,,scrap ,,book of ,mormon ,literature ,,vol4 ,i ,religious ,tracts ,published by ,,ben4 ,e4 ,,rich ,we have gathered posies1 ,from other men's flowers2 ,nothing but the thread that ,binds them is ours4 i ,,general ,,index4 ,,articles ,,of ,,faith of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-,day ,saints4--,joseph ,smith1 #e4 ,,notes ,,to ,,be ,,referred ,,to ,,daily ,,by ,,missionaries3 by ,prest4 ,francis ,m4 ,lyman1 ,in behalf of the ,council of ,twelve ,apostles1 #h4 ,,the ,,prophet ,,joseph ,,smith ,,tells ,,his ,,own ,,story3 ,joseph's ,first ,vision--,reception ,accorded the ,prophet's ,statement--,angel ,moroni ,visits the ,prophet--,the ,angel ,instructs the ,boy--,joseph ,views the ,plates--,smith ,family ,meet with ,adversity--,prophet ,seeks ,employment--,prophet ,obtains the ,plates--,translating the ,plates ,commenced--,martin ,harris ,shows ,characters taken from the ,plates to ,learned ,men--,aaronic ,priesthood ,received--,organization of the ,church--,removal of ,church to ,kirtland1 ,ohio--,persecution in ,missouri--,removal to ,illinois--,martyrdom of ,joseph and ,hyrum--,illinois ,persecution and ,emigration ,west--,early ,pioneer ,days--,temples--,missionary ,work--,attacks against the ,book of ,mormon1 #aa4 ,,what ,,mormons ,,believe3 ,epitome of the ,doctrines of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-,day ,saints--,first ,principles--,the ,apostasy--,the ,restoration--,redemption of the ,dead--,the ,book of ,mormon--,church ,government--,auxiliary ,societies--,divine ,authority4--,by ,apostle ,charles ,w4 ,penrose1 #bi4 ,,salvation3 ,a ,dialogue ,between ,elder ,brownson and ,mr4 ,whitby--,the ,fall and ,atonement--,the ,first ,principles--,gifts of the ,holy ,ghost--,preaching ,without ,hire--,history and ,organization of the ,church--,the ,visions of the ,prophet--,the ,book of ,mormon--,aaronic ,priesthood ,conferred--,brief ,history of the ,church--,gathering of the ,saints4--,by ,elder ,john ,jaques1 #ci4 ,,exclusive ,,salvation3 ,only ,one ,lord1 ,one ,faith and ,one ,baptism--,testimonies of ,apostles ,paul1 ,peter1 ,james1 ,jude1 and ,st4 ,john4--,by ,elder ,john ,jaques1 #ff4 ,,the ,,only ,,way ,,to ,,be ,,saved3 ,obedience to ,first ,principles--,baptism--,immersion the ,mode--,laying on of ,hands--,gifts and ,blessings--,authority ,necessary--,apostasy--,the ,restoration4--,by ,prest4 ,lorenzo ,snow1 #gg4 ,,gospel ,,to ,,the ,,living ,,and ,,the ,,dead3 ,dead ,preached to in the ,spirit ,world--,baptism for the ,dead--,necessity of this ,vicarious ,work--,elijah ,bestows ,keys for ,vicarious ,work4--,by ,prest4 ,george ,q4 ,cannon1 #hh4 ,,joseph ,,smith ,,as ,a ,,prophet3 ,predictions ,uttered by ,him and their ,signal ,fulfillment--,his ,prophetic ,power ,established by the ,scriptural ,rule4 ,a ,lectured ,delivered4--,by ,elder ,andrew ,jensen1 #ib4 ,,the ,,gospel ,,message3 ,an ,explanation of ,some of the ,prominent ,doctrines of the ,church--,one ,gospel ,only--,the ,first ,principles--,baptism--,laying on of ,hands--,gifts and ,miracles--,authority ,necessary4--,by ,elder ,william ,budge1 #aai4 ,,the ,,only ,,true ,,gospel1 ,,or ,,the ,,primitive ,,christian ,,faith3 ,only ,one ,true ,gospel--,the ,first ,principles--,gifts and ,miracles--,authority4--,by ,elder ,william ,budge1 #ace4 ,,joseph ,,the ,,prophet3 ,the place of the ,prophet as a ,benefactor of ,mankind--,visions of the ,prophet--,priesthood ,conferred--,organization of the ,church--,the ,new ,jerusalem--,book of ,abraham--,work for the ,dead ,established--,summary of the ,work ,accomplished by the ,prophet4--,by ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts1 #ada4 ,,first ,,principles ,,of ,,the ,,true ,,gospel ,,of ,,christ3 ,is ,belief alone ,sufficient--,repent or ,perish--,is ,baptism ,essential to ,salvation--,baptism for the ,dead--,object and ,purpose of ,baptism--,mode of ,baptism--,authority to ,baptize4--,by ,elder ,j4 ,h4 ,paul1 #adg4 ,,analysis ,,of ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon3 ,what the ,book is--,how the ,ancient ,plates were ,transmitted--,abridgments--,plates of ,ether--,the ,smaller ,plates of ,nephi--,quotations ,from ,isaiah4--,by ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts1 #aed4 ,,the ,,second ,,coming ,,of ,,the ,,messiah ,,and ,,events ,,to ,,precede ,,it3 ,the ,restoration of the ,everlasting ,gospel--,the ,coming of a ,messenger--,the ,coming of ,elijah--,the ,gathering of the ,saints--,the ,restoration of the ,gospel--,the ,testimony of the ,three ,witnesses--,the ,coming of the ,messenger--,elijah ,comes--,keys of ,gathering ,restored4--,by ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts1 #afb4 ,,the ,,character ,,of ,,the ,,mormon ,,people3 ,the ,cause of ,misrepresentation--,mormons ,wronged by a ,sensational ,press--,testimony of ,non-,mormon ,witnesses--,the ,mission of the ,mormon ,elders--,the ,mountain ,meadow ,massacre4--,by ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts1 #agc4 ,a ,,rejected ,,manuscript3 ,,the ,,other ,,side3 ,a ,rejected ,manuscript--,salt ,lake ,valley--,social ,conditions ,among the ,mormons--,attitude of ,mormons ,toward ,education--,missionary ,work--,stories about the ,mormons--,persecution and ,suffering--,loyalty of the ,mormons--,tabernacle ,choir--,people of ,travel--,temple ,work4--,by ,leon ,r4 ,ewing1 #aib4 iii ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light3 ,necessity of ,obedience--,character of the ,godhead--,the ,atonement--,first ,principles of the ,gospel--,the ,gift of the ,holy ,ghost--,divine ,authority--,a ,departure from the ,faith--,the ,restoration of the ,gospel--,the ,book of ,mormon--,modern ,revelation--,salvation for the ,dead--,baptism for the ,dead--,fruits of the ,gospel4--,by ,apostle ,charles ,w4 ,penrose1 #bjb4 ,a ,,friendly ,,discussion ,,upon ,,religious ,,subjects3 ,the ,godhead--,the ,fall and the ,atonement--,faith--,repentance--,baptis m for ,remission of ,sins--,holy ,ghost--,laying on of ,hands--,gifts of the ,holy ,ghost--,authority--,offices in ,the ,church--,apostasy--,restoration4--,by ,ben4 ,e4 ,rich1 #bfc4 ,,night ,,of ,,the ,,martyrdom3 ,by ,apostle ,orson ,hyde1 #bhc4 ,,doctrine ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 ,,its ,,faith ,,and ,,teachings3 ,faith--,repentance--,baptism--,receptio n of the ,holy ,ghost and the ,laying on of ,hands--,authority--,apostasy--,restorat ion--,testimony of the ,three ,witnesses--,prophecy of ,joseph ,smith1 the ,seer1 ,given in #ahcb--;,authority4--,by ,elder ,john ,morgan1 #bhf4 ,,the ,,plan ,,of ,,salvation3 ,pre-existence--,why ,we are here--,faith--,repentance--,baptism--,la ying on of ,hands--,future ,existence--,baptism for the ,dead4--,by ,elder ,john ,morgan1 #cjf4 ,,statement ,,of ,,prominent ,,non-,,mormons3 ,opinions of the ,leading ,statesmen of the ,united ,states on the ,edmunds ,law--,gentile ,opinions of the ,mormon ,people--,statistics of ,crime and ,education--,refutation of the ,spaulding ,story--,judge ,summer ,howard on the ,mountain ,meadow ,massacre--,rights of ,self ,government4--,by ,elder ,john ,morgan1 #cbg4 ,,joseph ,,smith4 ,,was ,,he ,a ,,prophet ,,of ,,god8 ,,an ,,investigation ,,and ,,testimony3 ,books of the ,bible ,given to ,meet the ,special ,condition and ,need of the ,people--,contents of the ,pentateuch1 the ,historical ,books1 the ,poetical ,books1 the ,prophetical ,books--,interval of ,fifty ,years--,revival of ,prophecy--,restoration of the ,jews--,the ,last ,prophets of the ,old ,covenant--,conclusions from the ,foregoing--,the ,new ,testament--,the ,four ,gospels--,gospel ,according to ,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke1 ,st4 ,john--,testimony of the ,gospels--,the ,acts of the ,apostles--,the ,epistles--,prophecies of the ,new ,testament--,difficulties in ,ascertaining the ,meaning of the ,scriptures--,christian ,sects an ,evidence--,retrospective ,evidence--,prospective ,evidence--,direct ,evidence--,moral ,evidence--,peculiarities of the ,message--,effects of the ,doctrine--,spiritual ,evidence4--,by ,elder ,j4 ,m4 ,sjodahl1 #cej4 ,,pioneer ,,sketches--,,utah ,,in #ahej3 ,by ,elder ,james ,h4 ,martin1 in the ,contributor1 #ahij1 #dbi4 ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints3 ,its ,priesthood1 ,organization1 ,doctrines1 ,ordinances1 and ,history4--,by ,elder ,john ,jaques1 #dce4 iv ,,plain ,,talks ,,to ,,parents3 ,paragraphs taken from the ,writings of ,apostle ,orson ,pratt1 in the ,seer4 #ahec4 #dec4 ,,my ,,reasons ,,for ,,leaving ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,england ,,and ,,joining ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints3 ,apostasy--,officers ,necessary in the ,church--,gifts of the ,holy ,ghost--,baptism--,infant ,baptism--,baptism for the ,dead--,internal ,corruption of ,early ,christian ,church--,reformation--,history of ,mormon ,church--,restoration--,book of ,mormon4--,by ,r4 ,m4 ,bryce ,thomas1 ,london1 ,england1 #deh4 ,,the ,,early ,,christians3 ,letter ,written to the ,emperor ,trajan by ,pliny the ,younger1 while ,he was ,governor of ,bithynia4 ,it is the ,first ,connected ,account of ,christ's ,followers that has come to us from a ,pagan source1 #dhf4 ,,reorganization ,,weighed3 ,presidency ,permanency--,appointment--,revelation on ,permanent ,order of ,priesthood--,law of ,lineage--,ordination4--,by ,german ,e4 ,ellsworth1 #dhi4 ,a ,,gospel ,,outline3 ,a few of the ,most ,important ,scriptural ,references ,bearing on the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 ,arranged in ,logical ,order1 and ,designed to give to ,missionaries--and all other ,students of the ,gospel--a ,working ,knowledge of such ,scriptural ,quotations as may be ,required from the ,first4--,by ,elder ,nephi ,anderson1 #ejc4 ,a ,,contrast ,,between ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ ,,and ,,the ,,false ,,doctrines ,,of ,,the ,,nineteenth ,,century4--,by ,apostle ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 #eag4 ,,baptism ,,for ,,the ,,remission ,,of ,,sins1 #ebf4 ,,good ,,tidings ,,of ,,the ,,new ,,and ,,everlasting ,,gospel3 ,first ,principles--,men ,judged ,according to ,their ,works--,obedience to the ,gospel ,necessary1 #ebi4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,modern ,,revelation3 ,by ,apostle ,orson ,pratt1 #ecc4 ,,the ,,unknown ,,god ,,revealed3 ,a ,reply to a ,georgia ,editor's ,urgent ,appeal for a ,restoration of the ,old ,time ,faith in a ,personal and ,known ,god4 ,the ,godhead--,offices in the ,church--,how the ,gospel ,should be ,preached--,first ,principles--,christ and ,god visit the ,earth in these ,latter ,days--,persecution4--,by ,elder ,ben4 ,e4 ,rich1 #ecf4 ,a ,,gospel ,,letter3 ,written by ,sister ,lucy ,mack ,smith1 the ,mother of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,oldest ,gospel ,letter in the ,church1 only recently ,discovered in ,new ,hampshire1 #edc4 ,,the ,,restoration ,,of ,,the ,,everlasting ,,gospel3 ,joseph's ,first ,vision--,angel ,moroni ,appears to the ,prophet--,the ,three ,witnesses--,aaronic and ,melchizedek ,priesthood ,conferred--,persecution--,gathering--,r estoration4--,by ,apostle ,george ,teasdale1 #edg4 v ,,doctrinal ,,index4 ,articles of ,faith1 #e4 ,atonement1 #e1 #dj1 #bac1 #bfd1 #ejg4 ,authority1 #f1 #ca1 #ch1 #he1 #acb1 #aci1 #aeb1 #baf1 #bbe1 #bgg1 #bhi1 #cjj1 #ddb1 #eaa4 ,angel1 ,moroni visits the ,prophet1 #ae1 #if1 #ddc1 #edg4 ,apostasy1 #ca1 #hf1 #bbf1 #bbg1 #bbh1 #bgi1 #bij1 #dei1 #eab1 #ecb4 ,astronomy of ,abraham1 #ajj4 ,administrations1 #eae4 ,abraham1 ,book1 #add4 ,appointment of ,president1 #dhi4 ,adam1 ,sin of1 #bac4 ,angels same class of beings as we are1 #eje4 ,agency1 ,man's free1 #bac4 ,adam visits the ,earth1 #bif4 ,baptism1 #e1 #cj1 #db1 #dc1 #gi1 #abg1 #acg1 #adi1 #bad1 #bgc1 #bhg1 #cac1 #dff1 #ejh1 #ecj4 ,baptism1 ,mode of1 #de1 #eb1 #aeb1 #aec1 #baf1 #eji4 ,baptism1 ,purpose of1 #abh1 #aea1 #bae1 #bgd1 #ejh4 #ebf1 #ecj4 ,baptism for ,dead1 #hi1 #aej1 #beb1 #cbb1 #dgj4 ,baptism1 ,infant1 #aea1 #baf1 #dfh1 #eji4 ,baptism1 ,history of1 #ejh4 ,book of ,mormon1 #f1 #cc1 #ef1 #dhj1 #eac4 ,book of ,mormon1 ,attacks against1 #bg4 ,book of ,mormon published in many languages1 #deb4 ,book of ,mormon1 ,what it is1 #aed1 #bcg4 ,book of ,mormon1 ,how to read the1 #aed1 #afj4 ,book of ,mormon ,abridgments1 #aee4 ,battalion1 ,mormon1 #be1 #ei1 #aih4 ,belief alone insufficient1 #adg4 ,belief1 ,genuine1 #adg4 ,books of the ,bible1 ,synopsis of contents of3 ,pentateuch1 #ceb2 ,historical ,books1 #cec2 ,poetical ,books1 #ced2 ,prophetical ,books1 #ced2 ,interval of ,fifty ,years1 #cfj2 ,revival of ,prophecy1 #cfj2 ,last ,prophets of ,old ,testament1 #cfh2 ,the ,new ,testament1 #cga2 ,the ,four ,gospels1 #cga2 ,matthew1 #cgb2 ,mark1 #cgc2 ,luke1 #cgc2 ,st4 ,john1 #cgc2 ,acts of the ,apostles1 #cge2 ,the ,epistles1 #cgg4 ,christ1 ,personality of1 #e4 ,celestialized ,earth1 #eaf4 ,cholera ,predicted by the ,prophet1 #ajj4 ,christ's ,second ,coming1 #aji1 #afb1 #eae4 ,contrast between the ,doctrine of ,christ and the ,false ,doctrines of the ,nineteenth ,century1 #eag4 ,choir1 ,tabernacle1 #aii4 ,christian ,sects an ,evidence1 #cij4 ,christian1 ,early1 by ,pliny1 #dhf4 ,discovery1 ,corroborative1 #ajd4 ,degrees of ,glory1 #dhc1 #eaf4 ,dead ,preached to1 #aej4 ,doctrines1 #dci4 ,doctrine and ,covenants ,published1 #deb4 ,effects of the ,doctrine1 #dbj4 ,evidence1 ,moral1 #daa4 ,evidence1 ,direct1 #cjf4 ,evidence1 ,spiritual1 #dbd4 ,emigration to ,rocky ,mountains1 #ei1 #ajf1 #ddd1 #deb4 ,elijah1 ,prophet1 visits the ,earth1 #ia1 #add1 #afd1 #bif4 ,eden1 ,location of ,ancient1 #aja4 ,extracts1 ,direct extracts from ,isaiah in ,book of ,mormon1 #aeh4 ,education1 ,attitude of ,mormons toward1 #aie4 vi ,faith1 #e1 #cj1 #db1 #acg1 #bjc1 #bjg1 #bji1 #bgj1 #bhf1 #caa1 #ejg4 ,fall1 ,the1 #dj1 #bac4 ,future ,existence1 #caf4 ,father ,revealed through the ,son1 #ejd4 ,faith and ,works1 #adh1 #bjc1 #ejh1 #ecb4 ,gifts1 ,spiritual1 #f1 #dh1 #bbj4 ,gathering1 #f1 #fb1 #ih1 #afe1 #beh1 #big1 #eac1 #eej4 ,gathering1 ,keys of1 #adc1 #bif4 ,godhead1 #bi1 #ada1 #bjh1 #bfd1 #ejd4 ,godhead1 ,personality of1 #ejc1 #ecf1 #ecg1 #eda4 ,god our ,father in ,heaven1 #bjh4 ,gifts of ,spirit to remain1 #bai4 ,government of ,church1 #ce4 ,gospel1 ,only one1 #da1 #aba1 #ace1 #acf1 #bjb1 #ebi4 ,growth of ,church1 #ddc4 ,gospel ,letter1 ,lucy ,mack ,smith1 #edc4 ,harris1 ,martin1 #ai1 #bch4 ,holy ,ghost1 #cj1 #dg1 #ach1 #bji1 #bhh1 #eaj1 #edj4 ,holy ,ghost1 ,gifts of1 #hd1 #ach1 #bag1 #bgg #dfd4 ,holy ,spirit of ,god1 #bji1 #bgf4 ,history of ,church1 #ddb1 #dgg4 ,inspiration1 ,divine1 #bci4 ,jerusalem1 ,the ,new1 #adc4 ,jesus ,christ in express image of the ,father1 #bjh4 ,jesus ,christ the ,son1 #ejd4 ,knowledge1 ,incentive to obtain1 #bja4 ,knowledge of ,god ,essential1 #ejc4 ,laying on of ,hands1 #e1 #hc1 #abi1 #bag1 #bgf1 #bhh1 #cad4 ,loyalty of ,mormons1 #aih4 ,law of ,lineage1 #dic4 ,man may become perfect1 #ejf4 ,man's ,spirit ,immortal1 #ejf4 ,man punished for ,actual ,sins1 #e4 ,man ,child of ,god1 #eje1 #ejf4 ,missionary ,notes1 #h4 ,martyrdom of ,joseph and ,hyrum1 #bc1 #ei4 ,missionary ,work1 #bf1 #fj1 #aie1 #dea4 ,miracles1 #abi1 #ach4 ,messenger1 ,the ,coming of a1 #afd1 #afh4 ,mormons wronged by ,press1 #agg4 ,mission of ,mormon ,elders1 #ahe4 ,mountain ,meadow ,massacre1 #ahg1 #cdh4 ,manuscript1 ,rejected1 #aia1 #aib4 ,martyrdom1 ,night of the1 #bhc4 ,message1 ,peculiarities of the1 #dae4 ,millennium1 #eaf4 ,marriage forever1 #eaf4 ,necessity of ,holy ,ghost in the ,church1 #bba4 ,necessity of ,obedience to the ,gospel1 #eca4 ,organization1 #f1 #ba1 #ec1 #eh1 #fj4 #adc4 #dcg4 ,ordination1 #dif4 ,obedience1 #gh4 ,officers1 ,early ,civil1 #ddf4 ,omnipresence of ,god1 #bji4 ,oaths1 ,test1 #ddi4 ,officers in the ,church1 #bbe1 #bgh1 #dfa1 #eaa1 #ech4 ,ordinances1 #dda4 ,priesthood1 ,levitical1 #bbd4 ,plates1 ,joseph ,views the1 #ag1 #ah4 ,plates1 ,joseph ,receives the1 #ee4 ,priesthood1 ,aaronic1 #bj1 #eh4 #fj1 #adb1 #bbc1 #bbd1 #bie1 #edi4 ,priesthood1 #dcd1 #ddc4 ,priesthood1 ,melchizedek1 #fj1 #adb1 #bbc1 #bcd1 #bif1 #edi4 ,priesthood1 ,permanent order of1 #dib4 ,persecution1 ,missouri1 #bb1 #ei4 ,persecution1 ,illinois1 #be1 #ei4 ,pioneer ,days1 #bf4 ,principles1 ,first1 #da1 #abf1 #acg1 #adg1 #bbh1 #dhc1 #ebi1 #eci4 ,prophecies fulfilled1 #bdj1 #bei4 ,pre-existence1 #cjf1 #eje4 ,preaching without ,hire1 #ej1 #eci4 ,papers and ,periodicals1 ,church1 #fj4 ,prophecy of the ,new ,testament1 #chj4 ,prophet ,predicts ,removal ,west1 #ajf4 ,prophet ,predicts ,escape from ,enemies1 #ajg4 ,prophecy about ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas1 #ajg4 ,plates1 ,how ,plates were ,transmitted1 #aee4 ,plates of ,ether1 #aef4 ,plates1 ,smaller ,plates of ,nephi1 #aef4 ,persecution and ,suffering1 #aig1 #bfj1 #bfa1 #dea1 ,,sis1 #edb1 #eej4 vii ,presidency ,permanency1 #dhf4 ,prophecy ,foretelling ,civil ,war1 #bih4 ,repentance1 #e1 #cj1 #dc1 #acg1 #adh1 #bab1 #bgb1 #bhg1 #cac1 #ejh4 ,revelation1 #f1 #ada1 #bdb1 #dhi1 #eaa1 #ecc4 ,revelation1 ,spurious1 ,received1 #dij4 ,removal to ,kirtland1 #ba1 #ei4 ,removal to ,illinois1 #bb4 ,restoration1 #ca1 #hg1 #afd1 #aff1 #bcb1 #bhj1 #bib1 #dgh1 #eab1 #ecb1 #eea4 ,restored1 ,keys of ,gathering1 #aga4 ,restoration of the ,jews1 #cff4 ,reformation1 #dgc4 ,resurrection1 #dhc1 #ejf4 ,organization ,weighed1 #dhi4 ,smith1 ,prophet ,joseph1 #aa1 #ia1 #ada1 #cdi4 ,smith ,family1 #ah4 ,scriptures1 ,difficulty in ,ascertaining the ,meaning of the1 #chc4 ,salvation for the ,dead1 #cb1 #add1 #bdg1 #dga1 #ead4 ,societies1 ,auxiliary1 #cg4 ,salvation1 ,exclusive1 #ff4 ,salvation1 ,individual1 #bac1 #ejg4 ,salvation1 #eae4 ,sins1 ,remission of1 #bad4 ,sins of the ,world1 #bad4 ,sabbath1 ,the1 #ead4 ,sacrament1 #ddb1 #ead4 ,signs1 #aad4 ,spirits in ,prison1 #aej1 #dga4 ,spirits1 ,evil4 #eje4 ,social ,conditions among ,mormons1 #aid4 ,stories about ,mormons1 #aif4 ,statistics of ,crime1 #cdc4 ,statistics of ,education1 #cdc4 ,temples1 #ba1 #bf1 #ei1 #adc1 #deb4 ,testimony of ,non-,mormon ,witnesses1 #agh4 ,tithing1 #ead4 ,tabernacle1 ,mormon1 #aic4 ,testimony of ,apostasy by ,wesley1 ,smith's ,bible ,dictionary1 ,dr4 ,adam ,clark1 ,roger ,williams1 #cjc4 ,testimony of the ,gospel1 #cgd4 ,urim and ,thummim1 #ed4 ,universal ,salvation1 #bja4 ,unity of ,church1 #eac4 ,visions1 ,joseph's #ac1 #ad1 #ae1 #ba1 #ec1 #ic1 #adb1 #edg4 ,vicarious ,work for ,dead1 ,necessity of1 #hi1 #ij4 ,valley1 ,salt ,lake1 #aic4 ,witnesses1 ,the ,three1 #aaj1 #afh1 #bid1 #edh4 ,work ,accomplished by ,prophet1 #ade4 ,work1 ,temple1 #bja4 ,witnesses1 ,the ,eight1 #bda4 ,warning1 ,day of1 #bfb4 ,why we are here1 #caj1 #ejf4 #c ,,preface4 ,in presenting ,volumes #a and #b of ,scrap ,book of ,mormon ,literature1 the undersigned places within the reach of many of the saints a compilation of religious tracts that have been used and distributed by the elders of the ,church in the performance of their missionary labors throughout different nations of the earth4 ,some of these tracts are used at present by the elders and have been instruments in the hands of the ,lord of bringing thousands to a knowledge of the faith4 ,the same may be said concerning those that are not now used1 and which are contained within the covers of these volumes1 which were distributed by the elders who labored as missionaries in various parts of the earth from thirty to sixty years ago4 ,a religious tract contains the condensed thoughts upon the fundamental principles of the ,gospel and the authors of many of these valuable documents1 who were active in the missionary field more than half a century ago1 are remembered among the brightest minds the ,church has produced1 they have now passed behind the veil to receive ,eternal reward for their faithfulness4 ,there are a few people in the ,church who have bound volumes of religious tracts1 which they have gathered together from time to time and which they prize beyond the price of money4 ,this can be said by the compiler of these volumes and the appreciation of the few volumes of religious pamphlets which he has gathered in many missionary fields1 and had bound together1 conveyed to him the thought that many of the saints would appreciate having within their reach such valuable volumes4 ,there is scarcely a man in the ,church1 who has performed missionary labors in his life1 who will not find in these volumes something that will remind him of his missionary days1 when canvassing from house to house distributing the word of ,god2 and no doubt will bring back fond recollections of his missionary work4 ,there are no better volumes than these for a family to have within the reach of their children1 to enable them to make themselves acquainted with the fundamental doctrines of the ,restored ,gospel of our ,lord and ,savior4 ,these documents will be invaluable to young men and ladies who are preparing themselves for future #d missionary work4 ,the ,seventies1 whose special calling it is to carry the ,gospel abroad1 will be benefited by perusing these pages4 ,many of the saints1 by studying them1 will remember the days of their conversion to the ,gospel and will appreciate the manner in which they are now preserved for future generations4 ,in reading these pamphlets one must understand that the ,church has been a system of growth and while we have not changed in any manner the originality of the tracts1 the reader will note that in giving the statistics the ,church has had a wonderful growth since the first issuance of the pamphlets4 ,it has been a labor of love upon the part of the compiler1 who sincerely hopes to produce another volume at some future date that will make the compilation complete in every respect4 ,with a heart full of gratitude to ,god the ,eternal ,father for honoring me as ,he has done1 in permitting me to take part in the spread of the ,gospel1 and praying ,his blessings upon those who may read the pages of these volumes1 ,i remain1 ,yours faithfully1 ,,ben4 ,e4 ,,rich4 #e ,,articles ,,of ,,faith ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 #a4 ,we believe in ,god1 the ,eternal ,father1 and in ,his ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 and in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,personality ,,of ,,god4--,gen4 i4 #bf1 #bg2 v4 #a2 ix4 #f2 xviii2 xxxii1 #bd-cj2 ,ex4 xxiv4 #i1 #aa2 xxxiii4 #i-aa1 #bj-bc2 ,num4 xii4 #g1 #h2 ,john v4 #ai1 #bj2 ,acts vii4 #ee1 #ef2 ,phil4 ii4 #e-h2 ,heb4 i4 #c4 ,,personality ,,of ,,christ4--,matt4 iii4 #ag2 ,john v4 #bf1 #bg2 xv4 xvi4 xvii42 #a ,tim4 ii4 #e2 #a ,john v4 #g4 ,,holy ,,ghost4--,isaiah xi4 #a-c2 lxi4 #a2 ,matt4 iii4 #af2 ,mark i4 #aj2 ,luke iii4 #bb2 ,john i4 #cb1 #cc2 xvi4 #ac1 #ad2 ,acts i4 #e2 ii4 #d2 viii4 #ag-ai2 xix4 #b-f4 #b4 ,we believe that men will be punished for their own sins1 and not for ,adam's transgression4 ,,man ,,punished ,,for ,,actual ,,sins4--,jer4 xvii4 #aj2 ,matt4 xii4 #cf1 #cg2 xvi4 #bg2 #b ,cor4 v4 #aj2 ,rev4 xx4 #ab-ae4 #c4 ,we believe that1 through the atonement of ,christ1 all mankind may be saved1 by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the ,gospel4 ,,atonement ,,of ,,christ4--,isa4 liii42 ,acts iv4 #ab2 ,rom4 v4 #ab-ai2 #a ,john i4 #g-aj4 #d4 ,we believe that the first principles and ordinances of the ,gospel are3 ,first1 faith in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 second1 ,repentance2 third1 ,baptism by immersion for the remission of sins2 fourth1 ,laying on of hands for the ,gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,faith1 ,,repentance1 ,,baptism ,,and ,,laying ,,on ,,of ,,hands4--,heb4 xi42 ,rom4 i4 #af1 #ag2 x4 #ad1 #ae2 ,jas4 ii4 #ad-bf2 ,mark xvi4 #ae1 #af2 ,acts ii4 #ch1 #ci2 #b ,cor4 vii4 #i1 #aj2 ,isa4 lv4 #f1 #g2 ,eph4 iv4 #be-cb2 ,luke xiii4 #c2 ,matt4 iv4 #ag2 ,acts viii4 #ad-ag2 xix4 #a-f2 ,john iii4 #e2 ,heb4 vi4 #a1 #b4 #f #e4 ,we believe that a man must be called of ,god1 by prophecy and by the laying on of hands1 by those who are in authority1 to preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof4 ,,called ,,of ,,god4--,mark iii4 #ad2 ,john xv4 #af2 xvii4 #ah2 ,acts xiii4 #a-d2 xiv4 #bc2 ,rom4 x4 #ad1 #ae2 ,gal4 i4 #h-af2 #a ,tim4 ii4 #g2 ,heb4 iii4 #a2 v4 #d-aj2 #a ,peter ii4 #e-i3 ,rev4 v4 #i1 #aj4 #f4 ,we believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church1 viz3 apostles1 prophets1 pastors1 teachers1 evangelists1 etc4 ,,organization4--#a ,cor4 xii2 ,eph4 ii4 #ai-bb2 iv4 #g4 ,we believe in the gift of tongues1 prophecy1 revelation1 visions1 healing1 interpretation of tongues1 etc4 ,,spiritual ,,gifts4--,mark xvi4 #ae-bj2 ,john xiv4 #ab2 ,acts ii4 #ag2 #a ,cor4 xii2 #a ,thess4 v4 #ai1 #bj2 ,james v4 #ad1 #ae4 #h4 ,we believe the ,bible to be the ,word of ,god1 as far as it is translated correctly2 we also believe the ,book of ,mormon to be the ,word of ,god4 ,,book ,,of ,,mormon--,isaiah xxix4 #d1 #i-bd2 ,ezekiel xxxvii4 #ae-bh2 ,hosea viii4 #ab2 ,john x4 #af4 #i4 ,we believe all that ,god has revealed1 all that ,he does now reveal1 and we believe that ,he will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of ,god4 ,,latter-,,day ,,revelations4--,ezekiel xx4 #ce1 #cf2 ,joel ii4 #bh1 #bi2 ,amos iii4 #g2 ,mic4 ii4 #f1 #g2 ,mal4 iii4 #a-d2 iv2 ,acts ii4 #ag1 #ah2 ,jas4 i4 #e1 #f2 ,rev4 xiv-#f4 #aj4 ,we believe in the literal gathering of ,israel and the restoration of the ,ten ,tribes4 ,that ,zion will be built upon the ,american continent4 ,that ,christ will reign personally upon the earth1 and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory4 ,,gathering--,neh4 i4 #h1 #i2 ,ps4 #a4 #e2 cvii4 #a1 #g2 ,isa4 ii4 #b1 #c2 v4 #bf1 #bg2 xi4 #aa-af2 xliii4 #e-i2 xlix4 #ba2 lx4 #d1 #e2 ,jer4 iii4 #ad1 #ae2 xvi #ad-af2 xxiii4 #c-h2 xxx4 #a-h2 xxxi4 #h-ab2 xxxii4 #cg-ci2 #a4 #d1 #e2 ,ezek4 xx4 #cc-ch2 xxxix4 #bh2 ,zech4 xiv42 ,matt4 xxiv4 #ca2 ,john xi4 #eb2 ,eph4 i4 #aj2 ,rev4 xviii4 #d4 #aa4 ,we claim the privilege of worshiping ,almighty ,god according to the dictates of our conscience1 and allow all men the same privilege2 let them worship how1 where or what they may4 #g #ab4 ,we believe in being subject to kings1 presidents1 rulers and magistrates1 in obeying1 honoring and sustaining the law4 #ac4 ,we believe in being honest1 true1 chaste1 benevolent1 virtuous1 and in doing good to all men2 indeed1 we may say that we follow the admonition of ,paul ,we believe all things1 we hope all things1 we have endured many things1 and hope to be able to endure all things4 ,if there is anything virtuous1 lovely or of good report1 or praiseworthy1 we seek after these things4 ,,joseph ,,smith4 ,when the ,twelve or any other witnesses stand before the congregations of the earth1 and preach by the power and demonstration of the ,spirit of ,god1 and the people are astonished and confounded at the doctrine and say3 ',that man has preached a powerful discourse1 a great sermon1' then let that man1 or those men1 take care that they are humble and ascribe the praise and glory to ,god and the ,lamb2 for it is by the power of the ,holy ,priesthood and ,holy ,ghost that they thus speak4 ,what art thou1 ,o man1 but dust8 and from whom dost thou receive thy power and blessings but from ,god8 --,joseph ,smith1 ,the ,prophet4 #h ,,notes ,,to ,,be ,,referred ,,to ,,daily ,,by ,,missionaries4 ,each missionary of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints is endowed with the ,holy ,priesthood of ,god1 and is sent forth as a minister of the restored ,gospel of our ,lord and ,savior ,jesus ,christ4 ,he is believed to be morally clean and upright1 and should keep himself pure1 sweet1 and unspotted from the sins of the world4 ,he should avoid and resist the very appearance of evil1 and after performing an honorable mission1 should return to his home with clean hands and a pure heart4 ,among the many items of counsel given by the authorities of the ,church before his departure for the mission field1 he should have the following indelibly stamped upon his mind and heart3 #a4 ,keep a brief1 daily journal of your life's labors1 especially of all your official acts4 #b4 ,do all things with a prayerful heart2 pray vocally morning and evening1 oftener when necessary1 and pray secretly every day4 ,make each prayer appropriate to the occasion1 as those for the ,sacrament and ,baptism are4 #c4 ,invariably keep the ,word of ,wisdom1 refraining from the use of tea1 coffee1 tobacco and intoxicating drinks4 #d4 ,guard against familiarity with womankind4 ,there must be no sparking1 kissing1 or embracing of woman--your kisses should be for home consumption1 and be brought home to your loved ones1 where they belong4 ,kissing and hugging aside from this lead to immorality1 and a fallen brother not only crucifies himself1 but brings misery and woe to the kindred of both parties4 ,immorality is the bane of missionary life4 ,there is little more enticing1 and nothing more dangerous and deadly4 #e4 ,build up and portray the excellencies of the ,gospel1 but do not tear down any man's religious structure4 ,grant sincerity of mind1 as you claim it for yourself4 ,discover and recognize all things praiseworthy about you4 #f4 ,be charitable to unfortunate conditions1 and be sympathetic with the afflicted4 #g4 ,bless1 but do not curse4 #h4 ,be genteel1 and pattern after best in manly manners4 ,do not engage in rowdy or undignified sports1 but follow in the demeanor of a dignified and manly minister4 #i #i4 ,be pleasant and cheerful1 but do not indulge in nonsense1 ridicule and unseemly jesting4 #aj4 ,defend and justify the right1 but contend with no man4 #aa4 ,be candid and sincere4 #ab4 ,hold sacred and do not use commonly such names as ,god1 ,jesus ,christ1 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 ,apostle1 ,prophet1 ,seer and ,revelator4 ,elder or ,brother are the common titles for members of the ,melchizedek ,priesthood4 ,president and ,bishop may be used where they belong4 #ac4 ,write your first name in full1 or abbreviate1 as ,geo4 for ,george1 ,wm4 for ,william4 ,initials fail to determine the sex1 or to specify clearly which person is meant4 #ad4 ,study the ,scriptures carefully--the ,jewish1 ,nephite and ,latter-day revelations4 ,store your minds with knowledge of the truth1 and the ,spirit of the ,lord will bring it forth in due season4 ,as the ,savior said3 ,let your light so shine before men1 that they may see your good works and glorify your ,father which is in ,heaven4 #ae4 ,be cleanly in your person and clothing1 spend as little money as possible1 leaving the world and your brethren to assist you in the things that are needful1 thereby proving that they are disciples of the ,lord4 #af4 ,lodge1 feed and pray with the people as much as possible4 #ag4 ,you are sent out to preach the first principles of the ,gospel1 and to call all men unto repentance4 ,you are sent to teach1 and not to be taught by the world4 #ah4 ,leave your visiting and sight-seeing until your mission is completed4 #ai4 ,proper living and serving the ,lord and consequent growth and development of strength and stability at home will aid you in the mission field1 and1 on your return home1 you will be better prepared thereby to continue your labors and keep from backsliding4 #bj4 ,be careful of what money you may have2 see that you do not get robbed4 #ba4 ,do not borrow money of ,saints or strangers4 #bb4 ,do not make promises to write or do other favors when you get home2 wait until you get home1 and then do all you reasonably can4 #bc4 ,do not praise the beauties of ,zion1 or magnify the virtues of the ,saints4 ,fortify the people for the trials they must meet1 as they will be tried in the furnace4 ,urge the people to stay and maintain the work abroad in the earth1 by their #aj works and their means4 ,thus they will gain strength to be able to stand when they do gather to ,zion4 ,if they must apostatize1 it is better that they do so in their native land4 #bd4 ,start right1 by avoiding all evil habits2 never say in public or in private that you do not know the ,gospel is true4 #be4 ,get an understanding of the ,gospel1 and teach it as the spirit directs4 #bf4 ,get the spirit of your mission and keep it4 #bg4 ,seek learning by faith as well as by good study4 ,if deficient in good ,english1 acquire a knowledge thereof so as not to betray ignorance2 but do not depend upon fine words or upon the learning of the world4 #bh4 ,live near the ,lord1 so that you can approach and appeal to ,him on all occasions4 #bi4 ,let all your talents1 affections and power be centered on the work of the ministry4 #cj4 ,seek to know the will of the ,lord1 and to do it4 ,when success attends your labors1 give ,god the glory4 #ca4 ,in going and in returning1 and while sojourning1 remember that the ,church and the ,saints will be judged by your actions4 #cb4 ,your duty to yourself and to your ,god is to do your very best1 and to do it always4 #cc4 ,be appreciative of favors1 and leave your blessing with the deserving4 #cd4 ,do not enter into debates with each other or with anyone else over obscure points and passages2 nor should you seek to advance beyond what the ,lord has revealed4 #ce4 ,honor the laws of the country in which you labor4 #cf4 ,observe strictly the rules of the ,mission and ,conference ,presidents4 #cg4 ,be punctual1 that the ,spirit of the ,lord may not be grieved by the unseemliness of tardy attendance4 #ch4 ,your lives are precious2 care well for your health4 ,excesses are wrong and bring disaster4 ,you should not walk too much1 talk too much1 fast too much1 eat or drink too much1 or attempt too much to do without needful things4 ,wisdom is one of the greater gifts4 #ci4 ,your ambition to make converts should not lead you to baptize those who are unworthy4 ,never baptize a married woman without the consent of her husband1 or children under age without their parents' consent4 ,,francis ,m4 ,,lyman1 ,in behalf of the ,council of ,twelve ,apostles4 #aa ,,the ,,prophet ,,joseph ,,smith ,,tells ,,his ,,own ,,story4 ,a ,,brief ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,early ,,visions ,,of ,,the ,,prophet ,,and ,,the ,,rise ,,and ,,progress ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 ,,by ,,joseph ,,smith1 ,,himself4 ,,written ,,in #ahch4 #a4 ,owing to the many reports which have been put in circulation by evil-disposed and designing persons1 in relation to the rise and progress of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 all of which have been designed by the authors thereof to militate against its character as a ,church and its progress in the world--,i have been induced to write this history1 to disabuse the public mind1 and put all inquiries after truth in possession of the facts1 as they have transpired1 in relation both to myself and to the ,church1 so far as ,i have such facts in my possession4 #b4 ,in this history ,i shall present the various events in relation to this ,church1 in truth and righteousness1 as they have transpired1 or as they at present exist1 being now the eighth year since the organization of the said ,church4 #c4 ,i was born in the year of our ,lord one thousand eight hundred and five1 on the twenty third day of ,december1 in the town of ,sharon1 ,windsor county1 ,state of ,vermont4 ,my father1 ,joseph ,smith1 ,senior1 left the ,state of ,vermont and moved to ,palmyra1 ,ontario 7now ,wayne7 county1 in the ,state of ,new ,york1 when ,i was in my tenth year1 or thereabouts4 ,in about four years after my father's arrival in ,palmyra1 he moved with his family into ,manchester1 in the same county of ,ontario4 #d4 ,his family consisted of eleven souls1 namely--my father1 ,joseph ,smith2 my mother1 ,lucy ,smith 7whose name1 previous to her marriage1 was ,mack1 daughter of ,solomon ,mack72 my brothers1 ,alvin 7who died ,november #aith1 #ahbd1 in the #bgth year of his age71 ,hyrum1 myself1 ,samuel ,harrison1 ,william1 ,don ,carlos2 and my sisters1 ,sophronia1 ,catherine1 and ,lucy4 #e4 ,some time in the second year after our removal to ,manchester1 there was in the place where we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion4 ,it commenced with the ,methodists1 but soon became general among all the sects in that region of country4 ,indeed1 the whole district of country seemed affected by it1 and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties1 which created no small stir and division amongst the people1 some crying1 ',lo1 here6' and others1 ',lo1 there6' ,some were contending for the ,methodist faith1 some for the ,presbyterian1 and some for the ,baptist4 #f4 ,for notwithstanding the great love which the converts to these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion1 and the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy1 who were active #ab getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling1 in order to have everybody converted1 as they were pleased to call it1 let them join what sect they pleased--yet when the converts began to file off1 some to one party and some to another1 it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts were more pretended than real2 for a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued2 priest contending against priest1 and convert against convert2 so that all their good feelings one for another1 it they ever had any1 were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions4 #g4 ,i was at this time in my fifteenth year4 ,my father's family was proselyted to the ,presbyterian faith1 and four of them joined that church1 namely--my mother1 ,lucy2 my brothers ,hyrum1 ,samuel ,harrison2 and my sister ,sophronia4 #h4 ,during this time of great excitement1 my mind was called up to serious reflection and great though my feelings were deep and often poignant1 still ,i kept myself aloof from all these parties1 though ,i attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit4 ,in process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the ,methodist sect1 and ,i felt some desire to be united with them2 but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations1 that it was impossible for a person young as ,i was1 and so unacquainted with men and things1 to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong4 #i4 ,my mind at times was greatly excited1 the cry and tumult were so great and incessant4 ,the ,presbyterians were most decided against the ,baptists and ,methodists1 and used all the powers of either reason or sophistry to prove their errors1 or1 at least1 to make the people think they were in error4 ,on the other hand1 the ,baptists and ,methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others4 #aj4 ,in the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions1 ,i often said to myself1 ,what is to be done8 ,who of all these parties are right2 or1 are they all wrong together8 ,if any one of them be right1 which is it1 and how shall ,i know it8 #aa4 ,while ,i was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists1 ,i was one day reading the ,epistle of ,james1 first chapter and fifth verse1 which reads3 ,if any of you lack wisdom1 let him ask of ,god1 that giveth to all men liberally1 and upbraideth not2 and it shall be given him4 #ab4 ,never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine4 ,it seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart4 ,i reflected on it again and again1 knowing that if any person needed wisdom from ,god1 ,i did2 for how to act ,i did not know1 and unless ,i could get more wisdom than ,i then had1 ,i would never know2 for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passage of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the ,bible4 #ac4 ,at length ,i came to the conclusion that ,i must either remain in darkness and confusion1 or else ,i must do as ,james directs1 that is1 ask of ,god4 ,i at length came to the determination to ask of ,god1' concluding that if ,he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom1 and would give liberally1 and not upbraid1 ,i might venture4 #ad4 ,so1 in accordance with this1 my determination to ask of ,god1 ,i retired to the woods to make the attempt4 ,it was on the morning #ac of a beautiful1 clear day1 early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty4 ,it was the first time in my life that ,i had made such an attempt1 for amidst all my anxieties ,i had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally4 #ae4 ,after ,i had retired to the place where ,i had previously designed to go1 having looked around me1 and finding myself alone1 ,i kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to ,god4 ,i had scarcely done so1 when immediately ,i was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me1 and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that ,i could not speak4 ,thick darkness gathered around me1 and it seemed to me for a time as if ,i were doomed to sudden destruction4 #af4 ,but1 exerting all my powers to call upon ,god to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me1 and at the very moment when ,i was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction--not to an imaginary ruin1 but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world1 who had such marvelous power as ,i had never before felt in any being--just at this moment of great alarm1 ,i saw a pillar of light exactly over my head1 above the brightness of the sun1 which descended gradually until it fell upon me4 #ag4 ,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 spake unto me1 calling me by name1 and said1 pointing to the other--,this is my beloved ,son1 hear ,him6 #ah4 ,my object in going to inquire of the ,lord was to know which of all the sects was right1 that ,i might know which to join4 ,no sooner1 therefore1 did ,i get possession of myself1 so as to be able to speak1 than ,i asked the personages who stood above me in the light1 which of all the sects was right--and which ,i should join4 #ai4 ,i was answered that ,i must join none of them1 for they were all wrong2 and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight3 that those professors were all corrupt2 that 'they draw near to me with their lips1 but their hearts are far from me2 they teach for doctrines the commandments of men1 having a form of godliness1 but they deny the power thereof4' #bj4 ,he again forbade me to join with any of them2 and many other things did ,he say unto me1 which ,i cannot write at this time4 ,when ,i came to myself again ,i found myself lying on my back1 looking up into heaven4 #ba4 ,some few days after ,i had this vision1 ,i happened to be in company with one of the ,methodist preachers1 who was very active in the before-mentioned religious excitement2 and converging with him on the subject of religion1 ,i took occasion to give him an account of the vision which ,i had had4 ,i was greatly surprised at his behavior2 he treated my communication not only lightly1 but with great contempt1 saying it was all of the devil1 that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days2 that all such things had ceased with the ,apostles1 and that there would never be any more of them4 #bb4 ,i soon found1 however1 that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion1 and was the cause of great persecution1 which continued to increase2 and though ,i was an obscure boy1 only between fourteen and fifteen years of age1 and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy #ad of no consequence in the world1 yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me1 and create a bitter persecution2 and this was common among all the sects--all united to persecute me4 #bc4 ,it caused me serious reflection then1 and often has since1 how very strange it was that an obscure boy1 of a little over fourteen years of age1 and one1 too1 who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily labor1 should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day1 and in a manner to create in them a spirit of the most bitter persecution and reviling4 ,but strange or not1 so it was1 and it was often the cause of great sorrow to myself4 #bd4 ,however1 it was nevertheless a fact that ,i had beheld a vision4 ,i have thought since1 that ,i felt much like ,paul1 when he made his defense before ,king ,agrippa1 and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light and heard a voice2 but still there were but few who believed him2 some said he was dishonest1 others said he was mad2 and he was ridiculed and reviled4 ,but all this did not destroy the reality of his vision4 ,he had seen a vision1 he knew he had1 and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise2 and though they should persecute him unto death1 yet he knew1 and would know to his latest breath1 that he had both seen a light and heard a ,voice speaking unto him1 and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise4 #be4 ,so it was with me4 ,i had actually seen a light1 and in the midst of that light ,i saw two personages1 and they did in reality speak to me2 and though ,i was hated and persecuted for saying that ,i had seen a vision1 yet it was true2 and while they were persecuting me1 reviling me1 and speaking all manner of evil against me1 falsely for so saying1 ,i was led to say in my heart3 ,why persecute me for telling the truth8 ,i have actually seen a vision1 and who am ,i that ,i can withstand ,god1 or why does the world think to make me deny what ,i have actually seen8 ,for ,i had seen a vision2 ,i knew it1 and ,i knew that ,god knew it1 and ,i could not deny it1 neither dared ,i do it1 at least ,i knew that by so doing ,i would offend ,god1 and come under condemnation4 #bf4 ,i had now got my mind satisfied so far as the sectarian world was concerned2 and that it was not my duty to join with any of them1 but to continue as ,i was until further directed4 ,i had found the testimony of ,james to be true1 that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of ,god1 and obtain1 and not be upbraided4 #bg4 ,i continued to pursue my common vocations in life until the twenty-first of ,september1 one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three1 all the time suffering severe persecution at the hands of all classes of men1 both religious and irreligious1 because ,i continued to affirm that ,i had seen a vision4 #bh4 ,during the space of time which intervened between the time ,i had the vision and the year eighteen hundred and twenty-three--having been forbidden to join any of the religious sects of the day1 and being of very tender years1 and persecuted by those who ought to have been my friends and to have treated me kindly1 and if they supposed me to be deluded to have endeavored in a proper and affectionate manner to have reclaimed me1--,i was left to all kinds of temptations2 and mingling with all kinds of society1 ,i frequently fell into many foolish errors1 and displayed the weakness of youth1 #ae and the foibles of human nature2 which ,i am sorry to say1 led me into divers temptations1 offensive in the sight of ,god4 #bi4 ,in consequence of these things1 ,i often felt condemned for my weakness and imperfections2 when1 on the evening of the above-mentioned twenty-first of ,september1 after ,i had retired to my bed for the night1 ,i betook myself to prayer and supplication to ,almighty ,god for forgiveness of all my sins and follies1 and also for a manifestation to me1 that ,i might know of my state and standing before him2 for ,i had full confidence in obtaining a divine manifestation1 as ,i previously had one4 #cj4 ,while ,i was thus in the act of calling upon ,god1 ,i discovered a light appearing in my room1 which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday1 when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside1 stand in the air1 for his feet did not touch the floor4 #ca4 ,he had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness4 ,it was a whiteness beyond anything earthly ,i had ever seen2 nor do ,i believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant4 ,his hands were naked1 and his arms also1 a little above the wrist2 so1 also1 were his feet naked1 as where his legs1 a little above the ankles4 ,his head and neck were also bare4 ,i could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe1 as it was open1 so that ,i could see into his bosom4 #cb4 ,not only was his robe exceedingly white1 but his whole person was glorious beyond description1 and his countenance truly like lightning4 ,the room was exceedingly light1 but not so very bright as immediately around his person4 ,when ,i first looked upon him1 ,i was afraid2 but the fear soon left me4 #cc4 ,he called me by name1 and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of ,god to me and that his name was ,moroni2 that ,god had a work for me to do2 and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations1 kindreds1 and tongues1 or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people4 #cd4 ,he said there was a book deposited1 written upon gold plates1 giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent1 and the source from whence they sprang4 ,he also said that the fulness of the everlasting ,gospel was contained in it1 as delivered by the ,savior to the ancient inhabitants2 #ce4 ,also1 that there were two stones in silver bows--and these stones1 fastened to a breastplate1 constituted what is called the ,urim and ,thummim--deposited with the plates2 and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted seers in ancient or former times2 and that ,god had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book4 #cf4 ,after telling me these things1 he commenced quoting the prophecies of the ,old ,testament4 ,he first quoted part of the third chapter of ,malachi1 and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy1 though with a little variation from the way it reads in our ,bibles4 ,instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books1 he quoted it thus3 #cg4 ,for behold1 the day cometh that shall burn as an oven1 and all the proud1 yea1 and all that do wickedly1 shall burn as stubble2 for they that come shall burn them1 saith the ,lord of ,hosts1 that it shall leave them neither root nor branch4 #ch4 ,and again he quoted the fifth verse thus3 ,behold1 ,i will #af reveal unto you the ,priesthood1 by the hand of ,elijah the prophet1 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord4 #ci4 ,he also quoted the next verse differently3 ,and he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers1 and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers2 if it were not so1 the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming4 #dj4 ,in addition to these1 he quoted the eleventh chapter of ,isaiah1 saying that it was about to be fulfilled4 ,he quoted also the third chapter of ,acts1 twenty-second and twenty-third verses1 precisely as they stand in our ,new ,testament4 ,he said that that prophet was ,christ2 but the day had not yet come when they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people1 but soon would come4 #da4 ,he also quoted the second chapter of ,joel1 from the twenty-eighth verse to the last4 ,he also said that this was not yet fulfilled1 but was soon to be4 ,and he further stated that the fulness of the ,gentiles was soon to come in4 ,he quoted many other passages of scripture1 and offered many explanations which cannot be mentioned here4 #db4 ,again1 he told me1 that when ,i got those plates of which he had spoken--for the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled--,i should not show them to any person2 neither the breastplate with the ,urim and ,thummim2 only to those to whom ,i should be commanded to show them2 if ,i did ,i should be destroyed4 ,while he was conversing with me about the plates1 the vision was opened to my mind that ,i could see the place where the plates were deposited1 and that so clearly and distinctly that ,i knew the place again when ,i visited it4 #dc4 ,after this communication1 ,i saw the light in the room begin to gather immediately around the person of him who had been speaking to me1 and it continued to do so1 until the room was again left dark1 except just around him1 when instantly ,i saw1 as it were1 a conduit open right up into heaven1 and he ascended till he entirely disappeared1 and the room was left as it had been before this heavenly light had made its appearance4 #dd4 ,i lay musing on the singularity of the scene1 and marveling greatly at what had been told to me by this extraordinary messenger2 when1 in the midst of my meditation1 ,i suddenly discovered that my room was again beginning to get lighted1 and in an instant1 as it were1 the same heavenly messenger was again by my bedside4 #de4 ,he commenced1 and again related the very same things which he had done at his first visit1 without the least variation3 which having done1 he informed me of great judgments which were coming upon the earth1 with great desolations by famine1 sword1 and pestilence2 and that these grievous judgments would come on the earth in this generation4 ,having related these things1 he again ascended as he had done before4 #df4 ,by this time1 so deep were the impressions made on my mind1 that sleep had fled from my eyes1 and ,i lay overwhelmed in astonishment at what ,i had both seen and heard4 ,but what was my surprise when again ,i beheld the same messenger at my bedside1 and heard him rehearse or repeat over again to me the same things as before2 and added a caution to me1 telling me that ,satan would try to tempt me 7in consequence of the indigent circumstances of my father's family71 to get the plates for the purpose of getting rich4 ,this he forbade me1 saying that ,i must have no other object #ag in view in getting the plates but to glorify ,god1 and must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building ,his kingdom2 otherwise ,i could not get them4 #dg4 ,after this third visit1 he again ascended into heaven as before1 and ,i was again left to ponder on the strangeness of what ,i had just experienced2 when almost immediately after the heavenly messenger had ascended from me the third time1 the cock crowed1 and ,i found that day was approaching1 so that our interviews must have occupied the whole of that night4 #dh4 ,i shortly after arose from my bed1 and1 as usual1 went to the necessary labors of the day2 but1 in attempting to work as at other times1 ,i found my strength so exhausted as to render me entirely unable4 ,my father1 who was laboring along with me1 discovered something to be wrong with me1 and told me to go home4 ,i started with the intention of going to the house2 but in attempting to cross the fence out of the field where we were1 my strength entirely failed me1 and ,i fell helpless on the ground1 and for a time was quite unconscious of anything4 #di4 ,the first thing that ,i can recollect was a voice speaking unto me1 calling me by name4 ,i looked up1 and beheld the same messenger standing over my head1 surrounded by light as before4 ,he then again related unto me all that he had related to me the previous night1 and commanded me to go to my father and tell him of the vision and commandments which ,i had received4 #ej4 ,i obeyed2 ,i returned to my father in the field1 and rehearsed the whole matter to him4 ,he replied to me that it was of ,god1 and told me to go and do as commanded by the messenger4 ,i left the field1 and went to the place where the messenger had told me the plates were deposited2 and owing to the distinctness of the vision which ,i had had concerning it1 ,i knew the place the instant that ,i arrived there4 #ea4 ,convenient to the village of ,manchester1 ,ontario county1 ,new ,york1 stands a hill of considerable size1 and the most elevated of any in the neighborhood4 ,on the west side of this hill1 not far from the top1 under a stone of considerable size1 lay the plates1 deposited in a stone box4 ,this stone box was thick and rounding in the middle on the upper side1 and thinner towards the edges1 so that the middle part of it was visible above the ground1 but the edge all around was covered with earth4 #eb4 ,having removed the earth1 ,i obtained a lever1 which ,i got fixed under the edge of the stone1 and with a little exertion raised it up4 ,i looked in1 and there indeed did ,i behold the plates1 the ,urim and ,thummim1 and the breastplate1 as stated by the messenger4 ,the box in which they lay was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement4 ,in the bottom of the box were laid two stones crossways of the box1 and on these stones lay the plates and the other things with them4 #ec4 ,i made an attempt to take them out1 but was forbidden by the messenger1 and was again informed that the time to bring them forth had not yet arrived1 neither would it1 until four years from that time2 but he told me that ,i should come to that place precisely in one year from that time1 and that he would there meet with me1 and that ,i should continue to do so until the time should come for obtaining the plates4 #ed4 ,accordingly1 as ,i had been commanded1 ,i went at the end of each year1 and at each time ,i found the same messenger there1 #ah and received instruction and intelligence from him at each of our interviews1 respecting what the ,lord was going to do1 and how and in what manner ,his ,kingdom was to be conducted in the last days4 #ee4 ,as my father's worldly circumstances were very limited1 we were under the necessity of laboring with out hands1 hiring out by day's work and otherwise1 as we could get opportunity4 ,sometimes we were at home1 and sometimes abroad1 and by continuous labor1 were enabled to get a comfortable maintenance4 #ef4 ,in the year #ahbd my father's family met with a great affliction in the death of my eldest brother1 ,alvin4 ,in the month of ,october1 #ahbe1 ,i hired with an old gentleman by the name of ,josiah ,stoal1 who lived in ,chenango county1 state of ,new ,york4 ,he had heard something of a silver mine having been opened by the ,spaniards in ,harmony1 ,susquehanna county1 state of ,pennsylvania2 and had1 previous to my hiring to him1 been digging1 in order1 if possible1 to discover the mine4 ,after ,i went to live with him1 he took me1 with the rest of his hands1 to dig for the silver mine1 at which ,i continued to work for nearly a month1 without success in our undertaking1 and finally ,i prevailed with the old gentleman to cease digging after it4 ,hence arose the very prevalent story of my having been a money-digger4 #eg4 ,during the time that ,i was thus employed1 ,i was put to board with a ,mr4 ,isaac ,hale1 of that place2 it was there ,i first saw my wife 7his daughter71 ,emma ,hale4 ,on the #ahth of ,january1 #ahbg1 we were married1 while ,i was yet employed in the service of ,mr4 ,stoal4 #eh4 ,owing to my continuing to assert that ,i had seen a vision1 persecution still followed me1 and my wife's father's family were very much opposed to our being married4 ,i was1 therefore1 under the necessity of taking her elsewhere2 so we went and were married at the house of ,squire ,tarbill1 in ,south ,bainbridge1 ,chenango county1 ,new ,york4 ,immediately after my marriage1 ,i left ,mr4 ,stoal's1 and went to my father's1 and farmed with him that season4 #ei4 ,at length the time arrived for obtaining the plates1 the ,urim and ,thummim1 and the breastplate4 ,on the twenty-second day of ,september1 one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven1 having gone as usual at the end of another year to the place where they were deposited1 the same heavenly messenger delivered them up to me with this charge3 that ,i should be responsible for them2 that if ,i should let them go carelessly1 or through any neglect of mine1 ,i should be cut off2 but that if ,i would use all my endeavors to preserve them1 until he1 the messenger1 should call for them1 they should be protected4 #fj4 ,i soon found out the reason why ,i had received such strict charges to keep them safe1 and why it was that the messenger had said that when ,i had done what was required at my hand1 he would call for them4 ,for no sooner was it known that ,i had them1 than the most strenuous exertions were used to get them from me4 ,every stratagem that could be invented was resorted for that purpose4 ,the persecution became more bitter and severe than before1 and multitudes were on the alert continually to get them from me if possible4 ,but by the wisdom of ,god1 they remained safe in my hands1 until ,i had accomplished by them what was required at my hand4 ,when1 according to arrangement1 the messenger called for them1 ,i delivered them up to him2 and he has them in charge until this day1 being the second day of ,may1 one thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight4 #ai #fa4 ,the excitement1 however1 still continued1 and rumor with her thousand tongues was all the time employed in circulating falsehoods about my father's family1 and about myself4 ,if ,i were to relate a thousandth part of them1 it would fill up volumes4 ,the persecution1 however1 became so intolerable that ,i was under the necessity of leaving ,manchester1 and going with my wife to ,susquehanna county1 in the state of ,pennsylvania4 ,while preparing to start1--being very poor1 and the persecution so heavy upon us that there was no probability that we would ever be otherwise1--in the midst of our afflictions we found a friend in a gentleman by the name of ,martin ,harris1 who came to us and gave me fifty dollars to assist us on our journey4 ,mr4 ,harris was a resident of ,palmyra township1 ,wayne county1 in the state of ,new ,york1 and a farmer of respectability4 #fb4 ,by this timely aid was ,i enabled to reach the place of my destination in ,pennsylvania2 and immediately after my arrival there ,i commenced copying the characters off the plates4 ,i copied a considerable number of them1 and by means of the ,urim and ,thummim ,i translated some of them1 which ,i did between the time ,i arrived at the house of my wife's father1 in the month of ,december1 and the ,february following4 #fc4 ,sometime in this month of ,february1 the aforementioned ,mr4 ,martin ,harris came to our place1 got the characters which ,i had drawn off the plates1 and started with them to the city of ,new ,york4 ,for what took place relative to him and the characters1 ,i refer to his own account of the circumstances1 as he related them to me after his return1 which was as follows3 #fd4 ,i went to the city of ,new ,york and presented the characters which had been translated1 with the translation thereof1 to ,professor ,charles ,anthop1 a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments4 ,professor ,anthop stated that the translation was correct1 more so than any he had before seen translated from the ,egyptian4 ,i then showed him those which were not yet translated1 and he said that they were ,egyptian1 ,chaldaic1 ,assyriac1 and ,arabic2 and he said they were true characters4 ,he gave me a certificate1 certifying to the people of ,palmyra that they were true characters1 and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct4 ,i took the certificate and put it into my pocket1 and was just leaving the house1 when ,mr4 ,anthon called me back1 and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them4 ,i answered that an angel of ,god had revealed it unto him4 #fe4 ,he then said to me1 ',let me see that certificate4' ,i accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him1 when he took it and tore it to pieces1 saying that there was no such thing now as ministering of angels1 and that if ,i would bring the plates to him1 he would translate them4 ,i informed him that part of the plates were sealed1 and that ,i was forbidden to bring them4 ,he replied1 ',i cannot read a sealed book4' ,i left him and went to ,dr4 ,mitchell1 who sanctioned what ,professor ,anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation4 #ff4 ,on the #eth day of ,april1 #ahbi1 ,oliver ,cowdery came to my house1 until which time ,i had never seen him4 ,he stated to me that having been teaching school in the neighborhood where my father resided1 and my father being one of those who sent to the school1 he went to board for a season at his house1 and while there the #bj family related to him the circumstances of my having received the plates1 and accordingly he had come to make inquiries of me4 #fg4 ,two days after the arrival of ,mr4 ,cowdery 7being the #gth of ,april7 ,i commenced to translate the ,book of ,mormon1 and he began to write for me4 #fh4 ,we still continued the work of translation1 when1 the ensuing month 7,may1 #ahbi71 we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the ,lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins1 that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates4 ,while we were thus employed1 praying and calling upon the ,lord1 a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light1 and having laid his hands upon us1 he ordained us1 saying3 #fi4 ,upon you1 my fellow1 servants1 in the name of ,messiah1 ,i confer the ,priesthood of ,aaron1 which holds the keys of the ministering of angels1 and of the ,gospel of repentance1 and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins2 and this shall never be taken again from the earth1 until the sons of ,levi do over again an offering unto the ,lord in righteousness4 #gj4 ,he said this ,aaronic ,priesthood had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 but that this should be conferred on us hereafter2 and he commanded us to go and be baptized1 and gave us directions that ,i should baptize ,oliver ,cowdery1 and that afterwards he should baptize me4 #ga4 ,accordingly we went and were baptized4 ,i baptized him first1 and afterwards he baptized me--after which ,i laid my hands upon his head and ordained him to the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 and afterwards he laid his hands on me and ordained me to the same priesthood--for so we were commanded4 #gb4 ,the messenger who visited us on this occasion and conferred this ,priesthood upon us1 said that his name was ,john1 the same that is called ,john the ,baptist in the ,new ,testament1 and that he acted under the direction of ,peter1 ,james1 and ,john1 who held the keys of the ,priesthood of ,melchisedek1 which ,priesthood1 he said1 would in due time be conferred on us1 and that ,i should be called the first ,elder of the ,church1 and he 7,oliver ,cowdery7 the second4 ,it was on the fifteenth day of ,may1 #ahbi1 that we were ordained under the hand of this messenger1 and baptized4 #gc4 ,immediately on our coming up out of the water after we had been baptized1 we experienced great and glorious blessings from our ,heavenly ,father4 ,no sooner had ,i baptized ,oliver ,cowdery than the ,holy ,ghost fell upon him1 and he stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly come to pass4 ,and again1 so soon as ,i had been baptized by him1 ,i also had the spirit of prophecy1 when1 standing up1 ,i prophesied concerning the rise of this ,church1 and many other things connected with the ,church1 and this generation of the children of men4 ,we were filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and rejoiced in the ,god of our salvation4 #gd4 ,our minds being now enlightened1 we began to have the scriptures laid open to our understandings1 and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously1 nor ever before had thought of4 ,in the meantime we were forced to keep secret the circumstances of having received the ,priesthood and our having been baptized1 owing to a spirit of persecution which had already manifested itself in the neighborhood4 #ge4 ,we had been threatened with being mobbed1 from time to #ba time1 and this1 too1 by professors of religion4 ,and their intentions of mobbing us were only counteracted by the influence of my wife's fathers family 7under ,divine ,providence71 who had become very friendly to me1 and who were opposed to mobs1 and were willing that ,i should be allowed to continue the work of translation without interruption2 and therefore offered and promised us protection from all unlawful proceedings1 as far as in them lay4 ,such is the simple story of the divine calling of the ,prophet of the nineteenth century1 as told by ,joseph ,smith himself4 ,he testified of these glorious things1 and a few believed his words and were baptized4 ,thus were the initiatory steps for the establishment of the ,church of ,christ in completeness of power1 gifts and ordinances established4 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints was organized on the sixth day of ,april1 #ahcj1 at ,fayette1 ,seneca county1 ,state of ,new ,york1 and its history has been thrillingly eventful4 ,from the time of its establishment the work has been spread abroad1 the faithful ,elders going forth1 like the ancient disciples1 proclaiming the ,gospel1 raising up and organizing branches4 ,the gifts and power of ,god have been made manifest1 the word being confirmed by signs following the believers4 ,in #ahca1 by revelation through ,joseph the ,seer1 the few believers were directed to gather to the ,state of ,ohio1 the town of ,kirtland being the headquarters of the ,church4 ,in the summer of the same year1 ,joseph ,smith and a number of other ,elders1 by divine command1 visited ,jackson county1 ,missouri1 which was designated as ,zion4 ,on ,april #crd1 #ahcf1 in the ,temple erected at ,kirtland1 the ,prophet ,joseph and ,oliver ,cowdery were blessed with a glorious vision of the ,savior1 whose appearance they described4 ,he signified ,his acceptance of the ,holy ,house1 that had been erected to ,his name1 promising many glorious blessings upon ,his people1 on condition that the ,holy ,temple be kept free from pollution4 ,they were also visited by ,moses1 who committed to them the keys of the gathering of ,israel and the bringing of the ,ten ,tribes from the ,north country4 ,elias also appeared and bestowed upon them the dispensation of the ,gospel of ,abraham2 and1 lastly1 there appeared ,elijah the ,prophet who1 in fulfillment of the prediction of ,malachi1 conferred upon ,joseph ,smith the keys to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers1 informing them that the great and dreadful day of the ,lord was near2 and by virtue of the authority conferred upon them at that time1 the hearts of those living are turning towards their dead progenitors1 and a sympathetic search for genealogy is going on among the ,latter-day #bb ,saints1 to be used by them in the great temples of the ,church2 where the living perform a work of salvation for the dead4 ,to follow the believers in the divine mission of ,joseph ,smith through the terrible storms of persecution1 to which they were subjected1 would consume volumes4 ,wherever they established themselves they were beset on very side by mobs1 who burned or despoiled their homes1 in many cases murdered them in cold blood1 and committed upon helpless women revolting crimes against chastity4 ,this was particularly the case in ,missouri1 in which state they subsequently settled1 and where they were driven from county to county1 and abused with such merciless cruelty1 that nothing short of the power of ,god saved them from annihilation1 as an organized body4 ,in fact1 the ,governor of the state1 a wretched person named ,boggs1 issued an order for the extermination of the ,saints1 and several thousand volunteers were raised and sent to execute this execrable decree4 ,joseph ,smith and numbers of the leading ,elders were thrown into prison where they were offered for food the flesh of their brethren who had been murdered by the mobs4 ,a council of the ,volunteer ,militia ,mobocrats was held in relation to the disposal of ,joseph ,smith and his brethren4 ,seventeen sectarian priests1 who took part in the murderous work1 were urgent in the demands that they be shot4 ,the commission of this cold-blooded deed was only prevented by ,general ,doniphan threatening to withdraw his regiment and free himself from such devilish doings4 ,being driven by ruthless1 relentless persecution1 having been expelled from their homes and last refuge in ,missouri1 the ,saints wended their weary steps to ,illinois4 ,hundreds of them perished during the winter from hunger1 cold1 and general exposure4 ,they built the beautiful city of ,nauvoo1 with a population of over #bj1jjj1 in ,hancock county1 ,illinois1 on the banks of the ,mississippi1 where they also erected a beautiful temple4 ,they flourished for a time1 their numbers being greatly swelled by inflowing immigration from different parts of the ,union and from ,great ,britain4 ,again the fierce winds of persecution began to howl1 as if the infernal regions had let loose their imps and commissioned them to take possession of the enemies of the people of ,god4 ,nothing seemed to satisfy them but the blood of the ,prophet1 and he seemed to realize it1 for on his way to ,carthage1 ,illinois1 where he was murdered in cold blood1 he said3 ,i am going like a lamb to the slaughter1 but ,i am as calm as #bc a summer's morning4 ,i have a conscience void of offense towards ,god1 and towards all men2 ,i shall die innocent1 and it shall yet be said of me1 'he was murdered in cold blood4' ,fifty times had he been arrested on trumped-up charges1 and forty-nine times had he been acquired by the courts of the land1 innocent of any crime4 ,desperate and maddened by being continually foiled in their wicked designs1 the mob finally declared that1 if law couldn't reach them1 powder and ball should4 ,on the #bgth of ,june1 #ahdd1 while in jail1 in the town of ,carthage1 and under the protective pledge of the governor of the ,state1 ,joseph ,smith the ,prophet1 and his brother ,hyrum1 the ,patriarch1 were cruelly murdered by a furious mob1 led by religious fanatics4 ,appended to the book containing the revelations received from the ,lord by the ,prophet ,joseph1 known as the ,book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 is published the following narrative of the ,night of ,martyrdom3 ,,martyrdom ,,of ,,joseph ,,smith1 ,,the ,,prophet1 ,,and ,,his ,,brother ,,hyrum4 #a4 ,to seal the testimony of this book and the ,book of ,mormon1 we announce the ,martyrdom of ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet1 and ,hyrum ,smith1 the ,patriarch4 ,they were shot in ,carthage jail1 on the #bgth of ,june1 #ahdd1 about five o'clock p4m41 by an armed mob1 painted black--of from #aej to #bjj persons4 ,hyrum was shot first and fell calmly1 exclaiming1 ,i am a dead man6 ,joseph leaped1 from the window1 and was shot dead in the attempt1 exclaiming1 ,o ,lord my ,god6 ,they were both shot after they were dead in a brutal manner1 and both received four halls4 #b4 ,john ,taylor1 and ,willard ,richards1 two of the ,twelve1 were the only persons in the room at the time2 the former was wounded in a savage manner with four balls1 but has since recovered2 the latter1 through the providence of ,god1 escaped1 without even a hole in his robe4 #c4 ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet and ,seer of the ,lord1 has done more 7save ,jesus only17 for the salvation of men in this world1 than any other man that ever lived in it4 ,in the short space of twenty years he has brought forth the ,book of ,mormon1 which he translated by the gift and the power of ,god1 and has been the means of publishing it in two continents2 has sent the fullness of the everlasting gospel which it contained to the four quarters of the earth2 has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this ,book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men2 gathered many thousands of the ,latter-day ,saints1 founded a great city2 and left a fame and name that cannot be slain4 ,he lived great1 and he died great in the eyes of ,god and his people1 and like most of the ,lord's anointed in ancient times1 has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood--and so has his brother ,hyrum4 ,in life they were not divided1 and in death they were not separated6 #d4 ,when ,joseph went to ,carthage to deliver himself up to the pretended requirements of the law1 two or three days previous to his assassination1 he said1 ,i am going like a lamb to the slaughter2 but #bd ,i am calm as a summer's morning2 ,i have a conscience void of offence towards ,god1 and towards all men4 ,i ,,shall ,,die ,,innocent1 ,,and ,,it ,,shall ,,yet ,,be ,,said ,,of ,,me--,,he ,,was ,,murdered ,,in ,,cold ,,blood4 ,the same morning1 after ,hyrum had made ready to go--shall it be said to the slaughter8 ,yes1 for so it was1--he read the following paragraph1 near the close of the twelfth chapter of ,ether1 in the ,book of ,mormon1 and turned down the leaf upon it3-- #e4 ,and it came to pass that ,i prayed unto the ,lord that he would give unto the ,gentiles grace1 that they might have charity4 ,and it came to pass that the ,lord said unto me1 if they have not charity1 it mattered not unto you1 thou hast been faithful2 wherefore thy garments are clean4 ,and because thou hast seen thy weakness1 thou shalt be made strong1 even unto the sitting down in the place which ,i have prepared in the mansions of my ,father4 ,and now ,i--bid farewell unto the ,gentiles2 yea and also unto my brethren whom ,i love1 until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood4 ,the testators are now dead1 and their testament is in force4 #f4 ,hyrum ,smith was #dd years old1 ,february1 #ahdd1 and ,joseph ,smith was #ch in ,december1 #ahdc2 and henceforward their names will be classed among the martyrs of religion2 and the reader in every nation will be reminded that the ,book of ,mormon1 and this book of ,doctrine and ,cov4 of the church1 cost the best blood of the nineteenth century to bring them forth for the salvation of the ruined world3 and that if the fire can scathe a green tree for the glory of ,god1 how easy it will burn up the dry trees to purify the vineyard of corruption4 ,they lived for glory2 they died for glory2 and glory is their eternal reward4 ,from age to age shall their names go down to posterity as gems for the sanctified4 #g4 ,they were innocent of any crime1 as they often proved before1 and were only confined in jail by the conspiracy of traitors and wicked men2 and their innocent blood on the floor of ,carthage jail1 is a broad seal affixed to ,mormonism that cannot be rejected by any court on earth2 and their innocent blood on the escutcheon of the ,state of ,illinois1 with the broken faith of the ,state as pledged by the ,governor1 is a witness to the truth of the everlasting gospel1 that all the world cannot impeach2 and their innocent blood on the banner of liberty1 and on the magna charta of the ,united ,states1 is an ambassador for the religion of ,jesus ,christ1 that will touch the hearts of honest men among all nations2 and their innocent blood1 with the innocent blood of all the martyrs under the altar that ,john saw1 will cry unto the ,lord of ,hosts1 till ,he avenges that blood on the earth4 ,amen4 ,it was fondly hoped that1 by the death of the great ,prophet1 the work he had been commissioned to establish would go out of existence4 ,but it was destined to remain forever4 ,truth is imperishable4 ,the enemies of the ,church redoubled their efforts1 thinking they could complete a work of demolition they imagined they had begun4 ,but though1 by the machinations of the wicked and the operations of fiendish hate1 good and great men may be swept from the earth1 the principles they advance remain behind4 ,men are subject to removal #be from this sphere1 it is true1 but truth1 eternal truth1 is not susceptible to obliteration3 ,truth crushed to earth will rise again4 ,joseph ,smith was martyred1 but another great man had been prepared to take up the link of the chain1 which the wicked fondly hoped had been snapped never more to be welded4 ,the ,twelve ,apostles1 upon the death of ,joseph ,smith1 were the highest authority of the ,church4 ,brigham ,young was their president1 and recognizing this truth1 he was1 on ,december #eth1 #ahdg1 selected as president of the whole ,church1 and as such directed its affairs down to the time of his death in ,august1 #ahgg4 ,mob violence did not cease with the martyrdom of ,joseph and ,hyrum4 ,the dogs of war continued to let loose upon the ,latter-day ,saints until1 finally1 they had to enter into a compulsory agreement1 or written compact1 to leave the ,state of ,illinois1 and betake themselves to the ,western wilds of ,america1 where is was proudly hoped by their enemies1 they would inevitably perish4 ,the compulsory exodus commenced under the leadership of ,brigham ,young1 in the depth of the winter of #ahdf1 when the friendless wanderers passed through hardships and sufferings1 in the midst of ice1 snowdrifts and a temperature frequently twenty degrees below zero4 ,while encamped on the western bank of the ,missouri ,river1 the general government sent an agent1 calling for #ejj of the ablest men among the ,mormon exiles to aid the ,united ,states in the war against ,mexico4 ,these were promptly furnished1 showing that accusations of disloyalty made against this despised people were unfounded4 ,to add to the distress of the camp1 at this juncture they learned that the sick and infirm who were left behind in ,nauvoo1 from inability to move with the main body1 had been actually driven out of that city at the mouth of the musket and cannon by the brutal1 inhuman mob4 ,on the #bdth of ,july1 #ahdg1 the pioneers1 led by ,brigham ,young1 entered the valley of the ,great ,salt ,lake4 ,successive companies followed1 and the cultivation of the soil proceeded4 ,until the harvest of #ahdh many suffered from hunger1 living upon small roots and rawhide4 ,mammoth volumes might be filled with narratives of the trials1 vicissitudes1 travels1 hardships1 afflictions and persecutions to which the ,church of ,christ has been subjected4 ,we might speak of the difficulties the ,latter-day ,saints have had to cope with in their present beautiful location in the formerly barren but now smiling and fruitful valleys of the ,west1 beyond the ,rocky ,mountains2 how their crops have in past years #bf been destroyed by hordes of grasshoppers and crickets1 yet they have plodded on their way1 rejoicing and trusting in the ,god of ,heaven1 who1 although ,he has seen fit to try and prove them1 has never deserted them in the hour of need4 ,before the advent of ,western railroads on the ,american ,continent the pilgrim ,saints1 with faces turned toward the pastures of the ,rocky ,mountains1 had to traverse1 mostly afoot1 the broad and almost trackless prairies1 over mountains and across rivers and valleys1 their baggage and the more feeble of the people being conveyed by wagons hauled by oxen4 ,in #ahff1 the ,latter-day ,saints in ,utah1 inspired with deep solicitude for the pilgrims on their weary way westward1 with a largeness of heart and generosity that has seldom been equalled1 forwarded to the frontiers #ejj wagons1 with a sufficient number of cattle and men to transport them #a1ajj miles--from the ,missouri ,river to ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,by the magic hand of industry1 under the blessings of the ,god of ,israel1 that ,western wilderness has been transformed into a picture of smiling fruitfulness4 ,besides the beautiful city of ,salt ,lake--the admiration of passing tourists1 who flock there by thousands every year--there are nearly #ejj other cities and settlements which blossom like the rose4 ,temples have been erected in ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,st4 ,george1 ,manti and ,logan1 at a cost of over seven millions of dollars1 besides hundreds of tabernacles and churches scattered throughout that region which represent other millions in money4 ,thus are the ,latter-day ,saints manifesting their solicitude for the welfare of the fathers who have gone before1 by preparing places wherein they can officiate for them1 ,that they may be judged according to men in the flesh and live according to ,god in the spirit4 ,since then thousands of ,elders have gone into all parts of the civilized world1 traveling as the ,apostles of old did1 without purse and without script1 crying repentance to the nations1 and calling on them to be baptized and escape the damnation of hell4 ,these ,elders have left the farm1 the workshop1 the forge1 the store1 and1 all the comforts of home and loved ones1 and gone into ,canada1 ,great ,britain1 ,germany1 ,holland1 ,france1 ,italy1 ,switzerland1 ,denmark1 ,sweden1 ,norway1 ,iceland1 ,east ,indies1 ,cape of ,good ,hope1 ,mexico1 ,south ,america1 ,south ,sea ,islands1 ,sandwich ,islands1 ,jersey ,islands1 ,japan1 ,turkey and ,jerusalem1 having the everlasting ,gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth1 and to every nation and kindred1 and tongue and people4 ,as a result of their warning voice thousands and tens of thousands have yielded #bg obedience to the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 and the ,church now has a membership of over #djj1jjj souls1 and fully that many more have kept the faith and passed beyond the vale1 all during the remarkably short space of seventy-five years4 ,there have been six presidents in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 as follows3 ,joseph ,smith1 ,brigham ,young1 ,john ,taylor1 ,wilford ,woodruff1 ,lorenzo ,snow1 and ,joseph ,f4 ,smith1 the present leader of the ,church1 who was a member of the ,quorum of the ,apostles for thirty-eight years1 and who attained his present position through a long life of faithfulness4 ,at the death of ,president ,lorenzo ,snow1 his predecessor1 he had become the chief ,apostle and was finally chosen by the highest quorum in the ,church to become the ,prophet1 ,seer1 and ,revelator1 as was ,brigham ,young upon the death of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,president ,joseph ,f4 ,smith is a son of the ,patriarch1 ,hyrum ,smith1 who met his death in ,carthage jail1 ,june #bgth1 #ahdd4 ,efforts have been made to destroy the work of ,god as instituted through the instrumentality of ,joseph ,smith1 and all manner of falsehoods have been circulated against him and his unselfish labors4 ,especially have the shafts of the ,evil ,one been directed against the ,book of ,mormon1 men having invented all manner of theories as to its origin in order to discredit its divinity4 ,the ,solomon ,spaulding story is still used by hireling priests1 who lie in wait to deceive4 ,for fifty years and more has this been the stock-in-trade of those who object to the genuineness of this divine record1 and notwithstanding these divines 787 know that the story has long ago been exploded1 yet they continue to blind the eyes of their followers1 because their craft is in danger directly the truth dawns on those who are honest in heart4 ,the ,rev4 ,solomon ,spaulding romance is easily told3 ,d4,p4 ,hurlburt1 a man who was once a member of the ,church1 but who1 because of his lascivious conduct1 was excommunicated1 was the originator of the fabrication that the ,book of ,mormon had its origin in ,mr4 ,spaulding's tale4 ,this man ,hurlburt wrote a bitter assault on the ,latter-day ,saints in #ahcf1 entitled ,mormonism ,unveiled1 which was published in ,ohio4 ,during the time ,hurlburt was gathering material for this work1 he obtained from the family of the then deceased clergyman the original of the ,manuscript ,story1 as it was called1 but discovering that it would1 if published1 prove fatal to his assumptions1 he suppressed it2 and from that time it was entirely lost sight of until the latter part of the year #ahhd1 when a ,mr4 ,l4 ,l4 ,rice1 residing at ,honolulu1 ,sandwich ,islands1 found it #bh among a numerous collection of miscellaneous papers which he had received from ,mr4 ,e4 ,d4 ,howe1 of ,painesville1 ,ohio1 the publisher of ,hurlburt's ,mormonism ,unveiled1 when he1 with his partner1 purchased from that gentleman the business and good will of the ,painesville ,telegraph4 ,in #ahhd ,president ,james ,h4 ,fairchild1 of ,oberlin ,college1 ,ohio1 was paying a visit to ,mr4 ,rice1 and he suggested that the latter look through his numerous papers1 in the hope of finding amongst them some anti-slavery documents of value4 ,in his search he discovered a package marked in pencil on the outside1 ,manuscript ,story1 which1 to their surprise1 on perusal1 proved to be the veritable1 long lost romance of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,spaulding1 to which so much undeserved importance had been maliciously given4 ,this manuscript was presented to ,oberlin ,college1 but not until an exact copy had been made by ,mr4 ,rice1 which has since been published in pamphlet form1 and can be purchased at the ,deseret ,news ,book ,store1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah4 ,upon comparison it will be found that it does not bear the least resemblance in any manner to the ,book of ,mormon1 and yet it was said that ,joseph ,smith obtained access to this manuscript and from its scanty pages elaborated this ,book of ,mormon1 which he afterwards palmed upon the world as a divine record4 #bi ,,what ,,mormons ,,believe4 ,,epitome ,,of ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 ,,by ,,chas4 ,w4 ,,penrose1 ,,of ,,the ,,council ,,of ,,twelve ,,apostles4 ,the question is often asked1 what do the ,mormons believe1 and wherein do their doctrines differ from those of other religious denominations8 ,a reply will be found in the following epitome of ,mormonism1 or rather of its leading principles1 for it embraces all truth from every source4 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints is the proper name of the body of religious worshipers commonly known as ,mormons4 ,it was organized by the authority and commandment of ,god in the ,state of ,new ,york on the #fth day of ,april1 #ahcj4 ,it derives all its doctrines1 ordinances1 discipline and order of ,priesthood from direct divine revelation4 ,,first ,,principles4 ,the first principle of the ,gospel as taught by this ,church is faith4 ,this embraces faith in ,god the ,father and in his son ,jesus ,christ and in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,father is a glorified and perfect person1 and ,jesus ,christ the ,son is in ,his express image and likeness4 ,one is an individual as much as the other4 ,each is a spirit clothed with a spiritual1 yet tangible1 immortal body4 ,spirit is substance1 not immateriality4 ,it is eternal in its essence1 and so are the elements of that which is known as matter4 ,the ,holy ,spirit is not a personage of tabernacle1 and ,his influence permeates all things and extends throughout the vast domain of space1 which is boundless and occupied by limitless elements1 and that ,spirit1 proceeding from the presence of ,god1 gives life and light to all things animate1 and is the power by which they are governed1 and by which the ,father and the ,son are everywhere present4 ,man is a dual being1 also in the image of ,god1 who is the ,father of his spirit and the ,creator of his body4 ,jesus was the ,first-born in the spirit and the ,only-begotten in the flesh4 #cj ,all men and women are the sons and daughters of ,god1 and ,jesus is their ,elder ,brother4 ,by obedience to ,his ,gospel in all things1 mankind1 through the redemption ,he has wrought1 may be exalted with ,him as joint-heirs to the eternal inheritance of the ,sons of ,god1 and become like ,him and reign with ,him in the ,ineffable ,presence forever4 ,faith in ,god1 the ,father1 the ,son and the ,holy ,ghost leads to the second principle of the ,gospel1 which is repentance4 ,that is1 conviction of sin1 regret for its commission1 and reformation by turning away from it1 by ceasing to do evil and beginning and continuing to do well4 ,repentance leads to remission of sins1 which comes through baptism administered by one having authority1 in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,baptism is the third principle1 and is immersion in water in the likeness of a burial1 succeeded by a birth4 ,becoming dead to sin by repentance1 the believer is buried in the liquid grave and brought forth from the womb of waters1 thus being born of water to a new life in ,christ ,jesus4 ,the repentant believer1 thus baptized1 obtains the remission of sins through the shedding of ,christ s blood4 ,he who knew no sin died that sinners might be saved by obedience to ,his commandments4 ,he did that for them which they could not do themselves2 what they are able to do is required of them1 in order that they may receive the benefits of ,his atonement4 ,thus cleansed from sin1 the new-born disciple is prepared to receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the fourth principle is the bestowal of that gift by the laying on of hands of men called and ordained of ,god to thus officiate in ,his name4 ,born of the water and of the spirit1 the regenerated soul becomes a member of ,christ's ,church1 and is entitled to such spiritual gifts as he or she may deserve and obtain by the exercise of faith4 ,some of these are wisdom1 knowledge1 prophecy1 visions1 speaking in tongues1 interpretation of tongues1 discerning of spirits1 healing the sick1 etc41 etc4 ,all the manifestations of the power of ,god enjoyed in former times may be and are enjoyed in ,his ,church in latter times4 ,the gift of the ,holy ,ghost opens the avenue to all intelligence4 ,that ,spirit leads into all truth and shows things to come4 ,it is the ,comforter and the ,revealer4 ,it bears witness of the ,father and the ,son1 and brings mortals into communion with them and into union with one another4 ,it is the true light given to every one in coming into the world1 but is bestowed and manifested in a higher and fuller degree when conferred as a gift to the baptized1 repentant believer4 #ca ,no person has the right to baptize or lay on hands or administer any ordinance of the ,church1 unless he is called of ,god and ordained to act in the name of ,deity4 ,the commission given to the ,apostles of old does not confer any authority upon men in this age4 ,it was for them alone upon whom it was bestowed1 and those whom they were inspired and directed to ordain unto the same power4 ,without divine communication now1 there can be no divine authority today4 ,,the ,,apostasy4 ,when the ,apostles of ,christ were killed and their immediate successors appointed1 the disciples were tortured and slain1 and gradually darkness came over the world and pagan institutions were mingled with the rites and order of the ,church1 until the apostolic authority and the true ,christian spirit and doctrine were entirely subverted4 ,reforms that were subsequently introduced merely lopped off some evils and made some improvements2 but did not and could not restore the authority and power of the primitive ,christian ,church and ,priesthood4 ,,the ,,restoration4 ,in these latter days the ,father and the ,son have appeared and revealed anew the ,gospel4 ,angels have ministered to man4 ,john the ,baptist brought to earth the authority of the ,lesser or ,aaronic ,priesthood which he held when in mortality4 ,peter1 ,james and ,john have conferred their keys of ,apostleship received under the hands of ,jesus of ,nazareth1 and the power and authority of the higher or ,melchisedek ,priesthood4 ,elijah the ,prophet and others of the ancients have bestowed the keys they held1 and they are all in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,under that authority the ,church has been built up after the original pattern and with the same spirit1 ordinances1 gifts and blessings4 ,joseph ,smith1 after accomplishing the work entrusted to him by the ,lord1 sealed his testimony with his blood1 being cruelly slain with his brother ,hyrum1 at ,carthage1 ,illinois1 by a mob disguised1 on ,june #bg1 #ahdd4 ,joseph ,smith was the instrument in the hands of the ,lord to commence the work of restitution1 and open the last dispensation1 that of the fulness of times4 ,he received that divine authority under the hands of those heavenly messengers4 ,he1 by revelation and commandment1 ordained others4 ,today there are on earth ,apostles1 ,prophets1 ,evangelists1 #cb ,elders1 ,bishops1 ,priests1 ,teachers and ,deacons1 divinely called and authorized to teach and administer the things of the ,kingdom of heaven1 and the power of ,god attends their ministrations4 ,faith1 repentance and baptism of water and of the ,spirit administered by divine authority are essential to salvation4 ,there is only one way4 ,there is some good in all religions1 but there is and can be but one divine religion1 that is1 the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,it is to be preached to every creature4 ,persons who have died after reaching years of accountability without an opportunity of receiving it1 will hear it in the spirit world1 and may there obey or reject it4 ,heathens1 ,jews and all races1 creeds and tongues will thus have the door of redemption opened to them4 ,infants who die before they become accountable need no baptism1 but are all redeemed by the blood of ,christ4 ,the spirit of man is the intelligent1 responsible being1 an entity both before and after dwelling in the body4 ,it was in the beginning with the ,father4 ,the sons and daughters of ,god1 after probation in the flesh1 return to ,him and then1 until the resurrection1 associate in such sphere as they have fitted themselves to occupy2 the good with the spirits of the just1 the evil with the spirits of the unjust4 ,a disembodied spirit can learn1 believe1 repent and yield obedience1 but cannot be baptized in water1 the earthly medium of purification4 ,,redemption ,,of ,,the ,,dead4 ,the living may be baptized for the dead4 ,one who has received the ordinances of the ,gospel can stand proxy for departed ancestors1 who will receive the benefit of the earthly ordinances on obedience to the ,gospel in the spirit4 ,as the ,spirit of ,christ preached to the spirits in prison while ,his body was in the sepulchre1 so ,his servants1 bearing ,his authority1 preach to the dead after finishing their work on earth4 ,ordinances for and in behalf of the dead are administered in temples built after a pattern revealed from heaven4 ,thus the living become saviors to the dead under ,jesus ,christ the ,captain of their ,salvation4 ,the resurrection of ,jesus of ,nazareth was the first-fruit of them that slept4 ,all persons who have breathed the breath of life will also be raised from the dead1 receiving their bodies again as ,he did4 ,but everyone in his own order4 ,those who have put on ,christ by obeying ,his ,gospel will be ,christ's at ,his coming1 and will be quickened by ,his glory1 the celestial1 typified by the sun4 ,after the lapse of a day of the ,lord-a #cc thousand of our years-the rest of the dead will come forth1 some in the terrestrial glory1 typified by the moon1 and others in the telestial glory1 typified by the stars in their different magnitudes1 the rest in a kingdom not of any degree of glory4 ,all will be judged according to their works4 ,progress is the eternal order of creation4 ,the condemned will be punished for sin1 as ,divine justice shall determine both as to the severity and to the duration4 ,the purpose of punishment is the vindication of the law and the reclamation of the transgressor4 ,eventually all who can be redeemed will be placed in some degree of glory and advancement4 ,only the sons of perdition who deny the ,holy ,ghost after having received it1 who willfully pervert the power given to them to attain the highest exaltation and who shed innocent blood will be utterly lost4 ,the glory of those who are in ,christ and become joint heirs with ,him is to inherit all things1 and follow and participate with the ,son and the ,eternal ,father forever in their glorious works4 ,they will inherit the earth when it is purified and crowned with the glory and presence of ,god4 ,they will reign as kings and priests and be ministers unto those of a lesser degree of glory in the eternal mansions4 ,this is the last dispensation4 ,in it ,israel will be gathered1 ,jerusalem be rebuilt1 and ,palestine be the abode of the sons of ,judah4 ,the elect of ,god will gather from all nations to ,zion on the ,american continent4 ,the earth will be cleansed from corruption4 ,paradise will bloom again1 war will cease1 peace will prevail1 the enmity will depart from man and brute1 the curse will be removed and this globe will be glorified1 shining in its own light developed to perfection4 ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,the ,prophet of the nineteenth century was directed by the angel of ,god to the spot where the records of the history of the former inhabitants of this continent were deposited4 ,he obtained and translated a portion of them into the ,english language4 ,it is called the ,book of ,mormon1 because the ,prophet ,mormon made an abridgment of more ancient records than his own1 and inscribed them upon metallic plates in hieroglyphics reformed from the ,egyptian4 ,that book has since been translated into other languages4 ,it gives the history of two races4 ,the first springing from a colony brought upon this land at the time of the dispersion from the ,tower of ,babel4 ,the second descending from the families directed to this continent from ,jerusalem six hundred #cd years before the ,christian era1 at the time when ,zedekiah was king of ,judea4 ,it relates the wars1 travels1 religion1 progress and decadence of those races-the progenitors of the ,american ,indians1 describes their cities1 temples1 forts1 etc41 and contains an account of the visit to this land of ,jesus ,christ1 after ,his resurrection and ascension1 with particulars of ,his ministry in establishing ,his ,church here with the same principles1 precepts1 ordinances1 ,priesthood and blessings as in the ,church on the ,asiatic continent4 ,it also speaks of the gradual apostasy of the people and the woes that came upon them through transgression4 ,the ,book of ,mormon does not take the place of the ,bible1 but is auxiliary to it and corroborates and supports it4 ,the ,bible is the record of ,god's dealings with ,his people in the eastern world2 the ,book of ,mormon is the record of his dealings with ,his people on this western land1 separated from the other hemisphere1 and then unknown to its inhabitants4 ,they1 with the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants and the ,pearl of ,great ,price1 are the standards of doctrine and discipline of the ,church4 ,inspiration by the ,holy ,ghost as bestowed upon the ancient ,hebrew prophets1 is viewed as revelation by the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,it conveys the word and will of ,god4 ,every individual in the ,church is entitled to it for his or her own guidance4 ,the ,president of the ,church1 who is a prophet1 a seer and a revelator1 is entitled to divine communication by any of the means which ,god chooses to use for this purpose4 ,but revelation does not come by the will of man4 ,it is ,god who reveals ,his word at the time and in the manner which ,he selects4 ,revelation for the whole ,church comes through the head alone1 and thus order is preserved and conflicting doctrines excluded4 ,,celestial ,,marriage4 ,the doctrine of celestial1 that is eternal marriage1 is a feature of the ,mormon faith4 ,by the authority vested in the head of the ,church1 that which is sealed on earth is sealed in heaven1 and the man and woman united under that authority in an everlasting covenant are joined forever4 ,such was the marriage of ,adam and ,eve before death came by sin4 ,the redemption of ,christ restored them to their primeval state1 and they stand at the head of their posterity1 immortal1 perfected and eternal4 ,by obedience and fidelity to the laws of ,god1 men and women may attain to a similar estate and enjoy unending bliss1 the man being not without the woman nor the #ce woman without the man in the ,lord4 ,the family1 the home1 the relation of parents and children are thus the basis of present and future happiness1 and the increase thereof being perpetual1 therein is the glory of the redeemed1 who dwell in the presence of ,god and the ,holy ,ones1 continued forever4 ,,church ,,government4 ,the government of the ,church of ,christ devolves upon those who have been divinely appointed and have been accepted by the body of the ,church1 in which all things are to be done by common consent4 ,at the head is the ,prophet1 ,seer and ,revelator with two counselors4 ,these three presiding ,high ,priests thus selected form the ,first ,presidency1 having jurisdiction over the ,church in all the world4 ,next are the ,twelve ,apostles1 forming a body equal in authority to the ,presidency and constituting that ,presidency at the death or removal of the head4 ,they set in order the affairs of the ,church in all the world under the direction of the ,first ,presidency4 ,the patriarchs are ,evangelists and are specially ordained to pronounce blessings on the ,saints by the laying on of hands1 declaring their lineage and predicting events in which they will figure in time and in eternity4 ,there is a ,patriarch to the whole ,church1 having authority to bless all its officers and members from the greatest to the least1 holdings the keys of that power4 ,there are other ,patriarchs who hold authority within the various ,stakes of ,zion wherein they are appointed and in which they administer the sealing blessings4 ,the ,seventy are a body of ,elders forming an appendage to the ,apostleship and traveling under their direction4 ,seven of the number preside over that body4 ,there are a hundred and fifty of these quorums1 as they are called1 each presided over by seven of their number1 and all under direction of the ,first ,seven ,presidents4 ,they form the chief missionary corps of the ,church4 ,high ,priests and ,elders not belonging to the councils above mentioned1 are local officers for local ministrations1 but may be called into the missionary field if necessary4 ,ninety-six ,elders form a quorum1 presided over by three of their number4 ,there are a great many of these organizations4 ,all these officers hold the ,priesthood after the order of ,melchisedek4 ,the ,bishops stand at the head the ,aaronic or lesser ,priesthood1 an appendage to the higher of ,melchisedek ,priesthood4 #cf ,there are three who form the ,presiding ,bishopric of the ,church4 ,other ,bishops have charge of wards of the ,church1 and the function of the ,bishopric is to minister in the temporalities of the ,church4 ,priests1 forty-eight of whom form a quorum1 presided over by a ,bishop and two counselors2 ,teachers1 twenty-four of whom form a quorum1 presided over by three of their number2 and ,deacons1 twelve of whom form a quorum1 presided over by three of their number1 constitute the rest of the organizations of the lesser ,priesthood4 ,they exist in all the wards1 and are under the direction of the respective ,bishoprics4 ,apostles1 ,patriarchs1 ,seventies1 ,high ,priests and ,elders may preach1 baptize and lay on hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 and perform any duty of the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 as the greater includes the less4 ,aaronic ,priests may preach1 teach and baptize for the remission of sins1 but cannot confer the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands4 ,teachers visit the members and see there is no iniquity permitted to remain in the ,church4 ,deacons attend to temporal duties under the ,bishops4 ,a ,bishop should be a lineal descendant of ,aaron1 but in the absence of one of that lineage1 a ,high ,priest is selected and ordained to that office4 ,with his two counselors1 also ,high ,priests1 he has charge of an organized ward and sits in judgment upon transgressors and in cases of disputes between members4 ,an appeal is allowed to the ,high ,council4 ,members residing in a given locality form a ward4 ,a number of wards1 generally those within a county1 are organized into a ,stake of ,zion1 presided over by three ,high ,priests4 ,a ,high ,council1 consisting of twelve ,high ,priests1 constitutes an ecclesiastical tribunal1 to which appeals may be taken from decisions of the ,bishops' courts4 ,it is presided over by the ,stake ,presidency1 who have jurisdiction over all the wards and their officers in the ,stake4 ,there are now fifty-five of these ,stakes of ,zion and a number of conferences and mission organizations in addition4 ,a ,high ,council decision is subject to review by the ,presidency of the ,church4 ,all the officers of the ,church are presented twice a year before the body of the ,church for their acceptance or rejection4 ,the ,stake and ward authorities are periodically subject to a similar regulation4 ,all serve without salaries4 ,persons engaged constantly in ,church service are supported1 or partly sustained1 according to needs1 from ,church funds4 ,missionaries have no stipends1 but travel without purse or scrip1 either paying their own expenses or relying upon friends whom the ,lord raises up to their aid4 #cg ,the revenue of the ,church is derived from the tithes4 ,one-tenth of a member's interest or increase each year is tithing4 ,it is a free-will offering1 not a tax4 ,temples1 church buildings1 etc41 are erected and maintained from the tithing1 and large amounts are expended for the support of the poor and the benefit of new settlements4 ,on the first ,sunday of every month a fast is held1 and the amount saved from fasting is donated to the poor4 ,the ,bishops have charge of those in need and are required to see that none are left to want4 ,,auxiliary ,,societies4 ,the ,relief ,societies1 composed of ladies1 are organized auxiliary bodies who also minister to the poor1 aged and afflicted1 and help prepare the dead for burial4 ,they hold meetings of their own for instruction in women's work and intellectual1 moral and spiritual advancement4 ,the younger women and also the younger men are organized into ,mutual ,improvement associations1 which they1 separately1 conduct themselves1 but sometimes assemble in joint session4 ,the ,primary associations are organizations of children under older supervision1 for training in ,gospel principles and moral conduct4 ,there are ,sunday schools in all the wards and ,stakes of ,zion1 connected with the ,sunday ,school ,union1 and all thoroughly organized and ably conducted4 ,religion classes are organized in the different wards for the purpose of giving systematic training in the principles and doctrines of religion to little children1 thus supplying the kind of tuition which cannot be given in the public schools1 from which all religious teachings are entirely excluded4 ,amusements are provided for the members of the ,church under direction of committees appointed by ,church or ward authority4 ,music is of universal use1 both vocal and instrumental1 and is cultivated assiduously4 ,education is an essential feature in the ,church system1 and academies and colleges are maintained according to the funds available4 ,all truth is recognized as ,divine and an accepted motto is3 ,the glory of ,god is intelligence4 ,the public school system is separate and apart from the ,church schools1 and is entirely under the direction of the ,state1 no doctrinal or denominational teaching being permitted therein4 ,it is supported by taxation4 #ch ,,divine ,,authority4 ,the great distinctive feature of ,mormonism among the ,christian denominations is its claim of direct divine origin4 ,present and continuous revelation from ,god to the ,church through its earthly head1 and to every member who seeks for it in his or her own behalf and guidance1 is a fundamental principle of the ,mormon faith4 ,divine authority is associated with it4 ,the ,church is1 literally1 ,christ's ,church1 because ,he established it by personal communication and guides it by present revelation and inspiration1 and its ministers receive their commissions by ,his direction4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is in and with the ,church1 exactly as with the primitive ,church and the ,prophets of old4 ,thus1 what is commonly called ,mormonism is to its disciples verily the work of ,god2 originating with ,him and developed and promulgated under ,his commands and by ,his power2 and1 therefore1 it will abide and prevail1 and overcome all opposition1 and spread over the whole earth1 preparing the way for the second advent of the ,messiah and the redemption and regeneration of the earth4 ,every soul who receives it in sincerity is entitled to a witness from ,god of its truth1 and herein is its strength and unity and vital force4 ,it has no conflict except with error4 ,it wars against no nation1 sect or society4 ,it exercises no compulsion4 ,it is the ,gospel and ,church and authority of ,jesus ,christ1 restored to earth for the last days and for the last time1 and therefore it will triumph and flood the world with light and truth1 until darkness shall flee and ,satan be bound and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our ,god and ,his ,christ1 and ,he shall reign over all the ransomed globe for evermore4 #ci ,,salvation3 ,a ,,dialogue ,,between ,,elder ,,brownson ,,and ,,mr4 ,,whitby4 ,,by ,,john ,,jaques1 ,,elder ,,in ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 ,elder ,brownson4 ,good morning sir4 ,would it be agreeable to you to read a tract8 ,mr4 ,whitby4 ,o yes6 thank you1 sir4 ,i take in many tracts1 and read through most of them4 ,what tracts do you distribute8 ,elder ,b4 ,they are upon the principles taught by the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints6 ,well1 ,i cannot say that ,i exactly understand what their religion is4 ,it is true1 ,i hear a great deal about them1 yet many things that ,i hear of them are so contradictory that ,i find it impossible to believe all4 ,but if one fourth part of what is told me1 is true1 ,i must say that ,i cannot entertain a very high opinion of your religion4 ,however1 ,i think that every person ought to be at liberty to enjoy his own opinion1 and ,i deem it especially wrong to condemn any party unheard4 ,i make no profession of religion myself4 ,my wife's sister1 and her husband1 are very staunch ,wesleyans1 and they tell me some extraordinary things of your people4 ,but ,i always take a certain discount off what one religious person says of another's religion4 ,consequently ,i cannot believe all that ,mrs4 ,whitby's sister and her husband tell me of your religion4 ,and ,i think they are a little bigoted1 for they sometimes say hard things of the ,baptist and ,church people1 as well as of your people4 ,but ,i have long wished to meet with one of the ,latter-day ,saint preachers1 so that ,i might hear their own story1 and ,i shall really consider it a favour if you will be pleased to give me a brief outline of your belief1 that ,i may not judge your people wrongfully4 ,i have a few leisure minutes just now4 ,elder ,b4 ,i shall only be happy to impart any information that may be beneficial to you1 concerning our principles4 ,i am aware that much misunderstanding prevails respecting the ,latter-day #dj ,saints1 and it is ever a pleasure to me to dispel that misunderstanding1 and enlighten those who are willing to learn4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,thank you4 ,but we won't stand at the door4 ,would you walk in and sit down8 ,elder ,b4 ,i will1 with pleasure4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,allow me to put your hat away4 ,elder ,b4 ,thank you4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,to his daughter ,mary1 hand the gentleman a chair1 and hang his hat up in the passage4 ,to ,elder ,b4 ,now1 sir1 if you will be good enough to enlighten my mind concerning your principles1 ,i will listen attentively1 and1 whether ,i approve of them or not1 ,i shall certainly consider myself under obligations to you4 ,elder ,b4 ,i will gladly comply with your request4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,but you will not consider me wearisome if ,i interrupt you1 in the course of your relation1 with an occasional question or remark1 which ,i may be prompted to offer for my own satisfaction8 ,elder ,b4 ,don't name it1 sir4 ,it will be pleasing to me to answer your questions1 to the best of the ability that ,god may give me1 or to listen to any remark which you may feel disposed to make4 ,but to proceed4 ,i will give you a brief view of the first principles of the doctrine of ,jesus ,christ1 and will refer you to a few passages of ,scripture in support of them4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,thank you4 ,i am sure ,i shall be much gratified4 ,elder ,b4 ,in the first place1 we believe that there is a ,god in the heavens1 who is the ,creator and ,preserver of this world and of men4 ,god1 having the right1 has1 in times past1 manifested ,himself to men1 and revealed laws whereby they might be governed4 ,our first parents1 ,adam and ,eve1 who were created immortal--not subject to death1 disobeyed the law of ,god4 ,death1 and all the evils that induce it1 were the penalty to which ,adam1 and ,eve1 and all their posterity were then subjected4 ,and men cannot1 of themselves1 overcome this penalty1 and obtain immortality4--,gen4 i4 ii4 iii4 ,rom4 v4 #ab4 #a ,cor4 xv4 #ba1 #bb4 ,but ,god did not leave men to perish without hope4 ,he sent ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ into the world1 to take human nature upon him1 and to satisfy the broken law by being put to death1 thereby delivering men from the power of death4--,john iii4 #af4 ,rom4 v4 #h4 #a ,john iv4 #i4 ,as all men1 through ,adam's sin1 without any agency of their own1 were subjected to death1 so will all men be redeemed there from1 and placed before the throne of ,god1 free from any condemnation for ,adam's sin1 for #da ,christ's atonement extends so far to men1 unconditionally on their part1 because they had no hand in ,adam's sin4--#a ,cor4 xv4 #bb4 ,but although men are thus1 without conditions on their part1 made free from the effects of ,adam's sin1 yet1 as every man must1 after this1 answer for the deeds done in his body 7,matt4 xvi4 #bg4 #b ,cor4 v4 #aj4 ,rev4 xx4 #ac71 and as every man1 in some thing or other1 disobeys the law of ,god1 it naturally follows that every man will need an atonement for his individual sins1 as well as one from the sin of ,adam4 ,and in order that every man may escape the penalty for his individual sins1 certain conditions must be complied with4 ,i said that all men would be redeemed1 unconditionally on their part1 from the penalty of ,adam's sin4 ,i have referred you to a passage or two of ,scripture upon the subject4 ,i will refer you to another1 ,rom4 v4 #ah1 ,therefore1 as by the offense of one1 judgment came upon all men to condemnation2 even so by the righteousness of one1 the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life4 ,thus1 you see1 a man answers for his own sins only4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,just so4 ,that seems reasonable4 ,elder ,b4 ,now ,i will lay before you the conditions4 ,but first1 ,i will remark1 that ,god has but one method of saving men4 ,the scheme of salvation is an unchangeable scheme1 both as respects the atonement of ,christ1 and the conditions required of men4 ,jesus ,christ is the only name under heaven whereby men can be saved4--,acts iv4 #ab4 #a ,tim4 ii4 #e4 ,and although many men have preached divers kinds of contradictory doctrines1 and have professed that they were all the doctrines of ,christ1 yet it is a fact that ,god does not send men to contradict each other4 ,you cannot find1 in the whole ,bible1 an instance of ,god's sending ,his servants to preach conflicting doctrines to a people1 for that would conduce to endless discord1 confusion1 and strife1 and it is written that ,god is not the author of confusion1 but of peace4--#a ,cor4 xiv4 #cc4 ,and ,paul the ,apostle said that he or an angel from heaven1 if found preaching any other ,gospel than what he and his brethren had preached1 should be accursed4--,gal4 i4 #i1 #aj4 ,depend upon it1 sir1 that two preachers1 or two religious societies1 who hold forth contrary doctrines1 cannot both1 in their teachings1 be recognized of ,god4 ,these inconsistencies cause many men to reject the ,bible1 and turn infidels4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,why that's just my argument4 ,i say nothing against the ,bible4 ,i find no fault with that4 ,but this is what puzzles me--how it is that two preachers1 both believing one book1 one revelation from ,god1 one code of laws1 should #db preach contradictory doctrines1 and form two religious societies1 always opposing and differing from each other6 ,i cannot fathom the matter4 ,there are ,mrs4 ,whitby's sister1 and her husband1 ,wesleyans1 as ,i told you1 and his brother is a ,baptist--all very strong in their faith4 ,we have them all here together occasionally1 and we get up quite lively discussions4 ,mrs4 ,whitby's sister's husband and his brother cannot agree at all with each other upon religious topics1 especially baptism1 and then ,i disagree with them both1 and tell them that ,i am very well assured that either one is wrong1 or both of them are1 and1 consequently1 ,i cannot join either's society until a satisfactory decision is come to4 ,i assure you we have matters rather warm at times4 ,we all wax quite earnest4 ,elder ,b4 ,i have not the least doubt of it4 ,nothing is plainer than that ,god is not the author of both their systems of religion4 ,but1 as ,i was saying1 the plan of salvation is unchangeable4 ,so if we can find out what it was in the time of ,jesus and the ,apostles1 we can decide what it is now4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,true4 ,elder ,b4 ,i have shown1 by the ,scriptures1 the doctrine of the atonement of ,christ1 and that certain conditions are required of every man to ensure the benefits of that atonement for his individual sins4 ,i will now speak of the conditions4 ,the first condition required of men is to believe that there is a ,god1 and that they have done things that are displeasing in ,his sight1 and that ,jesus ,christ has provided a way of escape through his atonement4 ,i question whether any person exists who does not1 at heart1 believe that there is a ,god4 ,and it appears to me that all men must acknowledge that they have1 in their life time1 done things that have not been right4 ,but a faith in ,christ's atonement is the result of a teachable spirit's hearing a message from ,god1 to that effect4 ,now faith is required of all men1 for without faith it is impossible to please ,god4--,heb4 xi4 #f4 ,and ,jesus says--,he that believeth not shall be damned4--,mark xvi4 #af4 ,some preachers say that faith is all that is necessary to salvation4 ,but this is incorrect1 for the ,apostle says1 that faith without works is dead1 being alone4--,james ii4 ,if faith had been sufficient for salvation1 ,jesus ,christ would never have made any other conditions known4 ,the devils believe and tremble1 but we are not informed that they will be saved4 ,faith is only valued by the works it leads to4 ,without works we have no evidence that a man has faith4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i see that clearly4 #dc ,elder ,b4 ,the next condition required is repentance4 ,as all men have sinned1 all men are required to repent of their sins4 ,says ,jesus--,except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise perish4--,luke xiii4 #c4 ,see also ,luke xxiv4 #dg4 ,acts xvii4 #cj4 ,now to repent1 is not to mourn1 and grieve1 and hang down one's head like a bulrush1 but to forsake everything that is evil1 and to make a firm resolution1 like a man1 to follow those things no more4 ,in short1 to repent is to cease to do evil1 and resolve to do well4 ,this is what is required of all men4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,that appears right enough4 ,elder ,b4 ,the third condition required is for men to be baptized in water1 for the remission of their sins4 ,this is a condition quite as important as any other1 yet it is one which is little thought of by many persons1 and much misunderstood by others4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,that is a subject upon which ,i have thought much1 when ,i have heard my friends argue the matter4 ,elder ,b4 ,it is a subject concerning which much diversity of opinion prevails amongst the religious world4 ,some persons believe baptism to be altogether unnecessary1 and they sing-- ,were ,i baptized a thousand times1 ,it would be all in vain4 ,others believe baptism to be an ordinance that can be attended to1 or dispensed with1 at the discretion of the believer4 ,now we do not agree with either of these kinds of persons4 ,we believe that baptism is one of the essential conditions of salvation4 ,we deem it absolutely necessary that all persons who believe and repent1 should also be baptized4 ,if we consider what baptism is for1 we shall see at once its necessity4 ,baptism is for the remission of sins4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,but does not ,jesus say that his blood was to be shed for the remission of sins8 ,and does not ,st4 ,john say that the blood of ,jesus ,christ cleanseth us from all sin8 ,elder ,b4 ,if you read the preceding part of the verse in which the last passage you have quoted occurs1 you will find these words--,but if we walk in the light4 ,now to walk in the light1 is to walk in obedience to the law of ,god1 and1 as baptism is a part of the law of ,god1 we must attend to that ordinance1 or the blood of ,jesus ,christ will not cleanse us from all sin4 ,as to the other passage1 ,i said1 previously1 that the atonement of ,jesus ,christ extended to the sins of all the human family1 but to individual sins on conditions only4 ,three conditions ,i have named4 ,the full benefit of the atoning blood #dd of ,jesus ,christ cannot be claimed1 by any man1 for his individual sins1 until he is baptized4 ,baptism is nothing of itself1 and cannot wash away our sins4 ,but ,god has ordained that the blood of ,christ for the remission of individual sins shall be available to no man till he has been baptized4 ,no man is entitled to a pardon for his sins1 until he obey that ordinance4 ,so far1 baptism is for the remission of sins2 not the putting away of the filth of the flesh1 but the answer--the return1 of a good conscience towards ,god4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i think ,i understand you4 ,in the winter1 coals are given away to the poor of this town4 ,the gift is free to the poor1 but every one who receives it must produce a ticket signed by one of the committee4 ,without the ticket1 the coals cannot be had4 ,baptism is of similar importance to salvation as the ticket is to the coals1 ,i suppose4 ,elder ,b4 ,yes4 ,naaman1 the ,syrian general1 to cure his leprosy1 was told to wash seven times in the river ,jordan4 ,the gift of cure was free to ,naaman1 but he could not have realized it independent of the seven washings4 ,the mere washings would have availed nothing1 but in their being the ordinance of the ,lord consisted their efficacy4 ,so with baptism for the remission of sins4 ,that baptism is for the remission of sins1 see ,mark i4 #d4 ,luke iii4 #c4 ,acts ii4 #ch4 xxii4 #af4 #a ,peter iii4 #ba4 ,by this you will see that baptism is anything but nonessential to salvation4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,why1 yes1 ,i do4 ,elder ,b4 ,that baptism is an essential part of the righteous law of ,god is evident from the answer of ,jesus1 when ,john demurred to baptizing him--,suffer it to be so now1 for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness4--,matt4 iii4 #ae4 ,jesus also says that baptism is a part of the counsel of ,god to men--,and all the people that heard him ,john1 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--,luke vii4 #bi1 #cj4 ,baptism may also be considered the door of the ,kingdom of ,god1 or the law that adopts us into the family of ,god4 ,immediately after ,jesus was baptized1 the heavens opened over him1 and ,god owned ,his ,son4 ,jesus says1 ,he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold1 but climbeth up some other way1 the same is a thief and a robber4 ,but he that entereth in by the door1 is the shepherd of the sheep4 ,to him the porter openeth4--,john x4 #a-c4 ,the sheepfold was the ,kingdom of ,god1 the door was baptism1 the porter was ,john4 ,upon those #de who attempt to enter any other way1 will rest the imputation of dishonesty4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,not a very desirable imputation1 certainly4 ,elder ,b4 ,no4 ,but you see1 by the illustration1 the necessity of baptism4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i must confess ,i do4 ,elder ,b4 ,baptism does not mean infant sprinkling or pouring4 ,the true mode of baptism is by immersion4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,that is my opinion of the matter4 ,when my friends have been discussing the subject1 it has always appeared to me that immersion was the proper form of baptism4 ,elder ,b4 ,true4 ,this is plainly evident from the ,scriptures4 ,john the ,baptist baptized in the river ,jordan4 ,if sprinkling or pouring were the mode1 there would have been no necessity for his going into the river4 ,it is true1 ,i have seen representations of ,jesus and ,john standing in the water1 while ,john poured the water upon ,jesus1 but such a representation carries improbability upon its very face4 ,if pouring would do1 why go into the water8 ,and we know that ,jesus did go into the water1 for he went up straightway out of the water1 after he was baptized1 says the ,evangelist4--,matt4 iii4 #af4 ,and the multitudes who went to ,john were baptized of him in ,jordan4--,matt4 iii4 #f4 ,again1 ,john baptized at ,aenon1 near to ,salim1 because there was much water there4--,john iii4 #bc4 ,of what advantage would much water have been1 if sprinkling or pouring were the mode8 ,a bucketful of water would sprinkle a thousand people4 ,a very insignificant brook would suffice to baptize a nation1 if pouring were the mode4 ,if either of these were the mode1 there was no necessity to choose a place of much water4 ,unless immersion were the mode1 we cannot see any sense in ,john's baptizing at ,aenon because of the abundance of water there4 ,mr4 ,w-4 ,certainly not4 ,but ,mrs4 ,whitby's sister's husband1 that is1 ,mr4 ,clarke1 stands much upon this point--that it is declared that ,john baptized with water4 ,elder ,b4 ,i am aware that it is so written4 ,and ,i am sure that ,i never entertained the idea that any one could administer baptism for the remission of sins1 without water4 ,john is spoken of as baptizing with water1 distinguishing his baptism from the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost and of fire1 which ,jesus was to introduce4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i understand4 ,elder ,b4 ,philip and the eunuch both went down into the #df water4--,acts viii4 #ch4 ,jesus likens baptism to a birth4--,john iii4 #e4 ,now a birth argues a concealment1 which immersion certainly is4 ,st4 ,paul says we are buried with ,christ by baptism1 that like as ,christ was raised up from the dead1 by the glory of the ,father1 even so we also should walk in newness of life4--,rom4 vi4 #d4 ,this is plain enough4 ,but he goes on to say1 ,for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death1 we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection4 ,what could be a more beautiful illustration of baptism by immersion than is here presented4 ,immersion is a burial4 ,immersion is a planting in the likeness of ,christ's death4 ,sprinkling or pouring answer neither one figure nor the other4 ,if we are buried with ,christ by baptism1 we thenceforth walk in newness of life4 ,if we are planted in the likeness of ,christ's death1 it is an earnest of our being one day fashioned in the likeness of his resurrection4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,that is certainly a striking and appropriate figure4 ,your ideas agree with mine very much4 ,elder ,b4 ,having settled the mode of baptism1 ,i will now say a little on the candidates for that ordinance4 ,baptism being for the remission of sins1 and no one1 who is not old enough to discern right from wrong1 being accounted a sinner in the sight of ,god1 you will perceive that baptism is only necessary for those who have arrived at years of accountability4 ,and faith and repentance invariably precede baptism4 ,if you search the ,bible through1 you will find that the people were always taught before they were baptized4 ,john taught the people to bring forth fruits meet for repentance1 before baptism4 ,jesus commanded his disciples to go and teach all nations1 and then baptize them4 ,the ,apostles ever taught the people to believe and repent1 before they were baptized4 ,little children1 being incapable of understanding the law of ,god1 are not deemed responsible for non-observance of it1 and1 consequently1 are not required to believe1 repent1 or be baptized4 ,not being subject to the law1 little children are wholly subjects of the free grace of ,jesus ,christ1 and his atoning blood redeems them without any conditions on their part4 ,it is solemn mockery before ,god1 to baptize little children1 or to preach that they will not be saved without baptism4 ,when they can readily distinguish between right and wrong1 then commences their responsibility4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i perfectly agree with what you say4 ,but ,mr4 ,clarke holds that baptism is in lieu of circumcision1 and we know that ,abraham and his seed were commanded to observe circumcision when the child was eight days old4 #dg ,elder ,b4 ,circumcision and baptism are two different ordinances1 and have no relation to each other4 ,circumcision was a sign of the covenant which ,god made with ,abraham and his seed4 ,baptism is for the remission of individual sins4 ,circumcision could only be performed on one sex4 ,baptism is binding on both4 ,circumcision was preceded by no teaching4 ,baptism is invariably preceded by faith and repentance4 ,both circumcision and baptism were observed by the children of ,israel under ,moses4--#a ,cor4 x4 #b4 ,so you see that circumcision and baptism are two distinct ordinances1 widely differing in their nature and application4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i see they are4 ,elder ,b4 ,after men have been baptized1 they are required to have hands laid upon them1 that they may receive the ,gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,then1 according to their faithfulness and diligence in keeping the commandments of ,god1 the various manifestations of the ,holy ,ghost are poured out upon men--such as the gift of speaking in foreign tongues1 of the interpretation of tongues1 prophecy1 dreams1 visions1 the gift of healing1 and of working miracles1 discernment of spirits1 c4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,do you believe in having these things now8 ,why one of the principal reasons that ,i have never joined any religious body is1 that ,i could read in the ,bible of these great and glorious gifts being enjoyed in ancient times1 and ,i could not find any people who contended for these things now4 ,i have expressed my thoughts on these subjects to ,mr4 ,clarke1 and his wife1 and his brother1 but they all declare that these blessings were only given for the establishment of ,christianity1 and that they1 not being intended to continue upon the earth1 are not now given1 and1 indeed1 are not now needed4 ,but ,i could never see the reason for this4 ,i could see in the ,bible no reason why men should not obtain these blessings now as anciently4 ,in fact1 ,i think the ,bible decidedly encourages all men to seek after these things1 for ,paul says1 ,the manifestation of the ,spirit is given to every man to profit withal4 ,and we are well aware that salvation is just the same thing now as anciently4 ,men have now the same weakness to overcome1 the same temptations to resist1 the same devil to oppose them1 and the same end to obtain as in the days of the ,apostles4 ,and why should men now not have the same blessings from the hands of the ,lord to assist them in obtaining salvation1 as the primitive ,christians had to assist them8 ,it is certain that either ,god has changed1 or men have degenerated and become unworthy #dh of such distinguished blessings as the early ,christians enjoyed4 ,but ,i am pleased to find that you believe in obtaining these blessings1 ,i shall be happy to listen further to your views of the matter4 ,i am becoming much interested in your doctrines4 ,elder ,b4 ,i am aware that the popular cry is that the gifts and blessings of the ,holy ,ghost are done away1 and no longer needed4 ,we know they are done away1 because men do not seek them1 and the ancient ,saints sought them earnestly4 ,indeed it would be marvellous for the ,lord to give these blessings to men when they do not care for them1 and when they think them unnecessary4 ,he is not so prodigal of the choice gifts of ,his ,holy ,spirit4 ,he does not cast his pearls before swine4 ,his ,spirit does not always strive with men4 ,when they do not wish to serve ,him1 ,he gives them up to the imagination of their own hearts1 to walk in their own ways4 ,this is the cause of all the divisions in the religious world4 ,but where is the first ,scripture that says1 or even hints1 that the gifts and manifestations of the ,holy ,spirit were not intended for men until they become perfect8 ,not a single text of this description can be found between the lids of the ,bible1 but the whole tenor of the ,book teaches to the contrary4 ,jesus ,christ said that the signs ,or gifts should follow those who believed4--,mark xvi4 #ag4 ,he also said that the ,comforter--the ,holy ,ghost1 should abide with his disciples for ever4--,john xiv4 #af4 ,jesus also said that his ,father would give ,his ,holy ,spirit to all them that asked ,him4--,luke xi4 #ac4 ,peter said that ,god gave the ,holy ,ghost to all that obeyed ,him4--,acts v4 #cb4 ,on the day of ,pentecost1 ,peter declared that the promise of the ,holy ,ghost was for the people before him1 for their children1 for all that were afar off1 even as many as the ,lord should call4--,acts ii4 #ci4 ,paul continually exhorted all ,saints to seek diligently after the gifts of the ,spirit1 for he would not have his brethren ignorant of them1 but to covet earnestly the best gifts4--#a ,cor4 xii4 xiii4 xiv4 ,solomon said1 ,where there is no vision the people perish4--,proverbs xxix4 #ah4 ,joel prophesied that the ,spirit of the ,lord should be poured out most abundantly in the last days1 the sons and daughters should prophesy1 the old men should dream dreams1 and the young men should see visions1 and even upon the servants and handmaids1 should the ,spirit be bestowed1 indeed the promise is that it should be poured out upon all flesh4--,joel ii4 #bh1 #bi4 ,that does not look like the gifts being done away and no longer needed4 ,it is true1 ,peter said that the out-pouring on the day of ,pentecost was in fulfilment of ,joel's prophecy1 but that occasion did not #di fully fulfil the terms of the prophecy1 for very few received the ,holy ,spirit then1 not all flesh4 ,a more full and complete fulfilment yet awaits the prediction1 and the time when will be discovered by reading the whole of the chapter--just about the second advent of the ,redeemer4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,but is it necessary to have laid hands upon one1 in order to receive the ,holy ,ghost8 ,elder ,b4 ,laying on of hands is the ordinance appointed of ,god for the imparting of the ,holy ,ghost4--,acts viii4 #ag-bj41 xix4 #f4 ,heb4 vi4 #b4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,did not ,cornelius receive it without the laying on of hands1 and even before he was baptized8 ,elder ,b4 ,cornelius was a ,gentile4 ,the ,holy ,ghost was poured out upon him and his household previous to baptism and the laying on of hands1 to convince the ,jews that the ,gentiles were entitled to the blessings of the ,gospel4 ,cornelius and his household were then baptized4 ,doubtless the gift of tongues was only imparted to them for the time being1 as has been the case with persons in our day1 before baptism and the laying on of hands4 ,it is reasonable to believe that1 after ,cornelius and his household were baptized1 ,peter laid his hands upon them1 as he did upon other disciples4 ,such a course would be pursued by the ,latter-day ,saints now in similar cases4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,but do the ,latter-day ,saints actually obtain these gifts8 ,elder ,b4 ,yes1 some have the gift of tongues1 some of interpretation of tongues1 others have dreams1 visions1 and revelations1 whilst many have been miraculously healed by the power of ,god4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,well1 really my bosom burns to hear it4 ,looking at his watch4 ,but ,i am sorry to say that my time has expired4 ,i have some particular business to attend to just now4 ,would you wait and take dinner with us4 ,i can spare a little more time after dinner4 ,elder ,b4 ,i am obliged to you1 but ,i have several places to call at this morning1 and it will be inconvenient for me to stay with you to-day4 ,however1 ,i will call upon you this day week1 and give you any further information you may wish4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,well1 call when you can stay and have dinner4 ,but ,i wish to ask you whether you admit persons into your ,church immediately on application1 or do you keep candidates a certain time on probation4 ,elder ,b4 ,in ancient times candidates were not required to #ej submit to any probation1 previous to entering the ,church1 at least ,i cannot read so in the ,bible1 neither do the ,latter-day ,saints require such a thing4 ,we like men to come up boldly and say they repent of their sins1 and wish to be baptized4 ,when men do this1 we do not presume to question their sincerity1 unless we have very substantial reasons for doing so4 ,we wish to encourage confidence between men1 and we do not treat them as suspicious characters1 until we have evidence for it4 ,when a man turns from his sins1 then is the time that he should be received with open arms by the ,church1 the blessings of full fellowship should not be withheld1 for he is but weak in the faith1 and he needs all possible encouragement4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i have no fault to find with your sentiments on that head4 ,i am sure it is very good of you to spend your time in enlightening the minds of the people1 by your tracts and conversation4 ,of course you have a salary from your society to support you4 ,elder ,b4 ,i am not an hireling1 sir4 ,i do not preach for hire or divine for money4 ,the hireling is not the true shepherd of the flock4 ,an hireling is apt to look a little more to the fleece than to the flock4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,but you cannot live on the air6 ,elder ,b4 ,when ,jesus ,christ sent his disciples to preach in ancient times1 he told them to go without purse or scrip1 and their heavenly ,father would see that they were provided for4 ,jesus said that those persons who received his servants received him1 and those who rejected them rejected him1 and whosoever would give only a cup of cold water to one of the least of his disciples should not lose his reward4--,matt4 x4 ,mark vi4 ix4 ,luke ix4 ,this is how ,i am sent out1 this is how all the ,elders of the ,latter-day ,saints are sent out to preach to the world4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,that's noble1 certainly4 ,elder ,b4 ,it proves the world1 whether they will receive one in the name of the ,lord2 it proves the servants of ,god1 whether they can put their confidence in ,him2 and it proves the ,lord1 whether ,he will support ,his servants and open the way for them4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i really wish you would stay for dinner4 ,elder ,b4 ,i would1 with pleasure1 if my duties allowed4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,well1 ,i cannot let you go away empty4 ,i beg you will accept of five shillings1 to assist you in your laudable purpose4 #ea ,elder ,b4 ,may the ,lord bless you in your basket and in your store1 and restore you an hundred fold4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,thank you4 ,i have much enjoyed your conversation4 ,i am sure ,i am greatly indebted to you4 ,but ,i must now say good day4 ,you will not fail to call next week8 ,elder ,b4 ,i will not4 ,good day sir4 ,,liverpool3 ,,published ,,by ,s4 ,w4 ,,richards1 #ae1 ,,wilton ,,street1 ,,london4 ,if the ,lord ,almighty should give the human family their desire in full1 they would not keep the broad road to destruction1 but would go cross lots to hell4 --,brigham ,young4 ,a man cannot deny the truth when the spirit of ,god is burning in his bosom4 --,francis ,m4 ,lyman4 ,as man is1 ,god once was4 ,as ,god is1 man may become4 --,joseph ,smith4 #eb ,,salvation3 ,a ,,dialogue ,,between ,,elder ,,brownson ,,and ,,mr4 ,,whitby4 ,,by ,,john ,,jaques1 ,,elder ,,in ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 ,elder ,b4 ,good morning1 sir4 ,how do you do to-day8 ,mr4 ,w4 ,o6 good morning1 sir4 ,how do you do8 ,i hope you are well4 ,i am happy to see you4 ,come1 walk in and sit down4 ,i have been expecting you1 and wishing you would come4 ,i have many things of which to ask you to-day1 if you will be kind enough to inform me concerning them4 ,since you were here last week1 my mind has been much exercised respecting your principles4 ,what ,i heard from you then1 has appeared to me as near the truth as anything ,i ever heard before4 ,if ,i had any prejudice against the ,latter-day ,saints previous to my meeting with you1 ,i think it is now well nigh gone4 ,still there are some things connected with your people1 of which ,i wish to learn a little more4 ,i had not opportunity last week to name these things to you1 as our time was short1 and we seemed to occupy it so well with other conversation1 that many questions which ,i wished to put to you1 ,i really was obliged to postpone till a more favourable opportunity4 ,but after dinner1 ,i took my pipe1 as ,i generally do1 and sat in the corner1 canvassing and weighing over what we had conversed upon1 and other things which we had not4 ,when ,i get my pipe1 ,i reckon myself in my study1 so ,i puzzled for full two hours over matters relating to your people4 ,finally1 ,i thought ,i should have the privilege of seeing you again in a few days1 when ,i could inquire of your more fully4 ,now you are here1 for which ,i am glad4 ,would you first of all give me a brief description of the origin1 progress1 and present position of the ,latter-day ,saints1 and of the organization and different officers of your ,church8 ,elder ,b4 ,i will do so4 ,about the year #ahbj1 there was a great revival excitement among the religious societies in the town of ,manchester1 ,ontario county1 ,new ,york4 ,this revival #ec was kept up with spirit by a series of camp meetings1 in which preachers and people of all denominations joined4 ,a multitude of converts was the result4 ,but as they began to attach themselves to this or that society1 a scene of strife and confusion prevailed1 which contrasted strangely with the professions and former demeanour of both priests and people4 ,in this town lived a young man1 then in his fifteenth year4 ,his father's family clung to the ,presbyterian faith1 and four of them joined that body4 ,this young man was deeply impressed during the above excitement4 ,but the divisions and contentions of the religious societies puzzled him1 and he reflected seriously upon their conduct1 asking himself who1 amidst all the strife1 was right1 and whom he must join4 ,while in this anxious state1 he one day opened his ,bible1 and read that golden counsel given by ,james--,if any of you lack wisdom1 let him ask of ,god1 that giveth unto all men liberally and upbraideth not1 and it shall be given him4--i4 #e4 ,this precious passage came with great force to the mind of this young man4 ,the teaching exactly suited his case4 ,he was unlearned1 he was ignorant1 he lacked wisdom4 ,the preachers all claimed to be right1 though1 at the same time1 they differed1 and strove with each other4 ,it was therefore folly to go to them to learn the truth4 ,he wisely resolved to follow the advice of ,james1 and ask of ,god4 ,accordingly1 this young man retired to a secluded spot1 and kneeling down began to pray earnestly to the ,almighty for guidance4 ,the youth had scarcely done so1 when he was suddenly seized by an invisible power1 which rendered him speechless and helpless4 ,darkness seemed to hover around him4 ,however1 he exerted all his power to ask deliverance from the ,lord1 when a pillar of light1 surpassing the brightness of the midday sun1 appeared above the youth1 and descended gradually till it fell upon him1 and he felt released from his distressing bondage4 ,when the light rested upon him1 he saw two most glorious personages standing above him in the air4 ,one spoke to him1 pointing to the other1 saying--,this is my beloved ,son1 hear him4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,then this young man actually saw and spoke to the ,lord1 and to his ,son ,jesus ,christ6 ,elder ,b4 ,yes4 ,the young man asked the latter person1 which of all the religious societies was right4 ,in answer1 the youth was informed that all were teaching incorrect doctrines1 and that he must join none of the sects4 ,to a certain extent this satisfied his mind4 ,but on the evening of the #bast of ,september1 #ahbc1 he again prayed to the ,lord for a manifestation from ,him4 ,while thus engaged1 a light appeared in the #ed room1 which increased until it became brighter than noonday1 when immediately a personage appeared at the bedside1 standing in the air4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,a second vision6 ,elder ,b4 ,yes4 ,the personage had on an exceedingly white robe4 ,his person was very glorious1 and his countenance like lightning4 ,around him shone a halo or light superior to that which filled the room4 ,he said he was a messenger from ,god1 and was named ,moroni ,see ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet1 page #ai4 ,he called the young man by name1 and told him that ,god had a work for him to do1 which should cause his name to be good and evil spoken of among all people1 and that a book written upon gold plates1 and giving an account of the ancient inhabitants of ,america1 was deposited in the earth1 and with the book two stones in silver bows fastened to a breastplate1 which were called anciently the ,urim and ,thummim1 and by which ,god revealed intelligence to ,his people4 ,see ,ex4 xxviii4 ,lev4 viii4 #h4 ,deut4 xxxiii4 #h4 ,i ,sam4 xxviii4 #f4 xxx4 ,ezra ii4 #fc4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i recollect reading of the priests using the ,urim and ,thummim among the children of ,israel4 ,elder ,b4 ,just so4 ,on these plates was engraven the fulness of the everlasting ,gospel1 as ,jesus ,christ taught it to the ancient inhabitants of ,america4 ,these sacred things were not to be shown to any person1 except by commandment from the ,lord4 ,the place where they were deposited was shown to the young man's mind in this vision4 ,after giving many more instructions1 the messenger withdrew4 ,while the young man lay musing on what he had seen and heard1 the same messenger appeared again to him1 repeating the former instructions1 and adding others4 ,a second time the messenger withdrew4 ,before morning he appeared a third time1 and repeating what he had before communicated1 added still further instructions1 cautioning the youth to beware and not to be led astray4 ,whilst in the field the next day1 the same messenger again stood before him1 commanding him to go and tell his vision and the commandments he had received to his father4 ,the youth obeyed1 and his father told him that he must do as he was told by the angel1 as it was of ,god4 ,the young man accordingly went to the place where the records were deposited in a stone box1 covered over by another stone1 the middle part of the top of which was just visible above the ground4 ,he raised the stone1 and beheld the plates1 the ,urim and ,thummim1 and the breast-plate4 ,he made an attempt to take them out1 but the messenger again appeared to him and forbade #ee him1 telling him the time had not yet come1 but it would be four years longer4 ,he was commanded to go to the place once a year1 until the time appointed1 and was informed that the messenger would meet him there4 ,this commandment the youth obeyed1 and received instruction and intelligence each time4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,though he was young1 he certainly underwent a considerable course of experience before he was entrusted with the commission of the work4 ,elder ,b4 ,truly so4 ,the magnitude1 importance1 and sacred character of the work to which he was chosen1 required the simplicity and obedience of youth1 combined with the soberness and wisdom of maturity4 ,had an old man been chosen1 he might have been too much indoctrinated with the opinions of the age1 to readily obey the instructions of the heavenly messenger4 ,had not the youth been qualified for his great work1 by a course of instruction and preparation1 he might have been liable1 in the lightness and thoughtlessness and inexperience of youth1 to trifle with the sacred things committed to his charge4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,very true4 ,elder ,b4 ,on the #bbnd of ,september1 #ahbg1 the angel placed the plates1 the ,urim and ,thummim1 and the breast-plate1 in the youth's hands1 charging him with the responsibility of their safe keeping4 ,the plates were near eight inches long by seven wide1 and a little thinner than ordinary tin4 ,engravings of the ,egyptian hieroglyphic species filled both sides of the plates4 ,they were bound together by three rings1 at one edge1 and were altogether about six inches thick4 ,a part of the plates were sealed4 ,the youth immediately prepared for their translation1 which was done by means of the ,urim and ,thummim1 as the language in which the plates were engraved was peculiar to the ancient inhabitants of ,america1 and unknown to the present generation4 ,about this time1 he suffered much persecution1 chiefly from religious persons1 who had heard of his having visions1 c4 ,he was compelled to flee for safety from ,manchester1 ,new ,york1 to ,pennsylvania4 ,he continued to translate the record until he had finished those plates which were unsealed4 ,all the plates were then delivered up again to the angel4 ,after the translation1 the ,lord1 by a heavenly messenger1 showed the plates to three witnesses--,oliver ,cowdery1 ,david ,whitmer1 and ,martin ,harris4 ,the youth also showed the plates1 by commandment1 to eight other persons--,christian ,whitmer1 ,jacob ,whitmer1 ,peter ,whitmer1 jun41 ,john ,whitmer1 ,hiram ,page1 ,joseph ,smith1 sen41 ,hyrum ,smith1 and ,samuel ,h4 ,smith4 ,the testimony of these eleven witnesses precedes #ef the translation1 which is entitled the ,book of ,mormon1 the first edition of which was published in #ahcj4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i have heard much concerning this ,book of ,mormon1 and have always understood it to be of an apocryphal or a fabulous nature4 ,your history of it is certainly strange1 but1 to be candid1 ,i cannot say that it is any more improbable than many things which are contained in the ,bible4 ,it is not right to hastily condemn any thing that may appear strange1 for it is truly said that truth is strange--stranger than fiction4 ,could you give me a short description of the contents of this far-famed book8 ,elder ,b4 ,i know that many rumours and false statements are actively circulated concerning that book4 ,its true history ,i have just related4 ,the book contains accounts of two separate and distinct races of people4 ,the first were called ,jaredites1 and they emigrated from the tower of ,babel4 ,being a righteous people1 their language was not confounded1 and they were led by the ,lord over the ocean to the continent of ,america1 where1 occupying the northern portion principally1 they became a numerous1 powerful1 civilized1 and refined nation1 and had ,prophets living among them4 ,but they finally degenerated and became corrupt1 so much so1 that1 after inhabiting the land about fifteen or sixteen centuries1 the ,lord utterly destroyed them4 ,the records of this people were engraved on twenty-four gold plates which were found by the second race who peopled this continent4 ,this last race consisted of two colonies4 ,the first were descendants of ,joseph1 and left ,jerusalem in the first year of the reign of ,zedekiah1 about six hundred years before ,christ1 being directed by the ,lord4 ,they travelled by the borders of the ,red ,sea1 then struck for the ocean1 crossed the ,pacific1 and landed in ,south ,america4 ,this colony1 in the early part of their career1 became divided into two parties4 ,one party were termed ,nephites1 and were a righteous and enlightened people4 ,the other were termed ,lamanites1 and became a wicked and ignorant people4 ,the second colony were composed partly of the tribe of ,judah4 ,this people left ,jerusalem in the eleventh year of the reign of ,zedekiah1 when the ,jews were being carried captive to ,babylon4 ,these emigrants landed in ,north ,america1 and soon after removed to the northern parts of ,south ,america1 where1 about four centuries after1 they were discovered by the ,nephites1 in a partial state of civilization4 ,these two peoples amalgamated1 and became one great and enlightened people4 ,prophets existed among them4 ,jesus ,christ himself visited them1 after his resurrection1 healed their sick1 called twelve ,apostles1 and established his ,church in #eg the land1 in partial fulfilment of what he said to the ,jews--,other sheep ,i have which are not of this fold3 them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice1 and there shall be one fold and one shepherd4--,john xiv4 #af4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,but he did not bring them1 and make them of one fold with the ,jews1 having one shepherd4 ,i have always understood that this passage related to the ,gentiles4 ,elder ,b4 ,the ,gentiles were not reckoned sheep then4 ,besides ,jesus said1 at another time1 that he was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of ,israel4--,matt4 xv4 #bd4 ,so he would not be likely to speak of ministering among the ,gentiles4 ,he went to the ,nephites1 and they heard his voice1 and many followed after him4 ,they will not be brought into one fold with the ,jews1 until all scattered ,israel are gathered together1 and made one nation in the land upon the mountains of ,israel2 and one king shall be king to them all3 and they shall be no more two nations1 neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all4 ,the union of the stick or record of ,joseph--the ,book of ,mormon1 with the stick or record of ,judah--the ,bible1 will be instrumental in producing this grand and glorious effect4--,ezek4 xxxvii4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i certainly never saw so much apparent appropriateness and force in those prophecies before4 ,elder ,b4 ,perhaps not4 ,but to resume4 ,the ,nephites and ,lamanites1 after the visit of ,jesus1 ran well for a time4 ,but they became corrupt1 as years rolled on1 and were often engaged in contention and bloodshed4 ,finally the ,lamanites conquered and destroyed the ,nephites1 in the beginning of the fifth century after ,christ4 ,their records were hid up in the earth by two of the last ,nephite ,prophets--,mormon and ,moroni1 in the hill where heaven directed the young man to go for the plates4 ,the ,north ,american ,indians are the descendants of the ,lamanites1 and what few of the ,nephites mingled among them4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,well surely1 that is a most interesting story4 ,the record of half a world come to light6 ,i must certainly read that book4 ,how does it agree with the ,bible doctrinally8 ,elder ,b4 ,most admirably4 ,both books being written by inspiration of the same ,holy ,spirit1 they run of course in complete unison4 ,the ,book of ,mormon does not coincide with modern apostate religions1 which have the form1 but deny the power of godliness4 ,that book1 as may be expected1 takes a bold and decided stand with the ,bible1 and fearlessly condemns all churches which are not backed up by the power and gifts and blessings of the ,holy ,ghost as the ,primitive ,church was4 #eh ,on some vital points1 which in the ,bible appear ambiguous through mistranslation1 interpolation1 or perversion1 the ,book of ,mormon speaks in the most plain and pointed language1 so that none may misunderstand4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,indeed4 ,elder ,b4 ,i will now resume my narrative4 ,on the #aeth of ,may1 #ahbi1 the young man and a friend--,oliver ,cowdery1 being convinced of the necessity and the proper mode of baptism1 went into the woods to pray on the subject4 ,while praying1 a heavenly messenger--,john the ,baptist1 descended in a cloud of light1 laid his hands upon their heads1 and ordained them saying--,upon you my fellow-servants1 in the name of ,messiah1 ,i confer the ,priesthood of ,aaron1 which holds the keys of the ministering of angels1 and of the ,gospel of repentance1 and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins2 and this shall never be taken again from the earth1 until the sons of ,levi do offer again an offering unto the ,lord in righteousness4 ,the messenger said that the ,aaronic ,priesthood had not power to lay on hands for the ,gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 but that that power should afterwards be given1 and he commanded these two persons to baptize each other1 and then re-ordain each other1 which they straightway did1 and the ,spirit of ,god came upon them1 and they prophesied4 ,they afterwards received the ,melchisedec ,priesthood1 which has power to lay on hands for the ,gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 and to administer in spiritual blessings4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,why did they re-ordain each other8 ,was not the ordination of the angel sufficient8 ,elder ,b4 ,there was no one on earth who had authority to baptize these two persons1 therefore the angel conferred it upon them1 that they might be qualified to baptize each other4 ,they were required to re-ordain each other after baptism1 doubtless for the same reason that ,jesus was baptized--that they might fulfil the law of ,god in its proper order1 as far as possible1 and thus become patterns for those who might believe on their words4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,very likely4 ,elder ,b4 ,when the ,book of ,mormon was published1 some who read it became convinced of its truth1 and were baptized4 ,on the #fth of ,april1 #ahcj1 a ,church1 consisting of six members1 was organized at ,fayette1 ,seneca county1 ,new ,york4 ,that ,church was the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,the youth who was the instrument in bringing forth the book1 and in organizing the ,church1 was ,joseph ,smith4 ,the ,church increased rapidly in numbers1 and in the gifts of #ei the ,spirit4 ,in the fall of the year1 several ,elders went to the state of ,ohio1 preaching1 and baptized hundreds1 and also introduced the ,gospel into all the states west of ,new ,york4 ,in #ahca1 a settlement was formed in ,lake county1 ,ohio1 and another in ,jackson county1 ,missouri4 ,the ,saints in ,ohio built a ,temple to the ,lord1 at ,kirtland1 at the completion of which1 in #ahcf1 the power and glory of ,god were manifested in a remarkable degree4 ,in consequence of continued persecution the ,ohio settlement was abandoned in the year #ahch4 ,the ,saints in ,missouri laid the foundation stone for a ,temple1 at ,independence1 ,jackson county1 on the #crd of ,august1 #ahca4 ,this ,temple is not yet built4 ,the ,saints were driven by mob violence from ,jackson county to ,clay county1 in #ahcc4 ,soon after1 they were driven from ,clay county to ,caldwell and other counties4 ,in the winter of #ahch-i1 the ,saints were expelled1 at the bayonet's point1 from the state of ,missouri4 ,in these awful persecutions and drivings1 neither age1 sex1 nor condition was spared from the most revolting brutality1 such was the relentless cruelty of the enemies of the ,saints4 ,in #ahci1 they began to gather on the east bank of the ,mississippi1 in the state of ,illinois1 and commenced to build up the city of ,nauvoo1 and soon afterwards a noble ,temple4 ,the ,temple was finished and dedicated in #ahdf4 ,in #ahcg1 ,elders were sent on a mission to ,britain1 where they succeeded in baptizing multitudes4 ,in #ahdc1 ,elders were sent to the ,society ,isles1 where numerous converts were made4 ,on the #bgth of ,june1 #ahdd1 the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 and his brother ,hyrum1 the ,patriarch1 were cruelly murdered by a mob1 armed and disguised1 in ,carthage jail1 twelve miles from ,nauvoo1 where these two men of ,god were thrown1 for pretended crimes1 and held for trial under the government pledge of personal safety4 ,during his lifetime1 ,joseph ,smith was embroiled in nearly fifty law-suits1 yet was never legally convicted of any offence to the law of the land4 ,in #ahdf1 the ,saints1 again assailed by persecution1 were compelled to quit ,nauvoo4 ,fifteen thousand to twenty thousand people were obliged to vacate their dearly bought homes1 travel across the vast prairies1 and seek a home among the wild fastnesses of the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,while in this condition1 the government of the ,united ,states required the ,saints to furnish a battalion of able-bodied men to aid in the ,mexican war4 ,this unjust requisition was complied with1 and five hundred men were immediately enrolled1 and sent to ,california1 leaving their wives and families destitute in an ,indian country4 ,in ,july1 #ahdg1 a pioneer company of the ,saints entered the ,valley of the ,great ,salt ,lake4 ,setting #fj aside the incidental privations of a new settlement1 especially under these circumstances1 that and the surrounding valleys have ever since been the peaceable and prosperous home of the ,saints4 ,they are now organized as a territory of the ,united ,states4 ,cities have been built1 lands improved1 and a ,temple two hundred feet long is in progress4 ,during the last four years1 flourishing missions have been established in ,france1 ,germany1 ,denmark1 ,sweden1 ,norway1 ,iceland1 ,italy1 ,switzerland1 ,malta1 ,gibraltar1 ,hindostan1 ,australia1 and the ,sandwich ,isles2 and ,elders have recently been sent to ,siam1 ,ceylon1 ,china1 the ,west ,indies1 ,british ,guiana1 and ,chili4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints in ,britain now number about thirty thousand4 ,about twenty thousand have left these shores to go to the head quarters of the ,church4 ,between two thousand and three thousand leave ,britain annually1 for the same destination4 ,the ,book of ,mormon is published in ,english1 ,welsh1 ,french1 ,german1 ,italian1 ,danish1 and ,polynesian4 ,the ,doctrine and covenants of the ,church is published in ,english1 ,welsh1 and ,danish4 ,the following papers and periodicals are now in circulation--,the ,deseret ,news1 published semi-monthly1 at ,great ,salt ,lake ,city2 the ,seer1 monthly1 at ,washington1 ,united ,states2 the ,millennial ,star1 weekly1 at ,liverpool2 the ,udgorn ,seion1 in ,welsh1 weekly1 at ,merthyr ,tydfil2 the ,skandinaviens ,stierne1 in ,danish1 semi-monthly1 at ,copenhagen2 and ,le ,reflecteur1 in ,french1 monthly1 at ,lausanne4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints have certainly made a most extraordinary and rapid progress1 notwithstanding their persecutions4 ,how many kinds of ministers are there in your ,church8 ,elder ,b4 ,in the ,church of ,christ there are two ,priesthoods--the ,melchisedec1 and the ,levitical or ,aaronic4 ,the ,melchisedec ,priesthood is the higher ,priesthood1 and1 as ,i said before1 holds the power to administer in spiritual things4 ,apostles1 ,patriarchs or ,evangelists1 ,seventies1 ,high ,priests1 and ,elders1 are of this ,priesthood4 ,the ,levitical ,priesthood is the lesser ,priesthood1 and holds authority to administer in temporal things and outward ordinances4 ,bishops1 ,priests1 ,teachers1 and ,deacons are of this ,priesthood4 ,the ,apostleship is the highest office in the ,church1 and can officiate in all ordinances and blessings1 spiritual or temporal1 and build up the kingdom of ,god4 ,one of the ,apostles is chosen to be ,prophet1 ,seer1 and ,revelator to the ,church1 and he has authority to give revelations from ,god for the guidance of the whole ,church4 ,since the organization of the ,church1 in #ahcj1 this ,prophet1 ,seer1 and ,revelator has been also the ,president #fa of the ,church in all the world4 ,the ,president is assisted by two ,counsellors holding the ,apostleship4 ,these three constitute what is termed the ,first ,presidency of the ,church4 ,the duty of a ,patriarch is to bless the ,saints with ,patriarchal blessings4 ,twelve of the ,apostles are organized as a ,quorum1 whose duty it is to travel in all the world1 and introduce the ,gospel1 and regulate the affairs of the ,church in their travels4 ,these ,twelve are of course subject to the ,first ,presidency4 ,one of the ,twelve is ,president of the ,quorum4 ,there are about thirty-three ,quorums of ,seventies1 seventy in each ,quorum1 as the name implies4 ,each ,quorum of the ,seventies has seven ,presidents4 ,one of these seven presides over his associates4 ,the seven ,presidents of the first ,quorum preside over all the ,quorums of ,seventies4 ,the duty of the ,seventies is to travel in all the world1 and introduce the ,gospel1 under the direction of the ,quorum of the ,twelve4 ,the ,high ,priests constitute a ,quorum1 which has a ,president with two ,counsellors4 ,the duty of the ,high ,priests is more particularly to preside4 ,twelve ,high ,priests are chosen as the ,high ,council of the ,church4 ,the duty of the ,high ,council is to try the most serious offences against the laws of the ,church4 ,the ,elders constitute a ,quorum1 which has a ,president with two ,counsellors4 ,an ,elder has authority to preach the ,gospel1 baptize1 lay on hands for the ,gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 and to administer in spiritual blessings4 ,all the officers above an ,elder are also called ,elders4 ,the duty of a ,bishop is to administer in the temporal affairs of the ,church1 and to sit as a judge upon transgressors4 ,the duty of a ,priest is to preach the ,gospel1 and administer in outward ordinances--such as baptism1 and the ,lord's supper1 and to visit the members of the ,church1 and exhort them to faithfulness4 ,the duty of a ,teacher is to be as a father to the members1 to watch over them continually1 and see that there is no lying1 backbiting1 evil speaking1 or iniquity of any kind1 in the ,church1 and that all the members meet together often1 do their duty1 and live in love and union4 ,the duty of the ,deacon is to attend to the temporal well-being and comfort of the ,church1 and to assist the ,teacher in his duties when necessary4 ,the ,priests1 the ,teachers1 and the ,deacons1 each constitute a distinct ,quorum1 having its respective ,president1 with his two ,counsellors4 ,the lesser offices of the ,priesthood are all embodied in the higher1 consequently an officer can minister in the duties of any office beneath him4 ,thus an ,apostle can administer in the duties of ,high ,priest1 ,elder1 or ,deacon4 #fb ,mr4 ,w4 ,you have a most wonderful and elaborate organization4 ,elder ,b4 ,no other organization in the world is so complete1 or so beautifully adapted for the perfecting of the ,saints1 the work of the ministry1 or the edifying of the body of ,christ1 which ,st4 ,paul declares to be the end of the ,priesthood4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,how was so minute a knowledge of the various offices and their duties obtained8 ,it is not given in the ,bible4 ,elder ,b4 ,neither the ,bible nor the ,book of ,mormon so particularly describe the offices of the ,holy ,priesthood1 or so clearly define their duties4 ,by revelation from ,god1 and by the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 was this glorious knowledge given in these last days4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,it's passing strange6 ,and yet ,i feel glad--,i cannot but admire your system--,but why do the ,latter-day ,saints leave their native land1 and go to ,america8 as ,i understand they do4 ,elder ,b4 ,in a few words ,i can show you the propriety of that principle4 ,you know very well that righteousness has no fellowship with unrighteousness4 ,the righteous and the wicked can never live in peace and harmony4 ,the laws of ,god can never be fully obeyed while the people of ,god are scattered among the wicked4 ,the separation of the people of ,god from the wicked has been a prominent feature in all dispensations4 ,salvation can never be realized without this separation4 ,abraham was commanded to go with his family to a land that he knew not4 ,the children of ,israel were commanded to gather out of the land of ,egypt1 to the land of ,canaan1 and be separate from their enemies4 ,the ,israelites ever considered their dispersion among the nations as a most signal sign of the displeasure of the ,lord4 ,jesus wept over ,jerusalem1 and said how often he would have gathered her children as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings1 but the stubborn ,jews would not listen to him1 consequently they were scattered among all nations1 the most fearful curse that ever befell that people4 ,they still look forward1 with the strongest confidence1 to their gathering again to ,jerusalem and to ,palestine1 and regard that gathering as ample recompense for the long1 dreary night of scattering which they are now passing through4 ,and the ,lord has promised that the wonders of the last gathering of ,his people shall totally eclipse1 and banish from their minds1 the wonders of the gathering from ,egypt4--,jer4 xvi4 xxxi4 ,when the ,latter-day judgments are being sent among the wicked1 does not ,st4 ,john #fc say that a voice is to be heard from heaven--,come out of her ,babylon-the wicked nations1 my people1 that ye be not partakers of her sins1 and that ye receive not of her plagues8--,rev4 xviii4 #d4 ,and ,joel says1 ,in ,mount ,zion1 and in ,jerusalem1 shall be deliverance1 in the last days4--,joel ii4 #cb4 ,we know where ,jerusalem is1 and ,god has revealed that the ,mount ,zion of the last days is in ,america1 and has also commanded ,his people to gather there1 and prepare themselves to dwell in peace when ,jesus ,christ shall come4 ,the ,jews will return to ,jerusalem by and bye4 ,at your leisure1 read ,isaiah ii4 v4 xi4 xliii4 xlix4 ,zech4 x4 ,ezek4 xi4 xx4 xxxiii4 ,zeph4 iii4 ,jer4 xxxii4 ,many other passages might be named1 but these prove that a mighty gathering of the people of ,god was to occur in the last days4 ,it is now being fulfilled4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i will read the passages4 ,but ,i have one thing more to name4 ,i am told that the ,latter-day ,saints believe in a man's having more wives than one4 ,this1 if true1 is opposed to my feelings1 and to my ideas of propriety and morality4 ,is this doctrine believed in and practised by your people8 ,if so1 how can you reconcile it with ,scripture and morality8 ,elder ,b4 ,this doctrine is believed in by the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,it is practised by them in the ,territory of ,utah4 ,there is no law there to forbid polygamy4 ,but they do not practise it in ,england1 or in any country where the law of the land forbids the practice4 ,your feelings1 and your ideas of propriety and morality1 are induced by your education4 ,in this country1 men and women are educated to believe that polygamy is flagrantly immoral1 and nothing more or less than licentiousness4 ,this is a most erroneous idea4 ,there is an immense difference between a man's holding illegal and promiscuous intercourse with the other sex1 for the pleasure of the moment only1 regardless of consequences1 and his legally marrying several wives1 and honourably supporting them and their children4 ,in the first case1 there is a grave abuse of the sexual powers1 and a grievous violation of the highest and holiest principles4 ,in the second case1 there is nothing of this kind1 but merely an extensive development of those powers and principles4 ,there is far less licentiousness in the ,east1 where polygamy prevails1 than in the ,west1 where it is illegal4 ,as regards ,scripture1 there is not a word in the ,bible condemning polygamy1 not a word4 ,on the contrary1 the most righteous men known in sacred history1 advocated and practised this principle4 ,did ,god favour them the less on that account8 ,not a jot4 ,he was the author of the principle4 ,in certain instances1 an ,israelite could not obey the law of ,god1 without #fd taking more wives than one4 ,for example--a childless widow had legal claim on her deceased husband's brother1 or nearest male relative1 for the fulfilment of marital duties4 ,if the brother or relative refused to fulfil these duties1 he was publicly disgraced by the woman4 ,deut4 xxv4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,i acknowledge that there is an essential difference between the two cases you mention4 ,but as respects the law in ,israel1 ,i thought that ,jesus ,christ did away with that4 ,elder ,b4 ,there is no record of his doing away with it4 ,he said--,think not that ,i am come to destroy the law1 or the ,prophets2 ,i am not come to destroy1 but to fulfil4 ,matt4 v4 #ag4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,but would not polygamy make the women jealous of each other8 ,elder ,b4 ,there is no cause for it4 ,we are all redeemed by one ,lord--should that make us jealous of each other8 ,we are all the children of one heavenly ,father--should that make us jealous8 ,you have several children--should that make your first-born jealous of the others8 ,just as little cause exists for the association of jealousy with polygamy4 ,indeed it is calculated to dispel jealousy4 ,for instance--,in this country1 three young women all love the same young man4 ,being rivals1 it is quite natural to suppose that the young women1 through their jealousy1 hate each other in exact proportion as they love the young man1 because they know that the law will not allow him to be married to them all1 and consequently when one has obtained him the others have irrecoverably lost him4 ,if polygamy were allowed1 this jealousy would not exist1 because a woman would know she could be married to any man she loved1 if she could win his affection1 which part of the business might be safely entrusted to her4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,but what advantages would accrue through a man's having more wives than one4 ,elder ,b4 ,i have just told you one very great advantage--a woman could1 without fear of rivalry1 become the wife of the man on whom she had set the purest and warmest affections of her soul4 ,she would not be compelled1 as many are now1 to throw herself away on some brute in human form1 who would scarcely pass the honeymoon before he treated her worse than his cattle4 ,such wretches do not deserve a wife at all4 ,but what are women to do8 ,you can't unsex them4 ,women are women1 after all1 and they know they have a right to husbands and protectors4 ,if they cannot get as good as they wish1 they will get as good as they can4 ,therefore leave their choice free as to whom they shall have4 ,a woman gives herself wholly and entirely1 body and affections1 to a man4 ,she #fe ought surely to be allowed to bestow such a gift on whom she pleases4 ,she ought certainly to choose whatever man she pleases to hold unlimited and sole control over her person and property4 ,if this were more extensively the case1 we should hear less of wife beating and wife murdering1 accounts of which figure so conspicuously in our newspapers4 ,now polygamy would grant the advantage named1 whereas monogamy is one of the greatest bars to the happiness of the female sex4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,but would you have all men marry several wives each8 ,elder ,b4 ,that would not necessarily follow4 ,it would be more likely that good men would each have several wives1 and that bad men would find it difficult to get any wife to ill-use and beat4 ,this would bring to men a reward and a punishment1 in which the women would be proud to administer1 and which would do more for their protection than all the legislative enactments in the world4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,well1 ,i must think upon this subject4 ,i certainly do not feel to object so much to it as ,i did before ,i named it to you4 ,mary4 ,mr4 ,w4's daughter4 ,dinner's ready1 please1 father4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,then ,i suppose we must retire4 ,you shall stay and have dinner with me1 and then you shall be at liberty to attend to your business1 as ,i think ,i shall have detained you long enough to day4 ,by the bye1 ,i have read the tract you lent me1 ,i like it very well4 ,i shall certainly go to your meetings1 and hear a little more1 and ,i will not promise you that ,i shall not be a ,latter-day ,saint yet1 for ,i must say that your religion is more consistent with the ,bible than any other which ,i have examined4 ,elder ,b4 ,you can't do better1 sir1 ,i assure you4 ,,liverpool3 ,,published ,,by ,s4 ,w4 ,,richards1 #ae1 ,,wilton ,,street1 ,,london4 #ff ,,exclusive ,,salvation4 ,,by ,,john ,,jaques1 ,,elder ,,in ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 ,the doctrine of ,exclusive ,salvation1 or salvation by one ,lord1 one ,faith1 one ,baptism1 one method1 one system1 one ,gospel1 one ,priesthood only2 is at the present time an exceedingly unpopular doctrine4 ,but popularity or unpopularity can never make truth error1 nor error truth4 ,if the doctrine of exclusive salvation be a false doctrine1 world-wide popularity will never make it true4 ,if1 on the contrary1 it be a true doctrine1 the most crushing unpopularity will never destroy its immutability and truthfulness4 ,the subject1 then1 should be investigated in the abstract1 entirely independent of popularity or unpopularity4 ,let us rather call to our aid common sense1 reason1 and revelation4 ,my object will be to show most clearly that exclusive salvation is a true1 reasonable1 and scriptural doctrine1 that it is an absolute impossibility for a real ,bible believer to entertain a contrary thought4 ,ostensibly a great part of ,christendom disavow exclusive salvation4 ,but1 if the point be pressed home1 all sects must acknowledge the truth of the doctrine1 or at once proclaim themselves false teachers1 impostors1 deluders1 entirely destitute of the least shadow of legal authority to officiate as teachers of religion4 ,one or other of these conclusions is inevitable4 ,i ask the ,baptist minister1 what induces him to occupy his time in preaching up a particular creed8 ,why not labor in the fields1 or at some mechanical trade8 ,he answers1 he can be more usefully employed in preaching4 ,i ask1 of what use is his preaching8 ,his answer must be1 for the salvation of souls4 ,but ,i may further remark1 the established church is supposed to exist for the very purpose of saving souls2 has colleges for to properly qualify persons to preach2 has a church in nearly every village where salvation is supposed to be taught2 has ministers who are paid1 pensioned1 salaried1 for the express purpose of doing this necessary work of salvation4 ,why not leave the work of salvation to them altogether8 ,why interfere in their appointed and acknowledged #fg calling8 ,his answer must be1 his only answer can be1 that the established church is not the true church2 that its ministers have no true authority1 and that they do not preach the true method of salvation2 that his own ,baptist church is the true church of ,christ2 that ,baptist ministers are the true authorized preachers of salvation1 and that they preach the true and only method of salvation4 ,he cannot shrink from this4 ,he is driven in a corner4 ,there is no way of escape4 ,he must either own his neighbor churchman a false teacher1 and himself a true one1 or confess himself a base1 hypocritical impostor1 having no authority whatever3 a wretched wanderer to the depraved vitiated mental tastes and itching ears of a dishonest or deluded portion of the community4 ,thus he cannot deny the doctrine of exclusive salvation2 he is pushed upon it1 and it breaks him to pieces4 ,some might be inclined to suggest the idea that both ,episcopalian and ,baptist churches are true1 that the ministers of both churches have authority--equal authority1 the one with the other4 ,this is virtually condemning both parties4 ,it is utterly impossible for two opposing churches of equal authority to be one true church1 or part and parcels of the true church4 ,no sane person could broach such an idea4 ,two conflicting principles can never become one principle1 worlds without end4 ,one principle must drop4 ,if you tell me that two disagreeing sects have equal authority1 ,i am bold to affirm that neither of them have any authority at all1 and every sensible man will back my affirmation4 ,her ,majesty1 ,victoria1 is the true and rightful queen of ,england4 ,her claim is undoubted1 her authority is indisputable4 ,she reigns exclusively4 ,why8 ,because she is the nation's only true sovereign4 ,it is the thing impossible for any other woman to have just claim to equal authority4 ,the royal prerogative is vested solely in one person4 ,no other person can have the slightest legal claim to it4 ,so the true and legal authority and prerogative of salvation can be solely vested in one church4 ,no other church can have the slightest lawful claim to it4 ,the true ,church may have many branches upon various portions of the earth's surface1 but they must all be united1 and subject to the ,head4 ,two true churches1 two true creeds1 two true preachers1 differing from each other1 contradicting each other1 present an irreconcilable impossibility4 ,it is perfectly senseless--monstrous--the wildest1 most far-fetched idea that could be conceived4 ,its birthplace must have been beyond the bounds of time and space4 ,the simplest capacity1 the narrowest #fh mind1 can perceive at a glance the thorough unreasonableness of such an idea4 ,yet unreasonable as it is1 senseless as it is1 monstrous as it is1 still it is a favourite point1 a bright specimen of the wise folly of our gospel blaze1 ,christendom4 ,can we wonder at the rapid spread of deism1 atheism1 infidelity1 or unbelief1 when we consider the foolish1 nonsensical doctrines which are gravely taught in our day1 with all the sanctity1 longfacedness1 impudence1 and insolence1 imaginable8 ,can we wonder the world is sick of religion8 ,is it strange that intelligent ,roman ,catholics should consider sectarianism a wicked soul-destroying heresy8 ,what is the natural effect of men seeing an hundred opposing sects1 all believing differently1 teaching differently1 and acting differently1 yet at the same time taking one another by the hand as brothers1 and with all gravity declaring to the world they have conjointly one faith1 one hope1 one calling8 ,why1 the natural1 the legitimate effect is1 that straightforward thinking men will consider them all as so many arch deceivers1 conniving at the accomplishment of party purposes1 or grossly ignorant of what they affirm1 and in either case their profession is a misnomer upon themselves4 ,on the other hand3 what is the natural effect upon clear-minded men of an hundred different sects1 all calling themselves ,christians1 all believing in one ,bible1 one code of laws1 all professing to be guided by one spirit2 yet1 at the same time1 none teaching in accordance with the ,bible1 each one teaching contrary doctrines1 each one governed by contrary laws1 each one actuated by contrary spirit1 each one openly declaring all the rest are false1 and1 of course1 condemning them to eternal flames8 ,let us take the answer of ,cobbett1 ,the natural1 the necessary effect is1 that many will believe that none of them have truth on their side1 and1 of course1 that the thing is false altogether1 and invented solely for the benefit of those who teach it1 and who dispute about it4 ,the ,french infidels knew full well there could be but one true religion2 consequently1 if forty were presented before them1 thirty-nine must of necessity be false4 ,view it whichever way we will1 the notorious inconsistency of sectarianism is singularly manifest4 ,,there ,,is ,,only ,,one ,,true ,,faith4 ,common sense1 reason1 and revelation establish the undeniable fact4 ,it is1 out of sheer necessity1 an incontrovertible truth4 ,a deist1 or an atheist1 is called all sorts of ill names1 and his society considered pestiferous by professing ,christians1 because he will not associate the inconsistencies1 confusions1 and glaring contradictions of modern ,christianity1 with the beautiful1 sublime1 and magnificent idea of an overruling #fi ,deity1 possessing infinite power1 wisdom and glory4 ,whilst these same professing ,christians embrace with cordial affection those who credit the monstrous lie1 the base calumny1 the heaven-daring libel1 that the ,great ,jehovah is the grand author of all this confusion4 ,o folly6 ,fie1 fie6 ,christendom6 ,the doctrine of exclusive salvation is an eternal principle1 indestructible as the ,throne of ,jehovah4 ,it existed before the first creation1 has existed ever since1 and will exist after the last creation4 ,were it not for this principle of exclusiveness there would be no law1 no justice1 no mercy1 no order1 no organization1 no honor1 no glory1 no virtue2 no reward1 no punishment1 no heaven1 no hell2 nothing to fear1 nothing to hope4 ,this earth would be as good as heaven1 and ,jehovah's throne no more to be desired than the prison-house of the damned4 ,it is this very principle of exclusiveness that creates the difference between truth and error1 between angels and devils1 between salvation and damnation4 ,it is this very principle that determines1 with unerring certainty1 every gradation between virtue and vice1 between honour and dishonour1 between glory and shame4 ,but now let us examine scripture evidence upon the subject of exclusive salvation4 ,we will begin in the beginning1 and trace downwards in the course of time4 ,the only way in which the harmony of heaven could be maintained was by rigid observance of the exclusive doctrine of perfect submission to the head4 ,lucifer1 son of the morning1 undertook to question the point4 ,he was cast down4 ,others sided with him and shared his fate4 ,adam was placed in the garden of ,eden1 where was everything that would please the eye1 captivate the senses1 or delight the heart4 ,jehovah revealed to him the doctrine of exclusive salvation3 ,in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die4 ,the only1 the exclusive method of salvation proposed from sin1 sorrow1 and death1 was this1--abstinence from the fruit from a particular tree4 ,it was an irrevocable decree1 by lawful authority1 even the ,eternal ,god4 ,it mattered not what the devil said1 what ,eve said1 or what any other personage said1 however exalted his station or great his authority4 ,the doctrine of exclusive salvation was given2 it was true1 it was faithful4 ,the devil1 wily and subtle1 preached against exclusive salvation2 said it was a false doctrine3 ,ye shall not surely die4 ,he deceived ,eve2 ,eve persuaded ,adam2 ,adam transgressed2 the devil was proved a liar2 ,adam discovered by painful experience1 and his posterity to this day are witnesses in themselves of the truth of the #gj doctrine of exclusive salvation4 ,thus it will be seen that it is a true doctrine1 and the devil the opposer of it from the beginning4 ,but we must pass hastily through the scriptures4 ,we have not space nor time to examine the testimony of the ancient worthies1 the prophets1 one by one1 or we should discover that they all1 without exception1 preach the doctrine of exclusive salvation2 who were sent to preach at all4 ,we come to ,noah1 the famous diluvian preacher of righteousness4 ,one hundred and twenty years whilst the ark was building did ,noah preach the doctrine of exclusive salvation4 ,the only1 the exclusive method of salvation prepared and appointed1 was the ark4 ,it was perfectly immaterial what other prophets or teachers might teach or believe4 ,the doctrine of ,noah was true1 and ,god would authorize no one to preach any other contrary doctrine4 ,noah's doctrine was an exceedingly unpopular doctrine1 if we may judge by his numerical success4 ,the majority of mankind made light of it3 ,they were eating and drinking1 marrying and giving in marriage1 until the day that ,noah entered the ark4 ,the terrific roar of the overflowing waters was a fearful testimony to the antediluvians1 in favour of the doctrine of exclusive salvation4 ,lot preached the doctrine of exclusive salvation2 and the inhabitants of ,sodom and ,gomorrah experienced its truth to their utter dismay1 consternation1 and destruction4 ,moses preached the doctrine of exclusive salvation1 and the punishments consequent upon opposition to this doctrine were severely felt by the ,egyptians at the ,red ,sea1 by the ,israelites in the wilderness1 and by the ,canaanites who fell before the children of ,israel4 ,looking up to the brazen serpent made by ,moses1 was the exclusive method of salvation from the deadly effects of the bite of the fiery serpents which the ,lord sent4 ,korah1 ,dathan1 ,abiram1 ,saul1 ,uzzah1 and the prophets of ,baal1 can testify to the truth of this doctrine4 ,naaman's indignant wrath1 and haughty pride were all in vain2 his servant persuaded him that the exclusive method of salvation from his leprosy consisted in obedience to the voice of ,god1 even washing himself seven times in the river ,jordan4 ,no matter what ,naaman or anybody else thought or said4 ,six washings in the river ,jordan would not have availed anything1 neither would seven washings in any other river but the river ,jordan have produced the desired effect4 #ga ,repentance at the preaching of ,jonah1 proved exclusive salvation to the ,ninevites4 ,john the ,baptist preached the doctrine of exclusive salvation3 ,and now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees2 therefore every tree which bringeth forth not good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire4 ,jesus ,christ preached the doctrine of exclusive salvation3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4 ,except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise perish4 ,i am the way1 the truth1 and the life2 no man cometh unto the ,father but by me4 ,he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold1 but climbeth up some other way1 the same is a thief and a robber4 ,there shall be one fold and one shepherd4 ,holy ,father1 keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me1 that they may be one as we are4 ,go ye into all the world1 and preach the gospel to every creature2 he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved1 but he that believeth not shall be damned4 ,exclusive enough this4 ,there were many ,pharisees1 ,sadducees1 and ,essenes1 in the days of ,jesus1 but their religions were not sufficiently exclusive3 ,except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the ,scribes and ,pharisees1 ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven4 ,on the day of ,pentecost1 ,peter1 filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 preached the doctrine of exclusive salvation to men of every nation under heaven4 ,hear him3 ,repent and be baptized every one of you1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,save yourselves from this untoward generation4 ,three thousand persons believed the word of exclusive salvation by ,peter1 and in token thereof were baptized the same day4 ,the reader will recollect that these three thousand persons were not what are generally considered wicked sinners1 but religious1 devout men1 who had proven their sincerity and faithfulness by coming up from all nations to ,jerusalem1 expressly to worship4 ,but their religion1 their devotion1 their worship was insufficient2 it was not exclusive enough1 and ,peter had sufficient charity to boldly proclaim this4 ,sincerity in an individual is no proof that he is in the right way4 ,i might wish to go from ,manchester to ,edinburgh1 but if ,i unwittingly started on the ,london road1 with my back to ,edinburgh1 ,i should not reach the place of my destination1 but every step ,i took would increase the distance between me and it4 ,the only1 the exclusive means by which ,i could reach ,edinburgh1 would be to travel on the road to ,edinburgh4 #gb ,hear ,peter further3 ,neither is there salvation in any other1 for there is none other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved4 ,though ,cornelius received the ministration of angels1 and the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 he found that salvation was exclusive1 and ,peter commanded him to be baptized1 in order that he might be saved4 ,the devils know the truth of the doctrine of exclusive salvation4 ,said one1--,jesus ,i know1 and ,paul ,i know1 but who are ye8 ,james preached the doctrine of exclusive salvation3 ,but whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty1 and continueth therein1 he being not a forgetful hearer1 but a doer of the work1 this man shall be blessed in his deed4 ,for whosoever shall keep the whole law1 and yet offend in one point1 he is guilty of all4 ,jude preached the doctrine of exclusive salvation4 ,it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints4 ,how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time1 who should walk after their own ungodly lusts4 ,these be they who separate themselves2 sensual1 having not the ,spirit4 ,st4 ,john preached the doctrine of exclusive salvation3 ,they went out from us1 but they were not of us2 for if they had been of us1 they would no doubt continued with us2 but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not of us4 ,these things have ,i written unto you concerning them that seduce you4 ,beloved1 believe not every spirit1 but try the spirits whether they are of ,god2 because many false prophets are gone into the world4 ,we are of ,god2 ,he that knoweth ,god heareth us2 he that is not of ,god heareth not us4 ,hereby know we the ,spirit of truth1 and the ,spirit of error4 ,he that hath the ,son hath life2 and he that hath not the ,son of ,god hath not life4 ,and we know that we are of ,god1 and the whole world lieth in wickedness4 ,whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of ,christ1 hath not ,god4 ,he that abideth in the doctrine of ,christ he hath both the ,father and the ,son4 ,if there come any unto you1 and bring not this doctrine1 receive him not into your house1 neither bid him ,god speed2 for he that biddeth him ,god speed1 is partaker of his evil deeds4 ,lastly1 the apostle ,paul firmly believed and strenuously contended for the doctrine of exclusive salvation4 ,he knew it was the hope of the righteous1 and the bulwark of heaven4 #gc ,what does he say8 ,be it known unto you1 therefore1 men and brethren1 that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins2 and by him all that believe are justified from all things1 from which ye could not be justified by the law of ,moses4 ,for ,i am not ashamed of the gospel of ,christ2 for it is the power of ,god unto salvation to every one that believeth3 to the ,jew first1 and also to the ,greek1 now ,i beseech you1 brethren1 by the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that ye all speak the same thing1 and that there be no divisions amongst you3 but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment1 for it hath been declared unto me of you1 my brethren1 by them which are of the house of ,chloe1 that there are contentions amongst you4 ,now this ,i say1 that every one of you saith1 ,i am of ,paul and ,i of ,apollos1 and ,i of ,cephas1 and ,i of ,christ4 ,is ,christ divided8 was ,paul crucified for you8 or were you baptized in the name of ,paul8 ,for ye are yet carnal2 for whereas1 there is amongst you envying and strife1 and divisions2 are ye not carnal1 and walk as men8 ,for while one saith1 ,i am of ,paul1 and another ,i am of ,apollos1 are ye not carnal ,a8 ,who then is ,paul1 and who is ,apollos1 but ministers by whom ye believed1 even as the ,lord gave to every man8 ,for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid1 which is ,jesus ,christ4 ,footnote ,a3 ,for whilst one saith1 ,i am of ,wesley2 and another says1 ,i am of ,luther2 and another says1 ,i am of ,calvin2 and another says1 ,i am of ,campbell1 are ye not carnal8 ,we have need to learn again the first principles of the gospel4 ,be perfect1 be of good comfort1 be of one mind4 ,i marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of ,christ unto another gospel3 which is not another3 but there be some that trouble you1 and would pervert the gospel of ,christ4 ,but though we1 or an angel from heaven1 preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you1 let him be accursed4 ,as we said before1 so say ,i now again4 ,if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received1 let him be accursed4 ,o foolish ,galatians1 who hath bewitched you1 that ye should not obey the truth8 ,that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in ,christ1 both which are in heaven and which are on earth4 ,for this cause ,i bow my knees unto the ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named4 ,there is one body and one ,spirit1 even as ye are called one hope of your calling4 ,one ,lord1 one faith1 #gd one baptism1 one ,god and ,father of all1 who is above all1 and through all1 and in you all4 ,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 fulness of ,christ3 that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro1 and carried about with every kind of doctrine by the sleight of men1 and cunning craftiness1 whereby they lie and wait to deceive4 ,that ye stand fast in one ,spirit1 with one mind1 striving together for the faith of the ,gospel1 when the ,lord ,jesus ,christ shall be revealed from heaven1 with his mighty angels1 in flaming fire1 taking vengeance on them that know not ,god1 and that obey not the gospel of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,now the ,spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith1 giving heed to seducing spirits1 and doctrines of devils1 speaking lies in hypocrisy4 ,take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine3 continue in it2 for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee4 ,this know1 also1 that in the last days perilous times shall come2 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 ,god1 having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof3 from such turn away4 ,ever learning1 and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth4 ,now as ,jannes and ,jambres withstood ,moses1 so do these also resist the truth3 men of corrupt minds1 reprobates concerning the faith4 ,but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse1 deceiving and being deceived2 for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine1 but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears3 and they shall turn away their ears from the truth1 and shall be turned unto fables4 ,they profess that they know ,god1 but in works they deny him1 being abominable and disobedient1 and to every good work reprobate4 ,with such an overwhelming flood of ,scripture testimony in favour of salvation by one ,lord1 one ,faith1 one ,baptism1 one ,priesthood1 one ,gospel1 how does our blood boil within us1 and our bosoms burn with indignation1 when we recollect that teachers of religion1 with the ,bible in their hands1 have the unblushing effrontery to promise us salvation by just what ,lord1 what faith1 what baptism1 what priesthood1 what gospel we choose8 ,and some have actually the infamous audacity to tell us that we can be saved without any priesthood or #ge any baptism at all6 ,oh1 how have our eyes been blinded6 ,how grossly we have been deceived6 ,how awfully we have been deluded6 ,how completely we have been bewitched6 ,how horribly we have been imposed upon6 ,how has the truth been turned into fables6 ,how has the word of ,god been made of none effect through the traditions of men6 ,our fathers have inherited lies1 vanity1 and things wherein there is no profit6 ,hear for yourselves1 think for yourselves1 judge for yourselves1 act for yourselves1 and then you will know for yourselves that every prophet that came with the ,burden of the word of the ,lord1 preached ,,exclusive ,,salvation4 ,why1 the very presence of a new prophet argued that all the people were gone astray4 ,the very presence of a prophet of the ,lord always did1 and always will1 involve the salvation or damnation of the people to whom he is sent4 ,jehovah does not trifle with men1 but expects to be heard and obeyed through his servants the prophets4 ,the ,lord never did send two or more contradictory messages to any people4 ,it is thoroughly inconsistent with his character and perfections4 ,when two men profess to have been sent by the ,lord to the same people with conflicting messages1 it is a certain truth that one or both of them are false teachers1 impostors1 wicked designing men1 feeding and fattening on the credulity of the people4 ,the message which any true prophet brings is always an exclusive message4 ,it is approbation or condemnation4 ,it proves a saviour or life unto life1 or of death unto death4 ,there is no middle course4 ,the people must receive or reject it4 ,if received1 it will prove their exclusive salvation4 ,if rejected1 it will prove their exclusive damnation4 ,there is no alternative4 ,it is a stern law of necessity4 ,a truth that proves itself without reason1 and without argument4 ,if a people to whom ,jehovah sends a message have power to receive or reject that message with impunity1 they are not accountable creatures4 ,jehovah has no power over them4 ,they are his equals4 ,and who thinks of rendering homage to their equals1 especially when those equals send a message to us requiring our implicit submission1 filled with terrible denunciations in case of our refusal8 ,no one1 certainly4 ,we should treat the message and its authors with perfect contempt4 ,in precisely a similar condition1 do the opposers of the doctrine of exclusive salvation place the all-powerful ,jehovah4 ,if ,wesleyan ,methodism be true2 if ,wesleyan ,methodist preachers be sent of ,god2 then every other form of religion #gf is a gross imposture1 and all other preachers are false teachers1 crafty deluders1 having no authority whatever from ,god4 ,every man who does not become a real ,wesleyan ,methodist must be damned1 and every one who does become a real ,wesleyan ,methodist must be saved4 ,on the contrary1 if the ,roman ,catholic church be the true church2 if ,roman ,catholic priests be sent of ,god2 then ,wesleyan ,methodism1 then ,mormonism1 and every other ism is false2 then ,wesleyan ,methodist preachers1 and all other preachers are false teachers2 if we believe their words it will not save us2 if we reject their messages we shall not be damned1 ,if the ,roman ,catholic religion be true1 we cannot be saved without becoming ,roman ,catholics1 and we must be damned if we do not become ,roman ,catholics4 ,no other religion will save us or avail us one jot1 and no other religion can condemn us4 ,if the ,roman ,catholic religion be false1 we cannot possibly be saved by it2 neither can we possibly be condemned by it4 ,it is altogether powerless3 it is worse than useless4 ,god never did1 and never will save a single soul by means of a false religion1 or through the medium of false prophets4 ,he will not give the glory and power of salvation to imposters3 or impostures3 but he will judge all the world by that system1 that ,gospel1 that ,priesthood1 that man which ,he has ordained1 and by no other4 ,when the works of false religions and false prophets are presented before the bar of ,god1 the great ,judge of all the earth will say--,who hath required this at your hands8 ,depart from ,me ye cursed2 ,i never knew you4 ,then if not before1 will all know for themselves the truth of the doctrine of exclusive salvation4 ,then will it be manifest that those authorized of ,god1 and those alone1 have power to bind one earth and bind in heaven1 to loose on earth and loose in heaven4 ,salvation will be confined exclusively to those who obeyed the warning voice of the duly empowered servants of ,god1 and damnation will be poured out exclusively upon those who rejected the warning voice of those servants4 ,what1 then1 becomes of ,sectarianism8 ,it will be blasted to the four winds of heaven4 ,it will crumble to dust before the majestic march of ,eternal ,truth4 ,it will be swallowed up in the victorious triumph of the ,kingdom and ,sons of ,god4 ,amen4 ,published by ,f4 ,d4 ,richards1 #ae ,wilton ,street1 ,liverpool4 #gg ,,the ,,only ,,way ,,to ,,be ,,saved4 ,,by ,,lorenzo ,,snow1 ,,one ,,of ,,the ,,twelve ,,apostles ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 ,he that judgeth a matter before he heareth it1 is not wise4 ,there are certain principles established of ,god1 which1 being understood and observed1 will put men in possession of spiritual knowledge1 gifts1 and blessings4 ,in early ages of the world1 also in the days of the apostles people came into possession of spiritual powers and various privileges1 by obtaining an understanding of1 and faithfully attending to1 certain rules which the ,lord established3 as1 for instance1 ,abel1 obtaining information that offering up sacrifices was an order instituted of ,god1 through which men might receive blessings1 he set himself to work1 observed the order1 and performed the sacrifice1 whereby he obtained glorious manifestations of the ,most ,high4 ,again1 when the ,antediluvians had corrupted themselves1 and the time arriving at which destruction was coming upon them1 the ,lord revealed a course whereby the righteous might escape2 accordingly1 all who understood and observed that course1 were sure to realize the blessing promised4 ,joshua1 before obtaining possession of ,jericho1 had to observe certain steps appointed of ,god4 ,the steps having been properly taken1 according to commandment1 the object immediately fell into his possession4 ,another instance--the case of ,naaman1 captain of the ,syrian host--it appears1 that being afflicted with the leprosy1 and hearing of ,elisha1 the prophet1 he made application to him for the removal of that affliction4 ,the prophet1 having the ,holy ,ghost upon him1 which is the ,mind of ,god1 informed him that1 by washing in ,jordan's water's seven times1 he might be restored4 ,at first1 ,naaman thought this too simple and was displeased1 and disposed not to conform--not to make use of means so simple4 ,after due consideration1 however1 humbling himself1 he went forth1 complying with the rules2 when1 lo6 the blessing directly followed4 ,under the ,mosaic dispensation1 forgiveness of sins was obtained #gh upon the same principle as those blessings were to which ,i have alluded4 ,an animal was to be carried before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation1 by the individual wishing to obtain forgiveness of sins2 it was then to be offered up in a particular manner2 this being done1 the promised blessing immediately followed4 ,when the ,gospel dispensation was introduced1 gifts and blessings were obtained upon similar principles--that is1 upon obedience to certain established rules4 ,the ,lord still marked out certain acts1 promising to all those who would do them1 certain peculiar privileges2 and when those acts were performed--observed in every particular--then the blessings promised were sure to be realized4 ,some vainly imagine that1 under the ,gospel dispensation1 gifts and blessings are obtained1 not by external observances1 or external works1 but merely through faith and repentance1 through mental operations1 independent of physical4 ,but1 laying aside the traditions1 superstitions1 and creeds of men1 we will look to the word of ,god1 where we shall discover that external works1 or outward ordinances1 under the ,gospel dispensation1 were inseparably connected with inward works1 such as faith and repentance4 ,in proof of this1 ,i introduce the following observations3--,the ,savior says1 ,why call ye me ,lord1 ,lord1 and do not the things which ,i say8 ,again1 he says1 ,he that heareth my words1 and doeth them1 shall be likened unto a man that built his house upon a rock4 ,and1 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved4 ,likewise1 he says1 ,except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit1 he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4--,john iii4 #e4 ,these sayings of our ,savior require men to perform external works in order to receive their salvation4 ,on the day of ,pentecost1 ,peter says to the surrounding multitude--,repent and be baptized1 for the remission of sins1 and you shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,in this prophetic statement1 we learn that people were to perform an external work 7baptism in water7 in order that they might receive the remission of sins1 and afterwards the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but1 before attending to the outward work1 the inward work must be performed--faith and repentance4 ,faith and repentance go before baptism1 and baptism before the remission of sins and the reception of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,hence1 we see the useless and unscriptural practice of baptizing infants4 ,they cannot exercise faith and repentance1 qualifications necessary previous to baptism2 then1 why require the outward work8 #gi ,some suppose they must obtain religion before they are baptized1 but the ,savior and apostles teach us to be baptized in order to get religion4 ,some deem it wrong to number baptism among the essential principles ordained of ,god1 to be attended to in obtaining remission of sins4 ,in reply1 we say that the ,savior and apostles have done so before us1 therefore we feel obligated to follow their example4 ,the destruction of the ,antediluvian world by water was typical of receiving remission of sins through baptism4 ,the earth had become clothed with sin as with a garment2 the righteous were brought and saved from the world of sin1 even by water2 the like figure1 even baptism1 doth now save us1 says ,peter 7#a ,peter iii4 #ba71 by the answer of a good conscience toward ,god4 ,noah and his family were removed1 and disconnected from sins and pollutions1 by means of water2 so baptism1 the like figure1 doth now remove our souls from sins and pollutions1 through faith on the great atonement made upon ,calvary4 ,many express surprise that such blessings should be had through baptism4 ,naaman1 when told to wash in ,jordan seven times1 was equally surprised2 but1 trying the experiment1 he found the word of ,god to be true2 his leprosy1 his physical pollution1 was thereby removed1 and was typical of the removal of spiritual pollutions in the ,gospel dispensation1 by baptism in water1 through faith and repentance4 ,through the means of water ,naaman1 we have seen1 obtained a miraculous blessing2 also the blind man1 whom the ,savior directed to ,wash in the pool of ,siloam1 received his sight by means of water4 ,the ,savior1 after coming out of the river ,jordan1 received the ,holy ,ghost4 ,these examples show clearly that water has been appointed a medium through which heavenly blessings are obtained4 ,be baptized1 says ,peter1 for the remission of sins4--,acts ii4 #ch4 ,ananias says to ,saul 7,acts xxii4 #af71 ,arise and be baptized1 and wash away thy sins4 ,in the city of ,samaria1 the people baptized by ,philip1 it is said1 rejoiced4 ,they rejoiced because of the remission of their sins1 through baptism2 so1 also1 in the case of the ,eunuch 7,acts viii4 #ci71 after coming out of the water1 having obtained remission of his sins1 his conscience becoming void of offence toward ,god1 he was enabled to go on his way rejoicing4 ,be baptized1 says ,peter1 for the remission of sins1 and ye shall receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,to obtain the gift of the ,holy ,ghost is to obtain religion4 ,faith and repentance were to go before baptism1 but remission of sins1 and the gift of the ,holy ,ghost were to follow this ordinance4 ,every unprejudiced #hj mind can see that this is in perfect agreement with the saying of our ,savior1 ,except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of ,god4 ,if religion were promised before baptism in water1 our ,savior would have said1 born of ,spirit and of water 7see ,john iii4 #e72 but he said1 ,except ye be born of water and of the ,spirit4 ,what ,god has joined together1 the ,scripture says1 let no man put asunder2 but we put asunder this order of things1 when we say a man must be born of ,spirit1 then of water1 or must get religion---get the ,holy ,ghost--and then be baptized4 ,peter 7,acts ii47 preached the same order of things as above mentioned1 when he said1 ,repent and be baptized for the remission of sins1 and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost--that is1 be born of water1 then he shall be born of ,spirit4 ,paul himself1 though he had a vision of the ,lord ,jesus1 yet received not the ,holy ,ghost2 he did not receive religion1 until he had washed his sins away through baptism1 as administered by ,ananias4 ,there is one instance1 and but one1 where the ,holy ,ghost was given before baptism--,i mean1 in the ,apostolic dispensation4 ,cornelius and his friends1 who had assembled together to hear the message from ,peter1 received the ,holy ,ghost previous to baptism--,acts x4 #dd4 ,this was done1 however1 to convince ,peter that the ,gentiles had a right to receive ,gospel privileges4 ,cornelius and his friends were ,gentiles1 and ,peter would not have baptized them1 unless he had first seen the power of ,god resting upon them4 ,he looked upon the ,gentiles as heathen1 and too wicked and sinful to receive ,gospel privileges with the people of ,god--the ,jewish nation4 ,he did not imagine they were to receive the ,holy ,ghost1 and thereby be prepared to sit down in the kingdom of ,god1 with ,abraham1 ,isaac1 ,jacob1 and the ,jewish prophets2 but1 when he saw the ,holy ,ghost resting upon them1 being astonished1 he immediately exclaimed--,can any man forbid water1 that these should not be baptized8 ,he then commanded them to be baptized4 ,this receiving the ,holy ,ghost before baptism1 was an exception to a general rule1 and arose from peculiar circumstances1 as ,i have shown4 ,god1 if he sees fit1 can depart from a general rule1 and confer blessings2 but man has not this privilege2 he must observe the order laid down1 or he can have no claim upon the promise4 ,after ,elisha had laid down the order whereby ,naaman could obtain removal of his leprosy1 ,god1 if ,he had chosen1 could have removed it in some other way2 but1 at the same time1 ,naaman could not have claimed the blessing until he had taken the course marked out4--,see #bnd ,kings1 chap #e4 ,if we will observe #ha the order of the ,gospel1 a promise is left us1 we shall have its blessings1 otherwise we have no claims to urge2 and it is worse than folly for men to say1 ,lord1 ,lord1 and do not ,his commandments4 ,it is plainly manifest that external works must be attended to1 as well as faith and repentance1 in order to receive ,gospel privileges4 ,baptism in water1 forming a part of the ,gospel of ,christ1 we notice therefore1 that the servants of ,god1 in early ages1 were very particular in attending to its administration2 also1 it is evident1 that unless peculiar blessings actually were experienced1 through baptism1 they would have neglected enforcing its observance4 ,if1 as some suppose1 that faith1 repentance1 and prayer answer the purpose1 in receiving the fulness of ,gospel privileges1 then it is very evident that baptism was a vain and useless work1 and had no need to be observed4 ,naaman would have been performing a vain and foolish work1 when washing seven times in ,jordan's waters1 had it been in his power to have been recovered from his affliction merely through faith1 repentance1 and prayer4 ,also1 ,noah and his family were very foolish in performing an external work1 in building an ark1 provided they could have obtained the same blessing through faith1 repentance and prayer4 ,furthermore1 the ,israelites1 could they have obtained forgiveness of sins through faith1 repentance1 and prayer2 it would have been folly in them to offer up animals for that purpose4 ,so also under the ,gospel dispensation1 the three thousand people1 on the day of ,pentecost1 who were baptized in one day1 were very unwise and foolish in submitting to the trouble of baptism1 provided the same blessings could have been realized by exercising only faith1 repentance1 and prayer4 ,the ,eunuch would not have alighted from his carriage1 and accompanied ,philip into the water1 if nothing had been required in receiving ,gospel blessings but inward works2 neither would ,ananias have commanded ,saul to arise and be baptized1 washing away his sins1 unless he had known assuredly that baptism1 an outward work1 must necessarily accompany the inward works of faith and repentance1 in order that ,saul might come into and obtain possession of ,gospel privileges4 ,paul would not have baptized those twelve men1 alluded to in ,acts xix41 if mental operations could have given them the gift of the ,holy ,ghost 7lst ,cor4 i4 #ad72 neither would he have baptized the household of ,stephanas1 also ,crispus and ,gaius1 and permitted ,apollos to water or baptize those whom he planted or enlightened 7lst ,cor4 iii4 #f71 unless baptism had been absolutely essential to #hb receiving ,gospel privileges2 nor would ,peter1 when speaking of ,noah and family being saved by water1 have said--,the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us 7lst ,pet4 iii4 #ab72 nor would ,christ have said--,except ye are born of water and of the ,spirit ye cannot enter the kingdom of ,god4 ,i might multiply proofs of this kind1 but sufficient has already been said in proof that baptism is absolutely necessary with faith and repentance4 ,we will now occupy a moment in endeavoring to obtain a proper view of the mode in which baptism was administered4 ,it is quite evident that there was but one way or mode in which this ordinance was to be administered1 and that mode was explained to the apostles1 and strictly adhered to in all their administrations4 ,in order that we may obtain a proper notion of this subject1 it will be necessary to refer to the circumstances under which baptism was administered4 ,it says of ,john1 that he baptized at ,aenon1 because there was much water there2 then1 if sprinkling had been the mode1 we can hardly suppose he would have gone to ,aenon1 because there was much water at that place3 for a very little water indeed would have sprinkled all ,judea1 which he could have obtained without having performed a journey to ,aenon4 ,we are told1 also1 that he baptized in ,jordan1 and after the ordinance was administered to our ,savior1 he came up out of the water1 expressly signifying that he had been down into the water1 in order that the ordinance might be administered in a proper manner4 ,again1 it speaks of the ,eunuch1 that he went down into the water with ,philip1 and then came up out of the water4 ,now1 it must be acknowledged1 by every one who makes any pretensions to reason and consistency1 that had sprinkling a little water on the forehead answered the purpose1 then those persons never would have gone into the water to receive the ordinance4 ,paul1 in writing to the ,saints1 gives us a plain testimony in favour of immersion--7#bnd ,col4 #abth verse2 also1 #fth ,romans1 #dth verse74 ,that apostle states there1 that the ,saints had been buried with ,christ by baptism4 ,it is plainly evident they could not have been buried by baptism1 without having been entirely overwhelmed or covered in water4 ,an object cannot be said to be buried when any portion of it remains uncovered2 so1 also1 a man is not buried in water by baptism unless his whole person is put into the watery element4 ,this explanation of the apostle1 upon the mode of baptism1 very beautifully corresponds with that given by our ,savior--,except ye be born of water1 c4 ,to be born of a thing signifies being placed in that thing1 and emerging #hc or coming forth from it2 to be born of water must also signify being placed in the womb of waters1 and being brought forth again4 ,i trust sufficient has already been said to convince every reasonable and unprejudiced mind that immersion was the mode in which the ordinance of baptism was administered in the early days of ,christianity1 when the ,gospel was proclaimed in its purity and fulness2 therefore1 ,i will close my observations upon this point4 ,we learn1 from #fth ,hebrews1 that the laying on of hands was enumerated among the principles of the ,gospel4 ,it is known by all1 that this ordinance1 as well as baptism for the remission of sins1 by immersion1 is quite neglected at the present day in the ,christian churches2 a few remarks1 therefore1 upon this subject ,i hope will prove profitable4 ,we have several instances where ,christ laid his hands upon the sick and healed them2 and1 in his commission to the apostles1 last chapter of ,mark1 he says--,these signs shall follow them that believe2 they shall lay hands on the sick1 and they shall recover4 c4 ,ananias laid his hands on ,saul1 who immediately received his sight1 after this ordinance was administered4 ,paul1 when shipwrecked upon the island of ,melita1 laid his hands upon the father of ,publius1 the governor of the island1 and healed him of a fever4 ,these few remarks show clearly that laying on of hands has been appointed of ,god to be a medium through which heavenly blessings may be obtained4 ,although the healing of the sick was connected with the administration of this ordinance1 yet1 when we pursue the subject further1 we shall discover that a still greater blessing was connected with this ordinance4 ,we are told that1 in the city of ,samaria1 men and women had been baptized by ,philip1 which caused great rejoicing in those baptized4 ,they probably were rejoicing in consequence of having received remission of sins1 through faith1 repentance1 and baptism1 and of receiving some portion of the ,holy ,spirit of ,god1 which naturally followed them1 after having obtained the answer of a good conscience1 by the remission of their sins4 ,through this portion of the ,holy ,spirit1 which they came in possession of1 they began to see the kingdom of ,god4 ,for1 it will be recollected that our ,savior has declared that no man can see the kingdom of ,god unless he is born again2 and1 in the verse following1 he says he cannot enter into it except he is born twice2 first of water1 then of the ,spirit4 ,now1 those people in ,samaria had been born of water--they had received the first birth1 therefore1 they were in a state of seeing the kingdom of ,god1 of contemplating1 with the eye of faith1 its various blessings1 #hd privileges1 and glories2 but1 as they had not been born the second time--that is1 of the ,spirit--they had not entered into the kingdom of ,god--they had not entered into possession of ,gospel privileges in their fulness4 ,when the apostles at ,jerusalem heard of the success of ,philip1 they sent ,peter and ,john to ,samaria1 for the purpose of administering the laying on of hands4 ,accordingly1 when they arrived in ,samaria1 they laid their hands upon those that had been baptized1 and they received the ,holy ,ghost4 ,simon the sorcerer1 perceiving the ,holy ,ghost was given through the laying on of hands1 offered the apostles money of they would confer upon him the authority of administering that sacred ordinance2 so it is plainly evident that those people in ,samaria were born of the ,spirit1 were introduced into the ,gospel--kingdom into possession of ,gospel privileges--by means of the laying on of hands4 ,we will adduce another instance of the kind4 ,it is found recorded in ,acts xix4 ,paul1 we are told there1 found twelve brethren at ,ephesus1 upon whom he laid his hands1 and they received the ,holy ,ghost immediately--viz41 through this ordinance they were born spiritually into the kingdom of ,god2 for previous to this they had seen the kingdom of ,god1 having been born of water only4 ,this1 then1 was the ,gospel order in the days of the apostles--belief on ,jesus ,christ1 repentance1 baptism by immersion for the remission of sins1 and the laying on of hands for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,when this order was understood1 and properly attended to1 power1 gifts1 blessings1 and glorious privileges followed immediately2 and1 in every age and period1 when these steps are properly attended to1 and observed in their proper place and order1 the same blessings are sure to follow2 but1 when neglected1 either wholly or in part1 there will be either an entire absence of those blessings or a great diminishing of them4 ,christ1 in his commission to the apostles1 speaks of some supernatural gifts that those received who yielded obedience to this order of things4--,see ,mark1 last chap4 ,paul 7#a ,cor4 xii47 gives a more full account of the various gifts that attended the fulness of the ,gospel3 he mentions nine of them1 and informs us they are the effects or fruits of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,now1 the ,holy ,ghost was promised unto all1 even as many as the ,lord should call4--,see ,acts ii4 ,this gift being unchangeable in its nature and operations1 and being inseparately connected by promise with this scheme or order of things1 it becomes reasonable1 consistent1 and ,scriptural to anticipate the same gifts and blessings2 and if ,noah1 after having built the ,ark1 could claim and obtain his temporal #he salvation according to promise2 or ,joshua1 having compassed ,jericho the number of times mentioned1 could go up on her prostrated walls and make captive her inhabitants2 or the ,israelites1 having offered up the sacrifices commanded1 could then1 as promised1 receive forgiveness of their sins2 or ,naaman1 after having complied with the injunction of ,elisha1 in washing seven times in ,jordan's waters1 could demand and obtain his recovery2 or1 lastly1 the blind man1 after having washed in the pool of ,siloam1 if he could then claim and realize the promised reward1 then1 ,i say1 with propriety and consistency1 that whenever a man will lay aside his prejudice1 sectarian notions1 and false traditions1 and conform to the whole order of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 then there is nothing beneath the celestial worlds that can prevent his claiming and receiving the gift of the ,holy ,ghost and all the blessings connected with the ,gospel in the apostolic age4 ,to obtain religion that will save us in the presence of ,god1 we must obtain the ,holy ,ghost1 and1 in order to obtain the ,holy ,ghost1 we must believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 then repent of our sin 7that is1 forsake them71 then go forward and be immersed in water for the remission of sins1 then receive the laying on of hands4 ,but there is one thing which ,i have not noticed and it is something of great importance4 ,what ,i allude to is1 that concerning the authority of administering the ordinances of baptism and laying on of hands4 ,unless they are administered by one who is actually sent of ,god1 the same blessings will not follow4 ,the apostles and seventies were ordained by ,jesus ,christ to administer in the ordinances of the ,gospel1 through which the gifts and blessings of the eternal worlds were to be enjoyed4 ,hence1 ,christ1 says to the ,apostles1 ,whose soever sins ye remit1 they shall be remitted2 and whose soever sins ye retain1 they shall be retained3 that is1 every man that would come1 in humility1 sincerely repenting of his sins1 and receive baptism from the apostles1 should have his sins forgiven through the atoning blood of ,jesus ,christ1 and through the laying on of hands should receive the ,holy ,ghost2 but those that would refuse receiving this order of things from the apostles would have their sins remain upon them4 ,in view of this1 ,paul says--,we are savours of life unto life1 or of death unto death4 ,he was a minister of life unto those who received the ,gospel1 which he had authority to administer--but a minister of death to those refusing compliance4 ,this power and authority of administering the ,gospel was conferred upon others by the apostles1 so that the apostles were not the only ones who held this responsible office4 ,and every man1 in every #hf age1 who holds the authority of administering the fulness of the ,gospel1 becomes1 in this respect1 like the apostles1 viz41 a messenger of life unto life1 or of death unto death1 according as his message shall be received or rejected4 ,now1 until some one can be found that holds an office like this--some one having authority to baptize and lay on hands--no one is under any obligation to receive those ordinances1 nor need he expect the blessings1 unless they have been administered legally4 ,it is very evident that the authority of administering in ,gospel ordinances has been lost for many centuries2 for no man can have this authority1 except he receive it by direct revelation--either by the voice of ,god1 as ,moses did1 or by the ministering of angels1 as ,john the ,baptist received his message1 or by the gift of prophecy1 as ,paul and ,barnabas received theirs4--,acts xiii4 #b4 ,now1 it is plain that men have denied immediate revelation for many hundred years past1 consequently have not received it1 and therefore could not have been sent of ,god to administer in the fulness of the ,gospel4 ,god never sends a man on business1 except ,he reveal himself to that man--never sends a man with a message 7in other words71 unless he reveal that message to him in a direct manner4 ,the church established by the apostles gradually fell away1 wandered into the wilderness1 and lost her authority 7her priesthood71 and1 departing from the order of ,god1 she lost1 also1 her gifts and graces2 she transgressed the laws1 and changed the ordinances of the ,gospel2 changed immersion into sprinkling1 and quite neglected laying on of hands2 despised prophecy1 and disbelieved in signs following4--7,rev4 xii4 #f1 ,isaiah xxiv4 #e47 ,in consequence of this1 the ,gentiles have been cut off from the fulness of ,gospel privileges1 as ,paul said to them in ,rom4 xi4 #bb--;,if you continue not in the goodness of ,god1 you also shall be cut off4 ,john1 in his ,revelations1 having seen and spoken of the wandering of the church into darkness1 and the beast1 the ,gentiles making war against the ,saints and overcoming them 7xiii4 #g71 speaks1 in chap4 xiv4 #f1 #g1 of the restoration of the ,gospel--,i saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven1 having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth4 ,so it is evident that prophecy was to be fulfilled at some time previous to our ,savior's second advent4 ,that those into whose hands this ,tract may fall be without excuse in the great and coming day of the ,lord1 ,i now bear testimony1 having the highest assurance1 by revelation from ,god1 that this prophecy has already been fulfilled1 that an ,angel from ,god has visited man in these last days1 and restored that #hg which has long been lost1 even the priesthood1--the keys of the kingdom1--the fulness of the everlasting ,gospel--and commanded men to cry1 ,behold1 the ,bridegroom cometh1 go ye out to meet him2 to call upon the wise virgins 7,matt4 xxv4 #f7 to arise from their slumber1 be baptized for the remission of sins1 that they might receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 and thereby trim up their lamps1 and thus be prepared to stand when the ,bridegroom shall appear1 for1 saith ,malachi iii4 #b1 ,who may abide the day of his coming8 ,who shall stand when he appeareth8 for he is like a refiner's fire1 and like fullers' soap4 ,answer1 those that now repent of their sins1 and receive the message ,god is sending1 those that will forsake their false traditions1 and come out from under the blighting and benighting influence of a hireling priesthood whom ,god has not sent1 and with whom he is not well pleased4 ,i say1 and now bear testimony1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 that the ,lord ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob has sent me to say unto you1 ,come out of her1 ,i ye people of ,god1 ,o ye wise virgins1 or else you must partake of her iniquities1 and you must receive of her plagues4--,rev4 xviii4 #d4 ,i say1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 the ,holy ,ghost having borne witness1 that the anger of ,god is kindled against the abominations1 hypocrisy1 and wickedness of the religious world1 and from the heavens has he uttered his voice in anger against those who divine for money and teach for hire2 and unless they speedily repent1 and be baptized for the remission of their sins1 receiving the message the ,almighty is now sending unto all people1 they will be destroyed by the brightness of the coming of the ,son of ,man1 which is now at hand--even at your doors--,o ye inhabitants of the earth6 ,liverpool1 ,england4 #hh ,,gospel ,,to ,,the ,,living ,,and ,,the ,,dead4 ,,by ,,president ,,george ,q4 ,,cannon1 ,,in ,,the ,,juvenile ,,instructor4 ,strangers ask many questions about the ,temple4 ,they want to know how it will be used and for what purpose1 and they cannot understand why we attach such importance to that building4 ,perhaps some of our young people may have similar thoughts4 ,but the ,lord has commanded ,his people to build temples4 ,several have already been built1 and doubtless many more will in course of time be erected--in fact1 as the ,saints increase in numbers the need for these buildings will increase also4 ,in them ordinances are administered by means of which ,god has promised to those who are faithful4 ,it has been a subject of frequent inquiry in ,christendom as to what the fate of the heathen would be4 ,the general belief was that there were but two places after death to which men and women would go1 one being heaven and the other hell4 ,the ,bible says that there is no other name given under heaven whereby man can be saved than that of ,jesus4 ,now1 as the heathen never heard the name of ,jesus1 what will be their fate in eternity8 ,how can they get to heaven under such circumstances8 ,if they cannot1 the question arises1 would it be just to condemn people for not obeying laws of which they had never heard2 for not doing something which they had never been told how to do or that it was necessary should be done8 ,yet there are many men who profess to be ministers of ,jesus who state that the heathen will be sent to hell4 ,this doctrine has made many people infidels4 ,they could not believe that any being could be merciful or just who would thus punish innocent people with eternal torment for not obeying laws of which they had never heard4 ,they1 therefore1 rejected all the teachings and all the beliefs of those who taught such ideas4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith received many important revelations in the early days of the ,church concerning these matters4 ,among other revelations which he received was one #hi which explained that there were more than two places to which the souls of men were consigned after death2 and that it was erroneous to teach the doctrine commonly believed in by ,christendom that there were only two4 ,that revelation taught that there were different degrees of glory to which the inhabitants of the earth were consigned1 and that men and women would receive rewards and punishments according to the deeds done in the body4 ,some men were more righteous than others1 and they would receive a greater reward4 ,some men would be more wicked than others1 and they would receive punishment according to their crimes4 ,then the ,lord also revealed to ,his ,prophet a doctrine which is set forth in the scriptures1 but which the world could not understand4 ,it was that the gospel of ,jesus is preached after death to those who die in ignorance of it1 and to those who having heard it1 had rejected it and had been punished therefor4 ,the ,apostle ,peter sets forth in great plainness this doctrine when he said3 ,by which also he 7,jesus7 went and preached to the spirits in prison1 which sometime were disobedient1 when once the long suffering of ,god waited in the days of ,noah4 ,noah had declared to them how they could be saved1 but they had rejected his words1 and they were destroyed4 ,their spirits were committed to a prison which the ,lord had prepared for them1 and there they remained in torment1 being punished for their great wickedness1 until the crucifixion of the ,savior4 ,after ,his ,spirit left ,his body ,he went and opened the prison doors to them and declared to them the gospel of salvation4 ,they then had the opportunity of repenting4 ,and thus it is1 as we are taught1 in this dispensation1 the ,elders of this ,church are engaged1 while in the spirit world awaiting their resurrection1 in preaching to the millions of human beings who once lived upon this earth1 but who died in ignorance of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,they preach to them as living ,elders now hope1 this heavenly message which comes to them freighted with so many glorious promises1 and feeling humble and contrite they receive the truths which they are taught and live as best they can according to the light given to them4 ,but baptism is as necessary in its place as faith and repentance4 ,how can they be baptised8 ,this is not possible in the condition in which they are placed1 but the ,lord has provided means4 ,he has revealed that living1 men and women can be baptized for those who are #ij dead4 ,if a man's father died in ignorance of the ,gospel1 the son can be baptized for and in behalf of the father4 ,if a woman's mother never heard the ,elders or never obeyed the ,gospel in the flesh1 she can go forth and be baptized in the temple for and in behalf of her mother4 ,hands can be laid upon the head of the living person1 and he or she can be confirmed and the ,holy ,spirit be sealed upon them for and in behalf of the dead4 ,the ,lord has taught that this can be done under proper circumstances in the temples which may be erected in ,zion or in any of her ,stakes4 ,therefore in the ,temple at ,salt ,lake as well as in the other temples1 there is a font resting upon twelve oxen1 three looking to the north1 three to the south1 three to the east and three to the west1 and in this font the holy ordinance of baptism can be administered to living people for and in behalf of their dead relatives and ancestors4 ,this is one of the purposes for which temples are required1 and not only are baptisms and the laying on of hands administered for the dead1 but other ordinances are also administered1 it being just as necessary that those who have died and have not received these ordinances should receive them as it is that the living should receive them4 ,it requires the same obedience and submission to the laws of the ,lord on the part of one class as on the part of another4 ,if any one could have been saved without obedience to these principles1 surely our ,savior1 the ,son of ,god1 could have been4 ,he had committed no sin1 and it might be asked why should ,he be baptized1 for baptism is for the remission of sins4 ,but the ,savior respected the law of the ,gospel and obeyed the ordinances thereof1 and when ,john1 feeling his own unworthiness1 remonstrated with ,him about ,his coming to be baptized1 ,jesus replied3 ,suffer it to be so now2 for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness4 ,we shall of necessity be a temple-building people1 because there is an immense work to be done for the redemption of the dead4 ,millions have been born and have died between the time the ,gospel was taken from the earth and the time of this restoration in these days4 ,these millions will have to be officiated for1 and this will doubtless form one of the chief labors of the people of ,god during the thousand years of peace which we are approaching1 when ,satan will be bound and righteousness will reign throughout the earth4 ,we are on the threshold of that great era1 and we have every assurance that that blessed period is not far distant4 ,the prophet ,malachi in speaking of the latter days1 makes the following prediction3 #ia ,behold1 ,i will send you ,elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord3 and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children1 and the heart of the children to their fathers1 lest ,i come and smite the earth with a curse4 ,the angel ,moroni in speaking to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith in reference to this prediction of ,malachi's uses a little different language4 ,he quotes ,malachi as saying3 ,and he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers1 and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers2 if it were not so1 the whole world would be utterly wasted at his coming4 ,now as soon as the people hear the ,gospel preached by the ,elders1 they naturally inquire1 ,what has become of my father and my mother8 ,they were good people1 but they died without being baptized4 ,what will be their fate8 ,in this way they fulfill the words of ,malachi4 ,that spirit has filled the hearts of all the ,latter-day ,saints1 that is1 of all who are true ,latter-day ,saints4 ,they want to have their ancestors saved as well as themselves4 ,their hearts naturally1 therefore1 turn to their kindred who are dead1 and in the temples now built they can officiate for them as fast as they can obtain their names4 ,in this way they become saviors as the prophet ,obadiah said they should4 ,and there can be no doubt concerning the heart of the fathers being turned to the children4 ,it is easy to imagine that the spirits who hear and accept the ,gospel when it is preached in the spirit world by men in authority are exceedingly anxious to receive the blessings bestowed upon those who obey baptism1 laying on of hands and other ordinances4 ,therefore their heart turns to their children1 and thus the words of the prophet ,malachi are fulfilled4 ,the prophet ,elijah has appeared1 as ,malachi said he should1 and fulfilled the prediction upon that point4 ,in ,section #aaj of the ,book of ,covenants the record is to be found concerning his appearance in the ,temple at ,kirtland4 ,he came to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery in that temple1 and used these words3 ,behold the time has fully come1 which was spoken of by the mouth of ,malachi1 testifying that he 7,elijah7 should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the ,lord come1 to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and the children to the fathers1 lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse4 ,therefore the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands1 and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the ,lord is near1 even at the doors4 #ib ,,joseph ,,smith ,,as ,a ,,prophet4 ,,predictions ,,uttered ,,by ,,him ,,and ,,their ,,signal ,,fulfilment4 ,,his ,,prophetic ,,power ,,established ,,by ,,the ,,scriptural ,,rule4 ,a ,lecture delivered by ,elder ,andrew ,jenson before the ,students' ,society in the ,social ,hall1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,friday ,evening1 ,january #af1 #ahia4 ,,introductory4 ,i will take for my text the following words of the ,prophet ,moses spoken to the children of ,israel while they were journeying in the wilderness of ,arabia4 ,the prophet who shall presume to speak a word in my name which ,i have not commanded him to speak 99 99 99 even that prophet shall die4 ,and if thou say in thine heart3 ,how shall we know the word which the ,lord hath not spoken8 ,when a prophet speaketh in the name of the ,lord1 if the thing follow not1 nor come to pass1 that is the thing which the ,lord hath not spoken2 but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously2 thou shalt not be afraid of him4 ,deut4 xviii3 #bj-bb4 ,the passage which ,i have read may be taken as a key by which to distinguish a true prophet from a false one4 ,the first definition of the word prophet1 according to the standard dictionaries is1 one who prophesies2 one who foretells future events2 a predicter2 a foreteller2 a seer4 ,in this light we shall proceed to test the claims of ,joseph ,smith1 whom the ,latter-day ,saints claim to be the great ,prophet of the ,nineteenth ,century4 ,we claim for him that he was visited by holy beings1 who restored to him the fulness of the gospel of #ic ,jesus ,christ1 with authority to administer in all the ordinances of the same2 that he received from the angel ,moroni certain gold plates that had been hidden in the earth for fourteen hundred years1 and that he translated the engravings upon these plates into the ,english language by the gift and power of ,god1 the result of which was the ,book of ,mormon4 ,we further claim that he organized the ,church of ,christ once more upon the earth1 and that he received by direct revelation a code of laws and commandments by which to govern the affairs of that ,church1 according to the original pattern given by ,jesus and ,his ,apostles eighteen hundred years ago4 ,we further claim that it is of the utmost importance for all people who desire eternal salvation1 to know whether these things are true or not4 ,if ,joseph ,smith is what he professed to be3 ,a true ,prophet of ,god1 no one can reject his testimony without being condemned2 while on the other hand1 if he was an impostor1 or a false prophet1 we can reject him without fear of ,divine punishment1 and the condemnation will rest upon the man who assumes to speak in the name of the ,lord presumptuously4 ,in this lecture ,i shall confine myself to his prophetic and inspired utterances by proving their fulfilment and truthfulness mostly from a historic standpoint4 ,,joseph',s ,,first ,,vision4 ,one of the first declarations made by ,joseph ,smith1 when he was only a boy between fourteen and fifteen years of age1 was1 that the whole ,christian world had gone astray1 and that the true ,church of ,christ was not to be found upon the earth4 ,what a startling declaration6 ,could anything be more presumptuous on the part of a common uneducated farmer's boy than such as assertion8 ,preachers of the various denominations in the neighborhood where the boy resided became exasperated and at once denounced him as an impostor or a fraud4 ,this boy had seen nothing of the world1 save the tract of country in ,vermont1 where he was born1 and the western wilds of the ,state of ,new ,york1 where he now resided with his parents4 ,he had perhaps never been even introduced to any of the prominent divines of the day1 who had never crossed the threshold of any important institution of learning1 who had never thoroughly examined the creed of any one denomination1 much less having a knowledge of them all1 who had never crossed the ocean to acquaint himself with the great learning of ,europe1 with its thousands of preachers and its universities and institutions of learning4 ,what did he know #id about the creeds and organizations existing among the millions of ,christians in ,europe and ,america1 thus to denounce them all without further ceremony4 ,why1 even ,luther1 the great reformer of the sixteenth century1 with his profound learning and thorough knowledge of the ,catholic creed1 did not denounce the ,roman ,catholic ,church in such a manner as that4 ,he did not say it was rejected as a whole and that it was not the ,church of ,christ2 he simply contended that it had incorporated into its system1 doctrines1 sacraments and ordinances which were not true and not warranted in the ,bible4 ,luther simply desired to reform the ,church1 to purge it and remove from it erroneous doctrines and wicked practices4 ,but ,joseph ,smith1 without any more knowledge of the religions of the world than what opportunities his attendance of the numerous revival meetings held in his immediate neighborhood had given him1 denounced them all as false4 ,whence1 then1 his authority for the sweeping declaration he made as to the condition of the so-called ,christian churches8 ,his story is a simple1 plain and unembellished one4 ,he tells in his own straightforward manner how1 after attending the different revival meetings without being able to conclude which of the denominations was the right one for him to join1 he went into the woods to pray to the ,lord for that wisdom which the ,apostle ,james promises shall be given the honest believer4 ,the result was an attack of the power of darkness which threatened him with destruction1 then a light far above him in the sky1 then an envelopment in that light which descended upon him1 then a vision of two glorious personages standing above him in the air1 one of whom speaking to him1 while pointing to the other1 said3 ,this is my beloved son1 hear him4 ,here1 then1 was ,jesus ,christ being introduced by ,his ,father to ,joseph ,smith1 the praying boy1 who next was informed by the ,great ,redeemer ,himself1 that all the sects of the day were wrong1 that all their creeds were an abomination in ,his sight1 that the modern professors and teachers taught for doctrine the commandments of men1 having a form of godliness1 but denying the power thereof2 that he 7,joseph7 should join none of these churches1 but that the true church should be revealed to him at some future time4 ,this1 then1 was ,joseph's authority1 ,jesus ,christ himself1 the ,redeemer of the world1 the ,son of ,god1 ,he that was crucified and put to death on ,mount ,calvary1 but who arose triumphant from the grave1 the founder1 the organizer1 the head1 the ,president of the ,christian ,church1 explained to ,joseph ,smith the condition of the world4 ,there is no higher authority than ,he4 ,if anyone in heaven or earth has a right to #ie say what is true ,christianity1 and what is not1 ,christ himself1 the founder of the church1 has that right4 ,with that authority to back him1 ,joseph ,smith had no fear that his declarations would be met with successful contradiction4 ,there is only one question that can present itself to our minds in that connection1 and that is3 ,did the boy tell the truth8 ,did he really converse with ,jesus ,christ1 or was it an imagination of a bewildered and excited mind8 ,we shall see as we proceed4 ,i will first introduce the ,prophet's own testimony1 concerning this his first vision4 ,he says in his history3 ,it has often caused me serious reflections1 both then and since1 how very strange it was that an obscure boy1 of a little over fourteen years of age1 and one1 too1 who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily labor1 should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day1 so as to create in them a spirit of the hottest persecution and reviling4 ,but strange or not1 so it was1 and was often cause of great sorrow to myself4 ,however it was1 nevertheless1 a fact1 that ,i had had a vision4 ,i have thought since1 that ,i felt much like ,paul when he made his defense before ,king ,agrippa1 and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light and heard a voice2 but still there were but few who believed him2 some said he was dishonest1 others said he was mad1 and he was ridiculed and reviled2 but all this did not destroy the reality of his vision4 ,he had seen a vision1 he knew he had1 and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise2 and though they should persecute him unto death1 yet he knew1 and would know unto his last breath1 that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking to him1 and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise4 ,so it was with me2 ,i had actually seen a light1 and in the midst of that light ,i saw two personages1 and they did in reality speak unto me1 or one of them did2 and though ,i was hated and persecuted for saying that ,i had seen a vision1 yet it was true2 and while they were persecuting me1 reviling me and speaking against me1 falsely1 for so saying1 ,i was led to say in my heart1 ,why persecute for telling the truth8 ,i have actually seen a vision1 and who am ,i that ,i can withstand ,god8 ,or why does the world think to make me deny what ,i have actually seen8 ,for ,i have seen a vision4 ,i knew it1 and ,i knew that ,god knew it1 and ,i could not deny it1 neither dare ,i do it1 at least ,i knew that by so doing ,i would offend ,god and come under condemnation4 ,since the time ,joseph had this vision the ,elders of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints have traversed the globe1 they have visited all the so-called ,christian nations of the earth2 they have examined the creeds and organizations of the ,christian sects of every land and every clime1 and have learned beyond doubt that the true ,church of ,christ was not upon the earth at the time ,joseph made his sweeping declaration1 and that it does not exist outside of the ,church organized #if under the direction and authority of the ,redeemer ,himself by ,joseph ,smith4 ,,the ,,words ,,of ,,the ,,angel4 ,on the #bbnd of ,september1 #ahbc1 ,joseph ,smith1 after spending the previous night under the tutorship of the angel ,moroni1 was again visited by that holy personage on the hill ,cumorah in the western part of the ,state of ,new ,york1 and was shown the plates1 which were delivered to him four years later and from which he translated the ,book of ,mormon4 ,while standing on this historic hill1 with the angel at his side1 he again received glorious instructions and warnings1 and among other things was told that when he should bring forth the ,book of ,mormon1 the workers of iniquity would seek his overthrow4 ,says the angel3 ,they will circulate falsehoods to destroy your reputation1 and also will seek to take your life2 but remember this1 if you are faithful1 and shall hereafter continue to keep the commandments of the ,lord1 you shall be preserved to bring these things forth2 for in due time he will give you a commandment to come and take them4 ,when they are interpreted1 the ,lord will give the holy ,priesthood to some1 and they shall begin to proclaim this ,gospel and baptize by water1 and after that they shall have power to give the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands4 ,then will persecution rage more and more2 for the iniquities of men shall be revealed1 and those who are not built upon the rock will seek to overthrow the ,church2 but it will increase the more opposed1 and spread further and further4 ,the angel further told him3 ,your name shall be known among the nations2 for the work which the ,lord will perform by your hands shall cause the righteous to rejoice and the wicked to rage2 with the one it shall be had in honor and with the other in reproach4 7,historical ,record1 page #cfb47 ,these prophetic sayings have had so literal a fulfilment that no further explanation is necessary4 ,if the predictions here made were ,joseph's own productions1 and no angel of ,god had a part in it1 is it not strange that every word of it should prove true8 ,,tribulations ,,predicted4 ,in #ahca the ,saints were commanded to gather to ,jackson ,county1 ,mo41 which was designated as a land of inheritance for the ,saints in the last days1 and also as the identical spot where they should build that great city1 the ,new ,jerusalem1 about which the ancient ,prophets and ,saints had sung1 prayed and rejoiced so much4 ,joseph ,smith had just arrived in that #ig goodly land1 together with a number of his brethren1 when a revelation1 containing some very strange sayings was given on the #ast of ,august1 #ahca4 ,the ,lord said3 ,hearken1 ,o ye ,elders of my ,church1 and give ear to my word1 and learn of me what ,i will concerning you1 and also concerning this land unto which ,i have sent you4 ,for verily ,i say unto you1 blessed is he that keepeth my commandments1 whether in life or in death2 and he that is faithful in tribulation1 the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven4 ,ye cannot behold with your natural eyes1 for the present time1 the design of your ,god concerning these things which shall come hereafter1 and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation4 ,for after much tribulation cometh the blessings4 ,wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory2 the hour is not yet1 but is nigh at hand4 ,remember this1 which ,i tell you before1 that you may lay it to heart1 and receive that which shall follow4 7,doc4 and ,cov41 lviii3 #a-e47 ,here is an opportunity for sound reasoning4 ,if ,joseph ,smith was an impostor1 and if he was trying to carry out a scheme with a view to benefit himself financially2 or if he was ambitious and seeking for vain glory or the honor of men1 could anything be more absurd than to predict troubles and difficulties1 when none such were immediately apparent4 ,if a schemer was doing that which ,joseph on that occasion was doing1 namely1 planting a colony of his followers in one of the most desirable sections of country within the borders of the ,united ,states1 would he not have enlarged upon the prospects ahead and predicted success and prosperity instead of difficulties and tribulations8 ,most assuredly he would4 ,but ,joseph spoke as he was directed by the ,lord1 and his own desires or ambition1 if any such he possessed1 cut no figure in the matter4 ,and now1 to the fulfilment of the prophecy or revelation8 ,no one who is acquainted with the history of the ,church will hesitate to testify that since that time the ,saints have indeed passed through much tribulation4 ,in less than three years after the revelation was given they were driven from their homes in ,jackson ,county4 ,three years after that they were forced to leave their temporary possessions in ,clay ,county1 ,mo41 and still two years later1 under the exterminating order of ,governor ,lilburn ,w4 ,boggs1 they were driven from the ,state of ,missouri4 ,seven years after their expulsion from that ,state1 wicked mobs1 after first killing the ,prophet and ,patriarch in cold blood in ,carthage jail1 drove the ,saints from ,nauvoo into the wilderness1 which was full of savage ,indians2 and even after coming to these mountains we have been subject to wicked prosecutions and persecutions4 ,if all this don't mean much tribulation1 what does it mean8 #ih ,,the ,,gathering ,,of ,,the ,,nations4 ,in a revelation given through ,joseph ,smith in ,kirtland1 ,ohio1 ,sept4 #aa1 #ahca1 the following occurs3 ,for behold1 ,i say unto you that ,zion shall flourish1 and the glory of the ,lord shall be upon her4 ,and she shall be an ensign unto the people1 and there shall come to her out of every nation under heaven4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 #fd3 #da1 #db47 ,the many different nationalities represented in this ,territory today is conclusive proof of the fulfilment of this remarkable prophecy1 which was uttered at a time when the ,church consisted of only a few persecuted people1 and the ,elders had only commenced preaching in a few of the ,states4 ,,revelation ,,on ,,war4 ,on the #beth of ,december1 #ahcb1 ,joseph ,smith received a remarkable revelation in regard to war4 ,i will read an extract3 ,verily1 thus saith the ,lord concerning the war1 that will shortly come to pass1 beginning at the rebellion of ,south ,carolina1 which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls4 ,the days will come when war will be poured out upon all nations1 beginning at that place4 ,for behold the ,southern ,states shall be divided against the ,northern ,states1 and the ,southern ,states will call on other nations1 even the nation of ,great ,britain1 as it is called1 and they shall also call upon other nations1 in order to defend themselves against other nations1 and thus war will be poured out upon all nations4 7,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 #cjd47 ,in a communication which was written a few days later to ,n4 ,c4 ,seaton1 editor of a paper published in ,rochester1 ,n4,y41 the ,prophet wrote3 ,i am prepared to say by the authority of ,jesus ,christ that not many years shall pass away before the ,united ,states shall present such a scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our nation4 7,historical ,record1 page #djf47 ,i will refer to another prediction on the same subject1 which was made by ,joseph ,smith in ,carthage1 ,ill41 two days before he was martyred4 ,a number of the officers of the troops1 then stationed in ,carthage1 and other persons curious to see ,joseph1 visited him in his room4 ,joseph asked them if there was anything in his appearance which indicated that he was the desperate character his enemies represented him to be4 ,the answer was3 ,no1 sir2 your appearance would indicate the very contrary1 ,general ,smith1 but we cannot see what is in your heart1 neither can we tell what are your intentions4 #ii ,joseph replied3 ,very true1 gentlemen1 you cannot see what is in my heart1 and you are therefore unable to judge me or my intentions2 but ,i can see what is in your hearts1 and will tell you what ,i see4 ,i can see you thirst for blood1 and nothing but my blood will satisfy you4 ,it is not for crime of any description that ,i and my brethren are thus continually persecuted and harassed by our enemies2 but there are other motives1 and some of them ,i have expressed1 so far as relates to myself2 and inasmuch as you and the people thirst for blood1 ,i prophesy1 in the name of the ,lord1 that you shall witness scenes of blood and sorrow to your entire satisfaction4 ,your souls shall be perfectly satiated with blood1 and many of you who are now present shall have an opportunity to face the cannon's mouth from sources you think not of2 and those people that desire this great evil upon me and my brethren shall be filled with regret and sorrow because of the scenes of desolation and distress that await them4 ,they shall seek for peace and shall not be able to find it4 ,gentlemen1 you will find what ,i have told you to be true4 7,historical ,record1 page #efc47 ,on the #agth of ,december1 #ahfj1 nearly #bh years after the above revelation on war was given1 its fulfilment commenced1 for on that day a convention assembled in ,charleston1 ,s4 ,c41 which1 after three days' deliberation1 passed a resolution to the effect that the union hitherto existing between ,south ,carolina and the other ,states1 under the name of the ,united ,states of ,america1 was dissolved4 ,this was the beginning of the rebellion4 ,by the #ast of ,february1 #ahfa1 six other ,states had followed the example of ,south ,carolina and withdrawn from the ,union1 and a new government was formed under the name of ,the ,confederate ,states of ,america4 ,not only was ,south ,carolina the first ,state to commence the rebellion1 but here also1 as if to cause a double fulfilment of ,joseph's prophecy1 on ,april #ab1 #ahfa1 the first gun was fired from a ,confederate battery against ,fort ,sumter standing at the entrance to ,charleston harbor4 ,the ruinous war that followed is a matter of history4 ,the ,union losses alone1 according to the report of the ,provost-,general1 amounted to #bhj1cig men1 who were either killed outright in battle1 or who died subsequently of wounds or diseases1 not counting the thousands who were crippled and maimed for life4 ,the loss on the side of the ,confederates was about the same4 ,truly1 as ,joseph predicted1 the ,united ,states never witnessed such a scene of bloodshed before4 ,the losses in the revolutionary war1 in the war of #ahab1 and in the war with ,mexico in #ahdf were only small affairs compared with this last and terrible war of the rebellion1 so accurately predicted by the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,this prediction alone and its literal fulfilment should be sufficient to convince every reasonable man #ajj and woman who will take pains to investigate the subject thoroughly1 that ,joseph1 indeed1 was a prophet of the ,living ,god4 ,,cholera ,,predicted4 ,in #ahcd ,joseph ,smith marched from ,ohio to ,missouri1 a distance of about one thousand miles1 as the leader of the illustrious body of men known in ,church history as ,zion's ,camp4 ,on this long and wearisome journey1 some of the brethren indulged in a spirit of rebellion and fault-finding1 which was rebuked by the ,prophet1 first in a mild manner and finally very strongly1 as he told the brethren that the ,lord had revealed to him that a scourge would come upon the camp1 in consequence of the fractious and unruly spirit that had appeared among them4 ,still1 if they would repent and humble themselves before the ,lord1 the scourge might1 in a great measure1 be turned away1 but1 as the ,lord lives1 he said1 the camp will have to suffer for giving way to unruly tempers4 7,historical ,record1 page #ehb47 ,this prediction was fulfilled a few weeks later when the brethren had arrived in ,clay ,county1 ,mo4 ,on the #bast of ,june1 #ahcd1 the cholera broke out in the camp and raged fearfully for several days4 ,altogether sixty-eight of the ,saints were attacked with the dreadful disease and thirteen died4 ,finally ,joseph called some of the surviving brethren together and told them that if they would humble themselves before the ,lord and covenant to keep ,his commandments1 and obey his 7,joseph's7 counsel1 the plague should be stayed from that hour and there should not be another case of cholera among them4 ,the brethren covenanted to that effect and the plague was stayed4 ,,astronomy ,,of ,,abraham4 ,july #c1 #ahce1 a man by the name of ,michael ,h4 ,chandler came to ,kirtland1 ,ohio1 to exhibit four ,egyptian mummies1 together with some two or more rolls of papyrus1 covered with hieroglyphic figures and devices4 ,they had been obtained from one of the catacombs of ,egypt1 7near a place where once stood the renowned city of ,thebes7 by the celebrated ,antonio ,sebolo1 in the year #ahca4 ,joseph ,smith1 upon examining the rolls of papyrus1 discovered that one of them contained the writings of ,abraham and another the writings of ,joseph who was sold into ,egypt4 ,the whole collection was bought by the ,saints1 and ,joseph subsequently translated the writings of ,abraham which1 together with a number of illustration1 were published in the ,times and ,seasons1 at ,nauvoo1 ,ill41 #aja in #ahdc1 and which we now have in the little excellent work called the ,pearl of ,great ,price1 under the caption of the ,book of ,abraham4 ,this book1 besides giving a history of the creation of the earth and man1 also introduces a new doctrine in regard to astronomy4 ,it tells of a planet called ,kolob1 near which is the throne of ,god1 and around which everything in the great universe revolves in regular order4 ,at that time the generally accepted theory among astronomers was that1 with the exception of the few planets 7among which is our own earth7 which sweep regularly around the sun1 all the heavenly bodies called stars1 were fixed or stationary1 and that the sun1 furnishing light and warmth for our earth1 besides being the centre of gravitation for our solar system1 was the nearest fixed or stationary star4 ,hence1 when ,joseph ,smith1 in the astronomy of ,abraham1 introduced the doctrine that there was a grand centre set far beyond the limits of our own solar system1 he was derided by not a few1 who ascribed the idea to his ignorance1 in not having even a superficial knowledge of the principles of astronomy4 ,but the theories of men change as the ,lord gives them more light and intelligence1 and today the doctrine advanced in the ,book of ,abraham is a generally accepted one among astronomers4 ,in proof of this ,i will introduce the following extract of a letter from ,lieutenant ,m4 ,f4 ,maury1 of the ,united ,states ,navy1 a man acknowledged on all sides as one of the most eminent scientific men living1 dated1 ,washington1 ,d4,c41 ,jan4 #bb1 #ahee4 ,it is a curious fact that the revelations of science have led astronomers of our day to the discovery that the sun is not the dead center of motion around which comets sweep and planets whirl2 but that it1 with its splendid retinue of worlds and satellites1 is revolving through the realms of space1 at the rate of millions of miles in a year1 and in obedience to some influence situated precisely in the direction of the star ,alcyon1 one of the ,pleiades4 ,we do not know how far off in the immensities of space that center of revolving cycles and epicycles may be2 nor have our oldest observers or nicest instruments been able to tell us how far off in the skies that beautiful cluster of stars is hung1 whose influences man can never bind4 ,in this question alone1 and the answer to it are involved both the recognition and exposition of the whole theory of gravitation4 7,family ,bible1 published by ,henry ,s4 ,goodspeed ,co41 ,new ,york1 page #ah47 ,here is another proof that ,joseph was a prophet and an inspired man1 and that the ,book of ,abraham is true4 ,,location ,,of ,,ancient ,,eden4 ,in #ahcb ,joseph ,smith made the startling declaration that the ,garden of ,eden had its existence on the ,american continent--even #ajb in ,jackson ,county1 ,mo4 ,people as a rule ridiculed the idea and thought ,joseph very ignorant indeed in not knowing that which every school boy at that time was supposed to know1 that ,asia was the cradle of mankind4 ,and when he further declared that the ,grand ,river ,valley in ,daviess ,county1 ,mo41 was the valley in which ,adam our father had lived and that he 7,joseph7 on an adjoining hill had discovered the remnants of an altar upon which the great ,patriarch had offered sacrifice1 the world thought that ,joseph ,smith was either a religious crank1 a blasphemer or a fool4 ,i will introduce an item of history in order to make this more plain4 ,it was in the summer of #ahch when the ,saints were flocking into ,missouri from different parts of the country that it became evident that there would not be room for all to settle in the immediate vicinity of ,far ,west1 or in ,caldwell ,county4 ,the ,prophet1 therefore1 together with others1 started out to select other gathering places4 ,arriving at a hill where there was a fine spring of water1 at a point where ,grand ,river suddenly changes its course from a southerly to an easterly direction1 he was struck with the natural beauty of the country and also with what he thought would be a fine townsite on the slope of the hill4 ,accordingly1 the accompanying surveyors began their work of running lines for streets and lots1 and it was decided to name the place ,spring ,hill2 but they had not proceeded far when the ,lord1 on ,may #ai1 #ahch1 gave a revelation through the ,prophet ,joseph1 naming the place ,adam-ondi-,ahman1 because1 said the ,lord1 it is the place where ,adam shall come to visit his people1 or the ,ancient of ,days shall sit1 as spoken of by ,daniel the ,prophet4 7,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 #aaf47 ,joseph was also told that it was the place where ,adam1 as mentioned in a previous revelation1 three years before his death1 blessed his posterity1 when they rose up and called him ,michael the ,prince1 the ,archangel2 and he1 being full of the ,holy ,ghost1 predicted what should befall his posterity to the latest generations4 7,doc4 and ,cov41 #ajg3 #ec-ef47 ,with all the claims of our ,american people1 none1 so far as ,i know1 had up to that time imagined for our country the honor of being the home of our first parents1 but since then it has become a favorite theory with many4 ,a few years after ,joseph had proclaimed that the great ,mississippi ,valley was the first home of man1 the learned antiquarian1 ,samuel ,l4 ,mitchell of ,new ,york1 with other gentlemen eminent for their knowledge of natural history1 advanced the theory that ,america was the land where ,adam dwelt4 ,he supported his theory by tracing the progress of colonies westward from ,america #ajc over the ,pacific ,ocean to new settlements in ,europe and ,africa4 7,juvenile ,instructor1 vol4 #i3 #bgh74 ,other scientists have reasoned elaborately from the relics found in different parts of ,north and ,south ,america1 and have proven that the ,western ,continent was inhabited before the flood4 ,now1 if ,adam dwelt in ,america1 ,noah also dwelt here and must have built his ark on this continent4 ,without entering into a detailed argument to prove this1 ,i will simply read the following from an able and lengthy article entitled ,old ,america1 written by ,g4 ,m4 ,o41 and published in the ninth volume of the ,juvenile ,instructor3 ,modern science has given us very accurately drawn charts of the course of the wind through the atmosphere surrounding us4 ,we have no reason to believe these wind currents have changed since the creation4 ,now the prevailing current of wind over the central part of ,north ,america is from the west1 and possibly this was the course followed by the tornado during the deluge4 ,now if the ark had been built in ,armenia1 where the mountain ,ararat is situated1 and it is found that the wind and currents have general eastern direction1 the ark would1 during the one hundred and fifty days or five months of the deluge 7that is from the commencement until the waters gained their greatest depth71 have gone in an eastern course1 say at the rate of about forty miles a day1 some six thousand miles1 or beyond ,china2 or if it floated faster1 it would have left the ark somewhere in the ,pacific ,ocean4 ,this would be an unreasonable theory to adopt1 being entirely inconsistent4 ,but the ark being built in ,america1 somewhere1 we may imagine in the latitude of ,missouri1 when taken up by the eastern-borne current1 and wafted by the hurricane following the same course1 it is not out of the way to suppose it to have progressed as far as ,ararat1 some six or seven thousand miles from ,america1 even had it traveled at a more rapid rate than forty or fifty miles a day4 ,over sixteen hundred years had passed from the creation until the ark was finished4 ,in this time mankind had increased and multiplied and spread out far beyond the country around ,eden 7the ,mississippi ,valley71 as signs of an antediluvian population indicate1 and we may suppose the ark was built some distance east of the ,garden1 between the ,states of ,new ,york and ,missouri4 ,couple this supposition with the circumstances connected with the flood1 the current flowing from ,america1 with the fact of the ark's resting in an easterly direction from this country1 and we can form no other reasonable conclusion than that here the miraculous vessel was constructed and freighted with its treasure of animal life1 and the progenitors designated and set apart to renew the human race4 ,that the ancient ,americans knew of the deluge is beyond dispute1 as we have several versions of the story of the flood that have been handed down as tradition by different nations1 and in one instance we have a picture-written description of it1 an old ,toltec record1 fortunately preserved from the wholesale destruction that followed the conquest4 ,suffice it to say that it is no longer considered an absurd theory that ,america was the cradle of man1 and the home of ,adam1 ,noah and the other antediluvian patriarchs1 but it has #ajd taken many years of patient study and thorough investigation of scientific problems for men of learning to come to the same conclusion that ,joseph ,smith did by revelation between fifty and sixty years ago4 ,the following was published in the ,,deseret ,,news of ,sept4 #ah1 #ahhh3 ,a ,,corroborative ,,discovery4 ,a short time ago the ,washington ,post made a remarkable statement regarding the location of the ,garden of ,eden4 ,it announced that ,dr4 ,campbell of ,versailles had lately discovered that it was on this continent1 and near where ,st4 ,louis now stands4 ,that gentleman1 according to the ,post1 asserted that the ,mississippi ,river is the ,euphrates of ,scripture1 and that the ,bible furnishes evidence of the correctness of his conclusions4 ,it is probable that ,dr4 ,campbell is not aware of the fact that he is not the discoverer of what he now announces1 the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith having many years ago stated that the ,garden of ,eden was located in what is now known as the ,state of ,missouri4 ,the ,prophet also pointed out the precise spot where ,adam offered sacrifice to the ,lord1 and where1 as the great patriarchal head of the race1 he blessed his children previous to his departure from the earth4 ,that sacred spot in ,missouri was designated by the ,prophet as ,adam-ondi-,aham1 the meaning of which is--the land where ,adam dwelt4 ,my conclusion is this3 ,if scientific men1 by the evidences produceable at this late day can indicate that the ,garden of ,eden was at or near the place where ,st4 ,louis1 ,mo41 now stands1 the ,lord1 who originally planted the garden himself1 could designate the exact spot and tell ,his prophet that that first garden1 the original paradise of man1 was located in ,jackson ,county1 ,mo41 just #aej miles northwest of ,st4 ,louis4 ,in connection with this1 ,i desire to relate a little experience of my own4 ,about two years ago1 in company with ,elders ,edward ,stevenson and ,joseph ,s4 ,black1 ,i visited ,adam-ondi-,ahman1 in ,missouri1 and as we stood upon the site of the altar that ,i have referred to and looked over the beautiful valley lying south and east of us1 ,i said to myself1 ,can it be possible that these stones--fragments of which ,i held in my hand--were once parts of the altar upon which our first parent offered sacrifice to ,god8 ,i had previously listened to the testimony of ,presidents ,wilford ,woodruff1 ,a4 ,o4 ,smoot and other men of prominence and unimpeachable character1 to the effect that they were present with the ,prophet ,joseph in #ahch when the glorious facts relating to that particular tract of country were revealed4 ,but ,i desired a direct testimony from the ,lord concerning the matter1 and consequently made it a subject of prayer4 ,and ,i desire1 on this occasion1 to bear my testimony that ,i received #aje an answer to my prayer sufficient to convince me that these things are true4 ,,miraculous ,,escape ,,predicted4 ,on the #cast of ,october1 #ahch1 ,joseph and a number of his brethren1 all prominent men in the ,church1 were betrayed by ,col4 ,george ,m4 ,hinkle into the hands of the mob militia who had surrounded ,far ,west1 ,mo41 determined to sack the town4 ,although ,joseph had only been in ,missouri a few months and had not done the least harm to a single soul there1 nearly the whole population of that ,state1 including its highest officers1 both civil and military1 had become so exasperated1 through the stream of lies which had been circulated through the country concerning the ,saints and their motives1 that they had fully determined to kill the leaders of the ,church2 and there were scores in that mob militia camp to which ,joseph and his brethren were brought that memorable day who would have considered it a great honor to put to death ,joseph and his fellow-prisoners4 ,they knew also that there would be no danger of them being brought to justice for such a deed1 even if they should assassinate them without orders from any commander4 ,it was on this occasion that the mobbers cursed and shouted like mad-men and swore that ,joseph and those with him should never see their friends or families again alive2 and to prove that this was not the boast and threat of the common soldier only1 ,i will refer you to what ,john ,clark1 the head general and commander of the whole militia1 said in his notorious speech which he delivered before the brethren at ,far ,west1 after he had made them prisoners of war4 ,referring to ,joseph and his fellow prisoners1 who then were on the road to ,jackson ,county in the hands of ,gen4 ,lucas and his army1 ,general ,clark said3 ,as for your leaders1 do not once think--do not imagine for a moment--do not let it enter your minds1 that they will be delivered1 or that you will see their faces again1 for their fate is fixed1 ,,their ,,die ,,is ,,cast1 ,,their ,,doom ,,is ,,sealed4 ,but while1 from a human standpoint1 it seemed absolutely impossible for ,joseph and his brethren to escape from their enemies alive1 ,joseph rose up in the spirit of his prophetic calling1 and prophesied that they ,,all should be delivered alive4 ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 one of the prisoners with ,joseph1 writes the following3 ,as we arose and commenced our march on the morning of the #crd of ,november1 ,joseph ,smith spoke to me and the other prisoners #ajf in a low but cheerful and confidential tone4 ,said he3 ',be of good cheer1 brethren2 the word of the ,lord came to me last night that our lives should be given us1 and that whatever we may suffer during this captivity1 not one of our lives should be taken4' ,of this prophecy ,i testify in the name of the ,lord1 and though spoken in secret1 its public fulfilment and the miraculous escape of each one of us is too notorious to need my testimony4--,parley ,p4 ,pratt's ,aut41 page #baj4 ,notwithstanding the fact that they were sentenced on two or three different occasions to be shot1 that several attempts were made to poison them while incarcerated in filthy dungeons2 that forty men at a certain time and place entered into a conspiracy that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed the ,mormon ,prophet1 all the brethren in due course of time1 escaped from their persecutors and would-be murderers1 and1 although they suffered as only few men have suffered1 they arrived safely1 and all alive1 among their friends in ,illinois4 ,this surely is another proof of ,joseph ,smith's prophetic gift1 while ,general ,clark at the same time is proven to be a false prophet4 ,,predictions ,,about ,,coming ,,to ,,the ,,mountains4 ,under date of ,saturday1 ,august #f1 #ahdb1 ,joseph wrote3 ,i passed over the river to ,montrose1 ,iowa1 in company with ,general ,adams1 ,col4 ,brewer and others and witnessed the installation of the officers of the ,rising ,sun ,lodge of ,ancient ,york ,masons at ,montrose1 by ,general ,james ,adams1 deputy grand master of ,illinois4 ,while the deputy grand master was engaged in giving the requisite instructions to the master elect1 ,i had a conversation with a number of brethren in the shade of the building on the subject of our persecution in ,missouri and the constant annoyance which had followed us since we were driven from that ,state4 ,i prophesied that the ,saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the ,rocky ,mountains2 many would apostatize1 others would be put to death by our persecutors or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease1 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 ,rocky ,mountains4 7,historical ,record1 page #dhg47 ,i need spend no time to prove the fulfilment of this remarkable prophecy4 ,all of you who are present in this hall tonight can testify to its literal fulfilment4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints have indeed become a mighty people in these mountains1 numbering as they do now about two hundred thousand souls1 organized into thirty-two ,stakes of ,zion1 or nearly five hundred wards and branches2 and this does not include the ,saints in ,mexico and ,canada4 ,it is also a matter of history #ajg that the ,saints1 for years after the prediction was uttered1 continued to suffer persecution and affliction from their enemies2 that many apostatized1 while others1 who proved faithful and true to their covenants1 were put to death for conscience sake1 and the remainder were driven by a ruthless mob from the beautiful city of ,nauvoo into the western wilderness in the year #ahdf4 ,,escape ,,from ,,enemies ,,predicted4 ,early in the year #ahdd1 while the spirit of renewed persecution was brooding in ,hancock ,county1 ,illinois1 ,joseph was inspired to make preparations for sending an expedition to the ,rocky ,mountains1 to seek out a new location for the ,saints1 as it had been revealed to him that they would not be permitted to remain much longer in their ,illinois homes4 ,on ,sunday1 ,feb4 #be1 #ahdd1 while the ,prophet was engaged in selecting brethren to go on this expedition1 he gave them some important instructions1 and prophesied1 that within five years the ,saints should be out of the power of their old enemies1 whether they were apostates or of the world2 and the ,prophet also told the brethren to record it1 that when it came to pass1 they need not say they had forgotten the saying4 7,historical ,record1 page #edb47 ,five years after this prediction was uttered the ,saints had been driven from ,nauvoo2 the noble band of ,pioneers had1 under the guidance of ,jehovah1 been led to these valleys in #ahdg1 about three years after the prediction was made2 and in #ahdi 7five years after7 the bulk of the exiles from ,nauvoo had gathered here1 thirteen hundred miles from their ,illinois persecutors4 ,,stephen ,a4 ,,douglas4 ,i will now refer you to another most remarkable prophecy and its fulfilment4 ,among the prominent men of ,illinois1 who befriended the ,saints when they were expelled from ,missouri1 was ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas1 afterwards known as the ,little ,giant1 and who became one of the great statesman of our nation4 ,this man continued friendly to the ,saints for many years1 and especially to ,joseph ,smith1 in whose case he1 as an ,illinois district judge1 rendered a fair and impartial decision at ,monmouth1 ,june #aj1 #ahda1 at a time when the ,missourians were endeavoring to get ,joseph ,smith into their power4 ,after that he and the ,prophet exchanged visits1 and on one occasion when ,joseph dined with him in ,carthage1 ,illinois1 ,may #ah1 #ahdc1 #ajh he listened to a lengthy explanation from the ,prophet about the ,missouri persecutions4 ,winding up the conversation1 ,joseph spoke of the dire effects that would flow to the nation if the ,united ,states should refuse to redress the wrongs of murder1 arson and robbery committed against the ,saints in ,missouri and the crimes committed upon the ,saints by the officers of the government4 ,turning to ,judge ,douglas he said3 ,you will aspire to the presidency of the ,united ,states1 and if ever you 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 you1 for the conversation of this day will stick to you through life4 ,this remarkable prophecy concerning ,judge ,douglas personally has had a literal fulfilment4 ,judge ,douglas continued to rise in prominence in the nation as long as he remained a friend to the ,saints4 ,but1 finally he turned against them1 and at the time the excitement ran high against the ,mormons in #aheg1 and preparations were being made to send an army against the people of ,utah1 ,judge ,douglas thought he would add a little to the great popularity he had already achieved by doing the most popular thing that could be done at the time1 namely1 denouncing the ,mormons4 ,hence1 in a political speech which he delivered in ,springfield1 ,ill41 ,june #abth1 #aheg1 and which was published in the ,missouri ,republican of ,june #ahth following and partly republished with comments in the ,,deseret ,,news of ,september #bnd1 #aheg1 ,senator ,douglas attacked the ,saints in ,utah in a most fierce and unwarranted manner1 and among many other bitter expressions which he made1 he called ,mormonism1 a loathsome1 disgusting ulcer1 to which he recommended that ,congress apply the knife and cut it out4 ,in the ,,deseret ,,news of the date mentioned1 the prophecy of ,joseph ,smith was republished with warning remarks1 directed to ,mr4 ,douglas1 who at that time1 in fulfilment of ,joseph's words1 was already aspiring to the presidency of the ,united ,states4 ,in the campaign of #ahfj he became the candidate of the ,independent ,democratic party for that position4 ,it is asserted that no man ever entered into a campaign with brighter prospects of success than did ,senator ,douglas on that occasion4 ,his friends viewed him as sure to be seated in the ,presidential chair1 because of his great popularity4 ,but1 alas1 he and his friends had reckoned without ,divine interposition4 ,he had lifted his hands against the ,saints of the ,most ,high ,god and denounced the people whom #aji he knew to be innocent and whom he ought to have defended4 ,the result was that he was sadly defeated at the election1 as he only received two electoral votes against seventeen cast for ,abraham ,lincoln 7,republican7 and eleven cast for ,j4 ,c4 ,breckenridge 7,democrat74 ,when the result of the election became known in ,utah ,apostle ,orson ,hyde published the following in the ,,deseret ,,news of ,december #ab1 #ahfj3 ,,ephraim1 ,utah ,ter41 ,nov4 #bg1 #ahfj4 ,will the ,judge now acknowledge that ,joseph ,smith was a true ,prophet8 ,if he will not1 does he recollect a certain conversation had with ,mr4 ,smith at the house of ,sheriff ,backenstos1 in ,carthage1 ,illinois1 in the year #ahdc1 in which ,mr4 ,smith said to him3 ',you will yet aspire to the presidency of the ,united ,states4 ,but if you ever raise your hand1 or your voice against the ,latter-day ,saints1 you shall never be ,president of the ,united ,states4' ,does ,judge ,douglas recollect that in a public speech delivered by him in the year #aheg1 at ,springfield1 ,illinois1 of comparing the ,mormon community1 then constituting the inhabitants of ,utah ,territory1 to a 'loathsome ulcer on the body politic1' and of recommending the knife to be applied to cut it out8 ,among other things the ,judge will doubtless recollect that ,i was present and heard the conversation between him and ,joseph ,smith1 at ,mr4 ,backenstos' residence in ,carthage1 before alluded to4 ,now1 ,judge1 what think you about ,joseph ,smith and ,mormonism8 ,,orson ,,hyde4 ,a few months later1 or in ,june1 #ahfa1 ,judge ,douglas died in disappointment and grief4 ,never has the saying of any ,prophet of ,god been more literally and minutely fulfilled than the prediction made by the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith concerning this man4 ,,christ',s ,,second ,,coming4 ,some have thought that ,joseph ,smith was an enthusiast or a religious fanatic1 and that his prophetic utterances were the result of his impulsive nature or visionary mind4 ,but such was not the case4 ,when he was under the influence of the ,spirit of ,god his mind was perfectly calm and collected1 and his countenance beamed with heavenly intelligence4 ,while some of his contemporaries allowed their zeal and enthusiasm to lead them into erroneous expectations1 he would reason with them calmly and endeavor to balance their minds4 ,to illustrate this ,i will relate an incident that transpired shortly before he suffered martyrdom3 ,a man by the name of ,miller1 the founder of the sect known as ,millerites1 was preaching to the people in the ,eastern ,states in #ahdd1 that the ,savior would make ,his appearance that #aaj year4 ,this caused considerable excitement at the time1 and a number of people were quite alarmed about it4 ,joseph ,smith hearing of these predictions1 declared that they would not be fulfilled1 and said he1 ,i will take the responsibility upon myself to prophesy in the name of the ,lord1 that ,christ will not come this year1 as ,father ,miller has prophesied1 and ,i also prophesy that ,christ will not come in forty years2 and if ,god ever spoke by my mouth1 he will not come in that length of time4 ,brethren1 when you go home1 write this down that it may be remembered4 ,more than forty years have passed since #ahdd2 hence here we again have ,joseph proven to be a true ,prophet1 while ,father ,miller missed it very much4 ,,the ,,three ,,witnesses4 ,when ,joseph ,smith was translating the ,book of ,mormon1 with ,oliver ,cowdery as scribe1 the following words of ,moroni directed to the translator1 occurred in the translation3 ,behold ye may be privileged that ye may show the plates unto those who shall assist to bring forth this work 7meaning the ,book of ,mormon74 ,and unto three shall they be shown by the power of ,god2 wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true4 ,and in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established1 and the testimony of three and this work 99 99 99 shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day4--,ether v3 #b-d4 ,here is a positive promise that the plates of the ,book of ,mormon should be shown to three by the power of ,god4 ,i will now read the testimony of three men who1 as soon as this promise was made known1 desired of the ,lord to be chosen as these three special witnesses1 and who1 when their desire was granted1 prepared and signed the following3 ,be it known unto all nations1 kindreds1 tongues and people unto whom this work shall come1 that we1 through the grace of ,god the ,father1 and our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 have seen the plates which contain this record--which is the record of the people of ,nephi1 and also of the ,lamanites1 their brethren1 and also of the people of ,jared1 who come from the tower of which hath been spoken2 and we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of ,god1 for ,his voice hath declared it unto us2 wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true4 ,and we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates1 and they have been shown unto us by the power of ,god1 and not of man2 and we declare with words of soberness1 that an angel of ,god came down from heaven1 and he brought and laid before our eyes1 that we beheld and saw the plates and the engravings thereon2 and we know that it is by the grace of ,god the ,father1 and our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that we beheld and bear record that these things are true2 and it is marvelous #aaa in our eyes2 nevertheless1 the voice of the ,lord commanded us that we should bear record of it3 wherefore1 to be obedient unto the commandments of ,god1 we bear testimony of these things4 ,and we know that if we are faithful in ,christ1 we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men1 and be found spotless before the judgment seat of ,christ1 and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens4 ,and the honor be to the ,father1 and to the ,son1 and to the ,holy ,ghost1 which is one ,god4 ,amen4 ,,oliver ,,cowdery1 ,,david ,,whitmer1 ,,martin ,,harris4 ,this is plain1 strong testimony4 ,joseph ,smith or any other man could easily enough have made a promise like the one made in the #eth chapter of ,ether1 but he could not have called down an angel from heaven1 nor caused the voice of ,god to be heard1 in order to have the promise fulfilled4 ,the ,lord only could fulfill this prediction1 and he did it1 in his own way1 time and place4 ,but1 says the skeptic1 the three witnesses subsequently left the ,church and deserted ,joseph ,smith4 ,yes1 that is true1 and this is what makes their testimony of ten-fold more weight4 ,if their testimonies were not true1 if any fraud or deception had been practiced in regard to the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon they would undoubtedly have exposed the same as soon as the break occurred between ,joseph ,smith and themselves4 ,but the facts are these3 ,they always remained true to their testimony1 even in their darkest hours4 ,then why did they leave the ,church8 ,they fell into transgression2 they sinned against ,god and had to be dealt with the same as other transgressors2 for although a man may have seen angels and had glorious visions1 etc41 he has no license to any more than those less favored4 ,we will now briefly allude to the individual witnesses3 ,oliver ,cowdery1 after his excommunication in ,far ,west1 ,april #aa1 #ahch1 engaged in law business and practiced for some years as a lawyer in ,michigan1 but he never denied the truth of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,on the contrary1 he seems to have used every opportunity he had to bear testimony of its divine origin4 ,while in ,michigan1 a gentleman1 on a certain occasion1 addressed him as follows3 ,mr4 ,cowdery1 ,i see your name attached to this book4 ,if you believe it to be true1 why are you in ,michigan8 ,the gentleman then read the names of the ,three ,witnesses and asked3 ,mr4 ,cowdery1 do you believe this book8 ,no1 sir1 was the reply4 ,very well1 continued the gentleman1 but your name is attached to it1 and you declare here 7pointing to the book7 that you saw an angel1 and also the plates1 from which the book purports to be translated2 #aab;and now you say you don't believe it4 ,which time did you tell the truth8 ,oliver ,cowdery replied with emphasis1 ,my name is attached to that book1 and what ,i there have said is true4 ,i did see this2 ,i know ,i saw it1 and faith has nothing to do with it1 as a perfect knowledge has swallowed up the faith which ,i had in the work1 knowing1 as ,i do1 that it is true4 ,at a special conference held at ,kanesville1 ,iowa1 ,october #ba1 #ahdh1 ,oliver ,cowdery was present and made the following remarks3 ,friends and ,brethren4--,my name is ,cowdery1 ,oliver ,cowdery4 ,in the early history of this ,church ,i stood identified with her1 and one in her councils4 ,true it is that the gifts and callings of ,god are without repentance2 not because ,i was better than the rest of mankind was ,i called2 but to fulfill the purposes of ,god1 ,he called me to a high and holy calling4 ,i wrote1 with my own pen1 the entire ,book of ,mormon 7save a few pages7 as it fell from the lips of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 as he translated it by the gift and power of ,god1 by the means of the ,urim and ,thummim1 or1 as it is called by that book1 'holy interpreters4' ,i beheld with my eyes1 and handled with my hands1 the gold plates from which it was transcribed4 ,i also saw with my eyes and handled with my hands the 'holy interpreters4' ,that book is true4 ,sidney ,rigdon did not write it2 ,mr4 ,spaulding did not write it2 ,i wrote it myself as it fell from the lips of the ,prophet4 ,it contains the ,everlasting ,gospel1 and came forth to the children of men in fulfilment of the revelations of ,john1 where he says he saw an angel come with the ,everlasting ,gospel to preach to every nation1 kindred1 tongue and people4 ,it contains principles of salvation2 and if you1 my hearers1 will walk by its light and obey its precepts1 you will be saved with an everlasting salvation in the kingdom of ,god on high4 ,brother ,hyde has just said that it is very important that we keep and walk in the true channel1 in order to avoid the sandbars4 ,this is true4 ,the channel is here4 ,the holy ,priesthood is here4 ,i was present with ,joseph when an holy angel from ,god came down from heaven and conferred on us1 or restored1 the lesser or ,aaronic ,priesthood1 and said to us1 at the same time1 that it should remain upon the earth while the earth stands4 ,i was also present with ,joseph when the higher or ,melchisedek ,priesthood was conferred by holy angels from on high4 ,this ,priesthood we then conferred on each other1 by the will and commandment of ,god4 ,this ,priesthood1 as was then declared1 is also to remain upon the earth until the last remnant of time4 ,this holy ,priesthood1 or authority1 we then conferred upon many1 and is just as good and valid as though ,god had done it in person4 ,i laid my hands upon that man--yes1 ,i laid my right hand upon his head 7pointing to ,brother ,hyde71 and ,i conferred upon him this ,priesthood1 and he holds that ,priesthood now4 ,he was also called through me1 by the prayer of faith1 an ,apostle of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 #aac,soon afterwards ,oliver ,cowdery was rebaptized1 but while making preparations to come to ,utah1 he was suddenly stricken with death in ,richmond1 ,mo41 ,march #crd1 #ahej4 ,elder ,phinehas ,h4 ,young1 who was present when he died1 testifies3 ,his last moments were spent in bearing testimony of the truth of the ,gospel revealed through ,joseph ,smith1 and the power of the ,holy ,priesthood which he had received through his administration4 ,david ,whitmer1 who died in ,richmond1 ,mo41 ,jan4 #beth1 #ahhh1 was also true to his testimony until the last1 although he never united himself with the ,church after his excommunication in #ahch4 ,during the last few years of his life he was frequently visited by representatives of the press and many others1 to whom he would always bear strong and faithful testimonies of the divinity of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,on one occasion when the report reached him that he was accused by a certain party of having denied his former testimony1 he wrote the following1 which was published in the ,richmond 7,mo47 ,conservator of ,march #be1 #ahha3 ,unto all ,nations1 ,kindreds1 ,tongues and ,people1 unto whom these presents shall come3 ,it having been represented by one ,john ,murphy1 of ,polo1 ,caldwell ,county1 ,missouri1 that ,i1 in a conversation with him last summer1 denied my testimony as one of the ,three ,witnesses of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,to the end1 therefore1 that he may understand me now1 if he did not then2 and that the world may know the truth1 ,i wish now1 standing as it were1 in the very sunset of life1 and in the fear of ,god1 once for all to make this public statement3 ,that ,i have never at any time denied that testimony or any part thereof1 which has so long since been published with that book1 as one of the ,three ,witnesses4 ,those who know me best1 well know that ,i have always adhered to that testimony4 ,and that no man may be misled or doubt my present views in regard to the same1 ,i do again affirm the truth of all my statements as then made and published4 ,he that hath an ear to hear1 let him hear2 it was no delusion2 what is written is written1 and he that readeth let him understand4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the ,spirit of ,christ1 who hath said3 ',follow thou me1 for ,i am the life1 the light and the way1' ,i submit this statement to the world2 ,god in whom ,i trust being my judge as to the sincerity of my motives and the faith and hope that is in me of eternal life4 ,my sincere desire is that the world may be benefited by this plain and simple statement of the truth4 ,and all the honor to the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost1 which is one ,god4 ,amen6 ,,david ,,whiter1 ,,sen4 ,,richmond1 ,mo41 ,march #ai1 #ahha4 #aad,three days before his death ,mr4 ,whitmer called his family and some friends to his bedside and addressing himself to the attending physician1 said3 ',dr4 ,buchanan1 ,i want you to say whether or not ,i am in my right mind1 before ,i give my dying testimony4' ,the doctor answered3 ',yes1 you are in your right mind1 for ,i have just had conversation with you4' ,he then addressed himself to all around his bedside in these words3 ',now you must all be faithful in ,christ1 ,i want to say to you all1 the ,bible and the record of the ,nephites 7,book of ,mormon7 is true1 so you can say that you have heard me bear my testimony on my death-bed4 ,all be faithful in ,christ1 and your reward will be according to your works4 ,god bless you all4 ,my trust is in ,christ forever1 worlds without end4 ,amen4' ,martin ,harris also absented himself from the ,church for many years1 but was always true to his testimony in regard to the ,book of ,mormon4 ,he finally emigrated to ,utah1 arriving in ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,august #cj1 #ahgj1 in care of ,elder ,edward ,stevenson4 ,he located in ,smithfield1 ,cache ,county1 and later in ,clarkson1 where he died ,july #aj1 #ahge1 being nearly ninety-three years of age4 ,a few hours before his death1 when prostrated with great weakness1 ,bishop ,simon ,smith came into his room2 ,martin ,harris stretched forth his hands to salute him and said3 ,bishop1 ,i am going4 ,the ,bishop told him that he had something of importance to tell him in relation to the ,book of ,mormon1 which was to be published in the ,spanish language1 by the request of ,indians in ,central ,america4 ,upon hearing this1 ,martin ,harris brightened up1 his pulsation improved1 and1 although very weak1 he began to talk as he formerly had done previous to his sickness4 ,he conversed for about two hours1 and it seemed that the mere mention of the ,book of ,mormon put new life into him4 ,it will also be remembered that ,martin ,harris1 soon after his arrival in ,utah1 spoke to a large congregation of ,saints and strangers in the ,tabernacle in ,salt ,lake ,city1 where he bore a faithful testimony to the truth of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,also the eight witnesses1 whose testimony is published in the ,book of ,mormon after the testimony of the three witnesses1 remained true to their testimonies until the last2 they are all dead now4 ,,the ,,signs ,,following ,,the ,,believers4 ,in ,december1 #ahcj1 a few months after the ,church was #aae organized in ,fayette1 ,n4,y41 with six members1 the following predictions were made3 ,i give unto thee a commandment1 that thou shalt baptize by water1 and they shall receive the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands1 even as the ,apostles of old4 99 99 99 ,for ,i am ,god1 and mine arm is not shortened2 and ,i will show miracles1 signs and wonders unto all those who believe on my name4 ,and whoso shall ask it in my name in faith1 they shall cast out devils2 they shall heal the sick2 they shall cause the blind to receive their sight1 and the deaf to hear1 and the dumb to speak1 and the lame to walk2 and the time speedily cometh that great things are to be shown forth unto the children of men4--,doc4 ,cov4 xxxv3 #f-aj4 ,again1 in ,september1 #ahcb1 in a revelation given to ,joseph ,smith and six ,elders1 as they unveiled their hearts and lifted their voices on high1 the following glorious promises were made3 ,therefore1 as ,i said unto mine ,apostles ,i say unto you again1 that every soul who believeth on your words1 and is baptized by water for the remission of sins1 shall receive the ,holy ,ghost2 and these signs shall follow them that believe4 ,in my name they shall do many wonderful works2 in my name they shall cast out devils2 in my name they shall heal the sick2 in my name they shall open the eyes of the blind1 and unstop the ears of the deaf2 and the tongue of the dumb shall speak2 and if any man shall administer poison unto them it shall not hurt them2 and the poison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them4 ,doc4 and ,cov41 #hd1 #fd-gb4 ,if ,joseph ,smith had been an impostor and his revelations consequently not genuine1 would he have dared to make promises like those contained in the forgoing8 ,could anything have proven more disastrous to his schemes than to promise people gifts which were not in his power to give8 ,if he was not a servant of ,god would he not studiously have avoided to connect the ,lord with any of his schemes in such a way8 ,could he imagine that ,god would sanction his doings by pouring out his gifts and blessings upon people who were being deceived by a wicked impostor8 ,certainly not4 ,if ,joseph ,smith was not called of ,god he would have had to re-echo the old1 old sectarian song from the dark ages3 ,these things 7the gifts and blessings following the believer7 have ceased1 because they are no longer necessary4 ,it is a well-known fact that the signs which were promised by the ,savior and enumerated in ,st4 ,mark1 #afth chapter1 #agth and #ahth verses1 did follow the believers4 ,the ,acts of the ,apostles are full of examples of this kind4 ,it is also a known fact that when ,christianity in the days of ,constantine the ,great1 and later became mixed up with ,paganism and was then made the ,state ,religion of #aaf the ,roman empire1 and the people were compelled at the edge of the sword to accept it1 that these signs did not follow the members of this false church4 ,but when the clergy1 in order to blind the masses1 told the people that the reason why the members did not enjoy these blessings1 as in former years1 was that they were no longer necessary1 they told a deliberate falsehood4 ,the real cause was that this apostate church had transgressed the law1 changed the ordinance and broken the everlasting covenant1 and that ,christ did not recognize this new form of so-called ,christianity as ,his doctrines of salvation1 nor accept of the order of their organization as anything akin to the ,church organized by ,himself and ,his ,apostles4 ,hence1 ,he withheld ,his gifts1 signs and blessings from them1 and for hundreds of years they were unknown so far as church gifts were concerned4 ,an anecdote that ,i heard a friend relate several years ago will illustrate the contrast between the true ,church of ,christ and fallen ,christianity4 ,a prominent cardinal of the ,roman ,catholic church1 on a certain occasion1 visited the ,pope of ,rome1 and together with him examined the contents of the treasure chamber at the ,vatican where gold1 diamonds and other costly things were deposited4 ,while gazing upon the costly treasures the ,pope remarked4 ,we can not truthfully say now as ,peter and ,john said anciently that we have no silver and gold4 ,no1 that is true1 answered the cardinal1 and there is something else we cannot say4 ,we cannot command the lame in the name of ,jesus ,christ to arise and walk4 ,we all remember the beautiful story related in the third chapter of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 of a certain man who had been lame from his mother's womb and who daily lay at the gate of the ,temple of ,jerusalem to ask alms of those who entered2 and how he1 seeing ,peter and ,john about to go in1 also asked them for alms4 ,peter1 after fastening his eyes upon the cripple1 together with ,john1 said1 being moved upon by the power of ,god3 ,silver and gold have ,i none2 but such as ,i have give ,i thee3 in the name of ,jesus ,christ of ,nazareth1 rise up and walk4 ,and he took him by the right hand and lifted him up1 and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength4 ,and he1 leaping up1 stood and walked1 and entered with them into the ,temple1 walking and leaping1 and praising ,god4 ,the contrast is this3 ,the ,apostles of the true ,church had no silver and gold1 for they had been sent out to preach without purse or scrip2 but they possessed the power of ,god to such an extent that they healed the sick1 the lame1 the blind1 etc4 ,the ,catholic ,church is wealthy1 has plenty of silver and #aag gold1 but not the power of ,god4 ,joseph ,smith was also poor as regards this world's goods1 but he was powerful in the ,priesthood1 and in the strength of the ,lord1 and hundreds were healed under his administrations4 ,how then about the promises made in the revelations from which ,i have quoted8 ,the answer is easily given and can be stated briefly4 ,they have been fulfilled to the very letter4 ,there are thousands in the ,church who can testify and who do bear testimony continually to the effect that the gifts and blessings follow the believers1 who have embraced the ,gospel as restored through ,joseph ,smith4 ,not only in the ,united ,states1 but in ,europe1 upon the islands of the sea1 and in all parts of the world where the ,gospel has been preached by our ,elders1 have the sick been healed under their administration1 the lame have received their strength1 the blind have been restored to their sight and the deaf to their hearing2 evil spirits have been cast out2 the gifts of prophecy1 of tongues1 the interpretation of tongues1 and1 in short1 all the gifts and blessings enjoyed by the former-day ,saints have been and are now being enjoyed by the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,our books1 pamphlets1 papers and periodicals are full of instances of this kind1 and should an attempt be made to gather1 compile and publish testimonies of this nature1 we would have material enough for a book larger than the ,bible and ,book of ,mormon combined4 ,in the face of all these testimonies1 what additional proofs do we need to establish the fact that ,joseph ,smith was a true ,prophet4 ,,conclusion4 ,time will not permit me to multiply proofs any further1 although ,i have only presented a few of the many that might be cited4 ,but in the fact of the evidence already adduced1 ,i claim positively that no one has the right to denounce ,joseph ,smith as a false prophet1 for in the light of the key given by ,moses1 he must of necessity be a true prophet1 as the things spoken by him in the name of the ,lord have come to pass4 ,even his most bitter opponents have failed in one solitary instance to prove his prophetic utterances false4 ,add to this the consistency of his life1 his almost unparalleled zeal in bearing testimony of the things the ,lord revealed to him1 and this in the midst of the most trying persecutions1 sufferings1 imprisonments and trials to which he was constantly subjected1 during his entire life1 and finally his martyrdom in ,carthage jail for the sake of the testimony he bore and the principles he advocated4 ,and ,i would ask1 ,what more proofs does mankind #aah want to establish the fact that ,joseph ,smith was a ,prophet of the living ,god8 ,if the divine calling of any ,prophet in any age and dispensation of the world has been proven1 then ,i claim ,joseph ,smith's prophetic calling has been established beyond dispute4 ,the proofs for this are so numerous1 clear and positive that they ought to convince every honest soul4 ,and now1 in conclusion1 ,i will bear my own testimony1 which is1 that ,i know by the inspiration of the ,almighty1 by the power of the ,holy ,spirit1 that ,joseph ,smith was a true prophet1 and that the doctrines he promulgated are also true2 for desiring to know the will of the ,father ,i sought unto ,god to know whether the doctrine was of ,god or whether ,joseph ,smith spoke of himself1 and the result was the testimony that ,i bear here tonight1 and that ,i have borne to thousands both in this land and in ,europe4 ,i ask ,god to grant to every honest soul1 who desires salvation and exaltation in the ,kingdom of ,god1 the same testimony1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 ,amen4 ,by a proper observance of the ,word of ,wisdom1 man may hope to regain what he has lost by transgression and live to the age of a tree1 that as the sun's rays in springtime gladden all nature and awaken life and hope1 the ,word of ,wisdom given of ,god may remove the thorns and briers from our pathway and strew the same with joy and peace4 ,wilford ,woodruff4 #aai ,,the ,,gospel ,,message4 ,,being ,a ,,discourse1 ,,giving ,,an ,,explanation ,,of ,,some ,,of ,the ,,prominent ,,doctrines ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints1 ,,delivered ,,by ,,elder ,,william ,,budge1 ,,at ,,chesterfield1 ,,august #aj,,th1 #ahgi4 7,phonetically ,reported47 ,my ,brethren1 ,sisters and ,friends3 ,i am thankful for the privilege of speaking to you a short time this afternoon4 ,i am anxious to explain1 whenever opportunity affords1 the nature of our faith4 ,and ,i presume that1 on this occasion1 ,i am justified in feeling that our friends who have kindly visited our meeting room have come for the purpose of learning something regarding that subject4 ,in this free country1 where we congratulate ourselves in enjoying and allowing the greatest freedom to everybody1 ,i presume we will1 all of us1 speaker and congregation1 exercise the privilege of explaining and reflecting upon the things that may be said2 so that our friends1 ,i trust1 will leave us understanding a little more about the nature of our religion than when they came to the meeting4 ,i can feel1 in part1 the interest that exists1 even in the minds of our friends4 ,they have1 doubtless1 heard about the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,they have had the opinions of men who have spoken in the pulpits1 and who have written books about the ,mormons1 and they1 very likely1 have come here under certain impressions in regard to the ,mormon's faith4 ,i am sorry to say that experience has taught me that the public generally have been deceived4 ,i am gratified sometimes in listening to acknowledgments of this kind from our friends who have heard for themselves1 and have thus been able to judge intelligently as to whether the reports which they have heard from our enemies are correct or not4 ,it seems strange1 but it is nevertheless true1 that many people who wish to know the faith of the ,saints go to their enemies to learn of them4 ,i do not know whether our kind #abj friends have thought of the inconsistency and injustice of such a course as this4 ,if ,i wished to learn what the ,roman ,catholics believed in1 ,i do not think1 at present1 that ,i would go to the ,protestant ,church to learn it2 or1 if ,i wished to learn what any denomination of professing ,christians believe1 ,i do not think it would be just for me to go to some other denomination to ascertain it4 ,in the first place other churches might be led--perhaps unwittingly1 perhaps intentionally--to misrepresent the faith of their neighbors1 and ,i might be deceived through their misrepresentations4 ,on the other hand1 there is no need of my going to any one church to learn the faith of another people1 because ,i can go just as easily to their own church to listen to their explanations1 and thus be sure of getting information of their peculiar views1 without trusting to the misrepresentations of their neighbors4 ,now ,i submit that such a course as this is right2 it is just1 and accords with our impressions of a fair and just hearing and consideration from the parties most interested1 as to whether their faith be correct or not4 ,of course we have no disposition1 as ,latter-day ,saints1 even if we had the power1 to constrain any person to believe our doctrines4 ,we have not the power2 we have not the disposition4 ,it is not for the purpose of using an undue influence in any respect1 or in any degree1 in favor of our faith1 that we preach to our friends4 ,we simply wish to explain to them the nature of that religion of which we are ministers--laboring under a feeling of anxiety to deliver the message with which we have been sent1 that our friends may have the privilege of receiving or rejecting it1 just as they think proper4 ,but1 in the meantime1 while we are explaining it1 my friends1 be pleased to follow me with your faith and sympathy and good wishes1 so far as your assistance may help me to lay before you the peculiar faith and doctrines of the ,church with which ,i am connected1 that you may be able to judge1 and ,i will place before you1 as plainly and briefly as ,i possibly can1 some of the prominent doctrines of our ,church4 ,i approach the subject feeling that ,i have the sympathy of many good friends1 because ,i feel there exists an impression upon their minds that a system of religion that has more power with it than those now taught1 is necessary4 ,i approach the examination of this subject because ,i believe that many of our kind1 honest1 well-wishing friends--those who desire to serve ,god according to his will and pleasure--are under the impression that there exists a confusion so general1 and errors so prevalent1 that religion seems to be losing its #aba hold upon the minds of the people2 and1 of course1 we1 who have faith in ,god and in his revealed word--as contained in the ,old and ,new ,testaments--deplore a state of things which indicates a departure from that respect and reverence which we wish to see existing and manifested on the part of the people towards the ,supreme ,being4 ,what is the reason1 my friends1 that people are becoming irreligious8 ,what is the reason that people talk of sacred things lightly8 ,what is the reason that men1 who have heretofore been respected as ministers of religion1 are now little thought of8 ,it is simply because the religions that are taught are losing their hold upon the minds and affections of the people2 because the religions that are taught do not supply the want that men and women feel2 because the word preached by most ministers carries with it no power to convince people as to the truthfulness of the doctrines that are presented1 or the sinful condition of the people to whom they are taught4 ,the present condition of the ,christian world does not present that union1 that love1 that we expect from the perpetuation of the doctrines that ,christ taught1 and it is this fact1 understood by many1 that increases their doubts and strengthens their objections to what is called ,christianity4 ,the ,new ,testament teachings lead us to expect a state of unity in the ,christian ,church4 ,the admonitions of the ,apostles were to the effect that the ,saints in early days should be united together1 that they should understand alike1 that they should speak the same things1 that they should be of the same mind and of the same judgment4 ,such are the words of the ,apostle1 to be found in ,i ,cor41 #a1 #aj4 ,now1 my friends1 does such a state of things exist around us in connection with the ,christian churches that we might expect from the nature of a perfect religion1 introduced by ,christ8 ,does there exist1 at the present time1 a state of things so perfect as to agree with the expectations raised from the teachings of ,st4 ,paul in this ,scripture that ,i have quoted8 ,i think not4 ,i am safe1 ,i believe1 in stating--and ,i think our friends are prepared to agree with me--that there does not exist amongst the ,christian denominations1 that unity and that oneness of faith1 peace1 kindness1 and love which1 by reading the ,new ,testament1 we might expect to appear amongst them as the true fruits of ,christianity4 ,and it is upon this ,i wish to make a few remarks before proceeding to explain to you1 from the ,bible1 the nature of our faith4 ,of course the existence of a number of denominations called ,christian cannot be denied4 ,but we are told that all #abb the ,christian churches exhibit to us one church3 that if one denomination does not teach the whole perfect plan of religion revealed by the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 all the churches put together do2 although there may be divisions existing amongst the members of these denominations4 ,unless we accept this view we must object to ,christianity on the ground that we cannot find which of all the ,christian denominations teach the truth4 ,here is one church called ,christian that teaches certain doctrines1 another more or less in its teachings contradicts them1 a third teaches doctrines that are in conflict with the other two2 and so we might go through them all1 and speak in like terms of those who think honestly enough that they are serving ,god4 ,now1 my friends1 ,i will ask--,first3--,is it reasonable to suppose that ,god would sustain two distinct religious churches as his churches8 ,is it reasonable to suppose that ,god would set up two distinct religious bodies1 the ministers of which teach different doctrines8 ,after learning from the ,bible so much indicating the anxiety of ,god's inspired servants for a time of perfect unity1 ,i say it is not reasonable to suppose it4 ,and just so long as two distinct religious systems exist1 teaching different doctrines and preaching different principles1 there exist a conflicting influence1 division1 feelings perhaps very strong if the difference in doctrine is very decided4 ,if it is not reasonable1 what are we to do8 ,how can we account for such a condition of things8 ,this leads to the position we occupy4 ,we want to know something more4 ,is it true that the bodies called ,christian at present represent the ,church of ,christ8 ,or is it true that they have ignored some things belonging to the perfect doctrine of ,christ1 and taken as their guide1 their own conclusions in regard to what is right1 which leads to this division of doctrine8 ,how is it8 ,but ,i will endeavor to show that it is unscriptural as well as unreasonable for us to receive different ,christian bodies as the ,church of ,christ4 ,i will direct your attention to a few passages from the word of ,god4 ,jesus1 when he sent the ,apostles to preach in the first place1 said to them1 ,go ye into all the world and preach the ,gospel to every creature4 ,not any system that might be termed a ,gospel4 ,there was no choice left to anybody4 ,he spoke definitely in regard to the ,gospel plan which he1 the ,son of ,god1 came to the earth to set up4 ,paul1 in the first chapter of ,galatians1 #hth verse1 says1 ,though we or an angel from heaven preach any other ,gospel unto you than #abc that which we have preached unto you1 let him be accursed4 ,paul1 one of the apostles1 taught the ,gospel1 the same ,gospel that ,peter1 ,james1 ,john and others taught4 ,they all taught the same system4 ,and ,paul said in another place1 that he went up1 by revelation to ,jerusalem1 taking ,barnabas and ,titus with him1 and communicated the ,gospel which he preached among the ,gentiles 7,gal4 ii1 #a1 #b71 thus showing that he taught the same thing everywhere4 ,you see1 ,paul's words and practice show that he did not admit of the least change or alteration from the ,gospel as taught by ,christ1 and preached by the apostles to the people4 ,in another place it is said1 ,whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of ,christ1 hath not ,god4 ,he that abideth in the doctrines of ,christ1 he hath both the ,father and the ,son1 7#b ,john ix17 showing us that he taught strictly the necessity of abiding in that form of doctrine which had at first been delivered4 ,i quote these passages to show you that the ,gospel which ,christ and the apostles first taught was intended to be taught continually1 without change1 and that none had a right1 not even an angel from heaven1 to preach any other ,gospel than that which had been delivered at the first4 ,do you agree with this8 ,because ,i am about to examine1 in detail1 some of the doctrines that will readily show to you the difference between the ministers of the true ,gospel1 and the ministers of the so-called ,gospels that are preached at the present time4 ,but are you prepared to come to the conclusion1 with me1 that it is the old ,gospel1 ,christ's ,gospel1 the doctrine of the apostles that we ought to seek and follow1 if we expect eternal life8 ,or do you think you are safe in following the teachings of men1 who have made great changes from the ancient ,gospel1 with the following passage before you8 ,if there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine1 receive him not into your house1 neither bid him ,god speed 7#b ,john1 #ajth verse74 ,do you think you can obtain ,god's blessing by being members of a church or churches that teach doctrines opposed to what ,christ taught8 ,how is this8 ,well1 certainly1 says one--a ,bible believer--of course ,i wish to have the religion of the ,bible4 ,i would like to have the religion of ,christ4 ,i do not admit of any departure4 ,this is right4 ,this is consistent4 ,of course1 if there is a question as to whether ,god has made any change in his primitive faith1 revealed through ,christ1 we shall consider it2 for ,i am willing also to make a change1 if ,god has authorized it4 ,i am quite willing to accept any doctrine that ,god has revealed from heaven for my salvation4 ,i confess to you that ,i have #abd no disposition whatever to maintain private views or speculations which may have been engendered on my own part1 through reflection4 ,i wish the doctrine of ,christ1 as ,christ taught it1 as the apostles taught it1 and ,i will not1 with the light that ,i possess1 depart one particle from the letter and spirit of that ancient plan4 ,and if there are any friends here who have heard that the ,elders of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints do not believe in the ,bible1 let them judge4 ,there are no practices pleasing to ,god1 or likely to bring his blessings upon the heads of the children of men1 except those inculcated by him1 through his servants by the power of revelation from heaven1 so that we will not depart from the ,book4 ,we will not teach doctrines that are opposed to this book1 but we are prepared to show our friends1 in the spirit of kindness1 that doctrines opposed to those contained in this ,book are displeasing to ,god1 and are not calculated to bring peace and salvation to the children of men4 ,but1 says one1 what matters it whether we go this road that you point out or some other8 ,you know if we can get to heaven one way1 is not that as good as another8 ,we will try to illustrate this idea4 ,if a man wish to go to ,london1 says the enquirer1 may he not go the road that leads towards the south1 or a road that leads towards the north1 as the case may be2 what matters it so that he gets to ,london8 ,it would not matter in the least4 ,he might go the road that led to the north1 or that which led to the south1 and by making a shorter or longer journey1 as the case might be1 he might get to ,london4 ,but you see there is no parallel between this figure and the facts in regard to religion1 because there are not two ways to get to heaven4 ,this is the difference4 ,there are two ways to get to ,london probably1 perhaps more1 but you see there is only one way to get to heaven1 so that when we admit1 as an illustration1 a figure of this kind1 we start with an error and it leads us astray4 ,the ,bible speaks of one way4 ,it speaks of two ways4 ,it speaks of a broad road1 that leads to destruction1 and it speaks of a narrow way that leads to eternal life4 ,so you see there is only one way that leads to heaven1 and if any one persuades us that the wide road will lead us there1 he deceives us1 for there is only one way1 and it is narrow4 ,the ,bible is very plain upon this1 because the doctrines are steadfast and sure1 and the words are plain that there is but one way that leads to life and glory4 ,now that is the way we want to find out4 ,jesus came1 he said1 to do his ,father's will1 not his own4 ,he called apostles and ordained them1 and he said1 ,as ,i have #abe been sent1 so send ,i you4 ,go and preach the ,gospel to every creature4 ,that was their business4 ,but he said1 ,tarry ye first in ,jerusalem1 until ye are endowed with power from on high4 ,jesus called the apostles4 ,he ordained them himself4 ,he instructed them personally1 and he commissioned them to preach the ,gospel to every creature4 ,but he wished them to tarry at ,jerusalem until they received power from on high2 a certain gift which ,god had promised1 that they might be qualified1 in every sense1 to discharge the important duty devolving upon them1 of administering words of salvation to a fallen world4 ,the apostles did this4 ,they gathered in ,jerusalem4 ,they were there on the ,day of ,pentecost1 and whilst there1 in the upper room1 the endowment of which ,jesus spoke was given unto them4 ,the ,holy ,ghost came upon them1 in the upper room1 as a mighty rushing wind1 and it sat upon them as cloven tongues of fire4 ,and1 whilst under that influence1 the apostles who were sent to preach the ,gospel1 stood up--at least ,peter did1 as the mouth-piece of the rest at that time--to preach the ,gospel that ,christ sent them to declare4 ,now1 what was it8 ,let us lay a good foundation as we proceed4 ,were they qualified to preach it8 ,i do not think any ,christian will doubt it4 ,if they were not prepared to teach the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 then ,i would have no hope1 my friends1 of hearing it in this life4 ,never4 ,jesus himself chose them4 ,he ordained them2 he instructed them1 and after all this1 as you will find1 in the #bnd chap1 of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 #ast1 #bnd and #crd verses1 they assembled in ,jerusalem1 and had fulfilled unto them the promise of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 receiving the endowment of which ,i have been speaking4 ,i think that all my friends here are certainly prepared to accept the words that ,peter spoke1 and acknowledge them to be true4 ,what did ,peter say8 ,first1 he preached ,christ and him crucified4 ,you see the people1 who had gathered together on the day of ,pentecost1 were people who had no faith in ,christ4 ,they had rejected him and his instructions4 ,they had been of those who persecuted ,christ and the apostles4 ,they were of those who had either personally or in their sympathies sustained the crucifixion of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,therefore1 ,peter1 knowing this1 stood up and preached to them1 first ,christ and him crucified1 and he was successful4 ,who can doubt it8 ,peter1 a servant of ,god1 ordained by the ,son of ,god4 ,peter1 upon whom the ,spirit of ,god rested as tongues of fire1 as the ,scriptures have it4 ,this man stood up and argued the point1 and explained about ,jesus4 ,and who can doubt the result8 ,i am sure we would have been disappointed #abf if we had been told in the ,bible that ,peter was not successful4 ,he was successful4 ,many believed on him1 and the result of their belief was that they said1 ,men and brethren1 what shall we do8 7,acts ii1 #cg74 ,no wonder they asked that question4 ,people who had either helped to crucify the ,lord1 or who had rejoiced when he was crucified1 as many of them did1 to be convinced that that same ,jesus whom they had assisted to crucify was indeed the ,lord1 the ,christ1 and when they were convinced of this they cried out1 ,men and brethren1 what shall we do8 ,peter was prepared to tell them4 ,he had the very instructions that were needed1 and the words of ,peter are applicable to-day1 my friends1 to you and to me1 so far as we have not obeyed them4 ,we are believers in ,christ1 ,i trust4 ,we have fortunately made our appearance in this life1 in the midst of a people who at least believe in the divinity of ,christ1 and we have received impressions favorable to this end2 therefore the words of ,peter1 spoken to those who believed in the divinity of ,christ1 are applicable to us1 and are the words of salvation to us1 if that ancient ,gospel is not changed4 ,what were the words8 ,he says1 ,repent1 and be baptized every one of you in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for the remission of sins1 and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 7,acts ii1 #ch74 ,was that the ,gospel8 ,yes1 unless the apostles disobeyed the instructions of ,christ1 because they were sent to preach the ,gospel1 and they were endowed that they might preach it perfectly and represent ,god1 the ,maker of heaven and earth1 in the words and spirit by which they presented it unto the people4 ,now1 my friends1 faith in ,christ was the first principle of the ,gospel2 repentance of sins was the second principle2 baptism for the remission of sins was the third principle1 and then the reception of the ,holy ,ghost1 by the laying on of hands1 as taught by ,peter on that day in ,jerusalem4 ,is there any objection to this8 ,none at all1 says one1 that is ,scriptural2 we cannot object to it4 ,a ,bible believer cannot object to it4 ,but what is becoming of us if such doctrines are not taught8 ,well1 says one1 are they not taught8 ,no4 ,faith in ,christ is taught1 and ,repentance of sins is taught1 although by some people the latter is taught first1 before faith in ,christ4 ,some teach that we must repent of our sins before we can have faith in ,christ4 ,this is a mistake4 ,we cannot possibly repent of sin committed unless we are convinced that we have committed the sin4 ,we cannot repent of laws broken1 #abg which ,jesus has taught through his apostles1 unless we are first convinced that ,jesus was divine1 and had the authority to teach them2 so that faith in ,christ and his divine mission must be the foundation of our practice as ,christians4 ,and the first effect that faith in ,christ produces1 is repentance of the sins which we have committed4 ,so repentance is the second principle of the ,gospel4 ,but we differ a little more about the third principle4 ,just read your ,bible1 and you will find that ,peter taught baptism for the remission of sins 7,acts ii1 #ch74 ,again1 ,john the ,baptist1 who was the forerunner of ,christ1 baptized for the remission of sins 7,mark1 i1 #d74 ,john was sent from ,god4 ,you will find this in the #ast chapter of the ,gospel according to ,st4 ,john1 #fth verse4 ,john himself said1 in the #ccrd verse of the same chapter1 ,he that sent me to baptize with water1 the same said unto me1 referring to the instructions he received from the ,father regarding ,christ4 ,both passages assert this1 that ,john the ,baptist was sent by ,god to baptize with water1 and we are taught in the ,bible that he did teach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins4 ,that is just what we might expect4 ,john was ,god's servant4 ,so was ,peter4 ,they both taught the same doctrine4 ,john taught baptism1 and ,peter told the people to be baptized every one of them4 ,you will remember the servant of ,god who was sent to speak to ,paul1 to instruct him just after his conversion4 ,he went to him1 and when the scales fell from the eyes of ,paul1 or ,saul1 this man of ,god said to him3 ,why tarriest thou8 arise1 and be baptized1 and wash away thy sins1 calling upon the name of the ,lord 7,acts xxii1 #af47 ,be baptized and wash away his sins8 ,yes4 ,now1 that agrees exactly with the doctrine of ,peter1 and the doctrine of ,john the ,baptist4 ,they were all three servants of ,god1 and they all taught the same doctrine1 and those who heard and believed that doctrine possessed the self-same faith2 so that so far as baptism is concerned1 the ancient ,saints did teach and practice the self-same doctrine--baptism for the remission of sins4 ,i want to talk a little about this4 ,one says1 ,well1 ,i have always been taught that baptism was a doctrine of ,christ anciently1 but ,i have been under the impression that it was not necessary to salvation4 ,that may be1 my friends1 we have been taught a great many things1 and good ,christian people have believed a great many things that ,christian people have rejected since4 ,but that is no reason why we should change the ,bible doctrine4 ,the thing is right here4 ,well1 says one1 ,i thought we were not able of ourselves to do anything to help to save ourselves4 ,this requires proper understanding4 #abh ,if baptism brings the remission of sins1 and baptism is not attended to by us1 we cannot obtain the blessing4 ,certainly not4 ,god gives us bread to eat1 but he does not present it to us4 ,a man sows seed in the ground and he sees to it and he harvests it and it is threshed and prepared and placed before us in the shape of flour1 but we have no disposition to deny that it is the gift of ,god4 ,if it were not for ,god's goodness we should have no bread4 ,if it were not for the gift of ,god1 we could not attend to the ordinance that brings remission of sins4 ,we have not power1 of ourselves1 to bring within our reach a single saving principle belonging to the plan of eternal life4 ,it is all ,god's free gift4 ,it is all in consequence of his mercy1 and his charity1 and his goodness and love1 and pleasure manifested to us that we have any privilege at all that will help to make us better or that will bring us into his church and kingdom and give us a right to say that we are really his children4 ,the fact that he has laid down ordinances1 through which a remission of sins is brought to us does not warrant us in saying that we do it of ourselves1 and when people talk like this it is likely to deceive4 ,now1 my friends1 the ,bible says1 in the place ,i have quoted1 that baptism is for the remission of sins4 ,do we believe this8 ,if we do you know we must also come to the conclusion necessarily that we cannot have a remission of sins without it4 ,if ,god has placed the ordinance of baptism in his church1 as part of his divine system for a certain purpose1 the object cannot be obtained without it4 ,the means which ,god reveals for certain purposes must be used4 ,we cannot say1 and it would be unreasonable in us to say1 that when ,god speaks from heaven in regard to any particular thing we can ignore his advice when we please and adopt something else that suits us4 ,it is wrong1 and it is this disposition that has led to the present deplorable state of things4 ,well1 says one1 ,i have thought that baptism was for an outward sign of an inward grace1 or of membership in the ,church4 ,another error1 you see6 ,the ,bible does not say anything about that4 ,of course the act of a person embracing the principles of the ,gospel and becoming a member of the church1 may be a sign1 but baptism was not set in the church for that purpose4 ,it was taught in the ,church1 and administered for the remission of sins and nothing else4 ,and no man or woman can obtain a place in ,god's kingdom1 or enjoy his presence here or hereafter1 unless their sins are washed away in baptism1 as ,paul's were washed away when he accepted the advice of the good and inspired man1 ,ananias1 who instructed him4 #aabi ,when ,i think of the importance of this offer which ,god has made1 my heart is filled with thankfulness instead of a disposition to discard what he has taught4 ,it is strange1 and we can only account for it on the ground of the waywardness of men naturally1 to think that we would attempt to do things in opposition to the will of ,god4 ,is there a more important blessing offered to mankind than the remission of sins8 ,have we any hope of enjoying the glory of ,god in our present sinful condition8 ,surely not1 for nothing sinful or unholy can enter the courts of glory4 ,then if ,god has so put in his ,church an ordinance for the purpose of enabling us1 like ,saul1 to wash away our sins1 why not be prepared to receive it with joy instead of cultivating or encouraging a disposition to ignore it8 ,baptism for the remission of sins is the third principle of the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,then comes the ordinance of the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,peter says on the day of ,pentecost1 to which we have directed your attention1 ,and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,what did that consist of8 ,the gift of ,god's ,spirit4 ,the reception of ,god's power1 a portion of his power4 ,the reception of an influence which leads those who possess it near to ,god in their feelings and in their faith4 ,a spirit which produces not only that inward consciousness of acceptance with ,god1 as his son or daughter1 but a power which gives outward manifestations of its divinity4 ,jesus did promise to the apostles when he sent them out first1 that ,these signs shall follow them that believe4 ,here are his words1 ,go ye into all the world and preach the ,gospel to every creature4 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved4 ,he that believeth not shall be damned1 and these signs shall follow them that believe4 ,the words of ,christ1 in the last chapter of ,mark1 #aeth and following verses4 ,well1 says one1 ,you know we do not believe in miracles now4 ,these signs were miracles1 but we do not believe in them now4 ,that may he1 my friends4 ,this is the very reason why we are here1 because there is such a great disbelief in the ,bible2 because there is a disposition to ignore the ,bible2 because there is a disposition to ignore the promises of ,christ2 and we wish to show you the things that are denied2 we wish to point out to you the doctrines our fathers have denied2 that our teachers have denied1 and we wish to show you that they are in the ,bible1 the word of ,god1 in the book which some have gone so far as to assert that the ,saints do not believe in4 ,but is it true that the promises of ,god were fulfilled anciently in regard to this matter8 ,yes6 ,in the #aith #acj chapter and #fth verse of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 you will find an instance related of the ,apostles laying their hands on some that had been baptized1 and they spake with tongues4 ,this was one of the gifts that was manifested1 in consequence of their receiving that spirit which produced them4 ,see also ,mark1 #afth and #bjth4 ,you must not consider that1 in teaching these doctrines1 we are advancing something of ourselves1 something new4 ,if we were teaching new doctrine you would have a right to call us to account and ask us for the proof4 ,we are teaching old doctrine4 ,we are teaching the ,new ,testament doctrines1 instead of those of our ,christian friends4 ,we have no spirit of enmity in the least degree1 towards any living soul1 and when we refer to the faith of our ,christian friends remember1 it is simply to make the difference between their views and ours more distinct to you4 ,i say instead of our friends calling us to account1 it is the ,latter-day ,saints who have the right to come out and say to their christian friends ,see here1 why do you deny signs which ,christ said should follow believers8 ,what believers did ,christ speak about8 ,why believers in his ,gospel4 ,he taught us that these signs should follow believers4 ,well then1 if our ,christian friends deny that1 we have the right to call them to account4 ,if ,christ said that these miracles--manifestations of ,almighty power--should follow the believers1 ,i say what reason have you to deny it8 ,the question is not now whether the ,latter-day ,saints possess the power or not4 ,the question at issue at present is1 not whether the teachers of other churches have the power or not4 ,the question is1 ,does ,christ promise that power to believers in the ,gospel8 ,i say he does1 and ,i say that those who deny that such powers should follow believers1 teach that which is contrary to the word of ,christ1 and contrary to the facts that appeared in connection with the teachings and administration of the doctrines of ,christ4 ,so that it is not the ,latter-day ,saints that introduce a new doctrine1 and we say to our friends4 ,hear us1 we beseech you4 ,hear the