,the ,seventy's ,course in ,theology    
,,second ,,year    ,outline ,history of 
the ,dispensations of the ,gospel       
,compiled and ,edited by    ,b4 ,h4     
,,roberts    ,of the ,first ,council of 
the ,seventy    ,the things of ,god are 
of deep import2 and time and experience1
 and  careful and ponderous and solemn  
thoughts can only find them             
out4--,joseph ,smith4    ,salt ,lake    
,city    #aijh        ,,seventy',s      
,,year ,,book ,,no4 ,,ii                
,,introduction4    ,the ,seventy's ,year
 ,book ,no4 ,,ii is a series of         
forty-four lessons on  ,the ,outline    
,history of the ,dispensations of the   
,gospel4 ,as our  ,year ,book ,no4 ,i   
was a rapid survey of the whole body of 
scriptures  recognized by the ,church1  
so the present ,year ,book is a like    
rapid1  general survey of the principle 
dispensations of the ,gospel given to   
men upon this earth4 ,as the survey of  
the scripture books was made for  the   
purpose of forming a general idea of the

 books as a body of sacred  literature1 
and that some idea might be learned of  
their essential  unity2 so this present 
outline survey of the chief             
dispensations of  the ,gospel is        
intended to give some general views of  
the ,gospel not  otherwise obtainable1  
and to fix in the mind of the student   
the idea of  essential unity in the     
,gospel in all dispensations3           
,establishing the  idea that there is   
but one ,gospel2 and that1 the          
everlasting gospel2  the same through   
all ages4 ,that it was the plan devised 
in heaven  before the foundations of the
 earth were laid1 and will endure as a  
means of salvation so long as there are 
men to be saved4    ,the ,treatment of  
the ,theme3 ,the treatment of the theme 
is  substantially the same as in ,year  
,book ,no4 ,i4 ,that is to say1 an      
analysis of the subject of the lesson is
 given1 in which the lesson  is         
subdivided under those heads into which 
the subject naturally  falls4 ,for the  

information1 of the student texts and   
books are cited  accompanying usually   
each subdivision of the subject and     
these  references in every case should  
be carefully read so far as the books   
cited can be obtained by the student2   
and as the books to which  citations in 
the main are made1 the four books       
recognized by the ,church  as ,holy     
,scripture1 each ,seventy student should
 have these4 ,accompanying  each lesson 
are a series of notes1 sometimes        
detached1 but often1 in  this ,year     
,book1 they constitute a brief          
continuous treatise upon the  subject in
 hand1 which should be amplified by wide
 reading and deep  study on the part of 
the student4 ,in all cases where no     
citation of  authorities is given at the
 close or in the body of the note1 they 
are  written by the compiler and editor 
or are taken from his works4    ,in this
 connection ,i would say a word in      
relation to the several  les1 sons which
 ,i have called ,a ,prelude to the      

,history of the  ,dispensations4 ,it may
 be thought that these lessons are      
difficult1  and deal with matters not   
necessary to the main subject4 ,of      
course the  author of this ,year ,book  
holds a different view or the lessons   
would  not be presented4 ,to him the    
principles there developed are          
fundamental  and essential to a right   
understanding of the ,dispensations of  
the  ,gospel2 and should not be omitted 
because they invite attention to  lines 
of thought somewhat unusual to us in the
 study of the ,gospel4  ,it is the      
existence of these principles in our    
,theology that makes  ,mormonism a      
religion and not a mere sect4 ,they     
constitute an  essential part of the    
message we have for the world2 and the  
ministry  of the ,church should master  
these subjects1 though thinking upon    
them  is unusual and the mastery of such
 themes is slowly acquired4 ,let it  be 
remembered that ,the things of ,god are 
of deep import2 and time and            

experience1 and careful and ponderous   
and solemn thought can only find  them  
out4    ,,scripture ,,reading ,,and     
,,special ,,texts3    ,scripture        
,reading ,exercises are to continue     
throughout the year1 though  ,special   
,texts printed with each lesson are     
abandoned in this ,year ,book1  as it is
 hoped that the advantage of collecting 
or noting special texts  of the         
scripture1 and striking passages from   
other choice literature1  while reading1
 has been sufficiently demonstrated to  
now become a habit  with those who read 
good books4    ,,preparation ,,of       
,,lessons4    ,in no case should it be  
regarded as a complete preparation of   
the  lesson to merely glance over the   
analysis and read the notes4 ,the       
lesson as constructed is merely to be   
regarded as an outline of  the          
particular theme as the whole ,year     
,book itself is to be looked  upon as a 
mere outline tracing of the ,history of 
the ,gospel in the  successive ages     

through which it sweeps4 ,the lessons   
indicate a method  of treatment that may
 be followed2 but original research by  
reading1  consulting authorities1 and   
thorough thinking should be employed in 
the  preparation of the student2 and the
 ,year ,book looked upon and used as    
merely a help and guide in this         
investigation4    ,what is said in the  
,introduction of ,year ,book1 ,no4 ,i1  
in relation  to ,class ,teachers1       
,manner of ,lesson ,treatment1 ,home    
,reading1 the  ,preparation of ,lessons1
 ,opening ,exercises and ,prayer1 should
 be  considered standing instructions to
 the ,seventies through the ensuing     
year in their class meetings4 ,and it   
will be well to consider these  topics  
in the ,introduction of ,year ,book ,no4
 ,i before beginning the  exercises     
outlined in this year's work1 that the  
minds of the class may  be refreshed in 
those matters and the exercises and     
preparation work be  made to conform to 
these instructions4    ,in addition to  

what is in the ,introduction to ,year   
,book ,no4 ,i1 we  suggest that from    
observation of the class work during the
 past year1  the ,seventies have not    
reached the character of work that may  
be  reasonably expected of them in      
treating topics of the lessons assigned 
to them4 ,we have a right to expect that
 members of our quorums when  assigned a
 lesson1 or any part of it1 will become 
such masters of the  subject1 at least  
of that part of it assigned to them1    
that they will  be able to make an      
intelligent presentation of it1 clear   
cut1 with a  beginning1 a middle1 and a 
conclusion to it2 and something that    
will  be an intelligent statement at    
least of the subject1 instead of being  
through with an important topic by a two
 or three minute statement of  it1 of   
which half is apology or excuse4 ,these 
topics certainly require  a ten or      
fifteen or twenty minute exposition that
 shall be worth while4  ,and while we   
would not be severe in our criticism of 

the past1 or too  demanding for the     
future1 certainly it can reasonably be  
expected that  ,seventies will make some
 exertion that will give the results    
here  alluded to4 ,we want1 in the first
 place1 work2 in the second place1      
work2 in the third place1 work2 and then
 work2 and more work2 and  better work4 
,that program will spell success4 ,there
 is no excellence  without labor1 and   
much of it4    ,,text ,,books ,,and     
,,authorities4    ,relative to the text 
books4 ,all of the books recommended in 
the  ,introduction of last year's course
 are available and necessary as         
authorities in this present year's      
course1 and in addition to these  works 
of reference1 a good1 ,general ,history 
will be of great service4  ,that of ,p4 
,v4 ,n4 ,meyers1 prepared for ,colleges 
and ,high ,schools1 7,ginn   ,company1  
,publishers1 ,boston7 being perhaps the 
most desirable1 price  #a4ej4    ,in the
 ,apostatic division of our treatise1   
,part ,v1 numerous references  are made 

to ,ecclesiastical histories and works  
of a theological  character1 some of    
which would be difficult to obtain1 such
 as  ,mosheim's ,institutes of          
,ecclesiastical ,history2 ,neander's    
,history of  the ,christian ,religion2  
,schaff's ,history of the ,apostolic    
,church2  ,mosheim's ,history of        
,christianity in the ,first ,three      
,centuries2  ,hefele's ,history of      
,christian ,councils2 ,millman's        
,history of  ,christianity in the ,first
 ,three ,centuries2 ,lardner's ,works1  
and the  like4 ,but ,the ,students      
,ecclesiastical ,history1 written by    
,dr4 ,philip  ,smith1 author of the ,old
 ,testament and ,new ,testament         
,histories1  frequently quoted in       
,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 ,i1 and in  
this1 published  by ,harper ,brothers in
 two volumes1 7price #c4jj71 is within  
the reach  of all2 and on the whole is a
 very fine ,compendium of               
,ecclesiastical  ,history1 quite        
dispassionate in tone1 and generally    

trustworthy1 and  brings events down to 
the death of ,luther1 #aedj4    ,also   
there is in print the ,ecclesiastical   
,history by ,eusebius  ,pamphilus4      
,bishop of ,caesarea1 covering the first
 three ,christian  centuries4 ,eusebius 
is generally styled the ,father of      
,ecclesiastical  ,history1 and those who
 can obtain this authority are dealing  
with  original sources of information4  
,the work is translated from the ,greek1
  and published and obtainable through  
any of our book stores4 ,in this        
connection we urge our members to       
gradually obtain2 but as soon as may    
be1 these reference books1 as no workman
 can get along without tools4    ,the   
,improvement ,era3 ,we call attention   
also to the ,improvement  ,era1 the     
,organ of the ,seventies and of the     
,young ,men's ,mutual  ,improvement     
,associations1 with its special         
,seventy's department1 ,the  ,seventy's 
,council ,table4 ,this magazine affords 
the ,first ,council  opportunity to     

reach every quorum of ,seventy once     
every month  throughout the             
year--,twelve communications each year1 
of several  pages of printed matter1    
bearing upon ,seventies                 
work2--suggestions  in class work2      
dealing with questions of quorum        
administration2 with  questions of      
doctrine1 and history1 and exposition of
 the scriptures4  ,how valuable an      
adjunct it has become in our work6 ,we  
enjoin it upon  our presidents that they
 see to it that all subjects in the ,era
 of  special interest to their several  
quorums be brought forth to said        
quorums by the ,presidents1 and read for
 the information of the quorum1  that   
all may be benefited by the instruction4
 ,from reports made to  the ,general    
,secretary1 ,elder ,j4 ,g4 ,kimball1 we 
learn that some two  thousand ,seventies
 take the ,era1 so that with each       
monthly issue of  the ,era we are in    
touch with that many individual         
,seventies4 ,many more  of our members1 

however1 should subscribe for this      
magazine1 and the  ,presidents should   
urge members to subscribe for and read  
it as one of  the best means of keeping 
in touch with the work of the           
,seventies4        ,the ,seventy's      
,course in ,theology    ,,second ,,year 
,outline ,history of the ,dispensations 
of the ,gospel        ,,part ,i         
,,prelude ,,to ,,the ,,dispensations    
,,lesson ,i4    7,scripture ,reading    
,exercise47    ,,intelligences ,,and    
,,spirits4    ,,analysis4    ,i4        
,intelligences--,existence and          
,character of4    ,,ii4 ,distinction    
,between ,intelligences and ,spirits4   
,,references4    ,pearl of ,great ,price
 ch4 iii4 ,st4 ,john i3#a-ad ,compared  
with ,doc4 and  ,cov4 sec4 xciii #f-ca4 
,see the ,prophet ,joseph's ,king       
,follett ,sermon  ,apl4 #g1 #ahdd1      
,mill4 ,star ,vol4 xxiii1 pp4 #bde-bhj  
and notes #a1 #b1 #c1 #d1  #e1 #f1 #g4  
,book of ,ether ch4 iii3#ac-af1 and the 
foregoing references of the  lesson and 

notes #a1 #g4 ,also ,article in the     
,improvement ,era1 ,april  #aijg1 on the
 ,immortality of ,man4,a    ,footnote   
,a3 ,the following appears as a note    
preceding the article in  question1 from
 which article most of the notes in this
 and in lessons  following in ,part ,i  
are taken3 ,elder ,roberts submitted the
 following  paper to the ,first         
,presidency and a number of the ,twelve 
,apostles1 none  of whom found anything 
objectionable in it1 or contrary to the 
revealed  word of ,god1 and therefore   
favor its publication4--,editors4       
,,notes4    #a4                         
,intelligencies-,co-,eternal3 ,if two   
things exist1 and there be  one above   
the other1 there shall be greater things
 above them4 99 99 99 99  99 ,if there  
be two spirits1 and one shall be more   
intelligent than the  other1 yet these  
two spirits1 notwithstanding one is more
 intelligent  than the other1 have no   
beginning2 they existed before1 they    
shall have  no end1 they shall exist1   

for they are gnolaum1 or eternal4 7,book
 of  ,abraham ch4 #c1 #af1 #ah47    #b4 
,intelligencies1 ,eternal1              
,self-existent3 ,the soul--the mind  of 
man--the immortal spirit--where did it  
come from8 ,all learned men  and doctors
 of divinity say that ,god created it in
 the beginning2  but it is not so3 the  
very idea lessens man in my estimation4 
,i do  not believe the doctrine4 ,i know
 better4 ,hear it1 all ye ends of the   
world1 for ,god has told me so1 if you  
don't believe me1 it will not  make the 
truth without effect4 99 99 99 ,we say  
that ,god himself is a  self-existent   
being4 ,who told you so8 ,it is correct 
enough1 but how  did it get into your   
head8 ,who told you that man did not    
exist in  like manner1 upon the same    
principles8 ,man does exist upon the    
same  principles4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the   
mind or the intelligence which man      
possesses  is co-equal1 co-eternal,a1   
with ,god himself4 ,i know my testimony 
is  true4--,joseph ,smith1 7,mill4      

,star1 ,vol4 ,,xxiii1 p4 #bfb47         
,footnote ,a3 ,it must be remembered    
that these sermons of the prophet  were 
reported in long hand1 and by several   
persons 7,see ,history of  the ,church1 
,vol4 ,,iv1 p4 #eef-note72 and hence    
verbal inaccuracies may  exist1 of which
 the above is doubtless one4 ,the       
,prophet could not have  meant to have  
taught that the intelligence in man was 
co-equal with  ,god1 except as to being 
co-equal in eternity with ,god1 since   
the  ,book of ,abraham teaches that ,god
 is more intelligent than all other     
intelligencies 7ch4 iii3#ai7 and the    
,prophet himself1 as will be seen  in   
subsequent quotations1 teaches the same 
truth4 ,hence the insertion  of word    
above in brackets4    #c4 ,the ,nature  
of ,intelligencies3 ,there is in that   
complex  thing we call man1 an          
intelligent entity1 uncreated1 self     
existent1  indestructible1 ,he--for that
 entity is a person2 because1 as we     
shall  see1 he is possessed of powers   

that go with personality only1 hence    
that entity is he1 not it1--he is       
eternal as ,god is2 co-existent1  in    
fact1 with ,god2 of the same kind of    
substance or essence with deity1  though
 confessedly inferior in degree of      
intelligence and power to  ,god4 ,one   
must needs think that the name of this  
eternal entity--what  ,god calls        
him--conveys to the mind some idea of   
his nature4 ,he is  called an           
intelligence2 and this ,i believe is    
descriptive of him4  ,that is1          
intelligence is the entity's chief      
characteristic4 ,if this  be a true     
deduction1 then the entity must be      
self-conscious1 and  others--conscious1 
that is1 he must have the power to      
distinguish  himself from other         
things--the me from the not me4 ,he must
 have  the power of deliberation1 by    
which he sets over one thing against    
another2 with power also to form a      
judgment that this or that is a  better 
thing or state than this or that4 ,also 

there goes with this idea  of           
intelligence a power of choosing one    
thing instead of another1 one  state    
rather than another4 ,these powers are  
inseparably connected with  any idea    
that may be formed of an intelligence4  
,one cannot conceive  of intelligence   
existing without these qualities any    
more than he can  conceive of an object 
existing in space without dimensions4   
,the phrase  the light of truth ,doc4   
,cov41 ,sec4 xciii4 is given in one of  
the  revelations as the equivalent for  
an intelligence here discussed2 by      
which is meant to be understood1 as ,i  
think1 that intelligent entities        
perceive the truth1 are conscious of the
 truth1 they know that which  is1 hence 
the light of truth1 intelligence4 ,let  
it be observed that  ,i say nothing as  
to the mode of the existence of these   
intelligences1  beyond the fact of their
 eternity4 ,but of their form1 or the   
manner  of their subsistence nothing1 so
 far as ,i know1 has been revealed1  and

 hence we are without means of knowing  
anything about the modes of  their      
existence beyond the fact of it1 and the
 essential qualities they  possess1     
which already have been pointed out4    
#d4 ,words ,used ,interchangeably3 ,it  
is often the case that  misconceptions  
arise through a careless use of words1  
and through  using words                
interchangeably1 without regard to      
shades of differences  that attach to   
them2 and this in the scriptures as in  
other writings4  ,indeed1 this fault is 
more frequent in the scriptures perhaps 
than in  any other writings1 for the    
reason that1 for the most part1 they are
  composed by men who did not aim at    
scientific exactness in the use of      
words4 ,they were not equal to such     
precision in the use of language1  in   
the first place2 and in the second1 they
 depended more upon the  general tenor  
of what they wrote for making truth     
apparent than upon  technical precision 
in a choice of words2 ideas1 not        

niceness of  expression1 was the burden 
of their souls2 thought1 not its dress4 
,hence1 in scripture1 and ,i might say  
especially in modern scripture1  a lack 
of careful or precise choice of words1 a
 large dependence upon  the general     
tenor of what is written to convey the  
truth1 a wide range  in using words     
interchangeably that are not always     
exact equivalents1  are characteristics4
 ,thus the expressions1 ,kingdom of     
,god1 ,kingdom  of ,heaven1 the ,whole  
,family in ,heaven1 the ,church1 the    
,church of  ,christ1 the ,church of     
,god1 are often used interchangeably for
 the  ,church of ,christ when they are  
not always equivalents2 so1 too1 are    
used the terms ,spirit of ,god1 and     
,holy ,ghost2 ,spirit of ,christ1  and  
the the ,holy ,ghost2 ,spirit and ,soul2
 intelligencies1 and  spirits2 spirits1 
and angels4 ,i mention this in passing1 
because  ,i believe many of the         
differences of opinion and much of the  
confusion  of ideas that exist arise out

 of our not recognizing1 or our not     
remembering these facts4 ,hereafter let 
the student be on his guard in  relation
 to the use of the words intelligencies1
 spirits1 soul1  mind1 etc43 and he will
 find his way out of many a difficulty4 
#e4 ,intelligence ,eternal--,not        
,created3 ,man was also in the          
beginning with ,god4 ,intelligence1 or  
the light of truth1 was not  created or 
made1 neither indeed can be4 7,doc4     
,cov41 ,sec4 xciii4 #bi47    ,i am      
dwelling on the immorality of the spirit
 of man4 ,is it logical  to say that the
 intelligence of spirits is immortal1   
and yet that it  7i4 e4 the             
intelligence7 had a beginning4 ,the     
intelligence of spirits  had no         
beginning1 neither will it have an end4 
,that is good logic4 ,that  which has a 
beginning may have an end4 ,there never 
was a time when  there were no spirits1 
for they are co-equal 7co-eternal7 with 
our  ,father in heaven4 99 99 99 99 99  
,i take my ring from my finger and liken

 it  unto the mind of man--the immortal 
part1 because it has no beginning4      
,suppose you cut it in two2 then it has 
a beginning and an end2 but join  it    
again and it continues one eternal      
round4 ,so with the spirit of man4  ,as 
the ,lord liveth1 if it had a beginning 
it will have an end4 99 99 99 99        
,intelligence is eternal and exists upon
 a self-existent principle4 ,it  is a   
spirit ,a from age to age and there is  
no creation about it4 99 99  99 99 99   
,the first principles of a man are      
self-existent with ,god4--,joseph       
,smith--7,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 #bc1 p4    
#bfb47    ,footnote ,a3 ,observe in the 
above quotation from the ,prophet1 how  
he  sometimes uses the word spirit      
interchangeably with intelligence1  but 
mark1 he twice uses the expression1     
intelligence of spirits4    #f4 ,the    
,difference ,between ,spirits1 and      
,uncreated  ,intelligencies3 ,in the    
,book of ,mormon we have the revelation 
which gives the most light upon         

spirit-existence of ,jesus1 and1 through
  his spirit-existence1 light upon the  
spirit-existence of all men4  ,the light
 is given in that complete revelation of
 the pre-existent1  personal spirit of  
,jesus ,christ1 made to the brother of  
,jared1 ages  before the spirit of      
,jesus tabernacled in the flesh4 ,the   
essential part  of the passage follows3 
,behold1 ,i am he who was prepared from 
the foundation of the world to  redeem  
my people4 ,behold1 ,i am ,jesus        
,christ2 99 99 99 99 99 and never have  
,i  showed myself unto man whom ,i have 
created1 for never has man believed  in 
me as thou hast4 ,seest thou that ye are
 created after mine own  image8 ,yea1   
even all men were created in the        
beginning after mine own  image4 ,behold
 this body which ye now behold1 is the  
body of my spirit2  and man have ,i     
created after the body of my spirit2 and
 even as ,i  appear unto thee to be in  
the spirit1 will ,i appear unto my      
people in  the flesh4    ,what do we    

learn from all this8 ,first1 let it be  
re-called that  according to the express
 word of ,god intelligences are not     
created1  neither indeed can they be4   
,now1 with the above revelation from the
  ,book of ,mormon concerning the       
spirit-body of ,jesus1 before us1 we    
are face to face with a something that  
was begotten1 and in that  sense a      
creation1 a spirit1 the first born of   
many brethren2 the  beginning of the    
creations of ,god4 ,the spirit is in    
human form--for  we are told that as    
,christ's spirit-body looked to ,jared's
 brother1 so  would the ,christ look to 
men when he came among them in the      
flesh2 the  body of flesh conforming to 
the appearance of the spirit1 the       
earthly  to the heavenly4 ,this body    
which ye now behold is the body of my   
spirit--the house1 the tenement of that 
uncreated intelligence which  had been  
begotten of the ,father a spirit1 as    
later that spirit-body  with the        
intelligent1 uncreated entity inhabiting

 it1 will be begotten  a man4 ,this body
 which you now behold is the body of my 
spirit1  or spirit-body4 ,there can be  
no doubt but what here spirit1 as in    
the ,book of ,abraham1 is used          
interchangeably with intelligence1  and 
refers to the uncreated entity2 as if   
the passage stood2 ,this  is the body   
inhabited by an intelligence4 ,the      
intelligent entity  inhabiting a        
spirit-body make up the spiritual       
personage4 ,it is this  spirit life we  
have so often thought about1 and sang   
about4 ,in this  state of existence     
occurred the spirit's primeval          
childhood2 here  spirits were nurtured  
near the side of the heavenly ,father1  
in his  high and glorious place2 thence 
spirits were sent to earth to unite     
spirit-elements with earth-elements--in 
some way essential to a fulness  of     
glory and happiness 7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 
xciii3#cb-ce7--;and to learn  the       
lessons earth-life had to teach4 ,the   
half awakened recollections  of the     

human mind may be chiefly engaged with  
scenes1 incidents  and impressions of   
that spirit life2 but that does not     
argue the  non-existence of the         
uncreated intelligences who preceded the
 begotten  spiritual personage as so    
plainly set forth in the revelations of 
,god4    ,the difference1 then1 between 
spirits and intelligencies1 as  here    
used1 is this3 ,spirits are uncreated   
intelligencies inhabiting  spiritual    
bodies2 while intelligencies1 pure and  
simple1 are  intelligent entities1 but  
unembodied in either spirit bodies or   
bodies of flesh and bone4 ,they are     
uncreated1 self-existent entities1      
possessed of self-consciousness1 and    
other-consciousness--they  are conscious
 of the me and the not me2 they possess 
powers of  discrimination1 7without     
which the term intelligence would be a  
solecism7 they discern between the evil 
and the good2 between the  good and the 
better4 ,they possess will or           
freedom1--within  certain limits at     

least ,a--the power to determine upon a 
given course  of conduct1 as against any
 other course of conduct4 ,this         
intelligence  can think his own         
thoughts1 act wisely or foolishly1 do   
right or  wrong4 ,to accredit an        
intelligence with fewer or less         
important  powers than these1 would be  
to discredit him as an intelligence     
altogether4    ,footnote ,a3 ,we see    
that this is true as to men as          
intelligencies4  ,as one remarks3       
,within certain temporary material      
limitations1 man  is free4 ,he cannot   
speak if he be dumb1 nor see if he be   
blind2 but1  mentally and morally1 he is
 always free4 ,he can think his own     
thoughts1  act wisely or foolishly1 do  
right or wrong4--7,see ,great           
,questions1 p4  #ba47    #g4 ,effect of 
the ,doctrine of the ,eternal ,existence
 of ,intelligences on  ,our             
,terminology3 ,the conception here set  
forth in the doctrine that              
intelligencies are co-eternal with ,god1

 uncreated and uncreatable1             
self-existent1 indestructible1 will be  
to change somewhat the currently        
accepted notion in regard to            
pre-existence of intelligencies and     
spirits1 and in a way the number of     
estates through which they pass4  ,it is
 customary for us to say that there are 
three grand estates of  existence       
through which intelligencies pass in the
 course of their  exaltation to         
resurrected1 immortal1 divine beings    
7,see ,jacques's  ,catechism1 chap1     
vi473 first1 their pre-existence as     
spirits1 sons  and daughters of ,god1 in
 the spirit world2 second1 these spirits
  clothed upon with mortal              
bodies--earth-life of men and women2    
third1  spirits inhabiting bodies that  
have been resurrected1 immortal beings  
clothed with imperishable bodies        
prepared for eternal advancement  in the
 kingdoms of ,god4 ,but the doctrine of 
the ,prophet and of the  scriptures he  
gave to the world1 require us to        

recognize before the  first estate as   
set forth in the above order1 the       
existence of the  self-existent         
intelligences before they are begotten  
spirits1 sons and  daughters of ,god4   
,so that it could be said that there are
 four estates  in which intelligences   
exist instead of three2 namely2         
self-existent1  uncreated and unbegotten
 intelligences1 co-eternal with ,god2   
second1  intelligences begotten of ,god 
spirits2 third1 spirits begotten men and
  women1 still sons and daughters of    
,god2 fourth1 resurrected beings1       
immortal spirits inhabiting imperishable
 bodies1 still sons and  daughters of   
,god1 and in the line of eternal        
progression1 up to the  attainment of   
divine attributes and powers4 ,still1 if
 we have regard to  those changes       
through which intelligences pass1 rather
 than to their  status before and after 
those changes1 then we may still say    
that so  far as the matter has been     
revealed there are three estates or     

changes  through which intelligences    
pass in the course of their development 
or  evolution into divine beings2 and   
thus preserve the terminology of our    
sacred literature to which we are       
accustomed4 7,see ,book of ,abraham1 ch4
  iii3#bb-bf4 ,also ,jaques' ,catechism1
 ch4 vi47        ,,lesson ,,ii4         
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,the ,,relationship ,,of               
,,intelligences4    ,,analysis4    ,i4  
,relationship of ,jesus to ,other       
,intelligences4    ,,ii4 ,the           
,relationship of ,god and ,other        
,intelligences4    ,,references4    ,st4
 ,john's ,gospel i3#a-ad2 in connection 
with ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xciii3       
#f-bb4 ,king ,follet's ,sermon1 ,mill4  
,star1 ,vol4 ,,xxiii3 p4 #bde-bhj4 ,also
  notes1 #b1 #c1 #d4    ,pearl of ,great
 ,price1 ,book of ,abraham1 ch4         
iii3#ai-bc and note #e4    ,,notes4     
#a4 ,men and ,jesus of the ,same ,order 
of ,beings3 ,the ,scriptures  teach that
 ,jesus ,christ and men are of the same 

order of beings2 that  men are of the   
same race with ,jesus1 of the same      
nature and essence2  that he is indeed  
our elder brother4 ,for it became him1  
for whom  are all things and by whom are
 all things1 in bringing many sons  unto
 glory1 to make the captain of their    
salvation perfect through  suffering4   
,for both he that sanctifieth and they  
who are sanctified are  all of one3 for 
which cause he is not ashamed to call   
them brethren4  7,heb4 ii3#aj1 #aa47    
,hence while very far removed from us in
 that the  ,christ is more perfect in   
righteousness1 and more highly developed
 in  intellectual and spiritual powers  
than we1 yet these differences are  of  
degree1 not of kind2 so that what is    
revealed concerning ,jesus1  the        
,christ1 may be of infinite helpfulness 
in throwing light upon the  nature of   
man and the several estates he has      
occupied and will occupy  hereafter4    
,the co-eternity of ,jesus ,christ with 
,god1 the ,father1 is  quite universally

 held to be set forth in the preface of 
,john's gospel1  which is so familiar   
that it need not be quoted here4        
,moreover1 to us  who accept the new'   
dispensation of the gospel1 through the 
revelations  of ,god to the ,prophet    
,joseph ,smith1 the doctrine of ,john's 
preface  comes with increased emphasis  
by reason of the proclaimed extension of
  the principle of the co-eternity of   
,god1 the ,father1 and ,jesus ,christ1  
to other beings1 namely1 to men2 and by 
asserting also the fact that  the       
intelligent entity in man1 the mind1    
intelligence1 was not created  or made1 
neither indeed can be4 ,the following is
 from the revelation3        ,john saw  
and bore record of the fulness of my    
glory 99 99 99 and he      bore record  
saying1 ,i saw his glory that he was in 
the beginning      before the world was2
 therefore in the beginning the ,word   
was1 for      he was the ,word1 even the
 messenger of salvation1 the ,light and 
the      ,redeemer of the world1 the    

,spirit of ,truth1 who came into the    
world      because the world was made by
 him1 and in him was the life of men    
and the light of men4    ,such is the   
account which ,jesus gives of ,john's   
testimony2 and now  ,jesus himself3     
,and now1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,i   
was in the beginning with the           
,father1 and am the first born4 99 99 99
 99 99 ,ye referring to the             
brethren who were present when the      
revelation was given were also      in  
the beginning with the ,father1 that    
which is spirit1 even the      spirit of
 truth4 99 99 99 99 99 ,man meaning the 
race was also in the      beginning with
 ,god4 ,intelligence1 or the light of   
truth1 was not      created or made1    
neither indeed can be4 ,all truth is    
independent      in that sphere in which
 ,god has placed it1 to act for itself1 
as      all intelligence also2 otherwise
 there is no existence4 ,behold here    
is the agency of man1 and here is the   
condemnation of man1 because      that  

which was from the beginning is plainly 
manifest unto them and      they receive
 not the light4 ,and every man whose    
spirit receiveth      not the light is  
under condemnation1 for man is spirit4  
,here we have the co-eternity of ,jesus 
and of all men most emphatically        
stated3 ,i was in the beginning with the
 ,father4 99 99 99 99 99 ,ye were  also 
in the beginning with the ,father1 that 
which is spirit2 that  is1 that part of 
man that is spirit4 ,man1 that is all   
men1 the term  is generic--man was in   
the beginning with ,god4 ,and then mark 
what  follows3 ,intelligence--the part  
that was with ,god in the beginning1    
the entity of man which cognizes truth1 
that perceives that which is1  mind1    
say1--intelligence1 or the light of     
truth1 was not created or  made1 neither
 indeed can be4    #b4 ,jesus as the    
,first ,born3 ,sure it is that ,god1 the
 ,father1 is  the ,father of the spirits
 of men4 ,we1 says ,paul1 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 spirits and live8        
,according to this1 then1 there is a    
,father of ,spirits4 ,it follows1 of    
course1 that spirits have a father--they
 are begotten4 ,it should be  remarked  
that the term1 spirits in the above     
passage cannot refer to  self-existent1 
unbegotten intelligences of the         
revelations1 considered  in the         
foregoing note2 and certainly this      
relationship of fatherhood  to spirits  
is not one brought about in connection  
with generation  of human life in this  
world4 ,paul makes a very sharp         
distinction  between ,fathers of our    
flesh and the ,father of spirits1 in the
  above4 ,fatherhood to spirits is      
manifestly a relationship established   
independent of man's earth-existence2   
and1 of course1 in an existence  which  
preceded earthlife1 where the uncreated 
intelligences are  begotten spirits4    
,hence1 the phrase shall we not be      

subject to the  ,father of spirits and  
live8    ,christ is referred to by the  
writer of the epistle to the            
,colossians1  as the first born of every
 creature2 and the ,revelator speaks of 
him as the beginning of the creation of 
,god2 and in the revelation  already    
quoted so often 7,doc4  ,cov4 sec4      
xciii47 ,jesus represents  himself as   
being in the beginning with the ,father2
 and as the first  born4    ,the        
reference to ,jesus as the first born of
 every creature cannot  refer to his    
birth into earth-life1 for he was not   
the first-born into  this world2        
therefore1 his birth hare referred to   
must have reference  to the birth of his
 spirit before his earth life4    ,the  
reference to ,jesus as the beginning of 
the creation of ,god1  cannot refer to  
his creation or generation in           
earth-life2 for  manifestly he was not  
the beginning of the creations of ,god  
in this  world2 therefore1 he must have 
been the beginning of ,god's creation   

elsewhere1 viz4 in the spirit world1    
where he was begotten a spiritual       
personage2 a son of ,god4    ,the       
reference to ,jesus as the first        
born--and hence the justification  for  
our calling him our ,elder              
,brother--cannot refer to any           
relationship that he established in his 
earth-life1 since as to the  flesh he is
 not our elder brother1 any more than he
 is the first  born in the flesh2 there 
were many born as to the flesh before he
 was1  and older brothers to us1 in the 
flesh1 than he was4 ,the relationship   
of elder brother cannot have reference  
to that estate where all  were          
self-existent1 uncreated and unbegotten1
 eternal intelligencies2  for that      
estate admits of no such relation as    
elder1 or younger2  for as to succession
 in time1 the fact on which younger or  
elder  depend1 the intelligences are    
equal1 that is1--equal as to their      
eternity4 ,therefore1 since the         
relationship of elder brother was  not  

established by any circumstance in the  
earth-life of ,jesus1 and  could not be 
established by any possible fact in that
 estate where all  were self-existing   
intelligences1 it must have been        
established in the  spirit life1 where  
,jesus1 with reference to the hosts of  
intelligences  designed to our earth1   
was the first born spirit1 and by that  
fact  became our ,elder ,brother1 the   
first born of every creature1 the       
beginning of the creations of ,god1 as  
pertaining to our order of  existence4  
7,see note #aj1 lesson v47    #c4 ,why  
,god is ,god3 ,these two facts do exist1
 that there are  two spirits1 one being 
more intelligent than the other2 there  
shall be  another more intelligent than 
they3 ,i am the ,lord thy ,god1 ,i am   
more  intelligent than them all4 99 99  
99 99 99 ,i dwell in the midst of them  
all2  99 99 99 ,i rule in the heavens   
above1 and the earth beneath1 in all    
wisdom  and prudence1 over all the      
intelligencies thine eyes have seen from

 the  beginning4 7,word of the ,lord to 
,abraham1 ,book of ,abraham1 ch4 iii3   
#ai-ba47 ,i am more intelligent than    
them all4 ,by this expression ,i do  not
 understand the scripture to mean that  
,god is more intelligent than  any one  
of the other intelligencies1 but more   
intelligent than all of  them combined4 
,his intelligence is greater than that  
of the mass4 ,it  is this fact doubtless
 which makes this ,one1 more intelligent
 than  them all1 ,god4 ,he is the       
,all-,wise ,one6 ,the ,all-,powerful    
,one6 ,what  he tells other             
intelligencies to do must be precisely  
the wisest1  fittest thing that they    
could anywhere or anyhow learn--the     
thing which  it will in all ways behoove
 them with right loyal thankfulness1 and
  nothing doubting1 to do4,a ,there goes
 with this1 too1 the thought  that this 
,all ,wise ,one1 will be the ,unselfish 
,one1 the-,all-,loving ,one1  the ,one  
who desires that which is highest1 and  
best2 not for ,himself  alone1 but for  

all2 and that will be best for ,him too4
 ,his glory1 ,his  power1 ,his joy will 
be enhanced by the uplifting of all1 by 
enlarging  them2 by increasing their    
joy1 power1 and glory4 ,and because this
 ,all  ,intelligent ,one is all this1   
and does all this1 the other            
intelligences  worship ,him1 submit     
their judgments and their will to ,his  
judgment and  ,his will4 ,he knows1 and 
can do that which is best2 and this     
submission  of the mind to the most     
,intelligent1 ,wisest--wiser than       
all--is  worship4 ,this the whole       
meaning of the doctrine and the life of 
the  ,christ expressed in--,father1 not 
my will but ,thy will1 be done4         
,footnote ,a3 ,the language here is     
paraphrased from ,carlyle's lecture1    
,the ,hero as ,king4    #e4 ,the ,desire
 of ,god for the ,advancement of ,other 
,intelligences3  ,the first principles  
of man are self-existent with ,god4 ,god
 himself1  finding he was in the midst  
of spirits and glory1 because he was    

more  intelligent1 saw proper to        
institute laws whereby the rest could   
have  a privilege to advance like       
himself4 ,the relationship we have with 
,god places us in a situation to advance
 in knowledge4 ,he has power  to        
institute laws1 to instruct the weaker  
intelligences1 that they  may be exalted
 with himself1 so that they might have  
one glory upon  another1 and all that   
knowledge1 power1 glory1 and            
intelligence which  is requisite in     
order to save them in the world of      
spirits4 ,this is  good doctrine4 ,it   
tastes good4 ,i can taste the principles
 of eternal  life1 and so can you4 ,they
 are given to me by the revelations of  
,jesus  ,christ2 and ,i know that when  
,i tell you these words of eternal life 
as  they are given to me1 you taste     
them1 and ,i know that you believe them4
  ,you say honey is sweet1 and so do ,i4
 ,i can also taste the spirit of        
eternal life4 ,i know it is good2 and   
when ,i tell you of these things  which 

were given me by inspiration of the     
,holy ,spirit1 you are bound  to receive
 them as sweet1 and rejoice more and    
more4--,joseph ,smith4  7,mill4 ,star1  
,vol4 ,,xxiii1 p4 #bfb47    #f4 ,value  
of the ,doctrine of ,eternal ,existence3
 ,but what is  the value of this        
doctrine of the eternal existence of    
uncreated  intelligences8 ,in what way  
does it contribute to the better        
apprehension of that which is1 the      
truth8 ,these considerations1  of       
course1 should not be and are not our   
first concern4 ,our first  consideration
 should be and has been the truth of the
 thing4 ,but since  that is now settled 
by what ,god has revealed about it1 we  
may well1 if  possible1 ascertain what  
helpfulness there is in the doctrine1   
for the  right apprehension of the      
general scheme of things4 ,this         
apprehension1  ,i believe1 it affects in
 a very vital way4 ,as matters now      
stand1 the  usually accepted ,christian 
doctrine on the matter of man's origin  

is  that ,god of his free-will created  
of nothing the spirits and bodies of    
men4 ,that they are as he would have    
them1 since in his act of creation  he  
could have had them different if he had 
so minded4 ,then why should  he--being  
infinitely wise and powerful and good1  
for so the creeds  represent him--why   
should he create by mere act of volition
 beings  such as men are1 not only      
capable of1 but prone to1 moral evil8   
,which1  in the last analysis of things1
 in spite of all special pleadings to   
the contrary1 leaves responsibility for 
moral evil with ,god8 ,god's  creative  
acts culminating thus1 the next         
pertinent questions are3  ,then what of 
the decreed purpose of ,god to punish   
moral evil8 and  what of the much       
vaunted justice of ,god in that         
punishment8 ,wherein  lies the just     
responsibility of man if he was so      
created as to love  evil and to follow  
it8 ,it is revolting to reason1 as it is
 shocking  to piety to think1 that ,god 

of his own free will created some men1  
not only inclined to wickedness1 but    
desperately so inclined2 while  others1 
he of his own volition created with     
dispositions naturally  inclined toward 
goodness4 ,in like manner stands it with
 man in relation  to his inclination to 
faith1 and to disbelief3 and yet1 under 
the  orthodox belief all are included   
under one law for judgment6 ,under the  
conception of the existence of          
independent1 uncreated1 self-existent   
intelligences1 who by the inherent      
nature of them are of various  degrees  
of intelligence1 doubtless differing    
from each other in  many ways1 yet alike
 in their eternity and their freedom2   
with ,god  standing in the midst of     
them1 more intelligent than them all1   
and  proposing the betterment of their  
condition--progress to higher levels  of
 being1 and power through change--under 
this conception of things  how stand    
matters8 ,there is the begetting of     
these intelligences1  spirits2 the      

spirits1 men2 the men1 resurrected      
personages of infinite  possibilities2  
at each change increased powers for     
development are  added to intelligences1
 yet ever present through all the       
processes  of betterment is the         
self-existent entity1 the               
intelligencies1  with the tremendous    
fact of his consciousness and his moral 
freedom1  and his indestructibility2--he
 has his choice of moving upward or     
downward in every estate he occupies2   
often defeating1 for a time1 at  least1 
the benevolent purposes of ,god         
respecting him1 through his own         
perverseness2 he passes through dire    
experiences1 suffers terribly1 yet      
learns by what he suffers1 so that his  
very suffering becomes a means  to his  
improvement2 he learns swiftly1 or      
slowly1 according to the  inherent      
nature of him1 obedience to law2 he     
learns that that which is  governed by  
law1 is also preserved by law1 and      
perfected and sanctified  by the same2  

and that which breaketh law abideth not 
by law1 but  seeketh to become a law    
unto itself and willeth to abide in sin1
 cannot  be sanctified by law1 neither  
by mercy1 justice nor judgment4         
,therefore  they must remain filthy     
still4 7,doc4  ,cov4 sec4 #hh3cd1 #ce47 
,this  conception of things relieves    
,god of the responsibility for the      
nature  and status of intelligences in  
all stages of their development2 their  
inherent nature and their volition make 
them primarily what they are1  and this 
nature they may change1 slowly1 perhaps1
 yet change it they  may4 ,god has put  
them in the way of changing it by       
enlarging their  intelligence through   
change of environment1 through          
experiences2 the  only way ,god effects 
these self-existent beings is favorably2
 he  creates not their inherent nature2 
he is not responsible for the use  they 
make of their freedom2 nor is he the    
author of their sufferings  when they   
fall into sin3 that arises out of the   

violations of law to  which the         
intelligence subscribed1 and must be    
endured until its  lessons are learned4 
,note3 ,to the class teachers4 ,when    
giving this lesson make your            
appointment for lesson six1 which is a  
discourse4 ,this will give plenty  of   
time for preparation4 ,the class ought  
to expect much from him or  those who   
receive the assignment4 ,make it an     
occasion4        ,,lesson ,,iii4        
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,the ,,purpose ,,of ,,god ,,in         
,,relation ,,to ,,man4    ,,analysis4   
,i4 ,the ,purpose of ,god in the        
,earth-existence of ,man4    ,,ii4 ,the 
,pre-,creation ,council in ,heaven4     
#a4 ,character of ,lucifer--his         
,proposition4    #b4 ,character of      
,messiah--,his ,proposition4            
,,references4    ,job xxxviii3#d-g4     
,pearl of ,great ,price1 ,book of       
,moses1 ch4 i3#bg-dj4  ,,ii ,nephi      
ii--the whole chapter1 especially verses
 #bb-bf4 ,doc4 and ,cov4  ,sec4         

cxiii3#cj-ce4 ,notes #a1 #b1 #c4        
,pearl of ,great ,price1 ,book of       
,moses1 ch4 iv3#a-d4 ,ibid1 ,book of    
,abraham1 ch4 iii3#bb-bh4 ,rev4         
xii3#g-ag4 ,,ii ,nephi ii3#ag1 #ah4     
,ibid1 ch4  ix #h1 #i4 ,doc4 and ,cov4  
,sec4 xxix3#cf-ci4 ,ibid1 lxxvi3#be-bi1 
,jude #f4 ,,ii  ,peter ii3#d1 and note  
#d4    ,,notes4    #a4 ,the purpose of  
,god in ,his ,creations3 ,and it came to
 pass  that ,moses called upon ,god1    
saying3 ,tell me ,i pray thee why these 
things the creations of ,god upon which 
,moses had looked are so1 and  by what  
,thou madest them4 99 99 99 ,and the    
,lord ,god said unto ,moses3 ,for  mine 
own purpose have ,i made these things4  
99 99 99 99 99 ,and by the ,word  of my 
power1 have ,i created them1 which is   
mine ,only ,begotten ,son1 who  is full 
of grace and truth4 ,and worlds without 
number have ,i created2  and ,i also    
create them for mine own purpose2 and by
 the ,son ,i created  them1 which is    
mine ,only begotten4 ,and the first man 

of all men have ,i  called ,adam1 which 
is many4 99 99 99 ,and it came to pass  
that ,moses spake  unto the ,lord1      
saying3 ,be merciful unto thy servant1  
,o ,god1 and tell  me concerning this   
earth1 and the inhabitants thereof1 and 
also the  heavens1 and then thy servant 
will be content4 ,and the ,lord ,god    
spake  unto ,moses1 saying3 ,the        
heavens1 they are many1 and they cannot 
be  numbered unto man2 but they are     
numbered unto me1 for they are mine4    
,and as one earth shall pass away1 and  
the heavens thereof1 even so  shall     
another come2 and there is no end to my 
works1 neither to my  words4 ,for       
behold1 this is my work and my glory--to
 bring to pass the  immortality and     
eternal life of man4--7,pearl of ,great 
,price1 ,book of  ,moses1 ch4 i3#cj-ci47
    #b4 ,the ,purpose of ,man's         
,earth-,existence3 ,q4 ,for ,what       
purpose  are the spirits of men sent to 
take bodies upon the earth8    ,a4 ,that
 they may be educated1 developed1 and   

perfected2 that they  may enjoy a       
fulness of knowledge1 power1 and glory  
forever1 and thus  increase the dominion
 and glory of ,god4 7,jacques'          
,catechism1 ch4 #f47    ,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 no body1 and herein is  
his  punishment4 ,he is pleased when he 
can obtain the tabernacle of man1  and  
when cast out by the ,savior he asked to
 go into the herd of swine1  showing    
that he would prefer a swine's body to  
having none4--,joseph  ,smith1 ,richards
  ,little's ,compendium--,gems1 p4 #bhh4
    #c4 ,man is ,spirit3 ,the elements  
an eternal1 and spirit and  element1    
inseparably connected receive a fulness 
of joy2 and when  separated1 man cannot 
receive a fulness of joy4 ,the elements 
are the  tabernacle of ,god2 yea1 man is
 the tabernacle of ,god1 even temples4  
7,doc4  ,cov4 sec4 xciii1 #cc-ce47      

#d4 ,all ,present at the ,pre-creation  
,council3 ,the first step  in the       
salvation of man is the laws of eternal 
and self-existent  principles4 ,spirits 
are eternal4 ,at the first organization 
in heaven we  were all present1 and saw 
the ,savior chosen and appointed and the
 plan  of salvation made1 and we        
sanctioned it4--,joseph ,smith1 ,richard
 and  ,little's ,compendium1 ,gems1 p4  
#bhh4    #e4 ,council of the ,gods3     
,in ,solemn council sat the ,gods2      
,from ,kolob's height supreme1          
,celestial light blazed forth afar      
,o'er countless kokaubeam2    ,and      
faintest tinge1 the fiery fringe        
,of that resplendent day1    ',lumined  
the dark abysmal realm      ,where earth
 in chaos lay4      ,silence            
self-spelled2 the hour was one          
,when thought doth most avail2    ,of   
worlds unborn the destiny      ,hung    
trembling in the scale4    ,silence o'er
 all1 and there arose1      ,those kings
 and priests among1    ,a ,power        

sublime1 than whom appeared      ,none  
nobler 'mid the throng4      ,a stature 
mingling strength with grace4      ,of  
meek though ,god-like mien1    ,the     
love-revealing countenance              
,lustrous as lightning sheen2    ,whiter
 his hair than ocean spray4      ,or    
frost of alpine hill4    ,he            
spake2--attention grew more grave1      
,the stillness e'en more still4         
,father6--the voice like music fell1    
,clear as the murmuring flow    ,of     
mountain streamlet trickling down       
,from heights of virgin snow4           
,father1 it said1 since one must die1   
,thy children to redeem4    ,whilst     
earth1 as yet unformed and void1        
,with pulsing life shall teem2      ,and
 thou1 great ,michael1 foremost fall1   
,that mortal man may be1    ,and chosen 
,saviour yet must send1      ,lo1 here  
am ,i--send me6    ,i ask1 ,i seek no   
recompense4      ,save that which then  
were mine2    ,mine be the willing      
sacrifice1      ,the endless glory1     

,thine6      ,give me to lead to this   
lorn world1      ,when wandered from the
 fold1    ,twelve legions of the noble  
ones      ,that now thy face behold2    
,tried souls1 mid untried spirits found2
      ,that captained these may be1     
,and crowned the dispensations ail      
,with powers of ,deity4      ,a love    
that hath redeemed all worlds4      ,all
 worlds must still redeem2    ,but mercy
 cannot justice rob--      ,or where    
were ,elohim8    ,freedom--man's faith1 
man's work1 ,god's grace--      ,must   
span the great gulf o'er2    ,life1     
death1 the guerdon or the doom4         
,rejoice we or deplore4      ,silence   
once more4 ,then sudden rose      ,aloft
 a towering form4    ,proudly erect as  
towering peak      ',lumed by the       
gathering storm2    ,a presence bright  
and beautiful1      ,with eye of        
flashing fire1    ,a lip whose haughty  
curl bespoke      ,a sense of inward    
ire4      ,give me to go6 thus boldly   
cried4      ,with scarce concealed      

disdain2    ,and hence shall none1 from 
heaven to earth1      ,that shall not   
rise again4    ,my saving plan exception
 scorns2      ,man's agency unknown2    
,as recompense1 ,i claim the right      
,to sit on yonder throne6      ,ceased  
,lucifer4 ,the breathless hush          
,resumed and denser grew4    ,all eyes  
were turned2 the general gaze      ,one 
common magnet drew4    ,a moment there  
was solemn pause2      ,then1 like the  
thunder-burst1    ,rolled forth from    
lips omnipotent--      ,from ,him both  
last and first3      ,immanuel6 thou my 
,messenger1      ,till time's probation 
end4    ,and one shall go thy face      
before1      ,while twelve thy steps    
attend4    ,and many more1 on that far  
shore1      ,the pathway shall prepare4 
,that ,i1 the ,first1 the last may come1
      ,and earth my glory share4        
,go forth1 thou chosen of the ,gods1    
,whose strength shall in thee dwell6    
,go down betime and rescue earth1       
,dethroning death and hell4    ,on thee 

alone man's fate depends1      ,the fate
 of beings all4    ,thou shalt not fail1
 though thou art free--      ,free1 but 
too great1 to fall4        --,whitney's 
,elias1 ,canto ,,iii4    ,note3 ,a      
careful study of all the scriptural     
references should be made  of all       
lessons1 but particularly of this       
lesson4        ,,lesson ,,iv4           
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,the ,,free ,,agency ,,of              
,,intelligences4    ,,analysis4    ,i4  
,the ,fact of ,agency4    ,,ii4 ,nature 
of ,agency4    ,,iii4 ,fact of ,free    
,agency ,assumed in ,practical ,life and
 in ,jewish  ,scripture4    ,,iv4       
,effect of the ,doctrine of ,free       
,agency ,upon the ,relationship of ,god 
and ,other ,intelligences4              
,,references    ,note #a1 definition4   
,doc and ,cov4 ,sec4 xciii2 #cj-cc4     
lxxxvi3#df1 #dg3 x3#fc-ff2 xxix3#cd-cg4 
,book of ,moses--7,p4 ,g4 ,p47 ch4 iii2 
iv3#c2 vi3#ef4    ,book of ,mormon ,,ii 
,nephi ii3#bf-bi2 x3#bc2 ,alma phi      

ii3#bf-bh2 x3#bc2  ,alma xiii3#c2       
,helaman xiv3#ca4 ,alma xxix3#d4 also ch
 xiii2 #bg4    ,notes #b and #c4        
,notes #d and #e4    ,note #c in ,lesson
 ,i4 ,also note #f1 ,lesson ,,ii4       
,,notes4    #a4 ,free ,agency3 ,first as
 to the word free4 ,the authorities     
define it to mean having liberty to     
follow ones own views1 desires1         
inclinations1 or choice4 ,possessed of  
self-initiatory power4 ,hence  exempt   
from the arbitration1 dominion or       
direction of others4 ,by  free agency is
 meant the power or capacity of acting  
freely1 that  is1 without constraint of 
the law4 ,a rational agent whose actions
  are determined by his own unstrained  
will4 ,wayland in his ,university       
sermons says1 man was endowed with the  
gift of free agency4 ,he has the  same  
power to disobey the law of ,god as to  
obey it4 ,if a man is not a  free agent 
he is not the authority of his actions1 
and has1 therefore1  no responsibility1 
no moral personality at all4 7,standard 

,dictionary74  ,the term moral agent1   
means practically the same thing as free
  agent4 ,a moral agent is a being that 
is capable of those actions that  have a
 moral quality1 and which can properly  
be denominated good or  evil in a moral 
sense4    #b4 ,analysis of mind         
,operations in ,free ,agency3 ,i believe
 the  student of the subject of the free
 agency of intelligences will find  the 
following analysis on the freedom of the
 will1 summarized from  ,guizot1        
helpful4    7a7 ,power of ,deliberation3
 ,the mind is conscious of a power of   
deliberation2 before the intellect      
passes the different motives of  action1
 interests1 passions1 opinions1 etc4    
,the intellect considers1  compares1    
estimates1 and finally judges them4     
,this is a preparatory  work which      
precedes the act of will4    7b7        
,liberty1 ,free ,agency or ,will3 ,when 
deliberation has taken  place--when man 
has taken full cognizance of the motives
 which present  themselves to him1 he   

takes a resolution1 of which he looks   
upon  himself as the author1 which      
arises because he wishes it1 and which  
would not arise unless he did wish      
it--here the fact of agency is  shown2  
it resides complete in the resolution   
which man makes after  deliberation2 it 
is the resolution which is the proper   
act of man1  which subsists by him      
alone2 a simple fact independent of all 
the facts  which precede it or surround 
it4    7c7 ,free ,will1 or ,agency      
,modified3 ,at the same time that man   
feels himself free1 he recognizes the   
fact that his freedom is not  arbitrary1
 that it is placed under the dominion of
 a law which will  preside over it and  
influence it4 ,what that law is will    
depend upon  the education of each      
individual1 upon his surroundings1 etc4 
,to act  in harmony with that law is    
what man recognizes as his duty2 it will
  be the task of his liberty4 ,he will  
soon see1 however1 that he never  fully 
acquits himself of his task1 never acts 

in full harmony with his  moral law4    
,morally capable of conforming himself  
to his law1 he falls  short of doing it4
 ,he does not accomplish all that he    
ought1 nor all  that he can4 ,this fact 
is evident1 one of which all may give   
witness2  and it often happens that the 
best men1 that is1 those who have best  
conformed their will to reason have     
often been the most struck with  their  
insufficience4    7d7 ,necessity of     
,eternal ,assistance3 ,this weakness in 
man leads  him to feel the necessity of 
an external support to operate as a     
fulcrum for the human will1 a power that
 may be added to its present  power and 
sustain it at need4 ,man seeks this     
fulcrum on all sides2  he demands it in 
the encouragement of friends1 in the    
councils of  the wise2 but as the       
visible world1 the human society1 do not
 always  answer to his desires1 the soul
 goes beyond the visible world1 above   
human relations1 to seek this fulcrum of
 which it has need4 ,hence the          

religious sentiment develops itself3 man
 addresses himself to ,god1 and  invokes
 his aid through prayer4    7e7 ,man    
,finds the ,help ,he ,seeks3 ,such is   
the nature of man that  when he         
sincerely asks this support he obtains  
it2 that is1 seeking  it is almost      
sufficient to secure it4 ,whosoever     
feeling his will weak  invokes the      
encouragement of a friend1 the influence
 of wise councils1  the support of      
public opinion1 or who addresses himself
 to ,god by  prayer1 soon feels his will
 fortified in a certain measure and for 
a  certain time4    7f7 ,influence of   
,spiritual ,world on ,liberty3 ,there   
are spiritual  influences at work on    
man--the empire of the spiritual world  
upon  liberty4 ,there are certain       
changes1 certain moral events which     
manifest  themselves in man without his 
being able to refer their origin to  an 
act of his will1 or being able to       
recognize the author4 ,certain  facts   
occur in the interior of the human soul 

which it does not refer  to itself1     
which it does not recognize as the work 
of its own will4  ,there are certain    
days1 certain moments in which it finds 
itself in a  different moral state from 
that which it was last conscious of     
under  the operations of its own will4  
,in other words1 the moral man does  not
 wholly create himself2 he is conscious 
that causes1 that powers  external to   
himself act upon and modify him         
imperceptibly--this fact  has been      
called the grace of ,god which helps the
 will of man1 while  others see in it   
the evidences of predestination4    #c4 
,free ,agency ,more ,than a ,mere       
,choice ,between ,alternatives3  ,when  
most people talk of believing in moral  
freedom1 they mean by  freedom a power  
which exhausts itself in acts of choice 
between a  series of alternative        
courses3 but1 important though such     
choice as a  function of freedom is1 the
 root idea of freedom lies deeper still4
 ,it  consists in the idea1 not that a  

man is1 as a personality1 the first  and
 the sole cause of his choice between   
alternative courses1 but  that he is1 in
 a true1 even if in a qualified sense1  
the first cause  of what he does1 or    
feels1 or is1 whether this involves an  
act of  choice1 or consists of an       
unimpeded impulse4 ,freedom of choice   
between  alternatives is the consequence
 of this primary faculty4 ,it is the    
form  in which the faculty is most      
noticeably manifested2 but it is not the
  primary faculty of personal freedom   
itself4 ,that this faculty of the       
self-origination of impulse is really   
what we mean by freedom1 and what  we   
mean by personality also1 is shown by   
the only supposition which  is open to  
us1 if we reject this4 ,if a man is not 
in any degree1 be  this ever so limited1
 the first cause or originator of his   
own actions  or impulses1 he must be the
 mere transmitter or quotient of forces 
external to his conscious self1 like a  
man pushed against another by  the      

pressure of a crowd behind him4 ,in     
other words1 he would have no  true     
self--no true personality at all4       
7,mallock1 see note #d47    #d4 ,free   
,agency in ,practical                   
,life--,literature--,history3 ,in his   
work on the ,reconstruction of          
,religious ,belief1 7a work by the way1 
we recommend to our ,seventies7 ,w4 ,h4 
,mallock devotes a chapter to  ,mental  
,civilization and the ,belief in ,human 
,freedom1 the tenor of  which assumes   
that in the practical affairs of life1  
in literature  and in history1 we       
proceed upon the assumption that man is 
a free  agent and can determine1 within 
certain limits at least1 both his       
physical and moral conduct2 and argues  
that without this power1 the  life of   
man would be meaningless4 ,in the matter
 of love he decides  with ,shakespeare's
 ,iago that ,it is in ourselves that we 
are thus or  thus4 ,our bodies are the  
gardens to the which our wills are      
gardeners4  ,that this is true he holds 

to be attested not only by the private  
experiences of most civilized men1 but  
also by all the great poetry  in which  
the passion of love is dealt with4 ,such
 poetry is1 in  ,shakespeare's words1 a 
mirror held up to nature2 and it is only
  recognized as great because it        
reflects faithfully4 ,in the matter of  
heroism in the face of physical danger1 
he holds that the same story  repeats   
itself4 ,a man who for some great end   
undergoes prolonged  peril1 and         
deliberately wills to die for the sake  
of that end if  necessary1 is no doubt  
valued1 because such conduct 'originates
 in  the man's conscious self1 which he 
has deliberately chosen1 when he  might 
just as well have chosen its opposite   
and which is not imposed  on him by     
conditions1 whether within his organism 
or outside it4 ,the  virtue which arises
 from forgiveness of sin exists in      
consequence of  recognition of this     
force we call agency in man4            
,forgiveness1 says  our author1 is an   

act which1 in the absence of a belief in
 freedom1  7free agency7 not only would 
lose its meaning1 but could not take    
place  at all4 ,to forgive an injury1   
implies that bad as the offence may have
  been1 the man who committed it was    
better than his own act1 and was  for   
this reason not constrained to commit   
it2 and while it is only  the assumption
 of the better potential self in him    
that makes him a  subject to whom moral 
blame is applicable1 it is only for the 
sake of  this self that forgiveness can 
abstain from blaming4 ,the believer in  
freedom says to the offending party1 ',i
 forgive you for the offense of  not    
having done your best4' ,the determinist
 7one who believes that man  has not the
 power of free will7 says3 ',i neither  
forgive nor blame you2  for although you
 have done your worst1 your worst was   
your best also4'  ,of the great         
characters of literature1 ,mr4 ,mallock 
also says3 ,they  interest us as born to
 freedom1 and not naturally slaves1 and 

they pass  before us like kings in a    
,roman triumph4 ,once let us suppose    
these  characters to be mere puppets of 
heredity and circumstance1 and they  and
 the works that deal with them lose all 
intelligible content1 and we  find      
ourselves confused and wearied with the 
fury of an idiot's tale4  ,historical   
characters are placed in the same       
category4 ,all praise or  blame only has
 meaning as we regard these historical  
characters as free  moral agents3 ,all  
this praising and blaming is based on   
the assumption  that the person praised 
or blamed is the originator of his own  
actions1  and not a mere transmitter of 
forces4 ,man's significance for men in  
the whole category of human experiences 
'resides primarily in what he  makes of 
himself1 not in what he has been made by
 an organism derived  from his parents1 
and the various external stimuli to     
which it has  automatically responded4  
7,the ,reconstruction of ,religious     
,belief1 ,w4  ,h4 ,mallock47    #e4 ,the

 ,fact of ,free ,agency ,assumed in the 
,jewish ,scripture3  ,it will be matter 
of surprise perhaps to the student that 
in the  scriptural references upon the  
subject of free agency of intelligencies
  no references are cited in either the 
,old or the ,new ,testament4 ,the       
reason is that so far as the writer     
knows there is no explicit text  in     
either covering the exact point4 ,the   
freedom of man1 however1  free agency1  
power to obey or disobey the law of     
,god1 is everywhere  pre-supposed       
throughout both the ,old and ,new       
,testaments4 ,it is a  doctrine nowhere 
in doubt from the first commandment in  
,genesis to the  last in the ,book of   
,revelation4 ,of what significance is   
the commandment  in ,genesis3 ,of every 
tree of the garden thou mayest freely   
eat3 ,but  of the tree of knowledge of  
good and evil1 thou shalt not eat of it3
  for in the day that thou eatest       
thereof thou shalt surely die--of what  
significance1 ,i say1 is this law to man

 if he possesses not the power  within  
himself to obey it or disobey it8 ,then 
in the last chapter of  the last book of
 the ,bible 7as now arranged7 it is     
written3 ,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 99 99  
99 ,and  the ,spirit and the bride say1 
,come4 ,and let him that heareth say1   
,come4  ,and let him that is athirst    
come4 ,and whosoever will1 let him take 
the  water of life freely--of what      
significance to man is this scripture   
if he has not the power of his own      
volition to keep the commandments  of   
,god that he may have right to the tree 
of life2 or to accept the  invitation of
 the ,lamb and the ,bride to come and   
take of the water of  life freely8      
,whosoever will1 let him take the water 
of life freely6  ,what a mockery is here
 if man cannot will to take of the      
waters of  life6 ,is it thinkable that  
the ,lamb1 the loving ,christ1 would    

issue  an invitation to man in a matter 
so important as partaking of the water  
of life1 if man has no power to accept  
such invitation8 ,is the ,christ        
capable of such mockery8 ,one could     
think it of some malicious demon2  but  
of ,messiah1 never6    ,i have said that
 so far as known to this writer there is
 no passage  either in the ,old or ,new 
,testament that explicitly teaches the  
free  agency of intelligencies of men2  
but implicitly free agency is taught  in
 many passages throughout the ,jewish   
scriptures of which the above  quoted   
passages are but examples4 ,in lesson   
,,ix of ,part ,,ii of the ,first  ,year 
,book 7p4 #ec7 attention is called to   
the fact that in the ,book of  ,esther  
the name of ,deity does not occur2 and  
yet it may be said to  be the general   
opinion of all ,bible scholars that in  
no book in the  sacred collection is the
 presence of ,god more felt than in that
 same  ,book of ,esther6 ,so it is in   
respect of this doctrine of free agency 

and the ,jewish scriptures4 ,though this
 doctrine is nowhere explicitly         
designated in terms in the ,old or ,new 
,testament1 yet every where  throughout 
the sacred book its presence is felt1   
and the fact of it is  everywhere       
assumed4    ,note3 ,this is a brief     
treatise on the spiritual and natural   
creations1  but is too long for         
insertion in the notes of this lesson4  
,where  available ,i suggest it be read 
to the quorums4        ,,lesson ,v4     
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,preparation ,,of ,,the ,,earth ,,for  
,,the ,,abode ,,of ,,man4    ,,analysis4
    ,i4 ,matter--,external ,existence   
and ,extension of4    ,,ii4             
,creation--,a    #a4 ,spiritual4    #b4 
,natural4    ,,iii4 ,the ,revelations of
 ,scripture ,local4    ,,references4    
,note #a1 ,definition2 notes #b1 #c1 #d1
 #e1 #f4 ,materiality--,see ,mormon     
,doctrine of ,deity1 p4 #bed et4 seq4   
,note--#a1 #b1 #c1 #d1 #e1 #f1 ,genesis 
chs4 i and ii4 ,key to ,theology ch4 vi1

 ,ed4 #ahia4    ,book of ,moses4 7,p4   
,g4 ,p47 ch4 i3#d1 #e1 #h1 #bh-db1 also 
ch4 ii and ch4  iii3#a-ae2 and note #g  
and #h4    ,book of ,abraham 7,p4 ,g4   
,p47 ch4 iii3#bd-bf4 ,also ch4 iv and v4
    ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xxix3#cj-ce4  
,the ,gospel 7#crd ,edition71 pp4       
#bgd-bhd4  ,book of ,moses ch4 i3#bg-dj4
 ,also ch4 ii3#a4 ,note--    ,footnote  
,a3 ,this is to be but a glimpse of a   
very great subject1  which some day may 
be expanded by the author of this ,year 
,book into a  treatise on the ,mormon   
,doctrine of ,creation4    ,,notes4     
#a4 ,matter3 ,that of which the sensible
 universe and all existent  bodies are  
composed2 anything which has extension1 
occupies space1  or is perceptible by   
the senses2 body1 substance4 ,matter is 
usually  divided by philosophical       
writers into three kinds or classes2    
solid1  liquid1 and aeriform4 ,solid    
substances are those whose parts firmly 
cohere and resist impression1 as wood or
 stone4 ,liquids have free  motion among

 their parts1 and easily yield to       
impression1 as water and  wine4         
,aeriform substances are elastic fluids1
 called vapors and gases1  as air and   
oxygen gas4 7,webster's ,international  
,dictionary47    #b4 ,matter in ,itself3
 ,what matter is1 in itself and by      
itself1 is  quite hopeless of answer and
 concerns only metaphysicians4 ,the     
,ding  an sich 99 99 99 is forever      
outside the province of science4 ,if all
 men  stopped to quarrel over the inner 
inwardness of things1 progress1 of      
course1 would cease4 ,science is naive2 
she takes things as they come1  and     
rests content with some such practical  
definition as will serve to             
differentiate matter from all other     
forms of non-matter4 ,this may be  done 
strictly provisionally in this place1 by
 defining matter as that  which occupies
 space and possesses weight4 ,using     
these two properties  it is readily     
possible to sift out matter from all the
 heterogeneous  phenomena that present  

themselves to the senses1 and that1 in  
this  place1 is what we want4 ,thus1    
wood1 water1 copper1 oil and air are    
forms of matter for they evidently      
possess weight and fill space4 ,but     
light1 heat1 electricity and magnetism  
we cannot consider to fill so  many     
quarts or weigh so many pounds4 ,light1 
heat1 electricity--are  properties of   
matter4 ,they are1 therefore1 forms of  
non-matter4 ,in  like manner1 things    
such as grace1 mercy1 justice and truth1
 while they  are existing entities as   
much as matter1 are unquestionably      
non-matter  ,grace1 mercy1 etc41 are    
qualities of spirit1 which itself is    
doubtless  matter1 but of finer quality 
than that which is recognized by the    
senses4 7,the ,new ,knowledge1 ,r4 ,k4  
,duncan1 p4 #b47    #c4                 
,indestructibility of ,matter3 ,the     
gradual accumulation of  experiences1   
has tended slowly to reverse this       
conviction i4 e4 that  matter may be    
annihilated2 until now1 the doctrine    

that matter is  indestructible has      
become a commonplace4 ,all the apparent 
proofs that  something can come out of  
nothing1 a wider knowledge has one by   
one  cancelled4 ,the comet that is      
suddenly discovered in the heavens and  
nightly waxes larger1 is proved not to  
be a newly-created body1 but  a body    
that was until lately beyond the range  
of vision4 ,the cloud  which in the     
course of a few minutes forms in the    
sky1 consists not of  substance that has
 just begun to be1 but of substance that
 previously  existed in a more diffused 
and transparent form4 ,and similarly    
with  a crystal or precipitate in       
relation to the fluid depositing it4    
,conversely1 the seeming annihilations  
of matter turn out1 on close            
observation1 to be only changes of      
state4 ,it is found that the  evaporated
 water1 though it has become invisible1 
may be brought by  condensation to its  
original shape4 ,the discharged         
fowling-piece gives  evidence that      

though the gunpowder has disappeared1   
there have appeared  in place of it     
certain gases1 which in assuming a      
larger volume1 have  caused the         
explosion4 ,first ,principles1 7,herbert
 ,spencer71 p4 #agg1  ,appleton         
,edition1 #ahif4    #d4 ,uncreatability 
of ,matter3 ,conceive the space before  
you to  be cleared of all bodies save   
one4 ,now imagine the remaining one not 
to be removed from its place1 but to    
lapse into nothing while standing  in   
that place4 ,you fail4 ,the space which 
was solid you cannot conceive  becoming 
empty1 save by transfer of that which   
made it solid4 99 99 99  ,however small 
the bulk to which we conceive a piece of
 matter reduced1  it is impossible to   
conceive it reduced into nothing4 ,while
 we can  represent to ourselves the     
parts of the matter as approximated1 we 
cannot represent to ourselves the       
quantity of matter as made less4 ,to  do
 this would be to imagine some of the   
constituent parts compressed  into      

nothing2 which is no more possible than 
to imagine compression  of the whole    
into nothing4 ,our inability to conceive
 matter becoming  non-existent1 is      
immediately consequent on the nature of 
thought4  ,thought consists in the      
establishment of relations4 ,there can  
be no  relation established1 and        
therefore no thought framed1 when one of
 the  related terms is absent from      
consciousness4 ,hence it is impossible  
to  think of something becoming nothing1
 for the same reason that it is         
impossible to think of nothing becoming 
something--the reason1 namely1  that    
nothing cannot become an object of      
consciousness4 ,the annihilation  of    
matter is unthinkable for the same      
reason that the creation of  matter is  
unthinkable4--,first ,principles1 p4    
#aha4    #e4 ,conservation of ,mass3    
,this law1 known as the law of the      
conservation of mass1 states that no    
particle of matter1 however small1  may 
be created or destroyed4 ,all the king's

 horses and all the king's  men cannot  
destroy a pin's head4 ,we may smash that
 pin's head1 dissolve  it in acid1 burn 
it in the electric furnace1 employ1 in a
 word1 every  annihilating agency1 and  
yet that pin's head persists in being4  
,again1  it is as uncreatable as it is  
indestructible4 ,in other words1 we     
cannot create something out of nothing4 
,the material must be furnished  for    
every existent article4 ,the sum of     
matter in the universe is ',x'          
pounds1--and1 while it may be carried   
through a myriad forms1 when all  is    
said and done1 it is just-',x' pounds4  
7,the ,new ,knowledge1 ,r4 ,k4  ,duncan1
 p4 #c1 #aije47    #f4 ,extension of    
,matter ,through ,infinite ,space3      
,through all  eternity the infinite     
universe has been1 and is1 subject to   
the law of  substance4 99 99 99 ,the    
extent of the universe is infinite and  
unbounded2  it is empty in no part1 but 
everywhere filled with substance4 ,the  
duration of the world 7i4 e4 universe7  

is equally infinite and  unbounded2 it  
has no beginning and no end3 it is      
eternity4 ,substance  is everywhere and 
always in uninterrupted movement and    
transformation3  nowhere is there       
perfect repose and rigidity2 yet the    
infinite quantity  of matter and of     
eternally changing force remains        
constant4 7,the  ,riddle of the         
,universe1 ,erast ,haeckel1 p4 #bdb47   
,compare the foregoing note with the    
,book of ,moses 7,p4 ,g4 ,p41 chap1 i2  
also chap1 vii3#cj1ca2 also ,book of    
,abraham chap1 iii3#a-ai47    #g4 ,the  
,prophet ,joseph ,smith's ,views of     
,creation3 ,there is no  such thing as  
immaterial matter4 ,all spirit is       
matter1 but it is more  fine or pure1   
and can only be discerned by purer eyes4
 ,we cannot see  it2 but when our bodies
 are purified1 we shall see that it is  
all  matter4 7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 cxxxi47
 99 99 99 ,you ask the learned doctors  
why they say the world was made out of  
nothing1 and they will answer1  ,don't  

the ,bible say ,he created the world8   
,and they infer from that  word 'create'
 that it must be made out of nothing4   
,now the word create  came from the word
 baurau1 which does not mean to create  
out of  nothing2 it means to organize1  
the same as man would organize material 
and build a ship4 ,hence we infer that  
,god had materials to organize  the     
world out of--chaos--chaotic matter1    
which is element and in which  dwells   
all the glory4 ,elements had an         
existence from the time ,he ,god  had4  
,the pure principles of elements can    
never be destroyed1 they may  be        
organized and reorganized1 but not      
destroyed4 ,they had no beginning1  and 
can have no end4 7,mill4 ,star1 vol4    
#bc1 p4 #bdh47    ,the world and earth  
are not synonymous terms4 ,the world is 
the human  family4 ,the earth was       
organized or formed out of other planets
 which  were broken up and remodeled and
 made into the one on which we live4    
,the elements are eternal4 99 99 99 ,in 

the translation 'without form and  void'
 ,gen4 i3#b it should read1 'empty and  
desolate4' ,the word  'created' should  
be 'formed1' or 'organized4' 7,richards 
,little's  ,compendium1 p4              
#bhg--;,gems17    ,professor ,luther ,t4
 ,townsend of ,boston ,university in a  
new book  entitled ,adam and ,eve1 in   
which he discusses the question as to   
whether  the first chapters of ,genesis 
are history or myth1 dealing with the   
second verse of the first chapter of    
,genesis--',and the earth was  without  
form1 and void2 and darkness was upon   
the face of the deep--'  he claims that 
the literal rendering of it is this3    
',and the earth  had become 7past       
perfect tense7 'tohu' a wreck and 'lohu'
 without  inhabitant4 ,this desolate and
 tenantless condition agrees perfectly  
with what science reports of the general
 epoch2 and there can be little  doubt  
on scientific grounds1 continues ,prof4 
,townsend1 that during  the break up of 
the ice age a darkness denser than that 

of the densest  ,london fogs was upon   
the face of the floods4 7,press         
,comment1 ,prof4  ,townsend's book47    
,this sustains the position of the      
,prophet ,joseph stated above4    #h4   
,new ,theory of ,earth ,structure3--,in 
recent years theories  of mountain      
formation have changed like everything  
else scientific4  99 99 99 ,the new     
theories hark back to the original      
formation of the  earth4 ,the conception
 of a hot drop of a world swinging in   
space1  gradually cooling and forming a 
shell as smooth as a billiard ball1 has 
been partly abandoned4 ,the nebular     
hypothesis has been modified1 the       
so-called meteoritic hypothesis has been
 found inadequate2 and the more         
plausible planetesimal theory of        
,professors ,chamberlin and ,salisbury  
has been put forth4    ,the latest      
theory argues the formation of the world
 by gradual  accretions from planetary  
bodies4 ,it assumes the origin of our   
solar  system in a common spiral        

nebula--the nebula being in a thin solid
 or  liquid state1 as suggested by the  
spectrum analysis of it4 ,the knots or  
portions of the nebula showing the most 
concentration1 are the nuclei  of future
 planets1 and the thinner haze the      
portions from which the  knots are      
formed4 ,all these knots move about the 
central mass 7the sun7  in elliptical   
orbits of considerable eccentricity4    
,the planetesimals  are gathered in1 and
 through accretions from such a world as
 ours1 by  the crossing of the          
elliptical orbits in the course of their
 inevitable  shiftings4 7,the ,high     
,alps1 by ,john ,c4 ,van ,dyke1         
,scribner's ,magazine1  ,june1 #aijh47  
#i4 ,worlds ,organized on ,pre-,arranged
 ,plan3 ,the organization  of the       
spiritual and heavenly worlds1 and of   
spiritual and heavenly  beings1 was     
agreeable to the most perfect order and 
harmony3 their  limits and bounds were  
fixed irrevocably1 and involuntarily    
subscribed  to in their heavenly estate 

by themselves1 and were by our first    
parents subscribed to upon the earth4   
,hence the importance of embracing  and 
subscribing to principles of eternal    
truth by all men upon the  earth that   
expect eternal life4 7,joseph ,smith1   
,conference at ,nauvoo1  ,oct4 #h1      
#ahdc1 ,millennial ,star1 vol4 ,,xxii1  
p4 #bca47    #aj4 ,our ,revelations     
,local3 ,that is1 our revelations in the
  ,scriptures--all four books--pertain  
to our earth1 and its heavens2  to those
 intelligencies1 spirits1 men1 angels1  
arch-angels1 ,god1 and  ,gods1          
pertaining to that order of existences  
to which we belong4 ,i  call attention  
to the fact for the reason that ,i      
believe the principle  indicated is very
 important1 not only in the discussion  
in hand1 but  it has an important       
bearing upon the whole phraseology and  
meaning of  our scriptures4 ,when ,god's
 word says1 for instance1 ,in the       
beginning  ,god created the heaven and  
the earth1 etc42 and thus the heavens   

and  the earth were finished and all the
 hosts of them1 he has reference  not to
 any absolute beginning or absolute     
finishing1 but only  the beginning and  
finishing as pertaining to our earth and
 the  order of creation with which it is
 connected2 and the hosts that  pertain 
to our order of existence1 not          
absolutely to all existences4  ,the     
revelations we have received of ,god1   
let it be said again1 are  local1 they  
relate to us and our order of existence2
 they may not at  all1 except in the    
most casual and general way1 refer to   
that order of  worlds connected with and
 governed by the ,pleiades1 or of       
,orion1 much  less to the further       
removed constellations and their systems
 of worlds4    ,we learn from the ,pearl
 of ,great ,price that when the ,lord   
gave those  revelations to ,moses by    
which the prophet was enabled to write  
the  creation story of our earth1 the   
local character of those revelations    
was expressly stated3 ,worlds without   

number1 said the ,lord to ,moses1  have 
,i created--but only an account of this 
earth and the inhabitants  thereof give 
,i unto you--,behold1 ,i reveal unto you
 concerning this  heaven1 and this      
earth2 write the words which ,i speak4  
99 99 99 ,in the  beginning ,i created  
the heavens and the earth on which thou 
standest4  ,the subject is too important
 for treatment in a mere note1 but in   
passing ,i desired to call attention to 
the important bearing it has  upon the  
subject in hand1 as also upon our whole 
system of thought and  exposition of the
 scriptures4        ,,lesson ,,vi4      
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47    7,a 
,discourse7    ,,extent ,,and ,,grandeur
 ,,of ,,the ,,universe4,a    ,footnote  
,a3 ,in lieu of the usual detached      
notes1 in lesson viii and  ix1 ,i       
present an unbroken discussion of the   
,fall of ,adam and the  ,purpose of     
,man's ,earth ,life1 which ,i think will
 be more satisfactory  than any         
collection of detached notes that ,i    

could present to the  students upon this
 very important subject4 ,the students  
will be under  the necessity of         
selecting from the discussion such ideas
 and data as  wrill apply to the part of
 the subject assigned to him4           
,suggestion to the class teacher3 ,make 
your assignment today for ,lesson       
,,xiii1 a discussion and see note on    
,lesson six4    ,,notes4    #a4         
,suggestion on the ,lesson ,treatment3  
,no analysis is given  to this lesson4  
,it is designed to give those to whom   
the subject  is assigned--and one1 two1 
or even more may be assigned to the     
subject--an opportunity to make their   
own sub-divisions and work out  their   
own treatment in their own way4 ,it     
should be said in passing1  however1    
that it is to be hoped that the         
treatment will have some  relationship  
to previous lessons in part ,i of the   
present ,year ,book4  ,it could receive 
such a treatment1 for instance1 as would
 lead to the  justification of the      

doctrine set forth in lesson ,v on the  
fact of our  scripture revelations being
 local2 that is1 revelations that       
pertain to  our earth and its heavens as
 set forth in the ,book of ,moses1      
chapters  i and ii4 ,also it could be   
made to contribute to the reasonableness
 of  the existence of ,great and        
,presiding intelligencies in various    
parts  of the universe1 of their        
controlling and directing their worlds  
and  world-systems in harmony with the  
great and eternal laws by which  the    
universe is evidently governed4 ,this   
much to suggest merely that  there is a 
relationship between this subject and   
the lessons that have  preceded it4     
#b4 ,sources of ,information3 ,almost   
any school text book on  astronomy will 
give information on the extent and      
grandeur of the  universe4 ,especially  
would ,i recommend ,newcomb's ,popular  
,astronomy1  ,harper  ,brothers1        
,publishers1 ,new ,york2 ,gillet        
,rolf's ,astronomy2  and ,other ,worlds 

than ,ours1 by ,richard ,a4 ,proctor1 in
 which the  plurality of worlds studied 
under the light of recent scientific    
researches1 could be consulted to       
advantage4 ,a history of the ,warfare   
of ,science with ,theology in           
,christendom1 by ,andrew ,d4 ,white1    
vol4 ,i1  chap4 #c1 could be consulted  
to advantage2 not so much with reference
  to a description of the extent or     
grandeur of the universe1 as for the    
light he throws upon the struggle that  
took place in the development  of the   
ideas which led to the modern conception
 of the structure of  the universe and  
the laws that governed therein4 ,for a  
description  of the extent and grandeur 
of the universe1 as also for an account 
of the resistence to scientific ideas in
 relation thereto1 ,draper's            
,intellectual ,development of ,europe1  
,volume ,,ii1 chapter viii1 could  be   
consulted1 and the same authors         
,conflict ,between ,religion and        
,science4 ,some valuable quotations on  

the same subject are to be found  in    
,new ,witness ,for ,god1 ,chapters      
xxviii1 xxix4    #c4 ,suggestions ,upon 
the ,structure of ,discourses and       
,lectures3  ,in the ,seventy's ,year    
,book ,no4 #a1 there were six lessons in
 which  suggestions were made on the    
matter of the formation of lectures1  or
 discourses4 ,the six lessons1 however1 
were really but one4 ,the  suggestions  
then given went no further than to      
admonish the student to  give definite  
form to his discourse1 urging that there
 should be    #a4 ,an ,introduction4    
#b4 ,a ,discussion4    #c4 ,a           
,conclusion4    ,we again call attention
 to the necessity of adhering to this   
definite  plan1 if the discourse is to  
be instructive or intellectually        
entertaining4    #d4 ,clearness3 ,the   
most important concern of a speaker is  
to make  himself understood4 ,if he     
fails in this he fails in everything4   
,this  is true of every speaker4 ,it is 
doubly true of one who has a message    

from ,god to deliver to the world4      
,clearness then in the expression of    
ideas is the first quality to be        
considered4 ,the first essential to     
clearness in the expression of his ideas
 is for the speaker himself to  have    
definite knowledge of his subject4      
,clearness of expression must be        
preceded by definite knowledge and clear
 thinking4 ,the chief cause of          
obscurity in expression is a lack of    
systematic1 clear-cut thinking4  ,men   
speak as they train themselves to think4
 ,if men will only train  themselves to 
do systematic thinking1 speech1 or      
expression of thought1  will largely    
take care of itself4 ,men generally may 
not be conscious of  it1 but it is true 
nevertheless that the mind is constantly
 thinking4  ,it seems to be an essential
 of its nature to do so4 ,one cannot    
stop  thinking even if he would1 so long
 as he is awake and conscious4 ,what  we
 call the mind will think about         
something1 but we usually allow it to   

drift aimlessly in its thought4 ,it is  
earned away hither and thither  by every
 passing object1 noise1 or word that    
suggests an idea2 or else  we allow it  
to be driven to and fro in the realm of 
our imagination  by every passing fancy4
 ,no effort is made to control it4 ,we  
think of  everything in general and     
nothing in particular4 ,what is needed  
in  our intellectual development is     
mind-control4 ,obedience of the mental  
faculties to the will4 ,the mind should 
be compelled to work out lines  of      
thought upon any subject that is given  
to it to reflect upon1 until  it has    
arranged in orderly fashion all the     
present knowledge and ideas  possessed  
on the given subject4 ,and thinking1 be 
it remembered1 is but  arranging        
knowledge in orderly fashion in relation
 to our ideas1 with  the view of        
arriving at definite conclusions4       
,elsewhere in illustration  of these    
views1 ,i have said3 ',er4 no4 ,i have  
been a visitor in families  where       

parents have undertaken to put the      
children of the households  on their    
good behaviour4 ,i have seen the father 
and mother undertake  instanter to make 
the children polite to each other1      
considerate to  parents1 gentle in word 
and deed2 and ,i have seen the children 
look up  in astonishment and then go on 
in the same boisterous and quarrelsome  
way to which they were accustomed4 ,the 
father and mother on this  dress parade 
occasion could not make their children  
understand what  had not previously been
 made a habit to them4 ,the children    
could not  understand for the simple    
reason that perhaps never before1 or    
only  once or twice before1 with long   
intervals between1 were they corrected  
in their manners4 ,parents in order to  
have their children appear well  must   
give them daily training until          
politeness and good behaviour  become   
habitual to them4 ,and only in this way 
can they become ladies  and             
gentlemen--gentle in speech towards     

father and mother1 gentle in  conduct   
towards brother and sister1 respectful  
to strangers and well  behaved in all   
the relations of child life4 ,in order  
to produce this  the training must be   
continuous4 ,not harsh or rough but     
exacting1  nevertheless4 ,so it is with 
the powers of the mind4 ,a man who has  
never trained his mental powers in      
logical methods of thought cannot  hope 
to stand before an audience and succeed 
as a public teacher4 ,to  bring together
 beautiful and logical thoughts that    
will be instructive  to those who listen
 and satisfactory to himself--this power
 can only  be acquired by thorough and  
constant mental discipline4 ,it is only 
to  be acquired by earnest effort1 by   
hard work4 ,but remember1 to be a       
,seventy means just that--work1 mental  
activity1 leading to intellectual       
development1 and to the attainment of   
spiritual power4    #e4 ,the            
,cultivation of ,thought-,power3        
,thought upon a subject in  any broad   

sense embraces substantial knowledge of 
all the facts1 and  all the reasoning   
that may be based upon the facts4       
,education in the  proper sense is the  
cultivation of the power of thought1    
with the added  power of expressing     
those thoughts in some forceful manner4 
,how then1  asks ,mr4 ,pittinger1 whom  
we so frequently quoted in lessons of   
this  class in ,year ,book ,no4 l1 ,how1
 then1 shall thought-power be increased8
  ,there is no royal road4 ,every one of
 the faculties by which knowledge  is   
accumulated and arranged or digested    
into new forms grows stronger  by being 
employed upon its own appropriate       
objects4 ,mental activity  is the means 
by which the material of knowledge is   
gathered1 and all  faculties            
strengthened for future gathering4 ,each
 fact gained adds to  the treasury of   
thought4 ,a broad and liberal education 
is of exceeding  advantage4 ,this may or
 may not be of the schools4 ,indeed1    
they too  often substitute a knowledge  

of words for a knowledge of things4     
,that  fault is very serious 99 99 99 99
 99 for the only way by which even      
language  can be effectively taught1 is 
by giving terms to objects1 the nature  
of which has been previously learned4   
,but many persons need to speak  who    
cannot obtain an education in the usual 
sense of the word--that  is1 college or 
seminary training4 ,must they keep their
 lips forever  closed on that account8  
,by no means4 ,a thousand examples1 some
 of  them the most eminent speakers the 
world has produced1 encourage them  to  
hope4 ,let such persons learn all they  
can4 ,wide1 well-selected1  and         
systematic reading will do wonders in   
supplying the necessary                 
thought-material4 ,every book of        
history1 biography1 travels1 popular    
science1 which is carefully read1 and   
its contents fixed in the mind1  will be
 available for the purposes of public   
speech4 ,here a word of  advice may be  
offered1 which1 if heeded1 will be worth

 many months  of technical education at 
the best colleges in the land2 it is    
this3  ,have always at hand some work   
that in its own sphere possesses real   
and permanent merit1 and read it daily  
until completed4 ,if notes are  made of 
its contents1 and the book itself kept  
on hand for reference1  so much the     
better4 ,if some friend can be found who
 will hear you  relate in your own words
 what you have read1 this also will be  
of  great value4 ,many persons1         
especially in our own country1 ,america 
spend time enough in reading the minute 
details of the daily papers to  make    
them thoroughly acquainted in ten years 
with forty volumes of the  most useful  
books in the world4 ,think of it6 ,this 
number may include  nearly all the      
literary masterpieces4 ,which mode of   
spending the time  will produce the best
 results8 ,one newspaper read daily     
would amount  to more than three hundred
 in a year1 and allowing each paper to  
be  equal to ten ordinary book pages1   

the result would be three thousand      
pages annually1 or six volumes of five  
hundred pages each4 ,in ten years  this 
would reach sixty volumes6 ,this number1
 comprising the world's  best books in  
history1 poetry1 science1 and general   
literature1 might  be read slowly1 with 
meditation and diligent note-taking by  
the most  busy man who was willing to   
employ his leisure in that way4 99 99 99
 99 99  ,neither will the speaker have  
to wait until any definite quantity of  
reading has been accomplished before it 
becomes serviceable to him4 ,all  that  
he learns will be immediately available1
 and1 with proper effort1  the facility 
of speech and the material for speaking 
will keep pace  with each other4        
,,part ,,ii4    ,antediluvian           
,dispensations4        ,,lesson ,,vii4  
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,the ,,adamic ,,dispensation--,i4      
,,analysis4    ,i4                      
,dispensation--,definition of4    ,,ii4 
,advent of ,adam upon the ,earth4       

