc47 ,and ,joshua1 the son of ,nun1 was full of the ,spirit of wisdom1 for ,moses had laid his hands upon him4 7,deut4 xxxiv3#i47 ,it is most reasonable to conclude from the evidence presented that this practice came down from the beginning1 and was before and after ,christ a divine ordinance4 ,that it was practiced for the healing of the sick is evident from the following historical and doctrinal statements made in the ,new ,testament by the ,messiah and ,his apostles3 ,they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover4 7,mark xvi3#ah47 ,and ,he could there do no mighty work save that ,he laid ,his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them4 7,mark vi3#e47 ,now when the sun was setting1 all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto ,him2 and ,he laid ,his hands on every one of them1 and healed them4 7,luke iv3#dj47 ,and putting ,his hands on him1 said ,brother ,saul1 the ,lord1 even ,jesus1 that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest1 hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight1 etc4 7,acts ix3#ag47 ,and it came to pass that the father of ,publius lay sick of a fever1 and of a bloody flux2 to whom ,paul entered in1 and prayed1 and laid his hands on him1 and healed him4 7,acts xxviii3#h47 ,is any sick among you8 ,let him call for the elders of the church1 and let them pray over him1 anointing him with oil in the name of the ,lord3 ,and the prayer of faith shall save the sick1 and the ,lord shall raise him up1 etc4 7,james v3#ad1 #ae474 ,although the laying on of hands is not expressly mentioned in the last quotation1 it is readily seen that the sick could not be anointed without the imposition of hands4 ,the foregoing should be sufficient to convince all ,bible believers that the laying on of hands is a sacred ordinance for the purposes specified in ,holy writ1 that it follows the baptism of water1 and occupies its relationship in the plan of salvation as the fourth essential principle to fully establish men in the ,church of ,christ2 the order is1 faith1 repentance1 baptism by immersion for the remission of sins1 and the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this is the door into the sheepfold2 he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold1 but climbeth up some other way1 the same is a thief and a robber4 7,st4 ,john x3#a47 ,,pre-,,existence4 ,as ,latter-day ,saints we believe that all creation existed spiritually before the physical organism was brought into existence2 ,and every plant of the field before it was in the earth1 and every herb of the field before it grew4 7,gen4 ii3#e47 ,and ,god said1 ,let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind1 cattle1 and creeping thing4 ,and beast of the earth after his kind2 and it was so4 7,gen4 i3#bd47 ,therefore each kind1 whether beast1 bird or fish1 as well as man1 existed before it came to occupy a physical being1 otherwise how could each have been created after its own kind8 ,the spirit and the body must be the soul1 as enunciated by the ,lord in a revelation to the prophet ,joseph ,smith4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 sec4 #hh1 verse #ae47 ,and the spirit and the body is the soul of man4 ,otherwise there might be an eternal fullness when the spirit and the body are separated4 ,when ,jesus was crucified ,he went1 as stated by ,peter1 to preach to the spirits in prison1 and did not enter into the fullness of ,his ,father's glory until ,he ascended after ,his resurrection4 ,this was the pattern to all men4 ,without the union of the spirit and the body there is not a fullness of glory4 ,as the spirit exists between death and the resurrection1 so the spirit existed before the birth of the mortal body4 ,god is the ,god and ,father of the spirits of all flesh1 as stated by ,moses3 ,o ,god1 the ,god of the spirits of all flesh1 shall one man sin1 and wilt ,thou be wroth with all the congregation8 7,num4 xvi3#bb47 ,let the ,lord1 the ,god of the spirits of all flesh1 set a man over the congregation4 7,num4 xxvii3#af47 ,this declaration is corroborated by the apostle ,paul in writing to the ,hebrews3 ,furthermore1 we have had fathers of our flesh1 which corrected us1 and we gave them reverence2 shall we not much rather be in subjection to the ,father of spirits and live8 ,we associate in this life with our natural fathers2 we see them as they are4 ,they teach1 guide and direct us by virtue of their fatherhood and their advanced experience1 which qualify them to teach us and direct our footsteps in the way we should walk4 ,so in our pre-existence did we mingle with our heavenly ,father and ,his children1 our brother and sister spirits4 ,we knew ,god and partook of ,his influence and power4 ,we were agents to ourselves1 and when propositions affecting man's eternal welfare were placed before us1 we were left to choose for ourselves and be responsible for our own course4 ,thus ,lucifer rebelled1 and drew one-third part of the heavenly host away4 ,they were cast out1 and denied a body4 ,so keenly have they felt this curse that they seek to possess the bodies of the human family4 ,when ,jesus cast the evil spirits from the men coming out of the tombs1 so eager were they to possess some physical tabernacle1 that they besought ,him that they might enter the herd of swine4 ,the request was granted1 and the swine1 possessed of evil spirits1 ran down violently into the sea4 ,not only the fact of man's pre-existence1 but also his power to do good and ill1 seemed to be understood by the ancient apostles when they said1 ,master1 who did sin1 this man or his parents1 that he was born blind8 ,neither hath this man sinned1 nor his parents4 7,john ix3#b1 #c47 ,jesus did not deny the possibility of sinning before birth4 ,why should not the spirit be just as capable of intelligent action before the birth into this world1 as it is during its existence between death and the resurrection8 ,as to that time1 ,jesus taught that all that were in their graves should hear ,his voice4 7,st4 ,john v3#be1 #bi47 ,when ,job was in the depth of his affliction the ,lord said unto him1 ,gird up now thy loins like a man2 for ,i will demand of thee1 and answer thou me4 ,where wast thou when ,i laid the foundations of the earth8 99 99 99 ,when the morning stars sang together1 and all the sons of ,god shouted for joy8 7,job xxxviii3#c1 #d1 #g47 ,doubtless ,job was somewhere in existence or the ,almighty would never have propounded such a question4 ,the sons of ,god shouted for joy1 and without doubt ,job was among that honored number4 ,solomon also gives us to understand that the spirit once dwelt in the presence of the ,lord4 ,he says3 ,and the spirit shall return unto ,god who gave it4 ,the subject of pre-existence is made very plain in the first chapter1 #eth verse of ,jeremiah3 ,before ,i formed thee in the belly ,i knew thee3 and before thou camest forth out of the womb ,i sanctified thee and ,i ordained thee a prophet unto the nations4 ,thus in his pre-existent state did ,jeremiah receive his ordination to be a prophet of the ,lord to the nations of the earth4 ,if such were the case with ,jeremiah1 why not with thousands of the sons of ,god8 ,indeed it is evident from ,paul's writings that the time of man's coming to this world is not mere chance1 neither is it regulated by the arrangements of human philosophy in this world3 ,god that made the world 99 99 99 hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth3 and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitations4 7,acts xvii3#bd1 #bf47 ,in other words1 the ,father of our spirits determined when we should come and those portions of the earth where should be set the bounds of our habitation4 ,it was no chance-work1 then1 that ,abraham1 ,moses1 ,isaiah1 ,ezekiel1 ,daniel1 the ,savior1 ,joseph ,smith1 and the founders of liberty in this and other lands came to the earth in their respective times and to those countries where they played their great parts in the purposes of ,god and the drama of life4 ,i came forth from the ,father1 and am come into the world2 again ,i leave the world and go to the ,father4 7,st4 ,john xvi3#bh47 ,and now1 ,o ,father1 glorify ,thou me with thine own self with the glory which ,i had with ,thee before the world was4 7,st4 ,john xvii3#e47 ,jesus dwelt with the ,father before ,he came here1 so did we4 ,entering our temples of mortality we forget all that has passed before in our spiritual existence4 ,this mortal state is a veil which hides the eternal past1 from our recollection1 and shuts off the visions of the eternal future1 only as from time to time the revelations of the ,holy ,ghost bring things past to our remembrance and shows us things to come4 ,it is probable1 from some references in the ,scriptures1 that if our spirits were sent here unembodied1 the remembrance of the past would come with us4 ,at least1 this was doubtless the case with ,lucifer and his rebel host4 ,when he tried to tempt the ,savior1 as recorded in ,matthew1 fourth chapter1 he knew ,him undoubtedly from their acquaintance in a pre-existent state4 ,when the man with evil spirits met the ,savior in the synagogue1 the spirits cried out1 saying1 let us alone4 ,what have we to do with ,thee1 thou ,jesus of ,nazareth8 ,art thou come to destroy us8 ,i know ,thee who thou art1 the ,holy ,one of ,god4 7,luke iv3#cd47 ,a similar testimony was borne by evil spirits possessing the men coming out of the tombs1 as recorded in ,matthew1 viii3#bi4 ,and behold they cried out1 saying1 ,what have we to do with ,thee8 ,jesus1 thou ,son of ,god8 art ,thou come hither to torment us before the time8 ,and unclean spirits1 when they saw ,him1 fell down before ,him and cried saying1 ,thou art the ,son of ,god4 7,mark iii3#aa7 ,in ,luke1 viii3#bh1 we have the testimony of the historian that the devils possessing a certain man cried out1 and with a loud voice said1 ,jesus1 ,thou ,son of ,god4 ,it is not probable that these evil spirits knew ,jesus because of a testimony from above1 while all ,judea failed to recognize in ,him the ,messiah1 the ,savior of the world4 ,many likely knew ,him because they had been associated and acquainted with ,him before the world was4 ,john the ,revelator in ,revelations1 twelfth chapter1 describes the war in heaven1 which took place between ,satan and his followers on the one hand and ,michael and his angels on the other4 ,this description refers to their spiritual existence1 as do the foregoing quotations from ,holy ,writ4 ,these show us clearly that man did not begin with this world1 nor does he end with this earthly life4 ,man is eternal1 and will have no end4 ,he lived and reigned with ,god in the heavens4 ,his course there largely affects his condition here1 as our conduct in this life will have all to do with the glory we attain to in the world to come4 ,man will live on forever4 ,he dies as to the body1 lives in the spirit world1 and will again take up his body1 a resurrected1 glorified being1 prepared on certain conditions to dwell with ,god throughout the countless ages of eternity1 to become like unto ,him4 ,possessing all things1 even as ,jesus1 being in the image of ,his ,father1 thought it not robbery to be made equal with him4 ,what is man1 that ,thou art mindful of him8 and the ,son of ,man1 that ,thou visitest him8 ,for ,thou hast made him a little lower than the angels1 and hast crowned him with glory and honor4 ,thou madest him to have dominion over the works of ,thy hands2 thou hast put all things under his feet4 7,psalms viii3#d-f47 ,,salvation ,,for ,,the ,,dead4 ,i am not ashamed of the ,gospel of ,christ1 for it is the power of ,god unto ,salvation to every one that believeth4 ,we must not infer from this quotation that mere conviction of the mind to religious truths will secure salvation2 for pure belief would lead men to actual works1 thus constituting a living1 active faith4 ,the ,apostle ,james declares that faith without works is dead4 ,the ,savior taught in ,his sermon on the mount that ,not every one that saith unto me1 ',lord1 ,lord1' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven1 but he that doeth the will of my ,father which is in heaven4 ,from these and other passages of ,scripture we learn that the ,gospel is the power of ,god unto salvation to all who believe1 obey and remain faithful to the end4 ,this gives us a general definition of what is meant by the term ,gospel4 ,to understand the principles which constitute the ,gospel1 we may remind our readers that mankind find themselves under the necessity of a redemption which is two-fold in its character4 ,first1 by the act of our first parents1 all creation is subject to the death of the mortal body4 ,second1 by individual sins man becomes unworthy to dwell in the presence of the ,eternal ,father4 ,the ,gospel1 then1 consists of the atonement of ,christ1 by which all are entitled to a resurrection of the body2 in the language of ,paul1 ,for as in ,adam all die1 even so in ,christ shall all be made alive4 ,it also consists of laws and ordinances for man's obedience1 by which he is redeemed from his own sins1 placed in communication with ,god1 and led back into ,his presence4 ,in the justice of the ,almighty the plan of salvation must be so comprehensive and general that the human family1 without distinction1 shall have the opportunity of receiving it4 ,we learn from the ,pearl of ,great ,price that before ,adam departed to the life beyond1 ,god revealed to him the plan of salvation4 ,he obeyed it and communicated this knowledge to his posterity during the seven generations that lived contemporary with him4 ,with the ,gospel1 necessarily came the authority of ,god to administer in the ordinances thereof4 ,this authority is called the ,holy ,priesthood4 ,in a revelation given the prophet ,joseph ,smith1 ,september #bb;d and #bc;d1 #ahcb1 and contained in ,sec4 #hd of the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 we learn that the priesthood was conferred through ,father ,adam by the laying on of hands upon ,abel1 and from ,abel or ,seth was conferred through the lineage of their descendants to ,enoch1 and from ,enoch to ,noah down to ,melchisedek1 who conferred it upon ,abraham4 ,in the days of ,abraham lived the great prophet ,esaias1 who1 the revelation informs us1 received the priesthood under the hand of ,god4 ,from ,esaias it was handed down through an unbroken chain to the prophet ,moses1 but because of the unbelief and hardness of the people1 ,he took ,moses out of their midst and the ,holy ,priesthood also1 and the lesser priesthood continued4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 ,sec4 #hd47 ,this record shows an unbroken succession of the ,holy ,priesthood and the ,gospel of ,christ from ,adam to ,moses1 a period of about #b1ejj years4 ,then began those periods of the world's history when the fullness of the ,gospel was not to be had among the children of men1 periods when the spirit of darkness engrossed the human family and left mankind1 in a great degree1 as a blind man groping for the wall4 ,the first of these periods continued from ,moses until the ,savior came and restored the higher priesthood1 established ,his church upon the earth1 and sent his apostles to preach the ,gospel in all the world4 ,another similar period was from the time the ,gospel became corrupted1 in the first two or three centuries of the ,christian era1 to its restoration in this dispensation through the prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,the ,christian dispensation of the ,gospel continued to a greater length upon the ,american continent1 extending to nearly #djj years after ,christ4 ,what success attended the ,gospel among the ten lost tribes whom the ,messiah visited and how long it was maintained among them is not yet revealed1 but will be in the due time of the ,lord4 ,the ,elders in preaching the ,gospel abroad are often confronted with an objection to this claim of apostasy from the truth1 that such periods of spiritual darkness do not harmonize with the mercy and justice of ,god4 ,the objectors1 therefore1 incline to the belief that the ,christian world has enjoyed the ,gospel ever since the coming of the ,messiah4 ,the query then arises1 what is the cause of such apparent difference in the opportunities of human beings8 ,some are born in the church1 heirs to the ,holy ,priesthood2 others1 in a ,gospel dispensation1 not in the church1 but under conditions favorable to their accepting it2 still another class in the same dispensation is under such adverse circumstances that believing and obeying are rendered very difficult2 and yet a larger number1 counted by millions1 live and die where no voice from ,god comes to their relief4 ,in the absence of revelation giving any detailed information on this question1 we may rest contented with the reflection that ,god is just1 and that a just cause exists for that which appears inconsistent in the eyes of mortal man1 but that reflection is not satisfying2 we are in absolute need of revelation to enable us to comprehend the cause and to justify in our minds the conditions which exist4 ,our works in this life are known to ,god1 and our rewards and punishments are meted out according to the deeds done in the body4 ,our pre-existent merits and demerits are equally well known to our ,heavenly ,father4 ,as proof that ,god knew before this life with all the exactness that we are known here1 ,i here introduce the following from page #da1 ,pearl of ,great ,price3 ,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 ones3 and ,god saw these souls that they were good1 and ,he stood in the midst of them2 and ,he said1 ',these ,i will make my rulers1' for ,he stood among those that were spirits2 and ,he saw they were good2 and there stood one among them like unto ,god1 and ,he said unto those that were with ,him1 ',we will go down1 for there is space there1 and we will take of these materials1 and we will make an earth1 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 estate 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 estate shall have glory added upon their heads forever and ever4 ,in the first chapter fourth and fifth verses of ,jeremiah1 we have the following3 ,then the word of the ,lord came unto me1 saying1 ,before ,i formed thee ,i knew thee1 and before thou camest forth1 ,i sanctified thee1 and ,i ordained thee a prophet unto the nations4 ,from these plain teachings of the prophet1 it is readily seen that the measure of integrity attached to our pre-existence was fully understood by our ,father2 and as our future condition is based upon our works in this life1 is it not a reasonable conclusion that our situation in this world is largely due to our conduct in a pre-existent state8 ,that ,god has a distinct hand in the appointment of the time for ,his children to come upon the earth is very clearly stated by the ,apostle ,paul4 ,in the seventeenth chapter of ,acts he says3 ,god that made the world and all things therein1 giveth to all life1 and breath1 and all things2 and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitations4 ,thus we learn that this great emigration of souls from the presence of the ,lord to this earth is controlled and directed by the ,almighty4 ,that ,he designed them all at some time to learn of ,him is stated in the verse following the above quotation1 which reads1 ,that they should seek the ,lord and find ,him4 ,we are compelled from these facts to believe that1 as ,god ,himself sent millions into the world when the ,gospel was not had among the inhabitants of the earth1 then ,his saving plan1 to be compatible with ,his attributes of mercy and justice1 must be of such a character as to reach these people after they leave this world4 ,we may add here that this vast host of humanity who lived when the ,gospel was not extant is greatly augmented by the unnumbered millions of people who live during the dispensation of the ,gospel1 but who never see or hear an authorized servant of the ,lord4 ,in connection with this branch of the subject it may be well to refer to the belief of many that1 at death the wicked are consigned to their final doom and the righteous to full and complete exaltation in the presence of ,god4 ,we can explode this fallacy by quotations from ,holy ,writ4 ,in line with this mistaken belief we find ministers attending the culprit at the gallows1 urging him to confess ,christ1 and telling him that by such confession he will be saved in the kingdom of heaven4 ,in the face of such doctrine the ,scriptures plainly declare that1 ,the murderer hath not eternal life abiding in him4 ,we who live in this dispensation are forbidden by the living oracles of ,god to receive temple ordinances for even the suicide4 ,to exhibit the error of many in the religious world on this point read the forty-second and forty-third verses of the twenty-third chapter of ,luke4 ,the thief on the cross is recorded as saying to the ,savior1 ,lord1 remember me when ,thou comest into ,thy kingdom4 ,jesus then said to him1 ,today shalt thou be with me in ,paradise4 ,the claim is made that such a promise amounted to salvation1 taking the malefactor to a condition of eternal glory4 ,in the face of this mistaken interpretation of the ,scripture1 we have the assertion of ,christ ,himself1 made three days later to ,mary3 touch me not1 for ,i am not yet ascended unto my father4 7,john xx3#ag47 ,this is conclusive evidence that the paradise spoken of was not the enjoyment of the presence and glory of ,god4 ,but we are not left in ignorance of where ,he did go4 ,he had previously said to ,his apostles1 as recorded in ,john v3#be1 ,the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the ,son of ,god1 and they that hear shall live4 ,the object of this preaching is stated in the fourth chapter1 sixth verse1 of ,i ,peter1 to be1 ,for1 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 ,this ,scripture establishes the truth beyond doubt that death does not perfect people1 and dying without obedience to the ,gospel does not relieve them of the impartial obligation placed upon all men to believe and obey4 ,it also maintains the doctrine of man's free agency by showing that salvation is only realized when man exercises his own volition to receive the ,gospel1 and by education in the knowledge of ,god1 step by step1 becomes prepared to dwell in the glorious presence of the ,father and the ,son4 ,with this testimony of the ,savior and the ,jewish apostles1 the teachings of the ,book of ,mormon and of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith are in perfect harmony4 ,the sacred record of the ,nephites informs us that the spirit which possesses a man who dies in his sins will have power to possess him in a future state4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph1 speaking upon this subject1 also said1 on ,april #aj1 #ahdb3 ,if you wish to go where ,god is1 you must be like ,god1 or possess the principles which ,god possesses1 for1 if we are not drawing towards ,god in principles1 we are going from ,him and drawing towards the devil4 ,a man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge1 for1 if he does not get knowledge1 he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world1 as evil spirits will have more knowledge and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth4 ,hence1 it needs revelation to assist and give us knowledge of the things of ,god4 ,to show still more definitely ,christ's mission in the spirit world1 we read from ,peter1 third chapter1 eighteenth verse1 as follows3 ,for ,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 once the long-suffering of ,god waited in the days of ,noah4 ,we may infer safely that the penitent thief had the privilege of going to the prison house with the ,savior and hearing the ,gospel2 the distinction between his situation and that of the antediluvians being that they had remained in purgatory for hundreds of years1 while the penitent man1 who had shown some repentance in the last hour of his life1 may have heard1 with but little delay1 the ,gospel4 ,whether he had heard it in life and rejected it we are not informed1 and how long he would remain in the spirit world without realizing its full benefits we do not know1 but the above quotations are ample to disprove the fallacy of the position taken by those in the religious world who deny salvation after death4 ,one objection made by the world to this doctrine is1 that offering salvation after this life destroys the incentive to embrace the ,gospel here and holds out the inducement to indulge in the pleasures of sin1 through people believing that they might be redeemed in a future state where the pleasures of sin would be less delusive4 ,if we admit1 for the sake of argument1 this theory1 the evil results following are incomparably less than would be those which offer salvation to some and deny it to others1 for this amounts virtually to a destruction of the attributes of justice and mercy which dwell in the bosom of a wise ,creator2 but there is another side to this part of the question4 ,we may illustrate by comparison4 ,if a man obey the law of the land simply because he fears the penalty of violating the law1 you have at once an individual devoid of love for right and of no strength of character1 a man who is a mere slave to the influences which surround him2 or if you find a being who is willing to pay the penalty of stealing or committing other crimes1 for the pleasure he finds in them1 with the knowledge that when he has served his term in prison he may be liberated only to steal again1 you have a man devoid of character1 and to say that this would be the course of mankind relative to the boon of eternal life is only to belittle the character of the human family and strip them of those attributes which come from ,god their ,father4 ,this mission of the ,savior was contemplated by the ancient ,jewish prophets4 ,they1 knowing that the atonement of ,christ and the principles of the ,gospel must apply to those who lived before ,his coming as well as to all who came after1 understood that the millions who died without the ,gospel in this life must hear and obey in the life to come4 ,isaiah prophesied concerning the mission of the ,son of ,god3 ,i1 the ,lord1 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 eyes2 to bring out the prisoners from the prison1 and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house4 7,isaiah xlii3#f1 #g47 ,thus salvation for the dead is a scriptural doctrine4 ,the ,gospel is preached to the spirits in prison4 ,at the same time1 it is evident from all that we learn upon this subject that the ordinances of baptism1 confirmations1 sealings1 etc41 are received by those living in the flesh1 in behalf of those who die without the ,gospel in this world1 but receive it in the next4 ,paul1 in the fifteenth chapter of ,i4 ,corinthians1 speaking of the resurrection1 says3 ,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 ,while ,paul's argument is not upon the subject of baptism for the dead1 why does he thus forcibly allude to this subject if no such an ordinance belongs to the ,gospel8 ,the theologians of sectarianism have exhausted their ingenuity in a fruitless effort to mystify or explain away the true meaning of this passage1 for the evident reason that it strikes a deadly blow at their unjust dogmas respecting the eternal damnation of those who die without the truth4 ,the plain meaning of the above statement of ,paul is that a living person receives baptism in behalf of those who are dead4 ,this simple interpretation was adopted by the early writers on ,christianity4 ,scaliger1 ,meyer1 ,erasmus1 ,calixtus1 ,de ,witt1 ,grotius and others1 counted as good authority1 adopted the same view4 ,epiphanius1 in the fourth century1 writing of the ,marcionites1 makes use of this language3 ,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 ,another very emphatic evidence that this ordinance was practiced by the ancient followers of ,christ is that the council of ,carthage1 ,a4 ,d41 #cig1 in ,canon ,no4 #f1 forbids the ordinance of baptism for the dead4 ,why would such a decree be issued against this ordinance if it had no existence in the ,church8 ,having shown that salvation for the dead is scriptural doctrine1 adopted in theory and practice by the ,former-day ,saints1 let us turn now to the dispensation of the fullness of times4 ,we have seen that the mission of ,christ to the dead was spoken of by ,isaiah in the forty-second chapter4 ,the same great prophet utters a prediction in the twenty-fourth chapter as follows3 ,the earth is also defiled under the inhabitants thereof1 because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinances1 broken the everlasting covenant4 ,the context shows clearly that this prophecy refers to the last days1 because it predicts that the inhabitants of the earth are burned and but few men left4 ,the term everlasting covenant cannot refer to the ,mosaic law1 which existed under the lesser priesthood4 ,this law consisted in the rites and ceremonies of the offering of sacrifice1 pointing to the great sacrifice of the ,messiah1 and of the law of carnal commandments1 which served1 ,paul says1 as a schoolmaster to bring them to ,christ4 ,the ,mosaic law was done away in ,him1 because he fulfilled the law4 ,it was not everlasting4 ,breaking the everlasting covenant must1 therefore1 refer to an apostasy from the fullness of the ,gospel as instituted by the ,savior4 ,in connection with this apostasy ,isaiah tells us in the same chapter3 ,and it shall come to pass in that day that the ,lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high and the kings of the earth upon the earth4 ,and they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit1 and shall be shut up in the prison1 and after many days shall they be visited4 ,in other words1 we might say that they have rejected the ,gospel during the ,christian era1 as the antediluvians rejected it in the days of ,noah2 the judgments of ,god destroyed them in the flesh1 and their spirits were consigned to the prison house and could not be visited until after many days4 ,whether the ,gospel dispensations in the spirit would correspond in their divisions of time to those delivered to men in the flesh1 we do not know so far as preaching to the spirits in prison is concerned2 but this much is evident1 that when no ,gospel dispensation exists upon the earth1 those in the spirit world1 whatever their opportunities to hear1 cannot enjoy the blessings of the ,gospel1 because no one in the flesh has authority to receive the ordinances in their behalf4 ,it1 therefore1 follows that the haughty ones spoken of by ,isaiah could not receive the ,gospel until it should be revealed again from heaven in the latter days2 and to fulfill this prophecy such a revelation must come1 comprehending the keys of a dispensation of the ,gospel to the dead as well as to the living4 ,malachi1 whose prophecies are the last of those of ,jewish prophets recorded in the ,old ,testament1 in speaking of the great day of the ,lord's second coming and the judgements of ,god which would precede1 utters the following prediction 7,malachi iv3#e1 #f73 ,behold1 ,i will send you ,elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord2 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 ,this prophecy is in beautiful accord with that of the apostle ,peter recorded in the twentieth and twenty-first verses of the third chapter of ,acts3 ,and ,he shall send ,jesus ,christ which before was preached unto you2 whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things1 which ,god hath spoken by the mouth of all ,his holy prophets since the world began4 ,how different these joyful words to those of an apostate ,christianity which denies the necessity of revelation and tells us that the canon of ,scripture is full6 ,john the ,baptist1 who was the forerunner of the ,messiah at ,his first coming1 was also the forerunner of the higher priesthood in these last days4 ,on the #aeth of ,may1 #ahbi1 he appeared to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery and ordained them to the ,aaronic priesthood1 the authority to preach unto and baptize those living in the flesh4 ,afterwards came ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 with the keys of the ,melchisedek priesthood1 embodying authority to administer all the ordinances of the ,gospel to men in the flesh4 ,but the prophecy of ,malachi1 chapter iv41 was yet to be fulfilled4 ,on the #c;d of ,april1 #ahcf1 in the ,kirtland ,temple1 the ,prophet ,joseph testified that ,elijah the prophet1 who was taken to heaven without tasting death1 stood before us and said3 ',behold the time has fully come which was spoken of by ,malachi1 testifying that he 7,elijah7 should be sent before the ,lord come 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 ,therefore1 the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands1 and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the ,lord is near1 even at the doors4' ,in connection with the restoration of the keys of temple ordinances by ,elijah1 let us contemplate for a few moments a prediction by the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,he stated that the ,gospel as preached by the elders would yet revolutionize the religious world4 ,without going into detail regarding the application of this prophecy to several principles of the ,gospel1 the subject in hand1 salvation for the dead1 will clearly prove the prophecy correct4 ,when ,joseph first taught the redemption of the dead1 it was not believed1 but was ridiculed by every denomination of ,christendom1 so far as we know1 and by nearly all the religious world individually2 yet during the past fifteen years this doctrine has been growing in favor in the minds of prominent men4 ,dr4 ,thomas1 of the ,methodist church in ,illinois1 was brought in question a few years ago by his church for teaching unorthodox doctrine1 which consisted in claiming that those who did not hear the ,gospel in this world would hear it in the spirit world4 ,there is now a vast number in the various denominations that believe there is hope for the dead such as was never thought of before the words of the ,prophet ,joseph were spoken4 ,since the glorious visitation of ,elijah1 the ,lord has revealed definitely how to conduct the ordinance for the dead4 ,he has fulfilled the words of ,jeremiah that ,he would take one of a city and two of a family and bring them to ,zion4 ,it required two of a family1 or at least a male and a female representative of the dead1 to receive the ordinances of salvation for the dead of their respective sexes4 ,it has been related of ,henry ,ward ,beecher that he said1 if a literal rendering of the ,scriptures was to be accepted1 then ,mormonism was correct4 ,in line with his sentiments on this subject1 it has been reported that he delivered a lecture in ,nashville1 ,tennessee1 his subject being1 ,what ,christianity ,has ,done to ,civilize the ,world1 in which he said3 ,what has ,africa done for the world8 ,she has never produced a sage1 a philosopher1 a poet nor a prophet1 and why not8 ,because the name of ,christ and the influence of ,christianity are scarcely known in her dark regions4 ,millions of her children have lived and passed away without hearing the truth4 ,what will become of them8 ,will they be forever damned8 ,no1 not if my ,god reigns1 for they will hear the gospel in the spirit world4 ,he then proceeded to show by irrefutable evidence that salvation for the dead is a scriptural doctrine4 ,the writer was not present at the lecture1 but another ,latter-day ,saint elder was present1 and1 at the conclusion of the lecture1 stepped up to the platform and said3 ,mr4 ,beecher1 ,i have been much interested in your lecture and would like to ask you a question4 ,jesus said to ,nicodemus1 ',except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4' ,now1 how is it possible for a man to be baptized in water when his body has already crumbled in the earth8 ,the great preacher looked at the interrogator for a moment and then said3 ,young man1 where do you hail from8 ,from the ,west4 ,from what part of the ,west8 ,from ,salt ,lake ,city1 answered the ,elder4 ,oh1 said ,mr4 ,beecher1 you may answer your own question4 ,good evening1 and walked away4 ,mr4 ,beecher probably had read enough on the subject of baptism for the dead to know that such a doctrine must be coupled with preaching to departed spirits1 but he did not wish to be accused of teaching ,mormonism1 so he stopped short of that4 ,he said enough1 however1 to verify the words of ,joseph ,smith1 and also those of the ,savior1 when ,he said that if men put new wine into old bottles it would break them to pieces2 in other words1 new doctrine into old systems4 ,other instances might be cited1 but this will suffice to illustrate how the influence of the ,gospel is working among the children of men4 ,we now come to one of the most important1 interesting and extensive branches of this great subject1 namely1 that of securing the names1 births1 marriages and deaths of our ancestors1 a class of information essential for record in order to prosecute this great work of salvation for the dead4 ,the genealogical research must be an arduous one and ofttimes attended with great difficulty4 ,nathaniel ,h4 ,morgan1 author of a genealogical history entitled ,james ,morgan and ,his ,descendants1 makes this observation in the introduction of his work3 ,the task of the genealogist1 in groping his way amid the dusty records of the past1 is much like that of the ,african ,indians in pursuing an obscure trail through a tangled wilderness4 ,an acute faculty of perception and a keen and practiced eye must note and scrutinize every obscure footprint1 every rustled leaf1 every bent twig2 now1 progressing rapidly1 under a clear light1 and guided by sure tokens2 and anon1 suddenly arrested by a total absence of all further signs1 and forced hopelessly to abandon the trail long and patiently pursued until1 perchance1 again some new and unexpected waymark greets his eye1 inspiring fresh pursuit4 ,while there have been isolated instances of genealogical works in ,america since the year #agga1 it is a noteworthy fact 7and one showing the hand of ,god plainly manifest in moving upon the ,gentiles to do this work7 that since the coming of ,elijah to the ,kirtland ,temple1 this spirit of writing genealogies has rapidly increased in the ,united ,states4 ,i cannot do better at this juncture than to include as a part of our article a letter written to the writer by ,elder ,franklin ,d4 ,richards on this important subject4 ,elder ,richards1 through his researches1 has been instrumental in furnishing printed genealogies to many families of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,he says1 under date of ,nov4 #bith1 #ahie3 ,in answer to your question when the first genealogical history was published1 either in this country or in foreign nations1 ,i must say it is impossible for me to answer1 as ,i have not searched the libraries of ,europe or of any foreign countries to learn when their first genealogies were published2 but1 narrowing your question down to this country1 ,i may say that the first that we have any account of was published in #agga1 consisting of twenty-four pages and was ',a genealogy of the family of ,mr4 ,samuel ,stebbins and ,hannah ,stebbins1 his wife1 from the year #agjg to the year #agga1 with their names1 time of their births1 marriages and deaths of those that are deceased1' published at ,hartford in #agga4 ,the author1 ,mr4 ,william ,h4 ,whitmore1 says3 ',this ,i believe to be the earliest genealogy in a distinct form published in the ,united ,states4' ,it is safe to conclude that an interest in genealogical work did not take very deep root among the people until after the ,lord revealed to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith the great work of extending salvation to the dead4 ,this is made evident from the dates noted in the following excerpts taken from works on genealogical lore1 published in ,boston and ,albany4 ,in the introduction of a work entitled ',the ,american ,genealogist1' by ,william ,h4 ,whitmore1 and published by ,joel ,munsell1 ,albany1 #ahfh1 the following very interesting pages occur1 in which you will observe the years #ahdd 7the year of the ,prophet's martyrdom7 and #ahdg are named as the respective dates when the ,new ,england ,historical ,genealogical ,society was formed1 and the ',register' was established under its patronage4 ,it seems evident that the ,english element has predominated throughout our country1 and the greater portion of ,english colonists settled in ,new ,england4 ,hence the great activity of genealogists there has had more than a local importance1 and will be the means of preserving the records of the greater portion of our nation4 ,there is difficulty in tracing the ,american pedigree of any family4 ,mr4 ,savage's admirable dictionary will furnish the inquirer with the first three generations of the name1 and the indices of the register will enable him to examine numerous town and county records4 ,there are very few names which will not be found in one or the other of these easily accessible works4 ,the county registers of wills and deeds are open to every inquirer1 free of expense1 and it is rarely that any town clerk demands a fee for the inspection of his books4 ,it is safe to say that nowhere else is the genealogist so favored as in ,new ,england1 and consequently no community exists where so great a proportion of its families have had their records preserved4 ,we have been fortunate in our historical records from the first4 ,bradford and ,winthrop have noted down even the minute particulars of the settlement of their respective colonies2 ,mather and ,prince have given us numerous items concerning the lives and pedigrees of the clergy and magistrates4 ,in establishing the registry of deeds1 our forefathers not only were in advance of ,england in political science1 but they gave the genealogist a source of information elsewhere wanting4 ,very soon after the ,revolutionary war an effort was made to revive the former taste for historical research4 ,the ,massachusetts ,historical ,society was formed1 and has continued slowly to acquire wealth and influence1 having greatly extended its usefulness within the past ten years4 ,john ,farmer1 secretary of the ,new ,hampshire ,historical ,society1 early devoted himself to the study of genealogy and biography1 and by his genealogical register attracted public attention to the subject4 ,our list will show that but little progress was made for thirty years from the time he issued his ,farmer genealogy1 but enough was done to keep the fire alive4 ,in #ahdd1 the ,register was established under his patronage2 since then the study of history and genealogy has been greatly encouraged1 and with good results4 ,when the new society was formed the science of genealogy was little understood4 ,the wealth of our records was hardly imagined1 the necessity of severe examination of traditions scarcely thought of1 and the simplest and most economical form of arrangement was not yet invented4 ,soon1 however1 all these points were examined1 old manuscript published1 and the ,state authorities were persuaded to enact laws for the preservation of its documents4 ,since #ahde numerous local societies have been established or revived2 over two hundred distinct works on genealogy have been published up to #ahfh1 and innumerable town histories and historical pamphlets have been issued4 ,in many instances these results have been known to be due to the establishment of the new societies1 and it is unquestionable that the spirit it fostered has been the mainspring in all ,massachusetts1 ,connecticut and ,rhode ,island have issued large volumes of their early annals1 under the patronage of the respective governments4 ,maine1 ,new ,hampshire and ,vermont possess active historical societies4 ,new ,york has not only published her own records but assisted her neighbors1 and established the largest and richest historical society in existence4 ,similar associations exist in more than half the ,states in the ,union1 and a new magazine1 the ,american ,notes and ,queries1 established as their organ1 has continued to the present time4 ,circular ,no4 #c of the ,new ,england ,historic ,genealogical ,society1 issued ,june1 #ahdg1 signed by the following gentlemen1 viz3 ,charles ,ewer1 ,lemuel ,shattuck1 ,samuel ,g4 ,drake1 ,samuel ,h4 ,riddle and ,w4 ,h4 ,montague1 treats of the great importance which they attach to genealogical and historical work and works2 and in this connection ,i may be permitted to suggest that what appealed so directly to their needs in those early times applies with much greater force to the ,saints of the ,latter ,days1 who are clearly and pleasurably made aware of the glorious relationship which exists between parents and children and the vital obligations the living are under to the dead4 ,these intimations1 no doubt you will appreciate1 and when time and