message we have to deliver1 for ,god has sent us to teach the old religion1 the religion of ,jesus1 the simple plan which was revealed from heaven in ancient days1 to save the children of men4 ,peter said1 on the ,day of ,pentecost1 speaking of the ,gospel and its attendant blessings1 for this promise is unto you--that is1 to the people who stood before him--to your children and unto all that are afar off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call4 ,you see it was not confined to the members of the church #aca in the first place1 as some would have us believe4 ,the promise of the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost was made to the children of those who heard ,peter1 and to all who were afar off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god should call4 ,and if it be true that ,god is calling sinners to repentance now1 we should see the same power manifested to-day1 that is1 if we have the true ,gospel4 ,there can be no doubt of this4 ,which will you have1 my friends1 the doctrine of the ,bible or the doctrines of men8 ,if you accept the doctrines of the ,bible you will have to become ,latter-day ,saints1 and of course that would be out of the question for a good many4 ,but we cannot find these doctrines anywhere else1 and that is a perplexity4 ,what shall we do about them8 ,when ,i am speaking to you ,i think of the position ,i occupied myself1 when ,i heard the ,latter-day ,saints first4 ,i went to their meeting1 not expecting to hear anything that would interest me by any means1 but ,i heard the ,bible doctrine taught4 ,i could not deny it4 ,i found ,i had been mistaken4 ,i did not incline in my heart to fight against ,god1 but considerations came up4 ,if ,i become a ,latter-day ,saint1 people will call me a ,mormon4 ,if ,i embrace these doctrines1 my friends will point at me the finger of scorn4 ,if ,i become a ,latter-day ,saint my good neighbors will say ,i am deceived and led astray1 and that ,i have embraced a doctrine that is in opposition to the teachings of ,christ4 ,of course these things flashed through my mind when ,i considered and read the ,bible to ascertain positively whether these ,mormons taught the truth or not4 ,i thought this--well6 ,i have been religious for the purpose of making my peace with ,god1 but ,i have been mistaken and led astray by men whom ,god had not sent to preach the ,gospel2 but now ,i have found the truth1 the old promises relating to ,god's power1 all things as at the beginning1 have been restored1 and ,i have the promise of obtaining a place with the righteous1 according to the mind and will of my ,heavenly ,father4 ,let friends say what they please1 let them say ,i am deceived1 but ,i believe this ,bible is true4 ,let them say whatever they may in regard to my faith2 no matter4 ,i thought of the time of ,christ4 ,they called ,christ hard names2 and of the apostles they spake a great deal of evil4 ,in fact the ,bible says they called them all manner of evil1 and although ,i expected my friends would denounce me1 still when ,i thought of what ,christ had suffered1 ,i was reconciled and instead of fighting against ,god1 ,i was willing to accept his doctrine1 in order to obtain his blessings4 #acb ,i state to you my friends1 that since the day ,i entered this ,church1 ,i have rejoiced exceedingly4 ,i have found proofs upon proofs4 ,i have had reason to rejoice in consequence of the manifestations of ,god's power1 confirmatory of the doctrines1 and ,i can say that the ,church of ,christ is set up1 its doctrines are taught1 its practices are practised1 its promises are fulfilled1 and the evidence of its divine power are manifested in the midst of this people4 ,i would like to say a few words in regard to another point4 ,i have just said that ,i had been taught a religion by men whom ,god had not sent4 ,i would like to explain4 ,you will excuse us if we seem to be very extreme in our views4 ,we have taken the liberty to teach you the truth1 just as we have it1 and when we say something that comes in contact with what you have received1 excuse us4 ,there is no bad feeling at all1 or unfriendliness in the least4 ,but we believe in persons being invested with the proper authority to preach the ,gospel4 ,paul says1 speaking of the authority of the holy priesthood1 ,no man taketh this honor unto himself1 but he that is called of ,god as was ,aaron 7,heb4 #e1 #d71 ,faith cometh by hearing1 and how can we hear without a preacher 7,rom4 x1 #ad-ag74 ,no man taketh this honor unto himself1 except he be called of ,god as was ,aaron4 ,now that is very plain1 and what does it mean8 ,simply what it says4 ,that no man has a right to administer in the ordinances of religion1 except he be sent of ,god as was ,aaron1 for how can a man preach except he be sent8 7,rom4 x1 #ae74 ,if that be admitted1 of course the next question of importance is1 ,how was ,aaron sent8 ,by turning to the history we have of ,god's dealings with ,moses1 in reference to the gathering of the ,israelites1 from ,egypt1 you will find that ,god instructed ,moses to call ,aaron to be his helper4 7,ex4 iv1 #ae1 #af47 ,here is the proof4 ,no man can preach the ,gospel simply because he feels inclined within himself to be a preacher4 ,no man can preach the ,gospel--that is with ,god's approval and authority--unless ,god commission him4 ,god commissioned every one of his preachers in ancient times4 ,he spoke from heaven4 ,he directed those who held this authority to call others4 ,christ called the apostles as he was called4 ,his ,father called him3 he called the apostles1 and he said1 ,as my ,father hath sent me1 even so send ,i you 7,st4 ,john xx1 #ba74 ,he that receiveth you receiveth me2 and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me4 ,the authority was here you see4 ,god called ,moses2 he instructed ,moses to call ,aaron2 so that ,aaron stood exactly in the same relation to ,god as did the apostles3 #acc the latter being called of ,god the ,father through ,christ4 ,that would be evident1 because one whom ,god had authorized to act as his servant was instructed by him to call ,aaron4 ,now1 you observe1 no man has a right to exercise the authority of the ,priesthood1 unless he is called of ,god1 as was ,aaron4 ,are the preachers--those who commonly preach in connection with the churches of the present day--called of ,god as was ,aaron8 ,or1 in other words1 are they called by revelation from ,god8 ,this is the question4 ,we do not doubt the propriety of their being called in this way1 because the ,bible says they ought robe4 ,do our ,protestant ministers1 at the present time1 profess to be sent of ,god as was ,aaron8 ,is there a minister connected with the ,christian denominations of the present day who professes to be sent of ,god by direct revelation8 ,not one4 ,it does not require any argument at all4 ,they do not profess that they have heard from ,god4 ,they say that ,god has not spoken since the last book of the ,new ,testament was written4 ,they say it is a sin1 and they find fault with the ,latter-day ,saints because we believe that ,god does speak2 that he has a right to speak2 and that it is necessary we should have his approval and commission in order to qualify us to attend to the business of his ,church4 ,so that our present ,christian teachers do not profess to be called of ,god as was ,aaron4 ,they deny all revelation at present1 or since the ,bible was written4 ,you know the ministers1 among their other errors1 receive pay for preaching4 ,that is an innovation also4 ,the ancient apostles1 and seventies1 and bishops1 and so on1 were not paid for preaching4 ,but our present ministers are4 ,the preachers of this ,church1 with whom ,i am connected1 are not paid for teaching4 ,they preach without money1 without purse1 and without scrip4 ,now1 the preachers of the present churches make a business of preaching4 ,they learn to be preachers4 ,they are brought up to be preachers in consequence of their parents or guides finding in this way a place where they make a living4 ,such ministers sometimes acknowledge one kind of revelation4 ,not that ,god tells the people about his will1 or that he manifests his power1 but they sometimes tell us they have received a call from one congregation to another4 ,but there is one peculiarity about it1 viz43 the congregation that calls them is a congregation that almost invariably offers them more money than the congregation to which they have been attached4 ,this is the only instance of any kind of revelation being acknowledged by our ,christian teachers4 ,god has not spoken1 say they1 by inspired men1 since the days of the ancient #acd apostles4 ,he has not spoken directly to the ,church4 ,he has not authorized a single man to preach1 but sometimes a call is given from less money to more4 ,and though they are feeling full of love and affection for the congregation with which they have labored for years1 yet they are sorry and regret so much that that call must be made1 which takes them from among their old friends to a new congregation4 ,but1 you see1 the new congregation offers the most money1 and that cannot be disregarded4 ,my friends1 these are a few of the doctrines of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,are we displeased with anybody8 ,no1 not at all4 ,all are at liberty to believe what they please4 ,but we are placed under obligations to deliver the message which ,god has sent4 ,we say we are not solely dependant on the ,bible1 because ,god has revealed the ,gospel1 and we possess a living ,priesthood divinely appointed4 ,we do not wish you to think that we regard the ,bible lightly4 ,of course you will have noticed1 from our remarks1 that this is not the case4 ,but we say from the ,bible alone1 without revelation1 we could not have been able to obtain all the knowledge we have received4 ,why1 millions of people have read the ,bible but have not discovered some of these doctrines4 ,they have not been led to preach even all the things contained therein1 and if they had discovered the doctrine1 this ,bible cannot lay on hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,that part of the work that is necessary for man's salvation must be done by one whom ,god authorizes4 ,therefore the ,bible alone is not sufficient4 ,it contains the truth4 ,it is the word of ,god4 ,it contains the instructions of the apostles4 ,but it does not contain the divine authority that is necessary to commission a man to baptize or administer in any ordinance pertaining to the house of ,god4 ,now1 my friends1 may ,god bless you4 ,and my brethren and sisters1 may the ,holy ,spirit1 which leads into all truth1 abide upon us1 and may we who have found the truth have a disposition to retain it4 ,may we have the moral courage to say1 ,let ,god be served4 ,let his truth be obeyed4 ,let the ,almighty be honored1 and if other people choose to follow their own fancies1 or the deceptions presented before them by men whom ,god has not sent1 as for us and our house1 let us serve ,god4 ,may ,god bless us1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,amen4 #ace ,he that judgeth a matter before he heareth it is not wise4--,solomon4 ,,the ,,only ,,true ,,gospel1 ,,or ,,the ,,primitive ,,christian ,,faith4 ,,by ,,william ,,budge1 ,an ,elder of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,prove all things3 hold fast that which is good4--#a ,thess4 v1 #ba4 ,and this ,gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto nations1 and then shall the end come4--,matt4 xxiv4 #ad4 ,at a time like the present1 when all society is impressed with a foreboding of coming changes in the affairs of men1 we may1 with propriety1 call the attention of those who look to the ,scriptures for divine guidance to the foregoing important text4 ,it was given by the ,savior as a warning1 and its fulfillment is to be a sign of the end of the world as it is1 under man's dominion1 and of the coming of ,jesus ,christ1 according to the predictions of the ,prophets4 ,it is like all other warnings given of ,god1 simple1 easy to be understood1 and sure to be fulfilled4 ,let us try to understand its meaning and spirit1 without prejudice and in the fear of ,god4 ,what is to be understood by this ,gospel of the kingdom8 ,is it possible that another ,gospel might have been mistaken for the one of which ,jesus spoke8 ,paul1 in his epistle to the ,galatians 7#a-h1 #i71 prohibits any one from preaching any other ,gospel than he had preached1 and1 no doubt1 it was the danger of a false or perverted ,gospel being accepted for the true one which led the ,savior to express himself as he did1 when he said this ,gospel4 ,he certainly had reference to the ,gospel which he had taught and sent his ,apostles to teach1 and to none other4 ,let us try to find it4 ,there is no other religious system like it1 and we cannot find it unless we are guided strictly by the word of ,god4 #acf ,it is important it should be known to us1 so that when it is preached as a sign of coming judgments and of the end of the world1 we may be enabled to recognize it4 ,some may say1 we have had the ,gospel preached for generations4 ,not the ,gospel spoken of by ,jesus1 for its restoration was to be a ,latter-day work and a sign or warning2 something strange and remarkable4 ,an appeal to the word of ,god will1 however1 decide the matter for such as seek the truth1 and if we teach not according to the ,scriptures1 there can be no light in us4 ,besides1 ,christianity1 as it is called1 is represented by many forms and faiths1 and without reference to the ,bible it would be very difficult to make a distinction with any degree of assurance4 ,we could not accept all the systems of ,christianity as the ,gospel of ,christ1 for the ,apostle ,paul says there is but one faith 7,eph4 #d-e71 and to receive one religious system on the recommendation of its teachers as the true ,gospel1 and reject all the rest1 without a substantial ,scriptural reason1 would be unwise1 as we would still be in doubt4 ,the true ,gospel is one1 not many systems4 ,all but one are perversions of the ,gospel of ,christ1 as truly now as anciently4 ,i submit that the surest way to find the ,gospel is to find it from the revelations of ,god1 as taught by ,jesus and other inspired men1 and accept their doctrines even if we must1 by so doing1 reject the faith of our fathers1 as it is ,god's ways and not man's we should seek and walk in1 if we wish to obtain eternal life4 ,jesus says to his ,apostles 7,mark #af-ae71 ,go ye into all the world and preach the ,gospel to every creature1 and we believe they did so1 and will endeavor to find what their instructions were4 ,what effect did ,jesus expect from the preaching8 faith1 for he continues 7,mark #af-af7 by saying1 he that believeth1 etc41 shall be saved4 ,again1 ,paul1 when asked by the jailor what he should do to be saved1 says 7,acts #af-cj1 #ca71 believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 both of which ,scriptures establish the fact that faith is the first principle or condition upon which salvation is promised2 or1 in other words1 the first principle of the ,gospel of ,christ1 or the beginning of true ,christian worship4 ,faith must be the first principle of revealed religion as it is the first effect created in us1 through the administration of the word4 ,we hear and faith is the first consequence1 the most immediate1 natural and unchangeable result4 ,the ,scriptures say 7,rom4 #aj-ag71 faith cometh by hearing1 and our experience confirms this4 ,the principles of the ,gospel are always the same1 for the same purpose1 and invariably taught in the same order4 ,repentance of all sin is the second principle of the unchangeable #acg plan through which salvation is promised4 ,peter1 the ,apostle1 tells the gathered multitude on the day of ,pentecost1 who already believed that ,jesus was the ,christ1 and who then asked what they should do1 that they should repent1 and be baptized every one of them4 7,acts #b-ch74 ,repentance1 according to the ,scriptures1 follows faith4 ,but is it necessarily so8 ,it is1 for we cannot repent before we believe2 we cannot repent of sin against ,god1 until we believe that there is a ,god4 ,we cannot repent of a wrong done by us1 against our fellow-man until we believe we have wronged him4 ,the propriety of the advice of the ,apostle is very apparent4 ,his hearers1 under the influence of the power which rested upon the ,apostles1 believed that he whom they had crucified was the ,christ4 ,repentance of the part they took in that great wickedness was to be expected4 ,baptism1 being promised after repentance1 and the history stating that many were baptized1 we must conclude that repentance was a result of the preaching1 and that effect agrees with the organization of our natures4 ,baptism is the third principle of the ,gospel of ,christ1 and follows repentance2 ,peter places it there when he says1 ,repent and be baptized1 and ,john preached the ,baptism of repentance for the remission of sins4 7,mark #a-d74 ,a little reflection will show how consistent the ,scriptural citations are4 ,baptism is an ordinance of the ,gospel1 administered for a special purpose--as well as being simply a commandment1 namely3 for the remission of sins4 ,it is not reasonable to suppose that any person could receive the remission or forgiveness of sins without repentance1 or that any one would desire baptism that his sins might be washed away 7,acts #bb-aj7 without having already repented4 ,baptism necessarily follows repentance1 as through its administration the sins repented of are remitted3 thus our necessities1 and the ,scriptures are in unison4 ,this order must be right1 as each principle follow as an effect of the one preceding it4 ,we will trace the ,gospel plan a little further4 ,it is a code of divine laws1 calculated to improve the human race4 ,being perfect1 every principle is revealed in its order1 and for its own special purpose4 ,faith1 ,repentance and ,baptism1 as taught in the foregoing pages1 administered by one having authority1 prepares a disciple to receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 as promised in ,acts #b-ch1 which is the ,comforter spoken of by ,jesus1 that would lead the ,saints into all truth4 ,how consistent are the doctrines of ,christ1 as taught in the word of ,god4 ,faith is begotten in the human mind by preaching1 repentance naturally follows1 and baptism is then administered #ach that the sins repented of may be washed away1 preparing the sinner for the greatest gifts of ,god to man1 the ,holy ,spirit1 which is the seal of adoption into the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,no man can enter into the ,kingdom except he be born of the water and of the ,spirit 7,john #c-e74 ,the ,holy ,spirit1 the ,comforter1 is given to all those who comply with the conditions herein set forth1 by the laying on of the hands of the ,elders of the ,church of ,christ1 according to the ancient practice 7,acts #h-ah71 in explanation of which ,i will quote from ,paul's first epistle to the ,corinthians1 #abth chap41 #dth to the #abth verse3 ,now there are diversities of gifts1 by the same ,spirit4 ,and there are differences of administrations1 but the same ,lord4 ,and there are diversities of operations1 but it is the same ,god which worketh all in all4 ,but the manifestation of the ,spirit is given to every man to profit withal4 ,for to one is given by the ,spirit the word of wisdom2 to another the word of knowledge by the same ,spirit2 ,to another faith by the same ,spirit2 to another the gifts of healing by the same ,spirit2 ,to another the working of miracles2 to another prophecy2 to another discerning of spirits2 to another divers kinds of tongues2 to another the interpretation of tongues4 ,but all these worketh that one and the selfsame ,spirit1 dividing to every man severally as he will4 ,for as the body is one1 and hath many members1 and all the members of that one body1 being many1 are one body2 so also is ,christ4 ,the fact of these miracles not existing in the so-called ,christian churches of the present day1 is no reason that we should deny the necessity of their existence4 ,if they were enjoyed by the early ,saints1 why should not the ,saints of ,god possess them now8 ,if ,god promised these gifts to all those who kept his commandments in former times1 and to their children1 and to all that were afar off1 even unto as many as the ,lord our ,god should call 7,acts #b-ci71 why should not the ,church enjoy them now8 ,if they were necessary for the comfort1 encouragement1 or edifying of the ancient ,church 7#a ,cor4 #ad-ab71 why should not the followers of ,christ be benefitted by them now8 ,to these questions we can only answer1 there is no reason4 ,the word of ,god directs us to seek for and cultivate them 7#a ,cor4 #ad-a #ci74 ,we should therefore be prepared to reject every statement to the effect #aci that our heavenly ,father did not intend that they should continue on the earth1 as the promises of ,god are true1 and not one jot or tittle of them will fall to the ground unfulfilled4 ,the next question of importance connected with this subject is that of authority2 the authority which man must hold from ,god to make his administrations valid4 ,we should not be prepared to acknowledge the action of any man who might take upon himself the direction of our affairs1 but we ought to be prepared to sustain those whom we send or have commissioned to represent us4 ,we understand this well enough to know that we should not expect a firm or company to be responsible to us for what a pretended agent might promise4 ,it would simply be absurd on our part to do so4 ,how much less then could we look for our heavenly ,father to sustain those who administer in holy things without authority from ,him8 ,how foolish for us to expect that the special blessings of the ,almighty would follow the pretensions of a fraud6 ,we are instructed by the words of ,jesus1 when ,he said1 ,as my ,father sent me1 so send ,i you 7,john #bj-ba74 ,and we are warned by ,paul in the following words3 ,and no man taketh this honor unto himself1 but he that is called of ,god as was ,aaron 7,heb4 #e-d47 ,the honor here referred to is the ,priesthood1 or the authority to administer in the things of ,god1 as will be seen by reference to the preceding verses4 ,how was ,aaron called8 ,we answer by direct revelation from ,god 7,ex4 #d1 #ad to #af74 ,modern ministers are now set apart by men who deny the necessity of revelation altogether1 or take unto themselves the authority they seem to have1 because they feel they are called to preach and administer in the ordinances of the ,house of ,god4 ,there is in this no higher calling than may be found among the ,hindoos1 and the anger of the ,lord is kindled against all those who solemnly attempt to usurp the powers and privileges of the holy ,priesthood1 and he will destroy their influence among the people4 ,beloved friends1 be not deceived by those who take unto themselves the honor of the ,priesthood1 and who preach for hire and divine for money1 for they are not sent1 and they preach not according to the law and the testimony1 and ,paul says that if we or an angel from heaven preach any other ,gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed 7,gal4 #a-h74 ,the principles herein explained are true and faithful1 and confirmed by ,holy ,writ4 ,the ,elders of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 who preach them1 have not discovered #adj them by their own wisdom1 for they have been revealed from heaven1 by the power of ,god1 through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 and are now being preached as a witness of the speedy coming of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,this ,gospel is preached as before without money and without price1 by those whom ,god has sent1 who have met with opposition in every form1 and many of them have suffered even unto death4 ,still the work is onward1 the kingdom is being set up1 and it will grow and increase until it fills the whole earth4 ,we testify of its divinity1 and that it is being preached in fulfillment of the prediction of ,christ1 as a witness to all nations of his near approach4 ,but as it was in the days of ,noah1 so shall it be in the days of the coming of the ,son of ,man 7,matt4 #bd-cg to #dj72 many will reject the message and perish4 ,,liverpool1 ,february #ast1 #ahgi4 ,we came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before ,god in the ,celestial ,kingdom4 ,the great principle of happiness consists in having a body4 ,the devil has none1 and this is his punishment4 ,when cast out by the ,savior he asked to go into the herd of swine1 preferring a swine's body to none4 --,joseph ,smith1 ,the ,prophet4 #ada ,,joseph ,,the ,,prophet4 ,,by ,,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts1 ,,in ,,the ,,contributor1 #ahij4 ,among those who may be accounted the benefactors of our race1 we claim for the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 the second place4 ,to ,him who died that man might live1 upon whom was laid the iniquity of us all2 by whose stripes we are healed2 who brought life and immortality to light through the ,gospel2 who by way of pre-eminence is called the ,son of ,god1 the only begotten of the ,father--to ,him must be assigned1 forever1 the first place among the benefactors of mankind4 ,and next to him is the ,prophet1 who was chosen to stand at the head of the dispensation of the fullness of times4 ,born in obscurity--in the western wilds of the state of ,new ,york1 and of humble parents1 without the advantages of worldly education2 with no knowledge of ancient languages or history to begin with2 untutored in the sciences1 and unlearned in theology1 ,joseph ,smith has done more for the salvation of the children of men than any reformer1 theologian or ecclesiastic that has lived since the days of the earthly ministry of the ,son of ,god4 ,it is to prove his right and title to the high place we have assigned him in the roll of honor--in the list of the benefactors of humanity--that this paper is written1 rather than to give a biographical sketch of his well known career4 ,notwithstanding the very explicit revelation1 which ,god had given of himself2 of ,his person1 ,his attributes1 ,his powers1 through ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ2 for in ,him dwelt all the fullness of the ,god-head bodily1 the world had gone far astray1 in its conception and knowledge of ,god4 ,men had conjured up to themselves a being without body1 without parts and passions1 and worshiped it for ,god--a being that never was1 nor is1 nor ever shall be4 ,of the absurdity of such a description of ,god1 however1 we need not speak4 ,another idea equally false and equally baneful in its effects on true religion1 and as universally accepted as the above conception of the being and character of ,deity1 was the doctrine that the volume of revelation was closed4 ,such was the state of the world in respect to these matters1 when ,joseph ,smith announced that he had received a #adb new revelation2 that he had seen both the ,father and the ,son1 and had conversed with them in a glorious vision1 in the full light of day4 ,his testimony was that both ,father and ,son possessed a body1 parts1 organs1 dimensions in form like man1 and each resembled the other4 ,this revelation was soon followed by the visitation of an angel1 ,moroni1 one of the ancient ,prophets of the ,american continent1 who made known the existence of the ,book of ,mormon2 a volume of scripture compiled from the voluminous records kept by that enlightened people1 who anciently inhabited ,america1 the ruins of whose civilization are the astonishment of the archaeologists of today4 ,joseph ,smith translated the ,book of ,mormon1 by the means of the ,urim and ,thummim1 from the ancient and now unknown language in which it was written1 into ,english1 and thus gave the world a new volume of scripture1 equal in bulk and equal in importance to the ,new ,testament4 ,thus1 since faith is bottomed on evidence1 the foundation of faith was widened4 ,the world now had two volumes of scripture instead of one2 the testimony of each sustaining the other4 ,that volume of scripture is not the voice of one witness merely1 but like the ,bible it contains the testimony of many witnesses for ,god4 ,who can estimate the value of this work1 that comes in a day when unbelief is prevalent in the earth1 to renew and sustain the sinking faith of humanity6 ,while yet the work of translating this valuable book was in progress1 the ,prophet and ,oliver ,cowdery were visited by ,john the ,baptist1 whom ,god had raised from the dead1 and he conferred upon them an ,aaronic ,priesthood1 which holds the keys of the ministering of angels2 of the ,gospel of repentance1 and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins4 ,this ordination1 therefore1 gave the ,prophet and his fellow laborer the authority to preach repentance and baptism4 ,they began by baptizing each other4 ,subsequently they were ordained to the ,apostleship under the hands of the ,apostles ,peter1 ,james and ,john4 ,this gave them the right and power to build up the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god in all the world4 ,accordingly on the #fth of ,april1 #ahcj1 the ,prophet organized the ,church4 ,the ,gospel began to be publicly proclaimed2 those who believed were baptized for the remission of sins2 received the laying on of hands for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost2 and the gifts and powers of that spirit were manifested among the ,saints by speaking in tongues1 prophecy1 revelation1 visions1 inspired dreams1 healing the sick1 and all those gracious gifts and powers enjoyed by the ancient ,saints4 ,high ,priests1 ,elders1 ,bishops1 #adc ,priests1 ,teachers and ,deacons1 were ordained as the work of the ministry increased4 ,branches of the ,church were organized1 and men holding proper authority set to preside over them4 ,finally these branches were grouped together and organized into stakes of ,zion1 with a presidency of three ,high ,priests to preside over them4 ,high ,councils1 consisting of twelve ,high ,priests1 with the ,presidency of the ,stake1 as the presidency thereof were organized1 forming courts possessing both original and appellate jurisdiction in the ecclesiastical affairs of the stakes1 in which they were respectively established4 ,in #ahce he organized a quorum of the ,twelve ,apostles1 men who are chosen especially to be witnesses for the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and who constitute a traveling ,high ,council1 with authority to regulate all the affairs of the ,church in all the world4 ,at the same time quorums of seventy were organized to be their helps in the ministry1 this being an order of the ,priesthood designed to travel and preach the ,gospel in all the nations of the earth4 ,thus he organized the ,church and all the quorums thereof4 ,but he did more than that4 ,in the ,book of ,mormon it is predicted that a splendid city called ,zion1 or ,new ,jerusalem shall be built upon this continent1 a city noted not for its manufactories1 nor for commerce2 but for its temples and sanctuaries for worship and learning2 a city on which the glory of ,god will shine4 ,the place where this city and where the chief temple is to be built was indicated by the ,prophet1 and the temple site dedicated under his direction4 ,this was at ,independence1 ,jackson county1 ,missouri4 ,between twelve and fifteen hundred of the ,saints gathered to that place to lay the foundation of the city of ,zion1 but their enemies prevented them by driving them away from the lands they had purchased1 and burning their houses ,thus the work was hindered for the time being1 but the location of ,zion was pointed out1 a commencement was made1 and eventually the design of the ,lord will be accomplished4 ,a temple was designed by the ,prophet and built by the united efforts of the ,saints at ,kirtland1 ,ohio4 ,in it the ,lord ,jesus appeared to the ,prophet ,joseph and ,oliver ,cowdery1 and declared ,his acceptance of the house which had been built to ,his name4 ,on the same occasion ,moses the great leader and law giver to ancient ,israel1 appeared to them and committed upon them the keys of the gathering of ,israel from the four quarters of the earth1 and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north4 ,thus the power to restore #add ,israel to their lands1 from which they have long been exiled1 was given to him2 and the work of the gathering which ultimately will result in the restoration of all the tribes of ,israel to their possessions has begun4 ,while he was in ,nauvoo he translated from the rolls of ,egyptian papyrus1 obtained from the catacombs of ,egypt1 the ,book of ,abraham1 containing an account of the patriarch's sojourn in ,egypt1 and many important principles relative to the work of ,god in the salvation of man4 ,he also made an inspired translation1 or1 what would be more properly called an inspired revision of the ,jewish ,scriptures--the ,bible4 ,that work1 however1 was not published during his life time1 and is practically lost to the world1 because it is questionable if those into whose hands his manuscript fell have preserved the integrity of his work4 ,we should fall very short of stating the extent of the great work of the ,prophet ,joseph1 if we stopped with what he did for the children of men this side of the grave4 ,his work did not stop there4 ,it reached beyond4 ,at the time ,moses visited him and committed to him the keys of the gathering of ,israel1 the ,prophet ,elijah came also1 and revealed those principles of which the prophet ,malachi speaks1 which are to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers4 ,the principles then revealed brought to light the doctrine of salvation for the dead4 ,thus the work accomplished through the ,prophet ,joseph effects two worlds--the spiritual world as well as the one in which we dwell2 and already the work in the former exceeds that which has been done in the latter4 ,salvation has been carried to those who sit in darkness in the spirit world2 their hearts have been made glad and have been turned to their children1 who can administer in the ordinance of salvation for them4 ,a perfect flood of light has been thrown upon the sentence uttered by one of the prophets of old1 who in speaking of the fathers1 said3 ,they without us cannot be made perfect4 ,nor must we omit to mention the new light which the ,prophet shed upon the relationship of husband and wife4 ,under the darkness of an apostate ,christianity1 men and women were content to be united together1 as husband and wife1 until death did them part2 but the ,prophet ,joseph brought forth the principle that the union of man and wife was designed in the economy of ,god to be eternal2 that it was the means through which the race of the ,gods was #ade multiplied and new kingdoms added to the dominions of the great ,eloheim2 and that as long as there was room in infinite space1 or elements in the exhaustless store-house of nature1 or as long as the bosom of the ,gods glowed with affection1 just so long would new worlds be created and peopled with the ever increasing offspring of the righteous4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,the substance of the latter part of this paragraph is taken from ,p4 ,p4 ,pratt's ,key to ,theology4 ,nor did he merely teach this principle as a theory2 a beautiful thing to be contemplated at a distance2 but qualified with the possession of that ,god-given power which binds on earth and in heaven1 and so directed of the ,lord1 he established this order of marriage in the ,church--an order in which tens of thousands rejoice1 as they look forward with joyful anticipation1 to an eternal union1 with the families they have raised up in this life1 in the midst of hopes and fears1 poverty and toil1 sickness and tears4 ,such are the chief things accomplished by this great ,prophet4 ,we have given but an outline of his work4 ,a volume would scarce suffice to point out its importance1 or trace out its relationship to the general designs of the ,lord in respect to the redemption of our earth and its inhabitants4 ,it cannot be expected that we shall undertake it in this brief article4 ,let it be sufficient here to say that even our imperfect enumeration of what he did will prove what was claimed in the outset1 viz43 ,that ,joseph ,smith1 despised as he was by the world1 has done more than any other man1 save ,jesus ,christ1 for the salvation of our race4 ,that the work he accomplished during his brief1 but glorious career1 was wonderful1 goes without saying4 ,the wonder grows upon us as we take into account the circumstances under which he did it4 ,his life's labor was performed in the midst of stupendous difficulties4 ,opposition met him at every turn4 ,religious bigotry now ridiculed him for a fool1 and now denounced him a knave2 now claiming that he was beneath contempt2 and now that he was the most dangerous imposter that had arisen since ,mohammed1 and invoked all powers at its command for his destruction4 ,poverty1 hardship1 and the hatred of his fellow men1 dogged his footsteps through all his life4 ,he was waylaid by assassins1 beaten by mobs1 cast into prisons1 robbed of his property1 worried with vexatious law suits1 dragged before judges and betrayed by false brethren4 ,he himself said in speaking of his life3 ,i have waded in tribulation neck-deep1 but every #adf wave that has struck me has but wafted me nearer to ,deity4 ,such were the circumstances under which he stood forth as a witness for ,god2 brought forth new volumes of scripture2 restored to earth the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 with authority to administer the ordinances thereof2 organized the ,church2 set in order the quorums of the ,priesthood1 and defined their duties and powers2 sent the ,gospel into every state of the ,union1 into ,canada and ,england2 laid the foundation for the gathering of ,israel2 opened the door for the salvation of the dead2 commenced the work of building up ,zion2 founded ,kirtland1 ,far ,west and ,nauvoo1 with its magnificent temple--a work accomplished under circumstances which give him a fame and name that cannot be slain1 but which will grow brighter as time on silent wheels rolls by4 ,so soon as we discover ourselves in a fault1 we should repent of that wrong doing and as far as possible repair or make good the wrong we may have committed4 --,lorenzo ,snow4 ,there is nothing that will lead to damnation and destruction quicker than self-justification of sin4 --,brigham ,young4 #adg ,,first ,,principles ,,of ,,the ,,true ,,gospel ,,of ,,christ4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,paul4 ,the question ,what shall ,i do to be saved8 involves the fate of every man and woman on earth2 and rational persons cannot rest satisfied until they have a correct understanding in regard to it4 ,sidenote3 ,first principles4 ,sidenote3 ,heb4 #f3 #a1 #b4 ,the ,scriptures teach that the first step toward salvation is to believe in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 that the second step is to repent and turn from sin2 that the third step is to be baptized by immersion for the remission of sins2 and that the fourth step is to receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost through the laying on of hands by those having authority to confer it4 ,these are first among the saving principles of the ,gospel of ,christ2 and while men may claim that the requirements instituted by ,him for the salvation of mankind are no longer necessary1 the sincere seeker after salvation will prefer to believe the revealed word of ,god4 ,,is ,,belief ,,alone ,,sufficient8 ,sidenote3 ,rom4 #a3 #af4 ,heb4 #aa3 #f4 ,the ,gospel is the power of ,god unto salvation to every one that believeth2 and 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 ,but what constitutes the faith and belief named here8 ,is it a mere intellectual assent or opinion8 ,must we also do as well as believe8 ,sidenote3 ,genuine ,belief4 ,sidenote3 ,john #ag3 #c4 #a ,john #b3 #c1 #d4 ,the beloveth disciple writes3 ,and this is life eternal1 that they might know thee the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ1 whom thou hast sent4 ,construe this statement with another passage of ,scripture1 ,and hereby we do know that we know him1 if we keep his commandments4 ,he that saith1 ,i know him1 and keepeth not his commandments1 is a liar1 #adh and the truth is not in him4 ,the devils believe--and tremble4 ,james #b3 #ai4 ,sidenote3 ,matt4 #bh3 #ai1 #bj4 ,jesus said to his apostles3 ,go ye therefore1 and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost2 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you4 ,the disciples were sent to teach all nations1 and they were instructed to enjoin obedience to all things whatsoever ,christ gave as commandments4 ,his language is so comprehensive that no command can be omitted4 ,sidenote3 ,gal4 #c3 #g4 ,sidenote3 ,john #h3 #ci4 ,sidenote3 ,gen4 #bf3 #e4 ,sidenote3 ,james #a3 #bb4 ,know ye therefore1 that they which are of faith1 the same are the children of ,abraham4 ,but1 ,if ye were ,abraham's children1 ye would do the works of ,abraham4 ,because that ,abraham obeyed my voice1 and kept my charge1 my commandments1 my statutes1 and my laws4 ,but be ye doers of the word1 and not hearers only1 deceiving your own selves4 ,sidenote3 ,faith and works4 ,sidenote3 ,james #b3 #ad-bb4 ,what doth it profit1 my brethren1 though a man say he hath faith1 and have not works8 can faith save him8 ,but wilt thou know1 ,o vain man1 that faith without works is dead8 ,was not ,abraham our father justified by works1 when he had offered ,isaac his son upon the altar8 ,seest thou how faith wrought with his works1 and by works was faith made perfect8 ,sidenote3 ,luke #f3 #df4 ,sidenote3 ,luke #aa3 #bh4 ,sidenote3 ,john #ad3 #ae-ba4 ,sidenote3 ,rev4 #bb3 #ad4 ,and why call ye me1 ,lord1 ,lord1 and do not the things which ,i say8 ,but he said1 ,yea1 rather blessed are they that hear the word of ,god1 and keep it4 ,if ye love me1 keep my commandments4 ,he that hath my commandments1 and keepeth them1 he it is that loveth me2 and he that loveth me shall be loved of my ,father1 and ,i will love him1 and will manifest myself to him4 ,blessed are they that do his commandments1 that they may have right to the tree of life1 and may enter in through the gates into the city4 ,salvation is won by the works of a lifetime4 ,,repent ,,or ,,perish4 ,sidenote3 ,true repentance4 ,sidenote3 ,luke #ah3 #ac4 ,sidenote3 ,ezek4 #ah3 #cj4 ,sidenote3 ,luke #ac3 #e4 ,sidenote3 ,matt4 #c3 #g1 #h4 ,belief in ,god is followed by an utterance which lies deep in the troubled heart of man3 ,god be merciful to me1 a sinner6 ,the answer of the ,almighty to the godly sorrow of ,his penitent children is3 ,repent1 and turn yourself from all your transgressions4 ,except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise perish4 ,genuine repentance is such a sorrow for past sin as produces a reformation of life1 and bears fruit in good works4 ,it leads him that steals to steal no more2 him that gets drunk #adi to break from that habit2 him that blasphemes to desist from that evil and learn to do well4 ,all need to repent4 ,even the best men fall far short of their ideal4 ,repentance is therefore one of the conditions of salvation4 ,it must precede the forgiveness of sins2 and those who do not repent are not eligible for baptism4 ,,is ,,baptism ,,essential ,,to ,,salvation8 ,sidenote3 ,the counsel of ,god4 ,one of the most remarkable fallacies of modern times is the wide-spread doctrine that we can be saved without complying with the ordinances and other requirements which our ,savior instituted for the salvation of men4 ,sidenote3 ,luke #g3 #bi1 #cj4 ,john the ,baptist1 a servant of the ,most ,high1 taught and administered baptism2 the ,lord said that those who received this baptism justified ,god1 but that there were others who rejected the counsel of ,god against themselves1 being not baptized of him4 ,now1 men cannot be saved by rejecting the counsel of ,god against themselves4 ,then1 as it is the counsel of ,god for men to be baptized1 they cannot be saved without baptism1 which is therefore essential to salvation4 ,sidenote3 ,the command of ,god4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #aa3 #ad4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #aj3 #dh4 ,the ,lord sent ,his angel to ,cornelius1 and told him to send for ,peter1 who would tell him words whereby he and all his house should be saved4 ,cornelius did so1 and when the ,apostle came1 he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the ,lord4 ,if ,cornelius had rejected baptism as non-essential1 could he have been saved8 ,no2 for the angel informed him that ,peter would tell him how to be saved1 and the ,apostle commanded them to be baptized4 ,the righteous man had to be baptized4 ,sidenote3 ,baptism essential4 ,sidenote3 ,gal4 #c3 #bf1 #bg4 ,the ,apostle ,paul says3 ,ye are all the children of ,god by faith in ,christ ,jesus4 ,for as many of you as have been baptized into ,christ1 have put on ,christ4 ,if it is necessary to put on ,christ to obtain salvation1 then it is essential to be baptized1 for we put on ,christ by baptism4 ,sidenote3 ,mark #af3 #ae4 ,the ,lord ,jesus1 in sending out ,his ,apostles1 said3 ,go ye into all the world1 and preach the gospel to every creature4 ,he that believeth1 and is baptized1 shall be saved2 but he that believeth not1 7and consequently is not baptized7 shall be damned4 ,here the ,lord positively declares that it is only the baptized believer who shall be saved4 ,sidenote3 ,the new birth4 ,sidenote3 ,john #c3 #e4 ,jesus said to ,nicodemus3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 ,except a man be born of water 7that is1 baptized in water7 and of the ,spirit1 7that is1 baptized in the ,spirit7 he cannot #aej enter into the kingdom of ,god4 ,if entering the kingdom of ,god is essential to salvation1 then being born of water1 or being baptized1 is essential also1 for by doing the latter we make the former possible4 ,,baptism ,,for ,,the ,,dead4 ,sidenote3 ,the thief on the cross4 ,sidenote3 ,john #bj3 #aa-ag4 ,some have supposed that the thief who was crucified beside the ,lord went to heaven1 and it is believed that he was not baptized2 therefore1 it is argued1 if one can be saved without baptism1 others can4 ,but the supposition is incorrect3 ,jesus said to the thief1 to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise1 and three days afterwards said to ,mary1 ,touch me not2 for ,i am not yet ascended to my ,father4 ,by this we learn that paradise and heaven are two distinct places1 and as ,jesus did not go to heaven on the day ,he was crucified1 neither did the thief2 for they were both together in paradise4 ,sidenote3 ,the dead preached to4 ,sidenote3 ,i ,peter #d3 #f4 ,here the seeker after truth may properly inquire4 ,if it is necessary for all men and women to be baptized1 what will become of the good people who have died without having that privilege8 ,to this the reply of the ,scriptures is that the dead who died without hearing the ,gospel will have it preached to them4 ,they who obey it will be saved1 but they who reject it will be condemned1 as though they were in the flesh4 ,for this cause was the ,gospel preached by ,christ to them that are dead1 that they might be judged according to men in the flesh4 ,sidenote3 ,the dead baptized for4 ,sidenote3 ,i ,cor4 #ae3 #bi4 ,sidenote3 ,the ,spirits in prison4 ,sidenote3 ,i ,peter #c3 #ah-bj4 ,but a dead person cannot be baptized1 says one4 ,very true2 but ,god is just4 ,he has provided a way in which the dead can be baptized for1 by the living1 as shown by the ,apostle ,paul in his questions3 ,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 ,paul referred to baptism for the dead1 as a proof of the resurrection1 his questions showing plainly that baptism for the dead was both believed in and practiced by the early ,christians4 ,peter says3 ,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 ,spirit3 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 ,noah1 while the ark was a preparing1 wherein few1 that is1 eight souls1 were saved by water4 ,that is3 ,those who rejected the ,gospel in the days of ,noah were kept in the prison of the spirit world until the ,gospel was #aea again offered to them2 and the same fate awaits all those who in this life reject this glad message4 ,,object ,,or ,,purpose ,,of ,,baptism4 ,sidenote3 ,the remission of sins4 ,sidenote3 ,mark #a3 #d4 ,when ,john was in the wilderness he preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #b3 #ch4 ,on the day of ,pentecost1 many persons were convinced that ,jesus was the ,christ1 and cried out1 ,men and brethren1 what shall we do8 ,peter replied3 ,repent1 and be baptized every one of you in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for the remission of sins4 ,here we find the inspired ,apostle1 after ,christ's ascension into heaven1 teaching that baptism is for the remission of sins4 ,sidenote3 ,the case of ,paul4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #bb3 #af4 ,paul saw a vision in which he was directed to go to a certain place1 where it should be told him what to do4 ,he did so1 and there fasted and prayed three days4 ,then the ,lord sent to him ,ananias1 who said1 ,arise1 and be baptized1 and wash away thy sins4 ,why did not the ,lord remit ,paul's sins through his fasting and prayer8 ,for the reason that ,he has instituted baptism for that purpose1 and all who desire the blessing of remission of sins must comply with ,his law4 ,sidenote3 ,inward grace4 ,but1 says one1 that doctrine is strange to me2 ,i was always taught that baptism was an outward sign of an inward grace4 ,no such doctrine can be sustained by the ,scripture4 ,you must be baptized and have your sins washed away before you are even prepared for the reception of an inward grace4 ,but ,peter tells us1 urges the objector1 that baptism is 'not the putting away of the filth of the flesh1 but the answer of a good conscience towards ,god4' ,and ,peter states the truth4 ,ananias did not tell ,paul to be baptized and wash away the filth of the flesh1 but to be baptized and wash away his sins4 ,sidenote3 ,infant baptism4 ,sidenote3 ,mark #aj3 #ad4 ,infant baptism is contrary to reason and ,scripture2 infants are without sin2 of such is the kingdom of heaven4 ,it is true that the sin of ,adam passed upon all mankind2 but ,christ took that sin upon ,himself and atoned for it upon the cross4 ,the ,bible teaches that the sins for which men should be baptized are their individual sins1 and not the sin they were born in1 for the ,lord ,jesus atoned for that4 ,sidenote3 ,forgiveness is the gift of ,god4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #h3 #ah4 ,it will not do to say that baptism remits a man's sins1 for that is the work of the ,lord4 ,the laying on of hands does not give the ,holy ,ghost1 for it is the gift of ,god4 ,the #aeb blowing of rams' horns did not throw down the walls of ,jericho2 it was the power of ,jehovah4 ,simon saw that through the laying on of the ,apostles' hands the ,holy ,ghost was given4 ,,mode ,,of ,,baptism4 ,sidenote3 ,buried in water4 ,sidenote3 ,eph4 #d3 #e4 ,sidenote3 ,rom4 #f3 #d1 #e4 ,sidenote3 ,mark #a3 #aj4 ,sidenote3 ,col4 #b3 #ab4 ,sidenote3 ,john #c3 #bc4 ,the mode of baptism was also designated by the ,lord1 and ,his instructions were strictly obeyed by ,his servants4 ,paul testifies that there is one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 and describes the manner in which the ordinance was performed3 ,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 ,as the ,lord had been buried in the watery element in the river ,jordan1 coming up out of the water1 so also were the ,saints buried with him in baptism2 they received the ordinance by immersion in the same element1 according to the prescribed method4 ,john baptized in ,aenon near to ,salim1 because there was much water there4 ,sidenote3 ,born again4 ,sidenote3 ,matt4 #c3 #ac-ag4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #h3 #ag-ai4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #ai3 #e1 #f4 ,jesus insisted on receiving baptism to fulfill all righteousness4 ,when he had been born of water1 and had come up out of that element1 the ,spirit of ,god came upon ,him1 and the voice of ,god was heard3 ,this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4 ,this is the pattern4 ,so likewise the repentant believer goes down into the water1 with the one sent of ,god to baptize1 and is buried therein and raised up again in the likeness of ,christ's resurrection2 he is thus born of the water1 receiving the baptism appointed by the ,lord2 the remission of his sins comes from ,god through ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 and is given in baptism2 he is cleansed and purified1 his past sins are blotted out2 he is like a newborn babe before his ,god1 and is then prepared to receive the ,holy ,ghost1 which dwelleth not in unclean tabernacles1 and which is imparted to the baptized believer by the laying on of hands by those having authority to officiate in this ordinance4 ,as his body was enveloped in the waters of baptism1 so his soul is enveloped in the ,holy ,ghost1 and he is baptized with divine fire2 he is born of water and of the ,spirit1 and made a citizen of the kingdom of ,god4 ,,authority ,,to ,,baptize4 ,sidenote3 ,called of ,god4 ,sidenote3 ,heb4 #e3 #d4 ,sidenote3 ,exod4 #d3 #ad-af4 ,the ,scriptures also teach that1 for the ordinance to be effectual1 it must be performed by one authorized to act in #aec the name of the ,lord2 for no man taketh this honor unto himself1 but he that is called of ,god1 as was ,aaron4 ,aaron was called by the voice of ,god1 through ,moses4 ,sidenote3 ,divine authority4 ,sidenote3 ,matt4 #bh3 #ai4 ,sidenote3 ,mark #c3 #ad4 ,sidenote3 ,john #ae3 #af4 ,the ,savior commanded ,his ,apostles to teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but ,he had given them the divine commission to act in ,his name wheresoever ,he should send them3 ,he ordained twelve1 that they should be with ,him1 and that he might send them forth to preach4 ,the divine authority which they possessed was the source of their power4 ,this fact ,he impressed upon them1 saying3 ye have not chosen me1 but ,i have chosen you1 and ordained you1 that ye should go and bring forth fruit1 and that your fruit should remain3 that whatsoever ye shall ask of the ,father in my name1 he may give it you4 ,if they had started out on their own authority without being chosen1 ,god certainly would not have recognized ordinances performed by them in ,his name4 ,sidenote3 ,imperfect baptism is not baptism4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #ai3 #aa-af4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #ai3 #a-f4 ,the ,apostle ,paul1 by the power of ,god1 cast out evil spirits2 but when the sons of ,sceva1 on whom the divine authority had not been conferred1 attempted to do this1 they met with failure4 ,when the ,apostle went to ,ephesus1 he found certain persons who claimed to have been baptized unto ,john's baptism4 ,paul discerned that they had not received ,john's baptism1 for they knew nothing of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,probably some unauthorized person--perhaps with good intent1 but nevertheless without authority--had been along that way baptizing unto ,john's baptism1 but not with it1 for that could only be done by a duly commissioned servant of ,god4 ,after they received a proper understanding of the true ordinance they were baptized again1 and when ,paul had laid his hands upon them1 the ,holy ,ghost came on them2 and they spake with tongues1 and prophesied4 ,sidenote3 ,go thou and do likewise4 ,the experience of the men of ,ephesus affords an interesting lesson4 ,they had been mistaken1 but when the truth was presented to them they accepted it gladly4 ,they received the ,gospel ordinance1 viz43 ,baptism by immersion for the remission of sins1 administered by one having divine authority2 the burial in1 and the birth from the watery element1 without which ordinance the ,lord has said that no man can enter the kingdom of heaven4 ,enter ye in at the strait gate that leads to life eternal4 #aed ,,analysis ,,of ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,suggestions to the ,reader4 ,,by ,,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts4 ,the reader of the ,book of ,mormon will do well to remember that it is a translation of a record inscribed on gold plates1 which was an abridgment made from more extensive records kept by the ancient civilized peoples of ,america--chiefly by the people known in the ,book of ,mormon as ,nephites4 ,the abridgment1 for the most part1 is made by one ,mormon1 a ,nephite prophet who was born #caa ,a4,d41 and slain by his enemies in the year #djj ,a4,d4 ,the parts which are not his abridgment are the first #aeg pages 7,n4 ,e471 which bring us to the ,words of ,mormon1 page #aeh2 and from page #efc 7,n4 ,e47 to the end of the volume--sixty pages4 ,this latter part of the record was made by ,moroni1 the son of ,mormon1 who was also the one who hid up the plates containing his father's and his own abridgment1 in the year #dba ,a4,d42 and who1 having been raised from the dead1 revealed the existence of these plates to ,joseph ,smith1 on the #bast of ,september1 #ahbc4 ,the first #aeg pages are a verbatim translation from what are known as the smaller plates of ,nephi--we will explain4 ,the first ,nephi1 who left ,jerusalem with a small company of colonists led out from that city by his father1 ,lehi1 #fjj ,b4,c41 and who afterwards became their leader1 prophet1 and their first king1 made two sets of plates1 on which he proposed engraving the history of his people4 ,on the larger of these two sets he engraved an account of his father's life1 travels1 prophecies1 etc41 together with his genealogy2 and upon them also he recorded a full history of the wars and contentions of his people1 as also their travels1 and an account of the cities they founded and colonies they established4 ,these larger plates were preserved in the care of succeeding kings1 or judges of the republic when the kingdom was transformed into one2 and1 in a word1 upon them was written a full history of the rise and fall of the nations which existed in ,america from the landing of this colony from ,jerusalem to #djj ,a4,d41 a period of nearly one thousand years4 #aee ,it is quite evident that as these plates were transmitted from king to king1 or from one ruling judge of the republic to another1 or given into the possession of a prophet1 that they each recorded the historical events of his own day1 and gave to such account his own name--hence ,mormon found in these larger plates of ,nephi--the ,book of ,mosiah1 the ,book of ,alma1 the ,book of ,helaman1 etc4 ,furthermore1 it happened that there were colonies from time to time that drifted off into distant parts of the land1 and became lost for a season to the main body of the people2 and there were missionary expeditions formed for the conversion of the ,lamanites2 and these parties1 whether missionary or colonial1 generally kept records2 and when these colonists or missionary parties were found1 or returned to the main body of the people1 their records were incorporated within the main record1 being kept by the historian--hence there was1 sometimes1 a book within a book1 and the current of events was interrupted to record the history of these detached portions of the people1 or some important missionary expedition4 ,mormon1 when abridging these plates of ,nephi1 gave to each particular division of his abridgment the name of the book from which he had taken his account of the events recorded--hence the ,books of ,mosiah1 ,alma1 ,helaman and ,,iii4 and ,,iv4 ,nephi in his abridgment4 ,he also1 in some instances at least1 followed the subdivisions we have alluded to1 hence we have the record of ,zeniff within the ,book of ,mosiah 7page #aha1 ,n4 ,e472 the account of the church founded by the first ,alma 7page #bac72 and the account of the missionary expeditions of the sons of ,mosiah to the ,lamanites within the ,book of ,alma 7page #bhc74 ,again we caution the reader to remember that the ,book of ,mormon is1 for the most part1 an abridgment from the larger plates of ,nephi2 but it is quite evident that ,mormon frequently came to passages upon the plates of ,nephi which pleased him so well that he transcribed them upon the plates containing his abridgment1 verbatim4 ,an example of this will be found beginning on page #afc1 in the second line of the ninth paragraph1 and ending with page #afi--the words of ,king ,benjamin to his people4 ,the words of ,king ,benjamin are also renewed on page #agj1 in the second line of the fourth paragraph1 and continue to the close of the chapter4 ,there are many such passages throughout ,mormon's abridgment4 ,in addition to this1 ,mormon frequently introduces remarks of his own by way of comment1 warning1 prophecy or admonition1 and since there is nothing in the text1 either quotation #aef marks or a change of type to indicate where these comments1 or what we might call annotations1 begin or end1 they are liable to confuse the reader--a difficulty that we hope will be obviated by this caution4 ,so much for ,mormon's abridgment4 ,now to consider the part of the work done by his son ,moroni4 ,this is from page #efc to the end of the volume4 ,he closes up the record of his father1 ,mormon1 and then gives us an abridgment of the twenty-four plates of ,ether which were found in ,north ,america by the people of ,limhi1 in the second century ,b4,c42 and then concludes his work with notes on the manner of ordaining priests and teachers1 administering the sacrament of the ,lord's supper1 baptism1 spiritual gifts1 together with a sermon and some of his father's letters4 ,in his abridgment of the record of the ,jaredites1 the peculiarity of mixing up his comments1 admonitions and prophecies with his narrative1 is even more marked than in the abridgment of ,mormon1 therefore the reader will need to be doubly on his guard4 ,we have already said that the first #aeg pages of the ,book of ,mormon was not a part of ,mormon's abridgment4 ,those pages are a verbatim translation of the smaller plates of ,nephi1 and became connected with ,mormon's abridgment in this manner3 ,mormon had abridged the larger plates of ,nephi as far as the reign of ,king ,benjamin1 and in searching through the records which had been delivered to him1 he found these smaller plates of ,nephi4 ,they contained a brief history of events connected with the departure of ,lehi and his colony from ,jerusalem to their landing in ,america1 and thence down to the reign of this ,king ,benjamin--covering a period of about #djj years4 ,these plates were made by ,nephi1 that upon them might be engraven an account of the ministry of the servants of ,god1 among his people1 together with their prophecies and teachings4 ,they contain1 in other words1 an ecclesiastical history of the ,nephites1 while the larger plates of ,nephi contained a political1 or secular history of the same people4 7,see ,i4 ,nephi1 ix chapter2 also xix1 #a-e47 ,mormon was particularly well pleased with the contents of these smaller plates of ,nephi1 because upon them had been engraven so many prophecies concerning the coming and mission of the ,messiah2 and instead of condensing their history into an abridgment1 he took the plates and attached them to the abridgment of ,nephi's larger plates4 ,and this ,i do for a wise purpose1 says ,mormon1 for thus it whispereth me according to the ,spirit of the ,lord which is in me4 7,words of ,mormon1 page #aei ,n4,e474 ,nephi1 also1 in speaking of these smaller plates1 says1 the ,lord hath commanded the to make #aeg these plates for a wise purpose in him1 which purpose ,i know not4 7,i4 ,nephi ix1 #e47 ,what that wise purpose was we shall see further on4 ,by ,mormon attaching these smaller plates of ,nephi to his own abridgment of ,nephi's larger plates1 it will be seen there was a double line of history of the ,nephites for about #djj years1 and the wisdom of this arrangement is seen in the following3 ,when ,joseph ,smith had translated the first part of ,mormon's abridgment--amounting to #aaf pages of manuscript1 he listened to the importunities of ,martin ,harris1 who was giving him some assistance in the work of translating1 and who desired to show that portion of the work to his friends4 ,the result was the manuscript was stolen from him2 the records were taken from ,joseph by the angel1 and he lost his power to translate for a season4 ,after a time1 however1 he was permitted to go on with the work1 but the ,lord made it known to him that it was the design of those into whose hands the manuscript had fallen to wait until he had translated that part again1 and then by changing the manuscript in their possession would bring it forth and claim that he could not translate the same record twice alike2 and thus they would seek to overthrow the work of ,god4 ,but the heavenly messenger commanded ,joseph ,smith not to translate again the part he had already translated1 but instead thereof he should translate the smaller plates of ,nephi1 and that account was to take the place of ,mormon's abridgment up to the latter days of the reign of ,king ,benjamin4 7,doc4 and ,cov41 ,d,c #aj47 ,thus it is that we have the words of ,mormon1 beginning on page #aeh1 explaining how the smaller plates of ,nephi came into his possession and attached to the plates containing the record he himself was making1 and connecting the historical narrative of the smaller plates of ,nephi with his own abridgment of ,nephi's larger plates4 ,the words of ,mormon1 interrupting as they do the history of the ,nephites1 have caused no little confusion in the minds of unthoughtful readers2 but after it is understood that they are merely the link connecting the ecclesiastical history engraven on the smaller plates1 of ,nephi to ,mormon's abridgment1 and they take the place of the first part of ,mormon's record1 the difficulty will disappear4 ,one thing ,i cannot forbear to mention1 and that is1 in the part of the ,book of ,mormon translated from the smaller plates of ,nephi1 we find none of these comments or annotations mixed up with the record that we have already spoken of #aeh as being peculiar to the abridgment made by ,mormon--a circumstance1 ,i take it1 which proves the ,book of ,mormon to be consistent with the account given of the original records from which it was translated4 ,there will be found1 however1 in this translation direct from the smaller plates of ,nephi1 as also in ,mormon's abridgment1 extracts from the old ,jewish ,scripture--especially from the writings of ,isaiah--this is accounted for by the fact that when ,lehi's colony left ,jerusalem1 they took with them copies of the book of ,moses and the writings of the prophets1 and a record of the ,jews down to the commencement of the reign of ,zedekiah1 all of which were engraven on plates of brass 7see ,i4 ,nephi v1 #aj-ac71 and the ,nephite historians transcribed passages from these sacred records into their own writings4 ,there are a few suggestions about these transcribed passages which may not be uninteresting to the reader1 and which to the student will be invaluable1 as they furnish an indirect evidence to the truth of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,the ,nephites having transcribed passages from the brass plates they carried with them from ,jerusalem into their records1 wherever such passages occur in the ,book of ,mormon1 and corresponding passages are found in our ,english ,bible1 it will be seen by the reader that so far we have two translations of the writings of the old ,hebrew prophets2 and it will be found on comparison that the passages in the ,book of ,mormon are stronger and more in keeping with the sense sought to be expressed by the prophet than the corresponding passages and chapters in the ,bible4 ,as a proof of this ,i ask the reader to compare ,i ,nephi xx and xxi1 with ,isaiah xlvii and xlix4 ,in some instances there are sentences1 in the ,book of ,mormon version of passages from ,isaiah1 not to be found in our ,english version1 as witness the following3 ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,,bible4 ,o house of ,jacob1 come ye and ,o house of ,jacob1 come ye and let us walk in the light of the let us walk in the light of the ,lord2 yea1 come1 for ye have all ,lord4--,isaiah ii1 #e4 gone astray1 every one to his wicked ways4--,,ii ,nephi xii1 #e4 ,in other instances it will be found that the sense of the passages is different1 and that the passages in the ,book of ,mormon best accord with the sense of the whole3 #aei ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,,bible4 ,therefore1 ,o ,lord1 ,thou hast ,therefore hast ,thou forsaken forsaken ,thy people1 the house ,thy people1 the house of ,jacob1 of ,jacob1 because they replenished because they replenished from the from the east1 and east1 and are soothsayers like unto hearken unto soothsayers like the the ,philistines1 and they please the ,philistines1 and they please themselves with the children of themselves with the children of strangers4--,isaiah #aa1 #f4 strangers4--,,ii ,nephi xii1 #f4 ,their land is also full of ,their land also is full of idols2 idols--they worship the work of their they worship the work of their own hands1 that which their own own hands1 that which their own fingers have made2 and the mean fingers have made2 and the mean man boweth not down1 and the man boweth down1 and the great great man humbleth himself not1 man humbleth himself2 therefore therefore1 forgive him forgive him not4--,isaiah ii1 #h1 #i4 not4--,,ii ,nephi xii1 #h1 #i4 ,thou hast multiplied the nation1 ,thou hast multiplied the nation1 and increased the joy3 they and not increased the joy3 joy before thee according to the the joy before thee according to the joy in harvest1 and as men rejoice the joy in harvest1 and as men when they divide the spoil4--,,ii ,nephi rejoice when they divide the xix1 #c4 spoil4--,isaiah ix1 #c4 ,observe1 too1 the difference in the clearness of the following passages3 ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,,bible4 ,and when they shall say unto ,and when they shall say unto you1 seek unto them them that have you1 seek unto them that have familiar spirits1 and unto wizards familiar spirits1 and unto wizards that peep and mutter2 should that peep and that mutter2 should not a people seek unto their ,god8 not a people seek unto their ,god8 for the living to hear from the for the living to the dead4--,isaiah ,,ii ,nephi xviii1 #ai4 viii1 #ai4 ,again the ,english translators of the ,bible1 in order to make the sense of various passages more clear1 inserted here and there1 words of their own2 which are always written in italics1 that the reader might know what words have been inserted by the translator1 and for which he will find no exact equivalent in the original text4 ,it is worthy of note that in those transcribed passages from the brass plates into the ,book of ,mormon1 in almost every instance1 the words in the ,book of ,mormon version are different to those substituted by the translators of the common ,english version2 or are left out1 as follows3 ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,,bible4 ,what mean ye8 ye beat my people ,what mean ye that ye beat my to pieces1 and grind the faces people to pieces1 and grind the of the poor4--,,ii ,nephi xiii1 #ae4 faces of the poor8--,isaiah iii1 #ae4 #afj ,the above is a case where the inserted word of the translator1 which ,i have written in italics1 is omitted1 and to my mind the passage as it stands in the ,book of ,mormon is stronger1 more beautiful1 because more harmonious4 ,here is a passage where different words are used than those inserted by the translators3 ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,,bible4 ,say unto the righteous1 that ,say ye unto the righteous1 that it is well with them2 for they it shall be well with him2 for they shall eat the fruit of their doings4 shall eat the fruit of their doings4 ,woe unto the wicked6 for they ,woe unto the wicked6 it shall shall perish2 for the reward of be ill with him2 for the reward of their hands shall be upon of his hands shall be given them4--,,ii ,nephi xiii1 #aj1 #aa4 him4--,isaiah iii1 #aj1 #aa4 ,i think it will be readily conceded that the above passage as it stands in the ,book of ,mormon is much superior to the version given in our common ,bible1 indeed it is so throughout1 and when it is remembered that ,joseph ,smith and those who assisted in translating that work were most likely uniformed as to the supplied words of the translators being written in italics1 it is an incidental evidence that those passages in the ,book of ,mormon to which are found corresponding passages in the ,bible were not merely copied from the ,bible1 but in the ,book of ,mormon we have really another translation of those passages taken from original records of the ,hebrews1 uncorrupted by the hand of man1 and hence more perfect4 ,one suggestion more ,i would make to the readers of the ,book of ,mormon1 and that is that they read it prayerfully1 with a real desire to know if it is of ,god4 ,if they will peruse it with that desire in their hearts1 ,i am sanguine that the ,spirit of ,god which searches all things1 yea1 the deep things of ,god1 will bear witness to their understanding that the book is of divine origin1 and they will have a witness from ,god of its truth4 ,such a promise1 in fact1 is contained within the book itself4 ,when ,moroni--into whose keeping the plates of the ,book of ,mormon were given--was closing up the sacred record previous to hiding it up unto the ,lord until the time should come for it to be revealed as a witness for ,god1 he engraved the following passage on the plates as words of counsel to those into whose hands the record should fall3 ,and when ye shall receive these things 7i4e41 the things written in the ,book of ,mormon7 ,i would exhort you that ye would ask ,god1 the ,eternal ,father1 in the name of ,christ1 if these things are not true2 and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart1 with real intent1 having faith in #afa ,christ1 ,he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the ,holy ,ghost2 and by the power of the ,holy ,ghost ye may know the truth of all things 7,moroni x1 #d1 #e74 ,here1 then1 is a means by which every person into whose hands the ,book of ,mormon falls may find out for himself1 not from human testimony1 not from the deductions of logic1 but through the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 whether the ,book of ,mormon is of divine origin or not4 ,this test must be final1 either for or against it1 to every individual who complies with the conditions enjoined by ,moroni4 ,those conditions are1 that they into whose hands the record falls shall inquire of ,god with a sincere heart1 with real intent1 and having faith in ,christ2 and to those who so proceed he promises without equivocation that they shall receive a manifestation of its truth by the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,therefore1 if these directions are complied with faithfully and honestly1 and the manifestation follows not1 then they may know it is not of ,god4 ,if the manifestation comes1 of course the divine origin of the book is confirmed1 for the ,holy ,ghost would not confirm by any manifestation of its power an imposition4 ,therefore1 reader1 whoever you may be1 undertake the reading of the ,book of ,mormon with a prayerful heart1 and you will find in it a new volume of ,scripture to you1 a treasury of sacred knowledge able to make you wise unto salvation4 ,we believe that no government can exist in peace1 except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience1 the right and control of property and the protection of life4 --,joseph ,smith1 ,the ,prophet4 #afb ,,the ,,second ,,coming ,,of ,,the ,,messiah ,,and ,,events ,,to ,,precede ,,it4 ,,by ,,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts4 ,of all events that will take place in the immediate future1 the most important to mankind is the glorious appearing of the ,son of ,god1 generally spoken of as the ,second ,advent of the ,messiah4 ,and if there is one thing that the writers of ,scripture are more explicit in than another1 it is in relation to this all-important event4 ,the writer of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 giving an account of the last meeting of the risen ,messiah with ,his disciples in ,palestine1 and ,his last words to them1 says3 ,and when he had spoken these things1 while they beheld1 he was taken up2 and a cloud received him out of their sight4 ,and1 while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up1 behold1 two men stood by them in white apparel2 which also said1 ,ye men of ,galilee1 why stand ye gazing up into heaven8 ,this same ,jesus1 which is taken up from you into heaven1 shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven 7,acts i1 #i-aa74 ,from this we learn that the same person whom the disciples had seen go up into heaven was to return in like manner4 ,and this agrees with the words of ,jesus ,himself4 ,for the ,son of ,man shall come in the glory of ,his ,father1 with ,his angels2 and then he shall reward every man according to his works 7,mat4 xvi1 #bg74 ,from this last quotation we not only learn that the ,son of ,god is to come in the glory of ,his ,father1 accompanied by ,his angels1 but that ,he at that time ,will reward every man according to his works4 ,and to this testimony agrees that of other sacred writers4 ,st4 ,jude1 after referring to certain wicked characters who were like clouds without rain1 or like raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame1 says3 #afc ,and ,enoch also1 the seventh from ,adam1 prophesied of these1 saying1 ,behold1 the ,lord cometh with ten thousand of ,his saints1 to execute judgment upon all1 and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against ,him4 7,jude1 #ad1 #ae74 ,paul bears witness to the same thing3 ,for if we believe that ,jesus died1 and rose again1 even so them also which sleep in ,jesus will ,god bring with him4 ,for this we say unto you by the word of the ,lord1 that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the ,lord1 shall not prevent them which are asleep4 ,for the ,lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout1 with the voice of the arch-angel1 and with the trump of ,god3 and the dead in ,christ shall rise first3 then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds1 to meet the ,lord in the air3 and so shall we ever be with the ,lord 7i ,thess4 iv1 #ad-ag74 ,and again3 ,and to you who are troubled rest with us1 when the ,lord ,jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels1 in flaming fire1 taking vengeance on them that know not ,god1 and that obey not the ,gospel of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the ,lord1 and from the glory of his power2 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints1 and to be admired in all them that believe 7because our testimony among you was believed7 in that day 7ii ,thess4 i1 #g-aj74 ,from the foregoing passages of ,scripture the reader learns two very important things3 first--that the ,son of ,man in a glorious manner is to return to this earth2 second--that when ,he shall so come1 it will be to execute judgment--to reward the righteous for their faithfulness1 and to punish those who know not ,god1 and who obey not the ,gospel1 with everlasting destruction from the presence of the ,lord and the glory of ,his power4 ,no believer in the inspiration of the ,scriptures can possibly doubt the truth of what these passages teach1 viz41 that the ,son of ,god will verily come1 and that to judgment6 ,but in all other ages of the world1 when ,god has decreed judgments upon a people or nation1 ,he has first sent divinely-appointed messengers to warn them of the impending evil1 that peradventure1 some might repent and be saved4 ,for example1--when ,god decreed that ,he would destroy the ,antediluvians by a flood for their wickedness1 he first sent ,noah1 a preacher of righteousness1 among them to warn them of the approaching calamity3 ,when destruction was hanging over the cities of the plain--,sodom and ,gomorrah--the ,lord sent ,his angels #afd to first gather out righteous ,lot and his family3 ,when destruction was decreed against ,nineveh1 the prophet ,jonah was sent to cry repentance to the people1 and in this instance the warning was heeded1 and the calamity was turned aside3 ,whenever bondage1 famine1 disease1 or judgment of any character1 was about to overtake ancient ,israel for their wickedness1 prophets were sent to warn them1 that they might repent and escape the sore affliction4 ,this has been the course pursued by the ,almighty in all ages and among all people2 and now that mighty judgments are pronounced against the ungodly at the coming of the ,son of ,god1 may we not reasonably expect that ,god will be true to ,his custom in the past1 and send messengers to warn the nations of the near approach of those calamities8 ,basing our conclusion on the experience of past ages1 it would be reasonable to expect the ,lord to so proceed4 ,but the ,scriptures themselves speak of a number of incidents that will take place as a preparatory work to the glorious coming of our ,lord4 ,among these may be mentioned3 ,i4--,,the ,,restoration ,,of ,,the ,,everlasting ,,gospel4 ,the great event is thus described by ,john the ,revelator3 ,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 ,god1 and give glory to him3 for the hour of his judgment is come 7,rev4 xiv1 #f1 #g74 ,,ii4--,,the ,,coming ,,of ,a ,,messenger4 to prepare the way for the ,son of ,god1 when ,he shall come in the glory of ,his ,father4 ,this event is foretold by the prophet ,malachi3 ,behold1 ,i will send my messenger1 and he will prepare the way before me3 and the ,lord1 whom ye seek1 shall suddenly come to his temple1 even the messenger of the covenant1 whom ye delight in3 behold1 he shall come1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 ,but who may abide the day of his coming8 and who shall stand when he appeareth8 for he is like a refiner's fire1 and like fuller's soap3 and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver3 and he shall purify the sons of ,levi1 and purge them as gold and silver1 that they may offer unto the ,lord an offering in righteousness4 ,then shall the offering of ,judah and ,jerusalem be pleasant unto the ,lord1 as in the days of old1 and as in former years 7,malachi iii1 #a-d74 ,,iii4--,,the ,,coming ,,of ,,elijah4 to whom is given the peculiar mission of turning the heart #afe of the fathers to the children1 and the heart of the children to the fathers4 ,malachi thus describes ,elijah's mission3 ,behold1 ,i will send you ,elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord3 and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children1 and the heart of the children to their father's1 lest ,i come and smite the earth with a curse 7,malachi iv1 #e1 #f74 ,,iv4--,,the ,,gathering ,,of ,,the ,,saints4 ,the ,scriptures are replete with passages in relation to this event1 but ,i can here refer only to a few4 ,when ,john the ,revelator was about to foretell the downfall of ,babylon1 he says3 ,and ,i heard another voice from heaven1 saying1 ,come out of her1 my people1 that ye may not be partakers of her sins1 and that ye receive not of her plagues4 ,for her sins have reached to heaven1 and ,god has remembered her iniquities4 ,reward her even as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works3 in the cup which she hath filled1 fill to her double 7,rev4 xviii1 #d-f74 ,the ,psalmist bears this testimony3 ,our ,god shall come1 and shall not keep silence3 a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him4 ,he shall call to the heavens from above1 and to the earth1 that he may judge his people4 ,gather my saints together unto me2 those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice4 ,and the heavens shall declare his righteousness3 for ,god is judge himself 7,psalm i1 #c-f74 ,so ,isaiah3 ,and it shall come to pass in the last days1 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 it 7,isaiah ii1 #b-d74 ,and he will lift up an ensign to the nations from afar1 and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth3 and1 behold1 they will come with speed swiftly 7,isaiah v1 #bf1 #bg74 ,and he shall set up an ensign for the nations1 and shall assemble the outcasts of ,israel not the ,jews alone1 but all ,israel1 and gather together the dispersed of ,judah from the four corners of the earth 7,isaiah xi1 #ab74 ,so ,paul3 ,having made known to us the mystery of his will 99 99 99 that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in ,christ1 both which are in heaven1 and which are on earth2 even in him 7,eph4 i1 #i1 #aj74 #aff ,and lastly1 the testimony of ,jesus3 ,and they shall see the ,son of ,man coming in the clouds of heaven1 with power and great glory4 ,and he shall send his angels with a great sound of trumpet1 and they shall gather his elect from the four winds1 from one end of heaven to the other 7,matt4 xxiv1 #cj1 #ca74 ,all believers in the ,holy ,scriptures1 then1 must believe in and are looking forward to the glorious coming of the ,son of ,god4 ,they also must believe that these four events we have named1 will precede that coming4 ,that is1 they believe and are expecting that when those judgments connected with the coming of the ,messiah are about to overtake the inhabitants of the earth1 an ,,angel will come with the ,everlasting ,gospel1 which must be preached to all nations2 that a ,,messenger will come to prepare the way before the ,lord1 that ,,elijah will come to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and vice versa2 and that ,god's ,,saints will be gathered together4 ,and now1 in all sincerity of heart1 and in the fear of ,god1 the writer testifies to all men unto whom his words may come1 that the first three events have taken place1 and the fourth1 the gathering of the ,saints1 is now going on1 and the coming of the ,son of ,god1 together with the attendant judgments1 are near at hand4 ,,the ,,restoration ,,of ,,the ,,gospel occurred in the following manner3 ,in the spring of #ahbj1 ,joseph ,smith1 then a lad between fourteen and fifteen years of age1 being exercised on the subject of religion1 and not knowing which of the contending sects of religion were accepted by ,god as ,his ,church1 fortunately came upon that excellent advice given by the ,apostle ,james1 viz43 ,if any of you lack wisdom1 let him ask of ,god1 that giveth to all men liberally1 and upbraideth not2 and it shall be given him 7,james i1 #e74 ,in full1 child-like confidence that ,god would fulfil ,his word1 he called upon the ,lord in prayer1 and in answer received an open vision1 in which he beheld the ,father and the ,son1 who revealed to him the startling truth that man had transgressed the laws of the ,gospel1 changed the ordinances1 broken the everlasting covenant1 and that none of the churches or sects were acknowledged of ,his as ,his church or kingdom1 and he was commanded to join none of them4 ,he was #afg also informed that the time was at hand when the ,gospel would be restored1 and was told that he was a chosen instrument to assist in bringing about the purposes of ,god4 ,let not the reader impatiently cast away this tract at the statement that ,god did not acknowledge any of the sects or churches as ,his church or kingdom4 ,let it be remembered1 according to the prophecy of the ,revelator we have quoted 7,rev4 xiv1 #f1 #g71 that every nation1 kindred1 tongue1 and people in the hour of ,god's judgment1 are to be without the ,gospel1 or why would there be any need of an angel being sent from heaven with it to the earth1 if it was anywhere on the earth8 ,the learned ,john ,wesley said that the reason the extraordinary gifts of the ,holy ,ghost were no longer enjoyed was because the love of many waxed cold1 the ,christians had turned heathens again and only had a dead form left 7,wesley's works1 vol4 ,,vi1 ser4 #hi74 ,the ,church of ,england in her ,homily on ,perils of ,idolatry 7page #c7 says3 ,laity and clergy1 learned and unlearned1 all ages1 sects and degrees have been drowned in abominable idolatry1 most detested by ,god and damnable to man for eight hundred years or more4 ,but to return to our account of the restoration of the ,gospel4 ,more than three years passed before ,joseph ,smith was again blessed with a heavenly vision4 ,but on the night of the #bast of ,september1 #ahbc1 while engaged in prayer in his bedchamber1 ,i discovered1 says he1 ,a light appearing in the room1 which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday1 when immediately a personage appeared at my bed-side1 standing in the air1 for his feet did not touch the floor4 99 99 99 ,not only was his robe exceedingly white1 but his whole person was gloriously beyond description2 and his countenance truly like lightning4 99 99 99 ,he called me by my name1 and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of ,god to me1 and that his name was ,moroni4 ,that ,god had work for me to do1 and that my name should be had for good or evil among all nations1 kindred1 and tongues2 or that it should be good or evil spoken of among all people4 ,he said that there was a book deposited1 written upon gold plates1 giving an account of the former inhabitants of this the ,american continent1 and the source from whence they sprang4 ,he also said that the fullness of the everlasting ,gospel was contained in it1 as delivered by the ,savior to the ancient inhabitants or ,america4 ,also that there were two stones in silver bows 7and these stones1 fastened to the breastplate1 constituted what is called the ,urim of ,thummim7 deposited with the plates1 and the possession and use of these stones was what constituted ,seers in ancient or former times1 and that ,god had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book4 ,the angel then quoted a number of prophecies from the ,jewish ,scriptures1 among them the first part of the third chapter #afh of ,malachi1 and also the fourth chapter of the same book1 the eleventh chapter of ,isaiah1 and the second chapter of ,joel1 from the twenty-eighth verse to the close4 ,he stated that these prophecies would be fulfilled in this generation4 ,four years after this first visit of the heavenly messenger1 in the meantime being instructed by him in doctrine and principle1 the tablets containing the ancient history of ,america1 together with the ,urim and ,thummim by which they were to be translated1 were given into his charge4 ,in the course of two years the work of translation was completed1 and in the winter of #ahbi-cj the ,book of ,mormon--for so the record is called--containing the fulness of the everlasting ,gospel1 as taught to the ancient peoples of ,america1 was given to the world4 ,nor is the world asked to receive this important message on the statement of ,joseph ,smith alone1 but the ,lord has given other witnesses1 and their statement has been published with every edition of the ,book of ,mormon1 and is as follows3 ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,the ,,three ,,witnesses4 ,be it known unto all nations1 kindreds1 tongues1 and people unto whom his work shall come1 99 99 99 ,we declare with words of soberness that an angel of ,god came down from heaven1 and he brought and laid before our eyes1 that we beheld and saw the plates1 99 99 and the engravings thereon1 and we know that it is by the grace of ,god the ,father1 and our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that we beheld and bear record that these things are true2 and it is marvelous in our eyes1 nevertheless the voice of the ,lord commanded us that we should bear record of it2 wherefore1 to be obedient unto the commandments of ,god1 we bear testimony of these things4 ,and we know that if we are faithful in ,christ1 we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men1 and be found spotless before the judgment seat of ,christ1 and shall dwell with ,him eternally in the heavens4 ,,oliver ,,cowdery1 ,,david ,,whitmer1 ,,martin ,,harris4 ,though these three witnesses2 through transgression1 lost the ,spirit of ,god1 and wandered away from the fold of ,christ1 they never denied the testimony they bore to the truth of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,two of them previous to their death came back to the ,church1 and died in the faith4 ,the other--,david ,whitmer--died at ,richmond1 ,mo41 in ,january1 #ahhh1 and on his deathbed1 as he had always done previously1 solemnly declared that his testimony concerning the ,book of ,mormon was true4 ,,the ,,coming ,,of ,,the ,,messenger4 ,while the ,book of ,mormon was in course of translation1 a very important event took place1 viz1 the coming of the ,,messenger #afi to prepare the way for the coming of the ,lord4 ,this is described by ,joseph ,smith as follows3 ,we 7,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery7 still continued the work of translating2 when in the ensuing month 7,may1 #ahbi71 we1 on a certain day1 went into the woods to pray1 and inquire of the ,lord respecting baptism for remission of sins4 ,while we were thus employed1 praying and calling upon the ,lord1 a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light1 and having laid his hands upon us1 he ordained us2 saying unto us--',upon you1 my fellow servants1 'in the name of ,messiah1 ,i confer the ,priesthood of ,aaron1 which holds the keys of the ministering of angels1 and of the gospel of repentance1 and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins1' and this shall never be taken from the earth1 until the sons of ,levi do offer again an offering unto the ,lord of righteousness4' ,the messenger who visited us on this occasion1 and conferred this ,priesthood upon us1 said that his name was ,john1 the same that is called ,john the ,baptist in the ,new ,testament2 and that he acted under the direction of ,peter1 ,james and ,john who held the keys of the ,melchisedec ,priesthood1 and who would in due season visit us and confer that1 the higher ,priesthood1 upon us1 which holds the keys of the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 and right to all the offices in the church4 ,subsequently1 in fulfilment of this promise1 ,peter1 ,james1 and ,john came to them1 and conferred upon them the higher order of priesthood--the ,melchisedec4 ,this gave them the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the ,church of ,christ1 and the power and authority to organize the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth4 ,,elijah ,,comes4 ,in #ahcf1 in the ,kirtland ,temple1 ,ohio1 ,elijah the ,prophet came1 in fulfilment of ,malachi's prophecy 7,mal4 iv1 #e1 #f71 and made known those principles which would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and the hearts of the children to the fathers1 viz41 the doctrine of salvation for the dead4 ,from the keys of knowledge which ,elijah restored great light has been thrown upon the plan of salvation1 showing it to be more perfect and more extensive than ever man dreamed of in his philosophy4 ,it is learned from the keys of knowledge which he restored that the innumerable millions who have died without a knowledge of ,christ or of ,his ,gospel1 together with those who have been deceived by the teachings of pseudo ministers of ,christ1 are not eternally lost1 but that since the spirit of man when separate from the body retains all the faculties of mind1 the gospel is preached in the spirit-world to the disembodied spirits1 and that on condition of their #agj accepting the ,gospel1 and living according to the laws of ,god in the spirit1 they may be saved on condition of the outward ordinances of the ,gospel being administered vicariously for them upon the earth by their agents--their relations4 ,that the ,gospel is preached to departed spirits is evident from the ,scriptures4 ,peter said3 ,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 ,spirit3 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 ,noah1 while the ark was a preparing1 wherein few1 that is1 eight souls were saved by water 7,i ,peter iii1 #ah-bj71 ,men may turn and twist that passage all they please1 but its plain simple statement is that the spirit of ,christ1 while ,his body lay in the tomb1 went and preached to the spirits which were disobedient in the days of ,noah4 ,and again he 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 spirit 7,i ,peter iv1 #f74 ,that the ancient ,saints also knew something about performing ordinances vicariously for the dead is evident from this remark of the ,apostle ,paul3 ,else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all8 why are they then baptized for the dead 7,i ,cor4 xv1 #bi74 ,and we ask--if there was no such thing among the ancient ,saints as baptism for the dead1 why1 then1 does ,paul refer to it in such positive terms8 ,the ,gospel of ,christ is not limited in its powers to save to this life1 or this world alone4 ,its powers enter into the spirit-world4 ,and by its proclamation in the world of spirits the fathers will learn that they are dependent upon the children still in this world for the performance of the outward ordinances of the ,gospel2 hence1 their hearts will be turned to the children4 ,the children on the earth will learn that it is within their power to attend to ordinances of the ,gospel for their progenitors2 hence1 the hearts of the children will be turned to the fathers4 ,it is because of this--because of the knowledge restored by ,elijah1 that the ,latter-day ,saints1 wherever they have planted their feet1 have sought1 even in the days of their greatest poverty1 to build a temple1 the #aga proper place in which to attend to these ordinances for the dead2 and they thus witness to the world that the hearts of the children are turned to the fathers4 ,,keys ,,of ,,gathering ,,restored4 ,the same day that ,elijah came to the ,kirtland ,temple--#crd ,april1 #ahcf--,moses came also1 and committed the ,keys of the ,gathering of ,israel from the four quarters of the earth1 and the leading of the ,ten ,tribes from the land of the north4 ,and it is because he came and restored that authority1 and communicated the commandment for the ,saints to gather together1 that thousands have left their homes in the land of their birth1 and have cast in their lot with the ,latter-day ,saints in the land of ,america1 and are now where the prophets predicted the people of ,god and the ,house of ,god would be established in the last days--in the tops of the mountains--and some out of all nations are flowing unto them1 and they are taught in the ways of the ,lord1 and are seeking to walk in ,his paths 7see ,isaiah ii1 #a-d74 ,the cry from heaven which ,st4 ,john heard in his visions is now of a truth being sounded among the nations3 ,come out of her 7,babylon71 my people1 that ye be not partakers of her sins1 and that ye receive not of her plagues2 for her sins have reached unto heaven1 and ,god hath remembered her iniquities 7,rev4 xviii1 #d1 #e74 ,and the ,saints by their flight to the gathering places which ,god has appointed1 as well as by word1 are testifying to the world that the hour of ,god's judgment is at hand1 and they are seeking to be prepared for the coming of the ,messiah4 ,thus the most important events which are to take place before the glorious coming of the ,son of ,god have been fulfilled4 ,we know not the day nor the hour in which the ,master will come1 but we know that the preparatory work to that event has made considerable progress3--,the ,,gospel has been restored to the earth1 and is being preached to all nations for a witness that the end is near3--,the ,,messenger has come and restored the authority of ,god to man1 that the way might be prepared for ,his coming and judgment3--,,elijah has come and performed his mission3--,and the ,,saints are gathering together to the tops of the mountains1 and are building up the ,house of ,god4 ,and as the fig tree putting forth its leaves proclaims the approach of summer1 so these things indicate the near approach of that time when the ,son of ,god will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire1 taking vengeance on them that know not ,god #agb and who obey not the ,gospel of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,this is the word of ,god and remember1 ,o reader6 that it is written1 though heaven and earth pass away1 not one jot nor tittle of the word of ,god shall fail1 but all shall be fulfilled4 ,despise not this testimony and warning because he who bears it is a representative of a cause and people everywhere spoken against4 ,remember that ,satan has ever opposed the work of ,god1 and those who labored to establish it4 ,if he did so in former ages1 will not this opposition be more fierce in the dispensation when the work of ,god is to become triumphant1 resulting in the overthrow of the powers of darkness and binding them8 ,such1 it would seem1 are the plain dictates of reason--such are the facts4 ,be not deceived1 then1 reader1 whoever you may be1 by the infamous falsehoods in circulation about the ,latter-day ,saints1 but examine these things with a prayerful heart that you may know of their truth and escape the calamity that shall befall those who reject the counsels of ,god against themselves4 ,seek to know ,god in your closets1 call upon ,him in the fields4 ,follow the directions of the ,book of ,mormon1 and pray over and for your families1 your cattle1 your flocks1 your herds1 your corn and all things that you possess2 ask the blessings of ,god upon all your labors1 add everything that you engage in4 --,joseph ,smith4 #agc ,,the ,,character ,,of ,,the ,,mormon ,,people4 ,,by ,,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts4 ,,introduction4 ,in the ancient ,city of ,rome1 at the time that ,st4 ,paul went there on an appeal to ,caesar's judgment seat1 about the year #fb ,a4,d41 the followers of ,christ were denominated1 ,that sect which is everywhere spoken against4 ,and as it was with the ,christians then1 so it is with the ,mormons now4 ,everything that is wicked or damnable was once charged upon the ,christians4 ,even the just historian ,tacitus was so far deceived by the wicked misrepresentations of their enemies1 as to speak of them as a set of people who were holden in abhorrence for their crimes1 and called by the vulgar ',christians4' ,he also says--speaking of them as a body--,they were criminals1 and deserving the severest punishment4 ,the same writer calls their religion a pernicious superstition4 ,indeed1 we may say to the opponents of ,mormonism1 however skilful they may be in the use of calumny or the distortion of facts1 it would be difficult for them to charge upon the ,mormons more heinous crimes than were charged upon primitive ,christians4 ,it was commonly reported of them that in the celebration of the ,eucharist they were in the habit of slaying a male child1 whose flesh they ate1 and whose blood they drank in remembrance of the body and blood of the founder of their religion4 ,in short1 they were held to be the enemies of mankind1 the disturbers of social customs1 and a standing menace to all governments2 while their religion was looked upon as the sum of villainy and absurdity4 ,in the same light the ,mormons are regarded to-day4 ,but perhaps ,i shall be pardoned for suggesting that it is just possible that the world is as much mistaken respecting the character and religion of the ,mormons now1 as it formerly was respecting the ,christians and their religion4 ,no prejudice is so cruel as that growing out of religious controversy4 ,at any rate1 we know that the most cruel wars #agd have risen through a determination to resist religious innovations1 or efforts to reform religious systems4 ,while the acts of inhuman cruelty1 which most disgrace our race1 have been perpetrated in vain endeavors to suppress what have been considered heresies1 and silence their advocates4 ,in short1 the most unrelenting hatred1 the most lasting prejudices have grown out of differences in religious opinions4 ,the ,messiah1 doubtless1 was guided as much by ,his knowledge of human nature as ,he was by inspiration when ,he exclaimed3 ,think not that ,i have come to bring peace upon earth2 ,i came not to send peace1 but a sword4 ,for ,i came to set a man at variance against his father1 and the daughter against her mother1 and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law4 ,and a man's foes shall be they of his own household 7,matt4 x1 #cd-cf74 ,it is because ,mormonism involves a religious controversy that the prejudices against it are so deep seated1 and the misrepresentation of its devotees so persistent4 ,joseph ,smith1 in his youth1 announced a new revelation from ,god2 and as the ,christian world had been1 and are1 taught that no more revelation is to be given1 that the ,bible contains all that ,god ever did1 and all that ,he ever will reveal to man1 the proclamation that ,god had again spoken aroused the ire of the religious teachers of that day1 and when1 in spite of their efforts to stay its progress1 they saw the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints increasing in numbers and influence1 these pseudo religious teachers sought to overwhelm with falsehood1 misrepresentation and slander what they could not overcome with reason and fairness4 ,and the absurd1 childish stories then invented by religious opponents of ,mormonism they still rehashed with variations to suit ever shifting conditions1 the mass constantly growing as fast as new falsehoods or distorted facts can be marshalled into service4 ,on this point ,i quote the following from the ,new ,york ,world of recent date4 ,the ,world is one of the leading journals of ,america1 and1 in giving an epitome of the history and faith of the ,mormons1 it said3 ,in matters of dogma there was little or nothing in its creed to distinguish it from any other orthodox sect1 but its possession of an alleged addition to the ,bible and the austerity and severity of the code of morals inculcated drew to it immediately a large following4 ,the same spirit of intolerance which in ,massachusetts slit the ears of ,quakers and banished ,baptists under pain of death1 blazed forth as fiercely as in the days of ,athanasius and ,arius4 ,the pulpit rang with denunciations of the new sect1 every calumny that could be invented was #age invented and believed1 and the ,mormons were driven from place to place1 robbed1 beaten1 imprisoned and murdered1 exactly as the founders of every other ,christian sect were persecuted4 ,,the ,,cause ,,of ,,misrepresentation4 ,there are two classes of men in ,utah who are interested in defaming the character of the ,mormon people4 ,these are the religious and political adventurers who have drifted into the ,territory4 ,the former went there professedly to convert the ,mormons from the error of their way2 but not being successful in getting sufficient converts from the ,mormon ,church to establish congregations that could pay their salaries1 they have ever been dependent upon the people of the ,eastern ,states for their support and means with which to build churches4 ,they soon discovered that the amount of means they could raise depended upon the strength of the feeling they could incite in the minds of their supporters in the ,eastern ,states4 ,the more licentious and blood-thirsty the ,mormon community was represented to be1 the greater ,christian heroes were these ministers considered1 and therefore the more readily were ducats poured into their laps to carry on this spiritual war1 against the supposed man of sin situated in the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,granting a few honorable exceptions1 these professed ministers of ,christ have invented and retailed the most abominable falsehoods respecting the ,latter-day ,saints1 well knowing that the prejudice existing against the ,mormon religion would so blind the eyes and close the ears of the people that it would be next to impossible for their calumnies and misrepresentations to be exposed4 ,and if now and then their base purposes were brought for a moment to the light1 and some few of their falsehoods contradicted1 the effect could only be momentary1 and the exploded sensational reports of ,mormon atrocities would be supplanted by ten thousand others more horrible but equally baseless4 ,the political adventurers1 alluded to in the above1 are men who have come into the ,territory principally by being appointed to the ,federal offices within the gift of the ,president of the ,united ,states4 ,it must be understood that a ,territory in the ,american ,government occupies much the same relationship to that government that a crown colony does to the imperial government of ,great ,britain2 and the ,president appoints the ,governor1 ,secretary1 the ,district judges1 the ,marshal1 ,commissioners1 #agf and indirectly a number of other officers in the ,territory4 ,it has been the policy of the chief executives of the nation in the past to reward their supporters1 or the supporters of their political friends in the respective states with appointments to these positions2 and to satisfy popular clamor raised by religious opponents1 men with avowed hatred of ,mormonism have usually been sought to fill these ,federal offices4 ,another fact bearing on the character of these appointees must be taken into consideration2 and that is1 as a general thing1 men who will consent to accept an appointment to positions in the ,territories are fifth or sixth rate politicians1 whose political prospects where they are known have dwindled to a forlorn hope4 ,no man who has an opportunity of succeeding in political or business life in his own state will consent to abandon his prospects and life long associations for a temporary position in a ,territory where1 from the very nature of things1 he can never hope for a hearty support of the people among whom he thrusts his unwelcome presence4 ,why8 ,because he is not of them4 ,he is not their choice for the position2 he is not responsible to the community for the manner in which he discharges his official duties--a condition of affairs that is absolutely incompatible with the existence of harmony between the administrator of the laws and the community they effect1 in a country where the people are educated to the idea that ,governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed4 ,i find these two points relative to political and ecclesiastical adventurers sustained by the testimony of ,james ,w4 ,barclay1 a member of the ,british ,parliament1 who visited ,utah in #ahhc1 and published the results of his observations in the ,january ,no41 #ahhd1 of the ,nineteenth ,century4 ,the ,century is a monthly magazine published in ,london4 ,he says3 ,i apprehend that the animosity of ,mormonism is principally due to the efforts of the host of hungry office-seekers who would find lucrative posts in ,utah were the ,mormons disfranchised1 and by the missionaries from the ,eastern ,states who come to turn the ,mormons from the error of their ways1 and whose income depends on the strength of the feelings they can excite in their supporters4 ,utah is still a ,territory1 and1 as such1 its ,governor1 ,lieutenant-,governor and ,marshal1 and other officials of the ,federal ,government1 are nominated by the ,president of the ,united ,states1 and are of course non-,mormons2 but the municipal and other local officials are elected by the ,mormons4 ,if the ,mormons could be disfranchised in a body1 #ejj lucrative posts in ,utah would be open to ,gentile office-seekers4 ,according to the legislature which might be adopted1 the offices would be filled #agg either by the ,president of the ,united ,states or by the small minority of ,gentiles in ,utah4 ,,mormons ,,wronged ,,by ,a ,,sensational ,,press4 ,unfortunately the religious and political adventurers in ,utah can succeed in their designs the more readily because the agents sending out the ,associate ,press dispatches to the entire press of the country are in sympathy with these parties or controlled by them2 so that all information going out to the country at large from that source is generally distorted to the disparagement of the ,mormons4 ,in addition to this1 it will be remembered that the ,american ,press is nothing if not sensational4 ,this is true in a general sense1 it is doubly so in relation to the ,mormon ,question4 ,ever ready to pander to the prejudice of the populace1 and finding the ,mormon people the victims of popular hate and without political influence1 the ,american ,press has recklessly traduced the character of as noble a community as ever graced ,god's earth4 ,every sensational rumor derogatory to their character has been seized upon with avidity and published without reserve1 while the correction of the mis-statements or the vindication of their character has seldom struggled through the columns of the press to the public eye4 ,the people of ,america1 and other countries1 too1 have taken everything for granted that has been said against the ,mormon people1 no matter how absurd it is1 or how unreliable the source from whence it came4 ,very few men have had the fairness to investigate ,mormonism for themselves1 or inquire into the character of the ,mormon people4 ,respecting the misrepresentation of the ,mormon people and the source from whence the public has drawn its views and fed its prejudices1 ,i introduce the testimony of ,mr4 ,phil4 ,robinson1 an ,english journalist and correspondent of note1 and a traveler of world wide experience2 and who is at present the editor of the ,court and ,society ,review1 published in ,london4 ,mr4 ,robinson went to ,utah in #ahhb1 where he remained for three months4 ,he visited nearly every town and village in the ,territory1 and saw the people at their firesides and at work in their fields1 as well as in their public meetings--in fact he saw them in all the relations of life--and on the subject of their misrepresentation1 he says3 ,whence have the public derived their opinions about it meaning #agh ,mormonism8 ,from anti-,mormons only4 ,i have ransacked the literature of the subject1 yet ,i really could not tell any one where to go for an impartial book about it later in date than ,burton's ,city of the ,saints published in #ahfb4 ,there is not1 to my knowledge1 a single ,gentile work before the public that is not utterly unreliable from its distortion of facts4 ,how can anyone have respect for literature or the men who1 without knowing anything of the lives of ,mormons1 stigmatize them as profane1 adulterous and drunken8 ,these men write of the squalid poverty of the ,mormons1 of their obscene brutality1 of their unceasing treason towards the ,united ,states1 of their blasphemous repudiation of the ,bible1 without one particle of information on the subject1 except such as they gather from the books and writings of men whom they ought to know are utterly unworthy of credit1 or from the verbal calumnies of apostates2 and what the evidence of apostates is worth history has long ago told us 99 99 99 ,i am now stating facts2 and ,i1 who have lived among the ,mormons and with them1 can assure my readers that every day of my residence increased my regret at the misrepresentation these people have suffered 7,sinners and ,saints1 ,roberts and ,sons1 ,boston74 ,,testimony ,,of ,,non-,,mormon ,,witnesses4 ,i here introduce the testimony of a number of non-,mormon witnesses to the character of the ,mormon people and their religion4 ,first1 ,i refer to the article by ,mr4 ,barclay1 ,m4 ,p41 published in the ,nineteenth ,century1 ,january1 #ahhd3 ,mormon home-steads have a tidier appearance than is usual in the ,west1 and the general air of comfort and prosperity which prevails is the best evidence of the persevering1 industrious habits of the people444,there is nothing peculiar in the ,mormon creed to account for the great influence which ,mormonism exercises among its followers4 ,the success of ,mormonism and its steady progress must therefore be due either to the manner in which ,mormons carry into practice the religion they profess1 or to its organization4 ,in my opinion the results are due to two influences4 ,first1 there is no religious caste or class4 ,from the president downwards1 the office-bearers of the ,church are selected by the voice of the ,mormon community2 they require no special qualification1 and no one receives any salary or other emolument2 the missionaries dispatched to all parts of the world do not receive even traveling expenses4 ,and1 in the second place1 ,mormonism interests itself as much in the temporal as in the spiritual concerns of its members3 ,church and ,state are1 in short1 identical4 ,the ,mormon community is an enlarged family1 bound together by privileges and duties1 one principal duty being to care for the helpless and the needy4 ,at the same time1 every individual has full freedom of action4 ,there is no compulsion on any ,mormon beyond the public opinion of his fellows1 and none is possible4 ,apostasy #agi even does not appear to be attended with serious consequences to the apostate's material interests4 ,some of the largest merchants in ,salt ,lake ,city have apostatized from the ,church1 and although the population of ,utah is about nine-tenths ,mormon1 their business seems to prosper as before4444 ,in morality1 as far as shown by statistics1 the ,mormons greatly excel the ,gentiles in their midst1 and the general population of the ,states4 ,in the winter of #ahha1 a census was taken of the prisoners in ,utah1 with the following result3--,in the ,city prison were twenty-nine convicts1 and in the ,county prison six convicts1 all non-,mormons4 ,in the penitentiary1 out of fifty-one prisoners only five were ,mormons1 two of whom were for polygamy2 and of #abe prisoners in the lock-ups1 eleven were ,mormons1 some for polygamy4 ,the arrests in ,salt ,lake ,city1 from the #ast of ,january to the #hth of ,december1 #ahha1 were classified as follows3 ,mormons3 ,non-,mormons3 ,men and boys #afc ,men and boys #feg ,women #f ,women #aid ,total #afi ,total #hea ,of the population of ,salt ,lake ,city1 about #ge per cent4 is ,mormon1 and #be per cent4 non-,mormon4 ,of the suicides in ,utah1 #ij per cent41 and of the homicides and infanticides #hj per cent41 are committed by the #ag per cent4 of non-,mormons4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,mormons1 as a people1 are tolerant1 temperate1 peaceable1 and industrious4 ,temperance is in some cases carried to the extreme of abstinence from alcohol of all kinds1 tobacco1 and tea4 ,before the ,federal ,government exercised so much authority as now1 drinking saloons and other establishments of vice were prohibited2 and1 although a few professing ,mormons keep drinking saloons1 they are held in disgrace4444 ,certain it is that1 whatever the causes may be1 there is among the ,latter-day ,saints a mutual feeling of helpfulness and trust1 and whatever the ,gentiles may say1 the sentiments towards the heads of the community are respect1 confidence1 and ,i might say affection4 ,i had the pleasure of traveling for some days in the company of a ,mormon ,elder1 a gentleman of great ability1 intelligence and courtesy1 and ,i was much struck by the evident cordiality of his reception by his co-religionists1 as well as by his genuine kindness1 without any tinge of condescension towards his humbler brethren4 ,there was on both sides an evident feeling of perfect equality combined with respect and affection4 ,it is the same with the ,president4 ,so far as ,i observed and could learn1 ,president ,taylor is regarded with greater respect by the ,mormons than is the ,president of the ,united ,states by its citizens1 and at the same time his office is open to all1 and he is prepared to hear what the humblest ,mormon has to say4 ,again ,i turn to the testimony of ,mr4 ,robinson3 ,i have seen and spoken to and lived with ,mormon men and women of every class1 and never in my life1 in any ,christian country1 #ahj have ,i come in contact with more consistent piety1 sobriety and neighborly charity4 ,i say this deliberately1 without a particle of odious sanctimony1 these folks are in their words and actions as ,christian as ever ,i thought to see men and women 4 4 4 ,the ,mormons are a peasant people1 with many of the faults if peasant life1 but with many of the best human virtues as well4444,the demeanor of the women in ,utah1 as compared with ,brightan or ,washington1 is modesty itself2 and the children are just such healthy1 vigorous1 pretty children as one sees in the country or by the sea-side in ,england444444 ,utah-born girls1 the offspring of plural wives1 have figures that would make ,paris envious2 and they carry themselves with almost oriental dignity4 ,there is nothing1 so far as ,i have seen1 in the manners of ,salt ,lake ,city to make me suspect the existence of that licentiousness of which so much has been written1 but a great deal on the contrary to convince me of a perfectly exceptional reserve and self-respect4 ,it is only a blockhead that could mistake the natural gayety of the country for any other than it is4 ,i know1 too1 from medical assurance1 that ,utah has the practical argument of healthy nurseries to oppose to the theories of those who attack its domestic relations on physiological grounds4 4 44 ,a healthier and more stalwart community ,i have never seen2 while among the women ,i saw many refined faces1 and remarked that robust health seemed the rule4444 ,mutual charity is one of the bonds of ,mormon union4 ,it is published officially that the bishops of every ward are to see there are no persons going hungry4' ,what a contrast to turn from this text of universal charity to the infinite meanness of those who can write of the whole community of ,mormons as 'the villainous spawn of polygamy6' 4 4 4 ,instead of the ,mormons being as a class profane1 they are as a class singularly sober in their language1 and indeed in this respect resemble the ,quakers4 ,the payment of the tithings is as nearly voluntary as the collection of a revenue necessary for carrying on a government can possibly be allowed to be444 ,it is not true that the ,church interferes with the domestic relations of the people4 ,when ,i remember what classes of people their men and women are chiefly drawn from1 and the utter poverty in which most of them arrive1 ,i cannot in sincerity do otherwise than admire and respect the system which has fused such unpromising material of so many nationalities into one homogeneous whole4--,sinners and ,saints4 ,bishop ,d4 ,s4 ,tuttle1 for years an ,episcopal clergyman in ,salt ,lake ,city1 an opponent of ,mormonism1 but an honorable one1 in a lecture on ,mormonism1 delivered in ,new ,york and published in the ,new ,york ,sun1 says3 ,in ,salt ,lake ,city alone there are #ag1jjj ,latter-day ,saints4 ,now1 who are they8 ,i will tell you1 and ,i think1 that after ,i have concluded1 you will look on them more favorably than you have been accustomed to do4 ,springing from the centre of your own ,state 7,n4,y47 in #ahcj1 they drifted slowly westward until they finally rested in the ,basin of the ,great ,salt ,lake4 ,i know that the people of the east have obtained the most unfavorable opinion of them1 and have judged them unjustly4 ,they have many traits that are worthy of admiration1 #aha and they believe with fervent faith that their religion is a direct revelation from ,god4 ,we of the east are accustomed to look upon the ,mormons as either a licentious arrogant or rebellious mob1 bent only on defying the ,united ,states ,government and deriding the faith of the ,christians4 ,this is not so4 ,i know them to be honest1 faithful1 prayerful workers1 and earnest in their faith that heaven will bless the ,church of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,another strong and admirable feature in the ,mormon religion is the tenacious and efficient organization4 ,they follow with the greatest care all the forms of the old church4 ,i next quote from the contribution of the ,rev4 ,john ,c4 ,kimball of ,hartford1 ,connecticut1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a41 to ,the ,index1 published in ,boston1 ,mass41 #ahhd4 ,after introducing the testimony of a number of writers to the general good character of the ,mormon people1 he says3 ,still stronger is the evidence derived from official statistics as to their intelligence and virtue4 ,in ,salt ,lake ,city1 in #ahha1 the published reports show that the arrests for crime were fourteen times as many among the ,gentiles1 in proportion to their number1 as among the ,mormons2 and taking the ,territory as a whole1 the ,gentile population furnished forty-six convicts in the penitentiary1 where the ,mormon population1 number for number1 furnished one6 ,according to the ,united ,states census1 ,massachusetts has four times as many convicts to the same population as ,utah2 four and a half times as many idiots and insane1 and nine times as many paupers4 ,utah in school attendance1 according to the same authority the ,united ,states census for #ahhj1 is ahead of ,massachusetts2 and with all that has been said about the ignorance of its people and its immense foreign immigration1 its proportion of people that cannot read and write is put down as less than that of ,new ,england4 ,and still more striking1 the women there instead of being kept in ignorance and subjection1 are educated in the same studies and to the same extent as the boys and men1 are equally fitted to earn their own living out in the world and to maintain an independent career4 ,captain ,burton1 of the ,british army1 published in #ahfb1 a book on the ,mormon people and faith called the ,city of the ,saints4 ,he says3 ,mormonism is emphatically the faith of the poor4 4 4 ,i cannot help thinking that morally and spiritually as well as physically its proteges gain by their transfer from ,europe to ,utah4 4 4 4 ,in point of more morality1 the ,mormon community is perhaps purer than any other of equal numbers4 4 4 4 ,the penalties against chastity1 morality and decency are exceptionally severe4 4 4 4 ,i was much pleased with their religious tolerance4 ,the ,mormons are certainly the least fanatical of our faiths1 owning like the ,hindus1 that every man should walk his own way1 while claiming for themselves superiority in belief and practice4 #ahb ,testimony of like character and of equal respectability could be adduced without limit1 but we think sufficient is here set down to convince people disposed in the least degree to be fair-minded1 however prejudiced they may previously1 have been1 that the reckless charges of crime and immorality made against the ,latter-day ,saints in ,utah by their enemies1 are wickedly false1 and have been invented to deceive4 ,i ask you again to cast your eye over the statements presented to you1 and consider the character of the men who make them4 ,they are not the statements of the occasional tourist of a day1 but the conclusions of men of thought and travel and education1 who visited ,utah for the express purpose of becoming acquainted with the strange faith1 and1 to the world1 the still stranger people4 ,,polygamy4 ,i shall be told1 however1 that the ,mormons believe in and some of them practise a plurality of wives1 and therefore they must be a bad people4 ,but not so fast4 ,before such a conclusion is drawn it will be necessary to prove that a plurality of wives as practised by the ,mormons is in and of itself evil4 ,that principle is as much a part of the religious faith of the women as of the men1 and is practised by and with the consent of all parties concerned4 ,it is practised because the people believe that ,god has commanded it by revelation direct to the ,church1 for the accomplishment of ,his own wise purposes--the rearing of a purer and better race of people4 ,their faith in that revelation is considerably strengthened by reading in the ,holy ,scriptures how ,god favored and blessed with ,his approval that form of marriage among the worthy patriarchs of old2 nay1 how even ,god ,himself gave to ,david1 according to ,his own ,word 7#b ,sam4 xii41 #g1 #h71 a plurality of wives2 thus becoming a party to the evil1 if evil it was4 ,but that which ,god sanctions and approbates can never be said to be evil4 ,and that ,god did sanction the plural wife system of marriage and approve it is evident from the lives of nearly all the patriarchs and prophets spoken of in the ,bible4 ,i know it is said by ,christians that this was in very ancient times1 when people lived under the ,mosaic ,law1 and that the law of carnal commandments was superceded by the new dispensation under ,christ4 ,very well1 then1 shifting the controversy to what is known as the ,christian dispensation1 we challenge #ahc the whole world to produce a single passage from the ,new ,testament directly condemning the plural marriage system of the old patriarchs1 or a passage which1 by fair interpretation1 even by implication condemns it4 ,such a passage cannot be found4 ,and yet the writers of the ,new ,testament did not hesitate to condemn in the most direct and positive manner every species of sin2--strange1 is it not1 that they failed to condemn plural marriage1 if it was by them or their ,master considered sinful8 ,the fact becomes more strange when it is understood that they lived in a country and among a people who practised it4 ,furthermore1 ,abraham1 ,jacob1 and the prophets were frequently the theme of conversation and discourse with the writers of the ,new ,testament1 and if the plural wife system practised by them was sinful1 is it not singular that no condemnation of it should creep into the pages of the ,new ,testament somewhere8 ,i apprehend that much of the prejudice existing against the marriage system of the ,latter-day ,saints arises from confounding it with the polygamy of the ,east--with the harems of ,turkey1 or the bigamy occasionally practiced in ,christian communities2 yet we hope to show1 so far as may be shown in a few brief sentences1 that there is not and cannot be1 from the very nature of society in ,utah1 anything that resembles the ,eastern harem1 nor do the evils exist which grow out of the ordinary case of bigamy4 ,in the first place1 women in ,utah are as free to marry whom they please as they are in any part of the world4 ,mr4 ,phil4 ,robinson says3-- ,it is a mistake to suppose there are no educated women in ,utah3 4 4 4 the young ladies appear as free and independent as in other parts of the ,united ,states4 4 4 4 if the women of ,utah are slaves1 their bonds are loving ones and dearly prized4 ,they are today in the free and unrestricted exercise of more political and social rights than are the women of any other part of the ,united ,states4--,saints and ,sinners4 ,to this add the testimony of ,mr4 ,barclay1 in the article from the ,nineteenth ,century1 before quoted3-- ,the young ladies appear as free and independent as in other parts of the ,united ,states2 and1 if ,i might hazard an opinion1 the young men of ,mormondom will find considerable difficulty in persuading them to be content with the share of a husband4 ,the women of ,mormondom are as free to bestow or withhold their hands in marriage as they are in ,england1 and #ahd there has not been a day since #ahfb--the year in which the first law of ,congress was passed against polygamy--but what it has been within the power of the wife or wives of a man to send him to the penitentiary1 the ,united ,states ,courts being only too glad to entertain her suit1 and break up the polygamous family associations4 ,yet1 in all these years1 there have not been half-a-dozen such cases4 ,this entire freedom of women among the ,mormons robs their plural marriage system of every feature of resemblance to the polygamy of the ,east2 and what is here set down proves that whatever of plural marriage exists in ,utah1 does so by the mutual consent of all the parties concerned4 ,in common bigamy the first marriage is studiously concealed by the party contemplating the second marriage4 ,a man represents himself to a lady as a bachelor1 and under false pretences and fraud obtains possession of her person4 ,soon she discovers that she has been betrayed1 deceived1 degraded1--the sense of shame and sorrow following producing indescribable misery4 ,nor has it been less productive of evil to the first wife4 ,her happiness1 too1 has been wrecked by the perfidy of the wretch she called husband4 ,she has been neglected1 abandoned1 made an outcast4 ,where she looked for loyalty1 she found treason2 where she implicitly trusted1 she has been deceived1 and her misery and shame is as great as the other victim's4 ,now1 none of these evils grow out of the plural marriage system of the ,mormons4 ,in the first place1 a plurality of wives1 under certain conditions and restraints1 is one of the social institutions of the ,society of ,utah1 and has been for more than a generation4 ,as before remarked1 it is practised because the ,mormon people believe it is commanded of ,god2 it is therefore accepted by both man and woman as part of their religious faith1 and is regarded as such by the whole population1--as well by those who do not practise it as by those who do4 ,consequently it breeds no scandal2 it brings no reproach4 ,the position of the plural wife is just as honorable1 in every sense of the word1 as that of the first wife4 ,she is1 in fact1 a wife1 with all the holy associations growing out of that relationship1 and is honored everywhere as such4 ,the same ceremony which unites a man to his first wife is employed to unite him to his second or third1 and the same authority--the authority of ,god--performs it4 ,as with the plural wife1 so with the plural wife's children2 #ahe they are equally honorable with the children of the first wife1--society makes no distinction between them4 ,when a man takes a plural wife no concealment is made of his first marriage1 nor is his first family deserted2 all is open and honest4 ,there is no deceit1 no fraud practiced1 nor can there be4 ,the sanction of the first wife1 and the sanction of parents must be obtained1 together with the sanction and recommendation of the ,bishop who presides over the branch of the ,church where the parties live1 and who has to be able to state in his recommendation that the parties are members of the ,church in good standing2 that means that they are honest before ,god and man1 virtuous1 faithful in discharging every religious and moral duty1 and temperate withal4 ,and unless such a recommendation can be given1 the relationship cannot be contracted4 ,such1 in brief1 is an outline of the conditions hedging about the practice of this principle of plural marriage1 against which ,christians can find no law1 either in the ,old or ,new ,testament1 which even so much as bears the complexion of condemnation1 but very much which will bear witness of ,god's approval of it1 even allowing ,his only-begotten ,son1 so far as ,his earthly parentage is concerned1 to come through such a lineage1 a number of his earthly progenitors being the offspring of plural wives1 and themselves practising it4 ,surely our ,christian friends1 who look forward to reclining upon ,abraham's bosom as one of the highest privileges to be enjoyed in heaven1 ought not to criticise too severely the system of marriage which he practised4 ,,the ,,mission ,,of ,,the ,,mormon ,,elders4 ,much complaint is made by the people of ,england because the ,elders from ,utah1 who are traveling in this country as missionaries1 do not make any particular effort to explain or urge upon people the doctrine of plural marriage4 ,strangers attend our meetings1 and are surprised to hear nothing said upon the subject of plurality of wives1 and go away disappointed2 as if our ,elders on every occasion should have something to say upon that subject4 ,i assure my readers that it is not because the ,elders have any disposition to conceal the fact that the ,latter-day ,saints believe in the rightfulness of the doctrine under the conditions herein set down2 or through any fear that the ,word of ,god can be shown to condemn it4 ,the fact is1 the ,elders from ,utah are servants of ,god sent #ahf forth with a message to the nations of the earth to the effect that ,god has spoken from heaven1 and restored the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 which1 in consequence of the wickedness and violence of men a few centuries after ,christ1 was taken from the earth1 together with the authority to administer in its ordinances4 ,but this ,gospel is now restored1 together with its ancient powers1 gifts1 blessings1 and authorities1 and by the faithful ,elders of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ is being preached as a witness in all the world4 ,it is the business of the ,elders from ,utah to make this important proclamation to the inhabitants of the earth1 and call upon them to repent of their sins1 and warn them that the hour of ,god's judgment is here1 and ,his glorious coming at hand4 ,the practice of plural marriage in ,utah is a very insignificant matter in comparison with the importance of the great message we are here to deliver4 ,we are not here to urge upon people the acceptance of plural marriage1 but to declare the message above alluded to2 though1 of course1 at proper times and under proper circumstances1 we shrink not from the most rigid inquiry into the various principles of our faith4 ,,conclusion4 ,in conclusion1 ,i wish to say that ,i have been reared in ,utah1 have grown up in a ,mormon community1 taught in their schools1 instructed in their faith4 ,it has been my good fortune to listen frequently to the public discourses of their leading ,elders1 and to enjoy a personal acquaintance with many of them1 and never1 either in public or in private have ,i been taught anything contrary to the strictest interpretation of the principles of morality4 ,i know that the entire people1 and especially the young1 are taught and always have been to regard virtue as the pearl of great price1 while adultery and fornication are considered sins next in degree of enormity to the shedding of innocent blood4 ,it has fallen to my lot to travel through nearly all the ,states of ,america and the greater part of ,england1 which has given me the advantage of comparing the ,mormon community with communities existing under other systems of religion and different social customs4 ,i need only say that that comparison--reviled1 scorned1 even hated as the ,mormons are--has #ahg made me more proud of my people1 and my heart swells with gratitude to the ,giver of all good that it has fallen to my lot to be reared among the ,mormons4 ,,appendix4 ,it is frequently claimed by our enemies1 and especially by apostates1 that the ,mormons teach one set of doctrines in ,england as milk for babes1--doctrines which are harmless and even commendable1 but that quite different doctrines are taught in ,utah2 and that murder1 robbery1 adultery1 and1 in fact1 every crime known to man is not only winked at1 but taught as a duty1 as part of the religion of the ,saints4 ,to support these statements1 garbled quotations and mutilated extracts from the utterances of the leading ,elders of the ,church are cited from the ,journal of ,discourses1 followed up by the assertion that these discourses are only preached in ,utah2 when1 in fact1 the ,journal of ,discourses was a semi-monthly periodical published in ,liverpool1 commencing in #ahed and continued up to some two years ago1 and widely circulated in ,england2 the ,church authorities having nothing to fear from a publication of their discourses1 where all that they said was presented to the people4 ,,the ,,mountain ,,meadow ,,massacre4 ,in the summer of #aheg1 a company of emigrants passed through ,utah1 en route for ,california4 ,they took what is known as the southern route1 and while going through some of the settlements in ,southern ,utah1 they were both impertinent and abusive4 ,they poisoned several springs1 and also the carcass of an ox which had died4 ,several ,indians drinking the water and eating the carcass died from the effects4 ,the result was that the ,indians became enraged1 and being joined by a few white men--among them ,john ,d4 ,lee--who1 unfortunately1 were ,mormons1 the entire company1 excepting a number of children1 were cruelly and inhumanly murdered4 ,this horrid crime has been charged upon the ,mormon ,church1 and especially upon the leading ,elders4 ,the charge is not true4 ,it is wickedly and maliciously false2 was proven to be so by repeated failure of the efforts of his enemies to fasten the crime upon ,brigham ,young4 ,john ,d4 ,lee had two trials for complicity in the horrid affair4 ,in the first trial the jury disagreed4 ,at the second trial1 one ,james ,haslam gave the testimony which ,i here introduce4 ,it is taken from the records of the court4 ,but that the reader may understand its force1 ,i may briefly explain that in #aheg1 upon the misrepresentations of a ,united ,states judge1 the ,united ,states authorities at ,washington had rashly ordered armed forces to ,utah to put down a supposed #ahh rebellion of the ,mormon people1 and in consequence of that army approaching ,utah1 there was considerable excitement throughout the ,territory4 ,this fact made the emigrants passing through ,utah both arrogant and abusive to the people of the ,mormon settlements1 and a council of leading men in those settlements was held to determine upon the course to be pursued towards the emigrants1 and it was decided to send a messenger to ,brigham ,young to learn his views upon it4 ,that messenger was ,haslam2 but before he returned the massacre had taken place--,john ,d4 ,lee having led the ,indians to the attack4 ,this is the testimony as it appears on the court records3-- ,james ,haslam1 of ,wellsville1 ,cache ,valley1 was sworn4 ,he lived in ,cedar ,city in #aheg2 was ordered by ,haight to take a message to ,president ,young with all speed2 knew the contents of the message3 left ,cedar ,city on ,monday1 ,september4 #g1 #aheg1 between #e and #f p4m41 and arrived at ,salt ,lake on ,thursday at #aa a4 m42 started back at #c p4m41 and reached ,cedar about #aa a4 m4 ,sunday morning1 ,september #acth2 delivered the message from ,president ,young to ,haight1 who said it was too late4 ,witness testified that when leaving ,salt ,lake to return1 ,president ,young said to him1 ',go with all speed1 spare no horseflesh4 ,the emigrants must not be meddled with1 if it takes all ,iron ,county to prevent it4 ,they must go free and unmolested4' ,witness knew the contents of the answer4 ,he got back with the message the ,sunday after the massacre1 and reported to ,haight1 who said1 'it is too late4' ,in opening the case of the second trial of ,john ,d4 ,lee1 ,mr4 ,sumner ,howard1 ,ex-,chief ,justice of ,arizona1 and the ,united ,states prosecuting ,attorney said3-- ,he proposed to prove that ,john ,d4 ,lee1 without any authority from any council or officer1 but in direct opposition to the feelings and wishes of the officers of the ,mormon ,church1 had gone to the ,mountain ,meadows1 where the ,indians were then encamped1 accompanied only by one little ,indian boy1 and had assumed command of the ,indians1 whom he had induced1 by promises of great booty1 to attack these emigrants2 that in his attack on the emigrants he was repulsed2 that finding he could not get the emigrants out1 he sent word to the various settlements of ,southern ,utah for men to be sent to him1 representing that the men were needed for various purposes1 to some saying the ,indians had attacked the emigrants1 and it was necessary to have men sent to draw off the ,indians1 to others that men were necessary to protect the emigrants1 and still others that the emigrants were all killed1 and that they were required to bury the dead2 these men went in good faith to perform a humane act2 that he had arranged with the ,indians to bring the emigrants out from their corral1 or fort1 by means of a flag of truce2 that by this act of perfidy he had induced the emigrants to give up their arms and place themselves under his protection1 loading the arms and the wounded with the helpless children into two wagons1 which he had ordered for the purpose2 that he then started the wagons ahead1 following them himself1 and the women following next1 the men bringing up the rear in single file2 that ,lee1 after having traveled from three-quarters of a mile to a mile1 gave the order to fire1 and the slaughter commenced2 that ,lee shot one woman with his rifle1 and #ahi brained another woman2 then drawing his pistol1 shot another1 and seizing a man by the collar and drawing him out of the wagon1 cut his throat2 that he gathered up the property of the emigrants and took it to his own place1 using and selling it for his own benefit and use4 ,all these charges against ,john ,d4 ,lee1 he 7,district ,attorney ,howard7 proposed to prove to the jury by competent testimony beyond reasonable doubt1 or beyond any doubt1 and thought no appeal to the jury would be required to induce them to give a verdict in accordance with the evidence4 ,at the conclusion of the trial1 ,mr4 ,howard ,repeated again that he had come for the purpose of trying ,john ,d4 ,lee1 because the evidence led and pointed to him as the main instigator and leader1 and he had given the jury unanswerable documentary evidence proving that the authorities of the ,mormon ,church knew nothing of the butchery until after it was committed1 and that ,lee1 in his letter to ,president ,young a few weeks later1 had knowingly misrepresented the actual facts relative to the massacre seeking to keep him still in the dark and in ignorance4 ,he had received all the assistance any ,united ,states official could ask on earth in any case4 ,nothing had been kept back1 and he was determined to clear the calender of every indictment against any and every actual guilty participator in the massacre1 but he did not intend to prosecute any one that had been lured to the meadows at the time1 many of whom were only young boys1 and knew nothing of the vile plan which ,lee originated and carried out for the destruction of the emigrants4 ,as stated by ,mr4 ,howard1 ,lee misrepresented the facts to ,brigham ,young respecting the massacre1 and kept him in the dark as to the part he had taken in the butchery1 always saying it was the ,indians who had done it1 and whom he tried in vain to restrain4 ,nor did the facts in the case come to the knowledge of ,brigham ,young until #ahgj2 and as soon as he and the ,church authorities learned that ,lee was implicated in the heartless deed1 they immediately excommunicated him from the ,church1--a thing they would not dare to do had they been connected with him in the crime1 or in any degree responsible for it4 ,numerous efforts have been made to fasten1 the responsibility of this awful crime upon the leaders of the ,mormon ,church4 ,inducements were held out to ,john ,d4 ,lee to implicate ,brigham ,young1 but all to no purpose4 ,after his death1 however1 a supposed confession of his is published by the enemies of the ,mormon people1 and on that the world is asked to believe that the ,mormon ,church and people are responsible for the bloody tragedy2 the thing is too monstrous and absurd for credence4 ,and no people more emphatically condemn that crime than do the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,of it the late ,president ,john ,taylor said1 in an article he furnished for the press1 in #ahhb3-- ,i now come to the investigation of a subject that has been harped upon for the last seventeen years1 namely1 the ,mountain ,meadows massacre4 ,that bloody tragedy has been the chief stock-in-trade for #aij penny-a-liners1 and press and pulpit1 who have gloated in turns by chorus over the sickening details4 ',do you deny it8' ,no4 ',do you excuse it8' ,no4 ,there is no excuse for such a relentless1 diabolical1 sanguinary deed4 ,that outrageous infamy is looked upon with as much abhorrence by our people as by any other parties in this nation or in the world1 and at its first announcement its loathing recital chilled the marrow and sent a thrill of horror through the breasts of the listeners4 ,it was most certainly a horrible deed1 and like many other defenceless tragedies1 it is one of those things that cannot be undone4 ,the world is full of deeds of crime and darkness1 and the question often arises--,who is responsible therefore8 ,it is usual to blame the perpetrators4 ,it does not seem fair to accuse nations1 states1 and communities for deeds perpetrated by some of their citizens1 unless they uphold it4 ,it is by no means improbable that some future text book1 for the use of generations yet unborn1 will contain a question something like this3 ,what historical ,american of the nineteenth century has exerted the most powerful influence upon the destinies of his countrymen8 ,and it is by no means impossible that the answer to that interrogatory may be thus written3 ,joseph ,smith1 ,the ,mormon ,prophet4 --,josiah ,quincy1 #ahdd4 #aia ,a ,,rejected ,,manuscript4 ,,the ,,other ,,side4 ,,leon ,r4 ,,ewing4 ,they are slaves who fear to speak ,for the fallen and the weak2 ,they are slaves who dare not be1 ,in the right with two or three4 ,,introduction ,it is difficult for a fair-minded person to realize how hard it is to find space in leading newspapers and magazines for words of defense when expressed in favor of an unpopular people4 ,their columns are open to attacks1 but seldom do we find one blessed with sufficient independence of mind to present the unpopular side to the public4 ,the lady from ,ohio who is the author of the following manuscript is not the first to discover this4 ,this manuscript was rejected by ,modern ,culture1 ,current ,history1 ,the ,arena1 ,the ,forum1 ,the ,world's ,work1 ,munsey's1 ,harper's ,monthly1 ,mc,clure's1 and ,the ,worlds ,today4 ,it was then sent to ,ben ,e4 ,rich of ,atlanta1 ,georgia1 accompanied by a letter1 from which we quote as follows3 ,your name has within the last year or two come to me as that of a representative of the ,mormon people1 and ,i therefore take the liberty of calling your attention to a matter that will doubtless interest you4 ,upon more than one occasion ,i have sojourned in the state of ,utah for a considerable length of time1 and have had abundant opportunities of judging your people from more than one standpoint4 ,i have met them in both city and country1 in their homes 7polygamous and otherwise71 and in their business4 ,i have met them socially in many ways1 and have mingled with them when they have met in exercise of their religious faith4 ,when first thrown among them1 ,i knew of nothing that would cause me to be predisposed in their favor1 having read many things derogatory to their character as ,american citizens1 and to their virtue and purity in social and family relations4 ,i endeavored1 however1 to judge them on their own merits and not on opinions advanced by other people4 ,as a result1 ,i found much to admire and little to condemn4 ,above everything else1 ,i found them sincere and honest1 and learned to know that the mistakes and blunders of individuals were of the head and not of the heart4 ,i have come to regard many of them as my friends1 and will always feel an interest in the people as a whole4 ,i have1 however1 been much annoyed by the scurrilous articles that have of late been written about them1 and have often had in my mind to take up the cudgel in their defense4 ,as to the truth of many of the adverse stories that have been told in the past1 ,i am in no position to judge1 #aib but of the untruth of the more recent ones1 ,i am sure4 ,looking at the past in the light of the present1 ,i am inclined to the belief that those earlier stories contain much fiction1 and some have been absolutely disproved4 ,a particularly objectionable article having not long ago come to my notice1 ,i wrote in protest to the magazine publishing it4 ,the editor in a personal reply requested me to write him what ,i knew personally about the subject under discussion4 ,i thereupon decided to offer him for publication something in the nature of a response to the previous article1 thus showing the ,mormon people as ,i knew them to be4 ,the magazine in question 7,modern ,culture1 now consolidated with ,current ,history71 after having kept them manuscript several weeks1 at last returned it with a curt refusal4 ,upon my demanding an explanation and asking if the objection lay in either diction or lack of style in composition1 ,i received from the ,editor a personal assurance1 that the objection lay only in the unsuitableness of the subject4 ,i afterwards offered it to one magazine after another1 always with the same result4 ,i persevered1 however1 each failure making me more than ever aware of the difficulty of presenting the truth of a matter so long surrounded by prejudice1 but receiving the manuscript back again with the same regularity with which ,i sent it4 ,i will add that but one publication1 ,the ,world's ,work1 offered me a reasonable excuse1 and some of them have since solicited articles on different subjects from my pen4 ,the ,world's ,work presented a very fair exposition of the ,social ,system1 upon which much of ,utah's prosperity is founded1 in the issue of the month previous to that in which ,i offered mine4 ,thinking the matter over1 ,i am more than ever anxious that in some way1 the true conditions prevailing in ,utah shall come to the notice of the ,american people1 deeming it a simple justice due them4 ,i have therefore taken the liberty of thus arousing your interest in that which ,i would fain call the ,rejected ,manuscript1 and of submitting it to you1 with the request that1 if agreeable to you1 it may in some way be brought before the people4 ,with the opening remarks in this introduction1 and the quotation we make from the author's letter1 we give to the public the ,rejected ,manuscript without further comment4 ,a ,,rejected ,,manuscript4 ,utah and ,salt ,lake ,city6 ,how many are the tales which have been told us of this unique city and its queer inhabitants4 ,they have been represented to us as a people1 deep1 dark and mysterious2 a people to be avoided as one would the fallen angels4 ,a people promulgating a religion aimed at the very foundation of civilization1 and undermining its holiest and purest institutions4 ,we have been solemnly informed that once within the clutches of its religious fanatics1 escape would be well nigh impossible4 ,statements which might be applicable to a description of ,thibet1 are even now in print1 #aic and quite recently1 horrible stories of persecution in which the misguided and degraded ,mormons1 having first torn down and trampled upon the ,american flag1 resorted to the flinging of mud1 as well as sticks and stones1 at the devoted head of its sole defender4 ,until within a few years1 ,utah figured as the ,darkest ,africa of this our free and happy ,union4 ,but the tourist has at last1 with admirable bravery1 invaded its forbidden precincts1 overrun its quiet villages1 crowded the quaint streets of its cities1 and laid bare the awful secret of its hidden mystery4 ,alas1 it is but as a tale that is told1 it is even as the big dark of our childish fears1 which only needed investigation to prove its utter nothingness4 ,we find after all1 only a kindly people1 busily engaged1 for the most part1 in overcoming an unproductive soil1 and putting themselves in a way to use to advantage and profit1 the splendid resources with which nature and their own thrift have bountifully provided them4 ,broad and fertile valleys now smile back at us1 where unfruitful wastes once frowned1 and prosperous cities and towns give evidence of true western enterprise2 and the people--they are not so very much unlike other people4 ,one might exclaim1 with a fair tourist whose itinerary last summer1 gave her a day or two in ,salt ,lake ,city--,well1 ,i don't see any one who looks like a ,mormon6 ,what could she have been expecting8 ,there is a tradition among the people in question1 that horns have ceased to decorate their brows1 and that even the rudest of them are quite harmless4 ,apropos of ,salt ,lake ,city2 as all roads once led to ,rome1 so also are there very few western-bound tourists1 who do not find themselves1 at some stage of their wanderings1 guests within its gates4 ,they come from everywhere1 and their expectations are varied4 ,they go in great crowds to the ,tabernacle organ recitals1 where a matchless instrument is touched by a master hand1 while ten thousand can be comfortably seated beneath its pillarless dome1 and lose not one vibration4 ,ah6 ,how can one describe a scene so inspiring8 ,the vast audience spell-bound1 entranced1 forgetful alike of time and place1 deaf to all else save the voice of the wonderful organ1 bearing to them great waves of melody1 now glorious and triumphant in the ,tannhauser and ,william ,tell1 now low and wailing in ,il ,trovatore4 ,now it is the ,lost ,chord and now the ,angels' ,chorus1 lacking only articulation to make it human4 ,and so we listen and marvel1 and make good resolutions1 and the music grows soft and faint1 and far away1 and ceases2 and we find ourselves in a silence that is intense1 vainly striving #aid to catch one more harmonious whisper4 ,it is all over4 ,we are glad1 if we may1 to take the hand of the organist1 and then we go streaming out into the sunshine1 and the great1 bustling1 workaday world claims us once more4 ,we go our various ways feeling the better for this happy hour1 snatched out of the glowing heart of the busy day1 and resolve to go again if time permits4 ,and all this is free4 ,free as the air we breathe1 and the grass we tread upon1 twice a week throughout the year1 save only the winter months4 ,really1 for semi-barbarians1 this is doing very well4 ,when we see this great ,tabernacle filled on a ,sabbath afternoon and hear the charm of five hundred voices added to that of the organ1 and listen to the straightforward addresses of several unsalaried ,saints1 our thoughts go back to the half empty churches of the ,east1 and we feel that we have come upon at least one mystery4 ,whatever are the doctrines ,mormonism teaches1 its votaries seem to be earnest and do not look like a priest-ridden people4 ,in their family life they are extremely hospitable1 and he is fortunate indeed who is admitted as a guest within their homes4 ,we are charmed by their hearty welcome1 and the unostentatious kindness that is showered upon us4 ,socially1 nothing comes amiss with them that can be classed under the head of innocent amusements2 and so the great dancing pavilion and the bathing beach at ,saltair are thronged daily and nightly throughout the season4 ,saltair6 ,there is nothing to equal it4 ,one thousand couples can dance upon its polished floor1 while the soft breezes from over the great ,salt ,lake cool the flushed cheek and stimulate the most lagging appetite2 or1 we join the bathers and go for a dip in its briny water4 ,refreshed and invigorated1 we rest upon the broad balconies and watch the sun in a sea of crimson and purple and gold as it sinks behind the mountains1 which are really islands1 set like gems1 in the bosom of the great lake4 ,later1 we find ourselves-wondering if famed ,italian and ,venetian moons can give us any clearer light1 and how their radiance can flood a night more delicious than this4 ,the strains of ,home1 ,sweet ,home1 in the closing waltz1 and the thinned-out ranks of the dancers1 warn us that the last train for the city is due1 and sixteen miles might prove wearisome1 however bright the moonlight4 ,saltair is upon every one's lips4 ,no visitor misses it1 unless compelled by an adverse fate2 and we find ourselves drawn back again and again1 each time more charmed than the last4 ,like the mountains1 it attracts and fascinates--the mountains1 which rear their misty outlines in the blue distance1 and beckon and mock us4 ,five miles away #aie they appear as tantalizingly close2 indeed1 we might run over to the base of one1 by way of a constitutional before breakfast4 ,we discover1 alas6 that distance lends enchantment4 ,we are left in no possible doubt that there is a distance4 ,the main street of the city apparently runs directly into them1 and ,city ,creek ,canon1 from whose clear stream its thirsty thousands drink1 is reached by only a short drive4 ,salt ,lake is truly a mountain-girt city1 and its founders must have resembled them in strength of purpose and steadfast effort4 ,to have reclaimed the desert and1 in part1 peopled a state1 is no small achievement4 ,the ,mormons foster education and educational institutions4 ,the glory of ,god is intelligence1 they tell us1 and intelligence for women as well as for men4 ,women1 in the ,mormon estimate1 occupies a very high position1 both in ,church and state4 ,you are surprised8 ,you thought her subjected to all sorts of humiliating treatment1 and that polygamy held her hopelessly in subjection8 ,ah6 why not let polygamy rest as the dead issue that it really is8 ,why be always dragging it out and dangling its supposed horrors in the face of every advancement6 ,its practice was limited to but three per cent of those who believed in it as a principle2 but even though an ,angel in ,heaven should declare the truth in the matter prejudice would stop its ears and refuse to hear4 ,why fill our minds with the blood-curdling tales of yellow back literature1 when all the riches of the master minds of bygone centuries are at our disposal8 ,why not show to those whom we considered deluded a manner of living that will win them to us8 ,let us hear no more of the divorce courts and the brothel1 before we cast the first stone at our brothers4 ,divorce is practically unknown among the ,mormons1 and when we assail ,salt ,lake ,city for morals we must remember that half her population is ,gentile1 and that for the last twelve years the head of her city government has been drawn from that source4 ,in forming an impartial estimate of a people1 we choose for our consideration neither the class that is designated as the upper stratum1 nor those whose worldly possessions place them it the bottom1 but go rather to the great middle class1 those who hold a position between the two extremes4 ,the ,mormons profess to have no upper and no lower classes4 ,they aim to meet on common ground1 whatever their worldly inheritance may be4 ,their young men are called upon to give two or three years1 and oftentimes more1 of their life to the spreading of the gospel as they believe and teach it2 and rich #aif and poor1 they go cheerfully1 away from home and friends1 amid unfriendly strangers1 without other recompense than the consciousness of a duty performed4 ,these are the much talked about and much dreaded missionaries1 against whose pernicious influences we are warned4 ,considering the fact that these same ,elders are in many cases beardless youths1 is it not strange that contact with them is so feared1 and discussions looked upon as so dangerous8 ,surely ,christianity in all the nineteen hundred years that have elapsed since its establishment1 has given us sufficient knowledge with which to defend ourselves4 ,why then all this flurry8 ,are we to be forced to believe ourselves on the weaker side8 ,but1 you say they are such smooth fellows4 ,true1 but is the smoothness to be all on one side8 ,let us mass our forces and meet them on even ground1 and who knows whose may be the victory8 ,we have all been told of the shield1 over the appearance of which1 in ancient times1 two warriors quarreled1 only to discover at the last that it presented an entirely different side to each4 ,is there not a possibility that1 after all has been said and done1 we may find there are also two sides to the ,mormon question8 ,history1 we say1 points with unerring finger to bloody deeds and insubordination4 ,in one long procession they pass before us1 ,mountain ,meadow ,massacre1 ,danite ,raids1 ,bloody ,atonement1 political intrigues and gross depravity4 ,they have been called a blot upon our ,western civilization1 and today the map of ,utah is presented with a huge octopus disfiguring its fair proportions1 and whose tentacles reach out into adjoining states4 ,we have surely told you how unreliable are the stories told us of early pioneer days beyond the ,mississippi1 and how fabulous are legends which come to us of its early settlers4 ,we have not considered how large a part the prejudice1 which always follows a religious belief that deviates even in the least from what is known as orthodox1 has played in the lurid tales with which our too eager ears have been regaled4 ,we have fallen into the same error for which we censure the ancient knights2 we have neglected to look upon the other side of the shield4 ,what sad tales of persecution and long suffering we find here4 ,tragedies as sad as any in ,reformation days4 ,from ,kirtland to ,nauvoo1 and across the trackless prairie they were driven1 their weary way marked by the graves of those whose physical strength was not sufficient1 until they reached at last what1 to them1 was a promised land1 the valley of the great ,salt ,lake4 ,desolate and unpromising as it was1 they have made it blossom #aig as the rose4 ,to quote a recent descriptive work1 ,by industry as remarkable as it was well directed1 the desert was converted into an oasis1 and the bare earth1 with its poverty of sands and sage brush1 was made to cover its nakedness with the green vestures of an almost unexampled fecundity4 ,how much truth there is in all that is urged against them1 and how mistaken we may be as to their motives and the underlying principles which dominate their rough and rugged exterior1 those of us who are enough interested must determine for ourselves4 ,strange1 is it not1 that we hear so little mention of the horrors of ,haun's ,mill1 and so few detailed accounts of the mid-winter expulsion from ,nauvoo8 ,general ,thomas ,l4 ,kane1 of ,philadelphia1 visited their deserted city soon after their enemies had driven them away1 and in a lecture delivered on the subject before the ,historical ,society of ,pennsylvania1 used these words3 ,dreadful1 indeed1 was the suffering of these forsaken beings2 bowed and cramped by cold and sunburn1 alternating as each weary day and night dragged on1 they were almost all of them1 the crippled victims of disease4 ,they were there because they had no homes1 nor hospitals1 nor poorhouse1 nor friends to offer them any4 ,they could not satisfy the feeble cravings of their sick2 they had not bread to quiet the fractious hunger-cries of their children4 ,mothers and babes1 daughters and grandparents1 all of them alike were bivouacked in tatters1 wanting even covering to comfort those whom the sick shivers of fever were searching to the marrow4 ,these were ,mormons1 famishing in ,lee ,county1 ,iowa1 in the fourth week of the month of ,september1 in the year of our ,lord1 #ahdf4 ,the city--it was ,nauvoo1 ,illinois4 ,the ,mormons were the owners of that city and the smiling country around4 ,and those who had stopped their plows1 who had silenced their hammers1 their axes1 their shuttles1 and their workshop wheels2 those who had put out their fires and eaten their food1 spoiled their orchards and trampled under foot their thousands of acres of unharvested bread--these were the keepers of their dwellings1 the carousers in their ,temples1 whose drunken riot insulted the ears of their dying4 ,they had the added agony of camping on the snow covered ground without shelter1 in plain sight of their confiscated possessions and desolated hearthstones4 ,another writer thus describes the awful scene3 ,out into the trackless ,american wilds1 into an ,indian country1 the ',mormons' wended their way1 weary and destitute1 for more than fifteen hundred miles1 their pathway being marked by the graves of their dead4 ,the history of their privations and suffering is harrowing in the extreme4 ,the #aih lives of not less than a thousand of their number were sacrificed in the relentless persecutions connected with the exodus from ,illinois4 ,need we be surprised that a feeble protest was raised against the too zealous enforcement of laws framed to this very end1 or that a sense of injustice should be the result of such vigorous treatment8 ,we hear nothing nowadays of the battalion furnished by the ,mormon refugees1 for the defense of the flag in ,california and ,mexico1 at a time1 too1 when every able-bodied man was needed for defense against hostile ,indians1 hunger and all the other dangers attendant upon pioneer travel4 ,in answer to this demand1 ,brigham ,young said3 ,you shall have your battalion1 ,captain ,allen2 and if there are not young men enough1 we will take the old men1 and if they are not enough1 we will take the women4 ,in three days the force was mustered and ready to march4 ,and again to the assembled people3 ,i say unto you1 magnify the laws4 ,there is no law in the ,united ,states1 or in the ,constitution1 but ,i am ready to make honorable4 ,here is the message which came over the wires when amid the turmoil of the first years of the ,civil ,war1 the ,overland telegraph line was completed3 ,utah has not seceded1 but is firm for the ,constitution and laws of our once happy country1 and is warmly interested in such useful enterprises as the one so far completed4 ,a similar demonstration of patriotism and love of progress took place when the first iron horse1 over the ,union ,pacific1 came puffing into the ,territory3 ,utah bids you welcome4 ,hail to the great ,national highway4 ,and this from their ,articles of ,faith3 ,we believe in being subjects to kings1 presidents1 rulers1 and magistrates2 in obeying1 honoring1 and sustaining the law4 ,these do not sound like the utterances of a people1 jealously guarding from the intrusion of civilization1 a region in which they might entrench themselves1 and defy the advancement of law1 order and ,christianity4 ,as our luxurious ,pullman bears us swiftly and comfortably over the rolling prairie1 do we ever give a thought to the patient1 downtrodden ones #aii who marked out the path for us8 ,those who1 in the words of one of their own poets3 ,as armed with mighty faith1 no foe could vaunt1 ,no powers appall1 no pending danger daunt4 ,and what of the ,mountain ,meadow ,massacre and the ,danite band8 ,the daring perpetrator of the former outrage was willingly given over to the just retribution which awaited him1 arid the existence of the ,avenging ,angels as an organization under the direction and receiving the sanction of ,mormon leaders1 was long ago exploded as the fabrication of an over-excited and too active imagination4 ,we can find no more substantial foundation remaining to it than that which underlies any other myth or tradition4 ,let the dead past bury its dead4 ,let us take the ,mormon people as we find them today and try to discover in them a little good rather than wholesale evil4 ,let us commend them for the benefit1 however small1 that they have bestowed upon their day and generation1 and cover with the mantle of charity1 if enough of that priceless commodity be left in the world1 the unintentional evil they may have done1 and the mistakes they may have made4 ,the wrong doing of individuals should not be visited upon the heads of the entire community1 and narrow1 personal prejudices should not be allowed to warp our good judgment4 ,this is an age of wide research and broad acquirements1 and we will not find our ,mormon countrymen very far behind in the race for all that broadens and enlightens4 ,they have their own poets1 their own artists and their own musicians4 ,you can find them represented in the universities and in the studios1 and in the conservatories of music of more than one foreign city1 as well as in those of our own fair land4 ,wherever education and culture congregate1 you will find a colony of them2 and they are not unknown in the scientific and the professional world2 neither are they lacking in manufacturers and financiers4 ,the great ,tabernacle organ 7second to none in the country7 is presided over by one of their own young musicians1 and the baton is wielded by one of their own faith1 over the ,tabernacle choir1 which has more than once earned the wonder and applause of ,california audiences4 ,it is a ,mormon girl1 granddaughter of one of ,mormonism's great leaders1 who has recently made her debut1 and taken by storm one ,eastern city after another1 charming them alike by her personality and her ability2 and whose marvelous voice a conservative ,boston paper has likened to that of ,patti4 ,an exploring #bjj party1 sent out by a ,mormon institution of learning1 has only just returned after having penetrated with infinite hardship1 privation and determination1 deeply into the forbidden wilds of ,south ,africa1 endeavoring to give to the world of science and research information that is valuable and rare4 ,one of the remarkable things about the ,mormons is1 that they are a travelled people4 ,as we meet them and converse with them1 we wonder at the various phases of human life with which they seem to be familiar1 and the ease with which many of them are able to settle1 for themselves1 many vexed social problems4 ,but they are either extremely modest1 or foreign sojourn has become so ordinary a thing with them1 that they attach no unusual significance to it2 for it is only upon questioning them1 or after having known them some time1 that the secret of it is made known4 ,ah1 yes1 we say1 travel is a good schoolmaster1 and we broaden and deepen under its discipline4 ,but there are many kinds of travelers2 the mere globe trotter1 hastening from one capital to another1 seeing much1 but perceiving little1 and resembling the woman who was asked by a friend what most impressed her in one of ,germany's tourist-infested cities4 ,after due consideration she replied1 ,well1 ,i think of all the things ,i remember with most delight1 the very best were the delicious ,frankfort sausages4 ,ye gods and little fishes6 ,frankfort sausages1 indeed6 ,if she was an ,american we renounce all claim to her4 ,he who would reap lasting benefit must be possessed of the seeing eye1 and know the meaning of insight as well as sight4 ,but if travel alone can do so much for us1 of how much greater value the sojourner under many skies1 and amid various manners and customs1 gleaning a little here and a little there1 and adding daily to our lore of people and things4 ,not alone is this true of the ,mormon man1 but in a great measure true also of the woman4 ,they have extended their itinerary to the islands of the sea1 and countries oriental4 ,they have practically belted the globe1 and gathered from the rich treasures of its world-old storehouses1 that which centuries have been amassing2 