,,iii4 ,the ,commandments ,given4    #a4
 ,be ,fruitful4    #b4 ,partake not     
,forbidden ,fruit4    ,,references4     
,note #a4    ,gen4 ii3#bf1 #bg1 c4 f4   
ch4 ii3#d-i4 ,book of ,moses ch4        
ii3#bf1bg1 cf4 ch4  iii3#d-h4 ,book of  
,abraham ch4 iv3#bf-ca2 also v3#g-i and 
#ad-ah4 ,key to  ,theology ch4 vi1      
,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity ch4 vii4    
,note #b4    ,gen4 i3#bh2 ,book of      
,moses ch4 ii3#bh4 ,book of ,abraham    
iv3#bh4 ,note #c4    ,gen4 ii3#ae-ag4   
,book of ,moses ch4 iii3#ae-ag2 ch4     
v3#h1 #i1 #aa-ac4  ,mormon ,doctrine of 
,deity ch4 vii4    ,note #d4    ,,notes4
    #a4 ,dispensation3 ,a dispensation1 
without reference to any  specific      
application or limitations of the term1 
is the act of dealing  out or           
distributing1 such as the dispensation  
of justice by courts1 the  dispensation 
of blessings or afflictions by the hand 
of ,providence4  ,theologically a       
dispensation is defined as one of the   
several systems  of bodies of law in    

which at different periods ,god has     
revealed ,his  mind and will to man1    
such as the ,patriarchal ,dispensation1 
the ,mosaic  ,dispensation1 or the      
,christian ,dispensation4 ,the word is  
also sometimes  applied to the periods  
of time during which the said laws      
obtain4 ,that  is1 the period from ,adam
 to ,noah is usually called the         
,patriarchal  ,dispensation4 ,from ,noah
 to the calling of ,abraham1 the        
,noachian  ,dispensation2 and from      
,abraham to the calling of ,moses1 the  
,abrahamic  ,dispensation4 ,but the word
 dispensation as connected with the     
,gospel of  ,jesus ,christ means the    
opening of the heavens to men2 the      
giving out or  dispensing to them the   
word of ,god2 the revealing to men in   
whole or  in part the principles and    
ordinances of the ,gospel2 the          
conferring of  divine authority upon    
certain chosen ones1 by which they are  
empowered  to act in the name1 that is1 
in the authority of ,god1 and for ,him4 

,that  is a dispensation as relating to 
the ,gospel4    #b4 ,the ,advent of     
,adam on ,earth3 ,the earth1 warmed and 
dried by  the cheering rays of the now  
resplendent sun1 is prepared for the    
first  seeds of vegetation4 ,a royal    
planter now descends from yonder world  
of older date1 and bearing in his hand  
the choice seeds of the older           
,paradise1 he plants them in the virgin 
soil of our new born earth4 ,they  grow 
and flourish there1 and1 bearing seed1  
replant themselves1 and  thus clothed   
the naked earth with scenes of beauty   
and the air with  fragrant incense4     
,ripening fruits and herbs at length    
abound4 ,when lo6  from yonder world is 
transferred every species of animal     
life4 ,male  and female1 they come1 with
 blessings on their heads1 and a voice  
is  heard again1 ,be fruitful and       
multiply4 ,earth1 its mineral1 vegetable
  and animal wealth1 its ,paradise      
prepared1 down comes from yonder world  
on high a son of ,god1 with his beloved 

spouse4 ,and thus a colony from  heaven 
99 99 99 99 99 is transplanted on our   
soil4 ,the blessings of their  ,father  
are upon them1 and the first great law  
of heaven and earth is  again repeated1 
,be fruitful and multiply4 ,hence1 the  
nations which  have swarmed our earth4  
,in after years1 when ,paradise was lost
 by sin2  when man was driven from the  
face of his heavenly ,father1 to toil1  
and droop1 and die2 when heaven was     
veiled from view1 and1 with few         
exceptions1 man was no longer counted   
worthy to retain the knowledge  of his  
heavenly origin2 then darkness veiled   
the past and future from  the heathen   
mind2 man neither knew himself1 from    
whence he came1 nor  whither he was     
bound4 ,at length a ,moses came1 who    
knew his ,god1 and  would fain have led 
mankind to know ,him too1 and see ,him  
face to face4  ,but they could not      
receive ,his heavenly laws or bide ,his 
presence4 ,thus  the holy man was forced
 again to veil the past in mystery1 and 

in the  beginning of his history assign 
to man an earthly origin4 ,man1 moulded 
from the earth as a brick6 ,woman1      
manufactured from a rib6 ,thus1  parents
 still would fain conceal from budding  
manhood the mysteries of  procreation1  
or the sources of life's everflowing    
river1 by relating  some childish tale  
of new-born life1 engendered in the     
hollow trunk of  some old tree1 or      
springing with spontaneous growth like  
mushrooms from  out the heaps of        
rubbish4 ,o man6 when wilt thou cease to
 be a child in  knowledge8--,parley ,p4 
,pratt's ,key to the ,science of        
,theology chap4  ,,vi4    #c4 ,be       
,fruitful3 ,it has already been shown   
7,lesson ,,ii7 that the  purpose of ,god
 in the earth-life of man was to bring  
to him an increase  of joy1 by          
enlargement of capacity to enjoy1 by    
adding upon him new  powers of self     
expression2 by adding an earth-body to a
 heavenly-born  spirit2 for man is      
spirit3 but spirit in order to receive a

  fulness of joy must be inseparably    
connected with element 7,doc4   ,cov4   
,sec4 xciii4 #cb-ce1 also note #b       
,lesson ,,ii72 hence the earth-life  of 
,intelligences2 hence the advent of     
,adam and his wife ,eve upon our  earth2
 hence the commandment ,be ,fruitful2   
hence the importance of  man obtaining  
his body 7,lesson ,,ii note #b72 hence  
the resurrection from  the dead1 which  
brings to pass the eternal union of     
spirit and body  7element71 to be       
sanctified as a soul2 for the spirit and
 the body  is the soul the whole of man4
 7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 xxxviii3#ae74      
,these  principles enlarge the view of  
the importance of the earth-life of     
man1 and give the idea of sanctity to   
the commandment1 ,be ,fruitful4         
,undoubtedly the most important thing in
 life is life itself1 since  there flows
 from life all other                    
things1--experiences1 joys1 sorrows1    
sympathies1 achievements1 righteousness1
 honor1 power--it is the root1  the base

 of all4 ,to protect and preserve life1 
whence spring all  things else1 ,god has
 issued his decree1 ,thou shalt not     
kill--the  ,everlasting's cannon1 fixed 
alike against self-slaughter and the    
killing of others2 and on the crime of  
murder is placed the heaviest of  all   
penalties--whoso sheddeth man's blood1  
by man shall his blood be  shed2 7,gen4 
ix2 #f72 ,no murderer hath eternal      
abiding in him 7,i ,john  iii2 #ae47    
,and on the other hand1 for the         
promotion of life1 what encouragement   
has ,god not given8 ,first1 this        
commandment1 ,be fruitful and multiply  
and replenish refill the earth2 second1 
in making sex desire and  love of       
offspring the strongest of passions1    
refining both1 however1  by the         
sentiment of love1 and confining by his 
law the exercise of  these              
life-functions to the limits of wedlock 
relations4 ,lo1 children  are no        
heritage of the ,lord2 and the fruit of 
the womb is his reward4  ,as arrows are 

in the hand of a mighty man2 so are     
children of the  youth4 ,happy is the   
man that hath his quiver full of them2  
they shall  not be ashamed1 but they    
shall speak with the enemies in the gate
  7,psalms #abg3c-e74 ,and when the     
,lord would give his highest blessing   
to ,abraham1 his friend1 for his supreme
 act of obedience1 he could but  say3   
,in blessing ,i will bless thee1 and in 
multiplying ,i will multiply  thy seed  
as the stars of the heaven1 and as the  
sand which is upon the  sea shore2 and  
thy seed shall possess the gate of his  
enemies2 and in  thy seed shall all the 
nations of the earth be blessed2 because
 thou  hast obeyed my voice4 7,genesis1 
xxii1 #ag-ah47 ,and to ,jacob the ,lord 
also said3 ,behold1 ,i will make thee   
fruitful1 and multiply thee1 and ,i     
will make of thee a multitude of        
people4--7,gen4 xlviii1 #d47    ,in     
nature1 too1 this law of life is        
written1 until our philosophers  who    
treat on life in its various forms1     

declare that the very object  of nature 
is function--i4 e4 life4 7,lester ,f4   
,ward1 ,outlines of  ,sociology1 #aijd1 
ch4 ,v47 ,so superabundant is the       
fertility of all  forms of life1 animal 
and vegetable1 that if it were not      
limited by  destructive forces of life1 
the earth would soon be overwhelmed4    
,every  being1 says ,mr4 ,darwin1 which 
during its natural lifetime produces    
several eggs or seeds1 must suffer      
destruction during some period of  its  
life1 and during some season or         
occasional year1 otherwise1 on the      
principle of geometrical increase1 its  
numbers would quickly become so         
inordinately great that no country could
 support the product4 99 99 99 99  99   
,there is no exception to the rule that 
every organic being naturally  increases
 at so high a rate1 that1 if not        
destroyed1 the earth would  soon be     
covered by the progeny of a single pair4
 ,even slow-breeding  man has doubled in
 twenty-five years1 and at this rate1 in

 less than  a thousand years1 there     
would literally not be standing-room for
 his  progeny4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in a     
state of nature almost every full-grown 
plant  annually produces seed1 and      
amongst animals there are very few which
  do not annually pair4 ,hence we may   
confidently assert1 that all plants  and
 animals are tending to increase at a   
geometrical ratio1--that  all would     
rapidly stock every station in which    
they could any how  exist---and that    
this geometrical tendency to increase   
must be checked  by destruction at some 
period of life4--7,the ,origin of       
,species1 p4  #ej1 #ea1 #eb47    ,what  
is the significance of this rich        
endowment with the power of             
reproduction in all forms of life1      
animal and vegetable1 until it  assumes 
the appearance of actual redundancy8 ,is
 it not nature's  testimony to the fact 
of the desirability of life8 ,and hence 
she  has equipped the various species   
with power to perpetuate life1 not      

withstanding the destructive forces with
 which life in its great  variety of    
forms has to contend4 ,is               
life--especially human life--worth      
living8 ,undoubtedly1 since nature has  
so abundantly provided the means  for   
its perpetuation1 and ,god has given the
 commandment1 ,be fruitful  and         
replenish the earth4    #d4 ,the        
,symbols of ,life and ,death3 ,the ,tree
 of ,life4--so called  from its symbolic
 character as a sign and seal of        
immortal life4 ,its  prominent position 
in the midst of the garden where it must
 have been  an object of daily          
observation and interest1 was admirably 
fitted to  keep them ,adam and ,eve     
habitually in mind of ,god and futurity4
    ,tree of the ,knowledge of ,good and
 ,evil4--so called because it  was a    
test of obedience by which our first    
parents were to be tried1  whether they 
would be good or bad1 obey ,god or break
 his commandments4'    ,thou ,shalt not 
,eat of it4 99 99 99 ,thou ,shalt       

,surely ,die4--no reason  assigned for  
the prohibition1 but death was to be the
 punishment of  disobedience4 ,a        
positive command like this was not only 
the simplest  and easiest1 but the only 
trial to which their fidelity could be  
exposed4 7,commentary ,critical and     
,explanatory of the ,old and ,new       
,testament1 ,jamieson-,fossett-,brown47 
,in the above symbols1 together with the
 commandment and penalty to  follow     
disobedience1 we have assembled the     
great mysteries of this  world--,life1  
,death1 ,good1 ,evil1 the fact of man's 
,agency--power  to order his own course1
 to obey or disobey2 continued life for 
obedience1 which is but conformation to 
the law of life2 and death  for         
disobedience1 or departure from the     
conditions on which life is  predicated4
 ,the ,tree of ,life was the symbol of  
eternal life1 for later  when man had   
partaken of the fruit of the ,tree of   
,death--the ,tree  of the ,knowledge of 
,good and ,evil--,god is represented as 

saying1 in  effect1 since the man has   
become as one of us to know good and    
evil1  lest he put forth his hand now   
and partake also of the tree of life    
and eat and live forever1 let us send   
him forth from the garden and  guard the
 tree of life by cherubims with flaming 
sword4 ,and so it was                   
ordered4--7,genesis iii3#bb-be7 ,see    
also ,alma ch4 xii3#bb-bg2 also ,alma   
ch4 xii1 #a-aj4    ,death was symbolized
 in the ,tree of the ,knowledge of ,good
 and ,evil--in  the day thou eatest of  
it1 thou shalt surely die--hence the    
,tree of  ,death4 ,death we learn from  
other scriptures than ,genesis1 is both 
temporal and spiritual4 ,what is here   
called temporal death is physical       
death1 separation of spirit and body1   
the dust returning to the earth  whence 
it came2 but the spirit1 being as we    
have seen a thing immortal1  survives in
 conscious life and goes to the world of
 spirits4 ,dust thou  art1 and to dust  
thou shalt return1 was not written of   

the spirit of  man4 ,the spiritual death
 is the breaking of the union of the    
soul with  ,god1 separation1 alienation 
from ,god4 7,see ,alma1 chapters #ab1   
#ac1 #db47  ,man's disobedience to ,god 
would break this union of the soul with 
,god1  and hence spiritual death4 ,but  
while partaking of the fruit of the     
,tree of ,knowledge would bring death1  
both spiritual and temporal1 yet  it    
would bring also the knowledge that     
would make men as ,gods1 to know  good  
and evil2 and to this end1 doubtless1   
was planned the whole scheme  of man's  
earth-life4 ,this to be developed in    
lessons that follow4        ,,lesson    
,,viii4    7,scripture ,reading         
,exercise47    ,,the ,,adamic           
,,dispensation--,,ii4    ,,analysis4    
,i4 ,the ,fall--    #a4 ,the ,temptation
 and ,fall of ,adam4    ,,ii4 ,sectarian
 ,view of the ,fall of ,adam4    ,,iii4 
,book of ,mormon ,view of the ,fall4    
,,references4    ,genesis ch4 iii4 ,book
 of ,moses 7,p4 ,g4 ,p47 ch4 iv4 ,,ii   

,nephi ii3#ad-bj4  ,alma xii3#bb-bg4    
,also ,alma xlii3#a-aa4    ,,ii ,nephi2 
ii ,alma xiii and xlii2 and the treaties
 which takes the place  of notes4       
,,notes4,a    ,the ,fall of ,adam--,the 
,purpose of ,man's ,earth-,life4        
,footnote ,a3 ,in ,lessons ,,viii and   
,,ix1 in place of detached notes a brief
  treatise is given upon ,the ,fall of  
,adam2 and the ,purpose of ,man's       
,creation2 recounting the various views 
entertained upon that subject by  the   
great divisions of ,christendom1 as also
 the views set forth in the  revelations
 of ,god4 ,this treatment is rendered   
necessary by the nature  of the subject4
    ,in the second book of ,nephi occurs
 the following direct1 explicit         
statement3 ,adam fell that man might be1
 and men are that they might  have joy4 
,this assertion concerns two of the     
mightiest problems of theology3    #ast1
 ,the reason for ,adam's fall2    #bnd1 
,the purpose of man's earth-existence4  
,silence of the ,creeds4    ,no where in

 the creeds of men--the creeds of men6  
those great  crystallizations of        
,christian truths as men have conceived 
those truths  to he2 those embodied     
deductions of the teachings of ,holy    
,scripture--no  where in them1 ,i       
repeat1 are these two great theological 
questions  disposed of on scriptural    
authority4                              
,presbyterian ,view4    ,the            
,westminster ,confession of ,faith1     
which embodies the accepted  doctrine of
 one of the largest bodies of           
,protestant ,christendom1  ascribes the 
purpose of all the creative acts of ,god
 to be ,the  manifestation of the glory 
of his eternal power1 wisdom and        
goodness4,a ,and in an authoritative    
explanation of this part of the  creed  
it is said1 ,the design of ,god in      
creation was the manifestation  of his  
own glory4 ,and again1 ,our confession  
very explicitly takes the  position that
 the chief end of ,god in his eternal   
purposes and in their  temporal         

execution in creation and providence is 
the manifestation of  his own glory4 99 
99 99 99 99 ,the scriptures explicitly  
assert that this is  the chief end of   
,god in creation4 99 99 99 99 ,the      
manifestation of his own  glory is      
intrinsically the highest and worthiest 
end that ,god could  propose to         
,himself4,b    ,footnote ,a3            
,westminster ,confession1 chap1 iv--,of 
,creation--,section #a4    ,footnote ,b3
 ,in proof of this last declaration the 
expounder cites ,col4  i3#af2 ,prov4    
xvi3#d2 ,rev4 iv3#aa2 ,rom4 xi3#cf4 ,see
 ,commentary on the  ,confession of     
,faith with questions for theological   
students and ,bible  classes by the     
,rev4 ,a4 ,a4 ,hodge ,d4 ,d4 chapter iv4
 ,the reading of the  passages quoted   
will convince any one that the statement
 of the creed  is but poorly or not at  
all sustained by them4    ,the only     
business ,i have here with this         
declaration of the purpose of  ,god in  
creation--including the creation of man1

 of course--is simply  to call attention
 to the fact that it no where has the   
direct warrant  of scripture4           
,episcopalian ,view4    ,the great      
,protestant body of ,christians known as
 the ,episcopal ,church  whose chief    
doctrines are embodied in ,the ,book of 
,common ,prayer1 is  silent upon the two
 subjects in question1 viz4 why ,adam   
fell2 the  object of man's existence4   
,their ,articles of ,faith1 it is true1 
speak of the fall of ,adam1 and its     
effect upon the human race1 but  nowhere
 do they attempt to say why it was that 
,adam fell2 or give a  reason for man's 
existence4 ,their creeds proclaim their 
faith in ,god1  the ,maker and          
,preserver of all things1 both visible  
and invisible2  but no where declare the
 purpose of that creation1 and          
consequently  have no word as to the    
object of man's existence4              
,roman ,catholic ,view4    ,the         
exposition of the ,catholic creed on the
 same point1 as set forth in  the ,douay

 ,catechism is as follows3    ,ques4    
,what signify the words creation of     
heaven and earth8    ,ans4 ,they signify
 that ,god made heaven and earth and all
 creatures in  them of nothing1 by his  
word only4    ,ques4 ',what moved ,god  
to make them8    ,ans4 ,his own         
goodness1 so that he may communicate    
himself to angels  and to man for whom  
he made all other creatures4            
,speaking of the creation of the angels1
 the same work continues3    ,ques4 ,for
 what end did ,god create them8 the     
angels4    ,ans4 ,to be partakers of his
 glory and to be our guardians4         
,referring again to man's creation the  
following occurs3    ,ques4 ,do we owe  
much to ,god for creation8    ,ans4     
,very much1 because he made us in such a
 perfect state1 creating  us for        
himself1 and all things else for us4,a  
,footnote ,a3 ,douay ,catechism chapter 
iii4    ,from all which it may be       
summarized that the purposes of ,god in 
the  creation of man and angels1        

according to ,catholic theology1 is--   
,first1 that ,god might communicate     
himself to them2    ,second1 that they  
might be partakers of his glory4        
,third1 that he created them for        
himself1 and all things else for them4  
,while this may be in part the truth1   
and so far excellent1 it has no  higher 
warrant of authority than human         
deduction1 based on conjecture1  not    
scripture2 and it certainly falls far   
short of giving to man that  pride of   
place in existence to which his higher  
nature and his  dignity as a son of ,god
 entitles him4                          
,mormon ,view4    ,adam fell that man   
might be4    ,i think it cannot be      
doubted when the whole story of man's   
fall is  taken into account1 that in    
some way--however hidden it may be under
  allegory--his fall was closely        
associated with the propagation of the  
race4 ,before the fall we are told that 
,adam and ,eve were both naked1  the man
 and his wife1 and were not ashamed4,a  

,but after the fall ,the  eyes of them  
both were opened and they knew that they
 were naked1 and  they sewed fig leaves 
together and made themselves aprons1,b  
and also  hid from the presence of the  
,lord4    ,footnote ,a3 ,gen4 ii3#be4   
,footnote ,b3 ,ibid iii3#g4 also ,lehi3 
,and now1 behold1 ,if ,adam had not     
transgressed1 he would not have fallen2 
but he would have remained  in the      
,garden of ,eden4 ,and all things which 
were created1 must have  remained in the
 same state in which they were1 after   
they were  created2 and they must have  
remained forever1 and had no end4 ,and  
they  would have had no children2       
wherefore1 they would have remained in a
  state of innocence1 having no joy1 for
 they knew no misery2 doing no  good1   
for they knew no sin4 ,but behold1 all  
things have been done in  the wisdom of 
him who knoweth all things4 7,,ii ,nephi
 ii3#bb-bd4 ,see  also ,book of ,moses  
chap v4 #aa47    ,in an incidental way  
,paul gives us to understand that ,adam 

in the  matter of the first             
transgression was not deceived1 but that
 the woman  was4,a ,it therefore follows
 that ,adam must have sinned knowingly1 
and perhaps deliberately2 making choice 
of obedience between two laws  pressing 
upon him4 ,with his spouse1 ,eve1 he had
 received a commandment  from ,god to be
 fruitful1 to perpetuate his race in the
 earth4 ,he had  also been told not to  
partake of a certain fruit of the       
,garden of  ,eden2 but according to the 
story of ,genesis1 as also according to 
the  assertion of ,paul1 ,eve1 who with 
,adam received the commandment to       
multiply in the earth1 was deceived1 and
 by the persuasion of ,lucifer  induced 
to partake of the forbidden fruit4 ,she1
 therefore1 was in  transgression1 and  
subject to the penalty of that law which
 from the  scriptures we learn included 
banishment from ,eden1 banishment from  
the  presence of ,god1 and also the     
death of the body4 ,this meant1 if ,eve 
were permitted to stand alone in her    

transgression1 that she must be  alone  
also in suffering the penalty4 ,in that 
event she would have been  separated    
from ,adam1 which necessarily would have
 prevented obedience  to the commandment
 given to them conjointly to multiply in
 the earth4  ,in the presence of this   
situation it is therefore to be believed
 that  ,adam not deceived either by the 
cunning of ,lucifer or the blandishments
  of the woman1 deliberately1 and with  
full knowledge of his act and  its      
consequences1 and in order to carry out 
the purpose of ,god1 in  the creation of
 man1 shared alike the woman's          
transgression and its  effects1 and this
 in order that the first great          
commandment he had  received from ,god1 
viz4--,be fruitful and multiply and     
replenish the  earth and subdue         
it--might not fail of fulfillment4 ,thus
 ,adam fell  that man might be4         
,footnote ,a3 ,tim4 ii3#ad4    ,the     
effect of this doctrine upon the ideas  
of men concerning the great  ,patriarch 

of our race will be revolutionary4 ,it  
seems to be the fashion  of those who   
assume to teach the ,christian religion 
to denounce ,adam  in unmeasured terms3 
as if the fall of man had surprised1 if 
indeed it  did not altogether thwart1   
the original plan of ,god1 respecting   
the  existence of man in the earth4 ,the
 creeds of the churches generally  fail 
to consider the 'fall' as part of ,god's
 purpose regarding this  world2 and1 in 
its way1 as essential to the            
accomplishment of that  purpose as the  
redemption through ,jesus ,christ4      
,certainly there would  have been no    
occasion for the redemption had there   
been no fall2  and hence no occasion for
 the display of all that wealth of grace
 and  mercy and justice and love--all   
that richness of experience involved  in
 the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 had there
 been no fall4 ,it cannot  be but that  
it was part of ,god's purpose to display
 these qualities  in their true         
relation1 for the benefit and blessing  

and experience  and enlargement of man2 
and since there would have been no      
occasion  for displaying them but for   
the fall1 it logically follows that the 
fall1 no less than the redemption1 must 
have been part of ,god's  original plan 
respecting the earth-probation of man4  
,the fall1  undoubtedly was a fact as   
much present to the foreknowledge of    
,god as  was the redemption2 and the act
 which encompassed it must be regarded  
as more praise-worthy than blame-worthy1
 since it was essential to the          
accomplishment of the divine purpose4   
,yet1 as ,i say1 those who assume  to   
teach ,christianity roundly denounce    
,adam for his transgression4 ,the       
,catholic ,church teaches1 says ,joseph 
,faa' ,di ,bruno1 ,d4 ,d41 that ,adam   
by his sin has not only caused harm to  
himself1 but to the whole human  race2  
that by it he lost the supernatural     
justice and holiness which he  received 
gratuitously from ,god1 and lost it1 not
 only for himself1 but  also for all of 

us2 and that he1 having stained himself 
with the sin of  disobedience1 has      
transmitted not only death and other    
bodily pains and  infirmities to the    
whole human race1 but also sin1 which is
 the death  of the soul4,a    ,footnote 
,a3 ,catholic ,belief1 p4 #f4    ,and   
again3    ,unhappily1 ,adam by his sin  
of disobedience1 which was also a sin of
  pride1 disbelief1 and ambition1       
forfeited1 or1 more properly speaking1  
rejected that original justice2 and we1 
as members of the human  family1 of     
which he was the head1 are also         
implicated in that guilt of             
self-spoliation1 or rejection and       
deprivation of those supernatural       
gifts2 not indeed on account of our     
having willed it with our personal      
will1 but by having willed it with the  
will of our first parent1 to  whom we   
are linked by nature as members to their
 head4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,catholic     
,belief1 p4 #ccj4    ,still again1 and  
this from the ,catholic ,catechism3     

,q4 ,how did we lose original justice8  
,a4 ,by ,adam's disobedience to ,god in 
eating the forbidden fruit4    ,q4 ,how 
do you prove that8    ,a4 ,out of ,rom4 
v3#ab4 ',by one man sin entered into the
 world1 and by  sin death2 and so unto  
all men death did pass1 in whom all have
 sinned4'    ,q4 ,had man ever died if  
he had never sinned8    ,a4 ,he would   
not1 but would live in a state of       
justice and at length  would be         
translated alive to the fellowship of   
the angels4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,douay   
,catechism1 p4 #ac4    ,from a          
,protestant source ,i quote the         
following3    ,in the fall of man we may
 observe1 #a4 ,the greatest infidelity4 
#b4  ,prodigious pride4 #c4 ,horrid     
ingratitude4 #d4 ,visible contempt of   
,god's  majesty and justice4 #e4        
,unaccountable folly4 #f4 ,a cruelty to 
himself  and to all his posterity4      
,infidels1 however1 have treated the    
account  of the fall and its effects1   
with contempt1 and considered the whole 

as absurd2 but their objections to the  
manner have been ably answered  by a    
variety of authors2 and as to the       
effects1 one would hardly think  any    
body could deny4 ,for1 that man is a    
fallen creature1 is evident1  if we     
consider his misery1 as an inhabitant of
 the natural world2 the  disorders of   
the globe we inhabit1 and the dreadful  
scourges with which  it is visited2 the 
deplorable and shocking circumstances of
 our birth2  the painful and dangerous  
travail of women2 our natural           
uncleanliness1  helplessness1 ignorance1
 and nakedness1 the gross darkness in   
which we  naturally are1 both with      
respect to ,god and a future state2 the 
general  rebellion of the brute creation
 against us2 the various poisons that   
lurk in the animal1 vegetable1 and      
mineral world1 ready to destroy  us2 the
 heavy curse of toil and sweat to which 
we are liable2 the  innumerable         
calamities of life1 and the pangs of    
death4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,buck's       

,theological ,dictionary1 p4 #cce4      
,in its article on man the dictionary   
just quoted also says3    ,god1 it is   
said1 made man upright1 7,eccl4         
vii3#bi71 without any  imperfection1    
corruption1 or principle of corruption  
in his body or  soul2 with light in his 
understanding1 holiness in his will1 and
 purity  in his affection4 ,this        
constituted his original righteousness1 
which  was universal1 both with respect 
to the subject of it1 the whole man1    
and the object of it1 the whole law4    
,being thus in a state of holiness1  he 
was necessarily in a state of happiness4
 ,he was a very glorious  creature1 the 
favorite of heaven1 the lord of the     
world1 possessing  perfect tranquility  
in his own breast1 and immortal4 ,yet he
 was not  without law3 for the law of   
nature1 which was impressed on his      
heart1  ,god superadded a positive law1 
not to eat of the forbidden fruit 7,gen4
  ii3#ag7 under the penalty of death    
natural1 spiritual1 and eternal4 ,had   

he obeyed this law1 he might have had   
reason to expect that he would  not only
 have had the continuance of the natural
 and spiritual life1  but have been     
transported to the upper paradise4      
,man's righteousness1  however1 though  
universal1 was not immutable1 as the    
event has proved4  ,how long he lived in
 a state of innocence cannot easily be  
ascertained1  yet most suppose it was   
but a short time4 ,the ,transcriber's   
note3  break in the text here appears to
 be a printer's error in the original   
tion1 or rejection and deprivation of   
those supernatural gifts2  not indeed   
positive law which ,god gave him he     
broke1 by eating the  forbidden fruit4  
,the consequence of this evil act was1  
that man lost  the chief good2 his      
nature was corrupted2 his powers        
depraved1 his  body subject to          
corruption1 his soul exposed to misery1 
his posterity  all involved in ruin1    
subject to eternal condemnation1 and for
 ever  incapable to restore themselves  

to the favor of ,god1 to obey his       
commands perfectly1 and to satisfy his  
justice4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,buck's     
,theological ,dictionary1 p4 #ahb4      
,another ,protestant authority says3    
,the tree of knowledge of good and evil 
revealed to those who ate its  fruit    
secrets of which they had better have   
remained ignorant2 for the  purity of   
man's happiness consisted in doing and  
loving good without  even knowing       
evil4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,old ,testament
 ,history ,william ,smith1 ,l4 ,l4,d41  
chap4 ii4    ,from these several        
passages as also indeed from the whole  
tenor of  ,christian writings upon this 
subject1 the fall of ,adam is quite     
generally deplored and upon him is laid 
a very heavy burden of  responsibility4 
,it was he1 they complain1 who          
,brought death into the world1 and all  
our woe4    ,one great division of      
,christendom in its creed1 it is true1  
in dealing  with the fall1 concedes that
 ,god was pleased according to his wise 

and  holy counsel1 to permit the fall   
having purposed to order it to his  own 
glory4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,westminster  
,confession chapter vi1 section #a4     
,and in an authoritative explanation of 
this section they say1 ,that  this sin  
the fall was permissively embraced in   
the sovereign purpose  of ,god4 ,and    
still further in explanation3 ,its      
purpose being ,god's  general plan1 and 
one eminently wise and righteous1 to    
introduce  all the new created subjects 
of moral government into a state of     
probation for a time in which he makes  
their permanent character and  destiny  
depend upon their own action4 ,still1   
this sin described as  being            
permissively embraced in the sovereign  
purpose of the ,deity1  ,god designed to
 order it to his own glory2 but it no   
where appears  according to this        
confession of faith that the results of 
the fall are  to be of any benefit to   
man4 ,the only thing consulted in the   
theory of  this creed seems to be the   

manifestation of the glory of ,god--a   
thing  which represents ,god as a most  
selfish being--but just how the glory   
of ,god can be manifested by the fall   
which1 according to this creed1  results
 in the eternal damnation of the        
overwhelming majority of his  creatures1
 is not quite apparent4    ,those who   
made this ,westminster ,confession1 as  
also the large following  which accept  
it1 concede that their theory involves  
them at least in  two difficulties which
 they confess it is impossible for them 
to meet4  ,these are1 respectively3     
,first1 ,how could sinful desires or    
volitions originate in the soul of      
moral agents created holy like ,adam and
 ,eve2 and1 second1 how can sin  be     
permissively embraced in the eternal    
purpose of ,god and not involve  him as 
responsible for the sin8 ,if it be      
asked1 say they why  ,god1 who abhors   
sin1 and who benevolently desires the   
excellence and  happiness of his        
creatures1 should sovereignly determine 

to permit such  a fountain of pollution1
 degradation1 and misery to be opened1  
we can  only say1 with profound         
reverence1 ',even so1 ,father1 for so it
 seemed  good in thy sight4',a          
,footnote ,a3 ,commentary on the        
,confession of ,faith1 ,a4 ,d4 ,hodge1  
pp4  #aje-ajh4    ,these difficulties1  
however1 are the creed's and those who  
accept it1  not ours1 and do not further
 concern our discussion at this point4  
,infidels--under which general term 7and
 ,i do not use it offensively7  ,i mean 
all those who do not accept the         
,christian creeds1 nor believe  the     
,bible to be a revelation--infidels1 ,i 
say1 quite generally deride  the fall of
 man as represented both in the creeds  
of ,christendom and  in the ,bible4     
,they regard the tremendous consequences
 attendant upon  eating the forbidden   
fruit as altogether out of proportion   
with the act  itself1 and universally   
hold that a moral economy which would   
either  design or permit such a calamity

 as the fall is generally supposed to   
be1 as altogether unworthy of an        
all-merciful and just ,deity4 ,thomas   
,paine referring to it says3    ,putting
 aside everything that might excite     
laughter by its absurdity1  or          
detestation by its profaneness1 and     
confining ourselves merely to  an       
examination of the parts1 it is         
impossible to conceive a story more     
derogatory to the ,almighty1 more       
inconsistent with his wisdom1 more      
contradictory to his power than this    
story is4    ,in their contentions      
against the story of ,genesis1 no less  
than iu  their war upon the fall and    
original sin in the men-made creeds  of 
,christendom1 infidels have denounced   
,god in most blasphemous terms  as the  
author of all the evil in this world by 
permitting1 through  not preventing1 the
 fall2 and they have as soundly         
ridiculed and  abused ,adam for the part
 he took in the affair4 ,he has been    
held up by  them as weak and cowardly1  

because he referred his partaking of the
  forbidden fruit to the fact that the  
woman gave to him and he did eat2  a    
circumstance into which they read an    
effort on the part of the man  to escape
 censure1 perhaps punishment1 and to    
cast the blame for his  transgression   
upon the woman4 ,these scoffers proclaim
 their preference  for the variations of
 this story of a fall of man as found in
 the  mythologies of various peoples1   
say those of ,greece or ,india4,a ,but  
all this aside4 ,the truth is that      
nothing could be more courageous1       
sympathetic1 or nobly honorable than the
 course of this world's great           
,patriarch in his relations to his wife 
,eve and the fall4 ,the woman  by       
deception is led into transgression1 and
 stands under the penalty  of a broken  
law4 ,banishment from the presence of   
,god1 banishment from  the presence of  
her husband--death1 await her4          
,thereupon the man1 not  deceived1 but  
knowingly 7as we are assured by ,paul71 

also transgresses4  ,why8 ,in one aspect
 of the case in order that he might     
share the woman's  banishment from the  
comfortable presence of ,god1 and with  
her die--than  which ho higher proof of 
love could be given--no nobler act of   
chivalry  performed4 ,but primarily he  
transgressed that ,man might be4 ,he    
transgressed a less important law that  
he might comply with one more           
important1 if one may so speak of any of
 ,god's laws4 ,the facts are1 as  we    
have already seen1 that the conditions  
which confronted ,adam in his           
earth-life were afore time known to him2
 that of his own volition he  accepted  
them1 and came to earth to meet them4   
,footnote ,a3 ,see ,ingersoll's         
,lectures1 ,liberty of ,man1 ,woman and 
,child1 where the great orator1         
contrasts the story of the ,pall  given 
in the ,bible with that of ,brahma in   
the ,hindoo mythology1 and              
extravagantly praises the latter to the 
disparagement of the former4            

,,lesson ,,ix4    7,scripture ,reading  
,exercise47    ,,the ,,adamic           
,,dispensation--,,iii4    ,,analysis4   
,i4 ,the ,purpose of ,man's ,earth      
,life4    ,,ii4 ,epicurean ,doctrine4   
,,iii4 ,book of ,mormon ,doctrine--,men 
,are ,that ,they ,might ,have ,joy4     
,,references4    ,book of               
,mormon--,nephi ii2 ,alma xiii and xlii1
 and the notes of this  lesson4         
,,notes4    ,the ,purpose of ,man's     
,earth-,life4--,men are that they might 
have  joy4    ,that is to say1 the      
purpose of man's earth-life is in some  
way to be  made to contribute to his    
joy1 which is but another way of saying 
that  man's earth-life is to eventuate  
in his advantage4    ,men are that they 
might have joy6 ,what is meant by that8 
,have we  here the reappearance of the  
old ,epicurean doctrine1 pleasure is the
  supreme good1 and chief end of life8  
,no1 verily6 ,nor any form of  ancient  
or modern ,hedonism,a whatsoever4 ,for  
mark1 in the first place1  the different

 words joy and pleasure4 ,they are not  
synonymous4 ,the  first does not        
necessarily arise from the second4 ,joy 
may arise from  quite other sources than
 pleasure1 even from pain1 when the     
endurance  of pain is to eventuate in   
the achievement of some good3 such as   
the  travail of a mother in bringing    
forth her offspring2 the weariness  and 
pain and danger of toil by a father1 to 
secure comforts for loved  ones4        
,moreover1 whatever apologists may say1 
it is very clear that  the pleasure of  
the ,epicurean philosophy1 hailed as the
 supreme  good and chief end of life1   
was to arise from agreeable sensations1 
or what ever gratified the senses1 and  
hence was1 in the last  analysis of     
it--in its roots and branches--in its   
theory and in its  practice--sensualism4
 ,it was to result in physical ease and 
comfort1  and mental inactivity--other  
than a conscious1                       
self-complacence--being  regarded as the
 supreme good and chief end of life4 ,i 

judge this  to be the net result of this
 philosophy since these are the very    
conditions in which ,epicureans describe
 even the gods to exist2,b and  surely  
men could not hope for more pleasure1 or
 greater happiness  than that possessed 
by their gods4 ,cicero even charges that
 the  sensualism of ,epicurus was so    
gross that he represents him as blaming 
his brother1 ,timocrates1 because he    
would not allow that everything  which  
had any reference to a happy life was to
 be measured by the  belly2 nor has he1 
continues ,cicero1 said this once only1 
but often4    ,footnote ,a3 ,hedonism3  
,the doctrine of certain ,greek         
philosophers2  in ethics1 gross         
self-interest4 ,hedonism is the form of 
eudemonism  that regards pleasure       
7including avoidance of pain7 as the    
only  conceivable object in life1 and   
teaches that as between the  lower      
pleasures of sense and the higher       
enjoyments of reason or  satisfactory   
satisfied-respect1 there is no          

difference except in the  degree1       
duration and hedonic value of the       
experience1 there being1  in strictness1
 no such thing as ethical or moral      
value4 ,standard  ,dictionary4          
,footnote ,b3 ,in ,cicero's description 
of the ,epicurean conception of  the    
gods he says3 ,that which is truly happy
 cannot be burdened with  any labor     
,itself1 nor can it impose any labor on 
another1 nor can it  be influenced by   
resentment or favor1 because things     
which are liable  to such failings must 
be weak and frail4 99 99 ,their life i4 
e4 of the  gods is most happy and the   
most abounding with all kinds of        
blessings  which can be conceived4 ,they
 do nothing4 ,they are embarrassed with 
no  business2 nor do they perform any   
work4 ,they rejoice in the possession   
of their own wisdom and virtue4 ,they   
are satisfied that they shall ever      
enjoy the fulness of eternal pleasure4  
99 99 99 ,nothing can be happy that  is 
not at ease4 7,tusculan ,disputations1  

,the ,nature of the ,gods74    ,this is 
not the joy1 it is needless to say1     
contemplated in the  ,book of ,mormon4  
,nor is the joy there contemplated the  
joy of  mere innocence--mere innocence1 
which1 say what you will of it1 is  but 
a negative sort of virtue4 ,a virtue    
that is colorless1 never  quite sure of 
itself1 always more or less uncertain1  
because untried4  ,such a virtue--if    
mere absence of vice may be called      
virtue--would  be unproductive of that  
joy the attainment of which is set forth
  in the ,book of ,mormon as the purpose
 of man's existence2 for in the  context
 it is written1 ,they ,adam and ,eve    
would have remained in a  state of      
'innocence1' having no joy1 for they    
know no misery2 doing no  good1 for they
 knew no sin4,a ,from which it appears  
that the joy  contemplated in our ,book 
of ,mormon passage is to arise from     
something  more than mere innocence1    
which is1 impliedly1 unproductive of    
joy4  ,the joy contemplated in the ,book

 of ,mormon passage is to arise out  of 
man's rough and thorough knowledge of   
evil1 of sin2 through knowing  misery1  
sorrow1 pain and suffering2 through     
seeing good and evil  locked in awful   
conflict2 through a consciousness of    
having chosen  in that conflict the     
better part1 the good2 and not only in  
having  chosen it1 but in having wedded 
it by eternal compact2 made it his by   
right of conquest over evil4 ,it is joy 
that will will arise from a             
consciousness of having fought the good 
fight1 of having kept the  faith4 ,it   
will arise from a consciousness of      
moral1 spiritual and  physical strength4
 ,of strength gained in conflict4 ,the  
strength that  comes from experience2   
from having sounded the depths of the   
soul2  from experiencing all the        
emotions of which mind is susceptible2  
from  testing all the qualities and     
strength of the intellect4 ,a joy  that 
will come to man from a contemplation of
 the universe1 and a  consciousness that

 he is an heir to all that is--a joint  
heir with  ,jesus ,christ and ,god2 from
 knowing that he is an essential part of
  all that is4 ,it is a joy that will be
 born of the consciousness of  existence
 itself--that will revel in             
existence--in thoughts of and           
realization of existence's limitless    
possibilities4 ,a joy born of  the      
consciousness of the power of eternal   
increase4 ,a joy arising  from          
association with the ,intelligences of  
innumerable heavens--the  ,gods of all  
eternities4 ,a joy born of a            
consciousness of being1 of              
intelligence1 of faith1 knowledge1      
light1 truth1 mercy1 justice1 love1     
glory1 dominion1 wisdom1 power2 all     
feelings1 affections1 emotions1         
passions2 all heights and all depths4   
,men are that they might have  joy2 and 
that joy is based upon and contemplates 
all that is here  set down4    ,footnote
 ,a3 ,,ii ,nephi ii3#bc4    ,here1 then1
 stands the truth so far as it may be   

gathered from ,god's  word and the      
nature of things3 ,there is in man an   
eternal1 uncreated1  self existing      
entity1 call it intelligence1 mind1     
spirit1  soul--what you will1 so long as
 you recognize it1 and regard its       
nature as eternal4 ,there came a time   
when in the progress of things1  7which 
is only another way of saying in the    
nature of things7 an  earth-career1 or  
earth existence1 because of the things  
it has to  teach1 was necessary to the  
enlargement1 to the advancement of these
  intelligences1 these spirits1 souls4  
,hence an earth is prepared2  and one   
sufficiently advanced and able1 by the  
nature of him to bring  to pass the     
events1 is chosen1 through whom all     
earth-existence1 with  all its train of 
events--its mingled miseries and        
comforts1 its sorrows  and joys1 its    
pains and pleasures1 its good1 and its  
evil--may be  brought to pass4 ,he comes
 to earth with his appointed spouse4 ,he
 comes  primarily to bring to pass man's

 earth-life4 ,he comes to the earth     
with the solemn injunction upon him4 ,be
 fruitful and multiply1 and  replenish  
the earth1 and subdue it4 ,but he comes 
with the knowledge  that this           
earth-existence of eternal              
,intelligences is to be lived  under    
circumstances that will contribute to   
their enlargement1 to their             
advancement4 ,they are to experience joy
 and sorrow1 pain and pleasure2  witness
 the effect of good and evil1 and       
exercise their agency in the  choice of 
good or of evil4 ,to accomplish this    
end1 the local1 or earth  harmony of    
things must be broken4 ,evil to be seen1
 and experienced1  must enter the world1
 which can only come to pass through the
 violation  of law4 ,the law is         
given3--,of the tree of the knowledge of
 good and  evil1 thou shalt not eat of  
it3 for in the day thou eatest of it    
thou  shalt surely die4 ,the woman1     
forgetful of the purpose of the earth   
mission of herself and spouse is led by 

flattery and deceit into a  violation of
 that law1 and becomes subject to its   
penalty4 ,but the man1  not deceived1   
but discerning clearly the path of duty1
 and in order  that earth-existence may 
be provided for the great host of       
spirits  to come to earth under the     
conditions prescribed--he also          
transgresses  the law1 not only that men
 might be1 but that they might have that
  being under the very circumstances    
deemed essential to the enlargement1  to
 the progress of eternal ,intelligences4
 ,adam did not sin because  deceived by 
another4 ,he did not sin maliciously1 or
 with evil intent2  or to gratify an    
inclination to rebellion against ,god1  
or to thwart  the ,divine purposes1 or  
to manifest his own pride4 ,had his act 
of sin  involved the taking of life     
rather than eating a forbidden fruit1 it
  would be regarded as a sacrifice      
rather than a murder4 ,this to  show the
 nature of ,adam's transgression4 ,it   
was a transgression of the  law--for sin

 is the transgression of the law,a--that
 conditions  deemed necessary to the    
progress of eternal ,intelligences might
 obtain4  ,adam sinned that men might   
be1 and not only be1 but have that      
existence under conditions essential to 
progress4 ,but ,adam did sin4  ,he did  
break the law2 and violation of law     
involves the violator in  its penalties1
 as surely as effect follows cause4     
,upon this principle  depends the       
dignity and majesty of law4 ,take this  
fact away from moral  government and    
your moral laws become mere nullities4  
,therefore1  notwithstanding ,adam fell 
that men might be1 and in his           
transgression  there was at bottom a    
really exalted motive--a motive that    
contemplated  nothing less than bringing
 to pass the highly necessary purposes  
of ,god  with respect to man's existence
 in the earth--yet his transgression of 
law was followed by certain moral       
effects in the nature of men and in  the
 world4 ,the harmony of things was      

broken2 discord ruled2 changed          
relations between ,god and men took     
place2 darkness1 sin and death  stalked 
through the world1 and conditions were  
brought to pass in the  midst of which  
the eternal ,intelligences might gain   
those experiences  that such conditions 
had to teach4    ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,john 
iii #d4    ,now as to the second part of
 the great truth--men are that they     
might  have joy--viewed also in the     
light of the ,intelligence or spirit  in
 man being an eternal1 uncreated1       
self-existing entity4 ,remembering  what
 ,i have already said in these pages as 
to the nature of this joy  which it is  
the purpose of earth existence to       
secure1 remembering  from what it is to 
arise--from the highest possible        
development--the  highest conceivable   
enlargement of physical1 intellectual1  
moral  and spiritual power--what other  
conceivable purpose for existence  in   
earth-life could there be for eternal   
,intelligences than this  attainment of 

joy springing from progress8 ,man's     
existence for the  manifestation alone  
of ,god's glory1 as taught by the creeds
 of men1  is not equal to it4 ,that view
 represents man as but a thing created1 
and ,god as selfish and vain of glory4  
,true1 the ,book of ,mormon idea of  the
 purpose of man's existence1 is         
accompanied by a manifestation of       
,god's glory2 for with the progress of  
,intelligences there must be an  ever   
widening manifestation of the glory of  
,god4 ,it is written that  the glory of 
,god is ,intelligence2 and it must      
follow1 as clearly as  the day follows  
night1 that with the enlargement1 with  
the progress  of ,intelligences1 there  
must ever be a constantly increasing    
splendor  in the manifestation of the   
glory of ,god4 ,but in the ,book of     
,mormon  doctrine1 the manifestation of 
that glory is incidental4 ,the primary  
purpose is not in that manifestation but
 the joy arising from the  progress of  
,intelligences4 ,and yet that fact adds 

to the glory of ,god1  since it         
represents the ,lord as seeking the     
enlargement and joy of  kindred         
,intelligences1 rather than the mere    
selfish manifestation of  his own1      
personal glory4 ,this is my work and my 
glory1 says the ,lord1  in another      
,mormon scripture1 to bring to pass the 
immortality and  eternal life of man2,a 
and therein is ,god's joy4 ,a joy that  
grows  from the progress of others2 from
 bringing to pass the immortality and   
eternal life of man4 ,not the           
immortality of the spirit of man1 mark  
you1 for that immortality is already    
existent2 but to bring to pass the      
immortality of the spirit and body in   
their united condition1 and which       
together constitutes man1 the soul--the 
whole man2 for the spirit  and the body 
is the soul of man2 and the resurrection
 of the dead is  the redemption of the  
soul--the whole man4 ,and the purpose   
for which  man is1 is that he might have
 joy2 that joy which1 in the last       

analysis of things1 should be even as   
,god's joy1 and ,god's glory1  namely1  
the bringing to pass the progress1      
enlargement and joy of  others4         
,footnote ,a3 ,pearl of ,great ,price   
i3#ci4        ,,lesson ,x4,a            
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,the ,,adamic ,,dispensation--,,iv4    
,,analysis4    ,i4 ,the ,problem of     
,evil4    ,,ii4 ,the ,law of ,opposite  
,existence4    ,,references4    ,,ii    
,nephi ii3#e-cj4 ,see ,treatise which   
takes the place of notes4    ,footnote  
,a3 ,as in the case of lesson viii and  
ix it is thought that  the brief treatis
 which is here given on ,the ,problem of
 ,moral ,evil  will be more serviceable 
than detached notes1 and hence it is    
given in  their stead4 ,it might be well
 also to assign the subject of the      
lesson  to one of the more experienced  
of the elders for a discourse1 giving   
ample time for preparation4    ,,notes4 
#a4 ,the ,problem of the ,existence of  
,moral ,evil3 ,the existence of  evil in

 the world has ever been a vexed problem
 for both theologians  and philosophers1
 and has led to the wildest speculations
 imaginable4  ,it will be sufficient    
here1 however1 if ,i note the           
recognition by high  authority of the   
difficulties involved in the problem4   
,of those who  have felt and expressed  
these difficulties1 ,i know of no one   
who has  done so in better terms than   
,henry ,l4 ,mansel in his celebrated    
,lectures  on ,the ,limits of ,religious
 ,thought 7#aheh71 in the course of     
which he  says3    ,the real riddle of  
existence--the problem which confounds  
all  philosophy1 aye1 and all religion  
too1 so far as religion is a thing of   
man's reason1 is the fact that evil     
exists at all2 not that it exists  for a
 longer or a short duration4 ,is not    
,god infinitely wise and holy  and      
powerful now8 and does not sin exist    
along with that infinite  holiness and  
wisdom and power8 ,is ,god to become    
more holy1 more wise1  more powerful    

hereafter2 and must evil be annihilated 
to make room for  his perfections to    
expand8 ,does the infinity of his       
eternal nature ebb  and flow with every 
increase or diminution in the sum of    
human guilt  and misery8 ,against the   
immovable barrier of the existence of   
evil1  the waves of philosophy have     
dashed themselves unceasingly since the 
birthday of human thought1 and have     
retired broken and powerless1  without  
displacing the minutest fragment of the 
stubborn rock1 without  softening one   
feature of its dark and rugged surface4 
,this truly great writer then proceeds  
by plain implication to make it  clear  
that religion no more than philosophy   
has solved the problem of  the existence
 of evil3    ,but this mystery1 i4 e4   
the existence-of evil1 vast and         
inscrutable  as it is1 is but one aspect
 of a more general problem2 it is but   
the  moral form of the ever-recurring   
secret of the ,infinite4 ,how the       
,infinite and the ,finite1 in any form  

of antagonism or other relation1  can   
exist together2 how infinite power can  
co-exist with finite  activity2'how     
infinite wisdom can co-exist with finite
 contingency2 how  infinite goodness can
 co-exist with finite evil2 how the     
,infinite can  exist in any manner      
without exhausting the universe of      
reality2--this  is the riddle which     
,infinite ,wisdom alone can solve1 the  
problem whose  very conception belongs  
only to that ,universal ,knowledge which
 fills  and embraces the ,universe of   
,being4    ,in the presence of these    
reflections it cannot be doubted1 then1 
that  the existence of moral evil is one
 of the world's serious difficulties2   
and any solution which may be given of  
it that is really helpful1  will be a   
valuable contribution to the world's    
enlightenment1 a real  revelation a ray 
of light from the inner facts of things4
    ,in the ,book of ,mormon there is   
such ray of light1 a word that is       
helpful4    ,the statement of the       

doctrine in question occurs in a        
discourse of  ,lehi's on the subject of 
the ,atonement4 ,the aged prophet       
represents  happiness or misery as      
growing out of the acceptance or        
rejection of  the ,atonement of the     
,christ1 and adds that the misery       
consequent upon  its rejection is in    
opposition to the happiness which is    
affixed to  its acceptance3 ,for it must
 needs be1 he continues1 that there is  
an opposition in all things4 ,if it were
 not so 99 99 99 righteousness  could   
not be brought to pass2 neither         
wickedness2 neither holiness  nor       
misery2 neither good nor bad4 ,wherefore
 that is1 if this fact  of opposites did
 not exist1 all things must needs be a  
compound in  one2 wherefore1 if it the  
sum of things should be one body1 it    
must  needs remain as dead1 having no   
life neither death1 nor corruption nor  
incorruption1 happiness nor misery1     
neither sense nor insensibility4        
,wherefore1 it must needs have been     

created for a thing of naught2          
wherefore there would have been no      
purpose in the end of its creation4     
,wherefore1 this thing i4 e4 the absence
 of opposite existences which  ,lehi is 
supposing must needs destroy the wisdom 
of ,god1 and his  eternal purposes2 and 
also the power1 and the mercy1 and the  
justice of  ,god4    ,note3 ,,ii ,nephi 
ii4    ,the inspired man1 however1 even 
goes beyond this1 and makes existences  
themselves depend upon this law of      
opposites3    ,and if ye shall say there
 is no law1 ye shall also say there is  
no  sin4 ,if ye shall say there is no   
sin1 ye shall also say there is no      
righteousness4 ,and if there be no      
righteousness1 there be no happiness4   
,and if there be no righteousness nor   
happiness1 there be no punishment  nor  
misery4 ,and if these things are not1   
there is no ,god4 ,and if there  is no  
,god1 we are not1 neither the earth2 for
 there could have been no  creation of  
things2 neither to act nor to be acted  

upon1 wherefore1 all  things must have  
vanished away4    ,this may be regarded 
as a very bold setting forth of the     
doctrine of  antinomies1 and yet ,i     
think the logic of it1 and the          
inevitableness  of the conclusion       
unassailable4 ,the world presents us    
with a picture  of unity and            
distinction1 says ,s4 ,baring-,gould1 in
 his excellent  work ,origin and        
,development of ,religious ,beliefs     
,unity without  uniformity1 and         
distinction without antagonism4 99 99 99
 99 99 ,everywhere1  around us and      
within us1 we see that radical antimony4
 ,the whole  astronomic order resolves  
itself into attraction and repulsion--a 
centripetal and a centrifugal force2 the
 chemical order into the  antimony of   
positive and negative electricity1      
decomposing substances  and recomposing 
them4 ,the whole visible universe       
presents the antimony  of light and     
darkness1 movement and repose1 force and
 matter1 heat and  cold1 the one and the

 multiple4 ,the order of life is resumed
 in the  antimony of the individual and 
the species1 the particular and the     
general2 the order of our sentiments in 
that of happiness and sorrow1  pleasure 
and pain2 that of our conceptions in the
 antimony of the  ideal and the real2   
that of our will in the conditions of   
activity and  passivity4,a ,the         
,american ,philosopher1 ,emerson1 also  
has something  like this4 ,he says3     
,polarity1 or action and reaction1 we   
meet in every  part of nature2 in       
darkness and light2 in heat and cold2 in
 the ebb and  flow of waters2 in male   
and female2 in the inspiration and      
expiration  of plants and animals2 in   
the systole and diastole of the heart2  
in the  undulations of fluids and of    
sound2 in the centrifugal and           
centripetal  gravity2 in electricity1   
galvanism and chemical affinity4        
,superinduce  magnetism at one end of   
the needle1 the opposite magnetism takes
 place  at the other end4 ,if the south 

attracts1 the north repels4 ,to empty   
here1 you must condense there4' ,an     
inevitable dualism bisects nature1  so  
that each thing is a half1 and suggests 
another thing to make it  whole2 as1    
spirit1 matter2 man1 woman2 subjective1 
objective2 in1 out2  upper1 under2      
motion1 rest2 yea1 nay4 99 99 99 99 99  
,every sweet hath its  sour1 every evil 
its good4 7,emerson's ,compensation47   
,footnote ,a3 ,origin and ,development  
of ,religious ,belief ,vol4 ,,ii pp4    
#bb1 #bc4    ,in view of the utterances 
of the ,book of ,mormon already quoted  
,i am  justified in saying that evil as 
well as good is among the eternal       
things4 ,its existence did not begin    
with its appearance on our earth4  ,evil
 existed even in heaven2 for ,lucifer   
and many other spirits sinned  there2   
rebelled against heaven's matchless     
,king1 waged war1 and were  thrust out  
into the earth for their transgression4 
,evil is not a created quality4 ,it has 
always existed as the background  of    

good4 ,it is as eternal as goodness2 it 
is as eternal as law2 it is  as eternal 
as the agency of intelligences4 ,sin1   
which is evil active1  is trangression  
of law2 and so long as the agency of    
intelligences  and law have existed1 the
 possibility of the trangression of law 
has  existed2 and as the agency of      
intelligences and law have eternally    
existed1 so1 too1 evil has existed1     
eternally1 either potentially or        
active1 and will always so exist4       
,evil may not be referred to ,god for   
its origin4 ,he is not its creator1  ,a 
it is one of those independent          
existences that is uncreate1 and  stands
 in the category of qualities of eternal
 things4 ,while not  prepared to accept 
the doctrine of some philosophers that  
good and  evil are two sides of one     
thing4 ,i am prepared to believe that   
evil is  a necessary antithesis to good1
 and essential to the realization of the
  harmony of the universe4 ,the good    
cannot exist without the antithesis  of 

the evil--the foil on which it produces 
itself and becomes known4  ,as remarked 
by ,orlando ,j4 ,smith1 ,evil exists in 
the balance of natural  forces4 99 99 99
 99 99 ,it is also the background of    
good1 the incentive to  good1 and the   
trial of good1 without which good could 
not be4 ,as the  virtue of courage could
 not exist without the evil of danger1  
and as  the virtue of sympathy could not
 exist without the evil of suffering1   
so no other virtue could exist without  
its corresponding evil4 ,in a  world    
without evil--if such a world be really 
conceivable1 all men  would have perfect
 health1 perfect intelligence1 and      
perfect morals4 ,no  one could gain or  
impart information1 each one's cup of   
knowledge being  full4 ,the temperature 
would stand forever at seventy degrees1 
both heat  and cold being evil4 ,there  
could be no progress1 since progress is 
the overcoming of evil4 ,a world without
 evil would be as toil without          
exertion1 as light without darkness1 as 

a battle with no antagonist4  ,it would 
be a world without meaning4 ,or1 as     
,lehi puts it1 in still  stronger       
terms--after describing what conditions 
would be without  the existence of      
opposites--,wherefore1 all things must  
needs be a  compound in one2 wherefore1 
if it i4 e4 the sum of things should be 
one body1 i4 e4 of one character--so    
called good without evil it must  needs 
remain as dead1 having no life neither  
death1 nor corruption nor  incorruption1
 happiness nor misery1 neither sense nor
 insensibility4  ,wherefore1 it the sum 
of things must needs have been created  
for a  thing of naught2 wherefore there 
would have been no purpose in the end   
of its creation4 ,wherefore1 this thing 
the absence of opposites must  needs    
destroy the wisdom of ,god1 and his     
eternal purposes2 and also1  the power1 
and the mercy1 and the justice of       
,god4,b    ,footnote ,a3 ,lest some     
text-proofer should extort1 upon the me 
and cite  the words of ,isaiah--,i make 

peace and create evil--the only text of 
scripture ascribing the creation of evil
 to ,god--,i will anticipate so  far as 
to say that it is quite generally agreed
 that no reference is  made in the words
 of ,isaiah to moral evil2 but to such  
evils as may  come as judgments upon    
people for their correction1 such as    
famine or  tempest or war3 such an evil 
as would stand in natural antithesis to 
peace1 which word precedes1 ,i create   
evil1 in the text--,i make  peace and   
create--the opposite to peace1 ,the evil
 of afflictions and  punishments1 but   
not the evil of sin 7,catholic ,comment 
on ,isaiah #de3  #g74 ,meantime we have 
the clearest scriptural evidence that   
moral evil  is not a product of ,god's3 
,let no man say when he is tempted1 ,i  
am  tempted of ,god2 for ,god cannot be 
tempted with evil1 neither tempteth  he 
any man4 ,that is to say1 ,god has      
nothing to do with the creation  of     
moral evil2 ,but every man is tempted   
when he is drawn away of his  own lust1 

and enticed4 ,then when lust hath       
conceived1 it bringeth forth  sin2 and  
sin1 when it is finished1 bringeth forth
 death4 7,james i3  #ac-ae74            
,footnote ,b3 ,nephi ii3#ac4    ,as     
there can be no good without the        
antimony of evil1 so there can be  no   
evil without its antimony1 or           
antithesis--good4 ,the existence of one 
implies the existence of the other2 and1
 conversely1 the non-existence  of the  
latter would imply the non-existence of 
the former4 ,it is from  this basis that
 ,lehi reached the conclusion that      
either his doctrine  of antinomies1 or  
the existence of opposites1 is true1 or 
else there  are no existences4 ,that is 
to say--to use his own words--,if ye    
shall  say there is no law1 ye shall    
also say there is no sin4 ,if ye shall  
say there is no sin1 ye shall also say  
there is no righteousness4 ,and  if     
there is no sin1 ye shall also say there
 is no righteousness4 ,and  if there be 
no righteousness1 there be no happiness4

 ,and if there be  no righteousness nor 
happiness1 there be no punishment nor   
misery4 ,and  if these things are not1  
there is no ,god1 and if there is no    
,god1 we  are not1 neither the earth2   
for there could have been no creation of
  things1 neither to act nor to be acted
 upon3 wherefore1 all things must  have 
vanished away4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,nephi
 ii3#ac4    ,but as things have not     
vanished away1 as there are real        
existences1 the  whole series of things 
for which he contends are verities4 ,for
 there is  a ,god1 he declares1 and he  
hath created all things1 both the       
heavens  and the earth1 and all things  
that in them is2 both things to act1 and
  things to be acted upon4    ,after    
arriving at this conclusion1 ,lehi1     
proceeding from the general to  the     
particular1 deals with the introduction 
of this universal antimony  into our    
world as follows3    ,to bring about his
 ,god's eternal purposes in the end of  
man1 after  he had created our first    

parents1 99 99 99 99 99 it must needs be
 that there  was an opposition2 even the
 forbidden fruit in opposition to the   
tree  of life2 the one being sweet and  
the other bitter2 ,wherefore1 the  ,lord
 ,god gave unto man that he should act  
for himself4 ,wherefore man  could not  
act for himself1 save it should be that 
he was enticed by  the one or the       
other4,b ,and ,i1 ,lehi1 according to   
the things which  ,i have read1 must    
needs suppose1 that an angel of ,god1   
according to  that which is written1 had
 fallen from heaven2 wherefore he became
 a  devil1 having sought that which was 
evil before ,god4 ,and because he  had  
fallen from heaven1 and had become      
miserable for ever he said unto  ,eve1  
yea1 even that old serpent1 who is the  
devil1 who is the father  of all lies2  
wherefore he said1 ,partake of the      
forbidden fruit1 and ye  shall not die1 
but ye shall be as ,god1 knowing good   
and evil4 ,and after  ,adam and ,eve had
 partaken of the forbidden fruit1 they  

were driven out  of the garden of ,eden1
 to till the earth4 ,and they have      
brought forth  children2 yea1 even the  
family of all the earth4 ,and the days  
of the  children of men were prolonged1 
according to the will of ,god1 that     
they might repent while in the flesh2   
wherefore1 their state became a  state  
of probation1 and their time was        
lengthened1 according to the            
commandments which the ,lord ,god gave  
unto the children of men4 ,for he  gave 
commandment that all men must repent2   
for he showed unto all men  that they   
were lost1 because of the transgression 
of their parents4 ,and  now1 behold1 if 
,adam had not transgressed1 he would not
 have fallen2  but he would have        
remained in the garden of ,eden4 ,and   
all things which  were created1 must    
have remained in the same state in which
 they were1  after they were created2   
and they must have remained forever1 and
 had  no end4 ,and they would have had  
no children2 wherefore1 they would  have

 remained in a state of innocence1      
having no joy1 for they knew no  misery2
 doing no good1 for they knew no sin4   
,but behold1 all things  have been done 
in the wisdom of him who knoweth all    
things4    ,footnote ,b3 ,on such a     
proposition ,dr4 ,jacob ,cooper1 of     
,rutgers  ,college1 at the head of an   
article on ,theodicy1 the justification 
of the divine providence by the attempt 
to reconcile the existence of  evil with
 the goodness and sovereignty of ,god1  
says 7,august1 #aijc71  ,there must be  
an alternative to any line of conduct1  
in order to  give it a moral quality4   
,we have to deal with1 not an imaginary1
 but  a real world2 not with a state of 
things wholly different from those  by  
which character is developed4 ,if there 
are to be such qualities as             
righteousnesss1 virtue1 merit1 as the   
result of good action1 there  must be a 
condition by which these things are     
possible4 ,and this can  only be where  
there is an alternative which may be    

embraced by a free  choice4 ,if the work
 of man on earth is to build up         
character1 if his  experience is        
disciplinary1 by which he constantly    
becomes better  fitted for greater good 
and a wider sphere of action1 then he   
must have  the responsibility of        
choosing for himself a course different 
from one  which appeals to the lower    
qualities in his nature4        ,,lesson
 ,,xi4    7,scripture ,reading          
,exercise47    ,,the ,,adamic           
,,dispensation--,v4    ,,analysis4      
,i4 ,the ,family of ,adam4    #a4       
,descendants of ,cain4    #b4           
,descendants of ,seth4    ,,ii4 ,the    
,commandment to offer ,sacrifice4       
,,iii4 ,explanation of the ,sacrifice4  
,,iv4 ,a ,gospel ,dispensation ,given to
 ,adam4    ,,references4    ,gen4 iv3#a1
 #b4 ,book of ,moses ch4 v3#a-c4        
,josephus ,antiquities ,bk4 ,i1  ,sec4  
ii and iii4 ,book of ,moses ch4 vi3#a-af
 ,notes #a1 #b1 #c1 #d4    ,book of     
,moses1 ch4 v3#d1 #e4 ,gen4 iv3#d-f4    

,book of ,moses1 ch4 v3#f-h4    ,book of
 ,moses1 ch4 vi3#dh-fi4 ,note #e4       
,,notes4    #a4 ,the ,descendants of    
,adam3 ,the account of the family of    
,adam  in the ,book of ,genesis is      
painfully brief and gives no idea of the
  number of sons and daughters born to  
him4 ,during the first one hundred  and 
thirty years it gives an account of but 
three sons2 ,cain1 ,abel1  and ,seth4   
,and the days of ,adam after he had     
begotten ,seth were eight  hundred      
years1 and he beget sons and daughters4 
7,gen4 #e3c74 ,before the  account of   
the birth of ,cain is given1 however1   
the sacred historian  says3 ,and ,adam  
called his wife's name ,eve2 because she
 was the mother  of all living4 7,gen4  
#c3bj74 ,in the ,book of ,moses 7,p4 ,g4
 ,p47 there is  an account of sons and  
daughters being born to the pair        
sometime before  the birth of ,cain1 and
 even an account of their beginning to  
divide two  and two and to till the land
 and to tend flocks2 and they also begot

  sons and daughters1 all this previous 
to the birth of ,cain4 7,book of        
,moses1 ch4 #e3b1 #c74 ,even in the     
,genesis' account of ,cain's birth there
  seems to be something of an inference 
that sons and daughters had been  born  
to ,adam and ,eve preceding ,cain's     
birth1 because some special hope  seems 
to attach to the birth of ,cain1 ,eve   
saying1 when she bore him1  ,i have     
gotten a man from the ,lord2 and the    
,book of ,moses adds this  conclusion to
 her words1 ,wherefore he may not reject
 his 7the ,lord's7  words4 ,but alas6   
how that mother's hopes were to be      
blighted1 for  the record just quoted   
says1 ,but behold1 ,cain hearkened not4 
7,book  of ,moses1 ch4 #e3af74 ,and the 
final result of his rejection of ,god's 
counsels are perhaps the saddest of all 
history4    #b4 ,the ,wickedness of     
,cain3 ,the ,book of ,moses represents  
the  descendants of ,adam as being early
 influenced by the flattery and evil    
persuasions of ,lucifer who had been    

cast out of heaven to the earth4  7,book
 of ,moses1 ch4 #e3ac47 ,cain seemed    
especially subject to his  influence and
 loved ,satan more than ,god4 7,ibid    
#bh74 ,a league and  covenant was made  
in fact between the pair1 and ,satan    
even abdicated  his place of bad        
eminence as chief rebel against ,god in 
favor of ,cain4  ,and ,satan swear unto 
,cain that he would do according to his 
commands4  ,and all these things were   
done in secret1 and ,cain said truly1 ,i
 am  ,mahan the master of this great    
secret1 that ,i may murder and get      
gain1 wherefore ,cain wras called       
,master ,mahan and he gloried in his    
wickedness4 7,book of ,moses1 ch4 #e3cj1
 #ca47 ,this throws some light  upon an 
obscure passage in ,genesis 7,,iv3#g71  
,if thou doest well1' the  ,lord is     
represented as saying to ,cain on the   
latter's displeasure  at his offering to
 the ,lord not being accepted1 'shalt   
thou not be  accepted8 ,and if thou     
doest not well1 sin lieth at the door4  

,and unto  thee shall be his ,lucifer's 
desire1 and thou shalt rule over him4   
,the question is whose desire shall be  
unto ,cain8 ,and who shall ,cain  rule  
over8 ,the commentators usually assume  
that it is ,abel who is to  have the    
desires unto ,cain1 and over whom ,cain 
is to rule1 a most  absurd conclusion1  
unless we can believe that ,god designed
 to place  righteous ,abel under the    
dominion of the evil minded ,cain which 
is  unthinkable4 ,the truth of the      
matter is1 that the record in ,genesis  
is  evidently imperfect1 and should be  
as we find it in the ,book of ,moses1   
which represents that ,satan's desires  
shall be towards ,cain2 ,he shall       
rejoice in ,cain because the latter is a
 wicked man2 and to win him  completely 
to his kingdom ,satan is even walling to
 abdicate his throne  and consent for   
,cain to rule over him4 ,all of which   
indicates the  desperate wicked         
disposition of ,cain before he reached  
the climax of  his crimes in the murder 

of his brother1 ,abel4    #c4 ,josephus 
on the ,wickedness of ,cain and ,his    
,descendants3 ,and  when ,cain had      
travelled over many countries1 7after   
,god's sentence  upon him7 he1 with his 
wife1 built a city named ,nod1 which is 
a place  so called1 and there he settled
 his abode2 where also he had children4 
,however1 he did not accept of his      
punishment in order to amendment1 but   
to increase his wickedness2 for he only 
aimed to procure everything  that was   
for his own bodily pleasure1 though it  
obliged him to be  injurious to his     
neighbors4 ,he augmented his household  
substance with  much wealth1 by rapine  
and violence2 he excited his            
acquaintance to  procure pleasure and   
spoils by robbery1 and became a great   
leader of  men into wicked courses4 ,he 
also introduced a change in that way of 
simplicity wherein men lived before2 and
 was the author of measures  and        
weights2 and whereas they lived         
innocently and generously while  they   

knew nothing of such arts1 he changed   
the world into cunning  craftiness4 99  
99 99 99 99 ,even while ,adam was alive1
 it came to pass1 that  the posterity of
 ,cain became exceeding wicked1 every   
one successively  dying1 one after      
another1 more wicked than the former4   
,they were  intolerable in war1 and     
vehement in robberies2 and if any one   
were  slow to murder people1 yet was he1
 bold in his profligate behavior1 in    
acting unjustly1 and doing injuries for 
gain4 7,josephus' ,antiquities  ,book ,i
 chap4 ,,ii74    #d4 ,seth and ,his     
,descendants3 ,adam was more fortunate  
in his son  ,seth and his posterity4 ,it
 is written that ,god revealed himself  
unto  ,seth and he rebelled not1 but    
offered an acceptable sacrifice like    
unto  his brother ,abel4 ,and to him    
also was born a son and he called his   
name  ,enos1 and then began these men to
 call upon the name of the ,lord1 and   
the ,lord blessed them4 ,and a book of  
remembrance was kept1 in which  was     

recorded1 in the language of ,adam1 for 
it was given unto as many  as called    
upon ,god to write by the spirit of     
inspiration2 and by them  their children
 were taught to read and write1 having a
 language which  was pure and undefiled4
 7,book of ,moses1 ch4 ,v4 #c-f47    ,of
 the righteousness of ,seth's posterity1
 ,josephus himself says3 ,now  this     
posterity of ,seth continued to esteem  
,god as the ,lord of the  universe1 and 
to have an entire regard to virtue for  
seven generations2  but in process of   
time they were perverted1 and forsook   
the practices  of their forefathers2 and
 did neither pay those honors to ,god   
which  were appointed them1 nor had they
 any concern to do justice toward men2  
but for what degree of zeal they had    
formerly shown for virtue1 they  now    
showed by their actions a double degree 
of wickedness1 whereby they  made ,god  
to be their enemy4    ,but              
notwithstanding the wickedness even     
among the descendants of ,seth1  7,book 

of ,moses1 ch4 ,,vi3#ae7 still there was
 a line of righteous men  preserved     
through whom the holy priesthood        
continued in the earth and  among them  
were preachers of righteousness4 7,book 
of ,moses1 ch4 ,,vi3#g74    #e4 ,the    
offering of ,sacrifices ,commanded3 ,no 
explanation is given  in ,genesis as to 
the reason why sacrifice was to be      
offered4 ,there is  simply a statement  
of fact that ,cain brought of the fruit 
of the ground  an offering unto the     
,lord1 but that ,abel brought of the    
firstlings of  his flock and that the   
,lord had respect unto ,abel's offering1
 but not  unto ,cain's4 ,it must be     
evident that this effort at honoring    
,god was  taught by their father1 but   
why they were so taught is not stated4  
,in  the ,book of ,moses 7,p4 ,g4 ,p471 
however1 the matter is made very clear4 
,and ,adam and ,eve1 his wife1 called   
upon the name of the ,lord1 and they    
heard the voice of the ,lord from the   
way toward the ,garden of ,eden1        

speaking unto them1 and they saw him    
not2 for they were shut out from  his   
presence4 ,and he gave unto them        
commandments1 that they should  worship 
the ,lord their ,god1 and should offer  
the firstlings of their  flocks1 for an 
offering unto the ,lord4 ,and ,adam was 
obedient unto the  commandments of the  
,lord4 7,book of ,moses1 ch4 ,v3#d1 #e74
 ,there appears  as yet1 however1 no    
explanation for this offering of        
sacrifices4 ,with  the fall of ,adam    
there seems to have come a forgetfulness
 of the plan  of salvation devised in   
the counsels of the ,eloheim before     
,adam's  earth-life began4 ,and it      
needed the aforesaid commandment to     
,adam to  bring to pass the introduction
 of those symbols which were intended   
to figure forth the ,atonement of the   
,christ4 ,and though ,adam1 in his      
fallen state1 had apparently lost his   
recollection of these things  ordained  
before the foundations of the world1 yet
 he was obedient to  the commands of the