opportunity permit let us hope that you will actively take pleasure in promoting the aims of the ,genealogical ,society of ,utah1 which was especially organized to advance temple work1 which includes the salvation and redemption of both dead and living4 ,f4,d4 ,,richards4 ,with all these prophecies before us1 with the keys of salvation restored to the earth1 with the spirit of ,elijah moving not only the ,saints but men of the world to action1 who can fail to see the truth of this doctrine and the power of ,god made manifest to promote the great work of salvation for the dead8 ,in conclusion1 let us heed the voice of ,god to the ,prophet ,joseph1 saying1 ,therefore renounce war and proclaim peace and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers and the hearts of the fathers to the children2 and the exhortation to us of the prophet who received this commandment1 ,brethren1 shall we not go on in so great a cause8 ,go forward and not backward4 ,courage1 brethren and on1 on to victory6 ,let your hearts rejoice1 and be exceedingly glad4 ,let the earth break forth into singing4 ,let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the ,king ,immanuel1 who hath ordained before the world was1 that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison2 for the prisoners shall go free4 ,,the ,,gathering ,,of ,,israel4 ,this subject is of great moment4 ,it should interest all people1 ,jew and ,gentile1 especially those who profess ,judaism and ,christianity4 ,it involves several features which affect the claims made by the ,latter-day ,saints that more revelation has been given and that the gospel has been restored in these1 the last days4 ,the solution of this question involves the fulfillment of many prophecies in the ,old and ,new ,testaments4 ,the trend of the teachings of modern ,christianity is such as to keep1 from the human mind1 the idea that the ,lord is a practical being and has anything whatever to do with the temporal affairs of the children of men4 ,yet by a careful reading of the ,scriptures it is readily seen that ,god designated various portions of the earth to be occupied by different bodies of ,his children4 ,he gave ,palestine to the seed of ,abraham1 and designated where the children of ,esau and other races should dwell4 ,this truth is beautifully expressed by the apostle ,paul in ,acts xvii3#bf1 as follows3 ,and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth1 and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation4 ,to make this subject clear to the reader1 we will first show that the seed of ,abraham were promised certain countries1 that they once occupied those promised lands1 and were driven and scattered from them4 ,hence1 in order to receive the fulfillment of the promise regarding their inheritance1 they must of necessity be gathered home from their long dispersion4 ,in ,genesis xiii3#ad1 #ae1 we have the following3 ,and the ,lord said unto ,abraham after that ,lot was separated from him1 ,lift up now thine eyes1 and look from the place where thou art northward1 and southward1 and eastward1 and westward2 for all the land which thou seest1 to thee will ,i give it1 and to thy seed forever4 ,this promise was renewed to his son ,isaac1 as recorded in ,genesis xxvi3#b1 #c3 ,and the ,lord appeared unto him and said1 ,go not down into ,egypt2 dwell in the land which ,i shall tell thee of2 sojourn in this land1 and ,i will be with thee1 and will bless thee2 for unto thee and unto thy seed ,i will give all these countries1 and ,i will perform the oath which ,i sware unto ,abraham1 thy father4 ,and again1 the promise was made to ,jacob1 the father of the twelve tribes of ,israel4 ,in ,gen4 xlviii3#c1 #d1 it is said3 ,and ,jacob said unto ,joseph1 ,god ,almighty appeared unto me at ,luz1 in the land of ,canaan1 and blessed me4 ,and said unto me1 ,behold ,i will make thee fruitful and multiply thee1 and ,i will make of thee a multitude of people2 and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession4 ,it is not necessary to make special quotations to prove to ,bible readers that the tribes of ,israel were led into the land of ,palestine in the days of the prophet ,joshua1 and under his administration received their respective inheritances in the promised land4 ,on reading the forty-ninth chapter of ,genesis we find a brief statement of the blessings pronounced by the great patriarch upon his twelve sons4 ,in blessing ,joseph it is plainly indicated that his seed was a fruitful bough by a well1 whose branches run over the wall2 in other words1 his posterity should receive a land beyond the limits which bound the country occupied by the other tribes of ,israel4 ,this view is corroborated by the thirty-third chapter of ,deuteronomy1 in the blessing and prophecy of ,moses upon the head of the tribe of ,joseph4 ,the descriptions of the land of ,joseph1 given in these two chapters1 together with the other passages of ,holy ,writ1 show that the land of ,joseph was no less than the ,western ,hemisphere1 known to us as ,north and ,south ,america4 ,it is well known that the tribes of ,israel occupied the promised land from generation to generation1 until through apostasy and transgression nearly all the tribes were carried into captivity long before the advent of the ,messiah4 ,when ,he came the land was occupied chiefly by the tribe of ,judah1 which was subsequently scattered among the various nations of the earth4 ,the ,lord plainly warned the house of ,israel that1 to enjoy ,his blessings and to remain unmolested in the land of their fathers1 they must keep ,his commandments4 ,if they did not1 this was to follow3 ,and ,i will bring the land into desolation2 and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it4 ,and ,i will scatter you among the heathen1 and will draw out a sword after you1 and your land shall be desolate and your cities waste4 7,lev4 xxvi3#cb1 #cc47 ,very much like this prophecy are the sacred words of the ,messiah1 spoken #aejj years later3 ,for there shall be great distress in the land1 and wrath upon this people4 ,and they shall fall by the edge of the sword1 and shall be led away captive into all nations3 ,and ,jerusalem shall be trodden down of the ,gentiles1 until the times of the ,gentiles be fulfilled4 7,luke xxi3#bc1 #bd47 ,it is also stated in ,deut4 xxviii3#fc-fe3 ,and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it4 ,and the ,lord shall scatter thee among all people1 from the one end of the earth even unto the other2 and there thou shalt serve other gods which neither thou nor thy fathers have known1 even wood and stone4 ,and among these nations shalt thou find no ease1 neither shall the sole of thy feet have rest2 but the ,lord shall give thee there a trembling heart1 and failing of eyes1 and sorrow of mind4 ,history records beyond the possibility of a doubt how literally and terribly the various clauses in these predictions have been fulfilled4 ,israel has been scattered1 and ,judah has been persecuted and oppressed and become a hiss and a byword in the mouths of all the ,gentile nations4 ,with the sacred promises before us1 that ,israel should receive those countries and the history which proves that they were scattered and are still unreturned to their promised land1 we must be convinced1 if nothing were said in the ,scriptures of the restoration1 that ,israel must be gathered and re-established in the land of their fathers or the promises of the ,almighty would come to naught4 ,we are not left1 however1 without predictions which specify1 in considerable detail1 that the chosen people shall be gathered and the circumstances and signs of the times associated with the gathering of ,israel in the last days4 ,four hundred and forty-six years before ,christ1 the prophet ,nehemiah1 bowing down in sorrow because of this scattering and destruction of his people1 besought the ,lord in humble supplication1 thus3 ,remember1 ,i beseech thee1 the word that thou commandest thy servant ,moses1 saying1 ,if ye transgress1 ,i will scatter you abroad among the nations2 but if ye turn unto me1 and keep my commandments and do them2 though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven1 yet will ,i gather them from thence1 and will bring them unto the place that ,i have chosen to set my name there4 7,neh4 i3#h1 #i47 ,the psalmist ,david said 7,psalms l3#e73 ,gather my saints together unto me2 those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice4 ,the context of this psalm shows plainly that the fulfillment of the words quoted should take place in the last days1 near the time of the coming of the ,son of ,god4 ,those who should be called saints would be required to sacrifice the associations of their native lands as ,abraham was when called upon to turn aside from the false religion of his fathers and go to a land into which the ,lord should lead him4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints have made a covenant with ,god1 and through self-denial are gathering together in fulfillment of the words of ,david the psalmist4 ,another prophecy from the same book is as follows3 ,o give thanks unto the ,lord1 for ,he is good2 for ,his mercy endureth forever4 ,let the redeemed of the ,lord say so1 whom ,he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy2 and gathered them out of the lands1 from the east1 and from the west1 and from the north1 and from the south4 ,they wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way2 they found no city to dwell in4 ,hungry and thirsty1 their souls fainted in them4 ,they cried unto the ,lord in their trouble and ,he delivered them out of their distresses4 ,the provisions of this prophecy have been and are being verified in the gathering of the ,saints to the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,in ,isaiah ii3#b1 #c1 we have the following prediction3 ,and it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the ,lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains1 and shall be exalted above the hills2 and all nations shall flow unto it4 ,and many people shall go and say1 ,come ye1 and let us go up to the mountain of the ,lord1 to the house of the ,god of ,jacob2 and ,he will teach us of ,his ways1 and we will walk in ,his paths2 for out of ,zion shall go forth the law and the word of the ,lord from ,jerusalem4 ,this prediction is too plain to be mistaken when it is fulfilled4 ,this prophecy was not fulfilled at the coming of the ,messiah1 neither before nor since ,his time1 but it is being fulfilled in the gathering of the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,they have established the house of the ,lord in a mountainous country2 many people are gathering to it1 their object being to learn the ways of the ,lord that they may more perfectly walk in ,his paths4 ,this prediction should be verified at a time near which people should beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks2 neither shall they learn war any more1 as shown by the verse following those we have quoted4 ,micah1 fifty years after this1 uttered a similar prophecy1 in almost the same language1 as will be found in the first and second verses of his fourth chapter4 ,another prophecy of ,isaiah on this subject will be found in chapter five1 twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh verses4 ,it reads as follows3 ,and ,he will lift up an ensign to the nations from afar1 and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth2 and behold1 they shall come with speed swiftly2 none shall be weary nor stumble among them2 none shall slumber nor sleep2 neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed nor the latchet of their shoes be broken4 ,the wording of this1 in connection with verses which follow1 seems plainly to have its fulfillment in the manner of travel by which the ,saints are being and shall be gathered to the place appointed4 ,they come by railroad1 with speed swiftly1 which prevents them1 in a great measure1 from stumbling or becoming weary by the way4 ,notice that the words of this prediction1 that the ensign was to be set up from afar1 undoubtedly indicate a far distant land from the place where ,isaiah stood when he uttered the prophecy4 ,he stood upon the ,eastern ,hemisphere2 ,america was far distant1 and upon this land the ensign has been lifted up4 ,is it not an ensign to the nations8 ,the authority of ,god1 the house of the ,lord1 where the nations of the earth are invited to repent of their sins and freely partake of the blessings to be obtained where the ensign is established1 surely are such4 ,a prediction very similar to the foregoing in its provisions was uttered by the same prophet and is contained in the eleventh chapter of his book1 the eleventh and twelfth verses3 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 that the ,lord shall set ,his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of ,his people1 which shall be left1 from ,assyria1 and from ,egypt1 and from ,pathros1 and from ,cush1 and from ,elam1 and from ,shinar1 and from ,hamath1 and from the islands of the sea4 ,and ,he shall set up an ensign for the nations1 and shall assemble the outcasts of ,israel1 and gather together the dispersed of ,judah from the four corners of the earth4 ,these prophecies could not be fulfilled short of bestowing more revelation upon the children of men to show them how1 where and when these great events should be accomplished4 ,we have quoted from the eleventh chapter of ,isaiah1 in the twelfth verse of which this language is used3 ,and shall assemble the outcasts of ,israel1 and gather together the dispersed of ,judah4 ,it will be noticed that the word outcasts applies to ,israel1 which means that ,israel was cast out from the knowledge of the ,gentile nations1 while the seed of ,judah was scattered among the nations of the earth4 ,the reason distinction is made between ,israel and ,judah1 when ,judah was one of the tribes of ,israel1 is that in the days of ,david and ,solomon the ,lord divided the kingdom of ,israel1 making ,judah the distinct nation and the remaining tribes another distinct nation1 having two separate kings4 ,the tribes of ,israel were led away into the north country1 and became lost to the knowledge of the world1 while ,judah and a portion of ,ephraim remained in ,palestine1 and were scattered among the nations4 ,this is why the prophet applies the word outcast to ,israel and the word dispersed to the tribes of ,judah4 ,zechariah the prophet says3 ,ho1 ho1 come forth1 and flee from the land of the north4 7,zech4 ii3#f47 ,this return of the tribes of ,israel from the land of the north will be attended with much miraculous power4 ,the miracles wrought in the days of ,moses will not be the reference made by ,israel to show the power of ,god in their behalf1 but this prophecy will be fulfilled3 ,therefore1 behold the days come1 saith the ,lord1 that it shall no more be said1 the ,lord liveth that brought up the children of ,israel out of the land of ,egypt2 ,but the ,lord liveth that brought up the ,children of ,israel from the land of the north1 and from all the lands whither ,he had driven them3 and ,i will bring them again into their land that ,i gave unto their fathers4 7,jer4 xvi3#ad1 #ae47 ,one very interesting feature associated with the gathering of ,israel in the last days is expressed in the sixteenth verse of the same chapter1 as follows3 ,behold1 ,i will send for many fishers1 saith the ,lord1 and they shall fish them2 and after will ,i send for many hunters1 and they shall hunt them from every mountain1 and from every hill1 and out of the holes of the rocks4 ,when men engage in fishing they cast their lines into the water1 and know not until drawn to shore whether the fish caught be of one kind or another2 but when they go hunting they know exactly the game they shoot at1 whether it is a lion or a tiger1 a buffalo or a deer4 ,this ,scripture is fulfilled in the preaching of the ,gospel among the ,gentile nations by the elders of ,israel2 it is not known by them whether the person who embraces the ,gospel and gathers to ,zion is of the blood of ,israel1 a ,gentile or otherwise1 until it is made known by the light of revelation4 ,this1 then1 is as casting the ,gospel net into the sea1 which gathers of all kinds1 who remain together until the bad are separated from the good and cast back into the sea4 ,isaiah says1 in chapter xxvii3#ab1 ,ye shall be gathered one by one1 ,o ye children of ,israel4 ,this is corroborated in the third chapter of ,jeremiah1 fourteenth and fifteen verses1 which read3 ,i will take you one of a city1 and two of a family1 and ,i will bring you to ,zion2 and ,i will give you pastors according to mine heart1 which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding4 ,how strikingly true it is that in this dispensation only one or two1 in many instances1 of a numerous family1 receive the truth4 ,and frequently but one1 or very few1 in a whole city4 ,but these1 when they receive the ,holy ,spirit through embracing the ,gospel1 at the hands of inspired and divinely authorized men1 are filled with a desire to gather to ,zion1 and there are taught by pastors called of ,god as was ,aaron4 ,a prophecy very like the foregoing is found in the eighteenth chapter of ,revelations1 fourth and fifth verses3 ,and ,i heard another voice from heaven1 saying1 ,come out of her1 my people1 that ye be not partakers of her sins1 and that ye receive not of her plagues4 ,for her sins have reached unto heaven1 and ,god hath remembered her iniquities4 ,that they are out of ,babylon is made clear by the verses preceding the ones quoted4 ,babylon signifies confusion1 and is shown in the preceding chapter of ,revelation to apply to people and multitudes1 and nations and tongues4 ,should there be among the nations of the earth any class of people professing to be the ,saints of ,god1 yet who have no desire to gather from ,babylon in order to avoid her sins and thus escape her plagues1 it would be proof that they had not received1 in spirit and truth1 the ,gospel of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,another prophecy bearing upon the return of the tribes from the north1 as well as those scattered among the nations1 is found in ,jer4 xxxi3#h1 #i1 #aj3 ,behold1 ,i will bring them from the north country1 and gather them from the coasts of the earth1 and with them the blind and the lame1 the woman with child1 and her that travaileth with child together3 ,a great company shall return thither4 ,they shall come with weeping1 and with supplications will ,i lead them2 ,i will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way1 wherein they shall not stumble2 for ,i am a ,father to ,israel1 and ,ephraim is my first born4 ,hear the word of the ,lord1 ,o ye nations1 and declare it in the isles afar off1 and say1 ,he that scattered ,israel will gather him1 and keep him1 as a shepherd does his flock4 ,in the twelfth verse it says1 ,therefore they shall come and sing in the height of ,zion4 ,this latter clause in the prophecy shows that the place of their gathering shall be an elevated region of country4 ,in some instances the term ,zion is used with reference to a place or land1 as shown in the sixty-second chapter of ,isaiah1 which the reader can refer to at leisure4 ,and in other instances the word applies to a people4 ,modern revelation through the prophet ,joseph ,smith says3 ,this is ,zion1 the pure in heart4 ,using the word in this sense1 light is thrown upon the foregoing prophecy of ,jeremiah by one found in ,isaiah xl3#i3 ,o ,zion1 that bringest good tidings1 get thee up into the high mountain4 ,this would not have been verified if the ,saints of latter days had remained in a scattered condition among the nations1 or even in the lower regions first occupied by them in the ,united ,states1 for ,america is the land of ,zion4 ,the great events which go to make up the history of the ,latter-day ,saints furnish indisputable evidence that they were led there by the hand of ,god1 and that1 too1 in fulfillment of ancient and modern prophecy4 ,in reference to the saints being led by the rivers of water in a straight way1 ,isaiah has a similar prophecy1 contained in the thirty-second chapter1 eighteenth1 nineteenth and twentieth verses3 ,and my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation1 and in sure dwellings1 and in quiet resting places2 when it shall hail1 coming down on the forests2 and the city shall be low in a low place4 ,blessed are ye that sow beside all waters1 that send forth thither the feet of the ox1 and the ass4 ,the prophets foresaw that the gathering place of the saints should be in a section of the country where the rains should not be abundant1 and for that reason they would plant beside all waters1 that the system of irrigation might be employed to water the crops of the earth1 and through this also that grasses and other vegetation might be provided for their domestic animals4 ,it is also an interesting fact that the cities built by the ,saints in the valleys1 in comparison with the summit of the snow-capped mountains around them1 are situated in low places1 so that many times when the hail comes down in fury upon the mountain forests above1 the city is free from storm4 ,one feature of the pleasantness which characterizes the ,saints of ,god is their custom1 in their mountain homes1 of coming together in a social capacity and joining in the dance4 ,in this capacity1 as in gatherings of more weighty importance1 the old and the young1 male and female1 mingle together1 that parents may rejoice in the innocent recreation of their children and that the children may be under the guiding influence of their parents4 ,strange as it may seem to the world1 even to those professing ,christianity and a consequent belief in the ,bible1 such a condition is in fulfillment of sacred prophecy found in the thirteenth verse of the thirty-first chapter of ,jeremiah1 which reads as follows3 ,then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance1 both young men and old together2 for ,i will turn their mourning into joy1 and will comfort them1 and make them rejoice from their sorrow4 ,this was to be at the time of their getting up into the high mountains1 and expressing their praises to the ,almighty in the heights of ,zion4 ,closely connected with the foregoing prophecies is one found in ,isaiah1 thirty-fifth chapter1 first and tenth verses3 ,the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them2 and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose4 ,and the ransomed of the ,lord shall