and they bring it all and lay it at the feet of their well-beloved home land4 ,for they are proud of their country1 proud of the flag she flies and intensely proud of their lovely ,deseret4 ,they are proud of their heroic men and women1 brave daughters of the desert1 tried and true1 who laid the foundations upon which they are engaged in building a superstructure that will do lasting honor to those who suffered so much in establishing it4 #bja ,a great incentive for the acquisition of knowledge is given to the advocate of ,mormonism by the belief that no advancement made in this life will go as naught when death overtakes him4 ,he will go on progressing throughout the countless ages of eternity1 without the power of sin to retard his efforts1 and with all the vast recourses of celestial lore to accelerate his speed4 ,he accounts for different degrees of intelligence observed in individuals in this life1 by his theory of pre-existence1 in which some had attained a greater advancement than had others4 ,he does not deny salvation to any of the human race1 and believes that no erring soul will be forever lost4 ,he hopes for all his dead a chance for glorification equal to his own2 and in the beautiful temples scattered over ,utah1 he unselfishly does for them1 what is to him a work of redemption4 ,the largest and most beautiful of them all is visible to the visitor to ,salt ,lake ,city1 standing in the midst of the city4 ,its white and glistening towers1 supporting the gilded statue of the ,mormon angel ,moroni1 come into sight long before the outlines of any other architecture4 ,built of native granite1 at an outlay of nearly three million dollars1 forty years were given to its construction and embellishment4 ,in all justice to these people1 let us say1 ,we admire you for the progress you have made1 the stern determination you have shown1 and while we may not agree with you in your religious tenets1 we recognize you as brother ,americans and co-patriots1 under a flag and constitution which is broad enough to shelter all creeds and all true men4 ,we believe you when you say that plural marriage is a thing of the past1 and we think the better of you for honoring ties already formed4 ,so will we prove ourselves possessed of ,christian toleration for those who dare dispute our pet theories1 and place ourselves in a way to do a tardy justice4 ,we believe all things1 we hope all things1 we have endured many things1 and hope to be able to endure all things4 ,if there is anything virtuous1 lovely or of good report or praiseworthy1 we seek after these things4 7,articles of ,faith47 ,truly1 if ,utah and her people were one-half as bad as she has been painted1 she would deserve a fate ten times more dreadful than any that her enemies have as yet devised for her4 ,a just ,god could do no less than cause the thunderbolts of ,his wrath to fall upon her and consume her1 that the earth might be purified of her polluting influence4 ,but how different from the awful picture do we really find her6 #bjb ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #a4 ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,there are so many different religious systems in the world1 each claiming not only to be right but to be divine1 that a rational mind1 unwarped by sect or creed1 is likely to become bewildered and disgusted in efforts to reach and embrace religious truth4 ,the claim frequently put forth that all the ,christian sects are right is a palpable absurdity4 ,truth is always consistent with itself4 ,it is error that causes confusion4 ,two opposing systems cannot both be correct4 ,they may both be wrong1 but it is impossible for both to be right4 ,there may be some truth in every religion that has been foisted upon the world4 ,indeed1 without that no system could have continued existence4 ,it is that portion of each religion which is true that keeps it alive and makes its errors plausible4 ,to say that ,god is the author of the conflicting religions which distract mankind1 is to charge him with inconsistency and folly4 ,that which comes from ,god must of necessity be true4 ,this needs no argument2 it is so self-evident that many thinking people1 beholding the contention and strife of ages over religious affairs1 have formed the opinion that all religions are human1 conceived in the minds of men and promulgated for selfish purposes4 ,yet1 admitting that there is a ,supreme ,being1 the ,creator of all things1 who is the embodiment of truth1 justice1 mercy1 wisdom1 and love1 it seems unreasonable to think that ,he would leave ,his intelligent creatures without a guide on the road to the eternal future4 ,as there is but one ,supreme ,god1 there can be but one true religion4 ,that religion must be of divine origin4 ,it must come from ,god to man4 ,religions invented by men would necessarily vary4 ,man cannot by his ,own searching find out ,god1 or the ways of ,god1 but ,deity can enlighten man and reveal ,himself and ,his will to mortals4 ,the infinite can condescend to the finite1 while the finite of itself cannot grasp or comprehend the infinite4 ,it is of the utmost importance that mankind should learn what ,god requires1 in order that #bjc men and women may be fitted for ,his presence and be in harmony with ,him in time and in eternity4 ,the true religion1 therefore1 that which ,god reveals1 that which he has revealed1 and that which he may yet reveal1 should be considered of greater value than anything else4 ,nothing that is perishable can be compared with it4 ,that which endures forever is immeasurably above that which only lasts for time4 ,he that gains this pearl of great price is rich above all computation4 ,one of the great errors into which people have fallen in reference to religion is that ,god must accept any mode of worship1 any sort of ordinances1 and any kind of church that men may establish1 so long as they are sincere in their intentions and devout in their desires4 ,god must be worshiped not only in spirit1 but in truth4 ,his word is truth4 ,his spirit is the spirit of truth4 ,god's religion1 then1 will be the truth1 and nothing but the truth1 and he will accept of nothing short of this4 ,the inventions of men1 whatever may be their motives1 are not of ,god1 and therefore1 are vain4 ,the precepts and opinions and vagaries of man-appointed preachers and teachers1 not being authorized or inspired of ,god1 cannot be relied upon and are not acknowledged in ,heaven4 ,christendom as well as heathendom is in a ferment with human conceptions and conflicting theories in relation to ,god1 ,his will1 ,his purposes1 and ,his requirements4 ,the result is spiritual ,babylon1 which is confusion4 ,god is not with it1 for ,he is the author of peace1 and order and harmony4 ,strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life1 and few there be that find it2 so said the great ,teacher whom professing ,christians regard as the ,savior of the world 7,matthew ,,vii1 #ad74 ,he also declared3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 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,john ,x2 #a47 ,also1 ,but in vain they do worship me1 teaching for doctrines the commandments of men4 7,matt4 #ae2 #i47 ,and further1 ,man shall not live by bread alone1 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god4 7,matt4 ,,iv2 #d47 ,the nations that are called heathen are1 no doubt1 as sincere in their idolatrous worship as are the ,christian nations in their opposing creeds and devotional exercises4 ,if mere sincerity and devout motives are sufficient for ,god's acceptance1 then heathendom is on a par with ,christendom in the sight of ,heaven4 ,but the objector will no doubt reply1 ,heathen religions lack the one essential feature of acceptance with ,god1 faith in ,jesus ,christ4 ,having that1 doctrinal differences do #bjd not matter2 faith alone is sufficient for salvation4 ,christ is the way1 the truth1 and the light1 and whosoever believeth in him shall have eternal life4 ,that is another of the astonishing errors of modern religious people and teachers4 ,seizing upon a few isolated texts from the ,new ,testament1 relying upon the letter of the word alone1 regardless of the spirit and meaning thereof1 they altogether ignore numerous other texts in the same volume1 which make plain the intent and signification of those which they select4 ,their eyes are blinded to the pure truth1 they stumble in the way1 and the blind leading the blind1 they are in danger of falling into the ditch together4 ,jesus of ,nazareth truly said1 ,for ,god so loved the world that ,he gave his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish1 but have everlasting life4 7,john ,,iii1 #af47 ,but he also said1 ,my sheep hear my voice1 and ,i know them1 and they follow me4 7,john ,x2 #bg47 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 he that believeth on me1 the works that ,i do shall he do also2 and greater works than these shall he do because ,i go to my ,father4 7,john ,,xiv2 #ab47 ,if a man love me1 he will keep my word4 7v2 #bc47 ,he that hath my commandments and keepeth them1 he it is that loveth me2 and he that loveth me shall be loved of my ,father1 and ,i will love him and manifest myself unto him1 7v4 #ba47 ,if ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love1 even as ,i have kept my ,father's commandments and abide in ,his love4 7,john ,,xv2 #aj47 ,not every one that saith unto me ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter into the kingdom of ,heaven1 but he that doeth the will of my ,father which is in ,heaven 7,matt4 ,,vii2 #ba47 ,and why call ye me ,lord1 ,lord1 and do not the things which ,i say8 7,luke ,,vi2 #df47 ,whosoever1 therefore1 shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so1 he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven2 but whosoever shall do and teach them1 the same shall be called great in the kingdom of ,heaven2 for ,i say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the ,scribes and ,pharisees1 ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of ,heaven4 7,matt4 ,v2 #ai-bj47 ,and every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not1 shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sands1 and the rain descended and the floods came1 and the wind blew and beat upon that house1 and it fell1 and great was the fall of it4 7,matt4 ,,vii2 #bf1 #bg47 ,every tree that bringeth not forth good fruits is hewn down and cast into the fire4 ,therefore by their fruits ye shall know them4 7,matt4 ,,vii2 #ai47 ,when the rich young man asked the ,savior what #bje he should do that he might have eternal life1 he was not told there was nothing for him to do but believe in ,christ1 but the answer was1 ,if thou wilt enter into life1 keep the commandments4 7,matt4 ,,xix2 #ag47 ,after ,christ's resurrection when he sent his ,apostles into all the world to preach the ,gospel to every creature1 he added1 ,teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you4 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3 #bj47 ,the ,apostles thus authorized obeyed these instructions1 and not only proclaimed belief in ,jesus ,christ as necessary to salvation1 but obedience to his teachings as equally essential4 ,the history of their travels1 as narrated in the book called the ,acts of the ,apostles1 demonstrates this to be true4 ,such of their epistles as have been preserved and compiled in the ,new ,testament1 also bear this witness4 ,these records show beyond reasonable dispute that the faith in ,christ which is sufficient for salvation1 comprehends faith in his teachings and obedience to his commands4 ,the belief in ,christ which is taught by modern ,christian sects is thus condemned by the ,apostle ,james3 ,but wilt thou know1 ,o vain man1 that faith without works is dead8 ,ye see then how that by works a man is justified1 and not by faith only4 ,for as the body without the spirit is dead1 so faith without works is dead also4 7,james ,,ii2 #bj1 #bd1 #bf47 ,the ,apostle ,paul is generally cited as the great preacher of the doctrine of justification by faith alone4 ,but that he is misunderstood on that subject is evident from his ,epistle to the ,romans1 in which1 while he proclaims the doctrine of justification by faith1 he also affirms emphatically the necessity of good works as the fruits of faith2 as for instance3 ,who will render to every man according to his deeds2 to those who by patient continuance in well doing1 seek for glory1 and honor and immortality1 eternal life4 ,but unto them that are contentious1 and do not obey the truth1 but obey unrighteousness2 indignation and wrath1 tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil1 of the ,jew first and also of the ,gentile4 ,but glory1 honor and peace to every man that worketh good1 to the ,jew first and also to the ,gentile4 ,for there is no respect of persons with ,god4 7,romans ,,ii2 #f-aa47 ,it is to this very epistle that the advocates of salvation by faith alone chiefly refer when seeking support for their irrational theory1 and they quote3 ,therefore being justified by faith we have peace with ,god through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 7,romans ,v2 #a47 ,also1 ,where is boasting then8 ,it is excluded4 ,by what law8 ,of works8 ,nay1 but by the law #bjf of faith4 7,chap4 ,,iii2 #bg47 ,but they neglect to add what follows1 ,therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law1 7v4 #bh74 ,the tenor of the whole epistle is to the effect that the law of ,moses is insufficient2 that ,therefore by the deeds of the law there shall be no flesh justified in his sight4 7v4 #bj74 ,that justification and redemption come through the atonement made by ,christ1 and that faith in him1 which includes belief in his teachings and obedience to his commands1 is the one way of salvation4 ,another quotation common with the disciples of the faith alone doctrine is this3 ,that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the ,lord ,jesus1 and shalt believe in thine heart that ,god hath raised him from the dead1 thou shalt be saved4 7,romans ,x2 #i47 ,but here again they omit the following verse3 ,for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness1 and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation4 7v4 #aj47 ,this is the key to the whole matter4 ,the faith that saves is the faith that leads to obedience1 which is better than sacrifice4 ,that obedience must be given to every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god4 ,belief1 prayer1 devotional exercises1 of themselves will not prepare man for the presence and society of his ,maker4 ,to dwell with ,him1 man must be assimilated to ,his likeness4 ,this can be effected only by compliance with ,his commands4 ,man's future will be determined by his present course4 ,in the glorious vision given to ,john the ,beloved1 we find this3 ,and ,i saw the dead1 small and great1 stand before ,god1 and the books were opened1 and another book was opened1 which is the book of life1 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works4 7,rev4 ,,xx2 #ab47 ,this tract is but preliminary to others1 in which the one everlasting way of life and plan of salvation will be plainly pointed out1 for the benefit of mankind and the glory of the ,supreme and ,eternal ,god1 to whom be honor and praise forever4 ,amen4 #bjg ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #b4 ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,the first principle of revealed religion is ,faith in ,god4 ,true religion must begin with faith in the true ,god4 ,faith in false ,gods1 leads to false religions4 ,without faith there can be no religion in the soul of man4 ,without faith it is impossible to please ,god4 ,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 ,,xi2 #f47 ,in a general sense faith is the assurance in the soul of the existence of unseen things1 that is1 unseen by the natural eye4 ,the principle of faith1 that is1 the power to believe1 is planted in man by the gift of ,god4 ,it is developed by evidence4 ,faith in ,god is brought into action by the word of ,god4 ,whether spoken by ,deity ,himself1 by angels sent from ,his presence1 or by men divinely authorized and appointed to speak in ,his name under the influence of ,his ,holy ,spirit1 the word of ,god is the same4 ,when that word is written it is scripture4 ,evidences of the existence of a ,supreme ,being are seen in vast profusion4 ,they appeal to every rational mind4 ,the order1 beauty1 and sublimity of the heavenly bodies1 moving through space in silent majesty1 each in its own orbit1 balancing and counter-balancing each other without an error in time or revolution1 all preserving their own identity and performing their own mission1 proceeding thus through everlasting ages1 are perennial witnesses of the existence1 power1 and glory of ,god4 ,the earth itself1 with its relations to other planets1 its products1 its seasons1 its adaptation to the needs of the creatures that inhabit its surface or its atmosphere1 joins in the grand chorus of the music of the spheres1 forever singing as they shine1 the ,hand that made us is ,divine4 ,nature1 however1 while proclaiming the existence of ,deity1 does not disclose ,his personality or reveal ,his will4 ,a knowledge of ,god can only come from ,god4 ,faith leads to that knowledge4 ,the greatest religious teacher among men was ,jesus1 the ,nazarene4 ,in his personality ,god was manifest in the flesh4 #bjh ,he revealed ,deity to humanity4 ,he showed that ,god was in reality the ,father of the spirits of men4 ,he proclaimed that he was in the beginning with ,god2 that he came forth from ,god1 and would return to ,god1 and that all mankind were his brethren1 made in the image of ,god and part of his eternal family4 ,this presents ,god as actually and literally ,our ,father which art in heaven4 ,it takes away the mystery with which false faiths have enveloped the ,supreme ,being1 beclouding the minds of men1 and making ,god utterly incomprehensible4 ,jesus taught that his ,father and our ,father is a personal being1 man being in his likeness1 ,jesus himself being in his express image4 ,he taught also that he was sent into the world to save mankind1 and bring them back to the ,father's presence2 that no man could come unto ,god but by him4 ,the true ,christian religion1 therefore1 combines faith in ,jesus ,christ the ,son1 with faith in ,god the eternal ,father4 ,christ further taught the existence of a divine spirit1 proceeding from ,god1 to enlighten the souls of men2 that is1 the ,holy ,ghost1 by which the mind and will of ,god may be made known to man1 and by which holy men chosen of ,god have been inspired in different ages to declare his word4 ,these three1 the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost1 form the eternal ,godhead4 ,they are not one person1 as erroneously declared by modern ,christian churches1 but are separate and distinct substances1 though one in mind and power and dominion4 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 as the ,son of ,god1 was a personality as distinct from the personality of the ,eternal ,father as is that of any earthly son from his father4 ,the ,holy ,spirit1 though proceeding from both the ,father and the ,son1 is not either of them1 but has an identity of its own4 ,it is true that ,jesus said1 ,i and my ,father are one4 7,john ,x2 #cj71 but he also said1 ,my ,father is greater than ,i1 7,john ,,xiv2 #bh74 ,that the unity of the ,godhead is not oneness in person1 is made very clear in the account of the baptism of ,jesus ,christ3 ,the ,son on that occasion coming up out of the waters of ,jordan1 the ,holy ,spirit descending upon him in the form of a dove1 and the voice of the ,father from heaven proclaiming1 ,this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4 7,matt4 ,,iii2 #af-ag47 ,jesus said1 ,i came forth from the ,father1 and am come into the world4 ,again ,i leave the world and go to the ,father4 7,john ,,xvi2 #bh47 ,he also prayed to the ,father1 and in the prayer recorded by ,john1 explained in unmistakable language what he meant when he declared ,i and my ,father are one4 ,after praying for his ,apostles1 he said3 #bji ,neither pray ,i for these alone1 but for them also which shall believe on me through their words1 that they all may be one1 as thou1 ,father1 art in me and ,i in ,thee1 that they also may be one in us4 ,that the world may believe that ,thou hast sent me4 7,john ,,xvii2 #ag-ah74 ,concerning the ,holy ,spirit he said3 ,nevertheless ,i tell you the truth2 ,it is expedient for you that ,i go away1 for if ,i go not away the ,comforter will not come unto you4 ,but if ,i depart ,i will send him unto you4 7,chap4 ,,xvi2 #ag47 ,many more of the sayings of the ,savior might be adduced1 but these are sufficient to show the distinct personality of each of the three that form the ,godhead1 while they are in perfect unity of mind and purpose and action4 ,if they are one substance1 as taught in modern ,christendom1 then all who believe on them1 in all ages1 are to be made also one substance1 thus losing their identity and becoming one vast1 incomprehensible and inconceivable individuality4 ,the omnipresence of ,god has bewildered many minds which are unable1 because of modern false teachings1 to understand how ,god the ,eternal ,father can be a person after whose form and image man is created1 and yet be present throughout his vast creations4 ,but the explanation is simple in the light of truth4 ,it is by his ,holy ,spirit1 which permeates all things1 and is the life and the light of all things1 that ,deity is everywhere present4 ,our ,father has his dwelling place in the eternal heavens4 ,christ is at his right hand1 and the ,holy ,spirit proceeds from them throughout the immensity of space4 ,by that agency ,god sees and knows and governs all things4 ,by it mankind may be brought into union and communion with ,god4 ,it guides into all truth4 ,it recalls the past1 manifests the present1 and reveals the future4 ,it is the testimony of ,jesus and the spirit of prophecy4 ,it is the light of ,christ1 and lighteth every man that cometh into the world4 ,it is the inspiration of ,god which giveth the spirit of man understanding4 ,to that degree it shines on every soul1 but as the gift of the ,holy ,ghost it is a far greater and higher light4 ,then it is the abiding witness that bears record of the ,father and the ,son2 that searcheth all things1 yea the deep things of ,god4 ,faith in ,god the ,father and in ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son1 and in the ,holy ,ghost is but the beginning of true religion4 ,it is exhibited in works of obedience which will be explained in other tracts of this series4 ,faith is also a principle of power4 ,all human exertion springs from its exercise4 ,this is exemplified in all the acts of life4 ,in a higher sense it is a spiritual force4 ,it was by faith1 in this degree1 that the wonderful #baj works of the ,prophets and ,apostles and other holy men of old1 were accomplished1 as recorded in the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 and in the sacred books of the ,seers and ,sages who were not of the ,hebrew race4 ,for1 faith is the same principle in all ages and among all nations4 ,it was by this faith that the sick were healed1 the blind received their sight1 the lame were made to walk1 the deaf to hear1 the dumb to speak1 the sting of the serpent and the virulence of poison were made harmless1 divine dreams and heavenly visions were beheld1 and the glories of eternity were unfolded to the ,saints and servants of ,god in the early ,christian ,church4 ,it was by faith that lepers were cleansed1 water was turned into wine1 multitudes were fed with a few loaves and fishes1 the winds and the waves were stilled1 and the dead were raised to life1 when the ,divine ,master walketh on earth in the flesh4 ,these marvels are called miracles4 ,they are deemed supernatural1 but they were the natural results of the exercise of the spiritual force called faith4 ,it was by the same power that the heavens were closed that there was no rain for three years and six months2 that the barrel of meal and the cruse of oil failed not1 and that the ravens brought food in the days of ,elijah the ,prophet4 ,by the same faith the children of ,israel were led out of ,egypt by ,moses1 the ,red ,sea was divided1 manna was brought from heaven and water from the rock1 and people bitten by serpents were healed in the wilderness4 ,it was also by that faith that the early patriarchs prevailed1 and some of them walked and talked with ,god4 ,and indeed1 it was by faith that the worlds were brought into material existence1 order coming out of chaos1 light springing forth from darkness1 and life1 in its various forms1 being developed through the word of the ,eternal ,god1 in whom this principle of faith is manifest in its full and complete perfection4 ,this is the faith spoken of in the #aath chapter of ,hebrews4 ,also in the ,epistle of ,jude1 in which he urged upon the ,church when writing upon the common salvation1 that they should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the ,saints4 ,in modern ,christendom it is taught that this faith1 with all the gifts1 signs and glorious manifestations which it produces1 are done away and no longer needed4 ,but this is another of the many grievous errors of spiritual ,babylon4 ,god is the same yesterday1 today and forever4 ,a principle of truth never changes4 ,cause and effect do not vary by the lapse of time4 ,the faith exercised in the first century of the ,christian era or of human existence on earth1 must inevitably #baa bring forth similar results in the latter days4 ,the absence of the effect proves the absence of the cause4 ,the true religion contains the true faith4 ,it is the one thing needful4 ,it is the one way of salvation4 ,to know the only living and true ,god and ,jesus ,christ1 whom ,he hath sent1 is to gain eternal life1 7,john ,,xvii3 #c47 ,living faith is the starting point in the path to that knowledge4 ,while it has existed in a small degree1 and has been exercised occasionally and in a limited manner during the centuries that have passed since the ,apostolic age1 the faith once delivered to the ,saints has faded almost out of active life1 even among professing ,christians whose minds have been blinded by the traditions of men and the dogmas and theories of human invention4 ,while good men and women have served ,god and sought after ,him to the best of their ability1 through the long night of darkness which has intervened from the days of divine revelation down to the present century1 they have not been able to find that closer walk with ,god and exercise that mighty faith enjoyed in ancient times and which is essential to the true religion4 ,thank ,god6 that faith has been restored to earth1 and through it divine communication is once more opened up1 man may commune again with his ,maker1 and all the blessings obtained at any time thereby may now be received by the obedient sons and daughters of ,god4 ,concerning this all-important matter other tracts of this series will be presented to the public1 that truth may prevail and that ,divine light may shine up on the world6 ,the reason why the ,lord will pour out his judgments upon the nations is because of the blasphemous spirit of wickedness and corruption that reigns among men4 --,wilford ,woodruff4 #bab ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #c ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,in previous tracts of this series it has been shown that there can be but one true religion1 because there is but one ,supreme ,god1 that it must be revealed from ,him instead of being made by man1 and that the first principle of that religion is faith1 which can be made manifest only by works4 ,let us now see what those works are which are essential to salvation4 ,the first fruit of faith in ,god and in ,jesus ,christ is repentance of sin4 ,sin against ,god is the transgression of his law4 ,conviction of sin comes through faith in ,god and his law4 ,conviction leads to humility and repentance and obedience4 ,sorrow for sin is not of itself true repentance1 which comprehends not only regret for the past1 but reformation for the future4 ,it includes determination to forsake and refrain from sin4 ,as the ,apostle ,paul expressed it1 ,for godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of4 7#b ,cor4 ,,vii2 #aj74 ,when the sinner is sorry because he has been found out1 that is not true repentance4 ,grief is an element of repentance because when a believer perceives that he has broken a law of ,god1 he feels remorse4 ,but unless he resolves to turn away from that transgression1 and not repeat it1 he does not reach full repentance4 ,cease to do evil1 learn to do well1 has been the word of ,god and his inspired servants through all the ages4 ,it is a step forward in practical religion4 ,it is absolutely necessary to salvation4 ,without it belief in ,christ is vain4 ,he said himself1 ,except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise perish4 7,luke ,,xiii2 #c74 ,god commandeth all men everywhere to repent4 7,acts ,,xvii2 #cj74 ,jesus instructed that1 repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations4 7,luke ,,xxiv2 #dg74 ,the idea that people may sin against ,god and against humanity1 and by mere belief in the merits of the ,savior be absolved from all the consequences of their guilt1 is one of the greatest of the many #bac absurdities which have been grafted by the hand of man upon the tree of religion4 ,christ gave ,himself a sacrifice to save mankind from their sins1 not in their sins4 ,his work is to redeem humanity by lifting it up to ,deity4 ,his ,gospel teaches purification from sin and exultation into the righteousness of ,god4 ,the atonement wrought out on ,calvary is as much misunderstood by modern divines who preach it1 as were the teachings of ,moses and the ,prophets by the sectaries who rejected the ,nazarene4 ,that atonement was for a dual purpose4 ,first1 to redeem mankind from the consequences of the original sin committed in the ,garden of ,eden1 and second1 to open the way of salvation from the actual sins committed by the posterity of ,adam4 ,as to the first1 redemption will come to all the race without effort on their part4 ,death came into the world in the beginning because the divine law was broken4 ,it passed upon all the descendants of the transgressor4 ,christ gave himself a sacrifice for that sin4 ,as by one came death1 so by one will come life4 ,as in ,adam all die1 so in ,christ shall all be made alive4 7,i ,cor4 ,,xv2 #bb74 ,as the sons and daughters of ,adam were not personally engaged in or responsible for the transgression which brought death1 so they are not required to do anything in the work which shall restore them to life4 ,the resurrection will be as broad as the death4 ,the raising up will be co-extensive with the effects of the fall4 ,but when through ,christ the resurrection is accomplished1 the dead1 small and great1 who are thus brought up and redeemed from the grave will be judged according to their works4 7,rev4 ,,xx74 ,as to the second--the actual sins of each individual salvation will come through faith in ,christ and obedience to his ,gospel4 ,each intelligent person is accountable for his own acts4 ,he must do what is required in order that he may be saved from his sins4 ,the power is inherent in man to do right or to do wrong4 ,in this he is a free agent4 ,he can resist evil and do good1 or resist good and do evil1 as he elects4 ,no matter how great may be the force of circumstances and environments1 and the pressure of hereditary influences1 the volition of the creature remains4 ,the doctrine of rewards and punishments is predicated upon individual freedom of the will and personal responsibility for its exercise4 ,christ has done for mankind that and that alone which they were not able to do for themselves4 ,that which they can perform is required of every one4 ,they can believe1 they can repent1 and they can receive and obey the commandments of ,christ given as conditions to salvation4 ,unless they do #bad this1 although they will be raised from the dead and appear before the ,eternal ,judge1 they cannot be exalted to dwell in ,his presence4 ,thus it will be seen that while ,christ died1 unconditionally1 for the original sin by which death came into the world1 he died as a propitiation for the actual sins of the world conditionally4 ,and it was to proclaim these conditions and offer them to every creature1 that he sent his ,apostles forth as ministers of salvation4 ,there is no other way to eternal life4 ,the plan of salvation is not changed to suit the notions and opinions of man4 ,it does not vary in different ages1 nor among different nations4 ,it is the everlasting ,gospel4 ,the law of ,moses was a temporary and imperfect law of carnal commandments1 given because the ,gospel had been rejected by the ,israelites4 ,it answered its purpose and passed away when the one eternal ,gospel plan was restored by ,jesus ,christ1 through whom alone mankind can be saved1 and that salvation cannot be obtained except by faith in him1 which comprehends obedience to his requirements4 ,it has been shown that faith is the first principle of the ,gospel1 and repentance--the forsaking of sin1 is the second1 and it is now necessary to present the third principle1 which is remission of sins4 ,the popular idea in modern ,christendom is that repentance of itself brings remission of sins4 ,that is another serious mistake4 ,payment of debts is not brought about by simply ceasing to get credit2 determination to sin no more does not wipe out sins already committed4 ,god is a being of order and of law4 ,he has instituted the means whereby each sinner may receive a cleansing from the past4 ,his laws are as uniform in the spiritual world as in the natural world2 obedience to those laws is as necessary in one sphere as in the other4 ,remission of sins comes to the repentant believer1 through baptism1 when it is performed by divine direction and under divine authority4 ,baptism for the remission of sins was preached and practiced by ,john1 the forerunner of ,jesus4 ,john did baptize in the wilderness and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins4 7,mark ,i2 #d74 ,jesus ,christ honored that baptism in person and by his teachings4 ,he also sent his ,apostles to preach it to every creature4 7,matt4 ,,xxvii2 #ai-bj1 also ,mark ,,xvi2 #ae-ac74 ,previous to preaching that baptism1 he instructed his ,apostles to tarry at ,jerusalem until they were endowed with power from on high4 7,luke ,,xxiv2 #dg1 #di74 ,that power was bestowed upon them on the day of ,pentecost1 when they were assembled in one place with #bae one accord1 and the ,holy ,ghost was manifested to them in visible form4 ,to the people who gathered to hear the ,apostles1 forming a great multitude1 ,peter preached the first ,gospel sermon after the resurrection of ,christ1 as is recorded in the #bnd chapter of the ,acts of the ,apostles4 ,after testifying of the mission and resurrection of ,jesus1 the ,christ1 in response to their inquiry1 ,men and brethren1 what shall we do8 ,then ,peter said unto them1 repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of sins1 and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,for the promise is unto you and to your children1 and to all that are afar off1 even to as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call4 7,acts ,,ii2 #cg1 #ch74 ,three thousand people on that day received the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 and were baptized for the remission of their sins4 ,this great blessing is given in baptism to those who believe and repent1 but comes through the atonement wrought out by ,jesus ,christ4 ,without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins4 7,heb4 ,,ix2 #bb74 ,the blood of ,christ answers for the blood of the sinner who complies with the conditions required in ,christ's ,gospel4 ,the benefits of that atonement are offered to all to whom the ,gospel is preached1 but are obtained only by those who render obedience to it4 ,the scripture is often quoted which says1 ,the blood of ,jesus ,christ1 ,his ,son1 cleanses us from all sin4 ,but this is only part of the text1 and is therefore misleading4 ,here is the scripture as it stands3 ,this then is the message which we have heard of ,him1 and declare unto you1 that ,god is light and in ,him there is no darkness at all4 ,if we say that we have fellowship with ,him and walk in darkness1 we lie and do not the truth2 but if we walk in the light1 as ,he is in the light1 we have fellowship with one another1 and the blood of ,jesus ,christ1 ,his ,son1 cleanseth us from all sin4 7#a ,john ,i2 #e-g74 ,baptism was instituted for the remission of sins by divine command4 ,it is therefore essential4 ,it is a sign of cleansing1 purification1 death to sin1 burial from the world and resurrection to a new life in ,christ ,jesus4 ,for1 baptism means immersion4 ,the sprinkling or pouring of water on the body is not baptism4 ,the ordinance of baptism preached by ,john1 the forerunner1 by ,christ himself1 and by the ,apostles whom he sent as his messengers1 was both a burial and a birth4 ,when ,jesus was baptized by ,john it was in the river ,jordan3 ,then cometh ,jesus from ,galilee to ,jordan unto ,john1 to be baptized of him4 ,but ,john forbade him1 saying1 ,i have need #baf to be baptized of thee1 and comest thou to me8 ,and ,jesus answering1 said unto him1 suffer it to be so now1 for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness4 ,then he suffered him4 ,and ,jesus when he was baptized1 went up straightway out of the water2 and lo1 the heavens were opened unto him1 and he saw the spirit of ,god descending like a dove and lighting upon him1 and lo1 a voice from heaven saying1 this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4 7,matt4 ,,iii2 #ac-ag74 ,jesus said to ,nicodemus1 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 except a man be born of water and of the spirit1 he cannot enter into the ,kingdom of ,god4 7,john ,,iii2 #e74 ,jesus himself set the example1 and was born of the water and of the spirit1 and though he knew no sin1 had to be baptized in order to fulfill all righteousness4 ,when ,philip baptized the great man of ,ethiopia1 they went down both into the water and he baptized him and when they were come up out of the water1 the spirit of ,god caught away ,philip4 7,acts ,,viii2 #ce-ci74 ,john baptized in ,enon1 near to ,salim1 because there was much water there4 7,john ,,iii2 #bc74 ,paul likened baptism to a burial and a resurrection4 7,see ,rom4 ,,vi2 #d1 #e2 ,col4 ,,ii2 #ab74 ,peter cited the flood as a figure of baptism4 7,i ,peter ,,iii2 #ba74 ,the order of the ,gospel as taught by ,christ and his ,apostles was first faith1 second repentance1 third baptism by immersion for the remission of sins1 with the promise of the ,holy ,ghost to all who complied therewith4 ,infant baptism is a palpable heresy4 ,sin is the transgression of the law4 ,infants cannot commit sin4 ,baptism must follow faith and repentance4 ,infants cannot exercise faith1 and they have nothing to repent of even if they were capable of repentance4 ,god never authorized any one to baptize an infant4 ,jesus blessed little children and said1 ,of such is the ,kingdom of heaven4 ,baptism to be acceptable to ,god must be performed by one having actual divine authority4 ,it must be administered in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,no man has the right to assume that authority4 ,it must come from ,god or the baptism will be void and of no effect4 ,when properly administered it brings remission of sins1 and the baptized believer becomes a new creature1 stands clean before ,god1 and is prepared to receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,further explanations on this all-important subject will be given in succeeding tracts4 ,let the reader ponder1 investigate1 and enter upon the path of eternal life and salvation6 #bag ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #d ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,the gift of the ,holy ,ghost is the greatest boon conferred by ,god upon man in the flesh4 ,it is the anointing from above which teacheth all things4 ,it is the abiding witness of the ,father and son4 ,it is the spirit of revelation4 ,it guides into all truth1 brings things past to remembrance1 makes manifest present light1 and shows things to come4 ,without it no man can know ,god and ,jesus ,christ whom ,he has sent1 nor can he say truly and without doubt that ,jesus is the ,lord4 ,its reception is the fourth step or principle in the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,the preceding principles1 namely1 faith1 repentance1 and baptism for the remission of sins1 have been explained briefly in the foregoing tracts of this series4 ,after the baptism or birth of water comes the baptism or birth of the spirit4 ,this gift from ,god is conferred by the laying on of the hands of men called of ,god and endowed with authority to perform this sacred ordinance4 ,no man of himself in his own name1 however learned1 experienced1 or wise1 can bestow this great gift upon others4 ,he might lay his hands upon them1 but they would not receive that spirit4 ,it proceeds from ,god alone4 ,he will honor that which is performed according to ,his directions by ,his authorized servants4 ,the reception of the ,holy ,ghost as an endowment or gift from ,god is essential to salvation4 ,the natural light or inspiration given at birth to all humanity is not equal to it4 ,that is the common heritage of humanity1 but the gift of the ,holy ,ghost is a far higher and greater bequest from ,deity1 and is given only to those who obey the ,gospel1 and in the way that ,god ,himself has appointed4 ,that the gift of the ,holy ,ghost is conferred by the laying on of hands1 and that this is the ,gospel method1 is clearly established by the ,new ,testament4 ,in the #hth chapter of the ,acts of the ,apostles an account is given of the ministry of #bah ,philip1 in which the following occurs3 ,but when they believed ,philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of ,god1 and the name of ,jesus ,christ1 they were baptized1 both men and women4 ,now when the ,apostles which were at ,jerusalem1 heard that ,samaria had received the word of ,god1 they sent unto them ,peter and ,john1 who1 when they were come down1 prayed for them that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,for as yet he was fallen upon none of them1 only they were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,then laid they their hands on them and they received the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and when ,simon saw that through laying on of the ,apostle's hands the ,holy ,ghost was given1 he offered them money1 saying1 give me also this power1 that on whomsoever ,i lay hands he may receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but ,peter said unto him1 thy money perish with thee1 because thou hast thought that the gift of ,god may be purchased with money4 7,verse #ab-bj74 ,in the #aith chapter of the ,acts of the ,apostles it is related that ,paul found some disciples in ,ephesus who had not been properly baptized4 ,he gave them necessary instructions1 and we read3 ,when they heard this they were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,and when ,paul had laid his hands upon them the ,holy ,ghost came upon them1 and they spake with tongues and prophesied4 ,and all the men were about twelve4 ,the ordinance of the laying on of hands is enumerated among the first principles of the oracles of ,god1 and one of the foundation doctrines of ,christ1 in ,hebrews ,v2 #ab1 and ,,vi2 #b4 ,paul exhorted ,timothy1 ,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 7#b ,tim4 ,i2 #f74 ,these quotations are sufficient to show the order of the ,gospel as taught by the ,apostles of ,jesus ,christ1 who received their instructions and authority from ,him1 and who all preached the same doctrines and administered the same ordinances wherever they went4 ,the departures therefrom that are witnessed in modern times are the work of uninspired ministers1 unauthorized of ,god1 and should be rejected by the honest seeker after religious truth4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the same in all ages and among all peoples4 ,its effects are also the same4 ,in the days of the early ,christian ,church the fruits of that spirit were enjoyed by the members4 ,they are thus described by the ,apostle ,paul3 ,but the fruit of the spirit is love1 joy1 peace1 long-suffering1 gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness1 temperance2 against such there is no law4 7,gal4 ,v2 #bb1 #bc74 ,but the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit #bai withal4 ,for to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom2 to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit2 to another faith by the same spirit2 to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit2 to another the working of miracles2 to another prophecy2 to another discerning of spirits2 to another divers kinds of tongues2 to another the interpretation of tongues2 ,but all these worketh that one and the selfsame spirit1 dividing to every man severally as he will4 7lst ,cor4 ,,xii2 #g-aa74 ,paul exhorted the ,saints to ,follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts1 but rather that ye may prophesy1 and after explaining his reasons for this instruction he concluded1 ,wherefore brethren1 covet to prophesy1 and forbid not to speak with tongues4 7lst ,cor4 ,,xiv2 #ci74 ,the absence of these gifts and manifestations of the spirit in the various religious sects at the present day is attempted to be accounted for by the airy excuse3 ,they are all done away and are no longer needed4 ,yet they were part and parcel of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 and incorporated in the ,church--the body of ,christ--as some of its members4 ,every tree is known by its fruits4 ,if the spirit that animated the ,church of ,christ in the ,apostolic age inspired the churches of the #aith century1 would not the same fruits be brought forth by it1 and be enjoyed today8 ,has the spirit of ,god changed8 ,or have not men changed the ordinances and institutions of heaven1 and built up churches and promulgated doctrines of their own8 ,but the advocates and apologists of sectarian theology will quote3 ,charity never faileth1 but whether there be prophecies they shall fail2 whether there be tongues they shall cease2 whether there be knowledge1 it shall vanish away4 7lst ,cor4 ,,xiii2 #h74 ,why do they not continue the quotation1 and give the succeeding verses which form an integral part of the scriptural argument8 ,is it because that would sweep away the crutches of their lame and halting pretence and cast their false theory prone in the dust8 ,this is what follows3 ,for we know in part1 and we prophesy in part1 but when that which is perfect is come1 then that which is in part shall be done away4 ,will it be claimed that this promised perfection has come8 ,do latter-day sectaries know more1 understand better1 and see clearer in divine things than did the ,apostle ,paul8 ,has anything perfect come upon modern ,christendom except perfect confusion8 ,that ,paul had reference to a condition yet in the future in making his prediction is evident from his further remark3 ,for now we see through a glass darkly2 but then face to face2 now ,i know in part1 but then shall ,i know even as also ,i am known4 7,verse #ab74 #bbj ,the gifts of the spirit enumerated above are the evidences of its possession by the disciples of ,jesus ,christ4 ,they are the signs of true faith4 ,they accompany the reception of the ,gospel and obedience to its requirements4 ,when the resurrected ,christ gave the eleven ,apostles their great commission1 he said unto them3 ,go ye into all the world and preach the ,gospel to every creature4 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved1 but he that believeth not1 shall be damned4 ,and these signs shall follow them that believe3 ,in my name shall they cast out devils2 they shall speak with new tongues2 they shall take up serpents1 and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them2 they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover4 7,mark ,,xvi2 #ae-ah74 ,these gifts were not merely for those ,apostles1 but were to follow them that believe4 ,christ gave them as the sign of true belief in ,him and in ,his sayings4 ,they belong to his ,church4 ,they are to be done away until that which is perfect is come1 and the sons and daughters of ,god behold their ,redeemer face to face1 and see as they are seen and know as they are known4 ,whatever necessity existed for their possession and exercise in the first century of the ,christian era1 exists in the #aith century1 not only for the blessing and comfort of the disciples of the ,savior1 but for the promulgation of ,his ,gospel among nations that yet sit in darkness and are numbered among heathens and idolaters4 ,one of the potent proofs of the possession of the ,holy ,ghost in the early ,christian ,church was the unity it established4 ,no matter what were the conflicting faiths and opposing creeds entertained by the people of that day previous to receiving the spirit of the everlasting ,gospel1 after baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 they all became one in ,christ ,jesus4 ,as ,paul wrote to the ,ephesians3 ,there is one body and one spirit1 even as ye are called in one hope of your calling2 one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 one ,god and ,father of all1 who is above all and through all and in you all4 7,eph4 ,,iv2 #d-f74 ,for as many of you as have been baptized into ,christ have put on ,christ4 ,there is neither ,jew nor ,greek1 there is neither bond nor free1 there is neither male nor female2 for ye are all one in ,christ ,jesus4 7,gal4 ,,iii2 #bg-bh74 ,and let the peace of ,god rule in your hearts1 to the which also ye are called in one body1 and be ye thankful4 7,col4 ,,iii2 #ae74 ,for as the body is one1 and hath many members1 and all the members of that one body1 being many1 are one body so also is ,christ4 ,for by one spirit we are all baptized into one body1 whether we be #bba ,jews or ,gentiles1 whether we be bond or free2 and have been all made to drink into one spirit4 7#a ,cor4 ,,xii2 #ab1 #ac74 ,in ,his prayer to the ,father that all who believed in ,him might be one1 ,jesus spoke of this unity as proof to the world that ,god had sent ,him4 7,john ,,xvii2 #ba74 ,the great purpose of the gift of the ,holy ,ghost was to guide into all truth1 and bring its possessors to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the ,son of ,god4 ,strife1 contention1 division1 are not the fruits of the ,holy ,spirit1 but come from beneath4 ,for where envying and strife is1 there is confusion and every evil work4 7,james ,,iii3 #af74 ,the presence and inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 with its gifts1 manifestations and divine light are the signs of spiritual life and divine acceptance4 ,without the ,holy ,ghost there is no true1 living ,church of ,christ on earth4 ,it can be obtained in no other way than that which ,god has appointed4 ,following the birth of water1 the birth of the ,holy ,spirit makes man a new creature1 and initiates him into the ,church or ,kingdom of ,god4 ,its various gifts are within his reach according to his faith and diligence in seeking after them4 ,they are as obtainable in this age as at any former period4 ,by the ,holy ,ghost mankind may come to the knowledge of ,god4 ,in its light the sayings and writings of inspired men may be clearly understood4 ,the ,bible is no longer a sealed book4 ,the heavens are not closed against mortals4 ,darkness flees before it and mysteries vanish4 ,it brings peace and comfort to the soul4 ,it awakens and thrills the spiritual sense4 ,it unfolds the things of eternity and the glories of immortality4 ,it links earth and heaven4 ,it fills the soul with joy unspeakable1 and he who gains and keeps it has boundless wealth and everlasting life6 #bbb ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #e4 ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,the ordinances of the ,gospel referred to in previous tracts of this series1 cannot be effectually administered without divine authority4 ,that authority does not and cannot originate in man4 ,it may be assumed1 it is true1 and presumptuous men may claim to be called of ,god without communication from ,him4 ,but their performances will be without avail and will not be recognized in heaven1 either in time or in eternity4 ,when there is no revelation from ,god there can be no divine authority on earth4 ,baptism1 even if solemnized according to the form and pattern followed by the ,savior and his appointed servants1 will be of no avail and will not bring remission of sins1 unless the officiating minister has received authority from ,deity to act in the name of the ,father and of the ,son and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,men may lay their hands on the baptized believer in the form of confirmation1 but if they have not been divinely appointed to do so1 the ,holy ,ghost will not flow to the convert1 and the performance will be void in the sight of heaven4 ,those who have the temerity to act in that manner will be counted guilty of taking the name of the ,lord in vain4 ,no council1 convocation1 conference1 synod1 or presbytery1 composed of any number of learned1 devout1 and venerable persons1 without divine communication can confer the smallest amount of divine authority4 ,their power is only human1 their decisions1 their commissions and their creeds are equally valueless in the plan of salvation4 ,whenever the ,almighty desired to communicate with man on earth1 he selected ,his own representatives and endowed them with authority to speak and act in ,his name4 ,what they uttered by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 and what they administered as ,he directed1 was recognized by ,him as if performed and spoken by ,deity in person4 ,when ,he gave them authority to call and ordain others to the same duties1 their administrations were also accepted by the ,lord1 and were fully efficacious4 ,this divine authority was called the ,holy #bbc ,priesthood4 ,it was bestowed in the earliest ages4 ,it existed among the ,patriarchs1 was exercised in the ,mosaic dispensation1 was held by many of the ,prophets1 and was established in the ,christian ,church by the ,savior himself4 ,there were two orders or branches1 of that ,priesthood4 ,the higher1 which includes the lower1 came to be known as the ,melchisedek ,priesthood4 ,this was because ,melchisedek1 the ,king of ,salem1 who lived in the time of ,abraham and from whom1 the father of the faithful received his blessing1 obtained a great power in that ,priesthood4 ,it is referred to in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews1 #gth chapter4 ,much controversy has arisen over the meaning of the third verse1 which says3 ,without father1 without mother1 without descent1 having neither beginning of days nor end of life1 but made like unto the ,son of ,god2 abideth a ,priest continually4 ,the difficulty has arisen through the application of these remarks to the individual instead of to the ,priesthood which he held4 ,the higher1 or ,melchisedek ,priesthood was not limited1 as the ,levitical ,order subsequently was1 to a special lineage4 ,it did not depend upon parentage or descent1 and it was an eternal ,priesthood1 those who possessed it worthily retaining it through life1 and being ,kings and priests unto ,god forever4 ,the ,lesser ,priesthood was held notably by ,aaron and his sons1 in the line of the first born1 and has therefore been called by his name4 ,it had authority to administer in the lesser ordinances and in temporal affairs1 but not in the higher and more spiritual concerns of the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,but no man could take this honor unto himself4 ,he must be called of ,god as ,aaron was1 or he could not hold that ,priesthood4 7,heb4 ,v2 #d47 ,aaron was called by revelation through ,moses the ,prophet1 and ordained under his hands4 ,this being so1 as a matter of course1 no man can take unto himself the higher1 or ,melchisedek ,priesthood4 ,unless called of ,god by revelation and properly ordained1 he could not obtain that authority4 ,even ,jesus of ,nazareth1 though he was the ,son of ,god1 did not assume that ,priesthood4 ,he was called of ,god1 a ,high ,priest after the order of ,melchisedek4 ,it is written further3 ,so also ,christ glorified not himself to be made a ,high ,priest but ,he that said unto him thou art my ,son1 this day have ,i begotten thee4 7,heb4 ,v2 #c1 #aj47 ,it has been erroneously taught among the ,christian sects of the present age that this ,priesthood1 in both of its branches or orders1 was done away in ,christ4 ,that it has not been on earth for several centuries may be true1 and therefore the #bbd authority to administer in the name of the ,lord has not been enjoyed among men4 ,but the authority held by ,jesus ,christ as a ,priest forever after the order of ,melchisedek was conferred by him upon his ,apostles1 to whom he gave the keys of that power and authority1 so that what they sealed on earth should be sealed in heaven1 and what they loosed on earth should be loosed in heaven4 7,matt4 ,,xviii2 #ah47 ,he said to them3 ,as my ,father hath sent me1 even so send ,i you4 7,john ,,xx2 #ba47 ,again he said3 ,ye have not chosen me1 but ,i have chosen you1 and ordained you2 that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain4 7,john ,,xv2 #af47 ,the ,apostles thus authorized had power to call others to this ,priesthood and ministry1 when directed by the ,holy ,ghost1 as ,moses called and ordained his brother ,aaron4 ,the law of carnal commandments in which the lesser or ,levitical ,priesthood administered was fulfilled in ,jesus ,christ1 but the ,priesthood or authority to administer in the name of the ,lord was not then abolished1 the higher1 or ,melchisedek ,priesthood was restored4 ,that was the change in the ,priesthood referred to in ,heb4 ,,vii2 #ab3 ,for the ,priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the law4 ,from this it is evident that the ,priesthood was not abolished1 but the law of the ,gospel being introduced by ,christ in place of the ,mosaic ,code1 the higher ,priesthood was also introduced1 for the ,gospel is a higher law than that of ,moses4 ,the sacrifice of animals in which the lesser ,priesthood administered was no longer required1 after the great sacrifice of the ,son of ,god of which they were typical1 so that function of the lesser1 or ,aaronic ,priesthood was discontinued4 ,but the administration of the ordinances of the ,gospel was necessary1 and could not be rightfully performed without divine authority4 ,therefore1 the ,priesthood of ,god held by ,jesus ,christ1 and by his ,apostles and by others called of ,god through them1 was a part of and essential to the ,christian dispensation4 ,the term called of ,god appears to be as much misunderstood as is the subject of the ,priesthood of ,god4 ,men assume to act in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 either because they feel or imagine they have a call in their hearts to this ministry1 or because they have been called by some person or conclave having no more divine communication and authority than they had themselves4 ,in contrast to their assumption let us view the case of ,saul of ,tarsus1 afterwards called ,paul the ,apostle4 ,in the narration of his case as given in ,acts ,,xxii #bbe he says that on his way to ,damascus the ,lord ,jesus ,christ appeared to him in glory1 and he was stricken blind thereby4 ,he received his sight by miracle and was informed3 ,the ,god of our ,fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will1 and see that ,just ,one1 and shouldst hear the voice of ,his mouth4 ,for thou shalt be ,his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard4 ,and now why tarriest thou8 ,arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins1 calling on the name of the ,lord4 ,paul subsequently received another divine communication1 informing him that the ,lord would send him unto the ,gentiles4 7,verses #ab-ba47 ,after all this he was not authorized to act as a minister of the ,gospel1 because he had not yet been properly called and ordained4 ,it was ten years after this1 according to the chronology of the ,new ,testament1 that ,paul was ordained to the ,priesthood or authority to act in the name of the ,lord4 ,it is stated that certain ,prophets and ,teachers were in the ,church at ,antioch1 and ,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 upon them they sent them away4 7,acts ,,xiii2 #b1 #c2 see also ,acts ,,ix2 #ae-ah47 ,paul in his epistles invariably declared that he was not called by the will of man2 and he taught that no man of himself could rightfully assume the authority to administer in the name of the ,lord4 ,to the ,galatians he wrote3 ,paul an ,apostle 7not of men1 neither by man1 but by ,jesus ,christ and ,god the ,father who raised him from the dead74 7,gal4 ,i2 #a47 ,writing to ,titus1 ,paul said3 ,for this cause left ,i thee in ,crete4 ,that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting1 and ordain ,elders in every city as ,i had appointed thee4 7,titus ,i2 #e47 ,writing to ,timothy1 ,paul says3 ,neglect not the gift that is in thee1 which was given thee by prophecy1 with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery4 7,i ,tim4 ,,iv2 #ad47 ,it was thus that the seven ,deacons were ordained1 as recorded in ,acts ,,vi2 #f4 ,that there was a divinely appointed ministry in the ,church established by our ,savior1 must be evident to every mind open to the truth1 on reading the ,new ,testament2 also that these were essential to the ,church1 and that without them there can be no true ,church of ,christ on earth4 ,explaining this subject and stating the order of the ,christian ministry given by ,christ1 ,paul says3 ,and he gave some ,apostles1 and some ,prophets1 and some ,evangelists1 and some ,pastors and ,teachers4 7,eph4 ,,iv2 #aa47 ,these inspired men were1 #bbf as we have seen1 called of ,god1 not of men1 and were appointed and ordained to their respective callings by divine authority4 ,it is claimed that these were necessary only in the first days of the ,church of ,christ on earth1 and that they are no longer needed4 ,but the succeeding verses of the scripture we have quoted show most positively to the contrary4 ,they were given ,paul says1 ,for the perfecting of the ,saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the edifying of the body of ,christ2 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 fulness of ,christ2 that we henceforth be no more children1 tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine1 by the sleight of men1 and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive4 7,verses #ab-ad47 ,without these divinely ordained and inspired men1 holding this ,holy ,priesthood1 the work of the ministry cannot be performed acceptable to ,god1 neither can the ,church be perfected4 ,they are absolutely necessary until all shall come to the unity of the faith and a knowledge of the ,son of ,god4 ,the absence of that divine authority1 and of the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 has caused the division and dissension that now exist among professing ,christians1 who are1 tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine1 led hither and thither by unauthorized and uninspired men1 and by the cunning craftiness whereby hirelings who preach for money1 lie in wait to deceive and make merchandise of the souls of men4 ,all the ministrations1 ordinances1 baptisms1 confirmations1 performances and ceremonies that have been instituted by men and conducted under merely human authority1 whether devoutly1 sincerely1 and piously1 or with wilful intent to impose upon the ignorance and credulity of mankind1 are void in the sight of heaven1 are not recognized of ,god1 and have no virtue or effect as aids to salvation4 ,god's house is a house of order1 and ,he will accept only that which ,he has authorized and ordained4 ,however startling this may appear1 it is the eternal truth1 which will stand the test of both reason and revelation4 ,truth is mighty and will prevail4 ,the remedy for these tremendous evils will be pointed out in succeeding pamphlets4 #bbg ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #f4 ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,that there has been a great departure from the doctrines1 ordinances and discipline of the ,church as it existed in the days of ,christ and ,his ,apostles1 must be evident to every unbiased enquirer into religious truth4 ,this has been demonstrated to some extent in tracts already presented to the reader4 ,but the full measure of the apostasy that has taken place would take volumes to represent in detail4 ,the proofs are ample that it has been universal ,when ,jesus ,christ commenced ,his ministry on earth ,he found the people who claimed to be the special subjects of divine blessing and approbation1 with all their ,priests and ministers and learned divines1 entirely out of the way of life and salvation4 ,none were acceptable unto ,god4 ,he denounced the most pious1 respectable1 devout and educated among them as hypocrites and whited sepulchres4 ,their foreign missionary enterprises he declared obnoxious to the ,almighty1 and informed them that when they compassed sea and land to make one proselyte they made him two fold more the child of hell4 7,matt4 ,,xxiii2 #ae74 ,he pronounced them blind guides who made clean the outside1 but within were full of extortion and excess4 ,the spirit of the ,lord had departed from those who honored ,his name with their lips1 but who had departed from ,his ways1 and who1 in place of the word of ,god1 taught for doctrine the commandments of men4 ,they were without authority from ,god1 although they claimed to have it by descent and ordination through a long line of predecessors and prophets4 ,it should not be deemed impossible that a similar universal apostasy could take place after the establishment of the ,church of ,christ by ,him and ,his ,apostles4 ,but whether so considered or not1 the facts are too patent to be denied when they confront the honest and enlightened mind4 ,it has been shown that the ,gospel as taught and administered by ,christ and ,his ,apostles required first1 faith in #bbh ,god and ,jesus ,christ2 second1 repentance1 which included reform of conduct2 third1 baptism by immersion for the remission of sins2 fourth1 the reception of the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of the hands of divinely authorized men2 and that obedience to these brought the gifts of the spirit1 including love1 joy1 peace1 patience1 brotherly kindness1 charity1 healings1 tongues1 interpretations1 discerning of spirits1 miracles1 prophecy1 revelation1 and the unity in one body of all who were baptized into the ,church1 no matter what had been their previous beliefs4 ,also that the ordinances of the ,gospel were administered by men inspired of ,god1 who were in communion with ,him1 and who were ordained to act for and in behalf of ,deity1 so that what they performed by that authority on earth was acknowledged and sealed in heaven4 ,and that in the ,church of ,christ there were ,apostles1 ,prophets1 ,evangelists1 ,pastors1 ,teachers1 ,elders1 and other officers1 who were constituent parts of the body of ,christ4 ,this may be further seen by a careful reading of #ast ,cor4 ,,xii1 from which it clearly appears that ,god placed these in the ,church1 that they were all essential to its existence1 and that one of them could not say to any of the others1 ,i have no need of thee4 ,look at the condition of so-called ,christendom today6 ,there are no inspired ,apostles1 ,prophets1 ,evangelists1 ,pastors and ,teachers1 administering by divine authority and in the power and demonstration of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,in their place there are contending ,priests and ,teachers guided by the wisdom of men1 the learning of the schools and the traditions of the ,fathers1 not even claiming that there is any direct communication between them and ,god1 but persuading mankind that revelation has ceased1 and the voice of prophecy is hushed forever4 ,not one of the clashing1 jarring and discordant sects of the day proclaim the ,gospel as it was preached by ,peter on the day of ,pentecost1 and as taught by all the duly authorized servants of ,god in the primitive ,christian ,church4 ,the gifts and signs which ,christ promised to true believers1 and which were enjoyed by the members of ,his ,church according to their needs and their faith1 are not only absent from the churches of these degenerate times1 but are pronounced needless and done away4 ,there is no unity of the faith1 no actual knowledge of the ,son of ,god1 no manifestations of ,his divine acceptance nor of the power and glory of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,what is the reason of this transformation8 ,has ,god changed8 ,is ,christ divided8 ,is the ,holy ,spirit dead8 ,or1 have not men changed the order1 ordinances1 discipline1 doctrines1 #bbi and spirit of the ,church of ,christ8 ,is not the prediction of ,isaiah the ,prophet concerning these times literally fulfilled8 ,the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof1 because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinance1 broken the everlasting covenant4 ,he said it should 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 lender1 so with the borrower2 as with the taker of usury1 so with the giver of usury to him4 7,isaiah ,,xxiv2 #b-e74 ,the deplorable condition of affairs in modern ,christendom was foreseen and predicted by the ,apostles of ,jesus ,christ1 whose forebodings have come down to us in the ,new ,testament4 ,paul1 writing to ,timothy1 spoke in this wise3 ,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 trucebreakers1 false accusers1 incontinent1 fierce1 despisers of those that are good1 traitors1 heady1 high-minded1 lovers of pleasures more than lovers of ,god2 having a form of godliness1 but denying the power thereof2 from such turn away4 7#bnd ,tim4 ,,iii2 #a-e74 ,also3 ,now the spirit speaketh expressly1 that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith1 giving heed to seducing spirits1 and doctrines of devils2 speaking lies in hypocrisy2 having their conscience seared with a hot rod4 7lst ,tim4 ,,iv2 #a1 #b74 ,paul further said3 ,i charge thee therefore before ,god1 and the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who shall judge the quick and the dead at ,his appearing and ,his kingdom2 preach the word2 be instant in season1 out of season2 reprove1 rebuke1 exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine4 ,for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine2 but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers1 having itching ears2 and they shall turn away their ears from the truth1 and shall be turned unto fables4 7lst ,tim4 ,,iv2 #a-d74 ,paul also said they should be ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth4 ,writing to the ,thessalonians he said3 ,now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and by our gathering together unto ,him1 that ye be not soon shaken in mind 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 means1 for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first4 7#bnd ,thess4 ,,ii2 #a-c74 ,the ,apostle ,peter also foresaw this great apostasy1 and #bcj spoke of it in this wise3 ,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 brought them1 and bring upon themselves swift destruction4 ,and many shall follow their pernicious ways1 by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of4 ,and through covetousness they shall with feigned words make merchandise of you1 whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not4 7,,ii ,peter2 #a-c47 ,the falling away commenced in the time of the ,apostles1 and hence their numerous warnings and exhortations to the ,saints1 rebuking schisms and divisions1 and counseling unity1 showing that the ,spirit of the ,lord promoted union and led people to the knowledge of the truth1 while dissension and strife came from that ,evil ,one1 and led to darkness and death4 ,that the great apostasy commenced at a very early period is shown by the words of ,paul1 for the mystery of iniquity doth already work4 ,only ,he that now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way4 7,,ii ,thess4 ,,ii2 #g47 ,by the time the ,apostles were taken out of the way1 most of them slain by the hands of wicked men1 the apostacy had assumed such proportions that only seven of the ,churches were deemed worthy of a divine communication through the ,apostle ,john1 who had been banished to the island of ,patmos4 ,and in that revelation most of them were denounced by the ,lord because they had left their first love1 and were commanded to repent or he would remove them out of their place4 ,some of them were neither cold or hot1 others had given away to seducing spirits1 and had committed abominations and imbibed false doctrines4 7,see ,rev41 chapters ,i1 ,,ii1 and ,,iii47 ,in that same vision ,john the beloved saw the ,church in the form of a woman1 clothed with the sun1 the moon under her feet1 and a crown of twelve stars on her head taken away into the wilderness1 to remain for a lengthened period1 and in her place he saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet colored beast1 full of names of blasphemy1 and though decked with gold and precious stones1 she held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations1 and the name upon her head was ,mystery4 ,he saw further that all nations were made to drink out of that golden cup1 by which they were made drunken4 7,see ,rev4 ,,xii2 #a-f2 ,,xvii2 #a-e2 ,,xviii2 #b1 #c47 ,it is clear from these predictions in the ,new ,testament1 and others that might be cited1 that the departure from the purity1 simplicity and unity of the ,gospel of ,christ was to be #bca universal2 and that these prophecies were fulfilled we have the testimony of the ,church of ,england4 ,in her ,homily on the ,perils of ,idolatry she declares3 ,clergy and laity1 learned and unlearned1 men1 women and children1 of all ages1 sects and degrees1 of whole ,christendom1 a most horrible and dreadful thing to think1 have been at once buried in the most abominable idolatry1 and that for eight hundred years or more4 ,that being true1 how is it possible to believe that the ,church of ,christ had any existence on earth after that long continued darkness and apostacy8 ,how could there be any remnant left of the divine authority held by the ,apostles and ,priesthood of the original ,christian ,church8 ,if the ,romish ,church1 from which the ,church of ,england seceded1 had no divine authority1 then the ,church of ,england could have none1 for all she had she obtained from that ,church4 ,if the ,romish ,church possessed that authority1 still the ,church of ,england could have none1 for ,rome excommunicated her with all her priests and ministers4 ,the ,church of ,england being without divine authority1 all the various contending sects that have sprung from her are of necessity in a similar condition1 for none of them even claim to have received any revelation from ,god restoring that authority and re-establishing the ,church of ,christ4 ,from the ,pope of ,rome down to the latest minister presuming to act in the name of the ,lord1 there is not and cannot be one who holds the ,holy ,apostleship or any portion of that sacred ,priesthood which ,god placed in the ,church1 and which ,paul declared essential to its existence4 ,good men1 learned men1 devout men1 there have been by millions2 noble1 pious1 and blessed women also1 with them1 have done the best they could according to their light and opportunities2 but darkness has covered the earth and gross darkness the people1 and the apostacy from primitive ,christianity1 as foretold by its founders1 has been awful and universal6 ,but thank ,god1 the restoration was also predicted1 and it will be a pleasing task in further tracts to set this forth1 as revealed and brought about by revelation from ,god the ,eternal ,father1 through ,jesus ,christ ,his ,son and the ,holy ,angels sent from their presence1 to usher in the last and greatest of all dispensations4 #bcb ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no #g4 ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,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 come2 and worship ,him that made heaven1 and earth1 and the sea1 and the fountains of waters4 ,and there followed another angel1 saying ,babylon is fallen1 is fallen1 that great city1 because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication4 7,rev4 ,,xvi2 #f-h47 ,in these inspired words ,john the beloved ,apostle predicted the restoration of the ,gospel to the earth1 and the subsequent destruction of that power which had filled the earth with the darkness of spiritual inebriety and wickedness4 ,that these events were not revelations of the past1 but prophecies of the future manifested to the ,apostle ,john1 is made certain by what he says in ,chapter ,,iv1 verse #a3 ,after this ,i looked and behold1 a door was opened in heaven2 and the first voice which ,i heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me1 which said1 come up hither1 and ,i will show thee things which must be hereafter4 ,the angels spoken of in the ,,xiv chapter1 quoted above1 were among the things which ,john was told must be hereafter4 ,it should be observed that when the angel should fly to the earth bearing the everlasting ,gospel1 it was to be at a time when every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people would be without that ,gospel in its fullness4 ,that this has been the condition of the world for a long time has already been demonstrated to the reader4 ,in predicting events that would occur previous to his coming and the end of the world1 ,christ declared1 ,and this ,gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations1 and then shall the end come4 7,matt4 ,,xxiv2 #ad47 ,from this we learn that the ,gospel as preached by ,christ and delivered by ,him to the ,apostles1 is #bcc to be preached in all the world as a witness of ,his second advent and a sign of the approaching end4 7,see verse #c47 ,the foregoing predictions correspond with the prophecy of ,isaiah3 ,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 precepts of men2 ,therefore ,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 perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid4 7,isaiah ,,xxix2 #ac1 #ad47 ,all the ,prophets whose writings have been collected in the sacred volume called the ,bible1 have proclaimed the glory of the latter days and the final triumph of truth over error1 and of the power of ,god over the deceptions of that ,evil ,one4 ,thus not only the restoration of the ,gospel was foretold by holy men of ,god1 after the great apostacy that was to take place1 but the manner of its revelation was also explained4 ,it was to be by the coming of an angel from heaven4 ,to whom might it be expected that this angel should appear8 ,to the learned divines and contending sectaries of modern ,christendom8 ,do they not all declare that revelation ceased when ,john received his vision1 recorded in the ,book of ,revelation8 ,do they not teach that though angels once ministered to men1 the day of their coming has long since passed8 ,have they any faith to call on ,god for a divine communication8 ,and will the ,almighty reveal anything except to those who call upon ,him in faith8 ,god's ways are not as man's ways4 ,therefore1 as ,paul expressed it1 ,not many wise men after the flesh1 not many mighty1 not many noble are called1 but ,god has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise4 ,and ,god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty1 that no flesh should glory in ,his presence4 7,i ,cor4 ,i2 #bf-bi47 ,and as quoted above1 the ,lord determined that in bringing forth ,his latter-day work1 a marvelous work and a wonder1 the wisdom of the wise should perish and the understanding of the prudent should be hid4 ,it was in the year #ahbc that the angel spoken of by ,john the ,revelator came with the everlasting ,gospel to a young man scarcely eighteen years of age1 of obscure1 though respectable parentage1 and without the learning of the schools4 ,his name1 too1 was common1 and his occupation that of a farmer's boy4 ,joseph ,smith1 whom the ,lord raised up to receive ,his word1 establish ,his ,church1 and prepare the way #bcd for the ,redeemer's second coming1 was led to enquire of the ,lord through reading the scriptures for the purpose of finding out which of all the disputing religions was right4 ,coming to the ,epistle of ,james1 #ast chapter and #eth verse1 he read3 ,if any of you lack wisdom 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 wavering4 ,relying on this word1 he went into the woods to pray1 and in the simplicity of his heart called on ,god for the wisdom which he felt he greatly needed4 ,he was then but fourteen years of age1 but his faith was strong and wavered not4 ,his prayers were heard1 and in a heavenly vision in open daylight1 the ,father and the ,son revealed themselves to his astonished gaze4 ,the ,father1 pointing to the ,son1 proclaimed1 ,this is my beloved ,son1 hear ,him4 ,our ,savior spoke to the boy1 and in answer to ,his question as to which of all the religious sects was right1 he was told that they had all gone out of the way1 and was commanded to go after none of them1 but was promised that in due time the true ,gospel of ,christ should be revealed to him4 ,when the ,angel appeared to him1 three years later1 it was in his chamber1 just as he had retired for the night4 ,coming in glory1 the ,angel showed to ,joseph the place where an ancient record was hidden in the side of a hill1 containing the history of the former inhabitants of the ,american continent1 including an account of a visit made to them by ,jesus ,christ after ,his resurrection from the dead1 when ,he declared to them the same ,gospel that he had preached in ,palestine1 and also established ,his ,church among them after the same pattern as that organized on the eastern hemisphere4 ,he was informed that this record should be subsequently placed in his hands to translate by the gift and power of ,god to be given to him through means which the ,lord had prepared for that purpose4 ,this manifestation was thrice repeated1 that ,joseph might be fully assured of its reality4 ,under the inspiration of ,almighty ,god1 the young man was able to obtain possession of this precious record1 inscribed in small and curious characters upon metallic plates4 ,the ,gospel is there set forth in plain and simple language1 and no one who reads the book1 which is called the ,book of ,mormon1 with a prayerful and unprejudiced heart1 will fail to be impressed with its divine origin4 ,after being thus favored of the ,lord1 ,joseph ,smith received a visitation from ,john the ,baptist1 who held authority in ancient times to preach and administer baptism by immersion #bce for the remission of sins4 ,he came as a ministering angel1 and ordained ,joseph ,smith and his companion ,oliver ,cowdery1 to that ,priesthood and authority4 ,thus endowed1 these young men baptized each other1 and at a later date were ministered to by the ,apostles ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 who ordained them to the ,apostleship1 with authority to lay hands on baptized believers and confer the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 also to build up and organize the ,church of ,christ according to the original pattern4 ,on the sixth day of ,april1 #ahcj1 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ was organized in the state of ,new ,york1 with six members1 ,latter-day ,saints who had been baptized for the remission of sins and had been confirmed by the laying on of hands4 ,the ,holy ,ghost was manifested unto them1 and as the ,church grew in numbers the gifts of the spirit were imparted1 and the organization was eventually made complete with ,apostles1 ,prophets1 ,seventies1 ,elders1 ,priests1 ,teachers and ,deacons1 also ,bishops and other officers that were in the primitive ,christian ,church2 indeed all the grades of the ,melchisedek and ,aaronic ,priesthood1 with their keys1 powers and endowments1 and all the ordinances1 ministrations and divine manifestations necessary to the true ,church of ,christ4 ,men thus divinely authorized1 were sent out into the world to preach the ,gospel like the ,apostles of old1 without purse or scrip1 without salary and without pay of any kind1 depending upon the ,lord and friends whom ,he might rise up to minister to their temporal wants4 ,wherever they went and people received their testimony and were baptized for the remission of sins1 the ,holy ,ghost was poured out upon them through the laying on of hands1 and they invariably obtained a testimony from ,god that they were accepted of ,him1 and that ,he had in very deed reestablished ,his ,church on earth4 ,there are now many thousands of living witnesses to the truth of these things4 ,they are natives of various countries1 speaking different languages1 reared in divers religions2 they are now brought to the unity of the faith2 they have come to a knowledge of the truth4 ,doubt has fled and darkness has been dispersed2 the light of heaven shines in their souls4 ,they are in the strait and narrow way4 ,they are members of the body of ,christ1 and ,his spirit1 which searcheth all things1 yea the deep things of ,god1 is the abiding witness from on high and shows them things past1 present1 and to come4 ,this is the latter-day work spoken of by the ,holy ,prophets4 ,it is the dispensation of the fulness of times1 in the which ,god will gather together in one all things in ,christ1 both #bcf which are in heaven and which are on earth1 even in ,him4 7,eph4 ,i2 #i1 #aj47 ,it is the last and greatest of dispensations4 ,in it will be accomplished the restitution of all things1 which ,god hath spoken by the mouth of all ,his ,holy ,prophets since the world began4 7,acts ,,iii2 #ba47 ,it is to prepare the way for the second advent of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who will come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory1 and in flaming fire1 taking vengeance on them that know not ,god and that obey not the ,gospel of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 when ,he shall come to be glorified in his ,saints4 7,,ii ,thess4 ,i2 #g-aj47 ,in this dispensation1 after all people have been warned and the ,gospel has been preached for a witness to all nations1 and the elect are gathered together from the four winds1 namely ,east1 ,west1 ,north and ,south1 the great tribulations and judgments will be poured out1 the end of the world1 that is1 the end of the rule of ,satan and of the wicked will come1 the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our ,god and ,his ,christ1 and ,he will reign over them forever4 ,the times of ignorance ,god hath winked at1 but ,he now commands all men everywhere to repent4 ,therefore1 oh6 ye inhabitants of the earth1 hearken to the voice of the ,lord1 which is unto all people1 ,christian and ,pagan1 preachers and hearers1 ,papists1 ,protestants1 infidels1 secularists and agnostics1 rich and poor1 kings1 presidents1 rulers1 peasants and men and women of all race1 religions and degrees1 saying1 repent of your sins1 of your false creeds1 of your dead forms1 and of all your unbelief and iniquities1 and come unto me1 and be baptized by my servants1 on whom ,i have placed my authority1 and receive the laying on of their hands1 and you shall have the remission of your sins and the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 and shall know that ,i am ,god1 and that ,i have set my hand to accomplish my great work in the earth1 and if you abide in me you shall inherit the earth when it is cleansed and glorified1 and shall be crowned with eternal life6 #bcg ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #h4 ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,truth shall spring out of the earth1 and righteousness shall look down from heaven4 ,so prophesied the ,psalmist1 7,ps4 ,,lxxxv2 #aa74 ,this may be viewed as a figurative expression1 but it has been literally fulfilled in the #aith century4 ,in the midst of the disputations over the meaning of many parts of the ,bible1 which have caused so many heart-burnings and bitter feelings among preachers and professors of religion1 out of the earth has come forth a sacred record containing divine truth in such plainness and simplicity as to settle in the minds of believers those controversies which have agitated the world of theology4 ,when the ,american continent was discovered by ,columbus and others1 who were led to cross the great waters in search of unknown lands1 a dark-skinned race1 composed of many different tribes but evidently of a common origin1 were found in possession of the ,western ,continent4 ,varying in their characteristics from the white1 the black1 the yellow1 and all the ,european1 ,asiatic and ,ethiopian branches of the human family1 their origin became a cause of wonder and scientific investigation4 ,the general conclusion arrived at was1 that at some remote period their ancestors had migrated from some portion of the ,eastern ,hemisphere1 but when1 or how1 or why this emigration had taken place was a profound mystery4 ,but in the year #ahbi a book was published in the state of ,new ,york1 claiming to have been translated from metallic plates found in a hill-side in that ,state1 by a young man who was directed to their place of deposit by an ,angel of ,god1 and who was inspired in the work of translation to decipher the hieroglyphics inscribed on those plates1 being aided in the work by an instrument1 discovered with them1 called the ,urim and ,thummin4 ,the plates had the appearance of gold1 were not quite so thick as common tin1 were about six inches by seven in size1 were engraved on both sides1 and were fastened together in the shape of a book by three rings at the back4 ,acting under instructions of the heavenly messenger the #bch young man1 ,joseph ,smith1 proceeded as quietly as possible to perform the arduous task required of him4 ,as he was but a poor scholar1 he obtained the assistance of a scribe to write1 as he dictated word by word4 ,the news of the discovery1 however1 became noised around1 and ridicule from both preachers and people was followed by attempts at violence1 so that the plates had to be concealed1 and1 with their translator1 removed from place to place4 ,a farmer1 named ,martin ,harris1 who had become interested in the work1 received from ,joseph ,smith a copy of some of the hieroglyphics with their translation4 ,these he carried to ,new ,york and submitted them to some learned linguists1 among them ,prof4 ,anthon1 who after examining them1 pronounced them true characters and the translation1 so far as he could determine1 to be correct4 ,he wrote a certificate to this effect1 and gave it to ,martin ,harris4 ,but questioning him as to how the young man had obtained the record containing these characters1 he was informed that it was revealed to him by an ,angel of ,god4 ,he then requested ,mr4 ,harris to let him look at the certificate he had given him4 ,on receiving it he tore it up1 declaring that there was no such thing as angels from heaven now-a-days1 but said if the book was brought to him he would endeavor to translate it4 ,a portion of the record being sealed1 ,martin ,harris informed him of that fact1 when he exclaimed1 ,i cannot read a sealed book4 ,as will be seen subsequently1 he was1 though unwittingly1 fulfilling a scriptural prophecy4 ,that portion of the record which was not sealed was finally translated into the ,english language by ,joseph ,smith1 and formed a volume of about #fjj pages1 which was published as the ,book of ,mormon4 ,this title was given to it because a ,prophet named ,mormon1 by command of ,god1 about four hundred years after ,christ1 compiled and abridged the records of ,prophets who ministered on the ,american continent1 back to about #fjj years before ,christ1 when a colony of ,israelites was led from ,palestine across the waters and became a numerous people1 the ancestors of the present race of ,american ,indians4 ,the account of their travels1 their establishment on the ,western ,hemisphere1 the revelations of ,god to them1 their division through wickedness into separate tribes1 the manner in which the hue of their complexion was changed1 their wars1 their works1 their buildings1 their customs1 their language1 the words of their prophets1 are all given in great plainness in the ,book of ,mormon4 ,an account is also given of the visit of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ to this people #bci after ,his resurrection1 fulfilling ,his own prediction recorded in ,john ,x2 #af3 ,and other sheep ,i have which are not of this fold4 ,them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice1 and there shall be one fold and one shepherd4 ,that these other sheep were not the ,gentiles1 as popularly supposed1 is clear from ,christ's statement1 ,i am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the ,house of ,israel4 7,matt4 ,,xv2 #bd47 ,he established ,his ,church among them1 ordaining ,twelve ,apostles1 and giving them the same ,gospel1 authority1 gifts1 powers1 ordinances and blessings as ,he gave to ,his sheep on the ,eastern ,hemisphere4 ,thus the fulness of the ,gospel is contained in the ,book of ,mormon1 which stands as a witness of the truth of the ,bible4 ,the two records supporting each other1 and both united bearing testimony to an unbelieving world that ,jesus of ,nazareth is the ,christ1 the ,son of the ,eternal ,god and the ,savior of the world4 ,this record also contains an account of a colony directed of the ,lord to the ,western ,continent at the time of the scattering of the people from the land of ,shinar and the confusion of tongues1 at the stoppage of the building of the ,tower of ,babel4 ,the ruins of their cities and temples and fortifications1 discovered by travelers and archaeologists since the publication of the ,book of ,mormon1 are silent but potent witnesses of the truth of the record4 ,each succeeding year brings forth further evidences of this character1 that form a cloud of witnesses to the divine mission of the ,prophet1 ,seer1 and ,translator1 ,joseph ,smith4 ,the ,book of ,mormon has since been published in many languages and submitted to the scrutiny of the religious and scientific world1 and no one as yet has been able to point out wherein it disagrees with the ,jewish ,scriptures or with the facts developed by antiquarian research and scientific investigation4 ,yet it was brought forth in this age by an unlearned youth1 not acquainted with the world1 reared in rural simplicity without access to the literature of the time1 and without even the ordinary acquirements of the schoolboy of the present4 ,according to the ,book of ,mormon1 the people who journeyed from ,jerusalem to the ,american ,continent1 taking with them the genealogy of their fathers and writings of the ,law and the ,prophets1 were of the tribe of ,joseph through ,ephraim and ,manasseh1 and were led out of ,palestine when ,zedekiah was ,king of ,judah4 ,in keeping the record which was subsequently abridged by the ,prophet ,mormon1 they used the learning of the ,jews and the language of the ,egyptians4 ,their hieroglyphs and symbols1 however1 were changed and modified1 #bdj so that the characters upon the plates revealed to ,joseph ,smith1 where they had lain hidden for about #a1djj years1 was a reformed ,egyptian4 ,how this uneducated youth was able to bring forth a work of such magnitude and importance1 unless by inspiration of ,almighty ,god1 and by the means explained1 remains a mystery to unbelievers4 ,for a long time it was pretended by enemies of the work that one ,solomon ,spaulding wrote a ,manuscript story1 which in some unexplained manner fell into the hands of ,joseph ,smith1 who worked it over into the ,book of ,mormon4 ,but that foolish tale has signally failed of its purpose1 for in recent years the ,spaulding manuscript has come to light1 and is now deposited in the ,library of ,oberlin ,college1 ,ohio1 and proves to be as unlike the ,book of ,mormon as ,jack the ,giant ,killer is dissimilar to the ,bible4 ,the colonization of ,america by the seed of ,joseph1 who was sold into ,egypt1 fulfills the blessing pronounced on the head of ,joseph and his sons by the ,patriarch ,jacob4 7,see ,gen4 ,,xlvii2 also ,,xlix2 #bb-bf27 also the blessing pronounced by the ,prophet ,moses1 7,deut4 ,,xxxiii2 #ac-ag74 ,the historical portion of the ,book of ,mormon shows that the ,american ,continent1 possessed by a multitude of nations1 the seed of ,ephraim and ,manasseh1 is the blessed land bestowed on ,joseph in addition to his portion in ,canaan4 ,there are to be found the everlasting hills and the ancient mountains1 the precious things of heaven1 and the precious things of the earth1 and all of the characteristics of the country unto which the branches of the fruitful bough1 were to run over the wall1 as ,jacob predicted4 ,that the word of the ,lord was to be given to the seed of ,ephraim may be seen from ,hosea ,,viii2 #aa1 #ab3 ,because ,ephraim hath made many altars to sin1 altars shall be made unto him to sin4 ,i have written to him the great things of my law1 but they were counted as a strange thing4 ,the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon is foreshadowed by ,isaiah the ,prophet1 ,chapter ,,xxix2 #d-i4 ,it is the voice of a fallen people whispering out of the dust4 ,it has come at a time when the world is drunken1 but not with wine1 staggering under the influence of false doctrine1 and without ,prophets and ,seers4 ,it is the marvelous work and the wonder1 which the ,lord was to bring to pass for the confounding of those who had turned things upside down1 and who worshipped ,him with their mouths while their hearts were far from ,him4 ,the words of the book1 ,isaiah said1 were to be presented to the learned1 saying1 ,read this ,i pray thee1 and he was to #bda say1 ,i cannot for it is sealed4 ,the book itself was to be delivered to him that is not learned2 and that it was to be read is clear from verse #ah3 ,and in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book1 and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness1 the meek also shall increase their joy in the ,lord1 and the poor among men shall rejoice in the ,holy ,one of ,israel4 ,the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon as the stick of ,joseph1 is also predicted in ,ezekial ,,xxxvii2 #ae-bb4 ,the interview of ,martin ,harris with ,prof4 ,anthon1 related above1 fulfilled one portion of ,isaiah's prophecy1 the other portions have come to pass in the translation of the book by the unlearned youth and its reception by the meek and poor among men1 and by the restoration of sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf1 who have seen and heard the words of the book and bear testimony to its divine origin4 ,the ,stick of ,judah--the ,bible1 is now joined with the ,stick of ,joseph--the ,book of ,mormon--and1 as ,ezekial foretold1 they have become one in the hand of the ,lord1 as a witness for ,him and ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ in the latter days4 ,as a preface to the ,book of ,mormon the testimony of three witnesses1 namely1 ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,david ,whitmer and ,martin ,harris1 is published1 declaring with words of soberness that an angel of ,god came down from heaven and brought and laid before their eyes the plates from which the book was translated2 that the voice of ,god from heaven declared that it had been translated by the gift and power of ,god1 and commanded them to bear record of it4 ,also the testimony of eight witnesses is given1 who saw the plates naturally1 handled them1 inspected the engraving thereon1 and turned over the leaves that had been translated4 ,in addition to these witnesses1 chosen of the ,lord to bear record of these facts1 thousands of people1 of various nationalities1 have received divine testimony that the book is true1 and that ,joseph ,smith1 who translated it by the gift of ,god1 was a true ,prophet1 called of ,god to usher in the dispensation of the fulness of times proclaim anew the everlasting ,gospel1 the one plan of salvation1 re-establish the ,church of ,christ on earth1 and prepare the way for the coming of ,him whose right it is to reign1 and for the final redemption of the earth from sin and satan1 from darkness and death4 ,and every person who will read the ,book of ,mormon with an unprejudiced mind and will ask ,god in faith1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 concerning it1 shall surely receive a witness of its truth1 and be guided in the way of eternal salvation4 #bdb ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #i4 ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,in proclaiming the great truths that the silence of centuries has been broken2 that the voice of ,god has again been heard from heaven2 that ,jesus ,christ ,his ,son has manifested ,himself in these latter days2 that ,angels from the courts of glory have ministered to man on earth in the present age2 that a sacred record has been brought forth from the ground disclosing the history of a hemisphere2 and bearing the same truths as those recorded in the ,bible2 that a ,prophet1 ,seer and ,revelator has been raised up to bring in the last dispensation2 that ,apostles and other inspired servants of ,god now minister among them2 that the ,church of ,christ with all its former organization1 ordinances1 gifts1 signs and spiritual power has been reorganized on earth2 and that communications may be had with ,deity by men and women of faith now1 as at any period in the world's history1 the servants of ,god are met with the assertion that the day of revelation has long since passed1 and that they must of necessity be either impostors or deluded1 because there is to be no more scripture1 prophecy1 miracles1 angelic ministrations1 visions or actual communication from heaven to earth4 ,this popular error is fostered and propagated by the ministers of various so-called ,christian denominations1 and is accepted by the masses of the people as a settled and foregone conclusion4 ,on what ground is such an irrational position assumed8 ,is not the ,almighty declared in scripture to be unchangeable8 ,has not ,his work on earth always been conducted by men divinely chosen1 appointed and inspired8 ,is there not as much need of divine revelation to settle religious feuds and doctrinal differences in the #aith century1 as at any previous period8 ,would not the word of the ,lord be of much more value to mankind than the varied opinions of uninspired men1 no matter how great be their human learning8 ,ought #bdc not the inhabitants of the earth to be not only willing1 but eager to receive a message from the eternal worlds8 ,ah6 exclaims the objector1 but there were to be no more ,prophets after ,christ4 ,he finished the divine plan and completed the revelation of ,god to the earth4 ,he warned ,his disciples against false prophets and false ,christs1 and said if it were possible they would deceive the very elect4 ,does not the very fact ,christ said there would be false prophets1 convey the idea that there would be true ,prophets also8 ,if there were to be no more true ,prophets1 it would have been easy for the ,savior to plainly say so1 and thus there would be no place left for deceivers4 ,but ,he declared emphatically3 ,wherefore1 behold ,i send unto you ,prophets and wise men and scribes1 and some of them ye shall kill and crucify1 and some of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city4 7,matt4 ,,xxiii2 #cd47 ,were not ,prophets established in the ,church of ,christ as members of ,his body8 ,read ,i ,cor4 ,,xii2 #bh3 ,and ,god hath set some in the ,church2 first ,apostles1 secondarily ,prophets1 thirdly1 ,teachers1 after that miracles1 then gifts of healing1 helps1 governments1 diversities of tongues4 ,did not ,christ promise ,his disciples that after ,he went away the ,comforter should come8 ,and was not one of the offices of that spirit to show them things to come8 7,john ,,xvi2 #ac47 ,was not the gift of prophecy bestowed upon members of the ,church of ,christ as one of the manifestations of the ,holy ,spirit8 7,i ,cor4 ,,xii2 #aj47 ,and can anybody possess the true testimony of ,jesus without that spirit8 ,the angel that appeared to ,john the ,apostle said3 ,the testimony of ,jesus is the spirit of prophecy4 7,rev4 ,,xix2 #aj47 ,paul prayed for the ,ephesians3 ,that the ,god of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,father of glory1 may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of ,him4 7,eph4 ,i2 #ag47 ,if revelation and prophecy ceased with ,christ1 what about the ,new ,testament1 all written after ,his death and resurrection1 by men now believed to be inspired8 ,did not the ,apostle ,john behold a glorious vision and receive a grand revelation1 when banished to the ,island of ,patmos8 ,here again the objection will be raised3 ,but that revelation was the last communication from heaven1 and its closing chapter forbids any further revelation4 ,that is also a popular error promulgated by men professing to be ministers of ,christ1 and finding themselves destitute of divine power and inspiration4 ,here is the passage they quote3 ,for ,i testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of #bdd this book1 if any man shall add unto these things1 ,god shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book4 7,rev4 ,,xxii2 #ah47 ,it is astonishing how plain and simple language can be wrested from its evident meaning to suit the purpose of sophistry4 ,there is not a word in that text which conveys the remotest intimation that revelation and prophecy were to cease1 or that ,god would no more speak to man4 ,it is a prohibition against the addition by man of anything to that which ,god reveals4 ,the next verse forbids the taking away of anything from the book of this prophecy4 ,that is1 the ,book of ,revelation4 ,these commands have reference to that one book1 and that only4 ,the compilers of the ,new ,testament have placed it last in the collection of scriptural books1 and the strained1 unnatural and absurd application which has been made of the words we have quoted have been attached to the whole volume of the ,bible4 ,it is all wrong and ridiculous4 ,the idea that the ,almighty placed a seal upon ,his own mouth when ,he simply forbade men to add to what ,he said1 is certainly most remarkable for sane people to entertain4 ,if that singular notion were correct1 then both the angel who gave the revelation1 and ,john1 who received it1 violated the heavenly injunction1 for we read that the angel gave to ,john a mission in figurative manner1 which he thus explained3 ,thou must prophecy again before many peoples1 and nations1 and tongues1 and kings4 7,rev4 ,x2 #aa47 ,it is well known that the ,epistles of ,st4 ,john were written after he received the revelation on ,patmos4 ,while the true ,church of ,christ remained on earth the spirit of revelation and prophecy also remained4 ,when that spirit departed there was but a dead form left4 ,only by the restoration of divine communication with man could the ,church of ,christ be re-established on earth4 ,only by raising up a ,prophet to commence the latter-day dispensation could our ,heavenly ,father maintain ,his invariable method from the beginning of the world4 ,and instead of men1 professing to be ,his servants1 opposing and fighting against divine revelation1 they ought to hail with gladness the re-opening of the heavens and shout for joy that the rays of the ,millennial morning have burst upon the world4 ,it is passing strange that persons familiar with the prophetic writings in the ,bible1 could hold the opinion that there would be no revelation in the latter days4 ,the ,bible teems with prophecies of the latter-day glory1 when the mightiest miracles ever wrought by divine power should be displayed2 #bde when ,god should set up an ensign for the nations1 assemble the outcasts of ,israel1 gather together the dispersed of ,judah from the four corners of the earth1 and not only repeat the wonders of the ,mosiac journey from ,egypt to ,canaan1 but display ,his power to such an extent that it will no more be said1 ,the ,lord liveth that brought the ,children of ,israel out of the land of ,egypt1 but the ,lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the ,house of ,israel from the north country and from all countries whither ,i have driven them4 7,see ,isaiah ,,xi2 #f-af2 ,jer4 ,,xxiii2 #c-h2 ,zech4 ,x2 #f-aa47 ,not only is the ,lord to gather ,israel and ,judah1 with a mighty hand and a stretched out arm1 but ,he is to bring ,his elect together from the four quarters of the earth4 ,they are to go up in the tops of the mountains1 where the ,house of the ,lord is to be reared1 from which ,his law is to go forth1 and where ,his people shall learn of ,his ways and walk in ,his paths4 ,when ,he has rebuked the nations1 cleansed the earth from its iniquity1 so that the meek shall inherit it1 ,he is to pour out ,his spirit upon all flesh1 with the result not only that ,his sons and ,his daughters shall prophesy and see visions1 but they shall all be taught of ,god1 until the earth shall be full of the knowledge of ,god as the waters cover the great deep4 7,joel ,,ii2 #bh-cb2 ,isaiah ,,xi2 #i2 ,micah ,,iv2 #a-g2 ,isaiah ,,xxxv2 ,isaiah ,,liv2 #ac47 ,that there was to be a new and final dispensation after the great apostacy from primitive ,christianity foretold by the ,apostles1 is evident from the statement of ,paul in his ,epistle to the ,ephesians4 ,he says3 ,having made known unto us the mystery of ,his will according to ,his good pleasure which ,he hath purposed in ,himself1 that in the dispensation of the fullness of times ,he might gather together in one all things in ,christ1 both which are in heaven and which are on earth1 even in ,him4 7,eph4 ,i2 #i1 #aj47 ,how could this1 the greatest of all dispensations1 be ushered in without a ,prophet and without revelation from ,god8 ,did the ,almighty ever commence a dispensation since the world began without a ,prophet to declare ,his word1 and without revealing ,his will8 ,the ,apostle ,peter calls this great dispensation the times of restitution of all things spoken of by all the ,holy ,prophets since the world began1 in which ,jesus ,christ is to come in glory4 7,acts ,,iii2 #bj1 #bl47 ,if all things are to be restored in that great gathering dispensation1 then ,prophets must be restored1 revelation1 angelic visitations1 gifts1 signs1 miracles and all the manifestations of former times must also be restored4 #bdf ,for1 the consummation of all things is to be accomplished1 and the earth be prepared for the presence of its rightful ruler1 its ,redeemer and ,king4 ,be it known to all people that the ,lord1 in ,his infinite mercy1 has once more opened the heavens and revealed ,himself to man4 ,the last dispensation has been commenced4 ,the voice of ,christ has again been heard4 ,angels have come down from heaven to earth4 ,prophets1 ,apostles and other inspired men declare the word and will of the ,lord4 ,a sacred record of the ancient people of a vast continent has been brought out of the ground and1 united with the ,jewish ,bible1 bears witness that ,god is the same yesterday1 today and forever1 and that by faith mankind in all ages may learn of ,him and have communion with ,him4 ,the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ is being preached in all the world as a witness to all nations1 baptism is administered by divine authority for the remission of sins1 the ,holy ,ghost is conferred as of old1 by the laying on of hands of men clothed with the ,holy ,melchisedek ,priesthood1 the unity of the faith is enjoyed1 the sick are healed1 prophecies are uttered1 the gift of tongues and interpretation is attainable1 and by visions and dreams and the witness of the ,comforter1 ,god is testifying to those who receive ,his word1 that ,he has commenced a great latter-day work spoken of by ,his ,holy ,prophets4 ,the man chosen of ,god to commence the work of the last dispensation was ,joseph ,smith1 who was slain at ,carthage1 ,illinois1 for the word of ,god and the testimony of ,jesus4 ,no ,prophet who ever lived on earth1 except the ,son of ,god ,himself1 accomplished a greater work1 brought forth more truth or received greater revelations from on high than he4 ,having finished the grand mission required of him by the ,lord1 he sealed his testimony with his blood1 and stands with the martyrs who will be crowned in the presence of ,god and the ,lamb as ,kings and ,priests unto them forever4 ,the truth of this testimony has been sealed upon the hearts of many thousands of people1 who rejoice in the certain knowledge that they are accepted of ,god4 ,and this knowledge may be obtained by every soul who shall believe in ,christ1 repent of sin1 be baptized for the remission of sin1 and receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,therefore1 oh reader6 ,come unto the light1 obey the ,gospel and be saved6 ,this is the only way of eternal life and everlasting happiness in the ,father's presence4 #bdg ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #aj4 ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of ,god4 7,john ,,iii2 #e47 ,this sweeping declaration was made by ,jesus ,christ to ,nicodemus1 when that prominent ,israelite visited the ,savior at night4 ,the ,apostle ,peter said concerning ,jesus ,christ3 ,neither is there salvation in any other2 for there is none other name under heaven given among men1 whereby we must be saved4 7,acts ,,iv2 #ab47 ,the words of ,peter were spoken when he was filled with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the words of ,jesus came from him as the ,son of ,god4 ,they vitally affect the whole human family4 ,they being true1 not a soul can enter into the kingdom of ,god unless he or she is a true believer in ,jesus ,christ1 and has been born of the water and of the spirit4 ,even ,christ himself had to comply with this law1 in order to fulfill all righteousness4 ,he was born of the water in ,his burial by baptism in ,jordan1 and ,his coming forth from the womb of waters2 he was then born of the spirit by the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,here is the example for all mankind1 who are required to follow in ,his steps4 ,this is the strait and narrow way4 ,the question which naturally arises in the thoughtful mind on hearing these declarations is1 ,how could people believe in ,jesus ,christ when ,his name was not preached to them8 ,and coupled with that comes the query3 ,what has become of the many millions of earth's inhabitants who died without the opportunity of being born of water and of the spirit8 ,the heathen nations1 worshiping false gods1 knew nothing of ,jesus as the ,savior of mankind4 ,even the chosen people ,israel who were under the ,mosaic law1 did not walk in that way of salvation4 ,since the days when the ,apostles and other authorized servants of ,christ administered the ordinances of the ,gospel1 and during the times when darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the people1 down to the present age when it is claimed by the ,latter-day ,saints that the ,church of ,christ1 the ,holy ,apostleship1 and the fulness of the ,gospel have been restored1 myriads of #bdh good people have passed away without receiving that new birth in the manner that ,christ declared to be essential4 ,have they all perished8 ,is it possible that they are doomed to destruction8 ,will the ,eternal ,father reject all these ,his children because they did not obey a law which was not made known to them8 ,justice1 mercy1 reason1 and common sense revolt at such an idea4 ,as ,paul has it3 ,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 preach except they be sent8 7,rom4 ,x2 #ad47 ,yet the word of ,god must stand4 ,it endureth forever1 and ,he is no respecter of persons4 ,and ,he is to judge the secrets of all men by ,jesus ,christ according to ,his ,gospel4 ,it is for that reason that the ,gospel was to be preached to every creature4 ,according to the notion prevalent in modern ,christendom1 there will be many millions of people shut out of the kingdom of heaven1 because they did not believe in a ,savior about whom they knew nothing4 ,and it is taught that there is no possible chance of salvation for those who die without faith in ,christ4 ,sectarians sing3 ,there's no repentance in the grave1 nor pardon offered to the dead4 ,the preachers of the sects limit the mercy of ,god to this probation4 ,they teach that at death the soul goes either to heaven or to hell1 and its state and condition is fixed forever4 ,if this awful doctrine were true1 ,satan would gain the victory over ,christ1 claiming as his a vast and overwhelming proportion of the human family1 leaving to our great ,redeemer but a small and trifling troop out of the immense and countless hosts of the armies of humanity4 ,the solution of this1 to many1 puzzling problem is simple in the light of the true ,gospel of ,christ restored in the latter days4 ,the mercy of ,god endureth forever4 ,it is not confined to the narrow boundaries of this little earth1 nor tied up within the limits of time4 ,the spirits of men and women are ,his sons and daughters1 whether if the body or out of the body4 ,his tender mercies are over ,,all ,,his ,,works4 ,no one can be justly or mercifully judged by the ,gospel without hearing that ,gospel1 and having the opportunity to receive or reject it4 ,why1 then1 should not the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ be made known to those who never heard it in the flesh1 after they have left the body and dwell in another sphere8 ,do not all the sects of ,christendom1 almost without exception1 believe that the spirit of man is immortal1 and #bdi is therefore living and sentient when the body is dead8 ,and if that is true1 are not the spirits of men and women able to receive instruction and information when out of the body8 ,is it not the spirit of man that receives and stores up intelligence conveyed through the bodily senses8 ,why should the change called death1 which is the separation of the body and the spirit1 cut off all means of divine communication to the living1 immortal intelligent being that has simply shuffled off the mortal coil8 ,there is no good reason why the spirit thus advanced one stage in its experience should not be capable of still further progress and of receiving light1 knowledge1 wisdom and religious teaching1 especially if information essential to its eternal welfare was withheld while it dwelt in the body4 ,revelation as well as reason bears testimony that the word of ,god can be preached to the departed as well in the sphere to which they have gone1 as on any part of this earthly globe4 ,for ,christ also hath once suffered for sins1 the just for the unjust1 that ,he might bring us to ,god4 ,being put to death in the flesh1 but quickened by the spirit1 by which also ,he went and preached unto the spirits in prison1 which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of ,god waited in the days of ,noah2 while the ark was a preparing1 wherein few1 that is eight souls1 were saved by water4 7,i ,peter ,,iii2 #ah-bj74 ,here is a declaration which like a ray from the sun of righteousness1 puts to flight the fogs and mists of modern eschatology and opens up to view a vast field of understanding1 wherein the justice1 wisdom and mercy of ,god are displayed in glorious review4 ,the spirits of those rebellious people who were destroyed by the flood1 after suffering about #b1jjj years in their prison house1 were visited by the ,son of ,god while ,his body was lying in the sepulchre4 ,this was in fulfillment of the prophecies of ,isaiah concerning ,him2 for instance3 ,the spirit of the ,lord ,god is upon me1 because the ,lord hath anointed me to preach tidings unto the meek2 ,he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted1 to proclaim liberty to the captives1 and the opening of the prison to them that are bound4 7,isaiah ,,lxi2 #a74 ,and further3 ,to open the blind eyes1 to bring out the prisoners from the prison1 and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house4 7,isaiah ,,xlii2 #g74 ,and again3 ,that thou mayest say to the prisoners1 go forth4 ,to them that are in darkness1 show yourselves4 7,isaiah ,,xlix2 #i74 ,the common notion is that when ,christ on the cross bowed his head and gave up the ghost1 he went direct to #bej heaven1 as it is supposed all good people do1 but on the third day after this1 when ,christ appeared to ,mary1 he said unto her3 ,touch me not1 for ,i am not yet ascended to my ,father4 7,john ,,xx2 #ag74 ,the time spent by the ,savior between ,his death and ,his resurrection1 instead of being in heaven was among the spirits in prison1 the captives whom ,he went to deliver4 ,thus ,jesus could preach without ,his body1 and the spirits whom ,he visited could hear also without their bodies4 ,but what was the nature of ,his preaching to those who were held in captivity8 ,let ,peter answer this question4 ,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 7,i ,peter ,,iv2 #f47 ,thus it appears that the same ,gospel which was preached to men in the body was also preached to men out of the body1 so that all might be judged by the same ,gospel1 which is to be preached to every creature4 ,that the message of deliverance to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that were bound was successful is evident from the scriptural statement concerning ,christ3 ,he led captivity captive4 7,eph4 ,,iv2 #h74 ,jesus promised ,his disciples that the works which he did1 they should do also4 ,the mission and ,priesthood which ,his ,father gave to ,him ,he gave to them also4 ,it is therefore clear that the work of redemption commenced on earth will be carried on in the sphere beyond the veil4 ,and that it will be performed in the latter times1 may be learned without doubt from the prophecy of ,isaiah concerning the end of the world1 in which he foretells as one of the events of that period3 ,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 earth1 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 7,isaiah ,,xxiv2 #bj-bb74 ,the spirit of man when out of the body1 being an intelligent entity1 a thinking1 progressive and responsible being1 capable of hearing and believing or rejecting truth1 must be also capable of repenting of evil and learning to do well4 ,thus the mercy of ,god can reach such a being independent of the mortal structure in which it was permitted to dwell on earth4 ,the idea that the eternal future of man is fixed at death comes from a mistaken notion concerning the judgment day4 ,both ,christ and ,his ,apostles taught that the time of judgment was set by the ,father to take place when the ,son of ,man shall #bea come in ,his glory1 and all the holy angels with ,him4 7,matt4 ,,xxv2 #ca-df74 ,paul declared that ,christ would come to judge the quick and the dead at ,his appearing and ,his kingdom4 7#b ,tim4 ,,iv2 #a74 ,it was at that day that ,paul expected to obtain a crown of righteousness4 7,verse #h47 ,and the time of the judgment is fixed in the book of ,revelation to be after the resurrection from the dead1 when the small and the great shall stand before ,god1 and the books shall be opened1 and the dead shall be judged out of the things written in the books according to their works4 7,rev4 ,,xx74 ,the popular notion that final judgment takes place at the death of each individual1 and that he is then and there exalted to heaven or thrust down to hell1 is utterly wrong and unscriptural4 ,yet it has prevailed in ,christendom for many centuries1 and it remained for the ,prophet of the #aith century1 ,joseph ,smith1 by divine inspiration to bring forth the glorious light in the midst of dense spiritual darkness1 and show forth the mercy and goodness of ,almighty ,god in providing means by which every soul of ,adam's race1 either in the body or out of the body1 may learn the way of the ,lord1 the everlasting ,gospel1 the only plan of salvation4 ,it is to be preached to all them that are dead who could not hear it while living in the flesh1 and they can repent and turn unto ,god and be taught the things of ,his kingdom4 ,the doctrine of purgatory1 which is part of the ,roman ,catholic creed1 is a perversion of this doctrine of ,christ1 but the idea of the former came from a misunderstanding of the latter4 ,there is an intermediate state in which the spirits of the departed remain between death and the resurrection of the body1 and1 as will be pointed out in a succeeding tract1 there are works which may be performed by the living in behalf of the dead1 but only such as are impossible of performance in the spirit world4 ,the ,apostle ,paul declared that ,jesus ,christ gave ,himself a ransom for ,,all1 to be testified in due time4 7#a ,tim4 ,,ii2 #f74 ,the time has now come4 ,the testimony of this great truth is proclaimed by ,prophets and ,apostles raised up in these latter days1 and by the voice of ,angles from ,heaven1 and by the witness of the ,holy ,ghost1 which bears record of the ,father and the ,son4 ,let all people rejoice and praise the ,lord for this new revelation of his loving kindness and tender mercies extended over all ,his works1 and let ,his light shine to the uttermost parts of the earth and penetrate to the darkest abode of the regions behind the veil1 that truth may triumph everywhere and ,god be glorified in the obedience and salvation of ,his children4 #beb ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #aa4 ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead8 ,if the dead rise not at all1 why are they then baptized for the dead8 7#a ,cor4 xv3 #bi47 ,this was an argument used by the ,apostle ,paul with the ,corinthians1 who doubted the doctrine of the resurrection of the body4 ,it is evident that they were familiar with baptism for the dead4 ,for1 the ,apostle was reasoning with them from what they knew4 ,the influence of ,greek philosophy affected the minds of the ,saints at ,corinth1 and the ,apostle found it necessary to write to them his splendid treatise1 to convince them that as ,christ was actually raised from the dead1 so all mankind should be brought forth from their graves1 as the ,savior himself declared4 ,and appealing to their good sense he asked the question why they were baptized for the dead1 if1 as some among them maintained1 there was to be no resurrection of the dead4 ,this doctrine1 that the living could be baptized in behalf of the dead1 has not been understood in the so-called ,christian world for many hundreds of years4 ,it was known to the early fathers1 but became obsolete when the authority held by the ,apostles and their associates was taken from the earth and spiritual darkness settled upon the world4 ,yet1 if that was part of the doctrine of ,christ in the ,apostolic age1 it is part of it now4 ,but who among all the sects of the age teaches it8 ,who has authority to administer it8 ,who knows anything of the manner in which the ordinance should be solemnized8 ,it is because of the profound ignorance of modern teachers of religion on this important subject that they endeavor1 whenever the text given above is quoted1 either to cover it with a cloud of meaningless explanation1 or to treat it as unworthy of attention1 or to set it aside as something done away4 ,in the revelation of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ anew in the present age baptism for the dead was made known to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith as a necessary part of the doctrine of #bec ,christ4 ,its purpose1 the form of the ordinance1 who should administer it1 who should receive it1 how it would affect both the living and the dead1 and everything to render it acceptable to ,god and efficacious to the departed1 was made known to the ,prophet of the nineteenth century4 ,it has already been demonstrated that the ,gospel preached by our ,savior and ,his ,apostles to the living was also preached to the dead1 that is1 to the spirits of those who had once dwelt in the body on earth4 ,also that such persons are capable of receiving the truth1 of faith1 of repentance1 of obedience and reform4 ,it has been further shown that baptism for the remission of sins and the reception of the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands1 both ordinances to be administered by actual divine authority1 are essential to salvation4 ,but it will be evident to the thoughtful reader that while the internal or spiritual requirements of the ,gospel can be complied with by disembodied persons1 the outward and material ceremonies are of the body1 and can only be performed on the earth4 ,water is an earthly element or composition of material elements1 and pertains to this mundane sphere4 ,it is for this reason that the living must be baptized for the dead4 ,if those who die unbaptized are to obtain salvation the necessary ordinances will have to be attended to by proxy4 ,if any professing ,christian objects to the idea of salvation by proxy1 the all-important fact that the entire plan of salvation hinges on that principle should be sufficient to sweep away the objection entirely and forever4 ,the wages of sin is death4 ,all have sinned and come short of the glory of ,god4 ,jesus of ,nazareth died instead of sinners4 ,the just was offered for the unjust4 ,the innocent ,christ was a substitute for the guilty men4 ,the whole doctrine of the atonement rests upon the principle of salvation by proxy4 ,jesus is called the ,captain of our salvation4 ,he is the head of the host of the army of saviors4 ,it was predicted by ,obadiah the ,prophet that1 ,saviors shall come upon ,mount ,zion in the latter days1 and the kingdom shall be the ,lord's 7verse #ba74 ,and the inspired writer of the epistle to the ,hebrews1 speaking of those worthies who through faith performed great wonders and prevailed and obtained a witness from ,god in olden times1 declared3 ,these all1 having obtained a good report through faith1 received not the promise1 ,god having provided some better thing for us1 that they without us should not be made perfect4 7,heb4 ,,xi2 #ci1 #dj47 ,thus the work of human redemption is to be carried on until all the people #bed of the earth shall be judged according to the ,gospel1 every soul having had an opportunity of receiving or rejecting it1 either in the body or in the spirit state1 and of obeying the ordinances thereof1 either in person or vicariously1 the living acting for the dead4 ,at the first glance this doctrine may strike the modern ,christian mind as new and dangerous1 but the more it is investigated in all its bearings1 the clearer its truth is made apparent1 and the more glorious it becomes4 ,the thought that those who receive and obey the ,gospel of ,christ in its fulness while in the flesh1 can aid in the work of redemption for their ancestors who are in the spirit world1 is most delightful to the reverent soul4 ,it shows the value of those genealogies which ,israel1 the covenant people of ,god1 were moved upon in olden times to preserve4 ,it simulates the faithful in ,christ to good works that they may become ,saviors on ,mount ,zion4 ,it explains how the nations composed of millions upon millions of souls that never heard the ,gospel or the name of ,christ ,jesus1 may ultimately be redeemed and made heirs of salvation4 ,it points out the way by which ,christ shall eventually obtain the victory over ,satan and prove himself a ransom for all1 presenting ,his perfect work to the ,father1 not one soul having been lost but the sons of perdition1 who sinned unto death and could not be forgiven in this world or in the world to come4 ,the ordinances for the dead1 as revealed from heaven to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 must be attended to in the way provided by the ,lord or they will not be accepted of ,him4 ,they must be administered in sacred places built according to a heavenly pattern1 and administered by those who have authority to loose on earth and it shall be loosed in heaven1 to seal on earth and it shall be sealed in heaven4 ,persons who have themselves complied with the requirements of the ,gospel1 may be baptized and administered to in other necessary ordinances for and in behalf of their departed kindred and ancestors1 as far back as their line of progenitors can be ascertained4 ,this work must be attended to in ,zion4 ,this necessitates the gathering of the ,saints1 the elect of ,god from all parts of the earth4 ,they are commanded of the ,lord to come out of ,babylon1 that they be not partakers of her sins and that they receive not of her plagues4 7,rev4 ,,xviii2 #d74 ,in compliance with this requirement they are gathered from all nations1 to the mountain of the ,lord's house in the tops of the mountains1 where they can learn of ,his ways and walk in ,his paths1 and build up ,zion1 where #bee they can officiate as saviors and prepare for the coming of the great ,king4 7,see ,micah ,,iv2 #a-d2 ,isaiah ,,ii2 #b-e2 ,psalms ,,cii2 #af74 ,the gathering of ,judah is also to be accomplished in this dispensation of the fulness of times4 ,their gathering place is ,jerusalem4 ,they will return to the land of their forefathers chiefly in unbelief4 ,a few of that race will begin to believe that ,jesus of ,nazareth is the ,christ1 but the masses of that people will not receive ,him in that light until ,he comes and ,his feet shall stand again on the ,mount of ,olives4 ,he will then appear as their ,deliverer from the hosts that will assemble against them for a spoil and a prey4 ,they will then look upon ,him whom their forefathers have pierced1 and beholding the scars of the wounds ,he received when ,he came to ,his own and ,his own received ,him not1 but hung ,him upon the cross1 will come to the understanding that ,jesus is indeed the ,son of ,god as well as the son of ,david1 and is their ,messiah1 their ,redeemer1 and their ,king4 ,they will then receive ,his ,gospel1 the only plan of salvation2 a nation will be born in a day unto the ,lord2 and in the ,temple that will be reared to ,his name they will officiate for their dead until all the links in the chain of their ancestry1 back to the time when the ,gospel was on the earth previous to the enunciation of the ,mosiac code1 the law of carnal commandments1 are made complete4 ,all the promises made to ,israel and ,judah through their ,prophets will be fulfilled1 and ,christ will reign in ,mount ,zion and ,jerusalem and fill the earth with ,his glory6 7,see ,zech4 ,,xiv2 #h-bc2 ,jer4 ,,xxiii2 #c-h2 ,,xxxii2 #cg-dd2 ,ezek4 ,,xxxiv2 #ac-af2 ,,xxxviii2 #h-bc2 ,ezek4 ,,xxxix2 ,isaiah ,,xxiv2 #bc74 ,while the ,house of ,judah is to rebuild ,jerusalem1 in expectation of a ,messiah1 but in unbelief of the ,savior and ,his atonement1 the descendants of the ,house of ,israel which was scattered and dispersed among the nations1 will gather as the elect of ,god to the latter-day ,zion upon the land of ,joseph in the tops of the mountains1 where the ,house of ,god is exalted above the hills1 and where the revelations of ,his will are made known and the ordinances of ,his ,house for the living and the dead can be administered4 ,the blood of ,israel1 though mixed with that of the ,gentiles1 is counted as the seed of ,abraham to whom the promises of old were made1 and not one of them will fail4 ,their gathering place is on the land shadowing with wings which ,isaiah saw in vision beyond the rivers of ,ethiopia1 where the ,lord has lifted up an ensign on the mountains1 and from which ,his swift messengers #bef are now going forth as ambassadors of the great ,king and are bringing ,israel from afar to the place of the name of the ,lord of ,hosts1 the ,mount ,zion4 7,isaiah ,,xvii47 ,there1 in the ,temple built to ,his name according to the pattern ,he has revealed1 baptisms and all the ordinances necessary on earth in the work of salvation for the living and the dead1 are performed by divine authority1 and there the ,spirit of ,god is poured out in rich effusion1 bearing witness to the humble of heart and contrite of spirit that they and their labors of love are accepted of ,him and sealed and recorded in heaven4 ,there the wilderness and the solitary place have been made glad because of them4 ,the parched ground and the thirsty land have brought forth springs of water1 the desert is made to blossom as the rose4 ,there the ransomed of the ,lord have come to ,zion with songs of everlasting joy4 ,the place of their defense is the munition of rocks1 and they are looking for the time which is near at hand1 when they shall behold the ,king in ,his beauty4 7,see ,isaiah ,,xxxv2 also ,,xxxii2 #ac-bj2 ,,xxxiii2 #ae-ag2 ,,xlix2 #bb-bc2 ,,lii2 #g-ab2 ,psalm ,,cvii2 #a-g2 #cc-dc2 ,isaiah ,,xli2 #ah-bj47 ,from the foregoing it will be seen that our ,heavenly ,father is not bound by the small notions and narrow creeds of modern religious sects and teachers4 ,his ways are not as man's ways nor ,his thoughts as their thoughts4 ,as high as the heavens are above the earth1 so is ,his plan of salvation above the inventions of the worldly wise4 ,the ,gospel is to be preached to every responsible and accountable creature4 ,they who do not hear it while in the body will hear it in the spirit world1 and even those who through folly and darkness received it not will1 after having been beaten with many stripes and having paid the uttermost farthing of the debt thus incurred1 have mercy extended to them when justice has been satisfied1 and at length through the ministration of the ,holy ,priesthood of ,god on earth and behind the veil1 and the ordinances performed in person or vicariously1 all the sons and daughters of ,god in the race of ,adam will come forth from the grave2 and finally every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that ,jesus is the ,christ to the glory of ,god the ,father4 ,then ,jesus1 having finished ,his work of redemption1 will present it to the ,eternal ,father1 that ,he may be all in all4 ,this glorious work for the salvation of the human family is now in progress under the revelation and authority of the ,most ,high1 and no matter how much it may be opposed by ignorance or malice1 by ,satan or foolish men1 it will go on #beg to complete and glorious victory4 ,evil will be overcome1 darkness dispersed1 ,satan and his hosts be bound1 the earth and its inhabitants be redeemed1 ,paradise will be restored1 ,eden will bloom again1 ,christ will reign as ,king1 the ,tabernacle of ,god will be with men1 and all things above1 beneath1 around1 will sing praises to the ,most ,high1 to whom be glory and dominion forever4 ,amen4 ,i have had sufficient experience in this work to know that the hand of ,god is in it2 that it is controlled and guided by ,his spirit and by revelation from ,heaven4 ,it is the design of ,god to establish his ,kingdom upon earth to be thrown down no more4 --,wilford ,woodruff4 ,there is no other way beneath the heaven that ,god hath ordained for man to come to ,him1 except through faith in ,jesus ,christ1 repentance and baptism for the remission of sins2 then follows the promise of the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,any other course is in vain4 --,joseph ,smith1 ,the ,prophet4 #beh ,,rays ,,of ,,living ,,light4 ,no4 #ab4 ,,by ,,charles ,w4 ,,penrose4 ,ye shall know them by their fruits4 ,do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles8 so said the ,savior of mankind1 7,matt4 ,,vii2 #af74 ,the ,latter-day ,saints1 or ,mormons as they are commonly called1 have been derided and persecuted and all manner of evil has been spoken against them1 even by people who call themselves ,christians4 ,that in this false witness has been borne against them1 may be definitely proved if the criterion given by ,christ is accepted4 ,having obeyed the ,gospel as restored to earth by angelic visitations and administered by divine authority1 large numbers of the ,saints have congregated in the valleys of the ,rocky ,mountains in obedience to the command1 ,gather my ,saints together unto me1 those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice4 7,psalm ,l2 #e74 ,and also3 ,come out of her 7,babylon7 my people1 that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues4 7,rev4 ,,xviii2 #d74 ,in the year #ahdg a company of ,pioneers1 led by the ,prophet ,brigham ,young1 successor of the ,martyr ,joseph ,smith1 who was slain for the ,gospel's sake1 marched from the ,missouri ,river across prairies and mountains1 sand wastes and rivers1 through the wilderness known as the ,great ,american ,desert1 to the place in the mountains where they had been directed by ,joseph ,smith when living with them in ,nauvoo4 ,on ,july #bdth of that year they halted in the valley of the ,great ,salt ,lake1 beheld by ,brigham ,young in vision before they commenced their weary journey4 ,not a human habitation was to be seen4 ,the sun-baked land brought forth sagebrush and weeds4 ,rain was almost unknown and the melting snows from the mountain tops came down but in narrow and scanty streams4 ,but they plowed the parched ground and turned upon it the trickling waters2 they sowed in faith and trusted in ,god for the harvest which alone could save them from starvation4 ,the little band was composed of but #adg persons who had left civilization more than a thousand miles behind4 ,today nearly three hundred thousand people1 gathered from all parts of the world1 dwell in peace and harmony in flourishing cities #bei and towns or upon fruitful farms and luxuriant ranches1 reaping the results of thrift and industry and the blessings of ,god upon the land and upon their labors4 ,in the cities are fine residences1 comfortable cottages1 business establishments1 manufacturing enterprises1 broad streets lined with magnificent trees and with clear streamlets on either side1 lighted by electricity and supplied with pure water from works owned by the people4 ,grand school houses have been erected1 spacious places of worship1 noble public buildings and splendid temples costing from one million to four million dollars each4 ,all kinds of grains and fruits and flowers are produced in abundance2 the rainfalls have wonderfully increased1 springs have burst forth in dry spots1 grass grows on the hillsides and in the meadows1 cattle and sheep graze on a thousand hills1 and the face of nature smiles and shines with beauty4 ,this marvelous transformation has been brought about by the blessings of ,almighty ,god upon the faith and works of ,his ,saints gathered from afar4 ,zion that brought good tidings--the everlasting ,gospel restored to earth--has gone up into the high mountain4 ,the spirit has been poured out from on high1 and the wilderness has become a fruitful field4 ,the people of the ,lord dwell in peaceable habitations1 in sure dwellings1 in quiet resting places4 ,they are sowing beside all waters4 ,the wilderness and the solitary place is glad for them1 the desert rejoices and blossoms abundantly4 ,they are the ransomed of the ,lord1 and have come to ,zion with songs of everlasting joy4 7,see ,isaiah ,,xl2 #i2 ,,xxxii2 #ae-bj2 ,,xxxv2 #a-aj74 ,every ,sabbath day the children assemble in ,sunday schools under a system which is not excelled in any part of the world4 ,in the afternoon and evening the ,saints assemble in their ,tabernacles and meeting houses1 and receive instruction by the voice of inspiration and the reading of holy writ4 ,societies are organized for the instruction of juveniles1 of young men and women1 of ladies of mature age and for all classes of the community4 ,to serve ,god and keep ,his commandments is held up as the first duty of ,his people4 ,to labor for the salvation of the living and the redemption of the dead is placed above all earthly consideration4 ,the ,church has now in the mission field fifteen hundred or more missionaries1 traveling without purse and scrip1 without pay of any kind1 depending upon ,god and friends whom ,he may raise up to them for their daily sustenance4 ,the ,church organization revealed from heaven is recognized by all who investigate1 as the grandest and most complete ever known on earth4 ,the #bfj industry1 order1 devotion1 unity and brotherly love displayed by the ,latter-day ,saints are the admiration and commendation of both friend and foe4 ,the work they have performed under divine direction is a marvel to all who have visited the cities of the ,saints or know of their achievements4 ,what is the tree that has brought forth these excellent fruits8 ,it is the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,let the tree be judged by its fruits4 ,it is true that the ,mormons are a people who have been everywhere spoken against1 but this was a characteristic of the ,saints in the original ,christian ,church4 ,paul said3 ,they that live godly in ,christ ,jesus shall suffer persecution4 ,jesus exclaimed3 ,woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you4 ,he prophesied of his disciples3 ,ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake4 ,but there are a number of brave men who1 after visiting ,utah1 have not been afraid to speak their honest sentiments concerning that despised people4 ,among them are the following1 whose published remarks are but samples of others that might be adduced3 ,bishop ,d4 ,s4 ,tuttle of the ,episcopal church1 who resided in ,salt ,lake ,city1 had the following in the ,new ,york ,sun3 ,we of the ,east are accustomed to look upon the ,mormons as either a licentious1 arrogant1 or rebellious mob1 bent only on defying the ,united ,states government and deriding the faith of the ,christians4 ,this is not so4 ,i know them to be honest1 faithful1 prayerful workers1 and earnest in their faith that heaven will bless the ,church of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,another strong and admirable feature in the ,mormon religion is the tenacious and efficient organization4 ,they follow with the greatest care all the forms of the old ,church4 ,henry ,edger says1 in the ,new ,york ,evolution3 ,driven by mob violence from one state to another1 despoiled of their legitimate possessions--fruits of honest toil--this despaired and grossly wronged people found their way at last across the trackless desert and by an almost unexampled perseverance and industry created an oasis in the desert itself4 ,elder ,miles ,grant1 editor of the ,world's ,crisis1 says3 ,after a careful observation for some days we came to the settled conclusion that there is less licentiousness in ,salt ,lake ,city than in any other one of the same size in the ,united ,states2 and were we to bring up a family of children in these last days of wickedness1 we should have less fears of their moral corruption were they in that city than in any other4 ,gov4 ,safford of ,arizona wrote as follows3 ,they have no #bfa drones1 and the work they have accomplished in so short a time is truly wonderful4 ,all concede that we need an energetic1 industrious1 economical and self-relying people to subdue and bring into use the vast1 unproductive lands of ,arizona4 ,these ,mormons fill every one of the above requirements4 ,gen4 ,thomas ,l4 ,kane of ,pennsylvania1 after four years experience with the ,mormons1 declared3 ,i have not heard a single charge made against them as a community1 against their habitual purity of life1 their willing integrity1 their toleration of religious difference of opinion1 their regard for the laws1 their devotion to the ,constitutional government under which we live1 that ,i do not from my own observation or upon the testimony of others know to be unfounded4 ,chief ,justice ,white1 sent to ,utah by the ,u4 ,s4 government1 testified3 ,industry1 frugality1 temperance1 honesty are with them the common practices of life4 ,this land they have redeemed from sterility and occupied its once barren solitudes with cities1 villages1 cultivated fields and farm-houses1 and made it the habitation of a numerous people1 where a beggar is never seen and alms-houses are neither needed nor known4 ,the late ,hon4 ,bayard ,taylor1 ,u4 ,s4 minister to ,germany1 remarked1 ,we must admit that ,salt ,lake ,city is one of the most quiet1 orderly and moral places in the world4 99 99 99 ,the ,mormons as a people are the most temperate of ,americans4 ,they are chaste1 laborious and generally cheerful1 and what they have accomplished in so short a time under every circumstance of discouragement1 will always form one of the most remarkable chapters in our history4 ,notwithstanding the facts set forth in the foregoing1 the ,congress of the ,united ,states was moved upon for several years by anti-,mormon preachers of different sects1 and by petitions from good1 pious1 but deceived ,christian people1 also by adventurers who desired to profit by inroads upon the ,mormons1 to enact stringent and oppressive measures looking to the suppression of what they called ,mormonism4 ,it was thought by the enemies of the ,saints that they could be driven again from their possessions1 as they had been driven by mob violence from the states of ,missouri and ,illinois1 where their property became a prey to their so-called ,christian persecutors1 and where many of their number were brutally murdered in cold blood1 their ,prophet and ,patriarch1 ,joseph and ,hyrum ,smith1 being among the number4 ,for some time these efforts gave great promise of success4 ,much suffering was endured by the ,saints1 but they possessed their souls in patience1 having faith in the promises of ,god made to #bfb them through their ,prophets and ,apostles1 and the testimony of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,the day of their deliverance from this injustice1 sorrow1 and tribulation has come4 ,their true character has been measurably recognized1 and ,utah has been admitted into the ,union as a free and sovereign ,state1 on an equal footing with the other states in the ,federal compact4 ,there yet remains in the world great ignorance concerning the ,latter-day ,saints1 their purposes and works1 their doctrines and teachings1 and the spirit and power of their faith4 ,to these they invite the investigation of every rational mind4 ,they urge comparison of their principles1 their ,church and the ordinances1 gifts1 and spirit thereof with those set forth in the ,new ,testament1 in contrast with the contending and discordant religions of modern ,christendom4 ,they know that they have received the truth1 and that ,god has revealed it in the present age4 ,they have received a divine witness1 every one for himself4 ,they are building up ,zion in the ,west4 ,they are sending forth the ,gospel into all the world as a witness to the nations before the end shall come4 ,this is a day of warning4 ,it will be followed by a time of judgments4 ,the ,lord is about to shake terribly the kingdoms of this world4 ,war1 pestilence1 famine1 earthquake1 whirlwind1 and the devouring fire1 with signs in the heavens and on the earth1 will immediately precede the great consummation which is close at hand4 ,these are the last days4 ,all that has been foretold by the ,holy ,prophets concerning them is about to be literally fulfilled4 ,the everlasting ,gospel has been restored to the earth as one of the signs of the latter days4 ,israel is being gathered4 ,the elect of ,god are assembling from the four quarters of the earth4 ,the way is opening for the redemption of ,judah4 ,soon all things will be in commotion3 men's hearts failing them for fear and looking for the things that are coming on the earth4 ,the places of refuge appointed are in ,zion and in ,jerusalem4 ,the ,lord1 even ,jesus the ,messiah1 will come to ,his ,holy ,temple4 ,he will be glorified in his ,saints1 but will take vengeance on them that know not ,god and obey not the ,gospel4 ,he will break in pieces the nations as a potter's vessel4 ,he will sweep the earth as with a besom of destruction4 ,he will establish righteousness upon it and give dominion to ,his people4 ,the meek shall inherit the earth and the wicked be cut off forever4 ,therefore1 repent and turn unto ,him all ye nations1 and obey ,him all ye people1 for these words are true and faithful and are given by ,his spirit6 ,salvation has come unto you2 reject it not lest ye fall and perish4 ,the time is at hand6 #bfc ,a ,,friendly ,,discussion ,,upon ,,religious ,,subjects4 7,compiled from a ,work ,entitled ,mr4 ,durant of ,salt ,lake ,city47 ,,by ,,ben ,e4 ,,rich4 ,this pamphlet is written in the form of a conversational discussion1 because in this style information to the reader can be conveyed by a method that is at once simple and agreeable4 ,the scene of this narrative is a small town in the southwestern part of ,tennessee1 which we shall call ,westminster4 ,in this pretty village is a home of entertainment for strangers4 ,it can scarcely be termed a hotel as it partakes largely of the character of a private residence with accommodations for a limited number of guests1 and visitors are attracted to it by its home-like characteristics4 ,a planter named ,marshall was the proprietor of the premises1 which are known as ,harmony ,place4 ,at the particular time of which we write 7,sept41 #ahi-71 the house had three guests--a lawyer named ,brown1 who had selected ,westminster as a place favorable for the establishment of the practice of his profession2 a physician named ,slocum1 who had a similar intention1 and a clergyman named ,fitzallen1 a tourist who was traveling in the pursuit of health and pleasure4 ,at this time another visitor made his appearance4 ,he was an attractive looking man aged about thirty1 with genial manners and a striking clear method of presenting his thoughts in the course of conversation4 ,this was ,charles ,durant1 who hailed from the ,west4 ,the evening of the first day that marked the stranger's advent into ,westminster saw the entire personnel of ,harmony ,place on the veranda4 ,one subject after another was taken up1 discussed and disposed of1 or at least laid aside to give way to some other4 ,the conversation proceeded from point to point until the topics of #bfd the quiet gathering assumed more the aspect of an intellectual melange than anything else4 ,two subjects which agitate us nationally and sometimes locally more than any other--politics and religion--had1 so far escaped2 they had not1 however1 been unthought of1 and presently the latter was begun by the minister saying3 ,representing to some extent1 as ,i do1 the church1 ,i am pleased to be able to state that in the matters of organization1 discipline and places of worship1 ,america is thoroughly ,christianized4 ,i partially concur with you1 said the lawyer1 and yet ,i belong to no church at all--do not1 in fact1 endorse ,christianity as a department of civilized life4 ,why1 how is this8 said ,fitzallen1 ,i thought nearly everybody in this country must be orthodox to some extent1 at least4 ,not so with me1 ,i assure you1 the other replied1 and the strange part of it is1 that my views are the result of investigation and the peculiar explanations of those who make religious teaching their calling4 ,those who accept the creeds which are supposed to base their tenets upon the ,bible1 do not1 it appears to me1 live up to their professions1 and the clergy--no offense intended--are more addicted to money-getting than soul-saving4 ,the stranger from the ,west was listening to all this with the air of one deeply interested4 ,it was as if a desired opportunity had come1 and he was not reluctant about replying when questioned as to his own views4 ,it came when the churchman1 after announcing his determination to labor with the infidel1 turned to the newcomer and said3 ,i do not know whether you will be for or against me in this discussion1 but as you come from what we of the ,east are prone to regard as the land where restraints are not severe1 ,i presume you are disposed to assist him rather than me4 ,well1 gentlemen1 said ,durant1 this topic interests me1 and while ,i and my opinions are unknown to you all1 ,i will1 if agreeable to you1 endeavor to throw some light upon the subject4 ,i am a believer in religion and lay claim to a testimony of the truth of the gospel of ,christ from a divine source1 and yet ,i often find myself opposed by ministers4 ,i cannot imagine why this should be the case1 said ,fitzallen1 if you are1 as you state1 a true believer in ,christ and have a witness of ,him4 ,if you will permit me to ask a few questions during your conversation with ,mr4 ,brown1 ,i may be able to take a general #bfe part in the discussion1 provided1 however1 that should we differ upon any point it will be in a friendly manner4 ,certainly1 said the clergyman1 ,i am sure it will be a pleasure to me to have you join in our conversation1 and ,i do not doubt that ,mr4 ,brown and the other gentlemen feel the same way4 ,the entire party expressed approval of the proposed interchange of opinions4 ,then1 ,mr4 ,brown1 said ,fitzallen1 what particular part of the ,christian faith appears to you as being the most difficult to understand8 ,i confess there are many4 ,however1 let us commence with one of the principles of your belief4 ,i will refer to some of the literature of the ,church of ,england4 ,the first article of religion contained in the ,church of ,england ,prayer-,book is3 ',there is but one living and true ,god1 everlasting2 without body1 parts or passions2 of infinite power1 wisdom and goodness2 the maker and preserver of all things1 both visible and invisible3 and in the unity of this ,godhead there are three persons of one substance1 power and eternity--the ,father1 ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost4' ,according to this1 then1 your belief is that the ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost are one person1 without body1 parts or passion4 ,you have certainly quoted correctly from the prayer-book2 ,i fail to see anything wrong with that4 ,what fault have you to find with it8 ,i cannot form a conception of a ,god who has neither body1 parts nor passions4 ,so far as the ,bible is concerned1 ,i fail to see from what part of that book you derive such a conclusion4 ,well1 ,mr4 ,brown1 using your own language1 'so far as the ,bible is concerned1' let us do as ,isaiah commands1 'go to the law and to the testimony' 7,isaiah viii3 #bj7 and ,i will soon convince you that the ,bible plainly sets forth the fact that the ,father and the ,son are one4 ,in fact1 ,jesus himself declares that ,he and ,his ,father are one 7,john x3 #cj74 ,is this not true8 ,excuse me1 said ,durant1 but is it not more reasonable for us to believe that ,he meant that ,he and ,his ,father are united in all things as one person8--not that they are actually one and the same identity8 ,certainly not1 said the reverend1 our ,savior meant just what ,he said when ,he declared that ,he and ,his ,father were one4 ,i differ from you1 said the stranger1 for ,he also asked #bff ,his ,father to make ,his disciples one1 even as ,he and the ,father were one1 as you will see by reference to ,john xvii3#bj and #ba1 and by your argument it must have been ,his wish for those disciples to lose their separate and distinct identities4 ,stranger1 said ,mr4 ,brown1 your view of the case1 ,i must confess1 appears reasonable4 ,let me ask1 said the preacher1 did not ,jesus say1 ',he that hath seen me1 hath seen the ,father4' 7,john xiv3 #i47 ,yes1 said the westerner1 for as ,paul says1 ',he was in the express image of ,his 7,father's7 person' 7,heb4 i3 #c71 and this being the case1 ,jesus might well give them to understand that when they had seen one they had seen the other4 ,when ,jesus went out to pray1 ,he said1 ',o1 my ,father1 if it be possible let thus cup pass from me3 nevertheless1 not as ,i will1 but as ,thou wilt4' 7,matt4 xxvi3 #ci47 ,now then1 to whom was our ,savior praying8 ,was he asking a favor of himself8 ,oh1 no2 ,he was then praying to the ,holy ,spirit4 ,by such admission you have separated one of the three from ,jesus1 for in the beginning you declared that the three were one2 and now that we have one of the three separated from the others1 let us see if we can separate the other two4 ,in order to do this1 ,i refer you to the account of the martyrdom of ,stephen4 ,while being stoned to death he looked up to heaven and saw the glory of ,god1 and that ,jesus was standing on the right hand of ,god4 7,acts vii3 #ee47 ,would it not be impossible for a person to stand on the right hand of himself8 ,in further proof that ,jesus is a separate person from the ,father we will examine the account of ,his baptism4 ,on coming up out of the water1 what was it that lighted on ,him in the form of a dove8 7,matt4 iii3 #af47 ,we are told it was the ,spirit of ,god4 ,exactly6 ,and whose voice was it that spoke from the heavens1 ',this is my beloved ,son in whom ,i am well pleased6' 7,matt4 iii3 #ag47 ,now1 mind you1 there was ,jesus1 who had just been raised from the water1 being one person1 the ,holy ,ghost which descended from above and rested upon ,him in the form of a dove1 making two personages2 and does not the idea strike you very forcibly that the voice from heaven belonged to a third person8 ,and then again ,i will draw your attention to-- ,the churchman was getting heated4 ,said he3 ,these are things which we are not expected to understand2 and1 my young friends1 ,i would advise you to drop such foolish ideas1 for-- ,excuse me4 ,did you say 'foolish ideas8' ,why1 my dear #bfg sir1 we are told in the ,bible that ',this is life eternal1 that they might know thee1 the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ1 whom thou has sent4' 7,john xvii3 #c47 ,therefore it should be our first duty to find out the character and being of ,god4 ,you say we are not expected to understand these things1 while the ,bible says these are what we must understand if we desire eternal life4 ,it also says we can understand the things of man by the spirit of man1 but to comprehend the things of ,god we must have the spirit of ,god2 and as you profess to be one of ,his servants1 you are presumed to be in possession of the necessary light to understand the true and living ,god1 also ,jesus ,christ whom ,he sent4 ,you say ,god has no body2 did our ,savior have one8 ,if so1 then ,his ,father had one1 for ,i have just proved by the words of ,paul that ,christ was in the express image of his person4 7,heb4 i3 #c7 ,jesus appeared in the midst of ,his disciples after ,his resurrection with a body of flesh and bones1 and called upon ,his disciples to satisfy themselves on this point by touching ,him2 'for1' says ,he1 'a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see ,me have4' 7,luke xxiv3#ci47 ,then ,he called for something to eat and ,he did eat 7verses #db1 #dc71 and with this tangible body ,he ascended into heaven and stood1 as ,stephen says1 on the right hand of ,god4 7,acts vii3#ee47 ,now if ,he has no body1 what became of the one ,he took away with ,him8 ,this is nonsense6 ,you know that ,god is a spirit1 and ,i think we would better not delve too deeply into matters which we are not permitted to comprehend4 ,pray listen a while longer1 for ,i have yet more to say in regard to what you call nonsense1 although if it be such1 ,i must insist that it is ,bible nonsense4 ,you say ,god is a spirit2 does that prove ,he has no body8 ,we are also told we must worship ,him in spirit4 ,am ,i to understand from this that we must worship him without a body8 ,have you a spirit8 ,yes4 ,have you also a body8 ,yes4 ,were you made in the image of ,god1 body and spirit8 ,so says the ,bible4 ,man was created in the image of ,god4 7,gen4 i3 #bf1 #bg47 ,then ,god has a body and1 consequently1 must have parts4 ,moses talked with ,him face to face1 as one man talks with another 7,ex4 xxxiii3 #aa71 and he also saw ,his back parts4 ,he promised 7,num4 xii3 #h7 to speak with ,moses mouth to mouth4 ,we are told in the fifth chapter of ,deuteronomy that ,he has a hand and arm4 ,the ,psalm 7cxxxix3 #af7 tells us ,he has eyes1 and ,isaiah 7xxx3 #bg7 says ,he has lips and tongue4 ,john describes ,his head1 hair and eyes4 7,rev4 i3 #ad47 ,and as for passions1 we are told in the ,bible that ,he exercises love and is a jealous ,god4 ,are #bfh these not parts and passions8 ,it would appear that all who believe in the ,scriptures must conclude that they are parts and passions1 and that the ,creator is a ,god after whose likeness we are made4 ,well1 ,i had no idea when ,i commenced this conversation with ,mr4 ,brown that ,i was to find such an antagonist in yourself4 ,one would naturally come to the conclusion that you had made the ,bible a study4 ,i have as a ,christian studied the record2 in fact1 at a very early age my parents required me to commit and remember a very important verse in that good old book4 ,it is found in the fifth chapter of the gospel according to ,st4 ,john1 being the #cith verse1 and reads as follows3 ',search the ,scriptures1 for in them ye think ye have eternal life2 and they are they which testify of me4' ,that is proper1 but ,i must again warn you against plunging into mysteries which we cannot understand4 ,but ,peter tells us that 'no prophecy of the ,scripture is of any private interpretation' 7,,ii4 ,peter i3#bj71 and these are the things which we should seek for information upon2 for lack of information by the ministers upon these points is to a great extent1 the cause of many persons being in ,mr4 ,brown's frame of mind today4 ,if your assertion be correct1 perhaps it would be better for me to withdraw and leave ,mr4 ,brown in your hands4 ,i beg your pardon1 said ,durant1 ,i did not mean to offend you2 ,i will endeavor to be more careful during the rest of the conversation4 ,we will resume the discussion at another time4 ,tonight ,i only intended remaining a short time1 having an important engagement2 so1 if you will excuse me1 ,i will wish you all good evening4 ,well1 said ,mr4 ,brown1 things have taken a very peculiar turn4 ,i seem to be out of the contest4 ,i have heard more that appears reasonable from you1 ,mr4 ,durant1 regarding religion than ever before in my life1 and ,i must also admit that if my early teaching on religious matters had been of this character1 ,i believe ,i would have been a ,christian4 ,i am somewhat familiar with the doctrines of different ,christian societies1 and from the way you express yourself regarding the personality of ,god1 ,i would like very much to hear your views regarding other differences4 ,do you disagree with these ministers very much on other principles8 ,i am afraid the difference on many important principles is just as great as that concerning the personality of ,god4 ,but #bfi if you really desire to go with me in this search after the kingdom of ,god1 and the others are willing1 ,i assure you it will give me great pleasure4 ,unanimous approval was expressed at once1 and ,mr4 ,brown continued1 saying3 ,i never before had as great a desire in this direction1 and must confess that my curiosity has become quite aroused4 ,then1 said ,durant1 we will take ,king ,james' translation of the ,scriptures as the law-book1 and ',seek ye first the kingdom of ,god' for our text2 and if we should discover before we have finished that the teachings of men differ greatly from the teachings of ,christ1 ,i will be somewhat justified in saying that religionists have 'transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinance1 broken the everlasting covenant4' 7,isaiah xxiv3 #e4 ,jere4 ii3 #ac47 ,very well1 said ,mr4 ,brown1 ,i will proceed1 and obtaining the family ,bible he continued3 ,and should your assertions prove correct1 it would account for the increase of infidelity1 and it might also cause others as well as myself to stop and consider4 ,now1 then1 to the 'law and testimony4' ,give me the chapter and verse1 that ,i may know you make no mistake4 ,the doctor then for the first time took part1 saying3 ,i am also becoming very much interested1 and think ,i shall join you with my ,bible4 ,let us all come into the circle4 ,all right1 we will examine the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ from the ,bible1 principle by principle4 ,in order to have a clear understanding concerning this1 it will be necessary for us to go back to the days of our ,father ,adam4 ,through the transgression of our first parents1 death came upon all the human family1 and mankind could not1 of themselves1 overcome the same and obtain immortality4 ,to substantiate this1 see first1 second and third chapters of ,genesis1 ,romans #eth chapter and #abth verse1 and ,i4 ,corinthians #aeth chapter and #bast and #bbnd verses4 ,but in order that they should not perish1 ,god sent ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ into the world to satisfy this broken law and to deliver mankind from the power of death4 7,john iii3 #af2 ,romans v3 #h2 ,i4 ,john iv3 #i47 ,and as all become subject to death by ,adam1 so will all men be resurrected from death through the atonement of ,christ 7,i4 ,cor4 xv3 #bj-bc2 ,rom4 v3 #ab-ai71 and will stand before the judgment seat of ,god to answer for their own sins1 and not for ,adam's transgression4 7,acts xvii3#ca2 ,rev4 xx3#ab-ae2 ,matt4 xvi3#bg47 ,am ,i right as far as ,i have gone8 ,yes1 said the doctor1 ,i have been following you with your quotations1 and find them correct4 ,proceed4 #bgj ,then ,i have proved one of the principles of some of the so-called ,christians incorrect1 for they do not believe that the wicked will have the same chance of resurrection as the righteous4 ,jesus ,christ did not die for our individual sins1 except on condition that we conform to the plan ,he marked out1 which will bring us a remission of our sins4 ,the only way we can prove that we love ,him is by keeping ,his commandments 7,john xiv3 #ae72 therefore1 if we say we love ,god and keep not ,his commandments1 we are liars and the truth is not in us4 7,i4 ,john ii3 #d47 ,i think ,i have proved to your satisfaction that there is something defective in their understanding of the attributes of ,god1 and ,i think ,i can prove also that they do not keep ,his commandments4 ,christ has given us to understand two things which you must remember while on this search after the 'kingdom of ,god4' ,first1 that we must follow ,him2 secondly1 that when ,he left ,his disciples ,he was to send them the ,comforter that would lead them into all truth2 therefore we must follow ,christ and accept all the principles which were taught by ,his disciples while in possession of the ,holy ,spirit1 though it should prove the whole world to be in error4 ,thus far your arguments are reasonable1 also in accordance with ,holy ,writ2 and as there is no other name given us except ,jesus ,christ whereby we can be saved 7,acts iv3 #ab71 you may now lay before us the conditions2 but give us chapter and verse as ,i said before1 that we may know you speak correctly4 ,we will now examine into the conditions2 but first remember that ,god does not send men into the world for the purpose of preaching contrary doctrines1 for this always creates confusion1 and ,god is not the author of confusion1 but of peace4 7,i4 ,cor4 xiv3 #cc47 ,paul has said if any man teach another gospel let him be accursed4 7,gal4 i3 #h1 #i47 ,the first condition is this3 ,to believe there is a ,god 7not the kind mentioned in the ,english prayer-book71 but the ,god that created man in ,his own image1 and to have faith in that ,god and in ,jesus ,christ whom he has sent4 ,go on1 said the party in concert4 ,well1 continued ,durant1 the kind of faith required is that which will enable a man1 under all circumstances1 to say1 ',i am not ashamed of the gospel of ,christ2 for it is the power of ,god ,unto salvation4' 7,rom4 i3 #af47 ,this is the kind of faith by which the worlds were framed2 by which ,noah prepared an ark2 by which the ,red ,sea was crossed as on dry land2 by which the walls of ,jericho fell2 it was by faith that kingdoms were subdued2 righteousness was wrought2 #bga promises were obtained1 and the mouths of lions were closed4 7,heb4 xi3 #cb1 #ch47 ,this faith comes by hearing the word of ,god 7,rom4 x3 #ag71 and the lack of this faith and the absence of prayer and fasting caused even the ,apostles to fail on one occasion in casting out devils4 7,matt4 xvii3 #ad1 #bj47 ,no wonder1 then1 that without faith it is impossible to please ,god4 7,heb4 xi3 #f47 ,faith1 then1 is the first grand stepping-stone to that celestial pathway leading towards salvation4 ,the more we search into eternal truth1 the more we discover that ,god works upon natural principles4 ,all the requirements which ,he makes of us are very plain and simple4 ,how natural that the principle of faith should be the primary one of our salvation6 ,with what principle are we more familiar8 ,faith is the first great principle governing all things2 but great as it is1 it is dead without works4 7,james ii3#ad-ag47 ,we must not expect salvation by simply having faith that ,jesus is the ,christ1 for the devils in purgatory are that far advanced4 7,james ii3 #ai47 ,in fact1 if you will read the entire second chapter of ,james you will see that faith without works is as dead and helpless as the body after the spirit has departed from it4 ,it is folly to think of gaining exaltation in ,his presence unless we obey the principles he advocated 7,matt4 vii3 #ba71 for no one speaks truthfully by saying he is a disciple of ,christ while not observing ,his commandments4 7,john viii3#ca47 ,in fact1 the only way by which man can truthfully say he loves ,jesus ,christ is by keeping ,his commandments4 7,john xiv3 #ab-ba47 ,is it not recorded in ,holy ,writ1 said the doctor1 that if we believe in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ we shall be saved8 ,you have referred to the words used by ,paul and ,silas to the keeper of the prison4 ,these disciples were asked by this jailer what should he do to be saved1 and was assured1 as you have quoted1 ',believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and thou shalt be saved1 and thy house4' ,then the disciples immediately laid before them those principles which constitute true belief1 and not until this man and his house had embraced the principles taught by these disciples were they filled with true belief and really rejoiced4 7,acts xvi3 #ca1 #cc47 ,you see by this example that we must not deceive ourselves by thinking that we can be hearers of the word only and not doers4 7,james i3 #bb1 #bc47 ,but1 said the lawyer1 here is a passage found in the tenth chapter of ,romans1 which1 in my