 ,lord4 ,and after many days an angel of
 the ,lord  appeared unto ,adam1 saying3
 ,why dost thou offer sacrifices unto   
the  ,lord8 ,and ,adam said unto him3 ,i
 know not1 save the ,lord commanded me4 
,and then the angel spake1 saying3 ,this
 thing is a similitude of the  sacrifice
 of the ,only ,begotten of the ,father1 
which is full of grace  and truth4      
,wherefore1 thou shalt do all that thou 
dost in the name  of the ,son1 and thou 
shalt repent and call upon ,god in the  
name of  the ,son for evermore4 ,and in 
that day the ,holy ,ghost fell upon     
,adam1  which beareth record of the     
,father and the ,son1 saying3 ,i am the 
,only  ,begotten of the ,father from the
 beginning1 henceforth and for ever1    
that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be 
redeemed1 and all mankind1 even  as many
 as will4 7,book of ,moses1 ch4 ,,vi1   
#f-i74    #f4 ,the ,gospel ,fully       
,revealed to ,adam3 ,it would seem also 
that  ,adam about this time received    
even more full explanations respecting  

his redemption than is given in the     
passage of the ,book of ,moses1  quoted 
in the foregoing note2 for in the       
passage attributed to ,enoch  sometime  
after the event above quoted1 it is     
said3 ,and he ,god  called upon 99 99 99
 ,adam by his own voice1 saying3 ,i am  
,god2 ,i made  the world1 and men before
 they were in the flesh4 ,and he also   
said  unto him3 ,if thou wilt turn unto 
me1 and hearken unto my voice1 and      
believe1 and repent of all thy          
transgressions1 and be baptized1 even   
in water1 in the name of mine ,only     
,begotten ,son1 who is full of grace    
and truth1 which is ,jesus ,christ1 the 
only name which shall be given  under   
heaven1 whereby salvation shall come    
unto the children of men1  ye shall     
receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1   
asking all things in his  name1 and     
whatsoever ye shall ask1 it shall be    
given you4 ,and our  father ,adam spake 
unto the ,lord1 and said3 ,why is it    
that men must  repent and be baptized in

 water8 ,and the ,lord said unto ,adam3 
,behold ,i  have forgiven thee thy      
transgression in the ,garden of ,eden4  
,hence came  the saying abroad among the
 people1 ,that the ,son of ,god hath    
atoned  for original guilt1 wherein the 
sins of the parents cannot be answered  
upon the heads of the children1 for they
 are whole from the foundation  of the  
world4 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,adam1 
saying3 ,inasmuch as thy  children are  
conceived in sin1 even so when they     
begin to grow up1 sin  conceiveth in    
their hearts1 and they taste the bitter1
 that they may  know to prize the good4 
,and it is given unto them to know good 
from  evil2 wherefore they are agents   
unto themselves1 and ,i have given unto 
you another law and commandment4        
,wherefore teach it unto your children1 
that all men1 everywhere1 must repent1  
or they can in no wise inherit  the     
kingdom of ,god1 for no unclean thing   
can dwell there1 or dwell in  his       
presence2 for1 in the language of ,adam1

 ,man of ,holiness is ,his  name1 and   
the name of his ,only ,begotten is the  
,son of ,man1 even ,jesus  ,christ1 a   
righteous judge1 who shall come in the  
meridian of time4  ,therefore1 ,i give  
unto you a commandment1 to teach these  
things freely  unto your children1      
saying3 ,that by reason of transgression
 cometh the  fall1 which fall bringeth  
death1 and inasmuch as ye were born into
 the  world by water1 and blood1 and    
spirit1 which ,i have made1 and so      
became  of dust a living soul1 even so  
ye must be born again into the kingdom  
of heaven1 of water1 and of the ,spirit1
 and be cleansed by blood1 even  the    
blood of mine ,only ,begotten2 that ye  
might be sanctified from all  sin1 and  
enjoy the words of eternal life in this 
world1 and eternal  life in the world to
 come1 even immortal glory4 99 99 99 99 
,and it came to  pass1 when the ,lord   
had spoken with ,adam1 our father1 that 
,adam cried  unto the ,lord1 and he was 
caught away by the ,spirit of the ,lord1

 and  was carried down into the water1  
and was laid under the water1 and  was  
brought forth out of the water4 ,and    
thus he was baptized1 and the  ,spirit  
of ,god descended upon him1 and thus he 
was born of the ,spirit1  and became    
quickened in the inner man4 ,and he     
heard a voice out of  heaven1 saying3   
,thou art baptized with fire1 and with  
the ,holy ,ghost4  ,this is the record  
of the ,father1 and the ,son1 from      
henceforth and  forever2 and thou art   
after the order of him who was without  
beginning  of days or end of years1 from
 all eternity to all eternity4 ,behold1 
thou art one in me1 a ,son of ,god2 and 
thus may all become my sons4  ,amen4    
7,book of ,moses1 chs4 ,,vi3#ea-ei1     
#fd-fh74    ,thus a dispensation of the 
,gospel was committed unto ,adam1 and   
the  means of his redemption was clearly
 made known unto him4 ,he was not  left 
to perish in ignorance of ,god's        
purposes in respect of his earth  life1 
and whatever intellectual or spiritual  

darkness1 had come over  him as a       
consequence of his fall and his         
banishment from ,eden it was  now       
dispelled by this dispensation of the   
gospel given unto him1  granting to him 
a knowledge of that eternal life which  
,god that cannot  lie1 promised before  
the world began4 7,titus1 i2 #b47       
,,lesson ,,xii4    7,scripture ,reading 
,exercise47    ,,the ,,adamic           
,,dispensation--,,vi4    ,,analysis4    
,i4 ,the ,rejoicing of ,adam and ,eve on
 ,receiving a ,dispensation  of the     
,gospel4    ,,ii4 ,the ,place of ,adam  
in the ,divine ,economy of the ,gospel  
,dispensation4    ,,references4    ,book
 of ,moses1 ch4 v3#aj-ab4 ,note #a4     
,millennial ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xvii1 pp4    
#caj-caa4 ,also ,vol4 ,,xviii1 pp4      
#afd-e4  ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1   
pp4 #bdc-bea4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4     
cvii3#ec-ef4    ,notes #b1 #c1 #d4      
,,notes4    #a4 ,joy in the ,gospel3    
,the rejoicing of ,adam and ,eve on     
receiving  a dispensation of the        

,gospel1 which rejoicing went to the    
extent of  condoning the fact of their  
fall1 7,see ,book of ,moses1 ,v3#aj1    
#ab7 could  arise from no other         
circumstance than that their former     
knowledge of  what was to be            
accomplished by the earth-life of man   
had been restored  to them4 ,which      
knowledge possessed by the pre-existent 
spirits of man  before the foundations  
of the earth were laid1 caused ,the     
,morning  ,stars to sing together1 and  
all the sons of ,god to shout for joy4  
7,job  #ch3g74 ,doubtless the           
contemplation of that eternal life which
 ,god1  that cannot lie1 promised before
 the world began 7,titus ,i3#b7 was     
sufficient cause for their joy2 and it  
brings home to us the truth1  that      
notwithstanding the presence of evil and
 sorrow in this world1  there has been  
no blundering in the creation of the    
earth and the  placing of men upon it   
under circumstances in the midst of     
which they  are called upon to work out 

their salvation4 ,the purposes of ,god  
have  not been surprised1 nor have they 
ran awry4 ,on the contrary they are     
moving forward in majestic procession to
 the attainment of their end4  ,god is  
in his world1 reconciling it unto       
himself4 ,man is here in this  world in 
one of the departments of ,god's great  
university to learn of  good and evil2  
of joy and sorrow2 to take upon his     
spirit a clothing  of flesh and         
bone1--elements through which1 and only 
through which1  7,see ,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4
 xciii2 #cc1 #cd7 he may have a larger1 
nobler and  higher life than was        
possible for him when existing only in  
spirit  form4 ,and the coming in contact
 with evil and engaging in the struggle 
with it1 brief or more or less          
prolonged1 is but an incident1 a means  
of education1 and over evil he will     
ultimately triumph1 and conform  his    
life to the law of ,god--the law of     
righteousness4 ,and so1 too1  will the  
race1 those who succumb permanently to  

evil will be so few  in comparison with 
those who will triumph1 that the        
calamity of their  misfortunes should   
not weigh against the larger good that  
shall come to  the race1 or check the   
rejoicings of the first pair upon       
gaining the  full vision of ,god's      
meaning when he ordained man's          
earth-existence4    #b4 ,the ,priesthood
 of ,adam3 ,the ,priesthood was first   
given to  ,adam2 he obtained the ,first 
,presidency1 and held the keys of it    
from  generation to generation4 ,he     
obtained it in the ,creation1 before the
  world was formed1 7,genesis i1 #bj1   
#bf1 #bh74 ,he had dominion given him   
over every living creature4 ,he is      
,michael1 the ,arch-,angel1 spoken of   
in the ,scriptures4 ,then to ,noah1 who 
is ,gabriel2 he stands next in          
authority to ,adam in the ,priesthood2  
he was called of ,god to this  office1  
and was the ,father of all living in his
 day1 and to him was  given the         
dominion4 ,these men held keys first on 

,earth1 and then in  ,heaven4 ,the      
,priesthood is an everlasting principle1
 and existed with  ,god from eternity1  
and will to eternity1 without beginning 
of days  or end of years4 ,the keys have
 to be brought from ,heaven whenever    
the ,gospel is sent4 ,when they are     
revealed from ,heaven1 it is by  ,adam's
 authority4 ,daniel vii1 speaks of the  
,ancient of ,days2 he means  the oldest 
man1 our ,father ,adam1 ,michael2 he    
will call his children  together and    
hold a council with them to prepare them
 for the coming  of the ,son of ,man4   
,he 7,adam7 is the ,father of the human 
family1 and  presides over the spirits  
of all men1 and all that have had the   
keys  must stand before him in this     
grand council4 ,this may take place     
before  some of us leave this stage of  
action4 ,the ,son of ,man stands before 
him1 and there is given him glory and   
dominion4 ,adam delivers up his         
stewardship to ,christ1 that which was  
delivered to him as holding the  keys of

 the ,universe1 but retains his standing
 as head of the human  family4 99 99 99 
99 99 ,the ,father called all spirits   
before him at the  creation of man1 and 
organized them4 ,he 7,adam7 is the head1
 and was  told to multiply4 ,the ,keys  
were first given to him1 and by him to  
others4 ,he will have to give an account
 of his stewardship1 and they  to him4  
99 99 99 99 99 how have we come at the  
,priesthood in the last days8  ,it came 
down1 down in regular succession4       
,peter1 ,james1 and ,john had  it given 
to them1 and they gave it to others4    
,christ is the ,great ,high  ,priest2   
,adam next4 ,paul speaks of the ,church 
coming to an innumerable  company of    
angels--to ,god the ,judge of all--the  
spirits of just men  made perfect2 to   
,jesus the ,mediator of the new         
covenant1 etc4 7,heb4  xii4 #bc47 ,i saw
 ,adam in the valley of                 
,adam-ondi-,ahman4 ,he called  together 
his children and blessed them with a    
patriarchal blessing4  ,the ,lord       

appeared in their midst1 and he 7,adam7 
blessed them all1 and  foretold what    
should befall them to the latest        
generation4--,joseph  ,smith1           
,millennial ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xvii1 p4     
#caj-caa4    #c4 ,adam in the ,land of  
,adam-ondi-,ahman3 ,the vision alluded  
to in the closing sentences of the      
preceding note was doubtless  the       
foundation of the following passage in  
the ,book of ,doctrine   ,covenants1    
,three years previous to the death of   
,adam1 he called ,seth1  ,enos1 ,cainan1
 ,mahalaleel1 ,jared1 ,enoch1 and       
,methuselah1 who were all  ,high        
,priests1 with the residue of his       
posterity who were righteous1  into the 
valley of ,adam-ondi-,ahman1 and there  
bestowed upon them his  last blessing4  
,and the ,lord appeared unto them1 and  
they rose up and  blessed ,adam1 and    
called him ,michael1 the ,prince1 the   
,archangel4 ,and  the ,lord administered
 comfort unto ,adam1 and said unto him1 
,i have set  thee to be at the head--a  

multitude of nations shall come of thee1
 and  thou art a ,prince over them for  
ever4 ,and ,adam stood up in the midst  
of the congregation1 and notwithstanding
 he was bowed down with age1  being full
 of the ,holy ,ghost1 predicted         
whatsoever should befall his  posterity 
unto the latest generation4 ,these      
things were all written in  the book of 
,enoch1 and are to be testified of in   
due time4 7,doc4   ,cov4 ,sec4 #ajg1    
vers4 #ec-eg47        ,,lesson ,,xiii4  
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,views ,,of ,,the ,,christian ,,sects  
vs4 ,,the ,,doctrines ,,of ,,the        
,,church ,,of ,,jesus  ,,christ ,,of    
,,latter-,,day ,,saints ,,in ,,relation 
,,to ,,adam4    7,a ,discourse47        
,,notes4    #a4 ,a ,suggestion to the   
,speaker3 ,the discourse is to be       
argumentative4 ,the form in which the   
theme is stated necessarily makes  it   
so4    ,it is expected that the         
,sectarian views will be fairly         
presented and  considered1 after which  

will come the presentation of the views 
that  arise from what ,god has revealed 
to his ,church concerning the great     
,patriarch of our race1 and the         
superiority of those views over the     
conceptions of the ,christian ,sects be 
made to appear4    ,let the suggestions 
respecting speech structure in ,lesson  
,,vi1 and also  the same instruction in 
,year ,book ,i1 be remembered and       
reviewed in the  course of preparation4 
#b4 ,argumentative ,speaking3 ,in       
expository and argumentative            
composition the writer is compelled to  
think1 and to think connectedly4        
,structure is all-important in these    
forms of composition4 ,a  successful    
narrative or description may be given   
without a strict  plan or organization1 
for much depends upon vivid words and   
happy  phrasing1 well-turned sentences1 
and apt details4 ,in exposition and     
argument1 however1 a glib use of        
language1 rounded sentences1 and good   
illustration will not save the writer   

from failure if his thought is  not     
exact and carefully developed4          
7,composition and ,rhetoric1 ,herrick   
and ,damon47    ,governing ,principles  
in ,argumentative ,discourse3 ,the      
argumentative ,discourse is a           
composition in which the writer lays    
down  a proposition1 and endeavors to   
persuade others that it is true4 ,the   
statements or reasons used for this     
purpose are called ,arguments4 99 99 99 
,in the conduct of 99 99 99             
argumentative discourses1 six formal    
divisions  were adopted by the ancients3
 7#a7 the ,exordium or ,introduction1   
7#b7 the  ,division1 7#c7 the           
,statement1 7#d7 the ,reasoning1 7#e7   
the ,appeal to the  ,feelings1 and 7#f7 
the ,peroration4 ,it is by no means     
necessary1 however1  that these six     
parts should enter into every discourse4
 ,to employ them  all would inevitably1 
in some cases1 produce an appearance of 
stiffness  and pedantry4 ,yet1 as any of
 them may be used1 we proceed to define 

and  treat briefly of each4 ,the object 
of the ,exordium1 or ,introduction1  is 
to render the reader or hearer          
well-disposed1 attentive1 and open  to  
persuasion4 ,to accomplish the first of 
these ends1 the writer must  make a     
modest opening1 and convey to his       
readers the impression that  he is      
candidly maintaining the position of the
 truth of which he is  himself assured4 
,to awaken attention1 he should hint at 
the importance1  novelty1 or dignity of 
the subject4 ,finally1 to make his      
readers open  to conviction1 he should  
endeavor to remove any prejudices they  
may  have formed against the side of the
 question he intends to espouse4  ,the  
introduction of a discourse is its most 
difficult part4 ,if it  is important in 
other compositions to make a good       
impression at the  outset1 it is doubly 
so when we are endeavoring to persuade4 
,the  following suggestions will be     
found generally applicable3    #a4 ,an  
introduction must be easy and natural4  

,it must appear1 as ,cicero  says1 to   
have sprung up of its own accord from   
the matter under  consideration4 ,to    
insure there qualities1 it is           
recommended that  the introduction      
should not be composed until the other  
parts of the  discourse are written     
prepared1 or at least until its general 
scope  and bearing are digested4 99 99  
99    #b4 ,in the second place1 modesty 
is essential in an introduction2 it     
must not promise too much1 and thus     
raise expectations in the listener      
which may be disappointed4    #c4 ,an   
introduction is not the place for       
vehemence and passion4 ,the  minds of   
readers must be gradually prepared      
before the writer can  venture on strong
 and animated outbursts4 99 99 99    #d4
 ,introductions1 moreover1 should not   
anticipate any material part  of the    
subject4 ,if topics or arguments        
afterwards to be enlarged upon  are     
hinted at or partially discussed in the 
introduction1 they lose1  when          

subsequently brought forward1 the grace 
of novelty1 and thereby a  'great       
portion of their effect4    #e4 ,lastly1
 the introduction should be             
accommodated1 both in length  and       
character1 to the discourse that is to  
follow3 in length1 as  nothing can be   
more absurd than to erect an immense    
vestibule before  a diminutive building2
 and in character1 as it is no less     
absurd to  overcharge with superb       
ornaments the portico of a plain        
dwelling-house1  or to make the entrance
 to a monument as gay as that to an     
arbor4  ,the ,division is that part of a
 discourse in which the writer or       
speaker makes known to his hearers the  
method to be pursued1 and  the heads he 
intends to take1 in treating his        
subject4 ,there are  many cases in which
 the ,division is unnecessary2 some1 in 
which its  introduction would even be   
improper3 as1 for instance1 when only a 
single argument is to be used4 99 99 99 
,the third division of a discourse  is  

the ,statement1 in which the facts      
connected with the subject are  laid    
open4 ,this generally forms an important
 part of legal pleadings4  ,the         
statement should be put forth in a clear
 and forcible style4 ,the  writer       
speaker must state his facts in such a  
way as to keep strictly  within the     
bounds of truth1 and yet to present them
 under the colors  that are most        
favorable to his cause2 to place in the 
most striking  light every circumstance 
that is to his advantage1 and explain   
away1  as far as possible1 such as make 
against him4 ,the fourth division is    
the ,reasoning2 and on this everything  
depends4 ,it is here that the  arguments
 are found which are to induce          
conviction1 and to prepare  for which is
 the object of the parts already        
discussed4 ,the following  suggestions  
should be regarded3    #a4 ,the speaker 
should select such arguments only as he 
feels to be  solid and convincing4 ,he  
must not expect to impose on the world  

by  mere arts of language2 but1 placing 
himself in the situation of a  hearer1  
should think how he would be affected by
 the reasoning which he  proposes to use
 for the persuasion of others4    #b4   
,when the arguments employed are strong 
and satisfactory1 the more  they are    
distinguished and treated apart from    
each other1 the better2  but1 when they 
are weak or doubtful1 it is expedient   
rather to throw  them together1 than to 
present each in a clear and separate    
light4    #c4 ,when we have a number of 
arguments of different degrees of       
strength1 it is best to begin and close 
with the stronger1 placing the  weaker  
in the midde1 where they will naturally 
attract least attention4    #d          
,arguments should not be multiplied too 
much1 or extended too far4  ,besides    
burdening the memory1 and lessening the 
effect of individual  points1 such      
diffuseness renders a cause suspected4  
#e4 ,the fifth division is the ,appeal  
to the ,feelings4 ,this should  be short

 and to the point4 ,all appearance of   
art should be strictly  avoided4 ,to    
move his hearers1 the speaker must be   
moved himself4 ,the  last division of a 
discourse is the peroration2 in which   
the speaker  sums up all that has been  
said1 and endeavors to leave a forcible 
impression on the hearer's mind4        
7,course of ,composition and ,rhetoric1 
,quackenbos1 pp4 #che-hi47    ,the      
,appeal and the ,peroration1 ,i suggest1
 should be combined and  called the     
conclusion1 and if in that conclusion   
there is to be  an appeal it should1 in 
argumentative discourses1 be made to the
  reason rather than to the feelings1   
since argument is addressed to the      
intellect rather than to the emotions4  
,one other suggestion ,i offer in the   
argumentative discourse--let  the       
statement of the theory you intend to   
overthrow be presented in  absolute     
fairness2 so fair that those who are    
advocates of it could  have no possible 
grounds of complaint against you if they

 were present  and listening to your    
discourse4 ,assume that they are        
present1 and  so proceed as if they were
 to answer you4 ,remember1 that not only
 in  argumentative discourse1 but also  
in expository discourse1 and in all     
things else1 truth only will endure4    
,let truth1 then1 its unfolding1  its   
exposition1 its establishment be the    
object of your endeavor4    ,clearness3 
,in ,lesson ,,vi4 ,i called attention to
 the importance  of clearness in thought
 expression1 or speech4 ,i now return to
 the  subject4 ,the quality of clearness
 in the expression of thought  consists 
of such a use and arrangement of words  
or clauses as at  once distinctly       
indicate the meaning of the writer or   
speaker  7,quackenbos74 ,a writer or    
speaker should choose that word or      
phrase  which will convey his meaning   
with clearness4 ,it is not enough to use
  language that may be understood2 he   
should use language that must be        
understood4 ,any writer who has read    

even a little will know what is  meant  
by the word 'intelligible4' ,it is not  
sufficient that there be a  meaning that
 may be hammered out of the sentence1   
but that the language  should be so     
clear that the meaning should be        
rendered without an  effort of the      
hearer2 and not only some proposition of
 meaning1 but the  very sense1 no more  
and no less1 which the speaker has      
intended to put  into his words4        
7,principles of ,rhetoric1 ,hill1 p4    
#hb47    ,perhaps one of the most       
forceful writers of ,english wras ,lord 
,macaulay2  remembered chiefly by his   
,history of ,england1 though his essays 
and  speeches in ,parliament are well   
nigh of equal literary value4 ,the one  
quality of his literary style which     
stands out more prominently than  any   
other is the quality of clearness3 ,what
 he saw at all he saw  distinctly2 what 
he believed he believed with his whole  
strength2 he  wrote on subjects with    
which he had long been familiar2 and he 

made  lucidity his primary object in    
composition4 ,for him1 in short1 there  
was no difficulty in securing clearness1
 except that which is inherent  in the  
nature of language4 ,this difficulty he 
overcame with unusual  success1 as all  
his critics admit4 7,hill's ,rhetoric1  
p4 #hc47    ,one of the means by which  
,macaulay secured that clearness which  
distinguishes all his writings is noted 
by a later historian4 ,i  learned from  
,macaulay1 says ,mr4 ,freeman1 'never to
 be afraid of using  the same word or   
name over and over again1 if by that    
means anything  could be added to       
clearness or force4 ,macaulay never goes
 on1 like some  writers1 talking about  
'the former' and 'the latter2' 'he1'    
'she1'  'it1' 'they' through clause     
after clause1 while his reader has to   
look  back to see which of several      
persons it is that is so darkly referred
  to4 ,from the point of view of        
clearness1 it is always better to repeat
  a noun than to substitute for it a    

pronoun which fails to suggest that     
noun unmistakeably and at once4 ,no     
fault is1 however1 more common than  the
 use of an obscure or equivocal pronoun4
    ,examples3 ,i must go and help      
,alice with the heifer2 she is not  very
 quiet yet1 and ,i see her going out    
with her pail4    ,corrected3 ,i must go
 and help ,alice with the heifer2 the   
heifer  is not very quiet yet1 and ,i   
see ,alice going out with her pail4     
,example3 ,steele's father1 who is said 
to have been a lawyer1  died before he  
had reached his sixth year4             
,corrected3 ,steele's father1 who is    
said to have been a lawyer1  died before
 his son had reached his sixth year4    
,example3 ,there was also a number of   
cousins1 who were about the  same age1  
and were always laughing1 though it was 
never quite clear  what it was about4   
,corrected3 99 99 99 99 though it was   
never quite clear what their  laughing  
was about4    ,example3 ,rasselas was   
the fourth son of the mighty emperor in 

whose dominions the ,fathers of ,waters 
begins his course2 whose bounty  pours  
down the streams of plenty1 and scatters
 over half the world the  harvests of   
,egypt4    ,corrected3 99 99 99 the     
rivers bounty pours down1 etc4 7,hill's 
,rhetoric1 p4 #hd-e47    ,let the       
student1 then1 remember this the first  
essential to  thought-expression in     
speech or writing is clearness4 ,it is  
not enough  that one may be understood1 
one must be understood--less than this  
is  dire failure4 ,to secure the quality
 of clearness in thought-expression     
sacrifice anything1 everything1 seeming 
elegance1 high sounding  phrases1       
harmonious sounding sentences1 brave    
tautology even1 but make  yourself      
understood4        ,,lesson ,,xiv4      
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,the ,,dispensation ,,of ,,the ,,gospel
 ,,committed ,,to    ,,enoch4           
,,analysis4    ,i4 ,enoch's ,place in   
the ,line of the ,patriarchs4    ,,ii4  
,the ,visions of ,enoch4    ,,iii4 ,the 

,founding of the ,city of               
,enoch--,translation4    ,,iv4 ,the     
,writings of ,enoch4    ,,references4   
,gen4 v3#ah-bd4 ,jude #ad1 #ae2 ,hebrews
 xi3#e4 ,notes #a1 #b4    ,book of      
,moses 7,p4 ,g4 ,p47 ch v3#ba-fh4 ,ibid1
 ch vii4    ,see ,article ,enoch1       
,smith's ,bible ,dictionary4 ,also      
,kitto same title4  ,josephus'          
,antiquities1 ,bk4 ,i1 ch4 iii4    ,jude
 #ad1 #ae4 ,and see ,article ,book of   
,enoch in ,seventy's ,bible             
,dictionary1 and ,smith and ,kitto cited
 above1 on same title4 ,notes #c1 #d4   
,,notes4    #a4 ,enoch3 ,enoch is said  
to be the seventh from ,adam 7,jude     
#ad74 ,this is counting both ,cain and  
,abel among the patriarchs4 ,from  the  
time of ,seth until the birth and       
calling of ,enoch there was an          
uninterrupted line of righteous men     
holding the priesthood1 but a  special  
dispensation of the ,gospel seems1      
nevertheless1 to have been  given unto  
,enoch4 ,the information we have of this

 patriarch in the  ,bible is extremely  
meagre1 the references being found in   
,gen4 v3  #ah-bd1 in the brief allusion 
to him in ,jude #ad1 #ae and in ,hebrew 
xi3  #e4 ,apart from these references   
the only reliable information we have   
of ,enoch is to be found in the ,book of
 ,moses1 7,p4 ,g4 ,p47 chaps1 vi1  vii4 
,the occasion for giving the            
dispensation of the ,gospel to ,enoch   
seems to have been the development of   
very great wickedness among the         
,antediluvians and the ,lord called unto
 ,enoch out of heaven appointing  him to
 prophesy unto the people concerning the
 impending calamities to  fall upon     
them1 and to cry repentance unto them4  
,it is from the ,book  of ,moses1 ch4 vi
 that we learn how complete was the     
dispensation of  the ,gospel committed  
unto ,enoch2 for therein is the cause of
 ,adam's  fall1 the means of redemption 
provided1 as also an account of ,adam's 
acceptance of the ,gospel is set forth  
in considerable detail4 ,among  the     

great events of the dispensation        
committed unto ,enoch is1 first1  the   
account given by prophecy of great      
battles between the people of  ,canaan1 
who were the descendants of ,cain1 the  
murderer1 and other  inhabitants of the 
earth1 chiefly the people of ,shum4     
,second1 the fact  that the rest of the 
descendants of ,adam hold aloof from    
association  with the descendants of    
,cain1 who were cursed with blackness   
and their  land made a desert1 7,book of
 ,moses1 ch4 vii74 ,third1 the          
separation of  the righteous following  
of ,enoch from their enemies who fought 
against  ,god4 ,fourth1 of ,god taking  
up his abode in the city of ,enoch1     
,zion1 the  home of the people of one   
heart and one mind1 called also the city
 of  ,holiness1 7for this is ,zion1 the 
pure in heart1 ,doc4  ,cov4 xcvii74     
,and finally1 of the separation of the  
city of ,enoch from the earth by        
translation2 from which circumstance    
there went forth the saying among  the  

inhabitants of the earth1 ,zion is fled4
 ,doubtless among all the  dispensations
 of the ,gospel committed to man the    
dispensation given to  ,enoch was one of
 the most glorious4    ,of ,enoch       
,josephus says3 ,jared lived nine       
hundred and sixty-two years2  and then  
his son ,enoch succeeded him1 who was   
born when his father was  one hundred   
and sixty-two years old4 ,now he1 when  
he had lived three  hundred and         
sixty-five years1 departed1 and went to 
,god2 whence it is  that they have not  
written down his death4 7,josephus'     
,antiquities1 p4  #bh47    #b4 ,enoch's 
,place in ,history3 ,according to the   
,old ,testament1  he ,enoch walked with 
,god2 and1 after #cfe years1 he was not1
 for ,god  took him 7,gen4 v4 #bd74 ,the
 inspired writer of the ,epistle to the 
,hebrew  says1 ',by faith ,enoch was    
translated that he should not see death1
 and  was not found1 because ,god had   
translated him 7xi #e74 ,walking with   
,god implies the close fellowship with  

,jehovah which it is possible  for a    
human being to enjoy on earth4 ,as a    
reward1 therefore1 of his  extraordinary
 sanctity1 he was transported into      
heaven without the  experience of death4
 ,elijah was in like manner translated2 
and thus  was the doctrine of           
immortality palpably taught under the   
ancient  dispensation4 ,the traditions  
of the ,jews have ascribed to ,enoch    
many  fabulous qualities4 ,they have    
invested him with various attributes    
and excellencies for which the ,bible   
furnishes no foundation4  ,accordingly1 
he is represented as the inventor of    
letters1 arithmetic1  and astronomy2 as 
the first author1 from whom several     
books emanated4  ,visions and prophecies
 were commonly ascribed to him1 which he
 is said  to have arranged in a book4   
,this book was delivered to his son1 and
  preserved by ,noah in the ark4 ,after 
the flood it was made known to  the     
world1 and handed down from one         
generation to another4 ,hence the       

,arabians call him ,edris4 7,cyclopaedia
 of ,biblical ,literature1 ,kitto1  p4  
#fci47    #c4 ,outline of the ,book of  
,enoch3 ,i4 its present shape the  book 
consists of a series of revelations     
supposed to have been given  to ,enoch  
and ,noah1 which extend to the most     
varied aspects of nature  and life1 and 
are designed to offer a comprehensive   
vindication of  the action of           
,providence4 ,it is divided into five   
parts4 ,the first  part1 after a general
 introduction1 contains an account of   
the fall  of the angels1 and of the     
judgment to come upon them and upon the 
giants1 their offspring2 and this is    
followed by the description of the      
journey of ,enoch through the earth and 
lower heaven in company with  an angel1 
who showed to him many of the great     
mysteries of nature1  the               
treasure-houses of the storms and winds1
 and fires of heaven1 the  prison of the
 fallen and the land of the blessed4    
,the second part is  styled ',a ,vision 

of ,wisdom1' and consists of three      
'parables1' in  which ,enoch relates the
 revelations of the higher secrets of   
heaven  and of the spiritual world which
 were given to him4 ,the first parable  
gives chiefly a picture of the future   
blessings and manifestation of  the     
righteous1 with further details as to   
the heavenly bodies2 the  second        
describes in splendid imagery the coming
 of ,messiah and the  results which it  
should work among 'the elect' and the   
gainsayers2 the  third draws out at     
further length the blessedness of 'the  
elect and  holy1' and the confusion and 
wretchedness of the sinful rulers of the
  world4 ,the third part is styled 'the 
,book of the ,course of the ,lights  of 
,heaven1' and deals with the motions of 
the sun and moon1 and the  changes of   
the seasons2 and with this the narrative
 of the journey  of ,enoch closes4 ,the 
fourth part is not distinguished by any 
special  name1 but contains the record  
of a dream which was granted to ,enoch  

in his youth1 in which he saw the       
history of the kingdoms of ,god and  of 
the world up to the final establishment 
of the throne of ,messiah4  ,the fifth  
part contains the last addresses of     
,enoch to his children1  in which the   
teaching of the former chapters is made 
the groundwork of  earnest exhortation4 
,the signs which attended the birth of  
,noah are  next noticed and another     
short writing of ,enoch1 forms the close
 to the  whole book4 7,smith's ,bible   
,dictionary1 ,hackett1 p4 #gci47    #d4 
,doctrinal outline of the ,book of      
,enoch3 ,in doctrine the  book of ,enoch
 exhibits a great advance of thought    
within the limits of  revelation in each
 of the great divisions of knowledge4   
,the teaching  on nature is a curious   
attempt to reduce the scattered images  
of the  ,old ,testament to a physical   
system4 ,the view of society and man1 of
  the temporary triumph and final       
discomfiture of the oppressors of       
,god's people1 carries out into         

elaborate detail the pregnant images of 
,daniel4 ,the figure of the ,messiah is 
invested with majestic dignity  as 'the 
,son of ,god1' 'whose name was named    
before the sun was made1'  and who      
existed 'aforetime in the presence of   
,god4' ,and at the same  time his human 
attributes as 'the son of man1' 'the son
 of woman1'  'the elect one1' 'the      
righteous one1' 'the anointed1' are     
brought  into conspicuous notice4 ,the  
mysteries of the spiritual world1 the   
connection of angels and men1 the       
classes and ministries of the hosts  of 
heaven1 the power of ,satan1 and the    
legions of darkness1 the  doctrines of  
resurrection1 retribution1 and eternal  
punishment are  dwelt upon with growing 
earnestness as the horizon of           
speculation was  extended by intercourse
 with ,greece4 ,but the message of the  
book is  emphatically one of 'faith and 
truth1' and while the writer combines   
and repeats the thoughts of ,scripture1 
he adds no new element to the  teaching 

of the prophets4 ,his errors spring from
 an undisciplined  attempt to explain   
their words1 and from a proud exultation
 in  present success4 ,for the great    
characteristic by which the book is     
distinguished from the later apocalypse 
of ,ezra 7,esdras1 #bnd ,book7 is  the  
tone of triumphant expectation by which 
it is pervaded4 ,it seems  to repeat in 
every form the great principle that the 
world1 natural1  moral1 and spiritual1  
is under the immediate government of    
,god4 ,hence  it follows that there is a
 terrible retribution reserved for      
sinners1  and a glorious kingdom        
prepared for the righteous1 and ,messiah
 is  regarded as the divine mediator of 
this double issue4 ,nor is it without  a
 striking fitness that a patriarch      
translated from earth1 and admitted  to 
look upon the divine majesty1 is chosen 
as 'the herald of wisdom1               
righteousness1 and judgment' to a people
 who1 even in suffering1 saw in  their  
tyrants only the victims of a coming    

vengeance4 7,smith's ,bible             
,dictionary1 ,hackett ,edition1 p4      
#gdj47    ,the two preceding notes1     
giving an outline of the ,book of ,enoch
 and its  doctrines1 deal with a version
 of the writings of ,enoch that         
doubtless  have been more or less       
corrupted2 but even in mutilated form   
one may  discern the aim outline of a   
great and important work dealing with   
the  ,gospel of ,christ as known to the 
ancients4 ,a history of the book--so    
well known and frequently fed by many of
 the ,christian fathers--and its  being 
brought to ,europe and translated into  
the ,english language will  be found in 
both ,kitto and ,smith's works4         
,,lesson ,,xv4    7,scripture ,reading  
,exercise47    ,,the ,,dispensation ,,of
 ,,the ,,gospel ,,given ,,to ,,noah4    
,,analysis4    ,i4 ,noah ,before the    
,flood3    #a4 ,birth1 ,character1 and  
place in ,history4    #b4 ,conditions of
 ,society in days of ,noah4    #c4 ,the 
calling of ,noah and the ,nature of the 

,gospel committed to him4    ,,ii4 ,the 
,flood4    ,,iii4 ,noah ,after the      
,flood4    #a4 ,renewal of the          
,covenant--,its sign4    #b4 ,the ,curse
 upon ,canaan4    #c4 ,the ,seven       
,precepts of ,noah--,his ,death4        
,,references4    ,gen4 v3#bh-cb4 ,book  
of ,moses viii3#h-ac4 ,notes #a and #b4 
,gen4 vi3#a-ac4 ,note #c4 ,book of      
,moses1 ch4 viii3#ac1 #ae1 #ag1 #ai1    
#bc1 #bd4  ,see also viii3#af1 #ai1 and 
cf4 ,ibid1 vi3#dc-fh4    ,gen4 vii and  
viii4 ,josephus ,antiquities4 ,smith's  
,dictionary of the  ,bible1 ,art4 ,noah4
    ,gen4 ix3#h-ag4    ,gen4 ix3#ah-bi4 
,note #c1 #d4    ,,notes4    #a4 ,why a 
,dispensation of the ,gospel was ,given 
to ,noah3 ,the  reason for giving a     
dispensation of the ,gospel to ,noah    
seems to have  been the same as that    
which led to the giving of a            
dispensation of it  to ,enoch--viz41 the
 increasing wickedness of the people4   
,there had been  no break in the line of
 righteous men who held the priesthood2 

but  the increasing wickedness of the   
people1 and the necessity of warning    
them of impending calamities required   
the dispensation of the ,gospel  given  
to ,noah4 ,in order to understand how   
complete the dispensation  of the       
,gospel given to them was1 it is        
necessary that the student  compare     
,book of ,moses ch4 viii3#ai1 with ch4  
vi3#dc-fh1 as suggested  in the         
references given in the analysis2 since 
it is said that ,noah  was commanded to 
go forth and declare his ,gospel unto   
the children of  men even as it was     
given unto ,enoch 7ch4 viii3#ai73 and   
how fully the  ,gospel was given unto   
,enoch can only be appreciated by a     
comparison of  the texts given above4   
#b4 ,the ,character of ,noah3 ,that the 
conduct of ,noah corresponded  to the   
faith and hope of his father we have no 
reason to doubt4 ,the  brevity of the   
history satisfies not human curiosity4  
,he was born  six hundred years before  
the ,deluge4 ,we may reasonably suppose 

that  through that period he maintained 
the character given of him3 ',noah      
found favour in the eyes of the ,lord4  
,noah was a just man1 and perfect  in   
his generations4 ,noah walked with      
,god4' 7,gen4 vi3#h1 #i47 ,these  words 
declare his piety1 sincerity1 and       
integrity1 that he maintained  habitual 
communion with the ,father of ,mercies1 
by the exercises of  devotion1 and that 
he was an inspired instrument of        
conveying the  will of ,god to mankind4 
,the wickedness of the human race had   
long  called upon the wisdom and justice
 of ,god for some signal display of  his
 displeasure1 as a measure of righteous 
government and as example  to future    
ages4 ,for a long time1 probably many   
centuries1 the better  part of men1 the 
descendants of ,seth1 had kept          
themselves from society  with the       
families of the ,cainite race4 ,the     
former class had become  designated as  
'the sons of ,god1' faithful and        
obedient3 the latter  were called by a  

term evidently designated to form an    
appellation of  the contrary import1    
daughters of men1' of impious and       
licentious men4  ,these women possessed 
beauty and blandishments1 by which they 
won  the affections of unwary men1 and  
intermarriages upon a great scale  took 
place4 ,as is usual in such alliances1  
the worst part gained the  ascendency4  
,the offspring become more depraved than
 the parents1 and  a universal          
corruption of minds and morals took     
place4 ,many of them  became 'giants1'  
the mighty men of old1 men of renown    
7nephilism7  apostates 7as the word     
implies71 heroes1 warriors1 plunderers1 
'filling  the earth with violence4' ,god
 mercifully afforded a respite of one   
hundred and twenty years 7,gen4 vi3#c2  
,i ,pet4 iii3#bj2 #b ,pet4 ii3#e71      
during which ,noah sought to work       
salutary impressions upon their  minds1 
and to bring them to repentance4 ,thus  
he was 'a preacher of  righteousness1'  
exercising faith in the testimony of    

,god1 moved with  holy reverence1       
obeying the divine commands1 and1 by the
 contrast of  his conduct1 condemning   
the world 7,heb4 xi3#g72 and probably he
 had  during a long previous period     
laboured in that benevolent and pious   
work4 7,cyclopaedia of ,biblical        
,literature1 ,kitto1 vol4 ,,ii1 p4      
#dbe47    #c4 ,conditions of ,society in
 ,days of ,noah3 ,very remarkable4      
however1 is the glimpse which we get    
from the ,bible of the state of  society
 in the antediluvian world4 ,the        
narrative it is true is brief1  and on  
many points obscure3 a mystery hangs    
over it which we cannot  penetrate4 ,but
 some few facts are clear4 ,the         
wickedness of the world is  described as
 having reached a desperate pitch1      
owing1 it would seem1  in a great       
measure to the fusion of two races which
 had hitherto been  distinct4 ,and      
further the marked features of the      
wickedness of the  age were lust and    
brutal outrage4 ,they took them wives of

 all which  they chose3 and1 the earth  
was filled with violence4 ,the earth was
  corrupt for all flesh had corrupted   
his way upon the earth4 99 99 ,and it   
came to pass when men 7the ,adam7 began 
to multiply on the face of the  ground  
and daughters were born unto them2 then 
the sons of ,god 7the  ,elohim7 saw the 
daughters of men 7the ,adam7 that they  
were fair1 and  they took to them wives 
of all that they chose4 ,and ,jehovah   
said4 ,my  spirit shall not for ever    
rule 7or be humbled7 in men1 seeing that
 they  are 7or1 in their error they are7
 but flesh1 and their days shall be a   
hundred and twenty years4 ,the ,nephilim
 the giants were in the earth  in those 
days2 and also afterwards when the sons 
of ,god 7the ,elohim7  came in unto the 
daughters of men 7,adam7 and children   
were born to  them1 these were the      
heroes which were of old1 men of renown4
 7,smith's  ,bible ,dictionary1 ,art1   
,noah47    #d4 ,of ,several ,bible      
,difficulties in the ,noachian          

,dispensation3  7#a7 ,the name ,noah has
 presented a difficulty to ,bible       
,expounders4  ,noah's father1 ,lamech1  
assigns as a reason for giving him the  
name  ,noah--,this same shall comfort us
 concerning our work and toil of our    
hands1 because of the ground which the  
,lord hath cursed4 7,gen4 v3#bi47  ,this
 is usually made to refer to the general
 curse put upon the land  because of the
 fall of ,adam 7see ,art4 ,noah ,smith's
 ,bible ,dictionary72  but the ,book of 
,moses 7,p4 ,g4 ,p471 explains that     
there came a great  famine into the     
land1 and the ,lord cursed the earth    
with a sore curse1  and many of the     
inhabitants thereof died4 7,book of     
,moses1 viii3#d47  ,this was doubtless  
the cause of ,lamech naming his son     
,noah1 which  signifies rest1 in the    
hope that there would be a rest1 or     
relief  from the famine which had so    
long distressed them4    7#b74 ,the     
second difficulty is in respect of the  
passage ,when men began  to multiply on 

the face of the earth2 and daughters    
were born unto  them1 the sons of ,god  
saw the daughters of men and they took  
them wives  of all which they chose4    
,who were these sons of ,god8 ,who were 
these  daughters of men8 ,a variety of  
interpretations has been given1 7a7 ,the
  sons of ,elohim 7sons of the ,gods7   
were explained to mean sons of  princes1
 or men of high rank1 who degraded      
themselves by contracting  marriages    
with the daughters of men1 i4 e4 with   
women of inferior  position4 7b7 ,a     
second interpretation1 not less ancient1
 understands  by the sons of ,elohim    
7sons of the ,gods71 angels4 ,and a long
 list of  authorities may be cited for  
the belief that the angels consorted    
with women of the earth and begot a race
 of ,giants 7see ,smith's ,bible        
,dictionary ,art4 ,noah1 also ,kitto    
same title47 ,a third interpretation1   
however1 suggests that the sons of      
,elohim 7the ,gods7 refers to the       
family and descendants of ,seth1 and by 

the daughters of men1 the  women of the 
family of ,cain 7,smith's ,dictionary1  
,art4 ,noah74 ,in the  ,book of ,moses1 
however1 is found a complete explanation
 of the matter2  ,and ,noah and his sons
 hearkened unto the ,lord1 and gave     
heed1 and they  were called the sons of 
,god4 7,book of ,moses1 ch4 viii3#ac47  
,this does  away with the necessity of  
believing that angels became the        
consorts  of earthly beings1 the        
daughters of men4 ,strangely enough the 
,book of  ,moses1 in the ,pearl of      
,great ,price1 gives the reverse order  
of the  matter to that related in       
,genesis4 ,in ,genesis it is stated that
 ',the  sons of ,god saw the daughters  
of men that they were fair2 and they    
took them wives of all which they chose 
7,gen4 vi3#a-b74 ,in the ,book of       
,moses it is stated that when these men 
the sons of ,noah began to  multiply on 
the face of the earth1 and daughters    
were born unto them1  the sons of men   
saw that those daughters were fair1 and 

they took  wives1 even as they chose4   
7,book of ,moses1 viii3#ad47 ,the facts 
in the  case1 however1 seem to be that  
there was a willingness on both sides to
  this amalgamation of races forbidden  
to each other4 ,the grand daughters  of 
,noah seemed willing to consort with the
 descendants of ,cain1 the  sons of men4
 7,book of ,moses viii3#ad72 and later  
the sons of ,cain1  having in mind that 
they too1 were descendants of ,adam1    
through ,cain  could retort--,we are the
 sons of ,god2 have we not taken unto   
ourselves  the daughters of men8 ,the   
fact is1 however1 that the other        
descendants  of ,adam were forbidden to 
inter-marry with the seed of ,cain--the 
sons  of men2 7cf4 ,book of ,moses1 ch4 
viii3#ac-ae1 #ba2 with ,book of         
,abraham1  ch4 i3#ba-bg47 ,it is        
gratifying to know that the results of  
the latest  deductions of ,biblical     
scholars favors the views presented in  
the ,book  of ,moses3 ,the              
interpretation1 however1 which is now   

most generally  received1 is that which 
understands by 'the sons of the ,elohim'
 the  family and descendants of ,seth1  
and by 'the daughters of man 7,adam71'  
the women of the family of ,cain4 ,so   
the ,clementine ,recognitions  interpret
 the sons of the ,elohim4 ,so ,ephrem1  
and the ,christian  ,adam-,book of the  
,east3 so also ,theodoret1 ,chrysostom1 
,cyril of  ,alexandria1 ,jerome1        
,augustine1 and others2 and in later    
times ,luther1  ,melancthon1 ,calvin1   
and a whole host of recent commentators4
 ,they all  suppose that whereas the two
 lines of descent from ,adam--the family
 of  ,seth who preserved their faith in 
,god1 and the family of ,cain who lived 
only for this world--had hitherto kept  
distinct1 now a mingling of the  two    
races took place which resulted in the  
thorough corruption of the  former1 who 
falling away1 plunged into the deepest  
abyss of wickedness1  and that it was   
this universal corruption which provoked
 the judgment  of the ,flood4 7,smith's 

,dictionary1 ,art4 ,noah47    7#c7 ,the 
third difficulty is found in the        
passage3 ,and ,god saw that the         
wickedness of man was great in the      
earth1 and that every imagination of    
the thoughts of his heart was only evil 
continually4 ,and it repented  the ,lord
 that he had made man on the earth1 and 
it grieved him at his  heart4 ,and the  
,lord said1 ,i will destroy man whom ,i 
have created from  the face of the      
earth2 both man1 and beast1 and the     
creeping thing1 and  the fowls of the   
air2 for it repenteth me that ,i have   
made them4 7,gen4  vi3#e-g47    ,if it  
repented the ,lord that he had made man 
on the earth1 and  grieved him at his   
heart--why then did he make him8 ,for   
surely ,god's  fore-knowledge was such  
as to fore-know what man would become in
  the earth4 ,then why be sorry that he 
had created him1 since ,god's           
foreknowledge must have taught him what 
kind of a being man would be8  ,the     
matter is set right in the ,book of     

,moses revealed to ,joseph ,smith1      
where it is said3 ,and it repented      
,noah1 and his heart was pained that    
the ,lord had made man on the earth1 and
 it grieved him at the heart4  ,and the 
,lord said3 ,i will destroy man whom ,i 
have created1 from the  face of the     
earth1 both man and beast1 and the      
creeping things1 and the  fowls of the  
air2 for it repenteth ,noah that ,i have
 created them1 and  that ,i have made   
them2 and he hath called upon me2 for   
they have sought  his life4 7,book of   
,moses1 ch4 viii3#be-bf47    #e4 ,a     
,covenant of the ,lord with ,noah3      
,among the first acts of  ,noah1 who may
 be regarded as the second father of the
 human race1 was  one of worship1 for he
 built an altar unto the ,lord and      
offered burnt  offerings unto him4      
,renewed communion in fact with ,god4   
,and the ,lord  covenanted with him in  
that day1 that while the earth should   
remain1  seedtime and harvest1 and cold 
and heat1 and summer and winter1 and day

  and night should not cease4 7,gen4    
viii3#bj-bb47 ,and in token of this     
perpetual covenant1 ,i do set my bow in 
cloud1 said the ,lord1 and it  shall be 
for the token of the covenant between me
 and the earth4 99 99 99  99 ,and ,i    
will remember my covenant which is      
between me and you 7,noah7  and every   
living creature of all flesh1 and the   
waters shall no more  become a flood to 
destroy all flesh4 7,gen4 ix3#ac-ae47   
,of course it  must not be supposed that
 the ,lord at this time created the     
rain-bow  for the sign of his covenant1 
for since ever there was sunshine and   
rain and dark clouds1 there have been   
rain-bows and will be4 ,but the  ,lord  
pointed to this beautiful phenomenon    
already existing1 and made  it the sign 
of his covenant with man4    #f4 ,the   
,seven ,precepts of ,noah3 ,it is an old
 tradition of the  ,rabbinical ,jews1 on
 which they lay great stress1 that at   
this juncture  ,noah delivered to his   
children seven precepts1 to be enjoined 

upon all  their descendants4 ,these     
prohibit1 #a1 idolatry2 #b1 irreverence 
to the  ,deity2 #c4 homicide2 #d1       
unchastity2 #e1 fraud and plundering2   
the #fth  enjoins government and        
obedience2 and the #gth forbids to eat  
any part  of an animal still living4    
,mr4 ,selden has largely illustrated    
these  precepts1 and regards them as a  
concise tablet of the ,law of ,nature4  
,though we have no positive evidences of
 their having been formally  enjoined by
 the great patriarch1 we can have no    
great reason for  rejecting such an     
hypothesis4 7,biblical ,literature1     
,kitto1 #dbg47    ,at least one of these
 precepts is very emphatically set forth
 in  ,genesis1 given with the penalty of
 it2 namely1 the great law against      
taking human life and the penalty which 
every where justifies the law  of man2  
namely1 who so sheddeth man's blood1 by 
man shall his blood be  shed1 for in the
 image of ,god made he man4 7,gen4      
ix3#f47 ,unhappily1  however1 the law in

 executing this penalty does it in such 
manner that  the blood of condemned     
murderers is not shed1 since in the     
majority of  countries the death penalty
 is executed by strangulation instead of
 by  the shedding of blood4 ,the phrase1
 for in the image of ,god made he  man  
is significant1 and is fatal to the     
claims of those theologians  who        
interpret the scriptural saying1 that   
man wras created in the image  of ,god1 
to mean that man was created in ,god's  
moral image1 a most  absurd conclusion4 
,as if there could be a moral image4    
,but the phrase  here quoted carries    
this significance3 ,thou shalt not kill 
a man1 for  he stands in the image of   
,god4 ,and thou shalt not mar that image
 of  ,god1 thou shalt not bring death   
unto it4 ,it is sacred4 ,it must not be 
marred by mortal hand4    #g4 ,the      
,death of ,noah3--,it is said that ,noah
 lived after the  flood three hundred   
and fifty years1 but the manner of his  
life  and where he spent it is not      

given4 ,he must have been alive at the  
confusion of tongues at ,babel1 but     
whether or not he was in the  valley of 
the ,uphrates at that time may not be   
learned4 ,there have  been those who    
seek to identify him with the ,chinese  
character ,fohi  whose tradition was    
that ,fohi's advent among them was      
preceded by a  flood which wholly       
covered the earth1 but all here is      
conjecture4 7,see  ,smith's ,dictionary 
of the ,bible1 ,kitto's ,biblical       
,literature1 ,art4  ,noah47             
,,lesson ,,xvi4    7,scripture ,reading 
,exercise47    7,a ,discourse7          
,,enoch ,,and ,,the ,,antediluvian      
,,dispensations ,,of ,,the ,,gospel4    
,,notes4    #a4 ,suggestions to the     
,speaker3 ,naturally the subject of this
  lesson will be something of a review  
of the period covered by the  preceding 
lessons on the ,antediluvian            
dispensations with ,enoch as the        
central figure1 but the matter of these 
lessons should not be too  closely      

followed4 ,let those to whom the        
assignment of this lesson is  given draw
 their own lines of treatment4 ,as the  
subject is stated  in the lesson it     
would be treated as historical          
narrative1 or as a  biography of ,enoch4
 ,it could1 however1 be treated in an   
argumentative  form4 ,thus3 ,the        
,justice of ,god ,requires that the     
,gospel should be  ,revealed to the     
,antediluvians2 or1 ,was the ,gospel    
,revealed to the  ,antediluvians8 ,if   
the historical or biographical form of  
treatment is  decided upon the speaker  
should bear in mind that his work in the
 main  would be narrative1 and the first
 essentials of narrative1 after the     
truth of it1 is movement and method4 ,a 
narrative1 says ,a4 ,s4 ,hill in  his   
,principles of ,rhetoric1 should move   
from the beginning to the end1  and it  
should move with method4 ,if the action 
haults the listener's  attention haults 
with it4 ,if the action is confused or  
self-repeating  the hearers mind is soon

 fatigued4 ,movement and method1 the    
life and  the logic of discourse1 are   
then the essentials of a good narrative4
  ,in another place our author says1 ,it
 is not enough that a narrative  should 
move1 it should move forward1 it should 
have method4 99 99 99 99  99 ,the       
philosopher may contribute attached     
sayings 7aphorisms7 to the  general     
stock of wisdom4 ,an essayist may be    
charming as he rambles in  pleasant     
fields of thought and gossip with his   
readers1 but a narrator  fails as a     
narrator in so far as he does not go    
straight on from the  beginning to the  
end4    ,a narrator1 says another       
author1 must not spend undue time or    
space  upon any episode in his tale to  
the disadvantage of other parts4        
,whatever his scale is1 he should follow
 it4 ,otherwise he will give  emphasis  
to unimportant events1 or slight        
important ones4 ,the law  of climax     
applies especially to narration1 because
 the interest of  the reader in the     

opening of a story is necessarily       
slight4 ,when he  becomes involved in   
the plot of the tale1 his interest will 
either  grow or disappear4 ,as narrative
 becomes complex1 as one event leads  to
 a number of results1 the reader's      
attention should be engaged more        
firmly4 ,a weak ending is never so      
disappointing as in narration4          
,finally1 every narrative should have as
 a center some one definite  topic4 7,it
 is for this reason that we give ,enoch 
as the center around  which events in   
the ,antediluvian dispensations         
gathered47 ,for example1  a history of  
the discovery of ,america1 containing   
many hundreds of  pages1 and relating   
numerous events1 will have but one      
principal  subject--the early           
explorations upon this hemisphere1--to  
which all  the characters1 actions1 and 
events will be made subordinate4 99 99  
99 99  99 ,a good narrative then will   
move rapidly2 action will follow action 
in close succession4 ,only significant  

events will be dwelt upon2 much  will be
 passed over with brief mention4 ,yet   
the connection of events  will be made  
plain2 the reader will never lose the   
thread4 ,no matter  how complex the     
narration becomes1 it will have a simple
 subject as  the center1 and will march 
on with increasing interest to the end4 
7,composition and ,rhetoric for         
,schools1 ,herrick and ,damon1 p4       
#dbh-i74    ,if the subject is treated  
in an argumentative form1 then the      
speaker  should consider what has been  
already said on the subject of          
argumentative discourse in ,lesson      
,,xiii4    #c4 ,another ,word on        
,clearness3 ,in a former lesson 7,,xiii7
 it was  pointed out that ,clearness    
consists of such a use and arrangement  
of  words and clauses as at once        
distinctly indicate the meaning of the  
speaker2 and pointed out how the obscure
 or equivocal use of pronouns  was      
destructive of ,clearness4    ,in this  
lesson attention is called to the       

omission of words in a  sentence        
necessary to its exact meaning--what the
 text books call  improper ellipsis4    
,whenever the omission of a word renders
 the meaning of a sentence              
unintelligible1 the ellipsis becomes    
improper4 ,a writer in ,the  ,guardian  
uses this expression3 ,he is inspired   
with a true sense of  that function4    
,the meaning is not intelligible till we
 put in the  words improperly left out3 
,he is inspired with a true sense of the
  importance of that function4          
,arbitrary power1 says another1 ,i look 
upon as a greater evil than anarchy     
itself1 as much as a savage is a        
happier state of life than a            
galley-slave4 ,we can not properly call 
a  savage or a galley-slave a state of  
life1 though we may with propriety      
compare their conditions4 ,the obscurity
 is removed by doing away with  the     
ellipsis3 as much as the state of a     
savage is happier than that of  a       
galley-slave4 7,course of ,composition  

and ,rhetoric1 ,quackenbos1 p4  #bhe47  
,clearness ,depends upon ,unity in      
,sentences3 ,to be clear1 a  sentence   
must have unity2 that is1 it must not   
contain incongruous  material1 and must 
be so expressed that it gives the reader
 the  impression of being one thought4  
,when a sentence contains incongruous   
statements1 it is said to lack unity of 
thought4 ,when a sentence fails  to     
present its meaning as one obvious      
whole1 it is said to lack unity  of     
form4 ,each of the examples cited 99 99 
99 below1 violates unity of  thought1 or
 unity of form1 or both4 ,note how much 
clearer are the  corrected sentences4   
#a4 ,chaucer began to write at an early 
age1 and as he was a page for  some     
court lady1 he went to ,france when she 
did4    ,corrected3 ,chaucer began to   
write at an early age4 ,being at this   
time the page of a court lady1 he went  
in her train to ,france4    #b4 ,once ,i
 saw a college ,president as he walked  
upon the stage1 and he  held in his hand

 a whole basket of diplomas4            
,corrected3 ,i once saw a college       
,president walk upon the stage  holding 
a whole basket of diplomas in his hand4 
#c4 ,a good paragraph must have unity of
 thought1 and the different  sentences  
of which it is composed must be         
logically connected1 and what  is most  
important in the paragraph must be made 
prominent1 and what is  of small        
consequence merely hinted at4           
,corrected3 ,a good paragraph must have 
unity of thought4 ,a  paragraph is      
unified if the different sentences in it
 are logically  connected1 and if what  
is most important is made prominent1    
what is of  small consequence1 merely   
hinted at4        ,,part ,,iii4         
,post-diluvian ,dispensations4          
,,lesson ,,xvii4    7,scripture ,reading
 ,exercise47    ,,the ,,abrahamic       
,,dispensation4    ,,analysis4    ,i4   
,melchizedek and ,abraham--,relationship
 of4    ,,ii4 ,the ,call of ,abraham4   
,,iii4 ,the ,gospel ,given to ,abraham4 

,,references4    ,gen4 xi-xxv4    ,heb4 
v4 and vii4 ,psalms cx4 ,also ,doc4 and 
,cov ,sec4 cvii3#a-d4 ,alma  7,book of  
,mormon7 ch4 xiii4 ,notes #a1 #b1 #c1   
#d2 also ,art4 ,melchizedek and         
,abraham in ,smith's ,bible ,dictionary 
and ,kitto's ,biblical ,literature4     
,seventy's ,year ,book ,i1 pp4 #cg-ci4  
,notes #d1 #e and #a4    ,gen4 xii3#a-d 
,book of ,abraham ch4 i3#ae-ai2 ch4     
ii3#f-aa4 ,note #f4    ,gal4 iii3#f-h1  
#ai4 ,book of ,abraham 7,p4 ,g4 ,p47    
chs4 i-v4 ,note #g4 ,the  ,gospel1 7#crd
 ,ed47 ch4 xxiii4    ,,notes4    #a4    
,melchizedek 7king of ,righteousness73  
,melchisedek1 king of  ,salem and priest
 of the ,most ,high ,god1 who met ,abram
 in the ,valley of  ,shaveh 7or1 the    
level valley71 which is the king's      
valley1 brought out  bread and wine1    
blessed ,abram1 and received tithes from
 him 7,gen4 xiv4  #ah-bj74 ,the other   
places in which ,melchizedek is         
mentioned are ,ps4 cx4  #d1 where       
,messiah is described as a priest       

forever1 after the order of             
,melchizedek1 and ,heb4 v41 vi41 vii41  
where these two passages of the  ,o4 ,t4
 are quoted1 and the typical relation of
 ,melchizedek to our ,lord  is stated at
 great length4    #b4 ,melchizedek in   
,history3 ,there is something surprising
  and mysterious in the first appearance
 of ,melchizedek1 and in the  subsequent
 references to him4 ,bearing a title    
which ,jews in after ages  would        
recognize as designating their own      
sovereign1 bearing gifts  which recall  
to ,christians the ,lord's ,supper1 this
 ,canaanite crosses  for a moment the   
path of ,abram1 and is unhesitatingly   
recognized as a  person of higher       
spiritual rank than the friend of ,god4 
,disappearing  as suddenly as he came   
in1 he is lost to the sacred writings   
for a  thousand years2 and then a few   
emphatic words for another moment bring 
him into sight as a type of the joining 
,lord of ,david4 7,psalms cx74  ,once   
more1 after another thousand years1 the 

,hebrew ,christians are  taught to see  
in him a proof that it was the          
consistent purpose of ,god  to abolish  
the ,levitical priesthood4,a 7,heb4     
vii47 ,his person1 his  office1 his     
relation to ,christ1 and the seat of his
 sovereignty1 have  given rise to       
innumerable discussions1 which even now 
can scarcely be  considered as settled4 
,footnote ,a3 ,no2 not abolish the      
,levitical priesthood1 but supercede  it
 as the dominating power by restoring   
the ,melchizedek ,priesthood  which     
holds precedence of it in power and     
authority2 but both may exist  together 
as in the ,mosaic dispensation before   
,moses and the ,melchizedek  ,priesthood
 was taken from ,israel1 7cf4 ,doc4     
,cov4 ,sec4 lxxxiv3#ai-bc  and ,heb4    
vii4 whole chapter but especially verse 
#ab47    #c4 ,conjectures ,concerning   
,melchizedek3 ,the faith of early  ages 
ventured to invest his person with      
superstitious awe4 ,perhaps  it would be
 too much to ascribe to mere national   

jealousy the fact  that ,jewish         
tradition1 as recorded in the ,targums  
of ,pseudo-,jonathan  and ,jerusalem1   
and in ,rashi on ,gen4 xiv in some      
cabalistic writers1  pronounces         
,melchizedek to be a survivor of the    
,deluge1 the patriarch  ,shem1          
authorized by the superior dignity of   
old age to bless even the  father of the
 faithful1 and entitled1 as the         
paramount lord of ,canaan  7,gen4 ix4   
#bf7 to convey 7xiv4 #ai7 his right to  
,abram4 ,jerome in his  ,ep4 lxxiii4 7ad
 ,evangelum ,opp4 i4 #dch71 which is    
entirely devoted to a  consideration of 
the person and dwelling place of        
,melchizedek1 states  that this was the 
prevailing opinion of the ,jews in his  
time2 and it is  ascribed to the        
,samaritans by ,epiphanius1 7,hae4 ,iv4 
#f1 p4 #dgb47 ,it was  afterwards       
embraced by ,luther and ,melanchthon1 by
 our own countrymen1  ,h4 ,broughson1   
,selden1 ,lightfoot1 ,jackson1 and by   
many others4 ,it  should be noted that  

this supposition does not appear in the 
,targum of  ,onkelos1--a presumption    
that it was not received by the ,jews   
till after  the ,christian era--nor has 
it found favor with the ,fathers4       
7,smith's  ,bible ,dictionary1 ,hackett 
,edition1 p4 #ahgf47    #d4 ,the        
,mystery ,about ,melchizedek3 ,much of  
mystery is connected  with the life and 
character of ,melchizedek4 ,the ,jews1  
says ,kitto1  in admitting              
,melchizedek's official superiority to  
,abraham1 sought  to account for it by  
alleging that the royal priest was no   
other than  ,shem1 the most pious of    
,noah's sons1 who according to the      
shorter  chronology might have lived to 
the time of ,abraham4 7,biblical        
,literature1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 ,art4          
,melchizedek74 ,others have seen in him 
,canaan the son of ,ham3 ,ham himself1  
or even ,enoch2 while others have  held 
that ,melchizedek was no other than the 
son of ,god himself under  human        
appearance1 and still others take him to

 have been an angel1  the latter being  
among the wild notions of ,origen and   
his school4  7,ibid1 as above47 ,all    
this of course is conjecture1 although  
it is not  unreasonable that he may have
 been ,shem the son of ,noah4 ,the ,book
 of  ,mormon gives this important       
information concerning him4    ,now this
 ,melchizedek was a king over the land  
of ,salem2 and his people  had waxed    
strong in iniquity and abominations2    
yea1 they had all gone  astray2 they    
were full of all manner of wickedness3  
,but ,melchizedek  having exercised     
mighty faith1 and received the office of
 the ,high  ,priesthood1 according to   
the holy order of ,god1 did preach      
repentance  unto his people4 ,and       
behold1 they did repent2 and            
,melchizedek did  establish peace in the
 land in his days2 therefore he was     
called the  prince of peace1 for he was 
the king of ,salem2 and he did reign    
under  his father4 ,now1 there were many
 before him1 and also there were many   

afterwards1 but none were greater2      
therefore1 of him they have more        
particularly made mention4 7,alma xiii47
    ,from the ,doctrine and ,covenants  
we learn this important fact2 namely1   
that the priesthood which ,melchizedek  
held was formally called the            
,priesthood after the order of the ,son 
of ,god2 but in order to avoid  a too   
frequent repetition of the name of      
,deity this ,holy ,priesthood  was      
called ,melchizedek1 or ,melchizedek    
,priesthood4 7,doc4  ,cov41 ,sec4  #ajg1
 #a-d47 ,the mystery connected with     
,melchizedek arises doubtless  from the 
language of ,paul in ,hebrew vii1 where 
misapprehension of the  language of the 
,apostle seemingly represents           
,melchizedek as being  without father1  
without mother1 without descent1 having 
neither  beginning of days nor end of   
life1 but made like unto the ,son of    
,god1  abideth a priest continually4    
,the commentators generally interpret   
this as meaning that ,melchizedek was   

without a recorded genealogy4 ,the      
mystery1 however1 disappears when these 
descriptive words are applied1  not to  
the man ,melchizedek1 but to the        
priesthood which he held1 which         
priesthood is without beginning of days 
or end of years1 that is1 it is  an     
eternal thing--without father1 without  
mother1 and without descent1  having    
neither beginning of days nor end of    
life1 but endureth as a  power          
eternally1 even as ,god from whom said  
power emanates is eternal4  ,with this  
interpretation of the language of ,paul 
the necessity for wild  conjectures     
concerning the personality of           
,melchizedek disappears1 and  it will be
 enough if we fix this in the mind      
concerning him2 namely1  he was a great 
,high ,priest1 co-temporary with        
,abraham1 and the one  doubtless from   
whom ,abraham received his ordination to
 the patriarchal  office in the         
priesthood1 to which he had a right by  
reason of his  descent from the         

patriarchs4 7,see ,book of ,abraham1    
chap4 ,i3#a-d47    #e4 ,the ,book of    
,abraham3 ,the ,book of ,abraham1 to    
which reference  is made in the         
analysis1 consisting of five chapters1  
is but a fragment  of ,abraham's        
writings and history1 and in it is found
 no reference to  his meeting the       
,melchizedek1 but reference is made of  
his receiving  the priesthood4 ,it was  
conferred upon him1 he tells us1 from   
the  fathers2 it came down from the     
fathers from the beginning of time1 yea1
  even from the beginning or before the 
foundations of the earth to the  present
 time1 even the right of the first born1
 on the first man1 who  is ,adam1 our   
first father1 through the fathers1 unto 
me4 ,i sought for  mine appointment unto
 the ,priesthood according to the       
appointment of  ,god unto the fathers   
concerning the seed4 7,book of ,abraham1
 chap1 i2  #c-d47    ,this has reference
 doubtless to the patriarchal office in 
the  ,priesthood1 since in the          

subsequent verses he says1 ,but the     
records of  the fathers1 even the       
patriarchs1 concerning the right of     
,priesthood  the ,lord my ,god preserved
 in mine own hands2 therefore a         
knowledge of  the beginning of the      
creation1 and also of the planets1 and  
of the  stars1 as they were made known  
unto the fathers1 have ,i kept even unto
  this day1 and ,i shall endeavor to    
write some of these things upon this    
record for the benefit of my posterity  
that shall come after me4 ,the  manner  
in which this sacred record ,the ,book  
of ,abraham came into the  hands of the 
,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 is to be found 
in the ,history of the  ,church1 ,vol4  
,,ii1 p4 #bcf1 #cdh-cej and foot note4  
#f4 ,the ,call of ,abraham3 ,in that    
course of ,god's dealing with  man which
 is traced in the sacred narrative1 a   
new step was taken by  the choice of a  
,family from which the promised seed of 
the woman was to  spring1 and which     
should meanwhile preserve the knowledge 

and worship  of the true ,god4 ,jehovah1
 in the revelation of himself to man1   
retires1  so to speak1 from the whole   
compass of the race of ,noah into the   
inner  circle of the family of ,abraham4
 ,it was a step required by the state of
  the world1 which had relapsed into    
idolatry and profaneness before the     
death of ,noah4 ,this is clear from the 
story of the building of ,babel1  and it
 is implied in the subsequent history4  
,joshua expressly says that  the family 
of ,terah were idolaters4 99 99 99 99 99
 ,the patriarch whom ,god  made the head
 of his chosen family was born only two 
years after the  death of ,noah4 99 99  
99 99 99 ,he was now seventy-five years 
old2 and this  is the period usually    
assigned to the ',call' of ,abraham2    
though it  was1 in fact1 the second step
 of his career4 ,in tracing these       
stages1  it is important to observe the 
special form of promise and blessing of 
which each was the occasion4 ,the first 
of these involves the germ of  all the  

rest1 though as yet but vaguely         
stated3--,i will make of thee  a great  
nation1 and ,i will bless thee1 and make
 thy name great1 and1  thou shalt be a  
blessing 7to others73 and ,i will bless 
them that bless  thee1 and curse him    
that curseth thee1 and in thee shall all
 families  of the earth be blessed4 ,the
 last words already involve the crowning
  blessing of the ,old ,covenant1 the   
,promise of the ,messiah1 and that to   
the ,gentiles1 all families of the      
earth4 7,dr4 ,smith's ,old ,testament   
,history1 p4 #fg and #gj47    #g4 ,the  
,things ,which ,god ,revealed to        
,abraham3 ,first his design  to make of 
,abraham and his posterity in the earth 
the witness for  himself and the truth  
of the ,gospel unto all nations4 7,gen4 
#ab3aic1  ,book of ,abraham ,i3#af-ai1  
,book of ,abraham #b3f-aa74 ,i will     
bless  them that bless thee1 and curse  
them that curse thee1 said the ,lord2   
and in thee 7that is in thy priesthood7 
and in thy seed 7that is1  thy          

priesthood7 for ,i give unto thee a     
promise that this right shall  continue 
in thee and in thy seed after thee 7that
 is to say the literal  seed or the seed
 of the body7 shall all the families be 
blessed1 even  with the blessings of the
 ,gospel which are the blessings of     
salvation  even of life eternal4        
,second1 in the dispensation to ,abraham
 he revealed the great doctrine  of the 
eternal existence of intelligences4     
7,book of ,abraham #c3af-bc74    ,third1
 he made known to ,abraham the covenant 
of eternal life to man1  which ,god1    
that cannot lie1 promised before the    
world began1 7,titus  #a3b74 ,god1      
according to ,abraham's record1 standing
 among the spirits  in existence before 
the world began1 said3 ,we will go down1
 for there  is space there1 and we will 
take of these materials1 and we will    
make  an earth whereon these may dwell2 
,and we will prove them herewith1 to    
see if they will do all things          
whatsoever the ,lord their ,god shall   

command them2 and they who keep their   
first estate shall be added upon2  and  
they who keep not their first estate    
shall not have glory in the  same       
kingdom with those who keep their first 
estate2 and they who keep  their second 
estate shall have glory added upon their
 heads for ever  and ever4 ,and the     
,lord said3 ,whom shall ,i send8 ,and   
one answered like  unto the ,son of     
,man3 ,here am ,i1 send me4 ,and another
 answered and said3  ,here am ,i1 send  
me4 ,and the ,lord said3 ,i will send   
the first4 ,and the  second was angry1  
and kept not his first estate2 and1 at  
that day1 many  followed after him4     
7,book of ,abraham1 p4 #ff74 ,from which
 it appears  that the whole ,gospel     
scheme of salvation was revealed to     
,abraham4    ,fourth1 he revealed to    
,abraham1 through ,urim and ,thummin    
great  knowledge of the ,universe1 its  
planetary systems and their movements   
and relations 7,book of ,abraham1 chap4 
#c72 and also gave him an account  of   

the preparation of the earth for man's  
abode1 and the knowledge also  of the   
advent of ,adam upon it4 7,book of      
,abraham1 chaps4 #d and #e74            
,,lesson ,,xviii4    7,scripture        
,reading ,exercise47    ,,the ,,mosaic  
,,dispensation4    ,,analysis4    ,i4   
,interim ,between ,abraham and ,moses4  
,,ii4 ,birth and ,call of ,moses4       
,,iii4 ,the ,gospel ,given to ,israel   
,before ,the ,law4 7i4 e4 the ,law of   
,moses47    ,,references4    ,gen4      
xxiv-l2 and ,exodus i4 ,josephus'       
,antiquities1 ,bk4 ,i chs4  xviii-xxii4 
,bk ,,ii1 chs4 i-x4    ,note #a1 #b and 
#c4    ,exodus ii and iii4 ,josephus'   
,antiquities1 ,bk4 ,,ii1 chs4 ix1 xii4  
,heb4 iii3#ac-ai in connection with     
,heb4 iv3#a1 #b and ,i ,cor4 x3#a-d4    
,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 #hd2 vers4 #bj-bb4
 ,gal4 i3#e-h1 #af-ai1 #bd4 ,the        
,gospel1  ch4 xxiii4    ,,notes4    #a4 
,from ,abraham to ,moses3 ,the ,bible   
,history of the period  intervening     
between ,abraham and ,moses has little  

that indicates  specifically the        
existence of the ,gospel among the      
,patriarchs4 ,yet the  communion of the 
,patriarchs ,isaac1 and ,jacob as also  
,joseph1 with the  ,lord1 would argue   
the existence of a knowledge of the     
means by which  such communion could be 
secured4 ,also the offering of          
sacrifices by  these patriarchs1 by     
which was figured forth the great       
,atonement of the  future ,messiah1     
bears witness to the same effect--they  
had the ,gospel4  ,the evident existence
 of the ,high ,priesthood among them    
undoubtedly  argues the existence of the
 ,gospel also as a necessary concomitant
  of that ,priesthood1 since said       
priesthood exists for the purpose of    
administering the ,gospel1 and holds the
 keys of the mysteries of  the kingdom1 
even the key of the knowledge of ,god2  
therefore1 in the  ordinances thereof1  
the power of ,godliness is manifest2 and
 without  the ordinances thereof1 and   
the authority of the ,priesthood1 the   

power of ,godliness is not manifest unto
 men in the flesh2 for without  this no 
man can see the face of ,god and live4  
7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 #hd2  #af-bb47      
,therefore where ever this priesthood is
 found there also will a  knowledge of  
the ,gospel be had4 ,if1 then1 the      
,patriarchs after ,abraham  had the     
,priesthood they undoubtedly had also   
the ,gospel4    #b4 ,the ,patriarch     
,joseph's ,knowledge of the ,covenant of
  ,salvation--the ,gospel3 ,it is       
evident that ,joseph1 the son of ,jacob1
  had larger knowledge of the covenant  
of eternal life which ,god that  cannot 
lie promised before the world began1 but
 hath in due times  manifested his word 
through preaching 7,titus i3#b7--than   
appears in the  ,bible history of that  
patriarch4 ,from the last chapter of    
,genesis it is  evident that ,god had   
revealed unto ,joseph the fact that he  
would visit  his people ,israel1 in     
,egypt1 and deliver them from that land1
 and bring  them unto the land which he 

promised to ,abraham and ,isaac and     
,jacob1 as  the land of their           
inheritance4 ,the ,book of ,mormon      
enlarges that view  of ,joseph's        
knowledge of the purposes of ,god1 by   
representing that  ,god not only        
revealed the fact of a future deliverer 
of ,israel from  ,egypt1 but also       
promised him that out of the fruit of   
his 7,joseph's7  loins1 the ,lord would 
raise up a righteous branch unto the    
,house of  ,israel4 ,not the ,messiah   
but a branch which was to be broken off1
  nevertheless to be remembered in the  
covenants of the ,lord1 that  the       
,messiah should be made manifest unto   
them in the latter days1  in the ,spirit
 of power1 unto the bringing of them out
 of darkness unto  light2 yea1 out of   
hidden darkness and out of captivity    
unto freedom4  99 99 99 99 99 ,for      
,joseph truly testified1 saying3 ,a seer
 shall the ,lord my  ,god raise up1 who 
shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of
 my loins4 99  99 99 99 99 ,thus saith  

the ,lord unto me3 ,a choice seer will  
,i raise up out  of the fruit of thy    
loins2 and he shall be esteemed highly  
among the  fruit of thy loins4 ,and unto
 him will ,i give commandment1 that he  
shall  do a work for the fruit of thy   
loins1 his brethren1 which shall be of  
great worth unto them1 even to the      
bringing of them to the knowledge  of   
the covenants which ,i have made with   
thy fathers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and he     
shall be great like unto ,moses1 whom ,i
 have said ,i would raise up unto  you1 
to deliver my people1 ,o house of       
,israel4 ,and ,moses will ,i raise  up1 
to deliver thy people out of the land of
 ,egypt4 ,but a seer will ,i  raise up  
out of the fruit of thy loins2 and unto 
him will ,i give power  to bring forth  
my word unto the seed of thy loins2 99  
99 99 99 99 ,wherefore1  the fruit of   
thy loins shall write2 and the fruit of 
the loins of  ,judah shall write2 and   
that which shall be written by the fruit
 of thy  loins1 and also that which     

shall be written by the fruit of the    
loins  of ,judah1 shall grow together1  
unto the confounding of false doctrines1
  and laying down of contentions1 and   
establishing peace among the fruit  of  
thy loins1 and bringing them to the     
knowledge of their fathers in  the      
latter days2 and also to the knowledge  
of my covenants1 saith  the ,lord4 7,,ii
 ,nephi1 chap4 #c74 ,the thing which the
 ,lord promised to  bring forth by this 
future ,seer1 the patriarch ,joseph saw 
would bring  salvation unto his people4 
7,,ii ,nephi1 chap1 iii3#ae74 ,and great
 were  the covenants of the ,lord which 
he made unto ,joseph4 7,,ii ,nephi      
iii3#d47    #c4 ,effect of ,israel's    
,bondage in ,egypt3 ,what may have been 
the  effect of ,israel's captivity in   
,egypt in the matter of perpetuating    
the ,priesthood of their fathers and a  
knowledge of the ,gospel cannot  be as  
certained with any degree of certainty  
from what is written4 ,it  would appear1
 however1 that ,god's chosen people were

 not without some  knowledge of ,god and
 of ,christ during the period of their  
captivity2  for the ,hebrew mid-wives   
feared ,god and forebore to commit the  
acts  of murder upon the male infants   
born in ,israel as commanded by the     
,egyptian ,king 7,exodus i3#ae-bb73     
,therefore ,god dealt well with the     
mid-wives2 and the people multiplied and
 waxed very mighty4 7,ibid1  verse #bj74
 ,moreover ,paul says3    ,by faith     
,moses1 when he was bom1 was hid three  
months of his parents1  because they saw
 he was a proper child2 and they were   
not afraid of the  ,king's commandment4 
,by faith ,moses1 when he1 was come to  
years1 refused  to be called the son of 
,pharaoh's daughter2 ,choosing rather to
 suffer  affliction with the people of  
,god1 than to enjoy the pleasures of sin
  for a season2 ,esteeming the reproach 
of ,christ greater riches than  the     
treasures in ,egypt3 for he had respect 
unto the recompense of the  reward4 ,by 
faith he forsook ,egypt1 not fearing the

 wrath of the king3  for he endured1 as 
seeing him who is invisible4 7,heb4     
xi3#bc-bg47    ,esteeming the reproach  
of ,christ greater riches1 etc4         
,query4--,how  could ,moses esteem the  
reproach of ,christ greater riches than 
the  treasures in ,egypt if he knew     
nothing of ,christ8 ,evidently1 whatever
  may have been the status of the       
,israelites in respect of the ,gospel   
and  its administration among them      
during the period of their captivity1   
they at least preserved among themselves
 some knowledge of the ,gospel  and of  
,christ who is ever the central figure  
of it2 and this even  before the call of
 ,moses4    #d4 ,the ,high ,priesthood  
,held by ,others ,than the ,direct      
,descendants  of ,abraham3 ,we learn    
from the ,doctrine and ,covenants that  
the  ,priesthood existed with others    
than with ,abraham and his direct       
descendants4 ,for instance1 one ,esaias 
is named as being contemporary  with    
,abraham and blessed of ,abraham1 but   

that ,esaias himself received  the      
,priesthood under the hand of ,god4     
,that he 7,esaias7 conferred  it upon   
,gad2 ,gad upon ,jeremy1 and ,jeremy    
upon ,elihu1 and ,elihu upon  ,caleb1   
and ,caleb1 upon ,jethro1 ,jethro1 who  
was the priest of ,median  with whom    
,moses sojourned forty years after his  
flight from ,egypt1  and whose daughter 
he married--,jethro conferred the       
priesthood upon  ,moses4 7,doc4  ,cov4  
,sec4 #hd1 #f-ac47 ,so that ,moses      
himself received  the priesthood from a 
line of men holding it who were not     
descendants  of ,abraham4 ,if what we   
have said in ,note ,i of this lesson    
holds good2  namely1 that the           
,melchizedek priesthood and the ,gospel 
are concomitants  of each other1 and    
that the ,high ,priesthood exists for   
the purpose of  administering the       
,gospel1 which conclusion is based on   
the quotation  in that note from the    
,doctrine and ,covenants1 7,sec4 #hd4   
#ag3ba71 then  the existence of the     

priesthood with this line of men above  
named1  argues also that the existence  
of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ among  
them3 and therefore we have knowledge of
 the ,gospel existing not only  with    
,abraham and his successors1 but with   
this independent line of  men also4 ,all
 of which tends to the conclusion that  
there was a wider  dissemination of the 
,gospel in those ancient times than has 
generally  been conceded4    ,early     
,proclamation and ,wide ,diffusion of   
the ,gospel3 ,the tardy  appearance and 
partial distribution of moral and       
religious knowledge in  the world14     
7,mansel1 ,limits of ,religious         
,thought1 ,preface7 has ever  been      
regarded as one of the great religious  
difficulties1 a difficulty  considerably
 lessened when the view presented in    
this ,outline ,history  of the          
,dispensations of the ,gospel is        
accepted2 for herein it is proven  that 
there has neither a tardy appearance or 
even partial distribution  of moral and 

religious knowledge in the world1 but an
 early and  widespread proclamation of  
the ,gospel from the beginning and in   
nearly  all ages there has been preached
 that hope of eternal life1 which ,god1 
that cannot lie1 promised before the    
world began4 ,commenting upon the       
supposed long interval between the fall 
of man and the proclamation of  his     
redemption 7generally supposed to have  
been withheld from the world  until the 
coming of ,christ in the flesh71 even a 
,roman ,pope 7,leo the  ,great1 ,a4 ,d4 
#ddj-dfa7 said3    ,let those who with  
impious murmurings find fault with the  
,divine  dispensations1 and who complain
 about the lateness of ,our ,lord's     
nativity1 cease from their grievances1  
as if what was carried out in  this last
 age of the world had not been impending
 in time past4 99 99 99 99  ,what the   
apostles preached1 the prophets had     
announced before1 and what  has always  
been believed cannot be said to have    
fulfilled too late4 ,by  this delay of  

his work of ,salvation the wisdom and   
love of ,god have  only made us more    
fitted for his call2 so that1 what had  
been announced  before by many signs and
 words and mysteries during so many     
centuries1  should not be doubtful or   
uncertain in the days of the gospel ,god
 has  not provided for the interests of 
men by a new counsel or by a late       
compassion2 but ,he had instituted from 
the beginning for all men one  and the  
same path of salvation4 7,science of    
,religion1 ,muller1 p4 #ajg47           
,,lesson ,,xix4    7,scripture ,reading 
,exercise47    ,,from ,,moses ,,to ,,the
 ,,meridian ,,dispensation4             
,,analysis4    ,i4 ,there ,arose not a  
,prophet since in ,israel like unto     
,moses4    ,,ii4 ,the ,promise of a     
,future ,prophet4    ,,iii4 ,what       
,remained with ,israel4    ,,references4
    ,deut4 xxxiv3#aj-ab4 ,the ,gospel1  
ch4 xxiii4 ,note #a4    ,deut4          
xviii3#ae-ai ,acts1 iii3#bb-bc2 ,acts   
vii3#cg4 ,history of the  ,church1 ,vol4