return1 and come to ,zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads2 they shall obtain joy and gladness1 and sorrow and sighing shall flee away4 ,almost the entire chapter has a bearing upon this subject4 ,the ,lord has so abundantly blessed the labors of ,his people in that once barren region that truly the desert does rejoice and blossom as the rose4 ,that ,salt ,lake valley was a most forbidding place cannot be denied4 ,james ,bridges1 an old trapper who had seen ,salt ,lake valley before the ,pioneers1 was so confident of the perpetual sterility of the soil1 rendered so by having little or no water1 scarcely any rain1 and frost nearly every month in the year1 that he said to ,president ,brigham ,young3 ,i will give you a thousand dollars for the first ear of corn that can be produced in ,salt ,lake valley4 ,our geographies designated that country as the ,great ,american ,desert4 ,daniel ,webster1 the great statesman and orator1 earnestly opposed the annexation of that section of the country to the ,united ,states on the ground of its almost utter worthlessness1 claiming it would be a financial burden to the government4 ,notwithstanding these forbidding aspects1 the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith predicted on the #fth of ,august1 #ahdb1 that the ,latter-day ,saints would become a mighty people in the midst of the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,this prophecy will be found readily in a work entitled ,a ,new ,witness for ,god1 by ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts1 which work also contains really other predictions of the prophet ,joseph ,smith1 and shows their fulfillment4 ,the following in the prophecy of ,isaiah1 chapter thirty-five1 ,for in the wilderness shall waters break out1 and streams in the desert1 and the parched ground shall become a pool1 and the thirsty lands springs of water1 has been fulfilled in the settlement of the ,rocky ,mountain region by the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,as the judgments of ,god come upon the earth the gathering of ,israel will be accelerated1 and the words of the prophet ,isaiah will be fulfilled wherein he asks the question1 ,who are these that fly as a cloud1 and as the doves to their windows8 7,isa4 lx3#h47 ,as they come together from their long dispersion1 and from the north country1 in times of famine1 pestilence and bloodshed1 the ,lord will strengthen them by saying1 ,fear not2 for ,i am with thee2 ,i will bring thy seed from the east and gather thee from the west2 ,i will say to the north1 give up2 and to the south1 keep not back2 bring my sons from afar1 and my daughters from the ends of the earth2 even every one that is called by my name4 7,isa4 xliii3#e #f47 ,how universal will be this gathering from all points of the compass1 and which will apply to all who are truly called by the name of the ,lord6 ,this gathering will be attended by greater power than heretofore1 and no power will be able to impede the progress of the great work4 ,hear what ,ezekiel says3 ,and ,i will bring you out from the people1 and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered1 with a mighty hand1 and with a stretched out arm1 and with fury poured out4 ,and ,i will bring you into the wilderness of the people1 and there will ,i plead with you face to face4 7,ezekiel xx3#cd1 #ce47 ,the same prophet also predicts the gathering of ,israel in unmistakable terms1 in chapter xxxvi3#bd3 ,for ,i will take you from among the heathen1 and gather you into your own land4 ,the foregoing predictions are chiefly from the ,old ,testament1 but the ,new ,testament also contains many very definite forecasts upon this glorious subject2 indeed1 in the last days1 when the ,gospel should be restored to earth by divine revelation1 the dispensation thus established was to be designated as a gathering dispensation1 as stated by ,paul in ,ephesians1 chapter i3#i1 #aj3 ,having made known unto us the mystery of ,his will1 according to ,his good pleasure which ,he hath purposed in ,himself2 that in the dispensation of the fullness of times1 ,he might gather together in one all things in ,christ1 both which are in heaven1 and which are on the earth2 even in ,him4 ,this is in perfect accord with the prophecy of ,isaiah before quoted1 that all who are called by the name of the ,lord should be gathered together4 ,jesus offered the gathering to the house of ,judah in ,his day1 but they rejected it4 ,he said unto them1 ,o1 ,jerusalem1 ,jerusalem1 which killest the prophets1 and stonest them that are sent unto thee2 how often would ,i have gathered thy children together1 as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings1 and ye would not6 ,behold1 your house is left unto you desolate2 and verily ,i say unto you1 ye shall not see me1 until the time come when ye shall say1 blessed is he that cometh in the name of the ,lord4 7,luke xiii3#cd1 #ce47 ,how terribly have these words been fulfilled upon the ,jews through their having rejected the ,messiah and the principle of gathering which ,he offered to them4 ,by reading the book of ,zechariah we learn that when the ,jews have gathered to their promised land1 in the last days1 and the armies of the ,gentiles surround them1 the ,messiah will appear unto them on the ,mount of ,olives4 ,looking to the fulfillment of the great predictions the feeling now pervades the hearts of the ,jews1 to a very great extent1 to furnish means for the purchase of the land of ,palestine1 that they may return and rebuild the city of ,jerusalem4 ,when the ,twelve ,apostles at ,jerusalem requested of the ,savior to know the signs of ,his second coming1 ,he gave various evidences1 among which was the preaching of the ,gospel of the kingdom and consequently its restoration to the earth1 and the raising up of prophets to warn the people1 without which the comparison of the days of ,noah and the days of the second coming of the ,messiah would not be complete4 ,to counterfeit the work of ,god through prophets that should be raised up1 false prophets and teachers should also arise2 kingdom should arise against kingdom2 war1 pestilence and bloodshed should desolate the nations of the earth2 the gathering of ,israel should be going on1 as proved by the prophecies heretofore quoted1 and when the signs of ,his appearing should appear in the heavens1 ,he shall send ,his angels with a great sound of a trumpet1 and they shall gather together ,his elect from the four winds1 from one end of heaven to the other4 7,matt4 xxiv3#ca2 see also ,mark xiii3#bg47 ,this is the dispensation of the fullness of times in which all the keys1 power and authority enjoyed by all previous dispensations have been restored to the earth1 and this includes the keys of the gathering4 ,under date of ,april #c;d1 #ahcf1 ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery were the recipients of many splendid visions and revelations at ,kirtland ,ohio1 in the ,temple of the ,lord4 ,they solemnly testify as follows3 ,after this vision closed1 the heavens were again opened unto us1 and ,moses appeared before us1 and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of ,israel from the four parts of the earth1 and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 ,sec4 #aaj3aa47 ,from that time the spirit of gathering has rested richly upon the saints of the ,most ,high1 and tens of thousands have gathered from many nations of the earth4 ,the ,saints will continue until they are assembled in the places designated for them to occupy4 ,since the date mentioned1 the spirit of the gathering also has been working among the ,jews1 and when all things are revealed it will undoubtedly be found that the spirit of gathering is working among the ten lost tribes of ,israel1 looking to the restoration promised to them in the predictions of their fathers4 ,thus in the purpose of ,god will be accomplished the gathering together in one1 all who will serve ,him and keep ,his commandments1 that they may learn of ,his ways and walk in ,his paths1 that the earth may be filled with the knowledge of the ,lord as the waters cover the mighty deep1 when no man shall say to his neighbor1 'know ye the ,lord1' for all shall know ,him1 from the least to the greatest4 ,,tithing4 ,unlike other religious sects professing ,christianity1 the ,latter-day ,saints do not observe the law of tithing1 the ordinances of baptism1 confirmation or any other sacred rite merely because the ,bible records that such observances were had among the ancient saints1 but for the reason that in this age of the world1 ,god has commanded us to receive these laws and ordinances4 ,the law of tithing was given in the early history of ,god's dealings with the children of men4 ,abraham paid tithes to ,melchisedek1 according to the statement of ,paul to the ,hebrews4 ,the apostle also refers to the fact that the tribe of ,levi had been selected from all the sons of ,israel to officiate in that order of the priesthood which has to do with the outward ordinances of tithes and sacrifice1 and notwithstanding there was a higher order1 of which ,melchisedek was the great ,high ,priest1 those bearing the higher priesthood were not exempt from the law of tithing4 7,heb4 vii3#d-e47 ,jacob also paid one-tenth to the ,lord4 7,gen4 xxviii3#bj-bb47 ,during the administration of ,moses as the leader and lawgiver under the ,almighty to ,israel1 tithing was enjoined as a universal law to the people of ,god4 ,and all the tithe of the land1 whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree1 is the ,lord's2 it is holy unto the ,lord4 ,and concerning the tithe of the herd1 or of the flock1 even of whatsoever passeth under the rod1 the tenth shall be holy unto the ,lord4 ,he shall not search whether it be good or bad4 7,lev4 xxvii3#cj1 #cb1 #cc47 ,this did not require a selection of the very choicest product of the flock1 the herd or the soil1 neither did it justify a man in offering for his tithes the poorest or least valuable of his income4 ,of the flocks1 each one that passeth under the rod was to be tithed4 ,the custom was to pen the flocks in a corral1 with a gateway too small for the passage of more than one animal at a time2 and as they passed out1 a man stood at the gateway with a rod in his hand1 and as the tenth one of the flock went out1 the man at the gate marked the animal with his rod4 ,thus every tenth one1 whether it was good1 poor or medium1 was sanctified to the ,lord as tithing2 any disposition to offer as a tithe an inferior article was disapproved of by the ,lord4 ,in matters of sacrifice upon the altar1 pointing to the sacrifice of the ,great ,redeemer who should be offered in the meridian of time to redeem a fallen world1 ,israel was positively forbidden to offer the blind1 the lame or the bruised4 ,ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish1 of the beeves1 of the sheep1 or of the goats4 ,but whatsoever hath a blemish1 that shall ye not offer2 for it shall not be acceptable for you4 99 99 99 ,blind1 or broken1 or maimed1 or having a wen1 or scurvy1 or scabbed1 ye shall not offer these unto the ,lord1 nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the ,lord4 7,lev4 xxii3#ai1 #bb47 ,the atonement symbolized by the sacrifices was one 7the ,lamb of ,god7 free from blemish in every particular--a pure and perfect being without spot or blemish4 ,not only was the offering upon the altar a reminder of the atonement as a fact1 by the shedding of blood1 but the character and quality of the offering must symbolize the perfect purity of the ,son of ,god4 ,while tithing was not so directly pointing to the atonement1 nor was it designed for that purpose1 it is yet an offering to the ,lord required by ,him1 to be used for righteous purposes and to prepare the heart of the tithe-payer to give his all to ,god1 to consecrate all in the interest of human redemption4 ,the ,lord1 in tithing1 does not demand the best nor justify ,his people in offering that of the least value in any substance tithed4 ,how penurious1 mean and small-souled on the part of any saint it would be to offer for tithing that of the poorest value to himself1 especially in the light of the fact that ,god is the ,giver of all we enjoy1 whether of a spiritual or physical nature1 and in the face of ,his great liberality in not demanding a selection of the very best of any product which is tithed4 ,if any man is tempted to pay the poorest calf1 the poorest ton of hay1 or a scabby sheep to rid himself of it1 let him remember the word of the ,lord to ancient ,israel and the condemnation that followed when they robbed ,god in tithes and offerings4 ,these injunctions continued throughout all the history of ,israel1 from ,moses to the ,savior4 ,malachi says ,and if ye offer the blind for sacrifice1 is it not evil8 ,and if ye offer the lame and sick1 is it not evil8 7,mal4 i3#h47 ,it should be considered evil to offer such for tithing in our day4 ,when ,israel turned from their observance of this law1 as from all others enjoined by the ,almighty1 the people were reprimanded severely1 and were followed by the withering hand of ,god's displeasure4 ,will a man rob ,god8 ,yet ye have robbed me4 ,but ye say1 wherein have we robbed thee8 ,in tithes and offerings4 ,ye are cursed with a curse1 for ye have robbed me1 even this whole nation4 ,bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse1 that there may be meat in mine house1 and prove me now herewith1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 if ,i will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it4 ,and ,i will rebuke the devourer for your sakes1 and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground1 neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 and all nations shall call you blessed1 for ye shall be a delightsome land1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 7,mal4 iii3#h-ab47 ,thus was the law of tithing given to ,israel2 thus were they to be blessed in its observance and cursed if they transgressed it4 ,as the law was given anciently for the same purposes as in this dispensation1 it would naturally agree in the blessings following its observances and the curses for its disobedience4 ,when the ,savior chastised the ,pharisees for their hypocrisy1 ,he evidently approved the law of tithing1 for ,he said1 ,but woe unto you ,pharisees6 ,for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs1 and pass over judgment and the love of ,god2 these ought ye to have done1 and not to leave the other undone4 7,luke3 xi3#db47 ,it is erroneously supposed by many that the laws observed by ,israel previous to ,christ's atonement were almost entirely obliterated1 being1 as many think1 all fulfilled in ,his mission on earth4 ,a little reflection upon this subject will correct this error in the minds of all who are diligently and honestly seeking for the truth4 ,the ,ten ,commandments themselves are pre-eminently a part of the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,when the young man came to the ,messiah to learn the way of salvation1 he was enjoined to observe the commandments1 ,thou shalt not kill1 ,thou shalt not commit adultery1 etc4 7,matt4 xix2#af-ba47 ,whatever was discontinued after the atonement was that which had been established to symbolize and teach the great atonement to come4 ,the offerings of lambs and bullocks in sacrifice was dispensed with1 as it had pointed to the coming atonement now fulfilled in the ,messiah4 ,it was replaced by the sacrament1 the broken bread and the wine1 both blessed and administered to the disciples and enjoined as a continuous ordinance to keep bright in memory the sufferings1 atonement and resurrection of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,the only time when the law of tithing was not enjoined upon the people of ,god1 so far as the ,scriptures indicate1 is when they not only consecrated one-tenth to the ,lord1 but all they had4 ,this law of consecration1 we learned1 was observed in the city of ,enoch4 ,it was carried out in a measure by the ancient ,saints in ,palestine after the day of ,pentecost3 ,and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul2 neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own2 but they all had things in common4 ,and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the ,lord ,jesus2 and great grace was upon them all4 ,neither was there any among them that lacked3 for as many as were possessors of lands or houses1 sold them1 and brought the prices of the things which were sold1 and laid them down at the apostles' feet2 and distribution was made unto every man as he had need4 7,acts iv3#cb-ce47 ,this law of consecration1 which comprehended the law of tithing and much more1 was also observed for some #bjj years upon the ,american continent subsequent to the visit of the ,savior to and the establishment of ,his ,church among the ,nephites upon this land4 ,the law of consecration was revealed to the ,latter-day ,saints through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 and will be established and carried out fully in the redemption of ,zion2 without it ,zion cannot be redeemed4 ,this is the dispensation of the fullness of times1 the one containing in its revelations all the keys1 powers1 prerogatives1 authorities and blessings1 enjoyed by any and all previous dispensations combined-a day of the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all ,his holy ,prophets since the world began4 7,acts iii3#bj-ba2 ,eph4 i3#i-aj47 ,consequently the law of tithing1 with other grand doctrines1 has been restored to the earth4 ,the revelation on this subject is found in the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 ,sec4 #aai1 and was given to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith ,july #h1 #ahch4 ,it shows what constitutes tithing1 the purpose thereof and the blessings to be received as a reward of obedience thereto4 ,the law specifies one-tenth of all our interests annually4 ,this means what it says1 one-tenth of our interests2 in other words1 whatever comes to us as the result of our labors in any and every vocation of life4 ,if we lend money1 whatever the interest on the loan amounts to1 one-tenth of this interest is tithing4 ,if the money is invested in any enterprise and brings a dividend1 one-tenth of the dividend is the tithing4 ,if a man is a carpenter1 a blacksmith or a school teacher1 and earns a salary1 one-tenth of that salary should be consecrated to the ,lord as tithing2 and the tithe-payer has the other nine-tenths to meet his expenses and to use as a means of livelihood4 ,whatever the occupation1 whether farmer1 mechanic1 professor1 miner or whatever1 one-tenth of his interest annually is the tithing4 ,if questions arise1 as they sometimes do1 especially with the farmer regarding legitimate expenses used in producing what is left to us as a profit on our labors1 the ,latter-day ,saint1 if in doubt as to the amount to pay1 is usually certain of this--that between two propositions one of which he knows is right1 and the other may be but he is not sure1 he is always safe to act upon that side of the question which extends to the law of the ,lord the greater liberality4 ,it is more blessed to give than to receive4 ,the ,lord loveth a cheerful giver1 and ,he that deviseth liberal means1 shall stand by his liberality1 while the man who complies grudgingly or studies how little he can do1 and at the same time have the name and record of doing1 is not the man who loves the ,lord with all his heart1 mind and strength1 and should not anticipate a full measure of blessing attached to ,his law4 ,by an honest compliance1 the individual is blessed in spirit and in temporal substance4 ,the testimonies of thousands1 and even of the widow who has paid her full tithing1 is that ,god has increased their substance in some instances in a most remarkable manner1 even as ,he increased in the barrel the meal of the poor widow who fed the prophet ,elijah4 ,he also has given testimony of ,his goodness and power and the increase of ,his ,holy ,spirit to the honest tithe-payer1 who receives blessings greatly exceeding in value the increase of gold1 silver or any physical substance4 ,in tithing is strongly exemplified the eternal law that what is given as ,god directs increases the substance of the giver4 ,when men exert the intellectual talents with which they are endowed in imparting knowledge to others1 their own knowledge does not decrease but is enhanced1 while the active intellect grows strongly and the talents are more quickly developed and increased4 ,when our young ,elders go forth and preach the ,gospel as they are moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,spirit they employ does not grow less nor the gifts thereof diminish because they are constantly imparting to others1 but these increase abundantly4 ,it is just as easy for the ,lord to increase physical substance as to add to spiritual blessings and powers4 ,when we sow the grain upon the earth1 it would seem thrown away1 but by the law of the ,great ,creator1 the seed germinates in it and produces again1 sometimes thirty and forty fold4 ,so it is with tithing4 ,we may not understand fully the process1 but the result is plain4 ,god increases the faith and substance of him who freely pays his tithing4 ,among the conditions associated with this law is1 those who are not tithed shall not be worthy the blessings of the house of the ,lord2 and again1 ,he that is tithed shall not be burned 7at ,his coming74 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 ,sec4 #fd3bc47 ,it is predicted by ,malachi and other prophets1 as well as by the words of the ,lord in the last days to the prophet ,joseph ,smith1 that the days of ,god's judgment are coming upon the earth1 and that the wicked1 proud and rebellious shall become as stubble1 and the day that cometh shall burn them up1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 7,malachi iii4 ,doctrine and ,covenants1 ,sec4 #fd47 ,in the revelations on tithing the ,lord also says1 ,verily ,i say unto you1 it shall come to pass that all those who gather into the land of ,zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties1 and shall observe this law or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you4 ,and ,i say unto you1 if my people observe not this law1 to keep it holy1 and by this law sanctify the land of ,zion unto me1 that my statutes and my judgments may be kept thereon1 that it may be most holy1 behold1 verily ,i say unto you1 it shall not be a land of ,zion unto you4 ,and this