opinion1 will be difficult for you to explain4 ,the passage referred to reads as follows3 ',if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the ,lord ,jesus1 and shalt believe in thine heart that ,god hath raised him from the #bgb dead1 thou shalt be saved4' ,now1 then1 it looks to me as if salvation is here promised through faith alone4 ,how do you explain it8 ,very easily4 ,let us thoroughly examine this passage in all its different phases4 ,in the first place1 this letter was written by ,paul to individuals who were already members of the church4 ,they had rendered obedience to the laws of salvation1 and having complied with those requirements were entitled to salvation1 providing their testimony remained within them like a living spring2 and in order that they should not become lukewarm1 ,paul exhorted them to continue bearing testimony of the divinity of ,christ1 and not let their hearts lose sight of the fact that ,god had raised ,his ,son from the dead1 and inasmuch as they kept themselves in this condition1 salvation would be theirs4 ,this is the only sensible view one can take of this passage4 ,unquestionably ,paul was speaking to sincere members of the church1 who had been correctly initiated into the fold of ,christ1 not aliens living #ahjj years after4 ,that appears to be correct1 but further on in the same chapter we find this expression3 ',for whosoever shall call upon the name of the ,lord shall be saved4' ,it appears to me here that reference is not made to those who had embraced the gospel and those who had the faith1 but salvation is made general to whomsoever shall call upon the name of the ,lord4 7,rom4 x3 #ac47 ,exactly1 but the next verse gives an explanation so simple that none can fail to understand it3 ',how1 then1 shall they call on ,him in whom they have not believed8 and how shall they believe in ,him of whom they have not heard1 and how shall they hear without a preacher8 ,so1 then1 faith cometh by hearing1 and hearing by the word of ,god4' ,in other words1 if there is faith1 there have been works1 and having true faith1 no person will remain in that condition without complying with further works of salvation to which that faith urges him4 ,i see1 said ,brown1 the others remaining silent1 but interested2 you are right4 ,now1 then1 gentlemen1 said ,durant1 ,i maintain as before stated1 that faith is the first principle of the gospel leading to salvation1 but it will not bring us to the summit of the ladder--water--without the other principles4 ,well1 suppose we accept this as the first round in the ladder1 where will we find the second8 ,the second follows1 just as naturally as the second step follows the first when a child learns to walk4 ,when faith in ,god is once created1 the knowledge that we have at some #bgc time1 perhaps many times during our lives done things displeasing to ,him1 naturally follows immediately1 therefore repentance makes its appearance as the second principle of the gospel4 ,when ,john came preaching in the wilderness1 as the forerunner of ,christ1 his message to the people was1 ',repent ye2 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand4' 7,matt4 iii3 #b47 ,when ,jesus came into ,galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of ,god1 it was with a message calling them to repentance4 7,mark i3 #ae47 ,when ,he chose ,his disciples and began sending them forth it was to call mankind to repentance4 7,mark vi3 #g-ab47 ,when ,he upbraided the cities wherein the most of ,his mighty works were done1 it was because they repented not4 7,matt4 xi3 #bj47 ,true repentance is that which will cause him who stole to steal no more2 that which will keep corrupt communications from our mouths2 that which will cause us to so conduct our walks through life as not to grieve the ,spirit of ,god2 that which will cause all bitterness1 wrath1 anger and evil speaking to be put away from us1 and will make us kind one to another1 tender-hearted and forgiving1 even as ,god for ,christ's sake has forgiven us4 7,ephesians iv3 #bh-cb47 ,when he who has committed a sin shall commit it no more1 then he has repented with that ,godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation1 and not with the sorrow of the world1 bringing with it death4 7,,ii4 ,cor4 vii3 #aj47 ,when a sinner thus repents more joy is found in heaven than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance4 7,luke xv3 #g47 ,this1 then1 is the second round in the gospel ladder according to the plan given us by the master1 and without it1 faith is of no substantial benefit4 ,your reasoning is both logical and just1 said ,brown1 and no one can find any fault with those doctrines4 ,this world of ours would certainly be more pleasant if these things were followed1 and when a person is filled with that kind of faith1 and has truly repented1 it must be clear that he is entitled to salvation4 ,but he must not stop at that1 the speaker went on2 there are other principles just as necessary for him to obey4 ,if ,i am in possession of enough faith to convince me that ,i have sinned against you1 and the knowledge of this causes me sincerely to repent1 ,i must not and cannot rest until ,i am satisfied ,i have your forgiveness for the wrong4 ,so it is with sinning against ,god and ,his laws2 ,he has marked out the path of repentance and it is our duty to follow that divine way until we arrive at the sacred altar of forgiveness4 ,sin must be forgiven before it can be wiped out1 and ,god in ,his wisdom #bgd selected and placed in ,his church water baptism for this purpose4 ,it is a means whereby a man can receive remission of sin4 ,and do you really believe that ,baptism brings remission of sin8 queried the lawyer4 ,certainly2 provided1 however1 honest faith and sincere repentance go before it1 and the ordinance is administered in the proper way by one endowed with divine authority2 otherwise ,i believe it is of no avail whatever4 ,it seems to me you surround the principle of baptism with more safeguards than anyone else of whom ,i have ever heard4 ,perhaps ,i do1 and yet it should not be the case4 ,every principle of the gospel should be well and carefully protected1 and the failure on the part of man to do this is the main cause of so many different so-called plans of salvation existing among us today1 when there should be only one true and perfect plan1 as found in the days of ,christ4 ,it does seem strange that there should be so many roads leading1 as is claimed1 in one direction4 ,i declare1 ,i never thought of that before4 ,well1 we will try to cover all those points before we finish4 ,let us examine this principle4 ,let us see if the idea of water baptism appears reasonable4 ,the ,lord has wisely and kindly selected this form of ordinance for the remission of sins4 ,it was with this object in view that ,john advocated the principle4 7,mark i3 #d47 ,peter promised it on the day of ,pentecost4 7,acts ii3 #ch47 ,saul also received aid to arise and have his sins washed away4 7,acts xxii3 #af47 ,and so it was taught by different disciples as a means whereby ,god would remit sins4 ,and as you have already stated1 there are various modes of baptism among various sects4 ,what is your method8 ,the only correct form is that explained in the ,bible4 ,baptism was performed anciently by immersion1 in fact no other mode was thought of until centuries after the day of ,christ4 ,the word baptize is from the ,greek baptizo or bapto1 meaning to plunge or immerse1 and such noted writers as ,polybius1 ,strabo1 ,dion ,cassius1 ,mosheim1 ,luther1 ,calvin1 ,bossuet1 ,schaaf1 ,baxter1 ,jeremy ,taylor1 ,robinson1 and others1 all agree that with the ancients immersion1 and no other form1 was baptism4 ,the holy record itself explains the mode so plainly that even a wayfaring man may understand4 ,john selected a certain place on account of there being much water4 7,john iii3 #bc47 ,christ ,himself was baptized in a river1 after which ,he #bge came up out of the water4 7,mark i3 #e-aj47 ,both ,philip and the eunuch went down into the water 7,acts viii3 #ch1 #ci71 and ,paul likens baptism to the burial and resurrection of ,christ1 dying from sin1 buried in water1 and resurrection to a new life4 7,rom4 vi3 #c-e47 ,jesus declares that a man must be born of the water as well as of the spirit4 7,john iii3 #e47 ,by being immersed we are born of the water1 and we cannot liken baptism to a birth when performed in any other way4 ,how mankind can accept any other form1 in the face of all these facts1 is more than ,i can account for4 ,i think enough has been said to show that ,i am correct in my views regarding the object and mode of baptism1 so now let us inquire who are proper subject4 ,why1 all who have souls to save1 ,i suppose1 said the doctor4 ,yes1 providing they have obeyed the two principles1 already mentioned2 that is1 faith and repentance2 for ,christ commanded ,his apostles to teach before baptizing4 7,matthew xxviii3 #ai and #bj47 ,the candidate must believe before he can be baptized 7,mark xvi3 #af74 ,before ,philip baptized the people of ,samaria they believed the gospel as he taught it4 7,acts viii3 #ab47 ,when the eunuch asked for baptism at the hands of this same disciple1 ,philip answered3 ',if thou believest with all thine heart1 thou mayest4' 7,acts viii3 #cg47 ,all persons1 then1 who are capable of understanding1 are fit subjects for baptism1 as soon as they believe and have repented4 ,none are exempt1 not even was ,cornelius1 who was so generous that a report of his good deeds reached the throne of ,god4 ,his prayers were so mingled with faith that they brought down an angel from heaven2 yet through baptism alone was it possible that he could gain membership in the fold of ,christ4 7,acts x47 ,we see1 then1 that all1 except little children are proper subject for this ordinance1 provided1 as stated1 they have faith1 and have truly repented of their sins4 ,and do you claim that little children are exempt8 said the doctor4 ,i do2 baptism is for the remission of sins1 and little children being free from sin1 are of necessity exempt4 ,i do not see how you make that doctrine accord with the teachings of the ,bible4 ,did not ,jesus say1 ',suffer little children to come unto me8' ,he did1 but instead of administering the ordinance of baptism to them1 ,he took them in ,his arms and blessed them1 declaring at the same time that they were pure and free from sin like unto those who are in the kingdom of heaven4 ,a little #bgf child is free from sin1 is pure in heart1 in fact1 is the great example of goodness which ,christ points out for us to follow4 7,mark x3 #ac-af47 ,baptism1 then1 is for people who are old enough to embrace it intelligently1 not for children who cannot understand its significance1 and who already belong to the kingdom of heaven4 ,we have now examined three of the fundamental principles of the gospel of salvation4 ,there is one more that ,i wish to touch upon1 after which we will discuss a subject that is of more interest to you1 perhaps1 than any of these4 ,the principle which ,i now wish to speak of is the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 which in olden times always followed obedience to the principles we have discussed1 and when once received brought with it some of the gifts of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,when the first sermon was delivered after the crucifixion of ,christ1 at the time when the apostles were endowed with power from on high1 a multitude of people were pricked in their hearts1 and asked ,peter and the rest of the apostles what they should do4 ,peter answered this all-important question2 and so far as authority to do so was concerned1 we must admit that he1 of all men at that peculiar time1 was fully capable1 for he was in possession of the keys of the kingdom of ,god1 bestowed upon him by ,christ himself4 ,he was the senior apostle1 and1 with his brethren1 had been endowed with power from above4 ,therefore1 he1 more than any minister of our day1 occupied a place that enabled him to answer correctly1 and with authority4 ,you are stating the case properly1 but what did he tell them8 queried the man of law4 ,his answer is found in the second chapter of ,acts1 beginning with the #chth verse4 ,you will observe that as soon as he discovered that they had faith1 he taught them repentance1 then baptism for the remission of sins1 and followed these doctrines with a promise of the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,yes1 commencing at the verse mentioned it says3 ',then ,peter said unto them1 ,repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of sins1 and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,for the promise is unto you1 and to your children and to all that are afar off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call4' ,but how were they to receive the ,holy ,ghost8 ,by the laying on of hands4 ,when ,peter went down into ,samaria for the purpose of bestowing this gift on those whom ,philip had baptized1 he did it by the laying on of hands4 7,acts viii3 #ag47 ,ananias conferred it upon ,paul in the same manner 7,acts ix3 #ag71 and ,paul did the same in the case of those who #bgg were baptized at ,ephesus 7,acts xix3 #b-f72 and when people received this birth of the ,spirit 7,john iii3 #e71 they also received the promised blessings2 they were entitled to the signs which ,he promised would follow2 for1 said ,he1 ',these signs shall follow them that believe2 in my name shall they cast out devils2 they shall speak with new tongues2 they shall take up serpents2 and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them2 they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover' 7,mark xvi3 #ag1 #ah74 ,we have now discovered the conditions3 faith1 repentance1 baptism for the remission of sins1 and the laying on of hands for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost1 with the promise of ,christ that the signs shall follow4 ,you must remember1 my friend1 that the signs were only given in order to establish the church in the days of the apostles2 but now they are dispensed with and no longer needed4 ,to the law and to the testimony1 replied ,durant1 and give me chapter and verse to substantiate the assertion you have just made4 ,if you will read the #acth chapter of the #ast ,corinthians1 you will learn that 'whether there be prophecies they shall fail1 and whether there be tongues they shall cease4' ,if you will take pains to read the two verses following1 you will see that 'we know in part1 and we prophesy in part4 ,but when that which is perfect is come1 then that which is in part shall be done away4' ,my friend1 instead of this quotation proving that these things are done away1 it establishes the assertion that they shall remain until perfection shall come4 ,surely no reasonable man will say that we have come to perfection4 ,i have understood that these gifts were no longer needed4 ,this certainly is the conclusion that the ministers of the day have come to4 ,but this is not surprising to me1 for this good old ,bible declares that the time will come when the people will turn from sound doctrine to fables4 7,,ii4 ,tim4 iv3 #d47 ,i must admit that you have convinced me that baptism is a necessity1 and when ,i am baptized1 the ordinance will be performed in the proper manner1 said the doctor4 ,i am pleased to learn that1 but ,i may have another surprise for you yet4 ,may ,i ask1 who do you intend shall baptize you8 ,my minister1 ,i suppose2 why8 ,if the words of the ,bible be true1 there may be a doubt as to whether your minister is authorized to baptize you4 ,do you mean that these men1 ministers of the gospel1 have #bgh no authority to officiate in that ordinance8 ,i wonder what you will undertake next1 but proceed1 for ,i am now prepared for surprises4 ,i assure you1 my dear sir1 ,i only wish to refer to a few doctrines from the ,bible which are necessary to be understood by you in order that you may obtain eternal life4 ,thus far we have only examined the first principles of the gospel1 but now we will speak of the officers whom ,christ placed in ,his ,church1 and learn by what means men receive authority to act in the name of ,god4 ,paul tells us that ,god has placed 'first apostles1 secondarily prophets1 thirdly teachers1 after which gifts of healing1' etc4 7,i4 ,cor4 xii3 #bh71 and says the work is built upon the foundation of apostles4 7,eph4 ii3 #bj47 ,he furthermore declares that these officers have been placed in the ,church for the work of the ministry1 and will remain until we all come to a knowledge of the truth4 7,eph4 iv3 #aa-ac47 ,have all mankind come to a knowledge of the truth8 ,if not1 why has the ,church dispensed with the officers that ,god placed in it for the purpose of bringing all to a unity of the faith8 ,paul tells us that these officers were placed in the ,church to keep us from being tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine which is taught by man4 7,eph4 iv3 #ab-ad47 ,at the present time1 when men declare that they have no need of apostles or prophets1 they are divided1 and subdivided1 and in fact carried about by every doctrine that is promulgated--as ,paul saw that they would be1 if inspired apostles and prophets were not found to lead them4 ,in losing these officers1 the ,church lost her authority1 together with all her gifts and graces1 and the so-called ,christian ,churches today are disrobed of all her beautiful garments2 and even those who pretend to defend her are crying out that her gifts1 graces and ordinances are useless in this age of the world4 ,did ,christ establish the true order or did ,he not8 ,we say ,he did and would ask1 has any man a right to change it8 ,and if any man or even an angel from heaven should alter it in the least1 will he not come under the condemnation that ,paul uttered when he said3 ',though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you1 let him be accursed8' 7,gal4 i3 #h47 ,christ placed these officers and the ordinances in the ,church for the perfecting of the ,saints2 and any one teaching contrary to this is a perverter of the gospel1 and an anti-,christ in the full meaning of the word4 ,the difference between the ,church of ,christ on the one hand1 and the ,catholic ,church1 with all her posterity composing the whole protestant world on the other hand1 amounts to this3 ,one had apostles1 #bgi prophets1 etc41 who led the ,church by inspiration or by divine revelation2 while the others have learned men to preach learned men's opinions2 have colleges to teach divinity instead of the ,holy ,ghost2 instead of preaching the gospel without hire1 their ministers must have large salaries each year1 and they are not certain of the doctrines which they teach1 when they should be in possession of the gift of knowledge1 prophecy and revelation4 ,now then1 in what church do we find apostles and prophets8 ,the doctor replied1 ,there are none2 but you must remember there must be a preacher1 for 'how shall they hear without a preacher8' 7,rom4 x3 #ad47 ,and in the next verse he asks1 'how shall they preach except they be sent8' ,this same apostle says that no man is to take the honor unto himself1 but he that is called of ,god as was ,aaron4 7,heb4 v3 #d47 ,aaron was called by revelation 7,ex4 iv3 #ad-ag72 hence we see that no man is to preach the gospel except he be called by revelation from ,god4 ,as ,i said instead of men being called by revelation--as the ,bible declares they should be--in our day they argue that ,god has not revealed ,himself for almost eighteen hundred years4 ,go and ask your minister if he has been called by revelation1 and he will tell you that such manifestations are not needed now1 which assertion ,i think will prove to you that he has no authority to baptize for the remission of sins4 ,but did not ,jesus say1 ',go ye into all the world and preach the gospel8' ,he did1 but was ,he then talking to modern ministers8 ,when ,he gave ,his apostles authority to preach1 did that give all men who feel disposed to take the honor unto themselves1 the same authority8 ,he gave ,his apostles to understand that they had not chosen ,him1 but ,he had chosen them 7,john xv3 #af72 but in this day men reverse the condition4 ,then again1 ,he sent ,his servants into the world to preach ,his gospel without purse or scrip4 7,luke x3 #d47 ,paul says his reward is this1 ',that when ,i preach the gospel ,i may make the gospel of ,christ without charge1 that ,i abuse not my power in the gospel4' 7,i4 ,cor4 ix3 #ah47 ,now1 go and ask your minister if he does the same1 and ,i think that you will find that he must have a salary4 ,then what has become of the gospel8 said the lawyer4 ,paul says that the coming of ,jesus ,christ will not be1 save there be 'a falling away' 7,,ii4 ,thess4 ii3 #c7 and that 'in the last days perilous times shall come4' 7,,ii4 ,tim4 iii3 #a47 ,people 'will not endure sound doctrine1' but will 'heap to themselves #bhj teachers having itching ears1 and shall turn from the truth to fables 7,tim4 iv3 #c1 #d71 and will have a form of godliness1 but will deny the power thereof4' 7,,ii4 ,tim4 iii3 #e47 ,peter also says these false teachers will make merchandise of the souls of men4 7,,ii4 ,peter ii3 #a-c47 ,they are doing so by demanding a salary for preparing sermons to tickle the people's itching ears4 ,micah1 iii3#aa1 says1 ',the heads thereof judge for reward1 and the priests thereof teach for hire1 and the prophets thereof divine for money3 yet will they lean upon the ,lord1 and say1 ',is it not the ,lord among us8' ,now1 my friends1 do not the different sects of the day present us with a literal fulfillment of all these sayings8 ,have they not transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinance and broken the everlasting covenant8 7,isaiah xxiv3 #e47 ,john ,wesley in his #idth sermon1 referring to the condition of the ,church after it had departed from the right way and lose the gifts1 says3 ',the real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the ,holy ,ghost were no longer to be found in the ,christian ,church was because the ,christians were turned heathen again and had only a dead form left4' ,it would appear1 then1 that ,god has forsaken mankind and left us without any hope1 said ,mr ,marshall4 ,no1 ,he has not2 but this falling away is the result of mankind forsaking ,god1 by changing ,his gospel and departing from its teachings1 as ,i have already shown4 ,but ,he has promised through ,his servants1 that there would be a dispensation when ,he would gather together all things in ,christ 7,eph4 i3 #aj71 and would restore all things which ,he has spoken by the mouth of all ,his holy prophets since the world began4 7,acts iii3 #bj1 #ba47 ,this dispensation was called the dispensation of the fullness of times4 7,eph4 i3 #aj47 ,daniel1 who received by revelation1 the interpretation of ,nebuchadnezzar's dream1 saw what would take place in later times1 when the ,god of heaven would set up a kingdom4 7,dan4 ii3 #dd47 ,john1 the revelator1 while on the desolate island1 ,patmos 7some ninety years after ,christ71 saw how this gospel would be restored3 ,namely1 that an angel would bring it from heaven4 7,rev4 xiv3 #f71 and ,christ says it 'shall be preached in all the world as a witness unto all nations2 and then shall the end come4' 7,matt4 xxiv3 #ad47 ,as ,god is always the same1 and has but one plan for the redemption of the human family1 we may expect to see the same gospel with like promises preached in a similar way4 ,where do we find it as it existed anciently8 ,but as it was in the days of ,noah1 so shall it be also in the days of the coming of the ,son of ,man4 7,matt4 xxiv3 #cg2 ,luke xvii3 #bf1 #bg47 ,noah was sent by the ,lord to foretell the coming of the flood1 #bha but the people rejected his testimony2 in fact1 whenever ,god has revealed ,his mind and will to men in days gone by1 the world1 instead of receiving the same1 have rejected the message and said all manner of evil concerning the prophets1 and in many instances have killed them1 as was the case with ,christ ,himself4 ,now then1 my friends1 we are living in the dispensation of the fullness of times when ,god is gathering together all things in ,christ4 ,an angel has come from the heavens and brought the everlasting gospel1 and on the #fth day of ,april1 #ahcj1 ,god--through revelation to man--organized the ,church of ,jesus ,christ1 in the exact pattern of the true ,church1 as it existed in the days of ,christ1 with apostles1 and prophets1 and since that day the servants of ,god have been traveling through the world preaching the same1 as a witness that the end will soon come4 ,they call upon mankind to exercise faith in ,god our eternal ,father1 and in ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ2 also to repent of and turn from their sins1 and be baptized by one who has been called of ,god by revelation1 and receive the laying on of hands for the bestowal of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,as servants of ,god they then promise that the convert shall know of the doctrine1 whether it be of ,god or man 7,john vii3 #ag72 and1 furthermore1 that the signs which followed the believers in the days of the ancient apostles will follow the believer at the present time1 for the same cause will always produce the same effect4 ,my friends1 as a servant of ,god1 ,i call upon you to obey these principles and you shall have the promised blessings4 ,i am an ,elder in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-,day ,saints4 ,my home is in ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah4 ,the listeners were very much surprised1 but those who read the quotations from the ,bible1 were not slow to inform ,mr4 ,durant that the ,good ,book substantiated his argument4 ,thanking him for the patient explanation of his belief1 each obtained his card containing the articles of faith of his ,church1 and bidding each other good-night1 all retired4 ,,conclusion4 ,kind reader1 a word before we separate2 if you are not a member of what is commonly called the ,mormon ,church1 having read the foregoing pages1 you must certainly acknowledge that you know more concerning its doctrines1 from a ,mormon standpoint1 than you ever knew before4 ,we have tried to present to you1 in a plain and very simple #bhb manner1 some of the first principles of our faith1 the true gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,what do you think of them8 ,will they1 or will they not1 stand scrutiny8 ,it is left with you to answer1 and as ,god has blessed you with free agency1 it is your privilege to judge and decide4 ,do not treat these doctrines indifferently1 nor carelessly throw them aside4 ,should they be true1 the message is of the utmost importance to you4 ,surrounded with so many proofs1 the faith of the ,latter-,day ,saints demands your further investigation4 ,books1 tracts1 and sermons1 in great numbers1 and within easy reach1 are at your command4 ,read1 listen1 investigate6 ,thousands have done so before1 and bear testimony to having received a knowledge of the divine truth1 as herein presented4 ,i part from you with the words of the poet-- ,know this1 that every soul is free ,to choose his life and what he'll be1 ,for this eternal truth is given1 ,that ,god will force no man to heaven4 ,he'll call1 persuade1 direct aright-- ,bless him with wisdom1 love1 and light-- ,in nameless ways be good and kind ,but never force the human mind4 ,freedom and reason make us men2 ,take these away1 what are we then8 ,mere animals1 and just as well1 ,the beasts may think of heaven or hell4 #bhc ,,night ,,of ,,the ,,martyrdom4 ,,by ,,apostle ,,orson ,,hyde1 ,,in ,,his ,,publication1 ,,the ,,frontier ,,guardian1 ,,under ,,date ,,of ,,june #bg1 #ahdi1 ,,issued ,,at ,,council ,,bluffs1 ,,iowa4 ,twenty-seventh of ,june1 #ahdd4 ,eventful period in the calendar of the nineteenth century6 ,that awful night6 ,i remember it well3 ,i shall never forget it6 ,thousands and tens of thousands will never forget it6 ,a solemn thrill--a melancholy awe comes o'er my spirit6 ,the memorable scene is fresh before me6 ,it requires no art of the pencil1 no retrospection of history1 to portray it4 ,the impression of the ,almighty ,spirit on that occasion will run parallel with eternity6 ,the scene was not portrayed by earthquake1 or thunderings1 and lightnings1 and tempests2 but the majesty and sovereignty of ,jehovah was felt far more impressively in the still1 small voice of that significant hour1 than the roaring of many waters1 or the artillery of many thunders1 when the spirit of ,joseph was driven back to the bosom of ,god1 by an ungrateful and bloodthirsty world6 ,there was an unspeakable something1 a portentious significancy on the firmament and among the inhabitants of the earth4 ,multitudes felt the whisperings of woe and grief1 and the forebodings of tribulation and sorrow that they will never forget1 though the tongue of man can never utter it4 ,the ,saints of ,god1 whether near the scene of blood1 or even a thousand miles distant1 felt at the very moment the ,prophet lay in royal gore1 that an awful deed was perpetrated4 ,o1 the repulsive chill6 the melancholy vibrations of the very air1 as the prince of darkness receded in hopeful triumph from the scene of slaughter6 ,that night could not the ,saints sleep1 though uninformed by man of what had passed with the ,seer and ,patriarch1 and far1 far remote from the scene2 yet to them sleep refused a visitation--the eyelids refused to close--the hearts of many sighed deeply in secret1 and inquired1 ,why am ,i thus8 ,one of the ,twelve ,apostles1 while traveling a hundred #bhd miles from the scene of assassination1 and totally ignorant of what was done1 was so unaccountably sad1 and filled with such unspeakable anguish of heart without knowing the cause1 that he was constrained to turn aside from the road and give utterance to his feelings in tears and supplications to ,god4 ,another ,apostle1 twelve hundred miles distant1 while standing in ,faneuil ,hall1 ,boston1 ,massachusetts1 with many others1 was similarly affected1 and was obliged to turn aside to hide the big tears that gushed thick and long from his eyes4 ,another1 ,president of the ,high ,priests1 while in the distant state of ,kentucky1 in the solitude of midnight1 being marvelously disquieted1 ,god condescended to show him1 in a vision1 the mangled bodies of the two murdered worthies1 all dripping in purple gore1 who said to him1 ,we are murdered by a faithless state and cruel mob4 ,shall ,i attempt to describe the scene at ,nauvoo on that memorable evening8 ,if ,i could1 surely you would weep1 whatever may be your faith or skepticism1 if the feelings of humanity are lodged in your bosom2 all prejudice and mirth would slumber1 till the eye of pity had bedewed the bier1 and the heart had found relief in lamentation4 ,before another day dawned1 the messenger bore the tidings into the afflicted city2 the picket guards of the city heard the whisper of murder in silent amazement1 as the messenger passed into the city4 ,there the pale muslin signal for gathering the troops hung its drooping folds from the ,temple spire 7as if partaking of nature's sadness71 and made tremulous utterance to the humble soldiery to muster immediately4 ,as the dawn made the signal visible1 and the bass tone of the great drum confirmed the call1 fathers1 husbands1 and minor sons1 all seized the broken fragment of a dodger1 or a scanty bone1 for the service that might be long and arduous before their return1 or swallowed some thickened milk 7as might be the case71 and fled to the muster ground2 the suspicious mother and children followed to the door and window1 anxious to see the gathering hosts emerge from their watch-posts and firesides1 where rest and food were scanted to the utmost endurance4 ,the troops continued to arrive1 and stood in martial order1 with a compressed lip and a quick ear4 ,they waited with deathly but composed silence1 to hear the intelligence that mournful spirits had saddened their hearts with during the night4 ,the speaker stood up in the midst1 not of a uniform soldiery of hirelings1 for they had no wages2 their clothing was the workmanship of the diligent domestic--the product of wife and daughters' arduous toil2 their rations #bhe were drawn from the precarious supplies earned in the intervals between preaching to the states and nations of the earth1 and watching against the intrusions and violence of mobs4 ,the speaker announced the martyrdom of the ,prophet and ,patriarch1 and paused under the heavy burden of the intelligence4 ,but here ,i must pause2 my pen shall touch lightly1 as it must feebly1 that hallowed--that solemn and ever-memorable hour6 ,the towering indignation2 the holy and immutable principle of retribution for crime that dwells eternally in the bosom of ,god1 insensibly impelled the right hand almost to draw the glittering sword1 and feel the sharpness of the bayonet's point and its fixedness to the musket's mouth4 ,but the well-planted principle of self-command1 and also of observing the order of ,heaven and the counsel of the ,priesthood1 soon returned the deadly steel to the scabbard2 and the victorious triumph of loyalty to ,god1 in committing evil-doers to ,him that judgeth righteously1 and who hath said1 ,vengeance is mine1 and ,i will repay1 prevailed over the billows of passion2 and in the transit of a fleeting moment the holy serenity of the soldiery1 depicted by an occasional tear1 showed to the angels and men that the tempest of passion was hushed1 and wholly under the control of the spirit of wisdom and of ,god6 ,it is just as mean and contemptible in the eyes of angels and the ,almighty1 to go to law1 and thereby wrong a fellow-being1 as it is to steal his property4 --,brigham ,young4 #bhf ,,doctrines ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints3 ,,its ,,faith ,,and ,,teachings4 ,,by ,,elder ,,john ,,morgan4 ,search the ,scriptures2 for in them ye think ye have eternal life3 and they are they which testify of me4--,,john v4 #ci4 ,to the law and to the testimony3 if they speak not according to this word1 it is because there is no light in them4--,,isaiah ,,viii41 #bj4 ,we believe in ,god the ,eternal ,father1 and in ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 and in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we believe that men will be punished for their own sins1 and not for ,adam's transgression4 ,we believe that1 through the atonement of ,christ1 all mankind may be saved1 by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the ,gospel4 ,we believe that to obtain salvation it is necessary to obey the following principles of truth4 ,,faith4 ,the principle of faith is the moving cause of all action4 ,a man must have faith to believe that ,god will answer his prayers before he will offer them4 ,it requires faith to accomplish any given work to which we set our hands4 ,noah had faith in the promise ,god made to him1 while the world of mankind perished through their lack of faith4 ,faith caused ,noah to act1 while the unbelieving people of his day1 who had not faith1 derided and refused to accept his testimony1 and the result was that ,noah and his household were saved1 while destruction overtook the unbelievers4 ,lot believed the word of the ,lord and fled out of ,sodom while the people stood still and perished4 ,the same results follow the acceptance or rejection of the principle in all ages of the world4 #bhg ,so then faith cometh by hearing1 and hearing by the word of ,god 7,rom4 x41 #ag74 ,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 ,him 7,heb4 xi41 #f74 ,for unto us was the ,gospel preached1 as well as unto then43 but the word preached did not profit them1 not being mixed with faith in them that heard it 7,heb4 iv41 #b74 ,,repentance4 ,repentance we believe to be sorrow for and turning from sin1 not moaning and groaning over the past and continuing the same way of living2 but to quit lying1 drinking1 swearing1 stealing1 and to be honest1 virtuous1 charitable1 forgiving1 and to serve ,god in spirit and truth--this is repentance4 ,except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise perish 7,luke xiii41 #c74 ,repent ye1 and believe the ,gospel 7,mark i41 #ae74 ,repent 99 99 99 99 every one of you 7,acts ii41 #ch74 ,god commandeth all men everywhere to repent 7,acts xvii41 #cj74 ,wherefore putting away lying1 speak every man truth with his neighbors 99 99 99 neither give place to the devil4 ,let him that stole steal no more3 99 99 99 ,let no corrupt communication proceed out ,of your mouth1 99 99 grieve not the ,holy ,spirit of ,god4 99 99 99 ,let all bitterness1 and wrath1 and anger and clamor1 and evil speaking1 be put away from you1 with all malice 7,eph4 iv41 #be-ca74 ,envyings1 murders1 drunkenness1 revelings1 and such like3 of the which 99 99 they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of ,god 7,gal4 v41 #ba74 ,,baptism4 ,the necessity for baptism was plainly taught by our ,saviour and the ,apostles4 ,comparatively speaking1 it stood in the same light to the kingdom or church of ,god that the oath of allegiance does to any temporal government4 ,jesus stated to ,nicodemus that a man could not enter the kingdom of ,god without having first obeyed this ordinance4 ,to become a citizen of an earthly government where a person is not born so1 a man is required to subscribed to a certain prescribed oath4 ,to become a citizen of the government of ,god requires that a person must be baptized in water1 in obedience to the command of the ,great ,head of the government1 and the laws of the kingdom as they are found in the ,bible1 the book of commandments for the ,church of ,christ4 ,go ye into all the world1 and preach the ,gospel to every creature4 ,he that believeth and is baptized1 shall be saved3 7,mark xvi41 #ae1 #af74 ,verily1 ,i say unto thee1 except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit1 he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god 7,john1 iii41 #e74 ,go ye therefore1 and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name #bhh of the ,father1 and of the ,son and of the ,holy ,ghost 7,matt4 xxviii41 #ai74 ,repent1 and be baptized1 every one of you 7,acts ii41 #ch74 ,its form should be by immersion4 ,buried with ,him in baptism1 wherein also ye are risen with ,him through faith 7,col4 ii41 #ab47 ,were all baptized of ,him in the ,river of ,jordan 7,matt4 iii41 #f2 ,mark i41 #e-i74 ,jesus when he was baptized1 went up straightway out of the water 7,matt4 iii41 #af2 ,mark i41 #aj74 ,john also was baptizing in ,aenon near to ,salim1 because there was much water there 7,john iii41 #bc74 ,and as they went on their way1 they came unto a certain water3 and the eunuch said1 ,see1 here is water2 what doth hinder me to be baptized8 ,and ,philip said1 ,if thou believest with all thine heart1 thou mayest4 ,and he answered and said1 ,i believe that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god4 ,and he commanded the chariot to stand still3 and they went down both into the water1 both ,philip and the eunuch2 and he baptized him4 ,and when they were come up out of the water 7,acts viii41 #cf-ci74 ,,its ,,object4-,john did baptize in the wilderness1 and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins 7,mark i41 #d74 ,and he came into the country about ,jordan1 preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins 7,luke iii41 #c 74 ,then ,peter said unto them1 ,repent and be baptized every one of you1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for the remission of sins 7,acts ii41 #ch74 ,arise1 and be baptized1 and wash away thy sins 7,acts xxii41 #af74 ,,reception ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost ,,by ,,the ,,laying ,,on ,,of ,,hands4 ,the vital importance of this ordinance seems to be entirely overlooked by the majority of the ,christian world1 yet the most emphatic stress was placed upon it by the early teachers of ,christianity4 ,it is referred to frequently by every writer in the ,new ,testament4 ,the nature of its workings and the manner of obtaining it were carefully dwelt upon by the various writers1 and it does seem that only willful blindness could so far lead the people away from the primitive custom and practice of laying on of hands to acquire this gift4 ,but some may answer1 ,we are already in possession of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we ask then1 ,will it do the same things it did anciently8 ,if not1 why not8 ,what has caused it to lose its power1 and become the uncertain teacher it is to-day8 ,for if the ,christian world of the present age is in possession of this blessing1 why does it teach the people of one church that a certain principle is true1 and the people of another church that the same principle is untrue8 ,what of the multiplied thousands of beliefs1 creeds1 faiths1 dogmas and doctrines that flood the land8 ,are they all inspired by the ,spirit of ,god1 the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 and sustained by the doctrines of the ,bible8 ,if not1 which are right and which wrong8 #bhi ,these are questions of great importance1 and should be well considered4 ,let the word of ,god speak for itself in the following quotations3 ,and when ,paul had laid his hands upon them1 the ,holy ,ghost came on them2 and they spake with tongues and prophesied 7,acts xix41 #f74 ,then laid they their hands on them1 and they received the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and when ,simon saw that through laying on of the ,apostles' hands the ,holy ,ghost was given1 he offered them money 7,acts viii41 #ag-ai74 ,neglect not the gift that is in thee1 which was given thee by prophecy1 with the laying on of hands of the presbytery 7,i4 ,tim4 iv41 #ad74 ,wherefore ,i put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of ,god1 which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 7,,ii4 ,tim4 i4 #f74 ,of the doctrine of baptisms1 and of laying on of hands 7,heb4 vi41 #b74 ,now concerning spiritual gifts1 brethren1 ,i would not have you ignorant4 99 99 99 ,for to one is given by the ,spirit the word of wisdom2 to another the word of knowledge by the same ,spirit2 to another faith by the same ,spirit2 to another the gifts of healing by the same ,spirit2 to another the working of miracles2 to another prophecy2 to another discerning of spirits2 to another1 divers kinds of tongues2 to another the interpretation of tongues 7see context1 ,i4 ,cor4 xii74 ,our ,gospel came1 in power 99 99 and in the ,holy ,ghost 7,i4 ,thess4 i41 #e74 ,and ye ,,shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost 7,acts ii41 #ch74 ,we here introduce the testimony of some of the ,christian writers who wrote immediately after the death or banishment of the ,apostles3 ,tertullian1 in the second century1 says3 ,after baptism1 succeeds the laying on of hands1 with prayer1 calling for the ,holy ,ghost4 ,cyprian1 writing in the third century1 says3 ,our practice is1 that those who have been baptized in to the church should be presented that by prayer and imposition of hands they may receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,augustine1 in the fourth century1 says3 ,we still do what the ,apostles did when they laid their hands on the ,samaritans and called down the ,holy ,ghost upon them 7,gahan's ,church ,history1 page #gc2 ,mosheim's ,church ,history1 volume ,i1 page #ia74 ,,authority4 ,we believe that a man must be endowed with authority before ,god will recognize his acts as a minister of the ,gospel4 ,ye have not chosen me1 but ,i have chosen you and ordained you 7,john xv41 #af74 ,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 ,ghost 7,,ii4 ,peter i41 #ba74 #bij ,he that receiveth whomsoever ,i send receiveth me 7,john xiii41 #bj74 ,as thou has sent me into the world 7,john xvii41 #ah74 ,whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven2 and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven 7,matt4 xviii41 #ah74 ,and when they had ordained them elders in every church 7,acts xiv41 #bc74 ,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 preach except they be sent8 7,rom4 x41 #ad1 #ae74 ,and no man taketh this honor unto himself1 but he that is called of ,god1 as was ,aaron 7,heb4 v41 #d74;,a ,footnote ,a3 ,is not ,aaron the ,levite thy brother8 ,i know that he can speak well4 ,and also1 behold1 he cometh forth to meet thee3 and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart4 ,and thou shalt speak unto him1 and put words into his mouth3 and ,i will be with thy mouth1 and with his mouth3 and will teach you what he shall do4 7,exodus iv41 #ad1 #ae47 ,but though we1 or an angel from heaven1 preach any other gospel unto you1 than that which we have preached unto you1 let him be accursed 7,gal4 i41 #h74 ,these were the principles taught by the ,savior and ,his ,apostles1 and we see no reason for their alteration and change to the present accepted ideas of the ,christian world2 and but for ,,apostacy4 of the primitive ,christian church1 they would have remained emphatically the same1 with apostles1 prophets1 healings1 gifts1 tongues1 etc41 to the present day4 ,paul1 by the ,spirit of the ,holy ,ghost1 wrote to the ,saints1 prophesying of the future4 ,now the ,spirit speaketh expressly1 that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith1 giving heed to seducing spirits1 and doctrines of devils 7,i4 ,tim41 iv1#a74 ,and it shall be1 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 lender1 so with the borrower2 as with the taker of usury1 with the giver of usury to him4 99 99 99 ,the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof2 because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinance1 broken the everlasting covenant 7,isaiah1 xxiv41 #b-e74 ,and he shall speak great words against the ,most ,high1 and shall wear out the ,saints of the ,most ,high1 and think to change times and laws3 and they shall be given into his hands until a time and times and the dividing of them 7,dan4 vii41 #be74 ,and they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the #bia beast4 99 99 99 ,and it was given unto him to make war with the ,saints1 and to overcome them3 and power was given him over all kindreds1 and tongues1 and nations 7,rev4 xiii41 #d-g74 ,now we beseech you1 brethren1 by the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 99 99 99 ,let no man deceive you by any means3 ,,for ,,that ,,day ,,shall ,,not ,,come1 except there come a ,,falling ,,away ,,first 7,,ii4 ,thess4 ii41 #a-c74 ,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 pleasures more than lovers of ,god2 having a form of godliness1 but denying the power thereof2 from such turn away 7,,ii4 ,tim4 iii41 #a-e74 ,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 fables 7,,ii4 ,tim4 iv41 #c1 #d74 ,the priests thereof teach for hire4 7,micah iii41 #aa74 ,from the foregoing the reader can readily see that the prophets and apostles of ,god were looking forward to the time when the ,saints would be overcome1 their church broken up1 their officers killed1 and no one left upon the earth with authority to administer in the ordinances of the ,gospel4 ,no prophets1 no apostles1 no gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 no one to act as a mouthpiece to the children of men4 ,only darkness and unbelief1 war and bloodshed1 strife and contention1 division and discord1 lo here and lo there4 ,through all the long ages1 from the day when the power of a corrupt and licentious church overcame the ,saints of the ,most ,high1 drove them into dens and caves of the mountains2 caused them to wander1 clothed in sheep skins and the skins of wild animals2 killed the prophets of ,god1 and drove the priesthood from the face of the earth1 men1 left to their own devices1 went into such excesses that angels must have wept over their condition4 ,the laws of ,god were ignored1 the ordinances were changed1 and the everlasting covenant was broken4 ,the woman 7church7 arrayed in purple and scarlet1 drunken with the blood of the ,saints1 mystery1 ,babylon the great1 the mother of harlots1 rose up and bore universal sway2 and1 as time passed by1 gave birth to a legion of ,children--churches 7,rev4 xvii41 #d-f74 ,the mystery of iniquity doth already work2 only he who now letteth will let1 until he be taken out of the away4 ,and then shall that ,wicked be revealed1 whom the ,lord shall consume with the spirit of ,his mouth1 and shall destroy with the brightness of ,his coming 7,,ii4 ,thess4 ii41 #g #h74 #bib ,these were the words of the great ,apostle2 and1 reader1 by examining the balance of the chapter1 you can form some idea of the great power that was to grow up and deceive the nations of the earth1 perverting the ,gospel1 teaching men and women that prophets and apostles were not necessary1 that the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost were no longer required2 until to-day warring1 jarring ,christianity has become a spectacle to the whole world4 ,confusion confounded reigns supreme--wars and rumors of wars on every hand--until the heart sickens and the soul faints in contemplation of the terrible condition to which poor1 suffering1 deceived and misguided humanity has been brought4 ,the power of the evil one would seem to have obtained universal sway over the hearts of men1 leading them on the broad road to destruction1 with no power sufficient to stem the nightly current of sin4 ,,restoration4 ,but a just ,god has decreed that the day should come when ,righteousness shall cover the earth1 as the waters cover the great deep1 or in other words1 at the end of a time and times and dividing of time1 ,he would again assert ,his power and authority on the earth1 and bring to pass ,his purposes4 ,and in the days of these kings shall the ,god of heaven set up a kingdom1 which shall never be destroyed3 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 forever 7,dan4 ii41 #dd74 ,this prophecy of ,daniel affords us some conception of the power of the kingdom4 ,by reading the entire chapter we learn that ,daniel's interpretation of the king's dream ended with the setting up of the kingdom of ,god upon the earth never more to be thrown down4 ,the ,babylonish kingdom1 which flourished in the days of ,daniel1 in the fifth and sixth centuries before ,christ1 was succeeded by the ,medo-,persian government from #ech to #cca1 ,b4 ,c4 ,the ,macedonian kingdom1 founded by ,alexander the ,great1 continued from #cca to #afa1 ,b4,c42 while the ,roman empire succeeded the last named kingdom1 from #afa1 ,b4 ,c41 to #dhc1 ,a4 ,d4 ,these governments successively represented the head of gold1 the breast and arms of silver1 the belly and thighs of brass1 and the legs of iron4 ,now1 lastly1 should come the kingdoms represented by the feet and toes1 or the ,,kingdoms ,,of ,,to-,,day1 partly strong and partly broken4 ,in the days of ,,these kings should the ,god of heaven set up a kingdom never more to be thrown down4 #bic ,but1 says one1 that was accomplished in the days of ,christ6 ,no1 certainly not2 for if so1 why then did ,he1 when ,he instructed ,his disciples to pray1 tell them to pray for an already accomplished fact3 ,our ,father1 which art in heaven1 hallowed be ,thy name4 ,thy kingdom come4 ,thy will be done in earth1 as it is in heaven8 ,have ,christians throughout the world1 for nearly two thousand years past1 been taught to pray for the coming of an event which had already transpired8 ,the dividing of times has not yet come3 but by turning to the ,book of ,revelation1 we read how the power and authority of ,god1 and the principles of the true and everlasting ,gospel were to be restored to the earth2 how the kingdom spoken of by ,daniel1 and prayed for by the disciples1 was to be set up never more to be thrown down1 how the kingdoms of this world were to become the kingdom of our ,lord and ,his ,christ2 how the promise of ,jesus was about to be made good1 that upon this ,,rock 7of revelation7 would ,he found ,his church1 and the gates of hell should not prevail against it1 and how the ,saints should possess the kingdom of the ,most ,high4 ,john the ,revelator1 bound and captive upon the ,isle of ,patmos1 had the vision of heaven opened up to him1 and he saw an angel leave the throne of ,god and wend his flight to this planet4 ,a new song was being sung in heaven2 the day and hour had come when the dispensation of the fullness of times was to be ushered in 7,eph4 i41 #aj2 ,matt4 xxiv41 #ca71 when ,god would send ,his angels to bring order out of chaos1 system out of confusion1 and gather ,his people 7the honest-in-heart7 together in one place1 that they might prepare themselves to welcome the ,great ,king of the world when ,he should come in clouds of glory1 surrounded by ,his angels4 ,i saw1 says ,john1 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 people saying with a loud voice1 ,fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him3 for the ,,hour ,,of ,,his ,,judgment is come 7,rev4 xiv41 #f1 #g74 ,this1 then1 was how the gospel was to be restored to the earth4 ,but1 says the reader1 ,i thought the ,gospel was already upon the earth4 ,if so1 what necessity was there for an angel to come from heaven with the everlasting gospel1 if it was already being taught to men8 ,and1 dear reader1 you can readily see that none are excepted4 ,it was to every nation1 kindred1 tongue1 #bid and people--proving conclusively that the ,gospel was not on the earth1 but that the day had come when darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the people4 ,how must the angels around the throne have shouted for joy when the decree went forth1 and the commandment was given for the initiatory steps to be taken to reclaim this planet from the grasp of ,lucifer the son of the morning1 and to fit and prepare it for the habitation of angels1 celestialized beings and ,god6 ,how must our mothers1 fathers1 brothers and sisters1 in the spirit world1 with all the saints of by-gone ages1 have rejoiced to know that the redemption of the world was nigh1 and the promise of ,paul to the ,thessalonians 7,i41 iv41 #af7 that the dead in ,christ shall rise first1 was to be made good6 ,reader1 we now beg of you to lay aside prejudice1 and to examine what follows1 with an honest intention and a desire to do right2 to know the will of ,god and to do it2 for great and mighty events are daily transpiring1 that were prophesied of by all the holy prophets1 from the days of ,adam down until today4 ,the ,gospel that the angel was to bring back to the earth was for every nation4 ,angels have not1 in times gone by1 preached to or taught the masses of the people1 but have delegated this power to men4 ,so1 in this instance1 men became the recipients of the precious charge1 the ,everlasting ,gospel4 ,,testimony ,,of ,,the ,,three ,,witnesses4 ,be it known unto all nations1 kindreds1 tongues and people1 unto whom this work ,a shall come4 99 99 ,we declare with words of soberness1 that an angel of ,god came down from heaven1 and he brought and laid before our eyes1 that we beheld and saw the plates1 and engraving thereon2 and we know that it is by the grace of ,god the ,father1 and our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that we beheld and bear record that these things are true1 and it is marvelous in our eyes1 nevertheless the voice of the ,lord commanded us that we should bear record of it1 wherefore to be obedient unto the commandments of ,god1 we bear testimony of these things4 ,and we know that if we are faithful in ,christ1 we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men1 and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 and shall dwell with ,him eternally in the heavens4 ,,oliver ,,cowdery1 ,,david ,,whitmer1 ,,martin ,,harris4 ,footnote ,a3 ,the ,book of ,mormon4 ,we have now hurriedly traced the outlines of the doctrines of ,jesus ,christ as they were in the primitive ,christian church2 #bie the apostacy of the people from the truth1 the fulfillment of the prophecies of great and mighty prophets2 the building up of an apostate church1 the whore of all the earth1 the mother of harlots2 noticing the fact that she gave birth to a numerous offspring1 who1 true to their born instincts1 as like begets like1 are to-day vigorously engaged in throwing stones at their mother church1 or grandmother1 as the case may be4 ,we have shown how the ,gospel was to be restored to the earth1 and have given the testimony of the three witnesses to the ,book of ,mormon4 ,we will now examine further proof relative to this remarkable proclamation4 ,we have seen that1 so far1 it has been incontestably shown that if the ,bible be true1 in no other way than this could ,god's work have been brought about4 ,we now quote from the history of ,joseph ,smith1 the great ,latter-day ,prophet1 ,seer and ,revelator3 ,we ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery still continued the work of translation2 when in the ensuing month ,may1 #ahbi1 we on a certain day went into the woods to pray1 and inquire of the ,lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins4 ,while we were thus employed1 praying and calling upon the ,lord1 a messenger from heaven descending in a cloud of light1 and having laid his hands upon us1 he ordained us2 saying unto us--',upon you1 my fellow servants1 in the name of ,messiah1 ,i confer the ,priesthood of ,aaron1 which holds the keys of the ministering of angels1 and of the ,gospel of repentance1 and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins3 and this shall never be taken from the earth1 until the sons of ,levi do offer again an offering unto the ,lord in righteousness4' ,the messenger who visited us on this occasion1 and conferred this ,priesthood upon us1 said that his name was ,john1 the same that is called ,john the ,baptist in the ,new ,testament2 and that he acted under the direction of ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 who held the keys of the ,melchisedec ,priesthood1 and who in due season visit us and confer that1 the higher ,priesthood1 upon us1 which holds the keys of the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost and right to all the offices in the church4 ,thus was the way opened up for the ushering in of the great latter-day dispensation and the fullness of the everlasting ,gospel4 ,and as it was in the days of ,noah1 so shall it be also in the days of the ,son of man 7,luke xvii41 #bf72 and as ,noah knew when the flood was to come1 and prepared himself therefor1 so the comparison would not be complete unless some knew of the second coming of the ,savior4 ,but1 says one1 of that day and hour knoweth no man1 no1 not the angels of heaven1 but my ,father only 7,matt4 xxiv41 #cf72 and the same might have been said appropriately of the #bif birth of our ,lord two thousand years prior thereto4 ,but as the first coming was heralded by angels who came to the shepherds upon the plains of ,bethlehem1 and lighted the earth with their glory1 singing the glad songs of ,peace on earth1 good will toward men1 so ,his second coming was ushered in by visits to the earth of great and mighty angels4 ,john the ,baptist came to confer the ,priesthood of ,aaron4 ,peter1 ,james and ,john the ,revelator came to confer the ,melchisedec ,priesthood4 ,elijah came 7,mal4 iv41 #e7 to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and the hearts of the children to the fathers4 7,i4 ,peter iii41 #ah1 #ai1 #bj2 iv41 #f2 ,i4 ,cor4 xv41 #ai-bi74 ,moses came to confer the keys of the gathering of the house of ,israel to their promised land--the carrying of the ,jews back to ,jerusalem1 of the ten tribes from the north country 7,jer4 xxxi41 #h1 #i2 ,ezek4 xx41 #cd1 #ce71 and of the descendants of ,joseph 7,the ,american ,indians7 to their possessions4 ,michael1 or ,adam1 came to give the authority that links the generation of men together1 from the days of ,father ,adam down to to-day4 ,in short1 all the authority necessary has been received to enable men to become co-workers with ,jehovah1 angels and the spirits of just men made perfect1 in building up an everlasting kingdom1 instead of the man-made governments of today4 ,a kingdom is to be established to which the ,great ,king shall speedily come1 in the clouds of glory1 surrounded by ,his angels2 and the ,saints of other days1 who are singing the songs of heaven1 will speedily have fulfilled the words of ,john1 ,he has made us kings and priests unto the ,lord our ,god1 and we shall reign on earth4 ,the promise of ,jesus that the meek shall inherit the earth is coming to pass1 as also the words of ,job3 ,i know that my redeemer liveth1 and that ,he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth3 and though after my skin worms destroy this body1 yet in my flesh shall ,i see ,god3 whom ,i shall see for myself1 and mine eyes shall behold1 and not another 7,job xix41 #be-bg74 ,all these and many more grand and glorious promises are about to be fulfilled4 ,the decree has gone forth1 ,god hath declared by ,his own mouth1 and the mouths of all the holy prophets1 that ,his power and authority over the earth will be asserted2 and who is man1 to contend with ,god8 ,an appeal is made to the honest in heart to heed this call--to pause1 to mediate1 to ask ,god1 who giveth to all men liberally1 for wisdom to know what to do4 #big ,here are evidences worthy of their attention3 ,the testimony of the three witnesses2 the signs following the believers2 the eyes of the blind opened2 the ears of the deaf unstopped2 the tongue of the dumb made to sing2 the lame man to leap as an hart2 devils cast out2 unknown tongues spoken1 and the interpretation thereof given by the spirit of inspiration2 prophecy fulfilled1 and the ,spirit of ,god making manifest to the honest in heart the great fact that ,god has again spoken from the heavens4 ,many questions are asked relative to our belief on the subject of gathering1 and we again turn to the ,scriptures to answer the questions3 ,these things are not done or spoken in a dark corner1 but as good men as are in existence to-day testify of them4 ,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 mountains and shall be exalted above the hills2 and all nations shall flow unto it 7,isa4 ii41 #b-d74 ,and he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far1 and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth3 and1 behold1 they shall come with speed swiftly 7,isa4 v41 #bf74 ,and he shall set up an ensign for the nations1 and shall assemble the outcasts of ,israel 7not the ,jews alone1 but all ,israel7 and gather together the dispersed of ,judah from the four corners of the earth 7,isa4 xi41 #ab74 ,i will cause them to return to the land that ,i gave to their fathers 7,jer4 xxx41 #c74 ,behold ,i will bring them from the north country and gather them from the coasts of the earth 7,jer4 xxxi41 #had74 ,i will bring you out from the people1 and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered 7,ezek4 xx41 #cd74 ,i will take you from among the heathen1 and gather you out of all countries1 and will bring you into your own land 7,ezek4 xxxvi41 #bd74 ,blow the trumpet1 99 99 gather the people1 99 99 assemble the ,elders 7,joel ii41 #ae1 #af74 ,and ,he shall send ,his angels with a great sound of a trumpet1 and they shall gather together ,his elect from the four winds 7,matt4 xxiv41 #ca74 ,that in the dispensation of the fullness of times ,he might gather together in one all things in ,christ1 both which are in heaven and which are on earth 7,eph4 i41 #aj74 ,come out of her1 my people1 that ye be not partakers of her sins1 and that ye receive not of her plagues 7,rev4 xviii41 #d74 ,the reader asks1 ,what are we to come out of8 ,out of ,mystery1 ,babylon the great1 the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth 7,rev4 xvii41 #e74 ,who and what is that8 ,the waters which thou sawest where the whore 7mystery1 ,babylon7 sitteth1 are peoples1 and multitudes1 and nations1 and tongues 7,rev4 xvii41 #ae74 #bih ,so out of every nation1 kindred1 tongue and people shall the honest in heart be gathered to a great central gathering place1 to be protected while the scourges of ,god pass over the earth4 ,read the following prophecy and study the signs of the times3 ,,prophecy ,,of ,,joseph ,,smith1 ,,the ,,seer1 ,,given ,,in #ahcb4 ,verily thus saith the ,lord concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass1 beginning at the rebellion of ,south ,carolina1 which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls4 ,the day will come that war will be poured out upon all nations1 beginning at that place4 ,for behold the ,southern ,states shall be divided against the ,northern ,states1 and the ,southern ,states will call on other nations1 even the nation of ,great ,britain1 as it is called1 and they shall also call upon other nations in order to defend themselves against other nations2 and thus war shall be poured out upon all nations4 ,and it shall come to pass after many days slaves shall rise up against their masters1 who shall be marshalled and disciplined for war4 ,and it shall come to pass also1 that the remnants who are left of the land will marshal themselves1 and shall become exceedingly angry1 and shall vex the ,gentiles with a sore vexation2 ,and thus1 with the sword and by bloodshed1 the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn2 and with famine1 and plagues1 and earthquakes1 and the thunder of heaven1 and the fierce and vivid lightnings also1 shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath and indignation and chastening hand of an ,almighty ,god1 until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations2 ,that the cry of the ,saints1 and the blood of the ,saints1 shall cease to come up in the ears of the ,lord of ,sabbaoth1 from the earth1 to be avenged of their enemies4 ,wherefore stand ye in holy places and be not moved1 until the day of the ,lord come2 for behold it cometh quickly1 saith the ,lord4 ,amen4 ,has this prophecy been fulfilled8 ,let the people of the ,north and ,south answer the query4 ,let the thoughtful reader stop and reflect for a moment on the condition of affairs upon the face of the whole earth4 ,the sword is reaping its harvest of death2 nation warring against nation1 and kingdom against kingdom4 ,famine is asserting its sway and untold thousands are starving1 perishing1 dying for lack of food4 ,pestilence1 in all its horrid forms1 stalks in the train of these dire calamities4 ,earthquakes are making the earth to tremble4 ,storms1 whirlwinds and cyclones are sweeping away cities1 towns and villages4 ,the sea1 heaving itself beyond its bounds1 is thundering its testimonies into the ears of the children of men4 ,signs in the heavens above and in the earth beneath1 betoken the fact that great and mighty events are at our doors4 ,fear has taken hold upon the hearts of the #bii strong men and the mighty men4 ,man distrusts his fellowman4 ,nations and people have become corrupted2 fraud and speculation are sapping the vitals of the man-made governments of the earth4 ,the people are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine that comes along1 and when will the end be8 ,startle not1 reader1 for it will not be until ,he comes whose right is to rule and reign as ,king of kings4 ,not until ,jesus of ,nazareth sets ,his feet upon the earth and brings order out of chaos1 system out of confusion1 and bids the angry waves of the sin-tossed world1 ,peace1 be still1 will there be peace among men4 ,now1 says one1 ,i understand ,his meaning when ,he said1 ',i come not to bring peace1 but a sword2' but thanks be to the ,most ,high1 the day is near at hand when the meek shall inherit the earth1 when sorrow and sighing shall flee away1 when the tabernacle of ,god1 will be with men1 and ,he will dwell with them4 99 99 ,and ,god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes2 and there shall be no more death1 neither sorrow nor crying1 neither shall there be any more pain 7,rev4 xxi41 #c1 #d74 ,but oh6 the woe1 the want1 the misery1 the evils and the lamentation that will go up from the face of the earth before that day does come6 ,all ye people of the earth1 heed1 oh1 heed the warning voice that ,god sends to you and go out from the midst of ,babylon ere another angel shall fly through the midst of heaven saying1 ,babylon is fallen1 is fallen4 ,ye ,saints of the living ,god1 cease not your efforts until your feet stand in safe places1 in the tops of the mountains1 in the shadow of the house of the ,god of ,jacob1 where you may more fully learn of ,his ways and walk in ,his paths2 for the day is near at hand when the law shall go forth from ,zion1 and the word of the ,lord from ,jerusalem 7,micah iv41 #b74 ,the time is fast approaching when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our ,lord and ,his ,christ1 and when ,john's prophetic vision shall be fulfilled3 ,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 99 99 99 and they lived and reigned with ,christ a thousand years 7,rev4 xx41 #d74 ,the time has come for the righteous-the redeemed out of every kindred1 and tongue1 and people1 and nation1 to be gathered out1 to become kings and priests unto ,god1 and to reign on the earth 7,rev4 v41 #i1 #aj74 #cjj ,,authority4 ,in brief manner this subject has been previously alluded to1 but a more extended examination is deemed necessary1 owing to the importance that attaches to it4 ,this principle enters largely into every department of man's existence upon the earth4 ,governments are mainly founded upon it1 and authority is fundamentally necessary to establish republics1 empires1 monarchies and principalities4 ,the ,president of the ,united ,states must first conform to certain laws and requirements before his acts as ,president are legal and binding upon the people2 so also with all the affairs of the general government4 ,and this is likewise true of the state officials1 including the governors1 judges1 legislators1 sheriffs1 magistrates1 and even the unimportant office of bailiff can only be filled by a man who has fulfilled all the requirements necessary and demanded by the law of the land4 ,a man who would undertake to fill one of the offices alluded to1 without conforming to the law1 would be counted an impostor and dealt with as the law directs4 ,all civilized nations recognize this principle and act accordingly4 ,even church organizations place great stress upon the necessity that there exists for men to be ordained to their several offices2 and a man1 before he can legally perform1 the marriage ceremony1 must first conform to certain rules and laws laid down by the church authority to render the marriage legal4 ,a lay member could not act in the capacity of an elder until authority had been granted him by those who held the power to give authority4 ,neither could an elder fill the office of a bishop without first conforming to certain rules4 ,these rules are necessary to the good government of society and the people generally1 and without them confusion confounded would reign supreme4 ,if every man who desired to act as governor was to set up his claims and be allowed to act in that capacity1 there would be an end to order4 ,so with all other offices4 ,a few men would sustain one man1 as governor1 other men would sustain another man1 and still other men would sustain their man1 until eventually brute force would be the means whereby men would hold their offices4 ,this principle applies also to admitting men to be citizens of a government4 ,a man who comes from some foreign nation and seeks to become a citizen of the ,united ,states must obtain his papers of citizenship and take the oath of allegiance4 ,not only must he attend to these duties1 but he must see that the #cja officer who signs his papers and administers the oath is a duly accredited officer of the government2 otherwise his papers are worthless and he is not yet a citizen4 ,if these things be true as regards man's temporal affairs1 how much more true are they when applied to eternal salvation4 ,daniel1 the young ,hebrew prophet1 had the visions of futurity opened up to him and saw the time when ,god would establish a kingdom upon the earth1 never more to be thrown down4 7,dan4 ii41 #dd2 vii41 #bg74 ,many hundreds of years after ,daniel's day1 ,jesus of ,nazareth came upon the earth and reiterated the assertion of ,daniel1 and told ,his disciples to continue unceasingly to pray for that kingdom to be set up1 and through one of ,his apostles ,he revealed how the kingdom was to be established4 ,john the beloved disciple says3 ,i saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven1 having the everlasting gospel or the laws of the kingdom to preach or proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth 7,rev4 xiv41 #f74 ,it would naturally be supposed that the heavenly messenger would be endowed with authority to empower men to admit citizens into the kingdom he came to establish1 and that no one could take this authority unto himself1 but he that is called of ,god as was ,aaron2 and that he who might dare to do so1 without first being authorized1 would render himself liable to the penalty ,god's law inflicts upon all impostors1 usurpers and wolves in sheep's clothing generally4 ,seek ye first the kingdom of ,god1 was the command of the ,great ,king1 who in the future is to rule over this kingdom4 ,but before the reader can do so he must first find out what it is like2 and in this matter we are not left in doubt1 for ,jesus and ,his apostles have placed upon record the names of the officers necessary in the kingdom1 the necessary laws to govern and control it1 the manner of admitting citizens and1 in short1 all the details1 so that the wayfaring man1 though a fool1 need not err in seeking to obey the command1 seek ye first the kingdom of ,god4 ,by turning to the writings of ,paul 7,i4 ,cor4 xii41 #bh71 we find that ,god hath set some in the church1 first apostles1 secondarily prophets1 thirdly teachers4 ,now if this is the pattern of the officers of the kingdom 7church71 all we have to do is to start upon our search and examine the various claims that are set up2 for there are a multitude of organizations that lay claim to the title of the church or kingdom of ,god4 ,it is not necessary to hunt in the midst of the heathen and #cjb pagan nations of the earth1 for they lay no claim to the title1 but will answer you frankly1 ,we know nothing of your kingdom or its officers4 ,then let us turn to the ,catholic world and examine their claims4 ,we find that they have a pope1 cardinals and priests1 but no apostles nor prophets1 no officers to correspond with the description given by ,paul4 ,next let us view the ,protestant denominations4 ,go back to the earliest reformers1 ,huss1 ,luther1 ,melanchthon1 ,calvin1 ,knox1 ,henry ,,viii1 and ,wesley4 ,examine all their organizations and we find none of them lay claim to having these officers in their churches1 but1 on the contrary1 ignore and repudiate them by saying1 ,they are no longer needed4 ,examine all denominations1 all orders1 all faiths1 and we find that in this respect they are deficient and lacking1 while poor1 weak1 fallible man sets up his judgment1 and by man's wisdom seeks to enter the kingdom of ,god4 ,the ,christian world acknowledges that it takes legal authority to make a man a citizen of any temporal government set up by man1 but when it comes to the government of ,god1 any man who sees proper to do so can set out with a new set of ideas1 called a creed1 and establish a church1 baptize1 bless the communion1 and go forward in this way1 ordaining men to various offices1 and yet denying all the time that ,god has revealed anything1 or bestowed any gift of authority4 ,are these legal officers of the kingdom of ,god8 ,is the reader so far lost in the mazes of tradition as to suppose for one moment that ,god will recognize officers appointed in any such way1 much less their acts8 ,but lest we do injustice to these different denominations1 let us give them one more chance to prove their position correct2 for we would gladly avoid seeing the whole ,christian world in error and transgression4 ,paul1 the great apostle1 says that ,god placed in the ,church1 in addition to its officers1 miracles1 then gifts of healings1 helps1 governments1 diversities of tongues1 and urged upon the people to seek earnestly for these gifts4 ,search the world over and find1 if you can1 an organization1 other than that represented by the ,latter-,day ,saints1 that lays claim to and possesses these great blessings4 ,the ,christian world1 having changed the order of the ,church of ,god1 have lost these gifts1 and in endeavoring to justify themselves1 say they are no longer needed4 ,some of them1 more honorable than the rest1 acknowledge the true state of affairs and confess the lamentable condition they are in4 #cjc ,mr4 ,wesley states that the reason the gifts are no longer in the church is because the love of many waxed cold1 and the ,christians had turned heathen again1 and had only a dead form left 7see ,vol4 ,i1 ,sermon #id74 ,smith's ,bible ,dictionary 7page #afc7 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 perfect1 either in the collected fragments of ,christendom1 or still less in any of those fragments4 ,the names of sixty-five learned divines and ,biblical scholars are on the preface page1 as contributors to and endorsers of this book4 ,dr4 ,adam ,clark1 in his commentaries 7page #deb7 on the #dth chapter of ,ephesians1 says3 ,all these officers and the gifts and graces conferred upon them were judged necessary by the ,great ,head of the church1 for its full instruction in the important doctrines of ,christianity4 ,the same officers and gifts are still necessary1 and ,god gives them1 but they do not know their places4 ,roger ,williams refused to continue as pastor over the oldest ,baptist church in ,america1 on the grounds that there was no regularly constituted church on earth1 nor any person authorized to administer any church ordinance2 nor can there be until new apostles are sent by the ,great ,head of the church1 for whose coming ,i am seeking 7see ,picturesque ,america1 page #ejb74 ,till that great and notable day of the ,lord come1 we can not1 from the prophetic word1 anticipate a universal ,,return to the original ,gospel1 or a general restoration of the kingdom of ,god1 in its primitive form 7,christianity ,restored1 ,alex4 ,campbell1 page #aha74 ,having brought forward for the consideration of the reader the foregoing points1 we now proceed to examine the results that will naturally flow from this terrible situation of affairs2 and while we do so1 we plead with you1 reader1 to lay aside prejudice1 and1 as you value your soul's salvation1 seek earnestly to know the truth2 for what doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul8 ,having thrown aside the officers of the church1 ,christianity lost its authority and could no longer administer in the ordinances of the ,gospel for the salvation of the souls of the children of men4 ,instead of the officers and endowments of the kingdom or church of ,god1 man-made doctrines and changeable creeds have been substituted1 until to-day the ,christian world is driven and tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine4 ,weakness1 imbecility and lack of authority are #cjd written on its every movement2 vice1 sin and wrong-doing prosper and flourish under the very droppings of the sanctuary4 ,to-day one theory is taught1 tomorrow another4 ,men have builded cisterns that will not contain water2 in short1 have turned from the apostle at the head of the church1 and the prophet in the church of the living ,god1 and heaped to themselves teachers1 having itching ears1 who have turned the hearts of the people from the truth1 and led them astray after fables1 until darkness covers the earth1 and gross darkness the minds of the people4 ,conflicting creeds and faiths fill the world with a war of words1 until the hearts of honest men become sick1 sick6--sick of the petty jealousies and miserable trickery of professing ,christianity--sending the blood-guilty murderer1 with his hands reeking with the blood of his victims1 from the gallows to eternal glory and the presence of ,deity2 while an honest man1 because he differs from them in belief1 must be consigned to a never ending hell6 ,oh consistency6 thy name is not modern ,christianity6 ,without apostles1 without prophets1 without the gifts1 without authority1 shorn of all thy pristine beauty and loveliness1 all thy grandeur and glorious attributes2 torn and divided into a multitude of fragments1 continually dividing and sub-dividing1 thy talk sounds like that of the scribes of old1 without authority4 ,and what of thy teachers8 ,blind leaders of the blind4 ,prophecy foretells their doom3 ,struggling to uphold the columns of the house of ,babylon1 the dwelling place of the mother of harlots1 and her numerous offspring1 they will be crushed in her downfall1 unless they speedily repent and turn to the true and living ,god1 be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins1 and receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 that will lead them into all truth1 and bring to their remembrance things of the past1 and show them things to come1 for the promise is unto all that the ,lord our ,god shall call4 ,to members of churches as well as non-members--to the whole world does this proclamation come4 ,god has set up ,his ,kingdom1 or church1 upon the earth1 never more to be thrown down4 ,his duly appointed and authorized officers are ready to admit men and women as citizens of this kingdom1 or church4 ,he or she who hears the sound of this gospel and heeds it not will be under condemnation4 ,he or she who heeds and renders obedience to it will reap life everlasting4 ,god will not recognize the man-made devices whereby men #cje seek to save themselves by climbing up some other way4 ,he will repudiate the acts of unauthorized men who administer in the ordinances of the gospel2 and after once this gospel comes to their ears1 if they persist in their course1 it will bring condemnation upon their heads4 ,before they heard it1 they had no sin1 in not obeying2 now they have no cloak for their sin1 the truth having been taught4 ,if any man will do ,his will1 he shall know of the doctrine1 whether it be of ,god1 or whether ,i speak of my myself 7,john vii41 #ag74 ,may the peaceful influence of the ,holy ,spirit be with those who desire to know the truth1 and come unto ,god1 and serve ,him with all their might1 mind and strength4 ,as we see the infant taken away by death1 so may the youth and middle-aged1 as well as the infant1 be suddenly called into eternity4 ,let this1 then1 prove as a warning to all1 not to procrastinate repentance1 or wait until upon the death-bed1 for it is the will of ,god that man should repent and serve ,him in health1 and in the strength and power of his mind1 in order to secure ,his blessing1 and not wait until he is called to die4 --,joseph ,smith4 #cjf 7,tract ,no4 #b47 ,,the ,,plan ,,of ,,salvation4 ,,by ,,elder ,,john ,,morgan4 ,in the midst of the ,christian world there are very many conflicting theories in relation to man's existence here and hereafter2 also as to the duties he owes to himself1 his fellowman and to his ,creator4 ,it is an undisputed question that some knowledge of ,,where ,,we ,,came ,,from1 ,,why ,,we ,,are ,,here1 ,,and ,,where ,,we ,,go ,,after ,,we ,,leave ,,this ,,probation1 is essential to the enjoyment and well-being of the human family4 ,in the following pages of this tract we shall seek to briefly set forth the belief of the ,latter-day ,saints on these points4 ,while they may differ widely from the accepted ideas of the ,christian world1 we may be allowed to mildly suggest that the difference is not so much between those sects of the day and the ,latter-day ,saints1 as it is between those sects and the ,bible1 a fact for which we are in no sense responsible1 and a fact that we can in nowise alter or change1 even were we so disposed4 ,it is deemed proper in the commencement of this investigation to refer to another point so that we may clearly understand each other4 ,it is this3 sincerity of belief does not1 by any means1 establish the correctness of a principle4 ,testimony of an unimpeachable character can alone do that4 ,man's belief does not affect a principle in the least4 ,the whole world may believe it1 and yet it be untrue2 the whole world may refuse to believe it1 and yet it be true4 ,the unbelief of the people of ,noah's day did not stay the flood2 the unbelief of the ,jews did not prove ,jesus an impostor2 and the killing of the apostles did not prove their doctrines false4 ,the assassination of ,joseph ,smith was no proof one way or another as to the divine nature of his authority2 neither will the rejection of the doctrines he taught prove them wrong4 ,if they #cjg are true1 though he was slain1 his followers mobbed1 driven and persecuted1 yet in the end they will rise triumphant over every obstacle and grow stronger and stronger1 as error shall grow weaker and weaker4 ,in presenting the principles of pre-existence the first principles of the gospel and baptism for the dead1 we shall simply quote scripture2 and we again state that if there is any difference of opinion1 it is between the reader and holy writ4 ,the ,apostle ,paul's injunction to the ,thessalonians was3 ,prove all things3 hold fast that which is good 7,i ,thess4 v4 #ba72 and the wise man1 ,solomon1 asserted3 ,he that judgeth a matter before he heareth it1 is not wise4 ,let us1 then1 refer to the word of the ,lord1 which is the end of argument1 and see what the teachings of the ,great ,creator of all are4 ,speaking to ,job1 one of the most ancient writers of the ,bible1 ,he says3 ,who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge8 ,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 xxxviii1 #b-g47 ,job certainly must have been somewhere when the foundations of the earth were laid1 or why the question8 ,there was doubtless more meaning to the words1 ,when ,,all the sons of ,god shouted for joy1 than one at first supposes4 ,the reader asks1 ,who were these sons of ,god8 ,luke1 in giving the genealogy of the human family1 gives the necessary information on this subject3 ,which was the son of ,enos1 which was the son of ,seth1 which was the son of ,adam1 which was the ,,son ,,of ,,god 7,luke iii1 #ch74 ,but let us turn to another text4 ,one of the ancient writers says3 ,then shall the dust return to the earth as it was3 and the spirit shall return unto ,god who gave it4 7,ecc4 xii1 #g74 ,let us ask ourselves how it would be possible to return to a place1 point or locality1 which we had never visited4 ,how could we return to ,god unless we had once been in ,his presence8 ,the logical conclusion is unavoidable1 that to enable us to return to ,him we must have once enjoyed ,his associations1 which must have been in a pre-existent state1 before we became clothed upon with this body of flesh and bone4 ,again1 we find that the apostles must have had some conception of pre-existence1 judging from their question to ,jesus3 ,master1 who did sin1 this man or his parents1 that he was born blind8 7,john ix1 #b47 ,it will1 doubtless1 require no argument #cjh to convince the reader that the justice of ,god would scarcely permit the punishment of the individual before the crime was committed4 ,if so1 then the sin must have been committed before he came upon the earth1 for he was born blind4 ,it was evident that the question was not a doubtful one in the minds of the apostles as to whether a man could sin previous to his existence in the flesh1 but as to whether this particular man had sinned or not4 ,paul1 in his writings to the ,hebrews1 says3 ,furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us1 and we gave them reverence3 shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the ,father of spirits1 and live8 7,heb4 xii4 #i47 ,we here gain the information as to who the sons of ,god were who shouted for joy in the beginning4 ,we also learn the reason why we address ,him as1 ,our ,father which art in heaven1 is to distinguish ,him from the father of our earthly tabernacles4 ,in other words1 ,he is the ,father of the spirits that inhabit our bodies1 in precisely the same sense that our earthly fathers are the fathers of our bodies of flesh and bone4 ,when death ensues1 we bury the earthly body1 which decomposes and mingles with the elements surrounding its place of deposit2 but what of the spirit which returns unto ,god who gave it8 ,when ,jesus appeared to the disciples after ,his resurrection1 ,they were affrighted1 and supposed they had seen a spirit4 ,but ,he corrected them1 saying1 ,handle me1 and see2 for a spirit hath not flesh and bones1 as ye see me have 7,luke xxiv4 #cg-ci74 ,from these1 words we may gather the information that man1 while existing as a spirit1 was not clothed upon with flesh and bone1 but nevertheless1 existed in the exact shape and form that he now possesses4 ,he had eyes to see1 ears to hear and many other faculties with which man is here endowed4 ,he was also doubtless in possession of intelligence1 and much that goes to ennoble man4 ,he had the ability to pass from place to place1 increase in knowledge1 and perform certain duties that devolved upon him in that sphere of action4 ,an unembodied spirit is one that has not yet taken upon itself a body4 ,an embodied spirit is one dwelling in the flesh4 ,a disembodied spirit is one that has passed through this stage of existence and laid its body down in the grave1 to be finally taken up and again united1 spirit and body1 those of the righteous never more to be separated4 ,the word of the ,lord to ,jeremiah was3 ,before ,i formed thee in the belly ,i knew thee2 and before thou camest forth out of the womb ,i sanctified thee1 and ,i ordained thee a #cji prophet unto the nations 7,jer4 i4 #e74 ,here we have the sure word of the ,lord relating to one of the children of men who was but a type of the rest1 only that in this particular case we have the fact made known that1 for good and sufficient reasons1 our common ,father in the heavens saw proper to ordain one of ,his children to a certain office prior to sending him down upon the earth4 ,having so gained the confidence of his ,father while in his first or pre-existent state1 he was ordained to a high and holy calling1 previous to his advent upon the earth1 and we learn from holy writ1 that this confidence was not misplaced1 but that he in honor filled his mission and proved himself true to the trust reposed in him1 not veering or turning a hair's breath from the line of his duty1 though met by obstacles that would have appalled the stoutest heart4 ,the reader will please be cautious not to confound the principle of fore-ordination with that of predestination1 in the case of ,jeremiah1 for there is a broad distinction between the two4 ,a man may be fore-ordained1 set apart or commanded to do a certain work1 yet he retains his agency in the matter1 and it is optional with him whether he performs the duty assigned him or not4 ,if predestined to perform a certain work1 there would be no choice but to do that work4 ,not having any choice1 he would not incur the responsibility of his own actions1 nor control them1 but would be controlled by the power which predestined him4 ,while ,jeremiah was fore-ordained to be a prophet to the nations1 we do not read that he was predestined to fill the office of a prophet by any means4 ,the principle of pre-existence is plainly illustrated in the life of our ,savior1 who thus spoke to the people3 ,what and if ye shall see the ,son of man ascend up where he was before8 7,john vi4 #fb47 ,again1 ,and no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven4 ,to all human appearances1 ,jesus resembled very much the rest of the children of our common ,father4 ,so close was this resemblance1 that those by whom ,he was surrounded failed to see any contrast between ,him and any ordinary man4 ,they enquired of each other1 ,is this not the carpenter's son8 ,is not his mother called ,mary8 and his brethren ,james and ,joses1 and ,simon and ,judas8 ,let us ask ourselves the question3 ,is it so difficult to comprehend our own pre-existence1 when that of ,jesus is so plainly taught1 and also that of many of the ,biblical characters of whom we read8 ,paul1 the great apostle1 speaking of himself1 says1 ,in hope of eternal life1 which ,god1 that cannot lie1 promised before the world began4 7,titus i4 #b47 ,here #caj was a promise made to ,paul of eternal life1 before the world began1 continued upon obedience1 as was said to ,cain aforetime1 ,if thou doest well1 shalt thou not be accepted8 7,gen4 iv1 #g47 ,yet1 notwithstanding this promise1 ,paul was under the necessity of performing certain duties to enable him to claim the promise made4 ,after being stricken with blindness on the way up to ,damascus1 and hearing the voice of a risen ,redeemer1 he was told to ,arise1 and go into the city1 and it shall be told thee what thou must do4 7,acts ix4 #f47 ,after fasting and prayer1 he was visited at the end of three days1 by one ,ananias1 who had been commanded of the ,lord1 in vision1 to visit ,paul1 and was furthermore told that he was a chosen vessel1 or in other words1 one whom the ,lord had made promises to1 before the world began1 and who had a mission to perform before ,gentiles1 and kings1 and the children of ,israel4 ,the question of ,ananias was1 ,and now why tarriest thou8 ,arise1 and be baptized1 and wash away thy sins1 calling on the name of the ,lord4 7,acts xxii4 #af47 ,we have presented for the consideration of the reader but a few ,biblical proofs of man's pre-existence1 out of the many that can be selected1 yet consider that sufficient has been advanced to show conclusively that the claim of the ,latter-day ,saints to a belief in this principle1 is founded upon holy writ4 ,their ideas only coincide with the prophets and servants of ,god in all ages of the world who have alluded to this subject4 ,having answered this question3 ,where did we come from8 let us now consider ,,why ,,we ,,are ,,here4 ,a wise ,creator must have had some great object in view in the creation of the earth1 and placing upon it ,his children1 to pass through what they are called upon to1 while in this probation4 ,a knowledge of this object is almost positively necessary to enable the human family to act well their part4 ,let us then examine what ,he had in view4 ,the primary object of man's existence upon the earth1 is to obtain a body of flesh and bone2 for without this it is impossible to advance in the grand scale of being in which he is to move1 in the eternal worlds4 ,it is necessary also for him to learn1 by actual experience1 the difference between good and evil4 ,as was said of our first parents1 ,and the ,lord ,god said1 ,behold1 the man is become as one of us1 to know good and evil4 7,gen4 iii4 #bb47 ,it is necessary that man should taste the bitter to enable him to appreciate the sweet4 ,no proper appreciation of the value of #caa eternal life could be arrived at1 without having experienced its opposition4 ,a man must first feel the effects of sickness to enable him to fully appreciate the great boon of health4 ,he must feel the effects of pain before he can enjoy immunity therefrom4 ,he must feel the influence and power of death1 before he can appreciate eternal life4 ,he must comprehend the effects of sin1 before he can enjoy the rest promised to the faithful4 ,there are many experiences that he can gain in the flesh that cannot be obtained elsewhere4 ,there are ordinances to be performed and eternal unions to be perfected1 that in the wise economy of the great ,creator1 must be effected here on the earth4 ,baptism for the remission of sins and marriages for eternity1 are prominent features of duty that devolve upon man in his second estate1 or during his existence upon the earth4 ,it is not all of man's duty to care for himself alone1 to selfishly neglect his fellow man1 and seek aggrandizement himself at their expense4 ,do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you1 is called the ,golden ,rule1 by which men should be governed in this life4 ,in brief1 man has a work to do to prepare himself for a future exaltation in the eternities to come4 ,he is called upon to work out his salvation with fear and trembling1 for the work done in this life will have its influence in that to come4 ,by obedience to the principles of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 he prepares himself for the grand and glorious exaltation held in reserve for those who worship ,god in spirit and in truth4 ,as ,jesus said to ,his apostles1 ,i go to prepare a place for you1 for in my ,father's house are many mansions4 ,having learned why we are here1 let us next examine what is the nature of the duties devolving upon us4 ,,faith4 ,to enable a man to perform any work whatever1 requires that he have faith in the ultimate result of his work4 ,no farmer would plant1 unless he expected to reap2 no builder build1 unless he expected to inhabit2 no speculator invest1 unless he expected to increase his means2 no journey would be attempted1 unless there existed hope of reaching the destination4 ,so1 likewise1 no commandment of ,god would be obeyed1 unless there existed faith that certain blessings would follow obedience4 ,with this idea plainly before us1 we can comprehend the assertion of the ,apostle ,paul to the ,hebrews1 ,but without faith it is impossible to please ,him3 for he that cometh to #cab ,god must believe that ,he is1 and that ,he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek ,him4 7,heb4 xi4 #f74 ,we find the active workings of the principles of faith in the many cases of healing performed by our ,savior4 ,thy faith hath made thee whole1 was the invariable remark ,he made to one and all3 and we find ,him speaking to the apostles in the strongest terms about their lack of this great principle4 ,upon one occasion they came to ,him with the question1 ,why could not we cast him out8 ,and ,jesus said unto them1 ,because of your unbelief2 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 place2 and it shall remove2 and nothing shall be impossible unto you4 7,matt4 xvii4 #ai1 #bj47 ,again we read1 ,and he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief 7,matt4 xiii4 #eh71 or in other words1 they had no faith in the claim he made of being the ,messiah2 consequently they were deprived of the blessings that fell to those that had faith1 as mankind today are depriving themselves of many great and glorious blessings1 through their unbelief in the divine calling of ,joseph ,smith1 the prophet and seer4 ,we often hear the same cry today that greeted the ears of ,jesus1 ,master1 we would see a sign from thee4 ,but ,he answered and said unto them1 ,an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign4 7,matt4 xii4 #ch1 #ci74 ,what was true of the generation was true of the individual1 and what was true then is true now1 which places sign-seekers in a most unenviable position1 but doubtless where they justly belong4 ,faith is not produced by sign-seeking1 but in the words of ,paul1 ,faith cometh by hearing1 and hearing by the word of ,god4 7,rom4 x4 #ag74 ,after the death and resurrection of ,jesus1 ,he left this grand test of faith upon record1 to serve as a guide for all future generations3 ,and these signs shall follow them that believe 7or have faith73 ,in my name shall they cast out devils2 they shall speak with new tongues2 they shall take up serpents2 and if they drink any deadly thing1 it shall not hurt them2 they shall lay hands on the sick1 and they shall recover4 7,mark xvi4 #ag1 #ah74 ,but1 says one1 was it not intended that these gifts and blessings should be limited to the days of the apostles1 and to the apostles themselves8 ,read again1 shall follow them that believe2 and again the preceding verse reads1 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved4 ,if you limit the signs following the believer to the days of the apostles you must also limit a salvation to that day4 ,but it is today as it was in the #cac day ,paul wrote to the ,hebrews3 ,for unto us was the gospel preached1 as well as unto them3 but the word preached did not profit them1 not being mixed with faith in them that heard it4 7,heb4 iv4 #b74 ,the cultivation of this principle of faith is the first step in our duties in this life4 ,the second step is that of ,,repentance4 ,repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions2 so iniquity shall not be your ruin4 7,ezek4 xviii4 #cj74 ,let the wicked forsake his way 7,isa4 lv4 #g74 ,repent 99 99 99 every one of you 7,acts ii4 #ch74 ,except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise perish 7,luke xiii4 #c74 ,we understand that repentance does not consist in mourning over sins committed1 and then repeating the same sin or one equally heinous1 but that ,ezekiel meant for the people to cease from doing wrong1 to quit their evil practices1 and walk in the path of rectitude1 virtue and true holiness4 ,for godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of2 but the sorrow of the world worketh death4 7,,ii4 ,cor4 vii4 #aj74 ,we believe that the sorrow of the world here alluded to1 is the too-prevalent practice of crying1 groaning and moaning over our wrong-doings1 and then continuing the same practices4 ,the third step for man to take in this life to secure salvation in the eternal world1 is to be ,,baptized4 ,he that believeth 7that is1 he that hath faith7 and is baptized shall be saved 7,mark xvi4 #af71 was the emphatic assertion of our ,savior4 ,again1 we find that man came under condemnation by refusing obedience to this commandment3 ,but the ,pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of ,god against themselves1 being not baptized of him 7,luke vii4 #cj74 ,so the world of today will1 in the end1 find themselves under condemnation for refusing to obey this principle of the gospel4 ,except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit1 he cannot enter the kingdom of ,god4 7,john iii4 #e74 ,paul1 writing to the ,hebrews1 says3 ,therefore leaving the principles of the doctrines of ,christ1 let us go on unto perfection3 not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works1 and of faith toward ,god1 of the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands4 7,heb4 vi4 #a-b74 ,here are four principles all classed together1 all equally important1 all #cad equally necessary1 and all required at our hands by those fixed and eternal laws of truth and justice1 by which the worlds are governed1 and by which we may return back into the presence of ,god1 and dwell with the just and true and the pure of all ages4 ,the fourth step necessary for man to take while in this state of probation1 is to receive ,,the ,,laying ,,on ,,of ,,hands1 for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this is a principle1 to a great extent1 ignored by the ,christian world1 yet plainly taught in the scriptures4 ,peter1 and his brethren of the twelve1 had doubtless all been baptized1 and endeavored to lead holy lives during their association with ,jesus2 yet we find ,him1 just previous to ,his ascension on high1 telling them3 ,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 ,and ,he led them out as far as to ,bethany1 and ,he lifted up ,his hands and blessed them4 7,luke xxiv4 #di1 #ej74 ,we find a still further explanation of the manner of obtaining this gift and blessing1 in the ,acts of the ,apostles1 where ,he commanded them that they should not depart from ,jerusalem1 but wait for the promise of the ,father1 which1 saith ,he1 ye have heard of me4 ,for ,john truly baptized with water1 but ye shall be baptized with the ,holy ,ghost not many days hence 7,acts i4 #d1 #e74 ,turning to the account of the ministry of ,philip1 in ,samaria1 we find that after the ,samaritans had exercised ,,faith sufficient to cause them to repent1 they had been ,,baptized under the hands of ,philip4 ,now when the apostles which were at ,jerusalem heard that ,samaria had received the word of ,god1 they sent unto them ,peter and ,john3 who1 when they were come down1 prayed for them1 that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost 7for as yet he was fallen upon none of them3 only they were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus74 ,then laid they their hands on them1 and they received the ,holy ,ghost 7,acts viii4 #ad-ag74 ,paul1 writing to ,timothy1 charged him thus3 ,neglect not the gift that is in thee1 which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery 7,i4 ,tim4 iv4 #ad72 and again1 ,wherefore ,i put thee in remembrance1 that thou stir up the gift of ,god1 which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 7,,ii4 ,tim4 i4 #f74 ,we also call the attention of the reader to the account of #cae ,paul's visit to the baptized ,saints of ,ephesus1 and his inquiry of them3 ,have ye received the ,holy ,ghost since ye believed8 ,and they said unto him1 ,we have not so much as heard whether there be any ,holy ,ghost4 99 99 99 ,then they were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,and when ,paul had laid his hands upon them1 the ,holy ,ghost came on them3 and they spake with tongues and prophesied 7,acts xix4 #b-e74 ,sufficient has doubtless been said to clearly establish the fact that the gift of the ,holy ,ghost was formerly obtained by the laying on of the hands of those who held the authority to do so4 ,nowhere do we find that the order here laid down has been supplanted or annulled4 ,on the contrary1 the apostles spoke in the strongest terms against any innovation upon the established forms that ,jesus taught them4 ,paul1 writing to the ,galatians1 speaks of those who were perverting the gospel2 doubtless teaching that the laying on of hands was not necessary1 or else that it was done away with1 and says1 ,but though we1 or an angel from heaven1 preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you1 let him be accursed 7,gal4 i4 #h74 ,the reader has now examined the fourth step for man's advancement in the probation in which he is now living3 and in the words of our ,savior1 ,he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold1 but climbeth up some other way1 the same is a thief and a robber 7,john x4 #a74 ,we have traced man from a pre-existent state1 before the world began1 when he dwelt in the presence of the ,father and of our elder ,brother ,jesus1 and mingled with the spirits who have or shall come into this sphere of action4 ,as it is beautifully expressed in one of the songs of ,zion3 ,oh1 my ,father1 ,thou that dwellest ,in the high and glorious place6 ,when shall ,i regain ,thy presence1 ,and again behold ,thy face8 ,in ,thy holy habitation1 ,did my spirit once reside8 ,in my first1 primeval childhood1 ,was ,i nurtured near ,thy side8 ,for a wise and glorious purpose ,thou hast placed me here on earth1 ,and withheld the recollection1 ,of my former friends and birth2 ,yet ofttimes a secret something ,whisper'd1 ',you're a stranger here2' ,and ,i felt that ,i had wandered ,from a more exalted sphere4 #caf ,this is certainly a grander and nobler conception of man's origin than that of some of the would-be philosophers of today1 who advocate the idea of evolution from a lower scale4 ,having described the nature of the duties 7to have faith in ,god and ,his promises1 to repent of his sins1 to be baptized for their remission1 and to receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost7 that he must perform in this life to lay a foundation for future exaltation1 we now turn to the consideration of man's ,,future ,,existence4 ,upon this subject there is a great diversity of opinion among men1 and almost every possible conjecture has1 from time to time1 held the attention of the human family4 ,if we are to judge by the accepted creeds of the ,christian world1 we find that an almost universal belief exists in future punishment4 ,we find also that the fear of future punishment is used as a mighty power to influence the minds of the people in a religious sense4 ,the fearful horrors of a never-ending punishment of the guilty are portrayed in the liveliest colors from the ,christian pulpits of the land4 ,they are so clearly defined1 that in many instances we find that the love and justice of ,god are lost sight of in the description of the fearful character of the punishment ,he inflicts1 not so much upon unbelievers as upon those who reject the creeds1 articles of faith and discipline1 whereby men seek to know ,god4 ,let the reader lay aside preconceived notions1 tradition and prejudice1 and examine this subject with a desire to know the truth4 ,we shall again refer to holy writ1 and ask the candid attention of the reader to the proofs we place before him4 ,if we had the history of two persons1 the one good and the other bad1 after they left the earth1 or laid down their bodies in death1 it would serve as a guide to decide upon the future destiny of the whole human family4 ,fortunately1 there is left upon record such information1 and by it we can determine this all-important question4 ,no one will dispute the assertion that ,jesus of ,nazareth was appropriately termed the ,just ,one1 a person of pure and holy life4 ,the confession of guilt by one of the men crucified beside ,jesus1 is testimony enough to convict him of being a bad man4 ,we receive the due rewards of our deeds2 but this man hath done nothing amiss 7,luke xxiii1 #da71 were the words of the #cag malefactor1 thus confessing that death was the proper penalty for the many crimes that he was guilty of4 ,now1 here are two persons that were born upon the earth1 lived out a certain number of years1 and then laid down their lives1 their bodies becoming cold and inanimate in death1 while their spirits1 freed from their earthly tenements1 passed into another stage of existence1 leaving their remains to be cared for in the ordinary rites of sepulture4 ,while suffering the agonies of crucifixion1 a conversation was carried on between them1 which will serve our purpose in opening up an investigation4 ,and he 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 paradise3 7,luke xxiii1 #db1 #dc47 ,the request of the thief was so favorably looked upon1 that he had the promise made that he should accompany ,jesus to a place which ,he designated as paradise4 ,he could not have consistently granted him the privilege of entering into ,his kingdom1 when ,he had replied to ,nicodemus1 ,except a man be born of water 7baptized7 and of the ,spirit 7receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost71 he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4 7,john ii1 #e47 ,the thief1 not having attended to these ordinances1 could lay no claim to that privilege2 but1 says ,jesus1 ,today shalt thou be with me in paradise4 ,we are aware that the majority of the ,bible-believing world are of the opinion that the thief was permitted to enter heaven1 and enjoy the presence of ,god2 but is this idea a correct one8 ,let us candidly examine it and see2 for on it hangs a great principle of truth4 ,after the body of ,jesus had lain three days in the tomb1 the spirit again entered into it4 ,the angels rolled the stone away from the mouth of the sepulchre1 and the resurrected ,redeemer of the world walked forth1 clothed upon with an immortal body of flesh and bones4 ,mary1 who seemed to have some special interest in the ,savior1 came early to the tomb1 and1 weeping1 discovered that the body of her ,master was not there4 ,a voice spake to her1 saying1 ,mary4 ,she turned herself1 and saith unto him1 ,rabboni2 which is to say1 ,master4 ,jesus saith unto her1 ,touch me not2 for ,i ,,am ,,not ,,yet ,,ascended ,,to ,,my ,,father3 but go to my brethren1 and say unto them1 ,i ascend unto my ,father1 and your ,father3 and to my ,god and your ,god4 7,john xx1 #af1 #ag47 #cah ,here we have the assertion of ,jesus1 ,himself1 that during the three days immediately subsequent to ,his crucifixion1 while ,his body lay in the tomb1 ,his spirit did not go into heaven or the presence of ,his ,father4 ,logically1 it must follow1 neither did that of the thief4 ,the generally-accepted idea1 therefore1 of the thief's being saved1 must inevitably fall to the ground4 ,jesus asserted that ,today shalt thou be with me in paradise1 and upon ,his return to earth ,he informed ,mary that ,he had not ascended to ,his ,father4 ,the question naturally arises1 where had ,he been during these three days8 ,we are not left in doubt upon this point1 but scripture plainly points out the character of the duties ,he was called upon to perform while ,his body rested in peace in the newly-made tomb of ,joseph4 ,he to whom ,jesus transferred the keys of the kingdom of heaven1 and who stood at the head of the twelve apostles1 would certainly be accepted as a competent witness in this matter2 and1 by turning to his epistles1 we gain this information3 ,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 ,spirit3 by which also ,he went and ,,preached ,,unto ,,the ,,spirits ,,in ,,prison4 7,i4 ,peter iii1 #ah1 #ai47 ,here we have an account of what ,he was doing during the three days' absence from the body3 preaching unto the spirits in prison1 also a very clear explanation as to where the thief went4 ,it was to a prison world1 where he would have an opportunity to hear the ,savior preach the gospel of deliverance to the captive spirits1 ,which some time were disobedient1 when once the long suffering of ,god waited in the days of ,noah4 7,i4 ,peter iii1 #bj47 ,we now understand what ,isaiah1 the prophet1 meant when speaking of ,jesus4 ,he says1 ,that thou mayest say to the prisoners1 ,go forth 7,isaiah xlix172 and again1 ,he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted1 to proclaim liberty to the captives1 and the opening of the prison to them that are bound 7,isaiah lxi1 #a72 and again1 ,to open the blind eyes1 to bring out the prisoners from the prison1 and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house 7,isaiah xlii1 #g47 ,how appropriately do these passages coincide with and support the assertion of ,peter relative to ,jesus preaching to the spirits in prison6 ,men1 who in the days of the flood failed to obey the commandments of ,god1 and for two thousand long1 weary years had suffered the penalty for their wrong doing1 had been fulfilling the principle so clearly enunciated by our ,savior when ,he said1 ,verily ,i say unto thee1 ,thou shalt by no means come out thence1 till thou hast paid #cai the uttermost farthing4 7,matt4 v1 #bf47 ,and that servant1 which knew his lord's will1 and prepared not himself1 neither did according to his will1 shall be beaten with many stripes4 ,but he that knew not1 and did commit things worthy of stripes1 shall be beaten with few stripes4 7,luke xii1 #dg1 #dh47 ,with what joy must these long-suffering spirits1 held in confinement1 have greeted the ,redeemer when ,he appeared and preached to them the glad tidings of great joy1 and presented for their acceptance the ,,everlasting ,,gospel6 ,through its means they could have their prison doors opened1 and themselves delivered from the grasp of ,lucifer1 the son of the morning1 who is appropriately described as one who made the earth to tremble1 and did shake kingdoms2 that made the world as a wilderness1 and destroyed the cities thereof2 that opened not the house of his prisoners4 7,isaiah xiv1 #af1 #ag47 ,how grand and glorious is the plan of salvation that the ,creator has ordained for ,his children1 reaching from eternity to eternity1 and covering in its details every possible emergency2 controlling1 guiding and directing their footsteps while in a pre-existing state2 teaching them while sojourners upon the earth1 and extending beyond the grave into the spirit world1 there to cause their hearts to rejoice and gladden under its benign influence1 growing and increasing in might and majesty1 power and glory1 as the ages roll by1 until the inspired words of our divine ,master shall be fulfilled3 ,every knee shall bow1 and every tongue confess4 ,well might ,jesus say to the apostles just previous to ,his death1 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,the hour is coming1 and now is1 when the dead shall hear the voice of the ,son of ,god3 and they that hear shall live4 ,marvel not at this3 for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear ,his voice 7,john v4 #be1 #bh74 ,turning again to the epistle of ,peter1 we find this assertion3 ,who shall give an account to ,him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead4 ,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 7,i4 ,peter iv4 #e1 #f47 ,jesus1 upon one occasion1 when explaining the gospel to the apostles1 said1 ,whosoever speaketh a word against the ,son of man1 it shall be forgiven him3 but whosoever speaketh against the ,holy ,ghost1 it shall not be forgiven him1 neither in this world1 neither in the world to come 7,matt4 xii4 #cb74 ,this1 in perfect plainness1 explains itself to mean1 that there is a class of sins that can be forgiven in this world1 and a class #cbj that cannot2 also that there is a class of sins that can be forgiven in the world to come1 and a class that cannot4 ,peter1 speaking of the patriarch ,david1 says1 ,for ,david is not ascended into the heavens 7,acts ii4 #cd74 ,but ,david himself1 knowing full well that the mercy of the ,lord endureth forever1 says1 ,for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell4 7,psalms xvi4 #aj74 ,he knew that after he had paid the penalty of the deeds done in the body1 there would be a way whereby he might gain a place in the midst of the righteous in the presence of ,god4 ,if the present generation desire to know what will be the result of their disobedience to the proclamation of the principles of the gospel1 and their contending against the servants of ,god who proclaim them1 let them read what ,isaiah says3 ,the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard1 and shall be removed like a cottage4 99 99 99 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 that the ,lord shall punish the hosts of the high ones that are on high1 and the kings of the earth upon the earth4 ,and they shall be gathered together1 as prisoners are gathered in the pit1 and shall be shut up in the prison1 and after many days shall they be visited 7,isaiah xxiv4 #bj-bb74 ,after having waited1 perhaps1 as long as they did who rejected the word of ,god in the days of ,noah--after having passed through1 perchance1 thousands of years of punishment1 until they have paid the uttermost farthing1 then the gospel will again be presented to them1 and they will be visited4 ,another opportunity will be given them1 to hearken unto the truth2 but1 in the meantime1 the ,saints of former and latter days will have advanced in the scale of progression and passed beyond the reach of those who1 today1 reject the counsel of ,god against themselves1 being not baptized4 ,a separation will have taken place1 in which there shall be weeping and wailing1 sorrow and mourning1 over the neglect to obey the gospel when there was opportunity4 ,in accordance with divine law1 they were judged every man according to their works 7,rev4 xx4 #ac71 not indiscriminately consigning all grades and classes of sinners to the same punishment1 and that to continue forever2 but meting out judgment according to their works1 some with many stripes and some with but few4 ,would it not be a libel upon justice1 if a judge1 presiding over one of our ordinary courts should award to every criminal brought before him the same punishment8 ,if ye then1 being evil1 know how to give good gifts unto your children1 #cba how much more shall your ,father which is in heaven give good things unto them that ask ,him8 ,certainly the law of poor1 weak1 mortal man is not superior to that of the ,judge of all4 ,paul beautifully and aptly expresses the principle in writing to the ,corinthians3 ,if in this life only we have hope in ,christ1 we are of all men most miserable 7,i4 ,cor4 xv4 #ai72 but knowing that the gospel would be preached to the spirits in prison1 and that untold millions of those who failed to accept the gospel here would do so there1 he felt to rejoice in his heart instead of being the most miserable of men4 ,he was fully aware that there was but one way to be saved1 ,one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 7,eph4 iv4 #e72 that it was positively necessary for man to pass through the door to enter into the sheep-fold2 that the many devices whereby men sought to save themselves must of necessity fail1 for ,god's house is a house of order4 ,he knew there was only one name under heaven whereby men might be saved2 that obedience to this law was a prime necessity to salvation1 for in vain do ye say1 ,lord1 ,lord1 and do not the things ,i command you4 ,knowing these facts1 the life of every good and true man1 as was ,paul1 would be rendered miserable at the thought that so many millions of the human family must irretrievably perish1 and be subject to torture throughout all the eternities to come2 but understanding the great principle of the mission of our ,savior to the prison world1 they can rejoice in the fact that the plan of salvation is a complete one4 ,they have hope that1 not only in this life1 but in the life to come1 the gospel will be preached and men be taught its precepts4 ,we here introduce the evidence of some learned men1 who have reputation for scholarly ability1 far and wide4 ,prof4 ,taylor ,lewis1 a prominent ,english writer1 states3 ,we are taught that there was a work of ,christ in hades4 ,he descended into hades2 ,he made proclamation in hades to those who are there1 in ward4 ,bishop ,alford says3 ,i understand these words 7,i4 ,peter iii4 #ai7 to say that our ,lord1 in ,his disembodied state1 did go to the place of detention of departed spirits1 and did there announce ,his work of redemption2 preach salvation in fact1 to the disembodied spirits of those who refused to obey the voice of ,god when the judgment of the flood was hanging over them4 ,prof4 ,a4 ,hinderkoper1 a ,german writer1 says3 ,in the second and third centuries every branch and division of the ,christian church1 so far as their record enables us to judge1 #cbb believed that ,christ preached to the departed spirits4 7,haley's ,discrepancies of the ,bible47 ,as to the endlessness of punishment1 ,i have said that the law that punishes sin is itself endless and for aught ,i know in the other state souls may be passing from right to wrong and wrong to right1 and that may go on forever4 ,i believe that we go out of this world free to do good or evil1 and ,i believe that if a soul repent and turn to ,god1 even in hell1 he will not turn it away4 ,,rev4 ,h4 ,w4 ,,thomas1 ,chicago1 ,ill4 ,i believe that if sufficient probation is not furnished in this world to infants1 idiots1 antediluvians1 heathens and some children who have no moral chance1 ,god will provide some probation in hades4 ,,rev4 ,,newman ,,smythe1 ,hartford1 ,conn4 ,these writers were willing to ignore the teachings of tradition1 and let the words of inspired men mean just what they said1 without any private interpretation4 ,god being no respecter of persons1 it would be manifestly unjust for one portion of the human family to have the privilege of hearing the sound of the gospel in this life1 while so great a proportion never hear it1 and lie under condemnation from the fact4 ,no2 the plan of salvation is complete1 and1 reaching from our pre-existent state1 applies to our present condition1 and will extend to the future state1 until every son and daughter of ,father ,adam have had ample opportunity to embrace its tenets1 and live in accordance with its spirit4 ,we have now examined the gospel proof of pre-existence1 and quoted the testimony of ,jesus and many of the servants of the ,most ,high4 ,we have gone over the ground of the duties that pertain to this life1 connected with faith1 repentance1 baptism for the remission of sins1 and the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost ,a and examined the scriptures relative to preaching to spirits in prison4 ,footnote ,a3 ,should the reader desire a more complete treatise on these important points1 we refer to ,tract ,no4 #a4 ,we now take one more step in our investigation1 and shall endeavor to learn if there is a way wrought out for the deliverance of the prisoners bound and captive in the grasp of ,satan4 ,the fact of their being preached to1 is one evidence that something could be done to mitigate their condition1 for it #cbc would be cruelty intensified1 if1 after being taught the gospel1 it would be necessary to inform them that there was no deliverance4 ,the word of the ,lord through the ,prophet ,malachi was1 ,behold ,i will send you ,elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord3 and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children1 and the heart of the children to their fathers1 lest ,i come and smite the earth with a curse4 7,mal4 iv4 #e1 #f47 ,here was a work for the translated prophet of ,israel to perform at some future period of time1 with the fearful consequence of non-compliance placed before us1 that the ,lord would smite the earth with a curse4 ,the nature of that work is briefly set forth as turning the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and that of the children to the fathers4 ,the ,apostle ,paul asserts that they without us could not be made perfect1 or in other words1 that their salvation was necessary to our happiness or perfection4 ,jesus1 speaking to ,nicodemus1 said3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 ,except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit1 he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4 ,but1 asks the reader1 how shall a spirit be born of water1 or be baptized in the water8 ,very many of those who have gone into the spirit world had never submitted to the ordinance of baptism1 while vast numbers of those who had been baptized1 had the ordinance administered by one who held no rightful authority whatever1 and whose acts ,god will not by any means recognize4 ,they stand in the same position to the kingdom of ,god that a man does1 who1 as an alien to the government of the ,united ,states1 has received his papers of citizenship from a man who held no office under the government1 and1 as a consequence1 had no authority to confer those rights upon anyone4 ,paul1 writing to the ,hebrews1 speaks of baptism in the plural3 ,not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works1 and of faith toward ,god1 and of the doctrine of baptisms4 7,heb4 vi1 #a1 #b47 ,many have supposed this passage to sanction the idea of different modes of baptism1 but1 by turning to another of ,paul's epistles1 we learn clearly his meaning4 ,we gain also the information how we may be instruments in the hands of a wise ,creator in doing a work for the dead4 ,else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead1 if the dead rise not at all8 ,why are they baptized for the dead8 7,i4 ,cor4 xv1 #bi47 #cbd ,we have here an explanation as to how their prison doors may be opened1 and they set free3 by the ordinance of the gospel through the baptism for the dead4 ,those that are in the flesh can do vicarious work for their dead1 and become saviors upon ,mount ,zion4 ,we here insert an account of the visit of ,elijah to the earth1 in fulfillment of the promise of the ,lord through ,malachi4 ,on the #crd day of ,april1 #ahcf1 the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 while in the temple of ,kirtland1 had the vision of heaven opened1 and ,elijah1 the prophet1 who was taken to heaven without tasting death1 stood before them1 and said3 ,behold the time has fully come1 which was spoken of by the mouth of ,malachi1 testifying that he 7,elijah7 should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the ,lord come1 to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and the children to the fathers1 lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse4 ,therefore the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands1 and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the ,lord is near1 even at the doors4 7,doc4 and ,cov41 new edition1 page #dje47 ,elijah the prophet having come1 and conferred the authority to baptize for the dead1 the ,latter-day ,saints are assiduously engaged in erecting temples1 wherein this ordinance may be performed4 ,the object of ,elijah's visit having been partially accomplished1 in causing the hearts of the fathers1 dead and gone1 to turn to the children here on earth1 the children are feeling after the fathers and seeking to open their prison doors1 and bring them through the door of baptism into the sheepfold4 ,not only are the ,elders of ,israel traveling1 preaching the gospel1 and baptizing the people by the thousand1 but the ,saints are flocking to the temples of the ,lord1 and redeeming their dead from the grasp of ,satan4 ,they are performing a great and mighty work for the human family who have lived upon the earth in the different ages of the world's history1 and who1 in some instances1 by revelation1 make manifest to their children or friends1 the fact that they have accepted the gospel in the spirit world4 ,the patriarchs and prophets of former days1 with ,peter1 ,james and the apostles who lived in the meridian of time1 with ,joseph ,smith1 ,brigham ,young1 and other prophets of the dispensation of the fullness of times in the latter days1 are earnestly engaged in the work of giving information and directing the preaching of the gospel in the spirit world4 #cbe ,associated with our ,father in the heavens1 with the angels1 and the good and true of the earth1 we can afford to smile at the puny efforts of man to overthrow the work of ,god4 ,what6 can man strive against the bucklers of ,jehovah8 ,can the designs that have been in process of fulfillment since the world began1 now be stayed in their onward progress1 because they do not happen to meet the approval of the people of today8 ,in conclusion1 let us examine one more question that has doubtless presented itself to the mind of the reader1 and that is the question of future punishment4 ,if1 by preaching to the spirits in prison1 bringing them to a knowledge of the truth1 and being baptized for them1 released them from their prison house1 it logically follows that there must be an end to future punishment4 ,we hear the question asked1 ,do not the scriptures say that it is 'eternal punishment' and 'everlasting punishment8' ,we answer1 ,yes4 ,but let us not put any private interpretation on these terms1 but correctly understand their meaning4 ,eternal punishment is ,god's punishment2 everlasting punishment is ,god's punishment2 or1 in other words1 it is the name of the punishment ,god inflicts1 ,he being eternal in ,his nature4 ,whosoever1 therefore1 receives ,god's punishment1 receives eternal punishment1 whether it is endured one hour1 one day1 one week1 one year1 or one age4 ,and they were judged every man according to their works4 7,rev4 xx1 #ac74 ,some shall be beaten with few and some with many stripes 7,luke xii1 #dg1 #dh74 ,here we have plainly set forth the fact that all men are not punished alike1 that some receive a greater punishment than others4 ,that1 as their works are so shall be the punishment awarded them4 ,and ,i saw the dead1 small and great1 stand before ,god3 and the books were opened3 and another book was opened1 which is the book of life3 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books1 according to their works4 ,and the sea gave up the dead which were in it2 and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them4 7,rev4 xx1 #ab1 #ac47 ,these were the words of ,john1 upon the ,isle of ,patmos1 and most impressively he adds1 ,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 xx1 #ai47 ,we consider that enough has been said to establish the #cbf principles we have advanced1 and we will call upon all to whom these words shall come1 to exercise faith in the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 to repent of their sins1 to be baptised for the remission of them1 to receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 and then to serve the ,god of ,israel with all their might1 mind and strength4 ,many men will say1 ',i will never forsake you1 but will stand by you at all times4' ,but the moment you teach them some of the mysteries of the ,kingdom of ,god that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared for them1 they will be the first to stone you and put you to death4 ,it was the same principle that crucified the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and will cause the people to kill the ,prophets in this generation4 --,joseph ,smith4 ,the angel taught ,joseph ,smith those principles which are necessary for the salvation of the world1 and the ,lord gave him commandments and sealed upon him the ,priesthood1 giving him power to administer in the ordinances of the ,lord4 --,wilford ,woodruff4 #cbg ,when you see a people loaded with irons and delivered to the executioner1 be not hasty to say--,this is an unruly people that would trouble the peace of the earth4 ,for peradventure it is a martyr's people1 which suffer for the salvation of humanity4 ,,la ,,mennais4 7,,tract ,,no4 #c47 ,,opinions ,,of ,,the ,,leading ,,statesmen ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,on ,,the ,,edmunds ,,law4 ,,gentile ,,opinions ,,of ,,the ,,mormon ,,people4 ,,statistics ,,of ,,crime ,,and ,,education4 ,,refutation ,,of ,,the ,,spaulding ,,story4 ,,judge ,,sumner ,,howard ,,on ,,the ,,mountain ,,meadows ,,massacre4 ,,by ,,elder ,,john ,,morgan4 ,the attention of the candid1 thinking1 reader is called to the following extracts culled from the speeches made by the distinguished gentlemen1 who1 in defense of the ,constitution of the ,united ,states1 opposed the passage of the ,edmunds law3 ,,united ,,states ,,senate1 ,,february1 #ahhb4 ,showing the ,unconstitutionality of the ,law1 and that it is not ,morals but ,money that is the moving cause of the present ,crusade against the ,mormons4 ,,senator ,,vest1 ,,missouri4 ,what ,i object to in this bill is that it is a bill of attainder1 unconstitutional in the ,territories1 unconstitutional in the ,states1 unconstitutional wherever the flag of the ,republic wavers to-day in supremacy4 ,it is a bill of attainder because it #cbh inflicts a punishment1 in the language of the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states1 without trial by a judicial tribunal4 ,mr4 ,president1 as ,i said before1 ,i am prepared for the abuse and calumny that will follow any man who dares to oppose any bill here against polygamy2 and yet1 so help me ,god1 if my official life should terminate to-morrow1 ,i would not give my vote for the principles contained in this measure4 ,,senator ,,morgan1 ,,alabama4 ,this1 ,mr4 ,president1 is to all intents and purposes an ex post facto law4 ,if ,i have rightly constructed the language in which the seventh section is couched1 it undertakes to create a crime and punish a man for the commission of it at a time before the statute itself was enacted1 certainly before this method of punishment is prescribed2 and if ,i understand anything in reference to constitutional law1 it is that you cannot impose a new punishment upon one who has been guilty even of a crime against the law1 so as to make it retroactive in its effect and in its operation4 ,now we have the entire case under the ,constitution4 ,i submit to the honorable committee and to the ,senate that this bill is amenable to two constitutional objections in the particulars ,i have named4 ,first1 it is an ex post facto law1 punishing men for crimes heretofore committed1 and to which the punishment now sought to be annexed was not annexed at the time of their commission4 ,the next is that it is a bill of attainder1 a bill of pains and penalties1 whereby the legislative department of the ,government usurps the functions of the judicial1 and puts a man under condemnation without trial and without even the due observance of the forms of law4 ,as the act stands on its face1 and as the purposes of it are entirely apparent from its whole tenor1 ,i think there could not be a more flagrant violation of the ,constitution4 ,,senator ,,lamar1 ,,mississippi4 ,in my opinion1 sir1 it is a cruel measure1 and will inflict unspeakable sufferings upon large masses1 many of whom are innocent victims4 ,,senator ,,call1 ,,florida4 ,there is nothing theocratic in the government of the ,mormon ,church that is exhibited to the world4 ,it does not claim to govern the ,territory of ,utah4 ,it acknowledges the authority #cbi of the ,government of the ,united ,states4 ,you cannot assail it by declaring it as a matter of opinion on the part of the ,american ,congress that for a man to worship ,god according to his belief1 as ,mormons do 7however contrary to our opinions and our wishes71 is a theocracy to be suppressed with fire and sword4 ,but if you will make war upon it1 let it not be by striking down the liberties of your people and doing violence to your own holy faith2 but assail it with the red right hand of war1 with the sword to stab it out1 and say to them3 ,proclaim your heresies and conduct your rites beyond the limits of this ,territory of the ,united ,states4 ,sir1 this is worse than open1 flagrant war4 ,this is asserting to the people that what our fathers1 acting under the teachings of the ,christian religion1 fought for more than a hundred years to accomplish1 shall be thrown away4 ,this is an assertion by the ,congress of the ,united ,states that there may be a trial by a packed and prejudiced court1 by partial jurors1 by a man's enemies1 and not his friends2 that a government shall be constructed in which the vast majority--nine-tenths of the people--in defiance of the principles which control our whole political system1 a government of a minority shall be constructed through penal provisions and through verdicts of courts selected and organized to try and convict6 ,,senator ,,brown1 ,,georgia4 ,the bill proposes to apply a religious test to the ,mormons1 in so far as it punishes the ,mormon for his opinions1 it is a religious test applied4 ,he believes that ,joseph ,smith was a prophet as much as ,i believe that ,jeremiah was a prophet2 and while ,i think he is in an egregious error1 ,i have no right to proscribe him because of his belief as long as he does not practice immorality4 ,and ,i have no right to do more as a legislator than to prescribe rules to punish him for his immoralities1 and leave him to the full enjoyment of his religious opinions1 just as ,i claim the right to enjoy my own opinions4 ,if we commence striking down any sect1 however despised or however unpopular1 on account of opinion's sake1 we do not know how soon the fires of ,smithfield may be rekindled or the gallows of ,new ,england for witches again be erected1 or when another ,catholic convent will be burned down4 ,we do not know how long it will be before the clamor would be raised by the religious institutions of this country1 that no member of a church who holds the infallibility of the ,pope or the doctrine of transubstantiation should hold office or #ccj vote in this country4 ,we do not know how long it would be before it would be said that no member of a church who believed in close communion and baptism by immersion as the only mode1 should vote or hold office in this country4 ,you are treading on dangerous ground when you open this floodgate anew4 ,we have passed the period where there is for the present any clamor on this subject1 except as against the ,mormons2 but it seems there must be some periodical outcry against some denomination4 ,popular vengeance is now turned against the ,mormons4 ,when we are done with them1 ,i know not who will next be considered the proper subject of it4 ,to accomplish this great object the ,territorial practices of half a century are to be blotted out1 local self-government is to be destroyed1 the church is to be plundered1 and the prosperous region of ,utah is to be subjected to the rule of satraps whose unlimited power will enable them to rob and pillage the people at pleasure4 ,if this system is once inaugurated1 bitter as was our experience in the ,south during the late reconstruction period when our affairs were being regulated1 it was mildness itself compared with what is in store for ,utah as long as the wealth accumulated by the ,mormons is not exhausted4 ,mr4 ,president1 ,i shall be a party to no such proceedings4 ,other sections of the ,union have frequently run wild in keeping up with ,new ,england ideas and ,new ,england practices on issues of this character4 ,i presume they will do so again1 but ,i1 for one1 shall not be a party to the enactment or enforcement of unconstitutional1 tyrannical1 and oppressive legislation for the purpose of crushing the ,mormons or any other sect for the gratification of ,new ,england or any other section4 ,the precedents which we are making1 when the persons and parties in the ,states who feel it their duty to regulate the affairs of others find themselves unemployed and the regulation of ,mormonism no longer profitable1 will be used against other sects4 ,whether the ,baptists1 or the ,catholics1 or the ,quakers will be selected for the next victim does not yet appear4 ,but he who supposes that this spirit of restless and illegal intermeddling with the affairs of other sections will be satiated or appeased by the sacrifice of the ,mormons has read modern history to little advantage4 ,the ,mormon sect is marked for the first victim4 ,the ,constitution and the practices of the ,government are to be disregarded and if need be trampled down to gratify the ire of dominant intermeddling4 ,and such is the fanaticism now prevalent in reference to the #cca ,mormon sect1 that when it is clearly shown the regulation which they desire can not take place within the ,constitution and laws1 the restless regulators will doubtless be ready to follow the example of ,mr4 ,stevens and regulate ,mormonism outside of the ,constitution4 ,but why should ,southern men become camp-followers in this crusade8 ,the ,mormons may1 however1 be consoled by the reflection that their privileges need not be curtailed if they are obedient1 nor the present practice diminished1 but they must change the name and no longer conduct the wicked practice in what they call the marriage relation4 ,the ,government considers this no great hardship1 as it freely permits in the ,mormons1 if called by the right name1 what it does not punish in other people4 ,for1 without violating the policy of the ,government in so far as it has been proclaimed by its ,utah ,commission1 if the ,mormons will conform to its requirements as to the mode1 the practice of prostitution in ,utah need not in the slightest degree be diminished4 ,the clamor is not against the ,mormon for having more than one woman1 but for calling more than one his wife4 ,and the ,mormons will do well to remember that the policy of putting the whole population1 men1 women1 and children to the sword1 and filling the whole land with wailing1 blood1 and carnage will not be wanting in advocates if a portion of them still continue1 each to cohabit with more than one woman in what they call the marriage relation4 ,the ,government and people of the ,united ,states have deliberately determined that they must call it by the proper name4 ,let the ,mormon who has a plurality of women remember that he must conform to the practice elsewhere and call but one of them his wife4 ,this1 ,mr4 ,president1 is the point we have reached4 ,this is the distinction we have drawn4 ,this is our present policy and practice as applied to the ,territory of ,utah4 ,what consummate statesmanship6 ,others who feel it their duty upon such hollow pretexts to destroy a prosperous ,territory by such unconstitutional and illegal means as are proposed will doubtless proceed with this unnatural warfare until they have seen the result of their folly4 ,let those whose ambition prompts them to such deeds of daring take part in this tyrannical and illegal conquest over a helpless people1 who1 to gratify an insatiate fanaticism1 are to be crushed without the morals of this country being in the slightest degree improved or illegal sexual intercourse in the #ccb least degree diminished1 and let them enjoy the fruits of their triumph4 ,but as ,i have sworn to support the ,constitution of the ,united ,states1 and can not therefore belong to the army of the conquerors1 ,i shall have no right to claim any of the trophies of the victory4 ,nor when the slaughter comes shall ,i have upon my hands the stain of the blood of any of the victims4 ,nor shall ,i share in the responsibility when in future our present unconstitutional and unjustifiable legislation against the ,mormons shall be used as a precedent for like legislation to crush some other sect or denomination1 who may have chance1 as the ,mormons now do1 to fall under the ban of popular fanaticism and indignation which will afford another pretext for ,new ,england interference and regulation4 ,there are over fifty millions of people in the ,united ,states2 and there are probably twenty times as many persons practicing prostitution1 or illegal sexual intercourse1 in the other parts of the ,union as the whole number who practice it in ,utah4 ,many of the features of its practice in the other ,states and ,territories1 including foeticide1 illegal divorce1 etc41 are quite as revolting1 or more so1 than in ,utah4 ,it is assumed in the other parts of the ,union1 where a greatly larger number of persons practice sexual impurity than the whole number of ,mormon polygamists1 that polygamy must be put down at any cost4 ,it is certainly a matter of great importance that polygamy1 prostitution1 foeticide and illegal divorce1 whether practiced in ,utah or in any other part of the ,united ,states1 should be put down4 ,and if we have it in our power by constitutional means to accomplish that end no one would be more rejoiced than ,i4 ,but having taken a solemn oath to support the ,constitution of the ,united ,states1 ,i cannot as a ,senator vote for a measure which ,i am satisfied is a plain violation of the ,constitution to crush out polygamy1 or to accomplish any other object4 ,and we would do well to bear in mind that if the ,congress of the ,united ,states disregards and violates the ,constitution of the ,united ,states in its eager haste to crush a sect but little over one hundred thousand strong1 the result of the precedent may be the crushing out of one sect after another1 until it ends in the complete overthrow of the liberties of fifty millions of people1 who are expected to applaud our efforts to crush the ,mormons without regard to constitutional difficulties or constitutional obligations4 ,no matter what the popular applause may be on the one hand or the popular condemnation on the other1 ,i will join in #ccc no hue and cry against any sect that requires me to vote for measures in open violation of the fundamental law of the land4 ,and we would do well to bear in mind that an illegal persecution of any sect always excites sympathy for the persecuted and greatly increases its number4 ,the late ,alexander ,h4 ,stephens1 of ,georgia1 when asked what would be the effect of the ,edmunds bill on ,mormonism1 replied1 ,the effect will be to make more ,mormons4 ,but ,i may be asked1 ,what means can we adopt to destroy this great evil in ,utah8 ,i reply we can not do it by passing unconstitutional laws1 or adopting illegal or unconstitutional means1 or by striking down republican government in the ,territory4 ,the ,christian churches of this country spend hundreds of thousands of dollars every year sending missionaries to foreign lands where polygamy is practiced4 ,in ,india and in ,china alone more than #ejj1jjj1jjj of people practice or acquiesce in the practice of polygamy4 ,and yet the ,christian churches are not discouraged1 but they send missionaries there1 hoping finally to convert the whole mass of the people4 ,why1 then1 should we not send missionaries to ,utah1 where only about #ab1jjj people practice and a little over #ajj1jjj people believe in polygamy8 ,if the ,christian churches are willing to make the effort to convert #ejj1jjj1jjj of polygamists in the ,east1 why should they not with less effort convert #ajj1jjj within the limits of our own land8 ,if the first task is within the range of possibility1 what is there to discourage us from the smaller undertaking8 ,there are a great many people in ,utah who might be converted by the proper effort4 ,they are our neighbors1 our fellow-citizens4 ,shall we give them up as reprobates1 and make no effort to save them1 and join in a crusade to crush them8 ,they speak our language1 they are within easy reach4 ,why give them up and turn to the heathen of other lands1 who neither understand our language nor have anything of race or sympathy in common with us8 ,have the ,christian churches done their duty to the ,mormon people8 ,if you can not convince their leaders you can convert thousands of the people4 ,it may be easier to cry ,crucify them than it is to try to help convert them4 ,but can the churches reconcile it to conscience that duty is as well performed in the one case as in the other8 ,,mr4 ,,house ,,of ,,tennessee4 ,now it seems to me that if the ,supreme ,court of the #ccd ,united ,states knows what a bill of attainder is1 the eighth and ninth sections of this act are clearly in violation of the ,constitution4 ,when ,i took a seat in this ,house ,i took an oath to support the ,constitution of the ,united ,states4 ,i can not and will not swear to a lie even to emphasize my abhorrence of polygamy or to punish a ,mormon1 and with my views of this act ,i would have had to do so if ,i had voted for the bill when it passed4 ,it would seem that after organizing a packed jury to convict1 the authors of the bill ought then to have been willing to await a conviction before depriving ,american citizens of the right to vote or hold office4 ,for what is an ,american1 deprived of those rights8 ,he may live in a land of boasted freedom1 but thus stripped of the rights and privileges that freemen most value1 he is no better than a slave4 ,let the carpet bagger1 expelled finally from every ,state in the ,american ,union with the brand of disgrace stamped upon his brow1 lift up his head once more and turn his face toward the setting sun4 ,utah beckons him to a new field of pillage and fresh pastures of pilfering4 ,let him pack his grip sack and start4 ,the ,mormons have no friends1 and no one will come forward to defend or protect their rights4 ,a returning board1 from whose decision there is no appeal1 sent out from the ,american ,congress baptized with the spirit of persecution and intolerance1 will enter ,utah to trample beneath their feet the rights of the people of that far-off and ill-fated land4 ,mr4 ,speaker1 ,i would not place a dog under the dominion of a set of carpet-baggers1 re-enforced by a returning board1 unless ,i meant to have him robbed of his bone4 ,a more grinding tyranny1 a more absolute despotism was never established over any people4 ,the ,mormons have been guilty of believing in1 and some of them practicing1 polygamy4 ,but they have been guilty of another sin also4 ,they have committed the offense of belonging to the democratic party4 ,that ,territory now has a population about large enough to be admitted into the ,union4 ,it would not do to let it enter the ,union as a democratic ,state4 ,there is not now the least danger of it4 ,after it has passed under the manipulations of the returning board1 after her people have been driven from their homes under the oppressive laws that will be passed under the powers conferred by this law1 after the carpet-bagger has gone in and taken possession1 ,utah1 clothed in the habiliments of the republican party1 will be welcomed into the sisterhood of ,states4 ,i did desire to notice some other features of this law1 but time forbids4 ,it #cce was passed under the operation of the previous question1 and no one had the opportunity to discuss it or to point out its imperfections4 ,the ,delegate sent here by the people of that ,territory1 by a barefaced usurpation on the part of the governor1 was denied a certificate of election1 and was not allowed to take the seat to which he had been elected1 or to speak in behalf of his people while they were being robbed of their rights4 ,,hon4 ,,james ,w4 ,,stillman1 ,,freethinker1 ,,boston1 ,,massachusetts1 #ab,,th ,,feb41 #ahhd4 ,the bill which ,senator ,hoar has reported is an ex post facto law1 because it changes the rules of evidence as already indicated4 ,the ,edmunds bill is a bill of attainder2 and it is an ex post facto law1 because it punishes these people without a judicial trial2 it increases the punishment for polygamy by disfranchisement and disqualification to hold office4 ,every ,senator and every ,representative who voted for that bill had taken a solemn oath to support the ,constitution of the ,united ,states1 and yet1 unmindful of that oath1 actuated by the spirit of religious bigotry and fanaticism which ,i have denounced here to-night1 they lost sight entirely of their constitutional obligations1 and nullified one of the most important provisions of that great instrument4 ,,right ,,of ,,self-,,government4 ,,judge ,,jeremiah ,s4 ,,black',s ,,argument4 ,the end and object of this whole system of hostile measures against ,utah seems to be the destruction of the popular rule in that ,territory4 ,i may be wrong--for ,i can only reason from the fact that is known to the fact that is not known--but ,i do not think that the promoters of this legislation care a straw how much or how little the ,mormons are married4 ,it is not their wives1 but their property2 not beauty1 but booty1 that they are after4 ,i have not much faith in political piety1 but ,i do most devoutly believe in the hunger of political adventurers for spoils of every kind4 ,how else can you account for the struggles they are now making to get possession of all the local offices in the ,territory1 including the treasurer1 auditor1 and all depositories of public money8 ,if they do not want to rob the people1 why do they reach out their hands for such a grab as this8 #ccf ,coming back to the original and fundamental proposition that you have no authority to legislate about marriage in a ,territory1 you will ask what then are we to do with polygamy8 ,it is a bad thing and a false religion that allows it4 ,but the people of ,utah have as good a right to their false religion as you have to your true one4 ,then you add that it is not a religious error merely1 but a crime which ought to be extirpated by the sword of the civil magistrate4 ,that is also conceded4 ,but those people have a civil government of their own1 which is as wrong-headed as their ,church4 ,both are free to do evil on this and kindred subjects if they please1 and they are neither of them answerable to you4 ,that brings you to the end of your string4 ,you are compelled to treat this offense as you treat others in the ,states and in the ,territories--that is1 leave it to be dealt with by the powers that are ordained of ,god or by ,god ,himself1 who will in due time become the minister of ,his own justice4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in regard to the unholy crusade periodically waged against the ,mormons by godless men1 and specially revived at every recurring ,congressional session for the purpose of provoking proscriptive anti-,mormon legislation1 the following forcible and faithful word-picture 7which is as true as photography1 and to which over #aej1jjj ,utonians can make oath71 drawn by the ,honorable ,thomas ,fitch1 ex-,united ,states ,senator1 unmistakably illustrates the motives which inspire every such wicked ringocratic movement4 ,at the constitutional convention held in ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,february1 #ahgb1 ,mr4 ,fitch1 ,united ,states ,senator from ,nevada1 said2 ,there is no safety for the people of ,utah without a ,state government2 for under the present condition of affairs1 their property1 their liberties1 and their very lives are in constant and increasing jeopardy4 ,james ,b4 ,mc,kean 7,united ,states ,chief ,justice in ,utah7 is morally and hopelessly deaf to the most common demands of the opponents of his policy1 and in a case where a ,mormon or a ,mormon sympathizer1 or a conservative ,gentile1 be concerned1 there may be found rulings unparalleled in all the jurisprudence of ,england or ,america4 ,the mineral deposits have attracted here a large number of restless1 unscrupulous and reckless men1 the hereditary foes of #ccg industry1 order and law4 ,finding the courts and federal officers arrayed against the ,mormons1 with pleased lacrity this class have placed themselves on the side of courts and officers4 ,elements ordinarily discordant blend together in the same seething cauldron4 ,the bagnios and hells shout hosannas to the courts2 the altars of religion are infested with the paraphernalia and the presence of vice2 the drunkard espouses the cause of temperance2 the companion of harlots preaches the beauties of virtue and continence4 ,all believe that license will be granted by the leaders in order to advance their sacred cause1 and the result is an immense support from those friends of immorality and architects of disorder who care nothing for the cause1 but everything for the license4 ,these constitute a nucleus of reformers and a mass of ruffians1 a centre of zealots and a circumference of plunderers4 ,the dramshop interest hopes to escape the ,mormon tax of #cjj per month by sustaining a judge who will enjoin a collection of the tax1 and the prostitutes persuade their patrons to support judges who will interfere by habeas corpus with any practical enforcement of municipal ordinances4 ,every interest of industry is disastrously affected by this unholy alliance1 every right of the citizen is threatened1 if not assailed1 by this ungodly combination4 ,your local magistrates are successfully defied1 your local laws are disregarded1 your municipal ordinances are trampled into the mire1 theft and murder walk through your streets without detection1 drunkards howl their orgies in the shadow of your altar2 the glare and tumult of drinking saloons1 the glitter of gambling hells1 and the painting flaunt of the bawd plying her trade1 now vex the repose of streets1 which beforetime heard no sound to disturb their quiet save the busy hum of industry1 the clatter of trade1 and the musical tingle of mountains streams4 ,in prosecuting ,mormons the prosecution have tried their cases beforehand on the streets1 in the newspapers1 by public meetings1 by petitions1 and over the telegraph wires1 by means of their leading adviser1 the ,salt ,lake agent of the ,associated ,press4 ,there is no evidence so base or worthless but is sufficient to indict a ,mormon2 there is no evidence sufficiently damning to indict a man who would swear against a ,mormon4 ,in support of these statements a volume of details of acts of injustice and tyranny might be compiled from the official records4 ,one instance will suffice4 ,brigham ,young1 an ,american citizen of character1 of wealth1 of enterprise2 an old man who justly possesses the love and confidence of his people1 and the respect of those who know and comprehend #cch him1 has been sent to prison upon the uncorroborated oath of one of the most remarkable scoundrels that any age has produced1 a man known to infamy as ,william ,a4 ,hickman1 a human butcher1 by the side of whom all malefactors of history are angels2 a creature who1 according to his own published statement1 is a camp follower without enthusiasm1 a bravo without passion1 a murderer without motive1 an assassin without hatred4 ,the religious and secular leaders of ,utah1 men who are respected by many honest1 earnest people who are not of their faith1 men who are believed to be innocent by many influential and independent journals not of their way of thinking1 men who are held fast in the embrace of a hundred thousand hearts1 men who have filled the land with monuments of industry and progress and human happiness1 are likely to be sacrificed because a manufactured and unjust public sentiment demands their conviction4 ,i say deliberately1 that with the history of the past behind me1 with the signs of the present before me2 ,i say with sorrow and humiliation that the ,mormon charged with crime who now walks into the courts of his country goes not to his deliverance1 but to his doom2 that the ,mormon who in a civil action seeks his rights in the courts of his country goes not to his redress1 but his spoliation4 ,the ,mormons have been joined each year by a few desperate outcasts1 men who were outlawed for crime as the ,mormons were outlawed for religion4 ,such men followed the tide of ,mormon immigration2 they attached themselves to ,mormon trains2 they professed belief in the ,mormon faith and devotion to the ,mormon leaders4 ,it was impossible to know their histories1 it was impossible to fathom their motives4 ,they were given food1 given shelter1 given employment1 although seldom trusted4 ,let such men be tempted by assured promises and they will swear their crimes upon others whose lives and hearts contrast with theirs as the white snow contrasts with the mire it covers4 ,how many such men are there in ,utah8 ,convicted liars1 professional thieves1 confessed assassins1 trembling perjurers1 who have hung for years upon the outskirts of the little societies which gathered together and built themselves up amid these mountain fastnesses4 ,one such man has served to accuse and caused to be imprisoned several of your most honored citizens4 ,half a dozen such1 instigated by cowardice and avarice1 with savage hearts filled with a lust of rapine1 would crowd every jail in the ,territory4 #cci ,the ,mormons are judged abroad1 not by their thousands of deeds of charity and kindness1 but by a few deeds of blood unjustly accredited to their leaders4 ,you will never hear how tens of thousands of people have been brought from famine and hopeless toil to lives of peace and plenty1 of the thousands of passing emigrants who have been fed and sheltered and succored4 ,your antagonist is hydra-headed and hundred-armed4 ,whether by bigoted judges1 by packed juries1 by partisan officers1 by ,puritan missionaries1 by iron-limbed laws1 by armies from abroad1 or by foes and defections at home1 the assault is continuous and unrelenting1 though unprovoked4 ,now1 in order to preserve the thrift1 the industry1 the wealth1 the progress1 the temperate life1 the virtues of ,utah from spoliation and devastation and ruin2 in order to save a hundred noble pioneer citizens and this honest1 earnest1 calumniated people from outlawry1 or the gibbet1 or incarceration1 you must have a ,state government4 ,every other refuge of good men1 every other protection of innocent men is closed in your faces4 ,a ,state government means juries impartially selected from all citizens1 and judges chosen by a majority of the people1 and officers of your own selection2 it means honest1 economical government2 it means peace and security1 and exemption from persecution4 ,,fruits ,,of ,,mormonism4 ,by their fruits ye shall know them4 ,do men gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles8 ,can an impure fountain send forth pure water8--,,jesus4 ,bishop ,d4 ,s4 ,tuttle--now and for years past an ,episcopal clergyman in ,salt ,lake ,city--in a lecture on ,mormonism1 published in the ,new ,york ,sun1 ,november1 #ahgg1 held these views3 ,in ,salt ,lake ,city alone there are over #ag1jjj ,latter-day ,saints1 ,now1 who are they8 ,i will tell you1 and ,i think1 that after ,i have concluded1 you will look on them more favorably than you have been accustomed to do4 ,springing from the centre of your own ,state 7,new ,york7 in #ahcj1 they drifted slowly westward until they finally rested in the basin of the ,great ,salt ,lake4 ,i know that the people of the east have obtained the most unfavorable opinion of them1 and have #cdj judged them unjustly4 ,they have many traits that are worthy of admiration1 and they believe with a fervent faith that their religion is a direct revelation from ,god4 ,we of the east are accustomed to look upon the ,mormons as either a licentious1 arrogant or rebellious mob1 bent only on defying the ,united ,states ,government and deriding the faith of the ,christians4 ,this is not so4 ,i know them to be honest1 faithful1 prayerful workers1 and earnest in their faith that heaven will bless the ,church of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,another strong and admirable feature in the ,mormon religion is the tenacious and efficient organization4 ,they follow with the greatest care all the forms of the old church4 ,from the caustic pen of ,henry ,edger1 in the ,new ,york ,evolution1 ,july1 #ahgg3 ,the ,federal ,government is doing at this moment a great injustice to the #bjj1jjj ,mormons in ,utah4 ,we have no right to demand any conditions of ,mormons more than ,presbyterians or ,methodists4 ,the ,federal ,government engaged in a crusade of extermination against a people with such a record as the ,mormons have to show1 is a spectacle of which no one can be proud4 ,unfortunately we need not go out into the ,rocky ,mountains to find debasing1 superstitious and immoral practices1 sheltering themselves under the cloak of religion2 nor do we need go to ,utah to find polygamy openly and shamelessly practised4 ,a polygamy which sacrifices utterly and dooms to a fate most horrible all the wives but one1 deceiving and betraying her also1 is surely not very much morally superior to a polygamy that1 for the first time in modern society1 completely shuts out that horrible social institution1 prostitution4 ,that the government of the ,united ,states can virtually introduce the brothel1 the gambling house and various other charming ,new ,york institutions into ,salt ,lake under color of abolishing ,mormon polygamy is unhappily only too plainly evident4 ,driven by mob violence from one ,state to another1 despoiled of their legitimate possessions--fruits of honest toil--this despised and grossly wronged people found their way at last across the trackless desert and by an almost unexampled perseverance and industry created an oasis in the desert itself4 ,elder ,miles ,grant1 the ,adventist1 and editor of ,the ,world's ,crisis1 says3 ,after a careful observation for some days1 we came to the settled conclusion that there is less licentiousness in ,salt ,lake #cda ,city than in any other one of the same size in the ,united ,states2 and were we to bring up a family of children in these last days of wickedness1 we should have less fears of their moral corruption1 were they in that city than in any other4 ,swearing1 drinking1 gambling1 idleness1 and licentiousness have made but small headway there1 when compared with other places of equal size4 ,in a late visit of ,governor ,safford1 of ,arizona1 to a ,mormon colony on the ,little ,colorado1 he writes3 ,we were kindly received by the colonists1 numbering some #djj souls1 who made us welcomed and gave us freely of such comforts as they had1 as this people do to all strangers who come among them4 ,every one works with a will4 ,they have no drones1 and the work they have accomplished in so short a time is truly wonderful4 ,all concede that we need an energetic1 industrious1 economical and self-relying people to subdue and bring into use the vast unproductive lands of ,arizona4 ,these ,mormons fill every one of the above requirements4 ,tea1 coffee1 tobacco and spirituous liquors they do not use4 ,they are spoken of by those living nearest to them as the kindest of neighbors1 and all strangers receive a hearty welcome among them4 ,they have a splendid robust looking lot of children1 and are very desirous of having schools4 ,general ,thomas ,l4 ,kane1 of ,pennsylvania1 says3 ,i have given you in terms the opinion my four years' experience has enabled me to form of the ,mormons1 preferring to force you to deduce it for yourselves from the facts4 ,but ,i will add that ,i have not heard a single charge made against them as a community--against their habitual purity of life1 their willing integrity1 their toleration of religious differences of opinion1 their regard for the laws1 their devotion to the constitutional government under which we live--that ,i do not1 from my own observation1 or upon the testimony of others1 know to be unfounded4 ,chief ,justice ,white1 formerly of ,huntsville1 ,alabama1 in charging the ,grand ,jury1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,february1 #ahgf1 said3 ,i do not utter the language of prejudice1 nor treat lightly or derisively the ,mormon people or their faith4 ,no matter how much ,i differ from them in belief1 nor how widely they differ from the ,american people in matters of religion1 yet #cdb testing them and it by a standard which the world recognizes as just1 that is1 what they have practised and what they have accomplished1 and they deserve higher consideration than ever has been accorded to them4 ,industry1 frugality1 temperance1 honesty1 and in every respect but one1 obedience to the law1 are with them the common practices of life4 ,this land thy have redeemed from sterility1 and occupied its once barren solitudes with cities1 villages1 cultivated fields and farm houses1 and made it the habitation of a numerous people1 where a beggar is never seen and alms houses are neither needed or known4 ,these are facts and accomplishments which any candid observer recognizes and every fair mind admits4 ,united ,states ,prosecuting ,attorney ,dickson3 ,it was a matter of history that the ,mormons did not cohabit together1 in the sense as used by the other side1 without a form of marriage1 and it was alone this form of marriage and the practice under it1 and not sexual sins1 that ,congress was legislating against4 ,they knew that those sins are not upheld in ,utah1 but are condemned by the ,mormons and deplored by the ,gentiles2 they recognized the ,mormon system of marriage as a constant menace against monogamous marriage1 and thus legislated against it1 and it was the prevention of its continuance that was the primal object of the law4 ,the cause and necessity of the act showed its intention and the only objects against which it should be directed2 and for this it could be extended to its full purpose4 ,the design and only purpose of the law was to root out and extirpate polygamy4 ,the two systems of marriage could not dwell side by side4 ,if polygamy was allowed to grow1 without being placed under the ban of the law and of public opinion1 it would in the end supplant the monogamic system1 and was a constant threat and menace to and jeopardized the latter1 and ,congress so viewed it4 ,the following statistics covering the year #ahhb1 obtained mainly from ,gentile sources1 furnish their own comment4 ,let the reader bear in mind that the non-,mormons of ,utah are clamorous for the enforcement of unconstitutional laws against the ,mormons1 for the purpose of purifying their morals and ,christianizing their practices4 ,these men and their associates1 are the ones1 who engage in the wholesale denunciation of the ,mormon people4 #cdc ,,criminal ,,statistics4 ,mormons4 ,non-,mormons4 ,assault and battery #dj #bfj ,assault with intent to kill #b ,assault with deadly weapons #g ,assault with intent to commit rape #a #e ,assault with threats #ah ,murder #a #ae ,manslaughter #a ,attempt to murder #d ,accused of murder #f ,threatening to murder #a ,mayhem #b ,dueling #a ,prostitution #ie ,keeping brothels #bg ,lewd conduct #f ,insulting women #c ,exposing person #i ,nuisance #e ,obscene and profane language #d #bd ,forgery and counterfeiting #h ,drunkenness #fh #cjg ,drunk and disorderly #bi #aea ,drunk and profane #ab #acf ,selling liquor without license #ah ,gambling and keeping gambling houses #a #eb ,mail and highway robbery #a #f ,grand larceny #c #dh ,burglary #a #h ,disturbing peace #cd #aaa ,bigamy #a ,destroying property #ae #bf ,arson #bf ,obtaining money under false pretenses #be ,opium smoking1 etc #af ,stealing railroad rides #ai ,vagrancy #adg ,violating prison rules #f ,total #bjh #aegh ,so that the ,mormons1 comprising seventy-eight per cent4 of the population of the ,territory1 contributed one-eighth of the arrests made during #ahhb1 and the non-,mormons1 having only twenty-two per cent41 contributed seven-eighths4 ,in those pursuits having a demoralizing tendency1 the distribution was as follows3 ,mormons4 ,non-,mormons4 ,no4 saloons and breweries #af #adf ,no4 billiard tables and bowling alleys #a #df ,no4 gambling houses #aj ,total #ag #bjb #cdd ,the number of brothels throughout the ,territory was twelve1 all kept by non-,mormons2 number of inmates not given4 ,the criminal record of ,salt ,lake ,city1 for #ahhb1 shows that in a population of about #be1jjj1 divided between ,mormons and non-,mormons as nineteen to six1 the total number of arrests was #a1efa1 of which #ahh were ,mormons1 and #a1cgc non-,mormons4 ,if it should be suspected that these territorial and city exhibits show an unfair discrimination in favor of the ,mormon population1 through the sympathy of the ,mormon police officers and magistrates1 such suspicion will be removed by the summary of the records of the territorial penitentiary for the same year4 ,it will be recollected that for the conviction of this class of criminals1 the whole machinery of the law1 judicial and ministerial1 is in the hands of the ,federal government4 ,the number of penitentiary convicts for the year was twenty-eight4 ,of these but one was an orthodox ,mormon1 and she a woman1 confined for one day for contempt of court2 five others were ,mormons only by reason of their parentage1 and the remaining twenty-two were2 eight ,catholics1 four ,methodists1 one ,jew1 one ,adventist1 one ,presbyterian1 and seven of no religious faith4 ,,educational ,,statistics4 ,in #ahgj1 according to the ,united ,states census report 7taken in ,utah by non-,mormons71 ,utah's enviable record stood as follows3 ,comparative ,statistics from ,census of ,united ,states1 #ahgj4 ,school ,illiteracy1 ,paupers4 ,insane ,convicts4 ,printing ,church attendance1 cannot read and and ,edifices4 #e to #ah or write1 #aj ,idiotic4 ,publishing years4 years and ,establishments4 upwards4 ,,utah #ce #aa #f #e #c #ad #ai ,,united ,,states #ca #bf #ca #af #i #f #ag ,,pennsylvania #cj #aj #de #ag #i #i #ad ,,new ,,york #ba #i #ei #bc #ab #g #ab ,,massachusetts #be #ab #ee #bj #aa #aa #ab ,,dist4 ,,of ,,columbia #bg #dj #bc #ce #i #aa #h ,,california #bd #aj #da #bb #ai #ad #i #cde ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,among the many theories advanced by the opponents of truth1 to account for the existence of the ,book of ,mormon1 is the untenable1 but widely believed1 story that one ,solomon ,spaulding wrote it1 and that it was surreptitiously appropriated by the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,thousands1 doubtless1 believe