 ,i1 p4 #ac2 also ,pearl of ,great      
,price1 p4 #ij4 ,note #b4    ,doc4 and  
,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviv3#ag-bh4 ,the       
,gospel1 ch4 xxiii2 pp4 #bcd-e4  ,notes 
#c1 #d1 #e4    ,,notes4    #a4 ,there   
,arose ,not a ,prophet ,since3 ,in      
whatever light we view  this            
extraordinary man1 the eulogy pronounced
 in these inspired words  will appear   
just4 ,no ,hebrew prophet or ruler      
equalled him in character1  official    
dignity1 as well as knowledge of ,god's 
will and opportunities  of announcing   
it4                                     
7,commentary--,jameson-,fausset-,brown47
    #b4 ,the ,lord ,thy ,god ,will      
,raise up ,unto ,thee a ,prophet3  ,the 
insertion of this promise1 in connection
 with the preceding  prohibition1 7not  
to harken to soothsayers1 verse #i-ad7  
might warrant  the application which    
some make of it1 to that order of true  
prophets  whom ,god commissioned in     
unbroken succession to instruct1 to     
direct1  and warn ,his people2 and in   

this view the purport of it is1 ',there 
is  no need to consult with diviners and
 soothsayers1 as ,i shall afford  you   
the benefit of divinely-appointed       
prophets1 for judging of whose          
credentials a sure criterion is given4' 
7vs4 #bj-bb74 ,but the prophet  here    
promised was preeminently the ,messiah1 
for ,he alone was 'like unto  ,moses    
7see on ch4 #cd4 #aj7 in his mediatorial
 character2 in the peculiar  excellence 
of his ministry2 in the number1 variety1
 and magnitude of  his miracles2 in his 
close and familiar communion with ,god2 
and in his  being the author of a new   
dispensation of religion4' ,this        
prediction  was fulfilled #aejj years   
afterwards1 and was expressly applied to
  ,jesus ,christ by ,peter 7,acts #c1   
#bb1 #bc71 and by ,stephen 7,acts #g1   
#cg74  7,commentary--as above47    #c4  
,the ,gospel ,plus the ,law3 ,after     
making the statement that the  ,gospel  
was preached to ,abraham1 ,paul asks the
 question1 ,wherefore  then serveth the 

law8 ,that is1 if the ,gospel was       
preached to ,abraham  how came the law  
of ,moses into existence3 why was it    
given to ancient  ,israel and binding on
 them8 ,to which the apostle replies3   
,it was added because of transgression1 
till the seed should come to  whom the  
promise was made4 99 99 99 99 99        
,wherefore the law was our school       
master to bring us unto ,christ1 that we
 might be justified by faith4    ,the   
matter is still more plainly set forth  
in the ,doctrine and  ,covenants4 ,in   
speaking of the priesthood and the      
ordinances belonging  thereto--through  
which ordinances the power of godliness 
is  manifest2 and without the ordinances
 thereof1 and the authority of  the     
priesthood1 the power of godliness is   
not manifest unto men in  the flesh2 for
 without this--that is without the      
priesthood and its  ordinances--no man  
can see the face of ,god1 even the      
,father1 and  live 7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4  
lxxxiv3#bj1 #ba1 #bb47--the ,lord says3 

,now this  ,moses plainly taught to the 
children of ,israel in the wilderness1  
and  sought diligently to sanctify his  
people that they might behold the  face 
of ,god2 ,but they hardened their       
hearts1 and could not endure his        
presence2 therefore the ,lord in his    
wrath 7for his anger was kindled        
against them7 swore that they should not
 enter into his rest while in  the      
wilderness1 which rest is the fullness  
of his glory4 ,therefore he  took ,moses
 out of their midst1 and the holy       
priesthood also2 ,and the  lesser       
priesthood continued1 which priesthood  
holdeth the key of the  ministering of  
angels and the preparatory ,gospel2     
,which ,gospel is the  ,gospel of       
repentance and of baptism1 and the      
remission of sins1 and  the law of      
carnal commandments1 which the ,lord in 
his wrath caused to  continue with the  
house of ,aaron among the children of   
,israel until  ,john4 7,doc4  ,cov4     
,sec4 lxxxiv3#bc-bg47    ,the above is  

confirmed by the ,jewish scriptures     
also2 for it is written  in the         
concluding chapter of ,deuteronomy--    
,there arose not a prophet since in     
,israel like unto ,moses1 whom the      
,lord knew face to face4    ,in all the 
signs and the wonders1 which the ,lord  
sent him to do in the  land of ,egypt4  
7,deut4 xxiv3#aj-ab47    ,of the things 
we have spoken respecting the ,gospel   
being presented  to ancient ,israel1    
this is the sum3 the ,lord gave them the
 ,gospel1  but because they would not   
observe its sacred requirements1 he took
  it1 that is in its fullness1 from     
among them1 and also the higher  or     
,melchizedek ,priesthood2 but left with 
them the lesser or ,aaronic             
,priesthood2 which holds the key of the 
ministering of angels and the           
preparatory ,gospel 7see above71 to     
minister in outward ordinances1  the    
letter of the ,gospel--the baptism of   
repentance for the remission  of sins1  
7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 cvii1 #bj47 and to  

the part of the ,gospel  which remained1
 viz41 faith in ,god1 repentance and    
baptism for the  remission of sins1 was 
added the law of carnal commandments1   
which was  to educate ,israel for the   
fullness of the ,gospel when ,messiah   
should  come with it4 7,the ,gospel1 pp4
 #bcc1 #bcd1 #bce47    #d4 ,gospel      
,rites ,among the ,jews3 ,in addition to
 the evidence  supplied by the          
,scriptures in the above argumentative  
note1 in the  ,article on baptism in    
,smith's ,dictionary of the ,bible1 it  
is said3    ,there is an universal      
agreement among later ,jewish writers   
that all  the ,israelites were brought  
into covenant with ,god by circumcision1
  baptism1 and sacrifice1 and that the  
same ceremonies were necessary in       
admitting proselytes4 ,thus ,malmonides 
7,issure ,biah1 cap4 #ac72 ,israel  was 
admitted into covenant by three things1 
namely1 by circumcision1  baptism1 and  
sacrifice4 ,circumcision was in ,egypt1 
as it is said1 ',none  uncircumcised    

shall eat of the passover4' ,baptism was
 in the wilderness  before the giving of
 the ,law1 as it is said1 ',thou shalt  
sanctify them  today and to-morrow1 and 
let them wash their garments4' ,and he  
adds1  ,so1 whenever a ,gentile desires 
to enter into the covenant of ,israel1  
and place himself under the wings of the
 ,divine ,majesty1 and take the  yoke of
 the ,law upon him1 he must be          
circumcised1 and baptized and  bring a  
sacrifice2 or if it be a woman1 she must
 be baptized and bring  a sacrifice4    
,the same is abundantly testified by    
earlier writers1  as by the ,jerusalem  
and ,babylonian ,talmud1 although no    
reference to  this custom can be found  
in ,philo1 ,josephus1 or the ,targum of 
,onkelos4  ,its earliest mention appears
 to be in the ,targum of ,jonathan on   
,ex4  xii4 #dd4 ,thou shalt circumcise  
him and baptize him4 ,it should be      
added1 that men1 women1 and children1   
were all baptized1 and either  two or   
three witnesses were required to be     

present4 ,some modern                   
writers--,lardner1 ,ernesti1 ,de ,wette1
 ,meyer1 ,paulus1 and others--have      
doubted or denied that this baptism of  
proselytes had been in use among  the   
,jews from times so early as those of   
the ,gospel2 but it is highly           
improbable that1 after the rise of      
,christianity1 the ,jews should have    
adopted a rite so distinctively         
,christian as baptism had then become4  
7,smith's ,bible ,dictionary1 ,art4     
,baptism1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bcc1 #bcd47     
,in addition to the evidence cited in   
,smith's ,dictionary1 we may add  as a  
convincing fact that before the advent  
of ,jesus as a religious  teacher1 ,john
 the ,baptist came to ,israel crying    
repentance1 and both  teaching and      
administering baptism for the remission 
of sins4 7,see  ,matt1 iii2 ,mark i2    
,luke iii2 ,john i47 ,which established 
the fact that  this ,gospel rite of     
baptism1 was a well established         
institution among  the ,jews under the  

law of ,moses and existed in connection 
with those  ceremonies and sacrifices   
which figured forth the redemption to be
  wrought out by the ,christ4 ,jesus    
also bears witness to the same effect   
in his conversation with ,nicodemus1    
,john iii where he teaches to that      
worthy man the mysteries of the second  
birth1 saying that1 except a  man be    
born of water i4 e4 baptized and of the 
,spirit1 he cannot  enter into the      
kingdom of ,god4 ,and when ,nicodemus   
could not ,comprehend  this doctrine    
,jesus answered and said unto him4 ,art 
thou a ,master of  ,israel and knowest  
not these things8 ,clearly proving that 
,jesus was  not advancing any new       
doctrine1 but referring to the 'well    
established  ,gospel doctrine in        
,israel4    #e4 ,the ,book of ,mormon   
,testimony3 ,the ,book of ,mormon bears 
most  important testimony upon the      
subject of the ,mosaic rites and        
ceremonies  figuring forth the atonement
 to be made by ,messiah and of the      

existence  of the knowledge both of the 
coming and the mission of that ,messiah4
  ,also a knowledge that the law of     
,moses was of no efficiency in securing 
salvation for man only as it was        
associated with1 and finally would be   
completed in1 the coming and atonement  
of the ,christ4    ,the late ,president 
,john ,taylor in his work ,mediation and
 ,atonement1  has grouped in small      
compass the facts that are set forth in 
the ,book  of ,mormon1 bearing on this  
subject as follows3    ,from the ,bible 
we turn to the ,book of ,mormon wih a   
view to discover to  what extent the law
 of sacrifice1 as a type of the offering
 up of the  promised of ,israel which   
,god planted on this continent4 ,in     
perusing the  pages of this sacred      
record1 we shall find several important 
facts and  ideas1 in connection with    
this subject1 presented very prominently
 by  the ancient ,nephite historians3   
among them--    ,first1 that the law of 
,moses1 with all its rites1 ordinances  

and  sacrifices was strictly observed by
 the faithful ,nephites from the time   
of their arrival on the promised land   
until it was fulfilled in ,christ1  and 
by his command ceased to be observed4   
,second1 that when the ,nephites brought
 any of the ,lamanites to the  knowledge
 and worship of the true ,god1 they     
taught them to observe this  law4       
,third1 that those who apostatized from 
the ,nephites1 as a general  thing1     
ceased to observe this law4    ,fourth1 
that the true import of the law of      
,moses1 and of its ceremonies  and      
sacrifices1 as typical of the atonement 
yet to be made by our ,lord  and ,savior
 was thoroughly taught by the           
,priesthood among that people  and very 
generally understood by them4    ,fifth1
 that associated with the observance of 
this law1 there were  continued         
admonitions given that salvation was in 
,christ and not in  the law1 which was  
but the shadow and type of that of which
 he was the  prototype and reality4     

,sixth1 that temples were erected of the
 same pattern as that of ,solomon  at   
,jerusalem1 evidently for the reason    
that they were to be used for  the same 
purposes4    ,seventh1 that the ,gospel 
was preached in connection with the law1
  and churches were established and     
organized according to the ,gospel      
requirements1 and that the higher       
,priesthood1 although not fully         
organized in all its parts1 ministered  
to the ,nephites as well as the  lesser4
    ,eighth1 it appears indubitable from
 the two records1 the ,bible and the    
,book of ,mormon1 that the intent and   
true meaning of the law of ,moses1  of  
its sacrifices1 etc41 were far better   
understood and comprehended by  the     
,nephites than by the ,jews4 ,but in    
this connection1 it must not be         
forgotten1 that a great many most plain 
and precious things as the ,book  of    
,mormon states1 have been taken from the
 ,bible1 through the ignorance  of      
uninspired translators or the design and

 cunning of wicked men4    ,the above   
are the opening paragraphs of chapter   
,,xiv of ,president  ,taylor's work4    
,the remainder of the chapter is devoted
 to elaborate  quotations from the ,book
 of ,mormon bearing out the several     
propositions  in the above quotation4   
,one admirable passage bearing upon the 
subject1  argumentative1 too1 in its    
nature1 is not quoted by ,president     
,taylor1  and ,i herewith supply it4 ,it
 is from the ,nephite prophet ,alma's   
instruction to his son ,corianton3      
,and now1 my son1 ,i would say somewhat 
unto you concerning the coming  of      
,christ4 ,behold ,i say1 that he cometh 
to declare glad tidings of  salvation   
unto his people4 ,and now my son1 this  
was the ministry unto  which you were   
called1 to declare these glad tidings   
unto this people1  to prepare their     
minds2 or rather that salvation might   
come unto them1  that they may prepare  
the minds of their children to hear the 
word at  the time of his coming4 99 99  

99 ,behold1 you marvel why these things 
should  be known so long beforehand4    
,behold1 ,i say unto you1 ,is not a soul
 as  precious unto ,god1 as a soul will 
be at the time of his coming8 ,is it    
not as necessary that the plan of       
redemption should be made known unto    
this people1 as well as unto their      
children8 ,is it not as easy at this    
time1 for the ,lord to send his angel to
 declare these glad tidings unto  us1 as
 unto our children2 or as after the time
 of his coming8 7,alma  ch4 #ci3ae-ai47 
,,lesson ,,xx4    7,scripture ,reading  
,exercise47    ,,the ,,antiquity ,,of   
,,the ,,gospel4,a    7,an ,argumentative
 ,discourse47    ,,text3 ,in hope of    
,eternal ,life1 which ,god that cannot  
lie1 promised  before the world began2  
but hath in due times manifested his    
word  through preaching4 7,titus i3#b1  
#c47    ,,analysis4    ,i4 ,numerous    
,dispensations4    ,,ii4 ,the ,gospel   
,revealed to ,adam4    ,,iii4           
,establishment of the ,ancient ,church4 

,,iv4 ,the ,gospel ,plus the ,law4      
,v4 ,from ,moses to ,john the ,baptist4 
,,vi4 ,of the ,origin of the ,gospel4   
,,references4    ,peter i3#ah-be4 ,rev  
xiii3#h1 xv3#h4 ,job xxxviii3#d-f4      
,titus i3#a1 #b4 ,book of ,moses 7,p4   
,g4 ,p47 ch4 v3#f-h4 ,ibid1 #ef-ei4     
,book of ,moses1 ch4 vi3#dh-eb4 ,gen4   
v3#bd4 ,heb4 xi3#e4 ,alma ch4 xiii4     
,book of ,moses ch4 vii3#fi4    ,heb4   
vii4 ,i ,cor4 x3#a-d4 ,heb4 iii3#ad-ai  
and ,heb4 iv3#a1 #b1;,b and  ,gal4 iii4 
,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxiv3#ai-bi4   
,footnote ,a3 ,such is the importance of
 this subject--a subject which  perhaps 
more than any other differentiates the  
view-point of ,latter-,day  ,saints as  
to the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ from   
that of sectarian  ,christendom1 that ,i
 here depart from the usual lesson      
formula to  introduce in place of       
detached notes an unbroken presentation 
of the  subject4 ,this lesson may be    
regarded as a review of those that have 
preceded it in the present rear ,book1  

also as an illustration of              
argumentative discourse ,the reference  
opposite the ,analysis are those  on    
which the argument is based4            
,footnote ,b3 ,this cites the close of  
one chapter and the opening verses  of  
an other1 but it should be remembered   
that ,paul did not divide his  epistle  
into chapters and verses2 and this      
awkward division is but one  of many    
that exist in the ,scriptures4          
,,notes4    #a4 ,numerous ,dispensations
 of the ,gospel ,given3 ,that there have
  been many dispensations of the        
,gospel1 many times that divine         
authority  has been conferred upon men1 
is apparent from the ,scripture         
narratives  of such events4 ,and yet1   
strange as it may seem1 in the face of  
such  ,scripture narratives1 there are  
those among professing ,christians who  
hold that the ,gospel had no earlier    
origin than the time of ,messiah's      
ministry in the flesh4 ,as a matter of  
fact1 however1 the ,gospel of  ,jesus   

,christ has existed from the very       
earliest ages of the world4  ,there are1
 indeed1 certain passages of ,scripture 
which lead us to  believe that even     
before the earth was made or ever man   
was placed upon  it the ,gospel had been
 formulated and was understood by the   
spirits  which inhabited the kingdom of 
the ,father2 and who1 in course of time1
  would be blessed with a probation on  
the earth--an earth-life4 ,if  this be  
not true1 of what significance is the   
,scripture which speaks  of ,jesus as   
the ,lamb ordained before the foundation
 of the world1 but  revealed in this day
 for the salvation of men4 ,what of the 
,lamb slain  from the foundation of the 
world8 ,and further3 ,they that dwell on
 the  earth shall wonder1 whose names   
were not written in the ,book of ,life  
from the foundation of the world4 ,where
 wast thou1 asked the ,lord  of ,job1   
when ,i laid the foundations of the     
earth8 99 99 99 99 99 ,when the  morning
 stars sang together1 and all the sons  

of ,god shouted for joy8  ,there is     
evidence in these expressions found in  
,scripture that before  the foundations 
of the earth were laid the sacrifice    
necessary to the  redemption of men was 
understood1 and the ,lamb for the       
sacrifice was  chosen1 ,jesus1 the      
,messiah4 ,there is evidence in these   
expressions  from ,scripture of the     
pre-existence of the spirits of men1 and
 the  names of some of them at least    
were written in the ,book of ,life from 
the foundation of the world1 and it is  
not unlikely that the shouting  of all  
the sons of ,god for joy1 at the        
creation of the earth was in            
consequence of the prospects which      
opened before them because of the       
earth-life and the salvation that would 
come to them through the  ,gospel--even 
in the prospects of that eternal life1  
which ,god that  cannot lie1 promised   
before the world began4 7,see the text  
of this  discourse47    ,the ,gospel1   
then1 is of great antiquity4 ,older than

 the hills1 older  than the earth2 for  
in the heavenly kingdom was it          
formulated before  the foundations of   
the earth were laid4    #b4 ,the ,gospel
 ,revealed to ,adam3 ,nor were men left 
in ignorance  of the plan of their      
redemption until the coming of the      
,messiah in the  flesh4 ,from the first 
that plan was known4 ,our annals are    
imperfect on  that head1 doubtless1 but 
enough exists even in the ,jewish       
scriptures  to indicate the existence of
 a knowledge of the fact of the         
,atonement  and of the redemption of man
 through that means4 ,abel1 the son cf  
,adam1 is the first we read of in the   
,jewish scriptures as offering  the     
firstlings of his flock as a sacrifice  
unto ,god4 ,how came he  to offer       
sacrifice of the firstlings of his      
flock8 ,doubtless behind  ,abel's       
sacrifice1 as behind similar offerings  
in subsequent ages1 stood  the fact of  
the ,christ's ,atonement4 ,in it was    
figured forth the means  of man's       

redemption--through a sacrifice1 and    
that the sacrifice of  the first-born4  
,but where learned ,abel to offer       
sacrifice if not from  his father1      
,adam8 ,it is reasonably certain that   
,adam as well as ,abel  offered         
sacrifices1 in like manner and for the  
same intent2 and to  ,adam1 though the  
,jewish scriptures are silent respecting
 it1 ,god must  have revealed both the  
necessity of offering sacrifice and the 
great  thing of which it was but the    
symbol4 ,and here1 to some advantage1   
may be quoted a passage from the        
writings of ,moses1 as revealed to      
,joseph ,smith1 in ,december1 #ahcj4    
,from what was then made known to the   
great ,latter-,day ,prophet of the      
writings of ,moses1 it appears that  our
 book of ,genesis does not contain all  
that was revealed to ,moses  respecting 
the revelations of ,god to ,adam and his
 children of the first  generation4     
,according to this more complete account
 of the revelation  to ,moses1 after    

,adam was driven from ,eden1 ,god gave  
commandments both  to him and his wife1 
that they should worship the ,lord their
 ,god1 and  should offer the firstlings 
of their flocks for an offering unto the
  ,lord1 and ,adam was obedient unto the
 commandment3    ,and after many days an
 angel of the ,lord appeared unto ,adam1
 saying3  ,why doest thou offer         
sacrifices unto the ,lord8 ,and ,adam   
said unto him3  ,i know not1 save the   
,lord commanded me4 ,and the angel      
spake1 saying3  ,this thing is a        
similitude of the sacrifice of the ,only
 ,begotten of the  ,father1 which is    
full of grace and truth4 ,wherefore1    
thou shalt do all  that thou doest in   
the name of the ,son1 and thou shalt    
repent and call  upon ,god in the name  
of the ,son for evermore4    ,after some
 time elapsed and men multiplied in the 
earth and wickedness  increased2 after  
,abel1 the righteous1 was slain and     
,cain was a vagabond  in the earth for  
the murder2 after ,lamech had also      

become a murderer  and ,satan had great 
power among the disobedient--then1 it is
 written3    ,and ,god cursed the earth 
with a sore curse1 and was angry with   
the  wicked1 with all the sons of men   
whom he had made2 for they would not    
hearken unto his voice1 nor believe on  
,his ,only ,begotten ,son1 even ,him    
whom ,he declared should come in the    
meridian of time1 who was prepared  from
 before the foundation of the world4    
,and thus the ,gospel began to  be      
preached1 from the beginning1 being     
declared by holy angels sent  forth from
 the presence of ,god1 and by ,his own  
voice1 and by the gift  of the ,holy    
,ghost4 ,and thus all things were       
confirmed unto ,adam1 by an  holy       
ordinance1 and the ,gospel preached1 and
 a decree sent forth1 that  it should be
 in the world1 until the end thereof4   
,establishment of the ,ancient ,church3 
,as the ,gospel was thus preached there 
were those among the children  of ,adam 
who obeyed it1 and a record of those men

 was kept1 and they  constituted the    
ancient ,church of ,god4 ,enoch was of  
the number of  righteous ones1 and a    
preacher of righteousness4 ,in these    
revealed  writings of ,moses he is      
represented in the course of his        
ministry as  referring to the manner in 
which the ,gospel was taught to ,adam3  
,and he said unto them3 ,because that   
,adam fell1 we are and by his fall  came
 death2 and we are made partakers of    
misery and woe4 ,behold ,satan  hath    
come among the children of men1 and     
tempteth them to worship him2  and men  
have become carnal1 sensual1 and        
devilish1 and are shut out  from the    
presence of ,god4 ,but ,god hath made   
known unto our fathers  that all men    
must repent4 ,and ,he called upon our   
father ,adam by ,his  own voice saying3 
,i am ,god2 ,i made the world1 and men  
before they  were in the flesh4 ,and ,he
 also said unto him3 ,if thou wilt turn 
unto  me1 and hearken unto my voice1 and
 believe1 and repent of all thy         

transgressions1 and be baptized even in 
water in the name of mine ,only         
,begotten ,son who is full of grace and 
truth which is ,jesus ,christ1 the  only
 name which shall be given under heaven1
 whereby salvation shall  come unto the 
children of men1 ye shall receive the   
gift of the ,holy  ,ghost1 asking all   
things in ,his name and whatsoever ye   
shall ask1 it  shall be given you4      
,adam was obedient to the commandments  
of the ,lord1 and taught them to  his   
children1 any of whom believed them     
obeyed1 and became the sons of  ,god4   
,enoch1 we are told1 walked with ,god2  
and he was not2 for ,god took  him4     
,paul1 in speaking of him1 says3 ,by    
faith ,enoch was translated  that he    
should not see death2 and was not found1
 because ,god had  translated him4 ,but 
the writings of ,moses1 as revealed to  
,joseph  ,smith1 and from which ,i have 
been quoting1 give information that not 
only was ,enoch translated but the      
,saints inhabiting his city1 into  which

 he had gathered his people1 and this   
city was called ,zion2 ,and  it came to 
pass that ,zion was not1 for ,god       
received it up into ,his own  bosom2 and
 from thence went forth the saying1     
,zion is fled4    ,the ,gospel ,plus the
 ,law3    ,thus the ,gospel was taught  
to the ancients4 ,noah was a preacher of
 it  as well as ,enoch4 ,so1 too1 was   
,melchizedek1 priest of the ,most ,high 
,god1 ,king of ,salem1 who met ,abraham 
in his day and blessed him4 ,paul1  the 
,apostle of the ,gentiles1 bears        
unmistakable testimony to the fact  that
 the ,gospel was preached unto ,abraham2
 and also that it was offered  to       
,israel under ,moses before the law of  
carnal commandments was  given4 ,i would
 not that ye should be ignorant1 he     
says1 how that  all our fathers were    
under the cloud1 and all passed through 
the sea2  and were all baptized unto    
,moses in the cloud and in the sea2 and 
did  all eat the same spiritual meat2   
and did all drink the same spiritual    

drink2 for they drank of that spiritual 
,rock that followed them2 and  that     
,rock was ,christ4    ,referring again  
to the fact of the presentation of the  
,gospel to  ancient ,israel1 ,paul says 
that the ,gospel was preached unto      
ancient  ,israel1 as well as unto       
,israel in his day2 but the preaching of
 the  ,gospel to ancient ,israel was not
 profitable to them1 because they       
received it not in faith1 and as a      
result displeased ,god by their         
unbelief1 and the rebellious perished in
 the wilderness4    ,paul's great       
controversy with the ,christian ,jews   
was in relation to the  superiority of  
the ,gospel to the law of ,moses4 ,many 
of the ,christian  ,jews1 while         
accepting ,jesus of ,nazareth as the    
promised ,messiah1 still  held to the   
law with something like superstitious   
reverence1 and could  not be persuaded  
that the ,gospel superceded the law1 and
 was1 in fact1  a fulfillment of all its
 types and symbols4 ,this controversy   

culminated  in ,paul's now celebrated   
letter to the ,galatians1 wherein he    
says3    ,know ye therefore that they   
which are of faith1 the same are the    
children of ,abraham4 ,and the          
,scripture1 foreseeing that ,god would  
justify the heathen through faith1      
preached before the gospel  unto        
,abraham1 saying1 ,in thee shall all    
nations be blessed ,now  to ,abraham and
 his seed were the promises made4 ,he   
sayeth not and  to seeds1 as of many2   
but as one4 ,and to thy seed1 which is  
,christ4  ,and this ,i say1 that the    
covenant1 that was confirmed before of  
,god  in ,christ1 the law1 which was    
four hundred and thirty years after1    
cannot disannul1 that it should make the
 promise of none effect4 99 99 99       
,wherefore then serveth the law8 ,it was
 added because of transgressions1  till 
the seed should come to whom the promise
 was made2 and it was  ordained by      
angels in the hand of a mediator4 99 99 
,wherefore the law  was our             

school-master that faith is come1 we are
 no longer under a  school-master4 ,for 
ye are all the children of ,god by faith
 in ,christ  ,jesus4    ,from ,moses to 
,john the ,baptist3    ,in greater      
clearness1 however1 than in these       
sayings of ,paul gathered  up from his  
writings like scattered rays of light   
from a prism's  reflection1 the         
antiquity of the ,gospel1 as far as it  
concerns ancient  ,israel1 is stated in 
a revelation of ,god to the ,prophet    
,joseph ,smith4  ,and not only the      
antiquity of the ,gospel1 but in greater
 clearness  also is stated the reasons  
why1 after the ,gospel was first        
preached  to ancient ,israel1 the law of
 carnal commandments was added to the   
,gospel1 or given in its place to act as
 a school-master to bring ,israel  unto 
,christ4 ,and by the knowledge imparted 
in that revelation the time  between the
 ,mosaic dispensation and the coming of 
,john the ,baptist1 to  prepare the way 
for the coming of the ,christ1 is       

spanned by a statement  so rational1    
that the truth of it cannot be          
reasonably questioned4  ,speaking of the
 ,melchizedek ,priesthood and its powers
 in administering  the ordinances of the
 ,gospel1 and how it came to disappear  
as an  organization in ,israel1 the     
passage in question says3    ,this      
greater ,priesthood administereth the   
,gospel and holdeth the key  of the     
mysteries of the kingdom1 even the key  
of the knowledge of  ,god2 therefore1 in
 the ordinances thereof1 the power of   
godliness is  manifest2 and without the 
ordinances thereof1 and the authority of
  the ,priesthood1 the power of         
godliness is not manifest unto men in   
the flesh2 for without this no man can  
see the face of ,god1 even the  ,father1
 and live4 ,now this ,moses plainly     
taught to the children of  ,israel in   
the wilderness1 and sought diligently to
 sanctify his people  that they might   
behold the face of ,god2 but they       
hardened their hearts  and could not    

endure his presence1 therefore the ,lord
 in ,his wrath 7for  ,his anger was     
kindled against them7 sware that they   
should not enter  into ,his rest while  
in the wilderness1 which rest is the    
fullness of  ,his glory4 ,therefore ,he 
took ,moses out of their midst1 and the 
,holy  ,priesthood also2 and the lesser 
,priesthood continued1 which ,priesthood
  holdeth the key of the ministering of 
angels and the preparatory  ,gospel2    
which ,gospel is the ,gospel of         
repentance and of baptism1 and  the     
remission of sins1 and the law of carnal
 commandments1 which the  ,lord in ,his 
wrath1 caused to continue with the house
 of ,aaron among the  children of       
,israel until ,john1 whom ,god raised   
up1 being filled with  the ,holy ,ghost 
from his mother's womb2 for he was      
baptized while he was  yet in his       
childhood1 and was ordained by the angel
 of ,god at the time  he was eight days 
old unto this power to overthrow the    
kingdom of the  ,jews1 and to make      

straight the way of the ,lord1 before   
the face of his  people1 to prepare them
 for the coming of the ,lord1 in whose  
hand is  given all power4    ,as before 
remarked1 this passage spans the        
interval of time between  ,moses and    
,john the ,baptist1 and gives a fuller  
explanation than can  be found in the   
writings of ,paul or elsewhere1 for the 
reason why and  in what manner the law  
was added to the ,gospel2 and what      
measure of  the ,priesthood remained    
with ,israel unto the coming of ,john2  
in what  the mission of ,john consisted1
 and in what manner he was qualified to 
fulfill that mission4    #f4 ,of        
,origin3 ,it is a question that has been
 much discussed  whether ,christianity  
has been derived from the mythologies of
 heathen  nations1 or the mythologies of
 heathen nations--wherein they seem  to 
be related to ,christian ,gospel        
ideas1--derived from a very early       
revelation of the ,gospel1 say in the   
patriarchal age4 ,dr4 ,john ,w4  ,draper

 at the conclusion of an exhaustive     
review of the conclusions of  ,greek and
 ,oriental philosophies1 says3 ,on this 
point we may therefore  accept as       
correct the general impression          
entertained by philosophers1  ,greek1   
,alexandrian1 and ,roman after the      
,christian era1 that1 at the  bottom1   
the ,greek and ,oriental philosophies   
were alike1 not only as  respects the   
questions they proposed for solution1   
but also in the  decisions they arrived 
at4 ,as we have said1 this impression   
led to  the belief that there must have 
been in the remote past a revelation    
common to both1 though subsequently     
obscured and vitiated by the            
infirmities and wickedness of man4      
7,intellectual ,development of  ,europe1
 p4 #bbd47    ,later the ,dr4 remarks3  
,indeed1 so complete is the parallel    
between the  course of mental evolution 
in ,asia and ,europe1 that it is        
difficult to  designate a matter of     
minor detail in the philosophy of the   

one which  cannot be pointed out in that
 of the other4 ,it was not without      
reason1  therefore1 that the            
,alexandrian philosophers1 who were     
profoundly  initiated in the detail of  
both systems1 time to the conclusion    
that  such surprising coincidences could
 only be accounted for upon the         
admission that there had been an ancient
 revelation1 the vestiges of  which had 
descended to their time4 7,ibid1 p4     
#bcg44 7    ,the author of the          
,intellectual ,development of ,europe1  
however1  does not acquiesce in this    
conclusion1 but offers the following as 
an explanation3 ,in this1 however1 they 
judged erroneously3 the true            
explanation consisting in the fact that 
the process of development of  the      
intellect of man1 and the final results 
to which he arrives in  examining       
similar problems1 are in all countries  
the same4 7p4 #bcg47  ,which is a most  
lame and impotent conclusion1 and one   
not borne out  by the facts of the      

history of ideas4 ,much juster is the   
conclusion  presented by the late       
,president ,john ,taylor1 who1 at the   
end of a  some what extended review of  
traditions respecting the mythologies of
  various races1 wherein seemed to be   
reflected essential ,christian facts    
and ideas1 says3    ,the fact is clearly
 proved1 instead of ,christianity1      
deriving  its existence and acts from   
the ideas and practices of heathen      
mythologists1 and from various false    
systems that had been introduced  by    
apostacy1 unrecognized pretensions and  
fraud1 that those very  systems         
themselves were obtained from the true  
,priesthood1 and founded  on its        
teachings from the earliest ages to the 
advent of our ,lord and  ,savior ,jesus 
,christ3 that those holy principles were
 taught to ,adam1  and by him to his    
posterity2 that ,enoch1 ,noah1 ,abraham1
 and the various  ,prophets had all     
borne testimony of this grand and       
important event1  wherein the interest  

and happiness of the whole world was    
concerned1  pertaining to time and to   
eternity4 ,the ,gospel is a system1     
great1  grand and comprehensive         
commencing in eternity1 extending       
through all  time1 and then reaching    
into ,transcriber's note3 break in text 
here  appears to be a printer's error in
 the original4    ,concluding           
,reflections3    ,the view here         
presented of the antiquity of the       
,gospel1 as remarked  in the foot note  
at page #ajj1 differentiates the        
viewpoint of the  ,latter-day ,saints   
from that of sectarian ,christendom1    
concerning  the ,gospel of ,jesus       
,christ4 ,it presents that ,gospel as   
,the hope of  eternal life1 which ,god  
that cannot lie1 promised before the    
world  began4 ,jesus is the ,lamb slain 
from before the foundation of the       
world4 ,the sons of ,god shouted for joy
 when the foundations of the  earth were
 laid1 in prospect of that eternal life 
promised through  the ,gospel of the    

,christ4 ,it is of greater antiquity    
than the earth  itself1 then4 ,older    
than the hills1 or the mountains1 or the
 sea4 ,is  it not older than the stars1 
since it comes of the love of ,god1 also
  the ,christ love for man2 answered by 
the love of man for ,god1 and or        
,christ1 and or fellow man8 ,in all     
worlds and in all world-systems does    
not the same ,gospel prevail8 ,is not   
eternal law maintained by its  constant 
and eternal vindication1 what some call 
the maintenance of  ,justice8 ,does not 
violation of law involve intelligences  
in suffering  in all worlds8            
,everywhere1 as here in this world1 may 
not one suffer  for another1 because    
bound together in that mysterious       
sympathy1 which  proclaims the universal
 kinship of intelligences1 and          
emphasises the  truth that no man lives 
unto himself alone8 ,if the implied     
answer to  these questions be true1 will
 there not in some form be an expression
  of the ,christ-love that will offer   

itself a ransome for others that  the   
element of mercy may be brought into    
,god's economy of things1 even  as it   
was brought into the moral economy of   
this our world by such an  offering8    
,and out of these fundamental realities 
and universalities  will there not grow 
up all those relations of ,redeemer and 
redeemed2  ,teacher and the taught2     
penitent and ,forgiver8 ,will not ,god  
be in such  worlds reconciling them to  
himself through the ,christ and the     
,christ  spirit that shall be made every
 where to abound8    ,to all this ,i    
answer undoubtedly4 ,and as in the last 
analysis of things  there is one        
,god-nature into which ,intelligences   
who are sons of ,god  arise1 and in     
which they live2 for there is one       
,justice and one ,mercy  and one ,love  
and one ,plan of ,salvation which saves 
all worlds--one  ,gospel and that is    
from eternity4 ,i say nothing of the    
forms through  which that one ,gospel   
may receive its manifestations in other 

worlds4  ,i only know the forms through 
which it is expressed in this world1 and
  that only because of the revelations  
that ,god has given in the various      
dispensations granted to this world1 and
 that is enough4 ,but ,i am sure  that  
in the last analysis of things the      
essential principles of the  ,gospel    
that are ordained to save our world is  
the ,gospel that will  redeem all       
worlds2 for the principle of our ,gospel
 stripped of local  coloring are in     
their nature permanent and universal and
 hence1 not  only of great antiquity1   
but eternal1 it is the ,ever ,lasting   
,gospel4        ,,part ,,iv4    ,the    
,meridian ,dispensation4 7,note #a7     
,,lesson ,,xxi4    7,scripture ,reading 
,exercise47    ,,the ,,forerunner ,,and 
,,the ,,christ4    ,,analysis4    ,i4   
,the ,ministry of the ,baptist4    #a4  
,john's ,special ,message4    #b4 ,the  
,baptism of ,jesus4    #c4 ,his         
,testimony of the ,divinity of ,jesus4  
,,ii4 ,the ,ministry of ,jesus4    #a4  

,the ,call of the ,twelve4    #b4       
,messiah's ,precepts4    #c4 ,the       
,manner of ,his ,teaching4              
,,references4    ,st4 ,john i3#f-cf2    
also iii3#bc-cf;,a ,matt4 iii4 ,mark i4 
,luke iii3#a-bc4  ,notes #d1 #e4        
,luke iv3#a-bc4 ,mark i3#ad1 #ae4       
,matt1 iv3#ab-be4 ,john i3#ce-fa4       
,matt1 v-vii4 ,st4 ,john vi-viii4 ,note 
#f4    ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john's       
,gospel gives the most complete account 
of  ,john the ,baptists' ministry1 and  
hence is given precedency here4 ,the    
same method is followed on other topics2
 that is1 the evangelist or  authority  
giving the fullest or most important    
information is given  precedence4       
,,notes4    #a4 ,meridian ,dispensation3
 ,meaning really the middle             
dispensation3 the one that comes some   
where near midway between the  first and
 the last4 ,the first opened with ,adam1
 the last closes with  the triumph of   
the ,christ4 ,it would be more agreeable
 to the writer to  call the             

,dispensation here to be treated the    
,christian ,dispensation1  because      
,christ is not only the central figure  
of it1 but in it also  he lives his     
earth career1 manifests ,god in the     
flesh1 and opens the  way of the        
resurrection4 ,but since it is          
imperative that we recognize  the real  
presence of the ,christ in every        
dispensation1 from the very  first to   
the very last1 it might lead to         
confusion to call this  ,meridian       
,dispensation the ,christian            
,dispensation1 and hence the less       
satisfactory name is used4    #b4       
,treatment of the ,meridian             
,dispensation3 ,it is not the purpose   
of the lessons covering the period of   
this ,meridian ,dispensation to  deal   
either in detail or succinctly with     
historical events4 ,the general  scheme 
of our present year's work precludes any
 such attempt4 ,equally  distant is it  
from our purpose to attempt to treat    
exhaustively of  ,christian doctrine1 or

 even the divinity of ,christ4 ,the     
intention of  the lesson is merely to   
present sufficient historical and       
doctrinal  matter as will hold the      
thought present to the mind that a      
dispensation  of the ,gospel was again  
given to men under the ministry of ,john
  the ,baptist1 the forerunner of the   
,christ1 and in the birth1 life1        
teaching1 death1 and resurrection of    
,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,the aim of the    
,lessons dealing with this dispensation 
is merely to treat it as one  of many   
dispensations of the ,gospel given to   
men3 not to emphasize  its glory1 or    
importance1 or treat it as a culmination
 of ages1 or  of divine purposes4 ,for  
that culmination of ages and            
purposes--the  ,dispensation of the     
,fullness of ,times1 which will witness 
gathered  together1 in one all things in
 ,christ1 both which are in heaven1 and 
which are on earth2 even in ,him2 the   
age in which the ,christ shall be       
entirely triumphant is an age and       

dispensation future from the ,meridian  
,dispensation1 as we shall fully see    
before this division of our work        
closes4 ,here it is thought necessary   
only to guard the student against       
disappointment by cautioning him not to 
expect too much4    #c4 ,literature of  
the ,meridian ,dispensation3 ,the       
history of the  ,meridian ,dispensation 
divides itself into two chief parts3    
7#a7 ,the  ,revelation of the ,gospel by
 ,jesus ,christ1 including the          
accomplishment  of his work of          
redemption2 and 7#b7 the ,propagation of
 the ,gospel1 and  full establishment of
 the ,christian ,church1 after his      
ascension4 ,the  former history is      
written in the ,gospels1 of the ,four   
,evangelists1  the respective openings  
of which furnish us with four different1
 but  almost equally important1         
starting-points for all that follows4   
,st4  ,matthew1 who writes with the most
 constant reference to the fulfillment  
of prophecy1 begins by showing that     

,jesus ,christ was1 by his reputed      
father ,joseph1 the son of ,david1 and  
the son of ,abraham2 the predicted  king
 of the royal line of ,judah2 the       
promised seed1 in whom all  kindreds of 
the earth were to be blessed2 the great 
object of ,covenants  made by ,god wih  
,abraham and with ,david4 ,st4 ,mark1   
commencing at once  with the public     
proclamation of ,christ1 dates the      
beginning of the  ,gospel of ,jesus     
,christ the ,son of ,god from the       
ministry of ,john the  ,baptist as his  
forerunner4 ,st4 ,luke places in the    
forefront of his  narrative its         
practical purpose1 for the instruction  
of a convert to  ,christianity1 and     
begins to write in order from the birth 
of ,john the  ,baptist1 and of ,christ  
himself4 ,st4 ,john1 having his mind    
imbued with  the mysteries revealed to  
the disciples whom ,jesus loved1 goes   
hack  to a beginning antecedent to all  
time1 and displays the eternal and      
divine glory of that ,life and ,light1  

which were1 manifested by ,christ  when 
he appeared on earth4    ,and what is   
true of the beginning of the ,gospel    
history applies to  each step of its    
subsequent development4 ,critics may    
speculate on some  common remoter source
 of the narratives of the four          
evangelists1 till  they learn to abandon
 the unprofitable search2 harmonists may
 pursue  their useful labors so far as  
to be in danger of confounding the      
separate characters1 the four documents1
 in the artificial compound of  their   
own making2 but the student who rightly 
appreciates the purpose  of ,god's      
providence1 in entrusting the record to 
four writers instead  of one1 will trace
 the distinct spirit of each as really  
his own1 and  will find the truest      
harmony in the concordant spiritual     
impression  they produce1 under the     
guidance of the inspiration of the ,holy
  ,ghost4 7,dr4 ,smith's ,new ,testament
 ,history1 p4 #agh47    ,the ,literature
 of the second part of the ,meridian    

,dispensation1 viz4  ,the ,propagation  
of the ,gospel is found in the ,acts of 
the ,apostles1  and the ,epistles and   
treatis that make up the balance of the 
,new  ,testament4 ,history says3    ,st4
 ,luke's ,second ,treatise or           
,discourse1 7,the ,acts7 addressed to   
,theophilus1 bears a title apt to       
mislead the reader2 a title certainly   
not given it by its author4 ,it contains
 no full account of the ,acts  of the   
,apostles4 ,most of them are never      
mentioned even by name1 after  the list 
given in the first chapter2 and the     
history of ,st4 ,paul is  not brought   
down to his death4 ,its true subject is 
the fulfillment of  the promise of the  
,father by the descent of the ,holy     
,spirit1 and the  results of that       
outpouring1 in the diffusion of the     
,gospel among ,jews  and ,gentiles4 ,it 
deals only with the beginning of this   
great theme2  and1 having shown us the  
full establishment of ,christ's ,church1
 first  in the ,holy ,land1 then in     

those ,eastern and ,grecian provinces of
 the  ,roman empire which the ,jews were
 wont to regard as representing the     
whole ,gentile world1 and finally at    
,rome2 it leaves all the future         
progress of the ,gospel to be recorded  
by the ,church itself4    ,and the point
 where the sacred history thus breaks   
off is marked by a  most striking change
 in the character of the records4 ,there
 is a great  gulf between the last      
verses of the ',acts' and the last      
allusions in  the ,epistles of ,st4     
,paul1 and the earliest authentic       
chapters of what  is called             
',ecclesiastical ,history4' ,the chasm  
is only bridged over by  traditions of  
uncertain value1 in which even the      
martyrdom of ,st4 ,peter  and ,st4 ,paul
 is disfigured by childish legends1 and 
worldly principles  are already seen at 
work in the kingdom of ,christ4 7,ibid1 
p4 #cgh47    ,it will greatly aid in    
understanding the doctrinal development 
of this  dispensation if it is          

remembered that the ,gospels of the ,new
 ,testament  were not written first1 nor
 even the ,acts of the ,apostles2 that  
most  likely some of the epistles of    
,paul form the older written documents  
of the ,meridian ,dispensation 7for the 
probable order in which these  epistles 
were written see ,seventy's ,year ,book1
 ,no4 ,i4 note1 pp4 #hh-i72  and1 that  
while the ,apostle of the ,gentiles had 
the personal1 verbal  narratives of some
 of the ,apostles who were companions of
 the ,master to  aid him in forming his 
conceptions of the ,life and ,mission of
 ,christ1  he had no such written       
treasury as we now have in the four-fold
 story  of the ,evangelists4    ,the    
literature of the ,meridian             
,dispensation on the ,western hemisphere
  is found in the ,book of ,mormon4     
,prophetically 7and it should be        
remembered that prophecy is but reversed
 history7 in the record on  the small   
plates of ,nephi 7the first #aeg pages  
of the book71 as also  in the abridged  

records of ,mormon1 more especially the 
,book of ,alma  7#ab1 #ac and #dbnd     
chapters72 and ,historically in ,,iii   
,nephi1 which has  not inappropriately  
been called ,the ,fifth ,gospel1 and    
,the ,american  ,gospel 7,see ,lecture  
on the subject1 ,defense of the ,faith  
and the  ,saints pp4 #cga-cii71 because 
it details the ministry of the ,christ  
in  the western hemisphere1 and adds    
largely to views of the world-mission   
of the ,christ1 the ,christ4    #d4 ,the
 ,spirit of the ,age at the ,opening of 
the ,meridian  ,dispensation3 ,the      
,editor of ,dr4 ,jortin's ,remarks on   
,ecclesiastical  ,history1 in a foot    
note1 ,commenting on the remark of his  
author to  the effect that it had often 
been observed that ,christianity made   
its  appearance in the most proper time1
 and under a favorable concurrence  of  
circumstances1 says3 ,with respect to   
the fitness of the time  at which       
,christianity made its appearance1 the  
civilization1 which  everywhere         

accompanied the progress of ,roman      
conquest1 was favorable  to the         
extension of a religion which the arms  
of the ,caesars had  now achieved4 ,the 
tendency of the ,pagan superstitions to 
degrade  the human mind1 and the        
demoralizing effects of the prevailing  
,epicurism1--against which the          
severities of the ,stoics and           
refinements  of the ,platonists         
exercised1 if any1 the most trifling    
influence1--had  yet contributed to     
arouse all but the most abandoned to the
 necessity  of a reformation1 and thus  
to prepare the way for the reception of 
the doctrines of the ,gospel1 at a      
period when the union of so many        
nations under one power would facilitate
 their propagation4 ,it has been  said1 
indeed1 that the gradual development of 
the powers of the human  understanding  
resulted1 as it were1 spontaneously in  
the ,christian  system2 but the time1   
however1 fitted for the reception of the
 ,gospel1  was altogether inadequate to 

its production4 ,not only was           
,christianity  before the age in which  
it appeared1 but it has remained in     
advance of  the highest moral perfection
 to which the mind of man has yet       
attained1  or1 without its aid1 is      
capable of attaining4 7,jortin on       
,ecclesiastical  ,history1 p4 #a74      
#e4 ,the ,greatness of ,john the        
,baptist's ,mission3 ,among those  that 
are born of women1 there hath not arisen
 a greater prophet than  ,john the      
,baptist3 nevertheless1 he that is least
 in the kingdom of  heaven is greater   
than he4    ,how is it that ,john was   
considered one of the greatest          
,prophets8 ,his  miracles could not have
 constituted his greatness4    ,firstly4
 ,he was intrusted with a divine mission
 of preparing the way  before the face  
of the ,lord4 ,whoever had such a trust 
committed to him  before or since8 ,no  
man4    ,secondly4 ,he was intrusted    
with the important mission1 and it was  
required at his hands to baptize the    

,son of ,man4 ,whoever had the honor  of
 doing that8 ,whoever had so great a    
privilege and glory8 ,whoever led  the  
,son of ,god into the ,water of baptism1
 and had the privilege of  beholding the
 ,holy ,ghost descend in the form of a  
dove1 or rather the  sign of a dove1 in 
witness of that administration8 ,the    
sign of the dove  was instituted before 
the creation of the world1 a witness for
 the ,holy  ,ghost1 and the ,devil      
cannot come in the sign of a dove4 ,the 
,holy ,ghost  is a personage1 and is in 
the form of a personage4 ,it does not   
confine  itself to the form of a dove1  
but in sign of a dove4 ,the ,holy ,ghost
  cannot be transformed into a dove2 but
 the sign of a dove was given  to ,john 
to signify the truth of the deed1 as the
 dove is an emblem or  token of truth   
and innocence4    ,thirdly4 ,john1 at   
that time1 was the only legal           
administrator in the  affairs of the    
kingdom there was then on earth and     
holding the keys  of power4 ,the ,jews  

had only to obey his instructions or be 
damned1  by their own law2 and ,christ  
himself fulfilled all righteousness in  
becoming obedient to the law which he   
had given to ,moses on the mount1  and  
thereby magnified it and made it        
honorable1 instead of destroying  it4   
,the son of ,zachariah wrested the keys1
 the kingdom1 the power1 the  glory from
 the ,jews1 by the holy anointing and   
degree of heaven2 and  these three      
reasons constitute him the greatest     
,prophet bom of a woman4    ,second     
question3 ,how was the least in the     
kingdom of heaven greater  than he8     
,in reply1 ,i asked--,whom did ,jesus   
have reference to as being the least8   
,jesus was looked upon as having the    
least claim in all ,god's kingdom  and  
was least entitled to their credulity as
 a ,prophet1 as thought  kingdom1 and   
was least entitled to their credulity as
 a ,prophet1 as  though he had said--,he
 that is considered the least among you 
is  greater than ,john--that is1 myself4

 7,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xx1 pp4 #dee-f47
    #f4 ,the ,manner of ,christ's       
,teaching3 ,next to what our ,saviour   
taught may be considered the manner of  
his teaching2 which was  extremely      
peculiar1 yet1 ,i think1 precisely      
adapted to the peculiarity  of his      
character and situation4 ,his lessons   
did not consist of  disquisitions2 of   
any thing like moral essays1 or like    
sermons1 or  like set treatises upon the
 several points which he mentioned4     
,when he  delivered a precept1 it was   
seldom that he added any proof or       
argument2  still more seldom1 that he   
accompanied it with1 what all precepts  
require1 limitations and distinctions4  
,his instructions were conceived  in    
short1 emphatic1 sententious rules1 in  
occasional reflections1 or  in round    
maxims4 ,i do not think that this was a 
natural1 or would  have been a proper   
method for a philosopher or a moralist2 
or that it  is a method which can be    
successfully imitated by us4 ,but ,i    

contend  that it was suitable to the    
character which ,christ assumed1 and to 
the situation in which1 as a teacher1 he
 was placed4 ,he produced  himself as a 
messenger from ,cod4 ,he put the truth  
of what he taught  upon authority4 ,in  
the choice1 therefore of his mode of    
teaching1 the  purpose by him to be     
consulted was impression2 because       
conviction1  which forms the principal  
end of our discourses1 was to arise in  
the  minds of his followers from a      
different source1 from their respect to 
his person and authority4 ,now1 for the 
purpose of impression singly  and       
exclusively4 7,i repeat again that we   
are not here to consider the  convincing
 of the understanding71 ,i know nothing 
which would have  so great force as     
strong ponderous maxims1 frequently     
urged1 and  frequently brought back to  
the thoughts of the hearers4 ,i know    
nothing  that could in this view be said
 better1 than ',do unto others as ye    
would that others should do unto you4'  

,the first and great commandment  is1   
,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god2 and
 the second is like unto it4  ,thou     
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,it 
must also be remembered1  that our      
,lord's ministry1 upon the supposition  
either of one year or  three1 compared  
with his work1 was of short duration2   
that1 within  this time1 he had many    
places to visit1 various audience's to  
address2  that his person was generally 
besieged by crowds of followers2 that he
  was1 sometimes1 driven away from the  
place where he was teaching by          
persecution1 and at other times1 thought
 fit to withdraw himself from  the      
commotions of the populace4 ,under these
 circumstances1 nothing  appears to have
 been so practicable1 or likely to be so
 efficacious1  as leaving1 wherever he  
came1 concise lessons of duty4 ,these   
circumstances at least show the         
necessity he was under of comprising    
what he delivered within a small        
compass4 ,in particular1 his sermon     

upon the mount ought always to be       
considered with a view to these         
observations4 ,the question is not1     
whether a fuller1 a more accurate  more 
systematic1 or a more argumentative1    
discourse upon morals might  not have   
been pronounced2 but whether more could 
have been said in  the same room1 better
 adapted to the exigencies of the       
hearers1 or  better calculated for the  
purpose of impression4 ,seen in this    
light it  has always appeared to me to  
admirable4 ,dr4 ,lardner thought that   
this  discourse was made up of what     
,christ had said at different times1 and
  on different occasions1 several of    
which occasions are noticed in ,saint   
,luke's narrative4 ,i can perceive no   
reason for this opinion ,i believe  that
 our ,lord delivered this discourse at  
one time and place1 in the  manner      
related by ,saint ,matthew1 and that he 
repeated the same rules  and maxims at  
different times1 as opportunity or      
occasion suggested  that they were often

 in his mouth1 and were repeated to     
different  audiences and in various     
conversations4    ,it is incidental to  
this mode of moral instruction1 which   
proceeds  not by the proof but upon     
authority1 not by disquisition1 but by  
precept1 that the rules will be         
conceived in absolute terms1 leaving    
the application1 and the distinctions   
that attend it to the reason of  the    
hearer4 ,it is likewise to be expected  
that they will be delivered  in terms by
 so much the more forcible and          
energetic1 as they have to  encounter   
natural or general propensities4 ,it is 
farther also to be  remarked1 that many 
of those strong instances1 which appear 
in our  ,lord's sermon1 such as1 ',if   
any men will smite thee on the right    
cheek1  turn to him the other also3'    
',if any man will sue thee at law1 and  
take  away thy coat1 let him have thy   
cloak also3' ',whosoever shall compel   
thee to go a mile1 go with him twain2'  
though they appear in the form  of      

specific precepts1 are intended as      
descriptive of disposition and          
character4 ,a specific compliance with  
the precepts would be of little  value1 
but the disposition which they inculcate
 is of the highest4 ,he  who should     
content himself with waiting for the    
occasion1 and with  literally observing 
the rule when the occasion offered1     
would do  nothing or worse than nothing2
 but he who considers the character and 
disposition which is hereby inculcated1 
and places that disposition  before him 
as the model to which he should bring   
his own1 takes1  perhaps1 the best      
possible method of improving the        
benevolence1 and of  calming and        
rectifying the vices of his temper4     
,if it be said that this disposition is 
unattainable1 ,i answer1 so is  all     
perfection2 ought therefore a moralist  
to recommend imperfections8  ,one       
excellency2 ought therefore a moralist  
to recommend imperfections8  never      
mistaken1 or never so mistaken as to do 

harm4 ,i could feign a  hundred cases in
 which the literal application of the   
rule1 'of doing  to others as we would  
that others should do unto us1' might   
mislead us2  but ,i never yet met with  
the man who was actually misled by it4  
,not  withstanding that our ,lord bade  
his followers not to resist evil1 and   
'to forgive the enemy who should        
trespass against them1 not till seven   
times1 but till seventy times seven1'   
the ,christian world has hitherto       
suffered little by too much placability 
or forbearance4 ,i would repeat  once   
more1 what has already been twice       
remarked1 that these rules were         
designed to regulate personal conduct   
from personal motives1 and for  this    
purpose alone4    ,i think that these   
observations will assist us greatly in  
placing  our ,saviour's conduct1 as a   
moral teacher1 in a proper point of     
view2  especially when it is considered1
 that to deliver moral disquisitions    
was no part of his design1--to teach    

morality at all was only a  subordinate 
part of it2 his great business being to 
supply1 what was  much more wanting than
 lessons of morality1 stronger moral    
sanctions1  and clearer assurances of a 
future judgment4 7,paley's ,view of the 
,evidences of ,christianity1 pp4 #aea1  
#b1 #c47    ,for further reflections    
upon the excellence of the manner of the
  ,messiah's teaching1 and especially   
for the consideration of added  strength
 and beauties to the principles of the  
,sermon on the ,mount1 in  the ,book of 
,mormon1 see ,lecture on the ,fifth     
,gospel 7,,iii ,nephi7 ,defense  of the 
,faith and the ,saints1 pp4 #chc-chi4   
,,lesson ,,xxii4    7,scripture ,reading
 ,exercise47 ,,the ,,state ,,of ,,the   
,,world ,,at ,,messiah',s  ,,advent4    
7,a ,discourse,a7    ,footnote ,a3 ,this
 is a subject usually treated at great  
length  in nearly all ,ecclesiastical   
,histories2 so that information is      
abundant4 ,see ,mosheim1 ,ecclesiastical
 ,institutes3 also the same  author's   

,history of ,christianity in the ,first 
,three ,centuries2  ,schaff's ,history  
of the ,apostolic ,church2 ,neander's   
,history of the  ,christian ,religion   
,vol4 ,i2 ,milman ,history of           
,christianity ,vol4 #a2  ,edersheisn's  
,life and ,times of the ,messiah2 ,vol4 
,i1 ,introduction  and ,book ,i1 ,dr4   
,smith's ,new ,testament ,history1 ,book
 ,i1 especially  ,appendix to ,book ,i4 
,robert's ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical  
,history1 ,sec4  ,,ii and notes4        
,,notes4    #a4 ,suggestions to the     
,teacher3 ,this subject could to        
advantage  be divided and assigned to   
two or even three speakers4 ,say ,i1    
,the  ,political state of the ,world3   
,,ii1 ,the ,political ,status of the    
,jews at  ,messiah's ,birth3 ,,iii1 ,the
 ,religious state of heathen nations and
 of the  ,jews at ,messiah's ,birth4    
,members should be urged to give        
something of  completeness to their     
treatis upon these and all subjects     
assigned to  them as lectures1 or       

discourses4    #b4 ,suggestions to the  
,speaker3 ,on the ,importance of a      
,plan3 ,on  the subject of constructing 
a plan for a discourse1 ,mr4 ,pittinger 
who  was quoted so frequently in our    
first ,seventy's ,year ,book1 says3     
,no part of a speaker's work is more    
important than that of  constructing a  
good plan4 ,if this is not well done the
 fullest success  is impossible4 ,in    
speech all thoughts are expressed by the
 slow process  of successive words4 ,if 
these are badly chosen and so arranged  
as to  carry forward the current of     
thought in the wrong direction1 almost  
endless hindrance and distraction may   
follow4 ,and as these words1  in        
extempore speech1 are given forth on the
 spur of the moment1 it  becomes        
necessary to make such an arrangement   
that the proper idea to  be dissolved   
into words shall always be presented to 
the mind at the  proper time4 ,in some  
cases this disposition of parts is very 
easy4  ,a course indicated by the very  

nature of the subject will sometimes    
spring into view and relieve us of all  
further embarrassment4 99 99 99  99 99  
,but more frequently this portion of the
 speaker's task will both  require and  
repay severe thought4 7,extempore       
,speech1 p4 #aff47    ,do not forget our
 old formula in the matter of plans--an 
,introduction1  a ,discussion1 a        
,conclusion4    ,of the ,different      
,kinds of ,plans3 ,our author1 speaking 
of those plan he  considers of practical
 importance1 says3    7a74 ,the first of
 these may be called the narrative      
method4 ,it is most  frequently used    
when the recital of some history forms  
the principal  part of the discourse4   
,certain leading events1 either grouped 
together  according to their nature or  
following the order of time1 furnish the
  primary divisions4 ,this kind of a    
discourse follows the same laws1  in the
 arrangement of the different parts1 as 
histories1 romances1  and narrative     
poems4 ,the order of time is the most   

obvious method of  constructing it1 but 
this order should not be adhered to when
 the story  can be better and more      
dramatically told by varying from it4   
,both  introduction and conclusion      
should be very carefully selected--the  
former to arouse attention and direct it
 in the right course2 the  latter to    
leave the strongest impression and the  
one most in harmony  with the object of 
the speaker4    7b74 ,the second method 
is the textual1 and is especially though
 not  exclusively adapted to sermons4   
,in it a verse from the ,bible1 a       
motto1 a sentence used by an opponent1  
or some definite form of very           
significant words1 affords a basis for  
each part of the discourse4 ,the  order 
of the discourse may1 however1 be       
different from that of the  words in the
 text1 any change being allowable which 
secures more of the  advantages of the  
narrative or logical methods4 ,when the 
text is itself  well known1 a plan based
 upon it has an obvious advantage in    

assisting  the memory both of speaker   
and hearer1 by suggesting each part of  
the  discourse at the proper time4 ,when
 any lecture or oration has a formal    
motto which sums up and fairly expresses
 the subject discussed1 the  textual    
plan will be as well adapted to it as to
 a sermon4    7c74 ,the logical or      
mathematical method is the third and    
probably the  most symmetrical form the 
plan may assume4 ,a topic is taken1 and 
after  the introduction1 which may be   
the mere statement of the subject1 or   
of the relations of the speaker or of   
the audience to it1 that subject  is    
unfolded with all the precision of a    
proposition in geometry4 ,each  thought 
is preliminary to that which follows1   
and the whole ends in the  demonstration
 of some great truth and the deduction  
of its legitimate  corollaries4 ,this   
method is the best possible in those    
cases adapted to  it--particularly those
 in which some abstruse subject is to be
 unfolded  and proved4    7d74 ,the last

 method we will describe proceeds by    
divisions and  subdivisions4 ,it is the 
military method1 for in it the discourse
 is  organized like an army1 into corps1
 brigades1 and regiments2 or it  is like
 a tree1 which divides into two or three
 principal branches1  and these again   
subdivide until the finest twigs are    
reached4 ,all the  detached items that  
have been selected are brought into     
related groups  each governed by a      
central thought1 and these again are    
held in strict  subordination to the    
supreme idea4 ,a subject will many times
 arrange  itself almost spontaneously   
into several different parts1 which thus
  form the proper divisions1 and these  
again may be easily analyzed into  their
 proper subdivisions4 ,even when this is
 not the case1 we will see1  as we      
examine the jottings we have made while 
gathering our materials1  that a few of 
the ideas stand out in special          
prominence1 and with a  little close    
study of relations and affinities all   

the others may be  made to group        
themselves around these4 ,the individual
 ideas we put down  on the first study  
of the subject usually form the         
subdivisions1 and  some generalization  
of them4 ,it is not well to make the    
branches of a  subject too numerous or  
they will introduce confusion and fail  
to be  remembered4 ,from two to four    
divisions with two or three subdivisions
  under each1 are in a majority of cases
 better than a large number4 ,the       
tendency to multiply them to a great    
extent1 and then to name them in  the   
moment of delivery1 in their order of   
firstly1 secondly1 etc41 is  in a great 
measure responsible for the popular     
estimate of the dryness  of sermons1    
where this kind of plan prevails more   
than anywhere else4  7,extempore        
,speech1 pp4 #afg-i47    7e74 ,of the   
several kinds of discourses here alluded
 to no better  examples may be formed of
 the historical discourse than that of  
the  ,christian martyr ,stephen1 ,acts1 

vii2 of the logical or argumentative    
discourse ,peter's ,discourse on the    
,day of ,pentecost4 ,the nearest        
approach to the ,discourses based upon a
 text in the ,new ,testament is  ,paul's
 speech in ,mars ,hill1 at ,athens1     
,acts xvii3#bb-ca4    ,clearness in     
,speeches3 ,this subject has been       
referred to in  ,lesson ,,vi1 ,,xiii1   
,,xvi1 and what is there said should    
here be reviewed  not only by those     
assigned especially to this lesson1 but 
by the whole  class4 ,one of the chief  
faults opposed to clearness is          
ambiguity4 ,this  is defined as follows3
 ,the term 'ambiguity' comes from the   
,latin  ambiguos1 which means wavering  
or uncertain1 and an ambiguous  sentence
 is one containing a word1 a phrase1 or 
a clause1 capable of  two or more       
interpretations4 7,composition and      
,rhetoric1 ,herrick and  ,damon1 p4     
#cjb47    ,as example of ambiguity the  
authority just quoted gives the         
following3    ,example3 #a4 ,we hold a  

grand raffle ,friday for the benefit of 
,william ,miller who lost his foot for a
 fine clock last week4    ,corrected3   
,we hold a grand raffle ,friday for a   
fine clock1 for  the benefit of ,william
 ,miller who lost his foot last week4   
,example3 #b4 ,then he came into the    
room talking about the  relations       
between ,smith and ,johnson1 and he said
 that if he didn't stop  that sort of   
thing very soon1 he was sure to get into
 trouble4    ,corrected3 ,then he came  
into the room talking about the         
relations between ,smith and ,johnson1  
and said that if the former didn't  stop
 irritating ,smith very soon1 he was    
sure to get into trouble4    ,example3  
#c4 ,i only thought that he wouldn't go 
unless ,i bought  him off1 not that he  
wouldn't go at all4    ,corrected3 ,i   
thought only that he wouldn't go unless 
,i bought  him off1 not that he wouldn't
 go at all4    ,example3 #d4 ,the       
banker1 though he trusted the teller1 as
 is apt  to be the case with men of his 

sort1 yet felt that the loss occurred at
  his desk4    ,corrected3 ,though the  
banker1 as is apt to be the case with   
men  of his sort1 trusted the teller1   
yet he felt that the loss had occurred  
at the latter's desk4    ,commenting on 
the above our author says3 ,the first   
sentence seems to  say that ,miller gave
 his foot in exchange for a fine clock4 
,sentence  two leaves in doubt whether  
the one who is to get into trouble is   
the  speaker1 ,smith1 or ,johnson4 ,in  
three1 ,i only might be taken to mean   
,i alone4 ,in four1 it is uncertain     
whether such men as the banker  commonly
 trust all tellers1 or whether this     
teller is the sort of man  whom most    
people trust4    ,it will be observed   
that the ambiguity of the above         
sentences are  chiefly the result of a  
bad arrangement of words or clauses     
rather than  the wrong use of words4    
,the effort of the speaker1 therefore1  
should be  to make such an arrangement  
of words and clauses in his sentences as

 to  clearly express his meaning4       
,,lesson ,,xxiii4    7,scripture        
,reading ,exercise47    ,,the ,,divinity
 ,,of ,,the ,,christ4    ,,analysis4    
,i4 ,the ,divinity of ,jesus            
,established3    #a4 ,called ,god in the
 ,scriptures4    #b4 ,jesus declares    
,himself to be ,god--the ,son of ,god4  
#c4 ,jesus ,christ to be worshiped1     
hence ,god4    #d4 ,jesus ,christ the   
,creator1 hence ,god4    #e4 ,jesus     
,christ equal with ,god1 the            
,father1--hence ,god4    ,,references4  
,isiah vii3#ad in con4 with ,matt1      
i3#bc2 ,isaiah ix3#f4 ,doc4 and ,cov41  
,sec4 #ic3a-ah4 ,heb4 i3#h4    ,st4     
,john v3#ai and x3#cc-ch4 ,matt1        
xxv3#fc1 #dd2 and ,matt1 xxviii3#ah1    
#ai4 ,note #a4    ,heb4 i3#e1f2 ,phil4  
ii3#i1 #aj4    ,st4 ,john i3#a-d1 #ad2  
,col4 i3#ab-ag2 ,rev4 xiv2 #g4 ,matt1   
xxviii3#ah1 #ai2  ,phil1 ii3#f4 ,heb4   
iii3#c4 ,,ii ,cor4 iv3#d4 #d4 ,col4     
i3#e1 #ai1 also ii3#i4    ,on all       
sub-divisions of the subject see ,mormon

 ,doctrine of the ,deity1  pp4 #ahg-aid1
 and the notes in this lesson4          
,,notes4    #a4 ,relationship of ,jesus 
to ,god1 the ,father3 ,it is to be      
observed in passing that ,jesus himself 
came with no abstract definition  of    
,cod ,nowhere in his teachings can you  
find any argument about the  existence  
of ,god4 ,that he takes for granted2    
assumes as true2 and  from that basis   
proceeds as a teacher of men4 ,nay more2
 he claims ,god  as his ,father4 ,it is 
not necessary to quote texts in proof of
 this  statement2 the ,new ,testament is
 replete with declarations of that      
character ,what may be of more          
importance for us at the present moment 
is to call attention to the fact that   
,god himself also acknowledged the      
relationship which ,jesus claimed4 ,most
 emphatically did he do so on the       
memorable occasion of the baptism of    
,jesus in the river ,jordan4 ,you       
remember how the scriptures1 acording to
 ,matthew1 tell us that as ,jesus  came 

up out of the water from his baptism1   
the heavens were opened1  and the       
,spirit of ,god descended like a dove   
upon him2 and at the same  moment1 out  
of the stillness came the voice of ,god1
 saying1 ,this is  my beloved ,son1 in  
whom ,i am well pleased4 ,on another    
occasion the  ,father acknowledges the  
relationship--at the transfiguration of 
,jesus  in the mount1 in the presence of
 three of his apostles1 ,peter and      
,james  and ,john1 and the angels ,moses
 and ,elias4 ,the company was           
overshadowed  by a glorious light1 and  
the voice of ,god was heard to say of   
,jesus1  ,this is my beloved ,son2 hear 
him44 ,of this the apostles in          
subsequent  years testified1 and we have
 on record their testimony4 ,so that the
  existence of ,god the ,father1 and the
 relationship of ,jesus to him1 is  most
 clearly show in these scriptures4      
7,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 p4  #ab1  
#ac47    #b4 ,jesus ,declared to be     
,god3 ,but ,jesus himself claimed to be 

the ,son of ,god and in this connection 
there is clearly claimed for him        
divinity1 that is to say1 ,godship4 ,let
 me read to you a direct passage  upon  
that subject2 it is to be found in the  
gospel according to ,st4  ,john1 and    
reads as follows3    ,in the beginning  
was the ,word1 and the ,word was with   
,god1 and the ,word  was ,god4 99 99 99 
99 99 ,and the ,word was made flesh1 and
 dwelt among us1  7and we beheld his    
glory1 the glory as of the only         
,begotten of the  ,father7 full of grace
 and truth4    ,the identity between    
,jesus of ,nazareth--the ,word made     
flesh--and the  ,word that was with ,god
 from the beginning1 and that was ,god1 
is  so clear that it cannot possibly be 
doubted4 ,so the ,son is ,god1 as well  
as the ,father4 7,ibid1 pp4 #ac1 #ad47  
#c4 ,the ,godhead--,composed of ,three  
,distinct ,persons3 ,these  three1 the  
,father4 ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost1 it 
is true1 are spoken  of in the most     
definite manner as being ,god1 but the  

distinction  of one from the other is   
also clearly marked in the scriptures1  
or  illustration take the circumstances 
connected with the baptism of  ,jesus4  
,there we may see the three distinct    
personalities most clearly4  ,the ,son  
coming up out of the water from his     
baptism3 the heavens  opening and the   
,holy ,spirit descending upon him2 while
 out of heaven  the voice of ,god is    
heard saying ,this is my beloved ,son1  
in whom ,i am  well pleased4 ,here three
 ,gods are distinctly apparent4 ,they   
are seen  to be distinct from each      
other4 ,they appear-simultaneously1 not 
as  one1 but as three1 each one being a 
different thing1 so that however        
completely they may be one in spirit1 in
 purpose1 in will they are  clearly     
distinct as persons--as individuals4 ,in
 several instances in  the scriptures   
these three personages are accorded     
equal dignity in the  ,godhead4 ,an     
example is found in the commission which
 ,jesus gave to his  disciples after his

 resurrection1 when he sent them out    
into the world  to preach the ,gospel to
 all nations4 ,he stood in the presence 
of the  eleven1 and said3    ,all power 
is given unto me in heaven and in earth4
 ,go ye1 therefore and  teach all       
nations1 baptizing them in the name of  
the ,father1 and of the  ,son1 and of   
the ,holy ,ghost4    ,each of the three 
is here given equal dignity in the      
,godhead4    ,again in the apostolic    
benediction3    ,may the grace of our   
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the love of ,god1 
and the  communion of the ,holy ,ghost  
be with you all4 99 99 99 99 99 ,these  
three  personages then are of equal     
dignity in the ,godhead1 according to   
the  teachings of the ,new ,testament1  
and each is equally divine--equally     
,god4 ,hence ,jesus is ,god equally with
 ,god the ,father1 and with the ,holy   
,ghost4 7,ibid1 pp4 #ae-f1 #g47    #d4  
,what ,think ,ye of ,christ8 ,said      
,jesus to the ,pharisees4 ,what  think  
ye of ,christ8 whose son is he8 ,they   

say unto him1 ,the son of  ,david4 ,he  
saith unto them4 ,how then doth ,david  
in spirit call ,him ,lord1  saying3 ,the
 ,lord said unto my ,lord1 ,sit thou on 
,my right hand1 till ,i  make ,thine    
enemies ,thy footstool4 ,if ,david then 
call him that is1 the  ,christ ,lord1   
how is ,he his son4 ,and no man was able
 to answer him a  word4    ,it seems to 
me that we have right here1 what we     
might regard as the  beginning of the   
proclamation of the divinity of the     
,lord ,jesus  ,christ4 ,and here let me 
say1 in passing1 that the world is      
waking up  to something of a            
comprehension of the necessity for      
affirming the  divinity of the ,lord    
,jesus ,christ4 ,i have here a note in  
manuscript1  that ,i will read to you1 a
 declaration from one of the first      
scientists  of our age1 a ,christian man
 who stands well advanced on the        
far-flung  line of modern ,christian    
thought4 ,having called attention the   
humanity  of ,jesus ,christ1 to ,his    

unity with the human race1 and          
emphasizing  the fact that ,he is human1
 one of our race1 after setting forth   
that  doctrine1 this learned man says3  
,the conception of ,godhead formed by   
some devout philosophers and  mystics   
has quite rightly been so immeasurably  
vast1 though still  assuredly utterly   
inadequate and necessarily beneath      
reality1 that the  notion of a ,god     
revealed in human form--born1 suffering1
 tormented1  killed--has been utterly   
incredible4 ',a crucified prophet2 yes2 
but  a crucified ,god6 ,i shudder at the
 blasphemy1' is a known quotation  which
 ,i cannot now verify2 yet that apparent
 blasphemy is the soul of               
,christianity4 ,it calls upon us to     
recognize and worship a crucified1  an  
executed1 ,god4 99 99 99 ,the world is  
full of men3 ,what the world wants  is a
 ,god4 ,behold the ,god6 ,the divinity  
of ,jesus is the truth which now        
requires to be re-perceived to be       
illumined afresh by new knowledge1 to   

be cleansed and revivified by the       
wholesome flood of scepticism which  has
 poured over it2 it can be freed now    
from all trace of groveling             
superstition1 and can be recognized     
freely and enthusiastically2 the        
divinity of ,jesus1 and of all noble and
 saintly souls1 in so far as  they too  
have been inflamed by a spark of        
,deity--in so far as they too  can be   
recognized as manifestations of the     
,divine4 7,sir ,oliver ,lodge  in       
,hibbert ,journal for ,april1 #aijf1    
,art4 ,christianity and ,science47    ,i
 say the world is waking up to the      
consciousness of their need of  having  
in concrete form a conception of ,god   
that appeals to the  understanding of   
men1 and that is to be found in the     
revelations of  ,god4 ,paul was right   
when he said    ,and without controversy
 great is the mystery of godliness3 ,god
 was  manifest manifested is the        
marginal reading in the flesh1 justified
  in the ,spirit1 seen of angels1       

preached unto the gentiles1 believed on 
in the world1 received up into glory4   
,this in plain allusion to the ,christ1 
of course4    #e4 ,god ,revealed in the 
,person of ,jesus ,christ3 ,this        
completes  the survey ,i intended to    
make of this field4 ,reference is made  
to a  review of prevailing ideas about  
,god in the world at the advent of      
,jesus4 ,nowhere have we found a        
knowledge of the true and living ,god4  
,nowhere a teacher who comes with       
definite knowledge of this subject of   
all subjects2--a subject so closely     
related to eternal life1 that to  know  
,god is said in the scriptures to be    
life eternal2 and of course1  the       
cor-life4 ,we can form no other         
conclusion from the survey we  have     
taken of the world's ideas respecting   
the existence and nature  of ,god1 than 
that forced upon us--the world stood in 
sore need of a  revelation of ,god4 ,he 
whom the ,egyptians and ,indians sought 
for in  their ,pantheism1 must be made  

known4 ,god1 whom ,confucius would have 
men respect1 but keep at a distance1    
must draw near4 ,the ,alfader of  the   
,goths1 undefined1 incomprehensible to  
them1 must be brought out of  the       
northern darkness into glorious light4  
,the ,god-idea that prevailed  among the
 ,greek philosophers must be brought    
from the mists of their  idle           
speculations and made to stand before   
the world4 ,he whom the ,jews  were     
seeking to deny and forsake must be     
revealed again to the children  of men4 
,and lo6 when the vail falls from the   
revelation that ,god gives  of          
himself--what form is that which steps  
forth from the background  of the       
world's ignorance and mystery8 ,a ,man1 
as ,god lives6 ,jesus of  ,nazareth--the
 great ,peasant ,teacher of ,judea4 ,he 
is ,god revealed  henceforth to the     
world4 ,they who thought ,god           
impersonal1 without form  must know him 
henceforth as a person in the form of   
man4 ,they who have  held him to be     

without quality1 must henceforth know   
him as possessed  of the qualities of   
,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,they who have     
regarded him  as infinitely terrible1   
must henceforth know him also as        
infinitely  gentle4 ,those who would    
hold him at a distance1 will now permit 
him to  draw near4 ,this is the world's 
mystery revealed4 ,this is ,god         
manifested  in the flesh4 ,this is the  
,son of ,god1 who comes to reveal the   
,father1  for he is the express image   
and likeness of that ,father's person1  
and the reflection of that ,father's    
mind4 ,henceforth when men shall  say1  
,show us the ,father1 he shall point to 
himself as the complete  revelation of  
the ,father1 and say1 ,he that hath seen
 me1 hath seen the  ,father also4       
,henceforth1 when men shall dispute     
about the being and  nature of ,god1 it 
shall be a perfect answer to uphold     
,jesus ,christ  as the complete1 perfect
 revelation and manifestation of ,god1  
and  through all the ages it shall be   

so2 there shall be no excuse for men    
saying they know not ,god1 for all may  
know him1 from the least to the         
greatest1 so tangible1 so real a        
revelation has ,god given of himself in 
the person and character of ,jesus      
,christ4 ,he lived his life on earth--a 
life of sorrow and of gentleness1 it's  
pathway strewn with actions  fraught    
with mercy1 kindness1 and love4 ,a man  
he was1 approved of ,god  among men1 by 
miracles1 and wonders and signs which   
,god did by him4  ,being delivered by   
the determinate counsel and             
foreknowledge of ,god1  men took and by 
wicked hands crucified and slew him1 but
 ,god raised him  up1 having loosed the 
pains of death1 because it was not      
possible that  he should be holden of   
it2 and exalted him on high at the right
 hand  of ,god1 whence he shall come to 
judge the quick and the dead4 7,mormon  
,doctrine of ,deity2 pp4 #ahe-f47       
,,lesson ,,xxiv4    7,scripture ,reading
 ,exercise47    ,,the ,,christian       