shall be an example unto all the ,stakes of ,zion4 ,even so1 ,amen4 7,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 #aai47 ,the perfection and benefits of the law of tithing could not be comprehended by men of this age of the world prior to the revelations given from the ,lord4 ,this divine instruction was necessary1 and its demonstration in the lives of the people is a further witness of the prophetic calling of ,joseph ,smith2 the facts connected therewith are within easy reach of those who will investigate among the people who have actual experience and knowledge of the divine blessings that attend obedience to the law of tithing and are unimpeachable testimonies of the truth of ,god's word4 ,,eternal ,,rewards ,,and ,,punishments4 ,there is nothing more strikingly plain and explicit in all the ,holy ,scriptures than that ,god is just and ,his paths are mercy and truth4 ,justice is an essential attribute of ,deity2 it is as necessary in government as love and mercy2 it demands that man shall acquiesce in divine law1 without which all were confusion1 utterly devoid of order and method1 and the learned essayist has informed us that ,heaven's first law is order4 ,justice should govern law1 and when the law is violated or its statutes are broken1 justice calls for a penalty therefor4 ,it is by law that penalties are affixed1 and we find in ,deuteronomy1 the #bhth chapter1 beginning with the #aeth verse1 ,if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the ,lord thy ,god1 to observe to do all ,his commandments and ,his statutes which ,i command thee this day1 that all these curses shall come upon thee4 ,in ,mark xvi3#af1 we read1 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved2 but he that believeth not shall be damned4 ,here we find a penalty affixed for the violation of the laws of ,god4 ,we find it verily true that in all ,god does and in all that ,he orders1 ,he manifests goodness and love1 maintains justice and equity and exercises mercy and long-suffering4 ,notwithstanding ,his compassion and mercy1 ,he is nevertheless just and true1 therefore a full assurance that ,he will bestow rewards and inflict punishments1 as ,he has aforetime decreed1 must take root in the mind of every considering1 inquiring1 honest soul4 ,as the apostle said3 ,in hope of eternal life1 which ,god1 that cannot lie1 promised before the world began4 7,titus i3#b4 7 ,mercy shall ever season justice1 but never be permitted to rob her of her inexorable demands ,love will never cease to be a ruling attribute in all ,god's dealings1 but not to mitigate or lessen punishment1 unless repentance be manifest and forgiveness granted2 goodness1 kindness1 forbearance and gentleness1 while they are forever and always exercised in ,deity1 will not stand to thwart or forestall the judgments of ,god1 or remove deserving penalties1 only as provision is made in the plan of redemption4 ,there are numerous instances recorded upon the pages of ,holy ,writ which go to prove that ,god is just1 and that ,his decrees will be fulfilled to the letter4 ,perhaps none are so convincingly clear as that portrayed in the atonement of our ,lord and ,savior1 ,jesus ,christ4 ,he became pre-eminently the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief4 ,not for ,his own sins1 for ,he was the one person free from sin1 but ,he bore affliction and suffering beyond our finite comprehension before a remission of that penalty1 which justice demanded for ,adam's sin1 could be procured4 ,when we consider the agonies of the garden1 the scoffings of the council and the torture of the crucifixion1 we begin to realize the exaction of punishment ere the sons of ,adam could be freed from the original transgression enacted in ,eden4 ,christ1 in ,his vicarious work of interposition for fallen man1 humbled ,himself before ,his ,father1 being subject to pain1 scorn1 ignominy and death1 that justice might be satisfied4 ,herein1 then1 is plainly discerned the justice of the ,almighty--a justice as strict in its works as it is stern in its words1 yet seasoned with mercy and dealt kindly with love2 requiring of that ,just ,one a full and complete atonement1 unsparingly and unflinchingly1 for thus did justice demand4 ,we are assured1 then1 of the justice of ,god2 the debt must be paid before the burden is lifted1 but when the requirements of the law are righteously met and kept1 the load is removed1 for our ,father is not only just1 but merciful and true4 ,in the minds of many there exists a vague and erroneous idea as to what is really meant by the term eternal rewards and eternal punishments4 ,a misunderstanding of these expressions has doubtless caused many to be skeptical and infidelic4 ,the word eternal does not refer to the length or duration of the blessings endowed or penalties inflicted1 but to the everlasting nature of the ,great ,god1 under whose righteousness and justice the faithful are exalted and the wicked punished4 ,through ,moses1 that ancient seer1 the ,lord spoke thus3 ,the eternal ,god is thy refuge1 and underneath are the everlasting arms4 7,deut4 xxxiii3#bg47 ,god1 then1 being eternal1 ,his rewards are eternal rewards1 ,his punishments eternal punishments4 ,if the ,united ,states were an eternal government1 its justice would be eternal2 if it were unchangeable1 it always would punish violators of the law1 and if justice were meted out to all1 they would be punished in proportion to the crime committed1 and when the demands of justice were satisfied they would be released1 but the punishment would still continue to exist1 and being eternal1 all who fell under its ban would taste of eternal punishment4 ,the punishment will always endure1 although criminals may serve their penalties and come out from the prison house2 it is even so in the kingdom of ,god4 ,god is the highest type of justice4 ,he is eternal1 everlasting1 unchangeable1 and always will punish sin4 ,his punishment is eternal1 because ,he is eternal4 ,eternal is one of ,his names1 and eternal punishment is used in the sense of ,god's punishment1 and not to designate it as everlasting in its duration upon the offender of the law4 ,he will beat with many stripes all who commit sins worthy of the same1 and with few stripes those guilty of less venal crimes4 ,this will be determined according to the light and knowledge one may possess4 ,for example1 three men commit murder1 an ,african in the jungles of ,africa1 a negro who was formerly a slave1 and a white man4 ,other things being equal1 the white man1 with his advanced intelligence1 will suffer most1 for he has had the most light and by far the best opportunity to advance4 ,there are degrees of punishment1 as well as degrees of reward4 ,here is a tender1 moral girl1 who dies without accepting ,christ as her ,savior1 and here is an old man1 eighty years old1 who dies in his sins2 dare any one assert that a just and holy ,god is going to punish those two alike8 ,and yet many1 very many1 look upon hell as a place where all suffer alike1 and heaven an ethereal1 uncertain abode1 where all enjoy like blessings4 ,our salvation from death depends entirely upon ,christ1 but our exaltation is upon our acts of obedience1 and our condemnation upon our sins and transgressions4 ,how plain and simple are the words of the apostle ,paul1 ,every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor4 7,i ,cor4 iii3#h47 ,god rewards according to our faithfulness to all opportunities4 ,he does not require a quart from a pint vessel4 ,where much is given much is required4 ,as ye sow1 so shall ye reap4 ,as with rewards1 so likewise with punishments4 ,when justice is satisfied1 the sinner has paid the debt4 ,how beautiful and holy is this plan of eternal justice6 ,how consistent with the words of the ,messiah1 ,be ye perfect1 as your ,father in heaven is perfect4 ,paul informs us that after the resurrection and eternal judgment1 we are to go on unto perfection1 and not until then1 will the measure of our creation be filled4 ,let all ponder the simple truth that ,god is just1 holy and righteous1 wondrously tender1 loving1 gentle and kind4 ,eternal rewards are the blessings we receive from ,god for our faithfulness and fealty to ,his laws4 ,eternal punishments are the inflictions which ,he imposes for our violation of ,his righteous commands4 ,our rewards we merit2 our punishments we justly deserve4 ,the ,lord has said1 ,i will never leave thee2 ,i will never forsake thee1 therefore1 we are assured that ,his mercy endureth forever4 ,,obedience4 ,to obey is better than sacrifice1 and to hearken than the fat of rams4 7,i4 ,samuel xv3#bb47 ,in an age of the world when independence is the proud boast of the nations1 obedience is1 by mistaken ideas of freedom1 considered a mark of humiliation4 ,to the reader ,i will say1 in reality1 true obedience to the ,lord's commands is an indication of moral courage1 union and power4 ,it is not blind obedience that is referred to and maintained1 but that type which characterized the ancient seers and saints1 who1 like the ,messiah1 were ready to say by word and deed1 ,i came not to do mine own will1 but the will of my ,father who sent me4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints are credited with being obedient and submissive to authority1 this fact being often used by their opponents as the occasion of reproach4 ,those who so use it surely must forget that ,god requires obedience2 that the best embodiment of this principle1 the most humble and yielding to the divine will1 was the best and purest ,being who ever dwelt in mortality1 viz41 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 ,he in whose mouth there was found no guile2 who was perfect and without blemish in all the walks of life4 ,while ,he was obedient to ,his ,father's will and humble to the extreme1 ,he was independent of the influence and persuasions of wicked men4 ,the status of ,latter-day ,saints is conformable to this example4 ,they are obedient to conscience1 to convictions of right1 to divine authority and to ,god1 in whom they trust4 ,while thus submissive1 their persecutors have found them equally oblivious to the behests of wicked men1 whether high or low4 ,men in the factories of the old world1 working side by side at the weaver's loom1 in the coal pit or elsewhere in following the various vocations of life-in this condition the ,gospel preached by the elders of ,israel has reached them4 ,alike1 many of them have received convictions of the truth4 ,they have said3 ,this is the truth2 ,i must obey it or stand condemned4 ,other people have said3 ,it is true1 but if ,i obey ,i will be ostracized1 perhaps lose my employment and be an outcast from my father's house4 ,better that ,i reject the truth and live in peace1 than take upon me this cross of obedience to unpopular truth4 ,the courageous obey the ,gospel1 suffer persecution1 prove themselves men1 and will attain to eternal life4 ,the other people referred to are slaves to their own fear of popular clamor and to the unseen powers of darkness which lead men to reject the plan of salvation4 ,of the first named class are the ,latter-day ,saints1 a host of men and women who have left home1 kindred and country for the ,gospel's sake4 ,they have endured persecution even unto death1 privation and suffering in every form2 have redeemed a desert and built up a commonwealth so fruitful with education1 thrift and enterprise that any nation beneath the sun might well be proud of them4 ,their obedience and moral courage they bequeath to their posterity is a legacy better than diamonds or the honors and praise of a fallen world4 ,they look back to their associates in early manhood who1 for fear1 rejected the truth1 and find these1 whether living or dead1 in most cases unhonored and unknown4 ,the obedience rendered by ,latter-day ,saints to the authority of the priesthood is not secured by virtue of any solemn obligation entered into by the adherent to obey the dictum of his superiors in office2 but upon the nature of the ,gospel1 which guarantees to every adherent the companionship of the ,holy ,spirit1 and this ,spirit secures to every faithful individual a living testimony concerning the truth or falsity of every proposition presented for his consideration4 ,by one spirit have we access unto the ,father4 7,eph ii47 ,so that as all men and women who embrace the ,gospel are entitled to an individual testimony of the truth1 the same spirit guides into all truth reveals the things of the ,father and imparts the inspiration essential to preserve mankind from a blind obedience to erroneous principles and false guides4 ,the statement of the ,savior1 recorded in ,st4 ,john vii3#ag1 covers the ground in the broadest light3 ,if any man will do ,his will1 he shall know of the doctrine1 whether it be of ,god or whether ,i speak of myself4 ,this secures to every true ,saint1 if he is faithful1 protection against imposture1 the abuse of power and the false decisions of man-made councils4 ,in this particular the ,church of ,christ is distinguished from all other system and institutions4 ,he has promised to guide and direct1 and that ,he doeth nothing1 but ,he revealeth ,his secrets unto ,his servants1 the prophets4 7,amos iii3#g47 ,this does not imply the infallibility of man1 but it does imply the promise that no man or council of men who stand at the head of the church shall have power to lead the ,saints astray4 ,with this assurance1 then1 the people of ,god in every dispensation have been justified in rendering absolute yet intelligent obedience in the direction of the holy prophets4 ,it is an undeniable fact in the history of the ,saints that obedience to whatever has come1 either by written document or verbally1 from the presidency of the church1 has been attended with good results2 on the other hand1 whosoever has opposed such council1 without repentance1 has been followed with evidence of condemnation4 ,applying this principle of obedience to organizations of a civil and business character1 confusion and weakness result from men refusing their support to the decision of the presiding authority or of the majority1 where the action is left to popular vote4 ,carlyle1 the great ,english writer1 said3 ,all great minds are respectfully obedient to all that is over them2 only small souls are otherwise4 ,the obedience rendered to ,god is based upon a conviction that ,he is perfect in all ,his ways possessing the attributes of justice1 judgment1 knowledge1 power1 mercy and truth in all their fullness4 ,obedience to ,his appointed authority upon the earth is obedience to ,him1 and is so taught by the ,savior4 ,he that receiveth you receiveth me1 and he that receiveth me receiveth ,him that sent me4 7,matthew x3#dj47 ,he that heareth you heareth me2 and he that despiseth you despiseth me2 and he that despiseth me1 despiseth ,him that sent me4 7,luke x3#af47 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,he that receiveth whomsoever ,i send1 receiveth me2 and he that receiveth me1 receiveth ,him that sent me4 7,st4 ,john xiii3#bj47 ,it is not the attractive qualities of the individual1 however great1 that renders submission to his administration valid1 but the authority of ,god which he fears4 ,the acts of ,philip1 ,stephen1 ,paul or ,james were just as valid and binding as those of the ,messiah ,himself1 when performed by ,his authority and in ,his name4 ,to reject the personal teachings and offices of the ,savior could bring no greater condemnation than to reject the teachings of any man sent of ,god bearing authority and the inspiration of the ,holy ,spirit to speak and act in the name of the ,lord4 ,this great truth was taught by the ,savior on more than one occasion1 but perhaps no more forcibly or in more beautiful terms than in the following3 ,when the ,son of ,man shall come in ,his glory1 and all the holy angels with ,him1 then shall ,he sit upon the throne of ,his glory2 and before ,him shall be gathered all nations2 and ,he shall separate them one from another1 as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats4 ,and ,he shall set the sheep on ,his right hand1 but the goats on the left4 ,then shall the ,king say unto them on ,his right hand1 ,come1 ye blessed of my ,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world4 ,for ,i was an hungered and ye gave me meat2 ,i was thirsty and ye gave me drink2 ,i was a stranger and ye took me in2 naked and ye clothed me3 ,i was sick and ye visited me2 ,i was in prison and ye came unto me4 ,then shall the righteous answer ,him saying3 ,lord1 when saw we ,thee an hungered and fed ,thee8 or thirsty and gave ,thee drink8 ,when saw we ,thee a stranger and took ,thee in8 or naked and clothed ,thee8 or when saw we ,thee sick or in prison and came unto ,thee8 ,and the ,king shall answer and say unto them1 ,verily ,i say unto you1 inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these1 my brethren1 ye have done it unto me4 ,when ,he told the wicked that they had failed to thus administer unto ,him1 they began to plead that they had not seen ,him sick1 in prison1 hungry1 naked or athirst4 ,he answered them1 ,inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of the least of these1 ye did it not unto me4 7,matt4 xxvi3#ca-df47 ,it is not the individuality of the person which calls for respect and consideration1 it is the principle involved4 ,god had placed ,his authority upon humble men4 ,through their administrations can be secured the benefits and blessings which follow obedience to the ordinances of the ,gospel4 ,implicit obedience must be rendered4 ,the mandates of ,jehovah are imperative4 ,no substitute will do4 ,the condition is complete to the plan of salvation as established by ,almighty ,god4 ,saul was commanded to destroy ,agag and all his hosts1 man and beast4 ,he kept the best of the flock for1 he said1 a sacrifice1 but ,god had ordered otherwise1 and ,saul's disobedience caused him to lose the kingdom1 shut him out from the revelations which came by dream1 vision and the ,urim and ,thummim4 ,thou shalt not steady the ark2 and they who disobeyed were smitten of the ,lord4 ,israel by disobedience lost the guidance of the ,almighty1 went into spiritual darkness1 and have been scattered to the four quarters of the earth1 a hiss and a by-word in the mouths of all nations4 ,obedience is essential to salvation1 essential to success in every avenue of human enterprise4 ,whether rendered to the laws of ,god direct1 in their moral and spiritual phases1 or to ,his authority vested in man1 obedience must be implicit4 ,the haughty man boasts of independence4 ,he scorns the humble followers of the ,lord1 but while he prates of freedom1 he is himself slavishly obedient to his own whims and mistaken ideas or to the spirit of evil1 to popular sentiment or to some other influence always dangerous to the welfare of mankind4 ,the ,saints have been accused of being priest-ridden and fearful to use their own judgment4 ,what do the facts show8 ,they are only asked to do right1 live pure lives1 do good to all men1 evil to none1 and to respect the order of ,god's kingdom that salvation may come to them and be extended to all the world4 ,their obedience has made them the best and purest body of people on the earth4 ,what of the character of those who have derided them8 ,they are slaves to a shallow and excited sentiment or to wickedness and vice1 obedient to their own lusts and wicked ways4 ,compared with those they misrepresent they are below them in almost every trait which characterizes noble manhood4 ,by obedience to ,god and ,his priesthood the ,saints in this age have come off triumphant over obstacles within and foes without4 ,by obedience to ,god and ,his commands they will continue the blessed and favored of the ,lord forever4 ,they have proved the words of ,samuel to ,saul1 verily true3 ,to obey is better than sacrifice1 and to hearken than the fat of rams4 ,,charity4 ,what is charity8 ,does it consist solely in the giving of bread to the hungry1 clothes to the naked or succor to the distressed8 ,though ,i bestow all my goods to feed the poor1 and though ,i give my body to be burned1 and have not charity1 it profiteth me nothing4 ,charity suffereth long1 and is kind2 charity envieth not2 charity vaunteth not itself1 is not puffed up2 doth not behave itself unseemly1 seeketh not her own1 is not easily provoked1 thinketh no evil2 rejoiceth not in iniquity1 but rejoiceth in the truth2 beareth all things1 believeth all things1 hopeth all things1 endureth all things4 ,charity never faileth4 7,i4 ,cor4 xiii3#c-h47 ,if to say that one has charity to any considerable extent requires the possession of all the foregoing characteristics1 then we may truthfully admit that there is a great charity famine now prevailing throughout the world4 ,it is not difficult to find people who will impart of their substance to feed the poor2 but too frequently many who do so will look with scorn upon those who differ from them in matters of religion1 politics or other subjects4 ,modern history records many instances where people noted for their hospitality have shown intense hatred and bitterness toward some who have come into their midst preaching doctrines which were in conflict with the theories they and their fathers had espoused4 ,in many cases mobs have been headed by ministers of religion1 who have instigated and participated in shedding the innocent blood of their fellow beings for no other reason than their hatred of a religion different from their own4 ,indeed1 few if any in modern ,christendom can be said to exemplify in their lives all the traits attributed to charity in the quotation from the sayings of the apostle ,paul4 ,who suffers long without a murmur1 especially if the suffering comes by oppression from an outward foe1 and in return for evil8 ,who are kind to those who wrong them8 ,where is he who envieth not the possessions of his neighbor1 or the honors and emoluments of office enjoyed by others8 ,who1 under the wave of prosperity1 in the lap of luxury1 or dwelling in popular favor1 vaunteth not himself1 is not puffed up or doth not behave himself unseemly8 ,who seeketh not his own1 but rather prefers his brother before himself8 ,who is not easily provoked1 and therefore does not retaliate against those who may give offense8 ,who thinks not evil of those who go contrary to his views1 but the motives of whose hearts he knows nothing about8 ,how many persons there are who have not become acquainted with our people1 yet who1 through the circulation of scurrilous reports1 have