this silly attempt to an explanation to-day2 but the following correspondence will probably serve to enlighten the minds of those who wish information on this subject4 ,letter from ,president ,fairchild1 of ,oberlin ,college1 ,ohio1 ,new ,york ,observer of ,february #eth1 #ahhe3 ,,solomon ,,spaulding ,,and ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,the theory of the origin of the ,book of ,mormon in the traditional manuscript of ,solomon ,spaulding will probably have to be relinquished4 ,that manuscript is doubtless now in the possession of ,mr4 ,l4 ,l4 ,rice1 of ,honolulu1 ,hawaiian ,islands1,a formerly an anti-slavery editor in ,ohio1 and for many years ,state printer of ,columbus4 ,during a recent visit to ,honolulu1 ,i suggested to ,mr4 ,rice that he might have valuable anti-slavery documents in his possession which he would be willing to contribute to the rich collection already in the ,oberlin ,college library4 ,in pursuance of this suggestion ,mr4 ,rice began looking over his old pamphlets and papers1 and at length came upon an old1 worn and faded manuscript of about #age pages1 small1 quarto1 purporting to be a history of the migration and conflicts of the ancient ,indian tribes which occupied the territory now belonging to the ,states of ,new ,york1 ,ohio and ,kentucky4 ,on the last page of this manuscript is a certificate and signature giving the names of several persons known to the signer1 who have assured him that to their personal knowledge1 the manuscript was the writing of ,solomon ,spaulding4 ,mr4 ,rice has no recollection how or when this manuscript came into his possession4 ,it was enveloped in a coarse piece of wrapping paper1 and endorsed in ,mr4 ,rice's handwriting1 ,a ,manuscript ,story4 ,footnote ,a3--,since the publication of this letter1 the ,m4,s4,s4 has been placed in ,oberlin college library by ,mr4 ,rice4 ,there seems no reason to doubt that this is the long lost story4 ,mr4 ,rice1 myself and others compared it with the ,book of ,mormon and could detect no resemblance between the two1 in general or detail4 ,there seems to be no name nor incident #cdf common to the two4 ,the solemn style of the ,book of ,mormon1 in imitation of the ,english ,scriptures1 does not appear in the manuscript4 ,the only resemblance is in the fact that both profess to set forth the history of the lost tribes4 ,some other explanation of the origin of the ,book of ,mormon must be found1 if any explanation is required4 ,,james ,h4 ,,fairchild4 ,from ,bibliotheca ,sacra4 ,rev4 ,c4 ,m4 ,hyde1 ,d4,d41 of the ,north ,pacific ,missionary ,institute1 contributes an article to the ,boston ,congregationalist1 in which he gives a history of the manuscript from the beginning and of the attempts made by ,hurlburt1 ,howe and others to connect it with the ,book of ,mormon1 and thus concludes his lengthy and interesting contribution3 ,the story has not the slightest resemblance in names1 incidents or style to anything in the ,book of ,mormon4 ,its first nine chapters are headed3 ,introduction2 ,an ,epitomy of the ,author's ,life1 and of his ,arrival in ,america2 ,an ,account of the ,settlement of the ,ship's ,company2 ,many ,particulars respecting the ,natives2 ,a ,journey to the ,n4 ,w42 ,a ,description of the ,ohohs2 ,description of the ,learning2 ,religion2 ,an ,account of the ,baska1 ,government and ,money4 ,there is no attempt whatever to imitate ,bible language1 and to introduce quotations from the ,bible1 as in the ,book of ,mormon4 ,on the contrary1 ,rev4 ,solomon ,spaulding seems to have been a man who had no very high regard for the ,bible4 ,there are two manuscript leaves in the parcel of the same size and handwriting as the other #aga pages of manuscript4 ,a few sentences will show the views of the writer4 ,it is enough for me to know that propositions which are in contradiction to each other can not both be true1 and that doctrines and facts which represent the ,supreme ,being as a barbarous and cruel tyrant can never be dictated by infinite wisdom4 99 99 99 ,but1 notwithstanding ,i disavow my belief in the divinity of the ,bible1 and consider it as a mere human production1 designed to enrich and aggrandize its authors1 yet casting aside a considerable mass of rubbish and fanatical rant1 ,i find that it contains a system of ethics or morals which cannot be excelled on account of their tendency to ameliorate the condition of man4 ,it would seem improbable from such avowed belief that ,rev4 ,solomon ,spaulding was an orthodox minister1 who wrote the ,book of ,mormon in ,biblical style1 while in poor health1 for his own amusement4 ,the statement is more probable that he wrote this ,manuscript ,found1 with #cdg the idea of making a little money1 if he could find some one to print it for him4 ,it is evident from an inspection of this manuscript1 and from the above statements that who ever wrote the ,book of ,mormon1 ,solomon ,spaulding did not4 ,the manuscript is now in the possession of ,professor ,james ,h4 ,fairchild1 or rather of ,oberlin ,college1 ,ohio1 of which he is ,president4 ,it was sent there to be deposited in the college library1 by ,mr4 ,l4 ,l4 ,rice1 of ,honolulu1 ,sandwish ,islands1 among whose papers it was found at that place4 ,mr4 ,rice lived formerly in ,ohio1 and in #ahci-dj he and his partner bought the ,painesville1 ,ohio1 ,telegraph1 of ,e4 ,d4 ,howe1 and in the transfer of type1 presses1 stock1 etc41 there was a large collection of books1 manuscripts1 etc41 among them the manuscript in question4 ,e4,d4 ,howe was the publisher of a book against ,mormonism1 called ,mormonism ,unveiled1 and obtained the ,manuscript ,found from the notorious ,dr4 ,d4 ,p4 ,hurlburt1 who obtained it from ,mrs4 ,davidson1 ,solomon ,spaulding's widow1 who had remarried4 ,hurlburt never returned it4 ,the reason assigned to ,mrs4 ,davidson for its non-publication as an expose of the ,book of ,mormon was1 that when examined it was found not to be what had been expected4 ,one has only to glance through it to see the propriety of that conclusion4 ,when ,mr4 ,rice moved to ,honolulu this manuscript1 with other literary rubbish that had not been destroyed1 was taken with him4 ,it was not until ,prof4 ,fairchild1 being on a visit to ,mr4 ,rice1 questioned him concerning any old papers he might have in his possession relating to anti-slavery matters1 that in looking for them this manuscript was turned up4 ,it bore the following endorsement3 ,the writings of ,solomon ,spaulding proved by ,aron ,wright1 ,oliver ,smith1 ,john ,n4 ,miller and others4 ,the testimonies of the above gentlemen are now in my possession4 7,signed71 ,d4,p4 ,,hurlburt4 ,the chain of evidence is complete4 ,there can be no doubt that this is the long lost ,manuscript ,found1 about which there has been so much speculation4 ,mr4 ,rice and ,professor ,fairchild both examined it critically1 compared it with the ,book of ,mormon1 and came to the conclusion that there was not the slightest connection between the two books1 and no similarity whatever in matter1 purpose1 narrative1 names1 language1 style1 or anything else4 ,the manuscript looks old and #cdh faded1 has #agj odd pages1 small quarto1 and was tied up1 with a string in a coarse paper wrapper4 ,,mountain ,,meadows ,,massacre4 ,we give below an extract from the ,lee trial1 showing briefly and conclusively that the authorities of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 and the ,mormon people1 were innocent of any complicity whatever1 in the terrible tragedy enacted at ,mountain ,meadows1 that on the contrary ,president ,brigham ,young sought by every means in his power to save the unfortunate emigrants4 ,remarks made by ,mr4 ,sumner ,howard1 ,ex-,chief ,justice of ,arizona1 and ,united ,states ,prosecuting ,attorney at the second trial of ,john ,d4 ,lee3 ,he proposed to prove that ,john ,d4 ,lee1 without any authority from any council or officer1 but in direct opposition to the feelings and wishes of the officers of the ,mormon ,church1 had gone to the ,mountain ,meadows1 where the ,indians were then encamped1 accompanied only by a little ,indian boy1 and had assumed command of the ,indians1 whom he had induced1 by promises of great booty1 to attack these emigrants4 ,all these charges against ,john ,d4 ,lee1 he 7,district ,attorney ,howard7 proposed to prove to the jury by competent testimony1 beyond reasonable doubt1 or beyond any doubt1 and thought no appeal to the jury would be required to induce them to give a verdict in accordance with the evidence4 ,james ,haslam1 of ,wellsville1 ,cache ,valley1 was sworn4 ,he lived in ,cedar ,city in #aheg2 was ordered by ,haight to take a message to ,president ,young with all speed2 knew the contents of the message2 left ,cedar ,city on ,monday1 ,september #g1 #aheg1 between #e and #f p4m41 and arrived at ,salt ,lake on ,thursday at #aa a4 m42 started back at #c p4m41 and reached ,cedar about #aa a4 m4 ,sunday morning1 ,september #acth2 delivered the answer from ,president ,young to ,haight1 who said it was too late4 ,witness testified that when leaving ,salt ,lake to return1 ,president ,young said to him3 ,go with all speed1 spare no horseflesh4 ,the emigrants must not be meddled with1 if it takes all ,iron ,county to prevent it4 ,they must go free and unmolested4' ,witness knew the contents of the answer4 ,he got back with the message the ,sunday after the massacre and reported to ,haight1 who said1 ',it is too late4' ,at the second trial the evidence was plain and direct as to ,lee's complicity in the massacre2 he was convicted by ,mormon #cdi testimony1 and a verdict of guilty was brought in against him by a ,mormon jury4 ,at the close of the second trial ,u4 ,s4 ,district ,attorney ,sumner ,howard1 in his opening address1 repeated again that he had come for the purpose of trying ,john ,d4 ,lee1 because the evidence led and pointed to him as the main instigator and leader1 and he had given the jury unanswerable documentary evidence1 proving that the authorities of the ,mormon ,church knew nothing of the butchery until after it was committed1 and that ,lee1 in his letter to ,president ,young a few weeks later1 had knowingly misrepresented the actual facts relative to the massacre1 seeking to keep him still in the dark and in ignorance4 ,he had received all the assistance any ,united ,states official could ask on earth in any case4 ,nothing had been kept back1 and he was determined to clear the calendar of every indictment against any and every actual guilty participator in the massacre4 ,when the ,gentiles reject the ,gospel it will be taken from them and given to the house of ,israel4 --,wilford ,woodruff4 ,we have never violated the laws of this country2 we have every right to live under their protection1 and are entitled to all the privileges guaranteed by our ,state and ,national ,constitution4 --,joseph ,smith4 #cej ,,joseph ,,smith4 ,,was ,,he ,a ,,prophet ,,of ,,god8 ,,an ,,investigation ,,and ,,testimony1 ,,by ,j4 ,m4 ,,sjodahl4 #ahia4 ,the controversy between the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints and the various churches of the world turns upon one great question1 viz43 ,has ,god again revealed ,his will to mankind through ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet8 ,if ,he has1 and this can be proven1 then the controversy is at an end1 and it is the duty of all to accept the message of that prophet as from ,god4 ,then to accept the gospel which ,joseph ,smith preached is to accept ,god1 who sent him1 and to reject it is to reject ,god4 ,this question is1 therefore1 one of the greatest importance and should be carefully considered by everyone who is concerned about the salvation of his own soul and the souls of those who are dear to him4 ,the question is a twofold one1 and each part of it demands a separate consideration4 #a4 ,are the books of the ,bible all that is necessary for the guidance of men to eternal life and exhaltation1 or1 is continuous revelation necessary8 #b4 ,is there any evidence1 supposing continuous revelation to be necessary1 that ,joseph ,smith was a true prophet of ,god8 ,i4 ,the question3 ,are the books of the ,bible all that is necessary to guide us to the attainment of eternal salvation8 has been variously answered4 ,the ,romanists claim that they are not4 ,they give to genuine tradition the same authority as to the written word and submit both to the interpretation of their infallible ,pope4 ,most of the ,protestants deny the authority of the tradition and the infallibility of any one representative of the church4 ,they claim that the written word1 as contained in the ,bible1 is the only necessary and authoritative guide in matters of religion4 ,an eminent ,baptist divine1 ,dr4 ,angus1 says3 ,as #cea the ,holy ,scriptures claim to be regarded as the book of ,god1 a divine authority1 so they claim to be the only authority4 ,it is not a rule1 it is the rule both of practice and faith4 ,to ascertain its meaning1 we employ reason and the opinions of good men1 and the experience of a devout heart2 but no one of these helps1 nor all combined1 can be regarded as of coordinate authority4 7,bible ,handbook1 page #fi47 ,bishop ,grundtvig was aware of the weakness of this ,protestantic position1 taken and vigorously defended by the reformers4 ,for the guidance of the church he claimed in the first place a living word1 a continuous tradition1 expounding the written word1 which1 he insisted1 is nothing but a dead letter until quickened by the ,holy ,spirit1 present in the church2 and in his view1 curiously enough1 not the books of the ,bible but the ,apostolic ,symbol was the written word1 par excellence1 composed1 probably1 by our ,savior himself and transmitted from the ,apostles to the posterity in all ages4 ,the worthy bishop gave to the ,apostolic ,symbol the place that is otherwise generally accorded to the books of the ,bible1 and agreed with the ,romanists in holding the necessity of a living interpreter1 directed by the ,spirit1 while1 with the ,protestants1 he denied the claims of the ,pope1 or any pope1 as to the monopoly of this office4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints hold that the books of the ,bible were sufficient for the people to whom they were addressed and for the purpose for which they were written4 ,as records of ,god's dealings with mankind in ages past1 and as prophecies of things yet future1 they contain instructions for all ages and all nations2 but as circumstances change1 as new emergencies arise1 and the plans of ,god develop1 continued revelations are just as necessary for the guidance of the church as revelation ever was4 ,a religion that excludes new revelation from its principles1 is just the very religion that suits the devil 99 99 99 for he knows well that ,god has nothing to do1 nor ever had1 with any religion that did not acknowledge prophets and revelators1 through whom ,he could speak and reveal ,his will to ,his sons and daughters4 7,orson ,pratt4 ,the ,seer1 vol4 ii1 ,no4 #e1 ,may1 #ahed47 ,thus the various views on the question may be briefly stated4 ,the word of ,god1 the ,bible itself1 amply justifies1 ,i think1 the position of the ,latter-day ,saints on this important question4 ,the purposes for which the various books were written2 the difficulties that present themselves when the exact meaning of many passages is investigated2 the usual dealings of ,god #ceb with ,his people1 as explained in the ,bible1 and many predictions of new revelations1 all these facts give evidence of the correctness of the position taken by the ,church of ,christ in this last dispensation4 ,what man needs1 is not only a ,bible and a genuine tradition1 expounded by an interpreter1 even if this should have1 in some degree1 the ,holy ,spirit1 but he needs first of all and above all a direct communication with ,god1 his heavenly ,father4 ,he may study the written word humbly and carefully1 and thereby he will certainly1 through the aid of the ,holy ,spirit1 acquire much useful knowledge concerning religion and eternal truths2 he will1 if following the precepts laid down1 be led onward and forward and attain a certain degree of eternal happiness4 ,but the knowledge necessary for the work to be done in connection with the establishment of the dispensation of the fulness of times or for the obtaining of the glory emanating from the ordinances of this dispensation1 he will never acquire by his own study of any amount of sacred literature4 ,the truth of this statement becomes self-evident1 when we mark the purpose for which the sacred books were written4 ,if there were any book of the ,bible by ,god designated to be a complete code of laws1 all-sufficient for all times and all conditions1 such a fact might reasonably be expected to be either expressly stated1 or implied somewhere within the covers of the sacred volume4 ,but no such statement is to be found1 nor can it be shown to be implied1 when the scope of each book is clearly understood4 ,,the ,,pentateuch4 ,the ,pentateuch1 for instance1 contains the principles on which the ,jewish theocracy was founded1 a dispensation that was1 according to prophetic declarations1 only to last for a certain time4 ,in the first eleven chapters of ,genesis we find a few outlines of the ,patriarchal dispensation1 and some of the ordinances of that dispensation are referred to without any detailed account4 ,the last chapters of ,genesis contain merely a brief historical sketch of the transition from the patriarchal dispensation to the ,mosaic dispensation4 ,the remaining books of ,moses 7as indeed all of the ,old ,testament7 are chiefly an incomplete history of the dealings of ,god with that one nation which ,he had chosen for the purpose of communicating ,his will to mankind1 until the appearance of the promised ,seed4 ,but the dispensation itself was a transient one4 ,the principles upon which it was founded must necessarily #cec also be subject to such modifications as a new dispensation would require4 ,paul1 the greatest ,jewish scholar of his age1 is very emphatic on this point4 ,it 7the ,mosaic law7 was added because of transgression1 till the ,seed should come to whom the promise was made4 ,before faith came we were kept under the law1 shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed4 ,wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto ,christ1 that we might be justified by faith4 ,but after that faith is come we are no longer under a schoolmaster4 7,galatians iii1 #bc-be47 7,god7 also has made us able ministers of the ,new ,testament2 not of the letter1 but of the spirit2 for the letter killeth1 but the spirit giveth life4 ,but if the ministration of death 7the ,mosaic law71 written and engraven in stones1 was glorious1 so that the children of ,israel could not steadfastly behold the face of ,moses for the glory of his countenance1 which glory was to be done away1 how shall not the ministration of the ,spirit be rather glorious8 99 99 ,for if that which is done away 7the law7 was glorious1 much more that which remaineth4 7,,ii ,cor4 iii1 #f-aa47 ,the laws of the ,mosaic dispensation have1 according to the same apostle1 no more claim or binding force1 relative to the members of the ,christian dispensation1 than a dead husband has to a living wife3 ,for the woman which has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives2 but if the husband be dead1 she is loosed from the law of her husband2 99 99 wherefore1 my brethren1 ye also are become dead to the law by the body of ,christ4 7,rom4 vii1 #b-d47 ,,the ,,historical ,,books4 ,of the remaining historical books of the ,old ,testament much need not be said4 ,the book of ,joshua describes the settlement of the ,israelites in the ,holy ,land4 ,in the ,judges we read of repeated apostasy1 its punishment and ,god's mercy in delivering the penitent4 ,the books of ,samuel show the establishment of the ancient prophetic office and also the rejection of this divine appointment and of ,god as the ruler1 and how ,god1 yielding to the demands of ,his blinded people1 allows them to have a king4 ,in the ,books of the ,kings1 to which the ,chronicles seem to be a supplement1 we can trace the awful consequences of the revolt of the people against the prophetic office1 until the nation1 after a short time of prosperity under ,david and ,solomon1 falls to pieces and are carried away captives4 #ced ,,the ,,poetical ,,books4 ,the poetical books are effusions of devout hearts contemplating the past mercies of ,god1 ,his present goodness and faithfulness1 and containing more or less distinct predictions of the future events in the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,the ,psalms1 many of which were composed by ,david1 were intended for the edification of the people when gathered to their national festivities in ,jerusalem4 ,the singing of them formed1 no doubt1 an important part of the service4 ,the book of ,job and the ,song of ,songs are specimens of early dramatic compositions4 ,the hero of the book of ,job was an inhabitant of ,uz1 in the northeast part of the ,arabian desert1 and a contemporary1 perhaps1 of ,terah1 the father of ,abraham4 ,there are some grand lessons laid down in the book4 ,the question is discussed whether great suffering is not an evidence of great guilt4 ,the friends of ,job affirm this1 while he himself1 under the greatest afflictions1 denies it1 appealing to ,god's righteousness and faithfulness4 ,the ,song of ,songs1 the best one of the one thousand and five which ,solomon composed 7,i ,kings iv1 #cb71 is a description of wedded love1 one of the noblest affections which man is capable of enjoying1 and was probably composed when ,solomon introduced into his family an ,egyptian princess 7,i ,kings iii1 #a2 vii1 #h2 ix1 #bd7 as a plural wife4 ,the ,proverbs1 and the ,ecclesiastes contain many sentiments showing both the wisdom and the vanity of the world1 pointing to ,him who is the ,wisdom1 the ,truth1 and the ,light of the ,world4 ,in all these books we find truths scattered as numerous and as beautifully as the stars in a clear ,november evening sky2 but the very scope of each book is such that it cannot be accepted as a closed and finished code of revelations1 sufficient for all contingencies that can ever arise in the history of the human race1 any more than the beautifully sparkling light of the stars is all that is necessary for the illumination of the earth4 ,,the ,,prophetical ,,books4 ,these contain many predictions bearing directly on the last days1 for prophecy is a record of future events1 as history is a record of past events4 ,but in reading ancient prophecy1 one very common error must be avoided1 viz41 to suppose that the prophets generally described the events of the last days4 ,this they evidently do not do4 ,their prophecies generally #cee concern such events as were immediately future in their own time1 and in which their own generation was1 on that account1 mostly interested4 ,prophecies are often read as if they all related to events which are still future1 and which we therefore look at with anxious interest1 whereas the truth is that events long ago transpired1 and which we have almost forgotten1 but which once were the great epochs of history1 form the important theme of the bulk of prophetical predictions4 ,in some cases prophecy covers the ground of events yet to transpire4 ,but then1 it is noticeable that the more remote the events described are1 the more vague and dim the visions concerning them become1 until we clearly perceive that1 were it not for the new additional light of continued revelations upon the last scenes of the history of the world1 we would never1 from the first predictions delivered1 be able to form a clear and distinct idea of these scenes4 ,notice1 as an illustration of this1 the first prediction of the seed of woman who should crush the head of the serpent1 and follow the gradual development of this prophecy1 until later prophets are able by the ,spirit of ,god to describe not only many minute details of the birth1 life and death of our ,savior 7,isaiah71 but also the precise time for his coming in the flesh 7,daniel74 ,and so it is with all predictions given4 ,they increase in clearness as the events draw near4 ,they indicate1 therefore1 by their very nature the necessity of continued revelation1 as the first rays of morning indicate the approach of the coming daylight4 ,in reading the prophetical books1 this must be kept in view4 ,,jonah is the most ancient of the prophets whose written records have come down to us4 ,he lived more than eight hundred years before ,christ4 ,his book is a narrative of how the prophet was called on a mission to the great city of ,nineveh but in disobedience to the command of ,god1 he fled in an opposite direction1 intending to go to ,tarshish4 ,on the way1 however1 a great storm arose4 ,jonah1 on his own suggestion1 was thrown into the sea1 and by a great fish carried back to the land he had left4 ,after this miraculous deliverance1 he goes to ,nineveh and delivers his message1 which results in the repentance of the inhabitants and the repeal of the announced judgment4 ,the spiritual lessons conveyed in the narrative are very important and instructive4 ,yet the prediction delivered is one that chiefly concerned the people of ,nineveh for whom it was intended4 ,it has been observed that the prophet himself1 in his #cef miraculous deliverance from the deep1 furnishes the fullest and nearest shadow of ,christ's lying in the grave1 which the scriptures afford1 but then it must also be remembered that this type would by no means have been clear to us had not ,christ himself pointed it out4 ,it is only through new revelation on the subject that we are enabled to see the resemblance between the deliverance of ,jonah and the resurrection of ,christ4 ,this fullest and nearest shadow is therefore in itself a proof of the necessity of continuous revelation4 ,,joel was contemporary with ,jonah4 ,he lived ,b4,c4 #haj-gie1 and addressed himself to ,judah4 ,he first delineates an impending devastation under the picture of successive armies of locusts1 and of burning drought4 ,there are some differences of opinion as to the events to which these opening visions refer4 ,they most probably refer to the successive subjugations of the country by ,assyrians1 ,persians1 ,greeks and ,romans4 ,then follows an exhortation to penitence1 fasting and prayer1 and a promise of deliverance from the evils predicted4 ,in the second chapter1 v4 #ah-ca1 the effusion of the ,holy ,spirit1 previous to the destruction of ,jerusalem and subsequent calamities1 the great and terrible day of the ,lord1 is clearly predicted4 ,but here again a new revelation1 which was given through ,peter 7,acts ii1 #af-ba7 was needed to point out that the fulfilment of the prediction took place at the day of ,pentecost4 ,the ,jews were well conversant with the writings of this prophet and held him in great reverence1 but they could not see the connection between the prophecy and its fulfilment1 until pointed out to them by an inspired servant of ,god4 ,and this remark applies to almost all prophecy4 ,the last clause of the last verse of the second chapter1 as well as the third chapter1 refer to events yet future4 ,the gathering of the nations of the earth to the valley of ,jehosaphat and their destruction1 the establishment of ,jerusalem as the holy city and the glorious state of the millennial kingdom are the themes treated on4 ,but--let us repeat the remark--when the fulfilment of these predictions comes1 the world will need inspired men to point that fulfilment out1 just as the ,jews needed on the day of ,pentecost4 ,the book of ,joel furnishes decisive proof of the necessity of continuous revelation4 ,,amos was another contemporary of ,jonah and of ,joel4 ,he lived ,b4,c4 #haj-ghe4 ,his residence was ,bethel1 and he was sent as a messenger to ,israel4 ,the first two chapters of his book contain predictions of the judgments of ,god upon the #ceg various states surrounding ,judea4 ,the ,lord will roar from ,zion1 and utter his voice from ,jerusalem1 an indication of the anger of ,jehovah against these states4 ,the punishment of ,syria1 of the ,philistines1 of ,tyre1 ,edom and ,ammon1 ,moab1 and1 finally1 also of ,judah and ,israel are foretold4 ,the prophet then devotes four chapters to exhorting the people to repentance1 reminds them of what ,god had done for them4 ,but as he sees that his exhortations have no effect1 he sets forth in visions the approaching destruction of the people1 until the inhabitants of ,bethel tried to prohibit him from prophesying any more among them 7chapter vii74 ,the prophet1 however1 continues in the name of the ,lord1 who had called him to the office1 to describe the near destruction of the nation4 ,and having done so he closes his book with a few verses 7chapter ix1 #aa-ae7 on a still future restoration1 the glory of which shall be shared by ,edom and other ,gentile nations1 a prediction that is referred to by ,peter 7,acts1 xv1 #ag71 as beginning to be fulfilled in the establishment of the ,church of ,christ4 ,and here1 again1 a new revelation was required to make the precise meaning of the prediction clear4 ,,hosea was a native of ,israel1 and lived ,b4,c4 #hjj-gbe4 ,his ministry lasted about sixty years1 until the ten tribes were led captive by the ,assyrians1 and his prophecies are almost exclusively directed against ,israel1 the most prominent tribe of which was ,ephraim1 with the capital of ,samaria4 ,at the time of this prophet the idolatry commenced by ,jeroboam in ,dan and ,bethel had continued for one hundred and fifty years1 and all classes of the people were sunk in vices of various kinds4 ,the first three chapters of his book contain a symbolic representation of the fallen people and ,god's statement that ,he had now rejected them4 ,in order to exemplify this1 the prophet is commanded to wed a wife of whoredoms and to give to the children names indicating the wrath of ,god4 ,the prophet having complied with this command is again directed to love another adulteress according to the love of the ,lord toward the children of ,israel 7iii2 #a71 thus giving to the ten tribes remarkable object lessons concerning their faithlessness towards ,jehovah4 ,the severe denunciations in this part of the book close with promises of a final restoration 7chapter ii1 #ad-bd2 iii1 #d1 #e74 ,the following chapters reiterate more fully the subjects of the first three4 ,in chapters iv-x1 the prophet brings up the charges against the people3 ,there is no truth1 nor mercy1 nor knowledge of ,god in the land4 ,by swearing1 lying1 killing1 #ceh stealing and committing adultery1 they break out1 and blood toucheth blood4 ,the priests are like the people4 ,for these sins the judgment of destruction is pronounced1 but the book closes with a prediction of ,god's blessings as the final outcome4 ,whether these last promises refer to the return of some ,israelites under ,ezra or whether they remain to be fulfilled is not clear from the book itself4 ,paul1 directed by the ,spirit of revelation1 applies some of these promises to the ,gentiles 7,romans ix1 #be1 #bf71 an application that could not be made except by the light of continuous revelation4 ,,isaiah lived ,b4,c4 #gfe-fih and was1 consequently1 part of the time contemporary with ,hosea4 ,he prophesied among the ,jews1 as ,hosea prophesied among the ,israelites4 ,the political aspect of the world at this time is important to notice4 ,judea and ,israel had not long been two kingdoms1 and the latter was fast approaching her destruction4 ,with ,moab1 ,edom and the ,philistines1 ,judah had repeated conflicts1 each of these tributaries striving more or less successfully to gain independence4 ,assyria was now growing in strength and extending her conquests on all sides4 ,egypt had been subdued by ,ethiopia and the two countries were strengthened by a union4 ,a struggle between ,egypt and ,assyria1 the two rival powers of the world1 was coming1 and both of these powers endeavored to secure the alliance of ,judah as well as of ,israel1 wherefore the injunctions of the prophets were for the people of ,god to keep a strictly neutral position without any regard to flatteries or threatenings4 ,babylon had just commenced her struggle for independence1 and tried to form an alliance with ,judah1 for which purpose a special ambassador1 ,merodach ,baladan1 was sent to ,king ,hezekiah4 ,this pious king in an unguarded moment1 entertained the messengers and displayed to them his own treasures and the treasures of the house of the ,lord1 which kindness and courtesy drew forth from the more clear seeing prophet of ,god the awful announcement that the time would come when all these treasures would be carried away into ,babylon1 and that even the princes of ,judah should be made base slaves in the palace of ,babel 7chapter xxxix74 ,during the time of this prophet1 the kingdom of ,judah was invaded by the combined forces of ,syria and ,israel4 ,this unfortunate kingdom1 ,israel1 had fallen through idolatry and every sin1 but she filled her cup of iniquity by combining with an idolatrous nation in war upon her brethren4 ,this brought the long predicted destruction1 and ,israel was captured #cei by the ,assyrians4 ,the event stands out more clearly as a judgment of ,god when it is remembered that the same ,assyrian power was miraculously1 defeated when attempting to invade ,judah4 ,if we keep these facts in view1 the writings of ,isaiah become intelligible and clear4 ,the first twelve chapters of this book contain reproofs1 warnings and promises1 chiefly directed to ,judah and ,israel4 ,in these promises1 predictions of the coming ,messiah and his work are prominent4 ,the next chapters 7xiii-xxiii7 are directed against ,assyria1 ,babylon1 ,moab1 ,egypt1 ,philistia1 ,syria1 ,edom and ,tyre4 ,in chapters xxiv-xxxv the sins and the misery of the people are rebuked4 ,the ,assyrian invasion is predicted and the destruction of ,samaria1 while the deliverance of ,jerusalem is being promised4 ,the following four chapters are historical1 describing the invasion of ,senacherib and the defeat of his army1 and also the sickness of the ,king ,hezekiah and his recovery4 ,the closing chapters 7xl3lxvi7 are again prophetic1 embracing events from the ,babylonian captivity to the establishment of the millennial ,kingdom of ,christ4 ,the deliverance of the ,jews from ,babylon1 the character1 sufferings1 death and glory of ,messiah2 the gospel call of the ,gentile world2 the wickedness of the ,jews in rejecting ,messiah and their consequent scattering2 their final return and the prevalence of the ,kingdom of ,god1 all these are clearly predicted1 but the subjects are often blended together1 and the transition from one to another is sometimes so rapid as to render it difficult to follow the connection4 ,indeed1 in order to understand fully the passages that refer to events yet future1 some divine revelation seems to be necessary4 ,for it is only by the aid of the spirit of prophecy that prophecies can be fully understood4 ,,micah1 ,b4,c4 #geh-fii1 was a contemporary of ,hosea and ,isaiah1 and lived in the southern part of the kingdom of ,judah4 ,he does little more than reiterate the predictions of the two mentioned prophets1 adding such illustrations and exhortations as were suitable to the class among whom he labored4 ,one of his most remarkable predictions states that the gift of prophecy should be withdrawn from the ten tribes for a long time4 ,therefore1 night shall be sent you1 that ye shall not have a vision1 and it shall be dark unto you1 that ye shall not divine2 and the sun shall go down over the prophets and the day shall be dark over them4 ,then shall the seers be ashamed1 and the diviners confounded3 yea1 they shall all cover their lips1 for there is no answer from ,god 7iii3 #f1 #g74 #cfj ,here it is predicted that the people should be left in spiritual darkness because of the cessation of prophecy1 but the darkness shall not be an everlasting one1 for it is a night caused by the setting of the sun1 and consequently1 as day follows night1 so a time will again come when the prophetic day shall dawn upon the people4 ,this is clearly implied in the language used1 so that the very threat to withdraw the ,spirit of prophecy implies a promise of its renewal4 ,,nahum1 ,b4,c4 #gbj-fij4 ,this prophet was contemporary with ,micah and ,isaiah4 ,he commenced his ministry at the time of the captivity of the ten tribes4 ,and while the ,assyrian power was boasting over this success1 he is called upon to announce the fall and destruction of their great metropolis1 ,nineveh4 ,this is the theme of the whole book4 ,nahum wrote his predictions in poetical form1 and its sublimity of style is unsurpassed4 ,the twelfth and thirteenth verses of the first chapter are a parenthetic insertion1 giving to the captives in ,assyria a promise of deliverance at some future time4 ,,interval ,,of ,,fifty ,,years4 ,for a space of one hundred and fifty years the voice of prophecy had now been heard among the people4 ,sometimes two or more inspired men had been raised up at the same time1 in different parts of the country4 ,but with the death of ,isaiah1 ,micah1 and ,nahum1 an interval of fifty years comes1 during which period no prophecies were delivered1 as far as we know4 ,during this time the ten tribes toil in their captivity1 and ,judah1 still in possession of his inheritance in ,palestine1 is growing in sin and hastening on to destruction4 ,but as this fatal moment approaches1 ,god again sends inspired messengers to warn the people1 and to declare ,his decrees4 ,he never overthrows nations without due warning4 ,he never said that further revelations were superfluous4 ,,revival ,,of ,,prophecy4 ,,zephaniah1 ,b4,c4 #fdj-fji1 revives the prophetic office again after fifty years' interval4 ,it seems that ,god left the people to themselves during the reign of the wicked ,king ,manasseh1 and first whey ,josiah had ascended the throne the voice of ,god was again heard4 ,this prophet announces the approaching judgment upon ,judah on account of their idolatry and other sins4 ,baal1 with his black-robed priests 7chemarin71 and ,moloch are to be cut off1 men and beasts1 fowls #cfa and fishes to be consumed 7chapter i74 ,in the second chapter he predicts the overthrow of the ,philistines1 the ,moabites1 ,ammonites and ,ethiopians1 as well as the desolation of the great ,assyrian capital1 ,nineveh4 ,the book closes with promises of a restoration yet future4 ,,jeremiah1 ,b4,c4 #fbh-ehe1 was called to the prophetic office some years before the death of ,zephaniah4 ,his prophecies are delivered in various places4 ,he commences in his native place1 ,anathoth1 but he was soon compelled to flee from here on account of his persecutions2 wherefore he took up his residence in ,jerusalem4 ,during the reign of ,josiah and ,jehoahaz he continued his ministry uninterrupted1 but when ,jehojachim ascended the throne1 ,jeremiah was incarcerated and sentenced to death1 although the sentence was never carried out4 ,in prison the prophet committed his message to writing and commissioned one ,baruch to read it in the temple on a fast-day4 ,the reckless monarch1 after having heard a few pages1 had the roll cut to pieces and burned4 ,during the reign of the next king1 ,jehojachin1 the prophet again utters a voice of warning1 but without effect4 ,zedekiah became king4 ,nebuchadnezzar1 the king of ,babylon1 besieged ,jerusalem1 but withdrew on hearing that the ,egyptians were coming to rescue4 ,on this occasion the prophet delivered the prediction that the ,chaldeans should come again and take the city and burn it with fire4 ,having delivered this message he left ,jerusalem1 as did1 according to the ,book of ,mormon1 at the same time another righteous man with his family1 ,lehi4 ,but ,jeremiah was apprehended and thrown into prison1 where he remained until the city was taken by ,nebuchadnezzar4 ,the incarceration of the prophet of ,god was the sin that filled the cup of iniquity of the ,jews at this time1 and it brought speedy judgment4 ,the ,babylonian king gave the prophet the choice of following the captives to ,babylon or to remain with the remnant4 ,he chose the latter2 and from this time all his endeavors are to turn the people to ,god1 promising them that if they would do so1 ,god would yet build them up in their desolate country4 ,but they did not listen to his advice4 ,they left the country and emigrated to ,egypt1 bringing the prophet with them 7chapter xliii74 ,here he once more lifts up his voice1 trying to induce the people to turn to the ,lord4 ,after this we hear no more of him4 ,tradition says he was put to death in ,egypt by his own people4 ,among the predictions of this remarkable prophet1 we note the following3 ,the fate of ,zedekiah 7xxxiv1 #b1 #c72 the #cfb precise duration of the ,babylonian captivity1 viz41 seventy years 7xxv1 #aa1 #ab72 the downfall of ,babylon and the return of the ,jews 7xxix1 #aj-ad74 ,there are also many predictions concerning ,messiah1 whom he calls ,jehovah our righteousness4 ,the final salvation of ,israel is set forth in many passages3 iii1 #ae-ah2 xxxi1 #ca-cd2 #a1 #d1 #e4 ,as the predictions of ,jeremiah are not chronologically arranged1 and no clue is left as to their true chronological order1 it is sometimes very difficult to decide which predictions have already been fulfilled and which refer to events yet future4 ,only through the ,spirit of revelation can this be determined4 ,,habakkuk1 ,b4,c4 #fab-eih1 is thought to have lived in ,judea shortly before the captivity4 ,if this supposition is correct1 he was contemporary with ,jeremiah4 ,the prophet commences his book with a lamentation over the sins of ,judah1 foretelling the judgment that was to be poured out over the people through the invasion of the ,chaldeans4 ,then the destruction of the ,chaldeans is shown unto him in a vision 7chapter ii71 and the book closes with a song1 composed probably for the use of the people in public worship1 and designed to comfort them under the coming afflictions4 ,,daniel1 ,b4,c4 #fjf-ecd1 was born shortly before the ,babylonian captivity and carried to ,babylon in his eighteenth year4 ,here1 through his faithfulness to his ,god1 he soon rose to an eminent position1 and retained his power during both the ,babylonian and the ,persian dynasties4 ,he prophesied during the whole of the captivity1 his last two prophecies being delivered two years after the return of the captives4 ,he did not return to ,palestine1 but died in ,babylon1 at least ninety years old4 ,the first six chapters are a historic record1 setting forth the events which led to the recognition of ,daniel as a prophet of ,god1 also the conversion of ,nebuchadnezzar1 the fall of ,belshazzar and the promotion of ,daniel to the office of a president over one hundred and twenty princes who should be over the whole kingdom4 ,this historic record is interwoven with predictions relating to the various kingdoms of the world4 ,thus in the second chapter we see before us1 as in a beautiful panorama1 a succession of kingdoms until the kingdom of ,god is being established1 never to be destroyed1 but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms1 and it shall stand forever4 ,this prediction is distinct and clear1 yet the remark made repeatedly before is applicable here3 ,revelation is necessary #cfc in order to understand the details of its fulfilment4 ,that ,god in the last days will establish an everlasting kingdom1 is foretold plainly enough4 ,but except a man be born again1 he cannot see the kingdom1 so that the prediction given does not exclude the necessity of continuous revelation4 ,through revelation ,daniel was enabled to predict the establishment of this kingdom2 through revelation only can we perceive the establishment thereof and recognize its existence4 ,the second part of the book is prophetic and comprises in its wonderful views events from the time of ,daniel to the final resurrection of the dead4 ,it is an epitomized history of the world1 written in advance of the events4 ,in chapter vii1 the ,babylonian1 ,medo-,persian1 ,grecian and ,roman empires are represented by the four beasts3 a lion1 a bear1 a leopard and a fourth beast dreadful and terrible1 and strong1 exceedingly4 ,this1 the ,roman beast 7or kingdom7 has ten horns1 among which a little horn came up1 having eyes like a man and a mouth speaking great things4 ,the prophet follows the proceedings of this beast and particularly the little horn until the ancient of days sits in judgment4 ,note that the whole of this vision has reference to the four empires in their religious connection with each other1 as the dream of ,nebuchadnezzar 7chapter ii7 represents them in their political connection4 ,the little horn is therefore to be understood to represent the papal power1 which afterward is said to have a time of twelve hundred and sixty years allotted to its blasphemous rule1 after which time comes the triumph of the ,saints of the ,most ,high4 ,in the eighth chapter the prophet has a vision concerning the ,medo-,persian and the ,grecian empires1 the second and the third beasts of the previous vision4 ,the ,medo-,persian empire is represented by a ram with two horns1 and the ,grecian by a goat having a notable horn1 ,alexander the ,great1 between its eyes4 ,the conquests of ,alexander are described1 and also the divisions of his kingdom into four parts4 ,then rises a little horn as in the previous vision1 a false1 crafty tyrant1 probably ,antiochus ,epiphanes1 whose character is outlined1 and whose oppressions of the people of ,god causes ,daniel to faint and feel sick for many days4 ,that this little horn represents ,antiochus ,epiphanes is a view entertained by the most ancient writers1 but this does not exclude the probability that the papal power is also referred to as the complete fulfilment of this part of the prophecy4 ,what ,antiochus was to the ,jews during the time of the ,maccabees1 the papal power has been to the ,church of ,christ in all ages4 #cfd ,the ninth chapter contains a prayer offered by the prophet in behalf of himself and his people4 ,he particularly supplicates ,god to again restore the sanctuary in ,jerusalem4 ,as an answer to this prayer1 ,gabriel appears and informs him of the precise time for the coming of ,messiah1 to finish the transgression1 and to make an end to sin1 and to make a reconciliation for iniquity1 and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophecy1 and to anoint the most ,holy3 ,in seven weeks1 or in forty-nine years1 reckoning from the decree of ,artaxerxes1 #deg ,b4,c41 the walls of ,jerusalem were to be rebuilt1 though in times of great trouble4 ,in sixty-two weeks1 or four hundred and thirty-four years1 ,christ was to appear1 and in the midst of one week1 that is after three years and a half1 to be slain4 ,in the tenth chapter we are allowed to cast a glance behind the veil1 and contemplate the wonderful fact that heavenly messengers are employed to convey intelligence to holy men1 and that they1 while so doing1 have to overcome opposing powers1 much as mortal men have in the performance of their duties4 ,a divine messenger has been sent to instruct ,daniel concerning some records in the ,scripture of ,truth1 a heavenly record1 but this messenger is met and opposed by the prince of the kingdom of ,persia1 whereupon a struggle that lasts for twenty days follows4 ,the victory would apparently have been dubious had not ,michael himself come to the assistance of the messenger4 ,in the eleventh chapter1 the things noted in the ,scripture of ,truth are detailed4 ,these things commence with the history of ,persia4 ,four kings are foretold3 ,cambyses1 ,smerdis1 ,darius and ,xerxes 7v4 #b74 ,then follows a prediction of ,alexander the ,great1 his history and his successors in the ,south 7,egypt7 and the ,north 7,syria7 down to the time of ,antiochus ,epiphanes 7v4 #c-bi74 ,then follows the conquest of ,syria by the ,romans ,chittim1 7v4 #cj71 with the rise of the papal power 7v4 #ca-hi74 ,the character of this power and many of its corrupt doctrines are here predicted with minuteness4 ,then come the invasions of the ,saracens 7the king of the ,south7 and of the ,turks 7the king of the ,north74 ,the countries to be conquered by the ,turks are enumerated 7v4 #da-dc71 as are also those that were to escape4 ,the chapter closes with a prediction concerning the end of the ,turkish empire1 yet to be fulfilled3 ,he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain2 yet he shall come to his end1 and none shall help him4 ,the first verse of the twelfth chapter predicts the full deliverance #cfe of the ,jewish nation through the interposition of the great prince1 ,michael1 an event to be looked for after the fall of the king of the ,north1 or the ,turkish empire1 and the next verses refer to the resurrection of mankind4 ,the book closes with some chronological statements1 unintelligible even to the prophet1 himself 7v4 #h71 but the promise is given that at the end of time many shall receive knowledge concerning these predictions 7v4 #d71 a promise which evidently implies renewed revelations4 ,for how could these things in the last days be known without such revelation1 any more than ,daniel could know them without revelation8 ,one thing is noticeable all through this prophetic record4 ,each new vision requires a new revelation from ,god4 ,daniel is constantly seeking knowledge from ,god concerning the right understanding of the visions given1 and it is only through this means that he receives his knowledge4 ,continuous revelation was necessary to this the most remarkable prophet of the ancient world4 ,so it is to us1 if we want to understand the plans and purposes of the ,almighty4 ,where there is no revelation spiritual darkness prevails1 notwithstanding the plainest writings of ,god4 ,a ,belshazzar and the whole collegium of learned priests may see on the wall the ,mene1 mene1 thekel1 upharsin1 but a ,daniel1 a man in constant communication with ,god1 is required to interpret it according to its right meaning4 ,,ezekiel1 ,b4,c4 #eie-egd1 was carried captive to ,babylon at the first invasion of ,nebuchadnezzar1 eleven years before the destruction of ,jerusalem4 ,he was contemporary with ,jeremiah and ,daniel1 but lived some two hundred miles north of ,babylon on the banks of the river ,chebar4 ,tradition has it that he was put to death by a fellow-exile whom he had rebuked for idolatry4 ,the predictions of this prophet were delivered1 some before and some after the destruction of ,jerusalem by ,nebuchadnezzar4 ,before this event he calls upon the people to repent and warns them against seeking aid of the ,egyptians4 ,he assures them that the fall of their beloved city was now unavoidable4 ,when the ,chaldean king commenced his siege of the city1 ,god revealed this to the prophet in his exile3 ,son of man1 ,god says to him1 write thee the name of the day1 even of this day3 the king of ,babylon set himself against ,jerusalem this same day 7xxiv1 #b74 ,this was in the ninth year of his captivity4 ,three years later he received the intelligence that the city had fallen 7xxxiii1 #ba74 ,during this period all the predictions of the prophet are directed against #cff foreign nations4 ,after he had heard of the fall of ,jerusalem1 his principal object in view is to comfort the people with promises of restoration and future blessings4 ,the closing chapters 7xl-xlviii7 of the book of ,ezekiel undoubtedly refer to events yet future4 ,the descriptions of the glorious building there given will no doubt once be recognized in a structure hereafter to be reared by the people of ,god4 ,but as yet1 like all unfulfilled predictions1 much of it is obscure and cannot be understood until the light of revelation removes all obscurity therefrom4 ,,obadiah1 ,b4,c4 #ehh-ehc1 is supposed to have prophesied during the period between the fall of ,jerusalem and the conquest of ,edom1 five years later4 ,on this supposition1 he was a contemporary of ,jeremiah1 ,ezekiel and ,daniel4 ,his predictions are directed against the ,edomites4 ,and he especially points out that there was a great difference between the judgments executed upon ,judah and upon ,edom4 ,for ,judah should again be raised from her present fall and finally possess not only ,judea1 but also the land of the ,philistines and that of the ,edomites1 while ,edom should be as though they had not been 7v4 #af71 a prediction that has been remarkably fulfilled to our own day4 ,and while ,edom is thus utterly swallowed up1 saviors shall come upon ,mount ,zion to judge the ,mount of ,esau1 and the kingdom shall be the ,lord's 7v4 #ba74 ,three nations were foremost in afflicting the ancient people of ,god1 viz43 the ,assyrians1 the ,chaldeans1 and the ,edomites4 ,three prophets were commissioned by the ,lord to announce the judgment upon these three nations3 ,nahum foretells the destruction of the ,assyrians1 ,habakkuk of the ,chaldeans1 and ,obadiah of the ,edomites4 ,,the ,,restoration ,,of ,,the ,,jews4 ,as had been foretold by the prophets1 and particularly by ,isaiah1 the exiled ,jews were permitted to return home during the reign of ,cyrus4 ,as soon as they reached the ,holy ,land1 we find them uniting their efforts to re-establish the religious rites of their fathers1 aided by the noble leaders1 ,zerubbabel1 ,joshua1 ,ezra and ,nehemiah4 ,they erect an altar of burnt offering and rebuild the destroyed temple4 ,then the city wall is built1 and various officers appointed as circumstances required4 ,for further particulars the reader is referred to the books of ,ezra and ,nehemiah4 ,it may be well to state here--although the remark may1 to #cfg some extent1 deviate from the subject under consideration--that the restoration of the ,jewish nation at this time was very far from being that complete restoration to more than former privileges1 liberty and glory1 of which all the prophets had spoken in such glorious terms4 ,the promise was that the whole remnant should be delivered1 even if they were as numerous as the sand on the sea shore4 ,but from ,babylon only comparatively few ever returned4 ,the company of ,zernbbabel consisted of fifty thousand persons1 and ,ezra led six thousand more home4 ,the great bulk of people that had been born in the foreign land never returned4 7,see ,book of ,esther74 ,again1 the promise was that a kingdom should be established1 with the ,holy ,city as the capital1 an everlasting kingdom governed by ,god himself through ,messiah4 ,this promise has never yet been fulfilled4 ,in fact1 the ,jews have never since their overthrow by ,nebuchadnezzar been an independent nation1 governed by rulers of their own1 except during the very short rule of the ,maccabees4 ,after their return they continued to be tributary to the ,persian king for about one hundred years1 as a province of ,syria4 ,when ,alexander had conquered ,persia 7,syria and ,palestine with it71 they fell into his hands4 ,when the ,grecian empire was divided1 ,palestine fell into the hands of ,ptolemy ,lagus as a part of the ,egyptian monarchy1 and it remained so for about one hundred years1 when it was transferred to the kings of ,syria1 in which situation it greatly suffered during the frequent wars between ,egypt and ,syria4 ,antiochus ,epiphanes1 one of the ,syrian kings1 plundered the city and the temple and enslaved the people4 ,for about three years and a half they were reduced to worse than ,egyptian thraldom4 ,their sacred manuscripts were burnt1 and the people were compelled to sacrifice to idols4 ,the temple itself was dedicated to ,jupiter1 a statue of which was erected on the altar of ,god4 ,compare ,daniel's prediction of the little horn 7chapter viii1 #i-ab74 ,through the noble enthusiasm and patriotism of ,mattathias and his sons1 a struggle against the oppressor now took place which secured to the ,jews a few years of dearly bought liberty and independence1 but they were soon conquered by the ,romans4 ,pompey marched his army into ,judea1 conquered ,jerusalem and made the country tributary to ,rome4 ,herod the ,great deposed the last of the ,maccabean family from his office1 and ,palestine has never since been an independent state4 ,ever since the ,babylonian captivity the great bulk of the ,jewish nation has been scattered abroad1 without home1 without temple1 #cfh without an altar1 and strangers have been masters in the land of promise4 ,it is therefore clear that all the prophecies that relate to the glorious restoration of the ,jews must be understood of a great restoration yet future1 a very important fact for the right understanding of those prophecies4 ,,the ,,last ,,prophets ,,of ,,the ,,old ,,covenant4 ,but to return to our subject4 ,it has been already stated that the first care of the returned exiles was to re-establish their religion4 ,to do this1 they were under the necessity of having new revelations4 ,true1 they had the writings of ,moses and of the prophets1 and they had inspired interpreters1 like ,ezra and ,nehemiah4 ,true1 their aim was not to construct a new economy1 but simply to re-establish the old one4 ,and yet even this they could not do acceptably to ,god without the aid of revelation4 ,hence ,god raised up three prophets--,haggai1 ,zechariah and ,malachi1 the last three of the old covenant4 ,what an overwhelming proof of the necessity of continuous revelation6 ,,haggai1 ,b4,c4 #ebj-eah1 is thought to have been born in ,babylon1 and to have emigrated with ,zerubbabel4 ,his book contains four prophetic messages4 ,in the first the people are reproved for neglecting to build the temple1 while they were adorning their own houses1 and a command is given to begin the construction immediately 7chapter i1 #a-aa71 to which command the people1 led by ,zerubbabel and ,joshua1 willingly responded 7i1 #ab-ae74 ,but in a month the zeal of the people seems to have cooled off and the second message is delivered1 declaring that the ,spirit of ,god was still with the people4 ,a little while1 ,god says1 and ,i will shake the heavens1 and the earth1 and the sea1 and the dry land 7which according to ,paul1 ,hebrews xii1 #bb-bh1 was fulfilled when the old dispensation was superseded by the gospel dispensation71 and the desire of all nations 7,messiah7 shall come2 and ,i will fill this house with glory1 saith the ,lord of ,hosts1 7chapter ii1 #a-i71 which glory is thought to refer to the presence of ,christ in this second temple instead of the ,shekinah that had illuminated the first temple4 ,in the third message1 delivered two months afterwards1 the people are being rebuked for polluting themselves while working in the holy building and offering sacrifices4 ,god reminds them that ,he had blessed them abundantly1 from the time they had laid the corner-stone of the temple 7chapter ii1 #aj-ai74 ,the fourth message is delivered the same day4 ,it contains a general prediction #cfi of the overthrow of the kingdoms of the world and the promise of a special blessing to ,zerubbabel at that time4 ,it is clear enough that the right interpretation of this promise can be comprehended by no man1 until divine revelation shall make it known4 ,,zechariah was1 like ,haggai1 born in ,babylonia and went to ,palestine with ,zerubbabel4 ,the general object of his ministry is identical with that of ,haggai1 and through the encouragement and wise counsels of these prophets the people prospered1 and the temple was completed in six years4 ,but besides this general object1 ,zachariah describes through direct predictions and symbolic acts1 the history of the ,jews until the end of time4 ,daniel deals with the history of the world2 ,zechariah with the history of the covenant people4 ,among the predictions of this prophet we will here notice some of the last4 ,according to the ninth chapter1 the surrounding heathen nations are to be destroyed4 ,messiah shall come as a king 7v4 #i7 and establish ,his reign upon the earth4 ,his dominion shall be from sea even to sea and from the rivers to the ends of the earth 7verse #aj74 ,scenes of destruction are to intervene1 however1 but the ,lord will deliver ,his people1 both ,judah and ,ephraim 7chapter x1 #a-ab74 ,i will strengthen the house of ,judah1 and ,i will save the house of ,joseph1 and ,i will bring them again to place them2 and they shall be as though ,i had not cast them off2 for ,i am the ,lord their ,god1 and will hear them4 ,and they of ,ephraim shall be like a mighty man1 a glorious prediction of the restorative work1 commenced in our own day by ,god1 through ,his servant ,joseph1 the prophet4 ,we are further told that ,jerusalem shall be besieged by many nations and the result thereof 7chapter xii1 #a-ad72 ,christ shall finally appear and all the world will become ,holiness to the ,lord 7chapter xiv74 ,thus prophecy1 so far from leading us to expect that revelation finally will cease1 being superfluous1 expressly states that ,christ ,himself in person will appear and communicate ,his will to men4 ,why8 it may be asked2 and the answer is clear3 ,because revelation is essential to true religion4 ,,malachi1 ,b4,c4 #dbj-cig1 was the successor of ,haggai and the last prophet of the old covenant4 ,the temple had now been finished and the service of the altar established4 ,but a spirit of worldliness and insincerity is getting hold of both the priesthood and the people1 and this prophet is especially commissioned to warn them against their sins4 ,but his warnings are not heeded4 ,the people prepare themselves for calamities4 ,the ,spirit of prophecy is withdrawn #cgj for a period of four hundred years4 ,the temple and the people are given into the hands of ,antiochus ,epiphanes4 ,the old dispensation is virtually closed4 ,,conclusion ,,from ,,the ,,foregoing4 ,the conclusions arrived at now are clear and need only to be briefly stated4 ,we have seen that no book of the ,old ,testament1 although all are written and preserved for the instruction of the human race in all ages1 contains anything that is of such a nature as to exclude further revelation4 ,not one single passage1 nor all the passages combined1 are so written as to exclude the necessity of the revelations contained in the ,new ,testament1 for instance4 ,on the contrary1 one revelation leads to another1 ,god always giving line upon line1 precept upon precept1 imparting knowledge as men are willing and able to receive it4 ,for it is through revelation that ,god educates ,his servants and ,his people2 and as in any branch of study we are led on from the fundamental principles and find that each new truth suggests others1 so here1 each new truth revealed leads us to others1 until--were such a case possible--we have been permitted to exhaust the entire fulness of divine knowledge4 ,we have also seen that the servants of ,god in the old covenant declare the continuation of revelation4 ,they do not consider the prophetic gift or the gift of receiving revelations as peculiar to their own dispensation4 ,they point to the last days as a time in which the ,spirit of the ,lord is to be poured out more abundantly than in any former period4 ,and ,his presence is to be manifested through dreams and visions4 ,the withdrawal of these they designate as a calamity4 ,they speak of the time in which such heavenly gifts are withdrawn1 as night and darkness while consequently1 the presence of them indicate day and light4 ,now1 are day and light necessary for the physical welfare of man8 ,if so1 revelations are also necessary for his spiritual advancement4 ,we have further seen that the establishment of new economies requires new revelations4 ,moses was familiar with the revelations given to the patriarchs before him4 ,but when he was called upon to usher in the dispensation of the law1 he could not do this without new revelations4 ,nor could ,zerubbabel re-establish this dispensation after the return from ,babylon without the aid of revelation4 ,through the revelations given to the ,prophet ,haggai the people prospered and were able to complete their work as commanded by the ,lord 7,ezra vi1 #ad74 #cga ,without this1 they would not have been able to prosper4 ,sometimes we see that revelations are given to faithful servants of ,god as a special favor to them4 ,in such cases1 what is seen or heard must not be recorded--as was the case with some visions of ,paul in the ,new ,testament--or1 if recorded1 is sealed up in mystical expressions1 unintelligible to the common reader1 until the ,spirit of revelation gives the true interpretation thereof4 ,this was the case with some of ,daniel's visions1 and with at least one of the visions of ,john 7,rev4 x1 #d1 #e74 ,are revelations1 then1 given in order to establish new economies1 to preserve the children of ,god from falling into darkness1 to instruct them about things known to ,god alone1 in one word to lead men unto salvation8 ,surely1 there never can be a time when revelation is not necessary4 ,,the ,,new ,,testament4 ,but it will be said1 no one 7except the ,jews perhaps7 contend that the ,old ,testament alone contains all that is necessary to know4 ,the ,new ,testament is a supplement to the ,old ,testament1 and the two together contain the fulness of ,god's revelations4 ,the prophecies of the ,old ,testament are fulfilled in the ,new1 and to the volume thus completed nothing must be added4 ,is there anything in the ,new ,testament to verify this statement so universally accepted as true among the ,christian ,protestantic world8 ,or does the ,new ,testament confirm the conclusions we have arrived at in the perusal of the ,old8 ,the ,new ,testament contains five historic books1 viz43 the four ,gospels and the ,acts of the ,apostles2 fourteen letters written by ,paul2 three by ,john1 and two by ,peter1 one letter by ,james1 and one by ,jude1 to which collection comes one prophetic book by ,john4 ,,the ,,four ,,gospels4 ,the four ,gospels are brief1 biographical sketches1 records of a few of the works and teachings of our ,lord4 ,it may be supposed that those disciples of ,christ that were able to write1 like ,matthew and ,john1 would keep journals while they followed their master1 witnessing his works and listening to his teachings4 ,these journals would1 after the #cgb crucifixion and ascension1 naturally be read in private and in public4 ,they would be copied and distributed in the various branches of the church and form texts for discourses1 and thus be augmented with such incidents or sayings which were still retained in the memories of those who had been eye witnesses4 ,in this way several versions of the doings and sayings of our ,lord began to circulate1 some1 no doubt1 contradicting others1 until the necessity became universally felt to have some authentic record1 showing exactly what was reliable of the many circulating reports1 and what was not reliable4 ,and the result is the four gospels according to ,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke and ,john4 ,at what precise time these gospels were completed in their present form is a question not yet settled between the various critics4 ,that they1 in their present form1 were issued by the apostles1 whose names they bear1 seems irreconcilable with some facts4 ,there are1 for instance1 words and phrases found1 which could hardly have had any significance until some time after the time of the apostles4 ,the word kephas 7,john i1 #dc7 does not occur in classical ,hebrew1 but is used by later ,talmudistic writers signifying something hard1 a rock4 ,petra 7,matt4 xvi1 #ah7 meaning a rock1 has a strong ,latin color1 while the ,hebrew for rock is zur4 ,and the expression to take up the cross1 or to bear the cross1 is all the more remarkable1 as in the ,hebrew there was at that time no word equivalent to cross1 which is of ,latin origin4 ,even later ,jewish writers found it difficult to adequately express the idea of a cross1 and hence used the word zelem1 which1 however1 signifies an image1 and the translations of the ,new ,testament1 both into ,hebrew and ,arabic1 have found no better way out of the difficulty than to adopt the ,chaldaic zeliba1 gallows4 ,of this a modern form1 zelab1 is made to represent the idea cross4 ,from these and many other circumstances1 we seem justified in the conclusion that the four gospels have been subjected to foreign influences1 which have modified their form in various ways4 ,but that they are based upon and contain the memoirs of our ,lord1 as published by the apostles1 by mouth and pen1 need not be doubted4 ,the testimony of antiquity is conclusive on this point4 ,,gospel ,,according ,,to ,,matthew4 ,according to general tradition in the early church1 the annotations of ,matthew were written in the vernacular tongue of ,palestine1 ,syro-,chaldaic1 a tradition very probable indeed4 #cgc ,but as ,greek at this time was the literary language1 the original was soon translated into this tongue1 under the supervision of ,matthew himself1 about thirty years after the crucifixion4 ,it may be safely assumed that our ,gospel ,according to ,st4 ,matthew is in the main identical with this original document of the ,apostle4 ,the aim of this gospel is dearly to prove to the ,jews that ,jesus is the promised ,messiah4 ,it frequently refers to the prophets1 refutes the various ,jewish sects1 and tries to prepare the ,jewish nation for the acceptance of the ,gentiles into the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,,gospel ,,according ,,to ,,mark4 ,while ,matthew was penning his gospel for the ,jews1 ,mark was preparing his1 chiefly for the converts among the ,gentiles4 ,this ,mark was not an apostle and had not been an eye-witness to the life and deeds of our ,lord4 ,but he was a native of ,jerusalem and an intimate friend of the apostles4 ,he accompanied ,paul on some of his journeys and attended ,peter for a considerable period1 and during this time he no doubt wrote the gospel that bears his name1 according to the dictates of ,peter4 ,some have called this the ,gospel ,according to ,st4 ,peter1 and ,peter himself1 in his second epistle1 refers1 perhaps1 to this gospel when he says3 ,we make known unto you the power and coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,,gospel ,,according ,,to ,,luke4 ,the gospel according to ,luke was written in ,rome by ,luke1 the physician1 one of ,paul's most faithful companions and friends4 ,the author states that many had undertaken to collect the facts preached concerning ,christ and believed among the ,christians1 according to the traditions handed down from eye-witnesses1 and consequently1 in order to secure a collection that would be reliable1 he himself had diligently searched out everything that at the time of the writing was available4 ,these data1 the result of diligent research1 ,luke endeavors to put before the readers in chronological order1 while the two previous evangelists pay but little attention to chronology4 ,the gospel was written under the supervision of ,paul4 ,,gospel ,,according ,,to ,,john4 ,the latest of the gospels is that of ,john4 ,it is said to have been written at ,ephesus1 where ,john resided1 presiding over #cgd the branches originated by ,paul4 ,john1 having before him copies of the three previous gospels1 naturally omits many data there recorded1 introducing others which he had preserved from oblivion4 ,the chief aim of ,john is to set forth the divine nature of our ,lord4 ,the previous evangelists dwell mostly on the works of our ,savior in ,galilee4 ,john omits most of that1 recording his works in ,judea4 ,let it be remembered that this book is the last written of all the books of the ,bible1 about ninety-seven years after ,christ1 and that its aim is to correct the errors of doctrine1 then becoming common among the churches1 concerning the true character of ,christ4 ,,testimony ,,of ,,the ,,gospels4 ,we may now ask3 ,when these books were written1 were they intended to contain all that would ever be necessary for men to know concerning ,god's plans and purposes1 thus making all further revelation superfluous8 ,what do the gospels teach concerning this question8 ,the first pages of the gospel confirm the lesson we have drawn from the ,old ,testament1 that revelation is necessary for the establishment of a new dispensation4 ,for the gospel dispensation is ushered in and established through revelation4 ,zacharias is visited by an angel 7,luke i1 #aa-bj74 ,gabriel appears to ,mary 7,luke i1 #bf-ch74 ,john the ,baptist is commissioned by ,god to preach and baptize 7,john i1 #f1 #cc74 ,that ,jesus was ,messiah is manifest to ,john through revelation4 ,the ,spirit descends and a voice from heaven is heard 7,john i1 #cb1 #cd2 ,matt4 iii1 #af1 #ag74 ,and this point is particularly noteworthy4 ,all the ancient prophets had predicted the coming of the ,messiah4 ,some of them had given details about where ,he would be born1 ,his parentage1 and the precise time of ,his coming1 and yet it was necessary1 when ,he came1 to give new revelations1 pointing ,him out to the most devout servant of ,god then living4 ,previous revelations are here clearly seen not to render new revelations useless4 ,and as the gospels thus begin with revelations1 so they close with declarations that revelation should continue4 ,for in ,his farewell address to ,his disciples1 ,christ says3 ,i have yet many things to say unto you1 but ye cannot bear them now4 ,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 speak3 and he will show you things to come 7,john xvi1 #ab1 #ac74 ,christ here expressly states that #cge ,his ministry did not complete ,god's revelations4 ,there were many other things to learn than those which he had communicated1 and among these were also things to come1 all of which the ,spirit should communicate to the ,twelve4 ,revelation1 then1 was not to be done away with at the departure of our ,lord4 ,the last verse of the fourth gospel1 the last verse ever written in our ,new ,testament states1 moreover1 that the things recorded in the gospels are only a small fragment of all that could be written concerning the works of ,christ4 ,these works and the lessons to be conveyed were no doubt necessary1 and yet we have no record of them4 ,the gospels1 therefore1 openly admit that they are not intended to be a complete record of all that is necessary for man to know4 ,they claim to be written for the purpose of directing men's hearts to ,jesus 7,john xx1 #ca71 and point out ,his promise to continue the revelation of truth through the ,spirit4 ,this is the important testimony of the gospels4 ,all the works and the teachings of ,christ were not enough for the guidance of the first ,christians4 ,they needed and were promised further revelation4 ,to us has come a record not of all of ,christ's teachings1 but only of a very few1 merely a fragment4 ,if all the teachings of ,christ given during ,his ministry upon the earth were not sufficient for the guidance of the apostles1 how much less can the gospels1 which contain only a small part of these teachings1 be sufficient for other men8 ,the thought is as irrational as it is without foundation in the ,word of ,god4 ,,the ,,acts ,,of ,,the ,,apostles ,the only question now remains3 ,do the ,acts of the ,apostles and their ,epistles supply us with all the teachings that the ,spirit of ,truth1 according to our ,savior's promise1 was to reveal to the ,apostles1 and which were necessary for their guidance8 ,if not1 continuous revelation will be just as necessary after the ,new ,testament dispensation as it was after the ,mosaic economy4 ,the book called the ,acts of the ,apostles was written by ,luke1 and may be considered as a continuation of his ,gospel4 ,in this book we can trace the growth of ,christian churches during the greater part of the first century after ,christ4 ,it covers the period from the time of the crucifixion to the second year of the first imprisonment of ,paul in ,rome1 ,a4 ,d4 #fc1 and there it breaks off even without recording the issue of the trial4 ,the book may be divided in two parts4 ,the first twelve chapters describe the growth of the ,church of ,christ #cgf among the ,jews in ,palestine1 chiefly through the labors of ,peter4 ,the last sixteen chapters treat of the spread of the ,gospel among other nations1 chiefly through the labors of ,paul4 ,of the works of the rest of the ,apostles we have no account4 ,tradition has it1 that ,matthew suffered martyrdom in ,ethiopia2 ,philip in ,phrygia2 ,thomas in ,india1 and so on4 ,but of their work for the promulgating the gospel in the different parts of the world we have no record4 ,what they taught1 what difficulties they encountered1 how they preached1 suffered and endured may be conjectured4 ,but it has not reached us in any historic record4 ,nor is the ,acts of the ,apostles a complete record of the works of the two servants of ,god1 whose ardent labors are noticed4 ,it is as fragmentary as are the gospels4 ,many important transactions1 referred to elsewhere1 are omitted4 ,there is no account whatever of the branch in ,jerusalem after the imprisonment and deliverance of ,peter4 ,nothing is told of the introduction of the ,gospel in ,rome1 the capital of the world at that time4 ,nor does it say anything of ,paul's many voyages1 which he incidentally mentions 7,,ii ,cor4 xi1 #be74 ,considering all this1 it seems as if the ,spirit of ,truth had been anxious to guard against the impression that this book was intended to conclude ,god's revelations to mankind4 ,let us consider the facts4 ,christ had promised to send the ,spirit of ,truth to ,his chosen ,twelve4 ,what this ,spirit was to reveal was1 of course1 as essential and necessary to salvation as anything that our ,savior had revealed ,himself4 ,but of all this that the ,spirit1 according to the promise1 has revealed to the ,twelve1 only a small part has been recorded4 ,how can this small part be sufficient to us1 since it was not sufficient to the first ,christians8 ,but1 besides this1 the book of the ,acts shows plainly the necessity of continuous revelation2 for wherever the gospel is being accepted1 the gift of receiving revelation is being imparted through faith4 ,peter1 in his first sermon1 declares that the time has now come when the ,spirit shall be poured out upon all flesh4 ,prophecy1 visions1 dreams were to attend the believers 7,acts ii1 #ag1 #ah72 and1 accordingly1 whenever the gospel is preached and believed1 these manifestations follow4 ,the heavens are opened to ,stephen1 and he is permitted to see the ,son of ,god on the right hand of the ,father 7,acts vi1 #ee1 #ef72 an angel of the ,lord appears and directs ,philip 7,acts viii1 #bf72 ,christ appears to ,saul 7,acts ix1 #c-f72 through the vision of an angel ,cornelius is led to send for ,peter1 and #cgg he receives supernatural gifts 7,acts x1 #adh72 an angel delivers ,peter from prison 7,acts xii1 #g1 #h72 the ,holy ,ghost reveals to the brethren in ,antioch that they should send ,paul and ,barnabas on a mission 7,acts xiii1 #a-d72 through the ,spirit the apostles and elders are able to settle the dispute about the doctrine of circumcision 7,acts xv1 #a-ca72 twelve men in ,ephesus receive the ,holy ,ghost through the administration of ,paul1 and prophesy and speak in tongues 7,acts xix1 #a-g74 ,wherever the gospel message is delivered and believed1 in ,palestine1 in ,greece1 in ,asia ,minor1 the results are the same4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is given1 and ,his presence is manifested through these gifts4 ,the ,acts of the ,apostles has taught us this important lesson--that the gift of receiving revelations was not confined to the ,twelve nor was the gift to cease with them4 ,the gift itself was inseparable from the gospel4 ,where there is no gospel there are no revelations1 but where the true gospel of ,jesus ,christ is1 there is revelation also4 ,the promise of receiving the ,holy ,ghost1 the promised ,spirit of truth that was to lead into all truth and to reveal things to come1 is a universal promise3 ,for the promise is unto you1 and to your children1 and to all that are afar off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call 7,acts ii1 #ci74 ,,the ,,epistles4 ,the epistles of the apostles confirm most emphatically the necessity of constant revelations from ,god4 ,the apostolic churches could not do without such revelations4 ,hence the necessity of the churches communicating with the apostles and the apostles writing their epistles1 embodying the will of ,god4 ,for instance1 an error arises1 as was the case in ,colossae4 ,paul was at the time in ,rome1 but the church in ,colossae sent a special messenger to ,paul1 viz43 ,epaphras1 who explained the situation to the apostle and caused the letter to the ,colossians to be written as a refutation of that peculiar error4 ,the ,scriptures were not sufficient for the guidance of the ,colossians4 ,the new emergency required a new communication from ,god1 a new revelation1 and ,god gave it through ,paul1 his servant4 ,so with all the epistles4 ,each has a particular object4 ,none is a treatise on theology1 putting forth all that is necessary to know for all ages and all men4 ,there is not one written for that purpose4 ,the first epistles of ,paul1 ,i and ,,ii ,thessalonians1 #eb and #cgh #ec ,a4 ,d41 express the joy and satisfaction of the apostle on account of the manner in which the people of ,thessalonica had received the gospel4 ,he cautions them against the sins prevalent in that great city1 and comforts those who mourned over the loss of dear relatives4 ,the dead in the ,lord will be resurrected at the coming of the ,lord1 and this event is more fully explained1 in accordance with the prophecy of ,daniel concerning the little horn 7,dan4 viii74 ,the next epistle1 that to the ,galatians1 ,a4 ,d4 #ec or #eg1 is a warning to the churches in that district not to mix up the rites of the ,mosaic law with the ordinances of the gospel1 as the two were so different from each other as ,ishmael and ,isaac1 ,sinai and ,zion4 ,and to give this admonition force1 the writer proves that his knowledge of ,christian truth was derived not from human teaching1 but from ,god through immediate revelation1 wherefore the apostles of the ,lord had recognized him as their equal 7chap4 i1 #b74 ,the epistles to the ,corinthians were written ,a4 ,d4 #eg in reply to a letter received by ,paul from the branch in ,corinth1 requesting his advice on certain points 7ch4 vii1 #a72 also to correct some errors of which he had heard by report 7i1 #aa2 v1 #a2 xi1 #ah74 ,the state of the branch was1 however1 such that the ,apostle deemed it necessary to send ,timothy there also1 thus imparting both by letter and by verbal preaching communications from ,god4 ,mark how special emergencies require special revelations6 ,the epistle to the ,romans 7,a4 ,d4 #eh7 is the most systematic of all the writings of ,paul1 and one that by ,protestants is considered the basis of gospel theology4 ,the scope of this epistle is to reconcile the ,jews and the ,gentiles in the church of ,christ1 by placing all on one level in the sight of ,god4 ,all have sinned2 all must be saved by the same means4 ,this is the whole epistle in one sentence4 ,now1 it is instructive to notice how the apostle in this important letter to the ,romans illustrates the question under consideration4 ,in the very first chapter he says he is constantly praying that ,god may give him an opportunity of visiting ,rome1 not indeed as a tourist and sightseer1 but that ,i might impart unto you some spiritual gift 7ch4 i1 #aa74 ,what spiritual gifts are1 we learn in ,i ,cor4 xii1 viz43 ,word of wisdom1 or knowledge1 faith1 healing1 miracles1 prophecy1 etc4 ,so that it was not enough1 according to ,paul1 for the ,christians in ,rome to have all the sacred ,scriptures1 including this letter1 but they needed something more4 ,they needed spiritual gifts continued among them4 ,it has been reserved for later #cgi ,christians to discover that ,paul was wrong1 and that spiritual gifts were of no account as long as the ,scriptures were to be had at a cheap price4 ,to have the ,spirit of ,god is1 further1 put forth as the necessary condition of a child of ,god4 ,if ,christ be in you the body is dead because of sin1 but the ,spirit is life because of righteousness4 ,as many as are led by the ,spirit of ,god1 they are the sons of ,god4 ,the ,spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit1 that we are the children of ,god 7chap4 viii74 ,such is the importance given to the possession of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,but we have already seen that the very office of the ,spirit is to lead into all truth1 and to reveal things to come4 ,he who has the ,spirit has1 therefore1 the ,spirit of revelation1 and the apostle contends that man without the ,spirit of revelation is a stranger and an enemy to ,god 7chap4 viii1 #e-i74 ,the apostle further states that at the time when the fulness of the ,gentiles has been gathered in1 direct communication from ,god will still continue4 ,for there shall come out of ,zion the deliverer and turn away ungodliness from ,jacob 7chap4 xi1 #bf74 ,how could this be possible if all communication with ,god had ceased with the close of the ,new ,testament8 ,but they have not ceased1 for the gifts and calling of ,god are without repentance 7chap4 xi1 #bi74 ,this may suffice to show that the great ,apostle of the ,gentiles never meant his letter to the ,romans nor any other letter to close the channels of revelation4 ,let us remind ourselves of one more fact4 ,the writers of the ,new ,testament themselves state that they had not written all that was necessary for instruction4 ,in writing to the ,corinthians about the partaking of the ,lord's supper ,paul gives some general directions1 but concludes by saying3 ,the rest will ,i set in order when ,i come 7,i ,cor4 xi1 #cd74 ,now1 what instructions or arrangements are here left out8 ,we do not know4 ,but we see that the written word was not meant to convey all that was necessary to know4 ,the same expression we find in the second letter of ,john4 ,having many things to write unto you1 ,i would not write with paper and ink3 but ,i trust to come unto you1 and speak face to face 7,,ii ,john1 #ab74 ,see also 7,,iii ,john1 #ac74 ,who can then say that we in the books of the ,bible have all that written which ,god ever intended to convey to mankind1 and that revelation has ceased8 ,the idea is in direct contrast to the word of the apostles4 ,it is instructive to notice how theologians have been compelled #chj to turn their own reasons upside down1 and to stretch the various passages of ,scripture on their learned racks in order to make them fit for all occasions4 ,luther's explanation of our ,lord's prayer is a curious instance4 ,daily bread means1 according to that noted reformer1 not only what you eat and drink1 but bread means also a house and a wife1 obedient children1 good neighbors and other such things4 ,whether in daily bread was included the beer-keg that ,luther received among his wedding presents1 the reformer does not state1 but in the other such things is room for a considerable quantity of bread4 ,of course1 that kind of exegesis fills everything into the ,bible4 ,by it anything can be got of anything or of nothing1 but ,god never put it there4 ,man did it1 and1 by so doing1 proved himself to be on the wrong track1 to say the least4 ,in order to gain a sound understanding of the word of ,god1 the various books must be read as ,mr4 ,locke says the ,epistles ought to be read4 ,he requires you to read through one epistle at a sitting1 and observe its drift and aim4 ,if1 says he1 the first reading gave some light1 the second gave me more2 and so ,i persisted on reading constantly the whole epistle over at once1 till ,i came to have a general view of the writer's purpose1 the chief branches of his discourse1 the arguments he used1 and the disposition of the whole4 ,this1 ,i confess1 is not to be obtained by one or two hasty readings2 it must be repeated again and again1 with a close attention to the tenor of the discourse1 and a perfect neglect of the divisions into chapters and verses4 ,if this plan be adopted1 and the books of the ,bible be read with a humble1 prayerful heart1 a heart in unison with the authors that wrote1 the true meaning of the word will be grasped4 ,and the clearer this true meaning becomes1 the more it will appear that nothing short of continued communication with ,god can satisfy the heart4 ,for it is the very purpose of the written word of ,god to lead men to seek this communication with ,god1 to guide1 in other words1 the straying child to its loving father4 ,,prophecies ,,of ,,the ,,new ,,testament4 ,without entering into a more minute examination of the remaining epistles1 we will proceed to consider some of the prophecies of the ,gospel dispensation4 ,prominent among these prophecies are those which predict the establishment of a new dispensation in the last days4 #cha ,our ,savior calls it the regeneration1 and says that in that dispensation the ,son of man shall sit on the throne of ,his glory1 and the ,twelve shall sit upon twelve thrones 7,matt4 xix1 #bh74 ,peter says that ,christ is to be in heaven until this new dispensation1 the times of the restitution of all things comes 7,acts iii1 #ba74 ,jude quotes a prophecy delivered by ,enoch about this dispensation3 ,behold the ,lord cometh with ten thousand of his ,saints to execute judgment upon all4 7,jude #ad1 #ae74 ,paul 7,,ii ,thess4 ii47 is very clear and minute concerning the events that had to transpire between his own time and the dispensation of the last days4 7#a7 ,a falling away--a general apostacy was to take place first1 and 7#b7 that man of sin1 the son of perdition1 be revealed4 ,it is further pointed out that the power of apostacy was already1 at the time of the writing of ,paul1 secretly at work1 only there was something that hindered this power from appearing openly4 ,but as soon as this obstacle 7the ,roman imperial power7 had been removed1 the man of sin1 i4e41 the embodiment of the spirit of apostacy1 would boldly appear1 and1 this man of sin would hold his sway over the world until destroyed by the brightness of the coming of the ,lord 7v4 #h74 ,and this apostate power is further described as one opposing and exalting himself above every other authority1 or god1 both on earth and in heaven4 ,he is lawless and sitteth in the temple1 that is1 he is a ,christian not an infidel power2 his coming is the work of ,satan1 and is accompanied by powers1 signs and lying wonders1 deceiving all that would not believe the truth4 ,among the doctrines that should be advanced by this apostate power is noted particularly as a departure from the faith1 doctrines of devils1 also a prohibition of marriage1 which was a revival of heathenism 7see ,i ,timothy1 iv1 #a-e71 all of which was fulfilled to the letter in the evolution from ,christianism to ,romanism4 ,nothing can be clearer1 from these prophecies of ,paul than this3 ,shortly after his own time1 a period of apostacy would follow1 during which all kinds of lies were to be promulgated in the name of ,god4 ,but this period of apostacy would again be followed by a new dispensation of truth and light1 the coming of the ,son of ,god in glory4 ,john was the last of the apostles4 ,he lived to see the spirit of apostacy still more developed than did ,paul4 ,in speaking of it he says that many anti-,christs had already come 7,i ,john ii1 #ah1 #ai2 iv1 #c74 ,to him it was given to see1 in #chb his apocalyptic visions1 the calamities that crushed the ,roman empire1 thus making way for the man of sin1 or the little horn of ,daniel or the anti-,christ1 namely the great church of the world with her pontifical image in ,rome4 ,he was permitted to see the subjugation and flight to the wilderness of the ,church of ,christ and the subsequent darkness that followed4 ,but he also1 like the former seers and prophets of the ,lord1 was permitted to behold in the future the first rays of the new dispensation1 the millennial kingdom1 to be established1 never to be overthrown4 ,let us pause for one moment and reflect4 ,if the word of ,god is sure1 this fact is surely established1 that the reign of anti-,christ shall be followed by a new1 glorious dispensation1 the millennial reign of the ,son of ,god4 ,there is scarcely an event in the ,scriptures more frequently predicted than this4 ,all the previous dispensations of ,god are only preparations for this the last and most glorious of all1 at the commencement of which the hosts of heaven join the ,saints below in shouting1 ,hosannah6 ,hosannah6 ,hosannah6 ,the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our ,lord and of ,his ,christ2 and he shall reign for ever and ever 7,rev4 xi1 #ae74 ,but it has before been proved that ,god never established a new dispensation without renewing revelations4 ,during the ,adamic dispensation1 which continued while man was yet without sin1 ,god revealed himself4 ,so also during the patriarchal dispensation4 ,god taught man how to offer sacrifices and to conduct worship4 ,the ,mosaic dispensation was established through revelation continued through centuries until four hundred years before ,christ4 ,the ,new ,testament dispensation or ,gospel dispensation was wonderfully rich in revelations1 until the ,priesthood was taken away unto ,god 7,rev4 vii1 #e72 and now1 can we believe that revelation then and there ceased8 ,shall the last dispensation1 the most glorious of all1 the millennial reign of ,christ1 be established without revelation1 only through the wisdom of man1 which1 by the way1 is foolishness to ,god8 ,no6 ,such a view is madness4 ,it may be sound1 worldly theology4 ,but it is not the word of ,god4 ,all the prophecies that have been fulfilled so far1 have in that fulfillment been accompanied by divine revelation4 ,those prophecies that remain to be fulfilled will as surely be accompanied by revelations4 ,when ,christ first came1 ,his coming was heralded by angels1 and by the ,spirit of ,god operating on men2 ,his ministry was followed by revelations #chc on the mount1 in ,gethsemane1 and the ,spirit was poured out upon ,his followers4 ,and yet1 at ,his first coming1 ,he appeared in humility1 despised by men in general4 ,what will not ,his second coming1 judging from this1 bring with it8 ,surely revelations cannot cease as long as ,god has promised to send ,his ,son in glory to visit this earth and its inhabitants4 ,preparations on the earth are necessary for such an event1 preparations that no man can make without the aid of divine revelations4 ,during the ages past ,god has tried the human race in every respect4 ,the patriarchal dispensation ended in a corruption which even the deluge could not check4 ,the ,mosaic dispensation ended in the rejection and the dispersion of the covenant people4 ,the ,gospel dispensation ended in the apostacy of the apostolic churches and the reign of anti-,christ4 ,but ,god is prepared to gain the victory yet4 ,he promised in the end of time to establish that kingdom which shall stand forever1 never to be overthrown1 and hence the necessity of continuous revelation4 ,,difficulties ,,in ,,ascertaining ,,the ,,meaning ,,of ,,the ,,scriptures4 ,in considering the question whether the ,bible is sufficient for the guidance of men to salvation1 it becomes a matter of great importance to ascertain whether the language employed by the sacred writers is sufficiently clear to be understood1 in all main points at least4 ,if the ,spirit of ,god1 in directing the composition of the books of the ,bible1 intended to make these books a code of divine laws whereby further revelation should be rendered superfluous1 we may reasonably expect to find in the ,bible clear language conveying the ideas in a manner to be easily understood by the earnest reader4 ,we may expect to find no ambiguity1 no indistinctness4 ,human laws are written with the greatest possible care4 ,lawmakers aim at clearness1 seeing that this is indispensable when laws are made for the guidance of the citizen4 ,yet with all possible care in framing laws1 it has been found that no law ever was framed1 however carefully worded1 that could not be construed in more than one way4 ,hence the necessity of a supreme court to which all cases can be appealed1 the meaning of any disputed paragraph of the lay authoritatively given4 ,no human law would ever be a complete guidance for the citizens without such a supreme court4 #chd ,now1 the question is simply this3 ,is the ,bible clear enough so that it undoubtedly can be understood in only one way8 ,if it be1 then there may not be any need for the supreme court of divine revelation to appeal to in order to ascertain its meaning1 since this is in no instance doubtful4 ,but if the ,bible is not clear enough2 if it is so worded that1 in many instances1 the same passage may be understood in more than one way1 then further revelation is necessary in order to settle these points4 ,if every passage of the ,bible does not convey only one meaning and this unmistakably2 if many passages can be1 and have been1 construed in various ways1 and if divine revelation be abolished then we are exactly in this position3 ,we have a code of laws and a collection of doctrines2 but for the right understanding of those laws and doctrines we are entirely at the mercy of the sagacity or the stupidity of the 7theological7 lawyers with whom we happen to be connected4 ,there is1 then1 no appeal1 no authority1 no certainty4 ,let us honestly consider some of the facts in the case1 without shrinking from the inevitable conclusion4 ,first1 we are met by the sad fact that mankind has not yet been able to decide exactly how many and which of the ancient books really belong to the ,bible4 ,the ,protestant churches now accept sixty-five books in all1 viz41 thirty-eight in the ,old ,testament and twenty-seven in the ,new4 ,but ,luther was not quite certain about the canonicity of all of the twenty-seven books of the ,new ,testament4 ,the ,revelation of ,john was always suspicious to him1 because he did not understand it1 and the ,epistle of ,james1 he thought1 was more fit to be burned than to be read4 ,as to the books of the ,old ,testament1 a much later and better informed critic1 ,michaelis1 has proposed to exclude the two books of ,chronicles from the canon1 while others have had their grave doubts concerning the ,song of ,songs4 ,but the ,catholic church1 so far from being disposed to diminish the number of books1 has added all those which by ,protestants have been called apocryphal4 ,the whole apocryphal collection was by the ,council of ,trent1 #aede1 declared to be holy ,scripture1 and the council did so with some antiquity in support of the decision1 too4 ,for the book of ,baruch is quoted as canonical by ,origen1 ,athanasius1 ,cyril1 and ,ephihanius4 ,tobith1 ,judith1 ,wisdom of ,solomon1 ,ecclesiasticus and the ,maccabees are quoted as canonical by the great ,augustine4 ,whether1 then1 the ,bible should consist of seventy-nine books 7including the fourteen apocrypha7 or of sixty-five1 or only sixty-one1 excluding the two ,chronicles #che and ,james and the ,revelation1 is yet a question awaiting its final decision4 ,and it would seem but reasonable not to abolish the immediate revelations from ,god until this problem has been satisfactorily solved4 ,secondly1 accepting any of the above mentioned books as canonical1 a great difficulty presents itself in determining the precise text4 ,what the first authors wrote is in some cases impossible to determine4 ,let it be remembered that our present ,bibles1 with their divisions of charters and verses1 are by no means exactly such as the first authors left them4 ,much is the work of uninspired men4 ,the original manuscripts were copied in numerous editions1 and it was always possible in copying to drop a letter1 to misspell a word1 to leave out a word1 etc4 ,translations and paraphrases have been made4 ,these were not always correct in every particular4 ,in the case of the ,old ,testament the original authors did not write the vowels1 but only the consonants4 ,it was the work of later men to insert all the vowels1 but whether these later men in all instances1 or even in most1 inserted the right vowels is another open question4 ,at all events1 if it were possible to prove that all the consonants of the ,old ,testament are identical with those written by the original authors1 and therefore inspired1 yet all the vowels1 which are added many years afterwards by uninspired men1 cannot be proved to be of divine origin or such as ,god originally intended them to be4 ,a few instances may be quoted to illustrate the nature of such easily recognized changes as the sacred text has suffered4 ,in ,jonah #a1 #i1 the prophet says3 ,i am a ,hebrew1 where the original reading probably was 7as the ,septuagint has it73 ,i am a servant of ,jehovah4 ,the difference is between ,ivri1 ,hebrew1 and ,ivdi1 the servant of ,jehovah4 ,in ,i ,peter ii1 #c1 it will always be dubious whether the correct reading is3 ,if ye have tasted that the ,lord is gracious1 or that the ,lord is ,christ4 ,the fact is that both these words were sometimes written with the letters ,chs1 standing for both ,christos and ,chrestos1 gracious4 ,in ,genesis i1 #h1 the words3 ,god saw that it was good is wanting at the end of the second day's creation1 but it is found in verse #aj1 in the middle of the third day's work1 indicating a transposition4 ,sometimes verses have been added by later copyists4 ,such variations amount to many thousands in all1 leaving the present text very far from satisfactory in its details4 ,theologians1 in admitting this1 as they are compelled to do by the facts1 generally smooth the disagreeable impression over with the assurance that none of all these variations in #chf the text affect the meaning in the least degree4 ,the most inaccurate text ever written1 they say1 leaves the truths of ,scripture substantially unchanged4 ,but this is evidently said more for the sake of the effect than for the sake of truth4 ,for the theologians themselves--particularly the ,protestants--always insist on the very letter of the text4 ,the little words this is were sufficient in the quibble between ,luther and ,calvin to cut the ,protestantic party in two halves1 each wishing to roast the other in hell4 ,yes1 the theologians build doctrines not only on words but on forms of words1 discriminating between the meaning of the same words when used in this form or the other4 ,in a text where words are so important1 it is ridiculous to say that many thousand variations are of no importance4 ,and besides1 since we know there are many thousand variations1 how do we know that there are not many thousand more which have not yet been detected8 ,this question must be solved before we are prepared to admit that the ,bible is a sufficient guide1 and has done away with the necessity of further revelation4 ,but we will pass by the difficulties thus far pointed out4 ,we will suppose that we have settled beyond doubt the number of books to be accepted as canonical4 ,we will suppose that the original text has been preserved1 and that the translations thereof in our vernacular tongues are correct4 ,all this we suppose1 for the sake of the argument1 and yet we will find the greatest difficulty still exists--that of understanding the sacred volume correctly4 ,indeed1 this difficulty is so great that probably not one single man now living can understand it all1 and those that understand part of it right do so by the aid of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,some of the difficulties in understanding even the translations of the ,bible may now be pointed out4 ,it is admitted that the words used in the ,scriptures are sometimes to be used in a figurative sense and sometimes in a literal sense4 ,what words are1 in each case1 to be understood strictly literally and what figuratively must be left to the judgment of the reader4 ,and from this fact numerous errors have arisen4 ,people have sometimes allegorized where no allegory was intended1 as ,origen in reading that ,abraham in his old age married ,keturah4 ,now1 he says1 the word ,keturah means sweet odor2 and sweet odor refers to the fragrance of righteousness3 ,hence he concludes that ,abraham in his old age became very pious or righteous1 and that this fact is meant when ,moses states that the patriarch married ,keturah4 #chg ,equally absurd is the following a la ,swedenborg3 ,adam represents the intellect and ,eve the feeling4 ,that ,adam and ,eve begat sons and daughters means1 therefore1 that the union between intellect and feeling is what produces knowledge in man4 ,these instances are extremely absurd and the errors of this kind of interpretation are easily perceived4 ,but sometimes the errors are not so palpable1 although equally absurd4 ,as for instance1 when it is contended that the kingdom of ,christ means a religion and not a real kingdom1 or that the first resurrection means a revival of the principles for which the martyrs were killed4 ,in such cases the errors are great1 and hundreds of ,bible readers commit just such errors1 in many instances without even knowing it4 ,then1 sometimes words that are really used figuratively are understood literally4 ,you will see pictures1 occasionally1 where ,lazarus is enjoying his heavenly bliss by sitting in the lap 7the bosom7 of ,father ,abraham1 the artist having misunderstood the figurative expression used by our ,lord4 ,this kind of error is more easily committed in reading the prophetical portions of the ,bible4 ,the prophets borrow words denoting natural objects in order to represent what is spiritual and abstract4 ,their books are hieroglyphical1 although they do not draw their hieroglyphic pictures1 as did the ,egyptian priests1 but describe them in words4 ,hence the great difficulty in interpreting prophecy4 ,it is not less difficult than to interpret many ancient ,egyptian records4 ,the prophets1 for instance1 talk of a horn and mean a crown or a kingdom4 ,beast is a usurping tyrannical power4 ,key stands for lawful authority4 ,virgins are faithful worshippers1 not defiled by idolatry4 ,generally it must be borne in mind that every word should be understood as it was commonly understood at the time the ,bible was written4 ,much minute inquiry1 in fact more than most people are prepared to give1 is needed in order to avoid errors arising from a violation of this rule4 ,sometimes a knowledge of ,hebrew and ,greek is absolutely necessary for the right understanding of a passage4 ,in ,i ,kings ii1 #h1 #i1 ,david is made to say concerning ,simei3 ,hold him not guiltless1 99 99 but his hoary head bring down with blood to the grave4 ,this is1 of course1 a contradiction4 ,and1 besides1 ,david had sworn not to kill ,simei4 ,it seems therefore as if one of the last acts of ,david was to break his oath and his royal word4 ,but a knowledge of ,hebrew idioms clears this up2 for the word not refers to both clauses3 ,hold him not guiltless1 99 99 but bring not his #chh hoary head down with blood4 ,that is the meaning1 and ,solomon understood it so4 ,the end of the world spoken of in ,matt4 xxiv1 #c a ,greek scholar will discover to be not the end of the physical world 7telos tou kosmou7 but the termination of the then existing economy2 for the words are synteleia tou aionos4 ,the interpretation of the whole prophecy of our ,lord hangs upon this one word4 ,matthew 7xii1 #dj7 makes ,christ say3 ,for as ,jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly1 whereas the fact is1 that there is not1 and probably never was1 a whale in the ,mediterranean4 ,the ,hebrew has a great fish 7,jonah i1 #ag7 which the translator of the ,septuagint made into a whale1 and the misleading quotation slipped into the ,new ,testament from the ,septuagint4 ,sometimes people put a mystical sense into the most plain expressions4 ,christ says3 ,but one thing is needful 7,luke x1 #db7 and many an edifying sermon has been preached upon this one needful thing1 and much curiosity has been needlessly excited to know what that one needful thing is that in itself is necessary and sufficient to salvation4 ,people have been so eager to make a mystery that they have forgotten the fact that ,christ for the time does not refer to salvation at all1 but is speaking of a much more trivial subject1 yet not less interesting or noteworthy4 ,christ has called on ,his friends1 ,lazarus1 ,martha and ,maria4 ,the two ladies are both anxious to entertain ,him to the best of their ability4 ,but ,martha seems to have had an idea that lots of things were necessary in order to make a comfortable meal4 ,in order to be ready in a hurry ,martha wanted her sister to help her1 upon which the ,savior politely remarks that only one thing is needful4 ,there was no cause for so much serving4 ,he would not enter their house as a stranger for whom they would have to prepare so many extra dishes4 ,he would come as their friend and be entertained as such4 ,this would give both sisters time to sit down and listen to ,his instructions1 which after all was the good part of the entertainment4 ,stripping this narrative of the mysteries of theologians and letting common sense be common sense1 we have a beautiful incident at once pleasing and instructive4 ,sometimes the reader will be misled by the numbers of the ,bible1 because he does not know how they originally were used4 ,ten sometimes stands for several4 ,in ,gen4 xxxi1 #g1 ,jacob says that ,laban had changed his wages ten times1 meaning of course several times4 ,perhaps the division of the ,roman ,empire into ten as predicted by ,daniel ought to be understood in the same way1 since so far no one has #chi been able exactly to tell in what ten 7the word taken literally7 kingdoms that empire on its downfall was divided4 ,if understood to mean several kingdoms1 there is no difficulty4 ,forty1 in the same way1 often means many4 ,seven and seventy denote a large and complete number1 although uncertain to the speaker4 ,sometimes a knowledge of history is required for the right understanding of passages4 7,acts ix1 #ca73 ,the churches had rest throughout all ,judea and ,galilee has sometimes been understood to have been the consequence of the conversion of ,paul1 whereas the real cause of this temporary rest was that at this time ,caligula attempted to raise a statue of himself in the ,holy of holies in the temple4 ,the consternation which this caused among the bloodthirsty ,jews made them for a time forget the ,christian churches4 ,nor less important is a knowledge of ancient chonology1 geography1 of botany1 of mineralogy1 zoology1 and archaeology in its various branches4 ,but we cannot here multiply instances4 ,to understand the ,bible1 even the plainist translation1 all these things are necessary as helps1 and yet1 without the ,spirit of ,god to lead into all truth1 not all of these helps are sufficient2 so numerous and so vast are the difficulties to be encountered in ascertaining the true meaning of the ,bible4 ,nor need we be surprised at this4 ,the various books are written in the remote antiquity4 ,language changes like all that is human4 ,words do not remain stationary in their significations4 ,every word has its own history1 and antique literature always requires a knowledge of the history of the words4 ,the authors of the ,bible write each from his own standpoint4 ,some are lawyers1 as ,moses4 ,others are humble shepherds1 as ,anos4 ,some are learned men1 as ,paul and ,luke4 ,others are uneducated fisherman1 as ,peter and ,john4 ,some are statesmen like ,daniel4 ,others follow more lowly occupations of life1 as ,jeremiah4 ,some write poetry1 others history1 others letters and others visions4 ,some write in the deserts of ,arabia1 some by the banks of the rivers in ,babylon1 some in the palace in ,jerusalem1 some in prisons in ,rome4 ,each has his own peculiarity of style1 and to understand it all1 you would have to be conversant with almost every branch of human learning4 ,it is no figure of speech when ,locke says that theology is the direction of all knowledge to its true end1 or when ,parley ,p4 ,pratt says3 ,it is the science of all other sciences and useful arts1 being in fact1 the very fountain from which they emanate4 ,it includes philosophy1 #cij astronomy1 history1 mathematics1 geography1 languages1 the science of letters1 and blends the knowledge of all matters of fact in every branch of art or research 7,key to ,theology1 p4#b74 ,seeing now that such requirements are made upon us in order to understand the ,bible1 and that lack of knowledge necessarily involve misunderstanding of many of the sacred passages1 we ask every reasonable being1 ,can it be supposed that the ,bible ever was intended to be a substitute for immediate divine revelation8 ,if it were intended for this purpose it has signally failed in its purpose2 and if the ,bible alone be intended to be the guide to heaven1 it is to be feared that a majority of people will be led to hell for the simple reason that they never had an opportunity of mastering the difficulties attending their attempts at understanding what the ,bible doctrines really are4 ,,christian ,,sects ,,an ,,evidence4 ,if further proofs for the necessity of continuous revelation were needed1 the deplorable state of the ,christian world1 where each goes his own way1 furnishes those proofs in abundance4 ,the object ,god had in view in giving to ,his people men through whom ,he could reveal ,his plans and purposes was to perfect the ,saints and preserve unity of faith 7,eph4 iv1 #aa-ad74 ,as long as the church had apostles and prophets1 there was no necessity for the churches breaking up into factions or sects4 ,differences could arise1 and did arise1 but when referred to the inspired men1 ,god1 through ,his ,holy ,spirit always settled the difficulties1 preserving the unity4 ,some instances1 illustrating this1 have been recorded for our information4 ,in the church at ,jerusalem1 as the members increased1 a feeling of jealousy grew up between the different nationalities4 ,the ,grecians thought that their widows did not receive a fair portion of the alms daily distributed among the poor1 the ,hebrews keeping all for their widows4 ,among the ,jews the ,grecians1 that is to say1 such ,jews that were not born in ,palestine1 were held in contempt like everything that originated outside the confines of the ,holy ,land4 ,it was thought that the ,jewish converts to ,christianity had retained this feeling1 and so neglected their foreign brethren4 ,now1 here was a secret power of evil at work1 strong enough to break the first church up into factions4 ,for evil grows1 if #cia not conquered1 and what at first appears like a cloud1 the size of a man's hand1 develops into a terrible storm with thunder and lightning4 ,small as the matter appeared to be1 it was an attempt at destroying the unity of the ,church of ,christ4 ,but the church was equal to this occasion4 ,its foundations were solid and its guardians awake4 ,the whole matter was laid before the apostles1 and these found the proper remedy4 ,look ye out among you1 they said to the church members1 seven men of honest report1 full of the ,holy ,ghost and wisdom1 whom we may appoint over this business4 ,the people1 on hearing this wise counsel1 made their choice1 and the apostles set the chosen apart for this office4 ,and it may be noted as a characteristic feature of ,god's way of managing elections1 in contrast to the farcical proceedings of the iniquitous world1 that the seven men elected on this occasion were all ,grecians1 judging from their names4 ,the majority1 prompted by the love of ,god1 gave to the minority--the complaining party--the whole control of the distribution4 ,the church was saved from the spirit of destruction4 ,unity was preserved4 ,but it took inspired men to solve the difficulty in this way1 so contrary to all rules1 recognized among men 7see ,acts1 vi1 #a-h74 ,the next instance is a difference concerning doctrine4 ,as soon as the ,gospel principles spread and were embraced by the ,gentiles1 a struggle necessarily followed between the ,jewish and the ,gentile element4 ,both had much to give up and much to learn from each other1 before a complete unity could be secured4 ,in this struggle1 various questions were brought up for discussion1 and amongst others this3 ,ought not a ,gentile convert to first be circumcised and promise to keep the law1 before he was baptized and incorporated in the church8 ,many ,jewish converts held that this was necessary4 ,for to them the entrance to the church ought to be through the ,mosaic dispensation1 to ,gentiles as it had been to ,jews4 ,but the ,gentiles considered this an unnecessary circuitous road to the church1 holding that the acceptance of ,christ and his ordinances was all that should be required4 ,here was a difficult question to decide1 and the principle involved was one of vital importance to the whole ,christian community4 ,the danger of a split was great1 but the church had inspired leaders1 men who communed with ,god4 ,to them the question was referred4 ,and they decided it1 not only according to the ,scriptures but according to the revelation given for the occasion4 ,it seemed good1 they say1 to the ,holy ,ghost1 and to us1 to lay upon you no greater #cib burden than these necessary things2 that ye abstain from meats offered to idols1 and from blood and from things strangled1 and from fornication2 from which if ye keep yourselves ye shall do well4 7,acts xv1 #bh1 #bi47 ,here is a decision arrived at under the direct influence of the ,holy ,ghost1 and one that brought unity into the churches and joy among the various ,gentile branches4 ,thus we see exemplified the object of continuous revelation1 and the necessity of it4 ,without it unity cannot be preserved4 ,that ye may be one as ,christ is one with ,his ,father1 is1 however1 the very essence of ,christianity1 the mark on which it can be distinguished from the world1 which is all strife and contention4 ,destroy the unity1 and ,christianity is gone1 or1 since unity is impossible without continuous revelation1 abandon such revelation1 and ,christianty is no more4 ,it is noticeable that the ,christian churches1 as long as the inspired men were among them and they listened to their words1 kept clear of all schisms4 ,so long1 we say1 but no longer4 ,for soon men arose who thought themselves too wise to listen to the counsel of inspired men4 ,and such imposed upon themselves upon the church with big words and subtle sophistry1 thus drawing many away from the path of righteousness4 ,this was the work of the spirit of anti-,christ1 and the result was schisms1 sects4 ,but still the spirit of revelation lingered among the churches1 uniting the honest everywhere in the love of ,god and of one another1 until after a long struggle amid persecution from the outside and rebellion from the inside1 the ,spirit of revelation was withdrawn4 ,the child was taken up to the throne of ,god4 7,rev4 xii1 #e74 ,the light gave way to darkness4 ,not that the ,christian churches became annihilated1 not that the doctrines preached by ,christ or1 what is the same1 the ,christian theology at once vanished4 ,no6 ,it was all there1 but wrapped in darkness4 ,suppose yourself on a ship trying to make for the harbor on a dark1 stormy night4 ,there are the lights along the shore1 according to whose guiding rays alone you can steer your course4 ,but suppose all these lights are suddenly extinguished4 ,you can see no more where to go4 ,all your calculations are in vain4 ,those rays of lights from the lighthouses were just as necessary for your safety as are your maps and your compass4 ,something analogous to this happened to the world1 or1 rather to the ,christian churches4 ,the guiding light of continuous revelation was extinguished and #cic the ship left in darkness4 ,at what precise time this took place we do not presume to say4 ,but it is certain that the time of revelation did not extend much beyond the age of the apostles4 ,the church was still there for years1 but the lighthouses were not shining4 ,what followed8 ,the most pitiable confusion4 ,the leaders of the church1 no longer guided by inspiration1 were unable to preserve love and unity4 ,factions became numerous and each faction leader claimed the supreme authority for himself4 ,contests for power ensued1 accompanied by scandalous scenes4 ,the church was abandoned1 each faction constructing their own raft and each steering their own course1 occasionally trying to sink other rafts as these by wind and current were driven out4 ,this was the result of the withdrawal of divine revelation4 ,people were in total darkness4 ,they split on the most trivial questions as well as over the more important ones4 ,what are we to think when we read the history of the church and find that ,christians are trying to find out whether ,christ was a real man or only an apparition6 ,or whereto had truth gone1 when1 after long struggles about the doctrine of the ,godhead1 it was finally decided1 as the standard of orthodoxy1 that3 ,incomprehensible is the ,father1 incomprehensible is the ,son1 and incomprehensible is the ,holy ,ghost2 yet not three incomprehensibles1 but one4 7,symbol ,athan478 ,christ says3 ,this is eternal life1 that they may know thee1 the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ whom thou hast sent4 7,john1 xvii1 #c72 ,paul prays that he may know ,christ and the power of ,his resurrection4 7,philippians1 vi1 #g-aj72 and ,john says that we by keeping ,god's commandments1 know that we know ,him4 7,i ,john ii1 #c71 but the ,church1 as soon as the ,spirit of revelation withdrew1 declared that she was in darkness4 ,god1 she said1 is incomprehensible4 ,the contrast is so conspicuous that only a blind man can help seeing it4 ,this spirit of darkness still enwraps the whole ,christian world4 ,the work of dissolution has been going on all the time1 and is still going on4 ,the ,christians stand against each other like enemies on a battlefield4 ,nobody knows where to seek or to find truth4 ,has the ,roman ,catholic church the truth8 or the ,coptic8 or the ,armenian8 or the ,reformed church8 or the church of ,england8 or ,luther's faction8 or ,methodists8 or ,baptists8 or ,presbyterians8 or ,irvingians or ,adventists8 or ,universalists8 or ,quakers8 ,which has the truth8 ,which faction is the ,church of ,christ8 #cid ,paul says that factions are the result of a carnal condition4 ,for whereas there is among you envyings and strife1 and divisions1 are ye not carnal1 and walk as men8 7,i ,cor4 iii1 #c47 ,the ,christian world to-day1 the ,apostle then declares to be a carnal christendom4 ,but to be carnally minded1 we further learn 7,rom4 viii1 #f1 #g71 is death1 and enmity against ,god4 ,the ,christian world to-day is therefore in a state of death and enmity against ,god4 ,the word of ,god has pronounced ,his judgment1 and all as a consequence of their having despised and rejected continuous revelation from ,god4 ,this suggests the remedy to be applied3 ,divine revelation4 ,god has promised1 in the last days1 ,and it shall come to pass afterward that ,i will pour out my ,spirit upon all flesh2 and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy1 your old men shall dream dreams1 your young men shall see visions 99 99 99 99 and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the ,lord shall be delivered3 ,for in ,mount ,zion and in ,jerusalem shall be deliverance1 as the ,lord hath said1 and in the remnant whom the ,lord shall call 7,joel ii1 #bh-cc74 ,and this promise ,god will fulfill4 ,revelations are necessary for the deliverance of ,his people in these last days1 and ,god is faithful4 ,already the light of revelation has broken through the dark clouds of medieval errors4 ,the prophets of ,god have again spoken1 revealing ,god's way of salvation4 ,will the ,christian world believe8 ,or will they1 like the ,jews formerly1 reject the light of revelation1 to their own damnation8 ,one objection1 and only one1 needs to be answered before we close this part of our investigation4 ,it has been said that ,god prohibits people from adding anything to the ,bible1 since ,john the ,revelator says3 ,if any man shall add unto these things1 ,god shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book 7,rev4 xxii1 #ah74 ,the prohibition is given for any man to add anything of his own to the book of ,revelation1 or to the word of ,god4 ,and woe to the man who is preposterous enough to add his own productions to the sacred compositions of ,god6 ,but neither this passage nor any other passage in the ,bible states that ,god would never any more reveal anything4 ,god does not prohibit himself from adding whatever ,he thinks necessary4 ,in fact1 ,god has added to the volume of the ,new ,testament since the book of ,revelation was written4 ,the ,gospel of ,john1 and1 in all probability1 the three epistles of ,john1 were all written after the book of ,revelation4 ,the latest #cie date assigned to the ,revelation is #if ,a4 ,d41 while others 7and more probably7 give it the date of #fg or #fh4 ,the three epistles were written #fh and the gospel #ig1 so that there is no possibility for thinking that ,god did not intend to add anything to the existing records4 ,the ,gospel of ,john is the last book of the ,new ,testament4 ,and in this very book we have the comforting promise of ,christ recorded3 ,he 7the ,spirit7 shall glorify ,me3 for he shall receive of ,mine1 and shall show it unto you4 ,all things that the ,father has are ,mine3 therefore1 said ,i1 that he shall take of ,mine1 and shall show it unto you 7,john xvi1 #ad1 #ae74 ,here is a promise of continuous revelation4 ,,ii4 ,having seen1 now1 that continuous revelation is necessary for the guidance of men unto eternal salvation1 and also that ,god through his ancient prophets has promised to manifest ,himself preparatory to the foundation of the kingdom of the ,son of ,god upon the earth1 it becomes necessary to enquire into the evidences that present themselves of the truth of the claims of ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet4 ,did ,god speak through him1 or1 was he an enthusiast1 an impostor8 ,this question concerns every human being4 ,with a voice like that of the angel whom ,john saw in his visions on ,patmos1 ,joseph proclaims in the name of the ,lord3 ,hearken1 ,o1 ye people of ,my ,church1 saith the voice of ,him who dwells on high1 and whose eyes are upon all men1 yea1 verily ,i say1 hearken ye people from afar1 and ye that are upon the islands of the sea1 listen together4 ,for verily the voice of the ,lord is unto all men 7,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 i1 #a1 #b74 ,for centuries past the world had cherished the thought that the voice of the ,lord should no more be heard1 when suddenly1 thunderlike1 a messenger appeared1 heralding from one end of heaven to mother the above quoted intelligence4 ,god has spoken4 ,to the chosen seed these were1 indeed1 tidings of great joy1 but the world at large1 influenced1 as the ,jews formerly were1 by priests and rabbis1 denounced the messenger as a bold imposter4 ,he offered the strongest proof a man ever can offer as a demonstration of the truth of his message2 he gave his life1 sealing his testimony with his blood4 ,yet a sceptical world refused to believe1 refused1 to a large extent1 even to investigate4 #cif ,what was1 then1 the nature of his message8 ,that the day of the ,lord is at hand2 that the inhabitants of the earth must repent of their sins and false doctrines1 and turn unto ,god2 that those who would obey should be made happy in the kingdom of the ,son of ,god1 but on all disobedient souls fearful judgments would speedily fall4 ,to prepare for the coming of ,christ was the message sent from ,god to man through ,his servant1 the ,prophet ,joseph4 ,that was the nature of the message4 ,it will be perceived that this is in full harmony with the sacred writ1 and its very nature should be a sufficient proof of its divine origin4 ,if it harmonizes with the ,bible1 how can it be false8 ,how can those who believe the one reject the other8 ,is not that the very same contradiction as that of which the ,jews were guilty who believed the sacred writings of the ,old ,testament at the same time they rejected ,christ8 ,clearly1 when the ,bible is first proved to be true1 everything that is in perfect harmony with the ,bible must be true1 too4 ,in such relation to the ,bible stands the divine message of which we are speaking4 ,this is a subject that must not be treated lightly4 ,the highest interests are here at stake--interests dearer than life itself1 which lasts but a moment4 ,if ,god has spoken to this generation1 woe1 woe1 woe unto those who wilfully shut their ears and harden their hearts against the word of ,god6 ,the antediluvian world was drowned by a flood because the people did not heed the warning voice4 ,the cities of the plain were wrapped in flames and buried in a sulphurous tomb because they rejected the message of ,god4 ,jerusalem fell because she did not know the time of her visitation4 ,and how can the present world escape a similar fate under similar circumstances8 ,with these lessons of past ages before us1 let every honest soul investigate the evidences of the truth of this message of the latter days4 ,an honest investigation is the very least that can be demanded for a subject of this vast importance4 ,the attention of theological students who are familiar with the evidences of the truth of ,christianity is particularly called to the line of thought here offered1 as it is proposed to show that the message delivered by ,joseph ,smith is supported by the same evidence as the message delivered by former prophets or apostles4 ,christianity and ,mormonism must stand or fall together4 ,if the evidence here presented is sufficient for the one1 it is sufficient for both4 #cig ,,retrospective ,,evidence4 ,the books of the ,old ,testament abound with predictions foretelling the work of ,christ on earth4 ,it is distinctly predicted that a deliverer should come1 the seed of woman2 he should spring out of the people of ,abraham2 a new covenant would be made2 the deliverer would be despised1 put to death1 and yet reign for ever and ever4 ,such wonderful predictions run like a string through the ,old ,testament1 and are always pointed to as an evidence of the truth of ,christianity4 ,this is what is sometimes called retrospective evidence4 ,christ himself points to these predictions as such evidence4 ,ought not ,christ to have suffered these things1 and to enter ,his glory8 ,beginning with ,moses and all the prophets1 ,he expounded unto them in all the ,scriptures the things concerning himself4 7,luke xxiv1 #bf1 #bg4 ,compare ,john v1 #df1 #dg47 ,but the same prophets foretell with equal clearness the grand work in which the ,latter-day ,saints are now engaged1 as will appear on investigation of the following passages4 ,isaiah has many remarkable predictions1 some of which were fulfilled shortly after their delivery4 ,syria and ,israel1 for instance1 were to be conquered by ,assyria1 before the infant son of the prophet could say my father 7,isaiah viii1 #d74 ,the glory of ,kedar was to fail in one year 7xxi1 #f71 that of ,moab in three years 7xvi1 #ad71 that of ,ephraim in sixty-five years 7vii1 #h71 that of ,tyre in seventy years 7xxiii1 #ae74 ,other predictions relate to more distant times4 ,thus that portion of his book which is contained in chapter xl to lxiv embraces the whole period from the ,babylonian captivity to the end of the ,christian dispensation4 ,in this portion of the book the prophet predicts the deliverance of the ,jews by ,cyrus 7xliv1 #bh2 xlv1 #a-e1 xlvii72 the return to ,judea 7xliv1 #bh71 the coming1 suffering and glory of the ,messiah1 the downfall of idolatry1 the rejection of ,christ by the ,jews1 and their consequent rejection by ,god2 also their final conversion and recovery 7lii1 #c2 lxii2 lxv74 ,speaking of this last event1 the final gathering of the ,jews--an event which is about to be fulfilled in our own time--the prophet 7chapter lv7 says that there should be a people or a nation1 previously unknown to the ,jews1 who should be willing to join the ,jews in their worship of ,god ,almighty4 ,behold1 thou shalt call a people which thou didst not know2 and a people which did not know thee shall run to thee for the sake of ,jehovah1 thy ,god1 and for the sake of the ,holy ,one in ,israel1 for he hath glorified thee4 #cih ,could language more clearly convey that at the time of the final restoration of the ,jews there should exist another people1 too1 who would share with the ,jews the glory in store for them8 ,in the next chapter 7lxvi1 #f-h7 this other people is more clearly described3 ,and the sons of the stranger who follow ,jehovah in order to serve ,him1 and to love ,jehovah's name 99 99 99 those ,i will bring to ,my holy mountain1 and they shall rejoice in ,my house4 ,these predictions are very clear1 and it is a literal fulfillment thereof that the ,saints are called out of all nations of the earth so that they may form that one nation here spoken of1 and the latter part of ,isaiah's predictions are as literally verified as that part which relates to former events4 ,among the predictions of the prophet ,micah we notice the invasion of ,shalmaneser 7i1 #f-h71 and ,sennacherib 7i1 #i-af71 the dispersion of ,israel 7v1 #g-h7 the destruction of ,jerusalem 7iii1 #ab74 ,he also foretells the gathering of ,israel and the exaltation of ,christ over all nations4 ,speaking of the gathering of ,israel1 he says that a forerunner should first come1 and this forerunner is described as a people with a leader at their head and ,jehovah as their guide1 alluding to ,israel in the wilderness1 where ,moses was their prophet1 ,jehovah going before them4 ,thus saith ,micah ii1 #ab1 #ac3 ,certainly ,i will gather thee1 ,jacob1 and bring together the rest of ,israel4 99 99 ,the forerunner 7or rather the one who 'breaks' the way7 goes before them2 99 99 99 the prince goes before them and ,jehovah leads4 ,in chapter iv4 the prophet more fully describes what should happen before the gathering of ,jacob3 ,at the end of the days the mountain of the house of ,jehovah shall be established upon the top of the mountains1 99 99 and the nations shall run thereto4 99 99 99 ,in the same days said ,jehovah1 shall ,i gather the remnant4 ,read chapter iv1 #a-aj carefully4 ,it predicts unmistakably that at the time of the final delivery of the ,jews there should exist a people gathered among the mountains in order to serve the ,lord1 a people endowed with wisdom to exercise judgment in the affairs of the nations of the world1 and yet be a peaceful1 agricultural people1 who had thrown away their swords for peaceful occupations4 ,this prediction is as clear as any ever given concerning ,christ and ,his work1 and it is fulfilled in the gatherings of the ,saints4 ,if prophetic evidence is required1 ,god has given it to us4 ,let us turn to ,jeremiah1 who flourished a hundred years later4 #cii ,the chronological arrangement of the predictions of this prophet1 as has been already remarked1 is not very plain1 but passages relating to the first salvation of ,israel are easily recognized4 ,chapter iii1 #ae-ah1 are among these4 ,here the prophet in words that cannot be mistaken says that the house of ,judah shall go to the house of ,israel1 and they shall come together from the land of the north to the land which ,i have given your fathers4 ,that this prediction does not relate to the deliverance from ,babylon is evident from the fact that the prophet says3 the house of ,judah shall walk with the house of ,israel4 ,the house of ,israel must then already be gathered1 or else the house of ,judah could not go with them4 ,at the return from ,babylon ,judah took the lead1 and the ,israelites who returned had to come to ,judah4 ,judah took the lead4 ,here is a deliverance and return predicted in which ,israel takes the lead4 ,israel must consequently be gathered as well as ,judah and previous to ,judah4 ,compare this with the message delivered through ,joseph the ,prophet1 and the evidence is both strong and conclusive4 ,no less clear is ,daniel4 ,in his second chapter1 this great prophet predicts coming events with the clearness of history4 ,four kingdoms are described3 ,the ,babylonian1 under the dynasty of ,nebuchadnezzar2 the ,medo-,persian1 the ,grecian and the ,roman4 ,the last named is divided into ten1 all of which in their composition carry the seed of their dissolution4 ,iron 7political power7 and clay 7man-invented religion7 mixed together1 was their inheritance from ,rome1 and the cause of their weakness4 ,but in the days of these ten kingdoms the kingdom of heaven is founded1 a stone cut out without hands of man yet of miraculous origin2 mighty as a mountain1 and finally1 superior to the finest metals1 the most splendid earthly thrones4 ,that this prediction was not fulfilled at the time of ,christ is clear from two facts3 ,first1 that ,christ came before the dissolution of the ,roman empire2 and1 secondly1 that ,christ did not found a kingdom at all when ,he was here4 ,only by the most lamentable perversion of ,scripture can this passage be made to apply to the first coming of ,christ4 ,it must apply to ,his second coming or have no meaning at all4 ,but to ,his second coming it applies4 ,then ,his kingdom will fill all the earth1 but the stone must first roll1 and1 while so doing1 grow until it becomes fit to perform the work assigned to it4 ,in chapter seven the prophet treats of the same subject4 #djj ,the four kingdoms are represented by four beasts1 and the ten kingdoms by ten horns2 three of the horns or kingdoms are subdued by a little horn1 the papal1 anti-,christian power1 which exercises its tyrannical reign1 and overcomes the ,saints for a period of one thousand two hundred and sixty years4 ,here1 too1 the time is fully defined1 showing beyond the possibility of doubt that the restoration of the ,kingdom of ,god belongs to this century1 counting from the appearance of the little horn1 the papal power4 ,thus the ancient prophets have spoken of the time in which we live1 and their predictions are irrefutable evidence of the truth of the message accepted by the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,let us add one more testimony4 ,john1 the great prophet of the ,new ,testament1 while on ,patmos1 has a vision in which the ,turkish conquest is shown 7chapter ix74 ,four angels1 bound in the great river ,euphrates1 are let loose to spread war and desolation upon the earth for a period of about four hundred years 7,rev4 ix1 #ae74 ,their great numbers are described1 their armors1 their national colors1 their power to hurt an idolatrous ,christian world1 tormenting those who had abandoned the worship of ,god for the worship of ,saints and images4 ,after this 7chapter x7 a messenger appears with a little book1 signifying that the ,spirit of prophecy should again be manifested before many people1 and nations1 and tongues and kings 7,rev4 x1 #a-aa74 ,how very clear is this prediction as to the great event of our time4 ,in reading the vision we feel that ,john saw the youthful ,prophet ,joseph with the little book in his hand1 and heard his mighty voice declaring that the fulness of times had come4 ,and the angel 7or messenger7 which ,i saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth 7embracing both hemispheres7 lifted up his hands to heaven and swore by him that liveth for ever and ever 99 99 99 99 that there shall be time no longer1 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel 99 99 99 99 the mystery of ,god should be finished 7x1 #e-g74 ,is not this the very essence of the message delivered by ,joseph the ,prophet8 ,with such frequency and with such clearness the ,spirit of prophecy in all past ages foretells the work in which the ,latter-day ,saints are now engaged4 ,if ,christ can point to predictions as an evidence of ,his divine mission2 if ,christians can point to prophecy as an evidence of the truth of ,christianity1 why are not these predictions1 these prophecies1 equally infallible evidence of the truth of the divine mission of ,joseph ,smith8 ,how one can be accepted and the other rejected ,i fail to see4 #dja ,,prospective ,,evidence4 ,our ,lord refers more than once to prophecies delivered by ,himself as evidence of ,his divine mission3 ,and now ,i have told you before it came to pass1 that when it is come to pass ye might believe4 7,john xiv1 #bi47 ,this kind of evidence has been called prospective4 ,when we read1 for instance1 the prophecy of our ,lord announcing the destruction of ,jerusalem1 compare the prediction with the description of the fearful event given by ,joseph1 and see how literally everything was fulfilled1 we can understand what strong evidence the prophecy is of the divine mission of the ,lord4 ,jerusalem1 ,babylon1 ,nineveh are all witnesses of the truth of the word of ,god1 and their testimony is unanimously accepted by everyone who is able to trace the finger of ,god4 ,the conclusion is this1 that when a man foretells an event which no human wisdom could foresee1 the occurrence of such an event is a sure proof that ,god spoke through that man4 ,so ,god ,himself reasons3 ,who hath declared this from ancient times8 ,have not ,i1 the ,lord8 7,isaiah1 xlv1 #bj-bb47 ,if we apply this rule to the message delivered through ,joseph ,smith1 we unavoidably reach the same conclusion4 ,we are forced by the most plain logic to acknowledge his divine mission4 ,the following is offered for consideration3 ,in the ,book of ,doctrine and ,covenants many predictions are given concerning the ,saints1 some of which have already been fulfilled1 while others are still awaiting fulfillment4 ,in #ahcj1 when the ,church was still in her earliest infancy1 it was predicted3 ,zion shall rejoice upon the hills and flourish before the final salvation of ,israel 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 sec xxxv1 #bd1 #be74 ,this remarkable prediction is often repeated1 and finally1 in the year #ahch1 at ,far ,west1 ,missouri1 it is again announced3 ,therefore1 will ,i not make solitary places to bud and to blossom1 and to bring forth in abundance1 said the ,lord8 ,is there not room enough upon the mountains8 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 sec4 cxvii1 #g1 #h47 ,from the very foundation of the ,church the ,spirit of ,god1 through the prophet1 thus announces in no uncertain way that ,zion1 the ,saints1 should move to the hills1 the mountains1 the solitary places1 and there be prosperous1 blossom gloriously4 ,it must be remembered that these predictions were delivered at a time when no human wisdom could foresee such an event4 ,when the ,church was founded in #ahcj1 there was no possibility--speaking from a mere human #djb point of view--of foreseeing her removal to the hills1 much less that she would be removed and prosper in the hills4 ,nor is there in the whole history of mankind anything analogous to this exodus of the ,church4 ,the probability1 speaking from a human point of view1 when the ,church was founded1 was either that she would be favored by the world and remain where she was1 or that she would be crushed on the spot by an immense hostility4 ,either of these two occurrences might have been considered probable at the time2 but none of them was predicted4 ,the ,church should blossom in the hills4 ,has not this prediction1 delivered half a century ago1 been remarkably fulfilled8 ,who can travel through the valleys of the mountains to-day1 among fragrant gardens and orchards1 and notice the friendly1 peaceful homes that everywhere smile upon the stranger1 or observe the condition of the ,saints1 without seeing that the predictions have come literally true8 ,zion now blossoms in the mountains4 ,the fulfillment of these predictions has not been brought about by man1 otherwise than in this way that ungodly men1 without their own knowledge1 were the instruments4 ,the ,saints were driven from place to place4 ,they went not with a calculation to fulfill prophecy1 but because they could not help themselves4 ,in the same way the ,jews and the ,romans fulfilled the predictions of our ,lord4 ,anyone who will honestly consider these facts will see that the events prominent in the history of the ,latter-day ,saints indelibly mark ,joseph ,smith as a prophet of ,god4 ,other predictions delivered by ,joseph the ,prophet concern the nations of the earth4 ,in #ahcb the following prediction was given3 ,for after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes1 that shall cause groanings in the midst of her1 and man shall fall upon the ground1 and shall not be able to stand4 ,and also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings1 and the voice of lightings1 and the voice of tempests1 and the voice of the waves of the sea1 heaving themselves beyond their bounds4 ,and all things shall be in commotion2 and1 surely1 men's hearts shall fail them2 for fear shall come upon all men4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 sec4 lxxvii1 lxxxix1 xci74 ,true1 this prediction has not yet in all its details been fulfilled2 still1 the events of the last ten years fully indicate that the time is drawing near when the testimony of thunders shall roll over the earth4 ,i refer to numerous calamities which the last years have witnessed4 ,earthquakes1 floods1 #djc storms1 fires1 conflagrations1 wars1 anarchy have filled the newspapers with horrible reading matter4 ,we need only remember the earthquake in ,charleston1 the overflow of the ,yellow ,river in ,china1 the conflagration of several theatres1 the riots in ,chicago4 ,so noted have these years been for calamities of every description that astrologers have pointed out that they were caused by certain planets which1 during the past years1 have had a peculiar position in relation to each other and to the earth4 ,be this as it may1 the fact remains that we live in a time of visitation--a visitation already foretold by ,joseph the ,prophet4 ,here1 again1 we see his words verified1 and he himself vindicated as a prophet of ,god4 ,another prediction1 the fulfillment of which is written in letters of blood on the pages of the history of the ,american nation1 cannot be contradicted4 ,in #ahcb ,god declared through ,joseph ,smith3 ,behold the ,southern ,states shall be divided against the ,northern ,states1 and the ,southern ,states shall call on other nations1 even the nation of ,great ,britain1 as it is called1 and they shall also call upon other nations1 in order to defend themselves1 and thus war shall be poured out upon all nations4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 sec4 lxxxvii1 #c74 ,concerning this war1 it was foretold that it should terminate in death and misery to many1 many souls4 ,also the place where the first shot was to be fired was foretold3 ,verily1 thus saith the ,lord1 concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass1 beginning at the rebellion of ,south ,carolina4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 sec4 lxxxvii1 #a2 cxxx1 #ab1 #ac47 ,these minute predictions were given at a time when people generally did not believe it possible for the ,united ,states to engage in a war with each other4 ,those acquainted with the sentiments that prevailed in ,america at that time1 all agree in this4 ,nay1 even when the report reached the ,northern ,states that their ,southern brethren had actually commenced the tragedy1 it was hard for the ,northern ,states to believe it4 ,there was no possibility at the time of ,joseph for human sagacity to foresee this war4 ,yet the despised prophet predicted it with a clearness not surpassed by ,isaiah or ,daniel4 ,did it come true8 ,did the war break out in ,south ,carolina8 ,was the slave question the casus belli8 ,did the ,southern ,states apply to other nations for help8 ,every particular came true1 and the world knows it1 even if it fails to acknowledge that all had been predicted years before it happened4 #djd ,it would be a reasonable supposition that the literal fulfillment of a prediction like this should be proof enough of the divine mission of the prophet4 ,or1 what is required of a true prophet8 ,is not that enough that his predictions are proved to be true8 ,in the case of ,isaiah1 ,jeremiah1 ,daniel1 ,john1 nothing more is required4 ,when we see that their predictions have come true we grant that they were true prophets4 ,must we1 then1 reverse every rule of logic in the case of ,joseph ,smith8 ,must we say his predictions have been fulfilled2 ergo he was a false prophet8 ,the absurdity of this is too great to need refutation4 ,we know that an objection has been raised that the prediction of the war did not come true in every particular--that the war was confined to the ,united ,states1 and was not poured out upon all nations4 ,to this objection we answer that1 in one sense1 it was poured out upon all nations4 ,the population of the ,united ,states consists1 as is well known1 of people from almost every nation under the sun1 and ,england1 ,germany1 ,france1 ,italy1 ,sweden1 ,denmark1 all were represented in the armies of that war4 ,all contributed to the death list in that long and fearful combat4 ,how much misery1 how much sorrow1 how many tears did that war cause far beyond the borders of the great republic1 when aged mothers and fathers1 and sisters and brothers in the old countries received the intelligence that a son or a brother was wounded or dead8 ,if we will consider this in all its consequences we will soon find that the expression1 ,war shall be poured out upon all nations is no idle figure of speech4 ,it is a stern fact4 ,thousands beyond the rolling waves of the ocean drank the bitter cup filled with the curse of that war4 ,understood in this way1 the prediction is literally fulfilled in all its details4 ,but it must also be remembered that we have not yet reached the last scene of the drama4 ,it is a grave question with some clear-seeing politicians to-day whether the slave question has yet reached its final solution4 ,if it has not1 we may yet see the prediction in question fulfilled in every particular4 ,the prediction itself plainly states that some time would elapse between the fulfillment of its various parts4 ,verse #c1 ,d,c #hg1 foretells that the war should be caused by the division of the ,united ,states into two great parties1 and that the ,southern ,states should call upon ,great ,britain2 and thus war should be poured out upon all nations4 ,then verse #d #dje explains that this should be continued after many days1 thereby that the slaves 7the negroes7 should rise up1 and also the remnant 7the ,indians71 and new wars1 new bloodshed take place4 ,the prophecy thus clearly marks two divisions1 the events of which are separated from each other by a period of many days1 or years2 for days in the prophetic language are always understood to mean years4 ,thus the prediction itself is plain4 ,it foretells the so-called ,war of the ,rebellion1 its subsequent result as well as its causes4 ,it further intimates that the question out of which it arose should be settled for many years1 but that again the flames of war should be kindled and spread wider than before4 ,the first part of this prediction has been fulfilled4 ,the second belongs to the future4 ,having thus removed the objection made to the prediction1 it may not be out of place to show that this way of putting close together1 in prophetical sentences1 events which are in time far separated from each other1 is common to prophetical writers4 ,in this respect the ,prophet ,joseph resembles the ancient prophets1 a fact which ought not to be the ground of objection4 ,isaiah1 speaking of the mission of ,christ 7chapter lxi1 #a-c71 says3 ,the ,spirit of the ,lord ,jehovah is upon me 99 99 to proclaim the year of acceptance of ,jehovah and the day of vengeance of our ,god4 ,christ1 in reading and expounding this text in ,nazareth1 reads to the middle of the verse1 closes the books and exclaims3 ,to-day this scripture is fulfilled in your ears4 7,luke iv1 #ba47 ,indeed1 with the coming of ,christ the year of acceptance of ,jehovah had come4 ,the first part of the verse was fulfilled1 but the second portion--the day of vengeance--was not yet4 ,thousands of years lie between the first part of this verse and the second4 ,so the ,prophet ,joel1 in his second chapter1 verses #bh-cb1 foretells in one sentence the wonders of the day of ,pentecost 7compares ,acts ii1 #af-ba7 and the great day of ,jehovah1 when no one can escape the judgments to come except those who take their refuge upon ,mount ,zion and in ,jerusalem1 events which are separated from each other by thousands of years4 ,the objection to the prediction of ,joseph ,smith is therefore no objection at all1 unless the ancient prophets must be rejected on the same ground4 ,on the contrary1 an honest investigation leads to the discovery that the very language of prophecy as delivered by the ,prophet of this dispensation is in harmony with ancient prophecies1 that they flow from one and the same source--the ,spirit of ,god4 #djf ,,direct ,,evidence4 ,with direct evidence1 theologians mean such evidence as is supplied by the miracles of the ,lord and his servants4 ,it is true that miracles are often appealed to as evidence of the divine mission of ,christ4 ,nicodemus says3 ,no man can do these miracles that thou doest except ,god be with him 7,john iii1 #b74 ,christ ,himself supports this view4 ,i have greater witness than that of ,john2 for the work which the ,father has given me to finish1 the same works that ,i do bear witness of me1 that the ,father hath sent me 7,john v1 #cf74 ,believe me that ,i am in the ,father1 and the ,father in me1 or else believe me for the very works' sake 7,john xiv1 #aa74 ,also3 ,but that ye may know that the ,son of ,man hath power on earth to forgive sins 7,he says to the sick of palsy71 ,i say unto thee1 ',arise1 and take up thy bed1 and go thy way unto thine house' 7,mark ii1 #aj1 #aa74 ,here1 clearly1 miracles are furnished as evidence of ,christ's divine mission4 ,but it must be remembered that the performance of miracles is not always a proof of divine authority4 ,the ,egyptian magicians worked several miracles1 it seems1 in the sight of ,pharaoh1 thereby turning his heart away from ,god4 ,the disciples of the ,pharisees at the time of ,christ also performed miracles4 ,they charged ,christ with the crime of being connected with the powers of darkness1 and that ,he by such aid cast out demons2 to which charge ,christ with holy indignation1 replies3 ,if ,i cast out demons with the aid of ,beelzebub1 by whom do your children cast out demons8 ,so that miracles were by no means something which ,christ claimed as his exclusive prerogative4 ,it has also been clearly foretold that anti-,christ should claim miraculous powers and thereby deceive many4 ,his coming is after the workings of ,satan with all power and signs and lying wonders 7,,ii ,thess4 ii1 #i74 ,and he doeth great wonders1 so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast 7,rev4 xiii1 #ac1 #ad74 ,from these passages it is clear that caution is needed in accepting this kind of evidence4 ,miracles may be evidence of the presence of ,god or the presence of anti-,christ4 ,nor is the performance of miracles always necessary to prove divine authority4 ,a man may be sent from ,god in order to fulfill a very important mission without having to #djg prove this by miracles4 ,thus ,john the ,baptist had a very important mission4 ,he came to prepare the way for the appearance of ,christ1 yet it is not known that he proved his mission by miracles4 ,it is true that ,christ and ,his ,apostles after ,him worked many striking miracles1 even the raising of the dead1 but these miracles were1 after all1 not so frequent as has sometimes been imagined4 ,those men of ,god did not touch everything with supernatural power1 healing every sick person they saw1 raising every dead one1 changing the common day occurrences of life into scenes matching the stories of the ,arabian ,nights4 ,not at all4 ,their miracles were comparatively scarce2 they were exceptional occurrences4 ,thus when ,paul was incarcerated in ,rome1 the cold prison walls forming but a poor shelter for his body during the winter1 and his resources probably being exhausted1 he asked ,timothy kindly to bring with him the cloak which ,paul had forgotten at ,troas1 at the house of one of the brethren1 called ,carpus4 7,,ii ,tim41 iv1 #ac74 ,the passage is as prosaic as it could possibly be1 and has nothing supernatural about it4 ,still more1 in the same chapter we hear ,paul diligently plead with ,timothy to come to ,rome to him1 for he was now alone4 ,all except ,luke had forsaken him1 and among other misfortunes was this--that he had had to leave ,trophimus sick at ,miletum4 ,erastus abode at ,corinth1 but ,trophimus have ,i left at ,miletum1 sick 7,,ii ,tim4 iv1 #bj74 ,sick8 ,why did not the great ,apostle cure him instead of leaving him sick8 ,if the ,apostles had been such miracle-makers as modern fancy has represented them to be1 an occurrence of this nature would have been impossible4 ,but this is not the only one recorded4 ,timothy1 one of ,paul's converts and fellow laborers1 is always spoken of in terms of high praise1 and he is a noble instance of eminent gifts and grace in one young in years4 ,this favorite of the apostle was sick1 however1 and in his letter ,paul therefor exhorts him to be careful about his health3 ,drink no longer water but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities 7,i ,tim4 v1 #bc74 ,let those who have overestimated the frequency of miracles at the time of the first ,christian churches1 consider this passage well1 and they will be likely to see their mistake4 ,here was a prominent man of the church1 himself possessing great spiritual gifts1 constantly suffering from infirmities4 ,here is the great ,apostle of the ,gentiles1 whose power always was great1 advising that prominent man to use a little medicine4 #djh ,why did he not promise him a miracle8 ,why8 ,that we do not know1 but this we do know1 that miracles were never by ,god strewn round1 plenty as black berries4 ,anyone who will study the miracles of our ,lord and his apostles1 will find that they were always performed for the glory of ,god1 and conveyed a lesson necessary and appropriate4 ,although individuals were thereby benefited1 yet this was not the only or ultimate aim4 ,christ1 for instance1 heals with a touch a man whom the law had pronounced unclean1 and whom no ,jew would touch4 ,he shows by ,his miracles that he is the ,lord over disease1 over demons1 over physical nature1 over brute creatures1 in order that we may have confidence in ,him in all things4 ,we see him forgiving sins1 answering prayers1 direct 7,mat4 ix1 #bj-bb71 intercessory 7#bc-bf71 united 7#bg-ca71 and even unuttered 7#cb-cc74 ,the same characteristics may be observed in the miracles of the apostles4 ,they were never performed for selfish purposes1 nor for the gratification of curiosity1 never for the sake of show4 ,the epistles explain that miraculous gifts1 including prophecy1 were given to confirm the truth of the ,gospel1 promote its rapid dissemination1 and edify the churches4 ,such miracles1 then1 are from ,god1 and may be relied upon as evidence of the truth of those revelations which they are intended to prove4 ,two questions now become appropriate in our investigation3 ,did miraculous manifestations follow the message of ,joseph the ,prophet1 and1 if so1 were these miraculous manifestations of such a nature as to warrant the conclusion that he had his power from ,god8 ,let us see4 ,in the year #ahcj the ,lord declared through ,his prophet3 ,and it shall come to pass that there shall be a great work in the land1 even among the ,gentiles 99 99 99 for ,i am ,god and mine arm is not shortened2 and ,i will show miracles1 signs and wonders1 unto all those who believe on my name2 and who shall ask it in my name in faith they shall cast out devils 7demons72 they ,i shall heal the sick2 they shall cause the blind to receive their sight1 the deaf to hear1 and the dumb to speak1 and the lame to walk4 ,the time speedily cometh when great things are to be shown forth unto the children of men 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 sec4 xxxv #g-aj47 ,here we have an unmistakably clear promise that miracles should attend the message of our ,prophet2 and this promise is repeated at other times4 ,but was this promise also kept8 ,were those great things shown unto the children of men8 ,or was the promise a false one8 #dji ,how could it be false8 ,this was one of the very first promises given4 ,when we remember how rapidly the ,church spread in those early days1 no other conclusion is possible than this3 that the promise given was also kept to the very letter4 ,men are not so foolish as to follow a man who promises great things and never keeps his promises4 ,this the ministers of the world have learnt1 wherefore they wisely abstain from promising any great things before the millennium1 possibly4 ,it is always convenient to have a future to draw on during present poverty4 ,but here is a man who1 contrary to most ministers of the world1 declares in the name of the ,lord that the time had now come for the manifestations of great things4 ,thousands heard this and believed1 in itself a sure proof that great things really were shown4 ,the sick were healed1 the blind received their sight1 the deaf heard1 the dumb spake and the lame walked4 ,at the time of ,joseph it was generally accepted1 even among the enemies1 as a fact that the ,prophet performed many great miracles4 ,we remember a romance from that time wherein ,joseph is represented as raising a dead lady4 ,of course1 the author of this romance explains it as humbug1 the apparent death being caused by a dose of morphine or something else4 ,other authors ascribe the works of the ,prophet to magnetism4 ,joseph ,smith1 they say1 knew the mysteries of magnetism and understood how to turn them to good account4 ,these efforts on the part of the enemies to explain or account for the miracles of the prophet are a proof as sure as any one can desire that he showed those great things which he promised to show in the name of the ,lord4 ,had there been nothing1 the enemies would have nothing to account for4 ,he did it through magnetism is the modern expression for3 ,he did it through ,beelzebub4 ,had ,joseph been an impostor1 how easily that could have been exposed4 ,here he promises that the sick should be healed by faith4 ,yet no attempt has been made to prove that the promise was never kept1 only that he kept it through magnetism6 ,the enemies well knew that such works followed the testimony of ,joseph the ,prophet1 works for which they could not account in the usual way4 ,as an instance of how commonly the enemies believed in ,joseph's power1 the following well-known incident may be referred to4 ,a man once came to the ,prophet and asked him to show a miracle4 ,it was not the ,prophet's way to make show of such works2 wherefore he positively refused4 ,but the man grew impertinent and abusive1 and talked lightly of #daj the work of ,god4 ,finally the prophet said in a voice which penetrated the soul of the miracle-seeking visitor3 ,you want a miracle4 ,tell me what you want4 ,do you want to be struck blind1 deaf or dumb8 ,in the name of the ,lord ,god ,i tell you1 you shall have it4 ,upon this the man left the presence of the prophet in a hurry4 ,now1 why did not this man stay and have a fair trial8 ,joseph promised him a miracle4 ,why did he not wait and get it8 ,simply for the reason that he dared not4 ,in common with all who knew ,joseph1 he was too well aware of the power of ,god through the ,prophet4 ,the enemies themselves are thus testifying to the fact that miracles attended this ,prophet4 ,orson ,pratt in his work has recorded a number of cases of wonderful healing4 ,nor are we referred exclusively to dead witnesses4 ,there are still living men and women in ,utah and elsewhere who were personally acquainted with the ,prophet1 and they are willing to testify1 to the last of the great works they have seen with their eyes and heard with their ears1 performed by the ,prophet4 ,moreover1 great works still continue4 ,to deny1 therefore1 that miraculous manifestations followed the message of ,joseph the ,prophet is to deny facts4 ,these miracles1 on the closest investigation1 will all be found to partake of the nature of genuine ,scriptural miracles4 ,their aim is the glory of ,god1 as they are always ascribed to ,him alone1 not to the power of man4 ,nor are they performed in order to glorify any one man1 or set of men4 ,they are performed as a confirmation of faith1 not to produce faith4 ,these points are important and instructive4 ,while the miracles of the ,catholic ,church appear to be either silly nonsense or worked in support of some notoriously false doctrine1 in order to gain proselytes1 or otherwise exhibit their spurious origin1 the miraculous manifestations following the ,church of ,christ exhibit no such marks4 ,their origin is divine1 and they bear the divine in arks in themselves4 ,like ,god's works in nature1 these miracles must be closely studied in order to be known in all their beauty4 ,the indifferent pass them by without notice4 ,there is nothing to show in them4 ,but this is one proof of their divine origin4 ,man always works in a showy way when left to himself2 ,god's ways are in the deep4 ,i have pointed out that true miracles are referred to as evidence of a divine mission4 ,we have proof that such miracles attended the message of ,joseph the ,prophet4 ,the conclusion #daa is therefore given4 ,he was a man sent from ,god1 and his message was divine4 ,when applied to ,christianity no one doubts the correctness of the conclusion1 if he believes in miracles at all2 but if the promises are granted and the conclusion accepted in the case of ,christianity1 what a fearful corruption of mind there must be in a man who can deny both premises and conclusion when the rule is applied to test the claims of ,joseph the ,prophet4 ,surely1 in order to be consistent1 we must either accept or reject both4 ,a third we do not see4 ,the evidence thus far considered is external and direct1 appealing to our senses4 ,another class of evidence remains which has been called internal4 ,applied to ,christianity this kind of evidence is thus explained3 ,if ,christianity is not of divine origin1 it must be a cunningly devised fable4 ,which is the most probable supposition8 ,internal evidence tries to answer that question4 ,the same process of reasoning by which this question is answered when applied to ,christianity can also be applied to the message brought by ,joseph the ,prophet4 ,if this message is not from ,god it must be from man2 it must be forged in order to deceive and must be termed the greatest fraud of the century4 ,it is either a divine truth or a diabolical lie4 ,tertium non est4 ,which is the more likely supposition8 ,in order to decide this question we must consider the moral precepts given by the messenger1 his own character1 and the character of those who receive it and profess to follow its precepts4 ,for it is very clear that any message which in itself is good and which also produces good results in the hearts and lives of men1 is not likely to be from the evil one4 ,what is good is from ,god4 ,was ,joseph the ,prophet a good man8 ,did he inculcate holy principles unto his fellow-men8 ,does the gospel he preached tend to make men holy8 ,if so1 his message must be from ,god4 ,,moral ,,evidence4 ,that the moral character of a man who professes to be a divine messenger is very important as an evidence of the truth of his message is admitted on all hands4 ,the following is the opinion of an eminent writer3 ,the character of ,christ is a wonderful proof of the divinity of the ,bible4 ,the ,hindoo cannot think of his ,brahmin saint other than possessing the abstemiousness and austerity which he admires in his living models4 ,the ,socrates of ,plato is composed of elements practically #dab ,greek1 being a compound of the virtues deemed necessary to adorn the sage4 ,a model of the ,jewish teacher might easily be drawn from the writings of the ,rabbis1 and he would prove to be the very deflection of these ,scribes and ,pharisees who are reproved in the ,gospel4 ,but in the life of our ,redeemer a character is represented which departs in every way from the national type of the writers1 from the character of all ancient nations1 and is at variance with all the features which custom1 education1 religion and patriotism seem to have consecrated as most beautiful4 ,four different authors have recorded different facts1 but they exhibit the same conception1 a conception differing from all they had ever witnessed or heard1 and necessarily copied from the same original4 ,moreover1 this glorious character1 while borrowing nothing from the ,greek1 ,indian or ,jew1 having nothing in common with established laws of perfection1 is yet to every believer a type of excellence4 ,he is followed by the ,greek1 though a founder of none of his sects1 revered by the ,brahmin1 though preached by one of the fisherman caste1 and worshiped by the red man of ,canada1 though belonging to the hated paleface4 ,this very striking picture of our ,savior is true in all its details4 ,in the ,gospels we see ,him described as holy 7,john vii1 xlvi1 li1 #h1 #df1 #aj1 #cb2 ,matt4 xxvi1 lix1 #bg1 #bc1 #bd2 ,luke xxiii1 #ac-de72 full of benevolence and compassion 7,john iv1 ,luke ix1 #ee2 x1 #cj-cg72 kindness and affection 7,matt4 xiv1 #bg-ca2 ,luke xix1 #e2 xli1 #bb-fa2 ,john xi2 xix1 #be-bg72 having meekness and humility 7,matt4 ix1 #bh1 xviii1 #bb72 moral courage1 firmness and resignation 7,matt4 xxvi1 #ci-df2 ,mark x1 #cb2 ,luke iv1 #bc2 ,john xi1 #g2 xviii1 #d72 abhorring hypocrisy and popularity 7,matt4 vi1 #a-ah2 x1 #af-ci2 xxii1 #ah2 ,mark xii1 #ch1 #dj2 ,luke xi1 #dd2 ,john xvi1 #a-af72 being moderate and free from enthusiastic austerity 7,matt4 viii1 #ai2 xxiii1 #bc2 ,luke v1 #bi1 #ce2 ,john ii1 #a2 ,mark xii1 #ag47 ,looking at all these characteristics of our ,savior1 so eminently good1 and hearing ,him solemnly declare that ,he has a message from ,god to man1 we feel bound to admit that ,he is no deceiver4 ,his words are true4 ,he is the ,son of ,god4 ,thus ,his character becomes an evidence4 ,now1 concerning the subject under consideration1 must we not also admit that ,joseph the ,prophet was a man sent from ,god1 when we find that his character is in perfect harmony with those qualities that are peculiar to a servant of ,god8 ,those who want to investigate this are referred to works #dac extant1 which treat on the ,life of ,joseph ,smith1 and ,i think any unprejudiced reader will feel impressed with the fact that ,joseph was a good man--a man of ,god4 ,how he urges holiness as the condition of happiness6 ,in his benevolence he seemed boundless1 embracing every race of humanity1 white1 red and black6 ,his kindness and affection are touching4 ,of meekness and humility he exhibits the most striking examples which shall ever be worthy of imitation4 ,the moral courage and firmness which prompted him to face a hostile world and to die calm as a summer morning1 must be admired4 ,his straightforwardness1 for which hypocrisy ever stood rebuked1 is well-known to his friends and acquaintances4 ,his whole career and the doctrines he taught are indisputable proofs that1 although he was inspired by a noble enthusiasm1 yet he was far from being what is called an enthusiast4 ,here1 then1 we find all the marks of a true disciple of ,christ1 proving1 if anything at all1 that ,joseph the ,prophet1 was a man of ,god4 ,his message must be therefore from ,god1 too4 ,we know that his antagonists have done all in their power to prove the bad character of the prophet4 ,but we also know what credit must be attached to slanderers inspired by bigotry and hatred4 ,were we to draw our information from such sources concerning ,christ himself1 we would have to reject even ,him1 the spotless ,lamb of ,god4 ,for the enemies did not fail to stain the character of ,christ4 ,he casteth out devils through ,beelzebub1 the chief of the devils 7,luke xi1 #ae47 ,say we not well that thou art a ,samaritan 7an infidel87 and hast a devil8 7,john viii1 #dh47 ,a special charge against ,jesus was that ,he was a drunkard 7,matt4 xi1 #ai71 and generally he was accused of being on intimate terms with sinners 7,luke xv1 #b71 by which term the ,jews understood outcasts1 reprobates1 the company of which was contaminating in its influences4 ,finally1 as is well known1 our ,savior was tried and condemned to death by the ecclesiastical authorities for blasphemy and by the civil court for treason4 ,must all this be believed8 ,certainly not4 ,we know that those charges were dictated by hatred4 ,neither must we believe what hatred has dictated against ,joseph the ,prophet4 ,after all1 the most diligent slanderers have not been able to bring anything against the ,prophet worse than was brought as a charge against the first ,christians4 ,when a great calamity befell the ,roman empire1 or a part thereof1 the ,christians were the originators4 ,pests and famines1 it was thought1 came #dad on account of the ,christians1 or even that the ,christians made them through secret exorcisms in their private meetings4 ,during the reign of ,nero1 ,rome was consumed by a conflagration that lasted for seven days4 ,five-sevenths of the city were laid in ashes1 including temples1 palaces and other monumental buildings4 ,although the embittered people had reason to believe that the emperor himself had caused the fire1 yet as soon as the report was started that the ,christians had done it1 this was willingly believed and a persecution broke out in which most of the apostles of our ,lord were cruelly put to death4 ,that the ,christians practiced bloody sins in their meetings1 that they killed and ate the children and that they plotted against the state were common charges4 ,but we know that these and similar accusations had no foundation in reality4 ,a very strong proof 7as anyone acquainted with human nature will admit7 that ,joseph the ,prophet was a man whose life corresponded with his teachings is the fact that those who knew him best from private intercourse with him were his most earnest admirers4 ,his wife1 his brothers1 his parents1 are all found among the first who joined the ,church4 ,how could this be if ,joseph the ,prophet had not in his daily life been a living witness to the fact that he really communicated with ,god8 ,this is well worth consideration4 ,a man who professes to have a divine message-must live accordingly or else stand rebuked as a liar before those who know him4 ,not less remarkable is the fact that even apostates testify to the truth of the claims of ,joseph4 ,thus ,david ,whitmer1 although his position towards the ,church in later years was not exactly a friendly one1 yet on being asked if he believed that ,joseph was a true prophet1 he invariably answered3 ,do ,i still believe that ,joseph ,smith was a divinely inspired prophet8 ,i know he was2 it is not a matter of belief1 and this testimony the old man has given to the world on his very death-bed4 ,considering all this1 we must conclude that the life of the prophet and the doctrines which he taught were in such harmony with each other as to impress his surroundings and friends with the fact that he was a man of ,god4 ,if so1 his message must be divine1 for no evil power could operate through a righteous person4 ,this kind of evidence1 however1 is more to be felt1 as it were1 than described4 ,its force on the mind will depend on the moral character of the investigator4 ,pure minds1 practical in holiness1 will feel its force stronger than other less pure #dae minds4 ,all will depend on those relationships of spirits of which even poets have dreamed4 ,the ,nathanael1 the ,israelite1 indeed1 in whom is no guile1 could feel in the mere presence of ,christ1 through the ,spirit1 that emanated from ,him1 that here was more than man1 and he had to exclaim1 ,rabbi1 thou art the ,son of ,god2 thou art the ,king of ,israel4 ,so will men whose hearts are pure1 in following ,joseph the ,prophet through his short but exceedingly eventful career1 certainly feel in their hearts that here is a messenger of ,god and perhaps sing with the poet3 ,we thank thee1 ,o ,god1 for a ,prophet1 ,to guide us in these latter days4 ,,peculiarities ,,of ,,the ,,message4 ,when ,christianity was introduced into the world it was brought in contact with many different religious and philosophical systems4 ,the ,romans were proud of their military glory1 the ,greeks of their superior wisdom4 ,among the ,jews a pharisaic spirit prevailed1 and the whole nation was divided in factions4 ,they mutually hated each other and all agreed in hating their ,roman oppressors and the gentile world at large4 ,a mere human teacher1 it has been justly said1 would under such circumstances have become either a partisan or have flattered each sect by exposing the faults of the rest1 or he would have endeavored to gain the favor of the nation by condemning their conquerors4 ,instances of this kind of ,bessermachen are not unheard of in our time among the ,christian world1 when all stress is often laid on one principle at the sacrifice of the rest4 ,but ,christ did not follow this course4 ,he stood up as an independent ,teacher1 rebuking all error1 condemning all the sects1 and yet taught principles contrary to the inclinations of the human heart4 ,hence1 ,christianity has several peculiarities of its own4 ,in opposition to an empty ritualism it teaches personal holiness as the condition of eternal happiness4 ,all men are alike brought before the bar of ,god4 ,even those who have been apostles and worked miracles will fall condemned if they be workers of iniquity4 ,it bids men return good for evil1 not to get even with everybody2 it instructs men to love their enemies1 to be humble and forgiving1 qualities which philosophers considered weaknesses instead of virtues2 it places every race and every station as on a level before ,god1 except for the free mercy of ,god1 whose choice has fallen upon one individual #daf or one section in preference to another4 ,such doctrines were acceptable to none1 and yet they are again and again repeated and enforced4 ,in the teachings of ,christianity1 moreover1 sin is always spoken of as transgression against ,god1 a contrast to the idea prevalent among the ,greek philosophers1 who taught1 according to ,cicero1 that the ,deity is never displeased1 nor does ,he inflict injury on man 7,de ,off4 iii1 #bh74 ,god is traced everywhere--in nature1 in history1 in revelation2 and as for men's acts1 they are traced to their very source in the human heart1 and there1 if evil1 condemned4 ,christianity does not content itself with condemning sin1 when already committed1 like every human law2 but it condemns the thought1 the feeling1 if not pure1 thus striking at the very root of sin4 ,well may we1 when we rightly understand these facts1 with the theologians exclaim3 ,it must be felt that the morality of the ,gospel is not of man4 ,bad men could not have taught such truths1 and good men would not have deceived the people4 ,but when we apply this great truth to the subject under consideration we reach the same conclusion4 ,the message delivered by ,joseph the ,prophet1 like ,christianity in its primitive purity1 has peculiarities of its own1 all of which prove it to be from ,god4 ,first of all1 let us consider the importance which this message attaches to faith4 ,while theologians of the world either give the pre-eminence to works1 like the ,catholics1 or like ,protestants1 give to faith a secondary place in their system1 here comes a young man and declares1 ,faith is the first principle of revealed religion1 and the foundation of all righteousness4 ,he gives to faith its right place as the very beginning of the new life1 the foundation of the structure4 ,where had he learnt this8 ,there is not a theological school within the sphere of our knowledge which has discovered this great truth4 ,men had for centuries been exhorted to repent first and then try to believe1 as if it were possible to produce repentance without faith4 ,or1 men were instructed to do good1 as if works could be meritorious without faith4 ,not only is faith placed in its right place1 but the definition of it is given strictly in harmony with ancient revelations4 ,faith is declared to be the only principle from which obedience and success can flow4 ,in relation to ,god faith is1 indeed1 a confession of our weakness and utter inability for everything that is good2 and yet1 as to success in all things pertaining to our #dag exaltation and glorification1 it is omnipotent4 7,see ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,lectures on ,faith74 ,now1 from whence had the youthful ,prophet this discovery taught in the ,bible1 but not understood by the world8 ,who had pointed out this great philosophical truth to him8 ,who but ,god4 ,nor is this all4 ,in the message delivered through ,joseph the ,prophet1 faith has been established on the only sure foundation ever given3 ,the ,word of ,god--,,revelation4 ,this was done at a time when almost everybody thought revelation a thing of the past4 ,no theologian in the whole wide world had discovered the great secret that faith must be based on a communication from ,god1 given not only to people who belong to antiquity1 but to the individual who is required to believe4 ,let everybody honestly investigate the real cause of the weakness of faith as it exists among men4 ,how is it that1 notwithstanding all preaching1 faith is almost extinct on earth8 ,it is this1 that people are required to believe only that which ,god said anciently4 ,this is the real cause4 ,we are so constructed that we cannot by any force of will take the same lively interest in what happened thousands of years ago as what happened to-day2 nor can we realize in the same way what happens to others as that which immediately concerns ourselves4 ,hence1 naturally1 all the preaching about what ,god revealed formerly has only a weak impression comparatively1 and it does not make the effect that it should4 ,the faith it produces is something as powerless as faith possibly can be4 ,in order to produce this1 preachers are under the necessity of resorting to all sorts of sentimental anecdotes1 death scenes1 war scenes1 dreams1 etc41 or even to drums and tambourines4 ,revivalists know the effects of these artificial methods and prefer them to the simple tale of ,him who died on ,golgotha--a proof of the poverty1 spiritually1 of the prevalent systems4 ,now1 how is this changed by the simple announcement3 ,god has spoken6 ,this at once stirs the whole world and the whole hell and something definitive comes out of that4 ,it produces either faith or condemnation4 ,where faith is the result it is a strong faith4 ,what gave the former-day ,saints the power to endure all for their religion8 ,what gave the ,prophet and his fellow martyrs power to endure all hardship and death at the hands of enemies8 ,this assurance3 ,god has spoken4 ,god has revealed ,his will4 ,such faith this assurance will always produce4 ,how had ,joseph the ,prophet come to discover this fundamental truth8 ,no ,catholic1 no ,lutheran1 no ,episcopalian1 #dah no ,presbyterian1 no ,methodist1 no ,baptist was in the position of teaching ,joseph this truth2 none but ,god4 ,let us further consider the great truth revealed in these last days concerning ,god4 ,while all the world1 as far as the influence of ,christianity is felt1 knows how to repeat the words of the prayer which our ,lord taught ,his disciples3 ,our ,father1 which art in heaven1 yet who has understood this one word ,father in its full meaning8 ,we call upon every honest1 believing soul in the whole world to inquire into his own mind and see whether this beautiful prayer before the days of ,joseph the ,prophet had any more significance than being a beautiful figure of speech8 ,or was there one single theologian who had understood that ,god really is what ,he teaches us to call ,him1 ,father8 ,if there be1 we are not aware of it4 ,but here comes a young man1 educated in no school1 formed according to no existent religious system1 and opens up to us an infinite view of eternities past and eternities to come by declaring that ,god is in reality our ,father1 that we are ,his children1 and that we are here for certain purposes1 which accomplished will bring us back to an eternal home1 in a circle of real brothers and sisters4 ,say1 ,o ye inhabitants of the world1 can this glorious truth emanate from anybody but ,god8 ,another peculiarity which marks this message is the importance it attaches to obedience to ,god4 ,by the prayer of your faith ye shall receive ,my law1 7,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 xli1 #c72 ,none shall be exempt from the justice and the laws of ,god 7,ibid1 cvii1 #hd72 ,verily1 ,i say unto you1 that in time ye shall have no king or ruler1 for ,i will be your ,king and watch over you2 wherefore hear ,my voice and follow ,me1 and ye shall be a free people1 and ye shall have no laws but ,my laws when ,i come1 for ,i am your law giver4 7,ibid1 xxxviii #ba1 #bb74 ,had ,joseph the ,prophet received his instructions from men he would have appointed a pope1 a bishop1 a presbytery1 a synod1 or something similar as the highest authority of the ,church1 but he did not4 ,for ,god alone obedience is demanded2 a proof that he was a messenger of ,god4 ,this will be better appreciated when it is considered that1 although obedience is required1 yet the liberty of man is fully preserved4 ,obedience is required1 but not from fear1 not from servitude1 but from free choice4 ,in looking over the history of the world we find that it has always been the great trouble of mankind to find the proper middle way in this respect4 ,nations have had their liberty1 but it has not been #dai possible to regulate this so as to give no room for abuses4 ,liberty has been perverted into lawlessness2 the people have been the victims of unprincipled agitators who1 under the cover of patriotism1 seduced and robbed the masses1 until the people1 tired of this liberty1 after many sufferings1 rose and laid the power down into the hands of a few1 or even of one1 preferring the chance of having one or a few public robbers to many thousands4 ,but as anciently ,scylla avoided1 ,charybdis was near1 so here4 ,what was once done as a safeguard against spoliation and lawlessness became in course of time a curse4 ,it developed into despotism4 ,the people suffered for centuries perhaps1 but finally the oppression becoming too great1 the burdens too heavy1 the people rose and crushed the tyrants under its weight4 ,freedom was again established1 and the progress in the circle again commenced4 ,for these two extremes1 equally dangerous1 despotism and licentiousness have always been the trouble with mankind4 ,now1 here comes a young man1 ,joseph the ,prophet1 who had studied no politics1 no history1 and teaches us a system by which both these extremes1 both these dangers are to be avoided1 how to obey without becoming serfs1 and at the same time to enjoy personal liberty1 without placing us in danger of licentiousness4 ,if ,god had not taught the prophet this ,doctrine of common consent1 who had8 ,who was his teacher8 ,another peculiarity1 not less marked1 is found in what might be called the rites observed in this last dispensation4 ,almost the entire world had lost the right form of baptism1 for instance1 and all had forgotten the true signification and use of that rite4 ,a man who had only human wisdom for guidance would under such circumstances probably have either disregarded the act altogether as a mere outward form or would have attached very little importance to it4 ,both these tendencies are found abundantly among ,christian professors4 ,but here comes a young man and teaches us not only the right form of baptism 7although this was the most unpopular one71 but also its true signification and its use both for living and dead4 ,looking at baptism1 the doctrine of gathering1 the temple services1 all the rites revealed through ,joseph the ,prophet1 as an acceptable worship1 we must ask3 ,is it possible that all this is from men8 ,is it likely that a deceiver would have taught doctrines so unpopular1 so little calculated to gain public favor8 ,we think not4 ,when a man wants to deceive he must follow popular roads1 flatter the vanity of the masses1 #dbj yield to their prejudices and establish himself on the very ground of their ignorance4 ,advanced truth1 truth trampled under the feet of men1 always comes from ,god4 ,people who know the religious observances here spoken of only from representations given by a hostile press1 where everything is ridiculed1 cannot1 of course1 appreciate the force of the proof they convey4 ,but every one who is familiar with these to the ,latter-day ,saint's peculiar rites1 and who understands that their sole object is to teach the people ,holiness to the ,lord--any one who shall consider that similar means were adopted under the grand ,mosaic dispensation in order to impress the people then living with this same lesson1 ,holiness to the ,lord1 and any one who perceives how wonderfully well these rites1 in every detail1 are calculated to impress this very idea1 that without holiness no one can see the ,lord1 he will feel in the contemplation of all this that here surely is the wisdom of ,god revealed to man4 ,no analysis1 however1 can do full justice to this subject4 ,it must be felt and realized in the experience of man in order to be appreciated4 ,in conclusion1 like ,scripture itself1 the message of ,joseph the ,prophet begins its work with a recognition of our fall1 our total ruin2 it then brings the soul into harmony with ,god and with itself2 it enlightens and educates the conscience1 quickens and purifies the feeling1 subjects instinct to reason1 reason to love1 and all to ,god4 ,it provides us with ample means for reaching happiness never dreamt of1 worlds without end4 ,hence1 the conclusion necessarily follows that the man who taught us this must himself have been a scholar of ,god4 ,,effects ,,of ,,the ,,doctrines4 ,when investigating the claims of a religious system it becomes necessary also to consider the effects which such a system produces in the lives and characters of those who embrace it1 as well as its general influence4 ,if a tree is known by its fruits1 so are also doctrines4 ,those that produce good fruits cannot be evil4 ,it is1 therefore1 customary to refer to the effect of the gospel in the first part of our era as an evidence of the truth of its claims4 ,these effects are well-known and worthy of consideration4 ,paul points out that some of the ,corinthians had been fornicators1 adulterers1 thieves1 drunkards1 previous to their embracing the gospel2 but now they were washed1 sanctified1 and justified 7,i ,cor4 vi1 #aa74 ,peter speaks of some of the converts as having once been walking in lasciviousness1 #dba lusts1 excess of wine1 revelings1 banquetings1 and abominable idolatries 7,i ,peter iv1 #c74 ,but these sinners who lived in a dissolute age and under the worst of governments1 became converted1 became eminent in virtue above their fellowmen4 ,this eminence is acknowledged by all unprejudiced writers of the age4 ,clement of ,rome 7,a4 ,d4 #ajj7 says3 ,who did ever live among you that did not admire your sober and moderate piety and declare the greatness of your hospitality8 ,you are humble and not proud1 content with the daily bread which ,god supplies1 hearing diligently ,his word1 and are enlarged in charity4 ,justin ,martyr 7,a4 ,d4 #afe71 formerly a ,platonic philosopher1 says3 ,we who formerly delighted in adultery1 now observe the strictest chastity2 we who used the charms of magic have devoted ourselves to the true ,god1 and we who valued money and gain above all things now cast what we have in common1 and distribute to every man according to his necessities4 ,it has been supposed that the ,united ,order of which we read1 and which was founded in ,jerusalem at the commencement of the ,church1 very soon collapsed4 ,but1 judging from this expression of ,justin1 it appears that that order still existed more than one hundred years after ,christ4 ,minucius ,felix1 to a heathen opponent1 says3 ,you punish wickedness when it is committed4 ,we think it sinful to indulge in a sinful thought4 ,it is with your party that the prisons are crowded1 but not a single ,christian is there1 except it be as a confessor or apostate4 ,the influence of the gospel was gradually felt among the heathen nations who heard it4 ,in ,greece1 men like ,lycurgus and ,solon had encouraged impurities4 ,at ,rome they were openly practiced and approved2 and nearly all ancient nations are said to have commended self-murder4 ,human sacrifices and the exposure of children were allowed4 ,but wherever the gospel was preached and believed all such practices were condemned and finally destroyed4 ,that this was not the work of civilization1 but of the gospel1 may be gathered from the fact that it was nations far above the humble ,christians in refinement and education1 who committed the greatest outrages4 ,suppression of sin never keeps pace with the progress of civilization1 but with the triumph of the gospel4 ,another effect of the gospel was the many charitable institutions that always followed in its track4 ,the relief of distress and the care of the poor are peculiar to ,christianity4 ,the gospel1 if rightly understood1 would have already abolished the horrors of war1 prevented slavery1 put down feudal #dbb oppression1 made all men brethren4 ,for such are its doctrines1 that when once understood and practiced1 they will naturally exterminate all miseries of the human family4 ,these effects are truly wonderful1 and may justly be appealed to as evidences of the truth of the gospel4 ,but are such effects less strong evidence of the divine origin of the message of ,joseph the ,prophet1 when it can be proved that they invariably follow the acceptance of this message8 ,we think not4 ,here are facts open to the inspection of everybody4 ,we need not refer to a bygone antiquity to ascertain the effects of this message upon the people who have accepted it4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints live to-day and their works may be scanned by all4 ,every honest investigator will find that the fruits produced to-day1 as seen among the ,latter-day ,saints1 are precisely the same as those which were seen among the early ,christians1 and to which we have above briefly referred4 ,we do not say that everyone who professes to be a ,latter-day ,saint is an evidence of the divinity of the gospel4 ,nor was every individual who professed ,christianity an evidence of its truth4 ,on the contrary1 many1 even in the apostolic age1 showed by their deeds that they were nothing but professors2 and it is clearly not the profession that is the main feature4 ,a man may profess to be what he is not4 ,nor do we contend that the ,latter-day ,saints1 considered as a religious community1 are the best people on the earth4 ,this is not for us to decide2 nor is that our present question4 ,the ,saints may be the best people1 taken as a whole1 or they may not2 yet in their present stage of development they have reached a high standard of excellence that is most desirable4 ,this1 however1 does not affect our present argument4 ,what we do contend1 and what we urgently invite everybody to ascertain for themselves1 is this3 that the message delivered through ,joseph the ,prophet1 when accepted and honestly carried out in practice1 has a tendency to change men for the better and produce fruits of faith1 hope and charity1 thus proving its divine origin by its fruits2 for no deceptive fraud could produce these fruits4 ,this is what we contend4 ,facts speak for themselves4 ,we live in an age when social questions threaten to blast society to its very foundations4 ,where in the whole world have these questions found their only possible solution to the satisfaction of all parties concerned8 ,not among the various religious bodies of the world2 not among the capitalists1 nor among the anarchists1 communists1 socialists1 or nihilists1 but #dbc among the ,saints4 ,over the thresholds of their peaceful homes these troublesome questions--ghosts at the appearance of which the world trembles--cannot enter4 ,in the valleys of the mountains they are unknown1 and must remain so as long as the ,gospel is being carried out in practice4 ,again1 who has solved the question of the true relation between the sexes1 at once assigning to marriage its divinity of origin and eternal importance1 thereby checking the waves of sin which inundate the world1 and securing happiness to all8 ,we answer3 ,the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,one of the first fruits seen as the result of their doctrines is absolute purity4 ,further1 who fills the prisons as criminals8 ,not the ,latter-day ,saints1 but outsiders1 those who habitually speak of the degradation of the ,mormons2 those ,christian associates give the stuff that contributes to the filling up of the prisons--a fact which of itself ought to be enough to convince the whole world of the divine origin of the message delivered through ,joseph the ,prophet4 ,it is clear that doctrines which are strong enough to keep humanity from committing crimes--to which every human heart is more or less inclined--must be from ,god4 ,it may be asked1 who fills the saloons and gambling hells8 ,who swears and lies and slanders8 ,who is proud and vain1 lazy and filthy8 ,no one who has accepted the ,gospel in reality--no ,latter-day ,saint4 ,the ,saints are1 as such1 temperate1 industrious1 humble1 clean1 loving1 forbearing1 long-suffering1 rejoicing1 fearing ,god2 in short1 bearing the fruits of righteousness4 ,such virtues the ,gospel enjoins and such fruits always accompany its real acceptance4 ,could we speak of all the cases where men who were in every respect worldly1 walking in sin1 accepted the ,gospel and became changed in every respect1 this evidence would1 indeed1 amount to demonstration4 ,thousands are our witnesses to these facts--men who were fallen1 on their way down to ruin and hell--families who have been happy by the restoration of their fallen ones to virtue1 to society and to ,god4 ,finally1 has the world exhibited any nobler examples of self-sacrificing faith1 of firmness and endurance under suffering and persecution than have many of those despised followers of the martyred ,prophet8 ,true1 persecution has been raging against the ,saints2 but1 like the palm tree1 which is said to grow all the higher the more weight there is placed thereon1 they have stood firm2 in persecution they have been patiently enduring1 knowing #dbd that1 after all1 ,god is the ,supreme ,ruler1 and with this knowledge they have faced all adversity calmly and risen through their faith and hope far above the plots of those who know not ,god4 ,such1 then1 are the effects of the message under consideration4 ,well may we ask3 ,is it possible that such noble fruits of faith1 hope and charity could be produced from anything that men could invent8 ,an honest inquirer must answer in the negative1 ,the fruit of the ,spirit is love1 joy1 peace1 longsuffering1 gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness1 temperance 7,gal4 v1 #bb1 #bc71 and it is evident1 therefore1 that where these are found the ,spirit of ,god is manifested4 ,here1 then1 we again arrive at the same conclusion3 ,joseph the ,prophet was sent from ,god4 ,if he was not1 his whole career would be an enigma1 and his work the most profound of mysteries4 ,then we would have the problem of a man working a system of peculiar doctrines for the salvation of mankind1 a religion producing the fruits of the ,spirit in accordance with the ,gospel of ,christ2 and all this through whom8 ,through mere human wisdom8 ,or1 shall we say through the devil8 ,can any rational man for a moment think that the devil1 even if he felt so inclined1 could frame a moral system the effects of which upon men would be purity and holiness8 ,the idea is so absurd that it is hardly worthy even of suggestion1 and yet the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,lamb has suggested that the faith of the ,mormons is possibly due to demoniacal influence--a theological possibility which the reverend gentleman may have from studying the theology of the ,pharisees1 who were perplexed at the manifestations of the power of ,god in ,christ4 ,no honest man1 however good an opinion he may have of the devil1 can honestly believe the adversary of ,god capable of making men holy and virtuous4 ,nor is it possible for mere human wisdom to do it without the aid of ,god4 ,our only alternative is to acknowledge the hand of ,god1 and humbly bow in obedience to the message delivered through ,joseph the ,prophet4 ,,spiritual ,,evidence4 ,stronger than any of the evidences thus far considered is another kind of evidence which may be called spiritual1 being the testimony of the ,holy ,spirit in the soul4 ,this testimony has been promised to every one who is willing to do the will of ,god4 #dbe ,when the ,holy ,spirit enlightens and operates upon the heart and mind of man1 he is made to perceive intuitively1 as it were1 the perfect truth of the message of which we speak4 ,having received this testimony1 a man is no longer dependent upon demonstrations for his belief4 ,his eyes are opened2 he can see for himself4 ,what a miserable existence we should have on this earth if everything had first to be proved to us before we would accept it as truth4 ,we see that the sun shines2 we hear the harmony of music2 we feel or we are conscious of our existence4 ,such facts we do not require anybody to prove to us4 ,so is it when our spiritual nature has been quickened and called into activity by the operations of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,we see the kingdom of heaven2 we feel and are conscious of its blessings through our spiritual senses4 ,this is the testimony of the ,spirit in our soul1 and the strongest evidence that can be produced4 ,when we are told through the ,gospel that ,ye have strayed from ,mine 7,god's7 ordinances1 and broken ,his everlasting covenant1 and that every man walketh in his own way1 we feel this to be true4 ,when the word of revelation declares that men stand incriminated before the bar of ,god1 not only for the acts of transgression1 but also for a deep and inveterate habit of ungodliness in the innermost recesses of the soul1 we feel this to be so4 ,if man1 when honestly searching himself1 found that1 after all1 he is good enough1 and his desire is to serve ,god1 to keep ,his commandments2 that his highest anxiety is to promote not his own interests but the kingdom of ,god1 then he might feel that the message which depicts man as a sinner1 outwardly and inwardly1 is not from ,god4 ,but through the aid of the ,spirit he feels the truth of the ,gospel when it condemns sin1 and is 7with the ,prophet7 led to acknowledge the corruption of human nature1 as such4 7,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #ib47 ,this is not all4 ,through the same ,spirit he is led to feel that the provisions made through the ,gospel are more than sufficient to restore himself and the human family at large1 and even inanimate creation1 to all its original beauty and glory4 ,is man guilty8 ,here is the pardon provided4 ,is he corrupt8 ,here is provision made for his edification4 ,is he surrounded by temptation8 ,here is divine strength imparted unto him4 ,is he surrounded by problems1 many of which he cannot solve8 ,is he dying and fears a coming eternity8 ,has he lost his dearest upon earth1 and feels as if life itself were lost8 ,oh1 here are remedies for all wants4 ,here is a ,gospel #dbf that opens the eternities to the eye once dim by tears1 perhaps1 and for the views the soul here perceives1 all earthly troubles vanish like a light cloud1 and the following words of ,paul become clear3 ,for ,i reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy1 to be compared to the glory which ,shall be revealed to us4 7,rom4 viii1 #ah74 ,thus it is observed that the message given is precisely what we in our fallen condition wanted1 and1 let us say1 what we might expect from a merciful ,father4 ,to this comes also that the experience of the believer in the message harmonizes exactly with the promises or threatenings accompanying it4 ,joseph the ,prophet frequently told what would be the experience of those who would be faithful and of those who would not be faithful to their covenants made with ,god4 ,each promise of blessing to the faithful1 each warning to the unfaithful1 is a prediction1 the fulfilment of which adds to the strength of the testimony4 ,this experience grows with our growth1 and multiplies with every step of our progress in the knowledge and love of truth4 ,it must be added1 however1 that this spiritual and experimental evidence is of value only to the believer1 who already enjoys the testimony4 ,but to him it is sufficient were it even alone4 ,he cannot sometimes understand that it is possible for anyone to doubt what he himself already feels1 sees1 and perceives to be true4 ,he has the witness within himself and needs no other2 for he knows that ,joseph the ,prophet was a man sent from ,god1 just with the same degree of certainty and in the same way that he knows ,jesus is the ,christ4 ,,concluding ,,remarks4 ,the several evidences now considered are indeed important enough to establish the claims of ,joseph ,smith1 and all taken together are overwhelming4 ,we have seen the ,prophet stand forth1 a man whose desire was to be just1 true1 and righteous1 and we have heard him proclaim his message3 ,thus saith the ,lord4 ,we have seen that the ancient prophecies predict that such a messenger should come just about the time of ,joseph2 we have proved that ,joseph showed his authority from ,god by miracles and prophecies2 that his message bears peculiar internal marks of divine origin1 produces fruits of righteousness in the believers1 and is accompanied by that testimony of the ,spirit which ,god alone can give4 ,to deny the divinity of the message1 or the divine authority of the messenger1 in view of this overwhelming #dbg evidence1 seems to be nothing short of total blindness1 or something much worse4 ,we do not claim that by each one of these evidences1 nor by all together1 all objections are answered1 all difficulties are removed4 ,to prove religious truth above a possibility of objection is beyond the possibilities of this earth4 ,in religious matters1 as in others1 our views must necessarily be limited and dimmed by mists4 ,nor is it necessary1 or even desirable1 that all difficulties should be removed4 ,were there no difficulties any longer1 were everything clear even to a mere worldly mind1 religion would no longer be religion1 for there could be no room for the exercise of faith4 ,faith is1 indeed1 after all the very moving power of practical religion4 ,it is therefore clear that difficulties must exist so that faith may be exercised4 ,it is so with ,christianity at large and the ,bible itself4 ,difficulties exist great enough to strengthen1 by exercise1 the faith of the believer1 and to become stumbling blocks to those who do not want to believe4 ,we are finite4 ,could we expect that ,god1 when talking about matters of infinite interest1 should always have that to say which we can understand in every particular1 thus leaving no difficulties8 ,certainly not4 ,concerning the ,bible1 an eminent theologian of our own time has said3 ,we can dispense with nothing1 not even the difficulties4 ,every element 7the apparent discrepancies among the rest7 is essential to the force of the whole4 ,but this important truth applies just as much to the message delivered through ,joseph the ,prophet4 ,we can dispense with nothing in it1 not even the apparent difficulties which follow it4 ,suppose that ,joseph had given a code of laws or system of theology in which everything was plainly demonstrated like a handbook in geometry1 having every idea defined1 every step proved4 ,who would have believed such a work to have emanated from the ,spirit of ,god8 ,would it not have carried with it a suspicion on its very surface8 ,for ,god never before worked in that way4 ,in nature everything is apparently huddled together without system4 ,to man it has been given to arrange ,god's works in nature into classes1 genera1 and species1 thereby encountering many difficulties but also learning what otherwise could not be learned4 ,the same arrangement we find in the ,bible4 ,principles1 maxims1 doctrines are given without regard to system1 sometimes in plain words1 sometimes in narrative or parables4 ,to man it has been given to search diligently and arrange the facts presented into a system4 ,now1 when we find that the message #dbh of ,joseph the ,prophet partakes of the same characteristics as ,god's works in nature and in revelations recorded in the ,bible1 this fact is certainly more in favor of the message than otherwise4 ,the very difficulties are evidence of its divine origin4 ,there is also this peculiarity3 that the more we learn of the ways of ,god1 the wider our horizon becomes4 ,that is1 we see and understand more2 at the same time1 we perceive that there is more to comprehend beyond4 ,ever more2 or as ,pascal puts it3 ,the last step of reason is to know that there is an infinitude of things which surpasses it4 ,when a man has learned to acknowledge this1 there are no longer any real difficulties to him in connection with the message sent from ,god4 ,they are all more or less solved4 ,some are cleared by diligent research and study2 others are perceived by faith to melt into unity and harmony when they can be traced back to their first sources and studied in the light which flows from the throne of ,god4 ,our investigation is finished4 ,we have seen that the same evidences which are thought sufficient to establish the truth of the claims of the ,gospel as preached in early ages1 apply with equal force to the message delivered through ,joseph the ,prophet4 ,thousands upon thousands are willing to bear their testimony that they know this to be so4 ,what can we do better than accept it8 ,if true--and how can it be otherwise--what an awful thing to reject it6 ,no less interests than life and salvation are at stake4 ,when ,god speaks1 our greatest wisdom is clearly to hear and obey4 ,let the mountains shout for joy and all ye valleys cry aloud1 and all seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your eternal king4 ,and ye rivers and brooks and rills flow down with gladness4 ,let the woods1 and all the trees of the field praise the ,lord1 and ye solid rocks weep for joy4 ,and let the sun1 moon and morning stars sing together1 and let all the sons of ,god shout for joy4 ,and let the eternal creation declare ,his name for ever and ever4 7,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cxxviii1 #bc74 #dbi ,,pioneer ,,sketches--,,utah ,,in #ahej4 ,,by ,,elder ,,james ,h4 ,,martin1 ,,in ,,the ,,contributor1 #ahij4 ,it is very difficult for young men born in ,utah1 and still more so for those who have immigrated from other countries1 to understand how ,utah1 with its fair valleys1 which now bloom as a garden1 could ever have been so barren and desolate as they have heard the old pioneers describe it4 ,now1 look where they may1 they see beautiful homes1 lovely fields and orchards2 majestic shade trees and waving meadows4 ,is it possible1 say they1 this beautiful scene could ever have been the dreary waste we have heard our fathers describe8 ,it is even so1 and the writer1 in whose memory those scenes are still fresh1 will endeavor to illustrate by a few reminiscences4 ,it was on the #bbnd of ,july1 #ahej1 that on my way to the ,california gold fields ,i first entered the valley of ,great ,salt ,lake1 but it seems as if 'twere yesterday4 ,as our little company of a half dozen wagons1 emerged from the mouth of ,parley's ,canyon1 a vast expanse of gray desert met the eye1 livened only by a growth of stunted sunflowers upon the slopes of benches at the foot of the mountains4 ,gray1 gray1 everywhere2 nothing but the bluish gray of sage-brush and greasewood covered the whole face of the land4 ,not an acre of meadow or green grass to be seen anywhere2 the only green visible1 being a thin line of willows along the ,jordan1 or the small streams flowing into the valley from the mountains4 ,we saw squaws among the sunflowers with baskets and paddle in hand1 beating the sunflower seeds into their baskets2 the seed ground between two flat stones into a coarse meal1 forming material for their only kind of bread4 ,the ,indians cultivated no land1 but subsisted upon game1 fish1 sunflower seeds and roots2 and when grasshoppers and crickets were plentiful1 they gathered them by the bushel and baked them for future use in pits1 which they dug in the ground and heated by fires made in them4 ,sometimes the poor natives had not even this to eat1 and to preserve life1 #dcj had to subsist upon the inner bark of cedar and juniper1 and seed bearing grasses4 ,although the scene upon entering the valley of the ,great ,salt ,lake was desolate in the extreme1 away in the distance was a sight that gladdened the eye and caused tears of joy to flow from more than one of our party4 ,for months had we toiled slowly onward1 living upon bacon and flour--flour and bacon--month after month4 ,and now1 we thought as we saw the distant houses1 now we may get something good to eat--some milk1 butter1 green vegetables6 ,what luxuries6 who can appreciate such things until long deprivation has made them precious8 ,we drove through the scattered town of small one-story adobe or log dwellings1 but saw nowhere a sign displayed to indicate store1 grocery or other place of business4 ,i afterward found there were a few small second hand stores in town2 one on ,emigration street1 as ,fourth ,south was then called2 one east of ,president ,young's block2 and one or two in other places1 but none on ,main street1 which at that time was lined on both sides by a simple pole fence4 ,no shade trees or orchards were to be seen2 if any fruit trees had been planted they were too small to be casually noticed4 ,some tall native cotton woods stood along the south branch of ,city ,creek1 which ran southerly through the lot formerly owned by ,general ,wells4 ,the other branch of the creek ran westward1 through the ,temple ,block1 and thence found its way to the ,jordan4 ,the ,old ,fort on the present ,sixth ,ward1 or ,pioneer ,square1 was still inhabited by families who had not yet been able to build upon their own lots4 ,everybody was busy--no loafers standing about--every man engaged in the mighty work of building a new state in the midst of the desert4 ,and every man was a farmer4 ,food is the most important requisite of life2 people may and do live without clothing or comforts1 but food they must have or soon they die4 ,so every man's great desire seemed to secure food for himself and family--a desire sharpened by the sufferings of the infant colony during the two previous years of partial famine4 ,one thing struck a stranger as very odd--the sight of money disdained and refused in making trade4 ,for instance1 ,i buy some butter or vegetables1 and offer money for it--,can't you let me have some sugar1 sir1 or some dried apples1 instead of money8 ,i answered that we have a little of such articles left--hardly enough to last us to ,california1 and again offer the cash4 ,oh1 do let us have a little dried fruit2 it is so long since ,i had any6 ,and so we found there #dca are things more desirable than money4 ,this was a common experience during the summer of #ahej--money refused1 and better pay--food--demanded4 ,it may be different in ,utah today4 ,other things--strange things--were noticed by our party4 ,not an oath was heard from any of the ,mormon settlers2 and if a ,gentile uttered one1 he did so carefully1 as we understood a man was liable to a fine for swearing4 ,not a drunken man could be seen--for there were no drinking hells allowed until ,gentile ,christianity forced them upon the people4 ,and there were no houses of ill fame until the same corrupt but overpowering force introduced and sustained them4 ,why1 said they1 you must be like other people--you must have all these things4 ,they judged ,mormons by themselves4 ,no one thought to fasten a door at night--there were no thieves2 and a woman might pass through the streets alone at any hour of the night with perfect safety4 ,is it so today8 ,if not1 is it ,mormonism or its opposite that has wrought such a woeful change8 ,there is no doubt as to the answer4 ,a few settlers lived in ,davis county1 and some where ,ogden now stands2 also at ,provo and its surroundings in ,utah county4 ,the country about ,bountiful--now so rich and productive--then lay an open waste1 covered only by a short1 stunted growth of sage and greasewood1 and to all human appearances seemed utterly worthless4 ,as the writer rode over it in those days he would not have taken a mile square of it as a gift4 ,what was it good for8 ,it would produce nothing--not even grass--without water1 and there was no water for it4 ,yes1 says the reader1 but there is water for it now2 why not then8 ,i will tell you4 ,when the ,latter-day ,saints settled ,utah they blessed the land by authority of the ,holy ,priesthood1 that it should be fertile2 and they blessed the waters1 that they should increase4 ,the ,almighty heard1 approved and verified their words4 ,that is the reason in a nutshell2 that explains the great change that has taken place since ,utah ,was first settled2 a change well known to all the old pioneers4 ,i hear ,president ,kimball1 one day1 when1 in the spirit of prophecy1 say3 ,as the need for water increases among the people1 so shall the waters increase from this time forth4 ,write it down if you like1 for it is true4 ,i heard his words and recorded them1 and now testify to their truth1 as shown by almost forty years' experience since the words were spoken4 ,the waters in ,utah have increased4 ,small rivulets1 dry in summer1 have become steady streams1 and much larger1 and large streams have grown larger4 ,springs #dcb have broken out where they never existed before1 as the writer knows by personal observation4 ,in the spring of #ahea ,i went to where ,payson now stands1 selected a farm and proposed to settle4 ,at that time--,march #ajth--not a house had been erected1 but some were being built of logs1 by seven families lately arrived4 ,making known to them my intention1 ,i was answered3 ,oh1 yes1 you may have all the land you want1 but not water4 ,we claim all the water1 and there is not enough for us4 ,and so ,i went down to ,iron county4 ,water at ,payson was scarce2 the whole stream would have run in a ditch two feet wide or less4 ,how many people live in and around ,payson now8 ,hundreds1 if not thousands1 and all have water4 ,so it has been all through ,utah4 ,i remember on one occasion while traveling in southern ,utah1 in company with ,apostles ,george ,a4 ,smith and ,amasa ,lyman1 we stopped for lunch one day at a small spring which oozed from a bank1 ran a few yards and disappeared in the sand--the only water for miles around4 ,and this is how we got water to drink3 ,one sat beside the spring with spoon and tin cup1 dipping a spoonful at a time until the cup was full4 ,years afterwards1 ,i passed that place again1 and found to my astonishment1 five families living there1 all supplied from the same spring1 with water enough for gardens and fruit trees4 ,many similar examples might be noted1 had we space4 ,for years after ,utah was settled the country was considered the very worst4 ,president ,young used to say it was a good country for the ,saints to live in1 for1 said he1 no one else would or could inhabit it4 ,for years it required constant persuasion from the ,presidency and ,twelve to keep people from wandering away to more favored lands1 and nothing but the wonderful faith of the people retained them4 ,in spite of all1 many did go away1 each year1 feeling as if their hardships were more than they could bear4 ,but the great majority remained1 sustained by faith without parallel in the history of any people4 ,more than a thousand miles from the ,missouri river2 surrounded on all sides by powerful1 unconquered tribes of bloodthirsty savages2 poor1 plundered of their all by ruthless ,christian foes in ,missouri and ,illinois2 hated and despised by all the world2 what but suffering and death could they expect in their isolated desert home8 ,their clothing would soon wear out1 their ammunition needed for self-defense would soon be expended1 and all this would require a year's journey to replace4 ,but they could at least raise bread4 ,no1 says #dcc ,col4 ,bridger and other long residents there1 you can't raise anything here4 ,frost every month in the year4 ,he said he would give one thousand dollars for the first bushel of corn they could raise1 and felt secure in his offer4 ,but the ,saints did conquer the desert1 by the blessing of ,him who rules all things2 and their achievements in founding a prosperous commonwealth as they did1 in the face of almost insurmountable difficulties1 will yet be pointed to as some of the most remarkable upon record4 ,the silly babble indulged in by some of the enemies of the ,mormons--that ,utah was desirable in the beginning--fertile1 abounding in water and verdant meadows--can only bring a smile to the pioneer who remembers things as they were then4 ,today ,utah is a garden2 but it has become so by the blessing of the ,almighty upon the untiring1 ,herculean toils of the ,latter-day ,saints1 who had faith in ,god and trusted their leaders4 ,their faith1 so steadfast and sublime1 is called by the world fanaticism2 but the ,saints know in whom they trust1 and have no fears as to the future of ,zion4 ,the fires of persecution and the blows of their enemies have the same effect upon them as the flame of the forge1 the anvil and the blacksmith's sledge1 upon the heated steel1 solidifying and shaping and tempering it more perfectly4 ,and if some cannot endure the ordeal1 but fly off like the sparks under the hammer1 it is only an evidence that the remainder1 purified from dross1 is more coherent and stronger than ever4 ,ever keep in exercise the principle of mercy1 and be ready to forgive your brother on the first intimation of repentance4 --,joseph ,smith1 ,the ,prophet4 #dcd ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 ,,its ,,priesthood1 ,,organization1 ,,doctrines1 ,,ordinances ,,and ,,history4 ,,by ,,elder ,,john ,,jaques4 ,,priesthood4 ,in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints there are two ,priesthoods--the ,melchisedek1 and the ,aaronic1 the latter including the ,levitical4 ,the ,melchisedek is the higher ,priesthood1 comprising apostles1 patriarchs1 high priests1 seventies1 and elders1 and holds the right of presidency1 with the authority to administer in all or any of the offices1 ordinances1 and affairs of the ,church4 ,the power and authority of the higher or ,melchisedek ,priesthood is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the ,church1 to have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven1 to have the heavens opened unto them1 to commune with the general assembly and church of the ,first-born1 and to enjoy the communion and presence of ,god the ,father1 and ,jesus the mediator of the new covenant4 ,an apostle has the right to administer in the various offices of the ,church1 especially in spiritual things4 ,so also1 according to their respective callings1 have a patriarch1 a high priest1 a seventy1 and an elder4 ,but the special office of a patriarch is to give patriarchal blessings1 and the particular calling of a seventy is to travel and preach the ,gospel and to be an especial witness in all the world1 building up the ,church and regulating #dce the affairs of the same in all nations1 under the direction of the higher authorities of the ,church4 ,all officers superior to elders are frequently termed elders4 ,the duties of an elder are thus defined3 ,an apostle is an elder1 and it is his calling to baptize2 and to ordain other elders1 priests1 teachers1 and deacons2 and to administer bread and wine1 the emblems of the flesh and blood of ,christ2 and to confirm those who are baptized into the ,church1 by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the ,holy ,ghost1 according to the scriptures2 and to teach1 expound1 exhort1 baptize1 and watch over the ,church2 and to confirm the ,church1 by the laying on of the hands1 and the giving of the ,holy ,ghost2 and to take the lead of all meetings4 ,the elders are to conduct the meetings as they are led by the ,holy ,ghost1 according to the commandments and revelations of ,god4 ,the ,aaronic1 with the ,levitical1 ,priesthood is a subordinate priesthood4 ,it is called the lesser ,priesthood because it is an appendage to the ,melchisedek or higher ,priesthood1 and acts under its direction and supervision4 ,the ,aaronic ,priesthood comprises bishops1 priests1 teachers1 and deacons1 and has power to administer in certain ordinances and in the temporal affairs of the ,church4 ,the power and authority of the lesser or ,aaronic ,priesthood is to hold the keys of the ministering of angels1 and to administer in outward ordinances1 the letter of the ,gospel--the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins2 also to sit as a common judge in ,israel4 ,the bishopric is the presidency of the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 and holds the keys or authority of the same4 ,the office of a bishop is in administering all temporal things4 ,first-born sons1 literal descendants of ,aaron1 have a legal right to the bishopric4 ,no other man has a legal right to the presidency of this ,priesthood1 and a first-born descendant of ,aaron must be designated by the ,first ,presidency of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood1 and found worthy1 and anointed1 and ordained under the hands of this presidency1 before he is legally authorized to officiate in the ,priesthood4 ,but as a high priest of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood has authority to officiate in all the lesser offices1 he may officiate in the office of bishop when no literal descendant of ,aaron can be found1 provided he is called and set apart and ordained unto this power under the hands of the ,first ,presidency of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood4 ,a bishop who is a first-born descendant of ,aaron can sit as a common judge in the ,church without counselors1 except when a president of the ,high ,priesthood is tried4 ,but a #dcf bishop from the ,high ,priesthood must not sit as a judge without his two counselors4 ,in both cases the jurisdiction of bishops is original1 but not exclusive4 ,over all the other bishops in the ,church there is a presiding bishop1 with two counselors4 ,william ,b4 ,preston is the present presiding bishop1 and ,robert ,t4 ,burton and ,john ,r4 ,winder are his counselors4 ,the duties of a priest are to preach1 teach1 expound1 exhort1 and baptize1 and administer the sacrament1 and visit the house of each member1 and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret1 and attend to all family duties2 and he may ordain other priests1 teachers1 and deacons2 and he is to take the lead of meetings when there is no elder present2 but when there is an elder present he is only to preach1 teach1 expound1 exhort1 and baptize1 and visit the house of each member1 exhorting them to pray vocally and in secret1 and attend to all family duties4 ,in all these duties the priest is to assist the elder1 if occasion requires4 ,the duties of a teacher are to watch over the ,church always1 and be with and strengthen them1 and see that there is no iniquity in the ,church1 neither hardness with each other1 neither lying1 backbiting1 nor evil speaking2 and see that the ,church meet together often1 and also see that all the members do their duty2 and he is to take the lead of meetings in the absence of the elder or priest4 ,the duties of a deacon are to assist the teacher in his duties in the ,church1 if occasion requires4 ,but deacons have more especially to do with temporalities and are expected to see that the meeting houses are in comfortable condition for the use of the officers and members of the ,church in their various meetings4 ,it is also the duty of the deacons1 under the direction of the bishops1 to look after the welfare of the poor1 and endeavor to supply their necessities4 ,teachers and deacons are appointed to watch over the ,church1 to be standing ministers unto the ,church4 ,but neither teachers nor deacons have authority to baptize1 administer the sacrament1 or lay on hands4 ,they are1 however1 to warn1 expound1 exhort1 and teach1 and invite all to come unto ,christ4 ,no man can hold any office in the ,priesthood1 in either kind1 unless by authoritative call and ordination1 or by special appointment of ,god4 ,as a general rule1 though with some limitations1 an officer in the ,priesthood has power to ordain men to the same office #dcg that he holds1 when the candidates are properly called and vouched for4 ,,organization4 ,the ,first ,presidency of the ,church1 also known as the ,first ,presidency of the ,high ,priesthood1 consists of a president and two counselors4 ,wilford ,woodruff is the present president1 and ,george ,q4 ,cannon and ,joseph ,f4 ,smith are his two counselors4 ,it is the duty of the ,first ,presidency to preside over the affairs of the ,church1 and they can officiate in any or all of its offices4 ,of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood1 three presiding high priests1 chosen by the body1 appointed and ordained to that office1 and upheld by the confidence1 faith1 and prayer of the ,church1 form a quorum of the presidency of the ,church4 ,the duty of the ,president of the office of the ,high ,priesthood is to preside over the whole ,church1 and to be like unto ,moses4 ,yea1 to be a seer1 a revelator1 a translator1 and a prophet1 having all the gifts of ,god which he bestows upon the head of the ,church4 ,the ,twelve ,apostles are a traveling presiding high council1 next in order of authority to the ,first ,presidency4 ,on the death of the ,president of the ,church1 the presiding authority falls on the next council in precedence1 which is the council of the ,twelve ,apostles1 and continues with that council until another ,first ,presidency is installed4 ,the presidency of the council of the ,twelve ,apostles is decided by seniority or ordination4 ,the duties of the ,twelve ,apostles are to preach the ,gospel and build up the ,church and regulate the affairs of the same in all nations1 under the direction of the ,first ,presidency4 ,it is the privilege and duty of the council of the ,twelve ,apostles1 when sent out1 to open the ,gospel door to the various nations of the earth1 and1 when they need assistance1 it is their duty to call preferentially on the ,seventies to fill the calls for preaching and administering the ,gospel4 ,the ,seventies are organized into various councils of seventy1 commonly termed quorums4 ,each council of seventy has seven presidents1 chosen out of the seventy1 one of the seven presiding over the others and over the whole seventy4 ,the seven presidents of the first council of seventies also preside over all the councils of seventies4 ,there are now one hundred and three councils of seventies1 seventy members in each council when it is full4 ,in each ,stake of ,zion the ,high ,priesthood assemble in council at stated times1 perhaps once a month1 for counsel and #dch instruction in their duties1 with a president and two counselors presiding over them4 ,elders are organized in councils of ninety-six1 each council with a president and two counselors4 ,priests are organized in councils of forty-eight1 each with a president and two counselors4 ,this president must be a bishop4 ,teachers are organized in councils of twenty-four1 each with a president and two counselors4 ,deacons are organized in councils of twelve1 each with a president and two counselors4 ,at the gathering places of the ,latter-day ,saints1 the branches of the ,church are organized into ,stakes of ,zion4 ,in ,utah these stakes are generally1 but not necessarily1 coextensive with counties4 ,each stake has a president1 with his two counselors1 and has also a high council1 consisting of twelve high priests4 ,the president of a stake1 with his two counselors1 presides over the high council of that stake4 ,the jurisdiction of the high council of a stake is appellate in most cases1 but original in some4 ,the decisions of a high council are usually1 but not invariably1 final4 ,on an appeal from the decision of a high council1 a hearing and decision can be had from a general assembly of the various councils of the ,priesthood1 which is the end of controversy in the ,church1 but such appeals are very rarely taken4 ,the jurisdiction of all councils in the ,church is ecclesiastical1 extending to fellowship and standing only1 the extreme judgment in all cases being excommunication4 ,each stake is divided into an irregular number of wards1 over each of which a bishop1 with his two counselors1 presides4 ,each ward has its own meeting house1 as a rule4 ,each stake has also its own meeting house generally1 for the holding of conferences and other meetings4 ,in ,utah and adjacent ,territories and ,states there are thirty-two stakes1 comprising about four hundred and twenty-five bishops' wards4 ,salt ,lake ,city is divided into twenty-two wards1 the usual size of each of which is a square of nine ten-acre blocks1 though most of the wards in the outskirts are considerably larger4 ,each stake as a rule holds a quarter-yearly conference1 usually continuing two days4 ,the church holds two general conferences yearly4 ,they are held almost invariably in ,april and ,october1 commencing on the sixth day of each of those months1 and generally lasting three or four days4 ,occasionally special general conferences are held4 #dci ,,doctrines4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints believe in the ,bible as an inspired record of the dealings of ,god with men in the eastern hemisphere1 and consequently believe in the creation or organization of the heavens and the earth by the word of ,god4 ,they believe that ,god placed ,adam and ,eve in the ,garden of ,eden1 and that they were cast out therefrom for transgression1 thereby bringing suffering and death into the world1 including banishment from the presence of ,god4 ,that ,jesus ,christ was the ,son of ,god1 and that by his death he made atonement for the sins of ,adam and of the whole world1 so that men1 by individual acceptance of the terms1 can have their own sins forgiven or remitted and be reconciled to ,god4 ,that in order to obtain this forgiveness or remission and reconciliation1 men must have faith in ,god and in ,jesus ,christ1 repent of and forsake their sins1 be baptized for the remission of them1 have hands laid upon them by authorized ministers for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost1 and live a pure life1 keeping the commandments of ,god and walking in holiness before him4 ,that members of the ,church should partake of the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper1 at stated times1 and assemble frequently to worship ,god and to be instructed in regard to their duties and privileges4 ,that it is the duty of the members of the ,church to pay first a tenth part of their property1 and afterward a tenth of their increase or income for the advancement of the work of ,god4 ,that revelations from ,god and miraculous manifestations of his power were not confined to the apostolic and earlier ages1 nor to the eastern hemisphere1 but may be enjoyed in this age or in any dispensation or country4 ,that the ,book of ,mormon and the ,doctrine and ,covenants of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints are revelations from ,god1 the former being an inspired record of his dealings with the ancient inhabitants of this continent and the latter consisting of revelations from him in this dispensation4 ,that he gave revelations to ,joseph ,smith and inspired him to translate the ,book of ,mormon and to organize the ,church of ,christ anew upon the earth in our day4 #ddj ,that this is the dispensation of the fulness of times1 in which all things will be gathered together in one1 both which are in heaven and which are on the earth4 ,that the ,gospel must be preached in all the world for a witness1 and then the end shall come4 ,that those who believe in the ,gospel and receive the testimony of the servants of ,god should gather themselves together as one people upon this continent1 to build up communities1 cities1 and temples to the name of the ,lord1 and to establish ,zion1 that they may escape the judgments which ,god is about to send upon the wicked1 and be prepared for the coming of ,jesus ,christ to take upon him his power and reign on the earth as ,king of kings and ,lord of lords4 ,that men and women should not indulge in the lusts of the flesh1 and thereby corrupt1 debase and destroy themselves and others4 ,that marriage1 whether monogamic or polygamic1 is honorable in all1 and the bed undefiled1 when such marriage is contracted and carried out in accordance with the law of ,god4 ,that the ten commandments are as binding now as when delivered to ,moses on ,mount ,sinai1 and that the two supreme commandments1 into which ,jesus ,christ resolved the ten1 are1 with the ten1 as binding now as when he was upon the earth in the flesh2 which two commandments are as follows3 ,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 and with all thy soul1 and with all thy mind4 ,this is the first and great commandment4 ,and the second is like unto it4 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets4 ,that every man is free to accept or reject the ,gospel1 but that he cannot receive remission of sins1 nor be reconciled to ,god1 nor enjoy eternal life in his presence1 on any other terms than obedience to the ,gospel4 ,that men will be rewarded or punished according to their works1 whether good or evil4 ,that the dead1 who did not obey the ,gospel in this life1 can hear and accept of it in the spirit world1 their mortal relatives or friends attending to the ordinances of the ,gospel in their behalf4 ,that all mankind will be resurrected from the dead and will come forth to judgment and receive either reward or punishment1 which will be various in degree1 according to capacity1 merit1 and demerit4 ,that the earth glorified will be the dwelling place of resurrected1 glorified and immortal beings1 who will have #dda previously passed their mortal probation thereon1 and that they will dwell upon it forever in the light and knowledge and glory of ,god4 ,,ordinances4 ,there are certain ordinances connected with the ,gospel1 most of which are essential to complete salvation1 and all are desirable to be observed under proper circumstances4 ,the first ordinance is the baptism of water for the remission of sins4 ,baptism is to be administered in the following manner unto all those who repent3 ,the person who is called of ,god1 and has authority from ,jesus ,christ to baptize1 shall go down into the water with the person who has presented him or herself for baptism1 and shall say1 calling him or her by name1 ',having been commissioned of ,jesus ,christ1 ,i baptize you in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,amen4' ,then shall he immerse him or her in the water1 and come forth again out of the water4 ,baptism is analogous to the door of the ,church4 ,no person can become a member without baptism1 and no person is eligible for baptism without repentance of sins committed4 ,consequently the candidate must have arrived at the years of accountability1 and be capable of repentance4 ,all those who humble themselves before ,god1 and desire to be baptized and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits1 and witness before the ,church that they have truly repented of all their sins1 and are willing to take upon them the name of ,jesus ,christ1 having a determination to serve him to the end1 and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the spirit of ,christ unto the remission of their sins1 shall be received by baptism into his ,church4 ,children are eligible for baptism on attaining the age of eight years1 previous to which age they are not considered accountable before ,god for their transgressions4 ,no person who has been excommunicated from the ,church can be re-admitted without repentance and baptism as at the first4 ,baptism for the dead is administered in a similar manner to baptism for the living1 a living person acting as proxy for the dead person on whose account the baptism is administered4 ,after baptism the candidates are confirmed members of the ,church by the laying on of hands1 that they may receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the duty of every member of the ,church of ,christ having #ddb children1 is to bring them unto the elders1 before the ,church1 who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 and bless them in his name4 ,the laying on of hands is an ordinance also in the giving of patriarchal or other blessings to members of the ,church1 in ordination to office in the ,priesthood1 in setting persons apart to particular duties or callings or missions1 and in administering to the sick in connection with anointing with consecrated oil and the prayer of faith4 ,in regard to the ordinance or sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper1 the members of the ,church are required to meet together often to partake of the bread and wine 7or water1 when pure home-made grape wine cannot be had7 in remembrance of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,an elder1 a bishop or a priest can administer it4 ,usually the officer officiating breaks the bread into small pieces1 kneels with the members of the ,church assembled1 and calls upon ,god1 the ,father1 in solemn prayer1 saying1 ,o ,god1 the eternal ,father1 we ask thee in the name of thy ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it1 that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy ,son1 and witness unto thee1 ,o ,god1 the eternal ,father1 that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy ,son1 and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them1 that they may always have his ,spirit to be with them4 ,amen4 ,after the members have partaken of the bread1 the person officiating takes the cup and engages in prayer1 saying1 ,o ,god1 the eternal ,father1 we ask thee in the name of thy ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 to bless and sanctify this wine or water to the souls of all those who drink of it1 that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy ,son1 which was shed for them2 that they may witness unto thee1 ,o ,god1 the eternal ,father1 that they do always remember him1 that they may have his ,spirit to be with them4 ,amen4 ,there is also the ordinance of marriage4 ,no person has authority to preach the ,gospel1 or administer in any ordinance thereof1 unless he holds the ,priesthood1 and then to administer only in such ordinances as the particular office to which he has been ordained empowers him and often only by special calling and appointment4 ,,history4 ,in the spring of #ahbj1 ,god the ,father and his ,son ,jesus ,christ appeared in vision to ,joseph ,smith1 at ,manchester1 #ddc ,ontario ,county1 ,new ,york1 while he was praying for wisdom4 ,during several years following he enjoyed the ministration of angels1 and received from them much instruction in the things of ,god4 ,on the #bb;d of ,september1 #ahbg1 an angel of the ,lord delivered into his hands the metal plates which contained the ancient record known as the ,book of ,mormon1 engraved in reformed ,egyptian characters1 and hid in the earth by divine direction about fourteen hundred years ago4 ,in #ahbi the plates were shown by an angel to three witnesses4 ,afterward eight witnesses saw them1 and handled some of them4 ,the testimony of these eleven witnesses is published with the ,book of ,mormon4 ,with the plates was found a ,urim and ,thummim1 consisting of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate1 by means of which ,joseph ,smith translated the record into ,english by the gift and power of ,god4 ,on the #aeth of ,may1 #ahbi1 ,john the ,baptist appeared to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 laid his hands upon them1 and ordained them to the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 in the following words3 ,upon you1 my fellow servants1 in the name of ,messiah1 ,i confer the ,priesthood of ,aaron1 which holds the keys of the ministering of angels1 and of the gospel of repentance1 and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins2 and this shall never be taken again from the earth1 until the sons of ,levi do offer an offering unto the ,lord in righteousness4 ,the same year the ancient apostles1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john appeared to them and ordained them to the apostleship of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood4 ,on the #fth of ,april1 #ahcj1 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints was organized1 with six members1 at ,fayette1 ,seneca ,county1 ,new ,york1 by ,joseph ,smith1 then twenty-four years old1 who was instructed and empowered to that purpose by revelation from ,god4 ,the ,book of ,mormon was printed at ,palmyra1 ,new ,york1 and published the same year4 ,the ,church rapidly increased in numbers and many located at ,kirtland1 ,ohio4 ,in #ahca1 a settlement was made at ,independence1 ,jackson ,county1 ,missouri1 and in a few years in several other counties in that ,state4 ,on ,february #ad1 #ahce1 the first council of the ,twelve ,apostles was chosen4 ,on the #bhth of the same month the first council of ,seventies was selected4 ,after being mobocratically driven from county to county1 #ddd the ,latter-day ,saints were finally expelled from ,missouri in #ahch4 ,many of them soon after found a refuge at ,commerce1 7afterward named ,nauvoo7 and vicinity1 in ,illinois1 which speedily became a comparatively large and prosperous city4 ,but persecution of the ,latter-day ,saints was shortly recommenced1 and on the #bgth of ,june1 #ahdd1 when under the express pledge of ,thos4 ,ford1 ,governor of the ,state1 for their safe keeping1 ,joseph ,smith and his brother ,hyrum were shot and killed1 and ,john ,taylor was severely wounded1 at ,carthage1 by a mob with faces blackened4 ,at the time of his death ,joseph ,smith was ,president of the ,church1 and ,hyrum ,smith was ,patriarch4 ,on the death of ,joseph ,smith1 the council of the ,twelve ,apostles1 with ,brigham ,young as their president1 became the presiding council in the ,church4 ,in consequence of continued mobocratic outrages and threats1 the ,church determined to leave ,nauvoo and go west to some far distant place where they hoped to be permitted to live in peace4 ,brigham ,young and one thousand families left ,nauvoo in ,february and the early spring of #ahdf1 arriving at ,council ,bluffs1 ,iowa1 in ,july of that year1 where the ,mormon ,battalion of five hundred men was called for by the ,federal ,government1 and raised to aid in the war against ,mexico4 ,in ,september following1 the ,latter-day ,saints remaining in ,nauvoo1 including the aged1 infirm1 poor1 and sick1 were attacked by an armed mob1 despoiled of most of their property1 driven across the river1 and otherwise outrageously and inhumanly abused4 ,in the spring of #ahdg1 ,brigham ,young and a company of pioneers 7one hundred and forty-three men1 three women and two children7 started across the great plains and the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,they arrived in ,salt ,lake ,valley ,july #bdth1 of the same year1 and immediately founded ,great ,salt ,lake ,city1 now ,salt ,lake ,city1 subsequently making other settlements and building cities all over the ,territory of ,utah and extending into the ,territories and ,states adjoining4 ,the pioneers were followed by seven hundred wagons in the fall of the same year1 and by many emigrants of ,latter-day ,saints every year since4 ,on the #bgth of ,december1 #ahdg1 a ,first ,presidency was accepted1 consisting of ,brigham ,young1 president1 with ,heber ,c4 ,kimball and ,willard ,richards1 counselors4 ,in #aheg1 in consequence of false and malicious reports1 ,president ,buchanan sent an army to ,utah to operate inimically #dde to the inhabitants4 ,but the army was unable to enter ,salt ,lake ,valley that year4 ,in the spring of #aheh1 the people of ,salt ,lake ,city and the country adjacent left their homes1 with the view of burning them1 and traveled southward4 ,but amicable arrangements were soon made1 most of the people returned to their homes1 and the army found itself with nothing to do1 until the secession of the ,southern ,states1 when its commander and other officers took the side of the south1 and the rank and file were sent to fight on the side of the north4 ,the army came to ,utah to despoil and destroy1 but ,god overruled things and caused it to greatly aid the people1 materially and financially1 to build up and develop the ,territory1 and they have prospered ever since1 although some federal officials and other unprincipled characters have many times endeavored to oppress them and accomplish their overthrow4 ,on the #bith of ,august1 #ahgg1 ,brigham ,young died1 and the direction of the ,church fell upon the council of the ,twelve ,apostles1 with ,john ,taylor presiding4 ,on the #ajth of ,october1 #ahhj1 a ,first ,presidency of the ,church was accepted1 consisting of ,john ,taylor1 president1 and ,george ,q4 ,cannon and ,joseph ,f4 ,smith1 his counselors4 ,on the death of ,president ,taylor1 which occurred ,july #be1 #ahhg1 the ,twelve ,apostles1 with ,wilford ,woodruff as president1 became the presiding council in the ,church4 ,on ,april #g1 #ahhi1 another ,first ,presidency was accepted1 with ,wilford ,woodruff as president and ,george ,q4 ,cannon and ,joseph ,f4 ,smith as his counselors4 ,on the #adth of ,march1 #ahhb1 incited by most abominable lies and slanders1 ,congress passed the unconstitutional and infamous ,edmunds bill1 destroying the liberties of the people of the ,territory and putting all registration and election and many appointive matters in the hands of an oligarchal commission or returning board1 consisting of five irresponsible appointees of the ,president1 at a cost to the country of much more annually than the appropriation for the ,territorial legislature biennially4 ,on the #aith of ,april of the same year1 the ,house of ,representatives refused to permit the legally elected delegate from ,utah to take his seat1 and declared the same vacant4 ,on the #eth of ,august following1 in consequence of representations made by the three federal judges of the ,territory1 ,congress passed a law authorizing the ,governor to appoint men to fill vacancies resulting from the failure of the ,august election1 which fell through because of the passage of the #ddf ,edmunds bill4 ,the actual vacancies under this law were very few1 yet ,governor ,murray1 with his characteristic unscrupulousness1 resolved to wrest the law so as to make a fell swoop of nearly all the offices in the ,territory1 and thus wrench them out of the hands of the people and their lawfully elected officers and representatives1 and give them into the hands of his own partisans1 the bitter enemies of the people4 ,consequently1 he arbitrarily interpreted the new law to vacate nearly all the offices of the twenty-four counties in the ,territory1 said offices numbering between two and three hundred1 besides some other local and some ,territorial offices1 and proceeded1 by and with the advice and consent of nobody1 probably1 but his own prejudiced and wicked self1 to make appointments to fill these offices1 thus despotically assuming to exercise a far greater stretch of power than is exercised by the ,president of the ,united ,states1 and correspondingly despoiling the people of their constitutional1 organic1 lawful1 and vested right to official representation4 ,this same ,governor ,murray1 in direct violation and open defiance of the law1 had previously refused to count eighteen thousand lawful votes for the people's candidate for delegate to ,congress1 in order that he might illegally give the certificate of election to one of his own partisans1 who received less than fourteen hundred votes1 and thus corruptly and ruthlessly deprive the eighteen thousand citizens of their right of suffrage4 ,congress refused to sanction this outrageous tampering with the ballot box1 this wholesale spoliation1 and rejected the bogus certificate4 ,yet the unprincipled ,governor1 who attempted this iniquitous tampering and spoliation and gave the certificate to the man who was not elected1 but refused to give one to the man who was elected by an overwhelming majority1 was sustained in his partiality1 presumption and wickedness by no less than three several presidents of these ,united ,states1 and consequently the longsuffering people of the ,territory had to endure the incubus of his unwelcome and pernicious presence and the aggravated infliction of his usurpative and demoralizing gubernatorial rule4 ,in the second full week in ,september of the same year1 the five federal commissioners had a registration of voters throughout the ,territory1 expurging from the old lists the names of all those who did not appear and be re-registered1 and of others who did appear4 ,many ,latter-day ,saints1 men and women of excellent character1 peaceable1 industrious1 order-loving1 and law-abiding citizens1 some of them three or four score years #ddg old1 and who had been accustomed to vote unchallenged from their youth up1 were not allowed to be re-registered1 though eligible under the law1 and not liable to any legal punishment in any court in the country1 because no crime of any kind could be lawfully charged against them4 ,on the other hand1 adulterers and libertines1 well known and acknowledged to be such1 married men who confessed to living with other women1 and notorious public prostitutes were freely registered4 ,the same week a number of rabid anti-,mormons conspired to overthrow the right of women to be registered and to vote4 ,such an obnoxious character had ,governor ,murray obtained among the people1 that he was almost universally believed to be one of the chief of the conspirators and instigators in this ungallant1 unmanly1 and ineffably mean spirited attempt to abolish woman suffrage in ,utah4 ,but the judges in all the district courts in the ,territory decided that the woman suffrage law was valid4 ,in ,march1 #ahhf1 ,governor ,murray1 for his unreasonable and obstructive conduct1 was virtually removed from office by ,president ,cleveland1 or1 in other words1 was invited to resign4 ,during his whole gubernatorial term he had persistently shown his prejudice against and enmity towards the ,latter-day ,saints1 and had sought to deprive them of their liberties1 rob them of their rights1 and create a conflict between them and the federal government1 which last the people had sufficient good sense to prevent1 notwithstanding the many aggravating provocations4 ,he was succeeded by ,caleb ,w4 ,west1 not much of an improvement on his predecessor4 ,governor ,west commenced by offering amnesty to all the prisoners in the penitentiary1 under the infamous ,edmunds law1 who would promise to obey the law as interpreted by the courts1 an insulting and degrading offer that was respectfully declined1 as they could not bind themselves to accept all the partisan and persecutive vagaries of the courts4 ,governor ,west was succeeded in #ahhi by ,a4 ,l4 ,thomas1 who soon announced himself as decidedly in favor of still further restricting government of the people1 by the people1 for the people1 by recommending that more local officers should be appointed by some federal agency1 instead of continuing to be elected by the people4 ,the last eight1 and especially the last six1 years have been chiefly notorious for the outrageous and desperate attempts of the anti-,mormon party1 through congressional legislation and the courts1 to crush and destroy the church1 and persecute1 #ddh distress1 and despoil the members thereof4 ,the details are too profuse to be related here1 and therefore must be referred to but briefly and mostly in a general way4 ,it seems to have been a settled leading idea of most1 yet not quite all1 of the federal officers appointed and sent to ,utah1 that the almost sole purpose of their appointment was to destroy the church as a religious body1 and especially the political power of the members1 and to despoil them in every possible way1 preferably under some sort of color of law4 ,a strange thing in a free country1 in this much vaunted land of liberty and equal rights par excellence4 ,in regard to federal officials1 or to officials appointed by some federal agency1 the usual course is to select and appoint those who are prejudiced and who cherish animosity against the ,latter-day ,saints1 and who antagonize them on all possible occasions4 ,if by any fortunate accident a fair-minded man is appointed1 he is either so badgered and worried by the anti-,mormon element as to cause him to resign in disgust1 or every effort is made to effect his early removal from office1 so that the courts and all offices under federal or anti-,mormon influence become mere partisan machinery for oppressing and despoiling the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,the ,utah ,commission1 that costly superfluity1 which probably causes the country an expenditure of #ej1jjj per annum to enable the commission to supersede local self-government so far as it can1 makes its annual report to the federal government in which one thing is surely manifest--the attempt to increase its own powers and to secure further legislation restrictive of the privileges1 powers1 rights1 and liberties of the people4 ,under such circumstances the commission is entitled to no more respect than the law demands4 ,there really never has been any more use for such a commission than for the fifth wheel to a wagon2 not so much1 for an extra wheel would come in useful if one of the four was broken1 but the ,utah ,commission has been from the beginning absolutely of no necessity nor utility whatever4 ,it has been an extravagant and criminal waste of the people's money1 an excrescence on the body politic1 a libel on popular government1 a disgrace to ,american liberty4 ,some of the unrighteous decisions of the commission have been virtually reversed by the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states1 though even that august tribunal can not be said to be forward in doing even and exact justice towards the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,indeed in all the courts under federal jurisdiction1 or under anti-,mormon influence1 the justice that is done to the ,latter-day ,saints is such as can #ddi hardly be avoided under the law1 and even the law is frequently so one-sidedly construed and technically twisted and distorted as to become a mere mockery of justice1 which1 on the contrary1 should be the foundation1 spirit1 substance1 object1 and end of all law4 ,utah and ,idaho are disgraced with religious test oaths1 through federal and anti-,mormon agency4 ,arizona had such a law1 but to her credit be it said that she repealed it1 though some ,mormon-eaters want another enacted4 ,nevada made a law disfranchising the ,latter-day ,saints1 but the ,supreme ,court decided that it was unconstitutional4 ,in ,idaho a ,latter-day ,saint is debarred1 because of his religion1 from voting or holding office1 and the new state constitution prohibits him from sitting on juries4 ,in ,utah the federally appointed judges have decided that an alien ,latter-day ,saint cannot be naturalized1 solely on account of his religion4 ,the appointment of the chief justice who concurred in that decision1 was afterwards confirmed by the ,united ,states ,senate1 the ,senate thus sanctioning persecution for religious and conscience' sake4 ,the attempt is also made to prohibit even native-born ,latter-day ,saints from taking up land1 and threats are freely made that disability to hold real estate will follow4 ,then perhaps the right to live will be denied1 as in the case of our ,savior1 ,jesus ,christ4 ,the law known as the ,poland bill gave federal and local agency equal power in arranging the jury list1 but that show of justice is now gone1 and all jurors are chosen by federal agency1 resulting in jury lists and juries from which ,latter-day ,saints are excluded1 so that they are tried1 not by juries of their peers1 but by juries of prejudiced1 political and religious partisans and open and avowed enemies4 ,what confidence can any man have in getting justice from a court where judge and juries and prosecuting and executive officers are well known to be unscrupulous partisans and bitter enemies of the accused8 ,among the judicial infamies perpetrated against the ,latter-day ,saints was the diabolical ,dickson-,zane doctrine of segregation1 by which a man charged with a misdemeanor could be kept in prison all his life4 ,this doctrine1 as well as its near akin doctrine that the same misdemeanor could be divided into two or more offenses1 with two or more different sentences of punishment1 was overthrown by the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states4 ,in the administration of recent federal law1 the courts in #ahhg took possession of the ,latter-day ,saints' ,perpetual ,emigrating #dej ,fund1 a charitable institution for the assistance of worthy emigrants1 and seized real and personal estate belonging1 or supposed to belong1 to the ,church1 and estimated to be worth about a million dollars4 ,some of its own property was then rented to the ,church1 the federal agency requiring and receiving the rent4 ,now1 if the federal government sets the demoralizing example of robbing the people of their property1 what else can be expected than that the people will follow the example of the government and freely rob one another1 until this will become a nation of sixty or a hundred million people1 mostly thieves8 ,if the ,latter-day ,saints are to be robbed1 then why not the ,catholics1 ,episcopalians1 ,baptists1 ,methodists1 ,presbyterians1 or any other religious society8 ,if any religious society1 why not any civil society1 until theft becomes common business throughout the land8 ,for1 do it under cover of law1 or call it confiscation1 or by any other name1 it will smell as bad1 it will still be theft in every essential element4 ,much more might be said of the endless persecutive enormities perpetrated through federal agency toward the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,but the subject grows with the handling1 and time and space would fail for an adequate portrayal of the facts1 the disfranchisement of all women1 and of those men who had more than one wife2 the numerous day and night raids of peaceable towns and settlements2 the vexatious arrests2 the frivolous and spiteful charges preferred2 the outrageous bonds required in cases of misdemeanor1 running from #a1jjj to #aj1jjj1 and even to nearly #ej1jjj2 the multitude of convictions1 numbering between one and two thousand1 some without any and many with very slight evidence2 the high penalties inflicted in most cases1 with regrets at the inability of the court to inflict still higher2 the dragging of delicate women into court and compelling them to testify against their husbands1 and sending them to prison for refusal2 deputy marshals with impunity shooting at and even killing men only charged with misdemeanor2 straining the law so that a man could safely live in the same house with a whore1 but not with his reputed wife1 nor could hardly look over the fence at her house or her garden1 or sit on the fence while she passed by2 refusing to prosecute lewd and lascivious anti-,mormons1 but imprisoning ,latter-day ,saints who informed on them2 the voluntary exile for years of many who had no confidence in the justice of the courts2 the enormous expense1 amounting to millions of dollars1 incurred1 in one way or another1 in these persecutive proceedings1 all wrung #dea from a sober1 industrious1 ,god-fearing1 but abused1 slandered1 and persecuted community1 and wholly1 solely and entirely on account of their religion4 ,for a time the plea was put forth by their persecutors that plurality of wives was the only cause of the enmity against the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,now that plea is being withdrawn1 and it is shamelessly declared that nothing short of the destruction of the church and the abandonment of their religion by the persecuted1 will satisfy the ungodly and tyrannical demands of their oppressors4 ,it is shocking to have such a tale to tell in this everywhere and all the time boasted land of liberty1 in this last quarter and almost last decade of the nineteenth century4 ,but the worst thing is yet to be said1 and that is1 that the tale is true1 every word of it4 ,it is a sad1 a discouraging commentary on the much be-lauded civilization of this latest age1 which has been the hope1 but which promises to be the disappointment1 of all the ages4 ,when justice fails1 and fails so grievously1 the heavens mourn4 ,for all this has not been happening in ,dahomey1 or ,timbuctoo1 or ,persia1 or ,turkey1 or ,russia1 or in any country in the old and effete eastern hemisphere1 but1 let it be reiterated1 in these ,united ,states of ,america1 in this new and progressive world1 in this free and happy land1 at this late date in the world's history4 ,sackcloth and ashes ought to be in brisk demand1 for a long time to come1 in this highly favored nation4 ,that is the fitting garb1 and should be the only wear1 in memory of strangled ,liberty4 ,during the last twenty-eight years1 about four thousand missionaries1 and previously1 since the organization of the church1 probably about one thousand five hundred more1 have been sent to the various nations to preach the ,gospel1 besides hundreds of native ,elders1 traveling and preaching more locally in the several missions thus established4 ,missionary ,elders went to ,canada as early as #ahcc2 ,england in #ahcg2 ,wales1 ,scotland1 ,isle of ,man1 ,ireland1 ,australia and ,east ,indies in #ahdj2 ,palestine in #ahdl1 ,elder ,orson ,hyde passing through the ,netherlands1 ,bavaria1 ,austria1 ,turkey and ,egypt1 on his way2 ,society ,islands in #ahdd2 the ,channel ,islands and ,france in #ahdi2 ,denmark1 ,sweden1 ,italy1 ,switzerland and the ,sandwich ,islands in #ahej2 ,norway1 ,iceland1 ,germany and ,chili in #ahea2 ,malta1 the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 ,burmah and the ,crimea in #aheb2 ,gibraltar1 ,prussia1 ,china1 ,ceylon and the ,west ,indies in #ahec2 ,siam and ,turkey in #ahed2 ,brazil in #ahee2 the ,netherlands in #ahfa2 ,austria in #ahfd2 ,mexico in #ahgg2 the ,samoan ,islands in #ahhh4 #deb ,previous to the settling of the ,church in ,salt ,lake ,valley1 about five thousand ,latter-day ,saints had emigrated from ,europe to ,america1 mostly to ,nauvoo4 ,since that time the emigration of ,latter-day ,saints from ,europe has amounted to nearly eighty thousand souls1 making an average of nearly two thousand annually1 most of them coming to ,utah4 ,the ,book of ,mormon was published in ,england in #ahda2 in ,danish in #ahea2 in ,welsh1 ,french1 ,german and ,italian in #aheb2 in ,hawaiian in #ahee2 in ,swedish in #ahgh4 ,several years ago it was translated into ,hindostanee and into ,dutch4 ,in #ahge portions of it were published in ,spanish1 and the whole of it in #ahhf4 ,last year it was published in the ,maori language4 ,the ,book of ,doctrine and ,covenants of the ,church1 in addition to numerous editions in ,english1 in ,america and ,england1 was published in ,welsh in #ahea1 ,danish in #aheb1 ,german in #ahgf and ,swedish in #ahhh4 ,many regular periodicals1 advocating the doctrines of the ,church1 have been published in ,america1 ,england1 ,wales1 ,denmark1 ,sweden1 ,france1 ,germany1 ,switzerland1 ,australia and ,india4 ,hundreds of thousands1 perhaps millions1 of other books and tracts have been published by the ,elders in various languages in the different quarters of the globe4 ,the following temples to the ,lord have been built by the ,latter-day ,saints3 ,kirtland1 ,ohio1 #hj by #fj feet2 corner stones laid ,july #bc1 #ahcc2 dedicated ,march #bg1 #ahcf4 ,nauvoo1 ,illinois1 #abh by #hh feet2 corner stones laid ,april #f1 #ahda2 dedicated ,october #e and ,november #cj1 #ahde1 and ,february #h and ,april #cj and ,may #a1 #ahdf2 burned by an incendiary ,november #ai1 #ahdh4 ,st4 ,george1 ,washington ,county1 ,utah1 #adb by #if feet2 corner stones laid ,march #aj1 #ahgc2 dedicated ,january #a1 #ahgg4 ,logan1 ,cache ,county1 #aga by #ie feet1 with an annex to the north #hh by #cf feet2 corner stones laid ,september #ag1 #ahgg2 dedicated ,may #ag1 #ahhd4 ,manti1 ,sanpete ,county1 #agb by #ie feet1 with an annex to the north #he by #dj feet2 corner stones laid ,april #ad1 #ahgi2 dedicated ,may #ba1 #ahhh4 ,the temple at ,salt ,lake ,city1 #ahf by #ii feet1 is unfinished2 corner stones laid ,april #f1 #ahec4 ,the site for a temple was dedicated at ,independence1 ,jackson ,county1 ,missouri1 ,august #c1 #ahca4 ,the corner stones of a temple1 #aaj by #hj feet1 were laid at ,far ,west1 ,caldwell ,county1 ,missouri1 ,july #d1 #ahch4 #dec ,,plain ,,talk ,,to ,,parents4 ,,paragraphs ,,taken ,,from ,,the ,,writings ,,of ,,apostle ,,orson ,,pratt1 ,,in ,,the ,,seer1 #ahec4 ,let that man who intends to become a husband1 seek first the kingdom of ,god and its righteousness1 and learn to govern himself1 according to the law of ,god2 for he that cannot govern himself cannot govern others4 ,let him dedicate his property1 his talents1 his time1 and even his life to the service of ,god1 holding all things at ,his disposal1 to do with the same1 according as ,he shall direct through the counsel that ,he has ordained4 ,in selecting a companion1 let him look not wholly at the beauty of the countenance1 or the splendor of the apparel1 or the great fortune1 or the artful smiles1 or the affected modesty of females2 for all these1 without the genuine virtues1 are like the dew-drops which glitter for a moment in the sun and dazzle the eye1 but soon vanish away4 ,but let him look for a kind1 amiable disposition2 for unaffected modesty2 for industrious habits2 for sterling virtue2 for honesty1 integrity1 and truthfulness2 for cleanliness in person1 in apparel1 in cooking1 and in every kind of domestic labor2 for cheerfulness1 patience1 and stability of character2 and above all1 for genuine religion to control and govern her every thought and deed4 ,you should remember that harsh expressions against your wife1 used in the hearing of others1 will more deeply wound her feelings than if she alone heard them4 ,reproofs that are timely and otherwise good1 may lose their good effect by being administered in the wrong spirit2 indeed1 they will most probably increase the evils which they are intended to remedy4 ,do not find fault with every trifling error that you may see1 for this will discourage your family1 and they will begin to think that it is impossible to please you2 and1 after a while1 they will become indifferent as to whether they please you or not4 ,how unhappy and extremely wretched is that family where #ded nothing pleases--where scolding has become almost as natural as breathing4 ,let each mother commence with her children when young1 not only to teach and instruct them1 but to chasten and bring them into the most perfect subjection2 for then is the time that they are the most easily conquered1 and their tender minds are the most susceptible of influences and government4 ,many mothers from carelessness1 neglect their children1 and only attempt to govern them at long intervals1 when they most generally find their efforts of no lasting benefit2 for the children having been accustomed to having their own way1 do not easily yield2 and if peradventure they do yield1 it is only for the time being1 until the mother relaxes again into carelessness when they return again to their accustomed habits2 and thus by habit they become more and more confirmed in disobedience1 waxing worse and worse1 until the mother becomes discouraged and relinquishes all discipline1 and complains that she cannot make her children mind4 ,the fault is not so much in the children1 as in the carelessness and neglect of the mother when the children were young4 ,it is she that must answer1 in a degree1 for the evil habits and disobedience of the children4 ,she is more directly responsible than the father2 for it cannot be expected that the father can always find time1 apart from the laborious duties required of him1 to correct and manage his little children who are at home with their mother4 99 99 99 ,some mothers1 though not careless1 and though they feel the greatest anxiety for the welfare of their children1 yet1 through a mistaken notion of love for them1 forbear to punish them when they need punishment2 or if they undertake to conquer them1 their tenderness and pity are so great that they prevail over the judgment1 and the children are left unconquered1 and become more determined to resist all future efforts of their mothers1 until1 at length1 they conclude that their children have a more stubborn disposition than others1 and that it is impossible to subject them to obedience4 ,in this case1 as in that of neglect1 the fault is the mother's4 ,the stubbornness of the children1 for the most part1 is the effect of the mother's indulgence1 arising from her mistaken idea of love4 ,by that which she calls love1 she ruins her children4 ,children between one and two years of age are capable of being made to understand many things2 then is the time to begin with them4 ,how often we see children of that age manifest much anger4 ,frequently by crying through anger1 they that are otherwise healthy1 injure themselves4 ,it is far better in such instances1 for a mother to correct her child in a gentle manner1 though #dee with decision and firmness1 until she conquers it1 and causes it to cease crying1 than to suffer that habit to increase4 ,when the child by gentle punishment has learned this one lesson from its mother1 it is much more easily conquered and brought into subjection in other things1 until finally1 by a little perseverance on the part of the mother1 it learns to be obedient to her voice in all things2 and obedience becomes confirmed into a permanent habit4 ,such a child trained by a negligent or over-indulgent mother1 might have become confirmed in habits of stubbornness and disobedience4 ,it is not so much in the original constitution of children as in their training1 that causes such wide differences in their disposition4 ,it cannot be denied that there is a difference in the constitution of children even from their birth2 but this difference is mostly owing to the proper or improper conduct of parents1 as before stated2 therefore1 even for this difference1 parents are more or less responsible4 ,if parents1 through their own evil conduct1 entail hereditary dispositions upon their children1 which are calculated to ruin them1 unless properly curtailed and overcome1 they should realize1 that for that evil they must render an account4 ,if parents have been guilty in entailing upon their offspring unhappy dispositions1 let them repent1 by using all diligence to save them from the evil consequences which will naturally result by giving way to those dispositions4 ,the greater the derangement1 the greater must be the remedy2 and the more skillful and thorough should be its application1 until that which is sown in evil is overcome and completely subdued4 ,in this way parents may save themselves and their children1 but otherwise there is condemnation4 ,therefore we repeat again1 let mothers begin to discipline their children when young4 ,do not correct children in anger4 ,an angry parent is not as well prepared to judge of the amount of punishment which should be inflicted upon a child1 as one that is more cool and exercised with reflection1 reason and judgment4 ,let your children see that you punish them1 not to gratify an angry disposition1 but to reform them for their good1 and it will have a salutary influence4 ,they will not look upon you as a tyrant1 swayed to and fro by turbulent and furious passions2 but they will regard you as one that seeks their welfare1 and that you only chasten them because you love them1 and wish them to do well4 ,be deliberate and calm in your counsels and reproofs1 but at the same time1 use earnestness and decision4 ,let your children know that your words must be respected and obeyed4 ,never deceive your children by threatenings or promises4 ,be careful not to threaten them with a punishment which you #def have no intention of inflicting1 for this will cause them to lose confidence in your word2 besides1 it will cause them to contract the habit of lying4 ,when they perceive that their parents do not fulfill their threatenings or promises1 they will consider that there is no harm in forfeiting their word4 ,think not that your precepts concerning truthfulness will have much weight upon the minds of your children1 when they are contradicted by your examples4 ,be careful to fulfill your word in all things in righteousness and your children will not only learn to be truthful from your example1 but they will fear to disobey your word1 knowing that you never fail to punish or reward according to your threatenings and promises4 ,let your laws1 penalties and rewards be founded upon the principles of justice and mercy1 and adapted to the capacities of your children2 for this is the way that our heavenly ,father governs ,his children1 giving to some a ,celestial1 to others a ,terrestrial1 and to others still a ,telestial law1 with penalties and promises annexed according to the conditions1 circumstances and capacities of the individuals to be governed4 ,seek for wisdom1 and pattern after the heavenly order of government4 ,do not be so stern and rigid in your family government as to render yourself an object of fear and dread4 ,there are parents who only render themselves conspicuous in the attribute of justice1 while mercy and love are scarcely known in their families4 ,justice should be tempered with mercy1 and love should be the great moving principle1 interweaving itself in all your family administrations4 ,when justice alone sits upon the throne1 your children approach you with dread1 or peradventure hide themselves from your presence and long for your absence that they may be relieved from their fear4 ,at the sound of your approaching footsteps they flee as from an enemy1 and tremble at your voice1 and shrink from the gaze of your countenance1 as though they expected some terrible punishment to be inflicted upon them4 ,be familiar with your children that they may delight themselves in your society1 and look upon you as a kind and tender parent whom they delight to obey4 ,obedience inspired by love1 and obedience inspired by fear1 are entirely different in their nature4 ,the former will be permanent and enduring1 while the latter only waits to have the object of fear removed1 and it vanishes like a dream4 ,govern children as parents1 and not as tyrants2 for they will be parents in their turn and will be very likely to adopt that form of government in which they have been educated4 ,if you have been tyrants1 they may be influenced to #deg pattern after your example4 ,if you are fretful and continually scolding1 they will be very apt to be scolds too4 ,if you are loving1 kind and merciful1 these benign influences will be very certain to infuse themselves in to their order of family government2 and thus good and evil influences frequently extend themselves down for many generations and ages4 ,how great1 then1 are responsibilities of parents to their children6 ,and how fearful the consequences of bad examples6 ,let love1 therefore1 predominate and control you1 and your children will be sure to discover it1 and will love you in return4 ,let each mother teach her children to honor and love their father1 and to respect his teachings and counsels4 ,how frequently it is the case when fathers undertake to correct their children1 mothers will interfere in the presence of the children4 ,this has a very evil tendency in many respects4 ,first1 it destroys the oneness of feeling which should exist between husband and wife2 secondly1 it weakens the confidence of the children in the father1 and emboldens them to disobedience2 thirdly1 it creates strife and discord2 and lastly1 it is rebelling against the order of family government established by divine wisdom4 ,if the mother supposes the father too severe1 let her not mention this in the presence of the children1 but she can express her feelings to him while alone by themselves1 and thus the children will not see any division between them4 ,for husbands and wives to be disagreed1 and to contend1 and quarrel1 is a great evil2 and to do these things in the presence of their children is a still greater evil4 ,therefore1 if husband and wife will quarrel and destroy their own happiness1 let them have pity upon their children1 and not destroy them by their pernicious examples4 #deh ,,my ,,reasons ,,for ,,leaving ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,england ,,and ,,joining ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints4 7,r4 ,m4 ,,bryce ,,thomas1 ,,london1 ,,eng47 ,previous to my visiting ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah1 in the months of ,july and ,august1 #ahif1 ,i knew nothing of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints beyond the fact that it was commonly known as the ,mormon ,church4 ,during my stay of nearly a month in ,salt ,lake ,city ,i heard from those quite unconnected with their ,church that the so-called ,mormons1 but whom ,i shall hereafter designate as the ,latter-day ,saints1 were the most peace-loving and quiet of people1 honest1 thrifty1 well behaved and good citizens1 and exceedingly kind to their poor1 who were so well looked after that public begging was not known among them4 ,i found that this people possessed a beautiful ,temple and a very fine ,tabernacle1 with grounds prettily laid out and well cared for2 their houses1 too1 were neat and picturesque1 with nice gardens attached to them1 while they could boast of a ,tabernacle ,choir of about #fjj men and women1 the best that ,i have ever heard4 ,everything to do with this people appeared to be most excellently managed and looked after1 while their missionaries were preaching the ,gospel in most parts of the world1 having gone out altogether at their own cost1 and at a very great sacrifice of self in all cases4 ,the ,church organization of the ,saints1 too1 appeared to be complete and effective1 and it became evident to me that they were a very interesting and extraordinary people1 and ,i therefore decided to secure some of their books1 especially the ,book of ,mormon1 in order to learn more of their character and doctrines4 ,this ,i did1 and after ,i had read some of their publications a light seemed to dawn upon me1 and ,i commenced to wonder if we were living in the times of the great apostasy which had been predicted in so many parts of the inspired scriptures4 #dei ,i quote a few references to these predictions in the note below1,a but these are by no means all4 ,my mind expanded still more when ,i had carefully read through the ,book of ,mormon1 a book which ,i found to be replete with divine truths and elevating principles1 and which bore the very strongest testimony to the truths contained in the ,bible1 both in the ,old and in the ,new ,testament2 a book1 too1 which made plain and easy of understanding so many parts of the ,bible that appear at present to be vague1 or regarding which the numerous sects of ,christendom have set themselves against each other in argument and dispute4 ,in that book 7,book of ,mormon7 it was clearly stated that the great apostate church would be upon the earth when the book itself would come to light4 ,in ,revelation ,st4 ,john spoke of the apostate church of the latter days as ,babylon1,b and as ,mystery1 ,babylon the great1 the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth1,c and he added that this apostate church was to rule peoples1 multitudes1 nations1 and tongues1,d which would make it almost if not quite universal4 ,footnote ,a3 ,isaiah #bd3 #a-e2 ,matthew #bd3 #d-ca2 ,acts #bj3 #bi1 #cj2 ,,ii ,thess4 #b3 #c1 #h1 #i1 #aj2 ,i ,timothy #d3 #a-c2 ,,ii ,timothy #c3 #a-e2 ,,ii ,timothy #d3 #c1 #d2 ,revelation1 chapters #a1 #b1 and #c2 ,revelation #ag3 #b-e4 ,footnote ,b3 ,rev4 #ad3 #h4 ,footnote ,c3 ,rev4 #ag3 #e4 ,footnote ,d3 ,rev4 #ag3 #ae4 ,now the question which concerned me was whether the ,church of ,england1 of which ,i was a member1 was a portion of that church to which the ,bible predictions in respect to the great apostasy referred1 or whether the church of ,rome or some other ,christian church1 was the only one alluded to4 ,that it was a ,christian church to which the texts in the ,bible referred is not1 ,i think1 likely to be denied by any one2 and indeed we know that even in as early days as those in which ,john the ,revelator himself lived1 he discovered the commencement of apostasy in the seven truest churches of ,christians among those then existing4,e ,the other branches of the then ,christian church would appear to have gone altogether wrong1 for these seven were1 it seems1 the only ones worth divine mention1 and they too were becoming so corrupt even in those early days that ,god threatened them with complete rejection4 ,footnote ,e3 ,rev4 chaps4 #b1 #c4 ,in order to enable me to arrive at a just and proper conclusion1 it was necessary for me to turn to the ,bible as my guide1 and to ascertain therefrom what constituted the primitive ,church of ,christ1 and what were the exact doctrines and ordinances as laid down by ,him and as taught and practiced by ,his ,apostles4 ,having ascertained these facts1 ,i had then #dfj to compare them with the constitution of the ,church of ,england and with the doctrines and ordinances as taught and practiced by her4 ,it appeared to me to be quite evident that if the primitive church as planted by ,jesus ,christ and built up by ,his ,apostles and servants1 with all its organization and powers1 had not been maintained in its completeness and perfection1 or if any of ,christ's doctrines had been altered1 or ,his ordinances changed in any one respect without due authority1 this could only have come about through false teachers arising in the church1 as ,st4 ,paul had predicted would be the case after his days4,a ,i felt that ,i should then be compelled to admit that the ,church of ,england had fallen into error1 and that therefore the texts in the scriptures regarding the latter day apostasy could not but refer to her as well as to the other churches of ,christendom which were teaching and practicing a gospel not in accordance with that found in the ,bible4 ,and further that the following inspired prophecy of ,isaiah pointed to her equally as much as to the other churches3 ,the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof2 because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinance1 broken the everlasting covenant1,b 7or in other words apostatized74 ,one of the ,latter-day ,saints has very appropriately written the following words in this connection3 ,it is contrary to scripture and to reason to suppose that ,christ would set up two or more discordant religious systems to distract mankind1 and cause strife and contention4 ,god cannot create confusion4 ,his mind is one1 the minds of men are various1 so that when we see various opposing religions in ,christendom1 it is conclusive evidence that men have been engaged in their invention1 and that they have established but very imperfect imitations of the true church of ,christ4,c ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,tim4 #d3 #c1 #d4 ,footnote ,b3 ,isaiah #bd3 #e4 ,footnote ,c3 ,see ,mormon ,doctrine1 #fth leaf4 ,the true church must always conform to the pattern of the primitive church of ,jesus ,christ and ,his ,apostles in every respect1 unless there is clear and undisputable authority in the scriptures for a divergence in any particular1 and ,i have not been able to find any such authority in any portion of the ,new ,testament4 ,so that if the ,church of ,england 7for that is the only church with which ,i am concerned at present7 is dissimilar in her organization or in her doctrines and ordinances from the primitive church1 she can be but a very imperfect imitation of that church at best4 ,well1 on turning to the ,bible ,i found that the church which #dfa ,jesus ,christ planted on earth consisted of ,first apostles1 secondarily prophets1 thirdly teachers1 after that miracles1 then gifts of healings1 helps1 governments1 diversities of tongues4,a ,elders1 too1 were ordained in all churches4,b ,then again evangelists and pastors are mentioned4,c ,we further read why all these inspired apostles1 prophets1 evangelists1 pastors1 and teachers were absolutely necessary in the church1 namely1 for the perfecting of the saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the edifying of the body of ,christ4,d ,st4 ,paul in writing to the ,corinthians very clearly described the church of ,christ1 and he showed that not one of its members could be dispensed with without thoroughly disorganizing the body4 ,he was then specially speaking of the various gifts of the ,holy ,spirit of ,god1 which were considered so essential to the maintenance of the true church of ,christ1 and it will be seen that ,he practically forbade any one of the members of the church 7,christ's body7 to say of those miraculous gifts ,we have no need of thee4,e ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,cor4 #ab3 #bh4 ,footnote ,b3 ,acts #ad3 #bc4 ,footnote ,c3 ,eph4 #d3 #aa4 ,footnote ,d3 ,eph4 #d3 #ab4 ,footnote ,e3 ,i ,cor4 #ab3 #ba-bh4 ,now ,i vainly look for a church of this pattern in the ,church of ,england or in any of the other churches in ,christendom1 except in that of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints ,i can find no apostles1 no prophets1 no workers of miracles1 no discerners of spirits1 no gifts and no interpretations of tongues2 but ,i find popes1 cardinals and archbishops4 ,by what authority then was the organization of ,christ's church altered1 and her most important members lopped off8 ,for ,i have already made mention of the reasons given by ,st4 ,paul why inspired apostles1 prophets1 and the wonderful gifts of the ,holy ,spirit1 were absolutely necessary in the church of ,jesus ,christ as founded by ,him4 ,and ,i fail to discover any good reason why the church should now be able to get on without them any more than it found itself able to get on without them in former times4 ,on the contrary1 ,i am clearly of opinion that they must be just as essential now as in days of old1 and that to their absence must be attributed all the discord1 ill-feeling1 and confusion that reign supreme in and between the very numerous sects in ,christendom1 all of which profess themselves to be members of the true church of ,jesus ,christ4 ,all these different sects or churches1 if ,i may so call them1 are admittedly without the miraculous gifts of the ,holy ,spirit spoken of by ,st4 ,paul1 for they do not teach nor do they appear #dfb to allow that gifts of prophecy and miracles are actually necessary in these days4 ,indeed1 they apparently consider that these gifts are not needed at all2 the very thing which ,st4 ,paul forbids them to do when he says that1 in respect to the ,spirit's wonderful gifts1 no member of ,christ's church must say1 ,we have no need of thee4,a ,so that prophets and workers of miracles have altogether ceased to be1 although ,i can find no authority whatever in the ,bible for their ceasing to exist4 ,inasmuch as they were necessary for the perfecting of the saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the edifying of the body of ,christ1,b how can saints now be perfected or the work of the ministry be efficiently and satisfactorily performed1 or the body of ,christ 7the true church7 be edified in these days8 ,the ,bible shows us that it was always through prophets that ,god revealed ,his will1 commands1 and instructions to ,his church under all the changing and trying circumstances through which she has had to pass since the world commenced4 ,and it seems to me to be altogether opposed to scripture and to reason to conclude that in these admittedly evil days it is unnecessary for ,him to intimate ,his will and commands1 and to instruct ,his people in exactly the same way1 in order that ,his church may continue to be guided through the great difficulties and trials that must beset her4 ,for the teachings of ,jesus ,christ and ,his ,apostles ,i prefer to go direct to the ,bible and be guided thereby1 than to go to any of the churches of ,christendom which teach doctrines not in accordance therewith4 ,for instance1 ,jesus ,himself said that miraculous signs should follow believers1,c but the churches do not teach this doctrine4 ,then again ,st4 ,paul1 writing under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 recorded that apostles and prophets were necessary in the church1 not only for his days1 but 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 fulness 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,d ,how different this appears to be from the teachings of the various churches and sects in ,christendom6 ,in this passage of scripture which ,i have just quoted1 ,st4 ,paul not only tells us how long apostles and prophets would be necessary in the church of ,jesus ,christ1 but also how the church would be affected if prophecy ceased4 #dfc ,as inspired by ,god1 he distinctly asserts that apostles and prophets would be required till we attain to perfect men1 unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of ,christ4 ,i think it will be admitted that we have not reached this perfection as yet4 ,again1 ,st4 ,paul showed that if we had no apostles and prophets1 the church would be tossed to and fro1 and carried about with every kind of doctrine1 etc4 ,what do we see in the churches of ,christendom but this very result1 when we contemplate the numerous discordant and opposing religious denominations and sects1 all teaching divers doctrines and ordinances8 ,thus it seems evident to me that a church1 devoid of inspired prophets and the miraculous gifts of the ,holy ,spirit1 all of which played so very important a part1 in the opinion of the apostles of ,christ1 in the primitive church1 cannot possibly be anything but in error4 ,this view is strengthened by the words of ,st4 ,peter1 who tells us that the ,spirit would continue to manifest ,his marvelous powers in the true church while the world lasted1 if the people would submit themselves to the ordinances of the gospel1 and obey ,god's commandments4 ,he was preaching on the day of ,pentecost1 just after the ,holy ,ghost had fallen upon the assembled disciples1 and had sat upon each of them in the form of cloven tongues like as of fire1,a and he called upon all his hearers to repent1 and to be baptized for the remission of their sins1 and he promised them the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,then he went on to say that this promise was not for those people only1 but unto them and their children1 and also to all who were afar off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god should call4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,cor4 #ab3 #ba4 ,footnote ,b3 ,eph4 #d3 #ab4 ,footnote ,c3 ,mark #af3 #ag1 #ah4 ,footnote ,d3 ,eph4 #d3 #ac1 #ad4 ,footnote ,a3 ,acts #b3 #c4 ,footnote ,b3 ,acts #b3 #ch1 #ci4 ,now in view of all this that ,i have culled from the scriptures1 ,i cannot understand how any one has authority to say that in these days we have no need for inspired ,prophets1 and for those wonderful gifts of the ,spirit1 without which1 we are told by the ,new ,testament writers1 we cannot reach to the perfected man1 and to the measure of the stature of the fulness of ,christ4 ,it appears therefore quite evident to me that if ,i in all humility and sincerity accept the teachings of ,god1 as made clear in the ,bible1 it becomes impossible for me to admit1 or to flatter myself as a member of the ,church of ,england1 that any church of professing ,christians on the earth1 which denies the urgent need of inspired prophets and apostles1 and the glorious and miraculous gifts of the ,holy ,spirit1 can be the #dfd church which ,jesus ,christ founded and ,his ,apostles built up in the first days of ,christianity4 ,in fact it seems to me that where there is not sufficient faith to obtain new revelation and the ministry of angels1 all of which are promised under the true ,gospel1 there cannot possibly be the true church of ,christ4 ,the scripture also1 which is given for our instruction1 tells us ,where there is no vision the people perish4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,prov4 #bi3 #ah4 ,it is also logical to suppose that a church which denies the need of the miraculous gifts of the ,holy ,spirit cannot well have that ,spirit guiding it1 for the whole history of the primitive church shows us that wherever the ,holy ,spirit was poured down upon any one and especially on the apostles and prophets and the other ministers of ,christ1 ,he manifested ,himself in prophesyings1 healings1 tongues and other ways4 ,god no doubt speaks to all ,his children throughout the world in some measure by ,his ,spirit1 the still small voice of conscience1 but the ,holy ,spirit in ,his full and wonderful manifestations1 that spirit of knowledge1 and wisdom1 and of revelation1 is only to be found where there is the true church of ,christ4 ,again1 ,jesus ,himself tells us that ,when that spirit of truth is come1 he will guide you into all truth1 for he shall not speak of himself1 but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak1 and he will show you things to come4,b ,this is the gift of prophecy4 ,do we see anything of this kind in the ,church of ,england1 or in the church of ,rome1 or in any of the numerous denominations of ,christians anywhere--church and denominations which by their dissensions and different teachings go far to distract mankind and confound the earnest seekers after truth8 ,it is when this spirit of prophecy1 of healings1 and of tongues is wanting that people are led by the teachings of men1 darkness overspreads the world1 errors begin to multiply1 heresies to spring up1 and nothing but a form of godliness remains while its powers are denied4 ,footnote ,b3 ,john #af3 #ac4 ,again1 where the ,holy ,spirit manifests ,himself there must of necessity be unity and peace1 for ,he is a ,spirit of ,unity1 and ,jesus ,himself prayed that all ,his children might be one1 even as ,he and ,his ,father in ,heaven were one4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,john #ag3 #aa1 #bj to #bc4 ,peter ,young1 an ,english writer1 records the following comment on this prayer3 ,our ,lord seems to have a vision1 if we may venture so to speak1 of ,his church as one body1 penetrated with the ,divine ,spirit1 radiant with the brightness of ,his presence1 its members living together in faith and love1 the #dfe kingdom of heaven upon earth1 exhibiting such a spectacle of love and holiness1 that the world might be led to acknowledge that they were the special objects of the ,father's love4 ,we can thus see what it is that ,jesus earnestly desired and prayed for4 ,there were no divisions and dissensions1 but all were to be of one faith and doctrines as taught by ,him1 and one in all love and holiness of life2 and a perusal of a part of the #afth chapter of ,st4 ,john's ,gospel will show that1 just previous to ,his uttering this desire of ,his heart1 ,christ had promised ,his disciples to send them the ,comforter to guide them into all truth1 for1 said ,he1 ,he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you4,a ,now does it seem possible to suppose that this ,spirit of ,unity1 this ,comforter1 whom ,jesus ,christ was to send in order to show ,his followers how to grow like ,him1 and to to guide them into all truth1 can be guiding the numerous contending discordant churches of ,christendom1 who exhibit toward each other bitterness and hatred1 which not so many years ago culminated even in the shedding of human blood6 ,the ,church of ,england1 with which ,i am at present concerned1 is split up into ,ritualistic1 ,high1 ,broad1 and ,low ,church1 all at variance more or less in their ceremonies and ordinances1 and in their very teachings4 ,surely it would rather seem as if the church were moved upon by a spirit of discord1 confusion1 and evil passions than a spirit of unity1 peace1 and love2 for if this glorious ,spirit whom ,jesus sent down after ,his ascension into heaven1 were really permeating the church1 we could not but clearly discern ,his presence in ,his wonderful manifestations as of old1 and in the unity of faith1 that the word of ,god leads us to expect would always prevail till the end of time1 when we all should reach perfection1 even to the measure of the stature of the fulness of ,christ1,b and so long1 too1 as there remained any on earth whom the ,lord our ,god should call4,c ,why then has the ,spirit now ceased to manifest ,his presence8 ,well1 it appears to me that the reason may be found in the fact that both teachers and people have drifted into error1 and have set up ordinances and doctrines which do not resemble those of ,christ's primitive church1 or have rejected some of those formerly practiced and taught by that church4 ,what6 some ask1 do you mean to say that the ,church of ,england is practicing and teaching erroneous doctrines and ordinances8 ,if so we should like to know wherein the errors lie4 ,yes1 ,i reply1 such seems to be the case1 and ,i shall now proceed to point out the errors4 ,footnote ,a3 ,john #af3 #g-ad4 ,footnote ,b3 ,eph4 #d3 #ac4 ,footnote ,c3 ,acts #b3 #ci4 #dff ,in the primitive church existed the ordinance of anointing the sick with oil and praying over them with mighty faith4 ,is this practiced now in the ,church of ,england1 and if not1 why not8 ,if the faith of the early ,christians 7and very strong faith1 such as honors ,god1 was required7 existed in these days1 would not the church continue to use this same wonderful power for good as of old8 ,it is however cried down now1 and this ordinance is altogether rejected and considered too ridiculous for these enlightened days1 though perhaps good enough for those poor creatures who lived in the benighted past4 ,where also is the ordinance of laying on hands for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost with all ,his gracious gifts8 ,this was evidently a most important and necessary ordinance in the teachings of the ,apostles of the primitive church1 and invariably followed that of baptism4 ,and the ,new ,testament is replete with instances of the wonderful way in which the ,holy ,spirit used to manifest ,himself among those converts1 who had obeyed the teachings of the ,apostles1 and had humbly and faithfully submitted themselves to both these ordinances4 ,he still manifests ,himself in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 as very many can testify2 but such manifestations are not taught or looked for in the ,church of ,england1 even in the ordinance of confirmation1 and therefore they could not occur for want of faith if for no other reason4 ,next ,i will take the ordinance of baptism4 ,is there any similarity between that practiced in the early church of the days of the ,apostles and that practiced in the ,church of ,england at the present day8 ,none that ,i can see4 ,in the first place1 the form of baptism is not the same4 ,baptism by immersion is that to which the ,lord ,jesus submitted ,himself in order to fulfill all righteousness1,a and to become obedient in all things1 and thus it behooves us to become obedient also4 ,he was baptized by immersion as an example to us1 and this is the baptism taught and practiced by ,his ,apostles and servants4,b ,it was not until the third century1 after very many and gross errors had crept into the church1 as ,i shall presently try to show1 that the form of baptism was altered1 the first case being that of a man named ,novatian1 who1 being very ill1 was baptized in bed by infusion or pouring of water4,c ,schaff says that even down to the close of the thirteenth century baptism #dfg by immersion was the rule1 and sprinkling or pouring the exception4,d ,there are many other respectable authorities who show clearly that baptism in the early church was by immersing the whole body in water1 and ,i name some in the note below4,e ,baptism is a word derived from the ,greek bapto1 meaning to immerse1 and there is no doubt in my mind that this is the meaning intended wherever the word is used in the ,new ,testament4 ,calvin says1 ,the word baptize signifies to immerse1 and the rite of immersion was observed by the ancient church1 while ,john ,wesley says1 ,buried with him--alluding to the ancient manner of baptizing by immersion4 ,jeremy ,taylor writes1 ,the custom of the ancient churches was not sprinkling1 but immersion1 in pursuance of the sense of the word in the commandment1 and the example of our blessed ,savior4 ,we are taught that baptism is meant to symbolize a death1 a burial1 and a resurrection1,f and also a birth4,g ,immersion does this1 but sprinkling does not1 therefore baptism by sprinkling is erroneous4 ,then again1 the ,bible teaches us that baptism had for its object the remission of sins1 and that that ordinance invariably followed upon faith and repentance4 ,but the ,church of ,england does not appear to baptize for the remission of sins at all1 the ordinance being considered as only an outward sign of an inward grace1 something which appears to me to be altogether different from the idea of baptism as taught and practiced in the primitive church of ,christ4,h ,that church laid down that when a person had faith 7and we are told that faith comes by hearing71 and had fully and truly repented of his sins1 he was to undergo the ordinance of baptism for the remission of those sins1,i and that then he would receive the ,holy ,ghost through the laying on of hands by authorized men4,j ,the ,church of ,england1 which claims to be led in her doctrines by the very same ,spirit that guided the primitive church in the days of the ,apostles1 teaches quite another law of baptism1 and even demands the baptism of innocent little infants in arms1 who can exercise no faith or repentance1 and who have no individual sins to repent of4 ,is not this a transgression of the law in this respect8 ,the primitive church and the ,church of ,england cannot both be right1 and therefore the same ,spirit cannot have permeated #dfh both1 for1 unless we admit this1 we must admit that the same ,spirit dictates two distinctly opposite laws of baptism unto salvation4 ,footnote ,a3 ,matt4 #c3 #ae4 ,footnote ,b3 ,romans #f3 #c1 #d1 #e4 ,footnote ,c3 ,eusebius ,eccl4 ,hist41 ,book vi3 ,ch4 #dc4 ,see also ,cyprian's ,epistles1 ,letter #gf4 ,footnote ,d3 ,schaff1 an eminent ,swiss theologian4 ,footnote ,e3 ,mosheim's ,eccl4 ,hist41 vol4 ,i1 page #abj4 ,bossuet1 a celebrated ,french ,bishop4 ,bishop ,jeremy ,taylor4 ,robinson1 the great ,biblical scholar and philologist4 ,calvin4 ,john ,wesley4 ,footnote ,f3 ,romans #f3 #c1 #d1 #e4 ,footnote ,g3 ,john #c3 #e4 ,footnote ,h3 ,mosheim's ,church ,history1 #crd ,ed41 vol4 ,i1 pp4 #hg and #acg4 ,footnote ,i3 ,mark #a3 #d4 ,luke #c3 #c4 ,acts #ab3 #af4 ,footnote ,j3 ,acts #b3 #ch4 ,this leads me to the question of infant baptism4 ,dr4 ,neander1 a great ,german scholar1 tells us that ,christ did not ordain infant baptism1 and that not till so late a period as ,irenaeus does any trace of infant baptism appear4 ,this was in the third century4 ,curcellaeus writes that baptism of infants in the first two centuries after ,christ was altogether unknown4 ,bishop ,jeremy ,taylor says1 ,christ blessed infants and so dismissed them1 but baptized them not1 therefore infants are not to be baptized4 ,martin ,luther says1 ,it cannot be proved by the sacred scriptures that infant baptism was instituted by ,christ1 or begun by the first ,christians after the ,apostles4 ,tertullian1 one of the ,latin ,fathers1 wrote1 ,let them therefore come when they are grown up1 when they can understand1 when they are taught whither they are to come4 ,let them become ,christians when they can know ,christ4 ,why should this innocent age hasten to the remission of sins8 99 99 99 99 ,if persons understood the importance of baptism they will rather fear the consequent obligation than the delay4 ,the ,church of ,england1 of which ,i was a member1 baptizes infants in arms1 who1 as ,i have already said1 cannot have faith1 nor can they repent1 and indeed they have no sins to repent of4 ,i have been told that there is the taint within them of the original sin of ,adam1 but it seems to me that an infant is perfect in ,jesus ,christ4 ,no one but ,adam committed the original sin for which1 in ,god's righteous justice1 the sentence was death1 and this death passed upon all ,adam's descendants4 ,but ,god1 whose very attributes are justice and mercy1 made a way for ,adam's posterity to escape from the consequences of a sin that not one of them was guilty of4 ,so1 in order that ,his justice should not be cruel1 our good ,father in ,heaven sent ,his only begotten ,son ,jesus ,christ to the earth to atone for all sins1 not only for our own individual sins1 but for the sins of our common father ,adam4 ,thus the world was relieved of the curse passed upon ,adam2 for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners1 so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous4,a ,the salvation is just as universal as the punishment2 and we have nothing to do ourselves to obtain this salvation from the consequences of ,adam's transgression1 for which we were in no way responsible4 ,christ's atonement fully met ,god's righteous justice1 and justice having been satisfied1 #dfi mercy was able to step in between it and ourselves and to claim her own4 ,for our own individual sins we are of course responsible4 ,we shall reap as we sow1 and we shall be judged according to our works1 whether they be good or bad1 but we shall not be judged for ,adam's sin4 ,this is1 ,i think1 evident from the scriptures quoted in the foot note4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,read carefully ,rom4 #e3 #ab-ai4 ,footnote ,b3 ,,ii ,cor4 #e3 #aj4 ,rom4 #b3 #f4 ,gal4 #f3 #g4 ,eph4 #f3 #h4 ,col4 #c3 #bd1 #be4 ,rev4 #bb3 #ab4 ,matt4 #af3 #bg4 ,children1 then1 up to the age at which they can clearly distinguish between right and wrong1 and can receive the commandments and laws of ,god1 are without sin1 for sin is the transgression of the law1 known to be ,god's law4 ,thus little children have no sins to be repented of and to be remitted1 and therefore do not need baptism4 ,baptism is an ordinance by which we witness to ,god1 that we have repented of our past misdeeds and have taken upon ourselves the name of ,christ2 that we intend1 by being buried with ,him in the waters of baptism1 and by rising again from that watery grave1 to die unto sin1 and to rise again to a new life of holiness and good works1 in thankful remembrance of ,christ's great love in saving us from the dreadful consequences of our own wicked acts4 ,baptism cannot therefore be necessary until we raise our wills against ,god and disobey what we clearly know to be ,his righteous commandments4 ,to say that an infant requires baptism appears to be not only unscriptural but equivalent to denying the tender mercies of ,christ4 ,little children are perfect in ,him1 and thus ,he was able to say1 ,suffer little children to come unto me1 and forbid them not1 for of such is the kingdom of ,god4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,matt4 #ai3 #ad4 ,mark #aj3 #ad4 ,luke #ah3 #af4 ,thus ,i have tried to show how1 in my opinion1 the ,church of ,england has turned aside from the early church teachings1 and has transgressed this law of baptism1 which the ,bible instructs us has for its object the remission of sins2,d has changed the ordinance by substituting sprinkling for immersion1 and has broken the everlasting covenant by practically denying the all-sufficiency of ,christ's atonement1 in holding that an innocent infant cannot belong to ,christ's fold unless it is baptized into it2 forgetting that it is only after we have arrived at years of discretion and understanding that we wander away from ,christ's fold1 and that we are required to pass through the waters of baptism in order to get our sins washed away1 and to re-enter that fold4 ,the prophecy of ,isaiah1 which ,i have already quoted1,e thus seems to be applicable to the ,church of #dgj ,england in respect to this subject of baptism1 if in respect to no other ordinance4 ,footnote ,d3 ,mark #a3 #d4 ,luke #c3 #c4 ,acts #b3 #ch4 ,acts #bb3 #af4 ,footnote ,e3 ,isaiah #bd3 #e4 ,the next ordinance that ,i would draw attention to is that of baptism for the dead4 ,this has been altogether done away in the ,church of ,england1 though it was extensively practiced in the primitive ,church4 ,st4 ,paul in writing to the ,corinthians 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 ,a ,this baptism for the dead is one of the most glorious subjects belonging to the everlasting ,gospel1 because1 in order to prove good our title to the kingdom of heaven1 we who have sinned are told that we must have the three great witnesses to adoption3 namely1 the ,spirit1 the ,water1 and the ,blood4,b ,we know by scripture that the ,gospel is preached to the dead1,c and the reason is that the dead are to be judged as men in the flesh1 and live according to ,god in the spirit4,d ,hence the necessity of baptism for those of them who had not during this life been baptized by immersion for the remission of their sins4 ,the dead rely upon us who are living for the performance on their behalf of this ordinance4 ,this is the work that children must do for their progenitors1 and on learning this1 the hearts of the children are turned to their fathers1 and the fathers in the spirit world1 learning that they are dependent upon the action of their posterity for the performance of this ordinance of salvation1 turn their hearts to their children1 or in other words look to them for the necessary performance4 ,this was the work predicted in the scripture by the ,prophet ,malachi1 ,behold ,i will send you ,elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the ,lord3 and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children1 and the heart of the children to their fathers1 lest ,i come and smite the earth with a curse4,e ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,cor4 #ae3 #bi4 ,footnote ,b3 ,john #e3 #h4 ,footnote ,c3 ,i ,peter #c3 #ai1 #bj1 #ba4 ,footnote ,d3 ,i ,peter #d3 #f4 ,footnote ,e3 ,mal4 #d3 #e1 #f4 ,this baptism for the dead was an old doctrine taught in the primitive church1 and it is evident that ,st4 ,paul spoke of a baptism which a living person receives in place of a dead one4,f ,this vicarious baptism for the dead was practiced among the early ,christians for some two or three centuries after ,christ1 and ,epiphanius1 a writer of the fourth century1 speaks of this ordinance when referring to the ,marcionites1 a sect of ,christians to whom he was opposed4,g ,the view that ,st4 ,paul spoke of a baptism that a living man receives #dga in place of a dead one1 is upheld by many respectable authorities1 among them ,erasmus1 ,scaliger1 ,grotius1 ,calixtus1 ,meyer1 and ,de ,wette4,a ,then again if we look at the proceeding of the ,council of ,carthage held ,a4 ,d4 #cgi1 it will be seen that baptism for the dead was being practiced among some at least of the ,christians as late as that year1 for the council's sixth canon forbids any longer the administration of baptism and holy communion for the dead4,b ,footnote ,f3 ,biblical ,literature 7,kitto74 ,footnote ,g3 ,heresies #bc3 #g4 ,footnote ,a3 ,roberts' ,outlines of ,eccle4 ,hist4 ,note #c to sec4 #aj of part #d4 ,footnote ,b3 ,roberts' ,gospel 7#ahic7 p4 #bij4 ,the beauty of this doctrine is that it very clearly indicates that there cannot be a never-ending punishment for those who die unconverted1 as taught in the churches of ,christendom4 ,on the contrary1 after they have been judged according to their works in the body1 and have undergone such punishment as the perfectly righteous ,god adjudges1 there will be a salvation for all1 except the sons of perdition2 and eventually ,jesus ,christ will present to ,his ,father ,his completed work of redemption4 ,else what are the meanings of such texts as the following8 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 the hour is coming1 and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of ,god3 and they that hear shall live4,c ,i the ,lord have called thee in righteousness1 and will hold thine hand1 and will keep thee1 and give thee for a covenant of the people1 for a light of the ,gentiles2 to open the blind eyes1 to bring out the prisoners from the prison1 and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house4,d ,isaiah also1 after he had described the judgments that would attend the coming in glory of ,jesus ,christ1 and the punishments that should overtake the ungodly1 wrote as follows3 ,and it shall come to pass in that day that the ,lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high1 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,e ,footnote ,c3 ,john #e3 #be4 ,footnote ,d3 ,isaiah #db3 #f1 #g4 ,footnote ,e3 ,isaiah #bd3 #ba1 #bb4 ,thus the ,gospel has to be preached to the spirit world1 and those who then hear it in its purity for the first time1 as it was preached in the first days of the church of ,christ1 will look anxiously to their living descendants to perform for them the outward ordinances of baptism1 or the birth of water1 without which one of the three earthly witnesses to #dgb adoption into ,god's kingdom 7water7 will be wanting in their case4 ,for one of the requisite ordinances of the ,gospel will not have been complied with by them while on earth1 namely1 baptism by immersion for the remission of their sins4 ,that this doctrine of baptism for the dead1 which of itself is clear evidence of the loving1 merciful1 and long suffering character of our ,heavenly ,father1 was forbidden at the ,council of ,carthage1 is scarcely to be wondered at when we study the history of the church and the character of her ministers in the fourth century4 ,for it was a time when the priesthood was steeped in iniquity1 and the church dreadfully tainted with ,arianism and ,pelagianism1 while the corrupt doctrines of the ,nestorians and ,eutychians infected both the priests and the people of the ,christian world4 ,indeed1 when we look into the early history of the mother church of ,rome from the third century1 we can see how1 even in those early times1 the church had become practically a motley mass of heathens4 ,from ,a4,d4 #ff to ,a4,d4 #cab the primitive church was repeatedly under general persecutions1 which almost destroyed it1 and during this time many who had professed ,christianity apostatized4 ,at the same time gross errors began to creep into the church1 particularly the teachings of the gnostics1 who formed abominable tenets by mixing heathen philosophy with the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,in the fourth century1 however1 with the accession of ,constantine to the imperial throne of ,rome in ,a4,d4 #cbc1 all persecutions ceased1 and peace was assured to the church1 and even more than peace1 for ,constantine favored the ,christian cause1 and did what he could to suppress the pagan religion4 ,the ministers of the ,christian church were honored in every way1 and wealth and position conferred upon them1 so that it is not a matter of wonder that thousands of converts immediately afterwards joined the church and ,christianity soon became the national religion4 ,all this1 however1 instead of being fortunate for the church was disastrous to the purity of ,christ's religion4 ,in the fourth century lordly bishops1 archdeacons1 canonical singers1 etc41 were introduced2 candles were lighted by day2 incense burnt2 abstinence from marriage was esteemed a high degree of sanctity2 prayers were made to departed saints2 pretended relics were held in high estimation2 images of ,christ and of saints were set up2 the clergy commenced to officiate in canonical robes which they held to be sacred2 prayers were made for the mitigation of torments to the damned2 pilgrimages were started to certain shrines2 and a monkish retirement from fellowship with mankind #dgc was considered a devotion4 ,by the end of the sixth century the doctrines of the church were deeply infected with ,pelagianism 7the ,pelagians denied the necessity of ,christ's righteousness for our justification or of ,his ,spirit's influence to regenerate the heart71 and discipline had become corrupt1 remiss1 and partial1 while the principal concern of the leading clergy was who should be the greatest4 ,then followed the notion of purgatory1 and the worship of the ,virgin ,mary and of the martyrs1 while ,gregory the ,great1 bishop of ,rome1 added new canons of mass1 his canticles and antiphons and many new ordinances concerning litanies1 processions1 lent oblations for the dead1 pontifical robes1 consecrations1 and relics4 ,about the year ,a4 ,d4 #fjf or #fjh1 ,phocas1 a monster of cruelty and treachery1 who had murdered his worthy master ,mauritius and family1 became emperor of the ,east1 and ,boniface ,,iii1 the bishop of ,rome1 by fulsome flatteries1 obtained his imperial appointment to be the universal bishop of the ,christian church1,a and thus became the so-called vicar of ,christ on earth4 ,footnote ,a3 ,the above has been taken from a short view of the ,geography and ,history of ,nations by the ,rev4 ,john ,brown4 ,in the face of this condition of the church1 it is not a matter for astonishment that the pure and unadulterated ,gospel became lost to the world1 and that the manifestations of the ,holy ,spirit1 which the primitive church so freely enjoyed1 were no longer to be seen4 ,later on1 in ,a4 ,d4 #aeag1 ,zuinglius in ,switzerland1 and ,luther in ,germany1 shocked with the blasphemous manner in which papal pardons of1 and indulgences in1 sin were exposed for sale1 openly declared their detestation of them4 ,the result was the rebellion against the ,romish church1 commonly known as the ,reformation1 which brought in its train persecutions1 massacres1 wars1 blasphemies1 scandals1 and the prohibition of certain books4 ,that the reformers in separating themselves from the ,church of ,rome did immense good1 there can be no question2 and this good has been going on ever since in the way of preparing men's hearts to accept the simple truths of the pure ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,but they could not have brought out of that church what ,i believe it could not possibly have possessed at the time1 having lost it through the infidelity which has been so clearly described by ,wesley1 and also in the second homily of the ,church of ,england2--namely1 divine authority to administer in the holy ordinances1 and to #dgd confer the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands4 ,for1 as ,i have before said1 the ,holy ,ghost had for some centuries ceased to manifest ,his presence as in the first days ,christ's church1 while the ,bible very distinctly shows us that where ,god's ,spirit has been given to ,his church and people1 ,he has invariably manifested ,himself in many miraculous ways4 ,thus it seems to me that these reformers1 good men as they were1 had not the authority to introduce into the world a gospel that had been practically lost1 the only gospel on earth at the time being one in a very mutilated and changed form indeed4 ,the true ,gospel1 with its organization and all its mighty powers of prophecy1 healing1 and other miracles1 could not be brought again to the earth except by the hand of an angel of ,god4 ,that this was to be the case we read in the writing of ,john the ,revelator1,a where it is distinctly shown that the ,gospel once delivered to the saints was to be taken away from the earth4 ,otherwise there would apparently have been no object in the ,gospel being sent again from heaven in the last days1 when the hour of ,his judgment would come1 with the object that it might be preached1 not to a few people only1 but to them that dwell on the earth2 to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people4 ,no one is excepted1 for in ,god's plan of life and salvation for mankind all on the earth are to hear and receive or reject this pure ,gospel4 ,direct communication from heaven to earth had ceased for many centuries1 resulting in the numerous schisms1 the various doctrines1 and the many unhappy dissensions and quarrels which have broken up the church and led so greatly to the increase of that atheism and materialism which are now everywhere apparent in the world4 ,the result of the falling away1 of which the churches of ,christendom have been guilty so long1 is appalling1 and ,god's judgments in wars1 pestilence1 and famines1 have been continued1 in order to warn and to bring men to repentance and to draw them back to the true faith4 ,footnote ,a3 ,rev4 #ad3 #f4 ,the remarks of ,john ,wesley will give some idea of the dreadful condition into which the churches of ,christendom had fallen4 ,he said that the reason why the extraordinary gifts of the ,holy ,ghost were no longer to be seen was because the love of many had waxed cold1 and ,christians had turned heathens again1 and had only a dead form left4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,wesley's ,works1 vol4 #g1 sermon #hi1 pp4 #bf1 #bg4 ,read also what the ,church of ,england herself admits in her homily against perils of idolatry3 #dge ,laity and clergy1 learned and unlearned1 all ages1 sects1 and degrees1 have been drowned in abominable idolatry most detested by ,god1 and damnable to man1 for eight hundred years or more4,a ,such being the case1 how can anyone suppose for a moment that divine authority could possibly have been conferred on the priesthood by the laying on of hands of men who1 in this homily1 are included among idolaters4 ,on the contrary1 it would be more probable that this fallen condition of the church would have closed the heaven to all direct communication with the earth4 ,and this seems to have occurred1 for1 for centuries past1 prophecy has ceased1 ,god no longer calls men directly by ,his voice as ,he did ,moses1 ,samuel1 and ,paul2 angels do not now deliver heavenly messages to men1 and miracles and signs are no longer made manifest through the power of ,god as of old4 ,and what is the result8 ,it is1 so it seems to me1 that1 for lack of the spirit of revelation and prophecy1 which alone could declare ,god's will to ,his church1 and which could predict with certainty coming events1 and so warn the church of impending dangers and guide her into all truth1 the ministers of the churches of ,christendom have been thrown back upon their own ingenuity to teach men the fear of the ,lord by human precepts4 ,thus is fulfilled ,isaiah's prophecy regarding the latter days of the earth1 ,forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth1 and with their lips do honor me1 but have removed their hearts far from me1 and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men1 etc4,b ,it is evidently altogether due to the precepts of men that there are so many and different doctrines taught1 and that so much uncertainty and doubt1 coupled with dissensions1 disputes1 and ill will1 are rampant in the churches of ,christendom1 instead of unity1 love1 brotherly kindness1 sympathy1 and peace4 ,the ,church of ,england1 too1 is divided against herself1 and has split up into ,high1 ,broad1 and ,low church1 all more or less in discord1 and each teaching doctrines with which the rest have no sympathy2 some teachers urging the necessity of confession1 and of prayer for the dead1 while others view all such doctrines as popish1 and as emanating from the evil one2 some believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation1 while others altogether reject it2 and some again consider it necessary to introduce into their worship much pomp and ceremony1 with genuflections and incense1 while others will permit of only #dgf the simplest forms of worship possible1 viewing with distaste the gorgeous displays and robes used by the ritualistic members of the church4 ,footnote ,a3 ,church of ,england homily against perils of idolatry4 ,footnote ,b3 ,isaiah #bi3 #ac4 ,in the midst of all this confusion one could only ask1 ,which is right and which is wrong8 or are they all wrong together8 ,i looked for the fruits of the spirit in the different parts of the church1 but found the laws transgressed and the ordinances changed1 and ,i could see only dissension in place of unity1 and disputes instead of peace4 ,thus it became impossible for me to continue to give my adherence and support to any branch of the church in which ,i had been brought up4 ,it was difficult to break away from all old associations and from a church in which ,i had long reposed the fullest faith and confidence1 but it was impossible for me to continue one of the members1 as soon as it had become quite patent to my mind that she was advocating and teaching a perverted gospel2 and when ,i clearly saw that she was in error in denying the necessity of ,apostles and ,prophets1 and the miraculous gifts of the ,holy ,spirit1 as essential portions and adjuncts of the church of ,christ on earth in these days4 ,while pondering over these matters the meaning of the following prophetic words of ,jeremiah became clear to me1 words1 be it remembered1 which the ,gentiles were to say in the latter days of the earth1 at the time when ,god had commenced to take in hand ,his work of gathering together the dispersed children of ,israel3 ,surely our fathers have inherited lies1 vanity1 and things wherein there is no profit4,a ,this prophecy is being fulfilled1 for thousands of converts have already said these words in their hearts1 if not actually with the lips1 and ,i among them1 and thousands yet will say them before the end comes4 ,in this connection another scripture has greatly impressed itself upon my mind1 namely1 the words addressed by ,st4 ,paul to the ,galatians1 when warning them against some who had perverted the ,gospel of ,christ even in those early days of the church4 ,he said1 ,but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you1 let him be accursed4 ,as we said before1 so say ,i now again1 if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received1 let him be accursed4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,jer4 #af3 #ai4 ,footnote ,b3 ,gal4 #a3 #h1 #i4 ,thus ,i lost all confidence in the ,church of ,england1 and as ,i fully realized that ,i had a soul to be saved1 regarding which ,i was naturally anxious1 and as ,i was at the same #dgg time well assured in my mind that there could not possibly be more than one true plan of life and salvation1 and that one the pure ,gospel as had been taught by ,jesus ,christ and ,his ,apostles1 ,i turned about to find a church that taught that ,gospel1 as laid down in its simplicity in the good old book4 ,a church organized as was the primitive church1 with ,apostles1 ,prophets1 etc41 which the inspired writers of old taught as being absolutely necessary1 and a church which enjoyed the promised gifts and powers of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,such a church ,i found among the ,latter-day ,saints1 one similar in all ways to the primitive church1 with her divine authority1 and the marvelous manifestations of the ,holy ,spirit as promised by ,messiah to all true believers1 manifestations to which thousands of good1 earnest ,christian men and women can bear the most direct and truthful testimony4 ,on studying the history of this church1 ,i was greatly struck with the wonderful faith displayed by the ,latter-day ,saints1 during the dreadful persecutions through which they have had to pass1 and the trials1 and hopes1 and sufferings which they have had to endure2 with the beautiful spirit which manifested itself in the martyrs1 and with the marvelous manner in which ,god sustained the ,saints in their ejection from the circle of all civilization1 and throughout their march of fifteen hundred miles through the wilderness into the wilds of the ,rocky ,mountains1 to a place of which they had absolutely no previous knowledge1 but to which ,he led them in safety4 ,the truth1 for which this people suffered1 and even accepted martyrdom1 now floats over the world1 and converts are multiplying rapidly4 ,no one who will read the whole history of the ,latter-day ,saints with a truly honest and unprejudiced heart1 and look upon the blessings of prosperity which they at present enjoy1 can for a moment doubt that they are members of a church which is under the direct guidance of ,god through new revelation4 ,the only religion as taught in the ,bible but which churches that profess to believe in that ,bible seem to deny is the faith of visions1 miracles1 angels1 revelations1 and prophets4 ,the ancient saints believed such a religion1 as all their teachings very clearly show us1 and looked for and expected to enjoy immediate intercourse with ,god and angels4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints believe in such a religion too1 and are greatly blessed with such intercourse so long as they are faithful and live up to their glorious privileges1 and endure as seeing ,him who is invisible4 ,thus they are in direct enjoyment of that pure ,gospel which was to be brought down again to earth by the hands of an angel as seen by ,st4 ,john in his vision in the #dgh ,isle of ,patmos4,a ,this vision had reference to the bringing again to earth of the ,gospel long after the days of our ,lord1 for ,st4 ,john saw it many years after ,christ had died1 risen from the grave1 and ascended into heaven1 that is to say long after ,jesus had ,himself brought the ,gospel to the earth2 and this restoration of the true ,gospel to every nation and kindred and tongue and people would not have been necessary if the ,gospel in its perfection had not been lost4 ,st4 ,john also clearly tells us that this restoration was to be in the last days of this world1 for he writes that the angel1 in bringing down this ,gospel1 would point out that the hour of ,god's judgment had come1 and he adds that another angel would immediately follow saying1 ,babylon is fallen4,b ,thus he refers clearly to the last days of this probationary time on earth1 and there are many things which indicate to believers that we are living in these latter days1 when the hour of ,god's judgment has come1 and when we may expect soon to see ,christ making ,his promised appearance in glory4 ,we ought not therefore to be astonished to find that ,god1 in ,his mercy and goodness towards the children of men1 has at last sent that very ,gospel to the earth as ,he had revealed ,his purpose to ,st4 ,john the ,revelator4 ,footnote ,a3 ,rev4 #ad3 #f4 ,footnote ,b3 ,rev4 #ad3 #g1 #h4 ,this ,gospel would naturally have to be committed to some chosen human being1 for it is always through some selected one of ,his creatures that ,god has sent to the people of the earth ,his warnings1 reproofs1 instructions1 threatenings for evil1 and promises for righteousness1 and why should ,he not have chosen young ,joseph ,smith to receive the restored ,gospel as well as any other individual8 ,he at least is the only one who claims to have received it as it was to come from the hands of an angel1 and ,i am quite sure that any one who will read with a fair and unprejudiced mind the teachings of ,joseph ,smith cannot but conclude that he must have been inspired4 ,especially will this appear when they consider the fact that all the great and marvelous work which he performed before his martyrdom was accomplished while he was still a young man1 and that he1 like the ,apostles of old1 had never enjoyed the privileges of education or experience4 ,i think1 too1 that those who will1 with honest hearts1 ponder over the present dark condition of the world1 where anarchism1 materialism1 and atheism are spreading themselves as a pall over the earth1 and hiding the light as a cloud hides the sun1 will admit that it is quite time that the pure ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ should again be restored to the earth1 especially when they compare #dgi the true doctrines and ordinances of that ,gospel with the varied and contradictory doctrines and ordinances of the numerous churches and sects of ,christendom1 so patent in the present day4 ,the history and the teachings of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints ought to forcibly impress any and all earnest inquiring souls1 who study them without bias1 and ,i would strongly recommend to the attention of such persons a book called ,a ,new ,witness for ,god1 by ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts4,a ,there are other publications of the ,latter-day ,saints1 too1 which explain their teachings much more fully and lucidly than ,i have been able to do in this short exposition of my reasons for leaving the ,church of ,england and joining their church4 ,i shall be glad to lend these books to or to procure new ones for1 those of my relatives or friends who may desire1 in their anxiety for their souls welfare1 to investigate the doctrines further4 ,i can only say that there is that now within me which enables me to add that ,i know that the establishment of this church is of divine origin1 and that it will extend its borders and stand forever4 ,footnote ,a3 ,a new ,witness for ,god1 by ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts4 ,before concluding1 ,i would wish to add a few lines pointing out the manner in which the pure ,gospel has been brought again to the earth1 and to refer to a few texts in scripture which appear to me to bear directly on the establishment of this great work that has been accomplished ,on the earth in these latter days4 ,i do not purpose lengthening out my remarks by giving a history of the youth of ,joseph ,smith and the revelations enjoyed by him1 inasmuch as there are several books and pamphlets which deal fully with these matters4 ,i will content myself with saying that an angel of ,god1 ,moroni by name1 appeared to ,joseph ,smith and showed him a place up in a hill called ,cumorah1 in which he would discover certain plates of gold with inscriptions upon them4 ,joseph ,smith went to the hill and found these plates1 but did not remove them1 as the angel ,moroni again appeared and told him that it was not yet time to do so2 but on the #bbnd of ,september1 #ahbg1 the angel again met ,joseph ,smith at the hill of ,cumorah1 and delivered into his hands all the plates1 and a curious instrument called the ,urim and ,thummim1,a which was also found in the stone box together with the plates4 ,joseph ,smith subsequently #dhj translated through this instrument such portions of the plates as were not sealed1 and this translation is now known as the ,book of ,mormon4 ,this book contains the history of a colony of ,israelites of the tribe of ,joseph 7,ephraim71 who left ,jerusalem #fjj years ,b4,c41 and came to ,america1 and who afterwards multiplied very rapidly1 and grew into two great nations called the ,nephites and the ,lamanites4 ,the latter1 after many years of warfare1 eventually exterminated the former1 owing to the fact that the ,nephites had departed from the commandments of ,god1 but the ,lamanites had themselves become1 even before they had destroyed the ,nephites1 a dark and benighted people under a curse from ,god on account of their gross iniquities and infidelity4,b ,this destruction of the ,nephites took place about #djj years after ,christ1 so that the ,book of ,mormon gives the history of the tribe of ,joseph 7,ephraim7 for just #a1jjj years1 written from time to time by their prophets and seers4 ,it also contains the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ in all its simplicity and purity1 and makes plain some portions of the ,bible which1 owing to the originals having been lost1 and to the numerous translations made from time to time1 are now interpreted in different ways by the different denominations in ,christendom4 ,thus it is that the ,gospel1 as it was in the days of ,jesus ,christ and ,his ,apostles1 and before its doctrines had been tampered with by man1 has again been brought to the inhabitants of the earth1 as shown in the vision of ,john the ,revelator4,c ,the scriptures1 too1 speak of a sealed book ,d which would be delivered to one that is not learned1 and of a nation which should speak out of the ground with a voice as of one that had a familiar spirit4,e ,we who have read the ,old and ,new ,testaments seem to be quite familiar with the teachings contained in the ,book of ,mormon1 and the voice speaks to us as one that hath a familiar spirit4 ,daniel clearly pointed to the setting up of ,god's ,kingdom in the last days1 when he made known and interpreted the dream of ,king ,nebuchadnezzar regarding the image which the king had seen in his sleep4 ,for he explained that a stone1 cut out of the mountain without hands1 would destroy the iron and clay feet of the said image1,f and he further interpreted this stone as being a kingdom1 which ,god would set up on the earth in the days of the ten kings1 which kingdom should never be destroyed1 but which should break and consume all the #dha other kingdoms1 and would itself stand forever4,g ,this kingdom ,god has now set up upon the earth1 for these are the days of the kings referred to1 and it will and must grow1 and do what ,god said it would do1 for ,daniel was inspired when he interpreted the dream1 and so he was able to add1 ,the dream is certain and the interpretation thereof sure4,h ,footnote ,a3 ,this instrument consists of two transparent stones1 clear as crystal1 set in the two rims of a bow1 and was always used in ancient times by persons called seers1 and through it1 they received revelations of things past and to come4 ,see also ,glossary of ,antiquities1 etc41 at pp4 #chf and #chg of ,helps to the ,study of the ,bible4--,oxford press4 ,footnote ,b3 ,these ,lamanites are the ,american ,indians1 and belong to the tribe of ,ephraim1 and are therefore ,israelites4 ,footnote ,c3 ,rev4 #ad3 #f4 ,footnote ,d3 ,isaiah #bi3aa4 ,footnote ,e3 ,isaiah #bi3 #d4 ,footnote ,f3 ,daniel #b3 #cd1 #ce1 #de4 ,footnote ,g3 ,daniel certainly speaks of the latter days1 for the ten kings he alludes to represent the ten toes of the image which were to come after the falling to pieces of the fourth kingdom1 or ,roman ,empire4 ,christ was on the earth during the time of the kings mentioned by ,daniel as representing the ten toes of the image1 so this kingdom1 which ,god was to set up1 and which was to grow and stand for ever1 was a kingdom subsequent to the days of ,christ upon earth--,read carefully ,daniel #b3 #ca to #de4 ,footnote ,h3 ,daniel #b3 end of verse #de4 ,god moves1 we are told1 in a mysterious way1 ,his wonders to perform1 and so when ,he brings to pass ,his strange act1,c all are solemnly warned not to make a mock of ,his wonderful work lest your bands be made strong1,d 7band means affliction and troubles1 a metaphor taken from the fetters or bands put upon prisoners74 ,we should always remember that ,god's course is usually very different from that which the wisdom of the world would mark out for ,him1 and that ,he1 by ,his acts1 destroys the wisdom of the wise1 and brings to nothing the understanding of the prudent4,e ,so we should be very careful indeed before we reject that which we do not understand1 or which does not exactly fit in with our views of what things ought to be4 ,the voice of the ancient prophets and seers of the tribe of ,ephraim 7the ,lamanites or ,american ,indians7 has now at last spoken out of the dust1,f in the discovery of their writings on the plates of gold1 which had been buried in the hill ,cumorah1 and they testify to ,christ and ,his pure ,gospel plan of life and salvation4 ,they also inform us that ,christ visited the ,nephites after ,his resurrection in ,jerusalem and ,his ascension into heaven1 and thus were fulfilled ,his words to the ,jews that ,he had other sheep which were not of that fold with which ,he then was1 and that they also were to hear ,his voice4,g ,some of the prophets of the ,bible speak of ,ephraim also1 and ,i think that their words have been fulfilled in the discovery of the ,book of ,mormon as written on the plates of gold4 ,for instance the prophet ,hosea1 speaking under divine inspiration1 says1 ,i have written to him the great things of my law1 but they were counted as a strange thing4,h ,here is a clear statement that ,god's laws were given in writing to the #dhb tribe of ,ephraim1 and that they would be considered a strange thing4 ,there is also a prophecy of ,ezekiel1 referring clearly to the latter days1 when the time of the gathering together of ,israel was to arrive1 and when they were soon to become one nation again under one king4 ,he speaks therein of the stick of ,judah 7the ,bible7 and the stick of ,ephraim 7,book of ,mormon71 being joined together and made one stick4,a ,it should be understood that ancient writings used to be rolled on sticks1 and that they are consequently frequently termed sticks in the ,bible4 ,it was when this ,book of ,mormon 7so called because the last of the ancient prophets of the ,nephites named ,mormon compiled it1 #djj years after ,christ1 from the writings of the former prophets and leaders of the people71 was to be discovered engraved on plates1 and was to be translated2 that it and the ,bible were to become one in their testimony4 ,and it seems evident to me that some passages in the ,bible1 not very easy to understand1 are now made plain by the ,book of ,mormon4 ,thus truth has sprung out of the earth1 and righteousness has looked down from heaven4,b ,footnote ,c3 ,isaiah #bh3 #ba4 ,footnote ,d3 ,isaiah #bh3 #bb4 ,footnote ,e3 ,i ,cor4 #a3 #ai4 ,footnote ,f3 ,isaiah #bi3 #d4 ,footnote ,g3 ,john #aj3 #af4 ,footnote ,h3 ,hosea #h3 #ab4 ,footnote ,a3 ,ezek4 #cg3 #ae to #bh4 ,footnote ,b3 ,psalm #he3 #aa4 ,if more evidence is necessary to show that the ,book of ,mormon is of divine origin1 one has only to read its account of the destruction and burial of old cities1 and to compare these with the great discoveries made on the continent of ,america by travelers and antiquarians1 that have excited the curiosity and wonder of the world4,c ,these discoveries1 ,i need scarcely add1 were made long after the ,book of ,mormon had been translated and published to the world1 and relate to the destroyed cities spoken of therein4 ,there can1 ,i consider1 be no doubt whatever that the ,book of ,mormon is equally as much of divine origin as is the ,bible1 and ,i believe that all unprejudiced minds1 after a careful study of it1 will readily arrive at the same conclusion4 ,does any one suppose for a moment that an individual1 not divinely inspired1 could possibly sit down and write the ,old and ,new ,testaments exactly as they are1 in full harmony with each other and dealing so minutely1 as they do1 with all matters necessary for the salvation1 justification1 and sanctification of mankind8 ,neither is it possible for an uninspired person1 however good1 earnest1 and ,god-fearing such person may be1 to write such a book as the ,book of ,mormon4 ,i bear this testimony that that book came from ,god 7just as ,i know that the ,bible did71 and that1 in this last dispensation of time1 ,he has committed to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith the pure ,gospel1 #dhc as it once had been delivered to the saints in the primitive church1 and that ,christ's kingdom1 the same kingdom as that of which ,daniel wrote1,a has been set up upon the earth for the last time4 ,footnote ,c3 ,spencer's ,letters1 ,letter #g3 p4 #ha4 ,footnote ,a3 ,daniel #b3 #dd4 ,i think ,i have now sufficiently explained my reasons for leaving the ,church of ,england and joining what ,i know to be the only true church of ,christ on earth4 ,i willingly admit that in the ,church of ,england1 and also in the other churches and sects of ,christendom1 there are thousands of good1 earnest souls seeking after ,god1 and living up to what they believe to be the truth1 and ,god is always faithful to remember all such1 and to lift them up4 ,indeed ,christ will1 ,i believe1 eventually redeem mankind 7except the few sons of perdition who commit the unpardonable sin71 but ,i would add that there is but one plan of life and salvation that will exalt us into the highest or celestial kingdom of the ,father1 and that plan includes true faith and repentance1 followed 7as taught by ,christ and ,his ,apostles7 by baptism by immersion for the remission of sins1 and by the laying on of hands of those in authority from ,god1 for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i need scarcely add that we have after this to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling1 as ,st4 ,paul wisely warns us1,b and also to purify ourselves even as ,god is pure1,c and further to remember ,christ's own words1 ,but he that endureth to the end shall be saved4,d ,footnote ,b3 ,philippians #b3 #ab4 ,footnote ,c3 ,i ,john #c3 #c4 ,footnote ,d3 ,matt4 #aj3 #bb4 ,the ,bible teaches us that there are different degrees of glory hereafter1 and also different resurrections 7see notes below7,e and we should therefore all strive to be among those who will take part in the first resurrection1 and be exalted into the highest or the celestial glory1 which is much greater than the terrestrial one1 as much so as the terrestrial glory is greater than the telestial4 ,god's plan is plain1 and is recorded in the ,bible1 so that all can run and read1 therefore there cannot possibly be any excuse for those who have the opportunity placed before them of enquiring into and studying the ,gospel for themselves1 if they fail so to do4 ,footnote ,e3 ,john #ad3 #b4 ,i ,cor4 #ae3 #bb1 #bc2 ,i ,cor4 #ae3 #dj to #dd2 ,,ii ,cor4 #ab3 #b2 ,i ,thess4 #d3 #af1 #ag2 ,rev4 #bj3 #e1 #f4 ,i have written this article1 if ,i may so term these explanatory remarks1 for the information of my family1 and of those who may in any way be interested in me1 because ,i have been asked many questions on the teachings of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 and some have doubtless wondered #dhd what there was in that church which could have influenced me to desert the ,church of ,england and throw in my lot with the ,saints4 ,to all such ,i would reply in all humility1 that the teachings of the ,latter-day ,saints1 and their ordinances1 are in all respects thoroughly scriptural1 and strictly in accordance with those of the primitive church established by ,jesus ,christ ,himself1 while the ,church of ,england does not appear to me to be correct or scriptural in many of her teachings and ordinances4 ,i have taken the ,bible1 and the ,bible alone1 as my guide1 and ,i most assuredly would not have become a ,latter-day ,saint had ,i not found the doctrines and practices of this people to accord with those of the ,new ,testament1 or had ,i found the church to be wanting in any of these principles which the ,bible tells us are absolutely necessary to make up the true ,church of ,jesus ,christ on earth4 ,what some of these essentials are ,i have already endeavored to show1 to the best of my ability1 in these pages1 and ,i am convinced that without them there can be no true ,church of ,christ anywhere1 otherwise ,i altogether fail to see the use of our taking the word of ,god1 as the ,bible admittedly is1 as a guide to the truth4 ,if we admit that ,god's word is inspired1 then it is not within the authority of any mortal man to alter any part of it1 or to spiritualize or explain away any of the many plain commandments that are in the book4 ,there is but one ,gospel for our salvation1 with its ordinances1 its commandments1 and its marvelous and powerful gifts1 very clearly laid down in the ,bible1 and no church1 which does not practice and teach the same plan of life and salvation1 can possibly be right4 ,indeed1 we know that in the very early days of the ,christian church1 when false teachers had commenced to pervert the true ,gospel1 and to teach a gospel which contained some errors1 ,st4 ,paul denounced them in his letter to the ,galatian ,christians in the strongest terms of condemnation1 saying3 ,but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other ,gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you1 let him be accursed4,a ,this ought to be to us a very great warning1 coming as it does from the pen of an inspired writer and apostle1 and we would do well1 believe me1 to take it to heart and consider it4 ,footnote ,a3 ,galatians #a3 #h4 ,in conclusion ,i would advise those who may read these pages to think well over their contents1 and to ask ,god to show them how far there is ,his truth in the doctrines and ordinances of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 doctrines #dhe and ordinances which ,i have tried to show are in strict accordance with the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ ,himself4 ,the ,apostle ,james tells us that ,god will always give wisdom to all that ask ,him for it in true and in faithful prayer1 for he writes as follows3 ,if any of you lack wisdom1 let ,him ask of ,god1 that giveth to all men liberally1 and upbraideth not2 and it shall be given him2 but let him ask in faith1 nothing wavering4 ,for he that wavereth is like the wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed4 ,for let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the ,lord4,a ,this scripture shows us that we should pray in the fullest confidence that ,god is only waiting to be gracious to us1 and that ,he does not make a promise that ,he cannot or will not perform1 but ,his ears will ever be open to true and faithful prayer2 and we know that ,he is always more ready to hear than we are to pray1 and to give us more than we are at any time deserving of4 ,footnote ,a3 ,james #a3 #e1 #f1 #g4 ,i will give unto you one of the keys of the mysteries of the ,kingdom4 ,it is an eternal principle that has existed with ,god from all eternity3 ,that man who rises up to condemn others1 finding fault with the ,church1 saying that they are out of the way while he himself is righteous1 then know assuredly that that man is in the high road to apostasy2 and if he does not repent will apostatize as ,god lives4 --,joseph ,smith4 #dhf ,,the ,,early ,,christians ,,letter ,,written ,,to ,,the ,,emperor ,,trajan ,,by ,,pliny ,,the ,,younger ,,while ,,he ,,was ,,governor ,,of ,,bithynia4 ,it ,,is ,,the ,,first ,,connected ,,account ,,of ,,christ',s ,,followers ,,that ,,has ,,come ,,to ,,us ,,from ,a ,,pagan ,,source4 7,from ,december1 #aijg1 ,scrap ,book47 ,pliny the ,younger was a typically cultivated ,roman of the first and second centuries1 ,anno ,domini4 ,overeducated1 self-conscious1 and very firmly convinced of his own importance1 he was none the less an amiable and well-meaning man4 ,whenever he wrote a letter1 he wrote it with the intention of publishing it at some future time2 so that the collection which we now have of his epistles is an amusing example of literary pose4 ,nevertheless1 the letters are full of interesting sidelights upon the times in which ,pliny lived4 ,as a boy1 he witnessed from a distance the destruction of ,pompeii1 in which his uncle perished4 ,he beheld the awful excesses of some of the ,roman emperors4 ,he observed much of human life1 and he tells many an interesting tale1 ranging from ghost-stories to narratives of historical value4 ,the ,emperor ,trajan gave ,pliny an official appointment as governor of the province of ,bithynia4 ,in that office ,pliny first heard of the new sect called ,christians4 ,he was told that the ,christians in reality formed a political organization1 masking treason to the emperor under the guise of religion4 ,this was1 in fact1 the prevalent belief in official circles2 and the meetings of the ,christians were viewed very much as a ,russian bureaucrat views any private gathering of men and women for an unknown purpose4 ,having made an investigation1 however1 ,pliny discovered nothing to justify this feeling2 and he wrote a letter to the emperor asking how the ,christians should be treated4 ,this letter1 which is given here1 is interesting because it is the first connected account of the ,christians which we now possess from a pagan source4 ,it is my habit1 your majesty1 to refer to you all matters concerning which ,i am in doubt4 ,for who can better direct my hesitation or inform my ignorance8 ,i have never been present at any trials of ,christians2 therefore ,i do not know in what way and to what extent it is customary to question or punish them4 ,and ,i have felt no little hesitation as to whether some allowance should be made for age or whether the weak and delicate should be treated exactly like the more robust1 whether pardon should follow retraction1 or whether #dhg the renunciation of ,christianity should be of no avail to him who has once professed it2 and whether the name of ,christian itself1 without any violation of the law1 should be punished or whether violation of the law is considered as inhering in the name4 ,meanwhile1 in the case of those who have been accused to me as ,christians1 ,i have pursued the following plan4 ,i have asked them personally whether they were ,christians4 ,if they confessed it1 ,i asked them a second and a third time1 with the threat of punishment4 ,if they still persisted1 ,i ordered them to suffer the penalty1 since ,i am very sure that whatever it was that they were confessing1 stubbornness and unyielding obstinacy ought to be punished4 ,there were some afflicted by this madness who1 because they were ,roman citizens1 ,i remanded to ,rome4 ,presently1 under this treatment1 as is generally the case1 the charge began to spread and they were led into more overt acts4 ,anonymous accusations containing many names were sent me4 ,as for those who denied that they either were or had been ,christians1 when at my instigation they called upon the names of the gods and offered wine and frankincense to your statue 7which1 anticipating this emergency1 ,i had caused to be set up with the images of the deities71 and in addition to that had abjured ,christ--none of which things1 they say1 those who are really ,christians can be made to do--,i thought that they ought to be let off4 ,some1 whose names had been given to me by informers1 said that they were ,christians and then denied it2 that they had once been1 but had ceased to be4 ,certain of them said that they had ceased to be ,christians three years before1 others more than that1 a few even as long as twenty years ago4 ,all these1 too1 worshiped both your statue and the images of the gods1 and abjured ,christ4 ,they declared moreover that this was the sum of their fault or error2 that they had been accustomed to meet on a stated day before dawn1 and to sing responsively a hymn to ,christ as to a god1 and to bind themselves by a solemn sacrament--not to any crime1 but that they should commit no theft1 nor adultery1 that they should not bear false witness or refuse to give up a trust when it was demanded4 ,when this ceremony was over they said that it had been their custom to depart and to assemble again for the breaking of bread1 a common and harmless practice among them4 ,they further said they had ceased to do even this after my edict1 by which1 following your commands1 ,i had forbidden all formal assemblies4 ,wherefore ,i considered it the #dhh more necessary to try to get at the truth by torture from two women who were called deaconesses4 ,i found nothing further than a perverse1 widespread superstition4 ,having postponed action1 ,i hastened to seek counsel from you1 for it seemed to me that the matter was worthy of consideration1 especially on account of the number of persons involved4 ,for many of all ages1 of all ranks1 and of both sexes even1 are under suspicion and will hereafter be under suspicion4 ,the contagion of this superstition has spread1 not only in cities but to villages even and farms1 though ,i think that it can be checked and prevented4 ,at any rate1 it is pretty evident that the temples of the gods1 which were deserted up to a short time ago1 have begun to be thronged1 the customary sacrifices1 long interrupted1 to be renewed1 and also the pasturing of victims for these sacrifices which had been almost discontinued4 ,from all of which it is my opinion that this body of men can be made to see the error of their ways1 if only a chance is given them4 ,the ,lord has sent angels to men at different times since the creation of the world1 but always with a message1 or with something to perform that could not be performed without4 --,wilford ,woodruff4 ,earthly riches are only little things1 in comparison to the great principles of eternal lives and exaltation in the ,kingdom of ,god2 these are the riches of eternity4 --,john ,taylor4 #dhi ,,reorganization ,,weighed4 ,,presidency ,,permanency4 ,if any man thinks he has influence among this people to lead away a party1 let him try it1 and he will find out that there is power with the ,apostles which will carry them off victorious through all the world and build up and defend the church and the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,there is in existence1 with headquarters at ,lamoni1 ,iowa1 an organization known as ,the ,reorganized ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter ,day ,saints4 ,joseph ,smith1 the eldest son of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 is the president of this organization 7#aiji74 ,one of the main reasons for its existence lies in the belief of its adherents2 that young ,joseph should have succeeded to the presidency of the church4 ,they claim3 ,i4--,that it is his right by appointment of his father4 ,,ii4--,that it is his by lineage2 that is1 that the office of president of the church should descend from father to son4 ,,iii4--,that he was properly ordained by those holding the authority4 ,in this little tract we can but briefly state the facts in the premises1 that the reader may draw a reasonable and intelligent conclusion4 ,we do not hope to silence those who have schooled themselves even though vanquished1 to argue still1 but for the general information of the honest in heart4 ,i4 ,,appointments4 ,,local ,,revelations ,,for ,,special ,,needs4 ,it is claimed that according to the revelations1 the prophet ,joseph was to choose his successor4 ,first let us examine the ground upon which this claim is made4 ,a number of revelations concerning the perpetuation of the prophetic office were received in the early history of the church4 ,the first one was to ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,september1 #ahcj 7,doc4 ,cov41 ,d,c #bh3b-g2 ,reorganized edition1 sec4 #bg3b47 ,the second came in ,december1 #ahcj 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4 #ce3ag-ai1 ,reorganized ,edition1 #dij sec4 #cd3d47 ,the third in ,february1 #ahca 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4 #dc3a-d2 ,reorganized ,edition1 sec4 #dc3a-b47 ,the conditions which brought forth the above revelations were as follows3 ,while the prophet was in ,fayette1 ,n4,y41 with the ,whitmer family1 he discovered that ,satan had been lying in wait to deceive and seeking whom he might devour4 ,brother ,hiram ,page had in his possession a certain stone1 by which he claimed to have obtained certain revelations concerning the upbuilding of ,zion1 the order of the ,church1 etc41 all of which were entirely at variance with the plan of our ,father in ,heaven4 ,many believed in these spurious revelations1 especially the ,whitmer family and ,oliver ,cowdery4 ,under these circumstances the ,prophet received the following revelation to ,oliver ,cowdery3 ,and if thou art led at any time by the ,comforter to speak or teach1 or at all times by the way of commandment unto the church1 thou mayest do it4 ,but thou shalt not write by way of commandment1 but by wisdom2 and thou shalt not command him who is at thy head and at the head of the church1 for ,i have given him the keys of the mysteries1 and the revelations which are sealed1 until ,i shall appoint unto them another in his stead4 ,again in ,december1 #ahcj1 ,sidney ,rigdon came to visit the ,prophet at ,fayette1 ,n4,y41 to inquire of the ,lord concerning his duties1 and possibly for instruction and encouragement from the ,prophet4 ,shortly after his arrival the following revelation was received3 ,and ,i have sent forth the fullness of my ,gospel by the hand of my servant ,joseph2 and in weakness have ,i blessed him1 and ,i have given unto him the keys of the mystery of those things which have been sealed1 even things which were from the foundation of the world and the things which shall come forth from this time unto the time of my coming1 ,,if ,,he ,,abide ,,in ,,me1 ,,and ,,if ,,not1 ,,another ,,will ,i ,,plant ,,in ,,his ,,stead4 ,wherefore1 watch over him that his faith fail not1 and it shall be given by the ,comforter1 the ,holy ,ghost1 that knoweth all things4 ,also1 in ,february1 #ahca1 a woman by the name of ,hubble made great pretensions of receiving revelations4 ,she professed to be a prophetess of the ,lord and claimed that she should become a teacher in the church4 ,she deceived some who were not able to detect her in her hypocrisy4 ,that the saints might not be deceived1 the ,lord gave the following revelation3 ,o harken1 ye elders of my church1 and give an ear to the word which ,i shall speak unto you2 for behold1 verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 that ye have received a commandment for a #dia law1 unto my church1 through him whom ,i have appointed unto you1 to receive commandments and revelations from my hand4 ,and this ye shall know assuredly that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken1 if he abide in me4 ,but verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him1 ,,for ,,if ,,it ,,be ,,taken ,,from ,,him1 he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead2 and this shall be a law unto you1 that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments2 and this ,i give unto you that you may not be deceived1 that you may know they are not of me4 ,from a careful reading of these revelations and in the light of the circumstances arising1 we draw self-evident conclusions as follows3 lst4--,some of the saints were being deceived by spurious revelations4 #bnd4--,it was necessary that the saints know that the ,prophetic office and the keys of the priesthood could be held and perpetuated only through him who had received that power4 #crd4--,that in case of transgression or unfaithfulness he would retain the power to appoint his successor4 ,thus the wisdom of the ,lord in providing against the weakness of men4 ,all of these revelations were given before the quorums of the priesthood were organized and before the ,prophet had proven himself faithful or in the days of his preparation and qualification4 ,during all the trying scenes of life the ,prophet did not transgress1 but proved his worthiness before ,god2 therefore1 there was no necessity for him to confer upon his successor the ,keys and ,authority of his office on account of any transgression during this early period before the various quorums of the ,priesthood were organized as we have them today4 ,our ,reorganization friends admit this to be the fact4 ,we read in the ,saints ,herald of ,august #ah1 #ahhh 7this being the official organ of the ,reorganized ,church71 the following3 ,joseph ,smith was taken away1 dying a martyr1 of which death he was conscious1 and made preparations before it occurred4 ,,he ,,was ,,not ,,accused ,,by ,,the ,,lord ,,of ,,transgressions1 ,,and ,,the ,,gift ,,that ,,had ,,been ,,conferred ,,upon ,,him ,,taken ,,from ,,him2 ,,nor ,,was ,,there ,a ,,command ,,given ,,him ,,to ,,appoint ,,another ,,in ,,his ,,stead1 ,,because ,,he ,,had ,,been #dib ,,unworthy1 ,,and ,,the ,,lord ,,proposed ,,to ,,depose ,,him ,,from ,,his ,,office4 ,,it ,,was ,,only ,,in ,,the ,,event ,,of ,,the ,,gift ,,being ,,taken ,,from ,,him1 ,,that ,,he ,,was ,,to ,,so ,,appoint ,,another4 ,,this ,,event ,,did ,,not ,,occur4 7,volume #ce1 ,no4 #cc47 ,,revelations ,,on ,,permanent ,,order ,,of ,,priesthood4 ,subsequently1 when the ,prophet had proved his faithfulness1 the ,lord revealed to him1 ,march #h1 #ahcc1 the following revelation declaring that the keys of the kingdom would never be taken from him3 ,thus saith the ,lord1 verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you my son1 thy sins are forgiven thee1 according to thy petition1 for thy prayers and the prayers of thy brethren have come up into my ears2 ,therefore thou art blessed from henceforth that bear the keys of the kingdom given unto you2 which kingdom is coming forth for the last time4 ,verily1 ,i say unto you1 the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you1 while thou art in the world1 neither in the world to come2 ,nevertheless1 through you shall the oracles be given to another2 yea1 even unto the church4 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4 #ij3a-d2 ,reorganized edition1 ,d,c #hg3a-b47 ,in the year #ahce the twelve apostles were chosen according to the revelation of ,june1 #ahbi1 and received a commission equal in power and authority to that of the ,first ,presidency4 ,following is the language of the revelation3 ,and they 7the ,twelve7 form a quorum1 equal in authority and power to the three presidents previously mentioned4 7,doc4 ,cov4 sec4 #ajg3bd2 ,reorganized edition1 sec4 #ajd3aa47 ,thus it is seen that these early revelations which were local in their application1 given for special needs1 were superseded by later ones4 ,in the former we learn that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him1 for if it be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead4 ,in the latter we are told that ,joseph has proved his faithfulness and that ,verily1 ,i say unto you1 the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you while thou art in the world1 neither in the world to come1 ,nevertheless through you shall the oracles be given to another1 yea even to the church4 ,in accordance with these later revelations there was soon after given ,,through ,,the ,,prophet to #dic the church the order of the ,priesthood1 with all its offices and their authority and power4 ,one of these quorums 7the quorum of the twelve apostles7 was authorized to ordain and set in order all the other officers in the church1 which of course includes the ,first ,presidency4 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4 #ajg3eh2 ,reorganized ,edition1 sec4 #ajd3cj47 ,these superseding revelations are so plain on this matter that one has but to have an ordinary knowledge of ,english to understand them4 ,it is not to be wondered at that the church unitedly so interpreted them at the ,prophet's death4 ,and so1 under the ,twelve1 was the temple work prosecuted to completion1 and preparations made for the journey west4 ,,ii4 ,,law ,,of ,,lineage4 ,the second claim of the ,reorganization is that the office of president of the church belongs to young ,joseph by right of the law of lineage1 that it is his by birthright4 ,to begin with1 we will say that there are ,,only ,,two offices in the church which descend by lineage from father to son--the office of ,patriarch and the office of ,bishop4 ,it is evident that the ,lord recognizes the family unit and makes provision for it in the priesthood1 but to attempt to stretch the law to include all the offices of the ,priesthood and thus create royal families is unjust and carries us back to the feudal state of the ,dark ,ages4 ,here in ,america1 where so great an advance has been made in this line1 one cannot but stand amazed at seeing men hunt about in crevices and nooks for some reason which will make the ,lord an upholder of special privileges to the exclusion of equality in his work4 ,of the office of patriarch or evangelist1 concerning which the misinterpretation arises 7,reorganized ,edition1 sec4 #abe3c71 we read the following3 ,it is the duty of the ,twelve1 in all large branches of the church1 to ordain evangelical ministers 7i4e41 ,patriarchs71 as they shall be designated unto them by revelation4 ,the order of this ,priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son1 and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed1 to whom the promises were made4 ,this order was instituted in the days of ,adam and came down by lineage in the following manner3-- 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4 #ajg3ci-da2 ,reorganized edition1 sec4 #ajd3ag-ah47 ,these passages refer solely to the patriarchal or evangelical office1 but our ,reorganization friends would have you believe #did that they apply to the ,presidency of the ,church or the ,melchisedek ,priesthood4 ,that a proper comparison may be made we quote from ,the ,saints ,herald1 vol4 #ci1 p4 #ccg1 the above passage with the words they insert in parentheses to bolster up their claims3 ,the order 7including offices7 of this ,priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son1 and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed1 to whom the promises were made4 ,this order 7not the ,priesthood1 but the offices therein7 was instituted in the days of ,adam1 and came by lineage in the following manner3--,from ,adam to ,seth 7,abel having been slain74 ,it can readily be observed that the ,reorganization is not only guilty of misapplication of this passage1 but also of perverting scripture by inserting words in a revelation of ,god to gain their stranded point4 ,the revelation plainly states that the ,patriarchal order of the priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son1 etc41 and ,,not ,,the ,,offices ,,in ,,the ,,priesthood1 as asserted and assumed by the ,reorganization1 and has nothing to do with the office of the ,president of the ,church1 which presidency according to ,doctrine and ,covenants1 is chosen in the following manner3 ,of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood1 three ,presiding ,high ,priests1 chosen by the body1 appointed and ordained to that office1 and upheld by the confidence1 faith1 and prayers of the ,church1 form a quorum of the ,presidency of the ,church4 ,secs4 #ajg-abb1 ,reorganized ,edition1 #ajd-aaa4 ,the fact that the office of the ,patriarch and the office of ,bishop are the only ones named in the revelations which go by lineage from father to son1 is reason enough to any fair minded person that the other offices 7including ,president of the ,church7 do ,,not so descend4 ,if not1 why does the ,lord make this specification and name the two exceptions8 ,again1 they contend that the ,prophet ,joseph received by blessing from his father the birthright1 and that his blessing 7the ,prophet's7 shall also be put upon the head of his posterity after him4 7,true ,succession1 p4 #dd47 ,therefore1 they reason that young ,joseph should be ,president of the ,church4 ,let us see--the fact of the matter is3 ,hyrum ,smith1 the oldest living brother of the ,prophet1 obtained the birthright from his father4 ,joseph acknowledged that his brother ,hyrum should receive the birthright1 for it was the right of patriarchal priesthood1 even the evangelical priesthood1 that was conferred upon the first born1 and not the presidency of the church4 ,furthermore1 in proof that #die ,hyrum ,smith received the birthright1 we quote the following revelation3 ,and again1 verily ,i say unto you1 ,let my servant ,william be appointed1 ordained1 and anointed1 as a counselor unto my servant ,joseph1 in the room of my servant ,hyrum1 that my servant ,hyrum may take the office of ,priesthood and ,patriarch1 which was appointed unto him by his father1 by blessing and also ,,by ,,right4 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4 #abd3 #ia2 ,reorganized edition1 sec4 #ajg3bi47 ,furthermore1 in ,hyrum ,smith's patriarchal blessing given by his father1 we read3 ,i now ask my ,heavenly ,father in the name of ,jesus ,christ to bless thee with the same blessings with which ,jacob blessed his son ,joseph1 etc4 ,in ,i ,chronicles1 chapter #e1 we are told that ,joseph 7son of ,jacob7 received the birthright4 ,however1 the fact that ,hyrum ,smith received the birthright from his father would in no wise make him president of the church2 for the patriarchal priesthood and the presidency of the church are two different things1 and further1 the descendants of ,joseph ,smith and those of ,hyrum ,smith stand before ,god1 as do all other men1 assured of honor or dishonor1 exaltation or degradation1 according to their individual works4 ,it is further claimed that the president of this organization was called to be president of the church by revelation in #ahda1 which reads as follows3 ,and now ,i say unto you as pertaining to my boarding house which ,i have commanded you to build for the boarding of strangers1 let it be built unto my name1 and let my name be named upon it1 and let my servant ,joseph1 and his house have place therein1 from generation to generation2 ,for this anointing have ,i put upon his head1 that his blessing shall also be put upon the head of his posterity after him1 ,and as ,i said unto ,abraham concerning the kindreds of the earth1 even so ,i say unto my servant ,joseph1 in thee and in thy seed shall the kindred of the earth be blessed4 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4#abe3ef-ei2 ,reorganized edition1 sec4 #ajg3ah47 ,it seems almost unnecessary for comment or explanation as to the meaning of this passage4 ,the ,lord gives commandment to build a house in which the ,prophet and his family are to have a home1 and his posterity after him from generation to generation4 ,it was this anointing that the ,lord put upon the ,prophet's head1 that he and his posterity should enjoy the blessing of a home in this house1 known as the ,nauvoo ,house4 ,an inheritance in this house is the subject of this passage1 and not one word to indicate that the posterity of the #dif ,prophet should have the right to the ,presidency of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter ,day ,saints4 ,as a conclusion in respect to the law of lineage1 we quote the following words of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 which should silence all controversy on this subject3 ,the ,melchisedek ,priesthood holds the right from ,eternal ,god1 and ,,not ,,by ,,descent ,,from ,,father ,,and ,,mother1 and that ,priesthood is eternal as ,god himself1 having neither beginning of days or end of life4 7,mil4 ,star1 vol4 #bb1 p4 #ee47 ,thinking1 perhaps the ,reorganization officials may question the authority of our quotation from the ,millennial ,star in #ahfj1 we will verify the same by quoting the following passage from the inspired translation of ,the ,holy ,scriptures published by the ,reorganized ,church3 ,for this ,melchisedek was ordained a ,priest after the order of the ,son of ,god1 which ,order was without ,,father1 without ,,mother1 without ,,descent1 having neither beginning of days or end of life4 ,and ,,all ,,those who are ordained unto this ,priesthood are like unto the ,son of ,god1 abiding a ,priest continually4 7,heb4 #g3c47 ,there is only ,,one way men receive the priesthood of ,god1 and that is by the laying on of hands by one who had already the authority1 therefore1 ,,all ,,those who are ,,ordained ,,unto this priesthood are made like unto the ,son of ,god1 abiding a priest continually4 ,it thus becomes evident that even had the son of the ,prophet been promised in the revelations that he should become ,president of the ,church1 he could not become such until he was ordained by one possessing the authority to ordain him4 ,should we admit that he had the promise from his father of being president1 would men who had joined one church after another and become divested of all authority1 have priesthood enough to so ordain him8 7,see ,corner-,stone tract47 ,,iii4 ,ordination ,this leads us to the third claim1 i4e41 that young ,joseph was ordained by proper authority4 ,those who ordained him to the priesthood and set him apart to be president of the ,reorganized ,church were ,william ,marks1 ,zenas ,h4 ,gurley1 ,w4 ,w4 ,blair1 and ,samuel ,powers4 #dig ,the two latter never did belong to the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter ,day ,saints4 ,william ,marks1 at the time of the martyrdom of the ,prophet1 followed ,sidney ,rigdon1 evidently forgetting the claim which he later advocated1 that young ,joseph should succeed his father4 ,later he left the church and joined ,james ,j4 ,strang's ,organization1 acknowledging ,strang as the prophet of the ,lord and the one who should succeed ,joseph4 7,reorganized ,history1 vol4 #c1 p4 #gbc47 ,he so far departed from the true path as to be ordained and anointed to one position after another under ,strang's hands1 thus vitiating any priesthood he formerly received had he not been excommunicated4 7,see ,corner ,stones47 ,,becoming ,,dissatisfied he left ,strang and joined ,charles ,b4 ,thompson's ,church4 7,reorganized ,history1 vol4 #c1 p4 #gbd17 ,,still ,,later he left ,thompson and joined ,john ,e4 ,page's ,church4 7,reorganized ,history1 vol4 #c1 p4 #gbd47 ,on ,june #aath1 #ahei1 he entered the ,new ,organization1 subsequently the ,reorganization1 on his original baptism4 ,,now ,,where ,,was ,,his ,,authority ,,to ,,ordain ,,young ,,joseph8 ,on the verge of the great exodus from ,nauvoo1 ,zenas ,h4 ,gurley fell away from the church4 ,he was a ,seventy at the time1 but not a member of any general presiding quorum4 ,one cannot but be struck with the coincident fact that just at this time the saints faced their greatest ordeal4 ,everything looked black4 ,only stout hearts survive4 ,the question persists in recurring to the mind1 did ,zenas ,h4 ,gurley forsake the church in its need because of disbelief in it1 or because he paled before the hardships and suffering ahead8 ,at any rate1 he left the church and joined ,j4 ,j4 ,strang's ,organization1 in which he remained for a number of years4 ,he became a leading factor in bringing about ,the ,new ,organization1 and in #ahfj assisted in ordaining young ,joseph to the priesthood1 and also in setting him apart4 ,how about his authority8 ,if the whole church went wrong and he was one of these few pillars1 sent of ,god1 to steady the ark1 why did he grope about in uncertainty and join a man-made church8 ,in an earlier case we know of1 the ,lord was very particular that his chosen vessel should join none of them4 ,reader1 have you ever stopped to consider this fact1 that a man who holds the priesthood of ,god cannot debase that priesthood by joining a church which is not of ,god and still retain that priesthood8 ,the only answer there is to this query makes plain the fact that these men had no authority to ordain any one to any #dih office in the priesthood1 and as proof that young ,joseph was not ordained by his father we quote his own words3 ,no1 sir1 ,i did ,,not state that ,i was ordained by my father2 ,i did not make the statement4 ,i was ,,not ordained by my father as his successor1--according to my understanding of the word 'ordained' ,i was not4 7,plaintiff's ,abstract1 in temple lot suit1 page #gi1 paragraph #afb47 ,the ,lord never left his church in uncertainty1 but the power bestowed upon ,joseph ,smith was bestowed upon the quorum of the ,twelve ,apostles1 which quorum constituted the second quorum in the church4 ,,they were sustained in their calling as the first ,presidency of the ,church after the martyrdom by the vote and common consent of the people1 ,august #hth1 #ahdd1 and again in ,october1 #ahdd1 and it was their duty to set in order the first presidency and all other officers of the church in accordance with the revelations of the ,lord4 ,but let us turn to another side of the question3 ,the ,reorganization claims that there was an apostasy and a rejection of the church soon after the ,prophet's death4 ,if such was the case1 then is there some reason for a ,reorganization2 if not1 there is no excuse for it and a church carrying that name brands itself false4 ,in contrast with their fundamental view of the ,reorganization2 that is1 the apostasy or rejection of the church at ,joseph ,smith's death1 let us consider the sayings of some of the ancient prophets1 and by the aid of their stronger vision learn the lesson before us4 ,gloomy indeed must have been the immediate outlook to many of these ancient message-bearers of ,jehovah4 ,rejected again and again they found little prospect of accomplishing more than but a meagre part of the mission of the priesthood4 ,full well they knew that if ever the world were cleansed from sin it would be through the efforts of ,god's servants1 joined with the efforts of the people4 ,they could look back to the days of ,enoch and rejoice in the success of his ministry1 for in ,zion was the full mission of the priesthood achieved1 but as for their labors1 most of the seed fell upon stony ground4 ,what was it1 then1 that gave to these unrewarded men1 these outcasts1 the tone of optimism we find in their writings8 ,the answer becomes plain by a reading of them4 ,into their inspired vision was sent a glimpse of the future1 and in the picture thus before them they saw a time1 albeit afar off1 when the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 restored to the earth for the last #dii time1 would gradually establish peace and righteousness among men4 ,and so we read such passages as these3 ,and in the days of these kings shall the ,god of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people1 but it shall break in pieces and shall consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever4 7,dan4 #b3dd47 ,and ,i saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven1 having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people4 99 99 99 ,and then followed another angel saying1 ,babylon is fallen1 is fallen1 that great city1 because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication4 7,rev4 #ad3f-h47 ,but in the last days it shall come to pass that the mountain of the house of the ,lord shall be established in the top of the mountains1 and it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flow into it4 ,and many nations shall come and say1 ,come1 and let us go up to the mountain of the ,lord and to the house of the ,god of ,jacob1 and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths3 for the law shall go forth of ,zion and the word of the ,lord from ,jerusalem4 ,and he shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off1 and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning-hooks2 nation shall not lift up a sword against nation1 neither shall they learn war any more4 7,micah #d3a-c47 ,in all these passages it is clearly evident that ,,permanency was to be one characteristic of the latter-day kingdom1 and that ,,results were to follow it from the beginning without a break4 ,finally the set time arrives1 and the ,father and the ,son visit the earth4 ,men of old-time in an angelistic state come and deliver their messages4 ,peter1 ,james1 and ,john restore the priesthood4 ,elijah brings back the key of the binding power1 and under direct guidance from on ,high the ,,kingdom becomes established once more4 ,what1 we may now ask1 is this latter-day kingdom like8 ,where are the evidences of its permanency8 ,if that feature be so distinguishing a one that the ancient seers eagerly noted it and gave it so prominent a place in their descriptions1 surely there will be some evidences of it1 in the kingdom's make-up2 in other words1 in the light of these passages1 we would expect that the ,lord1 in establishing ,his work for the last time1 would place within it the power to overcome all obstacles and perpetuate itself4 ,let us examine the ,revelations4 ,in ,march1 #ahce1 the ,lord revelated to the ,prophet the #ejj authority of the different offices in the priesthood4 ,throughout1 all men are counted equally worthy2 ,,no ,,special son is named and no royal family indicated4 ,we read1 as quoted above3 ,of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood1 three presiding ,high ,priests1 chosen by the body1 appointed and ordained to that office1 and upheld by the confidence1 faith and prayer of the church1 form a quorum of the ,presidency of the ,church4 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4 #ajg3bb2 ,reorganized edition1 sec4 #ajd3aa47 ,again3 ,the ,twelve traveling counselors are called to be the ,twelve ,apostles1 or special witnesses of the name of ,christ in all the world2 thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling4 ,and they form a quorum1 equal in authority and power to the three presidents previously mentioned4 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4 #ajg3bc-bd2 ,reorganized edition1 sec4 #ajd3aa47 ,further3 ,the seventy are called to preach the gospel and be especial witnesses unto the ,gentiles in all the world1 etc4 ,and they form a quorum equal in authority to that of the ,twelve special witnesses or apostles just named4 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4 #ajg3be-bf2 ,reorganized edition1 sec4 #ajd3aa47 ,ah6 the important provision has been made4 ,not in one man's hands alone does full authority reside4 ,three great quorums possess it2 the ,first ,presidency1 the ,twelve ,apostles1 and the ,first ,quorum of ,seventy4 ,in the latter two it is but latent during the life of the ,presidency1 for there is order in ,god's house1 but being latent makes it none the less real4 ,the result is obvious4 ,evil may abound in man's heart4 ,the emissaries of ,satan may incite them to bloodshed and drivings4 ,they may martyr the ,prophet1 but we have the ,twelve left4 ,they may destroy the ,twelve1 but the ,seventies remain4 ,surely1 a blind man can perceive a strength from within which sets destruction at defiance4 ,but this is not all4 ,not only is the power and authority in safe keeping1 but the ,lord has designated a special quorum to build up the ,church whenever any of its offices become vacant1 through death or otherwise4 ,the revelation of ,march1 #ahce1 says3 ,it is the duty of the ,twelve1 also1 to ordain and set in order ,,all ,,the ,,other ,,officers ,,of ,,the ,,church1 etc4 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec4 #ajg3eh2 ,reorganized edition1 sec4 #ajd3cj-ca47 ,twice blind is he who cannot see that so long as such a quorum is in existence the ,church will continue to live4 ,now1 then1 what have we before us8 ,a tottering edifice #eja of a day6 ,surely1 ,,no1 but an organization the equal of which the world has never seen2 one which required a visit from the ,father and the ,son and the assistance of ,moroni1 ,john the ,baptist1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 ,moses1 ,elias1 ,elijah1 and others1 to bring about4 ,it was not ,joseph ,smith's church4 ,he was but an instrument through which a great divine institution began to take root in the earth4 ,and yet1 in view of all this1 we are told by the ,reorganization that the ,kingdom thus founded was so frail1 so weak1 that it collapsed at the death of one man4 ,without strength1 without stability1 it fell in its beginning to rise no more for sixteen years4 ,we do not so understand this great latter-day work4 ,nay1 nothing could be further removed from our conception of it4 ,to that man whose mind has been lit up by its spirit and who understands its mission in the world1 such a view is impossible4 ,if we examine ancient prophets1 they contradict it4 ,if we go to modern revelation1 the answer is no less plain4 ,if we consult common sense1 it likewise says no4 ,for divinely founded it was2 and for the last time was it restored4 ,neither again to be taken away nor given to another people4 ,not only has there been no rejection of the ,church1 but there has been no cause for one4 ,from the beginning1 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-,day ,saints has always stood for that which is true and good4 ,no people on earth can point to a better record4 ,the bleak plains1 the silent graves1 the barren desert1 the magnificent temples1 the self-sacrificing elders1 all bear testimony to its integrity and stability4 ,what would the ,lord reject them for8 ,has he ever had as loyal or as firm a people8 ,examine their history4 ,feel of the spirit they carry with them4 ,follow their tracts4 ,notice the solid ruins of their forsaken cities4 ,wherever they have planted their feet1 there have they builded to remain4 ,the spirit of permanency has surely rested upon them4 ,the old ,mormon homes in ,nauvoo are among the most substantial in the place to-day4 ,the temple there would have been a credit to the nation now had it remained unmolested4 ,this same spirit they carried with them into the barren desert1 and there on its thirsty soil1 amid untold difficulties and hardships1 reared yet more beautiful and substantial commonwealths4 ,magnificent temples towering in the now fruitful valleys proclaim the people busily engaged in preparing themselves for yet greater things to come4 ,truly1 ,god moves in a mysterious way1 ,his wonders to perform4 #ejb ,to unaided man everything looked black sixty years ago4 ,today the severe experiences of those years are seen to be but a necessary preparation for the greater work of building up the ,new ,jerusalem4 ,hardly necessary is it to add that they are fully prepared for this work when the time comes to begin it1 and no less evident is it that a people who have been for half a century building temporary homes1 with the expectation of being called at any time to build up the center stake1 will hardly have had the experience necessary to build the greatest and most permanent of all cities and the most glorious of all temples4 ,evidences are abundant on all sides that not only has ,god set up his work for the last time1 but also that this work is accomplishing its mission4 ,more clear1 as time goes by1 becomes the truth of ,brigham ,young's words3 ,if any man thinks he has influence among this people to lead away a party1 let him try it1 and he will find out that there is power with the ,apostles which will carry them off victorious through all the world and build up and defend the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god4 ,having obtained a glimpse of the glorious light which this ,latter-,day ,kingdom has shed upon the world1 we are assured that ,he who founded it1 ,he who has guided it until now1 will work out its future path4 ,we do not believe it is just to mingle religious influences with civil government1 whereby one religious society is fostered1 and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges1 and the individual rights of its members as citizens1 denied4--,joseph ,smith4 #ejc ,a ,,gospel ,,outline4 ,a ,,few ,,of ,,the ,,most ,,important ,,scriptural ,,references ,,bearing ,,on ,,the ,,gospel ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ1 ,,arranged ,,in ,,logical ,,order1 ,,and ,,designed ,,to ,,give ,,to ,,missionaries--,,and ,,all ,,other ,,students ,,of ,,the ,,gospel--,a ,,working ,,knowledge ,,of ,,such ,,scriptural ,,quotations ,,as ,,may ,,be ,,required ,,from ,,the ,,first4 ,,by ,,elder ,,nephi ,,anderson1 ,,editor ,,liahona ,,the ,,elders' ,,journal4 ,central ,states ,mission3 ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints1 #cjb ,south ,pleasant ,street1 ,independence1 ,missouri4 #aiaj ,,note--,the elder1 in the beginning of his studies and his presentation of the gospel1 does not need a multitude of texts1 which often lead to confusion1 but a few strong1 appropriate quotations under each topic1 the references having as much as possible1 a logical relationship to each other4 ,it is earnestly suggested that the ,scriptures in their fullness be carefully studied1 for in no other way can the full meaning and true spirit of isolated texts be obtained4 ,missionaries1 especially1 should compile their own ready reference from their study of the ,scriptures1 for by so doing the texts and their arrangement become fixed in the mind4 ,it is hoped that this outline will be a valuable help in this direction4 ,,the ,,knowledge ,,of ,,god4 #a4 ,a ,knowledge of ,god ,is ,essential1 for ,,john #ag3c4--,this is life eternal1 that they might know thee1 the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ1 whom thou hast sent4 #b4 ,personality of the ,godhead--,in the ,godhead there are three personages--the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,these are separate individuals1 proved by #ejd ,,matt4 #c3af1 #ag4--,the baptism of ,jesus2 the ,father speaking from heaven2 the sign of the ,holy ,ghost descending from above4 ,,acts #g3ee1 #ef4--,stephen sees ,jesus standing on the right hand of ,god4 ,,john #af3bh4--;,jesus came from the ,father1 and went back to ,him4 ,,john1 ,,chap4 #ag4--;,jesus prays to ,his ,father4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #acj3bb4--,the ,father and the ,son have bodies of flesh and bone2 the ,holy ,ghost is a personage of spirit4 ,,pearl ,,of ,,great ,,price2 ,,writings ,,of ,,joseph ,,smith4--,the ,father and the ,son visit ,joseph ,smith4 #c4 ,the ,unity of the ,godhead--consists in a oneness of powers1 attributes1 purpose1 etc4 ,,john #aj3cj-ch4--;,jesus and the ,father are one4 ,,john #ag3bj-bb4--;,jesus prays that ,his disciples may be one1 even as ,he and the ,father are one4 #d4 ,the ,father is ,revealed through the ,son2 for ,,john #ad3f4--,no man cometh to the ,father1 but by me 7the ,son74 ,,matt4 #aa3bg4--,no man knows the ,father save he to whom the ,son will reveal ,him4 ,,john #e3cg4--,the ,jews had not seen ,god the ,father's shape1 nor heard ,his voice2 but ,,john #a3ah4--,the ,son hath declared ,him4 ,therefore1 we receive our knowledge of the ,father1 not directly1 but through a study of the ,son4 ,as the ,father1 so the ,son4 #e4 ,jesus ,christ the ,son ,,john #a3b4--;,he was in the beginning with ,god4 ,,john #a3c2 ,,col4 #a3af2 ,,doc4 ,,cov41 #ch3a-d4--;,all things were created by ,him4 ,p4 of ,g4 ,p4 ,,moses1 #a3cc4--;,god has created worlds without number by the ,son4 ,p4 of ,g4 ,p4 ,,moses1 #d3a-d2 ,,abr4 #c3bb-bh4--;,jesus in the council and the rebellion in heaven4 ,i ,,nephi #ai3aj4--;,he is the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob4 ,i ,,cor4 #aj3d4--;,he is the ,spiritual ,rock that was with the children of ,israel4 ,,iii ,,nephi #ae3e4--;,jesus gave the law of ,moses4 ,,ether #c3d-af4--;,jesus shows ,his spiritual body to the brother of ,jared4 ,jesus is born into the world1 and lives as a man1 this earth life4 ,in ,his personal form and appearance ,he is ,,heb4 #a3c4--;,in the express image of ,his 7the ,father7 person4 ,,phil4 #b3f4--;,he is in the form of ,god4 ,,col4 #a3ae4--;,he is the image of the invisible ,god4 ,after ,his resurrection1 ,jesus is still in human form2 for ,,luke #bd3ci-dc4--;,he said1 ,behold1 my hands and my feet1 that it is ,i myself2 handle me and see2 for a spirit hath not #eje flesh and bones1 as ye see me have4 ,he also eats with ,his disciples4 ,,john #bj3bj-bg4--;,he shows ,his body with its marks to ,his disciples4 ,b4 of ,m4 ,,iii ,,nephi #aa4--;,he visits the ,nephites4 ,,acts #a3aa4--;,as ,he went to heaven1 in like manner will ,he return4 ,,john #d3bd4--;,god is a spirit4 ,as the ,father is like the ,son1 the ,father's spirit must also dwell in a glorified body of flesh and bones4 ,,john #e3ai4--,the ,son can do nothing of ,himself1 but what ,he sees the ,father do2 for what things soever he doeth1 these also doeth the ,son likewise4 ,,angels4 #a4 ,angels are the ,same ,class of ,beings as ,men--differing only in the scale of progressive being4 ,in heaven there are two kinds3 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #abi4--,spirits of just men made perfect1 and angels who are resurrected personages1 having bodies of flesh and bones4 ,of the latter class we have examples in ,,luke #bd3ci-dc4--,the resurrected ,jesus4 ,,acts #aj3cj-cb4--,the angel who taught ,cornelius4 ,,acts #e3ai4--,who released ,peter from prison4 ,,rev4 #ai3aj4--,who visited ,john on the ,island of ,patmos4 #b4 ,evil ,spirits are those who ,,jude #fth verse4--,kept not their first estate1 but ,isaiah #ad3ab2 #a ,,peter #b3d4--,were with ,lucifer1 cast out of heaven4 ,,acts #e3c4--,these spirits tempt men to do evil4 ,,matt4 #h3bh-cb4--,they so desire bodies that they strive for the possession of man's--sometimes1 even the bodies of swine4 ,,man4 #a4 ,man is a ,child of ,god--his spirit having been born of heavenly parents before it was clothed upon with flesh4 ,,acts #ag3bh4--,we are ,god's offspring4 ,,heb4 #ab3i4--;,god is the ,father of spirits4 ,,heb4 #b3ag4--,we are brethren to ,jesus--and ,he was a ,son of ,god4 ,,rom4 #h3bi4--;,jesus is the first-born of many brethren4 ,,john #bj3ag4--;,god is the ,father of ,jesus and of ,mary4 ,this relationship between the ,father1 ,jesus and mankind presumes #b4 ,the ,preexistence of ,man--for ,jesus and mankind are children of the same ,father2 ,jesus existed with the ,father before this world was2 7,john #a3b7 therefore1 it is reasonable to suppose that we1 the many brethren also lived with our common ,father4 ,,jer4 #a3e1--,the ,lord and ordained ,jeremiah before he was born4 #ejf ,,job #ch3d-g4--,sons of ,god shouted for joy when the foundations of the earth were laid4 ,,john #i3l4--,there is a possibility of a man's sinning before birth4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #ic3bc-bi4--,man as in the beginning with ,god4 ,,gen4 l3#bf4--,man was created spiritually first2 for ,,gen4 #b3e4--,there was not a man to till the ground4 ,p4 of ,g4 ,p4 ,moses #c3e4--;,all things1 man included1 were created spiritually before they were in the earth4 #c4 ,man is in the ,physical ,image of ,god--for man is in the same form as ,jesus1 and ,jesus is in the express image of the ,father4 ,,gen4 #a3bf4--;,adam was created in the image of ,god4 ,,gen4 #e3c4--;,adam begat a son1 ,seth1 after his image4 ,,mosiah #g3bg4--,man was created after the image of ,god4 #d4 ,god's ,purpose in ,giving ,man this ,earth-life1 is ,p4 of ,g4 ,p4 ,moses #a3ci4--,to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man4 ,,ii ,,nephi #b3be4--,that he might have joy4 ,to this end ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #ic3cc1 #cd4--;,a combination of spirit and body was necessary2 also ,,ii ,,tim4 #a3i2 ,,titus l3#b4--,salvation and eternal life was planned and promised before the world began4 ,for this purpose-- #e4 ,man ,may ,become ,perfect2 for ,jesus said ,,matt4 #e3dh4--;,be ye perfect1 as your ,father in heaven is perfect4 ,,heb4 #ab3bc4--;,just men may become perfect4 ,i ,,john #c3b4-,the ,saints shall be like ,jesus4 #f4 ,man's ,spirit is ,immortal2 for it existed before coming to earth 7see ,preexistence under #b7 and it will exist after the body is lain down4 ,,luke #af3 #ai-ca4--;,jesus teaches this in the parable of the rich man and ,lazarus4 ,i ,,peter #c3ah-bj4--;,christ1 while ,his body lay in the tomb1 visited the spirits in prison4 ,the spirit of the thief went with ,him4 ,,luke #bd3cg-ci4--,there are spirits3 ,a spirit has not flesh and bones1 said ,jesus4 ,,deut4 #cd3e2 ,,josh4 #a3a1 #b4--,moses died and was buried2 yet ,,matt4 #ag3c1 #d4--;,he appeared to ,peter1 ,james1 and ,john4 ,this must have been in the spirit2 for ,i ,,cor4 #ae3bj4--;,jesus was the first person resurrected1 ,he being1 the first fruits of them that slept4 #g4 ,the ,resurrection of ,man's ,body is assured2 for ,,luke #bd3cf-db4--;,jesus received again ,his body of flesh and bones4 ,,matt4 #bg3eb1 #ec4--,many ,saints received their bodies at ,christ's resurrection4 ,,job #ai3be-bg4--;,job said that he would yet in his flesh see ,god4 #ejg ,i ,,thess4 #d3ac-af2 ,,rev4 #bj3d-f2 ,,doc ,,and ,,cov4 #hh3ig1 #ih4--,the righteous will come forth in the first resurrection4 ,,rev4 #bj3e4--;,but the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished4 ,,ii ,,nephi #i3ab-ad2 ,,alma #aa3db-de4--,the resurrection is to be literal4 ,,our ,,first ,,parents' ,,fall4 ,,gen4 ,,chap4 #c2 ,rom4 #e3ab4--,our first parents brought sin and death into the world4 ,i ,,tim4 #b3ad4--;,adam knowingly transgressed the lesser law that he might obey the greater law to multiply and replenish the earth4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #bi3da4--;,by the fall1 man became spiritually dead--which is to be banished from the presence of ,god2 he also became subject to the temporal death--a separation of the spirit from the body4 ,,the ,,atonement ,,of ,,christ4 ,in order to attain to the perfection spoken about1 man must be released from the effects of ,adam's transgression4 ,,rev4 #ac3h2 ,p4 of ,g4 ,p4 ,moses #d3a-d4--,this was provided for from the foundation of the world by ,christ1 the ,savior1 who has brought salvation to all men4 #a4 ,general ,salvation ,,rom4 #e3ab4--,what was lost to the race through the fall was restored through ,christ4 ,i ,,cor4 #ae3ba1 #bb4--;,as in ,adam all die1 even so in ,christ shall all be made alive4 ,i ,,peter #a3ah-bj4--,we are redeemed through the blood of ,christ4 ,,ii ,,nephi #b3bf1 #bg4--,men are redeemed from the fall4 ,although thus redeemed1 unconditionally1 from eternal spiritual and temporal death1 man1 exercising his free agency1 commits personal sins2 therefore1 he needs also-- #b4 ,personal ,salvation ,,rom4 #c3bc2 ,i ,,john #a3h-aj4--;,all men are sinful4 ,christ atoned for personal sins also1 but to obtain forgiveness for them1 man must do something himself4 ,,heb4 #e3i4--;,christ is the ,author of salvation unto all those that obey ,him4 ,i ,,john #a3g4--,the blood of ,christ cleanses us from sin1 if we walk in the light4 ,i ,,tim4 #d3aj4--;,god is the ,savior of all men1 especially of those who believe4 ,,mosiah #c3aa1 #ab4--,those who knowingly sin must repent4 ,,faith4 ,faith is the first requirement to obtain forgiveness of personal sins4 #ejh ,,john #c3 #af2 ,,acts #af3ca4--;,belief in ,christ is necessary to salvation4 ,,heb4 #aa3l4--,definition of faith4 ,,rom4 #aj3ad1 #ae4--;,how faith comes4 ,,alma #cb3ba-dc4--;,how faith is developed4 ,,john #g3ag4--;,how faith is perfected2 they that do shall know4 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 ,,lectures ,,on ,,faith--contain an exhaustive treatment of faith4 ,,faith ,,and ,,works4 ,,james #b3ad-bf4--;,faith without works is dead4 ,,matt4 #g3ba4--,not he that sayeth1 ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter heaven1 but he that doeth the will of ,god4 ,i ,,john l3#c-f4--,we know that we know the ,lord1 if we keep ,his commandments2 and to know ,him is eternal life4 7,john #ag3c47 ,some religionists claim that the saving works come only after salvation is obtained1 but ,jesus said1 ,he that doeth shall enter4 ,,heb4 #e3i4--,obedience must come before salvation4 ,,rev4 #bb3ad4--,they who do the ,lord's commandments shall enter the holy city4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #gf3 #aaa2 ,,matt4 #af3bg4--,man rewarded according to his works4 ,,gal4 #b3af4--,man is not justified by the works of the law4 ,what law8 ,,gal4 #f3ab-ae2 ,,rom4 #c3bh-ca4--,the law of ,moses1 especially circumcision4 ,,repentance4 ,,isaiah #ee3g4--,the ,lord will forgive those who repent4 ,,luke #ac3c4--,necessity of repentance4 ,,ii ,,cor4 #g3h-aj4--;,godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation 4 4 4 4 but the sorrow of the world worketh death4 ,the process of true repentance may be stated thus3 7#a7 ,consciousness of sin2 7#b7 ,sorrow for sin2 7#c7 ,ceasing to sin1 illustrated in ,,jonah #c3e-aj4--;,case of ,nineveh4 ,,alma #ae3c-ab4--,the conversion of ,zeezrom4 ,,baptism4 #a4 ,history of ,p4 of ,g4 ,p4 ,,moses #f3fc1 #fd4--,the baptism of ,adam4 ,i ,,cor4 #aj3l1 #b4--;,israel was baptized in the cloud and in the ,,mark #a3d1 #e4--;,baptism was well known among the ,jews4 ,,mosiah #ah3e-ag4--;,alma baptizes in the waters of ,mormon4 #b4 ,necessity and ,object of ,,matt4 #c3ae4--;,in the case of ,jesus1 to fulfill all righteousness4 #eji ,,mark #a3d2 ,,luke #c3c2 ,,acts #b3ch4--;,for the remission of sins4 ,,gal4 #c3bg4--,to put on ,christ4 ,,john #c3c1 #e4--,to permit a person to enter the kingdom of heaven4 ,,acts #b3ch2 ,,acts #ai3a-f4--;,as a prerequisite to receiving the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,acts #aj3f1 #dh4--,to obtain salvation3 case of ,cornelius4 ,,acts #bb3af4--,to wash away sins3 case of ,paul4 #c4 ,mode of ,,matt4 #c3af4--,the baptism of ,jesus3 ,he came up out of the water4 ,,mark l3#e4--;,john baptizes in the river ,jordan4 ,,acts #h3ch4--,philip and the eunuch went down into the water4 ,,rom4 #f3c-e2 ,,col4 #b3ab4--,we are buried with ,christ in baptism4 ,,john #c3e4--;,it is likened to a birth4 ,,iii ,,nephi #aa3bb-bg4--;,christ instructs ,nephites on baptism4 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #bj3gb-gd4--,words to be used in baptizing4 #d4 ,proper ,subjects ,for2 ,infant ,baptism ,,matt4 #bh3ai1 #bj4--;,candidates must be capable of being taught4 ,,acts #b3ch2 ,,acts #h3cf1 #cg4--;,it must be preceded by faith and repentance4 ,infant baptism is contrary to the plan of salvation4 ,those who practice it theoretically annul the atonement of ,christ2 for ,i ,,john #c3d4--,sin is the transgression of the law4 ,,john #i3da4--,knowledge must come before sin4 ,,rom4 #d3ae4--,where there is no law1 there is no condemnation4 ,,luke #ah3af4--,of such 7little children7 is the kingdom of heaven4 ,i ,,cor4 #ae3bb2 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #bi3df4--;,as in ,adam all die1 etc4 ,all persons that are incapable of sinning are unconditionally redeemed in ,christ4 ,,moroni ,,chap4 #h4--,the sinfulness of baptizing little children4 ,,doc ,,and ,,cov4 #fh3bg4--;,children should be baptized at eight years of age4 ,infant baptism has no scriptural authority2 it is never mentioned in the ,bible4 ,some supposed cases are3 ,i ,,cor4 #a3af4--,paul baptizes the household of ,stephanas2 but ,i ,,cor4 #af3ae4--,the household contained no infants4 ,,acts #af3cc4--,paul baptized the household of the jailer2 but they were capable of being preached to and of believing4 ,there is no connection between baptism and circumcision4 ,baptism is for the remission of sins--circumcision is not2 baptism is administered to both sexes--circumcision is not2 faith and repentance must precede baptism--unbelievers may be circumcised4 #eaj ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4 #a4 ,the ,nature of the ,holy ,ghost ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #acj3bb4--,the ,holy ,ghost is a personage of ,spirit1 and ,i ,,john #e3g2 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #bj3bh4--;,is a member of the ,godhead4 ,the ,holy ,spirit1 or ,spirit of ,god1 both of which terms are sometimes used interchangeably with the ,holy ,ghost1 is the influence of ,deity1 the light of ,christ1 or of ,truth which proceeds forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space and to quicken the understanding of men4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 #hh3f-ac47--,prest4 ,jos4 ,f4 ,smith4 ,care should therefore be taken to discriminate between the ,holy ,ghost and the ,spirit of the ,lord4 #b4 ,as ,essential as ,water ,baptism ,,matt4 #c3aa2 ,,acts #a3e2 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #ci3f4--,the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost completes the baptism of water4 ,,john #c3e4--;,a man must be born of the ,spirit4 #c4 ,preparations for ,his ,reception ,,acts #b3ch2 ,,ii ,,nephi #ca3ab4--;,faith1 repentance1 and baptism of water are required4 ,,acts #ai3a-f4--,the baptism of water must be authorized4 ,,acts #aj3dd-dh4--,the ,holy ,ghost falls on ,cornelius and his company before they were baptized4 ,this1 the only exception to the general rule1 was to show to ,peter that the gospel was for the ,gentiles1 as well as for the ,jews4 #d4 ,manner of ,bestowing ,,acts #h3ag4--,the apostles bestow the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands4 ,,acts #ai3f2 ,,ii ,,timothy #a3f4--,paul bestows the ,holy ,ghost by laying on of hands4 ,undoubtedly1 ,jesus did not depart from the general law governing the bestowal of the ,holy ,ghost1 for ,,luke #bd3ej4--,prior to ,his final departure ,he lifted up his hands and blessed the twelve2 also ,,john #bj3bb4--;,he breathed on them and said1 ,receive ye the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,acts #b3b4--;,after the space of a few days1 the ,holy ,ghost came4 ,this interval is explained by the fact that it was necessary that ,jesus should depart before the ,holy ,ghost could come4 7,john #af3g47 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #cc3aa1 #ae4--;,holy ,ghost to be bestowed by laying on of hands4 #e4 ,gifts and ,operations of ,,john #ad3bf4--;,he was to teach all things1 and to bring to remembrance the teachings of ,christ4 ,,gal4 #e3bb1 #bc4--,the fruits of the ,spirit are love1 joy1 peace1 etc4 ,i ,,cor4 ,,chap4 #ab4--,the divers gifts of the ,spirit are wisdom1 knowledge1 healing1 etc4 #eaa ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #bj3ce4--,revelations may be given by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,divine ,,authority4 ,the saving ordinances of the gospel must be administered by men holding the ,priesthood1 which is the authority of ,god delegated to man4 ,,john #ae3af4--,ye 7the disciples7 have not chosen me 7,christ71 but ,i have chosen you and ordained you4 ,,matt4 #aj3dj4--;,he that receiveth you 7the disciples71 receiveth me4 ,,matt4 #af3ai4--;,divine authority is given to ,peter4 ,this authority is in the beginning given directly from the ,lord to men1 who bestow it by ordination on others4 7,john #ae3af47 ,,num4 #bg3ah-bc4--,moses ordains ,joshua4 ,,acts #f3e1 #f4--,seven men are called to assist the twelve4 ,,acts #ad3bc4--,paul and ,barnabas ordain elders4 ,,heb4 #e3a-d2 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #db3aa4--,no man takes the honor of the ,priesthood upon himself4 ,,acts #h3ab-ae4--,there are degrees of authority3 ,philip had authority to baptize1 but not to bestow the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,acts1 ,,chaps4 #i ,,and #aj4--,saul and ,cornelius are sent to men having authority4 ,,acts #ai3ac-af4--,the seven sons of ,sceva try to exercise authority which they did not hold1 with dire results4 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #abd3abh4--,twelve apostles have authority to preach the gospel to all nations4 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #aba3cf-df4--,powers of the ,priesthood to be exercised only on the principles of righteousness4 ,,the ,,church4 ,for the purpose of better bringing the gospel to all men1 and to help to faithfulness those who have received it1 an organization is effected called the ,church4 ,at the head of the ,church are men who have divine authority1 some of which are ,i ,,cor4 #ab3bh2 ,,eph4 #b3bj4--;,apostles1 prophets1 and teachers4 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #ajg4--,orders and callings in ,priesthood4 ,,eph4 #d3aa1 #ab4--,these are for the perfecting of the ,saints4 ,,eph4 #d3ac4--,until they come to a unity of the faith4 ,,eph4 #d3ad4--,that they be no more children 4 4 4 4 carried about by every wind of doctrine4 ,,heb4 #ac3ag4--,these officers should be respected and obeyed4 ,,acts #d3aj-ab4--;,because ,christ is the head of the ,church1 it should bear ,his name4 ,,acts #i3ac2 ,,rom4 #a3g4--,the members of the ,church are called ,saints4 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #aae3d4--,the name of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints given by revelation4 ,,revelation4 ,the ,church1 being led by apostles and prophets1 receives the immediate mind and will of the ,lord from time to time #eab as occasion requires4 ,this has been true in all ages2 ,adam1 ,enoch1 ,noah1 ,abraham1 ,moses and the former-day apostles are examples4 ,,prov4 #bi3ah4--,where there is no vision1 the people perish4 ,,amos #c3g4--,the ,lord will do nothing1 but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants1 the prophets4 ,i ,,cor4 #b3aj-ac4--,those who possess the ,spirit of ,god receive revelation4 7,see also passages under ,holy ,ghost1 ,gifts and ,operations47 ,,eph4 #c3c4--,paul receives revelation4 ,,phil4 #c3ae4--,the ,lord will reveal more if necessary4 ,,matt4 #af3ac-ah4--,the gates of hell shall not prevail against it--the rock of revelation4 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #db3fa4--;,elders of ,church may receive revelation4 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #dc3b-f2 #ajg3ia1 #ib4--,president only receives revelations for the ,church4 ,opponents to modern revelation quote3 ,,rev4 #bb3ah1 #ai4--,which forbids man to take from or add to the words of the ,book4 ,the reply to this is that the passage does not say the ,lord might not do this2 besides1 reference is made only to the ,book of ,revelations4 ,john wrote his ,gospel afterwards4 ,a similar admonition is found in ,deut4 #d3b4 ,,the ,,apostasy4 ,it is a self-evident fact that the ,gospel as preached and practiced by ,christ and ,his first disciples was corrupted1 and at last1 lost altogether during the ,dark ,ages4 ,this is shown if we put the so-called ,christian sects to the test which ,christ gave4 ,,john #ac3ce4--;,by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another1 also ,,matt4 #g3ae-bj4--;,by their fruits ye shall know them4 ,,ii ,,tim4 #c3 #a-e4--,the wickedness of the last days is described4 ,,ii ,,peter #b3a-c4--,many shall follow false teachers4 ,,ii ,,thess4 #b3 #a-d4--,there shall be a falling away before ,christ's second coming4 ,,rev4 #ac3f-h4--,the ,saints are overcome4 ,,ii ,,nephi #bh ,,and #bi4--;,give a description of the apostate world4 ,,doc4 ,,and ,,cov4 #a3ae1 #af4--,the present apostate condition described4 ,,the ,,restoration ,,of ,,the ,,gospel4 ,the falling away makes necessary a restoration2 for the purposes of ,god in the final redemption of the race requires it4 ,,matt4 #bd3ad4--,this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world1 before the end4 ,,rev4 #ad3f4--;,an angel restores the gospel in the latter days4 ,,dan4 #b3bh-de4--;,daniel saw the kingdom of ,god established in the last days4 #eac ,the ,aaronic ,priesthood was restored by ,john the ,baptist to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,may #ae1 #ahbi2 shortly after this date1 the ,melchisedek ,priesthood was restored by ,peter1 ,james and ,john4 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints was organized ,april #f1 #ahcj1 at ,fayette1 ,n4,y4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #fe3b4--;,daniel's vision fulfilled in the ,latter-day ,kingdom4 ,,the ,,necessity ,,of ,,church ,,unity4 ,,john #ag3bj4--;,jesus prays that ,his disciples may be one as ,he and the ,father are one4 ,i ,,cor4 l3#aj4--,the ,saints are told to speak the same thing1 to be perfectly joined together in the same mind4 ,,eph4 #d3d-f4--,there is one body1 one ,spirit 99 99 99 one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism4 7,read the whole chapter47 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #ch3bg4--;,if ye are not one1 ye are not mine4 ,,the ,,gathering4 ,,matt4 #ab3cj4--;,jesus said1 ,he that gathereth not with me1 scattereth abroad4 ,,eph4 l3#aj4--;,in the ,dispensation of the ,fulness of ,times1 all things in ,christ shall be gathered together in one4 ,,deut4 #bh3fd4--;,israel is to be scattered among all nations2 but ,,jer4 #ca3aj4--,the ,lord shall gather ,israel again4 ,,gen4 #di3bb-bf2 ,,deut4 #cc3ac-af4--;,joseph's inheritance extends beyond the land of ,canaan--to ,america4 ,b4 of ,m4 ,,ether #ac3f-h4--,where ,he will gather and build up ,zion4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #acc3bf-cd4--,the ,ten ,tribes shall come from the north and be blessed in ,zion by ,ephraim--the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,,jer4 #cb3cf-dd2 ,,zach4 #b3ab4--,the ,jews shall return to ,jerusalem4 ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,,acts #ag3bf1 #bg4--,the ,lord has fixed the bounds of the earth's inhabitants3 ,he desires all people to feel after ,him that they might find ,him4 ,,gen4 #aa3g-i4--;,at the confusion of tongues1 the people were scattered over the whole earth4 ,,john #aj3af4--;,jesus said ,he had other sheep not of the fold at ,jerusalem which ,he must also visit4 ,,ezek4 #cg3ae-ai4--,the stick1 or book1 of ,judah 7the ,bible7 and the stick of ,joseph 7the ,book of ,mormon7 shall come together in the last days4 ,,is4 #bi3aa-ad4--,the words of a sealed book should be delivered to one who is learned1 who shall say1 ,i cannot read a sealed book4 ,fulfilled in ,martin ,harris' visit to ,prof4 ,anthon4 7,see the ,writings of ,joseph ,smith in ,p4 of ,g4 ,p47 #ead ,,moroni #aj3c-e4--;,how to obtain a testimony of the truth of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,,salvation ,,for ,,the ,,dead4 ,i ,,tim4 #b3c1 #d2 ,,ii ,,peter #c3i4--,the ,lord desires all men to be saved4 ,,acts #d3ab4--;,jesus ,christ is the only name given whereby man can be saved4 ,,john #c3e-g4--;,a man must be born of the water and of the ,spirit before he can enter the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,this birth of the water 7baptism7 presupposes faith and repentance4 ,as the vast majority of the race have never heard of ,christ or ,his gospel in this life1 it follows that they must hear of them in the spirit world4 ,this is true1 for ,i ,,peter #c3ah-bj4--;,christ1 after ,his death1 went and preached to the spirits of those who had been destroyed in the ,flood2 and-- ,i ,,peter #d3f4--,what ,he preached was the gospel4 ,as these spirits1 as well as all who are in the spirit world1 cannot receive water baptism1 it will have to be performed vicariously on the earth for those who repent4 ,i ,,cor4 #ae3bi4--,paul refers to baptism for the dead4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #abg3f-aj2 ,sec4 #abh4--;,joseph ,smith explains the doctrine of baptism for the dead4 ,note3--,farrar1 in his ,early ,days of ,christianity1 ,chaps4 ,,vii and ,,viii1 makes some interesting comments on these passages1 upholding the view taken by the ,latter-day ,saints on the subject of salvation for the dead4 ,,luke #bc3db1 #dc4--,the thief on the cross went with ,jesus to ,paradise--the spirit world4 ,,john #bj3ag4--,the thief did not go to the ,father1 or to heaven1 for ,jesus declared to ,mary three days later that ,he ,himself had not been there4 ,,the ,,sacrament ,,of ,,the ,,lord',s ,,supper4 ,,luke #bb3g-bj4--;,it was instituted by the ,lord4 ,,acts #bj3g4--;,and practiced by ,his disciples4 ,i ,,cor4 #aa3bc-cd4--;,it should be partaken of worthily1 and in remembrance of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #bg3b-d4--,the ,saints are commanded not to use wine or strong drinks in partaking of the sacrament4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #bj3gg-gi4--;,form of blessing on the bread and water4 ,,tithing4 ,,gen4 #ad3ah-bj4--;,abraham paid tithes to ,melchizedek4 ,,lev4 #bg3cj4--;,it was a law unto ,israel4 ,,mal4 #c3g-ab4--;,blessings promised the tithe payer4 ,,luke #aa3db4--;,jesus commends tithe paying4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #aai4--,the law of tithing as given to the ,latter-day ,saints4 #eae ,,the ,,sabbath1 ,,or ,,lord',s ,,day4 ,,mark #b3bg1 #bh4--,the ,son of man is ,lord also of the ,sabbath4 ,,acts #bj3g2 ,i ,,cor4 #af3a1 #b4--;,former-day ,saints met for worship on the first day of the week-the day on which ,christ arose from the dead4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #ei3i-ac4--,the ,latter-day ,saints' authority for observing the first day of the week--the ,lord's day--as a ,sabbath4 ,some religionists base their salvation on the observance of the seventh day1 or ,jewish ,sabbath4 ,to be consistent such people ought also to observe the ,sabbath of ,years and the year of ,jubilee1 both being part of the ,jewish law4 7,lev4 #be3a-bb47 ,the penalty for breaking the ,jewish ,sabbath was death4 ,if the penalty is abolished1 how can the law remain8 ,,persecution4 ,,matt4 #e3aj4--;,blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake4 ,,matt4 #bd3i4--;,in the latter days1 the followers of ,christ shall be hated of all nations4 ,,acts #bh3bb4--,this sect--the ,church of ,christ--was everywhere spoken against4 ,,ii ,,tim4 #c3ab4--;,all that will live godly in ,christ ,jesus shall suffer persecution4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #aja3ce-ch4--;,glory for the faithful persecuted4 ,,ministrations ,,to ,,the ,,sick4 ,,mark #f3e4--;,jesus laid his hands on a few sick1 and healed them4 ,,mark #f3ac4--,the disciples anointed with oil many that were sick1 and healed them4 ,,james #e3ad1 #ae4--;,anointing with oil and prayer shall save the sick4 ,,matt4 #ag3af-bj2 ,,ii ,,tim4 #d3bj4--,the sick were not always healed4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #db3dc1 #dd1 #dh4--;,how the sick are to be treated4 ,,salvation ,,is ,,not ,,instantaneous4 ,,prov4 #d3ah4--,the path of the just is as the shining light1 that shineth more and more unto the perfect day4 ,,matt4 #bd3ac2 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #ec3g4--;,he that endures to the end shall be saved4 ,,heb4 #c2 #d3i-aa4 ,the rest of ,god is for those who are steadfast unto the end4 ,,rev4 #ba3g4--;,he that overcometh shall inherit all things4 ,,the ,,second ,,coming ,,of ,,christ4 ,,acts l3#aa4--;,as ,jesus went1 so shall ,he come again4 ,,matt4 #af3bg4--,the ,son of man shall come in the glory of his ,father4 #eaf ,i ,,thess4 #d3ae1 #af4--,the ,lord ,himself shall descend from heaven4 ,,zach4 #ad3d1 #e4--;,christ's second coming to ,jerusalem4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #di3f1 #g1 #bb-bd4--,signs of ,christ's coming4 ,,the ,,thousand ,,years ,,or ,,millennium4 ,,rev4 #bj3e1 #f4--,the ,saints shall reign on the earth with ,christ a thousand years4 ,,is4 #aa3f1 #i2 #fe3bj2 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #de3eh1 #ei4--;,conditions during the thousand years4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #fc3di-ea4--,the righteous shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye4 ,,the ,,renewed ,,or ,,celestialized ,,earth4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #hh3be-bh4--,the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #bi3bb-be4--;,all things shall become new4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #acj3i4--,the earth to become like a ,urim and ,thummin4 ,,rev4 #ba and #bb4--;,a description of the new earth4 ,,degrees ,,of ,,salvation4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #hh3cd-dd4--;,all things are governed and sanctified by law4 ,i ,,cor4 #ae3dj-db4--,there are different degrees of glory in the resurrection4 ,,matt4 #af3bg4--;,jesus shall reward every man according to his works4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #gf4--;,description of the three degrees of glory4 ,,eternity ,,of ,,the ,,marriage ,,covenant4 ,,eccl4 #c3ad4--,whatsoever ,god doeth1 it shall be forever4 ,,gen4 ,,chaps4 #b #c4--;,before the ,fall1 ,adam and ,eve were immortal1 therefore their marriage was eternal in its nature4 ,,matt4 #af3ai4--,peter received divine authority1 so that whatsoever he bound on earth was bound in heaven4 ,,matt4 #bb3bc-cc4--;,as in baptism1 marriage is performed on earth--not after the resurrection4 ,the ordinance must be performed by one having authority1 such as ,peter2 and the married must be believers1 not such as the ,sadducees who denied the resurrection and knew not the scriptures nor the power of ,god4 ,,doc4 ,,cov4 #acb3ai-bd4--,marriage for eternity explained4 #eag ,a ,,contrast ,,between ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ ,,and ,,the ,,false ,,doctrines ,,of ,,the ,,nineteenth ,,century4 ,,by ,,parley ,p4 ,,pratt ,whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of ,christ1 hath not ,god4 ,he that abideth in the doctrine of ,christ1 he hath both the ,father and the ,son4--#b ,john1 verse #i4 ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ4 ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,men4 ,and these signs shall follow ,and these signs shall not follow them that believe2 ,in my name them that believe1 for they are shall they cast out devils they done away and no longer needed4 shall speak with new tongues2 ,in ,his name they shall not cast ,they shall take up serpents2 out devils4 and if they drink any deadly ,the gift of tongues is no longer thing1 it shall not hurt them2 they needed4 shall lay hands on the sick1 and ,if they take up serpents they they shall recover4--,mark xvi41 will bite them2 if they drink any #ag-ah4 deadly thing1 it will kill them4 ,they shall not lay hands on the sick1 and if they do they shall not recover2 for such things are done away4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,he that believeth on ,christ ,he the believeth on me1 the works shall not do any of the miracles that ,i do shall he do also2 and and mighty works that ,he did1 greater works than these shall he for such things have ceased4 do2 because ,i go unto my ,father4 --,john xiv41 #ab4 ,fear them not therefore2 there ,there is to be no more revelation1 is nothing covered1 that shall not for all things necessary are be revealed2 and hid that shall already revealed4 not be known4--,matt4 x41 #bf4 ,and he shall send his angels ,and there is to be no more ministering with a great sound of a trumpet1 of angels1 for such things and they shall gather together his are done away4 elect from the four winds1 from one end of heaven to the other4--,matt4 xxiv41 #ca4 #eah ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ4 ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,men4 ,and ,i saw another angel fly ,angels do not appear in this in the midst of heaven1 having enlightened age1 because they are the everlasting gospel to preach no longer needed4 unto them that dwell on the earth1 and to every nation and kindred1 and tongue and people4--,rev4 xiv41 #f4 ,howbeit when he1 the ,spirit ,inspiration is no longer needed of truth1 is come1 he will guide in this age of learning and refinement4 you into all truth2 for he shall ,again1 it shall not not speak of himself2 but whatsoever show you things to come2 for he shall hear1 that shall then you would be a ,prophet1 and he speak2 and he will shew you there are to be no ,prophets in things to come4--,john xvi41 #ac4 these days4 ,if ye abide in me1 and my words ,it is not so in these days1 we abide in you1 ye shall ask what must not expect to heal the sick ye will1 and it shall be done unto and work miracles1 consequently you4--,john xv41 #g4 we must not expect to receive what we ask for4 ,neither pray ,i for these alone1 ,and we are all good ,christians1 but for them also which shall believe and we all believe on him through on me through their word2 the ,apostle's words1 although divided ,that they all may be one2 as into several hundred different ,thou1 ,father1 art in me1 and ,i sects4 in ,thee1 that they also may be one in us2 that the world may believe that ,thou hast sent me4-- ,john xvii41 #bj-ba4 ,one ,lord1 one faith1 one ,many ,lords1 many faiths1 and baptism4--,eph4 iv41 #e4 three or four kinds of baptism4 ,for by one ,spirit are we all ,and by many spirits are we all baptized into one body1 whether torn asunder into different bodies4 we be ,jews or ,gentiles1 whether we be bond or free2 and have been all made to drink into one ,spirit4--,i4 ,cor4 xii41 #ac4 ,and he gave some1 apostles2 ,and there are to be no more and some1 prophets2 and some1 ,apostles1 and no more ,prophets4 evangelists2 and some1 pastors ,but the work of the ministry1 the and teachers2 perfecting of the ,saints1 and the ,for the perfecting of the saints1 edifying of the different bodies of for the work of the ministry1 for ,christ1 can all be done very well the edifying of the body of ,christ4 without these gifts of ,god1 only ,till we all come in the unity give us money enough to educate of the faith and of the knowledge and employ the wisdom of men4 of the ,son of ,god1 unto a perfect ,apostles1 miracles1 and gifts man1 unto the measure of were to continue during the first ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ4 ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,men4 #eai the stature of the fullness of age of ,christianity1 and then were ,christ2 to cease1 because no longer needed1 ,that we henceforth be no more having accomplished their purpose4 children1 tossed to and fro1 and ,tracts1 creeds1 sermons1 and carried about with every wind of commentaries of uninspired men1 doctrine1 by the sleight of men1 together with a hireling priesthood1 and cunning craftiness1 whereby are now necessary in order they lie in wait to deceive4--,eph4 to keep men from being carried iv41 #aa-ad4 about with every wind of doctrine1 c4 ,and no man taketh this honour ,for no man taketh this honour unto himself1 but he that is called upon himself1 but one who has of ,god1 as was ,aaron4--,heb4 been educated for the purpose1 v41 #d4 and commissioned by men4 ,and how shall they preach1 except ,but how shall the preach except they be sent8 7of ,god47--,rom4 they be well educated for the x41 #ae4 purpose and sent 7by the board of officers78 ,is any sick among you8 let him ,if any are sick among you do call for the elders of the church2 not send for the ,elders of the and let them pray over him1 ,church2 or if the ,elders1 come anointing him with oil in the name do not let them lay hands on of the ,lord2 them1 neither let them anoint them ,and the prayer of faith shall in the name of the ,lord1 for this save the sick1 and the ,lord shall is all ,mormon delusion2 but send raise him up2 and if he have committed for a good physician1 and perhaps sins1 they shall be forgiven they may get well4 him4--,james v41 #ad-ae4 ,then ,peter said unto them1 ,repent ,repent and come to the anxious and be baptized every one seat 7penitent form7 every one of of you in the name of ,jesus you1 and cry1 ,lord1 ,lord1 and ,christ for the remission of sins1 may be you will get forgiveness and ye shall receive the gift of of sins2 and you may be baptized the ,holy ,ghost4 or not2 but if you do you will ,for the promise is unto you1 not get the ,holy ,ghost as they and to your children1 and to all did anciently1 for such things are that are afar off1 even as many done away4 as the ,lord our ,god shall call4--,acts ii41 #ch-ci4 ,and it shall come to pass afterward1 ,and in these last days the ,lord that ,i will pour out my will not pour out ,his ,spirit so spirit upon all flesh2 and your as to cause our sons and daughters sons and your daughter shall to prophesy1 our old men to prophesy1 your old men shall dream dreams1 and our young men dream dreams1 your young men to see visions2 for such things are shall see visions4--,joel ii41 #bh4 no longer needed1 and it is all delusion1 and none but the ignorant believe such things4 #ebj ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ4 ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,men4 ,follow after charity1 and desire ,do not covet any of the supernatural spiritual gifts1 but rather that ye gifts1 but especially beware may prophesy4--,i4 ,cor4 xiv41 #a4 of ,prophesying1 for such things are done away4 ,wherefore1 brethren1 covet to ,do not prophesy1 and it is all prophesy1 and forbid not to speak a delusion to speak in tongues4 with tongues4--,i4 ,cor4 xiv41 #ci4 ,but in vain they do worship me1 ,it matters not what kind of doctrine1 teaching for doctrines the commandments or what system1 a man embraces1 of men4--,matt4 xv41 #i4 if he is only sincere and worships ,jesus ,christ4 ,at that time ,jesus answered ,we thank ,god that ,he has revealed and said1 ,i thank thee1 ,o ,father1 nothing to any person1 wise ,lord of heaven and earth1 because or simple1 for many hundred thou hast hid these things from years1 but that our wise and the wise and prudent1 and hast learned men have been able to revealed them unto babes4 know ,god without a revelation1 ,even so1 ,father2 for so it seemed and that we shall never be favored good in thy sight4--,matt4 xi41 with any more4 #be-bf4 ,all things are delivered unto ,we all know ,god in this enlightened me of my ,father2 and no man age1 and yet neither the knoweth the ,son1 but the ,father2 ,father nor the ,son has revealed neither knoweth any man the anything to any of us1 for we ,father1 save the ,son1 and he to do not believe revelations are necessary whomsoever the ,son will reveal now4 him4--,matt4 xi41 #bg4 ,and this is life eternal1 that ,and we cannot know for ourselves1 that they might know ,thee the only by any positive manifestation true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ1 whom in these days1 but must depend ,thou hast sent4--,john xvii41 #c4 on the wisdom and learning of men4 ,i thank my ,god always on your ,we thank the ,lord always in behalf1 for the grace of ,god behalf of the ,church in these which is given you by ,jesus days1 that she has no supernatural ,christ2 gifts given unto her1 and ,that in everything ye are enriched that she is not enriched by ,christ1 by him1 in all utterance1 neither in the gift of utterance and in all knowledge2 nor in the gift of knowledge2 ,even as the testimony of ,christ neither has she the testimony of was confirmed in you2 ,jesus 7the spirit of prophecy7 ,so that ye come behind in no confirmed in her1 and she comes gift2 waiting for the coming of behind in all the gifts2 nor is she our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4--,i4 ,cor4 waiting for1 or expecting the coming i41 #d-g4 of the ,lord2 for ,he has come once1 and never will come again till the great and last day1 the end of the earth4 #eba ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ4 ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,men4 ,because the foolishness of ,god ,the wisdom of men1 and the is wiser than men2 and the weakness learning of men1 are better than of ,god is stronger than men4 the inspiration of the ,almighty1 ,for ye see your calling1 brethren1 for that is not needed any longer2 now that not many wise men for you see your calling1 brethren1 after the flesh1 not many mighty1 how that the wise1 and learned1 not many noble1 are called2 and noble1 and mighty are ,but ,god has chosen the foolish called in these days2 for we have things of the world to confound chosen such to confound the foolish2 the wise2 and ,god hath the unlearned1 and the ignorant2 chosen the weak things of the yea1 to confound the base world to confound the things things of the world which are which are mighty2 despised1 that flesh might glory in ,and base things of the world1 ,his presence4 and things which are despised1 hath ,god chosen1 yea1 and things which are not1 to bring to naught things that are3 ,that no flesh should glory in his presence4--,i4 ,cor4 i41 #be-bi4 ,and ,i1 brethren1 when ,i came ,and we1 brethren1 when we to you1 came not with excellency came unto you1 came with excellency of speech or of wisdom1 declaring of speech1 and with the wisdom unto you the testimony of and learning of man2 and ,god4 our speech and our preaching were ,for ,i determined not to know with enticing words of man's wisdom2 any thing among you1 save ,jesus not in demonstration of the ,christ1 and ,him crucified4 spirit and power1 for that is done ,and ,i was with you in weakness1 away2 that your faith should not and in fear1 and in much stand in the power of ,god1 but in trembling4 the wisdom of man4 ,and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom4 but in demonstration of the ,spirit and of power3 ,that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men1 but in the power of ,god4--,i4 ,cor4 ii41 #a-e4 ,but we speak the wisdom of ,but we speak the wisdom of ,god in a mystery1 even the hidden man in a mystery1 even the hidden wisdom1 which ,god ordained wisdom1 which none but the before the world unto our glory2 learned knew2 for had others ,which none of the princes of known it1 they would never have this world knew2 for had they been under the necessity of employing known it1 they would not have us to tell it to them4 crucified the ,lord of glory4--,i4 ,cor4 ii41 #g-h4 #ebb ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ4 ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,men4 ,but ,god hath revealed them ,but ,god hath revealed nothing unto us by ,his ,spirit2 for the unto us by ,his ,spirit2 for the ,spirit searcheth all things1 yea1 wisdom and learning of man the deep things of ,god4 search all things2 yea1 all the deep ,for what man knoweth the things which are necessary for things of a man1 save the spirit us to know4 of man which is in him8 even ,for what man knoweth the so the things of ,god knoweth no things of man1 save the spirit of man1 but the ,spirit of ,god4 man1 which is in him8 ,even so ,now we have received not the the things of ,god knoweth no spirit of the world1 but the spirit man by the ,spirit of ,god in these which is of ,god2 that we might days1 for it is done away1 or it know the things that are freely reveals nothing4 given to us of ,god4 ,now1 we have not received the ,which things also we speak1 ,spirit of ,god1 but the spirit of not in the words which man's wisdom the world1 that we might not know teacheth2 comparing spiritual for a certainty1 but that we might things with spiritual4 guess at1 or give our opinion of ,but the natural man receiveth the things of ,god4 not the things of the ,spirit of ,which things also we speak1 not ,god1 for they are foolishness unto in the words which the ,holy him1 neither can he know them1 ,ghost teacheth1 but which man's because they are spiritually wisdom teacheth1 for the inspiration discerned4--,i4 ,cor4 ii41 #aj-ad4 of the ,holy ,ghost is done away4 ,but the learned man may receive and understand the things of ,god by his own wisdom1 without the inspiration of the ,spirit2 for will be so foolish as to believe in visions and revelations in this religious age8 ,let no man deceive himself4 ,if ,let no man deceive himself4 ,if any man among you seemeth to any man among you seemeth to be wise in the world1 let him become be wise in the things of ,god1 let a fool1 that he may be wise4 him get the wisdom of men1 that he may be wise4 ,for the wisdom of this world ,for the wisdom of ,god is foolishness is foolishness with ,god4 ,for it with the world1 for it is is written1 he taketh the wise in written1 ,let us educate young men their own craftiness4 for the ministry2 and again1 ,let ,and again1 the ,lord knoweth no man preach who has not been the thoughts of the wise1 that educated for the purpose2 and especially1 they are vain4 receive no man who ,therefore let no man glory in professes to be inspired4 men4 ,for all things are yours4--,i4 ,cor4 iii41 #ah-ba4 ,now concerning spiritual gifts1 ,now1 concerning spiritual gifts1 brethren1 ,i would not have you brethren1 we would have you entire ignorant4--,i4 ,cor4 xii41 #a4 ignorant1 for they are not needed at all in this generation4 #ebc,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ4 ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,men4 ,but the manifestation of the ,but the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to ,spirit is given to no man to profit profit withal4 at all4 ,for to one is given by the ,spirit ,but to one is given1 by the learning the word of wisdom2 to another of men1 the word of wisdom2 the word of knowledge by the and to another the word of knowledge same ,spirit4 by human learning4 ,to another faith by the same ,and to another faith1 by the ,spirit2 to another the gift of healing same spirit2 but to none the gift by the same ,spirit4 of healing by the same ,spirit4 ,to another the working of miracles2 ,and to none the working of to another prophecy2 to miracles1 and to none to prophesy1 another discerning of spirits2 to and to none discerning of spirits1 another divers kinds of tongues2 and to none to speak with divers to another the interpretation of kinds of tongues1 and to none to tongues4--,i4 ,cor4 xii41 #g-aj4 interpret tongues4 ,for as the body is one1 and ,for as the body is composed of hath many members1 and all the many sects and parties who are members of that one body1 so also is opposed to each other1 and have ,christ4 no gifts1 and1 being many sects1 ,for by one ,spirit are we all are but one body1 so also is ,antichrist4 baptized into one body1 whether ,for by many spirits are we all we are ,jews or ,gentiles1 whether baptized into many bodies1 whether we be bond or free2 and have we be ,catholics or ,protestants1 been all made to drink into one ,presbyterians or ,methodists1 but ,spirit4 have all drunk into one spirit1 ,for the body is not one member1 even the spirit of the world4 but many4--,i4 ,cor41 xii41 #ab-ad4 ,for the body is not one sect1 but many4 ,but now hath ,god set the members ,but now hath the god 7of this every one of them in the world7 set the sects and parties body1 as it hath pleased him4 in the body 7of ,antichrist7 as it ,and if they were all one member1 hath pleased him4 where were the body8 ,and if they were all one sect1 ,but now are they many members where were the body8 yet but one body4--,i4 ,cor41 ,but now are they many sects1 xii41 #ah-bj4 yet but one body 7even ,babylon74 ,now ye are the body of ,christ1 ,now1 ye are the body of ,antichrist1 and members in particular4 and members in particular4 ,and ,god hath set some in the ,and man hath set some in the church1 first apostles1 secondarily ,church2 first1 a hireling ,priest2 prophets1 thirdly teachers1 after secondly1 a board of officers2 that miracles1 then gifts of healings1 thirdly1 tracts2 then commentaries1 helps1 governments1 diversities creeds and diversities of opinions2 of tongues4--,i4 ,cor41 xii41 hence societies1 and wondrous #bg-bh4 helps4 ,blessed are ye1 when men shall ,woe unto you when men reviled revile you and persecute you1 and you1 and persecute you1 and say #ebd,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ4 ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,men4 shall say all manner of evil against all manner of evil against you you falsely1 for my sake4 falsely for ,christ's sake4 ,lament ,rejoice and be exceeding glad1 ye1 and be exceedingly sorrowful for great is your reward in in that hour1 for little is your reward heaven2 for so persecuted they among men2 for so persecute the prophets which were before they the ,latter-day ,saints4 you4--,matt4 v41 #aa-ab4 ,give to him that asketh thee1 ,give to him that asketh of thee1 and from him that would borrow if he be able to make thee a similar of thee turn not thou away4--,matt4 present2 and from him that v41 #db4 would borrow of thee turn not thou away1 if he be able to pay thee again with good interest4 ,be ye therefore1 perfect1 even ,do not think to be perfect1 for as your ,father which is in heaven it is impossible to live without sin4 is perfect4--,matt4 v41 #dh4 ,take heed that ye do not your ,take heed that you do your alms before men1 to be seen of alms before men1 to be seen of them2 otherwise ye have no reward them2 otherwise you have no reward of your ,father which is in nor praise from the children heaven4 of men4 ,therefore when thou doest ,therefore1 when thou doest thine alms1 do not sound a trumpet thine alms1 publish it in the ,missionary before thee1 as the hypocrites ,herald1 or some other do in the synagogues and in the paper1 that you may get praise of streets1 that they may have glory the world4 ,verily ,i say unto you1 of men4 ,verily ,i say unto you1 ,you shall have your reward4 ,they have their reward4--,matt4 vi41 #a-b4 ,and when thou prayest thou ,and when thou prayest1 be like shall not be as the hypocrites are1 the hypocrites in days of old2 go for they love to pray standing in before the public and cry mightily1 the synagogues and in the corners not expecting to be heard and answered1 of the streets1 that they may be for that would be miraculous1 seen of men4 ,verily ,i say unto and miracles have ceased4 you1 ,they have their reward4--,matt4 vi41 #e4 ,and when thou prayest thou ,and when thou prayest1 be like shall not be as the hypocrites are1 the hypocrites in days of old2 go for they love to pray standing in before the public and cry mightily1 the synagogues and in the corners not expecting to be heard and answered1 of the streets1 that they may be for that would be miraculous1 seen of men4 ,verily ,i say unto and miracles have ceased4 you1 ,they have their reward4--,matt4 vi41 #e4 ,moreover when ye fast1 be not1 ,moreover1 when ye fast1 be like as the hypocrites1 of a sad the hypocrites1 of a sad countenance1 countenance2 for they disfigure their that ye may appear unto faces that they may appear unto men to fast2 so that you may get men to fast4 ,verily ,i say unto your reward4 you1 ,they have their reward1--,matt4 vi41 #af4 ,lay not up for yourselves ,lay up for yourselves abundance treasures upon earth1 where moth of treasures on the earth1 and rust doth corrupt1 and where where moth and rust doth corrupt1 thieves break through and steal4 and where thieves break #ebe,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,christ4 ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,men4 ,but lay up for yourselves treasures through and steal2 for if your in heaven1 where neither heart is only in heaven1 it is no moth nor rust doth corrupt1 and matter how rich you are in this where thieves do not break world2 for now it is come to pass through nor steal4 that ye cannot serve ,god and mammon4 ,for where your treasure is1 there will your heart be also4--,matt4 vi41 #ai-ba4 ,therefore all things whatsoever ,therefore1 all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to men do to you do you even you1 do ye even so to them2 for so to them2 for this is the law and this is the law and the prophets4 the practice4 ,enter ye in at the strait gate2 ,enter ye in at the wide gate1 for wide is the gate and broad is where the multitude go2 for it the way that leadeth to destruction1 cannot be that all our great and and many there be which learned men are wrong1 and nobody go in thereat4 right but a few obscure individuals4 ,because strait is the gate and ,for the narrow way is not altogether narrow is the way1 which leadeth too straight1 but only a unto life1 and few there be very few travel in it4 that find it4 ,beware of false prophets1 which ,beware of prophets who come come to you in sheep's clothing1 to you with the ,word of ,god2 but inwardly they are ravening you may know at once they are wolves4 false1 without hearing them or ,ye shall know them by their examining their fruits2 popular fruits4 ,do men gather grapes of opinion is against them2 whereas1 thorns1 or figs of thistles8--,matt4 if they were men of ,god1 vii41 #ab-af4 the people would speak well of ,wherefore by their fruits ye them4 shall know them4 ,if we are only sure that we ,not every one that saith unto have experienced religion1 and we me1 ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter into pray often1 we shall be saved1 the kingdom of heaven2 but he whether we do the ,lord's will or that doeth the will of my ,father not2 for it mattereth not what which is in heaven4--,matt4 vii41 system we embrace1 whether it #bj-ba4 be right or wrong1 if we are only sincere4 ,and it came to pass1 when ,jesus ,and it came to pass that when had ended these sayings1 the men had ended these sayings1 the people were astonished at ,his people were pleased with their doctrine4 doctrines1 for they taught them ,for he taught them as one having not as men having authority1 but authority1 and not as the as the scribes4 scribes4--,matt4 vii41 #bh-bi4 #ebf ,,baptism ,,for ,,the ,,remission ,,of ,,sins ,the remission of sins is what every sinner desires when he truly believes in ,god and has repented of every transgression4 ,faith and repentence do not bring remission1 but they must be had before it can be obtained1 for they prepare the sinner for this ordinance4 ,but baptism brings remission1 or1 in other words1 it is through baptism that sins are remitted4 ,to prove this1 we may turn to the word of ,god4 ,john the ,baptist was a servant of ,god1 acting under divine revelation1 and we read7,mark i4 #d1 and ,luke iii4 #c7 that he preached the baptism of repentence for the remission of sins1 in the wilderness and all the country about ,jordan4 ,while he was preaching this doctrine1 ,jesus considering it necessary to fulfil all righteousness1 came to him and was baptized1 thus acknowledging that ,john was preaching a correct doctrine and baptizing for the right purpose4 ,now this has been a matter of sacred history for some eighteen hundred years and who is so blind to truth and lost to reason as to assert that baptism is for anything else than for the remission of sins8 ,the passages quoted are a standing rebuke to all such persons4 ,jesus called and ordained men to preach ,his gospel1 but just before ,he left them ,he commanded them to tarry at ,jerusalem till they were endowed with power from on high4 ,they did so1 and when they received this power1 they convinced a large multitude that ,jesus was the ,christ1 and when their hearers inquired of them what they should do1 ,peter replied3 ,repent1 and be baptized every one of you in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of sins 7,acts ii4 #ch74 ,according to this1 the inspired apostles taught that baptism was for the remission of sins1 after ,christ's ascension into heaven4 ,paul saw a vision in which he was told to go to a certain place where it should be told him what to do4 ,he went1 and there fasted and prayed three days4 ,then the ,lord sent ,ananias to him1 who said1 ,arise1 and be baptized and wash away thy sins 7,acts xxii4 #af74 ,why did not the ,lord remit ,paul's sins through his fasting and prayer8 ,because ,he had established baptism for that #ebg purpose1 and both small and great must comply if they desire the blessing4 ,but1 says one1 you astonish me2 ,i was always taught that baptism was an outward sign of an inward grace4 ,that may be1 but a true servant of ,god never taught you so1 neither did you learn it from the ,bible4 ,you must be baptized and have your sins washed away before you are even prepared for the reception of an inward grace4 ,but1 continues the objector1 ,peter tells us that baptism 'is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards ,god4' ,very good6 ,ananias did not tell ,paul to be baptized and wash away the filth of the flesh1 but to be baptized and wash away his sins4 ,peter and ,john1 with the rest of ,god's servants1 did not preach baptism for the putting away of the filth of the flesh1 but for the remission of sins4 ,when a man is baptized according to the ,lord's will1 he receives a remission of sins and his conscience is void of offense towards ,god4 ,some object to baptism for the remission of sins because infants are born in sin and that would include infant baptism4 ,true1 the sin of ,adam passed upon all mankind2 but ,christ took away the sin of the world by taking it upon ,himself and atoning for the same upon the cross4 ,therefore1 infants are without sin1 and of such are the kingdom of heaven 7,mark x4 #ad74 ,the sins which men should be baptized for are their own individual sins1 and not the sin they were born in1 for the ,savior atoned for that4 ,nor is it proper to say that baptism remits a man's sins1 for that is the work of the ,lord4 ,the laying on of hands does not give the ,holy ,ghost1 for it is the gift of ,god4 ,the blowing of rams' horns did not throw down the walls of ,jericho1 it was the power of ,jehovah4 ,simon saw that through the laying on of the ,apostles' hands the ,holy ,ghost was given 7,acts viii4 #ah74 ,god works by means1 through instruments1 and it is through baptism that sins are remitted4 ,it is repeatedly stated in the scriptures that those only who do the will of ,god can obtain salvation4 ,that it is the will of ,god for people to receive the remission of sin1 none will deny4 ,that remission of sins is obtained through baptism has been clearly proven4 ,therefore all who will be saved will have to be baptized for this purpose4 ,again1 the ,bible says1 the ,lord ,jesus shall be revealed from heaven with ,his mighty angels1 in flaming fire taking #ebh vengeance on them that know not ,god1 and that obey not the gospel of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the ,lord1 and from the glory of ,his power 7,,ii ,thess4 i4 #g-i74 ,from this we learn that the ,lord will take vengeance on those who obey not the gospel1 and punish them with everlasting destruction4 ,baptism for the remission of sins is a principle of the gospel1 and those who fail to obey it will surely be partakers of the vengeance and punishment mentioned in the foregoing quotation4 ,the ,prophet ,elisha pointed out the way for the ,syrian leper to be cleansed1 namely1 to be washed or dipped seven times in ,jordan4 ,but he went away in a rage1 thinking that the waters of ,syria were just as good as those of ,jordan2 but afterwards1 being persuaded by his servants1 he obeyed the requirement1 and was cleansed4 ,now1 if he had been dipped in any other river1 it would have done him no good2 or if he had been dipped less than seven times1 it would have availed nothing4 ,god had prescribed the means1 and they must be complied with to the very letter1 or the blessing would not follow4 ,so it is with regard to baptism4 ,when ,israel were bitten by poisonous serpents1 ,god commanded a brazen serpent to be raised1 that whosoever should look upon it should be healed4 ,all the poisoned ones who would not look1 considering it non-essential1 died in their poison4 ,so likewise1 all sinners who will not be baptized1 considering it non-essential1 will die in their sins1 and be damned4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,apostle ,orson ,pratt1 on ,water ,baptism4 ,sufficient has been said to satisfy any reasonable mind on this subject4 ,every point of scripture touching the object of baptism has been examined1 and found that each one proves it to be for the remission of sins4 ,the arguments against this doctrine have also been examined and found utterly groundless4 ,let every unbaptized person waste no time1 but prepare himself for this ordinance1 by repenting of every sin4 ,then he may seek a properly authorized person to baptize him for the remission of his sins1 that they may be remitted1 that he may be a fit subject for the ,holy ,spirit to rest upon1 that he may be saved with the redeemed and sanctified of all generations in the ,kingdom of ,god forever-- ,while time1 or thought1 or being lasts1 ,or immortality endures4 #ebi ,,good ,,tidings4 ,,or ,,the ,,new ,,and ,,everlasting ,,gospel4 ,,question4--,what is the ,gospel8 ,,answer4--,there is only one true system of doctrine that can properly be called the ,gospel2 and that one system is so definite in every point1 and so exactly adapted to the situation of sinners1 that every person may immediately embrace it wherever it is preached1 and by so doing they become saints1 or ,christians4 ,the first principle of action required in the ,gospel is belief in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 the once crucified and now risen ,redeemer4 ,the second is repentance2 which signifies nothing more nor less than the putting away of sins1 with humility and meekness before ,god--feeling sorry for our sins1 and a determination to forsake them4 ,the third is baptism1 by immersion in water1 in the name of the ,father1 of the ,son and of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,,for ,,the ,,remission ,,of ,,sins4 ,the fourth is the laying on of hands1 in the name of ,jesus1 for the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,all who do these things in a proper manner1 and under proper authority1 are saints2 and if they endure to the end they will be saved in the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,q4--,are there any conditions in this system which the sinner cannot immediately fulfil1 as soon as he understands them8 ,a4--,the sinner can believe that ,jesus is the ,christ on good testimony4 ,he can turn from his sins1 and put them away4 ,he can also go forth1 and be immersed in water1 in the name of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,god will not believe for us2 ,he will not repent for us2 ,he will not be baptized for us2 but these things are for us to do2 and if we do them1 then ,god has promised to forgive us our sins1 and to baptize us with the ,holy ,ghost2 then1 certainly we should be the children of ,god1 in the enjoyment of religion4 ,q4--,is it of any use for men to pray to the ,lord to convert them and give them religion1 while they neglect to obey the ,gospel8 ,a4--,no4 ,in vain they call ,him ,lord1 ,lord1 and do not perform the things which ,he has commanded them4 ,in vain they worship ,him1 teaching for doctrines the ,,commandments ,,of ,,men4 ,the ,lord is praying us to be converted1 and we will not1 while at the same time we are praying ,him to convert us4 ,q4--,but must not the ,lord perform some special work1 on ,his part1 more than ,he has done1 in order to convert our souls and make us ,christians8 ,a4--,no4 ,the ,lord has died for us2 ,he has risen again for us2 ,he has sent ,his word to us1 with servants to administer it2 and now ,he requires us to obey it1 and then ,he has promised to forgive our sins1 and to grant us the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,q4--,but what6 ,can every sinner come immediately forward and obey the ,gospel when it is #ecj preached1 and thus become a child of ,god8 ,a4--,yes4 ,q4--,what6 ,all the sinners in this town8 ,a4--,yes2 and all the sinners in ,england1 nay1 in all the world4 ,the very moment they obey the ,gospel they are free from sin1 and are made partakers of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,if this is not the case1 then the word of ,god is of none effect1 and the ,gospel never saved a man since the world began1 nor ever will2 for1 if ,god has sent a message or ,gospel into the world which is insufficient to save sinners1 and is under the necessity of saving them some other way1 independent of that ,gospel1 then surely ,he has sent it in vain4 ,but1 on the other hand1 if ,he has sent a ,gospel which would save one man by obeying its precepts1 then surely it would be the power of ,god unto salvation to all who would believe and obey it4 ,q4--,if these things are so1 what would a minister of the ,gospel say if he were to be present at some of the religious excitements which are got up in modern times1 and were to see persons bowed down at the penitent forms1 trying to get religion in that8 ,a4--,he would say1 as ,ananias said to ,saul of ,tarsus1 ,why tarryest thou8 ,arise and be baptized1 and wash away thy sins1 calling upon the name of the ,lord4 ,q4--,but what would he say if they should refuse to comply with the requisition1 and should continue praying8 ,a4--,he would say1 ,why do you call ,lord1 ,lord1 and do not perform the things he has said8 ,in vain you worship him1 teaching for doctrines the commandments of men4 ,q4--,but would they not get religion in that way8 ,a4--,no4 ,they might pray as long and as loud as the four hundred prophets of ,baal did1 but with as little effect4 ,q4--,but did not the ,apostle say to the jailer and his household1 that they should be saved if they would believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 without obeying the ,gospel8 ,a4--,no4 ,he spake unto them the word of the ,lord4 ,q4--,what word of the ,lord did he speak unto them8 ,a4--,the word of repentance and baptism for remission of sins2 as is evident from the fact of their attending to baptism the same hour4 ,q4--,what would have been the situation of the jailer and his household if they had believed on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and had not obeyed the ,gospel8 ,a4--,they would have been under much more condemnation than they were before4 ,q4--,but was not ,saul of ,tarsus1 while on his way to ,damascus1 converted and made a ,christian by a special work of ,god8 ,a4--,no4 ,he was only convinced or convicted that ,jesus was the ,christ2 but his being a saint 7or ,christian7 depended on his going to ,damascus1 and obeying the ,gospel baptism4 ,q4--,what would have been his situation if he had continued to believe in ,christ1 and had not gone to ,damascus and obeyed the ,gospel8 ,a4--,he would never have got religion to this day1 but would have been worse than he was before4 -,q4-,did not the ,apostle say to the people of old1 that1 if they would confess with their mouth the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and would believe in their hearts that ,god had raised him from the dead1 they should be saved8 ,a4--,yes4 ,but he was writing to the ,church of ,god1 whose members had already obeyed the ,gospel1 and had been planted together #eca in the likeness of his death2 being buried with him by baptism1 and having risen again to newness of life1 he was encouraging them to continue in the belief and confession of his name4 ,q4--,but did not the ,apostle thank ,god that he had not baptized many of the ,corinthians8 ,a4--,yes4 ,but the reason was1 lest they should say he had baptized in his own name4 ,q4--,but did he not say1 that he was not sent to baptize1 but to preach the ,gospel8 ,a4--,yes4 ,but others were sent to water those whom he planted4 ,he1 as a wise master-builder1 laid the foundation by preaching the word1 and others attended to the other part of the work1 and thus builded thereon4 ,q4--,did not ,cornelius and his friends receive the ,holy ,ghost before they were baptized8 ,a4--,yes4 ,but it was to convince the ,jews that they 7the ,gentiles7 had part in the ,gospel as well as the ,israelites4 ,q4--,would ,cornelius and his friends have been saved1 after all they had received1 if they had refused baptism8 ,a4--,no4 ,for ,peter was sent to tell them words whereby they should be saved1 and part of these words were1 that they should be baptized2 and1 if they had refused to comply with this message1 they would have been worse than those who had never known the way of truth4 ,q4--,was not the thief on the cross saved without baptism8 ,a4--,if he was1 it was because he had no opportunity to obey2 and1 therefore1 was not saved through a ,gospel ministration1 but was included in the same mercy as the heathens1 who have never had the offer of the ,gospel1 and therefore1 are under no condemnation for not obeying it4 ,q4--,would the thief on the cross have been saved if he had lived to hear the ,gospel1 and had opportunity to obey it1 and refused8 ,a4--,no4 ,the ,gospel condemns all who do not obey it4 ,it is a savior of life unto life1 or of death unto death1 to all who are privileged to hear it4 ,q4--,is there1 then1 no other ,gospel but faith in ,jesus ,christ1 repentance towards ,god1 and immersion in water ,,for ,,the ,,remission ,,of ,,sins1 with the laying on of hands in the name of ,jesus for the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost8 ,a4--,no4 ,the people who are without this order of things are strangers to the ,,gospel1 notwithstanding all the morality1 sincerity1 and piety they may possess4 ,q4--,what6 ,are all the professed ministers of the ,gospel1 who have not obeyed and taught that particular form of doctrine without the ,gospel1 the same as the heathen--and all their hearers1 too8 ,a4--,yes4 ,unless we make this difference1 that1 having the ,bible and some idea of ,jesus ,christ1 they have been benefited in a moral point of view1 although they have not understood the ,gospel4 ,q4--,are all the ministers and professors of religion1 in this age of the world1 under obligation to obey that ,gospel1 in order to be saved in the ,kingdom of ,god8 ,a4--,yes4 ,except a man be born of ,,water and of the ,,spirit1 he cannot enter into the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,how then can he be saved in it8 ,q4--,what has ,christ said of those who would come into the sheep-fold by climbing up some other way besides the door8 ,a4--,he has pronounced them thieves and robbers4 ,q4--,at ,christ's second coming1 what will become of all those ministers and professors1 and others who do not obey the ,gospel8 ,a4--,he will come in flaming #ecb fire1 taking vengeance on all those who know not ,god1 ,,and ,,obey ,,not ,,the ,,gospel ,,of ,,our ,,lord ,,jesus ,,christ4 ,q4--,how comes it that the ,christian world 7so called7 have been so long without the ,gospel in its fulness8 ,a4--,in fulfilment of the word of prophecy1 spoken by the prophet ,daniel and by the revelator ,john1 ,,they ,,have ,,made ,,war ,,with ,,the ,,saints1 ,,and ,,overcome ,,them2 and in fulfilment of ,paul to ,timothy1 ,they have ,,heaped ,,to ,,themselves ,,teachers1 having ,,itching ears2 and these have turned their ears from the ,,truth1 and they are turned unto fables1 and they will not endure ,,sound ,,doctrine4 ,q4-,how came the ,latter-day ,saints to understand this ,gospel1 and to be instruments in restoring it among mankind8 ,a4--,not for any worth or wisdom that was in them more than others2 but because the time had come for this ,gospel of the ,kingdom to be again restored to the inhabitants of the earth1 and to be preached to all nations preparatory to the second coming of ,messiah4 ,therefore the ,lord sent forth an ,holy ,angel to commit the authority of this ministry again unto man1 and this in fulfilment of the promises recorded by the ancient prophets and apostles4 ,q4--,is it not uncharitable to consider the ,christian world all wrong1 except such as obey the fulness of the ,gospel8 and still more so to tell them of it8 ,a4--,no4 ,the man who tells his generation the truth1 according to the law and the testimony1 is more charitable to them than ten thousand men who cry1 ,peace and safety1 and prophesy smooth things1 when sudden destruction is near at hand4 ,q4--,but1 what will become of all the people who have lived and died since the ,gospel was perverted and before it was restored again8 ,a4--,they will be judged according to their works1 and according to the light which they enjoyed in their day2 and1 no doubt many of them will rise up in judgment against this generation1 and condemn it2 for1 had they enjoyed the privileges which we enjoy1 they would1 no doubt1 have gladly embraced the truth in all its fulness4 ,they desired to see the latter-day glory1 but died without the sight4--,p4 ,p4 ,pratt4 ,attempts to promote universal peace have failed4 ,the world has had a fair trial for six thousands years2 the ,lord will try the seventh thousand ,himself4 --,joseph ,smith1 ,the ,prophet4 #ecc ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,modern ,,revelation4 ,,by ,,orson ,,pratt4 ,we now appeal to the honesty1 good sense and learning of all good moral men1 to testify their convictions in regard to the insufficiency of their rules of faith4 ,is there a man among you who has candidly examined the present confused1 divided1 distracted state of all ,christendom1 who is not thoroughly convinced that something is radically wrong8 ,many of you1 no doubt1 have in your serious reflecting moments1 looked upon the bewildered1 blind1 cold1 formal1 powerless systems with which you were surrounded with feelings of sorrow and disgust4 ,you have wished to know the truth1 but1 alas1 wherever you have turned your investigations1 darkness and uncertainty have stared you in the face4 ,the voices of several hundred jarring1 contending1 soul-sickening sects were constantly sounding in your ears2 each one professing to be built upon the ,bible1 and yet each one differing from all the rest4 ,under this confused state of things you have1 peradventure1 involuntarily exclaimed3 can the ,bible be the word of ,god6 ,would ,god reveal a system of religion expressed in such indefinite terms that a thousand different religions should grow out of it8 ,has ,god revealed the great system of salvation in such vague1 uncertain language on purpose to delight ,himself with the quarrels and contentions of ,his creatures in relation to it8 ,would ,god think so much of fallen men1 that ,he would give ,his only ,begotten ,son to die for them1 and then reveal ,his doctrine to them in language altogether ambiguous and uncertain8 ,such questions1 doubtless1 have passed through the mind of many a religiously-inclined person4 ,millions have been sensible of the midnight darkness1 but have not known the true cause2 they have acknowledged that they could not understand a very great proportion of the ,bible1 yet they have believed it to be the word of ,god2 they have wondered that the ,bible should be their only rule of faith1 and yet so few be able to understand it alike4 ,many seeing the contradiction1 and vagueness1 and the uncertainty #ecd of all modern religions1 professing to have emanated from the same ,god1 have been so disgusted that they have renounced the ,bible as a fable invented by priestcraft2 others fearing to do this1 have poured over the whole libraries of uninspired commentaries1 seeking after the true meaning of that which they believe ,god has revealed2 and at last1 finding the learned commentators as widely disagreed as the sects themselves1 they have concluded that the ,bible is a great mystery and that ,god did not intend to have it understood when ,he revealed it4 ,others1 still1 have a little more perseverance1 and believing that ,god would not send a revelation which ,he did not wish the people to understand1 have with great diligence collected vast numbers of the most ancient ,greek and ,hebrew manuscripts of the sacred books1 but here they find themselves utterly confounded2 these ancient manuscripts1 which they had hoped would reveal the truth1 are perverted and corrupted in almost every text1 so that they find an incredible number of different readings on every page and almost every sentence4 ,from this heterogeneous mass of contradictory manuscripts they give an ,english translation1 and call it the ,bible2 thus leaving millions to guess out the true meaning1 and quarrel and contend with each other because they do not guess alike4 ,the true cause of all the divisions which distract modern ,christendom is the want of inspired apostles and prophets3 they1 through wickedness and apostasy1 lost the key of revelation some seventeen centuries ago1 since which time they have been altogether unable to open the door of knowledge4 ,satan has taken the advantage of their dark and benighted condition1 and robbed the world of a great number of sacred books1 corrupting those few that remained to such a degree that he has got the whole of ,christendom quarreling about their true meaning4 ,this pleases him3 he cares not how much they contend and fight about religion1 as long as he knows that their religion is false2 neither does he care how much they are united about religion1 as long as he knows that it is not of the right kind4 ,he can tolerate1 and1 indeed1 help his reverend ministers to promulgate all kinds of religion1 except that which has true revelators and prophets in it3 no other kind of religion displeases him4 ,but for a prophet or revelator to establish a religion on the earth1 is more than he can quietly put up with2 it strikes a death blow to all that he has been doing since the great apostasy4 ,he is exceedingly frightened1 lest some of the old lost books of the ancient prophets #ece and apostles should be again revealed4 ,he is also raving mad1 lest the books of the ,old and ,new ,testaments should be revealed again anew in their purity as at first--lest every point of ,christ's doctrine should be again revealed in such plain1 definite and positive language1 that no two persons could possibly disagree upon it4 ,this would be exceedingly dangerous to his kingdom2 no wonder1 then1 that he should be full of wrath4 ,but the sincere1 honest1 humble seeker after truth must have the privilege of finding it1 and that1 too1 in the greatest of plainness1 before the overthrow of all nations1 that they1 by embracing it1 may escape the judgments of great ,babylon4 ,yes6 the day is come and the time is at hand when all nations are to hear the word of the ,lord by the mouth of ,his chosen apostles and prophets to whom ,he hath restored the key of revelation for the last time1 and for the dispensation of the fullness of times1 that all things may be prepared and sealed unto the end of all things1 against the day of rest for the meek of the earth4 ,nothing but a sterling desire to do the will of ,god will cause men to endure the contumely and reproach of their fellowmen and associate themselves with the people denominated ,latter-day ,saints or ',mormons4' --,john ,taylor4 ,the ,lord never did and never will send an angel to anybody merely to gratify the desire of that individual to see an angel4 --,wilford ,woodruff4 #ecf ,,the ,,unknown ,,god ,,revealed4 ,a ,,reply ,,to ,a ,,georgia ,,editor',s ,,urgent ,,appeal ,,for ,a ,restoration ,,of ,,the ,,old ,,time ,,faith ,,in ,a ,,personal ,,and ,,known ,,god4 ,,ben ,e4 ,,rich4 ,to the ,editor of the ,atlanta ,news3 ,,dear ,,sir3--,in a recent edition of your publication we observed the following able editorial1 which we copy verbatim3 ,,our ,,modern ,,altars ,,to ,,the ,,unknown ,,god4 ,as ,i passed by and beheld your devotions1 ,i found an altar with this inscription1 ,,to ,,the ,,unknown ,,god4--,st4 ,paul at ,athens4 ,it is a painful and confusing thing to the ,christian investigator to be convinced1 as he must be1 by the fact that millions of conventionally good people in our land1 as in all civilized countries1 are kneeling ,to the ,unknown ,god4 ,one cannot say how many professed ,christians really have a conscious knowledge of the ,god whom they reverence and whose ,son they believe ,jesus1 the ,christ1 to be4 ,but one may know without much inquiry that very few of our ,christian churchmen have what we may be allowed to call a working knowledge of ,god4 ,in other words1 they have no definite mental or spiritual conception of the ,personality of ,god4 ,they attribute to ,him in a somewhat nebulous way certain characteristics in perfection1 such as eternity1 holiness1 truth1 love1 mercy1 patience1 wisdom and power4 ,but why and how these things constitute ,personality and obtain manifestation in human affairs1 is a riddle more profound that a ,delphian oracle or a shadow interrogation point on the face of the ,sphinx4 ,they have simply apprehended that there must be a ,god1 somewhat as the ,french cynic said1 if none had ever been revealed ,man would have invented one from necessity4 ,they have been trained from infancy to think of an awful ,god and finally1 by the religious impulse that always comes to a man strongly at some point in his sentient career1 they have professed a binding faith in that ,god--but still ,he remains practically and consciously ,the ,unknown ,god4 ,it is one of the most strenuous tasks of modern preaching to secure the serious1 studious attention of men and women to the plain #ecg correspondence between the ,scriptural revelations of ,god the ,father with the known attributes and actions of ,christ the ,son4 ,preachers themselves preach ,the ,unknown ,god because they have not acquired the spiritual discernment to be satisfied that if ,christ was the express image of the ,father1 then1 logically and indisputably ,god was in ,christ revealing ,himself to the world4 ,all through the labors of the apostles in the first age of the church runs the ceaseless insistence that men should not differentiate between the characters of ,god and ,christ1 but believe in ,christ as an absolute manifestation of ,god in the flesh4 ,if modern preachers would dwell upon that mighty truth with the same persistence the earth would soon be aflame with the knowledge and the love of ,god1 and ,christ would become the true ,lord of millions who now do ,him only lip service and of millions more who would suddenly see in ,him the fulness of the ,godhead bodily4 ,it is scarcely to be wondered over that gold1 society1 pleasure1 pride and gilded sin in myriad forms can so easily persuade and pervert so many in the modern ,christian world1 when we realize that they live in so great a fog of ignorance concerning the ,god whom they perfunctorily profess to believe in and acknowledge they ought to obey in all truth1 righteousness and holy conversation4 ,we need in ,atlanta--we need in ,georgia--we need in ,america--the old time faith in a personal and known ,god1 who is our ,father in heaven1 who has given us ,his ,son for a ,savior4 ,a revival of the knowledge of ,god in ,christ ,jesus will level forever1 in and out of the churches1 countless thousands of altars ,to the ,unknown ,god4 ,your appeal for the restoration of the old time faith in a personal and known ,god impels us to respond to your editorial by offering you the very faith for which you so earnestly contend4 ,your exposition of the personalities1 character and attributes of ,god is true1 and your evidence is conclusive and invulnerable4 ,there is no argument to offer in rebuttal1 and preachers of so-called ,christendom will look in vain for one iota of proof to support the contrary4 ,their inconsistent1 not to say ridiculous1 doctrine that ,god is incomprehensible without body1 parts or passions1 in the light of all sound reason and prophetic testimony1 must stand alone a self-evident fact of the uninspired source from which it sprang4 ,the unknown ,god whom modern ,christians do ignorantly worship1 in times past revealed ,his mind and will to ,his children upon the earth4 ,and1 not only did ,he manifest ,himself in revelation1 but in actual person did ,he converse face to face with certain of ,his chosen representatives4 ,between ,heaven and earth the channel of communication was constantly open1 excepting only1 when1 through disobedience and transgression men cut themselves off from this privilege of divine favor4 ,god's people expected these manifestations of ,his kindness4 ,to be led by an inspired man--a prophet of the ,almighty--and to receive through him counsel and law1 with the seal of #ech divine authority ,thus saith the ,lord attached thereto1 was as natural to them as it was to live1 because to them1 their ,father in ,heaven was a living1 active1 comprehensive personal ,being4 ,this was a part of the old time ,faith4 ,in the meridian of time1 ,jesus ,christ the ,son of ,god1 established ,his ,church among men2 and when ,his labors were ended and ,he returned unto ,his ,father1 ,he left ,his disciples in possession of the ,holy ,ghost which was to guide them into all truth1 bring things past to their remembrance1 and to reveal unto them the things of the future2 in fact1 this messenger was1 in the absence of ,christ in person1 the medium through which ,god made known ,his will unto ,his children upon the earth4 ,no argument is needed to convince any one of the fact that the disciples did enjoy the operations of that ,spirit1 for the whole ,new ,testament is1 in and of itself1 proof positive and conclusive1 of the literal fulfillment of that promise4 ,one of the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost is prophecy1 and upon whomsoever the ,lord desired1 ,he conferred this gift1 and hence prophets were found in ,his church4 ,and especially did those at the head enjoy this manifestation because they were ,god's mouthpieces1 and it belonged particularly to their office and calling4 ,the enjoyment of the actual companionship of the ,holy ,ghost then1 together with its perceptible workings1 were also parts of that old time ,faith4 ,again3 ,at the head of ,his ,church1 ,jesus placed a quorum of ,twelve ,apostles1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john standing chief among them4 ,ye have not chosen me1 said ,he1 but ,i have chosen you and ordained you4 ,he called and ordained also1 ,seventies1 ,elders1 ,priests1 ,teachers1 and ,deacons to fill certain positions in ,his ,church1 all of whom ,paul says ,god himself placed therein in order that ,he1 through them1 might edify and perfect the ,saints and also to protect them from being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine taught by man2 and further1 that ,he might accomplish the work of the ministry4 ,these officers1 according to the same author's authoritative testimony were to remain in the ,church until the world should come to a unity of the ,faith and to a perfect knowledge of ,god4 ,to have in their midsts these divinely called and inspired men bearing authority direct from ,god1 was another part of the old time ,faith of the ,saints4 ,no word from ,god has ever been recorded that these offices and callings were unnecessary and useless creations in ,his ,church organization1 or that they were in time to be done away and destroyed4 ,all ,scripture proves the contrary most clearly #eci and most emphatically4 ,furthermore1 such a contention simply reduces the solemn and deliberate acts of ,jehovah to mere folly and idle child's play1 and destroys the confidence and faith of man in ,him as a ,being possessed of that infinite intelligence and wisdom attributed to ,him4 ,god placed these officers in the ,church1 and no one but ,god can legally remove them4 ,but they have been removed4 ,their offices have been destroyed4 ,yes1 but unauthorized man and not ,god is responsible6 ,the modern ,christian doctrine advocating the uselessness and nonessentiality of the ,apostles and ,prophets and other inspired men of ,god as were formerly set in the ,church of ,christ1 is a companion inconsistency with that of a bodiless1 passionless ,god1 and also owes its existence to modern unauthorized and uninspired man4 ,certainly it was not a part of the old time ,faith4 ,another thing3 ,the men whom ,jesus called into ,his ministry1 were sent out two by two to preach the ,gospel1 without purse or scrip4 ,taxed pews1 contribution boxes1 and salaried preachers were unknown among them4 ,these things belong to the modern profession of the popular ,christian ministry and had nothing whatever to do with the old time calling of ,god unto ,his work4 ,to be sure1 the ,church had a system of revenue by which the poor were supported and the necessary expenses of maintaining the organization were met1 but this was known as the law of tithing1 of which not one penny went to pay a preacher4 ,this custom and practice is another invention of man1 ingeniously applied in merchandising a man-made gospel by a self-called clergy1 and that1 too1 in bold contradiction of ,holy ,writ1 which unmistakably declares it to be entirely foreign to the old time ,faith4 ,furthermore3 ,the ,gospel1 as ,jesus and ,his disciples taught it1 embraced four fundamental principles1 namely3 faith1 repentance1 baptism by immersion for the remission of sins1 and the laying on of hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the faith here spoken of constituted more than a dormant or passive belief4 ,it went further than mere mental assent1 and embodied deeds of righteousness4 ,he that had faith was stirred to repentance from his evil ways4 ,that is1 he ceased to commit forbidden practices1 and instead performed such acts of righteousness as the ,gospel required4 ,one of these requirements was to be baptized in water for the remission of sin4 ,the claim that this ordinance was not essential is disproved1 not only by the teachings of the ,savior and ,his disciples1 but also by their practices4 ,jesus ,himself #edj set the example1 and afterwards commanded ,his disciples to preach in all the world the ,gospel1 baptizing them 7who believed7 in the name of the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost1 and also declaring that those who would not believe and be baptized should be dammed4 ,this is not strange at all1 when we fully realize that baptism is the counsel of ,god1 and that it was the preceding step requisite to the companionship of the ,holy ,ghost which was given by the laying on of hands4 ,paul declared to the ,hebrew ,saints that these four principles and ordinances were the doctrine of ,christ1 and ,john writes that whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of ,christ hath not ,god4 ,he that abideth in the doctrine of ,christ he hath both the ,father and the ,son4 ,to the consistent mind there should be not the least shadow of doubt as to the fact that the doctrines here laid down belonged to and were an essential part of the old time ,faith4 ,but this is not all4 ,there was a power1 an active perceptible force of divine origin1 which1 through the faith of the ,saints1 manifested itself in speaking in and interpretation of tongues1 prophecy1 and healing of the sick4 ,these manifestations were the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,jesus called them signs1 and promised that they should follow them that believe1 the literal fulfillment of which is attested by one continuous stream of examples running all through the ,new ,testament times4 ,god placed them in the ,church anciently2 the ,saints then enjoyed them2 and nowhere has ,he ordered them to be withdrawn or announced that they should cease4 ,however1 they are not to be found in so-called ,christian churches today1 and what more1 without one word of ,scriptural support1 the preachers of modern times maintain that they are superfluous and are no longer needed4 ,superfluous8 ,why8 ,no longer needed8 ,why8 ,simply because they are not manifest among them1 and that this kind of doctrine in a measure explains away the reason for their absence2 besides1 it conforms best to their man-conceived idea of a god without body1 parts or passions4 ,they get from their god exactly what he is capable of giving them--absolutely nothing4 ,to be sure such a being could not speak4 ,he has no mouth4 ,he could not hear1 for he has no ears4 ,he could not hate or love1 because he has no passions4 ,summed right down to the actual thing which the definition conveys1 the only conclusion is that such a god is no god at all4 ,and since this is the subject of their worship1 it isn't unnatural or unreasonable that he or it1 or #eda whatever name by which the nonentity might be designated1 bestows no signs or gifts upon its worshipers because it is manifestly powerless to act4 ,but one thing sure and certain1 these very gifts and signs were a part of the old time ,faith4 ,they were the blessings of a ,heavenly ,father poured out upon those of ,his children who obeyed the ,gospel of ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ4 ,they came from the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob2 the same who conversed with our father ,adam in the ,garden of ,eden2 the same whose voice at sundry times was heard1 and whose person--but not in ,his mortal consuming glory--on many occasions was seen by nearly all of the prophets spoken of in ,holy ,writ2 the same whose express image1 character and personality were duplicated in the person of ,his ,only ,begotten ,son in the flesh--,jesus ,christ1 the ,savior of the world6 ,this1 kind sir1 sets forth in brief1 the component parts of the old time ,faith of the ancients1 only one principle of which was contended for in your able editorial copied above4 ,this very faith1 we are pleased to declare unto you1 is now upon the earth4 ,that same personal and known ,god who is our ,father in ,heaven1 in company with ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 together in person1 visited this earth and conversed face to face with one whom they chose to represent them among men4 ,they gave him authority to act in their names2 revealed unto him every principle of the ,gospel necessary to man's salvation1 and instructed him how to re-establish their ,church in the world2 and as a startling and invincible testimony of the truth of these things1 that ,church stands today just as complete in structure1 in doctrine and in practice as was the ,church organized on the same principle--revelation--in ,jerusalem nearly two thousand years ago4 ,that ,church is the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter ,day ,saints1 and that man1 whom the courts of heaven honored by making him the instrument of restoration1 was ,joseph ,smith1 the latter day prophet of the true and the living ,god6 ,atlanta1 your honor1 has not been totally lacking in information upon these matters1 because both upon her streets and within several of her humble halls1 modern ,elders and ,seventies1 clothed with that same authority possessed by their brethren anciently1 have defended the personality of our ,father4 ,and this also have they done throughout the whole civilized world4 ,but like their companion missionaries of former times1 they have been hated and despised1 persecuted and mobbed2 and in several instances have they1 too1 been #edb murdered in cold blood for the ,truth1 the name of your own fair state sharing this unholy record in common with others in this nation4 ,modern sanctimonious ,high ,priests1 under the appellation of ,christian ministers1 like men of their own stripe in olden times1 have been the ring leaders in creating this prejudice in the minds of the people1 and they are responsible for the war of persecution that has raged and which does now rage relentlessly against the work of ,god2 and should the ,master ,himself visit the earth today ,he1 beyond all question1 would rebuke these modern ,scribes1 ,pharisees and hypocrites in the same language reported by ,matthew in his twenty-third chapter4 ,the religious ,jews1 in the days of ,jesus1 ridiculed and hated the religion of ,god brought unto them1 and the so-called religious ,christian world of today stands exactly in the same position4 ,it took a brave heart1 an independent spirit and a firm reliance in ,jehovah to embrace an unpopular truth then and become united with the despised ,nazarene1 and it requires the same characteristics today to become associated with the ,church of ,god established in this day through the instrumentality of the latter day prophet who received his authority from that same ,nazarene4 ,in conclusion3 ,we offer you the old time ,faith which has been restored to the earth1 with all the principles1 gifts1 powers and authority of ancient times4 ,it holds out to you the opportunity to be established upon a firm and complete understanding of that personal and known ,god who is our ,father in ,heaven and who has given us ,his ,son for a ,savior4 ,and what more1 we ask you candidly1 and earnestly1 to aid us in this revival of the old time ,faith1 that throughout all the universe may be restored a perfect knowledge of ,god and of ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 that henceforth and forever may be lowered1 both in and out of the churches1 the countless thousands of altars erected to the unknown ,god4 #edc ,a ,,gospel ,,letter4 ,,written ,,by ,,sister ,,lucy ,,mack ,,smith1 ,,the ,,mother ,,of ,,the ,,prophet ,,joseph ,,smith4 ,the following very interesting and earnest gospel letter written by ,lucy ,mack ,smith1 mother of the ,prophet ,joseph1 to her brother1 ,solomon ,mack and his wife1 was presented to ,president ,joseph ,f4 ,smith by ,mrs4 ,candace ,mack ,barker1 of ,keene1 ,n4 ,h41 a granddaughter of ,solomon ,mack1 to whom the letter is addressed4 ,mrs4 ,barker stated that it was her desire to place the letter in the hands of those who would appreciate its contents and preserve it as she felt it properly deserved4 ,readers will agree that the lady made the very wisest selection in choosing ,president ,smith as the holder of this important relic4 ,it is with untold pleasure that we are privileged to present this beautiful sermon which was written so soon after the organization of the ,church by one of the greatest and noblest mothers that ever lived1 whose life of continued toil and tribulation was spent so constantly in the humble endeavor to help establish the everlasting ,gospel revealed from ,god through her prophet son4 ,her brother ,solomon became a faithful member of the ,church1 and remained so until the end of his mortal life3 ,waterloo1 ,january #f1 #ahca4 ,dear ,brother and ,sister3 ,although we are at a great distance from each other and have not had the pleasure of seeing each other for many years1 yet ,i feel a great anxiety in your welfare1 and especially for the welfare of your souls2 and you yourselves must know that it is a thing of greatest importance to be prepared to meet our ,god in peace1 for it is not long before ,he is to make ,his appearance on the earth with all the hosts of heaven to take vengeance on the wicked and they that know not ,god4 ,by searching the prophecies contained in the ,old ,testament we find it there prophesied that ,god will set ,his hand the second time to recover ,his people the house of ,israel4 ,he has now commenced this work2 ,he hath sent forth a revelation in these last days1 and this revelation is called the ,book of ,mormon4 ,it contains the fullness of the ,gospel to the ,gentiles1 and is sent forth to show unto the remnant of the house of ,israel what great things ,god hath done for their fathers that they may know of the covenants of the ,lord and that they are not cast off forever2 and also of the convincing of both ,jew and ,gentile that ,jesus is the ,christ1 the ,eternal ,god and manifests ,himself unto all nations4 ,it also contains the history of a people which were led out of ,jerusalem #edd six hundred years before the coming of ,christ in the flesh4 ,god seeing the wickedness of the inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 ,he sent out a prophet named ,lehi and commanded him to declare unto the people that unless they repented of their sins that the city would be destroyed1 but they would not hear him1 but sought to take away his life1 therefore the ,lord commanded him to take his family1 together with another man named ,ishmael1 and his family1 and flee out of the city1 and they were led by the hand of the ,lord on to this continent and they became very numerous and were a people highly favored of the ,lord2 but there arose contentions among them and the more wicked part of them being led by one of the sons of ,lehi named ,laman1 arose up in rebellion against their brethren1 and would not keep the commandments of ,god1 therefore ,he sent a curse upon them1 and caused a dark skin to come over them1 and from ,laman our ,indians have descended4 ,the more righteous part of them were led by another of the sons of ,lehi named ,nephi1 he being a prophet of the ,lord4 ,i cannot give you much of an insight into these things1 but ,i write this that when you have an opportunity of receiving one of the books that you may not reject 7it7 for ,god has pronounced a curse upon all who have a chance to receive it and will not1 for by it they will be judged at the last day4 ,there are many in these parts who profess to know ,god and to be ,his humble followers1 but when this thing is offered them they say we have ,bible enough and want no more2 but such are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity and understand not the ,bible which they love1 for all the holy prophets spoke plainly of the gathering of the house of ,israel and of the coming forth of this work1 and ,god says ,he will give us line upon line1 precept upon precept1 here a little and there a little2 there are more nations than one1 and if ,god would not reveal ,himself alike unto all nations ,he would be partial4 ,we need not suppose that we have all ,his words in our ,bible1 neither need we think that because ,he has spoken once ,he cannot speak again4 ,perhaps you will inquire how this revelation came forth4 ,it has been hid up in the earth fourteen hundred years1 and was placed there by ,moroni1 one of the ,nephites2 it was engraven upon plates which have the appearance of gold4 ,he being a prophet of the ,lord1 and seeing the wickedness of the people and knowing that they must be destroyed1 and also knowing that if the plates fell into the hands of the ,lamanites that they would destroy them1 for they sought to destroy all sacred writings1 therefore he hid them up in the earth1 having obtained a promise of the ,lord that they should come forth in ,his own due time unto the world2 and ,i feel to thank my ,god that ,he hath spared my life to see this day4 ,joseph1 after repenting of his sins and humbling himself before ,god1 was visited by an holy angel whose countenance was as lightning and whose garments were white above all whiteness1 who gave unto him commandments which inspired him from on high2 and who gave unto him1 by the means of which was before prepared1 that he should translate this book4 ,and by reading this our eyes are opened that we can see the situation in which the world now stands2 that the eyes of the whole world are blinded2 that the churches have all become corrupted1 yea every church upon the face of the earth2 that the ,gospel of ,christ is nowhere preached4 ,this is the situation which the world is now in1 and you can judge for yourselves if we did not need something more than the wisdom of man to show us the right way4 #ede ,god1 seeing our situation1 had compassion upon us1 and has sent us this revelation that the stumbling block might be removed1 that whosoever would might enter4 ,he now established ,his ,church upon the earth as it was in the days of the ,apostles4 ,he has now made a new and everlasting covenant1 and all that will hear ,his voice and enter1 ,he says they shall be gathered together into a land of promise1 and ,he ,himself will come and reign on earth with them a thousand years4 ,he is now sending forth ,his servants to prune ,his vineyard for the last time1 and woe be unto them that will not hear them4 ,there are many who think hard when we tell them that the churches have all become corrupted1 but the ,lord hath spoken it1 and who can deny ,his words8 ,they are all lifted up in the pride of their hearts and think more of adorning their fine sanctuaries than they do of the poor and needy4 ,the priests are going about preaching for money1 and teaching false doctrines and leading men down to destruction by crying peace1 peace1 when the ,lord ,himself hath not spoken it4 ,when our ,savior was upon the earth ,he sent forth ,his disciples and commanded them to preach ,his ,gospel1 and these signs ,he said should follow them that believed2 in ,my name they shall do many wonderful works2 they shall cast out devils2 they shall take up serpents1 and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them2 they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover4 ,now where can we find these signs following them that call themselves preachers of the ,gospel1 and why do they not follow8 ,it surely must be because they do not believe and do not teach the true doctrine of ,christ1 for ,god is the same yesterday1 today and forever1 and changeth not4 ,we read that at the day of ,pentecost people being pricked in their hearts began to cry1 saying1 ,men and brethren1 what shall we do8 and ,peter being filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 stood up and said1 ,repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of your sins and ye shall receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,now this promise was not to them alone for he goes on to say1 this promise is unto you and to your children1 and to all that are afar off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call2 therefore the promise extends unto us if we will obey ,his commands4 ,peter did not tell them to go away and mourn over their sins weeks and months1 and receive a remission of them and then come and be baptized1 but he told them first to repent and be baptized1 and the promise was that they should receive a remission of their sins and the gift of the ,holy ,ghost2 and this is the ,gospel of ,christ1 and ,his ,church is established in this place and also in ,ohio2 there have been three hundred added to the ,church in ,ohio within a few weeks1 and there are some added to this ,church almost daily4 ,the work is spreading very fast4 ,i must now close my letter by entreating you as one that feels for your souls to seek an interest in ,christ1 and when you have an opportunity to receive this work do not reject it1 but read it and examine for yourselves4 ,i will now bid you farewell1 and ,i want some of you to come here or write immediately1 for we expect to go away to the ,ohio early in the spring4 ,if you write this winter you may direct your letters to ,waterloo1 ,seneca county4 ,i want you to think seriously of these things1 for they are the truths of the living ,god4 ,please to accept this from your sister1 ,,lucy ,,smith4 ,to ,solomon ,mack1 ,gilsum4 ,n4 ,h4 #edf ,,the ,,restoration ,,of ,,the ,,everlasting ,,gospel4 ,,by ,,elder ,,george ,,teasdale4 ,,what is ,mormonism8 and1 ,what is the object of the ,mormon ,elders preaching in the ,indian ,territory8 are questions that are doubtless asked many times4 ,we propose1 with your kind attention1 to answer these questions1 and we ask your prayerful consideration of the same4 ,in the year #ahbj there lived in ,manchester1 ,ontario 7now ,wayne7 ,county1 in the ,state of ,new ,york1 a young man named ,,joseph ,,smith1 who received a remarkable vision4 ,there had been a religious revival in the neighborhood where he resided1 which had caused him much reflection to know which of the sects to join1 as the ,baptists1 ,methodists1 and ,presbyterians had all taken part in the revival1 and when it was over the different ministers all claimed the converts1 which made much confusion and bitter feeling4 ,as ,joseph was reading the ,bible one day1 a passage of ,scripture1 found in the first chapter and fifth verse of ,james' epistle1 which reads1 ,if any of you lack wisdom1 let him ask of ,god1 that giveth to all men liberally1 and upbraideth not2 and it shall be given him1 had a powerful influence over him4 ,to use his own words3 ,never did any passage of ,scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine4 ,it seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart4 ,i reflected on it again and again1 knowing that if any person needed wisdom ,i did4 ,at last ,joseph determined to ask of ,god4 ,the principle of ,faith was now operating upon his mind1 and he determined to ask the ,eternal ,father which of all the sects was right4 ,it was the morning of a beautiful clear day1 early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty4 ,he went alone to a retired spot1 kneeled down1 and began to offer up the desires of his heart4 ,he had scarcely done so1 when he was seized #edg upon by some invisible power that seemed to bind his tongue so that he could not speak1 and which almost overcame him4 ,he was about to give up1 but exercising all his power calling upon ,god1 in his heart1 to deliver him1 he saw a pillar of light exactly above his head1 above the brightness of the sun4 ,when the light rested upon him1 he was delivered from the power of his unseen enemy1 and he saw two glorious personages1 whose brightness and glory it is impossible to describe1 standing above him in the air2 one of them spake unto him1 calling him by name1 and pointing to the other said1 ,,this ,,is ,,my ,,beloved ,,son1 ,,hear ,,him4 ,joseph asked this other personage which of all the sects was right and which he should join1 and was answered that he should join none of them1 for they were all wrong4 ,this personage said1 ,they draw near to me with their lips1 but their hearts are far from me2 they teach for doctrine the commandments of man1 having a form of godliness1 but they deny the power thereof2 and also gave him some other information4 ,when ,joseph came to himself again1 he was lying on his back1 looking up into heaven4 ,some few days after he had this remarkable vision1 he happened to be in company with one of the ,methodist preachers1 and he told him the vision he had seen4 ,the preacher became very angry1 told ,joseph it was all of the devil1 that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days2 that such things had ceased with the ,apostles4 ,joseph soon found that telling the vision excited a great deal of prejudice against him amongst professors of religion1 and was the cause of much persecution4 ,thus commenced the persecutions of the ,latter-day ,saints1 called ,mormons4 ,the men who taught for doctrine the commandments of man commenced lying about and misrepresenting an obscure boy1 because he had truthfully said he had seen a vision and he knew it4 ,he also had learned that the testimony of the ,apostle ,james was true4 ,this we would also do well to give heed to1 for we all lack wisdom and should be encouraged to ask of ,god1 so that we may not be led astray by false teachers1 but have the ,spirit of ,truth to guide and lead us into all truth4 ,about three years after receiving this remarkable vision he received a visitation from a messenger from heaven4 ,this personage informed him his name was ,moroni4 ,he had on a robe of the most exquisite whiteness2 his whole person was glorious beyond description1 and his countenance truly like lightning4 ,he told ,joseph ,god had a work for him to do1 and that his name should be had for good and evil amongst #edh all nations4 ,moroni1 the angel1 told him there was a book that had been hid up in the earth1 written upon gold plates1 giving an account of the inhabitants who formerly lived upon this continent1 and the source from when they sprang2 also1 that the fulness of the everlasting ,gospel was contained in this record1 as delivered by ,jesus ,christ to the ancient inhabitants1 the fathers of the ,american ,indians1 and the other sheep spoken of by the ,savior1 in the tenth chapter of ,john and the sixteenth verse1 ,other sheep ,i have1 which are not of this fold2 them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice4 ,moroni quoted several prophecies of the ,old ,testament ,prophets1 that were about to be fulfilled1 he said1 concerning the destruction of the wicked and the second coming of the ,messiah1 etc42 and also told him that many judgments were coming on the earth with great desolations by famine1 sword and pestilence1 in this generation4 ,with the plates that were hid up there were two stones in silver bows 7and these stones1 fastened to a breastplate1 constituted what is called the ,urim and ,thummim71 and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted ,seers in ancient or former times1 and that ,god had prepared them for the purpose of translating the record4 ,following the instructions of this messenger1 who was one of the ,prophets1 and who had hid up this record1 ,joseph translated the plates by the power of ,god4 ,three men were chosen special witnesses1 to whom the angel showed the plates4 ,their names were ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,david ,whitmer1 and ,martin ,harris4 ,they declare that an angel of ,god came down from heaven1 and he brought and laid before our eyes1 and we beheld and saw the plates1 and the engravings thereon2 they also heard the voice of the ,lord declare the record had been translated by the power of ,god4 ,it is called the ,book of ,mormon4 ,mormon1 who was the father of ,moroni1 made an abridgment of the ancient records1 and it is that abridgment that we now have in the ,book of ,mormon4 ,it is from this ,prophet's name that the ,gentile or unbelieving nations have called the people who believe in this book ,mormons1 or anything to do with the people who thus believe1 ,mormonism2 and they have very much belied them4 ,but it does not matter what unbelievers say1 or how much the people may be misrepresented by wicked men1 the facts exist--,mormon made an abridgment of the history of his people on gold plates1 and ,,joseph ,,smith1 the ,prophet-martyr of the nineteenth century1 translated them by the power of ,god1 and it exists and bears its own truthful #edi evidence4 ,no one has ever read the book with an honest1 prayerful heart1 but has been convinced of its divine origin4 ,the prophecies or predictions of its own ,prophets are being fulfilled to-day4 ,these ,prophets were amongst some of the most remarkable men that ever lived4 ,during the time ,joseph ,smith was translating the ,book of ,mormon1 a young man named ,oliver ,cowdery was writing for him4 ,they came to the place where it is recorded that the ,lord ,jesus visited the people and established ,his ,church upon this continent4 ,upon translating the mode and object of baptism as the ,savior gave instructions1 they greatly desired this blessing1 but knew not how to obtain it4 ,they went into the woods to pray and inquire of the ,lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins1 which was mentioned in the translation4 ,while they were praying and calling upon the ,lord1 a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light1 and laid his hands upon their heads as they knelt in prayer1 and ordained them to the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 saying1 ,upon you my fellow servants1 in the name of ,messiah1 ,i confer the ,priesthood of ,aaron1 which holds the keys to the ministering of angels1 and of the ,gospel of repentance1 and of baptism1 by immersion1 for the remission of sins2 and this shall never be taken again from the earth1 until the sons of ,levi do offer again an offering unto the ,lord in righteousness4 ,he said this ,aaronic ,priesthood had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 but that they would receive this power or authority hereafter4 ,this messenger1 or angel1 said his name was ,john1 the same that is called ,john the ,baptist1 in the ,new ,testament1 and that he acted under the direction of ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 the ancient ,apostles1 who held the keys of the ,melchisedec ,priesthood or authority4 ,joseph states this same messenger commanded us to go and be baptized1 and gave us directions that ,i should baptize ,oliver ,cowdery1 and afterwards that he should baptize me2 accordingly they carried out the instructions which were given unto them by baptizing each other in the order designated by the angel4 ,on coming out of the water1 the ,holy ,ghost came upon them1 and they stood up and prophesied concerning the rise of the ,church of ,christ in this generation1 and many other things1 being filled with the ,holy ,ghost and rejoicing in their salvation4 ,as the messenger had promised1 in due time1 the ,melchisedec ,priesthood and ,apostleship was restored under the hands of ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 and the ,gospel of the kingdom #eej began to be preached1 and as the members of the ,church of ,christ began to multiply it was ,organized by divine revelation with ,apostles1 ,prophets1 and ,teachers1 followed by miracles1 gifts of healing1 helps and governments1 until the ,church of ,christ was fully organized upon the earth4 ,but it has had to pass through the most bitter persecution1 and the blood of the martyrs has had to flow4 ,mobs1 led on by ministers of religious societies1 have committed acts of violence against the ,saints of the ,most ,high1 that testify in unspeakable language they are all wrong1 for no member of the ,church of ,christ could have a persecuting spirit--,by their fruits shall ye know them4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 through false charges1 had to endure over forty vexatious lawsuits1 in all of which he was honorably acquitted2 until at last the mob said1 ,if the law cannot reach him1 powder and ball shall1 and he and his brother ,hyrum1 the ,patriarch of the ,church1 were murdered in cold blood2 and this because they were true and faithful to the trust given them by the ,eternal ,father1 and the wicked in their hatred to the principles of righteousness that he preached1 being of the same spirit as that possessed by the men who crucified the ,messiah1 were led on to shed the blood of innocence1 by which they exalted the martyrs to a throne and brought upon themselves the damnation of hell4 ,for the shedding of innocent blood there is no forgiveness4 7,see ,i ,john1 iii1 #ae47 ,but although the world has been opposed to the establishment of the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth1 the ,lord has sustained and protected ,his people and established their feet in the fastnesses of the ,rocky ,mountains1 as foretold by the ,prophets ,isaiah and ,micah3 ,and it shall come to pass in the last days1 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 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 law1 and the word of the ,lord from ,jerusalem4 7,isaiah1 ii1 #b1 #c2 ,micah1 iv1 #a1 #b47 ,and they are steadily increasing1 because they teach correct principles1 they tell the truth and offer the ,,truth to the people1 for1 having authority1 they have the power to preach the everlasting ,gospel4 ,god1 our ,eternal ,father1 the ,father of the spirits of all #eea flesh1 requires us all to believe on ,his only begotten1 ,jesus ,christ1 the author of our eternal salvation1 the only name given under heaven whereby we can be saved4 ,we must have faith in ,god1 believe that ,he is1 and that ,he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek ,him4 ,then seek unto ,him by faith and prayer1 asking ,him in the name of ,jesus ,christ for such things as we treed4 ,then we are required to repent1 cease to do evil1 and learn to do well1 being willing and obedient1 putting away from us all our wickedness1 worship ,him that made the heavens and the earth1 the sea and the fountains of waters4 ,then we are required to be baptized by immersion for the remission of sins 7,acts1 ii1 #ch71 that we may be prepared to receive the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands of those who have the authority 7see ,acts1 viii1 #ag1 and xix1 #f2 ,hebrews1 vi1 #b71 then walk in newness of life2 for none can assist in this latter-day work unless they are humble1 full of love1 having faith1 hope and charity1 being temperate in all things intrusted to their care4 ,hear what ,jesus ,christ said to the disciples upon this continent3 ,behold verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,i will declare unto you my doctrine4 ,and this is my doctrine1 and it is the doctrine which the ,father hath given unto me2 and ,i bear record of the ,father1 and the ,father beareth record of me1 and the ,holy ,ghost beareth record of the ,father and me1 and ,i bear record that the ,father commandeth all men everywhere to repent and believe in me2 and whoso believeth in me1 and is baptized1 the same shall be saved2 and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of ,god4 ,and whoso believeth not in me1 and is not baptized1 shall be damned4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 that this is my doctrine1 and ,i bear record of it from the ,father2 and whoso believeth in me1 believeth in the ,father also1 and unto him will the ,father bear record of me2 for he will visit him with fire and with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and thus will the ,father bear record of me1 and the ,holy ,ghost will bear record unto him of the ,father and me2 for the ,father1 and ,i1 and the ,holy ,ghost are one4 ,and again ,i say unto you1 ye must repent1 and become as a little child1 and be baptized in my name1 or ye can in no wise receive these things4 ,and again1 ,i say unto you1 ye must repent1 and be baptized in my name1 and become as a little child1 or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of ,god4 7,book of ,mormon1 #c ,nephi1 xi1 #ca-ch47 ,now the reason why the ,elders of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints are here from ,zion1 is to tell you these glad tidings of great joy1 that light has come into the world and the knowledge of ,god is restored to the earth4 ,we bear testimony that the angel that ,john saw on the ,isle of ,patmos1 flying in the midst of heaven1 having the everlasting ,gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth1 and to #eeb 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 waters1 7,rev4 xiv1 #f1 #g17 has come1 and that the gospel of the kingdom is being preached1 as foretold by the ,messiah4 7,see ,matt41 xxiv1 #ad47 ,and we are calling upon all men to have ,,faith ,,in ,,god1 repent of their sins and be baptized2 then we promise those who humble themselves like little children1 as the ,savior has said1 that they shall receive the ,holy ,ghost and know that these things are true4 ,christ said1 ,my doctrine is not mine1 but his that sent me4 ,if any man will do his will1 he shall ,,know of the doctrine4 7,john1 vii1 #af1 #ag47 ,we are the friends of the people and their servants for ,christ's sake1 and we entreat them1 in ,christ's stead1 be ye reconciled to ,god1 obey the ,gospel and be saved from death1 hell and the grave1 for there is but one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 one ,god and ,father of all4 7,see ,ephesians1 iv1 #d-af47 ,this ,,true ,,faith is restored to the earth1 and we know it4 ,in conclusion1 we will give you the words of the ,prophet ,mormon for your consideration1 and we pray ,god1 our ,eternal ,father1 that ,his ,spirit and blessing may be upon every honest hearted person unto whom this shall come1 or who shall read these words3 ,and now behold1 ,i would speak somewhat unto the remnant of this people who are spared1 if it so be that ,god may give unto them my words1 that they may know of the things of their fathers2 yea1 ,i speak unto you1 ye remnant of the house of ,israel2 and these are the words which ,i speak4 ,know ye that ye are of the house of ,israel4 ,know ye that ye must come unto repentance1 or ye cannot be saved4 ,know ye that ye must lay down your weapons of war1 and delight no more in the shedding of blood1 and take them not again1 save it be that ,god shall command you4 ,know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers1 and repent of all your sins and iniquities1 and believe in ,jesus ,christ1 that he is the ,son of ,god1 and that he was slain by the ,jews1 and by the power of the ,father he hath risen again1 whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave2 and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up4 ,and he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead1 whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgment seat4 ,and he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world1 whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day1 hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of ,god in his kingdom1 to sing ceaseless praises1 with the choirs above1 unto the ,father1 and unto the ,son1 and unto the ,holy ,ghost1 which are one ,god1 in a state of happiness which hath no end4 ,therefore repent1 and be baptized in the name of ,jesus1 and lay hold upon the gospel of ,christ1 which shall be set before you1 not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the ,gentiles from the ,jews1 which record shall come from the ,gentiles unto you4 ,for behold1 this is written for the intent #eec that ye may believe that2 and if ye believe that1 ye will believe this also2 and if ye believe this1 ye will know concerning your fathers1 and also the marvellous works which were wrought by the power of ,god among them2 and ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of ,jacob2 therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant2 and if it so be that ye believe in ,christ1 and are baptized1 first with water1 then with fire and with the ,holy ,ghost1 following the example of our ,savior1 according to that which he hath commanded us1 it shall be well with you in the day of judgment4 ,amen4 7,book of ,mormon1 ,mormon1 vii chapter47 ,prayerfully consider these things1 and when you are converted1 and sincerely repent1 we are your servants to baptize you for the remission of your sins1 and lay hands upon you for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,baptism is a sign of ,god1 to angels and to heaven1 that we do the will of ,god2 and there is no other way beneath the heavens whereby ,god hath ordained for man to come to ,him to be saved and enter the ,kingdom of ,god1 except faith in ,jesus ,christ1 repentance and baptism for the remission of sins1 and any other course is in vain2 then you have the promise of the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 --,joseph ,smith4