,,institutions4    ,,analysis4    ,i4   
,ordinances3    #a4 ,baptism4    #b4    
,confirmation4    #c4 ,eucharist4,a     
,,references4 #f    ,heb4 vi3#a;,b2     
,acts ii3#cg-ch4 ,acts viii3#d-bj4 ,note
 #a and #b4    ,matt1 xxviii3#ai4 ,mark 
xvi3#af4 ,john iii3#c-e4 ,heb4 vi3#b2   
,,ii ,cor4 iii3#f  cf4 ,acts xix3#f2    
,,ii ,tim4 i3#f2 ,acts viii3#ae-bj4     
,notes #c1 #d4    ,matt1 xxvi3#bf-bh4   
,mark xvi3#bb-bd4 ,luke xxii3#ai1 #bj4  
,john xiii4 ,i  ,cor4 xi4 #bc-be4 ,note 
#e1 #f4    ,footnote ,a3 ,eucharist4    
,the ,lord's ,supper1 a solemn rite     
commemorating  the dying of ,christ for 
the salvation of men2 the holy          
sacrament2 the  communion of the body   
and blood of ,christ4 7,funk  ,wagnall  
,diet47    ,footnote ,b3 ,on all the    
above subdivisions the ,bible           
,dictionaries1 ,kitto's  ,biblical      
,literature1 ,smith's ,new ,testament   
,history1 etc41 can be  consulted to    
advantage1 though it should always be   
remembered that the  utterances of these

 authorities are to be carefully        
weighed4    ,,notes4    #a4 ,the        
,baptism of ,john and ,christian        
,baptism3 ,the relation  of the baptism 
of ,john to the ,christian baptism gave 
rise to a sharp  controversy in the     
sixteenth century4 ,zwingle and ,calvin 
were in favor  of the essential equality
 of the two2 while ,luther1             
,melanchthon1  and the ,catholic church 
7,concil4 ,trent4 ,sess4 vii71          
maintained the  contrary4 ,the only     
difference ,calvin allowed was1 that    
,john baptized  in the name of the      
future ,messiah1 while the apostles     
baptized in that  of the ,messiah       
already come4 ,but this difference could
 be of little  moment2 the less so1     
since a step towards the manifestation  
of the  ,messiah was already made in the
 appearance of ,john himself 7comp4     
,john i4 #ca74 ,on the other hand1      
,calvin considers the most important    
point of equality between the two to    
exist in the fact1 that both  include   

repentance and pardon of sin in the name
 of ,christ4 7,kitto's  ,cyclopaedia of 
,biblical ,literature1 p4 #bhc47        
,kitto's whole article may  be studied  
with profit4    ,the fact is that there 
was no difference between the baptism   
administered by ,john and ,christian    
baptism1 except1 as allowed by  ,calvin1
 according to the above2 one baptized in
 the name of a future  ,messiah1 and the
 other in the name of one already come4 
,but general  baptism was for the same  
purpose in all dispensations--it was    
,christian  baptism--i4 e4 baptism for  
the remission of sins--baptism to which 
the  atonement of the ,christ gave      
efficacy whether administered in view of
  his anticipated coming or in          
realization of the fact of his having   
come  and completed his work of         
atonement4    #b4 ,baptism of the       
,disciples of ,jesus3 ,whether our ,lord
 ever  baptized has been doubted4 ,the  
only passage which may distinctly bear  
on the question is ,john iv4 l1 #b1     

where it is said that ,jesus made  and  
baptized more disciples than ,john1     
though ,jesus himself baptized  not1 but
 his disciples4 ,we necessarily infer   
from it1 that1 as soon  as our ,lord    
began his ministry1 and gathered to ,him
 a company of  disciples1 ,he1 like     
,john the ,baptist1 admitted into that  
company by the  administration of       
baptism4 ,normally1 however1 to say the 
least of it1  the administration of     
baptism was by the hands of his         
disciples4 ,some  suppose that the      
first-called disciples had all received 
baptism at the  hands of ,john the      
,baptist1 as must have pretty certainly 
been the case  with ,andrew 7see ,john  
i4 #ce1 #dj72 and that they were not    
again baptized  with water after they   
joined the company of ,christ4 ,others  
believe that  ,christ himself baptized  
some few of his earlier disciples1 who  
were  afterwards authorized to baptize  
the rest4 ,but in any case the words    
above cited seem to show that the making

 of disciples and the baptizing  of them
 went together2 and that baptism was1   
even during our ,lord's  earthly        
ministry the formal mode of accepting   
his service and becoming  attached to   
his company4 7,smith's ,bible           
,dictionary1 p4 #bce47    #c4           
,confirmation3 ,the ,laying on of ,hands
 was considered in  the ancient church  
as the ',supplement of ,baptism4' #a4   
,imposition of  hands is a natural form 
by which benediction has been expressed 
in all  ages and among all people4 ,it  
is the act of one superior either by age
  or spiritual position towards an      
inferior1 and by its very form it       
appears to bestow some gift1 or to      
manifest a desire that some gift is     
symbolically bestowed1 as when          
guiltiness was thus transferred by the  
high-priest to the scape-goat from the  
congregation 7,lev4 xvi4 #ba72  but1 in 
general1 the gift is of something good  
which ,god is supposed  to bestow by the
 channel of the laying on of hands4     

,thus1 in the ,old  ,testament1 ,jacob  
accompanies his blessing to ,ephraim and
 ,manasseh with  imposition of hands    
7,gen4 xlviii4 #ad72 ,joshua is ordained
 in the room  of ,moses by imposition of
 hands 7,num4 xxvii4 #ah2 ,deut4 xxxiv4 
#i72  cures seem to have been wrought by
 the prophets by imposition of hands    
7#b ,k4 v4 ii72 and the high priest1 in 
giving his solemn benediction1          
stretched out his hands over the people 
7,lev4 ix4 #bb74 ,the same form  was    
used by our ,lord in blessing and       
occasionally in healing1 and it  was    
plainly regarded by the ,jews as        
customary or befitting 7,matt4  xix4    
#ac2 ,mark viii4 #bc1 x4 #af74 ,one of  
the promises at the end of  ,st4 ,mark's
 ,gospel to ,christ's followers is that 
they should cure the  sick by laying on 
of hands 7,mark xvi4 #ah72 and          
accordingly we find  that ,saul received
 his sight 7,acts ix4 #ag7 and          
,publius's father was  healed of his    
fever 7,acts xxviii4 #f7 by imposition  

of hands4 ,in the  ,acts of the         
,apostles the nature of the gift or     
blessing bestowed by  ,apostolic        
imposition of hands is made clearer4 ,it
 is called the gift of  the ,holy ,ghost
 7viii4 #ag1 xix4 #f7 99 99 99 ,by the  
time that the ,epistle  to the ,hebrew  
was written we find that there existed a
 practice and  doctrine of imposition of
 hands1 which is pronounced by the      
writer  of the ,epistle to be one of the
 first principles and fundamentals of   
,christianity1 which he enumerates in   
the following order3 7#a7 ,the  doctrine
 of ,repentance2 7#b7 of ,faith2 7#c7 of
 ,baptism2 7#d7 of ,laying  on of       
,hands2 7#e7 of the ,resurrection2 7#f7 
of ,eternal ,judgment 7,heb4  vi4 #a1   
#b74 ,laying on of ,hands in this       
passage can mean only one of  three     
things--,ordination1 ,absolution1 or    
that which we have already  seen in the 
,acts to have been practiced by the     
,apostles1 imposition  of hands for the 
gift of the ,holy ,ghost on the         

baptized4 ,the meaning  of ,ordination  
is excluded by the context4 ,we have no 
proof of the  existence of the habitual 
practice of ,absolution at this period  
nor of  its being accompanied by the    
laying on of hands4 ,everything points  
to  that laying on of hands which1 as we
 have seen1 immediately succeeded       
baptism in the ,apostolic age1 and      
continued to do so in the ages          
immediately succeeding the ,apostles4 99
 99 99 ,the ,fathers1 says ,hooker1     
everywhere impute unto it that gift or  
grace of the ,holy ,ghost1 not  which   
maketh us first ,christian men1 but1    
when we are made such1  assisteth us in 
all virtue1 armeth us against temptation
 and sin4 99 99  99 ,the ,fathers       
therefore1 being thus persuaded1 held   
confirmation as an  ordinance           
,apostolic1 always profitable in ,god's 
,church1 although not  always           
accompanied with equal largeness of     
those external effects which  gave it   
countenance at the first4 7,smith's     

,dictionary of the ,bible1  ,vol4 ,i1 p4
 #bdb-bdd47    #d4 ,the ,time of        
,confirmation3 ,originally ,imposition  
of ,hands  followed immediately upon    
,baptism1 so closely as to appear as    
part of  the baptismal ceremony or a    
supplement to it4 ,this is clearly      
stated  by ,tertullian 7,de ,bapt4 vii1 
viii71 ,cyril 7,catech4 ,myst4 iii4 ,i71
  the author of the ,apostolic          
,constitutions 7vii4 #dc71 and all early
  ,christian writers4 7,smith's ,bible  
,dictionary1 pp4 #bdb1 #c1 #d47    #e4  
,eucharist3 ,paul's account of the      
establishment of this  ,christian       
institution is perhaps the earliest     
written and the most  complete3 ,for ,i 
have received of the ,lord that which   
also ,i delivered  unto you1 that the   
,lord ,jesus the same night in which he 
was betrayed  took bread2 and when he   
had given thanks1 he brake it1 and said1
 take1  eat3 this is my body1 which is  
broken for you3 this do in remembrance  
of me4 ,after the same manner also he   

took the cup1 when he had supped1       
saying1 this cup is the new testament in
 my blood2 this do ye1 as oft  as ye    
drink it1 in remembrance of me4 ,for as 
often as ye eat this  bread1 and drink  
this cup1 ye do shew the ,lord's death  
till he come4    ,comment on the ,above3
 ,from ,paul's description of the       
ordinance1  it is clear that the broken 
bread was an emblem of ,messiah's broken
  body2 the wine an emblem of his blood1
 shed for sinful man2 and his  disciples
 were to eat the one and drink the other
 in remembrance of  him until he should 
return2 and by this ceremony show forth 
the ,lord's  death4 ,it was designed as 
a memorial of ,messiah's great          
,atonement for  mankind1 a token and    
witness unto the ,father that the ,son  
was always  remembered4 ,it was to be a 
sign that those partaking of it were    
willing  to take upon them the name of  
,christ1 to always remember him1 and    
keep  his commandments4 ,in             
consideration of these things being     

observed1 the  saints were always to    
have the ,spirit of the ,lord to be with
 them4 ,in  this spirit and without     
great ceremony the sacrament was        
administered  for some time in the early
 ,christian church4    #g4 ,prayer of   
,consecration ,given to the ,nephites3  
,the manner  of the ,elders and ,priests
 administering the flesh and blood of   
,christ  unto the church4 ,and they     
administered it according to the        
commandments  of ,christ2 wherefore we  
know the manner to be true2 and the     
,elder or  ,priest did minister it4 ,and
 they did kneel down with the church1   
and  pray to the ,father in the name of 
,christ saying1 ',oh ,god1 the ,eternal 
,father1 we ask thee in the name of thy 
,son ,jesus ,christ1 to bless  and      
sanctify this bread to the souls of all 
those who partake of it1  that they may 
eat in remembrance of the body of thy   
,son1 and witness  unto thee1 ,o ,god1  
the ,eternal ,father1 that they are     
willing to take  upon them the name of  

thy ,son1 and always remember him1 and  
keep his  commandments which he hath    
given them1 that he may always have his 
,spirit to be with them4 ,amen4 7,moroni
 iv4 #c47    ,the manner of             
administering the wine4 ,behold1 they   
took the cup1 and  said1 ,o ,god1 the   
,eternal ,father1 we ask thee1 in the   
name of thy ,son  ,jesus ,christ to     
bless and sanctify this wine 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 them1 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 7,moroni v4 #ab47          
,comment3 ,of the above prayer ,i may   
say what ,arch ,deacon ,paley  has so   
well said of the ,lord's ,prayer3 ,for a
 succession of solemn  thoughts1 for    
fixing the attention upon a few great   
points1 for  suitableness1 for          
sufficiency1 for conciseness without    

obscurity1 for  the weight and real     
importance of its petitions--this prayer
 so far as  ,i am aware is without an   
equal excepting1 perhaps1 the ,lord's   
prayer4    #h4 ,eucharist in the ,second
 ,century4 ,when the ,christians        
celebrated the ,lord's supper1 which    
they were accustomed to do chiefly  on  
,sundays1 they consecrated a part of the
 bread and wine of the  oblations1 by   
certain prayers pronounced by the       
president1 the bishop  of the           
congregation4 ,the wine was mixed with  
water1 and the bread  was divided into  
small pieces4 ,portions of the          
consecrated bread and  wine were        
commonly sent to the absent and the     
sick1 in testimony of  fraternal        
affection towards them4 ,there is much  
evidence that this  most holy rite was  
regarded as very necessary to the       
attainment of  salvation4 7,mosheim's   
,ecclesiastical ,history1 p4 #acg47     
,,lesson ,,xxv4    7,scripture ,reading 
,exercise47    ,,the ,,christian        

,,institutions1--7,continued47          
,,analysis4    ,,ii4 ,organizations3    
#a4 ,the ,church4    7a7 ,preliminary   
,steps1 ,gathering and instructing      
,disciples4    7b7 ,call of the ,twelve4
    7c7 ,appointment of the ,seventy4   
7d7 ,the ,completed ,organization4      
#b4 ,the ,mission of the ,church4       
,,references4    ,matt4 iv3#ab-be4      
,matt4 v-vii1 and note #a4    ,matt4    
iv3#ag-be4 ,mark i3#ad-bb4 ,luke        
v3#ac-af4 ,luke x3#a-aa1 #ag-bj4  cf4   
,seventy's ,year ,book ,i1 pp4 #c1 #d4  
,i ,cor4 xii3#bg-cj4 ,seventy's ,year   
,book1 ,no4 ,i1 pp4 #b1 #c4 ,notes #b1  
#c4    ,i ,cor4 xiii3#bg-cj4 ,eph4      
iv3#a-f41 and note4    ,seventy's ,year 
,book ,no4 ,i1 pp4 #ac-d1 notes #b1 #c1 
#d1 #e4 ,see also note #d  ,lesson xxiv4
    ,,notes4    #b4 ,the ,church3 ,i4   
order to propagate the gospel1 and      
teach1  encourage1 instruct1 preserve1  
and finally perfect those who accepted  
it1 ,messiah organized his ,church4 ,he 
bestowed upon its members certain  great

 and precious spiritual gifts and       
graces1 such as the power  to speak in  
new tongues and interpret them2 to      
receive revelation1  to prophesy1 to see
 visions1 receive the visitation of     
angels1 to  possess the gift of wisdom1 
knowledge1 faith1 discernment of        
spirits1  and healing the sick4 ,the    
description of the ,church organization 
in  the ,new ,testament is extremely    
imperfect1 owing1 no doubt1 to the      
fragmentary character of the ,christian 
annals4 ,while the distinctions  between
 the respective offices in the          
,priesthood1 and the definition  of the 
duties of each officer are even less    
satisfactory2 still there  is enough    
written to enable us to get an outline  
of the wonderful  organization4         
,messiah1 during his personal ministry1 
organized a  quorum of ,twelve          
,apostles1 to whom he gave very great   
powers and  authority1 even to be       
witnesses of him among the people1 to   
build  up his ,church by the            

proclamation of the gospel1 to heal the 
sick1  open the eyes of the blind1 raise
 the dead1 and cast out devils4 ,he     
likewise organized quorums of seventies1
 unto whom he gave similar  powers to   
those bestowed upon the apostles 7c4 f4 
,matt1 x1 with  ,luke x74 ,after his    
resurrection1 ,messiah was with his     
apostles and  disciples forty days1     
during which time he was teaching them  
all  things concerning the kingdom of   
,god4 ,hence we have these men after    
his ascension organizing branches of the
 church wherever they found  people who 
received their testimony4 ,in some      
instances they ordained  elders to      
preside over these branches2 and in     
other instances bishops  were appointed4
 ,paul1 in giving a description of the  
organization of the  church1 says3 ,and 
,god hath set some in the church1 first 
apostles1  secondarily prophets1 thirdly
 teachers2 after that miracles1 then    
gifts of healing1 helps1 governments1   
diversities of tongues4 ,are  all       

apostles8 ,are all prophets8 ,are all   
teachers8 ,are all workers of  miracles8
 ,have all the gifts of healing8 ,do all
 speak with tongues8 ,do  all interpret8
 ,the implied answer is that all are not
 apostles1 nor  prophets1 nor teachers1 
etc41 in the church of ,christ1 but that
 the  whole body is fitly joined        
together and compacted by that which    
every  joint supplieth4 ,undoubtedly the
 whole organization grew out of the     
instruction ,jesus imparted to the      
,apostles1 but it required time for  its
 foil development4    #c4 ,the ,church  
as ,described in the ,new ,testament3   
,the derivation  of the word 'church' is
 uncertain4 99 99 99 ,the word occurs   
twice1 each  time in ,st4 ,matthew      
7,matt4 xvi4 #ah1 ,on this rock will ,i 
build my  ,church2 xviii4 #ag1 ,tell it 
unto the ,church47 ,in every other case 
it is spoken of as the kingdom of heaven
 by ,st4 ,matthew1 and as the  kingdom  
of ,god by ,st4 ,mark and ,st4 ,luke4   
,st4 ,mark1 ,st4 ,luke1 and ,st4  ,john 

never use the expression kingdom of     
heaven4 ,st4 ,john once uses  the phrase
 kingdom of ,god 7iii4 #c74 ,st4        
,matthew occasionally speaks  of the    
kingdom of ,god 7vi4 #cc1 xxi4 #ca1     
#dc71 and sometimes simply of  the      
kingdom 7iv4 #bc1 xiii4 #ai1 xxiv4 #ad74
 ,in xiii4 #da and xvi4 #bh1 it  is the 
,son of ,man's kingdom4 ,in xx #ba1 thy 
kingdom1 i4 e41 ,christ's4  ,in the one 
,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew the ,church is 
spoken of no less  than thirty-six times
 as the ,kingdom4 ,other descriptions or
 titles  are hardly found in the        
,evangelists4 ,it is ,christ's household
 7,matt4  x4 #be74 the salt and light of
 the world 7v4 #ac1 #ae71 ,christ's     
flock  7,matt4 xxvi4 #ca2 ,john x4 #a71 
its members are the branches growing on 
,christ the ,vine 7,john xv72 but the   
general description of it1 not          
metaphorically1 but directly1 is that it
 is a kingdom4 99 99 99 ,the means  of  
entrance into it is ,baptism 7,matt1    
xxviii4 #ai74 ,the conditions of        

belonging to it are faith 7,mark xvi4   
#af7 and obedience 7,matt1 xxviii4      
#bj74 ,participation in the ,holy       
,supper is its perpetual token of       
membership1 and the means of supporting 
the life of its members 7,matt4  xxvi4  
#bf2 ,john vi4 #ea2 ,cor4 xi4 #bf74 ,its
 members are given to ,christ by  the   
,father out of the world1 and sent by   
,christ into the world2 they  are       
sanctified by the truth 7,john xvii4    
#ai72 and they are to live in  love and 
unity1 cognizable by the eternal world  
7,john xiii4 #cd4 xvii4  #bc74 ,smith   
,dictionary of the ,bible1 ,vol4 #a41 p4
 #dec4    #d4 ,definitions of the       
,church3 ,the ,greek ,church gives the  
following3 ,the ,church is a divinely   
instituted community of men1  united by 
the orthodox faith1 the law of ,god1 the
 hierarchy1 and  the ,sacraments 7,full 
,catechism of the ,orthodox4 ,catholic1 
,eastern  ,church1 ,moscow1 #ahci74 ,the
 ,latin ,church defines it as1 ,the     
company  of ,christians knit together by

 the profession of the same faith and   
the communion of the same sacraments1   
under the government of lawful  pastors1
 and especially of the ,roman bishop as 
the only ,vicar of ,christ  upon earth4 
7,bellarm4 ,de ,eccl4 ,mil4 iii4 #b2 see
 also ,devoti ,inst4  ,canon4 #a1 iv4   
,romae1 #ahah47 ,the ,church of         
,england1 ,a congregation  of faithful  
men in which the pure word of ,god is   
preached1 and the  ,sacraments he duly  
ministered according to ,christ's       
ordinance in all  those things that of  
necessity are requisite of the same4    
7,art4 xix47  ,the ,lutheran ,church3 ,a
 congregation of saints in which the    
,gospel is  rightly taught and the      
sacraments rightly administered4        
7,confessio  ,augustina1 #afca1 ,art4   
vii47 ,the ,confessio ,helvetica3 ,a    
congregation of  faithful men called1 or
 collected out of the world1 the        
communion of  all saints4 7,art4 xvii47 
,the ,confessio ,saxonica3 ,a           
congregation of  men embracing the      

,gospel of ,christ1 and rightly using   
the ,sacraments4  7,art4 xii47 ,the     
,confessio ,belgica3 ,a true            
congregation1 or assembly of  all       
faithful ,christians who look for the   
whole of their salvation from  ,jesus   
,christ alone1 as being washed by his   
blood1 and sanctiled and  sealed by his 
,spirit4 7,art4 xvii47 7,smith's        
,dictionary of the ,bible  ,art         
,church47 7,for our definition of ,the  
,church1 see ,seventy's ,year  ,book1   
,no4 #a1 p4 #ac47    #d4 ,inadequacy of 
,foregoing ,definitions3 ,these         
definitions  show the difficulty in     
which the different sections of the     
divided  ,church find themselves in     
framing a definition which will at once 
accord with the statements of ,holy     
,scripture1 and be applicable to  the   
present state of the ,christian world4  
,we have seen that according  to the    
,scriptural view the ,church is a holy  
kingdom1 established by  ,god on earth1 
of which ,christ is the invisible ,king2

 it is a divinely  organized body1 the  
members of which are knit together      
amongst  themselves1 and joined to      
,christ1 their ,head1 by the ,holy      
,spirit1  who dwells in and animates it2
 it is a spiritual but visible society  
of men united by constant succession to 
those who were personally  united to the
 ,apostles1 holding the same faith that 
the ,apostles held1  administering the  
same sacraments1 and1 like them1 forming
 separate1  but only locally separate1  
assemblies1 for the public worship of   
,god4  ,this is the ,church according to
 the ,divine intention4 ,but as ,god    
permits men to mar the perfection of his
 design in their behalf1 and  as men    
have both corrupted the doctrines and   
broken the unity of the  ,church1 we    
must not expect to see the ,church of   
,holy ,scripture actually  existing in  
its perfection on earth4 ,it is not to  
be found1 thus  perfect1 either in the  
collected fragments of ,christendom1 or 
still  less in any one of these         

fragments more than another may approach
 the  ,scriptural and ,apostolic ideal  
which existed only until sin1 heresy1   
and schism had time sufficiently to     
develop themselves to do their  work4   
7,smith's ,bible ,dictionary1 p4 #deh47 
,,lesson ,,xxvi4    7,scripture ,reading
 ,exercise47    ,,climatic ,,events ,,of
 ,,the ,,meridian ,,dispensation4       
,,analysis4    ,i4 ,conspiracy ,against 
the ,christ4    ,,ii4 ,death and        
,resurrection of the ,christ4    ,,iii4 
,post-,resurrection ,ministry of        
,messiah4    #a4 ,in ,judea4    #b4 ,on 
the ,western ,hemisphere4    #c4 ,among 
the ,lost ,tribes4    ,,references4     
,matt1 xxvi2 xxvii3#a-be4 ,mark xiv2 and
 xv3#a-ae4 ,st4 ,john xxii and          
xxiii3#a-bg4 ,st4 ,john xviii4    ,st4  
,john xix and xx3#a-ah ,notes #b1 #e4   
,luke xxiii and xxiv4 ,mark xv and      
xvi3#a-h4 ,matt1 xxvii and xxviii4      
,matt1 xxviii3#aa-bj4 ,mark xvi2 ,st4   
,john xx3#ai-ca4 ,luke xxiv3#ac-ec4     
,acts i3#a-ad4    ,,iii ,nephi chapters 

xi to xxx inclusive1 cf4 ,john x3#ae1   
#af4 ,the ,fifth  ,gospel1 ,defense of  
the ,faith and the ,saints1 pp4         
#cgc-cii4    ,,iii ,nephi1 chs4         
xv-xvi-xvii4    ,,notes4    #a4 ,the    
,agony in ,gethsemane3 7,matt1 xxvi2    
vers4 #cf-df1 parallel  passages3 ,mark 
#ad3cb-db2 ,luke #bb3ci-df47 ,this      
conflict presents our  ,lord in the     
reality of ,his manhood1 in weakness and
 humiliation1 but  it is impossible to  
account for it unless we admit ,his     
,divine nature4  ,had he been a mere    
man1 ,his knowledge of the sufferings   
before ,him  could not have been        
sufficient to cause such sorrow4 ,the   
human fear  of death will not explain   
it4 ,as a real man1 ,he was capable of  
such a  conflict4 ,but it took place    
after the serenity of the ,last ,supper 
and  sacerdotal prayer1 and before the  
sublime submission in the palace  and   
judgment hall4 ,the conflict1 therefore1
 was a specific agony of  itself4 ,he   
felt the whole burden and mystery of the

 world's sin1 and  encountered the      
fiercest assaults of ,satan ,otherwise1 
in this hour  this ,person1 so powerful1
 so holy1 seems to fall below the       
heroism of  martyrs in ,his own cause4  
,his sorrow did not spring from ,his own
 life4  ,his memory or ,his fears1 but  
from the vicarious nature of the        
conflict4  ,the agony was a bearing of  
the weight and sorrow of our sins1 in   
loneliness1 in anguish of soul          
threatening to crush ,his body1 yet     
borne  triumphantly1 because in         
submission to ,his ,father's will4      
,three times  our ,lord appeals to that 
will1 as purposing ,his anguish2 that   
purpose  of ,god in regard to the       
loveliest1 best of men1 can be          
reconciled with  justice and goodness in
 ,god in but one way2 that it was       
necessary for  our redemption4 ,mercy   
forced its way through justice to the   
sinner4  ,our ,lord suffered anguish of 
soul for sin1 that it might never rest  
on  us4 ,to deny this is in effect not  

only to charge our ,lord with undue     
weakness1 but to charge ,god with       
needless cruelty4 ',surely ,he hath     
borne our griefs1 and carried our       
sorrows4 444 ,he was wounded for our    
transgressions1 ,he was bruised for our 
iniquities2 the chastisement of  our    
peace was upon ,him2 and with ,his      
stripes we are healed4' ,isa4 #ec3      
#d1e4 7,international ,commentary1      
,matthew1 p4 #cei47    #b4 ,the ,cruelty
 of ,crucifixion3 ,crucifixion was a    
most  disgraceful and cruel punishment  
introduced into ,judaea by the ,romans  
and inflicted only on slaves and the    
worst of criminals4 ,constantine  the   
,great abolished it4 ,the ,jews often   
hanged those who had been stoned  to    
death1 but the corpse must be buried the
 same day1 so as not to  pollute the    
land 7,deut4 #ba3bb1 #bc74 ,the ,romans 
permitted the crucified  to die slowly2 
and the sufferings sometimes continued  
for three days4  ,their flesh was given 
to the birds or other wild animals4 ,as1

 according  to ,jewish custom1 the      
bodies must at once be taken down and   
buried1  death was hastened by the      
crucifragium1 the breaking of the legs1 
to  which was sometimes added a         
mercy-stroke1 that is1 the piercing of  
the  body4 ,if they were already dead1  
the latter alone was given1 to make  the
 matter sure4 ,the physical sufferings  
of the victims were fearfully  great    
,dr4 ,richter1 a physician1 thus        
describes them3 #a4 ,on account  of the 
unnatural and immovable position of the 
body and the violent  extension of the  
arms1 the least motion produced the most
 painful  sensation all over the body1  
but especially on the lacerated back and
  the pierced members4 #b4 ,the nails   
caused constantly increasing pain on    
the most sensitive parts of the hands   
and feet4 #c4 ,inflammation set in  at  
the pierced members and wherever the    
circulation of the blood was  obstructed
 by the violent tension of the body1 and
 increased the agony  and an intolerable

 thirst4 #d4 ,the blood rushed to the   
head and produced  the most violent     
headache4 #e4 ,the blood in the lungs   
accumulated1  pressing the heart1       
swelling all the veins1 and caused      
nameless  anguish4 ,loss of blood       
through the open wounds would have      
shortened the  pain1 but the blood      
clotted and ceased flowing4 ,death      
generally set in  slowly1 the muscles1  
veins1 and nerves gradually growing     
stiff1 and the  vital powers sinking    
from exhaustion4 7,from ,lange on ,matt4
 pp4 #ebb sq47  ,by the crucifixion of  
our ,lord the cross of the bitterest    
sufferings  and cruel death has been    
changed into a tree of life1 that bears 
the  richest fruits of penitence and    
gratitude4 ,from the moment ,he was     
lifted on the cross ,he began to draw   
all men unto ,him 7,comp4 ,john #ab3    
#cb74 7,commentary1 ,matthew1 pp4       
#chi-ij74    #c4 ,death of the ,christ  
,voluntary3 ,unbelievers delight to     
represent ,god1 the great ,law ,giver1  

as unspeakably cruel in demanding  such 
an atonement as ,christ made for the    
salvation of the children of  men4 ,but 
let it be born in mind that he who made 
the atonement did so  voluntarily4      
,testifying to his disciples respecting 
the matter1 he  says3 ,therefore doth my
 ,father love me1 because ,i lay down my
 life  that ,i may take it up again4 ,no
 man taketh it from me1 but ,i lay it   
down of myself4 ,i have the power to lay
 it down1 and ,i have power  to take it 
again4 ,this commandment have ,i        
received of my ,father4  ,when his      
enemies gathered about him1--a former   
friend betraying him  with a kiss1--and 
,peter prepared to defend him with the  
sword1 he  chided him for his rashness1 
commanding him to put up his sword1 and 
added3 ,thinkest thou that ,i cannot now
 pray to my ,father1 and he  shall      
presently give me more than twelve      
legions of angels8 ,but how  then shall 
the scriptures be fulfilled1 that thus  
it must be8 ,thus  down to the very last

 moment1 it appears that ,jesus could   
have been  delivered from the sacrifice 
had he so willed it4 ,but the principle 
which was the guiding star of his       
life--,father1 not my will1 but thy     
will be done--influenced him in this    
instance1 and he drank of the  cup given
 him of his ,father1 and wrung out the  
dregs in agony2 but he  did it          
voluntarily1 and that1 too1 out of his  
great love for mankind4  7,outlines1    
,eccl4 ,hist4 ,roberts1 pp4 #ic-d47     
,it is manifest1 from the history of the
 death of ,christ1 that he spake  most  
truly when he said1 ,no man taketh my   
life from me1 but ,i lay it  down of    
myself4 ,john x4 #ah4 ,for how easy     
would it have been for him1  even       
without a miracle1 to have avoided      
falling into the hands of his  enemies8 
,the insidious designs of the ,jewish   
pontiff and chief priests  were well    
known to him2 and it is plain that he   
was no stranger to  the treacherous     
intentions of his perfidious disciple   

,judas1 since  he expressly alludes to  
them on more than one occasion4 ,on the 
other  hand1 it appears that he had     
several great and powerful friends1 on  
whom he could have depended for support4
 ,would he but have quitted  ,jerusalem1
 and returned into ,galilee1 every      
scheme that had been  formed against him
 must have fallen to the ground4        
,indeed1 even this  was not requisite3  
for his safety would have been          
completely secured  had he merely       
changed the place of his nightly resort1
 and1 lest ,judas  should have          
discovered it1 dismissed that wicked and
 deceitful man  from his society4       
,besides these obvious means1 there were
 others to  which he might have had     
recourse1 and which would have proved   
equally  efficient in defeating and     
bringing to naught the evil councils and
  designs of the ,jewish priests and    
elders4 ,but it should seem that  he    
disdained1 or at least voluntarily      
neglected to avail himself  of any of   

those precautions1 which a very moderate
 share of human  prudence would have    
suggested to any man under similar      
circumstances4  ,he remained in         
,jerusalem2 he permitted ,judas to      
continue about his  person1 in the      
character of an intimate friend2 he     
continued to pass  his nights in the    
usual and accustomed place4 ,all these  
circumstances  being considered1 who is 
there but must readily perceive that    
,christ  voluntarily subjected himself  
to the punishment of death1 and offered 
up his life to ,god as a sacrifice for  
the sins of mankind8 7,history of       
,christianity1 ,mosheim4 p4 #ih47    #d4
 ,the ,vicarious ,work of the ,christ3  
,therefore4 ,i command you  to          
repent--repent1 lest ,i smite you by the
 rod of my mouth1 and by  my wrath1 and 
by my anger1 and your sufferings be     
sore--how sore you  know not6 ,how      
exquisite you know not6 ,yes1 how hard  
to bear you know  not6 ,for behold1 ,i1 
,god1 have suffered these things for    

all1 that they  might not suffer if they
 would repent4 ,but if they would not   
repent1  they must suffer even as ,i1   
which suffering caused myself1 even     
,god1  the greatest of all1 to tremble  
because of pain1 and to bleed at every  
pore1 and to suffer both body and       
spirit2 and would that ,i might not     
drink the bitter cup and shrink4        
,nevertheless1 glory be to the ,father1 
,i partook and finished my preparations 
unto the children of men2  wherefore1 ,i
 command you again to repent1 lest ,i   
humble you with my  almighty power1 and 
that you confess your sins1 lest you    
suffer these  punishments of which ,i   
have spoken1 of which in the smallest1  
yea1 even  in the least degree you have 
tasted at the time ,i withdrew my       
spirit4  7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4            
xix3#ae-bj47    #e4 ,the ,appearance of 
,jesus ,after ,his ,resurrection3 ,there
 are  some slight discrepancies in the  
writings of ,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke and  
,john in respect to the order of the    

appearance of ,messiah after his        
resurrection1 as indeed there is in     
respect to the order of the events      
connected with his trial1 condemnation  
and death2 but the following1  because  
of the fragmentary character of the four
 gospels1 may be  regarded as being as  
nearly correct as may be ascertained4   
,first1 to  ,mary ,magdalene1 in the    
garden where the tomb in which he was   
laid was  located2 second1 lo the women 
returning from the sepulchre on their   
way to deliver the angel's message to   
the disciples2 third1 to two  disciples 
going to ,emmaus2 fourth1 to ,peter2    
fifth1 to ten apostles  in an upper     
room2 sixth1 to the eleven apostles1    
also in the upper  room2 seventh1 to    
seven apostles at the sea of ,tiberias2 
eighth1 to  eleven apostles in a        
mountain in ,galilee2 ninth2 to above   
five hundred  brethren at once2 tenth1  
to ,james2 and finally to ,paul while on
 his way  to ,damascus4 7,outlines of   
,ecclesiastical ,history1 p4 #fe47      

#f4 ,the ,christ's ,post-,resurrection  
,ministry in ,judea3 ,in all  ,jesus was
 with his disciples on the eastern      
hemisphere for forty days  after his    
resurrection1 during which time he      
taught them all things  pertaining to   
the kingdom of heaven1 and authorized   
them to go into all  the world and      
preach the gospel to every creature1    
baptizing them in  the name of the      
,father and of the ,son and of the ,holy
 ,ghost1 teaching  them to observe all  
things whatsoever he had commanded them2
 and  promised that he would be with    
them even unto the end of the world4  99
 99 99 ,having thus taught the gospel to
 the people of the eastern  hemisphere1 
organized his church and commissioned   
his apostles to teach  the gospel to all
 nations1 he prepared to depart from    
them4 ,it was most  probably at ,bethany
 that this solemn parting occurred4 ,his
 forerunner1  ,john the ,baptist1 had   
promised that he who should come after  
him1 ,jesus  ,christ1 would baptize them

 with the ,holy ,ghost1 and just        
previous to  ,messiah leaving the       
apostles he told them that the promise  
was about  to be fulfilled4 ,he         
therefore commanded them to tarry in    
,jerusalem  until they were endowed with
 that power from on high4 ,then he      
lifted up  his hands and blessed them1  
after which he was parted from them1 and
  a cloud received him out of their     
sight4 ,as they were still looking      
steadfastly toward heaven1 two          
men4--angels--in white apparel1 stood   
by them1 and declared that this same    
,jesus whom they had seen go into       
heaven1 should come in like manner1 that
 is1 in the clouds of heaven1  and in   
great glory4 7,outlines of ,history1    
,roberts1 pp4 #ff1 #fg47    #g4 ,advent 
of ,messiah on ,western ,hemisphere3 ,i 
now turn to a  passage ,i shall read to 
you from ,,iii ,nephi1 describing the   
appearance  of ,jesus on this land      
7,america47 ,after fearful cataclysms   
had taken  place1 a company of men1     

women and children in the land          
,bountiful1  numbering some #b1ejj      
souls1 were assembled together near a   
temple that  had escaped destruction1   
and they were speaking of the great     
events of  the recent past and the      
change that was apparent in the whole   
face of  the land4 ,as they were        
speaking of these signs that had been   
given of  ,messiah's birth and death1   
and conversing concerning ,messiah      
himself1  they heard a voice4 ,what was 
said they could not at first determine1 
and whence the voice came they could not
 tell4 ,it grew1 however1 more  and     
still more distinct1 until at last they 
heard the voice say3    ,behold my      
beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well        
pleased1 in whom ,i have  glorified my  
name2 hear ye him4    ,and it came to   
pass as they understood1 they cast their
 eyes up again  towards heaven and      
behold1 they saw a man descending out of
 heaven3 and  he was clothed in a white 
robe1 and he came down and stood in the 

midst  of them1 and the eyes of the     
whole multitude were turned upon him1   
and  they durst not open their mouths1  
even one to another1 and wist not  what 
it meant1 for they thought it was an    
angel that had appeared unto  them4     
,and it came to pass that he stretched  
forth his hand and spake unto  them     
people1 saying3    ,behold1 ,i am       
,jesus1 whom the prophets testified     
shall come into the  world2    ,and     
behold1 ,i am the light and the life of 
the world2 ,i have drunk out  of that   
bitter cup which the ,father hath given 
me1 and have glorified  the ,father in  
taking upon me the sins of the world1 in
 which ,i have  suffered the will of the
 ,father in all things from the         
beginning4    ,and it came to pass that 
when ,jesus had spoken these words1 the 
whole  multitude fell to the earth1 for 
they remembered that it had been        
prophesied among them that ,christ      
should show himself unto them after  his
 ascension into heaven4 7,defense of the

 ,faith and the ,saints1 pp4  #chb-c47  
#h4 ,subject of ,messiah ,teaching in   
the ,western ,hemisphere3  ,complaint is
 made that in his ministry among the    
,nephites ,messiah  merely repeated the 
ideas1 and for that matter the words of 
his sermon  on the mount2 so wanting in 
originality1 claim those who object to  
the ,book of ,mormon1 were the authors  
of the book that they could not  trust  
themselves to give ,jesus the           
opportunity of preaching an original    
discourse to the inhabitants of this    
western part of the world4 ,i ask  these
 ,christian objectors to consider this3 
,suppose the ,book of ,mormon  were not 
in existence at all2 suppose that we    
begin to reflect on the  empires and    
nations which beyond all question did   
occupy this land of  ,america in ancient
 times1 and were civilized1 intelligent 
people--,god's  children2 suppose that  
it began to occur to some of our        
,christian  friends that it would have  
been a grand idea if the ,son of ,god   

had come  and made proclamation of the  
,gospel to a people who were destined to
  be for so many centuries separated    
from the eastern hemisphere1 where  the 
gospel had been planted4 ,now1 then1    
suppose these conditions1 and  suppose  
further that ,jesus came here1 what     
would be the nature of his  mission8    
,what should he first do8 ,what truth do
 these ,christian critics  hold to be   
the most important truth to mankind8    
,would it not be the  fact that ,jesus  
is the ,christ1 the ,redeemer of the    
world1 the one who  is to bring life and
 immortality to light through the       
,gospel8 ,would  not that be the most   
important thing to have declared8 ,i    
believe all  ,christians must           
necessarily say yes4 ,well1 that is just
 what happened4  ,the voice of ,god     
broke the stillness of this western     
world1 and said  to a company of people1
 ,this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am
 well  pleased2 hear ye him4 ,then      
,jesus stands forth and declares himself

  and his mission1 the most important   
truth that the ,christian mind1  at     
least1 can conceive4 ,the ,fifth ,gospel
 starts with that sublime1  important   
truth4 ,then alter that1 what would be  
the next most important  thing8 ,would  
it not be to teach man his moral duty8  
,his relationship to  ,god and to the   
,savior having been fixed by the first  
revelation1 what  next8 ,why1 the ethics
 of the gospel of ,christ1 the moral    
law1 which is  to take the place of the 
old ,mosaic law--confessedly inferior to
 the  ,gospel law1 being but the        
schoolmaster to bring ,israel to the    
,christ4  ,christian principles1 then1  
for light living was what ,messiah      
imparted  to the ,nephites after his    
relationship to them was settled4 ,and  
so  ,messiah starts out with the same   
doctrine that he taught upon the  mount 
,there are not wanting respectable      
,christian authorities for the          
assertion that that discourse called the
 sermon on the mount was not a  single  

discourse1 but that into it was crowded 
from the recollection  of the apostles  
all the great ethical truths that ,jesus
 had taught  from time to time1 and that
 here they are grouped together and     
appear  as one discourse4 ,moreover1 the
 ,savior declared to the ,nephites while
  he was yet with them that these truths
 which he had been teaching them  were  
the same that he had taught in ,judea4  
,behold1 said he1 in the  course of his 
explanations1 ye have heard the things  
which ,i have  taught before ,i ascended
 unto my ,father4 7,defense of the      
,faith and the  ,saints1 pp4 #chd-e47   
,note3 ,to the ,teacher3 ,it is         
suggested that you make the  appointment
 at this lesson for ,lesson ,,xxx--a    
discourse on ,the  ,greatness and       
,influence of the ,meridian             
,dispensation4 ,one or more  speakers   
may be appointed1 and an effort should  
be made to give the  subject a masterly 
treatment4 ,it could also be made the   
occasion of  a review of the eight      

lessons devoted to the theme1 which may 
be  conducted by questions after the    
speakers have concluded4    ,on such    
occasions as these a very fitting thing 
to do would be to  invite brethren of   
other quorums1 ,elders and ,high        
,priests1 as also the  local authorities
 of the ,ward or ,stake to witness such 
exercises4 ,make  it a special occasion 
and put those who are to treat the theme
 on their  mettle and get the best out  
of them that it is possible for them to 
give4        ,,lesson ,,xxvii4          
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,propagation ,,of ,,the ,,gospel4      
,,analysis4    ,i4 ,among the           
,jews--,pentecost--the ,church at       
,jerusalem4    #a4 ,among the ,gentiles3
    7a7 ,opening the ,door of the       
,gospel to the ,gentiles by ,peter4     
7b7 ,paul's ,labors among the ,gentiles4
    ,,ii4 ,the ,apostolic ,age4         
,,references4    ,matt1 xxviii3#af-bj2  
,mark xvi2 #af3 ,acts i3#a-i4 ,acts ii3 
ix1 note #a and  #b4    ,acts x1 xi4    

,notes #c1 #d and #e4 ,also ,new        
,testament ,history1 7,smith7 pp4       
#dbf-bi1 #fcc-fdc4    ,acts xxii-xxviii4
 ,note #f4    ,note #g and #h2 also     
,smith's ,new ,testament ,history and   
,dictionaries  heretofore quoted4       
,,notes4    #a4 ,the ,acts of the       
,apostles3 ,the student should regard   
the whole  book1 ,acts of the ,apostles1
 as the book of first importance in the 
history of the propagation of the       
,gospel in the ,meridian ,dispensation4 
,it gives an account of the conflicts   
and conquests of the ,gospel from  the  
ascension of ,messiah to the            
imprisonment of ,paul in the city of    
,rome 7#cc-fc ,a4 ,d471 a period of     
sixty years4 ,it is the earliest manual 
of ,church ,history1 and the only one   
treating of the age of the apostles     
which has come down to us from the first
 century4 7,see note ,seventy's  ,year  
,book1 ,no4 ,i1 p4 #he1 notes #f1 #g47  
,true1 as remarked by ,dr4  ,william    
,smith1 ,new ,testament ,history1 the   

,book of ,acts contains no  full account
 of the acts of the apostles2 for most  
of them are never  mentioned even by    
name after the list given in the first  
chapter2 and  the history of ,paul which
 fills so large a space in the book is  
not  brought down to his death4 ,still1 
it is the most important book of the    
,apostolic age treating of the          
,christian origins4    #b4              
,characteristics of the ,acts3 ,the     
,acts makes prominent the  agency of the
 ,holy ,spirit4 ,he is referred to by   
name fifty times1 or  more frequently   
than in all the four ,gospels together4 
,the promise of  the ,spirit was        
emphasized by ,christ just before his   
ascension4 7#a3e1  #h47 ,he descended in
 tongues of fire on the day of          
,pentecost 7#b3a-ac74  ,early believers 
7#d3ca7 and preachers1 like ,stephen    
7#f3e7 and ,barnabas1  were 'filled with
 the ,holy ,spirit1' and the ,apostles  
were sent forth  to their work 7#ac3d71 
or the elders appointed by ,him 7#bj3   

#bh74 ,it is  a book of beginnings4 ,the
 ,holy ,spirit begins his new and       
promised  activity2 the ,apostles       
inaugurate their labors2 churches are   
founded  in many cities4 99 99 99 99 99 
99 99 ,the ,acts is eminently a hopeful 
book4 ,it  is the book of ,joshua among 
the books of the ,new ,testament1 fresh 
as  with the life of ,spring4 ,old terms
 acquire a new significance1 like       
'believer1' 'brother' 7#i3ag71 'the     
,way' 7#ai3i71 etc4 ,there is no cant4  
,christianity goes forth conquering and 
to conquer1 and the world is the        
heritage of ,christ4 ,it dwells much    
upon the resurrection1 and looks        
forward with expectancy to the ,second  
,coming4 ,it is animate with the  spirit
 of joy4 ,in this respect1 the ,acts is 
set in the same major key  as the       
,gospel of ,luke4 ,confident of the     
presence of the ,master and  conscious  
of the power of salvation1 the ,apostles
 even rejoice that  they were counted   
worthy to suffer for him 7#e3da74 ,the  

tidings which  they preach1 like those  
the angels brought1 are 'good tidings'  
7#ac3  #cb74 ,paul and ,silas sang in   
prison 7#af3be71 and the acceptance of  
the  ,gospel is everywhere attended with
 great joy 7#h3ci2 #ac3eb2 #ae3c2 #af3  
#cd1 etc474 ,it is a book of missionary 
activity4 ,intensity of purpose  and    
effort pulsates through it4 ,it has no  
morbid tone4 ,much stress  is laid upon 
the efficacy of ,christ's death1 but    
only the deaths of  ,stephen and ,james 
are mentioned1 and the deaths of ,paul  
and ,peter are  entirely passed over4   
,this silence 99 99 99 99 indicates that
 it matters  everything how a ,christian
 lives2 little how he dies4             
,christianity  advances with a steady   
and rapid progress from ,jerusalem to   
,antioch1  ,antioch to ,corinth1 and    
,corinth to ,rome4 ,there are references
 to the  numbers of the believers       
7#b3dj2 #d3d71 and constant statements  
that they  were increasing rapidly      
7#b3dg2 #e3ad2 #f3g2 #ab3bd2 #af3e74    

,besides the  more formal notices1 there
 are incidental allusions to the        
churches  in ,samaria and ,phoenicia    
7#ae3c71 ,syria and ,cilicia 7#ae3bc71  
,troas  7#bj3f1 #g71 ,tyre and          
,ptolemais 7#ba3a-g71 and other cities4 
,the book is  the missionary's best     
companion on the frontier and in foreign
 lands4  ,the ,acts is animated with the
 universal aims of the ,gospel4 ,it has 
a  ,gentile ring4 ,palestine was only   
the birthplace of ,christianity1 not    
its exhaustive theatre4 ,peter catches  
this tone in his speech on the  day of  
,pentecost 7#b3ci71 whose various       
tongues were themselves a type1  and    
witnesses a figurative representation of
 it in the vision on the  housetop of   
,joppa4 ,stephen's eye takes in this    
larger horizon1 and  ,paul1 who uttered 
the significant words in ,antioch of    
,pisidia1 ',lo1  we turn to the         
,gentiles' 7#ac3df71 looks out to ,rome 
itself when he  insists1 ',i must also  
see ,rome' 7#ai3ca2 #bj3bb74 ,the motto 

of the ,acts  is the command of the     
ascending ,saviour1 'to the uttermost   
part of the  earth' 7#a3h71 and         
continues to be the motto of the        
,church4 ,the ,acts  of the ,apostles is
 not yet a closed book4 7,the ,acts of  
the ,apostles1  by ,j4 ,s4 ,howson and  
,h4 ,d4 ,m4 ,spence1 p4 xix and xx4     
,international  ,commentary1            
,introduction47    #c4 ,the ,gospel     
,taken to the ,gentiles3 ,the ,apostles1
 being ,jews  themselves1 appear to have
 shared the common prejudices of their  
race  against the ,gentiles2 and treated
 them for a time as if they had no  lot 
nor part in the gospel of ,christ4 ,it  
was not the design of the  ,lord1       
however1 to thus restrict the           
application of the gospel4 ,jesus1      
himself1 while he had said that he was  
sent but to the lost sheep of  the house
 of ,israel1 had also said3 ,and ,i1 if 
,i be lifted up from  the earth1 will   
draw all men unto me2 and the commission
 of the risen  ,christ to the ,apostles 

sent them to all nations4 7,matt4       
xxviii3#ai2  ,acts i3#h47 ,hence1 when  
,cornelius of ,caesarea1 a devout man1  
one that  feared ,god1 though a         
,gentile1 sought the ,lord by prayer and
 good works1  he found him2 for an angel
 was sent to ,cornelius1 who told him   
his  prayers and alms were accepted of  
,god1 and that he had come to direct    
him to send men to ,joppa for ,simon    
,peter1 who would be able to tell  him  
what he ought to do4 ,the devout        
,gentile immediately started the        
messengers to find the ,apostle4        
,meantime ,peter himself was prepared   
by a vision to go with the gospel unto  
one whom both he and all his  race      
regarded as unclean4 ,in vision he      
thought he beheld a great net  let down 
from heaven1 filled with all manner of  
four-footed beasts1  fowls of the air1  
and creeping things4 ,and a voice said  
to him1 ,rise1  ,peter1 kill and eat4   
,not so4 ,lord1 was his reply1 for ,i   
have never  eaten anything that was     

common or unclean4 ,what ,god hath      
cleansed1  said the voice1 that call not
 thou common or unclean4 ,this was done 
thrice1 and as he was yet pondering what
 the vision could mean1 the  messengers 
of ,cornelius were at the gate enquiring
 for him2 and he  was commanded by the  
,spirit to go with them1 doubting       
nothing1 for  ,god had sent them4 ,peter
 was obedient to the inspired           
commandment1  and went to the house of  
,cornelius1 where he found many of the  
devout  ,gentile's friends and kinsmen  
gathered together in anticipation of his
  coming4 ,cornelius having informed the
 apostle how he came to send for  him1  
,peter exclaimed3 ,of a truth ,i        
perceive that ,god is no respecter  of  
persons2 but in every nation he that    
feareth him and worketh  righteousness  
is accepted with him4 ,he then proceeded
 to preach the  gospel to ,cornelius and
 all present4 ,as he did so the ,holy   
,ghost fell  upon them1 to the          
astonishment of all the ,jews who had   

accompanied  ,peter2 for they heard them
 speak in new tongues and magnify ,god4 
,cornelius and his friends were baptized
 and thus the door of the gospel  was   
opened to the ,gentiles4 7,outlines     
,ecclesiastical ,history1 pp4 #ha1  #b47
    #d4 ,peter's ,mission to the        
,gentiles3 ,this event was the crown    
and consummation of ,peter's ministry4  
,he1 who had first preached the         
resurrection to the ,jews1 baptized the 
first converts1 and confirmed  the      
,samaritans1 now1 without the advice or 
co-operation of any of his  colleagues1 
under direct communication from heaven1 
first threw down  the barrier which     
separated proselytes of the gate from   
,israelites2  first established         
principles which issued in the complete 
fusion of  the ,hebrew and ,gentile     
elements in the ,church4 ,the narrative 
of this  event1 which stands alone in   
minute circumstantiality of incidents   
and  accumulation of supernatural       
agency1 is twice recorded by ,st4 ,luke4

  ,the chief points to be recorded are1 
first1 the peculiar fitness of          
,cornelius1 both as a representative of 
,roman force and nationality1 and  a    
devout and liberal worshiper1 to be a   
recipient of such privileges2  and1     
secondly1 the state of the apostle's own
 mind4 ,whatever may have  been his     
hopes or fears touching the heathen1 the
 idea had certainly  not yet crossed him
 that they could become ,christians     
without  first becoming ,jews4 ,as a    
loyal and believing ,hebrew1 he could   
not  contemplate the removal of ,gentile
 disqualifications without a distinct   
assurance that those enactments of the  
,law which concerned them were          
abrogated by a divine legislator4 ,the  
vision could not1 therefore1  have been 
the product of a subjective impression2 
it was strictly  objective1 presented to
 his mind by an external influence4 ,yet
 the  will of the ,apostle was not      
controlled2 it was simply enlightened4  
,the intimation in the state of trance  

did not at once overcome his            
reluctance4 ,it was not until his       
consciousness was fully restored and  he
 had well considered the meaning of the 
vision1 that he learned that  the       
distinction of cleanness and uncleanness
 in outward things belonged  to a       
temporary dispensation4 ,it was no mere 
acquiescence in a positive  command1 but
 the development of a spirit full of    
generous impulses1  which found         
utterance in the words spoken by ,peter 
on that occasion1  both in presence of  
,cornelius and afterward at ,jerusalem4 
7,dr4 ,smith's  ,new ,testament         
,history1 pp4 #dbh-i47    #e4 ,rapid    
,growth of the ,work3 ,the knowledge    
once established in  the minds of the   
,apostles that ,god granted to the      
,gentiles repentance  unto life1 seemed 
to unshackle those who were to preach   
the gospel1 and  gave a broader meaning 
in their minds to their commission to   
,go unto  all the world and preach the  
gospel unto every creature4 ,evidently  

before this they did not comprehend it  
in its fullest sense4 ,the  ,apostles   
appear to have remained in ,jerusalem a 
number of years--twelve  years1         
tradition says--presiding over the      
,church and directing the  labors of    
those preaching the gospel4 ,churches1  
or1 more correctly  speaking1 branches  
of the ,church were built up in         
,antioch1 ,damascus and  other cities of
 ,syria4 ,the work also spread into     
,asia ,minor1 ,greece  and ,rome2 and   
everywhere great success attended the   
preaching of the  elders1 until the     
gospel was firmly established in various
 parts of  the ,gentile world4 ,so      
extensive was the preaching of the      
ambassadors  of ,christ in those early  
days of the ,church that we have ,paul  
saying  7about thirty years after the   
ascension of ,messiah7 that it had been 
preached to every creature under heaven4
 7,outlines ,ecclesiastical  ,history1  
p4 #hc47    #f4 ,personal ,appearance   
and ,character of ,paul3 ,we have no    

very  trustworthy source of information 
as to the personal appearance of ,st4   
,paul4 ,those which we have are referred
 to and quoted in ,conybeare and        
,howson4 7,vol4 i1 ch4 vii4 end47 ,they 
are the early pictures and mosaics      
described by ,mrs4 ,jameson1 and        
passages from ,malalas1 ,nicephorus1 and
  the apocryphal ,acta ,pauli et        
,theclae4 ,they all agree in ascribing  
to the ,apostle a short stature1 a long 
face with high forehead1 an  aquiline   
nose1 close and prominent eyebrows4     
,other characteristics  mentioned are   
baldness1 grey eyes1 a clear complexion1
 and a winning  expression4 ,of his     
temperament and character1 ,st4 ,paul is
 himself the  best painter4 ,his        
speeches and letters convey to us1 as we
 read them1  the truest impressions of  
those qualities which helped to make him
  ,the ,great ,apostle4 ,we perceive the
 warmth and ardor of his nature1  his   
deeply affectionate disposition1 the    
tenderness of his sense of  honor1 the  

courtesy and personal dignity of his    
bearing1 his perfect  fearlessness1 his 
heroic endurance2 we perceive the rare  
combination  of subtlety1 tenacity and  
versatility in his intellect2 we        
perceive  also a practical wisdom which 
we should have associated with a cooler 
temperament1 and a tolerance which is   
seldom united with such impetuous       
convictions4 ,and the principle which   
harmonized all these endowments  and    
directed them to a practical end was1   
beyond dispute1 a knowledge  of ,jesus  
,christ in the ,divine ,spirit4         
,personal allegiance to ,christ  as to a
 living ,master1 with a growing insight 
into the relation of  ,christ to each   
man and to the world1 carried the       
,apostle forward on  a straight course  
through every vicissitude of personal   
fortunes and  amid the various habits of
 thought which he had to encounter4 ,the
  conviction that he had been entrusted 
with a ,gospel concerning a ,lord  and  
,deliverer of men was what sustained him

 and purified his love for  his own     
people1 while it created in him such a  
love for mankind that  he only knew     
himself as a servant of others for      
,christ's sake4 7,dr4  ,smith's ,new    
,testament ,history1 p4 #fcc47    #g4   
,the ,apostolic ,age3 ,the ,apostolic   
,age naturally falls into  three        
periods3 7#a7 ,the time when the labors 
of the ,apostles were  confined to      
,jerusalem2 7#b7 the time during which  
their ministrations  were performed in  
all of ,palestine1 and 7#c7 the time    
when they went  into all the world 7the 
,roman ,empire7 in obedience to the     
,saviour's  behest 7,matt1              
xxviii3#af-bj2 ,mark #af3ae74 99 99 99  
99 99 99 99 ,there is  scarcely a       
movement1 religious or otherwise1 in the
 history of the  world which can be     
compared1 in quickness of development1  
with the  first thirty years of the     
spread of ,christianity4 ,up to the year
 #cc ,a4  ,d4 the name of ,christ had   
scarcely been heard outside of a region 

no  greater than one of the larger      
counties of ,utah2 over all the         
civilized  world beside1 paganism and   
,judaism held undisputed sway4 ,yet1 by 
the  year #fc ,a4 ,d41 through the      
active zeal of our ,lord's followers1   
,his  name and the doctrines ,he came to
 establish had spread over ,syria1 ,asia
  ,minor1 ,arabia1 ,greece1 ,italy1 and1
 we doubt not1 some regions farther     
west4 ,the ,christians1 as the followers
 of ,jesus were called in derision      
first in ,antioch 7,acts #aa3bf71 were  
everywhere known1 and everywhere  spoken
 evil against4 ,opposed by the combined 
forces of the two widely  accepted      
religions above mentioned1 the ,gospel  
of ,christ had spread  to the ends of   
the earth1 and had been accepted by     
,jews and pagans  everywhere4 7,y4 ,m4  
,m4 ,i4 ,manual1 #ahih-i47    #h4 ,state
 of the ,church at ,close of ,apostolic 
,age3 ,a4 the close  of the first       
century1 the ,church was in a sadly     
demoralized condition4  ,according to   

our best authorities1 all the ,apostles 
but ,john were  dead1 no attempt 7for   
any great length of time1 apparently7   
having  been made to maintain the       
quorum4 ,if so important a body was     
allowed  to become extinct1 there is no 
reasonable doubt that other quorums     
fell into decay and that the ,church    
organization lost its original          
identity4 ,with the disorganization of  
the quorums of ,priesthood there  was an
 opportunity for the predicted rise of  
false teachers1 under  whom occurred    
changes in the ordinances of the        
,gospel4 ,these changes  afterward      
increased materially1 until1 in         
connection with the loss of  true and   
the usurpation of false authority1 they 
produced a complete  change both in the 
organization and the ordinances of the  
,church4  ,persecution and internal     
corruption and dissension had also done 
their  work1 until at the close of the  
century1 when ,john wrote his ,epistles 
and the ,revelation1 but few of the     

branches of the ,church retained  enough
 of their identity and faithfulness to  
be recognized by him4  ,the deplorable  
condition of the ,church can well be    
gathered from the  warnings and threats 
given to the saints at ,ephesus in the  
second  chapter of ,revelation4 ,a full 
discussion of this subject will be found
  in ,roberts' ,new ,witnesses for ,god1
 chapters #b-g4 ,from the evidences     
there presented1 it cannot be doubted   
that at the close of the first  century 
the high authority of the ,church had   
fallen into decay1 and the  ,apostolic  
,age was at an end4        ,,lesson     
,,xxviii4    7,scripture ,reading       
,exercise47    ,,conflicting ,,theories4
    ,,analysis4    ,i4 ,questions       
,respecting the ,meridian ,dispensation 
and the ,dispensation  of the ,fullness 
of ,times ,considered4    #a4 ,the      
,largeness and ,glory of the ,meridian  
,dispensation4    #b4 ,identity of the  
,meridian ,dispensation and the         
,dispensation of the  ,fullness of      

,times ,considered4    7a7 ,joel's      
,prophecy of the ,dispensation of the   
,last ,days ,considered4                
,,references4    ,the ,authorities      
quoted in the notes are all the         
,references the ,editor  and ,compiler  
has to offer in this ,lesson4           
,,notes4    #a4 ,the ,greatness of the  
,dispensation of the ,meridian of ,time3
  ,with the period between ,moses and   
,john the ,baptist spanned1 we come  to 
the ,dispensation of the ,meridian of   
,time4 ,this dispensation begins  with  
the preaching of ,john the ,baptist in  
the wilderness4 ,it was made  glorious  
by the personal ministry of ,jesus of   
,nazareth1 the ,son of  ,god2 by ,his   
suffering and death1 for the redemption 
of mankind2 by  ,his glorious           
resurrection from the dead2 by ,his     
subsequent ministry  among ,his         
followers1 and ,his final ascension into
 heaven to the throne  of ,his ,father2 
by the faithful ministry of ,his        
,apostles1 by whom the  good tidings of 

man's salvation were published to the   
world2 by the  establishment of the     
,church as an agency through which the  
,gospel  was to be more widely          
proclaimed1 and those who accepted the  
,gospel  more thoroughly instructed in  
its doctrines1 guarded from error1  and 
finally perfected in the ,christian     
life4 ,an inspired volume of            
,scripture1 the ,new ,testament1 was    
also brought into existence1 from  the  
teachings of the inspired ,apostles1 in 
which the great fundamental  truths of  
the ,gospel were embodied and cast in a 
form that would be  enduring1 and to    
which men could appeal through all the  
ages to come1  as an authoritative      
statement1 not only of what ,jesus said 
and what  ,he did1 but also a statement 
of what doctrines are to be believed2   
what precepts to be practiced2 what     
ordinances to be observed4 ,by thus     
embodying the chief doctrines of ,christ
 in a volume of ,scripture that  should 
live forever1 and be published in all   

the languages of the  world1 provision  
was made for such a dissemination of the
 knowledge of  ,god1 that the world     
would never again be wholly without that
 knowledge2  and though the ,church     
might become corrupted1 as it afterwards
 did2  though men ambitious of          
distinction and power might usurp       
authority and  establish churches in    
which they taught for doctrines the     
commandments  of men1 as they certainly 
did2 still in this volume of ,scripture 
men  henceforth would have at hand a    
standard of truth by which to test  the 
utterances of would-be teachers1 while  
at the same time it would  keep above   
the horizon of a world's knowledge the  
great truths of  the ,gospel--the       
existence and character of ,god2 the    
manifestation  of ,him through the      
person and character of ,jesus of       
,nazareth2 the  relationship existing   
between ,god and man2 the fall of man1  
and the  redemption provided for him in 
the atonement of ,jesus ,christ4 ,all   

this  was achieved in the ,dispensation 
of the ,meridian of ,time2 a mighty     
work accomplished by the ,son of ,god   
and ,his associates2 a work sealed  not 
only by the blood of ,jesus ,christ1 but
 by the blood also of many  faithful    
witnesses1 which shall make their       
testimony of force in the  world4    #b4
 ,the ,identity of the ,dispensation of 
the ,meridian of ,time and  the         
,dispensation of the ,fullness of ,times
 ,considered3 ,owing to  the phraseology
 of certain passages of ,scripture1     
making reference  to the coming of      
,messiah in the flesh1 and to the work  
of ,god in  those days1 the             
,dispensation of the ,meridian of ,time 
is mistaken for  the ,dispensation of   
the ,fullness of ,times4 ,in ,mark's    
,gospel1 for  instance1 ,john the       
,baptist is represented as saying1 ,the 
time  is fulfilled1 and the kingdom of  
,god is at hand3 repent ye1 and  believe
 the ,gospel4,a ,the words in black type
 are usually understood  to make        

reference to the ,dispensation of the   
,fullness of ,times4 ,again  it is      
written3 ,but when the fullness of the  
time was come1 ,god  sent forth ,his    
,son1 made of a woman1 made under the   
law1 to redeem them  that were under the
 law4 ,b ,the words1 when the fullness  
of the time  was come1 are supposed to  
refer to the ,dispensation of the       
,fullness of  ,times4 ,other passages of
 ,scripture referring to the days of    
,messiah's  personal ministry among men 
in the flesh1 speak of them as the last 
days4 ,paul1 in the opening sentence of 
his letter to the ,hebrews1  does this3 
,god1 who at sundry times and in divers 
manners spake in  time past unto the    
fathers by the prophets1 hath in these  
last  days spoken unto us by ,his ,son1 
whom ,he hath appointed heir of all     
things4,c2 ,so ,st4 ,john1 in addressing
 the ,saints in his day3 ,little        
children1 it is the lost time3 and as ye
 have heard that anti-,christ  shall    
come1 even now are there many           

anti-,christs2 whereby we know that  it 
is the last time4,d ,these1 with two    
other special passages of  ,scripture1  
to be separately considered1 constitute 
the authority upon  which the ,meridian 
,dispensation is confounded with the    
,dispensation  of the ,fullness of      
,times4 ,and yet all these passages are 
susceptible  of quite a different and   
more natural rendering4 ,without        
controversy  it will be conceded that   
the ,lord had an appointed time for ,his
 ,son  ,jesus to come to earth in the   
flesh and perform the mission that had  
been assigned ,him2 to suffer2 to die2  
to arise again from the dead4  ,and when
 the fullness of this time was come1    
,god indeed sent forth ,his  ,son into  
the world4 ,as for those inspired       
writers who speak of the  last days1 and
 the last times--they speak relatively2 
that is1 with  reference to former days 
and times2 and1 of course1 the days and 
times  in which they lived to them were 
the last days1 and the last times2 but  

they were not the last days of the      
earth's temporal existence2 they  were  
not the last days in any general sense  
at all1 as there have been  now some two
 thousand years of days since then4     
,they were not the last  days that are  
understood as immediately preceding the 
glorious coming  of the ,son of ,god4   
,footnote ,a3 ,mark i3#ae4    ,footnote 
,b3 ,gal4 iv3#d4    ,footnote ,c3 ,heb4 
i3#a1 #b4    ,footnote ,d3 ,john ii3#ah4
    #c4 ,joel's ,great ,prophecy of the 
,dispensation of the ,last ,days3  ,of  
the special passages before referred to1
 and which ,i said would  receive       
separate consideration1 the first is    
,peter's quotation from  the ,prophet   
,joel1 concerning the outpouring of the 
,spirit of ,god upon  all flesh in the  
last days4 ,this quotation from ,joel is
 regarded as  identifying the days in   
which the ,apostle was speaking1 as the 
last  days2 and the dispensation in     
which he was living as the ,dispensation
  of the ,last ,days and of the         

,fullness of ,times4 ,the conditions    
existing  when ,peter was speaking1 and 
the prophecy of ,joel1 however1 admit of
 no  such interpretation4 ,the          
circumstances were as follows3 ,the     
,holy ,ghost  in an extraordinary manner
 rested upon the ,apostles and gave them
 the  power of speaking in other        
languages than those they had learned4  
,some  in the listening multitude       
attributed this singular manifestation  
to  drunkenness1 whereupon the ,apostle 
,peter arose and refuted the slander1   
saying3 ,these are not drunken1 as ye   
suppose1 seeing it is but the  third    
hour of the day4 ,but this is that which
 was spoken by the ,prophet  ,joel2 and 
it shall come to pass in the last days1 
saith ,god1 ,i will  pour out of my     
,spirit upon all flesh3 and your sons   
and your daughters  shall prophesy1 and 
your young men shall see visions1 and   
your old men  shall dream dreams3 and on
 my servants and on my handmaidens ,i   
will  pour out in those days of my      

,spirit2 and they shall prophesy2 and ,i
  will show wonders in heaven above1 and
 signs in the earth beneath2  blood1 and
 fire1 and vapor of smoke3 the sun shall
 be turned into  darkness and the moon  
into blood1 before that great and       
notable day of  the ,lord come3 and it  
shall come to pass1 that whosoever shall
 call on  the name of the ,lord shall be
 saved4,a ,for1 to finish the passage   
as it stands in ,joel1 but which is not 
in ,peter's quotation1 for in  ,mount   
,zion and in ,jerusalem shall be        
deliverance1 as the ,lord hath  said1   
and in the remnant whom the ,lord shall 
call4,b    ,footnote ,a3 ,acts ii3#ae1  
#ba4    ,footnote ,b3 ,joel ii3#bh-cb4  
,because ,peter1 referring to the       
,spirit that was then resting upon the  
,twelve ,apostles1 said1 this is that   
which was spoken by the ,prophet  ,joel1
 etc41 the very general opinion prevails
 that ,joel's prophecy was  then        
fulfilled2 and hence the last days were 
come4 ,this is an entire                

misapprehension of the purpose of ,peter
 in making the quotation2 as  also of   
the quoted passage itself4 ,beyond all  
controversy1 ,peter meant  only3 ,this  
,spirit which you now see resting upon  
these ,apostles of  ,jesus of ,nazareth 
is that same ,spirit which your ,prophet
 ,joel says  will1 in the last days1 be 
poured out upon all flesh4 ,obviously he
  did not mean that this occasion of the
 ,apostles receiving the ,holy  ,ghost  
was a complete fulfillment of ,joel's   
prediction4 ,to insist upon  such an    
exegesis would be to charge the chief of
 the ,apostles with  palpable ignorance 
of the meaning of ,joel's prophecy4 ,on 
the occasion  in question the ,holy     
,ghost was poured out upon the ,twelve  
,apostles1  who were given the power to 
speak in various tongues2 ,joel's       
prophecy  for its complete fulfillment  
requires that the ,spirit of the ,lord1 
the  ,holy ,ghost1 shall be poured out  
upon all flesh2 and undoubtedly refers  
to that time which shall come in the    

blessed millennium1 when the  enmity    
shall not only cease between man and    
man1 but even between the  beasts of the
 forests and of the fields2 and between 
man and beast1 as  described by ,isaiah 
in the following language3    ,the wolf 
also shall dwell with the lamb1 and the 
leopard shall lie  down with the kid2   
and the calf1 and the young lion1 and   
the fatling  together2 and a little     
child shall lead them4 ,and the cow and 
the  bear shall feed2 their young ones  
shall lie down together2 and the  lion  
shall eat straw like the ox4 ,and the   
suckling child shall play  on the hole  
of the asp2 and the weaned child shall  
put his hand on  the cockatrices' den4  
,they shall not hurt nor destroy in all 
my holy  mountain3 for the earth shall  
be full of the knowledge of the ,lord1  
as  the waters cover the sea4,a         
,footnote ,a3 ,isaiah xi3#f-i4          
,compare these conditions so vividly    
described with what ,joel himself  says 
of the period when the ,spirit of the   

,lord shall be poured out  upon all     
flesh1 and it will at once be clear that
 the two ,prophets  are dealing with the
 same period1 and not only dealing with 
the same  period1 but that the period   
itself is certainly far beyond in time  
the  days of ,peter2 in fact1 is still  
in the future2 for the sum has not  yet 
been turned into blackness2 nor the moon
 into blood2 nor have the  stars        
withdrawn their shining4 ,it is obvious 
that the events upon the  day of        
,pentecost did not fulfill the terms of 
this prophecy1 except in  those         
particulars already pointed out4 ,the   
mention in this prophecy1  however1 of  
those special signs which ,jesus refers 
to as immediately  preceding ,his own   
second and glorious coming1 clearly     
demonstrates that  ,joel was speaking of
 the last days indeed1 and not of a     
circumstance  that occurred in          
connection with a period more properly  
designated  as the ,dispensation of the 
,meridian of ,time4 ,immediately        

following  his prediction of the        
outpouring of ,god's ,spirit upon all   
flesh1 ,joel  represents the ,lord as   
saying3 ,and ,i will show wonders in the
 heavens  and in the earth1 blood1 and  
fire1 and pillars of smoke4 ,the sun    
shall  be turned into darkness1 and the 
moon into blood1 before the great and   
the terrible day of the ,lord come4 ,and
 later3 ,the sun and the moon  shall be 
darkened1 and the stars shall withdraw  
their shining4 ,the ,lord  also shall   
roar out of ,zion1 and utter ,his voice 
from ,jerusalem2 and  the heavens and   
the earth shall shake3 but the ,lord    
will be the hope of  ,his people1 and   
the strength of the children of ,israel4
    ,compare this with the ,saviour's   
description of conditions in the earth  
that will precede ,his own second       
coming3    ,immediately after the       
tribulation of those days shall the sun 
be  darkened1 and the moon shall not    
give her light1 and the stars shall     
fall from heaven1 and the powers of the 

heavens shall be shaken3 and  then shall
 appear the sign of the ,son of ,man in 
heaven3 and then shall  all the tribes  
of the earth mourn1 and they shall see  
the ,son of ,man  coming in the clouds  
of heaven with power and great glory4   
,and ,he shall  send ,his angels with a 
great sound of a trumpet1 and they shall
 gather  together ,his elect from the   
four winds1 from one end of heaven to   
the  other4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,matt4   
xxiv3#bi-ca4    ,the same wonders in    
heaven and earth2 the same changes in   
sun1 and  moon1 and stars2 the same     
promises of the gathering of ,god's     
people as  are found in the prophecy of 
,joel4 ,there can be no question1 then1 
but  that the prophecy of ,joel refers  
to the same last days that ,jesus  here 
alludes to--the days of the coming of   
the ,son of ,man--and not to  the days  
of ,peter and the other ,apostles in the
 meridian of time4    ,the sum of the   
matter then is1 that ,peter was not     
living in the last  days2 that the      

prophecy of ,joel was not in its        
entirety fulfilled  in the outpouring of
 ,god's ,spirit upon the ,apostles on   
the day of  ,pentecost2 that at no time 
subsequent to the days of the ,apostles 
has  there existed such conditions in   
the earth as amount to a complete       
fulfillment of ,joel's prophecy2        
therefore in some time future from the  
days of the ,apostles we may look       
forward to a universal outpouring  of   
,god's ,holy ,spirit upon all flesh1    
resulting in a universal peace  and     
wide-spread knowledge of ,god1 brought  
about1 unquestionably1  by a subsequent 
dispensation from that in which ,peter  
wrought--the  ,dispensation of the      
,fullness of ,times1 in which ,god      
promises to gather  together in one all 
things in ,christ1 both which are in    
heaven and  which are on earth2 even in 
,him4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,eph4 i3#aj4   
,,lesson ,,xxix4    7,scripture ,reading
 ,exercise47    ,,conflicting           
,,theories--7,continued47    ,,analysis4

    ,i4 ,questions ,respecting the      
,meridian ,dispensation and the         
,dispensation  of the ,fullness of      
,times ,considered4    ,,ii4 ,daniel's  
,prophecy of the ,rise of the ,kingdom  
of ,god in the ,last  ,days4            
,,references4    ,the ,authorities      
quoted in the notes are all the         
references the ,editor  and ,compiler   
has to offer in this ,lesson4           
,,notes4    #a4 ,daniel's ,prophecy of  
the ,rise of the ,kingdom of ,god in the
  ,last ,days3 ,the second special      
,scripture to which ,i have promised  a 
separate consideration is the prophecy  
of ,daniel relative to the  succession  
of the great earth empires2 and the     
final establishment  of the ,kingdom of 
,god1 which in the last days shall fill 
the whole  earth and remain forever4 ,by
 an error on the part of ,christian     
writers1  ,daniel's prophecy concerning 
the ,kingdom of ,god to be set up in the
  last days is supposed to have been    
fulfilled by the founding of ,the       

spiritual kingdom of ,christ in the days
 of ,messiah's earthly ministry2  and   
therefore the conclusion is drawn that  
those days were the last  days1 and the 
dispensation then ushered in1 the final 
dispensation of  the ,gospel4 ,it is my 
purpose here to refute that error4      
,the prophecy in question is familiar1  
and comes from ,daniel's  interpretation
 of the king of ,babylon's dream of the 
great image1 whose  brightness was      
excellent1 whose form' was terrible4    
,the head of the  image was-of gold2 his
 breast and arms were of silver2 the    
body and  thighs of brass2 the legs of  
iron2 and the feet and the toes part of 
iron and part of clay4 ,the king in his 
dream also saw a little stone  cut out  
of the mountain without hands1 that     
smote the image upon the  feet of mixed 
clay and iron1 and broke it to          
pieces--until it became  like the chaff 
of the summer thrashing floor1 and the  
wind of heaven  carried it away1 that no
 place was found for it2 but the little 

stone  cut from the mountain without    
hands1 which smote the image on the     
feet and ground it to dust1 became a    
great mountain and filled the  whole    
earth4 ,this is the dream2 and this the 
prophet's interpretation1  addressed to 
the king of ,babylon3    ,thou1 ,o king1
 art a king of kings3 for the ,god of   
heaven hath given  thee a kingdom1      
power1 and strength1 and glory4 ,and    
wheresoever the  children of men dwell1 
the beasts of the field and the fowls of
 the  heaven1 hath he given into thine  
hand1 and hath made thee ruler over     
them all4 ,thou art this head of gold4  
,and after thee shall rise another      
kingdom inferior to thee1 and another   
third kingdom of brass1 which  shall    
bear rule over all the earth4 ,and the  
fourth kingdom shall be  strong as iron3
 forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces   
and subdueth all  things3 and as iron   
that breaketh all these1 shall it break 
in pieces  and bruise4 ,and whereas thou
 sawest the feet and toes1 part of      

potters'  clay1 and part of iron1 the   
kingdom shall be divided2 but there     
shall  be in it of the strength of iron1
 forasmuch as thou sawest the iron      
mixed with miry clay4 ,and as the toes  
of the feet were part of iron1  and part
 of clay1 so the kingdom shall be partly
 strong1 and partly  broken4 ,and       
whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry
 clay1 they shall  mingle themselves    
with the seed of men3 but they shall not
 cleave one  to another1 even as iron is
 not mixed with clay4 ,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 forever4  
,forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone
 was cut out of  the mountain without   
hands41 and that it brake in pieces the 
iron1 the  brass1 the clay1 the silver1 
and the gold1 the great ,god hath made  
known to the king what shall come to    

pass hereafter3 and the dream is        
certain1 and the interpretation thereof 
sure4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,dan4          
ii3#cg-de4    ,as understood by the     
learned1 ,daniel's interpretation stands
 thus3    7#a7 ,the ,golden ,head--,the 
,assyrio-,babylonish monarchy 7the #fth 
and #eth century ,b4 ,c472    7#b7 ,the 
,silver ,breast and ,arms--,the         
,medo-,persian empire 7from  #ech ,b4   
,c4 to about #ccj ,b4 ,c472    7#c7 ,the
 ,brazen ,belly and ,thighs--,the       
,greco-,macedonian kingdom1  especially 
after ,alexander1 those of ,egypt and   
,syria 7from about #ccj ,b4  ,c4 to #afj
 ,b4 ,c472    7#d7 ,the ,legs of ,iron1 
the power of ,rome1 bestriding the east 
and west1 but broken into a number of   
states1 the ten toes1 which  retained   
some of its warlike strength 7the iron71
 mingled with elements  of weakness 7the
 soft potters' clay71 which rendered the
 whole imperial  structure unstable4    
7#e7 ,the ,stone cut without hands out  
of the ,living ,rock1  dashing down the 

image1 becoming a great mountain1 and   
filling all the  earth--,the ,spiritual 
,kingdom of ,christ4    ,the last       
phrase--,the ,spiritual ,kingdom of     
,christ--meaning1 of course1  the       
,christian churches which have existed  
from the time of ,christ1  and that now 
exist1 and which1 taken together1 form  
,christ's spiritual  kingdom4    ,on the
 foregoing exegesis1 which is the one   
commonly accepted by  orthodox          
,christians1 ,i make the following      
several observations3    ,first3 ,the   
phrase with reference to the little     
,stone1 cut out  of the ,living ,rock1  
is one introduced by ,dr4 ,smith1 from  
whose ,old  ,testament ,history,a the   
above analysis of ,daniel's             
interpretation is  taken4 ,the language 
of the ,bible is1 cut out of the        
mountain without  hands4 ,why it is     
changed by the ,doctor one may not      
conjecture1 unless  it is to lay the    
foundation of an argument not warranted 
by the text of  ,daniel's               

interpretation4 ,it is enough here to   
note that the change in  phraseology is 
wholly gratuitous and unwarranted4      
,footnote ,a3 ,edition of #ahgh1 page   
#fbb4    ,second3 ,the claim that the   
little ,stone cut from the mountain     
without hands1 is the ,spiritual        
,kingdom of ,christ--if by that         
spiritual kingdom is meant not a real   
kingdom1 actually existing1  visible and
 tangible--is an assumption of the      
,doctor's4 ,it is not the  language of  
the ,bible1 nor is there any evidence in
 ,scripture for  believing that the     
kingdom1 represented by the stone cut   
out of  the mountain without hands1 is  
any less a material kingdom  than those 
which preceded it4 ,the differences     
between this kingdom of  ,god and the   
other kingdoms of the vision are not in 
the kingdom being  spiritual1 but in    
these3 7#a7 ,that the kingdom which ,god
 shall set up  will never be destroyed2 
7#b7 never left to another people2 7#c7 
will  break in pieces and consume all   

other kingdoms2 7#d7 it shall fill the  
whole earth2 7#e7 and stand forever4 ,we
 are warranted in the belief1  however1 
that it will be a tangible1 bona fide   
government of ,god on  earth1 consisting
 of a king2 subordinate officers2 laws2 
subjects2 and  the whole earth for its  
territory--for its dominion4 ,the coming
 forth  of such a government1 the       
founding of such a kingdom1 is in       
harmony  with all the hopes of all the  
saints1 and the predictions of all the  
prophets who have touched upon the      
subject4 ,it is the actual reign of     
,christ on earth with ,his ,saints1 in  
fulfillment of the hopes held out  to   
them in every dispensation of the       
,gospel4 ,it is to be the burden  of the
 song of the redeemed out of every      
kindred1 and tongue1 and  people1 and   
nation1 that ,christ has made them unto 
their ,god kings and  priests--and we   
shall reign on the earth4,a ,it is to be
 the chorus  in heaven--the kingdoms of 
this world are become the kingdoms of   

our  ,lord1 and of ,his ,christ2 and ,he
 shall reign for ever and ever4,b ,and  
the elders in heaven shall say3         
,footnote ,a3 ,rev4 v3#aj4    ,footnote 
,b3 ,rev4 xi3#ae4    ,we give ,thee     
thanks1 ,o ,lord ,god ,almighty1 which  
art1 and wast1 and  art to come2 because
 thou hast taken to ,thee ,thy great    
power1 and hast  reigned4 ,and the      
nations were angry1 and ,thy wrath is   
come1 and the  time of the dead1 that   
they should be judged1 and that ,thou   
shouldst  give reward unto ,thy servants
 the prophets1 and to the saints1 and   
them  that fear ,thy name1 small and    
great2 and shouldst destroy them which  
destroy the earth4,a    ,footnote ,a3   
,ibid4 xi3#ag1 #ah4    ,and still again3
    ,blessed and holy is he that hath   
part in the first resurrection3 on  such
 the second death hath no power1 but    
they shall be priests of ,god  and of   
,christ1 and shall reign with ,him a    
thousand years4,a    ,footnote ,a3      
,ibid4 xx3#f4    ,it should be observed 

respecting the last passage and the one 
preceding  it1 that the reign on earth  
of the kingdom of ,god is connected with
  the resurrection of the righteous     
saints2 so that it will be in the  last 
days indeed--not in the days of the     
,roman empire4 ,and this  reign of the  
saints on earth1 this kingdom of ,god   
which they shall  constitute1 shall be a
 reign of righteousness1 but a veritable
 kingdom  nevertheless4    ,third3 ,the 
orthodox exegesis under consideration   
omits one  important matter of fact1    
viz41 that instead of four great        
dominant  political powers symbolized in
 the image which ,nebuchadnezzar saw1   
and which ,daniel interpreted1 there are
 five1 viz43 7#a7 ,the ,head  of        
,gold--,babylonish kingdom2 7#b7 the    
,chest and ,arms of ,silver--the        
,medo-,persian monarchy2 7#c7 the       
,brazen ,belly and ,thighs--the         
,greco-,macedonian empire2 7#d7 the     
,legs of ,iron--,rome2 7#e7 the ,feet   
and ,toes mixed of iron and clay--the   

modern kingdoms and  states of the      
world4    ,this failure to recognize the
 fifth political power represented by   
the  feet and toes of ,daniel's image   
leads to serious errors with respect  to
 this prophecy4 ,it has led the         
theologians to assign the setting up  of
 ,god's kingdom spoken of in the        
prophecy to the wrong period of the     
world's history4 ,they say the kingdom  
represented by the stone cut  from the  
mountain without hands is the spiritual 
kingdom of ,christ2  and that the said  
kingdom was set up in the days of       
,messiah's earthly  ministry in the     
meridian of time4 ,this1 however1 cannot
 be correct2  for the ,church which     
,jesus established by ,his personal     
ministry and  which1 it is granted1 is  
sometimes spoken of as the ,kingdom of  
,god1  was founded in the days of the   
,roman empire1 the fourth world power   
of ,daniel's prophecy2 and at a time1   
too1 when imperial ,rome was at  the    
very zenith of her glory and power4     