imbibed deep-seated prejudice against the ,latter-day ,saints1 and having become acquainted with them1 have rejoiced to find them a better people than such preconceived ideas had led them to the belief that they were8 ,in missionary experience1 the ,elders frequently have found many professing ,christians exasperated when confronted with proof that the ,saints were a ,god-fearing1 virtuous1 temperate1 honest and industrious people4 ,such professors rejoice in iniquity1 and love darkness rather than light1 because their deeds are evil4 ,they do not rejoice in truth1 but rather have pleasure in unrighteousness4 ,few there are1 even among the ,saints1 who fully and becomingly bear all things and prove themselves the true type of the ,savior of mankind1 who preferred ever to suffer wrong than to do wrong4 ,do we believe all things and hope for all things which have been predicted by the prophets since the world began8 ,who in the world is looking for angels to visit the earth in the last days1 for the restoration of the ancient ,gospel in its primitive beauty and power8 ,who is looking for the restoration of the ,jews to ,palestine8 ,who looks for a people to build a temple where the ,savior shall suddenly come1 and who looks for ,elijah to appear before that great and terrible day of the ,lord's coming1 when the wicked shall become as stubble1 and be consumed by the judgments of ,god8 ,if these events have not occurred or are not transpiring1 they must do so1 or the words of the prophets will fail1 the ,scriptures be proved fallacious1 and our hope is vain4 ,and he who believes not these things has not charity4 ,if he had1 he would be patient to hear1 anxious to learn1 and the ,lord would lead all such to the light4 ,charity should be sought after and cultivated by the ,saints above all other people4 ,our professions are greater4 ,if our deportment contradicts our teachings1 our ignorance is more apparent1 or our hypocrisy is more pronounced4 ,it is stated in the ,book of ,mormon that ,charity is the pure love of ,god4 ,by this plain yet comprehensive definition1 we learn that unless the love of ,god dwells in our hearts we have not charity4 ,this love for the salvation of mankind induces the true servants of the ,lord to travel to the ends of the earth1 without the shadow or hope of earthly reward1 to preach the ,gospel to the world4 ,not only that2 with all the self-denial of home and its comforts which such a mission implies1 we also esteem all the good which others have1 not asking them to forsake one truth they now possess1 but inviting them to receive more truth1 pointing them to a greater light1 and leaving them perfectly free from undue persuasion to receive the message or reject it as they may choose4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph instructed the ,twelve and the ,elders1 in preaching the ,gospel1 not to tear down the tenets of other men's faith1 but in the spirit of meekness explain the ,gospel and bear testimony to its divinity1 leaving all mankind absolutely the keeper of their own consciences1 to do as they please and meet the responsibility of their own acts at the bar of eternal justice4 ,neither should it be forgotten that much of the labor of mankind1 without a knowledge of the ,gospel1 in many respects has been directed by a divine ,providence to ameliorate the condition of mankind4 ,there is a spirit in man1 and the inspiration of the ,almighty giveth them understanding4 ,the achievements of the reformation by ,luther and others1 the inventions of the printing press1 of electrical machinery1 the locomotive and the steamboat1 the discovery of ,america1 the revolution1 the rounding1 establishment and perpetuity of our civil government in the ,united ,states1 all were events preparing the way for the restoration of the ,gospel and the final establishment of the kingdom of ,god in these last days4 ,a striking instance of divine purpose in the labors of men outside the true church is pointed out in a revelation given in ,december1 #ahcj1 to ,joseph ,smith1 ,jr41 and ,sidney ,rigdon4 ,the ,lord said3 ,behold1 verily1 verily1 ,i say unto my servant ,sidney1 ,i have looked upon thee and thy works4 ,i have heard thy prayers and prepared thee for a greater work4 ,behold1 thou wast sent forth1 even as ,john1 to prepare the way before me1 and before ,elijah1 which should come1 and thou knewest it not4 ,thou didst baptize by water unto repentance1 but they received not the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but now ,i give unto thee a commandment1 that thou shalt baptize by water1 and they shall receive the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of the hands1 even as the apostles of old4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 sec4 xxxv1 #c-f47 ,the revelation given ,december1 #ahcj1 from which the above is quoted1 was upon the occasion of the first visit of ,sidney ,rigdon and ,edward ,partridge to the prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,the labors of ,sidney ,rigdon1 referred to in the quotation1 must have alluded to his ministry in the ,campbellite church1 for he had been in the ,church of ,christ only about six weeks when this revelation was given1 having embraced the ,gospel at the hands of ,parley ,p4 ,pratt and fellow missionaries near ,kirtland1 ,ohio1 late in ,october or early in ,november1 #ahcj4 ,as is well understood1 the followers of ,alexander ,campbell preach faith1 repentance and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins4 ,these views ,sidney ,rigdon espoused as being better than what he already had1 and when the true ,gospel1 in its fullness1 with authority from ,god to administer the ordinances thereof1 found him1 he gladly obeyed the same4 ,in about three weeks from the time ,brother ,pratt and co-laborers entered ,kirtland1 #abg persons were baptized4 ,subsequently the numbers were augmented to about #a1jjj souls4 ,in the providences of the ,lord1 ,kirtland soon became the gathering place of the ,saints1 the facilities there being greatly enhanced by so many people embracing the ,gospel and thus making a foothold for the prophet ,joseph ,smith and the ,saints who should follow him from the ,east4 ,there the ,kirtland ,temple was built4 ,there the ,savior1 ,moses1 ,elijah1 ,elias and other ancient worthies appeared to the prophet4 ,there the endowments were given1 and the ,spirit from on high was poured out in the last days1 as upon the day of ,pentecost4 ,all these subsequent events1 of such a glorious character1 show how distinctly the ,lord's hand was manifest in the mission and labors of ,sidney ,rigdon before he embraced the ,gospel4 ,such instances serve as pointed lessons to the youth of ,israel1 teaching us to be broad and generous in viewing the labors of those not of us1 so that if the hand of ,providence is manifest we shall not be oblivious thereto1 nor be found in the ranks of those who have not charity4 ,,the ,,resurrection4 ,the skeptical doubt the resurrection of the dead4 ,some scientific men have denied the possibility of the actual redemption of the body from the grave4 ,one would think1 as time goes on1 with the wonderful developments of science which reveal things that were classed among the impossibilities of a century ago1 that it is not reasonable to doubt the possibility of anything1 however remarkable1 which is within the scope of blessings to mankind4 ,the date1 in the past1 is not remote when it would have been deemed almost an indication of insanity for a man to say that such an instrument as the ,x-ray would be invented1 by which a photograph of the interior of the human body could be taken4 ,astounding as it may appear1 such is now an accomplished fact1 and this is but one of the many remarkable and grand achievements of modern times4 ,if such things are possible by the intelligence given to mortal man1 is it not equally probable that the elements which enter into the composition of the human body can be brought together and resuscitated by an ,omniscient ,being8 ,is the resurrection any more unaccountable from a natural and scientific view than the organization of the human body before its birth into the world8 ,many things are admitted in nature to be a fact1 but why they are such1 the most learned and scientific have been unable to explain4 ,the elements in any substance do not become annihilated2 they change from one form of organization to another4 ,wheat1 by a grinding and separating process1 is made into flour1 bran and shorts2 from flour1 by another process1 into bread4 ,each change produces an article very different in appearance from the one preceding it1 but the same elements are there4 ,they are eternal and indestructible4 ,this being true of all forms of life in the vegetable kingdom1 it must also be true of human life4 ,even ,christians dispute with respect to the character of the resurrection of the body1 some believing in an actual resurrection thereof1 and others denying the immortality of the body of flesh and bones4 ,it is our aim simply to present the statement of the ,scriptures1 which1 the ,latter-day ,saints claim1 are clear in declaring the actual resurrection of the body4 ,christ is the first fruits of the resurrection and the pattern of what is an eternal principle1 applicable to all mankind4 ,as ,he took up the same body which was laid in the tomb1 so will all the human family receive a renewal1 each of his own body4 ,the change is1 that the blood1 which is the life of the mortal body1 will not occupy the immortal one4 ,flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of ,god4 7,i4 ,cor4 xv3#ej47 ,it is evident1 however1 that flesh and bones can inherit1 occupied by immortal spirit2 for ,jesus was the type4 ,after ,his resurrection ,he appeared unto many4 ,he said to ,his disciples1 when they were affrighted and supposed they had seen a spirit3 ,behold1 my hands and my feet1 that it is ,i myself2 handle me and see2 for a spirit hath not flesh and bones1 as ye see me have4 7,luke xxiv3#ci47 ,he then showed them ,his hands and feet1 which had been pierced with spikes in the terrible hour of ,his crucifixion4 ,while ,he was with them ,he called for food1 and they gave ,him broiled fish and honeycomb1 which ,he ate in their presence4 ,what could be more real1 more tangible than this8 ,when ,he was resurrected1 many others received the same glorious blessing and came bodily out of their graves4 ,and the graves were opened2 and many bodies of the saints which slept arose1 and came out of the graves after ,his resurrection1 and went into the holy city and appeared unto many4 7,matt4 xxvii3#eb1 #ec47 ,these undoubtedly were the bodies of the righteous who had embraced the ,gospel in the various dispensations prior to the coming and atonement of our ,lord and ,savior4 ,the antediluvians who rejected ,noah were not among this number1 for ,peter informs us that the ,messiah1 when put to death in the flesh1 was quickened by the spirit2 by which also ,he went and preached unto the spirits in prison2 which sometime were disobedient1 when once the long suffering of ,god waited in the days of ,noah4 7,i4 ,peter iii3#ah-bj47 ,is this not a beautiful yet terrible lesson to all1 that those who hear the ,gospel in the flesh and reject it shall not come forth in the first resurrection1 but remain1 their bodies mingling with the dust1 while their spirits are gathered as prisoners in the pit1 awaiting with awful anxiety the judgment of the great day4 ,the ,savior ,himself said to ,his disciples3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you3 ,the hour is coming and now is1 when the dead shall hear the voice of the ,son of ,god2 and they that hear shall live4 7,st4 ,john v3 #be47 ,continuing ,his remarks1 it would appear that ,he spoke of the two resurrections1 for in the first1 which took place when ,he came forth from the tomb1 the saints were resurrected1 while in the following verses1 twenty-eight and twenty-nine1 ,he says3 ,marvel not at this2 for the hour is coming1 in which all that are in the graves shall hear ,his voice1 and shall come forth2 they that have done good1 unto the resurrection of life2 and they that have done evil1 unto the resurrection of damnation4 ,the reader will notice that the twenty-fifth verse reads the dead1 and may only apply to the righteous as coming forth at ,his resurrection1 while the twenty-eighth verse says1 ,all that are in the graves1 which would make it universal and apply to the just and the unjust1 the evil and the good4 ,this resurrection of the wicked doubtless applies to the same event that is recorded in the book of ,revelations ,john first saw the resurrection of the righteous1 and then says3 ,and ,i saw thrones1 and they sat upon them1 and judgment was given unto them3 and ,i saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of ,jesus1 and for the word of ,god1 and which had not worshiped the beast1 neither his image1 neither had received his mark upon their foreheads1 or in their hands2 and they lived and reigned with ,christ a thousand years4 7,rev4 xx3#d47 ,glorious thought6 ,the righteous rewarded for all their trials and tribulations6 ,who are these arrayed in white1 brighter than the noon-day sun8 ,these are they which have come up through great tribulation1 washed their robes1 and made them white in the blood of the ,lamb4 ,this reward is well worth all the hardships incidental to preaching the ,gospel and living the life of a ,saint4 ,but the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished4 ,this is the first resurrection4 ,and ,i saw the dead1 small and great1 stand before ,god2 and the books were opened2 and another book was opened1 which is the book of life2 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books2 99 99 99 and they were judged every man according to their works4 7,rev4 xx3#ab1 #ac47 ,nothing could be more literal1 more tangible1 more real than this2 nothing more just4 ,the righteous were to come forth and enjoy a thousand years of absolute peace and freedom from the tribulations heaped upon them by the wicked1 untrammeled with trials brought upon them by ,lucifer2 free from sickness1 sin and sorrow2 living in the personal presence of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 in full enjoyment of the earth in all its paradisic glory2 justice meted out to the wicked1 who will be denied the opportunity to revel in the lusts of the flesh or to persecute those who live godly in ,christ ,jesus4 ,no wonder that ,job rejoiced in all his affliction1 because his soul was enlightened with the visions of the future4 ,notwithstanding his bodily pains and the annoyance of friends who attributed his afflictons to his own failings1 he exclaimed from the depths of his soul3 ,oh1 that my words were now written6 ,oh1 that they were printed in a book6 ,that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever6 ,for ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth1 and that ,he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth4 ,and though after my skin worms destroy this body1 yet in my flesh shall ,i see ,god4 7,job xix3#bc-bf47 ,undoubtedly this great and good man was resurrected when the ,messiah was1 and received a partial fulfillment of this glorious vision1 but whatever was lacking in the full realities of this prophecy will be complete when the ,son of ,man shall come1 in ,his glory1 to reign on the earth4 ,paul said to the ,thessalonians3 ,for if we believe that ,jesus died and rose again1 even so them also which sleep in ,jesus will ,god bring with ,him4 99 99 99 ,for the ,lord ,himself shall descend from heaven with a shout1 with the voice of the archangel1 and with the trump of ,god2 and the dead in ,christ shall rise first4 7,i4 ,thess iv3#ad-af47 ,this agrees with the testimonies already quoted from the ,savior and the apostle ,john in reference to the resurrection at two different periods2 one for the just and one for the unjust4 ,this great subject is also portrayed by the prophet ,daniel4 ,in the seventh chapter of his prophecy1 ninth and twenty-second verses1 he speaks of the coming of the ,ancient of ,days4 ,the most ancient man of days associated with this earth is our father ,adam1 and it is plain that he has a great part to perform in placing judgment in the hands of the ,saints and subduing the wicked4 ,it would appear by the mission to be performed by ,michael1 as described in the first verse of the twelfth chapter of ,daniel1 and in the twelfth chapter of ,revelations1 that ,michael and the ,ancient of ,days are the same person1 and that he will be upon the earth at the opening of the millennium and will dwell in the midst of the people of ,god4 ,in modern revelation the ,lord has said to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 ,and the ,lord appeared unto them1 and they rose up and blessed ,adam1 and called him ,michael1 the prince1 the archangel4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 ,sec4 #ajg1 verse #ed47 ,in connection with the coming of ,michael in the last days1 ,daniel says3 ,and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake1 some to everlasting life1 and some to shame and everlasting contempt4 7,daniel xii3#b47 ,in ,paul's address before ,felix he refers to the resurrection in the following language3 ,and have hope toward ,god1 which they themselves also allow1 that there shall be a resurrection of the dead1 both of the just and unjust4 7,acts xxiv3#ae47 ,again ,him ,god raised up the third day and showed ,him openly2 not to all the people1 but unto witnesses chosen before of ,god1 even to us1 who did eat and drink with ,him after ,he rose from the dead4 ,and ,he commanded us to preach unto the people1 and to testify that it is ,he which was ordained of ,god to be the ,judge of quick and dead4 ,this was the testimony of the chief apostle1 ,peter1 when the ,gospel was first delivered to the ,gentiles4 ,it is evident that the burden of the teachings and testimonies of the apostles was to establish the divinity of the mission of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,this necessarily included ,his atonement and resurrection4 ,the fall of our first parents brought not only a banishment from the presence of the ,lord1 which may be termed a spiritual death1 but it caused the death of the physical body4 ,when an atonement was wrought out as a redemption from that fall1 it would be incomplete unless it brought to pass immortality and eternal life to the body4 ,the spirit and the body is the soul of man4 ,the body is resurrected from the grave1 independent of whether the individual in this life was good or bad1 as shown by the declarations of ,scripture4 ,for as in ,adam all die1 even so in ,christ shall all be made alive4 7,i4 ,cor4 xv3#bb47 ,paul describes in a very definite way the different degrees of glory in the resurrection1 which vindicates the justice of ,god in rewarding every man according to his works1 and establishing the free agency of man by holding him personally accountable for every act of his life4 ,there are also celestial bodies1 and bodies terrestrial2 but the glory of the celestial is one1 and the glory of the terrestrial is another4 ,there is one glory of the sun1 and another glory of the moon1 and another glory of the stars2 for one star differeth from another star in glory4 ,so also is the resurrection of the dead4 7,i4 ,cor4 xv3#dj-db47 ,jesus said to the apostles3 ,in my ,father's house are many mansions3 ,if it were not so ,i would have told you4 ,i go to prepare a place for you 99 99 99 that where ,i am there ye may be also4 7,st4 ,john xiv3#b1 #c47 ,these assertions all agree that there has been a resurrection 7so far as they refer to the resurrection of ,jesus and those who came forth from their graves at the same time7 and that there will yet be two more resurrections1 one of the just1 one of the unjust4 ,the only reasonable conclusion to be reached by reading these testimonies is1 that the resurrection will be an actual reunion of the spirit and the body4 ,if in the mind of the reader anything seems to be deficient in the conclusions from the statements quoted1 certainly the account of the resurrection from the inspired writings of ,ezekiel should dispel every doubt4 ,the entire thirty-seventh chapter of ,ezekiel should be read4 ,in this vision of the prophet he saw the resurrection of the house of ,israel1 so real in its nature that bone came to bone1 sinew to sinew2 flesh and skin covered the frame1 and the spirit entered the body of each4 ,thus a complete resurrection of the bodies was wrought out4 ,ezekiel says1 after the ,lord commanded1 ,so ,i prophesied as ,i was commanded2 and as ,i prophesied there was a noise1 and behold1 a shaking1 and the bones came together1 bone to his bone4 ,and when ,i beheld1 lo1 the sinews and the flesh came up upon them1 and the skin covered them above2 but there was no breath in them4 99 99 99 ,come from the four winds1 ,o breath1 and breathe upon these slain1 that they may live4 99 99 99 ,and they lived and stood up upon their feet1 an exceeding great army4 7,ezek4 xxxvii3#g-aj47 ,that this is to be an actual resurrection of the bodies of the dead is made plain by the twelfth and thirteenth verses3 ,thus saith the ,lord ,god3 ,behold1 ,o my people1 ,i will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of ,israel4 ,and ye shall know that ,i am the ,lord1 when ,i have opened your graves1 ,o my people1 and brought you up out of your graves4 99 99 99 ,moreover1 ,i will make a covenant of peace with them2 it shall be an everlasting covenant with them3 and ,i will place them1 and multiply them1 and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them forevermore4 ,my tabernacle also shall be with them2 yea1 ,i will be their ,god1 and they shall be my people4 7,verses #bf1 #bg4 7 ,thus there shall be a real1 actual resurrection of the body1 a complete reunion of the spirit with the body4 ,after the resurrection1 those whose bodies and spirits are thereby reunited will join their living brethren1 receive revelation from ,god1 including the everlasting covenant1 be gathered to their own lands1 and continue to multiply and increase1 with the sanctuary of ,god in their midst1 and with ,his divine approval forevermore4 ,how beautiful1 how joyous to contemplate1 and how real and tangible is this1 as contrasted with the poor1 rambling1 uncertain theories of uninspired men1 who are controlled by the systems of men rather than guided by that more sure word of prophecy1 the revelations of ,god4 ,to the ,latter-day ,saints the