,whereas the terms of ,daniel's         
prophecy require that the kingdom which 
,god shall establish1 and which  was    
represented by the stone cut from the   
mountain without hands1 shall  be set up
 in the days of the fifth political     
world power--in the days  of the        
kingdoms represented by the pieces of   
iron and clay in the feet  and toes of  
the image4 ,the language of the prophecy
 on this point is3  ,and whereas thou   
sawest the feet and toes1 part of       
potters' clay1 and  part of iron1 the   
kingdom 7i4 e41 the political power so  
represented1  and that succeeds the     
fourth power or ,roman empire7 shall be 
divided2  but there shall be in it the  
strength of the iron1 forasmuch as thou 
sawest the iron mixed with miry clay4   
,and as the toes of the feet were  part 
of iron1 and part of clay1 99 99 99 99  
they 7i4 e41 the kingdoms  represented  
by the pieces of iron and clay7 shall   
mingle themselves  with the seed of men3
 but they shall not cleave one to       

another1 even as  iron is not mixed with
 clay4 ,and in the days of these kings  
7not  in the days of the ,roman         
empire7--in the days of these kings     
shall the ,god of heaven set up a       
kingdom1 which shall never be           
destroyed4    ,fourth3 ,one of the      
peculiarities of the kingdom of ,god of 
,daniel's prophecy is1 that when it is  
established among men it will  not only 
never be destroyed1 but the kingdom     
shall not be left to  other people4 ,by 
which saying we can only conclude that  
when the  kingdom of ,god shall be set  
up by the ,lord in the last days1 it    
will  not be taken from the people to   
whom it shall come1 and be given to1  or
 left1 to another people4 ,but how      
stands it with the institution  which   
arose from the preaching of the ,gospel 
in the days of ,messiah's  earthly      
ministry1 the church1 sometimes called  
the kingdom of ,god1  and the kingdom of
 heaven8 ,was it not left to other      
people8 ,messiah  ,himself said of the  

,jews1 ,therefore say ,i unto you1 the  
kingdom  of ,god shall be taken from you
 and given to a nation bringing forth   
the fruits thereof4,a ,this passage     
comes1 too1 as a conclusion  to the     
parable of the householder who let both 
his house and his  vineyard to unworthy 
husbandmen1 who successively beat1      
stoned1 and  slew the servants1 and even
 the son and heir whom the master sent  
to  collect his portion of the fruit of 
the vineyard4 ,when the ,lord of  the   
vineyard cometh1 what will he do unto   
those husbandmen8 asked  ,jesus of ,his 
hearers4 ,he will miserably destroy     
these wicked men1  they replied1 and    
will let out his vineyard to other      
husbandmen1 which  shall render him the 
fruits in their season4 ,they had       
pronounced  judgment upon themselves4   
,the parable presented the case of the  
,jews  to whom ,jesus was speaking1     
exactly1 and ,jesus quickly made the    
application of the judgment--,therefore 
say ,i unto you1 ,the kingdom of  ,god  

shall be taken from you1 and given unto 
a nation bringing forth  the fruits     
thereof4 ,there can be no mistaking the 
meaning of the  parable or its          
application2 and some years later we    
have ,paul saying  to the contradicting 
and blaspheming ,jews of ,antioch in    
,pisidia3 ,it  was necessary that the   
word of ,god should first have been     
spoken to  you2 but seeing ye put it    
from you1 and judge yourself unworthy of
  everlasting life1 lo1 we turn to the  
,gentiles4 ,for so hath the ,lord       
commanded us4,b ,and so it came to pass 
that as ,israel in those  days rejected 
the ,gospel of the kingdom which was    
first offered to  them1 so ,god also    
rejected them2 and they have stood      
rejected to this  day2 smitten and      
trodden under foot of the ,gentile      
races1 a scoff1 a  hiss1 and a byword in
 every land that they have inhabited2   
while the  kingdom of ,god first offered
 to them was left to other people1 to   
the  ,gentiles1 who1 for a season1      

brought forth the fruits thereof4 ,but  
the  fact that the kingdom then preached
 to the ,jews was taken from them and   
given to another people1 is proof       
positive that it was not the kingdom    
which was to fulfill the terms of       
,daniel's great prophecy4    ,footnote  
,a3 ,matt4 xxi3#dc4    ,footnote ,b3    
,acts xiii3#df1 #dg4    ,fifth3 ,another
 characteristic of the kingdom of ,god  
of ,daniel's  prophecy is1 that it will 
never be destroyed1 but will break in   
pieces  and consume all other kingdoms1 
and stand for ever4 ,this is not true of
  that institution brought into         
existence by the preaching of ,messiah  
and  the ,apostles1 sometimes called the
 kingdom of ,god1 but more properly  the
 ,church of ,christ4 ,saddening as the  
thought may seem1 the ,church  founded  
by the labors of ,jesus and ,his        
,apostles was destroyed from  the earth2
 the ,gospel was perverted2 its         
ordinances were changed2 its  laws were 
transgressed2 its covenant was1 on the  

part of man1 broken2  and the world was 
left to flounder in the darkness of a   
long period of  apostasy from ,god4 ,for
 the reason1 then1 that the institution 
founded  by the preaching of the        
,apostles was destroyed in the earth1 as
 well  as for the other reasons         
considered1 the conclusion is forced    
upon the  mind that the ,church founded 
by ,jesus and the ,apostles was not the 
fulfillment of ,daniel's great prophecy 
respecting the kingdom which ,god       
promised to set up in the last days3 and
 hence we may look for another          
dispensation beyond the times of the    
,apostles1 which will culminate in      
subduing the kingdoms of this world and 
making them the kingdoms of our  ,god   
and ,his ,christ1 followed by that reign
 of righteousness and peace  of which   
all the prophets have spoken4           
,,lesson ,,xxx4    7,scripture ,reading 
,exercise47    ,,the ,,greatness ,,and  
,,influence ,,of ,,the ,,meridian       
,,dispensation4    7,a ,discourse47     

,,notes4    #a4 ,suggestion to the      
,teacher3 ,see foot note in ,lesson     
,,xxii1 ,note  #a4    #b4 ,suggestion to
 the ,speakers3 ,here is a great theme1 
and one  little dwelt upon in the       
,church1 because the ministry and       
members have  been absorbed in the later
 dispensation with which they are       
immediately  connected4 ,it affords     
excellent opportunity for               
truth-grouping1 and  infinite variety in
 treatment4 7,see notes in ,lesson ,,xvi
 and ,,xxii74 ,many  features of this   
great dispensation are untouched by the 
foregoing  lessons1 because of an       
enforced brevity necessary from our plan
 of  treatment4 ,the speaker1 as far as 
possible1 should develop these  omitted 
features1 that more knowledge may be    
imparted to the classes  than that given
 in the lessons4 ,no speaker should be  
content merely to  repeat the subject   
matter of the lessons when there is so  
much left  untouched outside of them4   
,the lesson affords a scope for large   

and  deep thinking2 for wide research   
and masterful expression4 ,do your very 
best upon the subject2 it will be worthy
 of all the effort you bring to  bear   
upon it4    #c4 ,of ,completing a ,plan 
for a ,discourse3 ,the student should   
review what is said on the importance of
 a plan for a discourse in  ,lesson     
,,xxii4 ,on the work of finishing a     
plan1 ,mr4 ,pittinger remarks3  ,when we
 have accumulated our materials1        
stricken out all that is  unfitted or   
superfluous1 and determined the general 
character of our  discourse1 the        
remainder of the work of finishing the  
plan must be left  to individual taste  
and judgment4 ,no rules can be given    
that will meet  every case4 ,we might   
direct to put first those statements or 
arguments  which are most easily        
comprehended1 and those which are       
necessary for  understanding other      
portions of the discourse1 and also     
whatever is  least likely to be         
disputed4 ,something strong and         

impressive should  be held well in      
reserve4 ,it will not be according to   
the principles  of that highest art     
which is the best mirror of nature if we
 exhaust  interest in the opening and   
then close tamely4 ,beyond these obvious
  considerations little help can be     
given to the speaker in this part  of   
his work4 ,he must form his own ideal   
and then work up to it4 ,we  do not     
advise any one to borrow other men's    
outlines for the purpose  of filling    
them up and then speaking from them as  
if the work was  original4 ,that would  
be execrable6 ,this is a most profitless
 kind  of plagiarism4 ,such sketches may
 be useful to the very young speaker1   
merely as indications of the kind of    
excellence in plans or sketches  at     
which he should aim4 ,and when he hears 
good discourses he may look  beneath the
 burning words and criticise the merits 
of the framework  upon which they rest4 
,this may render him less satisfied with
 his  own plans1 but such               

dissatisfaction ever affords the best   
hope for  future success4 ,the true mode
 of improving your plans is to bestow a 
great deal of time and thought upon     
them1 and to make no disposition  of any
 part for which you cannot give a       
satisfactory reason4 ,this  direction   
relates only to the beginner4 ,in time  
the formation of plans  will become so  
natural that any variation from the most
 effective  arrangement will be felt as 
keenly as a discord in music is felt by 
a master in that art4 ,from such        
carefully constructed plans1 firm1      
coherent1 and logical discourses will   
result4 7,extempore ,speech1            
,pittinger1 pp4 #agj1 #aga47            
,essential ,elements of a ,plan3 ,there 
are certain general  characteristics    
that each plan should possess4 ,it must 
fully indicate  the nature of the       
proposed discourse and mark out each of 
its  successive steps with accuracy4    
,any want of definiteness in the outline
  is a fatal defect4 ,you must feel that

 you can rely absolutely on it  for     
guidance to the end of your discourse1  
or be always in danger of  embarassment 
and confusion4 ,each clause should      
express a distinct idea1  and but one4  
,this should be repeated in no other    
part of the discourse2  otherwise we    
fall into wearisome repetitions1 the    
great vice1 as it is  often claimed1 of 
extempore speakers4 ,a brief plan is    
better1 other  things being equal1 than 
a long one4 ,often a single word will   
recall  an idea as perfectly as many    
sentences1 and it will burden the memory
  less4 ,we do not expect the draft of a
 house to equal the house in size1  but 
only to preserve a proportionate        
relation to it throughout4 ,the  plan   
cannot supply the thought1 but1         
indicating what is in the mind1  it     
shows how to bring it forth in regular  
succession4 ,it is a pathway  leading to
 a definite end1 and1 like all pathways1
 its crowning merits  are directness and
 smoothness4 ,without these qualities it

 will perplex  and hinder rather than   
aid4 ,each word in the plan should      
suggest an  idea1 and be so firmly bound
 to that idea that the two cannot become
  separated in any exigency of speech4  
,you will find it sorely perplexing  if1
 in the heat of discourse1 some         
important note should lose the  thought 
for which it previously stood and become
 an empty word4 ,but  with clear        
conceptions condensed into fitting      
words1 this cannot easily  happen4 ,a   
familiar idea can be expressed very     
briefly1 while a strange  or new        
conception may require more expansion4  
,but all thoughts advanced  by the      
speaker ought to be familiar to himself 
as the result of long  meditation and   
thorough mastery1 no matter how strange 
or startling  they are to his hearers4  
,most skeletons may be brought within   
the  compass of a hundred words1 and    
every part be clearly indicated to the  
mind that conceived it1 though perhaps  
not to any other4 7,extempore  ,speech1 

,pittinger1 pp4 #aga-b-c47      99  99  
99  99  99  99    ,clearness in ,speech3
 ,we turn again to the consideration of 
the  quality of clearness in speech4 ,in
 ,lesson ,,xxii the fault of ambiguity  
was dealt with to some extent1 and here 
consideration of the same fault  is     
renewed4    ,ambiguity from the ,use of 
,too ,many ,pronouns3 ,ambiguity may be 
produced by a too free use of pronouns4 
,a student who wishes to tell  how ,dr4 
,livesey1 of ,treasure ,island fame1    
threatened the pirate1 ,billy  ,bones1  
writes3    ,the ,doctor told him he was 
a dirty old scamp1 and that he was a    
doctor  and a magistrate1 so that if he 
ever caught him doing anything like     
that again1 he would run him out of the 
district4    ,it lakes time to discover 
to which man the various pronouns refer4
 ,to  remove the obscurity we shall have
 to make part of the passage a direct   
quotation3    ,dr4 ,livesey told ,bones 
that he was a dirty scamp1 and warned   
him if  he did anything like that again1

 he would be run out of the district4   
,for1 said the ,doctor1 ,i am not only a
 physician1 but a magistrate1  too4     
,often when the report of a speech in   
the third person is ambiguous1  we must 
resort to this device of direct         
quotation4 ,usually1 however1  the      
question is merely one of finding nouns 
to take the place of  pronouns4 ,by     
decreasing the number of pronouns1 the  
confused sentence1  ,walters and ,foster
 didn't agree with them1 but thought as 
we did1 and  so they were forced to give
 up their intention1 becomes the clear  
one1 ,walters and ,foster didn't agree  
with their old-time adversaries1  but   
agreed with us1 and so the latter were  
forced to give up their  intention4 ,in 
getting rid of ambiguous pronouns it may
 be necessary to  repeat a word4 ,when  
clearness demands it1 the best writers  
are never  afraid to use a word twice4  
,the repetition may1 by serving as a    
sort of  echo of the previous thought1  
even increase the coherence4 ,so ,mr4   

,bryce  writes3    ,yet1 after all1 it  
7the influence of the ,speaker of the   
,house of  ,representatives7 is power1  
power which in the hands of a capable   
and  ambitious man becomes so           
far-reaching that it is no exaggeration 
to  call him the second1 if not the     
first political figure in the ,united   
,states4--7,bryce3 ,american            
,commonwealth47    ,this device of      
repetition is used in transforming the  
incoherent  sentence below into a       
coherent one4    ,incoherent3 ,this     
policy is not the best one2 it is false1
 and we  know it1 and shun it           
accordingly1 even if it is not to our   
interest4    ,coherent3 ,this policy is 
not the best policy2 it is false1 we    
know it to be false1 and though shunning
 it is not to our interest1  shun it we 
do4 7,composition and ,rhetoric for     
,schools4 ,herrick and  ,damon1 p4      
#cjd-e47        ,,part ,v4    ,the      
,apostatic,a ,period4    ,,lesson       
,,xxxi4    7,scripture ,reading         

,exercise47    ,,elements ,,of          
,,apostacy ,,in ,,the ,,church4         
,,analysis4    ,i4 ,characters of the   
,early ,christians4    ,,ii4            
,controversy and dissentions among the  
,apostles and ,elders4    ,,iii4        
,schisms--,defections--and ,church wide 
,demoralization among the  ,saints4     
,,references4    ,the ,student will find
 a ,treatise upon the subject of        
,apostasy in the  ,writer's ,outlines of
 ,ecclesiastical ,history as also in his
 ,new  ,witness for ,god1 ,vol4 ,i1 as  
well as in the notes that follow4       
,footnote ,a3 ,apostatic3 ,pertaining to
 an apostate or  apostasy4--,dictionary4
    ,,notes4    ,the ,subject ,proposed3
 ,it now becomes m4 melancholy task to  
trace  through the early ,christian     
centuries the decline of the ,christian 
religion4 ,by this phrase ,i mean that a
 really unchristian religion was        
gradually substituted for the beautiful 
religion of ,jesus ,christ2 that  a     
universal apostasy from the ,christian  

doctrine and the ,christian  ,church    
took place4 ,so tracing the decline of  
,christianity1 ,i shall  establish the  
truth of the first great message with   
which the modern  prophet1 ,joseph      
,smith1 came to the world2 and shall    
also prove the  fact that a necessity   
existed for the establishment of such a 
work as  he claims1 under ,god1 to have 
founded1 and which will bring us to the 
culmination of the ages--to the         
completion of all the dispensations of  
the gospel in the ,dispensation of the  
,fullness of ,times1 in which will  be  
gathered together in one all things in  
,christ1 both which are in  heaven and  
earth1 even in him4 7,eph4 i3#aj47      
,character of the ,early ,christians3   
,first of all1 it should be  remarked   
that the early ,christians were not so  
far removed from the  possession of the 
common weaknesses of humanity as to     
preclude the  possibility of            
apostatizing from the ,christian        
religion4 ,owing to  our being so far   

removed from them in time1 by which many
 of their  defects are obscured1 and the
 exaggerated celebration of their       
virtues1  extravagant ideas of the      
sanctity of their lives and the holiness
 of  their natures has very generally   
obtained2 whereas a little inquiry  into
 the character of the early saints will 
prove that they were very  human1 and   
men of like passions with ourselves4    
,ambitious ,controversies of the        
,apostles3 ,the mother of ,zebedee's    
children exhibited a rather ambitious   
spirit1 and the two brethren  themselves
 gave much offense to their fellow      
apostles by aspiring to  sit the one on 
the right hand of ,jesus and the other  
on ,his left when  ,he should come into 
,his ,kingdom4,a ,even ,peter1 the chief
 ,apostle1  exhibited his full share of 
human weakness when he thrice denied    
his ,lord in the presence of his        
enemies1 through fear1 and even         
confirmed that denial by cursing and    
swearing4,b ,it was rather a  heated    

controversy1 too1 that arose in the     
early ,christian ,church as  to whether 
those who accepted the ,christian faith 
were still bound to  the observances of 
the law of ,moses1 and more especially  
to the rite  of circumcision4 ,although 
there seems to have been an amicable and
  authoritative settlement of that      
question by the decision of what some   
learned writers have called the first   
general council of the ,church1  held by
 the ,apostles and ,elders at           
,jerusalem1,c yet the old difficulty    
broke out again and again1 not only     
between the ,jewish saints and the      
,gentile converts1 but even among the   
,apostles themselves1 leading to        
serious accusations one against another1
 the straining of friendship  between   
fellow-workmen in the ministry1 through 
criminations and  recriminations4       
,footnote ,a3 ,matt4 xx3#bj-bd4         
,footnote ,b3 ,matt4 xxvi3#fi-ge4       
,footnote ,c3 ,acts xv4    ,after the   
settlement of this very question of     

circumcision by the  council at         
,jerusalem1 ,peter went down to ,antioch
 and at first mingled  unreservedly with
 both ,jew and ,gentile converts without
 distinction1  accepting both ,jew and  
,gentile in perfect fellowship1         
departing  entirely from the restraints 
placed on a ,jew by the law of ,moses1  
which  rendered it unlawful for one who 
was a ,jew to have such unrestricted    
fellowship with the ,gentiles4 ,but when
 certain ones came down from  ,james1   
who resided in ,jerusalem1 then ,peter1 
fearful of offending  them which were of
 the circumcision1 suddenly withdrew his
 social  fellowship from the ,gentile   
converts4 ,other ,jewish brethren did   
the  same2 ,barnabas1 the friend of     
,paul1 being among the number4          
,whereupon  ,paul1 as he himself        
testified1 withstood ,peter to the face1
 directly  charging him before all the  
brethren with dissimulation1 saying3 ,if
  thou being a ,jew livest after the    
manner of ,gentiles and not as do the   

,jews1 why compellest thou the ,gentiles
 to live as do the ,jews8,a ,yet  this  
same ,paul1 notwithstanding his loyalty 
to the ,gentile converts on  that       
occasion1 his zeal for the decision     
which had been rendered by the  council 
of the ,church at ,jerusalem1 and       
notwithstanding his usually  strong     
moral courage1 subsequently showed by   
his conduct that he1 too1  was not      
beyond the weakness of becoming all     
things to all men2 for  a short time    
after the incident with ,peter at       
,antioch1 when in the  province of      
,galatia1 and he desired ,timothy to be 
his companion in the  ministry1 ,paul   
took him and circumcised him1 because it
 was well known  that while his mother  
was a ,jewess1 his father was a ,greek1 
and all  this for fear of the ,jews4,b  
,footnote ,a3 ,galatians ii4            
,footnote ,b3 ,acts xvi3#a-d4    ,this  
question continued to be a cause of     
contention even after this  sharp       
disputation at ,antioch2 for though the 

decision of the council  at ,jerusalem  
was against the contention of the       
,judaizing party1 yet  they continued to
 agitate the question whenever          
opportunity presented  itself1 and      
seemed especially to follow close upon  
the footsteps of  ,paul in his          
missionary journeys2 and in ,galatia1 at
 least1 succeeded  in turning the saints
 of that province from the grace of     
,christ unto  another gospel1 perverting
 the ,gospel of ,christ4,a ,this        
question  continued to agitate the      
,church throughout the ,apostolic ,age1 
and  was finally settled through        
overwhelming numbers of ,gentiles being 
converted1 and taking possession of the 
,church1 rather than through any        
profound respect for the decision of the
 council at ,jerusalem4    ,footnote ,a3
 ,gal4 i3#f1 #g4    ,the withdrawal of  
,john ,mark from the ministry while     
accompanying  ,paul and ,barnabas on    
their first mission in ,asia ,minor1 and
 which  withdrawal grew out of a        

faltering of his zeal or a              
misunderstanding  with his companions1  
will be readily called to mind4,a       
,subsequently1  when ,paul proposed to  
,barnabas that they go again and visit  
the  brethren in every city where they  
had preached while on their first       
mission1 a sharp contention arose       
between them about this same ,john      
,mark4 ,barnabas desired to take him    
again into the ministry1 but ,paul      
seriously objected2 and so pronounced   
was the quarrel between them that  these
 two friends and fellow yokemen in the  
ministry parted company1  no more to be 
united4 ,it is just possible1 also1 that
 in addition to  this misunderstanding  
about ,john ,mark1 the severe reproof   
which ,paul  administered to ,barnabas  
in the affair of dissimulation at       
,antioch had  somewhat strained their   
friendship4    ,footnote ,a3 ,acts      
xiii3#ac4    ,schisms ,among the ,early 
,christians3 ,turning from these        
misunderstandings and criminations among

 the leading officers of the  ,church1  
let us inquire how it stood with the    
members4 ,the ,epistle  of ,paul to the 
church at ,corinth discloses the fact   
that there were  serious schisms among  
them2 some boasting that they were of   
,paul1  others that they were of        
,apollos1 others of ,cephas1 and still  
others  of ,christ2 which led ,paul to  
ask sharply1 ,is ,christ divided8 ,was  
,paul  crucified for you8,a ,there were 
endless strifes as well as divisions    
among them1 which caused ,paul to       
denounce them as carnally minded4,b     
,among them also was such fornication as
 was not named among the  ,gentiles1    
that one should have his father's wife6 
,and this shameful  sin had not humbled 
the church at ,corinth1 for ,paul       
denounced them for  being puffed up in  
the presence of such a crime1 rather    
than having  mourned over it4,c ,they   
were in the habit of going to law one   
with  another1 and that before the      
world1 in violation of the teachings of 

,jesus ,christ4,d ,they desecrated the  
ordinances of the ,lord's ,supper  by   
their drunkenness1 for which they were  
sharply reproved by the  ,apostle4,e    
,they ate and drank unworthily1 not     
discerning the ,lord's  body2 for which 
cause many were sickly among them1 and  
many slept  7that is1 died74 ,there were
 heresies also among them1,f some       
denying  the resurrection of the dead1  
while others possessed not the knowledge
  of ,god1 which the ,apostle declared  
was their shame4,g ,it is true1  this   
sharp letter of reproof made the        
,corinthian saints sorry1 and  sorry1   
too1 after a godly fashion1 in that it  
brought them to a partial  repentance2  
but even in the second epistle1 from    
which we learn of  their partial        
repentance1 the ,apostle could still    
charge that there  were many in the     
,church who had not repented of the     
uncleanness and  fornication and        
lasciviousness which they had           
committed4,h ,from this  second letter1 

also1 we learn that there were many in  
the church at  large who corrupted the  
word of ,god2,i that there were those1  
even in  the ministry1 who were false   
prophets1 deceitful workers1            
transforming  themselves into the       
apostles of ,christ4,j    ,footnote ,a3 
,i ,cor4 i3#ab1 #ac4    ,footnote ,b3 ,i
 ,cor4 iii3#c1 #d4    ,footnote ,c3 ,i  
,cor4 v3#a-c4    ,footnote ,d3 ,i ,cor4 
vi3#a-bj2 and ,matt1 xviii3#ae1 #ag4    
,footnote ,e3 ,i ,cor4 xi3#b-bb and #bi1
 #cj4    ,footnote ,f3 ,i ,cor4 xi3#ai4 
,footnote ,g3 ,i ,cor4 xv3#ab-cd4       
,footnote ,h3 ,,ii ,cor4 xi4 #ba4       
,footnote ,i3 ,,ii ,cor4 ii3#ag4        
,footnote ,j3 ,,ii ,cor4 xi3#ab-ad4     
,of the churches throughout the province
 of ,galatia it is scarcely  necessary  
to say more than we have already said   
concerning the invasion  of that        
province by ,judaizing ,christian       
ministers1 who were turning  away the   
saints from the grace of ,christ back to
 the beggarly elements  of the law of   

carnal commandments2 a circumstance     
which led ,paul to  exclaim3 ,i marvel  
that ye are so soon removed from him    
that had  called you unto the grace of  
,christ1 unto another gospel2 which is  
not  another2 but there be some that    
trouble you1 and would pervert the      
,gospel of ,christ4,a    ,footnote ,a3  
,gal4 i3#f1 #g4    ,that there were two 
distinct parties in the ,church at this 
time1  between whom bitter contentions  
arose1 is further evidenced by the      
letter of ,paul to the ,philippians4    
,some preached ,christ even of  envy and
 strife1 and some of good will4 ,the one
 preach ,christ of  contention1 not     
sincerely1 says ,paul1 supposing to add 
affliction to  my bonds2 but the other  
of love1 knowing that ,i am set for the 
defense  of the ,gospel4,a ,beware of   
dogs1 said he again to the same people2 
beware of evil workers2 beware of the   
concision4,b ,brethren1 be  followers of
 me1 he admonishes them1 and mark them  
which walk so  as ye have us for an     

example1 for many walk of whom ,i have  
told you  often1 and now tell you even  
weeping1 that they are the enemies of   
the  cross of ,christ3 whose end is     
destruction1 whose ,god is their belly1 
and whose glory is their shame1 who mind
 earthly things4,c ,to the  ,colossians1
 ,paul found it necessary to say3       
,beware lest any man spoil  you through 
philosophy and vain deceit1 after the   
traditions of men1  after the rudiments 
of the world1 and not after ,christ4 99 
99 99 99 ,let no  man beguile you of    
your reward in a voluntary humility and 
worshiping  of angels1 intruding into   
those things which he hath not seen1    
vainly  puffed up by his fleshly mind4,d
    ,footnote ,a3 ,phil4 i3#ae1 #af4    
,footnote ,b3 ,phil4 iii3#b4            
,footnote ,c3 ,phil4 iii3#ag1 #ai4      
,footnote ,d3 ,col4 ii3#h1 #ah4         
,defections ,among ,paul's ,converts3   
,but it is in ,paul's pastoral letters  
that we get a deeper insight into       
corruptions threatening the early       

church1 and even beginning to lay the   
foundation for that subsequent  apostasy
 which overwhelmed it4 ,the ,apostle    
sent ,timothy to the saints  at ,ephesus
 to represent him1 that he might charge 
some to teach no  other doctrines than  
those which he had delivered to them3   
,neither  give heed to fables and       
endless genealogies1 which minister     
questions  rather than godly edifying   
which is in faith1 for some had turned  
aside from the commandment of charity1  
out of a pure heart1 and a good         
conscience1 and faith unfeigned1 unto   
vile jangling1 desiring to be  teachers 
of the law1 understanding neither what  
they say nor whereof  they affirm4,a    
,others concerning faith had made       
shipwreck1 of whom  were ,hymenaeus and 
,alexander1 whom ,paul had delivered    
unto ,satan that  they might learn not  
to blaspheme4,b ,others had erred       
concerning the  faith and had given heed
 to vain babblings1 and opposition of   
science  falsely so called4,c ,in his   

second letter to ,timothy1 ,paul informs
  him that all the saints in ,asia had  
turned away from him1 of whom were      
,phygellus and ,hermogenes4,d ,he       
admonishes ,timothy again to shun       
profane and vain babblings1 for1 said   
he1 they will increase unto  more       
ungodliness1 and their word will eat as 
doth a canker2 of whom is  ,hymenaeus   
and ,philetus1 who1 concerning the      
truth1 have erred1 saying  that the     
resurrection is passed already1 and     
overthrow the faith of  some4,e ,demos1 
once a fellow-laborer with ,paul1 had   
forsaken him1  having loved this present
 world2,f and at ,paul's first answer1  
that  is1 when arraigned before the     
court at ,rome1 no man stood with him1  
but all men forsook him2 he prays that  
,god will not lay this to their         
charge4,g    ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,tim4     
i3#c-g4    ,footnote ,b3 ,i ,tim4 i3#ai1
 #bj4    ,footnote ,c3 ,i ,tim4 vi3#bj1 
#ba4    ,footnote ,d3 ,,ii ,tim4 i3#ae4 
,footnote ,e3 ,,ii ,tim4 ii3#af1 #ah4   

,footnote ,f3 ,,ii ,tim4 iv3#aj4        
,footnote ,g3 ,,ii ,tim4 iv3#af4        
,paul admonished ,titus to hold fast to 
the faith1 for there were  many unruly  
and vain talkers and deceivers1         
especially those of the  circumcision2  
who subverted whole houses1 teaching    
things which they  ought not1 for filthy
 lucre's sake2 and were giving heed to  
,jewish  fables and commandments of men 
and turning from the truth4,a           
,footnote ,a3 ,titus i3#i-ad4    ,the   
,demoralization of ,christians          
,widespread3 ,peter also had  something 
to say with reference to the danger of  
heresies and false  teachers which      
menaced the ,church4 ,he declared that  
there would be  false teachers among the
 saints1 who privily would bring in     
damnable  heresies1 even denying the    
,lord that bought them1 and bring upon  
themselves swift destruction4 ,and many1
 said he1 shall follow their  pernicious
 ways2 by reason of whom the truth shall
 be evil spoken of4  ,and through       

covetousness shall they with feigned    
words make merchandise  of you2 whose   
judgment now for a long time lingereth  
not1 and their  damnation slumbereth    
not4 ,for if ,god spared not the angels 
that  sinned1 but cast them down to hell
 and delivered them unto chains of      
darkness to be reserved unto            
judgment--he argued that the ,lord would
  not spare these corrupters of the     
,gospel of ,christ1 who1 like the dog1  
had turned again to his own vomit1 and  
the sow who was washed to her  wallowing
 in the mire4,a ,he charged also that   
some were wresting the  epistles of     
,paul1 as they were some of the other   
scriptures1 unto  their own             
destruction4,b    ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii    
,peter ii4    ,footnote ,b3 ,ibid4 iii2 
#af4    ,john1 the disciple whom ,jesus 
loved1 also bears testimony to the      
existence of anti-,christs1 false       
prophets1 and the depravity of many in  
the early ,church4 ,it is the last time1
 said he1 and as ye have heard  that    

anti-,christ shall come1 even now there 
are many anti-,christs1  whereby we know
 that it is the last time2 99 99 99 99  
99 99 ,they went out  from us 99 99 99  
99 99 99 that they might be manifest    
that they were not all of  us4,a ,try   
the spirits1 said he1 in the same       
epistle1 whether  they are of ,god2     
because many false prophets are gone out
 into the  world4,b ,again2 ,many       
deceivers are entered into the world1   
who  confess not that ,jesus ,christ is 
come in the flesh4 ,this is a deceiver1 
an anti-,christ4,c    ,footnote ,a3 ,i  
,john ii3#ah1 #ai4    ,footnote ,b3 ,i  
,john iv3#a4    ,footnote ,c3 ,,ii ,john
 vii3#e4    ,jude also is a witness     
against this class of deceivers4 ,he    
admonished  the saints to contend       
earnestly for the faith which was once  
delivered  unto the saints2 for1 said   
he1 there are certain men crept in      
unawares1 99 99 99 99 ungodly men1      
turning the grace of our ,god into      
lasciviousness and denying the only     

,lord ,god1 and our ,lord ,jesus        
,christ4,a ,the rest of the epistle he  
devotes to a description of  their      
wickedness1 comparing it with the       
conduct of ,satan1 and the  vileness of 
the inhabitants of ,sodom and ,gomorrah4
    ,footnote ,a3 ,jude #c1 #d4         
,object of the ,review3 ,i have not     
given this review of the  condition of  
the ,church of ,christ in the ,apostolic
 ,age with the view of  establishing the
 idea that the ,church at that time was 
in a complete  state of apostasy2 nor   
have ,i dwelt upon the weaknesses and   
sins of  the early saints for the       
purpose of holding them up for contempt4
 ,my  only purpose has been to dispel1  
first of all1 the extravagant ideas     
that obtain in many minds concerning the
 absolute sanctity of the early         
,christians2 and secondly1 and mainly1  
to show that there were elements  and   
tendencies existing in the early        
,church1 even in the days of the        
,apostles1 that would1 when unrestrained

 by ,apostolic authority and  power1    
lead to its entire overthrow4    ,we    
have no good reason to believe that     
there occurred any change  for the      
better in the affairs of the ,church    
after the demise of the  ,apostles2 no  
reason to believe that there were fewer 
heresies or  fewer false teachers1 or   
false prophets to lead away the people  
with  their vain philosophies1 their    
foolish babblings1 and opposition of    
science falsely so called ,on the       
contrary1 one is forced to believe the  
prediction of ,paul1 viz41 that evil men
 and seducers would wax worse  and      
worse1 deceiving and being deceived2,a  
for who1 after the ,apostles  were      
fallen asleep1 would stand up and       
correct the heresies that were  brought 
into the ,church1 rebuke the            
schismatics1 the false teachers and     
false prophets that arose to draw away  
disciples after them8 ,if false         
teachers insinuated themselves into the 
,church1 brought in damnable  heresies  

by reason of which the way of truth was 
evil spoken of1  and the pure religion  
of ,jesus ,christ corrupted even while  
inspired  ,apostles were still in the   
,church1 it is not unreasonable to      
conclude  that all these evils would    
increase and revel unchecked after the  
death  of the ,apostles4    ,footnote   
,a3 ,,ii ,tim4 iii1 #ac4        ,,lesson
 ,,xxxii4    7,scripture ,reading       
,exercise47    ,,progress ,,of ,,the    
,,apostacy4    ,,analysis4    ,i4 ,the  
,existence of ,false ,teachers in the   
,church4    ,,ii4 ,promulgation of      
,false ,doctrines4    ,,references4     
,the ,works cited in the ,last ,lesson  
and the authorities cited in the  notes4
    ,,notes4    ,the ,rise of ,false    
,teachers3 ,i cannot1 of course1 here   
enter  into even a brief history of     
false teachers in the early ,christian  
centuries4 ,that of itself would be     
matter for a volume4 ,i shall  therefore
 content myself with making quotations  
from reliable  authorities that will    

directly establish the fact of the rapid
 increase  in the number of false       
teachers1 and the pernicious effect of  
their  doctrines upon the ,christian    
religion4    ,position of the ,roman    
,catholic and ,protestant ,churches1    
,respectively1 on the ,question of      
,early ,christian ,apostasy3  ,it should
 be said before making these quotations1
 however1 that  ,protestant writers are 
interested in maintaining that the      
,christian  religion was perpetuated1   
even through the ages of apostasy1 and  
given back to mankind by the agency of  
the so-called ,reformation  of the'     
sixteenth century4 ,hence in their      
writings1 when stating the  corruptions 
of the early ,church1 they are          
especially guarded lest  too strong a   
statement would lead to the belief that 
the ,christian  religion had been       
utterly subverted4 ,indeed1 it is well  
known that  ,milner wrote his ,church   
,history--which should be regarded not  
so much  as the history of the ,church  

as the history of piety--to counteract  
the influence of ,mosheim's ,institutes 
of ,ecclesiastical ,history1  which work
 ,milner considered too frank in its    
statements of perversions  and abuses of
 religion4 ,the ,protestant writers must
 need set forth  the theory that the    
,christian religion survived all the    
abuses and  corruptions of it through   
ages of apostasy1 else they would have  
no  logical ground for the sixteenth    
century ,reformation to stand upon4     
,they seem not oblivious to the fact1   
though never mentioning it1 that  if the
 ,christian religion was displaced by a 
paganized religion--a  false            
religion--as is fully predicted1 as we  
shall see later1 in  the ,new ,testament
 prophecies1 and of which the works of  
,protestant  writers go far toward      
proving--then the only possible way in  
which the  true ,christian religion and 
the ,church of ,christ could be restored
  would be by a reopening of the heavens
 and the giving forth of a  new         

dispensation of the ,gospel1 together   
with a renewal of divine  authority to  
preach it1 and administer its ordinances
 of salvation4  ,catholics hold that    
there has been no great apostasy in the 
,church4  ,their theory is that there   
has been a constant1 unbroken           
perpetuation  of the ,christian ,church 
from the days of the ,messiah and ,his  
,apostles  until now2 and that the      
,roman ,catholic ,church is that very   
,church so  perpetuated through the     
ages4 ,catholic writers admit that there
 have  been very corrupt periods in the 
,church1 and many wicked prelates1 and  
some vile popes2 yet they hold that the 
,church has persisted1 that the         
,christian religion has been preserved  
in the earth4    ,declension of         
,excellence in ,early ,christian        
,writers3 ,with  these remarks on the   
position of the ,protestant and         
,catholic churches  respecting their    
attitude on the subject of the          
perpetuation of the  ,christian         

religion1 ,i proceed with the quotations
 promised2 and1 first1  a passage from  
,neander's ,history of the ,christian   
,religion and ,church1  on the very     
great difference between the writings of
 the ,apostles and  the writings of the 
so-called ,apostolic ,fathers2 and the  
suddenness of  that transition1 to the  
disparagement of the productions of the 
,fathers3    ,a phenomenon1 singular in 
its kind1 is the striking difference    
between the writings of the ,apostles   
and the writings of the ,apostolic      
,fathers1 who were so nearly their      
contemporaries4 ,in other cases1        
transitions are wont to be gradual2 but 
in this instance we observe a  sudden   
change4 ,there are here no gentle       
gradations1 but all at once an  abrupt  
transition from one style of language to
 another2 a phenomenon  which should    
lead us to acknowledge the fact of a    
special agency of  the ,divine ,spirit  
in the souls of the ,apostles4 ,after   
the time of the  first extraordinary    

operations of the ,holy ,ghost followed 
the period  of the free development of  
human nature in ,christianity2 and here1
 as  in all other cases1 the beginning  
must be small and feeble before the     
effects of ,christianity could penetrate
 more widely1 and bring fully  under    
their influence the great powers of the 
human mind4 ,it was to be  shown1 first1
 what the divine power could effect by  
the foolishness  of preaching4 ,the     
writings of the so-called ,apostolic    
,fathers have  unhappily1 for the most  
part1 come down to us in a condition    
very  little worthy of confidence1      
partly because under the name of these  
men1 so highly venerated in the ,church1
 writings were early forged for  the    
purpose of giving authority to          
particular opinions or principles2  and 
partly because their own writings which 
were extant became  interpolated in     
subservience to a ,jewish hierarchical  
interest which  aimed to crush the free 
spirit of the ,gospel4,a    ,footnote   

,a3 ,vol4 i1 pp4 #fef1 #feg4    ,there  
is no authority of ,scripture for the   
supposition made here by  ,dr4 ,neander 
that the extraordinary operations of the
 ,holy ,ghost were  to be confined to   
the ,apostles2 the whole tenor of       
,scripture authority  is to the         
contrary4 ,it is the theory of the      
,gospel itself that all  who receive it1
 and particularly its ministers1 shall  
have the divine  ,spirit as a special   
agency working in their souls1 through  
all time1  and there is no warrant for  
the belief that its operations were to  
be  confined to those who first received
 it and became its first ministers4     
,therefore1 this sudden transition in   
the matter of excellence and            
truthworthiness between the writings of 
the ,apostles and the writings  of the  
,apostolic ,fathers indicates not only a
 deterioration in the  character of the 
teachers in the ,church and what is     
taught1 but more  specially indicates   
the progress of the mystery of iniquity 

which was  at work subverting the       
,christian religion and destroying the  
,church of  ,christ4    ,on the question
 of forged books and writings mentioned 
in the passage  from ,neander1 ,dr4     
,nathaniel ,lardner refers to a         
dissertation written  by ,dr4 ,mosheim1 
which shows the reasons and causes for  
the many forged  writings produced in   
the first and second centuries1 and then
 adds3  ,all own that ,christians of all
 sorts were guilty of this fraud4       
,indeed1 we may say it was one great    
fault of the times2 for truth needs  no 
such defenses1 and would blush at the   
sight of them4,a    ,footnote ,a3       
,lardner's ,works1 vol4 viii4 p4 #ccj4  
,eusebius1 quoting ,hegesippus on the   
subject of false teachers and  referring
 to the condition of the ,church about  
the close of the first  century1 says3  
,the ,church continued until then 7close
 of the first century7 as a  pure and   
uncorrupted virgin1 whilst if there were
 any at all at that  attempted to       

pervert the sound doctrine of the saving
 ,gospel1 they were  yet skulking in    
dark retreats2 but when the sacred choir
 of ,apostles  became extinct1 and the  
generation of those who had been        
privileged to  hear their inspired      
wisdom had passed away1 then also the   
combinations  of impious errors arose by
 the fraud and delusions of false       
teachers4  ,these also1 as there were   
none of the ,apostles left1 henceforth  
attempted without shame to preach their 
false doctrine against the  ,gospel of  
truth4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,eus4 ,ec4    
,hist41 bk4 iii4 ch4 #cb4    ,dr4       
,mosheim has the following on the same  
subject3    ,not long after the         
,savior's ascension1 various histories  
of ,his life  and doctrines1 full of    
impositions and fables1 were composed by
 persons  of no bad intentions1 perhaps1
 but who were superstitious1 simple and 
piously fraudulent2 and afterwards      
various other spurious writings were    
palmed upon the world1 falsely inscribed

 with the names of the holy             
,apostles4,a    ,footnote ,a3           
,institutes1 bk4 i1 cent4 #a1 part ii1  
ch4 ii4    ,this condition of things    
with reference to the writers in the    
centuries  under consideration1         
naturally leads one to the reflection   
that if  there was so much of fraud1 and
 so many forged writings1 what must     
have been the state of the ,church at   
this time with reference to oral        
teaching8 ,we are justified in          
believing1 ,i think1 that bad as was the
  state of things with reference to the 
writings of these early teachers  of the
 ,church1 the discourses of such as     
preached may be depended  upon as being 
much worse4 ,in this view of the case1  
one can readily  understand that the    
authority of antiquity so generally     
urged as a  reason for accepting the    
testimonies of the ,fathers1 that       
handmaid to  ,scripture1 as antiquity is
 sometimes called1 the whole body of it1
  written and oral1 may indeed be       

regarded1 as ,dr4 ,jortin remarks1 as   
,briarean1 for she has a hundred hands1 
and these hands often clash and  beat   
one another4,a    ,footnote ,a3         
,jortin's ,remarks on ,ecclesiastical   
,history1 vol4 i4 p4  #bdh4             
,moreover1 it often happens that those  
who are condemned by some of  these     
,fathers as heretics were not only      
censured for their heresies1  but       
sometimes for the truths which they     
held4 ,for example3 ,papias1  a ,bishop 
and ,christian ,father in the second    
century1 is condemned  by ,eusebius for 
saying that he received from ,apostolic 
men--meaning  thereby men who were      
associated with the ,apostles--the fact 
that there  would be a corporeal reign  
of ,christ on earth with the saints1    
after  the resurrection1 which would    
continue through a thousand years4,a    
,footnote ,a3 ,eusebius1 bk4 iii1 ch4   
#ci4    ,prodicus is censured by        
,clement of ,alexandria for holding that
 men are  of nature the children of     

,deity4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,lardner     
,works1 vol4 viii1 p4 #dah4             
,controversy ,over ,baptism for the     
,dead3 ,marcion1 besides being          
condemned for his many errors1 is also  
censured by ,irenaeus for  believing in 
salvation for the dead1 concerning      
which1 it must be  acknowledged1        
,marcion did bold peculiar views2 but   
that is no reason  why the general      
principle should be condemned4,a ,he    
taught that ,jesus  ,christ went to     
,hades and preached there1 and brought  
hence all that  believed on him4 ,the   
ancients1 continues ,irenaeus1 as quoted
 by  ,lardner1 being of opinion that    
eternal life is not to be obtained but  
through faith in ,jesus ,christ1 and    
that ,god is too merciful to let men    
perish for not hearing the ,gospel1     
supposed that the ,lord preached  also  
to the dead1 that they might have the   
same advantage with the  living4 ,he    
further adds1 ,in the language of       
,marcion and the fathers1  hell does not

 necessarily mean the place of the      
damned2 in that place  is ,tartarus1 the
 place of torment1 and ,paradise1 or the
 bosom of  ,abraham1 a place of rest and
 refreshment4 ,in that part of ,hades1  
,jesus  found the just men of the ,old  
,testament4 ,they were not miserable1   
but  were in a place of comfort and     
pleasure4 ,for ,christ1 he continues1   
promiseth the ,jews after this life1    
rest in ,hades1 even in the bosom  of   
,abraham4 ,this far the doctrine of     
,marcion is in strict agreement  with   
the ,new ,testament1 though denounced as
 blasphemy by his opponent4  ,the       
unfortunate part of ,marcion's doctrine 
on this head is that he  taught that    
,cain and the wicked of ,sodom and the  
,egyptians1 and in fact  all the nations
 in general1 though they had lived in   
all manner of  wickedness1 were saved by
 the ,lord2 but that ,abel1 ,enoch1     
,noah1 and the  patriarchs and prophets 
and other righteous men who walked with 
,god and  pleased ,him in their         

earth-life1 did not obtain salvation1   
because they  suspected that in the     
preaching of ,christ in the spirit world
 there was  some scheme of deception to 
lead them away from their present       
qualified  believe in ,him1 for which   
reason1 as he says1 their souls remained
 in  ,hell4,b    ,footnote ,a3 ,lardner 
,works1 vol4 viii1 #ddi2 also ,i ,peter 
iii3#ah-ba2  ,ibid1 iv3#f2 ,i ,cor4     
xv3#bi4    ,footnote ,b3 ,ibid1 p4 #dfj4
    ,marcion is also condemned for      
believing in the eternity of matter4,a  
,so1 too1 ,hermogenes is censured by    
,tertullian for the same cause1 and  for
 arguing that ,god made the world out of
 matter and could not have  made it out 
of nothing4,b    ,footnote ,a3 ,ibid4 p4
 #eha-b4    ,footnote ,b3 ,lardner1 vol4
 viii1 p4 #cde4    ,and so throughout   
there is censure and counter censure    
between the  orthodox and the heretics1 
and it is difficult at times to         
determine  which are the orthodox and   
which the heretics1 so frequently do    

they  change places4 ,nor was there any 
improvement in the ages that succeeded  
these that have been briefly considered4
 ,the editor of ,dr4 ,jortin's  learned 
work on ,ecclesiastical ,history1       
,william ,trollope1 on a passage  of    
,jortin's on the early fathers1 says of 
the fathers of the fourth  century3     
,after the council of ,nice1,a a class  
of writers sprung up1 greatly  inferior 
to their predecessors1 in whatever light
 their pretensions  are viewed4 ,sadly  
deficient in learning1 prejudiced in    
opinion1  and inelegant in style1 they  
cannot be admitted for a moment into    
competition with those who were         
contemporary with the ,apostles and     
their immediate successors4,b           
,footnote ,a3 ,held in #cbe ,a4 ,d4     
,footnote ,b3 ,jortin1 vol4 i1 p4 #aff1 
note4    ,the whole tenor of his remarks
 is to the effect that while the fathers
  of the second and third centuries are 
not to be relied upon in their          
interpretations of ,scripture1 were     

frequently deceived in opinions1 and    
not always to be depended upon in       
matters of tradition1 yet they were     
greatly to be preferred in all respects 
to the fathers of succeeding  centuries4
    ,,ii4 ,the ,development of ,false   
,doctrines ,after the ,death of the     
,apostles3 ,here1 too1 ,i shall rely    
very largely upon the conclusions  of   
the learned ,dr4 ,lardner1 referring to 
the development of the  heresies1 the   
seeds of which were sown in the days of 
the ,apostles1  says3    ,eusebius      
relates that ,ignatius1 on his way from 
,antioch to ,rome1  exhorted the        
churches to beware of heresies which    
were then springing  up1 and which would
 increase2 and that he afterwards wrote 
his epistles  in order to guard them    
against these corruptions1 and to       
confirm them  in the faith4 ,this       
opinion that the seeds of these heresies
 were  sown in the time of the          
,apostles1 and sprang up immediately    
after is  an opinion probably in itself1

 and is embraced by several learned     
moderns1 particularly by ,vitringa1 and 
by the late ,rev4 ,mr4 ,brekel of       
,liverpool4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,lardner1
 vol4 viii1 p4 #cdd4    ,conditions of  
the ,church in the ,first ,three        
,centuries3 ,a  certain ,mr4 ,deacon    
attempted to refute the ,mr4 ,brekel    
referred to by  ,dr4 ,lardner1 and to   
maintain the purity of the ,church of   
the first  three centuries4 ,on this    
,mr4 ,brekel observed that ,if this     
point  were thoroughly examined1 it     
would appear that the ,christian ,church
  preserved her virgin purity no longer 
than the ,apostolic age1 at least  if we
 may give credit to ,hegesippus4        
,relying upon the support of the        
ecclesiastical history of ,socrates1 a  
writer of the first half of  the fifth  
century1 ,mr4 ,brekel also says3 ,to    
mention the corruptions  and innovations
 in religion of the four first          
centuries1 is wholly  superfluous2 when 
it is so very notorious that1 even      

before the reign  of ,constantine1 there
 sprang up a kind of heathenish         
,christianity which  mingled itself with
 the true ,christian religion4,a        
,footnote ,a3 ,lardner1 vol4 viii1 p4   
#cde4    ,of the impending departure    
from the ,christian religion immediately
  succeeding the days of the ,apostles1 
,dr4 ,neander says3    ,already1 in the 
latter part of the age of ,st4 ,paul1 we
 shall see  many things different from  
what they had been originally2 and so it
  cannot appear strange if other changes
 came to be introduced into  the        
constitution of the 7,christian7        
communities1 by the altered             
circumstances of the times immediately  
succeeding those of ,st4 ,paul or  ,st4 
,john4 ,then ensued those strongly      
marked oppositions and schisms1  those  
dangers with which the corruptions      
engendered by manifold foreign  elements
 threatened primitive ,christianity4,a  
,footnote ,a3 ,neander's ,history of the
 ,christian ,religion and ,church vol  i

 p4 #aia4    ,dr4 ,phillip ,smith1 the  
author of the ,students' ,ecclesiastical
  ,history1 in speaking of the early    
corruptions of the ,christian  religion1
 says3    ,the sad truth is that as soon
 as ,christianity was generally         
diffused1  it began to absorb           
corruptions from all the lands in which 
it was  planted1 and to reflect the     
complexion of all their systems of      
religion  and philosophy4,a    ,footnote
 ,a3 ,eccles4 ,hist41 vol4 i1 p4 #di4   
,dean ,milman1 in his preface to his    
annotated edition of ,edward ,gibbon's  
great work1 ,the ,decline and ,fall of  
the ,roman ,empire1 and commenting  upon
 that great author's attitude respecting
 the ,christian religion1  says3    ,if1
 after all1 the view of the early       
progress of ,christianity  be melancholy
 and humiliating1 we must beware lest we
 charge the  whole of this on the       
infidelity of the historian4 ,it is     
idle1 it  is disingenuous1 to deny or   
dissemble the early depravations of     

,christianity1 its gradual but rapid    
departure from its primitive  simplicity
 and purity1 still more from its spirit 
of universal love4 ,it  may be no       
unsalutary lesson to the ,christian     
world1 that this silent1  this          
unavoidable perhaps1 yet fatal change1  
shall have been drawn by an  impartial1 
or even an hostile hand4,a    ,footnote 
,a3 ,gibbon's ,roman ,empire1 ,preface  
by ,dean ,milman1 p4 #ae4    ,dr4       
,mosheim1 in his ,institutes1 deals at  
length with the abuses  which arose in  
the ,church in the second and third     
centuries1 which ,i  abridge to the     
following1 and first as to the second   
century3 ,many  rites were added without
 necessity to both public and private   
religious  worship1 to the great offense
 of good men2 and principally because of
  the perversity of mankind1 who are    
more delighted with the pomp and        
splendor of external forms and pageantry
 than with the true devotion of  the    
heart4 ,there is good reason to believe 

that the ,christian bishops  purposely  
multiplied sacred rites for the sake of 
rendering the ,jews  and pagans more    
friendly to them4 ,for both these       
classes had always  been accustomed to  
numerous and splendid ceremonies1 and   
believed them  an essential part of     
religion4 ,in pursuance of this policy1 
and to  silence the calumnies of the    
pagans and the ,jews against them--to   
the  effect that the ,christians were   
pronounced atheists1 because destitute  
of temples1 altars1 victims1 priests1   
and all that pomp in which the  vulgar  
suppose the essence of religion to      
consist--the ,christian  leaders        
introduced many rites1 that they might  
be able to maintain  that they really   
had those things which the pagans had1  
only they  subsisted under different    
forms4 ,some of these rites--justified1 
as  was supposed1 by a comparison of the
 ,christian oblations with ,jewish      
victims and sacrifices--in time         
corrupted essentially the doctrine of   

the ,lord's supper1 and converted it    
into a sacrifice4 ,to add further  to   
the dignity of the ,christian religion1 
the churches of the east  feigned       
mysteries similar to those of the pagan 
religions2 and1 as  with the pagans1 the
 holy rites of the mysteries were       
concealed from  the vulgar3--,and they  
not only applied the terms used in the  
pagan  mysteries to the ,christian      
institutions1 particularly baptism and  
the  ,lord's ,supper1 but they gradually
 introduced also the rites which were   
designed by those terms4 ,this practice 
originated in the eastern  provinces of 
the empire1 and thence1 after the times 
of ,adrian 7who  first introduced the   
,grecian mysteries among the ,latins71  
it spread  among the ,christians of the 
west4 ,a large part therefore1 of       
,christian  observances and             
institutions1 even in this century1 had 
the aspect of  the pagan mysteries4 ,in 
like manner many ceremonies and customs 
of the  ,egyptians were adopted4,a      

,footnote ,a3 ,institutes1 vol4 i1 cent1
 ii1 part ii1 ch4 iv4    ,speaking of   
the third century1 the ,doctor says that
 all the monuments  of this century show
 that there was a great increase of     
ceremonies  in the ,church1 owing to the
 prevailing passion for the ,platonic   
philosophy4 ,hence arose the public     
exorcisms1 the multiplication of  fasts1
 the aversion to matrimony1 and the     
painful austerities and  penances which 
were enjoined upon offenders4,a         
,footnote ,a3 ,ibid4 cen4 iii1 part ii1 
ch4 iv4        ,,lesson ,,xxxiii4       
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,constantine4    ,,analysis4    ,i4    
,the ,revolution of the ,fourth         
,century4    ,,ii4 ,conversion and      
,character of the ,first ,christian     
,emperor4    ,,references4    ,see the  
,references to ,authorities given in the
 notes4    ,,notes4    ,the ,revolution 
of the ,fourth ,century3 ,constantine3  
,it will be observed  that ,i have so   
far confined my quotations concerning   

the corruptions  which arose in the     
,church to the first three centuries of 
the ,christian  era4 ,i have done so    
purposely2 and chiefly that ,i might    
show by such  quotations that the forces
 which were to bring about the          
destruction  of the ,christian ,church  
were active during those ages2 and also 
because an event took place in the first
 part of the fourth century  that       
culminated in the triumph of those      
forces4 ,this event was the             
establishment of ,christianity as the   
state religion of ,rome4    ,parentage  
and ,station of ,constantine3           
,constantine the ,great was  the emperor
 under whose reign this unlooked for    
revolution took  place4 ,he was the son 
of ,constantine ,chlorus1 emperor of the
 ,west  in the preceding reign2 which   
reign he had shared with ,galerius      
,maximianus1 who ruled the ,east4       
,constantine was an emperor bora of an  
emperor1 the pious son of a most pious  
and virtuous father1 is the  flattering 

announcement of his parentage on the    
paternal side1 by his  contemporary1    
,eusebius1 the church historian2 though 
he neglects to  mention the obscure     
origin and humble vocation 7that of inn 
keeper7 of  ,constantine's mother1      
,helena1 whom her husband repudiated    
when raised  to the dignity of ,caesar  
in the reign of ,diocletian4            
,constantine was proclaimed emperor by  
the army in ,britain on the death  of   
his father at ,york1 #cjf ,a4 ,d42 but  
civil strife raged through the  empire  
for eighteen years1 occasioned by the   
contending aspirants for  the imperial  
dignity4 ,the future patron of          
,christianity1 however1  overcame all   
his rivals and reigned sole monarch of  
,rome from #cbc ,a4 ,d4  to the time of 
his death1 fourteen years later4    ,the
 policy of ,constantine's father towards
 the ,christians in his  division of the
 empire 7the ,west7 had been one not    
only of toleration1  but also of        
friendship2 and this policy the son     

followed from the  commencement of his  
career as emperor4 ,the fact of both his
 own and  his father's friendliness     
toward the ,church on the one hand1 and 
the  hostility of his rivals against the
 ,church on the other1 brought to  him  
the united support of the ,christians   
throughout the empire2 and  though they 
were not so numerous as they are        
frequently represented to  be1 yet it   
cannot be denied that the ,christians   
were important factors  in determining  
the course of events in the empire at   
this time2 and  truly they were faithful
 allies to ,constantine1 and he1 on his 
part1  neglected not to meet their      
anticipations of reward4    ,a careful  
study of his life and character will    
force the conviction  upon the mind that
 ,constantine was a most suitable head  
for the  revolution which ended by      
establishing a pseudo-,christianity as  
the  state religion of the decaying     
empire4 ,a professed ,christian for many
  years1 if we may believe ,lactantius  

and ,eusebius1 he postponed his         
baptism1 after the fashion of his times1
 until the very last year of  his life1 
in order that1 purified at once from all
 the stains of sin  by means of it1 he  
might be sure of entering into bliss4   
,such the  explanation of those who     
would defend this delay of the          
emperor's2  but one cannot fail to      
remember that it was quite customary at 
this  time among many professing the    
,christian religion to put off baptism  
as long as they dared that they might   
enjoy a life of sin1 and then  through  
the means of baptism1 just before death1
 as by magic1 obtain  forgiveness4,a ,on
 the motives that prompted              
,constantine's acceptance  of           
,christianity1 our historians are not   
agreed4 ,according to ,eusebius1  his   
conversion was brought about through    
seeing in the heavens a  luminous cross 
at midday1 and above it the inscription3
 ,by this  ,conquer4 ,this miraculous   
sign was supplemented on the night      

following  by the appearance of ,jesus  
,christ to the emperor in a dream1 with 
the  same symbol1 the cross1 and        
directed ,constantine to make it the    
ensign  of his banners and his          
protection against the power of the     
enemy4,b  ,according to ,theodoret1 the 
emperor was converted through the       
arguments  of his ,christian mother4,c  
,according to ,zosimus1 it was through  
the  arguments of an ,egyptian          
,christian bishop--supposed to be       
,hosius1  ,bishop of ,corduba--who      
promised him absolution for his crimes1 
which  included a number of murders1 if 
he would but accept ,christianity4,d    
,footnote ,a3 ,neander ,ch4 ,hist41 vol4
 i1 p4 #beb4 ,decline and ,fall41 vol4  
ii1 chap4 xx4    ,footnote ,b3          
,eusebius' ,life of ,constantine1 bk4 i1
 #bg4    ,footnote ,c3 ,hist4 ,eccles41 
vol4 i1 bk4 i1 ch4 #ag4    ,footnote ,d3
 ,zosimus1 bk4 ii1 p4 #ajd4    ,the     
,conversion of ,constantine3 ,it is as  
difficult to settle upon the  time of   

,constantine's conversion as it is the  
means and nature of  it4 ,neander       
inclines to the opinion that he was     
early influenced in  favor of           
,christianity through the example if not
 the teachings of his  parents1 who1 if 
not fully converted to the ,christian   
faith1 were at  least tolerant of it2   
and may be reasonably counted among the 
number  who at least admitted ,christ to
 the pantheon of the gods4 ,by an act   
of his in #cjh ,a4 ,d41 after the death 
of his father1 and he himself  had been 
proclaimed emperor of the ,west1 shows  
that he was at that  time still         
respected the pagan forms of worship2   
for hearing that the  ,franks1 who had  
been inclined to rebel against his      
government1 had1  on his preparations to
 make war upon them1 laid down their    
arms1 he  offered public thanks in a    
celebrated temple of ,apollo1 and gave a
  magnificent offering to the god4,a    
,footnote ,a3 ,neander's ,ch4 ,hist41   
vol4 ii1 p4 #h4    ,the story of        

,constantine's conversion1 as related by
 ,eusebius1 would  fix that event in the
 year #cab ,a4 ,d42 and surely if the   
open vision  of the luminous cross and  
the subsequent appearing of ,christ in  
his  dream were realities1 ,constantine 
had sufficient grounds for a prompt  and
 unequivocal conversion to the          
,christian faith4 ,but after that1 if   
we consider the conduct of the emperor1 
we shall find him1 however  astonishing 
it may seem1 still attached to pagan    
ceremonies of worship4  ,as late as #cba
 ,a4 ,d41 nine years after the          
visitation of ,christ to him1  we find  
him accused of artfully balancing the   
hopes and fears of both  his pagan and  
,christian subjects by publishing in the
 same year two  edicts2 the first of    
which enjoined the solemn observance of 
,sunday2  and the second directed the   
consultation of the ,haruspices,a--the  
soothsayers of the old pagan religion4  
,of this circumstance1 ,neander1  who is
 disposed to palliate the conduct of    

,constantine as far as  possible1 after 
intimating that this lapse might be     
accounted for on  the grounds of state  
policy1 says3 ,yet the other hypothesis1
 viz41  that ,constantine had actually  
fallen back into heathen superstitions1 
may indeed be regarded as the more      
natural4,b ,five years after  his       
supposed miraculous conversion we find  
marks of the pagan state  religion upon 
the imperial coins4,c ,a medal was      
struck1 says ,dr4  ,john ,w4 ,draper1   
doubtless referring to the same thing1  
on which  was impressed his             
7,constantine's7 title of ',god1'       
together with the  monogram of ,christ4 
,another1 he continues1 represented him 
as  raised by a hand from the sky while 
seated in the chariot of the ,sun4  ,but
 more particularly the great porphyry   
pillar1 a column one hundred  and twenty
 feet in height1 exhibited the true     
religious condition  of the founder of  
,constantinople4 ,the statue on its     
summit mingled  together the ,sun1 the  

,savior1 and the ,emperor4 ,its body was
 a colossal  image of ,apollo1 whose    
features were replaced by those of      
,constantine1  and around the head1 like
 rays1 were fixed the nails of the cross
  of ,christ1 recently discovered in    
,jerusalem4,d ,while on the day         
,constantinople was formally made the   
capital of the empire1 he honored  the  
statue of ,fortune with gifts4 ,in view 
of all these acts1 ranging as  they do  
over the greater part of the first      
,christian emperor's life1  and through 
many years after his supposed           
conversion1 ,i think ,gibbon  is        
justified in his remarks upon this part 
of ,constantine's conduct3  ,it was an  
arduous task to eradicate the habits and
 prejudices of his  education1 to       
acknowledge the divine power of ,christ1
 and to understand  that the truth of   
his revelation was incompatible with the
 worship of  the gods4,e    ,footnote   
,a3 ,gibbon1 ,decline and ,fall1 vol4   
iii1 ch4 xx4    ,footnote ,b3 ,neander  

,ch4 ,hist41 vol4 ii1 p4 #ba4           
,footnote ,c3 ,neander ,ch4 ,hist41 vol4
 ii1 p4 #ba4    ,footnote ,d3           
,intellectual ,development of ,europe1  
vol4 i1 p4 #bhj4    ,footnote ,e3       
,gibbon1 ,decline and ,fall1 ch4 xx4    
,the ,character of ,constantine4 ,turing
 from the consideration of the          
equivocal conduct of the emperor to his 
character1 we have a subject  about     
which there is less disagreement among  
authorities2 for even  ,christian       
apologists are compelled to admit the   
wickedness of this  first ,christian    
emperor4 ,relying with presumptuous     
confidence1 says  ,neander1 on the great
 things which ,god had done throug him1 
for the  advancement of the ,christian  
,church1 he found it easy to excuse or  
extenuate to his conscience1 many a     
wrong deed1 into which he had  suffered 
himself to be betrayed by ambition1 the 
love of rule1 the  arbitrary exercise of
 power1 or the jealousy of despotism4,a 
,footnote ,a3 ,neander ,ch4 ,hist41 vol4

 ii1 p4 #bd4    ,it is indeed true that1
 ,constantine's life was not such as the
  precepts of ,christianity required1   
,dr4 ,mosheim remarks1 but softens  the 
statement against the emperor by saying 
that it is but too  notorious that many 
persons who look upon the ,christian    
religion as  indubitably true1 and of   
divine origin1 yet do not conform their 
lives  to all its holy precepts4,a      
,footnote ,a3 ,mosheim's ,institutes1   
vol4 i1 p4 #bad4    ,dr4 ,lardner1 after
 drawing a most favorable outline of    
,constantine's  person and character1   
and citing the flattery of contemporary 
panegyrists as a description of the man1
 says3 ,having observed these  virtues  
of ,constantine1 and other things1 which
 are to his advantage3  a just respect  
to truth obligeth us to take notice of  
some other  things1 which seem to cast a
 reflection upon him4,a ,and then in the
  most naive manner he adds3 ,among     
these1 one of the chief is putting  to  
death so many of his relatives6 ,he     

enumerates the victims of the  first    
,christian emperor as follows3 ,maximian
 ,herculius1 his wife's  father2        
,bassianus1 husband of his sister1      
,anastasia2 ,crispus1 his own  son2     
,fausta1 his wife2 ,licinius1 husband of
 his sister1 ,constantia2  and          
,licinianus1 or ,licinius1 the younger1 
his nephew1 and son of the              
forementioned ,licinius4,b ,the last    
named victim was a mere lad when  put to
 death1 not more than a little above    
eleven years of age1 if so  much1 is    
,dr4 ,lardner's own description of him4 
,fausta was suffocated  in a steam bath1
 though she had been his wife for twenty
 years and  mother of three of his sons4
 ,it should be remembered that this is  
the  list of victims admitted by a most 
learned and pious ,christian writer1    
not a catalogue drawn up by pagan       
historians1 whom we might suspect of    
malice against one who had deserted the 
shrines of the ancient gods  for the    
faith of the ,christians4 ,but this     

rather formidable list of  murdered     
victims admitted by ,dr4 ,lardner shakes
 not his faith in the  goodness of the  
first ,christian emperor4 ,some of these
 executions  he palliates1 if not       
justifies1 on the ground of political   
necessity2  and others on the ground of 
domestic perfidy2 though he almost      
stumbles  in his efforts at excusing the
 taking off of ,crispus1 the emperor's  
own son2 ,fausta1 his wife1 and the lad 
,licinius4 ,these are the  executions1  
he says1 which above all others cast a  
reflection upon  the reign of           
,constantine2 though there are also     
hints of the deaths of  some others     
about the same time1 with whom          
,constantine had till then  lived in    
friendship4,c ,after which the ,doctor  
immediately adds--in  the very face of  
all the facts he adduces1 and after     
reciting the  condemnation of both      
heathen and ,christian writers of some  
of these  murders--the following3 ,i do 
by no means think that ,constantine was 

a man of a cruel disposition2 and       
therefore ,i am unwilling to touch  upon
 any other actions of a like nature3 as 
his making some ,german  princes taken  
captive1 fight in the theatre2 and      
sending the head of  ,maxentius to      
,africa1 after it had been made a part  
of ,constantine's  triumphal entry at   
,rome4 ,when one finds a sober          
,christian writer of  the eighteenth    
century who can thus speak of           
,constantine2 and further  remembers    
that to this day a priest of the ,greek 
,church seldom mentions  the name of the
 imperial saint1 without adding the     
title1 ,equal  to the ,apostles2 one is 
not surprised that while he lived and at
  his court a ,christian bishop could be
 found who congratulated him  as        
constituted by ,god to rule over all1 in
 the present world1 and  destined to    
reign with the son of ,god in the world 
to come4,d ,or  that ,eusebius1 who is  
spoken of as one of the best bishops of 
the  imperial court1 did not scruple for

 a moment to ascribe to the purest      
motives of a true servant of ,god1 all  
those transactions into which the       
emperor1 without evincing the slightest 
regard to truth or to humanity1  had    
suffered himself to be drawn by an      
ambition which could not abide a  rival1
 in the struggle with ,licinius2 when he
 represents the emperor1  in a war      
which1 beyond a doubt1 had been         
undertaken from motives of  a purely    
selfish policy1 as marshaling the order 
of the battle1 and  giving out the words
 of command by divine inspiration       
bestowed in  answer to his prayer4,e    
,footnote ,a3 ,lardner1 vol4 iv1 p4 #ci4
    ,footnote ,b3 ,lardner1 vol4 iv1 p4 
#ci4    ,footnote ,c3 ,lardner1 vol4 iv1
 p4 #dd4    ,footnote ,d3 ,neander ,ch4 
,his41 vol4 ii1 p4 #be4    ,footnote ,e3
 ,neander ,ch4 ,hist41 vol4 ii1 p4 #be4 
,concluding ,reflections ,upon          
,constantine3 ,enough of this4 ,let  us 
look no longer at this first of the     
,christian emperors through the  eyes of

 churchmen seeking to extol his virtues 
and hide his crimes1 all  for the honor 
of the ,church4 ,so odious had he become
 in ,rome for his  many murders that a  
pasquinade1 which compared his reign to 
that of the  detested ,nero1 was nailed 
to the palace gates4 ,the guilty        
emperor1  says one1 in the first burst  
of anger1 was on the point of darkening 
the tragedy1 if such a thing had been   
possible1 by a massacre of the  ,roman  
populace who had thus insulted him4 ,his
 brothers were consulted  on this       
measure of vengeance1 however1 and the  
result of their counsel  was a          
resolution to degrade ,rome to a        
subordinate rank1 and build a           
metropolis elsewhere1 and hence the new 
capital of the empire rose on  the      
shores of the ,bosphorus4    ,reflecting
 upon the career of ,constantine from   
the days of his young  manhood1 which   
had in it something of the quality that 
makes the  successful leader of men1 to 
the time when he fell under the         

influence  of the false priests of a    
corrupted religion1 ,draper says3       
,from the rough soldier who accepted the
 purple at ,york1 how great the  change 
to the effeminate emperor of the        
,bosphorus1 in silken robes1  stiffened 
with threads of gold2 a diadem of       
sapphires and pearls1 and  false hair1  
stained of various tints2 his steps     
stealthily guarded  by mysterious       
eunuchs1 flitting through the palace2   
the streets full  of spies1 and an      
ever-watchful police6 ,the same man who 
approaches  us as the ,roman imperator  
retires from us as the ,asiatic despot4 
,in  the last days of his life1 he put  
aside the imperial purple1 and1         
assuming the customary white garment1   
prepared for baptism1 that  the sins of 
his long and evil life might all be     
washed away4 ,since  complete           
purification can thus be only once      
obtained1 he was desirous  to           
procrastinate that ceremony to the last 
moment4 ,profoundly politic1  even in   

his relations with heaven1 he           
thenceforth reclined on a white  bed1   
took no further part in worldly affairs1
 and1 having thus insured  a right to   
the continuance of that prosperity in a 
future life which he  had enjoyed in    
this1 expired4,a    ,footnote ,a3       
,draper1 ,intellectual ,development1    
vol4 i1 p4 #bhc4    ,and so ,gibbon3    
,the sublime theory of the ,gospel had  
made a much fainter impression on  the  
heart than on the understanding of      
,constantine himself4 ,he pursued  the  
great objects of his ambition through   
the dark and bloody paths of  war and   
policy2 and1 after the victory1 he      
abandoned himself1 without  moderation1 
to the abuse of his fortune4 ,instead of
 asserting his just  superiority above  
the imperfect heroism and profane       
philosophy of  ,trajan and the          
,antonines1 the mature age of           
,constantine forfeited the  reputation  
which he had acquired in his youth4 ,as 
he gradually advanced  in the knowledge 

of truth1 he proportionately declined in
 the practice  of virtue2 and the same  
year of his reign in which he convened  
the  council of ,nice1 was polluted by  
the execution1 or rather murder1 of  his
 eldest son 7,crispus74 99 99 99 99 99  
,at the time of the death of ,crispus1  
the emperor could no longer hesitate in 
the choice of religion2 he  could no    
longer be ignorant that the church was  
possessed of an  infallible remedy      
7baptism71 though he chose to defer the 
application  of it1 till the approach of
 death had removed the temptation and   
danger of a relapse4 99 99 99 99 99 99  
99 ,the example and reputation of       
,constantine seemed to countenance the  
delay of baptism4 ,future tyrants  were 
encouraged to believe that the innocent 
blood which they might  shed in a long  
reign would instantly be washed away in 
the waters of  regeneration2 and the    
abuse of religion dangerously undermined
 the  foundations of moral virtue4,a    
,footnote ,a3 ,decline and ,fall1 ch4   

xx4    ,the ,first ,christian ,emperor3 
,such1 then1 was the first ,christian   
emperor4 ,he uplifted ,christianity from
 the condition of a persecuted          
religion1 and made it the state religion
 of ,rome2 and also provided  means for 
its wider acceptance4 ,if for this it   
shall be claimed1 as it  is1 that much  
in his evil life should be overlooked1  
it would still be  pertinent to ask     
whether his acts in connection with     
,christianity did  not debase rather    
than exalt it2 and if his provisions for
 its wider  acceptance did not tend     
rather to the corruption of what        
remained true  in the ,christianity then
 extant1 than to the establishment of   
true  religion4        ,,lesson ,,xxxiv4
    7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47    
,,christianity ,a ,,persecuting         
,,religion4    ,,analysis4    ,i4       
,transposition of the ,attitude of      
,christianity and ,paganism4    #a4     
,persecution of the ,pagans4    #b4     
,persecution of the ,heretics4          

,,references4    ,see the ,authorities  
cited in the notes4    ,,notes4    ,the 
,edict of ,milan3 ,the edict of ,milan1 
by which was intended  no more than the 
establishment of religious liberty in   
the empire1  and which was issued in    
#cac ,a4 ,d41 by ,constantine and his   
colleague1  ,licinius1 was well enough4 
,freedom to teach and practice the truth
 is  all the ,christian ,church could   
ask or expect4 ,had ,constantine stopped
  here1 his action in this particular   
would have met with universal  applause4
 ,but he went beyond this4 ,he not only 
protected the ,christians  by his laws1 
but prohibited by express edicts the    
free exercise of  religion to the       
pagans4 ,his proscriptions were mild at 
first1 going no  further than to        
prohibit sooth-saying and divination in 
private houses  or anywhere in secret4  
,later1 however1 if we may believe the  
words  of ,eusebius1 he placed the pagan
 religion under the ban of the laws4    
,eusebius says3    ,the emperor         

proceeded to act with great vigor1 gave 
the government of  the provinces chiefly
 to ,christians1 and when any ,gentiles 
were made  governors they were          
prohibited to sacrifice4 ,which law     
comprehended  not only presidents of    
provinces1 but also higher officers1 and
 even  the praetorian praefects4 ,if    
they were ,christians1 they were        
required  to act according to their     
principles4 ,if they were otherwise     
disposed1  still the practice of        
idolatrous rites were forbidden4 99 99  
99 99 99 99 ,and  soon after that were  
two laws published at one and the same  
time1 one  prohibiting the detestable   
rites of idolatry hitherto practiced in 
cities and country places2 and that for 
the future none should erect  statues to
 the gods1 nor perform the vain arts of 
divination1 nor offer  up any           
sacrifices4 ,the other law was for      
enlarging ,christian oratories  and     
churches1 or for rebuilding them more   
grand and splendid4,a    ,footnote ,a3  