doctrine of the resurrection is a living1 tangible reality because1 added to the testimonies of the ,jewish ,scriptures1 the ,old and the ,new ,testaments1 and the ,book of ,mormon1 which corroborates the ,bible1 they have the testimony of men in this century1 who have seen the living bodies of resurrected beings4 ,joseph ,smith was a man of unblemished character4 ,his veracity was never impeached4 ,his honor in religion1 in morality and business transactions1 attested by friend and foe1 were unsullied to the end of his mortal career1 when he sealed his testimony with his innocent blood4 ,his testimony is that he saw ,god the ,father and ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 the latter on several occasions4 ,joseph also had a visitation from ,john the ,baptist1 ,peter1 ,james1 ,john1 ,moses1 ,elijah1 ,moroni and other ancient prophets of ,god who lived on the ,eastern or ,western hemispheres4 ,he was not alone in being a witness to the existence of resurrected beings4 ,others in modern times also have seen these1 and have published their testimonies to the world4 ,those who have received the witness of the ,holy ,ghost1 and who also know that there is a resurrection and that the words of the ,savior and the prophets are true and faithful1 are numbered by the thousands4 ,this is my testimony on the subject3 ,i testify in the name of the resurrected ,redeemer that ,god has spoken from the heavens in this age of the world2 that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god1 the ,redeemer of the world2 that ,joseph ,smith was a prophet of the ,most ,high1 and received the revelations of ,god for the benefit of mankind2 that angels and ancient prophets visited him and delivered to him the keys of the dispensation of the fullness of times2 that ,brigham ,young1 ,john ,taylor1 ,wilford ,woodruff1 ,lorenzo ,snow1 each in his time1 has been the successor of the prophet ,joseph ,smith1 and that ,joseph ,f4 ,smith is now such successor4 ,i also testify that all who receive this ,gospel with honest hearts shall know that the doctrine is true1 and if they are faithful unto death shall come forth in the resurrection of the righteous1 to live and reign with ,christ a thousand years4 ,those who reject this message1 and who fight against the truth and persecute the advocates thereof will1 unless they repent1 die in their sins1 and will remain unredeemed1 their bodies in the earth1 their spirits in bondage1 until the thousand years are finished1 when death1 hell and the grave shall deliver up their dead to stand before ,god1 living1 resurrected beings1 to receive the reward of their deeds1 whether they be evil or whether they be good4 ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,it is not the purpose in this brief chapter to enter into a detailed argument on the divine authenticity of the ,book of ,mormon1 but to state sufficiently what the sacred record purports to be4 ,the ,bible records some of the leading events in the dealings of the ,almighty with ,his children upon the ,eastern hemisphere1 prefaced by the ,mosaic history of the creation4 ,the ,book of ,mormon is to the ,american continent what the ,bible is to the ,eastern4 ,the ,bible is more especially the stick of ,judah1 being written by ,jewish prophets and apostles4 ,of the ten tribes carried into the ,north countries and lost from the world1 the ,bible gives no account1 beyond brief statements which go to prove that they were lost to the rest of mankind4 ,of the various colonies scattered from the tower of ,babel upon all the face of the earth1 according to ,genesis1 chapter xi41 the ,bible offers no information4 ,of the branches of ,joseph which ran over the boundary walls of the other tribes of ,jacob1 extending to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills1 the ,jewish record is silent4 ,what became of them8 ,whither did they flee1 and are they lost to ,god8 ,are they less ,his offspring because they went to people other lands8 ,from the time the ten tribes were carried away1 no communication has been established between them and the ,gentile nations1 and not until the discovery of ,america by ,columbus was there any correspondence between the aborigines of ,america and the countries of ,europe and the ,east4 ,because these were lost to ,jew and ,gentile1 is it reasonable to suppose they were lost also to ,him who is the ,father of the spirits of all flesh1 and who made of one blood all nations to dwell upon all the face of the earth8 ,reason1 mercy1 justice and the ,bible all deny that these should not have revelations from ,god and write them as well as did the ,jews4 ,jesus ,himself most emphatically declared1 ,there is nothing covered1 that shall not be revealed1 neither hid1 that shall not be known4 7,luke xii3#b47 ,the ,book of ,mormon reveals the fact that from the ,tower of ,babel came a colony of people to the ,western continent4 ,they were led by a prophet to whom ,god spake and ,his words were written4 ,they became a mighty nation on this land1 having prophets and inspired men to lead them4 ,finally1 like the ,jews1 they fell into apostasy and through war and bloodshed became extinct as a nation4 ,the ,book of ,mormon gives a brief review of their rise1 progress and fall4 ,it also records the fact that in the days of ,jeremiah1 two colonies came from ,jerusalem to ,america1 years before ,christ4 ,it gives a history of ,god's dealings with them until four hundred years after ,christ1 covering a period of one thousand years4 ,from the ,book of ,mormon we also have light thrown upon sayings of the ,savior1 recorded in the ,new ,testament4 ,he said to the ,twelve1 ,other sheep ,i have which are not of this fold4 ,them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice2 and there shall be one fold and one shepherd4 7,st4 ,john x3#af47 ,who can tell us where those other sheep were and when the ,savior visited them8 ,he said they should hear ,his voice4 ,the ,book of ,mormon gives the history of this visit to the descendants of ,jacob upon this land4 ,he organized ,his church among them1 with apostles1 prophets1 etc41 one fold and one shepherd4 ,this occurred subsequent to ,his resurrection4 ,while teaching ,his disciples on this land1 ,he told them of this statement to the ,jewish apostles1 that ,he had other sheep to visit2 and to the apostles chosen upon this land ,he said1 ,i have other sheep which are not of this land2 neither of the land of ,jerusalem2 neither in any parts of that land round about1 whither ,i have been to minister4 ,for they of whom ,i speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice2 neither have ,i at any time manifested myself unto them4 ,but ,i have received a commandment of the ,father that ,i shall go unto them1 and that they shall hear my voice and shall be numbered among my sheep1 that there may be one fold and one shepherd2 ,therefore ,i go to show myself unto them4 7,,iii4 ,nephi1 chapter xvi3#a-c47 ,these sayings of our ,savior afford the only present scriptural and reasonable interpretation of the parable in ,matthew1 thirteenth chapter3 ,the kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven1 which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal1 till the whole was leavened4 ,the leaven must be a symbol of the ,gospel1 as its effects upon the meal to lighten and prepare it for use are like the effects of the ,gospel of ,christ upon the hearts of those who obey the same1 viz41 to refine and purify that men may be prepared for the kingdom of the ,father4 ,the three measures of meal doubtless are representative of three divisions of the house of ,israel4 ,these were1 according to the ,book of ,mormon1 the ,jews in ,palestine1 the seed of ,joseph on the ,western hemisphere1 and the ten tribes in the ,north country4 ,these all were visited by the ,savior4 ,they heard ,his voice and were taught of ,him one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 that there might be one fold and one shepherd4 ,the ,gospel going to the ,gentiles could have no part in the fulfillment of the parable of the three measures of meal1 because the ,messiah never did visit the ,gentiles1 and ,he says of the other sheep1 they shall hear my voice4 ,the only account of such an event given to mankind thus far is that recorded in the ,book of ,mormon4 ,if that is not the true one1 then we must look for one no less remarkable and no less in conflict with the spiritual bigotry and ignorance of the nineteenth century4 ,that there should be a record kept by another branch of ,israel than the ,jewish tribe1 is plainly set forth by ,ezekiel in his thirty-seventh chapter1 where the ,lord commands the prophet to take one stick and write upon it for ,judah and his brethren1 and another stick and write upon it for ,ephraim and his brethren1 and then predicts that they shall become one in the hand of the ,lord4 ,the ,book of ,mormon claims to be the stick of ,joseph1 and it and the ,bible have become one in the hand of the ,lord in these last days4 ,each corroborates the other4 ,they are one in doctrine1 one in prophecy1 one in history so far as they treat upon the same events4 ,each throws light upon the other1 and yet bear the marks of having been written far apart by a different people1 of different surroundings and education4 ,isaiah speaks of a book 7see ,isa4 xxix47 that should come forth4 ,and the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed1 which men deliver to one that is learned1 saying1 read this1 ,i pray thee3 and he sayeth1 ,i can not2 for it is sealed3 ,and the book is delivered to him that is not learned1 saying1 ,read this1 ,i pray thee3 and he sayeth1 ,i am not learned4 ,this prophecy was verified as set out in a previous chapter4 ,the book itself was delivered by an angel to the young man ,joseph ,smith1 with the injunction that they should never be used to get gain1 but for the salvation of mankind4 ,joseph1 feeling his own weakness and knowing that he could not of himself translate them1 acknowledged that he was not learned4 ,he was told that he should translate them by the gift and power of ,god1 which he did by the use of the ,urim and ,thummim1 the instrument used by seers of old4 ,thus were the words of the prophet ,isaiah verified4 ,no amount of credulity could make a reasonable mind believe that ,joseph ,smith1 an unlettered1 unsophisticated boy of twenty-two years1 could prepare such a scheme1 conniving with men of maturer years to aid him in the fraud1 that the words of an ancient prophet1 spoken #b1ejj years before1 should be literally fulfilled4 ,the probability is that neither ,joseph ,smith1 ,martin ,harris nor ,prof4 ,anthon knew anything of the words of ,isaiah relating to such a record4 ,prof4 ,anthon was not in sympathy with ,joseph ,smith and became an avowed opponent of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,what he said in fulfillment of prophecy in this instance regarding the ,book of ,mormon may be said of all others1 for many have been verified since it came forth--prophecies regarding it and predictions in the book itself4 ,the ,psalmist ,david said that ,truth shall spring out of the earth and righteousness shall look down from heaven4 ,the ,book of ,mormon was written upon metallic plates1 and hidden in the earth #djj years after ,christ4 ,they literally came out of the earth1 and righteousness in the personage of a holy angel came down from heaven and placed them in the hands of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,isaiah speaks of the ancient seers being covered1 and that in the latter days their speech should be low out of the dust4 ,the ,book of ,mormon was written by seers upon the ,american continent4 ,through martyrdom they had been covered and their words lost to the apostate ,lamanites for many generations4 ,in the last days1 however1 their words came forth4 ,they speak out of the dust and light shines upon the hidden mysteries of a whole continent1 revealing a period of ten centuries4 ,among the many prophecies in the ,book of ,mormon verified since its publication in #ahbi1 is one found in ,,ii4 ,nephi1 chapter #bi1 verse #c3 ,and because my words shall hiss forth1 many of the ,gentiles shall say1 ,a ,bible6 ,a ,bible6 we have got a ,bible and there cannot be any more ,bible4 ,but thus saith the ,lord ,god3 ,o fools1 they shall have a ,bible2 and it shall proceed forth from the ,jews1 mine ancient covenant people4 ,and what thank they the ,jews for the ,bible which they receive from them8 ,yea1 what do the ,gentiles mean8 ,do they remember the travels1 and the labors1 and the pains of the ,jews1 and their diligence unto me1 in bringing forth salvation unto the ,gentiles8 ,o ye ,gentiles1 have ye remembered the ,jews1 mine ancient covenant people8 ,nay2 but ye have cursed them1 and have hated them1 and have not sought to recover them4 ,but behold1 ,i will return all these things upon your own heads2 for ,i the ,lord have not forgotten my people4 ,thou fool1 that shall say1 ,a ,bible1 we have got a ,bible1 and we need no more ,bible4 ,have ye obtained a ,bible1 save it were by the ,jews8 ,know ye not that there are more nations than one8 ,know ye not that ,i1 the ,lord your ,god1 have created all men1 and that ,i remember those who are upon the isles of the sea2 and that ,i rule in the heavens above1 and in the earth beneath2 and ,i bring forth my word unto the children of men1 yea1 even upon all the nations of the earth8 ,wherefore murmur ye1 because that ye shall receive more of my word8 ,know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that ,i am ,god1 that ,i remember one nation like unto another8 ,wherefore1 ,i speak the same words unto one nation like unto another4 ,and when the two nations shall run together1 the testimony of the two nations shall run together also4 ,and ,i do this that ,i may prove unto many1 that ,i am the same yesterday1 today1 and forever2 and that ,i speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure4 ,and because that ,i have spoken one word1 ye need not suppose that ,i cannot speak another2 for my work is not yet finished2 neither shall it be1 until the end of man2 neither from that time henceforth and forever4 ,wherefore1 because that ye have a ,bible1 ye need not suppose that it contains all my words2 neither need ye suppose that ,i have not caused more to be written3 ,for ,i command all men1 both in the ,east and in the ,west1 and in the ,north1 and in the ,south1 and in the islands of the sea1 that they shall write the words which ,i speak unto them2 for out of the books which shall be written1 ,i will judge the world1 every man according to their works1 according to that which is written4 ,for behold1 ,i shall speak unto the ,jews1 and they shall write it2 and ,i shall also speak unto the ,nephites1 and they shall write it2 and ,i shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of ,israel1 which ,i have led away1 and they shall write it2 and ,i shall also speak unto all nations of the earth1 and they shall write it4 ,and it shall come to pass that the ,jews shall have the words of the ,nephites1 and the ,nephites shall have the words of the ,jews2 and the ,nephites and the ,jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of ,israel2 and the lost tribes of ,israel shall have the words of the ,nephites and the ,jews4 ,and it shall come to pass that my people which are of the house of ,israel1 shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions2 and my word also shall be gathered in one4 ,and ,i will shew unto them that fight against my word and against my people1 who are of the house of ,israel1 that ,i am ,god1 and that ,i covenanted with ,abraham1 that ,i would remember his seed forever4 ,it has been decreed by the ,almighty1 and spoken of by ,book of ,mormon prophets that slavery should not obtain and be perpetuated upon this land3 ,behold1 this is a choice land1 and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage1 and from captivity1 and from all other nations under heaven1 if they will but serve the ,god of the land1 who is ,jesus ,christ1 who hath been manifested by the things which we have written4 7,ether ii3#ab47 ,this decree of the ,almighty has determined the history of this country from the beginning1 so far as internal slavery and freedom from bondage of other nations is concerned4 ,if the skeptic shall say that the prophecy was published to the world long after the freedom of the ,american colonies and the independence of this government were attained1 we call attention to the fact that slavery has been abolished in this land since then1 and that no nation which has made war with the ,united ,states has ever succeeded1 and never will1 unless the inhabitants of this land shall become overwhelmed in iniquity and abominations4 ,another striking prediction contained in the ,book of ,mormon is the following3 ,and this land shall be a land of liberty unto the ,gentiles1 and there shall be no kings upon the land1 who shall raise up unto the ,gentiles2 and ,i will fortify this land against all other nations2 and he that fighteth against ,zion shall perish1 saith ,god2 ,for he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish1 for ,i1 the ,lord1 the king of heaven1 will be their king1 and ,i will be a light unto them forever1 that hear my words4 7,,ii4 ,nephi x3#aa-ad47 ,gradually1 yet with certain progress1 has the government of kings been abolished from the ,american continent until nearly all governments in ,north and ,south ,america are republics4 ,canada is still under the rule of ,great ,britain1 but is managed in such a manner that the liberties of the people are almost1 if not quite equal to those of a republican territory4 ,those who know the history of the effort to make ,maximilian a king in ,mexico also know how terribly the words of the ,book of ,mormon have been verified3 ,for he that raiseth up a king unto me shall perish4 ,this continent is the land of ,zion1 and he that fighteth against ,zion shall perish1 saith ,god4 ,before the late ,spanish-,american war1 ,george ,q4 ,cannon read these predictions from the ,book of ,mormon before a congregation in the ,tabernacle1 and with a knowledge that these prophecies were given of the ,lord foretold the result of the war and the certain banishment of ,spanish kingly power from the ,american isles4 ,other prophecies of the sacred volume have been verified since its publication to the world4 ,those verified should establish faith in reasonable minds that the unfulfilled parts will surely come to pass4 ,the external evidences afforded by archaeologists to the divine authenticity of the ,book of ,mormon are very numerous2 they may be ascertained by a careful study of the sacred volume and a comparison with the discoveries of later times1 in the ruins of ancient cities1 towns1 temples1 roadways1 etc41 which have been brought to light and are treated upon in the writings of ,stevens and ,catherwood1 ,dr4 ,le ,plongeon1 and many other eminent antiquarians4 ,while the ,book of ,mormon without investigation is discarded1 its opponent is led to prove its divinity by his researches into archaeology4 ,in connection with the coming forth of this word ,isaiah said1 ,the wisdom of their wise men shall perish1 and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid4 ,all the old subterfuges published against the book have been exploded long since1 and yet people are still repeating them4 ,it was stated that ,joseph ,smith's ingenuity and ,sidney ,rigdon's learning devised the ,book of ,mormon from the ,solomon ,spaulding romance4 ,the ,book of ,mormon was published to the world before ,joseph ,smith and ,sidney ,rigdon ever saw each other4 ,prof4 ,fairchild of the ,oberlin ,college in ,ohio1 examined the ,spaulding manuscript and compared it with the ,book of ,mormon2 he then testified over his signature that there was no similarity between them4 ,some people have ridiculed the record because in point of literary merit it did not equal the ,jewish record1 the ,holy ,bible4 ,if this were any just cause of rejection1 why not discard several books in the ,bible because their literature does not equal in merit the writings of the patriarch ,job8 ,but laying this aside1 the ,book of ,mormon offers its own explanation of literary defect4 ,condemn me not because of mine imperfection2 neither my father1 because of his imperfections2 neither them who have written before him1 but rather give thanks unto ,god that ,he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections1 that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been4 ,and now behold1 we have written this record according to our knowledge in the characters1 which are called among us the ,reformed ,egyptian1 being handed down and altered by us1 according to our manner of speech4 ,and if our plates had been sufficiently large1 we should have written in ,hebrew2 but the ,hebrew hath been altered by us also3 and if we could have written in ,hebrew1 behold1 ye would have had no imperfection in our record4 ,but the ,lord knoweth the things which we have written1 and also that none other people knoweth our language1 therefore ,he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof4 7,mormon ix3#ca-cd47 ,in the preface of the record is written3 ,and now if there be faults1 they are the mistakes of men1 wherefore condemn not the things of ,god1 that ye may be found spotless at the judgment seat of ,christ4 ,but he that believeth these things which ,i have spoken1 him will ,i visit with the manifestations of my ,spirit1 and he shall know and bear record4 ,for because of my ,spirit1 he shall know that these things are true2 for it persuadeth men to do good4 7,ether iv3#aa47 ,again1 ,and whoso receiveth this record1 and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it1 the same shall know of greater things than these4 ,behold1 ,i am ,moroni2 and were it possible1 ,i would make all things known unto you4 7,mormon viii3#ab47 ,those persons who would esteem literary imperfections an evidence against the divine authenticity of the ,book of ,mormon must belong to one of two classes--they are either not honest at heart and are seeking opportunity to evade the responsibility of knowing the truth1 or they are shallow-minded1 and to the world of sound reason1 good judgment1 and practical ability prefer the shadow compared with the substance4 ,he that will do the will of the ,father shall know of the doctrine1 is the promise of our ,savior2 and the promises in the ,book of ,mormon that those who will not condemn the things of ,god because of human imperfections1 but shall receive greater knowledge1 are plain enough to condemn the world if they reject them1 as much as the teachings of the ,jewish record shall condemn mankind if they will not hearken4 ,the truth of the ,book of ,mormon is affirmed by the direct testimony of four witnesses-,joseph ,smith1 ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,david ,whitmer and ,martin ,harris1 who saw the angel ,moroni1 and the ancient plates from which the sacred volume was translated4 ,none of them ever wavered from that testimony4 ,they maintained it under great trials and persecutions to the end1 and ,joseph ,smith sealed his testimony with his life1 a martyr to the truth4 ,eight other men1 whose names are recorded in the fore part of the book1 saw and handled the plates4 ,many thousands of people from various lands and climes have read the book with prayerful hearts1 have received the ordinances of the ,gospel and by the power of the ,holy ,ghost solemnly testify that the ,book of ,mormon is a divine record4 ,added to this ,i testify1 as an humble disciple of the ,lord1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ who is our ,redeemer1 that ,joseph ,smith was a prophet of the living ,god and the ,book of ,mormon is a divine record1 revealed by the ,god of heaven and translated by the gift and power of ,god as a witness unto this and all future generations that ,jesus is the ,christ1 that the ,bible is true1 that there is but one plan of salvation1 and that ,jesus taught the same plan to the ,jews1 to the seed of ,joseph and to the lost tribes by his own personal ministrations4 ,he also sent the ,gospel to the ,gentiles by the hands of ,his apostles1 and thereby shows to all men in every land and in all ages that ,god changes not1 and is the same today1 yesterday and forever4 ,,marriage4 ,no people hold more sacred the principle of marriage1 nor esteem more highly the possession of chastity1 than do the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,among no people1 either ,catholic or ,protestant1 is a lapse of virtue so rare as among this people4 ,we consider sexual crime the most blighting curse that infests the earth today4 ,adultery is considered as next in the catalogue of crime to murder4 ,individuals guilty of fornication or adultery are promptly excommunicated from the church1 unless the sin is followed by the most profound repentance and the best reparation which can possibly be made4 ,the children around the family altar1 in ,sunday school1 ,mutual ,improvement ,associations1 ,primary ,associations1 and all the institutions of the church1 are taught to hold their virtue more sacred to them than life itself4 ,when they attain to years of maturity and enter the holy state of matrimony1 they vow before ,god1 angels and living witnesses that they will never violate the marriage covenants4 ,we believe that ,god ordained the union of the sexes in marriage1 not only for time but for all eternity4 ,it is greatly due to this fact and the deeply religious element which enters into marriage among our people1 that divorces are so rare4 ,young men and women are taught that1 while pure love and perfect congeniality should exist between the parties to the marriage covenants1 passion and infatuation should not be the ruling motive1 but principle should control2 and that in the weakness of humanity the dangers of mistakes in the mating of the sexes are so great1 the only safe way is to seek in prayer and supplication the guidance of divine ,providence2 they are1 also taught to so live in daily walk and conversation that their heavenly ,father will answer their prayers4 ,to feel sublimely impressed that marriage is for all eternity1 and that ,god is directly interested in us1 tends to make people more careful and considerate1 more prayerful in choosing a husband or wife1 than otherwise they would be4 ,the result of such teaching is a far greater percentage of happy unions and a much smaller percentage of divorces among the ,latter-day ,saints than among other ,christian communities4 ,the primary design of marriage1 to multiply and replenish the earth and not to gratify lust1 is upheld by the ,latter-day ,saints as in no other community4 ,the consequence is twofold4 ,infanticide1 foeticide and illegitimacy are very rare4 ,the two former practices1 so common in the world and adopted to lessen the responsibility of child-bearing while increasing the facilities for lustful gratification1 are esteemed by this people as abominations in the sight of ,god1 little short of outright murder in heinousness4 ,parties known to be guilty of such acts would not be fellowshiped in any sense1 but would be cast out of the church without hesitation4 ,the result of such high regard for the purposes of the ,lord in marriage is1 that the percentage of children in every family is much larger on the average than it is among any other ,christian community of equal population4 ,because the children are numerous they are not weaker but usually stronger in body and intellect than in communities where the blighting curse of a reprehensible modern custom prevails4 ,the wives of men thus taught and convinced of the sacredness of their procreative functions are healthier and happier in the home than are the wives and mothers in other communities4 ,prof4 ,phineas ,priest1 a non-,mormon phrenologist who traveled among the ,mormon people in ,idaho and ,utah1 said that in all his travels he had not found so large a percentage of healthy and intelligent children1 with a corresponding condition of health and happiness on the part of the mothers1 as he had among the ,mormon people4 ,as to the eternity of the marriage covenant1 a helpmeet was provided for man before death entered the world and therefore death could not prevail against the covenants of the ,lord4 ,and the ,lord ,god said1 ,it is not good that the man should be alone4 ,i will make him an helpmeet for him4 7,gen4 ii3#ah47 ,the ,savior came and offered up a sacrifice to redeem man from the fall1 to destroy death and all the effects thereof4 ,if ,his atonement simply redeemed the body from the grave1 without restoring the condition of the ,paradise lost1 it would be altogether incomplete1 and the words of ,paul would be without effect wherein he said to the ,corinthians1 ,o1 grave1 where is thy victory8 ,o1 death1 where is thy sting8 ,if death destroyed and the grave buried the covenants of the ,lord1 we would indeed be1 as ,paul says1 of all men most miserable4 ,god is eternal1 and ,i know that whatsoever ,god doeth1 it shall be forever4 7,eccl4 iii3#ad47 ,when the ceremony of marriage is performed by a true servant of ,god1 and the parties to the agreement are under the same covenant1 he pronounces them one for time and all eternity4 ,if this were not true of what avail was the authority delegated to ,peter1 when the ,lord said unto him1 ,and ,i will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven2 and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth1 shall be bound in heaven2 and whatsoever thou shall loose on earth1 shall be loosed in heaven4 7,matt4 xvi3#ai47 ,the apostle ,peter1 performing the marriage ceremony for members of the ,church of ,christ1 would not pronounce them husband and wife until death do you part2 for death was to be banished and immortality brought to light through the atonement of ,christ4 ,all ,christians pray and sing and preach about going to heaven4 ,will they be in the ,lord there8 ,if so1 and they have embraced the true ,gospel here1 they will be united as husband and wife for all eternity1 and that covenant will prevail there2 hence1 the apostle ,paul says1 ,nevertheless1 neither is the man without the woman1 neither the woman without the man in the ,lord4 7,i4 ,cor4 xi3#aa4 7 ,if they are in the ,lord1 then they are united2 if not in the lord1 they are damned4 ,again the same apostle tells us1 ,for the husband is the head of the wife1 even as ,christ is the head of the church4 7,eph4 v3#bc47 ,will any man say that ,christ was the head of the church for time only1 during ,his few years of brief mortality1 and that then the church is left without a head8 ,no2 ,christ is the head of the church for all eternity and ,god so designed the husband to be the head of the wife4 ,the doctrine of marriage until death1 appears to be a ,sadducee doctrine1 for they denied the resurrection4 ,it was the ,sadducee who asked the ,savior whose wife should the woman be who had seven husbands in this world4 ,the answer was undoubtedly designed to apply to those who rejected the ,gospel of ,christ1 while pretending to cling to the laws of ,moses4 ,they virtually made a covenant with death4 ,isaiah says1 ,and your covenant with death shall be disannulled1 and your agreement with hell shall not stand4 ,when the overflowing scourge shall pass through1 then ye shall be trodden down by it4 7,isa4 xxviii3#ah47 ,in making a covenant with death they broke the everlasting covenant and dishonored ,god1 for ,he is everlasting and ,his ordinances endure forever1 unimpaired by death1 hell or the grave4 ,the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof1 because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinances1 broken the everlasting covenant4 7,isa4 xxiv3#e47 ,as a result of this condition the prophet says3 ,therefore hath the curse devoured the earth1 and they that dwell therein are desolate3 therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men left4 7,isa4 xxiv3#f47 ,among the causes of this great desolation yet to come upon the earth is the breaking of the everlasting covenant4 ,the earth is to be burned and few men left4 ,jesus says that except those days shall be shortened there should be no flesh saved4 ,to shorten those days and provide the way for honorable women to fill the measure of their creation in holy wedlock1 ,god has restored this everlasting covenant and will yet cleanse the earth of wicked men by ,his judgments1 until few men shall be left4 ,whoredoms1 adultery and all sexual abominations will be swept away1 and the words of ,isaiah in the fourth chapter will be verified4 ,they that are the seed of ,abraham will do the works of ,abraham4 ,as the apostle ,paul says1 ,and if ye be ,christ's then are ye ,abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise4 7,gal4 iii3#bi47 ,that all honorable women1 who desire wifehood and motherhood under the laws of ,god may have this privilege and not be left to live and die as spinsters1 nor become a prey to wicked1 lustful men1 ,god will fulfill the prophecy found in ,isaiah1 chapter iv41 verses #a1 #b3 ,in that day seven women shall take hold of one man1 saying1 we will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel2 only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach4 ,in that day shall the branch of the ,lord be beautiful and glorious1 and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of ,israel4 ,,the ,,millennium4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints are looking for the coming of the ,savior to reign upon the earth1 at which coming will commence the reign of peace for one thousand years4 ,this is the ,millennium1 during which period ,satan will be bound and all iniquity shall be done away4 ,when ,jesus had finished his ministry at ,jerusalem and had ascended into heaven from the presence of ,his apostles1 two heavenly beings stood by them in white apparel2 which also said1 ',ye men of ,galilee1 why stand ye gazing up into heaven8 ,this same ,jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go into heaven4' 7,acts i3#aj1 #aa47 ,he ascended in glory and power4 ,in glory and power will ,he come to reign4 ,the preparation shown forth in the restoration of the ,gospel by a holy angel2 the gathering of ,israel2 the restoration of the ten tribes2 the return of the ,jews2 the establishment of ,zion and ,jerusalem--all are signs to precede ,his second coming1 as referred to in preceding chapters of this little work1 in its discussion of several subjects4 ,that ,jesus will come in power and glory is evident from many prophecies4 ,and ,enoch also1 the seventh from ,adam1 prophesied of these1 saying1 ,behold the ,lord cometh with ten thousands of ,his saints to execute judgment upon all4 7,jude i3#ad1 #ae47 ,malachi says3 ,behold1 ,i will send my messenger1 and he shall prepare the way before me1 and the ,lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to ,his temple4 ,but who will abide the day of ,his coming1 and who shall stand when ,he appeareth8 ,for ,he is like a refiner's fire and like fuller's soap4 7,mal4 iii3#a1 #b47 ,unlike this first advent as the meek and lowly babe of ,bethlehem1 ,he next comes in glory1 to avenge the blood of ,his ,saints1 to purify the sons of ,levi1 to cleanse and purify the earth that it may enjoy a reign of peace and rest4 ,when ,jerusalem is partly rebuilt by her ancient covenant people1 the ,gentile nations will be gathered against them to battle4 ,then will the crucified ,redeemer appear to the ,jews4 ,he will set his feet upon the ,mount of ,olives1 and the mount will cleave in twain4 ,the house of ,judah will look upon ,him1 and seeing the wounds in ,his hands and feet1 will ask where ,he obtained them4 ,when ,he shall answer1 in the house of my friends1 they will weep and mourn1 their separate houses and families apart1 to realize that ,he whom their fathers rejected is in truth their ,deliverer and ,redeemer4 ,then will the fountain for uncleanness be opened1 and the house of ,judah will be baptized for the remission of their sins4 ,behold the day of the ,lord cometh1 and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee4 ,for ,i will gather all nations against ,jerusalem to battle2 and the city shall be taken1 and the houses rifled1 and the women ravished2 and half of the city shall go forth into captivity1 and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city4 ,then shall the ,lord go forth1 and fight against the nations1 as when ,he fought in the day of battle4 ,and ,his feet shall stand in that day upon the ,mount of ,olives1 which is before ,jerusalem on the east1 and the ,mount of ,olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west1 and there shall be a very great valley2 and half of the mountain shall move toward the north1 and half of it toward the south4 7,zech4 xiv3#a-d47 ,and one shall say unto ,him1 ,what are these wounds in ,thine hands8 ,then ,he shall answer1 ,those with which ,i was wounded in the house of my friends4 7,zech4 xiii3#f47 ,and it shall come to pass in that day that ,i will seek to destroy all the nations that come against ,jerusalem4 ,and ,i will pour out upon the house of ,david1 and upon the inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 the spirit of grace and of supplication3 and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced1 and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son1 and shall be in bitterness for ,him as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn4 ,in that day shall there be a great mourning in ,jerusalem1 as the mourning of ,hadadrimmon in the valley of ,megiddon4 ,and the land shall mourn1 every family apart2 the family of the house of ,david apart1 and their wives apart2 the family of the house of ,nathan apart1 and their wives apart2 the family of the house of ,levi apart1 and their wives apart2 the family of ,shimei apart1 and their wives apart2 ,all the families that remain3 every family apart1 and their wives apart4 7,zech4 xii3#i-ad47 ,in that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of ,david1 and to the inhabitants of ,jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness4 7,zech xiii3#a47 ,many other plain and precious prophecies of the ,old and ,new ,testaments might be cited to show forth the second coming of our ,savior4 ,these predictions are corroborated by the prophecies in the ,book of ,mormon1 and by the predictions of the prophet ,joseph ,smith1 made in the revelations of ,god to him in these latter days4 ,in close connection with the ,savior's second coming will be presented the glorious conditions of the ,millennium4 ,for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the ,lord as the waters cover the sea4 7,hab4 ii3#ad47 ,the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb1 and the leopard shall lie down with the kid3 and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together2 and a little child shall lead them4 ,and the cow and the bear shall feed2 their young ones shall lie down together3 ,and the lion shall eat straw like the ox4 ,and the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp1 and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den4 ,they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain2 for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the ,lord1 as the waters cover the sea4 7,isa4 xi3#f-aj47 ,man is the great head of ,god's creation1 the image of his ,maker4 ,he has made him a little lower than the angels1 and hast crowned him with glory and honor4 7,ps4 viii3#e47 ,man led the way to the fall by which came the enmity between himself and the lower animal creation4 ,should man not lead the way1 as the ,lord directs1 back to his ,paradise ,lost8 ,as an incident pointing the way to and expressing the true spirit of the ,millennium1 when ,zion's ,camp1 a body of more than #bjj men1 journeyed through the wilderness of ,indiana1 ,illinois and ,missouri from ,kirtland to ,western ,missouri1 the ,camp at night would be visited by serpents1 which the brethren were inclined to destroy4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph told them not to kill the snakes1 but to carry them peaceably from their tents with sticks4 ,joseph promised them that if they kept this counsel none should be bitten1 adding that it was man's duty to set the example of peace and lead the way back to the perfect harmony existing in ,eden before the fall4 ,the ,camp observed his advice and realized his promise4 ,the time spoken of by ,isaiah1 as already referred to here1 was also predicted by ,joel when he said3 ,and ye shall know that ,i am in the midst of ,israel1 and that ,i am the ,lord your ,god and none else3 ,and my people shall never be ashamed4 ,and it shall come to pass afterward1 that ,i will pour out my spirit upon all flesh1 and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy1 your old men shall dream dreams1 your young men shall see visions2 and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will ,i pour out my spirit4 7,joel ii3 #bg-bi47 ,the apostle ,peter1 upon the day of ,pentecost1 gave the multitude to understand that the ,spirit which gave utterance to the apostles on that occasion was the same ,spirit concerning which ,joel the prophet said in the last days should be poured out1 not upon the few only1 but upon all flesh4 ,the ,spirit of ,god alone can bring perfect unity1 destroy enmity1 and fill the earth with the knowledge and glory of ,god4 ,of this glorious epoch the prophet ,jeremiah says3 ,and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor1 and every man his brother1 saying1 ,know the ,lord2 for they shall all know me1 from the least of them unto the greatest of them1 saith the ,lord2 for ,i will forgive their iniquity1 and ,i will remember their sin no more4 7,jer4 xxxi3#cd47 ,such a condition would be in harmony with the promise of the ,savior that there should be one fold and one shepherd4 ,the ,spirit of ,truth is the guide into all truth1 rather than to man-made theories taught by men devoid of the authority and inspiration of ,almighty ,god4 ,paul says1 ,when that which is perfect is come1 then that which is in part shall be done away4 7,i ,cor4 xiii47 ,prophecy and tongues and the gifts of the ,gospel imperfectly enjoyed by man in his weakness were never designed to be done away until we come to enjoy a more perfect fullness1 when we see as we are seen and know as we are known4 ,zephania says3 ,for then will ,i turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the ,lord1 to serve ,him with one consent4 7,zeph4 iii3#i47 ,the pure language was confounded at the tower of ,babel1 because men sought to thwart the purposes of ,jehovah4 ,when the time comes that the wicked who will not obey are swept from the earth1 the ,lord will restore to ,his children the language which they learned from their mother tongue and which was spoken from ,adam to the time of the tower of ,babel4 ,he will also unite the great bodies of water into a mighty ocean and roll it back to its place in the ,north1 while the lands of the earth will be reunited and become one vast continent4 ,isaiah says1 speaking of the land of ,zion1 which is the ,western hemisphere1 and the land of ,jerusalem1 on the ,eastern continent3 ,thou shalt no more be termed forsaken1 neither shall thy land any more be termed ,desolate2 but thou shalt be called ,hephzi-bah1 and thy land ,beulah3 for the ,lord delighteth in thee1 and thy land shall be married4 7,isa4 lxii3#d47 ,in other words1 the lands shall be united4 ,what a glorious period and condition6 ,the earth geographically restored1 spiritually redeemed and politically exalted to the government of ,god4 ,john1 the revelator1 prophesied3 ,the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our ,lord and of ,his ,christ1 and ,he shall reign forever and ever4 7,rev4 xi3#ae47 ,and again1 in the twentieth chapter1 fourth verse1 ,and ,i saw thrones1 and they sat upon them1 and judgment was given unto them3 ,and ,i saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of ,jesus1 and for the word of ,god1 and which had not worshipped the beast1 neither his image1 neither had received his mark upon their foreheads1 or in their hands3 ,and they lived and reigned with ,christ a thousand years4 ,the further writings of the apostle ,john in the ,apocalypse describe the conditions of peace during the ,millennium1 and subsequently the last resurrection1 the change of the earth1 the banishment of ,lucifer therefrom1 and the earth celestialized as man's eternal abode1 our heaven4 ,the apostle ,peter says the elements shall melt with fervent heat1 and ,john the apostle informs us that the earth shall become as a sea of glass1 a great ,urim and ,thummim4 ,what a joyous consummation to the labors of the faithful1 in the great and marvelous blessings that will bring such glory to those that serve the ,lord and to their heavenly abode6 ,transcriber's ,note ,various apparent printer's errors 7e4g4 whem for when7 and mismatched quotation marks have been resolved as seemed reasonable4