,life of ,constantine 7,eusebius7 ,i1   
ii1 ch4 #dd4    ,a ,contrast ,between   
,christian and ,heathen ,methods3 ,when 
contrasting the course of the first     
,christian emperor with the  pagan      
emperors1 ,eusebius says3 ,they         
commanded the temples to be             
magnificently adorned2 he demolished    
them to the foundation1 especially  such
 as were most respected by superstitious
 people4,a ,later he  expressly says    
that throughout the whole ,roman empire1
 the doors of  idolatry were shut to the
 commonalty and to the soldiery2 and    
that  every kind of sacrifice was       
prohibited4 ,again1 he says1 that there 
were several laws published for these   
purposes1 forbidding sacrifices1        
divinations1 raising statues1 and the   
secret mysteries or rites of            
initiation4 ,and he says further1 that  
in ,egypt a sort of priesthood1         
consecrated to the honor of the ,nile1  
was entirely suppressed4,b ,i am  not   
unmindful that some respectable         

authorities question if ,constantine    
really departed from the policy of      
toleration announced in his edict of    
,milan2 and that even ,gibbon is        
inclined to believe in his toleration   
of paganism4 ,the statement here made by
 ,eusebius1 the contemporary and        
biographer of ,constantine1 however1    
together with reference to the  edicts  
of suppression quoted by his son1       
,constans1 in the succeeding  reign1 and
 which is quoted by ,lardner1,c         
establishes beyond question  the policy 
of intolerance of ,constantine toward   
,paganism4 ,especially  when what       
,eusebius has said is supplemented by   
the fact that the  emperor destroyed a  
number of heathen temples1 and          
peremptorily ordered  the closing of the
 others4 ,among the heathen temples     
destroyed was  one at ,aegae1 in        
,cilicia1 erected to ,aesculapius1      
celebrated for the  number of sick that 
had been healed there1 and held in high 
esteem  by men of the better class among

 the pagans and philosophers4 ,it is    
said that by its destruction and the    
public exhibition of certain  images of 
the gods1 many tricks of the priests    
were exposed and became  objects of     
sport to the populace4,d ,but while this
 may have been  the conduct of some     
insincere pagans1 those who remained    
heathens1  as ,le,clerc has well said1  
were no doubt extremely shocked at the  
manner in which the statues of their    
gods were treated2 and could not        
consider the ,christians as men of      
moderation4 ,for1 in short1 those       
statues were as dear to them as         
anything1 the most sacred1 could be  to 
the ,christians4,e ,eusebius taunted the
 philosophers about the  destruction of 
the temple1 without any interference on 
the part of the  god to whom it had been
 erected1 apparently all unmindful of   
the fact  that just such taunts had been
 hurled at the ,christian martyrs in the
  days that the kingdom of ,god suffered
 violence1 and the violent took  it by  

force4 ,had not ,eusebius1 remarked     
,lardner1 often heard with  his own     
ears1 and read in the history of ancient
 martyrs1 the insults  and triumphs of  
the heathens over the ,christians1 that 
they professed  themselves the          
worshippers of the great and only true  
,god1 and yet  everybody1 that pleased1 
was able to molest and destroy them1 as 
he saw  good8    ,footnote ,a3 ,ibid1   
ch4 #ed4    ,footnote ,b3 ,life of      
,constantine 7,eusebius71 iv1 ch41 #bc1 
#be4    ,footnote ,c3 ,lardner1 vol4    
viii1 p4 #afi4    ,footnote ,d3 ,neander
 ,ch4 ,hist41 vol4 ii1 pp4 #bf1 #bg4    
,footnote ,e3 ,lardner ,works1 vol4 iv4 
p4 #di4    ,the ,policy of ,constantine 
,indefensible3 ,the zeal of ,christian  
writers has done all in its power to    
excuse or palliate the conduct  of      
,constantine in his acts for the        
suppression of the pagan religion  and  
worship2 but after all is said by his   
apologists that can be said1  after     
every allowance is conceded for the     

times in which he lived1 and  the       
previous conduct of the pagans through  
two centuries of violence  towards the  
,christians1 the fact remains that the  
first ,christian  emperor did by his    
edicts put the ancient religion of the  
empire under  the ban of the law1 and by
 acts of violence destroyed some of its 
temples and closed the rest by imperial 
decree1 that the pagan gods  might not  
be worshiped2 and this1 doubtless1 with 
the approval--and  it would not be      
difficult to believe1 under all the     
circumstances1 at  the suggestion--of   
,christian bishops who thronged his     
court4 ,on the  foundation of           
intolerance thus laid by him1 others    
hastened to build4  ,in the succeeding  
reign1 among the first laws enacted1 was
 this one  against pagan sacrifices3    
,let superstition cease2 let the madness
 of sacrificing be abolished4  ,for     
whoever shall presume contrary to the   
constitution of our father1  a prince of
 blessed memory1 and contrary to this   

command of our  clemency1 to offer      
sacrifices1 let a proper and convenient 
punishment  be inflicted1 and execution 
presently done upon him4,a    ,footnote 
,a3 ,lardner1 ,works1 vol4 viii1 p4     
#afi4    ,this edict was supplemented a 
few years later,a by the following      
edict3    ,footnote ,a3 ,in #cec ,a4    
,d41 according to ,gothford4    ,it is  
our pleasure that in all places and in  
all cities the temples  be immediately  
shut1 and carefully guarded1 that none  
may have the  power of offending4 ,it is
 likewise our pleasure that all our     
subjects  should abstain from           
sacrifices4 ,if anyone should be guilty 
of such an  act1 let him feel the sword 
of vengeance2 and after his execution1  
let  his property be confiscated to the 
public use4 ,we denounce the same       
penalties against the governors of the  
provinces1 if they neglect to  punish   
the criminals4,a ,it is not necessary to
 pursue the subject  much further4 ,it  
will be sufficient to say that during   

the fourth  century1 by following the   
policy of suppression inaugurated by    
this  first ,christian emperor1         
,christianity was changed from a        
persecuted  to a persecuting religion4  
,without restraint from the             
ecclesiastical  authorities1 the        
,christian emperors issued edicts       
against the pagan  religion1 proscribed 
its followers1 destroyed its temples1   
and  confiscated its property to the    
uses of the rival religion4 ,even       
,neander1 speaking of this revolution1  
and constrained as he is to say  all    
that he can for the honor of the        
,christian ,church1 is compelled to     
admit that the relations of things had  
become reversed4 ,as in former  times   
the observance of the pagan ceremonies1 
the religion of the  state1 had appeared
 in the light of a civil duty1 and the  
profession  of ,christianity in that of 
a crime against the state1 so now it was
  the case1 not indeed that the outward 
profession of ,christianity was         

commanded as a universal civil duty1 for
 against this the spirit of             
,christianity too earnestly             
remonstrated2 but that the exercise of  
the  pagan religion was made politically
 dangerous4,b ,in the pages of this     
eminent ,christian historian one may    
read that before the close of the       
century which witnessed the elevation of
 ,christianity to the dignity of  the   
state religion of the empire1 wild      
troops of ,christian monks were         
undertaking campaigns1 especially in the
 country1 for the destruction  of the   
heathen temples in which sacrifices were
 alleged to have been  performed2 of    
bishops who not only superintended the  
destruction of  heathen temples at the  
head of bands of soldiers and           
gladiators1 but  paraded through the    
streets of the cities the symbols of the
 heathen  faith1 provoking civil        
conflicts1 which ,christian emperors did
 not  hesitate to take advantage of for 
the more complete suppression of        

paganism4,c ,meantime1 a pagan          
apologist1 ,libanius1 arises to plead   
the cause of religious toleration1 and  
in the course of his address to  the    
,christian emperor1 ,theodosius1 he puts
 to shame the ,christianity  then in    
vogue1 by showing the emperor how far   
the ,church had departed  from the      
spirit of the ,christian religion1 by   
saying3 ,force is said  not to be       
permitted1 even according to the laws of
 your own religion2  persuasion is said 
to be praised1 but force condemned by   
them4 ,why1  then1 do you wreak your    
fury against the temples1 when this     
surely  is not to persuade1 but to use  
force8 ,thus1 then1 it is plain you     
would transgress even the laws of your  
own religion4,d ,lardner  calls         
attention to the fact that as under     
pagan emperors previous to              
,constantine1 ,christianity had been in 
a state of persecution1 so now1  after  
,constantine1 he proceeds to show that  
paganism under ,christian  emperors was 

all along in a state of                 
persecution--,however1 ,i would  hope1  
not so severe and vigorous as that of   
the ,christians in the  foregoing period
 of near three hundred years4,e ,and so 
,le,clerc1 as  quoted by ,lardner3      
,footnote ,a3 ,the law is extant in the 
,theodocian ,code4    ,footnote ,b3     
,neander1 vol4 ii4 p4 #cd    ,footnote  
,c3 ,neander ,ch4 ,hist41 vol4 ii1 pp4  
#hh-aaj4    ,footnote ,d3 ,ibid41 p4    
#fg4    ,footnote ,e3 ,lardner1 ,works1 
vol4 viii1 p4 #afd4    ,thus it was that
 the ,christians continued to return to 
the pagan  what they had suffered from  
them during the first three centuries1  
instead of gaining them by patience and 
mildness1 which they had so  much       
recommended when they were the weakest4 
,this conduct was proper to  make the   
pagans more obstinate1 by teaching them 
that the ,christians  affected to speak 
of humanity and moderation from interest
 only1 and  not from a principle of     
religion as they pretended4 ,at least it

 is  certain that thereby they lost the 
right to complain of the manner in      
which the pagans had treated them in    
times past1 or to boast of the  mildness
 of their religion1 which they          
effectually disparaged by those         
persecutions4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,nor 
ought we to imagine that the penalties  
laid by ,christians upon the pagans were
 light4 ,if a sacrifice was  offered in 
a private place1 with the knowledge of  
the proprietor1 the  place was          
confiscated2 if not1 they were to pay a 
fine of twenty pounds  of gold1 as much 
as if it had been done in a temple2 and 
in some cases  the penalty of death was 
appointed4 ,we may look into the oration
 of  ,libanius for the temples1 where   
that orator sustains the same character 
before ,theodosius as the ,christians   
had formerly done before pagan          
emperors4 ,i must acknowledge that this 
phenomenon1 if ,i may so call it1  gives
 me pain3 for ,i could wish that they   
who defended the truth had  preserved to

 themselves the honor of being the only 
persons that were  persecuted for       
religion4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,lardner   
,works vol4 viii1 p4 #bgf4              
,persecution of ,heretics3 ,once started
 upon the policy of  suppressing by     
force those of a different religion1    
,christianity did  not stop with the    
persecution of the pagans2 bad and      
un-,christian as  that was1 still more  
serious results occurred from the       
persecutions  inflicted upon so-called  
heretics in the ,church by those who    
were  considered orthodox4 ,it is true  
that there were heretics in the  ,church
 before the days of ,constantine2 much  
progress had been made  in the matter of
 paganizing ,christianity1 and more or  
less tolerance  was manifested by       
,christian sects towards each other2 but
 it was the  policy and example of this 
first ,christian emperor that laid the  
real  foundation for that monument of   
shame and disgrace to the ,christian    
name which rises upon the plains of     

,christian discord and strife and  war  
waged against heretics in the name and  
for the glory of ,christ4 ,it  is this  
which constitutes the most melancholy   
page of ecclesiastical  history4    ,in 
his office of supreme pontiff in the old
 pagan religion1 which he  held by      
virtue of being emperor of ,rome1       
,constantine may naturally have         
supposed that the supreme headship of   
the religion he had protected  and the  
,church he had elevated fell to him for 
the same reason2 and  with it the right 
to reconcile differences1 compose       
factions1 and  determine what should be 
the orthodox faith4 ,at any rate1 we    
find  him acting somewhat in this       
capacity4 ,when contending church       
parties  appealed to him he at first was
 indifferent to their disputes1 and     
tried to shame them into harmony by     
referring to the conduct of the  ,greek 
philosophers1 who never discussed       
difficult questions before  ignorant    
multitudes1 who could maintain their    

arguments without  losing their temper2 
and assert their freedom without        
violating their  friendship4,a ,his     
efforts at reconciling the differences  
that arose  among ,christians over what 
is known as the ,arian controversy were 
of no  avail2 and after six years of    
bitter strife the emperor summoned the  
bishops of the ,church to ,nicea in     
,bithynia4 ,after long deliberation1    
,arianism was condemned1 and orthodox   
,christianity was established by  decree
 of the council1 ratified by the        
emperor1 to which all ,christians  must 
conform4 ,those who resisted the divine 
judgment of the synod must  prepare     
themselves for immediate exile4,b ,how  
effectual the argument1  belief or      
banishment1 even among the bishops at   
the council1 was1 may  be determined    
from the fact that the opposition to the
 decision of the  council was almost    
instantly reduced from seventeen to     
two4,c ,in his  zeal to enforce         
orthodoxy1 the emperor forgot his former

 moderation1  and in #cbf ,a4 ,d4--the  
year following the council at ,nicea--he
 issued a  general edict against        
heretics1 in which1 after condemning his
 own past  forbearance as occasioning   
men's being seduced1 he says to the     
various  heretical parties3    ,footnote
 ,a3 ,decline and ,fall1 ch4 xxi4       
,footnote ,b3 ,decline and ,fall1 ch4   
xxi4    ,footnote ,c3 ,decline and      
,fall1 ch4 xxi4    ,wherefore1 since    
this your pernicious wickedness is no   
longer to be  presume to meet together4 
,and we have given orders that all those
  places where you are wont to hold     
assemblies should be taken away4  ,yea1 
our concern for this matter is such that
 we not only forbid you  to assemble in 
any public place1 but we likewise forbid
 all assemblies  of your foolish        
superstition in private houses1 and in  
all private  places whatever4 ,all of   
you1 therefore1 who have any sincere    
love of  truth1 come to the ,catholic   
church4 ,and that this remedy may have  

its  full effect1 we ordain that all    
your superstitious conventicles1 ,i mean
  oratories of all heretics1 if it be   
fit to call such houses oratories1  be  
forthwith taken away1 and without any   
opposition delivered to the  ,catholic  
church3 and that the rest of your places
 be adjudged to the  public4,a          
,footnote ,a3 ,lardner ,works1 vol4 iv4 
p4 #cf4    ,thus the dens of heretics   
were laid open by the imperial edict1   
exultantly exclaims ,eusebius1 the      
,christian bishop1 and the wild  beasts1
 the ring leaders of their impiety1 were
 scattered4,a ,and  thus the paganized  
,christian ,church launched upon that   
career of  persecution of heretics      
within the ,church1 as well as upon the 
policy  of persecuting those of a       
different religion2 a policy that has   
filled the world with religious wars and
 deeds of cruelty which would  better   
become the reign of a ,nero than        
,christian rulers of ,christian         
nations4 ,it is a terrible arraignment  

which ,gibbon draws against  apostate   
,christendom in the concluding paragraph
 of his review of the  persecutions     
which had been endured by the followers 
of ,christ in the  ,christian centuries 
preceding ,constantine4 ,he says3       
,footnote ,a3 ,life of ,constantine1    
,eusebius1 p4 #ff4    ,we shall conclude
 this chapter by a melancholy truth1    
which obtrudes  itself on the the       
reluctant mind2 that1 even admitting1   
without  hesitation or inquiry1 all that
 history has recorded1 or devotion has  
feigned1 on the subject of martyrdom1 it
 must still be acknowledged  that the   
,christians1 in the course of their     
intestine dissensions1  have inflicted  
far greater severities on each other    
than they have  experienced from the    
zeal of infidels4 ,during the ages of   
ignorance  which followed the subversion
 of the ,roman empire in the west1,a the
  bishops of the imperial city extended 
their dominion over the laity  as well  
as the clergy of the ,latin church4 ,the

 fabric of superstition  which they had 
erected1 and which might long have      
defied the feeble  efforts of reason1   
was at length assaulted by a crowd of   
daring  fanatics1 who1 from the twelfth 
to the sixteenth century1 assumed the   
popular character of reformers4 ,the    
church of ,rome defended by violence    
the empire which she had acquired by    
fraud2 a system of peace and            
benevolence was soon disgraced by       
proscriptions1 wars1 massacres1 and  the
 institution of the holy office2 and as 
the reformers were animated  by the love
 of civil as well as religious freedom1 
the ,catholic princes  connected their  
own interest with that of the clergy1   
and enforced by  fire and sword the     
terror of spiritual censures4 ,in the   
,netherlands  alone more than one       
hundred thousand of the subjects of     
,charles the  ,fifth are said to have   
suffered by the hand of the executioner2
 and  this extraordinary number is      
attested by ,grotious1 a man of genius  

and  learning1 who preserved his        
moderation amidst the fury of contending
  sects1 and who composed the annals of 
his own age and century1 at  the time   
when the invention of printing had      
facilitated the means of  intelligence  
and increased the danger of detection4  
,if we are obliged  to submit our belief
 to the authority of ,grotious1 it must 
be allowed  that the number of          
protestants who were executed in a      
single province  and a single reign far 
exceeded that of the primitive martyrs  
in the  space of three centuries1 and of
 the ,roman empire6,a    ,footnote ,a3  
,this event occurred about #dgf ,a4 ,d4 
,footnote ,b3 ,decline and ,fall1 ch4   
xvi4    ,both ,guizot and ,milman1      
eminent ,christian scholars1 annotated  
the  work of ,edward ,gibbon1 the former
 in ,french1 the latter in an ,english  
edition2 and at every point where they  
could modify a statement or  soften a   
passage apparently unjust to            
,christianity1 they did so2 but in  the 

presence of the important and terrible  
passage just quoted1 they  remain       
absolutely silent6 ,nor has any other   
,christian writer since  their day1 so  
far as ,i know1 attempted to contradict 
the statement of  ,mr4 ,gibbon4 ,it is  
proper to say1 however1 that in a note  
,mr4 ,gibbon  himself cites the fact    
that ,fra ,paola1 an ,italian writer1   
places the  number of ,belgic martyrs at
 fifty thousand2 but even that          
computation  would still leave the      
conclusion of ,mr4 ,gibbon's reflections
 unimpaired4    ,the circumstance of the
 ,church elevated by ,constantine       
becoming a  persecuting ,church is a    
strong evidence of its paganized state2 
for  the true ,christian religion is not
 a persecuting religion2 the true       
,church of ,christ is not a persecuting 
,church4 ,when the ,samaritans  would   
not receive the ,messiah1 some of the   
,apostles would have them  consumed by  
fire from heaven2 but the ,master turned
 and rebuked them1  saying1 ,ye know not

 what manner of spirit ye are of4 ,for  
the ,son of  ,man is not come to destroy
 men's lives1 but to save them4,a ,it is
  true that ,messiah said3 ,think not   
that ,i am come to send peace on  earth3
 ,i came not to send peace1 but a sword4
 ,for ,i am come 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 household4,b ,this1  
however1 is but a  prediction of the    
effect of the proclamation of the       
,gospel1 not an  authorization to force 
the acceptance of ,christianity by the  
sword2 nor  does it authorize the       
,church to invoke the arm of the civil  
authority  to execute by force her      
doctrinal decrees4 ,the ,gospel of      
,jesus ,christ1  it is true1 did not    
bring peace1 but a sword2 the sword1    
however1 was  found in the hands of     
those who rejected the ,gospel1 not in  
the hands  of those who accepted and    

preached it4 ,and when the ,church      
departed  so far from the spirit of     
,christ that she grasped the sword in   
her  own hands1 or dictated the civil   
authority to wield it in her behalf1    
and that became the policy of the       
,church1 the adoption of that policy    
proclaimed her apostate condition to the
 world1 in a manner to be known  and    
read of all men4    ,footnote ,a3 ,luke 
ix3#ed-ef4    ,footnote ,b3 ,matt4      
x3#cd-cf4        ,,lesson ,,xxxv4       
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,moral ,,status ,,of ,,the ,,church    
,,after ,,constantine4    ,,analysis4   
,i4 ,moral ,requirements of the ,gospel4
    ,,ii4 ,moral ,decline in the ,first 
,three ,christian ,centuries4           
,,references4    ,authority cited in the
 notes4    ,christianity ,before and    
,after ,constantine3 ,i think sufficient
  has been said to justify the belief   
that the reign of ,constantine marks    
the period when the paganization of     
,christianity had become complete4  ,i  

do not mean by this that there is any   
particular date which one  may set down 
to show that here true ,christianity    
ceases1 and there  apostate             
,christianity begins2 which is a point  
frequently insisted  upon by those who  
contend for the unbroken perpetuity of  
,christianity  from the days of         
,messiah4 ,they demand to know on what  
night it was  that the whole collection 
of ,christians1 of different            
nationalities  and languages1 went to   
bed sound in the ,christian faith1 to   
awaken the  next morning all pagan4,a ,i
 claim no such sudden revolution brought
  about the apostasy which ,i am sure   
took place4 ,we have seen by what has   
already been said1 that even in the time
 of the ,apostles1 there was a  tendency
 on the part of the ,christians to      
depart from the religion of  ,jesus     
,christ2 that after the days of the     
,apostles there was a steady  increase  
in the number and influence of false    
teachers2 an insidious  introduction of 

heresies2 a multiplication of rites and 
ceremonies well  known in the pagan     
celebration of religious mysteries1 but 
entirely  foreign to the ,gospel2 and an
 amalgamation or pagan doctrines with   
,christian principles4 ,it remains to be
 shown that there was a steady  increase
 of immorality among the professing     
,christians2 a marked loss  of          
spirituality2 a rapid growth of pride   
and worldliness on the part  of         
,christian bishops and other church     
leaders2 and1 at last1 an utter         
departure from the true and living ,god1
 and ,jesus ,christ1 whom ,he had  sent1
 and the establishment of a system in   
its place as debasing to men  as it was 
dishonorable to ,god4    ,footnote ,a3  
,end of ,religious ,controversy1        
,milner1 ,letter #bf4    ,taking then   
the reign of ,constantine as the period 
beyond which the  true religion of      
,christ did not extend1 nor the true    
,church of ,christ  exist1 let us       
consider ,christianity before his reign 

and after it4  ,here ,i shall ask the   
reader to take into account as part of  
the  consideration of ,christianity     
previous to ,constantine what ,i have   
already set before him in this treatise 
concerning the tendency to  diversions  
and heresies which existed in the       
,church in the days of  the ,apostles2  
and also those quotations ,i have made  
from eminent  ,christian authorities1   
which give evidence of the early        
corruptions of  ,christianity1 and which
 too plainly testify that it was in a   
state of  steady decline through the    
second and third centuries1 until it was
 fit  only for such enthronement as a   
,constantine could give it1 when he made
  it the state religion of a corrupt    
empire1 hastening to its decay4 ,if  the
 reader will do this1 it will obviate   
the necessity of my referring  to these 
matters again4    ,decline in ,moral and
 ,spiritual ,living ,among ,christians3 
,it will  be conceded that the ,gospel  
of ,jesus ,christ commands a very high  

order  of moral and spiritual living and
 that the ,apostles enjoined this moral 
law upon the early saints as essential  
to the favor of ,god4 ,others1  also1   
after the days of the ,apostles1        
followed in the same admonition1  and1  
indeed1 the sharp contrast that existed 
between the lives of  converts before   
and after their acceptance of           
,christianity was a matter  of pride not
 only to ,st4 ,paul1,a but to ,justin   
,martyr1 of the second  century1 who1 in
 reference to the change produced in the
 lives of  ,christian converts1 said3   
,footnote ,a3 ,cor4 vi3#i-aa4    ,moral 
,status of ,christians of the ,second   
,century3 ,,we who were  once slaves of 
lust1 now have delight only in purity of
 morals2 we1 who  once practiced arts of
 magic1 have consecrated ourselves to   
the ,eternal  and ,good ,god2 we1 who   
once prized gain above all things1 give 
even what  we have to the common use1   
and share it with such as are in need2  
we1  who once hated and murdered one    

another1 who on account of differences  
of customs would have no common hearth  
with strangers1 do now1 since  the      
appearance of ,christ1 live together    
with them2 we pray for our  enemies2 we 
seek to convince those that hate us     
without cause1 so that  they may order  
their lives according to ,christ's      
glorious doctrine1 and  attain to the   
joyful hope of receiving like blessings 
with us from ,god1  the ,lord of all4,a 
,footnote ,a3 ,neander ,ch4 ,hist41 vol4
 ,i1 p4 #bej4    ,it was not long1      
however1 before there was a marked      
departure from this  high moral level   
among the ,christians4 ,in tracing that 
decline ,i shall  use chiefly the       
,history of the ,church1 by ,joseph     
,milner1 published in  #agid4 ,my reason
 for doing so is this1 as ,i have       
already stated in this  writing1 he     
wrote what some regard as his great     
history of the ,church  to counteract   
the influence of ,dr4 ,mosheim's        
splendid ,institutes  of ,ecclesiastical

 ,history1 which is evidently by some   
regarded as  too much a history of the  
perversions and abuses of religion4     
,milner  plainly informs his readers    
that he intends to write the history of 
those only who have been real1 not      
nominal1 ,christians1 irrespective of   
the external ,church to which they      
belonged1 proceeding upon the theory    
that these good men constitute the      
,church of ,christ4 ,his history1 in    
other words1 is a history of piety1 not 
of the ,church4 ,it will be his         
purpose1 therefore1 to exalt the        
morality of the ,christians of all      
ages1 and ,i quote his work respecting  
the moral deterioration of the          
,christians that ,i may not be charged  
with quoting authorities who some  think
 have made too much of ,christian       
shortcomings4 ,milner says that a       
gloomy cloud1 concerning moral          
conditions1 hung over the close of the  
first century1 and proceeds to argue    
that the first impressions made by  the 

effusions of the spirit are the         
strongest2 that human depravity         
overborne for a time arose afresh2      
particularly in the next generation1    
and hence the disorders of schisms and  
heresies in the ,church4 ,neander  does 
not agree with the philosophy of        
,milner4 ,he says3 ,christianity1  since
 it first entered human nature1 has     
operated1 wherever it has  struck root1 
with the same divine power for          
sanctification2 and this  divine power  
cannot be weakened by the lapse of ages4
 ,in this respect1  therefore1 the      
period of the first appearance of       
,christianity could  have no advantage  
over any of the following ages of the   
,christian  ,church4,a ,and he follows  
this declaration with a4 statement that 
the  change which ,christianity produced
 in the lives of those who accepted  it 
appeared so strongly marked1 by the     
contrast it presented with what  they   
had previously been when pagans4 ,the   
correctness of the philosophy  ,i shall 

leave these two great ,christian        
authorities to settle between           
themselves4 ,i am concerned more        
particularly with the facts in the case4
    ,footnote ,a3 ,neander ,ch4 ,hist41 
vol4 ,i1 p4 #bei4    ,in consequence of 
the prominence that has been given to   
the  persecutions of the ,christians    
during the first three centuries1 the   
impression very extensively prevails    
that the early ,christian ,church  was  
constantly under the hard pressure of   
continuous and relentless  persecution4 
,this1 however1 is not the case4 ,there 
were many periods of  peace granted to  
the ,christians4 ,indeed1 their periods 
of persecution  were only occasional1   
and it is a question if these periods of
  peace were not more detrimental to    
,christianity than the seasons of       
persecution4 ,milner1 under the         
authority of ,origen1 says that the     
long peace granted the ,church in the   
third century1 during the reigns  of the
 several emperors1 from about #bfj ,a4  

,d4 to the opening of the  fourth       
century1 produced a great degree of     
lukewarmness and religious  indecorum4  
,let the reader1 he says1 only notice   
the indifference  which ,origen here    
describes and the conduct of the        
,christians both  in the first and      
second centuries1 and he will be        
affected with the  greatness of the     
declension4 ,then he quotes ,origen3    
,several come to  church only on solemn 
festivals1 and then not so much for     
instruction  as diversion4 ,some go out 
again as soon as they have heard the    
lecture1  without conferring or asking  
the pastors questions4 ,others stay not 
till the lecturers ended1 and others    
hear not so much as a single word1  but 
entertain themselves in a corner of the 
church4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,ibid4       
,coming to the middle of the third      
century1 just previous to that severe   
persecution inaugurated by the ,emperor 
,decius1 and speaking of ,cyprian1      
,bishop of ,carthage1 ,milner exclaims3 

,a star of the first magnitude1  when we
 consider the time in which he lived6   
,let us recreate ourselves  with the    
contemplation of it4 ,we are fatigued   
with hunting for  ,christian goodness1  
and we have discovered but little1 and  
that little  with much difficulty4 ,we  
shall find ,cyprian to be a character   
who  partook1 indeed1 of the declensions
 which we have noticed and lamented1    
but who was still far superior1 ,i      
apprehend1 in real simplicity and       
piety1 to the ,christians of the        
,east4,a ,this same ,cyprian1 in whom   
,milner delights speaking of the effects
 of the long peace upon the  ,church    
which preceded the ,decian persecution1 
says3    ,footnote ,a3 ,milner's ,ch4   
,hist4 vol4 ,i1 cent4 iii4 ch4 vi4      
,each had been bent on improving his own
 patrimony1 and had forgotten  what     
believers had done under the ,apostles1 
and what they ought  always to do4 ,they
 were brooding over the arts of amassing
 wealth2  the pastors and the deacons   

each forgot his duty2 works of mercy    
were  neglected1 and discipline was at  
the lowest ebb2 luxury and effeminacy   
prevailed2 meretricious arts in dress   
were cultivated2 fraud and  deception   
practiced among brthren ,christians     
would unite themselves in  matrimony    
with unbelievers2 could swear1 not only 
without reverence  but even without     
veracity4 ,with haughty asperity they   
despised their  ecclesiastical          
superiors6 ,they railed against one     
another with  outrageous acrimony1 and  
conducted quarrels with determined      
malice4  ,even many bishops1 who ought  
to be guides and patterns to thhe rest1 
neglected the peculiar duties of their  
stations1 gave themselves up  to secular
 pursuits4 ,they deserted their places  
of residence and  their flocks2 they    
traveled through distant provinces in   
quest of  pleasure and gain2 have no    
assistance to their needy brethren1 but 
were  insatiable in their thirst of     
money4 ,they possessed estates by fraud 

and multiplied usury4 ,what have we     
deserved to suffer for such conduct8    
,even the divine word hath foretold us  
that we might expect3 ,if his  children 
forsake my law and walk not in my       
judgments1 ,i will visit  their offenses
 with the rod and their sins with       
scourges4 ,these things  had ben        
denounced and foretold1 but in vain4    
,our sins had brought  our affairs to   
that pass1 that because we had despised 
the ,lord's  directions1 we were obliged
 to undergo a correction of our         
multiplied  evils and a trial of our    
faith be severe remedies4,a    ,footnote
 ,a3 ,ibid4    ,referring to the long   
reign of peace in the closing decades of
 the  third century1 ,milner says3      
,this new the toleration of             
,christianity by a pagan government did 
not  prove favorable to the growth of   
grave and holiness4 ,in no period since 
the ,apostles was there ever so great a 
general decay as in this4 ,not  even in 
particular instances can we discover    

during this interval much  of lively    
,christianity4,a    ,footnote ,a3       
,milner's ,ch4 ,hist41 vol4 ,i1 cent1   
iii1 ch4 xvii4    ,here ,i drop ,milner 
to take up ,eusebius1 who was an        
eyewitness of the  moral declension     
among the ,christians previous to the   
last great pagan  persecution under the 
emperor ,diocletian4 ,referring to the  
long period  of peace which the ,church 
had enjoyed--a period of forty years--he
 says3    ,but when1 by reason of       
excessive liberty1 we sunk into         
negligence  and sloth1 one envying and  
reviling another in different ways1 and 
we were almost1 as it were1 upon the    
point of taking up arms against  each   
other with words as with darts and      
spears1 prelates inveighing  against    
prelates1 and people rising up against  
people1 and hypocrisy  and dissimulation
 had risen to the greatest height of    
malignity1 then  the divine judgment1   
which usually proceeds with a lenient   
hand1 whilst  the multitude were yet    

crowding into the ,church1 with gentle  
and mild  visitations began to afflict  
the episcopacy2 the persecution having  
begun with those brthren in the army4   
,but as if destitute of all             
sensibility1 we were not prompt in      
measures to appease and propitiate  the 
,deity2 some inded like atheists1       
regarding our situation as  unheeded and
 unobserved by a ,providence1 we added  
one wickedness and  misery to another4  
,but some that appeared to be our       
pastors deserting  the law of piety1    
were inflamed against each other with   
mutual strifes1  only accumulating      
quarrels and threats1 rivalship1        
hostility and hatred  to each other1    
only anxious to assert the government as
 a kind of  sovereignty for             
themselves4,a    ,footnote ,a3          
,eusebius' ,eccl4 ,hist41 bk4 viii1 ch4 
i4    ,here ,i shall avail myself of    
some reflections upon this condition    
which ,i have elsewhere expressed3,a    
,let it be remembered that what is  said

 in the foregoing quotation is from a   
writer contemporary with the  events1   
and who says1 in the very chapter       
following the one from which  ,i have   
just quoted1 that it was not for him to 
record the dissensions  and follies     
which the shepherds of the people       
exercised against each  other before the
 persecution4 ,he also adds3 ,we shall  
not make mention  of those that were    
shaken by the persecution1 nor of those 
that  suffered shipwreck in their       
salvation1 and of their own accord were 
sunk in the depths of the watery gulf4,b
 ,then in his ,book of ,martyrs1        
referring to events that occurred       
between the edicts ordering the         
persecution1 he says3 ,but the events   
that occurred in the intermediate       
times1 besides those already related4 ,i
 have thought proper to pass  by2 ,i    
mean more particularly the circumstances
 of the different heads  of the         
churches1 who from being shepherds of   
the reasonable flocks  of ,christ1 that 

did not govern in a lawful and becoming 
manner1 were  condemned1 by divine      
justice1 as unworthy of such a charge1  
to be the  keepers of the unreasonable  
camel1 an animal deformed in the        
structure  of his body3 and condemned   
further to be the keepers of the        
imperial  horses4 99 99 99 99 99        
,moreover1 the ambitious aspirings of   
many to office1  and the injudicious and
 unlawful ordinations that took place1  
the  divisions among the confessors     
themselves1 the great schisms and       
difficulties industriously fomented by  
the factions among the new  members1    
against the relics of the ,church1      
devising one innovation  after another1 
and unmercifully thrusting them into the
 midst of all  these calamities1 heaping
 up affliction upon affliction4 ,all    
this1 ,i  say1 ,i have resolved to pass 
by1 judging it foreign to my purpose1   
wishing1 as ,i said in the beginning1 to
 shun and avoid giving an  account of   
them4,c ,hence1 however bad the         

condition of the ,church is  represented
 to be by ecclesiastical writers1 we    
must know that it was  still worse than 
that2 however numerous the schisms1     
however unholy  the ambition of aspiring
 prelates1 however frequent and serious 
the  innovations upon the primitive     
ordinances of the ,gospel2 howsoever    
great the confusion and apostasy in the 
,church is represented to be1 we  must  
know that it is still worse than that1  
since the ,church historians            
contemporaneous with the events refused 
to record these things in their         
fullness1 lest it should prove          
disastrous to the ,church2 just as some 
of our modern scholars1 professing to   
write ,church history1 express  their   
determination to close their eyes to the
 corruption and abuses  which form the  
greater part of the melancholy story of 
ecclesiastical  history1 for fear that  
relating these things would make it     
appear that  real religion scarcely had 
any existence4,d    ,footnote ,a3 ,new  

,witness for ,god1 pp4 #ge1 #gf4        
,footnote ,b3 ,eusebius' ,eccl4 ,hist41 
bk4 viii1 ch4 ii4    ,footnote c3 ,book 
of ,martyrs1 ch4 xii4    ,footnote ,d3  
,see ,milner's ,introduction to his     
,church ,hist41 vol4 ,i4                
,constantine's ,nicean ,plan of         
,propaganda3 ,i shall say no more  upon 
the matter of moral declensions among   
,christians1 except this4 ,if  there was
 such moral declension among ,christians
 as is represented by  the foregoing    
high authorities on ,christian affairs  
in the centuries  preceding             
,constantine1 what moral declension must
 have prevailed when  from a proscribed 
religion ,christianity was exalted to   
the dignity of  the state religion of   
the empire2 and her prelates and clergy 
were  recalled from exile and suffering1
 poverty and disgrace1 and loaded  with 
the wealth and honors that the lord of  
the ,roman world could  bestow8         
,consider1 in this connection1 the      
propositions of ,constantine  at the    

council of ,nicea for the propaganda of 
,christianity1 and pass  a candid       
judgment upon the moral or rather       
immoral effect they would  produce upon 
the ,church4 ,neander thus states them3 
,the heathen would be most easily led to
 salvation1 if the condition of  the    
,christians were made to appear to them 
in all respects enviable4    ,they 7the 
bishops7 should consider1 that the      
advantage to be derived  from preaching 
could not belong to all4    ,some1 he   
said1 might be drawn to the faith by    
being seasonably  supplied with the     
means of subsistence4    ,others were   
accustomed to repair to that quarter    
where they found  protection and        
intercession 7alluding to the           
intercessions of the  bishops74         
,others would be won by an affable      
reception4    ,others by being honored  
with presents4    ,there were but few   
who honestly loved the exhibitions of   
religious  doctrine2 but few were the   
friends of truth 7therefore but few     

sincere  converts74    ,for this reason 
they should accommodate themselves to   
the characters  of all1 and like        
skillful physicians1 give to each man   
that which might  contribute to his     
cure1 so that in every way the saving   
doctrine might  be glorified in all4,a  
,footnote ,a3 ,neander's ,ch4 ,hist41   
vol4 ii1 pp4 #bi-cj4    ,the effect of  
adopting such methods for the more rapid
 propagation  of ,christianity1 as is   
here proposed by the emperor to the     
bishops  assembled at the council at    
,nicea1 must be apparent to all1 and is 
quite universally lamented by ,christian
 writers of later ages4 ,a  course of   
proceeding upon such principles1 remarks
 ,neander himself1  must entirely have  
thrown open a wide door for all manner  
of  hypocrisy4 ,even ,eusebius1 the     
panegyrist of ,constantine1 blinded as  
he was by the splendor which the latter 
had outwardly cast over the             
,church--even he is obliged to reckon   
among the grievous evils of this        

period1 of which he was an eye witness1 
the indescribable hypocrisy  of those   
who gave themselves out as ,christians  
merely for temporal  advantage1 and who1
 by their outward show of zeal for the  
faith1  contrived to win the confidence 
of the emperor1 which he suffered them  
to abuse4 ,a ,the piercing eye of       
ambition and avarice1 says ,gibbon1     
soon discovered that the profession of  
,christianity might contribute  to the  
interest of the present as well as of a 
future life4 ,the hopes  of wealth and  
honors1 the example of an emperor1 his  
exportations1 his  irresistible smiles1 
diffused conviction among the venal and 
obsequious  crowds which usually fill   
the apartments of a palace4 ,the cities1
  which signalized a forward zeal by the
 voluntary destruction of their         
temples1 were distinguished by municipal
 privileges and rewarded with  popular  
donatives4 99 99 99 99 ,as the lower    
ranks of society are governed  by       
imitation1 the conversion of those who  

possessed any eminence  of birth1 of    
power1 or of riches1 was soon followed  
by dependent  multitudes4 ,the salvation
 of the common people was purchased at  
an easy  rate1 if it be true that in one
 year twelve thousand men were baptized 
at ,rome1 besides a proportionable      
number of women and children2 and  that 
a white garment1 with twenty pieces of  
gold had been promised by  the emperor  
to every convert4,b    ,footnote ,a3    
,neander's ,ch4 ,his41 vol4 ii1 p4 #cj4 
,footnote ,b3 ,decline and ,fall1 ch4   
xx4    ,under all these circumstances it
 is small wonder if men exclaimed as    
,augustine did somewhat later in his    
commentary on ,st4 ,john--,how many     
seek ,jesus only that ,he may benefit   
them in earthly matters6 ,one man  has a
 law suit1 so he seeks the intercession 
of the clergy2 another is  oppressed by 
his superior1 so he takes refuge in the 
,church4 ,others  are seeking1 one in   
this way and another in that1 to be     
interceded  for in some quarter where   

they have but little influence          
themselves4  ,the ,church is daily full 
of such persons4 ,seldom is ,jesus      
sought for  ,jesus' sake6,a ,after      
nicely balancing the possibility and    
probability  of those who came into the 
,church for present worldly advantage   
being  converted in time to a true faith
 in the ,christian religion1 ,neander   
says3 ,beyond all doubt the number was  
far greater of those who grew  hardened 
in that worldly sense by which from the 
first they had  profaned a holy         
profession1 and who were thus the means 
of introducing  into the ,church a great
 mass of corruption4    ,footnote ,a3   
,augustine on ,st4 ,john1 tract #be1 ch4
 #aj4    ,unhappily1 he adds1 there were
 bishops whose only wish was to make    
the conversion to ,christianity a right 
easy thing for the pagans4 99 99  99 99 
99 ,hence they baptized even those who  
lived in open sin1 and who  plainly     
enough manifested that it was not their 
purpose to forsake it4  ,they imagined  

that when these were only baptized and  
introduced into  the fellowship of the  
,church1 it was then time enough to     
admonish them  against sin4,a           
,footnote ,a3 ,neander's ,ch4 ,hist41   
vol4 ii1 p4 #abj4    ,the ,evil ,effects
 of the ,nicean ,program3 ,surely it was
 not  difficult among such a mass of    
unconverted members thus brought into   
the ,church to find elements that would 
foster the errors1 both in  ethics and  
in doctrine1 which about this time arose
 in the ,church4 ,it  is small wonder   
that it was well nigh publicly adopted  
in this age--as  we are informed by     
,mosheim--,that to deceive and lie is a 
virtue when  religion can be promoted by
 it1 and that error in religion ought to
  be visited with penalties and         
punishments4 ,the first of these evils  
resulted in the accumulation of that    
mass of myth and fable that  burdens the
 annals of the dark ages2 the second    
established the holy  inquisition1 alike
 the shame of the ,roman ,catholic      

church and the  so-called ,christian    
civilization she has influenced4 ,it is 
almost  incredible1 continues ,mosheim1 
speaking of the first evil referred  to1
 what a mass of the most insipid fables1
 and what a host of pious  falsehoods   
have1 through all the centuries1 grown  
out of it1 to the  great detriment of   
true religion4 ,if some inquisitive     
person were  to examine the conduct and 
the writings of the great and most pious
  teachers of this century1 ,i fear he  
would find about all of them  infected  
with this leprosy4 ,those idle fictions1
 he adds1 which a  regard for the       
,platonic philosophy1 and for the       
prevailing opinions  of the day had     
induced most theologians to embrace1    
even before the  time of ,constantine1  
were now in various ways confirmed1     
extended  and embellished4 ,hence it is 
that we see1 on every side1 evident     
traces of excessive veneration for      
departed saints2 of a purifying  fire   
for the soul when separated from the    

body2 of the celibacy of  the clergy2 of
 the worship of images and relics1 and  
of many other  opinions1 which in       
process of time almost banished the true
 religion1  or--and here the ,doctor    
perhaps remembered that he was a        
,protestant  and that his position as   
such would not admit of conceding the   
utter  subversion of the ,christian     
religion1 and hence added--or at least  
very much obscured and corrupted it4    
,genuine piety was supplanted by  a long
 train of superstitious observances1    
which originated partly  from opinions  
inconsiderately embraced1 partly from a 
preposterous  disposition to adopt      
profane rites and combine them with     
,christian  worship1 and partly from the
 natural predilection of mankind in     
general  for a splendid and ostentatious
 religion4        ,,lesson ,,xxxvi4     
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,spiritual ,,and ,,doctrinal ,,changes4
    ,,analysis4    ,i4 ,spiritual       
,gifts4    #a4 ,nature and ,enjoyment of

 them by ,early ,christians4    #b4     
,loss of them during the second and     
third ,centuries4    ,,ii4 ,the         
,christian ,doctrine of ,deity4         
,,references4    ,see the ,authorities  
cited in the notes4    ,on the          
,christian ,doctrine of ,deity1 see a   
,lecture ,jesus ,christ the  ,revelation
 of ,god1 in ,mormon ,doctrine of       
,deity1 ch4 iv4    ,,notes4    ,the     
,loss of ,spiritual ,gifts3 ,not only   
did the moral declensions  in the       
,church which started soon after the    
demise of the ,apostles1  proceed with  
accelerated pace after ,constantine     
became the patron of  the ,church1 and  
with such resulting evils as ,i have    
pointed out1 but  there was a like      
declension in the enjoyment of spiritual
 gifts in the  ,church4 ,it is well     
known that the ,apostles promised the   
,holy ,ghost to  those who received the 
,gospel1 and the enjoyment of those     
supernatural  gifts which go with it4   
,indeed1 ,jesus ,himself said in ,his   

last  commission to ,his disciples3     
,go ye into all the world1 and preach   
the ,gospel to every creature4 ,he  that
 believeth and is baptized shall be     
saved2 but he that believeth  not shall 
be damned4 ,and these signs shall follow
 them that believe3 ,in  my name shall  
they cast out devils3 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,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,mark
 xvi3#ae-ah4    ,paul1 in speaking of   
the spiritual gifts promised in the     
,gospel1 says3    ,now there are        
diversities of gifts1 but 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 diverse 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,a    ,footnote   
,a3 ,i ,cor4 xii3#a-aa4    ,it is well  
known that the spiritual gifts here     
enumerated were enjoyed  by the saints  
in the early ,christian centuries2 and  
especially in  ,apostolic enjoyment of  
these gifts of the ,spirit among the    
saints4 ,nor  is there any intimation of
 the discontinuance of them4 ,on the    
contrary  it is reasonable to conclude  
that so long as the saints shall        
continue  in the enjoyment of the ,holy 
,ghost1 that long also will they enjoy  
the  spiritual gifts which proceed from 

a possession of ,him4 ,moreover1 the    
fruit of the ,spirit is love1 joy1      
peace1 longsuffering1 gentleness1       
goodness1 faith1 meekness1 temperance2  
against such there is no law4  ,and they
 that are ,christ's have crucified the  
flesh with the affections  and lusts4,a 
,footnote ,a3 ,gal4 v4 #bb-bd4          
,effects of the ,holy ,spirit ,upon     
,man3 ,such are the effects  of the     
operations of the ,holy ,ghost upon the 
nature of man4 ,these  fruits of the    
,spirit indicate the change that the    
,spirit of ,god may  effect in human    
nature2 by which that which is corrupted
 through sin  may be conformed to that  
which is pure and holy1 according to the
  working whereby the ,spirit is able to
 subdue all things unto ,himself1  in   
them that give place for ,his indwelling
 in their souls4 ,this  effectual       
working of the ,spirit in the souls of  
men1 by which they  were transformed    
from vileness to holiness1 was the boast
 of the early  saints4 ,and upon        

reflection all will concede that the    
victories of the  ,spirit in reforming  
the lives of men and making them in     
their very  nature conform to the       
likeness of ,christ in righteousness1   
are more to  be desired and more to be  
celebrated than those victories which   
are  physical or intellectual merely in 
their nature4 ,indeed these latter      
fruits of the ,spirit derive their chief
 value from the extent to which  they   
contribute to the production of the     
former--that is1 to the extent  that    
they establish men in the faith1 enable 
them to crucify the flesh  with the     
lusts thereof1 and help them to live in 
harmony with the  sweet influence of the
 ,spirit of ,god4 ,when men live in     
harmony with  that ,spirit there will   
righteousness obtain2 there will love   
abound2  there will the ,gospel of      
,christ appear triumphant4 ,where these 
fruits  do not appear1 there the ,gospel
 of ,christ is not2 there the powers of 
darkness for the time being1 are        

triumphant4 ,yet notwithstanding this   
promise concerning the enjoyment of the 
spiritual gifts of the ,gospel1  the    
evidence is abundant and conclusive that
 when all the ,apostles were  deceased1 
then there was a marked declension in   
the manifestations  of the spiritual    
powers of the ,gospel4 ,with the close  
of the ,new  ,testament records1 says   
,dr4 ,phillip ,smith1 author of ,the    
,student's  ,ecclesiastical ,history1   
and the death of the last surviving     
,apostle1  the history of the ,church   
passes from its sacred to its purely    
human  phase4 ,the miraculous gifts     
which attested the divine mission of the
  ,apostles ceased2 not indeed by any   
formal record of their withdrawal1  but 
by the clear evidence that they were    
possesed no longer4,a    ,footnote ,a3  
,students' ,ecclesiastical ,history1    
vol4 i1 p4 #fb4    ,dr4 ,jortin bears   
witness to the same fact4 ,he says3     
,the words of ,eusebius intimate that he
 thought those extraordinary  powers to 

be1 at least1 not very common           
afterwards--7i4 e41 the  beginning of   
the second century74 ',they went about1'
 says he1 'with  ,god's co-operative    
grace1 for even then the divine ,spirit 
performed  many miracles by them4' 99 99
 99 99 99 ,this brings the probability  
of  miracles down to the beginning of   
the second century1 in the middle  of   
which ,justin ,martyr says3 ',there are 
prophetic gifts among us even  until    
now3' and amongst these gifts he reckons
 up miraculous powers1  as healing the  
sick1 casting out evil spirits1 etc4    
,his words imply  an opinion that such  
gifts were not only exercised in his    
time1 but  had been continued down to   
his time1 and he may be justly supposed 
to  speak the sense of his contemporary 
,christians2 and that is all that  ,i   
cite him for4 ,it seems probable that if
 we had a full and authentic  history of
 the propagation of the ,gospel1 from   
the time of the ,apostles  to the middle
 of the second century1 composed by eye 

witnesses and by  the preachers of      
,christianity1 we should find miracles  
wrought for the  conversion of the      
pagans4 ,but from ,a4 ,d4 #gj to #aej is
 a dark interval1  and we have very     
short accounts of the transactions of   
those days1  unless we should accept the
 groundless rumors and frivolous        
tales4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,jortin's     
,eccl4 ,hist41 vol4 ,i1 pp4 #acd-f4     
,spiritual ,gifts in the ,second        
,century3 ,so1 also1 ,dr4 ,mosheim1     
speaking of the second century1 and     
after commenting on the extent to  which
 the extraordinary divine gifts         
contributed to the extension of  the    
limits of the ,church1 says3 ,the gift  
of foreign tongues appears  to have     
gradually ceased1 as soon as many       
nations became enlightened  with the    
truth2 99 99 99 but the other gifts with
 which ,god favored the  rising ,church 
of ,christ were1 as we learn from       
numerous testimonies of  the ancients1  
still conferred upon particular persons 

here and there4  ,and when writing of   
the fourth and succeeding centuries1 he1
 too1 bears  witness of the declension  
and final cessation of these spiritual  
powers  among the ,christians2 and1     
indeed1 the most of our ecclesiastical  
writers form the same conclusion4       
,thus the ,christians lost the enjoyment
 of the spiritual gifts of the  ,gospel1
 such as inspired dreams1 prophecies1   
healings1 speaking in new  tongues1     
ministering of angels1 and1 most to be  
lamented of all1 direct  revelation from
 ,god1 by which the will of ,god might  
be made known to  ,his people and ,his  
,church preserved from error1 from      
decadence1 and  from destruction3 and by
 the absence of these spiritual gifts   
and  powers among the ,christians of the
 third and fourth centuries1 we may     
know that a mere man-made religion1     
having indeed a form of godliness1  but 
denying the power thereof1 had succeeded
 to the spiritually gifted  religion of 
,jesus ,christ1 wherein the power of    

,god is ever present and  outwardly as  
well as inwardly manifested4    ,the    
,christian ,doctrine of ,god3 ,in       
nothing perhaps was there  a wider      
departure from the real truth of        
,christianity than in the  doctrine     
concerning ,god defined by the general  
council of the ,church  held within the 
lifetime of ,constantine1 and which1 in 
fact1 he  assembled upon his own        
authority4 ,this was the celebrated     
,council of  ,nicea in ,bithynia1 ,asia 
,minor1 held in #cbe ,a4 ,d4 ,the main  
purpose for  which the first general    
,council of the ,church was assembled   
was to  settle a dispute between one    
,arius1 a presbyter of ,alexandria1 and 
his  bishop4 ,alexander1 of the same    
city1 respecting the doctrine of the    
,godhead4 ,the dispute proved to be     
far-reaching in its effects1 and for    
three hundred years the rivalry of the  
contending factions disturbed  the peace
 of ,christendom4 ,we shall have clearer
 conceptions of the  subject1 however1  

and be better able to judge of the      
extent to which  there was a departure  
from the true doctrine respecting the   
,godhead1 by  the definitions formulated
 and enforced upon the ,church by the   
,council  of ,nicea1 if we first        
consider the doctrine of the ,godhead as
 found in  the ,testament4    ,the      
existence of ,god both ,jesus and the   
,apostles accepted as a fact4  ,in all  
the teachings of the former ,he nowhere 
seeks to prove ,god's  existence4 ,he   
assumes that1 and proceeds from that    
basis with ,his  doctrine4 ,he declares 
the fact that ,god was ,his ,father1 and
 frequently  calls ,himself the ,son of 
,god4,a ,after ,his resurrection and    
departure  into heaven1 the ,apostles   
taught that ,he1 the ,son of ,god1 was  
with ,god  the ,father in the beginning2
 that ,he1 as well as the ,father1 was  
,god2  that under the direction of the  
,father ,he was the ,creator of world2  
that without ,him was not anything made 
that was made4,b ,that in ,him  dwelt   

all the fullness of the ,godhead body2,c
 and that ,he was the  express image of 
the ,father's person4,d ,jesus ,himself 
taught that ,he  and the ,father were   
one2,e that whosoever had seen ,him had 
seen the  ,father also2,f that it was   
part of ,his mission to reveal ,god1 the
  ,father1 through ,his own personality3
 for as was the ,son1 so too was the    
,father4,g ,hence ,jesus was ,god       
manifested in flesh--a revelation of    
,god  to the world4,h ,that is1 a       
revelation not only of the being of     
,god1  but of the kind of being ,god is4
    ,footnote ,a3 ,john x2 ,matt1 xxvii2
 ,mark xiv3#fa1 #fb4    ,footnote ,b3   
,for all of which see ,john i3#a-d1 #ad2
 ,heb4 i3#a-c4    ,footnote ,c3 ,cor4   
i3#ae-ai1 and ii3#i4    ,footnote ,d3   
,john x3#cj2 xvii3#aa-bb4    ,footnote  
,e3 ,john xiv3#i4    ,footnote ,f3 ,john
 xiv3#a-i2 ,john i3#ah4    ,footnote ,g3
 ,tim4 iii3#af4    ,footnote ,h3 ,john  
xiv3#aj1 #aa1 #ai1 #bj2 also ,john xvii4
    ,jesus also taught 7and in doing so 

showed in what the oneness of  ,himself 
and ,his ,father consisted7 that the    
disciples might be one  with ,him1 and  
also one with each other1 as ,he and the
 ,father were  one4,a ,not one in       
person--not all merged into one         
individual1 and  all distinctions of    
personality lost2 but one in mind1 in   
knowledge1  in love1 in will--one by    
reason of the indwelling in all of the  
one  spirit1 even as the mind and will  
of ,god the ,father was also in ,jesus  
,christ4,b    ,footnote ,a3 ,eph4       
iii3#ad-ai4    ,footnote ,b3 ,acts      
v3#a-ad4 ,to lie to the ,holy ,ghost is 
to lie to ,god1  because the ,holy      
,ghost is ,god4    ,the ,holy ,ghost1   
too1 was upheld by the ,christian       
religion to be ,god4  ,jesus ascribed to
 ,him a distinct personality2 as        
proceeding from  the ,father2 as sent   
forth in the name of the ,son1 as       
feeling love2  experiencing grief2 as   
forbidding2 as abiding2 as teaching2 as 
bearing  witness2 as appointing to work3

 and as interceding for men4 ,all of    
which clearly establishes for ,him a    
personality4    ,distinct ,personalities
 of ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost3 ,the
  distinct personality of these three   
individual ,gods 7united however  into  
one ,godhead1 or ,divine ,council71 was 
made apparent at the baptism  of ,jesus2
 for as ,he1 ,god the ,son1 came up out 
of the water from ,his  baptism at the  
hands of ,john1 a manifestation of the  
presence of the  ,holy ,ghost was given 
in the sign of the dove which rested    
upon ,jesus1  while out of the glory of 
heaven the voice of ,god the ,father was
 heard  saying1 ,this1 referring to     
,jesus1 is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i  
am  well pleased4 ,the distinctness of  
the personality of each member of  the  
,godhead is also shown by the           
commandment to baptize those who        
believe in the ,gospel equally in the   
name of each person of the ,holy        
,trinity4 ,that is1 in the name of the  
,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the    

,holy ,ghost4,a ,and again1 also in the 
,apostolic benediction1 viz41 ,the      
grace of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and  
the love of ,god1 and the communion  of 
the ,holy ,ghost1 be with you all4,b    
,footnote ,a3 ,matt4 xxviii3#ai1 #bj4   
,footnote ,b3 ,,ii ,cor4 xiii3#ad4      
,these three personages constitute the  
,christian ,godhead1 the ,holy          
,trinity4 ,in early ,christian theology 
they were regarded as the ,supreme      
,governing and ,creating ,power in      
heaven and in earth4 ,of which ,trinity 
the ,father was worshiped in the name of
 the ,son1 while the ,holy ,ghost  bore 
record of both the ,father and the ,son4
 ,and though the ,holy ,trinity  was    
made up of three distinct persons1 yet  
did they constitute but one  ,godhead1  
or ,supreme ,governing ,power4    ,the  
,doctrine ,that ,man ,was ,made in the  
,image of ,god3 ,this outline  of the   
doctrine of ,god1 derived from the ,new 
,testament1 represents ,him  as         
anthropomorphic2 that is1 like man in   

form1 and possessed of human            
characteristics4 ,it reaffirms the old  
doctrine found in the book of  ,genesis1
 viz41 that man is created in the image 
of ,god1 and after ,his  likeness4 ,the 
outline of ,new ,testament doctrine of  
,god also ascribes  to ,him what are    
called human attributes and feelings2   
but as in the  foregoing we first say   
that ,god is represented as being in    
human form1  and then to get the exact  
truth say3 ,or1 rather1 man was created 
in  the image and likeness of ,god1 so  
in this latter case1 when we have  said 
that the doctrine of the ,new ,testament
 ascribes human attributes  and feelings
 to ,god1 to get the exact truth we     
should say3 ,or1 rather1  man possesses 
the attributes of ,god--the attributes  
of knowing1  willing1 judging1 loving1  
etc4--though it should be stated1 of    
course1  that man does not possess these
 attributes in their perfection1 as ,god
  does4 ,the same may also be said of   
the physical perfections4 ,while  man   

has been created in the image and       
likeness of ,god1 yet our bodies  in    
their present state of                  
imperfection--sometimes stunted in      
growth1  diseased1 subject to sickness1 
wasting1 decay and death--cannot be     
said to be like ,god's glorious1 perfect
 physical body2 yet we have the  ,divine
 word that our bodies shall be like     
,his3    ,for our conversation is in    
heaven2 from whence also we look for the
  ,savior1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 who
 shall change our vile body1 that it    
may be fashioned like unto ,his glorious
 body1 according to the working  whereby
 ,he is able even to subdue all things  
unto ,himself4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,phil4
 iii3#bj1 #ba4    ,so also the          
attributes of the spirit of man--the    
attributes of the mind  --now imperfect1
 impure1 unholy1 and limited in the     
range of vision and  apprehension of    
things1 owing largely to the conditions 
in which man  finds himself placed in   
this earth-life 7and all for a wise     

purpose  in ,god's economy72 yet the    
time will come that it will be with the 
spirit as with the body2 for ,god shall 
change our vile spirit that it  may be  
fashioned like unto ,his own glorious   
spirit1 according to the  working       
whereby ,he is able even to subdue all  
things unto ,himself4  ,that whereas now
 we see only as through a glass1 darkly1
 then we shall  see as we are seen2 that
 whereas now we know but in part1 then  
we shall  know even as we are known4,a  
,footnote ,a3 ,the foregoing doctrine of
 ,god1 taught to the ,christians  in    
,apostolic times1 awakened their pious  
reverence without exciting  their       
curiosity4 ,they dealt with no          
metaphysical abstractions1 but were     
contented to accept the teachings of the
 ,apostles in humble faith1 and         
believed that ,jesus ,christ was the    
complete manifestation of ,deity1 and   
the express image of ,god ,his ,father2 
and hence a revelation to them of  ,god2
 while the ,holy ,ghost they accepted as

 ,god's witness and messenger  to them4 
,,lesson ,,xxxvii4    7,scripture       
,reading ,exercise47    ,,corruption    
,,of ,,the ,,christian ,,doctrine ,,of  
,,deity4    ,,analysis4    ,i4 ,early   
,pagan ,views of ,deity4    ,,ii4       
,adoption of ,pagan ,views by ,early    
,christians4    ,,iii4 ,the             
,paganization of ,christian ,doctrine   
,expressed--,creed of ,st4  ,athanasius4
    ,,references4    ,see ,mormon       
,doctrine of ,deity ch4 iv2 also        
authorities cited in the  notes4        
,,notes4    ,pagan ,trinities3          
,christianity1 as is well known1 came in
 contact  with other doctrines          
concerning ,deity4 ,it was almost       
immediately  brought in touch with the  
mysticism of the ,orient and also with  
the  philosophies of the ,greeks1 who   
took so much delight in intellectual    
subtleties4 ,in the ,oriental           
philosophies1 and in the ,greek         
philosophy1  there was conceived the    
idea of a trinity in ,deity2 an idea    

which  possibly may have come down from 
the doctrines revealed to the           
patriarchs concerning the ,godhead1 but 
which had been corrupted and  rendered  
unintelligible by the vain              
philosophizings of men4 ,in some of  the
 ,oriental systems the trinity or       
,trimurti consisted of ,brahma1 the     
,creator2 ,vishnu1 the ,preserver2 and  
,siva1 the ,destroyer4 ,it will be      
seen1 however1 that this trinity is not 
necessarily one of persons1 or          
individuals1 but may be one of          
attributes1 qualities1 or even a trinity
  of functions in one being2 and in this
 way it is usually understood4,a        
,footnote ,a3 ,see ,shedd's ,history of 
,christian ,doctrine1 vol4 i1 p4 #cdb1  
et seq4 and note4    ,plato's trinity is
 sometimes stated in the terms1 ,first  
,cause2 ,reason1  or ,logos2 and ,soul  
of the ,universe2 but more commonly in  
these3  ,goodness1 ,intellect1 and      
,will4 ,the nature of the ,greek trinity
 has  long been a matter of contention  

among the learned1 and one indeed  that 
is not settled to this day4 ,is there   
indicated in his system  a true and     
proper tri-personality1 or merely a     
personification of  three               
impersonalities1 a trinity of attributes
 or functions8 ,the  answers to these   
questions are varied1 and would require 
too much  space for consideration here4 
,christians having been taught to accept
  the ,new ,testament doctrine of the   
,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,spirit as     
constituting one ,godhead1 ,christianity
 no sooner came in contact with  the    
philosophies of the ,greeks and         
,egyptians than there was an effort     
made to identify the ,christian trinity 
with that of the ,greek and other       
philosophies4 ,the temptation to do this
 was very great4 ,christianity  was a   
proscribed religion and its followers   
detested4 ,whenever it  could be shown1 
therefore1 that under new symbols the   
,church really  taught the same         
doctrines that the old philosophers--who

 were held in  esteem--did1 it was      
regarded as a distinct gain to          
,christianity4    ,early ,christian     
,disputation on the ,doctrine of ,deity3
 ,the mere  fact of ,christianity       
teaching a trinity of any kind was a    
sufficient  basis of comparison1 under  
the temptation offered1 and hence in a  
short time we have the alleged followers
 of ,christ involved in all  the        
metaphysical disputations of the age4   
,the chief difficulty in  those         
speculations was to define the nature of
 the ,logos1 or ,word of  ,god2 a title 
that is given to our ,savior by the     
,apostle ,st4 ,john1 be  it remembered4 
,adopting absolute being as the         
postulate of their  conception of ,god1 
absolute oneness1 and therefore absolute
 singleness1  their difficulties arose  
in trying to reconcile the existence of 
three  persons in the ,godhead to the   
postulate of unity4 ,the disputations   
were  carried on chiefly concerning     
,christ1 the ,word4 in ,his relationship

  to the ,godhead2 and the disputants   
concerned themselves with such          
questions as these3 ,is ,jesus the      
,word8 ,if ,he be the ,word1 did ,he    
emanate from ,god in time or before     
time8 ,if ,he emanated from ,god1 is    
,he co-eternal and of the same1 that is 
identical1 substance with ,him1  or     
merely of a similar substance8 ,is ,he  
distinct from the ,father1  that is1    
separate from ,him1 or is he not8 ,is   
,he made or begotten8  ,can ,he beget in
 ,his turn8 ,has ,he paternity1 or      
productive virtue  without paternity8   
,similar questions were asked as to the 
other ,person  of the ,godhead1 the     
,holy ,spirit4    ,the ,arian           
,controversy3 ,these questions were     
violently agitated  at ,alexandria by   
the bishop of that city1 ,alexander1 and
 one of the  presbyters1 ,arius1        
#cah-cba ,a4 ,d4 ,the controversy spread
 throughout  ,christendom1 and          
culminated finally in the ,council at   
,nicea1 #cbe ,a4  ,d4 ,arius held the   

doctrine that the ,logos or ,word was a 
dependent  or spontaneous production    
created out of nothing by the will of   
the  ,father2 hence the ,son of ,god1 by
 whom all things were made1 begotten    
before all worlds2 but there had been a 
time when the ,logos was not2  and also 
,he was of a substance1 however similar 
it might be1 different  from the        
,father4 ,this doctrine1 in the minds of
 the opponents of ,arius1  detracted    
from the divine nature of ,christ2 in   
fact1 denied ,him true  ,deity and      
relegated ,him to the position of a     
creature1 against which  the piety of a 
large number of ,christians rebelled4   
,after six years of  hot disputation and
 frequent appeals by the contestants to 
the emperor1  the ,council of ,nicea was
 assembled and the mysteries of the     
,christian  faith submitted to public   
debate1 a portion of the time1 at least1
 in  the presence of the emperor1 who1  
to some extent1 seemed to exercise  the 
functions of president over the         

assembly4 ,the doctrine of ,arius  was  
condemned1 and after long deliberations1
 among struggles1 and  scrupulous       
examinations1 the following creed was   
adopted3    ,we believe in one ,god1 the
 ,father ,almighty1 creator of all      
things  visible and invisible2 and in   
one ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of   
,god1  only-begotten of the ,father1    
that is1 of the substance of the        
,father1  ,god of ,god1 ,light of       
,light1 very ,god of very ,god1         
begotten1 not made1  being of the same  
substance with the ,father1 by whom all 
things were  made in heaven and in      
earth1 who for us men and for our       
salvation came  down from heaven1 was   
incarnate1 was made man1 suffered1 rose 
again the  third day1 ascended into the 
heavens1 and ,he will come to judge the 
living and the dead2 and in the ,holy   
,ghost4 ,those who say there was a  time
 when ,he was not1 and ,he was not      
before ,he was begotten1 and ,he  was   
made of nothing 7he was created71 or who

 say that ,he is of another  hypostatis1
 or of another substance 7than the      
,father71 or that the  ,son of ,god is  
created1 that ,he is mutable1 or subject
 to change1 the  ,catholic church       
anathematizes4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,hist4
 ,christian ,councils 7,hefele71 p4     
#bid4    ,arius himself was condemned as
 a heretic and banished into one of the 
remote provinces2 ,illyricum1 his       
friends and disciples1 branded by law   
with the idious name of ,porphyrians1   
because it is supposed that  ,arius1    
like ,porphyry1 had sought to injure    
,christianity4 ,his writings  were      
condemned to the flames and a capital   
punishment was pronounced  against those
 in whose possession they should be     
found4 ,three years  later1 however1    
through the influence of the women at   
the imperial  court1 ,constantine       
softened in his demeanor towards ,arius 
and his  followers4 ,the exiles were    
recalled and ,arius himself was received
 at  court and his faith approved by a  

synod of prelates and presbyters at     
,jerusalem2 but on the day that he was  
to be publicly received in the          
cathedral church at ,constantinople1 by 
the order of the emperor1 who1  by the  
way1 received the sacrament at the hands
 of ,arius1 he expired  under           
circumstances which have led many to    
believe that other means  than the      
prayers of the orthodox against him were
 the cause of his  death4 ,the leaders  
of the orthodox party1 ,athanasius of   
,alexandria4  ,eustathius of ,antioch1  
and ,paul of ,constantinople1 were now  
to feel  the wrath of the first         
,christian emperor4 ,they were deposed  
on various  occasions and by the        
sentence of numerous councils1 and      
banished into  distant provinces4 ,in   
fact1 so far from the adoption of the   
,nicean  creed ending the conflict which
 had arisen1 it was more like the       
opening of that controversy which       
agitated ,christendom for so long1 and  
resulted in so many shameful conflicts4 

,councils were arrayed against          
councils1 and though they never could   
convince one another of error1  they    
never failed1 in the spirit of such     
,christian charity as was  then extant1 
to close their decrees with curses4     
,votes were bartered  for and purchased 
in those councils1 and the facts justify
 the latent  sarcasm in ,gibbon's       
remark1 that the cause of truth and     
justice  was promoted by the influence  
of gold4 ,there were persecutions and   
counter-persecutions1 as now one party  
and then the other prevailed2  there    
were assassinations and bloody battles  
over this doctrine of  ,deity1 the      
accounts of which fill1 as they also    
disgrace1 our ,christian  annals4 ,the  
creed which was adopted at ,nicea1      
however1 became the  settled doctrine of
 orthodox ,christendom1 and remains so  
to this day4    ,the ,athanasian ,creed3
 ,it is difficult to determine which is 
really the worst1 the creed itself or   
the explanations of it4 ,at  any rate1  

we do not clearly see the impiety of its
 doctrines until  we listen to the      
explanations that have been made of it4 
,athanasius  himself has left on record 
a creed explanatory of the one adopted  
at ,nicea4 ,true1 among the learned1    
many doubt ,athanasius being the  author
 of the creed which bears his name2 but1
 however much doubt may  be thrown upon 
that question1 no one hesitates to      
accept it as the  orthodox explanation  
of the doctrine of ,deity1 and1 in fact1
 it is  accepted as one of the important
 symbols of the ,christian faith1 and is
  as follows3    ,we worship one ,god in
 ,trinity1 and ,trinity in ,unity1      
neither  confounding the persons nor    
dividing the substance4 ,for there is   
one  person of the ,father1 another of  
the ,son1 and another of the ,holy      
,ghost4 ,but the ,godhead of the        
,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost is all  
one3  the glory equal1 the majesty      
co-eternal4 ,such as the ,father is1    
such  is the ,son1 and such is the ,holy

 ,ghost4 ,the ,father incomprehensible1 
the ,son incomprehensible1 and the ,holy
 ,ghost incomprehensible4 ,the  ,father 
eternal1 the ,son eternal1 and the ,holy
 ,ghost eternal4 ,and yet  there are not
 three eternals1 but one eternal4 ,as   
also there are not  three               
incomprehensibles1 nor three uncreate1  
but one uncreate and one                
incomprehensible4 ,so likewise the      
,father is almighty1 the ,son almighty1 
and the ,holy ,ghost almighty2 and yet  
they are not three almighties1 but  one 
almighty4 ,so the ,father is ,god1 the  
,son is ,god1 and the ,holy ,ghost  is  
,god2 and yet there are not three ,gods1
 but one ,god4    ,as already stated1   
this creed of ,st4 ,athanasius is       
accepted as one of  the symbols of the  
orthodox ,christian faith4 ,it is       
understood that  these two creeds teach 
that ,god is incoporeal2 that is to say1
 an  immaterial being4 ,the ,catholic   
church says3 ,there is but one ,god1 the
  creator of heaven and earth1 the      

supreme incoporeal1 uncreated being1    
who exists of ,himself and is infinite  
in all ,his attributes4,a ,while  the   
,church of ,england teaches in her      
articles of faith that there is  but one
 living and true ,god1 everlasting1     
without body1,b parts1 or  passions1 of 
infinite power1 wisdom and goodness4    
,this view of ,god  as an incoporeal1   
immaterial1 bodiless1 partless1         
passionless being  is now and has been  
from the days of the great apostasy from
 ,god and  ,christ1 in the second and   
third centuries1 the doctrine of ,deity 
generally accepted by apostate          
,christendom4 ,the simple doctrine of   
the  ,christian ,godhead1 set forth in  
the ,new ,testament is corrupted by the 
meaningless jargon of these creeds1 and 
their explanations2 and the  learned who
 profess a belief of them are wandering 
in the darkness of  the mysticisms of   
the old pagan philosophies4 ,no wonder  
that ,athanasius  himself1 whom ,gibbon 
with a quiet sarcasm calls the most     

sagacious  of the ,christian            
theologians1 candidly confesses that    
whenever he  forced his understanding to
 meditate on the divinity of the ,logos 
7and  which1 of course1 involved the    
whole doctrine of the ,godhead71 his    
toilsome and unavailing efforts recoiled
 on themselves2 that the more  he       
thought1 the less he comprehended3 and  
the more he wrote1 the less  capable was
 he of expressing his thoughts6 ,it is a
 fine passage with  which ,gibbon closes
 his reflections upon this subject1 and 
hence ,i  shall give it place here3     
,footnote ,a3 ,catholic ,belief         
7,bruno71 p4 #a4    ,footnote ,b3 i4e41 
without materiality4    ,in every step  
of the inquiry1 we are compelled to feel
 and acknowledge  the immeasurable      
disproportion between the size of the   
object and the  capacity of the human   
mind4 ,we may try to abstract the       
notions of time1  of space1 and of      
matter1 which so closely adhere to all  
the perceptions  of our experimental    

knowledge2 but as soon as we presume to 
reason of  infinite substance1 or       
spiritual generation2 as often as we    
deduce any  positive conclusions from a 
negative idea1 we are involved in       
darkness1  perplexity1 and inevitable   
contradiction4,a    ,footnote ,a3       
,decline and ,fall1 ch4 xxi4            
,recurrence to the ,new ,testament      
doctrine of ,god1 and a comparison of   
it with the doctrine of ,deity set forth
 in the ,nicean and ,athanasian  creeds1
 will exhibit the wide departure--the   
absolute apostasy--that  has taken place
 in respect of this most fundamental of 
all doctrines of  religion--the doctrine
 of ,god4 ,truly ,christians back in    
those early  ,christian centuries denied
 the ,lord that brought them1,a and     
turned  literally to fables4 ,they      
enthroned a conception of a negative    
idea of  being1 which can stand in no   
possible relationship to man1 nor man to
  it2 and to this they ascribe divine   
attributes and give it title1 knee  and 

adoration which belong to ,god alone4   
,small wonder that the angel  whom ,john
 saw flying in the midst of heaven      
having the everlasting  ,gospel to      
commit to the earth in the hour of      
,god's judgment1 in the  last days1     
should cry aloud to the inhabitants of  
the earth1 saying1  ,fear ,god and give 
glory to ,him2 99 99 99 99 99 99 and    
worship ,him that made  heaven1 and     
earth1 and the sea1 and the fountains of
 water,b--small  wonder1 ,i repeat1 that
 such should be part of his great       
message1 for  truly the whole world had 
departed from the worship of the true   
and  living ,god4    ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii 
,peter ii3#a4    ,footnote ,b3 ,rev4    
xiv3#f1 #g4        ,,lesson ,,xxxviii4  
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ    
,,displaced ,,by ,,churches ,,of ,,men4 
,,analysis    ,i4 ,the ,christian       
,church4    ,,ii4 ,the ,roman           
,hierarchy4    ,,iii4 ,corruption of the
 ,ministry4    ,,references4    ,i ,cor4

 xii3 ,eph4 iv4 ,the ,gospel ch4 xxii4  
,outlines of ,ecclesiastical  ,history1 
,section viii1 #ae-ca and note #e and #f
 in that section4 ,see also  authorities
 cited in notes ,new ,witness for ,god1 
ch4 iv4    ,,notes    ,the ,necessity of
 a ,church3 ,the departure from the form
 and  spirit of church government was no
 less marked than the moral and         
spiritual declension among the          
,christians of the early centuries of   
the era1 or the departure from the true 
doctrine of ,deity4 ,beyond  filling the
 vacancy in the council of the ,twelve  
,apostles1 occasioned  by the fall of   
,judas1 there is no clear and           
satisfactory evidence that  other       
successors of the ,apostles were ever   
chosen1 though the fair  implication is 
that the organization of the ,church1   
with ,apostles1  ,prophets1             
,evangelists1 ,seventies1 ,bishops1     
,teachers1 etc41 was to be  perpetuated 
as at first established4 ,at least this 
organization was  given for the         

perfecting of the saints1 for the work  
of the ministry1  until the saints      
should come to a unity of the faith and 
knowledge  of the ,son of ,god2,a so    
that the plain inference is that as long
 as  there are saints to be perfected1  
or edified1 or united1 or brought  to   
the knowledge of ,god2 as long as there 
is work for a ministry1 or  the         
necessity of a ,church1 through the     
agency of which the truth is to  be     
taught to the world1 and the lives of   
those who accept the truth  perfected1  
so long will it be necessary to         
perpetuate the organization  given of   
,god for the achievement of those high  
purposes4 ,to say  that man could devise
 a better organization for the          
accomplishment  of these several objects
 would be to challenge the wisdom of    
,god4  ,to say that any of these means  
provided in the ,church organization    
could be dispensed with1 would be to    
contradict the plain teaching of        
,scripture1 which1 in this very         

connection forbids the eye to say to    
the hand1 ,i have no need of thee2 or   
the head to the feet1 ,i have no  need  
of you2 that is1 one officer of the     
,church may not say to another  officer1
 ,i have no need of thee4,b ,the        
doctrine of ,scripture is that  all the 
officers of the ,church1 together with  
their several gifts1  are essential to  
the ,church of ,christ2 essential to its
 perfection2  essential to the          
performance of the sacred functions     
assigned to it4  ,yet it must be        
conceded that the organization described
 in the ,new  ,testament did not survive
 the last of the ,apostles2 or preserve 
much  beyond that time the spirit which 
the ,master impressed upon it4,c        
,footnote ,a3 ,i ,cor4 xii2 ,eph4 iv4   
,footnote ,b3 ,cor4 xii4    ,footnote   
,c3 ,matt4 xx4    ,central ,authority in
 the ,christian ,church3 ,the ,apostles1
  while they lived1 exercised a general 
jurisdiction over the ,church1  to which
 all submitted without question4 ,in the

 exercise of their  general authority   
they organized branches of the ,church1 
appointed  ,elders or ,bishops to take  
the oversight of them1 and instructed   
them  in ,church government1 and        
discipline1 and doctrine4 ,after the    
demise  of the ,apostles1 there seems to
 have been left no central authority to 
exercise the functions of general       
supervision or presidency over the      
entire ,church1 such as the ,twelve had 
exercised4 ,that center of unity1       
together with the power thereof1 seems  
to have vanished from the ,church  with 
the ,apostles4 ,the ,bishops and some   
subordinate officers remained1  it is   
true1 but these were local1 not general 
authorities4 ,the ,church  in each city 
or district of country after the        
,apostolic age seems to  have been      
regarded as a sort of independent       
republic of itself1 without  any bond of
 consociation with any other church     
beyond that which was  the result of    
possessing a common faith in            

,christianity1 which bond was  one of   
sympathy merely1 not of hierachical     
association4    ,rise of the ,roman     
,hierarchy3 ,the rise of the hierarchy1 
with  the centralization of its powers  
in the ,bishop of ,rome1 and which      
ultimately dominated the whole ,church1 
and not only the ,church but1  directly 
and indirectly1 the western civilized   
world1 came later1 and  was of gradual  
development2 and when it was finally    
established1 it  was not the            
organization described in the ,new      
,testament1 the ,church  with an        
inspired ,priesthood of ,apostles1 and  
,prophets1 ,evangelists1  ,seventies and
 ,pastors1 etc41 but a hierarchy        
fashioned by man out of  such remnants  
of ,church organization as survived     
,apostolic times4  ,as the number of    
,christians increased1 the bishops of   
large cities  organized new branches of 
the ,church in the suburbs of their     
cities1  and in the towns and villages  
adjacent1 and ordained for them a       

ministry4 ,it was but natural perhaps   
that the officers of these new  branches
 of the ,church1 both the bishops and   
subordinate clergy1 should  look to the 
one who had brought them into existence 
as a source of  general presiding       
authority over them4 ,and hence in time 
arose what  were called metropolitan    
bishops1 bishops who had under their    
direction  the bishops of neighboring   
towns and villages--bishops of the      
suburbs  and the fields1 they were      
sometimes called--and perhaps of the    
entire  province of which the           
metropolitan city was recognized as the 
center4  ,as the bishop of the          
metropolis1 or of a province1 became the
 center  of ecclesiastical unity for    
that province1 so too in time1 the      
bishops  of cities which were the       
capitals of the three great divisions of
 the  empire--,antioch1 ,alexandria and 
,rome--asserted a superior dignity  over
 metropolitan bishops4 ,it was in these 
cities that the exarchs  of the empire  

resided1 and if we may trust the        
authority of ,neander4  the bishops of  
these cities also1 at first1 took that  
title1 but  later made choice of the    
more ecclesiastical name of             
,patriarch4,a ,in  addition to the      
importance attached to these cities as  
the capitals  of the great divisions of 
the empire1 a superior dignity in the   
minds  of ,christians attached to the   
,churches founded by the ,apostles as   
the  surest depositories of the         
,apostolic teaching and doctrine2 and as
  ,apostolic origin could be claimed for
 the churches in the three cities       
named1 it is not surprising1 when their 
political importance is added1  that the
 bishops of those cities claimed        
superior dignity for their  office1 and 
united under their jurisdiction the     
metropolitan bishops  of the respective 
three great divisions of the empire4    
,subsequently  the same title was       
granted to the bishop of ,jerusalem1 and
 to the  bishop of ,constantinople2 to  

the former it was granted in virtue of  
the peculiar sanctity which attaches to 
,jerusalem1 and the fact that  the first
 ,christian ,church was planted there2  
to the latter1 because  it was made the 
capital of the empire1 ,new ,rome2 and  
because it was  peculiarly the city of  
the first imperial patron of            
,christianity4 ,thus  five patriarchates
 were established4    ,footnote ,a3     
,neander ,ch4 ,hist4 vol4 ii1 p4 #aif4  
,through circumstances too numerous and 
intricate to detail here1 the  bishops  
of ,rome changed the primacy of mere    
precedence which had been  accorded them
 among associated brethren1 to a primacy
 of power and  jurisdiction1 which      
resulted in the bishops of ,rome        
becoming recognized  as the supreme head
 of the ,christian ,church2 and the     
papacy entered  upon that marvelous     
career which by the impartial can but be
 regarded  as the shame of the          
,christian name4    ,corruption of the  
,ministry3 ,attention has already been  

called  to the corruptions which        
prevailed in that period of peace in the
  closing decades of the third century1 
where bishops are represented  as being 
full of pride and ostentation2 as       
deserting the law of piety  and being   
inflamed against each other with mutual 
strifes1 only  accumulating quarrels1   
threats1 rivalships1 hostilities1       
hatreds  towards each other1 and only   
anxious to assert the ,church government
 as  a kind of sovereignty for          
themselves4 ,and all this when          
,christianity  was a proscribed         
religion2 and when the ,church1 and     
especially its  leaders1 the bishops1   
were liable to severest persecution4    
,reason and  a due consideration of     
human nature both combined to fix upon  
us the  conviction that the bitterness  
of rivalry1 of hatred1 of ambition1     
must have greatly increased when        
metropolitan and patriarchal bishops1   
formerly proscribed and hunted like wild
 beasts1 rose to the dignity  of civil  

princes1 and took upon them more and    
ever more of the spirit  of worldliness 
as wealth and honor and popular applause
 were made the  accompaniments of their 
ecclesiastical offices4 ,history        
confirms what  reason and a knowledge of
 human nature suggests2 for the history 
of the  ,church after the elevation of  
proscribed ,christianity to the dignity 
of  the state religion of the ,roman    
empire1 is but the melancholy history   
of unholy ambition1 jealousies1 strifes1
 contentions1 murders1 and  wars between
 rival bishops and their adherents on   
the one hand2 and  equally unholy       
struggles for worldly advantages with   
kings and rulers  of this world on the  
other4 ,the spirit that actuated the    
bishops of  the ,church after their     
elevation through the policy of         
,constantine is  admirably illustrated  
by a remark of ,gregory of ,nazianzus1  
made in  ,constantinople1 #chj ,a4 ,d41 
when deploring the evils of the ,church4
 ,he  says3    ,would to heaven there   

were no primacy1 no eminence of place1  
and no  tyrannical precedence of rank2  
that we might be known by eminence of   
virtue alone4 ,but1 as the case now     
stands1 the distinction of a seat  at   
the right hand or the left1 or in the   
middle2 at a higher or a  lower place2  
of going before or aside of each other1 
has given rise to  many disorders among 
us1 to no salutary purpose whatever1 and
 plunged  multitudes in ruin4,a         
,footnote ,a3 ,this remark is quoted by 
,neander1 ,ch4 ,hist41 vol4 ii1 p4      
#aih4    ,the ,fatal ,gift of a         
,christian ,emperor3 ,matters in ,church
  government did not mend with time1 but
 grew worse and worse4  ,pride          
increased2 rivalship between contending 
prelates grew more  imbittered2 ambition
 mounted higher and ever higher in the  
breasts  of the shepherds of the flock  
of ,christ4 ,in ,his association with   
,his  ,apostles--to whom ,he committed  
the keys of ,his kingdom--the ,master   
had  discouraged ambition and had said  

that he who would be great among  ,his  
followers must be their minister2 and   
whosoever would be chief  among them1   
was to be their servant2 and the        
government of ,his ,church  was to be   
distinct in these particulars from the  
governments of this  world4,a ,but all  
in vain were the instructions of        
,messiah to the  worldly2 ambitious     
prelates of an apostate ,christianity   
had gradually  supplanted the religion  
of ,jesus ,christs2 and henceforth we   
may see in  that hierarchy which usurped
 the place of the ,church of ,christ    
from  the time of ,constantine1 all the 
spirit of pride1 envy1 jealousy1        
contention1 strife1 selfishness1        
bitterness1 and unholy ambition which   
characterized the princes and rulers of 
this world2 attended1 too1  with all the
 evils that wait upon these passions of 
rulers when once  let loose1 viz41      
secret plottings1 usurpations of        
authority1 corrupt  elections1 cruel    
imprisonments1 banishments1 secret and  

public murders1  and wars2 all          
undertaken1 of course1 in the interest  
of the gentle  religion of ,christ1 and 
the maintenance of that authority which 
is  based on love1 and whose control    
over men is through the means of        
persuasion and the teaching of true     
knowledge4 ,is it not evident that  the 
kingdom of peace1 wherein was to dwell  
righteousness and truth1  had become    
merely one of the kingdoms of this      
world8 ,and were not the  ,fratriceli of
 the thirteenth century1 though         
denounced as heretics1  right when they 
loudly proclaimed their conviction that 
the fatal  gift of a ,christian emperor 
had been the doom of the true ,christian
  religion8    ,footnote ,a3 ,matt4     
xx3#bf1 #bg4        ,,lesson ,,xxxix4   
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,prophecy4      
,,analysis4    ,i4 ,predictions of the  
,new ,testament ,prophets4    ,,ii4     
,paul's ,great ,prophecy to the         
,thessalonians4    ,,iii4 ,the ,prophecy

 of ,isaiah on ,breaking the            
,everlasting ,covenant4    ,,iv4        
,concluding ,reflections on the ,whole  
,subject of the ,dispensations4         
,,references4    ,besides the           
authorities cited in the notes see      
,outlines ,ecclesiastical  ,history1    
,section vii4 ,new ,witness for ,god1   
chapter vi4    ,,notes    ,what is      
,prophecy but ,history ,reversed3 ,what 
is prophecy but  history reversed8      
,nothing4 ,prophecy is a record of      
things before they  take place4 ,history
 is a record of them after they have    
occurred2  and of the two prophecy is   
more to be trusted for its accuracy than
  history2 for the reason that it has   
its source the unerring inspiration  of 
,god2 while history--except in the case 
of inspired historians--is  colored by  
the favor or prejudice of the writer1   
depends for its  exactness upon the     
point of view from which he looks upon  
the events2  and is likely to be marred 
in a thousand ways by the influences    

surrounding him--party considerations1  
national interest or prejudice2         
supposed influence upon present         
conditions and future prospects--all    
these things may interfere with history2
 but prophecy is free from such         
influences4 ,historians are             
self-constituted1 or appointed by men2  
but  prophets are chosen of ,god4       
,selected by divine wisdom1 and         
illuminated  by that spirit which shows 
things that are to come1 prophets have  
revealed to them so much of the future  
as ,god would have men to know1  and the
 inspired writers record it for the     
enlightenment or warning of  mankind1   
with out the coloring or distortion so  
liable to mar the work  of the          
historian4 ,thus ,moses recorded what   
the history of ,israel would  be on     
condition of their obedience to ,god2   
and what it would be if they  were      
disobedient4 ,israel was disobedient1   
and historians have exhausted  their art
 in attempts to tell of their           

disobedience and suffering2  but neither
 in vividness nor accuracy to the       
histories compare with  the prophecy4   
,so with the prophecy of ,daniel in     
regard to the rise  and succession of   
the great political powers that should  
dominate the  earth1 and the final      
triumph of thhe ,kingdom of ,god4 ,so   
with well nigh  all of the prophecies4  
,with these observations upon the       
trustworthiness  of prophecy it is my   
purpose to show that prophecy no less   
than the  facts of history1 sustains the
 conclusion arrived at on the apostasy  
from the ,christian religion1 and the   
destruction of the ,christian  ,church4 
7,new ,witness for ,god1 pp4 #aac-d74   
,testimony of ,prophecy to the          
,universal ,apostasy3 ,clear as the     
fact is made in this historical review  
that there was a complete and  universal
 apostasy from the religion established 
in the ,dispensation of  the ,meridian  
of ,time2 and clear as is the proof from
 the same review  that the ,church of   

,christ then established was destroyed1 
there is  yet another line of evidence  
pointing to the same solemn fact that ,i
  cannot altogether omit1 though often  
used in our literature1 viz41 the       
testimony of prophecy to the apostasy   
from the ,christian religion1 and  the  
destruction of the ,church of ,christ4  
,the ,apostles themselves through the   
inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost were    
fully aware that such an apostasy would 
take place1 as the following  several   
predictions bear witness3 ,paul passing 
through ,ephesus  admonished the ,elders
 of that ,church to take heed to thhe   
flock over  which the ,holy ,ghost hath 
made you overseers2 99 99 99 99 99 for  
,i know  this1 that after my departing  
shall grievous wolves enter in among    
you1 not sparing the flock4 ,also of    
your own selves shall men arise1        
speaking perverse things1 to draw away  
disciples after them4,a    ,footnote ,a3
 ,acts xx3#bh-cj4    ,paul's            
,predictions3 ,,to ,timothy ,paul said3 

,the ,spirit speaketh  expressly1 that  
in the latter times some shall depart   
from the faith1  giving heed to seducing
 spirits and doctrines of devils2       
speaking  lies in hypocrisy2 having     
their conscience seared with a hot iron2
  forbidding to marry and commanding to 
abstain from meats4,a ,and  again3 ,i   
charge the to 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 doctrine1 but  after their own    
lusts they shall heap to themselves     
teachers1 having  itching ears1 and they
 shall turn away their ears from the    
truth1 and  shall be turned unto        
fables4,b    ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,tim4     
iv3#a1 #b1 #c4    ,footnote ,b3 ,,ii    
,tim4 iv3#a1 #b1 #c1 #d4    ,and still  
again he said to ,timothy3 ,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 highminded1     
lovers of pleasure more than lovers of  
,god2 having a form of godliness1 but   
denying the power thereof3 from  such   
turn away4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,tim4
 iii3#a-e4    ,peter's prophecy         
concerning the rise of false teachers   
among the  saints1 who privately would  
bring in damnable heresies1 even denying
  the ,lord who bought them1 and by     
reason of whom the way of truth would   
be evil spoken of1 we have already      
quoted4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,see page    
xlviii1 and ,,ii ,peter i3#c4    ,paul's
 ,prophecy to the ,thessalonians3 ,paul1
 in his second  epistle to the          
,thessalonians1 gives utterance to a    
prophecy which  covers the whole ground 
of the absolute and universal apostasy  
of  ,christendom4 ,a prophecy which1 if 

the apostasy of so-called ,christendom  
has not been complete and universal1    
proves beyond all question that  the    
great ,apostle of the ,gentiles is a    
false prophet2 or if fulfilled1  then it
 proves that the ,church of ,christ1 so 
far as it existed in the  earth1 was to 
be destroyed2 that another and different
 religion was  to be substituted for the
 ,christian religion2 that another      
church1  one founded by men1 was to take
 the place of the ,church of ,christ1 a 
worldly church dominated by the very    
spirit of ,lucifer1 who1 under its      
rule1 would oppose and exalt himself    
above all that is called ,god2  and sit 
in the temple of ,god1 showing himself1 
so far as this world  is concerned1 that
 he is ,god4 ,moreover1 ,paul declared  
in this very  prophecy ,i am about to   
quote that the forces which would       
ultimately  bring to pass this universal
 apostasy from the ,christian           
religion--the  mystery of iniquity--was 
already at work even in his day4 ,with  

this  introduction1 which is also to be 
considered as my comment upon and       
interpretation of the passage1 ,i quote 
,paul's great prediction on the         
universal ,apostasy4    ,now we beseech 
you brethren1 by the coming of our ,lord
 ,jesus ,christ1  and by our gathering  
together unto ,him1 that ye be not soon 
shaken in  mind1 or be troubled1 neither
 by spirit1 nor by word1 nor by letter  
as  from us1 as that the day of ,christ 
is at hand4 ,let no man deceive you  by 
any means3 for that day shall not come1 
except there come a falling  away first1
 and that man of sin be revealed1 the   
,son of ,perdition2 who  opposeth and   
exalteth himself above all that is      
called ,god1 or that is  worshipped2 so 
that he as ,god sitteth in the temple of
 ,god1 showing  himself that he is ,god4
 ,remember yet not1 that1 when ,i was   
yet with  you1 ,i told you these things8
 ,and now ye know what withholdeth that 
he  might be revealed in his time4 ,for 
the mystery of iniquity doth already    

work3 only he who now letteth           
7hindereth7 will let 7hinder71 until he 
be taken out of the way4 ,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 coming3 even him     
whose coming is after the  working of   
,satan with all power and signs and     
lying wonders1 and with  all            
deceiveableness of unrighteousness in   
them that perish2 because  they receive 
not the love of the truth1 that they    
might be saved4 ,and  for this cause    
,god shall send them strong delusion1   
that they should  believe a lie3 that   
they all might be damned who believe not
 the truth1  but had pleasure in        
uprighteousness4,a    ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii
 ,thes4 ii3#a-ab4    ,isaiah's ,great   
,prophecy3 ,a more ancient prophet than 
,paul also  predicted a like condition  
of the world in the last days4 ,behold1 
says ,isaiah1 the ,lord maketh the earth
 empty1 and maketh it waste1  and       

turneth it upside down1 and scattereth  
abroad the inhabitants  thereof4 ,and it
 shall be1 as with the people1 so with  
the priest4 99 99  99 99 99 ,the land   
shall be utterly emptied and utterly    
spoiled3 for the  ,lord hath spoken this
 word4 ,the earth mourneth and fadeth   
away1 the  world languisheth and fadeth 
away1 the haughty people of the earth do
  languish4 ,the earth also is defiled  
under the inhabitants thereof2  because 
they have transgressed the laws1 changed
 the ordinance1 broken  the everlasting 
covenant4 ,therefore hath the curse     
devoured the earth1  and they that dwell
 therein are desolate3 therefore the    
inhabitants of  the earth are burned1   
and few men left4,a    ,footnote ,a3    
,isaiah xxiv3#a-af4    ,clearly all this
 prophecy of ,isaiah's has not yet been 
fulfilled2 for  the earth1 however much 
it may have been defiled under the      
inhabitants  thereof1 has not yet been  
burned1 and but few men left4 ,that is a
  judgment that still hangs over the    

world2 and will come upon it as  sure as
 the ,lord has spoken the word2 and     
that1 too1 because men have             
transgressed the laws2 because they have
 changed the ordinances2  because they  
have broken--not the covenant made with 
,moses1 or with  ,abraham--but because  
they have broken the everlasting        
covenant2 of  which covenant the blood  
of ,christ is the sign and seal4,a in   
other  words1 they have broken the      
,gospel covenant--departed from the     
,gospel  faith--hence the predicted     
judgment4    ,footnote ,a3 ,heb4        
xiii3#aj4    ,yet a few shall escape4   
,as the prophet in another place in this
  remarkable chapter says--referring to 
the general desolation of the  earth and
 its inhabitants--,when thus it shall be
 in the midst of the  land among the    
people1 there shall be as the shaking of
 an olive tree1  and as the gleaning of 
grapes when the vintage is done4 ,they  
shall lift  up their voices1 they shall 
sing for the majesty of the ,lord1 they 

shall cry aloud from the sea4 ,from     
which it is to be understood that  there
 will be a few even in those disastrous 
times1 whose righteousness  will call   
down the favor of ,god4 ,and though the 
earth shall reel to and  fro like a     
drunkard1 and the transgressions thereof
 shall be heavy upon  it2 though the    
,lord shall punish the host of the high 
ones that are on  high1 and the kings of
 the earth upon the earth2 though as    
prisoners  they shall be gathered into  
the pit1 and will not be visited for    
many  days2 though the moon shall be    
confounded1 and the sun ashamed1 yet    
shall the ,lord of ,hosts reign in      
,mount ,zion and in ,jerusalem1 and     
before his ancients gloriously4 7,isaiah
 xxiv3#bj-bc47    ,if ,i did not think  
these two great prophecies foretold     
completely the  universal apostasy of   
,christendom1 ,i should be tempted to   
enter into  the consideration of the    
great prophecies to be found in the book
  of ,daniel and the book of            

,revelation1 and show how to both of    
these  prophets1 as well as unto ,paul  
and other ,new ,testament writers1 the  
,lord revealed the rise of an           
earth-power that would not only open his
  mouth in blasphemy against ,god1 to   
blaspheme ,his name and them who  dwell 
in heaven2,a who would speak great words
 against the ,most ,high1  and so       
magnify itself as to stand up against   
the ,prince of princes--,b  but who     
would also make war with the saints and 
prevail against  them2,c who would wear 
out the saints of the ,most ,high2,d    
destroy  the mighty and the holy        
people2,e make war with the saints and  
overcome them4,f ,but believing that the
 two passages quoted at length  entirely
 cover the subject prophetically1 ,i    
shall not here enter into  further      
prophetic proofs either of the          
corruptions of the ,christian  religion 
or the destruction of the ,christian    
,church1 deeming that what  has already 
been set forth sufficient on that head4 

,footnote ,a3 ,rev4 xiii3#f4            
,footnote ,b3 ,dan4 vii3#be2 viii3#be4  
,footnote ,c3 ,dan4 vii3#ba4            
,footnote ,d3 ,dan4 viii3#be4           
,footnote ,e3 ,dan4 viii3#bd4           
,footnote ,f3 ,rev4 xiii3#g4            
,notwithstanding the above remark ,i    
think it will be to the advantage of    
the student to have placed before him in
 parallel form the predictions  of ,st4 
,john and ,daniel1 to which allusion is 
made4    ,john4    ,and ,i stood upon   
the sand of the sea1 and saw a beast    
rise up out of  the sea1 having seen    
seven heads and ten horns1 and upon his 
heads the  name of blasphemy4--7,rev4   
xiii3#a47    ,and the ,dragon gave him  
his power1 and his seat1 and great      
authority4--7,rev4 xii3#b47    ,and     
there was given unto him a mouth        
speaking great things and  blasphemy2   
and power was given unto him to continue
 forty and two  months4--7,rev4         
xiii3#e47    ,and he opened his mouth in
 blasphemy against ,god to blasphemy    

,his name  and they who dwell in        
heaven4--7,rev4 xiii3#f47    ,and it was
 given unto him to make war with the    
,saints1 and to overcome  them4--7,rev4 
xiii3#g47    ,daniel4    ,then ,i would 
know the truth of the fourth            
beast4--,and of the ten horns  that were
 in his head1 and of the other which    
came up1 99 99 that had  eyes and a     
mouth that spake very great             
things4--7,dan4 vii3#ai-bj47    ,and his
 power shall be mighty1 but not by his  
own power--7viii3#b47    ,and he shall  
speak great words against the most high2
 and think to  change times and laws1   
and they shall be given unto his hand   
until a  time times and the dividing of 
time4--7vii3#be47    ,and he shall      
magnify himself in his own heart4 ,he   
shall also stand up  against the ,prince
 of ,princes1--7viii3#be47    ,i beheld 
and the same horn made war with the     
,saints and prevailed  against          
them4--7vii3#ba47 ,he shall wear out the
 ,saints of the most                    

,high4--7viii3#be47 ,and he shall       
destroy the ,mighty and the ,holy       
people4--7viii3#bd47    ,concluding     
,reflections on the ,whole ,period      
,covered by the  ,dispensations as ,far 
as ,developed3 ,the sum of the whole    
matter1  thus far1 is3--,the purpose of 
man's creation and the plan of his      
redemption1 were known to ,god and the  
immense host of the spirits of  men     
before the creation of the earth4 ,adam 
came to the new creation1  the earth1   
under the divine commandment to people  
it with his  offspring4 ,from ,adam to  
,messiah numerous dispensations of the  
,gospel  were given to men2 but these   
dispensations were limited in their     
effectiveness1 owing to the proneness of
 men to reject the truth1 and  to walk  
in darkness rather than light because   
their deeds were evil4  ,yet ,god left  
not ,himself without witnesses in the   
earth2 for there were  a few in all     
dispensations that honored ,him and his 
righteous laws4  ,finally1 when the     

appointed time was come1 ,jesus of      
,nazareth1 the ,son  of ,god1 came and  
made the appointed ,atonement for the   
sins of the world  and brought men under
 the dominion of ,his mercy1 as well    
those who  lived before his coming1 as  
those who lived after that event4 ,he   
taught  the ,gospel2 ,he brought life   
and immortality to light2 ,he brought   
into  existence ,his ,church1 and then  
ascended on high to ,his ,father4 ,for a
  time the ,gospel in its purity was    
preached in the world by the chosen     
,apostles1 though even in their days men
 began to mar it with their vain        
philosophies1 their doctrines of        
science1 falsely so called2 and when    
the ,apostles were all fallen asleep1   
then corruptions ran riot in the        
,church1 doctrines of men were taught   
for the commandments of ,god2 a  church 
made by men was substituted for the     
,church of ,christ2 a church  full of   
pride and worldliness2 a church which1  
while it clung to forms  of godliness1  

ran riot in excesses and                
abominations--until spiritual  darkness1
 fell like a pall over the nations2 and 
thus they lay for  ages4 ,in vain men   
sought to establish reforms1 and through
 them bring  back the religion of ,jesus
 ,christ1 and the ,church of ,christ4   
,to do  that1 however1 was beyond the   
power of these men1 however good their  
intentions4 ,the ,gospel taken from the 
earth1 divine authority lost1  the      
,church of ,christ destroyed1 there was 
but one way in which all  these could be
 restored1 viz43 ,by reopening the      
heavens and dispensing  again a         
knowledge of the ,gospel2 by once more  
conferring divine  authority upon men1  
together with a commission to teach all 
the world1  and re-establish the ,church
 of ,christ on earth4 ,in a word1 it    
would  require the incoming of the      
,dispensation of the ,fullness of ,times
 to  restore all things1 and gather     
together in one all things in ,christ1  
both in heaven and in earth4 ,such a    

,dispensation is promised of ,god1  as  
we have seen2 and it now only remains to
 add that such dispensation  was        
committed to the ,prophet ,joseph       
,smith2 and this brings us to the       
outline development of that dispensation
 in ,part ,,vi4        ,,lesson ,,xl4   
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,life ,,and ,,character ,,of           
,,constantine--,,his ,,influence ,,on   
,,the ,,christian  ,,church4    7,a     
,lecture4,a7    ,footnote ,a3 ,of all   
the abused terms in our ,mormon         
vocabulary1  perhaps this term lecture  
is the most abused4 ,it is defined in   
the ,dictionaries as a discourse read or
 pronounced on any subject3  especially1
 a formal or methodical discourse used  
for instruction4 ,it  includes the idea 
of careful preparation and literary     
excellence2 but  we style the most      
ordinary effort of our public speakers  
lecturers4  ,an error that should be    
corrected4 ,when a lecture is announced1
 it  should be understood that a treat  

is in store for the ,quorum and their   
invited guests4 ,see suggestion in a    
former lesson4    ,,notes4              
,suggestions to the ,speaker3 ,in       
,lesson ,,xxx some suggestions as  to   
plans for discourses were considered4   
,continuing the subject1 we  quote from 
the authority 7,mr4 ,pittinger7 so often
 cited in these pages4  ,on the         
undesirability of allowing the plan of  
the discourse to appear1  he says3      
,there may be occasions when a speaker  
is justified in announcing his          
divisions and subdivisions1 but such    
cases are exceptions4 ,hearers do  not  
care how a discourse is constructed1 so 
it comes to them warm and  pulsating    
with life4 ,to give the plan of a speech
 before the speech  itself is contrary  
to the order of nature4 ,we are not     
required first  to look upon a grisly   
skeleton before we can see a graceful1  
living  body4 ,there is a skeleton      
inside each body1 but during life it is 
well  hidden1 and there is no reason    

that the speaker should anticipate the  
work of the tomb4 ,it is hardly less    
objectionable to name the parts of  the 
discourse during the progress of the    
discussion1 for--continuing  the former 
illustration--bones that project through
 the skin are very  unlovely4 ,the only 
case1 ,i presume to think1 where it is  
justifiable to  name the parts of a     
discourse1 either before or during its  
delivery1 is  where the separate parts  
have an importance of their own1 in     
addition  to their office of            
contributing to the general object4     
,much of the  proverbial dryness of     
sermons arises from the preacher telling
 what  he is about to remark1 firstly1  
before he actually makes the remark     
thus numbered4 ,whenever we hear a      
minister read his text1 announce  his   
theme1 state the parts into which he    
means to divide it1 and then  warn us   
that the first head will be subdivided  
into a certain number  of parts1 each of
 which is also specified in advance1 we 

prepare our  endurance for a severe     
test4 ,what great speeches require are  
deep1  strong appeals to the hearts of  
the people1 through which shines the    
radiance of great truths and the        
lightning of intense convictions4       
,these can all find their place in the  
most logically constructed  address if  
the logic be not brought out and paraded
 in its offensive  nakedness4 ,no matter
 if the orator's mode of work is less   
understood4  ,a tree is far more        
beautiful and impressive when covered   
with waving  foliage1 even if some of   
the branches are hidden4 ,let the tide  
of  eloquence flow on in an unbroken    
stream1 bearing with it all hearts1  but
 giving no indication of the manner in  
which it is guided2 or1  better still1  
let it move with the impetus of the     
cannon-ball1 but  without proclaiming in
 advance the mark toward which it is    
flying4  ,the plan should go just as far
 as the intended speech1 that we may    
know exactly where to stop4 ,then we can

 arise with confidence1 for  we are sure
 that we have something to say2 we know 
what it is1 and1  most important of all1
 we will know when it is finished4 ,most
 of the  objections urged against       
extempore speaking apply only to        
speeches that  have no governing plan4  
,but when a firm and clear plan is      
prearranged1  there is no more danger of
 saying what we do not intend1 or of    
running  into endless digressions1 than 
if every word was written4 ,indeed1     
there  is no better way of guarding     
against undue discursiveness in a       
written  speech than by arranging such a
 plan before beginning to write4 ,but   
it may be urged that this laborious     
preparation--this careful placing  of   
every thought--will require as much time
 as to write in full4 ,it  may at first4
 ,the mind needs to be drilled into the 
work1 and it will  be of great value    
even as a mental discipline4 ,no study  
of logic or  of metaphysics will give   
such practical insight into the nature  

of  the mind's workings as this         
prearrangement of thoughts and words to 
frame a speech4 ,but the work grows     
continually easier with practice1  until
 the mature speaker will save           
three-fourths or even more than  that   
proportion of the time consumed by the  
speech-writer4 ,the speech  is now      
clearly indicated4 ,a plan has been     
prepared that fixes each  item in its   
proper place4 ,there is no further      
danger of the looseness  and            
desultoriness with which extempore      
speech has been reproached4  ,yet there 
is abundant room for the inspiration of 
the moment4 ,it is  possible1 in all the
 fire of utterance1 to leave the beaten 
track and  give expression to any new   
ideas that may be called up by the ardor
 of  speech4 ,but a sure foundation is  
laid--a course is marked out which  has 
been deeply premeditated1 ant which     
gives certainty to all we say4          
7,extempore ,speech1 ,pittinger4 pp4    
#agc-d-e-f47    99 99 99 99             

,clearness in ,speech3 ,in ,lesson ,,xxx
 we dealt with ambiguity of  speech     
through the use of too many pronouns3 in
 this ,lesson we propose  to show the   
ambiguity that arises from the          
uncertainty of antecedents  of pronouns4
    ,pronouns ,must ,have ,unmistakable 
,antecedents3 ,a pronoun may be  used a 
great number of times without destroying
 coherence1 if it refers  always to the 
same antecedent4 ,in the following      
passage from ,macaulay1  he is used     
twelve times2 yet the passage is firmly 
coherent3    ,the situation of ,william 
was very different4 ,he could not1 like 
those  who had ruled before him1 pass an
 ,act in the spring and violate it  in  
the summer4 ,he had1 by assenting to the
 ,bill of ,rights1 solemnly  renounced  
the dispensing power2 and he was        
restrained1 by prudence as  well as by  
conscience and honour1 from breaking the
 compact under which  he held his crown4
 ,a law might be personally offensive to
 him3 it might  appear to him to be     

pernicious to his people3 but1 as soon  
as he had  passed it1 it was1 in his    
eyes1 a sacred thing4 ,he had1          
therefore1 a  motive1 which preceding   
kings had not1 for pausing before he    
passed  such a law4 ,they gave their    
word readily1 because they had no       
scruple  about breaking it4 ,he gave his
 word slowly1 because he never failed to
  keep it4 7,macaulay3 ,history of      
,england47    ,there is much danger that
 in some way the antecedent of a pronoun
 will  be left uncertain4 ,if the       
antecedent is shifted1 if the pronoun   
stands  without any antecedent1 or with 
only a vague antecedent1 or if the word 
to which it refers grammatically is not 
the word to which it refers in  sense1  
ambiguity surely results4 ,the following
 sentences are cases in  point3         
,either way will be difficult1 for the  
,president will want the  ,secretary of 
,war to be inferior in rank to the      
commanding general1 as  he will be more 
of a personal appointee1 and so he will 

have a better  control over the army4   
,corrected3 ,either way will be         
difficult1 for the ,president will  want
 the ,secretary of ,war to be inferior  
in rank to the commanding  general1     
because then the former will be more of 
a personal appointee1  and he himself   
will so gain a better control over the  
army4    ,the first he refers to the    
,secretary of ,war1 the second to the   
,president2 the shift in antecedent     
produces complete obscurity4    ,no     
doubt ,banquo was ambitious1 but it did 
not master him as it did  ,macbeth4     
,corrected3 ,no doubt ,banquo was       
ambitious1 but ambition 7or the  craving
 for advancement7 did not master him as 
it did ,macbeth4    ,in the original    
form1 it is without an antecedent1      
because a pronoun  may not refer        
grammatically to an adjective4 ,the     
reader is left to  supply the noun      
ambition from the use of the adjective  
ambitious4    ,we went to the ,capitol  
determined to vote against him1 but got 

there  too late for our votes to count1 
which seemed to our adherents a most    
unwise policy4    ,corrected3 ,we went  
to the ,capital determined to vote      
against  him1 though this determination 
seemed to our adherents a most unwise   
policy1 but we got there too late for   
our votes to count4    ,which is here   
ambiguous1 because its antecedent is    
vague4 ,speaking  strictly1 it has no   
antecedent1 for which may not refer     
grammatically  to a phrase or a clause1 
but1 like all pronouns1 must have one   
word  as its antecedent4 ,disregarding1 
however1 the grammatical fault1 we  may 
still condemn the sentence1 because     
which may mean either the  determination
 to cast a negative vote or the         
carelessness of coming  late4    #a4    
,they 7the ,danes7 did not care for     
grammar1 and1 consequently1 their       
influence unsettled the inflections of  
the language and prepared the  way for  
their complete disappearance4           
,corrected4 ,they 7the ,danes7 did not  

observe the rules of  grammar1 and1     
consequently1 their influence unsettled 
the language and  prepared the way for  
the complete disappearance of           
inflection4    #b4 ,general ,johnson's  
father1 also a soldier1 died in battle  
before his  twentieth year4             
,corrected4 ,general ,johnson's father1 
also a soldier1 died in  battle before  
his son was twenty4    ,in the first    
sentence1 their refers grammatically to 
the ,danes1 in  sense to inflections2 in
 the second1 his refers grammatically to
  father1 in sense to ,general ,johnson4
 ,be careful to make a pronoun  refer   
grammatically to the word it modifies in
 sense4 ,in all these  cases1 rewriting 
has increased the number of words1 but  
when clearness  is at stake1 to think of
 the number of words is a penny-wise1   
pound-foolish policy4 7,composition and 
,rhetoric1 ,herrick and ,damon1  pp4    
#cje-g47        ,,part ,,vi4    ,,the   
,dispensation of the ,fullness of       
,times4    ,,note ,i4        ,,lesson   

,,li4    7,scripture ,reading           
,exercise47    ,,opening ,,of ,,the     
,,dispensation4    ,,analysis4    ,i4   
,joseph ,smith's ,vision4    ,,ii4      
,status of the ,christian ,world        
,announced4    ,,iii4 ,the ,american    
,scriptures ,revealed and ,translated4  
,,references4    ,pearl of ,great       
,price--writings of ,joseph             
,smith--,history of the  ,church1 ,vol4 
,i1 ch4 i4 ,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 i4    ,new
 ,witness for ,god1 ch4 x1 note #c4     
,history of the ,church4 ,vol4 ,i1 ch4  
ii2 ,vol4 ,,iv4 ch4 xxxi4 ,pearl of     
,great ,price1 p4 #ha et seq1 and note  
#e4    ,,notes4    #a4 ,dispensation of 
the ,fullness of ,times3 ,a             
dispensation1  in a general way1 has    
been already defined 7,lesson ,,vii1    
note ,i47 ,by  ,dispensation of the     
,fullness of ,times is meant the        
dispensation  which includes all others2
 and gathers to itself all things which 
bear any relation whatsoever to the work
 of ,god4 ,also it is the last          

dispensation1 the one in which will be  
gathered together in one all  things in 
,christ1 both which are in heaven and   
which are on earth2  even in ,him4 ,it  
is the dispensation which will see      
fulfilled all the  decrees of ,god      
respecting the salvation of men and the 
redemption of  the earth itself2 and    
bears such relation to all other        
dispensations of  the ,gospel as the    
ocean does to all earth's streams4 ,it  
receives and  reunites them all in      
itself4 7,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 
,i1 pp4 #be-f47    #b4 ,the             
,announcement of the ,universal         
,apostacy3 ,it is a most  startling     
announcement with which the ,prophet    
,joseph ,smith begins his  message to   
the world4 ,concerning the question1 he 
asked ,god--,which of  all the sects is 
right1 and which shall ,i join8 he says3
    ,i was answered that ,i must join   
none of them1 for they were all wrong1  
and the personage who addressed me said 
that all their creeds were an           

abomination in ,his sight3 that those   
professors were all corrupt3 that  'they
 draw near to me with their lips1 but   
their hearts are far from  me2 they     
teach for doctrines the commandments of 
men3 having a form of  godliness1 but   
they deny the power thereof4,a          
,footnote ,a3 ,history of the ,church1  
,vol4 ,i1 p4 #f4    ,this is a          
tremendous arraignment of all           
,christendom4 ,it charges a  condition  
of universal apostasy from ,god2        
especially upon ,christendom  that was  
dwelling in a fancied security of being 
the farthest removed  from the          
possibility of such a charge was it     
severe4 ,each division  of the so-called
 ,christian ,church felicitating itself 
with the  flattering unction that its   
own particular society possessed the    
enlightened fullness of the ,christian  
religion4 ,while the boldness of  this  
declaration of the young ,prophet is    
astounding1 upon reflection  it must be 
conceded that just such a condition of  

affairs in the  religious world is      
consistent with the work he1 under the  
direction  of divine ,providence1 was   
about to inaugurate4 ,nothing less than 
a complete apostasy from the ,christian 
religion would warrant the              
establishment of the ,church of ,jesus  
,christ of ,latter-,day ,saints4 ,of    
sects there were already enough in      
existence4 ,division and subdivision    
had already created of confusion more   
than enough1 and there was no  possible 
excuse for the introduction of a new    
,christian sect4 ,but if  men through   
apostasy had corrupted the ,christian   
religion and lost  divine authority to  
administer the ordinances of the        
,gospel1 it was of  the utmost          
importance that a new dispensation of   
the true ,christian  religion should be 
given to the world4 ,it should also be  
observed at  this point1 that ,joseph   
,smith1 then but a boy1 scarcely removed
 from  childhood1 was not himself       
pronouncing judgment upon the status of 

,christendom4 ,it was not he who        
declared the sects to be all wrong1     
their creeds an abomination1 and the    
professors thereof corrupt4 ,he of  all 
persons1 both on account of his extreme 
youthfulness and his lack  of general   
information1 was among the least        
qualified to pronounce upon  such a     
question4 ,indeed1 he himself confesses 
his unfitness for such an  office4 ,his 
seeking knowledge from ,god upon this   
very question--which  of all the sects  
is right8 is a confession of his own    
inability to  determine the matter4 ,no 
human wisdom was sufficient to answer   
that  question4 ,no man in all the world
 was so pre-eminent as to be justified  
in proclaiming the divine acceptance of 
one church in preference to  another1 or
 ,god's rejection of them all4 ,divine  
wisdom alone was  sufficient to pass    
judgment upon such a question2 and there
 is peculiar  force in the circumstance 
that the announcement which ,joseph     
,smith  makes with reference to this    

subject is not formulated by him nor by 
any other man1 but is given to him of   
,god4 ,god has been the judge of        
apostate ,christendom1 ,joseph ,smith   
but ,his messenger1 to herald that      
judgment to the world4    #c4 ,far      
,reaching ,effect of ,first ,direct     
,revelation in ,modern  ,times3 ,how    
little that fair-haired boy1 ,joseph    
,smith1 standing  there in the unpruned 
forest1 with the sunlight stealing      
through the  trees about him1 realized  
the burden placed upon his shoulders    
that  morning by reason of the          
visitation he received in answer to his 
prayer6    ,here is not the place for   
argument1 that is to come later2 but let
  us consider the wide-sweeping effect  
of this boy's vision upon the  accepted 
theology of ,christendom4    ,first1 it 
was a flat contradiction to the         
assumption that revelation  had ceased1 
that ,god had no further communication  
to make to man4    ,second1 it reveals  
the errors into which men had fallen    

concerning the  personages of the       
,godhead4 ,it makes it manifest that    
,god is not an  incorporeal being       
without form1 or body1 or parts2 on the 
contrary1 he  appeared to the ,prophet  
in the form of a man1 as he did to the  
ancient  prophets4 ,thus after centuries
 of controversy the simple truth of  the
 ,scriptures1 which teach that man was  
created in the likeness of  ,god--hence 
,god must be the same in form as        
man--was reaffirmed4    ,third1 it      
corrected the error of the theologians  
respecting the oneness  of the persons  
of the ,father and the ,son4 ,instead of
 being one person  as the theologians   
teach1 they are distinct persons1 as    
much so as any  father and son on earth2
 and the oneness of the ,godhead        
referred to  unity of purpose and of    
will2 the mind of the one being the mind
 of the  other1 and so as to the wrill  
and other attributes4    ,the           
announcement of these truths1 coupled   
with that other truth  proclaimed by the

 ,son of ,god1 viz41 that none of the   
sects and churches  of ,christendom were
 acknowledged as the church or kingdom  
of ,god1  furnish the elements for a    
religious revolution that will affect   
the  very foundations of modern         
,christian theology4 ,in a moment all   
the  rubbish concerning theology which  
had accumulated through all the         
centuries since the ,gospel and         
authority to administer its ordinances  
had been taken from the earth1 was      
grandly swept aside--the living  rocks  
of truth were made bare upon which the  
,church of ,christ was to be  founded--a
 ,new ,dispensation of the ,gospel was  
about to be committed to  the           
earth--,god had raised up a ,witness for
 himself among the children  of men4    
7,new ,witness1 pp4 #agc-d47    #d4     
,joseph ,smith's ,description of the    
,book of ,mormon3 ,the  records 7in     
plates of the ,book of ,mormon7 were    
engraven on plates  which had the       
appearance of gold1 each plate was six  

inches wide and  eight inches long1 and 
not quite so thick as common tin4 ,they 
were  filled with engravings1 in        
,egyptian characters1 and bound together
 in  a volume as the leaves of a book1  
with three rings running through the    
whole4 ,the volume was something near   
six inches in thickness1 a part of      
which was sealed4 ,the characters on the
 unsealed part were small1 and          
beautifully engraved4 ,the whole book   
exhibited many marks of antiquity  in   
its construction1 and much skill in the 
art of engraving4 ,with the  records was
 found a curious instrument1 which the  
ancients called ,urim  and ,thummim1    
which consisted of two transparent      
stones set in the rim  of a bow fastened
 to a breast plate4 ,through the medium 
of the ,urim and  ,thummim ,i translated
 the record by the gift and power of    
,god4    ,in this important and         
interesting book the history of ancient 
,america  is unfolded1 from its first   
settlement by a colony that came from   

the  ,tower of ,babel1 at the confusion 
of languages1 to the beginning of the   
fifth century of the ,christian ,era4   
,we are informed by these records  that 
,america in ancient times has been      
inhabited by two distinct races  of     
people4 ,the first were called          
,jaredites1 and came directly from  the 
,tower of ,babel4 ,the second race came 
directly from the city of  ,jerusalem1  
about six hundred years before ,christ4 
,they were principally  ,israelites1 of 
the descendants of ,joseph4 ,the        
,jaredites were destroyed  about the    
time that the ,israelites came from     
,jerusalem1 who succeeded  them in the  
inheritance of the country4 ,the        
principal nation of the  second race    
fell in battle towards the close of the 
fourth century4  ,the remnant are the   
,indians that now inhabit this country4 
,this  book also tells us that our      
,saviour made ,his appearance upon this 
continent after ,his resurrection2 that 
,he planted the ,gospel here in  all its

 fullness1 and richness1 and power1 and 
blessing2 that they had  ,apostles1     
,prophets1 ,pastors1 ,teachers1 and     
,evangelists2 the same order1  the same 
priesthood1 the same ordinances1 gifts1 
powers1 and blessings1  as were enjoyed 
on the eastern continent1 that the      
people were cut off  in consequence of  
their transgressions1 that the last of  
their prophets  who existed among them  
was commanded to write an abridgment of 
their  prophecies1 history1 etc41 and to
 hide it up in the earth1 and that it   
should come forth and be united with the
 ,bible for the accomplishment  of the  
purposes of ,god in the last days4      
7,history of the ,church1 ,vol4  ,,iv1  
pp4 #ecg-h47        ,,lesson ,,xlii4    
7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47        
,,establishment ,,of ,,the ,,church4    
,,analysis4    ,i4 ,restoration of the  
,aaronic ,priesthood4    ,,ii4          
,restoration of the ,melchisedek        
,priesthood4    ,,iii4 ,power and       
,authority of ,priesthood4    ,,iv4     

,organization of the ,church4           
,,references4    ,pearl of ,great       
,price1 pp1 #ih-aea and note4           
,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 #a ch4 v4
 ,see ,note #a4    ,history of the      
,church4 ,vol4 ch4 v and note at pp4    
#dj-db4    ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 vii3#bj
 and ,ibid #ah1 #ai4 ,also ,sec4 #hd4   
,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 #b chs4  
viii1 ix4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xx4     
,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,history1  
pp4 #caf-ccd and note4    ,,notes4      
#a4 ,priesthood3 ,priesthood is power   
which ,god gives to man1  by which man  
becomes an agent of ,god2 an authorized 
officer in his  kingdom1 with the right 
and power to teach the laws of the      
kingdom1  and administer the ordinances 
by which foreigners and aliens are      
admitted to citizenship4 ,it gives man  
the right and power to act in  ,god's   
stead1--thus3 ,if a man endowed with the
 proper degree of the  priesthood takes 
one who believes the gospel and baptizes
 him for the  remission of sins in the  

name of the ,father1 ,son and ,holy     
,ghost1 the  act of that authorized     
servant of ,god is just as valid as if  
the ,lord  ,jesus ,christ himself did   
it1 and remission of sins will follow4  
,so also  if an authorized servant of   
,god lays on hands to impart the ,holy  
,ghost1  the ,holy ,ghost will be given1
 inasmuch as all is done as the law of  
the ,lord directs4 ,so in preaching1    
exhorting1 warning2 whether it be  by   
,god's own voice1 or the voice of his   
servants1 it is the same4 ,man  through 
receiving the priesthood becomes ,god's 
agent2 and the ,lord is  bound to       
recognize the ministrations of his      
agents so long as they act  in          
accordance with the terms by which they 
hold that agency4 ,such is  priesthood4 
7,outlines1 p4 #cfd47    ,the power and 
authority of the ,higher or ,melchisedek
 ,priesthood1 is to  hold the keys of   
all the spiritual blessings of the      
church--,to have the  privilege of      
receiving the mysteries of the kingdom  

of heaven--to have  the heavens opened  
unto them--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 ,the     
power  and authority of the lesser1 or  
,aaronic priesthood1 is to hold the keys
  of the ministering angels1 and to     
administer in outward ordinances1 the   
letter of the gospel--the baptism of    
repentance for the remission of  sins1  
agreeable to the covenants and          
commandments4 7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4  #ajg1
 vers4 #ah-bj47    #b4 ,reflections on  
the ,restoration of the ,aaronic        
,priesthood3  ,the same qualities of    
directness and simplicity1 are to be    
observed  in the ordination of ,joseph  
,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery to the      
,aaronic  ,priesthood1 by ,john the     
,baptist4 ,this is the more surprising  
when the  circumstances connected with  
that event are taken into account4 ,the 
,aaronic ,priesthood had not been upon  

the earth for many centuries2 it  is to 
be restored by the great forerunner of  
,messiah1 whose business it  is to      
prepare the way before him2 he descends 
out of heaven in a pillar  of light1 and
 appears to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver  
,cowdery and lays his  hands upon       
them--,i am bold to affirm it as my     
steadfast belief that  any mere         
enthusiast or imposter would have taken 
advantage of these  really dramatic     
circumstances to have indulged in       
something theatrical  in the ceremony of
 ordination that was to follow4 ,some   
reference to  the long absence of the   
,priesthood from the earth2 some glowing
 words  relative to its importance2 the 
awful solemnity of conferring part  of  
,god's power on men2 the honor these men
 received in having it  bestowed upon   
them--the temptation to the mere        
enthusiast or imposter  to have indulged
 in some extravagant expression would   
have been simply  irresistible4 ,but    
hear what the angel said3    ,upon you1 

my fellow-servants1 in the name of      
,messiah1 ,i confer the  ,priesthood of 
,aaron1 which holds the keys of the     
ministering of angels  and the gospel of
 repentance1 and of baptism by immersion
 for the  remission of sins2 and this   
shall never be taken again from the     
earth1  until the sons of ,levi do offer
 again an offering unto the ,lord in    
righteousness4 ,that was all1 except    
that the messenger explained that  he   
acted under the direction of ,peter1    
,james and ,john1 that a higher         
,priesthood would later be conferred    
upon them1 and commanded them each  to  
baptize the other4    ,the simplicity1  
directness and appropriateness of this  
ordination in  the presence of such     
temptation to introduce pomp and        
ceremony1 stamp  it with the seal of    
truth4 ,it is just such an ordination as
 we would  expect--upon due             
reflection--an angel to make1 full1     
covering all  necessary ground1 but     
simple and direct4 7,new ,witness for   

,god1 pp4  #bbe-f47    ,the ,line of the
 ,restoration of the ,meichisedek       
,priesthood3 ,the  promise to confer    
upon ,joseph and ,oliver the            
,melchisedek ,priesthood  was fulfilled2
 but as there is no definite account of 
the event in the  history of the        
,prophet ,joseph1 or1 for matter of     
that1 in any of our  annuals1 the       
evidences of the fact of their          
ordination to the higher or             
,melchisedek ,priesthood promised them  
by ,john the ,baptist1 are presented    
now1 together with a consideration of   
the place where1 and the time  when1 the
 great event occurred4    ,the ,prophet 
,joseph1 in a communication to the      
,church1 under date of  ,september #f1  
#ahdb1 makes undoubted allusion to the  
restoration of the  ,melchisedek        
,priesthood in the course of an ecstatic
 review of the great  things ,god had   
revealed to him4 ,he said3 ,and again1  
what do we hear8  ,glad tidings from    
,cumorah2 ,moroni1 an angel from heaven1

 declaring the  fulfillment of the      
prophets--the book to be revealed4 ,a   
voice of the  ,lord in the wilderness of
 ,fayette1 ,seneca county1 declaring the
 three  witnesses to bear record of the 
book4 ,the voice of ,michael on the     
hanks  of the ,susquehanna1 detecting   
the devil when he appeared as an angel  
of light4 ,the voice of ,peter1 ,james  
and ,john in the wilderness between     
,harmony1 ,susquehanna county1 and      
,colesville1 ,broome county1 on the     
,susquehanna river1 declaring themselves
 as possessing the keys of the  kingdom1
 and of the ,dispensation of the        
,fullness of ,times4 7,doctrine  and    
,covenants1 ,sec4 cxxviii3#bj47    ,in  
one of the early revelations given to   
the ,prophet ,joseph1 the ,lord  makes  
most direct reference to the restoration
 of the higher ,priesthood  through the 
ministration of ,peter1 ,james and      
,john4 ,the subject matter  of the      
revelation is the ,sacrament of the     
,lord's ,supper2 and in the  course of  

it the ,lord promises to drink of the   
fruit of the vine with  his servants on 
earth to whom the revelation is         
addressed2 and with  ,moroni1 99 99 99  
99 and also ,michael1 or ,adam1 the     
father of all4 99 99 99 99 99  and also 
with ,peter1 and ,james1 and ,john1 whom
 ,i have sent unto yon1 by  whom ,i have
 ordained you and confirmed you to be   
,apostles1 and special  witnesses of my 
name1 and bear the keys of your         
ministry1 and of the  same things which 
,i revealed unto them3 unto whom ,i have
 committed  the keys of my kingdom1 and 
a dispensation of the ,gospel for the   
last  times2 and for the fullness of    
times4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 ,sec4 
xxvii47 ,this revelation was given some 
time early in ,august1 #ahcj1  but only 
the first four verses were written at   
that time4 ,the rest of  it was written 
in ,september of that year4 7,see       
chapters xi of this  volume47 ,these two
 allusions--the one by the ,prophet and 
the other by  the ,lord--to the         

restoration of the ,melchisedek         
,priesthood not only  make clear the    
fact that the ,melchisedek ,priesthood  
was restored in  accordance with the    
promise of ,john the ,baptist when      
conferring the  ,aaronic ,priesthood1   
but they make it possible to fix upon   
the place  where1 and approximately the 
time when1 the event occurred4          
,undoubtedly  the place where the       
ordination was performed was on the     
banks of the  ,susquehanna river1 in the
 wilderness between ,colesville1 in     
,broome  county1 ,new ,york1 and        
,harmony1 in ,susquehanna county        
,pennsylvania2 for  it is there the     
,prophet says the voice of ,peter1      
,james and ,john was  heard declaring   
themselves as possessing the keys of the
 kingdom1 and  of the dispensation of   
the ,fullness of ,times2 for which      
appearing and  declaration there could  
be no other occasion than the ordination
 of  ,oliver and ,joseph to the         
,melchisedek ,priesthood in fulfillment 

of the  promises made by ,john the      
,baptist4 ,the time at which the        
ordination  took place was evidently    
between the #aeth of ,may1 #ahbi1 and   
,august1  #ahcj4 ,the last named date is
 the one under which the ,lord so       
definitely  referred to the circumstance
 of having sent ,peter1 ,james and ,john
 to  ordain ,joseph and others to be    
,apostles1 even special witnesses of    
,his  name1 and unto whom he had        
committed the keys of the kingdom4      
,hence the  time of the ordination must 
have been between those two dates4      
,from information contained in other    
revelations1 however1 this  period      
within which the ,melchisedek           
,priesthood was restored may be         
considerably reduced4 ,in ,april1 #ahcj1
 a revelation was given concerning  the 
organization and government of the      
,church1 and in that revelation  the    
,lord said3 ,which commandments 7i4 e4  
to organize the ,church7 were1  given to
 ,joseph ,smith1 ,jun41 who was called  

of ,god1 and ordained an  ,apostle of   
,jesus ,christ1 to be the first ,elder  
of this ,church2 and  to ,oliver        
,cowdery1 who was also called of ,god1  
an ,apostle of ,jesus  ,christ1 to be   
the second ,elder of this ,church1 and  
ordained under his  hand4 7,doctrine and
 ,covenants1 ,sec4 xx3#b1 #c47 ,this    
allusion to the  ordination of these men
 to the apostleship reduces the time of 
their  ordination to the period between 
the #aeth of ,may1 #ahbi1 and ,april #f1
  #ahcj4    ,but the time within which  
the ordination took place may be still  
further reduced4 ,in a revelation       
bearing the date of ,june1 #ahbi1 making
  known the calling of the ,twelve1 the 
,lord said3 ,i speak unto you1  even as 
unto ,paul mine ,apostle1 for you are   
called even with that same  calling with
 which he was called4 ,as this could    
scarcely be said of  men who had not    
been ordained to the same holy          
apostleship as that held  by ,paul1 and 
consequently to the ,melchisedek        

,priesthood1 the conclusion  is         
reasonable that the ordination promised 
by ,john the ,baptist1  doubtless       
occurred some time between ,may #ae1    
#ahbi1 and the expiration  of the month 
of ,june of that same year4 7,history of
 the ,church1 vol4 ,i1  pp4 #dj-da1     
note47    #c4 ,the ,organization of the 
,church of ,christ3 ,in all things1 the 
two young men1 ,joseph ,smith and       
,oliver ,cowdery1 waited for direction  
from the ,lord1 and hence did not       
undertake to organize the church until  
he commanded them4 ,it was in obedience 
to a commandment from the ,lord1        
therefore1 that they appointed the sixth
 day of ,april1 #ahcj1 as the  time to  
organize the church4 ,several persons   
who had been baptized1  and a few of    
their friends1 met at the house of      
,peter ,whitmer1 ,sen41  in ,fayette1   
,seneca county1 in the state of ,new    
,york1 to affect that  organization4    
,the meeting was opened by solemn prayer
 after which1  according to previous    

commandments1 the ,prophet ,joseph      
called upon  the brethren present to    
know if they would accept himself and   
,oliver  ,cowdery as their teachers in  
the things of the ,kingdom of ,god2 and 
if they were willing that they should   
proceed to organize the church          
according to the commandment of the     
,lord4 ,to this they consented by       
unanimous vote4 ,joseph then ordained   
,oliver an ,elder of the ,church  of    
,jesus ,christ2 after which ,oliver     
ordained ,joseph an ,elder of the  said 
church4 ,the sacrament was administering
 and those who had been  previously     
baptized were confirmed members of the  
church and received  the ,holy ,ghost by
 the laying on of hands4 ,some enjoyed  
the gift of  prophecy1 and all rejoiced 
exceedingly4 7,see ,note #d1 end of     
section47    ,while the church was yet  
assembled a revelation was received from
 the  ,lord1 directing that a record be 
kept in the church1 and that in it      
,joseph be called a seer1 a translator1 

a prophet1 an apostle of ,jesus         
,christ1 an elder of the church2 and the
 church was commanded to give  heed to  
all his words and commandments which he 
should receive from the  ,lord2         
accepting his word as the word of ,god  
in all patience and faith4  ,on         
condition of their doing this the ,lord 
promised them that the gates  of hell   
should not prevail against the church2  
but on the contrary he  would disperse  
the powers of darkness from before them 
and shake the  heavens for their good4  
#d4 ,the ,voice of ,god and the ,voice  
of the ,people in ,church  ,government3 
,thus the church was organized2 and in  
that organization  we see the operation 
of two mighty principles--the voice of  
,god2 the  consent of the people4 ,at   
the time that ,joseph and ,oliver       
received  instruction to ordain each    
other to be elders of the church1 they  
were  told to defer their ordination    
until such time as would be practicable 
to get their brethren who had been and  

who would be baptized assembled         
together3 for they must have the        
sanction of their brethren before  they 
ordained each other elders of the       
,church2 and their brethren must  decide
 by vote whether they would accept them 
7,joseph and ,oliver7 as  spiritual     
teachers4 ,thus1 notwithstanding ,joseph
 and ,oliver had been  ordained apostles
 under the hands of ,peter1 ,james and  
,john1 and had  doubtless re-ordained   
each other as already stated1 yet when  
it came to  being ordained ,elders of   
the church1 and made the spiritual      
leaders of  it1 it must be done by the  
common consent of the church2 and thus  
early  we see enforced that law which   
says3 ,all things shall be done by      
common  consent in the church1 by much  
prayer and faith4 ,but no sooner was the
  church organized than a prophet1 a    
seer1 a translator1 is appointed and    
the church commanded to give heed to his
 words1 and to receive them as  coming  
from the mouth of the ,lord himself4    

,here in the very inception  of the     
church organization is clearly          
established the great truth1 the  grand 
principle1 that in the government of the
 church there is to be a  union of the  
voice of ,god and the consent or voice  
of the people4 ,not  vox populi1 vox    
,dei2 nor vox ,dei1 vox populi2 but vox 
,dei et vox populi4,a 7,outlines1 pp4   
#cai-ba47    ,footnote ,a3 ,the voice of
 ,god and the voice of the people4      
,,lesson ,,xliii4    7,scripture        
,reading ,exercise47    ,,doctrinal     
,,and ,,organic ,,development 7,note    
#a74    ,,analysis4    ,i4 ,the ,name of
 the ,church3    #a4 ,the ,church of    
,christ4    #b4 ,the ,church of the     
,latter ,day ,saints4    #c4 ,the       
,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter    
,day ,saints4    ,,ii4 ,the first       
officers of the ,church3    #a4 ,elders4
    #b4 ,priests4    #c4 ,teachers4     
#d4 ,deacons4    ,,iii4 ,subsequent     
additions of officers and ,councils4    
#a4 ,the ,presidency of the ,church4    

#b4 ,high ,priests4    #c4 ,bishops4    
#d4 ,standing ,high ,councils4    #e4   
,councils of the ,seventy4              
,,references4    ,history of the        
,church1 ,vol4 ,,ii p4 #gi1 #fb--,see   
title of minutes as also  minutes and   
footnote2 also ,ibid pp4 #gi1 #bdi4     
,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 cxv4 and  ,history of
 the ,church ,vol4 ,,iii1 pp4 #bc-d and 
note #b1 note #a4 ,doc4   ,cov4 ,sec4   
xx4 ,new ,witness for ,god1 ch4 xxiv4   
,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 xx2 #fe-fg4 ,also    
,ibid ,secs1 lxxxiv1 cvii2 cxxiv1       
7,presidency47    ,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 xx2
 #b1 #c4 ,history of the ,church ,vol4  
,i pp4 #gf-gh4 ,ibid  #bdc and foot     
note4 ,ibid p4 #bfg4 ,ibid p4 #ccd      
7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 xc2 #f4  ,and ,vol4 
,,ii p4 #agf4 ,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4        
cvii-#bb47    ,history of the ,church   
,vol4 ,i pp4 #age-f and foot notes4     
,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xli2 #i and foot  
note lxxii2 #a-ae4    ,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4
 cii4 ,history of the ,church1 ,vol4    
,,ii ch4 ii4    ,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4      

xviii1 also ,sec4 cvii4 ,history of the 
,church1 ,vol4 ,,ii1  ch4 xiii4 ,and the
 foot notes4 ,also ,seventy's ,year     
,book ,no4 #a1 ,lesson i1  ii1 iii4     
,,notes4    #a4 ,development of the     
,church and its ,doctrine3 ,only the    
merest  outline can be indicated on the 
,doctrinal and ,organic development of  
the ,church in this and the succeeding  
7which is the concluding7 ,,lesson  of  
this ,year ,book4 ,it should be         
understood1 however1 that we have  been 
merely led up to the ,dispensation of   
the ,fullness of ,times1 not  into it4  
,these sketches are merely traced to    
give something like  completeness to our
 outline ,history of the ,dispensations1
 but it should  be remembered of course 
that they are outlines throughout1 and  
that  these of the last dispensation1   
the most incomplete4    #b4 ,the        
,evolution of the ,name of the ,church3 
,for thus shall my  ,church be called in
 the last days1 even the ,church of     
,jesus ,christ of  ,latter-day ,saints4 

,it will be observed that the ,lord     
gives to the  ,church its official name1
 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of      
,latter-day  ,saints4 ,previous to this 
the ,church had been called ,the ,church
 of  ,christ1 ,the ,church of ,jesus    
,christ1 ,the ,church of ,god1 and by  a
 conference of ,elders held at ,kirtland
 in ,may1 #ahcd1 7see ,church  ,history1
 vol4 #b pp4 #fb-c71 it was given the   
name ,the ,church of the  ,latter-day   
,saints4 ,all these names1 however1 were
 by this revelation  brushed aside1 and 
since then the official name given in   
this  revelation has been recognized as 
the true title of the ,church1 though   
often spoken of as ,the ,mormon ,church1
 the ,church of ,christ1 etc4  ,the     
appropriateness of this title is self   
evident1 and in it there is  a beautiful
 recognition of the relationship both of
 the ,lord ,jesus  ,christ and of the   
,saints to the organization4 ,it is ,the
 ,church of  ,jesus ,christ4 ,it is the 
,lord's4 ,he owns it4 ,he organized it4 

,it is  the ,sacred ,depository of ,his 
truth4 ,it is ,his instrumentality for  
promulgating all those spiritual truths 
with which ,he would have  mankind      
acquainted4 ,it is also ,his            
instrumentality for the perfecting  of  
the ,saints1 as well as for the work of 
the ministry4 ,it is ,his in  all these 
respects4 ,but it is an institution     
which also belongs to  the ,saints4 ,it 
is their refuge in principle1 doctrine2 
and they have  joint ownership in it    
with ,jesus ,christ1 which ownership is 
beautifully  recognized in the latter   
part of the title4 ,the ,church of      
,jesus ,christ  of ,latter-day ,saints1 
is equivalent to ,the ,church of ,jesus 
,christ2  and ,the ,church of the       
,latter-day ,saints4 7,history of the   
,church1 vol4  ,,iii1 p4 #bd47    #c4   
,the ,presidency3 ,the idea of          
,presidency of the ,church like  all    
things else seems to have passed through
 a course of development4  ,at the first
 organization effected on the #fth of   

,april1 #ahcj1 ,joseph  ,smith and      
,oliver ,cowdery were sustained as the  
,first and ,second ,elders  of the      
,church 7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 xx and ,sec4
 xxi1 ,history of the ,church1  vol4 ,i1
 pp4 #gf-gh47 ,subsequently on the #beth
 of ,january1 #ahcb1 ,joseph  ,smith was
 ordained ,president of the ,high       
,priesthood at a conference  at         
,amherst1 ,ohio2 in which position he   
was sustained by a general  conference  
of the ,church held in ,zion            
7,independence1 ,mo471 on the #bfth  of 
,april1 #ahcb4 ,on ,march #hth1 #ahcc1 a
 revelation was given announcing        
,sidney ,rigdon and ,frederick ,g4      
,williams to be equal with the ,prophet 
in  holding the keys of the kingdom     
7,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4 xc3#f72 on the #ahth
  of the same month1 these brethren     
expressed the desire to be ordained  to 
their office4 ,accordingly1 remarked the
 ,prophet1 ,i laid my  hands on ,brother
 ,sidney and ,frederick1 and ordained   
them to take part  with me in holding   

the keys of this last kingdom and to    
assist in the  ,presidency of the ,high 
,priesthood1 as my counselors4 7,history
 of the  ,church1 vol4 ,i1 p4 #ccd47    
,on the #eth of ,december1 #ahcd1       
,oliver ,cowdery was brought into the   
,presidency of the ,high                
,priesthood--which is also the          
,presidency of the  ,church--taking his 
place as ,second ,elder of the ,church  
7see ,history  of the ,church vol4 ,,ii1
 p4 #agf and foot note74 ,in pursuance  
of this  arrangement it will be found on
 the title page of the ,doctrine and    
,covenants ,issued at ,kirtland in      
,august1 #ahce1 that these four brethren
  are set forth is the ,presiding       
,elders of the ,church1 as follows3     
,compiled by    ,joseph ,smith1 ,junior1
    ,oliver ,cowdery1    ,sidney        
,rigdon1    ,frederick ,g4 ,williams1   
7,presiding ,elders of ,said ,church74  
,on ,march the #bhth1 #ahce1 however1 a 
revelation was received in which it  is 
said3 ,of the ,melchisedek ,priesthood1 

three presiding ,high ,priests1  chosen 
by the body1 appointed and ordained to  
that office1 and upheld  by the         
conference1 faith1 and prayer of the    
church1 form a quorum of  the           
,presidency of the church4 7,doc4       
,cov41 ,sec4 #ajg1 ver4 #bb47 ,and to   
this law the matter of ,presidency of   
the ,high ,priesthood and of the        
,church1 the latter always goes with the
 former1 has been conformed4    #d4 ,the
 ,evolution of ,church ,government3     
,next to the evidence  of divine        
authority furnished by the spirit of    
church government  is the manner in     
which that government was brought into  
existence4  ,governments1 remarks       
,herbert ,spencer1 are not made1 they   
grow4 ,a  remark which is as true of    
ecclesiastical as of civil government3  
and  although the growth of the church  
government founded by ,joseph ,smith    
was rapid1 it was1 nevertheless1 a      
growth1 a development2 it was not  made4
 ,what ,i mean is there was no plan more

 or less elaborate formed by  the       
prophet1 a mental creation of officers  
with duties assigned1 powers  defined   
and authority limited1 and then an      
organization effected in  accordance    
with such a plan4 ,on the contrary the  
organization at the  beginning was      
extremely simple4 ,before the church was
 organized both  the ,melchisedek and   
,aaronic ,priesthood had been conferred 
on ,joseph  ,smith1 but the only officer
 known to the church at its             
organization1  ,april #fth1 #ahcj1 were 
elders1 priests1 teachers and deacons4  
,it was  not until the #dth of          
,february1 #ahca1 that a bishop was     
appointed1 and  then of course by       
revelation4 ,then in ,november following
 it was made  known that other bishops  
were to be appointed4 ,the first high   
council  in the church was not organized
 until ,february #agth1 #ahcd4 ,the     
quorum  of the ,twelve ,apostles and    
quorums of ,seventy were not organized  
until  the winter of #ahce4 ,thus       

throughout1 an officer was appointed    
today  and his duties defined2 another  
officer was appointed tomorrow or  next 
year and an explanation given of his    
duties and perhaps a limit  fixed to his
 authority1 ,thus line was given upon   
line1 precept upon  precept3 the prophet
 and those co-operating with him being  
apparently  unconscious that they were  
gradually developing a system of        
government1  each part of which was     
beautifully adjusted to every other part
 and to  the whole4 ,this gives evidence
 that if there was no general plan for  
this organization in the mind of ,joseph
 ,smith1 there was a plan in the  mind  
of ,god who through the instrumentality 
of this man was founding  his church4   
,joseph ,smith1 under ,god's direction1 
was building better  than he knew4 ,he  
as well as others associated with him   
were called upon  to lay the foundation 
of a great work--how great they knew    
not4 ,one may  stand so close to a      
mountain that he perceives neither the  

vastness of  the pile nor the grandeur  
of its outlines4 ,not until one recedes 
from  it some distance does the         
magnificence of its snow-capped peaks1  
the  solemnity of its rugged cliffs1 and
 deep ravines stir the sensibilities  of
 the soul4 ,so with this work           
established through the labors of       
,joseph  ,smith and his associates4     
,they stood too close to it to          
comprehend its  greatness2 too absorbed 
in its parts to contemplate much less   
fully  understand the meaning and       
harmony of the whole4 ,it was not until 
the  work was well advanced towards its 
completion1 and men had receded some    
distance from it in time that they began
 to be aware that out of the  parts     
given to them developed so sublime a    
system of ecclesiastical  government1   
the like of which was not to be found in
 all the world4 7,a  ,new ,witness for  
,god1 pp4 #bee-g47        ,,lesson      
,,xliv4    7,scripture ,reading         
,exercise47    ,,doctrinal ,,and        

,,organic ,,development 7,continued47   
,,analysis4    ,,iv4 ,organization of   
,stakes of ,zion4    #a4 ,zion4    #b4  
,stakes of ,zion4    ,v4 ,doctrinal     
,growth4    ,,vi4 ,the ,order and       
,presidency of all ,dispensations4      
,,reference4    ,book of ,mormon1 ,,iii 
,nephi1 ch4 xxi3#bj-be4 ,missouri       
,persecutions1 chs4  ii1 iii4 ,doc1     
,cov4 ,sec4 lvii3#a-e4 ,history of the  
,church1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4  #ahh-aia4       
,history of the church1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 
#eac-ead and note4    ,new ,witness for 
,god1 chs4 xiv and xv4 ,see also        
,history of the ,church1  ,vol4 ,,iv4   
,introduction1 pp4 xxxiii-xli and note4 
,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,iv     
,introduction1 pp4 xxxix-xli2 ,mormon   
,doctrine of ,deity1 pp4    ,,notes4    
,zion3 ,the word ,zion is variously     
employed3 ,this is ,zion1 the  pure in  
heart4 7,doc4  ,cov47 ,in this instance 
the word refers to a  people who are    
declared to be the pure in heart4 ,in   
the south part of  ,jerusalem is a hill 

frequently spoken of in ,jewish         
scripture as ,zion1  or ,mount ,zion4   
,then ,enoch the seventh from ,adam     
gathered the righteous  and built a     
city1 that was called the city of       
,holiness1 even ,zion4  ,the ,lord in   
speaking to ,enoch about the great      
events to take place in  the last days1 
in which ,he would come to the earth in 
,his glory1 said  ,he would with        
righteousness and truth sweep the earth 
as with a flood  to gather ,his elect to
 an holy city4 99 99 99 and it shall be 
called  ,zion1 a new ,jerusalem4 ,the   
,nephite prophet1 ,moroni1 tells us that
  ,ether in vision saw the days of the  
coming of the ,son of ,man1 and that  he
 spake concerning a new ,jerusalem upon 
this land 7,america71 that  was to built
 up unto the remnant of the seed of     
,joseph4 7,ether xiii47  ,jesus also    
after his resurrection1 when ,he visited
 the ,nephites on the  ,american        
continent1 told them that ,he would     
establish them upon this  land1 and if  

the ,gentiles would not harden their    
hearts1 but would  repent of their sins1
 they should be included in the         
covenant1 and  should assist in building
 up the city ,new ,jerusalem4 7,,iii    
,nephi xx47  ,the word ,zion1 then1 is  
applied to a people2 it is the name of a
 hill  in the south part of ,jerusalem2 
it is the name of a city built by ,enoch
  and his people2 it is to be the name  
of a city built in the last days  by the
 saints of the ,most ,high upon the     
continent of ,america4 7,missouri       
,persecutions2 also ,outlines of ,eccl4 
,history1 pp4 #cdi-ej47    ,the ,land of
 ,zion3 ,when the ,book of ,mormon was  
revealed and it  became known that the  
,americas were precious lands of        
promise1 and that  ,god had such a high 
destiny for the two continents as is    
described in  the ,book of ,mormon1 that
 among other things ,america was the    
place where  the ,zion of ,god should be
 built in the last days1 the brethren in
 those  early days very naturally became

 anxious to know where the city of ,zion
  would be located4 ,after much striving
 for the knowledge1 the place of  ,zion 
was at last revealed to them4 ,the ,lord
 indicated the place for  the           
commencement of the building of ,zion1  
and the place for the temple  upon which
 the glory of ,god should rest by day   
and by night4 ,this place  was declared 
to be near ,independence1 ,jackson      
county1 ,missouri4 ,the  site for the   
temple and the land around about was    
dedicated under the  supervision of the 
prophet1 and the ,saints in the eastern 
states were  commanded to gather to this
 place4 ,they did so1 and lived there   
some  three years when their enemies    
rose up against them and expelled them  
from the land under circumstances of    
great cruelty and hardship4 ,the        
,saints1 who had been driven from their 
homes1 accounted themselves  exiles from
 ,zion1 and there was much              
disappointment in ,israel because1      
apparently the promises of ,god had     

failed them2 for they looked forward  to
 an unbroken possession of the land1    
notwithstanding the word of the  ,lord  
to the contrary4 7,see ,introduction to 
,volume ,,iii of the ,history of  the   
,church1 pp4 xxxii-xxxix47 ,shortly     
after this1 three years later1 a  still 
further removal was made into the       
counties of northern ,missouri1  and    
finally1 as you know1 the entire ,church
 was expelled from the state  of        
,missouri and had to take refuge in     
,illinois4 ,the prophet with his  usual 
activity began the establishment of     
stakes of ,zion in ,illinois1           
especially at ,nauvoo and vicinity4     
,meantime the ,saints were questioning  
much concerning ,zion1 and the privilege
 of dwelling therein4 ,at the  ,april   
conference1 preceding his martyrdom1 the
 prophet alluded to these               
disappointments1 and he spake of ,zion  
at considerable length4 ,i want  to read
 to you his words on that occasion4 ,the
 ,saints had too narrow a  conception of

 ,zion1 and of the purpose of ,god with 
reference to her2  and hence the        
prophet1 in the course of his remarks1  
said3    ,you know there has been a     
great discussion in relation to ,zion1  
where  it is1 and where the gathering of
 the dispensation is1 which ,i am now   
going to tell you4 ,the prophets have   
spoken and written upon it1 but ,i  will
 make a proclamation that will cover a  
broader ground4 ,the whole  of ,america 
is ,zion itself1 from north to south1   
and is described by  the prophets who   
declared that it is ,zion1 where the    
mountain of the  ,lord shall be1 and it 
shall be the center of the land4 ,i have
 received  instructions from the ,lord  
that from henceforth wherever the elders
 of  ,israel shall build up churches and
 branches unto the ,lord1 throughout    
the states 7having reference to the     
,united ,states1 of course7 there  shall
 be a stake of ,zion4 ,in the great     
cities1 as ,boston1 ,new ,york1  etc41  
there shall be stakes4 ,it is a glorious

 proclamation1 and ,i  reserved it to   
the last1 and designed it to be         
understood that this  work shall        
commence after the washings and         
anointings and endowments  have been    
performed here 7i4 e4 in ,nauvoo74      
,the martyrdom of the prophet and the   
exodus to the mountains consequent  upon
 that martyrdom made it impossible to   
carry out this policy of  building up   
stakes of ,zion in ,boston1 ,new ,york  
and other eastern  cities4 ,the ,church 
found that it had all it could do in    
establishing  itself in the valleys of  
the ,rocky mountains1 where it might    
fulfill  the predictions of the prophet 
of this dispensation1 to the effect     
that the ,saints would become a great   
and powerful people in the midst  of the
 ,rocky mountains4 ,sometimes1 however1 
,i have wondered if we  have not too    
much set our hearts upon these valleys1 
upon this state  of ,utah and these     
surrounding states2 and if--like the    
,saints in the  earlier history of the  

,church1 when inhabiting ,jackson       
county1 we have  not limited our        
conceptions of ,zion by lines that are  
altogether too  narrow4 ,last fall1 as  
,i journeyed through the eastern states1
 through  ,new ,england1 and in the     
south1 and realized that in the southern
 states  there are more than #aj1jjj of 
our people1 and in the ,eastern ,states 
mission more than #c1jjj1 and in the    
,northern ,states mission a still       
greater number than in the ,eastern     
,states1 ,i wonder if it would not be   
possible to establish stakes of ,zion in
 the eastern and southern states  as    
well as in ,canada1 in ,mexico1 in      
,oregon1 in ,arizona1 or ,colorado4     
,would it not be just as legitimate to  
establish stakes of ,zion in ,south     
,carolina1 in ,florida1 in ,vermont or  
,new ,york1 as it is to establish       
stakes of ,zion in these other places ,i
 have named8 ,the whole land of         
,america1 the two great continents1 is  
,zion1 the land of ,joseph2 and ,i      

believe that the elements are forming1  
that ,god is so tempering the  minds of 
men1 so making them receptive of the    
truth1 that by a strong1  intelligent   
proclamation of the gospel1 that ,god   
has entrusted to ,his  ,church1 it may  
become possible for stakes of ,zion to  
be established all  over this land4     
7,defense of the ,faith and the ,saints1
 pp4 #dcg-ddj47    ,a ,stake of ,zion3  
,a ,stake of ,zion is a division of the 
church  territorially that embraces     
several wards,a and branches4 ,there is 
no  set number of wards or branches     
necessary to constitute a ,stake4 ,that 
is arranged according to convenience4   
,the ,stake is presided over by a       
president1 who is a ,high ,priest1      
assisted by two other ,high ,priests as 
counselors4 ,they constitute the        
,presidency of the ,stake1 and preside  
over the organization in that ,stake    
much in the same way that the           
,president of the ,church presides over 
the entire church2 but is subject  of   

course to the general authorities of the
 church4    ,footnote ,a3 ,wards3 ,the  
,stakes are divided into ecclesiastical 
wards1  presided over by a bishopric1   
consisting of a bishop aided by two     
high priests as counselors1 unless the  
bishop is a literal descendant  of      
,aaron1 in which event he has authority 
to act as bishop without  counselors4   
,the bishopric has a direct general     
presidency over the  quorums of the     
lesser priesthood in his ward1 and      
presides even over  those holding the   
,higher ,priesthood as members of his   
ward2 but not  over the quorums of the  
,higher ,priesthood as quorums4    ,in  
each ,stake is a ,standing ,high        
,council1 over which the ,presidency  of
 the ,stake--or the ,president or either
 one of the counselors1 when            
circumstances render it impossible or   
inconvenient for all to be              
present--preside4 ,this forms the       
highest judicial tribunal in the ,stake4
    ,one or more ,patriarchs are        

appointed to confer upon the people     
patriarchal blessings within the ,stake4
 ,the ,high ,priests are organized  into
 a quorum with a presidency over them as
 already explained4 ,the  ,elders are   
organized into one or more quorums1     
according as they are  numerous enough  
for one or a number of quorums2 and with
 the ,high  ,priests constitute the     
standing ministry in the ,stake4        
7,outlines1 pp4  #cgd-cge47    ,fitness 
in ,doctrine ,development3 ,not only did
 our ,prophet  start right but he       
continued right4 ,he not only received  
the gospel  through the ministration of 
an angel2 but he received his authority 
to preach it1 administer its ordinances 
and build up the ,church of  ,christ    
from those who last held the keys of    
that authority on earth4  ,from ,john1  
who when on earth was called the        
,baptist1 now raised  from the dead and 
become an angel of ,god1 he received the
 ,aaronic  ,priesthood1 which gave him  
power to preach repentance and baptize  

for  the remission of sins1 from ,peter1
 ,james and ,john1 the three chief      
apostles of the dispensation ushered in 
by the personal ministry of the  ,lord  
,jesus1 he received the keys of the     
,melchisedek ,priesthood--the  ,holy    
,apostleship1 which gave him power to   
establish the church of  ,christ to the 
uttermost and regulate all its affairs2 
from ,moses he  received the keys of the
 gathering of ,israel from the four     
quarters  of the' earth and the leading 
of the ten tribes from the land of the  
north2 from ,elijah the keys of the     
priesthood to turn the hearts of  the   
fathers to the children1 and the hearts 
of the children to the  fathers1        
according to the prediction of ,malachi4
 ,thus he was called  and ordained of   
,god through divinely appointed agents  
as was ,aaron1  and therefore fulfilled 
the law which provides that those who   
minister  for men in things pertaining  
to ,god1 must be called of ,god as      
,aaron  was1 by prophecy and revelation4

 ,in this development of the work of    
,god1 one sees a fitness of things4     
,look for a moment at the work ,god  has
 proposed to himself to accomplish3 ,the
 time has come for the  restoration of  
the ,gospel2 for the re-establishment of
 his church2  for the ushering in of the
 ,dispensation of the ,fullness of      
,times in  which he has promised to     
gather together in one all things in    
,christ1  both which are in heaven1 and 
which are on earth4 ,a reign of peace1  
a reign of righteousness is about to be 
inaugurated--the ,millennium  which the 
scriptures promised--long looked for by 
earth's troubled  children--despaired   
of--given up--is about to be realized6  
,the remnant  of ,israel is to be       
gathered to ,zion2 ,jerusalem is to be  
established1  no more to be thrown down2
 the nations are to beat their swords   
into  plow-shares1 and their spears info
 pruning-hooks and nation shall not     
lift up sword against nation1 nor shall 
they learn war any more--the  earth is  

to rest from its wickedness4 ,to bring  
this to pass1 the  cooperation of man is
 necessary--his obedience1 his          
righteousness4 ,to  secure that         
obedience1 that co-operation1 faith is  
needed2 and as faith  is based on       
evidence1 ,god proceeds to create the   
evidence by bringing a  witness into    
existence who can not only testify of   
,god's existence1 but  also of his      
purposes4 ,he then enlarges the evidence
 by bringing forth  the ,book of        
,mormon1 the voice of entire nations of 
people speaking out  of the dust of     
ages1 testifying that the ,lord is ,god1
 that ,jesus in  the ,christ1 that the  
gospel is the power of ,god unto        
,salvation2 and by  thus increasing the 
evidence the foundation for faith was   
enlarged2 and  by establishing faith in 
the hearts of men the seed of obedience 
was  planted4 ,for faith is the         
incentive to action1 the cause of       
obedience1  and the foundation of all   
righteousness4 ,when the work reached   

that  stage of development that men     
could be taught repentance1 and receive 
baptism for the remission of sins1 who  
so qualified or who with more  propriety
 could be sent to deliver the keys of   
the priesthood that is  especially      
appointed to cry repentance and         
administer baptism than the  teacher of 
repentance and the ,baptists8 ,or1 when 
the time came for the  restoration of   
the apostleship1 who could restore it   
save those who  last held the keys of it
 on earth--,peter1 ,james and ,john8    
,who so fit  to restore the keys of the 
gathering of ,israel and leading the ten
  tribes back from the north as ,moses1 
the great prophet of ,israel8 ,who  so  
fitting to restore the keys of the      
priesthood which should turn  the hearts
 of the fathers and children1 towards   
each other as ,elijah1  of whom it was  
prophesied that he would do that work8  
,thus throughout  there was a fitness in
 the development of the great work of   
,god in  the last days--an              

appropriateness to be observed in the   
personages  employed to restore the keys
 of authority which opened up the       
several  departments of the great       
dispensation4 ,and it is to be observed1
 too1  that this fitness of things as   
here pointed out was not the result of  
working to a well-matured plan in the   
mind of ,joseph ,smith2 he was too      
young and too inexperienced to          
preconceive it all and then set himself 
at work to unfold it in such beautiful  
order4 ,it was of course working  to a  
well-matured plan1 but the plan existed 
in the mind of ,god2 and  it was given  
to ,joseph ,smith piece-meal--incident  
followed incident  without an apparent  
suspicion in his mind that each incident
 was a step  in the progress of the     
mighty march of events matured in the   
mind of  ,god--each key of authority1 or
 part of the gospel but a fragment of a 
mighty and consistent whole that ,god   
was unfolding4 ,the consistency and     
appropriateness of the development      

,joseph ,smith never spoke of2 it was   
left for others to note these things    
after the work was well advanced  in he 
course of its development4 ,the ,prophet
 received the messengers  ,god sent to  
him1 and under their instruction        
proceeded with the  unfoldment of the   
purposes of the ,lord1 and left it to   
others to admire  the work and note the 
evidences of ,god's directing hand in   
the order of  the events and the        
appropriateness of the parties entrusted
 with the  introduction of the various  
departments of it4 7,new ,witness for   
,god1  p4 #bai-bbb47    ,adam the       
,president of ,all ,dispensations to    
,our ,earth3 ,the  following remarks of 
the ,prophet respecting man and his     
relation to  ,god1 and the relationship 
of certain leading men to each other1 in
 the  several dispensations of the      
,gospel which have been given1 cannot   
fail  to be an interesting and          
instructive contribution and conclusion 
to  this lesson4 ,the remarks under     

division ,i are taken from a discourse  
by the ,prophet delivered in ,june1     
#ahci1 in answer to some inquiries      
concerning ,priesthood4 ,the ,prophet's 
remarks under division ,i appear  in the
 ,millennial ,star1 ,vol4 xxvii1 pages  
#caj1 #caa4 ,those in division  ,,ii are
 from an article on ,priesthood prepared
 by the ,prophet1 and read  by ,robert  
,b4 ,thompson at the general conference 
of the ,church held at  ,nauvoo1        
,october #e1 #ahdj1 and are to be found 
in the ,millennial ,star1  ,vol4 xviii1 
pages #afd1 #afe4    ,i4    ,the        
,priesthood was first given to ,adam2 he
 obtained the ,first  ,presidency and   
held 7holds7 the keys of it from        
generation to  generation4 ,he obtained 
it in the creation1 before the worlds   
were  formed1 as in ,genesis #a3bj1 #bf1
 #bh4 ,he had dominion given him over   
every living creature4 ,he is ,michael1 
the ,archangel1 spoken of in the        
,scriptures4 ,then to ,noah1 who is     
,gabriel2 he stands next in authority   

to ,adam in the ,priesthood2 he was     
called of ,god to this office1 and was  
the ,father of all living in his day1   
and to him was given the dominion4      
,these men held keys first on earth1 and
 then in heaven4 ,the ,priesthood  is an
 everlasting principle1 and existed with
 ,god from eternity1 and  will to       
eternity1 without beginning of days or  
end of years4 ,the keys  have to be     
brought from heaven whenever the ,gospel
 is sent4 ,when they  are revealed from 
heaven it is by ,adam's authority4      
,daniel vii1 speaks  of the ,ancient of 
,days2 he means the oldest man1 our     
,father ,adam1  ,michael2 he will call  
his children together and held a council
 with  them to prepare them for the     
coming of the ,son of ,man4 ,he 7,adam7 
is  the father of the human family and  
presides over the spirits of all  men1  
and all that have had the keys must     
stand before him in this grand  council4
 ,this may take place before some of us 
leave this stage of  action4 ,the ,son  

of ,man stands before him1 and there is 
given ,him glory  and dominion4 ,adam   
delivers up his stewardship to ,christ1 
that which  was delivered to him as     
holding the keys of the universe1 but   
retains  his standing as head of the    
human family4 99 99 99 99 ,the ,father  
called  all spirits before him at the   
creation of man1 and organized them4    
,he 7,adam7 is the head1 and was told to
 multiply4 ,the keys were first  given  
to him1 and by him to others4 ,he will  
have to give an account of  his         
stewardship and they to him4 99 99 99 99
 99 ,i saw ,adam in the valley of       
,adam-ondi-,ahman4 ,he called together  
his children and blessed them with  a   
patriarchal blessing4 ,the ,lord        
appeared in their midst1 and he 7,adam7 
blessed them all1 and foretold what     
should befall them to the latest        
generation4 7,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 xviii1 
pp4 #caj1 #caa2 see ,doc4  ,cov4 ,sec4  
cvii3#ec1 #ef47 ,this is why ,abraham   
blessed his posterity2 he wanted  to    

bring them into the presence of ,god4   
,they looked for a city1 etc41  ,moses  
sought to bring the children of ,israel 
into the presence of ,god1  through the 
power of the ,priesthood1 but he could  
not4 ,in the first  ages of the world   
they tried to establish the same thing2 
and there  were ,eliases raised up who  
tried to restore these very glories1 but
 did  not obtain them1 but they         
prophesied of a day when this glory     
would  be revealed4 ,paul spoke of the  
,dispensation of the ,fullness of       
,times1  when when ,god would gather    
together all things in one1 etc41 and   
those  men to whom these keys have been 
given1 will have to be there1 and  they 
without us cannot be perfect4 ,these men
 are in heaven1 but their  children are 
on earth4 ,their bowels yearn over us4  
,god sends down men  for this reason    
7,matt4 #ac3da74 ,and the ,son of ,man  
shall send forth  his angels1 etc4 ,all 
these authoritative characters will come
 down and  join hand in hand in bringing

 about this work4    ,,ii4              
,commencing with ,adam1 who was the     
first man1 who is spoken of in ,daniel  
as being the ,ancient of ,days1 or in   
other words1 the first and oldest  of   
all1 the great grand progenitor1 of whom
 it is said in another place  he is     
,michael1 because he was the first and  
father of all1 not only by  progeny1 but
 the first to hold the spiritual        
blessings1 to whom was  made known the  
plan of ordinances for the salvation of 
his posterity  unto the end1 and to whom
 ,christ was first revealed1 and through
 whom  ,christ has been revealed from   
heaven1 and will continue to be revealed
  from henceforth4 ,adam holds the keys 
of the ,dispensation of the  ,fullness  
of ,times1 i4 e4 the dispensation of all
 the times1 have been  and will be      
revealed through him from the beginning 
to ,christ1 and from  ,christ to the end
 of all the dispensations that are to be
 revealed3  ,ephesians1 #ast chap41 #ith
 and #ajth verses--,having made known   

unto us  the mystery of his will1       
acording to his goon pleasure which he  
hath  purposed in himself3 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 99 99 99 99 99 ,and again3 ,god    
purposed in himself1 that there should  
not be eternal fullness until  every    
dispensation should be fulfilled and    
gathered together in one1  and that all 
things whatsoever that should be        
gathered together in one  in those      
dispensations unto the same fullness and
 eternal glory1 should  be in ,christ   
,jesus2 therefore he set the ordinances 
to be the same  forever1 and set ,adam  
to watch over them1 to reveal them from 
heaven to  man1 or to send angels to    
reveal them2 ,hebrews ,i3#ad--;,are they
 not all  ministering spirits1 sent     
forth to minister to those who shall be 
heirs  of salvation1 ,these angels are  
under the direction of ,michael or      

,adam1  who acts under the direction of 
the ,lord4 ,from the above quotation we 
learn that ,paul perfectly understood   
the purposes of ,god in relation  to his
 connection with man1 and that glorious 
and perfect order which  he established 
in himself1 whereby he sent forth power1
 revelations1  and glory4 99 99 99 99 99
 ,this then1 is the nature of the       
,priesthood2 every  man holding the     
presidency of his dispensation1 and one 
man holding the  presidency of them all1
 even ,adam2 and ,adam receiving his    
presidency  and authority from the      
,lord1 but cannot receive a fullness    
until ,christ  shall present the        
,kingdom to the ,father1 which shall be 
at the end of  the last dispensation4   
7,the ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 pp4  
#bdc-bdh47